Local News

From News Channel 9 (Read the full story here): Protests broke out at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville during a special session on a proposed congressional redistricting plan.Lawmakers are working to redraw district lines across the state, including moving Rhea and Meigs counties from District 4 to District 3.Demonstrators interrupted committee meetings, leading state troopers to clear a hearing...

From the Chattanoogan: The City of Cleveland will host an open house for the newly completed Jim Sharp Park on Friday, May 15, from noon to 7 p.m.The park is located on Candies Lane Northwest and features walking paths, playground equipment, green space, and a stocked fishing pond.City officials say the park honors the legacy of Jim Sharp and his contributions to the community.The event will inclu...

From the Chattanoogan: Lee University has announced a new scholarship honoring longtime First Baptist Cleveland pastor Dr. Allan Lockerman.The Dr. Allan Lockerman/First Baptist Church Scholarship will support students preparing for ministry and church service.The scholarship was created in partnership with First Baptist Cleveland and recognizes Lockerman’s more than 20 years of leadership.It will ...

Graduation ceremonies are set to begin this week across Bradley County.Walker Valley High School will hold its graduation tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the football field.Cleveland High School’s ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m., in Raider Arena, with a traditional cap toss planned afterward on the football field.Tennessee Christian Preparatory School will hold graduation on Saturday at 10 AM a...

Cleveland City Schools is proud to announce that Taylor Bentley has been named the new Assistant Principal of Blythe-Bower Elementary School.Bentley has served as a physical education teacher since 2019 and has been involved in health initiatives, budgeting, and attendance coordination.He is a graduate of Lee University and was recently named Teacher of the Year for the 2024–2025 school year, alon...

From Local 3 News: The war in Iran has caused the average price per gallon of gasoline in Tennessee to reach $4 for the first time since 2022, according to AAA.As of Monday, May 4, Tennessee’s average gas price is $4.03 per gallon, which is 18 cents higher than it was a month ago. It’s also $1.31 more expensive than it was one year ago, AAA said.In the last week, Tennesseeans saw a $0.26 hike in g...

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: The man who died in a shooting in southwest Bradley County is 62-year-old Michael Shannon Rymer, according to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.Shots were fired between neighbors on Monday, May 4. One other person sustained injuries during the shooting.It happened in the 3800 block of Lead Mine Valley Road SW.The circumstances surrounding the shooting are still under i...

You only have four days left to early vote in the County Primary Election.The final day to cast an early ballot is April 30th.As of Saturday, about 3,600 people have voted in Bradley County, which is roughly a 4.5 percent turnout.Voters can cast ballots at the OCI on Urbane Road, the Election Office on Broad Street, the Northeast Recreation Center on Berry Street, and the Fire-Rescue Training Cent...

The Bradley County Commission met yesterday for a work session.County Mayor Gary Davis had no report for the evening.During commissioner reports, Commissioner Tim Mason shared photos of a recent property cleanup project funded by the commission, saying dozens of truckloads of debris were removed from the site.Commissioners also recognized upcoming graduations and community milestones, including th...

From Local 3 News: A student at Polk County High School was suspended on Monday, May 4, after an overheard comment indicated the student was planning to bring a weapon to school to harm another student, according to Director of Schools Dr. James R. Jones.Jones said law enforcement, along with the Department of Homeland Security, is involved in the investigation.Although officials said there was no...

McMinn County Schools has announced Jake Roberts as the new principal of McMinn County High School.Roberts has been with the district since 2017 and brings 15 years of experience in education.He has served as Athletic Director since 2022 and has also worked as an assistant football coach.Roberts lives in McMinn County with his family and is active in the local community.......

Local residents are being targeted by a scam text message that appears to come from General Sessions Court.Officials say the message may claim you owe money for a traffic offense and may include a QR code for payment.Authorities stress this is a scam and that courts do not request payment through text messages.Residents are urged not to click links, scan codes, or send money.Anyone receiving the m...

Lee University has awarded nine incoming freshmen the 2026 Rymer Scholarship.Three students received Gold scholarships worth $20,000 each, including Olivia Chastain, John “Cason” Stewart, and Rylan Hysinger.Three Silver scholarships worth $10,000 went to Carson Cannon, Isaac Sausville, and Emmaleigh Shaw.Three Bronze scholarships worth $4,000 were awarded to Taylor Hoffman, Britain Sapp, and Jonat...

From News Channel 9: Governor Bill Lee announced plans to call a special legislative session to review Tennessee’s congressional districts.He says any changes must happen quickly to meet election qualifying deadlines.Lee says the goal is to ensure districts reflect the will of Tennessee voters.Tennessee currently has nine congressional districts, with Republicans holding eight seats.The announceme...

From WATE: President Donald Trump says he spoke with Governor Bill Lee about redistricting Tennessee to add another Republican congressional seat.Currently, eight of the state’s nine U.S. House seats are held by Republicans.Trump says the change would correct what he calls an “issue with the current map.”The conversation comes after Senator Marsha Blackburn called for lawmakers to redraw district ...

In a special called meeting on Thursday, the Tennessee Board of Regents appointed Dr. John M. Davis as the next president of Cleveland State Community College.Dr. Davis currently serves as Vice President of Administrative Services at Germanna Community College in Virginia.He has more than a decade of experience in higher education leadership and holds degrees from the College of William and Mary a...

Cleveland City Schools is proud to announce that Jordan Reeves will serve as the new Assistant Principal of E.L. Ross Elementary School. Reeves has been teaching fourth grade at Ross since 2023 and is known for building strong relationships with students and staff. She was recently named Cleveland City Schools District Teacher of the Year for 2025 to 2026 and received the Don Goff Innovation Award...

On Thursday, the Bradley County Board of Education approved a balanced $115.5 million budget to be submitted to the Bradley County Commission.The proposed budget includes a 1.5% salary increase for employees and allocates $1.1 million for capital outlay, including building improvements and general maintenance.The District is scheduled to present the budget during a County Commission hearing on May...

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: A follow-up inspection for Benton Elementary was completed on February 10. This comes after health inspectors found outstanding risk violations, giving the school as low score of 68. In the new report, it shows zero violations were found during the most recent visit. That is big improvement from the initial findings. Previously, the inspection report cited 16 violations,...

From Local 3 News: The City of Athens Fire Department received a nearly $40,000 grant from Firehouse Subs to purchase new extrication tools.The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant allowed the fire department to purchase a Hurst Spreader, Cutter, Ram, and accessories.The City of Athens says these new tools will help with the fire department’s ability to respond to crashes and other rescue...