January 2012
1 -- Ed Jenkins, who represented North Georgia in Congress from 1977-93, dies at 78.
5 -- Gail Palmgren's death ruled an accident in Signal Mountain crash.
6 -- James Benson shoots, kills ex-wife, mother-in-law at Erlanger at Hutcheson.
7 -- "Dancing With the Stars" winner J.R. Martinez visits his hometown Dalton, Ga.
9 -- Alabama wins BCS Championsip, beating LSU 21-0.
11 -- Delhaize America announces it will close 13 Food Lion stores in the Tennessee Valley, cutting about 500 jobs.
13 -- Luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia gashed and crippled after running into rocks off Tuscany coast, killing 32 people.
16 -- Work begins on widening of U.S. Highway 27 north of Tennessee River.
19 -- St. Andrews Center placed on National Register of Historic Places.
22 -- Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno dies.
24 -- James Farentino, actor in "Dynasty," "ER" and "Melrose Place," dies at 73.
25 -- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who survived horrendous 2011 shooting event in Tucson, resigns from Congress to continue her recovery.
26 -- Robert Hegyes, who played Epstein on "Welcome Back, Kotter," dies at 60.
29 -- Camilla Williams, a breakthrough black opera singer, dies at 92.
30 -- Lifetouch announces it will close two Olan Mills plants in Chattanooga, cutting 383 jobs.
February 2012
1 -- "Soul Train" host Don Cornelius, 75, dies in California of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
5 -- New York Giants beat New England Patriots 21-17 to win Super Bowl XLVI.
6 -- "Chatype" typeface developed for city's character unveiled.
10 -- Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield wins court battle over recall election.
13 -- Family members of Jesse Mathews, who face the death sentence in the shooting death of Chattanooga police Sgt. Tim Chapin, sentenced for their roles in the case. Mother Kathleen Mathews gets 30 years and six months.
14 -- Ridgeland High teacher Erika Couey wins diamond ring, auctions it to buy kiln for school (it later goes for $2,600).
15 -- 10-year anniversary of the Noble crematory scandal where hundreds of bodies were left uncared for; movie made.
18 -- Brothers Nicholas, 11, and Calvin Keener, 4, killed when car hits their go-kart in Altamont, Tenn. Calvin was driving.
22 -- Plans announced for new coal mine in Rhea County.
25 -- GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum visits Chattanooga.
26 -- "The Artist" wins Academy Award for Best Picture. Uggie steals the show.
27 -- State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, announces he will not seek re-election to his Senate District 10 seat.
29 -- Monkees lead singer Davy Jones dies at 66.
- Three killed in tornadic storms in Middle Tennessee.
March 2012
2 -- Tornado hits Harrison, destroys homes and injures dozens, but no one killed. Six tornadoes hit area, damage tops $19 million, 77 homes destroyed.
6 -- Mitt Romney widens lead in GOP race; Newt Gingrich takes Georgia, Romney wins Tennessee.
7 -- Covenant Values Foundation pledges to donate $1 billion under guidance of Chattanooga businessman Carey V. Brown.
11 -- U.S. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales faces charges for killing 16 Afghan civilians, burning bodies.
14 -- Movie studio begins work at Engel Stadium for Jackie Robinson movie that stars Harrison Ford.
- Deadly white nose bat disease found at Russell Cave in North Alabama, farthest south yet.
19 -- Occupy Chattanooga protesters evicted.
20 -- QB Peyton Manning chooses to play with the Denver Broncos.
21 -- New Orleans Saints hit with major penalties over "bounty" payoffs for big hits. Coach Sean Payton suspended for year without pay.
22 -- Krystal sold to Atlanta investment group.
26 -- U.S. Supreme Court takes up health care law.
29 -- Chattanooga announces plan to move Bessie Smith Strut to Riverbend site, ending M.L. King Boulevard's 30-year run.
31 -- March shatters heat records with the lower 48 states averaging 8.6 degrees above normal. For the first three months of the year, temperatures were 6 degrees above normal.
April 2012
2 -- Kentucky wins NCAA college basketball championship over Kansas, 77-59.
7 -- "60 Minutes" interviewer Mike Wallace dies at 93.
10 -- Rick Santorum drops out of GOP presidential race.
- Gov. Bill Haslam lets bill protecting teachers' classroom discussions of "weaknesses" in evolution and other scientific theories become Tennessee law without his signature.
15 -- 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.
18 -- Lee Anderson retires from Times Free Press after 70 years in the Chattanooga newspaper business.
- "American Bandstand" host Dick Clark dies at 82.
- Lady Vols basketball legend Pat Summitt steps down as head coach.
21 -- Charles W. Colson, Watergate figure turned evangelical leader, dies at 80.
24 -- Suspension of Signal Mountain Middle/High staffers revealed.
25 -- Supreme Court hears challenge to Arizona immigration law.
27 -- One-year anniversary of deadly tornado outbreak.
28 -- UTC quarterback B.J. Coleman drafted in seventh round by NFL's Green Bay Packers.
29 -- Tennessee Aquarium to celebrate 20 years on riverfront.
30 -- Tennessee Legislature passes budget that includes closing Taft Youth Center.
May 2012
1 -- Georgia enacts law banning abortions after five months.
2 -- Haslam vetoes bill exempting college religious groups from nondiscrimination policy.
6 -- George Lindsey, who played Goober on "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Hee Haw," dies at 83.
7 -- The discovery of an unexploded upgraded underwear bomb provides an intelligence prize resulting from a covert CIA operation in Yemen. The intercept thwarts a suicide mission around the anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden.
8 -- Maurice Sendak, author of "Where the Wild Things Are," dies at 83.
- Hairstyling pioneer Vidal Sassoon dies at 84.
- Ending months of equivocation, President Barack Obama declares his support for gay marriage, the first U.S. president to do so.
11 -- Legendary race driver and Shelby Cobra sports car designer Carroll Shelby dies at 89.
13 -- Donald "Duck" Dunn, the bassist who helped create the gritty Memphis soul sound at Stax Records in the 1960s as part of the legendary group Booker T. and the MGs, and contributed to such classics as "In the Midnight Hour," "Hold On I'm Coming" and "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," dies at 70.
16 -- Last lawsuits challenging Chattanooga annexations are settled.
17 -- Disco diva Donna Summer dies at 63.
20 -- Robin Gibb, one of the three singing brothers of the Bee Gees, dies at 62.
- Cleveland, Tenn., Officer Justin Maples dies in car crash while helping chase suspect. First city officer killed in the line of duty since 1971.
21 -- "42" begins filming at Engel Stadium.
22 -- Hamilton County Commission challenged over prayers at meetings.
24 -- Jessica Miller Neal, 27, and her grandfather Donald Shedd found slain in their home in Whitfield County, Ga. Adolph Ray "Sonny" Neal, 49, is sought by police.
26 -- Mitt Romney clinches GOP presidential nomination with primary victory in Texas.
29 -- VW takes preliminary steps to expand plant at Enterprise South.
31 -- Adolph Ray "Sonny" Neal, 49, of Whitfield County, Ga., captured and charged in the May 24 slayings of Jessica Miller Neal, 27, and her grandfather Donald Shedd.
June 2012
1 -- It's hot. March, April and May in the lower 48 states beat the oldest spring temperature record by a full 2 degrees. The three months averages 57.1 degrees, more than 5 degrees above average.
2 -- "Family Feud" host Richard Dawson dies at 79.
5 -- Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451," dies at 91.
- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker beats back recall effort, arming Republicans with a renewed mandate from voters to control spending.
8 -- UTC Chancellor Roger Brown announces plans to retire.
- Frank Cady, a character actor best known for playing the down-home shopkeeper Sam Drucker on the popular 1960s sitcoms "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres," dies at 96.
11 -- The Ku Klux Klan wants to "adopt" a stretch of highway in North Georgia, which would allow the white supremacy group to receive official state recognition for cleaning litter from the road.
15 -- President Barack Obama says his administration will stop deporting some illegal immigrants who were brought to the country as children and have gone on to be productive and otherwise law-abiding residents
16 -- Rodney G. King, whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police led to a week of deadly race riots after some officers were acquitted, is found dead in a swimming pool at age 47.
22 -- Jerry Sandusky, 68, convicted of molesting 10 boys over 15 years, closing the first chapter in a scandal that tarnished the reputation of Pennsylvania State University and led to the ouster of four of its top administrators.
25 -- The Supreme Court throws out key provisions of Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants.
26 -- Nora Ephron, the essayist, author and filmmaker who challenged and thrived in the male-dominated worlds of movies and journalism, dies at 71.
27 -- Don Grady, one of television's most beloved big brothers as Robbie Douglas on the long-running 1960s hit "My Three Sons," dies at 68.
28 -- The Supreme Court upholds Obama's historic health care overhaul with the unlikely help of conservative Chief Justice John Roberts.
July 2012
1 -- City records all-time high temperature of 107.
5 -- Brooke Pancake, former Baylor and Alabama golfer, begins pro career at U.S. Women's Open.
8 -- Actor Ernest Borgnine, Academy Award winner for the 1955 film "Marty," dies at 95.
9 -- Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes reach a settlement in their divorce case, putting an official end to the much-scrutinized romance less than two weeks after Holmes unexpectedly files for divorce.
13 -- Film producer Richard Zanuck, who won the best picture Oscar for "Driving Miss Daisy," dies at 77.
14 -- Mosaic Church moves to Mississippi Avenue.
16 -- Stephen R. Covey, author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," dies at 79.
- Kitty Wells, "queen of country music," dies at 92.
- The drought gripping the country is the widest since 1956, with 55 percent of the continental United States in a moderate to extreme drought by the end of June, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says.
17 -- A $250 million bill now looms for repairs to the Chattanooga sewer system. The city has 15 years to pay it.
20 -- As the new Batman movie played on the screen, a gunman dressed in black and wearing a helmet, body armor and a gas mask stepped through a side door of a theater in Aurora, Colo. At least 12 people were killed and 58 wounded.
23 -- Penn State football was all but dismantled by an NCAA ruling that wiped away 14 years of coach Joe Paterno's victories and imposed a mountain of fines and penalties.
24 -- Sherman Hemsley, the actor who made the irascible, bigoted George Jefferson of "The Jeffersons" one of television's most memorable characters and a symbol for urban upward mobility, dies at 74.
27 -- Summer Olympic Games open in London.
31 -- Swimmer Michael Phelps wins his 19th Olympic medal, setting the record for the most career medals of any athlete, as the American team takes the gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
- Gore Vidal, the elegant, acerbic all-around man of letters, dies at 86.
August 2012
2 -- Tennessee 3rd Congressional District GOP voters pick Chuck Fleischmann to run in fall election. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger elected to complete term of former mayor Claude Ramsey.
Rep. JoAnn Favors defeats Rep. Tommie Brown.
6 -- White supremacist Wade Michael Page kills six people at a Sikh temple in Milwaukee in a rampage.
- Greg Vital concedes the District 10 state Senate Republican primary to Todd Gardenhire.
- Jared L. Loughner pleads guilty to carrying out a shooting rampage in Tucson last year that left six people dead and 13 others wounded
10 -- Mel Stuart, award-winning documentary filmmaker who directed "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," dies at 83.
11 -- Romney chooses House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate.
12 -- London Olympic Summer Games end with U.S. atop medal count.
13 -- Helen Gurley Brown, the editor who made Cosmopolitan magazine into a single girl's handbook of sex and glamour, dies at 90.
14 -- STEM school opens at Chattanooga State.
17 -- Freedom from Religion Foundation asks UTC to stop allowing Christian prayers before events such as football games.
19 -- Phyllis Diller, the zany housewife-turned-stand-up comic with the electrified hairdo, outlandish wardrobe and a barrage of self-deprecating jokes punctuated by her trademark laugh, dies at 95.
20 -- American Queen riverboat visits Chattanooga.
22 -- A new study of tax filings finds the average Chattanoogan donated $4,094 to churches and nonprofit agencies in 2008, or $1,530 more than the U.S. average.
23 -- Memorial Hospital ordered to pay $1.5 million over leases to physicians.
25 -- Neil Armstrong, who made the "giant leap for mankind" as the first human to set foot on the moon, dies at 82.
27 -- Republican convention opens in Tampa, Fla.
28 -- Hurricane Isaac makes landfall in Louisiana.
30 -- Romney accepts the Republican presidential nomination.
September 2012
2 -- The Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, the leader of the Unification Church and founder of The Washington Times, dies at 92.
3 -- Gentle-giant acting star Michael Clarke Duncan dies at 54.
4 -- Democrats open National Convention with first lady Michelle Obama as speaker.
5 -- Red Bank votes to shut down traffic cameras.
11 -- Protests over the video "Innocence of Muslims" spread across the Arab world. Violence leads to deaths of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
12 -- The Tennessee Court of Appeals rules that a petition drive by groups trying to recall Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield failed to gather enough dated petitions to force an election and used the wrong process for the recall.
17 -- 4-inch soaking leaves Chattanooga area under water.
18 -- Tennessee walking horse trainer Jackie McConnell gets probation, $75,000 fine in soring case.
19 -- Parkridge Medical Center and it owner HCA agree to $16.5 million settlement with U.S. Justice Department over physician leases.
21 -- Space shuttle Endeavour ends final flight in Los Angeles.
23 -- Sexist joke by Paul Smith steams local Democrats.
26 -- "Moon River" singer Andy Williams dies at 84.
28 -- Atlanta Braves lose wild card playoff game, ending career of switch-hitting third baseman Chipper Jones.
29 -- Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, who shaped the destiny of The New York Times for 34 years as its publisher and who as chairman and chief executive of its parent company printed the "Pentagon Papers," dies at 86.
October 2012
1 — Tennessee American Water cuts deal for 12 percent rate increase, down from 24.9 percent request.
3 — Obama and Romney square off in first debate (political pundits give edge to Romney).
Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers becomes first player to win baseball’s triple crown since 1967.
9 — U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., is accused of asking a former patient he had sex with while separated from his wife to have an abortion.
Felix Baumgartner breaks the speed of sound in freefall jump from 24 miles above New Mexico.
16 — Obama and Romney square off in second debate (political pundits give edge to Obama).
17 — Nike severs ties with famed cyclist Lance Armstrong, who steps down as head of Livestrong Foundation.
18 — Meningitis outbreak tied to drug compounding firm in Massachusetts kills 11 in Tennessee, 29 across country and sickens hundreds.
19 — Boy Scouts release decades of child abuse files. Records note 97 cases in Georgia.
21 — George McGovern, the U.S. senator who won the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1972 as an opponent of the war in Vietnam, dies at 90.
22 — Lance Armstrong stripped of seven Tour de France titles over doping.
Obama and Romney hold third debate.
23 — Apple introduces iPad mini.
28 — San Francisco Giants win World Series by sweeping Detroit Tigers.
29 — Hurricane Sandy hits East Coast, causing billions of dollars in damage.
November 2012
3 -- Wrong dog euthanized at McKamey Animal Center.
4 -- Drag race worker dies after being hit at North Georgia track.
5 -- William D. "Bill" Johnson, the former CEO of Progress Energy in North Carolina, tapped to succeed TVA CEO Tom Kilgore.
6 -- Obama defeats Romney in presidential race. Democrats gain seats in Senate, Republicans keep control of House.
8 -- Pygmy goat Oreo not allowed exemption to live in East Ridge; later named grand marshal of MainX24 parade.
9 -- CIA Director David Petraeus forced to resign over extramarital affair.
12 -- Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash accused of having underage sexual relationships, resigns.
13 -- Record price for home in Chattanooga -- $4 million.
15 -- Chattanooga Zoo shows off two baby snow leopard cubs.
- Divorce records show Rep. Scott DesJarlais supported ex-wife's abortions. Later says he did not misrepresent himself to voters and his views have since changed. He says he will not resign.
16 -- Hostess, maker of Twinkies, plans to go out of business.
18 -- Tennessee fires football coach Derek Dooley after three years.
21 -- Donors help Howard School raise $100,000 for band.
22 -- Early sales begin Black Thursday shopping.
23 -- Larry Hagman, who played J.R. Ewing on "Dallas," dies at 81.
27 -- Fort Oglethorpe council ousts Councilman Charles Sharrock after three women testify to getting unwanted hugs and kisses.
29 -- Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar dies at 86.
30 -- Jesse Mathews pleads guilty in shooting death of Chattanooga police Sgt. Sgt. Tim Chapin during April 2011 attempted robbery of U.S. Money Shops off Brainerd Road. He is sentenced to life in prison without parole.
December 2012
1 -- Alabama wins SEC title 32-28 over Alabama.
5 -- Pioneering jazz composer of "Take Five" and pianist Dave Brubeck dies at 91.
6 -- Two Australian radio hosts, who made a prank call to a London hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for morning sickness, say they are heartbroken over apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call.
7 -- Tennessee introduces Butch Jones as its football coach.
9 -- Mexican-American superstar Jenni Rivera dies in a plane crash in northern Mexico.
10 -- Gov. Bill Haslam rejects state-run health insurance exchange.
11 -- Many schools in the region close because of the flu.
13 -- "Lincoln" tops Golden Globe nominations for 2013.
- U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice withdraws from consideration to be next secretary of state.
14 -- 20-year-old teacher's son shoots and kills 26 people, including 20 children at a Connecticut elementary school, before killing himself. Two others die at hospitals.
-- Compiled by news staff from Times Free Press archives and The Associated Press, file photos by newspaper and wire photographers.
