News - Friday, March 13, 2026

On any given evening, the glow of a smartphone is hard to miss – on sidewalks, in coffee shops, on college campuses and at kitchen tables across Chattanooga. 

Messages arrive in quick bursts: a meme, a GIF from a favorite comedy sketch, a reminder about dinner plans, a photo of someone’s dog wearing sunglasses. 

A postcard from New Orleans arrived one day in the mailbox of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman James Hill. 

He’d never met the sender. 

On the front was a picture of Jackson Square. On the back, written in tight cursive, was a single sentence: “Running late to the train, but greetings from the Gulf Coast!” 

On a table at Chattanooga’s Arts Friends Market on Feb. 28, Mary Price arranged a small but carefully composed display: rows of handmade greeting cards layered with textured papers, vintage postcards and delicate embellishments. Each one had been assembled piece by piece at her worktable, the result of a creative journey that began with a wedding scrapbook. 

Cindy Mathis has assumed ownership of Aladdin Printing & Copying following the recent passing of founder Ginger Weeks. 

Weeks founded the locally owned print shop in November 1996 after acquiring Bee Line Printing & Copying on Chestnut Street. 

J&J Contractors has been awarded a $29 million construction and renovation project for Soddy Daisy Middle School, a multiyear effort aimed at easing overcrowding and modernizing the school’s facilities. 

Located about 20 minutes north of Chattanooga, the school opened in 1960 to serve students in grades seven through nine. The comprehensive project will include upgrades to existing spaces and construction of a new gymnasium. Work is expected to take nearly three years to complete. Pre-construction activities are underway, with full-scale construction scheduled to begin in October. 

District 3 City Councilmember Jeff Davis is inviting residents to attend and take part in a discussion 2-4 p.m. at the Greenway Farm Conference Center, 4960 Gann Store Road in Hixson, about ongoing and upcoming city projects affecting the Hixson area and development of the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. A question-and-answer session will follow, giving attendees an opportunity to ask about these or any other topics related to city government. 

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has launched a new Nanoengineering Center within the UTC Research Institute, expanding the university’s research work in advanced materials and emerging technologies. 

The center evolved from a Center for Excellence in Applied Computational Science and Engineering Convergent Research Initiative that met key milestones in research growth, collaboration and external funding. 

The Chattanooga Police Department honored more than 50 employees, volunteers and community partners during its annual awards ceremony March 5 recognizing exceptional service and lifesaving actions during the 2025 calendar year. 

Police Chief John Chambers opened the ceremony by praising officers and reminding them of the responsibility they carry in serving the public. 

An award-winning craft brewery with a growing footprint in the Southeast is expanding its presence in Chattanooga. 

Creature Comforts Brewing Company will open the Creature Comforts Beer Garden in the city’s Foundries District, creating a large gathering space inside the historic foundry building known as The Shed, adjacent to the Chattanooga Lookouts’ new home at Erlanger Park. 

It’s never a good thing when a team has more controversy and drama than wins over the final month of the season. That’s been the case for the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team.

From the head coach saying the team ‘quit’ to former players criticizing the program to current players getting benched or leaving, the Lady Vols have been on a downward spiral as Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament approaches.

An outfit calling itself the Christian Employers Alliance says its study of legislation across the U.S. shows that Tennessee lawmakers lead the nation in their support of measures that align “with principles rooted in Scripture.”

“The study found that 100 of the 132 members of the Tennessee General Assembly voted with the biblically based position at least 80% of the time,” the group said in a press release announcing its findings.

When you open a retirement account or buy a life insurance policy, you’re asked to name a beneficiary. It might seem like just another form to fill out, but this simple step can affect your family’s future. 

Many people don’t give beneficiary designations much thought after signing the initial paperwork. It may have been years ago, and life has moved on. But this might surprise you: These designations can override what’s in your will or living trust. That means your retirement accounts and insurance proceeds could end up going to someone you didn’t intend, creating what professionals call an accidental inheritance. 

After years of experimentation and early adoption, automakers are rolling out the next generation of electric vehicles that better align with people’s needs and expectations. This year, you can expect to see new EVs that have more range, easier charging, lower pricing and distinctive designs. 

NEW YORK (AP) — With no clear end in sight, the war with Iran sent oil prices back to $100 per barrel on Thursday, and stocks sank worldwide.

The S&P 500 fell 1.4% and resumed its sharp swings following a couple days of relative calm. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 674 points, or 1.3%, with an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.6% lower.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a broad bill on Thursday to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable, a rare bipartisan effort in Congress to address a growing national problem.

The bill, which passed 89-10, would reduce regulations, regulate corporate investors and expand how housing dollars can be used to build affordable homes and rentals. It will now head back to the House, which passed a similar bill earlier this year.