Scenic Roots

Ryan Jenkins is 13 years old - and is passionate about politics. The student from Soddy-Daisy launched VOTE Tennessee - now on Facebook - as a way to inform and engage voters about candidates for this fall’s elections.

Chattanooga’s Armed Forces Day Parade takes place tomorrow, starting at 10:30 AM. It’s at a different time of year - and it will be done differently - because of the pandemic. Mickey McCamish is a retired Navy captain - and serves as the military chair on the Chattanooga Armed Forces Day Committee.  

(Mayor Berke / Facebook page) On Thursday morning, live here on WUTC, we spoke with Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke for our monthly conversation.

Our conversation with Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. Chattanooga’s Armed Forces Day Parade; VOTE Tennessee. This weekend’s “Ballet in the Park” concerts in Red Bank. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Kim McLean) On this week's "Talking Writing," Richard Winham presents the second of a three-part conversation with singer-songwriter Kim McLean.  

(Bessie Smith Cultural Center) Each week online, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center here in Chattanooga features community members reading children’s books - to spur dialogue on race relations. The digital series is called “Bessie’s Front Porch” - and last week, the center’s own Danny Toney read “Chocolate Me!”, by Taye Diggs. Watch the entire readings from “Bessie’s Front Porch” on the Facebook pag...

(Semillas) Semillas is the Spanish word for "seeds" - and the name of a community grassroots organization here in Chattanooga. Formed earlier this year, the group has been involved in everything from outreach for COVID-19 testing to protests for racial and economic justice. Its members are now mobilizing the Hispanic community in the Chattanooga area to participate in this fall’s elections. Mo Rod...

(Chattanooga Audubon Society) Let’s take another walk through part of our history. How did Native Americans in this area sustain themselves centuries ago? Find out this weekend at Audubon Acres here in Chattanooga - which will host the “Historic Walk Through Native American Life” on Saturday, starting at 1 PM - following the guidelines for COVID-19. Darlene Carlson is executive director of the Cha...

(Southeast Tennessee Tourism Association) This fall, our campus - the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - has been partnering with two groups beyond UTC on a series of walking tours for members of the campus community. Prof. Susan Eckelmann Berghel of UTC’s Department of History directs the Africana Studies program here. Michael Gilliland is board chair for Chattanooga Organized for Action -...

Tours of Chattanooga’s complex past for UTC’s community. A walk through Native American life at Audubon Acres. Talking Writing: Part II with singer-songwriter Kim McLean. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Barking Legs Theater) Richard Winham shares a recent virtual jazz concert by guitarist Shawn Perkinson and trumpeter Nathan Warner for Barking Legs Theater in Chattanooga.  

(Backstage Capital) Part of Startup Week, the Spirit of Innovation Awards honor businesses that originate in the Chattanooga area - and have the potential to impact many people and inspire change. Arlan Hamilton, founder of Backstage Capital, will be the keynote speaker for this year’s awards - which take place online tomorrow, starting at 7 PM. Sybil McLain-Topel is vice president of marketing an...

Today, a partnership with the future on our campus, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The first-ever Mocs Give Day is a digitally-driven, 24-hour fundraising event to extend what an education at UTC offers to our future Mocs. Steven Angle is Chancellor of UTC.

UTC Chancellor Steven Angle on the first-ever "Mocs Give Day." Sybil McLain-Topel of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. This week's Tennessee Valley StoryCorps - and Barking Legs Theater. These voices - and more - on this edition of "Scenic Roots."

(StoryCorps / WUTC) Today on Tennessee Valley StoryCorps, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students Samantha Benavides and Jonathan Rush take One Small Step. One Small Step is an effort by StoryCorps to connect people so they can remember that people with whom they disagree are human beings. In doing this, we can begin to mend the fraying fabric of our nation — one conversation at a time. Te...

(buffalorosemusic.com) Richard Winham shares a performance by Buffalo Rose - a Pittsburgh band with its own brand of folk and soul-grass with soaring vocal harmonies - from the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series for the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC.

(Chattanooga Times Free Press) Earlier this year, we told you about cochlear implant surgery here in Chattanooga. On Thursday, Johnson Audiology will present an online seminar for people who have more questions about the procedure. Dr. Megan Johnson is founder and owner of Johnson Audiology, Dr. Madison Sakaan spearheads the cochlear implant program there - and Alan Hunt had implant surgery back i...

(Jelks Law Firm) As an attorney here in Chattanooga, Amanda Jelks has spent a lot of time this year helping her small business clients with the challenges of life under COVID-19. Not long ago, she told me the story behind her law firm.

This week, the Hunter Museum here in Chattanooga hosts a gathering of female poets from a variety of backgrounds. They will share history, current events, ancient wisdom and personal experiences during “Vision + Verse: Women’s Voices” - on Thursday starting at 6 PM. One of the poets who will be there is Andreana Lefton.  

Andreana Lefton on “Vision + Verse: Women’s Voices.” Attorney Amanda Jelks on helping small businesses. Cochlear implants - and this week’s Mountain Spirit. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Sturgill Simpson) On this week’s “Scenic Roots: Live In The Library,” Richard Winham shares two performances from beyond Chattanooga: Sturgill Simpson - and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit.   (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit)

(Valley Vibes) The Valley Vibes Music and Arts Festival takes place tomorrow and Saturday at Cherokee Farms in LaFayette, Georgia. Nate McDaniel is lead organizer and co-founder of the festival.  

(Base Camp Health) Base Camp Health is a health care analytics tech company here in Chattanooga. Back in May, it launched Ascend - an app to help employers, health systems, schools and other organizations navigate reopenings under COVID-19. Leigh McCormack is CEO of Base Camp Health.

(Be the Change Youth Initiative) Sydney Guerrette is the founder of Be The Change Youth Initiative - traveling the country to encourage youth to serve their communities. She and her brother Brayden performed at Chattanooga Unite over the summer - and she has helped raise money for the Songbirds Foundation’s Guitars for Kids program.

(El Pueblo Fund) The El Pueblo Fund is one of many efforts in Chattanooga to support some of the families in a population hard hit by COVID-19.   Alondra Gomez and Alondra Velasco are organizers with the group Tennessee United.