News - Friday, January 2, 2015

A sign near Dr. Valerie Radu’s desk serves as a reminder to herself and an invitation to others: “Write your own life story,” the small placard says.

Radu is the executive director of the Family Justice Center (FJC) in Chattanooga, a federal and state government funded program focused on reducing relationship violence in Tennessee. A child of missionaries, she grew up in a family in which service to others was important. But as a social scientist, she wants to do more than meet immediate needs; she wants to bring about lasting change by using research to develop “best practices.”

Chattanooga police offers did double duty as Santa’s helpers when they delivered supplies to the family of a baby whose mother was killed by gunfire. On Sept. 7, 19-year-old Jasmine Akins lost her life on the 1700 block of Market Street, leaving behind her daughter, seven-month-old Journee Akins.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has determined that a Hamilton County trial court did not depart from accepted and usual judicial course during a health care liability lawsuit as to require immediate appellate court review.

In February 2011, C.L. Gilbert, Jr., filed a complaint against Dr. Izak Frederick Wessels, alleging health care liability. Prior to trial, Dr. Wessels filed a motion seeking to waive a Tennessee law that requires expert medical testimony to come from one who practices in Tennessee or a contiguous state. Dr. Wessels wanted an ophthalmologist from Florida to testify on his behalf.

Members of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA) present a check for $64,435.02 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. TSCPA helped to raise the money during Ronald McDonald House’s 25th Annual Autumn Children’s Festival, which took place Oct. 4 and 5 at Tennessee Riverpark.

The American Lung Association in Tennessee is asking for the community’s help in nominating outstanding young women for the 2015 Young Women of Distinction award. 

The Young Woman of Distinction is a high school senior who sets herself apart as an individual outstanding in leadership, academics, and character. She serves the Chattanooga area with honor, integrity, enthusiasm, generosity, and compassion, and has a willingness to take risks and a personal dedication to goal achievement.

Chattanooga Presents this week announced that the downtown outdoor ice skating rink, Ice on the Landing, will now stay open through Sunday, Feb. 1. This represents an additional three weeks beyond its original closing date of Jan. 4. 

Now that 2015 is upon us, you may be thinking about making some New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps you’ll decide to take up a musical instrument, or hit the gym more often, or even learn a new language. All these are worthy goals, of course — but you could also gain some key benefits by working to achieve some financial resolutions.

I was waiting in court last week for a settlement conference. The crowd resembled a Southwest Airlines boarding call, only less patient. And without the promise of tiny pretzels.

Behind me was a young lawyer striking up a conversation with another young lawyer of the opposite sex. I’ll let you guess which player went where.

Public Art Chattanooga is seeking qualifications from artists or artist teams for the commission and installation of a mural at 2001 Chestnut St. at West 20th St. in Chattanooga. Up to three finalists will be selected to develop concept proposals for this project. This project is made possible with a generous grant from the Footprint Foundation.

Bell Development is honored to be a 2014 Platinum Sponsor of Habitat for Humanity. “We believe in the work of this wonderful organization, and we’re thankful to be able to support their endeavors,” the local builder said Friday.

Pictured: Kay Ivey, licensed Realtor, and Jay Bell, owner, hold a plaque honoring Bell’s participation in the 2014 Home Builders Blitz, a national program through which members of Home Builders Associations throughout the U.S. build and renovate as many Habitat houses as they can in one week.

I can’t believe how quickly 2014 has gone by, and that I’m writing to you for the last time as the 2014 President of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors. What an honor it has been to serve my fellow Realtors and the community in this capacity.

By the time I heard actor Mark Wahlberg say “All on black” a second time in “The Gambler,” I was all in. I’d spent two hours watching a man walk to the edge of a cliff and extend one foot over the abyss, and in that moment, all I wanted out of life was to see what happened next.

Thrive 2055, a 16-county, tri-state regional growth initiative, surveyed 1,137 participants from the entire region about preferred themes of growth for our future, and was overwhelmingly told economic growth is paramount, but not at the expense of losing our natural treasures.

^“Dear Judge Vic, In last week’s column, you wrote, ‘A repeating scene in “Breaking Bad,” which I’ve now watched twice, involves the protagonist’s birthday.’ This was a sly segue into talking about your birthday. (Happy birthday, BTW, belatedly!) My question is, Did you watch the repeating scene twice? Or did you watch the series twice? /s/ Muy Curioso.”

The phrase “making lemonade” expresses entrepreneurial abilities and triumph over adversity. In this week’s article, though, it means just what it says. If you think lemonade is only a summertime drink, let me give you a few facts on how healthy it is for you in the wintertime. It might become one of your favorite winter drinks - right up there with hot chocolate!

Friday, 7:20 a.m. - North Hills Country Club, a.k.a. The Greens at North Hills, a.k.a. Sylvan Hills Country Club. But known more commonly last Friday as @$%#$&^% Hills.

Just kidding, it was great to be back at the place where I’d been involved in so many hard-fought battles over the years. 

As the chartered four-prop plane touched down on the runway of the Josemarti-LaHarana Airport in Havana, Cuba, I, along with thirty other semi-anxious people, wondered to ourselves what the five days would hold back during a very hot time in July of 2001. The group was made up of farmers and agri-business leaders from the state of Tennessee traveling to the politically volatile markets of Cuba to learn more about the country and its people. I was along to cover the trip as the official media and to say I was somewhat nervous is a total understatement.  

Donate blood at Blood Assurance

Friday, Jan. 2

The Blood Assurance donor center inside the Erlanger Baroness campus will be open Friday, Jan. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The donor center is located at 975 East Third Street near elevator F and Pastoral Care. Regularly the donor center is only open Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health. The process usually takes about 30 minutes and includes a complimentary snack and t-shirt. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids - avoiding caffeine - and eat a meal rich in iron prior to donating. For more information about donating blood, call Blood Assurance at (800) 962-0628 or go to www.BloodAssurance.org.

City of Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke takes the ALS ice bucket challenge on the steps of City Hall. (Aug. 29)

To see all our favorite photos, pick up a copy of the Jan. 2, 2015 issue of the Hamilton County Herald.

Have you looked at any of the cabinets in your home and thought about how much you despise the color of the stain on them? For nine years now the oak stained cabinets in my home have been dying for a facelift! Our home was new when we moved in and with that came the contractor’s grade oak cabinets.  If there is one thing I cannot stand to look at it is the cabinets. In the world of April, oak stain makes everything feel so outdated, even if it is new. While there is appreciation for the natural beauty of oak wood, having it in my home is not something I enjoy. 

Saturday, January 2, 1915

Miss Ruth Richmond made her debut Friday night at the Patten Hotel in a brilliant ball given by her mother, Mrs. Edward Gould Richmond. Two hundred and fifty guests attended. Mrs. Richmond was assisted in receiving by close friends.

Saturday, January 2, 1965

Leases have been signed with F.W. Woolworth Co. for a large store and with a national theater chain for a motion picture theater in Eastgate Center, Weldon F. Osborne, president of Osborne Enterprises, announced Saturday.

Last week, I pushed the idea of forgetting the past as the first step to enjoying the holidays. While the past can serve as great inspiration to push us forward in life, the past serves more efficiently as an anchor - an anchor that prevents us from meeting our true potential, and an anchor that prevents us from enjoying life the way we should. The great irony is that dragging the anchor of the past around with us is completely voluntary - a choice we often make even though the alternative would be easier.

1. Which nation was the first to give women the right to vote? New Zealand; America; Australia; Italy.

2. Where’s the world’s largest aquarium? The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Ga.; Epcot Divequest in Florida; Churaumi Aquarium, part of the Ocean Expo Commemorative National Government Park located in Motobu, Okinawa, Japan; AQWA, in Western Australia.

Fill in the blanks in the quote using the following words:

examination, serious, test, raillery, gravity, wit, jest, bear, gravity, suspicious, subject, which, only, humor, false, humor

“_____ is the _____ _____ of _____, and _____ of _____; for a _____ which will not _____ _____ is _____, and a_____ _____ will not bear _____ _____ is _____ _____.”