T U E S D A Y 161st YEAR • NO. 267 MARCH 8, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ County stamps its OK on LFMS at $17M By BRIAN GRAVES with a $2.5 million commitment from the Bradley some debate. Banner Staff Writer County Board of Education and now, a $14.5 mil- Before a vote on the resolution could take place, lion commitment from the County Commission. Commissioner Dan Rawls submitted a substitute “Finally!” The Commission had twice over the last several motion that would set the county’s funding at the That word itself was not spoken verbally, but it years passed resolutions pledging $12 million original $12 million “plus the federally recognized reflected the emotions of a packed Bradley County toward the new facility. increase due to inflation.” Commission room of school administrators, par- It was Feb. 11 when the $17 million estimate on His motion was seconded by Commissioner ents and students upon hearing the vote Monday the 137,000 square-foot building was given to Charlotte Peak. night which will place a new Lake Forest Middle school officials and the school board’s added fund- “What’s going on is we had an agreement. I sat School academic facility into operation in the fall of ing from its end helped to spur the Commission to in a school board meeting and I heard the then 2018. up its share as well. Total cost of the construction will be $17 million However, the vote Monday did not come without See LFMS, Page 16 Yarber Winters Rawls Inside Today Board County honors group teachers, Arnold wants School hike in By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer fire tax The Cleveland Board of Education recognized its Teachers of the Year Monday evening, and also paid tribute Action to now Mustangs make it to Arnold Memorial School for being selected as a Tennessee go to finance to Murfreesboro Reward School for the 2014-15 Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS The Walker Valley Mustangs school year. ARNOLD MEMORIAL Principal Michael Chai, standing left, watches as a group of his students By BRIAN GRAVES battled to the wire with Lawrence Arnold Elementary Principal unfurl a banner from the Tennessee Department of Education recognizing the school as a Reward Banner Staff Writer County before pulling off a two- Michael Chai, members of his School. The banner was presented to Chai and the school at Monday’s evening’s Cleveland Board of “The fund balance just approved point win over the Wildcats to staff, Arnold parents and cele- Education meeting. is only 8 percent — that’s if we earn a spot in the AAA tourna- brating students were present- meet the 4 percent growth projec- ment. The Bradley Central Bears ed a banner from the tion. Unless revenues come in were knocked out of the chase Tennessee Department of much higher than the 4 percent with a lopsided loss to Blackman. Education. projection — write it down — you The UTC Mocs defeated East The banner will be displayed will have a budget Tennessee to win the Southern at the school, acknowledging dilemma in the Conference championship. See the growth Arnold students fire fund next Sports, Pages 9-11. accomplished during the previ- year.” ous school year. Prior to this Those were the Obama victimized honor, Arnold Memorial School words of Bradley had been listed as an at-risk County Mayor D. by racist mindsets school. Gary Davis on Arnold Memorial School has July 7, 2015. No matter how some want to say also been well represented in The dilemma it, or which words they prefer to Teacher of the Year competi- addressed by the use, the fact remains that President tion the past two years. county mayor last Davis Barack Obama — after seven years Siema Swartzel, Arnold’s year appears to in office — continues to be victim- music teacher, was recently have arrived. selected as Southeast The Commis- ized by racist attitudes among those Tennessee’s Teacher of the who don’t like him. They just don’t sion Fire Year for the region. She was Committee voted say why. See one writer’s perspec- recognized by the school board tive on this sensitive subject on Monday to recom- Monday evening, and will now mend the fire tax Page 12 of today’s edition. advance to Tennessee’s rate be folded into Teacher of the Year finals. one rate and Forecast Swartzel received her local include an Teacher of the Year certificate increase for those Monday, and the regional Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS Mull CLEVELAND’S Teachers of the Year were recognized at Monday’s Board of Education meeting at both in the rural award. district and the fringe district. Fifth-grade math instructor the central office. The honorees include, back row from left, Cleveland Middle School math teacher If approved, all county property Adam Moss won the Southeast Kelly Owens, Denning Center counselor Blair Deacon-Smith, CMS ELA teacher Emily Raper, Ross owners would pay .4312 per $100 Tennessee title a year ago. He Elementary fourth-grade teacher Dana Storey, Blythe-Bower special education teacher Kim Davison, assessed value. The current rates advanced to Nashville and the Yates Primary second-grade teacher Amber Montgomery, CMS social studies teacher Josh Foggin, are .3440 for Fire District 1 (rural) state finals, where he placed in and Cleveland High Spanish teacher Jeremy Smith. On the front row, from left, are Cleveland High and .4121 for Fire District 2 the final three and was East engineering instructor Ben Williams, Arnold Elementary music teacher and regional Teacher of the (fringe). Tennessee’s Teacher of the That would mean an increase of Year. Year Siema Swartzel, Stuart Elementary fourth-grade teacher Christina Melton, Cleveland High Today looks to be partly sunny, English teacher Wanda Dent, and Mayfield second-grade teacher Chelsie Isbill. $21.80 for residents now in Fire with a high near 72 degrees. Moss also attended District 1 and $2.50 for those in Monday’s school board mem- Fire District 2, based on a property Tonight’s forecast is for partly bers to celebrate his school’s cloudy skies, with a low around 53. with a $100,000 value. achievements. Raider Arena completion expected The recommendation will now go Wednesday should be mostly Other Elementary Level sunny, with a high around 75 and a to the Finance Committee which Teachers of the Year honored well before official opening in April will have to make a recommenda- southerly wind of 5 to 10 mph. along with Swartzel include tion to the full Commission. Wednesday night should be mostly Blythe-Bower special educa- By LARRY C. BOWERS April. There was an effort by some cloudy, with a low around 54. tion teacher Kim Davison, Banner Staff Writer Templeton also brought along Steve Myers of commissioners to make a similar Mayfield second-grade teacher Myers Transportation Consulting with a pro- move last year, when the Chelsie Isbill, Ross Elementary Brian Templeton of the Upland Design Group posed traffic plan for Georgetown Road, where Commission voted to approve an Index fifth-grade instructor Dana attended Monday evening’s Cleveland Board of the city’s new elementary school will be located. enhanced pay scale for members of Storey, Stuart fourth-grade Education meeting and brought along informa- Myers has been putting together the trans- Classified................................14-15 the Bradley County Fire-Rescue teacher Christina Melton, and tion on the winding down of the construction of portation plan for the Tennessee Department of department. But, all proposed tax Comics...........................................6 Yates Primary second-grade Cleveland High School’s new Raider Arena. Transportation, although the state’s widening of increases were eventually voted Editorials......................................12 teacher Amber Montgomery. The representative of the Middle Tennessee Georgetown Road will not be happening for some down. Horoscope......................................6 Middle school Level recipi- firm said there have been no flare-ups in con- time. Employees of that department Obituaries.......................................2 struction, and the $11 million project should be received 2 percent raises effective Sports........................................9-11 See BOARD, Page 13 completed well before the official opening in See ARENA, Page 13 Stocks............................................4 See TAX, Page 16 TV Schedule..................................7 Weather..........................................8 Around Town Cleveland Creatives is Angie Ledford discussing the month of May ... Kevin Brooks increasing artistic vibe excited about an approaching event that’s been a long time in By JOYANNA LOVE coming ... Mike Smith making Banner Senior Staff Writer HIDDEN some special plans for a special package as a way of saying Brush stokes and pencil CLEVELAND thank you ... Kendra Gray provid- sketches take form among the ing a lot of helpful information ... constant hum of conversation. Idea-generating items are on your work, talk to other people William Anderson dropping by to (and) get feedback,” Barks said. meet a new friend ... James display for those who like to draw what they see. Expertise ranges from begin- Burns providing some historical ners to professionals. The style perspectives on journalism. This is the Cleveland Creatives Artist Meetup. of art is also varied, from realis- Organizer Jaime Barks said tic to abstract, watercolors to the group holds events on a pencil sketches. Banner photo, JOYANNA LOVE monthly basis. LORI McDANIEL, from left, Marilyn Johnson and Elizabeth Evans work on projects in their sketch- books during a recent Cleveland Creatives Artist Meetup. 6489076 75112 “It gives you a chance to show See CREATIVES, Page 16 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Tuesday, March 8, 2016 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.