Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Which new openings and closures are reshaping Chattanooga’s business landscape?

Coming up: Goodwill Hosting Hiring Events for New East Ridge Store on the Chattanooga Patch calendar

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Greetings Chattanooga! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

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Find out what's happening in Chattanoogafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

In today's newsletter:

  • Which new openings and closures are reshaping Chattanooga’s business landscape?
  • Planning your next Lookout Mountain hike from Chattanooga? Start with this route
  • How are Chattanooga voucher students really performing versus public schools?

Also on today's calendar: Goodwill Hosting Hiring Events for New East Ridge Store and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Chattanoogafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the hair spray say to the hair when it got back from vacation? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Sponsored: BJ's Wholesale Club opening this winter in Chattanooga! Join today for just $40 (reg. $60) for 1 year and get a $10 reward for each $100+ spent, up to 15 times. Click here for details.

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Partial sunshine, with a high of 65 and low of 48 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Cloudy and warm, temps: high: 69, low: 46.
  • Thursday: Cloudy and warm, with a high of 69 and low of 63 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Chattanooga-area business developments in December 2025 (timesfreepress.com) — New hotel openings, restaurant closures, and a major Northgate Mall renovation plan capped a busy December for Chattanooga’s business scene. City officials also expanded curbside glass and food-waste pickup, approved a temporary St. Elmo skate park, and Finley Stadium added new accessibility-focused amenities for local visitors.
   

2. Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain: Spectacular Views and Civil War Echoes (blueridgecountry.com) — If you’re up for stairs and rocky paths, Lookout Mountain offers Chattanooga residents a 3.5‑mile hike packed with sweeping views over the city, Moccasin Bend, and Lookout Valley. The route from Point Park to Sunset Rock mixes Civil War history, dramatic cliffs, wildflowers, and wildlife, with clear directions for getting there from I‑24.
   

3. Evaluation finds gaps in school choice program serving Chattanooga, Nashville & Memphis (wate.com) — A new state evaluation shows Chattanooga students using Education Savings Account vouchers often came from lower-graded public schools, yet still lag behind local public school peers on test scores and growth. The report also flags tuition gaps, communication issues, and possible legislative changes that could expand eligibility and increase the voucher amounts for Hamilton County families.
   

4. What's Right With Our School: Signal Centers STEM Program (wdef.com) — Signal Centers in Chattanooga is expanding early childhood learning with a hands-on STEAM program for infants through age five, supporting Hamilton County Schools’ broader STEM push. Teachers say playful experiments with light, shadows, and building projects are already sparking curiosity and confidence in local kids of all abilities.
   

5. Chattanooga woman credited with saving neighbors during East Ridge apartment fire (newschannel9.com) — A Chattanooga woman is being praised for waking neighbors during a middle-of-the-night apartment fire in nearby East Ridge that displaced about 20 residents but caused no injuries. Krystal Davis and her dog Barkley helped alert sleeping tenants as flames spread, and she’s now being honored in a local “Pay It Forward” recognition for her quick actions and courage.
   

📸 Around Chattanooga

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Chattanooga

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Look what I've found to start the year off with.
    A nice mess of winter oyster mushrooms. But if you really want to get your chef's hat out areas a recipe for you. These are great to eat with eggs,… (Nextdoor Standifer / Brock Rd)
  • I ordered 40 pounds of Arm and Hammer cat rocks from Chewy, and they were delivered today to the wrong house.
    Later on today, I saw a box of Arm and Hammer cat rocks on my porch. I want to thank the person who carried that heavy box down our driveway to… (Nextdoor Idlewild)
  • Qualified Staffing Search Group posted a job opening for Forklift Operator in Chattanooga. Apply here.
  • Schnellecke Logistics posted a job opening for Stand Up Forklift Operator - 2nd Shift in Chattanooga. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Chattanooga here.

Ok Chattanooga! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I mist you!
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