SPORTS: LOCAL NEWS: Kentucky gets back Life Care gets at Tennessee, in big North Lee Lexington: Page 9 hearts: Page 8 162nd YEAR • No. 247 24 PAGES • 50¢ CLEVELAND, TN 37311 THE CITY WITH SPIRIT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 City surveys set to be accepted TennovaTennova unveilsunveils for 10 more days state-of-the-artstate-of-the-art Final community meeting imagingimaging centercenter today at Museum Center By LARRY C. BOWERS ed sites at the Banner Staff Writer Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, and municipal Cleveland municipal staff will building. continue to collect community Once collection is completed, surveys for another 1 1/2 the findings will be detailed in weeks (through Feb. 24), and a comprehensive report for use will then compile the data col- by the Council and city staff. lected from city residents for This report should be available documentation to City Council in April, and results will be members and department placed on the city’s official heads. website. City Manager Joe Fivas, who Some preliminary data was initiated and is coordinating release to the Council on the survey Monday. collection Quality of life issues in the city of One of and a series Cleveland scored high at 85.32 per- the major of district cent being very satisfied. Only 5.16 positives, community percent felt they were dissatisfied. from the meetings, early num- provided bers, is the Council members with a pre- perception of Cleveland’s public liminary report on the survey safety services (police and fire at the governing body’s strate- department). The surveys show gic planning session earlier this that 86.54 percent of residents MRI equipment latest week at the municipal building. were “very satisfied” with the A sixth and final community service, with only 3.88 percent in hospital technology meeting, a general forum, was registered in the “very dissatis- scheduled for 3 p.m. today at fied” category. the Museum Center at Five By BRIAN GRAVES On maintenance of streets Banner Staff Writer Points, located on Inman and sidewalks, 55.41 percent Street. This wrap-up is targeted were very satisfied, and 23.7 The human body is a complicated machine and, just to the downtown Cleveland percent dissatisfied. Traffic flow like one’s automobile, you have to go under the hood once business community, and will and congestion garnered a in awhile to check things out and make repairs. go into detail on tentative plans 39.57 percent vote as very dis- New technologies which can help doctors examine for downtown development and satisfied, with only 35.69 per- patients without “opening the hood” are the centerpiece of revitalization. cent satisfied. Tennova Healthcare-Cleveland’s new $2 million, state-of- Topics to be discussed will Survey responders claim the-art imaging center located adjacent to the hospital on include the old Cherokee Hotel their No. 1 priority for the city Chambliss Avenue. (Summit Apartments), the Old over the next two years is traf- Dr. Shannon Rico, M.D., a 20-plus year veteran of med- Banner photo, DANIEL GUY Woolen Mill, and the former fic flow and congestion (47.94 ical imaging procedures, came to Cleveland six months SHEER MAGNETIC FORCES are on display as MRI technologist Whirlpool plant property. percent). At No. 2 was streets ago from Baptist Hospital in Memphis to take the reins of Fivas told Council members Sharon Carlton’s keys seem to float seemlessly in the air, tethered by and sidewalks (47.33 percent), Tennova’s newest investment in public health. nothing more than a lanyard, during Tennova Healthcare’s tour on Monday that the survey collec- while the quality of public safe- “The MRI we have is so much better than what we have tion is an apparent success. It ty services came in at No. 3 had before,” Rico said. “The high-resolution pictures are Tuesday of its brand new MRI setup. Coleman Foss, CEO of Tennova was hoped, at the start, that at with 38.94 percent. so much better and more definitive, which helps physi- Healthcare (right, in inset photo), and Shannon Rico, left, imaging least 500 surveys would be Quality of life issues in the cians make better diagnoses.” director at Tennova Healthcare, hold a brief conference on the “night- turned in. There have been city of Cleveland scored high at Rico said the new MRI system now in place is “tops.” and-day” difference between the brand-new Philips MRI imaging tech- over 900 collected, with several nology (and the old tech it replaced) and the benefits for patients the more to be picked up at collect- See SURVEYS, Page 6 See TENNOVA, Page 4 new equipment will provide. Dyer gets glowing Rising absentee board evaluation rate forced city’s after 7 months schools closing By SARALYN NORKUS By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer Even though Dr. Russell Dyer has only held his With Cleveland City Schools having been director of Cleveland City Schools position for seven closed for three days last week due to sickness, months, Board of Education it was back to business on Monday, which members stuck with their tradi- included the monthly board of education meet- tional January director’s evalua- ing. tion. During his update to the board, Director of “We do these evaluations Cleveland City Schools Dr. Russell Dyer dis- annually, and want to do them in cussed the factors that influenced his decision to January each year. If we had close the schools Wednesday through Friday of waited until he had been here a last week. year, we would’ve had to do it in “We were at an 8 percent absentee rate start- July, which would conflict with ing out Tuesday morning, and that number was the state law,” explained CCS up to 10 percent by noon,” he explained. “Many Dyer Board of Education Chairman teachers were very ill and it was hard to find Dawn Robinson. Banner photo, SARALYN NORKUS enough substitute teachers.” Tennessee State Code 49-2-203a 14(A) states that BRADLEY CLEVELAND Public Education Foundation President Matt Bentley detailed the funds While closed those three days, all of the city the Cleveland City Schools system has received in six years at Monday night’s Board of Education See DYER, Page 6 meeting. See ABSENTEE, Page 6 AROUND TOWN WEATHER INDEX Jo Moses and Dora Gash getting Today should see cloudy skies gradually Valentine’s wishes ... Buster Ogle wondering become mostly sunny, with a high temperature Classified.....................14-15 Obituaries.............................2 if his cards were put in the wrong mailbox ... of 49 degrees. North winds of 10 to 15 mph Comics...............................22 Stocks...................................4 Candi Smith recently playing a friendly could gust as high as 20. Tonight’s forecast Editorials.............................12 Sports............................ 9-11 game of H-O-R-S-E on the basketball court, calls for mostly clear skies, with a low around 6489076 75112 and defeating the two men she was playing Horoscope..........................22 TV Schedule.......................23 ... Sally Hays treating a friend to a nice cup 31. Thursday calls for sunny skies and a high near 56. Thursday night of coffee. should be mostly clear, with a low around 34. Lifestyles.......................17-19 Weather................................7 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Wednesday, February 15, 2017 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. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Joyce Hammons Combs To submit an obituary, have the funeral home or cremation Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) Joyce Hammons Combs, 62, in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday society in charge of arrangements e-mail the information to obitu- and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. of Cleveland, passed away [email protected] and fax to 423-614-6529, attention Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, after a Phone (423) 472-5041. courageous battle with cancer. Obits. She was a member of Zion Ralph Baldwin Joyce Taylor Baptist Church. Editor & Publisher General Manager infantry regimental tank compa- She graduated from ETSU James Grant Member of The Associated Press with a degree in social work and James Grant, 63, of Cleveland, ny. worked with abused children dur- died Tuesday night, Feb. 14, In 1952, he married Katharine The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches Hale from Pine Apple, Ala. credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous origin ing her career. 2017, at his home. herein. All rights of all other material herein are as reserved. ©2016 Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. She retired as the administra- Survivors and arrangements His first pharmacist job was at tor of a residential treatment cen- will be announced later by Lee-King Drug store in Newnan, SUBSCRIPTION RATES ter for juveniles located in Companion Funeral Home & Ga., in 1953. In 1955, he accept- Publishser Reserves the Right to Change Rates Without Notice Pennsylvania. Crematory. ed a pharmacist position at Cole Print Only 3 months 6 Months 1 Year Monthly Daily Drug Store in Cleveland, Carrier Collect Rate * $6.75 She was an avid photographer, who enjoyed wildlife and the out- Tennessee. In 1972, he accepted By Carrier Home / Business Delivery $20.00 $38.00 $ 75.00 a district supervisor position with By Mail inside Zip 307 $25.00 $45.00 $ 85.00 doors. She was a gourmet cook By Mail outside Zip 307 in TN, GA $38.00 $55.00 $105.00 and enjoyed entertaining others. Revco Drug in Knoxville. By Mail Outside TN $38.00 $67.00 $130.00 In 1986, Alfred and his wife She was preceded in death by Print + E-Edition her father, Judge Frank D.