S U N DAY
161st yEAR • NO. 229
Suspect in shooting charged From Staff Reports
A shooting was reported in Cleveland Saturday night, and the alleged gunman was caught just a few minutes later. The Cleveland Police Department responded to a reported shooting at 7:06 p.m. in the 1600 Perez block of King Edward Avenue, Public Information Officer Evie West said. West said the victim, Jesus Mendez, received a gunshot wound to his shoulder, but he was still able to give police the information needed to pursue the suspect. “The suspect was located a few minutes later by Cleveland See SHOOTING, Page 6
Inside Today
Bearettes roll on The Bradley Central Bearettes are now 6-0 in District 5-AAA play. The New England Patriots outlasted the Kansas City Chiefs in Saturday’s playoff. Walker Valley girls bowling team saw its bid for the state tournament end in Smyrna. Walker Valley split with East Hamilton on Friday. The Tennessee Titans now have an official head coach. See Sports, Pages 17-21, 25 and 28.
Caring Place plans
The Caring Place of Cleveland has scheduled its annual fundraiser for Thursday, March 3, with a couple of familiar faces leading the way. Cynthia and Lee Stewart will be the honorary chairs for this year’s “Let Us Break Bread Together” event at the DeVos Recreation Center on the Lee University campus. See inside, Page 6.
A wedding planner
If you, a member of your family or a friend are thinking about marriage, you may want to read today’s special section, “Perfect Wedding.” See Pages 37-44.
Forecast Mostly sunny skies and cold temperatures are forecast for today. The high is expected in the upper 30s to lower 40s with winds from the northwest at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight, skies should be mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Low is expected between 18 and 21. On Monday, the forecast calls for sunny skies and highs in the lower 30s.
Index Business news ..........................27 Church..........................................4 Classified...............................53-56 Comics........................................47 Editorials................................22,23 Horoscope..................................47 Lifestyles ..............................29-33 Obituaries.....................................2 Stocks.........................................25 Sports........................17-21, 25, 28 TV Schedule..........................48,49 Weather.....................................15
Lee given NCAA Award of Excellence Special to the Banner
Lee University received one of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) most prestigious awards during the organization’s annual convention held in San Antonio, Texas, this past week. Lee President Dr. Paul Conn was on center stage to receive the 2016 Award of Excellence.
Twenty-one other NCAA Division II schools and three conferences were named as finalists two weeks earlier. The Flames are in their first official year of membership in NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference after going through a three-year transition period. All the programs, entering the competition, held activities
exemplifying the six Division II attributes: learning, balance, resourcefulness, sportsmanship, passion and service. “We are thrilled to win this award,” Conn said. “I am so proud to be in San Antonio to accept it personally, on behalf of all the people back home who work so hard to make Lee ‘excellence’ and ‘service’ go together. Our thanks to NCAA Division II
for recognizing us in such a significant way.” The Lee athletic program will receive $1,500 and a nationally televised basketball game during the 2016-17 season, plus travel expenses to the awards ceremony. “What an honor to be named the winner of the prestigious See LEE, Page 8
Smith: ‘Are Sandhill Crane Festival you living C H R the dream?’ ONtINuES tODAy At
IWASSEE
What does stormwater fee fund?
EfuGE
Money to address flooding and water quality issues
NAACP Community Breakfast speaker issues a challenge
By JOYANNA LOVE
By LARRY C. BOWERS
Banner Senior Staff Writer
Banner Staff Writer
Dr. Paul David Smith, Chattanooga Public Safety coordinator and a distinguished former educator, was the guest speaker at Saturday morning’s annual Bradley County N A A C P Community Breakfast at Bradley Central High School. Dr. Smith said they are trying to change the lives of at-risk students in Chattanooga. He Smith issued a challenge to the people of Cleveland and Bradley County to “Live the Dream” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and not just follow the dream. He said in Chattanooga’s Violence Reduction Initiative, they are attempting to “give these young people a hand.” “You’re here because of your commitment to your community,” Smith told those attending Saturday’s breakfast. “But, are you living the dream?” he asked. “When Dr. King joined this work, it was about the struggles of all people, not just black people, but all people,” he said.
Banner photos, HOWARD PIERCE
tHE 25tH ANNuAL Sandhill Crane Festival is happening this weekend in Birchwood. Thousands of sandhill cranes have made this area of the Hiwassee River a major stopping point in the winter migratory pattern which begins in the Great Lakes region of North America and finishes in South Georgia and into parts of Northern Florida. The festival continues today. Arts and crafts along with music, food and educational activities (including a live raptor show) can be found at the Birchwood Community Center. Shuttle buses are necessary to reach the observation area and Cherokee Removal Memorial Park, several local Cherokee artists and artisans are displaying their work. Buses leave Birchwood Community Center about every 20 minutes. See more photos, Page 10.
See SMITH, Page 6
1 local office is on March 1 primary ballot By ALLEN MINCEY Banner Staff Writer
Only one local office will be on the ballot March 1, and only the incumbent — Assessor of Property Stanley Thompson — is reportedly seeking the office. Thompson was the only candidate to pick up and turn in a petition for the assessor’s post. He has served in that position for several years. The March 1 election is the 2016 County Primary and Presidential Preference Primary, and while the assessor’s position would not necessarily bring in a large amount of voters, especially since it is uncontested, the Presidential primary will, officials said.
Banner photo, HOWARD PIERCE
Banner photo, HOWARD PIERCE
DOM DARDEN adjusts the settings of his scope for his grandson Elliott Darden during the Sandhill Crane Festival in Birchwood Saturday. The festival continues today at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Below are a few of the hundreds of sandhill cranes in residence.
SPARROW HAWK prepares to pass a handcrafted antler knife to a prospective buyer during the Sandhill Crane Festival. A variety of art and handmade crafts by local Cherokee are on display in the visitors center of the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park during the duration of the festival, which continues today until 4 p.m.
The new Cleveland stormwater fee rates are appearing on residents’ utility bills this month. The fee creates a revenue source to address flooding and water quality issues within the city. Areas that have seen continual flooding and property damage are likely to be among the first addressed. Projects qualifying for federal funding will be prioritized based on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood study. Development and Engineering Director Jonathan Jobe said the study is expected to be completed this summer. He said there have been some preliminary discussions about project areas, but nothing will be finalized until after the study is completed. “It has to meet their federal guidelines. They have definite ratios where it has to meet a cost (benefit) ratio … to use the federal funding,” Jobe said. One of the requirements is that the project is somehow connected to a qualifying stream or other body of water. These projects would be 65 percent federally funded and 35 percent locally funded up to $10 million. Jobe said having the flood study conducted made it possible for the city to receive these funds. Congress had previously named Cleveland as a city eligible for the study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, because there have been repeat flooding issues that caused property damage. “Obviously we won’t collect $3.5 million from this stormwater fee in awhile, but we can bond it and then do the projects (because we have this revenue source),” Jobe said. Jobe said it may not be necessary to borrow money for the projects because the entire $3.5 million is not required up front. When a project starts, the city’s share for the project is required. Potential fixes to flooding issues could include retention ponds to hold stormwater run off, detention ponds to slow the flow of runoff, and buying properties that continually flood because of the low elevation of the property and widening creek channels. The study has been in the works for about three years. See STORMWATER, Page 6
See ELECTIONS, Page 7
Diesel spill cleaned up at future Spring Branch Industrial site
Around Town Brian Sutton sharing some good news ... Jimmy Harper practicing his cheerleading skills ... Traci Blackburn bragging on a student at her school ... Angela Lamb enjoying good times with family.
CLEVELAND, tN 58 PAGES • $1.00
JANuARy 17, 2016
Submitted photo
DARK GRAVEL IS SHOWN where diesel leaked from a tank in the background on the future site of the Spring Branch Industrial Park.
By JOYANNA LOVE Banner Senior Staff Writer
Environmental cleanup measures have been taken at the future site of the Spring Branch Industrial Park to address a surface diesel spill that occurred earlier in the week. The spill was not connected to work being done at the site. The surface spill was spotted near a diesel tank that had been on the property since it was a functioning farm. Doug Berry, vice president for
Economic Development at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, said there was a 250gallon diesel tank on the property that still had a dispensing nozzle on it. “The tank itself is not damaged. The water separator between the tank and the nozzle appears to have broken and with an open valve the remaining fuel and/or water in the tank had an outlet,” Berry said. Berry said the tank had been used to fuel farm equipment
before the land was purchased for development as an industrial park. Tests did not show any issues or spills at the site prior to the sale of the property. In the three years since the purchase of the property, the tank was monitored and there had not been any issues. “It was very important to me that we got this taken care of immediately,” Berry said. One reason for this was the rain forecast for later in the week. See SPILL, Page 7