WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2011 State meth awareness campaign begins Wednesday (Associated Press)

Gov. Bill Haslam and others will begin a statewide methamphetamine awareness campaign Wednesday. The governor will join Tennessee's district attorneys and members of their staffs at an annual training conference to start the initiative, named Meth Destroys. Haslam will unveil an educational DVD that has been distributed to public middle and high schools across the state. It's part of an ongoing partnership between the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference and the Tennessee Department of Education. According to the website methpedia.org, the availability and demand for meth continues to increase in the state. Its use is anticipated to increase over crack cocaine. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37724571.story

Battle against meth heads to schools (Tennessean/Haas)

Campaign hopes to reduce 'smurfing' Tennessees renewed assault on methamphetamine abuse is moving to a different battlefield: the classroom. Gov. Bill Haslam today is expected to kick off a new anti-meth campaign called Meth Destroys featuring the first educational video created for middle and high school students since the states initial meth campaigns in 2005. The video is the latest weapon in the war on meth. Meth lab seizures in 2010 reached their highest since 2004, nearly doubling the prior year. In response the state enacted a battery of new laws aimed at making it harder to obtain pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in meth, and stiffening penalties for helping make the drug. But the state hasnt done a major educational campaign aimed at students in years, said Tommy Farmer, assistant special agent in charge with the TBI and director of the Tennessee Meth Task Force. Weve learned that we have to educate the youth at a pretty young age, he said. Theyre definitely at an age where they understand, we believe. They know and they need to know the difference between right and wrong. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/NEWS/310180075/Battle-against-meth-heads-schools? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Haslam sees Moore fifth-grade class work during Montgomery County visit (L-C)
Two Moore Magnet Elementary fifth graders got a rare opportunity to present their class projects to a special visitor Tuesday morning at Kenwood High School. Nathaniel Pittman and Preston Moody explained to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam the process by which they created their own paper that could conserve trees, as well as a solar oven that could be used in countries where people don't have electricity. Pittman also proudly told the governor the five steps of the engineering design process: "ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve." The presentation was par t of an hour-long visit from Haslem, who was seeking to learn more about the ClarksvilleMontgomery County School System's efforts to integrate the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiative in classes across the district. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190324/Haslam-sees-Moore-fifth-grade-classwork-during-Montgomery-County-visit

Clarksville gives Haslam shot in arm (Leaf Chronicle)

For the governor of Tennessee, even getting a routine flu shot that's recommended for everyone can draw attention. Bill Haslam smiled for several cameras as he sat down and received a shot to his right arm from Assistant Nurse Supervisor Donna Davis Tuesday morning at the Montgomery County Health Department. Haslam, who was joined by Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, said it was the largest crowd he's ever had for a shot. Both of them stressed the importance of getting protection against the virus. "Unlike years past, we don't have a shortage of vaccine," said Haslam, who was in town to participate in activities at Fort Campbell Tuesday afternoon. "Unlike other times, I don't think you'll have a long wait. I think now there's so many places

you can get a flu shot, it really is easy and it's smart." http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190323/Clarksville-gives-Haslam-shot-arm

Bicentennial Capitol Mall recognized as a 'Great Place in America' (Tennessean)

The park built to commemorate Tennessee's 200 years of statehood was designated one of the Top 10 Great Public Spaces in America today. The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is an outdoor recreation area in the center of Nashville that taps into our states unique history, geography and culture, said Gov. Bill Haslam during a ceremony today. The recognition was awarded by the American Planning Association as part of its annual Great Places in America Program. Im pleased to see the American Planning Association honor Bicentennial Mall for what we as Tennesseans have known all along, Mayor Dean said. This magnificent park is a special place for recreation and education...W e are fortunate to have this treasure. According to a a press release, the APA singled out Bicentennial Capitol Mall State park for its unique design and interpretive elements that not only provide insight into Tennessees history, but also artfully frame the State Capitol building. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111018/NEWS01/111018026/Bicentennial-Capitol-Mall-recognized-GreatPlace-America-

Sumner earns Three-Star recertification (Gallatin News Examiner)

Sumner County has again achieved certification under the states Three-Star program for excellence in economic development. In order to receive the certification, communities are required to meet criteria in planning, leadership, community, business and education and work force development categories. Sumner County is again eligible to receive additional incentives under the guidelines of the Tennessee Three-Star program. Incentives for receiving the certification include identification on all FastTrack infrastructure and job training applications; eligibility for matching grants; earning points in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; and the establishment of a strategic plan that is updated annually with measurable goals, specific actions, responsible parties and a timeline. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/GALLATIN01/310190076/Sumner-earns-Three-Star-recertification

State taking energy grant applications (Associated Press)

The state will be taking applications for a third round of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block grants to communities across the state to improve efficiency. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said in a statement it will be taking new applications on Monday. The department previously has given out $12.1 million in these grants to 135 communities. The grants can be used to fund a variety of projects on the local level, such as retrofitting lighting and heating and cooling systems to be more efficiency, as well as installing renewable energy systems. The applications will be scored on the local government's overall conservation strategy, project feasibility, community impact, partnerships and other criteria. The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, through the Department of Energy. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/18/state-taking-energy-grant-applications/

Medicaid firms cut off New Life Lodge (Tennessean/Roche, Rau)

The health-care companies that handle the states Medicaid payments have stopped sending any more patients to the troubled New Life Lodge drug and alcohol residential treatment facility in Dickson County, where two people died last year. In a separate development, Dickson County law enforcement officials acknowledged that there is an active investigation of an alleged sexual assault on a juvenile who was placed at New Life by the state Department of Childrens Services. Lt. Mark Anderson of the Dickson County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday the incident was reported on Aug. 18. Anderson said he anticipated the investigation would be complete in a week to 10 days. Keel Hunt, spokesman for New Life, said that the facility was cooperating in the investigation by DCS. We take these charges very seriously, he said, adding that the incident did not involve any staff members. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/310190064/Medicaid-firms-cut-off-New-Life-Lodge? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

5th-graders encouraged to enter poster contest (Associated Press)

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is encouraging fifth-graders across the state to enter a poster contest. It's the U.S. Department of Justice's 2012 National Missing Children's Day poster competition. The purpose is to show the country's effort to bring missing children home safely and highlight the importance of proactive 2

education programs. Applications should be submitted to the TBI, which will pick a state winner for the national contest. The state winner gets a free trip to Washington, D.C. Entries must be postmarked by Feb. 29. Details are at www.tbi.tn.gov . http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx? cId=tennessean&sParam=37724549.story

Feds, state check trucks (Jackson Sun)

Closer scrutiny involved weigh stations across state The Transportation Security Administration and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security set up simultaneous checks at truck weigh stations across the state on Tuesday, in a coordinated effort to maintain traffic security on interstate highways in Tennessee. Kevin McCarthy, TSA federal security director for W est Tennessee, said TSA's operations do not only concern air travel safety, but following train bombings in Madrid, the TSA worked to enhance security on rail and mass transit systems nationwide, as well as major interstate highways. "People generally associate the TSA with airport security, and after 9/11 that was our primary focus, but now we have moved on to other forms of transportation, such as highways, buses and railways," McCarthy said. "West Tennessee is one of the major modes of transportation in the nation. Memphis is first in business air cargo, the fourth in inland maritime ports (via the Mississippi River) and five of the country's seven major railroads run through the city." http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190307/Feds-state-check-trucks

Convicted murderer Kelley Cannon takes case to appeals court (Tennessean/Gee)

Defense says she was unable to kill husband Kelley Cannon was too frail, drug-addled and distraught to kill her husband, James Malcolm Cannon, according to her lawyer. Nashville defense attorney Peter Strianse told the state Court of Criminal Appeals that the evidence doesnt support the jurys first-degree murder verdict. James Cannon was killed by an extremely powerful assailant, said Strianse, who noted that there were signs of a struggle and that James Cannons attacker managed to crush his voice box. He was found dead in a closet of his Bowling Avenue home in June 2008. A Nashville jury convicted Kelley Cannon last year in the killing, which was ruled a strangulation, and she was sentenced to life in prison. A three-judge panel of the appellate court heard oral arguments on the case today. Strianse said that at only 90 pounds, Kelley Cannon was greatly outweighed by her husband. Strianse also said that Kelley Cannon was anorexic, persistently ill, heavily medicated, dazed and confused and an all-around emotional train wreck at the time of the murder, which occurred four months after James Cannon filed for divorce. Strianse said it is unreasonable to believe such a person could transform into a killing machine. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/NEWS03/310180062/Convicted-murderer-Kelley-Cannon-takescase-appeals-court?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

New way to pick TN judges proposed (Tennessean/Gee)

A state senator has proposed an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that aims to strike a balance between concerns that Tennessees highest judges are unconstitutionally appointed and fears that the judiciary would be too heavily influenced by money, politics and special interests if there were statewide popular elections for the appellate courts. Under the proposal by Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, members of the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals would be selected in a manner similar to federal judges who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Kelseys proposal calls for appointments by the governor with confirmation by the state Senate. Unlike the federal system, Kelseys proposal calls for eight-year terms rather than lifetime appointments, but judges could be reappointed. I think this is probably the best possible solution to the judicial crisis weve had in this state for some time, said Brian Fitzpatrick, a Vanderbilt University law professor who has researched judicial selection. Fitzpatrick said a federal model with limited terms does the best job of balancing an independent judiciary with accountability to the public. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/NEWS/310190132/New-way-pick-TN-judges-proposed? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Beavers Builds Case Around Conduct of Tennessee Judges (Memphis Daily News)
Editors Note: This is an occasional series that profiles Tennessees state legislators. It took a budget shortfall in the Wilson County school system and her husband knocking on doors to get Mae Beavers elected the first time. Now, 21 years after winning that election for seat on the county commission, the Republican state senator from 3

Mt. Juliet has carved out a niche in the Tennessee Legislature dealing with the courts, the cost of government and the relative roles of state versus federal government. Beavers has been making headlines recently in her role as co-chair of a joint legislative panel on the Court of the Judiciary, a state agency with oversight over the conduct of Tennessee judges. Its wrong that you have so many judges appointing judges that are judging judges, she said. The oversight is supposed to be by the Legislature. Were the only ones with impeachment power but we cant get information to know whether the Court of the Judiciary is doing its job or not or whether judges are doing their jobs properly. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/oct/19/beavers-builds-case-around-conduct-of-tennessee-judges/

Ketron: Student ID fraud too rampant for voting (Daily News Journal)
State Sen. Bill Ketron said Tuesday college student IDs aren't being allowed for voter photo identification next year because of campus fraud. In passing a law requiring voters to show a photo ID beginning Jan. 1, Ketron said he spoke with officials at several public and private higher education institutions and found out students often work in the departments that issue university student IDs. "So it becomes rampant because that is a hot issue on college campuses, because everybody wants to be 21 so they can legally drink," Ketron said. "So there was so much fraud with voter IDs we chose not to do that." Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, held a conference call Tuesday morning with state Rep. Debra Maggart, R-Hendersonville, to clear up "misinformation" about the voter photo ID law they sponsored. Critics have panned the Republican-backed law, saying it could disenfranchise college students, seniors and the poor, those most likely to vote Democratic and least likely to have a photo ID. MTSU's 27,000 students won't be able to use their college IDs as identification when voting. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111019/NEW S05/110190320/Ketron-Student-ID-fraud-too-rampant-voting? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Ketron Defends Need for Voter ID Law (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

The sponsors of a new law requiring a photo ID to vote next year are defending the measure, saying voter fraud has been a serious issue in Tennessee. Opponents have argued the measure is a politically-driven solution to an almost nonexistent problem. 34 states introduced voter ID proposals this year. A study by NYUs Brennan Center for Justice says laws like Tennessees target a kind of fraud thats more rare than death by lightning. As opponents see it, the law is part of a national push by Republicans that will turn Democrats away at the polls. Several states are doing it, but that was not the genesis of why I brought the bill. Murfreesboro Senator Bill Ketron points to the special election of Senator Ophelia Ford in Memphis a few years ago. Three poll workers wound up pleading guilty of faking votes in a race decided by a paper-thin margin. There were dead people who voted, people who voted outside the district, and people who were convicted felons. Ketron says his proposal also had backup from a similar law in Indiana, which the Supreme Court upheld in 2008. http://wpln.org/?p=30956

TN lawmakers' quarterly expenses up 8 percent (Associated Press/Schelzig)

Lawmakers out-of-session expenses increased 8 percent in the third quarter despite the elimination of legislative oversight committees, an Associated Press review has found. The state paid out about $270,000 in daily expenses and mileage reimbursements in the quarter ending Sept. 30, compared with $251,000 in the same year-ago period. The figures do not include out-of-state trips, but do include about $30,000 spent to send lawmakers to a Southern Legislative Conference meeting in Memphis in July. Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramseys spokesman Adam Kleinheider called the quarters increase a one time blip because of the Memphis event. Our members had a great opportunity to serve as ambassadors for our state and they took it, he said. Unified Republican government is committed to cutting government wherever and whenever it can. The legislature this year voted to do away with legislative oversight committees for areas like TennCare, prisons and workers compensation. The elimination in staff and lawmaker expenses were projected to save the state more than $850,000. That savings has been set aside to make up for a reduction in the Hall income tax on dividends and interest for seniors. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111019/NEWS/310190102/TN-lawmakers-quarterly-expenses-up-8percent?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Road Trip (Memphis Daily News)

Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey is going on a road trip. The speaker of the state Senate wants to host a series of discussions with business owners from every corner of the state about red tape and any unnecessary obstacles that make life difficult for them. Hence, the launch of what hes calling his Red Tape Road Trip. 4

Ramsey unveiled TNRedtape.com in March as a place where some of those complaints could be aired. For his road trip, hes partnering with the National Federal of Independent Business for a series of talks that began Oct. 13 in Clarksville. The road trip rolls into Memphis W ednesday, Oct. 19, for a luncheon and a question-andanswer session with business owners at Regions Bank, 6200 Poplar Ave. Ramsey said the ultimate goal of the trip and sessions with business owners is to make interactions between state government and those entrepreneurs as painless as possible. I realize were a pro-business state, but there still might be some things we can do to help business owners, said Ramsey, himself a small-business owner who started a real estate and auction company. I also had wanted some kind of clearinghouse, where people can log onto the W eb and let us know of any problems they encounter. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/oct/19/road-trip/

Revised voucher bill opposed by Knox schools (Knox. News-Sentinel/Humphrey)

Legislation to set up a school voucher program for the first time in Tennessee has been revised by its lead sponsor while the state's biggest school systems including Knox County are launching a lobbying effort against it. Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, sponsored a voucher bill that passed the Senate last year, but failed in the House. In a news release, Kelsey said he is filing a new and revised version of the "Equal Opportunity Scholarship Act" (SB2135) for the 2012 legislative session. The revision adds what Kelsey describes as an "accountability measure" that will require some testing of student performance lacking in the original proposal. Data from other states shows similar programs have improved student performance, Kelsey said. "This train is moving. It's time for Tennesseans to jump on board," he said. As with the previous version, the bill applies only in Knox, Davidson, Shelby and Hamilton counties and only to children eligible for free and reduced-price lunches. According to Kelsey, for a family of four, that would include students in households with incomes below $42,000 per year. The scholarships would be in the amount of half the money that state and local school systems spend on each child $5,400 per year in Memphis City Schools, $4,200 in Shelby County Schools, $5,400 in Nashville Schools, $4,600 in Chattanooga Schools and $4,300 in Knox County Schools. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/19/political-notebook-revised-voucher-bill-opposed/

New Tennessee hotline helps battle sex trafficking (Tennessean/Burger)

In an effort to reach out to victims of human sex trafficking, state legislators have created a 24/7 help hotline. The hotline, which went into effect Oct. 1, was set up to aid victims by connecting them to services and helping them get to safety, according to officials. Officials from law enforcement and nonprofit support agencies will be publicizing the number today at a news conference hosted by the Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga. "This [the hotline] is something the Legislature mandated based on research they had done," said Jerry Redman, executive director of Second Life Chattanooga, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting awareness and prevention of human sex trafficking. Legislators authorized a study through Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to study the issue and its prevalence across the state. The findings were released earlier this year. While local law enforcement has no reports of human sex trafficking, the study reported there were more than 100 cases reported in Hamilton County by at least one of the respondents. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/new-tennessee-hotline-helps-battle-sex/?local

Action urged to get Tennessee state workers off food stamps (TFP/Sher)
Pay for one out of every 39 Tennessee state workers is so low they are using the federal food stamp program to make ends meet, figures show. According to the state Department of Human Services, 968 of the state's 39,012 workers are on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal government's food stamp program. That amounts to 2.48 percent of all state general government workers. The food stamp program is designed to help low-income families buy food they otherwise could not afford. Top Tennessee State Employees Association leaders, who obtained the figures from an Open Records Act request, say they are "shocked" by the number. In a Sept. 28 letter, TSEA President Philip Morson and the employee group's executive director, Robert O'Connell, urged Gov. Bill Haslam to take action. "We can never let it be said that, in Tennessee, we don't pay our state employees enough to put bread on the table," the letter said. Haslam spokesman David Smith said via email that "there are a number of variables for Tennesseans' participation" in the food stamps program. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/action-urged-to-get-state-workers-off/?local

City to review Amazon distribution center plans (Daily News Journal)

Local job seeker Catherine Cartwright hopes a proposed Amazon.com distribution center with up to 1,150 workers will make it easier for her to find work. "Bringing Amazon to Rutherford County would be almost a 5

blessing in disguise," Cartwright said while stopping by the Tennessee Career Center in Murfreesboro Tuesday to apply for job openings. "That will bring so many people X number of jobs and get the unemployment rate where it should be." The city's planning commissioners will examine a proposed distribution center construction plan Wednesday. The Murfreesboro Planning Commission meeting starts at 1 p.m. in Room 218 on the second floor of City Hall at 111 W. Vine St. The agenda for Wednesday's meeting doesn't refer to Amazon, but it does mention the distribution center being part of Project Tango, a codename state officials have confirmed has to do with the online retailer. The proposed distribution center by developer Corporate Woods G.P. of Shelbyville would be nearly 1.3 million square feet on 87.7 acres on the south side of Joe B. Jackson Parkway near Interstate 24. The location on the city's southeast side has attracted other industry, including a $54 million NHK Seating car factory that is supposed to create up to 224 jobs when all phases of production are in operation by 2015, according to a July 2010 report. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111019/NEW S05/110190316/City-review-Amazon-distribution-center-plans? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Burchett puts future of sheriff's pension on table for discussion (NS/Donila)

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett said he's prepared to ask the County Commission to let voters decide whether to make changes to the Sheriff's Office pension plan, although he wants to close it outright.He'll settle for raising the retirement age, reducing benefits, increasing the time required to vest, cutting cost-of-living increases or raising the amount employees contribute. At least for now. Any changes if approved would not affect current retirees and workers already covered in the defined benefit plan, dubbed the Uniformed Officers Pension Plan, or UOPP. They would apply to future employees. "It's expensive enough as it is; and the way it's structured, we'd be looking at a tax increase at some point, and I don't plan to do that. Families are already struggling enough," said Burchett, a member of the Knox County Retirement and Pension Board. "Ultimately that's our only recourse." The plan since its inception has almost tripled in costs for Knox County taxpayers, and the price tag continues to rise along with the plan's unfunded liability. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/19/burchett-puts-future-of-uniformed-sheriffs-on/

Council shields worker pensions (Commercial Appeal/Maki)

Recent pay cuts will not reduce payments The Memphis City Council took action Tuesday to protect city employees' pensions from an impact by recent pay cuts. The council voted 13-0 to approve an ordinance sponsored by Mayor A C Wharton's administration to prevent the 4.6 percent pay cuts approved for most city workers in the city's 2011-2012 budget from lowering their pension payments. The language the council approved says any "general salary reduction" enacted by the city after June 30, 2010, would not reduce pensions. "We never intended to impact people's pension," said city Human Resources director Quintin Robinson. In 2010, Wharton and the council approved a 3 percent pay cut for city employees making $80,000 to $84,499, while workers whose salaries were over $84,499 took a 5 percent reduction. Under the ordinance approved Tuesday, those pay cuts also will not affect pensions. The vote came as W harton is pursuing pension reform to address worries about the financial health of the plan. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/19/council-shields-worker-pensions/

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann warms tea party hearts (Times Free-Press/Carroll)
Before U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann walked into their meeting, the Tea Party of Bradley County could be characterized as a pack of skeptical nonbelievers. "You can't hold him to any promises because I never heard him make any," Jack Fox said. "I just don't know if his heart is really in it," added Mike Mallard. "I don't see the fire behind him." But once announcements, a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance were finished, praise prevailed as the local branch of a movement known for scattershot demands clapped as Fleischmann criticized the federal government from which he draws a paycheck. Carrying a pocket-sized Constitution, the freshman Republican hurled invective against "America's wrong turn to the left," urging his audience to elect conservatives and conservatives only. He said "the House is doing its job" despite acknowledging that most legislation passed by the body never clears the Democrat-controlled Senate and White House. "The Senate as a body is not doing its job," he said.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/fleischmann-warms-tea-party-hearts/?local

TVA to lower rates for customers by up to $1 (Memphis Business Journal)

The Tennessee Valley Authority is dropping its rates by up to $1 for residential customers, the third month in a row rates have declined. On Oct. 1, TVA announced it would increase rates for residential customers by $1.60 per month, but anticipated lower fuel costs in November and mild temperatures in recent weeks led to reduced demand for electricity and resulted in the rate cuts. TVAs monthly fuel costs are at their lowest rate in a year. 6

TVA supplies power to about 9 million people in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2011/10/18/tva-to-lower-rates-for-customersby-up.html

Second coal ash trial called off (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

Attorneys for property owners seeking damages from the Tennessee Valley Authoritys coal ash spill have agreed to call off a second trial on TVAs liability that was set Nov. 1. Court filings show attorneys for TVA and property owners seeking damages from the December 2008 spill at TVAs Kingston Plant have asked the judge who presided at the first trial to use only that evidence in making his decision. Plaintiff attorney John Agee, of Clinton, said the first trial was very thorough and exhaustive. U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan has set a Jan. 12 deadline on post-trial briefs. TVA said in a statement Tuesday that it agreed to avoid further expenditure of time and expense. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/knoxville-second-coal-ash-trial-called/?local

Attorneys agree no new liability trial in TVA coal ash spill (News-Sentinel)
Attorneys for property owners seeking damages from TVA's coal ash spill have agreed to call off a second trial on the federal utility's liability that was set to begin Nov. 1. Court filings show lawyers for TVA and property owners seeking damages from the disastrous December 2008 spill at TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant have asked the judge who presided at the first trial to only use that evidence in making his decision. Plaintiff attorney John Agee of Clinton said the first trial, which lasted four weeks and ended on Oct. 12, was "very thorough and exhaustive." During closing arguments in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, plaintiffs' attorney Jeff Friedman said evidence showed the coal ash holding cell that failed was poorly designed, poorly maintained and given only cursory inspections as a result of a TVA culture that failed to follow procedures, failed to make sure employees were properly trained and failed to make sure information was acted on. TVA's legal strategy did not appear to focus on rebutting instances that cast the agency's procedures and actions in a bad light. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/18/attorneys-agree-no-new-liability-trial-in-tva/

DOE celebrates stimulus success in Oak Ridge (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Munger)

In 2009, when the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge office first learned that it would receive hundreds of millions of dollars in stimulus funding, officials said they expected to create about 1,500 jobs at the government facilities in Atomic City. As it turned out, the DOE field office received more money than expected a total of $1.9 billion in Recovery Act funding, of which about $1.2 billion stayed in Oak Ridge. DOE Manager John Eschenberg said the stimulus program, involving dozens of projects, more than doubled the original jobs target. According to Eschenberg, who presided Tuesday at a two-hour event to celebrate the successes of the program, there have been 3,853 jobs saved or created in Oak Ridge as a result of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. Besides creating jobs, Eschenberg and other federal managers said the money significantly improved the Oak Ridge operations and prepared for the future by: Demolishing and removing old, contaminated buildings at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the East Tennessee Technology Park; http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/19/doe-celebrates-stimulus-success-in-oak-ridge/

Pillsbury law firm to bring 150 jobs to Nashville (Nashville Business Journal)
New York-based Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman announced today it would bring 150 employees to Nashville as part of an expansion. The law firm, which specializes in energy and natural resources, financial services, real estate and technology sectors, will open a professional services center and begin transferring and recruiting employees in spring 2012. Pillsbury expects the center to be fully operational by fall 2012, according to a news release. It will be the firm's 15th office worldwide. Tom Resau, the firm's spokesman, said a site for the new office has not been finalized. As we expand our capabilities and global reach to better serve our clients, we must be forward thinking and look past the traditional models and assumptions. Integrating our core professional services in a single facility will spur innovation, create greater efficiencies and ensure our success in delivering superior client service for years to come, Pillsbury chairman Jim Rishwain said in the news release. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2011/10/18/pillsbury-lawfirm-will-bring-150-jobs.html

Council approves resolution to explore lawsuit vs. NBA over lost revenue (CA/Maki)
The Memphis City Council approved a resolution Tuesday asking the council's attorney to "explore all options" -7

including a lawsuit against the NBA -- to recover revenue that may be lost due to the lockout. "Everything is on the table to recover the funds, if any are lost," said council chairman Myron Lowery, who sponsored the item. A yearlong lockout could send the fund used to pay off FedExForum bonds into the red by 2022, forcing the city and county to make up the difference. The shortfall could reach $10.6 million by 2029, or about $600,000 annually for each government. Earlier this month, NBA commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the season after failing to reach an agreement with the players union. The FedExForum bonds, authorized in 2002 by the sports authority, are paid with six different revenue streams. Sales tax rebates from NBA-related sales, such as tickets and concessions to Grizzlies games, and seat-rental fees would be most affected by a lockout. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/18/city-explore-options-recover-revenue-lost-because/

States rewrite education rules, with or without Race to the Top (Stateline)
Some of the states rejected for federal Race to the Top education grants are proceeding to revamp their school systems anyway in some cases more ambitiously than states that won. Colorado, for example, is moving forward with a new system tying teacher and principal reviews to student performance. That sort of linkage is central to the Race to the Top program. Weve had dramatic changes, says Mike Johnston, a Democratic state senator who sponsored the legislation creating the new system. Johnston says losing out on the federal grant was more of an opportunity to lay out our plan for reform. Colorado is one of six states along with Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and South Carolina that achieved finalist status in the first two rounds of the U.S. Education Departments $4 billion Race to the Top competition but walked away empty-handed. One year later, officials in several of these states say theyre proceeding with plans outlined in their grant applications, albeit at a slower pace than they might have hoped for. The funding simply isnt there, says Matt Vanover, a spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Education. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=607542

Tennessee Teachers Stressing to Make the Grade (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

To impress the White House, states are being harder on teachers than ever before. Legislatures from Colorado to Illinois made it more difficult to get tenure as a way to position for competitive grants from the federal Race to the Top program. So did Tennessee which ultimately won half a billion dollars. The state overhauled its teacher evaluation system and now educators are finding out how hard its gotten to make the grade. At Nashvilles Norman Binkley Elementary, Janna Beth Hunt wakes up her first graders by asking them a question. What do we give? The answer from the kids: 100 percent. Hunt tries to give 100 percent herself, which is why she cant hide her disappointment. The new observations grade teachers on a scale of one to five. Many are scoring what feels like a C, which under the new system isnt enough to get the job security of tenure. I definitely feel like Im better than an average teacher, Hunt says. Im not happy with a three, but I told my principal that and he knows that Im a perfectionist and that I want a five. Its just extremely difficult to gethttp://wpln.org/?p=30926 a five.

Rhea school board targets teacher evaluation program (Times Free-Press/Davis)

Rhea County school board members are prepared to ask state officials for a major revision of the systems new teacher evaluation protocol, claiming it is discouraging to teachers and an incentive for good teachers to leave education. Board member Dale Harris was told to prepare a resolution for the November meeting that pointed out what board members see as deficiencies in the evaluation program, which was developed as a result of the states winning federal Race to the Top funding. Board Chairman B.J. McCoy said he attended a meeting of board chairmen this week and heard a report that surveys indicate as many as 42 percent of educators subject to the new evaluation standards are considering leaving teaching within the next five years. The evaluation is hurting the attitude of teachers, he said. Im getting more and more calls from teachers who are thinking about leaving education. They dont mind evaluations, but they dont need the stress of this system, McCoy said. Harris said the system has backfired. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/rhea-school-board-targets-teacher-evaluation-progr/?local

6 Tennessee schools win national recognition (Associated Press)

Six schools in Tennessee have been chosen as 2011 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools. They are Hume-Fogg High in Nashville, Page High in W illiamson County, South Greene High in Greene County, Frazier Elementary in Rhea County, Fairmont Elementary in Johnson City and Morristown West High in Hamblen County. The schools, announced Tuesday, will receive $2,500 and recognition during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in November. The award is presented by the U.S. Department of Education and is based on students who attain and maintain high academic goals that work toward closing achievement gaps. 8

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37722335.story

Cleveland takes Press/Higgins)

look

at

school

priorities

(Chattanooga

Times

Free-

City school board members and school principals are taking a new look at their facility needs. Meeting Tuesday night, the board placed the purchase of three maintenance crew vehicles at the top of its list, replacing earlier needs that have been handled. After the vehicles, the new list includes renovation of Cleveland High Schools Little Theater, new heating, ventilation and air conditioning units for the high schools east wing and initiating a school painting schedule. Bob True, school maintenance and transportation director, said maintenance crew vehicles retrofitted, used school buses are costing more to keep on the road now than buying new or newer used vehicles. The list still is subject to change at the November school board meeting. Before then, the school system will seek cost estimates. We understand the needs but also that there are only so many ways you can cut the pie, board member Murl Dirksen said. Martin Ringstaff, now into his fourth month as director of schools, noted the long-range priority list has no cost estimates. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/19/cleveland-takes-look-school-priorities/?local

Officials split over charter schools (Commercial Appeal/Roberts)

Unified board member suggests moratorium The issue of charter schools emerged Tuesday as one of the first philosophical differences between the merging city and county school systems, with one member of the new unified board suggesting a moratorium on charter schools. The conversation was civil, but the gulf was wide. By state law, charter schools are not optional. Operators that comply with board guidelines must be approved. If the board does not act on applications, they are approved by default. Outside of Orange County, Fla., Memphis has the fastest-growing charter-school movement in the nation, with a 41 percent rise in enrollment last year among its 25 charter schools. The first charter school opened in a suburban area this fall against the wishes of the Shelby County Schools board. The state overturned its veto, and the school moved in. Board member David Pickler asked Tuesday that each board member receive 2009 Stanford University research that shows that 17 percent of charter schools outperform public schools. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/19/officials-split-over-charter-schools/

Meth lab ingredients found in vehicle (Times-Gazette)

The sound of glass breaking alerted a Bedford County deputy to what turned out to be an alleged meth lab in a vehicle last week near Wartrace, according to a sheriff's department report released Monday. Three Manchester men -- John Wayne DeWitt, 30, James Edward Rutledge, 52, and Bill Rich Teal, 39 -- were charged with promotion of meth manufacture. Rutledge and DeW itt were also charged with possession of a schedule VI drug and possession of drug paraphernalia when marijuana was found in their clothing, deputy Benjamin Burris said. Burris said he spotted the car stopped on a curve on Kellertown Road and, as he neared the scene, it started moving and he heard glass breaking, turned around, and saw several items on the road that were not there seconds earlier. Following a traffic stop Burris and deputy Cam Ferrell said they discovered a broken Mason jar, a bottle of muriatic acid, clear tubing, Crystal drain cleaner and a bag with empty pseudoephedrine tablet boxes in the road. Those items are used in manufacturing methampthetamine, Burris said. Burris said he found a bag of marijuana in Rutledge's clothing, was handed a bag of marijuana and hypodermic needle by DeWitt and found two lithium batteries (used in manufacturing meth) in Teal's clothing. http://www.t-g.com/story/1774863.html

Indiana: Out With Textbooks, in With Laptops for an Indiana School District (NYT)
Laura Norman used to ask her seventh-grade scientists to take out their textbooks and flip to Page Such-andSuch. Now, she tells them to take out their laptops. The day all have seen coming traditional textbooks being replaced by interactive computer programs arrived this year in this traditional, well-regarded school district, complete with one naysaying parent getting reported to the police. Unlike the tentative, incremental steps of digital initiatives at many schools nationwide, Munster made an all-in leap in a few frenetic months removing all math and science textbooks for its 2,600 students in grades 5 to 12, and providing a window into the hurdles and hiccups of such an overhaul. The transformation, which cost $1.1 million for infrastructure, involved rewiring not just classrooms but also the mindset of students, teachers and parents. W hen teachers started hearing that the server ate my homework, they knew a new era had begun. The material were teaching is old but 9

everything around it is brand-new, said Pat Premetz, chairwoman of the math department at Wilbur Wright Middle School in Munster, who described the initiative as both very overwhelming and the most exciting thing to happen in my 40 years of teaching. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/education/19textbooks.html? _r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1319022227-hDe1u0pAiXtbWHcRrJZjvw

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OPINION Editorial: La Vergne, Smyrna area needs new House seat (Daily News Journal)
A new state House seat targeted for rapidly-growing Rutherford County should focus on the La Vergne and Smyrna area that has seen its population skyrocket over the last decade. With its population topping 262,000, Rutherford County is set to receive four House seats within its confines as the state Legislature redraws district lines statewide to meet constitutional requirements. Rutherford's three seats are among the biggest in the state. Based on the 2010 federal census, the preferred population for House districts is 64,102, plus or minus 10 percent, and Smyrna and La Vergne combined easily top that with roughly 40,000 and 33,000 respectively. State Rep. Mike Sparks, a Smyrna Republican serving his first term in office, told The DNJ last week it makes sense to create a district that gives La Vergne a greater voice in the General Assembly. He represents that area, but his district also dips into East Main Street in Murfreesboro, thus requiring him to focus on municipal matters across Rutherford County. It can stretch him a little thin as he hears of the concerns of three cities while representing the 49th District. Meanwhile, state Reps. Rick W omick and Joe Carr also take the concerns of Murfreesboro to the Capitol in Nashville because their districts take part of the county seat. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111019/OPINION01/110190311/Editorial-La-Vergne-Smyrna-area-needs-newsHouse-seat

Editorial: Sunshine Law shines a light on government (Leaf Chronicle)

In 2007, an open government study committee looked at a proposal that would have gutted Tennessee's Open Meetings Act. It would have allowed small groups of county commissioners or city council members to gather in secret. The panel, however, rejected the plan, and rightly so. Now, four years later, those who favor meetings behind closed doors and out of the public eye may be making another run at weakening the Open Meetings Act, known as the Sunshine Law because it shines a light on how government operates. Williamson County Commissioner Bob Barnwell, who is also the president of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association, has proposed a change in the law that would allow a certain number of members in any public body in the state city council, county commission, school board to meet in secret and discuss the public's business. The citizens would not have to be notified unless a quorum of the body was present. Under the 37-year-old state Sunshine Law, two or more members of a government body are not allowed to deliberate toward a decision. They can, of course, see each other and talk in social settings. They just aren't supposed to be discussing the public's business among themselves, out of a public forum. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111019/OPINION01/110190313/EDITORIAL-Sunshine-Law-shineslight-government

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Editorial: In light of costs, retirement plan needs revisiting (News-Sentinel)

Knox County's 5-year-old Uniformed Officers Pension Plan is in trouble, and Knox County leaders need to address the issue sooner rather than later. The problems, highlighted this week in a series of News Sentinel articles by reporter Mike Donila, stem from a combination of poor public oversight and bad timing. The pension was controversial from its inception. Many employers are moving away from traditional defined-benefits plans, and this one was approved only narrowly by voters in 2006. The county then incurred $57 million in debt by issuing bonds to get the pension fund going. It's not that Knox County's uniformed officers aren't deserving. They certainly are. Every day, they go into work not knowing what dangers will pop up during their shifts and whether they will be asked to risk their lives for the citizens they serve. Knox County residents deserve a quality law enforcement agency and in return should provide the best benefits possible to those who protect them. In many ways, the pension plan has been a success. Since it went into effect, it's been easier to recruit and retain quality officers, Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones says. That's good for morale and good for the public's peace of mind. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/19/in-light-of-costs-retirement-plan-needs/ ###

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