Chattanooga Pulse

Is High-Speed Rail Back Again?

Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN) announced last week that the U.S. Department of Transportation would award $14.2 million to accelerate an environmental impact statement for a high-speed magnetic levitation, or “maglev”, train between Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville. The majority of the grant will be used for the studies required in the National Environmental Policy Act identifying the corridor routes and the station locations for this proposed project.

“This funding is a game changer for the prospect of high-speed rail in the southeast and dramatically increases our chances of success in the years ahead. A high-speed rail connection between Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville would build the infrastructure to increase economic development and bring more people to the growing Chattanooga airport,” said Congressman Wamp. “Maglev high-speed rail could change the way Americans travel, reducing congestion on crowded roads and at busy airports. These are the types of investments that will help create quality jobs, grow the U.S. economy and help our nation be more competitive.”

A maglev train would relieve tremendous congestion in the Atlanta metro area and serve as part of a long-needed intermodal mass transit system for the United States. Maglev trains can travel at more than 300 miles per hour, which would mean true high-speed ground transportation in the 116-mile corridor from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport generally along the Interstate 75 corridor to Lovell Field and Chattanooga. A recent feasibility study determined that the Atlanta-Chattanooga corridor could also extend northwest to Nashville along the Interstate 24 alignment.

The Strange Case of the Wandering Armadillo

Southerners who have traveled out West have often marveled at the armadillo, which has been likened to an opossum wearing a suit of armor. The fascination with the odd beasts has come home to Cleveland, as an armadillo that crept into our metropolitan neighbor this past summer has been mounted and placed on display at the Museum Center at Five Points.

The pointy-nosed varmint, dubbed Dilla the Armadillo after it was killed by a motorist in June, is enclosed in a glass case and will be available to view at the museum Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Allan Jones, the founder of Check into Cash and Jones Management Services in Cleveland, was impressed by the story of the armadillo’s arrival in the South and wanted to preserve it for future generations.

“Armadillos are migrating north into Tennessee in search of the fire ants that they feed on,” said Jones. “In the next 50 years, armadillos should be plentiful in Tennessee. We’ll be the only community around with enough forethought to preserve the very first one.”

Dilla was discovered June 8 after becoming a speed bump to an unidentified motorist traveling east on 25th Street. The armadillo’s demise under the Interstate 75 overpass drew a large response from the Cleveland community, even prompting Police Chief Wes Snyder to visit the scene and investigate.
The nine-banded armadillo was eventually taken by animal control and kept until its adoption by a local nonprofit radio station, and then on to it’s new home in the museum.

Chattanooga Chefs Gone Wild

It’s time once again for Chattanooga’s own version of Hell’s Kitchen: The Cast Iron Cook-off this Sunday at the Chattanooga Market.

Lodge Cast Iron presents the foodie cook-off event, in which local chefs, using fresh ingredients from the Market, rustle up their best entrees hoping to be voted Cast Iron winner by the panel of judges, which this year includes UTC athletic coaches Don Shulman and Wes Moore and ESPN radio personalities Bert Caldwell and Nick Bonsanto.  The star chefs are Wolfgang Poe from Red Rock Grill (returning 2008 champ), Michelle Huffman from Events with Taste, Amanda Varnell from Cooking Live, Mike Nefziger, “Chef Mike” on 95.3 WPLZ radio, and Junior Crutcher from the Jet Stream Grill.

From 12:30 1:30, judges will announce what the protein (meat) will be. The chefs then shop for everything needed to prepare their dish right in the Market. From 1:30 to 2:30, the chefs will be cooking fast and furiously on FiveStar cooking ranges. From 2:30 to 3:30, the panel of judges will sample a plate of food from each of the chefs—and afterwards declare the 2009 Cast Iron cook-off winner.

This year’s master of ceremonies, we add in a shameless plug, is none other than Zach Cooper, publisher of The Pulse & WPLZ Pulse News Radio host.