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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011Haslam budget hearings continue in Knoxville (Associated Press)Gov. Bill Haslam is headed to Knoxville for his last full day of budget hearings. The Republican governorscheduled to hear from his education, children's services and tourism departments, among others. TennCarethe lone agency remaining awaiting its budget hearing after Tuesday. The expanded Medicaid program is selay out its spending p riorities next week at the Capitol in Nashville. Haslam is using the public budget hearingshelp craft his proposal for the state's annual spending plan that he will present to lawmakers after they return insession in January.  http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage. aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37995993.story

Poll finds Haslam, Alexander, Corker in good favor with Tennesseans (Nooga)

Tennessee lawmakers appear to be in good standing with voters across the state, according to a new poll frVanderbilt University. The poll, conducted by the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, surveyed a toof 1,500 random Tennesseans between Oct. 28 and Nov. 5, and sought to track trends regarding the approvaimportant political leaders. For Gov. Bill Haslam, Sen. Lamar Alexander, and Sen. Bob Corker, the results logood. The poll found 53 percent of respondents approving of Haslam, 51 percent approving of Alexander, a46 percent approving of Corker. Disapproval percentages for the lawmakers came in 22, 27, and 27 percerespectively. Dr. Josh Clinton, associate professor of political science at Vanderbilt and a supervisor of the psaid to have two approving voters for every one non-approving was "a good spot to be in."http://www.nooga.com/23408_poll-finds-haslam-alexander-corker-in-good-favor-with-tenn esseans/ 

GM to Build Equinox in Spring Hill; 700 Jobs Open (Associated Press)General Motors has announced it will begin building its Chevrolet Equinox at its idled Spring Hill plant next y

and plans to begin making a midsized vehicle there in the future. Monday's announcement of the $61 millinvestment will create nearly 700 jobs at the plant outside Nashville. GM says the subsequent $183 millinvestment into the unspecified midsized vehicle will create another 1,200 jobs. Production on the Equinoxscheduled to begin in the second half of 2012. The timing on the second vehicle was not announced.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/nov/22/gm-to-build-equinox-in-spring-hill-700-jobs-open/ 

GM to produce Chevy Equinox at Spring Hill plant (Times-Gazette)General Motors announced this morning that it will begin producing the Chevrolet Equinox at its Spring Hfacility. Cathy Clegg, GM vice president for labor relations, said the plant w ill be a flexible manufacturing facwhich w ill be able to quickly shift to producing various m odels as required.http://www.t-g.com/story/1786677.html

Spring Hill gets the Equinox (Nashville Post/De Lombaerde)General Motors said Monday it has chosen its Spring Hill plant to build its popular Chevrolet Equinox crossova move that will create almost 700 jobs in the coming months. The auto maker also said it will in the future inv$183 million to prepare Spring Hill to make other midsized vehicles. That investment, the timing of which has been decided, will create another 1,200 hourly and salaried positions. Production of the two-year-old EquinoxOctober sales of which were up 18 percent over last year — is expected to begin in the second half of next yeThe jobs being created by GM's $61 million investment include almost 600 hourly positions and about salaried workers. “Spring Hill has a history as one of GM’s most innovative and flexible plants,” said Cathy Clevice president of GM's labor relations teahttp://nashvillepost.com/news/2011/11/21/spring_hill_gets_the_e quinox

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GM bringing Equinox, $244M and 1,900 jobs to Spring Hill (Nashville Biz JournalGeneral Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) will invest a total of $244 million and create nearly 1,900 jobs as it reboots idle Spring Hill plant into an ultra-flexible operation, the company announced Monday. The initial $61 milinvestment will create 685 jobs, announced Cathy C legg, vice president of GM Labor Relations to a crowd at plant. The first vehicle to roll of the line will be the Chevrolet Equinox, the hot-selling mid-size crossover SUThe second phase of investment will be for production of 2015 model mid-size vehicles. Officials declinedidentify those vehicles. The new operation will be able to build a variety of products, said Clegg, who called

“groundbreaking innovation in manufacturing.” "This won't be a typical plant with just a few dedicated producClegg said. “The flex operation can change products frequently based on what we need to do in the market.”http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2011/11/21/gm-to-invest-244m-in-spring -hill.html

GM in Spring Hill to begin hiring next month (Tennessean/Williams)New vehicle means 685 new jobs next year General Motors will begin hiring hundreds of new workers for Spring Hill assembly plant in m id-December as the facility moves toward building a complete vehicle there for first time since the Chevrolet Traverse moved to Michigan two years ago. Company and United Auto Workofficials said Monday that the plant would start assembling the Chevrolet Equinox midsize crossover vehiclethe second half of 2012, with GM investing $61 million to retool the plant into a “flex” operation that eventuacould make just about any GM vehicle. Initially, about 400 to 500 workers will be needed beyond the recallsUAW members who are on layoff or other workers at distant GM plants hoping to transfer back to Spring H

said Cathy Clegg, GM vice president for labor relations. For some former Spring Hill workers, the resrepresents a chance to come home.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/BUSINESS03/311220031/GM-Spring-Hill-begin-hiring-next-monodyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

GM to Add Almost 1,900 Jobs, Spend $250M at Spring Hill (WPLN-Radio NashvillGM’s plant in Spring Hill will start making cars again for the first time in two years. The factory had sat mostly idexcept for some engine production. Now GM will spend about a quarter of a billion dollars on the plant and aalmost two thousand jobs in two phases. In the first phase, the plant will add 700 workers on a so-called “fline,” meant to make whatever GM needs quickly to meet high demand. It will start next year on the popuChevy Equinox. GM Vice-President Cathy Clegg explained there’ll be more after that. “We’re working towardsecond phase of investment for Spring Hill, and I know this is very important to the union and to our membethis second phase will be a $183 m illion investment and create approximately an additional 1,200 jobs.”http://wpln.org/?p=318 16

Tennessee's new teacher evaluation system takes shape (T imes Fre

Press/Hardy)While seventh-graders stack pennies and make length estimates, one person in class is busy wandering classroom, taking notes as she goes. Normal Park M useum Magnet School Principal Jill Levine spends oabout 10 m inutes in Matt Jorgensen's class, but learns much. "I saw so many things in his classroom that otteachers could learn from," she said. In the hallway, Levine finishes and submits her notes on an iPad. Tprincipal's observation findings are instantly available to the teacher under Ham ilton County's new teacevaluation process. Changes to the state's teacher evaluation system were some of the most significant -- acontroversial -- in a package of school reform laws the Tennessee General Assembly passed last spring. T

new evaluation system is the culmination of reform efforts to tie teacher effectiveness to student performanand makes this a potential watershed year for teachers.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/22/tennessee-new-teacher-evaluations-take-shape/ 

Tenn. education commissioner encourages increase in competition (TFP/Hardy)Tennessee's education commissioner wants the s tate's lowest-performing schools to start using competition ameans for improvement. Targeting the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools is a crucial component to state's application asking for reprieve from the federal No Child Left Behind law, Education Commissioner KeHuffman said Monday said during an editorial board meeting with the Chattanooga Times Free Press. If wavier is approved, the state will encourage creativity and competition among the lowest-performing schooHuffman said. All sorts of reform efforts are on the table for these schools, he said, including differentiatteacher pay scales and lengthening the school year or school day. He acknowledged, though, that implement

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change is sometimes a tough sell in public schools. "For some reason, differentiation is anathema in teducation system," Huffman said. "I think, broadly, people feel limited." The state's 85 lowest-performing,"priority," schools will have several courses of action available for improvement. They can voluntarily enter Achievement School District, a division of the state's Department of Education formed to address persistenlow-performing schools, that currently includes four schools in Memphis and Chattanooga's Howard SchooAcademics and Technology.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/22/tennessee-official-encourages-increase -in/?local

School boards oppose slate of bills; want more local control (Tenn./Hubbard)Tennessee’s school board members are opposing a slate of bills they say erode the authority voters gave theAt a statewide meeting this m onth, a delegation voted to oppose a bill that w ould allow parents to use pubfunding toward private school tuition. They also don’t want superintendents to be elected rather than hiredschool boards or for the state to dictate the start of the school calendar. “There are some decisions best leftschool board control,” Rutherford County School Board Chair Mark Byrnes said. But this year’s legislative pushonly the most recent in a m ovement that has reduced local authority over schools and the children in them. Fdecades ago, local boards controlled nearly every decision affect public education in their communities. Morecently, the federal No Child Left Behind law provided for consistently low-performing schools and districts tocontrolled by the state. Charter schools pull students – and the money to educate them – from local districtsnew push to standardize curriculum nationwide, of which Tennessee is a part, will decide what’s taught and hohttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20111121/NEWS04/311210060/School-boards-oppose-slate-bills-want-molocal-control?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Ne ws|s

Dam removal, battlefield park road contracts come to city aldermen (TN/Walters)Financial details of two projects likely to raise Franklin’s reputation among environmentalists and Civil Whistorians come up for discussion tonight with city aldermen. First, Franklin aldermen will discuss details of a necontract between the city and the state Department of Transportation to build an access road off Lewisburg Pand into Franklin’s 110-acre Civil War park off Carnton Lane. The project, which would cost around $869,0will create new access off Lewisburg Pike into the park, alleviating traffic off residential Carnton Lane. The cwould commit $369,000 toward the project. Discussion of the project is a step forward for a project thalanguished for years even as the 150th anniversary of the Civil War approached. This summer,Gov. BillHaslamannounced that the state approved a $500,000 grant to be used by the city to build an access road oLewisburg Pike and directly into the park. In October, the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area will gFranklin a $240,000 grant to buy the kiosks, signs and brochures needed to help bring more visitors to the ci

Civil War battlefield park.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/WILLIAMSON10/311220002/Dam-removal-battlefield-park-road-contracts-come-city-alderm en

Massive water system improvements coming to Grundy County (WRCB-TV)Living on top of a m ountain can have its pros and cons. There are beautiful views, but rain water is the source drinking water. "Up on top of the mountain, if it doesn't rain, obviously our lake and reservoirs don't fill up," saGrundy County Mayor Lonnie Cleek. Grundy County has three main water stations that serve residents just funtil the rain stops falling…Governor Bill Haslamawarded Grundy County $500,000 to improve theinfrastructure. County officials knew exactly how to use it, and even threw in an additional $500,000 from tcounty's Appalachian Ridge Fund. "W hat we're doing now is just one piece of the puzzle, but we anticipate mphases on top of what we're doing now w ith the interconnect ability," says Cleek. C leek hopes to begin the f

phase of improvements by Spring.http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/16095297/grundy-county-to-begin-massive-water-system-improvements

White House salutes country music's evolution (Tennessean/Bewley)Country music has changed a lot since it was last performed at the W hite House two years ago, said singers asongwriters who joined President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in celebrating the genre M ondIt’s growing m ore diverse and attracting a broader fan base dom estically and internationally, the mus icians sbefore a concert at the White House. “Country music was so A merican for so long,” said D arius Rucker, wreleased his first country album in 2008 after gaining recognition as lead singer for the rock band Ho otie and tBlowfish. “Now it’s really becoming an international thing, getting bigger and bigger, and that’s really cool. glad I’m part of it.”… Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and TennesseeGov. Bill Haslamand his w ife, Crissy, flew toWashington to attend the event. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper also attended, clapping to the beat as all of

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performers gathered onstage for the final song — “Me and Bobby McG ee,” co-written by Kristofferson.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/NEWS08/311220025/White-House-salutes-country-music-s-evolution?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Entertainment|s

TennCare Could Be Affected By Budget Cuts (WCYB-TV Chattanooga)TennCare could be in big trouble if congress decides to decrease or stop providing matching money for provifees. Reports say Tennessee hospitals began using provider fees to prevent the state from losing federal mon

when the legislature slashed TennCare's budget. Hospitals replaced the state money the past two years agreeing to pay an enhanced coverage fee. Here's w hat we've learned -- that fee will generate m ore than billion for TennCare, including over $700 million in federal funding. Experts say the cuts being considered wodevastate the state's safety net hospitals.http://www.wcyb.com/news/29826585/detail.html

Noland named president of East Tenn. State Univ. (Associated Press)The Tennessee Board of Regents has named Brian Noland as president of East Tennessee State UniversNoland has spent the last five years as chancellor of West V irginia's Higher Education Policy Commission. Heformer associate executive director of the Tennessee H igher Education Commission where he worked from 19through 2006. He succeeds Dr. Paul E . Stanton Jr., who is retiring after leading the university for 15 years. Tboard on Monday unanimously named Noland as ETS U's ninth president. In West Virginia, he most recently wresponsible for developing and implementing the public policy agenda for the state's higher education program

Noland earned his doctorate degree in political science from the University of Tennessee.http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37993957.story

Panel waives Lambuth appraisal (Jackson Sun)The Executive Subcommittee of the State B uilding Commission agreed to w aive the process of appraisalsLambuth University's campus during a meeting held Monday morning in Nashville. The comm ittee was askedwaive the appraisals and to receive as a gift Lambuth's 50 acres and 25 buildings with 260,000 square feeteducational and administrative space. Approval from the state building commission is one of the last stepsfinalizing the change in ownership for the campus. Last month, in federal bankruptcy court, a judge gaapproval for Lambuth to pay its largest creditor Radian with $4.9 million. Local stakeholders invested $7.9 m illto purchase the campus. The remainder of the funds will go towards payment of non-secured creditors. Lambowes more than 200 parties including businesses and back pay for its employees. Officials have said the goato have the sale closed and under state ownership by Dec. 28.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111122/NEWS01/111220314/Panel-waives-Lambuth

Motorists can expect crackdown during long weekend (Associat

Press/Edwards)About 900,000 people are projected to travel by car over the long holiday weekend in Tennessee w ith a speclaw enforcement crackdown in effect. Various law enforcement agencies will be especially on the lookout for sbelt violators, impaired drivers and speeders as part of the state's new "More Cops, More Stops" campaigKendell Poole, director of the Governor's Highway Safety Office, says authorities will be out in force. Statransportation officials will halt all lane closures during the weekend in anticipation of higher traffic volumHowever, workers may be on site in some construction zones. Tennessee had 1,031 traffic fatalities in 2010. far this year, 831 people have died in traffic accidents, down from 945 at this time a year ago.

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Memphis legislator to offer alternative to Republican remap (C. Appeal/Connolly)As Republicans continue to draw new state legislative districts in a secret process, G.A. Hardaway, a D emocrastate representative from Memphis, says he'll introduce alternative redistricting plans that would increase tnumber of majority black voting districts in Shelby County from nine to 10. The plan would also protDemocratic incumbents, just as Republicans will likely do for their incumbents. The Republicans control bohouses of the legislature and could simply ignore the plan and others like it that Hardaway and others introduRepublican leaders drawing maps have not yet released them publicly. However, Hardaway said that he asupporters are preparing for a possible lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act, wh ich prevents dilution of the votpower of African-Americans or other minority groups.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/22/remap-alternative-to-come/ 

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Proposed Jack Daniel tax derailed (Associated Press)A proposal to tax ba rrels of Jack Daniel whiskey up to $5 million annually has been derailed before it could reathe Tennessee Legislature. The Moore County Council voted 10-5 Monday to rescind a vote asking lawmaketo authorize a local referendum on the proposal. It would have taxed Jack Daniel w ith the revenue going to locoffers. Charles Rogers of Lynchburg had spearheaded the effort and said the issue “is now on life suppoState Rep. David Alexander said he considers the issue dead. Jack Daniel is the world’s top-selling whiskey

distillery spokesman did not return an after-hours call for comment.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/NEWS21/311220040/Proposed-Jack-Daniel-tax-derailed?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Littlefield ready to sue city council if it tries to oust him (TFP/Hightower)Mayor Ron Littlefield is prepared to sue the Chattanooga City Council if it takes even the tiniest steps towatrying to oust him. Hal North, Littlefield's attorney, said Monday he has prepared paperwork to be filed and asCircuit Court judge to issue an injunction if the council makes any moves toward removing the mayor from offi"We would attempt to [stop] them before the meeting," North said. "We like to deal with this at the front end." TCity Council is expected to discuss today whether to hire an outside attorney to study the City Charter and council members if there is any language that would force them to pass a resolution removing Littlefield frooffice. Councilman Peter Murphy, chairman of the council's Legal and Legislative Committee, sent an emaiother council members Friday, saying the issue should be discussed during his committee meeting. He sa

Monday he had no intention of ousting the mayor tonight and would oppose such a move. "I would not vote it," he said. "I wouldn't be ready to do that."http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/22/littlefield-ready-to-act-on-any -council/ 

Commission gives first OK on zoning rules to combat 'pill mills' (NS/Donila)The Knox County Comm ission approved new zoning restrictions Monday designed to regulate unscrupulous pclinics. The measure was approved on the first reading and officials must vote on it again in December befortakes effect. At this point, everyone appears on board, but Commission Chairman Mike Hamm ond said soattorneys from legitimate pain operations wanted to meet with officials to talk about "possible unintendconsequences." The zoning rules, officials say, would help limit where so-called "pill mills" can operate. Unthe plan, businesses would be allowed in some of the county's unincorporated, office-zoned locations. The plsought by the commission earlier this year, was crafted in mid-October by the Metropolitan PlannCommission, which based its recommendations on a recently approved state model. It would define "pmanagement clinics" and restrict the businesses from operating within 1,000 feet of a school, day care centpark, church or pharmacy. It is not expected to affect legitimate businesses.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/21/commission-gives-first-ok-on-zoning-rules-to/ 

Metro Health Department eyes Occupy Nashville's food handling (Tenn./Haas)Could “Occupy Metro’s Health Department” be far away? On Monday, a Metro Health Department employtook to the plaza outside the state C apitol to check how O ccupy Nashville was handling food. The encounter a bad taste in occupiers’ mouths, who claimed the department “served a notice on Occupy Nashville this mornthat its kitchen facilitates are operating in a way that constitutes an ‘imminent health hazard.’” The group calthe department’s action “discriminatory” and said that the health department warned not to give away food to homeless, what they called an attempt to “suffocate the expression of our First Amendment rights.” The groprovided a copy of a notice that reads, "Your permit to operate a food establishment in Metropolitan Nashv

and Davidson County is suspended effective this date." Not so, says the Health Department. “We said, ‘Whyou’re doing is OK, but if you sell it, we’re going to close you,’” said Brian Todd, spokesman for the agency. Tosaid the group isn’t being told not to cook or offer food to others. Instead, he said the department wanted to masure no one was selling food — which would require a permit — and that if the food preparation became moorganized, like, say, with a church, that perhaps it would be best to take a food safety course.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/NEWS02/311220001/Metro-Health-Department-eyes-Occupy-Nashville-s-food-handling?odyssey=tab|topnews|text| News

Mulroy Joins Occupy Memphis Encampment on Monday (Memphis Flyer)Shelby County Commissoner Steve M ulroy has become the first well-known public official to enlist in the servof Occupy Memphis, the local version of the Occupy Wall Street movement which has become a natio

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phenomenon. In several cities — New York, Oakland, and even nearby Nashville among them — loauthorities have attempted to uproot Occupy encampments, sometimes violently. The M emphis encampmentthe downtown mall between the buildings housing city, county, federal, and state government has been motranquil. So far. The commissioner joined that encampment Monday night and intended to stay overnight. In interview at an E ast Memphis restaurant on Sunday night, Mulroy, a Democrat, explained his reasons: “I wandramatize my support for the Occupy Memphis movement and the Wall Street movement more nationally.think it’s an extremely important cause, and we need to be sure we drum up attention to it.”http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2011/11/21/mulroy-joins-occupy-memphis-encampmenton-monday

Were police justified in using pepper spray? (Associated Press/Burke)Viral videos of riot police repeatedly pepper spraying a row of seated, non-violent Occupy W all Street protestat a California university has sparked outrage, an investigation and calls for the college chancellor’s resignatiIt also set off a debate about how far officers can and should go to disperse peaceful dem onstrators. While mastudents, lawmakers and even the university’s chancellor saw the officers’ actions as excessive, some expeon police tactics say, depending on the circumstances, pepper spray can be a less violent crowd contmeasure than dragging protesters away or swinging at them with truncheons. “Between verbalized commanand knock-down, drag-out fights, there’s quite a bit of wiggle room,” said David Klinger, a former Los AngePolice Department officer and instructor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who reviewed the pepper sp

footage. “When you’ve got a bunch of people who are clearly noncompliant, locking arms, it doesn’t look go(on camera),” he said. Soon after the incident on Friday at the University of California, Davis, video recordinspread across the Internet. The footage of an officer casually spraying an orange cloud over protesters whspectators screamed in horror joined other much-discussed pepper-spray incidents, such as the 84-year-activist hit in the face in Seattle and a Portland, Ore., woman who recently was sprayed in the mouth.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/NEWS08/311220043/Were-police-justified-using-pepper-spray-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Fleischmann targets regulations in "Facebook town hall" online (TFP/Carroll)U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann used an eight-minute "Facebook town hall" video to rail against regulations aPresident Barack Obama, reinforcing Republican talking points along the way. "Unfortunately, the presidenpolicies have been a failure. ... He believes in the public sector; I believe in the private sector," Fleischmann s

as a link to his oil-and-gas industry-backed jobs plan, "Less Government, More Jobs," scrolled across tscreen. Last week, Fleischmann's 1,642 Facebook friends were asked to submit policy queries online. LesBell, whose online profile says she's from Signal Mountain, posed one of about 10 questions the Chattanoocongressman received: "What regulations should we cut?" After reading her question off a laptop, Fleischmalooked into the camera and began talking about a past repeal of a particular section of Obama's health creform bill. He did not explain the section to viewers, only calling it the "1099 repeal, which was successful."http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/22/fleischmann-targets-regulations-in-online-to wn/?local

ET congressmen express outrage, disappointment (News-Sentinel/Collins)The failure of a congressional "super comm ittee" to agree upon $1.2 trillion in cuts to the federal deficit triggeoutrage among som e East Tennesseans in Congress, but others were hardly disappointed to see the panel gup. Tennessee's senators called the committee's collapse "a national disgrace" and "a failure of governing." U

Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Knoxville, called the panel "a super bust." Congressional reaction on Monday: USen. Bob Corker, R-Chattanooga: Calling the outcome "a national disgrace," he said, "Throughout our histoAmericans have sent our citizens throughout the world to shed blood in defense of preserving democracy. BWashington's lack of discipline and unwillingness to make decisions that we all know must be made m ay cauthe world to question the American exceptionalism that has been a beacon for the world for generations." USen. Lamar Alexander, R-Maryville: He said the panel's inability to reach a deal "is a failure of governing, nomoney." "The debt w ill be cut by another $1.2 trillion," Alexander said, "but it will be done the w rong way, withreforming the mandatory entitlement spending that is 55 percent of the federal budget, growing at three timinflation and bankrupting our country."http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/21/et-congressmen-express-outrage-disappointment/ 

Black, TN senators react to supercommittee failure (Daily News Journal)

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- U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn.: “Throughout our history Americans have sent our citizens throughout world to shed blood in defense of preserving dem ocracy. But Washington’s lack of discipline and unw illingnessmake decisions that we all know must be made may cause the world to question the American exceptionalisthat has been a beacon for the world for generations. In our republican democracy, our citizens elect us to matough but necessary decisions, and our refusal to make them will have dire consequences for our country.” “its current course the federal government is projected to spend almost $44 trillion over the next 10 years, and inothing short of an embarrassment, an absolute national disgrace and failure of leadership that we cannot agon even a paltry $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction over that time frame. Getting our country’s finances and deunder control is the struggle of this decade, and those of us who care deeply about this issue must do everythin our power to deal w ith it or we will endure the fate playing out across Europe.”http://www.dnj.com/article/20111121/NEWS01/111121025/Black-TN-senators-react-supercommittee-failure

Congresswoman honors 12 Fort Campbell spouses for service (Leaf Chronicle)U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn with the assistance of 101st Airborne Division Commander Maj. Gen. JamesMcConville on Monday presented 12 Fort Campbell women with Outstanding Military Spouse Awards. "It'sgood week to give thanks," Blackburn said. This is the third year Blackburn has presented the award, whrecognizes the spouses of service members. Nominees were selected based on their community and pinvolvement, overcoming challenges and the impact made w ithin the military. "They will never wear stars on thshoulders, but in their crowns," Blackburn said. "These woman give their time, talents and treasures to thhomes and community." Those awarded were: • Jennifer Cornelius, 159th Com bat Aviation Brigade. • Elisab

Day Del Gesso, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. • Amanda Rae Henry, 2nd BCT. • Susan Jordan, 5th Special ForcGroup. • Diana Moore, 4th BCT. • Patricia Moseley 4th BCT.http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111122/NEWS08/111220355/Congresswoman-honors-12-Fort-Campbell-spouses-service

Lawmakers restore $12.5M in funds for meth cleanup (Associated Press/Salter)The war on methamphetamine has gotten some support from Congress — millions of dollars to clean up toxic waste generated by clandestine labs. President Barack Obama signed a wide-ranging appropriations Friday that included the restoration of $12.5 million for meth lab cleanup. “It’s an awesome thing,” said TomFarmer, state meth task force coordinator for Tennessee, the state that led the nation in the num ber of meth lain 2010. “It keeps us in the fight so we can combat these things.” The measure restores funding lost in Februawhen federal meth lab cleanup money through the Community Oriented Policing Services program ran out, a

was not renewed. The program provided $19.2 million for meth lab cleanup in 2010. That was devastating some areas of the country hit hard by meth. An Associated Press investigation in August found that withfederal cleanup money, many local police and sheriff’s departments were far less likely to seek out meth lathey couldn’t afford to clean up.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111122/NEWS08/311220044/Lawmakers-restore-12-5M-funds-meth-cleanup?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Tax incentives approved to get gift wrap plant located in Mem phis (CA/Evanoff)EDGE panel helps Minnesota firm S taggered by imports and a change in shopping habits, gift wrap maker Cis closing its 600-employee Mem phis plant after auctioning off the huge presses for scrap this fall. Now, a smMinnesota firm is trying to edge into the gift wrap business by buying $7.5 million wo rth of the equipment leftCleo. On Monday, the Industrial Development Board of Memphis and Shelby County approved tax abatemeworth nearly $1 million over six years for Impact Innovations Inc. of Clara City, Minn. "We want you in M emph

Al Bright, board chairman, told Impact officials after the board voted 8-0 for the tax breaks. But the deal iscertain. The firm is considering locating a 25-employee plant and a related design and marketing officeMemphis, the M emphis suburb of Southaven or the Nashville suburb of Franklin. "We'll make a final decisabout where to locate in the next couple of days," said John Dammermann, Impact president. Impact is tryingmake money in a segment where Cleo backed out. O wned most recently by CSS Industries Inc. of PhiladelphCleo prospered for years, employing more than 1,000 Mem phis workers in a plant capable of producing a stripgift wrap 2 billion feet long every year.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/21/tax-incentives-approved-get-gift-wrap-plant-locate/ 

MED Makeover (Memphis Daily News)Capital improvements highlight revitalized Regional M edical Center The first time Dr. Reginald Coopwood, Cof The Regional Medical Center at M emphis, ever saw the facility he now leads, he asked, “Where’s the fr

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door?” Nearly two years later, The MED finally has a new, clearly marked main entrance. “Historically, we did have a front door,” said Tish Towns, senior vice president of external relations for The MED. “So it was hardefind your way into the campus and to the information desk – which was in our Jefferson Tower up on the secofloor – in order to find your way to a patient room. Or you had to navigate yourself through the trauma arwhich could be somewhat of a complex m aze.” The new main hospital entrance gives visitors immediate acceto a staffed information desk, where visitors can ask questions, acquire the hospital’s required identificatbadge and immediately board elevators to the patient care unit. In addition to having instant access tocustomer service representative, visitors have access to the lobby’s new high-tech, touch-screen kiosk, whprovides information about the campus in both English and Spanish.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/nov/22/med-makeover/ 

Union Co. school board delays action on superintendent's future (NS/Blackerby)Knoxville attorney Herbert S. Moncier came looking for a settlement and a chance to rebuke charges leveagainst his embattled client, suspended Union County Schools Superintendent Wayne G oforth. He got a chanto do neither Monday night as the Union C ounty school board, in a don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it meeting that toless than 10 minutes, voted to delay a decision on Goforth's future pending further investigation of schofinancial records by an independent accounting firm. Goforth was charged earlier this year with six noncrimiadministrative counts of neglecting his duties. The charges alleged that Goforth, who signed a four-year contrin 2008 at $86,000 a year, was unable to competently manage school finances. The board voted 4-3 at its O

19 meeting to suspend Goforth, alleging that he was "incompetent to carry out the duties of his office." Tboard's swift exit Monday evening stunned the crowd of more than 100 p eople gathered in the Union CouHigh School auditorium and left Moncier fuming.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/21/union-county-school-board-delays-action-on/ 

Alabama: Alabama’s Shame (Cont.) (New York Times)The self-inflicted wounds from Alabama’s most-abusive-in-the-nation imm igration law just keep on coming. Lweek, a manager for Mercedes-Benz, visiting from Germany, was pulled over in his rental car by a police offiin Tuscaloosa near where a Mercedes plant builds sport-utility vehicles. The manager didn’t have his drivelicense with him, and only a few months ago he just would have been given a ticket. But Alabama’s new lanow in effect, demands tougher action against suspected illegal immigrants. The manager was arrested ataken to police headquarters. Germany is Alabama’s largest international trading partner, and Mercedes, a uof Daimler, recently announced more than $2 billion in new investment there through 2014. Is this any waytreat a visitor, especially one representing a company that could just as easily invest in some other low-wastate? Is this any way to treat anybody at all? Of course, all sorts of unexpected and nasty things happen whyou empower the police to demand papers of suspected illegal immigrants and nullify contracts they enter aimpose a host of other vile and unnecessary penalties, like forcing schools to check the immigration statuschildren and their parents (one of several provisions blocked for now in federal court).http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/opinion/alabamas-shame-cont.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Indiana: New Battle Looms on Labor (Wall Street Journal)Indiana House Republicans said M onday they wo uld make passing a so-called right-to-work bill their top prioin the coming legislative session, re-opening another front in a battle over labor unions that has roiled much

the Midwest this year. The Indiana bill would affect the rights of all private-sector workers, allowing employeesunionized companies to refrain from joining the union and to avoid paying union dues. Republicans and somcompany executives say such a bill would create jobs in a state where unemployment stands at 8.9%, whDemocrats and labor leaders say it wouldn't help unemployment and would crimp incomes. If the meassucceeds, Indiana will be the first state to pass a right-to-work law since Oklahoma in 2001, though sumeasures have been proposed in many state legislatures this year. Currently 22 states have right-to-work lawand they tend to have the lowest unionization rates. The Indiana announcement comes just weeks aneighboring Ohio voted by a wide m argin on Nov. 8 to repeal a broader law limiting collective bargaining public-sector workers.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204531404577052072122827042.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1(SUBSCRIPTION)

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Michigan: Detroit School District Shoring Up its Finances (Wall Street Journal)After more than two years under state control, Detroit's public school district appears to be getting its bafinances in order by privatizing services, cutting wages, restructuring debt and aggressively seeking out studeto fill its classrooms. The district's operating deficit stands at $83 million, down from $327 million at the startthe year, according to documents released by the district Monday. The progress under the district's new staappointed emergency financial manager could offer a roadmap for the city of Detroit, which is running out of caand may itself fall into state hands. Faced with a $45 mill ion budget shortfall, Detroit Mayor Dave B

announced late last week he planned to cut 1,000 city jobs, impose a hiring freeze and cut employee pay10%. More cuts are expected as the mayor, city council and municipal labor unions continue to wrestle this weover how to keep Detroit out of receivership. "Solving our cash crisis requires a combination of concessions atough cuts," the mayor, a Dem ocrat, said in a statement Friday.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203710704577052550338312014.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1(SUBSCRIPTION)

OPINION

Editorial: If Lakeshore closes, treatment funds m ust stay (News-Sentinel)The announced closure of the state-run Lakeshore Mental Health Institute has the potential to improve care

the region's mentally ill but also could wind up letting many fall through the cracks between private-secproviders. To make the plan proffered by Tennessee Department of Mental Health Commissioner Doug Varnwork, state officials must reinvest Lakeshore's budget into the continued care of patients. Otherwise, thopatients and the community will pay the price for the complete deinstitutionalization of those who suffer frprofound mental health issues. Varney's plan would complete the demise of Lakeshore — established in 18and long known as Eastern State Psychiatric Hospital — begun in the 1980s. Varney has called institutionalizcare outdated and believes most mentally ill patients can be treated by private-sector providers and that wsupport many can be integrated back into the community.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/22/editorial-closing-lakeshore-feasible-o nly-if-for/ 

Editorial: Hospitals could lose federal funds (Paris Post-Intelligencer)“I think there is a gap in understanding of the implications of some of these cuts at the federal level.” Thdeclaration, by the dean of Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine, was the understatement of the week. Jeff Balser was talking about the funding mechanism for TennCare upon which Tennessee hospitals rely heavThe state’s health care program for the poor is based largely on federal funds that match Medicaid provider feThe deficit-cutting plan that a congressional supercommittee is struggling to produce reportedly could slathose matching funds. That action, Balser said, would “eviscerate” the program and could cause some hospitto close. Vanderbilt serves more TennCare patients than any other hospital in the state, The TennesseanNashville reported. They account for 22 percent of Vanderbilt’s patients, and an even higher percentage in m arural hospitals. When the legislature sharply reduced TennCare’s budget, hospitals last year agreed to makethe difference by paying an “enhanced coverage fee.” Those fees and a nursing home bed tax totaled ab$450 million and generated over $707 m illion in federal funds, the basic funding support for TennCare.http://www.parispi.net/articles/2011/11/21/opinion/editorials/doc4eca8079196379635 59661.txt

Times Editorial: Results of a flawed recall effort against Littlefield (TFP)Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield issued welcome notice Monday that he will pursue all available legal optioto thwart what he reasonably sees as a flawed recall effort which was wrongly given traction by a partisHamilton County Election Commission vote last week. His notice also rightly informed the City Council that would contest any attempt to install a place-holder in his seat pending the outcome of his legal appealsoverturn the recall movement. Littlefield also urged the council to undertake two other timely initiatives. Owould have the council end the confusion over the city's flawed recall provisions by properly amending relevant city statute to comply with prevailing state law, which is more strenuous, orderly and logical. The o tsuggested initiative recommends a general referendum next August to amend to the city's charter to move celections from off-years to the regularly scheduled August balloting for county, state and federal elections. Binitiatives make good sense. They should have been adopted years ago. The next general city election, example, is now scheduled for March 2, 2013, an o ff-year ballot.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/22/results-of-a-flawed-recall/?opin iontimes

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Editorial: Share surplus with workers (Comm ercial Appeal)A one-time bonus is a fitting way to share an $8.7 m illion budget surplus with Shelby County employees. SheCounty government has an $8.7 million general fund surplus, and Mayor Mark Luttrell wants to share some owith county employees. The County Commission should approve the idea. If commissioners act quickly, tbonuses could arrive just in time for Christmas. The one-time bonuses would cost $2.5 million. The remain$6.2 million would be placed in a reserve fund. Employees hired before July 1 would be eligible for a bonus eq

to 1.5 percent of their base pay. Some temporary employees would receive $200. Elected officials would noteligible, and we hope commissioners would reject a move to include them if one should be proposed. Luttsaid the elimination of 46 positions, the decision to hold other jobs vacant and higher-than-expected collectioof delinquent taxes are responsible for the surplus, which was registered for the fiscal year that ended June 30http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/22/editorial-share-surplus-with-workers/ 

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