CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and today, law enforcement hit the streets for Operation Hands Free—a statewide effort to crack down on distracted drivers and highlight the dangers of using a phone behind the wheel. In Chattanooga, officers boarded a CARTA bus, using the higher vantage point to spot…… MORE
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Golden Apple Award: Warren Smith, CCS
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Biology is defined as the study of living organisms. It can be one of the more challenging subjects on a 9 grader’s schedule, but Warren Smith sprinkles in plenty of life lessons for his students a CCS. For teaching growing minds about growing things, we honored, Mr. Smith with tonight’s Golden…… MORE
Chattanooga family displaced after Lillian Lane house fire
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A family is safe after a fire broke out at their home Tuesday afternoon. On April 1, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. crews with the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) responded to the 1500 block of Lillian Lane off Wilcox Boulevard. The residents called 911 after noticing smoke, and seeing fire in a…… MORE
Arrest made in connection to Grundy County fatal hit and run
Haley Layman arrested / Grundy County Sheriff’s Office via Facebook UPDATE (4/2/2025): An arrest has been made in connection to the fatal hit-and-run that killed Bobby Dan Green. According to the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, multiple agencies, including Tennessee Highway Patrol, assisted in the arrest of Haley Layman. No further details are available at this…… MORE
Grundy County man dies after being struck in a hit and run incident
GRUNDY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Grundy County man has died after being struck by a vehicle during a hit and run incident Monday. On March 31, 2025, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to the intersection of Rock Avenue and Main Street in Palmer, Tennessee after getting reports of a hit and run.…… MORE
Cleveland police searching for Berry Street hit and run suspect
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Cleveland Police Department (CLPD) are searching for a suspect involved in a hit and run over the weekend. On Sunday, March 30, 2025, CLPD responded to 771 Berry Street NE on reports of a crash. Bradley County 911 advised CLPD an unknown vehicle struck a child in the roadway.…… MORE
Go Fund Me Campaign for East Hamilton graduate who drowned last week
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A Go Fund Me campaign has been set up for an East Hamilton graduate who drowned last week in the Tennessee River. 19 year old Maurice Clanton Junior was swimming with friends near Skull Island. He was a freshman in college. Clanton played drums in the marching band in high school. The…… MORE
Seven-figure gift kickstarts New Women’s Athletic Complex at UTC
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has received a generous seven-figure donation from the Steiner family, a local Chattanooga family with a long-standing tradition of supporting UTC. This gift will fund the initial planning stages of a new women’s athletic complex, which will benefit the university’s softball, beach volleyball, and…… MORE
Report says most Hamilton County inmates stay behind bars through the end of their case
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Just how many Hamilton County inmates are staying behind bars while awaiting trial? A new report says, most of them. The Chattanoogans for Love, Equality, and Benevolence, or CALEB for short, has been advocating for inmate rights in Hamilton County for some time. Monday, they released the results of a years-long study…… MORE
Property value notices going out across Hamilton County
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Reappraisal notices have started going out across Hamilton County. County property assessor Marty Haynes says that by the end of April, every property owner should receive such notices. There are over 165,000 properties in Hamilton County. Haynes wants the public to know that while your home value is likely to go up,…… MORE
