Scenic Roots

An artistic lens on Chattanooga’s Ed Johnson Memorial. “Romeo y Julieta” from The Pop-up Project at Stove Works. Talking Writing:  Author Margaret Renkl, Part II. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(isisasheville.com) Richard Winham presents the second half of a set from the Baltimore-based quartet Ultrafaux, performed at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series.  (First aired in May 2021)      

(YA-Hoo Fest) Chattanooga’s celebration of young adult literature stays all virtual this year. YA-Hoo Fest takes place online Thursday and Friday. Joel Henderson chairs the Humanities Department at Chattanooga State Community College - and Lynda LeVan is executive director of Southern Lit Alliance.

(Coalition of Latino Leaders) In Dalton, the Coalition of Latino Leaders serves the Latino community of Northwest Georgia. Last month, the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners approved funding for what are known as “promotoras” - health care educators who speak Spanish - who will engage with the community to provide information on COVID-19 vaccines as well as testing.      America Gruner is pre...

(La Paz Chattanooga) La Paz Chattanooga is the leading Latino organization here in Southeast Tennessee. In time for Hispanic Heritage Month, the nonprofit now has a new home - at 809 S. Willow St. - where La Paz will hold a Fiesta Communitaria / Grand Opening Block Party on Sunday, starting at 1 PM.   Lily Sanchez is with La Paz Chattanooga.  

Lily Sanchez on the new home for La Paz Chattanooga. America Gruner of the Coalition of Latino Leaders in Dalton. YA-Hoo Fest - and Mountain Spirit:  Ultrafaux, Part II. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”   

(isisasheville.com) Richard Winham presents the first half of a set by Baltimore-based quartet Ultrafaux, performed at Isis Music Hall in Asheville, NC for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series.  (First aired May 2021)

(Creative Arts Guild) The Festival is coming back to Dalton. Starting Friday through Sunday, the Creative Arts Guild will host this year’s Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts. Amanda Brown is the Guild’s executive director.  

(The Ed Johnson Project) On Sunday, the Ed Johnson Memorial will be dedicated near the Walnut Street Bridge here in Chattanooga. In 1906, Johnson - a young Black man - was lynched by a white mob on that bridge.   Starting on Thursday through Sunday’s dedication of the memorial, a series of community events will explore the Ed Johnson story through history, art, storytelling and remembrance. The th...

The Ed Johnson Project’s Donivan Brown & Mariann Martin. Creative Arts Guild’s Amanda Brown on the Festival in Dalton. From the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series:  Ultrafaux, Part I. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”  

(Outshine Adventures) What makes downtown Chattanooga special and unique? We’re talking with people and businesses who will tell you how - in a series of conversations we call “We Are Downtown,” in collaboration with River City Company. In this conversation, we hear from Sunshine Loveless, owner of Outshine Adventures.  

(Cherokee Phoenix) The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum in Vonore is the only tribally-owned museum in Tennessee. On Saturday and Sunday, the museum - along Tellico Lake in the Great Smoky Mountains - will host its 30th Annual Cherokee Fall Festival.   Charlie Rohdarmer is manager and director of the museum, owned and operated by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.

(Simon & Schuster) Throughout this year, we have shared the story of Ed Johnson, an African-American man who was lynched on Chattanooga’s Walnut Street Bridge in 1906. On Sunday, September 19th, the Ed Johnson Memorial will be dedicated near that bridge. Journalist Peter Canellos - a current editor at Politico and a former editorial page editor of The Boston Globe - recently wrote a book about...

Journalist Peter S. Canellos on his book “The Great Dissenter.” Charlie Rohdarmer on the Cherokee Fall Festival in Vonore, TN. We Are Downtown:  Sunshine Loveless of Outshine Adventures. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”  

(margaretrenkl.com) Richard Winham shares the first part of a conversation with Margaret Renkl, author of “Late Migrations:  A Natural History of Love and Loss.” This fall, Humanities Tennessee presents the 33rd annual Southern Festival of Books, free and online on October 9th and 10th.  More details here:  sofestofbooks.org .   

(DEO Clinic) The DEO Clinic in Dalton, Georgia provides free health care services to people with low incomes and no insurance of their own. On Saturday, the clinic will host a 5K race at Haig Mill Trail. Heather Donahue is executive director of The DEO Clinic.

(ArtsBuild) When we talk about “equity in the arts,” what does that mean? What’s the difference between talking the talk - and doing the work? On Friday, ArtsBuild here in Chattanooga will host a virtual conference with speakers and resources for creatives and arts organizations now grappling with these questions. James McKissic is president of ArtsBuild.

(MOHHC) When this nation invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, the projections of how long we would stay - and how we would leave - never met reality during the past twenty years. But let’s go back to the beginning of the beginning.    Chris Spence served in an elite Army Green Beret team that was part of the initial invasion, a month after 9/11. For most Americans on that team, it was their...

(Billy Weeks / UTC) In New York City, these words from the Roman poet Virgil are inscribed underground:  “No Day Shall Erase You From the Memory of Time.”   They are part of the National September 11th Memorial and Museum - I have been there and I have seen those words. On Saturday, this nation marks twenty years since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. On that day - and for many years...

Remembering 9/11, twenty years later, in Chattanooga. The 12 Horsemen of Afghanistan; Equity in the Arts. Talking Writing:  Author Margaret Renkl, Part I. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(lazybirds.net) Richard Winham shares the second part of a virtual performance by roots band Lazybirds for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, North Carolina. (First aired November 2020)      

In Alabama, T.K. Thorne is an author - and a retired captain of the Birmingham Police. Her latest book - which delves behind the scenes of the city’s racial turmoil during the pivotal 1960’s - is titled, “Behind the Magic Curtain:  Secrets, Spies and Unsung White Allies of Birmingham’s Civil Rights Days” - published by NewSouth Books. I spoke with T.K. earlier this summer.

(opensourceway / Creative Commons) How can what is known as “open data” - data available to the public - make local government more transparent, responsive - and effective? Here in Chattanooga, the City’s answer can be found at its Office of Performance Management and Open Data - where, by the way, they are now hiring.      Andrew Sevigny is performance analyst there - and Tim Moreland is deputy a...

How the City of Chattanooga leverages open data. Author T.K. Thorne on her book “Behind the Magic Curtain.” Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series:  Lazybirds, Part II. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

(lazybirds.net) Richard Winham shares the first part of a virtual performance by roots band Lazybirds for the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series at the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, North Carolina.  (First aired November 2020)