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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011Haslam Didn’t Like Timing for Voucher Bill Next Year (WPLN-Radio NashvilleGovernor Bill Haslam says Tennessee isn’t ready for a school voucher program. That could use public poor students switching to private schools. Haslam says the state has already made several big ceducation, and should wait to do more. Some lawmakers had hoped to tackle school vouchers in thstarting next month. But last week Haslam said a task force would study the idea and make recommendafall, after lawmakers have left for the year. So legislation may be on hold for the time being. Haslam exdidn’t want to rush, because educators had asked to slow down, pointing to a host of changes already “Whether it be change in tenure, new evaluations, Race to the Top, different standards, a lot o f people ‘Give us a chance to catch our breath here.’ Which I thought, given everything that’s going on, was a fairthem.” http://wpln.org/?p=324 32

Haslam: Let’s ‘Catch Our Breath’ on Education Reform in ’12 (TN Report)Gov. Bill Haslam says he put the brakes on a proposal to further open up school choice in Tennessee beconcept of vouchers has “too many unanswered questions” and the timing was off. The plan to allow suse taxpayer-funded vouchers like scholarships to attend the public, charter or private school of thechoice was one of the most anticipated going into the next year’s legislative session, but the governodoor on that last week, saying he’d rather a task force delve into the subject for the next year. “I didn’timing was right,” the governor told reporters at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville Tuesdaypeople are saying, ‘Give us a chance to catch our breath here,’ which I thought, given everything that’swas a fair request of them.”http://www.tnreport.com/2011/12/haslam-lets-catch-our-breath-on-education-re12/  

Metro Food Drive Benefits Second Harvest (WTVF-TV Nashville)Mayor Karl Dean announced Tuesday that more than 62,000 pounds of food, enough for over 48,000 raised by the Metro Government for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Mayor Dean said that in the seco"Food Fight" he had challenged the Metro Government employees and employees of the Governor's ofwho could raise the m ost food for Second Harvest. This year the office of Gov. Bill Haslam prevailed. OnMayor Dean announced the winner and also recognized three departments for their extraordinary effcause. The Metro Planning Commission was this year's winner of the "Mayor's Cup", they raised 4,892food. "The need for food assistance is great, and I am thankful for the generosity of Metro employeNashvillians who got involved," Dean said at a news conference held Tuesday. "I am also grateful to Goand his staff for their generous donations, and I congratulate them for winning the ‘food fight.'http://www.newschannel5.com/story/16364017/metro-food-drive-benefits-second-harvest

THEC discusses speed-up in capital projects (Associated Press)The Tennessee Higher Education Commission agreed Tuesday to support a plan that would have couniversities pay part of the cost for campus construction projects and also requested approval of a five-yprogram that totals $1.8 billion. Commissioners in a telephone conference call Tuesday agreed to send Gov. Bill Haslam and state finance officials but did not have a quorum to formally act on the proposoutlay for the fiscal year that starts in July 2012 and the five-year plan. The Knoxville News Sentinel reTHEC supports the five-year plan that both the University of Tennessee and Board of Regent systems hofinanced with a bond issue (http://bit.ly/uiTBiF ). Haslam said Tuesday that his Republican administr"want to increase the amount of funding going to higher ed capital in Tennessee." "And I think it's fair to our clear intentions in this year's budget is to spend more on capital both for higher ed and for the sneeds." The commission is requesting $245 million in new projects for 2012-13, $40 million of which wo

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from institutions' match, and $84 million in maintenance for the next fiscal year.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/20/thec-discusses-speed-up-in-construction-planning/ 

MTSU science building on wish list (Tennessean/Hubbard)Higher education leaders are asking the state to replace Middle Tennessee State University’s 1970’s-ebuilding plus fund two other projects outside the region. It would cost $205 million in state money to fundplus the institutions would be asked to raise a total of $40 m illion. Tennessee hasn’t paid for facility imp

at universities since 2007-08. The Tennessee Higher Education Com mission met Tuesday to approve th13 capital projects – the others a science building at University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a remodeledcenter at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis – plus $84 million worth of marequests. The special meeting allowed comm issioners to submit the list to the governor’s office over theAt a separate event Tuesday, Gov. Bill Haslam said the state plans to increase its budget for capital prhe would not commit to funding the MTSU science bu ilding. For the first time, the commission is asking to raise 5 to 25 percent of building costs themselves for a five-year capital plan.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111221/NEWS04/312200079/MTSU-science-building-wish-list?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Higher education panel OKs projects (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/TrevizoThe Tennessee Higher Education Commission passed the 2012-13 capital projects recommendations T

list that requires close to $290 million in state funds. The commission also approved 60 already fundprojects in the Tennessee Board of Regents and the University of Tennessee systems at a cost of $2The list now will be sent to Gov. Bill Haslam's office. For the first time, institutions are required to financing of new capital outlay projects. The percentage varies according to institution, said Russ Defiscal officer of THEC. Under the recommendations, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga would bto come up with 25 percent of a $59.5 million life sciences laboratory, while the state provides $44.6according to THEC documents. "The harsh reality being that the conventional reliance on state for total capital projects and m aintenance the state is no longer in the position to do that, not just in Tennessee bstates as well," Richard Rhoda, executive director of THEC, said Tuesday during a conference call. projects that range from roof replacements to new academic buildings was planned to meet requiremeComplete College Tennessee Act, which focuses on increasing educational attainment and development.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/b5-higher-education-panel-oks-projects/?

Lambuth sale to U of M final: Flag-raising ceremony set for Jan. 12 (JacksonThe University of Mem phis officially took ownership of the Lambuth cam pus Tuesday when local officialsthe deed to the property at 705 Lambuth Blvd., closing a purchase agreement in the works for more thLocal stakeholders that include the city of Jackson, Madison County, West Tennessee Healthcare anEnergy Authority signed their rights to the campus over to the state of Tennessee on Monday after payinmillion each to fund the $7.9 million purchase of property. "It really is a good feeling because everyonebenefit from it long term," Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist said Tuesday. Sheri Lipman, counsel for the UnMemphis, said officials have been reviewing and signing documents in the sale over the past couple oThose documents were recorded Tuesday, making the purchase official. "This solidifies our place in thcommunity and allows us to move forward even m ore completely," Lipman said. Madison County M aHarris said having a four-year state university will give the county better ability to recruit new industrmore tax money and activity to West Tennessee.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111221/NEWS01/112210303/Lambuth-sale-U-M-final-Flag-raising-set-Jan-12

Charlotte Avenue store owner faces charges of sales tax evasion (City PaperAgents with the Special Investigations S ection of the Tennessee Department of Revenue arrestedmarket owner, Christopher E. Mulwa, 55, Tuesday morning on charges of sales tax evasion and propMulwa, who owns the C .M. Discount Store at 3709 Charlotte Ave., was arrested for allegedly withholdinin sales tax from January 2010 through December 2010, according to a release from the department. ACounty Grand Jury indicted Mulwa last week on four felony counts of sales tax evasion and one felontheft of property in excess of $10,000. If convicted, Mulwa could be sentenced to a maximum of two yearand fined up to $3,000 for each count of sales tax evasion and a maximum of six years in prison and f$10,000 for theft of property. “I believe that this investigation will serve as a reminder that retailers are n

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to use or keep sales tax monies,” said Revenue Commissioner Richard H. Roberts. “Consumers who pdeserve to know that the money will be used by the state and local governments for the common good.”http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/charlotte-avenue-store-owner-faces-charges-sales-t ax-ev

Local businessman charged with tax evasion (Daily News Journal)A Rutherford County grand jury has indicted a man on four Class E felony counts for failing to file franexcise tax returns on behalf of the Jones Company & Associates, Inc. The Special Investigations SecTennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest o

Jones Jr., age 67, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department arresTuesday morning. His bond was set at $10,000. Authorities said Jones failed to file returns for calendar ythrough 2007. The indictment charges Jones with depriving the state of the realization of lawful reven$83,368. “The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in activity," said Revenue Commissioner Richard H . Roberts. "This indictment underscores the departmentefforts to enforce Tennessee's tax laws."http://www.dnj.com/article/20111220/NEWS01/111220008/Local-businessman-charged-tax-evasion

Stores owners charged in TBI's synthetic drug raid in court this morning (DNSeveral individuals charged in connection with the recent TBI synthetic drug raid at local convenience scheduled to appear in Rutherford County General Sessions Court this morning. The individuals, mo

owners, were served with warrants about a week ago, about two months after the Tennessee Investigation, Murfreesboro Police, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, Smyrna Police and La Verconfiscated 23,000 total units of synthetic cannabinoid- and methcathinone-containing products, $44,500 cash and numerous articles of drug paraphernalia. Those charged include: Hamad A. Abpossession of cannabinoid, possession with the intent to sell Nader Sami A l-Nimri, possession of cannaNajif Alzabet, possession of cannabinoid (x2) Samy Fathy Angly, possession of cannabinoid (x2)http://www.dnj.com/article/20111220/NEWS01/111220001/Stores-owners-charged-TBI-s-synthetic-drug-morning-

Appeals court upholds sentence of man who TN threatened judge (Tenn/GeeThe 6th U.S. C ircuit Court of Appeals has upheld the five-year sentence of a man who sent threatening federal judge in Nashville — including one that contained a white powder substance that was ultimately dto be artificial sweetener. Herbert Wilfred Nixon sent the letters to Senior Judge Thomas Wiseman aftesentenced him to three years in prison for credit card fraud in 2002. “The unsigned letters demanded mthreatened the judge’s life,” according to the 6th Circuit opinion written by Judge Raymond M. Kethledpleaded guilty to making a false threat involving a biological weapon. While federal sentencing guidelinea sentence of 30 to 37 months, U.S. District Judge William J. Haynes Jr. sentenced N ixon to 60 m onargued that the sentence w as unreasonable, but the three-judge appellate panel upheld it, citing factorNixon’s criminal history and the fact that his hoax “required the government to spend resources respobio-hazard threat and were meant to terrorize a district judge and his staff.”http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111220/NEWS/312200057/Appeals-court-upholds-sentence-man-wthreatened-judge?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Tennessee court system says Christian/Newsom petition in vain (CA/Lakin)Efforts to halt Christian/Newsom retrials not evidence The email messages keep coming in, but the judg

all in vain. Tennessee's higher court justices won't consider the thousands of email petitions receivedretrial in the Christian/Newsom case, no m atter how many people send them. More than 16,000 people have signed and forwarded an online petition so far asking the state Supreme Court, Gov. Bill Haslam aKnoxville Mayor Daniel Brown to block a special judge's decision throwing out all four convictions in the kidnapping, carjacking and killing of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom. "They're trickling in all the Laura Click, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Adm inistrative Office of the Courts. "It's the exact sam e eand over again." Click said the judges respect the public's interest in the case but won't be swayed bother than evidence or the law. To do otherwise would violate a bedrock principle of judicial ethics, she County prosecutors have said they'll appeal the case to the state Court of Criminal Appeals. That appeafiled by early January, said John Gill, special counsel for the Knox County district attorney general.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/20/tennessee-court-system-says-christiannewsom-in/ 

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Sen. Faulk proposes changes to teacher evaluations (Times-News)A local state senator has filed a bill to allow high value-added student test scores to count more in Tteacher evaluations. The legislation also would lead to fewer classroom observation evaluations fowhose students do well on value-added, which measures how far a student progresses from one year t

Sen. Mike Faulk, R-Church H ill, earlier this week announced he has filed legislation to allow teaprincipals with superior value-added growth data scores to choose to use those scores to count as 50 more of their evaluations instead of the current minimum of 35 percent and maximum, under changepolicy, of 50 percent. “The highest level of achievement shall permit student growth data to be up to 100the evaluation,” states Senate Bill 2165. That would change the present system, in which students’ vagrowth is 35 percent of a teacher’s evaluation score, with another 15 percent tied to another measure agby the teacher and his/her supervisor to evaluate student achievement.http://www.timesnews.net/article/9039872/sen-faulk-proposes-changes-to-teacher-ev aluations

Rep. DeBerry Says She’s Free of Cancer (Associated Press/Johnson)State Rep. Lois DeBerry of M emphis has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season – mainly being nearly three years of battling pancreatic cancer, DeBerry was told by her doctors last month that they co

any trace of the terminal disease. “It’s the best Christmas present I could get,” the Democrat told The APress. DeBerry, a lawmaker for nearly 40 years, has been a powerful influence on Capitol Hill. As the fspeaker pro tempore in the House, legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle have sought her suppkey legislation. She’s worked tirelessly to pass bills of her own that seek to benefit the poor, children citizens. Some days she’s so busy she doesn’t even have time to eat. It took cancer to slow her down – fat least. DeBerry discovered she had early stages of the disease in 2009. A fellow lawmaker noticed heryellow, or jaundiced, and suggested she see a doctor.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/dec/21/rep-deberry-says-shes-free-of-cancer/ 

DeBerry of Memphis gets good news in cancer fight (Commercial Appeal)State Rep. Lois DeBerry has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season -- mainly being alive After nyears of battling pancreatic cancer, the Memphis Democrat was told by her doctors last month that the

find any trace of the usually terminal disease. "It's the best Christmas present I could get," she said. Dlawmaker for nearly 40 years, has been a powerful influence on Capitol Hill. As the first female speaker the House, legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle have sought her support to pass key legislatworked to pass bills of her own that seek to benefit the poor, children and senior citizens. Some days sheshe doesn't even have time to eat. It took cancer to slow her down, for a while at least. DeBerry discohad early stages of the disease in 2009. A fellow lawmaker noticed her eyes were yellow, or jaundsuggested she see a doctor.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/20/state-rep-lois-deberry-memphis-gets-good-news-c(SUBSCRIPTION)

Knox County Comm ission against plan to weaken open meetings law (N-S)Knox County commissioners have unanimously signed off on a resolution to notify local legislators thany changes to Tennessee's Open Meetings Act. "I think it's something we need to do, based on pascommission Chairman Mike Hammond said, referring to Black Wednesday when commissioners in Jancut deals to replace some elected officials with friends, family and cronies. The board of directors of the TCounty Com missioners Association recently voted to urge that state legislators revise current law so thaof local governing bodies can meet and discuss issues in private provided no quorum is present. "I hateprediction because anything can happen, but I don't think this has the legs to pass," said local delegationand state Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, who doesn't support weakening the law. State Rep. Glen CCollege Grove, has said he w ill sponsor the proposed change in the present statute, also known as "theLaw," at the request of the Williamson County Commission. His home county's comm ission unanimouslya resolution urging the revision.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/21/knox-county-commission-against-plan-to-weaken/ 

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Mem. City Council votes to spend $16.5 million on Overton Square (CA/ConnThe Memphis City Council voted 8-2 Tuesday in favor of spending about $16.5 million in public moneyflood-retention basin and a parking garage at O verton Square in Midtown. A crowd of supporters gatheHall to speak in favor of the project. Many said the flood basin would prevent water from flowing into suneighborhoods when Lick Creek swells. "Our home has flooded three times now, and the water gets fouin our basement, flooding our furnace and then our washer and dryer," said Keith Kirkland, 50, who liveThe parking garage would be built above the basin. Ekundayo Bandele, the 40-year-old founder a

director of Hattiloo Theatre, said his organization plans to construct a new building on land that the acquire as part of the Overton Square project. The theater would rent the land from the city. He tomembers that locating his African-American theater near the existing Playhouse on the Square aPlayhouse would turn the area into a true theater district and promote racial integration.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/20/memphis-city-council-votes-8-2-put-165-million-ov(SUBSCRIPTION)

Council Passes $16M Overton Square Funding (Memphis Daily News)It may have been a murky day in Memphis, but neighborhood stakeholders didn’t let the afternoon ratheir support of the Overton Square redevelopment project during the Mem phis City Council’s final meeyear. Council members approved $16 m illion in city funds for a parking garage and detention pond on wa large parking lot bordering Cooper Street Tuesday, Dec. 20 at City Hall. The parking structure will be th

and contain 450 spaces that are security monitored. Underneath the garage will be a detention basialleviate “a majority piece” of the Lick Creek flooding problem, said Deputy City Engineer John Camcouncil’s vote coincided with a planned $19.2 revitalization by Loeb Properties Inc. for the south side oAvenue at Cooper Street. “We pledge that we will be good stewards of public funds,” said company preLoeb during the meeting’s appearance cards for public speaking time. The vote dominated the councbeing the last possible date for a decision since Loeb’s due-diligence contract with the C olorado familythe Overton Square property expires Dec. 31.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/dec/21/council-passes-16-million-funding-for-overton-squ

Debate over whether or not Carter County can afford approved bonuses (H-CChristmas bonuses, an increasingly rare benefit in a lot of work places.Yet, this year county workers in CaCounty just learned they will get a year-end bonus.We found out that some think it's a luxury the county afford. This month, Commission Chairman Yogi Bowers proposed a Christmas bonus:$200 for full-timemployees; $100 for part-time.In sum, it will cost the county more than $46,000."This money has already beappropriated,” Bowers said.The measure passed 17-to-1,with Commissioner John Lewis against.He sayscounty employees got a bonus last year.Mayor Leon Humphrey says he's tried to be a good steward taxpayer dollar.Tonight, he urged commissioners to stop the practice of deficit spending.http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/dec/20/debate-over-whether-or-not-carter-county-can-affor-ar -15575

City legal staff looking into synthetic drug ban (Johnson City Press)Vampire Blood, 7H, K2, Diablo, Exotica, Spice. A drug by any other name is still a drug, so officials arpass legislation that would make it a felony to use any synthetic drug or “bath salts” regardless of theingenuity used to continually alter their composition to sidestep the law. Early this month Kingsport, BSullivan County passed a ban on legal synthetic drugs, making the sale, purchase and use of bathsynthetic marijuana a violation of city and or/county code. But many are saying the $50 civil fine plus c

are a drop in the bucket considering the money being made by m anufacturers. Johnson City does noordinance banning these substances. But City Manager Pete Peterson said the city’s Associate Legal CEpps IV has been asked to begin looking into whether a local ordinance here would have any teeth. A may be nothing more than an inconvenience to back room chemists who merely create new formulas thdefined in local government ordinances, Peterson said.http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=96914#ixzz1hAcPcxZ9

Labor department forces hotels to pay fines, wages (Times Free-Press/GarreA hotel that was the subject of a Chattanooga Times Free Press investigation earlier this year is amongin Tennessee being penalized by the U.S. Department of Labor for violating federal wage and hour laofficials said that, during a multiyear effort, which included an investigation into Chattanooga's former

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County Inn, they found widespread disregard for minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisiFair Labor Standards Act. In total, state hotels will be fined $14,552 and be forced to pay $173,045 in bto 283 employees. O fficials with the department would not say what the fines and back wages would amTown and C ounty Inn on East 23rd Street. The owners of the property at the time, David and S teven Berout of state and sold the property last year. The building now has a "for lease" sign outside. Calls to the called Extend A Suites, were not answered. "The division is successfully identifying and remedying labor violations in [the hotel] industry, so Tennessee's workers are protected against exploitation, and lhotel and motel employees are not placed at a com petitive disadvantage for playing by the rules," Sandrdistrict director of the Wage and Hour Division's Nashville District Office, said in a statement.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/b1-labor-department-forces-hotels-to-pay-fi nes/?local

States make daily life harder for illegal immigrants (USA Today)State legislators looking to crack down on illegal immigration in 2012 are turning away from the law enlaws that dominated state houses this year, and instead are pushing other m easures that can make difficult for illegal immigrants. Much of the international furor over state immigration laws in states such and Alabama focused on the portions that granted local police the ability to conduct roadside immigrationpeople stopped for other crimes. Alabama leaders are now considering revisions after foreign wMercedes-Benz and Honda carmaking plants in the state were detained under the new law . The U.S. Dof Justice has sued to block four state enforcement laws — Alabama, Arizona, South Carolina and UtArizona's law will be in limbo until at least next summer when the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to

constitutionality. "(Immigration enforcement) bills in other states that were advancing, you may see themwe can get clarification from the Supreme Court," said South Carolina state Sen. Larry Grooms, a Rwhose enforcement bill passed this year That political and legal turmoil has left few legislators in otpushing new law enforcement laws.http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-20/illegal-immigrants-contracts-void/52 132602/1

Five lessons from overwhelmed agencies (Stateline)Last week, Stateline took an in-depth look at what’s causing growing backlogs of work at state agencies country. Here are five lessons gleaned from dozens of interviews with state officials, including thoscurrently struggling with a backlog and some who have successfully cleared one up. 1. Prioritization is nWhen agencies have more work than they can handle, setting priorities in a systematic way becomes cprioritization also comes with downsides. Developing and implementing a reliable method of sorting “hi

work from less urgent tasks is itself a time-consuming job. What’s more, it can reduce an agency’surgency for completing work deemed “low priority.” In the end, some amount of prioritization is usually nbut it’s never a long-term solution. All the pushed back work doesn’t go away. 2. Process matters Baoften blamed on budget cuts and staffing reductions. But especially in large bureaucracies, there’s ofteproblem below the surface: red tape. In state agencies, routines tend to grow more complex rathercomplex over time.http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=62 0516

Seeing Terror Risk, U.S. Asks Journals to Cut Flu Study Facts (New York TimFor the first time ever, a government advisory board is asking scientific journals not to publish detailsbiomedical experiments, for fear that the information could be used by terrorists to create deadly virusesoff epidemics. In the experiments, conducted in the U nited States and the Netherlands, scientists createtransmissible form of a deadly flu virus that does not normally spread from person to person. It was a

step, because easy transmission can lead the virus to spread all over the world. The work was donewhich are considered a good model for predicting what flu viruses will do in people. The virus, A(H5Nbird flu, which rarely infects people but has an extraordinarily high death rate when it does. Since the virudetected in 1997, about 600 people have contracted it, and m ore than half have died. Nearly all have caubirds, and most cases have been in Asia.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/health/fearing-terrorism-us-asks-journals-to-censor-articles-on-virus . _r=1&ref=todayspap er

TVA: Higher levels of tritium at Sequoyah (Associated Press)The Tennessee Valley Authority has reported finding elevated levels of radioactive tritium in a groundwafrom a new onsite monitoring well at the Sequoyah N uclear Plant near Chattanooga. TVA said in an emathat the elevated levels pose no threat to public health and safety. Sequoyah plant manager Paul Sim

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new groundwater monitoring wells were placed in an area known to have contained tritium that was reported. The highest level found in the sampling on Friday was about 23,000 picocuries per liter. A “cstandard measure for the intensity of radioactivity contained in a sample. A picocurie is one-trillionth TVA said there were no detectable levels of tritium in any sampling of the Tennessee River whered ischarges water.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111221/NEWS11/312210124/TVA-Higher-levelSequoyah?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Tritium detected in Sequoyah groundwater (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/S

TVA's nuclear troubles seem to be m ounting. The utility now has active safety concern flags from the U.Regulatory Commission raised at all three of its operating nuclear plants. Additionally, Tennessee Valleofficials acknowledged on Tuesday they have found elevated levels of tritium in a groundwater sample a monitoring well at the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant. TVA spokesman Ray Golden said there is no indiradioactive material has migrated in groundwater beyond the Soddy-Daisy plant's property, which bTennessee River. Golden also said a new Watts Bar Nuclear Plant "white" safety finding was raised in Sby NRC inspectors and TVA was notified last week. Golden said it was an equipment issue and is assothe nuclear security division at Watts Bar, not the plant's operating system. Under NRC's color-coded findings, white is least serious, then yellow, then red. A plant operating with no safety problems is codedEach increasing level concern calls for more NRC oversight. Each plant reactor is graded in severadisciplines, ranging from security to occupational radiation safety.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/tritium-detected-in-sequoyah-groundwater/?local

Sherry leaving government, not Oak Ridge (Knoxville News-Sentinel/MungerTed Sherry is leaving federal service, but he's not leaving Oak Ridge. Sherry, the National NucleaAdministration's manager at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant for the past five years, is apparently cmultiple job offers at the moment. All options, he said, would keep him in Oak Ridge. That was one of hirequirements when he made the decision to retire from government service at the relatively young age ogot kids at Oak Ridge H igh School and wants to stick around, at least for now . His federal retirement is ethe end of the year, but he's already stepped down from his leadership post at the NNSA site office at Y-report to his successor, Dan Hoag, for the final few days. In a brief interview last week, Sherry woulwho's courting him for future employment. But he said all the companies he's talking with are gcontractors. "I've got some options that are very different from one another," Sherry said. "The commthat I'll be here in Oak Ridge (no m atter which he chooses). It's going to center around government workhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/21/frank-munger-sherry-leaving-government-not-oak/ 

Mayor delays vote on trustee (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield said Tuesday he won't finalize an appointment of a replacement trusboard that oversees Erlanger hospital until all is settled with outgoing CEO Jim Brexler. "Mayor Littlefgoing to be appointing anyone until the Brexler issue is settled," said Littlefield spokesman Richard Be  just doesn't think it would be fair to bring someone in right now considering all the turmoil the boarthrough." By statute, one of the Hospital Authority's 11 unpaid board members is recommendeChattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and approved by the county and city. Dr. Charles Lserved two terms for the medical society, and his eight-year stint ended Nov. 1. Trustees serve replacements are appointed. The society's executive director, Rae Young Bond, met with both HamiltMayor Jim Coppinger and Littlefield in early November to make the society's recommendation foShumaker. The society's board of directors voted unanimously for Shum aker, Bond said. "We have talke

Littlefield, who said there is no issue with the appointment; however, he thinks it is prudent to allow thErlanger board to resolve the current issues before adding new voices to the board," Bond said in an emhttp://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/b1-mayor-delays-vote-on-trustee/?local

 

Chamber com mittee emphasizes improving ACT scores in Metro (CP/GreenbAccommodating diversity, developing educators professionally, involving family and improving ACT scsome of the recommendations for Metro schools during the release of the Nashville Area Chamber of CoEducation Report Card Committee’s annual report Tuesday. The report analyzed Metro Nashville Publtest scores and offered recommendations for the school system. The 24-member committee presefindings to community leaders and chamber members at the Adventure Science Center. One of the maddressed was the school system’s increased diversity — and the challenges that come with it. “We hathat come from 94 countries,” MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Jesse Register said. “We m ust take advan

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diversity in our community. I think we are the future of this country if we do it right.” One of the recommfrom the committee was to “create a professional development curriculum for educators on how to comand work with culturally diverse parents and families, and incentivize teachers to take the training.”http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/chamber-committee-emphasizes-improving-act-sc ores-m

ACT Scores Not Rising Fast Enough For Chamber (WPLN-Radio Nashville)

Business leaders say it’s time for Metro Schools to pick up the pace, particularly when it comes to the Aentrance exam. The state now requires every student to take the ACT during high school, plus it hasreal-world implications. That score can determine whether a student is eligible for a lottery-funded schoeven to attend college at all. Ron Corbin co-chaired the committee that prepared the Nashville Area CCommerce’s annual education report card. He says that last year, more than 70 percent of Nashville’failed to meet that threshold. “Several years ago this committee recommended that the district focus ostrategy for every school. Clearly whatever schools have been doing is not enough.” One of the reprecommendations is that the district speed up its work on improving ACT scores. In response, schooJesse Register asked for some degree of patience. “The last test score to change is the ACT score. Thasix or seven years of work in schools, at least. You don’t see those benefits for many years.”http://wpln.org/?p=324 46

Grant aims to put Ham ilton High students on track for college (C. Appeal/RoAbout 56 percent of Tennessee high school seniors pursue some kind of formal education after high schHamilton High, in the heart of South Memphis, fewer than 30 percent do. With $170,000 from the TCollege Access & Success Network, school leaders are out to change the trajectory in three years. As eawinter, each of the school's 200 freshmen will get a voucher to take the $34 ACT test for free. In Hamilton seniors will be taking bus tours of Tennessee college campuses. A freshman trip will follow in It's the quickest way college and career adviser Lori M iller knows to build a college-going culture in an ahousehold income averages $19,000. "My philosophy is every child is worth $1 million. Every 'C' you geyou get, every 'F' you get, you're losing money," she says. "If you don't score well on the ACT, you'vthree-fourths of your money." Statewide, the average AC T composite score was 19.8 last school year. Atit was 14.9.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/21/grant-aims-to-put-students-on-track-fo(SUBSCRIPTION)

Metro Charter School Gets Second Chance (WPLN-Radio Nashville)The Metro School Board has voted to give a troubled charter school a second chance.Last night, the boato 3 to keep Drexel Preparatory Academy open for the remainder of the school year. District administDrexel hired unlicensed teachers and failed to provide adequate instruction to students with learning dand those learning English as a second language. Monday’s vote puts Drexel on extended probatioofficials say they’ll work to fix the problems.http://wpln.org/?p=324 14

Timing questioned on MCS engineering lab start-up (Commercial Appeal)Public school students in Memphis w ill begin studying for high-level engineering jobs when school resumJanuary, thanks to a vote during an often-contentious school board m eeting Tuesday to spend $690,000the laboratory. The questions were many, starting with how well Memphis City Schools staff had scrutbidding process to how it could roll out a program, in the planning process for more than a year, in the

staff and students have off for holiday break. "I'm still very excited to hear about this, but it's just a little usaid school board member Tomeka Hart. "We're out of school. When are we going to figure it out? Whenback on the third (of January)?" In discussion that lasted more than an hour, school procurement staff explained that the items that required bidding were bid, but the bidding did not include curriculum, whicto $458,000. Under MCS policy, curriculum does not have to be bid.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/21/engineering-lab-timing-questioned/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Meth lab explosion injures one person (Leaf Chronicle)A 22-year-old man was injured and four families displaced after a methamphetamine lab exploded in a Drive apartment building. Tuesday at about 12:18 a.m, emergency medical personnel found a mscreaming for help, according to a news release from Officer Jim Knoll. Clarksville Police respond

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Lexington and found a man outside with burns to his face and upper body. Windows in Apartment Dblown out and the siding on the building had been separated as a result of the explosion, the release swas burning in Apt. D and the fire department extinguished the fire, finding a meth lab. Jesse Reynolds,the 19th Judicial Drug Task Force, and agents found numerous pots inside and extensive fire dambathroom area. The apartment was sealed off until a search warrant could be obtained. Reynoldexplosion was linked to one of the many pots found.http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111221/NEWS01/112210321/Meth-lab-explosion-injures-one-p

OPINION

Gail Kerr: Haslam should use new boldness to fix voter ID bill (Tennessean)The new, improved Gov. Bill Haslam — willing to weigh in on issues — should use his new leadershsolutions to what is a messed-up voter photo ID law. He’s dropping hints that he might intervene, sayingdriver’s license stations were not ready for the lines of voters seeking a photo ID so they can vote. Hasasking lawmakers to postpone the law. But he used an interesting litt le word: “yet.” “We haven’t recommendation to them yet,” Haslam said. The driver’s license centers need to be “a little morefriendly,” the governor told reporters, and “they’re not where they need to be yet.” Haslam could do thispolitical cover to both parties. He could, for example, ask that the legislature push back the start date bymake more improvements to reduce driver’s license station wait times. He could float an amended bilcollege students to use their student IDs at the polls and exempt seniors. He could push lawmakers to g

all existing registered voters in, and begin requiring a photo on voter registration cards from here on outcreate a new system in which you get a new registration card with a picture taken at the time you go would phase in a new system nicely over time.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111221/COLUMNIST0101/312210103/Gail-Kerr-Haslam-should-usboldness-fix-voter-ID-bill?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|N ews|s

Editorial: Opportunity still there to revamp board lines (Daily News Journal)While we were disappointed that county leaders backed off of a push to redo redistricting maps for County School Board and Road Board seats, we weren't surprised and remain optimistic that the momcontinue to properly address this issue. County Commissioner Rhonda Allen of Smyrna has pledged toissue back up next month, and w e hope she follows through. It is clear that this issue needs further studysome fresh eyes that take as much of the politics out of the process as possible so that the result p

before incumbents. Facing a Jan. 1 deadline to submit a redistricting plan to the state to consider for rcounty officials backed off of a move that would redraw school board and road board lines to make tmore compact and contiguous. There wasn't enough time to redo the maps and gain a consensus wdeadline looming, but the late change of direction by the committee shows a growing recognition that needs to be done long term. Each County Com mission district must be within 5 percent of 12,505 resideon dividing the 2010 U.S. population count of 262,604 for the growing county by 21 commission seats. Ezones for the school and road boards consists of three of the districts.http://www.dnj.com/article/20111221/OPINION01/112210330/EDITORIAL-Opportunity-still-there-revamplines 

Scott DesJarlais: Senate should return to work out tax-cut comprom ise (TenAs a freshman member of Congress who has never before held public office, I find the partisan gridlock t

in Congress to be incredibly frustrating. Far too often, it seems that politics trumps what is good for thepeople. With this sort of approach, Congress’s low approval rating is understandable. While RepublDemocrats will never agree on every issue, preserving a middle-class tax cut during a time of economic uwould seem to be an easy place for bipartisan compromise. Unfortunately, political posturing is now thresink an idea that Republican and Democratic members of Congress and the president all agree on. LastHouse passed a responsible, bipartisan bill that would extend the payroll tax reduction for a year; ereform unemployment insurance; place a two-year freeze on a nearly 30 percent cut to doctors providcare to Medicare patients; and advance measures that w ill boost private-sector job creation. These are msame yearlong proposals that President O bama called for as part of his jobs plan. Further, 90 perceninitiatives are paid for with policies that the president has endorsed in some form. Unfortunately, the Schosen to play politics and pass a two-month extension of these proposals that will only complicate process for small businesses and do little to provide certainty for American workers.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111221/OPINION03/312210052/Senate-should-return-work-out-tax

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Free-Press Editorial: Erlanger's, and our, struggle (Times Free-Press)Erlanger Health System is our community 's large and vital ly important public hospital. So i tscircumstances should be of high interest not only to its patients and staff but to everyone else in theErlanger serves a great many people well. But it is painful to learn that the hospital is nearly $10 millbudget for the current fiscal year, which began in July. In just the month of November, E rlanger lost app

$3.2 million in operations. It doesn't help matters that this news comes when the hospital is already usome unfortunate turmoil with the recent resignation of CEO and President Jim Brexler. What struck us than the amount by which Erlanger is currently behind budget, however, was the massive auncompensated care that the hospital provides to area residents. Not quite halfway into the current fErlanger has provided uncompensated care totaling a stunning $33.52 million! We do not want anybodyneeds medical attention to do without it.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/1221b-fp1-erlangers-and-our-struggle/?opinio nfreepre

Editorial: DOE must continue to fund OR mercury cleanup (Knox. News-SentMercury has been oozing into East Fork Poplar Creek in Oak Ridge for decades. The metal also quicksilver was used to enrich lithium for use in hydrogen bombs built during the Cold War to intimidanecessary, destroy — the Soviet Union. No such device was ever used in warfare. But the mercury us

build those bombs survived. It permeated the buildings where it was processed, seeped into the grouthe Y-12 nuclear weapons plant and bubbled up in springs that fed East Fork Poplar Creek. Carried by twaters, it flowed past businesses where Oak Ridgers shopped and houses where Oak Ridgers lived. Tthe poison is there, changing its chemical composition as conditions demand and accumulating in the flMassive amounts of mercury were used for lithium enrichment in the 1950s and '60s. A staggering ammillion pounds — is unaccounted for, much of it having escaped into the environment. The cleanup mercury falls on the shoulders of the U.S. Department of Energy, which operates Y-12. Unfortunately, cmercury in Oak R idge is not a high priority for DOE.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/21/editorial-doe-must-continue-to-fund-or-mercury/ 

Free-Press Editorial: ObamaCare dictation (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)Ever since Democrats passed Obam aCare, they have insisted that the law does not am ount to a federaof medical care. But as the details of ObamaCare are revealed, it is impossible to deny that it represengovernment dictation of health care. Recently, the Obama administration explained how benefits paccould ultimately affect 90 million Americans -- if not more -- would be determined. The adm inistration bothe states would retain "flexibility" to decide on specific benefits. But that is only window-dressingaccounts on the benefits packages noted, any leeway that states may have is limited by the fact that tgovernment is setting a range of minimum benchmarks for benefits in each state. No state will be permitthe framework that ObamaCare sets for that state. Because of that and other unappealing facetsObamaCare, it is not surprising that most of the states have joined a lawsuit seeking to have the law oand that opinion polls again and again have show n the law to be unpopular with the public.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/21/1221b-fp3-obamacare-dictation/?opinionfreepress

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