News - Friday, September 23, 2016

Andrea Cribben-Acosta tried to escape her destiny, but no matter where she went, it found her and impressed its purpose upon her. Today, as special magistrate and court legal director at Hamilton County Juvenile Court, she can see how each step along her journey prepared her for what lie ahead.

The Chattanooga Housing Authority (CHA) has appointed Ijeoma Ike as in-house legal counsel. In her role, she provides the organization with legal advice, counsel, and representation on a variety of legal matters.

Early in September, our Leadership Chattanooga class of 2017 gathered for its first full-day session. Our work started before the first official meeting of the day, when we were challenged to arrive by bus, so that we would gain first-hand experience of the many transportation challenges facing those who rely on public transportation. Our topic for the day? Poverty.

The average American retires at about age 63, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. If you enjoy your work, of course, you may want to go well beyond that age. But what if you don’t want to wait until 63 or so? Can you afford to retire early? 

Greg Martin has a few one-liners he likes to toss around when he tells people he recently switched from selling cemetery plots to selling real estate.

“I went from selling inches to selling acres,” Martin says. He pauses, but he’s not done; he’s just warming up.

Last week, more than 30 Tennessee Realtors travelled to Charleston, S.C., for the annual state convention. While enjoying the coastal climate, we collectively implemented policy changes and examined the political future of our state.

Crye-Leike Real Estate Services has added three affiliate brokers to local branch offices:

Linda Uzun and Jason Perdue of Ooltewah, Tenn., and Tammy Cantrell of La Fayette, Ga.

The gridiron of American football is a battleground where strength, speed, and endurance are measured. It also provides a nifty frame of reference for a variety of other measurements, including the size of land on which today’s new homes are built. Interestingly, these lots are getting smaller and smaller.

When you make a phone call, send a text message, or enter a search into Google, have you ever considered where those bits and bytes actually go? Do you think once they reach their destination, they disperse into nothing, as though they never existed? “Snowden” will make you think twice.

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement last week in response to the passage of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:

Voter registration drives

A taskforce comprised of community leaders and pastors are teaming up to launch GOVoteCHA. Through this nonpartisan effort, organizers will host voter registration rallies throughout the Greater Chattanooga Area to educate residents about the importance of civic participation and to encourage them to register to vote.

During IRONMAN this weekend, the Chattanooga Department of Transportation (CDOT) recommends spectators and visitors park in the lots and garages surrounding downtown and utilize the Free Electric Shuttle and Bike Chattanooga bike share system. 

Saturday, Sept. 24, 1966

Construction of the children’s facility at Moccasin Bend Psychiatric Hospital was under way Friday after H.E. Collins Construction, a leading Chattanooga general contracting firm, took out a city building permit for $842,730.

Saturday, Sept. 23, 1916

John Emory Connor, Chattanooga’s postmaster and prominent citizen, died at his home at 930 E. 10th St. following a stroke of apoplexy. Mr. Connor was born on a farm just two miles east of the city. He is survived by his wife and five children.

State Rep. Kevin Brooks set the tone for Jeremy Durham’s ouster in prayer, of all places.

Quoting from Luke, the Cleveland Republican opened the recent extraordinary session of the General Assembly saying, “Heavenly Father, you’re very clear in your word when you say that every valley will be filled, every mountain and hill brought low and the crooked places made straight and the rough places made smooth. 

If you’re a Tennessee fan hurting from the 11-game losing streak against Florida, put yourself in Corey Vereen’s shoes.

UT’s senior defensive end is from Winter Garden, Florida, and he’s 0-for-3 against his buddies back home. That’s not the worst part for Vereen.

The suicide rate in the United States has increased 24 percent since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report details that the rate has tripled among girls 10 to 14 years old and is up 43 percent among men 45 to 64 years old. To combat these hard numbers, our nation needs adeeper strategicinvestment in life-saving crisis care.

I saw in the sports section of my local paper an item that said three golfers named Yip, Hack and Schenk were a threesome on the final day of some tournament. And I thought it was a joke. 

In golf, we have this malady called “the yips.” If you have them, you are missing the shortest of putts, regularly. All the time. You have no clue why the ball will not go into the hole. It’s an awful feeling.