Tuesday, February 20th

From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, here is your news for Tuesday, February 20th, on Mix 104-1 and Talk 101-3 The Buzz.

From the Cleveland Daily Banner…

Bradley County Trustee’s Office staff enrolled participant No. 1,500 half-an-hour before the registration deadline and then coasted the final 30 minutes to set a new record for partial payment program participation.

As the dust settled on the final Friday (Feb. 9) of the lengthy enrollment process, another 164 Bradley County home and property owners had signed up to pay their taxes by an installment option.

As the second sign-up period got underway Jan. 3, Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith projected the new enrollment numbers could hit as high as 1,440. His forecast fell far short of the final total.

Smith admitted it was a lighthearted approach to a serious matter, but he stressed the importance of having now enrolled this many Bradley County residents in a program that lessens the sting of paying property taxes.

For those signing up for partial payment of 2018 property taxes, the first payment will be due March 15.

From WRCB Channel 3…

Google has broken ground on a $600 million data center in Tennessee that will bring 70 to 100 high-tech jobs.

Google officials on Friday announced new and expanding data centers and offices in 14 states, including the Clarksville, Tennessee, center. Sen. Bob Corker’s office says the facility will be Google’s eighth U.S. data center and the 15th worldwide.

The Tennessee center is part of a $2.5 billion investment that includes new and expanding data centers in Alabama, Oregon, Virginia and Oklahoma.

From News Channel 9…

In the ongoing trial of Johnthony Walker, the bus driver accused of killing six Woodmore Elementary School students on November 21st, 2016, Judge Don Poole issued rulings on attorney motions shortly before noon yesterday.

Judge Poole ruled that testimony about prior reported interactions Walker had with students and driving conduct will not be admitted before the jury. But he left the door open for re-introducing that issue at another, future hearing that won’t be in the presence of a jury.

Also from The Banner…

Two local legislators are celebrating the awarding of a $525,000 state grant that will be used to make infrastructure and public health improvements in Polk County, a community that lies in each of their jurisdictions.

State Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville), representing the 9th Senatorial District, and state Rep. Dan Howell (R-Georgetown), representing the 22nd Legislative District, recently joined other Tennessee government officials and the Etowah Utilities general manager in Nashville for the presentation.

The Polk County funds are part of a much bigger Community Development Block Grant package that includes $25.5 million in appropriations to be distributed to qualifying communities across Tennessee to assist with infrastructure projects, as well as with health and safety initiatives, according to a joint announcement by Howell and Bell.

Etowah Utilities customers and the Delano community stand to be the big winners with the Polk County grant, the legislative announcement pointed out. Specifically, Polk County government will partner with Etowah Utilities to use the funds for water system improvements and waterline extensions in Delano.

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