Below is a letter from Mayor David Bennett:​

January 20, 2020

Dear Residents, 

It is with a heavy heart I want to inform you that long time employee, Jason Derryberry and his family, lost everything they own in a house fire over the weekend. 

Jason has worked with the city for over 16 years in both the Sewer and Public Works Departments. He is a dedicated and loyal employee and is one of those guys what would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. I asked Jason if he needed anything the day after the fire and he simply said, "My wife, two boys and dog are all safe. That is all I want and need."

I ask that our residents consider making a gift to help the Derryberry family get back on their feet. They will have both immediate and long-term needs. You can make a tax-deductible donation to The City of Lookout Mountain, GA. Please indicate that you want to give to the Derryberry Family Fund. You may drop off a donation at our temporary City Hall location at the Methodist Church during office hours, or place the contribution in the Payment Drop Box which is also located at our temporary offices. You may also mail a check to:

City of Lookout Mountain, GA
1214 Lula Lake Road
Lookout Mountain, GA 30750

For those who would prefer an electronic option, the City has also created a GoFundMe page, which may be accessed by clicking the red button below, or copy and pasting the link into your web browser. 

Thank you in advance for considering a gift to help the Derryberry family. Also, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they begin putting their life back together. 

Sincerely, 

David Bennett
Mayor

GoFundMe Page
https://www.gofundme.com/f/jason-amp-gail-derryberry

Once again, Sue Webb, tennis director at the Lookout Mountain Club, brought home the gold. She recently helped Team Southern win the 55’s National Senior Women’s Intersectionals in Naples, Fla. Each player in the tournament is on the court for three singles matches and two doubles matches.

No. 3 seed Team Southern beat New England 5-0, defeated No. 1 seed Texas 4-1 in the semi finals, and clinched a 3-2 win over No. 2 Southern California for the Championship. 

Diane Barker, 60’s World Champion, played No. 1 in both singles and doubles. 
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Claiming a 100 percent record in the tournament, Webb won her three singles and three doubles matches; two of those were with Michelle (DePalmer) Williams, who once was a great rival at UT when Webb played at UTC.

One of Chattanooga’s best assets is its great outdoors. Some may argue that it is its best asset, especially in light of Outside magazine naming Chattanooga America’s best town ever to live, work and play in, not once but two times. Chattanooga was first bestowed the honor in 2011, then again in 2015, making the Scenic City the only city to ever win the title twice. Pretty nice endorsement, wouldn’t you say?

There is a plethora of outdoor adventure opportunity ideas in Chattanooga, from hiking to biking to climbing to paddling the Tennessee River or soaring high above the best town ever from a colorful hang glider. Have you considered a bird’s eye view of what makes Chattanooga the outdoor mecca that it is?

The possibilities of experiencing our town can seem endless, if not overwhelming, for the adventure seeker, much like the proverbial kid at the candy counter. Where to begin with all of the fantastic options? But what about the adventure option not so easily seen, the out-of-obvious-sight one, but the one that runs rampant throughout the region, often hidden in plain sight under the area’s varied vegetation and terrain, the option known as caving, or is it spelunking?

To understand why these terms are often used interchangeably, allowing for confusion, a vocabulary lesson is warranted. In the United States and Canada, caving refers to the recreational exploring of wild, usually non-commercialized, cave systems, while the term spelunking, in contrast, refers to the scientific exploration of wild, usually non-commercialized cave systems. Spelunking arises from the world of speleology, which is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment. So, if the goal were to explore a cave recreationally, the term caving would be the more appropriate term to use. If the goal is to scientifically study a cave, which usually results in some kind of formal publication as a result of the exploration, then the term spelunking is the more appropriate term choice. By the way, potholing is the British term for the sport of cave exploration.

Confused yet? No matter what term is used for cave exploration, be warned and don’t let the adjective recreational fool you into a false sense of comfort. Depending on the cave being visited, the challenges will be varied, from complete absence of light beyond the cave entrance to uneven and often quickly changing terrain, pitches, squeezes and water hazards. Caving is a specialized sport that requires training, attention to detail, preparedness and lots of practice with an experienced caver(s) before ever stepping foot into a wild, non-commercialized cave.

There are over 17,000 known caves in the southeastern United States, with upwards of 7,000 of those caves located within an hour’s drive of Chattanooga in the region known as TAG, the acronym for the tri-state area of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Thanks to the unique geography along the western side of the Appalachian mountain range, a vast and varied network of caves has been created under the mountains; this cave system entices caving enthusiasts from near and far to experience some of nature’s coolest underground playgrounds.

And just how does this area’s geography give rise to such a preponderance of caves? Caves form as a result of water wearing away rock, but not just any rock will do. It has to be a rock type that dissolves in water. Some of the geological composition of the region is a combination of sandstone stacked on limestone. Sandstone does not dissolve in water, but limestone does, so eons ago, when water started rolling down the mountains, which are made of sandstone, it reached the cracks and crevices in the limestone mountain bed, and, as time went on, huge voids resulted as the limestone eroded away and cave systems appeared. Trivia tidbit, technically speaking: a cave is a space large enough for a human to enter, and is deeper than its opening is wide, so not all openings in the ground are caves, but all caves are openings in the ground!

Caving is a thrilling sport that offers a glimpse into the hidden world of extremes, a world cut off from the outside world, for the most part. Animals living in total darkness resemble creatures from the latest sci-fi movie, odd and amazing geological formations known as stalactites and stalagmites abound everywhere and mind-bogglingly enormous rooms, some of nature’s finest architecture, are just a few of the exotic discoveries afforded by caving. Some of the not so exotic findings, such as dilapidated moonshine stills, makeshift ladders and trash, are manmade, remnants of past explorers or dwellers in the hidden underworld. Many caves even have an historical significance. Case in point, Lookout Mountain Cave, aka Lookout Mountain Caverns, is the second longest cave known in Chattanooga and was once owned by Robert Cravens. During the Civil War, Cravens contracted with the Confederate Government and rented his cave to the Confederate Nitre and Mining Bureau, which mined saltpeter, a main ingredient in gunpowder (black powder) for delivery to the troops.

Caving is also a sport immune to bad weather. Temperature of the caves in the TAG region maintains a consistent 55 to 60 degrees, making it an excellent outdoor adventure on which to embark on those extremely hot, cold or yucky weather days. Caving can be a perfect activity for any weather.

If the thought of squeezing through tiny spaces in the dark takes your breath away, then caving may not be for you, but for those whose heart doesn’t skip a beat, here are two subspecialties of caving: vertical caving and cave diving. How’s your sympathetic nervous system holding up now with those visuals?

Chattanooga has numerous resources for the individual who is intrigued by the notion of adding caving to his or her repertoire of outdoor adventures skillset. For the inexperienced, guided cave tours at commercial caverns or through local outfitters are an excellent introduction to the world of caving and provide the gamut of experiences, from easy walks on wide walkways to getting down and dirty on a wild cave adventure.

No matter what you call it, exploring caves is a physically challenging, mind stimulating, visually rewarding heck of a good time. Now, the only question left to ask is, will you keep it nice and clean, or will you get down and dirty?
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by JD Harper is a local author, tour guide for Sweet Magnolia Tours, co-founder of Chattanooga Youth Gallery (CYG) and a physical therapist. Glint, her debut novel, is set in Chattanooga amid its rich Civil War history and rock climbing culture.

The 12th annual Christmas parade, tree lighting, and Stocking Full of Love toy drive took place December 3 at the Lookout Mountain, Ga., town hall. Once again, the Georgia police and firemen did an excellent job of organizing this important event.

During the parade, toys are collected for needy children ages in Walker County, and residents give cash donations or toys to Santa, who was the star of the parade that went up and down the streets of Lookout Mountain, Ga.
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The parade started at Fairyland Elementary School and proceeded down Rock City Trail to Cinderella, Aladdin, and Peter Pan roads before coming back to Red Riding Hood and ending at Lookout Mountain, Ga., City Hall. Santa (Scott Chapman from the street department) rode on his float with his lighted Christmas tree, while his sidekick, the dancing elf (Caleb Hobson of the street department) entertained the crowd. Live music blared from Santa’s “sleigh” and from the fire trucks, and when the crowd of over 200 people arrived at city hall, Mayor David Bennett threw the switch to light the beautiful tree at the heart of the future town center. Jay Brooks, a volunteer fireman, played his guitar and sang Christmas carols.

Folks bundled up and spread holiday cheer as they enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate and cookies from Apison Creek Coffee Roasters’ food truck, compliments of Love Lookout. With people of all ages singing, children laughing and playing, and much gaiety all around, the kickoff of the holiday season in Lookout Mountain, Ga., was a success!

by Gwin Tugman

​Tai chi classes will begin again in early January in the parish hall of the Church of the Good Shepherd Church.  Taking place on Mondays from 10:30-11:30 a.m., this martial art is very beneficial.

Jeff Campbell has taken tai chi for three and half years at the Lifestyle Center and thought it would be great if classes could be offered on Lookout Mountain. He approached veteran instructor John Johnson, who has been practicing and teaching for at least 13 years, to see if he had any interest in teaching, and he did. Classes began in fall of 2018 at Good Shepherd, and they were very well received.  

According to the Tai Chi Foundation, “Tai chi movements are widely acknowledged to help calm the emotions, focus the mind, and strengthen the immune system. Practiced at a slow and even speed, tai chi promotes relaxation, straight posture, and balance. In a very real sense, tai chi helps us to stay younger as we grow older, thus making an outstanding contribution to our overall health and well-being.” Jeff said it is great for both your mind and body; and it improves strength and balance in folks all ages and abilities. Even people with limited mobility can reap the benefits. If you are not comfortable doing some of the slow-motion movements, you can certainly use a chair to build upper body strength. Jeff said he has really seen a difference in his balance and posture, and who couldn’t use a bit of meditation for clearing the mind?

Instructor John Johnson is constantly taking classes to improve his ability and his skills. He takes lessons from Dr. Zibin Guo, who is an advanced instructor in the art. John has also taught therapists at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital how to use tai chi as a rehabilitation tool.
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John certainly knows what he is doing and teaches this beginners class at a pace that is very easy to follow. Some of the regulars in the last couple of years have been Jeff Messinger, Kitty Forbes, and Peggy and Jim Laney. It costs $125 for the 12-week course, and the only requirement is that you wear comfortable clothes and shoes. It’s a lot of fun and so beneficial to your body, plus you can say that you take tai chi, which will make people think that you are the bomb! Contact Jeff at (423) 280-5333 or [email protected] for more information. It sounds like fun!