News - Friday, October 7, 2011

The Chattanooga Bar Assoc­iation is encouraging attorneys who would like to improve their knowledge of government contracts or explore a new area of practice to attend a 90-minute seminar to be held October 13 at the Mountain City Club. Attorney Kenneth Kendell will share his insight into the complex realm of government contracts at the Mountain City Club, located downtown on Chest­nut Street, from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

When Michelle Hayes moved to Chattanooga 17 years ago from Oregon, she immediately put her passion for non-profit work into action, first as a volunteer, soon as a coordinator, and today as executive director of the Mary Cameron Robinson Foundation For the Prevention of Eating Disorders.

Saturday, October 7

More than 950 passengers left Chattanooga at 8:30 Saturday morning on the longest passenger train ever to leave Chattanooga for a 165-mile excursion to Oz, Ky. An additional 300 persons joined the train en route. The excursion train returned to Chattanooga about 9 p.m.

The everyday American uses legal terms on a daily basis, often without realizing it. Sometimes, the meanings that those terms develop in everyday use vary significantly from their actual, legal definition. “Bankrupt” and “Bankruptcy” are two very notable examples.

I record “60 Minutes” every week. I rarely watch it, but it is recorded every week. I record it and then, at some point, review it for topics of interest or just erase when I need room to record something else. Up until this week, my favorite part was the final word by Andy Rooney. Sunday night was Andy Rooney’s last night on the show.

It had been a while since I had made the trip out to this part of the county to visit with my relatives. As I pulled into the long gravel driveway of Uncle Sid and Aunt Sadie’s, I was already looking forward to sitting down at their kitchen table for a time of down-home discussion.

As I stepped on the blue bus, I wondered whether I could measure up to the task ahead. I had spent much of the last decade learning to play the fiddle and violin. I listened to every record and learned hundreds of fiddle licks that helped me take these steps. I had already performed for the Grand Ole Opry.

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac

The trip had gone without a hitch, perhaps that should have been my best clue that something was about to go wrong. There had been more than enough time to drive the distance from Chattanooga, Tenn., to Atlanta, where we would catch a flight back to Little Rock.

West Yellowstone, Mont. This hamlet of 1,000 residents is said to have 4,000 motel rooms. But I don’t have time to count. There’s a park to be explored. It’s our first trip to the world’s oldest national park (established 1872), a rectangular tract of some 3,500 square miles that, at first blush, appears to be wholly in Wyoming. However, small chunks of it are in Montana and Idaho.

The Georgia Winery has been around for 29 years, and was the first winery in a state that now has more than 40 winery locations. The Georgia Winery is located near the Tennessee and Georgia border off of Battlefield Parkway and offers free wine tasting, tours, events and, of course, their delicious wine and accessories.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a tomato? I got the inside scoop during a weekend volunteer stint at Heifer International. On most Saturday afternoons, I lead exhibit tours through the learning center at Heifer Village. My afternoons there are typically laid back and air-conditioned.

College football has started and it is all about rivalries, and some even play for trophies. Do you know which schools play for which trophies? 1. Who plays for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy? Iowa/Minnesota: Penn State/Wisconsin: Michigan/Notre Dame: Illinois/Michigan State

Your favorite celebrity lives in a big house. You’ve never actually visited that big house, but you’ve seen pictures and wow: sumptuous bedrooms with ridiculously huge beds, lush lawns, garage-door-size fireplaces, serious marble bathrooms and a kitchen that belongs in a five-star French restaurant. It almost makes your place look like a doghouse by comparison. 

An uncommon hostel in the Southside offers not only the most affordable stay that can be found downtown, but also some of the nicest and newest features lodging has to offer. The Crash Pad’s mission is to further establish Chattanooga as an ultimate outdoor destination by providing a base camp and community hub for adventurous travelers.

On October 27 at the recently opened Track 29 venue, Taste of Northshore will present selections from several different eateries around the city as well as a not-so-silent auction to benefit the Northside Neighborhood House. With anticipation for more than 400 guests to attend, hopefully generating more than $40,000 for the organization, the money will be used to serve individuals within NNH programs, including direct assistance clients, the GED program and the after school program.

Nancy Ellis has heard friends dote on her real estate career, remarking what fun it must be to look at pretty houses all day. Ellis laughs as she recounts this, and states the truth that all good Realtors know. Real estate is not about looking at pretty houses. But Ellis may surprise some when she says it’s also not about sales.

Apparently, builder John Mason and painter Lance Davidson didn’t get the memo about the economic slump.  As the owners of Davidson Contractors, they’ve built more than 100 homes since the recession hit, and sold nearly every one.  Someone, somewhere must have dropped the ball while passing on the news.

A listing that offers a home warranty presents a win-win for all parties.  Sellers can use this attractive marketing tool to give buyers some added assurance and confidence in their purchase, by giving the buyers protection against failures in the home’s systems and appliances.

I love to travel, and anyone that knows me well, knows that little fact about me. It doesn’t have to be far away – it can be here in the Natural State of Arkansas, or it can be in one of the many other great Untied States of America. I’m not so keen on traveling out of the country, although I have made a few trips abroad.

The term “Christian movie” probably doesn’t conjure many positive thoughts in your mind, and with good reason. For the most part, the faith-based films that have received a broad theatrical release have been characterized by clunky direction, contrived storylines, and acting generously described as amateurish.

Prospecting is the most efficient lead generator ever created. All it takes is time and a little bit of skill. You don’t need large amounts of money to prospect well. When I entered real estate sales, prospecting was my only option, since I was undercapitalized in starting my business – translation…Broke!