Thousands of tires illegally dumped on private property-reward offered

CLEVELAND, Tenn (WDEF) – Just off of Interstate 75, near exit 20 sits acres of land owned by Larry Armour with Armour commercial real estate-but he’s not the only one using this property. On the property, you’ll see thousands of used tires, mattresses, and trash that has been illegally dumped. “This is the result of probably months and months, if…

Whitfield County Officer-Involved Shooting

WHITFIELD COUNTY (WDEF) – “It was unreal because literally the only thing blocking me is my windshield. It was like having a front row seat I guess,” says Toni, a truck driver who was parked across the street during the shooting. Around 11:30 Monday night, Whitfield County deputies responded to several 911 calls at the intersection of Highway 41 and Westgate…

Sunset Cinema in Miller Park begins this weekend

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – (City of Chattanooga Special Events) – City of Chattanooga Special Events announces upcoming movies and dates for Sunset Cinema in Miller Park, an outdoor movie series in downtown Chattanooga. Sunset Cinema is a free community event that makes a great family outing, date night, or night out with friends. Movies start at sunset with one hour of…

Early Morning House fire started by smoking while using oxygen

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – An early morning house fire sends two family members to the hospital after the fire was caused by a dangerous practice.  CFD responded to a reported residential fire in the 700 block of Gillespie Road at 12:45 AM on Monday.  Firefighters entered the structure from the back porch to find an elderly woman with serious injuries.  Investigators…

Covid-19 concerns cause parents to look at online schooling options

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – With a recent surge in Covid-19 cases and the lack of vaccine availability for minors, some parents are hesitant for their children to return to the traditional classroom- so they are enrolling their students in another option- full-time online schools. The Tennessee Connections Academy is just one of those options. It’s tuition-free and allows students to receive…

What’s Right With Our Schools: Montessori Elementary at Highland Park

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Montessori Elementary at Highland Park officially opened last week. It’s Chattanooga’s first public, charter school dedicated to the Montessori educational program. Dr. Elaine Swafford is the Director for CGLA and Montessori Elementary at Highland Park. She says, “Today is a big day. I think you saw you were out there in the car line and you…

Vols Working on Developing Offensive Line as Second Week of Fall Camp Begins

(utsports.com) KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Into its second week of preseason camp, the Tennessee Volunteers football team practiced Monday morning for the fifth time. Offensive line coach Glen Elarbee took the podium after practice and harped on how deep and versatile his unit is, with players able to play in multiple spots on the front five. “There are four or five guys at guard…

Tennessee Aquarium Removes Minority Requirement from Job Posting

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Tennessee Aquarium took down a job posting for a Community Engagement Educator. The top requirement on the job posting stated only minorities need apply. “Quite frankly, I’m shocked by this job posting.” says attorney Gary Massey, owner of Massey and Associates, a firm that specializes in employment law. Since being questioned about the minority requirement, the aquarium…

New players, experienced QB lead McMinn County into new era

ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) — McMinn County’s offense will have a new look to go along with its new classification this season. The Cherokees drop from 6A to 5A, and they’re hoping last year’s success propels them to another winning season. “We’ve got athletes, like, athletes everywhere on the field, really,” junior quarterback Jayden Miller said. Athletes are the number one…

Crush Autism Disc Golf Tournament

DALTON. Georgia (WDEF)- The Disc Golf community came together in a tournament to Crush Autism. “They have helped us in so many ways to learn about autism and ways of what to do and what not to do,” said Marshall. The inaugural Crush Autism disc golf tournament sold out and raised money and awareness for autism. “We’re here to support the…

Experience Excites the Cleveland Blue Raiders

Cleveland finished last season with a 5-6 record after a tough opening round playoff loss. But now that the Blue Raiders return a bunch of veterans, that gets their juices flowing. Cleveland enjoys the 30-in-30 treatment. Reporter:”How many seniors do you guys have this year?” Said running back Tetoe Boyd:”We’ve got a lot. Most of the team are seniors. We…

Man found guilty of killing girlfriend and her mother with an axe

WINCHESTER, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee man has been convicted of killing his girlfriend and the woman’s mother with an ax. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports jurors deliberated for more than four hours Thursday before convicting 47-year-old Robert Joe Whittenburg of Pikeville on two counts of murder. He was charged in the slayings of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Dedra Lawrence,…

Phillips CPAP recall impacting millions

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- Philips is recalling millions of CPAP machines used to treat sleep apnea. “I’ve been in Chattanooga for 27 years. I have not experienced anything like this,” said Sleep Medical Specialist Dr. Anuj Chandra. Back in June, Philips issued a recall for specifically affected ventilation and sleep apnea devices “The noise abatement foam which is inside the machine and…

Covid vaccinations jumping in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey says Tennessee has seen a 90% increase in people receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination over the past two weeks. Piercey on Friday praised the bump in vaccinations while warning that the virus continues to surge throughout the state. She says pediatric cases are also “quickly on the rise.” About…

Apple’s fall iOS software scans phones for images of child sexual abuse

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Apple announced yesterday that their new iOS software could be able to catch child predators. Apple will start scanning iPhones, Macs and Apple Watches for images of child sexual abuse. With iPhones being so popular, many child protective groups are excited about this new feature. Like Chattanooga’s own, Street Grace, who says it could help stop trafficking…