MONDAY 162nd YEAR • No. 222 JANUARY 16, 2017 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ Locals join America in honoring MLK legacy Local, state, U.S. Family of pastors leaders comment prepared King as on King’s impact Civil Rights leader King Porter By BRIAN GRAVES By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer and “When I was thinking of the contributions to our coun- RICK NORTON try of the man that we're honoring today, a passage attrib- Associate Editor uted to the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier comes to mind: ‘Each crisis brings its word and deed.’ In Two of Bradley County’s most prominent African- America, in the ’50s and ’60s, one of the important crises American leaders, as well as a collection of local, state we faced was racial discrimination. The man whose words and national elected officials, are sharing their and deeds in that crisis stirred our nation to the very thoughts on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. depths of its soul was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” and what he meant to the country, as well as to them Those words were personally. Alexander Corker spoken Nov. 2, Jonathan Porter, 1983, at the White SEE EDITORIAL president of 100 House in PERSONALITY Black Men of Washington, D.C., Bradley County ON PAGE 12 AP file photo by President Ronald PROFILE Inc., said he thinks DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. speaks in Washington, Regan. of “a man that was The occasion was so brave.” D.C., to the massive crowd that assembled for his historic “I Have A Dream” speech in August 1963. Today, a variety of to mark the signing “As I reflect back about the life of Dr. Martin Luther of the bill making the birthday of the Civil Rights leader a King Jr., I think of a man that was so brave to have local, state and national leaders speak on the impact of the King legacy. Some are pictured here: Rasharon King, Jonathan national holiday. stood up and challenged the world to see that the Born Jan. 15, 1929, as Michael Luther King Jr., in later Porter, State Rep. Kevin Brooks, State Rep. Dan Howell, U.S. See KING, Page 4 Brooks Sen. Lamar Alexander and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker. Howell See PASTORS, Page 4 Inside Today Partial NOW THEY’RE FIREFIGHTERS payment Graduates include first program two women enrollees within BCFR hit 1,267 By ALLEN MINCEY Banner Staff Writer Sign-up deadline “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the for tax plan nears flames will not set you ablaze.” — Isaiah 43 By RICK NORTON Falcons are alive, As the newest members of Associate Editor Bradley County Fire-Rescue, nine and still kicking men and Participant numbers in the women went partial payment program for The Atlanta Falcons reached through gradu- property taxes keep inching up the NFC championship game with ation exercises as more and more Bradley a win over Seattle. The Polk Sunday. County residents learn of its Wildcats dropped a double over- In fact, some benefits, while others are recog- time game to Loudon on the bas- of those new nizing an installment plan better ketball court. The Cleveland Blue emergency suits their strained budgets. Raiders and Bradley Central Bears responders Mike Smith, longtime trustee had a very good weekend on the worked the day who designed the initiative with wrestling mat, with the Raiders before and his office staff winning in tournament action at now, all of in 2010, said Halls High School and the Bears Fairbanks them are con- at present picking up a pair of tournament sidered “profes- 1,267 local victories in varsity and JV action. sional firefight- taxpayers are See Sports, Pages 9-11. ers.” taking advan- “You are no tage of the pay- longer consid- ment system Forecast ered rookies, that allows home and but are profes- Banner photos, ALLEN MINCEY Today’s forecast calls for mostly sionals, with property own- cloudy skies, with a high near 70. two of you ers to pay their Smith Tonight calls for cloudy skies and a making history, taxes in small- 30 percent chance of rain, with a and are ready NEW FIREFIGHTER er increments, either monthly or Maney to accept the whatever frequency is best for low around 57 degrees. Tuesday Brandon West, top, was their cash flow. calls for mostly cloudy skies and a responsibility one of nine recruits who both on the job The Trustee’s Office, located 60 percent chance of rain, with a graduated to profession- on the ground floor of the high near 66. Tuesday night should and off, as the al status Sunday. Family public will be Bradley County Courthouse, is be cloudy, with a 70 percent watching you,” members were among currently well into the second chance of showers or thunder- said Bradley those in attendance at enrollment period for 2017 taxes. storms and a low around 53. County Mayor the graduation cere- The second cycle started almost Wednesday calls for clouds and a D. Gary Davis, monies, including his two weeks ago and will continue 30 percent chance of rain, with a one of the son, Brooks, who through Friday, Feb. 10. high near 60. Wednesday night graduation donned his father’s new An opening registration period calls for mostly cloudy skies and a speakers. Bradley County Fire- was held in late November and Davis The two early December. 30 percent chance of rain, with a Rescue helmet. Loretta “Enrollment for our partial low around 44. Davis pinpoint- Thompson, bottom ed are Loretta Thompson and payment program continues to photo, left, was one of increase, having picked up quite Mikala Ard, the first two paid the graduates, and took Index female firefighters in Bradley a bit since January 4,” Smith County. Both said they joined the the time to pose with her told the Cleveland Daily Banner. Classified................................14-15 BCFR because they wanted to mother, Jacquelyn Miller, In addition, the office contin- ues to accept applications for two Comics...........................................6 help others. at the ceremonies. New Thompson said that while BCFR firefighters includ- other taxpayer-friendly initia- Editorials......................................12 tives — the tax relief and tax Horoscope.....................................6 many pointed out the pair were ed in Sunday’s gradua- the first women to be paid to be freeze programs. MINI Page.....................................5 tion were Brandon West, “Both the tax relief and tax firefighters, “I am not a female Wesley Pace, Mikala Obituaries.......................................2 firefighter — I am just a firefight- freeze programs are showing Sports........................................9-11 Ard, Caleb Donegan, increases, but not as large as we er.” Zachary Gilreath, Loretta TV Schedule..................................7 Her mother, Jacquelyn Miller, have seen in years past,” the Weather..........................................8 said her daughter left a job at Thompson, Daniel trustee explained. M&M Mars to go through the 12 Stinnett, Adam Smith admits to being a fan of weeks of training to be a member Rodriguez and Howard all three tax-assistance opportu- Around Town of the fire department. Millsaps. Bradley County nities. “We are enjoying enrolling tax- Cecil Walker celebrating a “She has that heart to help Mayor D. Gary Davis others, and this was her way of was a special speaker at payers and listening to their sto- recent special day with family ries of how these programs are and friends. getting to do it,” Miller said. the event. Thompson actually received the helping them,” he stressed. “That instructor’s award for her diligent makes for a good day.” work during training. In past interviews, Smith has spoken of elderly taxpayers who See FIREFIGHTERS, Page 16 6489076 75112 See PARTIAL, Page 4 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Monday, January 16, 2017 www.clevelandbanner.com ‘Exorcist’ author William Peter OBITUARIES Blatty dead at age 89 (USPS 117-700) Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office NEW YORK (AP) — Novelist performed in 2012 at the Geffen POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 John Besing Maynor of Dayton; 10 grandchil- and filmmaker William Peter Playhouse in Los Angeles. Blatty, a former Jesuit school “When I was writing the novel I Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) John Besing, of Cleveland, dren:, Cheryl, David, Samya, in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, in a Jason, Allison, Douglas, Ginger, valedictorian who conjured a tale thought of it as a super-natural and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. local health care facility. Robin, J.B. and Mike; and sever- of demonic possession and gave detective story, and to this day I Phone (423) 472-5041. Survivors and funeral arrange- al great- and great-great-grand- millions the fright of their lives cannot recall having a conscious ments will be announced by children. with the best-selling novel and intention to terrifying anybody, Ralph Baldwin Joyce Taylor Ralph Buckner Funeral Home A private family graveside Oscar-winning movie “The which you may take, I suppose, Editor & Publisher General Manager and Crematory. service will be held at a later date. Exorcist,” has died. He was 89. as an admission of failure on an Member of The Associated Press Blatty died Thursday at a hos- almost stupefying scale,” Blatty Ralph Buckner Funeral Home The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches nd Crematory is in charge of pital in Bethesda, Maryland, told The Huffington Post in 2011. credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous origin arrangements.