Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) articles from November 2000

Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) archives from November 2000

Georgia-Based Carpet Maker Announces Plans for Softer, Stain Repellant Carpet.
November 30, 2000... Byline: dave flessner Nov. 30--DALTON, Ga.--The world's biggest carpet maker is taking on a softer and cleaner style -- at least in its top-line carpets. Shaw Industries Inc., which grew into a $4 billion-a-year industry leader by...

Chattanooga, Tenn., City Planners Hire Consultant to Develop Community Plan.
November 30, 2000... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Nov. 30--Like the holiday traffic that clogged roads at Hamilton Place, city planners' attempts to regulate commercial development and protect residential property adjacent to the state's largest shopping...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Transit Officials Consider Renaming Downtown Shuttle Buses.
November 30, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 30--Washington, D.C., has a subway system known as the Metro. Denver has shuttle bus routes called Hop, Skip and Jump. Some CARTA officials think it may be time to jump on the bus and come up with a better...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Power Company Finds Success in Local Phone Service.
November 30, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 30--CARTA converted its downtown bus fleet from diesel to electricity nearly a decade ago to help reduce its air pollution. Last month, Chattanooga's bus system turned to its electricity supplier to reduce...

Railroad Operator to Sell Truck-Trailer Business to Chattanooga, Tenn., Firm.
November 29, 2000... Nov. 29--RailAmerica Inc. says it has executed a definitive agreement to sell a heavy-duty customized truck trailer operation to Chattanooga-based Heil Co. for $32.5 million. RailAmerica Inc., a Florida-based short line and regional...

Atlanta-Based Truck, Trailer Maker Suspends Production at 3 Plants.
November 29, 2000... Nov. 29--Dorsey Trailers Inc., which spun off from a Chattanooga-based glass maker more than a decade ago, has suspended production and may be forced into filing for bankruptcy. The Atlanta-based truck trailer manufacturer announced...

East Brainerd, Tenn., Bakery Bought by Expansion-Minded Duo.
November 28, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 28--Two longtime friends and business partners recently acquired the Atlanta Bread Co. at Hamilton Place in East Brainerd with the idea of adding to the bakery's business by also opening new units elsewhere in...

Dalton, Ga.-Based Carpet Industry Group Wants President to Heighten Profile.
November 28, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 28--Like the industry it represents, the Carpet and Rug Institute in Dalton, Ga. is now controlled by a half dozen key companies. So instead of a single company executive trying to speak for the $11...

Cleveland, Tenn.-Based Clothing Maker Inks Deal with L.L. Bean.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 24--CLEVELAND, Tenn.--This city's oldest manufacturer has made a brand-new deal with one of the world's best-known clothing retailers. Hardwick Clothes Inc., also the nation's oldest privately held maker of...

Georgians Help Bolster $2 Billion Nationwide Pet-Rearing Industry.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 24--At various times over the last decade, Ringgold, Ga., attorney Ken Poston has boarded five dogs and four cats at Professional Kennels in Fort Oglethorpe. "I've joked to people that my animals get better...

UPS, Others Hire Deadbeat Dads in Memphis, Tenn., to Assist Urban League.
November 24, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 24--Jerome Montgomery fell behind on his child support payments earlier this year after bouncing between restaurant jobs in Chattanooga and Dalton, Ga. But the 28-year-old Chattanooga native is back in good...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport Mulls Putting Aside Parking for Frequent Fliers.
November 23, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 23--Parking congestion at Chattanooga's airport is spurring an effort to help the facility's best customers save time. The airport is rolling out a preferred parking program that will reserve some long-term...

Jobless Rates in Reflect Strong Economy in Tennessee.
November 23, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 23--If employment figures are the measure, it should be happy holidays ahead for Tennesseans in general and Chattanooga-area residents in particular. Statistics released Wednesday by the state Department of...

New Motel to Open Next Year in Chattanooga, Tenn., Area.
November 23, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 23--A new motel with suites will open early next year in the city of East Ridge, giving travelers along Interstate 75 another lodging choice. It's been more than a dozen years since a new motel was built...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Girl Scouts Form Investment Club.
November 22, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 22--While investment clubs have grown in popularity both locally and nationally, a group of Girl Scouts is pioneering the concept among young people in the area. Twenty-two active members of the Girl Scouts...

Memphis, Tenn., Municipal Utility, Investors to Build Broadband Network.
November 22, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 22--TVA's biggest power distributor is accelerating on to the information superhighway. Memphis Light Gas and Water announced Tuesday it is joining with a group of prominent Memphis investors to build a...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport Chief to Resign Next Year.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 21--The head of Chattanooga's airport for the past 18 years said Monday he plans to resign next year. Hugh Davis, the 50-year-old president of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, said he is...

Survey Says Chattanooga, Tenn., Labor Market Will Be Tighter Than Last Year.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 21--Chattanooga employers won't be as active in hiring more workers this winter as they were a year ago, according to a survey of area businesses released Monday by Manpower Inc. But finding qualified...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Retailers Offer Incentives for More Holiday Workers.
November 21, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 21--With the holiday shopping and dining season nearing full swing, most merchants and restaurateurs think they have enough Santa helpers. But some are not so sure about the quality of their newly hired...

Dalton, Ga.-Based Gasoline Retailer Is Highest Bidder for Conoco Stations.
November 18, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 18--True to its name, Fast Petroleum Inc. has quickly emerged as one of the region's biggest gasoline retailers. The Dalton, Ga.-based oil jobber started by Tommy Thompson only 17 years ago emerged as the...

Health Plan Claims Supervisors Are Blocking Payments to Tennessee Doctors.
November 18, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 18--For the past six years, Dr. Bernard Parham has been paid every month by Access Medplus for operating his Urgent Care program for TennCare patients. But with Access Medplus now under state supervision,...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Crisis Units Debate Emergency Psychiatric Care.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 17--Erlanger Medical Center closed its psychiatric unit 14 years ago. But when police respond to emergencies involving persons with behavioral or mental problems, they still usually head to Erlanger. Last...

Tennessee Hospitals Wait for Indigent Care Funding.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 17--Five months after lawmakers agreed to give Tennessee's biggest hospitals an extra $90 million for providing most of the state's indigent care, the hospitals are still waiting for the money. The Health...

Fort Oglethorpe, Tenn., Still Hopeful Even after Liquor Question Voted Down.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 17--Despite the defeat of a proposed liquor-by-the-drink referendum last week, Fort Oglethorpe officials remain optimistic they can still lure fine dining restaurants and hotels to their city. But some...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Developers Plan Retail Complex.
November 17, 2000... Byline: John Vass Jr. Nov. 17--Developers of what will be Chattanooga's largest retail complex north of the Tennessee River are targeting October 2001 for its completion. Developer James L. "Bucky" Wolford said his Oak Park Town...

Developers Target October 2001 to Complete Chattanooga, Tenn., Retail Complex.
November 17, 2000... Byline: John Vass jr. Nov. 17--Developers of what will be Chattanooga's largest retail complex north of the Tennessee River are targeting October 2001 for its completion. Developer James L. "Bucky" Wolford said his Oak Park Town...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Transportation Board to Start New Bus Route.
November 17, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 17--Trying to link workers with job sites, CARTA on Thursday approved a new neighborhood bus route at Hamilton Place along Gunbarrel Road. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority board agreed to...

New Bank Enters Competitive Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Market.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 16--The continuing battle between regional and community banks will get fiercer in Fort Oglethorpe today as Ringgold, Ga.-based Gateway Bank & Trust Co. opens on Battlefield Parkway, adjacent to a Burger King...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Hospital Works to Improve Emergency Room Procedures.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 16--Federal authorities warned Erlanger Wednesday that the hospital could lose Medicare funding by the end of the month unless it changes the way emergency room personnel handle patients who might be suicidal....

Alternatives Sought in Expansion of Chattanooga, Tenn., Trade Center.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 16--A Dec. 7 construction bid opening for the planned $50 million expansion of Chattanooga's Trade Center has been set, but officials are already thinking about what to do if costs are too high. "We need an 'A'...

Tennessee Valley Authority's Payouts Reach a Record $307.6 Million.
November 16, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 16--The nation's largest government-owned utility paid out a record $307.6 million to other governments in the past year, including more than $2.9 million to Hamilton County governments. The Tennessee...

Auto Dealership Co-Owner Says Changes South Korean Firm Won't Hurt U.S. Buyers.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 15--Alan Standefer, co-owner of Chattanooga's Daewoo automobile dealership, said Tuesday that the South Korean company's reorganization in that country is no reason for concern for American consumers or dealers....

Collectors Sort Through Remnants of Chattanooga, Tenn., Vending Machine Maker.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 15--Johnny Dyer of New Orleans spent the day Tuesday picking over 560 remains of collectable soft drink vending machines and shop equipment as Chattanooga's oldest manufacturer liquidated the remnants of the...

Transportation Group Head Speaks in Tennessee About Transit Growth, Funding.
November 15, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 15--Ridership in public transit is growing at a faster rate than in the domestic airline industry, the head of the American Public Transportation Association said here Tuesday. "Public transportation is...

Restaurant Operators Want to Open Another Eatery in Chattanooga, Tenn.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 14--Operators of the Brick Oven Grill restaurant said Monday they are looking at opening another eatery on Gunbarrel Road. Restaurant operators had sought the rezoning from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County...

CEO Says Insurer UnumProvident Is Rebounding.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 14--UnumProvident Corp. chief J. Harold Chandler said Monday his insurance company has turned the corner and is starting to produce the results envisioned a year ago when Chattanooga-based Provident Companies and...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Retirement Complex Is Sold at Foreclosure Sale.
November 14, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 14--A year after surrendering its nursing home license, the Grand Court Retirement Community complex was sold Monday at a foreclosure sale for less than half of the center's outstanding debt. The LaSalle...

American Airlines Stays Confident about Chattanooga, Tenn., to Chicago Flights.
November 12, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 12--American Eagle and city officials were flying high when they inaugurated new nonstop jet service between Chattanooga and Chicago last April. While the airline's operators still feel up about its...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Floor Covering Firm Reports Third Quarter Net Loss.
November 11, 2000... Nov. 11--Chattanooga-based Dixie Group Inc. on Friday announced a net loss of $3.7 million for the third quarter in line with previously announced projections. For the third quarter ended Sept. 30, the company reported a net loss of 32...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Area High-Speed Train Planners Face Questioning.
November 11, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 11--Chattanooga-Atlanta bullet train planners will be in Washington, D.C., on Monday to field questions about their proposal to win a nearly $1 billion prize. "If this were Miss Universe, this would be the...

Concrete Maker Builds New Plant in Ringgold, Ga.
November 10, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 10--An Oxford, Ga.-based concrete maker is building a new plant in Ringgold, Ga., to help serve the growing construction market north of Atlanta. Bec-Don Inc. will spend more than $1 million to build a...

Tennessee Valley Authority Contracts for Fuel Cell Facility.
November 10, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 10--The Tennessee Valley Authority is planning to become the first American utility to build a fuel cell facility to store and retrieve electricity. TVA directors are scheduled next week to contract with a...

Executive of Chattanooga, Tenn., Airport Looks to Woo Better Fare, Lower Fares.
November 9, 2000... Nov. 9--New Chattanooga airport executive Bruce Tarletsky says the aviation facility may have opportunities for new service to cities such as New York; Washington, D.C.; and Philadelphia. Mr. Tarletsky, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport's...

Japanese Auto Parts Plant to Be Built in Dunlap, Tenn.
November 8, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 8--DUNLAP, Tenn.--The city of Dunlap has landed a new $25 million Japanese auto parts plant to be built on more than 38 acres at the Sequatchie Valley Industrial and Commercial Park on Highway 127 North. ...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Company Hires New Sales, Marketing Executive.
November 8, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 8--It's often risky for a company to change direction, and riskier still to give a neophyte charge of that change. Unless, that is, you're Sharon Tucker, president of the Chattanooga-based Andrew Thompson...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Based Company Stops Sales to Diet Drug.
November 8, 2000... Nov. 8--Chattem Inc. voluntarily quit selling its Dexatrim diet suppressant Tuesday, a day after the Food and Drug Administration said a substance in the popular diet drug increases the risk of strokes. The Chattanooga-based company said...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Lakefront Property Auction Nets $2.62 Million.
November 7, 2000... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Nov. 7--It was one of the basic principles of economics at work. Lakefront property in Chattanooga is in high demand and short supply. So when nearly 14 acres on Chickamauga Lake went on the auction block...

Bid for Power Distributor Building in Chattanooga, Tenn., to Go Out Next Year.
November 4, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 4--A key tower slated for Chattanooga's central business district is moving ahead with the Electric Power Board headquarters building to go out for bid early next year. An EPB official said Friday the power...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Food Bank Helps Chatsworth, Ga., Aid Foundation.
November 4, 2000... Byline: Clint Cooper Nov. 4--CHATSWORTH, Ga.--Gary Cochran has walked in the shoes of most of the people who come through the doors of the Hope Center in this town in the shadow of Northwest Georgia's Fort Mountain. Out of work? He's...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Electric Utility Foresees No Rate Increase.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Bob Gary Jr. Nov. 3--Harold DePriest, president of the Electric Power Board, had good news Thursday for the utility's customers. "We'll have no rate increase throughout this year," said Mr. DePriest, who made the announcement...

New Economy Reflected in Technology Users, Not Makers, Analyst Says.
November 3, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 3--The New Economy isn't about gadgets or the makers of high-tech products, but rather the users of technology, a noted economist said here Thursday. As existing industries continue to adopt dot-com...

Nation's Urban Planners Discuss Development in A New Economy.
November 2, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 2--The San Francisco and San Jose region of California emerged in the 1990s as America's No. 1 manufacturing region and the home of thousands of Internet millionaires. But for all its economic success,...

DuPont Plant Manager Finds Chattanooga, Tenn., Unusually Philanthropic.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Dave Flessner Nov. 1--Jim Hill worked in 17 cities before coming to Chattanooga to manage DuPont's nylon plant in 1987. He quickly learned that, in Chattanooga, the expectation of giving is far higher than in other cities....

Officials of Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Inn Hope Expansion Will Lure More Guests.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 1--A $1.8 million expansion and upgrade of the Lookout Valley Hampton Inn last summer has officials of the lodging facility anticipating that it will help build the property's occupancy. "Hopefully, it'll...

Chattanooga, Tenn.-Area Officials to Consider Changes to Parkway.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Mike Pare Nov. 1--Roy and Jill Biby stood on the plaza behind the Tennessee Aquarium on Tuesday and looked through a thin line of trees toward Riverfront Parkway. "It sounds high-traffic," said Mrs. Biby. Visiting from...

Chattanooga, Tenn., Retail Chain Owner Answers Questions about Business.
November 1, 2000... Byline: Jamie Hancock Nov. 1--In Chattanooga to celebrate his company's opening of two new stores, Goody's Family Clothing chief Robert M. Goodfriend on Wednesday said he's hopeful the weather will bring brighter skies for his business....