News - Friday, June 19, 2020

Rob Goodwin began flipping hamburgers for $2.35 an hour for the McDonald’s on Ringgold Road when he was 16 years old.

Forty-two years later, he owns the restaurant where he began his career along with 15 other McDonald’s in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, making him the head of a multimillion-dollar company.

Each year, the Chattanooga Bar Association honors an outstanding citizen in the Chattanooga area with the Liberty Bell Award. The bar is currently asking for nominations for the 2020 recipient of the public service award, which will be presented during the annual Law Day Luncheon on Wednesday Aug. 26.

The members of the Justices Ray L. Brock Jr.-Robert E. Cooper American Inn of Court met virtually via WebEx for their annual business meeting and wrapped up another year with the election of new officers.

The new officers include:

• Chancellor Pamela Fleenor, president

Members of the Justices Ray L. Brock Jr.-Robert E. Cooper American Inn of Court raised $10,650 during an annual auction in May and then donated the money to The Orange Grove Center.

Orange Grove is a private nonprofit organization that serves adults and children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. A group of Chattanooga parents and community leaders who were seeking educational services for children with disabilities founded the center in 1953.

Martha Alexander has a way of telling a story that makes it sound like she’s sharing a juicy bit of gossip.

Seated at a table at Los Charros in Rock Springs, Georgia – her favorite restaurant in the small community she calls home – she leans over a plate of steaming fajitas and tells the story of how a local agent tried to discourage her from becoming a Realtor in 2004.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a renewed sense of home and community for many in the Chattanooga area.

After months of sequestration within your home, however, you might also be in need of some fresh scenery – both outside and inside your residence.

There’s certainly been plenty of volatility and uncertainty the past few months, but one aspect of your financial picture has probably remained stable: your need for insurance. And since National Insurance Awareness Day is observed on June 28, now is a good time to review your overall insurance coverage to determine if you and your loved ones are well-protected.

A pair of peregrine falcons will be released into the wild Friday, June 19.

Rock City is continuing its partnership with Wings to Soar in an ongoing peregrine falcon restoration project to reestablish the breed to this region.

The pair of siblings, one male and one female, hatched May 2, came to Rock City from a Minnesota breeder, Andy Kramer. At 33 days old upon entering a hack box at Rock City, the birds remained there before release.

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. will begin an examination June 29 of all aspects of the Hamilton County Emergency Communications District’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, says John Stuermer, executive director.

Rotary Club of Chattanooga Hamilton Place recently honored local teachers by hosting the club’s annual Influential Educator Awards event.

Teachers from Boyd Buchanan School, Collegedale Academy, East Hamilton High School, Silverdale Baptist Academy Middle School and Ooltewah High School were recognized. The Influential Educators were nominated by students who recognized the significant contributions these teachers made in encouraging and developing students.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke has announced the formation of the Office of Community Resilience, which will serve as a resource within local government to help communities heal from trauma and minimize their contact with the criminal justice system.

While many aspects of car design can seem commoditized, storage space is one place where automakers can still get creative. These extra spots to put your stuff can make a big difference in your daily driving.

Besides the typical places like a glove compartment, some vehicles have modular cargo areas that can fold and transform into new shapes. Others have hidden compartments or storage hooks that are kept out of sight until you need them.

Financial fallout from the pandemic is hitting millennials hard, and many will soon turn to their parents for help, if they haven’t already.

Before parents ride to the rescue, financial planners urge them to map out a strategy that doesn’t just plug a short-term need but also makes sense in the long run.

One of the hardest parts of the job interview process comes in the form of a very simple question: “How much do you make?” The question typically comes up in the first screening call with the human resources recruiter. It is also asked on the online job application.

A few days after buying a sweater at Macy’s, Erin Chisman returned to get the same one in a different color, only to realize it was 50% off. Upon seeing the new price tag, the Wisconsin-based business owner was determined to save.

So she turned to the cards in her wallet.

As I mentioned last week, June marks National Homeownership Month, which recognizes the value of homeownership and its positive impact on families, communities and our nation’s economy. Last week, I focused on how homeownership can benefit you and your family by increasing your equity over time. This week, I’m going to explore how owning a home is an investment in your community.