Tennessee Aquarium plays huge part in downtown Chattanooga tourism

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)-David and Donna Epps are tourists visiting Chattanooga to see the outdoors, site see, and of course, visit the aquarium. “We like Chattanooga a lot. The downtown area has things that we appreciate like the aquarium, like the bridge;  walkability,” said the Epps. They aren’t the only ones. As the economic impact of the Tennessee Aquarium for Chattanooga…

More money this year in TVFCU idea pitch grants

The offer grants to great business ideas

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union is doubling its amount of grant money being given away during National Small Business week. This morning T-V-F-C-U announced the fifth annual idea leap grant will award five businesses a share of 100 thousand dollars in grants. The grand prize winner will receive 50 grand. TVFCU Vice President Tommy Nix says this…

Georgia approves new Ringgold hospital plan

CHI Memorial is building it, Parkridge challenged it

UPDATE: We asked Parkridge Health System officials is they had plans for any future challenges to the project and they responded with this statement: “Parkridge Health is committed to providing the highest quality healthcare to all patients we serve. We will continue to support and care for the Georgia community, as we have done for close to 50 years.” _________…

More To The Story: A voter guide

Dave talks to the man behind a voter guide that focuses on who the candidate is more than their talking points

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Who to vote for? Always an important decision in our country. Many times, people say they simply don’t have enough information on the candidates. There are many forms of “voter guides” out there to help. For example, Rick Toner is the coordinator of one such guide here in Hamilton County. The website is VoteChattanooga.org. Toner says it’s different….

Smokies Take Down the Chattanooga Lookouts 10-5

(lookouts.com) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Lookouts dropped game three of the series, 10-5, to the Tennessee Smokies on Thursday night from AT&T Field. The Lookouts got on the board first after Matt McLain was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a TJ Hopkins double in the first Tennessee (10-7) quickly responded with two runs of…

Chattanooga organization calls for end to cash bail

CALEB hosts The Vera Institute for Justice in public panel on subject

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality and Benevolence, or CALEB for short, held a panel tonight to discuss the nationwide movement to end cash bail. They hosted The Vera Institute for Justice tonight in a Q-and-A that was open to the public. Rev. Charlotte Williams addressed those in attendance tonight saying “slavery didn’t end, it evolved.” She…

Gov. Kemp signs education bills; critics say it’s a ‘solution searching for a problem’

Dade County superintendent says the legislation shouldn't impact his district much because of what the educators already do for their students and parents

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed seven bills into law Thursday that are aimed at the way education is taught in our schools. The question many of Georgia’s teachers and superintendents asked was “Why?” After speaking to one local superintendent, the president of the Georgia Association of Educators and the A-C-L-U of Georgia, it became clear that most…

From The Archives: The 1992 Tennessee Aquarium Opening

Highlights from our live show on the dedication and opening

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – This weekend, the Tennessee Aquarium celebrates their 30th birthday. “On May 1, 1992, Chattanooga came together as the Tennessee Aquarium opened its doors, igniting the ‘Renaissance on the River.’” So they are holding a Riverfront Celebration all day Saturday. They will have family activities, music and fireworks at dark. You can get more details on their schedule…

Sheriff responds to jail criticisms

He agrees that Silverdale is the most dangerous 25 acres in our area and explains why

UPDATE: District Attorney response to Sheriff Hammond’s press conference The statement deals with the Sheriff saying that Pinkston’s decision on the Collegedale arrest investigation as a “slap in the face.”  “It was the Chattanooga Clergy for Justice that made that request in a letter to me, saying “based on a review of HCSO current use of force policies and Coty…

Lookouts Rally From Early Deficit to Beat the Smokies 6-2

(lookouts.com) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Lookouts evened the series with the Tennessee Smokies with a, 6-2, win on Wednesday night at AT&T Field. The Smokies got on the board early hitting back-to-back home runs from Levi Morel and Nelson Velazquez. Chattanooga (10-7) cut the lead in half as Matt McLain hit a one-out triple and came around to score…

Thirteen McCallie Athletes Sign College Scholarships

(press release) Thirteen McCallie School student-athletes participated Wednesday in a Signing and Commitment ceremony on campus as each signed or committed to continue their academics and athletics at the collegiate level. McCallie’s sports teams were well represented and included individuals from baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, and swimming. The list featured three NCAA Division I signees – Hayden…

Second Lawsuit to be Filed Against City of East Ridge, Police Officers

Robin Flores Prepares a Second Suit, Same Police Officer Involved in Both

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Local Attorney Robin Flores is preparing a new lawsuit against the City of East Ridge and some of its police officers. Last week, News 12 reported that Flores was suing over two officers, identified in the lawsuit as Teddy Dyer and Candice Miller, forcibly arresting a 70 year old man during a verbal encounter. Now, Flores is…

More To The Story: Sports injuries to teeth

Dave finds a local dental group is on a mission this month to get more kids to wear mouthguards

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) –  One of the last things you want to have happen is to lose one of your teeth while playing sports. Especially if that happens to a young athlete. One organization in Tennessee is spending the month of April trying to help those athletes stay safe. News 12’s Dave Staley explains, in tonight’s edition of “More To The…

‘Addiction to winning,’ out-of-control parents causing shortage of referees

Several recent incidents show coaches and parents assaulting referees and umpires, and the victims aren't returning to the field or court

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – State athletic officials recently returned from a conference in Indianapolis, and one told News 12 that a big question that came out of it was “How do we stop parents from attacking our referees?” Ernie Yarbrough, the assistant executive director for the Georgia High School Association, also said a sitting judge in Augusta coined the perfect term….

New bike trail unveiled at Enterprise South

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tennessee (WDEF) – For those who want to spend more time outside, there’s a new bicycle trail at Enterprise South. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger presided this morning as the trail was officially opened. The paved, six mile bike trail is the result of a generous three quarter of a million dollar anonymous donation. It’s designed for road…

Students take Voting Field Trips

For some high schoolers, these are the first votes they will cast

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – This week, the Delta Sigma Theta sorority is sponsoring field trips for eligible students from Tyner Academy and the Howard School to go vote early in the May 3rd election. In partnership with the League of Women Voters of Chattanooga, the sorority registered 1-hundred-93 students to vote. Of those students, 40 were eligible to vote in the upcoming…

$100 Million Project Slated to “Revitalize” Hixson Industrial Park

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Mayor Tim Kelly has announced an agreement with Rise Partners to revitalize the industrial site in Hixson that was once home to DuPont Chemicals. According to the city, the existing nylon production facility will be replaced with 800,000 square feet of Class A industrial space. “That’s going to be thick walls, big cranes up top, lots of…

Fire Destroys Ocoee Whitewater Center

Ocoee Whitewater Center, April 26, 2022Update, 9:37am – Authorities received a call from a passerby around midnight that there was a fire at the Ocoee Whitewater Center along highway US-64 according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency crews responded from surrounding areas in Tennessee and North Carolina. The building is considered a complete loss and the cause of the…

Hamilton County Commissioner speaks against District Attorney

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Hamilton County District 8 Commissioner Tim Boyd accused District Attorney Neal Pinkston today of not removing his wife and brother-in-law from his staff within a state-issued 60-day period. Boyd and Pinkston have had previous legal run-ins. Pinkston actually prosecuted Boyd for extortion, resulting in a hung jury. He has been a critic of the D.A. ever since….