Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) articles from October 2007

Chattanooga Times/Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) archives from October 2007

Bredesen criticizes education standards.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang Oct. 1--WASHINGTON -- Gov. Phil Bredesen supports reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act but criticized portions of the law, saying there is no "silver bullet" to fix education in the country. The federal...

Discussion group keeps up to date on global issues.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Kelli Gauthier Oct. 1--At the tail end of a recent afternoon of socializing, sandwiches and unsweetened tea, Lynn Woodworth and a group of friends settled in to discuss whether the United States should try to counterbalance Moscow...

Jury selection set in Nichols slaying retrial.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 1--Attorneys are preparing for the retrial of a Chattanooga man who spent 15 years on Tennessee's death row before he was granted a new trial in the 1985 Valentine's Day shooting death of an area pharmacist. ...

Spiking a cash crop.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Pam Sohn Oct. 1--With the droning of a helicopter overhead, three state trucks recently raced up a remote road on Walden's Ridge near the Bledsoe and Rhea County line to find the home of a marijuana grower. The trucks --...

Building confidence.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Pam Sohn Oct. 1--Doc: Community Equestrian Event By Pam Sohn Staff Writer Destiny Jackson didn't talk until she was 5, and school has never been easy for her, said her grandmother, Debbie Griffith. But Destiny,...

Local Komen Race for the Cure biggest ever.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Mike O'Neal Oct. 1--The only visible evidence at 5 p.m. Sunday that the eighth annual Chattanooga Race for the Cure took place was a double stream of pink balloons arched above East Fifth Street in front of McKenzie Arena. ...

Cleveland celebrates new school.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Randall Higgins Oct. 1--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Friends of Mayfield Elementary School marched into a new era Sunday afternoon. About 500 parents, teachers and students from the school's first day in 1928 to today, joined in a walk...

Guild brings the arts to youth.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Erin Fuchs Oct. 1--DALTON, Ga. -- Musician Llilian Herrera was visiting schools recently to teach Latin music and dance, when she arrived at a building that was surrounded by fences with barbed wire. "I didn't know what YDC...

Dalton VFW post struggles to survive.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Erin Fuchs Oct. 1--DALTON, Ga. -- As World War II veterans are dying, volunteers at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post -- where veterans go to socialize, commiserate, and get advice -- say it's losing members and barely...

Middle-age hearing falls victim to a noisier world.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Casey Phillips Oct. 1--Keith Richards, Jim i Hendrix, Pete Townshend and other rock 'n' roll greats may have turned up the volume, but experts say rock music isn't solely responsible for baby boomers' higher rates of hearing loss....

Planning begins for Lookout Lake Dam's long-awaited repairs.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Chloe Morrison Oct. 1--After years of being out of compliance with the state's Safe Dams Act, officials said Dade County's Lookout Lake Dam is a step closer to meeting Georgia standards. County commissioners have selected the...

Physicians wrestle with costs for preventive care.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Emily Bregel Oct. 1--Chattanooga physicians are debating the merits of preventive health and gynecological exams in light of a study that reports the amount spent annually on the exams rivals the costs for the treatment of breast...

Knowing variations in Spanish aids teachers.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Perla Trevizo Oct. 1--In a class with students from Uruguay, Peru, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico and a couple of other Latin American countries, English as a second language teacher Miriam Monzon knows that speaking proper Spanish is...

TVA debt on rise to fund new plants.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Dave Flessner Oct. 1--A decade after pledging to cut its debt in half, the Tennessee Valley Authority is not only backing off that pledge, it is increasing debt again. In the fiscal year that starts today, TVA projects it will...

BRIEF: Rutherford resigns City Council seat.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 1--Marti Rutherford this afternoon announced her resignation from the Chattanooga City Council, effective immediately. "I don't want this city to go through any more turmoil than what it's been through," Ms....

Restaurants, employees survive in first day of smoking ban.
October 1, 2007... Byline: Lori Yount Oct. 1--In preparation for the statewide smoking ban that began today, waitress Hillary Turner said she quit smoking last week. "Being at work and not being able to smoke at work, just really made it easier," said...

Police promotions revive conflicts over objectiveness.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 2--The recent promotions of several Chattanooga police officers have revived a long-running debate over whether department officials choose their successors fairly. "We've been singing the same song in the...

Robberies to be tried separately in Okie Dokie shooting death.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 2--A Chattanooga man accused of robbing two convenience stores and fatally shooting a clerk will be tried this month only for the slaying and the robbery during which the death occurred, a judge ruled Monday. ...

Cleveland buying property for second detention pond to control flooding.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Randall Higgins Oct. 2--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- City officials are acquiring property for the site of a detention pond to control flooding in East Cleveland. The first in a series of detention ponds was completed in 2006 off...

Humiliating memory.
October 2, 2007... Byline: David Paschall Oct. 2--The Georgia Bulldogs had an excuse in 1995 when they allowed more than 50 points for the first time at Sanford Stadium. Florida was starting to peak under Steve Spurrier with a Fun & Gun offense led by...

Divorce key issue in '08, says Fowler.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Matt Wilson Oct. 2--Former state Sen. David Fowler, R-Signal Mountain, said Monday that gay marriage and the divorce rate will be key issues for his Republican colleagues in the 2008 elections. "When the family becomes...

Tourism on the farm.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Matt Wilson Oct. 2--Chuck McSpadden's Cleveland, Tenn., apple orchard started with two apple trees his father bought in the mid-1960s. But it wasn't long before that number ballooned to more than 400. Now, Mr. McSpadden's Apple...

McKee takes over corrections panel post.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 2--Bob McKee, former state House representative from McMinn County, started work Monday as the executive director of the General Assembly's Select Oversight Committee on Corrections in Nashville. Mr. McKee said...

Residents react to higher tax bills.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Matt Wilson Oct. 2--Soon after Chattanooga resident George Tucker received his property tax bill in the mail, he called the Hamilton County Courthouse to let officials know he noticed it had gone up. "I thought the... raise...

Forecast dry despite slight chance of rain.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Mike O'Neal Oct. 2--October skies may be cloudy, but meteorologists say chances for rain in the near future are slim. "I see a slight chance of showers toward the weekend, but that is based on what happens in the Gulf of...

Memorial Hospital goes tobacco-free.
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2--Memorial Hospital employees no longer can take a smoke break at any of the facilities or campuses in the entire health system. As of Monday, the hospital has gone tobacco-free, prohibiting the use of cigarettes, cigars and smokeless...

Escapee suspected in bank robbery.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Ryan Harris Oct. 2--CALHOUN, Ga. -- One of the nation's most wanted bank robbers was named Monday as the suspect in an armed holdup here, the sixth heist in which he is a suspect since he escaped from a Kentucky jail in June. ...

Snyder disappearance called out of character.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 2--Article: Assistant chief of police found after search Article: Snyder on leave; status uncertain Article: Police to conduct review of Snyder disappearance By Lauren Gregory Staff Writer ...

Thompson campaign organizer for Georgia stops in Catoosa.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Lori Yount Oct. 2--RINGGOLD, Ga. -- With endorsements from almost half of Georgia's Republican legislators, presidential candidate Fred Thompson has "phenomenal support" statewide, according to state Sen. Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock,...

Counties expect TVA impact funds in 2008.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Cliff Hightower Oct. 2--Major construction at the Unit 2 reactor of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant will start July 8, 2008, and local governments can expect to start receiving money next fall, a Tennessee Valley Authority spokesman...

Museum to share Bend artifacts.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Angie Herrington Oct. 2--The director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian said he will share the artifacts from Moccasin Bend that the museum now possesses with the proposed interpretive center to be built...

Experienced parents give tips on essential baby gear.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Karen Nazor Hill Oct. 2--Baby is on the way, and Mom and Dad are stocking the nursery with essential items. Clothing? Check. Disposable diapers? Check. Blankets? Check. Boppy?... What? Berry Shults, of...

Allison's UTC job is safe for now.
October 2, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 2--Rodney Allison's job is safe, at least for the next seven weeks. Even though the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team has lost three of four games to start the season, including last...

Now Mocs take on McFadden, Jones.
October 2, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 2--How do you cure what ails you after a disappointing loss? Heading west to Little Rock, Ark., to take on Darren McFadden and the Arkansas Razorbacks probably isn't what the doctor ordered. That's what the...

Vols focus on better run defense.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Wesley Rucker Oct. 2--KNOXVILLE -- Georgia rushed for 328 yards against a Southeastern Conference opponent Saturday. The Bulldogs had 7.3 yards per carry. Tennessee is allowing nearly 190 rushing yards per game this season....

Davis charge is simple misdemeanor.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Wesley Rucker Oct. 2--KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee sophomore linebacker Dorian Davis practiced with the Vols on Monday, two days after documents showed he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in his hometown of Iowa City,...

Demand low for biblical courses.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Oct. 2--Despite laws that allow Bible classes, few school districts in North Georgia and Southeast Tennessee offer courses that teach the Bible as literature and history. "The size of our high school limits...

Rutherford resigns District 6 seat.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 2--As she announced her resignation from the Chattanooga City Council Monday afternoon, Marti Rutherford said that she lived at the District 6 residence that was at the heart of public criticism, two formal...

Chemical firm upgrades to reduce pollution.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Joan Garrett Oct. 2--CALHOUN, Ga. -- Omnova Solutions, a supplier of latex binding material to the carpet and tire industry, has spent nearly $5 million upgrading its plant here with energy-efficient equipment. As part of a...

FedEx picks area near Long Street for $15 million facility.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Mike Pare Oct. 2--A $15 million FedEx Ground facility in Chattanooga will go up off a South Broad Street site that was once projected as a construction landfill, officials said Monday. The company plans to shift all operations...

Tent city dwellers get help.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Pam Sohn Oct. 2--Anthony Wayne sat in front of his makeshift tent Monday, his few belongings packed in two suitcases and three or four plastic storage tubs. "I'm packed up," he said. "I don't know where I'll go. Some of the...

BRIEF: Judge rules on motions for McCormick trial.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 2--Special Judge Jon K. Blackwood ruled today on several outstanding motions in the capital murder case of Michael Lee McCormick. Mr. McCormick is accused of killing Donna Nichols on Valentine's Day 1985. ...

BRIEF: Two critically injured in morning 18-wheeler accident.
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2--An adult and a two-year-old child were critically injured this morning after an 18-wheeler in which they were traveling overturned on Suck Creek Mountain, officials said. Authorities are not yet sure why the truck, which had been...

Local advocate group hosts community health fair.
October 2, 2007... Byline: Perla Trevizo Oct. 2--DALTON, Ga. -- The Latin American Community Alliance will host the eighth community health fair on Saturday to promote awareness and offer a variety of family services. "Our main objective is to promote...

Obituaries.
October 2, 2007... Oct. 2--Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Obituaries HAMILTON COUNTY Keanon Beamon Keanon Beamon died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, in Chattanooga. Arrangements are by Franklin-Strickland Funeral Directors. Dorothy Brown...

BRIEF: Bloody clothes lead police to body.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Randall Higgins Oct. 25--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley County authorities have not yet released the names of an apparent overnight homicide victim or two people who are being questioned. According to a news release from Bradley...

Assault trial involving city councilman to begin.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 25--Attorneys are expected to present opening arguments this afternoon in an assault case involving Chattanooga City Councilman Leamon Pierce. James Dewayne Jones is on trial charged with assault for...

BRIEF: Chattanoogans head to California wildfires.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Adam Crisp Oct. 25--Three Chattanooga Red Cross volunteers boarded a flight just before 3 p.m. today, headed to fire-ravaged Southern California. Linda "Sparky" Sparks, a registered nurse, will provide medical aid at a large...

Southeast farm representatives ask for drought assistance.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang Oct. 25--WASHINGTON -- Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., today urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to offer drought-stricken farmers assistance grants -- not loans -- to compensate them for lost revenue due to this...

BRIEF: Cause of East Lake fire under investigation.
October 25, 2007... Oct. 25--Chattanooga fire investigators are still trying to determine what might have sparked a blaze that caused significant damage to an East Lake family's home this morning, according to fire department spokesman Bruce Garner. Nathaniel...

BRIEF: Area residents become U.S. citizens.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Perla Trevizo Oct. 25--Almost fifty people from 26 different nations became U.S. citizens this morning in U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Collier's courtroom. Most of the new citizens said they were excited and happy to...

BRIEF: Threat raises fears in Pikeville.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 25--PIKEVILLE, Tenn. -- A few parents took their children out of class and the sheriff's department posted extra security Bledsoe County Middle School this morning after a rumor surfaced in the community of a threat...

Ooltewah football star surrenders on Georgia charges.
October 25, 2007... Byline: Ryan Harris Oct. 25--Brian Marshall, a standout athlete at Ooltewah High School, surrendered to Walker County, Ga., officials today on charges stemming from Sept. 14 incidents after a football game between Ridgeland and Ringgold...

Schools serve healthier fare.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Oct. 26--School cafeterias are serving radically different menus these days, administrators in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee said. "I've been in schools for 21 years, and I've seen a huge change...

Perdue advocates statewide water plan.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Lori Yount Oct. 26--As North Georgia faces a historic drought, ratifying a statewide water management plan will be the best thing the Georgia General Assembly can do, Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday. The biggest challenge to...

Spurrier may stick with Smelley.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Darren Epps Oct. 26--After introducing a third quarterback to the potential rotation, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier made a very un-head coach announcement concerning the number of signal-callers he'll use against Tennessee....

Pickett to honor dad's memory.
October 26, 2007... Oct. 26--Grundy County senior quarterback Cory Pickett is trading his No. 7 jersey for No. 22 -- the number his father, Chris, wore as a player. Chris Pickett was the Yellow Jackets' head coach who died last Thursday. School officials are...

Patience a virtue even high school fans forget.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Stephen Hargis Oct. 26--When it comes to expectations in sports, we are in a time of instant gratification. Once an athletic program makes a coaching change, the clock begins ticking. We don't want to wait to see results. Even...

Lady Owls, GPS in final.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Jaime Lackey Oct. 26--MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The GPS and Ooltewah volleyball teams can both earn state championships with two wins today. The Bruisers advanced to the Division II Class AA title match with a 3-1 victory over...

Elon's had a quick solution in Riddle.
October 26, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 26--Scott Riddle isn't really surprised by what he's done in his first season at Elon. Well, maybe a little. Through seven games, the freshman quarterback not only has emerged as the top newcomer in the...

Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Barry Courter column: Courter: Halloween Hootenanny set at Cherokee Farms.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Barry Courter Oct. 26--Thomas Helland, the T-Dawg in T-Dawgs Production, called last week to talk about his latest Hootenanny. In years past, Helland has presented everything from full-blown three-day festivals to a couple of...

Agriculture Committee hears of Southeast woes from freeze and drought.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang Oct. 26--WASHINGTON -- With the extreme drought expected to last through at least January, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to offer grants -- not loans -- to compensate farmers for...

New citizens.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Perla Trevizo Oct. 26--Nearly 100 people from 26 countries became U.S. citizens in two naturalization ceremonies Thursday at U.S. District Court. Knoxville residents Jamilee and Berna Saoud, mother and daughter, who originally...

Healthier lunch choices.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Kelli Gauthier Oct. 26--Cafeteria manager Connie Ochsenbein remembers days in the not-so-distant past when two cans of green beans would serve more than 400 students. "The kids just wouldn't eat them," she said. Today the...

Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Casey Phillips column: Phillips: Episode III: The Sunday Face Melting.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Casey Phillips Oct. 26--Legendary guitar god Slash and I are about to have it out. Velvet Revolver's lead axeman (formerly of Guns N' Roses) has been mocking me for too long on "Guitar Hero III's" marketing materials. But...

Richard Smith lets his guitar talk.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Casey Phillips Oct. 26--When Chet "Mr. Guitar" Atkins says of a musician, "He can play anything I can play, only better," it's certainly a reason for ears to perk up. But when the recipient of said compliment is prepubescent,...

BRIEF: Three arrested with goods reported stolen.
October 26, 2007... Oct. 26--Three people who caught the attention of Chattanooga police today after running a stop sign in Brainerd are in custody after stolen rifles, a television and a video game system were found in their car, according to police spokeswoman...

Jury mulls fate of man charged in Okie Dokie slaying.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 26--A jury of eight men and four women deliberated about 2 1/2 hours Thursday in the case of a Chattanooga man accused of killing a woman during a convenience store robbery before adjourning until this morning....

Testimony conflicts in Pierce assault.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 26--Testimony often was contradictory Thursday during an assault trial involving Chattanooga City Councilman Leamon Pierce. James Dewayne Jones, 39, admitted that on July 19, 2005, he spit on Mr. Pierce, but...

Berke, Brock face off just hours before early voting begins.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Matt Wilson Oct. 26--About 14 hours before the first early voting location opened its doors this morning, 10th District state Senate candidates Andy Berke and Oscar Brock squared off in a debate in downtown Chattanooga. ...

Man's body found at Bradley apartment.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Randall Higgins Oct. 26--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Charges against a man and woman in connection with a "gruesome" dead body at a Bradley County apartment complex will depend on what investigators find, Sheriff Tim Gobble said Thursday....

Red Cross wildfire aid is a calling, local volunteers say.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Adam Crisp Oct. 26--Three Red Cross volunteers boarded a Thursday afternoon flight at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, heading to Southern California and an estimated half a million people who have been chased from their homes...

Woman charged in 'threat;' schools back to normal.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 26--PIKEVILLE, Tenn. -- A rumored threat of racial violence in Bledsoe County on Thursday caused a brief lockdown at a school and local factory, authorities said. But within hours a Pikeville woman was facing...

Trash to treasures.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Joan Garrett Oct. 26--Like most Friday nights at the Prater house, the basement was alive with the buzz of sanding and drilling. Debbie Prater, 51, layered paint on old window frames, and her niece, Nicole Griffin, 22, added...

Nothing more fun.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Wes Rucker Oct. 26--KNOXVILLE -- Arian Foster isn't ignorant. Nor is he naive. Tennessee's junior tailback knows how important Vols football is to fans -- from those who pinch pennies to sit in the highest row of Neyland...

Obituaries.
October 26, 2007... Oct. 26--Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Obituaries HAMILTON COUNTY Sharyn Black Sharyn Yvonne Morris Black passed away Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007, in Gadsden, Ala. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at...

BRIEF: Ooltewah falls in state final.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Jaime Lackey Oct. 26--MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The Ooltewah volleyball team ended its season with a 3-2 loss to defending champion Brentwood in the Class AAA state championship match today at Middle Tennessee State University. ...

Krystal Square-Off Sunday.
October 26, 2007... Oct. 26--Current world-record holder Takeru Kobayashi is still suffering from a noncompetition-related jaw injury, but this year's Krystal Square-Off World Hamburger Eating Championship will feature eight eaters ranked in the Top 10 among the...

Massey's seen Ooltewah progress.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Ward Gossett Oct. 26--Jon Massey played football at Ooltewah from 1978 to '81 before signing a baseball scholarship with the University of Tennessee. He's seen a lot of changes since then. "There are a lot of people who come to...

Erlanger Chairman Johnson steps down.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Emily Bregel Oct. 26--Erlanger trustees authorized relocating Workforce Corporate Health, Erlanger's occupational health program, to a location on the main campus during Thursday's board meeting. The resolution trustees...

Gordon Lee on a mission.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Lindsey Young Oct. 26--COLUMBUS, Ga. -- There was a definite message Dana Mull wanted to get across to her team following a first-round win Thursday in the GHSA State Softball Championships. Though her Gordon Lee Lady Trojans...

Region title is a first for Raiders.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Mallory Carra Oct. 26--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Cleveland soccer team has added another first to its trophy case: Region 3-AAA champions. The Lady Blue Raiders dethroned 2006 champs Soddy-Daisy 2-1 in overtime Thursday night at...

Pickett to honor father.
October 26, 2007... Oct. 26--Grundy County senior quarterback Cory Pickett is trading his No. 7 jersey for No. 22 -- the number his father, Chris, wore as a player. Chris Pickett was the Yellow Jackets' head coach who died last Thursday. School officials are...

Bucs end with a win.
October 26, 2007... Byline: Jaime Lackey Oct. 26--MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- It took three tries, but Boyd-Buchanan finally played the way it had been hoping to at the state volleyball tournament. Unfortunately for the Lady Bucs, they won't have an...