News - Friday, October 18, 2019

Shiba Gorman didn’t believe in things that went bump in the night – until she and her husband stayed in Room 311 at The Read House hotel.

Infamous for a grisly murder that allegedly took place within its walls in 1929, Room 311 is said to be one of the most haunted hotel rooms in the U.S. There is no documentation of the killing – or at least no one is said to have scoured the city’s 90-year-old jail records or newspaper archives to find it – but that hasn’t stopped the rumor of an otherworldly guest in the room from persisting through the years.

Women Inc. Magazine has named two law firms with offices in Chattanooga among its “Top 100 Law Firms for Women.” The list celebrates female leadership and representation in the legal industry.

The magazine recognized Baker Donelson and Husch Blackwell for demonstrating a commitment to female representation, leadership and promotion.

Attorney Martin Pierce, a certified estate planning specialist in Chattanooga, is included in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of wills, trusts and estates, tax law, closely held companies, family businesses law and employee benefits (ERISA) law.

Snack Pack Ministry will be able to feed more students after receiving a $6,300 gift from 100+ Women Who Care Chattanooga.

100+ Women Who Care Chattanooga held its first event at Embargo 62.

Sixty-three women attended the one-hour meeting and contributed $100 each.

With the children back in school and the weather cooling, the housing market begins its annual cooldown, as well.

Nationally, buyer and seller activity remained strong, buoyed by low mortgage rates and a strong economy.

The market fundamentals suggest no significant changes from recent trends other than the seasonally tempered pace we see this time of year. As we move into the final three months of 2019, buyers will find fewer homes coming on the market but also less competition for those homes.

The Women’s Council of Realtors Chattanooga held its fall fundraiser, Southern Shindig on the River, Oct. 8 at Scottie’s on the River. The event drew more than 70 guests, who enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, a live auction and a raffle for a stay at The Edwin Hotel.

Making home improvements will enhance your home’s comfort and add to its value. But not all home improvement projects are created equal.

If you’re planning to sell your home, take the time to focus on projects that offer the best return on your investment. While the cost and value of your home improvements will vary based on many factors, the following projects often have the biggest impact when the time comes to sell your home.

For those who had their pick of seasonal jobs during the 2018 holiday season, it’s a time of glad tidings: 2019 pickings are just as plentiful.

For those who are doing the hiring, it’s a time of great joy in terms of consumer enthusiasm. It’s also a great challenge to find the manpower to meet it. They are responding with flexible hours, bonuses, discounts, on-site meals and more.

Losing an employee, or a group of employees, hurts a business. The cost of onboarding is an obvious factor, but there’s also the institutional knowledge and customer relations the individual takes when he or she departs.

That’s why companies have to be proactive, especially in a tight labor market, to make sure their staff is happy and content.

Tennessee’s larger-county wages are keeping pace with national hiring and wage averages.

Together, Tennessee’s six largest counties , including Hamilton, accounted for 57.2% of total employment within the state.

Average weekly wages increased in four of Tennessee’s six largest counties from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019. Williamson County (7.4%) had athe largest year-over-year wage gain, followed by Rutherford County (5.1%).

Want to work a second job or grab a temporary gig from mid-November through early January?

What’s the better deal, working behind the counter at a department store or grabbing a spot in an e-commence fulfillment center? Or driving for Lyft or Uber? Or plugging into some other type of gig economy slot that lets you pick and choose?

Tyler Byrd could have easily transferred and sought more playing time elsewhere.

The senior wide receiver arrived at Tennessee in 2016 as a heralded recruit out of Naples, Florida. He flashed early in his freshman season but gradually saw his role diminish.

Will Smith goes head-to-head against the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in “Gemini Man,” a sci-fi thriller in which Smith plays an aging government assassin who battles a younger clone of himself. You might think doubling the Will Smith in a movie would double its fun, but that’s not the case here.

We’ve seen some sudden and sizable drops in the financial markets in 2019. While market volatility is nothing new, the recent plunges happened during a period of general political and economic unease.

Still, it can be harmful to overreact to such events – especially if it means making radical changes to your 401(k).

A class of 23 cadets have made it through the Chattanooga Fire Academy’s six-month program to become the newest members of the Chattanooga Fire Department.

“These firefighters are the future of our agency,” says Lindsay Rogers, CFP representative. “They completed EMT training and mastered a number of other skills, like vehicle extrication, how to save a downed or injured firefighter, and how to save themselves if they become trapped or disoriented while fighting a fire. We’re proud of them.”

 The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association have selected the Chattanooga Public Library to be one of 50 libraries nationwide to host a new traveling exhibition titled “Americans and the Holocaust.”

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will continue the 2019-20 Barnett & Company Masterworks Series with “Miraculous Mandarin” at the Tivoli Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.

The CSO will be joined by acclaimed cellist Thomas Landschoot for Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, a work known for showcasing the many facets of the cello.

The Hamilton County Coalition will set up 17 dropoff locations throughout the Chattanooga area during this month’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The event is free and confidential.

HHM Certified Public Accountants has hired two additional partners in its Chattanooga office.

John Klisch will be a technical partner in HHM’s accounting and assurance department. He’ll support the department by providing financial, accounting and auditing expertise with respect to midsized and growth-oriented companies in various industries.

The Tivoli Theatre Foundation will host a fundraising gala featuring bluegrass singer Alison Krauss Friday, Oct. 18, at Tivoli Theatre.

The event will support the foundation’s work to restore and promote the historic Tivoli Theatre, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium and Walker Theatre. Tickets with access to a pre-show VIP reception are available now. The reception will include heavy hors d’oeuvres by Lee Towery Catering, specialty cocktails, a complimentary open bar and a live auction. Search ticketmaster.com for “Tivoli Theater Foundation” to purchase tickets.

WTCI-PBS, the Tennessee Valley’s PBS station, is one of hundreds of television stations across the country that have changed their over-the-air broadcast frequencies as part of the FCC-mandated Spectrum repack.

As a part of this process, WTCI has installed a new tower, antenna and transmitter. The new tower is taller and replaces the one installed in 1969, while the new transmitter is three times as efficient, says Bryan Fuqua, interim president and CEO

The Federal Aviation Authority has cleared JLC AirShow Management to organize and host an AirShow Racing Series.

Air racing has been conducted in a variety of ways over the past several decades. The ARS utilizes two racing lanes with 10 40-foot inflatable pylons spaced approximately 600 feet apart to define the three-dimensional track.