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

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

Profits dip 14 percent; Dixie shares hit.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Joan Garrett Oct. 31--Shares of Chattanooga-based Dixie Group dropped to a 52-week low Tuesday before rebounding somewhat after posting lower-third quarter profits. The company reported that net income fell 14 percent and...

TVA applies for new Alabama nuclear plant.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Dave Flessner and Herman Wang Oct. 31--The Tennessee Valley Authority, with a consortium of 12 other utilities, announced Tuesday it has submitted an application for a potential new nuclear power plant that would use a...

SEC football rankings and rantings for Oct. 31.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Darren Epps Oct. 31--1. LSU TIGERS Defensive end Tyson Jackson continues to hear fans rip former coach Nick Saban. "I can understand why they don't like him," he said. "I mean, he's at Alabama now. But we as players don't...

TSSAA DII change brings four new teams to state.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Mallory Carra Oct. 31--A new set of teams will have an opportunity for a new state title at the girls' state soccer tournament this week. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association expanded the Division II...

UTC hoops it up for fans.
October 31, 2007... Byline: David Uchiyama Oct. 31--The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball Mocs sported new practice jerseys and showed they are a new team. The Mocs hustled up and down the floor, rarely setting up intricate plays, during...

Freshman Rogan doing more for UT.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Wes Rucker Oct. 31--KNOXVILLE -- Dennis Rogan's role for the Tennessee football team has suddenly, significantly grown. The freshman from Knoxville will return punts and be the third cornerback Saturday against...

Council passes resolution, withdraws ordinance on Rutherford issue.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 31--The Chattanooga City Council on Tuesday night unanimously passed a resolution stating that it would violate city code to give former Councilwoman Marti Rutherford post-employment medical benefits. Roger...

Halloween party turns 20.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 31--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Most of the ghosts and ghouls prowling this year's Downtown Cleveland Halloween Block Party weren't even born when the event first was held in 1987. Amanda Bennett was 6 when she helped...

Cleveland State hosts first history symposium.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Cliff Hightower Oct. 31--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Historians and authors will gather Saturday at Cleveland State Community College to discuss the effects World War II had on its veterans, officials said. History instructor Richard...

Eye-black messaging.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Darren Epps Oct. 31--Researchers at Yale University, led by Dr. Brian DeBroff, performed a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology to determine if wearing eye black truly reduced glare from the sun. At Bjorksten...

Bredesen calls bilateral trade key for China.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang and Matt Wilson Oct. 31--Gov. Phil Bredesen on Tuesday said the best way to pressure China to improve its human rights record, economic policies and product quality is to engage it bilaterally in trade. Cautioned...

Renovation work at Chickamauga library nears end.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Chloe Morrison Oct. 31--CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. -- About four months after breaking ground, renovations at the Chickamauga Public Library are nearly complete. "We are getting close," said Lecia Eubanks, director of the Cherokee...

Expanding Chickamauga library nears reopening.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Chloe Morrison Oct. 31--CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. -- About four months after breaking ground, renovations at Chickamauga's Public Library are nearly complete. "We are getting close," said Lecia Eubanks, director of the Cherokee...

Cleburne statue coming to Ringgold Gap.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ronnie Moore Oct. 31--RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Confederate Gen. Patrick Cleburne will be standing strong in Ringgold Gap again. Local officials have decided to place a statue of the Civil War general in the city's small pocket park...

Teacher equity plan.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Kelli Gauthier Oct. 31--A group of 13 local education officials today will meet in Nashville to compose a plan for recruiting and retaining more effective teachers for Hamilton County's poorest schools, officials said. "We're...

Woman testifies ex-boyfriend raped her in 2004.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 31--A former homeless woman testified Tuesday in Hamilton County Criminal Court that her boyfriend beat her with a tree branch and brutally raped her in 2004 at their campsite alongside train tracks near the...

City OKs biofuels tests at landfill.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 31--The city is allowing a local company to set up a facility at the old Summit Landfill to turn wood chips and treated sewage into alternative fuel. Public Works Administrator Steve Leach said the...

'Hope' uplifts troops.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Mary Fortune Oct. 31--At a construction warehouse in Cleveland, Tenn., shelves in the break room are piled high with stacks of notebooks, packets of Gatorade powder, bags of trail mix and mountains of baby wipes. The first...

Dipping into retirement cash can be risky step.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Amy O. Williams Oct. 31--When it comes to baby boomers starting businesses, some members of that generation have considered using their retirement assets to fund new ventures rather than taking out loans. Since the Pension...

Give candy apples a spin when it's time for a sweet treat.(Recipe)
October 31, 2007... Byline: Anne P. Braly Oct. 31--Candy apples are the kind of treat that spans the generation gap. For kids, they're an all-in-one dose of parent-approved fruit and kid-favored candy. Grown-ups like the sweet-tart flavor and the...

Side Orders: Get taste buds ready for holiday recipes.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Anne Braly Oct. 31--I'm looking forward to this year's Holiday Cooking section. We have so many good recipes to share with readers. For the next couple of weeks, I'll be getting them typed in and ready to send off to the press,...

Demand low for voter ID card.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Lori Yount Oct. 31--North Georgia elections officials said they don't expect many problems this Election Day, which is expected to be the busiest since the state began requiring voters to present a photo ID before casting a...

State recognizes area's top schools.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Oct. 31--At Battlefield Primary School, teachers evaluate student progress daily, with short quizzes that focus on specific skills. Advanced technology allows teachers to see exactly where a child is having a...

Dealer adds 3 truck lines.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jason M. Reynolds Oct. 31--Commercial truck dealer Lee-Smith Inc. has added three brands to its lineup, giving the Chattanooga company a 25 percent growth in inventory. "We should be the preferred dealership for the...

Halloween fun peaks tonight.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--Hoping for more than trickor-treating tonight? Here are a few options around the region. HAUNTED HOUSES Chattanooga Haunted Hayride -- Davis Cattle Co. ranch, 1242 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, Ringgold, Ga., one mile south of the...

Furry creatures of the night.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jan Galletta Oct. 31--Article: Halloween fun peaks tonight By Jan Galletta Staff Writer Nearly every evening, miniature pinschers Brutus and Leah wriggle their long wet noses through the neck holes of colorful cotton...

BRIEF: Animal owners pounce on Halloween to dress their pets.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Jan Galletta Oct. 31--Their hairy coats shrouded in pint-sized witch wear, devil drag or peacock suits, pets thump their tales perhaps in anticipation of tasty treats. Ears pinned back by little antlers, pointy pirate hats or...

Bulldogs know value of passion.
October 31, 2007... Byline: David Paschall Oct. 31--ATHENS, Ga. -- They've scored. They've raced on to the football field. They've celebrated. They've been penalized. They've defeated Florida. So where do the Georgia Bulldogs go from here emotionally?...

Adams finally feels part of football Mocs.
October 31, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 31--For weeks, Aaron Adams couldn't do anything but watch as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team practiced and played. The large medical boot on his right foot -- and the deep bone...

Wynn back at end for Dogs' big win.
October 31, 2007... Byline: David Paschall Oct. 31--ATHENS, Ga. -- Jarius Wynn is back at defensive end for Georgia, which makes the 6-foot-5, 273-pound junior very happy. Wynn played end this spring after arriving from Georgia Military College but was...

Police investigate several break-ins at area schools.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 31--East Ridge police said they are closing the case on an Oct. 14 school break-in as detectives with the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department investigate four new school...

BRIEF: Jury mulls fate of homeless rape defendant.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 31--A jury began deliberating today in Hamilton County Criminal Court to determine the fate of a homeless Chattanooga man accused of beating and raping his girlfriend. George Timmons is charged with four...

BRIEF: Man sentenced to 23 years in home invasion, rape.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 31--Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole today sentenced a Chattanooga man to 23 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl in 2005. Judge Poole sentenced Gabriel Buchanon to 23 years for...

BRIEF: Planning agency staff to recommend denying landfill plan.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Matt Wilson Oct. 31--A recommendation from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency to be sent out Thursday will ask Planning Commission members to deny a zoning request for a new private landfill in Harrison. ...

Two more Ooltewah players surrender in Georgia.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Ryan Harris Oct. 31--Two more Ooltewah High School football players have surrendered to Walker County, Ga., authorities out of a group named in warrants that were issued for their arrests nearly two weeks ago, Walker County...

BRIEF: City wood lottery draws crowd.
October 31, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 31--Chattanooga officials said 56 people put in their names to be drawn for the city's third wood lottery, which featured 35 "lots" of wood set on pallets on city property downtown. City Forester Gene Hyde,...

BRIEF: CCS advances in shootout in the Class A/AA state soccer tournament.
October 31, 2007... Oct. 31--CCS 2, CAK 1 (5-4 in penalty kicks) Chattanooga Christian keeper Leah Wilson made the match-winning kick in the decisive shootout as the Lady Chargers (12-8-4) defeated defending champion Christian Academy of Knoxville on penalty...

Shulman wants to keep UTC offense simple.
October 30, 2007... Byline: David Uchiyama Oct. 30--University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball coach John Shulman has redefined the KISS acronym. It now stands for "Keep It Simple, Shulman." "The Shulman part in the back of it is important,"...

Obituaries.
October 30, 2007... Oct. 30--Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Obituaries HAMILTON COUNTY Gary Arnold Gary M. Arnold, 55 of Chattanooga, died on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, at his residence. There will be no visitation at the funeral home and...

Hearing postponed for man charged in beating.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 30--A library worker at Lakesite Academy remains in the intensive care unit at Erlanger hospital almost two weeks after a Chattanooga man was charged with beating her, officials said. "She's had some severe...

Murder suspect had past charges dropped.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ryan Harris Oct. 30--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- A man charged with second-degree murder here last week had been charged separately with aggravated assault and domestic violence, but those charges were dropped, records show. Jeffrey...

Child molestation defendant to get mental evaluation.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 30--A Chattanooga man accused of molesting a 5-year-old girl will receive a mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial, a Hamilton County Criminal Court judge ruled Monday. Jeremy...

Sheriff's department wants SROs for elementary schools.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Kelli Gauthier Oct. 30--Sheriff's department officials said Monday they would like to place resource officers in local elementary schools, but will make sure safety needs are met in middle and high schools first. Lt. Shaun...

Panel upholds firing of police officer.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 30--Having failed to garner enough votes from Chattanooga City Council members Monday to overturn his July 27 termination, former Chattanooga Police Officer Shawn Cunningham plans to take his case to Hamilton...

Annexation foes face appeal deadlineFinal order filed in Dunlap annexation case.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 30--By Ben Benton Staff Writer DUNLAP, Tenn. -- The clock is ticking for the plaintiffs to appeal the 2004 annexation of an area south of town contained in a judge's final order filed last week, officials...

Attorneys generals wary of death criteria.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Andy Sher Oct. 30--By Andy Sher Nashville Bureau NASHVILLE -- Tennessee's district attorneys general are wary of proposed state guidelines for how they handle death penalty cases, calling them unnecessary and warning a...

Corker returns to Haiti, hopes to increase trade.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang Oct. 30--WASHINGTON -- The Haiti that Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., visited 25 years ago was a poverty-stricken country, torn by gang violence and widespread corruption. The poverty remains, but Sen. Corker, who...

BRIEF: Dixie Group reports lower quarterly profits, sales.(Financial report)
October 30, 2007... Oct. 30--The Dixie Group Inc. has reported net income and profits were lower in its third quarter this year when compared to the same period a year ago. The carpet maker said net income was $2.2 million or 17 cents per diluted share....

Old drugs die hard.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Emily Bregel Oct. 30--By Emily Bregel Staff Writer As drug prices creep toward the stratosphere, the temptation to dig deep into the back of medicine cabinet for usable leftovers may grow stronger, and expiration dates...

Communicating on the job.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Cliff Hightower Oct. 30--Employers have problems with workers in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia who cannot write and speak clearly, officials said. "You would think in today's age that these things would not be as...

Utilities importing supplies as historic drought persists.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Pam Sohn and Dave Flessner Oct. 30--The Southeast's water woes are forcing utilities to spend more to import water and meet customer demand as an epic drought persists across the region. Monteagle, Tenn., Mayor Charles...

YMCA may look for other North Georgia sites.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Ronnie Moore Oct. 30--RINGGOLD, Ga. -- The YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga is studying options for a new North Georgia Family YMCA at Erlanger South on Battlefield Parkway but may have to look at other sites, officials said. ...

Deal reached for Hixson High principal.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 30--Local school and fire officials plan to meet this week to move past disagreements stemming from an Oct. 17 fire code violation issued against Hixson High School principal Christine Couch. Ms. Couch and...

Visions shared on M.L. King plan.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Michael Davis Oct. 30--A grocery store, electric shuttle service and streetscaping were among the most common desires of M.L. King residents and other stakeholders assembled Monday night at the first public meeting for the...

Tiny shop caters to jewelry makers.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Joan Garrett Oct. 30--At 180 square feet, Down to Earth may be a tiny shop, but owner Shelley Ashley said it has a lot to offer Chattanooga jewelry designers hungry for gemstones and beads at the right price. Since its...

Merchants wait for road linking parks.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Mike Pare Oct. 30--Some merchants on Chattanooga's North Shore say a planned road linking the area's two largest parks may ease parking and spur business. The city has begun seeking designers for a $600,000 extension to...

War protesters at Dalton State light candles for fallen soldiers.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Erin Fuchs Oct. 30--DALTON, Ga. -- Standing by a flagpole, Dalton State College student Kimberly Shaw read the names of Georgia's fallen soldiers, amid 118 candles lit to remember the state's troops who have died in the Iraq war....

Surgeon's death ruled suicide.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Adam Crisp Oct. 30--By Adam Crisp Staff Writer Officials have ruled the death of a Chattanooga surgeon a suicide, according to a Hamilton County medical examiner's report. Dr. Bruce David Pancake, 54, was found dead...

Message: Don't mess with Coach.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Darren Epps Oct. 30--DARREN EPPS KNOXVILLE -- Josh McNeil's blue eyes narrow. He speaks with conviction as he stares straight ahead, and you get the feeling a few defensive tackles around the SEC know this look. He's...

Signal Centers evaluates toys for special-needs guide.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Clint Cooper Oct. 30--Two months before Christmas, the staff and teachers of Signal Centers have taken on the job of Santa's elves. They are testing 120 toys from 21 manufacturers in a collaboration among the Alliances for...

Two Mocs may be facing discipline.
October 30, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 30--The status of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga starting punter Jonathan Wright and backup Jeff Lloyd for Saturday's game against Western Kentucky is in question, coach Rodney Allison said Monday...

Troy no breather for No. 10 Georgia.
October 30, 2007... Byline: David Paschall Oct. 30--The night before the Georgia Bulldogs had their Sept. 15 breather game against Western Carolina, they learned there would be no breather this week. Georgia opened its football season with a 35-14...

Mocs trying to focus on positives.
October 30, 2007... Byline: John Frierson Oct. 30--Rodney Allison's hair is safe. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach said last Tuesday that he would allow receiver Blue Cooper to shave the letters "UTC" in his hair if the Mocs won their final...

BRIEF: Aggravated rape trial scheduled to begin.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 30--Prosecutors are expected to begin presenting evidence this afternoon in the trial of a Chattanooga homeless man charged with what officials said was a brutal rape of a homeless woman in 2004. George...

BRIEF: Convicted killer pleads to resisting arrest, giving false name.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Brian Lazenby Oct. 30--An East Ridge woman who was convicted in 1997 for killing her husband pleaded guilty in Hamilton County General Sessions Court today for resisting arrest and giving a false name to police when she was...

BRIEF: Lawmakers briefed on Hixson Pike traffic cameras.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Andy Sher Oct. 30--NASHVILLE -- Skeptical lawmakers today changed their minds about Chattanooga's use of traffic cameras to catch speeders on a deadly stretch of Hixson Pike after city traffic engineer John Van Winkle described...

BRIEF: Electronics thefts at Hamilton County schools investigated.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 30--Detectives with the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department are investigating four school burglaries they believe occurred over the weekend. Chattanooga police...

Vols freshman Rogan to get increased work load.
October 30, 2007... Byline: Wes Rucker Oct. 30--KNOXVILLE -- Dennis Rogan's role for the Tennessee football team has grown significantly this week. The freshman from Knoxville will return punts and be the third cornerback Saturday against...

2007 state report card online.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Oct. 29--Anyone with a computer and Internet access is just a few clicks away from a wealth of information about any school system or individual school in Georgia. "The state report card includes all the...

Leaf season is busy for public works crews.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Randall Higgins Oct. 29--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- It's leaf season again around the region. That means it's time for public works crews to haul tons of fallen leaves away from yards, roadsides and ditches. "This is probably...

Police turn to local candidates to fill shortages.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Lauren Gregory Oct. 29--Chattanooga police officials, faced with similar recruiting challenges confronting law enforcement agencies across the country, will focus on hiring local candidates to shore up a shortage of sworn...

Farm bill could spark fight over immigrant labor.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Herman Wang Oct. 29--WASHINGTON -- The Senate could be gearing up for another immigration fight with the pending farm bill as the backdrop. Senate Democratic leaders said they may attach an amendment to the farm bill, which...

United Way seeks to thank, hear stories of 25-year donors.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Clint Cooper Oct. 29--Although she is only 46, Melanie Henderson has been giving to the United Way of Greater Chattanooga for 27 years. "I like the opportunity you have to specify where your donation goes and the fact (that)...

Chattanooga Flying Disc Club promotes Ultimate League and Chattanooga Disc Golf.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Barry Courter Oct. 29--A few years ago, Scott Homberg, a 48-year-old transmission operator for TVA, was playing about 120 rounds of golf a year. These days, though, he said he might play only four times in a 12-month period....

Signal Mountain council puts off annexation.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Mike O'Neal Oct. 29--By Mike O'Neal Staff Writer About 90 percent of residents in two neighborhoods on Signal Mountain recently signed petitions opposing annexation by the town. The petition contends annexation will...

Chattanooga touts its 'liquid assets' to industries.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Dave Flessner Oct. 29--Built around America's fifth largest river, Chattanooga has plenty of water amid one of the worst droughts ever confronted in the Southeast. As Georgia ordered reductions in water use to preserve...

Rwandan orphans to perform to raise awareness of home.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Yolanda Putman Oct. 29--An award-winning Rwandan musician will visit Chattanooga to help raise awareness of how genocide and AIDS have killed more than a million people and left as many children orphans in his country. Singer...

Work to fix Legislative Plaza access begins today.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Andy Sher Oct. 29--NASHVILLE -- Work begins today on a $1.7 million project to renovate restrooms and replace doors at the Tennessee General Assembly's legislative complex to make it easier to navigate for visitors in...

Hunting hobby helps hungry.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Chloe Morrison Oct. 29--Some Georgia hunters are turning their hobby into help for the hungry. Georgia's Hunters for the Hungry program encourages deer hunters to donate venison to food banks that distribute the meat around...

Grant for walking trail to link two parks.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Beverly A. Carroll Oct. 29--CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. -- In woods behind the Gordon Lee High School ballfield is a wooden deck that looks over a broad expanse of underbrush dotted with a few tall, spindly tree trunks without leaves or...

Obituaries.
October 29, 2007... Oct. 29--Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Obituaries HAMILTON COUNTY Lucille Cantley Lucille Craddock Cantley, 76, of Soddy-Daisy, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, at her residence. She was a...

Sequatchie residents question Bledsoe housing fee.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Ben Benton Oct. 29--DUNLAP, Tenn. -- A Sequatchie County resident wants to know why county leaders are charging Bledsoe County $20 a day to house jail inmates when the state estimates the cost is more than $49. "Why are the...

Searching for a water resource.
October 29, 2007... Byline: Pam Sohn Oct. 29--Last of two parts. The current drought parching the Southeast has community officials thirsting for pipelines flowing from the Tennessee River. But that would require new laws in Tennessee and Georgia, and...

Obituaries.
October 28, 2007... Oct. 28--Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn., Obituaries HAMILTON COUNTY Johnny Blaylock Johnny Gordon Blaylock, 70, of Sale Creek, passed away, Friday, Oct. 26, 2007. He was a member of the Unity Baptist Church. Mr....