News - Friday, July 6, 2018

Many – if not most – modern lawyers in large cities eventually end up specializing in a specific branch of the law, whether it’s criminal defense, immigration, estate planning, intellectual property or divorce.

But there’s still a demand for attorneys who don’t limit their practice to one particular area of the law. This type of attorney, the general practice lawyer, usually works within a range of practice areas.

Tennessee’s political officials are lauding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision enabling states to effectively collect sales taxes from out-of-state online retailers.

But don’t expect the result of South Dakota v. Wayfair to be a watershed moment for the state budget. If you’re looking for a windfall to bolster education or house the homeless, close your eyes and dream on, because this likely isn’t about mo’ money, mo’ money.

The Chattanooga Bar Foundation Fellows welcomed three new members during the 2018 Fellows Luncheon held at The Walden Club on June 27. Honored were attorneys Lee Ann Adams, Tonya Cammon and Russell “Rusty” Gray.

Adams is a member and the secretary of Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon. During her 21 years with the firm, she has focused her practice on estate planning and estate administration.

Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott and Cannon attorney Justin Faith was one of 28 attorneys from across the state to graduate from the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law program during the TBA’s annual convention in Memphis in June.

The group of attorneys spent the last six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policymaking in state government and the importance of community service.

Legislation to protect victims of domestic violence took effect July 1 as Tennessee began a new fiscal year. Various victims’ rights groups across the state supported the new law, which Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) sponsored.

When Alexia Cain was 16, she knew exactly what she wanted: a 2003 Honda Civic. Her grandfather offered to buy her the new Honda Civic – the 2008 at the time – but she was adamant.

Although Cain’s grandfather was perplexed, he was impressed with her determination and persistence and told her she’d make a great salesperson.

Most renters say homeownership is one of their highest priorities for the future and they’re thinking more about purchasing a home now than in past years. Given that information, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Americans overwhelmingly say owning a home is a good financial decision.

Many people who rent a house or apartment do so because they say they don’t have the financial ability to purchase a home, but numerous studies have found that home ownership is more cost-effective than renting.

So, where is the disconnect between perception and reality, and what is preventing some renters from making the leap into home ownership? A look at a few common home-buying myths might provide some answers.

Revitalization plans are in motion for the former Alstom plant and adjacent buildings and land, which will reimagine this section of Chattanooga riverfront.

Urban Story Ventures and new partnership West End Property plan to keep the Alstom Turbine plant, recruit a manufacturer and renovate the remaining area for mixed-use.

The 124-member newspapers of the Tennessee Press Association are working together to present a forum for the major candidates in the gubernatorial and senate races. This week, candidates are addressing how to approach the opioid crisis.

Too many deaths

Drive along Tennessee’s busy interstate highways and you can’t miss the signs warning drivers to buckle up and drive safely – reminders of how many people lost their lives on the state’s roads.

The spread of opioid abuse claimed more than 1,600 lives in Tennessee in 2016, and it is getting worse. Methamphetamine abuse, while not getting the headlines, has increased. Gun violence and murder is increasing. What proposals do our candidates have to help Tennesseans address these public safety issues?

I wish we lived in a world in which people didn’t do the things they do to each other in “Sicario: Day of the Soldado .” Think about what the world would be like if men didn’t come up with so many reasons to kill each other.

The number of hepatitis A cases in Hamilton County continues to rise. The tally is at seven since early May. Normally, Hamilton County has zero to one case per year.

The most effective means of preventing hepatitis A infection is by getting the hepatitis A vaccine, says the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department. Other preventive measures include good handwashing practices and avoiding recreational or illicit drug use.

Lauren Sherrell Kaywood and David Shamblin have joined Pinnacle Financial Partners’ trust services group as senior vice presidents and trust services advisors.

Kaywood comes to Pinnacle from O’Shaughnessy & Carter, where she was attorney of counsel focused on estate planning, litigation and residential and commercial real estate transactions. Previously, she was an attorney with the Wooden Law Firm.

Southern Adventist University has received a $50,000 grant from Lumina Foundation’s Fund for Racial Justice and Equity, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, to fund a multi-pronged project addressing racial justice and equity on campus.

They could already tell after the first few classes. There was something special about this group of VOLeaders at the University of Tennessee. They connected on a much deeper level than anyone envisioned.

“It was almost instantaneous. They came together so quickly and were so eager to learn and eager to get to know each other and willing to kind of let their guard down and just be them,” says Joe Scogin, UT senior associate athletics director, assistant provost and director of the Thornton Center.

The Chattanooga Zoo is opening a Komodo dragon breeding facility and outdoor exhibit this month.

The Chattanooga Zoo currently houses two Komodo dragons – Kadal, a male, and Charlie, a female. Kadal and Charlie have been placed at the zoo as a recommended breeding pair by the Species Survival Plan.

The 2018 Hyundai Kona and 2018 Ford EcoSport are two all-new subcompact crossover SUVs that are getting a lot of attention this year.

Like similar vehicles such as the Honda HR-V, the Kona and EcoSport provide an elevated riding position and everyday utility but are more maneuverable and typically less expensive than more established compact SUVs.

You should always be able to ask as many questions as you’d like when working with your financial advisor. So, before you have your annual review, think carefully about what you’d like to ask. Here are a few suggestions:

Are my goals still realistic?

When you first began working with your financial advisor, you may well have articulated a number of financial goals.

The NCBW will host a public forum for candidates running for seats on the Hamilton County School Board and the Tennessee State House of Representatives on Monday, July 9 at Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church, 1734 E. Third Street, from 5-7:30 p.m. Wade Hinton, attorney for the City of Chattanooga, will moderate.