People who had a way with words in the news last week:
“With this bill, I’m afraid we’re Nico-ing our citizens.”
— Tennessee sate Sen. Page Walley, R-Savannah, comparing changes to hemp regulations to Nico Iamaleava deciding to enter the college football transfer portal after making a commitment to the University of Tennessee.
“We do not have no dry bones up in here. Let’s give ourselves a round of applause for this awesome groundbreaking day. This is the day that the Lord has made, and we shall rejoice in it. We shall rejoice in it. This did not come overnight. I have been out here on this trail for 35 long years.”
— Cassandra Robinson, a 35-year resident of the Westside, speaking at a groundbreaking for the first phase of new housing in her neighborhood.
“I recognize that what is between my two ears isn’t always encompassing what’s best or the best idea. I wanted to do something different.”
— Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers on implementing a process to hire his executive staff.
“It’s going to cause division. It’s going to cause angst, and if you have never seen an exodus, step on an anthill. People will start to move like never before.”
— Hamilton County school board Vice Chair Karitsa Jones, D-Chattanooga, on district budget cuts.
“We think it’s the jewel of our county, and we’re handing it back over in a beautiful, beautiful structure and something to be very proud of.”
— Audrey Clark, vice president of the Trenton-Dade Historic Preservation Commission, on the reopening of the Dade County Historic Courthouse & Museum.
“We were recognized because of our outdoor beauty and our natural resources — those are the qualifiers for the scenic byway — and we can’t take credit for that. That’s something the good Lord provided to us. But we can take credit for maintaining and preserving it, and that’s what our duty is as citizens of the Valley.”
— Janis Kyser, executive director of the Sequatchie County-Dunlap Chamber of Commerce, on marketing efforts for the Sequatchie Valley National Scenic Byway winning an award from a national organization.
“It’s a difficult decision. Both stores are doing great. It’s ironic we’re doing this, but it just came down to the lease.”
— Patrick Holland, co-owner of Mountain Top Toys, confirming the shop on Signal Mountain was going out of business after 33 years.
“You keep saying choose, but I didn’t choose nothing. I did not think when I got up to shoot that man.”
— Darryl Roberts, testifying in his first-degree murder trial. He is accused of killing Chattanooga businessman Chris Wright in 2023.
“It’s about walking more, having more running in the city, more cycling in the city. It’s about having greener, wilder gardens that are better for nature. It’s about having healthier air, healthier rivers to swim in. It’s about having children that are better behaved in schools because they have more time to play outdoors during recess. It’s about doing all these things that we can look at our city and look around the world and see the things that work and say, ‘Let’s have a bit more of that, please.'”
— Daniel Raven-Ellison, founder of the National Park City movement, on how he would define a National Park City.
Did you see a quotation we should highlight? Send an email to news@timesfreepress.com with QuoteWorthy in the subject line.