News - Friday, July 5, 2019

Like many of the attorneys who were seasoned under the late Charlie Gearhiser, Gary Henry has a few painful (read: painfully funny) stories to tell about his former mentor in the law.

One story in particular has stuck with Henry over the years because it taught him an important lesson.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Women in Law Empowerment Forum has certified Baker Donelson as a Gold Standard Firm.

WILEF grants Gold Standard status to firms that meet criteria concerning the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners.

The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce has invited Legal Aid of East Tennessee attorney John Jolley to join the 2019-20 class of Leadership Chattanooga.

Leadership Chattanooga class members connect with the local community while learning about leadership.

Loni Marcus likes to sell things that are out of the ordinary. Give her a box of jewelry to move, and her eyes will glaze over with disinterest. Swap out the rings and necklaces for rigging crane parts, and those same eyes will light up with excitement.

Remember earlier this year when it seemed possible that state lawmakers could agree on bills to make it easier for people to vote? One bipartisan bill, for example, would have done away with requiring some first-time voters to vote in person, a hardship for students who register by mail and then go away to college.

It’s been an exceptionally hot spring and early summer here in the Chattanooga region, which makes it easy for homeowners to neglect their lawns.

Waiting for the beginning of the fall season for significant maintenance will make your home look neglected and could diminish its value. A healthy lawn will make your home stand out and help strengthen the overall value of other homes in your neighborhood.

What would you do if you realized no one but you could remember The Beatles?

If Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr had never banded together to make music? If the albums “Abbey Road,” “Help!” and “A Hard Day’s Night” had never been released? And if the songs “Hey Jude,” “Let it Be” and “Yesterday” had never been composed or recorded?

Summer is here at last. For many people, it’s time to get the car ready for a long road trip. And with GPS-enabled smartphones, it’s now a lot easier to navigate these drives without getting lost. During your life, you may take many journeys – one of which is the long road you’ll travel toward your financial goals. But even on this path you can benefit from a “GPS” in the form of your goal-oriented, personalized strategy.

My phone has suddenly, annoyingly decided that it will no longer make or accept calls.

It’s still “smart,” in the sense that it continues to do many things that would have seemed magical not so very long ago.

For instance, in one of my favorite functions, I can let it “listen” to any song coming over the radio and quickly resolve the mystery of the song name and performing artist.

Text-to-911 service is now available for residents and visitors in Hamilton County.

Sending a text to 911 instead of calling 911 can be a lifesaving option for people experiencing situations in which they can’t speak, such as home invasions or active shooter incidents, as well as for those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, says John Stuermer, executive director for Hamilton County Emergency Communications District.

The Chattanooga Housing Authority received $500,000 from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency in the 2019 Spring Round of the Tennessee Housing Trust Fund Competitive Grant program.

The CHA plans to renovate 200 units at the Cromwell Hills Apartments using a variety of funding sources.

Young athletes today compete year-round in a variety of clubs and travel to tournaments, usually with staggering amounts of equipment. Vehicle support is often key, and to that end Edmunds has selected its all-star lineup for the best cars, trucks and SUVs for families with active young athletes.

The most important thing you can say to a new hire may well be: “Have you signed up for the 401(k) yet?”

An astounding three out of 10 workers don’t know whether their employers offer retirement plans, a survey by research firm Morning Consult for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards finds.

The Trust Company of Tennessee has hired Allison Kidd Cross as a relationship manager in the firm’s Chattanooga office.

Based in Knoxville, The Trust Company of Tennessee is a state-chartered bank with more than $3.5 billion under management.

Friends often ask me, "What's the difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor?" People often use the terms interchangeably, but there are differences between Realtors and real estate agents.

Although both are licensed to sell real estate, the difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor is that a Realtor must subscribe to the Realtor Code of Ethics.