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    MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012

    Support for Amended Civil Service Bill Could Cross Party Lines (WPLN-Radio)Governor Bill Haslam says that the most important thing he can do this year is change civil service rules for states 46,000 workers. The proposal was met with sharp criticism from the state employees association. Bwith a few tweaks, the TSEA announced last week it would be able to support the amended bill. The legislationlikely to get final votes this week, though it hasnt exactly sailed through the state House. WPLNs Joe Whtalks to Blake Farmer about why .http://wpln.org/?p=357 35

    Tenn. bills encourage parental involvement (Associated Press)Tennessee is among a few other states that have enacted or are proposing legislation that aims to push pare

    to get mo re involved in the children's school performance. One bill advancing in the Legislature would encouraschool districts to develop a parental involvement contract, while another proposes what are comm only referto as parent report cards. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the contract legislationsimilar to a proposal passed in Michigan in 2001, and Louisiana is currently considering legislation to graparent participation. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, who has implemented tougher education policies since takoffice in 2010, says parental involvement is a "key issue." He says one thing that separates schools doing won mandatory tests from struggling ones is the work of parents.http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/apr/09/latest-tennessee-news-sports-business-and-entertai-ar -1986848/

    Tightening the Lid on Pain Prescriptions (New York Times)It was the type of conversation that Dr. Claire Trescott dreads: telling physicians that they are not cutting it. Bthe large health care system here that Dr. Trescott helps manage has placed controls on how painkillers a

    prescribed, like making sure doctors do not prescribe too much. Doctors on staff have been told to abide by guidelines or face the consequences. So far, two doctors have decided to leave, and two more have remainbut are being closely monitored. It is excruciating, said Dr. Trescott, who oversees primary care at GroHealth. These are often very good clinicians who just have this fatal flaw. High-strength painkillers knownopioids represent the most widely prescribed class of medications in the United States. And over the last decathe number of prescriptions for the strongest opioids has increased nearly fourfold, with only limited evidencetheir long-term effectiveness or risks, federal data shows. Doctors are prescribing like crazy, said Dr. Richard C hapman, the director of the Pain R esearch Center at the University of Utah. Medical professionhave long been on high alert about powerful painkillers like OxyContin because of their widespread abuse teenagers and others for recreational purposes.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todays paper(SUBSCRIPTION)

    Entering a new phase (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Coleman)TDOT begins work on final part of Highway 66 project Three-phase project will wrap up in '14 Since 20business owners, visitors to and residents of Sevier County have dealt with the challenges of road constructas w orkers have revamped state Highway 66 from downtown Sevierville to Interstate 40. The Highway Improvement Project is scheduled to wrap up Oct. 31, 2014. The three-phased project that began in July 20will create three lanes of traffic in each direction between I-40 and the North Parkway (state Route 448)downtown Sevierville. Amanda Marr, marketing director with the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, simprovements will be worth the wait. "Once the project is complete, it will be fantastic and move traffic betteshe said. "Having more lanes, the flow of traffic will been even better." The project's first phase, wh ich involvBoyds Creek Highway (state Route 338) to North Parkway in downtown Sevierville, finished on Nov. 12, 20The second phase, from I-40 to Douglas Dam Road (state Route 139) is on track to finish Nov. 30. And the fi

    http://wpln.org/?p=35735http://wpln.org/?p=35735http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/apr/09/latest-tennessee-news-sports-business-and-entertai-ar-1986848/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todayspaperhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todayspaperhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todayspaperhttp://wpln.org/?p=35735http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/apr/09/latest-tennessee-news-sports-business-and-entertai-ar-1986848/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todayspaperhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/health/opioid-painkiller-prescriptions-pose-danger-without-oversight.html?ref=todayspaper
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    phase is beginning this week between Douglas Dam Road and Boyds Creek Highway and should finish by O31, 2014, according to TDOT.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/highway-66-upgrades-at-a-glance/

    I-40 welcome center in Smith County to be repaired (Associated Press)The Interstate 40 welcome center in Smith County will be closed for about a week while repairs are made. TTennessee Department of Transportation said the center at mile marker 267 will be closed for both directiobeginning Tuesday through April 17. Workers will make repairs to the wastewater treatment facility for the centThe entire center, including restrooms and vending machines, will be closed. TDOT says the center is one of

    state's busiest with nearly 2 million visitors a year.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/i-40-welcome-center-in-smith-county-to-be/

    University of Tenn. at Chattanooga hosts business camp for veterans (TFP/SouthUTC is taking applications for a new, free program that aims to teach military veterans how to start a successbusiness. The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program application deadline is April 27. Those accepted will bethe first phase of the yearlong program in June. Dr. Robert Dooley, dean of the University of TennesseeChattanooga's College of Business, brought the program model with him from Oklahoma State University whhe arrived in Chattanooga last summer. Dooley said in a recent interview that while it's obvious to memployers that veterans make good employees, what's often overlooked is their abil ity to run their oorganizations. "It's not their job skills they've learned, it's the fact they come out of an environment that's missiooriented, they follow through on a task and have a strong desire to achieve goals," Dooley said. Those intangi

    skills are the same that make a good entrepreneur, he said. The year-long program begins w ith a month of sestudy before vets hit UTC in July for an eight-day "boot camp" that teaches them the fundamentalsentrepreneurship.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/utc-hosts-business-camp-for-vetera ns/?local

    A needed lift: Project helps disabled man, teaches UT students (NS/Blackerby)The routine daily functions that most folks take for granted never came easily for Edi Deaver. In fact, everydtasks such as getting in and out of his wheelchair and into bed, and simply pu tting his shoes on and taking thoff had increasingly become a nightmare for Deaver, an engaging and upbeat 73-year-old resident of NoKnoxvil le who is l iving with cerebral palsy. Thanks to a team of graduate students from the UniversityTennessee's Department of Industrial Engineering, Deaver, who began using a wheelchair full time in 2002, hincreased m obility, a reduced dependency and a renewed vigor for tackling his simple but unique challenges

    daily life. "Edi had to sleep with his shoes on for about 15 years because he had trouble lifting his legs up adown when he got in and out of bed," said Lavanya Marella, who led the team of five graduate students chargwith solving Deaver's mobility issues. About a year ago, Marella and her peers were challenged by RuSawhney, head of the Department of Industrial Engineering at UT, to find ways for Deaver to be more mobile aself-sufficient.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/a-needed-lift-project-helps-disabled-man-teaches/

    Tennessee bills encourage parental involvement (Associated Press)Charles Widener and his wife believe being personally involved in their childrens academics is essential to youngsters succeeding not just in school but in life. Its very important for us to be involved with our childresaid Widener, whose 9-year-old and 5-year-old attend a Nashville magnet school. You have to show them teducation is important. Tennessee is among a few states that have enacted or are considering legislation t

    aims to spur parents to get involved in their childrens school performance. One bill advancing in the TennessLegislature would encourage school districts to develop a parental involvement contract, and another proposwhat are commonly referred to as parent report cards, which are mostly used in charter schools. The contralegislation is similar to a proposal passed in M ichigan in 2001, and Louisiana is currently considering legislatto grade parent participation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Utah passed legislatlast month that creates an online survey where parents can evaluate their own involvement, but the school donot assign them a grade and its voluntary, the NCSL said. Its the engagement, said Rep. Antonio ParkinsonMemphis D emocrat and sponsor of both Tennessee proposals, which are advancing in the Legislature.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/tennessee-bills-encourage-parental-involvem ent/?local

    Mighty hemlocks falling to tiny, hungry insects (Tennessean/Paine)

    http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/highway-66-upgrades-at-a-glance/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/highway-66-upgrades-at-a-glance/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/i-40-welcome-center-in-smith-county-to-be/http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/utc-hosts-business-camp-for-veterans/?localhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/a-needed-lift-project-helps-disabled-man-teaches/http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/tennessee-bills-encourage-parental-involvement/?localhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/highway-66-upgrades-at-a-glance/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/i-40-welcome-center-in-smith-county-to-be/http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/utc-hosts-business-camp-for-veterans/?localhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/a-needed-lift-project-helps-disabled-man-teaches/http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/tennessee-bills-encourage-parental-involvement/?local
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    State's giant trees dying off faster than expected Only a small portion of the states hemlocks many that hundreds of years old and stand 10 stories or higher are expected to survive a scourge of tiny insects that hadvanced here from the Northeast. Chemical treatments are needed one tree at a time, and theres only so mumoney and time available. M any of the long-lived evergreens already have died or are dying in Great Sm oMountains National Park and elsewhere, leaving needleless gray hulks that no longer shade creeks and threato fall on whatever is nearby. And the woolly adelgids named for the clumps of whitish wax fibers they produ are progressing more quickly than offic ials ca lcu lated across the Cumberland Mountains and Plateau towsome of the states best-known scenery and hiking spots. The fast-reproducing Asian species has no natpredator here. At risk are hemlocks that ring two of the falls at Fall Creek Falls State Park and gorges of SavaGulf that are lush with their canopies. Hemlocks, which are known as the redwood of the East, also line Fiery Gizzard Trail about 90 miles southeast of Nashville. When you walk along a creek, like at Fiery Gizzathe only big towering tree is the hemlock, said Margaret Matens, with Friends of South Cumberland StaRecreation Area, which includes the trail and Savage Gulf.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS11/304090020/Mighty-hemlocks-falling-tiny-hungry-insectodyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

    Bledsoe County prison inmates working on vegetable garden (TFP/Benton)A cloudless sky overhead, freshly turned soil beneath their orange flip-flops and Crocs, a dozen inmates at tBledsoe County De tention Center pick clumps of grass and rocks from the dirt to ready the jail's first garden planting. The prisoners, all nonviolent offenders who have good behavior reports, talk excitedly about havingarden to tend and the vegetables they hope to plant. Cody Leach, 18, from Franklin County, said the garden wgive prisoners productive work and help lighten the local tax burden by producing food for the jail's 90 to 1inmates. "It's good to get out of the jail and get a little bit of freedom and help Bledsoe County out," Leach saBledsoe County Sheriff Jimmy Morris, a lifelong farmer who was elected sheriff almost six years ago, took tractor to the jail last week to plow a couple of acres of good Sequatchie Valley bottom land next to the jMorris said the garden will give inmates something to look forward to and they'll learn a little about producfood from the soil in the process. The outside work is good for inmates' morale, too, Leach said. "You can gsome fresh air, feel different. You don't feel so violent all the time," he said. "There ain't nothing like being outswhen you're in jail. It's good to get out and get your legs moving." Morris said his family -- brother, Lee; fathRandall; and son, Mike -- farms about 1,000 acres in Bledsoe County, but the sheriff's eyes are on the two-accity-owned plot by the jail.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/hoeing-a-new-row/?local

    Sheriffs hail ruling allowing strip searches for anyone arrested (Tennessean/HaaTipton to search all detainees after Supreme Court ruling Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court gave the Ofor jailers to strip search anyone whos arrested regardless of how m inor their offense the sheriff in TipCounty decided that every incoming detainee will be strip searched. Its not meant or intended to be degradiits meant to save lives, Tipton County Sheriff J.T. Pancho Chumley told W HBQ-TV FOX13 in M emphis. Mmajor jails in the state have more nuanced strip search policies, generally calling for them only in cases whethere is reason to believe someone may be trying to conceal something. Sheriffs across the nation hailed tcourt decision as providing much-needed clarity and flexibility on the issue of strip searching the newly arrestThe justices voted 5-4 that police had the authority to strip search a man m istakenly arrested for an unpaid fiDavidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, who is also president of the Am erican Correctional Association, has plans to implement blanket strip searches, but he said jails across the country need the ability to do that. Bmany defense attorneys were appalled at what they saw as a dangerous and demeaning erosion of civil rights

    http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS03/304090026/Sheriffs-hail-ruling-allowing-strip-s earchesanyone-arrested?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|N ews

    Federal Funds to Train the Jobless Are Drying Up (New York Times)With the economy slowly reviving, an executive from Atlas Van Lines recently visited Louisville, Ky., with gonews: the company wanted to hire more than 100 truck drivers ahead of the summer moving season. Buusually reliable source of workers, the local government-financed job center, could offer little help, because tfederal money that local officials had designated to help train drivers was already exhausted. Without tgovernment assistance, many of the people who would be interested in applying for the driving jobs could afford the $4,000 classes to obtain commercial drivers licenses. Now Atlas is struggling to find eligible driveAcross the country, work force centers that assist the unemployed are being asked to do more with less federal funds dwindle for job training and related services. In Seattle, for example, the regions seven cente

    http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS11/304090020/Mighty-hemlocks-falling-tiny-hungry-insects?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS11/304090020/Mighty-hemlocks-falling-tiny-hungry-insects?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/hoeing-a-new-row/?localhttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/hoeing-a-new-row/?localhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS03/304090026/Sheriffs-hail-ruling-allowing-strip-searches-anyone-arrested?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS03/304090026/Sheriffs-hail-ruling-allowing-strip-searches-anyone-arrested?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS11/304090020/Mighty-hemlocks-falling-tiny-hungry-insects?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS11/304090020/Mighty-hemlocks-falling-tiny-hungry-insects?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/09/hoeing-a-new-row/?localhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS03/304090026/Sheriffs-hail-ruling-allowing-strip-searches-anyone-arrested?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNewshttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/NEWS03/304090026/Sheriffs-hail-ruling-allowing-strip-searches-anyone-arrested?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews
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    provided training for less than 5 percent of the 120,000 people who came in last year seeking to burnish thskills. And in Dallas, officials say they have annual funds left to support only 43 people in training programnowhere near enough to help the 23,500 people who have lost their jobs in the last 10 weeks alone.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/business/economy/federal-funds-to-train-jobless-are-drying-up.ht ml?_r=1&hp(SUBSCRIPTION)

    Interviews begin today for county schools director's job (Daily News Journal)Interviews begin today for those under consideration to be the next director of Rutherford County SchooEmerging as the top candidates from 17 applicants were Paula Barnes, assistant superintendent of humresources and student services for Rutherford County Schools; Stan Curtis, director of transportatimaintenance and custodial services for Cheatham County Schools; Don Odom, assistant superintendentcurriculum and instruction for Rutherford County Schools and Donna Wright, assistant superintendentcurriculum and instruction for Knox County Schools. Combined, they have 131 years of educational experienAll interviews begin at 6 p.m. through Thursday at the districts central office, 2240 Southpark Blvd., beginnwith Barnes then continuing alphabetically. The person chosen by Rutherford County Board of Education wreplace outgoing Director of Schools Harry Gill Jr., who announced his intent to retire in November. G ill has shis decision to retire was largely due to on-the job stress, including his own pending evaluation, which could haresulted in a one-year extension. He has spent his entire 40-year career with the district, the last nine as directThe Tennessee School Boards Association is assisting the board in the process. Candidates will spend the dvisiting schools, meeting with principals and central office administrators, before having dinner and a forminterview with the board. Interviews are open to the public, but only board m embers are allowed to ask questiohttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120409/NEWS07/304090027/Interviews-begin-today-county-schools-director-s-joodyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE

    Connecticut: Connecticut revisits old-school Medicaid financing (Stateline)Anyone familiar with Medicaids financial woes will tell you that the traditional way of paying health providersthe so-called fee-for-service methodis a big part of the problem. It encourages doctors and hospitals to rackfees by ordering tests, office visits and procedures that may not always be needed. As a result, most states aflocking to m anaged care plans, in which a health care organization under contract with the state agrees to a monthly fee for covering each Medicaid beneficiary, regardless of the actual costs. The organizations are bett

    that their negotiated fees will cover actual claims, plus administrative costs and a profit. Acting as gatekeepethe groups try to avoid unnecessary or excessive procedures. But after more than 15 years of struggling wtroubled managed care arrangements, Connecticut is retreating. State officials say the system was no longsaving the state money and patients were not getting the care they need just the opposite of what managcare organizations promise. So to regain control of its health care programs, the state cut its ties with managcare organizations and started over. On January 1, Connecticut began directly reimbursing health care providewhile a non-profit organization provides care coordination and customer service for all of the states Medicaand Childrens Health Insurance Program beneficiaries, plus members of a state-funded health programs for loincome adults about 600,000 people in all.http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=64 4121

    MORE

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/business/economy/federal-funds-to-train-jobless-are-drying-up.html?_r=1&hphttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/business/economy/federal-funds-to-train-jobless-are-drying-up.html?_r=1&hphttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120409/NEWS07/304090027/Interviews-begin-today-county-schools-director-s-job?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120409/NEWS07/304090027/Interviews-begin-today-county-schools-director-s-job?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=644121http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=644121http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/business/economy/federal-funds-to-train-jobless-are-drying-up.html?_r=1&hphttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/business/economy/federal-funds-to-train-jobless-are-drying-up.html?_r=1&hphttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120409/NEWS07/304090027/Interviews-begin-today-county-schools-director-s-job?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.dnj.com/article/20120409/NEWS07/304090027/Interviews-begin-today-county-schools-director-s-job?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGEhttp://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=644121
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    OPINION

    Editorial: Let people vote to retain judicial selection method (News-Sentinel)Gov. Bill Haslam uses the word "clarity" when discussing the proposal to affirm by constitutional amendment state's method of selecting justices for the Tennessee Supreme Court and appeals courts. And Haslam is rig"Clarity" is a good term for the proposal that also has the support of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and House SpeaBeth Harwell. Some lawmakers, however, can't resist trying to fix things that are not really broken but might neonly the clarification offered by the state's top three Republicans. The current selection method has been in plafor at least a couple of decades. When a vacancy occurs, a Judicial Nominating Commission provides governor with three names, and the governor makes his selection from that slate. For the most part, this systhas worked, but every now and then, lawmakers w ill bring up the question of the method's constitutionality. Thare justified in raising the question, since the state Constitution says that Supreme Court justices "shall elected by the qualified voters of the state." As it stands, voters cast their ballots only for retaining or not retainiSupreme Court justices and appeals court judges when they are up for re-election or for full terms following appointment. The retention vote is preceded by a Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission review of ea

    candidate's decisions and tenure on the bench.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/

    Editorial: Keep charter schools' operations in public view (Jackson Sun)The state of Tennessee has moved aggressively to expand the role of charter schools in public education, awe have been supportive of those moves. Now, additional legislation is being debated in the General Assemto ensure that charter schools adhere to state open m eetings and open records laws. These bills are an absolmust, as charter schools are paid for with public funds. Two bills in the House and two in the Senate (HB 26HB 3359, SB 2575 and SB 3178) propose to hold charter schools to the same open meetings and open recolaws as other public schools. Because they are part of the Tennessee public school system and are paid for wpublic dollars, the public has a r ight to see how they operate and what they do with taxpayers monLawmakers and Gov. Bill Haslam have been supportive of charter schools. They have expanded the number

    charter schools that can be created, and they have expanded the scope of children these schools can serThat means larger and larger amounts of state and local tax dollars will be flowing into the hands of those wrun charter schools. Some charter schools are operated by private companies. Others, such as the ConnectioPreparatory School proposed in Jackson, are run by a group of local citizens.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120409/OPINION/304090012/Keep-charter-schools-operations-public-vie

    Editorial: Todd makes a point (Commercial Appeal)State Rep. Curry Todd used his own experience recently to make a point about providing services for thoseneed. The Collierville Republican revealed that he has a rare, slow-growing form of cancer during a commitdebate about a bill that would require insurance companies to provide the same level of benefits for oral ancancer drugs as they do for injected chemotherapy. Insurance companies oppose the bill, saying the expand

    http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120409/OPINION/304090012/Keep-charter-schools-operations-public-viewhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/09/editorial-let-people-vote-to-retain-judicial/http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120409/OPINION/304090012/Keep-charter-schools-operations-public-view
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    benefits would result in high premiums. The bill is scheduled to be discussed again this week. It's kind osurprise that a conservative like Todd would not be inclined to side with the business community. Solegislators rush to cut benefits for citizens who have a myriad of social and medical needs. Todd's experiengave him empathy for cancer patients. It's something legislators should keep in mind when they propostopping or restricting benefits that help individuals and familihttp://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/09/todd-makes-a-point/(SUB)

    Guest columnist: Education bill no threat to science (Daily Beacon)Nearly 87 years since the beginning of the Scopes Monkey Trial in Dayton, Tenn., the state is once agabarreling toward being the battleground state for the debate between supporters of the theory of evolution aintelligent design. Tremors of tension regarding the subject are already being felt throughout the natiFollowing reports that Gov. Bill Haslam is likely to sign a bill that would allow teachers to discuss scientweaknesses of theories such as biological evolution, global warming and cloning, news outlets from MSNBCThe Los Angeles Times to The Wall Street Journal have had their hands on the developing story. With sucstrong reaction emanating from Haslams remark that he probably will sign the bill into law, which he has uTuesday to do, the tremors could erupt into a full-scale earthquake of disagreement between parties on eitside of the issue. The bill passed by a landslide in the Tennessee Senate and House, with tallies of 24-8 and 23, respectively, leaving the governor with the ultimate decision to sign into law or veto the legislation. If 19taught us anything, it is that the creationist vs. evolutionist debate polarizes and evokes emotions of the highdegree.http://utdailybeacon.com/opinion/columns/guest/2012/apr/9/education-bill-no-threat -science/

    Guest columnist: College offers opportunity to rethink worldview (Tennessean)While I was home for spring break from UT-Knoxville, I made a big decision. I came out of the closet to my fam as a thinker. Grow ing up in the Bible Belt, and being schooled in small Chris tian academies, does not exacencourage thinking outside the box. But now, as a student at a public university I am surrounded by a wvariety of cultural, religious and political views. Every day on campus I walk past someone petitioning something. Every morning students are bombarded with messages from the American Red Cross to bake salfrom campus organizations to campus advocates of the Ron Paul 2012 campaign, from sororities to all typesreligious groups, and so many more organizations. There is an almost unlimited exposure to all types of vieand belief systems. Coming from the background I have, this was eye-opening for me! So much of the world, a

    worldviews, that I had no idea about; incredible! How was this possible? It made me curious, and I startedlearn. I did some investigating. I spent more time thinking about why I believe what I believe, and why I feel way I feel, than I did doing homework. (Sorry, Mom !) At least, I did this for a little while. Along the way, I learnsome incredibly valuable lessons about myself and the world around me.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/OPINION03/304090007/College-offers-opportunity-rethink-worldview?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

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    http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/09/todd-makes-a-point/http://utdailybeacon.com/opinion/columns/guest/2012/apr/9/education-bill-no-threat-science/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/OPINION03/304090007/College-offers-opportunity-rethink-worldview?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cphttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/OPINION03/304090007/College-offers-opportunity-rethink-worldview?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cphttp://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/09/todd-makes-a-point/http://utdailybeacon.com/opinion/columns/guest/2012/apr/9/education-bill-no-threat-science/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/OPINION03/304090007/College-offers-opportunity-rethink-worldview?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cphttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120409/OPINION03/304090007/College-offers-opportunity-rethink-worldview?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp