News - Friday, November 21, 2025

Realtor Patti Cole doesn’t just claim Signal Mountain as home; Signal Mountain claims her.

“I was born and raised on this mountain,” she says. “My mom and aunt both worked for the Town of Signal Mountain for 40 years. My roots on this mountain go so deep, I couldn’t pull ‘em up if I wanted to.”

Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett says the public will likely never see the place where some of the county’s most sensitive evidence is stored – and that’s by design. But on a brisk November morning, he steps inside the new 9,100-square-foot space and explains why the unseen work carried out here matters to every resident.

In a year Executive Director Melody Shekari describes as marked by “shifting elements” and escalating pressure on women, the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga is highlighting key wins, new community insights and an urgent call for expanded advocacy in its 2025 Annual Report.

One day earlier this year, Southern Adventist University students were working at a health fair booth at the Samaritan Center in Ooltewah when they were able to help a local senior citizen gain a second chance at life.

Barbara Smith, a retired university employee, had stopped by the thrift store and social services center to shop but became lightheaded and weak. Senior nursing majors Yuna Kim and Somee An noticed she seemed unsteady on her feet and rushed her to the booth to check her vital signs.

With mortgage rates easing from last year’s highs, we’re seeing signs of renewed buyer activity alongside continued growth in available homes.

Nationally

National figures point to a steadier pace of sales. Locally, we’re experiencing a market that offers more choice for shoppers and a bit more time to make decisions. 

Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, will headline the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s 2026 Burkett Miller Distinguished Lecture Series Thursday, Feb. 26. His talk, “How Free Enterprise, Not Government, Made America Great,” will take place 5-6 p.m. in the Hayes Concert Hall at the UTC Fine Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.

CHI Memorial Medical Group has welcomed Dr. Andrew Harper to CHI Memorial Surgical Associates – Parkway.

Harper earned his medical degree from Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta and completed an internship and general surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran, he served nine years including active duty during the Persian Gulf War. He brings more than 30 years of surgical experience to the practice.

Fear of fraud is universal. Today, 77% of Americans are concerned about fraud and identity theft when managing finances online, 2025 research from Edward Jones and Morning Consult finds. Even more striking: 26% of Americans have personally experienced financial fraud.

Our server, Luis, was excited by the culinary treat he had in store for us and perhaps a bit proud to show off his English. “We have, for this moment, a special,” he said, pausing briefly for dramatic effect: “Stomach of cow.”

Colton Hood never doubted his potential. Although he transferred to the University of Tennessee with just one college start under his belt, the redshirt sophomore defensive back thought he could play a big role if given the chance.

Hood has been a bright spot on the defensive side of the ball this season for the Vols. The McDonough, Georgia, native is widely projected as a first-round NFL draft pick and was recently named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which recognizes college football’s top defensive back.

SUVs deliver many attributes that car shoppers love in a vehicle. Thanks to their elevated height, they provide a commanding view of the road. They also deliver lots of passenger space, roomy cargo holds and often have strong safety ratings.

Less appealing are higher fuel bills and the expense of buying an SUV that’s showroom-fresh. The experts at Edmunds have found five solutions on the used market to keep costs in line. Choosing a used hybrid SUV saves money at the point of purchase, and the hybrid engine helps lower the cost of refueling for many miles down the road.

LONDON (AP) — The world's biggest music labels have struck AI licensing deals with a little-known startup named Klay Vision, the companies said Thursday, the latest in a series of deals that underlines how the technology is shaking up the music industry 's business model.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is once more targeting former President Barack Obama's signature health care law, picking a political fight before next year's elections that is reminiscent of one he lost in his first term.

Back then, Trump and fellow Republicans tried but failed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, a stinging defeat viewed as contributing to the party's losses in 2018.

NEW YORK (AP) — A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has been changed to contradict the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism, spurring outrage among a number of public health and autism experts.

The CDC "vaccine safety" webpage was updated Wednesday, saying "the statement 'Vaccines do not cause autism' is not an evidence-based claim."

NEW YORK (AP) — It's a tough time to be looking for a job.

Amid wider economic uncertainty, some analysts have said that businesses are at a "no-hire, no fire" standstill. That's caused many to limit new work to only a few specific roles, if not pause openings entirely. At the same time, sizeable layoffs have continued to pile up — raising worker anxieties across sectors.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington National Cathedral on Thursday hosted a bipartisan show of respect and remembrance for Dick Cheney, the consequential and polarizing vice president who in later years became an acidic scold of fellow Republican President Donald Trump.

While competition heats up in the final weeks of the college football season, a handful of SEC teams are getting their annual gift: a late-season cupcake before rivalry week and the postseason.

Undefeated and No. 3 Texas A&M hosts Samford (1-10), No. 4 Georgia welcomes Charlotte (1-9), No. 10 Alabama welcomes Eastern Illinois (3-8) and LSU hosts Western Kentucky (8-2).

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The former interim U.S. attorney who quit rather than drop the criminal case against New York Mayor Eric Adams defended her integrity during testimony in Manhattan federal court. Danielle Sassoon testified for more than an hour Thursday as a defense lawyer tried to convince a judge that she had suggested she would not criminally charge a woman in the FTX cryptocurrency scandal if the woman's boyfriend pleaded guilty. Sassoon was adamant that she never suggested such a deal and went to great lengths to insist to the woman's lawyers that no deal like that was possible.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to end its monthslong deployment of National Guard troops to help police the nation's capital.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb concluded that President Donald Trump's military takeover in Washington, D.C., illegally intrudes on local officials' authority to direct law enforcement in the district. She put her order on hold for 21 days to allow for an appeal, however.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration announced on Thursday new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, as President Donald Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production.

NEW YORK (AP) — The clock is ticking for the U.S. government to open up its files on Jeffrey Epstein.

After months of rancor and recriminations, Congress has passed and President Donald Trump has signed legislation compelling the Justice Department to give the public everything it has on Epstein — and it has to be done before Christmas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is examining the handling of the mortgage fraud investigation into Sen. Adam Schiff, including the potential involvement of people who claimed to be acting at the behest or direction of two Trump administration officials who have been pushing the probe of the California Democrat, according to a document reviewed by The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) — While President Donald Trump has struggled to settle on a way to address Americans' concerns about high costs, Vice President JD Vance on Thursday offered a more direct and empathetic message, saying, "We hear you" and "there's a lot more work to do."

WASHINGTON (AP) — They gathered at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday — former presidents, vice presidents, sworn political foes and newfound friends — in a show of respect and remembrance for Dick Cheney, the consequential and polarizing vice president who became an acidic scold of President Donald Trump.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tyler Nickel and Tyler Tanner each scored 20 points as Vanderbilt rolled to a 109-74 win over Texas Southern on Thursday.

Devin McGlockton added 14 points, Duke Miles had 12, and AK Okereke and Jalen Washington each scored 11 to give the Commodores (5-0) their fourth game with 100 or more points this season.

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 20 Tennessee beat Tennessee State 89-60 on Thursday night.

Nate Ament and Amaree Abram each scored 15, DeWayne Brown II had 13 and Felix Okpara scored 11 for the Volunteers (5-0).

MURFREESBORO (AP) — Janiah Barker scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and No. 15 Tennessee dominated the first half to roll to an 85-41 win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday night.

Barker scored the first five points of the game and the Lady Vols scored the first 15, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Talaysia Cooper. They added a 9-0 run and led 25-9 after one quarter.

NASHVILLE (AP) — For weeks, a Tennessee special election was flying under the radar in a heavily Republican congressional district. But now funding from President Donald Trump's allies and an appearance by former Vice President Kamala Harris have turned the Dec. 2 contest into a marquee political battle with potential consequences for next year's midterms.

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge in Maryland promised on Thursday to rule as soon as possible on whether to order the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody.

Abrego Garcia's mistaken deportation to El Salvador in March, in violation of an earlier court settlement, has galvanized both sides of the debate over President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Since his return to the United States in June, the government has been seeking to deport him to a series of African countries. His attorneys claim the government is illegally using the immigration system to punish Abrego Garcia for the embarrassment of having to admit that his earlier deportation was in error.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is to meet in private Friday with a high-profile issue on its agenda — President Donald Trump 's birthright citizenship order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the release of 16 people detained by immigration officials during an FBI-led raid at a rural Idaho racetrack last month.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled Wednesday that keeping the migrants jailed without bond violated their due process rights, and he ordered that they be released while they wait for their immigration cases to be resolved. Many of them have lived in the U.S. for decades and lacked any criminal history, Winmill noted. Some are married to U.S. citizens or have children who are U.S. citizens, according to court documents.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday it plans to reclassify certain refundable tax credits as "federal public benefits," which will bar some immigrant taxpayers from receiving them, even if they file and pay taxes and would otherwise qualify.

NEW YORK (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent a recent Wednesday showered in praise from the vice president and health technology CEOs at a glitzy "Make America Healthy Again" event in Washington, designed to celebrate the health secretary's successes and the movement he has built.

GENEVA (AP) — Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced plans to change the voting system of the popular musical extravaganza to ensure fairness, a move that follows allegations of "interference" by Israel's government.

The European Broadcasting Union, a Geneva-based union of public broadcasters that runs the event, said Friday that the changes were "designed to strengthen trust, transparency and audience engagement."

PARIS (AP) — France's government is taking action against artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, which was launched by a company owned by billionaire Elon Musk, after it generated French-language posts that questioned the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz and listed Jewish public figures, officials said.

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The Hungarian service of Radio Free Europe, Szabad Európa, ceased its operations on Friday after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced it would no longer fund the pro-democracy news outlet.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is funded by the U.S. government, was first established during the Cold War to provide news and information to people living within the Soviet Union and behind the Iron Curtain. Its programs are aired in 27 languages in 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — OpenAI and Taiwan electronics giant Foxconn have agreed to a partnership to design and manufacture key equipment for artificial intelligence data centers in the U.S. as part of ambitious plans to fortify American AI infrastructure.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A Senate vote Thursday would restore mining industry access to government-owned coal in the most productive U.S. region, a policy reversal from President Joe Biden that is likely to get President Donald Trump's signature.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's global exports rose 3.7% in October from a year earlier while imports from the world edged up 0.6%, according to government data released Friday.

Exports to the U.S. dipped 3.1%, marking the seventh straight month of year-on-year declines mainly due to higher U.S. tariffs, Finance Ministry data showed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has called New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and a "total nut job." Mamdani has called Trump's administration "authoritarian" and described himself as "Donald Trump's worst nightmare."

NASHVILLE (AP) — Aga Makurat hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Mikayla Blakes added 19 points, and No. 17 Vanderbilt never trailed on Friday as the Commodores beat Alabama State 92-38.

Sacha Washington and Ava Black added 11 points apiece for Vanderbilt (4-0) and Aiyana Mitchell scored 10.

NASHVILLE (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell knew the question was coming at the Tennessee Titans' ceremony Friday raising the final steel beam into place for their new enclosed stadium.

Goodell said Nashville, with the Titans, put their own stamp on the NFL draft in 2019 and changing the trajectory of that annual event for the league. The commissioner said everyone had a wake-up moment that Nashville is a "Super Bowl ready" city as Music City had a record attendance for that draft.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of the Fugees was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.

NASHVILLE (AP) — A group of public school students' parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new statewide school voucher program, saying that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding to help parents send their kids to private schools is unconstitutional.

NEW YORK (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update its website to contradict its longtime guidance that vaccines don't cause autism, he told The New York Times in an interview published Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The widow of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi called Friday for the release of the transcript of a 2019 phone call that President Donald Trump had with Mohammed bin Salman, joining Democratic lawmakers who are raising questions about whether Trump personally benefitted from his embrace of the Saudi crown prince.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has called New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic" and a "total nut job." Mamdani has called Trump's administration "authoritarian" and described himself as "Donald Trump's worst nightmare."