MONDAY 161st YEAR • NO. 177 NOVEMBER 23, 2015 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ BBB launches online war against scammers Local law enforcement agencies, CU urge the use of new tool By RICK NORTON expanded outreach includes Cleveland this greatly expands our window to the sumers and businesses to report scam word or within a certain time frame, Associate Editor and Bradley County, a community world as far as schemes targeting other attempts made against them, as well as Winsett explained. whose people have been targeted heavily regions and things we need to be moni- to serve as a resource for keeping up The resource’s nationwide launch is Responding to an increased number over the past couple of years by cyber toring closely.” with the latest scams and schemes — timely, especially in regions where of sophisticated scams, as well as high- and fiber-optic pirates. The new online tool, whose experi- some of which are innovatively new and phones are ringing frequently to tones of tech hackers who are infiltrating the “We believe BBB Scam Tracker will be mental launch has received rave others that have been around for years potential crime and identities are being Southeast Tennessee region, the Better quite popular and prove to be extremely reviews, is no longer regional. It has but are resurfacing with added layers of stolen through methods like credit card Business Bureau has launched an helpful to both consumers and business been expanded to a continental audi- sophistication. skimming and computer hacking. online tool to help consumers protect owners,” said Jim Winsett, president ence, one that includes not only the BBB Scam Tracker also gives people Over the past two years, three familiar themselves from electronic hooligans. and CEO of the Better Business Bureau United States but also Canada. the ability to see where scams are names to Cleveland and Bradley County It’s called BBB Scam Tracker affiliate serving Southeast Tennessee In making the announcement, occurring nationally and allows them to (bbb.org/scamtracker) and its nationally and Northwest Georgia. “In addition, Winsett said the online tool allows con- search for fraudulent activity by key- See SCAMMERS, Page 4 Colleges sign plan for early Downtown sets childhood Christmas events for Dec. 4-6 education By ALLEN MINCEY Banner Staff Writer CSCC, TWC aid The Downtown student transfers Christmas celebration will begin the first weekend in By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG December with the tradi- Banner Staff Writer tional lighting of the Cleveland State Community Christmas tree at the College has signed an articulation Bradley County agreement with Tennessee Courthouse. Wesleyan College for its early Earlier reports indicated childhood education program. the lighting and other Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG While the two colleges had pre- events would begin this SCHOOL OFFICIALS recently gathered to honor four students at Walker Valley High School who were named QuestBridge schol- viously signed a dual admission Friday, but they will actu- arship finalists. Showing off their certificates are, from left, Raven McKnight, Kendall Mehling, Amber Bell and Kameron Mehling. agreement which had to do with ally start on Friday, Dec. 4, Joining them are Bradley County Director of Schools Dr. Linda Cash, WVHS MBA Academy Principal Monty Frazier, WVHS STEM how students transferred from with the tree lighting by Academy Principal Chris Green, WVHS Freshman Academy Principal Denny Collins, WVHS Humanities Academy Principal Amy Kier one to the other, this is the first Cleveland Mayor Tom and WVHS Principal Nat Akiona. time they have signed an agree- Rowland and Bradley ment related to a specific major. County D. Gary Davis, to The idea behind it is to make be followed by the Carols in sure students will have taken all the City. the classes they need to take to be Santa Claus and his wife 4 Ivy League finalists at WVHS on track with other early child- will be on hand for the tree hood education students at lighting and the beginning Tennessee Wesleyan when they of the caroling the evening leave Cleveland State. of the 4th, and will be Group has made it through first round “It meets all their require- available for photographs ments,” said Dr. Denise King, vice in the bandstand at the president of academic affairs for See DOWNTOWN, Page 4 of QuestBridge National College Match Cleveland State. “Without an effort like this, the students may By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG chances of getting the prestigious scholar- or may not have the appropriate Banner Staff Writer ships, they said they were grateful for the prerequisites.” Kyle Busch wins title “The four of us ... we’re opportunity to try. Cleveland State President Dr. Kyle Busch won his first Sprint Four students from the same school academically gifted, but I Even if they are not chosen, the stu- Bill Seymour said when the two Cup Series Championship on have all become finalists for what could be wouldn’t say we’re more gifted dents still get to call themselves colleges signed the initial dual Sunday. Bradley Central saw full-ride scholarships to Ivy League col- than anyone else. We were just QuestBridge finalists, placing them in the admission agreement in January mixed results in its busy basket- leges. willing to go above and beyond company of many high-achieving stu- it represented “a win-win” for ball weekend. The University of Walker Valley High School seniors what was necessary to get good dents. The average grade point average for both colleges, especially in light of Tennessee at Chattanooga foot- Amber Bell, Raven McKnight, Kameron scholarships.” finalists this year is 3.87, and most final- Tennessee Promise. ball Mocs will host Fordham in an Mehling and Kendall Mehling have made it — Kameron Mehling ists had earned composite scores between Tennessee Promise is a state- NCAA FCS first round playoff through the first round of the QuestBridge 28 and 32 on the ACT college entrance run, last-dollar scholarship which game. The 4-5A All-Region foot- National College Match program. exam. helps cover all of a student’s ball team has been announced. “We’re very proud of their accomplish- scholarship. The scholarship, valued at Bell, McKnight and the Mehlings are all tuition at one of the state’s com- See Sports, Pages 9-11. ments, and we look forward to great some $200,000, would cover all tuition, well-known at Walker Valley for their munity colleges. As community things from our students,” Principal Nat room and board for four years. achievements. All of them are taking colleges prepared for the possibil- Akiona said. McKnight pointed out she and her fel- Advanced Placement classes and have ity of increased enrollment when Forecast The National College Match program low finalists all come from families which earned memberships in national honor the first Tennessee Promise class helps students from low-income families cannot afford to send them to their col- societies for high school students. was preparing to start in August, Today looks to be mostly sunny, get “matched” with select colleges which leges of choice, so the thought of getting a Still, Kameron stressed they each know four-year institutions also found will grant them scholarships. scholarship is “very exciting.” of classmates who may be equally deserv- themselves looking at their trans- with a high near 52. Tonight’s fore- Students are asked to “rank” their col- “You don’t always have that safety net cast calls for clear skies, with a low ing of the opportunity. fer requirements in anticipation leges of choice when they apply, choosing of knowing you can get into a good college “The four of us ... we’re academically of getting more transfer students. around 30. Tuesday should be from 36 different options. Among the and pay for it,” McKnight said. gifted, but I wouldn’t say we’re more gifted sunny, with a high near 55. This new articulation agree- institutions on the list are Nashville’s The four from Walker Valley were among than anyone else,” Kameron said. “We ment was designed to allow for a Tuesday night calls for clear skies, Vanderbilt University and Ivy League col- 4,895 finalists chosen from the 13,264 were just willing to go above and beyond “seamless” transfer for students with a low around 37. Wednesday leges Brown University, Columbia students who applied this year. While it is what was necessary to get good scholar- wishing to earn a bachelor’s should bring a warming trend, with University, Dartmouth College, Princeton up to the colleges to determine how many ships.” degree in early childhood educa- sunny skies and a high around 60. University and Yale University. students they will accept, only 501 of the Whether or not they become tion, which prepares students to Wednesday night should be partly If a finalist is “matched” with one of the 4,180 finalists from last year received the QuestBridge scholarship recipients, all teach kindergarten through the cloudy, with a low around 43. colleges he or she ranked based on his or full-ride scholarships. four finalists said they are making plans third grade. her academic achievements and other fac- Though all four of the local finalists said “It creates a good incentive for tors, the student is eligible to receive a they were feeling uncertain about their See WVHS, Page 8 Index See COLLEGES, Page 8 Classified................................14-15 Knoxville man Comics...........................................6 Editorials......................................12 Raymond Simpson ID’d in third Horoscope......................................6 MINI Page......................................5 crash Saturday Obituaries.......................................2 defies the doctors By ALLEN MINCEY Sports........................................9-11 Banner Staff Writer TV Schedule..................................7 By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Sports Writer PERSONALITY A tragic weekend on the roads Weather..........................................8 led to two deaths and three major Chances are if you live in ROFILE accidents on Interstate 75 in Cleveland, you’ve already P Bradley County.