W E D N E S D A Y 161st yEAR • No. 226 JANuARy 20, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 24 pAGES • 50¢ Looking for ‘a little more respect’ Collins defends Bradley County Road Department By BRIAN GRAVES Tuesday. Banner Staff Writer During the Safety meeting, which is made up “We’ve had several articles in the of county department heads, Crye repeated his “We would like a little more respect for what paper where we have been called claims. we do.” ‘stupid’ that we don’t appreciate at all,” “The number of claims [countywide] gives you That was Bradley County Road — Sandra Knight Collins a picture of where we’re going,” Crye said, stat- Superintendent Sandra Knight Collins’ first pub- ing the ratio of claims to employees equals one lic reply to criticisms made by Commissioner claim for every five employees. Thomas Crye concerning the department’s work- Representative Rich Cieler to Bradley County “The workers’ compensation bill every year is ers’ compensation record. Mayor D. Gary Davis — of exposure to poison ivy in excess of $600,000 for premiums. The proper- And, she was backed up by more than a dozen costing $3,730. ty and casualty bill coupled with the workers’ of her department’s employees as she addressed “We need to keep track of it,” Crye said during comp bill is $1.1 million,” Crye said. the Bradley County Commission at its Tuesday a Jan. 4 Commission Finance meeting. “There’s He said there has been an “epidemic of meeting. not enough publicity and recognition by the pub- claims.” lic here. We’re spending an ungodly amount of The situation started when Crye began criticiz- “We need to practice safety, one way or the Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES ing the department’s record of workers’ comp money on stupidity.” RoAD SupERINTENDENT Sandra Knight That last sentence drew a harsh rebuttal from other,” Crye said. “That generally comes down to claims. the supervisory level — knowing what to tell the Collins addresses criticisms of her department Crye specifically mentioned 10 claims — veri- Collins at both the county’s Safety committee during Tuesday’s County Commission meeting. fied in a letter from Senior Loss Control meeting and the Commission meeting on See RESPECT, Page 6 Inside Today Wintry LFMS weather costs threat rise to closes about schools By ALLEN MINCEY Lady Mustangs, Banner Staff Writer $16.8M Mustangs get wins Area schools are closed today and several local churches have Demolition, side In a battle between county suspended services today in rivals, the Walker Valley basket- anticipation of a wintry mix of parking excluded ball teams pulled off wins over weather predicted for the region. Cleveland. In Athens, the Bradley Director of Cleveland City Banner photo, ALLEN mINCEy By BRIAN GRAVES Central Bearettes and Bears Schools Dr. Martin Ringstaff and stayed perfect in District 5-3A A CHATTANooGA womAN was uninjured in a traffic accident on 25th Street this morning near Little Banner Staff Writer Dr. Linda Cash, director of Street. According to Cleveland Police officer Steve West, icy pavement caused the woman to lose control with wins over McMinn County. Bradley County Schools, both The price tag for a new Lake The TCPS Lady Hawks and and slide off into the ditch. At one point, the vehicle was on its top, witnesses said. Several traffic accidents Forest Middle School just got a lit- made the decision for schools to were reported this morning due to slick roads in the area. First responders were called to two wrecks with Hawks also picked up a pair of be closed today after attending a tle higher. victories on the hardwood. See weather-related webinar at the vehicles on their tops (on Lauderdale Highway and South Lee Highway), and six on APD 40. The Dr. Linda Cash, director of Sports, Pages 17-19. Bradley County Emergency Cleveland Police Department reported 20 wrecks had occurred within the city limits by 10 this morning. schools, reported to the Bradley Management Agency Tuesday County Commission’s Education Ooltewah case is afternoon. committee on Tuesday the esti- Both said that while the wintry mates she is now being told run a lesson learned weather might not start until later Caywood, Hughes praise quick from $16 million to $16.8 million. As details continue to surface in the morning, it was best not to However, that cost is only for in the wake of the alleged assault have students come to school to the building and the front parking and rape of younger teammates be immediately sent home cleanup of spill by diesel tank area. It does not include the cost by three Ooltewah basketball because of the weather. of demolition or side parking. players, it is important for sur- They said that all 12-month Cash was joined at the meeting rounding school systems — employees should report to their By BRIAN GRAVES by school board member Diana Banner Staff Writer including those in Cleveland and respective school offices and plan “I want to commend Doug Berry on the timely manner Calfee and Lake Forest Principal Richie Stevenson. Bradley County — to observe, to be there, weather permitting, Two Bradley County commis- in which he took care of the diesel spill at Spring Branch. The County Commission has and to continue the self-evalua- until 2 p.m. All athletic events are sioners Tuesday praised the It truly was amazing how quickly he took care of that.” already committed to $12 million tion of their own school policies canceled for today, as well. quick work of county develop- — Commissioner Mike Hughes and the school board has commit- on bullying and hazing. See the “We have had that happen ment officials in the clearing of a ted to $1 million. editorial on Page 16 of today’s before, where we have not closed diesel tank on the Spring Cash said as it had conversa- edition. school and then had to turn right Branch Industrial Park proper- tions with The Lewis Group around and get the children back ty. architecure firm, the school sys- home,” Ringstaff said, adding that First District Commissioners Forecast tem was aware “we had to reduce while he understands problems Terry Caywood and Mike some of the square footage.” parents have in preparing for care Hughes were at the site when The National Weather Service “Our gross square footage in for their children, safety is utmost the discovery of the tank was forecast calls for a 90 percent the beginning was 158,309, and on the mind of school officials. made. chance of a wintry mix of sleet and we have reduced that down to The school systems are expect- They were there with Doug 137,000,” Cash said. “We also freezing rain, along with some ed to wait until this afternoon, fol- Berry, Cleveland/Bradley took out the enclosed corridor afternoon rain, and a high near 34. lowing a similar webinar by the County Chamber of Commerce from the classrooms to the cafete- Accumulation of 0.1 of an inch of National Weather Service, before vice president for economic ria, because it was just a lot.” ice and less than 1 inch of sleet are deciding on school being back in development, when the group She said the best attempts have predicted. Tonight calls for a 60 session on Thursday. smelled the fuel. been made to cut it down to Along with both local school Berry told the Cleveland Daily percent chance of rain and sleet, “where it is functional and meets systems, Tennessee Christian Banner he first contacted an with a low around 31. Little or no the needs.” Preparatory School and Cleveland environmental team as well as ice accumulation is expected. New “But, there is no more to cut State Community College closed the Tennessee Department of sleet accumulation of less than a without reducing the [plans] we campuses for Wednesday. Environment and Conservation. Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES half inch is possible. Thursday calls already have,” Cash said. To find out if your church may Those actions were followed CommISSIoNERS TERRy CAywooD, left and Mike Hughes The price per square foot, she for a 70 percent chance of show- have canceled services today, con- by getting the proper state per- praised the work of Cleveland/Bradley Chamber Vice President of ers, mainly after 1 p.m., with a high tact the church or visit its web- economic development Doug Berry in the cleanup of a diesel spill added, is between $120-130 per near 44. Thursday night should discovered at the site of the Spring Branch Industrial Park. See LFMS, Page 6 also see showers, with a low See WINTRY, Page 6 See CLEANUP, Page 6 around 40. Index Hargett supports proposed Finance to Classified................................21-23 recommend Comics...........................................8 online voter registration bill Editorials......................................16 Horoscope......................................8 By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG new contract Banner Staff Writer Lifestyles.................................13-15 “The bottom line is those are Obituaries.......................................2 Tennessee Secretary of State Tre your tax dollars. ... We need to for SPCA Stocks............................................4 Hargett said he is busy getting the state try to leave the state even Sports......................................17-19 ready for the upcoming elections and is better than we found it,” By BRIAN GRAVES TV Schedule..................................9 championing something which he — Tre Hargett Banner Staff Writer believes may get more people out to the Weather........................................11 A new contract between the polls. county and the SPCA for animal Hargett spoke to the Cleveland Rotary ously in our office is civic engagement Around Town and trying to get young people to regis- sheltering has been approved for Club on Tuesday, one of a couple local recommendation to the full stops he made after flying into the local ter to vote and participate in elections,” Michelle Craig sharing “snow” Bradley County Commission by airport.