Rising Rock is excited to showcase some of our best audio stories in a continued partnership with Scenic Roots. To listen to Scenic Roots, visit https://www.wutc.org/scenic-roots.
Ava Nessell spoke with Wendy Reynoso, the student success and services coordinator at La Paz Chattanooga, about her experience finding a community in Chattanooga after immigrating from Guatemala.
Continue reading “Rising Rock Radio Showcase”Written by Abby White
Gravel and dust kick up while passing through the iron gates branded “BZ” after a scenic ride through rural Alabama. Blue heelers circle cars as guests are welcomed by the roaring banter of bullfighters and riders. You’ve landed at Bioz Zoe, a home away from home for many.
Located in Boaz, Alabama, Bioz Zoe provides a community for beginner, intermediate, and professional riders and fighters attracting people from all walks of life, including bull rider and inspirational speaker, Brylan Miller.
Continue reading “The Boys in Boaz”Written by Bethany Cothran
In a cold hospital room, Scarlen Valderaz gave birth to her first child in a room full of strangers, enduring the pain of childbirth while tackling every question thrown her way.
Finally seeing her baby boy, she was ecstatic, but she knew that she did not want to have another baby in a hospital.
“We actually didn’t know until my husband and I talked about our first born again that they kept offering me an epidural, and I had to say no because I didn’t want that,” Valderaz said. “…the last thing that you want to do when you’re pushing an entire baby out is having to make good decisions that are going to affect you.”
A couple years went by and Valderaz discovered she was pregnant once again, and this time, things would be different.
Valderaz and her husband researched and interviewed midwife after midwife, not stopping until they found the one they trusted best to deliver their baby.
Trading the cold hospital full of strangers and illnesses for the warmth and comfort of her own home, Valderaz could relax and give herself the space she needed to do what she felt would be best for her and the baby.
“We go with homebirth because now there’s so much that happens in the medical system, especially when it comes to the lady through it,” Valderaz said. “There is a lot of autonomy that gets stripped away from the woman when she’s birthing.”
For Valderaz, there would be no race to the hospital for an on-call OB to deliver the child, she would instead be in the safety of her bedroom surrounded by her husband and trusted midwife. Rather than staring at the foreign furniture of a delivery room for hours with her baby wheeled away to the nursery soon after, she would look to her familiar bedroom walls and know that her baby would always be close to her.
Continue reading “Homegrown Miracles”Written by Alexis McMurtry
Bill Moore, a volunteer rescuer, was surrounded by the faint glow of his and his teammates’ headlamps as they navigated through a cave’s twisting passages, squeezing through narrow crevices and scaling steep inclines.
On the surface, Cara Moore is developing and releasing information about the rescue to the public. Her mind is in two places: the state of the rescue and the well-being of her husband, Bill.
What seemed like an adrenaline-filled adventure was another day in the office for the Chattanooga Hamilton County Cave-Cliff-Technical Rescue Team.
Continue reading “Cliffside Saviors”Written by Trevor Jolley
Drawn onto the arms of Jessica and Adam Moore is a dark anchor tattoo, keeping them together no matter what. The tattoo is a result of the couple’s appreciation of tattoos, meaning much more than what is on the skin. It is not only a symbol of love, but of commitment and dedication to their relationship and their family; a reminder of what is truly important when hard times may come. They are each other’s home plate and with each other, they are safe.
“We are each other’s anchor, you know? It means multiple things,” Adam Moore said. “We keep each other tied down, we keep each other stable.”
Adam and Jessica met on an online dating service in 2009. Adam messaged Jessica after coming across her profile and the two made plans for a first date.
“I went to his house and we just watched a movie,” Jessica Moore said. “I didn’t get off work until two hours after I was supposed to, and I felt really bad because he had to be up for work in [like] six hours.”
After a late albeit successful movie night, the pair knew they wanted to see each other again. Being around Halloween, the pair decided to get in the holiday spirit, so they made a visit to see Jessica’s father at Ruby Falls’ Haunted Cavern, an annual Chattanooga Halloween favorite that converts the beautiful Ruby Falls cave into a spooky haunted tour.
“After that, I remember he took the drive to me. Then I took him with me and brought him to go meet my dad. We met on the side of the mountain, and it was good,” Jessica Moore said. “You know, it’s your dad. You always want to make a good first impression.”
Continue reading “Anchored to Home”Written by Taylor Carmody
Between the growing bacteria, yeast combination and sweetened tea, kombucha possesses a unique flavor that can sometimes defer potential customers. But according to Matt Cone, founder of Chattanooga Culture, after enough time, kombucha can turn into not only something that benefits consumers, but also something they can enjoy.
“My buddy out in Colorado brewed a lot of kombucha for himself personally, and I always thought it was a very interesting drink. I was turned off by it at first, like everybody is. It’s kind of an acquired taste,” Cone said.
After tasting some of his friend’s kombucha, Cone began doing research on health and wellness. This led him to pursuing further education within that field; Cone ended up getting his degree in Health and Wellness at Life University in Georgia.
“I learned as much as I could in that realm and just kind of figured out how to pull all of these pieces together and build a business out of it, so that’s what Chattanooga Culture is,” Cone said. “It’s not just kombucha. It’s not just fermentation. It’s all of the years of experience.”
Continue reading “Fermentation Masters”Written by William Chen
After over ten years serving the Chattanooga area with their vegan restaurant endeavor Cashew, Bailey Cole, and Kristiana Mallo are set to open their doors for a new project in the heart of downtown called “BROADS.” Cole and Mallo have dedicated BROADS to being a “Female-Forward” bar.
“I think everybody kind of agrees [broads] had a negative connotation,” Cole said. “To us, [broads] is an empowering word. We’re trying to make it fun; it’s more about a strong woman.”
The inspiration for the name “BROADS” came from one of their friends who frequently uses it in her vocabulary. Overtime, they grew fond of the term in that usage.
“[BROADS] is just something pretty different. I think it’s different even in the country,” Mallo said. “….it’s more of an old-school term, so we want to totally bring it back.”
Continue reading “BUILDING BROADS”Written by Taylor McKinley
A person’s facial appearance significantly influences their daily interactions, impacting everything from grocery store visits to the formation of friendships. FACES, a Chattanooga based craniofacial nonprofit, brings comfort and acceptance to those in this community.
“We help children and adults get desperately needed craniofacial surgeries,” said Kim Fox, President of FACES. “Not only do these people have to deal with numerous surgeries, but they also have to deal with peer pressure and people being mean to them, and calling them names.”
The work of FACES and Bud’s Creative Art Center go beyond Jewelry Making or Paint classes. Children and adults undergo life changing surgeries that will impact how they carry themselves for the rest of their lives. The community plays a significant role in getting those who suffer from craniofacial anomalies surgeries, while also benefiting their artistic abilities as well.
“Every time you take a class at Bud’s you are helping the children and adults of FACES,” Fox said. “So you’re doing a really good thing for yourself and you’re doing something really good for FACES.”
FACES distinguishes itself by actively raising awareness about laws that protect individuals with facial differences and advocating for face equality as an essential human right.
“Sadly so many people that have a facial difference actually do get discriminated against, “ Fox said. “Sometimes they either don’t get the job they want or they keep them back in the warehouse.”
Continue reading “Face Value”Written by Noah Keur
With the wound not fully healed from the surgery that put two screws in his ankle four months prior, Drew Fisher pulls himself off a bike and prepares for the final stretch of the Chattanooga IRONMAN triathlon.
Only a 26.2-mile footrace to go… as if the 120 miles already covered wasn’t enough.
For some, the commitment to this grueling race stems from an unwavering drive to be in tip-top physical condition. Or maybe, they sign up for this race to give themselves something to work towards every day—a reason to get out of bed in the morning. There is a percentage of racers, though, who have another, seemingly more trivial reason to travel the distance it would take to get to Birmingham, Alabama in one day.
“I was reading Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins before a football game in high school, and a coach asked me why I was reading that,” Fisher said. “I told him I wanted to run an IRONMAN. With no hesitation, he responded you’ll never do that. From then on, I just had to run one.”
Those four words stuck in Fisher’s head for what seemed to him like an eternity. He was just 17 years old at the time—which meant it would be at least another year until he could prove his coach wrong, as you must be an adult to participate. Nevertheless, Fisher got to work.
Continue reading “From Fracture to Finish”By Anna Truss
While many people plan to retire fully by 65, that dream is not always a reality for everyone. Kathleen Stephens, a resident of Hamilton County, TN, is still a full time certified nursing assistant at the age of 79.
“I still work full time and I thank God for that because I can see what I’m doing, because before I wouldn’t have been able to see,” Stephens said.
Continue reading “Sight & Hope Restored”