WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2011 Canberra to expand in Oak Ridge (Business Clarksville)

CANBERRA Industries, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of radiation detection solutions, will transition its safeguards and military product development and manufacturing to its Oak Ridge facility. The announcement represents a capital investment of $1.2 million and the creation of 45 additional jobs at the facility over the next three years, doubling the plants current workforce. CANBERRAs additional investment is a testament to the states business-friendly environment and workforce, and this reputation will help us achieve our goal of becoming No. 1 in the Southeast for high-quality jobs, Gov. Bill Haslam said. Our Jobs4TN strategy focuses on expand existing businesses in state, and I appreciate CANBERRA choosing to bring more of its operations to Tennessee. CANBERRA chose to expand the Oak Ridge facility because of its close proximity to Department of Energy sites, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a safeguards and nuclear research hub, as well as other key customers such as TVA.. http://businessclarksville.com/2011/10/11/canberra-to-expand-in-oak-ridge-34144/

CANBERRA doubling workforce at Oak Ridge facility (WVLT-TV Knoxville)

CANBERRA Industries, Inc. will move its safeguards and military product placement and manufacturing to its Oak Ridge facility, Gov. Bill Haslam and Oak Ridge Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty announced on Monday. They said the planned transition will add 45 jobs to the plant on Union Valley Rd., doubling its workforce over the next three years, and will include a $1.2 million capital investment. "[W]e believe that Oak Ridge is the perfect location in which to create a center of excellence in the development of these products, said Yves Baumgartner, CEO CANBERRA Industries, Inc. We look forward to increasing our footprint and resources in this area that is so attractive for the development all types of nuclear technology. CANBERRA, which develops and manufactures radiation detection solutions, reportedly chose to expand in Oak Ridge because of the city's proximity to Dept. of Energy sites and other key customers, such as TVA. http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/131476963.html

Amazon deal is no tax hike, Haslam says (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Sher)

Gov. Bill Haslam is finding support among area lawmakers for his argument that Amazon's voluntary agreement with the state to collect sales taxes doesn't constitute a tax increase on the company's Tennessee customers. In announcing last week's renegotiated deal with the online retail giant, Haslam declared "this isn't a new tax; this tax was already due. This was just a question of Amazon collecting it themselves." With Amazon building two distribution centers employing 1,500 people in Hamilton and Bradley counties, local lawmakers during this year's legislative session fought efforts by critics to undo former Gov. Phil Bredesen's original agreement with Amazon and force the company to collect sales taxes. But they are going along with Amazon's voluntary agreement to begin collecting sales taxes on Jan. 1, 2014. Several lawmakers agreed with Haslam's contention that it does not constitute a new tax. "There's no question the tax is due," said Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/12/amazon-deal-is-no-tax-hike-haslam-says/?local

Electrolux plant expansion breaks ground (Robertson County Times)

Officials on Monday, Sept. 10 broke ground on the new expansion at the Electrolux plant that will bring 75 jobs to Springfield. I want to congratulate Electrolux on its decision to expand the Springfield facility and bring new jobs to Robertson County, Gov. Bill Haslamsaid in a written statement. Our Jobs4TN strategy focuses on expanding existing businesses inside Tennessee because the majority of new jobs are created by companies already in state. This announcement represents the kind of growth we are seeing. The plant manufactures freestanding gas and electric ranges and employs 2,800 people. This expansion brings with it a new day for the Electrolux Springfield factory, said John Terzo, vice president and general manager of cooking products for EMA-NA in a written statement.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111011/ROBERTSON01/310110070/Electrolux-plant-expansion-breaksground

Spring Hill in running for two trail grants (Tennessean/Wiersma)

Each school day, members of a walking club make their way up Spring Station Drive alongside heavy traffic. Its been pretty small up to this point, parent Millie Halvorson said of the group. A lot of parents dont really want their children to walk to school because there arent sidewalks. But there is a lot of interest there, especially at Cherry Grove subdivision. To accommodate walkers, the city is seeking two grants, one of which would help pay to build a paved multi-use trail connection along Spring Station Drive from Buckner Lane to the campuses of Summit High School and Spring Station Middle School Bill Haslam Gov. visited Spring Hill earlier this year to deliver an enhancement grant through the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The grant will be used to link the Tanyard Springs subdivision in the city to sidewalks built in neighboring Thompsons Station through the federally funded Safe Routes to School program. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/W ILLIAMSON12/111011025/Spring-Hill-in-running-for-two-trailgrants

Park may be used to raise revenue (Tennessean/W alters)

Franklin city leaders will explore whether they can rewrite the conservation easement limiting what can and cant happen at its Civil War themed park in an effort to collect more money for the city. Whether theyre actually allowed to change that original 2005 agreement remains an unknown. Yet at least one alderman is pushing for a change because of what she says it might mean to the city and some of its unfinished parks fortunes Talk of changing the easement comes at a precipitous time for the park, which has languished since its purchase in 2005 because of cuts in the citys budget. But this summer Gov. Bill Haslam announced a $500,000 grant to help pay for Franklin to build a new road off Lewisburg Pike into the park, which now is accessed by Carnton Lane. Franklin plans to spend more than $360,000 toward that road project as well. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/W ILLIAMSON10/310120037/Park-may-used-raise-revenue

Spring Hill seeks new walking trails (Columbia Daily Herald)

A recent rise in pedestrian traffic has led Spring Hill officials to seek state funding for two walking trails. Last week city officials applied for a grant that would help fund sidewalk projects creating access to Spring Station Middle School and Summit High School. The walkway would link Buckner Lane and Spring Station Road, providing a direct route to the schools, said city Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Fischer These two grants are part of a larger project that aims to connect Spring Hill with Thompsons Station through sidewalks. In July, Gov. Bill Haslam awarded Spring Hill a $69,000 grant that will create a sidewalk connnection to Thompsons Station through the Tanyard Springs subdivision. http://www.cdh.net/articles/2011/10/11/top_stories/02walkingtrails.txt

Business Briefs (Farragut Press)

TennesseeGov. Bill Haslam announced the award of an $818,880 transportation enhancement grant to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for Phase III of the Civil War Driving Trail. The Civil W ar Driving Trail is a multi-phased program that has established a statewide network of directional and historical signage to be used in conjunction with the Tennessee Civil War map/guide and applicable map/guides developed by individual localities.http://www.farragutpress.com/articles/2011/10/14678.html

Woman sentenced for TennCare fraud (Jackson Sun)

A Madison County woman has been sentenced in McNairy County after pleading guilty to charges of TennCare fraud. The Office of Inspector General announced that Jalesha Lashae Heard, 41, of Bethel Springs, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of TennCare fraud and two counts of theft of services. She was accused of falsely reporting the number of children in her home, which allowed her to sign up for TennCare when she should not have qualified for TennCare benefits. Heard is on probation for one year and must repay TennCare over $1,600. She also will not be able to apply for TennCare benefits in the future. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111011/NEWS01/110110312/Local-briefs-Man-arrested-charged-in-GlassSt-shooting-Benton-Co-man-dies-after-truck-accident-Woman-sentenced-for-TennCare-fraud?odyssey=tab %7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Tenn. tourism officials announce 9th driving trail (Tennessean)

State officials on Wednesday will announce the ninth of 16 self-guided driving trails in the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways program. The trail spans 514 miles throughout Middle Tennessee, traveling through Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Jackson, Putnam, Smith, White and Wilson counties. Dubbed the Promised Land Trail, it retraces some of the routes forged by the state's earliest pioneers. According to a news release from the Department of Tourist Development, the route is lined with communities that have special events, restaurants, shops and natural areas. The release says the area has the sights, sounds and wildlife that settlers encountered more than 200 years ago. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37665801.story

County enjoys $12M boost in local tourism (Daily News Journal)

The numbers are in and tourism is booming in Rutherford County. So much so that the county saw an increase of $11.9 million in tourist spending from 2009 to 2010, according to figures released by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and the U.S. Travel Association. "Rutherford County has so much to offer, and this is becoming more and more obvious to guests of our community. From first-class sporting facilities to historic attractions and an abundance of great shopping options, we have become a destination of choice for many," said Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce President Paul Latture. "Rutherford County continues to emerge as a destination for business travelers, sports participants and guests who want to take advantage of our cultural activities," he said. In 2009, leisure travel experienced a significant decrease as the economic downturn ravaged the country. Tourism-related spending in Rutherford County dropped to $216.67 million. However, in 2010 tourist spending in Rutherford County jumped to $228.57 million an increase of $11.9 million in just one year. This also places Rutherford County in the top 10 counties across the state for travel-related expenditures. The jump year-to-year may be a positive indicator that the economic situation is changing. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111012/NEW S01/110120318/County-enjoys-12M-boost-local-tourism?odyssey=tab| topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

College ag programs delight in delivering campus cuisine (Tennessean/Brooks)

At Middle Tennessee State University this morning, students are pouring milk over their breakfast cereal. Thats because yesterday morning their classmates were up with the cows to make sure that milk got to the table. Morning shift at the campus dairy starts at 3:30. Students arrive in the pitch dark for the start of a 12-hour marathon of milking, processing and pasteurizing that will deliver sweet, fresh milk whole, skim, 2 percent and chocolate to campus dining halls and stores by the end of the day. Grass to glass, they call it. The small herd of dairy cows on the outskirts of campus provides every drop of milk the school provides students. At a time when people willingly pay extra for farm-fresh local products, it doesnt get much fresher than this. And a growing number of Tennessee schools are seeing the advantage of raising food right on campus. Everybody wants to know where their food comes from. Well ..., said senior Sarah Davenport as she gestured proudly around the one-room dairy that produces about 3,800 pounds a week of product a week. In Knoxville, students at the University of Tennessee Culinary Institute labor in the gardens outside their classrooms, growing the ingredients they will use in the on-campus restaurant they operate. All summer long, it was berries blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. For the fall, its producing kitchen herbs for the student chefs. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/NEWS04/310120105/College-ag-programs-delight-deliveringcampus-cuisine?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

New Life Lodge rehab center wants wrongful death lawsuit tossed (TN/Rau)
Parent company CRC Health claims filing was flawed The parent company for the states largest drug rehabilitation center is asking a Dickson County judge to dismiss a $32 million lawsuit brought on by the mother of a young woman who died after checking into the facility last year. In its Sept. 30 filing in Dickson County Circuit Court, CRC Health claimed Kathy Mauks attorney did not follow the proper legal process for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. CRC Health also argued in its filing that Lindsey Poteet bore responsibility for her own death. Poteet was 29 years old when she died last year on the same day she was supposed to complete her drug rehabilitation treatment program at New Life Lodge, which is in the small town of Burns in Dickson 3

County. Mauks attorney, Matthew Hardin, filed a negligence and wrongful death lawsuit in August, accusing New Life Lodge of causing Poteets death largely because she was driven to a Nashville hospital by a staffer without proper medical training. Poteet was driven to St. Thomas Hospital despite the fact Horizon Medical Center is just eight miles away. Poteet became unresponsive during the van ride to St. Thomas Hospital, according to 911 records. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/NEWS03/310120090/New-Life-Lodge-rehab-center-wants-lawsuittossed?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Efforts to restore bobwhite quail to be discussed (Tennessean/Paine)

The states official but declining game bird bobwhite quail is set for discussion at a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission committee meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday. Don McKenzie, with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, will talk about efforts to restore them. Bobwhite quail, which nest on the ground, have their eggs or themselves preyed on by everything from raccoons and coyotes to turkeys, but groups such as Quail Forever point to the loss of tall grass habitat as the main problem. The sociable birds that hang out in family groups have plummeted by an estimated 75 percent in Tennessee since the mid-1960s, according to the federally coordinated Breeding Bird Survey. Their populations have dropped throughout the country. The meeting will also include a presentation on trout management on the Caney Fork River. The meeting is in the Region 2 Ray Bell Building, Ellington Agricultural Center, 440 Hogan Road. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/NEWS11/310120118/Efforts-restore-bobwhite-quail-discussed? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Suit claims VA negligent in suicide (Associated Press)

The widow of an Iraq war veteran from Tennessee claims in a lawsuit that the Veterans Affairs was negligent in failing to diagnose and treat his post-traumatic stress disorder before he committed suicide in 2008. The suit filed Tuesday in federal court in Greeneville says staff at the VA hospital in Mountain City did not adequately treat Scott Walter Eiswert, of Greeneville before his suicide. Eiswert, a Tennessee National Guardsman, deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2005. Although he had been diagnosed with PTSD by a private counselor, Eiswert's disability claims that his PTSD stemmed from his military service were denied by the VA, according to the lawsuit. A VA center representative in Mountain City couldn't be reached after business hours on Tuesday for comment. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37665875.story

New state workers' comp exemptions take effect (Associated Press)

A new state law allows more people to become eligible for exemptions from workers' compensation. According to the Secretary of State's office, business owners in construction services can opt out of the requirement to cover themselves with workers' compensation insurance if they meet certain ownership requirements. The new law increases from three to five the number of business owners of a corporation, limited liability company or partnership that can qualify for the exemption. The new law also allows a person to qualify for an exemption that is associated with another business as long as business ownership requirements are met. An exemption registry is administered by the Secretary of State's office. The law took effect this month. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37662571.story

Tennessee may soon require drug testing for government assistance (H-C)
Some people applying for government assistance may have to submit to a drug test in the future. Three dozen states are considering drug testing for welfare, food stamp and public housing recipients, according to the New York Times. Florida law has required welfare applicants to pass a drug test and pay for it themselves since July, and the number of people applying for assistance in the Sunshine State has dropped to it's lowest number since the start of the recession. Arizona, Indiana and Missouri passed similiar laws. So what about Tennessee? Such a law could be making it's way to Tennessee. This year will mark the second time representative Dale Ford has proposed the bill. It's currently being reviewed by the legal department, but Representative Ford says he thinks it will pass. Ford says the first time he introduced the bill questions came up about whether it violated people's constitutional rights. Since Florida and other states have now implemented it, he doesn't see a problem legally. Representative David Hawk also supports such a law. he says drug testing would cut back on people who don't obey the law from abusing government services. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/oct/11/tennessee-may-soon-require-drug-testing-government-ar-1376198/

House redistricting plan moves Niceley out of Knox (News-Sentinel/Humphrey)

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Tentative plans for redrawing Knox County state House districts put state Rep. Frank Niceley outside the county, give Democratic Rep. Harry Tindell more Republican voters and create a new district without an incumbent. The broad outline of the plan is dictated, in substantial part, by population figures and legal requirements, according to legislators involved in the process. Plans have not been made public and specific details on exactly where the lines are drawn within the county are a subject of continuing debate behind closed doors. "Everything that has been worked out is preliminary," said Rep. Ryan Haynes, a Knoxville Republican who chairs the Knox County legislative delegation. He said the delegation will meet "in a couple of weeks" for a general discussion of the plan. Legislative leaders say statewide plans will not be made public until late this year, or possibly not until January. But the Knox County alignment has been widely discussed and the general dynamics within the county are fairly certain. Out of Knox Based on the statewide population distribution as found by the 2010 U.S. Census, the ideal state House district should have a population of 64,102. Courts have held there can be no more than 10 percent population variance from the highest population district in the state to the lowest population district in legislative districts. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/11/house-redistricting-plan-moves-niceley-out-of/

Shelby County may lose seats in the Tennessee legislature (C. Appeal/Locker)
Shelby County would lose two state House seats and one Senate seat in a secretive redistricting process under way in the Republican-controlled Tennessee legislature, and the League of W omen Voters is hosting a free Memphis screening tonight of a documentary film on the issue. "Gerrymandering," a nonpartisan documentary aimed at educating citizens about the implications of redrawing congressional and state electoral boundaries every 10 years based on new census data, will be shown at 6:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Theatre, 1705 Poplar. The public is invited, but seats are limited. Republican-only committees in the state Senate and House have been working behind closed doors for weeks on new maps for Tennessee's nine congressional districts, 99 state House districts and 33 state Senate districts. None of the maps have been made public. Rep. Curry Todd, RCollierville, who's in charge of the Shelby County portion of the House redistricting process, said Tuesday that he's not sure when legislative leaders will make the new maps public. Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, chairman of the Senate redistricting committee, has said the new maps may not be made public until just before the legislature votes on them in January. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/12/shelby-countymay-lose-seats/

Alleged Sunshine Law violation puts Hawkins County voter map at risk (T-N)
An alleged meeting of three Hawkins County commissioners that took place prior to the Sept. 26 Hawkins County Commission meeting may be a violation of the states Sunshine Law, according to an attorney with the Tennessee Comptrollers Office. Enforcement of such alleged violations is left up to the community, however, in the form of potential lawsuits filed by private citizens. County Mayor Melville Bailey said Tuesday a lawsuit could put the county at the mercy of the state with regard to the voter redistricting plan, which was the subject allegedly discussed in violation of the Sunshine Law. Commissioner Danny Alvis stated publicly during the Sept. 26 Hawkins County Commission meeting that prior to the Sept. 26 meeting he and Commissioners Hubert Neal and Virgil Mallett had discussed the countys redistricting plan at the Stanley Valley Market where Alvis is employed. The plan was approved by the commission that night by a vote of 18-1, with only Alvis opposed. The approved plan entailed moving 112 people from District 2 to District 3. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9036883/alleged-sunshine-law-violation-puts-hawkins-county-voter-map-at-risk

City, state officials to host roundtable (Leaf Chronicle)

City and state officials are hosting a business roundtable in Clarksville Thursday afternoon. W ard 1 Councilman Nick Steward said he and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey wanted to host this event to discuss business issues in the city or at the state level. Other officials in attendance will include state Rep. Curtis Johnson, County Commissioner Tommy Vallejos and various members of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce. "On the state level, national level, local level, we're always looking at the economy and economic development in addition to recruiting businesses to our community," he said. "I think it's important that we also make sure that the needs of our businesses are being met, the ones that are currently here." Steward said he got the idea when he had a few conversations with Clarksville business owners asking what the city and state were doing for current businesses. "I figured this would be a good opportunity to hear from local leadership and also state leadership to address some of their concerns and get some feedback from them on things that we might be able to do that streamlines the process," he said. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111012/NEWS01/110120315/City-state-officials-host-roundtable 5

Davidson clerk's emails show wedding fee charged (Associated Press)

After an investigation by W TVF-TV showed the Davidson County Clerk was taking $40 from couples to perform marriages, he defended himself by call the money a gratuity. But in emails obtained by the station under the states open records law, Clerk John Arriola himself refers to the money as a fee. In one exchange, a bride-tobe inquires about getting married at the clerks office. I have saved the date and time. The ceremony fee is $40. Arriola said. A message for Arriola from The Associated Press on Tuesday was not immediately returned. Under Tennessees misconduct law, it is a felony for public officials to use their offices for personal gain. An investigation is under way. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/NEWS0202/310120087/Davidson-clerk-s-emails-show-weddingfee-charged?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Facing Cuts, a City Repeals Its Domestic Violence Law (New York Times)
The startling vote came up at a City Council meeting here on Tuesday, provoked by a run-of-the-mill budget dispute over services that had spun out of control: decriminalize domestic violence. Three arms of government, all ostensibly representing the same people, have been at an impasse over who should be responsible for and pay for prosecuting people accused of misdemeanor cases of domestic violence. City leaders had blamed the Shawnee County district attorney for handing off such cases to the city without warning. The district attorney, in turn, said he was forced to not prosecute any misdemeanors and to focus on felonies because the County Commission cut his budget. And county leaders accused the district attorney of using abused women as pawns to negotiate more money for his office. After both sides dug in, the dispute came to a head Tuesday night. By a vote of 7 to 3, the City Council repealed the local law that makes domestic violence a crime. The move, the councilors were told, would force District Attorney Chad Taylor to prosecute the cases because they would remain a crime under state law, a conclusion with which he grudgingly agreed. The Council also approved negotiations to resolve the impasse. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/us/topeka-moves-to-decriminalize-domestic-violence.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper

Battling the bugs: Invasive pests strain state and local budgets (Stateline)
When John Binegar strolls under the shade of a Southeast Michigan forest, he doesnt much like what surrounds him: dead and dying ash trees, many of which stood tall for decades. The trees have provided a large slice of revenue for Binegars saw mill, Hardwoods of Michigan. The hard, strong ash wood is coveted by the makers of furniture and baseball bats. But the trees are no match for the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect first spotted near Detroit Metro Airport in 2002. Most likely, the bugs had arrived years earlier in wood packing material shipped from Asia. The borer has killed tens of millions of trees in Michigan and across the Midwest and Northeast, and it threatens billions across North America in the coming decades. The extinction of the ash tree on this continent could be the end result. Some trees that Binegar finds may show just initial signs of an infestation D-shaped holes in splitting bark and a dying upper canopy of leaves. Others stand completely stripped of bark and with few limbs. The limbs weaken and crash to the ground after the borer larva chomps a winding path through the wood, cutting off water and nutrients. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story? contentId=605994

TVA coal ash trial at closing arguments (Associated Press)

After closing arguments in the Tennessee Valley Authority's coal ash trial, there won't be a quick decision. A federal judge later Thursday begins what could be a months-long process of deciding if the nation's largest public utility is liable for the disaster. Attorneys for TVA and property owners seeking damages from the huge spill of toxin-laden sludge have been squaring off for more than three weeks in Knoxville before U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan. TVA attorneys battling negligence claims contend the spill at the Kingston Plant was due to a deep pond slime that moved, causing increased pressure and a breach in an earthen dike. Attorneys for property owners who are suing contend TVA negligence in maintaining facilities and employee training caused the spill. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=37657833.story

TVA concludes its defense in coal fly ash trial (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Marcum)
In the middle of the fourth week of the Kingston ash spill trial, lawyers for both sides rested their cases Tuesday and are expected to present closing arguments today. Lawyers for 230 plaintiffs suing TVA over the 2008 coal ash spill and lawyers representing TVA wrapped up their examination of witnesses early Tuesday afternoon. 6

After dealing with housekeeping matters, U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan said he would begin hearing closing arguments at 9 a. m. today. In the bench trial, Varlan, rather than a jury, will render a verdict. Lawyers on Tuesday finished questioning Bill Walton, expert witness for TVA and the engineering consultant who oversaw the 2009 root cause analysis that TVA commissioned for the Dec. 22, 2008, collapse of a holding cell at the Kingston Fossil Plant. The collapse released 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash slurry into the Emory River and onto surrounding property. Plaintiffs' attorney Gary Davis continued his sparring with Walton on cross examination. W alton said the Kingston ash spill is one of a handful of examples, perhaps five or so in the entire world, in which a landfill has failed through instant liquefaction. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/11/tva-concludes-its-defense-in-coal-fly-ash-trial/

TVA change may make big solar projects less attractive to businesses (WATE-TV)
Large commercial operations might be less likely to turn to the power of the sun after changes to the Tennessee Valley Authority's solar energy program. A 500-kilowatt project was just announced at Wampler's Farm Sausage in Lenoir City, and installers say hundreds of jobs were created from it. A package of grants and tax breaks helped make it possible. Wampler's also relies on TVA to buy the power it generates and reduce the company's utility bill. TVA announced in September it would shift its focus away from these large-scale solar projects. It's a change that will affect companies like Knoxville's Sustainable Future. "It's definitely going to affect our big sales," said Marcy Whittlesey, sales director for Sustainable Future, "but we're just going to have to adjust and sell more of the smaller ones." Sustainable Future is a home-grown, green business, specializing in solar power. The company has seen tremendous growth, starting with just two employees six years ago to more than 20 today. http://www.wate.com/story/15669944/tva-change-may-make-big-solar-projects-less-attractive-to-businesses

Development buzz lags near Music City Center (Tennessean/Allyn)

Landowners hope interest will build Less than 18 months before the Music City Center is due to open, debate has renewed over the extent to which the convention hall will deliver on its promise of igniting commercial real estate development south of downtown. Already, the massive Omni Hotel project and the proposed doubling in size of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum by 2014 have been announced, but some nearby property owners with major financial stakes say additional retail or office projects have been very slow to develop. W ere aggressively going after anyone who will listen to us, said developer Shelby Smith, who owns 4.5 acres between Sixth and Seventh avenues near the convention center site. But Im not seeing any activity. Itll be a pretty tough pill to swallow if theres no development by opening time. Michael Hayes, whose family company, C.B. Ragland, owns about 6 acres of mostly parking lots near the convention hall, said he doesnt see the 1.2 million-squarefoot convention center directly aiding his development plans. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/BUSINESS01/310120089/Development-buzz-lags-near-MusicCity-Center?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Red Flags for Green Energy (W all Street Journal)

Delays, Other Hiccups Dog U.S.-Backed Environmental Projects Beyond Solyndra W hile Solyndra LLC's flameout has fueled criticism of federal initiatives to encourage alternative power sources, the solar-panel maker is hardly the only disappointment among U.S.-backed energy programs. That's evident in California, which was awarded $4.6 billion by the Energy Department as part of the 2009 Recovery Actfar more than any other state to fund programs in energy efficiency and other areas. A program to install insulation and other energy-saving improvements in homes that received $185.8 million has been hobbled by delays, and a plan to remodel buildings to be more energy-efficient, which received $113 million, has struggled to persuade enough home and building owners to upgrade, according to California officials. Meanwhile, $15 million went to train workers in skills such as solar-panel installation, but 62% of that program's alumni remain jobless, according to the state Employment Development Department. Solyndra, which declared bankruptcy in August and is now embroiled in a criminal investigation over whether it defrauded the federal government, got $535 million, nearly 12% of California's total under the energy program. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204450804576623212299743484.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

Groups attack school bill (Education Week)

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The school accountability system at the heart of the No Child Left Behind Act would be completely reinvented under a proposal released Tuesday by Sen. Tom Harkin, the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The measure, which is being decried by civil rights groups as a step backward when it comes to accountability for the education of poor and minority children, would scrap the 10-year-old laws signature yardstick, known as Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP. Instead, states would have to ensure that all students are making continuous improvement. There would be no specific achievement targets, for entire groups of students or for particular subgroups, such as minority students, English-language learners and students with disabilities. In the vast majority of cases, states would decide how and whether to intervene in struggling schools. It mirrors some of the changes Tennessee education leaders asked for in a No Child Left Behind waiver request filed in July. More than half of Tennessees schools did not make AYP under the law, mostly due to performance of the subgroups No Child Left Behind sought to elevate. The waiver would wipe out AYP-related designations of schools such as target and restructuring and instead assign A-F letter grades based on annual learning gains http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/NEWS04/310120098/-No-ChildLeft-Behind-overhaul-would-hurt-minority-kids-advocates-say?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Bill Would Overhaul No Child Left Behind (New York Times)

A senior Senate Democrat released a draft of a sprawling revision of the No Child Left Behind education law on Tuesday that would dismantle the provisions of the law that used standardized test scores in reading and math to label tens of thousands of public schools as failing. The 865-page bill, filed by Senator Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who heads the Senate education committee, became the first comprehensive piece of legislation overhauling the law to reach either Congressional chamber since President George W . Bush signed it in 2002. Mr. Harkin made his draft bill public 18 days after President Obama announced that he would use executive authority to waive the most onerous provisions of the law, because he had all but given up hope that Congress could fix the laws flaws any time soon. Like Mr. Obamas waiver proposal, the Harkin bill would return to states some powers taken over by Washington under the Bush-era law, including the leeway to devise their own systems for holding schools accountable for student progress. We are moving into a partnership mode with states, rather than telling states youve got to do this and this and this, Senator Harkin said in a call with reporters. The bill is a product of more than 10 months of negotiations with his committees ranking Republican, Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, Mr. Harkin said. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/education/12educ.html? ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION)

Knox superintendent: Budget options include school closures (N-S/McCoy)

McIntyre asking board to look at five areas to help budget While no recommendations have been made, Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre, is asking the school board to begin discussions on a number of options to address an upcoming $7 million loss in its budget. Those options include the consolidation and closing of five small schools, outsourcing custodian jobs, looking at high school staffing to support block scheduling, school start times and community use of facilities, McIntyre said in a memo to the board on Tuesday. The superintendent emphasized he only wants to begin the discussion on the five areas and he is not making any recommendations to the board. "Typically we look at the budget in the spring, but here are some ideas of potential savings we can look at and explore," he said. "I know these are fairly unattractive options for the board to explore for long-term savings." School board chairman Thomas Deakins said with the district looking at such a large budget windfall, it is important to have the discussions and look at all options. "We need to be able to hear the pros and cons on all these issues," he said. "It's a good conversation to have. I know it's a scary conversation, but we do need to. Discussion doesn't mean action. It just means discussion, at this point." The school board holds its midmonth work session Tuesday. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/11/knox-superintendent-budget-options-include/

Bradley schools, Press/Higgins)

insurer

negotiating

tornado

settlement

(Times

Free-

Negotiations continue between Bradley County Schools and its insurance company six months after the April 27 tornadoes destroyed or damaged several schools. Architect Angie Lyons told the Bradley County Board of Education on Tuesday that final fire marshal approval is expected within days on the reconstruction work at Michigan Avenue Elementary School, where the gymnasium was destroyed. Then, she said, Tri-Conn Construction can begin work. "The one component we are missing is a settlement with the insurance company," she said. Bradley County Schools' insurance is provided by Tennessee Risk Management Trust, an insurance pool covering 101 school systems. The negotiations have been slow but necessary, County Schools Director 8

Johnny McDaniel said. "I know some folks have questions about why we haven't started on this," he said. "When we get going, the final product will be one of those things where something terrible happened but things will be better than they were before." Contractor Casson Conn, of Tri-Conn Construction, said the same waiting-for-thesettlement status applies to Blue Springs Elementary, which was nearly demolished by a tornado. "Somehow we have got to meet in the middle," Conn said. "We are working with the insurance company's engineers and their funding." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/oct/12/bradley-schools-insurer-negotiating-tornado/?local

Unified School Board Meets, Elects Orgel Chairman (Memphis Flyer)

Though there was persistent (but polite) niggling about whose rules of procedures should be followed on this or that point, the former boards of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools, along with seven new members appointed to a 23-member unified county school board by the Shelby County Commission got along well enough in the new boards debut Monday night. The meeting, held at the Teaching and Learning Academy at Union and Hollywood, was chaired by David Pickler, the longtime chairman of the SCS Board, who jested to a reporter before things got underway, Well, youre going to have to retire the term perennial chairman when you write about me. Indeed so, inasmuch as the new boards first act was to nominate and elect new officers. Though Pickler was suggested for vice chair at one point, he declined the nomination, in deference to the new order of things (and perhaps also in recognition that his chances of winning were not great). He would settle for kudos concerning his even-handed conduct of the meeting, received from various of the new board members, including the newly elected chairman, cell-tower magnate Billy Orgel. Orgel prevailed in a vote of the 22 members present (holdover MCS board member Tomeka Hart was absent) by 16 votes to 5 for Betty Mallott and 1 for Diane George. Orgel was one of the seven County Commission appointees; Mallott and George had been members of the MCS and SCS boards, respectively. http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2011/10/11/unified-school-board-meets-elects-orgelchairman

New School Board Has Changes on Mind (Memphis Daily News)

At four hours, the first meeting of the countywide school board Monday, Oct. 10, was a bit shorter than the average Memphis City Schools board meeting. It was twice as long as the longest Shelby County Schools board meeting. Former MCS board members judged it efficient. SCS board members did not. The seven new board members dont yet know what to make of a meeting where it took 15 minutes just to set the agenda something other legislative bodies do in seconds. It demonstrated the challenges ahead for the largest legislative body in local government 23 people tasked with operating two separate school systems on their way to merging them by the start of the 2013-2014 school year. The new chairman of the board is businessman Billy Orgel. Orgel is a veteran of the Metro Charter Commission that took a consolidation charter to voters in the 2010 dual referenda that killed the first effort in 39 years at Memphis city and Shelby County governments consolidation. So, Orgel is familiar with working under several kinds of pressure including political pressure. In selecting Orgel, the new board went with one of the seven new members appointed by the Shelby County Commission instead of someone from the old Memphis city or Shelby County schools boards. Former MCS board member Jeff Warren was elected vice chairman. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2011/oct/12/new-school-board-haschanges-on-mind/

Carter Cares: LEAP grant took a leap in the wrong direction (Herald-Courier)
Carter County cut a popular after-school program in half this year after a major change in state funding. "Carter Cares" serves students at risk of failing, and students who need help passing state math and reading exams. It's supported by two grants. One of them -- "LEAP," Lottery for Education: Afterschool Programs -- draws from unclaimed lottery money. LEAP dollars were down 7 percent this year. The state cut Carter County's LEAP grant by 47 percent. School leaders want to know why. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/oct/11/carter-cares-leap-grant-took-leap-wrong-direction-ar-1376933/

Schools go home through eLearning (Times-Gazette)

Students in Bedford and surrounding counties have a new educational option -- online courses offered by the Bedford County Board of Education in their eLearning program. The county has made use of eLearning for six years now, with classes mostly offered to homebound students, those at risk of dropping out and for classroom credit recovery. New initiative In May, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Virtual Public Schools Act, which gives authority to public school systems to establish online schools and allows students to complete all of 9

their primary and secondary education online. The act also allows private companies to contract with school systems to provide the online classes. Most notable of these is Union County public schools, which contracted with Virginia-based for-profit firm K12 Inc. to provide a family-friendly learning platform. Officials there estimate 1,100 students have signed up to take online classes after the academy launched earlier this year. For each student Union County attracts, at least $5,387 -- the state's per-pupil spending -- will go to that school system and leave local coffers. http://www.t-g.com/story/1772464.htm l

Michigan: Pension Changes May Be Model for Struggling States (Business Week)
Michigans radical reform 14 years ago to rescue its retirement system by placing newly hired workers in a 401(k) program may show struggling states the way back from the worst pension crisis ever. Thirty-three states have assets less than 80 percent of what is needed to pay promised benefits, a common threshold for sustainability, according to an annual study of pensions by Bloomberg Rankings. Median funding fell to 73.7 percent from 76.2 percent in 2009, the data show, even as the U.S. economy rebounded from the deepest contraction since the Depression. This is a crisis that is requiring states and municipalities to evaluate and take real, pro-active steps, said William Jasien, executive vice president for institutional markets at ING U.S., a subsidiary of Amsterdam-based ING Groep NV that manages retirement programs for about half the states, including Michigan. They face very volatile markets, funding pressures -- a lot of public eyes on these pension benefits. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-11/michigan-pension-changes-may-be-model-for-strugglingstates.html

Texas: Schools Sue State Over Budget Cuts (Associated Press)

A coalition of more than 150 Texas school districts said Tuesday that it had filed a lawsuit against the state over a funding system it says is unfair, inefficient and unconstitutional. The group represents more than 10 percent of Texas districts. It accuses lawmakers of ignoring the states troubled school finances for years and exacerbating the flaws this summer when they slashed public school spending by more than $4 billion to close a budget gap. The Texas Education Agency and the Texas comptroller are among the defendants. Gov. Rick Perry, who signed the state budget that included the cuts, is not. The schools claim the state has taken an arbitrary hodgepodge approach to financing for schools that has resulted in significant inequities among districts. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/us/texas-schools-sue-state-over-budget-cuts.html?ref=todayspaper

OPINION Editorial: Amazon deal good effort to bring jobs to Midstate (Daily News Journal)
In the cutthroat world of economic recruiting, state and local officials should be commended for making deals that could bring Amazon.com and some 1,150 jobs to Murfreesboro. Gov. Bill Haslam brokered a compromise with the Internet retail giant that will require it to start collecting sales taxes and remitting the money to the state in 2014 in return for the company's commitment to invest $350 million in the state in new distribution centers and bring its workforce here to 3,500. Of course, Haslam's agreement doesn't make every group happy, but it's better than the one the previous administration of Gov. Phil Bredesen made, which allowed Amazon to operate continuously without collecting sales taxes. Likewise, the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board's 10

decision to give Project Tango also known as Amazon.com a 20-year break on personal and real property taxes could stick in the craw of those who've been paying their share of taxes for years. But as IDB members said in the wake of the vote, these are unusual times, and with unemployment rates at 8 and 10 percent for two years, they had to take aggressive action to lure jobs to Rutherford County. Sites in Murfreesboro and La Vergne were in the offing, and even though no officials will confirm that Murfreesboro is Amazon's final site for a massive "sort" facility, Corporate Woods G.P., represented by local real estate developer John Harney, turned in site plans last week for a large building at Joe B. Jackson Parkway and I-24 that could handle some 1,200 employees. http://www.dnj.com/article/20111012/OPINION01/110120314/Editorial-Amazon-deal-good-effort-bring-jobsMidstate?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Editorial: Expansion of two ET companies to bring needed jobs (News-Sentinel)

Amid an atmosphere of economic uncertainty, two local companies announced last week they would be expanding. Holston Gases, which distributes industrial, medical and specialty gases in several states, will build a new facility at the Brookside Mills property in North Knoxville. Meanwhile, wholesale distributor H.T. Hackney is moving quickly into the furniture business. Both expansions are welcome for multiple reasons and lend credence to Gov. Bill Haslam's emphasis on job creation through growing existing businesses. Recruiting new businesses to Tennessee should remain a goal, of course, as the successful wooing of new companies Volkswagen, Wacker Chemical, Hemlock Semiconductor and Amazon, to name a few can bring jobs to the Volunteer State in large batches. Still, according to the state's Department of Economic and Community Development, nearly 86 percent of new jobs in Tennessee come from the expansion of existing businesses such as Holston Gases and H.T. Hackney. Holston Gases will buy the 19.5-acre Brookside Mills property for $1.8 million, pending approval of the Industrial Development Board. The state-of-the art gas pumping plant, warehouse and office complex will be a beneficial reuse of the brownfield site at 523 Baxter Ave. According to Holston Gases board Chairman Bill Baxter, the company will invest $10 million in the initial phase of the project and add up to 30 new employees to its 300-person work force. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/oct/11/expansion-of-two-et-companies-to-bringneeded/

Editorial: Teacher reports should be refined (Leaf Chronicle)

Among the requirements of Tennessee's First to the Top Act is that principals in public schools perform four official observations for experienced teachers and six for apprentice teachers. They also are required to spend more time on paperwork, writing reports. Now, the new system is coming under renewed scrutiny by the state and rightly so. Tennessee devised this model for teacher evaluations as part of its pitch to Washington for federal Race to the Top funds. The federal government awarded the state $501 million. One result is that teachers are being evaluated directly for the first time based on student achievement scores and those classroom visits. But many administrators across the state and here in Clarksville-Montgomery County are concerned that the increasing demands have forced too much bureaucracy on them and too much stress on the teachers. State Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, said Monday that hearings have been scheduled Nov. 1-2 at Nashville's Legislative Plaza because of complaints on what's called the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model. The new 1-5 rating system, which replaced letter grades, also has come under fire. Lawmakers say that teachers have told them that the message they are getting is that only a small percentage of them actually will earn a top score. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111012/OPINION01/110120302/EDITORIAL-Teacher-reports-shouldrefined

Guest columnist: 'Good, bad, ugly' typical in K-12 (Tennessean)

TN has much to celebrate, much to improve upon W hile the Tennessee state slogan, America at its best is one of pride and achievement, when we look to the current state of Tennessees education system we are reminded of a common catchphrase: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is no coincidence that we chose the latter slogan for the title of a report published by the National Chamber Foundation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for a Competitive W orkforce. The report took a snapshot of all 50 states and the District of Columbia comparing the state of K-12 education in nine key categories. While Tennessee certainly has its share of ugly and bad, there is much good to celebrate, as well. A big part of your success has been the result of strong leaders like Govs. Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam as well as organizations such as SCORE and local chambers of commerce in Knoxville and Nashville. The collective might of all of these partners is beginning to make a real difference for public education in the Volunteer State. Another part of your success has been changes in the law. The state legislature passed the First to the Top Act, the largest piece of education reform legislation in Tennessee in decades. This year, the important work of reform has continued with the passage of legislation that 11

will help Tennessee to identify and reward effective teachers and replace ineffective ones by changing the way tenure is granted. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/OPINION03/310120073/-Good-bad-ugly-typical-K-12? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|p

Guest columnists: Global access to education is critical (Tennessean)

Sixty-seven million children worldwide did not attend school this year. Most of them were girls, who will be impacted throughout their lives in the form of lower wages and poor health. America will be impacted, as well. Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce global poverty. It also helps us advance Americas goals abroad and build a safer, more cooperative world. We should not allow the U.S. budget crisis to deter our commitment to expanding global access to education. Tennessees Education Crossroads Report, published in 2008, eloquently demonstrated the value of educational investments across a range of socioeconomic metrics. More education led to higher earnings, greater economic security and a better quality of life. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, an extra year of school for girls in low-income countries can mean a 20 percent boost in wages later in life 25 percent for an extra year of secondary school. In poor countries, more education reduces birthrates and lowers the chance of contracting HIV/AIDS. There is great temptation to reduce foreign aid in order to trim the deficit. However, the U.S. spends less than 1 percent of its budget on aid and we get a tremendous return on that investment. Cutting these funds would not significantly reduce the deficit, but it would have a lasting effect on the world we leave to our children. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111012/OPINION03/310120074/Global-access-education-critical? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Editorial: New district, new hopes (Commercial Appeal)

Delta is cutting flights in and out of Memphis; the Grizzlies' season opener is cancelled due to a labor dispute; and four Memphis schools are in the new statewide Achievement School District -- so far. Searching for positive signs in the headlines hasn't been easy this week. The last item is especially disheartening but not surprising, considering the poor state of affairs in public education. Tennessee's experimental school district for low performing schools includes only one school outside Memphis. This is not entirely, however, a bad thing. The most obvious bright side to the story is that something is being done about the lack of improvement in the academic performance at Frayser, Hamilton and Northside High Schools as well as Raleigh-Egypt Middle, which could soon be joined by dozens of other low-performing schools that need help as the statewide list grows to as many as 85. That means new resources, a new superintendent, some young, energetic new teachers and new management. Some of these schools are likely to become charter schools -- receiving appropriate levels of funding just like public schools but under the direction of qualified managers from the private sector -- pending approval of charter applications, with independent vetting by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/12/editorials-new-district-new-hopes/

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