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THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2012

Amazon hiring fully underway in Middle Tennessee (Memphis Business Journal)Online retail giant Amazon.com is kicking off the broad hiring push necessary to fill 1,000 jobs at distribution sitin Murfreesboro and Lebanon, Tenn. The announcement comes on the heels of Amazon beginning to hmanagement positions for the same locations. This current round of hir ing will include various full-tiwarehouse personnel, with benefits and pay ranging from $11 to $13 per hour. Amazon is planning this fallopen the two distribution centers, in addition to those it already has in Bradley, Wilson and Hamilton countiesEast Tennessee. The jobs were originally part of a long-running debate over whether online retailers should hato collect sales taxes. Amazon has agreed to do so in Tennessee starting in 2014 while pushing for natioreform in the meantime.http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2012/05/30/amazon-hiring-fully-underway-inmiddle.htm l

Gov. Bill Haslam says he's committed to teacher evaluations (TFP/Sher)Gov. Bill Haslam says the independent review he sought last December of the state's controversial new teacevaluation system was by no means a smoke screen for inaction. The Republican governor told reporters tweek that the review he requested from the pro-reform State Collaborative on Reforming Education, slated release June 11, will help guide decisions on m odifying the assessments if need be. "We're going to use theHaslam said. "That wasn't just a charade to have SCORE go through that. I'm firmly comm itted to the evaluatprocess, and for it to work, we need to make certain it's the best it can be." Jerry Winters with the TennessEducation Association, which represents more than 46,000 educators, said he thinks SCORE's report is "goto say what teachers have been saying since this evaluation system has come into being. I think the stawasted a great opportunity to make some changes mon ths ago."http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/31/tennessee-haslam-says-hes-committed-to-teacher/?local

Haslam: Winning Red Districts Means Running to Right (WPLN-Radio Nashville)Governor Bill Haslam says he’s “a little surprised” how many state Republican lawmakers are facing primchallenges this fall. Haslam is getting involved in some reelection campaigns, he says to help those who hahelped him. Haslam says he’s still deciding who all he’ll try to help win reelection. He says while it seems a loRepublicans are facing challenges from within the GOP, maybe it shouldn’t be surprising: “A lot more of tchallenges come from within parties. As districts become either more red or more blue, then the way yougoing to beat som eone in one of those districts is to run to the right if it’s a red state or district, or the left if it’blue district.” Asked whether that makes it harder for more m oderate candidates to hold office, Haslam answeit’s dangerous to label people as one type of Republican or another.http://wpln.org/?p=377 80

Haslam supports local incumbents (Mountain Press)Two local lawmakers in tough primary fights to retain their seats in Nashville have earned the backing of Gov. Haslam. A spokesman for the governor said H aslam is offering his "full support" for fellow Republicans RRichard Montgomery and Sen. Doug Overbey in both their August primary contests and the November geneelection. Haslam told reporters recently he would be working for incumbents including Montgomery, with PreSecretary David Smith explaining O verbey will also receive that assistance. While the governor's office is becareful to point out he's not offering any full endorsements, Sm ith was w illing to say Haslam "fully supports" bmen in their campaigns.http://themountainpress.com/bookmark/18777275--b-Haslam-supports-local-incumbents-b-

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State's Venture Fund Makes First Investments (Associated Press)A state-created venture capital fund that uses federal grant money to spur investments in high-growth companhas infused $4.4 m illion in five ventures in Tennessee. It's the first disbursement from the INCITE Co-Investm

Fund. Officials plan to eventually invest $28.6 million in ventures across Tennessee. The Tennesseanreporting that three more deals could be announced later this week. The program is designed to spur innovatinew business ventures and better-paying jobs across the state by matching private-sector investments in eastage companies. The five recipients of the state funds include: Molecular Sensing Inc.; medical device compaPathfinder Therapeutics; Pro Player Connect, a company that links professional athletes to fans and busineopportunities; Venture Incite, a technology transfer company in Oak Ridge and Nashville; and Chattanoogbased electronic signature company SIGN iX.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/31/states-venture-fund-makes-first-investments/ 

Knoxville companies to present at Invest Tennessee (News-Sentinel/Harris)Provectus Pharmaceuticals executive Peter Culpepper travels the world pitching the Knoxville companyinvestors. Next month he'll be telling the Provectus story closer to home, at the second annual Invest Tenness

Equity conference in Nashville. "The more people who know about our drug and what it's doing will help us through the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) process quicker," Culpepper, chief financial officer and choperating officer for Provectus, said Wednesday. Three Knoxville companies will be featured at the June regional equity conference at the Nashville Convention Center. Joining Provectus are Regal EntertainmGroup Inc. and Miller Energy Resources Inc. It's a diverse group. P rovectus specializes in developing drugs oncology and dermatology therapies, such as its oncology drug PV-10 that is designed to se lectively target adestroy cancer cells without harming surrounding healthy tissue. Regal operates the largest movie theanetwork in North America with 6,580 screens in 522 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. Regal also is co-ownermovie distributor Open Road Films and Na tional Cinemedia Inc., operator of a digital in-theater media networkhttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/31/knoxville-companies-to-present-at-invest/ 

New class of THP cadets graduate (Elizabethton Star)

Governor Bill Haslam joined the Tennessee D epartment of Safety and Homeland Security in welcoming 44 StTroopers to the Highway Patrol on May 25. Trooper Cadet Class 512 took their oath of office in a graduatceremony at Tulip Grove Baptist Church in O ld Hickory. Members of Cadet Class 512 have spent the past weeks undergoing extensive law enforcement instruction at the department’s Training Center. The more th890 hours of classroom training included criminal and constitutional law, patrol procedures, professional ethconduct, crash investigation and firearms. The new graduates will now advance to a maximum of 12 weeksfield training. “The Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers’ Creed says ‘Many are called, but few are chosen,’” GHaslam said. “Thousands applied after the announcement was made of a new trooper cadet class. The cadets who are here with us this morning are those chosen few. You have firmly applied yourselves throughweeks of training and are now part of the elite group of law enforcement officers known as the TennessHighway Patrol.Congratulations.”http://www.starhq.com/2012/05/30/new-class-of-thp-cadets-gra duate/ 

Bankruptcy spurs questions about nuclear waste safety in Tennessee (TFP/SohnAn Oak Ridge, Tenn., firm storing 1 million pounds of scrap radioactive material has filed bankruptcy, leavTennessee environmental regulators watching the case "closely" to see what will happen to the waste. ImpServices Inc. filed for Chapter 7 liquidation May 24 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., and "shut doors" on May 18, according to Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation spokeswoman MLockhart. "Staff members from the Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of RadiologHealth were sent to the site on Monday, May 21," she said. "Impact also had staff at the facility, includingradiation safety officer. The material was secure and the company was in the process of trying to determine wits options are moving forward." The company, according to its website, is a radioactive waste processing facthat provides decontamination services to low-level radioactive component parts and scrap from commernuclear reactors. Impact officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday. But filings in the bankruptcy casay the company "does not believe that the current storage and processing of the low-level radioactive wa

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currently poses a threat of imminent and identifiable harm to the public health or safety."http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/31/tn-bankruptcy-spurs-questions-about-nuclear/?local

Willed property be used to pay for TennCare costs (Associated Press/Burke)The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the state can go after the family houses and property

people who died ow ing money for end-of-life care even if that property has been left to family mem bers in a wThe state has long had the right to go to court to make a claim against the estate of someone who died owmoney for long-term or nursing-home care. Wednesday’s unanimous ruling, however, reverses a lower courdecision barring TennCare from making a claim against property that was given away in a will. The stathighest court said the property could still be used to satisfy a debt to TennCare or any other creditor. TennCadministers the federal Medicaid program in Tennessee. Tim Takacs, a Nashville-area attorney who practicelder law, said the ruling was not surprising because the state already successfully pursues claims reimbursement from the estates of people who have died after receiving long-term care. A court can order thafamily home or property be sold to pay off a debt for nursing-home care. However, Takacs said a survivspouse or a disabled child w ill not be subject to losing their home to satisfy health-care reimbursement costs a family member who was on TennCahttp://www.theleafchronicle.com/viewart/20120530/NEWS01/305300034/Willed-property-used-pay-TennCare-costs?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAG E

Country Singer Helps Tennessee’s Foster Kids (WREG-TV Mem phis)Country artist and former foster kid Jimmy Wayne took his fight to help Tennessee’s foster kids to the stacapitol and this week it paid off. Tuesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill that will allow foskids to remain in the system until the age of 21 M emphis Representative Mark White introduced the bilcontinue funding for the Transitioning Youth Act, a program that provides assistance to foster youth between tages of 18-21 once they age out of the foster care system. W ayne, who spent m ost of his childhood in and oufoster homes, shared his personal story with lawmakers to convince them to support the program that hefoster kids transition into adulthood. The program was set to expire in June. In 2010 Wayne launched his MMe Halfway Campaign and walked halfway across the country to raised awareness about the number of foscare kids who age out of the system and end up homeless.

http://wreg.com/2012/05/30/country-singer-helps-tennessees-fost er-kids/ 

Sen. Kyle of Memphis seeks state probe of voter issue (Commerc

Appeal/Locker)State S en. Jim Kyle of Memphis asked the Tennessee secretary of state on W ednesday to conduct a "forminvestigation" into allegations that the voting histories of 488 Shelby County registered voters were deleted frElection Commission records. Critics are concerned that such deletions could pave the way for the purgingthose voters' names from the official rolls. The Senate Democratic leader's letter follows a similar request by URep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., for investigations by U.S. Atty. G en. Eric Holder and Tennessee CoordinatorElections Mark Goins into the allegations originally made by voting rights activist Bev Harris, whose Black BVoting website monitors irregularities with voters nationwide. Last week, Harris released a list of 488 SheCounty voters that she said are almost all African-American Democrats whose voting histories were removTennessee law says the names of voters who have not voted in four years can be placed on "inactive" staand later purged from the rolls of registered voters. Kyle's letter to Secretary of State Tré Hargett cites reports and says "Deliberate alteration of voter records is a serious matter, especially when it occurs on suclarge scale." Kyle's letter also suggests that Hargett hold public hearings in Shelby County.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/30/sen-kyle-memphis-seeks-state-probe-voter-issue/ (SUB)

Memphis suburbs focus on schooling voters ahead of referendums (CA/Bailey)With Aug. 2 municipal school referendums tentatively set, suburban leaders on Wednesday began organizinformational campaigns. A Bartlett schools support group started promoting the distribution of cam paign sigwhile leaders there and in Germantown promised Web information links about the schools. In Collierville, MaStan Joyner already had posted a letter explaining the school plans. And Arlington Mayor Mike Wissm

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reiterated plans to appoint a school planning committee. The campaign activity picked up as representativfrom the six suburbs delivered documentation W ednesday to the E lection Commission seeking to inclureferendums on m unicipal schools on the Aug. 2 ballot. All o f the outlying cities -- Arlington, Bartlett, ColliervGermantown, Lakeland and M illington -- passed ordinances Tuesday night to hold municipal schools votes in respective cities. Information also began appearing on city websites, such as Bartlett, where a new connected voters to the school feasibility study by Southern Educational Strategies and guided visitors to tTransition Planning C ommission and Better Bartlett Schools sites.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/suburbs-focus-on-schooling-voters/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Differences Remain on City Tax Rate (Memphis Daily News)When the Memphis City Council’s budget committee gets together Tuesday, June 5, there probably will agreement that the full council should not raise property taxes. Instead, it should lower the property tax rate ashould use more of the city’s $81 million reserve fund than Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s administration believesprudent. But it probably will take some work at the full council session later that day to find seven votes for wlikely will be a budget and tax rate for the new fiscal year that has elements of several plans making the rounat City Hall. Three council members have presented plans that would roll back the city’s current property tax rto varying degrees and come up with the city’s last mandatory funding to Memphis City Schools using differcombinations of one-time funds. Council members Jim Strickland, Harold Collins and Edmund Ford Jr. presentheir plans during a Tuesday, May 29, budget committee session. This week’s committee session was tclearest indication that the council is likely to do more than just reject the 47-cent property tax hike proposedApril by Wharton solely to fund MCS.http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/31/differences-remain-on-city-tax-rate/ 

Murfreesboro mosque construction proceeds (Gannett/Broden)County defers action as court ruling analyzed Plaintiffs who won a judge’s decision Tuesday voiding governmapproval of a m osque filed an injunction Wednesday to restrict actions inconsistent with the court order. “Thwill be more litigation,” plaintiffs’ attorney Joe Brandon said. We are going to give the county an opportunity towhat’s right. Their time frame is on a short fuse.” The Rutherford County government, however, took no actionstop construction of a mosque Wednesday despite Chancellor Robert Corlew III’s ruling to void the mosquapproval because of insufficient public notice prior to the vote. “I haven’t seen the judge’s orders,” counBuilding Codes Director David Jones said during an interview at his office Wednesday. “The Building CodDepartment does use stop-work orders for out-of-compliance projects. I just have to refer everything to county attorney’s office.” County Attorney Jim Cope said Wednesday that he’s still reviewing how to respondCorlew’s decision on Tuesday that voided the Rutherford County Regional Planning Comm ission’s approval M24, 2010, of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro’s plans to build a bigger mosque on Veals Road off BradyvPike.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/NEWS21/305310058/Murfreesboro-mosque-construction-proceeds?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Program seeks to lower jail re-entry (Commercial Appeal/Callahan)Help available to ease inmates' return to society Across Tennessee, more than 40 percent of those releasfrom prison head right back there within three years. In Shelby County, about one-third of those released retto jail within 18 months. Curbing that recidivism rate is the goal of a new city-county program announced innew conference Wednesday. The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Re-Entry hopes to ease the transitfrom convicted felon to productive member of society, officials said Wednesday. "The goal is to reduce trecidivism rate by 30 percent," said Charles Traughber, chairman of the Tennessee Board of Probation aParole. "We believe we can do that." The new office combines elements of three previous entities: the SheCounty Corrections Center re-entry program, the city's Second Chance program and the state BoardProbation and Parole. The program, so far approved for two years, will include 200 inmates in each year, 40whom w ill be women. Those chosen will be within six months to a year of their scheduled release. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/program-seeks-to-lower-jail-re-entry/ (SUB)

Commission approves third judge for Washington Co. Tenn. (Herald-Courier)Last night the Washington County, Tenn. Commission approved the addition of a third Sessions Court judThe two current Sessions Court judges told the commission that the current case load for the county is too la

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for them to handle. They also told commissioners the addition of a third judge would allow them to spend motime with individual court cases. An interim judge will be appointed in the coming weeks and voters will approthe new judge in the next election.http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/30/commission-approves-third-judge-washington-co-tenn-ar-195383

New Washington County judge expected to start in January (Johnson City PressWashington County’s two Sessions Court judges will spend the next few months developing a schedule a

division of duties among themselves and the new judge, who is expected to start work in January. Judge JamNidiffer said he was pleased when the County Commission approved the new position Tuesday night. Nidifalso said he and Judge Robert Lincoln will need to discuss with Circuit Court Clerk Karen Guinn how the ncourt will be staffed. “Our plan is to get with Karen (Guinn), the DA’s and clerks. We’ll put a calendar out awe’ll divvy up the three courts — civil, criminal and juvenile,” Nidiffer said W ednesday. Nidiffer and Lincoln shaequal duties in those three areas, and the new judge will be included in that same process. Nidiffer said the thcourt will help ease the heavy load he and Lincoln have carried. “Last night we didn’t stop until 6:30 p.m. and still had a preliminary hearing but at the last minute the defendant waived the case,” Nidiffer said.http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=100572#ixzz1wRg3BX5c

Dyersburg gets federal trail grant (Associated Press)Dyersburg will extend walking and biking trails with a $97,000 federal grant. The State Gazette reported

funds come from the Recreation Trails Program under the Federal Highway Administration. The money will used to improve the Downtown River Park and run trails along Reagan Levee. The project is part of a larger pto circle the community with a trail system. The group Pioneering Health Communities has a master planprovide healthy transportation options to residents of Dyer County.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/NEWS21/305310050/Dyersburg-gets-federal-trail-grant?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cp&nclick_ch eck=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

A Gap in College Graduates Leaves Some Cities Behind (New York Times)As cities like this one try to reinvent themselves after losing large swaths of their manufacturing sectors, they adiscovering that one of the most critical ingredients for a successful transformation — college graduates — isperilously short supply. Just 24 percent of the adult residents of metropolitan Dayton have four-year degrewell below the average of 32 percent for American metro areas, and about half the rate of Washington, t

country’s most educated metro area, according to a Brookings Institution analysis. Like many Rust Belt citiesis a captive of its rich m anufacturing past, when well-paying jobs were plentiful and landing one w ithout a colledegree was easy. Educational attainment lagged as a result, even as it became more critical to success in tnational economy. “We were so wealthy for so long that we got complacent,” said Jane L. Dockery, associdirector of the Center for Urban and Public Affairs at Wright State University here. “We saw the writing on wall, but we didn’t act.” Dayton sits on one side of a growing divide among American cities, in which a smnumber of metro areas vacuum up a large number of college graduates, and the rest struggle to keep those thhave.http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/us/as-college-graduates-cluster-some-cities-are-left-behind.html?ref=todayspaper(SUBSCRIPTION)

Troubled Times at the State Fair (Stateline)On a rainy Monday afternoon in mid-May, Jeff Carpenter gazed out on the grounds of the State Fair of Virginof which he was the sole remaining caretaker. After a life of more than 150 years, the fair had closed. Tgrounds were about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Carpenter was philosophical — and historical. “TVirginia state fair went quiet during the Civil War and during World War II,” he said, “but it always came bacCarpenter is hopeful that even under new ownership, the fair will come back this time too. But this timedifferent. The non-profit agency running the fair defaulted on more than $70 m illion in loans and was forced iChapter 7 liquidation after the fair was moved from its original Richmond location to The Meadow Event Pgrounds just outside Fredericksburg in 2009. The Meadow Event Park and the State Fair of Virginia, Inc., non-profit organization responsible for bringing together the annual livestock, entertainment and fried fofestival for the state, were sold at auction last week to the for-profit, Tennessee-based Universal Fairs, LLC, $5.67 million.http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/troubled-times-at-the-state-fair-858 99394938

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TVA ignored problems at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, report finds (TFP/Sohn)A TVA inspector general's report blasts the agency for its failures to act quickly when it became apparent tWatts Bar Unit 2 nuclear reactor construction will have massive cost overruns and take twice as longcomplete. The inspector general's staff, which attends all the construction meetings, took concerns to Tmanagement and to a board committee in August 2011 -- months before the electric utility changed the WaBar construction management team and made the problems known publicly. But TVA managers had am

opportunity before that to see the signs of trouble that have increased the new reactor's cost by as much asbillion and delayed its completion until late 2015 before that, according to a report from the Inspector GeneRichard W. Moore made public Tuesday. The managers, since replaced, "ignored data and opinions of toversight team and others," the report states. During the regular construction meetings that Moore's inspectattended, issues were characterized by management as "recoverable or normal construction problems. Eaproject schedule, based on its associated assumptions, showed how everything was on track for meeting tearly target finish date."http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/31/nuclear-tva-ignored-problems-at-watts-bar-re port/?local

State says Pilgrim's Pride may lay off 400 (Associated Press)Pilgrim's Pride may lay off or relocate as many as 400 workers in its two Hamilton County plants by June Officials at the poultry processing company say the job cuts are due to improved plant efficiencies, and there ano plans to scale back production. The company operates two downtown Chattanooga plants that curren

employ nearly 1,500 workers. Last week the company announced it would lay off 85 employees in ChattanooThe Times Free Press (http://goo.gl/NXhhc ) is reporting that the company told state regulators that it plans to loff another 170 employees next week and an additional 40 workers on June 15. Margaret McDonaldspokeswoman for Pilgrim's Pride, said the company has not decided how m any more workers will be laid off. Tcompany says it will not cut back on orders from contract growers in the Chattanooga area. Officials with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development plan to hold meetings next month to hdisplaced workers find other work or file unemployment benefits.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/30/state-says-pilgrims-pride-may-lay-off-400/ 

Robertson schools' racial imbalance brings complaints, attention of feds (TN/HaDistrict risks losing federal money The bell rings at Westside Elementary in the Robertson County SchDistrict, and excited children come tumbling out the door, their race and ethnicity almost evenly divided amo

African-American, white and Hispanic. The scene plays out again at nearby Bransford and Cheatham Pelementaries, and a half-hour later at Springfield Middle, all schools where the number of black and Hispachildren outnumber white children. That’s in stark contrast to the district’s schools in G reenbrier, or Coopertowor White House, where 92 percent or more of the students are white. In a school distr ict whose studpopulation is 80 percent white, the lines are clear. Minority children are concentrated in four schoolsSpringfield, and largely absent from those in other parts of the county. The disparity has attracted attention frcivil rights attorneys with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/NEWS04/305310029/Robertson-County-schools-racial-imbalancbrings-complaints-attention-feds?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews% 7Ctext%7CNews&nclick _check=1(SUB)

Closed school board talks on Supt. Cash may break law (CA/Kelley, Roberts)The unified school board might be standing on shaky legal ground if it follows through with plans to meet w

attorneys behind closed doors to discuss Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash, an attorney says. Absactive or pending litigation, said Lucian Pera, an attorney for The Commercial Appeal, a closed meeting of board would violate the state's open meetings law "If there's threatened litigation, then some very, very limitpart of the commission's discussions can be closed -- only those where they are seeking advice from thlawyers about the threatened litigation, but not any discussion about what action the commission might taksaid Pera. "If there's no threatened litigation, then I don't know of any basis on which to close these meetingFollowing Tuesday night's discussion of board chairman Billy Orgel's decision to call for a special meeting June 11 to discuss Cash's contract, vice chairman Jeff Warren, on the advice of attorneys for the city and couschool districts, scheduled an executive session for 5 p.m. Monday, followed by an open meeting at 5:3Warren said it makes sense to d iscuss Cash's contract at this point, particularly since he recently threw his hathe ring for superintendent in Charlotte, N.C. Cash's contract expires Aug. 1, 2013.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/closed-talks-may-break-law/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

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TSU withdraws charter school proposal amid legal concerns (City Paper/GarrisoA Tennessee State University-led charter school proposal didn’t make it on the Metro school board agenda consideration Tuesday night. The week before, TSU officials withdrew its application. The school board voted10 charter school proposals Tuesday, electing to authorize two of the publicly financed, privately led charteBut at no point did board members even mention University Bound Academy, for which TSU officials formfiled an application in April. University leaders had envisioned the school as a science and technology-bas

charter situated on the TSU campus, with TSU deans and trustees sitting on its board of directors. PorShields, interim presidents of TSU, told The City Paper W ednesday that following discussions with MeDirector of Schools Jesse Register the university decided to withdraw its proposal. It appears legal questioarose on whether the university’s board could concurrently serve as the charter school’s board.http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/tsu-withdraws-charter-school-proposal-amid-lega l-concerns

KIPP Academy vows to appeal charter rejection (Tennessean/Rau)Executive director defends school's achievements The local branch of a p rominent national charter school chwas on the defensive Wednesday on the heels of the school board’s vote to reject its application to open

second middle school in Nashville. KIPP Academy Executive Director Randy Dowell vowed to appeal the schboard’s decision and defended the academic achievements at the charter organization’s current middle schowhich opened in 2005. School board member Mark North was critical of KIPP’s test results, pointing to charter school’s regressed scores in science and social studies. The school board voted 5-1 on Tuesday to rejKIPP’s application, even though the school district’s charter review committee had recommended that it approved. “They were hurt by their own performance at their existing school,” North said, pointing out that KIPvalue-added scores for science and social studies were the worst among middle schools in the entire schdistrict. KIPP Academ y’s overall academic achievement received poor marks on the most recent state evaluatfor the 2010-11 school year. KIPP, which educates students in grades 5-8, received a D grade in math, readand social studies, and an F in scienhttp://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/NEWS04/305310032/KIPP-Academy-vows-appeal-charter-rejection?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews&nclick_check=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Expanding discussion (Knoxville News-Sentinel/McCoy)Knox system seeks to grow comm unity school concept After participating in Pond Gap's community school pprogram for the last two years, one student became the most improved in the entire elementary school — sperformed in the school's talent show and had the highest score in reading and science on state tests and second highest in m ath. "That's just one success story," said Susan E spiritu, Pond G ap's principal. "And therone for almost every student in the program." On Wednesday, Espiritu participated in a round-table discussionthe school about the district's efforts to expand the community school concept at Pond Gap and into othschools. As part of the district's spending plan request, which would add an additional $35 million over natugrowth to the operating budget for targeting objectives, about $5 million is designated to go to expandcommunity schools. The Knox County Com mission is scheduled to vote on the budget, which includes the schsystem's request, on Monday. Under the community schools concept, buildings are used for more than jteaching students .http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/31/expanding-discussion-knox-system-seeks-to-grow/ 

OR school officials say city budget shortchanges schools (News-Sentinel/FowleIt hurts system, board chairman says Although Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed on fireading a no-tax-hike budget, city school officials are questioning whether it's legal. A budget amendment aapproved in a 7-0 decision puts some of the money the city gives the school system in reserve to help pay tyear's installment on a costly renovation of the city's high school. School officials are questioning whether tmove is legal because they contend it leaves the school system with a budget that's out of balance by so$270,000. "We cannot present an unbalanced budget to the city," school board chairman Keys Fillauer sWednesday, "and the city can't adopt its budget until they have a balanced budget from us." Fillauer also sthe amendment drops school funding below the required "maintenance of effort" level because the ci

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contribution to schools would then be less than what schools received last fiscal year.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/31/or-school-officials-say-city-budget-short changes/ 

California: Agency Closings Pinch California Cities (Wall Street Journal)Cities across California are grappling with the economic fallout from the state's closure of redevelopmagencies, the municipal organizations that try to turn around blighted areas. The shutdowns—aimed at aiding

cash-strapped state—have resulted in layoffs, lawsuits and the loss of millions of dollars in municipal revenue. The pain is evident in Hercules, an old industrial city of about 26,000 people located 25 miles northeof San Francisco. For years, the Hercules Redevelopment Agency bought land and launched real-estate projeto attract restaurants and stores, financing the efforts by selling bonds. Any new property-tax revenue theprojects generated went to the agency. But Gov. Jerry Brown ordered the agencies shut last year and directhat the property-tax revenue they created be spent elsewhere. That prompted Hercules to lay off more than 4of its city staff, or about 100 workers. The closure left Hercules in a fiscal bind: Its redevelopment agency hracked up more than $300 m illion in debt to finance projects, leaving the city on the hook for about $20 m illionannual debt payments. "Now we're left with picking up the pieces," said Steve Duran, the Hercules city managIn March, the city narrowly escaped default on its bond payments.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304065704577422231620711726.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1(SUBSCRIPTION)

New York: New York Plans to Ban Sale of Big Sizes of Sugary Drinks (NY Times)New York City plans to enact a far-reaching ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinksrestaurants, movie theaters and street carts, in the most ambitious effort yet by the Bloomberg administrationcombat rising obesity. he proposed ban would affect virtually the entire menu of popular sugary drinks founddelis, fast-food franchises and even sports arenas, from energy drinks to pre-sweetened iced teas. The saleany cup or bottle of sweetened drink larger than 16 fluid ounces — about the size of a medium coffee, asmaller than a common soda bottle — would be prohibited under the first-in-the-nation plan, which could taeffect as soon as next March. The measure would not apply to diet sodas, fruit juices, dairy-based drinks lmilkshakes, or alcoholic beverages; it would not extend to beverages sold in grocery or convenience stor“Obesity is a nationwide problem, and all over the United S tates, public health officials are wringing their hansaying, ‘Oh, this is terrible,’ ” Mr. Bloomberg said in an interview on Wednesday in the Governor’s Room at CHall.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/bloomberg-plans-a-ban-on-large-sugared-drinks.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper(SUBSCRIPTION)

Wisconsin: Unions See Ranks Drop Ahead of Recall Vote (Wall Street Journal)Public-employee unions in Wisconsin have experienced a dramatic drop in membership—by more than half the second-biggest union—since a law championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker sharply curtailed thability to bargain over wages and working conditions. Now with Mr. Walker facing a recall vote Tuesday, votwill decide whether his policies in the centrist state should continue—or whether they have gone too far. Telection could mark a pivot point for organized labor. Mr. Walker's ouster would derail the political career orising Republican star and send a warning to other elected officials who are battling unions. But a victory for governor, who has been leading his Dem ocratic opponent in recent polls, would amount to an endorsement o f

effort to curtail public-sector unions, which have been a pillar of strength for organized labor while private-secmembership has dwindled. That could mean the sharp losses that some Wisconsin public-worker unions haexperienced is a harbinger of similar unions' future nationwide, union leaders fear. Failure to oust Mr. Walker aoverturn the W isconsin law "spells doom," said Bryan Kennedy, the American Federation of Teachers' Wisconpresident.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304821304577436462413999718.html?mod=ITP_pageone_0(SUBSCRIPTION)

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OPINION

Editorial: New state park website is a win for parks, vacationers (Jackson Sun)Many people are familiar with the ease, advantage and even excitement of investigating and booking travel usthe Internet, especially when it comes to vacation planning. Now, the Tennessee Department of Environmand Conservation has brought a similar service to l ife for Tennessee state parks. The new website,www.tnvacation.com/75, recently was launched to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of Tennessee StaParks. It is a helpful and worthwhile resource that uses the latest Internet and social media technology to hepeople take full advantage of Tennessee state parks. Tennessee’s state park system began in 1937 w ith creation of Cumberland Mountain State Park. Since then, it has grown to 54 parks and historic areas locathroughout the state. From the M ississippi River and Fuller State Park to the Great Sm okey Mountains and R oMountain State Park, Tennessee offers residents and travelers from across America some of the finest st

parks in the nation. With the summer vacation season taking shape, now is the time to begin planning for pavisits.http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120531/OPINION/305310003/Or-View-New-state-park-website-win-parksvacationers

Editorial: Expanding charter school options would help Metro (Tennessean)The Metro Nashville Board of Education made it clear Tuesday night that charter schools that offer a differvision and solution are not w elcome here. That is too bad for our children. With the progress the system hbeen making, there is good reason to expand the options available to all kinds of families, and not just stick wa narrow view of acceptable alternatives. Up to now, the school board has been offering options in our poormore challenged neighborhoods. That is laudable and p roductive, as those efforts have paid dividends to tho

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neighborhoods. But if we are to build a path to a high-quality system for all the residents of the county, the schboard should think outside their current box. Metro Schools have been afflicted with white flight for decadallowing charter schools that would be competition for families currently sending their kids to private school not hurt our public school system. M any people have expressed the concern that we cannot afford for the betstudents to leave traditional public schools, but what about attracting students back?http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/OPINION01/305310024/Expanding-charter-school-options-woulhelp-Metro?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cp&nclick_c heck=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

Editorial: Justices should speed up appeal of residency ruling (News-Sentinel)A chancellor has ruled that Democratic state House hopeful Shelley Breeding can't run in the newly formed 8District, but that is not the end of her quest to run for office. She is appealing the ruling, but the state SupreCourt should exercise its discretion and take on the case imm ediately so that Northwest Knox County residewill know once and for all whether she will be on the ballot in November. Breeding filed paperwork to run for newly created seat and would be the only Democrat on the ballot for the August primary, meaning she woautomatically go on to face the winner of the Republican primary in the November general election. There is jone problem — it appears her house is just across the Anderson C ounty line, and therefore outside the 8District. Chancellor W. Frank Brown III ruled she cannot go on the ballot because she is not a Knox Couresident. "It is her duty to show she is qualified," Brown wrote in his ruling. "She has failed to prove sucBreeding has appealed, claiming that Brown did not review all the factors that go into establishing residency voting purposes.http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/31/editorial-justices-should-speed-up-appeal-of/ 

Editorial: Who should collect taxes? (Comm ercial Appeal)Efficiency is the key: A thorough comparison is needed to decide who can collect Memphis property taxes moefficiently and at less cost. The idea of consolidating Memphis and Shelby C ounty governments hasn't beable to gain any traction, but discussions about finding ways to m erge the functions of some city and couoffices garner more positive responses. Over the past two decades, at least two previous county trustees triedwork out a deal with the city of Memphis to collect the city's current and delinquent property taxes. Their effogenerally focused on the argument that it would be more efficient to let the Trustee's Office collect propetaxes, since it already collects county property taxes from both city and county residents. The current trustDavid Lenoir, has now taken another shot at it. Lenoir has offered to collect current and past-due city propetaxes in exchange for an annual fee of $1.25 million, plus the city's pro-rata share of the "due process" coinvolved in collecting taxes, about $200,000 to $250,000 annually.http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/31/editorials-who-should-collect-taxes/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Free-Press Editorial: No stampede to ObamaCare (Chattanooga Times Free-PresIt is not only appropriate but altogether sensible that lawmakers in Tennessee have refused to enact legislatsetting up a so-called "health insurance exchange" dictated by ObamaCare. It is appropriate becauObamaCare is a disgusting federal power grab, and it is sensible because w ithin a few weeks the U.S. SupreCourt might strike down the Democrat-enacted law as the unconstitutional intrusion that it is. No sense wasttime and legislative effort putting in place something that ultimately may prove not necessary. The fedegovernment recently sent Tennessee an add itional $4.3 million to set up the exchange, which will create a "ostop shop" where consumers allegedly may select from a range of affordable, high-quality insurance plans. Tbrings to $9.1 million the amount of money Washington has sent the state for the exchange. Alabama hreceived $9.6 million, meanwhile, and Georgia has gotten $1 million. In typical mandate fashion, the fedegovernment will impose the exchanges on any states that do not set them up willingly. The states must subtheir plans for the exchanges by this November and m ust have the exchanges in place by the beginning of 20or they will be subject to the federal government stepping in and creating the exchanges anyway.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/31/0531b-fp1-no-stampede-to-obamacare/?opinionfreepress

Guest columnist: Alexander wrong to side with Obam a on coal (Tennessean)In 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama explained his energy policy like this: “Under my plan of a cap-and-trasystem, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is goor bad.” He went on to say: “So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can — it’s just that it will bankrthem.” That’s really bad news for Tennessee, which relies on coal-fired power plants for 53 percent of electricity. Yet, shockingly, Sen. Lamar A lexander is siding with Obama and his “war on coal.” The day after 2010 election, Obama said: “Cap and trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way. It wa

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means, not an end.” The following week, Obama adviser John Podesta released a report that specificarecommended regulation of mercury and other air toxics from power plants as a back-door way to accomplthe cap-and-trade goal of shutting down coal plants. Obama has used his Environmental Protection Agenbureaucrats to move forward on that plan. The linchpin is the “Utility Maximum Achievable Control Technolorule, also known as “Mercury and Air Toxics Standards,” and it’s the most expensive EPA rule in history.http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120531/OPINION03/305310026/Alexander-wrong-side-Obama-coal?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cs&nclick_c heck=1(SUBSCRIPTION)

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