FRIDAY 161st YEAR • NO. 216 JANUARY 8, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 20 PAGES • 50¢ Mayor spotlights financial viability in ‘State of the County’ address By BRIAN GRAVES Davis mentioned the recent state audit of the “John Doe citizen doesn’t know that we paid Banner Staff Writer county’s financial condition. down our debt $4.1 million,” he said. “It’s that “If Bradley County were a company, you would much every year. We continually pay down our During last year’s “State of the County” remarks want to know one thing — did we make any debt.” by Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis, the long- money and how much?” Davis said. “That’s called He said the debt was more than $100 million at time leader based his remarks on the lyrics of a ‘net position.’” one point and is now decreased to $65 million. song, “The future’s so bright, you’ve got to wear He said the county’s net position exceeded its “Is that too much? Not according to the profes- shades.” liabilities by $36.7 million. sional finance people,” Davis said. “When you This year, Davis is saying there is no need to “That means you had a good year,” he said. break that down by per capita, we’re in really good take those shades off. “Granted, we’re not in the business to make shape. But, I’m one of those who doesn’t want any The mayor gave his annual remarks during a money. We’re a service-oriented organization. But debt, so I’m always working to pay it down.” luncheon of the Cleveland Kiwanis Club Thursday we do strive to operate like a business.” Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES The county’s debt is broken into four areas: 79 MAYOR D. GARY DAVIS presents his State of afternoon, citing the financial shape of the county, Davis also emphasized the reduction of the percent for schools, 17 percent for the Justice completed projects and the anticipated completion county’s debt by $4.1 million “... as it does each the County message during a meeting of the of others. and every year.” See COUNTY, Page 16 Cleveland Kiwanis Club Thursday afternoon. Coming Sunday CU role ‘Remember When’ set for the press in TDOT “Remember When,” that popular special section that takes a look at the old days through the photo- graphs of Cleveland and Bradley projects County residents, will be published in Sunday’s edition of the Cleveland Daily Banner. For a clarified chance to do some reminiscing, check it out! Inside Today to board Slow progress draws concern Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG/Contributed photo By LARRY C. BOWERS CLEVELAND CITY SCHOOLS Director Dr. Martin Ringstaff, right, shares how his school system is reacting to an alleged hazing inci- Banner Staff Writer dent perpetrated by Ooltewah basketball players. At left, Bradley County Schools Director Dr. Linda Cash briefs school administrators on hazing and bullying policies in light of the Ooltewah incident. Bart Borden, vice president of the Electric Division at Cleveland Utilities, used a portion of his report time Thursday discussing CU projects involving utility Learning from Ooltewah poles, traffic signals and strain poles on commu- nity roadways. “I wanted to Ringstaff, Cash give updates on how local take a few min- Bears take win utes to clarify our involvement over Raiders after recent school systems are responding to incident statements in the The No. 1-ranked Bradley ized for more than a week due to his more details about the incident due to the media,” Borden Central Bears pulled off a By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Banner Staff Writer injuries, and three of his teammates were ongoing criminal investigation, he stressed said. wrestling win over rival and No. 2- The utility vet- Borden ranked Cleveland Thursday night. each charged with aggravated rape and the school system is already looking for les- Local school directors are taking a new aggravated assault. sons to be learned. eran began with The Walker Valley Mustangs bat- look at their policies for hazing, bullying and the Georgetown Road-20th Street tled hard but fell to Soddy-Daisy. Because they are all currently being “This will be properly investigated and not similar issues in light of an alleged incident charged as juveniles under the jurisdiction swept under the rug. ... At some point, there project. The Polk County Wildcats swept involving students in Hamilton County. “When the transmission and Greenback on the basketball of the Gatlinburg Police Department, the will be questions for this board, and I believe On Dec. 22, a freshman student on the distribution lines were upgraded, court. Lee University will host alleged perpetrators have not been publicly the most important one we’ll have to ask basketball team at Ooltewah High School named by area school officials or law ourselves is what could have been done dif- Cleveland Utilities installed new Delta State in a key GSC steel poles and offset the line so matchup Saturday. See Sports, was hospitalized after having allegedly been enforcement. ferently — or better," Welch said. assaulted and raped by teammates. During a meeting of the Hamilton County Hamilton County Schools Director Dr. there would be enough road right Pages 9-11. of way to install a southbound The team had been in Gatlinburg playing Board of Education Wednesday night, Rick Smith also made the decision to cancel in a basketball tournament, and a student Chairman Dr. Jonathan Welch said school left turn from Georgetown Road Forecast the Ooltewah varsity and junior varsity onto 20th Street NE,” Borden was reportedly attacked in a rental cabin in officials “do not have the words” to describe teams’ remaining seasons while the investi- which the team was staying. The Associated how “tragic” and “horrific” the incident was. said. “The remaining wood pole Cloudy skies today with a slight Press reported the victim had to be hospital- While Welch said he could not give any See OOLTEWAH, Page 3 stub holding up the city turn lane chance of continued showers. High project, which was listed in the will be 56 with a calm wind blowing newspaper, is presently occupied from the south at 5 mph. Tonight, by Charter Communications and mostly cloudy skies with a low City schools enjoy AT&T.” around 42. Calm wind. “Charter must transfer first and this will allow AT&T to trans- On Saturday, look for showers fer,” said Borden. The work was with a high near 55. Calm wind with a productive year completed by Cleveland Utilities the chance of rain at 80 percent. The on Jan. 11, 2013.” forecast is much the same for By LARRY C. BOWERS The CU vice president said that Saturday night with lows near 40 and Banner Staff Writer YEAR IN when the utility completed the a 70 percent chance of showers. The Cleveland City School project, Charter received notifica- System enjoyed a productive 12 REVIEW tion of the need to transfer. Index months in 2015, and is following Charter has since been notified things, and we’re going to do again, Borden said. Church........................................6-7 up with aggressive and opti- mistic plans for 2016. many more,” Ringstaff said. Borden then discussed CU’s Classified................................17-19 Director of Schools Dr. Martin The popular educator said involvement with the Georgetown Comics.........................................13 Ringstaff, in a recent interview, that for the first time since he Road-Exit 25 road project being Editorials......................................12 emphasized some of the positive came to Cleveland five years ago, Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS conducted by the Tennessee Horoscope....................................13 points of the education land- the Cleveland City School A WORK CREW is shown on the roof of the new Cleveland High Department of Transportation. Movies..........................................14 scape, as well as some of last System does not have to be over- School Raider Arena earlier this week. Numerous finishing projects This state project has been year’s accomplishments. ly concerned with state and fed- are going on outside and inside the huge facility, with the $11 mil- delayed, and has created consid- Obituaries.......................................2 erable grumblings in the commu- Stocks............................................4 “We’ve done some great See CITY, Page 16 lion project scheduled to be completed the first week of March. Sports........................................9-11 See CU, Page 16 TV Schedule...........................14-15 Weather..........................................8 Around Town Gobble, Wright Rowland clarifies Joe Cannon making a Thursday morning surprise visit status of parking to see his beloved friends and colleagues at the Cleveland Daily are reappointed Banner, and then telling them to site at Greenway “get back to work” ... Kim Stone telling about his "cycling" adven- to state positions By BRIAN GRAVES tures ... Missy Mathews making Banner Staff Writer someone’s day by sending a very By ALLEN MINCEY special gift ... Jeff Vincent excited Banner Staff Writer Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland wants the public to understand the status of the land on Keith Street about his new Bradley wrestling Gov. Bill Haslam reappointed two Bradley County shirt from Amber Mitchell ... which is now being used for parking by men to board and commission posts this week, Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway users. Muncie Bunch doing well and including former Sheriff Tim Gobble. feeling great. The mayor said Thursday the decision of the Gobble, a Cleveland resident, was reappointed to Bradley County Commission not to finance an the Board of Parole. Haslam first appointed him to appraisal and a reluctance to share the $200,000 that position in July 2013. Stephen Wright of Wright purchase price does not change the city’s plans to buy the property. See POSITIONS, Page 16 Tim Gobble Stephen Wright 6489076 75112 See ROWLAND, Page 16 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Friday, January 8, 2016 www.clevelandbanner.com OBITUARIES (USPS 117-700) Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O.