07.02.2024

Today’s Forecast

91º | 5% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:30 a.m. | Sunset 8:59 p.m.

Potholes that make you smile for once

Behind the mystery of the street smiley face mosaics

An art mystery we can all smile at. | Photo by NOOGAtoday

Have you noticed smiley face mosaics covering former potholes on our streets around Chattanooga?

Back in April, we went on a mission to discover the artist behind this mysterious piece that popped up in the Highland Park neighborhood (shout out to reader Mason E. for putting it on our radar). And in the words of our local art community — think of this individual as the city’s newest Banksy.

To put a smile on your face, we did discover who the artist was — and just like the art community, that’s a secret we’ll never tell — but we can share an inside look of their process + why they’re filling potholes.

This artist, who had a life within the professional medical field, discovered their love of mosaics when traveling to Singapore years ago + finding a market full of discarded tiles. While they created mosaics on different materials, the smiley faces came as a direct result of having three flat tires from potholes in the three years they’ve lived in Chattanooga.

How does our artist do it? They keep a running list of potholes they see and choose the best times to go out with a cone and vest to be unidentified + safe from car travel on busier roads. By creating the smiley face design at home, first using mosaic mounting mesh to hold it together, it takes roughly 10 minutes to pour in the concrete and set the artwork in place.

The first-ever mystery mosaic-filled pothole was made on Union Avenue + South Hickory Street in the early hours of Easter Sunday this year. Now, there are ~27 smiley faces around town, not only in an effort to fix the roads, but to brighten up someone’s day.

“I just want them to have a little smile in the corner of their mouth and go ‘ooh’ before moving on with their day,” they said. “I just want them to have a nuanced awareness that it’s okay to smile.”

Follow the artist

Events

Tuesday, July 2

Construction Contractors’ Open House | Tuesday, July 2 | 5-8 p.m. | Chambers Welding & Fabrication, 1009 Taft Ave., Chattanooga | Free, RSVP | Network with other industry professionals + hear from experts on welding and fabrication solutions.
Adult Craft: Beach in Jar | Tuesday, July 2 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Collegedale Public Library, 9318 Apison Pk., Collegedale | Free | Create a jarred coastal scene with different beachy materials and fairy lights — no library card required.

Wednesday, July 3

Collegedale Freedom Festival | Wednesday, July 3 | 4-10 p.m. | The Commons in Collegedale, 4950 Swinyar Dr., Collegedale | Free+ | Come out for musical performances, food vendors, and end the night with a fireworks show.
Power Yoga | Wednesday, July 3 | 5-6 p.m. | Chattanooga Fitness Center, 1254 E. 3rd St., Chattanooga | Free | Take this intermediate-level class for a full workout flow — bring your own mat.

Thursday, July 4

Red, White, & Moon Pool Party | Thursday, July 4 | 7-11 p.m. | Whiskey Thief at The Edwin Hotel, 102 Walnut St., Chattanooga | $20 | This pool deck party will feature a DJ, small plates + cocktails, and a view of the fireworks show from the Chattanooga Lookouts game.

Friday, July 5

Nightfall | Friday, July 5 | 5:30-10 p.m. | Miller Park and Plaza, 850 Market St., Chattanooga | Free+ | Grab your chairs and blankets to see performances by Giovanni Rodriguez & 12 Manos and Lisa Anita Baker + enjoy a market and lawn games.
Mandal | Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 | Times vary | The Comedy Catch, 29 Station St., Chattanooga | $19-$24 | See this Atlanta-based comedian + cohost of the podcast “Clown School” take the stage with a clean-comedy routine.

Saturday, July 6

Wild Wonders: A Close Encounter with Native Animals | Saturday, July 6 | Times vary | Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd., Chattanooga | Donation | This interactive tour takes an intimate look into the lives of native Nooga animals, including bobcats, raptors, and red wolves.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Health

🧑‍⚕️ 3 reasons to consider Cempa for your primary care

a cempa community care physician checks a patient's throat

The clinic is open 40 hours Monday-Friday and also has an after-hours line for emergencies. | Photo by Rachael Crowe via Cempa Community Care

Cempa Community Care has always been a local healthcare provider with heart.

What started in 1986 as an organization to support and advocate for residents impacted by HIV has grown into a multi-service healthcare provider continuing to serve Noogans from all walks of life.

Here are three reasons to consider using Cempa’s recently-expanded primary care services:

1. All your needs in one place

With a dedicated medical team providing expert comprehensive care, Cempa is able to treat your most primary healthcare needs, including:

Preventative care
Health screenings
Diagnostic testing
Wellness check-ups
Chronic illnesses
Women’s health
Vaccinations
And more

Need dental services, pharmaceuticals, or walk-in care? They do that, too.

2. Low-income and uninsured Noogans welcomed

To ensure everyone in Chattanooga is able to get high-quality healthcare, Cempa provides discounted affordable pricing for qualified low-income, uninsured, or underinsured patients.

3. They’re accepting new patients

Your search can be over — Cempa primary care physicians are currently accepting new patients.

Learn more + schedule an appointment

News Notes

Civic

The City of East Ridge’s offices + library will be closed on Thursday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Note: Trash pickup scheduled for Thursday will be collected tomorrow, July 3.

Traffic

East 17th Street (between Central Avenue + Slayton Street) will be closed now through Dec. 1 for construction staging and rebuilding of the curb. Detours will be posted.

Open

Sower, a homewares store in St. Elmo, has officially opened its doors. Swing by 3929 St. Elmo Ave. to shop for items like candles, linens, ceramics, and books during operational hours. Get a sneak peek.

Coming Soon

Raising Cane’s, a fast-food restaurant known for its chicken fingers + famous sauce, is coming to Hixson. While an opening date and location have yet to be announced, the restaurant is currently hiring for multiple positions.

Development

Trenton Pressing, a tier-one automotive supplier in nearby Dade County, GA, has unveiled its $12 million expansion. The brand-new Plant 10 location has added 100,000 sqft to the company’s manufacturing operations.

Edu

Know a student or family who could use help filling out their 2024-2025 FAFSA? tnAchieves is hosting several FAFSA clinics throughout the state ahead of the Thursday, Aug. 1 TN Promise scholarship deadline. Locally, a clinic will be held at ChattState on Saturday, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Biz

The Chattery will be closed Thursday, July 4 through Friday, July 19 for a summer break. Classes will resume on Saturday, July 20 + teacher interviews will continue in August. Take a look at the class schedule.

Today Is

World UFO Day. Chosen for the anniversary of the supposed 1947 UFO crash in Roswell, NM, curious minds + ufologists gather to observe the skies. Don’t fret if you see a sighting locally, it’s probably the infamous flying saucer home on Signal Mountain.

Correction

In Monday’s newsletter, we shared news about local recipients of First Horizon Foundation’s Grants for Good Program. We wrote that $30,000 was awarded, the total was actually $40,000 + Erlanger Health System Foundation was also a recipient.

Watch

🥇 Join the Team USA watch party

See the 2024 Paris Olympics from Chattanooga

Cheer on Team USA on the big screen. | Graphic provided by Tennessee Aquarium

Why travel ~4,348 miles via plane when you can see the 2024 Paris Olympics on the big screen in Chattanooga?

That’s right, you can join 1.5 billion viewers worldwide + from the comfort of the Tennessee Aquarium’s IMAX Theater for a special live viewing of the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, starting at 1:30 p.m.

Watch history in the making as the summer games host the ceremony outside of a stadium for the first time, opting for the Seine River. 10,500 athletes (representing 206 National Olympic Committees) will cross the river in a parade of 94 boats.

Speaking of history in the making, you’ll be able to support Chattanoogan Olivia Reeves, the first UTC student to qualify for the Olympics, making her debut as the top-seeded American for weightlifting.

As for Cleveland native Rhyne Howard, we’re crossing our fingers she can still compete on the USA 3x3 Women’s National Team after a recent injury.

Go for the gold

The Buy

The Buy 7.02.24 (Affiliate)

A Blink security camera two-pack that’s on sale early for Prime Day. Prime members can get the normally $139.98 cameras for $49.99.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Haley

From the editor

I know we just had “Summerween,” but let me also present to you the Christmas in July Market on Saturday, July 20, hosted by The Electric Crocodile + The Local Dive Retail. Psst, they’re still accepting vendors — DM either business for how you can get involved.

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