Posts with the category “local-news”

From Local 3 News: Bradley County Schools reminded students and parents of their new cell phone policy late Thursday.Applicable to secondary (high) schools, the policy requires that phones be turned off and be out of sight during the school day, from 8:15am - 3:30pm.The policy applies to wireless devices such as phones, tablets, earbuds, MP3 players.The school system explained that in the event of...  Read More

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development released county-level unemployment rates yesterday. Seasonal job changes caused unemployment rates to rise in all 95 Tennessee counties in June, including several in our area.Bradley County’s unemployment rate rose to 4.5%. Polk County’s rate climbed to 4.4%. McMinn and Rhea Counties each saw an increase of 1.1%, bringing their rates to 5...  Read More

Bradley County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division, in cooperation with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, has successfully intercepted a large-scale money scam ring that targeted a vulnerable resident.The victim had over $250,000 stolen. Investigators detained the suspect, Rinkeshkumar Patel, after he arrived at the victim’s residence, attempting to collect more money.Patel is ac...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A motorcyclist was injured Thursday morning in a hit-and-run crash on Highway 307 near County Road 364 in McMinn County, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is looking for the driver who fled the scene.Officials are searching for a 2009–2014 Ford F-150, gold or champagne in color. The truck may be missing a front plate holder and has a black bumper insert, THP says.If you hav...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: Meigs County has received $97,500 in state funding for upgrades at Ten Mile Park and Georgetown’s Eastview Park.State Rep. Dan Howell says the grant will go toward new playground equipment and a walking trail at Eastview Park.The funding comes from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund and is part of over $22 million awarded statewide by the Tennessee Department of Environment...  Read More

From News Channel 9: Drivers on State Route 68 in Polk County should expect traffic disruptions through 2026 due to a major bridge replacement project.TDOT says the $11 million project involves replacing two SR 68 bridges over US 64 in Ducktown and will continue through December 2026.Wright Brothers Construction will manage the work. During construction, traffic on SR 68 will be limited to one lan...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Bradley County Fire Rescue successfully rescued a 60-pound dog named Scooby from a 12-foot well in south Bradley County today.Crews from Engine 12, Rescue 8, and Battalion Command responded and found Scooby trapped in the water well. After setting up rope rescue equipment and conducting safety checks, Lt. L. Thompson entered the well and retrieved the dog.Scooby sustained minor ...  Read More

UPDATE: The Decatur Police Department says no criminal charges will be filed after an officer shot a dog in “self-defense”.The woman who owned the dog shared the incident report by the Decatur officer.The report says a the officer responded to a report of a child being attacked by “the brown dog”.The child said the dog knocked him down and he “thought he was going to die”.The officer says in the r...  Read More

 Drivers traveling on I-75 in Bradley and McMinn Counties should be aware of an active resurfacing project that will temporarily impact traffic. Happening tonight, July 22, 2025, and continuing nightly (Sunday – Friday) from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am local time, Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews will perform temporary lane closures on I-75 in both directions from mile marker 31 to mil...  Read More

Cleveland High School announced yesterday that it has been awarded a $49,932.53 Welding Workforce Grant from the American Welding Society Foundation.The grant will enhance Cleveland High’s Welding Technology program, supporting new training equipment, certification opportunities, and real-world experience for students. Instructor Michael Ritchie leads the program, which prepares students for caree...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A man wanted in multiple counties was shot and killed by law enforcement Monday night outside a McDonald’s on Highway 58.Authorities identified the man as 38-year-old Erick Charles Roberson.According to Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett, deputies were alerted to Roberson's vehicle by a license plate reader just before 10:00pm.Roberson was wanted on felony charges in Hamilto...  Read More

From News Channel 9: A man wanted both in Meigs and McMinn County for several vehicle and property thefts is now in custody, according to the sheriff.McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy says Cody Dustin Miller was arrested after "several pursuits back and forth" across the Meigs-McMinn County line on Monday.An earlier "wanted" post from the Meigs County Sheriff's Office says 'He's the suspect in multipl...  Read More

The Bradley County Commission met last night.The commission approved a resolution to rezone 3410 Benton Pike to general industrial use, and 874 South McDonald Road to rural commercial. The McDonald Road rezoning passed 12-1 after a public hearing with both support and opposition from nearby residents.A proposal to rezone land on Waterlevel Highway for a large mobile home park and campground failed...  Read More

Bradley County Schools are seeing fewer chronically absent students, according to a new report from the Tennessee Department of Education.The district reported 244 fewer chronically absent students, a 2.3% improvement. Director of Schools Dr. Linda Cash credited the results to efforts from school leaders and families.Prospect Elementary was one of ten schools showing significant improvement, lower...  Read More

Wacker Chemical Corporation has laid off about 90 employees at its Charleston, Tennessee, facility.The layoffs affected roughly 11% of the workforce at the polysilicon plant, which makes materials for solar panels and semiconductors. The reduction, effective July 11, was described as part of a strategic realignment in response to challenging market conditions.Wacker opened the $2.5 billion plant i...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan (Read the full story here): State Representative Dan Howell says Tennessee’s reliance on gas taxes is no longer sustainable for funding transportation infrastructure.Speaking to the Pachyderm Club, Rep. Howell explained how gas tax revenues have been declining due to more fuel-efficient vehicles and less per-person gas consumption.Tennessee’s gas tax is currently 26 cents per...  Read More

From the TN Dept. of Finance & Administration: Tennessee tax revenues exceeded budget estimates for June by $173 million.The state collected $2.36 billion in taxes last month, with strong sales and corporate tax receipts leading the increase.Sales taxes were up slightly from forecasts, while corporate taxes beat estimates by nearly $151 million.Year-to-date, Tennessee revenues are about $81 millio...  Read More

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: Chattanooga police are looking for the suspect(s) responsible for a shooting at the Tyner Recreation Complex Saturday afternoon.Four victims who were standing nearby a fight when the shots rang out were hospitalized with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.Investigators are working to collect evidence and determine what exactly led up to the shooting.If you have any info...  Read More

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press (Read the full story here): Two major road projects in the region were officially opened on Tuesday.The $98 million Apison Pike improvement project in Collegedale and the $54 million Highway 60 widening project in Cleveland were both marked complete with ribbon-cuttings.Apison Pike’s new segment links to East Brainerd Road and includes new bridges, sidewalks, ...  Read More

The Bradley County Commission met Monday.Doug Berry with the Industrial Development Board presented a proposal for a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) program for Lindy Incorporated, which plans to build an air separation unit near Exit 33 to supply liquid oxygen to TVA facilities. The PILOT program will be placed on the next voting session’s agenda. A plumbing contract for the Juvenile Center has ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) says the I-75/I-24 expansion project is now expected to be finished by spring of 2026.In an update released on Tuesday, TDOT spokesperson Rae Anne Bradley says all the new lanes and ramps on I-24, including the I-75 northbound to I-24 westbound ramp, should be open by the fall of 2025, as originally predicted.Bradley says...  Read More

Dr. Phil Cook officially took office as the 18th president of Lee University on July 1.Cook returns to Cleveland after previously serving in multiple roles at Lee, including vice president for enrollment. He succeeds Dr. Paul Conn, who served as president for 34 years and now resumes the role of chancellor. Cook and his wife Tonya, both Lee alumni, say they’re excited to be back and committed to s...  Read More

The Cleveland City Council met yesterday and approved a 3.16-cent property tax increase to fund construction of an elementary school, a transitional housing facility, an aquatic center, and the widening of Mouse Creek Road.The measure passed 4-3, raising the 2025 certified tax rate to $1.2632 per $100 of assessed value. Council members Marsha McKenzie, Bill Estes, Tom Cassada, and Ken Webb voted i...  Read More

From News Channel 9: Crews responded to a serious multi-vehicle crash in Cleveland Monday afternoon.The Cleveland Fire Department says the crash happened near mile marker 22 on I-75 south.The crash temporarily shut down the interstate.A helicopter was also on scene for medical transport.We are working to learn more about victims and injuries....  Read More

From Local 3 News: Several individuals from the Chattanooga and Atlanta areas were indicted for various charges related to methamphetamine, ketamine, and firearms.The investigations that began in 2024 also led to the indictment of one individual believed to be a drug cartel member in Mexico."This case shows what can happen when local, state, and federal agencies work together for a common goal,” s...  Read More

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: An employee of Nyrstar East Tennessee Mines was killed in an "underground incident" on Saturday, July 12, the company says.The details surrounding the incident at the Young Mine are currently unclear, but an investigation by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is ongoing."We extend our deepest sympathy and are providing support to the family, friends and col...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Some changes are coming to the way you call local numbers.Beginning August 5, 2025, you must dial 10 digits (area code + 7-digit telephone number) on all local calls, including calls within your same area code. On and after this date, if you dial just 7 digits your call will not be completed, and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again, including the area code.Th...  Read More

The 13th Annual International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off is set for Saturday, September 13 in Charleston.The Cleverlys, a comedy bluegrass group and Grand Ole Opry regulars, will headline the festival at Hoyt Berry Park. Admission is $5 for adults; kids 15 and under are free.The event will feature live music, arts and crafts, food vendors, a petting zoo, and the Whirlpool Cowpea Cook-off. The fe...  Read More

From Local 3 News: No cost medical clinics are being hosted in Rhea County, Bledsoe County for Operation Healthy Tennessee between Friday, July 11 and Monday, July 21 for everyone over the age of 3. The clinics will be held at the following locations:Bledsoe County High School877 main Street, Pikeville8:00am - 4:00pm (CT)Rhea County Middle SchoolEagle Lane, Evensville8:00am - 4:00pm (ET)Both clini...  Read More

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press (Read the full story here): Three West Tennessee residents are charged in a $28.7 million health care fraud case involving fake prescriptions.Federal prosecutors say Kossie Simmons, Katina Simmons, and Tritia Townsend billed the government for medications never dispensed through their Memphis-based businesses, MedPartners and SarJo Pharmacy. Between 2018 and 2...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Bradley County will host a symposium raising awareness for domestic violence and abuse on Saturday, July 26 at Redemption to the Nations Church in Cleveland."No one should suffer in silence," writes the Bradley County Sheriff's Office in a Facebook post. "Whether you're experiencing abuse, know someone who might be, or simply want to learn how to help, this event is for you."The...  Read More

From TN.gov: Preliminary numbers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol show a major drop in traffic fatalities over the Independence Day holiday.Four people were killed in crashes this year, down from 18 last year.The enforcement period ran from the evening of July 3 through early July 7. Troopers investigated 132 crashes, responded to 49 with injuries, made 99 DUI arrests, and helped more than 750 dr...  Read More

From News Channel 9 (Read the full story here): The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says they’ve arrested the man they say stole a hay truck and trailer from a hardware store.Roy B. Perdew Jr. is charged with theft of property over $10,000 and vandalism over $2,500. He is being held without bond in the Polk County Jail.The truck, trailer, and hay cargo were all recovered. The theft happened around 6:...  Read More

From Local 3 News: TDOT crews will be closing one of the I-24 on ramps from Germantown Road for at least two months.TDOT spokesperson Rae Anne Bradley said on X that the on ramp from Exit 183 at Germantown Road will close on the westbound side at midnight on Tuesday, July 8.Bradley said the exit is expected to be closed for eight weeks so that noise walls can be built.Drivers traveling on North Te...  Read More

From Local 3 News: One man is dead after being shot during a dispute on Peakland Road in Decatur, TN around 3:30pm Sunday, July 6.The homeowner revealed to investigators that he and the man who was killed, 46-year-old Jason Burnett, were in a dispute, according to District Attorney Russell Johnson.Johnson said Burnett went to a man's trailer against the occupant's wishes, and when he trying to ent...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan (Read full story here): Governor Bill Lee has launched a year-long America 250 celebration and unveiled a commemorative poster titled “Tennessee: The Original Frontier.”The poster features iconic people, places, and events in Tennessee history and will be available at events across the state.Governor Lee will visit all 95 counties, beginning July 1 with a Farmland Preservatio...  Read More

Cleveland residents are invited to help shape the future of local parks.The Cleveland Parks and Recreation Department will host an open house on Thursday, July 10, from 5 to 7 p.m.The event will be held at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce at 225 Keith Street SW.Community members can view interactive displays and provide input on the city’s next five-year master plan for parks and recreati...  Read More

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: A large metal coil that fell off a truck on Interstate 24 eastbound near Browns Ferry Road has been removed after an hours-long effort to lift it and reopen lanes.The cylindrical, metallic load had fallen off a tractor-trailer shortly before 3:00pm on Sunday, July 6. It is unclear how it became unsecured.Steel coils typically weigh multiple tons, according to Shangang St...  Read More

We hope everyone can join us on Friday, July 4th, for Cleveland’s annual fireworks display.The show is presented by Mt. Olive Ministries and sponsored by Cleveland Ford and the City of Cleveland.It will launch from the TL Lowery Building near Bradley Square Mall around 9:15 p.m.Best viewing is from the east side of the mall lot.Tune to Mix 104.1 for our Freedom Soundtrack, which is synchronized wi...  Read More

The city of Cleveland has received an award for Excellence in Economic and Community Development from the Tennessee Municipal League.The recognition highlights Cleveland’s redevelopment of the Inman Street Corridor and improvements to Johnston Park. The project reduced the four-lane road to two lanes with wider sidewalks, added greenery, and improved pedestrian access.Johnston Park was refreshed w...  Read More