NIOTA, Tenn. (WDEF)- One person is dead after a crash that occurred in McMinn County on Friday. A crash report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol says that a tractor trailer was traveling westbound on Highway 68 shortly before 6 Friday evening. The report says a another vehicle pulled out in front of the truck at… ... Continue Reading

Car that crashed and flipped on Brainerd Road. (Courtesy: Chattanooga Fire Department) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga Firefighters had assist a driver who flipped over on Brainerd Road today. Firefighters say that the vehicle left the roadway on the 3800 block of Brainerd Road hit a utility wire, flipped and came to rest against a fire… ... Continue Reading

Pickup truck that crashed off of Highway 111 on Cagle Mountain. (Courtesy: Dunlap Fire Department) DUNLAP. Tenn. (WDEF)- Dunlap Volunteer Firefighters responded to a head on collision on Cagle Mountain this morning. Officials say it happened around 7 a.m. this morning on Highway 111. One driver was entrapped in their vehicle while a victim in… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Thousands of LEGO lovers gather at the Chattanooga Convention Center to see awe-inspiring creations. Brickuniverse USA is putting on the two-day event, displaying professional and amateur builds. On this tour, they have five featured artists from all over North America. Brickuniverse is calling this tour the “Inspire Tour.” “I hope it’s… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Students from all over Hamilton County and North Georgia have teamed up to compete in the LEGO League Challenge. “All you gotta do is look at the face of a student that’s participating on one of these teams to know why it’s exciting,” Tennessee Valley Robotics Director Scott Rosenow said. Vice… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Even before the body cam footage was released publicly Friday night, several local and state officials posted online about the death of Tyre Nichols, which has since gripped the nation in disgust and anger. Here in Chattanooga and throughout the state of Tennessee, numerous political figures and community leaders have made it… ... Continue Reading

HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) — A sign on the front door revealed that Cicis Pizza in Hixson is closing its doors for good.

The restaurant sits on Highway 153.

The sign on their door reads:

“Thanks Hixson for your support over the past 26 years!

It has been a pleasure serving you!

It is with a heavy heart that we are closing our doors. 

The reason for the pizza buffet’s closure is uncertain.

The sign also stated that the Gunbarrel location will remain open.

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A carjacking took place Thursday night, according to Chattanooga police. They said the suspects of the carjacking were all minors. Police said the incident occurred at 2525 DeSales Avenue, which is near CHI Memorial Hospital. It happened at approximately 8:45 p.m. A woman got to her car when three male teenagers… ... Continue Reading

from Chattanooga Fire Department CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Chattem Chemicals plant had a commercial fire Friday morning. The Chattanooga Fire Department said they extinguished the fire within minutes. They continued to cool the tank afterwards. The fire took place around 11 a.m. on Friday. CFD said the fire was around one of Chattem’s methanol… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Mayor Wamp hosted his annual Legislative Delegation Breakfast this morning. At the breakfast, county leaders shared their priorities with state legislators ahead of the legislative session. A few of the key speakers were from the Hamilton County Health Department, Hamilton County Commission, and the Hamilton County School Board. Wamp said the… ... Continue Reading

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — If you enjoy singing karaoke, you don’t need a karaoke machine anymore to put on a show.

There’s a new feature by Apple Music that makes it all possible.

Apple is making it easier for those who love to sing to become superstars – or at least try to become one.

The tech company recently launched a new feature for Apple Music users – Apple Music Sing.

This feature makes it even easier to sing along with your favorite songs. You have tens of millions of them to choose from too!

Whether you have musical talent, or just like singing period – in tune or not – this update is for you.

The Apple Music Sing feature has adjustable vocals, and real-time lyrics.

With the adjustable vocals, you have control over a song’s vocal levels. It gives users the freedom to sing with the original artist, take the lead, or change it up.

If you’re like me, and bad with lyrics, this feature shows you the words to the song in real time, and will dance to the rhythm of the vocals.

As for the background vocals, Apple says those lines sung simultaneously can animate independently from the main part. That way it’s easier to follow along.

And yes, there’s a duet view too. Vocalists show up on opposite sides of the screen, which makes sharing the “stage” easier when singing along to your favorite tracks.

Apple Music Sing is now available to Apple Music subscribers on all compatible iPhones and iPads, along with the new Apple TV 4K.

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CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — The Community Haven Patrol is the brand-new safety initiative from the Chattanooga-based Community Haven.

It isn’t looking to police, but rather to teach its neighbors and surrounding families.

Kevin Muhammad, the executive director of the Community Haven, says the Patrol’s mission is simple — make their community “a decent and safe place to live.”

The footprint and outreach they look to make and leave is a great one.

And they’re asking for help from both their neighbors and representatives to help them see it done.

Muhammad says the goal of the Patrol is not to “[chase] down shooters,” but to individually engage their community.

He says this will be done “street by street, house by house, block by block.”

“We empower people who actually live in that neighborhood to make their own community [a] decent and safe place to live,” Muhammad said. “It’s a different approach because we have to deal with the environment. You can take ten shooters off the street and ten more are going to come up because the environment that we live in has to change.”

Muhammad says the patrol is a “proactive” force, not a policing one, set on dealing with the “root causes” of why some turn to crime.

As an example, he believes that burglary and theft, rather than being addressed simply as crimes, can become opportunities to teach economics to residents and provide them with “mentoring” and appropriate resources.

“We’re servants of the people and we’re helping our people to meet a need — to help them come back to their original self so they can be who God created them to be,” Muhammad said.

Muhammad says The Community Haven has self-funded many of its own resources, including its patrol cars.

Although the nonprofit received just one million dollars for the project from the city of Chattanooga, support from local officials is already growing.

“This is about making sure that whenever we think about public safety, we aren’t just thinking about a police department,” said Chattanooga Chief of Staff Joda Thongnopnua. “We are thinking about how the community in a community-rooted organization responds.”

“It can be done,” said Dist. 28 Rep. Yusuf Hakeem. “It will be done if we continue to work with this group of people.”

“Is it going to be easy? It won’t be,” said Chattanooga City Dist. 8 Councilwoman Marvene Noel. “Is it going to be a lot of hard work? It will be. Will we reap the benefits from our labor? Yes, indeed, and it will be bountiful.”

Muhammad says the Patrol will work through four neighboring “zones” — the first of which is drawn out in Holtzclaw Avenue, 3rd Street, Chamberlain Avenue, and Wilcox Boulevard.

He says Bushtown will be where community engagement begins, not just because the Haven is headquartered there, but because the former town was first established by Black Americans.

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GEORGIA (WDEF) – $61.5 million dollars of Governor Kemp’s budget proposal will be dedicated to revamping the Georgia HOPE Scholarship. For the past decade, the HOPE scholarship has only covered around 60% of a student’s college tuition. Through Kemp’s proposal, students will receive even more help. Kemp said students “will receive roughly $1,000 in additional… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga’s Division of Transportation announced multiple road closures this upcoming weekend. Due to a private event on Friday, Fort Street will be closed from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. This road is between W 13th Street and E 14th Street. On Saturday, multiple roads will be closed. These roads will be… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Grand Re-Opening of the East Lake Community Center is this Sunday. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly will speak at the event. The community center has been closed since March of 2021 for renovations. The newly modified community center will have their re-opening on January 29. The community center is at 3610… ... Continue Reading

from girlscouts.org KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) — Girl Scouts Cookies will be available for purchase soon, while introducing a new flavor. Raspberry Rally is the name of the new cookie flavor. The Girl Scouts’ new cookie will be available starting February 27. Plan ahead, because this cookie is only available online. They describe the cookie as… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – He just may have been the best football player to ever come out of Chattanooga.  And he became a Chattanooga legend.

Reggie White was a mountain of a man, both physically and spiritually.

His resume made him a national star in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

1975-1979: played at Howard High, became All-American, top-rated recruit out of Tennessee

1980-1983: played for Tennesse Vols, setting two sack records, All-American, SEC Player of the Year, Lombardi Finalist

1984-85: USFL, Reggie stayed in Tennessee for two seasons playing for the Memphis Showboats in the new league

1985-2000: NFL, his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Packers included one Super Bowl Championship (Packers), Defensive Player of the Year (twice), Pro Bowls and the NFL Hall of Fame.

Post-football career: Reggie got involved with FCA at UT and continued after his retirement.  He became an ordained Baptist Minister and earned the nickname Minister of Defense in college.

Reggie lived in Knoxville after graduating and eventually moved to North Carolina.  But he came home numerous times, where he still had family. The city named Reggie White Boulevard in his honor at Finley Stadium.

This story from our Archives was on one return to Chattanooga when he visited students at Tyner High.  He shared his faith and even showed kids his ability to do impressions with the stars of the day (Elvis, Rodney Dangerfield and Howard Cosell.)

Sadly, like many pro football players before and after him, Reggie did not live a long life.

He died in 2004 at the age of just 43.

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CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – He just may have been the best football player to ever come out of Chattanooga.  And he became a Chattanooga legend. Reggie White was a mountain of a man, both physically and spiritually. His resume made him a national star in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. 1975-1979: played at Howard High, became… ... Continue Reading

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The 2nd annual Chattanooga March for Life is taking place this Saturday. The event is hosted by the Greater Chattanooga Right to Life and Students for Life of Southeast Tennessee. The event will be at 1 p.m. at the Walker Pavilion in Coolidge Park. Hosts say it will be a peaceful… ... Continue Reading