Local News

From our partners at Local 3 News: One in six people are food insecure in Bradley County. That's an increase of almost 3% compared to the previous year. “Food insecurity is a critical need right now,” said Corrine Freeman, Executive Director of the Caring Place. “With the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, their support as our primary source and our primary supplier of food product that makes that possib...

From the Cleveland Daily Banner: A lawsuit was filed by Aubrey Preston, son of Life Care Centers of America founder Forrest L. Preston, seeking emergency conservatorship for his 91-year-old father. Aubrey alleges Forrest is suffering from dementia and is being abused and exploited by his wife, Kim Preston.  Read the full story here.A hearing is scheduled today in Bradley County Chancery Court. WCL...

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: The plane was a Cessna Skyhawk that flew 17 miles and 11 minutes before the crash, according to its trail number: N951JA. It had a planned distance of 20 miles, FlightAware records show.CFD believes the crash was caused by engine failure.This crash is now under investigation by the FAA.Crystal Air, Inc. released the following statement: "A Crystal Air, Inc Cessna 172 was...

From Local 3 News: After the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) acknowledged the presence of a Venezuelan gang throughout the state, the Chattanooga Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office have denied seeing any activity or evidence.TBI Director David Rausch originally said in a video posted Nov. 15 that Tren de Aragua (TDA) is primarily engaged in human trafficking taking ...

The Cleveland City Council also met yesterday.Mainstreet Cleveland Director, Sharron Marr addressed the Council and discussed several upcoming events in the Downtown area. This Saturday, from 4-8 pm, the Annual Tree Lighting Event will take place around the Courthouse Square. Also on December 7th, Mainstreet Cleveland will hold its annual Christmas Parade.During the City Manager Report, Joe Fivas ...

The County Commission met yesterday.Commission Chairman, Tom Crye noted the recent resignation of Bradley County School Board member, Jeff Lovingood. The County Commission will appoint someone to serve on the school board until the next election cycle. The Commission must give the public notice at least 7 days prior to the appointment. The proposed timeline is December 16th, at noon at the Bradley...

Bradley County Schools announced record-breaking graduation rates for the 2023-24 academic year yesterday in a release on social media. The district-wide graduation rate was 97.7%, which is the highest in the district's history. The statement read in part, “This historic graduation rate is a testament to the dedication of students, teachers, administrators, and support staff, as well as the ongoin...

Two Collegedale Police Officers have resigned and one was placed on paid administrative leave following an off-duty incident at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN.Collegedale police say they were made aware on November 5 of an incident that happened several days before that involved off-duty officers.Police have not confirmed what event the incident took place at, but Tennessee played Kentucky at Ne...

Bradley Medical Center in Cleveland will celebrate the holiday season with its first-ever Christmas Lights & Ribbon Cutting event on Tuesday, November 19, from 5:15 to 7:30 p.m.The festive evening will feature live performances by the Blackfox and Hopewell Singers, visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, refreshments, and a special “tour of trees” decorated by hospital departments.......

Tennessee Wesleyan University has finalized a long-term lease for the historic Ingleside property in Athens.  The site, which formerly housed Ingleside School, will be transformed into a multi-purpose athletics facility for TWU’s soccer, lacrosse, and track and field teams. The facility will also be available for community use.Dr. Tyler Forrest, TWU President, calls the lease the university’s larg...

WCLE’s own, Steve Hartline was awarded the 2024 TSSAA Contributor of the Year!The Contributor of the Year is given in recognition for displaying the high ideals of integrity and ethics and for the examples of citizenship and sportsmanship.Congratulations to Steve Hartline on this prestigious award. ......

The Bradley County School Board met last night. 7th District School Board member, Jeff Lovingood announced that he was resigning from the board after accepting a job out of state. It will now be up to the Bradley County Commission to fill Lovingood’s position until the next election. ......

From Cleveland City Schools: Cleveland City Schools is proud to announce that the district has been awarded the highly coveted TVAAS Level 5 rating, signifying exceptional growth in student achievement. This recognition reflects the hard work, commitment, and dedication of the students, teachers, staff, and leadership within the school district.The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) m...

From TN.gov: Tennessee's unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the nation, reported at 3.3% for October. Although this marks a slight increase from September’s 3.2%, Tennessee's rate is significantly lower than the national average of 4.1%. Earlier this year, Tennessee reached a record low of 3% for three consecutive months.Since last month, Tennessee added 2,600 nonfarm jobs, with the edu...

From Local 3 News: A new addition to Polk County schools was enjoyed by a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, taking the wraps off the Copper Basin High School Innovation Center.The newly-constructed 6,000 sq-ft. building will serve two primary purposes for students: it will be a classroom and work area for construction, welding, and hub for work-based learning opportunities for students, but also ...

Lee University announced its annual “Classic Christmas” concert will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. in the Conn Center. This community favorite will feature Lee’s choirs and orchestra, offering holiday classics like “The First Noel” and “Hallelujah Chorus,” and will conclude with a candlelit rendition of “Silent Night.” Tickets are free but required, and can be reserved online or at the D...

From Local 3 News: The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) responded to several fights that broke out at a Hixson Middle School girl's basketball game on Wednesday, November 13.The fights, among players and attendees, started in the gymnasium, causing the game to be canceled, HCSO says. As players and attendees were exiting the gym, more fights broke out in the parking lot.  There were no seri...

From Local 3 News: A man wanted for a domestic indent in Soddy Daisy was caught in a boat near Chester Frost Park on Wednesday, November 13.Jason Lamar Schleif fled from police after the dispute took place on Barbee Road. Deputies located Schleif's car on Bay Marina Drive inside Harrison Bay State Park, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) says.Schleif was taken safely into custody and was ...

Lee University’s annual Christmas tree lighting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m., featuring live music, cookie decorating, and other festivities. The event will take place in front of Lee’s Science and Math Complex, located at the corner of Ocoee Street and Billy Graham Avenue.  “We look forward to this annual event where we get to welcome the Christmas season with our community,...

The County Commission met yesterday for a work session. Although the commission did not have any items on the agenda, we learned of a possible new industrial development in Bradley County. During the County Mayor’s report, Gary Davis placed a payment in lieu of taxes resolution on the agenda of the next voting session. Although the business name has not been released publicly, we do know the busin...