Scenic Roots

(Chattanooga Choo Choo) This St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the celebration is calling at the Choo Choo Gardens in downtown Chattanooga. St. Paddy’s at the Choo Choo is Saturday, starting at 2 PM. Tara Viland is the property manager - and programming and events - for the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Marc Michael is lead singer for The Molly Maguires.

(United Way of Greater Chattanooga) In this series, we explore the impact that workplace policies have on our local families and children - and how United Way of Greater Chattanooga is looking to close the gaps. For this episode, we speak with Jennifer Andrews, director of early childcare strategies at the nonprofit Chattanooga 2.0 - and Katie Harbison, president of Chambliss Center for Children....

(Chattanooga Civics) What is a National Park City - and what will it take for Chattanooga to become one? As we mentioned in our last conversation, that goal is on the agenda for the new Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Advisory Committee. Nathan Bird delves into the National Park City concept in this excerpt from his podcast “Chattanooga Civics.” _____ Check Chattanooga Civics at chattanoogacivics.c...

At the Brainerd Recreational Center in Chattanooga. (Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors) To build a “city in a park” here in Chattanooga, the people who live, work and play in this city now have a new way to have their say. Last month, the Chattanooga City Council unanimously approved 15 people to serve on a recently-created panel: the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Advisory Committee. Nine memb...

Community voices for Chattanooga’s Parks and Outdoors. From Chattanooga Civics: What is a National Park City? Going for the green: St. Paddy’s at the Choo Choo. As you’ll hear - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Pedro Abriles, Giovanny Padilla Mojica and Steve Derthick - while at the Chattanooga Zoo to film the song “El Tigre Enjaulado” for “Journey with Giovanny.” (Steve Derthick) It’s a story of two friends across languages and continents - with meanings beyond maps. In 2008, Steve Derthick and his family here in Chattanooga moved to Colombia for a service mission with the Mennonite Central Committee, a...

Louie Marin-Howard teaching a Pop-up Project class at Avondale Library in Chattanooga. (The Pop-up Project) This year brings a new chapter for The Pop-up Project. The performance arts organization here in Chattanooga - founded by Jules Downum and Mattie Waters in 2016 - has split into a nonprofit and a for-profit. The nonprofit - which retains The Pop-up Project name - provides outreach and educat...

Part of a topographical map of Chattanooga. (USGS) During the next 20 years, the demand for new housing here in Chattanooga and Hamilton County is expected to be 46,000 units. That’s a key finding from the research and analysis phase of Plan Chattanooga, one of two comprehensive planning processes for managing future growth in this area. Plan Chattanooga covers the City of Chattanooga, while the o...

A future growth snapshot for Chattanooga & Hamilton County. For The Pop-up Project in Chattanooga, how the dance goes on. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Each month, SoundCorps - the music nonprofit here in Chattanooga - showcases five locally-produced songs in “SoundBites,” which supports our own musicians. Stratton Tingle - executive director of SoundCorps - shares the latest SoundBites with us.

An aerial view of the Chattanooga Airport with the terminal expansion. (Chattanooga Airport) The Chattanooga Airport recently opened the largest expansion to its passenger terminal in more than thirty years. Inside the new concourse at the Chattanooga Airport. (Chattanooga Airport) It includes a new concourse with three new passenger gates, more space for the TSA checkpoint, a renovation of the ex...

Up, up and away: the expansion at Chattanooga Airport. SoundBites: Red Pawn, Tate Clark, Endelouz - & more. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(United Way of Greater Chattanooga) In this series, we explore the impact that workplace policies have on our local families and children - and how United Way of Greater Chattanooga is looking to close the gaps. Our guest for this episode: Jessica Pilcher, director of the United for Working Families initiative. _____ Learn more at unitedwaycha.org/workingfamilies .

Angela Garcia (CulturAlly) Over the past generation, the Hispanic / Latino community has grown - and evolved - here in Southeast Tennessee. So has La Paz Chattanooga, the nonprofit formed in 2004 to serve that community - and is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. This month on “Scenic Roots,” we’re bringing you a few conversations on La Paz - past, present and future. For this episode, we speak...

La Paz Chattanooga at 20: Angela García of CulturAlly. United for Working Families, Episode 1: Pillars for the future. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Christina Catherine Martinez, the Spring 2024 Meacham Fellow. (Christina Catherine Martinez / Instagram) Each spring and fall, the Meacham Writers’ Workshop showcases writers, steered by our campus: the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The Meacham for this spring runs from Wednesday, March 20th through Saturday, March 23rd - with events on campus and beyond here in Chattanooga. Sybil Baker...

La Paz Chattanooga is marking twenty years of serving the Hispanic and Latino community here in Southeast Tennessee. This month on “Scenic Roots,” we will bring you a few conversations on how La Paz has grown and evolved - along with the community it serves - and how the nonprofit is looking to the future. Stacy Johnson is the executive director of La Paz. The team at La Paz Chattanooga in Februar...

Celebrando la comunidad: Veinte a ñ os de La Paz Chattanooga. Springing into the next Meacham Writers’ Workshop at UTC. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Girls Inc. of Chattanooga) For years, the work of Girls Inc. of Chattanooga has helped thousands of school age girls in this area. Toccora Petersen is its CEO.

Part of a rendering of the proposed multipurpose stadium for the Chattanooga Lookouts in the South Broad District. (Developer Jim Irwin of Perimeter Properties via the City of Chattanooga) This week, the Chattanooga City Council - and the Hamilton County Commission - approved an updated plan on how to pay for a new multipurpose stadium for the Chattanooga Lookouts in the South Broad District. Here...

Fallon Clark - at WUTC. (Noogavision Theatre and Performing Arts Co.) Here in Chattanooga, a new nonprofit has arrived for community theater. Noogavision Theatre and Performing Arts Co. presents its first production - “Luce” - opening tonight at 7 PM at Barking Legs Theater. Because the subject matter of “Luce” is part of NoogaVision’s mental health awareness feature, no children under 13 will be...

Noogavision’s Fallon Clark on “Luce” at Barking Legs Theater. Chattamatters: Signing off on the updated stadium funding plan. Strong, smart and bold for girls - at Girls Inc. of Chattanooga. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(photosteve101 / Creative Commons) For the past few years, Be the Change Youth Initiative has supported nonprofits here in the Chattanooga area through its Concerts for a Cause series. And now, the initiative is taking that support - and its engagement with our community - to the next level: with new musicians joining the fold, House Shows to fundraise for local nonprofits and a singer-songwriter...

(Hamilton County Fair) Last fall, the Hamilton County Fair returned for Veterans Day Weekend - at a new venue: McDonald Farm in Sale Creek. The planning is already in progress for this year’s Fair - again for Veterans Day Weekend in November. Karen Shostak is deputy director of Hamilton County Parks and Recreation.

For the Hamilton County Fair, looking back - and forward. New chords for community at Be the Change Youth Initiative. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”