News - Friday, July 22, 2016

Scott Johnson is known locally as a preeminent trial attorney. But across the U.S. and Canada, he might be better known as a southern gospel singer. Formerly one-third of the trio called Three Bridges, Johnson once sang about the things people sometimes feel like they have to do, but he says he gets to do:

For the second consecutive year, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) has certified Baker Donelson as a Gold Standard Firm.

WILEF’s Gold Standard Certification emphasizes the leadership roles achieved by equity women partners rather than the policies or practices of the firm or the overall number or percentage of women in the partnership. Law firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers in the United States are eligible for the 2016 WILEF Gold Standard Certification if they demonstrate that women represent a meaningful percentage of their equity partners, of their highest leadership positions, of their governance and compensation committees, and of their most highly compensated partners.

The Chattanooga Chapter of the American Inns of Court has chosen Chattanooga attorney Lee Davis as the recipient of the 2016 Civility Award. The award is presented annually to the lawyer voted by local state and federal court judges to be the most civil and the most effective attorney practicing in the local court system.

In a case involving claims between siblings who were shareholders in a closely held family corporation, the Tennessee Supreme Court has adopted a new standard for when a shareholder can file a direct lawsuit on claims that concern the corporation.

Next week, the 2016 Summer Olympics begin in Rio de Janeiro. One of the most compelling events is the marathon, a 26.2-mile endurance contest with roots dating back to ancient Greece. It may be that we’ve kept our interest in the marathon because it can teach us much about life – and it certainly has lessons for investors. 

“Author’s obstacle.” Twelve letters. Hint: I prefer neither to say nor write the two-word answer.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge is reported to have described it in 1804 as “an indefinite indescribable Terror.” 

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that defendants who have entered a guilty plea cannot seek relief from that plea using a statutory procedure the Court says is intended by Tennessee law only for those who have been found guilty at trial.

According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 40 percent of all home sales last year occurred between the months of May and August. There are many reasons why summer might be the perfect time to put your home on the market – families are trying to settle into a new place before the school year starts and buyers have their tax refunds firmly in hand. But with so many others reaching the same conclusion, how do you make your home stand out?

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke announced this week that the city and county will only consider payment in lieu of tax (PILOT) agreements for housing developments with a much higher affordability requirement than ever before. In 2014, the existing housing PILOT was revised to require 20 percent of all units in a development in receipt of a PILOT to be rented at a rate that is affordable by anyone whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the Area Median Income, as provided by HUD. With today’s announcement, Mayor Berke ensures the City will only focus on housing PILOTS that create the largest impact on increasing affordable housing stock in Chattanooga.

Orange Grove will soon cease processing recyclables at its materials recovery facility, the City of Chattanooga and Orange Grove Center announced last week. The City’s curbside recycling program will continue uninterrupted, and the recyclables collected will be processed by another local facility.

The U.S. Senate last week passed H.R. 3700, the “Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act,” by unanimous consent. This legislation includes reforms to current Federal Housing Administration restrictions on condominium financing, among other provisions, and is long supported by the National Association of Realtors.

Inconsequential.

That was the word that popped into my head after I saw the “Ghostbusters” remake. It’s not terrible. It’s not great. It just doesn’t matter.

If you could save $1,000 each year on your utility costs, how much more would you be willing to pay up front to purchase your next home?

According to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), home buyers, on average, are willing to spend an extra $10,700 to save $1,000 a year on their utility bills. An investment of that size would essentially pay for itself within 10 years – the maximum amount of payback time for energy-saving measures to still be considered cost effective, as defined by industry experts at NAHB.

The City of Chattanooga has released an interactive map to help residents and visitors easily locate City Parks and amenities such as playgrounds, pavilions, restrooms, sports fields, and boat launches. In order to provide a more efficient and useful experience in locating public spaces, the Geographic Information System (GIS) and Parks Divisions in the Department of Public Works did a full revamp of the former outdated mapping app.

The Leadership Chattanooga Alumni Association (LCAA) has launched the 2016 Your Vote Matters campaign, a non-partisan initiative in which LCAA will partner with local organizations and community groups to increase voter participation in Hamilton County for the Aug. 4 election. LCAA and community partners will encourage voting during the early voting period, which began Friday, July 15 and ends Saturday, July 30.

Early voting for the Aug. 4 state primary and county general election is now underway. Voting will continue Mondays through Saturdays and end Saturday, July 30.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting, which allows people to cast a ballot when it’s convenient for them.

EVENTS

Running of the Derby Bulls

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is hosting a fun run in conjunction with the Chattanooga Roller Girls (CRG) Saturday, July 23 at 8 a.m. Runners (and walkers) will be encouraged to evade roller derby “bulls” down a closed portion of McCallie and Holtzclaw in Chattanooga. The money raised will go to the local chapter of the ACS. For more information, or to inquire about sponsoring this event, contact Chrissy Seals at Chrissy.seals@cancer.org, or Jessie Gantt at media@ChattanoogaRollerGirls.com.

One of the most beautiful signs of spring is the flowering cherry tree, promising succulent, sweet, juicy fruits in about two to three months. The only thing better than seeing the beautiful tree is being able to enjoy the wonderful cherries a few months later.

Saturday, July 23, 1966

Miss Olive Atwood, executive vice president and secretary of the Chattanooga – Hamilton County Interstate Fair, met with the directors of the annual “Fairest of the Fair” contest to be held Sept. 19, the opening night of the week-long fair. Mrs. Sam P. Robinson is director of the contest; Mrs. Noble Simmons, contest consultant, and Miss Betty Tenpenny, Hamilton County assistant home demonstration agent, also a co-director.

Saturday, July 22, 1916

Two local, prominent young ladies will sing a duet at the alcazar Theater today. Miss Eloise Baylor and Miss Margaret Shalliday will sing a duet from “Madame Butterfly” at 4:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The picture showing at the theater is  “The Selfish Woman” with Cleo Ridgely and Wallace Reid, the leading players. Admission is adults 10-cents and children five cents.