Your kids might not just be expanding their educational horizons while playing online, warned the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.

In a Friday news release, public health educator Holly Quist said that cyber-bullying — using technology to spread rumors, gossip or post pictures without consent — is a “disturbing trend” in the habits of Internet users. Online predators also seek out kids through chat rooms and social networking sites such as MySpace.

The following warning signs could indicate your child is in danger:

* Your child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.

* You find pornography.

* Your child receives phone calls or e-mails from people you do not know.

* Your child turns off the computer or changes the screen when you walk in.

The health department recommends talking to children about sexual victimization and potential online danger; keeping the computer in a common room in the household, not in your child’s bedroom, and using parent spyware provided by a trusted software company.

Benson stepping down?

Chattanooga City Councilman Jack Benson, chairman of the Legal and Legislative Committee, joked Tuesday during a committee meeting that he would resign his post if a new wrecker ordinance did not move forward.

“Is there anyone who does not want this to move forward?” he asked. “If so, I’d be willing to relinquish my chairmanship.”

Mr. Benson said he has spent countless hours and months getting an ordinance drafted that would be fair to the city’s towing industry. The council could vote on the new ordinance within the next few weeks.

bad luck for new chairman?

Hamilton County Commissioner Curtis Adams gave outgoing commission Chairman Bill Hullander and Vice Chairman Jim Coppinger some parting gifts Thursday during their last meeting in those roles: money clips.

Mr. Coppinger, who was elected Thursday as the new chairman, commented on the fact that the clips were empty.

“I’ve always heard you don’t give gifts like pocketbooks or wallets without money in them. It’s bad luck,” Mr. Coppinger joked. “So I’ll probably be broke in the next year.”

Mr. Coppinger and Mr. Hullander thanked the commission for the gift.

endorsements by the dozen

Tennessee’s top association for small businesses, the National Federation of Independent Business, issued 56 endorsements for legislative candidates last week.

Jim Brown, director of the Tennessee chapter of the federation, said the endorsements were based on legislators’ support for access to affordable health care, a “sensible workers’ compensation system” and fiscal responsibility.

Among the endorsed candidates were state reps. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga; Vince Dean, R-East Ridge; Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland; Eric Watson, R-Cleveland; and Eric Swafford, R-Pikeville.

State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, who is seeking re-election, was not included. Neither were Reps. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga; Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga; or Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga.

State legislative elections are Nov. 4.

YouthBuild graduation Thursday

Twelve high school dropouts are scheduled to graduate from the Chattanooga Housing Authority’s YouthBuild program on Thursday, but only one of them earned her GED during the program.

YouthBuild, a nine-month job training/educational program, targets high school dropouts ages 16 to 24 who are interested in learning construction skills. Students also are paid a stipend while learning a construction trade.

The graduation is scheduled at 6 p.m. Thursday at the James A. Henry Family Resource Center.

Housing officials said students come in with various levels of reading and math skills, but all of them receive tutoring and are given the opportunity to take the GED test.

The housing authority is accepting applications for its next group of participants. For more information, call 752-4173.

City Council going on tour

Members of the Chattanooga City Council will tour their own city Sept. 25 as part of a University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service program, officials said.

The Municipal Technical Advisory Service helps cities develop solutions for technical issues. The Chattanooga program hopes to encourage council members to go out and see the things they regularly vote upon, officials said.

City Council members will leave the City Council building at 9 a.m. and head immediately to Enterprise South industrial park, according to the council’s schedule. Other locations include the Heritage House, Tivoli Theatre, Coolidge Park, Warner Park Zoo and several other civic and recreation centers.

The council will visit 25 total locations, the agenda states.

touch a truck

Kids with an interest in heavy machinery will get their chance to get up close and personal with trucks, rigs and other equipment on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tennessee Riverpark.

The Touch-A-Truck event is sponsored by Hamilton County Parents Are First Teachers, the Read 20 program and Hamilton County Parks and Recreation. The trucks will be parked in the maintenance field parking lot next to the C.B. Robinson Bridge.

T-shirts and food will be available for free. For more information, call 209-6838 or 842-6748.

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