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Chattanooga Update - January 29, 2014

332 views · Published 29 January 2014 · 4:28 · Indexed 24 September 2026

Channel: chattanooga times free press · 2014 · News & Politics

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A surprise snowstorm has paralyzed the city, and it all started with a faulty forecast.

Most forecasters say they didn't see the inch and a half of snow coming, and that caught nearly everyone off guard and unprepared.

The city was caught in gridlock as schools dismissed early and busses and parents took to untsalted roads.

Some bus routes were canceled, other busses got stuck, and many children were stranded at schools well into the evening.

By mid-afternoon, Chattanooga police reported more than 130 traffic accidents in the city alone, and towing services were reporting five-hour wait times.
In Cleveland, there was a 17-car pileup on Paul Huff Parkway, and the entrance to Quail Run off Standifer Gap became a parking lot.
And roads in the area aren't expected to be much better today. The temperature won't get above freezing all day, meaning the roads will continue to be treacherous.

At least four major downtown hotels were completely sold out last night. Some guests even left hotels, saw the traffic conditions, and turned around to check back in.

Across the state line, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency because of the storm.

Most school systems in the area will stay closed today. You'll be able to find a full list of government and school closings throughout the day at Timesfreepress.com.
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The city may be covered in snow, but crime goes on.

A 25-year-old man was shot to death in Chattanooga last night.

Rafael White was shot at East Lake Courts around 6:45 p.m. He was taken to the hospital where he died.

Police say White had been in an argument with 27-year-old Rodney Jennings. Authorities are now seeking warrants for the arrest of Jennings. Anyone with more information on the crime is asked to call the police.
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A trial is underway in the train deaths of Hannah Barnes and Michael Hennen.

Barnes' mother, Lisa, is suing the local Hennen Restaurant Group for $25 million dollars.

She claims her 19-year-old daughter drank alcohol at Hennen's hours before she and her manager were killed by a 250-ton train on McDonald Farm.

The accident happened around 6 a.m. on August 22, 2011.

Originally reports said the two were embracing as the train struck them, but now medical examiners say they were lying face down on the track, his head at her feet and her head at his feet.

Lisa Barnes also sued Norfolk Southern Railway, but that company isn't included in the trial. The railroad is reportedly negotiating an out-of-court settlement.
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Senator Lamar Alexander's former chief of staff who killed himself last week left a suicide note before he died.

35-year-old Ryan Loskarn hanged himself in the basement of his parents' home as he awaited trial on child pornography charges.

In the letter, he apologized to family and friends and wrote that he should have known better.

He wrote, quote: "The news coverage of my spectacular fall makes it impossible for me to crawl in a hole and disappear. I've hurt every single human being I've ever known and the details of my shame are preserved on the internet for all time. There is no escape."

Loskarn also revealed that he had been molested as a child and that he found himself drawn to child pornography because the videos matched his own - childhood abuse.
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Dade County Schools superintendent Shawn Tobin is retiring.

During his three years on the job Tobin established the Dade County Mentorship Program, which he calls one of the best in the state.
His last day on the job will be April 30th.
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Finally, a new 200-foot cell tower will be built in downtown Chattanooga.

Wireless Properties is building the tower at 600 East 10th Street.

The tower will cater to multiple wireless companies and help prepare for increased demand around UTC.

It should take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to build.

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