News - Friday, April 12, 2013

Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger at a courthouse press conference Tuesday proclaimed April Sexual Assault Awareness month. Mayor Coppinger made the proclamation to bring attention to the serious nature of the issue in Hamilton County, where 499 cases of sexual assault have been reported over the last 12 months. “This crime affects all generations: daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, relatives, and, in some cases, men,” he said.

Members of the Chattanooga Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau, along with firefighters from Station 4, canvassed the Rawlings Street area in Avondale last week installing free smoke alarms. The event followed the fatal fire Monday, April 1 at 2014 Rawlings Street that claimed the life of a child. The firefighters visited the homes along Rawlings Street as well as homes on nearby streets.

Miller & Martin this week announced the appointment of James Williams to serve as chair of the firm’s litigation department.  In addition, Alison Martin will take the role of Chattanooga vice-chair.

“We are excited to have James and Alison lead our litigation team as the department continues to grow. Their depth of expertise and dedication to the firm makes them invaluable to the future success of the department,“ said Jim Haley, chairman of the firm.

Special to Hamilton County Herald

As the state legislature moves toward completion, state Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) offers his assessment:

“This is no way to govern.”

Fitzhugh, the House minority leader, says the Republican-controlled legislature has needlessly rushed through its business without due deliberation.

On Thursday, April 4, Chattanooga Parks and Recreation opened a new computer lab at Carver Community Center as part of its Lexia After-School Program. The lab is open to children in grades one through eight Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The trained staff creates a safe, supportive environment, said a Chattanooga Parks and Recreation representative.

With the adoption of Tennessee’s Sunshine Law in 1974, public notice became the linchpin that made certain that every public governing body would be required to post notice in advance of all meetings so that its business and deliberations would be conducted in full public view. 

This column was originally published April 20, 2012.

What are you responsible for? Do you know? If someone asked you to list off your responsibilities, could you name them all? Do you have too many responsibilities? Are there people that have responsibilities toward you?  If there are, do they know the full extent of those responsibilities and what you expect from them? It is hard to meet your responsibilities if you are not clear on what they are.

Due to a health problem from which one of my family members suffered, I’ve stumbled upon a great natural treatment. I love natural treatments as opposed to manufactured drugs.

Don’t get me wrong: I know the importance of medications and I would never discount them; however, finding a natural approach to help with specific problems makes me happy!

Henry Chu of the Los Angeles Times reported in late March that “To grammarians’ delight, officials in southwest England who had considered expunging apostrophes from street signs threw out the idea … and vowed to follow the rules of proper English.” Ha! Good luck with that!

This is the second of a two-part article about the making of “42,” a movie about the life of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Partially filmed in and around Chattanooga, the movie debuts in theaters today.

The filmmakers drafted a team of actors to play the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers, led by Christopher Meloni as the famed player-turned-manager Leo Durocher, who utters his immortal words, “Nice guys finish last.” When members of the Dodgers start a petition protesting the addition of Robinson to the team, Branch makes it Leo’s responsibility to put them in their place. Meloni recounts, “Leo nips it in the bud by telling them they can like it or lump it, but they’d better get used to it or they can take the train. Color is a non-issue to Leo; he doesn’t care if Robinson is black, white or whatever, as long as he can help the Dodgers win.”

You presume to name those who have no name. We are pandemonium and disaster. We are the dancing, gibbering horror of the world.” 

~ Brenna Yovanoff, The Replacement

The following is true and no names have been changed because no one is innocent.

I haven’t written a food quiz in quite a while, and after the prompting of some of my readers, I figured I’d better get to cooking! See how many of the questions you can answer correctly – and good luck!

1. Where’s the busiest McDonald’s in the world? Munich; Tokyo; New York; Moscow.

Kathryn Foster, director of small business and entrepreneurship at the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, speaks with members of the local chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors about the Chamber’s INCubator program at the WCR’s monthly meeting April 10 at the Choo-Choo Hotel. Members learned about how the INCubator nurtures a wide variety of start-up business during their first three years of operation. “We’re in the same business together,” Foster said. “We’re selling Chattanooga.” Foster manages the INCubator and CEG. She also serves as staff liaison to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. (David Laprad)

Bent Creek Golf Villa Townhomes in Hixson offer new three- and four-bedroom residences to homebuyers.

The Bent Creek Golf Villas townhome neighborhood in Hixson is introducing its model townhomes this weekend with an open-house introduction of three new floor plans and introductory pricing starting at $199,900.

1. People who have Elurophobia would not be able to visit my house. Why? They have a fear of golf; a fear of stairs; a fear of cats; a fear of cooking.

2. True or false. The blue whale’s heart is the size of a small car.

3. Hoplophobia is the fear of: Rabies; Glass; mercurial medicines; firearms.

Evil Dead has a lot going for it. Unlike the original, made on a shoestring budget in 1981, the production values are sleek and professional. The woods into which the obligatory group of young people is led to the slaughter is thick with atmosphere; there isn’t a hint of sky visible through the low hanging branches and twisted vines. The cabin in which these sacrificial lambs stay was designed with a macabre eye. And the filmmakers apparently spared no expense when creating the practical special effects.

Dear EarthTalk: 

What are some ways we can avoid known environmental triggers for cancer? ~ B. Northrup, Westport, Mass.

Cancer remains the scourge of the American health care system, given that four out of every 10 of us will be diagnosed with one form or another during our lifetime. Some of us are genetically predisposed toward certain types of cancers, but there is much we can do to avoid exposure to carcinogens in our environment.

According to USA Today, “tornado season is about the roar after a slow start.” Whether you are a single person or a family unit, having an emergency food supply to ensure you have nutritious food to eat during a disaster situation is imperative.

The vacant lot on the 700 block of Market Street is undergoing cosmetic changes and getting a new name: Center Park. Center Park is a newly designed pocket park in the heart of City Center that will host various activities for Chattanoogans and be a spot for the public to use at its leisure.

Saturday, April 13

Property fronting on Market and Broad Streets between West Eighth and West Ninth Streets has been designated as a “pilot block” in a movement seeking modernization of the downtown area, W.G. Brown, co-chairman of the Greater Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee, reported Friday.

Saturday, April 12

The City High School Improvement League held an interesting meeting in the school library Wednesday. Plans were made for beautifying the grounds and the interior of the school. Mrs. T.C. Betterton was elected president; Mrs. H. Winters, vice president; Mrs. A.S. Bowen, secretary; and Mrs. H.D. Huffaker, treasurer.

Saturday, April 13

Nearly Wed Adventure to prep couples for marriage

Many couples enter into marriage believing the odds are stacked against them when it comes to making their marriage last. But research shows the right preparation for marriage can help couples reduce their chances of divorce. First Things First wants to help marriage-minded couples prepare for the next step in their relationship journey with an interactive experience called The Nearly Wed Adventure. This event will take place Saturday, April 13 at The Vaudeville Café from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is designed for couples that are seriously dating, living together or engaged. Participants should come ready for fun as they tackle and overcome the obstacles many young couples face in their relationships. There will be games, activities and a delicious lunch. The event is free but participants must pre-register online at firstthings.org or by calling 423-267-5383.