Baylor Eighth Grader Wins First Place In Zone Spelling Bee

Friday, February 22, 2013
Peter Ceren, 8th grader at Baylor School, earns 1st place in Zone Spelling Bee.
Peter Ceren, 8th grader at Baylor School, earns 1st place in Zone Spelling Bee.
Baylor eighth grader Peter Ceren was the first place winner in the Zone Spelling Bee on Feb. 12 at Baylor School. Peter defeated 61 other contestants from 12 area private and parochial schools and the Greater Chattanooga Homeschool Spelling Bee organization.

As a winner, he now advances to the regional spelling bee on March 16 at 2 p.m. at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The event will feature students in grades four through eight from Hamilton County and surrounding counties in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. The winner of that contest will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, plus $500, and a $100 savings bond.

GNTC Has 9 To Graduate From Law Enforcement Academy

Nine Basic Law Enforcement recruits will graduate from Georgia Northwestern Technical College Friday, May 31.  The ceremony will be held in the Conference Center in Building 400 at GNTC’s Gordon County Campus. The speaker at the ceremony will be Tom Bojo, GNTC’s dean of Academic Affairs and Gordon County Campus manager.  The ceremony will honor a graduate with an ... (click for more)

Lee Music Professor Has Vocal Instruction Book Published

Tony Deaton, associate professor of music at Lee University, had his book published, titled, “Stop! Look! Listen! A Practical Guide to Vocal Technique and Performance.”  Mr. Deaton’s book addresses the challenges of vocal technique and performance with simple instruction. His goal is to paint the picture of song through familiar quotations. This book is recommended for all ... (click for more)

Feds Dismiss Criminal Charges Against Rarity Developer Mike Ross

Federal authorities have dismissed an indictment against Mike Ross, the developer of a floundering Rarity Club project at Nickajack Lake in Marion County. The Maryville developer was charged last November with mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. However, in a document filed today, prosecutor John MacCoon said, "The United States hereby moves the Court pursuant to ... (click for more)

Head Of BB&T's Chattanooga Commercial Banking Operations To Plead Guilty To Making Fraudulent Loans

The head of BB&T's Chattanooga commercial banking operations has been charged by federal authorities with making fraudulent loans. Tracy Brown is set to plead guilty to bank fraud on June 4. Authorities said Brown "appropriated the identities of three customers and took out fraudulent loans in their names. In October 2012, a customer of BB&T, D.M., went to the Ooltewah ... (click for more)

Thanks, Sheriff

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department is very responsive and professional out in Apison, and I appreciate that.  We have some fine deputies serving Hamilton County.    I took a minute to call and tell them thank you, I hope my neighbors will also. Brian Wood Apison (click for more)

Roy Exum: Hypocrisy And Horses

I am still wincing over the fact a horrendous bill passed in the state legislature that would make whistle-blowers into criminals would have actually gone into law had it not been for Governor Bill Haslam’s eleventh-hour veto. Called the “Ag-Gag bill,” similar efforts in other states have also soured because it is no more than a Catch-22 trick to protect those who abuse animals, ... (click for more)