WEDNESDAY 161st YEAR • NO. 274 MARCH 16, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 26 PAGES • 50¢ Reminder Legislative broadband bill dies again Trustee’s closed By BRIAN GRAVES the state comptroller to select a municipal “a smaller version” with the amendment. Thursday, 11-1 Banner Staff Writer service headquartered within a county. “There have been various attempts at find- That service would then be able to offer ing a solution for broadband opportunities we From Staff Reports The bill that would have allowed EPB of broadband to a rural electric cooperative are facing in our state,” Brooks told the com- The Bradley County Trustee’s Chattanooga to service Bradley County with within its home county as well as an adjoining mittee. high-speed broadband service died in a state county. He called it “a very simplistic approach” Office will be closed Thursday, House committee Tuesday afternoon. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for office Under those parameters, EPB and Bradley when he introduced the idea of using a pilot Its fate was sealed for this session after the County would have fit. program affecting only two counties. training, according to an House Business and Utilities subcommittee Brooks appeared before the committee, “It’s much smaller than we wanted,” Brooks announcement by Mike Smith, rejected a proposal from state Rep. Kevin acknowledging the votes were not there for said. trustee. Brooks to amend the bill, making it into a his original bill. State Rep. Art Swann (R-Maryville) said the For the remainder of the day, pilot program. That led the representative to take the bill the office will maintain regular Brooks Howell Brooks’ amendment would have permitted “off notice” to consider what he described as See BILL, Page 6 hours of operation. It opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 4:30 p.m. Friday hours for the Trustee’s Office are 8:30 a.m. to Internet Council 5 p.m. The Trustee’s Office is locat- ed in Room 104 of the Bradley key tool ponders County Courthouse’s ground floor. It is just down the hall, and on the opposite side, from the in growth property Bradley County Clerk’s Office, where automobile tags are of human renewed. rights The number is 423-728-7247. trafficking Inside Today Tennyson awakens voting disbelieving public changes By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Banner Staff Writer People matter more than Issue involves money and selfish pleasure. That was the message square footage Algernon Tennyson empha- sized while speaking at By JOYANNA LOVE Bradley Central High School Banner Senior Staff Writer Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG on Tuesday. ALGERNON TENNYSON, founder of Awaken International Ministries, speaks to a group at Bradley Changes to the city charter Tennyson, founder of regarding the eligibility require- Awaken International Central High School about issues related to human trafficking. He stressed it is a widespread problem worldwide — even in the United States. ments for nonresident property Ministries, spoke to parents, owners to vote in city elections students and community are being discussed. guests about issues related to The Cleveland City Council human trafficking. has asked city attorney John “You can’t value anything Kimball to draft an amendment above people,” Tennyson said. to Article 3 of the charter to “The moment you do, it twists allow those who pay city proper- your moral compass, and you ty tax to vote in the city elec- will do anything for a dollar.” tions. Out of the gate Human trafficking involves Any amendment would have to Almost all local spring sports forcing someone to do some- be approved by the Tennessee high school teams got their sea- thing against their will General Assembly as a private sons underway Tuesday, includ- through physical restraint or act. ing rivalry matchups between the coercion. Often, it can involve Current charter requirements Walker Valley and Bradley forcing someone to have sex state, “Persons owning at least Central softball and baseball for money. 50 percent fee simple interest in teams. The Lady Mustangs, As an African-American a parcel of real property of at Bears, Blue Raiders and Lady man, Tennyson said the issue least 5,000 square feet within Wildcats notched diamond victo- of slavery is one he heard one of the councilmanic districts ries, while the Cleveland and about a lot growing up. of the city of Cleveland for a peri- Walker Valley soccer squads blew However, he also noted it is od of six months prior to an elec- out their opponents. See Sports, not something that should tion and who are otherwise qual- Pages 11-13, 16. just be relegated to the pages ified to vote in state elections of history books. shall be eligible to vote in city Can local jobless “We have more slavery elections, provided the person is today than we ever have had properly registered in accor- rate be sustained? in the world,” Tennyson said. dance with the applicable laws of With the positive report from the “It’s just dressed up different- the state of Tennessee.” ly, so it doesn’t get the same Any changes would not affect Tennessee Department of Labor coverage as if it would if I and Workforce Development about this year’s elections because the showed up here in chains.” property owner would not have Bradley County’s surprisingly low Tennyson attributed this to a Banner photos, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG qualified six months before the 4.2 percent unemployment rate in few different things, including DEPUTY HEATH ARTHUR of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office talks to an audience at Bradley election. January, the question remains: Is it Central High School about what human trafficking looks like locally. Karen Winters, parent coordinator “I suspect the reason it was a fluke, or can it be sustained? It’s a set up this way in ’93 or ’94 … See TRAFFICKING, Page 5 for the GEAR UP program at Bradley Central High School, addresses the audience. debated topic. See the editorial for what people would do years ago some talking points on Page 14 of is they would go to a delinquent today’s edition. tax sale and there would be some little bitty sliver of land CHARLESTON Street repairs could net that might be a $4 tax, an Forecast MAYOR Walter unbuildable lot, and 40 or 50 Goode takes people would buy interest in that Today looks to be mostly sunny, notes and talks tax hike for Charleston land and get a deed, then use with a high near 76 degrees. with his fellow serious need of paving. They are that as their basis for voting in Tonight’s forecast calls for mostly By LARRY C. BOWERS city elections,” Kimball said. commissioners Banner Staff Writer also discussing ways to finance clear skies, with a low around 43. Tuesday as they such a project. Kimball pointed out he was Thursday should be sunny, with a were reviewing The Charleston City Charleston Street Supervisor not sure why 5,000 was chosen high near 71. Thursday night calls Commission met in a called work Melvin Graham attended the as the square footage require- the need for ment. This requirement means for mostly cloudy skies with a low street improve- session Tuesday evening at City work session with a professional around 44. Hall, aggressively discussing estimate on the anticipated cost even if someone owned an unde- ments in the small streets and taxes. veloped lot larger than 5,000 municipality. of more than 4,100 feet of paving Mayor Walter Goode, and at specific locations throughout square feet in the city, but lived Index Banner photo, somewhere else, they would not LARRY C. BOWERS Commissioners Frankie the city. Classified................................16-17 McCartney and Donna These proposals are not for be able to vote in city elections. The issue was discussed Comics.........................................24 McDermott, are putting together Editorials......................................14 a priority list of city streets in See TAX, Page 6 See COUNCIL, Page 6 Horoscope....................................24 Lifestyles.................................19-21 Obituaries.......................................2 Stocks............................................4 Four Honor Guard members retire, Sports................................11-13, 16 TV Schedule................................25 and this time they earn the honors Weather..........................................9 By JOYANNA LOVE U.S. flag folding and the playing of Banner Senior Staff Writer “Taps.” Around Town “Between the four of these people we They had helped to honor countless have got over 90 years of volunteering,” Sarah McKinnis enjoying a nice fellow veterans as they were laid to rest. Commander Roy Smith said. “That’s an dinner with her husband, Adam ... But, on Tuesday it was their turn to awful lot of time to volunteer to your Jeff Brewer and Max McCann receive honor as the Bradley County community.” having a good time at Bike Week Veterans Funeral Honor Guard recog- Each retiring member was presented ... Judy Moore taking a detour for nized them for their years of service to with a commemorative plaque. some hot doughnuts ... Diana commemorate their retirement. “We could not let you guys go without Auberry realizing she needs to Herb Stafford, Joseph “Pinky” doing something to show our apprecia- shop for some new sandals. Blackburn, Ernie Jackson and Oscar tion for your leadership and your guid- Kelley each served for more than a ance,” Smith said. Banner photo, JOYANNA LOVE decade on the squad, providing full mili- Smith pointed out Blackburn volun- HERB STAFFORD, from left, Joseph “Pinky” Blackburn, Ernie Jackson and Oscar tary honors at veterans’ funerals. Full Kelley were honored for their years of service to the Bradley County Veterans Funeral military honors include a 21-gun salute, See HONOR, Page 5 Honor Guard with a retirement ceremony Tuesday.