News - Friday, February 12, 2016

Travis Close, Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Realty Center, has been named 2015 Realtor of the Year by fellow real estate professionals with the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors (GCAR). The award was presented Wednesday, Feb. 3 at GCAR’s membership breakfast.

Fletcher Bright will be honored during the 2016 Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Award presentation on Tuesday, March 8. ArtsBuild will host the event at the Hunter Museum of American Art from 6-8 p.m.

ArtsBuild established this annual award in 2014 to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions to the arts in Chattanooga and is actively engaged in the cultural life of our community. The award honors an individual who, through his or her exemplary efforts, has significantly contributed to building a stronger community through the arts.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel attorney Jeffrey Maddux has become a shareholder of the firm.

Maddux has extensive experience representing creditors, businesses, and individuals in the banking and finance industry. He also represents and advises clients on commercial litigation matters, secured transactions, business bankruptcies, consumer bankruptcies, creditors’ rights, and real estate disputes. He’s successfully defended clients in state and federal courts in various jurisdictions, including Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Alabama, Florida, and California. He’s also represented educational institutions regarding issues such as FERPA, student and parental rights, and Title IX issues.

Husch Blackwell has promoted attorney Katie Hall Giannasi to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2016. Giannasi was unanimously supported by the firm’s strategic business unit leaders and the Executive Board.

“Husch Blackwell’s standards for partnership are high, requiring sustained, intense effort. Consistent with these rigorous standards for admission to partnership, [Giannasi] ... has demonstrated professional excellence, loyalty, and pride in our firm, and unparalleled commitment to our clients,” said Husch Blackwell Chairman Maurice Watson.

Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan attorney Charles Poss has been invited to join the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, corporate counsel, litigation and risk managers, claims professionals, and attorneys.

On Friday, Jan. 29, Miller & Martin hosted a luncheon presentation sharing the little-known history of Tennessee’s significant role as the final state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment, securing the rights of all U.S. women to vote.

The Senate and House of Representatives have adopted a conference committee report on Senate Bill 1, which puts into place a framework on how the state’s appellate judges should be confirmed or rejected under the new constitutional mandate adopted by voters in 2014.

A best-selling novelist who became a Realtor is now Crye-Leike’s Chattanooga area 2015 Rookie of the Year. Harold Crye, the company’s co-founder and CEO, was in town Jan. 21 to deliver his annual pep talk.

He gave out a number of awards as well: Jack Webb was named Top Overall Producer; Max Phillips and Jannis Sams won the Top Producing Team award; and Susan Gregg Gilmore was declared Rookie of the Year.

Realtors might not be courting couples this Valentine’s Day, yet new data from the National Association of Realtors suggests the single ladies are where we’ll find the home buyers of 2016.

Single women have made up a larger share of the housing market than their male counterparts since the early 1990s. These women have a strong desire to build and be part of a community, and do not believe that marriage is a prerequisite to homeownership.

Sustainable living has found an enthusiastic following in Chattanooga as home builders and owners increasingly embrace ways to conserve natural resources and minimize the impact on environment.

Green home initiatives are important to builders, consumers, and our community because they promote lower total ownership costs through utility savings and increased durability, and they encourage environmental awareness and stewardship.

If you have a child in college, you’re probably familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which must be completed to help ensure that students don’t miss out on federal and state grants, work-study jobs and loans.

The Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga this month will honor John P. Franklin, Sr., with the 2015 Distinguished Service Award for outstanding community leadership.

Steeped in formal tradition, the Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1922 (93 years), and is given in recognition of an individual’s outstanding leadership and service to the community. The award will be presented to Franklin at a recognition luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at the Chattanoogan Hotel. The luncheon is noon to 1 p.m.

As the usual January-February sludge continues to ooze into theaters, I’ve taken comfort in viewing several of the award contenders released toward the end of 2015.

Last year was easily one of the most remarkable for movies in a long time, with many quality films being released and finding an audience. I struggled to keep up, and missed a number of the movies I was hoping to catch, so when I saw that “Spotlight” had swung back into town on the heels of six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, I jumped at the chance to see it.

The Chattanooga Area Chamber presented a Resolution of Appreciation last week to first responders involved in the July 16 terrorist attacks in Chattanooga.

“Though the events of July 16 were abnormal, the excellent response from first responders is normal, and this excellence is displayed across our city every single day,” said Assistant Police Chief David Roddy.

In October last year – just as I was preparing to teach Kafka’s “The Trial” for about the twelfth time – I received a missive from, of all places, the United States District Court. Guess what, it said (though, this is a paraphrase), you are being called to jury duty. As Yogi would’ve said, “It’s deja vu all over again.”

Chamber-assisted economic development projects from 2015 will create 4,945 direct and indirect jobs, as reported by an impact analysis conducted by the Chattanooga Area Chamber and Younger Associates. This analysis examines the projected economic impact of 2015 Chamber-assisted new business projects and expansions.

All the snowy, cold weather we had not long ago left me in search of warm, cozy recipes. And just watching the news of all the blizzards in the rest of the States leaves me bundled up by the fire!

This past week, I made a large pot of Chili, a large pot of Beef-Barley Vegetable Soup, and a casserole of creamy, cheesy Enchiladas; all great dishes for staying inside and watching the snow and ice, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes! And there was plenty of all of that throughout the world!

This is the conclusion of a Catholic High story, as my friend Jack Wingfield (a fictitious name for a real person) told it to me. Other names have been changed as well.

Monday morning 

River City Company will host a Valentine’s Day pop-up market at Miller Plaza on Friday, Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Miller Plaza is located at 850 Market St. Gifts will be available to purchase from Dipped Fresh, Dish T’Pass Cooking and Catering School, elea blake cosmetic studio, Field and Flora / Shadowbox, Locals Only Gift Boxes, Natural Body Spa and Shoppe, and Tangerina’s.

On Friday, Feb. 12, the Chattanooga Zoo will host its annual Cocktails for Conservation event, Wild at Heart.

The event will raise funds for the Zoo’s conservation initiatives while bringing awareness to the importance of protecting endangered species. Guests are invited to spend an evening at the Zoo from 6-8 p.m. while enjoying cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres, keeper chats, animal training demos, behind-the-scenes tours, and up-close animal encounters.

Creative Discovery Museum will celebrate the Chinese New Year on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The event will feature the Chien Hong Lion Dance Troupe as they present two Lion Dance performances in the Museum Atrium at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga will be offering free genetic screening Sunday, Feb. 21 from 1-4 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, located at 5461 North Terrace Road.

The informational slide show, opportunity to speak with a genetic educator, and the genetic screening are free with a valid insurance card regardless of whether or not insurance covers the test.

The City of Chattanooga will discuss how vendors can do business with the local government during a lunch meeting at City Hall on Friday, Feb. 26.

Topics will include the goods and services the City is purchasing, business incentives, the benefits of Section 3, blanket contracts, and bids.

The City of Chattanooga will discuss how vendors can do business with the local government during a lunch meeting at City Hall on Friday, Feb. 26.

Topics will include the goods and services the City is purchasing, business incentives, the benefits of Section 3, blanket contracts, and bids.

Presentation is an important part of going to the movies. There’s something about being in a darkened theater, surrounded by sound and viewing images cast on a larger-than-life screen. Bigger really is better when it comes to watching movies.

Saturday, Feb. 12, 1966

Sargent Shriver, director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, spoke to a packed and enthusiastic house at the Tivoli Theatre saying the poverty program was accomplishing many intangibles other than providing jobs.

Saturday, Feb. 12, 1916

T.P. Mahoney, City Weights and Measures, has announced that all ice wagons must be equipped with scales. This is a precautionary step so customers won’t complain about short ice weights.

Sunday, Feb. 13

At yesterday’s meeting of some of the citizens, a new institution of banking called the “Morris Plan,” was organized. It will be ready for business March 1. Easton C. Raoul was chosen president, John Stagmaier and Z.C. Patten, Jr., vice-presidents. The manager is to be chosen by the president. The bank will be located in the Montague, 127 W. 8^th St.

Moving form one home to another can be stressful and exciting all at the same, even more so if you are doing this with three kids, two dogs, and a cat in tow. No matter what the situation, though, it is always hectic and chaotic to some degree.