News - Friday, January 22, 2021

A late-night tweet by a now-former University of Tennessee-Chattanooga assistant football coach is just the latest example of how quickly an ill-advised remark can spark a huge public relations firestorm.

But organizations and their employees can take common-sense steps to manage a crisis and, even better, stop unfiltered tweets from seeing the light of day, say area human resources and public relations practitioners.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee has appointed Debra (Deb) House as interim executive director.

“Deb is a seasoned attorney and a proven leader who will bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and passion to her new position,” says Keith Alley, LAET board of director’s president. “The LAET Board looks forward to working with Deb as she continues to lead the organization in providing the highest quality legal services to its clients.”

After a 30-year run in retail management and 16-plus in her successful second career as a Realtor, Carol Potts says she and the Chattanooga market has never been busier.

A lifelong proponent of her hometown, Potts says she loves sharing her knowledge of Chattanooga with clients.

OK, so we’re stuck inside. Even in a non-COVID time, January isn’t exactly the best time to go out and enjoy the outdoors. It’s cold, wet and dark. Simply put, it’s gross out there.

The truth of the matter is many of us have spent much time inside during recent months. What are some ways to make your home more inviting? What about keeping away those cold-weather blues?

The ongoing pandemic has placed renewed focus on the quality of the air around us. If you’re spending more time at home, keeping the air in your living space fresh and free of pollutants is critical.

Common indoor pollutants are generated from sources that release gases or particles into the air such as mold, radon and carbon monoxide. Poor indoor air quality from these types of pollutants can lead to health problems, but regular home maintenance, such as cleaning and controlling moisture, can help protect and improve your indoor air quality.

Thrive Regional Partnership has announced five new trustees to its board that reflect growing county representation and corporate leadership across the tri-state, 16-county greater Chattanooga region.

The newly elected Board trustees are Barry Allen, Mike Costa, Nathan Lee, Jennifer McCurdy and Harriette Stokes.

Siskin Children’s Institute has announced it has received a $10,000 grant from Truist Foundation to assist in COVID-19 protection and sanitation procedures.

“We’re excited to receive the grant from Truist Foundation,” says Derek Bullard, president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute. “The funding is vital in our efforts to enhance safety and mitigation processes to protect the children and families we serve, including the refinement of telehealth services.”

The StartingBlockChattanooga.com is a website connecting entrepreneurs and small-business owners to local free or low-cost business resources.

StartingBlockChattanooga.com offers support for fresh startups to scaling enterprises, connecting founders with resource partners who can support entrepreneurs as they start and grow their business.

Foundation House Ministries is looking to build a community of women speakers to share their story of hope and inspiration to mothers in their program.

The nonprofit provides financial, emotional and physical support to mothers or pregnant women who struggle with addiction, homelessness and joblessness. The speaker events are one hour, with 18-minute slots allotted to each presenter to share their path to success.

Southern Lit Alliance has announced its lineup for its 2021 South Bound Lecture Series, starting with a Lincoln novel.

A Zoom interview with John Cribb, New York Times bestselling author and author of “Old Abe,’’ a novel about the last five years of Abraham Lincoln’s life and some of the most tumultuous years in America’s history, will be held Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m.

Sixty years ago, a group of Chattanooga women organized the first group of girls and young women to participate in arts and crafts, sports, drama and other activities.

Girls Inc. of Chattanooga now boasts more than 30,000 alumnae and each year provides more than 800 girls with the opportunity to become independent, well-rounded young women.

Many of us have been forced to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But once we’ve moved past the virus, many workers may continue working from home.

More than one-third of companies with employees who started working from home now think remote work will stay more common post-pandemic, a Harvard Business School study reveals. This shift to at-home work can affect people’s lives in many ways – and it might end up providing workers with some long-term financial advantages.

Budgeting is a pain. But what’s more painful is a bill you can’t easily pay, debt that costs a fortune or not having enough money to retire.

Fortunately, you can have a useful, working budget without watching every penny. Automation, technology and a few simple guidelines can keep you on track.

Arthur Smith took the road less traveled in becoming an NFL head coach when he could have been on Easy Street.

Smith was named head coach of the Atlanta Falcons this past week, just days after wrapping up his second season as the Titans offensive coordinator and after a decade spent in the organization working a variety of mostly low-level roles under four different head coaches.

Every new year ushers in a new batch of cars, trucks and SUVs from just about every automaker. Some of these new models create little more than passing interest, while others threaten to burn out the internet with hype.

For 2021, it’ll be trucks and SUVs dominating the news. Edmunds’ experts cover the five they think will make the biggest splash.

You’ve got to clear the path. You know there’s a turret in your way and that could be tricky, but so was the jungle but you survived. Now you’ve got one goal in mind: killing minions.

And if none of that makes sense to you, get ready to learn. “Becoming a Video Game Designer” by Daniel Noah Halpern can show you how to dip into a $150 billion industry.

This week is a big one as the president will leave office as another in inaugurated. The transition of power in the United States has been quite a complicated matter.

The attack on the Capitol has dominated your news feed in recent weeks. And, if you’re like many people, work can provide a much-needed break and distraction from our political stress.

Setting money goals in 2020 was likely an exercise in futility. Maybe you’d been saving for a trip abroad, but the pandemic kept you at home. Or you wanted to save up for a down payment on a house, then the recession left you out of a job.

The pandemic made achieving yearlong goals a challenge for many last year. In fact, 29% of Americans with financial goals for 2020 said COVID-19 forced them to put some of those aspirations on hold until 2021, a NerdWallet survey finds. The poll was conducted online in late fall by The Harris Poll and included more than 1,700 U.S. adults with 2020 financial goals.