🌱 National Park Economic Impact Report + Christmas In July Toy Drive

Morning, friends. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Chattanooga Daily — here to explain everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days. Let's dive right in...

First, today's weather:

Some sun with a stray t-storm. High: 88 Low: 72.

Here are the top three stories today in Chattanooga:

1. A new report shows that tourism to Chickamauga and the Chattanooga National Military Park created over $78 million in economic benefits for the region. The spending reportedly supported 881 jobs while benefiting the community as a whole. The report shows that national parks are an economic boom for the country. (The Chattanoogan)
2. The Children's Hospital At Erlanger will be hosting a Christmas in July Toy Drive. The program will be collecting donations for patients throughout the month of July. Donations can be dropped off at the hospital's emergency department in the donation bins on Blackford Street. Larger donations can be coordinated through the Child Life department. (The Chattanoogan)
3. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a new phone scam. The scam involves an individual posing as a sheriff's office employee calling about missed jury duty. The scam isn't necessarily ground-breaking but it is making the rounds yet again. The department is reminding residents that it will communicate with the community by mail, not phone. (WTVC)

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Today in Chattanooga:

• National Canoe Day At The City of Chattanooga (All Day)
• Chattanooga River Market At The Tennessee Aquarium Plaza (10:00 AM)
• Sulcata Tortoise Feeding At The Tennessee Aquarium (1:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Tennessee Aquarium's Washed Ashore Exhibit will be available for viewing until Oct. 30. (Tennessee Aquarium)
• The Department of Early Learning's One Cha Fest will be on Jul. 23 at 10:00 a.m. Participants can enjoy local food, free giveaways, games, and more. (Twitter)
• Outdoor Chattanooga will be celebrating the grand opening of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway on Sunday. Bring the whole family for a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring a scavenger hunt, ice cream, and much more. The event begins at noon. (Twitter)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.