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

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