FRIDAY 160th yEar • no. 299 aPriL 17, 2015 cLEVELand, Tn 22 PaGES • 50¢ Bulletin Legislature seeking TVA negotiation Special Olympics postponed due to wet conditions Ocoee River’s whitewater rafting future is targeted According to the document, the U.S. tination.” From Staff Reports By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer Congress passed legislation in 1983 to provide “By passing SJR166 unanimously, the Due to wet field conditions “recreational water releases” from the Ocoee Tennessee General Assembly recognizes the in Benny Monroe Stadium, The Tennessee General Assembly has unan- No. 2 power project and enabled a contract vital impact the Ocoee River and the rafting the 33rd annual Special imously passed a joint resolution asking action between the state and TVA to provide reliable industry has on the economy of Polk County Olympics has been post- by TVA, the state and the U.S. Congress to be releases for 116 days per year. and Southeast Tennessee,” Bell told the poned to Saturday, April 25. taken to maintain “reliable water releases” That contract will expire in March 2019 with Cleveland Daily Banner. “I hope the TVA board Starting time will remain 9 along the Ocoee River. the last recreational release for rafting occur- of directors and our congressional delegation a.m. State Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, introduced ring in October 2018. realize how important settling the water The popular annual event the measure and state Rep. Dan Howell, R- The resolution says the Legislature supports release issue is to our rafting businesses and Georgetown, is expressing concern the agency actions that will maintain the Ocoee’s status was supposed to have been Howell held Saturday (tomorrow). is not negotiating in good faith. as “the nation’s most popular whitewater des- See TVA, Page 6 Bell Although forecasters are call- ing for little or no rain during the day, field conditions are Ralph Ray extremely wet due to the past Carter week of heavy downpours in the Cleveland and Bradley County area, according to case goes Cleveland High School offi- pleads cials. The Special Olympics are to Bradley sponsored by the Cleveland Civitan Club. Dr. Lyndsay guilty to Hathcock, executive assistant grand jury to Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis, serves as Civitan president. Judge rules in 1 count court hearing Sentencing set Inside Today By TONY EUBANK Banner Staff Writer for court in July First-degree murder defendant By BRIAN GRAVES Ralph Wayne Ray III was bound Banner Staff Writer over to the Bradley County grand jury Thursday for the alleged CHATTANOOGA — Troy Scot stabbing death of Dooley Street Carter pleaded guilty in a Federal resident Robbie Johnson. Banner photo, Tony EuBank courtroom Thursday to one count Earlier, Ray had been declared BradLEy counTy SchooLS counselors listen intently during a recent seminar on sex traf- of interstate transportation of competent to stand trial after a ficking. securities taken by fraud in one-month evaluation at accordance with a plea agreement Moccasin Bend Mental Health he reached with prosecutors. Institute. He remains free on a $30,000 Ray appeared unsecured bond until a formal A growing U.S. crime sentencing hearing scheduled for in the courtroom of Bradley July 30 in that court at 9 a.m. County Sessions Carter appeared in U.S. District Judge Sheridan Sex trafficking is now getting Court before Magistrate Judge Randolph for a William Carter (no relation to the preliminary hear- defendant) along ing that included focus of local law enforcement with his attorney, Vols look for testimony from John C. Cavett. Cleveland Police By TONY EUBANK The punish- Banner Staff Writer depth at QB Department offi- ment has come swiftly after the The Tennessee Volunteers Ray cers who Sex trafficking has become responded to the U.S. District will need to come up with a the fastest-growing crime in Attorney’s office backup plan at the quarterback crime scene. America and is present in In opening the proceeding, filed an “informa- position in case starter Joshua Bradley County, according to tion” with the Dobbs gets hurt. All three Lady Assistant District Attorney Mac speakers anchoring an infor- McCoin stating while the charge court concerning Carter Vols basketball seniors were mational and training session “general allega- selected in the WNBA draft. against Ray is first-degree mur- earlier this week at Omega der, he could also be charged with tions and the scheme to defraud” Competitors from several states Center International. on March 27. are coming to Cleveland for the felony murder because he alleged- The special gathering, which ly committed an aggravated bur- A plea agreement was reached True Grit Strongman Challenge, featured an address by Second between Carter and prosecutors set for Saturday. See Sports, glary in the process of reportedly Life of Chattanooga CEO Jerry killing Johnson. with the U.S. Attorney General’s Pages 13-15. Redman, was hosted by office four days later. McCoin told the court the offi- Bradley County Schools. cial cause of death was multiple The scheme developed while Redman is a Lee University Carter was working as a salaried Forecast stab wounds, the most lethal of graduate who later earned a which would have been a stab employee with the Church of God master’s degree in as director of communications for Today’s forecast calls for cloudy wound to the left ventricle of the Transformational leadership skies and a 40 percent chance of heart. the denomination’s biannual con- from Bethel Seminary in St. ventions. showers or thunderstorms, with a Under questioning from Paul, Minn. Redman also McCoin, CPD Sgt. Brian Stovall That document said Carter “did high near 73. Tonight should be serves as co-chair of the Banner photo, Tony EuBank lawfully transport and cause to be mostly cloudy, with a low around 57 testified that on the day of the Greater Chattanooga Coalition Banner photo, Tony EuBank SEcond LifE cEo Jerry stabbing, officers from his patrol ShEriff Eric WaTSon transported in interstate com- and a slight chance of precipitation. Against Human Trafficking. Redman addresses the crowd merce from the state of Tennessee Saturday should be partly sunny, team answered the first call to the opened a recent Second Life of school counselors and Dooley Street Apartments. Stovall to the state of Indiana, securities but with a 30 percent chance of See CRIME, Page 11 training session. administrators. taken by fraud, that use, a check rain. Highs will approach 80. See RAY, Page 6 directing the payment of There’s an 80 percent chance of $100,000, a value of $5,000 or more rain Saturday night, with a more, to Majestic Productions, low around 63. knowing the same to have been ‘Dustin’s Law’ delayed again to 2016 taken by fraud.” Sunset today: 8:15 p.m. “It was the purpose of the Sunrise Saturday 7:05 a.m. By BRIAN GRAVES dispatchers issued a “Be On the Lookout” for vehicular homicide. scheme to defraud that the defen- Banner Staff Writer a vehicle traveling north in a southbound The state Senate Finance, Ways and Means dant, Troy Scot Carter, would Index lane. Committee has assigned the bill to its general embezzle money from the Church “Dustin’s Law” will have to wait another The driver who struck Ledford was found to subcommittee. of God by various devices, includ- year. Church........................................8-9 have methamphetamine in her system. State Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown repre- ing by presenting false and fabri- The measure is named in memory of Dustin “Dustin’s Law” revises current statutes to senting the 22nd Legislative District, reported cated bills to the Church of God Classified................................20-22 Ledford, who at the age of 24 was killed July add a person under the influence of the state House Budget Committee has rolled Comics.........................................17 10, 2010, in a head-on crash shortly after 911 methamphetamine could be charged with the law to the first calendar session of 2016. See CARTER, Page 6 Editorials......................................16 Horoscope....................................17 City Council Movies..........................................18 Obituaries.......................................2 honors group Area parents get awareness Stocks............................................4 Sports......................................13-15 of 14 VISTAs pointers on social media use TV Schedule...........................18-19 By JOYANNA LOVE By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Weather........................................11 Banner Senior Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer “What they don’t understand An army of goodwill is in A professional information technology is that there’s always someone Around Town Cleveland as United Way of auditor recently gave local parents an watching.” Bradley County brings 14 Ryan Clark getting the race inside look at how their students might — Barry Mathis AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers be using social media websites and appli- car ready to take to the track ... In Service to America) to town. Rayven Cearley and Alex Green cations. VISTAs serving Impact Barry Mathis of H.I.S. Professionals, Those included everything from the having fun remodeling their Cleveland, Family Promise, Tri- house ... Randy Davis getting LLC, emphasized Internet safety and the innocent “WTG,” or “way to go,” to the State Therapeutic Riding Center, importance of students focusing on leav- naughtier “CU46,” or “see you for sex.” some barbecue ready for a big Boys & Girls Club and KARIS competition ... Anthony Floyd ing positive “digital footprints” during a He then gave parents a basic primer on Dental Clinic are already hard at workshop Thursday night at Bradley some of the popular websites and appli- catching his limit of fish while in work. Daytona, Beach, Fla. Central High School. cations, including Facebook, Twitter, Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland Handing out pamphlets listing nearly Snapchat and Vine. and the Cleveland City Council 100 of them, Mathis began by sharing the Mathis began by explaining social recently recognized them.