News - Friday, February 8, 2019

Spice up your Chattanooga love story by falling in love with a new romantic restaurant on Valentine’s Day.

The classic day for passion could find you and your loved one embracing a new chef or cuisine or a new part of town. What could be more romantic than discovering the burgeoning food scene together? 

The Chattanooga Bar Association honored the following members recently during its 121st annual meeting at Read House. Front row from left: Glenna Ramer (Harry Weill Zealous Practice of Service Award), Stephanie Rogers (YLD Volunteer of the Year Award), Justice William M. “Muecke” Barker (Jac Chambliss Lifetime Achievement Award) and William P. Aiken Jr. (Ralph H. Kelley Award). Back row: Lynda Minks Hood, recognized for 25 years as the CBA’s executive director, Steven Jacoway (2019 board president), the Hon. Alex McVeagh (Albert L. Hodge Volunteer Award), William G. “Bill” Colvin (President’s Award) and Marc Harwell (2018 board president).

A question for my fellow Southerners: Which South are you from?

I don’t mean which part of the South. I mean, what kind of South.

A while back, a friend and fellow Mississippian passed along a book of columns written by yet a third Mississippian. My friend’s thinking was probably that, given our mutual geography and writing forms – columns, essays – I would appreciate the author’s work.

Joanie Sompayrac, a licensed CPA, attorney and college professor, has added real estate agent to her resume.

Sompayrac, a Judith Finley Alliance Professor of Accounting in the Rollins College of Business at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has joined the Chattanooga Property Shop Team of Keller Williams Realty after nearly three decades in the classroom.

Greater Chattanooga Realtors recently released its annual report on the local housing market, and it turned out 2018 was a very busy year.

The average sales price was nearly $223,000, which is a 5.5 percent increase compared with 2017 ($211,000).

Many homeowners tend to postpone major home improvement projects until spring and summer, but the professionals who do home improvements and the suppliers who sell the materials are ready to do business year-round.

During the offseasons, many of these businesses will offer lower prices to attract more customers. That means homeowners might find that it’s easier to not only schedule professionals to do the job but also get a break on the price.

To say the financial markets were a bit bumpy in 2018 would be an understatement. The S&P 500 was down 6.2 percent for the year, the first time this key index fell since 2008, during the financial crisis. What can you anticipate in 2019? And what investment moves should you make?

Test-driving a vehicle is a critical part of the buying process. And while you may be familiar with the basics, there are a number of things you can do to save time and streamline the process.

Here’s how to hack your way to a better test-drive experience:

Sculpture Fields will host Spring into Sculpture on Saturday, April 27. The event will culminate with the burn of a two-story wooden structure by artist Andrew Nigh. Spring in Sculpture will also feature a laser light show, live music, artists creating paintings and drawings outdoors, food trucks, and a beer and wine tent.

Chattanooga’s first Lego convention, BrickUniverse Lego, arrives at the Chattanooga Convention Center on May 18-19.

Professional Lego artist Jonathan Lopes will be coming from San Diego to showcase more than 30 of his Lego displays, including an 8-foot high Lego Model of New York City’s Woolworth Building.

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. Focusing on the fundamentals of archery with an emphasis on safety rules, the sessions follow the National Archery in Schools format and procedures.