SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012 Measure to allow teachers to pray with students (Associated Press)

A measure to allow teachers and other school workers to participate in prayer groups and other religious activiti on school grounds has been signed by Tennessee's governor. Gov. Bill Haslam signed the legislation last week allows school personnel to participate in such activities as long as they don't carry into the classroom or conf with the assignments of the participant. The activities must also be student-initiated and be held before or af school. The amendment clarifies that teachers can attend events in cases where a school may rent out its faciliti to a church or faith-based organization. The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee has said that even outside of school hours such as "See You at the Pole" are permissible under certain conditions, but public scho employees must prevent the impression of endorsing religion. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1577418

Stakes high with Tennessee sewer mandate (Times Free-Press/Haman)

Billions of Tennessee dollars are going down the drain. And into new pipes, manhole covers, pump stations a wastewater treatment plants. The potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in sewer testing and repairs fac Chattanooga, which soon will enter an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment a Conservation on how to handle the problems. Meanwhile, secondary utilities are entering into volunta agreements with the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Not only are the potential costs high Metro Nashville's consent decree likely will cause the city to spend more than $1 billion to repair its systems -- b a failure to act or act promptly could prove even more costly. Penalties for not acting fast enough can include fine indictments and even complete sewer moratoriums that can halt all development. That means no sew connections for new housing, industrial parks or even new or increased water use. If a moratorium is in place wh the next Volkswagen-type project comes along, it's unlikely it would be able to connect to the wastewater system Enterprise South industrial park, W ater and Wastewater Treatment Authority attorney Chris Clem said. Officia from the WWTA, which has taken control of several of the county's older sewer systems, recently told Hamilt County commissioners that their price tag to repair the problems could reach $100 million over the next five seven years. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/stakes-high-with-sewer-mandate/?local

MTSU fundraising is about education (Tennessean/Broden)

For Murray Martin, Middle Tennessee State Universitys centennial fundraising campaign is all about helpi MTSU students get a high-quality education without having to work excessive hours to pay for it. I think they ha an awful difficult road to go down, said Martin, in her second year as MTSU Foundation president. Many studen have to balance classes with taking on a part-time job to get where they want to be in life, said Martin, a 19 graduate who majored in theater and speech. I admire what they do, said Martin, who hopes the capi campaign, which has raised $54 million, will make it easier on them. Martin joined other foundation members a university administrators Friday to announce the universitys $80 million capital campaign, after a highly success quiet phase that raised $54 million. The initial goal was $61 million, but officials increased it after MTSU alumn Andrew Woodfin Woody Miller donated $10 million, the largest private gift in the universitys history. MTSU Vi President Joe Bales has identified four uses for the money: First, increasing the financial aid and supp available to students with both merit- and need-based scholarships, including 100 Centennial Scholarships. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS01/304150045/MTSU-fundraising-about-education? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Highway link planned in Jasper (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Lewis)

A project to connect state Highways 150 and 28 in Jasper is moving forward now that city officials have approv

the plan. Last week, the Jasper Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution allowing t Tennessee Department of Transportation to proceed. Jasper Mayor Billy Simpson said the project has been yea in the making and he is glad it is finally getting under way. "I started working on this and have begged and plead for it to happen," he said. "Now the engineering part is done and TDOT is in the process of moving forward." C Attorney Mark Raines said the resolution is "a pretty standard form" that TDOT uses with this type of road proje "Basically, what it says is once this project starts, [Jasper] will have to adhere to [TDOT's] rules and regulation Simpson said. For example, if the route crosses any city property, Jasper would have to deed that property to t state "without compensation," Raines said. "I don't know of any city street that this is going to affect," he said. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/highway-link-planned-in-jasper/?local

Email shows Gill complaints against judge, NS in scandal (NS/Satterfield)

Stuck in the midst of a public relations nightmare and rebuffed at every legal turn, the second highest in comma in the Knox County District Attorney General's Office took aim at a judge and reporter in an email obtained by t News Sentinel. John Gill, special counsel to District Attorney General Randy Nichols, complained in a March em to the state Attorney General's Office about Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood, who ordered up new trials in t January 2007 slayings of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, and about the News Sentin which has reported on the ongoing proceedings. "Blackwood hates the News Sentinel, and I fear he is playing fa and loose with off the record emails and communications he states are to avoid the newspaper from knowing," G wrote. He was referring to a March hearing Blackwood set in reference to the release of the Tennessee Bureau Investigation file on its probe of former Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner. Gill then referenced a Ne Sentinel editorial urging the release of closed TBI investigative files and a News Sentinel story detailing ho Nichols had gone from agreeing to seal the file but use it as proof in the battle over the soundness of t convictions in the Christian/Newsom case to refusing to concede the file's contents as evidence in other cases agreeing not to object should the file be made public. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/email-shows-gill-complaints-against-judge-news/

Tennessee lawmakers have plans for revenue bump (Times Free-Press/Sher)

State revenues are on the upswing, and so are lawmakers' efforts to spend them. Lawmakers have made doze of requests to amend Gov. Bill Haslam's proposed budget by hundreds of millions of dollars. Rep. Camer Sexton, R-Crossville, has an $11.86 million amendment to restore funding for Taft Youth Center near Pikevil which Haslam intends to close. Closer to home, Rep. Vince Dean, R-East Ridge, has two amendments to fu Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield's proposed anti-gang legislation. One would provide $1.92 million to fund long sentences for gang criminals. The other would provide $109,800 to apply state racketeering laws to criminal ga activity. Altogether, House proposals total $589.56 million and Senate requests come to $501 million. But t actual cost is less. That's partly because a number of House and Senate amendments have identical goals. A some lawmakers have proposed halting scheduled cuts to programs that Haslam recently agreed to fund partia The House and Senate finance committees are expected to begin sorting through amendments this week as th try to wrap up their annual session before the beginning of May. W ith state tax collections now running $107 milli above December estimates, Haslam's administration and Republican leaders have positioned themselves to ste the tide of spending requests. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/tennessee-lawmakers-have-plans-for-revenue-bump/?local

TN evolution law may change nothing (Tennessean/Hall)

Supporters of Tennessees newest education law envision classrooms where teachers lead robust conversatio about evolution, analyzing its strengths and weaknesses with students who are freshly engaged with this ne approach. Creationism wouldnt be mentioned, they say. Neither would intelligent design. Teachers know tho would violate the First Amendment, plus the new law expressly forbids promoting religious doctrine. I trust scien teachers are smart enough to keep the discussion on a scientific level, said Casey Luskin, a policy analyst w the Discovery Institute, which wrote a model bill Tennessee lawmakers consulted. I dont see why anyone wou bring religion into the discussion. But for Nashville educator Harold Morrison, the Creator is already in school. W hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, quoted Morrison, an Overton High chemis teacher who welcomes the new law. That acknowledges a Creator. If the Founding Fathers acknowledge Creator, who am I to question that wisdom? Thats the laws fatal flaw, opponents contend. Maybe it has a n religion clause, but it gives a wink to teachers looking to promote their beliefs in the classroom a move th would launch costly lawsuits that history shows school districts tend to lose. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS0201/304150102/TN-evolution-law-may-change-nothing? 2

odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Group rallies against new Tennessee law (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Sher)

A group of scientists, teachers, parents and students rallied at the state Capitol on Saturday against a ne Tennessee law that allows public school teachers to discuss the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution a other scientific theories. "The sponsors of this bill said it's about making sure students know about controvers issues around topics like climate change and evolution," said Dr. Larisa DeSantis, an assistant professor in t Earth and Environmental Sciences Department at Vanderbilt University. DeSantis, who spearheaded a 3,20 signature petition drive to persuade Republican Gov. Bill Haslam to veto the legislation, said scientists and pe reviewed articles in science journals "don't treat global warming or evolution as scientific controversies. Instead focus on understanding the details." About 40 people attended the event. DeSantis said they will remain in tou and consider further action. Haslam declined to veto the bill but also refused to sign it. The legislation, sponsor by Senate Speaker pro tem Bo W atson, R-Hixson, and Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, became law last week. Wats last week took issue with critics' attacks. "I just disagree with their whole argument," Watson said. "I think those a all red herrings." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/group-rallies-against-new-tennessee-law/?loca

We dont even call it evolution (Times Free-Press/Garett, Hardy)

In a 1,000-plus page biology textbook used to school Hamilton County students, the origin of human life takes up mere chapter. The chapter, one of nearly 40, doesnt show the well-known picture of a monkey evolving to ma but it does say primates evolved. It teaches about the fossil record and Darwins theories of adaptation. And ma local teachers say even though questions over the origins of life have been a cornerstone for the political cultu war in schools for years that chapter is rarely the source of fireworks. We dont even call it evolution. We cal genetic change, said Donna Sellers, lead teacher in the math, technology and science academy at Central Hi School. Evolution is when a bacteria becomes resistant to an antibiotic. Its how the woolly mammoth becam extinct and how the horses used to be smaller. Its sub-breeds of dogs. It has nothing to do with whether man w once a monkey. I am a Christian ... but our job as teachers is to present the side of science, not to discredit wh [students] learn at home or at church. Still, legislators thought public school teachers needed the protection. A b passed into law last week without the signature of the governor gives teachers the freedom to prese scientific weaknesses on culturally controversial topics such as biological evolution, the chemical origins of li climate change and human cloning. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/we-dont-even-call-it-evolution/?local

Dems want promises before joining push to speed passage of bills (Tenn/Sisk)

The words flow motion were on the lips of all at the state Capitol on Thursday morning a phrase that conjur up a mix of dread and giddy anticipation. Toward the end of each session, legislators typically vote to suspe several of their rules including a requirement that they wait 48 hours before bringing bills to the floor in effort to speed up lawmaking so they can go home sooner. It doesnt always work. According to an analysis by t House clerk, in years past lawmakers have spent anywhere from a few days to more than a month operating und the suspended rules. But usually it does have the effect of speeding the conveyer belt of bills, forcing everyo around the Capitol to keep up or fake it. It calls to mind a classic scene from I Love Lucy in which Ethel and Lu stuff their mouths with chocolates because they cant wrap them fast enough. Republicans are eager to pass t flow motion. But Democrats, who were already complaining about the speed that bills are being passed, have he out. They refused to vote for the flow motion Thursday morning, forcing a round of closed-door discussio between the two parties leaders over how to cut a deal. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS02/304150078/Political-Notebook-Dems-want-promisesbefore-joining-push-speed-passage-bills?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Ban on 'wild' swine clears legislature (Tennessean/Sisk)

A bill allowing the state to issue a special Teamsters license plate drew the scorn of anti-union Republic lawmakers on Thursday. Proceeds from sales of the plate would benefit an aid fund for Teamsters members, b the Teamsters checkered history fast became the focus of a few GOP lawmakers. State Rep. Andy Holt, Dresden, brought up past investigations into the union and its leaders, quoting a 1989 Justice Departme investigation as saying the Teamsters were a wholly owned subsidiary of organized crime. There have been other specialty plates granted to organizations with such a questionable past, Holt asserted. The bills spons 3

Rep. Gary Moore, D-Joelton, acknowledged those investigations but pointed out that many state legislators ha also gone to jail. Weve had previous members of this House that have been arrested and taken off this floor wrongdoing, he said. I would submit that you do not hold the current leadership responsible for what might a probably did happen in the past. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS02/304150078/PoliticalNotebook-Dems-want-promises-before-joining-push-speed-passage-bills?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Bill would squelch early graduation (Tennessean/Sisk)

A law passed last year to let high school students graduate early if they score high on college entrance exam could be gutted, thanks to some late-session maneuvering. The House Education Committee approved a Tuesday effectively repealing the Move on When Ready Act, which allows students to graduate after completing classes if they maintain a GPA of at least 3.2, pass an Advanced Placement language exam, complete tw Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and score at least a 27 on the ACT. The law scheduled to go into effect this coming school year. Complaints about the law began in Williamson County, whe Director of Schools Mike Looney says the measure would make it harder to fill advanced classes, as the best a the brightest leave school. The law paradoxically also could lead some students to stay in school longer, if th plan to graduate early but come up short of the requirements and have to do makeup work. Legislation passed t Senate on Monday night exempting Williamson from Move on When Ready. The bill passed unanimously, w even its biggest proponent, Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, voting to let Williamson go its own way http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS02/304150078/Political-Notebook-Dems-want-promisesbefore-joining-push-speed-passage-bills?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Hamilton County investing in new aerial photos (Associated Press)

Hamilton County is preparing to take a series of aerial photos to update its maps after tornado damaged alter several neighborhoods. Geographic Information Systems manager Greg Butler told The Chattanooga Times Fr Press (http://bit.ly/Iysj1t ) that the county's website is used daily by real estate agents, surveyors, engineers a others, so it's important to keep it up to date. The project costs nearly $160,000, and it takes several months piece the photos together to get within 2.5-foot accuracy of the land layout. The county and Chattanooga each a contributing $50,000. Several other municipalities and local utilities are picking up the remainder. The most rece aerial photos were taken in 2010. Butler said he expects new maps for Chattanooga by July 1 and for the coun by sometime in September. http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/39039759?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

'Tough choices' ahead for Memphis government's budget (C. Appeal/Maki)

'Everything' eyed as city faces $47 million deficit As last year's city budget season came to a close, Mayor A Wharton and several Memphis City Council members said it was the toughest experience of their public lives. T year will probably be worse. "It's a rough year," Wharton said. "There are no easy choices." The city faces a $ million deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Since the mayor and council have already used money from t city's reserves and resorted to layoffs and a salary cut for city employees, they have little financial wiggle room le Among the choices available now are raising property taxes, retooling employee benefits and cutting city servic -- possibly including police and fire. "We're trying to come in with cuts in the $25 million range and, unfortunate we're having to look at everything," said Wharton. "We're going to have to make tough choices, but we're going be as methodical and empirical as we can." The roots of the city's fiscal crisis can be traced back to 2008, wh former mayor Willie Herenton proposed a 58-cent property-tax hike that he said would fund schools and c government operations for several years without an additional increase. Instead of approving the tax hike, the 1 member council slashed $57 million from its annual contribution to Memphis City Schools, giving an 18-cent t break to residents while increasing city spending by more than $40 million. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/15/tough-choices-ahead-for-budget/

TVA will boost May rates by 2.1 percent (Associated Press)

The Tennessee Valley Authority is boosting its wholesale power rate by 2.1 percent in May, in anticipation increased summer demand. The rate hike is expected to increase residential utility bills by between $1 and $3 month. The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/IPeVXd) reports TVA announced on Friday that it will raise its to monthly fuel cost from 2.163 cents per kilowatt-hour to 2.311 cents per kilowatt-hour for the billing period starti May 1. Local utilities served by TVA typically pass the expense on to their customers. The utility also increas rates in April by 3 percent, adding an estimated $2 to $4 to average monthly residential power bills. A stateme 4

from the utility says that a primary reason for the new increase is the higher costs for TVA that come with warm temperatures. But weather is not the only factor that affects rates. Moody's Investors Services said this week th cost overruns at TVA's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Spring City could lead to rate increases. http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/39038719?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

East Tenn. apple famers fear damage from freeze (Associated Press)

Apple growers in northeast Tennessee say last week's frosts may have damaged their crops. Unicoi Coun University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension agent Ty Petty told the Johnson City Press (http://bit.ly/IW2Zk that the freeze could not have come at a worse time. The crop is ahead of schedule because of the unseasonab warm weather and a majority of the county's apple trees are in bloom. It may be several days before area app growers see the full extent of the damage. David Moore, who owns Heavenly Holler Farm in the Flag Pond are said he is keeping an eye on the trees' flowers to see if they begin to turn black and drop off. He said around on third of the apple trees in his orchard were in the middle of the bloom when the freeze came. Michael Willis, w owns Willis Orchard in the Coffee Ridge area, described last week's frost as a "killer freeze." Most of Willis' tre were in full bloom as morning temperatures dropped to around 25 degrees. "It may have got half, it may have g three-quarters, it may have got all of them," he said. "That's about as hard a freeze as I've saw." UT's Petty said long as some of the flowers are not damaged or some of the fruit has already made it through the blooming peri there can still be a pretty good crop. An apple tree usually can produce a full crop on around 10 percent of bloom.http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/39039289?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Best Buy stores in Memphis survive as electronics chain sets 50 closings (AP)

Best Buy on Saturday announced the locations of 50 stores that it is closing this year, including seven in Californ six in Illinois and six in the company's home state of Minnesota. The company's four stores in the Memphis ar will not close. One Tennessee store, in Antioch, will close. The struggling electronics chain said last month tha would close some of its so-called big box stores, cut 400 corporate jobs and trim $800 million in costs. T company lost $1.7 billion in the most recent quarter, partly because of restructuring costs. The company is trying avoid the fate of Circuit City, which went out of business in 2009. It faces slower sales of expensive items like TV plus increased competition from Amazon.com and discount stores like Target. Best Buy plans to open 100 small more profitable Best Buy Mobile stores. One of those stores is in Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis, with others Jonesboro, Ark., Tupelo, Miss., and Jackson, Tenn. Best Buy has about 1,400 locations in the United States. It h already closed two stores this year, one in Missouri and one in Arizona. Most of the rest of the 50 will close M 12, others this summer. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/15/best-buy-stores-in-memphis-survive-as-chain-sets/ (SUB)

Best Buy in Antioch closing (Tennessean/Haas)

Electronics store to liquidate goods beginning today Antioch on Saturday dug another hole in what is quic becoming a graveyard for big-box retail stores. Best Buy at 5255 Hickory Hollow Parkway closed its doors th morning, telling employees theyd soon have to find work at another store or company and telling customers tha will start liquidating its inventory when it reopens today. The store is expected to close for good on May 12 and part of a larger companywide effort to save costs by shuttering 50 stores nationwide. This was not an ea decision to make. W e chose this store carefully, and are working to ensure the impact to our employees will be minimal as possible, while serving all customers in a convenient and satisfying way, the company said in statement. But we also recognize the impact this news has on the people who deserve respect for t contributions they have made to our business. Customers who came to the store in a small but steady strea Saturday were perplexed as they drove into the nearly empty parking lot, only to be turned away at the front doo by a few remaining employees. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/NEWS01/304150046/Best-BuyAntioch-closing?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Parents offer own plan for Hamilton County schools (Times Free-Press/Hardy)

After feeling ignored by the Hamilton County Department of Education, a parent committee in the eastern part the county is asking school board members to consider installing portables and using another year to gath growth information before signing on to the superintendent's proposed rezoning plan. "We quickly discovered th we were not [meeting with HCDE staff] to provide our input to craft a solution but rather our attendance w 5

perfunctory to give the illusion of community involvement," the parent committee wrote in its report. "...[I]nstead refuting our concerns with facts and research; they simply told us that they know what they are doing," the paren added. Four committee members and two other parents met Saturday afternoon in the Hamilton Mill subdivision discuss their next move in reaching out to board members. The parents banded together several weeks ago opposition to Superintendent Rick Smith's proposed rezoning in East Hamilton, designed to alleviate crowding area elementary, middle and high schools. Many parents were upset, saying that their children would be bused from home, that kids' friendships would be strained by switching schools and that property values would drop. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/parents-offer-own-plan-for-schools/?local

Gates Fountation committed to Mem. schools with or without Cash (CA/Roberts)

Work to continue regardless of superintendent Whether Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash stays or n work that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is doing in Memphis will continue, key executives with t organization say. Vicki Phillips, head of Gates' U.S. education portfolio, said Friday the Gates contracts are not ti specifically to one superintendent. "As long as the work is going well, driving deep enough and owned by enou people in the community to have staying power, we are committed," she told The Commercial Appeal editor board last week. Cash was one of three finalists interviewed for the superintendent's job in Charlotte-Meckenbu (N.C.) Schools last week. The school board there will meet in closed sessions Wednesday and Thursday to ma a decision. The challenge now is framing how Gates' $90 million effort to improve teacher effectiveness here w extend to cover 5,400 teachers in Shelby County Schools. Gates is "open" to providing "enough resources a support to keep doing the work" in the consolidated district, Phillips said. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/15/gates-committed-without-02/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Schools director eyes system after No Child (Columbia Daily Herald)

State testing for Maury County school children is more important than ever in light of the waiver that exemp Tennessee from the federal No Child Left Behind education law, Director of Schools Eddie Hickman said. During school board meeting Thursday at Randolph Howell Elementary School, Hickman discussed changes the waiv will bring and voiced a concern about the new system. The cart is way in front of the horse, he said. W shouldve had all this information at the beginning of the school year. President Barack Obama announced February that Tennessee was among 10 states to receive the waiver. Students in grades 3-8 take the Tenness Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Test each spring, and those results will be held to the n standards. We didnt have the rule book at the beginning of the school year, Hickman said after the meeting. I a little bit worried with all the changes in education that has affected teachers as well (as) students. Thats li going out there and playing a game, and youve never read the rule book in baseball. http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/sections/news/local/schools-director-eyes-system-after-%E2%80%98no-chi %E2%80%99.html

It Aint About the Record (New York Times)

At a School in Tennessee, a Basketball Team of Survivors It was early on a Friday morning, and there was emergency in Carroll Academys Room 5. A student named Destiny was sitting alone, crying. W ith cameras every classroom, she could be seen on the monitor in the security office. The girls basketball team at Carr Academy had lost the night before, 69-9, at home to University School of Jackson, a private college-preparato school about 45 minutes away. Destiny, a 17-year-old senior with a crossover dribble, a silky shooting touch and habit of drug use, was the only one of the nine Carroll Academy players with any previous high school basketb experience. There were games this season when Destiny scored all the teams points. There were times in eve game when her passes, delivered at the velocity of someone playing dodge ball, bounced off teammates hand leaving Destiny in a quiet fit of grimaces and upturned palms. On the court the previous night, her street-tou persona boiled toward reckless anger. Defended tightly, often by two opponents, she was all elbows and snee Coach Tonya Lutz did not like what she saw and benched Destiny in the second half. Randy Hatch, the scho administrator, did not like what he saw, either. He had a hunch. And he had a tip. He ordered a drug test Destiny the next morning. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/sports/carroll-academy-basketball-it-aint-about-the-record.html?_r=1&hp (Sub)

OPINION

Tom Humphrey: Governor evolving toward a new normal (Knoxville News-Sentinel

Displaying an evolving new normal in his gubernatorial reign, a believing-in-better Bill Haslam last week officia and formally, albeit cautiously, expressed mild disagreement for the first time with a piece of legislation th reached his desk. "Good legislation should bring clarity and not confusion," he stated with regard to HB368. "M concern is that this bill has not met this objective. For that reason, I will not sign the bill but will allow it to becom law without my signature." On one side, the governor had faced united Republican support in the Legislature the bill, which authorizes classroom questioning of evolution. Even a few Democrats mostly those worried abo being accused of opposing the Bible in their re-election campaigns had joined the sponsors' call for mo "creative thinking" about prevailing scientific theories. On the other side, he faced a bunch of scientific type academicians and around 3,200 petition-signers calling for a veto of the "monkey bill" they saw as a sneaky way return to the 1920s, when Tennessee brought criminal charges against a Dayton teacher for talking abo evolution. And the national media was listening to them and quoted the hoots of derision at us uneducate backwoods hillbilly Tennesseans. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/tom-humphrey-governor-evolving-toward-a-new/

Free-Press Editorial: Selecting Tennessee judges (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

For voters to choose among candidates for most elective public offices, it is generally reasonable for t candidates to present themselves for examination, to express their views on pertinent public issues so the vote may be informed, and then for the voters to decide according to the candidates' character and their points of vie But for the election of judges, voters also should want to evaluate each candidate according to his knowledge the law, his impartiality and his good judgment. It may be difficult for most voters to judge those qualities advance. So there are differing views about how the judges in our state should be selected. Should judic candidates simply be chosen by popular elections? Or should judges be appointed by the governor and confirm by elected legislators, who presumably might be better able to judge qualifications. Or should judicial candidat be "screened" by a professional committee, before gubernatorial appointment or popular election? Or should the be some other system? Someone who aspires to be a judge may be personally popular, but it may be difficult, impossible, for voters in general to know in advance how knowledgeable of the law a judicial candidate may be, whether he would be impartial, and not seeking to impose his own preconceived views. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/0415f-fp3-selecting-tennessee-judges/?opinionfreepress

Editorial: Sunshine advocates win one legislative scrap, lose another (N-S)

The cause of open government met with mixed success last week in the Tennessee Legislature. The effort by t Haslam administration to close public access to information about companies receiving state grants apparently h been derailed, but a measure that would keep secret applicants for top university and college positions is all b assured of passage. On Wednesday, Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, announced the bill to keep Tennesseans in t dark about companies awarded incentives from state government would be withdrawn. The administration a open government advocates couldn't reach a compromise, he told The Associated Press. The governor a officials in the Department of Economic and Community Development pushed the bill, arguing that it would allo them to gain more information about companies seeking incentives from the state, but that the information wou have to remain secret. State officials have reason to keep information private during negotiations, and proprieta information should not be disclosed. But opponents of the measure objected primarily to a provision that wou keep ownership interests in the companies under wraps, even after an award is granted. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/editorial-sunshine-advocates-win-one-legislative/ 7

Frank Daniels III: Good bills do deserve better; we must address the bad, too (TN)

Last weekend, The Associated Press reported that Gov. Bill Haslam was disappointed that the Tennessee med didnt seem to be focused on the important work that was going on in the legislature. The governor rapped o knuckles particularly about ignoring bills that addressed a number of educational improvements championed by h administration. The media coverage that piqued the governors ire, he told The Tennessean last week, was television story about the saggy pants bill, while his comprehensive school accountability bills progress throu the legislative committees was being ignored. In the AP report from his participation in the Complete College pan Haslam said, Were redefining accountability, and youd be hard-pressed to find 100 lines of print in any paper the state. Now, today in the legislature theres a conversation about saggy pants and what they should do the So we have to go to our friends in the media and say: Really? W e all get frustrated; were I the governor, an was sick and tired of dealing with distractions thrown at me every day by the folks who have been elected responsibly govern, Id pick an opportunity and see if I could change the conversation. I dont think Gov. Haslam that deviously sophisticated, but if he lobbed this on purpose And, if he lobbed this criticism on purpose, we the media the real target, or was this his way of getting the legislature to chill out with the crazy stuff and tend business? http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/COLUMNIST0111/304150032/Frank-Daniels-III-Good bills-do-deserve-better-we-must-address-bad-too?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinions|p

Editorial: Back-alley bills make Tennessee tremble (Tennessean)

Extremist groups push nutty legislation - and it's becoming law The Tennessee General Assembly is in an aw hurry. For the past month, one major bill after another has zipped through committee en route to floor votes. A fe have hit roadblocks, its true, but only to pop up again a week or two later, back on the fast track. Considering th a whopping 4,000 bills have been introduced by this assembly in 2011-2012, why should we be surprised that a of bills are being expedited now? Except that so many of them are, in a word, nutty. One wants to allow t slaughter of healthy horses in this state so that the meat can be sold to fancy restaurants in other countrie Another would tax strippers. Still others would allow guns in the parking lots of workplaces and univers campuses, or presume to let the state meddle in the affairs of local governments by warning of a vast a fictitious conspiracy by the U.N. to subvert the world order through environmental initiatives (right here, Tennessee).And two of these a voter ID bill to combat a fictitious fraud problem and a bill to dumb down t teaching of science in public schools already have become law. There are other such bills that strain credu and scare average Tennesseans out of their wits. Because they were brought forth by duly elected Tenness legislators, we are supposed to accept them but clearly, lawmakers are asking a lot: to close our eyes and pl our ears to irrational behavior. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120415/OPINION01/304150068/Back-alley-bills-make-Tennessee-tremble? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinions|p

Chris Peck: Legislature's anti-science lark (Commercial Appeal)

Near the top of the list of good advice given by your mom is the adage, ''If you don't know what you are talki about, shut up.'' Did Tennessee state legislators forget their mothers' advice? The legislature has embarrass itself, and the state, by passing a law suggesting that the part-time legislators know best when it comes to teachi the science of evolution, climate change and cloning. Tennessee's new anti-evolution, anti-climate change a anti-cloning law was passed by large majorities in the state House and Senate and became law after Republic Gov. Bill Haslam apparently forgot who he was and meekly decided to let the bill become law without his signatu The anti-science law comes off like some petulant child's protest against a tough homework assignment simplistic, superficial and unable to withstand even the most gentle touch of honest examination. Here's jus sample of the verbiage in the law and the legislators' handiwork: -- "The General Assembly finds that ... t teaching of some scientific subjects, including ... biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warmin and human cloning, can cause controversy." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/15/inside-the-newsroom-legislatures-anti-science/ (SUB)

Wendi C. Thomas: State bill ignores reality of teen sex (Commercial Appeal)

"The public welfare requiring it." These five words end all state bills, suggesting that the legislation is crafted w the citizenry's best interests in mind. But that's not the case with an abstinence-only sex education bill that wou give teens just one tool to protect themselves. That one tool is fool-proof -- just say no -- but it's not in use by t 46 percent of high school students who report they've had sexual intercourse. Still, this bill calls for all scho 8

districts to teach that sex should be reserved for marriage. (Heterosexual, of course, as gay marriage is outlaw in Tennessee.) Any instruction on less risky sexual behavior or other ways to avoid pregnancy or an STD or wou be prohibited. House Bill 3621 and its companion Senate Bill 3310 would keep teachers or groups from promoti "gateway sexual activity," defined as "sexual contact encouraging an individual to engage in a non-abstine behavior" as if teenagers ever needed a nudge to get their freak on. The fuzziness of the language has earned t bill, which has passed in the Senate but not the House, the moniker "No Holding Hands" bill. I once sho Grizzlies' forward Rudy Gay's hand and that contact alone, well... I won't go into details, but according to this bill I shared my feelings about that encounter in school, I'd be breaking the law. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/15/state-bill-ignores-reality-of-teen-02/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Columnist: GOP close to consigning Tennessee Democrats to nature preserve (NS

Poised on the cusp of overwhelming political ascendancy next year, Tennessee Republican lawmakers a considering placing their Democratic "rivals," who are tottering on the brink of extinction, in a nature reserve provide citizens a "living history" reminder of the state's past. Seeing the writing on the redistricting map, sev incumbent Democratic representatives and four senators have announced they won't seek re-election. Three mo incumbent Democratic representatives and one senator will vanish later because Republican-controll redistricting pits incumbent against incumbent in cage matches to the political death. Consequently, Republica will maintain sizeable majorities in both chambers and could achieve a super-majority capable of legislating witho Democratic input not that they have much now. Procedural rules could then be suspended for Republicans quickly pass essential legislation. For example, a critical "Don't Say 'Gay Street' " bill could pass almost instant House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Mission Accomplished, said matters important to constituents would be quic addressed, including bills expanding on legislation passed this session. "We plan crucial bills on mandatory stude suspender installation, gun suffrage, promoting alternative evolutionary theories such as the flat Earth theory a the world-on-a-big-turtle's-back theory, means testing for voting 'those of means get to' and issuance scarlet letters for women on birth control," she explained. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/scott-mcnutts-snark-bites-gop-close-to-tennessee/

Times Editorial: Apple, e-books and consumers (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)

The U.S. Department of Justice and 15 states -- including Tennessee -- charged Apple Inc. and five major bo publishers of conspiracy last week in what they alleged is a scheme to inflate the price of electronic, or digit books. The alleged price-fixing, Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper said, has cost U.S. consumers mo than $100 million since the scheme allegedly took affect in 2010. Given that and the soaring popularity of the books, the combined Justice Department/state case to end such activity has merit. Some of the alleg conspirators obviously believe so. Three of the publishers charged already have settled, though restitution s must be determined. At this writing, neither Apple nor the remaining named publishers have done so. The antitru case against them will proceed. The federal and state government should prosecute it vigorously. That's the be way to keep the lucrative e-book market competitive. The governments' case alleges that Apple and the publishe conspired to create a price-fixing plan that inflated the cost of e-books by requiring retailers to sell electronic titl at prices set by the publishers, rather than a price determined by retailers and the marketplace. The mon involved in a market that is growing exponentially -- e-book sales expanded by 117 percent in 2011 -considerable. Prior to the start of the alleged conspiracy, some retailers -- most notably Amazon -- sold many books for $9.99. Afterwards, the price for many of the same titles rose to $12.99 and $14.99, with Apple alleged getting a 30 percent cut. The government's announcement of the antitrust case already has prompted o favorable outcome for consumers. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/0415f-t2-apple-e-books-and-consumers/?opiniontimes

Free-Press Editorial: U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander sees med 'bomb' (TFP)

Tennessee's fine U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander is a realist not an alarmist. So when he rings an "alarm," we'd bet pay attention. Sen. Alexander says he fears the current Health Care Law is a "ticking time bomb." He sa "Millions of Americans, because of the health care law, are going to lose their employer-sponsored insurance a millions of Americans are not going to have as many jobs because of the costs imposed on businesses." Well, y can see why the senator is issuing a warning. Sen. Alexander explained: "I remember during the debate two yea ago, I suggested to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle who were supporting the health care law -- whic thought was an historic mistake because it expanded a health care delivery system we already knew was t expensive -- instead of taking steps to reduce it. "I suggested to them that they ought to go home and run governor if they voted for it and see whether they can implement it over an eight-year period of time." Se 9

Alexander explained his concern: "The health care law mandates that the states spend more money on Medica and, as a result, the state cuts the money it is spending for the University of Tennessee or Nebraska or No Dakota. "In order to keep the quality of education up, tuition goes up. So students are paying more for tuition a they are paying more for interest on their student loans directly because of the health care law." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/15/lamar-alexander-sees-med-bomb/?opinionfreepress

Guest columnist: Public pension programs are rolling the dice (News-Sentinel)

Our public pension plans have a gambling problem. The plans do not have enough dollars in them to pay for t benefits that must be paid to employees. That fact is increasingly clear as the community learns about t projected shortfalls in funding. What has received less attention is the level of risk the plans have taken with th investments. Private retirement plans for retirees, widows and orphans have traditionally been invested in only t safest, least volatile securities. Those investments produce lower returns in exchange for preservation of capi and steady income. Our public pension plans, like many across the nation, have taken a different path. The curre investment portfolios of both the city of Knoxville and Knox County pension plans are heavily invested in stock real estate and more exotic options such as hedge funds. This investment strategy is driven by the pursuit of "assumed rate of return," the key number that drives all of the plan financial projections. The assumed rate return is just that, an assumption. It is only loosely based on the actual rate of return. The county has an assum rate of return of 7.5 percent for the Uniformed Officers Pension Plan, even though that plan's portfolio has lo money or barely broken even since inception. The city's investments have actually returned 6.44 percent over t past 10 years, yet the assumed rate of return is 7.375 percent. Assuming a higher return than you actually earn makes the pension plan math look better than it actually is. As bad as the reported shortfalls of $13 to $30 million year sound, they are based on some of the rosiest scenarios available. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/john-craig-public-pension-programs-are-rolling/ ###

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