Ben Benton

Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee’s Bledsoe, Bradley, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Rhea and Sequatchie counties. Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005. Ben was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, a graduate of Bradley Central High School. He has a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

Marion County officials report storm has passed leaving widespread wind damage, trees down but no injuries

by Ben Benton ·March 3, 2023

A strong line of storms passing through Southeast Tennessee downed trees and power lines across the region Friday afternoon, but there were no reports of injuries as of 3:25 p.m. EST.

This screenshot from video shot by Times Free Press sports editor Stephen Hargis shows heavy rains moving through Marion County, Tennessee, on Friday, March 3, 2023.

‘Gateway to Chattanooga’ project to beautify downtown interchanges in limbo

by Ben Benton ·March 2, 2023

Nonprofit Tennessee Interstate Conservancy head searching for answers

Tennessee Department of Transportation / An architect's rendering in an overview of the Fourth Street and M.L. King Jr. Boulevard interchanges on U.S. Highway 27 in downtown Chattanooga designed by Ragan + Smith Associates shows the general concept of extensive landscaping plans that use more than 1,000 trees, 1,300 daylilies, 1,200 blue iris and 4 acres of wildflowers. The Tennessee Interstate Conservancy joined designers, private and public stakeholders and state and local governments in an effort planners say will make Chattanooga a model for similar projects across the state.

Dayton, Tennessee, man jailed after allegedly stabbing another man six times in the back at local bar

by Ben Benton ·February 28, 2023

Suspect held on a $1 million bond

Bradley Central High School band booster charged with theft in investigation

by Ben Benton ·February 28, 2023

A Bradley Central High School band booster has been charged in a Tennessee Comptroller's Office probe into misappropriated club funds totaling more than $2,000.

Staff File Photo by Robin Rudd / The Bradley Central High School marching band plays the school's fight song. A former concessions manager for the band's booster club has been charged with theft over $1,000 after allegedly misappropriating more than $2,000 in club funds.

Rolling roadblocks planned till Thursday on I-24 West on Monteagle Mountain for tree-clearing

by Ben Benton ·February 28, 2023

Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews launched a rock mitigation project Tuesday on Monteagle Mountain in west Marion County to clear trees along a rock bluff on the westbound side of Interstate 24 where rock slides are an ongoing issue.

Staff File Photo by Ben Benton / In March 2017, Georgia Department of Transportation crews trimmed back the tree line along some rocky bluffs on Interstate 24, west of Chattanooga where it runs through the Peach State for four miles along the Tennessee border.

One dead, one held on $1 million bond in shooting on Rhea-Bledsoe county line

by Ben Benton ·February 27, 2023

Ammunition, two SKS rifles seized

Rhea County Sheriff's Office / Jackie Lee Goss, 29, is charged with criminal homicide in Rhea County General Sessions Court.

Tennessee’s Severe Weather Awareness Week is a good time to get prepared

by Ben Benton ·February 23, 2023

The spring warmup is on, and emergency officials and meteorologists in Tennessee this week have been raising awareness of the coming severe weather season, when storms and tornadoes become more likely.

Staff Photo by Ben Benton / Homes like this one, heavily damaged by an EF3 tornado that struck in 2020 in East Brainerd, left debris scattered all along the storm's path.

Paraprofessionals charged in Bledsoe County allegedly threw objects at special needs student

by Ben Benton ·February 22, 2023

Surveillance video allegedly shows one person dragging student by hair, other pushing student

East Ridge sidewalk, drainage project to switch sides of the road Monday

by Ben Benton ·February 21, 2023

East Ridge Avenue to close Monday for 24 hours

Staff Photo by Ben Benton / Traffic crawls past a Talley Construction crew working on a new concrete entrance for the SmartBank building on the corner of Ringgold Road and East Ridge Avenue on Tuesday. The entrance will be bracketed by a new 10-foot wide, shared-used path, part of an ongoing, 1.2-mile multimodal project expected to be complete in June.

Two special needs paraprofessionals facing child abuse charges in Bledsoe County

by Ben Benton ·February 20, 2023

The Bledsoe County Sheriff's Office has filed child abuse charges against two special needs paraprofessionals who were employed by the Bledsoe County School District but have now been fired along with four other school system employees.