Posts with the category “local-news”

The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2026-27 Leadership Cleveland class.Twenty-six local professionals were selected, making this the largest class in the program’s history.Participants represent local businesses, nonprofits, schools, financial institutions and public organizations.The nine-month program includes sessions on economic development, education, government, healt...  Read More

Visitor spending in Bradley County topped $200 million in 2025, according to newly released Tennessee tourism statistics.Visitors spent $203.4 million in Bradley County last year, an increase of 3.5 percent from the previous year.Visitor spending generated $20.3 million in state and local taxes, representing an estimated tax savings of $477 per Bradley County household.Bradley County ranked 16th a...  Read More

A large crowd of residents gathered last night at the PIE Center to ask questions about Project River, a proposed $11.3 billion industrial development in northern Bradley County.The proposed 850-acre project would be located west of Interstate 75 and north of Old Lower River Road along the Hiwassee River. The Wright Family, owners of Wright Brothers Construction, announced the project publicly at ...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: A former Meigs County deputy says officers were required to work with defective vehicles and that inmate trusties performed maintenance on patrol cars.Jacob Green made the statements to attorneys in a federal lawsuit stemming from the February 2024 deaths of Deputy R.J. Leonard and Tabitha Smith.Leonard was transporting Smith when his patrol car entered the Tennessee River. ...  Read More

Bradley County’s newly elected officials will officially begin their new terms today with a public swearing-in ceremony at 9:00 am at the Courthouse Plaza. The public is invited to attend. WCLE will broadcast the event live on MixTV.TV....  Read More

The City of Cleveland announced on social media, that Tinsley Park will be closed this week while crews stripe the newly paved parking lot.The park will be closed through September 4.Also, the portion of the Greenway beneath the Raider Drive Bridge will also be closed today and Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m....  Read More

A public meeting concerning a proposed 11-billion-dollar industrial development in Charleston will take place tonight at 6 PM at the Pie Center.The meeting is open to the public and is hosted by the Wright family who is proposing the project. Project River would create an industrial campus supporting energy-sector manufacturing, and potentially a data center, robotics or semiconductor production.D...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A man was arrested and charged with armed robbery on August 27 by the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.The sheriff’s office says the robbery occurred on August 23 at the Dollar General on 2175 Spring Place Road in Cleveland. Deputies say that during the store’s closing time, Keionte Richards held employees at gunpoint and demanded money from the registers.He fled the scene, and d...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Twelve schools in the Tennessee Valley rank among the top 100 high schools in the state for 2026-2027.One Chattanooga school ranked in the top 10: Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts (CCA). This school has a 100% graduation rate, with 404 students enrolled.The rankings come from a study by U.S. News & World Report, which ranks schools based on performance on state-r...  Read More

WARNING: Some readers may find the details of this story, or the pictures and video, disturbing.From Local 3 News: Dash camera video shows an Arkansas State Police trooper punching and yanking a former UTC basketball player by the dreadlocks after a high-speed chase.Tedrick Washington Jr., 24, was a backseat passenger during the multi-agency pursuit late Wednesday, August 19, according to records ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: A 33-year-old man is facing serious charges after the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says he hit a deputy with his ATV while fleeing from Polk County authorities on Thursday.The North Carolina agency says they were notified by their Tennessee partners across the border, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, that Thomas Lee Prince was escaping from them on US 64.Tennessee deputies ...  Read More

The ESPN Cleveland 101.3 Community Kickoff Games are here! Cleveland and Walker Valley squared off last night. Cleveland came from behind, despite a couple of weather delays to win 48 to 20.  If you missed the game, you can stream a replay at MixTV.TV.Bradley Central will travel to McMinn County tonight to play in one of Tennessee’s longest high school rivalry games. Listen live to Bear game cover...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: Gov. Bill Lee announced "an historic milestone in his administration’s strategy to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth and address traffic congestion," as the Tennessee Modernization Board approved DriveTN as TDOT's selected private-sector partner to deliver the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project.Under the proposed partnership, DriveTN will design, build, finance, operate...  Read More

From TN.gov: Tennessee last month posted its lowest unemployment rate in two years, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in July was 3.4%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month and from one year ago.The last time Tennessee reported an unemployment rate of 3.4% or lower...  Read More

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)’s Office of Outdoor Recreation announced over $20 million in funds for 19 communities across the state.$18,490,470 will come from grants with the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF), while $1,760,000 will come from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).The recreation office is matching $6.8 million through the Grant Opportunity (GO...  Read More

From Local 3 News: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is changing how it charges for electricity as demand from data centers continues to grow across the region.On August 20, TVA’s Board of Directors approved a new higher wholesale rate structure specifically designed to address the increasing amount of power being used by large data centers.The new rate is scheduled to begin October 1, 2026, an...  Read More

Two longtime Lee University educators have received Distinguished Educator Awards from the Church of God.Dr. Terry Cross received the Distinguished Educator Award for Faculty, while Dr. Paul Conn received the Distinguished Educator Award for Lifetime Achievement. The honors were presented during the Church of God’s 80th General Assembly in Orlando, Florida.Cross, a 1978 Lee graduate, returned to t...  Read More

The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce has hired Christina Henderson as its new director of economic development.The newly created position will focus on attracting new investment, supporting existing industries and developing the local workforce.Henderson comes to Cleveland from the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, where she also served as director of economic development.She will work al...  Read More

A former principal is suing the Cleveland City Board of Education, alleging the Tennessee district unlawfully demoted her after she raised concerns about her school's maintenance problems.Read the full story HERE....  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: Lee University's Presidential Concert Series, presented by Bradley Medical Center, will celebrate its 34th season with five performances featuring an eclectic lineup of acclaimed artists and ensembles, bringing classical, jazz, traditional Irish, vocal and contemporary music to the Cleveland community."This season celebrates the remarkable breadth of today's musical world," ...  Read More

The Cleveland City Planning Commission heard from the public Tuesday night over two land-use requests, including a proposed neighborhood tea room and the annexation of nearly 386 acres near Interstate 75 in northern Bradley County.The commission first considered a request to rezone about half an acre on North Ocoee Street from Professional Institutional to Neighborhood Commercial.The proposed use ...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Many of us have been trying to stay cool during this latest heat wave.Our area reached 99 degrees on Monday, and while the high temperature didn't break a record, it was still one of the hottest days of the year.The dials on electric meters for millions of homes and businesses have been spinning like crazy since last week when this heat wave started.The demand peaked Monday when...  Read More

Four local elementary schools have received funding through a Tennessee Valley Authority program supporting youth robotics.TVA awarded a total of $700,000 to 187 schools and nonprofit organizations.Local recipients include Arnold Memorial and Mayfield Elementary Schools in Cleveland, along with Prospect and Valley View Elementary Schools in Bradley County.Arnold Memorial plans to establish a robot...  Read More

From Local 3 News: STEM opportunities will be expanding for students across the Bradley County Schools district with the opening of three new Volkswagen eLabs this fall.Students will receive hands-on opportunities to design, build, create, prototype and solve real-world problems using industry-relevant technology at the new labs at Bradley Central High School, Charleston STEAM Academy and Ocoee Mi...  Read More

From Local 3 News: Tennessee has seen the largest property tax increase in the nation over the past six years, according to a new report from the Beacon Center of Tennessee.The report says Tennessee is the only state where property taxes increased by more than 75 percent during that period.The Beacon Center says 46 states have some form of property tax cap, while Tennessee does not.A proposal to e...  Read More

The Bradley County Commission honored three longtime county officials during its meeting Monday.County Clerk Donna Simpson, Register of Deeds Dina Swafford and Trustee Mike Smith are all leaving office at the end of August.State lawmakers presented resolutions recognizing their service, while Cleveland and Bradley County issued proclamations in their honor. Monday was declared Donna Simpson Day, A...  Read More

From News Channel 9: An investigation into the theft of communication lines across three states has led to three arrests.The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says it received reports in June of wires being cut and removed from utility poles in western Cherokee County, North Carolina.Investigators determined similar thefts had also occurred in Polk County, Tennessee, and Fannin County, Georgia.Perr...  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 Local 3 News: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that auto manufacturer Chrysler is recalling 1,271,295 model-year 2019-2026 RAM 1500 vehicles for a seat belt issue.The NHTSA says that the second-row seat belt buckle anchors may have been improperly installed. Because of that, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan...  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: The Cleveland Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint later this month.The checkpoint is scheduled for Saturday, August 29, from 7:00 until 11:00 p.m. in the area of Keith Street and Raider Drive....  Read More

From the Chattanoogan: Tennessee tax revenues came in well above budget estimates for July.Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson says the state collected $2.2 billion in tax revenue for the month. That was more than $418 million above the budget estimate and nearly $338 million more than July of last year.Sales taxes were about $69 million above estimates, while corporate franchise an...  Read More

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 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