SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2012 Disaster Designation for Hancock, Hawkins Cos.

Requested (TN Report)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced he has requested a secretarial designation of natural disaster for Hancock and Hawkins counties due to Aprils freeze. Haslam made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. A secretarial designation would make farmers eligible to apply for lost income recovery, low-interest loans and other disaster assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency. I understand that weather is always an unpredictable factor in farming, and the unusually warm winter and spring coupled with an April freeze has no doubt impacted some farmers, Haslam said. Farmers in Hancock and Hawkins counties reported significant yield and quality losses for mixed forages and heavy damage to fruit crops as a result of the freeze. The area experienced a dramatic drop in temperatures and heavy frost April 7 24. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/06/01/disaster-designation-for-hancock-hawkins-cos-requested/

Haslam Appoints Phillips-Jones as 8th Judicial District AG (TN Report)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced his appointment of Lori Phillips- Jones as District Attorney General for the Eighth Judicial District. Phillips-Jones will replace current District Attorney General Paul Phillips when he retires September 1, 2012. The Eighth Judicial District is composed of Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott and Union counties. Lori has served the citizens of the Eighth Judicial District well for more than 11 years as assistant district attorney general, and her extensive experience makes her the best fit for this role, Haslam said. Im pleased to appoint her, and I appreciate her willingness to serve in this capacity. Phillips-Jones graduated from the University of Tennessee Law School in 1999 and has been with the Office of the Attorney General, Eighth Judicial District since 1997. She has served as a criminal investigator and a violent crimes prosecutor as the assistant district attorney general. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/06/01/haslam-appoints-phillips-jones-as-8th-judicial-district-ag/

Doe Mountain spurs high hopes (Tennessean/Kubis)

State-purchased land will be used for recreation and ecotourism Gov. Bill Haslams administration bought several thousand acres in East Tennessee for $8.8 million from The Nature Conservancy, a global conservation organization. Doe Mountains 8,600 acres of undeveloped land are in Johnson County, immediately southwest of Mountain City. The purchase will conserve a large block of the Southern Blue Ridge mountain range region, which runs partially along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. The property is adjacent to the 650,000acre Cherokee National Forest. Because of bankruptcy and court proceedings, the mountain was spared development planned in the mid-2000s, and The Nature Conservancy worked with the owners and financial institution to acquire the land last week, before the states purchase. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120602/NEWS21/306020036/Doe-Mountain-spurs-high-hopes? odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cp&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Tennessee's first lady, Crissy Haslam, launches book club (Times FreePress/Sher)
Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam today launched the Read20 Family Book Club with the goal of promoting early child literacy and parental engagement in their childrens academic lives. Haslam is encouraging families this summer to read 20 minutes daily. Each month a book will be featured on the website (www.tn.gov/read20). Children and families can participate and find family engagement ideas, reading activities and tips. I am very excited to launch the Read20 Family Book Club, Haslam said in a news release. Families reading together build a foundation for strong relationships and academic success for our Tennessee students. The First Lady

selected Frindle by Andrew Clements as Junes featured Book of the Month. Frindle is a story about a boy named Nicholas who encounters all kinds of adventures after creating a new name for the pen: frindle. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/01/tennessees-first-lady-crissy-haslam-launches-book-/? breakingnews

First Lady Launches 'Read 20 Family Book Club' (WTVF-TV Nashville)

On Friday, Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam announced the launch of the "Read 20 Family Book Club" to promote early reading and parental involvement with their children. To encourage families to read 20 minutes each day this summer, a book will be featured as the "Book of the Month" on the program's website. Children and families can access ideas for reading activities and tips. To kick things off, Mrs. Haslam selected "Frindle" by Andrew Clements as June's Book of the Month. http://www.newschannel5.com/story/18678480/first-lady-launches-read-20-family-book-club

TN INCITE fund draws another $4M in private investment (Nashville Biz Journal)
The state of Tennessee's INCITE fund has spurred another $4 million in private investment. INCITE, which steers federal money toward deals to spur venture capital investment, put $1.4 million toward this round, supporting $3.8 million from the private sector. This second raft of deals follows an announcement in May of about $4 million in private investments kicking off the fund's activity. This round's recipients were: Aldis Inc. technology related to traffic management; $842,481 private investment, $421,241 public Consensus Point business analytics; $916,667 private investment, $458,333 public J2 Software Solutions public safety technology; $2.1 million private investment, $500,000 public http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2012/06/01/incite-bill-haslam-aldis-consensus-j2.html

Assessor candidate killed himself day after unemployment hearing (NS/Fowler)

Assessor candidate killed self after jobless appeal, fraud charges A Roane County candidate for property assessor killed himself in the yard of the incumbent, his former employer, a day after a hearing in Knoxville on her appeal of his already approved claim for unemployment benefits. Jeff Hentschel, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Labor, said Friday no decision on the appeal for James T. "J.T." Woods has been rendered. The 55-year-old Woods left only the briefest suicide note Thursday in his Nissan Titan parked next to Property Assessor Teresa Kirkham's condo at 1010 Brentwood W ay, authorities said. "Goodbye everyone," the message found on a receipt on the center console read. W oods counted down to his own death with a .357caliber gunshot to his head before a horrified deputy clerk whom Kirkham had called in a panic after she saw Woods on her doorstep shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday, police said. The suicide and why Woods chose that location shocked Kingston residents and authorities. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/02/assessorcandidate-killed-himself-day-after/

Court rules against Tennessee vet in colonoscopy case (Associated Press/Hall)

Years after thousands of veterans learned they may have been exposed to infections at government-run hospitals, many are still mired in legal battles seeking compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. In the latest legal setback, a federal appeals court has ruled against a Tennessee veteran who claims he contracted hepatitis B after employees at the Murfreesboro VA hospital negligently failed to properly clean colonoscopy equipment. The ruling could have an impact on similar lawsuits against the VA. The court found that Carl Huddlestons claim, filed more than three years after the procedure, came too late, even though he acted within months after he learned his health could have been endangered. The three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week. Huddleston was one of more than 10,000 veterans notified in 2009 that they needed to be tested for hepatitis B and C and HIV infection because of endoscopic cleaning mistakes at VA facilities in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Augusta, Ga. and Miami. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/viewart/20120601/NEWS01/306010032/Court-rules-against-Tennessee-vetcolonoscopy-case?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Tennessee lags on bike safety (Tennessean/Gonzalez)

Spending for infrastructure is up, but rider education isn't keeping pace Sally Robertson saw trouble coming down the road and stopped pedaling. In front of her, a classic bicyclists dilemma unfolded in slow motion: Rushhour traffic approaching from one direction. A driver turning from another. Parked cars blocking sight lines. 2

Coasting into the fray, Robertson sensed her vulnerability. But into the intersection she went and into harms way. The turning car clipped her and threw her down to the blacktop, snapping a bone in her leg. The Mt. Juliet bicycle commuter talks of the November 2010 crash as if it had been inevitable in Nashville, a city still finding its way when it comes to safe riding. Its still pretty spotty, said Robertson, 56. I like what I see, but sometimes it seems like (improvements) take a long time. Robertson knows it could have been worse. Three weeks ago, on the same day as a memorial ride for fallen cyclists, a 31-year-old Lakewood man died in a nighttime collision with an SUV. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120602/NEWS01/306010131/Tennessee-lags-bike-safety?odyssey=tab %7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Judge voids mosque approval, doesn't stop its construction (AP/Loller)

Opponents of a mosque being built in Murfreesboro got the government decision that approved it overturned Friday, but they lost a bid to stop construction. Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew said in a written order that the approval is void because it was taken in violation of the states Open Meetings Act. He ruled earlier this week that the county didnt give the public adequate notice of what has become a contentious issue. The order prohibits further planning meetings on the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro without proper notice. But the decision also says that if the mosque opponents want to halt construction, they must begin a new court action. The construction has been ongoing during the year-and-a-half-long court case. Mosque leaders hope to finish the first phase of construction, a 12,000-square-foot multipurpose structure for worship and events, before the holy month of Ramadan, which begins at the end of July. Islamic Center board Chairman Essam Fathy said he was relieved by the order. This news sounds good because we can take our breath with it, he said. http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120602/NEWS01/306020060/Judge-voids-Murfreesboro-mosqueapproval-doesn-t-stop-its-construction?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News (SUBSCRIPTION)

Judge Says Mosque Construction Can Proceed (W PLN-Radio Nashville)

Construction of a controversial mosque in Murfreesboro can continue. Earlier this week a judge said county commissioners did not give proper notice before approving the new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. But a new court order out today says it does not mean work has to stop on the new mosque. The suburban mosque first came under fire two years ago, around the same time as the uproar over the so-called Ground Zero Mosque in New York City. Opponents tried to draw connections between the Murfreesboro mosque and terrorism, and argued Islam is not a constitutionally protected religion. The judge threw out that argument, but voided the countys approval of the mosque under the states Open Meetings Act. The order out today (pdf) includes a footnote, saying it does not mean construction has to stop. It says such an order would have to be taken up separately. Meanwhile, the mosques first phase of construction is set to finishhttp://wpln.org/?p=37842 in July.

Cumberland County, Crossville officials try to hammer out accord (TFP/Benton)

Cumberland County and Crossville, Tenn., officials are hammering out details for a proposed $555,000 visitors center just off Interstate 40 to create a southern gateway to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The 125,000-acre national park near the Tennessee-Kentucky border, actually a 70-mile rural drive north from Crossville into Fentress and Scott counties, draws more than 600,000 visitors a year. Officials at the southern approach from I-40 say they want to land park-bound travelers at Crossville's exit 320. "W here we're at now, the city passed a resolution that allowed either the city or the county -- and the county has accepted at this point -- to operate it on a 20-year agreement with a 50/50 split of the operating cost," Cumberland County Mayor Kenneth Carey Jr. said. Crossville City Manager Bruce Wyatt said the city has agreed to fund the 20 percent grant match but officials still have two concerns to address before the project is launched. City officials want a $120,000 cap on the city's match on the $600,000 grant and they want to remove the agreement's option of contracting for an outside company to manage the center, Wyatt said. They want either the city or the county to be responsible for its operation, he said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/02/cumberland-county-crossville-officials-try/?local

District makes final push in days before Commission vote on budget (NS/McCoy)
McIntyre optimistic information out there In the last days before the Knox County Commission casts its vote on next year's budget, school officials have been making their final pushes to sell its proposal to boost school coffers by $35 million. "What we've been doing is the same thing we've been doing the last several months which is providing information," said Knox County Superintendent Jim McIntyre. "That's what we've tried to do all along is to make sure that people in our community are aware of the specific educational investments that are in the 3

school board's budget and what impact they will have on student learning and student success." While McIntyre's fourth budget presentation to the Knox County Commission is similar to his previous three, it is unique because of its $35 million price tag. Over the last three years, resources have been tight and the school system has had to be more efficient and work with available resources, he said. This year's budget continues in that vein, McIntyre said. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/02/district-makes-final-push-in-days-before-vote-on/

Health Department on track to hire 4 (Commercial Appeal/Connolly)

Employees will work to identify county's long-term goals Now that the Shelby County Commission has approved a budget and Mayor Mark Luttrell has signed it, the Health Department can create a four-person community health team. The team's mission will be to take on widespread problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, violence and substance abuse, said department director Yvonne F. Madlock. "It is about galvanizing energy and focus on making Memphis and Shelby County a much healthier place to live," she said. Madlock said the department can cover the $349,000 cost of establishing the new four-person bureau because it hasn't been filling open positions. Currently, only two county workers promote public health, Madlock said. They're limited in what they can do because they're funded by grants that set specific goals. For instance, one of the staffers focuses only on tobacco prevention, Madlock said. The four new workers would cooperate with community groups to identify the area's long-term health goals, she said. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/02/health-dept-on-track-to-hire-4/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Nations fiscal problems translate to Memphis, Corker says (M. Biz Journal)
Recess doesnt mean what it used to. According to U.S. Senator Bob Corker, neither does tax reform. In an address to a room full of local businessmen and women at Regions Bank this afternoon, Corker who is swinging through Tennessee while on Senate recess laid out the nuts and bolts of the fiscal problems facing the United States and detailed how they are affecting his constituency on a more local level. Among the topics he covered was U.S. exposure to the ongoing euro crisis and this mornings dismal jobs report. But tax and entitlement reform were the focal points of the Tennessee senators presentation. Americans and Tennesseans alike continue to tread water rather than swim in their recovery from the economic downturn, Corker said, thanks largely to pervasive tax loopholes and an unsustainable entitlement system. The U.S. government right now is engaged in the greatest generational theft that has ever occurred in our nations history, Corker said, referring to the ever-growing gap between tax-subsidized programs like Medicare and the taxes paid into such programs by wage earners. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/blog/2012/06/nations-fiscal-problems-translate-to.html

Corker calls for financial reforms (Commercial Appeal/Corbet)

Reform of entitlements and taxes is critical for the nation's economic recovery, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker told a Memphis audience Friday. "The faith and the future of this nation is to link pro-growth tax reform with long-term entitlement reform," Corker said at a business roundtable held at Regions Bank in East Memphis. Pro-growth tax reform, he said, means eliminating marginal rates at the individual and corporate level through tax cuts, generating more revenue. A long-term entitlement Corker said may be the most timely for reform is Medicare, given there will be an estimated 20 million baby boomers eligible for Medicare within the next 10 years. "Medicare is the greatest generational theft that has ever occurred in our nation's history," Corker said. Americans get more in benefits from Medicare than they've paid into the program, creating an unmanageable financial burden for the government, he said. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/02/corker-callsfor-financial-reforms/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Thousands of Tennesseans set for health insurance rebates (Nashville Biz Journal)
More than 200,000 Tennesseans should get a rebate check from their health insurance company in August, The Commercial Appeal reports. As part of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are to spend 80 percent of their premiums on health care not on business costs like marketing. Companies that fall short of that standard must rebate the difference to their customers. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation , 223,583 Tennesseans can expect to receive a total of $29.5 million in August. If the rebates were divided evenly, that would amount to $131.94 per person. Tennessee's largest insurer, BlueCross BlueShield, announced Thursday it will pay $8.6 million to 73,000 policyholders. 4

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2012/06/thousands-of-tennesseans-set-for.html

Government

postpones

deadline

to

make

pools

accessible

(News-

Sentinel/Nelson)
The new enforcement of standards the federal government set up in 2010 should make it easier for people with disabilities to use public pools. But confusion about when and how they'll be implemented has been frustrating for both those who'll upgrade pools and those who would use them. Initially, the U.S. Justice Department set a March 15 deadline for pool owners to meet the rules, which have been in the works for more than 20 years. Pools that didn't have a sloped entry or ramp would need permanent lifts installed poolside to help people get in and out, rather than less costly portable lifts that can be rolled out as needed, according to the initial plans. The idea was to have as many public pools as possible be accessible by the start of this summer's swimming season. The regulations apply to municipal pools, community centers and health clubs, and pools at motels and hotels. They don't apply to private pools or those at apartment complexes. But some pool owners, especially at smaller, independent motels and hotels, decried the cost of installing lifts up to $6,000 and equipment companies faced a backlog as the approaching deadline sparked a demand that outstripped available lifts. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/02/government-postpones-deadline-to-make-pools/

Hickory Hollow to close most stores within 60 days (City Paper)

Only 12 stores at Hickory Hollow Mall in Antioch will remain open after 60 days, according to a spokeswoman for CBL & Associates Properties. CBL & Associates vice president for corporate communications Katie Reinsmidt told The City Paper that most of the mall's tenants will be closing over the next two months, some sooner than others. Nashville State Community College purchased the former Dillard's space for use as a satellite campus, which is still scheduled to open this fall. The city also bought a former JC Penny building that will be used as a library and community center. Reinsmidt said the store closures were necessary in order to reinvent the mall space. The company is looking at all the options for future uses of the mall and retail could be involved, she said. We are working closely with local officials to explore options that would recreate Hickory Hollow and allow the center to best serve the needs of the community, Reinsmidt said in a statement. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/hickory-hollow-close-most-stores-within-60-days

Hickory Hollow tells shops to leave in 30 days (Tennessean/Allyn)

Troubled mall in midst of makeover tells tenants to clear out After years of waning business, the Hickory Hollow Malls troubles finally spread to nearly all of its remaining stores. On Friday, tenants received a brief letter from malls owner directing them to leave in the next 30 days; their leases would then be terminated. Please make arrangements to vacate the licensed area after business hours on June 30, 2012, the letter states. W e appreciate the opportunity to have worked with you and wish you luck in your future endeavors. No reason was detailed in the letter to explain the timing, but the announcement was intended to free up space for the malls evolution, according to a spokeswoman for CBL & Associates Properties, the malls owner. The mall, which has long struggled against competition from suburban retail outlets and the rise of Internet retailers, has seen several ailing big-box retailers close in recent months. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120602/BUSINESS01/306020039/Hickory-Hollow-tells-shops-leave-30days?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Hickory Hollow Gives Stores Notice to Leave (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

Following a string of businesses pulling out of Hickory Hollow Mall, owner CBL Properties is evicting some of the remaining tenants. CBL is trying to make way for what it calls an evolution. A statement from CBL says Hickory Hollow is already in the process of reinventing itself. Nashville State Community College begins classes in an old department store this fall, and Metro Nashville is working on a community center and other public spaces. The owner says a portion of the mall in Southeast Davidson County will close to make the transition easier, but also so a plan can be developed for the rest of the property. A spokesperson for CBL says roughly a dozen tenants have been allowed to stay. The rest have 30 to 60 days to http://wpln.org/?p=37862 leave.

Medical Realignment (Memphis Daily News)

Hospitals scooping up private practices at rapid clip as health care reform looms Private practice is fast 5

becoming a thing of the past, as physicians groups across the country scramble to align with large health care systems in a move largely driven by national health care reform. Rising costs, changes in reimbursement, heightened accountability and an emphasis on patient outcomes are among the many factors contributing to the structural organizing taking shape with physician-hospital alignments. The business model of the future is physicians working for hospital systems, said Dr. Michael Lachina, chief medical officer at Saint Francis Healthcare in Memphis. There are very few independent practices left. Clinical integration, a trend that began to accelerate roughly two years ago, shows no signs of slowing down. Lachina said about 60 percent of physician practices are now owned by hospitals, up from 20 percent a decade ago. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/4/medical-realignment/

Nashville parents unite against school cuts (Tennessean/Anderson)

Group worried about kids with special needs Fewer teacher aides in Metro Nashville could mean slower progress for special-needs students, according to a group of concerned parents. The parents, joined by the Autism Society of Middle Tennessee, gathered at the Tennessee Disability Megaconference Friday in Nashville and held a news conference to urge Metro to reconsider cutting positions. The Metro Nashville Public Schools district cut more than 100 paraprofessionals who work with students who have disabilities after $3.5 million in federal stimulus funds ran out at the end of this school year. Gower Elementary School parent Juan Cardona fears what the cuts will mean for his daughters education. Jemima, 5, is autistic, and is so friendly she says hello to everyone. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120602/NEWS01/306020057/Nashville-parents-unite-against-school-cuts? odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

First phase of Loudon's $43M building program making progress (NS/W illett)
After a slow start due to bad weather, the $43 million first phase of Loudon County's school building program is now well under way. Construction work on a new K-12 school at Greenback, a new middle school in Loudon and upgrades to the cafeteria at Philadelphia Elementary School are pretty much on schedule and on budget, said schools director Jason Vance. "We've waited so long for this. It's really exciting to see everything coming together," Vance said. At Greenback, where ground breaking took place in November of last year, structural steel is already going up after a delay due to heavy rains last year. Opening of the school, which is estimated to cost $23 million, might be delayed until January 2014 because of the time lost to due to bad weather, Vance said. "It's hard to tell with the weather. We might still open in August 2013," he said. After helping to lead a fiveyear battle to fund the school building program, County Commissioner Bob Franke is keeping a close watch on the construction at Greenback. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/02/first-phase-of-loudons-43m-schoolbuilding/

California: California Cuts Threaten the Status of Universities (New York Times)
Class sizes have increased, courses have been cut and tuition has been raised repeatedly. Fewer colleges are offering summer classes. Administrators rely increasingly on higher tuition from out-of-staters. And there are signs it could get worse: If a tax increase proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown is not approved this year, officials say they will be forced to consider draconian cuts like eliminating entire schools or programs. For generations, the University of California system home to such globally renowned institutions as Berkeley and U.C.L.A. has been widely recognized as perhaps the best example of what public universities could be. Along with the California State University system and the states vast number of community colleges, higher education options here have long been the envy of other states. But after years, and even decades, of budget cutbacks from the state, that reputation is under increasing threat. University leaders, who had responded typically to earlier budget cuts with assurances that their institutions were still in top form, now are sounding the alarm. In trying to rally support, they openly worry that their schools do not offer the same quality of education as a decade ago. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/02/us/california-cuts-threaten-the-status-of-universities.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

Nevada: State Takes Fresh Crack at Mortgages (Wall Street Journal)

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will participate in a Nevada program that cuts loan balances for certain homeowners who are current on their mortgages and owe more than their houses are worth in what could be a model for other hard-hit states. Under a pilot program launched Friday, Nevada will use federal housing money to pay down loan balances of eligible borrowers by as much as $50,000. Homeowners will then refinance their 6

mortgages through the Home Affordable Refinance Program, an initiative that allows borrowers with loans backed by Fannie and Freddie to refinance even if they are underwater. The mortgage-finance companies and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, have faced political pressure this year, primarily from Democrats and the Obama administration, to permit principal write-downs. The regulator hasn't decided whether it will permit principal write-downs on loans backed by the firms using subsidies that the Treasury made available earlier this year. Nevada's effort, which was rolled out by the state's Republican governor, is unusual because it targets principal reductions for homeowners who are current on their mortgages. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303552104577440262354719068.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Tops Itself in Big-Money Race (New York Times)

The last governors race in Wisconsin, in 2010, broke spending records for such campaigns in the state, with more than $37 million expended by the candidates and outside groups. Two years later, in a recall election set for Tuesday, the candidates Gov. Scott W alker and Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee are the same, but the money has ballooned to an estimated $60 million. That is an especially stunning amount for a race that has been only months in the making. Even before Election Day on Tuesday, some groups, including the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, an independent organization that tracks political money in the state and came up with the latest estimate, were calling on lawmakers to overhaul the states financial reporting requirements. Among the biggest problems, according to Mike McCabe, executive director of the organization, is a lack of transparency about outside groups that are buying ads a collection that makes up about $30 million of the spending in this campaign. Mr. Barrett, a Democrat who campaigned in Milwaukee on Friday with former President Bill Clinton, has raised about $4 million, his campaign reports show. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/02/us/politics/60-million-tab-seen-in-wisconsin-recall-campaign.html? ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

OPINION Editorial: The need is still great (Commercial Appeal)

Jim Henry, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, has been touring the state to raise awareness of persons with disabilities, and to recognize outstanding volunteers and organizations that serve those individuals. Henry's department serves a relatively small constituency (about 8,500 statewide), but the cost of providing services to those individuals is expensive. DIDD provides a number of services for children and adults with a wide range of intellectual and developmental disorders. Among those are tailored support for families that have a member with a severe disability, helping families find services for their developmentally challenged relatives and home-based care for those individuals. Henry visited Memphis and Shelby County this week to thank individuals and organizations that help his department perform a valuable and complex service. Caring for a severely developmentally disabled person can be an emotionally and financially taxing endeavor for a family. The department's mission has been made tougher because of budget cuts by state government. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/02/editorial-the-need-is-still-great/ (SUB)

Guest columnist: Electronic health records have own merit (Tennessean)

In some important ways, health-care reform is moving forward regardless of what is happening in Washington. Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law in March 2010, the healthcare industry has been defined by a pervasive sense of uncertainty. Doctors, hospitals and clinics are anxiously awaiting the Supreme Courts ruling on PPACA, expected this month. And consumers of health care arent sure what to think. But no matter what the court decides, the health-care industry still has the opportunity to capitalize on modern technology to improve care and reduce costs for payers, providers and consumers, and Nashville is at the forefront of this movement. Its in all of our best interests to increase efficiencies throughout the healthcare system, and harnessing the power of information technology is one of the most effective ways to achieve that goal. Luckily, many health-care providers have recognized that element of the PPACA that should not and will not be affected by the courts decision. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act established the goal of having all health-care providers convert patient information to electronic health records (EHRs), laying the foundation for a comprehensive network of information exchange. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120602/OPINION03/306020022/Electronic-health-records-own-merit? 7

odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION) ###