News - Friday, September 11, 2020

As the owner of Mad Priest Coffee Roasters, Michael Rice has taken the art of making a superior cup of coffee and paired it with a Walter White level of science.

From his not-so-secret lab on Wilcox Boulevard, where Mad Priest Coffee Roasters just launched a drive-thru espresso bar, Rice combines a fanatically curated selection of beans with a German-built Probat coffee roaster to produce what he says he believes is the best possible cup of coffee his business can make.

When the Tennessee Bar Association announced the names of the attorneys that would serve on its newly established Diversity Task Force, one lawyer from Chattanooga was among the 19 jurists from across the state: Husch Blackwell’s Ariel Anthony.

Working Mother has named Baker Donelson to its 13th annual “Best Law Firms for Women” list. This is the fourth consecutive year Working Mother has included the firm in the list, which recognizes firms that utilize best practices in recruiting, retaining, promoting and developing women lawyers.

Brandyn O’Dell nearly had it all. But he was missing one thing.

During more than a decade of selling homes in Champaign, Illinois, he’d built a booming real estate business. He’d also risen through the ranks of his brokerage – one of the largest Coldwell Bankers in the nation, he says – to become its sales manager.

Every year, our industry recognizes September as Realtor Safety Month. With COVID-19, we’ve all learned there are risks – seen and unseen – we face every day.

Last week, the National Association of Realtors released its 2020 Member Safety Report, which surveys Realtors around the nation about their personal safety experiences, how safe they feel while on the job and the safety procedures and materials provided by their real estate brokerage.

Career paths and plans have changed for many in the Chattanooga area in 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19. But there’s some good news.

While the pandemic has led to significant job losses across multiple industries nationwide, the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor show residential construction hiring was up more than 300,000 in the last two months.

The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chattanooga Tourism Co., Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee, the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga, Greater Chattanooga Realtors and the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association support extending the Hamilton County mask mandate, they say, so the Chattanooga community can continue doing business and serving visitors safely while lowering the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

It’s that time of year again when, if you work for a medium-to-large employer, you’ve got some decisions to make: It’s open enrollment time. Of course, depending on your situation, you might have been working remotely for a while, but, even so, you will likely have the opportunity to review your benefits package and make changes. And you’ll want to make the right moves, because your choices can have a big financial impact on your life.

As Derrick Henry goes, so go the Tennessee Titans. It’s really as simple as that. In playoffs and regular season games combined, when Henry rushes for 100 yards, the Titans are 13-0. That stat dates back to 2017, when Henry had the first 100-yard rushing game of his NFL career in a week six win over the Indianapolis Colts.

The Titans open the season on a Monday night in Denver to an empty Mile High Stadium, which will take away some of the Broncos’ home-field advantage. Here are the things to watch for in the season opener.

First down

Jurrell Casey will be on a mission: The Titans gave Casey away for a seventh-round pick to clear cap space in the offseason. The Titans must be aware of where a seriously motivated friend turned foe will be Monday night. The five-time Pro Bowler will be motivated perhaps more than he ever has been for a regular season game.

Chattanooga State Community College is the recent recipient of a $738,525 Tennessee Coronavirus Relief Fund Grant awarded through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to help defray the expenses of delivering instructional support to students at the main campus, as well as at the Dayton and Kimball sites.

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will open its 2020-21 season with Percussion & Friends Friday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m., at the Tennessee Riverpark. The free community concert will feature classical works, patriotic favorites and modern percussion pieces.

The Hamilton County Health Department and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank have partnered to distribute food boxes at the Health Department’s Alstom Plant COVID-19 test site to anyone who’s being tested and might be facing hunger.

The food boxes will be distributed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8-11:30 a.m., while supplies last. The Alstom test site is open from 7-11:30 a.m. seven days a week.

Hospice of Chattanooga Foundation will host its first Miles for Memories virtual fundraiser from Oct. 5-31 to celebrate 40 years of nonprofit care. Participants can register at hospiceofchattanooga.org/milesformemories.

Registration costs vary. The participant package includes a toolkit with a downloadable race bib.

The National School Public Relations Association has named Bryan Johnson, Ph.D., superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, a ‘Superintendent to Watch.’ The organization chose 24 school leaders from across the country for their effective use of communication technology.

Parkridge Health System is welcoming patients at two new cardiac practices: Centennial Heart at Parkridge, a full-service practice specializing in diagnosing, managing and treating the full spectrum of cardiac and vascular disorders, and Centennial Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Parkridge, a surgical specialty group focusing on the surgical treatment of conditions affecting the heart and lungs.

CHI Memorial Foundation has rescheduled its annual Pink! gala to May 21, 2021, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Amy Arrowsmith, Julie Brandao and Alisa Stipanov will co-chair the foundation’s 16th annual signature black-tie event.

The theme, “A Night in the Emerald City: There’s No Place Like Home,” will invite guests to stroll down a yellow brick road to participate in live and silent auctions and more.

For the last decade, Chef Tamie Cook has promoted sustainable seafood as the producer of the Tennessee Aquarium’s Serve & Protect cooking show and dinner. A live cooking demonstration combined with an elegant seated dinner, this annual fundraising event will return for its 10th anniversary Oct. 1.