News - Friday, October 26, 2012

Thursday, October 18 was a good day for golf. The sun was shining, the air had the right amount of autumn crispness and although the wind might have been too strong for some, there’s nothing like a challenge to bring out the best in a Chattanooga lawyer.

The Chattanooga Police Department is hoping its new speed enforcement technology will result in fewer speeding tickets, not more.

The department is replacing its fleet of mobile speed vans with four spanking new Ford Explorers leased from General Services. The SUVs will be outfitted with radar-based equipment from Sensys America. The speed vans used laser-based gear to spot lead-footed drivers throughout the city.

Miller & Martin is celebrating its 145th anniversary and Burkett Miller’s philanthropic contributions to education.

Founded in 1867 by T. M. Burkett, Miller & Martin was an original tenant of the Volunteer Building on Georgia Avenue upon completion of its construction in 1917. Over the succeeding years, the firm has grown in order to serve many of Chattanooga’s leading companies in the Coca-Cola bottling, insurance, banking, manufacturing and service industries, and now represents clients regionally and nationally through its office in Chattanooga and offices in Atlanta and Nashville.

The Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors has hired a new chief executive officer. Carol Seal will assume the responsibilities Francie Ryder will leave behind on January 1, 2013, when she retires after many years of dedicated service.

Seal says she’s looking forward to working with the real estate community in Chattanooga.

This ghastly ghoul was just one of the many costumed Realtors and sponsors at the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtor’s Trunk or Treat event on Tuesday. Together with sponsors from Arrow Exterminators, Ascent Home Loans, Bell Development, Boom, First Choice Title, Home Pro Inspection, Jody Millard Pest Control, PEMCO and Peoples Home Equity, these real estate pros from Bridge City Realty pumped lots of little mummies, ninjas and Transformers full of goodies, hosted free games, rides and a bouncy house, and generally made sure the kids who came had a ton of fun. Music, free food and more were also on hand for the festive occasion. Here, Realtor David Freeman gives Bridge City Realty founders Tonjia Landreth (L) and Denise Leach (R) a chilling embrace. (David Laprad)

The Annual Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run is coming November 17. At the event, two local faces of arthritis will be running and walking to fight the pain of this disease.

Six-year-old Junior Honoree Katelyn was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in May of 2007, when she was 20 months old. Her diagnosis came after four months of wondering what could be wrong when she became unable to walk and was hospitalized for a week. After her initial flare-up was under control, she went 18 months without any problems. But in May of 2009, Katelyn was diagnosed with uveitis, or arthritis of the eyes. Although she responded well to the treatment, her eyes would not remain free of inflammatory cells for more than a few weeks. Katelyn has been on an injectable medication for arthritis since 2010, and her arthritis is under control.

Halloween brings one of the most difficult challenges for parents and dentists: keeping children’s teeth healthy and clean. But kids can maintain a healthy mouth while enjoying holiday treats, says Dr. Jed Jacobson, chief science officer of Delta Dental of Tennessee

All together now: “Awww...”

Chattanooga Zoo residents Czar and Kasimir are new parents to two snow leopard cubs born at the Zoo on October 2. Both cubs, one boy and one girl, and the mother are doing well.

Snow leopards are considered an endangered species, with only 4,000 to 6,000 remaining in the wild. High death rates in the wild are due to poaching, retribution killings and vanishing habitats. Efforts at breeding snow leopards in captivity have been marginally successful at best due to their solitary lifestyles and low birth survival rate.

Fresh off writing about Boren’s “When in Doubt, Mumble,” I see Joe Queenan’s article, “Office jargon - where meaning goes to die,” in The Rotarian magazine. J.Q. comes down hard on “360 approaches,” “emotional quotients” and doing things “24/7.” He’s not much easier on “win-win situations,” “sooner rather than later” and “in the final analysis.”

What are little boys made of?

Snips and snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails,

That’s what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice, and everything nice,

When my brother-in-law (BIL) called in August with another one of his, “Do I have another great opportunity for you,” I listened because he usually has pretty good ideas. 

“What is it?” I asked.

“The Ryder Cup is at Medinah outside Chicago the end of September,” BIL said. “Let’s try to get tickets for us and the girls.” 

This week, I have an article about useful kitchen tips that I hope will make your kitchen work and food preparation easier and faster. Be sure to try the casserole recipe below! Most junk-foodies (or people with limited tastes like my family) will like it. It has a wonderful flavor and is easy and quick to assemble after you get home from work. I started making this years ago, when my family was young, and I have adapted the ingredients along the way. I never had a recipe, and don’t even remember if it had a name. But I do know it’s one of my family’s favorites!

Pumpkin time is here. Almost every grocery market and garden center has them loaded and stacked in some form. There are also farmers with parked trucks full of them and churches and schools selling them. What is your P.I.Q. (Pumpkin Intelligence Quotient)?

I approached “Paranormal Activity 4” like I did the second and third installments in the popular series of horror films: With adolescent anticipation, I bought my ticket, settled into my seat with a tray of fake nachos and waited for the scares.

A successful business is one that has effective systems and staff in place that keeps the business operating like a well-tuned machine. It does not depend on the daily presence of the owner day-in and day-out to run smoothly.

Can you, without feeling guilty, take a month long vacation? A two-week vacation? A one-week vacation? How about just a long weekend? If not, you do not have a successful business. Instead, you have a glorified job.

Saturday, October 27

Four teams exceeded their quotas in the current United Fund campaign report Friday at Read House. Overall, a total of $1,088,237 or 87.8 percent of the 1962 drive goal of $1,238,406, has been realized in gifts and pledges, Joe H. Davenport, Jr., campaign chairman, announced.

Saturday, October 26

The announcement by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Carothers of the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Marian, to Frank Buckingham Quackenboss will be received with great interest by the many friends of this popular couple. The wedding will take place in November.

Friday, October 26

See double at Townsend Atelier

Join Townsend Atelier for a laid back, fascinating evening watching two artists at work. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., painter Mia Bergeron and sculptor Maria Larson will each be creating a portrait of the same live model. Bergeron will paint a portrait in oil and Larson will sculpt in clay. Attendees will be welcome to ask questions, take photographs and mingle during the demonstration. Light refreshments will be served. Townsend Atelier is located at 201 West Main Street. Register for the event at www.townsendstelier.com.