SPORTS: LOCAL NEWS: Tar Heels stick it Andor building to Gonzaga in men in local Men’s Final: Page 9 program: Page 4 Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson issues statement on deputy’s civil trial: Page 8 162nd YEAR • No. 288 16 pAGES • 50¢ CLEVELAND, TN 37311 THE CITY WITH SPIRIT TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017 Senate approves Haslam’s broadband bill By BRIAN GRAVES that may be provided pursuant to the the state, they would be in the best start addressing the problem we have,” speed internet. And last, and the most [email protected] act, including broadband internet position to move more quickly to get Haslam said. “The perfect is the enemy important part, allows our state’s elec- access outside the service area of the the services to customers who are fail- of the good, and there are a lot of peo- tric co-ops to enter the broadband Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to extend cooperative, requires the permission of ing to be offered adequate broadband ple who say they would like a little arena.” broadband access to rural parts of any municipal electric plant or coopera- access. more of this or a little more of that. I “This bill takes the model we used Tennessee passed a milestone Monday tive in whose service area the services It also authorizes the commissioner think this is a great start in addressing almost 100 years ago to successfully night, when the state Senate voted 31-0 will be provided. of economic and community develop- most of the problems we have on bring electricity to rural America, and for its approval. For Bradley County, that would ment to establish and administer a broadband access.” applies it to high speed internet,” he The bill will now be heard in the mean electric cooperatives such as broadband accessibility grant program, State Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) said added. “While it won’t happen state House Finance, Ways and Means Volunteer Electric could provide broad- and establishes the broadband accessi- he was proud to present the bill on the overnight, I believe the electric co-ops Committee during a hearing today in band services to their customers and bility fund which can be accessed by floor of the state Senate. will solve the rural broadband access Nashville. even to customers within the Cleveland cooperatives under certain guidelines. “There are three key components to problem.” Under the terms of the bill, broad- Utility service area, should the utility In an interview last month with the the bill,” Bell said. “First, a grant pro- State Rep. Dan Howell (R- band internet access would added to grant their permission. Cleveland Daily Banner, Haslam admit- gram to expand broadband that all Georgetown) said the state Senate pas- the services that a cooperative may pro- The idea behind allowing the cooper- ted the plan was not perfect. providers will be eligible for. Second, sage makes him “very happy for my vide. atives to offer the services is that since “I think it is something we can get another grant program that will help This bill adds that any of the services cooperatives cover a major portion of passed, and then we can immediately connect all the state’s libraries to high See BROADBAND, Page 8 County approves City school board eyes purchase of AU results of energy plan facility at $2.2M for savings By SARALYN NORKUS By BRIAN GRAVES The asking price for the prop- [email protected] [email protected] erty by owner Larry Armour is $2.2 million. Potential energy-efficient The vision is one step closer to Finance Chairman Milan Blake savings were the topic of the reality. made the motion to accept the night at Monday’s Cleveland The Bradley County recommendation with Board of Education meeting Commission voted Commissioner as the Energy Systems Group 10-4 Monday “In about six or seven Thomas Crye voic- presented BOE members with night to purchase weeks, the 2017 seniors ing the second for their findings from a two- the former are going to walk across the motion. month long engineering American Uniform those stages — and then Blake said he study. building, at the what? It behooves us as was at first skep- The news was positive request of the the County Commission, tical of the plan, overall, but it was stressed Bradley County working with our school but after meeting that CCS could maximize its Board of board, to do everything we with GOAL efficiency and savings by an Education. can to help those kids.” Academy Principal energy-update project. The school — Milan Blake Kyle Page he saw “We were pretty much board wants to the rationale aware of where our energy make the building behind the idea. deficiencies were, so they did- a destination for He noted not n’t really surprise us,” said CCS Director of Maintenance science, technology, engineering every student who graduates will Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES and math activities, particularly go through college academics. GOAL ACADEMY pRINCIpAL Kyle Page, right, describes the engineer's report on the structural and Transportation Hal those STEM areas related to high “This kind of facility, with the integrity of the American Uniform building. At left, Bradley County Director of Schools Dr. Linda Cash Taylor. “We have some buildings school career and technical edu- arrangements that they have, will thanks the Bradley County Commission for its vote to purchase the former factory facility that will be cation programs, as well as the with older equipment that we new home of the GOAL Academy. used for a variety of education-related programming. Attending Monday’s County Commission ses- knew would have a key See FACILITY, Page 8 sion was a large contingent of county school system employees and local industry leaders. emphasis.” ESG is no stranger to the area, having already signed a $16.2 million contract with Bradley County Schools in August 2016. That contract for energy conservation meas- ures is expected to result in $23.3 million in energy and operational savings for the county school system. Through their free prelimi- nary study of the city school system’s buildings and equip- ment, ESG was able to identi- fy areas that could use some improvement to aid in energy savings and producing a more comfortable learning environment. “We enhance building envi- ronments using existing budget dollars,” ESG busi- ness development manager Russ Nelson explained. The group does this by identifying energy and opera- tional saving opportunities, replacing equipment/systems that are past their useful life, implementing new technology and best practices and guar- Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES THE CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL wrestling team and coaches were honored by the Bradley County Commission for their success in the state championship. They had gathered for Monday night’s Commission meeting. See ENERGY, Page 4 AROUND TOWN WEATHER INDEX Michael Ensley enjoying some Today looks to be mostly sunny, with a high near Church Activities........................3 Opinion.....................................12 time off, despite being in a cast ... 78. Tonight calls for clear skies and a low around Classified............................14-15 Sports....................................9-11 John, Melanie, Amelia and J.J. 56. Wednesday calls for clouds and a 70 percent Comics.......................................6 Stocks........................................4 Arias enthusiastically discussing chance of rain, with a high near 75. Wednesday Horoscope..................................6 TV Schedule..............................7 6489076 75112 California ... Joe Davis searching Weather......................................8 for elusive white folding tables. night should be cloudy and cool, with a 60 percent Obituaries...................................2 chance of rain and a low around 47. 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Tuesday, April 4, 2017 www.clevelandbanner.com Trump cuts off U.N. agency’s OBITUARIES (USPS 117-700) Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office funds over POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Saturday, April 1, 2017. Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) abortion concern To submit an obituary, have the funeral home or cremation She was born on April 28, in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday society in charge of arrangements e-mail the information to obitu- 1943, to the late James Carden and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. WASHINGTON (AP) — The [email protected] and fax to 423-614-6529, attention and Rebecca Carden. Phone (423) 472-5041. Trump administration said Obits. She worked as a dietary aide Monday it was cutting off U.S. at Bradley Healthcare for 17 Ralph Baldwin Joyce Taylor funding to the United Nations years. Editor & Publisher General Manager agency for reproductive She loved life and always health, accusing the agency of enjoyed people. She was a faith- Member of The Associated Press supporting population control ful member at Southview Baptist The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches Church. credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous or igin programs in China that herein. All rights of all other material herein are as reserved. ©2016 Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. include coercive abortion. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her SUBSCRIPTION RATES By halting assistance to the sister, Elizabeth Stevenson; and U.N. 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