Daily editionThursday, October 29th, 2026
Good morning, East Ridge.
The 5AM East Ridge Team
Here’s your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 29th of October.
Business
Tesla gave ride-alongs in its Semi during the FreightWaves Future of Freight Festival at The Signal, letting industry attendees take demo laps around the Chattanooga Choo Choo parking lot to showcase quiet electric power, regenerative braking, maneuverability, and onboard technology.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
Education
Hamilton County Schools' preschool assessment and learning team Amy's P.A.L.S. is relocating to the Siskin Children's Institute (1101 Carter Street) so families can receive medical diagnostic expertise and school eligibility assessments in one location.
Local 3 NewsRead more
UTC held a panel at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where TVA, EPB, and Jackson County economic development officials answered residents' questions about data center development, covering energy use, job and tax impacts, noise, and effects on electricity rates (panelists included Jared Mitchum, Ryan Keel, and Nathan Lee).
Local 3 NewsRead more
Environment
Despite a dry, record-warm September that led to some early leaf drop and duller hues, peak fall color is expected in the Tennessee Valley by early November, and the Chattanooga area (having fared better for rain) should still see a good display, State Climatologist Andrew Joyner said.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
Government
County commissioners appointed Sherrie Ford to the District 11 school board seat after a divided vote Wednesday, winning by six votes over Vanessa Jackson; Ford replaces Jill Black (nearly two years left in the term) and says her immediate focus will be the schools' budget.
NewsChannel 9Read more
A federal DOT research official said Monday that Chattanooga could lead in real-time freight and commuter systems using AI, and a $2 million signal-preemption grant for M.L. King Boulevard will speed emergency vehicles and improve safety.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
Hamilton County approved more than $100,000 in 2024 bond funds to connect county buildings and the fairgrounds at McDonald Farm to water service, a measure that passed 7-4 as commissioners debate whether the site should be used for industrial job pads or parks.
NewsChannel 9Read more
Health
The Tennessee Aquarium will open a $5 million, 3,000 sqft on-site veterinary hospital in June 2027 inside its River Journey building to handle exams, surgery, and rehabilitation for aquatic animals.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
Registered nurses at CommonSpirit Memorial Hospital will vote by secret ballot on Nov. 17-18 in a hospital boardroom at 2525 Desales Ave.; about 700 nurses are eligible to vote, ballots will be counted after the final session, and a majority for California-based National Nurses United would require the hospital to bargain in good faith.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
Sports
The final week of the TSSAA regular season will decide region seeding and the last playoff spots Thursday and Friday night, setting home-field advantage and matchups for the first-round games next week at Finley Stadium.
Chattanooga-area teams that still need wins must secure them this week to make the bracket.
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more
UTC running backs Kevin Lalin and Journey Wyche have formed one of the Southern Conference’s top backfields this season, sharing practice reps and game-day carries and pushing each other to lift team production (2026 season).
Chattanooga Times Free PressRead more