Memorial Day things to know in Chattanooga area

IN MEMORIAM

photo Mickey McCamish

* The Chattanooga National Cemetery will host the annual Memorial Day program at 11 a.m. Monday. Mickey McCamish, a retired Navy captain and chairman of the Southeast Tennessee Veterans Coalition, will be the keynote speaker.

* Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park historian Jim Ogden will conduct a torchlight tour of the Civil War portion of the national cemetery. The program begins at 8:45 p.m. near the old cemetery entrance arch and memorial pavilion.

WHAT'S OPEN?

* All federal, state and local government offices will be closed. Vehicle emissions testing stations in Hamilton County will resume services on Tuesday.

HITTING THE ROAD

* The Tennessee Department of Transportation is shutting down highway projects for the weekend. Work will be suspended until 6 a.m. Tuesday to facilitate holiday traffic, Commissioner John Schroer said in a statement.

Motorists may still encounter some lane closures or restrictions in long-term construction projects. Reduced speed limits are still in effect in work zones, with enhanced fines up to $500.

Law enforcement throughout the region will be looking for drivers and passengers who are not using safety belts, part of the annual Click It or Ticket campaign.

FREE BIKING DOWNTOWN

* Residents and visitors will have free use of Bike Chattanooga bike-share bicycles on Monday during the Volkswagen USA Pro Cycling Championship.

Visit any of Bike Chattanooga's 33 station kiosks to get a free, 24-hour access pass. A credit or debit card is required to initiate rental, but cards will not be charged for passes. The pass includes unlimited station-to-station trips 60 minutes or less. Trips exceeding 60 minutes will incur overage fees that will be covered by the customer.

CARTA ADJUSTS ROUTES, SCHEDULES

* CARTA's fixed route and downtown shuttle bus services, as well as Care-a-Van, will operate on Saturday schedules on Monday. The North Shore Shuttle will not be in service.

* Detours will be in effect Monday for CARTA buses and shuttles because of the Volkswagen USA Pro Cycling Championship races. Boarding for downtown fixed-route buses will be at 12th and Houston streets behind Warehouse Row.

Shuttle boarding will be at the Cowart Street parking lot and the shuttles will travel Carter and Chestnut streets to Shuttle Park North.

* Shuttles will run between First Tennessee Pavilion and the lower station of the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday. Buses will leave from the Incline to Rock City, Ruby Falls and the upper station of the Incline every 20 to 30 minutes, beginning at 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To learn more, call the CARTA Information Line at 423-629-1473 (TDD users 423-624-4534), or visit www.gocarta.org.

SING ALONG WITH JAMES ROGERS

* Entertainer/singer/songwriter James Rogers is scheduled to appear on the Camp Jordan Amphitheatre stage today for a two-hour show as part of the free Camp Jordan Jams concert series.

Stacy Wilson and the Band Raven hit the stage at 6:30 p.m. and the Cruise In begins at 5:30 p.m., with cars to be lined up stage left. Rogers will take the stage at 8 p.m.

Rogers is a former member of the Tennessee National Guard who served on active duty with the U.S. Army. His Memorial Day weekend performance will honor those who gave their lives for our country.

Admission is free. Bring your own chairs or blankets for seating.

FREE EATS AND MORE

* Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is honoring active military and veterans with a free lunch or dinner entrée on Monday. Customers should bring valid military ID or wear their uniform to the restaurant at 2107 Gunbarrel Road.

* Famous Dave's restaurant, 2122 Gunbarrel Road, invites patrons to write letters of support to active and recovering military members. The restaurant provides all the stationery and this year includes a coloring page so children can contributed to get involved. At the end of the holiday weekend, Famous Dave's staff collects and mails the letters.

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