Friday, November 24th

From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, here is your news for Friday, November 24th, on Mix 104-1 and Talk 101-3 The Buzz.

Topping our news today, from the Cleveland Daily Banner…

The administrative assistant to Special Judge Don R. Ash has informed the parties involved in the case against Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson that the hearing scheduled for Monday is being rescheduled.

That hearing was to debate the constitutional questions concerning the charges against Watson that his legal counsel presented to the court.

The office of the Circuit Court confirmed to the Cleveland Daily Banner there were no written orders filed, but the request came through a phone call from Ash’s office.

According to James Logan, counsel for Watson, he received the notification late Tuesday evening by email. Logan stated that they were told the state would not be able to respond to the motion to dismiss for lack of constitutionality by Monday.

That motion was filed two weeks ago wherein the argument was made that the state had not presented any evidence Watson violated state law, or had fraudulent intent. Logan said the law only concerns titles issued by the state of Tennessee or Tennessee County Clerks offices. He has also maintained that the law under which Watson has been charged is too undefined as to be constitutional, and it fails to include a required element of the crime.

Logan was notified the court was exploring the possibility of Dec. 13 or Dec. 21.

In news today…

Lee University’s Voices of Lee will present “An Evening with the Voices of Lee” to celebrate their new release, “A Cappella Christmas.” The concert will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. in Pangle Hall.

The performance will feature music from the new Christmas CD, which features songs such as “Little Drummer Boy, “Christmas Time is Here,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” along with a bonus track of “Beautiful Name” from Voices’ video that went viral in July. The CD is directed by Danny Murray, director of Voices of Lee, and produced by Gordan Mote.

Tickets for the concert are $10, which includes a copy of Voices’ new CD.

Proceeds from this event will go to the Empty Stocking Fund of Cleveland. The fund, which began in 1975, is an annual Christmas drive to gather presents for children who otherwise would not be able to open a gift on Christmas day.

For tickets or more information about the event, call (423) 614-8320.

For more information about Voices, visit www.voicesoflee.com.

On Friday, November 17, 2017 the Bradley County Sheriff Office’s Public Safety Unit conducted Roadside Sobriety Checkpoints in three locations within Bradley County from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m.; Eureka Rd. at Lower River Rd., Dalton Pike at Waterville Elementary School, and APD 40 at Benton Pike. The five-hour operation produced (907) vehicles passing through the checkpoint and the following statistics: • (5) D.U.I. Arrests • (22) Citations • (3) Fugitive Arrests • Narcotics Seizures

Sheriff Watson said the sheriff’s office recognizes that Roadside Sobriety Checkpoints are a vital component in the fight against both impaired and unlicensed driving. Studies have proven that impaired driving caused by alcohol and/or drugs causes one death every 33 minutes, and a person has a 30% chance of being killed or injured by a driver under the influence. These checkpoints have proven to reduce these types of driving-related collisions by removing such drivers from roadways.

A total of (43) officers assisted with the checkpoints from Tennessee Highway Safety Office, Benton Police Department, Crossville Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Safe Kids, Signal Mountain Police Department, and Charleston Police Department.

Funding for the checkpoints was provided by a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, through the National Highway Safety Administration.

This has been your local and state news. You can get news anytime by visiting our website, mymix1041.com, powered by Pioneer Credit. From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, this is Jeremy Gault reporting.