CAD4HOPE food drive

COLLEGEDALE, Tennessee (WDEF)-Collegedale Academy students brought in, collected, and donated around  10,000 pounds of food for a Brainerd Food Pantry. This is the 38th annual CAD4HOPE for Collegedale academy. This year the school chose to collect food for Brainerd Community Food Pantry. Collegedale Academy High School Chaplin Chris Massengill says it’s rewarding for him and the students to be able…

Beer Board Revokes The Blue Light Bar License, Owner Appeals

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – “I think what we’ve all witnessed here conclusively is a witch hunt and my beer permit was just revoked for no reason,” says The Blue Light bar owner Brian Joyce. The Blue Light opened in Chattanooga’s Station Street this August. Following complaints to the beer board and after hearing from police officers and the property manager Thursday…

Red Bank Might Be Copying Atlanta Braves Blueprint for Success

Red Bank, TN-(WDEF-TV) The Red Bank football team might be mimicking the Atlanta Braves this year. Remember how Atlanta hovered around .500 until August before turning it on and winning it all. Well Red Bank didn’t reach .500 until mid-October, and now they’re red hot heading into the quarterfinals of the playoffs Friday against Upperman. The Lions weren’t rockin’ and…

Mocs Know Beating the Citadel is Never Easy

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) The Chattanooga Mocs face the Citadel in their regular season finale Saturday. UTC got a walk-off win against the Bulldogs in the spring on a Jay Gibson two-point conversion in overtime. Chattanooga has won three straight against the Citadel, and they’ve all been by one point. It’s a dog-fight facing the Citadel and their triple option. That option offense…

Publix store opens on South Broad Street

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – After months of planning and construction, a new Publix opened in Chattanooga today. The store is located on South Broad Street, the same property the Mount Vernon Restaurant called home for years. Grand opening ceremonies took place at 7 a.m. today. News 12’s Chip Chapman was there with officials, including Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. He spoke about…

City of Chattanooga Proposes Funding Immediate Enclosed Encampment for City’s Homeless

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The city of Chattanooga is hoping to set up an enclosed encampment off 12th Street for the city’s growing homeless population. “We’re really just trying to come in with an innovative solution that we’ve seen other communities do that we know works and can be a quick response to the problem,” says Sam Wolfe who is the…

Collegedale Police identify suspect in Southern University Sexual Assault case

UPDATE From Collegedale Police: Collegedale Police located Claude Finch III in an apartment in the East Brainerd area. After a short foot pursuit Finch was taken into custody a few minutes before 5 p.m. Finch will be booked on his 3 felony charges before being transported to the Hamilton County Jail. UPDATE: Collegedale Police say that Claude Finch has just…

“Putt-Putt” Golf Encourages Student Engagement

At Georgia Northwestern Technical College

ROCK SPRING, Georgia (WDEF) – All of us are trying our best to work through COVID-19.  Navigating through something we’ve never experienced before.  A global pandemic. Many people and organizations are trying different things, as we attempt a “return to normalcy.” For one college system in North Georgia, it’s a matter of “hitting the links!” It’s the Georgia Northwestern Technical…

Mocs Beat Tennessee Tech 69-62 For 15th Straight Non-Conference Win

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA — The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team used an efficient second half effort to help rally for a 69-62 victory over Tennessee Tech, clinching the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar Classic presented by 3H Group and Springhill Suites Downtown Chattanooga, on Tuesday evening inside McKenzie Arena.  It was Chattanooga’s 15th straight win over a non-conference opponent. Following the win,…

Local Nursing Home honors healthcare workers as “Enduring Heroes”

SODDY DAISY, Tenn (WDEF) – A local health care nursing home took a moment today to honor their employees that endured the pandemic.  The Soddy-Daisy Health Care center honored their staff with food and awards to help show their appreciation for all they have done.  The theme of the event was “Enduring Heroes” to symbolize how well these men and women…

Local physicians address vaccine misinformation and children vaccinations

Physicians speak on the importance of breaking down barriers between the vaccine and misinformation

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – Since the CDC approved Pfizer’s vaccine for children ages 5-11, two weeks ago,  more than 26,000 children in the state of Tennessee have been vaccinated. That may seem like a large number,  but it only equates to .7% of the population thus far. Hamilton County currently has over 29,000 children residing in the county and so far…

McCallie 7-Footer David Craig Hones Basketball Talents to Earn D-One Scholarship to Mercer

McCallie basketball player David Craig gives new meaning to Big Blue. Craig is the big man on campus standing 7-feet, 2-inches tall. Craig came to McCallie from South Africa, and now he has honed his basketball talents to earn a division one college scholarship. When you’re 7’2, you’ve heard all the tall jokes. Said Craig: “I think the worst one…

Cleveland Police Use Robot and SWAT to Apprehend Man Barricaded Inside Home

CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) – “It’s got retractable arms, extendable arms that can open doors and move stuff out of the way.” A robot with the Cleveland Police Department played a vital role in the arrest of a man who broke into a home on Robinhood Drive Monday morning. Police were dispatched to the home around 10 a.m. The suspect inside…

Golden Apple Award: Whitney Whitaker, Brown Middle School

HARRISON, TN (WDEF) – Sometimes a funny song can be just the thing put a child’s mind at ease and get them ready to learn. Boundless creativity is just one of the qualities that makes Whitney Whitaker a wonderful teacher. She also keeps the lines of communication open with parents, just a case a student needs little extra attention. Karyn…

Mocs Offensive Lineman Cole Strange Earns Invitation to Senior Bowl

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—A tough start to game week got a little sweeter with some Strange news after this morning’s Chattanooga Mocs football practice. Coach Rusty Wright announced senior offensive lineman Cole Strange was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Executive Director Jim Nagy was on hand to formally extend the Mocs eighth invite to the prestigious event. Strange is in his…

Students hold petition drive all day for Joker’s Law

Proposed law would increase penalties for harming police dogs, like Joker who was shot in Cleveland

CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) – A group of students at Cleveland State Community College have created a petition to change the laws in respect to assaulting a law enforcement K9 following the September shooting of K9 Joker. Cleveland Police’s K9 Joker was shot in the head and critically injured during a stolen vehicle foot pursuit. This group of students has reached…

Mocs Volleyball Season Ends With 3-2 Loss to Furman in SoCon Tournament

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA – The Chattanooga Mocs’ indoor volleyball team concluded its 2021 campaign with a loss in the first round of the Southern Conference Volleyball Tournament. The eighth-seeded Mocs dropped a five-set contest, 3-2 (27-25, 15-25, 15-25, 25-23, 15-11), to the ninth-seeded Furman Paladins inside Maclellan Gym on Monday evening. The match featured 21 blocks and 216 digs. MATCH RECAP…

Sheriff says officer injured in Silverdale escape attempt

Officer was dragged as inmate tried to drive off in a van

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 2:30 this afternoon a transport van arrived in this sally port with inmates from the court. Once the van was in the port, an inmate attempted to hijack the van-  injuring an officer. The sheriff’s office says that when the officer stepped out of the vehicle, the inmate jumped…