News - Friday, August 29, 2025

Dr. Ray Tabibiazar stands at Ross’s Landing watching a riverboat glide along the Tennessee River. When its horn cuts through the air, people nearby lift their hands to wave in response. He watches the simple gesture – strangers greeting strangers – and, in an instant, his mind travels 7,000 miles away and 40 years into the past.

Walking into Bunny Hive, it’s not the toys, the climbing blocks or even the soft color palette that stands out. It’s the calm.

There’s no overly stimulating noise or neon chaos. Instead, there’s a scent of bamboo in the air, children laughing on a plush mat and parents actually relaxing. This is a place where toddlers tumble and babies shake tambourines – but it’s also a place where moms and dads exhale.

When it comes to helping veterans and active-duty service members become homeowners, few programs are as impactful as the VA Home Loan Guaranty. Backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, this benefit is designed to remove common barriers to homeownership and provide well-earned financial flexibility. In a recent Consumer Guide from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), veterans and their families can explore how VA loans work, who qualifies and how a Realtor can support them every step of the way.

The city of East Ridge has installed a new Driver Services Self-Service Kiosk at City Hall, offering residents a quicker and more convenient way to complete many driver’s license and identification transactions.

Located in the City Hall lobby at 1517 Tombras Avenue, the kiosk is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Chattanooga Market will serve up a feast this Labor Day weekend as the annual Fall Food Truck Rally rolls into First Horizon Pavilion. Featuring more than three dozen food trucks, live music and local brews, the event is expected to draw thousands of visitors. Festivalgoers can expect everything from tacos, Thai and Cajun favorites to burgers, paninis, doughnuts, empanadas and more. Returning favorites include Mimi and Papa’s Crepes, which offers sweet and savory options; Johnny Popper’s, known for its crowd-pleasing burgers; and Chef Chasty Seafood and More, helmed by recent FiveStar Food Fight winner chef Chasty Lane. Adventurous eaters can try new arrivals like Wei To Go, a Chinese food truck, while vegan visitors can enjoy dishes from the Chubby Vegan. Dessert lovers will find plenty to savor, too, including treats from Wally’s Fro-Yo, which serves a variety of frozen yogurts – including sugar-free and dairy-free options. The festival will also feature live performances by singer-songwriter Katie Cosentino, who will take the Lodge Cast Iron Sizzle Stage for two sets starting at 12:30 p.m. Local breweries will also be on hand. The Chattanooga Market opens at 11 a.m.

HHM Wealth Advisors has announced the promotion of Josh Cropp to chief investment officer, a role in which he will lead the firm’s investment strategy, chair the investment committee and oversee portfolio construction and trading.

Cropp, who joined HHM Wealth in 2017, brings more than a decade of experience in the wealth management industry. Over the years, he has spearheaded initiatives in manager due diligence, asset allocation policy and market research.

Welcome back to Flick Picks, your twice-monthly movie fix.

This time around, I’m taking a quick spin through three very different films: the action sequel “Nobody 2,” the supernatural family drama “Presence” and the emotional powerhouse “The Green Mile.” And don’t forget to check out the snack recipe at the end.

No matter what stage of your life you’re in – caring for children, working toward retirement or planning your legacy – unforeseen events like a job loss, a major illness or even a stock market drop could derail what you’re working so hard to achieve financially. 

Your morning started out all wrong. You couldn’t find your favorite kind of toothbrush, so you had to buy an alternate-brand replacement and it just threw off the rest of your day. Kind of odd, isn’t it, how such a little thing matters and how we rely on familiarity? 

Detectives with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) have recovered more than $200,000 in two separate fraud investigations, one involving a federal treasury scam and the other a monthslong online romance scam.

Treasury scam

On March 25, HCSO detectives launched an investigation after receiving a report of a $54,000 fraud. The victim said they had been contacted by someone posing as a U.S. Department of Treasury representative.

Follow these tips from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office to help keep you and your family safe from fraud.

Pause before acting

Scammers create a false sense of urgency – “act now,” “limited-time offer,” “your account will be locked.” Stop and think before responding, and talk with someone you trust.

The quarterback question consumed most of the offseason for the University of Tennessee football team. From surprising spring drama to an unexpected arrival, the attention was largely focused on who would be throwing the ball.

Veteran graduate transfer Joey Aguilar won the quarterback competition to replace Nico Iamaleava, who abruptly left UT during the spring and transferred to UCLA. In a bit of a QB swap, Aguilar left UCLA once Iamaleava arrived and headed to Knoxville.

Young drivers today are facing financial pressures their parents never imagined. Recent research shows that nearly half (41%) of Gen Z run out of money each month, with less than 25% considering themselves financially stable. About 29% have nothing left by month’s end, and 34% have less than $100 remaining. In addition, 20% juggle multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has sued the Trump administration in an effort to overturn the president's attempt to fire her, launching an unprecedented legal battle that could significantly reshape the Fed's longstanding political independence.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" must keep moving toward shutting down operations by late October, a judge has ruled, even as the state and federal governments fight that decision.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department wants U.S. financial institutions to monitor for suspected Chinese money laundering networks handling funds that are used to fuel the flood of fentanyl across American communities.

An advisory Thursday to banks, brokers and others highlights how such operations are working with Mexican drug cartels.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Trump administration asked a military base outside Chicago for support on immigration operations, the base said Thursday, offering a clue of what an expanded law enforcement crackdown might look like in the nation's third-largest city.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump's administration last month awarded a contract worth up to $1.2 billion to build and operate what it says will become the nation's largest immigration detention complex, it didn't turn to a large government contractor or even a firm that specializes in private prisons.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy rebounded this spring from a first-quarter downturn due to fallout from President Donald Trump's trade wars.

In an upgrade from its first estimate in July, the Commerce Department said Thursday that U.S. gross domestic product — the nation's output of goods and services — expanded at a 3.3% annual pace from April through June after shrinking 0.5% in the first three months of 2025. The department had initially estimated second-quarter growth at 3%.

NEW YORK (AP) — Best Buy posted a solid second quarter that exceeded Wall Street expectations, but that was overshadowed by an outlook that has grown cloudy due to massive tariffs the U.S. is imposing on imported goods.

Company shares slid more than 6% Thursday after the company stuck to 2025 guidance it had issued earlier this year despite the big quarterly beat. The Richfield, Minnesota, company cited the potential impact of tariffs on its business and customers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from removing Michael Abramowitz as director of Voice of America, the government-run news outlet that the White House has targeted for deep staffing cuts.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, ruled that Abramowitz cannot be removed from his position without the approval of the majority of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board.

NASHVILLE (AP) — A panel of Tennessee judges has ruled against two state restrictions on carrying guns, including in public recreational areas such as playgrounds and parks.

The case has been another test of the limits of a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that has allowed gun rights advocates to take aim at more Second Amendment restrictions nationwide.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has sued the Trump administration in an effort to overturn the president's attempt to fire her, launching an unprecedented legal battle that could significantly reshape the Fed's longstanding political independence.

NEW YORK (AP) — Europeans angry at Elon Musk still aren't buying his cars months after the billionaire predicted a "major rebound" in Tesla sales, data released Thursday shows.

Tesla sales plunged 40% in July in the 27 European Union countries compared with the year earlier even as sales overall of electric vehicle soared, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Meanwhile sales of Chinese rival BYD continued to climb fast, grabbing 1.1% market share of all car sales in the month versus Tesla's 0.7%.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will stop providing a print edition at the end of the year and go completely digital, marking a dramatic change for a storied newspaper that was founded just a few years after the end of the Civil War.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton lead a protest march Thursday through Manhattan's Financial District to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration's campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The New York civil rights leader was joined by clergy, labor and community leaders in a demonstration dubbed the "March on Wall Street" that was timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963.

NEW YORK (AP) — When the White House fired Susan Monarez as director of the premier U.S. public health agency, it was clear to two of the scientific leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the political meddling would not end and it was time to quit.