Editorial

Saturday, March 9

Have a smokin’ hot marriage

At the First Things First event Celebrate Marriage, Dr. Pat Love, author of the book “Hot Monogamy,” will teach couples the art of creating a passion-filled marriage. This free event is for couples that are married or engaged, and offers the chance to laugh and leave with a fresh outlook on marriage.  Celebrate Marriage will be held at Brainerd Church (formerly Brainerd United Methodist Church) at 4315 Brainerd Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch and snacks provided. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.  Participants must pre-register for the seminar online at firstthings.org.

Thursday, March 14

Red Cross’ Hometown Heroes Luncheon to recognize local heroes

The American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee will host its 6th Annual Hometown Heroes Luncheon at The Chattanoogan from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Keith Alvey, recent director for the Hurricane Sandy relief effort in New York. The Red Cross will select five local heroes from nominations submitted by the community.  Categories include Good Samaritan – Youth; Good Samaritan – Adult; Red Cross Volunteer – Hospital; Red Cross Volunteer – Disaster; and First Responder. For information about table sponsorships, contact Sandy.Matheson@redcross.org or call 423-421-4587.

Sunday, March 17

First Annual Chattanooga Coffee Throwdown

Chattanooga's coffee culture will be in full force when professional and amatuer baristas gather for the Chattanooga Coffee Throwdown. Hosted by Thrive Studio, the competition will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to attend. Admission is free and there will be door prizes during the final round. Judges will be evaluating and scoring three categories: espresso, specialty, and brewed coffee drinks. The competition is similar to the United States Barista Championship, and while it’s not a sanctioned event, the winners will receive a cash prize.  A panel of three judges will be evaluating each drink using sensory and technical scoring. Registration is ten dollars.  Each competitor will be required to attend an orientation meeting on March 3 as well as the preliminary round on March 10 prior to the championships on March 17.  All events will be held at Thrive Studio, located at 191 River Street.  To register, contact David Snyder at david@thrivestudion.net or 423.605.3125.