Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) articles from August 2011

Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) archives from August 2011

CHA extends energy program.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Yolanda Putman Aug. 31--The energy savings agreement that left several East Lake Courts residents complaining about high energy bills is about to hit Emma Wheeler Homes. Pending approval by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban...

EDITORIAL: Happy in the United States.(Editorial)
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Though many Muslim Americans say government policies and community attitudes toward them and their faith often bring them unwanted attention, a significant majority still believe in the American dream and way of life. That's a tribute...

EDITORIAL: Political change in North Georgia.(Editorial)
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Georgians who expected the current special session of the General Assembly to produce political fireworks are bound to be disappointed. There was little noise and almost no heat generated at the session, mainly dedicated to the...

EDITORIAL: Hurricane Irene brings out volunteer spirit.(Editorial)
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--HURRICANES -- and other ravages of nature that plague human beings and cause disastrous damage -- are not avoidable. And so, besides preparing as well as possible in advance, the best we can generally hope to do is react quickly and...

EDITORIAL: Sen. Obama vs. President Obama on spending.(Editorial)
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Back when he was running for president, Sen. Barack Obama blasted President George W. Bush over excessive federal spending and over our nation's borrowing money from Communist China to finance that spending. Here is what Obama said...

Engineer touts ethanol pipeline in Hamilton County.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Ansley Haman Aug. 31--A local engineer wants to build a "moonshine" pipeline through county property in the Bonny Oaks Industrial & Office Park. Mike Price, with M.A.P. Engineers, has been meeting individually with Hamilton...

Monthly debit card fees taking shape.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Ellis Smith Aug. 31--Big banks are phasing in monthly fees on debit card usage starting in October, while smaller banks are taking a wait-and-see stance before deciding whether to charge customers for bank card purchases. The new...

BRIEF: Bi-Lo charities give $106,000.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Bi-Lo Charities on Tuesday gave $106,000 to the Chattanooga and Cleveland Area Chapters of the American Red Cross. The donation is the result of funds raised by Bi-Lo shoppers and Bi-Lo vendor partners in response to the devastating...

Georgia's Murray in showdown with Boise's Heisman candidate.
August 31, 2011... Byline: David Paschall Aug. 31--ATHENS, Ga. -- Saturday night's LSU-Oregon game is the biggest matchup of college football's opening weekend, but it's not the premier quarterback showcase. That will be found in the Georgia Dome, where...

UTC: Mocs facing stout defense at Nebraska.
August 31, 2011... Byline: John Frierson Aug. 31--The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sure can pick 'em. As the Mocs continue their preparations for Saturday's season opener against No. 10 Nebraska, consider UTC's recent run of Football Bowl...

Spread out for Gators.
August 31, 2011... Byline: David Paschall Aug. 31--Will anything be similar on Florida's offense this season compared to a year ago? The Gators have scrapped the spread for a pro-style attack under new coordinator Charlie Weis, and some of the more familiar...

Georgia: Richt sees game as SEC indicator.
August 31, 2011... Byline: David Paschall Aug. 31--ATHENS, Ga. -- Saturday night's Georgia-Boise State showdown in the Georgia Dome is a potential statement game for the Bulldogs, but calling it make or break might be a stretch. "I don't personally think...

Lady Seahawks dominate CSAS.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Kelley Smiddie Aug. 31--Silverdale Baptist Academy started strong in Tuesday's high school volleyball match against Arts & Sciences -- and ended stronger. The host Lady Seahawks scored the match's first four points, and its...

Holden, Garland get wins.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Gene Henley Aug. 31--If she had to choose between being healthy after a top-five cross country meet finish or being sick after winning, Rhea County's Mady Garland will choose the latter every time. Garland won her first Chattanooga...

Chattanooga Christian tops Signal Mountain, 4-2.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Gene Henley Aug. 31--Chattanooga Christian senior Natalie Thedford says assists in soccer are "more rewarding" than scoring goals. She'll just have to find a way to cope with her performance Tuesday night. Thedford matched teammate...

Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn., Mark Wiedmer column.(Column)
August 31, 2011... Byline: Mark Wiedmer Aug. 31--Other than the fact that they both pretty much blew up their athletic careers without much assistance, the rise and fall of Bruce Pearl and Michael Vick wouldn't appear to have much in common. For starters, Pearl...

Lookouts going to playoffs.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--The Chattanooga Lookouts clinched their first Southern League playoff appearance since 2006 on Tuesday afternoon when Jackson was eliminated from the wild-card race. Chattanooga played the last of a six-game series in Mobile on...

Honors for USGA seniors.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Ron Bush Aug. 31--A big birthday celebration awaits the USGA's Senior Women's Amateur Championship, which now is as old as its youngest participant. The 50th version of the national tournament is being held at The Honors Course...

Five meals, five minutes, $5.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Andrew Pantazi Aug. 31--Cash-strapped college students are always looking for cheap, tasty meals. We went on a mission to find five meals for $5 or less no more than five minutes (on foot) from the center of the University of...

Debt-deal cutbacks could force 5,000 more layoffs.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Andy Sher Aug. 31--NASHVILLE -- The Haslam administration has released worst-case scenario figures showing how federal budget reductions of up to 30 percent would force Tennessee government to slash another 5,132 state jobs. The...

LaFayette official questioned in age-bias lawsuit.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Andy Johns Aug. 31--The city manager of LaFayette, Ga., gave a deposition Monday in a lawsuit that claims three employees were fired for being old. Attorneys representing the former employees say department heads and other city...

2 county officials file papers for election.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Ansley Haman Aug. 31--Two interim Hamilton County officials, District 3 Commissioner Mitch McClure and Mayor Jim Coppinger, have signaled their intent to run in a special election for their current posts. Both have filed...

BRIEF: Gas station burns; body of worker discovered.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The remains of an employee were found inside a BP gas station that burned down Tuesday morning, officials said. Randy Lee Hammontree, 32, of Cleveland, was found dead after firefighters from the Cleveland Fire...

Nuclear plant's 'red' rating to cost TVA millions.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Pam Sohn Aug. 31--TVA may have to spend more than $10 million for an intensive set of nuclear regulatory inspections at the utility's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. The inspections come on the heels of its recent "red" inspection...

Sewanee defense expects to wrap up questioning in $3 million suit.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Todd South Aug. 31--Attorneys for a local university being sued for $3 million for breach of contract by a former student are expected to finish questioning witnesses today. On Tuesday, an expert witness for Sewanee: The...

VW shipping Passats to dealers as market launch nears.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Mike Pare Aug. 31--Volkswagen has started shipping dealers about 350 new Passats a day from its Chattanooga assembly plant in preparation for the car's market launch in just a few weeks. "This is one of the most important events...

Grand jury to consider charges in July slaying.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Todd South Aug. 31--Three co-defendants charged in connection with the July 27 slaying of a 23-year-old Chattanooga man may face an indictment. Hamilton County Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon set bonds, reduced some charges and sent...

Father wants full story on Hess drowning.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Kate Harrison Aug. 31--While the Hamilton County medical examiner's report shows Jimmy Hess drowned accidentally, his father doesn't think that's the whole story. "I don't think he 'just drowned.' He was on the water a lot, and he...

Woman charged with stealing money from woman in her care.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Joy Lukachick Aug. 31--A Chickamauga, Ga., woman has been arrested and charged with stealing money from a 64-year-old woman who was in her legal care. Christi Morgan, 44, was charged with theft by conversation by the Georgia...

Cleveland ex-detective files 'whistleblower' suit.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Andy Sher Aug. 31--NASHVILLE -- A former Cleveland, Tenn., detective has filed a "whistleblower" lawsuit against the city, claiming his 2010 firing was the result of "retaliatory" action by top officials, including Cleveland Police...

Dalton man found dead in basement.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Joy Lukachick Aug. 31--A Dalton, Ga., man who had murder charges against him dismissed in November was found dead in his grandmother's basement. Authorities believe he died of natural causes. A family member found 34-year-old...

Region Digest: 2 men arrested in auto break-ins.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--ATLANTA Council to study Sunday sales vote People who live in cities and counties all over Georgia will be voting soon on whether to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays in retail stores, and Atlanta may decide to join them. ...

BRIEF: Man arrested on 118th charge.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--A 38-year-old man was arrested on charges of aggravated statutory rape Tuesday, the 118th time he's been charged in Hamilton County in the past 18 years, records show. Dedrick Lamont Lindsey was arrested after a 16-year-old told a...

BRIEF: Replay of sheriff's news conference on Hamilton County train deaths.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Harrison Keely Aug. 31--A news conference at the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office discussed the deaths of Michael Hennen, 27, and Hannah Barnes, 19, who were hit by a train on Aug. 22 near Sale Creek. Also see Hamilton County:...

BRIEF: Five arrested for beating up DeKalb County, Ala., teen.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--Four men and a teenager were arrested Monday in connection with the reported beating of a Collinsville High School teen who refused to be part of a gang. The teenager reported that he was beaten at a Lookout Mountain residence near...

BRIEF: Hamilton County: Sheriff says train deaths an accident.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Kate Harrison Aug. 31--Nine days after two people were killed by a train in Sale Creek, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond said their deaths were "a tragic accident." Hammond held a news conference at the Sheriff's Office this...

BRIEF: Chattanooga: Gunman shoots into crowd, hitting teenage girl.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--An unidentified female, 16, was shot last night near 4100 Angela Drive, a police official said. According to police, the girl was standing with a group of her friends around around 9:30 p.m. when an unknown suspect shot into the...

5 at 10: Bruce Pearl, the Falcons and College football prognostications.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Jay Greeson Aug. 31--It's game week. We've moved on from the eye black. That's right, we're typing with a regulation, college football helmet on -- we're that excited. Quick reminder that we're a day away from the Thursday night...

Tennessee attorneys general ask website to combat sex trafficking.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper and 45 other attorneys general across the country are urging Backpage.com, an online classified ad site, to get more aggressive in stopping ads promoting human sex trafficking,...

BRIEF: Georgia man killed in early morning crash.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Joy Lukachick Aug. 31--A Duluth, Ga., man who was involved in an early morning crash in Whitfield County died on the way to the hospital. The 33-year-old man, whose name hasn't been released pending notification of family, was...

BRIEF: Video: Sheriff speaks on Hamilton County train deaths.
August 31, 2011... Byline: Patrick Smith Aug. 31--Also see Hamilton County: Sheriff says train deaths an accident Replay live blog coverage of the press conference here. ___ (c)2011 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, Tenn.) Visit the...

BRIEF: Meeks guilty in Grundy slaying.
August 31, 2011... Aug. 31--ALTAMONT, Tenn. -- A jury has found Martin Dean "Cub" Meeks guilty of first-degree murder in the 2009 shotgun slaying of 79-year-old Carl R. Winton. Winton was killed at 476 Bear Hollow Road in Pelham, according to the Tennessee...

EDITORIAL: In the wake of Hurricane Irene.(Editorial)
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--Hurricane Irene, most meteorologists and emergency management and public safety officials now agree, could have been much worse. That's true, but one's view of the storm is a matter of perspective. The tens of millions of people along...

EDITORIAL: A potential problem at the International Space Station.(Editorial)
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The United States remains committed to partnership in the International Space Station, but it is no longer capable of launching people or supplies into space to sustain it. That was not supposed to be a problem, even after the U.S....

EDITORIAL: Hurricane Irene's damage less than feared.(Editorial)
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--As lethal hurricane winds swept across a broad swath of our Eastern coastal areas over the weekend, floodwaters from heavy rain added more deaths, as well as property damage estimated at more than $7 billion. We are awed and...

EDITORIAL: Low Tennessee, local test scores.(Editorial)
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--Especially at this time of year, as students have recently returned to school, there is high enthusiasm about their prospects for academic success -- as there very well should be. Our students are not dumb, after all. Young people from...

Couple weds 7,500 feet above Chattanooga in single-engine Cessna.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Mike Pare Aug. 30--Daryl Moore jokes that he and his new bride wanted to keep the wedding party small. So he and fiancee Johnita did just that -- exchanging vows Saturday about 7,500 feet up in a 10-passenger Cessna they hired...

Cochran's Furniture celebrates reopening after being destroyed by monster tornado.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Ellis Smith Aug. 30--RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Cochran's Furniture emerged from the rubble Monday as the largest retailer to reopen since a monster tornado tore this town apart on April 27. Cochrans was among 30 businesses destroyed in...

BRIEF: Which supermarket chains have the most stores in Chattanooga?
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The supermarket chains with the most stores in metropolitan Chattanooga: 1 Bi-Lo, based in Mauldin, S.C., operates 21 supermarkets in metropolitan Chattanooga. 2 Wal-mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., operates 11 stores in...

BRIEF: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee cuts 18 positions.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The sale of Cigna's Nashville-based government services division to the South Carolina BlueCross plan is cutting 18 support jobs at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. The Chattanooga-based BlueCross issued a layoff notice Monday...

Boise-UGA a matchup for respect.
August 30, 2011... Byline: David Paschall Aug. 30--Saturday night's college football matchup between Boise State and Georgia in the Georgia Dome was by no means required, but both sides felt a need. For Boise State, it's another chance to enhance an already...

6 freshmen sure to play for Mocs.
August 30, 2011... Byline: John Frierson Aug. 30--Ten true freshmen will be among the 62 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football players who will climb aboard the plane headed for Nebraska on Friday. Coach Russ Huesman said at least six are sure to...

Vols football two-deep chart as of Aug. 29.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--OFFENSE QB Tyler Bray So., 6-6, 210 Matt Simms R-Sr., 6-3, 210 RB Tauren Poole Sr., 5-10, 215 Marlin Lane Fr., 6-0, 205 FB Channing Fugate So., 6-1, 250 Ben Bartholomew R-Jr., 6-2, 251 WR Justin Hunter So.,...

Budget balanced for UTC.
August 30, 2011... Byline: John Frierson Aug. 30--The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletic department closed out the 2010-11 fiscal year with a balanced budget. Despite tough economic times that have led to cuts in funding several years in a row, UTC...

Baylor embraces tests.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Gene Henley Aug. 30--Baylor soccer teammates Teni Butler, Paige Elliott, Chloe Brackett and twins McKenzie and Peyton Thomas knew their alliance eventually would end. Not just their final days of high school -- which are quite a...

Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn., Mark Wiedmer column.(Column)
August 30, 2011... Byline: Mark Wiedmer Aug. 30--KNOXVILLE -- Considering how long it took him to find a coach who appreciated his talents, Tennessee senior running back Tauren Poole could say he never thought this season would arrive. After all, after...

Area Ace president climbs the volunteer ladder.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Clint Cooper Aug. 30--Just as he did in his business career, Tom Glenn has climbed the ladder as a volunteer with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga. Once an accountant for a local cluster of Ace Hardware stores, he is now...

Young dancer takes pride in his passion.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Casey Phillips Aug. 30--Even sitting in a chair, Lajeromeny Brown can't stop dancing. As the 11-year-old talks, his slender body is in a constant state of motion, his shoulders rolling and his legs stretching out, toes pointed....

Empty homes and abandoned properties pose a challenge for Hamilton County.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Ansley Haman Aug. 30--A family abandoned the gray house. Weeds overtook the grass. A back door blew open. Feral cats -- and depending on who you talk to, maybe a raccoon -- began living in the suburban house on Lakeside...

Erlanger defends bid process after awarding Ritz-Carlton $288,000 contract.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Chris Carroll Aug. 30--Erlanger Health System spent at least $35,000 on Ritz-Carlton before it awarded the hospitality chain a $288,000 contract to provide customer service instruction at the public hospital, officials said Monday. ...

Slaying case defendant heading to rehab program in Florida.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Kate Harrison Aug. 30--A man accused of shooting and killing an 18-year-old acquaintance is headed to a ranch that claims to offer rehabilitation for young men with "life controlling problems." Myles Stout, 20, accused in the...

BRIEF: Dogwood Manor public housing on agenda for Chattanooga City Council.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Yolanda Putman Aug. 30--The Dogwood Manor public housing complex is on the market, and real estate agents can earn up to $80,000 for selling it. A resolution allowing a commission of up to $80,000 for the sale of the complex is on...

New library board in Chattanooga looks at getting organized.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Cliff Hightower Aug. 30--A new city-only Public Library board will meet for the first time within weeks and already has plenty to keep members busy. They have to choose officers, hire a new director and approve charges for noncity...

Tennessee Court of Appeals to hear Hamilton County sheriff pay dispute.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Beth Burger Aug. 30--The Tennessee Court of Appeals will now take up the issue of whether the Hamilton County sheriff must equalize the pay of six sergeants. On Monday, Chancery Court records were sent to the Court of Appeals for...

Local billboards feature 20 college-bound student success stories.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Kevin Hardy Aug. 30--Once his face is glued onto a giant billboard close to downtown, Terence Kelley doesn't think his college years will have much room for error. "It actually motivated me, just the fact that I'm going to be seen...

BRIEF: Drive-by flu shot clinics coming to North Georgia.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--Health departments in the North Georgia Health District soon will be conducting drive-by flu shot clinics, according to a news release. The clinics, designed to process people quickly and conveniently as they remain in their...

Community garden thrives in Cleveland, Tenn.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Randall Higgins Aug. 30--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Betty Payne was determined the community garden in her public housing neighborhood would thrive this summer. "In the back are watermelons and pumpkins. Green beans are on the other...

Storytelling event to help tornado victims.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Randall Higgins Aug. 30--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Blue Tarp Special will be here in two weeks. It's a combination of traditional music and storytelling for the community to come and hear, and they can donate to the recovery of...

Hamilton County sheriff's deputy suspended without pay after spat.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Beth Burger Aug. 30--A Hamilton County Sheriff's Office corporal has been suspended a day without pay related to an Aug. 4 incident in which she was arrested on assault charges. On Monday in Hamilton County General Sessions Court,...

Chattanooga pastor slaying case hearing date moved.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Todd South Aug. 30--A local Criminal Court judge on Monday moved a hearing date for two defendants in the 2010 killing of a local pastor. Antonio Henry, 26, and his cousin Brendan Barnes, 17, face first-degree murder charges in the...

BRIEF: Foul play not suspected after man found dead in Tennessee River.(Obituary)
August 30, 2011... Byline: Kate Harrison Aug. 30--Rhea County investigators are trying to determine how a man found dead in the Tennessee River over the weekend ended up in the water. "At this point, we're not sure what the circumstances leading up to his...

BRIEF: Two arrested in Georgia attack.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--Officials say two people wanted in an attack in Georgia have been captured in Gadsden and are being held at the Etowah County Jail. Capt. Regina May of the Gadsden Police Department said 20-year-old Xaia Wallace and 23-year-old...

Record number of local volunteers to aid Hurricane Irene victims.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Carey O'Neil Aug. 30--A record number of Chattanooga Red Cross disaster relief volunteers are headed to areas that were ravaged by Hurricane Irene over the weekend. Eleven Chattanoogans are headed to or already helping in New...

Tennessee to study congestion, safety of I-24.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Judy Walton Aug. 30--Anyone who's ever crept bumper to bumper along Interstate 24 for an hour to get past a crash or a breakdown on the shoulder knows what "congestion" means. For that matter, people stretching their defensive...

5 at 10: Peyton Manning, Texas A&M and the release of the SEC depth charts.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Jay Greeson Aug. 30--It's game week. Three simple words that bring a smile to everyone's face. In fact, we're so excited, we're writing the 5-at-10 while wearing our eye black. Trust us, we're stoked. From the "College Football...

BRIEF: Cleveland: Authorities trying to identify man killed in gas station fire.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--CLEVELAND -- Investigators remain on the scene of a deadly fire at a gas station early this morning that claimed the life of an unidentified man. Officers are trying to determine who the man is. Cleveland Police Department and Fire...

BRIEF: Hamilton County Sheriff to hold press conference on train deaths.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--A press conference Wednesday will discuss the death of two people who were hit by a train on Aug. 22 near Sale Creek. Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. at the sheriff's office, located at...

BRIEF: Dalton man whose murder charges were dismissed found dead.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Joy Lukachick Aug. 30--A Dalton, Ga., man who had murder charges dismissed in November was found dead in his grandmother's basement. A family member found Bryan Dennington on his couch dead on Friday, days after he had last been...

BRIEF: Rossville man arrested for armed robbery in Chattanooga.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--A Rossville man who was wanted for stealing a purse during an armed robbery at the Hixson Walmart was arrested in Dalton, Ga. on other charges. Dalton Police arrested Eric Reeves on Friday after chasing him in his vehicle and then...

BRIEF: UTC meets media in advance of trip to Nebraska.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Jay Greeson Aug. 30--Four days before the season opener at Nebraska, University at Tennessee Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman knows the challenge presented by the No. 10-ranked Huskers is great. So is the exposure. ...

Chattanooga: Judge sends slaying case to grand jury.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--The case of two men charged with killing a 23-year-old and the woman accused of helping them is now in the hands of the Hamilton County Grand Jury. The jury is now be tasked with determining whether Deangelo Napolean "Fookie"...

Tennessee releases worst-case federal budget cut scenarios.
August 30, 2011... Byline: Andy Sher Aug. 30--NASHVILLE -- The Haslam administration today released worst-case scenario figures outlining how federal budget cuts of up to 30 percent would result in Tennessee government eliminating another 5,132 state jobs and...

BRIEF: Hamilton County Sheriff to hold news conference on train deaths.
August 30, 2011... Aug. 30--A news conference Wednesday will discuss the death of two people who were hit by a train on Aug. 22 near Sale Creek. Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. at the sheriff's office, located at 600...

EDITORIAL: Return of union gangsterism?(Editorial)
August 29, 2011... Aug. 29--Outright violence by labor union activists is fortunately far less common today than it was during some parts of the 20th century -- both in Chattanooga and elsewhere. But there was a disturbing reminder of that type of violence...