🌱 Fire At Old Lamar's + Ukraine Impact On Chattanooga Gas

Hello again, Chattanooga! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Chattanooga Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Chattanooga Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Chattanooga long term. So if you're interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

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First, today's weather:

Sunny and milder. High: 59 Low: 33.

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Here are the top three stories today in Chattanooga:

1. On Saturday night, Chattanooga firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire downtown at the abandoned Old Lamar's Restaurant and Motel. The vacant commercial building at 1018 East Martin Luther King Boulevard has been unoccupied for years, and the fire was called in by the battalion chief for District 1, who was driving in the area and spotted smoke. The fire department extinguished the blaze and searched the building for occupants. No one was inside and no injuries were reported; however, there was reportedly a lot of debris from unhoused individuals using the building as a shelter. (The Chattanoogan)
2. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office had a solid turnout at its in-person job fair at Metro Tab Church this weekend. Attendees on Feb. 26 took written and physical tests, interviewed with hiring managers from the Sheriff's Office, and scheduled their polygraph tests. Deputy Chief of Corrections Shaun Shepherd told WDEF that there was "great representation across Chattanooga," and "it was good to see the community come out with interest in serving" Hamilton County. (WDEF News 12)
3. Last week's Russian invasion of Ukraine is having a wide-reaching economic impact, and Chattanooga consumers are seeing the effects at the gas pump. AAA reported that Chattanooga-area gas prices are currently at an average of $3.446 per gallon, compared to last week's average of $3.326. Market analyst Bill Dendy told ABC 9 that gas and food prices are expected to keep rising since Russia is a major oil producer and Ukraine is a major agricultural hub for countries around the world. (WTVC)

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Today in Chattanooga:

• Chattanooga Board Of Sign Appeals At Development Resource Center, Room 1-A (4:00 PM)
• Chattanooga Organized For Action Meeting At Renaissance Presbyterian Church (6:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Mild temperatures and abundant sunshine are headed to Chattanooga this week. Review the full weekly weather forecast here. (Chattanooga Patch)
• Looking for your next dream home? Check out these 5 new Chattanooga area houses on the market. (Chattanooga Patch)
• On Wednesday, Mar. 2, at 5:30 p.m., the Chattanooga Public Library will host a Ukraine and Russia History Lecture with Linda Moss Mines. For those who cannot attend in person, a live stream will happen on the Library's YouTube channel at chattlibrary.tv. (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday. I'll see you around!

— Kayla Harrison

About me: Kayla Harrison is a Writing Arts professor, as well as a freelance writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts, writing poetry, and visiting local coffee shops.