News - Friday, July 13, 2018

When Cassie Farmer walked into new Chattanooga brewery Hutton & Smith just a few weeks after it opened in 2015, she already got a “Cheers” vibe from the brewery.

Hutton & Smith lets you bring your own food and even let your dog tag along. It felt like everyone already knew each other, and she wanted to be a part of it.

Using what could be the political acronym of the year, two Republican state lawmakers with expertise in pain treatment are playing on the popularity of President Donald Trump to pass medical pot legislation.

Rep. Bryan Terry of Murfreesboro and Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville, both anesthesiologists, are planning to sponsor legislation in 2019 dubbed the Tennessee Responsible Use of Medicinal Plants (TRUMP) Act for medical use of cannabis.

Veteran government affairs attorney and lobbyist Nicole Osborne has joined Waller’s Government Relations practice.

Based in Waller’s recently opened Chattanooga office, Osborne has more than a decade of experience representing client interests before elected officials in the Tennessee General Assembly, the United States Congress and government officials in local, state and federal agencies.

Attorneys Brad Davis of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel and Erika Hyde of Miller & Martin are among the 45 up-and-comers who will make up the 2018-19 class of Leadership Chattanooga.

Established in 1984 by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Chattanooga uses the exploration of community issues to develop leadership skills that prepare graduates to succeed in prominent business, cultural and political roles. The program boasts almost 1,200 alumni.

Hamilton County Attorney General Neal Pinkston has been elected by the members of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference to serve on the executive committee.

“I’m looking forward to serving on the executive committee this year and I’m honored to have been chosen by my colleagues,” Pinkston says. “As an elected official tasked with ensuring public safety, I take this responsibility seriously and will continue working to making sure we have the tools to protect my neighbors in the community I serve.”

Chattanooga City Attorney Wade Hinton has resigned his position and will join Unum as vice president of diversity and inclusion. Hinton’s last day in office will be July 24.

“Wade Hinton has been a terrific partner to city government and a model public servant for years,” Mayor Andy Berke says. “While I am certainly sad to see him go, I know he will thrive in his new role.

For the first time in over 20 years, the Tennessee Supreme Court has ordered an increase in the amount paid to lawyers representing indigent parties in criminal and child welfare cases.

This rate increase, a 25 percent hike in the hourly rate paid to lawyers for out-of-court work, was funded by a $9.7 million appropriation by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bill Haslam.

Charlene Bickford, Denny Ford and their dogs, Bixby and Kip, have gathered on the couch in the living room of their home. Bickford, a Realtor, is talking about working for Pratt Home Builders when the room tilts.

After leaning the other way a moment later, the room settles down. Oddly, no one on the couch seemed to notice the slight disturbance.

Did you know authority for the National Flood Insurance Program will expire July 31 unless members of Congress take action?

If that happens, it would be detrimental for our community. For families living along streams, lakes, rivers, oceans or just about anywhere snow melts or rain falls, floods are an ever-present threat. In fact, over the past century, floods have claimed more lives and caused more property damage than any other natural disaster.

After the dust settles on your Independence Day celebration, you might notice that your home has begun to show the signs of an active summer – both inside and out. Take the time now to do a few maintenance tasks to keep your home humming through the rest of the summer.

For many Tennesseans, the pain and financial loss of the Great Recession have faded.

The state’s unemployment rate is the lowest in the Southeast United States, 3.5 percent in May. Household income and the state’s gross domestic product are at their highest points, and Tennessee continues to attract “high-quality” jobs, defined as those that pay higher than the county median wage.

Like most of America, Tennessee’s metropolitan areas have prospered during the last eight years, while the rural areas have lagged in almost every measure. The state has 19 of its 95 counties classified as “distressed.” What can and should we do to give every Tennessean a chance to succeed?

Rebekah Cheney is the new development and special events manager for the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera. Prior to joining the CSO, Cheney worked in multiple capacities with the LSU Foundation and in philanthropic trust administration at Wells Fargo.

If you have older family members whose cognitive functions or decision-making abilities have declined, or who are lonely or recently widowed, you might need to help protect them against financial scams. What steps should you take?

First of all, try to gain a good sense of their overall financial activity. Look for red flags, such as a reluctance to discuss money matters, consistently unpaid bills, unexplained withdrawals, mysterious wire transfers or a sudden need to purchase large quantities of gift cards. And watch out for new “best friends” or caretakers who show an unusual interest in your loved one’s finances.

In August, a new restaurant called State of Confusion will introduce its made-from-scratch, authentic fusion of Latin American, New Orleans and low-country food, serving ceviche and wood-fire grilled meats and vegetables.

Square One Holdings, which owns and operates Stir, is bringing State of Confusion to life at the former Estate of Confusion – an unusual junkyard on Main Street in Chattanooga’s Southside.

To enjoy “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” you’re going to have to embrace the stupid. That includes the part where you step up to the cashier at the theater and, with a straight face, ask for a ticket to “Ant-Man and the Wasp,”

Progress is moving forward on a mixed-use project on King Street in Southside Chattanooga that will include two restaurants, a brewery, office space, condos, a park and a hotel.

Urban Story Ventures is leading the project alongside 3H Hotels, which is building the Moxy Hotel at the corner of Market and King Streets.

Public Art Chattanooga is launching a community engagement campaign – CHA Creates: A Public Art Vision – to develop a strategic plan that will guide the future of public art in the city.

PAC has hired two nationally renowned public art consultants, Gail Goldman and Barbara Goldstein, to help facilitate input sessions and work with community organizations and individuals in the development of the strategic public art plan.

The Chattanooga Heart Institute at CHI Memorial has opened an office at the Atrium Medical Center, located at 1949 Gunbarrel Road.

“We’ve opened the Atrium office to offer easier access to people in that area,” says Paul Farmer, president.

It’s almost unimaginable anyone would give a preschooler a weight belt, mask and air tank and invite them to dive into the open ocean. Unless of course, his or her last name is Cousteau.

“I’ve been SCUBA diving since my fourth birthday,” laughs Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of famed ocean advocate and documentarian Jacques Cousteau.

The Chattanooga Heroes Run/Walk, presented by Erlanger’s Level One Trauma Center, will take place on Saturday, July 14, beginning at 8 a.m. The event will include a five-mile loop course beginning at the Naval Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center and ending at the Hubert Fry Center at the Tennessee RiverPark. Parking will also be available at the RiverPark.