News - Friday, September 19, 2014

Peace comes at a cost. But it’s one attorney Catherine Long gladly pays. 

As general counsel for the Hutton Company, Long has no shortage of work in real estate, construction, and corporate law. But she believes in the importance of lawyers also doing something charitable outside their practice, so she’s taken on what she jokingly calls a part-time job – presiding as president of CISV USA, the US affiliate of Children’s International Summer Villages (CISV), a volunteer organization dedicated to building a more peaceful world through offering educational programs for youth and adults.   

The Greater Chattanooga Association of Realtors this month held the election for its 2015-2016 Board of Directors. Members then gathered together on Thursday, Sept. 11 to announce the results of the election, receive an update on various programs and services, and recognize their newest Realtors Emeritus - agents who have been Realtors for 40 years.

Firefighters from 12 area fire departments gathered at the SunTrust Building on Market Street Saturday, Sept. 13 to participate in the first 9/11 Stair Climb in Chattanooga. The 9/11 Stair Climb is a tribute to the 343 firefighters who died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

Summers, Ruolo & Rodgers (formerly Summers and Wyatt) last week announced that senior member Jerry H. Summers has been selected for inclusion in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Summers has been named in Best Lawyers 32 consecutive years – every year since the formation of the publication in 1983. Best Lawyers recognized Summers for his record and reputation in the fields of personal injury – plaintiffs law, and white collar and non-white collar criminal law.

Dignitaries from across the state gathered in Knoxville Wednesday to mark the formal investiture of Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon G. Lee.

Gov. Bill Haslam administered the oath of office to Chief Justice Lee, who was surrounded by her family in the Courtroom of the Tennessee Supreme Court within the Historic Post Office in downtown Knoxville.

Dressed in patriotic attire, members of the Northwest Georgia Council of Realtors on Thursday, Sept. 11 gathered at the Walker County Civic Center for its annual GARPAC fundraiser.

This year’s event had a military theme, and included musical entertainment by local artists, a photo booth, door prizes, and a free catered lunch.

Sellers often complain to their Realtor about mailings they receive from other Realtors seeking to list their home. Even with disclaimers, these mailings can cause a seller to reach out to their listing broker to confirm their property still is on the market. So how does this happen? How do other Realtors not know the home already is listed? Has the potential listing broker violated the Realtor Code of Ethics

Chattanooga Christian School (CCS)’s science department recently secured a Hach High School Chemistry Grant from the American Chemical Society (ACS). Over the past two years, the science department at CCS has applied for and been awarded two Hach grants, which fund resources, activities, and lab equipment for high school chemistry classes.

OXFORD, Miss. – We are at Rowan Oak, Susan and I – 719 Old Taylor Road, Oxford, Miss., USA. Once the home of William Faulkner, the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author, and his family for over 40 years. Built in 1844, and renovated from time to time thereafter, this modest Mississippi mansion is situated on some 30 acres of residential properly not far from the town square. Promotional literature says it’s “open year round, from dawn to dusk."

By now, virtually all Americans have probably heard of the saga of Ray Rice. The reporting and commentary and opinionating has been so pervasive that it’s been hard to avoid. Rice was a professional football player for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. A couple years back, Rice and his then fiancé had a few too many drinks and began arguing in a hotel.

As an investor, you’re well aware that, over the short term, the financial markets always move up and down. During your working years, you may feel that you have time to overcome this volatility. And you’d be basing these feelings on actual evidence: the longer the investment period, the greater the tendency of the markets to “smooth out” their performance. But what happens when you retire? Won’t you be more susceptible to market movements?

Chattanooga welcomed a piece of history to the downtown waterfront last week when the USS LST 325 docked at Ross’s Landing as part of its Tennessee River Cruise. The World War II Landing Ship Tank arrived the morning of Thursday, Sept. 11. Self-guided tours began that afternoon and continued through Wednesday, Sept. 17.

If the Bible is to be taken literally, then Jesus will someday return to Earth to transport his followers to Heaven, while those who rejected him will be left behind to endure seven years of tribulation. If the events in “The Remaining” are to be believed, then the rapture and the torture that follows will resemble a badly made horror movie. 

The TasteBuds local food guide come to life this weekend during the 2nd Annual TasteBuds Farm Tour. A $20 car pass allows family and friends to take a self-guided road trip Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

“The TasteBuds Farm Tour is a great opportunity to explore local farms that are not always open to visitors,” says Andrea Jaeger, programs coordinator of Crabtree Farms and TasteBuds Farm Tour organizer. “This is your chance to take a tour with the host farmer, see where your food comes from, and even meet a few farm animals along the way.”

To make a long story short: My son’s football team played a team out of Daytona, Fla., last week. Due to the close proximity, the team and families stayed at Walt Disney World. That turned the road trip into a four-day vacation at the happiest place in the world. As usual, I had a jury trial scheduled at the same time, and was forced to make plans to come in the day after everyone else, but in plenty of time to see the game. As usual, I talked too much and the trial went long. I missed the football game and had to buy another airline ticket and fly in the next day. I won my jury trial and the football team beat the local favorites. All in all, the trip started out on a positive note.

This column originally ran in the Hamilton County Herald on Sept. 13, 2013. 

This past weekend, my daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren came to visit us for a few days. In our new, smaller home, things were loud and rowdy, as you would expect. But it was fun, and everyone seemed to fit in quite comfortably! I guess with kids and grandkids, there’s not much of a way to be uncomfortable.

The boy grew up on Long Island, surrounded by one brother and seven sisters. Whenever there was an event in the home to which the guys weren’t invited, his dad took the boys out to McArthur Airport, where they watched the planes takeoff and land. 

Some days, the media finds it really difficult to come up with news. Of course, that’s not always a bad thing, but the major problem with their inability to come up with actual factual news is they have to make up something. For example, just today it was reported that the wallet would one day become a thing of the past. I’ve never spent many hours pondering that subject, but just like those folks out in California attempting to do away with the plastic bag, I really don’t see that happening real soon.

This past weekend for the first time I felt fall in the air. It was slightly chilly and beautiful outside; however, that cool air made me think about preparing the home for winter. Many people do not prepare the home for the coldest season, which is unfortunate because winterizing the home can reap big rewards for energy savings and the bank account. 

This column originally ran in the Hamilton County Herald on Sept. 13, 2013. 

Cabbage Patch Kids dolls are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. I can remember when those fat-cheeked little dolls first started production. I can’t believe it was 30 years ago.

Fill in the blanks in the quote using the following words:

Infinitely, things, stolen, taken, riches,

soul, ordinary, riches, cannot, real

“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches can not. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.”

Chickamauga Battlefield Bicycle Tour

Saturday, Sept. 20

Enjoy stories about the Civil War while riding through scenic Chickamauga Battlefield Sept. 20 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Hosted by the Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga along with the Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, this free event is available to adults and children 8 and older when accompanied by an adult. You may bring your own bicycle or borrow one from the Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga Mobile Bicycle Fleet. Helmets are required. To reserve a bicycle from the Battlefield Visitor’s Center, call (706) 866-9241.