Friday, July 12th

Here is your news for Friday, July 12th, sponsored by Toyota of Cleveland:

Topping our news today…

On Thursday, July 11th, at 11:55 a.m., the Cleveland Police Department responded to a child struck by a vehicle at 679 Highland Avenue Drive SW in Cleveland. When officers arrived, they encountered a two-year-old boy with severe head trauma. Responders began CPR until EMS arrived. The child was then transported by EMS to Tennova, where he succumbed to his injuries. Cleveland Police Department investigators responded to the scene where statements were collected from the parents. It was determined that the father ran over the child in the driveway of the residence. At this time, the parents are cooperating with investigators and it appears to be a tragic accident. The investigation is ongoing.  

Please remember this family, and the public safety officials who responded, in your thoughts.

From the Cleveland Daily Banner…

Rick Norton reports: A 16-year dream anchored in perseverance, community support and plenty of sweat and tears took a face with the long-awaited announcement of a groundbreaking date for the state-of-the-art Bradley County Tennessee State Veterans Home.

Confirmation came in a joint statement released by Courtney Rogers, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, and Ed Harries, executive director of the Tennessee State Veterans Home board.

The announcement followed approval by the Tennessee State Building Commission of a $30,524,427 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the new state veterans home.

The veterans home groundbreaking ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 1940 Westland Drive in Cleveland.

From WRCB Channel 3…

The woman charged in a hit and run that killed a Chattanooga officer is no longer in custody, following a hearing where her bond was raised on Thursday.

The judge decided Thursday to increase her bond and added more conditions to follow.

This comes after the judge ruled she violated the terms of her previous bond.

Hinds is accused of driving drunk and killing Chattanooga Police Officer Nicholas Galinger in a hit and run on Hamill Road in February.

Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole ruled Hinds did violate the terms of her bond when she failed to call her probation officer and tested positive for alcohol.

He increased her bond to $175,000 ($15,000 more from what it was previously) and wants her to be tested once a week for drugs and alcohol, plus two more random screenings a month on top of her previous conditions like house arrest and GPS monitoring.

From The Tennesseean…

For the second time in 21 months , Gov. Bill Haslam has declined to run for the U.S. Senate, the Knoxville Republican said in an exclusive letter submitted to the USA TODAY Network-Tennessee.

The former governor’s decision, which came after U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said in December he will not seek reelection in 2020, immediately bolsters the chances of a contested Republican primary. 

Haslam’s move likely increases the prospects that Bill Hagerty, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, could launch his own bid for the Senate.