A one-year-old Labrador retriever named Sophie has joined University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s campus as a therapy dog, partnering with Corporal Aaron Bayer from the UTC Police. Originally trained for service work, Sophie now works with the Counseling Center to boost mood and wellbeing among students, faculty, staff and officers. Her presence is already lifting…
Gravity’s pull: Geology expert details rockfall risks on I-24 west in Marion County
Jennifer Taylor, Assistant Geology Professor at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), explained that the event on Interstate 24 West in Marion County was a rockfall—not a landslide—because rock fractured high on a cliff and dropped directly downward. She emphasized the importance of stabilizing the cliff after initial debris release, noting that freeze-thaw cycles in…
Football pro Terrell Owens inspires students during surprise visit to Hixson Middle School
NFL Hall of Famer and former Moc Terrell Owens surprised students at Hixson Middle School during UTC’s Homecoming Week. Partnering with UTC’s Division of Access and Engagement, Owens encouraged students to set goals, work hard, and believe in themselves. His visit was part of a community outreach initiative connecting UTC with Hamilton County Schools to…
UTC report: Home prices still rising in Chattanooga, but faster income growth is helping
The recent study by the Center for Regional Economic Research (CRER) at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga shows median list home prices in the Chattanooga metro jumped about 39 % between 2019 and 2025. Meanwhile, real median household income rose 13.5 % from 2019 to 2024—well above the 3.9 % national rate. Despite this income…
Howard Wall on the impacts of ending the grocery tax
Howard Wall is the director and chief economist of the Center for Regional Economic Research and a professor of practice in the Department of Finance and Economics in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business. He frequently gives his insight on various topics of note in local, regional and national media. Here he speaks on…