
Tierra Hayes is a reporter and digital editor for the Times Free Press. She is from Athens, Georgia, and graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2020 with her B.S. Mass Communication-Writing/Editing.
The city of Collegedale and four former police officers have settled two employment-based lawsuits after two years of litigation surrounding an alleged quota system, according to a joint news release from the city and the officers' attorney.
by Tierra HayesWahid Dorany, an Afghan American and Chattanooga area resident, is awaiting the day that his parents, wife and two siblings can join him after he helped facilitate their evacuation from Afghanistan.
by Tierra HayesAs chaotic scenes from Afghanistan unfolded on TV in the past few weeks, Marina Peshterianu, associate director of Bridge Refugees Services, felt certain she would be helping to resettle Afghan refugees in Chattanooga in the near future.
by Tierra HayesWith thousands of Chattanooga area residents vaccinated against COVID-19, many may have misplaced something that may soon be more important: their vaccination card.
by Tierra HayesWalker County Schools is seeking feedback from the community on its new long-term goals. The district's coordinator for federal funds, Autumn Hentz, hosted a virtual meeting on July 20 to outline the district's upcoming plans.
by Tierra HayesThe Chattanooga Police Department and Unum announced Wednesday a new partnership to aid children following traumatic events that require police presence.
by Tierra HayesCollegedale's new police chief, Jack Sapp, is working to change the culture of the police department, including an update to the city's vehicle pursuit policy and a focus on community policing.
by Tierra HayesAfter a dip in child abuse reports in 2020 during the pandemic, the Children's Advocacy Center in Northwest Georgia has seen an influx of kids who are suspected to be victims of abuse in the first half of 2021.
by Tierra HayesWalker County officials have approved plans for a future African American Museum and Culture Center.
by Tierra HayesThe difficulties of running an independent bookstore aren't lost on avid readers Blaes Green, Sarah Jackson and Emily Lilley. From upfront costs to the dominance of Amazon and other large chain booksellers, local business owners across the nation have taken a hit in recent years.
by Tierra HayesThe historic downtown area of Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, has been hit hard by time and changes to traffic flow.
by Tierra HayesAs cases of COVID-19 continue to dwindle, the Walker County Chamber of Commerce is resuming in-person One Walker meetings and supporting the local business community in its "new normal."
by Tierra HayesNew Collegedale City Manager Wayon Hines was approved on Monday to be paid $132,488 annually to take on not just the role of city manager, but to continue in his previous role as city engineer.
by Tierra HayesWhen Hamilton County Schools shut down in March of 2020 to pivot to online learning amid the coronavirus pandemic, Patricia Russell said that she saw reports of suspected child abuse begin to drop, just as she had feared.
by Tierra HayesChattanooga will reopen all 18 of its Youth and Family Development centers on June 1.
by Tierra HayesThe city of Collegedale has hired Wayon Hines, city engineer and interim city manager, to serve as its next city manager.
by Tierra HayesThe 14-month closure of the Chattanooga Family and Youth Development Centers has gone on for too long, according to a group of community members, including current and former employees of the city's recreation department, who addressed the city council on Tuesday evening.
by Tierra HayesSix area Youth and Family Development Centers will be open this summer to host camps, while plans to fully staff the camps and the other 12 sites are still in the works, the city of Chattanooga announced Tuesday.
by Tierra HayesWith 52 weeks in the year, the organizers of Project 52 make sure that not a single week passes without helping someone in need.
by Tierra HayesOne mother's social media plea led to the creation of a new voluntary ID program for special needs individuals in Chattanooga. The hope is to help mitigate communication concerns between law enforcement and those with conditions such as autism or dementia.
by Tierra Hayes