Posts with the category “local-news”

The City of Charleston will hold a public open house Thursday, August 27, to get feedback on recommendations from a transportation study.The open house will run from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the Hiwassee River Heritage Center on Hiwassee Street.The study includes U.S. 11, also known as Lee Highway and Hiwassee Street, between Market Street and the James S. Varnell Junior Bridge.It also covers Water...  Read More

The Bradley County School Board approved several major items Thursday night, including a new technology use plan and the Bradley Central High School track project.The board unanimously approved a technology guide aimed at reducing screen time in classrooms.The district is working toward a 70-30 approach, with about 70 percent of classroom time focused on teacher-led instruction, paper-and-pencil w...  Read More

From News 12: A Bradley County judge has reduced bond for two 19-year-olds charged in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Aiden Darity in Cleveland.Darity was killed two weeks ago. Cleveland Police say Haydon Land and Jayson Maxwell brought Darity to Bradley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.Investigators say the two told police the shooting was an acc...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Due to extreme heat indexes, Polk County Schools will dismiss early Friday, August 14 and Monday, August 17.Students will be dismissed at noon on both days as the district takes precautions amid dangerously high temperatures....  Read More

From WSMV Nashville: Some Tennessee travelers are running into problems at airport security because their driver's licenses are not being read by TSA equipment.The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says it is aware of a small number of licenses affected by the problem.Some travelers have reported missing flights because their licenses could not be read.State officials are invest...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: Cleveland State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens will launch a new program next Tuesday aimed at helping technical college graduates earn an associate degree.The Accelerate Program allows graduates of eligible TCAT Athens programs to receive 30 credit hours toward an associate degree in General Technologies at Cleveland State.Eligible prog...  Read More

Twenty-six area high school students have been selected for the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce Youth Leadership Cleveland Class of 2026–2027.Students were selected from Bradley Central, Cleveland and Walker Valley high schools, along with Tennessee Christian Preparatory School.The program gives students a closer look at local government, businesses, nonprofits, and the economy while develop...  Read More

From News 12: The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office says video visitation is currently unavailable because of technical difficulties.The service has been down since yesterday and will remain unavailable until further notice while the issue is addressed.The Sheriff’s Office apologized for the inconvenience and said it understands the importance of video visitation for inmates’ families and friends....  Read More

From Local 3 News: Chattanooga’s Volkswagen plant may soon start production of a new vehicle. Volkswagen plans to launch a new pickup truck, a vehicle it does not currently sell in the U.S.Reuters and German newspaper Handelsblatt report that the trucks will be built in the United States, and the company’s only U.S. auto manufacturing plant is in Chattanooga.VW's Altas Tanoak pickup truck.Volkswag...  Read More

Copperhill Utilities is asking customers to conserve water because of leaks in water lines serving the city and the surrounding area, along with problems involving the city’s water tanks.Copperhill Mayor Greg Barker told WCLE the community is under a boil water advisory and expects that advisory to remain in effect for several days.Residents should boil water for at least one minute before using i...  Read More

From Local 3 News (AP): Read the full story here: Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma plan to execute inmates Thursday in what would be the first time in nearly 16 years that three people are put to death on the same day in the United States.Tennessee plans to execute Anthony Darrell Hines three months after the attempted lethal injection of another inmate was called off because of problems inserting ...  Read More

UPDATE: From Local 3 News: City officials in Athens, TN, held a golden shovel ceremony Tuesday afternoon to break ground on a new fire station.City of Athens, TNMembers of the Athens Fire Department, city officials, project partners and community members gathered at 300 Elizabeth Street to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new facility.The city says the new fire station will expand ...  Read More

According to social media reports, a mid-morning crash on Dalton Pike resulted in two people being taken to the hospital.Witnesses say Life Force was called to transport one patient to a Chattanooga hospital, while Bradley County EMS transported a second patient.The conditions of the two patients are not known.WCLE will keep you up to date as we learn more. ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: (Watch the video HERE) A political parody posted on TikTok has led to controversy in Rhea County and the resignation of the county’s tourism director.The video, posted by Erin Wright, showed her husband Justin pretending to be former county executive candidate Adam McRorie. The parody imitated campaign videos McRorie had called “table talks.”The controversy began after the offic...  Read More

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: As of Saturday, August 8, deputies have located a vehicle in connection with a shooting in McMinn County, according to Sheriff Joe Guy.The two suspects have not yet been located.This follows a shooting that happened Friday afternoon, leaving one person critically injured.The McMinn County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for two suspects, one of whom was identified as...  Read More

The Cleveland City School Board met yesterday and approved dozens of policy updates, including several changes directly affecting students, parents and employees.One policy requires parents to be notified by the end of the day when a classroom has to be evacuated because of disruptive behavior, unless there is an ongoing emergency.Another requires a school safety plan within five days when an orde...  Read More

The Bradley County Commission met yesterday and heard an update on a proposed annexation plan and several possible changes to commission rules.County Mayor Gary Davis said property owners are requesting the City of Cleveland annex about 385 undeveloped acres near Exit 33 behind the Love’s Travel Stop for future commercial development.Davis stressed the annexation was requested by the property owne...  Read More

The Cleveland City Council met yesterday. The Council approved the final zoning of about 800 acres at Hardwick Farms, while also hearing new details about the city’s proposed Events, Sports and Aquatic Center and future infrastructure needs.During its afternoon voting session, the council unanimously approved the Hardwick Farms zoning plan. The development is expected to include housing, commercia...  Read More

From Local 3 News: You don’t realize just how often you use water every day until you have to stop and think about whether that water is safe.In Copperhill, restaurants are having to make those decisions with every step of their operations, from washing their hands and dishes to serving water to customers.Water is part of just about everything for restaurants.But with the boil water advisory still...  Read More

From Local 3 News: The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help finding a 17-year-old who has been missing since May.Jorge Umanzor-Moreno, who also goes by “David,” was last seen May 2. Investigators believe he may currently be working in the Ocoee River area.Jorge is described as a 17-year-old Hispanic male, about 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A Cleveland man died in a motorcycle crash in Collegedale on Saturday morning, August 8.A passing driver noticed signs of a crash just after 7:00am and called 911.According to Collegedale Police, the motorcyclist lost control on Lee Highway while negotiating a curve known as “Dead Man’s Curve,” causing him to crash.Officers found the motorcycle off the road and the driver nearby...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Cleveland Police arrested three Chattanooga women they say were involved in an organized shoplifting ring at a Target store.Officers responded to the Target on Frontage Road on July 29 after employees reported that three women were filling carts and bags with merchandise and concealing items.Police say the women were identified as suspects in recent thefts at other Target locati...  Read More

From Local 3 News: McMinn County Schools is offering a new way to get professional care straight from the classrooms.The county announced that they are partnering with Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital’s Telehealth Program. With the new initiative, parents can approve for a DPCH pediatrician to meet virtually with their kids.Parents can also opt in to join these virtual calls through phone or video...  Read More

From Local 3 News: As students return to Cleveland City Schools hallways this week, district leaders remind anyone driving through the Cleveland area to be aware.“We have cameras on the buses that identify drivers who pass those bus stop signs that are out, and we have identified many of those,” said Dr. Jeff Elliott, director of schools. “We continue to implement this as we begin this new school ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: The “infamous” wall of Athens, which had the scrawlings of a local man who lost a First Amendment battle, is being painted over by a nonprofit group that honors veterans.The Patriot Memorial Project is working with both the Whiting family, who owns the building, and the City of Athens to make a new WWII mural come to life.Glenn Whiting painted his first message on the side of th...  Read More

Elections can sometimes be unpredictable, but we now know that Tennessee will swear in its first female Governor in January. Both the Republican and Democratic Nominees for Governor are women. In the hotly contested Republican Gubernatorial Race, Marsha Blackburn won the Republican Nomination and will move on to the November General Election Ballot. In Bradley County:    Marsha Blackburn 4,790John...  Read More

As a reminder, Today is Election Day! You can cast your ballot at your designated precinct. If you are unsure where you should vote, call the Bradley County Election Commission Office. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tune in to Mix 104.1 and MixTV.TV for Election Night Coverage starting at 7 p.m. ...  Read More

From the Cleveland Daily Banner: A 22-year-old man is being held on a one-million-dollar bond after being charged with the rape of a child and solicitation of a minor.According to a Bradley County Sheriff’s Office affidavit, Eslin Martinez-Villatoro (vee-yah-toro) was arrested on July 29.Read the full story here....  Read More

UPDATE: From Local 3 News - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has identified the inmate who died while in custody.Randy Bacon, 60, died from what the sheriff’s office is describing as a “medical emergency.”The circumstances and his official cause of death remain under investigation.We are working to learn more.PREVIOUS STORY: An inmate at the Bradley County Jail suffered a medical emergency an...  Read More

From News Channel 9: A Knoxville man accused of making threats on TikTok against President Trump and other public officials is being held in federal custody.A federal grand jury in Chattanooga returned a 22-count indictment against 44-year-old Garry Lee Williams.Federal prosecutors allege Williams used TikTok between January and April to publicly threaten to kill or injure national and local offic...  Read More

Cleveland Mayor Kevin Brooks has been elected president of the Tennessee Municipal League.Brooks was elected during the organization’s annual conference and expo in Kingsport.As president, Brooks will lead the organization as it represents and advocates for 345 cities and towns across Tennessee.Brooks said municipal leaders have gathered at an important time and that he believes some of their grea...  Read More

From Fox Carolina: A small earthquake was recorded near Etowah early Tuesday morning.The U.S. Geological Survey reported the magnitude 2.0 earthquake at about 3:48 a.m.The quake was centered about five miles south-southeast of Etowah and about 14 miles south-southeast of Athens.The USGS reported the earthquake had a depth of about 16 kilometers....  Read More

From Local 3 News: The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is searching for its “Most Wanted” fugitives.Authorities say the fugitives should be considered dangerous.Bradley County Sheriff's OfficeThe following individuals are wanted in Bradley County on various charges:Jeremy Weathers — Felony failure to appearDeanglo Ragland — Community correctionJavier Baltierrez — Sexual exploitation of a minorDeSh...  Read More

The Bradley County Commission received an update Monday on county debt, park projects, and a new inmate healthcare contract.County Mayor D. Gary Davis presented commissioners with two state-required reports on debt obligations related to loans for turf projects at county recreation park fields.Davis reported that work at Blue Springs is making good progress and should be completed within the next ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Students returning to Rhea County High School this week will be greeted by a new layer of security before they even step into the building.On Tuesday, students will pass through an AI-powered weapons detection system designed to identify potential threats without slowing down the morning arrival process.The high school became the first in Rhea County to implement the technology ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A flight from Chattanooga to Charlotte failed to properly take off and instead ran into the grass Monday morning.Fortunately, all 50 customers and three crew members escaped unharmed.American Airlines tells Local 3 that flight 6105, operated by Piedmont Airlines, experienced “a possible mechanical issue” on the runway prior to takeoff.The aircraft was able to taxi back to the ga...  Read More

From the Nashville Banner– As of Friday, about 577,000 Tennesseans have cast ballots, with almost 366,000 casting ballots in the hotly contested State Republican Primary, where Marsha Blackburn, John Rose, and Monty Fritts are vying to win their party’s nomination for Tennessee Governor. Internal polling from U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s campaign for governor shows her leading the Republican pr...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Thirteen people visiting the Polk-Fannin County line were rescued from rapidly rising floodwaters on the Ocoee River Sunday morning.Copper Basin Fire & Rescue says the visitors were from Middle Tennessee, Florida and Puerto Rico.Crews from several agencies worked together on the water rescues and cleanup. Flooding from weekend storms caused significant damage in Copperhill, and ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Tennessee’s sales tax holiday comes around each year before the start of the school year. This year, it’s happening July 31-August 2.Tax-Free Weekend will begin at 12:01 am on Friday, July 31; it will end at 11:59 pm on Sunday, August 2, 2026.All clothing, school supplies and computer purchases during this time will be exempt from sales tax. This includes in-store and online pur...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A local duo who appeared on America’s Got Talent in June has received a callback for another chance to appear on the live shows.In Season 21, America’s Got Talent is adding a new Judges’ Callback round, allowing them to work with a special celebrity guest judge, see select acts perform again and decide who moves on.Polk County duo Madelyn Tallent and Malachi Martin were selected...  Read More