News - Friday, November 17, 2017

In high school, intellectual property attorney Autumn Witt Boyd took lessons to sharpen her lyrical soprano voice, performed in theater productions and dreamed of being an opera singer with its “big production and the makeup and the costumes and the stage names.”

Crye-Leike affiliate broker Donna Darnes has a saying she likes to remember when she encounters an obstacle: “The difference between try and triumph is a little umph.”

Scribbled in ink on a Post-it note and affixed to a mirror next to her desk in her Ooltewah office, the quote is attributed to Marvin Phillips. “I don’t know who he is but I like what he said,” Darnes says.

Attorney Art Grisham will discuss addictions, dysfunction aids, anger management and more during “In Quality We Trust: Balancing Life & Work in the Practice of Law,” his 23rd quality of life seminar.

Julian Kaufman, owner of Forte Fitness, and Julie Baumgardner, president and CEO of First Things First, will join him.

Attorney John Bode’s annual labor and employment seminar, featuring an open bar and holiday gifts, will return for its eighth run this December. Bode will also serve cookies and provide a labor and employment law update. A number of “esteemed panelists” will join him.

Rachel Allred has joined Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel’s Commercial Real Estate and Business Sections as its newest paralegal.

“We’re pleased to welcome Rachel to our real estate team,” says Michael Stewart, real estate section chair and shareholder at Chambliss. “Rachel has a well-rounded skill set, and she brings a broad range of real estate and transactional experience to the Chambliss team. The addition of Rachel will allow our firm to continue to serve our clients in an effective and efficient manner.”

2018 will be a year of change for the Tennessee General Assembly, and 2019 will bring even more, especially in leadership – much depending on the popularity of President Donald Trump.

Not only is the Legislature moving to the Cordell Hull Building, vacating the Legislative Plaza after 45 years or so, a number of legislative faces are changing, too, even before next year’s election.

The Chattanooga Bar Association picked a crisp, cloudless fall afternoon for its annual golf tournament, which took place on the well-manicured Brown Acres Golf Course.

Competition was tight, with teams from Husch Blackwell and Chambliss Bahner tied for first at the end of 18 holes. Husch Blackwell secured the win in a scorecard playoff that went to the seventh hole.

Admit it, fans of Tennessee-Chattanooga women’s basketball. You. Are. Spoiled.

As much as Tennessee Lady Vols fans of the 1990s and, to a smallish degree, as much as the hated UConn Huskies, years of success built on years of similar expectations have created a fan base that will accept nothing less than success.

I know snoring is frowned upon at the movies. It’s up there with texting, talking and chewing Jujubes with mouth open on the list of capital offenses at the cinema. But it’s not like I did it on purpose.

It’s just that “Murder on the Orient Express,” the new film based on the famous 1934 Agatha Christie mystery, is boring. To the fellow filmgoer who tapped my shoulder and pointed to the nearest exit, please accept my sincerest apology.

Kelley Cureton is the new director of the green|light program at green|spaces. A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Cureton moved to Chattanooga two years ago, drawn by the city’s outdoor lifestyle.

Cureton holds a degree in tourism and event management from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in global sustainability from the University of South Florida.

The Chattanooga real estate market continued to demonstrate its resilience in October as sales increased over last year despite a significant decrease in the amount of available homes for sale.

In October, Realtors in the Greater Chattanooga region sold 793 residential units compared to 788 in 2016. This .6 percent increase in sales pushed the year-to-date total to 8,250 homes for a .7 percent increase.

Picture yourself hosting a gathering at your home during the holidays. The mental image you conjure most likely includes some delicious food, festive music and a roaring fire in the fireplace, right?

Building a fire creates a cozy atmosphere and adds an element of elegance. But whether yours is a wood-burning or gas-burning fireplace, each requires maintenance to ensure it’s safe to use. So before you light a match or ignite the pilot light, consider the following:

You may spend decades contributing to your IRA and 401(k). But, eventually, you’ll need to use this money. Before that day arrives, you’ll want to be familiar with the rules governing withdrawals – and you’ll want to know just how much you should take out.

The Tennessee Board of Law Examiners has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Tennessee to adopt the Uniform Bar Examination, which would be a major change in the portability of bar exam results for aspiring Tennessee attorneys.

The UBE is a nationwide test that has been adopted by 28 states and allows takers to transfer scores between states. Currently, Tennessee lawyers needing to obtain a license in another state had to meet waiver requirements, which often include a significant experience component or the need to retake the bar exam in that state.

Two members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga were recently elected to positions with the Home Builders Association of Tennessee.

Ethan Collier was elected 2018 vice president – secretary, and Jay Bell was elected Southeast region area vice president.

M&M Industries will undergo a major expansion in Chattanooga. The solutions packaging manufacturer plans to invest more than $42 million and create 110 jobs in Hamilton County.

“We’ve worked hard to make Tennessee a state where existing businesses can thrive,” Gov. Bill Haslam says.

Green|light works to nurture a business culture of sustainability in Chattanooga. The green|spaces program supports both large and small businesses that are interested in reducing the environmental impact of their policies and practices. The program takes into account the type and size of an organization and works alongside it to create a step-by-step sustainability plan.

The Tennessee River, like other major waterways around the world, has long served as a cradle of civilization. For thousands of years, people have been drawn to the banks of the river because of the area’s natural beauty and abundant biological riches.

Three Jewish-themed, award-winning documentaries will be shown at 7 p.m. on three consecutive Mondays beginning Nov. 20 at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. Tickets are $8 per person and include popcorn and a soft drink.

Showing Nov. 20, “On the Map” tells the story of the 1977 Israel-Russia basketball European Cup championship game and the unlikely players who won. The film series will continue Nov. 27 with “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker,” which profiles the Ukrainian-born American singer, comedian, actress and radio personality. The final film, “Rabin In His Own Words,” will screen Dec. 4. Through a combination of archival footage, home movies and private letters, the film explores the personal and professional life of the former prime minister of Israel.