FRIDAY 162nd YEAR • No. 185 DECEMBER 2, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 20 PAGES • 50¢ Rains put slight dent in ‘exceptional’ drought By LARRY C. BOWERS the combination of approximately 5 The Cleveland and Bradley County Only a section of Southern California days of November, which will improve Banner Staff Writer inches of rain was only a slight dent in area has climbed to the top of the scale is rated D4 on the national table. the total somewhat. Total rainfall for the possibility late-year rainfall will turn in drought monitoring over the past two Mullinax emphasized the local area April through the first 27 days of Nowhere in the nation are drought around the disastrous numbers of 2016. months, along with surrounding areas of had no measurable rainfall during the November was less than 20 inches conditions worse than they are here in Craig Mullinax, vice president of the the Southeastern section of the nation, 62 days prior to the Monday and (19.54). the region encompassing Cleveland, Cleveland Utilities Water Division, Mullinax reported. The community is Tuesday storms this week. Mullinax said he has never, during his Bradley County, East Tennessee, North attempted to put the dilemma into per- ranked at D4 (exceptional drought con- The community has recorded only 33 time with the local utility, experienced Georgia and several other Southeastern spective for the Cleveland Board of ditions), along with parts of Alabama, inches of rainfall this year, compared to anything like the extended two-month states. Public Utilities during Thursday’s formal Georgia, South Carolina and North an average amount of 55.25 inches. Early week storms were a relief, but session. Carolina. This does not include the final three See DROUGHT, Page 8 Coming Sunday Haslam, Christmas ‘Song GOODBYE TO AN OLD OAK Book’ scheduled senators As the Yuletide approaches, and more and more families, groups and churches are taking to inspirational music, it’s time for publication of the to tour annual “Christmas Song Book” spe- cial section by the Cleveland Daily Banner. Watch for it in Sunday’s edition. disaster Inside Today areas Corker addresses Senate on tragedies By RICK NORTON Associate Editor As Southeast and East Tennessee families mourned the loss of loved ones in the wake of a deadly school bus crash, two drownings, a horrific tornado out- break and a heartbreaking wild- fire that scarred the lives and livelihoods of three mountain- resort communities — all within the same month — words of hope were Banner photos, LARRY C. BOWERS o f f e r e d CLEVELAND’S ABC Tree Service reached Thursday from high in the sky Thursday to bring down First the nation’s Mustangs, Raiders Cumberland Church’s old oak tree, across the capital. intersection from the Cleveland Municipal They were win in ‘The Stable” Building. ABC’s “climber,” Chuckie Perez, is delivered by Walker Valley hosted a shown in the central section of the diseased U.S. Sen. Bob wrestling tri-meet with Cleveland tree around midday, upper left. He sliced Corker (R- and Cookeville inside “The through the larger limbs, and a crane lowered Tennessee), a Corker Stable” Thursday night, with the them to the ground. The scene at the upper right was just after 8 a.m., with street H a m i l t o n Mustangs and Blue Raiders com- County native signs in place and workers ready to begin the cutting project. Below are city 200-year-old tree and former ing out victorious. The basketball employees who crossed the street to say goodbye to the old landmark. Raiders and Mustangs will clash Chattanooga tonight inside the Raider Arena in mayor who district 5-AAA basketball openers. coming down due chairs the gov- On Saturday, Lee Flames basket- erning body’s ball will host Make-A-Wish Night, F o r e i g n against Shorter University. See to age and health R e l a t i o n s Sports, Pages 11-13. Committee. By LARRY C. BOWERS C o r k e r , Banner Staff Writer whose wife is a Haslam Forecast Sevier County First Cumberland Presbyterian Chuch in native, made downtown Cleveland was the location of consid- his remarks erable activity Thursday, and more than a few from the Senate visitors. floor. He spoke The church’s 200-year-old pin oak tree, specifically of which authorities said has been suffering from the tragedies poor health for years, is no longer a Cleveland that took the landmark. ABC Tree Service brought the old lives of six oak to the ground piece by piece, beginning W o o d m o r e just after 8 a.m. and continuing through the E l e m e n t a r y day. students in Alexander Today looks to be sunny, with a Project manager Casey Akins, and designated Chattanooga, high near 56. Tonight’s forecast “climber” Chuckie Perez, were at the church the tornado outbreak that killed calls for partly cloudy skies and a early in the morning going through plans for two in Polk County and the devas- low around 35. Saturday should be the day. Also arriving early were First tating, wind-driven wildfires in partly sunny, with a high near 53. Cumberland Pastor Jennifer Newell and Sevier that at last count had Saturday night calls for clouds and Church Elder Davis Morelock. taken at least 11 lives and dam- aged or destroyed 700 structures a 70 percent chance of rain, with a See OAK, Page 9 low around 41. Sunday calls for clouds and an 80 percent chance See DISASTER, Page 8 of rain, with a high near 49. Sunday night calls for cloudy skies and a 60 percent chance of rain, with a low around 43. Valley View Beta Club Index earns top state award Church........................................6-7 Classified......................................19 By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Comics.........................................15 Banner Staff Writer “They competed Editorials......................................14 In their very first state com- against thousands of Horoscope....................................15 petition, the students of the other students. They Obituaries.......................................2 Valley View Elementary School’s did a great job.” Stocks............................................4 Junior Beta Club were honored — Jennie White Sports......................................11-13 with a first-place award. TV Schedule...........................16-17 As a group, the fourth- and fifth-graders took home first and leadership in schools. Each Weather........................................10 place for Living Literature, a year, school chapters can competition category where stu- choose to take part in a Around Town dents re-enact scenes from statewide competition. books, during the recent This year’s Tennessee compe- Arlene Marr and Betty Bryant Tennessee Junior Beta tition was held at Nashville’s enjoying a special show ... Jeff Convention. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Johnson serving once again as “They competed against thou- Convention Center, with stu- the turkey chef for his family ... dents competing in a variety of Contributed photo sands of other students,” RE-ENACTING a scene from the book “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry, Valley View Elementary Billy West looking for some fresh- teacher and sponsor Jennie categories to show off their aca- made buttermilk pie. White said. “They did a great demic skill. School’s Junior Beta Club students take part in the Living Literature competition at the recent job.” Valley View’s students Tennessee Junior Beta Convention. They depicted a scene in which characters in the book staged a The Junior Beta Club is a excelled in categories related to fake funeral as part of an effort to keep Jewish friends from being taken to concentration camps during national student organization the Holocaust. Here, they are being questioned by Nazi soldiers. The scene won the students a first- emphasizing community service See AWARD, Page 8 place award, and it was the club’s first state competition. 6489076 75112 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Friday, December 2, 2016 www.clevelandbanner.com Saundra Jo Faulk Ruth Ellen Hardwick Saundra Jo Stoker Faulk, 50, Ruth Ellen (Pellen) Hardwick, a resident of Ocoee, passed 86, of Cleveland, passed away OBITUARIES away during the early morning on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. (USPS 117-700) hours of Wednesday, Nov. 30, A memorial service will be held Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office 2016, when the storm passed Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at 2 p.m. through Polk County. She at Broad Street United Methodist POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 nate to have played many of the loved making crafts with her Church in Cleveland. Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) great golf courses from Asia to mother. Visitation will be in the Narthex in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday Europe. She was preceded in death of the church beginning at 1 p.m. and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. He was a member of by her husband, Mark Riddle In lieu of flowers, the family Phone (423) 472-5041. Springbrook Golf and Country Faulk Jr.; father, Joe Stoker; requests that donations be made Club in Niota for more than 50 and twin sister: Rhonda Jo either to The American Red Stephen L. Crass Joyce Taylor years and Royal Dornoch Golf Stoker Milner. Cross of Southeast Tennessee, Editor & Publisher General Manager Club in Dornoch, Scotland, She is survived by her moth- 4115 South Access Road, Member of The Associated Press where he and his son were mem- er, Geri Stoker of Ocoee; two Chattanooga, TN 37406 or Broad bers for many years and was a children: Kira Chadwick and Street United Methodist Church, The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper, and also the local news of spontaneous origin former member of Cleveland CC Christopher Graves, both of Music and Arts Memorial Fund, herein.