Standifer Gap ballfields still unusable after tornados

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A year and a half ago, ball fields near Ootlewah were in great condition. Now, they’re not much other than mounds of dirt. “The money’s not there to be fixed. There was a plan for the cleanup after the tornado was done, but not a real plan for the after effect of when the cleanup was…

101st Anniversary of the 19th Amendment-Honoring Abby Crawford Milton

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga held a dedication ceremony on September 17, at 11:00 a.m. to celebrate suffragist Abby Crawford Milton’s work across the state to campaign for passage of the 19thamendment, ultimately winning women the right to vote.   The ceremony was held in Philips Park at the corner of McCallie and Georgia Avenues…

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Blood Assurance offering Sickle Cell Testing for all donors

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – With September being Sickle Cell Awareness Month- Blood assurance felt it was important to help join the fight and offer to test to all donors. Sickle Cell Disease is the most common inherited genetic disorder in the United States. It can cause pain crises, anemia and put a patient at an increased risk for infection and…

3 Sisters Music Festival is on for October

Bluegrass festival returns Oct. 1 and 2

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The return of festivals have been hit and miss in 2021. Some are taking the year off again (Riverbend, Hamilton County Fair). Others are returning, but with some Covid restrictions (Moon River). Now we learn that Chattanooga’s last music festival of the year will, indeed, come back this fall. The 3 Sisters Music Festival will hild their…

It’s Number One Vs Number Two Friday as McCallie Hosts Knox Catholic

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Number one ranked McCallie hosts second ranked Knox Catholic on Friday. It’s McCallie’s first home game of the year, and it certainly won’t be easy. Said McCallie head coach Ralph Potter:”You know if you look at them from a pure talent standpoint. I mean they probably have the best talent in our region. “They’ve got a huge offensive line….

Jury selected in Davidson County to try Janet Hinds in Hamilton County

Hinds is charged with DUI & Vehicular Homicide in the death of Police Officer Nicholas Galinger

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) – A jury has been selected for the Janet Hinds trial. It’s set to start here in Hamilton County, Monday. The jurors will be brought in from Davidson County, and sequestered here. News 12’s Kenan Scott gives us the backstory on the trial that’s nearly two and a half years in the making. After nearly two and…

Lookouts Rally For Key 6-5 Win Over M-Braves

(lookouts.com) The Chattanooga Lookouts scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome the Mississippi Braves and stay 2.5 games back of the Birmingham Barons for a playoff spot. In the first inning, Mississippi jumped out to an early lead off of starting pitcher Ricky Salinas. Salinas settled down after allowing the early runs and struck out…

High School Football Stadiums See Major Upgrades

When you look around at some of our area high school football stadiums, they’re turning into mini versions of college and pro venues. For example, Cleveland just got a new video board, while Bradley Central and Walker Valley each got new turf. It’s like these high school stadiums feature the same amenities as the famous arenas we see on TV…

Monoclonal treatments offered outside Parkridge hospital

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Monoclonal treatments for COVID-19 are growing in popularity. They first become available in Dalton in late August, and now through Access Pharmacy in Hixson. “What it is, is two different monoclonal antibodies that are basically used to prevent the spike protein in COVID from entering the body’s cells. So it reduces viral load and thus it…

Healthy Chattanooga Coalition

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – ​​The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the city of Chattanooga and member businesses, announced today the launch of the Healthy Chattanooga Coalition. The Healthy Chattanooga Coalition is a group of employers working together to provide strong incentives for vaccine use among workers and to increase vaccination rates across the city. The goal is to…

Flu Season and Covid-19 Boosters – trying to avoid a “Twin-Demic”

Experts says Flu Season could be devastating for our local healthcare systems

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – With flu season right around the corner and the delta surge in full swing, many people are wondering about the possibility of a “twin-demic’ and if a Covid booster shot will be necessary? Experts with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health explain.  Within an average year, the flu causes 30-60 thousand deaths, 300 to 600 thousand…

Can you identify Walker car burglars from surveillance video?

ROSSVILLE, Georgia (WDEF) – Walker county Sheriff Steve Wilson is warning residents about car thefts and burglaries after a recent incident on Saturday.   Surveillence video shows two, possibly three suspects entering several vehicles and stealing two vehicles in the Mission Glen Subdivision of Rossville, Georgia.   Sheriff Wilson says these types of crimes typically happen when people forget to…

There is a real lion roaming the University of North Alabama campus

Rick Nyman visits the real life mascot

FLORENCE, Alabama (WDEF) –  The Chattanooga Mocs football team traveled to Florence last Saturday to face the North Alabama Lions. U-T-C had to tread lightly on enemy turf because U-N-A features a live lion mascot. He actually lives on campus. Talk about your Animal House. For more on the U-N-A Big Cat, we sent News 12 scaredy cat, Rick Nyman….

Tennessee leading the nation in new COVID cases

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Volunteer State is breaking national records, and not in a good way. “Hospitalizations and ICU admits currently are at their highest level ever,” says Dr. Jay Sizemore, the Medical Director of Infection Prevention at Erlanger. A recent White House report says that Tennessee is the worst state in the country for coronavirus spread. And on…

Tennessee Nurses face staffing shortages and burn out during Covid-19 pandemic

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – The Tennessee Nurses Association says that before the pandemic hospitals were already facing a staffing shortage, but covid-19 has made the problem much worse. With hospitalizations rapidly increasing- nurses are overworked, overwhelmed, and burnt out.   “I have never seen anything as devastating as Covid-19 has been,” says Nancy Stevens, Chattanooga Nurse The COVID-19 pandemic has had a…