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Chattanooga Today, February 20, 2013

107 views · Published 20 February 2013 · 3:55 · Indexed 21 October 2026

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

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First of all, gas prices are shooting upward with no signs of stopping.
The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Chattanooga has jumped 41 cents in the past month and could be headed higher.
Gas prices have risen for 33 consecutive days and now average nearly 3 dollars and 59 cents per gallon in Chattanooga on Tuesday.
But despite the local jump, Chattanooga gas prices are still about 16 cents a gallon less than the U.S. average.
Have the higher prices affected you? Let us know at Facebook.com/timesfreepress.
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Next up, winter may be winding down, but the season for dangerous storms is just beginning.
With rising temperatures in the South, warm air is colliding with cool air from the north, creating ideal conditions for tornadoes and severe weather.
The National Weather Service says 22 tornadoes that touched down in Tennessee in January were a symptom of such an unseasonably warm winter. The twisters formed the second biggest outbreak of tornadoes in the recorded history of Middle Tennessee.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says it's important to have supplies ready and a plan in place well before severe weather begins.
As a reminder, you can sign up for tornado warning alerts on your phone by texting 'news' to 423-706.
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Turning to politics, Representative Chuck Fleischmann met with elected officials from Hamilton County yesterday to set priorities, including finding a key for Chickamauga's $693 million dollar lock.
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said finishing the stalled Chickamauga lock project is high on his wish list. For the lock project to reboot, Fleischmann says the project's funding needs an overhaul.
If the old lock fails, Fleischmann said Hamilton County and all industries on the Tennessee River would suffer an economic disaster.
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Next up, Tennessee corrections officials are trying to figure out how cop-killer Jesse Mathews got put in a medium security prison despite a history of violent offenses and at least one previous escape from federal custody.
A Tennessee Department of Corrections spokeswoman says that when officials first evaluated Mathews, he was classified correctly as medium security.
Mathews had been housed since January 25th at the medium-security Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville.
Rather than face a death penalty trial, Mathews pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in November for the April 2011 shooting death of Chattanooga police Sargent Tim Chapin.
On Tuesday Mathews was moved to the maximum-security prison at West Tennessee State Penitentiary but the Tennessee Department of Corrections say they are still unsure why the facts of Mathews' crime were not enough to place him under maximum security.
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And finally, old and new British acts headline this year's Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Sir Paul McCartney will be joined by English bluegrass superstars Mumford and Sons during the four-day festival June 13 through 16.
Also performing are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, R. Kelly, The Lumineers, The National, ZZ Top and comedian Daniel Tosh.
The festival will play host to 125 musical acts and more than 20 comedians performing on 13 stages. Tickets go on sale at noon Saturday on the bonnaroo.com website.
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And weather today will be mostly sunny with a high near 48 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 28.

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