News - Friday, December 4, 2020

Tom Wyatt was eager to tackle his first federal case after a senior partner at his firm dropped it onto his desk and said it would allow him to “cut his teeth on a lawsuit with interesting facts.”

Little did Wyatt know that meant it was a case the senior partner was all too happy to unload on an unwitting rookie.

The ink was not yet dry on my law license in Texas. I had just turned 25, and through sheer luck, secured a job in those very depressed times in the late 1970s with a solo practitioner who was well-known in the Houston legal arena.

He told me I would be representing a client at a trial in court within an hour. At that time, it took 30 minutes to drive from the office to downtown.

As 2020 comes to a close, Women’s Council Realtors Chattanooga is looking back on a year that was fraught with challenges due to the pandemic but that also yielded progress in education and success in community service.

“2020 started with our cup running over with enthusiasm for our network,” remembers WCR president Connie Powell-Brewer. “’It’s 2020, but I’m not Barbara Walters,’ I recall saying as I welcomed members, strategic partners and guests to our first luncheon in January.”

The forecast for the early part of the holiday season looks frosty as cold air and snow move throughout much of the country. Usually, this type of weather gives people more reasons to stay indoors and not venture outside for much, especially a major purchase such as a home.

The COVID pandemic has upended or canceled many activities and professional projects. But contractors are continuing to work to modernize homes across the Chattanooga area.

Professional remodelers are taking on extra safety precautions to help meet the needs of homeowners during the pandemic.

Erlanger East Hospital surgical services recently welcomed a new addition – the da Vinci Xi Surgical System.

The device allows surgeons to see anatomical structures in the body with better definition and make hard-to-reach areas easier to access, according to a press release.

Gestamp, a Spanish multinational engineering company, is investing $95 million into its Chattanooga plants. These plants specialize in hot and cold steel stamping and will support Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz electric vehicle production.

Gestamp says it will create 260 new jobs during the next three years.

We’re nearing the end of 2020, and it will be a relief for many of us to turn the calendar page on this challenging year. However, we’ve still got a few weeks left, which means you have time to make some year-end financial moves that may work in your favor.

The Chattanooga Holiday Market has over the years become a tradition for local and regional shoppers, who come to enjoy the range of vendors offering unique gifts for the season.

This year, the market will be open weekends through Dec. 20, including Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Net Resource Foundation is launching a south Chattanooga community beautification project.

In partnership with Westside Baptist Church, the open space at 4000 Hughes Ave. will offer an outdoor performance venue, tree-covered paths, a location for summer and after school programs and a community garden.

Chattanooga-based Mad Priest Coffee Roasters just spent its savings to purchase a lot of the newly discovered Yemenia coffee species.

The Qima Coffee Auction was held in partnership with the Alliance for Coffee Excellence and drew some of the biggest names in the coffee industry from around the world to pay up to $140 per pound, reports Mad Priest owner and roaster, Michael Rice.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has awarded the McNabb Center a five-year, nearly $2.5 million grant to provide employment services to individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorder.

The program is intended to implement evidence-based programs to help individuals in substance use disorder treatment and recovery live independently and participate in the workforce.

The Hunter Museum of American Art is the recipient of a 2020 Southeastern Museums Conference Silver Award for Exhibitions for its fall 2019 exhibition, “Noel W. Anderson: Blak Origin Moment” and Silver Awards for both gallery installations and campaigns in the technology category.

The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera will present “A Classical Christmas” Friday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m., at The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Part of the First Horizon Foundation Instrumental Series, the program will feature classical works of the season, including Jolivet’s Pastoreles “de Noel,” Holst’s “Paul the Apostle” and Haydn’s “Symphony No. 26.”

Two weeks ago, a day or so after the Tennessee Titans had lost for the third time in four games, they watched film.

Nothing unusual about that. Football players and coaches are constantly watching film to evaluate opponents and themselves.

But this film was different. This film was not of football, though it certainly had a bearing on the message that Coach Mike Vrabel wanted to send to his team.

There was a time when a Titans-Browns matchup would have been a battle of NFL dregs. But times have changed, and now both are solidly in contention for playoffs berths.

The Browns are more likely to find themselves as a wild-card despite owning the same 8-3 record the as the AFC South-leading Titans. That’s because Cleveland is in the AFC North with the Steelers, who have jumped out to a 10-0 lead. Here are the keys for the Titans to topple the visitors from Cleveland Sunday.

Once a novel concept in dealership marketing, Black Friday car deals have become as common as the TV deals at your local big-box store. While the savings on new cars aren’t that dramatic – no 70% off fire sales here – they do generally make mid to late November a good time to buy a car.

Financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin of Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializes in helping people deal with their anxieties about money. But since the pandemic started, Bryan-Podvin has been hearing more about guilt than fear.

Several people who still have jobs and financial security felt guilty about having been spared while others suffered, says Bryan-Podvin, author of “The Financial Anxiety Solution.”

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to donate money this year, plenty of causes need your attention.

In a year like 2020, choosing where to direct your dollars is like picking your favorite child. Should your money go toward nonprofits providing basic needs, organizations fighting for social justice or a campaign to help local small businesses stay afloat? If you prefer donating your time, how do you give back when volunteer events are limited by the pandemic?

A reader recently asked at what point in a career should one have reached ideal potential. In other words, when should one stop moving up and seeking more money and a better title?

When do you run the risk of messing things up? When should you should be happy with your current situation?