News - Friday, September 21, 2018

When officers do hourly security checks at the Loudon County Jail, they’re often walking into a potent brew of danger.

Officially, the jail’s capacity is 91 inmates. But the actual population runs between 170 and 180 on average and was up to 210 inmates at one point this summer.

With a huge percentage of crimes in Tennessee now stemming from drug addiction, some county officials are realizing they can’t just keep adding jail beds. Instead, they’re looking to address the root causes of crime.

That’s what’s happening in Blount County, a community of about 130,000 people nestled against the Great Smoky Mountains and part of the Knoxville metropolitan area.

When it comes to bipartisanship, Tennessee politicians talk a good game. But in the ballot-box battle, they’re all about party.

Take, for instance, two-term Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. He has more in common with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean than just about any Republican in the state, much more than with Republican candidate Bill Lee.

Some people arrive at their jobs by following in the footsteps of a parent, by blazing their own trail or persevering despite unexpected events.

Chattanooga attorney David L. Barry experienced all of those before landing a spot with Spicer Rudstrom PLLC.

By 2030, the Census Bureau projects there will ­– for the first time in history – be more residents 65 and older than children in the United States.

This change in demographics will fundamentally change the delivery of products and services to meet the needs of today’s aging population.

Susan Robinson wants to elevate her real estate skills to an art form. And if she does that, based on her previous career, she will be a huge success.

Robinson, a broker with two other family members at Chattanooga’s Robinson Realty Group, where she has worked for the past three years, organized wildly popular arts and culture events in Chattanooga for nearly 25 years before changing careers.

The Paula McDaniel Group has announced the grand opening of The Farm, a new subdivision off of Clift Mill Road in Soddy Daisy.

The public is invited to tour the homes built by Nu-Era Construction, with lunch from Off The Grill’s Food Truck. The open house is set for Sunday, Sept. 23, 2-5 p.m.

Rising home prices, higher interest rates and increased building material costs have pressured housing affordability to a 10-year low, the National Association of Home Builders finds.

Keen market observers have been watching this situation take shape for quite some time. Nationally, median household income has risen 2.6 percent in the last 12 months, while home prices are up 6.0 percent.

As Chattanooga-area children head back to school, it’s time for home owners to head outside and do a little “homework” themselves.

Focusing on a few maintenance projects now will help prepare your home when the cold temperatures hit. 

It used to be appointment viewing for every college football fan. It used to determine the SEC champion and factor into the national title chase.

But the rivalry between Tennessee and Florida has lost much of its luster over the last decade, with not much at stake beyond bragging rights.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. You probably recognize, at least in a general sense, the importance of life insurance, but do you know the various ways in which it can help you?

Life insurance can play a sizable role in your ability to achieve some important financial goals, such as these:

Two Chattanooga-area projects are among those being considered in the 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards competition.

The award is one of the highest honors an engineering firm can receive and is considered the “Academy Awards of the engineering industry’’ and are presented by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee.

Chattanooga Police officers, professional staff, community members and partner agencies were recently honored for service at the department’s annual awards ceremony.

Each year the CPD honors officers and civilians who’ve performed an exceptional act or served in an exceptional manner. The recipients represent examples of bravery, dedication and extraordinary work ethic.

Crabtree Farms will host its 16th annual Fall Plant Sale and Festival on Saturday, September 22.

The event takes place 9 a.m.-4 p.m., kicking off the fall planting season with an opportunity to shop for sustainably grown fruit, vegetable and herb plants.

Chattanooga Pro Soccer has hired Tim Hankinson as head coach of its USL Division III professional team.

Hankinson brings decades of professional coaching experience to the position, including time with Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids and Tampa Bay Mutiny along with the USL’s Indy Eleven and the Charleston Battery. Hankinson is a proven winner, having led multiple clubs to consistent playoff appearances.

It’s all aboard for sculpture when the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum train departs the station from Sculpture Fields to celebrate Once in a Blue Choo Choo. The event is the park’s annual fundraiser Sept. 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Guests are invited to don their favorite blue ensembles for this one-of-a-kind event benefiting the 33-acre international sculpture park, the largest in the Southeast.

Photography is sometimes referred to as a “hobby of a lifetime,” and in the case of Donna Bourdon, that bit of popular wisdom has certainly borne out.

The Chattanooga-based photographer’s love of capturing images began when she was 9 years old.

After spending several years in England, artist Grant Wood has returned to his native Chattanooga and will be exhibiting a recent body of work at Townsend Atelier. 

The show will feature landscape and figurative works painted in England and in America recording the coastal towns and local people of both countries. Works include oils, watercolor and gouache and will be available for purchase.