TUESDAY,AUGUST20, 2013 Haslam,Huffmanannouncetop schools(Tennessean/Fingeroot)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman named 169 schools to the states top list this afternoon. The schools were named to the Tennessee 2012-13 Reward School list for being in the top 5 percent of schools in the state for either performance or growth over the last year. The schools include 52 districts across the state and come from a mix ofurban and rural school districts, Huffman said. Were making great progress, Haslam said of Tennessee students. The announcement was made at Metro Nashvilles Percy Priest Elementary School, which was named to the top list for the third year in a row for its performance. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130819/NEWS04/308190062/Haslam-Huffman-announce-top-schools? gcheck=1 (SUBSCRIPTION)

14 HamiltonCountyschoolsnotedfor highachievement(TimesFree-Press/Hardy)
Twice the number of Hamilton County's schools were honored for high achievement and growth in 2013 over last year. Tennesse Gov. Bill Haslam recognized 169 reward schools, including 14 in Hamilton County. Last year, six county schools received the distinction. Reward schools are those that place among the top 5 percent for overall test scores or growth on test scores. That's a list that Orchard Knob Elementary is happy to be included on, after previous test scores put it among the bottom 5 percent of schools for overall performance. That distinction previously landed Orchard Knob and four other schools in the county's iZone, which is tasked with turning around years of low performance. But Principal LaFrederick Thirkill said Monday's announcement that the school's growth in scores was good enough to get it named a reward school was evidence that it is well on its way out of the iZone. "We're coming off the list," he said. "I'm telling you we are going to be gone from the iZone." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/20/14-hamilton-county-schools-noted-for-high/?local

Tennrecognizes33 'RewardSchools'in Memphis,ShelbyCo. (CA/Locker,Roberts)

Memphis and Shelby County placed 33 schools on the states second annual list of Reward Schools public schools that are in the top 5 percent statewide in academic performance or progress, or both for the 2012-13 school year. Thats more than any other county in the state. The principals and teachers in these schools, and especially the students and families, deserve a tremendous amount of credit for the achievement and growth, interim Supt. Dorsey Hopson said Monday. Six city schools American Way Middle, Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary, Chickasaw Middle, Ford Road Elementary, Hickory Ridge Middle and Lucy E. Campbell went in one year from being in the bottom 5 percent and in line for state takeover to scoring in the top 5 percent in terms of gains students made on state tests. One county school Tara Oaks Elementary was one of 16 schools in the state to make both lists for performance and progress. We know our students by name and need, said principal Tricia Marshall. We continuously look at data at various points in the time line. We knew where our students were doing great. But we also knew where we needed to go in and offer direct intervention. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/aug/19/tennessee-recognizes-33-reward-schools-in-and/ (SUB)

Fewerlow-incomeTN schoolson rewardlist (Tennessean/Fingeroot)

Low-income schools tumbled from the top of Tennessees reward schools list this year as the state struggled with a widening performance gap between poor students and their wealthier peers. Last year, 60 percent of the states top schools served mostly poor children. This year, the number plunged to barely above 40 percent, while a growing share of the honors went to schools in Nashvilles well-to-do suburbs. Seventy high-poverty schools did make the states reward list, landing in the top 5 percent on either test scores or improvement, and Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman pointed to them Monday as an encouraging sign that low incomes dont always result in low academic performance. However, Huffman said he could not show patterns or similarities among the schools on the new list until his staff has studied the results in order to share the practices of successful schools.

Standardized test results for each school district released earlier this month showed the achievement gap between minority students and their peers is closing, but the gap between poor and affluent children is widening as lowincome students fail to advance as quickly as their wealthier peers. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130820/NEWS04/308200001/Fewer-low-income-TN-schools-reward-list (SUBSCRIPTION)

Five Clarksvilleschoolsearn'reward'statusfromstate(LeafChronicle)
Five schools in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System have been recognized by the state as Reward Schools, among the top 5 percent in their categories. They are: Glenellen Elementary, for student growth. Norman Smith Elementary, for student growth. Rossview Elementary, for student performance. Sango Elementary, for student performance. Middle College, for student performance in U.S. History and English 3. This is up three from last year and this marks the first time a CMCSS high school has received the honor. We are proud of our Reward Schools and the work that theyve done, Chief Academic Officer Sean Impeartrice said in a news release. We also are pleased to see the intense and focused work going on across the district with improvement in 30 of 41 subgroup targets. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20130819/NEWS01/308190007/Five-Clarksville-schools-earn-rewardstatus-from-state (SUBSCRIPTION)

HaslamOK DelayingTeacherLicensureRulesImplementation(AP/Johnson)
Gov. Bill Haslam says he supports a decision by the Tennessee Board of Education to delay the implementation of new rules on teacher licensure until 2015. Under the proposal approved last week, teacher licenses would be tied to student test data. Many teachers oppose the changes because they're concerned that flawed scores could cause qualified teachers to mistakenly lose their licenses. The board approved the changes but decided to delay their implementation in order to give the board time to hear concerns and make changes. Haslam told reporters on Monday that he thought the board's "decision was a very wise one." http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/aug/20/haslam-ok-delaying-teacher-licensure-rules-implementation/

Governorawards$1.6Mfor parktrails program(MemphisBusinessJournal)

Gov. Bill Haslam and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau awarded $1.6 million in Recreational Trails Program grants across the state on Friday. The Recreational Trails Program is federally-funded grant available to municipal agencies and non-profits. As part of the grant, the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy will receive $40,000 to restore 6 miles of trails on the Tour de Wolf Trail System at Shelby Farms Park. These awards will help fund some outstanding projects, including the development of new greenways and trails and more ADA-compliant facilities, Martineau said in a news release. We are excited to be in a position to make a variety of recreational opportunities a reality for these communities. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/blog/morning_call/2013/08/governor-awards-16m-for-park-trails.html

RitcheManleyBowdenof Memphisappointedto TennesseeArts Commission(CA)

Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Ritche Manley Bowden of Memphis to a five-year term on the Tennessee Arts Commission. She serves on the board of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Bowden retired in 2007 as chief operating officer for Colonics of Memphis and was previously administrator for Phillip R. Bowden, MD, and the MidSouth Gastroenterology Group-Ambulatory Surgery Center. She received her bachelors degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas and a master of business administration from the University of Memphis. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/aug/19/ritche-manley-bowden-of-memphis-appointed-to/

Tennesseestourismchief getsnationalaccolades(NashvilleBusinessJournal)
Tennessee Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker has been selected as the U.S. Travel Associations State Tourism Director of the Year. The association is set to announce the honor today at a national conference in Richmond, Va. Gov. Bill Haslam reappointed Whitaker to the top tourism seat in 2011. She had held the post under former Gov. Phil Bredesen since 2003. The annual award is given to the state tourism director who most helps raise the profile of his or her state as a travel and tourism destination. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2013/08/tennessees-tourism-chief-gets.html

Cloudswellleaderssubmitdocumentsaboutdisplacedworkers(Nooga)
Leaders with Cloudswell, one of seven affiliated companies whose leaders announced layoffs Friday, submitted 2

documents to the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development about the dislocated workers. Jeff Hentschel said that Cloudswell didn't technically meet the requirements of the WARN Act, which mandates that companies with more than 100 employees must give 60 days' notice when laying off more than 30 percent of its workforce. But state leaders often get notifications from businesses anyway, he said. He also said that each of those seven companies is counted separately for purposes of the WARN Act. Hentschel didn't receive notice from AREA203 or SupportSeven; and Monday afternoon, he was checking to see if the state received notice from the other affected companies, which are Credit Payment Services Inc., Credit Protection Depot and Eclipse in Action. The Cloudswell documents provide a little more insight into the situation. "This is to advise you that on Aug. 16, 2013, Cloudswell Inc. ... will permanently reduce a number of employees at the facility due to catastrophic unforeseen business circumstances," Brian Hinton, senior vice president of administration and human resources, wrote in the letter. http://www.nooga.com/163046/cloudswell-leaders-submit-documents-about-displaced-workersto-state-officials/

Adoptionson the rise in Tennessee,acrossthe nation(CommercialAppeal/Peyton)

As Zarie Mitchell served pretend food she cooked in her play kitchen to her parents, Stephanie and Robert, her little brother giggled in his high chair. Stephanie, 38, and Robert, 41, live in Oakland. They have been foster parents for Agape Child and Family Services for over three years. After getting married in 2009, they accepted their first foster children, a sibling group of four from Agape, into their home at the beginning of 2010. They stayed for five months. Later in the year, two toddlers moved in and stayed for a month. Zarie, now 2, became their foster daughter when she was 8 months old on June 15, 2011. They legally adopted her August 5. We were on a high that morning, said Stephanie. I dont know what life was like without her. Its like you cant remember when she wasnt here. Robert nodded. From the beginning, I enjoyed having her. Stephanie would say, Thats your little girl, he said, noting that Zarie is very much a daddys girl. According to report released earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the percentage of foster children being adopted in America has steadily increased over the last nine years. It rose from 9.5 percent in 2003, to 12.6 percent during the 2012-2013 fiscal year. John Johnson, director of foster care and adoption services for the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services, said that Tennessee has experienced a similar trend, but on a much larger scale. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/aug/19/adoptions-on-the-rise-in-tennessee-across-the/ (SUB)

TDOTto Spend10.1Mon Highway64 (WDEFTV Chattanooga)

It will be years before a decision is made about a by-pass through the Ocoee gorge. But in the meantime, TDOT is taking steps to improve the troublesome and dangerous Highway 64 where possible. Here's the latest project. Highway 64 through the Ocoee Gorge is the only paved road between Cleveland, Tennessee and Murphy North Carolina. Its best known as the site of this legendary video. News 12 photographer Allen Fairbanks shot that video in November of 2009. The road was closed for 5 months...dividing Polk county and effectively stopping tourism in its tracks. Residents know it can happen again at any time. DOUG COLLINS, POLK CO. COMMISSIONER "When the rockslide killed us..it really hurt us, but as far as the safety impact..I drive it everyday, like I said and yeah, anything helps." TDOT has been studying an alternate route, known as Corridor K, through that mountainous area for years. Various studies are still underway and that decision, with its billion dollar cost, will be made until 2016. But TDOT Commissioner John Schroer is trying to avoid another debilitating rock-slide. http://www.wdef.com/news/story/TDOT-to-Spend-10-1M-on-Highway-64/oEuFNy-Yk0id6OOr6DiVSQ.cspx? rss=3457

TDOTunveilsnew'green'alternativefor JamesWhiteParkwayExtension(WATE)
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has unveiled a new alternative for the James White Parkway Extension, and has postponed a decision on the extension until it receives comments from the public. Based on conversations with local officials and comments received from a public hearing held on Dec. 6, 2012, TDOT has developed a "Modified Green Alternative," designed to minimize impacts to urban wilderness, reduce residential and business relocation, and reduce the total amount of right of way needed to build the project. "The Modified Green Alternative has a boulevard design, which reduces the footprint of the project and the impacts to the Urban Wilderness, which was one of the primary concerns we heard during the public comment period," said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer in a release. "This proposal not only minimizes the impacts to trails, but also provides an opportunity to connect some of Knoxville's bicycle and pedestrian facilities while also still fulfilling the initial purpose and need of the project." A task force authorized by the Knoxville City Council in 2002 envisioned Chapman Highway as a thriving business district and the James White Parkway Extension as simply a means to move traffic. The task force also determined that reducing the predicted high volume of traffic on Chapman Highway was the only way to significantly reduce crash rates. 3

http://www.wate.com/story/23174217/tdot-unveils-new-green-alternative-for-james-white-parkway-extension

TDOToffersnewalternativeto JWPextensionto answercritic'sconcerns(WBIR)

In an effort to answer some environmental concerns, TDOT has presented an alternative route for the proposed James White Parkway extension. The proposed road would extend James White Parkway to Governor John Sevier Highway. Officials say it would reduce congestion and improve safety on Chapman Highway, and provide a quicker route between downtown Knoxville and Seymour and Sevier County. Critics worry about the roadways impact on South Knoxville's Urban Wilderness. Some businesses are concerned that the bypass would take traffic and sales away from the area. To answer one of those concerns, TDOT presented a "Modified Green Alternative" on Monday. In a release, TDOT says it "further minimizes impacts to the Urban Wilderness, reduces residential and business relocations, and reduces the total amount of Right of Way needed to build the project." TDOT says they will not make a decision regarding the JWP extension until they've heard public comments about this new alternative. http://www.wbir.com/rss/article/285099/2/TDOT-offers-new-alternative-to-JWP-extension-to-answercritics-concerns

TDOTtakesfoot off parkwayextensionaccelerator(NewsSentinel/Hickman)

No sooner had the Tennessee Department of Transportation signaled an imminent decision to come on the longdebated extension of James White Parkway through South Knoxville than state officials announced yet another pause Monday to gauge public opinion on a newly proposed alternative route. Two public meetings now are tentatively set for early October to discuss a Modified Green Alternative. TDOT describes it as a scaled back boulevard-style design that would relocate fewer residents and minimize impacts to the areas burgeoning Urban Wilderness corridor. The seemingly sudden change of plans was welcomed by local officials, South Knoxville residents and outdoor enthusiasts, if only as another chance to formally state their opposition to the project altogether. Its not about the route its about the road, said Legacy Parks Foundation Executive Director Carol Evans, whose group has spearheaded efforts to assemble a 1,000-acre network of hiking and biking trails that is garnering national attention. Youre still bisecting the initiative. Youre sort of missing the point. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/19/tdot-takes-foot-off-parkway-extension/

WhowasBuckKarnes?Newbridgesignsaysit all (NewsSentinel/Balloch)

Buck Karnes Medal of Honor recipient When the bridge over the Tennessee River at Alcoa Highway was named to honor J.E. Buck Karnes, everybody knew why. But that was in 1933, just 15 years after his actions on a World War I battlefield in France earned Karnes a Medal of Honor. In a ceremony on the bridge Monday, complete with a Knoxville Police Department Honor Guard, a new sign was unveiled that designates its namesake as a Medal of Honor Recipient. State Sen. Becky Duncan Massey and state Rep. Gloria Johnson sponsored legislation for the new sign. Joe Thompson, co-chairman of the committee that is bringing the Medal of Honor convention to Knoxville next year, credits Carl Cook with getting the ball rolling. Cook, a Tennessee Air National Guard retiree, said that whenever he drove across the bridge over whats now known as Fort Loudoun Lake he always noticed the absence of an explanation as to Karnes claim to fame. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/20/who-was-buck-karnes-new-bridge-sign-says-it-all/

Rockslideclosesonelaneof I-40 WestnearTenn./N.C.border(NewsSentinel)

A rockslide has blocked one lane of Interstate 40 West in North Carolina near the Tennessee state line Monday night, according to officials. The slide was reported about 7:45 p.m. at mile marker 7 in the right lane of westbound traffic, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Engineers from the N.C. Department of Transportation, including geotechnical engineers, are currently on the scene assessing the slide to determine how it can be cleared and when the road can be reopened, according to an NCDOT news release. Crews are on the scene putting up traffic control devices to close the lane and warn motorists. No injuries were reported. The traffic lane is not expected to reopen before Tuesday afternoon, according to the NCDOT website. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/19/rockslide-closes-one-lane-of-i-40-west-near/

8 Franklinbusinessescaughtsellingalcoholto minor(WKRNTV Nashville)

Agents with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission ran an undercover operation in Franklin to find out which businesses would sell alcohol to minors. The operation focused on both retail locations and businesses that sell alcohol by the drink. Of the 20 businesses the TABC visited, eight businesses, or 40%, were cited for selling alcohol to an undercover operative with the commission. Businesses and employees who sell alcohol to minors 4

face fines, criminal charges and the possible loss of their liquor license. At Brinkman's Wine and Spirits on International Drive a clerk was cited for selling liquor to an undercover minor. "People make mistakes," owner Tim Brinkman said "He is a good clerk. It was just one of those unfortunate incidents." Brinkman said his business has never been cited for selling to a minor before. "Ultimately it is our responsibility to check to make sure the person buying alcohol is 21 years or older so we accept responsibility," he said. "That's all we can do." http://www.wkrn.com/story/23173498/undercover-sting-nets-8-businesses

TennesseeranksNo. 7 in studentdebt (NashvilleBusinessJournal)

Tennessee's college graduates are leaving their campuses with some of the lowest levels of student debt in the nation. Tennessee ranked seventh for lowest student debt, with 53 percent of students graduating with debt, according to San Francisco-based personal finance website NerdWallet. Tennessee has an average student debt of $20,703, an amount that is below the national average of $26,600 as of 2011, according to the site. NerdWallet pointed to factors such as eligibility for the Hope Scholarships and Vanderbilt Universitys grants and financial aid awards that are not tied to loans. The states were analyzed based on average debt per student and percent of graduates with debt. Hawaii and Utah, both with average debt close to $17,000, were ranked the best in terms of student debt, and New Hampshire, with average debt of $32,440, and North Dakota, with average debt of $27,425, ranked as worst states for student debt. Seventy-five percent of New Hampshire students graduated with debt. Factors that are causing tuition increases and damaging students abilities to finance college include the economic recession, which caused more students to enroll, the decline in state funding and decreases in endowments caused by stock market declines, according to the site. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2013/08/19/tennessee-ranks-no-7-in-student-debt.html

Opinioncalls firingvote on RichardWallsinto question(NewsSentinel/Lakin)

The Knox County Audit Committee might have broken the state sunshine law when it voted to fire the county auditor, according to a legal opinion, but officials say that doesnt matter now. Knox County Commission will formally consider a proposal next week to allow auditor Richard Walls to retire instead. Its (the law violation) a moot point, said David Buuck, the countys chief deputy law director. The committee voted 4-1 at a special meeting July 9 to recommend firing Walls. That meeting followed a series of lunch gatherings between the committees chairman, Joe Carcello, and some of the committee members. One committee member, Mary Kiser, resigned in protest, saying the meetings were called solely to force Walls out and that she wasnt allowed to participate. The state Open Meetings Act bars members of any governing body from meeting in private to discuss public business. The committee gave public notice of the lunch meetings but didnt say what would be discussed. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/20/opinion-calls-firing-vote-on-richard-walls-into/

KnoxCommissionconsideringretirementinsteadof firingfor auditor(WBIRTV)

The Knox County Commission on Monday agreed not to fire long-time county internal auditor Richard Walls, and instead agreed to wait until next week to talk about whether to offer him a severance package that would cover four months of salary. The retirement proposal, if approved, would take effect Sept. 3 and also include single insurance coverage for 18 months. In addition, Walls could receive a payout of all unused vacation leave he accrued during his career, as well as any unused sick leave he has left at the rate of $100 per day. Walls, a county employee for almost 13 years, makes $92,700 annually. His severance pay would amount to almost $31,000. If he and the board do sign the proposal, then Walls also could not pursue legal action against the county due to his termination. The board during Monday's work session forwarded the proposal on without recommendation to next week's voting meeting; however, officials said they expect to approve the contract next week. http://www.wbir.com/rss/article/285108/2/Knox-Commission-considering-retirement-instead-of-firing-for-auditor

AuditorRichardWallsinvestigationsparksSunshineLawcomplaint(WATETV)
The controversy surrounding the push to fire Knox County Internal Auditor Richard Walls has now spawned a Sunshine Law complaint, as commissioners discussed his retirement settlement. Knox County Commission discussed Walls' retirement settlement at a work session Monday, but made no recommendation ahead of next week's meeting. However, Walls, Commission Chair Tony Norman, and Law Director Richard "Bud" Armstrong have all signed off on the memorandum, which takes effect in two weeks. The retirement agreement takes effect September 3 and will give Walls four months of severance pay as well as 18 months of insurance coverage. This all comes after an initial recommendation by the audit committee to fire Walls because they say they were not satisfied with his work. "There were the findings that the audit committee thought needed to be discussed by the commission," said Commissioner Dave Wright. 5

http://www.wate.com/story/23176626/auditor-richard-walls-investigation-sparks-sunshine-law-complaint

Videoof DesJarlaistalkingaboutundocumentedfathergets coverage(Nooga)

A video of Rep. Scott DesJarlais answering a question at a town hall to cheers last week has begun receiving national attention. The video, posted on YouTube Friday, shows the congressman taking questions at an event in Murfreesboro. An 11-year-old girl takes the microphone and asks DesJarlais what could be done to ensure her father, who is an undocumented immigrant, is able to stay. "I have a dad who is undocumented," says the girl, who identifies herself as Joanna. "What can I do so he can stay with me?" DesJarlais, who was a critic of the recent immigration bill approved by the U.S. Senate, answered the girl by suggesting she look to the law. "Joanna, thank you for being here, and thank you for coming forward and speaking to us," DesJarlais said. "This is a big and intimidating crowd, and I appreciate you coming forward and asking your question. But the answer still kind of remains the same, that we have laws and we need to follow those laws, and that's where we're at." According to the video's description, the girl's father has been placed in deportation proceedings. A Tennessean report confirmed the fact. Since being posted, the video has received 46,700 views. http://www.nooga.com/163047/video-of-rep-scott-desjarlais-talking-to-girl-about-her-undocumented-father-getsnational-coverage/

DesJarlais'responseto childof undocumentedfatherspawnsviral video(TN/Cass)

A videotaped exchange between U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais and a child who asked how she could keep her undocumented father in the United States has gone viral, with a YouTube clip attracting more than 50,000 views and national news coverage. The shaky, 49-second clip, shot at a town hall meeting in Rutherford County last week, shows Josie Molina, 11, asking the South Pittsburg Republican what she can do so her father can stay with me. DesJarlais thanks the girl for having the courage to ask the question in front of a big, intimidating crowd. Then he delivers the bad news. But the answer still kind of remains the same: that we have laws, and we need to follow those laws, and thats where were at, he says to rising applause from a large portion of the audience. Josies father, Milton Molina, is an immigrant from El Salvador who has been going through deportation proceedings for several months, the girls mother, Megan Macaraeg, said Monday. Josie is a U.S. citizen. Macaraeg, organizing director for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said her daughter, a sixth-grader in Nashville, wakes up every day worrying about her fathers fate. Josie is in therapy to help her deal with the situation. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130820/NEWS02/308200025/DesJarlais-response-childundocumented-father-spawns-viral-video (SUBSCRIPTION)

Corkercriticizedfor workingwith Democrats(AssociatedPress)

Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker insists his willingness to work with Democrats doesn't make him a moderate, but ardent conservatives think otherwise. According to The Tennessean, Corker recently came under fire throughout an eight-stop swing through Middle Tennessee during the congressional recess earlier this month. During one stop, Corker sparred with a Nashville lawyer over the senator's plan to shut down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the nation's main backers of home mortgages. President Barack Obama endorsed the proposal he developed with a Democratic senator to replace the mortgage giants. If anything, Corker describes himself as a "pragmatic thought leader" who went to Washington to focus on business matters. http://www.wbir.com/rss/article/285137/2/Corker-criticized-for-working-with-Democrats

Corkercalls for recalibrationof U.S. aid relationshipwith Egypt(Nooga)

Appearing on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Sunday, Sen. Bob Corker called on the U.S. to "recalibrate" its offering of foreign aid to Egypt in the wake of ongoing violence in the country. Corker, who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made his comments upon returning from a weeklong trip to the Middle East, visiting Turkey, Iraq and Jordan. During his interview, the senator said U.S. aid to Egypt should be re-examined, but not in a way that jeopardized the country's national interests. "Well, look, I think the actions of last week, no doubt, are going to cause us to suspend aid," Corker said. "And I think it's, at the same time, a time for us to recalibrate and look at what is in our national interest." The senator mentioned items like national security and the priority of passage in the Suez Canal as elements the U.S. should be considering as future discussions regarding aid to the country take place. Corker added that, ultimately, he hoped an aid relationship between the U.S. and Egypt would continue, just on a tiered structure. "We need to keep the lines of communication open," he said. http://www.nooga.com/163036/sen-bob-corker-calls-for-recalibration-of-us-aidrelationship-with-egypt-on-abcs-this-week/ 6

WorstCutsto HeadStart SinceProgramBegan(Stateline)

Last year about 1 million of the nations poorest children got a leg up on school through Head Start, the federal program that helps prepare children up to age five for school. This fall, about 57,000 children will be denied a place in Head Start and Early Head Start as fallout from sequestration. New estimates about the automatic budget cuts were released Monday by the federal government. The cuts have slashed over $400 million from the federal programs $8 billion budget. Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association, said sequestration represented the largest hit to Head Start funding in terms of dollars since the program began in 1965. The cut has been very painful throughout the country, Vinci said. Nationwide, about 1,600 grantees, which include nonprofits and local government agencies, receive federal Head Start funding. The Obama administration had previously estimated that slots for up to 70,000 children would be eliminated as a result of the sequester. According to the latest figures, slots for 51,000 preschoolers were eliminated along with child care slots for 6,000 babies. Children will lose 1.3 million days of service at Head Start centers and more than 18,000 employees will be laid off or see their pay reduced. http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/worst-cuts-to-head-startsince-program-began-85899498657

RemingtonArmsscoutsMiddleTN after N.Y. bansits rifle (Tennessean/Fingeroot)

New laws are polarizing gunmakers One of the nations largest gun manufacturers, Remington Arms, has looked at sites around Nashville for a potential corporate relocation or expansion that would likely include hundreds of manufacturing jobs. The Madison, N.C.-based company, which is part of the nations largest firearms company and has its largest plant in Ilion, N.Y., has scouted sites near Nashvilles airport, Lebanon and in Clarksville, Tenn. Remington is among a growing number of gun manufacturers nationwide that have been courted by states pitching themselves as more gun-friendly. The wooing came after a handful of states, including New York, passed tougher gun control laws in the aftermath of last Decembers shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., which claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six educators. Remingtons roughly 1,200-employee plant in Ilion makes rifles such as the Bushmaster semiautomatic weapon, which is now banned under New Yorks Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, the first law passed by any state post-Newtown. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130820/BUSINESS01/308200019/Remington-Arms-scouts-Middle-TN-afterN-Y-bans-its-rifle (SUBSCRIPTION)

Erlangerto sell officebuildingsin downtownChatt, SoddyDaisy(TFP/Harrison)

Erlanger Health System is putting two large physicians' office buildings -- one downtown and another in SoddyDaisy -- on the market. The hospital hopes to sell its downtown Chattanooga Lifestyle Center between Market and Broad streets, which houses Erlanger's cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs along with a large swimming complex and doctors' offices. "We believe the timing is right," said Erlanger's chief administrative officer, Gregg Gentry, at the hospital board's Budget and Finance Committee meeting Monday. "It's the right location for someone in our community to do something good with." Erlanger has owned the building for more than 15 years. Officials did not say where its programs and services there would be moved. The hospital also hopes to find a buyer for its former Erlanger Soddy-Daisy medical building, a 17,000-square-foot facility that the hospital has leased out for a decade and which has been vacant now for several months. Both buildings will be listed this month, Gentry said. Meanwhile, the hospital started its new fiscal year in the black, showing a $1.5 million surplus for July. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/20/erlanger-to-sell-2-office-buildings/?local

Techbusinessesline up to hire paydayworkers(TimesFree-Press/Smith)

Minutes after Carey V. Brown's payday companies announced massive layoffs on Friday, Twitter lit up in response to the unexpected shutdowns that have cost Chattanooga 300 high-paying jobs. For the most part, the tweets reflected neither condemnation nor consolation. In fact, they were mostly job offers. "Send some resumes this way," tweeted Nick Macco, co-founder of Southtree. "Send them my way," tweeted AudiencePoint, led by former Brown official Andy Perez. "Quickcue is always looking for talented people," said Jeff Cole, who heads up marketing for the young firm. "Come by and see us or give us a call." Then, Papercut Interactive hit on an idea: "Let's hold a tech mixer to get them back working," the company tweeted. "[Direct message] us to get involved!" That's just what happened. Without any involvement from government officials, a movement quietly started. The sense of urgency is driven in part by the tight-knit tech community here, and in part by the knowledge that any potential brain drain will hurt the tech businesses that remain, cutting them off from the talent they need to grow, 7

executives said later. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/20/tech-businesses-line-up-to-hire-paydayworkers/?businesstnvalley

Do TN SchoolDistrictsHaveTo Put TeacherContractsIn Writing?(WPLNRadio)

A judge may end up deciding what teacher contract negotiations are supposed to look like. With collective bargaining outlawed in Tennessee, the teachers union in Rutherford County has taken its grievances to court. A state law passed in 2011 replaced the sometimes-adversarial back-and-forth of collective bargaining with meetings called collaborative conferencing. Theres still a lot of confusion about exactly what these sessions were intended to be and whether the outcome is binding. But one thing is spelled out in the law. Instead of a contract, teachers would sign a memorandum of understanding. Tennessee Education Association attorney Rick Colbert says putting something in writing is important. From an employment standpoint, theyre the issues that matter most to you. How long is your workday going to be? I think thats a pretty big issue. But the Rutherford County school board has refused. In response to a lawsuit filed by the teachers union, the school board argues that the new state law doesnt require a written document if both sides havent agreed on all points. And the district and union do still have a dispute about whether union dues can be deducted from teacher paychecks. http://nashvillepublicradio.org/blog/2013/08/19/what-is-teacher-collaborative-conferencing-rutherford-co-asks-acourt/

ArmstrongOrdersNewSchoolBoardElection(MemphisDailyNews)
For a second time, results in the August 2012 elections have been successfully contested in court. Shelby County Chancellor Kenny Armstrong, in a long-awaited ruling issued Monday, Aug. 19, ordered the Shelby County Election Commission to conduct a new election for countywide school board District 4. Kevin Woods and Kenneth Whalum, both incumbents on the 23-member school board, were running for one of the seats on the sevenmember school board that takes effect Sept. 7. The election ended with a certified vote count showing Woods was the winner. But Whalum contested the results in Shelby County Chancery Court, citing a vote count in which all sides acknowledged some voters within the district got a different school board race on their ballots and other voters outside the district saw the District 4 race on their ballots. The Election Commission here made no concerted effort to avoid the problems that occurred in this election for school board positions, Armstrong wrote in his ruling. With the changes in the alignment of the school board districts due to the new unified school system, the problems that occurred here should have been anticipated and measures taken to insure all data was properly inputted to minimize any adverse impact on school board races. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/aug/19/armstrong-orders-new-school-board-election/

JudgevoidsWoods2012schoolboardwin over Whalum(CA/McMillin,Roberts)

Dr. Kenneth Whalum Jr. will get a second chance to represent Dist. 4 on the Shelby County Schools board after Chancery Court Judge Kenny W. Armstrong voided last summers election and ordered a new one. The ruling caps more than a year of controversy over the August 2012 election, which Whalum lost by 106 votes to political newcomer Kevin Woods. That margin of victory represented less than one percent of the ballots cast. Whalum sued for a revote, citing balloting errors. On further review, the Shelby County Election Commissions official ballot in October found that 837 ballots were given in error 556 to people who lived outside the district and 281 people -- who were effectively disenfranchised, Armstrong wrote who lived in the district but whose ballots did not include the Whalum-Woods race. Admittedly, the mistakes here were honest mistakes and not intentional; Armstrong wrote, they, however, bear a direct relationship to the uncertainty of the election outcome and cannot simply be ignored ... Without a new election conducted properly, there will always be legitimate questions about the actual winner. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/aug/19/whalum-receive-new-election-district-4school-boar/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

ChancellorOrdersNewElectionfor District4 SchoolBoardSeat (MemphisFlyer)

A recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Hardy Mays neatly sliced through a Gordian knot regarding the Unified School Boards future composition. Now another ruling, this one by Chancellor Kenny Armstrong, has snarled the issue again. In the first instance, Mays postponed by a year the planned expansion of the Unified Board from 7 to 13 members, thus extricating the County Commission from the puzzle of how and when to reconfigure the District 6 seat vacated by Reginald Porter, who resigned it to become the school systems new chief of staff. In the latest case, however, Armstrong ruled that a new election had to be held for the District 4 seat occupied by Kevin Woods since the August 2012 elections for the 7-member board. Woods was the apparent winner by a 106-vote 8

margin that was later adjudged to be 290 votes over Kenneth Whalum Jr., but Whalum had sued, contending that wrong ballots issued by the Election Commission had skewed the results, and Armstrong agreed. http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2013/08/19/chancellor-orders-new-election-for-district-4school-board-seat

SpecialElectionThrowsFutureOf SCSBoardIn Question(WREGTV Memphis)

There is uncertainty on the Shelby County School Board as it prepares to drop down from 23 to just seven members in two weeks. One of those seats is vacant from Reginald Porters resignation so he can work for the district, and now a judge is ordering a re-vote for the seat held by Kevin Woods. Woods beat Kenneth Whalum for the District 4 seat by just more than 100 votes, but a judge ruled that election doesnt count because more than 600 votes were improperly cast in that election two years ago. The judge says major voting problems include voters being turned away or casting the wrong ballots. Well at the end of the day were obviously disappointed that the judge ruled the way he did, said Woods. Woodss attorney says he hasnt made a decision on appealing the ruling, which could put a re-vote off until next year. Whalum is celebrating the ruling as a victory and second chance. This is the first time in the history of Memphis and Shelby County that a candidate took advantage of legal recourse and got a favorable ruling from he court, said Whalum. http://wreg.com/2013/08/19/special-election-throws-future-of-scs-board-in-question/

ParentFuriousSomeSCSClassesHaveNo Teacher(WREGTV Memphis)

Having a teacher is part of going to school, but thats not the case for many students in Shelby County. Right now the district says there are a lot of classrooms that dont have a teacher because they didnt get an accurate count. The school district says this is a normal part of the beginning of the school year and has nothing to do with the merger. The district says they dont know how many students are impacted, but say its a lot. Its very frustrating, said Angela Ross. Ross is the wife of a News Channel 3 photographer, and is livid her second grader at Oak Elementary in Bartlett still doesnt have a teacher two weeks into school. You rely on the teacher to be the anchor and teach them and make them feel like they have a place in he school, and right now she doesnt necessarily feel that, said Ross. Since that anchor is missing, Rosss daughter and her classmates meet with a teachers assistant in the morning and are split up into small groups and sent to other classes. The district insists they are not missing any class time and they are working to crunch the numbers and bring in a new teacher. http://wreg.com/2013/08/19/parent-furious-some-scs-classes-have-no-teacher/

BradleyCountyCommissionOKsschoolproject(TimesFree-Press/Leach)
The Bradley County Commission on Monday voted to provide up to $12 million in 2017 toward a proposed $14 million overhaul of Lake Forest Middle School. Commissioners voted 13-0 for the measure introduced by Commissioner Charlotte Peak-Jones. The plan relies on projected revenue increases and does not include the purchase of furniture or equipment not associated with the school's technological infrastructure. Funding will go toward construction of a 57-classroom academic building that will replace about a dozen classroom pods spread across the school's 75-acre campus. Construction of the new facility is intended to head off at least $6 million in repairs and to save energy. Excluding items such as furniture and new computers is appropriate, Commissioner Ed Elkins said. "Just because you build a new school building does not mean you've got to put all that new equipment in there on a 20-year bond," Elkins said. "It make no sense to me to vote a 20-year bond ... for a [computer that has a lifespan of no more than] seven years at the most." Peak-Jones' plan was substituted for a plan recommended by an ad hoc committee asked to find funding for the project. That plan called for the county to commit up to $14 million in the 2015-16 fiscal year. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/20/bradley-oks-school-project/?local

MORE

OPINION Editorial:Areapublicschoolsthat succeedwell worthnoting(JacksonSun)

Public education faces many challenges, and often the focus is on under-performing schools and students who are not doing well. But there is another side to public education, too, public school success. Unfortunately, it is an aspect of public education we dont hear enough about. With that in mind, we offer congratulations to the eight public schools in our area that have achieved Reward status for increasing student achievement and/or making progress on the 2013 state tests given earlier this year. The eight public Reward schools in The Jackson Suns coverage area that performed at the top 5 percent of public schools in Tennessee are: Bradford Elementary, Friendship Elementary, Medina Elementary, Pin Oak Elementary, South Side Elementary, Lexington Middle, Milan Elementary and Madison Academic Magnet High School. The state recognized 169 Reward schools this year. It is interesting to note that a large proportion of these schools are in big cities such as Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga, including 70 schools that serve mostly economically disadvantaged populations, considered difficult environments in which to achieve public school success, and where the focus tends to be on schools with problems. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20130820/OPINION/308200001/Our-View-Area-public-schoolssucceed-well-worth-noting (SUBSCRIPTION)

SamVenable:Don't giveup the fight withTDOT(KnoxvilleNewsSentinel)

An open letter to my South Knoxville friends: Hang in there. The boogeyman might not show up after all. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is poised to reveal a decision about extending the James White Parkway (JWP). Early signals do not bode well unless youre a developer lusting for fresh pavement and new interchanges. TDOT appears to be leaning toward full speed ahead, although on Monday it announced a modified green alternative plan and final decision delay. Stay tuned. Agreed, all proposed roads are fraught with controversy. Very rarely do homeowners in the path leap with joy. Instead, they wish to keep things the way they are. No crowds. No noise. No traffic. Also agreed, public projects invariably spawn cries of NIMBY. Not In My Back Yard. Put it somewhere else. Anywhere else. Just leave me alone. NIMBY is universally invoked. Everywhere. By everybody. Not-so-coincidently, it is joined at the hip with the Golden Rule; i.e., those with the gold make the rules. How many roadways do you see plowing through posh neighborhoods of the mega-rich and politically connected? http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/aug/20/sam-venable-dont-give-up-the-fight-with-tdot/

LamarAlexander:I staytrue to myconservativeideals(Tennessean)

Dear fellow Tennesseans, Last week, some well-meaning Tennesseans wrote a letter suggesting that I retire with dignity from the United States Senate because of a record of compromise and bipartisanship, two traits for which you have become famous. Ever since walking 1,000 miles across our state, Ive listened carefully to the 6 million Tennesseans Im elected to represent. So the letter deserves respect and this response: I appreciate the suggestion, but if the people of Tennessee will allow it, Id rather continue to serve hopefully, with dignity. Heres why: Our countrys on the wrong track. Our states on the right track. So the logical way to get our country on the right track is to transport some of Tennessees common sense to Washington, D.C. One good way to do that is to send to Washington a conservative, problem-solving former Tennessee governor with a record of getting results: Auto jobs. Better schools. Better roads. Balanced budgets. Low taxes. Low debt. Washington needs more, not fewer, conservatives who know how to govern. Governing means listening, standing up for what you believe in and solving problems to get a result. I did that as governor. Im doing that as senator. Im proud of that record. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130820/OPINION03/308200004/2071/OPINION?nclick_check=1

ClayBennettPoliticalCartoon:CandidateSearch(TimesFree-Press)
http://media.timesfreepress.com/img/news/tease/2013/08/19/130820_Candidate_Search_tease_t618.jpg? ba5b5b122dd3d37cc13d83e92a6a0ec0d5bfa32a 10

Columnist:DefundingObamacareis seriousbusiness(TimesFree-Press)
Recently, Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker said that Utah Sen. Mike Lee's proposal to defund Obamacare was "a silly effort." Protecting individual liberty and economic freedom is anything but silly. It is serious business. Corker, along with Tennessee's other senator, Lamar Alexander, prides himself on working with Democrats to keep the federal government running effectively. However, simply keeping the government humming along and making sure the trains run on time should not be the ultimate goal of conservative Republicans. Their goal should be limiting the size and scope of the government. As Barry Goldwater -- whose failed 1964 presidential campaign still launched the modern conservative movement -- said, "I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size." Obamacare will be a disaster for the economy. It will result in higher taxes, more government spending, lower full-time employment, and a "crowding out" of the private sector in the health care industry. Overall, the result will be a decline in the quality and availability of health care as competition and other market forces are eliminated. In addition, Obamacare represents an enormous risk to privacy as individuals who enroll in the program will be forced to turn over personal information such as medical records, Social Security numbers, tax information and bank account data. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/20/confrontation-fearsdefunding-obamacare-is-serious/? opinionfreepress ###

11