News - Friday, December 22, 2017

It’s May 25, 1977. Word about a new space fantasy adventure called “Star Wars” has spread like wildfire overnight and lines for tickets are winding around theaters and snaking down streets. As shows sell out, people stand their ground, like they’re waiting for a three-minute rollercoaster ride instead of a two-hour movie.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Now go find a job. That’s the message the state of Tennessee is sending nearly 60 employees at Fall Creek Falls State Park at this joyous holiday season.

Rather than outsource jobs and the renovation of park’s inn, a proposal vehemently opposed by state workers and numerous legislators, the Department of Environment and Conservation is opting to take a different route, one that means closing the old inn for 18 to 24 months in April 2018 and building a new one.

By David Laprad

In a real estate market defined by the word “more” (more business, more agents, more optimism), Nu Vision Realty owner Katherine Woodburn says Realtors are ready for less.

So, she’s giving it to them.

Kyle Hedrick of Chattanooga is the new Circuit Court judge for the 11th Judicial District. He replaces Judge W. Neil Thomas III, who has retired. The 11th Judicial District serves Hamilton County.

Hedrick and attorney Glenna Ramer have practiced together since 1994. They formed the law firm Ramer & Hedrick in Chattanooga in 2001.

Tim Gibbons, shareholder and chair of the construction group at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, has been selected as a fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. Before joining the construction, litigation and business groups at Chambliss, Gibbons practiced as a licensed architect in Atlanta.

Attorney Tamra Harris has joined Miller & Martin in Chattanooga.

Harris practices in Miller & Martin’s litigation department with a concentration in business litigation. She is experienced in the areas of corporate disputes, crisis management, pharmaceutical matters, professional malpractice and appeals.

Husch Blackwell’s Chattanooga office has promoted Samantha Lunn to partner effective Jan. 1 and added associates Ryan Burgett and Adam Buddenbohn.

Lunn, a commercial litigator in the firm’s financial services and capital markets group, counsels national and international clients on complex financial matters, including securities litigation, corporate and fiduciary governance, insurance litigation and white-collar investigations and litigation.

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon attorney Justin Faith and Drew Reynolds of Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams have been selected to participate in the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program, a six-month leadership program for the legal community.

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan has teamed with the local chapter of the Salvation Army to sponsor the Corporate Angel Tree Program. Staff and attorneys are sponsoring angels throughout the Chattanooga area.

“We’ve sponsored this program the last several years,” says attorney James Exum, a member of the firm. “It’s always amazing to see how generous our attorneys and staff are this time of year.”

Dr. Michael Greer, Dr. Michael Love, Rae Young Bond and the late Tom Edd Wilson will be honored at the Erlanger Health System Foundation’s annual Dinner of Distinction on Friday, Jan. 19. This is the 15th year for Erlanger’s annual recognition event, which will be held at the Chattanoogan Hotel from 6-9 p.m.

Second Life Tennessee and the Chattanooga Coalition Against Human Trafficking will host their seventh annual human trafficking awareness event on Friday, Jan. 19, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at the DoubleTree Hotel, 407 Chestnut St.

The local expression of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month will be “Unite: Wear White.” Event guests are asked to wear white as a sign of solidarity about human trafficking and to support those who have been or are victims of the crime.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is an earnestly made film that has its heart – but not its head – in the right place.

Disney gave writer and director Rian Johnson the keys to the Magic Kingdom as he set out to make the eighth chapter in the “Star Wars” saga, allowing him to take the story and its character in any direction he desired.

All the Money in the World

“All the Money in the World” follows the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother Gail (Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom.

Jacob Warren got one of the best phone calls of his life a couple of weeks ago.

The senior tight end at Farragut High School was relieved to hear what new Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt told him.

“I talked to him the other day and he was just saying he’s excited to get going, and they were honoring my commitment, which was amazing to hear,” Warren said last week at the Farragut fieldhouse.

Old St. Nick delivered a sack full of good news for the Greater Chattanooga housing community with the November market report.

Closed sales for the month increased by 5.7 percent compared to November of last year, which leaves the market with a 1.4 percent increase year to date. Keep in mind that sales in 2016 were record highs in this market, so the 9,274 sales this year is a strong number.

When you think about the spaces in your home where you most enjoy spending your time, the garage is probably not at the top of the list. Here are some ways to make it a more functional and – dare we say – attractive space.

Storage everywhere

There are several types of sturdy, free-standing shelving units and hanging fixtures available. But pay close attention to the weight limit for each shelf and measure your space carefully to make an informed decision before you buy. Whenever possible, affix the shelves to the studs within the walls so that they don’t tip and cause injury.

As the year draws to a close, it’s a good time to review your progress toward your financial goals. But on what areas should you focus your attention?   

Of course, you may immediately think about whether your investments have done well. When evaluating the performance of their investments for a given year, many people mistakenly think their portfolios should have done just as well as a common market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500.