WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2012 Haslam: Review of Teacher Evaluations Not Just A Charade (WPLN-Radio Nash)

Governor Bill Haslam says the state could soon make changes to its controversial system for evaluating teachers. An outside review of the evaluation process is due out this week. Haslam wanted the new teacher evaluations to finish the school-year before any retooling took place. Over winter he asked SCORE the education group founded by former Senator Bill Frist to look at ways to tweak the law. That helped keep legislators off the subject awhile. Now Haslam says SCOREs recommendations wont just be for show: Were going to use them that wasnt just a charade to have SCORE go through that. Im firmly committed to the evaluation process, and for it to work, we need to make certain its the best it can be. Earlier this month Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman doubted SCORE has heard much that state officials havent. Both Huffman and Haslam pointed to two areas likely to draw scrutiny: the amount of time it takes principals to repeatedly grade each teacher; and questions over how to grade teachers of hard-to-test subjects, like art. http://wpln.org/?p=37753

SCOREs Teacher-Evaluation Review an Earnest Undertaking: Haslam (TN Report)

Asking the states most vocal education reform advocates to assess its new teacher evaluation system was by no means just a charade, Gov. Bill Haslam said Tuesday. The State Collaborative on Reforming Education is expected to release an analysis of the teacher evaluation system June 1, giving lawmakers a tool they can use to drive revisions to the states contentious new method for grading more than 64,000 teachers. SCORE, conceived by former U.S. Senate GOP Majority Leader Bill Frist played a key part in establishing the teacher evaluation system and other changes, like lowering restrictions on charter schools. That wasnt just a charade to have them, SCORE, go through them. Im firmly committed to the evaluation process. And for it to work, we need to make certain that its the best that it can be, said Haslam, who predicted suggestions about how to grade teachers in non-core subjects like history and music. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/05/29/scores-teacher-evaluation-review-an-earnest-undertaking-haslam/

Labor Dept.: Nearly 3K Jobless Tenns Quit Looking for W ork Last Month (TNR)
The states unemployment rate continues to drop, but officials who track workforce trends say some of that decrease can be attributed to thousands of out-of-work Tennesseans who have stopped looking for work. I do think there are some folks who have just permanently, or almost permanently, taken themselves out of the job market saying, I have given up, Gov. Bill Haslam told reporters after speaking at the American Legion Auxiliary Volunteer Girls State assembly at Lipscomb University Tuesday. According to Tennessee Department of Labor statistics, almost 3,000 people who were part of the labor force in March stopped looking for work the very next month, joining a category economists call discouraged workers. Over the last few months, the number of discouraged workers has slowly dropped from this years high of more than 21,000 people. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/05/29/labor-dept-nearly-3k-jobless-tennesseans-quit-looking-for-work-last-month/

Sexual Assault Bill Signed Into Law (WTVF-TV Nashville)

Governor Bill Haslam put pen to paper and signed into law a major victory for victims of sexual assault. On Tuesday, Haslam signed "Kimberlee's Law" which closes a loophole in the justice system that let people of aggravated rape get out of jail early. Before this law, there were two conflicting laws; one dictated violent offenders serve 100-percent of their jail time another let felons earn time-served for good behavior. The law is named after Kimberlee Morton, who was the victim of a violent rape and attempted murder in Memphis more than a decade ago. "I can't begin to tell you the joy I feel inside of me to know, no other victim will be cheated by the TN justice system and to know victims will get their justice, is incredible," said Kimberlee Morton. Kimberlee

was honored by the House this past legislative session, for her advocacy and bravery. http://www.newschannel5.com/story/18649953/sexual-assault-bill-signed-into-law

Commissioner: Fight against fat like drug addiction (Tennessean/W ilemon)

Health, community leaders strive to help stop U.S. obesity epidemic The states top health official on Tuesday compared Tennessees obesity epidemic to drug addiction and called on chambers of commerce to confront the problem. Im pretty convinced that when we are talking about obesity and being overweight, were dealing with something that is a chronic relapsing disease. Its not going to be easy to move this needle, state Commissioner of Health Dr. John Dreyzehner said, speaking at a joint summit of the Tennessee Obesity Task Force and Gov. Bill Haslams Health and W ellness Task Force. Although about 100 people attended, Dreyzehner noted that most of the people there were the usual suspects representatives of health organizations. When the governors wellness task force identified the epidemic as its top priority, Haslam called on business leaders to do more. We do not have the business community at our table in a meaningful way, said Joan Randall, executive director of the Tennessee Obesity Task Force. We are hoping today we can step that up a notch. Businesses that did send representatives to the meeting included Advance Financial, Eastman Chemical, Clayton Homes, Ingram Industries and Alcoa Inc. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120530/NEWS07/305300100/TN-commissioner-Fight-against-fat-like-drugaddiction?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

First Lady Crissy Haslam to speak at education summit (Cookeville Herald Citizen)
The Highlands Workforce Development & Education Committee is hosting a statewide summit on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Reaching Higher in Tennessee: Economics of Education Summit will take place in the Roaden University Center on the campus of Tennessee Technological University. The goal of the summit is to create awareness of the importance of education and workforce development and its link to economic development. The Highlands W orkforce Development & Education Committee has gained recognition for cutting edge programs to create a 21st Century workforce. The committee, composed of both business and education leaders of the Highlands area, is an active part of the Highlands Initiative; a collaborative public/private sector program designed to boost economic and community development in Jackson, Overton, Putnam, and White counties. It consists of five subcommittees, each with specific goals and programs geared to improve education attainment and job readiness for the current and future workforce of the Highlands. http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/18757492/article-First-Lady-Crissy-Haslam-to-speak-at-educationsummit?instance=latest_articles

Commissioner promoting awareness of the disabled (Associated Press)

Tennessee Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Jim Henry is on a statewide tour to promote awareness of people with disabilities. The goal of the visits is to encourage citizens to support agencies providing services to the disabled. During the tour, Henry will award certificates of appreciation signed by Gov. Bill Haslam. The tour began Tuesday in Memphis. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/commissioner-promoting-awareness-of-the-disabled/

TN banking commish: Lenders doing what they must (Nashville Biz Journal)
The state's top banking regulator sees banks positioning themselves for the future a good thing in his mind, given the market and regulatory challenges at hand. Commissioner Greg Gonzales, head of Tennessee's Department of Financial Institutions, said the intensifying trend of thrifts converting to commercial banks is just one of several examples of lenders trying to find a competitive vantage point. As we reported for full subscribers Friday, the trend is leading to new commercial lenders cropping up around Tennessee, and it's among the shifts Gonzales is watching, too. "I think every institution is trying to figure out in this new environment, 'How do we put ourselves in the best position to be successful?' " he said in an interview today. In the interest of getting a firmer handle on that environment, we asked Gonzales about a number of movements he and others are keeping an eye on. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2012/05/tennessee-banking-commissioner-gonzales.html

Tennessee state parks get new microsite (Associated Press)

2

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has launched a new microsite to commemorate the 75th anniversary of state parks. It displays a wide range of content that can be used to plan a visit to one of the 54 parks. Done in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, it also includes an interactive historical timeline. Bob Martineau, commissioner of environment and conservation, said the site stresses the natural, cultural and historical resources at the parks. The site is www.tnstateparks75.com . http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/tennessee-state-parks-get-new-microsite/

TDOT: State doesn't inspect slide-prone highway slopes (News-Sentinel/Jacobs)

State workers regularly inspect highway bridges for safety, and Tennessee even has a program to identify potential rockslide areas. But it has no formal method for watching for possible slope failures such as those that twice have closed Interstate 75 in Campbell County. "I'm not aware of any state having a slope inspection program," said Steve Borden, director of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Region 1, which includes East Tennessee. Instead of an inspection program, Borden said the department relies upon the 309 maintenance employees who daily travel state roads to and from work. More than 28,000 vehicles a day travel the section of I-75 in Campbell County impacted by a slope slide near the 143 mile marker near the Stinking Creek Road interchange. Since the March 8 slide began, authorities have closed both southbound lanes, forcing drivers onto area roads not designed to carry interstate traffic. State workers have since cobbled a single lane for northbound and southbound traffic from the northbound side of the road, which remains intact. A $9.3 million contract to rebuild the slope and the road is slated for completion Sept. 28. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/tdot-state-doesnt-inspect-slide-prone-highway/

White-nose syndrome confirmed in Tennessee's endangered gray bats (TFP/Sohn)

The confirmation of white-nose syndrome in endangered gray bats in upper East Tennessee is "great cause for concern," officials say. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has confirmed the presence of white-nose syndrome in very rare bats that wintered in caves in Hawkins and Montgomery counties. "The documented spread of [whitenose syndrome] on gray bats is devastating news," said Paul McKenzie, a Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species coordinator, in a prepared statement. "This species was well on the road to recovery, and confirmation of the disease is great cause for concern." White-nose syndrome previously had been documented in six hibernating bat species, including the federally endangered Indiana bat. Significant mortality has been documented in many colonies of hibernating Indiana bats in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states. While no mortality has been observed in gray bats that can be linked to white-nose, the confirmation that gray bats can be infected is a worry. The gray bat, federally listed as an endangered species in 1976, occupies a limited geographic range in the Southeast. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/tennessee-white-nose-syndrome-confirmed-in-states/?local

White Nose Found In Gray Bat Colonies (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

Wildlife officials say theyve found more Tennessee bats infected with deadly white nose syndrome. And as For the first time, the disease has been on Eastern Gray bats, which are an endangered species. White nose is a fungal infection that has killed off entire colonies of bats in the northeast and in Canada. Its not yet clear whether the disease is deadly for gray bats, but theres a lot of potential for it to spread throughout the species. Gray bats gather by the hundreds of thousands to hibernate in just a handful of caves. Paul McKenzie is a bat specialist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He says active infections have been confirmed in two of those caves: one is in East Tennessee, the other is near Clarksville. This disease has spread to one of our federally listed species that was probably rebounding, on the road to recover, and is probably one of our most numerous species of bats that we have. The loss of gray bats could be a problem for farmers. They live on a diet of insects, including moths and beetles that are harmful to crops. They also share territory with other bat species that are known to be highly susceptible to white nose syndrome. http://wpln.org/?p=37782

TBI investigating disappearance of thousands from Monroe County Red Cross (NS)
State authorities are investigating the disappearance of more than $20,000 from the Monroe County chapter of the American Red Cross, an official said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launched an inquiry at the request of the District Attorney General's Office May 9, according to TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm. Helm said 3

the investigation is focused on several "questionable ATM withdrawals" made in Sweetwater, Madisonville and Athens. TBI officials are working with local agencies and they expect to turn over the results of their investigation to the DA's office once complete. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/29/tbi-investigating-missing-funds-from-monroe-red/

City receives $97,000 recreation trails grant (State Gazette)

The road to creating a bike and walking trail that winds throughout the Dyer County community received a boost on Friday, when state officials presented a check for $97,000 to complete a portion of the community's Master Plan. The funds are a grant from the Recreation Trails Program, a federally funded program established to aid diverse recreation trail projects. The RTP grant is provided by the Federal Highway Administration through the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. The funds will be used locally to enhance the Downtown River Park and extend walking and biking trails along the levee. The project includes a paved bike path/walkway that runs approximately one mile along the Reagan Levee. The proposed leg is a portion of a larger plan to circle the Dyersburg community with a bike- and walk-friendly trail system. The grant comes just a week after the Pioneering Healthy Communities Dyer County Steering Committee held a public forum aimed to raise interest and participation in the community's Master Plan to increase connectivity and provide healthy transportation options to residents throughout Dyer County. State Rep. Bill Sanderson presented the check in the lobby of the Lannom Center on Friday morning, with local leaders representing a cross-section of the community on hand to celebrate the event. http://www.stategazette.com/story/1854110.html

Tenn. Supreme Court overturns death sentence (Associated Press)

The Tennessee Supreme Court has overturned a death sentence for a man convicted of murdering a Scott County couple in their bed and has ordered that a new jury decide whether to execute the inmate or spare his life. The states highest court said Tuesday that prosecutors committed misconduct by making inappropriate statements to the jury during the murder trial of Hubert Glenn Sexton. The court also found that some evidence should not have been admitted because it was highly prejudicial. The Supreme Court, however, refused to overturn Sextons two first-degree murder convictions, saying the evidence against him was overwhelming, including the fact that he admitted killing Stanley and Terry Sue Goodman to at least three people. The Goodmans were shot to death in their Huntsville home in 2000. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120529/NEWS03/305290051/Tenn-Supreme-Court-overturns-deathsentence?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Chattanooga police ready to enforce Tennessee's new gang law (TFP/Sher)

Chattanooga officials say local police already have identified some violent criminal street gangs that officials could eventually target under an expansion of Tennessee's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act that takes effect July 1. "The answer is yes," said Boyd Patterson, one of Mayor Ron Littlefield's two Gang Task Force coordinators, on Tuesday. "There are some specific criminal organizations in Chattanooga to whom the RICO bill could be applied." The Chattanooga-initiated bill, which legislative records show Gov. Bill Haslam signed May 21, became an official state statute on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, Haslam held a ceremonial signing of the bill with Littlefield, former prosecutor Patterson, the Gang Task Force's outreach coordinator, Fred Houser, and several local lawmakers who sponsored the measure in attendance. The measure expands the RICO law, which was restricted to child pornography and drug trafficking. It redefines "racketeering activity" to include committing, attempting to commit, conspiring to commit or soliciting or coercing someone else to commit a criminal gang offense, according to a legislative summary of the legislation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/chattanooga-police-ready-to-enforce-new-gang-law/?local

Murfreesboro mosque construction stops after judge's ruling (AP/Loller)

A judges ruling has stopped construction of a Nashville suburban mosque that has been at the center of a rowdy debate for more than two years. Chancellor Robert Corlew ruled Tuesday that proper public notice was not given for the May 2010 meeting that approved the site plan for the mosque being built near Murfreesboro, a booming city of about 100,000 people southeast of Nashville. Corlew notes that his opinion doesnt prevent the Rutherford County Planning Commission from reconsidering the issue and approving the mosque site plan again. The next commission meeting is scheduled for June 11. Essam Fathy, head of the construction committee for the Islamic Center, said that there is about six weeks of work left on the building. Hes gotten no official word from the county yet on what the ruling means. This has all come as a big surprise, he said. Saleh Sbenaty, a spokesman for the 4

leadership of the mosque, said the ruling was disappointing but his group remains committed to building the Islamic center. They have been worshipping for many years at a smaller site in the community. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120529/NEWS03/305290046/Murfreesboro-mosque-construction-stopsafter-judge-s-ruling?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Ruling leaves Islamic Center of Murfreesboro in limbo (Daily News Journal)

Muslim community confused, saddened as site approval voided Uncertainty and sadness pervaded the local Islamic community Tuesday after Chancellor Robert Corlew voided site approval of a mosque under construction on Veals Road. The decision may halt work once legal documents are signed and delivered. But with construction in the final stage, a new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro will keep going up until the county orders workers to stop, a mosque spokesman said Tuesday. We still have our faith in our justice system, and we hope there will be an appeal on this decision, a shocked Saleh Sbenaty said, just hours after after Corlew ruled that Rutherford County government failed to provide adequate notice for the regional planning commission meeting before it considered the mosque site plan May 24, 2010. The $2 million building under construction at Veals Road near Bradyville Pike just outside Murfreesboro was set to be finished in late July or early August, and plans were being made for a grand opening, Sbenaty said. Those dates are now uncertain, he said, noting the Islamic Center isnt sure of the rulings immediate implications. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120530/NEW S01/305300034/Ruling-leaves-Islamic-Center-Murfreesboro-limbo? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Sides disagree whether ruling halts mosque work (Tennessean/Smitana, Broden)

A judge says the Rutherford County planning commission violated state law by not giving adequate public notice about a request to build a mosque in Murfreesboro. But the judge did not say whether work on the building has to stop. Mosque supporters and opponents disagree on whether the ruling means construction work at the site should stop immediately until there is another planning meeting to discuss the request again. Essam Fathy, head of the construction committee for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, said workers will return to the Veals Road site today to continue building the 52,960-square-foot mosque because no one in county government has told them to stop. This has all come as a big surprise, he said. Fathy said there is still about six weeks of work left on the first phase of the project 12,000 square feet which began in September. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Rutherford County Building Codes Department had not revoked the mosques building permit. But Joe Brandon, attorney for the plaintiffs who filed suit against the county in 2010 challenging the public notice process, said the judges ruling means the work cannot legally continue. At the present time, they (congregation members) are in violation of the law if they as much as lift a hammer, Brandon said. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120530/NEWS06/305300069/Sides-disagree-whether-ruling-haltsMurfreesboro-mosque-work?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Mosque case plaintiff: 'Justice was served' (Daily News Journal)

Rutherford County's government failed to let enough residents know about mosque construction plans before approving the project, a judge ruled Tuesday. The Plaintiffs presented testimony of a number of officials, including the county commissioner who is elected to represent the district in which the building is being constructed, had no knowledge that the matter was being considered, Chancellor Robert Corlew III said in his ruling. Thus, we today (Tuesday) determine that there was insufficient notice for the public meeting held on May 24, 2010, and under the terms of the law, then, the decisions reached at that meeting are void, he continued. This decision does not preclude the county and the various county entities from again considering the same issues at a subsequent hearing when proper notice is given. County Mayor Ernest Burgess said the county attorney needed to research what to do next and discuss the options with him before he could comment. Were not in any position to make a decision on where we are going with this, Burgess said. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120530/NEW S/305300033/Mosque-case-plaintiff-Justice-served-?odyssey=tab| topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Nashville proposal would allow farmers to sell crops on their property (TN/DeVille)
John Morton grows more produce than he and his family could possibly ever eat. He wants to sell some of the squash, tomatoes, cantaloupe and other crops, and he has the clientele ready to buy. But under the citys current law, Morton and other farmers are prohibited from selling their produce on their property, as retail sales are not allowed in agricultural zoned districts in Davidson County. Not being able to sell anything off your farm, youre 5

putting a small farmer out of business, said Morton, who helps his mom staff HomePlace, the familys 166-acre farm in Antioch. A proposed city ordinance could give the Mortons, and other farmers with at least 5 acres of land, the chance to sell their seasonal agricultural items on their property. Products sold or given away free would be limited to those produced on the property, such as produce, nuts, seeds, herbs, flowers, plants, baked goods and handicrafts. Farmers throughout the city are praising the proposal, which many say will help them grow their businesses and possibly add agricultural jobs. As the subdivisions are taking over the farms, people are looking for something like this where people can run down the street and pick up produce, Morton said. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120530/NEWS01/305300064/Nashville-proposal-would-allow-farmers-sellcrops-their-property?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Hamilton County worker raises possible in this year's budget (TFP/Haman)

Last year at this time, County Mayor Jim Coppinger and his staff were bracing for layoffs and $13 million in budget cuts. This year, they're preparing to compensate the county's 1,867 workers, who haven't had a raise since the 2009 fiscal year, which began July 1, 2008. Coppinger will begin meeting individually with county commissioners next week to talk about his proposal, he said Tuesday. He won't talk specifically about what type of compensation he'll propose but confirmed that he's still pushing for some. "It's been a long time since employees have been compensated," he said. "Compensation comes in a lot of ways, whether you talk about health care or raises." Coppinger will present his budget to county commissioners at their June 14 meeting, and commissioners are set to vote on the budget June 28. The 2013 fiscal year will begin July 1. "It's going to be a work in progress all the way up until after we present it," he said. Last year county leaders carved more than 50 positions from the budget, laying off 36 workers. At least 10 of those later were rehired. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/hamilton-county-worker-raises-possible-in-this/?local

Commission facing hike requests for senior transport, school plans (NS/Donila)
A Knox County Commission public forum Tuesday brought out more than 60 residents, some touting a multimillion-dollar plan to better local schools, but most encouraging commissioners to pass a minor property tax increase to help seniors and the disabled pay for public transportation. The so-called transportation tax would increase property taxes by 1 cent per $100 of assessed value. For the owner of a house valued at $150,000, that would be an additional $3.75 a year in taxes. It would raise an extra $1 million in revenue. The new money would be dispersed by the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee Office on Aging to local organizations, such as Knoxville Area Transit, to help provide free or reduced public transportation for seniors and those who are disabled. "A lot of seniors are outliving their ability to drive, so this is a public safety issues as well as a quality of life issue," said Commissioner Amy Broyles, who is spearheading the increase. "But public transportation also gives people their independence and that's what we all want as we age." The commission, which met Tuesday without Commissioner Jeff Ownby, will officially decide on the proposal Monday when the board also votes on Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett's overall $673.7 million proposed spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, which beings in July. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/commission-facinghike-requests-for-senior-plans/

Memphis City Council budget proposals bear contrasts from Wharton's (CA/Maki)
Memphis City Council members on Tuesday began sifting through three council-generated proposals to fund city government for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The theme running through all three proposals is reducing the property tax burden on Memphians, a contrast to Mayor A C Wharton's call for a 47-cent increase to cover the cost of court-ordered funding for Memphis City Schools. "I think it's a real healthy discussion when we're talking about the big issues," said council member Shea Flinn. "I would say the debate has shifted from what type of property tax increase we'll have to what kind of property tax reduction we'll have," he said Council members Jim Strickland, Harold Collins and Edmund Ford Jr. have each proposed budgets that would reduce the city's current tax rate of $3.19, which includes $3.01 for city operations and 18 cents for the school district. Strickland's proposal would set the city's tax rate at $2.91, Ford's budget calls for a $2.98 tax rate while Collins includes a $3.11 tax rate. The budget W harton presented to the council for the coming year calls for a combined tax rate of around $3.66, with $3.01 for city operations and the rest for schools. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/30/budgets-bear-contrasts/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Council Weighs Three Tax Roll Back Proposals (Memphis Daily News)
Three Memphis City Council members have presented plans that would roll back the citys current property tax 6

rate to varying degrees and come up with the citys last mandatory funding to Memphis City Schools using differing combinations of one-time funds. Council members Jim Strickland, Harold Collins and Edmund Ford Jr. presented their plans during a Tuesday, May 29, budget committee session. No votes were taken in committee. That will happen at the Tuesday, June 5, budget committee session, hours before the full council is to vote for a third and final time on a budget and setting a new tax rate both for the fiscal year that begins July 1. This weeks committee session was the clearest indication that not only is the council unlikely to approve the 47-cent property tax hike proposed in April by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. solely to fund MCS. The council appears likely to approve some plan that actually lowers the property tax rate for the first time since the councils 2008 decision to cut MCS funding and roll back the tax rate by 18 cents. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/30/council-weighs-three-tax-roll-back-proposals/

Trustee Pitches Tax Collection to City (Memphis Daily News)

Bob Patterson, the county official known for his felt hats and folksy charm, repeatedly gave it a try. After he died in 2008, Paul Mattila picked up the attempts where Patterson left off. So did Regina Morrison Newman, who replaced Mattila when he died in 2009. Now current Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir, like county trustees before him, also is giving it a try. The it is convincing the city of Memphis to let the trustees office collect current and back taxes from Memphis property owners. The county trustee who essentially is the countys banker by collecting taxes, managing investments and performing financial projections, among many other tasks already is collecting county property taxes from those same people. The attempt from each trustee has basically been the same: to strike some sort of deal that sends taxpayers to one place to pay everything. The city is currently collecting some property taxes from city residents in-house. Current taxes are paid to the city treasurers office. An out-of-town law firm, Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson LLP, won a no-bid contract in 2004 from former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton to collect the citys back taxes. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/30/trustee-pitches-tax-collection-to-city/

Carroll County lake to spark economic boom (Jackson Sun)

Officials hope to draw recreation, fishing industry; opening in March 2013 After more than two decades in the making, residents of Carroll County will soon be able to enjoy a new man-made lake on the outskirts of Huntingdon. The Carroll County Watershed Authority met Tuesday afternoon at Lake Headquarters in Huntingdon. During the meeting, the group discussed a name for the Carroll County lake and talked about renaming some roads. Some local residents were not happy about some of the rules the board made in relation to construction near the lake. Ron Teddleton, who owns land next to the lake, said the board took advantage of landowners by paying less for the property than it was worth. He also said rules were changed halfway through lake construction. We were told that we could build boat ramps and docks, and now youre saying we cant, he said. Teddleston said the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency came in and said boat decks had to be shortened from a previously approved 50 feet to 25 feet. Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley said this lake was not built overnight and that appeals could have been made for various rules. He also said access to the lake would be allowed for every neighboring landowner. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120530/NEWS01/305300014/Carroll-County-lake-spark-economic-boom

Blackburn Part of New GOP Womens Group (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

In an effort to highlight the voices of Republican women in Congress, Brentwood Congressman Marsha Blackburn has helped create a group called the W omens Policy Committee. Democrats and critics of the GOP, however, dont think that the panel truly addresses womens concerns. Blackburn is the vice-chair of the group, which is only made up of female Republicans. She says the goal is to address issues that affect everyone, not just women. This is about putting a female perspective on the issues that concern women and men: jobs, the economy, getting Obamacare off the books. Blackburn says she also just wants people to know what the two dozen Republican women are doing in the House of Representatives. The launch of the committee follows sharp criticism from Democrats over GOP stances on issues such as contraception, equal pay, and violence against women. A spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a statement calling the group a political stunt. http://wpln.org/?p=37597

Scottie Mayfield implores supporters to stay on message (TFP/Carroll)

Scottie Mayfield may not like "the big liberal media," but a campaign document shows the dairy executive's 7

desire to milk the editorial pages for all they're worth. In a mass email sent Friday afternoon, Mayfield staffer Abby Robinson asked an undisclosed list of supporters to write letters to the editor. She also told them what to say. "I have attached 12 talking points that we have put together for you as a guide when writing your letter," the letter states. "If you decide to write a letter to a media outlet next week, we encourage you to follow up with an additional letter to a different outlet the following week." Mayfield is challenging U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in Tennessee's 3rd District Republican primary on Aug. 2. His appeal to write the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Knoxville News Sentinel and Chattanoogan.com came three days after his campaign distributed a fundraising letter blasting "the big liberal media" for asking "whether I know what I believe." It's not unusual for campaigns to simultaneously attack the media and encourage letters to the editor, but aides to Fleischmann and his other Republican challengers, Ron Bhalla and Weston W amp, said they don't spoon-feed themes to supporters. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/scottie-mayfield-implores-supporters-to-stay-on/?local

States, Feds Poised to Write Chapter in Public Safety Communications (Stateline)

A running joke about public safety communication is that first responders are only trying to catch up to the average teenager with a smartphone. But the issue really isnt funny at all: The performance of the nations aging web of public safety networks, which often cant communicate with each other, is a matter of life and death. According to The 9/11 Commission Report, many of the first responders on September 11, 2001, lacked the ability to communicate with one another at the site in a situation where time was extremely limited. One of the most critical things in a major operation like this is to have information, one of the first fire chiefs on the scene told the Commission. W e didnt receive any reports of what was seen from the [NYPD] helicopters. It was impossible to know how much damage was done on the upper floors, whether stairwells were intact or not. More than a decade after that disaster, Congress has approved $7 billion and the reallocation of 20 megahertz of spectrum airwave capacity to try to deal with the inter-communication problem. Those resources will help in the effort to create a national public safety network capable of transmitting both voice and data, including videos and photos. But many implementation challenges lie ahead, even with generous funding and broad bipartisan agreement that the network is a national priority. http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/states-feds-poised-to-write-new-chapter-in-public-safetycommunications-85899394611

Too dry at area lakes (Times-Gazette)

Normandy Reservoir is at its lowest summer level since 1981, two feet lower than during the drought of 2007, according to Tennessee Valley Authority officials, and Tims Ford Reservoir is also much lower than normal. As the summer season begins, TVA is urging boaters and swimmers to use caution, avoiding hazards like rocks and stumps which may be brought into play in unexpected locations by the low lake levels. Way down Normandy is currently at 868.6 feet, compared to a desired summer pool of 875 feet, according to Thomas Barnett, manager of river forecast operations support for TVA's river scheduling and river operations. TVA is in "conservation mode" at both Normandy and Tims Ford, releasing only enough water to meet Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation requirements, according to Charles "Chuck" Bach, TVA's general manager of river scheduling and river operations. Tims Ford Dam has suspended generation of electricity while in conservation mode; Normandy Dam does not have a hydroelectric plant, so that's not an issue there. "Mother Nature turned that spigot off ...." said Bach. http://www.t-g.com/story/1854111.html

Volkswagen eyes expansion in Chattanooga at Enterprise South (TFP/Pare)

Just a year after the official opening of Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant, the company and the city are making moves that suggest the potential for expansion of the factory and nearby supplier park. On Tuesday, the city's Industrial Development Board agreed to accept $19.1 million in state funds, part of which involve regrading land next to the existing factory that has been identified for possible plant expansion. The board also agreed to hire a company to begin planning for a new road to the supplier park and the layout of future buildings. Jason Payne of the city's Public Works Department said nothing is imminent in terms of raising new buildings for the supplier park. But, he said, VW asked that the planning work be carried out. "They want to get the layout done," Payne said. The supplier park now has two 223,200-square-foot buildings, and Payne said VW is looking at four more structures. Tom Edd Wilson, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's chief executive, said VW and the state are finalizing earlier discussions about clearing the site adjacent to the plant to get ready for possible expansion. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/volkswagen-vw-eyes-expansion-at-industrial-park-tn/?local 8

Pilgrim's Pride may lay off 400 workers in Chattanooga, state says (TFP/ONeil)
Pilgrim's Pride may lay off or relocate as many as 400 workers in Hamilton County by June 15. The poultry processing company, which operates two downtown Chattanooga plants with nearly 1,500 workers, said the job cuts are because of improved plant efficiencies. Pilgrim's Pride said it will continue to process as many chickens as it has in the past and will not cut its orders from contract growers in the area. After announcing last week it was laying off 85 employees in Chattanooga, Pilgrim's Pride told state regulators the company could lay off another 170 employees next week and another 140 workers on June 15. Margaret McDonald, spokeswoman for Pilgrim's Pride, said the company has not decided how many more employees will be laid off. "We don't have any further numbers to report," she said Tuesday afternoon. "We are still working through an evaluation of this." Representatives of the Tennessee Department of Labor and W orkforce Development said Tuesday that agency officials will hold meetings next month to help workers being displaced find other work or file for jobless benefits http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/tn-pilgrims-pride-may-lay-off-400-state-says/?local

Two

new

charter

schools

aim

for

2013

opening

in

Nashville

(Tennessean/Anderson)
Metro rejects plan of firm criticized for catering to rich The Metro school board granted approval to two new charter schools, one specializing in literature and language and the other hoping to teach financial literacy along with academics. Intrepid Preparatory Charter School in Antioch and Nashville Classical Charter School in East Nashville were approved by the Metro school board Tuesday. Both schools hope to open by 2013. They will join 12 charter schools already operating in Metro. They were among a record number of applicants, eight of which the board denied Tuesday. Those denied included proposals from Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Tennessee State University and a charter chain based in Arizona that has drawn fire from some parents. Several parents were concerned that Great Hearts would serve only affluent families in West Nashville. But Great Hearts application was ultimately denied for its scope. It proposed five schools throughout Metro to cover transportation requirements set by the district. Alan Coverstone, director of charter and magnet schools, said there was no precedent for opening five schools at once from the same provider. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120530/NEWS04/305300073/Two-new-charter-schools-aim-2013-openingNashville?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Unified school board at odds over closed-door discussions (CA/Kelley, Roberts)

The argument over who is to lead the new city-county school district will move behind closed doors next week. The unified school board will meet in executive session on Monday to discuss the purpose of a June 11 special board meeting scheduled by board chairman Billy Orgel last Friday to discuss whether Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash's contract should be renewed for the start of the unified school system. Civil rights leaders and African-American clergy voiced their opposition to that move earlier Tuesday, saying the process has been unfair and makes Shelby County Schools Supt. John Aitken the shoo-in for the top job. At a school board meeting Tuesday night, board vice chairman Jeff Warren called the executive session on the advice of MCS attorney Dorsey Hopson. The board also defeated a motion to amend a new superintendent selection process to require a two-thirds majority vote on the board to renew the contract for a current superintendent as well as a two-thirds vote to approve the hiring of a new superintendent, a change that would have hampered Aitken supporters' chances of success. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/29/unified-school-board-meets-about-cash-behind-close/ (SUB)

School Talks Now Turning to New Supt. (Memphis Daily News)

The discussion about who will head the new consolidated Shelby County school system has been under way on an unofficial basis since Memphis voters approved a Memphis City Schools charter surrender in March 2011. The countywide school board that took office the following October will begin the formal discussion next week with a special June 11 meeting to review the contract of MCS superintendent Kriner Cash. Cashs contract runs to the beginning of the merger of what are now Shelby Countys two public school systems. The two school systems remain separate with Cash heading MCS and John Aitken the superintendent of Shelby County schools for one more school year. In April, the schools consolidation planning commission considered weighing in with a proposed recommendation that included an endorsement of Aitken as the superintendent for the first two years 9

of the merger. The group, which is drafting the blueprint for the consolidated school system to come, voted down the resolution. But it never got to the question of Aitken over Cash as it debated where the work of the commission ends and where the work of the school board begins. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/30/school-talks-now-turning-to-new-supt/

Six suburbs give OK to seek Aug. 2 municipal school referendums (CA/Bailey)

Shelby County suburban leaders are headed to the Election Commission today with newly approved ordinances seeking referendums on municipal school systems. Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington gave final approval Tuesday night -- their latest step to avoid becoming part of the unified school system slated to begin in August 2013. The suburbs have until the end of the week to submit the paperwork asking for their respective referendums to be on the Aug. 2 ballot, but none wanted to wait that long. "We're hand-delivering it (today)," Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman said. Millington's board took four minutes to approve its ordinances. "We'll have these in the Election Commission office in the morning," Mayor Linda Carter said. Other mayors signed the ordinances after the meetings, intending to deliver them this morning. This is the second time most of the suburbs have tried to set referendums. The first was sidetracked by a state attorney general's opinion. And, even if voters in the separate suburbs approve the Aug. 2 referendums, creating their own school districts is expected to face legal challenges. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/29/six-memphis-suburbs-give-ok-seek-aug-2-municipal-s/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

School budget weighed (Jackson Sun)

Technology, construction main topics The Jackson-Madison County School Board budget committee met Tuesday night to discuss its priorities as far as which school projects should have budget cuts and which ones should not. Committee members discussed the numbers of school buses that should be purchased for the coming year and technology purchases, the school systems usage of the Oman Arena and the completion of a track at Liberty Technology Magnet High School. Maintenance of school technology was the primary topic of discussion. Technology is a priority, said Buddy White, Jackson-Madison County Schools superintendent. We have agreed on that. Committee members said it has been the priority of the School Board for every teacher to have a laptop, but that some of those laptops are more than five years old. It has also been a priority for every teacher to have a Promethean board in their classroom. A Promethean board is an interactive white board that connects to a computer and allows teachers to display charts, graphs and other visuals while allowing students or teachers to interact with the board using an electronic pen. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120530/NEWS01/305300016/School-budget-weighed

Dr. faces health fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, weapon charges (TFP/South)
A Chattanooga doctor accused of running a "pill mill" faces a 105-count federal indictment that includes charges of health care fraud, income tax evasion, money laundering and using a firearm in the operation of a criminal enterprise. Arrested Tuesday morning in O'Neil Medical Clinic at 4719 Brainerd Road, Ihsaan al-Amin was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Susan Lee late the same day. The 61-year-old man faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and an additional five years for the weapons charge if convicted. The doctor and his retained attorney, Rich Heinsman, declined to comment after the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney John MacCoon and agents with the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, who conducted the operation, also declined to comment on the pending case. Officials claim that al-Amin was running a cash-only "pill mill" in which he prescribed or sold large quantities of painkillers and other drugs for other than medical purposes to local residents and out-of-state buyers. The indictment against al-Amin alleges that, on 99 separate occasions from at least 2009 to 2010, he prescribed or dispensed pain medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone to patients "not for a legitimate medical purpose." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/chattanooga-doctor-faces-health-care-fraud-tax/?local

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OPINION Editorial: Demand better K-12 results, rethink higher education (Jackson Sun)
There is widespread agreement that post-secondary education is a must for todays students if they hope to land a good-paying job. But several issues stand in the way of achieving education success. Most notable are the poor results from the K-12 education and the high cost of post-secondary education programs. New approaches are needed to address these issues. Todays employers demand applicants with significant oral, written and computer skills. Many good-paying jobs also demand solid math skills. Many high school students look forward to going to college or to a post-secondary technical school. A two-year associates degree, four-year bachelors degree or technical certification is seen as an academic must to prepare students for todays high-tech workplace. But achieving these demanding goals is harder than ever. The first challenge for many students is that they are unprepared for the academic demands of higher learning. That means they must take remedial 11

classes in reading, writing and math before they can begin earning a degree or certification in earnest. Some students can spend a year taking non-credit remedial classes. That drives up the cost of post-secondary education and slows the process of achieving a degree or certification. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120530/OPINION/305300004/Our-View-Demand-better-K-12-resultsrethink-higher-education

Editorial: Prescription drug threat grows in TN (Leaf Chronicle)

The dangers of illegal drug use have been present for decades, but those dangers have been amplified and complicated in recent years with new threats. These are threats that parents must take into account as they seek to protect their children. These are threats that potential abusers of drugs need to take into account when they consider the substances they may put into their bodies. Were talking about the abuse of prescription drugs and the proliferation of synthetic drugs. Both can kill. A recent report to the state General Assembly indicates that the abuse of prescription drugs may be at an epidemic level. Prescriptions for controlled substances such as OxyContin were up 23 percent last year in Tennessee, according to the report. The rate of prescription drug abuse in Tennessee is among the highest in the country, according to a study by The Associated Press. Sales of oxycodone increased five or six fold in Tennessee from 2000 to 2010, according to The AP. Doug Varney, commissioner of mental health in Tennessee, said the number of deaths attributed to drug overdoses in Tennessee now surpasses the number of deaths to car accidents, homicides or suicides. According to statistics provided by the Health Department, 887 people died in Tennessee in 2010 due to drug overdoses, the vast majority due to abuse of prescription drugs. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120530/OPINION01/305300004/Prescription-drug-threat-grows-TN

Free-Press Editorial: Big winners, many losers (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

It's hard to head into another hot summer without venting steam over the way Republicans in control of Tennessee's Legislature again left Nashville with ordinary Tennesseans paying among the nation's highest sales taxes on food, while they bragged about granting the state's richest citizens the biggest tax cuts the top 1-tenth of the top 1 percent has received in modern times. The unfair disparity could not be more glaring. A large majority of states that levy sales taxes exempt both food and prescription drugs from such taxes. Of the five states that do levy sales taxes on food, just two apply higher sales taxes on food than Tennessee's new rate, which the Legislature reduced from 5.5 percent to 5.25 percent. Mississippi charges 7 percent in sales taxes on food, and Kansas puts on 6 percent. Alabama's food sales tax is 4 percent; and West Virginia's is 3 percent. The cost to the state to cut the sales tax on food by a quarter of penny in Tennessee is estimated to be around $20.4 million. By contrast, the state expects to lose $104.1 million over the next four budget years when it finishes phasing out the state's inheritance tax, which falls mainly on a statistically tiny fraction -- in the thousandths of one percent -- of wealthy Tennesseans. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/30/0530b-t1-big-winners-many-losers-tennessee/?opiniontimes

Editorial: Supreme Court wise to order revisit of Christian/Newsom verdicts (NS)

The Tennessee Supreme Court wisely made Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood reconsider his dismissal of three convictions in the gruesome Christian/Newsom slayings, forcing the judge to cite specific reasons for his decision. Blackwood now must review the trial records and find supporting evidence -- If he can -- for his tossing of the convictions of Lamaricus Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins and George Thomas. In a ruling issued last week, the justices gave Blackwood a framework for his reconsideration. The judge, who has been put in the unenviable position of cleaning up the legal mess former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner left behind, should take his time and amply justify his ultimate decision. Davidson, Cobbins and Thomas were convicted in the January 2007 kidnapping and killing of Christopher Newsom, 23, and 21-year-old Channon Christian. Baumgartner presided over their trials, as well as the one for alleged accomplice Vanessa Coleman. Baumgartner later resigned and pleaded guilty to one count of judicial misconduct related to his activities during the trials. He was addicted to prescription drugs, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe concluded, and obtained some of his pills from a convicted felon and carried on an affair with a woman who had appeared in his court. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/editorial-supreme-court-wise-to-order-revisit-of/

Greg Johnson: Justice for who in the Joe Keener case? (News-Sentinel)
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A Sevier County district attorney general and Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood have struck again. Last year, retired district attorney general Al Schmutzer, representing the people, and Blackwood, representing justice, signed off on a plea bargain that let disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner skip jail time after Baumgartner was found to have used illegal drugs and engaged in illicit sex in the courthouse. Last week, current 4th Judicial Circuit District Attorney General Jimmy Dunn and Blackwood agreed to a plea bargain that allowed former Sevier County Clerk Joe Keener to escape incarceration after Keener admitted taking almost $100,000. Keener had repaid $94,645.50. He pleaded guilty to theft and official misconduct, received 10 years' probation, must make restitution of $14,000 for an audit conducted that found his theft and must do 500 hours of community service. Blackwood is the constant in these cases. In the Baumgartner case, Blackwood failed to dig deep enough to find the expansiveness of Baumgartner's wrongdoing. In the Keener case, Blackwood had little time to ask many questions Keener's hearing was over in 15 minutes. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/greg-johnson-justice-for-who-in-the-joe-keener/

Frank Munger: Politics could slow Y-12/Pantex contract (News-Sentinel)

With this being an election year, there are questions about whether the National Nuclear Security Administration will award the huge contract consolidating management of the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants and possibly the tritium operations at Savannah River before the November elections. Almost every move these days seems calculated to political effect, and this contract involves three states Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina as well as some major corporations. So, we'll see what happens. The award will significantly alter the contracting landscape in Oak Ridge, and there are continuing concerns that the contracting change will reduce employment at Y-12 and perhaps dilute Oak Ridge's influence at agency headquarters in Washington, D.C. Todd Jacobson of Nuclear Weapons & Materials Monitor, a Washington-based subscription newsletter, has reported that the three teams competing for the Y-12/Pantex management contract are composed of Lockheed Martin, Bechtel and ATK; Fluor, Jacobs Engineering and Pro2Serve; and URS, Northrop Grumman and Honeywell, with support from Shaw and EnergySolutions. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/frank-munger-politics-could-slow-y-12pantex/

Editorial: Money well spent (Commercial Appeal)

The Shelby County Commission wrapped up its annual budget deliberations early this year when it passed a $1.2 billion budget May 21 -- about $980,000 more in spending for the coming fiscal year than county Mayor Mark Luttrell had proposed. Among other things, the commissioners were able to include extra money to help the homeless and to aid basketball star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway's efforts to build a youth sports facility, but only with the provision that the facility must be located in the inner city instead of in Cordova. Luttrell was not pleased with the extra spending. He had proposed a balanced budget that included a 1 percent salary increase for employees, no layoffs and no change in property taxes. He said the additional expenditures will have to come out of the county's $85.6 million reserve fund. Luttrell rightly had an eye on the future, when property appraisals might lead to lower tax revenues and changes in education funding might lead to higher costs. But the expenditures that were added to his budget proposal are going toward efforts to ease some of the community's most pressing issues -- homelessness, the mentally ill and providing recreational activities for youngsters that help keep them out of trouble. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/30/editorial-money-well-spent/ (SUBSCRIPTION) ###

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