News - Friday, February 28, 2020

Attorney Allie Weiss has a vision of her future that excites her. She sees herself standing before a panel of appellate judges in a hallowed hall of justice, arguing a matter of law.

As Weiss explains why a rule should either remain untouched or be reshaped, she engages the men and women seated before her in legal discourse that could impact untold lives.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has elected Mark Cunningham to serve as president and managing shareholder of the firm.

Cunningham has served in numerous leadership roles at Chambliss, including executive committee member and chair of the health care section.

Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell has elected Christie Kizer Burbank and Mark Kinsman as members.

Burbank is an experienced health care regulatory, transactional and contract law attorney. She joined Rainey Kizer in 2018 after 18 years with Miller & Martin.

Olsen Law Firm has established a $3,000 paralegal scholarship with the Chattanooga State Foundation. The scholarship will assist with the development of paralegals in the Chattanooga area.

“It is important to this firm that it be involved in shaping Chattanooga’s legal community,” Olsen says. “We want to help students reach their full potential in their future legal careers.”

After 35 years with TVA and two years of babysitting her granddaughter, Connie Brown found herself in an unfamiliar situation.

At TVA, she had managed the contracts needed to operate the company’s fossil fuel generating units. As a grandmother, she had helped a new person navigate her first few years of life.

Wow! It seems to me and my fellow Realtors that the spring selling and buying season has started earlier than usual. With an historically low housing inventory, it’s more important than ever to have all your ducks in a row when it comes to buying or selling property.

The increase in multigenerational living and a growing population of older boomers in our area have a growing number of Chattanooga families renovating their homes to accommodate aging loved ones.

The trend also is generating demand for remodelers and builders who specialize in making home modifications that create safer, more convenient living spaces.

Advancements in computer animation have made it possible for filmmakers to render any image imaginable. So instead of asking, “Can we do that?” movie makers now ask, “Should we do that?”

In the case of the dog Buck in 20th Century Fox’s new live action adaptation of Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” the answer should have been “No.”

The Hamilton County Legislative Delegation on Feb. 24 presented a resolution honoring the life of former Hamilton County Assessor of Property Bill Bennett.

The resolution honored Bennett, who died in 2018, for his many accomplishments during his 36 years of public service to Hamilton County including his terms as a county commissioner and assessor of property.

What were the odds it would take more than a year to implement online betting in Tennessee?

The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation has hit a standstill in the adoption of rules for online sports betting. Nevertheless, hope remains that sports fans in Tennessee will be able to legally bet online in time for the 2020 football season.

This isn’t an endorsement, necessarily, but have you ever noticed we’ve never had a president named Joe?

As it happens, there’s a guy named Joe running for president now. You can have a say in his chances by voting in Tennessee’s Democratic presidential primary March 3.

If your IRA is big enough to help you pay for retirement with enough left over to leave to your heirs, you’ll want to pay close attention to some recently enacted legislation because it could have a big impact on your estate plans.

Here’s the background: As part of the 2019 SECURE Act, which includes provisions to help people build their retirement savings, the so-called “stretch IRA” has been limited for most non-spouse beneficiaries.

High-yield cash management accounts are popping up at brokerages nationwide, promising customers much better returns and higher insurance limits than they can get from traditional banks.

The accounts are a twist on the sweep accounts brokerages have long offered their customers, in which idle cash is swept into a money market account or affiliated bank account so it can earn interest while waiting to be reinvested.

Top Employers Institute has certified Volkswagen Chattanooga as a Top US Employer for the second consecutive year. Volkswagen Chattanooga is one of 24 U.S. employers to receive this acknowledgement from the human resources certification company.

Top Employers Institute assesses and validates 600 practices and indicators during its certification process.

Darren Hulgan is the new executive director of Life Care Center of Hixson.

He has worked in senior care for 12 years. Hulgan also served in the U.S. Air Force, worked in the retail grocery industry and earned a degree in business organizational management from Covenant College.

Realtor Bobby Moore has joined Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Signature Brokers as its newest sales associate. Moore became intrigued with real estate when he and his wife, Cindy, began buying homes that “needed a little love.”

Moore, an FAA licensed drone pilot and experienced aerial photographer, and his wife have formed a team that will operate out of Signature Brokers’ Ooltewah office. “We realized there would be nothing more rewarding than to put our talents together,” Moore says. “We feel we have what it takes to give the extra special service you expect and deserve.”

Hamilton County School has named three new principals for the 2020-21 school year.

Dr. Ethan Hildreth, a former superintendent of Henry County Schools in Georgia, will lead the new East Hamilton Middle School when it opens this fall.

LaFrederick Thirkill will be the new principal at Washington Alternative School.

The 54th annual Tri-State Home Show returns to Chattanooga Convention Center Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 1.

Presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga and EPB Fiber Optics, the Tri-State Home Show offers attendees a chance to see the newest trends in residential design and landscaping and the latest advancements in home technology and energy efficiency.

The Chattanooga Iron Sharpens Iron 2020 Men’s Conference will be held at Christ United Methodist Church, 8645 East Brainerd Road, Saturday, Feb. 29, 8:30 a.m.-4:55 p.m. The conference is open to teenage boys and adult men of all ages. Dress is casual. Pre-registration is requested. Discounted student and group rates are available.

Meghan Small was the first piece of the championship puzzle to fall into place. Once Matt Kredich got Small on board, the University of Tennessee director of swimming and diving knew big things could happen for the program.

Small was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country in 2016, and her commitment to the Lady Vols had a far-reaching impact.

 The Chattanooga Film Festival has announced the first wave of titles for its 2020 installment. Taking place April 16-19 at Songbirds Guitar Museum, CFF will offer four days of films, events and workshops.

CFF will screen the sci-fi drama “Synchronic” on opening night. The film revolves around two New Orleans paramedics who encounter a series of deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre effects.

The City of Chattanooga is partnering with Civic Dinners for conversations that challenge citizens to examine the factors that affect economic mobility and quality of life in the community.

As part of the Chattanooga Dream initiative launched in late 2019, Mayor Andy Berke is inviting Chattanooga residents, business leaders and organizations to the dinner table over the coming months to discuss quality of life and the factors that contribute to stalled economic mobility in Chattanooga.