September 27, 2007
Asst. Chief Jeannie Snyder has been found. Again
Read the story here.
Now, I recognize a patient's right to privacy, but the CPD is going to HAVE to say SOMETHING about this sooner or later.
Posted by pulseblogger at 10:20 AM | TrackBack
September 05, 2007
Marti's neighbor on Alta Vista...tee hee
Posted by Joe Lance
Transcript (as best as I can make out):
Marti Rutherford: "Rick is one of my neighbors on Alta Vista."
[unknown]: "[heheheh]"
I've duplicated the clip so that viewers can register the comment plus the barely audible snicker that follows. It's not clear whether the laugh was emitted by Ms. Rutherford or by Melinda Hickey, who some reports say is Marti's newest "landlord."
Posted by pulseblogger at 07:55 PM | TrackBack
Where Marti's Living Now...
From Chattanoogan.com:
City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford, who is under fire on whether she is a valid resident of the district she was elected to represent, has moved to a new District 6 location.Her attorney, John Anderson, confirmed that Ms. Rutherford has vacated the "mother-in-law apartment" she had at a residence owned by Rusty Scott at 3442 Alta Vista Dr.
In order to move OUT of a residence, you would have had to ACTUALLY LIVE THERE. It's August. It's been close to (or over) 100 degrees everyday for more than two weeks. If Ms. Rutherford had ACTUALLY been living at the Alta Vista residence her attorney claims she was living at, she would have used more than $7 in electricity last month.
So...
Is Mr. Anderson's statement...
A lie?
A slight bending of the truth?
Technically correct in light of residency requirements for city council members?
Attorney Anderson said Ms. Rutherford has moved to Sweetbriar Avenue. He said he did not know the exact address, but "it is within District 6."The attorney said it is "a fully furnished house. She is not sharing it with anyone."
He said he does not know who she is renting from.
Unconfirmed reports out of WGOW say that Ms. Rutherford is now renting an apartment from longtime friend and supporter Melinda Hickey.
Developing...
Posted by pulseblogger at 10:27 AM | TrackBack
August 30, 2007
Read Marti's Letter to Rusty
An anonymous source has sent to WGOW News Talk 102.3 a copy of a letter supposedly sent by City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford to Rusty Scott, the man whom she has said is the landlord of the residence she has on Alta Vista Drive.In the letter, dated March 5, 2005, Rutherford thanks Scott for his financial contribution.
“I do hope that you did not take any flack about me being your ‘tenant,’” Rutherford writes in the letter. Rutherford's attorney John Anderson has not returned a call seeking comment after The Pulse faxed him a copy of the letter.
See the letter here.
Posted by pulseblogger at 05:00 PM | TrackBack
August 28, 2007
More Marti Moves
A showdown over Marti Rutherford's residency is expected at tonight's City Council meeting.
In a related story from today's TFP:
City Councilman Jack Benson, chairman of the council's Legal and Legislative Committee, said the residency matter is "the business of the constituents (Ms. Rutherford) represents.""If they want to challenge the authenticity of her residence, they need to speak up to the City Council and the city attorney," he said.
Anybody going tonight?
Posted by pulseblogger at 10:24 AM | TrackBack
August 22, 2007
Marti Rutherford Confronted in Her Home -- Located in a District She Doesn't Represent -- by a WRCB News Crew, Tells News Crew to Meet Her at Her Lawyer's Office
Why is this happening? Read our story in today's issue.
Watch WRCB tonight for more...
Posted by pulseblogger at 02:01 PM | TrackBack
August 21, 2007
Littlefield "Open to the Idea" of Expanded Concessions at the Memorial and Tivoli
From today's TFP:
Mayor Ron Littlefield said he is "open" to considering a change in city policy that would allow food and drinks into the seating areas of the city-owned Memorial Auditorium and Tivoli Theatre."If it's going to be a workable policy, this would be the time to test it, not after we have gone in and reupholstered and recarpeted," he said. "I am open to the idea. That's not the same thing as supportive."
Mr. Littlefield, who traveled to Knoxville's Tennessee Theatre in May to study its general operations for comparison, said it is up to the Memorial and Tivoli advisory board to weigh in on the issue.
"I think we need to have them take a look" at it, Mr. Littlefield said. "They might want to do just as I did, to go up and look at the Tennessee Theater and perhaps some in Nashville and the Fox Theatre in Atlanta."
Thoughts?
Posted by pulseblogger at 10:53 AM | TrackBack
August 11, 2007
Recalling Some Facts
Here are some quick facts:
1. The SEIU contributed $11,500 to Ron Littlefield's mayoral campaign.
2. Chattanooga city employees were aware of the SEIU in the Summer of 2005.
3. Littlefield recognized the SEIU in an executive order on December 9, 2005.
4. Littlefield now says he cannot recall how he got involved with the SEIU despite the fact that he has "always been supported by organized labor."
Informal poll: Do you believe him?
Answer yes or no and tell us why in the comments below.
Posted by pulseblogger at 02:07 AM | TrackBack
July 25, 2007
"Back Room Boys" Billboards Not Going Up. For Now...
The billboards slated to go up around town that would have spoofed County Mayor Claude Ramsey and the five County Commission members who recently voted for a 26-cent property tax increase are not going up. For now.
Evidently, the billboard company reneged on posting the billboards due to content. The folks who hatched the idea for the billboards -- including Tim Price, John Wolfe, and Rhonda Thurman -- have reportedly vowed to fight the decision.
More information should be available later this afternoon.
Developing...
Posted by pulseblogger at 11:37 AM | TrackBack
May 02, 2007
Please, Please, Please, Please Don't Leave Your Kids in Your Car
From Chattanoogan.com:
Chattanooga Fire Department First responders did a thermal imaging reading of the BMW and found the inside of the car was 142 degrees and the infant was in the vehicle for almost seven hours.
Posted by colrus at 10:11 AM | TrackBack
March 12, 2007
Our Two Most Favorite Recent Headlines
Police Blotter: Man Attacked by Losers in Basketball Game.
Two Shot Near "Stop the Violence" March.
Posted by colrus at 12:55 PM | TrackBack
February 14, 2007
Brainerd High School 911 Tape Audio
Click here to hear the 911 tape of the incident at Brainerd High School referenced in our cover story this week.
(Audio courtesy of WRCB.)
Posted by pulseblogger at 01:01 AM | TrackBack
February 08, 2007
Anna Nicole Smith is Dead
She died this afternoon.
Posted by pulseblogger at 04:00 PM | TrackBack
Kevin West: "If you want to build trust, don't lie."
Simply put, Kevin West's blog post on WGOW's Morning Press Blog is fantastic, and should be read by every resident of this city.
If you want to build trust, don't lie.I hope people working in governmental agencies don't really question why we don't trust them. They don't tell us the truth. The gun incident at Brainerd High School is the latest fiasco. The original story was this:
Police got a tip that a male student was going to bring a gun to school. They were there waiting for him, stopped him at the beginning of the day before school started, took him into custody and found the gun he threw away.
That's not how it happened. As Channel 3's David Carroll found out in obtaining the 911 call tape, school had been in session for more than an hour, no uniformed police officers were on campus, and an assistant principal actually spotted the gun, and then apprehended, tackled and restrained the student until police arrived.
Ron Rice is the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer. He told us the original story. Much to his credit, he got on the air immediately and gave us the story as questions from callers swirled about what was going on.
He didn't know he had incorrect information.
Danielle Clark is the Hamilton County School System Public Information Officer. She told us about the lockdown. She told us about the on-going search inside the school. And she told us classes were not being dismissed. She told us school things. She could not talk about the investigation. That's police work. Police don't want a school system PR-flack talking about police work. The school system doesn't want their well-paid information conduit talking about police work. So she didn't. And won't.
Michelle Michaud is the mayor's Director of Communications. She wasn't at the scene and shouldn't be involved at all but is involved because the Chattanooga Police Department, at the moment, has no Public Information Officer. Now that she is, she has sent me the accurate story of what happened -- matching what David Carroll reported earlier in the week. Maybe she got it from David, I don't know. In a two-and-a-half page summary based on David's Channel 3 Eyewitness News story, she notes correctly that "breaking news is inherently flawed" and then defends why "everyone interviewed" thought it was NOT important to tell the truth about what happened until David did his story. She does not explain why investigators told Ron Rice a story that had nothing to do with what really happened and allowed him to pass it along in good conscience as "fact."
So the question remains: who decided to make up a story and pass it along as fact when it wasn't? Who is that thought it would be okay to hang Ron Rice out to dry? And who was it that decided to continue the "us-versus-them" mentality of distrust that plagues local government in Chattanooga exactly because of situations like this?
I'll probably never know for sure, but I've already got it way narrowed down. And it doesn't help us trust anything police or city hall or the school system says at face value -- makes us have to scrutinize it that much more closely.
Really bad call. If you want to build trust, don't lie.
And if you make a mistake, don't defend it. Correct it.
Posted by pulseblogger at 02:48 PM | TrackBack
February 06, 2007
When Trying to Kill Someone, Bring Diapers
The girl wore diapers.
Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers in the car so she wouldn't have to stop to go to the bathroom, authorities said. Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.
Posted by pulseblogger at 05:01 PM | TrackBack
January 09, 2007
Your Recycling Areas Revealed!
A quick summary of our current recycling program...
Here’s what can be placed on the curb for pickup: cardboard, newspaper, all paper grades (except shredded), plastic #1 and #2 (bottles with a neck), aluminum cans, and steel cans (food residue must be rinsed out). All of the items must be in blue bags, clear bags or a covered bin, but the items do not need to be sorted, and they can be placed in the same bag. Lids do not need to be removed from plastic recyclables, nor do aluminum cans need to be crushed.
Other recyclable materials such as shredded paper; brown, green, and clear glass bottles; computers and small electronics except TVs or microwaves; wet cell batteries; and motor oil, can be dropped off at four convenience center locations. They are: the Warner Park Recycling Center at 1250 East Third Street; the John A. Patten Recreation Center at 3202 Kelly’s Ferry Road; Access Road at DuPont Parkway; and the East Brainerd Baseball Complex at the end of Batter’s Place Road. A Brainerd location will be announced soon. Curbside recyclables also may be dropped off at these centers.
The city is now divided into four areas in which recyclables will be picked up on a monthly schedule.
Area 1 is comprised of neighborhoods east of Highway 153 and west of Interstate 75. Specifically, they are Big Ridge, Hamillville, Hamilton, Hickory Valley, Hixson, Lake Vista, Mahala Acres, Murray Hills, North Shore, Northern Hills, Timberwyck, Town Hills, Tyner, Windbrook, Valleybrook, Valleybrook Park and Washington Hills. Pickup is scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month (January 3, February 7, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 6, July 5, August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7, and December 5).
Area 2 is comprised of neighborhoods east of Interstate 75, west of Highway 153, and east of Crest Road, Campbell Street, and Bonnie Oaks Drive. They are Airport Road, Ashley Mill, Ashwood, Audubon Hills, Bella Vista, Brainerd Hills, Brainerd Park, Brandermill, Cherokee Woods, Concord Heights, Gaylan Heights, Glendon Place, Green Forest, Hamilton Mill, Hurricane Creek, Indian Hills, Irvin Acres, Kenmoor, Liles Addition, Marimont, North/South Crest Road, North Tower, North Twinbrook, Old Lee Highway, Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, Pin Oak, Pine Grove, Radmoor, Ridgewood Acres, Rollingwood, Rosemere, Royal Oaks, Shepherd, North/South Brainerd, and Woodmore. Pickup is scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month (January 10, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12).
Area 3 encompasses neighborhoods west of Crest Road, Campbell Street, and Bonnie Oaks Drive, west of Highway 153, and south of the Tennessee River. They are Alton Park, Amnicola, Avondale, Battery Heights, Battery Place, Bushtown, Cedar Hills, Churchville, Clifton Hills, Downtown, East Chattanooga, East Lake, Ferger Place, Fortwood, Foust Addition, Glenwood, Highland Park, King’s Point, Lincoln Park, Oak Grove, Orchard Knob, Piney Woods, Ridgedale, Saint Elmo, and Tiftonia. Pickup is scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month (January 17, February 21, March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15, September 19, October 17, November 21, and December 19).
Area 4 is neighborhoods north of the Tennessee River and west of Highway 153. They are Brynwood Park, Cloverdale, Cross Creek, Fairfax Heights, Forest Highland, Galaxy, Glendale, Lake Forest, Lupton City, Manchester Park, Moccasin Bend, Mountain Creek, Norcross, North Chattanooga, North Glenn, Northwoods, Pineville Road, Rivermont, Riverview, Signal Hills, Stuart Heights, Spring Valley and Whitehall. Pickup is scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each month (January 24, February 28, March 28, April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, August 22, September 26, October 24, November 28, and December 26).
If you are uncertain of where your neighborhood falls within the recycling schedule, call City Services at 311, or visit www.recycleright.org.
Posted by colrus at 12:10 PM | TrackBack
January 04, 2007
Bush: Feds Can Now Open Mail Without Warrants
From USA Today:
President Bush has "quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant," the New York Daily News writes this morning.When he put his signature on a postal reform bill on Dec. 20, the newspaper notes, the president added a "signing statement" that "declared his right to open people's mail under emergency conditions."
Speechless. Yep, that's the word.
Posted by pulseblogger at 11:16 AM | TrackBack
Yes! We Are (Maybe) Going to Get an Auto Plant at Enterprise South (Again)!
According to a piece in the Wall Street Journal, it seems we (along with three to four other locations) are in the running for a Toyota plant.
Contrary to our repeated skepticism, we would be very pleased to see it actually happen.
According to rumors discussed on WGOW today, local realtors have received inquiries from Toyota higher-ups looking for information about homes in the area.
Posted by pulseblogger at 10:59 AM | TrackBack
November 18, 2006
Maclellan Island Open House Saturday Cancelled Due to Flooding
My profound apologies to everyone, but we’ve had to cancel the Maclellan Island open house, scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, November 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Due to the week’s heavy rains and TVA’s autumn water release schedule, the boat dock and beach areas at the island are flooded. With releases reaching 64,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) tomorrow, river levels could possibly go even higher.
Please spread the word around to anyone you know who may be thinking of going. I’d hate to have folks come downtown and be disappointed.
We and the Chattanooga Audubon Society will try to reschedule as soon as possible.
Ruthie Cartlidge
Events Coordinator
Outdoor Chattanooga
Posted by colrus at 01:39 AM | TrackBack
November 01, 2006
Sticky Fingers Owner Buys "Colbert Report" Painting
Three Chattanooga natives have added an extra dash of "truthiness" to their barbecue recipes after winning an auction for a portrait of The Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert.
Colbert announced on his program Tuesday night that Chad Walldorf, co-owner of Sticky Fingers, won the auction, proceeds of which will benefit Save the Children, an international charity. The portrait, which hangs on the show's set, depicts Colbert posing behind another picture of the satirical television show host. It was auctioned off in October to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the program's launch on Comedy Central. Walldorf declined to give the final amount bid in the auction.
"One of my partners said, 'As rib and barbecue guys we don't know much about art, but we figured anytime you can get two portraits for the price of one, it must be a pretty good deal,'" Walldorf said.
Initially, the portrait will hang at the restaurant chain's location in downtown Charleston, S.C., Walldorf said. "We're huge fans of the show and thought it would be neat to bring the portrait to [Colbert's] hometown," he said. Depending on the reception the portrait receives, Walldorf said that the restaurant chain may take it on a "Sticky tour" of its 17 locations, two of which are in Chattanooga.
Walldorf said Colbert has offered to sign the portrait, but he is trying to decide whether he wants Colbert to sign the front or back. The restaurant will receive the portrait in about a week, Walldorf said.
This is not the first time Colbert and Sticky Fingers have worked together. Walldorf and his co-owners are friends with Colbert's sister-in-law. The restauranteurs sent barbecue to the show's first staff meeting, and the show has placed Sticky Fingers barbecue sauce in gift bags, Walldorf said. Walldorf, and his partners, Todd Eischeid and Jeff Goldstein, graduated from the Baylor School in 1986.
-Angela Tant
Posted by pulseblogger at 12:57 PM | TrackBack