News - Friday, May 17, 2013

Smiles and tears might not have been on the agenda of the May meeting of the CLSA - Chattanooga Legal Professionals, but they nonetheless were present in ample numbers.

Formerly known as the Chattanooga Legal Secretaries Association, the 55-year-old CLSA exists to “unite into a local and national organization all persons employed in work of a legal nature, enabling ideas to be exchanged, knowledge to be increased, and friendships with others sharing an interest in the legal field to develop.” During the May 9 gathering, the local chapter of the CLSA inducted its officers for 2013-2014, announced its 2012 member of the year, and conferred a college scholarship to a deserving student, among other business.

Two prominent Tennessee organizations last week named State Representative Richard Floyd (R–Chattanooga) “Legislator of the Year.”

The first group, the Tennessee Parent Teacher Association, recognized Representative Floyd in a formal ceremony early last week. Cited for his tireless work to encourage family and community involvement in education, the PTA chose Floyd based on his work to help enact legislation that improves the overall quality of life of Tennessee children and families.

The Speech and Hearing Center is celebrating its 60th year in service as an audiology and speech pathology provider. The Speech and Hearing Center opened in May 1953 to provide diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation for people with hearing and speech impairments, and to promote education and research related to communication disorders. Today, the organization provides services for all ages and income levels. The staff help parents to identify speech and hearing impairments at an early age so children can get the necessary treatment to be successful in school and beyond, while also helping adults by treating hearing loss. The center is providing free hearing and speech screenings for the month of May to honor Better Hearing and Speech Month, as well as the organization’s 60th Anniversary. Screenings are free and available to individuals of all ages, by appointment only. Call 423-622-6900 to schedule a visit. (Photo provided)

Signal Mountain student Alyssa Neuhoff won first place in the middle school category of the Tennessee Bar Association’s 2013 YouTube Video Contest. The contest, offered as part of the national Law Day celebration, challenged students to produce three-minute videos on a topic related to the law. This year’s theme asked students to explore the importance of a fair and impartial judiciary.

Gena Ellis, life coach and educator, presents a colorful, interactive discussion to the Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute at their May Leadership luncheon Friday at the Chattanoogan. Ellis’s program was designed to improve communication and leadership skills in all aspects of life. Attendees learned about their personality strengths, potential pitfalls with others, and how people are different when it comes to how they handle life and relationships. (Susanne Reed)

The Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute is now accepting applications for its 6th Annual Women Mentoring Women program, which will begin on August 23.

The Women Mentoring Women program consists of eight two-hour lunchtime sessions designed to aid women in developing or sharpening their mentoring skills so they can go back into the community and mentor other women.  The goal is to encourage women to utilize their talents and experience to help each other, and to aid in the growth of women in positions of civic and business leadership within the community. Each session will be led by recognized local women who will present on topics such as understanding communication styles, team building, political savviness, and the use of power, authority, and influence in the workplace.

Everyone messes up. In that way, we are all the same. Where we are different is the manner in which we respond to our own mistakes. Some people will take responsibility, and some will not. Some will take affirmative action to hide what they have done, while others will bring to light their wrongdoing before anyone else even knows. There are those that will do no more than they have to in order to compensate those people they have hurt, just like there are those that are generous to a fault when they have made a mistake. There are as many responses to wrongdoings as there are people. 

Since the invention of bacterial cleaning supplies, we have become bacteria- killing-mean-machines. We attack bacteria on our hands, in the bathrooms and kitchens, and now there are so many “handy wipes,” we can take our weapons of choice on vacations with us for the bathrooms and various other “people-touching” places. Some grocery stores have even started catering to our phobia by stocking wipes close to the grocery carts so we don’t pick up any nasty little critters while shopping at their establishments.

(With apologies to Schmick, Wheelan, Rowling, Lamott, Wallace, Sedaris and others, here is the graduation speech I’ve never been asked to give – in two parts.)

Thank you, etc. Three tips for the future: Sunscreen, dental floss, and the Neti Pot. I’m convinced these three things enhance one’s quality of life in ways that are just shy of miraculous. Don’t wait till later in life to enjoy them. Additionally ...

When someone tells me I HAVE to try out a place they’ve discovered, I generally at least look it up. So I don’t know why I waited four years to check out Flatiron Deli.

About four-and-a-half years ago, Flatiron changed hands. Not long afterward, I started hearing about their delicious sandwiches, as though someone had tossed a pebble into a pond and the ripples had finally reached me. Time and time again, someone would say, “You HAVE to go there for lunch.”

Not so many years ago, it is believed, an old man who was blind and living alone on Long Island in New York sat down in his favorite chair in his living room to listen to some television. The set was turned up rather loud authorities say, which at first might seem odd because of what we know about the blind having an acute sense of hearing. Nevertheless, the volume blared, and if it’s like your set and mine, it blared even louder on those insufferable car commercials. Once again, let us give thanks for the blessing of the mute button.

I recently served as a wedding coordinator for a sweet, young couple at our church. This past weekend was the wedding, which was an experience like no other - including when my daughter married. However, when my daughter was married, I was much younger!

The staff of Chambliss Center for Children saw red Thursday, May 9, when Keller Williams descended on the campus in their trademark crimson t-shirts to lend a hand on the company’s annual day of community service. About 120 local Realtors picked up shovels, rakes, paintbrushes, and even a sump pump to do much-needed spring-cleaning and give Chambliss a mini-makeover. Staff members roundly expressed their gratitude, while several volunteers said they were simply showing their appreciation for what the children’s shelter and daycare does for the community. More photos on page 16. (Photos by David Laprad)

Wayne Roach has done something a lot of men aspire to do, but few accomplish: he carved out a small corner of the world, claimed it as his own, and held on to it for nearly four decades.

The time is coming, though, when he’s going to let go.

The Kentucky Derby has come and gone – hopefully with your winner! Now we are awaiting the Preakness Stakes. To bide your time, here’s some trivia on past races. See how well you compete! And you’re off...

1. This horse was no secret when he won the Belmont Stakes in 1973. Not only did he capture the Triple Crown, he set a world record for one-and-a-half miles on dirt when he covered the distance in two minutes, 24 seconds. What was the name of this horse? Secretariat; Affirmed; Sham; Rambling Willie.

I like when a movie stays with me after I’ve seen it: When I recall certain images, or replay specific scenes in my head, or think about the performances of the actors. The Great Gatsby, however, is overstaying its welcome. Since seeing it yesterday afternoon, I’ve been unable to get it out of my mind.