Enjoy the holidays guilt-free with Planet Fitness workouts

News 12 This Morning: Amelia Greer is back in her dress clothes for another morning workout! Cheria Sisk from Planet Fitness brings her Thanksgiving themed workout to the News 12 studio to get in the zone during the holidays. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The holidays are a stressful time for everyone, but getting a workout in should be the least…

Chattanooga’s Incline Railway celebrates 130 years

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – From the first days of early mountain tourism to the modern skyline we see today, the Incline Railway has remained a constant, iconic landmark. Today, one of the world’s steepest passenger railways marks a milestone few landmarks will ever reach. During the celebration, Dylan Rivera, the City of Chattanooga’s Director of Policy Planning and Implementation, delivered…

ChattLab Makerspace hosts Community Repair Café

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The ChattLab Makerspace is helping residents save money and reduce waste through its community repair café, an event where volunteers work to fix everyday items that people might otherwise throw away. Individuals can bring household goods or electronics to the workshop, and volunteers will attempt to repair them. Participants can also bring ideas for new creations…

New findings push PFAS investigation toward major legal action

DALTON Ga. (WDEF) For more than a year, families in northwest Georgia have been living with unanswered questions about PFAS, often called forever chemicals. News 12 attended a community update where the attorneys leading the PFAS Georgia investigation outlined what eighteen months of testing has uncovered and what the community should expect next. One of the lead attorneys, Ben Finley,…

Chattanooga Buddy Walk Celebrates Inclusion

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The 2025 Chattanooga Buddy Walk brought thousands of families, advocates, and supporters to First Horizon Pavilion this weekend, celebrating individuals with Down syndrome and the power of community. The event featured music, food vendors, games, face painting, and the popular “Buddy Strut,” where individuals with Down syndrome are highlighted and cheered on by friends and family. …

Memorial service held in honor of crew member who lost his life in LifeFlight crash

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WDEF) – Saturday morning a memorial service was held in honor of Allan Williams, the crew member who lost his life in the recent LifeFlight crash in Wilson County. The service took place at the Rolling Hills Community Church at 1810 Columbia Ave., Franklin, Tennessee. The photos above are from the Vanderbilt LifeFlight media platform, where they wrote,…

Chattanooga’s Rising Track Star

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga has a rising star in youth track: Robert Todd IV.  At just 9 years old, Robert is already making a name for himself with his speed, dedication, and competitive spirit. Training with the Chatt Town Speed Track Club, Robert competes in sprints and middle-distance events, posting times that put him among the top runners nationally…

Holiday Home Dedication for Family

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga welcomed the holiday season by celebrating a new home dedication for Stephanie Tarvin and her family on Friday, November 14th.  The ceremony took place in a local neighborhood, where friends, volunteers, and community partners gathered to mark the completion of months of hard work. Tarvin, a medical assistant and mother…

Sponsors for various features of Erlanger Park announced

The construction progress of Erlanger Park on November 14, 2025. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The brand new home of the Chattanooga Lookouts made some announcements Friday. Five companies; Unum, Rock City, Kubota, FirstBank, and Coca-Cola, are sponsoring various aspects of Erlanger Park. Unum is sponsoring 16 luxury suite boxes. FirstBank is sponsoring the home run club behind home plate. Kubota of…

Parkridge announces plans to open new emergency room in Bradley county

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — Parkridge Medical Center announced plans to build a freestanding Emergency Room in Bradley County. The ER would have 11 rooms, including one for trauma care. It would also feature a nurses station, imaging, and in-house labs. Parkridge said in a press release that Bradley County is rapidly growing and is underserved when it comes to 24-7…

Choice lanes move forward in Tennessee

Potential future choice lanes in Chattanooga. (From: TDOT) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF)- A project to introduce choice lanes in Tennessee is continuing to move forward. The Transportation Modernization Board approved several portions of a project to introduce these lanes between Nashville and Murfreesboro on I-24. These are toll lanes that would be used to try to alleviate traffic. The board approved…

TECH BYTE – A HIGH-TECH TWIST ON TEACHING PEOPLE TO DRIVE

NOW FOR A HIGH-TECH TWIST ON TEACHING PEOPLE TO DRIVE. A SCHOOL IN THE UK IS TRAINING DRIVING INSTRUCTORS USING VIRTUAL REALITY BEFORE THEY HIT THE REAL ROAD. WITH VR HEADSETS, TRAINEES PRACTICE NAVIGATING TRICKY TRAFFIC AND MAKING SPLIT-SECOND DECISIONS. THE SYSTEM EVEN GIVES TEACHERS DOUBLE MIRRORS SO THEY CAN WATCH BOTH THEIR STUDENT AND TRAFFIC AROUND THEM. So the…

Lookouts to repurpose parts of Engel Stadium

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- We are hearing reaction to UTC’s plan to replace Engel Stadium with a women’s soccer stadium. The stadium, built in 1930, has fallen into disrepair over the past several years. The site is planned to be converted into that soccer stadium and the new Hamilton County Health Department building. As the Lookouts prepare to move into their…

Hamilton County Coalition offers wrap around service to those struggling with addiction

Jarrod Dunn and Kate Parsons join News 12’s Amelia Greer to remind viewers of the importance of recovery resources. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Coalition is responding to several counties in the viewing area to encourage those facing addiction and mental illness. Lifeline Coordinator Jarrod Dunn and Faith-Based Coordinator Kate Parsons remind everyone that the Hamilton County Coalition offers…

Come one, come all to 2025 Gratefull!

Dawn Hjelseth from River City Company joins News 12’s Amelia Greer to remind viewers ‘Gratefull’ is right around the corner.  CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Lots of free food and good community with Gratefull taking over MLK Blvd. Celebrating over a decade of serving the community, everyone is invited to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together and to meet your neighbors. All…

First Responder Hero Award: Trey Birdwell

DUNLAP, Tenn. (WDEF) – News 12 is recognizing some of the bravest members of our community through the First Responders Hero Award. Whether someone is an EMT, paramedic, firefighter, or police officer, this award honors their unwavering dedication to keeping our community safe. When danger strikes, these men and women are the first to respond. Now, it is our turn to…

Festival of Trees event raises funds for struggling mothers

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — Foundation House Ministries’ Festival of Trees event was Thursday. The event runs from 6 to 8pm and gives families an opportunity to celebrate the holidays stress free. Foundation House Ministries is a nonprofit that provides housing and a recovery program for mothers. It’s the only maternity home of its kind within a one-hundred-and-fifty-mile radius. Guests were…

Novonix expansion remains on track

The interior of the Novonix facility on the Chattanooga Westside (Courtesy: Novonix) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- 95 percent of the world’s synthetic graphite is currently produced in China. One company, whose presence is expanding in Chattanooga, is looking to change that. In order to achieve this, Novonix is looking to soon reach full production at their Chattanooga Westside facility. The product…

Red Bank Pantry Sees Surge in Families as SNAP Delays Continue

Chattanooga, TN (WDEF)-The Chattanooga Area Food Bank remains in emergency response mode as delayed SNAP benefits push more families across Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia to local food pantries. At Red Bank Community Food Pantry, the surge has been striking. Volunteers report a 52% increase in families visiting, many for the first time. Heather Hammond, a worker with the pantry,…

Pilgrim’s Breaks Ground in LaFayette

LAFAYETTE, GA (WDEF) – Pilgrim’s is making a major investment in Walker County’s future with the groundbreaking of a $400 million prepared foods facility at the Walker County Business Park in LaFayette. The new multi-phase facility is expected to create more than 630 jobs when it reaches full capacity, producing fully cooked chicken products for retail and foodservice customers across…

Can Tariff Rebates Really Happen?

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – President Donald Trump has proposed giving most Americans a $2,000 payment funded by money collected from tariffs on imported goods.  The administration says the plan could take several forms, including direct checks or tax reductions, but officials stress that the details are still being worked out, including who would qualify and how the payments would be…