News - Friday, March 18, 2011

Chattanooga attorney Angela Larkins is one of those rare people who makes a statement when she walks into a room. From her brisk walk, to her tight posture, to the way her clothes seem to be custom-made to fit her small frame, to the way she looks a person in the eye when speaking to them, to her firm handshake, everything about her says to a client, “You’re in good hands.”

Cindy Harris began writing when she was nine-years-old while living on a farm in Wahoo, Neb. Although there wasn’t much to write about watching cows, she says she enjoys looking back on her journal and seeing the difference between these first writings to her children’s story that was recently published.

Saturday, March 18

U.S. District Judge Leslie R. Darr, was given authority to “perform such judicial duties in the Eastern District of Tennessee as he is willing and able to undertake.” Under the designation, Judge Darr was given full authority to act as a federal judge in any and all matters anywhere in the Eastern District of Tennessee and through September 1962.

I was watching television in the media room at the Levison Towers when one of the partners, Judge Parker, came in and attempted to adjust the “rabbit ears.” The media room was once the library, but I’m certain Judge Parker didn’t know that, as he hadn’t done legal research in decades. He also didn’t know that the antenna that he was trying to adjust was no longer functional since we added cable to the television. Big law firms often retain retired judges in deference to the public service they once performed. Much like the antenna.

It has taken them 13 years to make their return to be seen by the public in Tennessee with their ugly, large red eyes, but the first news releases are out announcing their upcoming arrival. Sometime during the month of May, thousands will be seen dead on the roadways and under trees. All across Middle Tennessee and other parts of the state, their loud buzz will be heard almost to the point that ear protection will barely cover up the “love songs” they sing for their mates.

Computers truly have changed the world. Whether you like them or not, unfortunately, they are part of our lives, at least until the lights are turned out permanently.

My first experience with computers came when I was in high school. There was only one computer terminal in the whole school, and there was no such thing as the Internet.

Charles S. Pesce v. East Tennessee Construction Ser-vices, Inc.

McMinn County – Charles Pesce (“the Owner”) is a practicing dentist. He contracted with East Tennessee Construction Services, Inc. (“the Builder”) to build him a new office for his practice on a lot owned by him. The Builder constructed the building, but with numerous undisputed defects. The Owner filed this action which culminated in a bench trial that lasted several days. Based upon diminution in value, the trial court awarded the Owner $282,000 in damages. The trial court expressly found that the cost to repair the structure was an unacceptable measure of damages because it “is disproportionate . . . to the difference in the value of the structure actually constructed and the one contracted for.” The court awarded the Owner discretionary costs of over $10,000. The Owner appeals challenging the measure of damages as well as the amount awarded under the diminution in value measure. The Owner also challenges the trial court’s failure to order the Builder to reimburse him for fees charged by one of the Owner’s experts in connection with his discovery deposition taken by the Builder. The Builder challenges the award of discretionary costs and argues that the damages awarded are excessive. We reverse in part and affirm the remaining judgment as modified.

There was a plethora of basketball to view over the weekend, if that’s your thing. I watched a little of it on Friday night, switching over from the SEC to the Big 12 to the Big East, which was UConn playing Syracuse. It went into overtime and the Huskies came out on top behind the great Kemba Walker, who led his team to the tournament championship over Louisville. How good is the Big East anyway? My buddy Judge Morley probably put it best when he said they are to basketball what the SEC is to football.

“I’ve never unbuckled a dead man.”

So said a law enforcement officer, later quoted by both Dear Abby and her sister, Ann Landers.

Yet, there persists a story, predating the Internet but widely circulated in recent years, in which a group of loveable people burn to death in a crash because they could not get out of their seat belts.

The Honest Pint comes by their name from the Irish tradition of gathering at the local pub after a hard week’s work to share an honest drink together, be among friends and forget about the concerns of the world for a little while.

What if they had a free-for-all and a shoe sale broke out?

Elbows were flying, ladies were running, I was sweating and running barefoot. This recent craziness took place during a shoe sale at Dillard’s. It wasn’t pretty, but it had to be done, and in order to snag a good pair of shoes, you had to be ready both physically and mentally. I didn’t plan on going crazy, but when my bargain radar intercepted the 70 percent off signs above the racks and racks of shiny shoes, all bets were off. Seeing me go into bargain hunter mode was nothing new for Parish and he sought safety in another store. He’s a smart man.

1. Of the following colors, which is NOT found on an original Starbursts package? Red; Orange; Yellow; Green; Pink.

2. What college did Abraham Lincoln attend? Harvard; Yale; William & Mary; none of the above.

3. True or False: Astronauts Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee, and Ed White were killed when the Saturn IB rocket exploded on the launch pad.

Maybe your mother was right. When she said you’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached, she might’ve been onto something.

You completely missed an important meeting yesterday. You’ve left vital documents at home on the counter (a lot of good they’ll do there), you filed something yesterday but can’t find it now, and every morning is a mad scramble for hide-and-go-keys. And you forgot your lunch twice this week.

Tonya Ransom wants your body. But just for 28 days. She says you’ll feel great when she’s done.

Ransom is the creator of B.U.S.Y. Body Boot Camp, an innovative four-week fitness program in which she takes the workouts to where her clients are.

Although Ruth Grover always knew she had a love of art, realizing what level this passion would plateau upon has been a lifelong search.

Grover is now the director and curator of the George Ayers Cress Gallery of Art at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the John and Diane Marek visiting artists series. Growing up in a small Ohio community of 17,000 (an entire population that would fit inside the McKenzie Arena), the general community conception of art and artists was not very good, and Grover was discouraged from pursuing a career in the arts.

Beginning her real estate foray in 1979, Eleanor Mitchell has been through the ups and downs of the industry and come out on the other end unscathed and positive for the future. Although, Mitchell admits that last year was one of the most difficult for her in 30 years of helping sellers and buyers meet their needs, she says the signs are pointing to a brighter picture ahead.

It’s rare that someone is born with natural leadership skills that make standing up and leading a meeting a cinch for them.

The Neighborhood Leadership Institute recognizes this and provides free leadership skills training classes. The classes are designed to empower residents to be better leaders in their community and provide them with the tools and necessary information to get things done in their community, says Donna Dewesse, project specialist for the Department of Neighborhood Services and Community Development and the coordinator of the NLI.

These days, particularly with so many foreclosures on the market, ordering an inspection when you’ve made an offer is not only recommended, it’s critical.  Otherwise, you’re relying on the seller (in some cases, the bank) to provide you with a list of defects.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Lent, the Old English word for spring, is a 40-day period before Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday. It derived that name from the season of the year during in which the 40 days fall. This name is unique to English. In almost all other languages its name is a derivative of the Latin term Quadragesima, or “the forty days.”

What if what we think of as spirits were actually beings that looked like us, guided our affairs and worked for a mysterious figure known as The Chairman? That’s the question “The Adjustment Bureau,” a new movie based on a Philip K. Dick short story, asks.