Tuesday, August 9, 2011 News Summary

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2011 Tenn. may soon get requested school test waiver (Associated Press)
Tennessee's request for a waiver to use its own reformed education standards to measure schools instead of those mandated by No Child Left Behind is falling in line with a plan by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Duncan said Monday that President Barack Obama has authorized him to grant the waivers because Congress has failed to act on a long-overdue rewrite of the widely criticized law. Gov. Bill Haslam announced his request last month. State officials said at the time they didn't know what the response would be. Through the waivers, schools will get some relief from looming deadlines to meet testing goals as long as they agree to embrace other kinds of education reforms such as raising standards, helping teachers and principals improve, and focusing on fixing the lowest performing schools. Details on the waivers will be provided to districts next month. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37170377.story

States to get school test waivers (Associated Press/Blankinship)
Education Secretary Arne Duncan says he will announce a new waiver system Monday to give schools a break from student testing mandates in the federal No Child Left Behind law. Critics say the benchmarks are unrealistic and brand schools as failures even if they make progress. Schools and districts where too few kids pass the tests for several years are subject to sanctions that can include firing teachers or closing the school entirely. State and local education officials nationwide have been begging the federal government for relief from the mandates, but school starts soon and Congress still hasn't answered the call. Tennessee sent a letter to Duncan late last month requesting a waiver. Gov. Bill Haslam noted that only about half of the state’s schools managed to meet the law’s “adequate yearly progress,” or AYP, standards last year. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110808/NEWS0201/308090002/States-get-school-test-waivers? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Key federal education provisions could be dropped in Tennessee (CP/Garrison)
In what Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration is calling “encouraging news,” President Barack Obama on Monday ordered the U.S. Department of Education to grant No Child Left Behind waivers to states, a huge unilateral step in making the controversial federal law more flexible. In exchange, states must adopt an unspecified set of education reforms, with details forthcoming in September. From there, states would have a couple months to put together formal applications. Waivers would be granted at some point during the 2011-2012 school year. “No Child Left Behind has been valuable in raising standards and expectations since it became law, but this is encouraging news,” Haslam spokesman David Smith said in a statement. In July, Haslam joined other state governors in calling for the Obama administration to waive the law’s requirements, suggesting its stringent standards would lead to perpetual failure. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/key-federal-education-provisions-could-be-dropped-tennessee

Sept. decision expected on No Child Left Behind (Tennessean/Hubbard)
Tennessee will learn in September if it can ditch the federal No Child Left Behind law that has now labeled more than half of the state’s schools as failing, and use its own plan. President Barack Obama is moving forward with plans to allow flexibility from No Child Left Behind to states that are willing to embrace reforms. Tennessee, and two other states, have already asked to stop being held accountable from the law. Other states are encouraged to file waivers in September when more details on the flexibility is announced, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday during a conference call with media. Tennessee is asking to use an alternative accountability plan that will assign letter grades from A to F to show a school’s yearly progress in math and reading, among other plans. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110808/NEWS04/110808028/Sept-decisionexpected-No-Child-Left-Behind?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

U.S. ed. secretary: Tenn. deserving of No Child Left Behind waiver (NS/Humphrey)
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan singled out Tennessee Monday as an example of a state that has done "a great job" as he outlined general terms for states to be exempted from meeting federal No Child Left Behind rules. The comments came during a telephone conference with media 10 days after Gov. Bill Haslam declared that Tennessee had become the first state to formally file a request for a waiver from the federal standards set in NCLB. W hile he stopped short of specifically saying Tennessee would be granted a waiver, Duncan came pretty close. "Tennessee like many states (had been) dumbing down standards to make it seem like students are doing well," Duncan said in his opening remarks. "They were telling their state that 91 percent of their children were proficient in math. "Tennessee, like about 44 other states, recently raised standards, and when they raised standards, they went from saying they were 91 percent proficient in math to 34 percent proficient in math. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/08/us-education-secretary-tennessee-deserving-of-no/

U.S. will allow states -- including TN -- to seek waivers for NCLB law (CA/Roberts)
By early to mid-September, states will be able to apply for a waiver to the testing mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind law. If they can show that students are progressing and that the states are working toward significant reform, they likely will get a pass from what has become an onerous testing and scoring system. Half of Tennessee's schools are failing under the federal testing standards. "We have been scared to focus on excellence," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Monday. "We have focused too much on cut scores. We are much more interested in growth and gains," he said, adding that states should be accountable for how well they train their teachers, how much they decrease the achievement gap between white and minority students and how they hold parents, teachers and students accountable. "Many schools showing real improvement got labeled as failures under No Child Left Behind. It's dishonest, and demoralizing to the teachers and principals who are working hard," Duncan said. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/09/us-will-allow-states-to-seek-nclb-waivers/

Duncan lauds education reform efforts in Tennessee (Nooga)
If Monday's announcement by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is any indicator, Tennessee will have no problem becoming one of the first states to be granted a waiver from proficiency requirements instituted by No Child Left Behind. Speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, Duncan cited Tennessee as an example of a state doing "the courageous thing" by raising the bar for testing and accepting a drop in proficiency scores as a result, an action demonstrating the state's seriousness towards reforming public education. "Tennessee was posting scores that showed 91 percent of its students were proficient in Math. After it recently raised its standards, that figure fell to 34 percent," Duncan said. "Now that's a very tough message, but guess what? It's the truth. The current law serves as a disincentive to the truth, not an incentive." http://www.nooga.com/12440_u-s-secretary-of-education-arne-duncan-lauds-education-reform-efforts-intennessee/

Tennessee Repeats as Magazine’s Best for Auto Manufacturing (WPLN-Radio)
For the second year in a row, Business Facilities magazine has ranked Tennessee as the top state for Automotive Manufacturing Strength. Editor-in-chief Jack Rogers cites VW’s plant in Chattanooga and Nissan’s expansion in Smyrna as key to the state’s number one ranking, adding – quote – “the Volunteer State is wellpositioned to defend it’s automotive crown for years to come.” Second on the list is South Carolina. Michigan ranks sixth. http://wpln.org/?p=29490

Governor Bill Haslam Visits Macon County (Macon County Chronicle)
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam landed at the Lafayette Municipal Airport on Thursday morning, July 28th, to join Senator Mae Beavers and Representative Terri Lynn Weaver at the ‘Friends of Haslam, Weaver and Beavers’ breakfast, where community members were asked to share their views on education, infrastructure, industry and the economic state of Macon County with state leaders. Following the discussion, a ribbon cutting was held in honor of the airport’s new 10-unit T-Hangar, which was purchased through a $504,295 grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division. Governor Bredesen announced that the airport would be receiving the grant in December 2009 and, with scissors in hand, the project came full circle as he signified its completion. In a one-on-one interview with the Governor following the morning event, we discussed 2

his goals in visiting Macon County, the issue that is on everyone’s mind – jobs, and the progress of the Highway 10 construction project. http://www.maconcountychronicle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2528&Itemid=26

Top Tennessee politicians react to debt downgrade (WBIR-TV Knoxville)
Governor Bill Haslam Senator Bob Corker were both in Knoxville on Monday in the wake of Standard & and Poor's decision to downgrade the U.S. debt. Haslam was in town to swear in new Knox County Criminal Court judge Steve Sword. Corker attended a few events in Knoxville, including a lunch date where he addressed financial questions at UT's Knoxville Economics Forum. "We knew the downgrade was a possibility, but it is obviously disappointing. No American wants to see the country's credit downgraded," said Corker. "The path we're on as a country is not sustainable and we've got to make changes." Corker said addressing the financial problems will be the "challenge of this decade." "I'm going to look at it as a wake-up call. I mean we're the greatest country in the history of the world and yet we have not been handling our fiscal issues the way that we should." Corker added, "I think we've got a decade of struggling in front of us to really deal with making those tough decisions that need to be made over a longer period of time to get our fiscal house back in order." http://www.wbir.com/news/article/179425/2/Top-TN-politicians-react-to-debt-downgrade

Sen. Corker reacts to credit rating downgrade (W VLT-TV Knoxville)
What does the U.S. credit downgrade mean for your bank account? Sen.Bob Corker, R-TN tackled the issue during a luncheon in downtown Knoxville Monday. "Everybody's in a state of concern right now, as they should be," said Corker. Because here at home and on world markets, our nation's image is taking a beating. Add to that, discord in congress over "how" to solve the debt problem.…. Across town Haslam also reacting Gov. Bill is to the U.S. credit rating downgrade. "I think Washington will be sending less money to the states and the cities." And, no matter what that dollar amount is, it all comes down to politicians working together. "At least compromise with the Democrats and sit down and talk it out," said Scott. http://www.volunteertv.com/national/headlines/Sen_Corker_reacts_to_credit_rating_downgrade_127272268.html

Bob Corker says S&P move was a wake-up call (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Flory)
Raise the bar for Medicare coverage, eliminate certain tax breaks and give states more flexibility in administering Medicaid. Those were some of the fiscal fixes offered by U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in a visit to Knoxville on Monday. Corker, R-Tenn., spoke to the Knoxville Economics Forum three days after Standard & Poor's downgraded U.S. government debt, and said that move by the ratings agency was a "timely wake-up call." The senator said a few people have their head in the sand, "but most people know that we're on a course that is just not sustainable," he said. The first-term Republican from Chattanooga has made fiscal issues a centerpiece of his tenure in Washington, and Monday's speech was no exception. Referring to the recent vote to raise the federal debt ceiling, Corker said he was disappointed the measure didn't cut spending by a larger amount. The senator said that as a businessman he paid his bills on time for 33 years, and that if the debt deal had not been approved the result would have been that a cleaning service that cleans a local post office or a small remodeling contractor working on a project in Oak Ridge would not have been paid. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/08/bob-corker-says-sp-move-was-a-wake-up-call/

Tenn. to make case for keeping top debt rating (Associated Press/Schelzig)
Tennessee officials are headed to New York this week to make their case for why the state should keep what Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes calls its "prestigious" debt ratings, even after one of the three major agencies downgraded the federal government's grade. Emkes told The Associated Press on Monday that officials plan to meet this week with officials at Moody's and Fitch. The state's full presentation for all three credit ratings agencies is still scheduled for September. "We don't want them making a decision until we show them all the good things that have happened and are currently going on in Tennessee," Emkes said. "We don't want to take the chance for them to say, 'Well, since you're not coming up till September, we're going to go ahead and take action,'" he said. Emkes said about 40 percent of Tennessee's budget comes from federal sources, but that the executive and legislative branches have shown the ability to make necessary cuts. Lawmakers unanimously approved this year's spending plan — which included cuts to every agency and the state's expanded Medicaid program. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37174137.story

States await fallout from federal debt downgrade (Associated Press)
3

States with high numbers of federal workers or contractors, large military presences or generous Medicaid programs for the needy are among the most vulnerable from Standard & Poor's recent downgrade of U.S. government debt. Last week's action by S&P is expected to accelerate congressional action to make deep spending cuts, which could affect those states the most and put their long-term finances on shaky ground. In a debt rating domino effect, states such as Virginia, Maryland, California, New Mexico or Illinois could be at risk of having their own ratings downgraded, even as great uncertainty persists about the long-term consequences. "The more a state appears to be tied to federal funds or federal presence, probably the more concerned the rating agencies will be with its future because it's so linked to federal money," said Michael Bird, federal affairs counsel for the National Conference of State Legislatures. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9034623/states-await-fallout-from-federal-debt-downgrade-virgina-tenn-on-the39worried39-list

Officials seek faster service at driver's license stations (Associated Press)
A new requirement that Tennessee voters must have photo identification is putting more pressure on driver's license examining stations to cut wait times. The administration of Gov. Bill Haslam is moving to improve the efficiency of the Driver Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Safety. A pilot program is under way in Davidson County and the aim is to reduce the time people wait to receive service from an average of 50 minutes to 30 minutes. Next week, the department will require all centers to be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week, according to The Tennessean newspaper. It also plans to hire an assistant commissioner to oversee driver service centers on a day-to-day basis. In addition, the department plans to upgrade its computer systems, review its procedures and roll out kiosks that can handle simple transactions, such as renewals, without a visit to a service center. Former governor Phil Bredesen also tried to improve the wait times at the examination stations, but many of his ideas were never implemented. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/09/drivers-license-wait-times-eyed/

Woman charged with TennCare fraud (Jackson Sun)
A Fayette County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving prescription drugs. The Office of Inspector General announced Monday the arrest of W hitney R. Moore, 21, of Somerville. The arrest was assisted by the Oakland Police Department, according to a news release. A Fayette County grand jury indicted Moore on one count of TennCare fraud and one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Moore is accused of using TennCare to pay for controlled substances that she obtained by forgery, the release said. "Our office takes these cases very seriously, and we commend OIG Agent Anthony Davis for his good investigative work in this case," said District Attorney General D. Michael Dunavant, who is prosecuting the case. "People who commit TennCare fraud victimize the entire state and we will endeavor to hold these people responsible for their actions." TennCare fraud is a Class E felony, which carries a sentence of up to two years in prison per charge if convicted. Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud is a Class D felony, which carries a sentence of up to four years. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110809/NEWS01/108090316/Briefly-Woman-charged-TennCare-fraud? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Ocoee woman charged with seven counts of TennCare fraud (Times Free-Press)
A 45-year-old woman from Ocoee, Tenn., has been charged with seven felony counts of TennCare fraud after using the program to pay for her multiple doctors' visits and prescriptions. Melissa Cronan didn't tell her doctors that she'd seen and received the same medications from other doctors in the past month, according to a news release. “Physicians across the state have taken a central role in cracking down on ‘doctor shopping’ in TennCare,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said in the release. http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/08/ocoee-woman-charged-seven-counts-tenncare-fraud/? breakingnews

Melissa Cronan Accused of 'Doctor Shopping' (WTVC-TV Chattanooga)
A Bradley County woman is charged with TennCare fraud involving “doctor shopping,” or using TennCare to go to multiple doctors in a short time period to obtain controlled substances. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) with assistance from Bradley County Sheriff’s Officers today announced the arrest of Melissa Cronan, 45, of Ocoee. She is charged with eight counts of fraudulently using TennCare to obtain controlled substances by “doctor shopping.” Cronan failed to disclose to her doctor that she had seen other physicians within a 30-day period and received prescriptions for the same or similar controlled substances, with the clinical visit being paid for by TennCare. "Physicians across the state have a taken a central role in cracking down on ‘doctor shopping’ 4

in TennCare,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “Before the law was passed, their hands were tied – but now they are quick to let us know about a person trying to abuse TennCare in this manner.” http://www.newschannel9.com/news/melissa-1003706-county-shopping.html

Tennessee names Debra Payne to Developmental Disabilities post (Tenn/Sisk)
The state Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities on Monday named Debra Payne to be its first deputy commissioner, the department’s second-highest position. Payne will assist Commissioner Jim Henry in overseeing the 2,500-person department, which was created in January. Payne previously had served as the department’s acting commissioner and as an assistant commissioner in the Division of Intellectual Disabilities Services, a predecessor agency. “Our state is fortunate to have Debbie fill this crucial role in state government,” Henry said. “She has more than 30 years of policy and leadership experience in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities, and she served as acting commissioner prior to my arrival. She is very familiar with the department’s services in Tennessee.” http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/NEWS0201/308090017/Tennessee-names-Debra-PayneDevelopmental-Disabilities-post?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Storm shelters may qualify for state tax break (Associated Press)
Storm shelters may qualify for state sales tax savings under recently passed legislation. The Tennessee Department of Revenue says Tennessee taxpayers who purchase qualifying building supplies to construct storm shelters between July 1 and Dec. 31 can save up to $2,500 on sales tax paid on certain construction supplies. Individuals can file a claim for refunds for sales tax paid on these items. They also may claim a refund for tax paid by certain contractors. Items eligible for a refund include Sheetrock, insulation, flooring, construction tools, paint materials, hardware, brick, concrete block, lumber and other building materials. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37177071.story

Harpeth River's only dam slated for demolition (Tennessean/Walters)
Project in Franklin seen as big step in reviving river For the first time since 1963, the Harpeth River will flow freely along its 125-mile path through five counties, allowing native fish to thrive while fishermen and canoers will have more reason to seek out its waters. The only thing standing in the way is the Harpeth River’s lone dam. Built by the city of Franklin nearly 50 years ago, the concrete and steel structure backs up the river to help supply drinking water to the city. But the 6-foot-tall, 63-foot-long dam divides the river, preventing fish from swimming upstream to get more food and limiting species, stagnating water downstream and posing a potential danger to unassuming paddlers who might tumble over its top. Now, a plan using approximately $871,000 in federal, state and city monies will reconnect the river. It’s a single but important step in resuscitating a river that’s as blessed with natural beauty as it is beset by years of manmade pollution along its course from its Rutherford County headwaters to its confluence with the Cumberland in Cheatham County. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/NEWS11/308090055/Harpeth-River-s-only-dam-slated-demolition? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Strong Season for Pot Growers, Plenty of W ork for Task Force (W PLN-Radio Nash.)
Criminals growing outdoor crops of marijuana in Tennessee could start harvesting in the next few weeks, and law enforcers say it looks to have been a hearty season. One official says efforts to find and seize plants are on track for an average haul this year, even as federal budget woes have cut the number of helicopters in the hunt. In an average year, the Governor’s Task Force on Marijuana Eradication nabs three to five hundred thousand plants. At a rough value of a thousand dollars each, that amounts to hundreds of millions taken out of Tennessee’s illegal drug trade. Jason Poore leads the eastern team of the task force, which is a joint effort of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Highway Patrol, Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Tennessee National Guard. Helicopters play a key role in spotting crops, but Poore says funding problems in Washington have left the task force playing catch-up. http://wpln.org/?p=29003

75 studying at UT in dual enrollment program (Associated Press)
Seventy-five freshmen are now studying at the University of Tennessee as part of the new dual enrollment 5

program with Pellissippi State Community College. They are attending the second summer session at UT and will take classes at Pellissippi during the fall and spring semesters. Then, provided they complete 30 transferrable credit hours and maintain a certain grade requirement, they will transfer to UT as sophomores. It's the first year of the Bridge Program — a partnership designed to enhance cooperation between colleges and universities in the Tennessee Board of Regents and UT system. A UT spokesman said it's been an "overwhelming success." http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37177069.story

Busy first day as U of M opens Lambuth campus (Jackson Sun)
Information sessions start today for potential students; 8,000 visit website With more than 8,000 unique visitors since The University of Memphis Lambuth website launched Friday afternoon, officials hope the web traffic is an indication of students ready to attend the school this fall. The first day of campus operations began Monday for Jackson's first four-year public university. "It's been busy, but that's good," said Dan Lattimore, vice provost for extended programs and dean of university college. Lattimore is responsible for the U of M Lambuth campus. The school will use seven buildings on the campus for the fall semester, which begins on Aug. 27. The goal is to begin with 250 students and grow to 1,000 students in five years. Buildings that will not be used immediately are in need of repair or maintenance, according to a report from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. "While the campus presents well and is aesthetically in excellent shape, many of the buildings are in such condition where capital maintenance improvements and repairs are necessary," the reports states. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110809/NEWS01/108090309/Busy-first-day-U-M-opens-Lambuth-campus

Parents question TEAM leader’s company (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Carroll)
The executive who is closing the key clinical program at TEAM Centers Inc. also heads a for-profit corporation that employs speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists — some of the same positions he says he’s unable to fill at TEAM before he shuts down the program Thursday. One parent whose child was treated by TEAM, a nonprofit that tests, evaluates and studies intellectually disabled Tennesseans, said she didn’t know what to believe. “It’s almost like he wanted [TEAM] to die,” said Sandy Lusk, whose autistic son is a patient at TEAM. “It reeks of privatization.” TEAM interim Executive Director Peter Charman did not return a detailed message requesting comment, but TEAM board President Kaye Foust characterized Charman’s Employers Health Management Corp. as completely separate from TEAM. She said its therapists “do not have the expertise to treat any people who have developmental disabilities.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/09/parents-question-team-leaders-company/?local

'Informant' lashes TBI probe of Millington Mayor Hodges (C. Appeal/Bailey)
Businessman says report on informal gambling by mayor was manipulation The "confidential informant" who appeared to be the pivotal witness against Millington Mayor Richard Hodges lashed out Monday against a TBI investigation, saying Hodges is guilty only of gambling in friendly poker games at a local repair shop. The witness, Transmission Doctors owner Marlin Roberts, said Hodges never used his office to solicit bribes or threaten him for money, crimes suggested in a TBI affidavit filed on Friday. "I love Richard and he is family to me," Roberts said. "I want Richard Hodges to be vindicated of all charges." As of Monday evening, Hodges had neither been charged nor indicted. But Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents laid out a case against him in an affidavit released Friday supporting search warrants for raids on July 27. "There are truly two questions that you should be seeking the answers for," Roberts told reporters beckoned to his shop. "Why, hours before I was to appear before the grand jury for questioning, would it be canceled? And why would the TBI ever release the information and whereabouts of a confidential informant?" http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/09/informant-lashes-probe-of-hodges/

Millington Probe Highlights Volatile Relationship (Memphis Daily News)
The relationship between Millington Mayor Richard Hodges and the police chief he appointed, Ray Douglas, has been brief and volatile. The appointment of the former Memphis Police deputy chief was one of the first changes Hodges made when he took office in 2009. In a hard-fought 2008 election battle with incumbent Mayor Terry Jones, Hodges contended the Millington Police Department had become too aggressive. Soon after Douglas was appointed, Hodges talked openly of Douglas having to adapt to policing in a small town. To Hodges, that meant being less formal and less by the book. One of the stories he told was of arguing with Douglas about whether a patrol car at a block party had to keep its engine running at all times. Hodges didn’t think so. But the 6

argument ended with him ordering Douglas to have the officer leave the car sitting in the road with its engine and flashing lights turned off. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/aug/9/millington-probe-highlights-volatile-relationship/

Appeals court upholds Tenn. inmate's competency (Associated Press)
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld lower court rulings that an inmate convicted in the killing of seven people is competent to determine his own legal decisions. Paul Dennis Reid was sentenced to death in the murder of seven people at fast food restaurants in a 1997 crime spree in Nashville and Clarksville. Trial courts in Davidson and Montgomery counties determined he was competent to choose to forgo his postconviction relief, and the state criminal appeals court upheld those decisions in a ruling issued Monday. Reid's sister, Linda Martiniano, wanted to pursue appeals on his behalf, and his attorneys have argued that he is delusional and that he believes he is under surveillance by a government agency. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37174047.story

Future of Judge Carol Soloman in family cases is in question (Tennessean/Gee)
Appeals Court has rebuked her, questioned her neutrality Davidson County Trial Courts Administrator Tim Townsend hopes to gather judges for a meeting this week or next to remove the cloud of uncertainty that has settled over the handling of divorces and other family law matters in Nashville. The discussions could result in one of the city’s most controversial judges no longer hearing the domestic relations docket. Joe P. Binkley Jr., presiding judge of Davidson County trial courts, said Judge Carol Soloman may no longer hear domestic relations cases for health reasons. But the effect is one litigants have sought for different reasons over the years. Soloman has been rebuked by the state Court of Appeals for creating the appearance of partiality and treating litigants inappropriately. On more than one occasion, the Court of Appeals has not only reversed Soloman’s decisions, but also required that a new judge take over her cases because of questions about her neutrality. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/NEWS03/308090037/Future-Judge-Carol-Soloman-family-casesquestion?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Change of venue sought in judge's libel suit against TV station (Tennessean/Gee)
Move would avoid conflicts of interest General Sessions Judge Daniel Eisenstein’s lawsuit against NewsChannel 5 probably will be shipped outside the judge’s professional circle and the television station’s viewing area to avoid conflicts of interest. Eisenstein sued News-Channel 5, its parent company Landmark Media Enterprises, investigative reporter Phil W illiams, station manager Lyn Plantinga and news director Sandy Boonstra in May for libel and false light invasion of privacy. NewsChannel 5 disputes the the judge’s claims and is seeking a dismissal of the case. Circuit Judge Hamilton V. Gayden was assigned the case but stepped down citing “a longstanding relationship” with Eisenstein. Court officials anticipate similar problems will prevent any Nashville judge from hearing the case. Case may be moved out of Middle TN “It will go outside Davidson County,” Trial Courts Administrator Tim Townsend said. “It could be that this case has to get outside of Middle Tennessee.” http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/NEWS03/308090040/Change-venue-sought-judge-s-libel-suitagainst-TV-station?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

State Drafts New, Tougher Rules for Pain Clinics (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Pain management clinics in Tennessee will face new, stricter rules after the first of the year, as the state tries to clamp down on the over-prescribing of pain medications. The new rules are aimed at reining in potential “bad actors” who over-prescribe the powerful drugs. Robert Twillman is policy spokesman for the American Academy of Pain Management. He says five states including Tennessee have passed laws to get pain clinics under control. “W here a lot of the concern with that has come from is the case of Florida, where they’ve such a problem with pill mills. And what they are finding there is that people own these clinics and hire doctors to come in and work in them. And many of the people who own the clinics are pretty unsavory characters.” Tennessee’s law sets, for the first time, standards for being a medical director for such a clinic, and requires a criminal background check on the owners. The state health department is drafting rules to put the law in effect by January 1. http://wpln.org/?p=29308

Matheny Predicts More Tort Reform at Doctors Town Hall (TN Report)
House Speaker Pro Tem Judd Matheny says the Legislature will probably seek more tort reform next year, and 7

Gov. Bill Haslam, no fan of the new federal health care law, says it’s time to start talking about how to implement the new act anyway. Those developments show that health care issues remain very much on the table for Tennessee. While tort reform is usually thought of as a legal issue, proponents of limiting malpractice and wrongful death lawsuits have cited litigation as a driver of health care costs. Matheny, R-Tullahoma, told a Doctors Town Hall audience at Lipscomb University in Nashville on Saturday that he hopes this year’s tort reform legislation is only “the first step of several steps in issues we hope to deal with in regard to tort reform.” During a break in the formal discussion, Matheny elaborated on those plans and pointed to a so-called “loser pays” effort that could be the next measure in tort liability in Tennessee. “I just know the General Assembly is very interested in additional tort reform,” Matheny said. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/08/matheny-predicts-more-tort-reform-at-doctors-town-hall/

Feeling the Pinch (TN Report)
With a struggling economy and directives from Gov. Bill Haslam that each of the Tennessee’s nearly two dozen departments re-examine every facet of what government does, state employees are chipping in with ideas for eliminating waste in hopes their jobs will be spared. In fact, there are nearly 100 suggestions sitting on Bob O’Connell’s desk. O’Connell heads the Tennessee State Employee Association, which is offering up to $500 prizes to employees whose cost-saving measures are adopted and save the most cash. “We understand both the governor and the administration’s need to cut expenses and the public’s general wish that their pockets are not hit so hard,” O’Connell said. “In the end, if we are able to save enough money and make it obvious that services don’t need to be cut to save that kind of money, there shouldn’t be such a need to lay off state employees.” http://www.tnreport.com/2011/08/feeling-the-pinch/

Rep. Fleischmann Visiting Israel Next Week (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Tennessee Representative Chuck Fleischmann will be among 81 members of Congress visiting Israel during the August recess. The trip marks Fleischmann’s first time overseas as a congressman, and is privately funded by the American Israel Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 that works alongside the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC. In recent years the group has also sponsored trips by Northeast Tennessee Congressman Phil Roe, and a staffer of Brentwood Republican Marsha Blackburn. During their time in office former representatives Lincoln Davis and John Tanner also went with AIEF. Earlier this summer Memphis Democrat Steve Cohen also visited Israel, under a different sponsor – J Street Education Fund Inc, a “pro-Israel, pro-peace” group which favors a two-state solution. http://wpln.org/?p=29502

S&P Downgrade Spawns Flurry of Statements from Tennessee Delegation (WPLN)
A downgrade of the nation’s debt by one rating agency has some in Tennessee’s congressional delegation playing the blame game. Rep. Scott Desjarlais, who voted against last week’s debt deal, said he’s been part of the ongoing effort by House Republicans to put the country on a “fiscally sustainable path.” Desjarlais says Senate Democrats and the President have blocked those efforts to enact what he calls “common sense spending reductions.” Congressman Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood is calling for the resignation of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Tennessee’s Senators are taking a less partisan tone. Republican Bob Corker said the downgrade didn’t happen overnight and pledged to work toward larger budget cuts. Senator Lamar Alexander says lawmakers will have to work across party lines to reduce federal spending. http://wpln.org/?p=29492

Corker wary on Cleveland, Tenn. postal service cuts (Times Free-Press/Flessner)
Eager to prevent the threatened closure of Cleveland’s downtown post office, Mayor Tom Rowland appealed Monday to U.S. Sen. Bob Corker to spare the Broad Street office. “We sure could use your help,” Rowland told Corker during a meeting with more than two dozen Cleveland business leaders. Corker listened politely but offered little encouragement about removing the post office from a list of 3,700 possible closings. “Every time a tough decision has to be made, I can’t be calling up and asking that the decision be reversed,” he said. W ith the Postal Service running an $8 billion deficit and the federal government nearly $14.6 trillion in debt, Corker said Congress shouldn’t block attempts to run government more efficiently. As a former Chattanooga mayor, Corker often aligned himself with Rowland in appealing for federal aid for their cities. But the growing federal deficit will require Uncle Sam to scale back his presence in East Tennessee, Corker said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/09/us-sen-bob-corker-wary-cleveland-tenn-postal-servi/?local 8

Corker visits Blount Mansion as it begins fundraising (News-Sentinel/Vela)
Sen. Bob Corker paid a visit Monday to a downtown home once occupied by another U.S. senator — more than 200 years ago. "It's a great awareness opportunity for me," said the Tennessee Republican at the Blount Mansion, 200 W. Hill Ave. "It's a great piece of history. I'm really just here to bring attention to it." Anne Pittenger, secretary of the Blount Mansion Association's board of directors, said the house was built in 1792 by William Blount, then the governor of the Southwest Territory. Blount went on to become the first U.S. senator from Tennessee. "That's one of the reasons we wanted Sen. Corker to visit, because William Blount was our first U.S. senator from the state," Pittenger said. Victor Ashe, former Knoxville mayor and U.S. ambassador to Poland, and Congressman John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, were present at the meeting. Patricia Brake Rutenberg, the new executive director of the Blount Mansion Association, Nancy Kelly, president of the board of directors, and several other board members greeted Corker and gave him some of the history of the building. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/09/corker-visits-blount-mansion-as-it-begins/

Nashville man says he was blinded, disabled by VA (Associated Press/Poovey)
An Army veteran contends in a damage claim against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that he is blind, disoriented and brain-damaged since getting an eye injection at the VA hospital in Nashville. The $4 million claim first obtained by The Tennessean says Lloyd Sylvis of Nashville walked in the hospital March 29 seeking new glasses as an outpatient. He is now in a near vegetative state because of an infection that the VA attributes to contaminated medication, according to the claim. It says four other patients were also affected. The VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System said in a statement that a "thorough analysis" of the incident has been completed. The statement did not say if the hospital is responsible for Sylvis's condition. Sylvis, 77, awoke with severe pain, a headache and no vision two days after the March 29 injection of Avastin, the claim shows. The claim says a doctor diagnosed bacterial endophthalmitis. After follow-up visits Slyvis was informed April 4 that there were four other patients with infections about the same time as his injection and "evidence suggested the medication was contaminated." On April 6 Sylvis returned to the hospital confused and disoriented and was admitted. The claim shows that on April 12 his medical record said he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37171257.story

House Cuts Its Pages, Casualties of Email (Wall Street Journal)
The House is closing its page program, a nearly 200-year-old institution that brought high-school students to work in Congress but that House leaders said had become obsolete and too costly. "Dozens of pages were once needed on the House floor to deliver a steady stream of phone messages to members—but today are severely under-utilized, as members are typically contacted directly via BlackBerrys and similar devices," wrote House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio), and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), in a letter Monday to their colleagues. Traditionally, pages delivered correspondence and phone messages to lawmakers, among other responsibilities. The program's website says candidates for the program must be able to walk long distances and carry heavy packages. Pages are typically high school juniors sponsored by their member of Congress to spend at least a semester living, working and studying on Capitol Hill. Pages earn about $1,800 a month, and the program costs about $5 million a year. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904480904576496711030459504.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Democrats Challenging Administration on Medicaid (New York Times)
In an unusual break with the White House, the Democratic leaders of Congress told the Supreme Court on Monday that President Obama was pursuing a misguided interpretation of federal Medicaid law that made it more difficult for low-income people to obtain health care. The Democratic leaders said Medicaid beneficiaries must be allowed to file suit to enforce their right to care — and to challenge Medicaid cuts being made by states around the country. The Obama administration maintains that beneficiaries and health care providers cannot sue state officials to challenge cuts in Medicaid payment rates, even if such cuts compromise access to care for the poor. In a friend-of-the-court brief, the lawmakers said the administration’s position “would undermine the effectiveness of Medicaid.” In addition, they said, it conflicts with more than a century of court precedents that allow people to sue to block state actions that are inconsistent with federal law. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/us/politics/09medicaid.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

After years away, comeback governors try to rekindle their power (Stateline)
9

The 2010 elections brought a sea of fresh faces to governor’s offices around the country, from Democrat Dan Malloy, who is pushing broad liberal changes in Connecticut, to Republican Nikki Haley, the South Carolina conservative who, at 39, is the youngest state chief executive in the nation. But in three states, 2010 marked a return to the days of old. California, Iowa and Oregon all elected former governors who, between them, had 32 years of gubernatorial experience under their belts even before they settled in for fresh four-year terms in January. With an average age of 67 and most of their political lives behind them, the trio — Jerry Brown in California, Terry Branstad in Iowa and John Kitzhaber in Oregon — represents insider experience and familiarity in a year more commonly associated with barn-storming newcomers like Malloy, Haley and the tea party. Brown, a Democrat who was known as “Governor Moonbeam” because of his lofty and sometimes eccentric policy goals as a two-term California governor in the 1970s and 1980s, is also a former mayor of Oakland, California secretary of state and attorney general, and three-time candidate for president. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=592757

The hypocrisy of "states' rights" conservatives (Salon)
The 10th Amendment is sacred to the right -- except when it comes to fighting abortion and gay rights During the last two weeks, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, by most accounts on the brink of a presidential candidacy, has reversed himself on the question of the proper venue for dealing with the two of the hoariest cultural issues in American politics, same-sex marriage and abortion. First, at a Republican governors meeting on July 22, he referred to the recent decision by the New York legislature to legalize gay marriage as something that was "fine with me," and said further: "That is their call. If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business." But then, in a matter of days, he was performing what can only be described as a public act of penance on Christian right potentate Tony Perkins’ radio show, trumpeting his support for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage nationally. http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/08/07/kilgore_states_rights/

TVA delays startup of W atts Bar reactor to 2013 (Associated Press)
The Tennessee Valley Authority has delayed the startup of its second reactor at the W atts Bar Nuclear Plant from late 2012 to 2013. The change is included in a TVA statement Monday that announced the Oct. 1 retirement of TVA Nuclear Generation Development and Construction senior vice president Ashok Bhatnagar. The statement said Chief Operating Officer Bill McCollum has named Sequoyah Nuclear Plant vice president Mike Skaggs to succeed Bhatnagar. TVA said the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board is considering questions raised by environmentalists about additional heat that will be generated when the $2.5 billion, 1,200-megawatt Watts Bar Unit 2 starts operating. TVA nuclear spokesman Ray Golden also said TVA is taking into consideration lessons learned from the Fukushima emergency in Japan and construction has been slower than projected. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37173659.story

TVA won't meet deadline on Watts Bar reactor (Tennessean/Paine)
TVA won’t make its deadline next year to finish a second reactor that’s under construction at its Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, the public power producer announced Monday. Officials aren’t yet sure how much the delay will send up costs for the $2.5 billion project, though they said it should cause little increase in the price of electricity that will be generated by the reactor. Modifications that could be required at Watts Bar as a result of the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear complex in Japan will also have to be factored in. The announcement comes with a TVA board meeting looming next week during which, staff have said, they intend to request approval to finish the long-mothballed Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in northeastern Alabama for several billion dollars. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is among those that have questioned whether the Tennessee Valley Authority and its contractors would have Watts Bar cranking out power next year as expected, and, now, what the delay might cost. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/NEWS11/308090051/TVA-won-t-meet-deadline-Watts-Barreactor?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Vision Airlines suspending McGhee Tyson flights Aug. 19 (News-Sentinel)
Vision Airlines, which has been flying three trips a week between McGhee Tyson Airport and Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Fla., since March, is suspending those flights effective Aug. 19. In a statement released late Monday, Vision spokesman David Meers said the company also is ceasing flights out of Chattanooga, Asheville, N.C., and the Louisiana cities of Lafayette and Shreveport. Vision made the announcement as it released its fall and winter flight schedule. It said affected passengers either can receive a full refund or travel from a nearby city served by 10

Vision. The airline said it will continue to serve the Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Fla., area with flights from Atlanta, Louisville, Ky., Memphis, Orlando, and the St. Petersburg-Tampa-Clearwater area throughout the fall and winter. Little Rock will continue to have service to Destin-Fort Walton Beach until Nov. 2. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/08/vision-airlines-suspending-mcghee-tyson-flights/

Federal judge decides school merger is legal (Associated Press/Sainz)
A federal judge has ruled that the merger between Memphis City Schools and the Shelby County school district is legal, paving the way for the creation of a school system with 150,000 students in 2013. District Judge Samuel Mays' Monday ruling says that the Memphis city school board acted legally when it surrendered its right to exist last December to force a merger with the more successful Shelby County school system. The judge ordered the county school board, which had sued to block the merger, to "oversee the transition process to a combined school system and plan for educating Memphis schoolchildren after Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools have been combined." Voters approved the merger in March, but the federal lawsuit had been holding up the consolidation process. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx? cId=tennessean&sParam=37168913.story

Judge in merger suit rules MCS will 'cease to exist' in 2013 (C. Appeal/McMillin)
A federal judge ended the first round of the school-consolidation legal battle Monday by ruling that the Memphis City Schools charter was properly surrendered in February and that the current all-suburban-member Shelby County Board of Education is unconstitutional because it lacks Memphis representation. U.S. District Court Judge Samuel "Hardy" Mays also ruled valid a new state law, known as Norris-Todd, aimed at guiding the merger of MCS and Shelby County Schools with the appointment of a 21-member transition committee. Mays said consolidation must be completed in time for the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. MCS and SCS currently have about 150,000 enrolled students combined. Mays directed the parties involved in the lawsuit -MCS, SCS, the Shelby County Commission, the Memphis City Council, the city of Memphis and the Tennessee Department of Education -- to submit by Friday ideas about how to create a countywide school board giving Memphis proportional representation. Mays will discuss the case with the parties today. SCS filed the lawsuit in February. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/08/judge-merger-suit-rules-memphis-city-schools-will/

Mays Rules Schools Consolidation in 2013 (Memphis Daily News)
Memphis federal court judge Hardy Mays has ruled Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools will be consolidated in the 2013-2014 school year and that the Norris-Todd state law governing the consolidation is valid. The long-awaited ruling in the schools consolidation lawsuit came Monday, Aug. 8, and sets the conditions for the merger to come following a March referendum in which Memphis voters approved the surrender of the MCS charter after the MCS board voted to surrender the charter. “The Memphis City Schools has been abolished for all purposes except the winding down of its operations and the transfer of administration to the Shelby County Board of Education,” Mays wrote in the 146-page ruling. He ruled the Shelby County Commission’s attempt to appoint an expanded 25-member countywide school board is invalid because the commission “lacks authority.” But he also ruled the county school board’s current districts are “unconstitutional.” "There is no legitimate interest in preventing Memphis residents from voting for members of the Shelby County Board of Education," Mays wrote. "Therefore the current electoral system of the Shelby County Board of Education is unconstitutional." http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/aug/9/mays-rules-schools-consolidation-in-2013/

Judge Mays Rules: It's Norris-Todd as MCS-SCS School Merger Goes Through (MF)
Federal judge Hardy Mays, who was in charge of the multiple consolidated litigations regarding the pending merger of Memphis City Schools with Shelby County Schools, has rendered his decision. In two words (rather, one hyphenated one), it is: Norris-Todd. The decision, which was filed Monday morning in 146 pages, comes down to this: Mays found “constitutional” the 1961 Private Act under which MSC opted to surrender its charter last December, an action ratified by the Memphis City Council in February. MCS is thereby regarded as defunct “for all purposes except the winding down of its operations and the transfer of administration to the Shelby County Board of Education.,,,” The transfer, as specified in Mays’ order, is to take place at the beginning of the school year 2013-14 — the exact timetable specified by the Norris-Todd bill passed by the General Assembly 11

earlier this year. Though Judge Mays' order calls for MCS as an entity to complete its dissolution as of August 2013, he specifically directs that "[t]he City of Memphis has the obligation during the transition process to maintain its funding of the Memphis City Schools." http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2011/08/08/judge-mays-rules-its-norris-todd-as-mcs-scsschool-merger-goes-through

Fed Judge Approves Merger of Memphis City And Shelby Co. Schools (WPTY-TV)
By 2013, the Memphis City Schools system will no longer exist. A federal judge ruled Monday, August 8, 2011, that the merger between Memphis City Schools and the Shelby County School District is legal and can go forward. The notice came down in a 146 page document, the result of months of fighting, a public referendum, court challenges and even state intervention. Judge Samuel Mays upheld the February vote by the Memphis City Council to dissolve the city school district and a March special election where residents also voted for the surrender of the MCS charter. Both Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell say the judge's ruling helps the entire county move forward. "All in all," Mayor Wharton tells abc24.com, "I'm glad the judge has ruled. It doesn't matter if you like it or not, it moves us closer to some certainty." http://www.abc24.com/news/local/story/Federal-Judge-Approves-Merger-of-Memphis-CityAnd/29klyyGU7kSeyavdpDy1AA.cspx?rss=59

Judge declares Memphis City Schools will cease to exist in 2013 (WMC-TV)
A federal judge has ruled that the merger between Memphis City Schools and the Shelby County school district is legal, paving the way for the creation of a school system with 150,000 students in 2013. District Judge Samuel Mays' Monday ruling says that the Memphis city school board acted legally when it surrendered its right to exist last December to force a merger with the more successful Shelby County school system. The judge ordered the county school board, which had sued to block the merger, to "oversee the transition process to a combined school system and plan for educating Memphis schoolchildren after Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools have been combined." Voters approved the merger in March, but the federal lawsuit had been holding up the consolidation process. Just hours after the ruling was issued, Memphis City Schools Board members and Superintendent Kriner Cash worked to figure out what it means. http://www.wmctv.com/story/15230041/judge-declares-memphis-city-schools-will-cease-to-exist-in-2013

City and County React to Merger Decision (WHBQ-TV Memphis)
The fate of the City and County School merger was decided in court on Monday. Judge Samuel Hays ruled in favor of the city, saying that Shelby County Schools must take over Memphis City Schools by the beginning of the school year in 2013. Following the judge’s historic decision, Fox 13 spoke with representatives from both the City and County. Greg Coy sat down with City Council Attorney Allan Wade to get the City’s perspective and was later joined by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell to get the County’s take on what happens next. http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/10pm/city-and-county-react-to-merger-decision-mfo-20110808

Political Insiders Talk School Merger (WHBQ-TV Memphis)
A decision on Monday by Judge Samuel Hays solidified the timeline for the takeover of Memphis City Schools by the Shelby County School system. Fox 13’s Darrell Greene was joined by Political Insiders Joseph Kyles and Ben Ferguson to discuss the highly politicized issue. http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/politics/political-insiders-talk-school-merger-mfo-20110808

City School Board Will Consider Legal Action On Merger Decision (WREG-TV)
If Memphis City School Board president Martavius Jones was a teacher Judge Samuel Mays' school merger ruling might have a tough time getting a good grade. "My first reaction is a bit of hesitation. Because it left the Norris-Todd bill in tact. Especially the special school district's side of it." The issue of special districts could be the basis for an appeal. So could the transition planning committee. That's because the city will only have 5 of 21 seats. " With such a large weighting of Shelby County citizens 72% of the population I do have concerns. Superintendent Dr. Kriner cash voiced his concerns too. He's not a fan of all the litigation. He says the Memphis City School district and Shelby County School Districts have a good working relationship. But attorneys halted previous attempts for the two districts to start working on merger issues because of pending lawsuits. "Now that this ruling has come down hopefully it won't be continued litigation which can run you into we want to talk but 12

because of litigation we can't again." http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-city-school-board-will-consider-legal-action-on-merger-decision20110808,0,7775103.story?track=rss

Hamilton Co. public schools lag for minority students (Times Free-Press/Garrett)
Of the 37 Hamilton County public schools that failed to achieve federal standards this year, 29 fell short because they struggled to educate poor black students, an analysis of test results shows. Superintendent Rick Smith said it was those students’ test scores that forced the district into a high-priority category, at risk of state takeover if scores don’t improve. Lagging achievement among low-income, minority students is a persistent problem here and elsewhere, one that the federal No Child Left Behind law was intended to address. Yet despite recent test gains among low-income black students — in preliminary data from the most recent test results, some elementary schools had a 20 percent increase in the number of proficient and advanced students — the county schools still have a long way to go. “It’s clear the schools have made progress, but the gap is there and we have to address it,” said Dan Challener, president of the Public Education Foundation, a nonprofit that supports local schools. “A lot of work has to be done.” http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/09/hamilton-county-public-schools-lag-minority-studen/?local

Principals, board talk AYP scores in work session (Jackson Sun)
School board to meet Thursday More than half of the Jackson-Madison County School System's principals attended Monday night's work session for the discussion of the recently released adequate yearly progress scores. Director of Research and Accountability Allan Sterbinsky gave a presentation to the board members that provided a school-by-school analysis of student scores, growth scores and teacher survey data. "What's going on in Jackson-Madison County is equal to what's happening in state," Sterbinsky explained. "About half the schools in the state made AYP, and half of our schools made AYP." On the elementary level, Alexander didn't meet state goals in math and reading, although students increased their scores in reading. Arlington students struggled to meet goals in math and reading, with their scores decreasing in both areas. Jackson Careers and Technology Elementary missed its goals in math and reading. In reading, the school dropped 26 points in student scores. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110809/NEWS10/108090311/Principals-board-talk-AYP-scores-worksession

New Jersey: Gov Chris Christie's tax stance doesn't keep wealthy in state (S-L)
Gov. Chris Christie’s first two budgets both have the same deep flaw: They give the state’s wealthiest families a free pass. And that has sharpened the pain for everyone else, especially middle-class homeowners and the working poor. Twice, the governor vetoed Democratic bills to raise taxes on incomes over $1 million, saying it would drive wealthy people from the state. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you tax them, they will leave," he told the Legislature last March. The theory never made much sense. If you earn this kind of income, would you give up your job, uproot your children, and say goodbye to friends and family so that you could avoid paying a few pennies on each dollar you earn beyond that $1 million threshold? Now, we have hard data, thanks to a study from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think-tank in Washington. It shows that the governor’s claim is not supported by the facts. http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2011/08/nj_gov_chris_christies_tax_sta.html

MORE

13

OPINION Ned Hunter: TN automotive industry recognized (Jackson Sun)
Tennessee was named the No. 1 state in the nation for automotive manufacturing strength for a second consecutive year. The recognition was given by Business Facilities, a national economic development publication, in its 2011 State Rankings Report, according to a news release from the state's Department of Economic and Community Development. The state also earned high honors for transportation infrastructure, economic growth potential and business climate. "I'm pleased the editors of Business Facilities and other corporate decision-makers recognize Tennessee's strengths in the automotive industry," Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam wrote in the release. "We are always working to improve our already attractive business climate and improve our workforce, and it is no accident that so many global automotive manufacturers and suppliers call Tennessee home." Volkswagen Group of America in Chattanooga hired its 2,000th employee last month. The plant has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 vehicles a year and currently is building the all-new 2012 Passat sedan, specially designed for the North American Market, the release states. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20110809/COLUMNISTS19/108090303/TN-automotive-industry-recognized

Bill Gibbons: Some say voter IDs hard to get (Tennessean)
Driver's license centers gear up for voter requests There has been a lot of debate recently over a new law that in 2012 will require most Tennesseans to show government-issued photo identification to cast a ballot at the polls. According to the new law, there are several forms of acceptable identification, including a Tennessee driver’s license with photo, a passport, a photo ID from the federal government, a U.S. military photo ID, or a gun permit card with a photo. However, the General Assembly realized there are some voters who do not have governmentissued photo IDs, so the new law includes a provision allowing these individuals to obtain photo IDs free through the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The department wants to make getting a governmentissued photo ID as easy as possible for any registered voter needing it to vote in next year’s elections. Citizens may obtain these IDs at any of our 49 driver service centers across the state. While voters will not need government-issued photo IDs to vote until next year, we encourage voters who need such forms of identification to go ahead and obtain them sooner rather than later. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/OPINION03/308090006/Some-say-voter-IDs-hard-get? 14

odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Guest columnist: Test of ID acquisition shows problems (Tennessean)
As an 18-year-old, college-bound student, I am excited to exercise my right to vote for the first time. I never dreamed that our state legislature would make it harder for everyone to exercise this right. Questioning how the new voter ID law will affect thousands of Tennesseans, I decided to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. In Monday’s Tennessean, the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security promised faster service lines and a system to handle the influx of new requests. I decided to go on a fact-finding mission to the driver’s license centers to see if that was the case. With the help of the Internet, I did my research. I found the best bus route, looked up the documentation that I would need to identify myself, and cleared my schedule for the day. I thought I was ready. Restricting myself to public transportation and my own two feet, I started my journey at one of the farthest reaches of Nashville’s Metro Transit Authority bus system, the Bellevue Park-N-Ride stop. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/OPINION03/308090009/Test-ID-acquisition-shows-problems? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Editorial: Red light traffic cams continue to prove worth (Daily News Journal)
We're more than happy to warn you: run a red light in Murfreesboro, even without a police car in sight, and you're likely to get a ticket. Those of you who get that $50 citation in the mail can reasonably assume you're guilty — that is if you ran that light at the busy intersections of South Church at Middle Tennessee Boulevard, Memorial at Northfield Boulevard, Rutherford at Mercury Boulevard, Old Fort Parkway at Thompson Lane, Broad at Church Street and Broad Street at Northfield Boulevard. American Traffic Solutions has taken over maintenance of the city's traffic light cameras and installed its own equipment that complies with recent state legislation and falls within recommendations from the Tennessee Attorney General's Office. Although some have voiced constitutional concerns about the cameras and fear the program could evolve into catching speeders, so far Murfreesboro's system has been a model for how to do it right. The city doesn't issue right-on-red tickets unless an intersection is clearly marked as being prohibited to do so. http://www.dnj.com/article/20110809/OPINION01/108090307/Editorial-Red-light-traffic-cams-continue-proveworth

Kelly Moore: Be sure your children up to date on shots (Tennessean)
Believe it or not, it’s already back-to-school time. An important part of parents’ preparation is ensuring children’s shot records are up to date. Children entering kindergarten and seventh grade must get certain immunizations to attend classes, and the shots’ record has to be an official state immunization certificate. Immunization certificates can be completed by a licensed Tennessee physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant or the local health department. In 2010, the Tennessee Department of Health introduced a new immunization certificate and updated requirements for the first time in a decade. These changes brought Tennessee’s requirements current and replaced four different forms with a single, multipurpose certificate usable for child care, preschool and school-age children. Why does a child need to be immunized? Vaccines protect the vaccinated child and those who cannot be vaccinated. Students who are not immunized because of certain medical conditions or religious convictions rely on the protection of their classmates to shield them from these serious diseases. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110809/OPINION03/308090010/Be-sure-your-children-up-date-shots? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Editorial: Smart design for Southwest Tennessee Community College (C. Appeal)
Southwest Tennessee Community College is about to do something special at the corner of Myrtle and Union near Downtown. Construction of a new Nursing & Natural Sciences Building incorporates an "urban" design that holds true to new zoning regulations that promote better pedestrian access and less emphasis on parking lots between the sidewalk and the building. The new building also reflects the confidence and success STCC has in its nursing program. Construction on the $18.2 million structure is scheduled to begin in March. Renderings show a three-story structure towering over the sidewalk on the southwest corner of the intersection with a pedestrian plaza at the corner. A service station-convenience store and an unoccupied auto repair shop will be demolished to make room for the building. The building design follows the guidelines of the new city-county Unified Development Code and special zoning overlays for some districts inside the city. Eliminating large parking lots in front of buildings or businesses creates a more pedestrian-friendly, community atmosphere that encourages residents to park their cars and walk. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/09/editorial-smartdesign-for-stcc/ 15

Sheila Butt: Tennesseans protected from gov't penalty (Columbia Daily Herald)
Senator Jack Johnson came to the Best W estern Inn in Spring Hill and spoke at a luncheon last Wednesday. He talked about the last legislative session and gave a wrap up of our balanced budget, tort reform, tenure reform, voter ID, reducing taxes (Hall’s), adding money to the rainy day fund and being able not to raise taxes in Tennessee in this tough economic time. It was very informative. Also, Charlie Schoenbrodt has a radio show airing on 910 (AM) on Wednesdays at 5:00 called “Across Town.” It is intended to keep us informed of things that are happening in Spring Hill. He had several interesting guests last week from Spring Hill. (This show may begin airing at 4:00 in the near future. Stay tuned.) In the last legislative session we addressed several issues concerning health care. Health Care Health Care FreedomIn a 2011 action on health care, the legislature ” Act voted to protect the freedom of patients in the state to make their own health care choices, regardless of the federal health care action taken in Washington D.C. last year. http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/08/08/opinion/02penalty.txt

###

16