Your Wednesday at a glance:
- Weather: Mostly sunny, high of 45.
- What’s encouraging: Starting on Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans.
- What’s new: A shop selling tropical houseplants and coffee called Plant Candy Collective opened a new storefront in Chattanooga on Monday.
- What to eat: If you’re looking for some plant-based meat alternatives, here’s a ranking of some of the best (and worst) alternative proteins. The list is missing all of my personal favorites, but that may be a sign that I need to branch out.
Good morning, Chattanooga!
TikTok. YouTube. Instagram.
Social media platforms have moved well beyond just cute pictures of your friends’ kids and life updates from people you know.
Today they’re ways for people, including Chattanoogans, to make a living as influencers and content creators, crafting relatable content and showcasing personality for entertainment, information and community.
“The term influencer isn’t one I would give myself,” says Ayesha Ophelia, a Chattanoogan with 79,000 followers on Instagram. “I would say I’m a creator first and foremost. I’m a free spirit. I’m a philosopher type. I’m a person who is speaking up about the things I care about, and that has resonated with people. If anything, I’m leading people home to themselves.”
Now for some recent stories:
THE WHO OF BONNAROO: Here’s the official lineup for this year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival.
NEW RIDES: What were the top-selling vehicles in Hamilton County last year?
ICYMI: As an Athens native, I may be a little (read: very) biased when it comes to this topic, but after 41 years and a great game, the UGA Bulldogs secured the national championship trophy. In case you missed it, here’s our game coverage from our sports editor David Paschall.
-Tierra Hayes, thayes@timesfreepress.com
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