News - Friday, February 24, 2012

In the knotty realm of judicial process, things are rarely made easier. But a locally developed jury selection app for iPad has the potential to simplify the work of countless trial attorneys across the country. The user must still make the hard and fast decisions about which jurors he or she wishes to jettison. But “JuryStar” replaces the reams of sticky notes and other tools attorneys use when interviewing jurors with a simple point-and-tap interface.

Three attorneys at Chattanooga-based law firm Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel – William Aiken, Anthony “Bud” Jackson and William Pickering - have been named 2012 BTI Client Service All-Stars by BTI Consulting Group. BTI is a provider of market research of law firms and professional services firms.

Commercial Realtor Benjamin Pitts is walking through an empty office suite in the Loveman’s building in downtown Chattanooga. Although the space in the elegantly designed historical building is void of furniture, computers and people, Pitts sees it differently. In his mind, a small law firm is in operation around him. He can see the reception desk near the entrance, the table in the conference room, and the attorneys at their desks. When he pictures the firm’s logo on the carpet near the front door, he moves the reception desk to the side.

Dai Zhensong, 28, a citizen of the Peoples Republic of China, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court at Chattanooga, to serve 37 months in prison as a result of his August 2011 guilty plea to a federal indictment charging him with five counts of intentionally trafficking in counterfeit airbags. The Honorable Curtis L. Collier, Chief U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Tennessee, also ordered him to serve three years supervised release upon his release from prison and pay $210,738.00 restitution.

Feb. 24

Author Cindy Harris book reading

Harris, a resident of Hixson, Tenn., will be reading from her children’s book, “Raoke and the Camp Raid,” at Belvoir Christian Academy, located at 800 Belvoir Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. In “Raoke and the Camp Raid,” Raoke, a raccoon, is faced with a tough decision: Will he remember the lessons his parents taught him, or will his friends pressure him into stealing food from the humans?

John Delk, 40, of Cleveland, Tenn., was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court, Chattanooga, to serve two years of probation and 100 hours of community service, by the Honorable Curtis Collier, Chief U.S. District Judge. The sentence was the result of a guilty plea by Delk on November 9, 2011, to a federal indictment charging him with falsifying work records at the Tennessee Valley Authority Watts Bar Nuclear Facility.

Saturday, Feb. 24, 1912

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Bachman have purchased the Conner home on Walden’s Ridge for a summer home.

Dr. and Mrs. J.M. Hogshead have returned from New Orleans, where they attended Mardi Gras.

Sunday, Feb. 25, 1912

Congressman John A. Moon is being congratulated today for his wonderful achievements in regard to the Rivers and Harbors bill for the Tennessee River, which carried an appropriation of $6,700,000 and the Army bill appropriation, to make Fort Oglethorpe into a Brigade Post.

I’m working in the Levison towers on the cusp of holidays. Just passed is Valentine’s Day – a trap created by candy and flower companies for the unwary. In fact, half-empty boxes of chocolates and wilting carnations litter the kitchen here on the 23rd floor.

The need for expediency in our busy society leads some of us to make hasty food choices. Because we have a lot to do, we want our next meal to be available NOW! However, when we become slaves to convenience, we sometimes sacrifice quality.

That won’t happen at Panda Express, though.

We were not quite newlyweds in 1982 when I bought my first new car, a black Pontiac Firebird with those hidden headlights. Practical? Not so much. Cool and fast? Oh yeah. And to try out the new wheels what better road than scenic Highway 7, from Russellville to Harrison and then over to Mountain Home.

One of the most interesting stories I’ve ever worked on is an upcoming piece on Robby Wilson and his collection of military headgear that has expanded from a college hobby to world renown non-profit organization preserving 20th Century head pieces. Wilson said that each arm of the military uses headgear as a major recruitment tool. In fact, one fashion expert informed Wilson that for the better part of the last 500 years, fashion has been driven by military uniforms of the era.

One dull Saturday night during my second bachelorhood, I decided to explore the world of Internet personals. I logged on to Yahoo, created a profile, and skeptically clicked the “random” button on the main page. Up popped a picture of a stunning brunette. Today, that woman is my wife.

While preparing to turn right with the green light the other evening at a fairly busy intersection, I noticed another car coming from the opposite direction at a rapid speed. Realizing the driver was not slowing down and turning left into my path, I stopped and waited for her to go by. As the car accelerated away, I noticed the license plate to be a Tennessee vanity tag supporting pro-life. The tag is sold in support to help pregnant women find abortion alternatives and to save the lives of unborn children. A great cause to be involved in, but as the lady sped away from the scene totally unaware of how close she came to harming herself, as well as my grandchildren’s grandfather, I thought about the ironic circumstance of that moment. She had spent over $100 for a cause to save unborn lives, but in the turn of a steering wheel could have easily taken her own life and mine if I had not been aware of her actions and doing some defensive driving of my own.

Last week, I flew to Ft. Lauderdale to speak at a criminal law seminar on the topic of cross examination. I arrived Thursday before noon and got checked into the hotel. I went to the gym and worked out. After I went back to my room for a shower, I realized that I needed to get some Diet Coke to stock in my room for my three day stay. I used my phone to locate a nearby store and got up to leave. Then it hit me: the hour was getting late, I had dinner plans and would be out for several hours, and my phone had little or no charge left.

A couple of weeks ago almost an entire column was devoted to one item of viewer mail. No one complained, so I might as well do it again. For, less than a week after hearing from Carole Hanna of Memphis, I heard from Daphine Craig: “I have always enjoyed your crossword puzzles which appear in The Memphis News,” Daphine wrote. “Olive Branch, Miss., my hometown, is a suburb of Memphis. I’m glad to see you have Mississippi roots.”

TASTE, a fundraiser hosted by The Kidney Foundation, invites food fanatics and fans of all things local to experience the different “tastes” Chattanooga has to offer on March 8 from 5-9 p.m. at Warehouse Row. TASTE, with a previous life as Taste of Chattanooga, is an event that appeals to all facets of Chattanooga culture. Ticket holders will be entitled to free samplings of local cuisine from many of Chattanooga’s finest restaurants, plus one drink ticket to be used for beer, wine or other non-alcoholic beverages. Liquor will also be available for purchase at a cash bar.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to extend payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits. The vote was 293-132. Minutes later, the Senate approved the $143 billion measure by a 60-36 vote. President Obama said he would sign a bill as soon as Congress passes it.

Trains, planes and automobiles. Or in this case, just trains. The train and its surroundings have been immortalized in folk songs, tall tales, blues, and rock & roll. There is a certain fascination with trains, steel rails and the life of “trainman” … engineer, conductor, gandy dancer, etc. Try your luck on one of America’s oldest forms of transportation.

Charcoal? Check! Lighter? Check! Apron? Check! Ready to hit the outdoor grill? Check and check! Goodbye 30’s and rain and hello 50’s and sunshine! This weather is the perfect grilling weather, and it has me revved up and ready to go. So, I have been checking the expirations dates on mustards, marinades and other grilling seasonings, and replacing them with fresh ones. And to go with that, I have a great recipe for you to try – on the grill of course!

For the seventh straight month, home sales in January inched higher, rising 3.4 percent above the level seen last January. This data is based on a weighted average of 53 metropolitan areas surveyed for the Remax National Housing Report. Following an unexpected jump in sales at the end of 2011, January sales returned to a seasonal norm and were down on a monthly basis 19.3 percent from December. Perhaps due to falling foreclosure numbers, January was the 19th consecutive month that inventory levels dropped. The number of homes for sale last month was 24.1 percent lower than the number seen in January 2011. In the 53 metro areas, home prices were down only 0.8 percent from one year ago, building a trend of much anticipated price stabilization.

The End of Illness” By David B. Agus, MD - c.2012, Free Press - $26.00 / $29.99 - Canada - 336 pages, includes index. The picture truly surprised you. You must’ve been 15 when it was taken, maybe a little older. You were smiling at something (you can’t remember what), the sun was shining on your face and you looked like you were having fun.