In remarks on the U.S. Senate floor Monday, Senator Bob Corker said senators should reject using a budget gimmick known as pension smoothing to pay for a short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund and instead commit to a long-term, sustainable solution to highway funding. “Many claim that budget gimmicks should not be used as offsets to pay for spending," said Senator Corker. ... (click for more)

Cornerstone Bancshares, Inc. (OTCBB: CSBQ; CSBQP), parent company of Cornerstone Community Bank, today reported earnings for the second quarter ended June 30, including a rise in income. Net income for the quarter was $409,000, a 3.3 percent increase from the same quarter of 2013.  Net interest income increased 5.5 percent from the same quarter last year. “Cornerstone ... (click for more)

EPB officials said Tuesday that an exhaustive audit of its street light contract with the city showed that it did not overbill the city. Instead, it said it found that the city was underbilled $685,877. EPB said it only goes back one year on errors so the amount owed by the city would be $178,314. Officials said that would be discussed with the city. Stan Sewell, the city's ... (click for more)

Citizens will be allowed to comment next Tuesday on a new Sound Control Ordinance that allows higher sound from nightclubs in a downtown Controlled Sound Boundary. Track 29 behind the Chattanooga Choo Choo, that has drawn the wrath of some nearby Southside residents, is within the boundary, which goes from Fourth Street to Main Street. The hearing before the City Council ... (click for more)

Roundabouts have been popping up all over Chattanooga over the past few years and for the most part have been successful.  Unfortunately there are some who just don’t get it as I have found out the hard way.    My latest instance was last week when a young woman on her cell phone almost t-boned me as she flew into the roundabout without yielding.  A near miss ... (click for more)

I don’t pay much attention to the Hamilton County School Board. Once the moon and the stars aligned behind Superintendent Rick Smith, you hear very little, if anything, from the nine-member council that oversees an annual budget of almost $400 million and employs 4,480 people. So chew this for a minute: approximately 2,000 of those people are not teachers. Yes, there are 78 principals ... (click for more)