Latest Headlines

Governor Lee Declines To Grant Clemency For Death Row Prisoner

  • Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Governor Bill Lee declined to grant clemency for death row prisoner Oscar Franklin Smith.

Governor Lee said, "After deliberate consideration of Oscar Franklin Smith’s request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene.”

Smith was convicted for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife, Judy Smith, and her sons, Chad and Jason Burnett.

He is scheduled for execution by lethal injection on Thursday.

Latest Headlines
Latest Hamilton County Arrest Report
  • Breaking News
  • 6/18/2025
Dalton' State Golfer Whaley Named Finalist For Gary Player International Golfer Of The Year
  • Sports
  • 6/17/2025
Four UTC Beach Volleyball Players Named To CSC Academic All-District Team
  • Sports
  • 6/17/2025
Lee's Brew Adds Kaczor To Baseball Coaching Staff
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Doyle Leading Soggy Tennessee Junior Amateur
Doyle Leading Soggy Tennessee Junior Amateur
  • Sports
  • 6/17/2025
Darrell Brackett Apprehended After Threatening Hamilton County Judges
Darrell Brackett Apprehended After Threatening Hamilton County Judges
  • Breaking News
  • 6/17/2025
Breaking News
Latest Hamilton County Arrest Report
  • 6/18/2025

Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report. (If your case is dismissed, just email us your name and date we ran it and we will promptly take off. Email to news@chattanoogan.com ) ARNOLD,MICHELLE ... more

Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith Announces Retirement
  • 6/17/2025

Longtime Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith announced Monday that he will be retiring at the end of his current term on Aug. 31, 2026. Trustee Smith will complete 20 years as trustee at the ... more

Approval Given For Subdivision With 102 Houses On 32 Acres At Collegedale's Bell Farms
  • 6/17/2025

Thirty two acres of property in Collegedale known as Bell Farms has been rezoned from C-2 Shopping Center Commercial to R-1-H, High Density Single Family Residential. The city’s planning commission ... more

Breaking News
Latest Hamilton County Arrest Report
  • 6/17/2025
Chattanooga Tourism Co. Advances Sports Tourism Facilities Assessment
Chattanooga Tourism Co. Advances Sports Tourism Facilities Assessment
  • 6/16/2025
Aggressive Animal Call Leads To Aggravated Animal Cruelty Charges In Walker County
Aggressive Animal Call Leads To Aggravated Animal Cruelty Charges In Walker County
  • 6/16/2025
East Ridge Approves Lowered Property Tax Rate
  • 6/16/2025
State Report Recommends TBI Establish Crime Lab In Chattanooga
  • 6/16/2025
Opinion
June: More Than The Start Of Summer - End Of Term For The Supreme Court
  • 6/17/2025
Remodel The Justice Building For The New Crime Lab
  • 6/16/2025
The Uneducated Voter
  • 6/17/2025
Is Hamilton County Providing A Pathway For Future Farmers?
  • 6/16/2025
Republicans Need To Speak Up Against Political Violence
  • 6/16/2025
Sports
Doyle Leading Soggy Tennessee Junior Amateur
Doyle Leading Soggy Tennessee Junior Amateur
  • 6/17/2025
Pewitt Leads Tennessee Girls’ Junior Event; Boys’ Play Suspended
Pewitt Leads Tennessee Girls’ Junior Event; Boys’ Play Suspended
  • 6/17/2025
Chattanooga Red Wolves Tie Naples 2-2 In Pivotal USL Match
  • 6/16/2025
Randy Smith: How I Spent My Summer Vacations
Randy Smith: How I Spent My Summer Vacations
  • 6/16/2025
Lookouts Drop Series Finale
  • 6/15/2025
Happenings
Newcomer Rachel Leonard Kennedy Is Quickly Making Her Mark In Chattanooga
Newcomer Rachel Leonard Kennedy Is Quickly Making Her Mark In Chattanooga
  • 6/17/2025
VFW Post 1697 Renames Post After Local Fallen Hero
VFW Post 1697 Renames Post After Local Fallen Hero
  • 6/17/2025
Juniorteenth: Youth-Centered Juneteenth Celebration Is Thursday
Juniorteenth: Youth-Centered Juneteenth Celebration Is Thursday
  • 6/17/2025
PHOTOS: Flag Day Ceremony At Elks Lodge
PHOTOS: Flag Day Ceremony At Elks Lodge
  • 6/16/2025
Chattanooga Regent Council Hosts Brainerd Mission Flag Day Ceremony
Chattanooga Regent Council Hosts Brainerd Mission Flag Day Ceremony
  • 6/16/2025
Entertainment
Make Music Day Chattanooga Unveils Full Lineup
  • 6/17/2025
Soul Sacrifice: A Santana Tribute Featured This Week At TVFCU Riverfront Nights
  • 6/17/2025
Hollyy Brings Retro Soul To Nightfall Friday
Hollyy Brings Retro Soul To Nightfall Friday
  • 6/17/2025
Chattanooga Market To Manage Arts & Crafts At IBMA
  • 6/17/2025
Best Of Grizzard: Pulitzer Prize
Best Of Grizzard: Pulitzer Prize
  • 6/16/2025
Opinion
June: More Than The Start Of Summer - End Of Term For The Supreme Court
  • 6/17/2025
Remodel The Justice Building For The New Crime Lab
  • 6/16/2025
The Uneducated Voter
  • 6/17/2025
Dining
North Georgia BBQ Team Takes Title
North Georgia BBQ Team Takes Title
  • 6/15/2025
White Duck Taco Celebrates Grand Opening, Announces Future Brewery
White Duck Taco Celebrates Grand Opening, Announces Future Brewery
  • 6/9/2025
The Signal Has New Owner; Atmosphere Bar Opening At 807 Market
  • 6/9/2025
Business
SIGNiX And iPublish Media Solutions Partner To Enhance Document Processing
  • 6/17/2025
HHM CPAs’ Beverly Edge Honored As 2025 Woman Of Distinction
HHM CPAs’ Beverly Edge Honored As 2025 Woman Of Distinction
  • 6/16/2025
Tennessee Attorney General Joins 55 AG Coalition For $7.4 Billion Purdue Settlement
  • 6/16/2025
Real Estate
Volunteers Unite To Rehab 10 Homes During NeighborWorks Week
  • 6/17/2025
Area Realtors Met With National Lawmakers To Promote Housing Availability, Increase Access To Homeownership
  • 6/16/2025
Year-Long "Luxury Condominiums" Development Begins In Chattanooga's Southside
  • 6/12/2025
Student Scene
Free School Supplies Available For Eastern Hamilton County Students In Need
  • 6/17/2025
Youth For Understanding In Cleveland
Youth For Understanding In Cleveland
  • 6/17/2025
Lee University Experts Support Anti-Trafficking Ministries In Thailand
  • 6/17/2025
Living Well
Erlanger And Qventus Partner To Expand Robotic Access And Create Additional OR Capacity
  • 6/17/2025
Siskin Children’s Institute Announces New Chapter For StarNight
Siskin Children’s Institute Announces New Chapter For StarNight
  • 6/17/2025
“Moments Of Grace” Summit To Offer Support, Education And Hope For Dementia Caregivers
“Moments Of Grace” Summit To Offer Support, Education And Hope For Dementia Caregivers
  • 6/17/2025
Memories
Preserving The Past: Trolley To And From The Fort
Preserving The Past: Trolley To And From The Fort
  • 6/16/2025
Archaeology And More
  • 6/16/2025
Chattanooga Preservationists Hoping For Medical Arts Building Miracle
Chattanooga Preservationists Hoping For Medical Arts Building Miracle
  • 6/11/2025
Outdoors
Tennessee Aquarium, 2 National Groups To Host River Clean-up In Chattanooga On Wednesday
Tennessee Aquarium, 2 National Groups To Host River Clean-up In Chattanooga On Wednesday
  • 6/17/2025
TDOT Resumes Project Milkweed Orders; Asks For Public Feedback
  • 6/16/2025
8 Tennessee State Parks Add Adult-Sized Changing Tables
8 Tennessee State Parks Add Adult-Sized Changing Tables
  • 6/16/2025
Travel
See Rock City Inc. Rebrands To Rock City Enterprises
See Rock City Inc. Rebrands To Rock City Enterprises
  • 6/10/2025
TVA Raccoon Mountain Visitor Center Reopens Following Maintenance Work
  • 6/6/2025
East Ridge Splash Pad To Open For 2025 Season
  • 5/28/2025
Church
Greater Tucker Celebrates Men's Ministry Sunday June 22
Greater Tucker Celebrates Men's Ministry Sunday June 22
  • 6/13/2025
Bob Tamasy: We Shouldn't Underestimate The Importance Of Father's Day
Bob Tamasy: We Shouldn't Underestimate The Importance Of Father's Day
  • 6/13/2025
Hope Unlimited Has Fundraiser With Point Of Grace July 24
  • 6/16/2025
Obituaries
Minnie Katherine Austin
Minnie Katherine Austin
  • 6/17/2025
Dorothy Swanson Martin
Dorothy Swanson Martin
  • 6/17/2025
William Roy Jenkins, Jr.
William Roy Jenkins, Jr.
  • 6/17/2025
Government
Jasper Awarded T-Mobile $35,000 Hometown Grant
  • 6/17/2025
Juneteenth Garbage Collection Schedule Is Announced
  • 6/17/2025
Officers Detain Suspects And Find Drug Paraphernalia - And Other East Ridge Police Calls
  • 6/17/2025