Reporter's Notebook: Robots are not for everyone

photo Jack Benson

The Chattanooga City Council asked for public comment Tuesday night, and East Brainerd resident Lana Sutton got up to talk about how she felt her councilman could use robocalls to call neighborhoods about meetings.

She said she thought her councilman had access to the feature, which can call hundreds to thousands of homes at once.

But Councilman Jack Benson said he had no clue what she was talking about.

"Robot?" he asked. "I'm from the wrong generation. I don't know what you're talking about with a robot."

RELATIVE OF WHOM?

Mark Hise got the LaFayette, Ga., City Council's permission on March 12 to set up two stages on May 19 for his second annual Music on the Square festival.

Hise's exchange with Councilman Ben Bradford also got a few laughs. The councilman misspoke when he asked to recuse himself from the vote because Hise was his wife's second cousin.

"I'm your second cousin," Hise corrected Bradford.

Bradford apologized to his blood relative, saying, "I didn't bring my table of sanguinity with me."

"It's a good thing I don't vote in the city, Ben," Hise replied, jokingly.

The free Music on the Square street festival will be headlined by husband-and-wife team Dave Gibson and Daisy Dern. Gibson is a Texas songwriter who's penned several No. 1 country hits, including Alabama's "Juke Box in My Mind."

REPUBLICANS MOVING

Two local Republican organizations have changed their meeting places.

The Hamilton County Pachyderm Club's Monday lunch meetings now are held at noon at Hamilton County Republican Party headquarters. The building is at 1428 Chestnut St.

The club's meetings formerly were held at the DoubleTree Hotel downtown.

The Chattanooga/Hamilton County Nightside Pachyderm Club's meetings now are held at 6 p.m. at the Western Sizzlin in Ooltewah. The restaurant is at 6201 Relocation Way.

The Nightside Pachyderm Club meets every Thursday except for the third Thursday of each month. It used to meet at Wally's in East Ridge.

EAST RIDGE MEETING CANCELED

The East Ridge City Council meeting for March 22 has been canceled. Councilmen said the agenda was light and the city recorder would be out of town.

"I'm OK with canceling this time, but I don't want this to be a regular thing," Councilman Jim Bethune said.

East Ridge has held one regular council meeting per month since November. The city usually has two.

EAST RIDGE PLANS "LIBERTY FEST"

The East Ridge Merchants Association plans a festival to kick off Independence Day that could include fireworks, music and barbecue.

East Ridge councilmen agreed to pledge $10,000 to help fund the festival, which is being called "Liberty Fest" and tentatively will be held at Camp Jordan June 30.

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