News - Friday, July 7, 2023

On the surface, serving as executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission sounds like a glamorous job. Rubbing elbows with famous musicians and actors, attending red-carpet galas and such.

Those are the perks, but take it from Bob Raines, who holds the high-profile state-level position, it’s work. A career he loves but it’s work nonetheless. Raines sees his job as simply helping secure jobs for those in Tennessee’s booming entertainment industry.

Lynda Hood has spent nearly three decades juggling countless events for the local bar association. Now Hood, the CBA’s executive director, is going to show all of Chattanooga she can dance, too.

The Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area has invited Hood to participate in its chic annual fundraiser, Dare to Dance. She and her dance partner, Joel Thomas, will hit the floor at the Chattanooga Convention Center Saturday, Oct. 28.

 Alexis Crutchfield has joined the estate planning practice area of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel.

Crutchfield assists clients with a variety of estate planning matters, including drafting wills, trusts and powers of attorney, achieving current and long-term planning goals and petitioning for conservatorship.

Built in the early 1980s, the house at 2125 Hickory Valley Road in Chattanooga was built to serve as a home for a single family. However, ever since Coldwell Banker Pryor Realty owners Bill and Peggy Pryor purchased the building in the late ‘80s and transformed it into a real estate brokerage, it’s served as a place where many families have found their homes.

There are many reasons why summer might be the perfect time to put your home on the market. The summertime allows for the opportunity to move with more ease, and many families are trying to settle into a new place before the school year starts. Also, the housing market tends to be swifter in the summertime.

Three University of Tennessee at Chattanooga faculty and staff members have received 2023 President’s Awards – the highest accolade an employee can receive from the UT system.

UT system President Randy Boyd announced that the executive director of the Disability Resource Center, Michelle Rigler, the associate vice chancellor for student affairs, Abeer Mustafa, and the associate dean of the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies, David Rausch, are among 14 award winners from across the UT System recognized for their accomplishments.

As passenger numbers continue to rise at Chattanooga Airport, airlines are enacting a deadline window for checked luggage beginning 45 minutes before a flight’s scheduled departure.

“The airlines have always recommended arriving at least two hours before your flight is scheduled to leave and have had a cutoff on when passengers can check in for flights in place for some time,” says Terry Hart, president and CEO of Chattanooga Airport. “Our airport is busier than ever, and strictly adhering to a deadline policy for checked bags will support airlines in running efficiently and departing on schedule.”

The Chattanooga Police Department is the recipient of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network’s Excellence in Crime Gun Intelligence award.

Chief Celeste Murphy received the award June 22 at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. The recognition was part of the ATF’s second annual Chiefs of Police Executive Forum on Crime Guns Conference.

Collegedale residents and visitors who want to walk off one of McKee Foods’ popular Swiss Rolls can now burn the calories at Little Debbie Park, which McKee Parks Trails, Greenways and the city of Collegedale opened June 30.

The park includes more than 400 trees, 5,000 shrubs, greenway connections, a pavilion with restrooms, a playground and other outdoor features.

Mutual funds offer investors a chance to own shares in dozens of companies, as well as bonds, government securities and other investments. But you might be able to broaden your portfolio further by owning another type of fund — an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Blasting the air conditioning to counteract stifling heat can provide much-needed relief this summer, but the utility bills that follow might not be as pleasant. Making matters worse, the price of electricity has been steadily climbing over the past two years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

A recent study found that 90% of millennials have some form of non-mortgage debt, with an average balance of $90,590.

Once considered young and carefree, millennials are aging into more responsibilities. The generation now finds itself between the ages of 27 and 42, with growing obligations at work and at home.

Months after Tennessee lawmakers finished a chaotic legislative session, many of the most hotly contested laws took effect July 1, including measures on health care for transgender children, police oversight, school safety and teacher pay.

The new fiscal year began Saturday in Tennessee, meaning the latest state spending plan and a slew of new statutes will be implemented.

Three-row SUVs have been a popular choice among car shoppers with large families. They typically seat up to eight passengers and still provide enough cargo space for luggage and other items.

Avoiding the stigma of a minivan is another reason for their popularity. However, choosing the right one isn’t easy.