JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Marion County’s neighboring city of Chattanooga recently held its second annual business expo at Miller Park in downtown.
The park was bustling with visitors, students, and entrepreneurs from all around as city departments and nonprofits gathered to promote their work and drive in new recruits for both the police and fire departments. Among one of the organizations in attendance was the Family Justice Center, a nonprofit dedicated to providing support for victims of abuse and human trafficking. Deana Lane, Coordinated Community Response Specialist for the program, explained that it has been in the area for 10 years, providing support to survivors from all around, including Marion County. Services with the Family Justice Center includes counseling, education & awareness, safety planning, as well as assist victims to gaining access to local supportive services.
“Everything we do is free, and so if someone comes in for the services that they are looking for, we will have them the services that they need,” said Lane.
During the expo, The Chattanooga Public Library’s Pop-Up Library van was set up. The mobile library serves as an outreach vehicle, helping provide different library services across different areas within the city, such as book check-outs and library card sign-ups. Austin Adderholt of Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors also participated to educate community members on how the program and its collaborators look ahead to help keep North America’s first national park city sustainable and ecofriendly for the community and its green spaces.
Several food vendors participated to provide a variety of meals and treats to those visiting Miller Park, one of them being Chasty Lane of Chef Chasty Seafood & More. Chasty first started the food truck back in 2019 and began her mobile business in 2020 after public restrictions regarding the pandemic began being lifted. Over time her business grew into an award winning community favorite in Gig City, with her dishes including seafood gumbo, shrimp po bay, pulled pork nachos, as well as burgers. She is set to attend South Pittsburg’s upcoming National Cornbread Festival in 2026.
“I will be at South Pittsburg’s National Cornbread Festival this upcoming year,” said Chasty.
Chattanooga’s expo event was founded by the city to help promote the various departments and jobs that are available for residents to apply for within the city, as well as the variety of organizations willing to spread awareness about varying subjects and issues. This year’s expo event had an all-around successful turnout, with the city looking to host it once more next year.