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Local News for Tuesday, February 2nd

Here is your Cleveland, Tenn. | Bradley County, Tenn. news on mymix1041.com, sponsored by Toyota of Cleveland: From WRCB Channekl 3… The suspect in

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

From WRCB Channekl 3…

The suspect in an armed robbery from Thursday is in custody after a police pursuit that resulted in shots being fired at McMinn County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Thursday night, deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery and possible kidnapping at Morgan’s Junkyard on County Road 323, according to McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy.

About 9:00am Friday, deputies located the small white car identified as the suspect, Bradley Cole Steadman, at a home on County Road 1340.

While deputies were speaking with the property owner, they spotted Steadman who ran outside and hopped into the car and fled.

“The short pursuit eventually came down County Road 130 toward Athens,” said Sheriff Guy. “As they neared Rocky Mount Church, the suspect pointed a rifle out the car window and fired at the deputies who were behind him. The suspect then drove off the road and fled a short distance on foot before being apprehended.”

Steadman, 23, of Sweetwater, was charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, evading arrest, and 3 counts of attempted murder.

He was also charged with an outstanding warrant for carjacking and remains in custody under a $375,000 bond.

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press…

Autopsy results are pending in the death of a 58-year-old woman whose body was found last week at a home in Meigs County, Tennessee after she had been dead for upwards of 19 days with her husband in the house.

County authorities are investigating the death of Linda Kaye Bishop, whose body was found Jan. 26 in a home off Fowler Lane in the Georgetown community, Sheriff’s Office Det. Cordus Waller said in a statement.

Waller said when deputies first got to the home on a welfare check, they could see a man later identified as the woman’s husband, 56-year-old Joseph Bishop, inside the home. Bishop wouldn’t answer the door, Waller said. Officers also detected a foul odor.

That was when officers returned with a search warrant and found Bishop in a bedroom with his wife’s body, Sheriff Jackie Melton said Monday.

The sheriff said it looks like she might have been deceased about 19 days.

The woman’s body was sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab for a forensic examination. Investigators hope the autopsy sheds more light on what happened, Melton said.

There was no immediate indication of foul play in the death, Melton said, but Bishop has been charged in the incident with failure to report the discovery of a dead body and abuse of a corpse.

From WRCB Channel 3…

Monday the Tennessee Department of Health announced that they will begin COVID-19 vaccinations for those ages 70 and older.

Registration for those who fall into this age group will begin Tuesday, February 2.

Because of their independent operations and larger populations, Tennessee’s metropolitan counties may have different instructions, so residents in these areas should check with local authorities about their plans.

These changes do not apply to Hamilton County, according to the Hamilton County Health Department.

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press…

CHI Memorial Foundation and The MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Foundation have joined together, Memorial Hospital announced Friday.

The CHI Memorial Foundation will take over all daily operations of the Scholarship Foundation, including the application process, fundraising efforts, receiving donations and disbursement of scholarship funds.

The MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Fund at CHI Memorial Foundation is a college scholarship program for children who have either lost a parent to breast cancer, have a parent who is a breast cancer survivor, or have a parent who is currently in treatment. The organization was founded as an independent nonprofit in 2002 by MaryEllen Locher, a long-time news anchor and health reporter for WTVC-TV in Chattanooga.

Locher, who died in 2005 after her third bout with cancer, started the foundation because she was concerned about her own son’s future education and did not want other parents to share that concern while they were in the midst of their own struggles with this disease.

From WRCB Channel 3…

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded $68.5 million to the State of Tennessee for COVID-19 vaccination costs.

The award provides expedited funding to reimburse 100 percent of costs related to Tennessee’s vaccination program for a 90-day period, according to FEMA.

In news today…

Recent additions have made the journey a bit easier for cyclists who use the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway.

Bike-aid stations were recently installed in three locations, including Tinsley Park (near the dog park), at the Northway Plaza entrance and the trailhead near Kingsway Press on Keith Street.

The stations were funded with proceeds from a 2019 donation to the greenway and were in partnership with the Friends of the Greenway Committee and Bike Walk Cleveland. Gina Simpson chairs both organizations.

Cameron Fisher, chairman of the Greenway board, lauded the additions — not just as experience-lifting amenities, but as an invaluable outlet for service to greenway users.

Also in news today…

The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education met Monday and covered several items. The strategic plan focus was discussed, in which Director of Schools Dr. Russell Dyer received a score of 3.8 out of 4. His goal was 3.7. In the COVID-19 Task Force Update, summer programs were discussed. The system is looking to provide a summer camp at the elementary level for six weeks up to the 4th of July. This would include emphasis on math, reading, and physical activities. As this plan is from the state, the state will be responsible for creating the regulations. Teachers involved will be paid in addition to their regular 12-month pay. The program will be completely funded by the state, costing the school district nothing.

And finally…

The Bradley County Commission met Monday also covering several items. The county raised $1.15 million during the December bond sale, and $1.13 million during the January bond sale. County Mayor D. Gary Davis announced that COVID-19 numbers are still down county-wide in the last month. Also during the session, the finance committee’s 2021-2022 Budget Calendar was approved.