M O N D A Y 160th YEAR • No. 301 APRIl 20, 2015 ClEVElANd, tN 18 PAGES • 50¢ Community teams still have time to sign up for 2015 Relay For Life By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG atmosphere,” and it is expected Banner Staff Writer few will want to sleep during the “One in 3 individuals event’s evening hours. Local teams still have time to will hear the words, ‘You Greene said the American get ready for the fast-approach- have cancer.’ Even if Cancer Society this year gave ing annual Relay For Life of you’re not one of those local event organizers the Bradley County event. three, it will be someone authority to decide on the dura- Scheduled for Saturday, May that you love.” tion of their events, which can go 2, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in — Meghan Greene from as few as six hours to as downtown Cleveland, this year’s many as 24. event will take place as the She said Bradley County is American Cancer Society cele- schedule changes from a 24- simply trying out the 12-hour brates the 30th anniversary of its hour schedule to a 12-hour one. schedule to see if holds advan- biggest fundraising event. “We’re trying to make it a more tages over the previous time Mid-South Division Relay For upbeat, energetic event,” Greene frame. Life Community Manager said. “It can definitely hold up a 24- Meghan Greene said this year’s Participating teams that have hour event,” Greene said. “We’ll local event will “blend the old and members walking or running in just see how it goes. ... It’s entire- the new.” shifts will still set up their camp- ly up to the community.” First-time Relay For Life organ- sites as they usually do. She explained the shorter izers Greene and Tiffany However, she said this year’s schedule could allow more fami- Contributed photo Thornhill have been rallying event is expected to evoke a CANCER SURVIVoRS show their strength while marching before a group of supporters during 2014’s teams of walkers as the event “block party or carnival-type See RELAY, Page 4 Bradley County Relay For Life event in downtown Cleveland. This year’s event is slated for May 2. Inside Today Gangs, drugs biggest threats ‘Coming challenges’ eyed by DA Crump By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Waiting in the rain Banner Staff Writer Some nine hours and four rain Tennessee 10th District delays after the first green flag Attorney General Stephen Crump waved at Bristol, Matt Kenseth lists drug use and gang activity ended his 51-race drought with a among the “coming challenges” win on the half-mile track. In those in the local district could baseball, the Atlanta Braves won face in the future. the series finale, and thus the “We’ve got a serious meth prob- interleague series, over the lem in the district,” Crump said Toronto Blue Jays. With a loss during a recent meeting of the Sunday, the Nashville Predators Bradley Sunrise Rotary Club. now trail the Chicago Blackhawks Contributed photo Tennessee has in the past been 2-1 in their playoff series. See tHIS AmERICAN FlAG display was entered by Cooke’s Food Stores in national competition. Cooke’s won the top prize among ranked No. 1 in the country as Sports, Pages 11-13. 2,600 grocers across the nation. The award was presented at the Association of Wholesale Grocers annual shareholders meeting. being the state with the biggest methampheta- mine problem, Closed government he noted. is a serious blunder However, he Making produce come to life said the state When government — local, has been work- state or federal — fails the test of ing to lessen transparency by conducting busi- that number ness outside the view of the pub- through law lic, it is an ethical and legal viola- Tom Harris earns top merchandising award enforcement tion of everything about American and other democracy. So yes, take such Special to the Banner efforts. Crump transgressions personally. For Bright colors, and spectacular arrange- However, the reasons why, see the guest ments, earned Cleveland’s Cooke’s Food meth that is more frequently on “Viewpoint” on Page 14 of today’s Stores recognition at the recent Associated the streets now — nicknamed “ice” edition. Wholesale Grocers Annual Shareholders — is stronger due to crackdowns Meeting in Kansas City, Kan. on things like pseudoephedrine Forecast Tom Harris, director of produce for the sales. Cleveland grocer, earned the While Crump said law enforce- Excellence in Produce ment agencies have been working Today calls for clouds and 40 to “break the cycle,” he noted they percent chance of afternoon show- Merchandising Award for having the outstanding pro- are also having to guard against ers or thunderstorms, with a high meth being trafficked across state around 70 degrees. Tonight’s fore- duce department in 2014. Harris, and Cooke’s, won lines and international borders, cast calls for a 30 percent chance of the award from among 2,600 like Mexico. rain, with a low around 46. On supermarkets serviced by He also said heroin use is “com- Tuesday, expect mostly sunny skies Associated Wholesale ing back very strongly.” Crump and a high near 70. Tuesday night Grocers. The Excellence in said the drug is dangerous should be mostly clear, with a low Merchandising Award is pre- because it is “more potent than marijuana” and is harder to track, around 47. Harris sented to only one super- market each year. because it does not include an Sunset today: 8:17 p.m. Contributed photo ingredient that can be tracked with Sunrise Tuesday: 7:02 a.m. Associated Wholesale Grocers was estab- A SECoNd PRodUCE display by Cooke’s Food Stores had a University of lished in 1926. The 89-year-old retailer-owned a database as is the case with Tennessee theme of orange and white on a green background. The Cleveland outlet meth. Index won the top prize in the nation among 650 member-owners of the Association of However, he also noted prescrip- See PRODUCE, Page 4 Wholesale Grocers. Classified.................................16-17 See THREATS, Page 4 Comics............................................8 Editorials.......................................14 Horoscope.......................................8 MINI Pages..................................5-6 New SPCA director Adam Cotton Obituaries........................................2 Sports.......................................11-13 TV Schedule...................................9 enjoys personal love for animals Weather.........................................10 By BRIAN GRAVES “A major factor for me in moving to Banner Staff Writer ERSONALITY the animal field as opposed to the Around Town P human side is because my wife is a Adam Cotton is an animal lover. Tom Rowland getting to stroll shelter veterinarian,” he said. It is a love that started with a dog PROFILE Cotton said he has now worked for the Cleveland/Bradley County named Ashley. Greenway ... Kate Kesley being a both an open admission shelter with “She was raised at the same time I a “no kill” policy and open admission real trooper about having to was being raised, we grew up togeth- people person as I’ve been an animal undergo an appendectomy ... shelters which did not operate as “no er,” the new SPCA director of opera- person my entire life,” Cotton said. kill.” Gabrielle Thornton and Isahia tions said. “Around my 13th birth- “I’ve spent many years fostering ani- Beaty looking stunning ... Nick “That has given me plenty of per- day, she died. So she’s always had a mals. I’ve had hundreds of fosters in spective on how best to manage ani- Hayes sporting a red nose for a special place in my heart. She is def- the last decade that I’ve taken care of great cause ... LeAnn Owens win- mals, and get them into homes as initely the dog I think about when I at home.” quickly and safely as possible,” he ning another giveaway from a think about owning animals.” Cotton spent many years working boutique. said. Thinking about people owning ani- for a variety of nonprofits, including He said one of the most important mals is a major part of his new posi- chemical dependency shelters, chil- things he has learned firsthand Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES tion here, but it is not really any- dren’s shelters, domestic violence about the operations of a shelter is AdAm CottoN, the new SPCA director of thing new for him. shelters and an inner-city homeless operations, gives ‘Loki’ a walk around the yard “I’ve always been as much of a shelter. See COTTON, Page 4 at the SPCA Animal Adoption Center. 6489076 75112 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Monday, April 20, 2015 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 18, 2015. Leslie Faye Mayfield Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) She was born on Feb. 28, 1947, in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday to the late Virgil and Bernice Leslie Faye Mayfield, 70 of Etowah, passed away and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. Rogers. She loved enjoying flow- Phone (423) 472-5041. ers of all kinds, sitting on the porch Thursday, April 16, 2015, at and bird watching. She was also a Skyridge Medical Center. Stephen L. Crass Jim Bryant very talented cook and enjoyed She was a daughter of the Editor & Publisher General Manager spending time with her church, late Henry and Ella Farr. Birchwood Church of God. Above Survivors include her hus- Member of The Associated Press band, Bill Mayfield of Etowah; all things, however, she was a The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches very loving wife, mother, grand- son and daughter-in-law, Mike credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous or igin mother, sister and friend to all who and Debbie Black of Spanish herein.