CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A proposed bill at the Tennessee Capitol is putting small hemp businesses on edge. House Bill 1376 would shift the regulation and taxation of hemp-derived products, like THC-A, to the alcohol industry. Critics say the bill threatens to dismantle an industry that has operated legally under state oversight since 2023, when SB0378 was passed and a…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Get ready, Tennessee, because millions of 17-year cicadas are about to make their grand entrance. Brood Fourteen, last seen in two thousand eight, will emerge when soil temperatures hit 64 degrees, expected in late April to early May. These loud but harmless insects will be seen across the state, especially in East Tennessee. While their buzzing…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Following several weeks of review and collaboration, Hamilton County Schools and the new leadership at Chattanooga Prep have reached an agreement regarding the schools charter status. Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson initially recommended revoking the school’s charter. However, after working closely with Chattanooga Prep’s administration, he decided to allow the school to continue operating while addressing…
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Mayor Weston Wamp gave his state of the county address at Soddy Daisy Middle School. The mayor said he wants to focus on the smaller communities in Hamilton county, like Soddy Daisy, and they should get the same love that the city of Chattanooga gets. He also mentioned the upgrades coming to the riverfront and…
WALKER COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — Two people were killed and another seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash on GA-1 near Center Point Road Tuesday afternoon. Georgia State Patrol (GSP) troopers were dispatched to the scene at 4:02 p.m. on April 15, 2025, following reports of a serious collision involving three vehicles. A gray Toyota Tacoma was headed south in the…
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — A fire broke out in the kitchen area of the Bradley County Jail Tuesday afternoon. Crews with the Cleveland Fire Department (CFD) were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found moderate smoke conditions, and made entry to investigate. When they got inside, crews found an active kitchen fire and mounted an aggressive interior attack. According…
Coogi Doogi joins News 12’s Amelia Greer as he invites everyone to the Westside community for the 12th annual Westside Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, April 20th at 4 p.m. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Coogi Doogi brings back the annual Westside Easter Egg Hunt for the 12th year in a row. Originally started in 2014 by the late Bro…
Ooltewah, TN-(WDEF-TV) Ooltewah scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back on their way to a 12-2 win over cross-town rival East Hamilton. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Baylor got a couple of big home runs early on their way to a 13-2 win over GPS. Xahara Willis hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Amiya Leach hit a grand slam in the second inning. That made the score 9-0, as Baylor cruised to the easy win. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News
The Chattanooga Lookouts helped the Smokies christen their new ballpark in Knoxville on Tuesday night. Chattanooga lost by a final of 5-4. Lookouts fell behind 3-0, but later tied it up three in the 7th inning on a two RBI single by Hector Rodriguez. Casey Opitz then hit a two run homer in the bottom of the 7th to give…
Darryl Roberts walking into his murder trial, charged in the killing of Chris Wright. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- In September 2023, a prominent Chattanooga businessman was murdered in front of Patten Towers on Market Street. A year and a half later, the trial of the man charged with killing him has begun. After an argument late on the evening of September…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, don’t worry, you might have more time than you thought. Folks in Georgia and Alabama impacted by recent storms automatically get an extension to May 1st. And just announced, everyone in Tennessee now has until November 3rd to file, thanks to Hurricane Helene. So, no need to fill out…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – On Tuesday, Governor Brian Kemp signed two major tax relief bills into law during a ceremony in Cobb County, delivering over a billion dollars in financial benefits to Georgia taxpayers. Surrounded by First Lady Marty Kemp and state leaders, the governor announced the measures as part of his administration’s ongoing effort to return excess revenue to…
COLLEGEDALE, TN (WDEF) – Patience and kindness are two essential qualities for an elementary school teacher. Mariah Dahlin has plenty of both. Her students at Ooltewah Elementary love her for it. You can see why in this week’s Golden Apple Award. Bethanie Reynolds is the Principal at Ooltewah Elementary School. She says, “Ms. Dahlin is amazing, we have a great…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga police are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect who’s wanted for First Degree Murder. At 12:38 a.m., October 5, 2024, police responded to a person shot call in the 4100 block of Fagan Street. Upon arrival, police located a 42-year-old male with life-threatening injuries. According to the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD), officers…
HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) — A hixson homeowner lost a camper due to a heavy fire Tuesday morning. At 8:20 a.m., firefighters with the Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department (DBVFD) responded to a residential fire at 1644 Lisa Lynn Drive. According to the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management (HCOEM), a neighbor called 911 reporting a camper fire with structure endangerment….
Ashton Kowalewski with Great American Cookies at Hamilton Place joins News 12’s Amelia Greer on Tax Day to preview special deals to make today less taxing. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – April 15 is notoriously known as Tax Day, and Great American Cookie is making the day less taxing with an especially sweet deal. For April 15, Great American Cookie is…
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Baylor raced out to a 6-0 lead after two innings on Monday night against rival McCallie, and then the Red Raiders hung on to beat the Blue Tornado 8-7 in game one of their series. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News
Former Chattanooga Mocs head football coach Bill Oliver died Monday at the age of 85. He led UT C from 1980-1983, winning 29 games in his four seasons at the helm. Oliver later became a respected defensive assistant coach at places like Auburn and Alabama. He was credited with master-minding the ’92 Bama defense, as the Tide rolled to a…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Community members showed up at the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club this afternoon to hear from District Nine Commissioner Dr. Steve Highlander. He spoke directly to local concerns about growth, zoning, and education, drawing from years of experience on the school board and now as chair of the arts, education, and recreation committee. Dr. Steve Highlander is…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A major new development could soon reshape part of Chattanooga’s South Broad Street corridor. The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission Meeting took place today to discuss further approval of the plans. A multi-story, mixed-use project is being planned just south of the Dollar General at 3120 Broad Street. The 4.7-acre site is already zoned for urban…
CHICKAMAUGA, GA (WDEF) – Gordon Lee Middle School is celebrating a big academic win in the math department. Based on last year’s Georgia Milestones, Gordon Lee saw major gains in every middle school math level, including Algebra One. All that adds up to a great example of what’s right with our schools. Bradley Floyd is the Vice Principal at Gordon…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A second jury has been selected in a pending Chattanooga murder trial. Darryl Roberts is charged with first degree murder in the September 2023 shooting death of Christopher Wright. The shooting occurred in front of Patten Towers after the pair got into an argument. The trial was supposed to begin two weeks ago, but had to be…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga mayor Tim Kelly and all 9 city council members were sworn in to a new term Monday morning at Memorial Auditorium.Mayor Kelly defeated challenger Chris Long with over 85 percent of the vote on March 4th, the largest electoral victory by a mayor in city history. He said, “It’s worth remembering that this election put Chattanooga…