CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The debate over what food assistance dollars should cover is gaining steam nationwide. A growing number of states, most led by Republicans, but now including some Democrats, are asking the federal government for permission to ban soda, candy, and other sugary products from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Governor Bill Lee wants Tennessee to…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Tennessee 811 (TN811) is using August 11, or 8-1-1 on the calendar, as a reminder for residents to contact 811 before starting any digging project. The free service allows homeowners and contractors to have underground utilities marked, helping prevent injuries, outages, and costly repairs. In 2024, there were 8,683 reported utility damages in Tennessee, with the…
ROCK SPRING, GA (WDEF) – Animals have plenty to teach us. That’s a lesson 7 to 12 years old learned to this Summer at Little Vet STEM Camp. Lessons in caring and compassion are a great example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.” Organizer Wendy Mattson explains, “It’s a camp and we’ve been going for a few years now. We…
Rachel Ridenour and Maggie Possinger join News 12’s Amelia Greer to preview the latest production with Good Soil Theatre Co. in McDonald, TN. MCDONALD, Tenn. (WDEF) – Local acting troupe Good Soil Theatre Co., located in Cleveland, debuts their summer camp themed performance “The Grown-Ups” this weekend. “The Grown-Ups” features a small cast of five performers to create an intimate and…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The world’s longest yard sale once again rolled through the Scenic City this past weekend. The 127 Yard Sale, stretching nearly 700 miles from Addison, Michigan, to Gadsden, Alabama, brought thousands of shoppers to the Chattanooga area for four days of bargain hunting. Vendors lined U.S. 127 and the Lookout Mountain Parkway, selling everything from vintage…
MCMINNVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Grundy County authorities are asking for the community’s help after a disturbing case involving children and dozens of animals. Dozens of animals were found living in poor conditions, and investigators recently confirmed that children were also residing on the property. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office has been working on the animal cruelty case, which has…
SODDY-DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF)- There is a significant amount of opposition to a proposed asphalt mixing plant in Soddy-Daisy. This plant would be located on Thrasher Pike near its Highway 27 interchange. Numerous residents, organizations such as Keep Soddy-Daisy Beautiful and North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy, and the Ivy Academy all say they have various concerns about the property. Those concerns range…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — An industry report out of Germany says that building a second auto plant in Chattanooga is gaining ground at Audi. The luxury brand is owned by Volkswagen. One of their options for avoiding President Trump’s tariffs is building a twin plant next to Volkswagen’s here. They could use V-W’s infrastructure and supplier network which would reduce…
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett awarded one of his deputies for performing life-saving actions out in the field. On March 16, 2025, patrol deputy Cody Widdows responded to Water Wheel Lane on reports of an unresponsive person. Upon arrival, deputy Widdows found the individual and immediately began performing CPR. HCSO said thanks to deputy Widdows…
JACKSON COUNTY, Al. (WDEF) — A man was arrested in Jackson County after authorities uncovered drugs during a traffic stop. The stop occurred on August 5, 2025, on Steam Plant Road. A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputy conducted a search of the driver’s car and person. JCSO says the deputy found five ounces of methamphetamine and various drug paraphernalia….
CHATTANOOGA, TN – Somewhere around seven million Americans deal with low vision including one million that are blind. This week on Tech Byte we invited Cheryl Saucier from LVI America to show us how they’re using new tech and even some AI to help with vision impairment. “Low Vision International is one of the first companies in the world to…
Last Spring, Gordon Lee baseball added a state title now, Gordon Lee football is looking to do the same in this 30 in 30 season preview. Categories: Sports – 30 In 30 2025, Sports – Local Sports News
ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF)- A suspect is on the run in McMinn County after Athens Police say he shot two men last night, killing one of them. Carlos Quintana is a person of interest in a homicide that occurred Wednesday night in Athens near J.L. Cook Memorial Park. Police say that this shooting occurred in this area of Tell and Howard…
Signal Mountain, TN (WDEF) — It’s a bargain hunter’s dream—and it’s officially underway. The World’s Longest Yard Sale kicked off Thursday morning, stretching an impressive 690 miles from Gadsden, Alabama, all the way to Michigan. Along the route lies Taft Highway in Signal Mountain, a hotspot for treasure seekers looking for furniture, antiques, vintage finds, and one-of-a-kind knick-knacks. Vendor Jack,…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is applauding TennCare for expanding coverage to include FDA-approved weight-management medications, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. This decision comes at a critical time, as nearly 4 in 10 Tennessee adults live with obesity, putting them at increased risk for over 200 medical conditions, from type 2 diabetes to heart disease. “GLP-1 medications…
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – Foundation House Ministries, a Cleveland-based nonprofit, is sounding the alarm after receiving a record number of calls about babies born addicted to drugs. Executive Director Suzanne Burns says the number of addiction-related calls in 2025 has already surpassed those from all of last year. “These babies are being born into crisis,” said Burns. “We’re hearing from…
CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — 32 dogs were rescued from a home in Catoosa County after investigators found signs of animal cruelty. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Law Enforcement Division and Catoosa County officials led the investigation. They first visited the property on August 1, 2025 and found around 20 dogs living outside in filthy conditions. Upon further investigation,…
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WDEF) — Rock City has launched a new look that puts its gnome characters front and center for the first time. The rebrand includes a new logo, color scheme, and typeface. Officials say the changes are meant to give Rock City its own identity, separate from its parent company, now called Rock City Enterprises. For the past…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A crew of 15 Tennessee electric line workers helped bring power to a pair of remote villages in Guatemala. The team included Nick Gipson and Daniel Walker from the Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC). They spent 16 days building two power lines. That’s 38 poles plus wiring across rugged terrain. Their efforts brought electric power to…
Travis Sims and Shelby Cundiff talk about the South’s largest extreme sports festival, The Chattanooga River Games. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The largest extreme sports festival is coming to Chattanooga at Ross’s Landing on August 15-17, The Chattanooga River Games. Watch as people from around the world compete in extreme water sports, including watching Redbull’s team, the Redbull Creepers, scale…
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- McCallie has been dominate on the football field winning 5 of the last 6 state title, and now the offense is looking to shine. Categories: Sports – 30 In 30 2025, Sports – Local Sports News
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (Red Wolves) -The Chattanooga Red Wolves clinched a dramatic stoppage-time winner Wednesday, continuing their reputation for late-game heroics in USL League One. The Red Wolves broke the deadlock against Forward Madison FC with a rapid counterattack in the dying moments. n, Chattanooga’s Zahir Vazquez found himself unmarked in the box after a defensive lapse, slotting home past the…
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- A controversial plan to guide growth in unincorporated Hamilton County could soon be back up for consideration. Plan Hamilton has been a years-long effort on how growth for unincorporated Hamilton County should be guided. Back in June, a version of that plan was tabled by Hamilton County Commissioners over various concerns including how much developers would…
New Deputy Chief of Corrections Tim Davis (Courtesy: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett has named a new leader over jail operations. He has named Tim Davis as the new Deputy Chief of Corrections for the Sheriff’s Office. Chief Davis most recently served as Assistant Sheriff in Santa Clara County, California, where he managed…