Around and About Chattanooga

This is a story about writing--a story that involves bigger questions about the current e-book revolution and the future of publishing.  It's a story about the way that writing can go off in unexpected directions.

The independent film group, Chattamovies, is hosting an open screen night. Independent filmmakers in the area will have a chance to show short films at the event on March 31 at the Heritage House in Chattanooga.

The event is free and open to the public. It will last about an hour and a half. Chattamovies is no longer taking submissions for this open screen night, but the group plans to host two more this year.

About a quarter of train operators and pilots say that sleepiness impacts their job performance at least once a week, says a new study out from the National Sleep Foundation. 

Dr. Anuj Chandra, a Chattanooga sleep specialist, discusses the study's findings and gives tips for sleeping well.

Catholic Charities is hosting its 30th annual fundraising dinner on March 29 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.  Christine Willingham, the site coordinator with Catholic Charities, talks about the event and what the organization does in the Chattanooga area.

The Tennessee Aquarium Spring Break Keeper Kids program provides enrichment activities that take children behind the scenes to learn how to care for some of the animals at the aquarium.  The National Wildlife Federation is working with the Tennessee Aquarium to promote awareness and programming that will connect kids with nature.  The Keeper Kids activities are provided at no additional charge with the price of admission.  Children and their parents can sign up f

The 17th annual Strides Of March walk will happen Sunday, March 25, 2012 in downtown Chattanooga, starting at Renaissance Park.  It's a fundraiser for Chattanooga CARES, and the event brings together diverse teams of walkers--people from Chuck's/SCC, Suntrust and Grace Episcopal are among the top fundraisers.

At Alexian Village Health and Rehabilitation Center on Signal Mountain, Tuesday is known as Red Cross Day, because it's the day when Red Cross volunteers come each week. Two of the volunteers, Winnie Rose and Grace Cantey, have been coming every week since the 1970's, and they've become close friends over the year

The Craniofacial Foundation of America is hosting the 5th annual Palate 2 Palate gallery stroll and art celebration on Saturday April 14, 2012.  The event includes a gallery stroll through art galleries on the Southside of Chattanooga with fine wines and local culinary art to sample.  A special performance of street art will feature internationally known 3D chalk artist Tracy Lee Stum at the Loose Cannon Studio and the evening will wrap up with Bubbles and Sweets, a champa

This genre of theatre began in the 1930's through the Work Progress Administration.  It's a dramatic storytelling form that uses fictional characters to talk about real issues.  Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga is employing this form for a new play written by cast and crew and ripped from newspaper headlines of today.  'Living Newspaper' runs from March 23rd through April 1st at the St. Andrew's Center.

McKamey Animal Center on North Access Road gives medical care and shelter to animals without homes.  Executive Director Karen Walsh talks about a new, recurring fundraiser series called "Yappy Meower."  Future dates and locations include Sticky Fingers on March 19, Mia Cucina on April 6th and The Blue Plate on May 1st.  Mary Helen Miller visited McKamey to find out more about the services -- some of them quite quirky -- that McKamey offers  its animals.

On Saturday, March 24th, the Mise En Scenesters Film Club will be screening the documentary Better than Something at Collective Clothing Warehouse. The film's subject is Memphis musician Jay Reatard who tragically passed away in 2010.

The directors of Better than Something, Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz, talk about the film. Chris Dortch and Zach Zacharias, the co-founders of the Mise En Scenesters, also discuss what makes Jay Reatard's music unique.

Set in a future Atlanta, the Demon Trappers books combine a bleak, bankrupt future with elements of urban fantasy--demons, magic and the walking dead.  The premise sounds dark, but the series is actually a fun, fast-paced read starring seventeen-year-old Riley Blackthorne, whose job involves hunting and trapping demonic pests.  The series is marketed as young adult, but it's winning many adult readers.

Spring break is coming up for Hamilton County schools, and Girls Inc. of Chattanooga is running a camp for girls.  The manager of elementary age programs at Girls Inc., Toccora Johnson, talks about the upcoming camp.

Seven students from UTC's College of Business recently received a John C. Stophel Distinguished student award. Mary Helen Miller talked to two of the recipients. Jonathan Mansfield graduated from the entrepreneurship program at UTC, and Michael Bennett is finishing up a degree in human resources.

When the accounting firm of Henderson Hutcherson and McCullough decided to remove an old parking hut from the center of their parking lot, the concrete pedestal offered the perfect location for a piece of art that could be shared with everyone who passed by.  They commissioned a work from local sculpture artist John McLeod.  Between the firm's input and McLeod's artistic exploration of their wishes, the piece Sundial was created.