TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 Governor Haslam expected to sign welfare drug test bill (Times Free-Press/Sher)

Gov. Bill Haslam's press secretary says the governor plans to sign legislation requiring drug testing for some welfare applicants, despite calls from the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee to veto the measure. "The governor is expected to sign the bill," Alexia Poe said in an email. She said state Department of Human Services officials "will work on the rules to implement the law and will work with the attorney general who will have to approve them." "There is still a lot of work to be done," Poe added. ACLU-Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg sent a letter last week to Haslam, a Republican, to veto the GOP-sponsored bill, which mandates "suspicion-based" drug testing for applicants for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families if they fail a psychological screening test. It raises "serious constitution concerns," the ACLU contends. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/08/governor-expected-to-sign-drug-test-bill/?local

Magazine ranks Tennessee 4th best state for business, again (City Paper/Hale)
For the second straight year, Chief Executive magazine named Tennessee the fourth best state for business. For all eight years the magazine has produced the list, the first and last place states Texas and California respectively have remained unchanged. Other states in the top five were Florida, North Carolina and Indiana. The list was based on the responses of 650 CEOs, who graded states in which they do business based on tax and regulation, quality of workforce and living environment. Recently moved from New York state to Tennessee, an unnamed CEO is quoted as saying. Differences in ambience/climate/cost of living/attitude of government towards business are outstanding! In a recent interview with The City Paper, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said that he has heard businesses looking to relocate to Tennessee express concern about controversial social legislation proposed at the state level but that it didnt ultimately keep them from making the move. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/magazine-ranks-tennessee-4th-best-state-business-again

Tennessee will get $1.95 million from agreement (Associated Press)

Tennessee will receive $1.95 million coming from a multistate settlement between a giant pharmaceutical company accused of deceptively marketing the anti-seizure drug Depakote. The state's cut was part of a $100 million agreement between 45 states and the District of Columbia and Abbott Laboratories. The agreement is the largest consumer protection-based pharmaceutical settlement ever reached. The states accused the pharmaceutical company of engaging in deceptive marketing practices when it marketed Depakote for off-label uses. Depakote has been approved for the treatment of seizures, migraine headaches and mania associated with bipolar disorder. The states said the company marketed the drug to treat medical issues where the drug has not been approved, such as schizophrenia, agitated dementia and autism. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/07/tennessee-will-get-195-million-from-agreement/

Abbott Laboratories must pay for marketing off-label use of drug (TN/Williams)
TN gets $1.95M in deal over marketing of anti-seizure drug Tennessee will get a small portion of a massive $1.5 billion penalty agreed to by drug maker Abbott Laboratories on Monday in connection with how it marketed a major anti-seizure drug. Abbott has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $1.5 billion including $1.95 million to Tennessee over allegations that it promoted the anti-seizure drug Depakote for uses that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Tennessee and 44 other states reached the settlement with Abbott on Monday. The case will prevent the pharmaceutical maker from marketing off-label uses of Depakote. Abbott pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor criminal violation of the federal law prohibiting off-label marketing of prescription drugs. Depakote is approved by the FDA for treatment of seizure disorders, mania associated with bipolar disorder and migraines. But Abbott was accused of promoting other uses, including the treatment of

schizophrenia, agitated dementia and autism. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/BUSINESS05/305080005/TN-receive-1-95M-share-Abbott-Labssettlement-off-label-marketing?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Tennessee to receive nearly $2M from Abbott Laboratories settlement (C. Appeal)
Abbott Laboratories will pay $1.6 billion to settle federal and state claims that it improperly marketed the neurologic medication Depakote for off-label uses, the company said Monday. Abbott will pay $800 million to resolve civil allegations split among federal and state governments, $700 million in criminal penalties and $100 million to states to resolve consumer protection matters, the Chicago-based company said. Tennessee will get $1.95 million from Illinois-based Abbott, according to Tennessee Atty. Gen. Bob Cooper and Gary Cordell, director of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance's Consumer Affairs division. Abbott said in previous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it had earmarked $1.5 billion for a potential settlement. Under terms of the settlement, Abbott has agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for misbranding. The company also will be restricted from marketing the drug for off-label uses. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/07/tennessee-receive-nearly-2m-abbott-laboratories-se/ (SUB)

UT faculty, staff may see merit-based raises (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Boehnke)

Funds sought for merit, other increases Faculty and staff in the University of Tennessee system could receive merit-based salary increases above the 2.5 percent across-the-board raise outlined in the state budget that passed last week. Chancellors at each campus are examining their budgets in search of extra money to create a pool of about "a couple percent" for merit raises and market-adjustment increases, President Joe DiPietro said. "The single biggest resource the university has is its people," DiPietro said. "We're looking at trying to make up some ground in the market, although the market issue is going to be a long-term haul. You're not going to fix the kind of issues we've got in a year or two. It's a four-, five-, six-, seven-year time frame to do it." The money in each campus pool would represent a percentage of its entire payroll, but the merit raises would be given only to employees with a high performance rating. Employees will receive either the 2.5 percent increase or $1,000, which ever is greater, DiPietro said. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/07/ut-employees-may-seeadditional-raises/

State investigating possible TCAP security breach at Hawkins school (Times News)
The Tennessee Department of Education confirmed Monday that it is investigating a potential breach of security that may have occurred during TCAP testing at a Hawkins County school two weeks ago. Neither the state nor the Hawkins County School system will confirm the circumstances of the security breach or at which school it may have occurred. I dont know the circumstances, Director of Schools Charlotte Britton said. There is an investigation that is ongoing right now. All paper work has been sent to the state department to determine the status of the situation. Until we get that report (from the state) theres nothing else we can release about this situation. Were following all the testing security procedures as defined by the state department. TCAP testing took place in Hawkins County April 22-25. TDOE Communications Director Kelli Gauthier told the Times-News on Monday the state Department of Education is investigating a potential breach of security with regards to TCAP tests in a Hawkins County school. She said no other information will be released until the state completes its investigation, and shes not sure how long that will take. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9046304/state-investigating-possible-tcap-security-breach-at-hawkins-school

Budget cuts could mean fewer lake patrols in Sullivan Co. (Herald Courier)
Budget cuts could mean fewer lake patrols in Sullivan County, but the same amount of enforcement is expected. Sheriff Wayne Anderson announced lake patrol cuts last week as a cost-saving measure. The Bristol Herald Courier reports the Tennessee Valley Authority also ended uniformed patrols and instead opted for contract security guards to patrol. But that does not include lake boat patrols. The only option: patrols by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. TWRA officers are solely responsible for boat safety and enforcement on the water. They are also the only officers with the authority to ticket boat drivers if they are drinking. Sullivan County hopes to bring back its lake patrols in July if budget problems are resolved. Budget issues are up for discussion this 2

evening as the Sullivan County Executive Committee meets. The meeting began earlier tonight. The committee will be discussing recent budget hearings as well as the 2012-2013 fiscal budgets. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/may/07/budget-cuts-could-mean-fewer-lake-patrols-sullivan-ar-1897835/

Board Representation at Stake in Bill (Memphis Daily News)

In the legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly last week allowing suburban referendums this year on forming municipal school districts there was another part of the bill. And it completes some important terms for the Nov. 6 school board elections that would follow the planned Aug. 2 referendums on forming school districts and levying a half- cent local option sales tax rate increase if voters approve both questions. The individual school district plans being pursued by four of the six suburban towns and cities Arlington, Bartlett, Germantown and Collierville envision school districts that at least initially would take in students from beyond the borders of each of the municipalities. The districts would include students from Memphis annexation reserve areas as well as students who live in the other municipalities. But those areas would not have representation on the school boards. Thats because the students from outside a given town or city would attend that school district under a cooperative agreement that would have to be worked out with the countywide school board or the other municipal school districts that might be formed. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/may/8/board-representation-at-stake-in-bill/

Aiming to Prevent Teen Suicides, Year-Old Law Gets Edited (WPLN-Radio Nash.)
Tennessees law against online bullying is getting a partial rewrite to make sure it holds up in court. The lawmaker behind this years update says its a necessary step toward dealing with an evolving problem. Murfreesboro Senator Bill Ketron says the need for a law is clear. He points to two teenage suicides close to Nashville in the last six months, blaming cyber-bullying for both. Whats less clear is how to tamp down on hard words, without stepping on free-speech rights. Ketron says the problem evolves with technology. When I was in school, people used to write some girls name on the bathroom wall with a telephone number, and now they write it on a Facebook wall and it goes global. The law passed last year used terms that are hard to pin down legally, like frighten and emotional distress. The new version instead uses the more concrete word threaten. Kids convicted in juvenile court could face up to 30 days community service. Asked whether the laws success might be measured with fewer deaths a year from now, Ketron answered never say never. It still can happen. http://wpln.org/?p=36926

Gateway Sexual Activity Bill Tease Wont Change Much, Official Says (TNR)
The thrust of sex education classes taught in Tennessee schools will stay the same under a controversial bill awaiting the governors signature, according to the Department of Education. The so-called gateway sexual activity bill seeks to punish teachers and third-party groups that promote sexual contact encouraging an individual to engage in a non-abstinent behavior and rewrite state code to emphasizes abstinence education both issues that caught the national spotlight this year. It really will not do much to change the current curriculum, the ways schools operate currently, said Kelli Gauthier, a Department of Education spokeswoman. Lawmakers easily passed the bill after much debate in the Legislature about whether abstinence education works, whether definitions of gateway sexual activity are too vague and whether teachers can get in trouble for not discouraging hand-holding, hugging or kissing. The legislation points to the states current definition of sexual contact as intentional touching of any other persons intimate parts, or the intentional touching of the clothing covering the immediate area of any other persons intimate parts, if that intentional touching can be reasonably construed as being for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. http://tnreport.com/blog/2012/05/07/gateway-sexual-activity-bill-a-tease-wont-change-much-tn-edu-official-says/

Franklin explores EMS system for city (Tennessean/Walters)

Flashing red lights and a quick trip to an emergency room could one day come courtesy of a Franklin city ambulance, not W illiamson County. Franklin leaders are exploring changes to an agreement with Williamson County that allows Franklins city paramedics to respond to medical emergencies but prevents them from taking patients to the hospital. That leaves more than $1 million annually on the table in insurance money that Franklin could potentially collect if the city were to begin its own emergency medical services transport. The number likely will only get bigger as the citys population grows and EMS demand climbs. Projections show Franklin could receive 4,200 requests annually for EMS with a 5 percent yearly increase through 2015. Back in 2007, the demand for EMS in the city was little more than 3,500. A new EMS reports findings bring the matter to the fore at 3

a time when Franklin and Williamson County continue to search harder than ever for new revenue streams to help their bottom lines. The systems that made sense 10-15 years ago may not make sense 10-15 years from now, said City Administrator Eric Stuckey. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/W ILLIAMSON10/305080030/Franklin-explores-EMS-system-city? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Todd Womack says he wont run for Chattanooga mayor (TFP/Hightower)

Todd W omack said Monday he would not run for Chattanooga mayor at this time. Its humbling that people would encourage you to serve and were certainly open to considering a run for mayor down the road, said Womack, chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Bob Corker. State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, is expected to announce his mayoral campaign bid today. He plans a meeting at 11 a.m. at the Chattanooga Theatre Center. Womack said he and his wife, Katie, had discussions about his potential run for mayor. After a lot of soul searching, a few weeks ago Katie and I decided were where we need to be for now and I dont plan to run for mayor next year, W omack said. He said he thinks he still has work left to do with Corker, a Republican, in the U.S. Senate. Womack became communications director for Corker in 2001 when the senator was mayor of Chattanooga. When Corker became senator in 2006, W omack worked as state director for three weeks, then took the position of chief of staff. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/08/todd-womack-corker-chief-staff-says-he-wont-run-ch/?local

Burgess: No tax hike (Daily News Journal)

Mayor pledges balanced budget, staff raises Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess proposed a $1.6 million pay raise plan for county employees without taking more from the taxpayers. We think theres enough money to fund this without a property tax increase, Burgess told members of the County Commissions Steering, Legislative & Governmental Committee Monday night. The county expects 1,023 employees to go into the new pay plan thats supposed to bring them up to market value for Middle Tennessee, but County Register of Deeds Heather Dawbarn said she will not have her staff participate. I want to make sure I provide job stability, said Dawbarn, adding that she has to make sure she has fees coming in to cover payroll for her qualified staff. Id hate to do pay increases, and the very next year have to do layoffs. Burgess, County Human Resources Director Sonya Stephenson and County Finance Director Lisa Nolen will present the pay-raise proposal to the commissions Budget, Finance & Investment Committee when it meets at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Room 205 of the County Courthouse. The budget committee will hear the mayors proposals for next fiscal years spending plans that start July 1. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120508/NEW S/305080036/Burgess-No-tax-hike?odyssey=tab|topnews|text| FRONTPAGE

Vanderbilt's 'all-comers' policy upsets 36 in Congress (Tennessean/Bewley)

Thirty-six members of Congress are urging Vanderbilt University to exempt religious organizations from its allcomers policy, saying it discriminates against faith-based groups. Members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus said Monday they have sent a letter pressing Vanderbilt officials to exempt campus religious organizations from the policy, which requires that university-recognized groups allow any student to join and run for office even if a student doesnt share the groups central beliefs. Vanderbilt adopted the policy after a Christian fraternity expelled a member who is gay. We are deeply troubled that Vanderbilt would use its freedom as a private institution to create a nondiscrimination policy that discriminates against religious student groups, the lawmakers wrote. The letter was dated Thursday and signed by Tennessee Republican Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Diane Black, Stephen Fincher and Chuck Fleischmann. Its the second letter the caucus has sent to university officials on the policy. The lawmakers said Vanderbilts decision to exempt single-sex organizations such as fraternities and sororities but not religious ones suggests hostility on the part of Vanderbilt toward religious student groups. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/NEWS0201/305080032/Vanderbilt-s-all-comers-policy-upsets-36Congress?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Chuck Fleischmann, other congressmen object to Vanderbilt policy (TFP/Sher)

Thirty-six members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, including four Tennessee lawmakers, are urging Vanderbilt University to modify its "all-comers" nondiscrimination policy that has nearly a dozen religious groups complaining the private school has forced them to choose between their beliefs or leaving the campus. "We are 4

deeply concerned that Vanderbilt University's nondiscrimination policy is being applied in a manner that targets religious student organizations, creating an environment that's hostile to their existence on campus," says the congressmen's letter to Mark Dalton, chairman of the university's board of trustrees, Chancellor Nicholas Zeppo and other trustees. Those signing the letter include U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischman, R-Tenn.; U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn.; and U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn. Vanderbilt's policy says campus organizations cannot discriminate among its members. The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed legislation that prevents state colleges and universities from implementing similar policies. None currently do. At the last minute, lawmakers inserted a provision including Vanderbilt. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam announced last week that while he disagreed with Vanderbilt's policy, he planned on vetoing the measure because "as someone who strongly believes in limited government, I think it is inappropriate for government to mandate the policies of a private institution." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/08/fleischmann-other-congressmen-object-to/?local

U.S. Reps Pressure Vanderbilt About Campus Policy (W PLN-Radio Nashville)

Several members of Tennessees Congressional delegation are calling on Vanderbilt University to change an anti-discrimination policy for campus groups. Congressmen Stephen Fincher, Chuck Fleischmann, Diane Black and Marsha Blackburn all signed a letter (PDF here) to Vanderbilt officials. The four Republicans say the policy is driving away religious groups, because they cant require members or leaders to share their beliefs. The letter also calls an exemption for fraternities and sororities a double standard, and accuses the school of hostility to religious groups. At the state level, last week conservative lawmakers passed a bill meant to pressure Vanderbilt about the All Comers policy, but the governor said he will veto the measure. http://wpln.org/?p=36997

Prayer Caucus Troubled By Non-Discrimination Policy (WTVF-TV Nashville)

Vanderbilt University's non-discrimination policy has once again drawn the attention of Congress. The Congressional Prayer Caucus has sent a second letter to the Nashville University, accusing the school of being hostile to religious groups. The letter urges Vanderbilt to amend its so-called "All Comers" policy which allows any student to serve in a leadership position in a student group, even if that student does not share the group's beliefs. They point to an exemption for fraternities and sororities and the lack of an exemption for religious groups. Mid-state Representatives Diane Black and Marsha Blackburn are both part of the Prayer Caucus. A state ban on the policy was passed in the state legislature. Governor Bill Haslam though, has said he will veto the bill. http://www.newschannel5.com/story/18169440/prayer-caucus-troubled-by-non-discrimination-policy

Joe Biden returns to Nashville for Obama fundraiser (Tennessean/Cass)

Vice President Joe Biden touched down in Nashville for the second time in six months Monday to rev up a few dozen Democratic Party stalwarts and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for President Barack Obamas reelection bid. On his way out of town, Biden surprised a group of home-schooled children with an impromptu motorcade stop along Old Hickory Boulevard. Biden was the headliner at a $10,000-a-head fundraiser at real estate executive and Obama bundler Bill Freemans Green Hills home. The vice president was there for more than an hour and spoke for 30-40 minutes, according to people who attended. It was a very successful event, and we were thrilled to host it, Freeman said, declining to comment further. As 30 or so paying guests ate salmon, beef, grits and a green salad, Biden spoke informally but passionately about Obamas campaign against presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney. He touched on foreign policy and issues affecting women and stood behind his comments in support of same-sex marriage made during a Sunday news program. The vice president also said the Republican Party had been taken over by tea party factions whose first interest is winning without compromising, not making the country better, one donor said. He refrained from personal attacks but indicated that Romney, a wealthy former Massachusetts governor, was out of touch with working peoples concerns. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/NEWS02/305070063/Fundraiser-brings-Vice-PresidentJoe-Biden-back-to-Nashville?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Obesity rate could hit 42 percent, costing billions (USA Today)

If Americans continue to pack on pounds, 42 percent may end up obese by 2030, and 11 percent could be severely obese, adding billions of dollars to health-care costs, according to new projections released Monday. As of 2010, about 36 percent of adults were obese, which is roughly 30 pounds over a healthy weight, and 6 percent were severely obese, which is 100 or more pounds over a healthy weight. The obesity problem is likely to get 5

much worse without a major public health intervention, says Eric Finkelstein, a health economist with Duke University Global Health Institute and lead researcher on the new study. He presented his analysis at the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions W eight of the Nation meeting, where experts are discussing strategies for the prevention and control of obesity. The study is being published online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The increase in the obesity rate would mean 32 million more obese people within two decades, Finkelstein says. Thats on top of the 78 million people who were obese in 2010. Extra weight takes a huge toll on health, increasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, many types of cancer, sleep apnea and other debilitating and chronic illnesses, and it costs billions of dollar in extra medical expenditures. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/NEWS07/305080025/Obesity-rate-could-hit-42-percent-costingbillions?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Memphis tips scales as fattest city in country (Commercial Appeal/Lollar)

Barbecue capital reputation done to a turn by ranking With nearly a third of its population considered obese, Memphis is the fattest city in the nation, according to Newsweek magazine. It's the city that turned barbecue into an art form and bought a special ambulance in March to transport super-sized patients. The ambulance is already broken, but Memphis is trying to fix the obesity rate that has landed it atop list after list as fat and unfit. In 2003 and 2006, Men's Health magazine ranked Memphis as the unhealthiest for men among 100 big cities. In the Newsweek ranking, based on Gallup's Well-Being Index, Memphis was fifth among major metro areas in diabetes incidence, with a rate of 12.4 percent of its population. Barely more than half of the city exercises frequently, and only 56.7 percent eat fruits and vegetables on a regular basis, according to the Gallup rankings. In the obesity standings, Memphis was on top, but almost waist-to-waist with the heavyweights in the top 10. Its obesity percentage of 29.7 barely edged out No. 2, Richmond, Va. (29.4 percent); San Antonio (29.1 percent); Virginia Beach, Va. (28.5 percent); and Columbus, Ohio (28.5 percent). New Orleans, another city famous for food, was seventh at 28.3 percent. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/08/memphis-tips-scalesas-fattest-city-in-country/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Oak Ridge group calls for probe of uranium facility's design issues (NS/Munger)
A peace activist group waged its growing campaign against the Uranium Processing Facility on two fronts Monday. Members of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance hand-delivered a letter to Sen. Lamar Alexander's Knoxville office, asking the Republican senator to help slow work on the multibillion-dollar project until safety issues raised by a federal review board have been resolved. In a separate action, the group sent a letter to Gregory Friedman, the U.S. Department of Energy's inspector general, and urged Friedman to investigate the project's work to date, with more than $500 million spent designing the new production facility, for evidence of government waste and possibly fraud. On Monday afternoon, outside the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse in downtown Knoxville, OREPA members delivered oversized copies of letters to a member of Alexander's staff. The group complained that Tennessee's senior senator and key members of his staff had refused to meet with them and discuss the project's high cost and safety issues in the design identified by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. In a recent statement, Alexander said he hadn't yet seen the group's letter, but added, "I am committed to seeing the UPF facility completed safely, cost-effectively, and as soon as possible so that hundreds of workers who are doing critical national security work can be moved out of a very unsafe building. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/08/oak-ridge-group-calls-for-probe-of-uranium/

Job seekers hope for shot at Sak's (Daily News Journal)

Nearly 400 show up at job fair for 250 positions Job seeker Latricia McGee searched for work at three places Monday and joined nearly 400 applying for 250 positions with Saks Fifth Avenues distribution center in La Vergne. Its been a challenge, especially in this area, McGee said Monday afternoon while filling out the required application through the Tennessee Career Center in her hometown of Murfreesboro. A lot of manufacturing jobs went to Mexico and other places. Job opportunities have increased lately with companies like Saks Fifth Avenue coming to the county. Saks is taking over an abandoned Borders warehouse. Rutherford Countys latest unemployment rate dropped to 6.6 percent in March after it had been at 7.1 percent in February and 8.4 percent March 2011, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The countys jobless rate was sixth lowest in the state and beat out the Tennessees 7.9 percent unemployment rate and national 8.2 percent. Among those to recently join the Saks La Vergne distribution center before it opens in July is Richard Jackson of Beech Grove in Coffee County near Rutherford Countys southeast boundary. After being on his job as a senior operations manager for about a week, Jackson stopped by the 6

career center in Murfreesboro to answer questions from the applicants. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120508/NEW S/305080029/Job-seekers-hope-shot-Sak-s?odyssey=tab|topnews| text|FRONTPAGE

Millington to hold schools referendum (Commercial Appeal/Bailey)

Also approves first reading to annex Lucy community Millington took its final steps toward a new form of government Monday night, then approved holding a referendum to see if citizens want to boost the local option sales tax rate by a half-cent for education. The two votes send the North Shelby County suburb in a new direction on how it will operate government in the future, and how it might fund a municipal school system. The city also approved on the first of three readings an ordinance to annex the Lucy community in order to bolster the number of potential students in a Millington municipal school system. "It's very significant for the future of the city," Mayor Linda Carter said of the trio of votes. "The city manager moves us into the next century. Lucy annexation has to take place so that we have enough students to vote for the schools. "The half-cent sales tax has to pass to have enough money for the schools. So they are all pretty significant." While the change to a city manager-run city with a part-time mayor is definitive -- transitioning into effect by the end of the year, Carter hopes -- and the Lucy annexation is anticipated, the school question, including funding, remains unknown. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/08/millington-to-hold-schools-referendum/ (SUB)

School Board OKs budget (Jackson Sun)

The Jackson-Madison County School Board approved its 2012-13 budget request on Monday night. Board members had a lengthy discussion led by Billy Keeton, who advocated to keep some of the eliminated teacher positions. We need to be adding (teaching) positions, and not taking them away, he said. Keeton said the district should keep at least 10 of the 19 teacher positions cut in the budget. We could put them in reading or math classrooms to help get our (achievement) levels where they need to be, Keeton said. Superintendent Buddy White said approving Keetons amendment would mean the district would need to add $600,000 in the budget. I think well be back before the board if we take this budget request to the county commission, W hite said. Keetons motion failed 4-4. One member, Bob Alvey, was absent. The general purpose budget, which is around $98 million, was approved 7 to 1. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120508/NEWS01/305080010/School-Board-OKs-budget

Hamilton County principals assignments announced (Times Free-Press/Hardy)

Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Rick Smith announced on Monday reassignments and appointments for several public school principals. Smith did not announce reassignments for Brainerd High Principal Charles Joynes, Dalewood Middle School Principal Rodney Johnson and Woodmore Elementary School Principal Visa Harper. All three of those principals are being moved to comply with a $500,000 state grant to turnaround schools. The School Innovation Zone grant, aimed at improving schools that perform in the bottom 5 percent, requires new leadership for schools in that group whose principals have been in place for two years or longer. Last month, the superintendent said the three principals would not be dismissed, but was unclear about what job they may be moved into. Smith did not return calls seeking comment on Monday. Promoting or adding new leadership at 13 schools means about 16 percent of Hamilton County's schools will see new leadership next year. Such a shift is fairly normal for the school system. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Stacy Stewart said last week that new leadership -- either from existing principals moving between buildings or firstyear principals being hired -- is a regular occurrence with principal retirements, resignations and reassignments. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/08/principals-assignments-announced/?local

TEACH/Here narrows effort to math in county schools (Times Free-Press/Hardy)

After watching Jamal Lett explain his passion for helping underprivileged students, organizers of TEACH/Here, Chattanoogas teacher residency program, knew the effort was more than just about recruiting qualified educators. Lett, a resident working with a veteran teacher at Orchard Knob Middle School, explains on video how one of his middle school teachers inspired him to want to do better inspiration thats stuck with him to the age of 23. Now, he tries to give his students that same gift of inspiration. You have to give them a reason to want it. Thats what wakes me up every day, he said. In hearing Letts philosophy, program organizers realized that the work of TEACH/Here, which places teachers in urban schools, is about more than just job placement. His testimony is what told us we named it wrong. This is about more than just academia. Its about peoples commitment to a value system, said Cheri Dedmon, the programs director. Officials have renamed the program 7

Project Inspire and have sharpened its focus. Sponsored by the Public Education Foundation, the program recruits professionals or recent graduates to teach math and science in hard-to-staff urban schools. The effort was operating in both Knox and Hamilton counties. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/may/08/teachhere-narrows-effort-math-county-schools/?local

Longer Knox Co. school year posed (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Donila, McCoy)

Commission looks at boards budget tonight Knox County commissioners tonight for the first time will publicly pick through the school system's proposed spending plan, a budget the county mayor declined to fund but one commissioners might be willing to give a chance. Commissioners, however, say they are concerned about one of the proposal's key elements: Expanding the school year by a week at a cost of almost $7 million. "This is troubling from both the financial and the practical teaching side," said Commissioner Tony Norman, a retired teacher of three decades. Norman said he didn't believe the additional days would improve education, saying "they're looking to extend the quantity, not the quality." The Knox County school system's administration and its school board disagree. "I know that our teachers and instructional aides will be able to put (the additional days) to good use," said Indya Kincannon, board vice chairwoman. "We have to make sure that we use those funds wisely and we use that time wisely." http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/08/knox-commissioners-to-begin-budget-scrutiny/

Sumner County schools ban novel over teen sex scene (Tennessean/Hubbard)
A two-page oral sex encounter by an awkward teen at boarding school in the coming-of-age novel Looking for Alaska was deemed too racy by Sumner County schools last week. The district banned the book from its assigned classroom reading list, becoming at least the second in the state, after Knox County in March, to keep students from reading it together in class. The teen novel is the first in several years to be stripped from Sumner classrooms. Wilson, Rutherford and Williamson county schools say they havent banned the book or any titles in recent years. Metro schools didnt have information on the book as of Monday. Kids at this age are impressionable. Sometimes its a monkey see, monkey do, said parent Kathy Clough, who has a freshman and a senior at W hite House High School, where the book had been assigned reading. Im going to trust that my school board made the right choice. If they feel like this book is a little too graphic, Im all for it. Debate over censorship As many as 500 books are challenged each year, more often by a parent or school administrator and mostly for being too sexually explicit or containing too much foul language, according to the American Libraries Association. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/NEWS04/305080031/Sumner-County-schools-ban-novel-overteen-sex-scene?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

OPINION Justin Wilson: Tax-increment financing gets reboot (Tennessean)

During the legislative session that recently ended, job creation was one of the major themes. Early in the session and with little fanfare, lawmakers approved legislation that has the potential to create many new jobs in communities throughout our state. Its called the Uniformity in Tax Increment Financing Act of 2012, a measure 8

that gives economic development officials in our cities and counties an attractive incentive to offer businesses. Tax increment financing or TIF, as it is frequently called is a method for paying for community improvements with future tax revenues. For example, consider what happens when a government decides to invest in new roads, street lights, water and sewer lines or other infrastructure improvements in a neighborhood. Typically, the value of the property in that neighborhood will increase, which means tax collections from the area should also increase. TIF uses the extra tax revenues collected after the property value rises to recoup the costs of the governments infrastructure investments. In other words, its a way to allow growth to pay for itself. While we had laws on the books allowing for TIF before this years legislative session, they were confusing and sometimes contradictory. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/OPINION03/305080015/Tax-increment-financing-gets-reboot? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Editorial: Kids appreciate teachers; how about rest of us? (Tennessean)

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, part of Teacher Appreciation Week, and if youre in Tennessee, there never has been a more important time to let educators know that you value their work. The you we refer to mainly is adults. Students in grades K-12 do, for the most part, appreciate their teachers, and today many of these students are bringing cards and small gifts to their teachers. These kids see firsthand the effort that goes into lesson preparation and keeping a room full of kids focused. The same is not true of many parents, government officials and some in the general public who have lately decided to blame teachers for everything thats wrong with the educational system. Even if it were somehow in teachers best interest to undermine education, they could not do it alone. They neither control school policy nor the pursestrings. But, for several hours a day, five days a week, 180 days a year, they are the controlling and guiding figure in childrens lives; that is an awesome responsibility. Perhaps it is because of their ability to do what would send other adults running into traffic that we often do not think of teachers as what they are: human. But Tennessee teachers reaction to the sweeping changes imposed on their jobs in the past year was exactly that. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120508/OPINION01/305080012/Kids-appreciate-teachers-how-about-restus-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Editorial: Now is time to fully fund Knox County school system (News-Sentinel)
The Knox County Commission will take up today the school system's request for an additional $35 million in annual operating funds. The request would prompt a tax increase because current revenues would not cover the entire tab. The most straightforward way to pay for the increase would be through a property tax increase of 35 cents per $100 of assessed value. For the owner of a house worth $100,000, that would work out to about 22 cents per day. But some politicians are balking at that notion. Commission Chairman Mike Hammond has proposed increasing the sales tax, which can be accomplished only through a referendum, while eliminating the wheel tax. Hammond's proposal does not quite meet the goal the wheel tax pays for library operations, and any increase in sales tax revenues falls short of what the school system needs but there is nothing wrong with looking for multiple revenue streams to pay for the schools' proposal. The proposed funding increase regardless of how it's funded wouldn't make Knox County a leader in school funding. Basically, the increase would raise local funding to a level of mediocrity. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/08/editorial-now-istime-to-fully-fund-knox-county/

Editorial: Not the time to point fingers (Commercial Appeal)

Racial politics and finger pointing won't move Juvenile Court toward meaningful reform. Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court officials found themselves under a barrage of criticism a week ago during a meeting of the local Disproportionate Minority Task Force. The task force is commissioned by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth to address juvenile delinquency prevention efforts and develop strategies to reduce incidents of minority contact and confinement in the juvenile justice system in Memphis and Shelby County. On the agenda for the May 1 meeting was a discussion of the local task force's continuing role in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. The meeting got hijacked, however, by those who wanted to talk about a U.S. Justice Department report released several days earlier that was highly critical of Juvenile Court. The very important JDAI project never got discussed. It's obvious from the Justice Department report that Juvenile Court's reform efforts have not gone far enough. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/may/08/editorial-not-the-time-to-point-fingers/ (SUBSCRIPTION) 9

###

10