Tuesday, January 3rd

From the Tennova Healthcare Cleveland News Desk, here are your news headlines for Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017 on Mix 104-1 and Talk 101-3 The Buzz. Just a reminder… The 16th annual “Coats for the Cold” drive will kick-off today, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. This event will be held at Chick-fil-A located at 3890 Keith St. N.W. Additionally, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office Litter program funded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation will be in attendance to educate participants on the importance of not-littering within the community. Anybody with unwanted new or gently used jackets are asked to donate these items to those in need of outerwear for the winter months. The Chick-fil-A cow will give treat-cards to the first 100 people who donate. The “Coats for the Cold” drive will continue until January 16, 2017, and items can be dropped off at these locations; Chick-fil-A located at 3890 Keith St., N.W. Any Bradley County BB&T Banking Location The Village Tire Center located at 232 Third St., S.W. Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith’s office, on the first floor of the Bradley County Courthouse Family Tire at 215 W. Inman St. Logan-Thompson law offices at 30 Second St., N.W. Bradley County Sheriff Office’s lobby located at 2290 Blythe Ave., S.E. This event was founded by Sheriff Eric Watson 16 years ago when he observed children playing outside without coats and learned their family didn’t have money to purchase those items. For the past 16 years, over 10,200 coats and jackets have been collected and distributed to children and adults in need. Individuals or businesses wanting to get involved or learn about the “Coats for the Cold” program, can contact the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office at 423-728-7300.

From our news partners at WRCB… In an effort to keep you and your family safe, the state of Tennessee is cracking down on uninsured drivers. Tennessee is ranked sixth in the nation for uninsured motorists, with over 20 percent of its drivers uninsured, but thanks to a new law state legislators hope to change that. People driving without insurance will now have a tougher time getting away with it. The Tennessee Department of Revenue launched a statewide electronic insurance verification system. The system will automatically “ping” Tennessee drivers’ vehicle registrations for proof of insurance. If the system cannot confirm coverage, that vehicle will be marked as ‘unconfirmed’. Unconfirmed drivers will receive notices in the mail that they are not in compliance and they will be directed online to provide proof of insurance. The new law allows police to tow an offender’s vehicle, it triples the minimum fine from $100 to $300 dollars, and makes driving without insurance a Class C misdemeanor.

From the Cleveland Daily Banner… The city of Cleveland took steps to protect its citizens, is taking additional steps with transportation and transportation-related issues, and is moving forward with a plan to work more closely with the school system for the start of construction for a new elementary school during the coming year. Several infrastructure projects were completed this past year, and others are in the works. Solutions to traffic congestion and traffic tie-ups are on the horizon, and additional growth in the industrial community is anticipated. The realization of this growth, and the challenges to be faced by city government, is quietly on the mind of longtime Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland. The growth and the tasks at hand have been tempered somewhat for the city’s longtime mayor, with a recent honor which has become dear to his heart. The Tennessee Legislature has named the APD 40 interchange between Exit 20 at I-75 and U.S. Highway 11 the “Honorable Mayor Tom Rowland Interchange”. Although it is near Exit 20 at I-75 where work continues to enlarge that interchange, the Mayor Rowland Interchange is a separate project. Rowland says he is honored and humbled to have the interchange named in his honor. Another issue brought up by the mayor is regarding the new Cleveland Jetport. There is anticipation the facility will soon be approved as a U.S. Customs location. He said the city has jumped through hoops to secure this federal approval. There are also tentative plans for a runway extension at the Jetport. Rowland is optimistic about the city’s future under the guidance of the new city manager Fivas, and Cleveland’s experienced City Council.