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Chattanooga Today, April 17, 2013

61 views · Published 17 April 2013 · 3:32 · Indexed 6 November 2026

Channel: chattanooga times free press · 2013 · News & Politics

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Good morning Chattanooga.
Here's a quick look at today's top five stories.

First of all, the stretch of Highway 27 that cuts through Chattanooga will be widened and updated in an $80-million dollar project.

The renovation will add two lanes to the bridge over the Tennessee River and rework the highway's tight corners and short off-ramps.

Construction will start in 2015 and is expected to finish in 2017.

The 1.5-mile stretch of Highway 27 has been on TDOT's radar for years. Last year, some city officials objected to TDOT's plan. Now the new plan reflects compromise on both sides.
In addition to ditching a roundabout at M.L. King Boulevard, the project now includes extra landscaping and lighting aimed at keeping the Westside connected to the rest of downtown.
______2
CEO of Pilot Flying J, Jimmy Haslam now says the federal government has launched a criminal investigation into rebates offered by the truck stop chain owned by his family, including his brother, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
Agents from the FBI and the IRS raided the Pilot Flying J headquarters in Knoxville on Monday.
Jimmy Haslam said that as far as he can tell, it's not any sort of tax evasion issue. Instead, the investigation appears to be centered on a small number of rebates owed to customers that were not paid. 
He said subpoenas had been issued to several members of his 23-person sales force, but that no one had been arrested.
Four search warrants have been served on Pilot, but the reasons have been sealed by a federal court.
For now, the company is launching an internal investigation.
______3
Next up, people who shoot video or take photos of animal cruelty will have to submit the material to law enforcement within 48 hours or face being charged with a crime under a bill approved by the Senate Tuesday.
Proponents say the bill is aimed at protecting animals. But critics like the Humane Society say the bill is really aimed at blocking investigators from providing sound documentation of animal abuse over weeks, months or years.
The Tennessee House is expected to take up the bill today. 
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In local politics, Chattanooga's new City Council got down to business last night by electing a chairman and vice chairman in less than 10 minutes and with no discussion.
Council members unanimously chose District 9 representative Yusuf Hakeem as chairman and District 1 representative Chip Henderson as vice chairman.
____5
And a Hamilton County Sheriff's Office deputy chief of corrections has been demoted.
A 446-page internal affairs report says Ron Parson made numerous offensive comments to officers.
The investigation kicked off after Parson made harassing comments about officers' weight, saying that he felt sorry for the chairs having to hold them up.
Later, when another officer opted to stay home and take care of his children instead of participate in a law enforcement charity event, he said Parson told him it didn't matter because he was a bad father anyway.
Parson will be demoted to captain by May 1. Right now he makes $71,000 dollars a year, which is one of the highest salaries in the department. His pay will be cut, but officials haven't said by how much.
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And today will be partly sunny with a high temperature near 83 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 61.

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