🛠️ Free Tech Help in Dunlap Through October, a Thursday Clock to Get TN-04 Into the App Challenge, and a Cheap Creator Week Over the Mountain

Or: BTC Fiber Tech Tuesdays Are Still On, Congress Has Until Thursday for TN-04, and Your Wallet-Aware Creator Map Through Oct. 20

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Tuesday night for Valley Gen Z: no phone-settings lecture (that’s a different series), and no rehash of Saturday’s stop-motion class as the headline. This edition is the opportunity map — what’s still free or cheap this week, what’s local to Dunlap, and what expires before the weekend.

Here’s the skim: BTC Fiber is still running Tech Tuesdays & Treats every Tuesday in October at the Dunlap and Pikeville offices — walk in with a phone, tablet or upload problem and get free help (next Tuesday’s treat is lunch boxes). Members of Congress have until Thu., Oct. 15 to register their districts for the 2026 Congressional App Challenge, and TN-04 is still unchecked while TN-03 is in. Wednesday stacks a $28.52 homepage teardown with a free hack night. Saturday still has the library Maker Day and free stop-motion (reminders below), plus a free Repair Café if your gear is half-broken. Chattanooga runs on Eastern — subtract an hour before you drop a time in the group chat.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Still local: BTC Fiber Tech Tuesdays every Tue. in October at Dunlap and Pikeville offices. Free walk-in help. Oct. 20 treat = lunch boxes (while supplies last).
• New clock: Congress members must register districts by Thu., Oct. 15. TN-04 (our Valley) still isn’t checked. Student app deadline is still Mon., Oct. 26, noon Eastern.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Homepage Essentials $28.52, 5–6:30 p.m. Central at The Chattery · Carbon Five Hack Night 5–8 p.m. Central at Society of Work (laptop + project, food provided).
• Thu., Oct. 15: Make an Impression (12–18) 3:30–4:30 p.m. Central, Eastgate · ChattLab Hack Night 6–8 p.m. Central.
• Sat., Oct. 17 stack: Library 50th + Maker Day · free stop-motion noon–2 Central · free Repair Café 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Central at ChattLab. Northgate Library closed Thu.–Sat. — Anime listing is iffy.
• Tue., Oct. 20: Nooga Code & Coffee 5–7 p.m. Central + another Tech Tuesday in Dunlap.

🏠 Still On: Free Walk-In Tech Help at BTC Fiber in Dunlap

You don’t have to drive to Chattanooga for every tech question. BTC Fiber is marking Cooperative Month with Tech Tuesdays & Treats — every Tuesday in October at both the Dunlap and Pikeville offices. Bring a phone, tablet or any tech question and get on-the-spot help from staff. No appointment.

The treat rotation (while supplies last): Oct. 6 was build-your-own flower bouquets, today (Oct. 13) was mini pumpkins, Oct. 20 is free lunch boxes, and Oct. 27 is fresh donuts and apple cider. Use it for the stuff that actually blocks creator work: Wi-Fi that drops mid-upload, a laptop that won’t join the network, email that won’t send a portfolio PDF, or privacy settings you don’t trust.

What it means for you: This is the Valley version of “someone who knows the network is sitting in an office on Main Street.” If your upload keeps dying at 90%, go ask before you blame the camera app. Next Tuesday (Oct. 20) pairs with Nooga Code & Coffee the same evening if you’re stacking a Dunlap stop and a Chattanooga hang.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: Tech Tuesdays & Treats)

⏰ New Clock: Congress Has Until Thursday to Put TN-04 on the App Challenge Map

Yesterday we covered the student deadline — middle and high schoolers ship an original app by Mon., Oct. 26 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Central), teams of up to four, public demo video required. That clock is still running.

What’s new today: the Congressional App Challenge site says Members of Congress have until Thu., Oct. 15, 2026 to register their district to host. On the participating-districts page, TN-03 (Rep. Chuck Fleischmann / Chattanooga) has a checkmark. TN-04 (Rep. Scott DesJarlais) — Sequatchie, Bledsoe and Marion — still doesn’t. The rules let you compete where you live or where you go to school, one district only. The site also has a template for asking your member to host.

What it means for you: If you’re a Valley student building toward the 26th, the host window closes in about two days. Screenshot the participating list tonight. Ask a teacher or counselor, or use the request template, before you spend another weekend coding for a district that isn’t on the board. Even if TN-04 never checks in, the app and demo video still belong in your portfolio.

👉 Read more (Congress host deadline Oct. 15) · Participating districts · 2026 rules (PDF)

💻 Wednesday Stack: $28.52 Homepage Review + Free Hack Night (Same Evening)

The Chattery (1800 Rossville Ave. #108) has Homepage Essentials: What Every Small Business Website Needs on Wed., Oct. 14, 6–7:30 p.m. Eastern (5–6:30 Central). Ticket listings show $28.52. Caroline Lewis of Lawson House teaches what a homepage needs to turn visitors into customers, then gives everyone a live 5-minute review of their own site. The Chattery’s default is ages 18+ unless a listing says otherwise.

Same night, a few blocks of mindset away: Carbon Five Hack Night at Society of Work, 110 Somerville Ave., 6–9 p.m. Eastern (5–8 Central). Biweekly, all experience levels, bring a laptop and a project (or pair up). Food and beverages provided. Code of conduct is on Carbon Five’s site.

Also on The Chattery calendar Wed. at the same 6 p.m. Eastern slot: Pop Art Pumpkins (acrylic painting night). Price wasn’t confirmed on the public listing we checked — verify at registration if you’re picking art over the homepage class. You can’t be in two rooms at once.

What it means for you: If you’re selling anything — stickers, edits, freelance video — a five-minute homepage teardown from an agency owner is cheap insurance. If you’re shipping code for the App Challenge, Hack Night is the free room with other people who ship. Pick one.

👉 Homepage Essentials ($28.52) · Carbon Five Hack Night · The Chattery calendar

🔧 Saturday Wallet Move: Free Repair Café (Plus the Maker Day / Stop-Motion Reminders)

Before you buy a new charger, tablet case or “broken” speaker for content gear, try this: ChattLab’s Repair Café is Sat., Oct. 17, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m.–2 p.m. Central) at 100 Cherokee Blvd., Unit 125 (North Shore — entrance by Cherry Street Brewing). Bring something you think is repairable; volunteers try to fix it free. Bring chargers and cables that go with the device.

Same Saturday (still on, not re-leading): Downtown Library 50th Birthday Block Party + 4th Floor Maker Day, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern (8–5 Central), free, EPB Garage parking free. Free Intro to Stop Motion Animation at The Chattery, 1–3 p.m. Eastern (noon–2 Central) — phone + Stop Motion Studio app, space limited, 18+ default so under-18s call 423-521-2643 first. Rocky Horror 17+ on the 4th Floor that night needs an RSVP.

What it means for you: One trip can cover fix-your-gear in the morning, Maker Day midday, and stop-motion in the afternoon if you route it carefully. Gas money beats buying a replacement mic you didn’t need.

👉 Repair Café (free) · Library 50th + Maker Day · Free stop-motion class

🎧 Under 18? Thu.–Fri. Create Slots (and a Northgate Closure Flag)

For ages 12–18 with a ride, the Chattanooga Public Library calendar still lists these free-looking slots (confirm if unsure):

• Thu., Oct. 15 · Make an Impression (12–18): Creative style + real-world skills (including first-job interview energy), 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern (3:30–4:30 Central), Eastgate Library, 5705 Marlin Rd. Phone: 423-643-7770.
• Thu., Oct. 15 · ChattLab Hack Night: 7–9 p.m. Eastern (6–8 Central), 100 Cherokee Blvd. Unit 125 — bring a project or questions; makerspace tools on site.
• Fri., Oct. 16 · Building Ambitions & Talent (12–18): Every-other-week talent program, 5–6 p.m. Eastern (4–5 Central), Avondale Library, 1305 Dodson Ave.
• Sat., Oct. 17 · Anime Afternoons (12–18): Still listed 4–5:30 p.m. Eastern at Northgate — but the library’s notice says Northgate is closed Thu., Oct. 15 through Sat., Oct. 17 for parking-lot resurfacing (reopens Mon., Oct. 19). Call before you go. It may be moved or canceled.

What it means for you: Eastgate and Avondale are the safer library targets this week. Don’t plan a Northgate drop-off without a phone call first.

👉 Make an Impression · Building Ambitions & Talent · ChattLab Hack Night

☕ Next Tuesday: Nooga Code & Coffee + Another Tech Tuesday

Nooga Code & Coffee is Tue., Oct. 20, 6–8 p.m. Eastern (5–7 Central) at The Enterprise Center, 1010 Georgia Ave., 3rd floor (front door across from the Pickle Barrel). It’s for software developers “at any level,” including people who want to become one — discussion, networking, mentor/peer support. You go around the circle with your name, what you’re working on, and what you need help with.

Same day back home: another BTC Fiber Tech Tuesday (lunch-box treat week). The day after, Wed., Oct. 21, the Chattanooga Generative AI Working Group has a biweekly session 6–8 p.m. Eastern at the same Enterprise Center building — useful if you’re building with AI tools, just one day past this edition’s 7-day window.

Bookmarked for November: Open Source Camp Chattanooga, Nov. 13–14 at the UTC Library, 600 Douglas St., 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern both days. Friday includes a beginner build-a-website-from-scratch workshop. Saturday has an “Open Source for Everyone” non-technical track (AI, SEO, UX, design, digital marketing). Lunch and swag included. Registration is on Eventbrite — check the current ticket price before you plan around it (UTC’s announcement highlights that students/faculty/staff options may differ).

What it means for you: Code & Coffee is the low-pressure room if Hack Night felt too “bring a project.” Open Source Camp is the bigger November skill weekend if Saturday’s Maker Day hooks you.

👉 Nooga Code & Coffee · Open Source Camp (UTC) · Eventbrite registration

🛡️ Creator Cyber Month: Phishing Hits Your Brand Account First

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Tech Help’s edition today covers MFA and photo backup in tutorial voice — this one is the creator version. CISA’s four core steps still apply: avoid/report phishing, strong passwords, MFA + password manager, update software. For anyone posting, selling or freelancing:

• DMs that say “we love your content — verify your account here” or “Instagram Support needs your code” are phishing. Real platforms don’t ask for your 2FA code in a DM.
• Brand-deal emails that rush you to click a “contract” link on a weird domain: hover, don’t panic-click. Confirm through the platform’s own creator tools when you can.
• If you’re selling online, a hijacked account costs more than a slow upload. Unique passwords + MFA on email and your main socials beat a fancy new camera.

Cybersecurity Career Week is Oct. 19–24 (CISA) — worth a look if “security for creators / apps / networks” sounds like a path, not a lecture.

What it means for you: Protect the accounts that hold your audience and payments the same way you’d lock a merch table. Yesterday’s “reply YES” job-text rule still stands: never pay to get paid.

👉 Read more (CISA: Cybersecurity Awareness Month)

📅 Week-Ahead Tech & Creator Map (Tue. Oct. 13 – Tue. Oct. 20)

• Tue., Oct. 13: BTC Fiber Tech Tuesday (mini pumpkins). Music Lab at Avondale already ran 1–2:30 p.m. Central.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Homepage Essentials $28.52, 5–6:30 p.m. Central · Carbon Five Hack Night 5–8 p.m. Central · Pop Art Pumpkins same Chattery evening slot (pick one).
• Thu., Oct. 15: Congress host deadline for App Challenge districts. Make an Impression 3:30–4:30 p.m. Central, Eastgate · ChattLab Hack Night 6–8 p.m. Central. Northgate closed through Sat.
• Fri., Oct. 16: Building Ambitions & Talent 4–5 p.m. Central, Avondale. Charge devices for Saturday.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Repair Café 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Central · Library 50th + Maker Day 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Central · free stop-motion noon–2 Central · Rocky Horror 7 p.m. Central (17+, RSVP).
• Sun., Oct. 18: Edit day. Cut Saturday’s clip, back up the project folder, check App Challenge district list again.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Cybersecurity Career Week starts. One week until student App Challenge deadline.
• Tue., Oct. 20: BTC Fiber Tech Tuesday (lunch boxes) · Nooga Code & Coffee 5–7 p.m. Central.

✅ Your Gen Z Tech & Creator Checklist

• ✅ Hit a BTC Fiber Tech Tuesday in Dunlap or Pikeville before October ends — Wi-Fi, uploads, account settings.
• ✅ Before Thu., Oct. 15: check TN-04 on the App Challenge participating list; use the host-request template if it’s still blank.
• ✅ Wed.: Homepage Essentials ($28.52) or Carbon Five Hack Night (free) — not both unless you clone yourself.
• ✅ Sat.: Repair Café for broken gear, Maker Day for making, stop-motion for a finished clip — route one trip.
• ✅ Under 18: Eastgate Thu. / Avondale Fri.; call before any Northgate plan.
• ✅ Tue., Oct. 20: Code & Coffee if you want the soft-landing developer room.
• ✅ Creator cyber: no 2FA codes in DMs, no panic-clicks on “brand deal” links, unique passwords on email + main socials.
• ✅ Convert Eastern → Central once for the group chat. Bookmark Dunlap.Today and Dunlap.Directory.

Practical rule: Free help at home (Tech Tuesdays), one Thursday host clock (TN-04), one cheap or free Chattanooga night, one Saturday make-or-fix trip. Never pay to get paid.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Tech & Creator Glossary

• Tech Tuesday: BTC Fiber’s October walk-in help hours at member offices — bring the device, ask the question, no appointment.
• Host deadline: The date a Member of Congress must register their district so students there can enter the App Challenge.
• Hack night: A hangout where people bring laptops/projects and work side by side — not a lecture.
• Repair Café: Volunteers try to fix your broken stuff for free instead of you buying new.
• Phishing: Fake messages that try to steal logins, codes or money by looking like a real brand or platform.
• Call ahead: Confirm times, ages, prices and closures before you spend the gas.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an appointment for BTC Fiber Tech Tuesdays?

No. Dunlap.Today’s write-up says they’re walk-in events at the Dunlap and Pikeville offices every Tuesday in October. Treats are while supplies last.

What exactly happens on Oct. 15 for the App Challenge?

That’s the deadline for Members of Congress to register their district to host. The student submission deadline is still Oct. 26 at noon Eastern. Different clocks.

Can I do Homepage Essentials and Hack Night the same night?

They overlap (both start around 5 p.m. Central). Pick the one that matches your goal — sell better online, or ship code with other people.

Is Repair Café really free?

ChattLab’s Meetup listing says it’s a free service to the community. Bring the broken item plus its chargers/cables. No guarantee they can fix everything.

Is Anime Afternoons still happening Saturday?

It’s still on the calendar for Northgate, but Northgate is closed Thu.–Sat. for parking-lot work. Call the library before you drive.

🔗 Other Resources

• Dunlap.Today
• Dunlap.Directory
• BTC Fiber Tech Tuesdays & Treats
• Congressional App Challenge districts
• The Chattery classes
• Chattanooga Library 4th Floor
• Nooga Code & Coffee
• CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month
• Tech Goes Home Chattanooga

🗓️ Free Help at Home, One Thursday Clock, One Saturday Trip

You don’t need a new laptop to move this week. A walk-in Tuesday in Dunlap, a Thursday check on TN-04, and one over-the-mountain Saturday can cover uploads, an app path and a finished make — as long as you watch ages, closures and Eastern-to-Central math.

We’ll keep Valley tech and creator paths easy to skim. Read Dunlap.Today and send us the maker wins, creator meetups and Gig City events we should know about.