Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) articles from May 2001

Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) archives from May 2001

Chattanooga, Tenn., Financial Experts Offer Mid-Level Investment Options.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 1--From the top floor of one of the oldest high-rise offices in Chattanooga, a group of former commercial and investment bankers and advisers have a different view of the changing financial landscape. The new...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Businesses Applaud Teen Curfew.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 1--Proffitt's chief executive said Tuesday the teen curfew at Hamilton Place mall has created "zero problems" at her company's two department stores at the shopping center. "So far, so good," said Toni Browning,...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Carpet Maker Reports Big Loss, Moves to Reduce Debt.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 1--Chattanooga-based Dixie Group reported a bigger loss in the first quarter, prompting the carpet and rug maker to reduce debt and sell off noncritical assets. "We are optimistic that sales volume will improve...

Former Tennessee Energy Agency Official Criticizes Bush Energy Plan.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 1--In the estimation of a former Tennessee Valley Authority board chairman, the heart of the Bush administration's energy plan is one of the few places in North America where one can still find lots of oil. ...

Developer Hopes to Create Urban Community in Chattanooga, Tenn.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 1--Adam Cohen wants to bring a touch of life in Manhattan and other major cities to downtown Chattanooga. "Our goal in Chattanooga is to come in and create a downtown urban community," said Mr. Cohen, a...

Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., Investor Sees Opportunity in Telecom Wars.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 1--Long-distance prices are dropping faster than you can dial 10-10-20. But where major long-distance companies like AT&T and Worldcom Inc. see falling income, a Soddy-Daisy investor sees a profitable...

Tennessee Welfare Rolls Grow for First Time in Seven Years.
May 1, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 1--The softening economy is causing more Tennesseans to fall on hard times. The state's welfare rolls have grown in the past year for the first time in seven years, especially in rural counties hard hit by...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport Officials Hope Comair Will Return in Full Force.
May 2, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 2--With Comair laying off 2,000 workers systemwide and reducing its fleet amid a pilots strike, Chattanooga airport officials hope no flights are lost when the carrier finally returns to the air. "That's a...

Critics Say Tennessee Valley Authority Overspent for Nashville, Tenn., Office.
May 2, 2001... Byline: Andy Sher May 2--WASHINGTON--A $53,696 conference table, a $42,600 glass backdrop and $328,604 spent to transform hickory trees from President Andrew Jackson's home into paneling are a few examples of "lavish" spending for the...

Virginia-Based Department Store Chain to Close Two Chattanooga, Tenn., Stores.
May 3, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 3--Two Chattanooga-area stores are among the last 375 nationwide that Heilig-Meyers has announced it will close by the end of August. The 88-year-old, Richmond, Va.-based chain closed 300 stores in August when...

Plans Stall for Bus Service to Chattanooga, Tenn., Social Security Office.
May 4, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 4--Chattanooga's Social Security field office has begun a move to a new location, but efforts to find money to fund regular CARTA bus service there are running on empty. Despite months of trying, CARTA and Social...

Cigna Healthcare to Drop Several Tennessee Hospitals from Its HMO.
May 4, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 4--Nearly 10,000 Tennesseans who now rely upon HCA hospitals for their health care will have to go to other hospitals after next month. Cigna Healthcare of Tennessee announced Thursday it will drop Parkridge,...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Woman's Gets Wish Granted with Purchase of Local Store.
May 4, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 4--Chattanoogan Lisa Watjen used the Victor Kiam method to go into business for herself. In a series of TV commercials years ago, Mr. Kiam said he liked Remington electric shavers so much that he bought the...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Shopper Buys Into Favorite Store.
May 4, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 4--CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--Lisa Watjen used the Victor Kiam method to go into business for herself. In a series of TV commercials years ago, Mr. Kiam said he liked Remington electric shavers so much that he bought...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Businesses See More Job-Seekers Nowadays.
May 5, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 5--For Chattanoogan Lynn Blake, finding a job is a job in itself. "I've been reading the newspaper, going to agencies, hearing word-of-mouth from friends, calling places and asking for fax numbers so I can...

US Airways Express Begins Service Between Chattanooga, Tenn., Pittsburgh.
May 5, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 5--Jay Mills goes to Pittsburgh three or four times a year and complains it's not the easiest place to fly to from Chattanooga. Starting Sunday, US Airways Express will launch nonstop service between Chattanooga...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Trade Organization Honors Real Estate Businessman.
May 6, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 6--For over 40 years, Fletcher Bright has navigated his real estate business through times of hot and cold economies, high and low interest rates, and up and down inflation. The Fletcher Bright Co., from a handful...

Author to Speak at African-American Chamber Banquet in Chattanooga, Tenn.
May 7, 2001... Byline: Yolanda Putman May 7--Black people have the money and training they need to succeed -- they only lack each other, according to George Fraser. The Ohio-based author will be the speaker for the Chattanooga African-American...

Government to Clean Up Waste-Riddled Chattanooga, Tenn., Nuclear Site.
May 7, 2001... Byline: Gary Tanner May 7--OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--Disposal of radioactive and other hazardous wastes was simpler in the days of the Manhattan Project and the Cold War, when the most common method at the Oak Ridge nuclear complex was to dig...

Paddlefish Farming in Kentucky, Tennessee, Could Net Profits.
May 7, 2001... Byline: Jan Galletta May 7--Dr. Steven Mims of Kentucky State University looks at the pearly gray eggs of the freshwater paddlefish and sees green, as in money. "Paddlefish production could become a lucrative venture for individual...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport Officials Seek Flights.
May 8, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 8--Nonstop Chattanooga to Pittsburgh flights are another step in building the city's air service as local airport officials actively pursue flights to relieve Atlanta's airport. "Atlanta has got one of the most...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Electric Bus Maker Names CEO.
May 8, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 8--Chattanooga electric bus-maker Advanced Vehicle Systems is shifting gears with the naming Monday of Rick Hitchcock as the company's chief executive officer. Mr. Hitchcock, the firm's president for the past two...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Hospital Plans Expansion.
May 8, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 8--Memorial Hospital officials are looking east for their future growth. In their wake, a local developer is eager to build another shopping center near Hamilton Place Mall. Memorial filed notice with the...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Insurer Reports Increase in Profits.
May 8, 2001... May 8--UnumProvident Corp. on Monday reported its operating profits rose 10 percent in the first quarter as earnings per share of 61 cents met analysts' expectations. "Our first quarter was a strong start to 2001. Our sales were balanced...

Kansas City, Mo.-Based Phone Company Expands into Tennessee Cities.
May 8, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 8--Another local telephone provider is calling on Chattanooga businesses, reselling local and long-distance phone services at rates from 10 to 35 percent below BellSouth and the major long-distance providers. ...

Tennessee House Considers Bill to Allow Increases in Real Estate Transfer Tax.
May 9, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 9--Home buyers could be required to pay another $370 to purchase a typical $100,000 house under a legislative proposal the Tennessee House is expected to consider today. Realtors across the state are lobbying...

South Carolina-Based Seller of Home Furnishings to Sell Remaining Stores.
May 9, 2001... May 9--HomePlace of America Inc., a major seller of home furnishings, is selling the remainder of its stores. The South Carolina-based retailer, which also operates the Waccamaw Pottery & Linen Stores, will soon close its last 84 stores,...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Waste Firm Goes to Work on Local Industrial Park.
May 9, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 9--A new industrial park in Lookout Valley has drawn a Chattanooga-based waste oil recycling company which is planning a $1 million expansion as it merges two local operations into a new facility. Holston Cos. has...

Coffee, Ice Cream Shop Owners Join in New Restaurant Venture in Tennessee.
May 10, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 10--Ian Goodman and Marshall Brock think mixing hot and cold will blend into a successful restaurant concept. Mr. Goodman, founder of Greyfriar's Coffee and Tea Co., and Mr. Brock, founder of Clumpie's Ice...

Chattanooga, Tenn., To Add 430 Hotel Rooms in 2001.
May 11, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 11--Downtown Chattanooga is adding more than 430 hotel rooms this year -- the largest one-year increase in its history. But the big influx in rooms is creating worries among existing lodging operators in the...

Disability Insurer Donates $200,000 to Chattanooga, Tenn., Nonprofit.
May 11, 2001... May 11--UnumProvident Corp. is giving $200,000 to the Siskin Foundation for its capital campaign. J. Harold Chandler, the Chattanooga- and Portland, Maine-based disability insurer's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said the...

Dalton, Ga.-Based Carpet Company Uses Recycled Ingredients in Carpet.
May 12, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 12--Half of the carpet made by Dalton, Ga.-based Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings contains recycled materials, and the company projects all its goods will be crafted with them within a year. The result is that old...

Mother's Day Boosts Business for Chattanooga, Tenn., Retailers, Restaurants.
May 12, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 12--The list of mothers who don't want flowers for Mother's Day probably isn't long, but Carolyn Hogan's on it. The owner of Carolyn's Florist said she got her fill of flora and fauna last week getting orders...

Hopes of Paperless Office Have Been Thrown Away.
May 14, 2001... Byline: Kevin Lusk May 14--Cynthia Hargraves begs to differ with the person who coined the phrase "paperless office." "That person had no grasp on reality," she said. In the early 1980s, experts predicted the use of printed paper...

Telecom Company Puts Chattanooga, Tenn., in Phone, Internet Service.
May 14, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 14--The RiverCity Co. was about to spend nearly $8,000 on a new computer server and supporting software last year when company president Ken Hays heard about a cheaper and better alternative. Instead of buying...

Comair Strike Benefits Competitor in Chattanooga, Tenn.
May 15, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 15--American Eagle's passenger traffic in Chattanooga has soared in the wake of the crippling strike that has grounded competitor Comair. Eagle's boardings on its three regional jets daily from Chattanooga...

Dairy Farmers Look to Congress for Help.
May 15, 2001... Byline: Andy Sher May 15--WASHINGTON -- Catoosa County, Ga., farmer Bernard Sims remembers a time back in the 1960s when there were about 60 dairy farms in the county. Today, there are just four -- among them the Sims family's...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Builder Drops Out of Housing Complex Project.
May 15, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 15--Ronnie Rothwell, the Chattanooga builder who spent over three years trying to convert the former Lovemans building into downtown's largest housing complex, is no longer involved in the project, according to...

Tennessee Valley Authority To Award Contracts To Reduce Smog.
May 15, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 15--Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority will take another major step this week toward getting some of the smoke out of the Great Smoky Mountains. The TVA board is scheduled Thursday to award contracts...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Officials Fear Gas Prices Will Affect Local Tourism.
May 15, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 15--Chuck and Opal Boie sold their house in California, bought a recreational vehicle and hit the road to see America. Along the way, fuel prices shot to record highs. "We're glad we're here," Mrs. Boie said last...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Developer Plans to Replace Building with Parking Lot.
May 16, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 16--Parking will preclude preservation if a Chattanooga developer follows through with plans to demolish the former Burchay's Furs building at 817 Market St. Chattanooga Land Co. owns the building, vacated when...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Air Service Expands with Flights to Pittsburgh.
May 16, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 16--Nonstop Chattanooga to Pittsburgh flights are another step in building the city's air service as local airport officials actively pursue flights to relieve Atlanta's airport. "Atlanta has got one of the most...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Hospitals Continue to Discuss Residency Program Merger.
May 16, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 16--Chattanooga may soon lose one of its two training programs for primary care doctors. Memorial Hospital, which launched a family practice residency for new doctors five years ago, is preparing to combine...

General Electric Roper Corp. to Shut Down Chattanooga, Tenn., Plant.
May 17, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 17--A North Chattanooga plant that has stamped out parts for stoves and ranges for nearly a century will shut down in 2002. The General Electric Roper Corp. announced Wednesday it is phasing out its metal...

Developer Proposes Building Hotel Near Chattanooga, Tenn., Convention Center.
May 17, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 17--A developer is proposing to build a $9 million, 120-room extended-stay hotel next to the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Convention & Trade Center in the Southside. Chattanooga businessman Harshad Shah said...

Nashville, Tenn.-Based Paper Company To Open Chattanooga, Tenn., Headquarters.
May 17, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 17--Officials at American Paper & Twine Co. don't yet know the full extent to which the company will mark its 75th anniversary this year. "We're still working on that," said Karen Doochin, AP&T's marketing...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Maker of Scented Strips for Ads Wins Business Award.
May 17, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 17--Chattanooga's Main Street offers little of the glitz of Madison Avenue in New York. But from a pair of warehouses two blocks a part on Main Street, a local printing business has emerged as a global leader...

Chattanooga, Tenn., to Receive New Hybrid-Electric Buses.
May 18, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 18--Bus riders will see bigger battery-powered vehicles on Chattanooga's streets within the next few weeks. CARTA is to receive the first of 11 new 30- and 35-foot hybrid-electric buses May 31. The buses will...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Chamber of Commerce Gives Awards to Three Businesses.
May 18, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 18--Three firms received small business of the year awards Thursday from the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. Teems Electric Co. Inc., Starkey Printing Co. and Application Researchers LLC were picked as small...

New Generation Takes Over at Chattanooga, Tenn., Car Dealer.
May 19, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 19--Not much will change at Kelly Cadillac Saab Subaru now that Tim Kelly's taken over from his father, Pat, as the dealer of record. There is one thing, though. "From now on," Tim Kelly said, "if GM...

Hamilton County, Tenn., Residents Object to Proposed Cell Phone Tower.
May 19, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 19--Steve Heard doesn't want to build a new home in the shadow of a cell tower. Mr. Heard and his wife own property on Mowbray Mountain near the site where Signal One wants to erect a 300-foot...

Mortgage Holders Seek to Refinance as Interest Rates Go Lower.
May 19, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 19--Tony and Jeanette Stone, who bought their first house a year ago, already are in the process of refinancing it. The reason? "Lower interest rates," Mr. Stone said. "We wanted to get our payments down a...

Comair Strike Affects Business at Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport.
May 22, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 22--The Comair strike is costing Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport both money and passengers. Airport officials said Monday the facility is losing about $20,000 monthly in landing fees and other revenues. ...

Walden, Tenn., Office Complex Will Cluster Health Care Businesses.
May 22, 2001... Byline: Mike Pare May 22--Construction has started on a $750,000 office complex in Walden that is designed to cluster health care-related businesses, its developer says. "The health care-targeted approach will be successful. The...

Survey Says Chattanooga, Tenn., Manufacturers Will Continue to Cut Staffs.
May 22, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 22--Chattanooga manufacturers expect to continue cutting staff this summer as the pace of economic growth slows, according to an employer survey released Monday. But employers in most service industries say...

Athens, Tenn., Furniture Manufacturer Closes Plant, Lays Off 600.
May 23, 2001... Byline: Ron Clayton May 23--ATHENS, Tenn.--Athens' largest furniture plant has closed down its operation, at least temporarily putting many of its 600 employees out of work. Athens Furniture Industries Inc., owns three manufacturing...

Reopened Chattanooga, Tenn., Gas Station Offers Full Service.
May 23, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 23--Life gets easier for Debbie Gaines and her 14-year-old car with today's opening of the Fountain Square Service Station. "Oh, it's a great thing," said Ms. Gaines, who works across the street at the Hamilton...

Owner of Ringgold, Ga., Ford Dealership To Retire.
May 24, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 24--After nearly 48 years in business, Benny Jackson has finally decided to ride into the sunset -- doubtless in a Ford. Mr. Jackson, 76, has sold his Ringgold, Ga., Ford dealership to Bob Chiddister of Dalton,...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Honda Dealership Opens Remodeled Facility.
May 24, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 24--There was a silver lining in the clouds of the August 1999 storm that blew part of the roof off Chattanooga's Economy Honda car dealership. "A remodel was in the works," said Bill Erickson, used car...

Graybar Electric to Move to New Chattanooga, Tenn., Facility.
May 25, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 25--It's blue skies for Graybar Electric Co. as the company plans a November move to a spacious new facility. The Missouri-based company's Chattanooga operation has been headquartered on North Highland Park...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Jobless Rate Falls.
May 25, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 25--Job figures released Thursday suggest that the Tennessee Valley isn't headed for a recession. In its monthly unemployment report, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced that...

Big Businesses Head to Suburbs Nationwide, Building Association Says.
May 25, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 25--Banks and insurance companies which traditionally located in downtown offices are increasingly heading to suburban office campuses and even industrial parks, the head of the nation's biggest building...

Steak n Shake Franchisee in Chattanooga, Tenn., Expands Local Empire.
May 26, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 26--Mark Richman was "a company man" long before he acquired a Steak n Shake franchise. Mr. Richman started as a dishwasher with Steak n Shake while attending high school in Indianapolis, Ind. He accumulated...

Poor Stock Performance Reduces Income of Chattanooga, Tenn., Executives.
May 27, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 27--Chattanooga's corporate leaders paid a hefty price in 2000 for their companies' poor stock performance. The average pay for the chief executive officers of Chattanooga's publicly traded companies fell...

Tennessee Couple To Open Chicken Eatery Franchise in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.
May 30, 2001... Byline: Emily McDonald May 30--At Zaxby's, the presence of a drive-through window doesn't mean fast food. "We grill everything to order," said Shannon Brown. "We emphasize freshness and quality." Ticket times -- the time it takes to...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Energy Suppliers Don't Expect Cost Increases.
May 30, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 30--Electricity consumption in the Tennessee Valley is expected to reach a new peak this summer. But unlike California where power customers face higher rates and possible blackouts, energy suppliers in the...

Tennessee Congressman Urges Regional Cooperation in State's Tech Development.
May 30, 2001... Byline: Andy Sher May 30--WASHINGTON--The cities, universities and government research centers of the Tennessee Valley already contain the "seeds" of development for the next stages of a technology revolution that has brought far-reaching...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Auto Brake Castings Maker Reaches Deal with Workers.
May 31, 2001... May 31--Wheland Foundry has reached a five-year contract with its hourly work force that includes a new profit-sharing program for employees. "If we have a big win, we share it with our employees," said Lorie Mallchok, executive vice...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Restaurant Chain Make Additions to Menu.
May 31, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 31--They won't be square like Krystal's famous hamburgs. But Krystal officials insist their newest menu additions are fresh, hot and small. The Chattanooga-based restaurant chain is hoping to give a...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Television Station to Get New Owner.
May 31, 2001... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. May 31--Besides lights and cameras, there'll be a lot more action for Judy Watts O'Neal at United Community Television starting Friday. That's when Ms. O'Neal, a longtime on-air personality at Fort...

Tennessee Utility Works to Recruit Younger Workers.
May 31, 2001... Byline: Dave Flessner May 31--When Tim Brown returned from the Vietnam War in 1970, he and hundreds of other veterans joined the Tennessee Valley Authority. More than three decades later, Mr. Brown and many of his original colleagues...