News - Friday, September 23, 2022

When word began to circulate through the Chattanooga legal community that paralegal Tommy Crump was leaving attorney Herbert Thornbury after 24 years to work for a different law firm, it turned into a brushfire that couldn’t be stopped.

Soon, Crump’s inbox was stuffed with queries from local attorneys who were curious about what had happened. Thornbury’s phone was lighting up like the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree as colleagues called or texted to get the scoop firsthand.

In a dingy Dallas hotel room in 1973, four men wrestled with a problem.

Prosecutors’ offices throughout Tennessee were increasingly professionalized, criminal defense lawyers were disconnected and bar associations were squeamish about dallying in criminal justice causes.

Heidi Rau has placed two stark white figurines high on a shelf behind her desk at RE/MAX Ambassadors, the real estate brokerage she launched in July. One is a lion in repose; the other is a human sitting cross-legged in a meditative posture.

To the casual observer, these are simply two pieces of decor tastefully selected and artfully placed at opposite ends of the shelf to soften the business vibe broker’s offices tend to emit.

Summer 2022 has been a season of change for the U.S. real estate market. With housing affordability at a 33-year low, existing home sales have continued to soften nationwide, falling 5.9% month-to-month and 20.9% year-over-year as of last measure, the National Association of Realtors reports.

As autumn brings football games and cooler temperatures, many homeowners are focusing on home improvement projects. The upcoming months are an excellent time to tackle renovations.

“Despite delays and higher costs due to supply chain problems, demand for remodeling remains high,” says Paul Emrath, NAHB assistant vice president for surveys and housing policy research. “Looking ahead, we expect to see continued growth in the remodeling market in 2022 and 2023.”

“The photograph of Zennia Nesmith and her daughter, Chyna, published on Page 1 of the Sept. 16, 2022, edition of the Hamilton County Herald should have been credited to Elizabeth Burns Photography.

It’s 8 a.m. and Josh McNabb is stretching to start the day.

He clutches a leg with both hands and slowly pulls it toward his torso until the muscles extend.

“How does that feel?” he asks.

“Like I need to do more of this.”

When Elvis Presley was found on the floor at Graceland Aug. 16, 1977, his road manager called the Memphis Fire Department, and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

Now, a recording of that call has surfaced at the Tigerman Karate Dojo and Museum in Memphis, advertised as the “fateful 911 call” that “you can hear for the first time ever.” Admission is $24.99.

The members of Ukraine’s world-renowned Kyiv City Ballet are – like many millions in their country – refugees. The company departed Ukraine for a European tour shortly before the Russian invasion and are now unable to return home.

Chattanooga State Community College will host its annual Latin Festival Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The free event will be held on the main campus at 4501 Amnicola Highway.

Chattanooga State’s Latin Festival honors and recognizes the American Latino community during Hispanic Heritage Month. The free open house-styled event will focus on welcoming the growing Hispanic population at Chattanooga State.

The latest release of Hamilton County student testing data from the Tennessee Department of Education indicates an overall rating of “Satisfactory” for the district’s accountability efforts.

Additionally, the state recognized 13 Hamilton County schools as Level 5 schools for the academic growth their students demonstrated during the spring testing period.

The Hunter Museum of American Art has launched a new exhibit of black-and-white photography.

The work of Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Paul Caponigro and other photograph greats from the private collection of Dr. David Dennard are now on view in the Hunter mansion.

The Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater was closed Sept. 15-16 for a monumental undertaking: the replacement of its six-story tall, 89-foot-wide screen.

The behemoth is one of the features that sets the IMAX 3D theater apart from conventional movie halls.

Hinton & Company recently launched its Community Culture Index, a data-driven assessment tool meant to measure a region’s commitment to inclusiveness.

The firm is launching its CCI in partnership with the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga.

As a writer of commentary, I at times ponder deep and meaningful topics for columns. At other times, not so deep or meaningful. Here’s a bit of both:

Is Jesus the GOAT? Ranking the founders of the world’s major religious traditions, also including Abraham, the Prophet Muhammad, the Buddha, Lao Tzu and Confucius. Who’s the Greatest of All Time?

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” But as you chart your financial course, what steps should you take to help you keep moving forward to where you want to go?

Consider these suggestions:

Tourism rebounded this summer in Europe – and Europe wasn’t ready. Pandemic-related staff shortages led to massive lines and flight cancellations at many airports; meanwhile, prices for hotels and taxis soared.

Then there were the record-breaking temperatures that caused roads, airport runways and railroad tracks to buckle, leading to further disruptions.

By Rhiannon Potkey

How long did it take before somebody mentioned the Tennessee Volunteers’ bitter rivalry with the Florida Gators to now-second-year head coach Josh Heupel?

“Probably 30 seconds after I arrived here on campus,” Heupel says. “This is one of the ballgames that this fan base and our players point to.”

Toyota largely pioneered hybrid vehicles, and its extensive lineup of gas-saving models today is a testament to that. But it’s taken a while for Toyota to finally come out with its first mass-market electric vehicle: the all-new 2023 Toyota bZ4X.