Senator Bill Hagerty tours the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – Senator Bill Hagerty and the US Army corps of engineers toured the replacement project that’s currently underway at the Chickamauga Lock. Senator Bill Hagerty says this type of infrastructure project will have an immediate return investment for Tennessee taxpayers.”  “Once this is done, it’s about $52.9 million of return investment every single year this project is put…

Surprise mom with a Mothers Day gift box that also supports local businesses

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – Mother’s Day is this weekend and it’s time to start thinking about how you want to celebrate the mom in your life.  One local gift shop is making the gift shopping easier by selling pre-made Mother’s Day gift boxes.  Locals Only Gift Shop offers boxes that have a variety of different items inside-all made by local…

What’s Right With Our Schools: Brandi Adam, Red Bank Elementary

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – A Red Bank Elementary School Instructional Coach earns National Recognition as a 2021 Extraordinary Educator. Brandi Adam is one of  just two teachers in the entire state to receive the honor. Brandi says, “I was very blessed to get the Extraordinary Educator from Curriculum Associates. They are the parent company that houses our program I-Ready that…

Nationwide Trucker Shortage causing prices to rise

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – With a nationwide truck driver shortage going on that means many companies are having to up the prices of their products to afford the drivers that are out there. According to the American Trucking Association, there’s a need for more than 1-point-1 million drivers over the next 10 years. A little over a year into the coronavirus…

Alton Park community market opens

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Saturday and Sunday’s are great market day’s here in the Tennessee Valley. The Alton Park Community Market held it’s Grand Opening Saturday. The market will be located at the Beth. Every weekend local vendors will sell items like plants, fresh produce and lemonade for the community. The market manager says that this is a great way to…

Former Notre Dame star Patrick Johnson drafted by Eagles

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — From ND to NFL, Chattanooga native Patrick Johnson’s dreams became reality tonight when he answered the life changing call from the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Notre Dame star heads to the City of Brotherly Love as a seventh round pick. Johnson led the nation with ten sacks last year at Tulane. He even broke the Green…

Tennessee Wesleyan dominates season finale

ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) — Tennessee Wesleyan continues to prove that the best in NAIA baseball is right here in Athens, Tennessee. The technical defending national champions are on their way to win another World Series — finishing the season today with just four losses, and a number one national ranking. The Bulldogs swept Kentucky Christian in dominating fashion, with two…

2nd Annual Run4Kids in Memory of Karen Lawrence

EAST RIDGE, Tenn. (WDEF)- Runners laced up their sneakers for a good cause today. Karen Lawrence and her family started a run in 1979 for Karen’s Leukemia treatments. Now– the family has named Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga as the sole beneficiary of the run. It is now called the Run4Kids in Memory of Karen Lawrence. Bethany Ramsey,…

Restaurant deck collapses with 40+ people on it

SODDY DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF)- A birthday party at Zoi’s Restaurant at Harbor Lights Marina turned tragic this afternoon. More than 40 people were on the deck at the restaurant when it collapsed. Multiple agencies responded to the scene. Officials say that Hamilton County EMS sent 5 ambulances and 5 supervisors to the scene. 11 people were transported to the hospital,…

Former Georgia coach Mark Richt talks heart attack, faith at FCA banquet

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Former Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Richt and his wife Kathryn spoke at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Lookout Mountain’s annual banquet Friday night at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Richt coached 15 years at Georgia before heading to his alma mater Miami for his last three years. Richt has kept busy after retiring form coaching, working…

Radunz ready to join rowdy Titans offensive line

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Titans hope to make up for their first-round mistake a year ago with the selection of offensive tackle Dillon Radunz of North Dakota State with the 53rd overall pick in the NFL draft. The Titans traded away offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson in March after drafting him at No. 29 overall in 2020. Wilson played…

Lee Flames baseball red hot heading to postseason

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — With only four losses this year, Lee Flames baseball has already LOCKED IN their spot in the NCAA regional tournament — and made a strong case to host that regional right in Cleveland. “This team’s different than any other team I’ve ever been a part of,” Bradley Central alum Dylan Standifer said. Not even a pandemic…