Scenic Roots

The living room at a vacation rental property on Riverfront Parkway in Chattanooga. (Matt Hamilton / Chattanooga Times Free Press) A proposed ordinance on short-term vacation rentals here in Chattanooga failed to pass at the City Council this week. What happened - and what might happen next? David Floyd is local government reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press.

David Floyd, reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press. How “Cultural Cross Ties” connects artists across Sister Cities. SoundBites: We Are Us, Blended Soul, Swayyvo - & More. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Creative Commons) For the past three years, we have shared conversations about the impact of the arts in learning, through the Arts-Based Collaborative on our campus: the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. As we celebrate the arts in our schools this month, we hear from a few voices from one community partnership for youth and the arts here in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Laurie Allen is...

A young Black family. (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee) BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is the largest health insurer in the state - and the largest private employer here in Chattanooga. Its first-ever Health Equity Report - recently released - analyzes data to track the impact of disparities in health outcomes by race, ethnicity and other social factors. Andrea Willis is chief medical offic...

The Tivoli Theatre. (Tivoli Theatre Foundation) The Tivoli Theatre here in downtown Chattanooga - now more than a century old - is known as “The Jewel of the South.” For now, that jewel is under renovation - closing last year, set to reopen next year - as part of a project that also includes a new performing arts center next door in the former Fowler Brothers Building. Nick Wilkinson is executive...

Nick Wilkinson, Tivoli Theatre Foundation's executive director. A first-ever report on health equity across Tennessee. Youth, arts & learning in Chattanooga & Hamilton County. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

2022’s Opportunity Fellows with the team at ArtsBuild. (ArtsBuild) Opportunity is knocking at ArtsBuild. The nonprofit that supports the arts here in Chattanooga and Hamilton County is now taking applications for its summer Opportunity Fellows. Amy Lowdermilk is programs manager at ArtsBuild. Josiah Golson is an artist and programs director at Stove Works here in Chattanooga. Emily Ruiz and Rainn...

Jenny Sadre-Orafai (jennysadre-orafai.com) Jenny Sadre-Orafai is an essayist, poet and author with roots here in Chattanooga. Her new collection of poems - “Dear Outsiders,” published by the University of Akron Press - explores what it means to be local to a place where you don’t belong. Jenny teaches writing as a Professor of English at Kennesaw State University in the Atlanta area. On Wednesday,...

Vicki Farnsworth (Angela Foster / UTC) Chattanooga is known as a destination for emerging tech. Think of the gig - or the future of smart cities - or the frontier of quantum computing. But this Women’s History Month is a reminder of some of the work that remains in tech. For example, women comprise less than a quarter of Chattanooga’s IT workforce. ChaTech - the Chattanooga Technology Council - is...

Opening tomorrow’s doors in tech for women and girls. Identity meets place in Jenny Sadre-Orafai’s “Dear Outsiders.” Looking for a few new Opportunity Fellows at ArtsBuild. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Mike Bradshaw at a session with UVI participants. (Angela Foster / UTC ) The Urban Vision Initiative here at UTC helps entrepreneurs such as Veatrice Conley to develop and grow new businesses in underserved areas of Chattanooga. Mike Bradshaw - UVI’s director - is the first entrepreneur-in-residence at UTC, and the interim director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, all part of the...

Veatrice Conley (Angela Foster / UTC) Let’s say you have an idea to create your own business. A few years ago, despite the pandemic, you secured the financing to get it off the ground. How do you move your business forward to succeed for the long run? Veatrice Conley is the owner of Unveiled Bridal Studio in downtown Chattanooga - which showcases eclectic bridal designer gowns for women of all cul...

Veatrice Conley of Unveiled Bridal Studio in Chattanooga. UTC’s Mike Bradshaw and TSBDC’s Lynn Chestnutt on UVI. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Dr. Andrew Davison (Cambridge University) The question of “Is there life on other worlds?” is far from just a modern phenomenon. Just ask Dr. Andrew Davison. He is the Starbridge Associate Professor in Theology and Natural Sciences at Cambridge University in the U.K. On Monday, he will give a talk - titled, “Astrobiology and Christian Belief” - here on our campus, the University of Tennessee at Ch...

Artwork by Red Bank High School students. (Be the Change Youth Initiative) Be the Change Youth Initiative is a nonprofit in the Chattanooga area that encourages youth to use their gifts and talents to help others. On Friday night, Be the Change hosts the Empower YOUth Celebration and Art Auction at The Grand Soiree in Red Bank, starting at 6:30 PM. It’s a celebration for Red Bank art students, als...

Downtown Chattanooga skyline. (Chattanooga Tourism Co.) Three years since the onset of the pandemic here in Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley, we’re hearing more about people who are living with what is known as “Long COVID.” Elizabeth Fite is health care reporter for The Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Elizabeth Fite, reporter for Chattanooga Times Free Press. Be the Change Youth Initiative for the arts in Red Bank. “Astrobiology and Christian Belief” - a talk coming to UTC. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(Partnership for Families, Children and Adults) The Partnership for Families, Children and Adults provides counseling, crisis intervention and prevention services in Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley. A few examples: Chattanooga’s domestic violence shelter; services for those who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing; and support for elderly residents and children in foster care. On Thursday,...

The Possible City (The Possible City) How do cities leverage their own assets to make things happen? A new podcast - “The Possible City” - talks to local leaders across the country about those challenges and opportunities for cities. Meet the hosts: Ben McAdams is a former Congressman from Utah, a former Mayor of Salt Lake County - and now with the Sorenson Impact Center at the University of Utah....

Ben McAdams & Cate Ryba on “The Possible City” podcast. RISE at the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(La Paz Chattanooga) And now, a few new voices at La Paz Chattanooga, the nonprofit that serves the Latino community in this city. - Wendy Reynoso is associate case manager. - Jesus Lopez is office coordinator. - Jasmin Celis is operations and admin coordinator. It’s the latest in our series of conversations we call “Raíces” - or “Roots” in Spanish. La Paz Chattanooga Jesus Lopez (La Paz Chattanoo...

Tangerine Darter (Percina aurantiaca) (Doug Strickland / Tennessee Aquarium) “Ridges to Rivers” is the latest addition to the Tennessee Aquarium here in Chattanooga. The new gallery, which opens Wednesday, is a multi-sensory journey through the streams of Southern Appalachia, home to an abundance of aquatic species. Dr. Anna George and Thom Benson are with the Aquarium.

Dr. Mina Sartipi (UTC) Here on our campus, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Dr. Mina Sartipi is the founding director of the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress. The center develops data-driven approaches to tackle real-world challenges for “smart cities” - among them, mobility, energy and health. Dr. Sartipi is also a member of UTC’s computer science faculty - and she has a joint...

(CO.LAB) For years, the Company Lab - or CO.LAB - here in Chattanooga has helped guide startup businesses from launch to scale. Now, the nonprofit is setting its sights on what it calls “sustainable mobility.” Tasia Malakasis is CEO of CO.LAB - and Ashlyn Gentile is marketing specialist there.

Building the onramps for “sustainable mobility” at CO.LAB. UTC’s Dr. Mina Sartipi on new vistas for smart cities. “Ridges to Rivers” flows into action at Tennessee Aquarium. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”