Cleveland, TN 24 PAGES • 50¢ Inside Today Watson Defends Deleting Posts He Said Some Used ‘Disturbing’ and ‘Inappropriate’ Language
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W E D N E S D A Y 161st YEAR • NO. 292 APRIl 6, 2016 ClEVElAND, TN 24 PAGES • 50¢ Inside Today Watson defends deleting posts He said some used ‘disturbing’ and ‘inappropriate’ language By BRIAN GRAVES Tuesday stating the organization duties as sheriff,” wrote Amanda Banner Staff Writer “received several complaints Knief, national legal and public about the BCSO banning com- “After we posted the story from policy director for American Sunday’s Banner, the response was over- Sheriff Eric Watson has come menters and deleting reviews and Atheists, Inc. in Washington, D.C. whelming, with hundreds of replies just under fire again for posts on the posts on its official Facebook It is the same organization within the first day. But on Monday, there Bradley County Sheriff’s Office page.” which complained to Watson last social networking page. was a disturbing amount of what bor- “These comments and posts week over postings and articles dered on the pornographic from those The criticism is for what was were supportive of the atheist which express a view of faiths. who claimed to be critics of my stand.” posted and later taken down. The point of view and critical of either The letter said it was evident — Sheriff Eric Watson sheriff is not backing down. the sheriff’s office or of your advo- “by the activity witnessed on April The American Atheists Legal cating for your own religious Center sent an email to Watson beliefs while performing your See WATSON, Page 2 Bears get the sweep TDOT 9 WVHS The Bradley Central Bears pulled off the two-game sweep of baseball the Cleveland Blue Raiders in funds for baseball. The Lee Flames dropped a close one to Tusculum. players The Lady Raiders fell to East Hamilton in softball, while the Walker Valley Lady Mustangs lost SR 60 suspended to McMinn County. Cleveland defeated Soddy-Daisy in soccer. By BRIAN GRAVES See Sports, Pages 9-11. affirmed Banner Staff Writer Walker Valley High School By JOYANNA LOVE Principal Nate Akiona suspend- Boys Choir Banner Senior Staff Writer The next concert in the ed nine of the school’s baseball Performing Arts Series at Lee The Tennessee Department of players following a late March University will feature the Transportation has committed to incident in Charleston, S.C., Birmingham Boys Choir in the funding the widening of State involving underage drinking. Lee Chapel on Sunday, April 10, Route 60 (Georgetown Road) Director of Schools Dr. Linda at 4 p.m. The concert is free, but from Westlake Drive to State Cash said the South Carolina tickets are required by calling the Route 306 (Eureka Road) in the tournament has been a regular box office. See story, Page 20. 2018 fiscal year. trip for the team “for many, Work on the project to widen many years.” the 2.5-mile section of the road “There was a group of nine Lecrae concert to five lanes would not begin Contributed photos boys who were involved in drink- Grammy-award winning artist until the 2019 fiscal year. The SATuRDAY EVENING Halla Maynard, a student at Bradley Central High School, was select- ing alcoholic beverages and the Lecrae will be taking his Higher project is estimated to cost $13.8 ed as the Distinguished Young Woman of Cleveland 2017. Sponsored by the Pilot Club of coaches immediately caught it, Learning Tour to the Lee million, not including the fund- Cleveland, the program had 14 high school juniors from BCHS, Cleveland High and Walker called the authorities immedi- University Soccer Field on ing needed to acquire the addi- Valley High vying for the medallion and awards. Maynard was the overall Interview winner, over- Saturday at 8 p.m. The event is tional land needed and construc- all Self-Expression winner and See WVHS, Page 6 free to the public and seating will tion easements. Funding for the recipient of the Community be on a first-come, first-served right-of-way phase of the project Service and Creative Writing basis. See Lifestyles, Page 17. had already been designated by awards. First runner-up was Raider Arena the state. Blaine Terrell of BCHS, who also Candies Creek The project would add two additional lanes and a center won Be Your Best Self (spirit) moving toward Candies Creek Academy, a turning lane as well as replace award. Second runner-up was local private Christian school, has and widen a bridge over Candies Alyssa “Allie” Bramlett of WVHS, completion continued to see growth during its Creek. who was overall winner in the second year of operation, and is “We are excited about being Fitness and By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer making plans to start a new pre- able to get it because it will open Talent categories. school. See story, Page 16. up and stop some of the conges- Vivian “Vabby” New grass is growing around tion, especially in the morning,” Baker of WVHS the new Cleveland High School Forecast said City Development and took the award Raider Arena. Engineering director Jonathan for Overall Construction Manager Cason Jobe. Scholastics. Conn of Tri-Con told the The announcement was a part Cleveland Board of Education of the Transportation Bryce Nunnelly, said this week that some green Improvement Plan for 2017-19 inset, of WVHS received the Colby grass should be out of the ground for the state, and the project will Stansberry Memorial Award, pre- for the formal grand opening of be fully funded by the state. sented by Colby’s parents Terry the arena. Cleveland and Bradley County and Michelle Stansberry. Maynard “We’ve been moving the sprin- officials have discussed the proj- will compete in the state distin- klers around a lot,” he added, in ect as a growing need to address guished Young Woman program in discussing the ongoing landscap- Today’s outlook is for partly current traffic congestion, espe- July. From left are Baker, ing. cloudy skies and a 30 percent cially near Cleveland Middle Maynard, Bramlett and Terrell. The community is expected to School and Hopewell Elementary chance of showers, with a high Maynard, photo at right, poses turn out for the Sunday after- near 67. Tonight’s forecast calls for School, and future proposed noon grand-opening ceremony growth in the area. with Wendy Armenta, the Distinguished Young Woman of Cleveland 2016. Armenta performed on April 24, along with school cloudy skies and a 90 percent during the Saturday program at Cleveland State Community College’s George Johnson Center. chance of showers and thunder- board members, community storms, with a low around 47. See SR 60, Page 6 See ARENA, Page 6 Thursday should be partly sunny, with a high near 65. Thursday night calls for mostly cloudy skies and a 30 percent chance of showers, with CPD ‘March Madness’ a low around 44. Friday should be mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Friday night calls for partly cloudy gives win to the ACS skies, with a low around 36. By ALLEN MINCEY the People in Purple program, to Banner Staff Writer raise at least $1,000 for the upcoming relay.” Index Villanova and Connecticut Other emergency responders were this year’s March Madness participating in the People in Classified................................14-15 basketball winners, but locally, Comics.........................................22 Purple event included the the winner in the “March Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Editorial........................................12 Madness” event held by the Cleveland Fire Department and Horoscope....................................22 Cleveland Police Department is Bradley County Fire and Rescue. Lifestyles ................................17-19 the American Cancer Society. The Cleveland Police Obituaries.......................................2 As part of the local event, the Department raised nearly $2,000 Sports........................................9-11 police department allowed male to benefit the April 30 Relay for Stocks........................................... 4 officers to grow beards and Life. TV Schedule................................23 female employees to paint their “Many of our officers have been Weather..........................................8 fingernails. touched by cancer, so this is their “It was our way of participating way of giving back,” West said. To Contributed photo in the People in Purple event to grow a beard or to paint finger- Around Town A FEW OF THE PARTICIPANTS in “March Madness” at the Cleveland Police Department were, from benefit the local Relay for Life,” nails required a donation by the left, front row, Officers Jonathan Prince, Scott Criddle and Travis Graig and Sgt. Matt Ruth. In back are Tina Wilcox making her mail- explained CPD Public officer, though some outside the box look like new ... Brenden Officers Matt Norfleet and Mike Kelly; Lt. Matt Jenkins; Officer Mike Ricker; Detective Bill Parks; Officers Information Officer Sgt. Evie Guffey excited about helping on J.R. Burnette and Erik Jones; and CST Shane Clark. West. “We had pledged, as part of See CPD, Page 6 a double play and hitting a home run in a recent game ... Marilyn Chesnutt taking a friend to lunch and bringing homemade brown- Steve Corbett: Poverty is more than physical needs ies ... Shirley Shadden sharing her “down-home best stew” ... By JOYANNA LOVE County. thing that is not somebody’s make us harder, to make us less development. Zandra Welch sharing some fall Banner Senior Staff Writer Corbett challenged the non- fault.” generous or less kind, but I want Corbett said work to address break beach photos ... Debra profit and community leaders “My observation … in the just to think about does this poverty in the United States has Burns being a good neighbor. Steve Corbett, co-author of present to review how their States is that we way over-define really help.” traditionally focused strictly on “When Helping Hurts” explained organization defines poverty and crisis.