MONDAY, JULY 18, 2011 Haslam says grant will encourage exercise (Associated Press)

Gov. Bill Haslam says a $600,000 grant to help construct the Tennessee Central Heritage Rail Trail will encoura people to exercise. The project, begun in 2005, is a 19-mile hiking and biking path from Cookeville to Monter alongside refurbished railroad tracks. According to the Cookeville Herald-Citizen, Haslam said it's the first time has awarded funds since he took office in January. The funds are part of a Tennessee Department Transportation enhancement grant. Tennessee has one of the highest obesity rates in the country. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=36992813.story

Haslam defends cutting home care (Associated Press/Schelzig)

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is defending the decision to cut back home care for people with developmen disabilities despite a federal lawsuit seeking to stop the move to group homes. Haslam said after a ribbon-cutti event in at Tims Ford State Park on Thursday that the group homes save money while still delivering personaliz services. We can still maintain a high quality of care for each one of these individuals, Haslam said. I understa the families, and the pain that people feel, he said. But again, I think we feel like we can provide a high quality care in this situation. The lawsuit has been filed on behalf of 39 Tennesseans ranging from ages 7 to 52 over t cuts to in-home care services, claiming the move violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/07/17/top_stories/07haslam.txt

Cleanup funding down at Department of Energy's Oak Ridge site (N-S/Munger)

DOE official says site deserves more money for projects The Department of Energy's environmental manageme budget in Oak Ridge this year is about $400 million, down significantly from past years, and only about half of th is being used for actual cleanup activities. During discussions last week with Gov. Bill Haslam and other sta officials, DOE's John Eschenberg confirmed about $200 million of the program's funding is used for administrati and overhead costs, maintenance and security. As an example, he cited the situation at the East Tenness Technology Park, a former uranium-enrichment plant that's being converted to private industrial uses. Because o buildings still contain classified equipment and sensitive materials, DOE spends about $30 million each year fo security force at the site. Those security costs won't go away until the buildings are demolished and the materia are removed, Eschenberg said. Then, that funding can be applied to other missions, such as cleaning contaminated soils and groundwater, he said. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jul/17/or-cleanup-funds-down/

Manhattan Project park site in Oak Ridge? (Oak Ridger)

State officials are concerned about a possible reduction in cleanup funding for federal sites in Oak Ridge, Gov. B Haslam said Wednesday. The governor is also concerned that Oak Ridge has not been getting an equitab portion of federal cleanup money. "I'm not convinced that we have been getting our fair share," Haslam said duri a brief interview at The Oak Ridger Wednesday afternoon, one of several stops in the Secret City that al included meetings with teachers and U.S. Department of Energy officials. At the same time, Oak Ridge is populated area with concerns about mercury contamination, the governor said, and DOE's Oak Ridge Reservati presents some of the biggest environmental risks statewide. A chart from the Tennessee Department Environment and Conservation shows Oak Ridge has received much less environmental management, or E funding in the last half-dozen years than have sites in Hanford, Wash., and near Aiken, S.C. http://www.oakridger.com/topstories/x1249735456/National-park-recommended-for-Oak-Ridge

Tenn consumer officials warn about contest scams (Associated Press)

State consumer affairs officials have reminded Tennesseans that you can't win a foreign contest you didn't ent Gary Cordell of the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs says scams circulate daily with the goal of getti money or personal information. Legitimate sweepstakes don't require a purchase, he says. Nor should someo be required to pay taxes or shipping and handling charges to get a prize. Additionally, it's highly unlikely th someone has won a big prize if the notification was mailed by bulk rate. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=36992785.story

Drop in federal funding leaves TN fearing some welfare gone for good (TN/Bewley)

Making ends meet with two children on $142 a month is difficult, Porsha Haynes says. It would be even tougher less. That aint enough as it is, she said, her 1-year-old son, Correz, perched on her hip as she left a Departme of Human Services office near downtown Nashville. Its not enough money already, so how are they going to ta from that? Tennessees welfare program is about 10 percent poorer than it used to be, and state officials do expect to get that money back anytime soon. Funding for supplemental grants through the federal Tempora Assistance for Needy Families program ran out at the end of June, well before the fiscal year ends in Octob Thats led to uncertainty in Tennessee and the 16 other states that have received the grants each year sin welfare reform passed in 1996. Tennessee stands to lose $21.6 million in supplemental grants annually. Tha more than 10 percent of the $191.5 million in federal welfare money the state will get this year. We were hopi that (the cut) wouldnt happen but expecting that it probably would, said Wanda Franklin, director of Families Fi at the Tennessee Department of Human Services. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110718/NEWS0201/307180038/TN-fears-some-welfare-gone-good? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

State OKs landfill (Columbia Daily Herald)

A proposed landfill that would house byproduct of two Mt. Pleasant aluminum recycling companies has gotten green light by the state, leaving the site one step away from construction. Tennessee Department of Environme and Conservation has been considering since February whether to issue a permit for a 95-acre site off Hoov Mason Road to store salt cake, a by-product of aluminum recycling. The two companies seeking the landfill are M Pleasant-based Tennessee Aluminum Processors Inc. and Smelter Services Corp. The citys nine-memb Planning Commission will have to approve plans for the landfill before it can be built. Robert Shackelford, a c commissioner who is adamantly opposed to the landfill and sits on the planning commission, called TDEC a pap tiger and said the agency wasnt looking out for the best interest of the citys residents. If we cant depend people like that to protect us keeping a company from putting their industrial waste in our ground here, and al in our air what protection do we have? he said. http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/07/17/top_stories/01landfill.txt

Credit card deal brings TN schools nice payday (Tennessean/Bewley, Tumulty)

TN colleges, groups made $1.8M in 2010 Eighteen Tennessee colleges, student groups and alumni associatio earned $1.8 million last year from agreements allowing credit card companies to market college-themed cards students and alumni. Most of that money went to the University of Tennessee, which received $1.4 million throu a marketing agreement with Chase, according to Federal Reserve data. The universitys contract, in place sin 1998, is the fifth-most-lucrative in the nation. The money funds scholarships and alumni projects, according to U spokeswoman Gina Stafford. However, the program is on the decline. The number of open UT affinity ca accounts fell by 21 percent in 2010, and no new accounts were opened in 2010, according to Federal Reser data. Chase has told UT it wont renew the contract when it expires in 2012, Stafford said. Nationally, the numb of credit cards issued through colleges and alumni associations fell by 17 percent last year, according to a surv released last week by the Federal Reserve. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110718/NEWS04/307170058/Credit-card-deal-brings-TN-schools-nicepayday?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

UT professor helps rural librarians help patrons (Associated Press)

From online classes to medical research, many residents of rural Appalachia depend upon their public libraries Internet access. That's what got Bharat Mehra interested in training librarians to better help their patrons. Meh who is an associate professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, received $567,660 grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program to offer an online master's degree 2

Information Technology to rural librarians. Residents of rural Appalachia have consistently lower levels of compu ownership, education and access to information than the rest of the nation, Mehra told the Knoxville Ne Sentinel, and the quickest way to get those resources to the people who need them is through local libraries. No librarians in East Tennessee and the surrounding area are learning skills like how to conduct research and crea databases as well as how to market their libraries' programs and write grant applications. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=36988115.story

Tennessee Legislature passed 154 bills in 3 days (Associated Press)

Pressed by GOP leaders to end the legislative session earlier than usual, the General Assembly passed 154 b in the final three days of the session, 30 percent of the years entire package of enacted legislation. According an Associated Press analysis of public records, lawmakers moved out 133 of them in the final two days. Th number was roughly a fourth of the 510 bills the Secretary of States office lists as passing both chambers duri the session that stretched from Jan. 11 to May 21. That was utterly ridiculous, said Democratic Rep. Jimm Naifeh, of Covington, who tried to get lawmakers to extend the session a few days. Its just all because th wanted to rush this thing through, and for what reason Im not sure except for them to be able to say that they g us out on that particular day. Among the bills were items that were extensively debated, such as reshaping tenu and collective bargaining for teachers. Others got little attention, including measures that brought far-reachi changes to how residents are allowed to use the Internet, and some are going to need to be redone in the ne session because they contained mistakes. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jul/18/tennessee-legislature-passed-154-bills-3-days/?local

Southern Lawmakers Get Debt Management Tips from TNs Top Auditor (TN Repor

Comptroller Justin Wilson, the self-described money cop for the State of Tennessee, talked a lot about the nu and bolts of managing debt in a speech to the Southern Legislative Conference Sunday in Memphis. It was timely subject for state and local governments grappling with gaping budget holes just as political gambits a playing out over a federal debt crisis unfolding in the backdrop. But Wilson laid it out in plain English that taking government debt requires some basic rules anyone should recognize. One of the recurring lines Wilson gave h audience in a ballroom of The Peabody Hotel was about kicking the can down the road. He talks like a man w has seen enough of that. Kicking the can, in Wilsons view, is having the strong desire to provide a particu government service, but putting off paying for it. Its a common pitfall in realms of public policy-making, he said. may be political. But it may be something better, Wilson said after his speech. But still, his message resonated any budget official who might assume too easily that funds are a sure thing down the road. He made a special no of planning for pension funds. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/07/southern-lawmakers-get-debt-management-tips-from-tns-top-auditor/

Davidson Countys clerks show a history of bad judgment (City Paper/Williams)

Former Davidson County Clerk Bill Covington, who left office in 2006, now owns and operates a small busine called Nashville W eddings. On his website, Covington notes he is Nashvilles most experienced wedding officia [who] has performed thousands of wedding ceremonies for couples from all over the world. Covington shou consider hiring current County Clerk John Arriola, a guy who might just accept the offer. Late one recent Frid afternoon, a time notorious for burying news, Mayor Karl Dean announced he was directing the Metro Division Internal Audit to conduct an examination of Arriolas Davidson County Clerks Office. It came after a series WTVF-Channel 5 reports revealed damning allegations, including that the clerk had been charging a $40 fee marry couples, even though its illegal for a public official to profit from his office. Arriola told reporter Phil William the payment is considered a gratuity, a stipulation that made it legal. Although the Metro audit of the clerks offi is to focus on its fiscal health, Arriola likely spurred Deans directive after the beleaguered clerk said he took t gratuity in cash only, failed to note whether couples had been given an option not to offer the gratuity, and said kept no detailed records for the receipt of the cash. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/davidson-county-s-clerks-show-history-bad-judgment

Murfreesboro mosque opponents caution against groundbreaking (CA/Smietana)

With court case not completely wrapped up, leaders start construction 'at own peril,' attorney Brandon says Thin are quiet these days at the future site of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. From the blacktop parking lot at Vea Road and Bradyville Pike the sole sign of construction the only sounds are chirping sparrows and t occasional passing car. But mosque leaders hope the sound of construction equipment will soon be heard. Th pulled a building permit in late May, are finalizing bids from contractors and hope to break ground sometime 3

August. After a year of protests, court hearings and a suspicious fire, starting construction will be a relief, mosq leaders said. I cant tell you how excited people are to have this, said Essam Fathy, a Murfreesboro physic therapist who headed the planning committee. But the attorney for mosque opponents warned Thursday th starting construction is a bad idea. Chancellor Robert Corlew in May dismissed most of the complaints raised by plaintiffs in a 2010 lawsuit against the mosque. The biggest issue in the lawsuit is whether the county Planni Commission violated state sunshine laws when it approved a site plan for the mosque. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110718/NEWS06/307080090/Murfreesboro-mosque-opponents-cautionagainst-groundbreaking?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Busy agenda ahead for Memphis City Council this week (CA/McMillin, W right)

Memphis politics moves to the front burner this week with a flurry of activity that figures to have a great influen on how voters respond to the city's Oct. 6 municipal elections. On Tuesday, the City Council is expected to vote a plan for redistricting the city's voting boundaries based on work contributed by council attorney Allan Wade. A Tuesday, the council will take up more budgeting issues, with some council members now saying they want a d over on an agreement that called for a 4.6 percent reduction in salaries for city employees (the reductions we described as forcing city workers to take unpaid holidays). Then on Thursday comes the deadline for candidates file to run in the fall elections. Only 19 people have filed so far, and seven are incumbents -- Memphis Mayor A Wharton's campaign said he will officially file for re-election today for what would be his first full term. And Friday, the council convenes to consider people who have applied for the open District 7 seat that became vaca when Barbara Swearengen Ware resigned her seat June 21 following her indictment last year on a felony char of official misconduct. Fourteen people submitted applications by last week's deadline. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jul/18/busy-agenda-ahead-for-city-council/

States save by moving vets from Medicaid's rolls to VA's (Stateline)

A growing number of states are shifting health care costs to the federal government by finding military vetera who receive Medicaid and signing them up for medical benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Arizona, California and Texas are among the states that are working to replicate a program first launched Washington State. That program, begun in 2003, has moved some 9,500 veterans from the states Medicaid ro to the VAs. Washington State has avoided paying $27 million in health care bills this way enough to make small dent in a strained state budget. And veterans generally find that the benefits offered through the VA are mo generous that what they were getting through the state. The fact that it saves Medicaid dollars is an add benefit, says Bill Allman, who created the Washington State program and is its biggest advocate nationally. Th would appear to make it a no-brainer for each and every state. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=588004

States look to right wrong convictions (USA Today)

Kenneth Kagonyera had been in the county jail for 13 months when he finally gave in. Prosecutors a investigators interrogated him repeatedly, he says, and told him he faced at least 25 years in prison for first-degr murder, with life or a death sentence possible. So he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2000 slayi of Walter Rodney Bowman. "It just kind of wore down on me," he later told the commission investigating wheth the justice system wrongly imprisoned him. Kagonyera was sentenced to 15 years in prison, as was his c defendant, Robert Wilcoxson. Both continue to maintain their innocence. In September, the two men are schedul to have a hearing before a three-judge panel that could free them. The hearing comes after the N.C. Innocen Inquiry Commission in April found enough evidence to indicate the men are innocent. That evidence includes t confession of another man and DNA testing that points to other suspects. North Carolina is among a growi number of states taking steps to prevent and address wrongful convictions and grant greater access to biologic evidence. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-07-17-dna-evidence-exonerates-innocent-prisoners-wrongfulconvictions_n.htm

Amazon pushes for another tax change (New York Times)

Online seller wants California exemption similar to one it has in TennesseeAmazon, the world's largest onli merchant, has an ambitious and far-reaching new agenda: It wants to rewrite tax policy for the Internet e Amazon is pushing a voter initiative in California that could eliminate sales tax for virtual sellers with only a mode physical presence in the state. Its move instantly escalated the company's long-running battle with many stat over collecting sales tax, taking the question directly to voters. And it has sharply intensified its dispute w 4

physical retailers like Wal-Mart Stores and Target, which have vowed to fight the measure. Some political scien and business professors say the conflict could take on the polarizing nature of Proposition 13, a decades-o referendum that limited property tax increases and remains a lightning rod in the state. Political experts s Amazon's proposed referendum is likely to gather the signatures necessary to appear on the ballot as early as ne February. Nancy F. Koehn, a retail historian at the Harvard Business School, said the initiative highlights t evolution of Internet retailing into a "major highway of commerce." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jul/18/amazon-pushes-tax-change/

10,000 Tennessee pupils may have to repeat third grade (Times-News)

If the 2011 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program data is any indication, almost one in 10 area thi graders in 2012 faces either repeating a year of school or attending a summer intervention program for readin They would be among about 10,000 students affected statewide, including between about 35 and 75 students each of seven area school systems. Because of class size requirements and depending on how full third-gra classes in 2012-13 otherwise will be, those numbers would represent an additional one to three teachers in loc systems if the students failed and did not do the summer intervention. In the selected seven Northeast Tenness systems, all bested the Tennessee average of 13.4 percent of third-graders not being up to par in reading, with of the seven finishing at less than 10 percent. Statewide about 10,000 students 13.4 percent of 74,640 thi graders would have to repeat third grade or go to summer intervention. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9033969/10000-tennessee-pupils-may-have-to-repeat-third-grade

Priminent National Education Reformer Making a Home in Nashville (TN Report)

One of Tennesssees newest residents, who happens to be a rock star of education reform, told an attentive gro of southern legislators in Memphis Sunday its time to bring back a culture of competitiveness to the nation education system. Michelle Rhee, former chancellor of Washington D.C. schools and founder of StudentsFirst reform-minded education organization, said it would be best to get away from the everybody-gets-a-trophy attitu with children nowadays and put some accountability into education, top to bottom. Rhee, noted for her appearan in the documentary film Waiting for Superman, has moved to Nashville so her two daughters can be close their father, Tennessees new education commissioner, Kevin Huffman.The girls will go to school in Nashville. B Rhee will spend only half of her time in Nashville, with plans to spend the other half in Sacramento, where h fiance lives. Rhee is most noted for her time as head of the D.C. school system, although a published report ea this year by USA Today raised questions about the authenticity of some academic gains on her watch. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/07/priminent-national-education-reformer-making-a-home-in-nashville/

Ex-D.C., schools chief Michelle Rhee gives take on education (CA/Callahan)

Michelle Rhee isn't the least bit shy expressing her beliefs about what's wrong with modern public education. Ev if she has to embarrass her daughters a little to get her point across. Rhee, the controversial former Washingto D.C., schools superintendent, spoke Sunday in Memphis to the education committee members of the Southe Legislative Conference. The 65th annual meeting, which continues through W ednesday morning, was expected bring as many as 2,000 legislators and staff members from 16 states. This year's chairman is state Sen. Ma Norris, R-Collierville. In her 90-minute talk, Rhee said three things need to be accomplished immediately to he turn around public education in this country, an issue of particular importance in Memphis. With each of those thr points, she began with a broad idea and distilled it down into a relevant point. Tops on her list, Rhee said, was stop rewarding all children, regardless of achievement, because it dulls this country's competitive spirit. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jul/18/state-of-education/

Home-school athletes tackle more options (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Garrett

Five years ago, it was hard to imagine that home-schoolers would be stressing over their batting averages, aw games and college athletics recruiters. But a new wave of home-school families, more organized and growing, s adding the perk of athletics programs has been a huge draw for parents who want to pull their kids out of public private schools but worry about them losing out on opportunities such as competitive sports. Families w previously didnt have any need for our services came on board for sports, said Janell Bontekoe, who coaches girls soccer team for the Chattanooga Southeast Tennessee Home Education Association, the main organizati for home-schoolers in the area. It encouraged people to continue to home-school. The association has grow more than 20 percent in the last five years to 1,500 families, Bontekoe said, and much of that growth can credited to its athletic program. Such programs for home-schoolers are popping up all over the country, especia in larger metro areas, because many states limit or dont allow home-schooled students to play on public scho 5

sports teams. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/jul/18/home-school-athletes-tackle-more-options/?local

Georgia: Cracking a System in Which Test Scores Were for Changing (NY Times)

There had long been suspicions that cheating on state tests was widespread in the Atlanta public schools, but t superintendent, Beverly L. Hall, was feared by teachers and principals, and few dared speak out. Last summer supposedly Blue Ribbon Commission, headed by a businessman volunteering his time, produced yet anoth flimsy report, urging further investigation. Gov. Sonny Perdue said he was fed up and determined to conduc thorough investigation. For this, he called on three men who had spent a good part of their careers putting peop in prison: Michael J. Bowers, a former state attorney general; Robert E. Wilson, a former county district attorne and Richard L. Hyde, who could well be the most dogged investigator in Georgia. It took them 10 months uncover the biggest cheating scandal ever in a public school district. They started with one school, as Mr. Wils said, to see if we could crack the egg. From a list of schools with large numbers of erasures on answer shee Mr. Hyde chose Venetian Hills Elementary, in a neighborhood he had patrolled as a young police officer. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/education/18oneducation.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

New York: States Unions Press Members to Accept Deal (New York Times)

New York labor leaders, spooked by public workers rejection of negotiated concessions in Connecticut, a beginning a carefully planned campaign to persuade more than 100,000 state employees to accept a wage free and other measures in order to avoid sweeping layoffs. The states largest union of public workers, the C Service Employees Association, has sent contract negotiators across the state as part of an effort to persua health care, maintenance and clerical workers that it would be better to stomach furloughs, benefit cuts and thr years without a salary increase than to risk losing thousands of jobs as the state cuts costs. The second-large union, the Public Employees Federation, also plans to campaign for its members approval after agreeing Saturd to nearly identical concessions. Together, the two unions represent more than half of New Yorks public work forc The reaction of rank-and-file members is a test both for union leaders, who are trying to protect jobs in a politic climate that is increasingly hostile to public employees, and for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who is trying to rein spending without alienating labor, a traditional Democratic constituency. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/nyregion/new-york-labor-leaders-urge-members-to-approve-contracts.html? ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

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OPINION Editorial: Chipping off the lbs. (Commercial Appeal)

What a shocker: Potato chips are the main culprit behind the average American's small but steady yearly weig gain, according to a study at Harvard University. But it's not so much the chips' fault as it is our inability to paraphrasing the slogan of one of the best-known brands -- eat just one. Of course, there's nothing to joke abo when it comes to obesity, and it's a problem that is getting even bigger in the United States, pardon the pun. Tw thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, according to researchers. Childhood obesity has tripled in t past three decades. The study reveals little that we don't already know. We need to eat more fresh fruits a vegetables, whole grains and nuts. W e should cut back on potatoes, red meat, sweets and soda. The final wor of wisdom from researchers echo the advice we've heard over the years: It's not so much what you eat, it's ho much you eat, and it's not so much what you eat and how much you eat as how you prepare it. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jul/18/chipping-off-the-lbs/

Bill Ketron: Tennessee needs to adopt Caylees Law (Columbia Daily Herald)

Most of us with children have felt the panic of turning around in a store or park and not being able to locate yo child. Certainly, the younger the child the more unsettling it is, especially as the seconds turn into minutes. It hard to fathom not reporting a child missing for over a month, which is what happened in the case of Cas Anthonys 2-year old daughter, Caylee. That inaction is unacceptable and should carry penalties under the la The Casey Anthony trial has shined a bright light on the gap in many states laws, including Tennessee regarding the reporting of a missing child. Florida law does not provide any penalties for this inaction. Likewis while Tennessee requires reporting, it carries no penalties or force of law. Representative Tony Shipley and I fil legislation this week to change that by strengthening state law to make it a Class E felony for a parent, leg guardian, or caretaker to not notify law enforcement of the disappearance of a child within 24 hours. Th legislation will be considered next January when the General Assembly reconvenes. http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/07/17/opinion/02ketron.txt

Editorial: Solway sale first of many posed by Burchett (Knoxville News-Sentinel)

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett has sold the first piece of taxpayer property as part of his plan to raise cash build a new elementary school in the Carter community. Natural Resources Recovery of Tennessee bought t Solway mulch facility it had been operating on a contract basis at a Wednesday auction. NRRT's winning bid w $2 million - $180,000 above the appraised value and $1.3 million more than real estate professionals had to Burchett to expect. Selling the first property was easy; the other high-end properties on Burchett's list to sell ha issues that could make sales difficult to achieve in the next two years, assuming the school board votes to mo forward with the school. The school system has voted repeatedly to renovate Carter Elementary School, whi virtually everyone agrees is a substandard facility. Carter residents have been vocal about their desire for a ne school, but the school system typically doesn't build new facilities except to serve growing communities or as p of consolidation. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jul/16/solway-sale-first-of-many-posed-by-burchett/

Guest columnist: Burchett to sell county government at flea market (News-Sentine

A small Chapman Highway flea market near Seymour provides proprietor Sam Drucker with a few extra dollars stock his "Hooterville" souvenir stand. It helps Remus Freebird fund occasional pilgrimages all the way to Sev County. It allows Minerva Thistlebottom to keep her family of Tibetan Spaniels in dog bones. But just bare because she owns 27 of them. And soon, the tiny operation will provide the backdrop for Knox County Mayor T Burchett to sell off the whole of Knox County government. What began for Burchett as a quest to fund a ne school in the Carter community has become a mission to return county government to its true role: Nothing. "Sin 7

citizens already believe government does nothing useful, our role is to not do anything, like managing properties providing services," Burchett said. "Some claim the government that governs least governs best; Knox Countia say the government that has nothing does nothing, and that's for the best." A recently released list of coun properties for sale is just the beginning. Everything must go. Even county officials. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jul/17/burchett-to-sell-county-government-at-flea/

Editorial: The Value of Medicaid (New York Times)

Medicaid is under assault these days from nearly every direction. Governors complain that they cannot afford put up their share of the money. Congressional Republicans led by Paul Ryan want to reduce the fede contribution by $771 billion over the next decade and shift more costs to the states and low-income American President Obama has expressed willingness to cut Washingtons contribution by $100 billion over that period help reduce the deficit. Meanwhile, conservative critics of Medicaid and of health care reforms requirement expand it have made the outlandish claim that it provides such poor care that enrollees would be better having no coverage. They cite a few studies that seemed to show that, in some cases, patients on Medicaid h worse outcomes than those without any insurance. They claim this is because Medicaid pays so poorly that ma doctors refuse to treat the patients, who are then unable to get care or go to the least-skilled doctors. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/opinion/18mon1.html?adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1310986831ZFyv8mGHDXiNEYE8xPrJVg (SUBSCRIPTION)

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