Dirksen will seek 2nd term

PDF: Bradley Petitions

Murl Dirksen, District 2 representative on the Cleveland School Board, said he intends to seek re-election in Aug. 7 county general election.

Dr. Dirksen noted that in his first term, the school system completed the new Mayfield Elementary School and extensive renovation of Arnold Memorial Elementary School, among other projects.

He said he wants to work toward more energy efficiency in schools, hire more minority administrators and teachers and improve science and math curriculums.

Dr. Dirksen is chairman of the departments of behavioral and social sciences and history-political science at Lee University. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Tennessee and is active in Habitat for Humanity, among other civic and social causes.

For a current list of people who have picked up petitions for Bradley County political office, see timesfreepress.com. The filing deadline is April 3.

Graffiti reward gets larger

The reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of whoever painted racial slurs on an elderly woman’s home has grown to more than $2,000, Mayor Tom Rowland said Friday.

Donors include GIBCO Construction, $500; Mr. Rowland, Vice Mayor Avery Johnson, Councilmen George Poe, Richard Banks and David May Jr., $100 each; Ruth Gamble, $50; David Davis, $50; and Chuck Martin, a real estate agent, $100.

Police continue to investigate the graffiti spray-painted on two houses and a church in the Blair Road neighborhood.