Allison Collins is the digital and engagement editor at the Times Free Press. She was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While in school, Allison spent five months in Rabat, Morocco traveling and writing about the aftermath of the Arab Uprisings in the North African country. After graduation, she moved to Florida and spent a few years reporting for the North Port Sun in Sarasota County and the Daytona Beach News-Journal where she covered local and state issues, such as housing affordability, high foster care rates across the state and a lack of behavioral funding for Floridians with disabilities. Allison used to cover business for the Times Free Press before becoming an editor. She enjoys hiking and being outdoors on the weekends with her two dogs and husband. You can contact her at acollins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6651.
Katy McDonald, a resident of Peachtree City, Georgia, who was born and raised in Chattanooga, died last week at 80 years old — or around that age, her surviving family members think.
by Allison Shirk CollinsBryant Ellis can wake up in the bedroom of his Hixson home, flip on the light switch and walk to the kitchen to make himself a pot of coffee. He can sit on the couch in his living room and watch television with his service dog, Whiskey, with insulated walls surrounding him and newly installed flooring beneath his feet.
by Allison Shirk CollinsBe entered in a drawing to win a $25 gift card to Kenny's Southside.
by Allison Shirk CollinsFor the third year, the Times Free Press is inviting readers to nominate veterans to be featured in the "Twenty-One Veteran Salute," a series of profiles that will be published in the newspaper from Nov. 5 through Veterans Day, Nov. 11. To date, 42 local veterans have shared their wartime stories.
by Meg Scarbrough and Allison Shirk CollinsBe entered in a drawing to win a $25 gift card from Kenny's Southside.
by Allison Shirk CollinsAs Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a major Category 3 storm Friday afternoon and Florida residents braced for the worst, Chattanooga-area companies and residents hundreds of miles away prepared to help in disaster-relief efforts.
by Allison Shirk CollinsHelp us celebrate teachers in the Chattanooga area.
by Allison Shirk CollinsTake our weekly news quiz and be entered in a drawing to win a $25 gift card to Kenny's Southside Sandwiches.
by Allison Shirk CollinsA memorial service has been announced for Sunday for a 42-year-old woman who was killed when she lost control of her car on Lookout Mountain Monday.
by Allison Shirk CollinsThe Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is investigating an incident in which an inmate was stabbed, according to a news release sent Wednesday.
by Allison Shirk CollinsChattanooga police are investigating after a man says he was shot while walking near the Walnut Street Bridge, according to a news release.
by Allison Shirk CollinsIt looks like Chipotle will be opening its first Chattanooga location on Gunbarrel Road later this year, according to a leasing brochure obtained by the Times Free Press Friday.
by Allison Shirk CollinsWhen Kaleena Goldsworthy set out to start her own business, The Bitter Bottle, three years ago, she had two significant obstacles in front of her.
by Allison Shirk CollinsA blue industrial robot sitting on top of a table and encompassed by a glass case picked up white and blue blocks, divided them by color and stacked them into small towers in a room of a building at Motlow State Community College's campus in McMinnville, Tennessee.
by Allison Shirk CollinsJohn Gandy said he will celebrate Father's Day like a lot of fathers probably will — watching golf.
by Allison Shirk CollinsIt appears Chattanooga is finally getting a Chipotle, a spokeswoman with the fast-casual Mexican restaurant confirmed on Thursday.
by Allison Shirk CollinsThe new elementary school will have a capacity of approximately 880 students with 80 classrooms and is slated to open for the August 2021 school year. One resident said the traffic light was installed a few years ago but never turned on.
by Allison Shirk CollinsA $21 million, mixed-use development in downtown St. Elmo is one step closer to becoming a reality after planning commissioners recommended to approve a rezoning of the site on Monday.
by Allison Shirk CollinsThe Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga's Governmental Affairs Committee has voted to support a $34 million tax increase for public education in Hamilton County with officials stating a lack of quality schools in certain areas of the county has negatively affected the industry.
by Allison Shirk CollinsImagine a machine that dispenses medications much like a Redbox dispenses DVDs at Walgreens, or having the ability to text and send a picture to a doctor directly to get an expert opinion on a possible allergic reaction instead of entrusting a Google search.
by Allison Shirk Collins