W E D N E S D A Y 162nd YEAR • No. 218 JANUARY 11, 2017 CLEVELAND, TN 24 PAGES • 50¢ BCPEF credits board for ‘investment’ in education By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG “Our children have truly benefited The foundation also assisted schools teachers can use to quiz their students, and a single board policy change. Banner Staff Writer because of your support,” Bentley said. as they wrote thousands of dollars in to 486 local classrooms. The consent agenda included things Bentley shared many of the founda- grants and held community fundraising “This was not just a budget line item; like field trip approvals, while the policy The Bradley Cleveland Public tion’s efforts over the past year, stress- efforts. Results of these included Taylor it was an investment,” said Bentley. change had to do with how high school Education Foundation is grateful for the ing none of it would have been possible Elementary School receiving a nearly Bradley County Schools’ budget for students’ end of course testing affects “investment” local school boards are without help from local school boards $50,000 Leonore Annenberg School the 2016-17 year included a $25,000 their final grades. making. and community members. Fund for Children grant and Bradley donation to the BCPEF for its operating Up until Thursday night, board Policy That was the assessment of Matt Teachers received thousands of dol- Central High School raising funds to expenses. This was a jump from 4.700 stated high school students’ end Bentley, the BCPEF’s executive commit- lars in grants for their classrooms. build a new athletic weight room facili- $15,000 in the 2015-16 year. of course exam scores “comprise 25 tee president, when he spoke to the Some also went on international profes- ty. The county board’s only voting percent of the student’s second semes- Bradley County Board of Education on sional development trips through Fund It also funded the distribution of actions during its Thursday meeting Thursday. For Teachers, a national organization. “Plickers” cards, tech-related tools were the approval of a consent agenda See BCPEF, Page 6 Inside Today Rotarians HUMAN TRAFFICKING are taking a lead role in helping Gatlinburg Jones Negron High Rogers Hubbard Jaynes Wilson Mosbey District governor gives local update “Drug activity and prostitution both lead By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG to the worldwide Banner Staff Writer problem of human The Bradley Sunrise Rotary trafficking.” Club is among the many Rotary — Sheriff Eric clubs which have been helping Watson with relief efforts after the wild- Scott Wiley Hilliard Uffner Torbett Culpepper fires which swept through the Gatlinburg area last November. Fred Heitman, district governor Back to business for for Rotary District 6780, recently visited the club and shared how basketball, wrestling Rotarians have been helping fam- The holidays are over and it’s ilies in Gatlinburg get back on time to get serious as basketball their feet. and wrestling picked back up In the aftermath of the wild- Tuesday night. Cleveland, Walker fires, the area’s Rotary clubs set Valley and Bradley Central were up a large distribution center in the former Boyd’s Bear outlet all back in action on the basket- Roberts Pierce Thorpe Smith Turner Anderson Franklin Wilkes ball court. The Bears began their store in Pigeon Forge. Heitman stretch run on the wrestling mat said this has allowed volunteers with a victory over Ooltewah. See to help those who lost everything, Sports, Pages 9-11. thanks to many generous donors. ‘Operation: Temptation’ sting nets 23 arrests “I want you to stop and think for a moment that you have lost By BRIAN GRAVES charges. Coats for the Cold “During the first phase of the opera- everything and all you have is Banner Staff Writer what you have with at this very “During the operation, many tion, one of the incidents involved two moment,” Heitman said. deadline is Monday The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office of the suspects offered to people who were found with numerous exchange drugs for sexual “Everything else is gone.” An annual program dedicated to recently completed “Operation: drugs and possession of a stolen vehicle Temptation” which resulted in 23 favors, not just money.” He went on to describe how keeping Cleveland and Bradley from Missouri,” the sheriff said. families had lost so much that arrests, all dealing with prostitution and — Sheriff Eric Watson “Additionally, one of the two was a male County residents warm in the winter drugs. day-to-day tasks were made hard- is continuing to be embraced by the that undercover deputies observed drive er. While many families were pro- The official announcement ironically a woman to a motel room where the community. Coats for the Cold, comes on what is now designated out exception these cases involve drugs. vided with hotel rooms, he noted The sheriff said with Bradley County investigation revealed the female’s many lacked everything from which accepts new and gently used “Human Trafficking Awareness Day,” ‘pimp.’” winter coats and jackets, will contin- which began in 2010 by presidential located on Interstate 75, a stretch of extra clothes to equipment they road recognized by most law enforce- The second phase of the operation, could use to prepare food. ue to accept contributions through proclamation. which was coordinated just within the This is the second concentrated effort ment agencies as a main artery for ille- The distribution later became a Monday, Jan. 16. See the editorial gal drugs, the BCSO “keeps a watch for last few weeks, arrested and charged 13 place where wildfire victims could on Page 12 of today’s edition. on human trafficking by the department people for their roles in prostitution since its first, “Operation: Clean Sweep,” criminals who either pass through our “shop” for what they needed for area on the interstate or attempt to set activity and/or drug charges. free. People donated not only which netted 13 involved in the sex and “During the operation, many of the drugs trade — some from as far away as up shop here.” items like canned food but also Forecast Watson said his department recently suspects offered to exchange drugs for items like can openers and cut- New York. sexual favors, not just money,” Watson received intelligence suggesting human lery. “Human trafficking,” according to the said. trafficking was coming back into the The Bradley Sunrise club is in Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and In total, the BCSO operation resulted county. the process of collecting supplies state laws, makes patronizing prostitu- in the confiscation of approximately 14 “I created a special Streets Crime Unit to assist with the ongoing relief tion from a person younger than 18 a grams of methamphetamine, 10 grams of felony; restitution must be paid to vic- to look into the problem,” Watson said. efforts. In December, the club also marijuana, 80 assorted medication pills, donated $2,000 to the cause. tims, by defendants, for the offenses of “The BCSO conducted a non-consecutive six grams of crack cocaine and four “We’re serving 2,000 people a patronizing prostitution, trafficking for 72-hour undercover sting we called grams of MDMA (also known as day and more — because of you,” commercial sex acts, solicitation of a ‘Operation Temptation,’ with the main Ecstasy). Heitman said. minor for sexual purposes, and enlisting objective to spotlight individuals who Five vehicles were also seized during While the Rotary organization Today’s forecast calls for mostly or paying a minor to engage in child offered sexual acts for hire and the solic- the operation. has been spearheading some of cloudy skies and a 70 percent itors of those acts.” pornography; promoting the prostitution “One of the problems law enforcement the relief efforts, Heitman noted chance of rain, with a high near 59. Watson said the operation began last of a child is a Class A or B (the most agencies face is the transportation of anyone can help with volunteer Tonight should be mostly cloudy, serious) felony. month, resulting in the arrests of nine with a low around 52. Thursday Sheriff Eric Watson said almost with- individuals for various prostitution See TRAFFICKING, Page 6 calls for mostly cloudy skies and a See GATLINBURG, Page 6 high near 67. South winds of 10 to 15 mph could gust as high as 20. Thursday night should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Taylor Spring Park fundraiser targets $250,000 goal Index Social event set Classified................................14-15 Comics.........................................22 Editorials......................................12 Saturday, Feb. 4 Horoscope....................................22 Lifestyles.................................17-19 By LARRY C. BOWERS Obituaries.......................................2 Banner Staff Writer Stocks............................................4 Members of the Taylor Spring Park Committee, Sports........................................9-11 charged with raising funds and engineering the con- TV Schedule................................23 struction of the historic community park at the birth- Weather..........................................8 place of the city of Cleveland, is making preliminary plans for a kickoff fundraiser which is being billed as Around Town one of the showplace social events of the year. The park committee met Tuesday afternoon in the Jonathan Higdon expecting a offices of Jones Management in The Village Green, summer delivery ... Lynnae going over some of these preliminary plans for the Roberts back in the classroom ... kickoff event, Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS Pat Collins discussing a sale in The fundraiser is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. CONTRACTOR DEE BURRIS holds a few progress. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the home of Cleveland business- brick pavers which the Taylor Spring Park Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS man, historian and entrepreneur Allan Jones and his Committee anticipates will be sold for the creation CATHY BARRETT, left, and Toby Pendergrass of Jones wife, Janie.