CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Tuesday was day five of the Duane Sanders trial. Sanders is charged with 15 child sex abuse charges against seven different children while he was a first grade teacher at Wallace A. Smith Elementary School in Ooltewah. However, Tuesday was the defense’s turn to put on evidence. They called up six character witnesses who all testified in…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – It’s a big step forward in emergency care for working dogs. Life Force Air Medical, part of Erlanger Health System, has made history as Tennessee’s first air ambulance service to offer critical transport for K-9s injured or ill in the line of duty. This expansion ensures that the highly trained dogs who serve in law…
ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) — A Romanian citizen has admitted to making “swatting” calls to several American politicians, including Marjorie Taylor Greene. He pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to threatening dozens of people. “Swatting” is the practice of making fake police calls against individuals just to make police respond. The north Georgia Congresswoman has been the target of several…
PISGAH, Ala. (WDEF)- TVA says they’re looking to build a new pumped storage facility in Jackson County, Alabama. This would be located near Pisgah and Flat Rock on the western edge of Sand Mountain and generate up to 1.600 megawatts of energy. This facility would be similar to the Racoon Mountain Reservoir here in Chattanooga, as a reservoir lake on…
MARION COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Marion County detective is facing felony charges following a TBI investigation into alleged document forgery. Special agents launched an investigation into forgery suspicions as requested by District Attorney General Courtney Lynch. Detective Robert Hargis, who served as the Sex Offender Registry Compliance Officer for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, was responsible for collecting signatures…
SODDY DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) responded to a call about a bicyclist being struck Tuesday morning. At 6:00 a.m., June 3, 2025, deputies were dispatched to the incident at 1300 block of Sequoyah Access Road. According to HCSO, a vehicle traveling eastbound on Sequoyah Access Road struck the bicyclist as it was turning onto…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Public input is essential as the City of Chattanooga looks to shape the next generation of parks, programs, and recreational spaces. City leaders are inviting residents to share their ideas to help create a 20-year plan that reflects the community’s needs and dreams. Jayne Miller, Principal at PROS Consulting, expressed the importance of listening to the…
Duane Sanders sitting at consuel table during day four of his trial where he is facing child sexual abuse charges. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Monday was day four of the Duane Sanders trial as the prosecution has rested its case. Sanders was a first grade teacher at Wallace A. Smith Elementary School when he was arrested on charges of child sexual…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Housing Authority says their One Westside project now has a funding gap. They had been given a 50 million dollar grant by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This comes as the renovation project of the James A. Henry Building is already underway. Future plans call for the full demolition and rebuilding of the…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Multiple people have been arrested after a multi-agency human trafficking operation. From May 30, 2025, to June 1, 2025, local agencies and the TBI’s Human Trafficking Unit arrested four individuals. The TBI said the focus of this operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in sex acts with minors and to recover victims of human…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — With summer right around the corner, many parents are looking for ways to keep their kids busy—and learning. Experts say the “summer slide,” or brain drain, is real—and it can set students back months. But there are simple ways to keep young minds sharp. “It is super important to get ahead of it early and consistently….
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) is investigating a traffic fatality on I-75 early Monday morning. At 12:05 a.m., June 2, 2025, police responded to 930 I-75 southbound, just before the Volkswagen exit, for a single vehicle crash. Preliminary information reveals that a GMC 2500HD was traveling southbound when it left the roadway for unknown reasons. CPD…
Calandra Smith joins News 12’s Amelia Greer as the Hamilton County Coalition gets ready to host their inaugural tennis event, ‘Racquets for Recovery: Smashing Stigma” June 7-8. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hamilton County Coalition continues their support for the community by holding their inaugural “Racquets for Recovery: Smashing Stigma” event which raises funds for their intervention and prevention programs. The…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – This summer, the Chattanooga Zoo is packed with new adventures and exciting experiences for the whole family to enjoy. The zoo is offering a multitude of activities, giving guests the chance to not just see animals, but interact with them up close. Families can join in an Ice Cream Safari, enroll their kids in the Zoo…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Walnut Street Bridge Festival made its much-anticipated return for its third year, drawing crowds to celebrate one of Chattanooga’s most iconic landmarks. Although the Walnut Street Bridge is currently closed for renovation, the spirit of the event remained strong as it moved to the scenic Coolidge Park. Festival-goers enjoyed a lively atmosphere filled with delicious…
COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. (WDEF) – It was a sweet weekend in Collegedale as a beloved snack cake mascot wrapped up his birthday celebration in the city he calls home. The Little Debbie Muffin Man ended his national birthday tour right where it all began in Collegedale, Tennessee. The Chattanooga area food bank was in attendance, accepting donations. We asked a McKee…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hundreds of collectors and families packed into Camp Jordan Arena this weekend for The Flip Trade Show. The two-day event brought together more than 230 vendor tables, offering a wide range of items, from sports cards and comics to Pokémon, Funko Pops, and rare memorabilia. Even celebrity photo ops and autographs. We spoke to a former…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – May 31st marks the end of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and to close it out, we share the story of an 86-year-old melanoma survivor who is redefining what it means to fight — and live — with cancer. Clottilde “Clo” Roden has always been a fighter. In May of 2015, doctors removed a mole that would…
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) The Chattanooga FC women beat Georgia Impact 2-1 on Friday evening at Fort Finley to improve to 2-0 on the year. With Chattanooga trailing 1-0 in the first half, Hannah Tillett found the net for the equalizer. Later in the half, Annick Lolita Manga Zouma delivered a great lead pass to Reese McDermott, who split two defenders with her…
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) After three straight days of postponements, the Chattanooga Lookouts finally took the field Friday night against Columbus. Ethan O’Donnell homered over the right field bleachers in the second to provide the only run of the game as Chattanooga picked up a 1-0 victory. The Clingstones were held to just two hits. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News Tags: Baseball,…
Content warning: Many will find the content in this story disturbing. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Day three of testimony continued Friday in the child sex abuse trial of former first-grade teacher Duane Sanders. Sanders, who once taught at Wallace A. Smith Elementary in Ooltewah, faces multiple charges tied to alleged abuse of young students. Throughout the week, the court…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The news on Harvard’s foreign students is causing concern to some. Harvard is not the only place who accepts foreign students. Georgia accepts the 12th most, accepting almost 40 thousand. Tennessee accepts the 23rd most, allowing over 20 thousand to study in the state. Foreign students are starting to feel that they are not welcome in…
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Cleveland Fire Department (CFD) responded to a residential fire early Friday morning. Crews were dispatched to the residence on Truck Street NE. Upon arrival, crews found a fully engulfed resident and immediately began defensive operations. CFD reported the only occupant of the home was able to escape with no injuries. The cause of the fire…
UPDATE (5/30/2025): The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a tornado touched down in Monroe County Friday morning. Around 8:36 a.m. May 30, 2025, an EF-0 tornado touched down near the Loudon/Monroe County line. The NWS Morristown stated in their preliminary report that the tornado was on the ground for two miles, and sustained maximum winds of 85 miles per hour….