News - Friday, August 14, 2020

Erika Burnett, the new executive director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga, likes to engage people in difficult conversations, so she smiled to herself as she shared her identity circles with her board during a virtual meeting.

One of the circles contained “Focus Hope,” the name of a government assistance program in Detroit. While Burnett was growing up, her family relied for a time on public assistance.

Jillian Idle says she was 6 years old when the television news bug bit her. As her mother prepared dinner, she would watch “Oprah” and then the local and national broadcasts, telling herself she would someday be the person on the screen, confidently delivering stories to viewers.

The American Bar Foundation has inducted Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel attorney Dana Perry as a fellow of its global honorary society.

The ABF limits membership in the fellows to 1% of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. The selection process includes peer nomination, after which the ABF board votes on inclusion.

During the week, Travis Shipley is a mild-mannered real estate agent who helps homebuyers and sellers throughout the Chattanooga area as a member of The Shipley Team at ERA Blue Key Properties.

But come Sunday morning, Shipley, 49, becomes Dr. Wow, a mad scientist who lives with his puppet friends and teaches children and teens lessons from the Bible.

Summer is starting to wind down, and schools are beginning in their different capacities, but don’t think the housing market is slowing. COVID-19 has certainly impacted the national economy, but it hasn’t to this point negatively impacted the housing market.

Social distancing this summer might be preventing visitors in your home, but there are some guests that are always unwelcome in the Tennessee Valley – ants, ticks, roaches, rats and termites, to name just a few. Not only are pest infestations a nuisance, they can also contaminate food, sickening you and your family, and cause extensive property damage.

Members of the Community Partnerships Committee at Greater Chattanooga Realtors last week donated 115 $50 gift cards primarily to the teachers at East Brainerd Elementary. The tornado that ripped through the community in April decimated the school.

Vanderbilt physician Kenneth Fletcher tested positive for COVID-19 back in March, one of the first in Tennessee to contract the virus.

The ear, nose and throat specialist was aware of the new virus and had even talked about it with his doctor at his regular physical, just two days before he was diagnosed. Fletcher, 45, was in good health, an avid runner, swimmer and cyclist. Later that day, he felt “a little bit funny” as he ran but felt fine the next day.

#WeWantToPlay. Of course we do. Unfortunately, #WeDontWantToPutInTheWork necessary to allow us to return to pre-COVID-19 normalcy.

Last weekend, several college athletes, the most visible being Clemson quarterback and future No. 1 draft pick Trevor Lawrence, got together on a video call and began to use the hashtag #WeWantToPlay to voice their frustration with growing concern there will be no college football this fall.

The COVID-19 pandemic has unsettled the country’s employment picture for months and will likely continue to do so for a while. However, the nature and terminology of this disruption varies greatly among individuals – some have seen their jobs disappear, others have been “furloughed” and still others have been offered an early retirement.

Golf Digest has named The Course at McLemore’s 18th hole the Best Finishing Hole in America.

Previous best finishing holes included Pebble Beach’s iconic par 5 in 1965 and Harbor Town’s renowned lighthouse hole in 2000.

Located atop Lookout Mountain 35 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, The Course at McLemore overlooks McLemore Cove.

It is no secret that the Tennessee Titans have been built in large part on the New England Patriots model Bill Belichick masterminded two decades ago, a scheme that brought the Pats six Super Bowl championships.

While the Titans are still chasing that elusive first title, that model for finding team-first guys who love football might be put to one of its first real tests here in Tennessee.

Beginning Friday, it will be time to start taking notice of the Titans.

That’s because the ramping-up period will come to an end, and the team will take to the field for its first official training camp practice amid the COVID-19 regulations and stipulations that will be in place.

One of COVID-19’s impacts has been the reduction in interest rates, including those for auto loans. In June 2020, the average interest rate for new auto loans decreased to 4.2%, down from 6.0% one year ago, Edmunds reports.

But Americans are buying more expensive vehicles, which means monthly payments have increased year over year. As of June, the average payment is $568 per month. This has caused many shoppers to turn to leasing and its lower payments, freedom from long-term maintenance worries and lure of getting a new car every three years.

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely and his colleagues at Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight have a pact. Every week, the group of 50 people picks one small business in Durham, North Carolina, and each person spends $100 there.

A one-time $5,000 infusion wouldn’t make a difference to Amazon, Costco or any other large retailer, but it could be enough to keep a local business afloat, Ariely says. Taking this action helps the group feel that they’re making a difference when so much of the world seems out of control.

I know, I know. You’ve probably heard all about how you should renegotiate your bills to save money. But that’s easier said than done, right?

That’s why I tried it. I called up some of my service providers and attempted to cut the cost of my bills.

Small businesses are a special thing in our country. Being able to start something from a vision and grow it is a gift. Now the pandemic is taking a toll on small-business owners, and many are reconsidering the idea of being self-employed.

If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few things to consider.