News - Friday, November 16, 2012

Miller & Martin attorney Christie Kizer Burbank has been elected to be the vice-chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Health Law Section for 2013 and 2014. Burbank will subsequently serve as chair of the section in 2014 and 2015. 

Chattanooga firefighters, along with staff and volunteers with the American Red Cross, on November 3 distributed free smoke alarms and batteries in a residential area located between McCallie Avenue and 11th Street. The event coincided with the move back one hour to Eastern Standard Time.

The building at the corner of Sixth & Chestnut in downtown Chattanooga is being transformed into Liberty Tower. Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has selected Liberty Tower as its new home. The law firm will be occupying the top four stories of the building just after the new year. Chambliss’ offices will offer a modern workspace with improved conferencing facilities available to clients and community groups for a variety of events. In addition, the firm is seeking LEED certification for the new offices. The open design architecture will maximize natural light, leading to an estimated 15 percent reduction in power for lighting. Also, over the next few months, the firm will be switching to electronic storage as the primary means of archiving client and firm data, with a goal of reducing paper storage by 50 percent. This shift will make information more accessible and available for client needs. (David Laprad)

Thirteen attorneys from Chattanooga-based law firm Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel are included on the “2012 Mid-South Super Lawyers” and the “2012 Mid-South Rising Stars” lists. Attorneys included on the “2012 Mid-South Super Lawyers” list have received high ratings from their peers. Only 5 percent of total attorneys located throughout Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee are listed as “Super Lawyers.”

Travis Thompson has joined Miller & Martin’s litigation department as an associate. “We’re excited to have Travis join our firm.  His depth of experience in products liability class actions will further strengthen our pharmaceutical, technology and class action practices,” said Travis Mcdonough, chairman of the firm’s litigation department.

Warehouse Row has launched a new addition to its community retail concept: the Chattanooga Market General Store, now open in the North Building. The General Store will serve as a six-days-a-week storefront for selected vendors from the traditional Sunday market at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Vendors from Chattanooga and Tennessee will offer a variety of items new to Warehouse Row, including nonperishable foods, leather goods, pottery, metal works, furniture and clothing. Individual vendors will take turns doing in-store demonstrations and meet-the-vendor sessions each month. (Photo by David Laprad)

Warehouse Row will welcome a new addition to its mercantile when Crave Café & Bakery opens early next year. The café will be the first bricks-and-mortar location for executive chef Karen Wilson, whose Crave Catering has been serving gluten-free creations since 2010. Crave Café, which will serve breakfast and lunch, will be the first exclusively gluten free restaurant in Chattanooga

With auctioneer Don Hedrick at the microphone and 2012 Miss Tennessee Chandler Lawson by his side, the Chattanooga Civitan Club raised $7,500 during its  nnual Fruitcake Auction, held November 2 at Bessie Smith Hall. The event benefits area children with special needs, including: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Bethel Bible School, FACES, Kids on the Block and T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital. Pictured above: Rebecca Brinkley, Fruitcake Auction chairwoman; Chandler Lawson, 2012 Miss Tennessee; and Jack Chrisman, Civitan president. (Photo provided)

I have a special fondness for the Head of the Hooch regatta. It’s indirectly the reason we moved to Chattanooga.

We had the opportunity to relocate to any US city. By chance, I mentioned to a friend we were thinking about moving to Nashville. My friend, a rower, had just returned from Head of the Hooch. She replied, “If you’re thinking about living in Tennessee, you owe it to yourself to see Chattanooga.” So, had it not been for Head of the Hooch, we wouldn’t have come here.

From his office in Terrace at Frazier, commercial Realtor Lee Harper can look outside his window and see plenty of the very thing he puts so much effort into selling. It’s a good reminder that even in lean times, there is space out there and people who want it.

Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce President Ron Harr speaks with the local chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors Wednesday, November 7 at the Homebuilders Association of Greater Chattanooga. Harr spoke about the many ways in which the Chamber nurtures economic growth and said, "Chattanooga's best days are ahead of us." (David Laprad)

Fitness in Chattanooga is now even more fun with the grand opening of the Health Trail at Warner Park. The trail, which starts outside the Parks & Recreation Fitness Center and winds around the Chattanooga Zoo, features 15 workout stations to enjoy in the fresh air. Each station features unique equipment as well as a sign with pictures demonstrating how to perform certain exercises. Park outside the fitness center, look for the welcome sign near the picnic tables, then walk up, use and get fit for free! The support of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Parks & Recreation and PlayCore made the availability of the fitness equipment possible. (Photo by David Laprad)

I am curious just how much community work has been done collectively by the folks that have signed the petition for the Natural State to go it alone. Are these folks that are generally unhappy with being a part of the United States, or are they just messing around on the Internet with nothing better to do? Do they really think that there is a chance that Arkansas and other states may actually leave the Union? Hasn’t this been tried before? Or are they nothing more than folks that did not get their way in the election and are trying to take their ball and go home like a little child?

For whatever reason, the other day I found myself reviewing some missives that are Pretty Old. And, as usually happens, one really jumped out at me.

“I am writing to apologize for a behavior of mine, which appeared to be disrespectful in the courtroom last Thursday,” the writer began. “I was chewing gum. As I am legally blind, I did not see the posted notice. I didn’t have a mint or a glass of water, and without one of these or gum, my mouth is so dry, I can’t speak. Luckily, you dismissed the case without my needing to do so.”

We saw “Argo” recently, the great Ben Affleck movie about the hostage event and repercussions from 1979 and 1980 over in Iran. If you have not seen the movie, go; if you have seen it then – go again.

We also saw “Flight,” which I think I liked a little better. It is about a commercial jetliner pilot who likes to stay up late drinking and snorting cocaine. Problems arise from this, as they so often will.

Question: Why do jack-o-lanterns have stupid looks on their faces?

Answer: You’d have a stupid look too, if you had all your brains scooped out! Ha-ha! Well, it was funny at 3:30 this morning!

My mom is in the mood for pumpkin pie – she loves it! That sounded like a good idea to me, too, so I bought all the ingredients, but they’re still sitting in the pantry. I thought she was going to make one since she wanted one, and I guess she assumed that since I bought the stuff, I was going to make one.

I love to go snorkeling, although I don’t get many chances to do it. One of my favorite places to snorkel is by a coral reef that is pretty much beach-side. In my opinion, that keeps you out of the way of a shark’s path! (And other scary creatures!) This week’s puzzle is on coral reefs and their importance to our ecosystem.

"Skyfall” is the James Bond movie I never knew I wanted to see. Every few years, I was content to sit through a ludicrous and, in the case of “Quantum of Solace,” incomprehensible plot to enjoy a serving of Bond-ed grandiosity. I enjoyed watching 007 go up against larger-than-life madmen who were out to kill millions of people, seduce beautiful women and then toss them aside like spent ammo clips, and use preposterous gadgets tailored for the precise life-or-death situations in which he found himself. I never took the series seriously, but was glad to have the guy around.

To be a strategic business person, there are certain characteristics you should strive to minimize or, if at all possible, eliminate from your daily activities. Those characteristics you should avoid are:

• Micromanager

• Perfectionist

Saturday, November 17

Provident Life and Accident Insurance Thursday night honored 45 firms and institutions established in Chattanooga 75 years ago. President Robert L. Maclellan was master of ceremony.

The technical advisory committee to the Chattanooga Housing Authority Friday recommended approval of the proposal by Hefter Construction of Miami for a $2,000,000 residential and commercial development in the Golden Gateway, Herbert Banks, executive director of the CHA, reported.

Saturday, November 16

The Tennessee River Improvement Association has greatest convention in its history. The meeting was held in South Pittsburg, Tenn., Friday for the purpose of planning permanent improvements of the Tennessee River and its tributaries to make it navigable all year. The cost will be $6,700,000 for the 652 miles. John A. Patten was re-elected head of the Association. 

Saturday, November 17

Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run

The Annual Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run will take place at the Tennessee River Park Shelter No. 3, located at 4301 Amnicola Highway. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. The Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis will feature a five-kilometer timed run, a one-mile fun run and walk, and a Santa Chase for kids from two to five years old. Find out more about the Jingle Bell Run or register for the event by visiting www.chattanoogajbr.org.