News - Friday, March 23, 2018

Tennesseans waste an estimated 40 percent of their food supply yearly, even as people go hungry in the state. It’s a staggering statistic, especially considering that an estimated 1 million Tennesseans – about 315,000 of whom are children – are considered “food insecure” and don’t necessarily know from where their next meal is coming.

Atlas Organics, a composting company and hauler headquartered in Roebuck, South Carolina, recently expanded to Chattanooga offering compost pick up services and related equipment to residential and commercial customers.

For $24 a month, participants receive two 5-gallon collection pails with a compostable liner to fill up weekly with vegetable scraps, banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds and other compostable waste, and the company then collects the pails from the participant’s homes or businesses and returns 10 gallons of finished compost each month.

Republicans called it the “kickoff” to what they hope will be a great election season. Democrats are downplaying a lopsided loss in the 14th Senate District special election, saying it won’t represent results later this year in President Donald Trump’s midterm.

Katherine Lentz was in her teens when her father, the late Chattanooga attorney John Higgason, warned her that if she ever became a lawyer he’d shoot her.

He was kidding, of course. Lentz speculates that he’d just received a vexing call from a client after hours and wanted to spare her the same fate.

Realtor Cheree Knight has joined the real estate team at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Signature Brokers. Knight has been in real estate since 2004 and has been a multi-million-dollar producer for 14 years.

“Cheree is renowned for her spot-on instincts and attention to detail. She’ll go to any length to find the perfect fit for her clients,” says Gina Sakich, Signature Brokers broker and owner. “This single-minded focus coupled with her superior client skills has earned her a reputation for professionalism, perseverance and discretion.”

RE/MAX Renaissance has come to Hixson. Led by broker Brenda Purcell, the office will cater to home owners and contractors in the Hixson, Middle Valley and Soddy Daisy areas.

“First time home buyers have more opportunities than ever before,” Purcell says. “With the growth in the region, we felt our agents needed to be here to better serve their clients. It’s a great time to be in the business, and we think we’ve chosen a great location.”

The exclusion for forgiven home mortgage debt following a foreclosure, short sale or loan modification should be made permanent to provide relief to troubled borrowers and minimize the damage to families, neighborhoods and communities.

That’s according to recent testimony from the National Association of Realtors before the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy at a hearing evaluating recently expired tax provisions.

Lara Croft makes the leap from video games to movies in “Tomb Raider,” a brisk, well-made action-adventure film that delivers plenty of B movie thrills. It’s no “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but what film is?

Lara has been on the big screen before in a pair of movies starring Angelina Jolie (“Lara Croft – Tomb Raider” in 2001 and “The Cradle of Life” in 2003). Perhaps you remember them. Or, maybe you remember Jolie being in them, as she was a perfect Lara trapped in two terrible films.

The three most prominent national market trends for residential real estate are the ongoing lack of abundant inventory, the steadily upward movement of home prices and year-over-year declines in home sales.

Sales declines are a natural result of there being fewer homes for sale, but higher prices often reflect higher demand, leading to competitive bidding. Markets are poised for increased supply, so there’s hope that more sellers will take advantage of what appears to be a ready and willing buyer base.

If you’re thinking about remodeling your home this year, you can find some inspiration within one of the featured show homes from the recent 2018 International Builders’ Show – The New American Remodel.

The home showcases many of the latest trends in remodeling that focus on modernizing a home while maintaining key elements of its original design to preserve its vintage charm. The modern building techniques used during the renovations transformed the 80-year-old Orlando residence from a cramped abode into an expansive estate with a large kitchen, an adjoining great room and outdoor pavilion, as well as an all-new master suite.

The days are longer and the temperatures are warmer – so it must be spring. For many of us, that means it’s time for some spring cleaning. But why stop with sprucing up your living space? This year, consider extending the “spring cleaning” concept to your financial environment, too.

To help area law enforcement investigators probe and solve potential opioid-related deaths, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office this month hosted a seminar on the topic taught by law enforcement training firm Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates.

Wait till next year. Again. Hope for better.

It’s going to a long offseason for Tennessee basketball.

The Vols were seeded No. 3 in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region and were upset by No. 11 seed Loyola-Chicago, 63-62, in the second round in Dallas.