Keep America Beautiful names environmental essay winners: Page 13 163rd YEAR • No. 2 16 PAGES • 50¢ CLEVELAND, TN 37311 THE CITY WITH SPIRIT TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2017 County warns ‘don’t panic’ over reassessments By BRIAN GRAVES going up. ing a new tax rate as they begin budget tax rates. jurisdictions will receive the same [email protected] Just the opposite may be true in hearings starting at 3 p.m. in the The situation is that taxpayers are amount of property tax revenue as it most instances, but the amount of Commission meeting room to dissemi- seeing their property values increase, did the previous year, prior to reap- Bradley County commissioners sent taxes due should remain almost iden- nate requests of the departments which which would suggest those properties praisal,” Thompson’s email to Caywood two words out to property owners dur- tical to what they are currently. are looking at the most significant would see an increase in their tax bills. stated. ing their Monday night meeting: “I’ve been getting a barrage of phone increases to their operating budgets. Commissioner Terry Caywood said he Caywood emphasized the point made “Don’t panic.” calls about a huge property tax,” said A tax rate will not be set until early had communicated with County by Thompson that, according to state The words come as a response to Commissioner Dan Rawls. “There was July after a final budget is approved. Assessor Stanley Thompson about the statutes, jurisdictions cannot use the taxpayers who, after receiving their no property tax increase.” County Mayor D. Gary Davis, along matter. reappraisal to generate new revenue. reassessment notices, have expressed The fact is commissioners will meet with the Commission, appear to be on “The new certified tax rate will be concerns their property taxes are today to start the process in determin- a path that will not increase property adjusted to the point that the taxing See COUNTY, Page 13 Bob McIntire Jody Hughes is recipient confession of biz award suppressed Chamber honors by trial judge By ALLEN MINCEY [email protected] insurance leader A confession by Jody Hughes to the murder of Tyler Worth in 2015 was suppressed due to his By BRIAN GRAVES confession after reportedly being threatened with a [email protected] plea agreement being revoked. Bob McIntire, owner of McIntire and Associates Though it was scheduled to be the first day of a Insurance, has received the Cleveland/Bradley possible two-week trial, Monday was instead set Chamber of Commerce’s Mel Bedwell Small aside for motions to be Business Person of the Year Award. decided upon by Circuit The award was presented Monday during the Court Judge Sandra Chamber of Commerce’s annual small business Doneghy. Several law luncheon. enforcement officials testi- McIntire received the recognition because he fied about the events that “embodies the true spirit of a small businessper- led to Hughes’ arrest for son with integrity who is invested in making his the October 2015 homi- community a better place.” cide. The main testimony He is the 19th individual to receive the award came from 10th Judicial since its renaming to honor the contributions of District Drug Task Force the late Mel Bedwell and the 24th to receive the director Bill Cherry, who questioned Hughes about Hughes award since this recognition program began. Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES Bedwell was one of the most loyal and support- Worth’s death. ive members of the Small Business Committee of According to Cleveland Police Department 2017 MEL BEDWELL Small Business Person of the Year Bob McIntyre, right, receives his reports, Worth was reportedly picked up just off the Chamber of Commerce, which coordinates award from last year’s recipient, Jeff Cocks, during the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of See MCINTIRE, Page 13 Commerce’s annual luncheon recognizing Business Development Month. See HUGHES, Page 4 Sarah Scannapiego honored City school board updates by Cleveland’s school board its opposition to vouchers By SARALYN NORKUS so much since he’s been here. Being [email protected] able to serve with him not only on the By SARALYN NORKUS “We want to make sure our local school board, but on his student com- [email protected] legislators, who do a great job of sup- In a whirlwind Cleveland Board of mittee at school, has helped me learn porting public schools, continue to Education meeting that featured so much about what goes on behind The idea of school vouchers in the understand that as a school board, numerous recognitions, one had espe- the scenes.” state of Tennessee may no longer be a we’ve come out against that move- cially sentimental value for the board Her time on the board proved to be concern for this year, but Cleveland ment.” members as they recognized 2016-17 an excellent learning experience. Board of Education members took the In this past legislative session, a bill student liaison Sarah Scannapiego. “I’ve learned a lot about how a time to approve a resolution opposing proposing a pilot voucher bill for Scannapiego, who will be graduating school system functions, what it takes vouchers, which was updated to Shelby County Schools was introduced on May 19 and then pursuing a degree to make it function and how the include new BOE members. and ultimately postponed until 2018 in physical therapy at the University of schools stay above ground every day,” “We wanted to update that with our by Education Administration and Tennessee at Chattanooga, greatly Scannapiego said. new school board members so that we Planning Committee Chairman Harry enjoyed serving on the board as the Ultimately though, she was especial- had an anti-voucher resolution that Brooks (R-Knoxville) due to questions student liaison. ly proud to represent the students of we can send to our state legislators, about student testing at the public “It’s honestly just been an amazing Cleveland City Schools and her class- our TOSS group, which is my superin- and private level. opportunity,” she declared. tendents group, and the state school This bill would have applied only to mates at Cleveland High School in Banner photo, SARALYN NORKUS “I didn’t realize how much I was get- particular. board association. That way the lobby- Shelby County and allowed parents of ting into when I agreed to do this, but ists have that information and it lets students in the county’s lowest-per- “I think I represented our school SARAH SCANNAPIEGO, the 2016-17 it has been amazing to serve on the very well. I know what is happening on others know that we have come out forming schools to get public money to school board and to see how much student liaison for the Cleveland Board of publicly against the vouchers in pay to attend private schools. The esti- they accomplish and how much Dr. Education, was recognized Monday by the Tennessee movement,” Director of (Russell) Dyer has helped our schools See SCANNAPIEGO, Page 13 city school board. Schools Dr. Russell Dyer explained. See VOUCHERS, Page 13 AROUND TOWN WEATHER INDEX Classified.....................14-15 Sports............................ 9-11 Tyrese Warren excited about Today looks to be sunny, with a high near 76. learning new skills ... Judy Moore Tonight’s forecast calls for mostly clear skies, with a Comics.................................6 Stocks...................................4 enjoying some art at the recent low around 51. Wednesday should be mostly Horoscope............................6 Chalk the Walk event on the 6489076 75112 sunny, with a high near 82. Wednesday night calls Obituaries............................. TV Schedule.........................7 Greenway ... Edwin Martin working for clouds and a 40 percent chance of showers or 2 hard on a new schedule. thunderstorms, with a low around 60. Opinion...............................12 Weather................................8 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Tuesday, May 2, 2017 www.clevelandbanner.com Anthony, and Tamala Burris and A legacy of nurturing each indi- husband, Dee; uncles: Kevin vidual’s curiosity, dignity and love McCall and wife, Lisa, Ricky will continue rippling out through Hethcox and wife, Brenda, and those she touched. They are OBITUARIES Jason and Steven Hethcox; many. She had a knack for mak- (USPS 117-700) nieces and nephews: Owen, ing close connections with peo- Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office Carson, Aiden and Kylie McCall, ple she met of any age, from any POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 and Neyland and Naomi Tallent; walk of life, drawing them out Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) To submit an obituary, have the funeral home or cremation and cousins: Eli Hethcox and with sincere interest in their lives, in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday society in charge of arrangements e-mail the information to obitu- Dee and Cole Burris, Holly struggles and growth. and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. [email protected] and fax to 423-614-6529, attention Hethcox Moyer, Ryan Hethcox She taught early childhood Phone (423) 472-5041. Obits. and Josh Hethcox. education at the University of The funeral will be held at 3 Maryland, Baltimore County, Ralph Baldwin Joyce Taylor p.m. today, May 2, 2017, in the from the 1970s to the 1990s. She Editor & Publisher General Manager chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral shared with new preschool Home and Crematory with Pastor teachers knowledge that she had Member of The Associated Press Mark Williams officiating. gained at Merrill Palmer Institute, The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches Interment will follow at Sunset Detroit, in the 1940s, the credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous or igin Memorial Gardens with Michael University of Maryland in the herein.