Local News for Monday, March 8th

Here is your Cleveland, Tenn. | Bradley County, Tenn. news on mymix1041.com, sponsored by Toyota of Cleveland:

Topping our news today…

At approximately 2:20AM Sunday morning, Cleveland Police Department officers responded to TBow’s Tavern on Spring Place Road in response to a shooting. According to witnesses, a white male came into the bar and began causing problems. As a result, an altercation ensued between the male, identified as Charles Garrett, and a bar employee identified as Jordan Myers. During the altercation, a bar patron, identified as Xavier Rouse, was shot. Rouse was transported to Tennova Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The suspect, Charles Garrett, fled the scene but was soon located by the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office at Spring Lake Apartments. Garrett has been charged with Attempted 1st Degree Murder of Jordan Myers and 1st Degree Murder of Xavier Rouse.

From WRCB Channel 3…

One of Rhea County’s most beloved citizens has died at the age of 67.  Jerry Levengood, a longtime teacher, coach, and principal who has served as the county schools’ director since 2009, had battled cancer for the past year.

Levengood was also pastor of Walden’s Ridge Baptist Church.  In recent weeks, hundreds of his church members, former students, and school district employees have posted tributes and offered prayers on his Facebook page during his illness.

In recent days, the Rhea County School district has honored him by naming its new facility the Levengood Educational Center. He was able to attend the ribbon cutting on Friday.

Visitation will be held Monday March 8th from 5-8 p.m. at Vanderwall Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held Tuesday March 9th at 1:00 p.m. at the Rhea County High School football field (changed from auditorium, which was announced earlier). A private burial will follow the service at Rhea Memorial Gardens.

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press…

Cleveland firefighters battled a blaze at the Whitewater Lodge early Friday in which one person was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The Whitewater Lodge is on Point South Road off of APD 40 near Dalton Pike. Firefighters from eight fire companies fought the blaze, according to a statement from Cleveland fire officials posted on social media.

First-arriving units reported “heavy fire conditions” as they began battling the blaze. Officials said Bradley County EMS and LifeForce treated and transported one resident with serious injuries.

Cleveland Police Department assisted in evacuating the apartment building and the Chattanooga Fire Department and Bradley County Fire-Rescue sent crews to answer other calls in the city during this incident.

Also from the Chattanooga Times Free Press…

A proposed consolidation of operations at TVA’s 110-year-old Ocoee Dam No. 1 in Polk County, Tennessee, could lead to the preservation of some of its aging historic buildings, according to a 126-page environmental report issued in February.

The two alternatives to finding occupants for the buildings to keep them maintained are to do nothing with them or to demolish them, according to federal officials.

One local historian wrote the Tennessee Valley Authority asking officials to slow down the process so all possibilities can be explored, but the comment period for an environmental review officially ended Friday.

According to TVA, current staff and operations at the Ocoee Dam No. 1 on the Ocoee River are inefficiently divided between the three aging buildings. A proposal stemming from a 2013 TVA plan to improve efficiency aims to consolidate people and functions into one new building. That means, if the proposal for consolidation and the new building goes forward, the old buildings will be left behind with no immediate plans for them.

TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler said that even though the official public comment would end, people can continue to send in comments — although they won’t become part of the final official document to be released sometime this summer, he said.

Fiedler said people can also submit comments through TVA’s “Get Involved, Stay Involved” page, which allows the public “to provide input to TVA and guide their actions.”

From the Cleveland Daily Banner…

Richard Roberts reports: After months of hard work and untold hours of planning, Gary and Rhonda Davis are nearly ready to unveil the project they have put their hearts and souls into for the past nine months.

On March 12, the Davises will see the fruits of their labor as Falcon Pointe Golf Course, on Dalton Pike, opens to the public. Gary Davis said the March 12 date will be a soft opening with a grand opening set for July 15-17.

Tee times have already been booked as work continues across the 18-hole facility. Davis said he encourages golfers to make a tee time, but walk-ons will be welcome as well.

Davis said tee times are not a necessity, but he prefers golfers book a starting time.

Plans for July’s grand opening are continuing and as the time draws near the team at Falcon Pointe will be completely focused on memberships and costs.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches and cold beverages will be featured at the grand opening.

Also from the Cleveland Daily Banner…

Tim Siniard reports: Cleveland ranked No. 11 among 28 cities in the United States that added the most jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rankings, compiled by the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics and published recently in USA Today, indicate, to paraphrase Calvin Coolidge, that the business of Tennessee is business. 

Cleveland posted a 1.7% employment increase with 59,317 employed in February 2020, followed by 60,302 in November — all taking place during the worst months of the pandemic and the recession it caused.

Doug Berry, vice president of economic development at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, said Tennessee was a dominant state in the rankings.

According to the federal bureau’s statistics, Cleveland posted a 1.7% rise in employment between February 2020 to November 2020, with leisure and hospitality leading the way in job growth at 8.2%.