FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011 Governor Appoints Task Force to Study School Vouchers (TN Report)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the formation of a task force to make recommendations on what an opportunity scholarship initiative might look like in Tennessee based on the best available research. The committee will be tasked with looking at how a program would fit into Tennessees overall education reform strategy and that seeks to provide meaningful education options to disadvantaged students. I support school choice options and believe that opportunity scholarships could be an impactful tool in Tennessee, Haslam said. W e should offer alternatives to low-income students and their parents who may feel stuck in failing schools. Charter schools have been a significant part of that process, and it is appropriate to explore additional opportunities. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/12/governor-appoints-task-force-to-study-school-vouchers/

Haslam wants year to study school vouchers (Associated Press/Schelzig)

Gov. Bill Haslam announced Thursday that school vouchers need more study before being considered in the next legislative session The Republican governor said he is creating a task force to make recommendations on a voucher program in Tennessee. The panel isn't scheduled to report its findings back to the governor until next fall. "Those discussions need to happen before legislation is pursued any further in this session," Haslam said in a release. "First and foremost, any new program must complement our ongoing efforts to reform education." The governor's education priorities last session included an overhaul of teacher tenure rules and lifting a cap on charter schools. Haslam said last month that he expected school vouchers to be "one of the most contentious issues" of the upcoming legislative session. He said at the time that he would make up his mind on the issue by the end of the year. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx? cId=tennessean&sParam=38155519.story

Haslam: Vouchers need year of study (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Sher)

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday named a task force to study and make recommendations regarding use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers that would let students attend private and religious schools. The move comes amid efforts by Senate Republicans and some House Republicans to revive their voucher bill -- which they call "opportunity scholarships" -- during the legislative session that starts Jan. 10. But Haslam said more time is needed to study the issue and see how vouchers fit into education reforms he championed in the last session. His task force would not make its recommendations until fall 2012 -- after the General Assembly adjourns for the year. The Tennessee School Board Association voted last month at its winter meeting to oppose the voucher bill. In an interview prior to the vote, Hamilton County Board of Education Chairman Mike Evatt said, "I never have been in favor of vouchers much." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/haslam-vouchers-need-year-of-study/?local

Haslam appoints panel to study school voucher program (C. Appeal/Locker)

Gov. Bill Haslam appointed a panel of educators and legislators Thursday to study and make recommendations on a potential school-voucher program for Tennessee, which would allow parents to pay private school tuition with public education funding. But he gave the panel until next fall to present its findings and said the legislature shouldn't pursue a voucher bill in its upcoming session. The House sponsor of a voucher bill, Rep. Bill Dunn, RKnoxville, said he's willing to wait, effectively delaying passage until at least 2013. Voucher proposals have generated intense controversy. All four of the state's urban school boards, including the new unified Shelby County board, passed resolutions opposing voucher programs after the state Senate approved a bill this year. It stalled in the House, but is pending review. Earlier Thursday, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey said he supports a more limited voucher bill than the one sponsored by Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, that won Senate

approval. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/15/haslam-appoints-panel-study-school-voucher-program/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

School voucher legislation put off year; Haslam creates study (NS/Humphrey)
Gov. Bill Haslam moved Thursday to block action in the 2012 legislative session on a bill to create a voucher system for school systems in Tennessee's four biggest counties. Instead, Haslam announced he is setting up a task force to study the issue until fall 2012 and make recommendations on what form any "equal opportunity scholarships" would take. Legislation establishing a voucher system in Knox, Davidson, Hamilton and Shelby counties was approved in the past legislative session by the state Senate, but failed in the House. Since then, school boards in all four of the counties have adopted resolutions opposing the bill. Rep. Bill Dunn, a Knoxville Republican and lead sponsor of the voucher bill in the House, said he had been briefed on the governor's plans and has mixed sentiments. Dunn said he is "not going to close any doors" toward possible action without the governor's blessing but acknowledged the yearlong study likely means a year of waiting before any legislative action.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/15/school-voucher-legislation-put-off-a-year-haslam/

Governor sets intiative for school-choice scholarships (Daily News Journal)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the formation of a task force to make recommendations on what an opportunity scholarship initiative might look like in Tennessee based on the best available research. The committee will be charged with looking at how a program would fit into Tennessees overall education reform strategy and provide meaningful education options to disadvantaged students. I support school-choice options and believe that opportunity scholarships could be an impactful tool in Tennessee, Haslam said. We should offer alternatives to low-income students and their parents who may feel stuck in failing schools. Charter schools have been a significant part of that process, and it is appropriate to explore additional opportunities. There is still work to be done, however, in identifying what an opportunity scholarship program should look like here, and I think those discussions need to happen before legislation is pursued any further in this session. First and foremost, any new program must complement our ongoing efforts to reform education, Haslam continued. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111215/NEW S01/111215008/Governor-sets-intiative-school-choice-scholarships

GOP Support for School-Choice Legislation Lacking in House (TN Report)

Gov. Bill Haslam has announced the formation of an opportunity scholarship task force intended to study the issue of vouchers before legislation is pursued any further in this session. The body is directed to report back to the governors office in the fall of 2012, long after the Legislature is expected to adjourn. The 2012 General Election is Nov. 6. The governor plans to weigh in any day on whether to offer parents broader school choice options for their children next year, but high-ranking House leaders are hinting that idea is not in the cards for 2012. Both the Republican Caucus chairwoman and the Education Committee chairman say theyd rather let the education reforms they passed this year soak in before pushing controversial legislation that would give parents in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga money to help send their children to different public, charter or private schools. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/12/gop-support-for-school-choice-legislation-lacking-in-house/

Nakatetsu Tech Expanding Washington Co. Operations (TN Report)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today joined with company officials from Nakatetsu Machining Technologies to announce the companys decision to expand its Telford facility. The $6.3 million investment will create 35 new manufacturing jobs and retain 60 at the plant. Im pleased to announce that Nakatetsu will expand its Telford facility, creating new manufacturing jobs for Tennesseans, Haslam said. Expansion of existing Tennessee businesses has been a cornerstone of our economic development strategy and will help us achieve our goal of becoming the No.1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. Gov. Haslams Jobs4TN plan recognizes that the vast majority of new jobs created in the state come from expansions of existing Tennessee businesses, and that is where weve focused much of our economic development efforts and resources, Hagerty said. http://www.tnreport.com/2011/12/nakatetsu-tech-expanding-washington-co-operations/

Snap-on Tools awarded $16,542 job training grant (Elizabethton Star)

Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Karla 2

Davis have awarded $16,452 to Snap-on Tools in Elizabethton. If Tennessee is going to become the number one location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs, then we must offer a well-trained workforce to employers, said Governor Haslam. This kind of training grant not only helps educate workers, but also provides incentive to employers looking to relocate or expand in Tennessee. Both job creation and retention are vital in maintaining a healthy economy in Tennessee, and the Incumbent Worker Training program has played a key role in accomplishing this, said Commissioner Davis. Since the programs inception, Incumbent W orker Training grants have assisted more than 600 businesses by providing $14 million to train approximately 50,000 employees. In their application for the grant, Snap-on Tools stated this training grant will provide consistency in production methods that will result in fewer defects. This improvement will sustain their product quality and competitive advantage. http://www.starhq.com/2011/12/15/snap-on-tools-awarded-16542-job-training-grant/

Gov. Haslam named Sentinel/Willett)

ETHS's

1st East Tennessean

of the

Year (News-

The East Tennessee Historical Society honored Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday night with its first annual East Tennessean of the Year Award at a celebration dinner held at the Cherokee Country Club. "If there is an award for most blessed East Tennessean, that would be me," Haslam said after accepting the award. The board of directors of the Historical Society established the award to honor an East Tennessee history maker who is not only an ambassador for the region but who also represents integrity, dignity, leadership qualities and the volunteer spirit, according to Tennessee Supreme Court Judge Gary Wade, who is from Sevier County. In this inaugural year of the award, the board of directors unanimously selected Haslam, the only native Knoxvillian to be elected governor in Tennessee's history and the second East Tennessean elected in the past 50 years, Wade said. The award will be presented each year to an East Tennessean who has made significant accomplishments in the fields of history, politics, entertainment, education, research or humanitarian work that improves the lives of those who live in the region, he said. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/15/gov-haslam-named-ethss-1steast-tennessean-of/

Gov. Haslam recognized as East Tennesean of the Year (WBIR-TV Knoxville)

Thursday night Governor Bill Haslam received another title, East Tennessean of the Year. The award is given by the East Tennessee Historical Society. They presented the honor to the Governor and former Knoxville Mayor at Cherokee Country Club on Thursday evening. The goal is to recognize a history-maker who represented integrity, dignity, leadership and the Volunteer spirit. Governor Haslam called the award humbling. "There are a whole lot of people that are more deserving of East Tennessean of the year but if there is someone who is most blessed East Tennesseeans it would be me. I'm honored that they would recognize me tonight," said Haslam. The dinner also benefited the work of the East Tennessee Historical Society. http://www.wbir.com/news/article/195913/2/Gov-Haslam-recognized-as-East-Tennesean-of-the-Year

State's jobless rate lowest since January 2009 (Associated Press)

Tennessee's unemployment rate in November dropped 0.4 percent to 9.1 percent, the lowest since January 2009. State officials said Thursday about 10,000 jobs were created since October with job growth in the service sector such as retail trade and temporary jobs. Eighty-nine hundred jobs were added in retail trade. Professional and business services grew by 7,100 positions. Jobs losing positions were arts, entertainment and recreation, down by 1,800; wholesale trade, 1,400; and durable goods manufacturing, 400. The January 2009 figure was 9 percent. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=38155005.story

Tennessee jobless rate falls to lowest level in nearly three years (M. Biz Journal)
Tennessees unemployment rate fell in November to 9.1 percent, the lowest rate in nearly two years. Novembers rate fell from a revised October rate of 9.5 percent, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. The national rate fell similarly in November: It was 8.6 percent last month, down from 9 percent in October. Novembers jobless rate is the lowest Tennessee has registered since January 2009, when it was 9 percent. After seasonal adjustments were made, nearly 10,000 jobs were created since October with positive job growth in the service sector such as retail trade and temporary jobs, said Labor Commissioner Karla Davis. The states unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted to account for the hiring and layoff patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and the summer vacation season. 3

http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2011/12/15/tennessee-jobless-rate-falls-to-lowest.html

State unemployment rate falls to lowest in nearly 3 years (WVLT-TV Knoxville)

The Tennessee unemployment rate fell four-tenths of a point to 9.1% in November, according to Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis. This is the lowest unemployment rate Tennessee has experienced since January of 2009 at 9.0 percent, Commissioner Davis said. The unemployment rate stood at 9.5% in October. Last month's decrease equaled the decline in the national rate, which fell from 9.0% to 8.6%. The Dept. of labor noted the unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted for the hiring and firing patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and summer vacation. After seasonal adjustments were made, nearly 10,000 jobs were created since October with positive job growth in the service sector such as retail trade and temporary jobs. The biggest increase was in trade/transportation/utilities which added 9,200 jobs. Nearly all of them were in retail trade. Professional and business services added over 7,000 jobs. The biggest decline came in arts, entertainment, and recreation which lost 1,800 positions. http://www.volunteertv.com/news/headlines/State_unemployment_rate_falls_to_lowest_in_nearly_3_years_1356 81643.html

More workers take second jobs to get by (Tennessean/Marsteller)

Part-time work is growing necessity Heather Rolleys primary occupation is motherhood, but it doesnt pay the bills. So on most days, after she takes her daughter and two sons to school, the 36-year-old divorcee heads to work. Some days its at the Polo Ralph Lauren store in Lebanon Prime Outlets, where she makes $8.50 an hour as a part-time sales associate. Other days, she focuses on her home-based Mary Kay business, making telephone calls, checking orders and meeting clients. Many days, she does both. It helps me make ends meet, but its barely enough, Rolley said of her dual income, which is supplemented by child support. It is very difficult. Holding two part-time jobs, plus being a mom, is a juggling act. Its tough, it really is. Nearly 5 percent of the nations workforce held multiple jobs in November, up slightly from last year. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/BUSINESS01/312160066/More-workers-take-second-jobs-get-by? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

TN appointed businessman while he was under fraud indictment (TN/Roche)

A recently appointed top administrator of Tennessees multimillion-dollar employment security system was under indictment in Ohio in a mortgage fraud case at the time of his appointment last month. Turner Nashe Jr., 37, of Brentwood, was charged in the May 2010 indictment with money laundering, theft and several counts of aiding and abetting an unlicensed loan broker who submitted falsified loan applications. The co-defendant worked for Nashes company, Trident Financial. The charges against Nashe were dismissed without prejudice on Nov. 29. Maria Russo, a spokeswoman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason, said the investigation is continuing and that the dismissal without prejudice does not preclude future action against Nashe. Nashe was one of dozens indicted in what has been billed by Ohio officials as the largest mortgage fraud case in the country. Jeff Hentschel, a spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, said in an email response to questions that prosecutors dropped the charges after a thorough examination of the facts, including complete inspection of records and financial statements, both business and personal. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS0201/312160047/TN-appointed-Brentwood-man-who-underfraud-indictment?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

UT inmate program recognized by federal government (Associated Press)

A program at the University of Tennessee that helps inmates has been recognized by the federal government The Tennessee Partnership for Ongoing Parental Support provides child support services to inmates and helps newly released offenders find work and other important community assistance. It's been listed as an example of successful practice in the November issue of Child Support Report, a publication of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Child Support Enforcement. The three-year-old program serves men at the Morgan County Correctional Complex. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=38158753.story

Federal appeals court rules in favor of TN death row inmate (Tennessean/Gee)

A death row inmates life may be spared after a federal appeals court ruled that his claims of mental disability 4

were not properly considered by the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. Byron Black, 55, was sentenced to death in 1989 in Nashville after he was found guilty of killing his girlfriend, Angela Clay, and her two minor daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Black has lost several appeals on various claims in the years since. But Thursday the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision that the state Court of Criminal Appeals did not properly evaluate whether Black has a mental disability. In 2001 and 2002, respectively, the Tennessee and U.S. supreme courts ruled that the execution of mentally disabled people violates state and federal constitutional bans on cruel and unusual punishment. In 2006, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals upheld a lower courts ruling that Black was not mentally disabled. The court chose not to consider factors that could affect the accuracy of IQ tests, such as the standard error of measurement or the Flynn Effect, which calls for adjusting downward the score that a subject receives on an older I.Q. test based on the idea that the general populations level of knowledge increases over time. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS03/312160068/Federal-appeals-court-rules-favor-TN-deathrow-inmate?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Knox County judicial commissioner candidates down to 8 (News-Sentinel/Donila)

Magistrate will fill seat held by Carolyn Faye Jeter Knox County officials have narrowed the list of candidates to fill an open judicial commission job, creating a field of attorneys that includes public servants, a former police officer, longtime veterans and a few just out of law school. Initially, 15 applied for the job to finish out Carolyn Faye Jeter's four-year term, which runs through January 2013. Jeter, who served as commissioner with the Knox County General Sessions Court for 17 years, died in late October. The Knox County Commission held interviews at Monday's work session, and the county's sessions judges then narrowed the list Wednesday. The commission during this Monday's regular meeting will make the final selection. A snapshot of the candidates: * Alexander Brown: Criminal defense attorney for the past nine years and a former substitute for the judicial commission. * Dustin Dunham: Current judicial commission substitute who has been practicing law about a year. Dunham also served as a personnel administrator while in the U.S. Marine Corps. * Bailey Harned: A criminal defense attorney for the past two years. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/16/knox-county-judicial-commissioner-candidates-to/

Ramsey floats special session on health care law (Associated Press/Schelzig)

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey on Thursday floated the idea of holding a special legislative session next winter if it's still necessary for Tennessee to come into line with requirements set by President Barack Obama's health care law. The Blountville Republican said in a speech at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce that waiting to hold a special session in December 2012 would allow time for a Supreme Court challenge or the presidential elections to reverse the tide on the health care law. "Personally, I hope the Supreme Court overturns it sometime this summer and says you can't have these individual mandates that I think are blatantly unconstitutional," Ramsey said. "But we can't assume that's going to happen," he said. "We're in kind of a Catch-22 situation." The exchanges represent half of Obama's strategy for expanding coverage to more than 30 million uninsured people. While the middle-class uninsured will pick a plan through their state exchange, low-income people will be covered through an expanded Medicaid program. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=38153135.story

TN Senate may postpone health-exchange debate (Tennessean/Sisk)

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey says he may call for a special session after next years elections to take up a key aspect of the federal health-care reform law. Ramsey said Thursday that he and other leaders in the Tennessee Senate favor delaying debate on whether to create a state-run exchange for health insurance until after they know the outcome of the presidential vote and a Supreme Court case challenging the health-care law. The federal healthcare law passed in March 2010 requires states to set up online exchanges where individuals can shop for health insurance policies. States that do not have the exchanges set up by Jan. 1, 2013, must turn the responsibility over to the federal government. Republican Senate leaders would prefer a state-run exchange to one run by the federal government, Ramsey said. But they do not want to imply to voters that they favor the health-care reform plan itself. Do we go into session this year and have to set up something and vote for something that we really hope will never happens? Ramsey said. I think theres an underlying feeling out there that either the Supreme Court is going to overturn it or the 2012 election is (going to) change this. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS0201/312160071/TN-Senate-may-postpone-healthexchange-debate?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Lt. Gov. Ramsey talks workers' comp, judicial elections (Nashville Biz Journal)
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Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey today alluded to complications with workers compensation reform and opined on a range of other business issues in advance of the Tennessee General Assembly reconvening. Ramsey, the colorful conservative Republican from Blountville who serves as head of the Senate, spoke to reporters about numerous issues, including workers compensation and the controversial matter of whether Tennessee should elect all of its judges. He expressed support for reforming the workers compensation system along the lines that business interests have been exploring, but was doubtful that the legislature would be able to accomplish all he would like on the issue during the upcoming session, which begins in January. Ramsey said workers compensation deserves attention, but he wants to do more than tinker around the edges. Apparently we are getting behind the eight-ball, he said. Ramseys supportive but cautious note on the political likelihood of broad reform is a sign of possible complications on what was shaping up to be a top issue for the legislature. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2011/12/15/ramsey-republican-tennessee-workers-comp.html

Ramsey: Put Off Deciding on Insurance Exchange (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

The speaker of the state senate wants to put off a key decision about a requirement of the federal healthcare overhaul. Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey said in a speech today the state shouldnt act on a health exchange until after next years election. The federal overhaul calls for exchanges that would be a one-stop shop for people buying health insurance. States can either set up their own or take part in a federal exchange. Ramsey told TNReport.com (raw video here) he doesnt like either option, and he says the state should put off choosing next year until the healthcare law passes a crucial legal challenge. Im just saying that this could be a possible solution, that all of us are trying to figure out how to solve, is see what the Supreme Court does, see what happens in the November election, and then before January act on something. Thats just Ron Ramseys thinking-outside-the-box idea. Ramsey stressed he hasnt discussed the idea of a special session with the governor or state house speaker. http://wpln.org/?p=32336

Lt. Gov. Ramsey wants to wait on health care exchange decision (WSMV-TV Nash.)
Tennessee has some big decisions to make when it comes to health care reform. A top lawmaker said Thursday he wants to wait until after the elections to deal with Obama's plan. It's a move health care advocates say could put Tennesseans at risk. The state needs to decide whether to set up it's own health care exchange. It's a big undertaking that something one million Tennesseans would use. But the lieutenant governor says he doesn't want to make a decision until he knows for sure what the U.S. Supreme Court has to say about the health care law. Bobby Joslin, of Joslin and Son Signs, has been making signs for 35 years, and providing health insurance to his employees is important to him. But those costs are skyrocketing, and he fears federal health care reform is going to make it even worse. "We see this as a job killer. We can't afford to add on employees if we don't know what the costs are going to be with this new 'Obamacare,'" Joslin said. http://www.wsmv.com/story/16333636/lt-gov-ramsey-wants-to-wait-on-health-care-exchange-decision

Lawmakers look to trim scholarship (Daily News Journal)

State Sen. Bill Ketron believes legislative action is needed to reverse annual deficits on lottery scholarship spending as the General Assembly prepares to convene Jan. 10. A Senate Lottery Stabilization Task Force unanimously passed a plan that would cut in half the amount of money students receive if they meet only one of two mandates, a 21 on the ACT or 3.0 grade-point average in high school. Students who make both of those marks will continue to earn the full $4,000 annual scholarship to attend a four-year public or private college in Tennessee. Even though its reserve totals $325 million and the lottery raised a record $293.5 million for education last year, state lawmakers are leery because expenditures outstripped revenue by about $19 million in fiscal 2011. "It's going to get to that sweet spot where it's declining," said Ketron, a Murfreesboro Republican who chairs the Senate Majority Caucus. Though Ketron has not studied the task force's recommendation, he said he believes the academic requirements need to be changed "because there's less money." The task force vote also recommended raising the required lottery reserve to $100 million from $50 million and setting aside a $10 million annual supplement for the Tennessee Student Assistance Awards program, which could give scholarships to 5,600 low-income students. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111216/NEWS01/112160315/Lawmakers-look-trimscholarship

Hamilton County eyes meth costs and resolution (Times Free-Press/Haman)

6

Hamilton County Commissioner Joe Graham invited a state methamphetamine expert to brief colleagues Thursday on the annual costs of methamphetamine use in the area. Graham is proposing that commissioners vote next week to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to make pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient in meth, a controlled substance. Then residents would have to have a prescription to obtain cold medicines containing it. Tennessee Meth Task Force Director Tommy Farmer did not take a position on pseudoephedrine as a controlled substance, but he said there are three or four methods for cooking it. "In all of those, the common denominator is pseudoephedrine," Farmer said. He said that pseudoephedrine was a controlled substance before 1975. These days, he added, there are 137 alternative cold treatment products on the market. Graham said similar moves in Mississippi and Oregon greatly have reduced costs associated with methamphetamine labs and their cleanup in those states. "The County Commission funds the sheriff's department, and the sheriff's department takes care of these methamphetamine-contaminated properties," he said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/hamilton-county-eyes-meth-costs-resolution/?local

Officials quiet on district lines (Daily News Journal)

The day following pledges to create a new committee to study school and road board redistricting, no one brought it up at Thursday night's Rutherford County Commission meeting. "I am going to bring it up in January," Commissioner Rhonda Allen of Smyrna said after the meeting. "I wasn't ready to bring it up yet. I wanted to collect my thoughts." Allen served on the redistricting committee that recommended Wednesday night to retain reapportionment plans approved by the commission in September despite complaints about maps for the school and road zones having odd shapes while not keeping communities of interest together. The county faced a Jan. 1, 2012, deadline to submit its redistricting plan to the state to consider for ratification. Each commission district must be within 5 percent of 12,505 residents based on dividing the 2010 U.S. population count of 262,604 for the growing county by 21 commission seats. Each of the zones for the school and road boards consists of three of the districts. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111216/NEW S01/112160320/Officials-quiet-district-lines

MLGW board gives workers year-end bonus instead of pay hike (CA/Callahan)
The Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division board voted Thursday to give employees a year-end bonus instead of a proposed 1 percent raise. Thanks to the unanimous 5-0 vote, MLGW's full-time employees will receive a $750 bonus while part-time employees will get a $200 bonus. That money will appear in checks issued Dec. 23. The bonuses will cost the utility approximately $2 million, MLGW president Jerry Collins said. "It's not unreasonable," Collins said, citing increases in cost-of-living expenses. Added MLGW board chairman Darrell Cobbins: "(The thinking is), let's give our employees a small bump since they haven't received anything in the last couple of years." MLGW followed both city and county governments in approving bonus payments for their employees in recent weeks Combined, the three public entities will use taxpayer money to award about $10.3 million to employees. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/15/memphis-light-gas-and-water-considers-bonus-instea/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Electrical power issue hits Occupy Nashville (Associated Press)

The state fire marshal's office has cut off the electrical outlet Occupy Nashville was using on Legislative Plaza after an inspector found that it posed a safety threat. The group was able to operate off a battery-powered backup generator all day Wednesday. According to The Tennessean newspaper, a spokesman said they are bringing in batteries and will get a solar powered generator (http://tnne.ws/tQavEY). The spokesman also said the group is willing to pay an electrician to rewire the outlet and make sure it is up to code. State officials said the wiring's insulation had melted and the exposed wiring created the potential for contact with the metal of the outlet and possible electrocution. Occupy Nashville members said the outlet overloaded early Tuesday. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=38156499.story

State cuts off Occupy's power for safety (Tennessean/Young)

The states general services division cut off the electrical outlet Occupy Nashville was using on Legislative Plaza on Wednesday after an inspector with the fire marshals office found that it had been compromised and posed a safety threat to the public. In particular, inside the outlet, the wirings insulation had melted back, said state spokesman Christopher Garrett. The exposed wiring created the potential for contact with the metal of the 7

outlet, which could energize metal in the vicinity of the power source and risk electrocuting people in that vicinity. No explanation was given to the Occupy Nashville group as to why the power was cut off, said protester Matthew Hamill, who has been living on Legislative Plaza since Oct. 22. They just did it and left, he said. No letters were sent to our legal team, nothing. The electrical problems began after the outlet overloaded early Tuesday morning, Hamill said. W e opened the box and noticed that the wiring was out of date and posing a fire hazard, he said. We had an electrician come out and fix the box. He rewired it, and fired it up. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS01/312150063/State-cuts-off-Occupy-s-power-safety? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Local Dems stand up for Occupy (Daily News Journal)

Resolution backs 'Boro protesters Rutherford County Democratic Party is taking a stand in support of the Occupy Murfreesboro movement staked out on city property downtown. At its Dec. 10 quarterly meeting, the party's executive committee voted overwhelmingly to support a resolution backing the Occupy Murfreesboro group, which has about four tents where people are camping on the Civic Plaza here. "As the massive income gap between the richest 1 percent and the rest of us continues to widen, Americans are beginning to take notice," party Chairman Justin St. Clair said in a written statement. "At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to support their families, through high unemployment and stagnant wages, W all Street is posting record profits. To many Americans this does not seem coincidental. There is a correlation here. Unemployment is high, in part, because the so-called job creators are creating the jobs overseas. Profits are high for the same reason. The richest 1 percent are clearly profiting off of the suffering of the rest of us." http://www.dnj.com/article/20111216/NEW S01/112160312/Local-Dems-stand-up-Occupy

Urban growth committee nixes Chattanooga growth plan (TFP/Hightower)

Mayor Ron Littlefield was handed a political defeat Thursday night on the heels of two legal defeats within the last two months. An urban growth committee he asked to be commissioned voted 12-5 Thursday night not to entertain any proposals from Chattanooga on opening up talks on urban growth boundaries or consolidation. Two members abstained. "The burden of proof was on the city of Chattanooga," said County Mayor Jim Coppinger, chairman of the committee. "As they stated, they had no specific amendment." The meeting lasted for about 20 minutes with a five-minute recess to record vote tallies. In the end, the Chattanooga mayor, who is in Germany this week on business, could only rustle up a literal handful of votes. "We can request another amendment by the urban growth boundary," said Richard Beeland, spokesman for the mayor and a hand-picked member of the committee for the city. He said he did not know yet if the mayor would try and request the committee to convene again. Beeland said after the meeting he did not think the city had to provide a "specific amendment" and said the meeting was more for the communities to start talking about steps toward handling rapid growth occurring across the county. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/panel-nixes-growth-plan/?local

Marsha Blackburn presses fight to save incandescent bulbs (Tennessean/Paine)

With just 16 days to go, a local lawmaker is among those trying to stop any changes to the incandescent light bulb. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of W illiamson County backs a provision that would remove funding for a light bulb energy efficiency law scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The measure has been added to the proposed 2012 appropriations bill, which the House could vote on as soon as today. Advocates say technology has marched on, and bulbs should be updated instead of lagging behind while more energy-efficient homes, cars and appliances are built. The law doesnt ban the traditional pear-shaped light bulb. It requires that any 100-watt bulbs manufactured as of the new year be at least 27 percent more efficient. The same would happen with 75-watt bulbs next year, and 60- and 40-watt bulbs the year after. The problem with traditional light bulbs is that about 90 percent of the electricity they use goes into producing heat rather than light, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS11/312160045/Marsha-Blackburn-presses-fight-saveincandescent-bulbs?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Area lawmakers tout competition as fix for high Memphis airfares (CA/Sullivan)
Members of the Tennessee congressional delegation from the Memphis area and Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker were asked to comment on the high airfares out of Memphis and whether they'd support an antitrust investigation. Three of the five addressed the cost of airfare. "The fact that Memphis has the undesirable distinction of having the highest airfare prices in the nation is very concerning," said Rep. Steve Cohen, D8

Memphis. "I've reached out to Delta Air Lines and the Memphis Airport Authority to see what can be done to lower prices. Not only are these high prices limiting the ability of Memphians to travel, but they have a significant negative economic impact since they are a deterrent for tourists hoping to visit Memphis as well as businesses looking to relocate here." Added Alexander: "The best way to lower ticket prices to any airport is to increase competition among airlines. The best way to lower fuel prices -- which would also lower ticket prices -- is to find more American energy and use less of it." Laura Herzog, a spokeswoman for Corker, said: "Senator Corker recognizes that rising airfares in Memphis and throughout the country are primarily a function of the marketplace and that recruiting more competition to the airport is the most effective way of bringing fares down." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/16/area-lawmakers-tout-airline-competition/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Democrat Bill Taylor makes 3rd District bid (Times Free-Press/Carroll)

A little blue crept into Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District race Thursday when political newcomer and Ooltewah businessman Bill Taylor became the first Democrat to go after U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann's job. Amid coffee, cookies and a crowd at Hamilton County Democratic Party headquarters, Taylor, 59, shied away from partisan rhetoric and struck a centrist tone, comparing himself to former Democratic Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen. Taylor later described the current Congress as "appalling" and said too many Republicans and Democrats occupy fringe ideological territory. "Here in Hamilton County, we've not had anybody represent the 70 percent in the middle," he said. "I represent the middle." Whether Taylor is a sacrificial lamb or a candidate with a chance remains to be seen. GOP candidates have won the seat since 1994, when Zach Wamp captured the first of eight largely uncontested terms. But Democrats say political tides could change. They cite Democrat Marilyn Lloyd, who won the seat in 1974 and kept it until 1992, two years longer than W amp. "Bill has a chance of winning," said Martha Embry, a Chattanooga Democrat who first met Taylor at the news conference. "He's sincere, down-to-earth and believable." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/democrat-bill-taylor-makes-3rd-district-bid/?local

Taylor first Democrat to announce bid to unseat Fleischmann (Nooga)

Tennessee's 3rd District hasn't seen a Democrat Representative in nearly 20 years, but Bill Taylor says he's ready to change that. Taylor, a 59-year-old Democrat and owner of Physician's Practice Resources, announced Thursday his intentions to challenge Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in next year's election. To a crowd of around 30 men and women at the Hamilton County Democratic Party headquarters, Taylor said he was getting into the race because Washington politics had become "appalling" to him. "There seems to be no effort to explore ideas, make compromises, and develop solutions that solve our issues," Taylor said. "That needs to change. The three most important issues facing us today are jobs, healthcare, and taxes. And I'm uniquely qualified to address all these problems." Taylor, who called himself a Democrat in the tradition of former Gov. Phil Bredesen, has no prior experience in politics. If elected, he would be the first Democrat to win in the 3rd District since Rep. Marilyn Lloyd, who served 10 terms and was last elected to the House in 1992. http://www.nooga.com/26622_taylor-first-democrat-to-announce-bid-to-unseat-fleischmann/

Congress Blinks on Shutdown (Wall Street Journal)

Deal Reached to Fund Government, Opening Door to Extending Payroll Tax Cuts Congressional leaders fearful of voters' wrath over Washington's bickering and brinkmanshipstepped back Thursday from a possible government shutdown, clearing the way for at least a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut that is set to expire at year's end. The shift marked a dizzying change in tone from the contentious atmosphere that prevailed just a day earlier. Republican and Democratic leaders returned to the bargaining table and struck a deal on a $1 trillion spending bill to keep the government operating after Friday. A deal was harder to come by on Congress' second quest, which is to agree on a yearlong extension of the payroll tax cut and of expiring unemployment benefits. But the chances of keeping the tax cut in place at least temporarily improved as Democratic officials said they were preparing a fall back to a two-month extension if they fail to reach a longer-term agreement in the coming days. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204026804577100270185820312.html?mod=ITP_pageone_0 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Official: 9 states to share $500M in Race to the Top grants (Associated Press)
Nine states will share $500 million in grant money won in a high profile competition intended to jumpstart improvements in often-overlooked early childhood programs, The Associated Press has learned. The winners to 9

be announced Friday at the White House are California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the winners had not been officially announced. The money to aid the nation's youngest learners is part of the Obama administration's cornerstone education initiative Race to the Top which has states competing for federal dollars to create programs that make schools more effective. Last year, it handed out $4 billion in such grants focused on K-12 education. The goal of this competition was to get more children from birth to age 5 ready for kindergarten. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2011-12-16/race-to-the-top-winners/52005184/1

Nuclear Regulatory Commission's spat revolves around safety (TN/Bewley)

Chairman accused of being too strict A spat among the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions five members stems from philosophical differences over how strictly the agency should regulate the nuclear industry, Senate Democrats and nuclear experts said Thursday. Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public W orks Committee said the commissions embattled chairman, Gregory Jaczko, has favored strict regulation while the other four commissioners have sided with industry and delayed implementation of new safety rules. Republicans on the committee countered that the NRCs problems stem from Jaczkos leadership style. Their concerns echoed those raised by House Republicans during a contentious Oversight and Government Reform Committee meeting on Wednesday. In a letter to the White House made public last week, the four commissioners claimed Jaczko, who worked for nuclear critics in Congress before former President George W . Bush named him to the NRC in 2005, had seized too much power, berated employees and created a chilled work environment. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS02/312160052/Nuclear-Regulatory-Commission-s-spatrevolves-around-safety-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Despite Difficulties, Tennessee Exports to Europe Up (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

Some European economies are on the brink of collapse, but the region is still buying Tennessee products. Sales of Jack Daniels whiskey, medical equipment, and other goods are up eight percent from a year ago. Tennessee companies sent close to a billion dollars worth of goods to Europe in the third quarter, thats more than what was exported to China. MTSUs Steven Livingston says while some European countries are having big problems, not all have gone down the drain. The Netherlands, Belgium, that area is still increasing imports from Tennessee, largely from the medical equipment sector. Scandinavia is still doing okay, and France is bucking the trend, purchasing more goods from Tennessee. So, thats whats made the export picture more resilient than it would be otherwise. But exports to Italy and Spain are down about 7 percent. Those are the two biggest European economies affected by rising public debts and shrinking government spending. http://wpln.org/?p=32249

Group aims to accelerate growth of businesses in East Tenn. (NS/Flory, Harrington)

If you happen to be a nurse anesthetist who needs a clinical-decision-support app for your iPhone, Chris Knapper and Matt Bell can help you. The two men are nurse anesthetists themselves but are also building a fledgling company called E2 Medical Software, and on Thursday night they were at the Cherokee Mills office complex for a gathering aimed at entrepreneurs. The event was hosted by the East Tennessee Regional Accelerator Coalition, or ETRAC, which grew out of a statewide initiative from the administration of Gov. Bill Haslam that is aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and job creation in the state. As part of that effort, nine regional accelerators are being established, including the East Tennessee one led by the University of Tennessee's Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Asked about the challenges of launching a business Bell cited marketing and distribution, and specifically the problem of capturing enough customers in a "very niche market." The company's iPhone app was designed as a marketing tool but the company is aiming to broaden its horizons, with offerings such as software that can bring textbook and reference materials to the mobile devices of anesthesia providers, allowing them to be used at the "head of the bed." http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/15/group-aims-to-accelerate-growth-of-businesses-in/

School officials to discuss charter school's future (WKRN-TV Nashville)

School officials are scheduled to meet early next week to discuss a Metro charter school that could be forced to close their doors at the end of the semester. Drexel Preparatory Academy located in the W hites Creek area opened its door in August; however school board members are demanding its charter be revoked. The school system claims the school does not provide sufficient services to English language learners and hired unqualified teachers. School board members are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the school's future. The meeting 10

will be held at the Central Office located on Bransford Avenue beginning at 4:30 p.m. Currently 240 students attend the school. Many of the children are bussed from throughout the city and were previously zoned to attend low performing schools. http://www.wkrn.com/story/16333483/school-officials-to-discuss-charter-schools-future

Former employees claim violations at Metro charter school (W SMV-TV Nashville)

Former employees of an embattled Metro charter school are coming forward with claims of serious violations. The Channel 4 I-Team first reported that Drexel Preparatory Academy had hired unlicensed teachers and may have failed to run required background checks on bus drivers. The director of the school denied those claims, saying every bus driver was screened, but a former employee said she can prove that isn't the case. Carolyn Ray said she was hired as a bus driver for Drexel in August but has never had a background check done, even though the job requires it. "I just know that they didn't do one on me," she said. Frank Stevenson, the director of Drexel Academy, told the I-Team the opposite. "Every bus driver has had background checks," he said. Ray was so disturbed by the I-Team report that she shared photos she took of herself on the job as a bus driver without ever having been screened. http://www.wsmv.com/story/16335965/former-employees-claim-violations-at-metrocharter-school

Education experts meet with Metro (Tennessean/Hubbard)

A leading expert on education reform, Andy Hargreaves, typed away on his laptop Thursday, taking notes of all the new ways Metro school leaders are teaching this year. The Boston College professor who wrote and edited 25 books is one of six experts on Metro Nashville schools 2-year-old National Advisory Panel. A majority of the panel visited the district Thursday and will be here today, meeting with principals and other school leaders. The panel will give advice on whats working and what should change, based on what other high-performing districts do. The panel was assembled in 2010 as part of Metros $140,000 contract with the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, which also evaluates and compiles a report to the district each year. The latest was released this week, praising Metro for its swift change in reform culture but saying it needs to get central office communications and expectations to teachers more effectively. This is a reform in many ways that models the best practice of some of the highest-performing countries in the world, which is no silver bullet, no lets-do-more-testing or standardized curriculum, but really about changing the learning so kids are really engaged with it, Hargreaves said. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/NEWS04/312160054/Education-experts-meet-Metro? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Hamilton County schools seek science and math program funding (TFP/Hardy)
The Hamilton County Board of Education unanimously approved on Thursday a grant application for about $1.8 million to help fund a science, technology, engineering and math school here. Board members voted 7-0 on the district's application to the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a partnership of the Tennessee Department of Education and the Battelle Memorial Institute, an independent research and development organization. Board members Joe Galloway and Everett Fairchild were absent. If approved, the new school, planned for the Chattanooga State Community College campus, would eventually house about 300 high school students The STEM school will be jointly funded by the grant, the school system and donations (cash and in-kind) from local businesses. Officials said Hamilton County Schools would have to put up about $462,000 in the school's first year. That part still had some board members hesitant Thursday. "Where is the money coming from?" said board member Jeffrey W ilson. "I know we don't have an answer. I am probably going to support this, but with much reservation." Wilson pointed to the projected deficit of as much as $10 million in next year's schools budget. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/schools-seek-science-math-program-funding/?local

Allied Arts of Greater Chatt. wants arts boost in Hamilton Co. schools (TFP/Garrett)
Elementary schools that don't integrate painting, dancing and acting into their curriculums are setting students up for faulty imaginations and lower test scores, arts activists say. Of 44 elementary schools in Hamilton County, only eight have full-time visual arts teachers, and four of those are funded by parent-teacher associations. They get $100 for supplies from the school and typically pay $500 to $1,000 out of their own pockets for paintbrushes, canvases, paint and materials, supporters say. "W e are the only major system in the state of Tennessee that doesn't have a certified art teacher in every elementary school," said Karla Riddle, director of innovative programs for Hamilton County Schools. "When they say you have to lose a position, the first they look at is art." Officials with cultural development group Allied Arts said an investment of nearly $300,000 is needed to reverse 11

a trend of uneven and underfunded art education. The group is pushing to launch a program to train teachers how to use the arts to drive home tough concepts in English, math or science. The program is modeled after one begun in Dallas a decade ago. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/allied-arts-wants-arts-boost/? local

MORE

OPINION Editorial: Gov. shows pragmatism on sunshine, tax debate (Daily News Journal)
We were glad to see Gov. Bill Haslam recently come out against a proposal that would water down the state's open meetings law as well as efforts to eliminate the state's estate tax and Hall income tax. Wrapping up his first year as the state's chief executive, Haslam has shown a knack throughout his first year in office for taking pragmatic approaches to a variety of issues. And in the case of the open meetings law, he fell back on his experience as Knoxville mayor to decide that Tennessee's sunshine law is in place for a good reason. "Those rules actually worked and led to better discussions at city council meetings," Haslam told The Associated Press. And that's the whole point. Public officials should do the people's business in public, with genuine meeting discussions that give voters valuable insight into their representatives' decision-making process. Voters can then weigh those decisions at the ballot box and make an informed choice, because just as important as knowing how an elected official voted on an issue is knowing why. It's unfortunate that the Tennessee County Commissioners Association is pushing a change in the sunshine law that would allow closed-door talks among officials as long as a quorum is not present. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111216/OPINION01/112160324/Editorial-Gov-shows-pragmatism-sunshine-taxdebate

Charlie Daniel Political Cartoon: Deck the Hall Tax (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
http://media.knoxnews.com/media/img/photos/2011/12/15/121611charlie_t607.JPG

Greg Johnson: Judge, prosecutor failed in Baumgartner's case (News-Sentinel)

East Tennessee was already outraged about the new trials granted the defendants in the killings of Channon 12

Christian and Christopher Newsom, a young Knoxville couple heinously tortured and killed in 2007. Now public anger and disgust is turning toward an unprepared special prosecutor and an incurious special judge who let one of their own, Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner, off easy after his drug addiction and criminal behavior while on the bench put hundreds of already settled cases in jeopardy. Special Prosecutor Al Schmutzer, retired from decades of honorable service as the district attorney general for Sevier, Jefferson, Cocke and Grainger counties, has been backpedaling this week as to why he did not inform the court of the depths of Baumgartner's addiction and criminality. "I was stunned when (Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood) came back with probation (for Baumgartner)," Schmutzer told the News Sentinel. But Schmutzer signed off on the plea bargain. He agreed to a minimal charge official misconduct rather than stiffer penalties that likely would have come if, say, Joe Citizen was scoring drugs and having sex in the courthouse. Schmutzer left a disastrous loose end when he agreed to the maximum two-year penalty "with the manner of service to be determined by the court." That glaring gaffe opened the door for the special judge to grant probation and diversion, effectively allowing Baumgartner to go unpunished into retirement, full pension intact. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/16/greg-johnson-judge-prosecutor-failed-in-case/

Guest columnist: 200 years after New Madrid quakes, are we better prepared? (TN)
It was a warm winter night 200 years ago when the ground and buildings started shaking from a strong earthquake in the upper Mississippi River valley near New Madrid, Mo. The first in a series of quakes struck on Dec. 16 around 2:15 a.m., and the few thousand pioneer settlers in the region did not understand what was happening, much less what to do about it. People panicked and ran outside during several long minutes of strong shaking. Unfortunately, this frightened response probably would be repeated in the central U.S. today, as it was when a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck central Virginia on Aug. 23, and again when a magnitude 5.6 quake struck east-central Oklahoma on Nov. 6. The havoc 200 years ago was caused by a powerful earthquake near the southern portion of the Missouri Bootheel, then the edge of the Western frontier. Little did the settlers also know that this would be the start of a remarkable series of powerful earthquakes, each 500 to 1,000 times stronger than the Virginia and Oklahoma events of this year, and each with their own aftershock sequence. Some of the aftershocks were large enough to cause additional damage. At least seven of the earthquakes were felt on the East Coast of the United States. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111216/OPINION03/312160034/200-years-after-New-Madrid-quakes-weany-better-prepared-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Schools merger: who and what (Tri-State Defender)

Unless you have just decided to poke your head up after hiding under a rock all of this year, you are aware that in March Memphis voters passed a referendum to merge city and county schools. And since that time, local, regional and national interest in the education of Memphis and Shelby County public school children has significantly increased. Efforts to create and determine the best approach to sustain a unified public school district to provide education for approximately 150,000 students are underway. Almost 12 months ago (Dec. 20, 2010), the Memphis City School Board Commissioners in an unprecedented move voted to relinquish the MCS charter. That action sparked a chain of events, including tense political battles and citizen-driven movements. In February, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed into a law a controversial bill (sponsored by Republican State Sen. Mark Norris), outling stringent requirements for the transition process and impending schools merger. Memphis voters (71,424 of them) went to the polls in March and 47,812 of them (67 percent) answered yes to this question: http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/6995/1/br-Schools-merger-who-and-what/Page1.html

Free-Press Editorial: Fleischmann, DesJarlais, Graves rightly back tax relief (TFP)
It is frustrating that Democrats have been holding payroll tax relief for 160 million Americans hostage to the desire to impose higher taxes on upper-income Americans some of whom are the very people who operate businesses that employ a lot of workers. Democrats have at last dropped the demand that tax relief be linked to a surcharge on wealthier Americans. But they have still been holding up the tax relief in opposition to the construction of an oil pipeline from Canada to Texas that would create tens of thousands of desperately needed jobs across several states. It is some comfort to us in this part of Tennessee and North Georgia that our regions U.S. representatives supported legislation this week to extend payroll tax relief without raising taxes on others and to pave the way for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. That tax relief would sensibly be paid for by 13

cutting other federal spending. Tennessees 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and 4th District Rep. Scott DesJarlais joined with fellow Republican Rep. Tom Graves of Georgias 9th District in voting for a measure that would protect millions of Americans from a tax increase while also creating jobs. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/fleischmann-desjarlais-graves-rightly-back-tax-rel/? opinionfreepress

Free-Press Editorial: Postal Service can't escape painful workforce decisions (TFP)
There is broad agreement that the U.S. Postal Service is in serious financial trouble. There is less agreement on what to do about it. The problem is that the Postal Service has suffered a huge drop in business over the past several years as millions of Americans have begun using email and the Internet, rather than traditional mail, for bill-paying and correspondence. Postal revenue is way down; the Postal Service expects to lose $14.1 billion next year! But theres no likelihood that Americans are suddenly going to reverse course and start paying to use traditional mail again when they can handle so many things online at no charge. So the Postal Service, which employs more than half a million people, has been casting about for solutions, none of which is very appealing. Some of the main ideas for shoring up the Postal Service include dropping Saturday mail delivery and closing hundreds of mail-processing centers and thousands of post offices around the country. One of the mailprocessing facilities that could be closed is in Chattanooga, on Shallowford Road. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/16/us-postal-service-cant-escape-painful-workforce-de/? opinionfreepress

Pam Strickland: Phone use while driving a measurable distraction (News-Sentinel)

The last thing that anyone in my family says to a departing family member at the end of a gathering isn't "I love you." That's next to last. No, the last thing is "be careful." Our family knows the horror of deaths from a car accident, so we are all defensive drivers. But the truth is that there are still more than a few of us who insist that although driving while talking on the cellphone isn't a good idea for other people, it's OK for us we're the exception to the rule. We're careful. We only do it when it's an emergency, when there's not much traffic or (plug in the excuse of the day). Talking on the cellphone, whether it's via a hands-free device or not, is a distraction from driving. That's what Sgt. Randall Martin, public information officer for the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Division 1 office in Knoxville, said Wednesday. "Driving is a job that you don't get paid for. Anything that takes your attention away from it is a distraction. People don't think of it that way, but that vehicle is 5,000 pounds or more, and driving it at 70 mph or more is extremely dangerous." Martin and I were in agreement when we chatted Wednesday about the recommendation by the National Transportation Safety Board made earlier in the week to ban all use of cellphones while driving being an excellent idea. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/16/pam-strickland-phone-use-while-driving-a/

Editorial: Cellphone ban gets a boost (Commercial Appeal)

Traffic Deaths increase: It is becoming more clear that the hazards associated with driving and phoning are not exaggerated. With too many drivers still unbuckled more than 20 years after the first mandatory seatbelt laws were passed, don't expect American motorists to suddenly stop talking on their cellphones because the National Transportation Safety Board says it's dangerous. Perhaps, however, the NTSB's latest warning will prompt state legislators to give the problem more serious attention. The NTSB made a persuasive case this week that a ban on the practice would significantly enhance road safety. The case is stronger than it was in 2009, when the Tennessee General Assembly outlawed reading or sending text messages while driving but rejected a proposal to require motorists who choose to talk on their cellphones to use hands-free devices. School bus drivers and teenage drivers using learners' permits also are banned from talking on cellphones while driving in Tennessee. Texting while driving also is banned in Arkansas, where all cellphone use is banned for school bus drivers and drivers under 18. Mississippi prohibits school bus drivers from using cells; learners' permit holders and intermediate license holders can't text. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/16/editorials-cellphone-ban-gets-a-boost/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

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