News - Friday, September 10, 2021

The show must go on? No, March 14, 2020, changed all that when the shows definitely did not go on. Theaters, concert halls and other arts venues around Tennessee were forced to cease operations as COVID-19 began its march across the state. A jarring situation, certainly, but given that a life in the performing arts is one that requires near-daily adapting to new challenges, everyone from actors and musicians to artistic directors and CEOs initially took it in stride.

When generational expert and humorist Meagan Johnson speaks at the Chattanooga Bar Association later this month, the professional speaker will cover how to build a culture of multi-generational inclusivity and collaboration, not alienation, in the workplace.

Even before he became a Realtor, Nathan Brown was already an expert in buying and selling homes. Just shy of age 40, he’s already purchased three houses and is now happily at home in his fourth with wife Cara and sons Mack, 9, and Paul, 6.

His first house on Highway 58 was a bachelor pad he shared with a few roommates. When he got married, he replaced his roomies with Cara. Then the Browns moved to a house in Etowah in an area near the interstate.

For more than a year, when thinking about danger, we’ve rightly been focused on an invisible virus. “Safety” has meant staying a safe distance from others, wearing a mask and washing our hands.

But for others that work with the public, including Realtors, physical violence has been front of mind when talking about safety. In addition, electronic/cybercrimes are becoming more and more common, and the real estate industry is no exception. These offenses can include identity theft, email hacking, and wire fraud.

With the hot housing market in the Chattanooga area, many people are finding themselves moving in a hurry. Here are some things you can do to make your move to a new home a smoother transition.

Keep, Donate or Discard

Purge your closets and cabinets. Start “keep,” “donate” and “discard” boxes. If you haven’t worn or used something in the last year or two, consider donating or discarding the item. People tend to save items due to sentimental value although they may never use them. Be objective and save yourself work later in the moving process.

The University of Tennessee has announced its third Executive Leadership Institute class.

Twenty-four faculty and staff members, representing each University of Tennessee campus and institute and overseeing critical functions across the UT System, have been chosen.

The Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority is negotiating a legal settlement with the

Environmental Protection Agency that will result in a 9.8% rate hike.

The negotiated legal settlement and work plan is to reduce excessive sanitary sewer overflows in Hamilton County.

It’s been called the “Great Resignation” – the large number of Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs. If you plan to be part of it (ideally with another source of employment lined up), you’ll need to make the financial moves necessary to keep making progress toward your long-term goals.

Fall is the perfect time to review your finances because there’s still time to make adjustments before the end of the year. The continuing pandemic and economic uncertainty are making it more complicated, but financial experts recommend taking a close look at your savings and planning for 2022 goals now.

Labor Day was designed to both honor and recognize the American labor movement. It’s a nod to the works and contributions of workers in the United States. But, let’s face it. As you celebrated Labor Day this week, could you confidently say you love your work?

Since the COVID-19 vaccine started becoming available in the U.S., there have been more opportunities to impulse spend on items and experiences that you didn’t get to enjoy early in the pandemic.

With the freedom to do more, consumers are spending more. For the first seven months of 2021, retail sales were up 15.5% compared to that same period in 2020, the National Retail Federation reports.

I first heard the term, “the more you can do,” from the late Floyd Reese, former Titans general manager, when I first started covering the Titans and the NFL.

Now a quarter century later, you’ll still hear that phrase spring forth from the Titans administration, including current general manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel. It came into play again last week when roster cuts were finalized.

What’s an NFL season without a COVID-19 interruption? We already saw how COVID wreaked havoc last year, moving games around, closing the Titans practice facility and generally making everyone jump through hoops to try and squeeze a full season in.

The Titans open the 2021 season at home Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals (noon, CBS). Here’s what to watch:

First down

Containing Kyler Murray. The Titans’ pass rush, which they hope has improved with the additions of Bud Dupree, Denico Autry and Rashad Weaver, doesn’t need to get Murray on the ground so much as they need to simply make him uncomfortable and keep him from breaking free for runs or off-schedule passes.

If this were a normal year, dealers would be kicking off their end-of-model-year vehicle clearance sales. Consumers can often find good deals as dealerships are eager to sell their remaining inventory to make room for next year’s models.

But this hasn’t been a normal year in the car business.