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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011Heart of Memphis (Memphis Daily News)The day before Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam was the keynote speaker this summer at the Downtown MempCommission’s 2011 Annual Luncheon, he went for a jog in Nashville wearing his “Believe Memphis” Grizzliesshirt. Twenty-four hours later, he stood before a podium in Memphis to address an audience of the city’s movand shakers at The Peabody hotel about Downtown Memphis – a topic that even the governor acknowledgseemed odd for the state’s chief executive. Yet Haslam felt compelled to assure the crowd that other cities acroTennessee “would kill” to have the same kind of corporate presence in their downtowns that Downtown Mem phas. He said Memphis’ Downtown core has assets like FedExForum and AutoZone Park that do som ething otcities sometimes have a hard time with – presenting families with the kinds of entertainment options tencourage them to come out at night. “If Tennessee is going to be a great state, Memphis has got to be a grcity. It’s really that simple,” Haslam said. “If Memphis is going to do well, then Downtown M emphis has to be strong heart.”http://www.mem phisdailynews.com/news/2011/nov/14/heart-of-memphis/ 

Over 75 statewide events showcase Global Entrepreneurship Week (Biz ClarksvilThe Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development has confirmed more than 75 eveacross the state during the fourth annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Nov. 14-20. This strong showcontinues Tennessee’s tradition of offering a variety of events and educational opportunities encouragentrepreneurship and supporting start-up companies. G EW is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators a job creators who launch start-ups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.Tennessee, organizations throughout the state are hosting business idea pitch contests, speed-networkientrepreneurial camps, training events and more to celebrate entrepreneurship in the Volunteer State. “Gov. Haslam recognizes that start-ups can be a significant source of job creation, and he has placed a renewed foc

on supporting entrepreneurship in his Jobs4TN economic development plan,” ECD Commissioner Bill Hagesaid. “Global Entrepreneurship Week is an ideal time to celebrate the individuals that bring so many innovatbusiness ideas to life and help further strengthen Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”http://businessclarksville.com/2011/11/11/over-75-statewide-events-showcase-global-entrepreneurship -week-35705 / 

Haslam to request Occupy Nashville charges be dropped (City Paper)Gov. Bill Haslam w ill ask the district attorney on M onday to dismiss charges against anyone arrested in relationthe Occupy N ashville protesters, according to Haslam’s office. In all, 55 arrests were made over the course of tnights, each accompanied by a criminal trespassing citation. Additionally, two citations were issued for pubintoxication and one for criminal impersonation of a law enforcement officer. At an Oct. 31 hearing, U.S. DistJudge Aleta Trauger issued a temporary restraining order, which stopped the state’s enforcement of a curfew

the grounds surrounding the Capitol. Haslam spokesman David Smith said Thursday that the state w“beginning the process of establishing rules for use of the area by all citizens.” He cited the restraining orderthe reason for the state’s request that the charges be dropped.http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/haslam-request-occupy-nashville-charges-b e-dropped

Haslam wants DA to drop Occupy Nashville charges (Tennessean/Brooks, Cass)Gov. Bill Haslam wants to drop charges against the 49 people arrested during his administration’s short-livattempt to evict Occupy Nashville protesters from War Memorial Plaza. Haslam spokesman David Smannounced Thursday that the governor will be asking the Metro district attorney to drop misdemeanor crimitrespassing charges, even as the group reoccupies the plaza in force. The Tennessee Highway Patrol issued

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citations to protesters after a night court judge refused to sign warrants for their arrests. Mike Anger, who warrested, dragged off the plaza and cited twice, was relieved to hear he m ight not be heading to court or facin$50 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing. “That’s awesome. Tmeans a lot,” said Anger, who was working Thursday afternoon to set up a solar panel that would power tgroup’s nightly webcasts from the plaza. “It kind of gives me new faith in the governor.”http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111111/NEWS/311110076/Haslam-wants-DA-drop-Occupy-Nashville-charges?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Emotions Mixed as State Plans to Drop Charges Against Occupiers (WPLN-RadioThe state now wants the trespassing charges against anti-Wall Street protesters dropped. A spokesman Governor Bill Haslam has announced he will ask the District Attorney to dismiss the misdemeanor citatioThere’s some relief among the nearly 50 Occupy Nashville protesters that they won’t have to go through thassle of clearing their names. But Mike Anger, who was arrested twice, says he also wanted to make his ca“In a way I w as kind of robbed too because I was looking forward to that day, to say, this is what your state didus. That would have been one heck of a day for everyone showing up at court.” Protesters were arrested undecurfew that a federal judge has since suspended, saying the state couldn’t enforce the new overnight restrictioon the Capitol grounds. A spokesman for Governor Haslam says the decision to drop charges was made in liof that ruling. While the governor’s office has backed off trespassing charges, a spokesman reminds Occupithat troopers still have the authority to enforce existing laws at W ar Mem orial Plaza “designed to preserve pusafety and health.”http://wpln.org/?p=315 29

Wartrace awarded grant for water line (Times-Gazette)Wartrace has been awarded a $169,750 Comm unity Development Block G rant (CDBG) that is to be used fowater line extension. The grant was announced this week by Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and CommunDevelopment Commissioner Bill Hagerty to assist in infrastructure improvements in the small community. It wone of 32 CDBG grants distributed throughout western and middle Tennessee, and only one of six dealing wwater line extentions. Long-awaited grant The extension will be for Red Hill Road, which residents have berequesting for a number of years. Funding for the $175,000 project will include $5,250 in local funds. The gradollars were provided by the U.S. D epartment of Housing and Urban Development and were allocated undeprocedure authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly. The grant was approved following an applicationWartrace and has the support of Mayor Ron Stacy, Sen. Jim Tracy and Rep. Pat Marsh. U.S. Sen. LamAlexander, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and Congressman D iane Black also aided in securing the funds.

http://www.t-g.com/story/1783509.html

Mt. Pleasant gets $500k sewer grant (Columbia Daily Herald)Mt. Pleasant’s request for $10 million in government funding for wastewater management has been partially mthrough the state’s approval of a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist in infrastructuimprovments. Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Comm unity Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty approvthe grant, which State Rep. Sheila Butt said w ill be used to rehabilitate the sewer system in Mt. Pleasant. Earthis year, the city requested $10 million in funds that would not need to be paid back. The town wanted to builnew sewage treatment plant. Butt said the city’s sewer problems will continue to be addressed incrementally otime. “This is something that we’ve been working on with (the department of Economic and CommuDevelopment) for quite some time, and they understand the community’s need for this,” she said Thursday.was made clear that Mt. Pleasant would not get the total amount it needs all at once, so we’re going to ke

working to get the funding they need a little at a time.”http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/11/11/top_stories/03g rant.txt

Union City, South Fulton awarded grants for infrastructure improvements (WCN)South Fulton and Union C ity have both been awarded grants to assist in infrastructure improvements. The grawere an-nounced Thursday afternoon by Gov. Bill Haslam and E conomic and C om-munity Development Comissioner Bill Hagerty. South Fulton has been awarded a $500,000 grant to be used for sewer systimprovements. Funding for the $576,000 project will include $76,000 in local funds. Union City has been awarda $300,000 grant to be used for a counseling center. Funding for the $830,849 project will include $530,849local funds. “As we work to m ake Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs, the proinfrastructure must support existing and future businesses,” Haslam said. “I am pleased the State of Tennesseeable to partner with our local communities to make these projects a reality.” The grant dollars for both proje

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were provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and were allocated under a procedauthorized by the Tennessee Gene ral Assembly.http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=63355

Giles To Get Share Of CDBG (WKSR-Radio Pulaski)Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty recenapproved more than $23 mill ion in Community Development Block Grants to assist with infrastruct

improvements in Tennessee. Giles County will receive $500,000 for water systems. “As we work to maTennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs, the proper infrastructure must support existand future businesses,” Haslam said. “I am pleased the state of Tennessee is able to partner with our locommunities to make these projects a reality.” Other communities receiving money include $225,000Cornersville for housing, $500,000 to Lawrenceburg of sewer systems and $300,000 to Ardmore for wasystems. The funds were allocated under a p rocedure authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly.http://www.wksr.com/wksr.php?rfc=src/article.html&id= 29029

Huffman Fields Education Queries During ‘Webinar’ (TN Report)Tennessee Commissioner of Education Kevin Huffman said Wednesday achievement gaps involving minostudents are “a huge priority” for the state as it prepares to submit its formal application for a waiver from federal No Child Left Behind law. He also said he thinks the odds of Congress passing effective legislation

address concerns about the law are slim, leaving states to act on their own. The state’s application for a waifrom No Child Left Behind is due Monday, an exercise necessitated by federal demands for more specificity waiver requests like the one the state first submitted in July. Huffman fielded questions from several Tennesseain a “webinar” Wednesday about the waiver request. More than 200 people participated by Internet and more th180 others by telephone. The participants were largely educators.http://www.tnreport.com/2011/11/huffman-fields-education-queries-during- webinar/ 

UTC life sciences laboratory project now number 4 on priority list (TFP/Trevizo)Building a life sciences laboratory facility at UTC finally has m ade it to the top tier of projects prioritized by the system for funding in the next fiscal year. The $59.5 million project has been in the works for about six years, sUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chancellor Roger Brown. It's now No. 4 out of 20 projects identified the next five years. But it remains to be seen whether money for the project will survive the state budget proceLast year, no capital building projects received funding. "It's terribly hard to get money for capital projects rinow," Brown said during the recent board of trustees meeting. UTC received funding about three years ago for library that's now under construction, said Brown, but it took 15 years to get the $48 million needed.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/11/tuc-life-sciences-laboratory-project-climbs -list/?local

Tennessee board recommends college tuition hikes of 5 to 8 percent (CA/Locker)The Tennessee Higher Education Commission voted Thursday to request a $28 mill ion increase in stappropriations next year for public higher education, coupled with student tuition increases ranging from 5 tpercent at the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The proposal also calls tuition hikes ranging from 3 to 6 percent at the state's other public universities and community colleges, and fr5 to 10 percent at the Tennessee Technology Centers, where students can obtain vocational training. Under THEC plan, the tuition increases would occur on the lower end of each set of ranges if Gov. Bill Haslam and state legislature approve the funding increase from state taxpayer revenue. But the h ikes would fall on the up

end of the ranges if lawmakers approve a 5 percent reduction in higher education funding that the governooffice has asked state agencies to plan for.http://www.comm ercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/10/tennessee-board-recommends-college-tuition-hikes-5/ 

TN college students could soon see tuition hikes again (WSMV-TV Nashville)Less than a year after double digit tuition hikes at Tennessee's state colleges and universities, more could bethe way. Students could be asked to fork over even more money for classes, and once again it could be a steincrease. Middle Tennessee State University played host to some UT-Knoxville students Friday for a mock trBut they don't need a judge or jury to give them a verdict on a possible 8 percent tuition hike. "I think ridiculous," University of Tennessee student Marcus Baker said. Students from UT just saw their tuition go up tyear by 12 percent. "It's really tough on students, and it feels like they aren't rerouting that back into the systebecause we're still losing teachers. We're losing tons of programs at UT," student Matthew Underwood said.

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MTSU, the hike was slightly smaller at just under 9 percent.http://www.wsmv.com/story/16022161/tn-college-students-could-soon-see-tuition-hik es-again

Tenn. to close Knoxville mental health facility (Associated Press)The Tennessee Department of Mental Health announced Friday it plans to close a Knoxville mental health facnext year and shift care to three private psychiatric providers in East Tennessee. Department Com missioner DoVarney said in a news release that Lakeshore Mental Health Institute in Knoxville will close by June 30 a

patients will be referred to other state hospitals or community providers. The department said since the 197Lakeshore has gone from serving 2,300 patients daily to serving 90 patients today. Currently Lakeshore has rofor 115 patients and has a $26.8 m illion budget for the current fiscal year. The department also said advancesmedicine and community-based services have created a national trend to shutter state mental health facilitiThe department has three private in-patient hospital providers in East Tennessee: Covenant Health, which ruPeninsula Hospital of Knoxville; Mountain States Health Alliance, which runs Woodridge Hospital of Johnson Cand Ridgeview Community Mental Health Services of Oak Ridge.http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37922787.story

State bars new admissions to rehab center in Burns (Associated Press)State mental health officials have suspended all new admissions to a drug addiction treatment center in DicksCounty after an investigation raised questions about medical care there. The decision by the Tenness

Department of Mental Health freezes patient admissions for at least 120 days at New Life Lodge, which is largest residential drug treatment facility in the state. The center in Burns has laid off more than 100 employees the result of the state's action, according to The Tennessean, which quoted a senior company offi(http://tnne.ws/sQIeP x). Mental Health Commissioner Douglas Varney said in a recent letter to the facility that failed to report "all critical incidents" to state regulators and did not m aintain proper medical records. Accordingthe letter, the department's review of New Life "indicates a failure to consistently provide appropriate mediservices and testing to ensure appropriate care for its service recipients." However, New Life Lodge RegioAdministrator Randal Lea said the decision was a serious error and that the letter the company received frVarney contained "vague and unfounded" claims.http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37919777.story

Bicyclists fear repaved downtown road still unsafe (WKRN-TV Nashville)The Tennessee Department of Transportation re-paved James Robertson Parkway and the Victory MemoBridge four months ago, but still, bright orange traffic cones line the bike lanes. It's obviously not safe and not finished. "It's not safe to ride on," said Craig Bailey, who rode over the Victory Memorial Bridge Thursday nig"Front tire was going to fall in the hole." He calls the new bike lanes extremely dangerous, and told NashvilNews 2 he doesn't feel safe. The problem can be seen all the way across the bridge. Some drains run parallethe road and could easily snag a thin bike tire. Other grates are an inch or more deep and could cause a bicycto crash. Since bicyclists can't stay close to the curb, they are forced to pedal closer to lanes of traffic. TDOrepaved James Robertson Parkway in July, which was when the agency realized the grates in the new bike lanwere not biker-friendly.http://www.wkrn.com/story/16022125/bicyclists-fear-repaved-downtown-road-sti ll-unsafe

Where do Americans want to live? Tennessee No. 12, poll says (M. Biz Journal)Tennessee barely missed the top 10 in a new poll from Harris Interactive asking Americans where they womost like to live. The top three were arguably predictable — the sunny states of Hawaii (No. 1), California (2) a

Florida (3). At No. 12, Tennessee fared well compared to other Southern states, finishing behind only VirginiaNo. 10 (and Florida, if you insist on calling it a Southern state). Rounding out the poll’s top five were Texas (4) aColorado (5). The poll also asked about respondents' favorite and least favorite cities in which to lParadoxically, New York C ity finished at the top of both lists. On the favorite city side, San Diego cam e in at Noand Nashville made a showing at No. 11. Memphis didn't make the favorite cities list, but it has at least one poof pride in this year's survey. In 2010, M emphis ranked 15th on the least favorite cities, but this year droppedthat list entirely.http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2011/11/11/where-do-americans-want-to-live-tn.html

Harwell Cautious on Vouchers, Ramsey Assertive (TN Report)While Gov. Bill Haslam calls school vouchers potentially one of the most contentious legislative issues on horizon, Speaker of the House Beth Harwell said Thursday she doesn’t see passage of a voucher bill withou

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“great deal of discussion.” Harwell said she would want a plan designed specifically for Tennessee, not just takwhat other states have done. “My personal thought on vouchers is if we’re going to proceed we need to be vecareful. There are a lot of questions,” Harwell said. “We’ve put a lot of additional work on our public schteachers for this evaluation process. To allow children to come out and go into a private system where thoteachers don’t have to have the same system, I think it’s sending a m ixed message to our teachers. “I would swe have a lot to do in public education yet, and I’d like to stay focused on what we’re doing in our public schooWe have an excellent public charter school bill in this state that I’d like to see continue. Because I think theymore of the answers to our public school needs.”http://www.tnreport.com/2011/11/harwell-cautious-on-vouchers-ramsey-as sertive/ 

Speakers applaud TN law at anti-Sharia meeting (Associated Press/Loller)Speakers at a conference of conservative activists that focused on the threat of Islamic extremism in AmericaFriday praised Tennessee for being at the forefront of legislative efforts to fight it. Christopher Holton of the Cenfor Security Policy said Tennessee was the first state in the nation to pass "American laws for American coulegislation. This bars states from enforcing foreign laws, in settings such as family court, if their imposition woviolate a person's constitutional rights. Holton also spoke of legislative efforts in the pipeline. They include a bon female genital mutilation. "Some people ask why we need a law on this and say it should be covered unchild abuse, but we think this is one place where we need to put a fine point on it," he said. And he spokesupport of a law that would make it illegal for state pension funds to invest in any foreign company that dobusiness in Iran, saying that 21 other states already have done so. It already is illegal for U.S. companies to

business in Iran. About 500 people attended the "Constitution or Sharia?" conference at Cornerstone ChurchNashville. The one-day conference had been planned for the Hutton Hotel until that business cancelled tcontract out of concerns about the program content.http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37923651.story

Dean Says English Only Defeat Still Paying Off (WPLN-Radio Nashville)This week, Nashville was chosen to host soccer matches for the men’s Olympic qualifying tournament. Mayor KDean says the city wouldn’t even be considered for such international events if voters had passed the Englionly ballot initiative in 2009. If it had passed, the proposal would have limited government workers to ospeaking in English. While the practical implications weren’t completely clear, city officials like Mayor Dean fouagainst it, saying Nashville would look less welcoming. Dean says defeating the referendum was one of proudest moments of his first term and that it’s still paying off. “We would not be able to compete for all

different events that are held here downtown or at Gaylord because people will not come to a place thatunfr iendly.” The Olympic qualifying games include six teams – U.S., Canada, Mexico, El Salvador aGuatemala. Nashville was also considered to host games in the failed bid to bring the World Cup to the U.S.http://wpln.org/?p=316 16

Adoptions more difficult after TN wom an sent boy back to Russia (TN/Brooks)International adoption has never been easy. It takes time, money, and commitment to bring a child from anotland into a new family. Then last year a w oman from Tennessee put her adopted 7-year-old son on a one-wflight back to Russia, and a difficult process got a whole lot harder for a lot more Americans. Russia bannadoptions to America for the better part of a year. Other nations began requiring much more careful screening apost-adoption follow-up visits for prospective families. World Association for Children and Parents, the adoptagency that placed the Russian boy with Shelbyville m other Torry Hansen, is suing her for child support on beh

of the boy — now 9 and living in a Russian orphanage — arguing that the plane ticket did not terminate parental rights. The lawsuit against her is scheduled for trial Jan. 3. If any good has come out of the Hansscandal, it’s been to improve the education and training that adoptive families undergo. Parents already through extensive background checks — criminal and financial — home visits and counseling. Now, the scrutis tightening and parents can expect social workers to drop in on them and their new fam ilies for as m any as fyears after the adoption.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111112/NEWS01/311120029/Adoptions-more-difficult-after-TN-woman-sent-boy-back-Russia?odyssey=tab|topnews|te xt|News

Knox County could implement zoning restrictions to control pain clini

(NS/Donila)Knox County officials are looking into a proposal that would use new zoning restrictions to regulate unscrupulopain clinics that knowingly overprescribe highly addictive pills. The plan, sought by the Knox County Commiss

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earlier this year, was crafted in mid-October by the Metropolitan Planning Commission, which based recommendations on a recently approved state model. The idea is to limit where the so-called pill mills coperate and put further restrictions in place to help punish the illegitimate operations, officials said. Under plan, the businesses would be allowed in some of the unincorporated county's office-zoned locations. Suchbusiness also could not operate within 1,000 feet of a school, day care center, park, church or pharmacy. Ansuch clinics would need a licensed physician who is in good professional standing and who practicesTennessee. The proposed zoning regulations do not affect dental or medical schools, hospitals, hospice servicnursing hom es or facilities operated by the state or federal government, all of w hich are already defined in coulaw. "There's no useful tool in the zoning ordinance right now to limit where they can go," MPC Director MDonaldson said.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/12/knox-county-could-implement-zoning-restrictions/ 

Corker, Alexander Support President’s Proposal to Spur Vet Hiring (WPLN-Radio)Tennessee’s senators – both Republicans – helped pass a portion of President Obama’s jobs bill that provides credits to business for hiring veterans. The vote was more about rewarding military service than spurreconomic growth in Middle Tennessee. On the eve of Veterans Day the Senate came together to approlegislation providing up to a fifty six hundred dollar tax credit for hiring an unemployed veteran and ninety hundred dollars for hiring injured soldiers. Up until now Republicans, such as Senator Bob Corker, have stauncopposed Democratic efforts to create jobs. But Corker says this measure wasn’t about the government creat jobs. Rather he says it shows gratitude for military service. “We have numbers of veterans that are coming ba

Their unemployment levels are huge compared to the normal population. These are people who have sacrificfor our country and I think providing them some transition so that they know how to enter the work forcesomething that’s sensible.”http://wpln.org/?p=315 54

Corker: Hard decisions ahead (Jackson Sun)Sen. Bob Corker said Friday the United States is facing its greatest financial challenge since The GrDepression, and Congress must make unpopular decisions if the country is going to recover. Those decisions likely include changes in the nation's Medicare system, said Corker, R-Tenn. He was the featured speaker ameeting of the Jackson Regional Partnership held at the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce. Within the ndecade, only one U.S. worker will pay into Medicare for every three retirees needing payments from the systeCorker said. That equation cannot support the current system. He said the average two-income family pa$119,000 into the Medicare system during their working careers. But that family will need $357,000 in Medica

payments during retirement. Corker said the disparity in the pay-in/pay-out ratio will continue to widen in tcoming years as medical costs increase. "It is a tremendous problem," he said. Our country's financial problecould be exacerbated if the Italian banking system fails or the Italian government defaults on its loans, he said.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111112/NEWS01/111110348/Corker-Hard-decisions-ahead

Sen. Corker pushes to unwind Fannie, Freddie (Nashville Biz Journal)U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is pushing legislation to unwind Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the mortgage financgroups that have been a bedrock of the housing market for decades. In remarks on the Senate floor lWednesday, the Tennessee Republican introduced the Residential Mortgage Market Privatization aStandardization Act. Corker had previously indicated he wanted to influence the debate over the two entitieswhich came under government control during the 2008 financial crisis — and says his legislation will wean U.S. housing market off of them and fix a crippling economic problem. “We’re introducing this bill to lay dow

marker and get a conversation going that Washington has put off for far too long,” Corker said. “We must bethe process of responsibly unwinding Fannie and Freddie.” Fannie and Freddie are “government-sponsoenterprises” that are intended to function like private companies with government oversight and ultimate finanbacking. For decades they have provided a secondary market on which private lenders sell the mortgages thinitiate, allowing them to finance more homes than they could support with their own balance sheets.http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2011/11/10/corker-tennessee-fannie-fre ddie.html

Alexander backs EPA smog regulation (Tennessean/Bewley)GOP senator says Republicans' bill is bad for Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar A lexander broke with his parleaders Thursday in voting to keep a federal rule aimed at curbing air pollution in certain states. The Cross-StAir Pollution Rule is designed to limit smog and soot pollution from power plants and industrial sources instates, including Tennessee and its neighbors. Pollution from those states floats generally eastward, hurting

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quality in downwind states such as Delaware and Vermont. In Thursday’s procedural vote, 56 senators oppostaking up a proposal by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky to block the Environmental Protection Agenregulation. Forty-one supported holding a final vote on the measure. M ost Republicans, including Senate MajoLeader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, supported Paul’s proposal. Alexander wone of only six Republicans who opposed moving it to a final vote. Earlier this week, Alexander announcedproposal, co-authored with Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of A rkansas, to preserve the EPA rule but implement i2013 instead of 2012.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111111/NEWS/311100089/Alexander-backs-EPAsmog-regulation?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Clean air vote splits senators Alexander, Corker (Times Free-Press/Carroll)U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander from Tennessee breathed new life into clean air policy Thursday, joining fRepublicans in defeating a colleague's attempt to weaken EPA pollution rules. Sen. Rand Paul, a KentucRepublican, wanted to overturn a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting the amount of power-plafumes that can blow from a state into bordering states. The Senate defeated Paul's resolution 56-41. Instatement, Alexander, a Republican, sought to appease tea party mem bers who support Paul, calling the EPAhappy hunting ground" for unreasonable regulations. "So w hy aren't we talking about those instead of a propoto make it easier for dirty air to blow in our state, make us unhealthier, drive away tourists and cost us auto jobshe said. Paul said his bill was meant to save jobs. "I think we can have a clean environment and jobs," Paul sin a Senate floor debate, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. "But not if we let this administration continto pass job-killing regulations." Republican Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Scott Brown of Massachuseand Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine, joined Alexander in rejecting Paul's resolution.

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Blackburn Confident Super Committee Will Find Enough to Trim (WPLN-Radio)Brentwood Republican Marsha Blackburn says she’s “fairly confident” the so-called “Super Committee” will agon $1.2 trillion in reductions to the federal deficit. This comes as others in Tennessee’s delegation have thdoubts. Congressman Blackburn says plenty of federal programs have outlived their usefulness and need toaxed. She’s also suggesting a rollback of environmental regulations in order to save money for the governmand for private businesses. While Blackburn sees plenty of cuts to choose from, she has not signed the lettecalling for the Super Committee to “go big” and shoot for $4 trillion in cuts. That’s because those proposals leaopen the door for tax increases. “When you are in your 32nd, working on your 33rd month of unemploymabove eight percent, you don’t need to be raising taxes on businesses, on individuals on job creators. What yneed to be doing is saying, ‘ok, how do we reduce what the federal government spends?’” The Super Commit

has until Thanksgiving to decide. If not, automatic cuts go into effect.http://wpln.org/?p=314 96

Rural counties lean more on Social Security as income (Times Free-Press/BentonCumberland County, Tenn., leads the state and ranks 18th am ong 3,105 counties in the nation when it comesthe percentage of residents’ total income that comes from Social Security. A new study shows that about 15percent of Cumberland residents’ income came from Social Security payments. The national average for SocSecurity payments as a percentage of all total personal income is 5.5 percent. In Tennessee overall, it’s 6percent, and in Georgia it’s 5.3 percent, records show. Social Security payments come in three forms: old-apensions, survivor benefits and disability benefits. Rural economies in general depend far more on Social Secupayments as a percentage of a county’s total personal income than metropolitan areas do, according to a studone by the Southern Rural Development Center at Mississippi State University and online rural news publicatThe Daily Yonder. Nationally, 9.3 percent of total personal income in rural counties came from Social Secur

payments in 2009, almost twice the rate found in urban counties. In counties with cities of fewer than 50,0residents, 8.2 percent of total personal income came from Social Security.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/12/rural-counties-lean-more-social-security-inco me/?local

AirTran Airways leaving Knoxville (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Marcum)Move hurts chance to get Southwest Low-fare carrier AirTran Airways announced Friday it will cease operatioat five airports, including Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport, citing a "challenging economic environment" asustained high fuel prices. Service at McGhee Tyson and the other cities will end June 3, 2012. The other airpoinclude Miami International Airport, Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, Charleston's YeaAirport in West Virginia and Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. The announcement casts a cloover the chances of local officials to persuade Southwest Airline, which owns AirTran, to establish serviceMcGhee Tyson. "We are disappointed," said Bill Marrison, president of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airp

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Authority, which operates McGhee Tyson and Downtown Island airports. "We have done a num ber of things in past to try to convince Southwest that Knoxvil le was a market they need to serve," he said. Danni Varlpresident of East Tennesseans for Airfare Competition, said the news was depressing and unexpected. Her g roand mem bers of the airport authority have been lobbying Southwest for years to serve Knoxville.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/12/airtran-airways-leaving-knoxville/ 

Goodyear Plant in Union City Sold to Tire Maker (Associated Press)The former Goodyear tire plant in Union City has been sold to a maker of off-road equipment tires, officials sFriday. The sale to Titan Tire Corporation is effective immediately, but the purchase price is not being disclosGoodyear Tire and Rubber Co. spokeswoman Amy Brei in Akron, Ohio, told The Associated Press on Fridmorning. The 43-year-old Goodyear plant was Obion County's largest employer until its closure in July, putt1,800 employees from West Tennessee and western Kentucky out of work. Titan makes tires for large earmoving equipment, farm implements and other off-road vehicles. It was not immediately clear how many jowould be created in Union City. Titan plans to use the plant to m ix rubber, but the company was not immediatreleasing any details on when production would begin or how m any people would be em ployed there, said KriGray, investor relations spokeswoman for Titan. Gray said Titan CEO Maurice Taylor would have a statemMonday with further details.http://www.mem phisdailynews.com/news/2011/nov/14/goodyear-plant-in-union-city-sold-to-tire-maker/ 

Titan Tire buys the former Goodyear plant in Union City, Tennessee (CA/Risher)An Illinois-based maker of tires for agriculture and industry has bought Goodyear's Union City plant four monafter its closing idled 1,800 workers. Goodyear and Titan Tire, subsidiary of Titan International, on Fridconfirmed the sale, and Titan said it would provide more detail next week. A spokeswoman said Titan would uthe plant for mixing raw ingredients for other factories, not production of finished goods. However, an indusanalyst said Union City would give Titan ready potential to expand production capacity in the future. It was unclhow many workers would be needed. "You've first got to figure out what their plans are, and no one knows tyet," said Union City Mayor Terry Hailey. "The main thing is, it does look like they will bring some jobs and thwould a really good thing." Goodyear had been a stalwart of the northwest Tennessee economy since 19Goodyear announced last January it would close the plant by year's end because it wasn't competitive aproducer of car and light truck tires. The closing came abruptly in July.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/11/titan-tire-buys-former-goodyear-plant-u nion-city-t/ 

County lands ‘Titan’ of an industry (Weakley County News)Obion County is back in the tire business. A deal has been struck to sell the local Goodyear tire plant to Titan TCorporation, a subsidiary of Titan International Inc., one of the country’s largest manufacturers of off-road tires.“I can confirm the sale, but we are not disclosing the terms. Any other details will need to come from TitaGoodyear corporate spokesman Amy Brei informed The Messenger this morning. She is the managermanufacturing communications at Goodyear’s corporate headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Today’s news comes fmonths to the day that the local Goodyear tire plant officially shut down. “It’s official,” County Mayor BenMcGuire told The Messenger Thursday evening. “As of midnight (Thursday) the plant will change hands and wbe owned by Titan Tire.” Titan Tire is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with tire manufacturing facilities locatthere, in Freeport, Ill., and in Bryan, Ohio.http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=63358

Commission Tackles Redistricting Plan (Memphis Daily News)Shelby County Commissioners should take the first of three votes Monday, Nov. 14, on a new redistricting pthat would change the areas represented by those on the 13-member body but not the size of the commissiThe commission meeting begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Vasco Smith County Administration Building, 160 N. MainIn committee sessions last week, six of 10 comm issioners present voted to recommend a set of district lines twould keep the idea of multi-member districts the commission currently operates under. But the plan woconvert the four districts represented by three commissioners each to a set of six districts represented by tmembers each. A smaller single-member district would remain a feature of the plan. Commissioners amended plan slightly in committee to make the districts closer to all Memphis districts or districts that take in all couterritory outside the city of Memphis. Commissioner Steve Mulroy, however, is the leading advocate of talternate plan that would also change the structure of the commission – 13 single-member districts. In commit

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debate, Mulroy said former com missioners have told him the multi-member districts reflect a political reality abthe workload of representing a district built for two or three.http://www.mem phisdailynews.com/news/2011/nov/14/commission-tackles-redistricting-plan/ 

Arlington's Avery Hopes to Keep City and County Schools Together (M. Flyer)How is the planning going on the school-merger Planning Commission? Very well, according to one key m embJoyce Avery, a Republican who logged two terms on the Shelby County Commission as a District 4 (suburb

representative, earned a reputation on that body as a bridge between city and county interests. This wespecially so during her last year, 2009-10, when she served as both chairman and interim mayor and focusconsiderable effort on shoring up medical facilities for the indigent. Avery may be functioning as a go-betweagain in a new role as a m ember of the Planning Comm ission, created by the Norris-Todd bill earlier this yearan official guiding force for the ongoing city/county school merger. An appointee of Shelby County Mayor MaLuttrell, Avery professes herself determined to see that the consolidation of Memphis City Schools and SheCounty Schools proceeds smoothly and completely, without a new special school district forming in 2013, as Norris-Todd bill permits, in the area outside the Memph is city limits. “I think we can maintain a single, successdistrict, with everybody in it, and I’ll do what I can to make it happen,’ Avery said after a meeting of the PlannCommission Thursday night at the county’s Code Enforcement building on its Shelby Farms campus.http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2011/11/10/arlingtons-avery-hopes-to-keep-city-a nd-county-schools-togetgh er

OPINION

Editorial: Tennessee’s Push to Transform Schools (New York Times)Tennessee has a long way to go in improving its schools, but it has made significant headway in turning itself ia laboratory for education reform. It w as one of the first states to test a rigorous teacher evaluation system, whwas put in place this school year. Yet even before the results are in, political forces are now talking about delaythe use of these evaluations. State lawmakers and education officials must resist any backsliding. Tennesseneed to do better was underscored when the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress, also knownthe nation’s report card, ranked the state near the bottom in fourth-grade math performance, just aheadAlabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. These dismal results — slightly worse than those reported in 2009 — wemade public earlier this month during legislative hearings on the evaluation system. The Tennessee EducatAssociation has criticized aspects of the system, citing what it describes as poorly trained evaluators andconfusing scoring rubric, and wants it postponed until it is essentially perfect. Some lawmakers are suggestthat evaluations performed this year not be used in personnel decisions. Such a delay would destroy momentand could weaken reform.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/opinion/tennessees-push-to-transform-schools.html?_r=1&ref=todayspape

Greg Johnson: Online sales tax bill would level playing field (News-Sentinel)Almost exactly 10 years ago, William F. Buckley Jr., the father of modern conservatism, opined in the NatioReview about the vexing problem of e-commerce and the collection — or lack thereof — of sales taxes by st

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governments. Buckley stood firmly athwart principled, conservative convictions against any tax on Internet usaBut when it came to the collection of taxes on Internet purchases, Buckley saw how the growth in onlcommerce was changing the world of retail sales and how local businesses were being harmed by the unevplaying field on which out-of-state vendors did not collect sales taxes."The estimated commerce done by Internet in 1998 was $9 billion," Buckley wrote. "Last year (2000) it was $26 billion. Which means we havecome to earth and face homespun economic truths. If the advantage of tax-free Internet commerce margincloses out local industry, reforms are required." U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., proposed such reform tweek, co-sponsoring the bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act. "The reason I'm a co-sponsor is that it's a statrights issue," Alexander said in a W ednesday conference call. "(The bill) gives the state of Tennessee the righdecide how to collect or not to collect its own state sales tax."http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/11/greg-johnson-online-sales-tax-bill-would-level/ 

Editorial: Teachers get the state's ear (Com mercial Appeal)Public education reform won't go far if those on the front line aren't considered part of the solution. The stBoard of Education took a small step in the right direction last w eek when it adjusted the time principals mspend evaluating teachers. One amendm ent to the new teacher evaluation system will allow principals to condmandatory teacher observations on the same day or consecutive days, rather than requiring them to be separaby long intervals. It also cut the number of conferences from two to one. Another change provides additiontraining to principals in the evaluation process. This may seem like minor tinkering to outsiders, budemonstrates that there is some degree of flexibility in the new evaluation system and that someone is listeningteachers' concerns. Education reformers in Tennessee won't get very far without the help of the state's teach

corps, which is feeling besieged after losing some of its collective bargaining rights last spring. Teachers welabeled as "socialistic" by Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, after Casada unsuccessfully solicited the teacheunion for GOP campaign contributions.http://www.comm ercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/12/editorials-teachers-get-the-states-ear/ 

Guest columnist: Teacher Effectiveness Initiative is right path (Commercial AppeWhen carefully implemented, the TEI will help ensure that all of our students are blessed with teachers who aas effective as today's best ones. At the recent launch of his "Education Champions" campaign that spotligeducational organizations making a difference in Mem phis, Elliot Perry reminded us: "It's not about one systemone solution. There are many chapters in the story of the work taking place day in and day out in our city andour neighborhoods to transform our schools." In our Jubilee Catholic Schools, we feel humbled to be called oneElliot Perry's "Education Champions" and continue striving to make our chapter the best it can be for our studenAt the same time, we are grateful for the other exciting chapters being written in our community -- includingparticular, the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI). As lead writer and developer of the TEI proposal tMemphis City Schools submitted to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, I join many in our community in eaganticipation of meaningful and far-reaching educational improvements. My eagerness to see the TEI succeedadmittedly due, in part, to the time and effort invested during its development and early implementation phaseshttp://www.comm ercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/11/guest-column-teacher-effectiveness-initiative-is/ 

Guest columnist: Nonprofits have big role in students' improvement (TennesseanOur public schools and teachers should not shoulder all the blame for the dismal state of public educationTennessee and cannot be expected to turn the tide on their own. While molding Tennessee’s young minds is schools’ primary focus, those seeking to lay the blame at the schoolhouse steps should take a look in the mirWe, as parents, neighbors and a community, have a duty to ensure the continued progress of our city and sta

by positively affecting children’s l ives. Here in Nashville, one guaranteed way to do so is through acparticipation and donations to nonprofit organizations focused on improving the quality of life of our city’s childreOrganizations such as Nashville RBI, the YMCA of M iddle Tennessee and many others teach children life astudy skil ls and provide mentoring, exercise and educational programs in a safe environment outside classroom. We all know that issues outside of the classroom directly impact our children’s performance inside classroom. Many children lack a quiet room in which to study after school or may not receive acadeencouragement at home.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111112/OPINION03/311120005/Nonprofits-big-role-students-improvemenodyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Protest, passion and polemics in Nash. (Columbia Daily Herald)When I first heard the news of the Occupy Wall Street Protest in New York, I frankly didn’t know quite wha

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make of it. My first thought was that it was a kind of Bonnaroo-like happening that would, so long as the weatcooperated, include youthful partying, rock music, some dope smoking and inane political commentary on periphery. However, when ex-addict Rush Limbaugh referred to the occupiers as human garbage, I suspecthat the movement had to have some redeeming qualities. Then, energized by the pulse and power of socinetworking technologies, the movement spread to other cities. Inclement weather, arrests, and the diatribesFox News commentators didn’t dampen ardor. And yet, because of the conspicuous absence of formal leadand because of the amorphous nature of an agenda that seemed impervious to immediate gratification, I had doubts that anything substantive would result. The skeptic in me still suspects that the powers of corporainfluence will ultimately prevail as they have in the recent past with the Citizens United high court decision, wthe continuation of tax breaks for the wealthiest among us, and with efforts in Congress to kill health care afinancial reform legislation.http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2011/11/11/opinion/02andr ews.txt

Guest columnist: '9%' vets must fight for fair compensation (Tennessean)There is growing anger in this country as the “99 percent” continue to point out the widening gap between rich apoor. The “occupy” movement has spread from Wall Street to Nashville and beyond. Lost among the discussof high unemployment rates, bank bailouts and excessive corporate greed is the fact that there is a group musmaller than the 99 percent that bears the combined burden of economic inequality and “service inequality.” T“service inequality” is reflected in the fact that, at any given time, less than one-half of 1 percent of the adpopulation are serving in the active-duty military. Nine percent of the total adult population are m ilitary veteraThese are the “9 percent.” The “9 percent” share the same economic challenges as the “99 percent,” but th

burden is increased by the toll exacted from military service. The 9 percent make up 13 percent of the adultshomeless shelters. The 9 percent face an unemployment rate of 12.4 percent. The 9 percent account for percent of all suicides in the U.S. Although veterans are facing unemployment, homelessness and suicidedisproportionate numbers, a recent poll by the Pew Research Center indicates 70 percent of the general pubadmit that they have little or no understanding of the problems faced by those in the military.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111112/OPINION03/311120004/-9-vets-must-fight-fair-compensation?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Editorial: Affirmation of Health Care Reform (New York Times)A federal appeals court in the D istrict of Columbia endorsed the constitutionality of health care reform this weekan opinion as notable for its authorship as for its legal reasoning. The majority opinion in the 2-to-1 decision wwritten by Judge Laurence Silberman, a stalwart of conservative jurisprudence whose views are said to

enormously influential in conservative legal circles. Judge Silberman, appointed to the court by Ronald Reagawas a mentor to Justice Clarence Thomas and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by G eorge Bush in 2008. H is conclusions align with those of a prominent George W. Bush appointee, Judge Jeffrey Suttwho wrote a concurring opinion upholding the law as part of a 2-to-1 majority in the United States CourtAppeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati. Judge Silberman made short shrift of all the arguments raised opponents of the reform law, finding no support for their arguments “in either the text of the ConstitutionSupreme Court precedent.” He concluded that the federal government has the power under the CommeClause to require that most people obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. Despite concerns that this individmandate encroaches on personal liberty, he ruled that “the right to be free from federal regulation is not absoluand yields to the imperative that Congress be free to forge national solutions to national problems.”http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/opinion/affirmation-of-health-care-reform.html?ref=tod ayspaper

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