WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011 Labor Dept.

Typically Sides with Employers on Challenged Unemployment (TNR)

More than two-thirds of unemployment claims initially disputed by business owners and managers this year were decided in favor of the employers, according to the agency that regulates private workplace relations in the state. The numbers, provided to TNReport by the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, seem to contrast with assertions made recently by Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, who insisted to reporters during a press conference this month that the state almost always sides with fired employees when deciding if theyre entitled to receive unemployment benefits. In 68 percent of 28,860 appealed unemployment claims challenging whether an out-of-work Tennessean was entitled to unemployment benefits, the state labor department favored employers. Ramsey said he believes as many as nine out of 10 Tennesseans fired for work-related misconduct are still issued unemployment benefits despite employer challenges. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/12/state-labor-dept-typically-sides-with-employers-on-challenged-unemploymentclaims/

County urges state not to close Taft (Crossville Chronicle)

Cumberland County has passed an official resolution urging the state of Tennessee not to close the Taft Youth Development Center. Commissioner of Children's Services Kathryn O'Day proposed closing the center in the budget presented to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. In its resolution, Cumberland County states, "the closing of Taft Youth Development Center would be extremely detrimental to, first and foremost, the rehabilitation of Tennessee's most severe troubled youth and the advancement of educational and developmental programs provided to those individuals in which no other resources are available in the state of Tennessee." The approved resolution further states, "a significant decline in the economic well being of Cumberland, Bledsoe, and VanBuren counties will be highly affected by the decision to terminate the operation of Taft Youth Development Center http://crossville-chronicle.com/local/x191078459/County-urges-state-not-to-close-Taft

A choice to live at home (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Nelson)

Program lets New Tazewell man stay in own apartment Norman Hotham finds the nursing home a nice place to visit, but he doesn't want to live there. Because of a TennCare program that helps people with disabilities stay in their own homes, he doesn't have to. Hotham, 54, uses a power wheelchair after a vehicle accident left him with a pin in his leg. He's diabetic, wears hearing aids and is in renal failure; he goes to dialysis three times a week. On top of that, he's intellectually disabled. He'd lived alone before in a New Tazewell, Tenn., apartment with the help of his brother, Gary Runion, and his brother's wife, Mary, who would stop by several times a day to check on him, bring him groceries, meals and medicine and take him places. But as Hotham's health worsened and Runion began to have his own health problems, the strain of being sole caregiver for his adult brother while working and raising a family of his own was taking a toll. Hotham had stayed in a nearby nursing home for about six months, but Runion moved him out after he felt Hotham wasn't getting the best care. He didn't want to have to put him back. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/28/a-choice-to-live-at-home-program-lets-new-man-in/

Haslam: Don't delay state's health exchanges (Nashville Business Journal)

Gov. Bill Haslam says Tennessee should not delay establishing its own health insurance exchange and risk losing federal grant money to help pay for it. The individual state health insurance exchanges are a key component of federal health reform and are set to take effect in 2014. The exchange would help provide more choices for millions of Americans who currently do not have private insurance coverage. Earlier this month, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey recommended that the state wait until next December to establish the exchange,

given that the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the health reform plan next year, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. It would also push the decision on a new exchange past the November 2012 presidential election. Many of the GOP contenders have made the dismantling of federal health reform as a key part of their campaign platform. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2011/12/haslam-no-delay-health-exchanges.html

Governor orders review of teacher evaluations (Ashland City Times)

Gov. Bill Haslam is calling for a five-month study of Tennessees new process for evaluating teachers, in a move to head off legislative action spurred by recent complaints over the systems fairness and practicality. Haslam has asked SCORE, a Nashville education group that pushed for tougher teacher evaluations, to conduct a review of how well the states new system is working. The review is due June 1 and will coincide with an internal analysis conducted by the Tennessee Department of Education. The study comes after some lawmakers questioned whether efforts to grade teachers on their performance were being rolled out haphazardly. Haslam defended the system and urged lawmakers not to take action until after the state and SCORE reports have been delivered. Gov. Phil Bredesen first moved to toughen teacher evaluations as part of the states application for a $500 million federal grant to fund education reform. The new system went into effect this year. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111228/ASHLANDCITY01/312280054/Governor-orders-review-of-teacherevaluations

TN's Haslam, Harwell hesitant on drug-testing proposal (Associated Press)

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he expects lawmakers will pass a bill requiring drug tests for Tennesseans who get government assistance or workers' compensation. Other high-ranking Republicans aren't so confident. Ramsey recently told the Nashville Chamber of Commerce that a similar proposal last legislative session carried a $12 million price tag but didn't take into account the savings from cutting off benefits to drug users. House Speaker Beth Harwell says that while she agrees with the aim of the drug-testing proposal, the state's top priority is balancing its budget. Gov. Bill Haslam has raised questions about whether the federal government's rules for the benefits programs give the state enough flexibility to start drug-testing recipients. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111227/NEWS21/312270047/TN-s-Haslam-Harwell-hesitant-drug-testingproposal?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Foreclosure Program Helps More Than 500 Tennesseans in First Year (WPLN)
More than 500 Tennesseans have been able to stay in their homes this year thanks to a new program funded by the federal government. The program is meant to help people on the edge of foreclosure.Keep My Tennessee Home may sound like a weepy country ballad, but its supposed to help homeowners breathe a sigh of relief by helping out with mortgage payments. The program targets people who have a just lost their jobs, or taken a new job that doesnt pay as much their old one. Most can get loans of up to 20,000 dollars, according to Bill Clendening of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Some of them are current and trying to be proactive. Most of them, the majority of them, are behind on their mortgage. Some just one month. Some the full assistance amount of 15 to 20 thousand dollars. Homeowners arent required to pay back the money and the loan is forgiven as long as they stay in their home for at least five years. Money for the program comes from funds set aside in the 2008 bank bailouts. http://wpln.org/?p=32075

Northwest Tennessee cited for mixture of corridors (Associated Press)

A state report says northwest Tennessee has a robust mixture of road, rail, air and water corridors. The overview of the region is included in a strategic plan for economic development, according to the Union City Daily Messenger (http://bit.ly/vPJqVw ). The report, by the state Department of Economic and Community Development, says Obion County strikes a balance between agriculture, manufacturing and education. The county plays prominently into the region's economy because of the former Obion County Industrial Training building in downtown Union City, the report says. The state's plan is to use the building as a new regional higher education center with the help of training partnerships. http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/38225403?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

TDOT to close Marion bridge Jan. 9 (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Benton)

A stiff, 41-degree sleet-filled wind blasted workers Tuesday at the $21.5 million Marion Memorial Bridge replacement project. A dozen or so men were working beneath the 82-year-old structure on U.S. Highway 41 at 2

the Tennessee River. Although Tennessee Department of Transportation officials initially intended for the old bridge to remain open while the replacement was built, a couple of problems will force TDOT to close the 1929era span on Jan. 9, probably for good, officials said Tuesday. Surprises will delay the project's finish about six months, according to TDOT regional construction manager Ken Flynn. He said the original completion date of August 2013 was bumped to a new finish date of February 2014. As work progressed on construction of the new bridge's piers, crews discovered that they must dig deeper for a sounder construction surface to support footings for some of the piers, Flynn said. Crews must excavate, drill and blast to construct the new piers alongside the old bridge, so TDOT engineers decided it would be safer for motorists and crews working below the old span to close it indefinitely, he said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/28/tdot-to-close-marion-bridge-jan9/?local

Drug testing for workers' comp, welfare sparks worries (AP/Schelzig)

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey expects Tennessee will put in place a law that requires drug tests for people drawing government assistance or workers compensation. Other high-ranking Republicans arent so sure. The House speaker and the governor have voiced concerns about the cost and whether federal rules that govern the programs, including food stamps and welfare, give the state enough flexibility to start drug-testing programs that can survive a legal challenge. Ramsey, R-Blountville, recently told the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce that a similar proposal last legislative session carried a $12 million price tag but did not take into account the savings the state or employers will see from cutting off benefits to drug users. This is your money that were trying to protect here, Ramsey told the business group. Folks, we dont need to give any support to that lifestyle. Ramsey said hes confident that lawmakers will be able to make a strong case based on other states experience that the proposal would be revenue neutral. House Speaker Beth Harwell said that while she agreed with the aim of the drug-testing proposal, addressing the states financial picture is a bigger priority. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111228/NEWS0201/312280078/Drug-testing-workers-comp-welfaresparks-worries?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Horse slaughter debate heats up in Tennessee (Tennessean/Paine)

Supporters say process humane; opponents outraged Debate has reignited in Tennessee and elsewhere on allowing the killing of horses for human consumption after a change in a federal funding bill to permit equine slaughterhouses. For five years slaughterhouses have been banned in this country because of specific wording in the federal budget each year that had forbidden the U.S. Department of Agriculture from spending money to inspect the facilities. W ithout the USDAs stamp of approval, such slaughterhouses cannot operate. But the language that prevented the USDA from using any of its budget to inspect slaughterhouses was removed a few weeks ago from a funding bill that has passed, giving hope to state Rep. Frank S. Niceley. He says the facilities are a humane way to deal with horses that otherwise might starve or be abused. A local animal rights activist responded with outrage. Were all very distressed, said Laura Turner, a longtime Williamson County animal rights supporter. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111228/NEWS11/312280077/Horse-slaughter-debate-heats-upTennessee?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Public to Get First Peek at State House District Maps (W PLN-Radio Nashville)
Tennessees closed-door redistricting process will become a little more public next week. House Republicans will reveal their maps in an open meeting. Voters and even some Democratic lawmakers will get a first chance to see where district lines could be drawn for the states 99 House seats. Members of the special committee on redistricting are all Republicans because the GOP holds majorities in the General Assembly. They will present their proposal the morning of January 4th. It could be just a week or two before the full House of Representatives votes on the plan. Speaker Beth Harwell has said she expects a map to be approved in early January. Maps of state senate districts and changes to Tennessees congressional boundaries have yet to be made public either. http://wpln.org/?p=32553

TN health care changes in 2012 (Nashville Business Journal)

Starting in 2012, physicians and consumers alike will some big changes in Tennessee's health care market. Chief among those will be a 1 percent cut in payments starting Jan. 1 for Medicare patients for doctors who dont issue prescriptions electronically, according to The Tennessean. The penalty is part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services switching its approach from a carrot to stick. Previously CMS provided bonuses for eprescribing, the Tennessean notes. The penalty rises to 1.5 percent in 2013 and 2 percent in 2014. For 3

consumers, 2012 kicks off Medicares Shared Savings Program for groups that qualify as accountable care organizations. Groups that are part of ACOs will be eligible to benefit from savings on Medicare expenses. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2011/12/tn-health-care-changes-in-2012.html

Tennessee insurers, health providers back state-run health exchange (TFP/Sher)

Tennessee insurers, hospitals, doctors and other providers want the state and not the federal government to run a state health care exchange mandated under the 2010 federal health care reform law. In a recent "white paper," the state's Insurance Exchange Planning Initiative summarizes feedback from providers and businesses about the advantages of Tennessee running the exchange. But the idea of Tennessee running its own exchange is generating uneasiness among some Republican legislative leaders. Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans would be eligible for the exchange, according to estimates, which would have to be up and running by Jan. 1, 2014, requiring extensive planning in 2012 and 2013. The federal health care reform law directs the creation of the exchanges, which are intended to provide one-stop shopping at competitive, sometimes-subsidized expense, to people whose employers don't provide health insurance. State Exchange Planning Initiative officials emphasized in their report that, while the "white paper does not consider the question of if Tennessee should operate an exchange or cede that responsibility to the federal government, it is worth noting that key Tennessee stakeholders have expressed [in writing] their preference that Tennessee operate the exchange instead of the federal government." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/28/health-exchange-gains-backing/?local

Nashville gets its own Tea Party branch (City Paper/Garrison)

Nearly three years after a wave of anti-federal government sentiment spawned a national movement, Tea Party groups in Tennessee are still popping up. The latest is the Nashville Tea Party, launched earlier this month, marking the first Tea Party organization to use Tennessees capital city in its title. Ben Cunningham, who heads the Nashville-based Tennessee Tax Revolt, is the lead founder of the Nashville Tea Party, which made its entry into the local political scene through social media, adopting Twitter and Facebook pages in recent weeks. W ere just in the very formative stages, Cunningham told The City Paper Tuesday. So, we dont have a whole lot we can say about the structure. W ell have many more details coming out over the next few weeks and months. The new groups website, nashvilleteaparty.com, lists three core values: limited constitutional government, fiscal responsibility and free markets. Cunningham, known best for his 2006 petition drive allowing Nashvillians to vote on future property tax increases, said Nashville Tea Party would announce members of its advisory board at a later time. The plan is to make inroads in Metro government, which has received little attention from Tea Party activists. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/nashville-gets-its-own-tea-party-branch

Occupy Nashville: Staying Put, and Trying to Stay Warm (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Police have torn down tents at Occupy camps from New York to California, and some in the movement want to hibernate until spring. But protesters outside Tennessees capitol say theyre not going anywhere. Instead, Occupy Nashville is gearing up for winter weather, though not all are occupying the plaza full-time. At night the only comfort between Simon Dillon and the cold stone of the plaza is a thin sleeping pad. Nothing set up right now but, its just a basic tent A tent is practically a luxury compared to how some Occupy camps have it. Dillon says hes been traveling, crashing with various groups around the country. I was in Denver, and Denver is getting complete theyve been overrun by the cops numerous times, they wont even let them set up tents. They kick them out of the park where theyve assembled every night so theyre forced to sleep on the sidewalk without structure. http://wpln.org/?p=32466

New money available to fight bat threatening white-nose syndrome (TFP/Sohn)

Help may be on the way against a fungus that already has killed millions of mosquito-eating and beetlechomping bats in the Northeast and now is threatening Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, according to wildlife officials. Congress has directed the Department of Interior to allot $4 million from its 2012 endangered species recovery fund toward research and management of white-nose syndrome, which is fatal to bats. Mike Armstrong, Southeast region white-nose syndrome and bat recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the Southeast could be the biggest beneficiary of the money. "Biologists in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama are all working very hard right now setting their goals for the upcoming winter of WNS [syndrome] monitoring and 4

surveillance work," he said. Additionally, a recent research breakthrough at the University of Tennessee has given wildlife watchers something specific to aim at in seeking a cure. They have confirmed the cause of the fungus that first showed up in the United States five years ago in the Northeast. The disease since has spread to 16 states, including Tennessee, where it was confirmed last winter. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/28/b1-saving-the-bats/?local

Reducing federal deficit: Benefits for seniors could be on the chopping block (JS)
With Social Security and Medicare potentially on the chopping block for federal budget reductions, Jackson senior citizens say they worry they will no longer be able to make ends meet. Without an increase in Social Security, I dont see how its possible for me or anyone else for that matter to survive, said Marjorie W ilson, local AARP president. Wilson, 73, said she retired from a career in accounting and work with Carson Pirie Scott department store in 1991 and has since undergone hip replacement, one shoulder replacement and two knee replacement surgeries and must cope with arthritis and diabetes. She said paying for medications with no costof-living increase in Social Security and Medicare benefits since 2009 has meant cutting much of her savings and extracurricular spending budgets. Im still standing in the same place with the same amount of aid, Wilson said. Almost 94 percent of older Tennesseans count on Social Security to help pay their bills, said Karen Miller, an AARP communications director. The average benefit is $13,500 a year. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111228/NEWS01/111228001/Reducing-federal-deficit-Benefits-seniorscould-chopping-block-

Jobless Tap Disability Fund (W all Street Journal)

The prolonged economic slump has fueled a surge in applications for Social Security disability benefits, with many desperate Americans seeking refuge in the program as a last resort after their unemployment insurance and savings run out. Two new studies, one of them co-authored by the W hite House's top economist, show a correlation between when people seek Social Security disability payments and when their unemployment benefits are exhausted. Some economists say that connection shows many people now view the system as an extended unemployment program. The Social Security Disability Insurance program was created in the 1950s to provide financial support and health care for Americans no longer able to work because of injury or ill health, covering them until they get better or retirement benefits kick in. These days, an influx of applicants with moderate, potentially manageable health issues is contributing to a growing backlog of cases and adding to financial stress on the system. Because many people who are awarded disability benefits stay in the program until they qualify for retirement benefits, the phenomenon has the potential to burden the system beyond the current economic slump. There now are 10.6 million Americans collecting disability, up from 7.2 million in 2002. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204296804577121392750460030.html?mod=ITP_pageone_0 (SUBSCRIPTION)

States Hit Turbulence in School Overhauls (W all Street Journal)

The Obama administration is stepping up pressure on states to make good on their commitments under its Race to the Top competition, after all 12 winners either scaled down plans or pushed back timelines to overhaul their public-education systems. The U.S. Department of Education warned last week that Hawaii, which won $75 million in Race to the Top funding, is so far off track that the state could lose its money if it doesn't start making good on its pledges. It was the first state to receive such a stern warning, though federal officials have threatened in the past year to withhold smaller amounts from Rhode Island and Delaware. "If things don't change, Hawaii is going to end up in a tough spot," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said during a press call Thursday. Hawaii education officials say they are making progress but acknowledge they have hit stumbling blocks to following through with the state's promises. Race to the Top, President Barack Obama's signature education initiative, offered $4.3 billion to states that promised to transform their education systems. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204296804577122603212575144.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Public workers pay to add work time, costing state pensions (USA Today)
Government workers in 21 states are using an obscure perk to retire early or to boost their annual pensions by thousands of dollars, which can cost taxpayers millions more in payments to retirement funds, a USA TODAY analysis shows. The practice, called buying "air time," lets state, municipal and school employees pay to add up 5

to five years to their work history so they are eligible to retire and collect a lifetime pension. Workers already eligible for retirement can buy extra years to boost a pension by up to 25%. It's called "air time" because workers buy credit for non-existent work, in contrast to policies that let workers buy credit for military service or government jobs in a different state. Dan Pellissier, a former adviser to California's previous governor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, paid $75,000 in 2004 for five years of work credit. When he turns 55 in 2015, he will get a California pension of $61,536 a year nearly $13,000 more than if he hadn't bought air time. That's $320,000 extra by the time he is 80. "They give away the store here," says Pellissier, now president of California Pension Reform, which is pushing to cut state retirement costs. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-27/pension-perk-costs/52247140/1

Y-12 welcomes $51 million fee, says plant ready for belt-tightening (NS/Munger)
Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Y-12, the government's managing contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, received an "excellent" performance rating for Fiscal Year 2011 and earned a total fee of about $51.2 million, according to newly released information. Steven W yatt, a spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, said B&W Y-12 earned its performance-based fee out of a maximum possible $55,201,317. "We had a very strong year," Darrel Kohlhorst, president and general manager of B&W Y-12, said in a recent telephone interview. In a statement released Tuesday in response to questions, Kohlhorst said: "W e're pleased B&W Y-12 has earned the highest performance rating again this year, and in 2012 we will stay focused on meeting our national security missions safely, securely and efficiently." The management contract at Y-12, which B&W has held since 2000, is currently up for bids as part of a newly consolidated contract with the Pantex warhead assembly/disassembly plant near Amarillo, Texas. B&W has acknowledged that it plans to bid on the contract, but has not confirmed what other companies may be involved in its proposals or who the leadership team will be. The proposals for the new Y-12/Pantex contract must be submitted by March 13. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/28/y-12-chief-welcomes-51-million-fee-says-plant/

TVA enlists neighbors to watch for copper theft (Associated Press)

TVA is asking people who live near its power substations to watch for copper thieves. TVA spokesman Scott Brooks in Knoxville said thieves have been attracted to copper because of the increasing value of the metal, and copper thefts have increased across the region served by the federal utility, according to The Johnson City Press. Brooks said last week that copper is used for grounding wire in all of the utility's electric power installations. TVA has its own police force, and officers have been going door to door in neighborhoods near TVA switch yards, substations and construction sites, asking people who live nearby to report any suspicious activity. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/27/tva-enlists-neighbors-to-watch-for-copper-theft/

Sears plans to close up to 120 locations (Market W atch)

At a time when holiday season sales overall have turned out better than expected, Sears Holdings Corp. was an exception: It said Tuesday that it will close 100 to 120 Sears and Kmart stores after disappointing holiday sales. Its stock, having already lost 37 percent of its value this year, tumbled 20 percent to $36.61 in early trading, making it the biggest percentage decliner in the S&P 500. The final list of stores to be closed hasnt been determined, Sears said, which means it is unknown whether Sears locations at Bellevue Mall and throughout the area will be among the targeted closures. In a change of strategy, the company said it no longer plans to keep marginally performing stores open while it works to improve their performance. Sears, which has more than 4,000 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada, said it plans to take as much as $2.4 billion of charges in the fourth quarter on asset writedowns and other items. The move comes as the Hoffman Estates, Ill., company said that comparable sales in the eight weeks through Dec. 25 fell 5.2 percent, including a 4.4 percent drop at the Kmart discount chain and a 6 percent decline at the Sears department-store chain. In contrast, the National Retail Federation earlier this month raised its industry holiday forecast to a 3.8 percent increase from a 2.8 percent gain. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111228/BUSINESS02/312280073/Sears-plans-close-up-120-locations? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Schools Consolidation Dominates 2011 (Memphis Daily News)

The year 2011 ended politically the way it began with lots of questions about schools consolidation. But at the start of 2011 the questions were centered on whether there would be a consolidation of Shelby Countys two public school systems. That question was answered with the March referendum decision by Memphis voters and again in August with a ruling from Memphis federal court Judge Hardy Mays and a few weeks after that with an agreement by all sides on the points in the lawsuit that Mays did not decide. At years end, the questions were 6

how the consolidated school system would operate and will it coexist with a separate suburban school district of some kind? All six suburban towns and cities are awaiting reports from consultants in January that will spell out their options in a more detailed way including possible costs. Crucial to their decision is how a suburban school system would get school buildings that are now part of the Shelby County Schools system. The ruling by Mays didnt deal with the mechanics of a suburban school system separate from the merged school system. Mays ruled that since such a school system had not been formed, the question was not before the court. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/dec/28/schools-consolidation-dominates-2011/

Maryville men (NS/Coleman)

charged

in

connection

with

burglaries,

meth

lab

found

Two Maryville men were arrested early Tuesday in connection with a string of car burglaries and authorities found an inactive methamphetamine lab in the apartment the men shared, the Blount County Sheriff's Office said. According to a Blount County Sheriff's office news release, Joshua Dewayne Byrn, 22, and Gregory Read Stewart, 25, both of Wildwood Road, Maryville, were being held at the Blount County Jail Tuesday night. Marian O'Briant, spokeswoman for the Blount County Sheriff's Office, said Byrn is charged with possession of burglary tools, burglary of a vehicle, and initiating the process of the manufacture of methamphetamine. Total bond for Byrn has not yet been set. O'Briant said Stewart is charged with possession of burglary tools, burglary of a vehicle and two counts of violation of probation. He is being held on bonds totaling $8,000. Both men are scheduled to appear at 9 a.m., Dec. 30, in Blount County General Sessions Court. Deputies responded at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday to Belmont Avenue after witnesses saw two men breaking into several vehicles at residences. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/27/maryville-men-charged-in-connection-with-vehicle/

OPINION Editorial: Amazon delivers Christmas package (Daily News Journal)

Just in time for Christmas, Murfreesboro got one of the biggest presents it's received in years: official word that Amazon.com is coming to town. Rutherford County unemployment dipped to 7.1 percent in November, the lowest rate in years, but the Amazon distribution center set for Joe B. Jackson Parkway will go even further in bringing the community out of a four-year recession and possibly spurring the economy like Nissan did a generation ago. The Fortune 500 online retailer is promising to hire 1,150 employees and invest $87.5 million in a facility on the city's southeast side. Median pay is expected to be $16.50 an hour. That means people will be able to purchase homes, vehicles and all the goods and services needed to bolster the economy and give other local businesses the injections they've needed since things began to falter in 2007. Amazon didn't just fall in our laps, though. The Tennessee Department of Economic Development, Gov. Bill Haslam, the local Chamber of Commerce, government leaders and staff members, in addition to land owners, laid the groundwork and put together the proposals to bring the Amazon sort center deal to fruition. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111228/OPINION01/112280317/Editorial-Amazon-delivers-Christmas-package

Editorial: Let people decide wine in stores (Leaf Chronicle)

7

Tennessee communities considering the sale of liquor by the drink decide the issue by putting a referendum on the ballot and leaving it to the voters. It's a democratic process that permits the residents to choose their own standards. Why not extend a similar process to the sale of wine in grocery stores? That's the question the Red, White and Food campaign www.redwhiteandfood.com is asking. For several years now, the campaign, backed by Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association, has been pushing for a change in state law, which currently mandates that wine be sold only in liquor stores. Grocery and convenience stores are limited to selling beer only. More than 26,000 people have signed up at the website to ask state lawmakers for a loosening of the wine restriction. Through the last legislative session, however, the efforts had not gone anywhere. The liquor lobby is powerful in Tennessee, and it wants to continue its monopoly. Red, White and Food campaign is changing its tactics by asking lawmakers to allow the people to choose whether or not they want to allow wine in their local grocery stores through the referendum process. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111228/OPINION01/112280312/EDITORIAL-Let-people-decide-winestores

Times Editorial: A flawed voter ID law (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

The Justice Department's decision last week to block South Carolina's new voter ID law is a shot over the bow to Tennessee and six other states that passed similar laws this year -- and a score or more waiting in the wings to do so. The decision affirms the obvious reason to overturn all such state laws: They will disproportionately suppress the voting rights of minorities, students and elderly and disabled voters -- simply because those groups historically tend to vote for Democrats rather than Republicans. The Justice Department's decision in South Carolina is a bit unique. Due to the state's documented history of suppressing civil rights and voting laws, it must prove to the Justice Department that any changes it makes in voting laws will not have a disparate impact on minorities. It failed that test. Based on South Carolina's own analysis, Justice officials ruled that the new voter ID law could keep nearly 82,000 registered black voters from voting in coming elections. That number, it found, constitutes a far higher proportion of black voters than white voters who would be similarly blocked from voting. It also found there was no evidence of voter fraud sufficient to require such a restrictive law. South Carolina officials subsequently claimed that the numbers it submitted for review may have been too high, but Justice officials found that they may not be high enough because they failed to take into account Hispanics and other legal immigrants. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/28/1228b-t2-a-flawed-voter-id-law/?opiniontimes

Gail Kerr: Exhibit brings stories of Tennessee's dead to life (Tennessean)

Tennessees dead have a lot to say to the living, if well just listen. No, this is not a column about zombies and ghosties that go bump in the night. Its about a fascinating new exhibit at the Tennessee State Library and Archives called Silent Cities of the Dead. If you like genealogy and old cemeteries, youll love this. The preface sets the stage, from a book called Elmwood 1874 by Captain Joseph Lenow: Men write histories of living cities, it says. The din that is never silenced, toil that knows no rest, crime that stalks abroad at night, and wretched poverty in rags, and wealth arrayed in splendor and beauty all these are described in books. Why not write the story of the silent city of the dead? Why not tell who and what they were, and what they did they who rest, each in his narrow house, in dreamless, painless repose? The exhibit starts with a section called mourning customs. The first picture is of a 15th-century burial chamber at Chucalissa Indian Village in Memphis. From there, you learn about box tombs, Confederate decoration days and church picnics held in cemeteries. Theres a color lithograph depicting President Andrew Jacksons deathbed in 1845 and a host of pictures of graves with different styles of headstones. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111228/COLUMNIST0101/312280062/Gail-Kerr-Exhibit-brings-storiesTennessee-s-dead-life?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

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