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Chattanooga Update - August 21, 2013

344 views · Published 21 August 2013 · 5:48 · Indexed 26 October 2026

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

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After Collegedale became the first city in Tennessee to offer benefits to same-sex couples, the woman who led the effort is now facing a new challenge.

The city's decision was a victory for gay detective Kat Cooper.

And throughout the effort, Cooper's mother Linda, stood by her side and embraced her daughter after the final vote.

Now Kat Cooper's family is being ousted from their church family of more than 60 years.

Leaders at Ridgedale Church of Christ met with Kat Cooper's mother, aunt and uncle on Sunday and gave them an ultimatum: repent of their sins and publicly ask for forgiveness, or leave the church.

The minister says the family's support of Kat was as good as an endorsement of homosexuality.

But Kat says the church is exiling members for unconditionally loving their children.

Her father Hunt says the family doesn't believe homosexuality is a lifestyle choice. So leaving after decades with the church was a simple, but devastating decision.
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A 15-year-old Chattanooga boy who was shot in the head Sunday morning has died.

Ollie Trey Peters was a high school freshman for only a week and a half.

Peters, who attended Tyner Academy, died Tuesday at a local hospital. 

At 15, he's the youngest homicide victim in Chattanooga this year.
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A north Georgia man has been charged with child molestation after an incident at Lake Winnie's new SoakYa water park.

35-year-old Christopher David Nix has been charged in the incident. He could face up to 20 years behind bars.
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Police say a Tunnel Hill woman tried to kill her husband by drugging his vodka.
An arrest report says Holly Allison Clark got help from her boyfriend to spike the drink with pain pills.
Police say Royal Wayne Hall mixed a concoction of orange juice, vodka, hydrocodone and oxycodone and then gave the drink to Holly who delivered it to her husband.

Melvin Alton Clark says he took three sips and doesn't remember what happened next. But apparently, he and his wife drove to a store, where she called the police and told them her husband was driving drunk.

When an officer realized Melvin wasn't drunk, he called for an ambulance.

Holly Clark and her boyfriend have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, and attempted murder.

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After a more than 4-hour standoff with the Chattanooga SWAT team on Dodson Avenue yesterday, a robbery suspect is still missing.

The SWAT team was called to a residence on Dodson Avenue, but no one was found in the house.

Police say 19-year-old Dameion Reynolds is still on the loose and believed to be armed and dangerous.
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Hutcheson Medical Center plans to part ways with Erlanger Health System.
A management team from Erlanger has been running the Fort Oglethorpe hospital since 2011.
Hutcheson officials say the two hospitals are now negotiating to end their partnership, but Erlanger officials say they only found out after the news went public.
Hutcheson chairman Corky Jewell said the management agreement hasn't met the expectations of Hutcheson's board OR local county leaders.
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An early plan is calling for the Chattanooga State Office Building to be demolished.

The seven-story building would come down to make room for a new 600-bed dormitory for UTC students.

But Chattanooga's historic preservation group Cornerstones says the 1950s-era building would be an asset to keep standing.

Still, its estimated that fixing problems there could cost up to 12 million dollars.

UTC says it would like to see a new residence hall open on the site in time for fall 2016.
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Tennessee state Representative Joe Carr says he plans to challenge Lamar Alexander for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Carr decided to abandon his campaign against Representative Scott DesJarlais in the fourth district to take on Alexander.

The move leaves state senator Jim Tracy as the only major opponent DesJarlais will face in the 2014 primary.

In response to the campaign switch, Carr's top strategist, Chip Saltsman, resigned.

While Alexander is one of the state's most seasoned politicians, Carr says he's up to the challenge, calling Alexander, quote, "the most liberal member of the delegation from Tennessee."
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Finally, more than 4,000 students will start classes at Lee University today, but only one will be making school history.

Corey Moore is believed to be the first person born with Down syndrome to take classes at the university.

He'll be auditing two courses, a Bible class and a freshman gateway seminar.

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