2.5B Investment at Work! Propriate Conduct Earlier This the Cleveland Blue Raiders Year
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T U E S D A Y 161st yEAR • NO. 303 APRIL 19, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ Reminder County OKs hike in hotel-motel tax rate Special Olympics By BRIAN GRAVES Commission, of a private act allowing the this week "six months ahead of sched- policies finishes that task. Banner Staff Writer county to increase the levy by 2 percent ule." That will exclude items seized during slated Saturday above its current 5 percent. "We're trying to permit to start activi- criminal cases and authorized to be sold on CHS track After a full day of helping celebrate the Passage required a two-thirds majority ties when the funding comes on-line," by a judge's order. opening of the Wacker Charleston plant, and was always expected to pass easily, Berry said. "We'll be coming back to you "I just feel this is the best thing to do," By LARRY C. BOWERS the Bradley County Commission and the since the Commission also unanimously at the end of May with some resolutions Finance chairman Milan Blake said, Banner Staff Writer Commission’s Finance Committee met passed the request for the private act. pertaining to a certificate of public pur- emphasizing this was not targeted at one Monday afternoon, with their two major The extra funds will help with the debt pose filing so we can incur the additional department, but the entire county gov- Cleveland Civitan actions being to start one process and service of $3 million for the county's por- debt, and are hoping to start construc- ernment structure. President Kelly Browand is stop another. tion of infrastructure costs of the Spring tion this summer." excited by the prospects of Commissioner Dan Rawls, whose criti- Commissioners unanimously voted to Branch Industrial Park. The stop of the afternoon came as the cism of the Bradley County Sheriff's this year’s Special Olympics start the new hotel/motel tax rate of 7 Doug Berry, Cleveland-Bradley full Commission accepted a recommen- competition Office sale of a surveillance van stirred percent beginning May 1. Chamber of Commerce vice president of dation from Finance that all sales of dis- controversy, said the review of the poli- around the The move follows the action of the state economic development, told the posable assets be discontinued until the Cleveland Legislature, at the request of the Commission logging on the site will finish ad hoc committee named to consider new See TAX, Page 13 High School track facility. Saturday’s “Special” School event is expected to get a wonderful day — weather- wise. Two of the last three ‘The Silicon system years have seen Cleveland’s Special Olympics canceled by heavy rain. The Special Olympics were held two Valley starts in director years ago, but there was See OLYMPICS, Page 13 Tennessee now!’ hopefuls Inside Today total 24 2 city educators included in list By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer The Cleveland Board of Education will now be able to move forward with a process of an elimination in determining a new director of schools prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year. The governing body hopes to have someone on board by July 1. The Tennessee School Board Photo courtesy of Wacker Polysilicon Association is assisting the board THE DISTILLATION TOWERS at Wacker have become Bradley County landmarks as the tallest structures in the county. with the application process. It has determined 24 candidates for the position to replacing former Raiders routed Schools Director Dr. Martin Ringstaff, who was fired for inap- by Hurricanes $2.5B investment at work! propriate conduct earlier this The Cleveland Blue Raiders year. had no answers for East Two of the 24 applicants are Hamilton’s bats in a district base- current administrators at ball loss at Raider Field. The America’s first Davis reflects Cleveland City Schools, while a Walker Valley Mustangs were cor- third is a former Bradley County ralled by the Ooltewah Owls in educator. other district action. The Lee Wacker plant on timetable, They include Cleveland’s men’s and women’s golf teams Supervisor of Curriculum and hold the lead heading into the Instruction Jeff Elliott, and final round of the GSC tourna- officially open perseverance Blythe-Bower Elementary ment. See Sports, Pages 9-11. Principal Dr. Joel Barnes. By BRIAN GRAVES By BRIAN GRAVES Dr. Sharon Harper, executive Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer director of Southeast CORE for the Department of Education, is Forecast “The Silicon Valley starts in Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis also a candidate. She is a former Tennessee now,” said Wacker Chemie got nostalgic at Monday's County Bradley County educator and AG President and CEO Dr. Rudolph Commission meeting as he spoke of the principal. Staudigl as the Wacker Charleston official grand opening of the new TSBA director of communica- plant celebrated its official grand Wacker Charleston plant. tion and member services Katie opening Monday. Banner photo, Howard Pierce THREE SPECIAL guests at Monday’s official Just hours after attending the event, Hock said the applicant search is Hundreds of invited guests and dig- Davis made his remarks at the begin- opening of the Wacker Polysilicon North America now complete, and there will be nitaries gathered in the shadows of ning of the Commission's voting ses- no additions. the company’s large distillation towers plant were, from left, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, Gov. sion, recalling how the project began. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander. Other applicants on the list as Wacker showed its pride in the “In my opinion, April 18, 2016, is a include: largest single investment project in day Bradley County will remember for a Today looks to be mostly sunny, — Dr. John E. Ash, principal of the company’s 100-year history. long time,” Davis said, referring to Central Magnet School in with a high near 82. Tonight’s fore- The morning began with a briefing Wacker's official start as an operating Rutherford County. cast calls for mostly cloudy skies, for the media which included Staudigl Bradley County business. — Christopher Ballenger, with a low around 58. Wednesday and Dr. Konrad Bachhuber, vice presi- He recalled it was in May 2005 when superintendent of Jennings should be mostly cloudy, with a dent and plant site manager. correspondence began with a company Public Schools in Jennings, Okla. high near 82. Wednesday night “We were fully aware this project then referred to as “Project Bond.” — Dr. Daniel V. Brigman, calls for mostly cloudy skies and a involved challenges — and we ulti- “It went on for awhile when it got superintendent of Catawba mately succeeded,” Staudigl said to down to two finalists in 2006 or 2007. County Schools in North slight chance of showers or thun- media members who came from as far derstorms, with a low around 58. There was an election in 2006 and we Carolina. away as London, England. were sworn to secrecy. I couldn't even — William Shane Cassida, cur- “Our project team had five very talk about this potential wonderful riculum and instruction director Index intensive years in Tennessee. There news,” the mayor recalled. "We got in Yancy County, N.C. were many challenges. For example, through that time and then we knew Classified................................14-15 Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES — Dr. William E. Childers, for- when construction was already well MAyOR D. GARy DAVIS, Rodney Blevins of who it was, but still couldn't talk about mer interim director of Grundy Comics...........................................6 underway, deteriorating solar market Volunteer Electric Cooperative and state Rep. Dan it. County Schools. conditions and overcapacities for poly- “We got the call one day, something Editorials......................................12 Howell talk with Mary Beth Hudson, who will be the — Dr. Frederick Clarke, execu- silicon called for an extended time new director of operations at the Wacker to the effect that we didn’t make it,” tive transformation office (assis- Horoscope......................................6 See WACKER, Page 13 Charleston plant. See DAVIS, Page 13 tant superintendent) in the East Obituaries.......................................2 See DIRECTOR, Page 13 Sports........................................9-11 Stocks............................................4 TV Schedule..................................7 Marcia Botts named New Hope Weather..........................................8 Around Town ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at event By LARRY C. BOWERS Gault announced the award, Terry Davis working with some Banner Staff Writer while the honoree received a bou- new partners ... Curtis Moore “We do enable every quet of flowers from Delaney getting a call right the first time ... New Hope Pregnancy Care woman to make a Walker, development director. Dustin McMurray getting to the Center Executive Director Tracie decision. God does some Gault said Botts, “Puts feet to park early ... Linda Prince excited Shellhouse provided those at amazing things at New her faith. She is a teacher and a to be talking about plans to pack Monday evening’s Spring Banquet Hope.” mentor.” up all the kids and grandkids for with an update of the significant — Tracie Shellhouse Two other volunteers also a trip to the beach sometime ... growth and progress of the local received special recognition. Lori Wright proud of her patch of pro-life organization. Gene Shellhouse, the director’s fresh asparagus. Shellhouse beamed when talk- expectant women. husband, and Alex Zipperer, hus- ing about the care center’s move A highlight of the evening was band of volunteer Casey Zipperer, to new, enlarged facilities in down- the presentation of this year’s were honored for their commit- town Cleveland, and the agency’s Volunteer of the Year award to ment in renovating the old oncolo- progress in preparing to go med- Marcia Botts. 6489076 75112 Tracie Shellhouse Melissa Ohden ical and offer ultrasounds to Volunteer coordinator Judy See BOTTS, Page 4 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Tuesday, April 19, 2016 www.clevelandbanner.com two stepgrandsons: Jody Wooten Julian L.