News - Friday, November 5, 2021

Realtor Bill Panebianco says he has a system for everything. And by “everything,” he means EVERTHING – underlined, boldfaced and italicized.

Panebianco, 57, could pull an example from his work as vice president of sales and marketing for Pratt Home Builders – the homebuilding arm of Pratt and Associates. He could also use an example from the other hat he wears at work – principal broker for Pratt Homes.

The speakers at SETLAW’s 2021 Lioness of the Bar award ceremony did their best to roast this year’s recipient, Hamilton County Clerk and Master Robin Miller, during an event Oct. 28 at Pinnacle Financial Partners, but each one confessed to coming up empty.

The Chattanooga Bar Association and Chattanooga Bar Foundation’s first Lawyers Have Heart 5K run concluded with two CBA members placing first in their respective categories. Grace Burks of McMahan & Associates was the first woman to cross the finish line, while John Templeton of Patrick, Beard, Schulman & Jacoway bested the other men. The event was held Oct. 29 at Camp Jordan in memory of attorney Mike Anderson.

Attorney Stephany Pedigo has joined Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel’s estate planning section in an of counsel capacity.

Pedigo provides estate and trust-based solutions to clients in Tennessee and Georgia. Focusing on asset preservation, she drafts wills, powers of attorney, trusts and incapacity documents, and advises clients throughout probate and trust administration.

The state’s 31 elected district attorneys general have recognized Assistant District Attorney Chris Post of the 11th Judicial District as DUI Prosecutor of the Year.

“ADA Post has completely changed the process by which agencies investigate serious injury and fatal crashes caused by impaired drivers,” says 11th Judicial District Attorney General Neal Pinkston.

As the marketing director of First Title Insurance Company, Melanie Reeves typically turns the spotlight on the company and informs Realtors about the services it provides.

But the spotlight swung in Reeves’ direction during the Women’s Council of Realtors – Chattanooga 2021 Realtor Member and Strategic Partner Appreciation event last week when the council gave her its Distinguished Service Award.

Halloween is behind us. The temps are starting to drop. The smell of wood smoke is in the air. This is the time of year when veteran homeowners know to make the most of the comfortable temperatures and get a jump on important housekeeping tasks before the busy holiday season.

Most people associate patios with spring flowers and summer barbecues, leaving their outdoor living spaces neglected during the fall and winter months. However, with a few updates and accessories, your patio can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Fire pits are a popular item in Chattanooga for a reason. There’s nothing quite like gathering around a warm fire on a cool weekend night, enjoying laughter and s’mores.

Surgical oncologist Dr. Justin Wilkes has joined CHI Memorial Surgical Associates.

Wilkes earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine and completed a general surgery internship and residency at Maine Medical Center, where he served as chief resident. Wilkes then completed a complex general surgical oncology fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida.

Hamilton County Schools is increasing the number of school choices for the 2022-23 school year.

HCS will offer choice seats at more than 90 schools to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Choices include early college and career programs, future-ready institutes, magnet schools and open-enrollment schools.

Ryan Ewalt will join the city of Chattanooga as chief operating officer, and Erskine Oglesby will serve as deputy administrator for community development. Both Ewalt and Oglesby will assume their new roles in late November.

Working out of the mayor’s office, Ewalt will oversee the day-to-day operations of the municipal government.

Four years ago, an investigative journalist in Nashville examined the cash grants and tax breaks given to companies as part of the state’s economic development deals to create jobs.

The headline: “Are Tennessee job subsidies a success? Secrecy makes it nearly impossible to know.”

Maybe some shadowy group with an anti-book agenda is behind the shameful deeds. Bibliophobes in Action, say. Illiterates United.

Whatever the motivation, a person (or persons) unknown has been cleaning out some Little Free Libraries around Nashville. It’s a breach of the social contract and honor system upon which Little Free Libraries rely.

Now what? In less than 24 hours, the Tennessee Titans climbed to the top of the AFC playoff standings and learned running back Derrick Henry – the primary factor in getting there – would be undergoing foot injury.

The Titans offense flows through Henry and has for the past two and a-half seasons, but now the Titans will have to find another way to get through the next several weeks – and possibly the rest of the season – with their workhorse running back now on the shelf.

If there is any good news for the Titans in the wake of the Derrick Henry injury it is that the schedule does soften a bit after Sunday night’s game in Los Angeles against the powerful Rams.

It helped the Titans immensely that they jumped out to a 6-2 record, winning four in a row against AFC foes Buffalo, Kansas City and Indianapolis before getting the Henry news. This has given the Titans a good enough cushion in the woeful AFC South that there is almost no way they won’t win the division championship.

Hendon Hooker’s passion for football was never in question. But even the most dedicated athlete can use a reminder of how much the sport means.

That realization struck the Tennessee senior quarterback in September 2020 when, while still playing at Virginia Tech, he tested positive for COVID-19. He received a heart screening after he was released from quarantine, but the tests uncovered a potential heart issue that was unrelated to COVID.

Sprawling legislation against COVID-19 prevention measures is awaiting Gov. Bill Lee’s decision on whether to sign on to efforts to undercut vaccine requirements, mask mandates and more.

GOP lawmakers passed the final bill during the dead of night over the weekend, capping a three-day session called by lawmakers.

When you and your life partner work together to achieve your important long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement lifestyle, the experience can be greatly rewarding. However, your success will require commitment and discipline. So, what steps should you take along the way?

A will allows you to distribute your worldly goods, select a guardian for minor children and name an executor to carry out your wishes.

But you should be aware of what a will can’t or shouldn’t do. This is particularly true if you’re drafting your own document without an attorney’s help, since you could unknowingly make a mistake that upends your whole estate plan.

Jeep’s Grand Cherokee has long been a solid choice for shoppers looking for an upscale and rugged SUV. Now there’s something new: the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which kicks off the model’s full redesign and debuts a third-row seat, something the Grand Cherokee never had.

Thousands of the Tennessee Aquarium’s most popular residents have returned after being absent for more than a year and a half.

Thanks to supply chain disruptions, the aquarium has been unable to source butterflies to fill its Ocean Journey building’s Butterfly Garden since early 2020. However, the gallery is once again filled with the jewel-like insects.