News - Friday, March 1, 2019

If a person is the sum of their experiences, 35-year-old attorney Stephanie Rogers should already be an old soul. But her passionate advocacy for her clients, her enthusiasm for community involvement and the childlike zeal with which she still absorbs the world evoke a youthful idealism that’s rare for someone her age.

Arbitration & Mediation Services has added Sam Robinson Jr. as a civil mediator. Robinson recently retired after more than 10 years as a full-time mediation specialist with over 2,000 resolved mediations with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee has launched a website designed to help students, teachers and the general public learn more about the federal judicial system.

Like other Realtors, Kevin Wamack works hard to serve his clients. But his labors don’t end there.

In an effort to return to his profession a small measure of what it has given him, Wamack also strives to serve his fellow agents, and is doing so by devoting volunteer time to Greater Chattanooga Realtors, which refers to itself as “the voice of real estate in Greater Chattanooga.”

Of dozens of bills before the state Legislature on voting this year, many would make it easier to cast ballots or register to vote, potentially benefiting students, the elderly and disabled, and people with felony records.

“I think voting is very fundamental to who we are as Americans,” says Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville. “I think ballot access is nonpartisan. We have to assure ourselves that our ballot is counted and that people who are duly registered can vote.”

When it comes to buying or selling property, consumers want the best. The best price, the best property, the best location and the best process.

What many don’t know is that they also have the right to the best real estate professional. Realtors are professionals, and that’s why we abide by our code of ethics, which was established in 1913.

Mortgage interest rates have been inching upward, and most experts predict rates will continue to rise throughout the year, even though there was a drop at the beginning of 2019.

With the average 30-year-fixed rate nearing 5 percent, some would-be homebuyers might begin to reconsider their purchase plans. However, it’s important to keep today’s rates in perspective and be confident that it’s still a good time to buy.

I knew “Fighting with My Family” was going to be something special when the father walked in on his 10-year-old son choking his younger sister and rectified the situation by correcting his son’s technique.

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing? If you really want to choke her out, then lock your fingers,” he says, helping his son make the necessary adjustments. “Now pull it tight.”

Joanie Sompayrac has been added to Legal Aid of East Tennessee ‘s board of directors.

Sompayrac is a Judith Finley Stone Alliance Professor Accounting in the Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting at UTC and a law degree at the University of Cincinnati.

CycleBar is offering a special rate for the members of the Chattanooga Bar Association. The indoor cycling studio is also hosting a complimentary private group ride for members of the CBA on Wednesday, March 27, 4 p.m. This will be a 45-minute class. To learn more about CycleBar or sign up for the private group ride, contact CBA Executive Director Lynda Hood at lhood@chattanoogabar.org.

International Women’s Day will be observed March 8. Around the world, special events will celebrate the cultural, social, political and economic achievements of women.

However, this last area – economic progress – is one that still causes concern, and rightfully so. Women still face gender-related challenges. How can you deal with them?

CHI Memorial Foundation’s 14th annual Pink! Gala raised $471,000 – a record high for the event. The proceeds will benefit the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial.

The sellout crowd brought the total amount raised during 14 years of the annual fundraising gala to more than $4.2 million.

Licensed practical nurses in Chattanooga can now earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Erlanger Health System. The expansion of East Tennessee State University’s LPN-BSN program to Erlanger made this possible.

ETSU’s LPN-BSN program has been in place since 2001. Initially, it was accessible to working nurses in the Tri-Cities area, with courses offered to students on ETSU’s main campus in Johnson City. But the program grew after ETSU began using technology to offer courses at other locations in the state.

There always seems to be more money in the bank account when it comes to Tennessee football.

Whether it’s hiring or firing coaches, the Vols find a way to dig deeper into their pockets to make things happen.

Despite having already paid millions of dollars in buyouts to departed coaches, Tennessee hasn’t stopped the spending spree for new hires this year thanks to the generosity of boosters and donors.

Public Art Chattanooga recently released its 10-year strategic plan outlining opportunities and goals for public artwork, and detailing policy, operational and funding strategies for the City of Chattanooga’s public art program.

The Public Art Strategic Plan was created through an intensive community planning process, CHA Creates: A Public Art Vision. The plan responds to the different perspectives Chattanoogans voiced about what constitutes public art, its purpose and the growing demand for public art to address specific community concerns.

The Helen Ross McNabb Center has added Brad Franks as director of Hamilton and McMinn counties. Franks will oversee the center’s outpatient services in the Chattanooga area.

Franks is a licensed marital and family therapist. He has been with Helen Ross for the past 10 years. Franks most recently served as the center’s director of addiction services in Knoxville.

Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” will be presented in the Humanities Theatre at Chattanooga State Community College on Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. The performance will feature Chattanooga State’s music department, Choral Arts of Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Ballet and Heritage High School Concert Choir. Admission is free. Information: 423 697-2460.

The 2019-20 season of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will showcase a variety of guest artists and iconic classical works. The 87th season will also include a spring special event, “Disney in Concert: A Tale as Old as Time.”

Subscribers will have presale access to this special concert event. The remaining tickets will be released for public sale Aug. 1.

The notion that health care outside the U.S. could be good as well as cheap is foreign to many Americans.

Kathleen Peddicord frequently hears from such skeptics as founder of Live and Invest Overseas, a site for people curious about living abroad. Actual expats like her, however, tell of good-quality care at a fraction of the U.S. price.

Many Americans count on their vehicles for outdoor pursuits, which is one reason why SUVs and crossovers have become so popular. But there are some critical differences between their handling, hauling and off-road capabilities.

To help you decide on the right adventure-mobile, we’ve selected two representative models and trims. For the SUVs, it’s the 2019 Toyota 4Runner. Our crossover candidate is the 2019 Subaru Forester.