'Un' Chattanooga
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, last weekend was filled with festivals honoring the rich Latino and Hispanic communities in Chattanooga.
On Sunday, I attended a festival where I ate everything from empanadas to corn in a cup.
And just from enjoying the festivities, it's easy to see that these communities are not a monolith. On display at the Sunday festival were flags from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico, among others.
It's important to note — and appreciate — that the Hispanic community in Chattanooga is fast-growing.
According to a 2022 Times Free Press report, Hamilton County Schools was 5.6% Hispanic during the 2009-10 academic year and by 2020-21, that percentage was up to 17%. In numbers, and to offer a little perspective, the Hispanic population grew from 4,683 in 2015 to roughly 9,000 in 2022.
It's great when Chattanooga can display its rich diversity. May it make us aware of how important it is to include everyone, share common experiences and learn from one another. Together, all of us make Chattanooga better and stronger.
We're one Chattanooga, right?
Hey Tennessee, guns are still a problem
Every morning while walking my sweet little Shih Tzus down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, I see Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp's not-so-gentle reminder that "341 guns were stolen from cars in Chattanooga in 2022."
We're but weeks removed from a downtown shooting that took the life of Christopher Wright. The alleged shooter was a felon, meaning he's not able to legally purchase a gun and yet he had one on the night of Sept. 28. People!
Tragedies such as Wright's death remind me just how off-the-rails Tennessee has gone relative to guns and gun culture. State legislators have pushed pro-gun legislation to make the state a permitless carry state. Even after a mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville in March, lawmakers were unwilling to seriously consider gun safety legislation — legislation that opinion polls show the public supports.
And this week, I read with sadness about the Joelton, Tenn., man who brought a gun to a youth football game and threatened to shoot coaches and parents. The incident was captured on video. During the game, the man walked up to a referee to dispute a call. He was kicked out of the game and later came back with seconds left in the game with a black bag that had a handgun in it. Witnesses said he tried to pull it the firearm out of the bag.
After the incident, the Greenbrier Athletic Club decided to cancel the football season for the year. What's astonishing is that the man has not been charged with a crime. Police are saying he didn't appear to have a gun in the video. Multiple witnesses at the scene said that he was pulling out a gun from the black bag.
Do we comprehend what gun violence does to a community? In this case, it shuts down an entire football season and takes the joy from kids who want to play their favorite sport.
Wamp's message might just be seen as statistics on a billboard, but as we've seen in the past few weeks, any gun can lead to unspeakable tragedy.
Do the smart thing and lock up your guns.
And furthermore, let's take gun safety and reform seriously in Tennessee.
Boost your defense: Get vaccinated
Yes, you should get a COVID booster and flu shot.
Fall is here and that means crisp weather, sports and time with family. But it's also flu and now COVID season. For the past three years, the holiday season has triggered a spike in COVID cases that peaked each year in January, according to USA TODAY. Doctors say that it's OK to get the COVID booster and flu shot at the same time.
Getting a COVID booster is the right thing to do if you're visiting loved ones who are:
› Immunocompromised
› Living with a serious disease such as blood cancer
› Over the age of 65
Just as in 2020, making sure you are vaccinated isn't just about your health, but the collective health of everyone around.
Let's have a great and healthy fall season together.