Chattanooga Times Free Press
‘People need to come vote’
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett stopped in Hamilton County on Friday as part of whirlwind tour encouraging voters to cast their ballots early and thanking local staff who make it possible. “We couldn’t do this without the poll workers,”...
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Local kayaker will compete in China whitewater competition
When a text message about an international whitewater competition came across Chattanoogan Shane Simoneaux’s phone, he knew he had to go — even though he didn’t understand some of the message. Partly written in Chinese, it outlined the Huangguoshu...
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Feds break ground on new courthouse
Officials broke ground Wednesday on a $283 million federal courthouse in downtown Chattanooga, calling the project a monument to the U.S. justice system and a masterpiece of classical architecture in line with an executive order from President Donald...
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‘WELCOME BACK’
Bluegrass phenom Billy Strings tore down the house Tuesday night as the public returned to the Tivoli Theatre for the first time since 2022. The sold-out crowd was at a roar while filing into their seats at the historic theater on Broad Street. Many...
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Clinic gives more than $200K in free healthcare
More than $210,000 worth of medical, dental and vision care was offered to Chattanoogans during a weekend-long healthcare clinic in the Glenwood area. Remote Area Medical, a Rockford, Tennessee-based nonprofit and the largest provider of free pop-up...
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CHILDCARE CHURN
Eighteen childcare centers in Hamilton County have closed so far this year. In the same time, 19 have opened. The churn in childcare is the result of federal funding changes that caused a pause in childcare tuition certificates, effectively a death...
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Historic structure caught in tug-of-war
A 10-count federal civil rights lawsuit claims that Rossville officials unlawfully seized the historic Chief John Ross House in March and barred members of the John Ross House Association from the premises, threatening them with arrest. The suit filed...
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Polls open this week for November election
Early voting for the November election starts this week in Hamilton County and across the Chattanooga region. Tennessee voters can cast their ballots starting Wednesday. Early voting in Georgia starts Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know before...
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Ready for Election Day
Independent auditors tested over 100 electronic voting machines in preparation for midterm elections in Hamilton County next month, confirming no issues were identified regarding election integrity or accuracy. The audit was independently conducted by...
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‘We’re stuck’
DADE COUNTY, Ga. — Along Georgia State Route 301 as it winds over Sand Mountain, one property has become a local landmark thanks to shipping containers that stand like a fence in the front yard. The containers bear the names of some of the world’s...
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Standing pat
Community members spoke in support and against the Hamilton County Board of Education’s vote last month to approve a proposal to require public schools in the district to display the Ten Commandments. Three people spoke Thursday in support of...
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‘Closer to the water’
Chattanoogans looking to get closer to the Tennessee River, without a boat or paddleboard, have a new option at Ross’s Landing. Crews have installed a new dock by the pier at Ross’s Landing, as part of a larger redevelopment plan for Chattanooga’s...
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RAISE THE LIGHTS
Lights on the Tivoli Theatre’s sign are back on Tuesday after a new digital marquee was installed last week during ongoing renovations at the historic downtown Chattanooga theater See a gallery of images on timesfreepress.com
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‘THEY WANT OUT’
The owners of a plant on Chattanooga’s Westside want their property exempt from the rules governing development at The Bend, a project they once worked on with local developer Jimmy White. The former Aerisyn wind turbine tower plant at 959 Windtower...
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Sewer spill continues in South Chickamauga Creek
A sewer spill into South Chickamauga Creek remained active Monday, more than three days after officials first warned the public to stay out of the water. Officials first announced the spill on Oct. 2 in a press release, saying a sanitary sewer...
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Analysts say VW’s pains may be Chattanooga’s gain
Volkswagen is pursuing an extreme cost-cutting plan to help insulate the company from a global crisis, but officials and an analysts say the forces leading to the crisis put the German automaker’s plant in Chattanooga in a strong position. The mood at...
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Walnut Street Bridge reopening draws big crowd
Even a downpour could not stop Chattanooga from celebrating the long-awaited reopening of the Walnut Street Bridge. Adorned in raincoats and holding umbrellas, people crowded at the bridge’s south entrance Saturday afternoon waiting for the...
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Funding secured
River City Co., the private nonprofit guiding downtown Chattanooga development, announced Friday it surpassed its $25 million private fundraising goal for a major upcoming riverfront renovation. The renovations near Ross’s Landing will add two new...
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Blue, restored and ready
Come rain or come shine, the Walnut Street Bridge will reopen to the public Saturday, concluding an 18-month closure that saw the historic structure undergo extensive repairs. State and local officials will join Chattanoogans in celebrating the...
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TVA gets a speedy permit to build modular nuclear reactor
A speedy permit to build a first-of-itskind commercial small modular nuclear reactor in the U.S. is not just a victory for the Tennessee Valley Authority, but also the Trump administration. TVA is owned by the federal government but funds itself by...
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‘Special day for us’
Top Volkswagen officials celebrated the launch of the 2027 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models at the company’s Chattanooga plant as the German automaker embarks on the most significant downsizing in its history. While the Chattanooga plant will not be...
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State reverses site choice for mental health hospital
Less than a week after announcing a new site for the $260 million Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute, state officials have reversed course. “After further deliberation, the Tennessee Department of General Services has decided not to move forward...
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New York firefighter’s stem cell donation saves Chattanooga patient
Chattanooga and Rochester, New York, are separated by 860 miles, but in May 2024, the two cities became intertwined after a stem cell donation from a New York firefighter saved the life of a Sale Creek resident. “It is such a selfless act to give the...
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Trump draws ovation from sold-out Neyland Stadium
KNOXVILLE — The line had formed outside of Neyland Stadium well before sunrise. Hours before Saturday’s noon kickoff, tens of thousands of fans — decked out head-to-toe in bright orange — endured extra security checkpoints, then waited expectantly for...
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Leaked drawing creates concerns
Residents of the Valleybrook and Windbrook neighborhoods in Hixson are petitioning developer Jimmy White, owner of the Valleybrook Golf and Country Club, and public officials to include them in any future development plans at the course. The petition...
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Sewer payment site sends users to porn page after web lapse
Those looking to make sewer payments through a third-party platform used by Chattanooga and Hamilton County were warned not to trust the link on government websites because it began redirecting to a porn site. The cyber security incident has since...
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‘The right home’
Construction of a new, $260 million Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute is planned for a site 4 miles southwest of its present location, on an almost 50-acre site between Chattanooga’s Lookout Valley community and the Georgia state line. The plans...
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‘We want to learn more’
Chattanooga city officials said Tuesday they intentionally left AI license plate reader cameras in a proposed five-year Axon technology package though neither police nor city technology officials requested them, preserving the option to study the tech...
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Rock City’s plans to build a gondola hit a setback
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. — In the end, the “No Gondola” movement was an unstoppable force. The City Council of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, voted 3-2 Monday night to deny amendments requested by Rock City to the city’s zoning laws. The changes would have...
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Bridging art and motion
Pierceton Mazell, a professional dancer with the Chattanooga Ballet, walked away from the troupe’s rehearsal space Wednesday for a swig of water after a choreography run-through. He was breathing laboriously and drenched in sweat. “There is nothing...
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QUANTUM LEAP
EPB launched a $22-million quantum computer Friday morning, making Chattanooga’s municipal utility the first company in the world to combine commercial quantum computing and quantum networking in one center. The computer, the IonQ Forte Enterprise,...
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Sizzling under the heat dome
Chattanooga has gone 45 days hitting highs of 90 degrees or more, setting a 147-year record Thursday, and forecasters say the heat won’t relent until next week. “In terms of 1879 to the present day, when we look at the number of consecutive days for...
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Chattanooga seeks to expand traffic technology
The city of Chattanooga is nearly finished with a $2 million grant to help emergency vehicles communicate with the intersections they’re passing through, and local officials are looking to expand the program beyond the downtown health...
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Main Street paving project converts four lanes to two
Main Street is Chattanooga’s latest target for a road diet and redesign. Paving and striping are converting much of the former four-lane route to one lane in each direction. The $2.6 million project started Aug. 30 and is on track for completion by...
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TVA, state sign nuclear fusion partnership in UK
The the Tennessee Valley Authority and a nuclear fusion company based in the state signed a collaborative agreement with the U.K. government in London on Monday. The goal of the agreement is to speed up commercialization of nuclear fusion, a...
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FOSSIL FEUDS
Two climate nonprofits sued the Tennessee Valley Authority in federal court over the federal utility’s plan to run coal-fired and gas-fired power plants simultaneously at a Middle Tennessee site. Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club, represented by...
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Symphony plans its return to Tivoli
The city’s largest orchestra is set to kick off its much-anticipated 2026-2027 concert season this month by featuring an internationally acclaimed violinist and performing a euphonic mixture of local compositions, Duke Ellington classics and selections...
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Worker hospitalized after arm caught in machine at downtown plant
A worker at the Pilgrim’s Pride plant in downtown Chattanooga remains in the hospital after his arm became stuck in a conveyor. “The decision was made to transport the patient to the hospital with his injured arm still in the machinery due to the...
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Baylor, McCallie have some seeking opt out
A move that could potentially shake up the entire framework for the TSSAA’s private-school membership could be presented to the state’s high school sports governing body as early as next week. After numerous individual discussions recently,...
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New laws in effect for tourism zones
The state agency overseeing tourism development is partnering with the Chattanooga Tourism Co. to host a townhall-like event at the Chattanooga Convention Center later this month. The event is open to all residents, and conversations will center...
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Rapper brings world tour home
Chattanooga rapper Isaiah Rashad has announced that the final stop on the North American leg of his world tour will take place in the Scenic City. The third phase of Rashad’s “Its Been Awful” world tour was released Tuesday afternoon. It includes 14...
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TedxChattanooga
This year’s TedxChattanooga event will highlight the voices of a grocery store employee, a content creator, two communications executives, two nonprofit CEOs, the CEO of an AI company and a vice provost in higher education. The eight speakers, who all...
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DA’s office closing summer on heater
Within five weeks this summer, Hamilton County juries convicted Jamal Adams, Mark Caslin and Lawrence Goodine of murder charges carrying life sentences. Assistant District Attorney Paul Moyle served as lead prosecutor in all three unrelated cases,...
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Hamilton County tourism brings in $1.9B in 2025
Tourism in Hamilton County generated nearly $1.9 billion in visitor spending in 2025, according to recently released data from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Direct visitor spending — defined as dollars visitors spend at businesses...
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Travelers receive late-summer break
Transportation departments in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama have suspended construction-related lane closures for the Labor Day holiday weekend. Wildlife agency officials will be watching for boating violations over the warm weekend, and AAA...
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Walnut Street Bridge set to reopen Oct. 3
After 18 months of renovations, Chattanooga’s iconic Walnut Street Bridge is set to reopen in a month. The public will be able to walk across the pedestrian bridge once again beginning Oct. 3, the city announced Thursday. The grand reopening is set...
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BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE
State, federal and local officials celebrated the signing of a $25 million federal grant to support the Wilcox Boulevard Bridge replacement project, set to start in early 2027 at an estimated cost of almost $130 million. At Norfolk Southern Railway’s...
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Hamilton County sheriff says he will pause about 70 license plate readers
A license plate reader program managed by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will be paused due to residents’ concerns, Sheriff Austin Garrett said. The office operates about 70 cameras across the county, according to a press release...
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Novonix nixes plan to buy property next to plant
Novonix decided not to purchase a 17.5-acre property adjacent to its Chattanooga plant and headquarters, the company told investors in a report on Monday. The synthetic graphite manufacturer plans to invest $1 billion in a second local plant as it...
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New billboard atop Parkway Towers replaces graffiti, honors 36 people
A dilapidated and abandoned tower in Southside Chattanooga — best known for its large graffiti art reading “JUNK” — has a new cherrycolored sign on top that honors the lives of three dozen people, including a local man who was left paralyzed and...
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NAVIGATING CHANGE
As the 18-month closure of Chattanooga’s downtown riverfront nears, event organizers are planning for a 2027 without Ross’s Landing. The riverfront is set to close in November for a redevelopment project that aims to make the park a space residents...
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Seeking closure
HARRIMAN, Tenn. — As the Tennessee Valley Authority nears the end of a decade-long process to study the best solution for closing waste sites at coal plants under a Tennessee state order, it’s facing a familiar public relations problem. The only thing...
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Restored glory
As scaffolding came down inside Chattanooga’s historic Tivoli Theatre, fresh gold leaf glinted under the glow of work lights and once-decaying features displayed new life. In the past year, the Broad Street theater has undergone a $75 million...
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PROJECT RIVER
CHARLESTON, Tenn. — $11.3 billion. 2,600 jobs. Tens of millions in new local tax revenue. A 1,000-megawatt gas plant and a 500-megawatt biomass plant fueled by pine trees to revive the region’s logging sector while attracting a major power...
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A LEGEND EXITS THE STAGE
Dolly Parton has died. On Tuesday, in a two-minute video posted to the Tennessee icon’s official Instagram page, Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew, broke the news. An hour after the video was posted, it had over 17 million views, 2.8 million likes and...
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Hoax signs raise hopes of In-N-Out under construction in Chattanooga
No for Chattanooga, yet. Signs posted over the weekend on a construction site fence on Signal Mountain Road appeared to show Californiabased chain In-N-Out Burger was planning a location there. Those signs were fake, said a developer of the site. ”It...
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‘Odyssey’ sells out all shows at Aquarium IMAX
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is proving to be a genuine blockbuster for Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater. “We anticipated it was going to do well for us, certainly,” Corey Cobb, the theater’s director of IMAX operations, said by...
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SMALL TO HYPERSCALE
Not all data centers are created equal. Out of the 12 centers in operation or in development the Chattanooga Times Free Press identified in the newspaper’s coverage area, seven look like what most imagine when they hear “data center” — loud, resource...
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Teaming up for a smoother ride
The city of Chattanooga is planning with the state, Norfolk Southern Railway and Hamilton County to replace the 72-year-old Wilcox Boulevard bridge from Amnicola Highway over Norfolk Southern’s DeButts Yard to the Avondale neighborhood in East...
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Leaders praise $130M Southside project Station 33 at groundbreaking
A team of local Chattanooga developers broke ground Thursday morning on Station a $130 million development on the Southside set to include shops, a food hall, a pedestrian plaza, condos and a hotel. Living up to their desire to make Station 33 a...
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Rock City shares vision for future
Rock City brought a map of a potential nine-phase expansion to community meetings this week with residents who oppose its plan to build a gondola up Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Company officials say the gondola is necessary to expand the Rock City...
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Heat relief
Temperatures are forecast to remain above 90 through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee. A heat advisory was issued Monday for counties in Southeast Tennessee with heat index values as high as 105,...
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Hixon man pleads guilty, will serve 15 years
A Hixson man will serve 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to a second-degree murder charge as part of a negotiated plea agreement. Marquel Lane, 38, originally faced a first-degree murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting of Justin...
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Wamp wins reelection as Hamilton County mayor
Republican incumbent Weston Wamp defeated Democrat Mark Herndon to win a second term as Hamilton County mayor Thursday. The race was close for most of the night as precincts rolled out their vote tallies. Wamp earned 52.5% of the vote, with 33,840...
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