SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2011 Haslam wont hike state gas tax (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said last week he is not close to proposing a change in the states flat 20 centsper-gallon gas tax, plus the 1.04 percent inspection and environmental fee. Nonetheless, the Tennessee Journal reports that the governor said he recognizes some change might be required in the future. More fuel-efficient cars, and new electric-powered vehicles like the battery-powered Nissan Leaf to be made in Smyrna, Tenn., will cut fuel taxes used for road construction. Theres no way 10 years from now were doing it the same way we are now, Haslam said. In the first quarter of the states fiscal year, while overall tax collections grew 6.2 percent, gas tax revenues in Tennessee fell by 4.15 percent. http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/andrae-mcgary-turns-entrepreneur/

Best quarter since 2006 for sales tax (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)
Taxable sales made their biggest quarterly gain since 2006 over the summer quarter, according to figures released last week by the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. Revenue collections in Tennessee for October, which represent September sales, were up 8 percent over a year ago. Sales tax collections were up 6.5 percent in the previous three months over year-ago levels the highest quarterly gain since before the recession in 2006. Mark Emkes, the state commissioner for Finance and Administration, said he was satisfied with the positive growth rates experienced in our overall tax collections, especially in the sales tax, which is the best indicator of economic recovery in Tennessee. However, we continue to watch national leading economic indicators, which show that very slow recovery is in progress, and in light of that and the uncertainty surrounding resolution of the federal budget, we must continue to be diligent in monitoring our spending patterns, Emkes said. http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/andrae-mcgary-turns-entrepreneur/

Tennessee manufacturing on slight upswing (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Marcum)

In a county that has suffered the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee, Takahata Precision America Inc. is expanding its plant in Helenwood and intends to hire more workers. The automotive industry is beginning to come back from the recession, and the Scott County plant, which makes injection molded plastic parts for vehicle fuel systems, is seeing demand pick up, said Mike Slaven, business planning manager for the operation. "We are looking to hire somewhere between 25 and 35 additional employees between now and April, May, June of next year," he said. They will join the 85-member Takahata work force in this Cumberland Mountain town on the outskirts of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The company has finished the first phase of a two-phase, 45,000-square-foot addition to accommodate additional injection molding machines and warehouse space. Slaven said this represents a nearly $3 million investment. Debra Thompson, vice president of Takahata Precision America, said the plant, which opened in 2002, is the only American subsidiary of Japan-based Takahata. It employed about 110 people before the recession and has been gradually building back its work force. This is welcome news in Scott, which as of September had the highest unemployment rate of all Tennessee counties at 19.5 percent. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/13/tennessee-manufacturing-onslight-upswing/

University of Memphis to become smoke-free campus (Associated Press)

Officials at the University of Memphis have decided to push for a tobacco-free campus by next summer. The move was spurred by a student government petition last year and similar actions by faculty and staff leaders. Maria Alam, who is chief human resources officer for the university, told The Commercial Appeal that she is "reviewing and putting together a policy" for the campus ( http://bit.ly/v5AMS9 "The idea is not to go around ). policing," she said. "But we'd address it as complaints come in." In her position with the university, Alam

oversees workplace regulations, including smoking. She said smoking is already banned within 20 feet of a door or window on campus, to comply with a state law. Stephen Petersen, dean of students, said those who violate the tobacco ban would get a warning note for a first offense. After that, they would be called in for a discussion and as a last resort "we would invite the student to step away from the university for a while. Let's hope students, in trying to prove a point, don't take it that far." Alam said she anticipates some exceptions, such as keeping smokers' rooms at the on-campus Holiday Inn and the Fogelman conference center. She also said there could be "academic, artistic, and research" purposes to allow tobacco, such as an on-campus play where a character smokes. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37926345.story

Tenn. Emergency Management Agency hampers disaster recovery (TFP/W alton)

Red tape and delays in the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency are choking the flow of money for local disaster recovery efforts, according to a state audit. The performance audit by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office faulted TEMA for taking an average of three months, sometimes longer, to repay local costs for cleanup and repair of public property after a disaster. "Delaying passing through of funds to county and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations can delay cleanup and recovery work, which can elevate costs and increase problems," the audit stated. Some local government agency and utility officials agree, but they also are sympathetic to what they see as an overworked, understaffed agency. Chattanooga's EPB is awaiting $17.5 million in reimbursements for snapped poles and shredded lines left by the April 27 tornadoes and $1.9 million from tornadoes in February. "It is a lengthy process," Chief Finance Officer Greg Eaves said. "It's definitely a cash-flow shot -- you've got to disburse it and reimburse it." On the other hand, Eaves said, EPB only submitted its reimbursement request for the April storms in August after totaling invoices from contractors in 21 states for recovery and repairs. "Obviously, I want it as quickly as possible, but I understand the headaches they have to go through," Eaves said. "One entity takes us two months, and if I'm one of a hundred companies asking for reimbursement, I can understand why it takes TEMA so much time." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/tema-hampers-disaster-recovery/?local

DUI statistics alarming in Montgomery County, throughout Tennessee (L-C)

A child suffering or possibly dying at the hands of a drunk driver can lead to a lifetime of pain for all involved. Data released by the Tennessee Department of Safety reveals that between 2004 and 2011, 169 children ages 1 to 20 died in DUI-related wrecks in Tennessee, and 285 have sustained incapacitating injuries. In Montgomery County, four children have died in DUI-related wrecks since 2004, one between the ages of 5 and 9 and three between 17 and 20. Since 2004, 12 children have sustained incapacitating injuries and 49 have had non-incapacitating or possible injuries. Although Montgomery County represents only 3.4 percent of total DUIrelated child deaths, the numbers are alarming because they are all preventable. "We in law enforcement see many tragic events, but nothing is more heart-breaking than to see a child injured or abused," said Clarksville Police Department spokesman Officer Jim Knoll. "As adults, we have to make decisions for children which they cannot make themselves, especially in regards to their welfare and safety. When a person chooses to operate a motor vehicle impaired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they are making a choice to potentially endanger themselves, and even more selfishly, other drivers and vehicle occupants on the road. The Clarksville Police Department has not been and will not be soft on motor vehicle operators who choose to drive while impaired." http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111113/NEWS01/111130335/DUI-statistics-alarming-MontgomeryCounty-throughout-Tennessee

IA documents: Trooper turned in wrong weapons, told 'falsehoods' (DNJ)

A state trooper's botched traffic stop involving an off-duty sheriff's deputy he suspected of DUI wasn't the only reason for his firing, internal Tennessee Highway Patrol documents show. Internal affairs files state THP Trooper D'Angelo Inman also lied to internal affairs investigators at THP about the location of two of his departmentissued weapons and, when faced with a deadline, turned in another trooper's weapons in an attempt to get out of trouble. This was after Inman was placed on administrative leave for his handling of a Sept. 28 traffic stop on Interstate 24 involving off-duty Rutherford County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel Thomas, who he clocked going almost 100 mph near the 73-mile marker. After stopping Thomas, Inman turned him loose without conducting field sobriety tests or issuing a speeding ticket and allowed Thomas' father, a detective at the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, to drive him home. Inman was placed on administrative leave Sept. 30 and his superiors at the THP informed him he was required to surrender his state-issued "Glocks 31, 33, Bushmaster AR-15, Remington 870 shotgun, badges and credentials to his immediate supervisor, Sergeant Ricky Woodward," internal affairs 2

documents obtained from the THP this week read. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111113/NEW S01/111130323/IA-documents-Trooper-turned-wrong-weapons-toldfalsehoods-

Diminishing clout for Big Shelby (Commercial Appeal/Locker)

The county's slow population growth will cost it seats as GOP leaders remap the Tennessee legislature. Big Shelby is losing some of its clout in the Tennessee legislature -- numerically at least -- as a result of the county's slower population growth relative to the Nashville suburbs and parts of East Tennessee. When the new legislative district maps that Republican leaders are drawing up behind closed doors are made public, Shelby County will lose one of its six state Senate seats for the first time in 50 years and likely two of its 16 seats in the state House of Representatives. The five senators and probably 14 representatives who will represent Shelby County in Nashville through the next decade will be the county's smallest delegation since the 1950s, when only 11 legislators represented the county. That was before the landmark Baker v. Carr decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1962 forced the rural-controlled General Assembly to reapportion itself for the first time in 60 years. The impact of Baker v. Carr -- a case that originated in Memphis -- was huge and immediate. Shelby County's delegation to the statehouse doubled to 22 after the ruling, for the rest of the 1960s. The number of senators jumped from three (one of whom also represented Tipton County) to six, and the number of House members increased from eight to 16. Similar gains occurred in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, which had all been underrepresented. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/13/shelbys-slow-population-growth-will-cost-it-as/

TN legislator's remarks spark Muslim outcry (Tennessean/Broden)

Local and national Muslims called for state officials Saturday to rebuke state Rep. Rick Womick for remarks he made that all Muslims be removed from the U.S. military. At least one local Muslim, Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, went further, saying Womick needs to be impeached immediately. W omick, though, stood by his comments and offered no apology when contacted byThe Daily News Journal. Who are we at war with? Womick said. We are at war with al-Qaida and the Taliban, who are Muslims. Its a Catch-22. They are not allowed to kill their fellow Muslims; were at war with Muslims. The only solution I see is that they not be allowed in the military. W omick, R-Rockvale, set off a cascade of criticism for remarks that he made during an interview with Eli Clifton of thinkprogress.org Friday at an anti-Shariah conference in Nashville. Personally, I dont trust one Muslim in our military, Womick said in the interview. If they truly are a devout Muslim and follow the Quran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because theyre commanded to kill me. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/NEWS/311130058/TN-legislator-s-remarks-spark-Muslim-outcry? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Muslims call for rebuke of Womick for remarks (Daily News Journal)
Rep: All Muslims should be ousted from military Local and national Muslims called for state officials Saturday to rebuke state Rep. Rick Womick for remarks he made that all Muslims be removed from the U.S. military. At least one local Muslim, Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, went further, stating: " ... he needs to be impeached immediately." Womick, though, stood by his comments and offered no apology when contacted by The DNJ. "W ho are we at war with?" W omick said. "We are at war with al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who are Muslims. It's a Catch-22. They are not allowed to kill their fellow Muslims, we're at war with Muslims. The only solution I see is that they not be allowed in the military." Womick, R-Rockvale, set off a cascade of criticism for remarks that he made during an interview with Eli Clifton of thinkprogress.org Friday at an anti-Shariah conference in Nashville. "Personally, I don't trust one Muslim in our military," W omick said in the interview. "If they truly are a devout Muslim and follow the Quran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because they're commanded to kill me." http://www.dnj.com/article/20111113/NEW S01/111130325/Muslims-call-rebuke-Womick-remarks-

Group explains stance on state tax laws at Legislative Plaza event (TN/Young)
About 200 people stopped by the Tennesseans for Fair Taxation tents on Legislative Plaza on Saturday to hear the groups stance on the states tax laws, according to members there. The Nashville event, held from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., was one of three events scheduled as part of the groups Statewide Day of Action. Similar events took place in Knoxville and Memphis. W eve had a good response here, said Bill Howell, the groups Middle 3

Tennessee organizer and one of 29 Occupy Nashville protesters arrested on Oct. 28. Were trying to teach people about the states existing tax structure and how it can be improved. Ultimately, the end goal is to get people to sign postcards to their representatives. Howell, 64, said the postcards will urge lawmakers to vote against an amendment banning a state income tax. Most people are for the ban because they dont understand how an income tax would work, he said. Its our job to help them understand it. If you cut the food tax and implement a state income tax, most people would see reduced taxes. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/NEWS/311130046/Group-explains-stance-state-tax-lawsLegislative-Plaza-event?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Knox Co. pension board to look into Sheriff's Office retirement plan (NS/Donila)
Knox County officials plan to review the multimillion-dollar Sheriff's Office pension plan and determine whether voters should sign off on changes to offset its increasing price tag. Officials also want to study the rising expenses incurred by the Knox County Retirement and Pension Board, which administers the plan. Some board members say they're concerned that the system spends too much on legal fees. Others question whether representatives should take trips each year that are paid out of the pension trust funds. The planned discussion evolves out of the four-part "Debt-uty Crisis" series published by the News Sentinel in mid-October that detailed the Uniformed Officers Pension Plan's controversial development, its financial straights and what some officials say is excessive spending by the board that oversees it. "I want to know where we are if we look at the raw numbers and where we are going to be in five years if we do not change part of the pension," said Tony Norman, a county commissioner and pension board member. "That's the fundamental issue that's the elephant in the room and we're heading that way without a doubt." Residents approved the plan, or UOPP, in November 2006 by just under 500 votes. It now costs nearly three times what was projected about $8.2 million a year. Officials expected investment returns to yield 7.5 percent, but since the plan's inception in July 2007 it has yielded negative .08 percent. As of August, the fund had a value of just under $104.8 million when it should be hovering around $133.9 million, according to a News Sentinel analysis. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/13/knox-county-pension-board-to-look-into-sheriffs/

Failure to enforce new Memphis ordinances costly for city budget (C. Appeal/Maki)
The Memphis City Council approved a budget ordinance in June that included a sharp increase in court costs, but at least one City Court judge has not been assessing the higher amount. In addition, the City Court clerk is just now moving to acquire the "boots" necessary for a car booting-and-towing system the council approved in June, and scheduled to start last month. As a result, two measures intended to pump more revenue into the city's coffers are not yet functioning, just as the city wrestles with a slowdown in ticket writing by Memphis police that is likely to deprive the city of revenue. "There appears to be some ambiguity, at least with the city courts, with the application of the schedule of new fees or costs," said city Chief Administrative Officer George Little. "I think the issue is one of consistency with all the courts." In June, the council approved a proposal from Edmund Ford Jr. to more than double court costs, from $61 per case to $135 per case. The increased costs, to be assessed beginning July 1, were expected to bring in an additional $4.8 million over the fiscal year. Little and councilman Shea Flinn, chairman of the budget committee, along with council attorney Allan Wade and City Court Clerk Thomas Long, said they believe the budget ordinance made the $135 court costs legal effective July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/13/inaction-on-ordinances-costly/

Hamilton officials hold secret meeting on Occupy (Associated Press)

Hamilton County commissioners held a secret meeting with their attorney on Friday to discuss Occupy Chattanooga protesters, possibly signaling a determination to make some move against them. The state's Open Meetings Act requires most meetings of local officials to be open to the public, but the Tennessee Supreme Court has said public bodies can meet privately with an attorney about pending or contemplated litigation. County Attorney Rheubin Taylor told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the topic discussed Friday did not involve a suit now in litigation ( http://bit.ly/v2AfFr Commissioner Fred Skillern, who did not attend the meeting, ). said later he was "almost certain" the topic was what to do about protesters on the courthouse lawn. "They called, and I gave them my opinion," Skillern said. "I think they were just being briefed by legal about what we could do and couldn't do." Skillern said those camping in tents on the lawn "are doing things we wouldn't allow the average citizen to do." Six other commissioners who attended the meeting declined to say what it was about. Asked about the county's rules for use of the courthouse lawn, county spokesman Mike Dunne said in an e-mail 4

that "Attorney Taylor has informed me there is no county code governing the property's use." http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37927039.story

Occupy Chattanooga protestors live, sleep and eat together (TFP/Pantanzi)

On Tuesday, a baker, a college student, a home-schooling mom, a homeless man waiting to hear from a job and a data analyst packed up the supplies theyd gathered for eight days and moved to the Hamilton County Courthouse lawn. Some of the protesters say they expect to be occupying for a year, maybe more. But as of this morning, they have slept out there for just 12 days, and winters worst is yet to come. Occupy Chattanooga has so far avoided the arrests and animosity with police that some Occupy groups in other cities across the nation have experienced. The local group started with meetings and discussions about issues from universal health care to banking regulations. It held two protest events, one outside a fundraising event for U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., and the other in support of living wages, better education and immigration reform. Now it has become a nonstop protest against what exactly? Each protester wants something different, and there are few solutions everyone agrees on. Some want local governments to put tax money in credit unions instead of banks. Some want higher taxes for the rich. Some protest against corporations, some protest against the government, and some say the line between corporations and government is blurred. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/occupy-chattanooga-protestors-live-sleep-and-eat-t/?local

Bill would open door to 'crowd funding (Commercial Appeal/Dowd)

A fundraising tactic that has been employed for some time now by artists and entertainers -- namely securing small-dollar financial backing for projects from large numbers of donors -- may become equally commonplace among entrepreneurs if the U.S. Senate approves a bill to allow "crowd funding" for startups and small businesses. Earlier this month and with overwhelming bipartisan support, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the the Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act by a vote of 401-17. The measure, which now goes to the Senate, had the support of all nine Tennesseans in the House, including Memphis Democrat Steve Cohen. "This will open up financing for small companies in ways that before might have been prohibited," Cohen said. "I see no reason why the Senate wouldn't take it up and pass it. This is a very popular bill with remarkable bipartisan support." In short, the bill would allow entrepreneurs to finance startups and small businesses by crowd funding -- bankrolling their endeavors by soliciting donations through online sources without having to comply with many federal restrictions or register with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The act paves the way for entrepreneurs to accept money and offer unregistered securities in their startups of up to $2 million. Individual investments would be capped at $10,000 per investor or 10 percent of the investor's annual income, whichever amount is lower. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/13/bill-would-open-door-to-crowd-funding/

Black touts passage of bill closing Medicaid loophole (Daily News Journal)
U.S. Rep. Diane Black's legislation, H.R. 2576, dealing with Medicaid payments passed the Senate Thursday by a vote of 95-0. Black's bill closes a loophole in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that would have allowed some middle-class Americans to receive Medicaid benefits. H.R. 2576 was passed as part of a Senate package that also repealed the government's proposed 3 percent withholding requirement on contractors. "I am pleased the Senate took decisive action on my Medicaid legislation as well at the 3 percent withholding repeal. Both bills are bipartisan, common-sense solutions that I hope will be signed by the president as soon as possible," Black said in a news release. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation will save $13 billion over 10 years, without taking away benefits from anyone who currently relies on Medicaid. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111113/NEW S01/111130316/Black-touts-passage-bill-closing-Medicaid-loophole

Readmission penalties cut deeper at urban hospitals (Tennessean/Wilemon)

Those serving minorities may lose Medicare millions Without a car or money for a cab, Bonnie Turgeon called an ambulance to get her sick husband to the doctor. He spent a week in Nashville General Hospital and has to walk 2.5 miles for follow-up appointments. Hes more likely to be back in the hospital simply because of where he lives. And the federal government will penalize the hospital because of it. Nashville-area hospitals stand to lose millions of dollars in the years to come because they have the highest readmission rates in the state. Beginning next October, Medicare will hold back 1 percent of their payments if their readmission rates are higher than expected. The penalty increases to 2 percent the following year and 3 percent the year after that. The Obama administration has targeted hospital readmissions as a means for improving care and saving money. Currently, one of every five Medicare patients discharged goes back into a hospital within 30 days. Three-quarters of those 5

readmissions are preventable, and keeping those patients from returning to hospitals would save $12 billion annually, according to the Medicare Advisory Commission. But readmissions are not always the result of inadequate care from a hospital. A recent study by Memphis-based Qsource showed that the patients with the most repeat readmissions live in the same ZIP codes. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/NEWS07/311110125/Readmission-penalties-cut-deeper-urbanhospitals?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Fish hatchery closure still possible (Johnson City Press)

Although they say it is unlikely to occur this year, officials with an area chapter of Trout Unlimited say the closure of nine national fish hatcheries, including the Erwin National Fish Hatchery, is still a conceivable possibility. These officials are asking people interested in keeping the hatcheries open to make their voices heard now in an effort to stop the cessation of hatchery operations. Lori Paris, secretary of the Cherokee Chapter of Trout Unlimited, based in Greeneville, said the federal government is operating on a continuing budget resolution since Congress failed to pass budget legislation by the start of the 2012 federal fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1. This continuing resolution will fund federal departments at the same rate as 2011 budgets until a 2012 budget is passed. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services proposed budget for the 2012 fiscal year would see a $6.3 million decrease in the base funding of fish hatchery operations if approved, despite an increase of more than $40 million in FWS funding over the 2010 fiscal year. The departments proposed budget states that unless reimbursement is received from several agencies for previous mitigation related to federal water infrastructure projects, the proposed cut could lead to Fisheries Program activities being eliminated or substantially reduced at nine national hatcheries. http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=95782#ixzz1daPSE1YM

Unimpressed Tennessee voters weigh third-party candidate (Tennessean/Sisk)

Third-party prospect tempts lukewarm voters After surveying the field of presidential choices, Brandy Kirk has not been impressed. Texas Gov. Rick Perry: He seems to lack polish. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Its not clear where he stands. And former restaurant executive Herman Cain: His handling of the allegations of sexual harassment has not been deft. Im so disappointed in everybody so far, said the 47-year-old Arrington nurse anesthesiologist. I dont have a lot of confidence in any of them. Tennesseans have not been impressed with the performance of President Barack Obama. But just two months before the Republican contests begin with the Iowa caucus, they have not fully embraced any of his GOP challengers either. The states tepid support suggests the Republican contest is still wide open, with fortunes likely to rise and fall with each debate, primary and caucus. It also could mean that theres an opportunity for an independent from outside the two parties to sweep into the contest. In a recent poll, Vanderbilt Universitys Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions found that up to 23 percent of Tennesseans would be willing to vote for an independent next year. The poll also found that, despite their dissatisfaction with Obama, only slightly more Tennesseans say they are committed to voting for one of his challengers. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/NEWS/311130061/Unimpressed-Tennessee-voters-weigh-thirdparty-candidate?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Chatt. area schools call for police help thousands of times a year (TFP/Hardy)
Hamilton County middle and high schools called for police help 20 times a day on average last school year. Nearly half the 3,624 police calls received from the 20 schools that have a law enforcement presence came from five campuses: Washington Alternative School, with 415 calls; Ooltewah High School, with 394; Tyner High School, with 359; Howard School of Academics and Technology, with 329; and East Lake Middle School, with 290. School resource officers who are assigned full time at the 20 schools handled nearly all the calls, though some more serious matters required additional help or investigation from outside officers. The reasons for these calls vary just as much as those for officers on the street. Officers in schools could be called to help with afterschool traffic, to file a police report for a stolen bicycle or to assist with breaking up a fight. Yet there were enough serious incidents to result in more than one arrest a day over the entire 180-day school calendar, according to figures from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Last year, officers dealt with 112 assaults, 86 fights and 110 thefts in the 20 schools, records show. They issued nearly 200 citations and made 264 total arrests, including 37 for felonies. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/schools-call-for-police-help-thousands-of-times-a/?local

'It made me cry, and it made me angry': Schools crack down on bullying (J. Sun)
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As a middle-schooler, Megan Olive suffered in silence as two of her classmates taunted her about her weight and frizzy hair. "I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think it was that important," she said. "They would made 'oink' noises at me in the hallway. It made me cry, and it made me angry because I would think, 'Who are they to judge me?" Olive, now a 16-year-old sophomore at Madison Academic Magnet High School, said she's reached the point of indifference in regard to other people's opinions. "Say what you want to say about me," she said. "I'm still awesome." Although Olive overcame her situation, it isn't always so easy for other students. Since the start of the 2011-12 school year, there have been 54 incidents of bullying reported in Jackson-Madison County Schools, according to district records. Bullying is defined as the repeated abuse of power of one person over another and comes in three general forms physical, emotional and social, school officials said. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111113/NEWS10/111130305/-made-me-cry-made-me-angry-Schoolscrack-down-bullying-more-than-50-incidents-reported

New law enforcement device shows crime scene in 3D (Associated Press)

New three-dimensional technology will soon allow Chattanooga police to take jurors on a visual trip past the yellow crime scene tape, to the scene of a fatal shooting. The Chattanooga Police Department is the first in Tennessee to get a Leica Geosystems ScanStation C10, which uses cameras and lasers to reproduce a crime scene on a screen in three dimensions. Assistant Police Chief Tim Carroll told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that "instead of just seeing a picture of a bullet hole and then looking at a floor plan to see where the bullet hit, you can go in the house, turn a corner, and see the bullet right there in the wall." ( http://bit.ly/uFjpq6It isn't ) like a 3D movie, where the images pop out from the screen, but it does allow the viewer with the click of a mouse to jump to any vantage point the scanner captured in its line of vision. Carroll first spotted the ScanStation on a TV show: A&E's "Crime 360," which frequently features imaging pulled from scanners. By November 2010, the department had ordered two ScanStations, assigning one to the crime scene unit and the other to traffic investigations. Each cost the department $210,000 in grant money. When the ScanStation is started, its laser travels over every square inch within a roughly 900-foot-diameter area, collecting 50,000 measurement points per second. Afterward, a built-in camera takes panoramic photos of the entire scene. The measurement data called a "point cloud" is matched with the pixels from the series of panoramic photos. The result is a color, three-dimensional rendition of the scene from which any linear measurement can be conducted with near precise accuracy. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37926311.story

Illinois: Tough Questions on Changing Teacher Evaluations (New York Times)

For the first time next year, thousands of Chicago Public Schools teachers will be evaluated based partly on how well their students are doing academically. Many fear they will face dismissal if the standards are not applied fairly. Its going to make people really angry, said Ruth Resnick, a librarian at OKeefe Elementary School, who spoke last week at a public forum about carrying out a new state law that changes how teachers, principals, librarians and other staff are graded. But state and district leaders say the new evaluations will be better than the decades-old system now in use. They say more thoughtful and effective evaluations will not only increase student achievement, but also provide teachers with better feedback for how to improve. Despite low graduation rates, test scores and other measures of student performance in the district, more than 90 percent of its teachers are now rated excellent or superior. Were now at a critical point in time, Darren Reisberg, the deputy superintendent at the Illinois State Board of Education, said Monday at Lane Technical High School as he opened the final public forum in a series of meetings about the new law. Last week, an advisory council drafted legislative rules that districts must follow. The law requires a public feedback period before lawmakers vote in about nine months on guidelines for administering the new system. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/tough-questions-on-changing-teacher-evaluations.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

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OPINION Gail Kerr: Tennesseans need Haslam to be more than Mr. Nice (Tennessean)
Gov. Bill Haslam is sending signals that he will be more of a Doberman than a dachshund in the second year of his administration. OK, maybe more like something in the terrier family. You now, prone to feisty jumps and speaking out. In his first year, Haslams greatest success was reaching a compromise to keep Amazon and its thousands of jobs in Tennessee. We learned that his polling numbers are strong. His favorite local restaurant is Arnolds Country Kitchen. He really does adore chocolate pie, just like he promised in his campaign commercials. But when it came to issues, he let things get away from him. Haslams laid-back, lukewarm style led him to ignore stuff that didnt interest him very much. He pretended the legislature didnt exist. Some of the most contentious issues of the day, including voter photo ID and the states handling of the Occupy Nashville protest, could have been avoided if Haslam had realized he had a potential mess on his hands and stepped in on the front end. Every Tennessee governor has left a legacy. Ned McW herter was a master negotiator who cared more about what was good for the state than what was good for his party. In his ease-along way, he brought sweeping reforms of education and health care. No matter what else he did, Don Sundquist will forever be remembered as the governor who tried to pass a state income tax. Phil Bredesen was renowned as a businessman who wrestled the states finances into shape. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/COLUMNIST0101/311130038/Gail-Kerr-Tennesseans-needHaslam-more-than-Mr-Nice?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Guest columnist: Tennessee's tougher teacher evaluations prompt hysteria (TFP)

Something close to panic has seized opponents of new teacher standards in Tennessee. Among other things tripping their horror reflex is the fact that tenured teachers may no longer skate by with only two evaluations every 10 years. They're also miffed that a big part of determining a teacher's proficiency will be subjective classroom observations. That's uncanny, considering the fit-pitching we've come to expect when anybody tries to use objective measures for that purpose. (A Tennessee Education Association periodical refers to "the agony of relying on student test scores and other acts of God in order to gain and retain the designation of a tenured teacher.") Anyway, some weird histrionics about the new requirements were on display recently in the House Education Committee. * Rep. Jim Coley, R-Bartlett, told of a colleague who had spent hours trying to devise an acceptable lesson plan. The teacher, Coley said, ultimately was reduced to tears and "urinated on himself." * An official with the Professional Educators of Tennessee said the evaluation process is "a literal nightmare as teachers I know personally within our district reported loss of sleep, vomiting from extreme nervousness and even stress-related shingles." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/nov/13/13f-tennessees-tougherteacher-evaluations-prompt/?opinioncolumns

Editorial: A level field for retailers (Commercial Appeal)

Requiring online and catalogue retailers to collect sales taxes could help the state reach worthwhile goals. W hen was the last time you sent a check to state government for the sales tax you owed for an online purchase? More to the point, did you know you were supposed to? Join the club. Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander has come up with a way to relieve shoppers of a responsibility many of us don't even know we have. Alexander has predicted passage of the bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act, whose co-sponsors include five Democrats and five Republicans, including Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee. The bill would require online and catalogue retailers to begin collecting and remitting state sales taxes. In Tennessee, annual revenue from online sales tax collections has been estimated at between $300 million and $400 million. In a 2009 study, University of TennesseeKnoxville economics and business professors estimated that $52 billion in potential revenues will have been lost in 46 states and the District of Columbia over a six-year period through 2012 because taxes on online sales are not being collected. The measure's primary appeal is one of fairness -- the elimination of an unfair advantage online sellers have over large and small brick-and-mortar stores. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/13/editorial-a-level-field-for-retailers/

Otis L. Sanford: Challenging Cohen is task with long odds (Commercial Appeal)
Now that the 2011 election season is finally over, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen once again must start looking over his shoulder. The three-term incumbent is pretty much guaranteed to face new opposition in the 9th Congressional District Democratic primary next August. W e already knew about school board member Tomeka Hart. She has been planning for months to enter the race, and reiterated those intentions to me last week. Now, a second wellknown challenger -- veteran City Court Clerk Thomas Long -- has all but formally decided to join the Democratic field. When I asked Long if he in fact intends to run, his initial response was, "It's premature at this point. I just got re-elected." But within minutes, Long could no longer contain himself and said he likely will make a formal announcement Feb. 1 -- one month after he's sworn in to a fifth term as City Court clerk. "I would like to do something else," Long told me. "There is a lot of stuff that needs to be said that a lot of folks are unwilling to say. And maybe I need to be saying it." Long said his campaign would focus on job creation and education. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/nov/13/challenging-cohen-is-task-with-long-odds/

Michael Silence: Some .gov sites lack basic information (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
While the pace of social media continues to race upward like TVA salaries, government websites continue to evolve. Those websites, collectively referred to as .gov sites, for years were reluctant warriors in the battles to conquer the Internet. Unfortunately, many still are. What you are more likely to find are pictures of elected officials on the home page "above the fold," to use an old newspaper term. And there are still problems with openness and access to government on many websites. Go search on Google any of the smaller counties in East Tennessee and you'll find some that don't even give phone numbers, much less email addresses, of elected officials. And even more do not put on their home page the contact information for public officials, like Campbell County's webpage. A link that is labeled "Members" was not working when I tried to call it up. http://co.campbell.tn.us/ Union County's website, unioncountytn.com, is a little bit more informative, but its contact information for the 17 commissioners was lacking. Only four listed their email addresses, and four others submitted no information at all, including a phone number. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/13/michael-silence-some-gov-sites-lack-basic/

Greg Johnson: Take a fresh look at tax code fairness (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
Jane and John Middleton work hard for their money. Both finished high school, but college just wasn't their thing. In 2009, John earned $10 per hour, about $20,000 per year, while Jane worked part time and earned $12,395. On their adjusted gross income of $32,395 in 2009, they paid federal income taxes of $600. Is this fair? Steve and Stephanie Tennyson were above-average high school students, got a few grants, took out a few loans and earned degrees at state universities. In 2009, the Tennysons did well, making an adjusted gross income of $112,124, on which they paid $20,238 more than John Middleton made in federal income taxes. Is this fair? Then there are the Fiveashes Brian and Brittany who finished college, earned master's degrees and, well along in their careers, earned an adjusted gross income of $154,643 in 2009. They paid $31,640 in federal income taxes that year, almost as much as the Middletons made. Is this fair? Finally, W es and Wendy Oner married just out of college. W es went to medical school while Wendy worked to pay the bills not covered by Wes's student loans. After years spent building a practice and paying off debt, W endy stayed home while Wes earned $343,927 in adjusted gross income in 2009. Wes and W endy paid federal income taxes of $82,577 2.5 times the Middletons' income in 2009. Is this http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/nov/13/greg-johnsonfair? 9

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Editorial: Immigration reforms could drive U.S. recovery (Tennessean)

Mayors, CEOs work to keep skilled foreign students, entrepreneurs Americas eagerness to compete on the world stage over the past 200 years, along with its constitutional freedoms, made it into the pre-eminent economic power and the destination for disaffected and displaced people from all parts of the globe. Lately, we have lost a significant amount of that luster. Dozens of emerging economies such as Brazil and India are getting bigger shares of the international trade pie, and are modernizing and diversifying at a faster rate than the United States. Whats more, they are becoming the destination for highly skilled workers and creative entrepreneurs even when those individuals have trained or earned their degrees at American universities. Our nations academic and business leaders know that it doesnt have to be this way, that many skilled foreign workers, students and entrepreneurs want to live in America. But just as some parts of the U.S. economy havent kept up, neither have our immigration laws. Restrictions on work visas, verification of employment eligibility and obtaining legal status are such that foreigners who have exhausted every avenue in attempting to stay and start a business in America often have no choice but to move to another country or return to their homeland to pursue their dream. That simply is not what this country is about, and the Partnership for a New American Economy knows this. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/OPINION01/311130034/Immigration-reforms-could-drive-U-Srecovery?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Communities know outmoded quotas harmful (Tennessean)

America has a love affair with unrealistic limits and quotas. In 1919, the United States ratified the 18th Amendment to prohibit the sale of most alcohol only to repeal Prohibition in 1933 by ratifying the 21st Amendment. Unrealistic immigration quotas are now choking American businesses. Some zealots spout that these foreigners should just get in line. News flash: There is no line for many immigrants. Did you know that the entire U.S. has an annual quota of only 5,000 green cards for less-skilled workers such as landscapers, hotel workers, crop-pickers and construction workers? The results of such fantasy quotas are entirely predictable: Just as there were as many as 100,000 speakeasies in New York City alone in 1925, there are now 11 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The unfortunate result of our existing immigration system is the cruel, slow death of American businesses on every front. The H-1B visa is for highly skilled foreign workers, including scientists and engineers. Yet, we have a brain-dead annual quota of 65,000 H-1B visas. When U.S. businesses are trying to recruit the smartest people in the world, why would we want to erect any barriers to that kind of brainpower? A 2008 study by Harvard Business School showed a correlation between the temporary increased availability of H-1B visas 2001-2003 and the increased number of inventions due to the direct contributions of immigrants. More significant today, hiring these intellectual heavyweights adds jobs. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/OPINION03/311130035/Communities-know-outmoded-quotasharmful?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: USCIS works to enhance smart policies (Tennessean)

Attracting talent and ambition from abroad has always been a hallmark of our nations success and is a critical aspect of President Barack Obamas vision for a 21st-century immigration system. This past week, I had the privilege of joining community and business leaders in Nashville to discuss the economic benefits of smarter immigration policies. The event was co-hosted by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership for a New American Economy, a group that brings together hundreds of mayors and business leaders to make the case that immigration reform is an economic imperative. Much of the discussion focused on the need for sensible legislative reforms of our federal immigration laws, and the Obama administration remains fully committed to enacting meaningful comprehensive immigration reform. However, that does not mean we are not acting now. I offered the perspective that much progress has already begun both at the federal level and in communities across the country. At U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as the agency overseeing the nations legal immigration system, we are working every day to realize the full potential of our current immigration laws by ensuring that the next generation of international entrepreneurs continues creating jobs right here in America. USCIS handles 6 million to 7 million applications for a wide array of immigration benefits each year, many for U.S.-based businesses seeking foreign workers and investment to help them grow. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111113/OPINION03/311130036/USCIS-works-enhance-smart-policies? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

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