News - Friday, December 29, 2023

Anyone who’s been mired in medical debt is intimately familiar with the swell of anger a ringing phone can trigger and the dread that can wash over a person as they open their mailbox.

Answering the call will invite a stranger’s voice to coldly explain the conversation is being recorded; opening the mailbox might reveal another stack of letters from debt collectors insisting the recipient immediately pay an overdue balance or face legal action.

The County Officials Association of Tennessee has named Hamilton County Juvenile Court Clerk Gary Behler its 2023 State Court Clerk of the Year.

Behler has served as the juvenile court clerk in Hamilton County since he was elected in 2010. During his tenure, he transitioned his office from a paper-driven process to an electronic workflow. His office has now digitized over 8.6 million pages.

Baker Donelson has added two new associates to its Chattanooga office.

Malia Bennett is a member of the corporate restructuring and bankruptcy group and assists clients in a variety of restructuring and insolvency matters with default resolutions, collections and repossessions, and loan workouts.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has tapped Susan Veal to serve as its first director of operations.

“Susan has served Chambliss for over 10 years and, along with her team, is to thank for many of the policies and procedures that have helped advance our firm,” says Mark Cunningham, president and managing shareholder. “From developing the firm’s information security and records retention policies to helping coordinate the firm’s relocation in 2012, her forward-thinking and approachable leadership style creates a positive, future-focused environment that fosters new and continued growth.”

Teresa Shramko says every life tells a story.

Maybe it’s a story about how aspirations became achievements, as though a master stitcher had woven together spools of strong thread.

Perhaps it’s a story about how unexpected events led to hardships, and how those difficulties colored life in shades of blue others could not see.

Realtors absolutely love data. Ask any of us.

Neighborhood reports, comparative market analysis, market statistics – we can produce those in the blink of an eye.

Data is how we measure where we’ve been and helps us look forward to where we might be heading. Looking at the recent past, people with even a basic understanding of the real estate market are aware that the last 12-18 months have been a challenge at times.

As you step into the new year, you might want to consider resolutions that benefit your wallet and contribute to a healthier environment.

High energy consumption not only hurts your finances but also has a negative impact on the planet. Making your home more energy-efficient doesn’t require complex tasks. In fact, simple adjustments can make a significant difference.

Parkridge Health System has added Dr. Joseph Zenisek to Centennial Heart at Parkridge. A board-certified interventional cardiologist, Zenisek completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas and medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He then completed his residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center before completing fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology at the Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.

After extensive changes, including updating computer systems and donor history questionnaires, Blood Assurance is now welcoming many gay and bisexual individuals who want to donate blood.

Blood Assurance is now basing its donor screening criteria on individual risk behaviors rather than sexual or gender identity. The reform comes after a yearslong effort by blood centers, stakeholders in the LGBTQ+ community and the Food and Drug Administration.

The Tennessee Aquarium is offering new and larger wheelchairs for guests needing mobility aid during their visit. Morning Pointe Senior Living is sponsoring the service, allowing the aquarium to provide it at no cost.

The Tennessee Aquarium previously offered manual wheelchair rental, but the cost of maintaining the equipment necessitated charging a fee for their use. As the existing chairs aged, they became more difficult and costly to maintain.

 Who knows where the time goes? We’ve reached the end of another year, so it’s appropriate to reflect on the nature of time and how it affects us. And time certainly is a key element in the pursuit of your financial goals.

As an investor, time can be your greatest ally. If you hold some investments for the long term, you could achieve an impressive cumulative growth in value. Furthermore, if you keep adding shares to these investments, possibly through a dividend reinvestment plan, you could attain “growth on growth” through the power of compounding.

Credit is top of mind for many folks going into 2024. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (79%) say they are trying to improve their credit, a recent survey from NerdWallet finds.

Getting ahead of surprises will go a long way in protecting your credit. Here are four things to look out for that could impact your credit in the new year.

University of Tennessee head football coach Josh Heupel and his staff have worked hard to establish relationships with high school coaches in the state since taking over the program. They don’t want to see talent leaving that could potentially help the Vols compete for championships.

It could have been a nice swan song – the Titans turning back the clock for a Christmas Eve win with Ryan Tannehill at the controls and Derrick Henry doing the heavy lifting.

Almost like 2019, 2020 or 2021. But not 2023 and likely not moving forward.

While the Titans are playing out the string and deciding what players fit into their 2024 plans, there is one name among their veteran unrestricted free agents that stands out above all the others: defensive lineman Denico Autry.

At age 33, one wouldn’t figure Autry to be much of a building block for the overhaul that will be coming to Saint Thomas Sports Park next year.

The Titans have a chance to play spoiler in the division in the season’s final two games, beginning with the Houston Texans this week and at home against Jacksonville next week. Here’s a look at the Texans matchup:

First down

Levis or no Levis. Will the Titans have their starting quarterback, Will Levis, back under center against the Texans? Levis reinjured his ankle two weeks ago against Houston, causing him to miss his start Sunday against Seattle. On one hand, every rep the rookie can get is valuable. On the other hand, if he isn’t close to being healed, the more prudent move would be to sit him until he is, especially behind a porous offensive line that has yielded 13 sacks the last two games.

Milwaukee-based HKS Holdings has started construction on The Waymark, a Hilton Tapestry Collection Hotel. The long-vacant building, known to many as the Chattanooga Bank Building, will receive a new breath of life, says HKS Holdings Principal Tyler Hawley.

RP Homes is developing a 56-home community in the middle of downtown Chattanooga.

Located at the intersection of McCallie Avenue and Central Avenue, the 1,383-1,500-square-foot townhomes will offer residents access to historic architecture, restaurants and shops. The development will also be situated close to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Erlanger Hospital.

How much range an electric vehicle has is a primary consideration for many EV shoppers in determining which they should purchase. But nearly as important is how quickly an EV can charge at a public fast-charging station.

After all, the quicker you can charge your EV, the quicker you can get back on the road and continue driving.