FRIDAY 161st YeAR • NO. 13 MAY 15, 2015 ClevelAND, TN 22 PAGeS • 50¢ Gardenhire defends failed voucher bill State senator provides Two senators respond updates on legislation to critics of ‘no’ votes By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG summary, the bill would have By TONY EUBANK accepting additional federal funds as Banner Staff Writer allowed a public school student Banner Staff Writer provided under the Affordable Care attending a school “in the bottom 5 Act. State Sen. Todd Gardenhire is still percent of schools in overall achieve- Local state senators Mike Bell and In a news release, Walter Davis, maintaining his support for bills ment” to receive a voucher they could Todd Gardenhire fired back against executive director accusations of hypocrisy after a state which did not pass in this year’s use to go to private school. of the Tennessee General Assembly session in agency released documents detailing Health Care “It doesn’t affect Bradley County,” the cost of health insurance premi- Nashville. Gardenhire said. Campaign, stated, Among the issues the proposed ums paid on behalf of the two law- “These numbers He explained the schools in the makers who voted against expanding bills addressed are wanting parents state falling in the bottom 5 percent reveal a stunning TennCare. hypocrisy. The to have the ability to send their kids are currently located in counties with According to reports, Tennessee to private schools with publicly fund- larger cities. loudest opponents taxpayers have paid about $5.8 mil- of a legislative ed vouchers and wanting to offer in- Gardenhire, whose District 10 lion in premiums since 2008, while state college tuition rates to children includes parts of Bradley and debate on Insure lawmakers have paid in about $1.4 Tennessee receive of “undocumented immigrants.” Hamilton counties, said Chattanooga million themselves. as much as Speaking to the Bradley Sunrise currently has six “failing schools.” Criticism has been harsh, as many $93,600 in premi- Bell Rotary Club Thursday, he gave the Students living in cities where of these same legislators have been um support for group a look at some of those issues. problems like gang activity are preva- vocal opponents of Gov. Bill Haslam’s their health insurance.” Gardenhire this year co-sponsored lent often find themselves in under- Insure Tennessee plan which would Davis went on, “We hope that failed Senate Bill 0999, the performing schools, he said. Though Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG have expanded TennCare to cover an “Tennessee Choice and Opportunity STATe SeN. Todd Gardenhire speaks to the estimated 280,000 Tennesseans who Scholarship Act.” According to its See GARDENHIRE, Page 5 Bradley Sunrise Rotary Club Thursday. fall into the “insurance gap,” by See SENATORS, Page 10 Inside Today FRA eyes Deacon classroom site for wants modular NCNA Action awaited by City Council group By JOYANNA LOVE NW neighborhood Flames win Banner Senior Staff Writer Mid-East title Cleveland has found a place for meeting Tuesday the Family Resource Agency The Lee University Flames By LARRY C. BOWERS Blythe Early Head Start modular Banner Staff Writer defeated Bluefield College to win classroom. the NCCAA Mid-East baseball The proposed Former Bradley County title. The Lady Flames survived a plan would move Sessions Judge Van Deacon is long, hot day on the softball field the portable once again attempting to clean up to earn a spot in the loser’s classroom from Banner photo, JOYANNA lOve the neighborhood. bracket finals in the NCCAA where it sits TROUSDAle SCHOOl STUDeNTS Katie Bolden, Jeremy Hitson, Jordan Kendrick, Allen Clark This time it’s the infrastructure, World Series. The Atlanta Braves next to the and Sarah Johnson enjoy working with the clay kiln. not the individuals. will be looking to their young B l y t h e Deacon, along with a number of acquisitions to bolster the roster. C o m m u n i t y his friends and neighbors, are in See Sports, Pages 13-15. playground to the process of forming a Northwest the parking lot Cleveland Neighborhood Forecast Anderson of the old Blythe Expressions in clay Association. School. This is the Blythe Oldfield Community residential and Association president Kim Lorello Grant benefits Trousdale students business area was enthusiastic about the plan. to the west of “We are very pleased with that By JOYANNA LOVE Keith Street, idea,” she said. Banner Senior Staff Writer and from The community has requested Trousdale School students explored new art Harrison Pike the portable classroom be moved techniques in clay this semester, thanks to an on the South to Today should see mostly cloudy from the neighborhood park, so it Arts in Education Grant from the Allied Arts 25th Street on skies, with a 30 percent chance of can be expanded. Council of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of the North. It showers and thunderstorms and a The Family Resource Agency Commerce. includes homes Van Deacon high near 81. Tonight’s forecast The $500 grant equipped art teacher Sarah and businesses along both calls for mostly cloudy skies with a See FRA, Page 10 Bradley with the materials needed for students 40 percent chance of rain, and a to create vases, pinch pots, coil pots, birds, fish sides of Georgetown Road. low around 64. Saturday calls for and pendant necklaces. The former judicial officer visit- cloudy skies and a high near 81, TBI issues “The unit was designed as a comprehensive ed the Cleveland Daily Banner this introduction to clay, including education about week to discuss the group’s plans with a 60 percent chance of rain. in the community. Saturday night calls for a 40 per- the properties of clay as well as hands-on warning on instruction in technique,” Bradley said. “Clay The group scheduled an organi- cent chance of showers and thun- can be expensive, especially if you are going to zational session, and open forum, derstorms, with a low around 66. be glazing, so the grant made this possible.” for 6 p.m. Tuesday at George R. Sunset today: 8:37 p.m. medication To start off, students create simple pots by Stuart Elementary School. Sunrise Saturday: 6:37 a.m. pinching the clay into shape. Student Susan Items to be discussed include By TONY EUBANK Turner compared her pinch pot design to a pie potential interest from homeown- Banner Staff Writer crust. ers, business owners and property Index owners in this community. Those The Tennessee Bureau of Bradley said the school took a field trip to a Banner photo, JOYANNA lOve holding the meeting want to know Church........................................6-7 Investigation has issued a warning pottery studio in order to have the pots glazed TROUSDAle STUDeNT Jason Rogers if there is substantial interest in about a dangerous drug disguised and fired. The result was brilliant shiny colors. Classified................................21-22 holds his finished clay pot in front of the clay initiating a cleanup, fix-up and as oxycodone. Comics.........................................17 See CLAY, Page 10 projects display. Editorials......................................16 See MEDICATION, Page 10 See NCNA, Page 10 Horoscope....................................17 Movies..........................................20 Obituaries.......................................2 Stocks............................................4 Sports......................................13-15 TV Schedule...........................18-19 Weather........................................11 Around Town Byron Minor taking his fan everywhere he goes ... Renay Wright being proud of her daugh- ter Faith Johnson for graduating and heading to college to follow her dream of attending veterinary school ... Ray Cross helping to train a rookie umpire ... Machelle McCulley welcoming a new member to the team. Banner photo, HOWARD PIeRCe Banner photo, HOWARD PIeRCe Banner photo, HOWARD PIeRCe CAllIe elIzABeTH DAvIS gives the valedictory PRINCIPAl DANNY COGGIN welcomes family, McKeNzIe elIzABeTH JAYNeS delivers the salu- address during the 2015 Graduation Commencement friends, and faculty to the 2015 Graduation tatory address during the 2015 Graduation Exercise for WVHS. Commencement Exercise for WVHS. 6489076 75112 Commencement Exercise for WVHS. 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Friday, May 15, 2015 www.clevelandbanner.com heart, she was a favorite model at local boutiques and enjoyed cooking, arranging flowers, and interior decorating. OBITUARIES She was the only daughter of (USPS 117-700) Maude McWhorter Miller and Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office William Anderson Miller, both POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 preceding her in death. Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. Box 3600) Sharon Ballew Survivors include her husband in Cleveland, TN 37320-3600, daily except Saturday Sharon Ballew, 67, of Dalton, of 39 years, Terry Lee; two and Christmas day by Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. Ga. died Thursday, May 14, daughters: Elizabeth Kaylor and Phone (423) 472-5041. 2015, at her home. husband, Chad and Lynette Survivors and arrangements McCulley and husband, Tommy; Stephen L. Crass Jim Bryant will be announced by Companion one son, Todd Lee; three broth- Editor & Publisher General Manager Funeral Home. ers: Brian Miller, Steve Miller and wife, Christy, and David Miller: Member of The Associated Press and two nieces: Victoria Miller The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches and Alivia Miller, all of Cleveland. credited to it or not otherwise credited in this newspaper,