News - Friday, January 4, 2013

Erlanger Health System and Legal Aid of East Tennessee on Thurdsday, December 20, celebrated the first anniversary of the Erlanger Health Law Partnership and noted major accomplishments of providing legal assistance for low-income patients.

Emily Lay, EHLP attorney, said over 90 individuals have been served during EHLP’s first year of operation. EHLP helps low-income patients with issues such as substandard housing, lack of access to public support programs and family violence - all issues that can affect health.

The 115th Annual Meeting of the Chattanooga Bar Association will be held Wednesday, January 23 at noon at Sheraton Read House.

The Bar will provide lunch for its members. The menu will consist of basil infused chicken on baked vegetable lasagna with a creamy Alfredo sauce, Asiago Caesar salad, warm bread and butter, and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee and iced tea. A vegetarian selection will be available if reserved in advance. Non-CBA members may attend for $30.

I have one resolution this year: Plan ahead. Few maxims are truer than the one that proclaims, “That which does not get planned does not get done.” How much easier would your life be if you placed more emphasis on planning ahead? That’s really a stupid question; of course your life is better when you plan ahead. The real question is: Why don’t we do more planning?

Turn right in four-tenths of a mile,” Susan said.

“I’m looking forward to some light, warmth, TV, and Internet access.”

It was Dec. 26, 2012, my 61st birthday. Mother Nature had doused us with a wet, yucky snowfall the night before. The familiar pop of transformers had punctuated the cold winter evening as we watched blue bursts of energy in the distance.

It won’t be long until we are contemplating our New Year’s resolutions. The media will be inundating us with tips on making and how to keep resolutions: Try this pill, read this book, hypnotism really works, meditate, take walks to clear your mind – the list goes on and on. While these might be good tips and work for some people, why are resolutions hard to keep, or why is it hard to change?

We live in a world in which the mass production of food and quick access to a meal are a necessity. We’re busy, and the chain restaurants and fast food joints have a lot of mouths to feed, so we do the best we can to balance nutrition, taste and convenience. But in the rush to fill our stomachs and move on, we compromise the ability to savor a meal.

I didn’t intend, and certainly didn’t hope, there would be a part three to my “falling tree, fence destroying, dogs escaping” columns. Wrong.

This event precedes the lightning snowstorm that arrived Christmas evening. Speaking of that, where were you when the lights went out? I wonder if an unusually high number of babies will arrive on September 18? (I did the math.)

I think December was one of the worst months of 2012. In my opinion, the only description for it is “wow.”

The Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world would happen on December 21. While that didn’t happen, there were some tragic events in the last month leading up to 2013.

Francie Ryder has officially left the building, leaving Carol Seal to fly solo as the new CEO and executive vice president for the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors. Ryder retired as executive officer on December 31 after 27 years of dedicated service to the Association.

Realtors from Crye-Leike offices throughout the Greater Chattanooga area in December organized a company coat drive to help their neighbors in need.

Crye-Leike collected 75 coats to donate to the Chattanooga News Channel 9 “Coats For Kids” campaign  with adult and children’s coats being distributed to local soup kitchens, churches, schools and other places.

Dear EarthTalk:

I’ve heard of eco-tourism, but what is geo-tourism? 

– Sally Kardaman, Sumter, SC

“Geotourism” describes tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a given place, including its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of local residents. The idea is that tourism can be a positive force that benefits both travelers and local environments and economies.

Instead of the usual brain-busting quiz, I’ve decided to do something different for the end of the year. In an effort to keep you up-to-date on the new words that have come out of the texting and tweeting we do, here’s a list of a few of the more unusual ones. Enjoy!

Quentin Tarantino is one of the few directors able to make the kinds of movies he wants to make. And “Django Unchained” is a Tarantino film through and through. It’s as though QT pressed his thumbprint on every frame of celluloid to say, “This is my movie. No one else could have made it.”

Saturday, January 5

Charles S. Coffey, Jr., and Robert M. Summitt, prominent Chattanooga attorneys, have formed a partnership for the general practice of civil and corporate law, with offices in the Chattanooga Bank Building. Both lawyers have been active in civic and fraternal affairs here in the past decade.

Saturday, January 4

Miss Vera Trimby will return home today from a visit in Detroit, Mich.

Sammy Strang Nicklin, one of Chattanooga’s most noted baseball players, is coming home for a visit before returning to West Point, where he coaches. This is his fifth season at West Point. He has just returned from France, where he studied music.

Milestones for 2013

Milestones in the Greater Chattanooga area for 2013 include the 150th anniversary of the Civil War battle at Chickamauga Chattanooga, with the official Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature event taking place October 10-12. 2013 also marks the 175th anniversary of the Trail of Tears. Noteworthy local Trail of Tears sites include Ross’ Landing in Chattanooga and Red Clay State Park in Cleveland.