CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in 2020, according to the CDC. This is the highest number ever recorded. “The opioid epidemic, we’ve been hearing a lot about that over the years,” Hamilton County Drug Recovery Court Judge Alex McVeagh says. “The pandemic only made it worse. The isolation folks felt, health issues, the economic distress many…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Tennessee is reporting around 250,000 jobs available right now, with about 500 new postings being added every day. The problem is, not enough people are taking them. “Jobs that we had before COVID are not coming back. And so you’ve got a whole host of individuals who are working and relient on jobs that are now…
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – “Today is not just about a flag, it’s not just about an individual, it’s about a spirit of love and sacrifice to keep this country protected and keeps it free,” says Chattanooga Police Chief David Roddy. Chattanooga veterans, families, and city officials gathered at Veteran’s Bridge today for a flag raising ceremony to honor some of our…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – Local Chef and Owner of Neutral Ground, Kenyatta Ashford, was the top winner on food networks hit tv show “Chopped” – after he stunned the judges with his ”Afro-creole” style of cuisine. “It was unbelievable. It’s still pretty surreal,” says Kenyatta Ashford, Owner of Neutral Ground. Chef Ashford competed against 2 other skilled contestants under strict time…
A new free feature has Amazon hopeful that its smart devices are getting smarter.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (UT Athletics) – An offensive explosion highlighted by six total home runs and a six-run fifth inning led No. 2 Tennessee to a 15-6 win over No. 14 LSU Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, earning the Vols a trip to the College World Series for the first time in 16 years. The Vols’ trip to Omaha for the…
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WDEF)- On Thursday, we told you about an African-American cemetery that is being restored in Chickamauga. Sunday, we talked to history professor at Covenant College that has a special connection to the project. Dr. Alicia Jackson and some of her students are working hard to write biographies for those that are confirmed to be buried in the…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Monday is World Blood Donor Day and Blood Assurance is encouraging everyone in the community to give blood, if they can. They are having a two week campaign called Peace, Love, Give Blood. The goal is to collect 6,500 blood donations. Blood Assurance is the only blood blank that provides blood to the Tennessee Valley. Caitlin Stanley…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga Lookouts pitcher Nick Lodolo left Saturday’s game against Pensacola in the fourth inning with a blister on his finger, but not before he was able to strike out seven batters. Lookouts bats handled the rest. Chattanooga won, 6-1. Categories: Sports, Sports – Baseball, Sports – Local Sports News Tags: Baseball, Chattanooga Lookouts, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Sanctuary Cafe and Performing Arts Center celebrated Pride month by hosting three events. Sanctuary is a safe place for the LGBTQ community. Today they hosted a Pride in Persepctive Panel to have real conversations about different topics that affect the LGBTQ community. The Founder of Sanctuary, Kye Sayers, says, “We are trying to cater to every…
SPRING CITY, Tenn. (WDEF)- Spring City had a special day Saturday. Tennessee Music Pathways unveiled a Hargus “Pig” Robbins marker at the Spring City Museum & Depot. Robbins was born in Spring City in 1938. He is now 83-years-old. He is an accomplished session pianist that has been on many hits including George Jones’ “White Lightning”. City officials say that…
EAST RIDGE, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Lady Red Wolves stayed spotless at home, after beating Peachtree City MOBA 2-0 in CHI Memorial Stadium Friday. Categories: Sports, Sports – Local Sports News, Sports – Soccer Tags: Chattanooga Red Wolves, lady red wolves, Soccer
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga Lookouts pitcher Hunter Greene struck out nine in six against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Friday night. The pitchers’ duel eventually broken up when Chuckie Robinson hit a bomb well over the center field fence. Lookouts won, 1-0, and will play the Wahoos again Saturday at 7:15 p.m. Categories: Sports, Sports – Baseball, Sports – Local…
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition is providing vaccinations to those who have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition, the Hamilton County Health Department, and Olivet Baptist Church have partnered together to provide both the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson Covid vaccine to the homeless. “Homeless healthcare, and sell actually anybody can go to…
OMAHA, NE (WDEF) — The Baylor Swim Club has been represented in every US Olympic Trials this millenia. Even though it’s happening a year late, next week’s trials is no different. Four Baylor alumni will compete in Omaha — including 2018 grad Trey Freeman. Freeman says the Olympic delay worked in his favor. He wasn’t sure if he could swim…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The COVID-19 vaccine has opened up the door to travel. There are many tough questions that travelers must ask themselves before flying internationally. Do you need your mask? What are the vaccine requirements? Will you need a negative COVID-19 test for when you come back into the United States? Lisa Tanner, of Lisa Tanner Travels, says that…
New details on the case of the woman who tried to light a cigarette and caught her hospital bed on fire.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – On July 3rd, Governor Bill Lee is ending federal pandemic unemployment benefits in an effort to get Tennesseans back to work. But not everyone agrees with the move. “I don’t think it’s been vetted or thought through enough when you look at the needs of the people,” says District 28 Representative Yusuf Hakeem. Rep. Hakeem says…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – An Alton Park Beautification Project has received a grant to help push their community project forward. The Grant is worth $10,000 and was supplied by the Benwood Foundation to help the Hughes project complete Phase one. The grant is a matching grant which means the Benwood Foundation will match every dollar that is raised by the…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) – The CDC announced Thursday that it will convene for an “emergency meeting” of its advisers on June 18th to discuss rare but higher-than-expected reports of heart inflammation following the second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. “Pericarditis actually only involves the outer sac of the heart. Myocarditis can actually affect not only the sac which…
ROSSVILLE, Ga. (WDEF) — The stars of the Tennessee Valley shown a little brighter at the Stump Martin Memorial Tennessee-Georgia Baseball Classic Thursday. Tennessee beat Georgia, 7-5. Categories: Sports, Sports – Local Sports News Tags: Baseball, Georgia, High School Baseball, Stump Martin Memorial Tennessee-Georgia Baseball Classic, Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF) – Finding a reasonably affordable place to live continues to be a struggle for many Americans as rents and home prices continue to rise. “I jokingly say even offering your first child’s naming rights just as a joke,” said Ethan White with Heritage Homes & Lands. Anyone looking for a house right now knows the housing market…
CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. (WDEF)- The District Hill Cemetery is an African-American cemetery here in Chickamauga. It had been neglected many years. But now, family members of those that are buried here and many volunteers are working hard to restore the dignity.” Time, research and volunteer hours has gone into the restoration of the cemetery where Mark Thrash, a slave and a…
RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Rhea County’s first child advocacy center is now open to the public. There was mix of optimism and sadness in the air at its grand opening . “It was really important for these rural counties to be served and for the children and the victims to be served,” says Laura Travis, lead coordinator. The Children’s…