News - Friday, February 15, 2019

When Chandler Lawson was in second grade, Miss Tennessee 1997, Lana Keck, visited her school and placed her crown on Lawson’s head. That simple act made her feel special, and the moment was sealed in her memory.

Fifteen years later, Lawson was the one wearing the Miss Tennessee crown when a girl about the same age she had been in 1997 approached her during a school assembly in Upper East Tennessee and handed her a necklace. “I don’t have much,” the little girl said, “but I want you to remember me.”

Catherine Dorvil, Christopher Hennen, Willa Kalaidjian, Andrew Leffler and Laura McKinney have become shareholders at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel. The new class of shareholders is the largest group of attorneys the law firm has promoted in the past decade and reflects Chambliss’ development of its next generation of diverse leaders.

Baker Donelson’s Robert Divine is named in EB-5 Investors Magazine’s new list of “Top Attorneys in Specialized Fields.” These attorneys are recognized in specialized EB-5 practice groups that focus on EB-5 policy and lobbying matters, complex cases and immigration compliance.

When Jay Craig took the position of team leader at Keller Williams Realty Greater Chattanooga in 2017, the company was poised to experience explosive growth. That year, KW Greater Chattanooga hired 118 agents. In 2018, Craig and company hired 139 additional agents, bringing the total number of agents at the company to 316.

I’m strolling across Miller Plaza on my way to Taqueria Jalisco on an unseasonably warm and sunlit February day. As I near the restaurant, I see the owners have a new neighbor.

Curious, I approach the store, which is nestled in a tiny space between the restaurant and the outdoor stage, and read the logo on the door. “Handmade Here,” it reads. I can already taste the Arroz Con Pollo I’ll be ordering for lunch but am compelled to place my meal on hold and step inside.

In the 2000 comedy “What Women Want,” Mel Gibson plays Nick, a womanizer who acquires the ability to hear women’s thoughts. This teaches him that members of the opposite sex are not prey to be pursued or prizes to be won, but emotionally complex, intelligent human beings who have more to offer the world than their beauty.

Despite a strong U.S. economy, historically low unemployment and steady wage growth, home sales began to slow across the nation late last year.

What could be causing the slowdown? Economists point to a combination of high prices and a steady stream of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. In a move described as a patient approach to further rate changes, the Federal Reserve did not increase rates during January 2019. The lack of increase seems to be the Federal Reserve’s response to the growing affordability conundrum.

If you’re planning to sell your home this spring in order to downsize, relocate or move to your dream home, you have a lot riding on the outcome. You love your home, but prospective buyers come with a critical eye.

A few strategic repairs go a long way to show your house at its best and get the most out of the sale. These tips will help prepare your home to sell quickly and for the best price.

Life coaches – not surprisingly – strive to improve the quality of life of their clients. And financial professionals essentially embrace the same mission. So, if you decide to hire a financial adviser, you should expect to receive some “coaching” as you work toward all your important objectives, such as sending your children to college, enjoying a comfortable retirement and leaving a legacy that can benefit the next generation.

Chattanooga is a city of safe, beautiful, connected neighborhoods where businesses and families can thrive.

That’s the vision behind a series of strategic investments the City of Chattanooga is preparing to make in neighborhoods across the city over the next several months.

An independent, third-party audit resulted in certification of Volkswagen Chattanooga as a top employer for 2019. Volkswagen Chattanooga is one of 23 U.S. employers to receive this acknowledgment from the Top Employers Institute, a global independent human resources certification company.

Hospice of Chattanooga staff and volunteers wore red Friday, Feb. 1, in observance of National Wear Red Day 2019, part of the American Heart Association’s 15-year-old Go Red for Women heart disease awareness program. The event kicked off American Heart Month.

Hunter Museum will unveil its spring exhibition, “Alyson Shotz: Un/Folding,” Friday, March 1.

The special exhibition will be presented in conjunction with the unveiling of a major commission, also by Shotz, designed for the Hunter Museum lobby.

Newk’s Eatery, which Restaurant Business Magazine recently named “America’s Favorite Fast-Casual Chain,” will open its first restaurant in Chattanooga Monday, Feb. 25, at 2380 Lifestyle Way. This franchise marks Newk’s 14th restaurant in Tennessee, growing its footprint to more than 120 restaurants.

California Tortilla, a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant franchise, will introduce its dishes and restaurant concept to guests in Chattanooga in 2019.

Currently operating 42 locations across the mid-Atlantic region, California Tortilla expects to open eight new units by the end of 2019, with aspirations to hit 100 units by 2023.

Outdoor Chattanooga, 200 River St. in Coolidge Park, will host free indoor archery sessions for all ages and skill levels every Wednesday in February and March, 3:30-6 p.m. All sessions will be walk-in (drop in any time during any session) and open to ages 5 and up. No reservation or prior experience will be required to participate. All equipment and instruction will be provided. Information: info@OutdoorChattanooga.com; 423 643-6888; outdoorchattanooga.com/programs/try-archery

Two of the best-selling small SUVs on the market today are the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, with the CR-V being Edmunds’ top-ranked small SUV.

The Toyota RAV4, meanwhile, is redesigned for 2019 with new looks and new technology features. Both offer a comfortable ride quality, lots of available options and impressive fuel economy.