Portion of Riverwalk closed
The Riverwalk from Chickamauga Dam to Fry Center will be closed for repairs until approximately Aug. 19. A drain pipe that runs from the Chattanooga State campus under the Riverwalk to the Tennessee River has collapsed and will have to be dug up and replaced.
One-day reptile event – Saturday, Aug. 9
Repticon will return to Camp Jordan in East Ridge, Tenn., Aug. 9 with Reptiday, a new one-day reptile exposition geared toward all ages and personalities. Open to the public, the expo will showcase hundreds of reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, spiders, and small exotic animals. Top breeders and vendors will have animals, merchandise, cages, supplies, live and frozen feeders, and more on display. In addition, guests will be able to interact with live annimals during seminars to be held throughout the day. The doors will open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Sportsbard Sprint Triathalon – Sunday, Aug. 10
Area athletes are invited to test their physical strength at the 18th Annual Sportsbarn Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, Aug. 10. Each year, more than 700 participants and spectators turn out for this challenging event presented by The Sportsbarn. Proceeds benefit First Things First, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening area families. The triathlon will begin at the Chickamauga Dam at 7 a.m. with participants swimming or paddleboarding one quarter-mile in the Chickamauga Lake, and then riding 8.2 miles to downtown Chattanooga via Amnicola Highway. The race will end with a two-mile run along the Chattanooga riverfront and the North Shore. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners overall and in each age group. Register online at www.sportsbarn.net or by calling The Sportsbarn at (423) 266-1125. Pre-registration is required. Registration closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 9.
Citizens’ Police Academy – Date Change/Deadline Extension
The Chattanooga Police Department Office of Community Outreach is currently taking applications for their annual Citizens’ Police Academy. A new start date and revised application deadlines have been announced to accommodate a variety of schedules and to include more citizens. The Citizen’s Academy will begin on September 4, 2014 and include 35 students. Applications are due no later than August 25, 2014 to the Office of Community Outreach. During the eight week program, citizens will learn about the inner workings of the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD). Instructors from the CPD will cover a variety of topics including: narcotics, homicide investigation, patrol, and the SWAT team. “It’s important that our community understands how we operate as a department,” said Police Chief Fred Fletcher. “Through increased knowledge and interaction, the police department and Chattanoogans can work together to make our streets safer.”To sign up for the Chattanooga Police Department’s Citizens’ Police Academy, contact Officer Wayne Jefferson at 643-5090 or by email at jefferson_wa@chattanooga.gov.
Fall gardening workshop – Saturday, Aug. 30
On Aug. 30 from 10 a.m. to noon, Crabtree Farms’ Fall Gardening Workshop will prepare gardeners for fall planting. Farm Manager and Education Coordinator Sara McIntyre will be offering tips and tricks for growing fall crops, including beets, carrots, kohlrabi, lettuce, greens, and berry bushes for spring. McIntyre will also offer a list of some of her favorite varieties to grow in our region. Pre-registration is required. Register by calling (423) 493-9155, extension 10, or emailing achill@crabtreefarms.org.
Crabtree’s Fall Plant Sale – Saturday, Sept. 6
Crabtree Farms’ 12th Annual Fall Plant Sale will take place Saturday, Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Over 100 varieties of fruits, veggies, herbs and more will be on hand for fall gardeners. (All plant starts are being cultivated in the greenhouse at Crabtree Farms using sustainable methods.) This year’s festival will feature three free workshops. From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Crabtree’s Sara McIntyre will offer tips on fall gardening. At noon, CeCe McDermott of 423 Balm will demonstrate how to make five-minute cheese. One other workshop, topic to be determined, is planned. Local vendors with goods for sale will include 423 Balm, Down to Earth, Fireside Botanicals, King of Pops, Marshall and Rose, Rusty’s Nutz, and Shuptrine’s Twisted. Crabtree accepts cash, Visa or MasterCard, check, and SNAP. (SNAP is accepted for seeds and edible plants only.)