News - Friday, January 18, 2013

Dale Buchanan and Associates last week announced the addition of former Social Security Judge Richard Gordon as General Counsel to the firm.

Gordon is a former Chief Judge of the Social Security Administration’s Office of Disability Adjudication and Review Hearing Office in Chattanooga. He has over 35 years of experience in Social Security law, including 25 years of experience as an administrative law judge deciding over 10,000 Social Security disability cases.

In time for the holiday celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Bessie Smith Cultural Center is hosting “We Shall Not Be Moved,” a traveling exhibition developed by the Tennessee State Museum. On display through February, the exhibit provides an intimate look at the role Tennessee students, including students from Howard High School in Chattanooga, played in shaping the modern Civil Rights movement. The exhibit lifts these important foot soldiers to their rightful place in history, telling their story through relevant artifacts, powerful photographic images and audio-visual media. Visitors will leave with an understanding of African American life during Jim Crow that provided the background for the sit-ins, how students were recruited and organized for the purpose of non-violent protest, and how their efforts facilitated permanent social change. Bessie Smith is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission prices are $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, and $3 for children ages 6 through 12. (David Laprad)

State Senator Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga will serve on three committees in the Tennessee State Senate, including the Judiciary Committee, the Education Committee and the Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey made the announcement last week as the 108th General Assembly concluded its organizational session in Nashville.

The CBA Young Lawyers Division will host its annual Mock Trial High School Competition in Chattanooga from Wednesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 23. They are asking for volunteer judges and volunteer jurors from the Bar. If you are willing to volunteer for the competition, then email Chris Collins of Husch Blackwell at Chris.Collins@HuschBlackwell.com. Pictured: Abigail Till of CSTEHA addresses the jury as Criminal Court Judge Don W. Poole looks on in last year’s competition. (Photo by Sue Hughbanks)

The Young Professionals Association of Chattanooga is accepting nominations for its 2013 YP Awards. In its sixth year, the YP Awards recognize notable young professionals and YP friendly businesses and organizations in the greater Chattanooga area. The event, which is open to the public, will be held in place of YPAC’s monthly business development luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, February 22, at the DoubleTree Hotel downtown.

Everyone in their lifetime has played Peek-A-Boo. It has to be so. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the game of amusing yourself and at least one other person by randomly covering and uncovering your face and eyes. The other person is usually three years of age or less. There’s no age limit, but at some point, the mystery of the disappearing person behind the moving hands is solved and no longer funny. I love to play this game with random babies in restaurants. Kids seem to dig me, especially from afar.

When I bought my new car, it came with chrome trim and accessories. I later learned it was “iced-out.” But ICE on a cell phone doesn’t mean it has pretty little rhinestones and a fancy carrying case.

Our Army-son has attended several different training schools this year. Last week, he came home from one such training day and said he entered my cell phone number in his cell phone as his ICE number. Savvy phone users probably know what ICE is about, but I had to ask questions.

Russell was screaming. At the top of his lungs. Whisked quickly to a distant room, he continued his vocal displeasure. The wailing persisted through the first necessary task. It showed no sign of abatement.

Approaching five days old, Russell was teaching this new relative, whom others were calling “uncle,” how crying was done in the late-night hours.

Came the time of morning when my stomach growled, and I knew I’d have to eat. The only question was, “Where?” I mulled over my usual haunts, but nothing sparked my interest.

Then I remembered a new café and bakery had opened at Warehouse Row, just inside the door to the underground level of the South Building, where a food court is tucked under several stories of office and retail space. But there was a caveat:

Kathy (a.k.a. Shopping Leader, a.k.a. SL) and I left the house about 10:30 last Saturday after some oatmeal and bacon. First stop, Tuesday Morning on Bowman. SL wanted some glasses, the fine dining kind. She used to have some she really liked, which I got for her a couple of years ago, but we seem to break one or two every year, so it’s time to reload.

I usually don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but not because I think I don’t need to change anything in my life – especially my eating habits! If I need to alter something in my life, why wait until a certain time of year to do it? I’d like to say it helps me to maintain the change, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. When it comes to food and changing certain habits in my eating, I’m basically a loser.

“God, just tell me what to do.”

Priscilla Smith was on vacation in Florida, praying about her future. She was standing at a divergence along her career path, and was torn over which way to go.

One trail continued along Smith’s current bearing: marketing director for Crye-Leike on Gunbarrel Road, a position she’d held since early 2011. She liked assisting the Realtors at the office. “I helped agents brainstorm and create marketing plans. I enjoyed thinking outside the box on properties that, for one reason or another, were challenging,” she says.

The Independent Community Bankers of America last week said it is encouraged that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s final rule on consumers’ ability to repay mortgage loans includes ICBA-advocated accommodations for community banks. Provisions structuring the “qualified mortgage” standard as a legal safe harbor and treating certain balloon-payment loans as qualified mortgages will help Main Street lenders continue providing mortgage credit to meet the needs of their customers and communities.

Dear EarthTalk: 

I’ve heard that simply painting your roof white can reduce household electricity bills by 40 percent. Is this something any of us can do? 

~ Susan Pierson, Sumter, S.C.

Yes – and the benefits can be significant, especially for those in warmer climates who expend a lot of energy keeping cool. But most of the world’s roofs, including on some 90 percent of buildings in the U.S., are dark-colored.

Since it’s the first month of a new year, I thought a puzzle on “firsts” would be fun. See how good you can do with the questions below!

1. How old was Moses when he died? 200; 134; 110; 120.

2. Who was the oldest president at the time of election? George Washington; Abraham Lincoln; Ronald Reagan; Thomas Jefferson.

All’s well that ends well, or so the saying goes. I suppose that’s true to a degree. I certainly found it to be the case, only a few moments ago, as I watched the end of “Silver Lining Playbook.”

It had been a frustrating week at the movies. Missteps, bad timing, and desperation had conspired to place my unenthusiastic butt in a seat on a drizzly Wednesday morning to watch “Silver Lining.” The romantic comedy, or drama, or whatever it is had come out in the fall, or early winter, or whenever it was, barely made a blip, and then disappeared. But The Weinstein Company, which is distributing the indie effort, has schmoozing the Academy down to a science, and the movie somehow simultaneously received a Best Picture nomination for 2012 and re-appeared in theaters. Hmmm...

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile last week stopped at grocery stores throughout Chattanooga as part of its journey across the U.S. to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the “bunderful” (their word, not ours) transport. While parents reminisced about seeing the Wienermobile when they were young, their children boarded the ketchup-topped conveyance for a tour. Although the Wienermobile crew didn’t hand out any hotdogs, each kids walked away with a collectible Wiener Whistle. Pictured: Children gather for a memory-making photo outside the Bi Lo in Hixson. (David Laprad)

More than half of companies surveyed by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce last year plan expansions that could create more than 1,200 new jobs and over $130 million in new capital investment, according to the recently published Chattanooga IQ report for 2012.

You cannot reach your vision and goals without the help of others. Your greatest asset is people – the right people, which are people that share your company’s values, ethics, personality, culture and vision. Your primary objective is to get the right people on your ship, the wrong people off, and then direct the course of the ship yourself. Therefore, recruiting, training, coaching, developing and retaining your competent employees are critical success factors for your company and some of your top responsibilities as a leader. Your focus should be to develop others and create the right conditions for their success. In short, unleash the full human potential of your organization.

Saturday, January 19

Police Sgt. William Nelson, 41-year old veteran of the city police department, qualified Friday as a candidate for fire and police commissioner in the March 12 primary.

Dr. David H. Turner, ophthalmology specialist, has been certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society announced today. This is the highest recognition that can be bestowed on a specialist.

Saturday, January 18

One thousand Boy Scouts of Kansas City, Mo., and scores of citizens have each pledged a square inch of skin to save the life of little 10-year old Reba Hainds, who was the only member of her family saved when their home was destroyed by fire Christmas Eve. The family lived in Arnett, Okla. Physicians say that skin graft is probably the only way to save her life. (Editor’s note: A genealogy search found a Hainds, Reba J. was born Feb. 23, 1902 and died Nov. 22, 1999 in Kansas.)

City pet licenses expired December 31

Residents must renew by Friday, February 1

All licenses for pets living within the city limits of Chattanooga expired December 31. To avoid a late fee, you must renew the license before February 1. To purchase a license, you must have proof of a valid rabies vaccination for your pet. For more information and to purchase a license, visit www.mckameyanimalcenter.org.