THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012 Haslam signs Legislation Phasing out Inheritance Tax (C.

Online)
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today traveled to Luckey Family Farm in Humboldt to highlight the second of three tax cuts passed during this years legislative session and signed by the governor. Haslam held a ceremonial bill signing of HB 3760/SB 3762, which phases out the state inheritance tax during the next three years before it is completely eliminated starting January 1st, 2016. The bill was introduced by the governor as the state continues its work toward providing the best customer service at the lowest possible cost to Tennesseans. Were focused on making state government more efficient and more effective while reducing the cost to taxpayers, Haslam said. Jobs are created when people invest capital. The inheritance tax is causing Tennesseans to take their capital to other states as they grow older, but businesses and family farms cant pick up and leave. Eliminating this tax will ease the burden on family businesses and farms that are left to other generations. http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2012/06/06/tennessee-governor-bill-haslam-signs-legislation-phasing-outinheritance-tax/

Haslam signs bill to cut taxes (Jackson Sun)

Tim Luckey grasped Gov. Bill Haslams hand and thanked him for helping Luckey keep a century-old farm within the family. Haslam and about 25 other state and local officials, farmers and co-op members went to the Luckey farm off Tenn. 186 South in Humboldt on Wednesday to watch Haslam sign a ceremonial bill that eventually will eliminate the states inheritance tax. Luckey and his father, Joe Luckey Jr., own 500 acres of farm land. At an estimated value of $10,000 an acre, Luckeys land would be worth an estimated $5 million. That means his family would owe around $300,000 in state inheritance tax if Luckey died today, an amount he said could only be paid if his children sold at least part of the farm. He said eliminating the states inheritance, or death, tax will allow his family to inherit all of his familys land, instead of just part of it You have heard the term land rich and cash poor, he said. Well, it is not like that $5 million is in the bank. The only way to pay that tax would be to sell property, which no farmer wants to do. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/306070011/Haslam-signs-bill-cut-taxes?nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Gov In West Tenn to Sign Inheritance Tax Legislation (WNWS-Radio)

Gov. Bill Haslam today traveled to Luckey Family Farm in Humboldt to highlight the second of three tax cuts passed during this years legislative session and signed by the governor. Haslam held a ceremonial bill signing of HB 3760/SB 3762, which phases out the state inheritance tax during the next three years before it is completely eliminated starting January 1, 2016. The bill was introduced by the governor as the state continues its work toward providing the best customer service at the lowest possible cost to Tennesseans. Were focused on making state government more efficient and more effective while reducing the cost to taxpayers, Haslam said. Jobs are created when people invest capital. The inheritance tax is causing Tennesseans to take their capital to other states as they grow older, but businesses and family farms cant pick up and leave. Eliminating this tax will ease the burden on family businesses and farms that are left to other generations. The exemption level will be lifted to $1.25 million in 2013; $2 million in 2014; and $5 million in 2015. http://www.wnws.com/news/17196-gov-in-west-tenn-to-sign-inheritance-tax-legislation

Governor Signs New Crime Legislation (WREG-TV Memphis)

Three new laws in Tennessee are in place after receiving the seal of approval and signature of TN Gov. Bill Haslam. Haslam was in the mid-south today to sign the bills into law. Governor Haslam was at the Bartlett

Justice Center this afternoon to make three laws official. They will all mean stiffer penalties for the offenders. Stiffer penalties for felons in possession of guns, gang members that commit violent crimes together and a third law that hits home in Bartlett. Its one that targets repeat domestic violence offenders. The ceremonial signing for the three new crime fighting laws was years in the making. Governor Bill Haslam is confident they will make Tennessee safer. Haslam said, This is an issue that spreads across Tennessee. Urban, Rural, East, West, White, Black. Its an issue that in Tennessee, were 4th in violent crime per capita. The new domestic violence law is one Angie Degastino has fought for these last 30 years. Its something that touched my heart with a woman that had been beaten by her husband. She was in shock, afraid and overwhelmed. Thats what kept me going, said Dagastino, Memphis-Shelby Co. Domestic Violence Council. http://wreg.com/2012/06/06/governor-signs-new-crime-legislation/

Haslam signs bill to curb metal theft (Marshall County Tribune)

Gov. Bill Haslam has signed into law legislation sponsored by Sen. Jim Tracy to reduce the growing problem of metal theft in Tennessee. The new law puts stiffer penalties into place on both the selling and the purchasing of stolen metals. Tracy of Shelbyville got the bill passed in the final days of the 2012 session. It also gives the Department of Commerce and Insurance more enforcement authority over scrap dealer registration. "Soaring prices for copper, aluminum and other metals make items containing them an attractive target," Tracy said. "Stolen metals can have great value when sold to a scrap metal dealer who arranges for the metal to be melted and reshaped for other uses. "With the rising incidence of metal theft," he said, "this new law provides an extra measure of security for families and businesses that have been victims of metal theft." Metal thieves have hit homes, businesses, churches, construction sites, and public property in Tennessee, like utilities. For example, early this year four suspects were arrested by Marshall County Sheriff's Detective Tony Nichols in connection with the theft of over $27,000-worth of metal construction forms and brackets from Brown Builders' storage site at the abandoned gas station on the corner of State Route 373 and Reese Road, just west of I-65. http://www.marshalltribune.com/story/1856949.html

Slow Govt Services an Extra Burden on Taxpayers: Haslam (TN Report)

Whether its inefficient state workers or lagging technology at drivers license centers, the public essentially pays an additional tax any time government services are slow, Gov. Bill Haslam said this week. I think theres two kinds of taxes. Theres a tax that people pay, sales tax, income tax or whatever tax youre paying. And then theres the tax that you pay when you dont get full value for government service, he told the Tennessee Digital Government Summit in Nashville Tuesday. When we dont give you full value, thats another tax. We just dont call it that, he said. The governor didnt wager a guess as to how much the public is paying in that tax each year when speaking to the information-technology experts. But he announced that the state is now trying to reduce the cost with technology upgrades at driver service centers. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/06/06/slow-gov-services-an-extra-burden-on-taxpayers-haslam/

TDOT developing traffic app (Memphis Business Journal)

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is developing a smartphone app using traffic data it already collects, Nashville public radio station WPLN 90.3 FM reports. Gov. Bill Haslam announced the app at a digital government conference in Nashville. TDOT already posts notices regarding traffic congestion on traffic signs and online. Haslam said the app would customize that information and make it more accessible. The free app is expected to be available later this year. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/blog/morning_call/2012/06/tdot-developing-traffic-app.html

Veterans outreach office may soon come to Washington County, Tennessee (T-N)
"They have the right to have somebody out there advocating on their behalf," says Donald Smith, Assistant Commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs. The Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs believes every county should have a county service officer, with one clear objective. "The bottom line is to get veterans to be aware of their benefits and to get somebody out on the streets in the county, at some of the events in the county, and get face to face, one on one with the veterans to explain to them what's available to them," says Smith. However, in Washington County, Tennessee, there is not a county service officer. Smith says that's why veterans here only get an average of $2,500 month in federal benefits. In places like Memphis, veterans average almost twice that. Washington County Mayor Dan Eldridge thinks that needs to change. "As I have learned what the county veterans service office is typically responsible for doing, I realized that this is 2

obviously an un-served and unmet need for our for Washington County veterans and their families," says Mayor Eldridge. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/jun/06/veterans-outreach-office-may-soon-come-washington--ar-1971738/

TN MADD fears loss of specialty tag (Tennessean/Humbles)

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers of Tennessee needs about 70 of its specialty license plates to be purchased by June 30 or the plate will be retired. If that happens, the group says, it will lose a vital funding source for the organization. The MADD TN plate has provided more than $15,000 annually to the nonprofit that works to protect families from drunken driving and underage drinking. At least 500 of the specialty plates must be in circulation for the state to continue offering it. Norris and Aline Skelley of Cookeville campaigned for the license plate, which went into production in 1997. Norris Skelley, the community action leader for the Upper Cumberland chapter of MADD, estimated the MADD TN license plate peaked with about 850 in the late 1990s or early 2000s. He and Flint Clouse, the state director of MADD TN, say the decline may be related to the fact that there are more specialty plate choices. W e have not received feedback, but I imagine specialty license plate buyers have competing interests, Clouse said. The specialty plate makes up about 4 percent of MADD TNs budget, Clouse said. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/306070062/TN-MADD-fears-loss-specialty-tag? odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Children's welfare report examines state spending (Associated Press/Johnson)

Childrens advocates say a report released W ednesday on the welfare of children in Tennessee supports their belief that more preventive care programs will benefit youth long term, as well as save the state money. The Kids Count report, partially funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, focused on childrens well-being, but also examined how the state spends funds to improve the lives of children. Linda ONeal, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, said universal prevention services have the lowest per child cost and the greatest cost-benefit potential because of their ability to prevent downstream costs. However, they received the least funding, according to the report compiled by the commission. They tend to be the things that go by the wayside when you have budget cuts, ONeal told The Associated Press. And so it really does raise the point that the investments we make now are very important for the future. Despite improvements in recent years, the report noted that Tennessee continues to rank in the bottom 10 in the nation on both low-birth-weight babies and infant mortality. Another service she believes has long-term prevention aspects is the states public pre-kindergarten program. http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120607/NEWS21/306070038/Children-swelfare-report-examines-state-spending?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News (SUBSCRIPTION)

Knoxville judge orders retrials in slayings (Associated Press)

A Knoxville judge has ordered retrials for three defendants in the 2007 torture and slaying of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom of Knoxville without responding to prosecutors motion that he step off the case Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood issued the ruling Tuesday, stating that new trials are necessary because of unspecified witness credibility issues. WATE-TV was the first to report the new ruling. Blackwood had previously ordered new trials based on the out-of-court conduct of pill-addicted Judge Richard Baumgartner, who left the bench in disgrace last year. However, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned Blackwoods order late last month, reasoning that Blackwood had not shown how Baumgartners out-of-court conduct affected what happened at trial. Blackwood has not responded to a Friday motion from prosecutors asking him to step down and complaining that he would not allow a public hearing on the retrials. John Gill, special counsel to the Knox County District Attorney Generals office, said prosecutors are consulting with the state Attorney Generals office about their legal options. http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120607/NEWS21/306070039/Knoxville-judgeorders-retrials-slayings?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News (SUBSCRIPTION)

Blackwood

reasserts

order:

New

trials

in

Christian-Newsom

killings

(NS/Satterfield)
A special judge this week did something he wouldn't be able to do a month from now order new trials for a second time in one of Knoxville's most horrific crimes while a motion that he step aside is still pending. Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood on Tuesday filed an order granting new trials in the January 2007 torture-slayings of 3

Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23. The move came after the Tennessee Supreme Court faulted his legal reasoning in granting new trials in December and ordered him to revisit his decision using their ruling as guidance. The high court did not bar him from granting new trials. Blackwood used legal grounds the Supreme Court outlined as acceptable cause for new trials, namely, that because witness credibility was such an "overriding and important issue" in the trials Blackwood could not step into the role of "13th juror" left vacant when former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner was forced to resign after a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe. The ruling came just days after Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols' office filed a motion, drafted by prosecutor Leland Price, asking Blackwood to recuse himself from the case. Price argued, among other things, that Blackwood planned to grant new trials without allowing the state to argue its case against them. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/blackwood-reasserts-order-new-trials-in-newsom/

State Republican Primaries and Their Screwy Match-Ups (Metro Pulse)

Some of his colleagues must be grinding their teeth. There are 23 Republicans in the Legislature who have challengers in their primary, a somewhat unprecedented revolt within the Republican Party. But state Rep. Curry Todd, R-Memphis, who was arrested this past session for drunk driving and having a pistol in his car, does not have either a primary or a general election opponent. State Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, however, has three opponents in his primary and a formidable opponent in the general. Former state Rep. Eddie Yokely, a Democrat, is expected to be a strong contender in what is regarded in Nashville as a toss-up race and one of the few possible gains for the Democrats. Hawk spent a weekend in jail during the past session accused of domestic violence against his wife. http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jun/06/state-republican-primaries-and-theirscrewy-match/

Memphis City Council lowers tax rate, OKs budget (Memphis Business Journal)
The Memphis City Council approved a $609.8 million budget during a marathon session Tuesday while lowering the city's property tax rate to $3.11, Memphis Daily News reports. The new tax rate is an 8-cent reduction from the current $3.19 rate. The budget, set to take effect July 1, will use $19.6 million of the city's $81 million reserve. It also will use 10 cents on the property tax rate and $20 million in one-time funding from the citys OPEB (Other Post Employment Benefits) trust fund to help raise the $64.8 million needed to fund Memphis City Schools . Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. had proposed a 47-cent property tax hike for the last round of funding needed MCS before its merger next year with Shelby County Schools , according to the report. This budget doesnt do anything for the long term. Everybody recognized that. The hard work still lies ahead, Wharton said, according to the newspaper. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/blog/morning_call/2012/06/memphis-city-council-lowers-tax-rate.html

Memphis

City

Council

chooses

middle

ground

on

budget

(Commercial

Appeal/Maki)
The budget the Memphis City Council adopted Tuesday after 14 hours of meetings was a victory for council members whose focus has been reducing the property tax rate. "We changed the conversation from how much of a tax increase there should be to how much of a tax decrease we could achieve," said council budget committee chairman Jim Strickland. The council had considered alternatives that could have pushed the tax rate as low as $2.91 before voting 7-6 to approve the $3.11 rate per $100 of assessed value, with $3.01 for city operations and the rest for city schools. "We hit a double, but we could have hit a home run," said Strickland, who voted against the budget that was approved because he wanted a lower tax rate. The council rebuffed Memphis Mayor A C Wharton's call for a 47-cent property tax hike, and set the city's overall tax rate 8 cents lower than the current $3.19. The $3.11 tax rate should generate roughly $334.3 million in revenue. The annual city property tax for a $150,000 house would drop $30, from $1,196 to $1,166. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/07/council-chose-budget-middle-ground/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

City Budget Season Ends With Frustration (Memphis Daily News)

The year of the gap budget at City Hall felt and sounded a lot like the previous two budget years at City Hall. The mayor and City Council were frustrated even as the budget deliberations came to an end with a lowered city property tax rate. The use of one-time funding for a one-of-a-kind situation in which the city is entering the last fiscal year in which it must fund Memphis City Schools caused the frustration. Several council members have 4

been trying for years to win long-term concessions that would fundamentally alter the size and services offered by Memphis city government. The one-time funding, they argued in past budget years, wasnt the way to run city government long term. Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. referred to it as a gap year budget. He had argued the city will face tough challenges from quarters other than the school system in the fiscal year after the one that starts next month. This budget doesnt do anything for the long term. Everybody recognized that. The hard work still lies ahead, Wharton said. One good thing is that I will not have to borrow from the general fund to pay the schools. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/jun/7/city-budget-season-ends-with-frustration/

Residents Choose Sides During Tax Hike Public Hearing (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Dozens of Nashville residents turned out at a Metro Council meeting last night to voice their feelings on a proposed 53 cent increase in the property tax. Among those who spoke were parents of students in Metro Schools, and city employees like AJ Price. I am supporting this budget because as a public librarian, I have a role to play in the education of Nashvilles children. Many speakers put their own spin on Mayor Karl Deans pitch for the tax increasethat a city has to be confident enough to invest in itself. A lions share of the money would go toward education. Bruce McNeilage, however, says paying teachers more wont raise test scores. He spoke alongside the dozens in neon green shirts who oppose the tax hike. McNeilage owns apartment complexes and rental property throughout the city and suggests the tax increase would be passed on to tenants. Its not that I cant afford it. Its that people that are making $8 and $10 and $12 an hour living in my apartments cant afford it. Ultimately, the Metro Council voted to approve the mayors budget and tax increase on a second of three votes. http://wpln.org/?p=37973

Murfreesboro may pull off raises without a tax hike (Gannett/Humbles)

New business, sales tax help The Murfreesboro City Council will hold a public hearing tonight about an administration-proposed $117 million budget that will avoid a property tax increase for the 14th consecutive year. W e have made a decision to not rely on property taxes as a sole revenue source, said Councilman Shane McFarland, who will be voting on his sixth fiscal year city budget after the public hearing. W e rely on business development and sales tax. With that, Murfreesboro has been blessed with business growth, and I think that has helped us out. The meeting is set to start at 7 tonight in Council Chambers on the first floor of City Hall, at 111 W. Vine St. This will be the first of three required votes on the budget before its ratified for the fiscal year that starts July 1. City Manager Rob Lyons had proposed giving step increases in pay of 3.5 percent to eligible workers, but Councilwoman Madelyn Scales Harris said she wants to see those who have topped the pay scale to also get a 2 percent raise. Give everybody something, Harris said. They have the same bills we have. They are just trying to make it like everybody else. Everybody works hard. She also wants to see the city managers initial proposal to give part-time employees 15 cents an hour more increased to 30 cents per hour more. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/306070065/Murfreesboro-may-pull-off-raises-without-taxhike?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Murfreesboro mosque foes seek to stop construction (Associated Press)

Opponents of a mosque in Rutherford County filed Wednesday for an injunction seeking to stop construction. According to The Daily News Journal, plaintiffs filed the request with Chancellor Robert Corlew, who last week declared the mosque approval void because of inadequate public notice but did not halt construction. The construction has been ongoing during the year and a half the court case has dragged on. There already is an existing mosque but supporters say a bigger one is needed. Mosque leaders hope to finish the first phase of construction before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins at the end of July. Last weeks order by Corlew prohibits further meetings on the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro without proper notice to the public. A hearing on Wednesdays request is June 13. The mosque was one of several Muslim projects in the U.S. that were targets of conservative Christian opposition in 2010 as a result of a plan to build a Muslim community center near New Yorks ground zero. http://www.tennessean.com/viewart/20120607/NEWS01/306070063/Murfreesboro-mosque-foes-seek-stopconstruction?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News (SUBSCRIPTION)

Hamilton County Commission prays; residents object (Times Free-Press/Haman)

Hamilton County Attorney Rheubin Taylor opened Wednesday's commission meeting with a prayer in Jesus' 5

name. He finished the invocation with "All these blessings we ask in your son Jesus' name, amen." Two residents took issue with that, asking commissioners during the public comment period to stop holding Christian prayers, while others stood to defend the commissioners' prayers. "The county attorney sent a clear message by leading the commission-sanctioned prayer today," said Tommy Coleman, who wants a moment of silence instead. "Your use of prayer in this chamber and its use in official government business excludes, marginalizes, belittles other faiths and the people who practice them." Commissioners did not signal their support one way or another on the issue. Jim Fields, the only attorney on the commission, said after the meeting that he personally is reviewing the matter. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to commissioners in May, saying that someone locally had complained about the invocation and noted that the body had invoked Jesus' name in every 2012 prayer. The letter argued the prayers are outside the scope allowable by the U.S. Supreme Court's 1983 decision Marsh v. Chambers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/07/chattanooga-commission-prays-residents-object/?local

Making Their Moves (Memphis Flyer)

Officially, Bob Corker is just one of 17 U.S. Senate candidates who will appear on the Tennessee ballot this year. He is opposed by four other Republicans, including two certifiable Tea Party candidates, by seven Democrats, and by five Independents. The sheer volume of opponents venturing to file against an incumbent would normally indicate that the officeholder in question is vulnerable. But Corker is regarded as a solid nay, a prohibitive favorite against any of his would-be challengers, all of whom, in the strict sense, are no-names. To be sure, one of Corker's GOP primary challengers is one Mark Twain Clemens, a Bedford Countian who owns a name that evokes literary grandeur, if not political viability. And one of the Democrats vying for a chance to tangle with the senator is Park Overall, a resident of Greenville in eastern-most Tennessee who had some modest celebrity a generation back as a featured player on the TV sitcom Empty Nest. In early 2011, the RedState.com website, a Tea Party organ, put Corker high up on its hit list. But several polls taken last year indicated convincingly that the big names, those with some political standing and at least a theoretical chance to beat Corker, wouldn't come close. http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/making-their-moves/Content?oid=3200471

Sen. Corker visits Dyersburg for breakfast fundraiser (State Gazette)

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker made a fundraising stop in Dyersburg on Friday, June 1 at the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce. The senator had a full morning beginning with the breakfast event, which was well attended by approximately 300 people who had a unique opportunity to interact with a United States senator. The senator's morning also included a private meeting with Port Authority Chairman Jimmy Williamson, Attorney John Lannom, Chamber President/CEO Allen Hester and various aides on the Port of Cates Landing construction. "I am not sure what I have done to receive such a warm welcome," said Corker, who was visiting Dyersburg for the first time since being elected to the Senate in 2006. "But thank you." Corker, who is running for re-election in the fall, took some time to address national issues such as: pro-growth and entitlement reform, discretionary caps, health care and Social Security. Corker explained that pro-growth tax reform is linked to entitlement reform and is beginning to gain traction in Congress. http://www.stategazette.com/story/1857245.html

Weston Wamp, 25, visits seniors in search for votes (Times Free-Press/Carroll)
Twenty-five-year-old Weston Wamp made his case to the elderly on Wednesday, visiting five retirement communities and targeting a dependable voting bloc in Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District. Wamp, the son of former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, kicked off a three-day self-titled "Generations" tour at Morning Pointe of Hixson, where about 20 seniors gathered in a room to hear the young Republican's stump speech. W amp is challenging U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in the 3rd District Republican primary, and the tour represents a slight shift in strategy for a campaign that almost exclusively has targeted younger voters. For his 25th birthday in March, Wamp hosted a "miniconcert" fundraiser at Lindsay Street Hall, where country music star John Rich described Wamp as "an American badass" to cheers. Wamp and his aides shelved the coarse language Wednesday morning, shifting the focus to a quiet roomful of retirees, whom the campaign collectively described as "the wisest generation." It's also the generation that votes the most. More than 40 percent of Americans age 50 and older are regular voters, nearly double the proportion of 18- to 29-year olds, according to the Pew Research Center. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/07/weston-wamp-25-visits-seniors-in-search-for-votes/?local 6

Ex-US Rep. Tanner joining Nashville law firm (Associated Press)

Former U.S. Rep. John Tanner of Union City has joined a newly expanded Nashville law firm. Tanner, a Democrat who retired from Congress in 2011 after 22 years in office, will specialize in government relations for Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada. Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has similar responsibilities for the firm in Jackson, Miss., where it is based. Butler Snow announced Thursday that 37 attorneys are joining the firm in Nashville, bringing its total number of attorneys in Tennessee to almost 100. It has more than 220 attorneys practicing in 12 offices nationwide. The company said, with the expansion in Nashville, it becomes one of the largest law firms in Tennessee and among the largest in the country. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/ex-us-rep-tanner-joining-nashville-law-firm/

Federal agency says mercury no health threat, wraps up OR work (NS/Munger)

A federal agency has completed the last in a series of public health assessments related to Oak Ridge pollution, concluding that current-day discharges of mercury from the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant do not pose a threat to local residents. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in a 341-page report, evaluated Y-12's mercury discharges from 1950 to 2009 and potential exposures to residents near the plant or people living in downstream communities. Mercury was used in vast quantities during Y-12's Cold War work on hydrogen bombs and, according to government estimates, about 2 million pounds was lost or otherwise unaccounted for. Much of the mercury ended up in East Fork Poplar Creek via spills and wastewater discharges. Residual amounts of mercury continue to enter the creek, which originates inside Y-12's boundaries before flowing through much of Oak Ridge's west side, with an average daily discharge of 9 grams. While the ATSDR found that current exposures to mercury do not pose a threat to the public, the federal agency identified a number of previous conditions that could have been harmful especially to children. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/federal-agency-says-mercury-no-health-threat-up/

HCA Moves Dirt on New Metro Public Health Center (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
A long-awaited land swap between Metro Nashville and HCA took a ceremonial step forward W ednesday. The Nashville-based hospital chain is building a new public health center for the city in exchange for land near an HCA hospital. City and company officials broke ground for the new public health center on what is now a grassy field across Charlotte Avenue from HCAs headquarters. In an unusual arrangement, the company is in charge of construction and keeping the cost to taxpayers around $28 million. Sometime next year, HCA will hand over the new public health center to the city and receive land next to Centennial hospital. Stephen Corbeil is president of HCAs Tri-Star system and calls the real estate prime for expansion. W e dont have plans today, but because its near and adjacent to our campus, we obviously would like to have the ability when the time comes to use that space when appropriate. The existing Lentz Public Health Center is expected to be demolished. As part of the deal, HCA will be exempt from paying property taxes on the site for five years. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean calls it a win-win. http://wpln.org/?p=37989

New health department breaks ground; Centennial gains space (TN/Wilemon)

Nashvilles new Lentz Public Health Center on Charlotte Avenue will open by late next year when HCA takes possession of the old headquarters adjacent to its TriStar Centennial campus. An environmentally friendly threestory structure on one of the citys main thoroughfares will replace the health departments antiquated building. HCA will spend up to $28.5 million to construct the new headquarters in exchange for the old property at 311 23rd Ave. The additional space could help make room for another hospital on TriStar Centennials more-than-30acre campus. When Centennial sought a director of pediatrics last year, a recruiter wrote that the medical center plans to apply for a state permit for a 60-bed childrens hospital. However, TriStar has not applied for such a permit, and company officials said an exact use for the property has not been determined. Like everything else, as our services and demand continues to rise, we will evaluate what our needs are from a capacity perspective and do all the appropriate things from there, said Stephen E. Corbeil, president of TriStar Health System. We are real proud of what we do right now within our Centennial Womens and Childrens Hospital. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120606/NEWS07/306060181/New-health-department-breaks-groundCentennial-gains-space-grow?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

New restaurants bring hundreds of jobs (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Harrington)

7

Finding work may be as simple as looking for the nearest new restaurant. Hundreds of jobs are expected to be added among more than a half dozen eateries that will open in Knox County in the coming months, including several national restaurant chains. "We really have a lot of opportunities that represent a wide variety of jobs," said Gil Minor, general manager of Chuy's, a Tex-Mex restaurant chain that will open next month in front of the new Kroger Marketplace at Cedar Bluff and Kingston Pike. Chuy's, which has an 8,800-square-foot location that includes a 1,000-square-foot patio, plans to begin filling about 170 full- and part-time positions later this month for its July 31 opening. A hiring trailer will be on site beginning June 18. "To make the food the way we make it takes a lot of people. There's a lot that goes into making food from scratch every day," Minor said, pointing to its hand-rolled flour tortillas and homemade guacamole and sauces. Restaurant growth nationwide is at more than 3 percent and Knoxville is even higher, said Greg Adkins, CEO of the Tennessee Hospitality Association. That, he added, bodes well for the area. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/new-restaurants-bring-hundreds-of-jobs/

Nashville feels tech talent shortage (Tennessean/Underwood)

Groups are taking steps to lure more skilled workers to Music City Nashville often gets compared to cities such as Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; Seattle; and Portland, Ore. not bad company, if you ask me. All of those places boast vibrant, diverse economies, large university populations, quirky creative cultures, and more recently, growing scenes for tech startups. So, it was with a dash of dismay that I read about a recent Brookings Institution analysis that showed Nashville lagging far behind those other cities when it comes to the percentage of the population with a college degree, a vital ingredient for economic success, according to the report. In both Raleigh and Austin, about 40 percent of residents hold a college degree, one of the highest proportions of any metropolitan area in the U.S. By contrast, Nashville (including Franklin and Murfreesboro) ranked in the middle of the pack with 29.7 percent. We were sandwiched between Columbia, S.C., and Sacramento, Calif. No offense, but these arent exactly the cities that I think most fellow residents aspire to be like. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/COLUMNIST03/306070024/Nashville-feels-tech-talent-shortage? odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cp&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Maury County mayor says he'll be fair with GM (Associated Press)

Maury County Mayor James Bailey says the government will be fair with General Motors over the company's inlieu-of-tax agreement. According to The Daily Herald (http://bit.ly/KGaZb4 ), some county officials expect GM to seek to change the agreement after announcing it is returning vehicular production to its plant in Spring Hill in the county. The agreement means GM's flat yearly payments to the county and its cities are contingent on whether some portion of the plant is being used for automobile assembly. Bailey said the county doesn't want to give anything away but doesn't want to destroy GM either. The paper said GM declined to comment on the status of the agreement. GM will begin producing the Chevrolet Equinox later this year. The former Saturn plant has been idle for three years. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/maury-county-mayor-says-hell-be-fair-with-gm/

Great Hearts revives charter school bid (Tennessean/Rau)

Great Hearts Academy, the Arizona-based charter school chain that had its application to bring five new schools to Nashville unanimously rejected by the school board last week, plans to appeal the decision, according to an email sent by its CEO to supporters on Tuesday. The school board said the plan diverged from the traditional mission of Nashville charter schools, which has targeted poor children and students zoned for failing schools. Great Hearts officials said they wanted to be open to all students. And they faced some community pushback because they included plans to put a school in affluent West Nashville. Great Hearts has until Wednesday to submit its supplemental application. The school board probably would consider the new proposal at its June 26 meeting. The school board also echoed concerns raised by the districts charter review committee that Great Hearts application failed to include a transportation plan for its students. The review committee had approved three of four parts of Great Hearts application its academic, business and enrollment plans. It approved part of Great Hearts organization plan but took exception to its lack of transportation. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/NEWS04/306070036/Great-Hearts-revives-charter-school-bid? odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1

Amid Appeal, Charter Applicant Says It W ont Give Up (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

An Arizona-based charter school operator says it wont give up on expanding into Nashville. Great Hearts Academies is appealing a rejection from the Metro School Board this month. Even if it doesnt win approval this 8

year, Great Hearts says it wont walk away. As a charter, Great Hearts would be privately led, but still receive public money. Its CEO says opening later than next year in Nashville would still be worth it, because thousands of parents have shown interest. Chris Strong is one of them. Strong says shed like to see Great Hearts as an option for her younger kids, after her oldest son spent a couple years at a south Nashville high school with discipline problems. The kids will tell you, theres 10 percent of the kids who are really bad, and those are the ones that are running the school, not the administrators and not the teachers. Its a bad situation, and it has to change because I will not send one of my children there. Great Hearts would like to set up five schools around Metro, each with slots for around 400 elementary students, and more than 500 in middle and high school. http://wpln.org/?p=37993

Register to Metro Council: Higher pay would send 'clear message' (CP/Garrison)
Simply the rumor Metro might pay new teachers higher salaries has generated additional interest in Nashville among teacher applicants, Director of Schools Jesse Register told Metro Council members W ednesday. Ill tell you, we do not have a shortage of people trying to teach right now in our district, Register said at a council budget hearing W ednesday that lasted nearly five hours, surpassing the length a public hearing the previous night. Increasing our teacher salary, Register said, sends a very clear message that Nashville means business when it comes to getting the best teachers for all of our children. Lifting Metros starting teachers salaries to $40,000 from approximately $35,000 has emerged as one of the focal points of Mayor Karl Deans proposed $1.71 billion budget, which relies on a 53-cent property tax increase. The council will consider Deans budget and tax hike for a final vote later this month. Register and the mayor are looking to increase the schools budget to $720.4 million over the next fiscal year, a $48.6 million bump, a big chunk of which would be devoted to teacher pay. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/register-metro-council-higher-teacher-pay-would-send-clearmessage

Nashville schools' budget draws fire (Tennessean/Cass)

Schools officials faced occasionally aggressive questioning from Metro Council members Wednesday as they considered a $46.4 million increase in operating funds. Council members asked about the districts priorities in instruction, information technology and construction as Director Jesse Register and others made the case for a $720.4 million budget in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. Thats actually $2.5 million less than the amount the school board voted to request two months ago. Mayor Karl Deans administration asked district officials to reduce the request, which they did by cutting expenses for textbooks, English Language Learners teachers, transportation, unemployment compensation and other items. Councilwoman Emily Evans pressed Register for a definition of the bottom-line results taxpayers could expect to see if the education budget went up 6.9 percent, taking a large share of the $100 million of new revenue Deans proposed property tax increase would generate. Register declined to quantify the expected payoff but said it would be significant. Were going to make advances this year, he said. We expect to close the achievement gap. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/NEWS04/306070057/Nashville-schools-budget-draws-fire? odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Cheatham seeks new schools director (Gannett/Adkins)

The Cheatham County School Board has offered Stan Curtis, its transportation supervisor, a one-year contract to serve as director of schools for the 2012-13 school year. If Curtis accepts, he would begin work July 1. He would replace Tim Webb, who resigned in May after serving as the director since November 2010. Webb has accepted a job at principal at Richland High School in Giles County. A specially called meeting to vote on the contract is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The contract is for just one year because three of the six school board seats are on the Aug. 2 ballot and leadership on the board could change significantly. After the election, the school board will begin searching for a permanent director. Curtis, who lives in Spring Hill, was named the districts transportation director in September 2011. He was the principal at Hampshire Unit School in Maury County from 2000 to 2008, the director of schools in Marshall County from 2008 to 2010 and associate executive director of assessment, evaluation and e-learning at the Tennessee Department of Education from 2010 to 2011. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/NEWS04/306070064/Cheatham-seeks-new-schools-director? odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

New East Brainerd school now on hold (Times Free-Press/Haman)

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The consequence of a Wednesday vote by the Hamilton County Commission to halt architect selection for a new East Brainerd Elementary School will be overcrowding at the current school in two years, the school board chairman says. The commission voted 7-2 to stop the architect selection process, which began in May. "If they want to delay the school and construction, so be it," Board of Education Chairman Mike Evatt said. "We've' got to get on the same page with the commission. This is not healthy. It's not healthy for our community when you have a commission, when you have a board, and we're both elected to do a job and we can't do our job without getting criticized." Commissioners plan to hold up construction until they get more information about the school system's capital plans, including how to dispose of the current East Brainerd Elementary site. Commissioners are angry about the school system's willingness to trade away the current nine-acre East Brainerd Elementary site in a three-way land deal with Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Housing Authority. The school site appraised in January for $2.3 million, and many commissioners think it's worth more than that. The school system plans to build a new East Brainerd Elementary on the site of the former David Brainerd School on Igou Gap Road. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/07/tennessee-new-east-brainerd-school-now-on-hold/?local

School board wants input on future of old Knoxville High (News-Sentinel/McCoy)

Approves letter of interest on school property The Knox County school board has decided to move forward in gauging community interest in selling Historic Knoxville High School. On Wednesday, members unanimously approved creating a letter of interest for the property that will be fielded by the Knox County Purchasing Department. The letter will seek input from developers or other organizations that might be willing to purchase the building and develop it. The letter does not commit the board to take any action. "It's just an exploration of what could be the best use for this really important, historical building in our community," said Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre. "We certainly want to be respectful of the history and the heritage of the Historic Knoxville High School building." McIntyre said the letter could be out in the community within the next couple months and once distributed would be out between six to eight weeks. The building at 101 E. Fifth Ave.,houses the district's GED and Adult Education programs, the Knoxville City Federal Credit Union, the Knox County Museum of Education, some administrative offices and storage. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/07/school-board-wants-input-on-future-of-old-high/

Smaller School-Budget Increase Passes Co. Commission Without New Taxes (MP)
Its like an episode of Parks and Rec, a friend e-mailed halfway through the epic Knox County Commission meeting on Monday. And indeed, the meeting could not had been more like the television show if it had tried. Support Our Schools sent Commission 500 apples before the meeting started. A member of the Tea Party gave Commission 10 lemons and told the 11 members to make lemonade. A man played a harmonica. Recently arrested Commissioner Jeff Ownby chewed gum for two hours straight. Commissioner Mike Brown encouraged spanking in the schools. (And we havent even gotten to the communist-plot accusations.) But at the end of the four-hour-plus meeting, everyone got a little bit of what they wanted: Knox County Schools got more money, and Mayor Tim Burchett had his budget adopted without a tax increase. Both sides seemed somewhat pleased with the outcome of the compromise amendment put forth by Commissioner Mike Hammond that allows the schools to get a $7 million budget increase for next year. Commission voted for the increase 7 to 4, with Commissioners Ownby, Tony Norman, Dave Wright and R. Larry Smith opposed. http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/jun/06/smaller-school-budget-increase-passes-county-commi/

Suburbs set class for school boards (Commercial Appeal/Wolff)

If voters in the six suburbs outside Memphis approve a referendum Aug. 2 for municipal school districts, citizens who want to sit on the school boards will have some homework. The suburbs are jointly hosting a workshop Aug. 7 at the Bartlett Station Municipal Center to educate those who are considering running Nov. 6 for the 30 school board positions. Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman, who also serves as a suburban member of the unified school board, presented the idea to the other suburban mayors. "This vote is going to be one of the most important ones in the history of these towns," Wissman said. "We need to hit the ground running." The suburbs will need to elect five at-large members to each board. Officials believe most of those running will be first-time politicians who will serve on a board that's never met to govern a school system that's still a concept. The Nashville-based Tennessee School Boards Association is sending executive director Tammy Grissom here in August to help potential candidates understand school boards. "School board members don't have to have expertise in education," Grissom said. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/07/suburbs-set-class-for-schoolboards/(SUB) 10

California: San Diego and San Jose Lead Way in Pension Cuts (New York Times)
While the eyes of the nation focused on Wisconsin, where Gov. Scott W alker brushed back a recall attempt by critics of his move to strip most public-sector unions of their collective bargaining rights, a pair of less noticed local elections Tuesday in California could have more immediate ramifications for struggling state and local governments and for organized labor. Residents of San Diego and San Jose voted overwhelmingly to cut the pension benefits they give city workers. And they did so in a way governments traditionally avoid: moving to cut not just the benefits of future hires, but also those of current city workers, whose pensions generally have much stronger legal protections than those of private-sector workers. Unions in both cities vowed to block the cuts in court, but the ease with which the measures passed is expected to embolden other financially strained cities and states to follow their lead. It is not just Republicans seeking savings. Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, a Democrat, has been seeking to suspend the annual automatic cost-of-living adjustments for retirees. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/us/politics/san-diego-and-san-jose-pass-pension-cuts.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

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OPINION Editorial: Tougher sex offender law will protect women (Jackson Sun)
A new state criminal sentencing guideline brought to the Tennessee General Assembly by law enforcement was signed into law recently by Gov. Bill Haslam. Registered sex offenders who are arrested for stalking or indecent exposure now will be charged with a Class E felony and be subject to six to 12 years in prison. This is a significant improvement in the law that will get convicted sex offenders off the street and into prison where they belong. The change in the law was initiated by Jackson Police Investigator Mark Headen following the arrest of a violent sex offender in March 2011. A complaint filed by a Union University student who had been the victim of stalking led to the arrest of Jason Nickell. Once Nickell was identified, 13 more women came forward as victims. But to Headens frustration, all he could hope for was to incarcerate Nickell, a convicted violent sex offender from Texas, for 30 days. Headen set out to change the law. His activism led to seeking support from the Tennessee Association of Police Chiefs and the Tennessee Sheriffs Association. After taking it upon himself to write changes to the law, he took the matter to state Sen. Lowe Finney, D-Jackson, who pledged his support. Finney 11

took the issue to state Rep. Joe Pitts, D-Clarksville, who agreed to help. Finney managed the change through the Senate while Pitts took the issue to the House. The respective bills were passed and signed into law by Gov. Haslam. The tougher sex offender sentencing guidelines take effect July 1. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120607/OPINION/306070006/Our-View-Tougher-sex-offender-law-willprotect-women?nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Guest columnist: Access to education gives Tennessee a chance (C. Appeal)

Denying youngsters access to education is unkind, unenlightened public policy and bad for the future of our state and society. Two important election-year issues, education and immigration, converged in Tennessee last month with a rally at the Parthenon in Nashville. Students and their advocates called on local and national leaders to do the right thing and support national immigration reform, the DREAM Act and tuition equality for undocumented college students. Our nation desperately needs leadership and action on all three fronts. Only the U.S. Congress can pass immigration reform or the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors) Act. Our state legislators can model fairness and equity, however, by supporting statewide tuition equity for undocumented high school graduates who want to study in one of the state's colleges. Tennessee should join 12 other states, including Texas and California, in allowing such students to pay in-state tuition at our many excellent public community and four-year colleges. Supporting young people who hope to attend college and contribute to our state and society is reasonable public policy. Our nation became economically dominant thanks in large part to unwavering bipartisan support for public education. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/07/guest-column-access-to-education-gives-tenn-a/ (SUB)

Free-Press Editorial: Tantalizing VW prospect in Chattanooga (Times Free-Press)

It is no closely held secret that Volkswagen long has planned a major expansion of operations at Enterprise South Industrial Park, but just what that expansion might look like has been less clear. Some hints are surfacing, however, and at a good time for the Chattanooga area. Even as the local Pilgrim's Pride poultry-processing plants are laying off 190 employees, Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen of America, has told the Detroit Free Press that Chattanooga may be an ideal location to build a midsize utility vehicle. That would be in addition to the award-winning Passats already being built in Chattanooga by thousands of workers. Something between the compact Tiguan and the bigger Touareg may be on tap for VW in Chattanooga, Browning said, adding that "It's under discussion." W hen all the possibilities for expansion are tallied up, local VW facilities could be turning out as many as half a million cars each year. Of course, expanded facilities don't just materialize. They would be built by local workers, adding to the employment benefit for our area. And there would be spinoff benefits, too, as suppliers for VW ramp up production. While there is still some uncertainty about VW's specific intent, it is hardly mere speculation. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/07/chattanooga-free-press-tantalizing-vwprospect/?opinionfreepress

Guest columnist: Good public schools aid all of us (Tennessean)

Mayor Karl Dean has courageously proposed a Metro property tax increase the first such increase in his administration and one badly needed if Nashville schools and public safety are to continue their recent improvement. Supporting the tax increase for police and public safety is in everyones interest, and we have seen how the investments of the past two mayoral administrations have resulted in lower crime rates and a safer city. Increased taxes for schools may be another matter for the parents of the 20,000 Nashville students who attend private schools. Why pay more taxes into a school system in which you do not participate? As the president of Lipscomb University, the operator of its own private pre-K through high school since 1891 now called Lipscomb Academy one might think that I would be less concerned about our public schools. But the opposite is true. W hile not interested in just paying more to government, I enthusiastically support Mayor Deans proposed increase, half of which will be invested in public education. Heres why: Private schools are a great community resource for those who can afford them and for those who seek education that incorporates childrens spiritual development. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120607/OPINION03/306070029/Good-public-schools-aid-all-us? odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp&nclick_check=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Wendi C. Thomas: At least give a try at finding leadership (Commercial Appeal)

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Nice isn't enough. Familiar isn't enough. Basic competency and the confidence that he won't embarrass anyone isn't enough. The unified school district needs a dynamic, charismatic, oh-my-God-who-knew-a-superintendentcould-be-so-great leader. Shelby County Schools Supt. John Aitken isn't it. Thankfully this week, the back-door machinations to send Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash packing and usher in Aitken's reign were put on pause. A special meeting scheduled for Monday to discuss Cash's contract was canceled, but no one thinks Cash will oversee the merged district. He's just too polarizing. His swagger, which doesn't bother me in the least, irks others. But worse, according to an April poll, neither MCS nor SCS employees think highly of him. By contrast, Aitken gets glowing reviews. Still, Aitken has his own baggage, albeit not of the volume of Cash, who lugs around every product Samsonite has ever made. Both men were initially against the merger. But I still can't shake the image of Aitken and several SCS board members at a January 2011 news conference led by board chairman David Pickler.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jun/07/at-least-give-a-try-at-findingleadership/(SUB)

Editorial: Colleges True Cost (New York Times)

The Obama administration is rightly pressing colleges to bring clarity to the often misleading and unintelligible financial aid letters that many send out to newly admitted students. The White Houses announcement that 10 colleges and state university systems have agreed to create user-friendly financial aid letters is encouraging, but more will obviously need to be done. Many colleges actually hide the real expense of an education by issuing financial aid letters that blur the distinction between grants and loans to make the school look more affordable. The colleges and universities that have committed to transparency including the State University System of New York, the university system of Maryland, the University of Texas System and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have a combined enrollment of 1.4 million students. They will provide students admitted for the 2013-14 school year a clear document that shows: how much a year of college will cost; options for paying those costs, including clear differentiation between grants and loans; estimated monthly payments for federal student loans that the student will likely owe upon graduation; and student graduation rates. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/opinion/colleges-true-cost.html?ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

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