News - Friday, August 7, 2015

The Chattanooga Bar Foundation last week hosted its annual Fellows luncheon, which brings together all of the Fellows and is used as an occasion to introduce the newest Fellows. Selected this year were (L-R): Timothy L. Mickel; Roy C. Maddox, Jr.; Richard A. Schulman; Alicia Brown Oliver; Ross I. Schram; Bart Quinn; and John Randolph Bode. To become a Fellow, one must first become an outstanding attorney and servant of the community. Through the Foundation, the Chattanooga Bar Association supports various charities and participates in community service, outreach programs, and educational projects.

You are holding an award-winning newspaper in your hands.

The Hamilton County Herald in July won four awards in the Tennessee Press Association’s 2015 newspaper contest, co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee. The honors included first place for Best Single Feature, second place for Best Business Coverage, fourth place for Local Features, and fifth place for Best Feature Photograph.

Supreme Court Justice Gary R. Wade, who has served the Tennessee judiciary for 28 years as a judge, justice, and chief justice, has announced he will retire in September.

Justice Wade was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Phil Bredesen in 2006. Wade was elected by his fellow justices to serve a two-year term as chief justice in September 2012. Justice Wade was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 1987, where he also served as presiding judge from 1998 until 2006.

The Chattanooga History Center has announced that its 10th Annual History Makers Award will honor U. S. Senator Bob Corker. The award recognizes local individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to Chattanooga, the region, the state, or the country.

From the Pacific Ocean comes this photo of Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Deontre Davis of Chattanooga removing a damaged bolt from an aircraft towing tractor aboard USS John C. Stennis. The sailors from the John C. Stennis Strike Group are undergoing the Composite Training Unit Exercise, the final step before being certified for deployment. (Photo provided)

The long-awaited launch of the City of Chattanooga/Hamilton County Mental Health Court (MHC) took place Thursday, July 30.  A short celebration followed the Criminal Court MHC docket. Pictured on the top: Judge Don W. Poole meets with a Mental Health Court participant. Pictured on the bottom: Sentencing Advocate Samantha Bayles, Judge Poole, and Assistant Public Defender Anna Protano-Biggs celebrate the official launch of the Criminal Court MHC.

You might not think much about inflation. After all, it’s been quite low for the past several years. Still, you may want to take it into account when you’re planning your retirement income strategy.

Of course, no one can really predict the future course of inflation. But it’s a pretty safe bet it won’t disappear altogether – and even a mild inflation rate, over time, can strongly erode your purchasing power. Consider this: If you were to purchase an item today for $100, that same item, in 25 years, would cost you $209, assuming an annual inflation rate of 3 percent. That’s a pretty big difference.

As flames engulfed the two-story farm house at 7606 Davidson Road, the growing fire created a wall of intense heat that pushed onlookers back in an ever expanding half-circle. According to a spokesperson with the Chattanooga Fire Department, the temperature eventually reached a searing 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing anyone without protective gear to retreat to the empty plot across the street.

This column was originally published in the Hamilton County Herald on Aug. 15, 2014.

This past Sunday evening, our church had a special choir program and dinner. This is always an enjoyable time because not only do we get to sit back and listen to the beautiful music the choir has performed during the past year, we also get to eat a wonderful meal afterward! This time, we had shrimp and grilled sausages with corn-on-the-cob and oven-roasted potatoes. It was so good!

A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.

 ~ Marcus Aurelius

The good and the bad from last weekend:

Friday at 5:00 was good; but that’s a no-brainer.

The chicken on the grill was good, all thighs, seasoned with Famous Dave’s.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Realty Center last week welcomed Gino Blefari, chief executive officer of HSF Affiliates, which operates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, to Chattanooga for a day of training. Speaking at the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club, Blefari also offered the dozens of agents and brokers that met there 63 time management tips.

The saying goes that all real estate is local, but that doesn’t mean all homebuyers are local. According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2015 international homebuyers report, global buyers spent an estimated $104 billion on housing in 2014, an increase of more than $10 billion from the previous year.

I’d like to tell you a story about a film that made me cry.

It wasn’t “E.T.” I didn’t shed a single tear when everyone’s favorite candy-munching alien hugged Elliott goodbye. I might have snickered, though.

The 2008 Arkansas Writers’ Conference featured a spontaneous writing contest. Yeah, I know, that was seven years ago, but I was thinking about it recently and, for some reason, thought you might get a chuckle out of what came of it.

The gist of this type of contest is that a sponsor, or judge, posts an assignment at a certain time of day—during the lunch hour, say. This will contain all specifications that must be adhered to by authors choosing to enter the contest. By another certain time of day—4 p.m., say—all who wish to enter must turn in their responses.

50 years ago

What was going on in Chattanooga in 1965?

Saturday, Aug. 7

Congressman Charles Halleck of Indiana will be among the distinguished guests at the Harry Carbaugh Appreciation Rally at Engel Stadium Saturday, Aug. 14, starting at 6 p.m. Congressman Bob Dole of Kansas will be the principal speaker.