Local News

Latest News

Tennessee unemployment rate falls to 3.5%
July 17th, 2026
Tennessee’s unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent in June.The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development says the rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point from May and remains well below the national unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.Over the past year, employers across the state added more than 25,000 nonfarm jobs.The largest job gains were in health care and social assistance, le...
Early voting begins today in Tennessee
July 17th, 2026
Today is the first day of early voting in Tennessee for the State Primary and local General Election.Early voting runs through Saturday, August 1.Bradley County voters can cast their ballot at the Election Office on Broad Street, the OCI on Urbane Road, the Northeast Recreation Center on Berry Street, or the Bradley County Fire-Rescue Training Center on Dalton Pike.Early voting hours are 9:00 a.m....
Sweetwater police investigate swatting call after false report of armed suspects, shooting
July 17th, 2026
From Local 3 News: Sweetwater police are investigating a false 911 call that prompted a large law enforcement response downtown Thursday.Officers responded after a caller reported four masked individuals armed with firearms entering a business, claiming they heard gunfire and that someone had been shot.Out of caution, officers temporarily closed Main Street at the intersections of Main Street and ...
Dog killed, two pets rescued after Cleveland house fire
July 17th, 2026
From our partners at Local 3 News: A dog died, and two other pets were rescued after a residential fire in Cleveland on Thursday, according to the Cleveland Fire Department.First-arriving crews reported a working fire and immediately began an aggressive interior attack to contain the flames.The Cleveland Fire Department thanked Bradley County EMS for their assistance at the scene.......
UPDATE: Former employee of man who police say illegally dumped raw sewage in Cherokee National Forest speaks out
July 16th, 2026
From Local 3 News: A Cleveland septic company owner is facing charges after investigators say raw sewage was illegally dumped on U.S. Forest Service property in Polk County.According to arrest documents, Michael “Seth” Plasterer, owner of Emergency No More Septic, Drain & More, is accused of dumping sewage from one of the company’s trucks along Forest Service Road 302 in the Cherokee National Fore...
2 people found dead inside Cleveland home in apparent murder-suicide
July 16th, 2026
Cleveland Police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after two people were found dead inside a home on Wednesday afternoon.Officers responded to a home on Barker Lane Northwest around 3:25 p.m., where they found Holly Jarrett and her husband, Stanley Jarrett, dead from gunshot wounds.Investigators say Holly Jarrett died from a single gunshot wound, and evidence indicates Stanley Jarrett d...
UPDATE: Wanted man captured after seven-hour-long manhunt in Cleveland
July 16th, 2026
From Local 3 News: UPDATE: Deountray Dickey, who was wanted on multiple felony warrants, was taken into custody Wednesday evening after a nearly seven-hour-long manhunt, according to the Cleveland Police Department.Dickey was taken into custody at 7:56pm on July 15 by the Cleveland Police Department Crime Suppression team and the U.S. Marshals.PREVIOUS STORY: The search for Deountray Dickey, who i...
Meigs Co. deputy ‘ambushed’ near Highway 68, at home recovering
July 16th, 2026
From News Channel 9: A Meigs County Sheriff’s deputy is recovering after investigators say he was ambushed during a routine patrol on Wednesday.The sheriff’s office says the deputy had stopped to speak with one person near Peakland Road and Highway 68 when a second person suddenly attacked him.Investigators say the deputy was struck with an unknown object after getting out of his patrol vehicle, b...
Molly Jackson named Assistant Principal at Yates Primary School
July 16th, 2026
Cleveland City Schools has named Molly Jackson the new assistant principal at Yates Primary School.Jackson has served the Yates community for more than 16 years as a teacher, instructional facilitator, and school leader.She was named Yates Primary Teacher of the Year in 2018 and recently completed the Bradley County Public Education Foundation’s LEAD Fellows Program.Cleveland City Director of Scho...
Cleveland City Council meeting recap
July 15th, 2026
Cleveland city leaders are considering five initial recommendations aimed at reducing homelessness and improving services for people in crisis.The recommendations were presented to the Cleveland City Council on Monday by the city and county’s Homeless Action Committee.The committee is proposing a locally supported eviction-prevention and rental-assistance fund. Officials said community organizatio...
Meigs County liquor tax measures could boost revenue if approved for November ballot
July 15th, 2026
From News Channel 9: Meigs County voters could decide in November whether to allow alcohol sales and increase the local sales tax.County leaders say both proposals are aimed at generating additional revenue to address long-standing budget challenges and rising costs.One resolution would allow alcohol sales through liquor stores, grocery stores and restaurants, with the revenue supporting the count...
House passes permanent Daylight Saving Time bill
July 15th, 2026
From Local 3 News: A bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the country is moving to the U.S. Senate after passing the House of Representatives Tuesday by a vote of 308 to 117.The proposal would end the twice-yearly clock changes if it becomes law.Nineteen states including Tennessee, and neighboring states Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina have already passed st...
Child dies after being found in pond at Bradley County home
July 15th, 2026
From News Channel 9: The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the drowning death of a child who was found in a pond on private property in the southeast part of the county.The call came in around 2:38 on Monday afternoon.First responders provided emergency care before the child was taken to a local hospital, where the child was pronounced dead.Detectives are continuing to investigate t...
The Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics sees changes in where some surgeries will be performed
July 14th, 2026
From Local 3 News: CommonSpirit Hospital, formerly known as CHI Memorial, recently switched radiology providers earlier this month.The switch has caused changes in appointment availability and wait times for certain imaging scans.Longer wait times for radiology imaging results have been an issue for some patients during the month of July.This change has caused lots of feedback online. Dozens of co...
Bradley County Commission meeting recap
July 14th, 2026
The Bradley County Commission met yesterday for a work session. The main topic of the meeting was once again a rumored data center in the Charleston area. Several residents urged Commissioners to slow any potential large-scale industrial development near the Hiwassee River, citing concerns about nearby homes, the environment, and local businesses.During public comments, B&B Marina owners Carrie an...
Lee University's summer honors program welcomes record 232 students
July 13th, 2026
From the Chattanoogan: Lee University welcomed a record 232 students to its Summer Honors Program this year, the largest enrollment in the program’s history.The two-week program allowed incoming freshmen and high school seniors to earn six hours of college credit while experiencing campus life, academic programs, and the university’s Christ-centered mission.Students also participated in service pr...
‘Operation Southern Slow Down’ begins today in Tennessee
July 13th, 2026
From WKRN Nashville: Law enforcement agencies across Tennessee are stepping up speed enforcement this week as part of the annual Operation Southern Slow Down campaign.The enforcement effort runs through Saturday and includes the Tennessee Highway Patrol, along with local police and sheriff’s departments across the state.Officers will focus on major highways and other high-risk areas during one of ...
Car recovered after rolling into Parksville Lake; no one hurt
July 13th, 2026
From Local 3 News: Bradley County Fire and Rescue says they assisted West Polk Fire Rescue in recovering a car that rolled 50 feet down an embankment.Fortunately, no one was inside the vehicle, and the owners have been accounted for and are safe.The car crashed into the water just down from a pull-off past Mac Point in Polk County, eventually coming to a rest in ten feet of water, 100 feet from th...
Friday Festival in Downtown Cleveland presents The Collins Brothers Band
July 10th, 2026
Looking for a great way to enjoy a summer evening in Downtown Cleveland?The final Friday Festival of the season is happening tonight at the new outdoor amphitheater at the Museum and Cultural Center at 5ive Points.The Collins Brothers Band will perform beginning at 7:00 p.m.Residents are encouraged to bring a chair and enjoy an evening of live music, family activities and community fellowship.The ...
Hamilton County woman charged with stabbing man in thigh during 4th of July argument
July 10th, 2026
From News Channel 9: A Dayton woman is facing an attempted first-degree murder charge after investigators say she stabbed her boyfriend during an argument in Ooltewah.According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, 22-year-old Jasminne Lynn Thomas allegedly stabbed the 33-year-old victim in the thigh during a dispute at a Village Garden Drive home on July 4.Deputies applied a tourniquet before ...