News - Friday, April 3, 2020

Attorney Jim Catanzaro has been on a learning binge ever since he agreed to co-chair Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel’s COVID-19 task force.

Accustomed to providing legal advice and representation for health care entities and nonprofits, Catanzaro has been working overtime with co-chair Justin Furrow and the rest of the task force to keep up with new developments at the local, state and federal levels and supply the firm’s clients with up-to-date, accurate and thorough analysis.

The CARES Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law March 27 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, includes two changes to bankruptcy code that could impact many businesses and individuals.

The first is a significant increase in the amount needed to qualify for the new Subchapter V Debtor Reorganization bankruptcy process, which the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 introduced. Under the CARES Act, businesses and some individuals with up to $7.5 million in secured and unsecured debt now qualify to proceed under the streamlined bankruptcy process.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has filed several orders and modified policies to help attorneys navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impact.

While courts across the state are open, some in-person court proceedings have been suspended through April 30. The court has filed orders or modified policies relating to payments for attorneys providing indigent representation, continuing legal education, requirements for in-person proceedings and the use of audio and video technologies.

Realtor Geoff Ramsey has climbed several steep hills during his 12-year journey to develop a 24-acre patch of real estate on Old Lee Highway.

From appeasing reluctant neighbors to trudging through 18 months of due diligence to making loan payments that swelled over the course of the project, Ramsey has overcome his share of obstacles.

Kelley Elliott has just talked with the Boys & Girls Club of Chattanooga, and she sounds like she’s out of breath.

As people everywhere are isolating themselves in a bid to avoid catching the coronavirus, Elliott is bringing volunteers together to make and deliver face masks in Hamilton County.

Real estate is still happening, as is the government. Even though we’re in unprecedented times, we can still do our part to make sure our community is represented by completing the 2020 U.S. census.

Most people know about the U.S. census, but did you know the U.S. Constitution mandates that it occur every 10 years? The founders of this country thought it was important, and for good reason. The census counts everyone in our country and determines how resources are allocated. An accurate census is important.

Spring is the best time to reassess your landscaping plan. Is there unused space in your yard? Do you wish your property didn’t require as much maintenance every weekend? If so, don’t let another beautiful Chattanooga season go by. It’s time to make a landscaping master plan.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger have formed the COVID-19 Joint Task Force to help coordinate the city and county’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rae Young Bond, CEO of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, will lead the task force, which will bring together medical and health care professionals to brief the mayors and offer recommendations for local response efforts.

Spring is officially here – and for many of us, that means it’s time for some spring cleaning around our homes and yards. But why stop there? This year, why not do some financial spring cleaning, too?

You can apply some of the same principles of traditional spring cleaning to your financial environment. Here are a few suggestions:

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke has launched the COVID-19 Small Business Stabilization Fund to provide short-term working capital to businesses facing sudden and severe revenue shortfalls because of recent state and local executive orders.

The city has committed $2.5 million to set up grant and loan programs that can help businesses with short-term rental assistance, continued payroll for displaced workers, or larger business expansion needs.

The disappointment arrived just after lunch. That promotion you hoped to get? Nope. No raise, either, because your boss wants you to make a few improvements in your job, tweak your skills, have more time to grow – even though you’ve been improving, tweaking and growing for months at work.