News - Friday, October 10, 2025

Gerald Ware, Ph.D., didn’t just land a new job – he came home. When The Bethlehem Center in Chattanooga named Ware as its new executive director, it didn’t just hire a seasoned professional with decades of experience – it welcomed back one of its own.

As brothers, it’s not unusual that David and Jeremy Feliciano would have things in common – including a love for Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast-casual sensation that just opened in Chattanooga.

However, their tastes aren’t identical. For instance, David, the younger of the two, says he likes the sweetness of Dave’s chicken and the perfectly blended mild spices. Jeremy, meanwhile, goes for the heat.

Homelessness in Southeast Tennessee has risen 12% during the past year, with more than 1,000 people counted as unhoused in January, the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition’s 2025 State of Homelessness report finds.

The 55-page document, released this week, details rising economic pressures, significant gaps in housing capacity and a growing fiscal case for investing in housing solutions rather than absorbing the escalating costs of inaction.

Hamilton County Schools is seeking new mental health providers following a contentious school board decision to end its long-standing partnership with Centerstone – a move that has drawn both support and backlash across the community.

Centerstone, a nonprofit behavioral health organization, has provided free school-based mental health services in Hamilton County since 2013 under a memorandum of understanding with the district. The Hamilton County Board of Education voted 6-5 in September to end that agreement, formally removing Centerstone counselors and therapists from 50 schools and affecting thousands of students.

A new Youth Mental Health Report from Centerstone paints a stark picture of the growing crisis facing Tennessee teens. The report reveals widespread struggles with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, alongside significant barriers to accessing care – placing Tennessee last in the nation for youth mental health service availability.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has announced the addition of attorney Jennifer Chambers-Smith to its estate planning practice. With more than 30 years of legal experience, Chambers-Smith assists clients with tailored estate plans ranging from simple to highly complex matters. She also represents estate and trust administrations and supports clients with conservatorships and special needs issues, providing compassionate guidance during difficult times. 

The Chattanooga Zoo’s annual event returns for seven nights – Oct. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 – featuring trick-or-treating, character meet and greets, a bounce house, scavenger hunt and festive decorations. Popular characters like Elsa, Spider-Man and Moana will be on hand for photos, courtesy of Magic Lamp Entertainment. Boo in the Zoo runs 4–8 p.m. each night. Tickets

The Enterprise Center, Chattanooga’s nonprofit economic development partner, will move from the Edney Building to the historic Lupton Building at 1010 Georgia Avenue in November 2025.

Acting President and CEO Sammy Lowdermilk said the new space will continue to offer public meeting and event facilities similar to Floor Five, which has hosted about 100 gatherings each month. The Lupton Building, part of the Stone Fort Land Company Historic District, is being renovated to provide collaborative space for local businesses, nonprofits and civic groups.

The greater Chattanooga area is known for its vibrant neighborhoods, scenic beauty and a wealth of historic homes that reflect the city’s deep roots. From charming bungalows to stately Victorians, these properties offer a unique blend of craftsmanship and character.

After nine faithful years on Broad Street, the end has come for Mad Priest’s humble chapel. But fear not, for a grander sanctuary now stands at 1200 McCallie Avenue. Like a caffeinated exodus through the permitting wilderness, Mad Priest’s journey has been long and occasionally plagued by drywall demons. Yet by divine perseverance – and a few strong lattes – they have arrived. For more information, updates and a map to the promised land, visit www.madpriestcoffee.com or follow @madpriestcoffee on social channels.

Welcome back to Flick Picks, your twice-monthly movie fix. This installment serves up a wild new Paul Thomas Anderson thriller, a dog drama that hits grown-up emotional depths, a timeless romantic classic and a simple treat to share with your pup while you watch.

It was just one victory, and an odd one at that Sunday in Arizona. But for beleaguered Titans coach Brian Callahan, it probably felt more like a stay of execution.

With all that has gone wrong for the Titans over his tenure, with now just four wins in 22 games, the victory over the Cardinals provided at least a brief respite from all that has gone wrong in that time, and at best a boost of confidence that maybe sometimes the ball does bounce the right way – quite literally on a couple of game-changing fumbles Sunday.

After four weeks of watching bad football that seemed like an extension of last season for the Tennessee Titans, I was beginning to have my doubts about Cam Ward and whether or not he was worthy of being chosen with the first overall pick.

Through those four games, Ward was hardly showing the promise and progress that would lend encouragement that he was on his way to success.

Suppose you’ve considered the Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride for your next three-row SUV. In that case, you probably know both models are nearly identical under the metal. Or rather, they were until recently.

Redesigned for 2026 with new style, new engines and upgraded technology features, the second-generation Palisade refines an already impressive model that consistently finishes near the top of Edmunds’ annual SUV rankings.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators have opened yet another investigation into Tesla's self-driving feature after dozens of incidents in which the cars ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing into other vehicles and causing injuries.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heather Campbell lost her job working for a food bank over the summer because of federal funding cuts. Her husband serves as an officer in the Air Force, but now he's facing the prospect of missing his next paycheck because of the government shutdown.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. directly purchased Argentine pesos on Thursday and finalized a $20 billion currency swap framework with Argentina's central bank, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post.

The intent is to provide assistance from the Latin American country's economic turmoil.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Ryan O'Reilly scored a power-play goal early in the third period, and the Nashville Predators opened the season Thursday night by beating the Blue Jackets 2-1 and extending their home winning streak over Columbus to 10 games.

The Predators ' streak on home ice against Columbus dates to March 30, 2019. They are 44-6-4 in Music City against the Blue Jackets. Overall, they have 71 wins over Columbus, which ranks second only to Nashville's 72 wins against Chicago for the most by the franchise against any opponent.

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Federal judges in two states on Friday are considering challenges to the government's treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose mistaken deportation to El Salvador galvanized opposition to President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration policy and mass deportation agenda.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said Friday she "cannot support" a White House proposal that asks MIT and eight other universities to adopt President Donald Trump's political agenda in exchange for favorable access to federal funding.

Every week hundreds of millions of people around the world gather to worship in peace. But for some, there comes a day when deadly violence invades their sacred spaces and shatters that sense of sanctuary and safety.

It happened recently at a synagogue in England and two churches in the U.S. Before that, there were high-profile attacks at mosques in New Zealand, a synagogue in Pennsylvania and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. This violence can intensify anxiety and outright fear among clergy and worshippers worldwide.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Thursday reasserted the unproven link between the pain reliever Tylenol and autism, and suggested people who opposed the theory were motivated by hatred for President Donald Trump.

During a meeting with Trump and the Cabinet, Kennedy reiterated the connection, even while noting there was no medical proof to substantiate the claim. He also mistakenly described a pregnant woman's anatomy and linked autism to circumcision.

NEW YORK (AP) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle urged parents to stand against social media companies that they said prey upon children with exploitative algorithms as the "explosion of unregulated artificial intelligence" adds to their concerns that technologies' benefits are inseparable from its dangers.

HONG KONG (AP) — China has hit U.S.-owned vessels docking in the country with tit-for-tat port fees, in response to the American government's planned port fees on Chinese ships, expanding a string of retaliatory measures before trade talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

NEW YORK (AP) — With Halloween on the horizon, Chicago Costume is stuffed. Packaged costumes, including superheros and Japanese animation characters in both kid and adult sizes, dangle near colorful wigs and bottles of fake blood. Downstairs, vintage clothes from the 1970s beg for one more boogie night.

LONDON (AP) — Britain's antitrust watchdog on Friday labeled Google a "strategic" player in the online search advertising market, paving the way for regulators to force the company to change its business practices to ensure more competition in that market.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that "there seems to be no reason" to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea after China restricted exports of rare earths needed for American industry.

The Republican president suggested that he was looking at a "massive increase" of import taxes on Chinese products in response to Xi's moves.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Johnson is the speaker of a House that is no longer in session. The Republican leader sent lawmakers home three weeks ago after the House approved a bill to fund the federal government. And they haven't been back in working session since.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are ramping up the pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who won a special election last month to succeed her late father.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of gridlock, President Donald Trump finally landed a long-sought Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza — an agreement that only came together after a weekslong diplomacy blitz and a whole lot of help from some Arab and Muslim allies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and — most vocally — himself.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was honoring her "for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy."

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is undergoing what he has described as a "semiannual physical" at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than two decades later, Congress is on the verge of writing a closing chapter to the war in Iraq.

The Senate voted Thursday to repeal the resolution that authorized the 2003 U.S. invasion, following a House vote last month that would return the basic war power to Congress.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector players, U.S. officials said Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans have voted to roll back restrictions on mining, drilling and other development in three Western states, advancing President Donald Trump's ambitions to expand energy production from public lands.

Senators voted 50-46 Thursday to repeal a land management plan for a large swath of Alaska that was adopted in the final weeks of Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. Lawmakers voted to roll back similar plans for land in Montana and North Dakota earlier this week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday in a mortgage fraud case that President Donald Trump urged his Justice Department to bring after vowing retribution against some of his biggest political enemies.

James, a Democrat who infuriated Trump after his first term with a lawsuit alleging that he built his business empire on lies about his wealth, was charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2020.

CAIRO (AP) — Bombardment stopped and Israeli troops pulled back in Gaza on Friday under a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But will the agreement lead, as U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed, to "a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace"?

It took pressure on Israel and Hamas from the United States, Arab countries and Turkey, each saying it was time to end a two-year war that has devastated the Gaza Strip, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, sparked other conflicts around the region and increasingly isolated Israel.

NEW YORK (AP) — A monthslong calm on Wall Street shattered Friday, and U.S. stocks tumbled after President Donald Trump threatened to crank tariffs much higher on China.

The S&P 500 sank 2.7% in its worst day since April. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 878 points, or 1.9%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 3.6%.

McEWEN, Tenn. (AP) — An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant left multiple people dead and missing on Friday, authorities said, as secondary blasts forced rescuers to keep their distance from the burning field of debris.

The blast, which people reported hearing and feeling miles away, occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems in rural Tennessee. The company's website says it makes and tests explosives at an eight-building facility that sprawls across wooded hills near Bucksnort, a town about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — National Guard troops were patrolling in Tennessee's second-largest city for the first time Friday without the legal challenges, protests and vigorous public criticism that ultimately led to a court-ordered halt of soldiers in the Chicago area.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers in the ongoing government shutdown.

Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on the social media site X that the "RIFs have begun," referring to reduction-in-force plans aimed at reducing the size of the federal government.