News - Friday, July 3, 2015

Next January will mark the 310th birthday of Benjamin Franklin. Thinker, inventor, scientist, diplomat, politician, writer. Founding parent of a great nation. A non-President with his face on a bit of paper currency. As Independence Day is upon us – or just past us, as the case may be – it’s hardly an inappropriate time to revisit the life and times of this noted early patriot.

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. Law firms with 300 or more practicing lawyers in the United States are eligible for the 2015 WILEF Gold Standard Certification if they demonstrate that women represent a meaningful percentage of their equity partners, highest leadership positions, governance and compensation committees, and most highly compensated partners.

IndepenDANCE Day Street Party

Make plans to enjoy a special Nightfall Friday, July 3 with an IndepenDANCE Day Street Party, taking place between Miller Plaza and Bessie Smith Cultural Center. Martin Luther King Boulevard will close at 5 p.m. between Broad Street and Bessie Smith, with special entertainment on the front lawn of Bessie Smith, an antique car show in the street, and kids activities and food vendors tying the two venues together.

It’s that time of year when many of us hit the road for a summer vacation. If you are fortunate, you will be joining them – after all, “all work and no play” is a difficult way to live. But while you may not think it beneficial to work all the time, the same can’t be said of your investments and your investment strategy – because, ideally, they should never stop laboring on your behalf. 

When making one of the biggest investments in a lifetime, consumers have lots of questions. At times, they might ask a question to which a Realtor cannot give a direct answer. In such situations, the Realtor might refer a consumer to another source for the requested information. When Realtors answer in this manner, it’s not to be uncooperative but rather out of our obligation to abide by the Realtor Code of Ethics and the laws intended to protect the public.

As many of you have already learned, Travis Close, president of the Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors, was involved in Thursday’s deadly crash along I-75, which took the lives of six people and injured half a dozen others. Mr. Close, his wife Tina and two children, ages 6 and 12, had just left home and were on their way to a family vacation destination. He released the following statement to the media:

The Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga (HBAGC) recently announced the recipients of its fall 2015 scholarship awards. Seven students were selected to receive the scholarships.

Cynthia Blackwell, interim executive officer of HBAGC, said, “We applaud these students for their decision to enter the construction industry. These students are to be commended for their academic achievements, work ethic, and leadership potential. By 2018, fields like construction and manufacturing will provide nearly eight million jobs. We want to take every opportunity to build connections to the residential construction industry through networking with local professionals and offering leadership development.”

It’s six o’clock on a Friday morning. The early a.m. sun is painting the sky pink and purple as it pokes up over the horizon, and traffic on Broad Street is picking up as workers begin arriving in downtown Chattanooga. Waiting for them in a small lot at 3008 Broad Street, next to the Twice the Ice machine, is a small blue trailer with the words “Sunnyside Cup” splashed across both sides and one end. If the cute name doesn’t tell customers what’s for sale, the delicious aroma of fresh brewed coffee will.

I received an email from Amazon.com about a new service since I am one of their best prime customers – at least my husband tells me so. Amazon was informing me of their food pantry. Now I can order most any grocery item I want, except fresh veggies, and have it shipped to my house. It seems like a pretty good service, and coupons are available.

There’s a reason no one has been able to make a good Terminator movie since “Terminator 2” in 1991: the story has been told. Writer and director James Cameron (“Titanic” and “Avatar”) told the epic tale of mankind’s battle against the machines with two films and then tied a neat little bow around them. Judgment Day would not happen; no more sequels could be made.

A vvarmint will never quit – ever. They’re like the Viet Cong ..., 

 –Carl Spackler

The squirrel looked in the window at us, unafraid, as if to say, “Hey! I can’t get in!”

It was a hot June day as I placed one more bag of brightly packaged soil in the bed of my pickup truck at the depot for Homers. Sure is interesting these days how these dirt baggers use colors like sunshine yellow, sky blue, and meadow green to bag dried up cow manure, but it seems to be an outstanding way to get people who never had to shovel it or wade through it to buy it for their garden chores.

Saturday, July 3, 1965

The City Commission agreed Friday to adopt a resolution Tuesday authorizing a lease to Moccasin Bend Golf Club, Inc., of property the city owns jointly with the county on Moccasin Bend. Jimmy Wann, president of the golf club corporation, said they proposed to build an 18-hole golf course on the site which would be open to the public on a greens fee basis.

Saturday, July 3, 1915

Since its incorporation, North Chattanooga will have its first election today for Mayor and Commissioners. J. Read Voight is expected to be the first mayor. Commissioners expected to be elected are W. Sherman Beck, E.E. Gannaway, J. Reed Voight, Fred Robinson and W. H. Payne. The polls are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in a tent at Mississippi and Main Streets.

Cookouts, ballgames, fireworks, pool parties, late night hide-n-go seek: the list of things to do in the warmer months is endless, and I love everything about them. I love to be outside making memories with my family. The one thing I do not like is the amount of mosquitos and black flies. I am sure everyone shares the same dislike for these annoying little buzzers. 

So you think you’re a novice Realtor? Test your knowledge of real estate with these trivia questions.

1. Warren Buffet, who is worth an estimated $71.8 billion, still lives in the same house he bought in 1958 for _____? $31,500; $10,200; $54,950; $79,400.