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Nashville's City Paper to Cease Operations Aug. 9
From today's edition of The City Paper:
After 13 years, The City Paper will cease operations with the publication of its Friday, Aug. 9 issue.
Chris Ferrell, CEO of SouthComm, made the announcement to employees this morning.
"In the last few days, we made the difficult decision to stop publishing The City Paper," he said. "After years of being subsidized by our investors and other Southcomm publications, we finally determined that there was not enough advertiser support for the free newsweekly model we were trying to sustain. The model proved very popular with readers, but in publishing the revenue doesn't necessarily follow the readership."
Ferrell said that the tough climate for advertising dollars made having multiple news properties extremely difficult, particularly a general interest publication like The City Paper. A portion of the staff will be laid off while others will be redeployed to other SouthComm publications.
"Going forward we will be merging some of our editorial resources into our profitable publications in Nashville in an effort to make them even stronger," Ferrell said. "You will see some of the names you have grown familiar with in The City Paper in the masthead of the Nashville Scene and Nashville Post. Both publications will expand their news coverage to fill the gap left by the closing of The City Paper. David Boclair will continue his coverage of Nashville sports, for example."
Full story HERE.
Cooper Hires Chattanooga TFP's Washington Reporter
News release from Congressman Jim Cooper:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05) announced three new additions to his Washington office.
Chris Carroll, a Tennessee native and most recently the Washington correspondent for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, will join as Cooper's new press secretary on August 5. At the Times Free Press, Carroll reopened the Capital Hill bureau and won several awards for his reporting. He is a graduate of East Tennessee State University's Honors Program.
Carroll replaces Katie Hill, who has taken a job as communications director for former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords' organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions.
Cooper also announced the addition of a new staff assistant, Vic Goetz, a Nashville native and former intern, who graduated from Bucknell earlier this year. Goetz replaces another Nashville native, Kathleen Ambrose, who joined the staff of Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC-7) this spring.
Cooper is also pleased to welcome a new health care legislative fellow, Paul Shorkey. Shorkey is a Rhodes Scholar and current candidate for M.Sci. in Global Health Science at the University of Oxford with a focus on U.S. health policy and health systems. He also holds a M.Sc. in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford and is a Morehead-Cain graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Shorkey will work with Cooper on health care issues until the end of the year.
Shorkey succeeds Ruth McDonald, Cooper's health care legislative aide, who will begin graduate school this fall.
Documentary on TN Capitol Premiers
News release from Secretary of State's office:
It has endured an army occupation, the interment of two of its founding fathers, and a car cruising through its hallways. Not to mention its role as the site of many of the most important events in Tennessee's history. The Tennessee State Capitol building has many great stories to tell - and some of those stories were revealed in a documentary about the building that premiered last week. In attendance were state legislators, department commissioners, representatives from preservation groups and others.
The documentary was created by the staff of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. It is the first part of a project that will eventually include a virtual tour of the Capitol building and its grounds, and feature stories about the building and influential people in Tennessee history.
When completed, the entire project will be burned onto DVDs that will be distributed to schools throughout the state.
The project is a result of the Tennessee General Assembly's approval of Public Chapter No. 557, sponsored by Representative Jim Coley and Senator Ken Yager.
"I appreciate the support of the Tennessee General Assembly in the passage of Public Chapter No. 557, which has led us to the creation of a comprehensive digital record of the Tennessee State Capitol's history," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "That history will be available to people now and in the future - 24 hours a day, seven days a week and free of charge - over the Internet. There are many things about the Capitol's history that will surprise people. This building doesn't have its own Trivial Pursuit game, but it could."
"The mission of the State Library and Archives is to preserve Tennessee's history for everyone," State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill said. "This video draws on some of the vast treasures contained in our archives to tell the story of the Capitol building."
The original cornerstone of the Capitol building was laid on July 4, 1845. In the 14 years that followed, architect William Strickland - with assistance from Samuel Morgan, Francis Strickland and Harvey Ackroyd - designed and oversaw the building that is still in use today. Although the Capitol has gone through various renovations over nearly 170 years, many of the building's original characteristics are unchanged. This historical national landmark is one of the nation's oldest working statehouses still in use.
The documentary and information on the images used in the film are available at www.capitol.tnsos.net. Additionally, the virtual tour, mini-features, and fun stories about the Tennessee State Capitol will be available soon.
Frank Niceley Starts Blogging
State Sen. Frank Niceley has launched a blog with initial posts on topics ranging from "Rocky the squirrel" being foiled in an attempt to break into the state capitol complex (with photo) to a reminiscence on "legendary East Tennessee criminal defense attorney Ray Jenkins."
The very first post provides a hat tip of sorts to Sen. Stacey Campfield, a fellow conservative Republican who was apparently the first state legislator to start a blog several years ago. Therein Niceley recalls a conversation with then-House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh:
"Frank, you all have to do something about Campfield," he said obviously agitated, "he has a blog!" I replied, "what's a blog?" Naifeh paused and responded, "I don't know but it sounds bad." He hurried off.
The blog is entitled "Frank Niceley said, What?" with the subhead "politics, history, humor, farming.. You'll find it HERE
Commercial Appeal Gets a New Editor: Staff Veteran Louis Graham
By the time George Cogswell, president and publisher of The Commercial Appeal, finished announcing that Louis Graham would become the newspaper's new editor, many employees began standing and cheering, according to the CA's report on the naming of the new boss.
Cogswell moments earlier Monday referred to "the campaign" by many inside and outside the newsroom to persuade him and the newspaper's corporate parent, Scripps Howard, to make Graham, 56, the successor to Chris Peck, who retired March 17 after more than 10 years leading the newsroom.
Graham, managing editor since 2011 and interim editor since Peck's departure, was one of three finalists who interviewed last month. Cogswell quoted such words and phrases sent to him about Graham as "leadership" and "compassion" and "integrity" and "best boss I've ever had."
"I have found him to be of the highest integrity and someone who truly cares about Memphis," Cogswell said. "His 33 years at The Commercial Appeal will serve our readers incredibly well and will provide our newsroom with the leadership necessary to leap forward with our digital content platforms."
TBI Staffer's Tweet Upsets Holly Bobo's Family
The family of missing Tennessean Holly Bobo on Tuesday accused the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation of ignoring their pain after what they call a "very inappropriate, very unprofessional" tweet by the agency's spokeswoman, according to the Tennessean.
The tweet, by TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm, referred to a story on Saturday detailing the TBI's criticism of a Brentwood nonprofit's involvement in the investigation and WSMV-Channel 4 reports on the group's findings. (Previous post HERE)
Helm posted a picture on Twitter showing The Tennessean's story about the controversy with the caption, "Great way to start off my day and the coffee is brewing."
Bobo's mother said Tuesday that the tweet appeared to be "sounding victorious," while her daughter remains missing.
"I do feel like the big picture has been lost and that picture is finding my daughter," said Karen Bobo, standing on the steps of the state Capitol. "If this is an example of how TBI feels about my daughter's case, then I do think there is a conflict of interest."
Helm later apologized and said the tweet was from her personal account. The tweet has since been deleted.
"The tweet from my personal account was referring to the content of the article, not directed at the case," she said in an email. "If it was construed as hurtful which was not its intention, I apologize. It does not reflect any opinion of TBI or my work, only my own personal thoughts after hours."
Sunday Column: Appreciating Gubernatorial Ire at Media
Things haven't been go ing all that well for Gov. Bill Haslam's administration lately on the media attention front, so maybe it was understandable that he expressed irritation last week when asked about ties to an East Tennessee developer who benefited from recently passed legislation.
"I want to say something: You all's job is to ask questions, but it's also your job to get the answer right," he lectured reporters in the course of explaining why he is without fault in the situation. "Quite frankly, I think it's a disservice when people imply something's wrong when they know there's nothing wrong."
The Tennessean story that triggered gubernatorial ire reported that he would likely sign "a bill that would aid a personal business associate and overrule the city of Gatlinburg's efforts to regulate moonshine distilleries." The article quoted the developer in question, Ned Vickers, and others to the effect that Haslam had no connection to Vickers' Gatlinburg distillery and that he hadn't even seen Vickers in years.
But the governor saw an implication there and it made him mad -- or at least as close to mad as our mild-mannered and gentlemanly chief executive ever gets in public.
Continue reading "Sunday Column: Appreciating Gubernatorial Ire at Media"
TBI Blasts 'Without Warning' TV Report on Missing Woman
News release from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation:
Nashville, Tenn. - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has determined that the non-profit organization "Without Warning" did not investigate the case of missing Tennessee woman, Holly Bobo, to law enforcement standards as reported by Nashville television station WSMV which aired several stories during newscasts this month as well as a special documentary which aired May 12, 2013.
While speaking to TBI Special Agents, each member of the private investigative team admitted that they regurgitated information they had heard and read in order to talk about the case on television.
In addition, the founder of "Without Warning," Sheila Wysocki, wrote in an email to a TBI Special Agent, "You all have to realize that we have been able to make any story surrounding this case a ratings winner and online success which was the goal. In return, someone may come forward to be the hero and give you all the right information to resolve this case." Each member of the team stated the information provided to them came from the victim's family.
Continue reading "TBI Blasts 'Without Warning' TV Report on Missing Woman"
Haslam Lectures Media, Says He'll Sign Distillery Bill
Gov. Bill Haslam says he's likely to sign into law a bill updating the state's 2009 liquor distillery statute despite questions raised about two real estate investments he has with a Knoxville developer who helped push the bill, reports the Chattanooga TFP.
"It was passed by the Legislature," Haslam said. "I don't see any constitutional issues. I don't think there's a lack of clarity. I don't know at this point and date why I wouldn't [sign it]."
The bill was sent to Haslam on May 6. Governors have 10 days to decide what action to take. The governor can sign, veto or allow the bill to become law without his signature.
Haslam emphasized earlier this week the bill was not an administration initiative. And he said he didn't know developer Ned Vickers was involved in the bill and a proposed Gatlinburg distillery, let alone discuss the matter with him.
"Y'all's job is to ask questions, but it's also your job to get the answer right," the irritated governor lectured reporters about a news report on the issue.
He said previous investments he made with Holrob Investments, with which Vickers was associated, were placed in a blind trust he created when he became governor in 2011.
The Tennessean reported this week that before placing most of his holdings in the blind trust, Haslam listed 18 Holrob-affiliated investments on a disclosure. The newspaper reported he still has two. (Previous post HERE.)
Haslam said he can't say for sure whether he still has the two investments because they're part of the blind trust, controlled by a trustee.
Al-Jazeera Coming to Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Al-Jazeera plans to open a news bureau in Nashville.
The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/18HPsHc) the news organization that bought Al Gore's Current TV for $500 million earlier this year has said it will begin broadcasting Al-Jazeera America sometime late this summer. The network plans news bureaus in 12 cities across the country.
Bob Wheelock, executive producer of Al-Jazeera English, confirmed Nashville as one of the bureau sites during an interview with WWJ-AM 950 in Detroit on Thursday.
He said the network wants to have bureaus in cities where other networks do not. Those cities include Detroit, New Orleans and Nashville.
Wheelock said the new channel will broadcast stories about Americans by Americans.
Vanderbilt religious studies lecturer Abdulkadir Gure said Nashville probably was chosen because it is geographically, politically and demographically central.
Tennessean Gets New President and Publisher
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessean has announced that Laura Hollingsworth has been named its new president and publisher.
According to the paper (http://tnne.ws/10vaiEP ), Hollingsworth comes to Nashville from The Des Moines Register, where she has been president and publisher since 2007.
She also serves as the Gannett Co. Inc.'s U.S. Community Publishing group president for the Central Group, overseeing 25 markets in the central region.
U.S. Community Publishing President Robert Dickey said Hollingsworth has a deep commitment to community journalism. She also is expected to expand The Tennessean's digital capabilities.
Hollingsworth replaces Carol Hudler, who has been named as a special assistant to Dickey
Rep. Ragan Deemed 'Reformer of the Year' by Oversight?
State Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, has been designated a "reformer of the year" by StudentsFirst, which also gave $6,500 to his reelection campaign. This has inspired a critical article in the Daily Kos after bloggers discovered that he also sponsored the so-called "don't say gay" bill along with Sen. Stacey Campfield. (And couldn't get a second for passage in a House subcommittee, HERE.)
Eric Lerum, StudentsFirst's VP of national policy offered some responses to angry backlash on Twitter Friday night, claiming they were unaware of John Ragan's anti-gay history and "We wouldn't have endorsed had we known." He alluded Ragan's selection was a candidate vetting snafu.
As vetting goes, one need simply type "John Ragan'" into the Tennessee legislature's website to see Ragan filed HB 1332, the "Classroom Protection Act" back on February 14, 2013. It even pops up with a great big bold lead-in that says: "Education" so this educational political action group could easily find bills of interest to them. The legislative history for HB 1332 shows seven actions were taken on the bill until late March 2013 including lots of activity in the House Education Subcommittee.
Which, of course, perhaps indicates that discerning readers of this blog are more informed about Tennessee legislators and their doings than either StudentsFirst or The Daily Kos. (Sample Ragan posts HERE, HERE and HERE.)
Chattanooga Times-Free Press Going to 'Metered Paywall'
The Chattanooga Times Free Press will start charging to read the newspaper online next week for those who don't subscribe to the print edition.
The system will be a metered paywall, where readers will be allowed a number of free articles per month before having to pay. Breaking news stories, under the website's "latest news" section, will remain free. Video and Associated Press stories also will be available on the Times Free Press website free of charge.
Jason Taylor, president of the Times Free Press, said metered access will help the newspaper cover the costs of maintaining the region's biggest newsgathering team. The other major daily newspapers in Tennessee either already have moved or are moving this year to charge for their online content.
"We're the market leader for information, but the content we produce is very expensive and we want to price that in a way that makes sense and reflects the value of what we offer," Taylor said. "As much as we've been able to grow our print and online circulation, we also need to show solidarity with the industry as it moves toward charging for online content."
Campfield's 'Pressure Cooker' Joke Draws National Media Attention
Sen. Stacey Campfield is drawing national media attention again, this time for a blog post joke calling for "pressure cooker control" after pressure cookers were fashioned into bombs for the Boston marathon explosions that killed three people.
The unapologetic Campfield had an interview/argument with CNN's Piers Morgan on Thursday, saying he was "just pointing out the hypocrisy of the left" and comparing gun control as a curb to violence to "spoon control" to curb obesity.
He also got in a few digs at Morgan, such as: "When are you going to move back to England? People in Tennessee are dying to know." (Video HERE)
And here's an excerpt from an ABC News story, which notes the blog post had a photo of a pressure cooker with "Assault Pressure Cooker (APC)" printed below it.:
The photo had labels and arrows pointing to all of the pot's "dangerous" features including a "muzzle break thingy that goes 'up'" and a "tactical pistol grip."
It's also described as "large-capacity, can cook for hours without reloading" and the color was "evil, black."
The blog post was titled, "Here comes Feinstein again," an apparent dig at Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), one of the leading proponents in the battle for gun control. The image implied that pressure cookers might be her next target.
Two pressure cookers were turned into bombs in the Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and wounded more than 260 people.
Campfield dismisses the criticism.
"I think it's tasteless when Obama will drag everybody he can up to Capitol Hill and try to pass gun control," Campfield told ABCNews.com today. "I think that was classless and tasteless. I don't hear them complaining about that too much."
"I was showing the hypocrisy of Diane Feinstein, the gun grabbers, of their inability to realize that it is a person that does activity, not an inanimate object, be it a gun or a pressure cooker," he said.
HSUS TV Ad Campaign Calls for Veto of 'Ag Gag' Bill
News release from Humane Society of the United States:
(April 22, 2013) NASHVILLE, Tenn. - At a press conference at the state capitol, The Humane Society of the United States and Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville District 13, screened a new television commercial showing violent abuse of horses from an investigation into the Tennessee walking horse industry. The commercial is the latest effort by The HSUS to urge Gov. Bill Haslam to veto SB1248, the special interest "ag-gag" bill.
The commercial, which began airing across Tennessee this weekend, is the latest effort by The HSUS to stop the passage of SB1248, which would make it a crime for investigative journalists and organizations to document and expose inhumane and illegal activity in horse stables and at industrial agriculture facilities. The bill narrowly passed the House with a bare minimum of votes and is heading to Gov. Haslam for action.
In 2011, an HSUS investigation into Tennessee walking horse trainer Jackie McConnell's stable in Collierville, Tenn., revealed shocking cruelty to horses. The investigator recorded horses being whipped, kicked, shocked in the face and intentionally burned with caustic chemicals. As a result of that investigation, a federal grand jury handed down a 52-count criminal indictment and a state grand jury indicted McConnell and two others for 38 counts of criminal animal cruelty.
Leighann McCollum, Tennessee state director for The HSUS said: "This commercial highlights the import role undercover investigations play in exposing inhumane practices that otherwise would remain hidden from the unsuspecting public. We are calling on Gov. Haslam to veto SB1248 and stop the animal cruelty cover-up."
The crimes at McConnell's stables would have never come to light but for The HSUS' undercover investigation, which exposed a culture of lawlessness and cruelty that has thrived within the Tennessee walking horse show industry.
In 2010, the USDA's Office of Inspector General released a damning report, concluding that "The practice of soring has been ingrained as an acceptable practice in the industry for decades" and that the "APHIS' [Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] program for inspecting horses for soring is not adequate to ensure that these animals are not being abused."
The narrator in The HSUS commercial states, "Tennessee politicians have passed a bill to silence whistle blowers, covering up the abuse and protecting the next Jackie McConnell." The ad also highlights the fact that Tennessee newspapers have joined in opposing this special interest legislation.
Continue reading "HSUS TV Ad Campaign Calls for Veto of 'Ag Gag' Bill"
Animal Abuse Video Bill Wins House Approval 50-43
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A bill seeking to require anyone recording or taking photos of livestock abuse to turn images over to law enforcement within 48 hours was approved in the House on Wednesday with the bare vote minimum needed.
The chamber voted 50-43 to approve the measure sponsored by Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, after defeating several proposed amendments and an extensive debate that at times featured lawmakers making animal noises.
Bills must gain at least 50 votes in the 99-member chamber to pass. The measure now heads to Gov. Bill Haslam, who said earlier this week that he didn't know enough about the measure to say whether he would sign it into law.
Animal protection activists like the Humane Society of the United States have said the bill would have a chilling effect on whistleblowers and prevent undercover operations from establishing a pattern of abuse.
In 2011, the Humane Society secretly filmed video inside a Tennessee Walking Horse stable showing trainers applying caustic substances to the horses' legs and beating them to make them stand.
Trainer Jackie McConnell, whose stable was in Senate sponsor Dolores Gresham's West Tennessee district, pleaded guilty in federal court in September.
The Senate version passed 22-9 on Tuesday.
Rep. Vance Dennis, R-Savannah, objected to the bill during the Wednesday debate, calling it unenforceable and "Orwellian."
"If you walk down the street and see someone commit a murder and you don't report it, that's not a crime," he said, "but under your bill, if you see and record animal abuse and don't report it, that is a crime."
Among the failed amendments proposed on Wednesday was one that would have broadened it to require anyone observing animal abuse to report it and not limiting the reporting requirements to a person intentionally recording or photographing the abuse.
Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, tried to amend the bill to specify that news reporters would be protected from prosecution.
"We don't punish the people who gather the information on the crime, we punish the people who commit the crime," Lynn said.
Judge Orders DCS to Turn Over Child Death Records to Media
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The state Department of Children's Services was ordered Wednesday to give the media records from the case files of 50 children who died or nearly died after the agency became involved with them.
Davidson County Chancellor Carol McCoy also ordered the state to bear the cost of redacting identifying information from the records. The media organizations will pay the cost of making copies.
In September, The Tennessean requested the records of all the children involved with DCS who had died or nearly died between 2009 and mid-2012. The state produced only bare-bones summaries and later acknowledged it did not know how many children had died during that period.
In December a group of media organizations, led by The Tennessean and including The Associated Press, sued for access to the records. McCoy in January ordered the state to redact and turn over records from four cases and to produce an estimate of the cost to redact records in the remaining 200-or-so cases.
The state first said it would cost more than $55,000 to produce the remaining records, but later reduced that to a little over $34,000.
At the Wednesday hearing, the media groups asked McCoy to expand which records the department has to turn over and to order DCS to waive the fee.
McCoy did grant a partial expansion of the records request and ordered that the media groups must pay only a 50-cent-per-page copying cost. She told DCS to produce records from the 50 most recent files for her review by May 3.
Livestock Video Abuse Bill Clears Senate
The Senate has approved, 22-9, legislation that requires anyone filming livestock abuse to turn over all "unedited photographs, digital images or video" to law enforcement authorities within 48 hours.
Proponents say the bill (SB1248) is aimed at stopping animal abuse promptly. Critics said it actually protects animal abusers by targeting only those make photographs or video.
The measure is scheduled for a House floor vote today.
In Senate debate Tuesday, Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, cited abuse of Tennessee Walking Horses recorded on video by the Humane Society of the United States as illustrating the need for legislation. The HSUS video led to successful prosecution for abuse of the animals, but Bell said the animals themselves suffered.
"They sat on it (the video) for four months... then released it at an opportune time for them," said Bell, suggesting the recording was to "benefit fundraising" by HSUS. "They had no concern for that (abused) horse."
But Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, noted that if HSUS had "sat on the film forever" the proposed new law would never have come into play and the abuse would have continued.
"You're criminalizing the film-making, not the abuse," said Norris. "That puts the lie to the assertion that it's the abuse you're concerned with."
The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a fine of up to $500 but no jail time, to fail to turn over all recordings of livestock abuse to a law enforcement authority.
Norris proposed an amendment that would have required anyone having knowledge of animal abuse to report it to authorities as well. He said that would "get to the root of the problem" by targeting the abuse, not the photographing of the abuse.
Sponsor Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, opposed Norris' revision, saying it would "make every person who ever saw or observed what they might think animal unreasonably treated, a criminal if don't turn in." Norris' amendment was then tabled, or killed, on a 17-10 vote.
The bill was also debated Wednesday in the House Calendar Committee, where Rep. Jon Lundberg, D-Bristol, tried to have it sent back to the House Civil Justice Committee, which Lundberg chairs, for further hearings.
Lundberg said he believes the bill infringes on First Amendment rights, but his motion was killed with only seven committee members voting for it while 12 opposed. Critics of the bill said amendments may also be filed for today's House vote.
Gov Signs Newspaper Notices Bill
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill to require public notices to be published on newspaper websites.
The measure maintains a requirement for public notices to be published in the print editions of newspapers. It would also create a statewide online clearinghouse for all notices.
Sponsors say the Tennessee Press Association called for the changes in the interest of enhanced transparency.
"The public notice law is a positive step forward for government transparency," said Kent Flanagan, director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. "It actually ensures that public notices will be posted on third party independent websites."
The measure was sponsored by Republican Sen. Ken Yager of Harriman and Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville.
The House approved the legislation 94-1, and it passed the Senate 31-1.
On Bashing Tennessee... Especially the Legislature
Bashing the Tennessee Legislature and legislators has become quite popular in some national media circles, but the state's homegrown writers are pretty good at it, too - as illustrated in two Sunday pieces from opposite ends of the state.
Scott McNutt's satire blast begins thusly:
As time runs out on the Tennessee General Assembly's 2013 session, some lawmakers are pushing for Tennessee to secede from the current century.
Although much legislation that would have thrust Tennessee backward in time failed this time around, lawmakers advocating temporal secession argue that the fact that they keep promoting these regressive, time-warping bills only proves how awful the present is and, by extension, how wonderful the past was,
And here's one excerpt:
Tennessee's ostensible lieutenant governor, Ron Ramsey, R-Happy Days, informed titular Gov. Bill Haslam that he had decided not to dissuade the Legislature's time-secession movement.
Ramsey said, "I'm going to let them loose. We might land in the 19th century. It might be the 20th. We might overshoot and hit the 'Land That Time Forgot.' The governor said he'd prefer the 'Land of the Lost,' but I can't control them."
Haslam said that, while he liked some of the anachronistic legislation lawmakers had proposed, he was still taking time to study the possibility of considering the potential feasibility -- while weighing the advisability -- of determining if it were within the realm of theoretical probability that he might perhaps decide before the end of the century whether any 21st-century secession bills were plausible contenders for his veto.
"Or not," he added firmly.
Over in Memphis, Wendi C. Thomas compares the Tennessee General Assembly to the Mississippi legislature - and not favorably.
The Mississippi legislature waited until February to formally ratify the 13th Amendment, which in 1865 abolished slavery.
A 148-year-old oversight is embarrassing.
What the Tennessee legislature has done to the poor and working class is reprehensible.
Thomas mentions in her piece a fine example of Tennessee-trashing on the national level, which appeared in Salon.com (HERE). It begins:
If you're worried about where America is heading, look no further than Tennessee. Its lush mountains and verdant rolling countryside belie a mean-spirited public policy that only makes sense if you believe deeply in the anti-collectivist, anti-altruist philosophy of Ayn Rand. It's what you get when you combine hatred for government with disgust for poor people.
'Vigilante' Video Attacks on Animal Abuse Targeted in 'Ag Gag' Bill
Legislators out to stop what they see as "vigilante" attacks on the livestock industry are pushing for enactment of a bill that critics see as an attack on constitutional freedom of speech.
The bill (SB1248) would require anyone observing abuse of livestock to promptly turn over all "unedited photographs, digital images or video" related to the abuse to law enforcement authorities. Under the current Senate version, this would have to occur within 48 hours of when the recording was made or, if the recording was made on a weekend, on the next weekday.
Violators would be guilty of a "class C" misdemeanor, penalized by a maximum fine of $500.
"This is a Catch-22 bill," said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, when the proposal (SB1248) came up on the Senate floor last week, referring to the Joseph Heller novel on a paradoxical situation.
Continue reading "'Vigilante' Video Attacks on Animal Abuse Targeted in 'Ag Gag' Bill"
Cohen: Tweet Was a Trick on Media to Promote Memphis Music
Congressman Steve Cohen says he tweeted and deleted a message to Cyndi Lauper this week intentionally to fool the press into promoting Memphis music, reports the Commercial Appeal.
"There's been a lot of discussion about my tweets -- some questioning my ability to tweet," Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, said from his desk in the Rayburn Building.
"The fact is I tweeted exactly what I wanted to tweet and I deleted exactly what I wanted to delete because, in this age, which I learned a couple of months ago ... the best way to get a message out was to tweet and delete because the press will instantaneously assume the worst -- something nefarious, something salacious -- and jump on it."
Cohen accidentally tweeted and deleted messages proclaiming his love for a 24-year-old Texas coed during the State of the Union in February and stories of the tweets went viral. Two days later, he revealed that she was a daughter he had never publicly identified.
The deleted tweets to Lauper were captured by Politiwoops, a program of the Sunlight Foundation, a good-government group that promotes transparency in government.
Cohen's Twitter messages on Wednesday to Lauper mentioned her singing "Try a Little Tenderness" and said her performance at "In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul" on Tuesday night was "hot." The concert will be broadcast on PBS stations, including WKNO, on Tuesday night.
On Friday, Cohen explained: "It was a hot show, and Memphis music is hot. And Cyndi Lauper's performance was hot. So was Justin Timberlake's and Eddie Floyd's 'Knock on Wood' and I wanted the world to know about it."
Cohen said that if he put out a press release about the show, no one would see it.
"But I knew from my last episode, because of Politiwoops and the Sunshine (sic) Foundation having their area where they put deleted tweets, I knew the press would see it," he said. "And I knew the press would also see the worst in it and publish it and, by doing so, they would publicize the Memphis music unlike anything I could have ever done."
Newspaper Legal Notices Bill Goes to Governor
The House gave final approval Monday night to a bill requiring newspapers that publish public notices to post them on their website as well at no extra charge.
The bill cleared the House on a 94-1 vote and now goes to the governor for his expected signature.
In brief debate, Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, told sponsor Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, that it seemed inappropriate to "be telling the newspaper what they can and can't charge for."
Haynes said the bill is supported by the Tennessee Press Association.
"They are committed to open government and this is one more service they can provide to make government more open and more transparent," Haynes said. "To give more people the opportunity to see public notices, they're willing to take that cost on."
House Panel OKs Bill on Undercover Animal Videos
A House panel has approved a bill that requires people making undercover videos of livestock operations to turn an unedited copy over to law enforcement officers within 24 hours.
Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, said that "radical animal activist groups" have taken "months and months" of video recordings as abuse continues. Passage of his bill (HB1191) would protect both the state's livestock industry and abused animals, he said.
An amendment was suggested to the measure that would exclude media from the bill's requirement that unedited video, if made without permission of animal owners or those recorded, be turned over to law enforcement officers within 24 hours. In an interview, Holt said he was concerned that animal activists would simply call themselves media to avoid the proposed law.
Under the proposal, violations would be a misdemeanor crime, though punishable only a fine and not jail time.
Holt said that requiring video to be turned over to police was no different than current law requiring reporting of child abuse to authorities.
The bill was approved on voice vote of the House Agriculture Subcommittee and will be before the full Agriculture Committee next week. The subcommittee chairman, Rep. Ron Lollar, R-Bartlett, said he expects further consideration on the media exemption amendment then.
Last year, the Humane Society of the United States released an undercover video of a Tennessee Walking Horse trainer abusing horses to accentuate their performance of what is known as a "high leg kick." The video led to penalties being imposed against the trainer and others.gs before making them public.
Bill Requires Newspapers to Publish Legal Notices Online (as well as in print)
The Senate has approved, 31-1, legislation that will require newspapers to post public notices on their websites as well as in their print editions with no extra charge starting in April, 2014.
The bill (SB461) faces a House floor vote next week after clearing committees without a dissenting vote. It is sponsored by Sen. Ken Yager, R-Harriman, and Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville, and supported by the Tennessee Press Association.
In Senate floor debate, Yager noted there has been debate in the past about having public notices posted online on government websites rather than in newspapers with valid arguments on both sides. He said the legislation "tries to take the best of both and combine them into a bill that will preserve independence by allowing someone other than the government to disseminate notices."
Besides requiring the notices be posted on newspaper websites, the measure also requires each newspaper provide a link to a website where such notices from newspapers statewide will be available. The Tennessee Press Association anticipates operating such a website.
The sole vote against the bill came from Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who said he views the measure as "excluding everyone else who is not a Tennessee newspaper" from publishing public notices.
Continue reading "Bill Requires Newspapers to Publish Legal Notices Online (as well as in print)"
Commercial Appeal Editor Retiring
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The editor of The Commercial Appeal is retiring after 11 years in the paper's top position.
Chris Peck notified the staff Thursday afternoon.
Scripps newspapers Vice President of Content, Mizell Stewart told The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/XMfhVc) managing editor Louis Graham will serve as interim editor. He said a national search for Peck's replacement -- both in and out of Scripps -- will take place immediately aiming to hire a replacement within 90 days. Scripps is the parent company of the publication.
The paper hired Peck, 62, in 2002 to replace the retiring Angus McEachran.
Peck is a past president of the Associated Press Managing Editors and the current secretary of the American Society of News Editors.
Stewart said Peck would continue to contribute to the paper's editorial pages
Senate-passed Bill Requires Newspapers to Post Notices on Internet
News release from Senate Republican Caucus:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The State Senate approved legislation today requiring newspapers that print public notices to post them on the Internet. Senate Bill 461, sponsored by Senator Ken Yager (R-Harriman), is supported by the Tennessee Press Association.
Action on the bill was taken during "Sunshine Week," an annual time to highlight the importance of maintaining open government nationwide. Yager said the legislation recognizes the growing use of the Internet as a source of information, while preserving the integrity of using an independent agency for public notice by newspapers of general circulation.
Current law requires public notices be given on a variety of matters of importance to the public, including government meetings, bid announcements, notice of parental termination, foreclosure notices, public sale of private property, back tax notices, estate notices and zoning changes, to name a few. Local governments, looking for ways to reduce expenditures have suggested they can save money by posting notices on their websites rather than posting them in a local newspaper.
"My experience in local government gives me a greater appreciation of the importance of this issue," said Yager, who served as Roane County Executive for 24 years before being elected to the State Senate. "Using an independent agency, the local newspaper, builds integrity in the process. To give even the appearance of manipulating mandatory public notices, tarnishes the reputation of government because it undermines the concept of independence and transparency."
In addition, the legislation calls for the newspapers to post public notices on a central statewide website. Every newspaper that publishes public notices must post on their website homepage a link to the public notice section and another link to the Tennessee Press Association's statewide repository website.
"This bill combines the best of both worlds. It keeps public notices in places where more people can find them by ensuring the widest distribution," said Senator Yager. "This measure comes with no extra costs to taxpayers, and promotes government transparency, efficiency and public trust. I am pleased that it has been approved by the full Senate and honored for its passage during a week that embraces openness in government."
Bill Protecting Anonymous Commenters Clears Senate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A measure to block courts from granting subpoenas for identities of anonymous commenters on news websites has passed the Senate.
The proposal sponsored by Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown was unanimously approved 32-0 on Wednesday. The companion bill was also scheduled to be heard Wednesday in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee.
Currently, a person who gathers information for publication or broadcast isn't required by a court, a grand jury, the General Assembly or any administrative body to disclose information or the source of any information "procured for publication or broadcast."
Kelsey's proposal adds to the current law. It does not apply, however, in cases in which defamatory comments were made.
Hearing Set in Media Lawsuit Seeking DCS Records of Child Abuse Deaths
By Erik Schelzig, Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Department of Children's Service has been reporting to a federal court for more than a decade on how it is handling foster care, yet it faces no such scrutiny of its handling of children suffering from abuse or neglect.
The state reports that 120 children investigated by the Department of Children's Services after reports of abuse or neglect died between 2009 and 2011. There were 31 more deaths during the first half of 2012, DCS says.
DCS refuses to divulge anything but bare details about the deaths, such as the child's age, gender and home county. It won't release what actions it took in the cases. DCS even keeps the names of the children who died secret.
The agency's refusal to disclose its case records to the public is being challenged in court by a coalition of 12 news media organizations, led by The Tennessean newspaper. A hearing on the challenge is set for Tuesday.
A public records lawsuit by the coalition seeks to open the files on the children who died, arguing that "the public has a strong interest in knowing what actions DCS took -- or failed to take -- in order to protect them." The group that filed the challenge includes The Associated Press and newspapers and broadcasters in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville.
Commissioner Kate O'Day has said privacy concerns about the children are the motivation for keeping details about their cases secret. The confidentiality requirements are "not to protect DCS, they're really to protect the families," she told The Tennessean.
Gov. Bill Haslam has said he agrees with the legal analysis by state attorneys that Tennessee isn't required to release detailed information in the event of child deaths.
That stance is in contrast to other states, where judges, lawmakers and state officials have decided greater transparency improves child welfare agency performance or is required by public records laws.
Continue reading "Hearing Set in Media Lawsuit Seeking DCS Records of Child Abuse Deaths"
Federal Judge Blocks Enforcement of TN Law Targeting Online Sex Ads
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A federal judge has ruled that a Tennessee law passed last year that targets online sex ads violates free speech rights.
The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/136AxGB) cited an opinion written by Judge John T. Nixon that says the law is written in a way that infringes on freedom of speech and interstate commerce laws. The purpose of the law is to protect children from sex trafficking.
The issue went to court when Backpage.com filed a lawsuit alleging the new regulation violated the First Amendment and other federal protections. Backpage.com publishes millions of ads each month, including those that sell adult services, and said it would be impossible to screen every ad posted to its site and the law hurt its business.
Nixon granted the company's request for a temporary restraining order against the law.
Antoinette Welch, assistant district attorney in Nashville, said websites like Backpage are used in a majority of sex trafficking case prosecuted by the district attorney general's office.
"The websites are helping to promote something illegal, and children and women are being sold on their sites," Welch said. "They should be held responsible, fined at the very least.
Continue reading "Federal Judge Blocks Enforcement of TN Law Targeting Online Sex Ads"
Al-Jazeera Goes for U.S. Audience With Purchase of Al Gore's TV Network
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With its purchase of left-leaning Current TV, the Pan-Arab news channel Al-Jazeera has fulfilled a long-held quest to reach tens of millions of U.S. homes. But its new audience immediately got a little smaller.
The nation's second-largest TV operator, Time Warner Cable Inc., dropped Current after the deal was confirmed Wednesday, a sign that the channel will have an uphill climb to expand its reach.
"Our agreement with Current has been terminated and we will no longer be carrying the service. We are removing the service as quickly as possible," the company said in a statement.
Still, the acquisition of Current, the news network that cofounded by former Vice President Al Gore, boosts Al-Jazeera's reach in the U.S. beyond a few large U.S. metropolitan areas including New York and Washington nearly ninefold to about 40 million homes.
Gore confirmed the sale Wednesday, saying in a statement that Al-Jazeera shares Current TV's mission "to give voice to those who are not typically heard; to speak truth to power; to provide independent and diverse points of view; and to tell the stories that no one else is telling."
Al-Jazeera, owned by the government of Qatar, plans to gradually transform Current into a network called Al-Jazeera America by adding five to 10 new U.S. bureaus beyond the five it has now and hiring more journalists. More than half of the content will be U.S. news and the network will have its headquarters in New York, spokesman Stan Collender said.
Continue reading "Al-Jazeera Goes for U.S. Audience With Purchase of Al Gore's TV Network"
AP List of Top Ten Tennessee News Stories in 2012
Here are the top Tennessee stories of 2012, as selected in voting by subscribers and staff of The Associated Press:
1. An outbreak of fungal meningitis and other diseases linked to tainted steroid shots leads to more than 80 cases and a dozen deaths in Tennessee. (October-December)
2. Pat Summitt, winningest coach in NCAA basketball, steps down as coach of the Lady Vols. (April 18)
3. Republicans win a supermajority in the state Legislature for first time since Reconstruction. (Nov. 6.)
4. Tennessee implements election changes, including redistricting and requiring photo identification for voters while a court allows Shelby County to use library card ID for general election. (January-November)
5. U.S Rep. Scott DesJarlais is hit with election-year revelations from his 2001 divorce that showed he dated patients, urged one of them to get an abortion, prescribed another one painkillers and consented when his ex-wife had two abortions. (October-November)
6. (tie) The triple-digit heat wave shatters high temperature records across the state. (June 25-30)
6. (tie) A mosque near Murfreesboro is allowed to open after opponents wage a two-year legal battle to stop it. (Aug. 10)
8. Two West Tennessee sisters, 12-year-old Alexandria and 8-year-old Kyliyah Bain, are recovered alive after their abductor killed their mother and sister and himself. (May 10)
9. Tennessee fires football coach Derek Dooley after his third losing season with the Volunteers (Nov. 18)
10. (tie) The Southern Baptist Convention votes to make the Rev. Fred Luter Jr. its first African-American president and to adopt an optional alternative name, Great Commission Baptists. (June 20)
10. (tie) Tennessee walking horse trainer Jackie McConnell, three others plead guilty after undercover video show them soring, beating horses. (May)
Radio Personality Off Air After Inflammatory Facebook Comments
JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) -- A popular Jackson radio personality is off the air for now after posting racially inflammatory comments on Facebook.
Bill Way, host of "It's Your Turn" on WNWS-FM, posted the comments on his personal Facebook page over the weekend.
They were aimed at people who voted for President Obama.
Way apologized on air on Monday. Station president Carlton Veirs then read a statement saying the station does not condone Way's remarks.
"We're discussing his comments and apology," Veirs said. "Considering the gravity of the situation, for now, by mutual agreement, Bill is taking a few days off."
The Associated Press obtained Veirs' statement from the station.
The president of the Jackson-Madison County of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said it was irresponsible of someone in Way's position to make such offensive comments.
"We're asking for a change of direction and attitude from one of Jackson's most famous and entertaining talk show hosts," Harrell Carter said in a telephone interview. "It is unconscionable, the language he used for the president of the United States and the first lady."
Carter said he used to work at WNWS and knows Guy personally.
"This was out of the clear blue sky," he said. "I don't know what the circumstances were, but this was surprising and disappointing."
He said any discussion of the country's problems needs to begin from a position of mutual respect.
Note: Way's Facebook post, as reported by The Jackson Sun: "A short message to Obama voters. To vote for him with a 9.2 unemployment rate, a (expletive) of Benghazi lies, $16,000,000,000 in debt and an israeli war, (a derogatory reference to the sex scandal involving David Petraeus), a pimp walking prez married to cheetahs daughter...expect what you will most certainly get. bye bye medicare. hello homeless.. I love America except for the idiots."
Free Press Endorses Gary Johnson for President
In the third break with tradition for major Tennessee newspapers this election season, the Free Press side of the Chattanooga Times-Free Press is not endorsing the Republican nominee for president. Instead, the newspaper is editorially endorsing Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party nominee who is on Tennessee's ballot as an independent.
The News-Free Press maintained separate editorial boards after the Chattanooga Times and the Chattanooga News-Free Press combined a few years ago. The Free Press is traditionally conservative, the Times more liberal.
Earlier, the Tennessean, which traditionally has always endorsed Democrats for president, endorsed Romney in 2012. And the News Sentinel, which has varied its partisan preference for president over the years, decided not to endorse anyone this year.
Excerpt from the Free Press editorial:
This election, however, the Republican Party nominee has failed to demonstrate a consistent commitment to conservative principles. As a result of his failure to provide clear methods for reducing the size and scope of the federal government, unwillingness to address structural flaws with entitlement programs, reliance on government to intervene in issues best left to families and individuals, and sporadic support of the Constitution and America's founding principles, Mitt Romney is too flawed to earn the Free Press' endorsement.
Romney may be less eager to tax, spend, attack personal freedoms and disregard the constitutional limits on government than his Democratic opponent, President Barack Obama, but only slightly.
To the extent that Romney offers an alternative to Obama, the difference is in degree, not in kind.
As a result, the Free Press editorial page endorses Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson for President of the United States.
Johnson, a former two-term governor of New Mexico, has more administrative experience than Romney, who served just a single term as Massachusetts governor.
While serving as governor, Johnson slashed New Mexico's gas tax, fought to reduce the state's income tax and championed school choice. Romney, on the other hand, implemented a myriad of new fees on Massachusetts taxpayers and famously enacted a compulsory health insurance scheme which became the framework for Obamacare.
Unlike Obama, Johnson understands that government spending, unsustainable bailouts and stimulus schemes only lead to more unemployment, a higher national debt, a weakened dollar and a less stable economy.
Johnson's platform includes presenting a balanced budget to Congress every year he's in office, completely overhauling America's ridiculous federal tax structure, and fundamentally restructuring entitlement programs to allow Americans more choice in health care and a greater opportunity to retire with dignity.
DesJarlais Campaign Protests 'Offensive' Cartoon
The Scott DesJarlais campaign has complained to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press about a Clay Bennett cartoon. writes Alison Gerber. It depicts DesJarlais with a pistol in his mouth and a caption that says, "The Character Assassination." (See cartoon HERE.)
The DesJarlais staffer said it's not appropriate to publish a cartoon depicting a sitting member of Congress with a gun in his mouth. He said he'd called the U.S. Capitol police about the cartoon.
Tossing the term "Capitol police" around in a conversation and insisting that officers will be calling me about the cartoon shows a disregard for the First Amendment. It also is a clear attempt at intimidation.
What an irony. Someone who works for the federal government asking federal law enforcement to do something about an image that is protected under the First Amendment.
...In a common move from angry politicians, the DesJarlais congressional staffer said he intends to cut off reporters Andy Sher and Chris Carroll, who are covering the campaign for the 4th Congressional District, where DesJarlais is in a suddenly tight race with Democrat Eric Stewart.
The congressman can retaliate against the newspaper by cutting off information to our reporters, but Sher and Carroll -- two bulldog-ish reporters not easily intimidated -- will still cover the race. If DesJarlais and his people won't talk to the newspaper, we'll still talk to his opponent, his supporters, his detractors and voters in his district.
Gasket-blowing over political cartoons is hardly a new thing. They've been steaming things up since, well, before the United States was even a country. They've also been shaping public opinion and influencing history.
An engraving by Paul Revere that depicted British troops firing on unarmed Colonials during the Boston Massacre of 1770 wasn't exactly how the event happened. Still, it was widely circulated in the Colonies and is credited with stirring up anti-British sentiment.
...So I will not try to convince you that Bennett's cartoon was in good taste. That's for you to decide. Even in the Times Free Press newsroom, journalists were divided about whether Bennett's cartoon crossed a line. But that's irrelevant.
Comedian Stephen Colbert ridiculed DesJarlais Thursday night on his "Colbert Report," calling the congressman a "Republican Rottweiler" who "proved his flexibility by lifting his leg and peeing on his own position."
Colbert joked that DesJarlais is "still adamantly against abortion except when it endangers the political life of the father."
Offensive? I'm sure DesJarlais and his supporters think so.
Turner Sees Race in Anti-Obama Voters, Faults Media
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner, quoted by Jeff Woods from a speech at a state party executive committee meeting:
"We've got a president up here whose color is not the right shade according to a lot of people, and they just hate him for that reason," Turner said. "I was talking to a guy this morning at a filling station and it didn't matter what Obama did, he's not going to like it because Obama's an African American. I told him, I said, 'Look, he's half-white. You ought to like half of him anyway.' These people are dead set against him for that reason, and that's unfortunate. That's very unfortunate."
Woodsie says Turner "managed to hand Republicans some new ammo for election campaign attacks" and suggested a yard sign for Democrats: ''Vote Obama. He's Half-White."
In a separate post, there are further Turner comments:
Turner slapped political reporters for failing to cover the Republican-run state government the way Democrats would prefer, and he cited the media--along with all those mean Republicans, of course--as a major obstacle to his party's return to power.
"We're facing a press that has not really talked about what the Haslam administration has done," Turner said, mentioning tax breaks for the wealthy, among other media omissions. "Some of the press would rather beat us up than attack Stacey Campfield and that bunch. So that's discouraging."
An 'Incredibly Important' TEMA App is Available
As of today, reports the Leaf-Chronicle, Tennesseans can download Ready TN, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency's (TEMA) popular smartphone preparedness application, to iPhone and iPad devices and access the application's information and resources on hazards and how to be ready for emergencies.
"It is incredibly important Tennesseans take time to prepare for emergencies, and this new app from TEMA is designed to be responsive to our customers, the taxpayers," Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said. "Citizens are relying increasingly on their mobile devices for relevant and timely information, and the ReadyTN app delivers critical tips and resources to Tennesseans so they can be prepared the next time a disaster strikes."
iPhone and iPad owners simply need to search for ReadyTN in the App Store or in the iTunes Store and then download the application to their devices.
The ReadyTN browser landing page in the iTunes Store is http://bit.ly/StqFxU. Once active, ReadyTN will provide location-based information on severe weather, road conditions, open shelters and local government contacts. Preparedness tips for specific hazards and checklists for emergency kit items are also provided in the application's content
Government-based Author Better at Fiction Than Non-Fiction
Having read a fair amount of Blake Fontenay's nonfiction writing -- or at least what passes for the factual making of statements in state government circles -- I was curious upon learning of his first published attempt at pure fiction.
It's a novel titled "The Politics of Barbeque."
Fontenay is the public relations guy for Tennessee's three constitutional officers -- the secretary of state, the state comptroller and the state treasurer. This is three times as many bosses than the typical state government employee assigned to deal with media and leaves him with the taxpayer-funded duty to write news releases on multiple fascinating topics.
Continue reading "Government-based Author Better at Fiction Than Non-Fiction"
On the Origin of TN's 'Sunshine Law'
The Tennessee Legislature, which through much of the 1960s would routinely exclude the public and press from lawmakers' "executive session" meetings, in February of 1974 adopted a landmark law that states in its preamble:
"The General Assembly hereby declares it to be the policy of this state that the formation of public policy and decisions is public business and shall not be conducted in secret."
The statute is known as the "Sunshine Law," and passage marked a change in attitude from prior years. It also marked a rare case of legislative advocacy by the state's newspapers, represented by the Tennessee Press Association, with the late Ralph Millett, then editor of the News Sentinel, and Sam Kennedy, then editor of the Columbia Daily Herald, as point men.
"We decided to take the initiative, something that, as a matter of policy, we did not do," recalled Kennedy in an interview last week. Normally, he said, the TPA became active in the Legislature only in opposing bills considered bad, not pushing legislation considered good.
The full article, written as part of a News Sentinel series on the newspaper's history over the past 125 years, is HERE.
On the Shelby Commission Subpeona 'Fishing Expedition'
Attorneys for The Commercial Appeal said Thursday the law firm representing the Shelby County Commission has run afoul of the First Amendment, two federal statutes, the Tennessee reporter's shield law and "just plain good sense" in a subpoena asking for the identities of commenters on stories about planned suburban school districts.
Memphis attorney Lucian Pera and Washington attorney Paul Alan Levy, a member of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, asked in a letter to the Baker Donelson law firm that it withdraw the subpoena request. The request was filed in federal court July 25, asking for the identities of all online commenters to 45 stories that ran between Nov. 19, 2010, and July 12, 2012.
In the letter, the newspaper attorneys said those stories produced more than 9,000 comments on The Commercial Appeal's website and included stories that ran after legislation already was passed in the Tennessee legislature to authorize referendums on whether to set up independent school districts in six municipalities.
Meanwhile, TNReport says Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris is not happy with a Shelby subpoena for legislator email:
Sen. Mark Norris says he will comply with the Shelby County Commission's requests for all correspondence dealing with the controversial Memphis-Shelby schools merger. But the Senate majority leader and chief architect of legislation dictating rules for combining the school systems thinks the demand is being made principally in the spirit of hassling him and other lawmakers.
"It is a major fishing expedition, but you know, knock themselves out. We'll give them what we have," said Norris, a Republican from Collierville, told TNReport this week.
Lawyers for the Shelby County Commission are asking the General Assembly to fork over any communication related to laws dictating rules for the merger between the two school systems as they assemble a case in court to block six suburbs from beginning their own school systems.
The commission is asking for documents dating back as far as 2010 relating to three laws dictating rules for the merger, namely SB25, SB1923 and SB2908.
Commenters Steamed Over Shelby Subpoena
Whoever posts at commercialappeal.com under the name "Timeout" is steamed at the Shelby County Commission, and he's far from alone. So reports the Commercial Appeal:
At 2:33 p.m. Monday, Timeout posted his thoughts on the commission's controversial 8-5 vote to support a subpoena seeking to force the newspaper to reveal the identities of anonymous commenters on its website.
"What's next? ... Will drones with listening devices be flown around my house? Background investigations for those who have put up pro-muni signs in their yards? Why are some of the commissioners acting as if they are taking direction from Vladimir Putin?"
Timeout's rant joins nearly 1,200 other posts on the newspaper's website since the subpoena story first broke Sunday. A majority of those comments are highly critical of the commission's actions.
The subpoena arose as part of the federal court motion the commission's attorneys filed in June to block the referendums on separate school districts for Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington. In that motion, attorneys argued that those behind the referendums are trying to discriminate by carving out majority white suburban districts from the new unified school system.
Shelby Commission Subpoena Seeks Identity of Online Commenters
The Shelby County Commission has filed a subpoena in federal court asking for the identities of all online commenters in The Commercial Appeal's stories about suburban plans to create their own school districts.
More from Sunday's CA:
Editor Chris Peck called the request a "fishing expedition" and an unwarranted invasion of readers' privacy, and the newspaper's attorney, Lucian Pera, said he will resist on grounds the subpoena infringes on the work of the newspaper and the rights of readers.
County Commission attorney Imad Abdullah said in the subpoena the county wants first and last names, postal addresses and telephone numbers of all account users who posted comments, including comments the newspaper's digital media staff removed because they were racially charged or otherwise inappropriate.
Abdullah did not specify a reason for the request nor how the information would be used, and he did not return calls or e-mails asking about the county's motives. But Lori Patterson, a spokeswoman for his law firm, sent an e-mail saying, "At this point, we would prefer not to comment on the purpose of the subpoena."
The subpoena the attorneys filed this week specifies 45 newspaper stories dating from Nov. 19, 2010, to July 12, 2012. The earliest story was about the Memphis school board's initial consideration of surrendering its charter, a move that ultimately led to the merger of city and county schools. The latest story was about U.S. Dist. Judge Samuel 'Hardy' Mays' ruling allowing municipalities to hold referendums on whether to set up independent school districts with the caveat that the constitutionality of the referendums will have to be decided later.
On June 26, the County Commission attorneys filed a federal court motion to block the Aug. 2 referendums to start school districts in Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington. They argued that the people who arranged the referendums are trying to discriminate against African-Americans by carving out majority white suburban districts from the new unified school district.
Burchett Subpoena Asks Records, Tapes of All Newspaper Visitors
An attorney representing Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett in his divorce has subpoenaed the News Sentinel to produce building visitor logs and video surveillance recordings.
From Mike Donila's story:
The subpoena, delivered to editor Jack McElroy on Friday afternoon, asks for sign-in sheets for all News Sentinel visitors between May 15 and June 24. It also asks for all videotapes "or other video recorded medium containing surveillance of the front entrance, visitor parking area, and other parking areas adjacent to the visitor parking, and/or lobby" during the same time frame.
On Monday, the newspaper filed a motion to quash the subpoena.
Burchett referred questions Monday to his divorce lawyer, Albert J. Harb. Harb, who once served as the delinquent tax attorney for the Knox County Trustee's Office, did not return a call seeking comment.
The subpoena asks McElroy or the "custodian of records" to bring the requested items to Harb's office by July 11.
It does not say why Burchett or Harb want them.
The mayor and his wife have been the subject of several recent stories about misstatements in a number of Burchett's 2010 campaign finance disclosure forms. Banking information from the "Elect Burchett" account was provided to the paper on the condition of anonymity.
McElroy and others said they suspect the subpoena is an effort to flush out the source.
"This is a heavy-handed attempt by the mayor to identify the source of a story he didn't like," McElroy said. "Newspapers don't give up anonymous sources, and we certainly will fight this subpoena to the full extent of the law."
Richard Hollow, the paper's attorney, filed the motion to kill the subpoena Monday afternoon. Hollow said it was nothing more than an attempt to circumvent the state shield law, which is designed to protect reporters from revealing confidential information or sources.
"It's pretty clear that they think someone walked into the News Sentinel and gave us a story, so they're looking for a photograph or a name on the sign-in sheet that would indicate the person they think was the source," he said. "That's the only reason to do it other than to harass or intimidate us. They know who they're looking for."
Hollow said Harb is "astute enough" not to directly ask the paper to reveal its source for the stories, since the shield law would protect the paper. Instead, he said, the attorney is making an "indirect inquiry" in a way in which no case law exists in Tennessee.
"This particular mechanism has never been used before to avoid the shield law," Hollow said. "But if the courts follow the spirit and intent of the law, then we should win."
The paper's attorney also said he was concerned that the "breadth of the inquiry disregards the interest of the other people" who have visited the News Sentinel.
"People who signed in or were recorded would then have their likeness and name as part of the record of the chancery court proceedings, and when you walk into the News Sentinel you don't have the expectation that you'll become a part of the public record," he said.
Pat Nolan Recovering from Stroke
Nashville political analyst and television commentator Pat Nolan is recovering from a stroke suffered hursday while attending the 50th anniversary of Metro government celebration at the Metro Courthouse, reports Gail Kerr.
According to a Friday statement by John Van Mol, a partner with Nolan's firm, DVL Public Relations and Advertising, "He is in the ICU for now, but rested well last night, is alert and carrying on conversations.
"Pat's wife says doctors are telling her the early indictions are that he will make a full recovery following a period of rehab which will begin very soon."
Nolan had a long career with WTVF-Channel 5 as a reporter, before going to work for former Mayor Richard Fulton. As a member of DVL, he's continued to provide election night commentary on Channel 5 and do a weekly television show on political issues.
State Will Pay Up to $7.5 Million for a TV Show About Nashville
News release from Department of Economic and Community Development:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) announced today that it has approved a grant of up to $7.5 million for the "Nashville" television show that will film in Music City and premier on ABC this fall.
The reimbursable grant will be based on the production's actual qualified expenditures made in Tennessee. Qualified expenditures are those incurred in the state for goods or services purchased from a Tennessee vendor or paid to a Tennessee resident in connection with the production.
"We are taking a new approach to one of Tennessee's strongest and most unique businesses, the entertainment industry," Commissioner Bill Hagerty, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said. "Gov. Bill Haslam has made a concerted effort to fold the film and music sectors into our department and make them a part of the state's regular economic goals and initiatives.
"The unique confluence of film and music that 'Nashville' offers is central to our aim of highlighting Tennessee's great strength as a center of creative excellence in the music industry," Hagerty added. "Additionally, the consistent employment afforded Tennesseans as a result of this multi-episode series will result in constructive training and talent development and longer term employment for Tennessee's entertainment industry."
Pre-production on the series, which will be filmed in and around Nashville, has already begun with principal photography slated to begin mid-July. "Nashville" is expected to employ more than 350 Tennessee residents in various crew positions. Additionally, much of the musical scoring, recording and publishing will be done in Music City.
"Nashville" stars Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights," "American Horror Story") as Rayna James, a country music legend, and Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") as Juliette Barnes, a young up-and-coming star. Also starring in the series are Powers Boothe ("MacGruber," "24"), Eric Close ("Chaos," "Without a Trace") and Clare Bowen ("General Hospital").
The series is produced by Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Gaylord Entertainment. For more information on the show, visit www.facebook.com/NashvilleABC
Rep. Hurley Video on Dog 'Air Swimming' Draws Criticism
A brief YouTube video linked to state Rep. Julia Hurley showing a small dog being held outside a moving convertible was removed from the Internet Monday, two days after it was posted.
More, lifted from the News Sentinel's website:
The video, titled "Pepper Air Swims" shows the small dog being held out the passenger window, its front legs moving in the air, as two people laugh in the background. (Note: Though the video has been taken off YouTube, the KNS has it up, HERE.)
The faces of neither person are shown. Only the forearms of the person holding the dog are seen. The video was posted to the freshman lawmaker's YouTube channel under the user name "repjuliahurley."
Hurley, a Republican seeking re-election to a second term in the 32nd House District, owns a Chinese crested, a hairless breed of dog that she named Pepper. She drives a BMW convertible.
Hurley didn't return repeated calls and emails seeking comment Monday.
A Roane County resident blasted the video Monday.
"I find Ms. Hurley's behavior to be extremely unkind and irresponsible," the Rev. Peggy Blanchard stated in an email.
Continue reading "Rep. Hurley Video on Dog 'Air Swimming' Draws Criticism"
Commercial Appeal Getting a New Publisher
The E.W. Scripps Co. on Friday announced a change in leadership at The Commercial Appeal
Joe Pepe, president and publisher, and Karl Wurzbach, vice president of sales and marketing, have left the company, according to Tim Stautberg, senior vice president, newspapers, for Scripps.
The leadership change was made "with full confidence in the bright future of The Commercial Appeal," Stautberg said. "This enterprise has been one of the most-decorated news organizations in the Scripps portfolio for decades
"This enterprise has been one of the most-decorated news organizations in the Scripps portfolio for decades. I think we have the potential to significantly strengthen our engagement with readers and advertisers across our print and digital platforms."
A new publisher will be named within the next few weeks, Stautberg said
Drew Johnson Named Chattanooga Free Press Editorial Editor
Conservative columnist Drew Johnson has been named as the opinion editor for the Free Press editorial page, according to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press.
He succeeds Lee Anderson, who retired in April as the Free Press editorial page editor after 70 years with the newspaper.
Johnson helped found and direct the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a government watchdog group in Nashville (Note: Since re-named Beacon Center). For the past two and a half years, he has been a senior fellow for the Taxpayer Protection Alliance in Nashville and Washington D.C. and a weekly columnist for Newsmax.
UPDATE: The Times-Free Press reports that, shortly after his hiring was announced, Johnson was "the victim of a mean-spirited Internet prank." Someone took over a Twitter account in his name and started tweeting obscene stuff.
Some Tennessee History News Notes
Old Newspapers to Be Displayed
This fall, a time and date to be determined, the Walter T. and Julia Pulliam Historic Newspaper Collection will be dedicated and put on exhibit in ceremonies at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate.
The Pulliam archives include about 900 newspapers assembled in a half-century or more of hunting down not only rare national and world newspapers, but also editions that illustrate daily snapshots of life in various East Tennessee communities. Some of the more important newspapers date to as far back as the 1600s.
Fred Brown's story is a recommended read for Tennessee history buffs, not only for notes on the historic newspapers but for the recounting of Walter Pulliam's personal history as a reporter and small town Tennessee newspaper editor.
Historical Misinformation About Murfreesboro?
William Lytle, an early Rutherford County landowner, figures prominently in most accounts of the founding of Murfreesboro. Much of what is said, however, is incorrect. A Murfreesboro Daily News Journal column breaks it down.
Bill Carey History Columns Now Online
Bill Carey, a former Tennessean reporter and Metro Pulse editor who runs Tennessee History for Kids, has set up links to his Tennessee history columns in Tennessee magazine (an electric cooperative publication that isn't available online). You'll find the listing HERE.
Odds & Ends for TN Political Junkie Holiday Weekend Reading
DesJarlais Not Debunked
Politifact Tennessee has rated as "mostly false" the Tennessee Democratic party's contention that Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais has broken his promise not to support any "earmarks."
Death of a Hospital
Scott County's only hospital, built in 1955, has closed. It was that or a property tax hike. Story HERE.
Mudslinging in Roane County
Charges of "mudslinging" and voter harassment in the Roane County property assessor's race, HERE.
Chattanooga Democrats Speak, Squabble
The Chattanoogan reports on Hamilton County Democratic legislative candidates presenting this views at a party function, HERE. Perhaps more interestingly, there's also a rundown on some Hamilton County Democratic party infighting, HERE.
Indecent Exposure? No Foster Kids
Three foster children were removed from the home of Knox County Commissioner Jeff Owenby after he was charged with indecent exposure, allegedly because police found him having sex with another man. HERE.
Gateway Sex, Horse Abuse
Catching up with Gail Kerr: Recent columns include the observation that the "gateway sexual activity" bill made Tennessee a "laughingstock" and that abusing horses is a bad thing
Victor Ashe is Getting Old
Victor Ashe recently hosted an event for reunion of friends and some reminiscence on the 25th anniversary of his first run for Knoxville mayor. HERE.
Robert's Ranting
Robert Houk is off on a self-described "rant" aimed at Rush Limbaugh ("Mighty Mouth"), an anti-Obama conspiracy theory and a Washington County commissioner.
Term Limits Not Really Necessary?
Frank Cagle, in a recent column, talks about term limits and whether they're a good idea given recent Tennessee history in congressional elections.
Home Cooking Deregulated
ICYMI, the governor has signed into a law deregulating - well, sorta - the sale of products produced in home kitchens. News release HERE.
More Troopers, Busy This Weekend
The state has 44 new state troopers. A TV report HERE. And how are they spending their first weekend? News release HERE.
Monkey Business & Politics
Remember the "Monkey Trial," which came long before the "Monkey Bill?" WPLN does.
Indian Protection, Disruption
About the same time TVA held a workshop with Native Americans on how best to protect artifacts and remains on TVA land, four Alabama men were fined in federal court for disturbing Native American remains on TVA property. HERE
'Mama' Tune Passes
Martha "Mama" Tune, a retired schoolteacher known for the Election Day meals she prepared for generations of Nashville politicians, died Wednesday. She was 91. HERE.
A Comment on Comments (and spam)
In recent weeks, spam comments have been posted on the blog - mostly on posts that are months old; even years old in several cases - by the hundreds. This flood led, first, to changing some settings so that, as I understand things, it also had the effect of making more difficult, if not impossible, the posting of comments by regular folks.
Then, regretfully, it led last week to a full blocking of all comments. That ended today.
Instead, starting now, comments should be easy to file, but they won't post until I click on each one. Things are set up so that I get an email each time a comment is posted.
With the spammers, I had to go through and delete each one because they were already on the blog. On a heavy spammer day, I would occasionally spend the better part of an hour deleting spam comments.
With this new setup, a comment won't be posted until I click to designate it as non-spam. In other words, it's the reverse of before. I have to click on the valid comments; do nothing on the spam.
I hope this isn't too much of an inconvenience at your end. Your comments are very welcome, adding perspective and liveliness to posting that otherwise, I confess, may be a bit on the bland side.
Note: If you want to see what spam comments look like, a couple of recent ones are posted below.
State Website Redesigned
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee has redesigned its state website to improve its function and look.
One key change was making the website more accessible for mobile devices.
Officials say years of usage data showed that mobile users were usually in search of the same content as desktop users.
With the website's new responsive design, they say mobile users are presented the same desktop content, but it's adapted for smaller screens such as iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Another enhancement is the addition of a so-called "Livewire" for an up-to-date view of online top searches, public meetings and press releases.
Note: A news release on the website redesign is below.
Gov's Signature on 'Gateway Sexual Activity' Gets National Note
Gov. Bill Haslam has signed into law the "gateway sexual activity bill, an event that drew some national media attention. Here's a chunk of the MSNBC report:
Tennessee teachers can no longer condone so-called "gateway sexual activity" such as touching genitals under a new law that critics say is too vague and could hamper discussion about safe sexual behavior.
Gov. Bill Haslam's office Friday confirmed to Reuters that Haslam had signed the bill, which stirred up controversy nationwide and even was lampooned by comedian Stephen Colbert.
"Kissing and hugging are the last stop before reaching Groin Central Station, so it's important to ban all the things that lead to the things that lead to sex," he said on the "Colbert Report" television show.
But proponents say the new law helps define the existing abstinence-only sex-education policy.
Under the law, Tennessee teachers could be disciplined and speakers from outside groups like Planned Parenthood could face fines of up to $500 for promoting or condoning "gateway sexual activities."
....David Fowler, president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, which pushed the bill, told Reuters the law does not ban kissing or holding hands from discussion in sex education classes. But he said it addresses the touching of certain "gateway body parts," including genitals, buttocks, breasts and the inner thigh.
On Thursday, State Rep. Jon Lundberg told NBC station WCYB-TV that a focus on abstinence is needed because Tennessee has the seventh-highest teen birth rate in the nation and the 11th-highest HIV infection rate in the nation.
"The shift is that the main core needs to be an abstinence-based approach. Not, 'hey, I know everybody's having sex, so when you have sex do this, do this, [and] do this.' That's not it,'" Lundberg told the station.
,,,Opponents, which include Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee and the state teachers' union, say that before they can begin fighting the new law, they have to be able to figure it out. They worry that discussion of sexual behavior could be interpreted as condoning it.
"The very ambiguous language in this bill certainly puts teachers in a very difficult situation" when it comes to knowing what to teach, said Jerry Winters, spokesman for the Tennessee Education Association.
On the Bill Rewriting 'Cyberbullying Law'
A controversial law on "cyberbullying" that was enacted last year will be revised in an attempt to assure its constitutionality under a rewrite sent to the governor by the Senate.
Senators debated the bill (HB2641) only about 10 minutes before giving it unanimous approval. The House had a prolonged and spirited debate that included defeat of disabling amendments by Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge.
The rewrite bill was brought by Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, Rep. Charles Curtiss, D-Sparta, who had sponsored the 2011 law that drew heavy criticism after passage. Acknowledging their first effort raised constitutional questions, sponsors worked with the attorney general's office, the American Civil Liberties Union and others to draft a rewrite.
The idea is to have electronic communications covered by the state's anti-harassment law. The problem, the sponsors said, was that the 2010 law made it a crime to send an electronic communication that would "frighten, intimidate, or cause emotional distress." That was deemed too vague. The rewrite basically changes that to simply "threaten harm."
The need for such a law was illustrated by four suicides by Tennessee teenagers in the past year "all pointing to cyberbullying," Ketron said.
In the House, Ragan led opposition and filed amendments, including one that would have repealed the general anti-harassment law that has been on the books since 1989.
Ragan said the law could be used to prosecute the display of religious symbols and brought to the floor a sheet with 11 printed symbols as examples. They included a swastika, which he said was used by some American Indians in ceremonies, and a cross with a flame, which he said was the symbol of the United Methodist Church.
Curtiss said Ragan was confusing "threaten" with "offend."
The Ragan amendment was defeated 65-28. After defeat of that and another Ragan amendment, the bill itself was approved 76-14.
TN Evolution Bill Continues to Draw National Attention
Tennessee and Gov. Bill Haslam get prominent mention in a New York Times piece on social issue activism in state legislatures around the country, which some Republicans fear could hurt the party in national elections.
Tennessee enacted a law this month intended to protect teachers who question the theory of evolution. Arizona moved to ban nearly all abortions after 20 weeks, and Mississippi imposed regulations that could close the state's only abortion clinic. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin signed a law allowing the state's public schools to teach about abstinence instead of contraception.
The recent flurry of socially conservative legislation, on issues ranging from expanding gun rights to placing new restrictions on abortion, comes as Republicans at the national level are eager to refocus attention on economic issues.
Some Republican strategists and officials, reluctant to be identified because they do not want to publicly antagonize the party's base, fear that the attention these divisive social issues are receiving at the state level could harm the party's chances in November, when its hopes of winning back the White House will most likely rest with independent voters in a handful of swing states.
One seasoned strategist called the problem potentially huge. But others said that actions taken by a handful of states would probably have little impact on the national campaign.
...Tennessee enacted a law this month intended to protect teachers who question the theory of evolution. Arizona moved to ban nearly all abortions after 20 weeks, and Mississippi imposed regulations that could close the state's only abortion clinic. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin signed a law allowing the state's public schools to teach about abstinence instead of contraception.
The recent flurry of socially conservative legislation, on issues ranging from expanding gun rights to placing new restrictions on abortion, comes as Republicans at the national level are eager to refocus attention on economic issues.
Some Republican strategists and officials, reluctant to be identified because they do not want to publicly antagonize the party's base, fear that the attention these divisive social issues are receiving at the state level could harm the party's chances in November, when its hopes of winning back the White House will most likely rest with independent voters in a handful of swing states.
One seasoned strategist called the problem potentially huge. But others said that actions taken by a handful of states would probably have little impact on the national campaign.
....After Tennessee's Republican-led Legislature passed a bill to protect school teachers who review "the scientific strengths and weaknesses of existing scientific theories" in areas including "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming and human cloning," it drew denunciations from a number of scientists and civil libertarians. Gov. Bill Haslam, a Republican, decided this month to let the bill become law without his signature.
Mr. Haslam said in an interview that the law had passed by a wide margin, so the Legislature could have easily overridden a veto. And he said that while he feared that the law would muddy state policy for teachers rather than clarify it, he had been assured by state education officials that it would not actually change the way science is taught in Tennessee.
But he said he also worried that the law could damage the reputation of a state that was home to another famous legal battle over the teaching of evolution, the Scopes "monkey trial" of 1925.
"One of the things as governor, you're always out -- I'm out selling Tennessee all the time to businesses and other folks," Mr. Haslam said during a recent visit to New York, adding that the state had heavily focused on the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in recent years. "So you worry about misperceptions, sure. I wouldn't be honest if I said I didn't do that. But if I thought it was actually going to harm the scientific standards, I would have vetoed it."
Alexia Poe Deemed Distinguished
Alexia Poe, director of communications for Gov. Bill Haslam, will receive the 2012 Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award at the spring commencement ceremony for the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information.on May 10 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Donald G. Hileman Award is named for the first permanent dean of the College of Communications, the forerunner to the College of Communication and Information. The award was established in 1994 in celebration of the college's 25th anniversary. It is awarded to college alumni who have made notable contributions to the field of communication and information.
(lifted from the News Sentinel)
Sunday Column: Our Evolving Governor
Displaying an evolving new normal in his gubernatorial reign, a believing-in-better Bill Haslam last week officially and formally, albeit cautiously, expressed mild disagreement for the first time with a piece of legislation that reached his desk.
"Good legislation should bring clarity and not confusion," he stated with regard to HB368. "My concern is that this bill has not met this objective. For that reason, I will not sign the bill but will allow it to become law without my signature."
On one side, the governor had faced united Republican support in the Legislature for the bill, which authorizes classroom questioning of evolution. Even a few Democrats -- mostly those worried about being accused of opposing the Bible in their re-election campaigns -- had joined the sponsors' call for more "creative thinking" about prevailing scientific theories.
On the other side, he faced a bunch of scientific types, academicians and around 3,200 petition-signers calling for a veto of the "monkey bill" they saw as a sneaky way to return to the 1920s, when Tennessee brought criminal charges against a Dayton teacher for talking about evolution. And the national media was listening to them and quoted the hoots of derision at us uneducated, backwoods hillbilly Tennesseans.
2011-2012 Tennessee Blue Book Now Online
News release from Secretary of State's office:
The 2011-2012 Tennessee Blue Book, considered the manual of state government and state history, is now available online.
The Blue Book can be accessed by visiting http://state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/index.htm.
"Making the Blue Book available online is another way we can provide better service to our customers, the citizens of Tennessee," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "The newest edition of the Blue Book has updated graphics, photos and other enhancements that have not been available in previous editions. The staff of our Publications Division has embraced my challenge to look for new ways to add value to the work that we do here."
The Blue Book is published every two years by the Secretary of State's office. It contains valuable information about the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government - including biographical information about top elected and appointed officials. It also includes biographical information about the state's representatives in Congress, a detailed history of the state, information about historical sites around Tennessee, statistics about cities and counties, election results, state symbols, and much more.
The online archived Blue Books date back to the 2005-2006 Tenenssee Blue Book. To view the archived books, please visit http://state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/index.htm and scroll down to "Archived Blue Books."
The current edition of the Blue Book is dedicated to the Lt. Gov. Ronald L. Ramsey and Speaker of the House Beth Harwell for their service to the state of Tennessee.
Haslam Unhappy With Media Attention to 'Craziest' Legislation
By Eric Schelzig, Associated Press
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is expressing exasperation at the attention given to the "craziest" proposals measures flowing through the Tennessee General Assembly. But instead of taking lawmakers to task, the governor points the finger at the news media.
During a panel discussion about work force development and higher education this week, Haslam argued that an overhaul of standards in schools has failed to gain the proper attention from reporters.
"We're redefining accountability, and you'd be hard-pressed to find 100 lines of print in any paper of the state," Haslam said. "Now, today in the Legislature there's a conversation about saggy pants and what they should do there."
"So we have to go to our friends in the media and say: 'Really?'"
Continue reading "Haslam Unhappy With Media Attention to 'Craziest' Legislation"
The Gov on Vetoes, Media Coverage of Legislation
Gov. Bill Haslam has signed every bill the Legislature put on his desk since taking office. So why doesn't he ever veto some of those bills that he obviously doesn't like very much. The answer as reported by TNReport:
It's a fair question, but some of those laws pass with 80 percent vote. In the end, a governor's veto can be overridden with just one vote positive. So I think the lesson is to try to engage in the process as much as you can. And then there's certain things that are things that you might say, 'That's not exactly what I would do, but I don't think it's necessarily harmful to the state.' Other things you say, 'I think that is harmful to the state,' and you jump in.
Note: For other thoughts on the vetoing matter, see Betsy Phillips.
And, as for the news media reporting a lot on silly bills:
"Look at the amount of coverage on certain issues which may or may not ever get passed ... and then weigh them against their impact on the state. Whether that be an education initiative, or changing the tax structure, or some crime prevention, those are things that really, really impact Tennesseans every day. And some of the ones that grab headlines, I think they're fun for discussion, but a month from now and a year from now they're really not going to impact Tennessee that much.
Q: But you don't blame the lawmakers for bringing those in the first place, knowing full well that they're shiny objects that will draw attention?
Haslam: (Laughing) You're pointing fingers awfully a lot. I will blame them when the media says, 'Yeah, we can do a better job of being substantive about issue coverage.'
Ron Ramsey, Jeff Woods and 'Diesel Therapy'
During his weekly meeting with reporters Thursday, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey read from a blog post by Jeff Woods on the amendment to the so-called "mountaintop removal" bill and proceeded to criticize Woods in particular and the media in general for coverage of the issue.
Woods thereupon posted a rebuttal that includes a chunk of Ramsey's commentary:
"I had one environmental group that said, 'Well, we can start getting our coal from China.' They actually said that to me. The ultimate goal for them is to keep coal mining out of the state," Ramsey said. "The bill that we passed yesterday outlaws mountaintop removal mining in the state of Tennessee, period. I think there's just a general philosophy of the press on this issue. Democrats good, Republicans bad. From day one, I've said I'm against this. There's no trick."
Extolling his environmental credentials, Ramsey went on to discuss his love of hunting and fishing and "diesel therapy," which he said he receives by prowling the bucolic countryside on weekends astride his fume-belching tractor. It turns out he loves the smell of diesel in the morning.
You can tell I get a little fired up on this. I get a little upset that we do honestly, honestly from the bottom of my heart try to do what we think is the right thing to stop this and there's not one ounce of coverage basically because I'm a Republican and I can't do good on this issue. I'm one of the most outdoorsy kind of people you'd ever want to meet. Every weekend, I am outdoors all weekend. I'm a big hunter. I love fishing. Well, I don't fish that much but I like it. I hunt a lot. I can't wait until tomorrow to be on my tractor riding around. I call it diesel therapy. I want to protect the environment. There's no better protector of the environment than farmers. They realize if it's gone, they're gone. You have to be a member of the Sierra Club to be pro-environment. That is absolutely, positively ridiculous.
Note: Related prior posts HERE (Ramsey statement) and HERE (environmentalists' take on the amendment)..
Irby Simpkins Owes $5 Million in Back Taxes
Former Nashville Banner publisher Irby Simpkins has admitted defeat in his running battle with the IRS and was ordered to pay more than $5 million in back taxes and $1.8 million in penalties by a U.S. Tax Court in November. He declined to say whether he has paid the sum, reports The City Paper.
Simpkins confirmed to The City Paper that he invested in a series of transactions on the advice of his accounting firm Price Waterhouse in the late 1990s. The IRS claimed that there were deficiencies in four different tax years, 1996-1999. In the largest of those years, 1998, Simpkins was found to have underpaid his taxes by nearly $4.7 million.
In February 1998, Simpkins and his partner Brownlee Currey took $65 million from the rival Tennessean and Gannett to make their paper, the Banner, go away. Simpkins' final proceeds from the sale, approximately $20 million, generated a large tax liability.
Beginning in the early 2000s, Congress, the Treasury Department and the IRS began cracking down on foreign investment programs like the ones Simpkins was involved in. Price Waterhouse, now Pricewaterhouse Coopers, KPMG and several other firms would later settle over billions in unpaid taxes sheltered by schemes marketed variously as FLIP, OPIS, BOSS and Son of BOSS.
Simpkins says that after fighting the IRS for 10 years, an "old retired fella" had to move on.
iPhone App Lets Users Connect With Legislators
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A new iPhone app billed as the first of its kind in Tennessee allows users to connect with members of the current Legislature.
The app, just released, contains searchable contact, staff and committee information for state representatives and senators.
It was developed by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the Nashville-based Bass Berry & Sims law firm. For the past 30 years, the cooperative has produced a print directory of the Legislature.
A version for the iPad and Android devices will be available soon.
Committee Rejects Campfield Bill to Restrict Newspaper Delivery
The Senate Commerce Committee on Tuesday rejected a bill by Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, that would have prohibited delivery of free newspapers to people who don't want them.
Only two senators voted for the bill (SB2670) while seven voted against it.
Campfield told the committee that throwaway newspapers create unnecessary litter and are "a crime hazard" because an accumulation of papers in a yard can tip off burglars that homeowner is away on vacation.
Frank Gibson, public policy director of the Tennessee Press Association, told the committee there are questions about the constitutionality of the bill, though Campfield contended changes made from the original version make the measure valid.
Gibson also said the measure would put a "new burden on newspapers" as they would go to "extra lengths to avoid even an inadvertent violation." The measure would basically double the cost of newspaper distribution, Gibson said, and could mean the end of some free publications.
Some committee members also questioned Campfield's proposal, including Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mount Juliet, who said free newspapers are a major source of information in her district. She mentioned the Mount Juliet News in her hometown.
"Is that the one you in an investor in?" asked Campfield.
"I'm not an investor in any newspaper," replied Beavers.
Beavers has filed a lawsuit, recently receiving media attention, in which she seeks repayment of $50,000 that the senator characterizes as a loan to the publisher of the Macon County Chronicle. The publisher, in responding to the lawsuit, has characterized the $50,000 as an investment in the newspaper and, as such, not subject to the repayment demand since the money was at risk.
Campfield said later that his question to Beavers, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, was inappropriate and that he had apologized to her.
Ad Promotes Passage of Bill to Block 'Mountaintop Removal'
News release from Tennessee Conservation Voters:
Nashville, TN - Tennessee Conservation Voters (TCV), a non-partisan conservation organization committed to voter education, advocacy and holding elected officials accountable for safeguarding Tennessee's environment, announced today the launch of a statewide television ad campaign focused on the destructive practice of mountaintop removal coal mining.
The ad supports a broad-based effort to pass the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act, a bill that would only ban the process of mountaintop removal mining on peaks above 2000 feet in Tennessee.
The 30-second ad opens by describing the connection Tennesseans have with the mountains - hunting, fishing, hiking and embracing God's creation. This reflects the broad range of support that exists statewide for the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act and speaks to the non-partisan nature of the issue. The ad also describes how more than 500 mountains, 2000 miles of streams and tens of thousands of mining jobs have already been destroyed across Appalachia by mountaintop removal mining. The ad closes by asking viewers to support the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act and encourages them to call Governor Bill Haslam. The ad is designed to be modified to direct contacts to various TN policy makers throughout the campaign.
Continue reading "Ad Promotes Passage of Bill to Block 'Mountaintop Removal'"
Beavers Was Investing, Not Loaning $50,000? (Lou Ann Zelnick, too?)
Senate Judiciary Chairman Mae Beavers was investing $50,000 in a Macon County newspaper, not making a loan of that amount to the publisher, according to a response filed in a lawsuit Beavers has brought for collection of the money.
From Andy Sher's report:
"Co-plaintiff Mae Beavers delivered said cashier's check to Defendant (Kathryn) Belle for the specific purpose of investing in the venture and to make payment of the May 21, 2010 installment [payment] due to Main Street Media for purchase of the Macon County Chronicle," the filing says.
It also alleges that Lou Ann Zelnick, a Republican who made a failed 2010 GOP 5th Congressional District primary bid, "invested" $36,000 in the newspaper venture as well.
.... (Beavers, in an interview) called the lawsuit a "personal matter."
Asked about suggestions the money was not a loan but an investment, Beavers said, "I don't believe that's what the lawsuit said."
Beavers said "yes" when asked if the $50,000 was intended as a loan.
Meanwhile, Beavers on Monday filed an amended Statement of Interests form with the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance. Her original State of Interests form, filed Jan. 30, did not mention the loan or the 6 percent her lawsuit cites as interest under the category "sources of income."
Her new filing lists "Kathryne Bell -- pass through interest on personal loan -- no actual income."
It also lists Bell's nephew, John Cook, with the explanation "pass through interest on personal loan -- no actual income."
(Previous post HERE)
'Netflix Bill' to Stand As Is
The revision planned for last year's controversial "Netflix bill" has been deemed unnecessary by the legislation's sponsor, according to TNReport.
House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, who withdrew the rewrite bill from consideration Wednesday, said prosecuting lawful account sharing was not the intent of the bill.
"For you to be breaking the law it required criminal intent -- and...sharing inside the family under the terms of the subscription agreement certainly cannot, and does not, meet that test," said the Chattanooga Republican.
Netflix, and other subscription services, have user agreements that allow sharing and for account sharing to be considered criminal intent, the individual in question would have to be making money from the act. The original bill was carried by McCormick with, he said, the intention of protecting intellectual property rights of musicians by limiting the sharing of passwords for subscription-based services like Rhapsody.
...The bill was perceived by some to potentially make it illegal for family members and close friends to share their passwords for subscription video services like Netflix...After reviewing the subscription agreements and the language of the bill, McCormick said that a revision isn't needed.
Lee Anderson Retires After 70 Years
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Lee S. Anderson, who has been with the Chattanooga Times Free Press for 70 years, has announced his retirement.
Anderson is associate publisher and editor of the newspaper's opinion page. He will retire on April 18, according to the newspaper (http://bit.ly/yGoH0Y ).
Anderson is 86 years old and said of his career that he wouldn't change a thing. He said he was 16 when the paper hired him. When the surprised youth asked when they wanted him to start, the answer was "immediately."
Walter E. Hussman Jr., publisher and chairman of the Times Free Press, said Anderson has been inspirational because of his dedication, loyalty, work ethic and passion for newspapers.
Jason Taylor, president and general manager of the Times Free Press, called Anderson's career "nothing short of legendary."
$19-to-$1 Claim Invites Skepticism
If you accept the conclusion of a recent study, Tennessee's Department of Tourist Development may be seen as a profit-making agency.
According to Longwoods International, $42 million in state and local government tax revenue was produced from state-sponsored advertising that promotes Tennessee as a great place to visit. The department's budget is $20 million.
Ergo, the department returned more than $2 in tax revenue for every $1 in tax money spent. All that other stuff that Commissioner Susan Whitaker and her staff do, such as operating 14 welcome centers along our interstate highways, is covered by the revenue-generating side of things.
But the Longwoods study, based on 2010 data, specifically addresses just $2.2 million in "direct advertising dollars" -- the portion that went to the newspapers, magazines, broadcasting stations and websites that ran the ads. For that portion, the report declares there is a $19 to $1 "return on investment."
Inconvenient and Inconsistent Truths
A snippet from Anne Paine's report on a movie produced by Nashville radio talker Phil Valentine, an Inconsistent Truth, that attacks Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth.
Gore's movie is "lopsided to one side," he (Valentine) said. "Ours is lopsided to the other as balance."
Gore's office declined to comment on Valentine and his movie.
Valentine's statements came after the first showing -- a private one -- of the 90-minute film. It ended with hearty applause from the audience, which included the film's volunteer crew, family members and supporters.
The movie overall equates environmentalism and efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases with a kind of religious zeal that is part of a political power grab.
Note: Website on Valentine's movie is HERE.
See also, Southern Beale, where the movie is deemed funny and summed up thusly: So, Valentine has basically made a documentary with an all-volunteer crew to debunk climate change by saying it's phony because Al Gore is fat.
Ketron Tries New Approach on Cyberbullying
The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal reports that Sen. Bill Ketron is alarmed by the two Middle Tennessee teenagers committing suicide, apparently after being the target of bullying because of their sexual orientation. And he has an idea on what to do about it.
Ketron sponsored a bill that passed in 2011 extending the state's harassment statutes to offensive messages posted on the Internet. The law ran afoul of First Amendment defenders, including film critic Roger Ebert, so this session Ketron is backing two pieces of legislation to strengthen it.
"The main goal is to combat cyberbullying and prevent tragedies like the ones which have occurred recently in Tennessee from taking place," Ketron said in a written statement.
The Murfreesboro Republican committed to making the law stronger last year and said the new legislation was drafted to prepare for an amendment that will make its wording better. He said he is meeting with the attorney general, ACLU-TN Executive Director Hedy Weinberg and others to address legal issues.
Citing a need for the law, Ketron points to examples of bullying that are shocking local communities, including the suicide of a 14-year-old Gordonsville boy who killed himself this month after being bullied constantly for being gay..... In December, a gay Ashland City teen also committed suicide because of bullying he received at Cheatham County High School.
The Debut of PolitiFact Tennessee
In Sunday editions, the Knoxville News Sentinel and the Memphis Commercial Appeal jointly reported the launch of Politifact Tennessee, which is designed to check the veracity of statements made in the course of state political and governmental doings.
Excerpt from News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy:
Today, Tennessee joins the PolitiFact network. The News Sentinel and its sister paper, The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, have launched PolitiFact Tennessee.
The project has both print and online components. Each Sunday and Monday, the News Sentinel will publish new Truth-O-Meter rulings, complete with details of the evaluations.
Then, during the week, other rulings will appear on the Tennessee portion of PolitiFact.com.
Among the first batch of comments to scrutinized by the Tennessee Truth-O-Meter are U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen's claim that the Republicans have "never done anything" to lower the budget deficit, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn's remarks about the 100-watt incandescent light bulb and state Sen. Stacey Campfield's assertions about the cost of drug tests.
Researching the Truth-O-Meter rulings is a team of veteran Scripps journalists: Zach McMillin in Memphis; Steve Ahillen in Knoxville; Richard Locker and Tom Humphrey in Nashville; and Bart Sullivan and Michael Collins in Washington, D.C.
Bill Adair, the creator of PolitiFact, is personally overseeing the Tennessee launch, as he has the launches of all PolitiFact sites.
Note: Commercial Appeal Editor Chris Peck on Politifact, HERE.
More TN End-of-Year, Look-Ahead Stuff
The Tennessean's look-ahead story for the state says it's "all about money," in the Legislature and otherwise. And some other matters.
TNReport's top five videos of the year HERE.
News Sentinel's top stories in East Tennessee (nothing about the Legislature, but Haslam's inauguration is No. 6).
Most read stories on the News Sentinel website (No.1: Joe Armstrong and the Obama mints!)
Narrative story on AP's top ten stories internationally in 2011 (No. 1, death of Osama Bin Ladln)
James Harrison looks back at some odd Tennessee happenings during the year, HERE.
OK, it's not Tennessee=oriented, but the definitive 2011 national wrapup is by Dave Barry and begins, "It was the kind of year that made a person look back fondly on the Gulf oil spill.
TN End-of-the-year Reminiscence Stuff
From Chas Sisk in the Tennessean:
A year that began with Gov. Bill Haslam's inauguration on War Memorial Plaza ended with protesters occupying the exact same spot.
(A subhead says it's the year 'fed-up Tennesseans fought back.'
From Jeff Woods in The City Paper:
The debate over repealing collective bargaining for public school teachers was the most contentious of this year's state legislative session, with opponents rallying at the Capitol in raucous demonstrations like those that put the national spotlight on Wisconsin.
It took two tie-breaking votes from House Speaker Beth Harwell before Tennessee Republicans succeeded in stripping the teachers' union of most of its power.
Fantasy from Greg Johnson in the News-Sentinel on what's coming next year:
In January, capitol police summon Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell to Gov. Bill Haslam's office to intervene in an altercation between the guv and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey
The AP's list of Tennessee's top 10 stories for 2011 is HERE..
AP's Top Ten Tennessee News Stories of 2011
We're still a couple of weeks away from year's end, but the cycle of media re-reporting what happened during the year is underway.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Here are the top Tennessee news stories of 2011 as chosen by The Associated Press staff:
1. 37 die in April tornadoes.
2. Pat Summitt diagnosed with early onset dementia.
3. Lawmakers repeal teachers' collective bargaining rights amid union, tea party protests.
4. (Tie) Occupy Nashville protesters gather at Capitol; win court battle to keep going.
4. (Tie) Mississippi River floods parts of Memphis, West Tennessee.
6. Bruce Pearl fired as Tennessee basketball coach.
7. Woman who spent 26 years on death row is released.
8. Former Gov. Ned McWherter dies.
9. Legislators approve photo ID for voting.
10. General Motors announces plans to restart assembly work at Spring Hill plant.
Note: The story accompanying the list, written by Joe Edwards, is below.
Continue reading "AP's Top Ten Tennessee News Stories of 2011"
Tom Hayden Moves from Political PR to Private PR
News release from McNeely Pigott & Fox:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tom Hayden, former director of communications for Nashville Mayor Karl Dean's 2011 re-election campaign and for former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, has joined McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations as a senior account executive.
Hayden most recently served as the deputy campaign manager and director of communications for Mayor Dean's successful re-election campaign.
Hayden worked on Rep. Davis' staff in Washington, D.C., and Tennessee for eight years as director of communications. While with Rep. Davis, he managed communications outreach, strategic planning, media relations and crisis communications, and assisted with event planning. In conjunction with his management of communications, Hayden served two years as a legislative assistant and staff liaison to the House Science Committee.
Prior to working for Rep. Davis, Hayden managed communications for the Tennessee Democratic Party and worked as a tourism marketing associate at the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.
"Tom's knowledge of the political process, his relationships and his communication skills will be valuable assets to our firm and clients," said MP&F Senior Partner Mark McNeely.
Hayden, a native of Parkman, Ohio, and a 1999 graduate of Hiram College, holds a B.A. degree in history and communication.
McNeely Pigott & Fox is an award-winning, full-service public relations firm based in Nashville, Tenn. It provides total communications and marketing services for a diversified client mix at the local, regional and national levels. MP&F was founded in 1987 and has grown to become one of the largest independent public relations firms in the Southeast.
Police Arrest Four Occupy Nashville Protesters
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Police have arrested four more Occupy Nashville protesters and briefly detained a journalist who was trying to cover their activities.
The protesters were cited for disorderly conduct because police say they refused to leave the middle of the road and protest on the sidewalk, according to The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/v47Xvw).
Matthew Hamill, who hosts This Occupied Life on 107.1 WRFN-LPFM, Radio Free Nashville, told the newspaper that he was rounded up while videotaping the protesters, but released about 30 minutes later without being charged.
He is the third journalist to be detained while covering the activities of Occupy Nashville protesters.
Such detainments have drawn opposition from the public and media organizations, which argue it leaves an information blackout on the Occupy movement and the government response.
Metro police defended the actions of the officer.
"In reviewing the video, the officer is speaking in the context of the individual ignoring previous commands to remain on the sidewalk. You hear the officer telling him he should not have walked out into the street," police spokeswoman Kris Mumford said in a written response. "Press status does not override the law. Any citizen of any profession is required to obey police lines and directives. Once the situation was evaluated, he was released without being cited."
The arrests came as the first major gathering of Occupy protesters from across the state occurred at the plaza outside the state Capitol. About 200 people from Knoxville, Johnson City Chattanooga and Clarksville gathered with Nashville protesters to strategize and focus their efforts.
Tennessean Gets a New Editor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessean announced Thursday that Maria DeVarenne has been named executive editor and vice president/news.
DeVarenne comes to The Tennessean, owned by Gannett Co. Inc., from The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif. She was vice president/news at that A.H. Belo newspaper, which posted growth in its digital and print audiences during her 10 years there.
"I'm excited and honored to be joining The Tennessean, given its legacy for great journalism," DeVarenne told the newspaper (http://tnne.ws/vOhEXy ).
"There is a strong, award-winning foundation to build on in the Nashville newsroom as we expand further with digital media to provide news and content any time on any device for the region and foster a greater connectivity throughout the community with social media."
The Tennessean's coverage of the 2010 Nashville flood was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news this year.
DeVarenne is a graduate of the University of New Mexico and a 2009 Fellow of the USC/Knight Digital Media Center.
She succeeds former editor Mark Silverman, who moved to the Gannett corporate staff in September.
Before joining The Press-Enterprise, DeVarenne worked for Gannett newspapers, including the San Bernardino Sun.
DeVarenne starts her new job Dec. 26.
Northeast TN TV Revenue Boosted by Virginia State Senate Race
About $600,000 was spent buying television ads on four Northeast Tennessee television stations by the opposing sides in a recent Virginia state Senate race, reports the Bristol Herald-Courier. The stations, based in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee, broadcast into Southwest Virginia, where voters in the 38th District Virginia Senate seat live. The seat was a key in the battle for control of the Virginia Senate.
Excerpt from the story:
If the phrases "phase them out," "hard work," and "running away from Barack Obama" sound familiar then it's a pretty good bet you watched programming aired on one of the regions four network television stations over the past few months.
That's because these messages were the central themes used by Virginia Sen. Phil Puckett, D-Lebanon, who was re-elected, challenger Republican Adam Light and the Republican State Leadership Committee in more than 2,100 advertisements aired on local TV stations this fall as they waged an all-out battle for control of the Virginia Senate.
Records obtained by the Bristol Herald Courier show that Puckett's re-election campaign spent $317,680 buying enough time to air 1,231 30-second-spots on WJHL, WEMT, WCYB, and WKPT at various times between Sept. 1 and the Nov. 8 election.
Light's campaign spent $159,895 to run 557 ads on those four stations, while the Republican committee spent $128,090 on 370 30-second spots it purchased on Light's behalf as part of a bid to take control of the 40-member state Senate from the Democrats and place the state government squarely in GOP hands.
"There was some really big money spent in the Senate campaigns [during the past election cycle] and the television stations loved it," said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst with the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Politics.
..."This could have been the 21st seat for the Republicans," Kondik said of the 38th District, for which Light and Puckett fought tooth and nail.
Had GOP lawmakers won this district as well, he added, they would have earned complete control of the state Senate without relying on Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, to cast a tiebreaking vote
Mississippi Publishing Company Buys TN Newspapers
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) -- Journal Inc., which publishes the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, has acquired a group of weekly community newspapers in the suburban Memphis, Tenn., area.
The company reports (http://bit.ly/t4NelJ) that details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Clay Foster, CEO of Journal Inc., says the company acquired the Bartlett Express, Millington Star, Collierville Independent, Shelby Sun Times, Oakland News and the Classified Advantage. Foster says the company also will produce The BlueJacket for the Millington Naval Base.
Foster says Journal Inc. will now publish 20 publications in Mississippi and Tennessee
Following the Links: Ramsey, a Challenge, Campfield and Chop-Busting Bloggers
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey's talk of putting new restrictions on unemployment benefits inspired Metro Pulse's Cari Wade Gervin offering to "put up her own money": to see Ramsey live on $300 for a week. Which inspired Sen. Stacey Campfield to declare that he would accept the challenge, provided the stakes were a full month at $1,200 (and some other conditions).
Which inspired bloggers such as Sean Braisted and Aunt B to a round of (as Michael Silence puts it) "busting Campfield's chops."
And Gervin declines, at least for now (?), Campfield's offer.,
Bloggers 'Blitzoid' Over Occupy Nashville Arrests
Blogger watcher Micheal Silence on Internet observations of Occupy Nashville:
There's an old adage: "Don't swat a hornet's nest."
That's what the state of Tennessee did when it told a group of Occupy Nashville participants to get off public property, in this case the Legislative Plaza. Apparently, state officials thought the saying was "swat a hornet's nest."
The Tennessee blogosphere went blitzoid. As of this writing, there were more 5,400 people following @occupynashville on Twitter. From Mountain City to Memphis people sounded off on the controversy.
Arrested Reporter Writes His Story
Jonathan Meador, the Nashville Scene reporter arrested along with Occupy Nashville protesters, has written up an account of the evening. Excerpts:
While waiting in line to be processed onto the idling Department of Correction bus along with the others who'd been snatched up, I started to burp up my meal from earlier in the evening -- an overpriced hamburger with fries and Jack and Coke. The trooper shot me a smirk.
"Smells like you been drinkin' tonight," he said. A few moments later, he informed one of his comrades to cite me for public intoxication.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I said. At that moment I happened to notice my colleagues standing near the bus, in various stages of what I can only describe as freaking the hell out. I yelled out to them to call my editor.
...(After being arrested and listening to conversations of others arrested) Normally, such talk strikes me as the fringe ramblings of stereotypical anarchists or right-wing conspiracists. But after what happened tonight, I felt only a chill.
On and on it went, while all I could think of was getting home to bed. Abruptly, we heard cheers erupt from the women's cell. One of them had been checking her Twitter account. She learned that the sitting magistrate -- again, Tom Nelson -- threw out the charges against us and demanded that we be released immediately.
Since the troopers hadn't confiscated any of my equipment, I pulled out my phone and began clandestinely tweeting in the cell. Indeed, multiple sources were reporting that Nelson declared our detainment unconstitutional. "Can I go home now?" I tweeted. To celebrate, I gathered the men into a line and proceeded to take their picture with my smart phone.
"All right," I said. "Say, 'Bill Haslam!' "
It was a stupid act of bravado, though. When I attempted to upload the picture to the Internet, one of the guards caught me. "Hey!" he shouted. "You can't be playin' with that in here!"
He attempted to take it from me and I pulled it back. That was a bad idea. The guard smacked the phone out of my hand, and it ricocheted off the concrete cell wall. "You know I could charge you with a felony for that?" he screamed. "That's contraband! You're not supposed to have that in here! That's a felony!"
Everyone was quiet. I didn't feel so brave now. I said I hadn't been searched. I said nothing of mine had been confiscated. I even pointed out no one had told me the items were illegal.
"I know your little buddy, this guy, here was here last night," he said, pointing to one of the men who'd been arrested in the previous night's raid. "He knows better. He shoulda told you. I know he knows better."
"Nobody said anything," I said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
For a moment the guard stood there. He turned around and picked up my phone, which, surprisingly, was intact. He handed it back to me.
"Since these are ... special circumstances," he shouted, "I'm going to give this back to you. But don't play with it again!"
I thanked him. I slid the phone into my laptop bag. My cellmates started laughing when he left the room.
Arrested Reporter's Boss Gets 'Rationalization,' Not an Apology
Excerpt from a TNReport story, mostly on reactions of legislators -- predictably, along partisan lines -- to Gov. Bill Haslam's handling of the Occupy Nashville arrests.
Haslam expressed no regret Tuesday about his decisions, although he did say Commissioner of Safety Bill Gibbons contacted an editor to express regrets about the arrest of reporter Jonathan Meador of the Nashville Scene in the roundup. Chris Ferrell, CEO of SouthComm Inc., which publishes the Nashville Scene, said Tuesday he did not consider Gibbons' response an apology.
"It was more of a rationalization for their actions than an apology," Ferrell said when contacted by phone.
Ferrell had publicly asked Haslam for an apology for Meador's arrest. Ferrell talked to Gibbons on Monday, and Gibbons sent a follow-up e-mail. Ferrell said the conversation lasted two or three minutes.
But when asked if he was satisfied with the response he received, Ferrell said, "No. Because they still haven't apologized for what seems to me a clear violation of the First Amendment, that when the officers grabbed Jonathan he clearly identified himself as a journalist.
"They should have verified that and then let him go. The fact that they did not, I think, is of concern to journalists everywhere."
Ferrell said he had not talked to Haslam, although he had tried to contact the governor through his communications office as recently as Monday.
Gibbons' statement to Ferrell said, in part: "Obviously, it was not our intention to take any member of the press doing his or her job into custody for trespassing. I regret any confusion regarding Mr. Meador's role."
Frank Gibson Changes Jobs
From Jack McElroy's blog:
Frank Gibson, director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, is moving to a new role. Starting next week, he'll be public policy director for the Tennessee Press Association. The good news is that he'll continue to battle for government access in that job.
Gibson has been synonymous with TCOG since the organization was founded in 2003 to bring together citizens, journalists and lawyers concerned about the preservation and improvement of open-government laws.
Under his leadership, the group has been very successful. Soon after its inception, TCOG conducted statewide public records and open meetings audits that showed the need for additional training and education. In 2006, after the Tennessee Waltz scandal broke, it got open-government language included in the governor's ethics study commission report and persuaded the legislature to include "sunshine" for the General Assembly in the ethics law. In 2007, it convinced the governor to create the Office of the Open Records Counsel to help enforce the Public Records Act, and in 2008, at its urging, the legislature passed the first improvements to the records law in 25 years.
This past year, Gibson and TCOG battled a number of bills to limit access and public notice. The fight convinced the press association that it needed someone in Nashville year-round, and Gibson was the guy. His departure won't mean the death of TCOG, however. The organization decided Thursday to draft a job description and appoint a committee to look for a new director, who will team up with Gibson to provide even more firepower in the fight for open government.
Gibbons on Reporter's Arrest
Statement from Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons, as reported by The Tennessean:
"As I noted in our conversation, based on our review of the video available to us and interviews with the troopers, we believe the troopers acted reasonably and in good faith and had probable cause to charge Mr. Meador.
"As I mentioned to you, video shows that, as other reporters were moving away from the protesters, Mr. Meador placed himself in the middle of them. To our knowledge, he had no visible media credentials. Regarding the public intoxication charge, based upon the smell of alcohol and their interaction with him, troopers understandably concluded that he was intoxicated.
"Given the circumstances, the troopers did not take Mr. Meador's claim to be a member of the media seriously. Unfortunately, but also somewhat understandably,they did not ask Mr. Meador to produce his press credentials.
"Obviously, it was not our intention to take any member of the press doing his or her job into custody for trespassing. I regret any confusion regarding Mr. Meador's role.''
SPJ Protests Arrest of Nashville Scene Reporter
The Board of the Middle Tennessee Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists, has set a letter to Gov. Bill Haslam and Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons protesting the arrest and detention of Nashville Scene reporter Jonathan Meador early Saturday at the Legislative Plaza.
Text of the letter is below.
Continue reading "SPJ Protests Arrest of Nashville Scene Reporter"
Tennesseans Cue-less on Some State Issues
(Note: This is a slightly modified version of a column appearing in Sunday's News Sentinel.)
Ken Blake says one of the probable reasons Tennesseans seem to know a lot less about their state government and politics than about national issues is the shortage of heuristic cues. Another, of course, is the media.
Ask Tennesseans for an opinion about President Barack Obama, for example, and pollsters almost always get a definitive answer. But ask for an opinion about Gov. Bill Haslam, and a substantial number of residents don't have a clue.
Blake is director of the Middle Tennessee State University poll, which reported on this last week, though that wasn't exactly the emphasized point.
Most of the attention was on the not-so-surprising discovery that most of the opinions of Obama, 63 percent, are negative. Only about 6 percent had no opinion. For Haslam, the favorable opinion was 51 percent. But those wondering "Has who?" or otherwise expressing no opinion made up a bit more than 30 percent.
Similarly, a bunch of Tennesseans have no opinion on our state Legislature. And some of those who do, based on unscientific anecdotes reported by legislators themselves, often confuse Congress with the state-level lawmakers, calling them to, say, urge that they vote against "Obamacare" or oppose the Afghanistan war.
When the pollsters asked whether respondents were aware of the state's new law requiring a photo ID to vote, which is probably the hottest October topic in Tennessee politics, 28.4 percent said they'd never heard of the thing. Of those that had heard about it, there was considerable confusion on details, such as the type of ID required.
Incidentally, the MTSU poll didn't ask whether people who were aware of the new law thought it was a good thing or not. Republicans legislators who support the law say they polled before enactment and say it polled through the roof -- better than 90 percent approval.
There are suspicions that GOP pollsters asked the question something like, "Would you favor preventing fraud by having voters present photo identification?" That could skew the results, observes Blake cautiously, since "not too many people are in favor of voter fraud" and listeners could figure that was part of the question. On the other hand, MTSU includes in its survey people who aren't even registered to vote. The GOP concentrates on registered voters.
Blake says MTSU didn't ask an approval question on photo ID because he didn't know there was a repeal effort under way until the poll itself was already getting under way. Maybe next time.
Be that as it may, the heightened state of unawareness about Tennessee politics versus national politics, Blake suspects, may rest on media attention. At the national level, there's a virtual media mob scene.
"We have a lot of really large, pressing national issues," he said. "There's a lot of media coverage of those issues -- wars, the economy -- so there's just a lot more media content that people pay attention to."
On the other hand, you can count full-time members of the state Capitol Hill Press Corps on your fingers (self included) while media in communities around the state are reasonably focused on local happenings, political and otherwise.
Then there are those heuristic cues. Coverage of national issues, Blake says, contains "a lot of partisan-based information" catering to a partisan audience, be it Democratic or Republican. So most people who align with parties immediately know where they stand and have an opinion -- as in, "If Obama's for it, then I'm against it."
"When you have that sort of partisanship in the conversation, it makes it easier for people to have an opinion," he said.
In other words, people have a cue of the heuristic variety on where they stand because of their source of information. That rings true, at least to some extent.
But there are doubtless other factors. Haslam, for example, seems to lack an opinion on many issues -- a devotee of ambiguity, if you will. This may be seen as an attribute or a shortcoming, but in either case the lack of an opinion doesn't inspire strong opinions about him.
People are cue-less. Most probably know he's a Republican, but then some of our past governors who were Republican were widely suspected of moderation. Some Democrats, too. And, well, let's acknowledge that some of our most hot-button state issues -- voter ID, "don't say gay" and incentive payments to corporations -- may be interesting but do not reach the level of war-and-peace decisions.
An old adage proclaims ignorance is bliss. But I don't know whether that's true. But maybe if you polled it, the adage is popular enough to provide a heuristic cue.
Some Recent Interesting Posts in TN Political Blogging
Occupy & Tea
The Occupy Wall Street protesters and Tea Party protesters have their differences and some of both have been rather derogatory in commentary directed to the other. Ben Cunningham, one of the state's most prominent tea party types, has a thoughtful Taxing Tennessee post on things they have in common.
The first two of six points:
1- The joys of lawful public protests and demonstrations...not only the right of expressing yourself as a citizen but the camaraderie.
2- A desire to see my governments, federal, state and local, stop ALL corporate/business welfare and subsidies.
Disgusting Mailer
Over at Knoxviews, R. Neal has been reporting on an anonymous mailer attacking Madeline Rogero in the Knoxville mayoral campaign. He finds it too offensive to post in full, but summarizes thusly:
It says "This election is between a young man with our values and a left wing community organizer like her hero Barack Hussein Obama," that Rogero is an atheist, and that "Her base of support is a bunch of drug addicts and hippies."
That's the nice part.
It goes on to names names of people who have allegedly been promised jobs by Rogero and refers to them in a most derogatory manner. It refers to another of her supporters using an offensive slur regarding their supposed sexual orientation.
Rogero's opponent, Mark Padgett, called Neal to say he was appalled and disgusted by the mailer.
Stacey's Great Frustration
On "opportunity scholarships," known to some as school vouchers, Sen. Stacey Campfield declares his support:
Why any person would so selfishly want to force a child to stay in a school that has proven to not educate them has got to be one of the great frustrations to me in the legislature.
Angst in the Gun Lobby?
Jeff Woods, an equal opportunity basher of most everyone, recently turned his attention to pro-gun activists in the aftermath of Rep. Curry Todd's arrest.
Gun lobby leaders, like state Sen. Stacey Campfield and Tennessee Firearms Association director John Harris, are keeping a stiff upper lip and playing down the damage done to their cause by Rep. Curry Todd's arrest.
But at Internet forums, gun lovers themselves are distraught--outraged at Todd, their one-time hero, for wrecking their credibility and uniformly pessimistic about expanding the right to carry anytime in the near future.
TN Democrat on Romney as GOP Frontrunner
Excerpt from Sean Braisted after watching last week's debate: No rational person can watch this debate and say that anyone other than Mitt Romney is the best candidate to go against Barack Obama in 2012. Not saying he's right about, well, anything really. But he comes off (to me) as someone who has a few brain cells left to rub together, and that's saying a lot for this crowd, at least when it comes down to he or Cain/Perry.
Note: For a roundup of Tennessee political blogging -- at least from the Democratic perspective -- see Trace Sharp's Out of the Blue most anytime.
Media Lawyer Al Knight Dies, age 74
Alfred H. Knight III, a prominent Nashville attorney who fought for decades to open government to the press and public, died Monday at Saint Thomas Hospital, family members said. He was 74.
"What I like most about the practice of law is helping people who need help," Mr. Knight said in an interview videotaped this year for the Nashville Bar Association's oral history project. "It's just that simple."
For decades, those who needed help were media outlets including The Tennessean and organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists, which awarded Mr. Knight with its highest accolade, the First Amendment Award, in 1984.
More in The Tennessean.
Senator Eyes Mandate that All Public Notices Be Published Online (not in newspapers)
State Sen. Bo Watson is considering a change to his bill calling for all public notices in Hamilton County to be published online rather than in newspapers, reports Action Andy Sher. The change would make the arrangement apply statewide.
It would ultimately put notices online provided, Watson said, he can address issues of having them independently published, verifiable, archivable and accessible to the estimated one third of Tennessee households without computers.
"Until I am comfortable in addressing those, whatever legislation might emerge has to address all of those," Watson said. "I just don't think it [the city proposal] gets there. But it was a great starting point to learn more about what the concerns were with that legislation."
Watson said he continues to believe that given increasing use of the Internet and technological changes, the Internet can provide a better and less expensive alternative for notices.
Notices provide the public information about city and county governing bodies' public meetings as well as zoning matters, public purchases and other areas.
On Tuesday, the Senate State and Local Government Committee held a sometimes-contentious hearing on Watson's bill and similar legislation by Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, affecting Knox County.
Watson and Campfield sparred with the Tennessee Press Association, which represents 126 paid-circulation newspapers including the Chattanooga Times Free Press, as well as the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, an advocacy group. The groups oppose the bills, which were shuttled off for study after the legislative session.
Campfield questioned continued publication of legal notices in newspapers, arguing the current law requiring newspaper public of public notices amount to a "subsidy" for an industry losing subscribers because of technological change.
Noting efforts by governments to cut costs, Campfield said, "I can't necessarily say that we'll be able to find a solution that will keep subsidizing the newspapers if their product is not working anymore."
TPA President Jeff Fishman, publisher of The Tullahoma News and vice president of Lakeway Publishers Inc., said all states have laws regulating public notice. They are "designed to ensure that people within a community receive important information about the actions of their government," he said, noting local newspapers are the "preferred venue."
Notice must be published by an independent party, Fishman said, adding the publication must be achievable, be accessible and verifiable for court purposes.
"If any of these elements is absent, the public loses and the notice itself may be challenged," he said.
Tennessee Coalition for Open Government Executive Director Frank Gibson said providing proper public notice "is the most vital action of government transparency."
He cited figures from Connected Tennessee, a government-funded organization that deals with technology issues. They show that while 75 percent of the state's 2.5 million households have a computer, the remaining 25 percent amount to 630,000, Gibson said.
Only 27 percent surveyed said they interacted with a local government website, Gibson said, while the survey showed 62 percent relied on newspaper websites.
Hank Williams Jr. 'Out of Here' After Flap Over Obama-Hitler Analogy
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- Are you ready for some football? Hank Williams Jr. isn't anymore.
The country singer and ESPN each took credit for the decision Thursday morning to ax his classic intro to "Monday Night Football."
The network had pulled the song from the game earlier this week after Williams made an analogy to Adolf Hitler while discussing President Barack Obama on Fox News on Monday morning.
"After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision," Williams said in a statement to The Associated Press. "By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It's been a great run."
But ESPN's statement said: "We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams Jr. We appreciate his contributions over the past years. The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue."
Spokesman Kirt Webster said Williams made the decision Wednesday night, while the network said it informed Williams of the move Thursday morning.
Continue reading "Hank Williams Jr. 'Out of Here' After Flap Over Obama-Hitler Analogy"
Now There's a Tennessee Public Relations Alliance
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- An alliance has been formed by Tennessee public relations companies to offer statewide services to clients.
The Tennessee Public Relations Alliance is being coordinated by Nashville-based McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations. Charter members also are the Carter Malone Group of Memphis and Moxley Carmichael Public Relations of Knoxville.
All three will continue to maintain existing clients and pursue others. But the alliance will be available for businesses and organizations that need statewide communications services.
The PR Alliance's first news release, announcing its existence, is reproduced below.
Continue reading "Now There's a Tennessee Public Relations Alliance"
TN Political Tidbits
Campfield's comeback
State Democratic party spokesman Brandon Puttbrese's comment on Republican Senate candidate Becky Duncan Massey - "She's Stacey Campfield in a dress" (part of this post) - brought a quick comeback from The Sen.
The headline: Impossible. I have much better legs.
Fitzhugh Misses Ned
House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh has penned a tribute to the late Gov. Ned McWherter, who is being honored at this weekend's Democratic Jackson Day dinner.
Fitzhugh himself, meanwhile, is one of four men honored as "good guys" by the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus.
Corker's Head Hurts?
Sen. Bob Corker, in a Clarksville speech, says he sometimes feels that his "head is about to pop off."
"It's the most frustrated I've ever been in my life when we have a country that has the kinds of issues that we all know have to be solved," he said. "The greatness of this country dissipates daily."
Portrait of a Mayor
A portrait of former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton has been unveiled. And Herenton had a prediction: "History will be kind to me... because it will reveal the truth."
Tennessean's New Politics Editor
Columnist Scott Stroud has been named political editor at The Tennessean, replacing Clint Brewer (who joined the Haslam administration), reports Chas Sisk.
Memphis Unions Pick Candidates
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Unions representing Memphis city workers are campaigning against candidates who supported a recent pay cut.
The efforts are being diluted because more than half of the city's police officers and firefighters live outside the Memphis city limits, according to The Commercial Appeal (http://bit.ly/qX0CoZ ). Wages were cut 4.6 percent.
The Memphis Police Association and the Memphis Firefighters Association are both targeting some candidates in the Oct. 6 municipal election.
Police union Vice President Mike Williams said there's a lot of public support for the unions' position.
City Council member Kemp Conrad said it's easy for unions to argue for what he called "unsustainable benefits" when many of their members don't pay the property taxes that support them.
Chattanooga Newspaper Editor Resigns
From the Chattanooga Times-Free Press:J. Todd Foster has resigned as executive editor of the Chattanooga Times Free Press for personal reasons.
Jason Taylor, president and general manager of the newspaper, made the announcement to the newsroom staff this afternoon.
Foster had been named executive editor of the Times Free Press July 1, 2010.
He had previously served as editor of the Bristol (Va.) Herald Courier and from 1985-89 had served as a reporter for the Chattanooga Free Press.
Tennessean's Dwight Lewis Retiring
Editorial Page Editor Dwight Lewis, whose newspaper career has ranged from exposing problems in Tennessee's correctional system to becoming an influential voice for children in underserved communities, will retire this week after 40 years at The Tennessean.
From the newspaper's report on his departure:
The Knoxville native, 63, began his career as a part-time campus correspondent for The Tennessean, covering Fisk University and his alma mater, Tennessee State, then moved into general assignment reporting. He went on to cover state politics, reporting on the scandal-ridden administration of Gov. Ray Blanton, and worked a stint as the newspaper's correspondent in Washington.
He reported on key issues of the day, such as public-housing conditions, but he also, after repeated tries, got to interview the
state's most famous inmate at the time, James Earl Ray. The exchange lasted for more than a decade, and Lewis had one of the last interviews with Martin Luther King Jr.'s killer before his death in 1998.
"As a reporter, Dwight was driven to cover areas of community life ignored by other journalists -- which led him, for instance, to a series of meaningful reports on the state Department of Correction and conditions at state prisons," John Seigenthaler, chairman emeritus of The Tennessean who was editor and publisher when Lewis was hired, said last week.
"As an editorialist and columnist, he was driven to explore and comment on issues of community controversy, always exhibiting compassion for the problems of the poor and the powerless."
Dwight's own farewell column is HERE.
Commercial Appeal Begins Paid Digital Content Policy
The Commercial Appeal is launching a comprehensive, paid digital content plan designed to deliver premium content to users of smartphones, tablets and other digital devices.
From the newspaper's report on the move:
All print subscribers to The Commercial Appeal will get the full suite of digital apps at no additional charge. These subscribers will only have to register for the digital service either by going to the Apple or Android app stores or through the commercialappeal.com website. Instructions on how to register are posted in each place.
Our apps can be downloaded for free and allow limited access to content from The Commercial Appeal. To enjoy all of the content requires a paid subscription.
.. For news consumers interested in local and breaking news but who choose not to be print subscribers, a monthly digital-only subscription to The Commercial Appeal app will start at $9.99. Customers who only want to read a single day of news content from their digital devices may sign on for a 99-cent day pass.
...Obituaries, classified advertising and some breaking news will continue to be offered free on the app, and on the newspaper's website, commercialappeal.com. Non-subscribers who use their computers to visit the website and view more than 10 articles a month will be asked to subscribe. They will have an opportunity to sign up for full access for $9.95 per month, or 99 cents a day. Once signed up, website users also will be able to access Commercial Appeal content on smartphones and tablets.
Miscellaneous TN News Notes. 9/17/11
GM To Reopen Spring Hill Plant
DETROIT (AP) -- As part of a tentative agreement reached with the United Auto Workers, GM will reopen its idled assembly line at its plant in Spring Hill, officials said late Friday.
Details weren't immediately released, but the union said the contract will ensure that laid-off workers will be hired back.
The union said the contract also will improve health-care benefits and profit-sharing plans.
Ketron Honored for Hearing Aid Bill
Families of children who needed access to affordable hearing aids will honor state Sen. Bill Ketron Sept. 21, reports the Daily News Journal.
Families and many statewide agencies, including the host of the event, the Tennessee Disability Coalition, labored in support of this legislation. The event was organized to show their appreciation for Ketron's leadership in passing hearing aid coverage for children, which was signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam in May.
Mayor to Maintain Dual Role
While there may be some sentiment in Arlington against Mayor-elect Mike Wissman serving as the town's leader and on the county school board, there apparently is nothing in the suburb's rules to prohibit the dual role, according to the Commercial Appeal.
Wissman defeated three other candidates in Thursday's election to replace Russell Wiseman as Arlington's mayor. The question of Wissman serving on the school board and as the town's leader emerged as a campaign issue in the closing weeks.
The mayor-elect has pledged to keep both seats for Arlington to have an inside view along the consolidated school district path. He also wants to prevent the County Commission from appointing someone if he steps down.
The state Supreme Court has thrown out a lawsuit from a man demoted from department chair at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to tenured professor, reports the Chattanooga TFP
According to the Supreme Court ruling, William Harman, then chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, was demoted in 2008 after refusing to change his evaluation of an assistant professor.
In a review, Harman had said Talia Welsh's was unprofessional, citing an extramarital affair with an undergraduate student, falsified reports and lies about papers she said she had published.
Dean Herbert Burhenn, Harman's boss, told him to remove the negative review, and when Harman refused, Burhenn demoted him.
Tennessee's whistleblower law protects employees from being fired if they refuse to perform illegal activities. Because Harman wasn't fired, the Supreme Court ruled that he was not protected.
Cumberland Board Members Quit
Four of the five members on Cumberland County's Health and Safety Standards Board, which deals with abandoned or neglected properties, have resigned in a dispute with the county commission, reports the Crossville Chronicle.
The members resigned after several county commissioners attended the meeting and at least three of them questioned committee members regarding operations, cases they were discussing and the procedures of the committee.
John Kinnunen, who served as chairman of the Health and Safety Standards Board said, "It was obvious that the underlying cause of the questioning was to eliminate the committee and save the county the $9,500 a year (budgeted) for the board. They feel they can pass the problems on to the Environmental Committee. It's obvious they want to keep the county in the past and not progress into the future and to let people do whatever they want on their property and feel there is no need for the committee ... We just decided that they were so adamant in their feelings that there was no reason for us to continue due to the lack of support from those commissioners. It was obvious they would continue criticizing whatever we do as a board in the future, so we resigned."
Acquittal in Blog-inspired Assault Case
An assault case sparked by accusations of insults on a Loudon County blog ended in a not-guilty verdict for a Tellico Village resident, reports the News Sentinel.
Angelo Paul Leone, 69 was found not guilty of assaulting Tellico Village General Manager Winston Blazer during an August 21, 2009 incident at the Property Owners Association offices.
Leone -- who feels he was harassed in the days before his arrest because he was among a group of residents who requested documents related to the management of the POA. -- said he deserves an apology for being wrongly accused.
"It's terrible, what they tried to do to me," Leone said.
The assault charge grew out of a confrontation between Leone and Blazer over what Leone calls "the most vile and disgusting" defamations on a local Tellico Village blog known as Topix. The posts referenced Leone's intentions to run for the board and also made references to his wife that he said were "of a sexual nature."
Ramsey Staffer's Political Mailing Mistake 'Handled Internally'
Discipline of Adam Kleinheider for sending one of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey's political releases out on state email has been handled "internally" at the Legislature, reports Andrea Zelinski. Apparently, the mistake -- which Kleinheider quickly acknowledged -- was considered no big deal.
Other legislative staffers privately tell TNReport they're constantly faced with decisions about whether the messages the government is paying them to send on behalf of their elected bosses are too political to be sent through state email accounts or written while on the clock or using government equipment or facilities.
"We try to make that very clear -- that this is not something they should be doing on state time," said Ridley, who did not release details of any punishment or reprimand Kleinheider may have received. "This is the only one (instance) that I've been aware of as it relates to political activity."
Most lawmakers with whom TNReport has inquired about the matter say Kleinheider's decision to send an apparent campaign endorsement as an official state news release is pretty small potatoes in the scheme of things -- not something for which he probably ought to be fined, fired or incarcerated.
"When we've done it, they've criticized us tremendously for it. But we've got bigger fish to fry up here," said Rep. Mike Turner, an Old Hickory Democrat and the minority caucus chairman in the House. "We've got people out of work. We've got things happening, and I'm not going to be petty and get on them about that."
Note: Original post on the foulup HERE.
Susan Lynn Launches Radio Talk Show
News release from Susan Lynn:
Nashville - Former State Representative Susan Lynn will announce this morning at 9am that she will be hosting her own radio program on 880 am The Big Mouth starting Labor Day, Monday, September 5, 2011.
Her announcement will take place on the Big Joe Show, 880am, The Big Mouth.
The conservative lawmaker from Wilson County will host Let's Save America - a reference to her grassroots beliefs that the people should and can be an active force in the affairs of their government. She will review state and national issues and provide her constitutional perspective combined with her well known support of free enterprise and Austrian economics.
The show's web site will contain full content when it starts on Monday morning - the address is :www.susanlynn.net.
Nashville City Paper Gets New Editor
Nashville media holding company SouthComm Inc. announced Wednesday it has named Steve Cavendish editor of The City Paper, according to the Nashville Post (also a SouthComm property).
Cavendish is returning home to Nashville, where he began his career at the Nashville Banner, after stints at the St. Petersburg Times, Washington Post, and most recently, the Chicago Tribune. Cavendish will begin work at The City Paper Sept. 19.
He replaces Stephen George, who is now serving as press secretary for Rep. Jim Cooper.... A 1993 Belmont University graduate, Cavendish had been at the Tribune since 2004 where he served in various editorial and writing capacities. In addition, he has served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland and a guest lecturer at Stanford University.
Tennessean Editor Departs
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessean has announced that editor Mark Silverman is leaving the newspaper to join the Gannett Co. corporate staff.
Silverman, who has been Tennessean editor for about five years, is going to corporate headquarters in McLean, Va. He will be part of a Community Publishing Division team that works to strengthen the chain's 81 local U.S. newspapers, The Tennessean said Tuesday.
Silverman was named Editor of the Year in 2010 by the National Press Foundation, and The Tennessean's coverage of the Nashville flood was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news this year.
Silverman previously was editor of Gannett newspapers in Detroit; Louisville, Ky.; and Rockford, Ill., and at Gannett News Service.
Gannett's holdings include USA Today, newspapers in Britain and 23 TV stations.
Investigation of City Clerks' Alleged Theft Dropped; Reporter Won't Disclose Source
State authorities have closed their investigation into the disappearance of formal reprimands issued to four Lenoir City assistant clerks found by an audit last year to have used City Hall's cash drawer as a personal ATM, reports Natalie Alund.
The decision follows a review by a Loudon County grand jury, which returned no indictment, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kristin Helm confirmed Monday.
In January, the News Sentinel obtained copies of July 2010 reprimands written by Bobby Johnson Jr., the city's former recorder/clerk/treasurer. Johnson wrote the reprimands to discipline clerks in his office. The paperwork was not in the personnel files during a public inspection by a News Sentinel reporter.
When the reporter brought the missing reprimands to the attention of Mayor Tony Aikens and City Attorney James Scott, they asked District Attorney General Russell Johnson to investigate. Shortly after, the prosecutor asked the News Sentinel to reveal who supplied the missing records. The newspaper declined to reveal its source.
"The answers to which we have been seeking now lie with the Knoxville News Sentinel and its reporter," the prosecutor said Monday. "We can't go any further."
...."The investigation does not identify with sufficient evidence any one individual for prosecution," prosecutor Johnson wrote in a letter dated June 23 to Aikens.
That Panda Was NOT Ryan Haynes (and the TBI is NOT investigating)
State Rep. Ryan Haynes' Facebook identify was stolen last week and the imposter posted fake statements using "a lot of colorful language" under the lawmaker's name for a while, the Knoxville Republican said Monday.
Haynes said he had visited a library on Wednesday and logged into Facebook while there. He speculated that someone may have seen him type in a password and used it to take over his page on the social media network later.
His listing of personal information was changed to say that he was homosexual and that he worked for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, a reference to the school attended by the fictional Harry Potter. His picture on the site was replaced by a photo of a panda.
The imposter also sent messages that were offensive to many, the legislator said, and when the missive brought a response, replied in a flippant and derogatory manner.
"I got about 150 phone calls in 30 minutes," he said. "People thought I was committing political suicide and wanted to know what was going on."
Haynes said he called Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn, who advised him "there really wasn't much they could do."
Kristen Helm, spokeswoman for TBI, confirmed the conversation and said Gwyn had advised Haynes to get in touch with Facebook directly.
"Due to Facebook's policies and procedures, law enforcement does not have a mechanism in place to investigate complaints about Facebook. So TBI is not investigating this incident," Helm said in an email.
A law approved by the General Assembly earlier this year - with Haynes among the large majority voting for it - authorizes law enforcement to obtain identifying information on those who post statements or pictures intended to cause "emotional distress."
Haynes agreed that the law should not apply in his case.
"I can't say that I was emotionally distressed," he said. "I just wanted to make sure people knew that wasn't me doing all that."
The legislator said he subsequently got in touch with Facebook overseers who deleted the imposter postings and "everything is straightened out now."
TN Civil War Era Newspapers Going Online
From the News Sentinel:W.B. Oakley, a 17-year-old private from Alabama, was captured by Union forces at the First Battle of Manassas, bound at his hands and feet and left on the battlefield.
His story and the stories of so many others, long forgotten with the passing of generations, once again can be appreciated thanks to a project to digitize thousands of pages of historic Tennessee newspapers.
"Young Alabama, however, was possessed of too much Anglo Saxon elasticity to occupy his recumbent attitude in idleness, and setting to work with a good pair of jaws, he soon gnawed apart the fine rope which bound his hands," reads the 150-year-old account of the soldier's experience.
He obtained a musket "from the side of a dead man" and began the return to his regiment, killing an enemy soldier and capturing a federal colonel along the way.
The account of Oakley's exploits in the Aug. 9, 1861, issue of the Memphis Daily Appeal now is only a few mouse clicks away from anyone with a curiosity for history.
It is among more than 100,000 pages of Tennessee newspapers to be digitized and made available online through a $325,165 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the Tennessee Digital Newspaper Project, an effort of the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Issues of the Memphis Daily Appeal from 1857 to 1872 are the first from the Tennessee Digital Newspaper Project to be added to the Library of Congress' Chronicling America website, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Other Tennessee newspapers that will be added include Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, the Nashville Union and American, the Chattanooga Daily Rebel, the Athens Post and the Clarksville Weekly Chronicle.
When complete, the Chronicling America project will include digitized, searchable historic issues of newspapers from throughout the country. Nearly 4 million pages already are available online.
"It's like a window in history. We can see right in there to how things were happening at that time," said Louisa Trott, the project coordinator at the University of Tennessee.
Congressman Cooper Hires New Press Secretary
News release from Rep. Jim Cooper's office:
NASHVILLE--U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper (TN-05) has named Stephen George as his new press secretary. George, who most recently was the editor of the Nashville City Paper, will take over the press operation starting in September.
"Stephen brings a much needed outside perspective to Washington. His experience will be invaluable to our operation," said Congressman Jim Cooper. "We are delighted to welcome him to our team."
George has almost a decade of experience as a reporter and extensive knowledge of the Nashville political scene. Though based in Washington, he will split time between the two offices.
"I've always found the legislative process fascinating, and I am thrilled to work for someone who considers it as thoroughly and respectfully as Jim Cooper," said George. "His principles are sound and evident in what he says and does. I look forward to working with him and his talented staff."
Gov Faults Media for 'Yada Yada Yada' on 'Don't Say Gay,' Ignoring Important Things
Starting with campaign opponents characterizing Bill Haslam as "an amiable featherbrain incapable of leadership," Jeff Woods writes that similar critiques continue now that he has passed six months in office as governor.
Haslam suggests that the media may be at fault.
The governor complained that the media paid little attention to the appointment of the first superintendent of the Tennessee's Achievement Student District, an attempt to turn around the state's lowest-performing schools. At the same time, reporters closely watched the "Don't Say Gay" bill to ban the mention of homosexuality before the ninth grade in Tennessee's public schools.
"The 'Don't Say Gay' bill didn't pass and probably is never going to pass. At the same time, we hired Chris Barbic to run the Achievement School District, which is a huge deal. That got this much attention," the governor said, holding his fingers an inch apart.
" 'Don't Say Gay' got 100 articles. Well, something's wrong with that picture.
" 'Don't Say Gay' is real sexy and yada yada yada. It's not going anywhere. Who runs the Student Achievement District is huge. But you'd be lucky to find two paragraphs on that.
"I say we've got a product to deliver, and I'm going to focus a lot of my time on delivering that product. People say, 'Well, you weren't 100 percent engaged on the session.' That's fair in one way. I probably will be more engaged going forward. But I've also got a job to do."
Haslam said he is focused working behind the scenes to improve public schools and the state's economy and to cut costs in the operation of the government.
"Those are real problems," he said. "If we're not working on them, they are not going to be addressed or it's going to cost us money or our kids aren't going to have as much opportunity. I don't think that by focusing on that I'm ducking issues."
UPDATE: Sen. Stacey Campfield, sponsor of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, responds on his blog HERE. (He thinks the bill will pass, but agrees with the governor in media-bashing.)
Newspaper Reports Finds 6 Local Candidates With Misdemeanor Crime Records
At least six people running for public office in this year's Metro election, including two incumbents, have been convicted of crimes.
A Tennessean search of criminal records in Middle Tennessee turned up no felonies for the 112 people running for office in Nashville, but it found several misdemeanors, including assault, trespassing and driving under the influence.
Misdemeanors do not bar people from running for office, and the Election Commission does not run background checks on the candidates, said Joan Nixon, deputy administrator of elections.
"It's not illegal for these folks to run," said local political analyst Pat Nolan. "On the other hand, depending on the seriousness of the
would want to consider. I don't know that these people are going to put it in their campaign literature, but it's fair information for people to be aware of."
The Tennessean searched criminal records in Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Sumner and Rutherford counties, along with registries for Tennessee felons, sexual offenders and meth offenders.
Hacker Group Targets TN Government Over New Laws
The hacker group Anonymous is targeting Tennessee in retaliation for a new law prohibiting the posting of offensive pictures online, reports the Memphis Business Journal.
So far, the group has released a file including hundreds of names and addresses obtained through the state's website, TN.gov. None of the information appears to be sensitive.
Alexia Poe, communications director for Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, said officials are aware of the attack but declined to provide further details "due to security issues."
Anonymous rose to prominence through a serious of cyber-attacks on government and corporate websites. One such attack targeted PayPal in retaliation for the company's termination of WikiLeaks' donation account.
Anonyops.com -- a website that reports news about Anonymous, its targets and the loose-knit group's current operations -- released a press release July 3 announcing the start of an initiative called Operation Tennessee, claiming the state's new offensive-pictures law violates the First Amendment's protection of free speech.
They also criticized a Tennessee law governing streaming online content.
Tennessean Political Editor Clint Brewer Takes ECD Job
News release from Department of Economic and Community Development:
NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today named veteran journalist Clint Brewer as Assistant Commissioner, Communications and Creative Services.
"I'm pleased to have someone with Clint Brewer's depth of experience joining our economic development leadership team," said Commissioner Hagerty. "As a former business owner and media executive, Clint Brewer will effectively lead our department's communications and marketing efforts."
"I'm grateful to Governor Haslam and Commissioner Hagerty for this opportunity," said Brewer. "Tennessee is one of the very best places in this country to do business, and I am excited to help spread that message."
Brewer comes to ECD with more than 15 years experience in the Tennessee media as an award-winning reporter, editor and publisher. He was previously at The Tennessean in Nashville as the newspaper's political editor. He has also previously served as editor of the daily Lebanon Democrat and of Nashville's City Paper. Brewer started his own company in 2000 where he owned the Mt. Juliet News, a weekly newspaper in Wilson County.
Prior to his tenure at the Tennessean, Brewer was executive director of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a non-profit, free market think tank.
Brewer is a native of Knoxville, TN and a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He was national president of the Society of Professional Journalists in 2007-08, where he led a lobbying effort in the U.S. House and Senate to see a national reporter shield law passed. He is a former board member of the Tennessee Press Association, and served as the co-chair of TPA's Government Affairs committee during the last legislative session.
In his current role, Brewer will lead all communications and marketing efforts for ECD, including oversight of the department's press and creative services teams. ECD's Communications and Creative Services division keeps staff, legislators, other state and city departments, local agencies, the media and the general public informed of ECD services, programs and activities. The division also provides strategic communications planning for the department and the coordination and execution of all ECD public events.
It's Summertime & Not Thinking Straight Gets a Lot of Attention
With the Legislature out of session and our sitting governor being a generally dull fellow insofar as generating controversy for Tennessee political junkies, interest has turned this summer to such weighty matters as:
_Rep. Julia Hurley, R-Lenoir City, has acknowledged carving her initials, JCH, on a desk in the House chamber during the early morning hours of the last day of the legislative session, triggering amazing array of commentary by bloggers around the nation.
"I wasn't thinking straight," she said.
From Time.com to Wonkette.com, most of the postings were less than complimentary of the lady lawmaker who once was a waitress at a Hooters restaurant and wrote an article about her experiences.
Continue reading "It's Summertime & Not Thinking Straight Gets a Lot of Attention"
Bredesen, His Mom & 74 Legislators Among Those Cut from Haslam News Clip List
By Erik Schelzig, Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Among those no longer receiving Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's daily news roundup are 74 lawmakers, five dead people, former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen - and Bredesen's mother.
Haslam's staff cut distribution of the widely read "Daily News Clips" email from more than 1,200 to 183. A spokesman has said the change makes the email list more manageable and hasn't saved any money.
Documents turned over to The Associated Press after a public records request show that among the lawmakers dropped are 42 Republicans, 32 Democrats and one independent. Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey remains on the list, but fellow Republican House Speaker Beth Harwell does not.
"We talked to legislative leadership before the change and asked them to identify who should receive the clips to get them distributed to the larger body, so our list reflects the staff that was identified," Haslam spokesman David Smith said in an email.
Continue reading "Bredesen, His Mom & 74 Legislators Among Those Cut from Haslam News Clip List"
Blackburn Names New Spokesman
News release from Rep. Blackburn
WASHINGTON- Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) today named Mike Reynard as her new Communications Director. Reynard most recently served as Communications Director for Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, who retired in 2010.
Prior to his service with Senator Bunning, Reynard served both Chairmen Bill Goodling and John Boehner, of the House Education and Workforce Committee. Blackburn's office marks a return to the Tennessee delegation for Reynard, who served on the staff of Senator Fred Thompson in 1997.
Blackburn's previous Communications Director, Claude Chafin, was named as Communications Director for the House Armed Services Committee today.
"For my whole congressional career, I have been blessed with a strong communications team to help me advance the priorities of Tennessee's 7th District. I know that Mike will continue that tradition and I am honored to welcome him back to the Tennessee delegation," Blackburn said.
Legislative Staff Now Distributing Governor's News Summary
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Staffers in the state Senate have begun retransmitting Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's daily news summary through social media.
The moves come in response to the Haslam administration last week cutting the e-mail distribution of the early-morning news roundup from 1,100 to about 150.
The Senate Democratic Caucus on Monday began posting a copy of the news clippings on its Facebook page, while a spokesman for Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville sent out a link to the document on Twitter.
Haslam officials said the changes were made to make the e-mail list more manageable, but acknowledged there were no cost savings involved in sending the e-mail to fewer people.
Senate Democrats on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tnsenatedems
Ramsey spokesman Adam Kleinheider on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ramflack
Haslam Cuts Back on Distribution of News Clippings
(Note: This post was updated & expanded from original version)
By Erik Schelzig, Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- No news is not good news to hundreds of political figures who have quit receiving a popular daily roundup of state media reports e-mailed by Gov. Bill Haslam's office.
Nearly nine out of 10 of the lawmakers, lobbyists and party officials who have relied on the daybreak email to keep atop of Tennessee political news and commentary were cut this week. The distribution list was whittled down from around 1,100 people to just 150 administration officials, legislative leaders and members of the news media.
"By culling it down, it makes it much more manageable," Haslam spokesman David Smith said. "And we'll use it to inform the governor's staff, the administration and legislators."
The summary, titled Daily News Clips, often runs 10 or more pages. It is compiled by an administration staffer who sifts through Tennessee political and government news online, condenses it and provides a Web link to the full story or opinion piece. Work on it begins hours in advance of the email that goes out well before 7 a.m. Central.
"It's just an easy way to keep up with what's going on around the state," said former recipient Caleb Hemmer. "I don't know how that's a bad thing."
Continue reading "Haslam Cuts Back on Distribution of News Clippings"
No More Free Cigarette Lighters at Pilot Stations... & a Blogging Reporter's Inquiry
News Sentinel reporter Mike Donilla discovered his local Pilot station had stopped its policy of providing a free cigarette lighter with the purchase of three packs of cigarettes. This led to further discovery that Pilot was apparently breaking the law with its practice and to a post on Donilla's blog that some may find entertaining -- though probably not Dave Smith, the governor's press secretary
An excerpt:
So I call Cynthia Moxley. (Actually I had already called her earlier.)... of Moxley Carmichael for those living under a rock are pretty good flacks. For flacks. They represent the News Sentinel, although if you asked me what they do for us, I'd answer with a blank stare. But, they also represent the Haslams or Pilot, or whatever.
So, I tell her the story. She laughs. Says either she or Alan Carmichael will check it out for me. (Oh yeah, at some point I called Big Jim, the patriarch of the Haslam family, but got his voice mail.)
So, Thursday evening Alan calls me back. He's finally gotten to the bottom of the story, although he wasn't very clear. But who cares. It's PR, rights?
He said the reason they stopped handing out lighters to anyone dumb enough to slap $15 in coin down for three packs of cancer sticks is because there's some state tobacco law that won't let you give away anything that would entice cigarette sales.
"It's a state prohibition against doing that and once they realized it, they said they can't do that," said Carmichael.
Me: "So, uh, you're telling me they were breaking the law then?"
Carmichael: Long, uneasy silence.
Me: "Heh."
Carmichael: "Let's just say they ceased doing that."
Oh well, whatever. I guess the moral of the story is that every once in awhile Dave Smith is right. Naw screw that. He's not right. And gas prices are still too high.
Judge Sues TV Reporter
Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Daniel B. Eisenstein has sued NewsChannel 5, claiming that stories by investigative reporter Phil Williams contained false and libelous reporting that damaged his reputation, according to the Tennessean.
Eisenstein accuses Williams of pursuing a vendetta against him after Eisenstein held a hearing to question a request from a Metro police captain to dismiss a parking ticket Williams received outside of Davidson County's general sessions and criminal courts.
The judge says elements of Williams' stories -- such as assertions that Eisenstein is under an ethics investigation and used federal money to hire an unlicensed psychologist for the Davidson County Mental Health Court -- are false.
"We do dispute the allegations that have been made," said NewsChannel 5's attorney Ronald Harris of Neal & Harwell. "NewsChannel 5 is not aware of anything that's false or inaccurate in the news stories."
Prior post HERE.
Newspaper for Homeless Sues Brentwood
Middle Tennessee street newspaper The Contributor sued the city of Brentwood on Wednesday, claiming that an effort to clear newspaper vendors off its streets deprives them of free speech, according to The Tennessean.
The Contributor, staffed mainly by the homeless and formerly homeless, and the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit in U.S. District Court in Nashville over Brentwood citing and fining eight of the newspaper's street vendors.
In January, Calvin Hart, Andrew Harrington and several other vendors were cited after distributing the paper in Brentwood, which has caused other vendors of the newspaper to stay away from selling in the wealthy, suburban city, the suit states. Hart and Harrington also are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit may be the first of its kind in the country concerning a street newspaper, and First Amendment scholars said the newspaper has a free speech case.
ACLU to Challenge Law on Offensive Internet Postings
News release from American Civil Liberties Union, Tennessee chapter:
NASHVILLE - Responding to numerous requests for assistance and after a thorough legal analysis, ACLU-TN today announced plans to file a lawsuit challenging Public Chapter 362, which violates the guarantee of freedom of speech and expression under the First Amendment. This new law, which goes into effect on July 1, would make it a crime to post any image online that causes "emotional distress" to any individual.
"This new law creates a chilling effect on expressive political, artistic, and otherwise lawful speech and also turns political activists, artists and others into criminals," said Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN Executive Director. "In addition, anyone with an online presence, such as social media users, becomes vulnerable."
The "offensive images" law was intended to curtail internet harassment but provides no criteria for determining what is offensive or disturbing. The new law's overly broad and vague language leaves everyone with an online presence vulnerable to prosecution.
"ACLU of Tennessee continues to respond to the flood of inquiries by Tennesseans concerned about the freedom of speech implications of the new law and are prepared to take action against this blatantly unconstitutional law," said Tricia Herzfeld, ACLU-TN Legal Director.
Individuals who believe their freedom of speech and expression will be limited by the new law should contact ACLU-TN at email@example.com.
Information about the ACLU of Tennessee is available at: www.aclu-tn.org
Gov. Haslam is Mr. Social Media
(Note: This expands an earlier post)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Gov. Bill Haslam is touting his administration's dedication to social media, but he also acknowledges that not every one of his 40,000 followers on Facebook are actually supporters.
The Republican governor said in a speech in Nashville on Thursday that he has stressed the use of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube to communicate with constituents.
Haslam said social media also provide an avenue for feedback -- and that not all of it is positive. The governor told reporters after the event that in reading some of the comments it has become clear that some of his followers are "fans, but not admirers."
An analysis conducted by Haslam's office indicates that he has the eighth most Facebook fans among the nation's governors.
Haslam's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TeamHaslam
The governor's news release is below:
Griscom, Consultant to Haslam, Now Consultant to TVA, too
As TVA continues looking for a replacement for its former head of communications, it also has made use of a prominent communications expert and member of Gov. Bill Haslam's transition team.
TVA announced June 15 the resignation of David Mould, senior vice president of communications, from his $276,000-a-year position. No reason was given, but Mould told the Chattanooga Times he was leaving "with great respect for everyone at TVA," and is looking at other options.
Since March, Tom Griscom, former Chattanooga Times Free Press executive editor and member of Gov. Bill Haslam's transition team, has done contract work for TVA in communications. Asked if TVA would be replacing Mould through Griscom's contract services, TVA spokeswoman Barbara Martocci said that was not the plan, and that TVA intends to fill the position Mould vacated.
At the time of Mould's resignation, Kim Greene, TVA's group president for strategy and external relations, said she will temporarily direct communications while TVA looks for Mould's successor.
Full News Sentinel story HERE.
Blogger Concerns on New Harassment Law Overblown?
From an article in Metro Pulse:
Over the past week, you might have seen this headline from Gizmodo floating around your social networks: "Tennessee Just Made Offensive Online Pictures Illegal." Yes, influential bloggers and tweeters across the country are yet again making fun of Tennessee. The problem is, very few of them seem to have bothered to read the law.
Take that Gizmodo post, which says "an online image of anything that offends anyone is now illegal" and likely to land you in a Tennessee jail. Or Ars Technica, which writes, "for image postings, the 'emotionally distressed' individual need not be the intended recipient. Anyone who sees the image is a potential victim." Sounds like a reason to panic, right? But it turns out these comments are off base.
...In an e-mail, University of Tennessee law Professor Glenn Reynolds says he thinks the law is "probably overbroad and thus unconstitutional--though whether it's sufficiently overbroad to be unconstitutional in general, and not just in some applications isn't open-and-shut, but it probably is."
But, Reynolds adds, "Cyberstalking is a real problem, and it's often hard to get authorities to do much even when it's by phone or e-mail. This statute isn't--as some have portrayed it as being--some sort of crazy ban on all offensive images. It's a perfectly reasonable technological update that just isn't very well drafted."
Of course, anyone filing a complaint because he or she is offended by a random Internet image will have to go through the whole criminal process. Somehow, it seems unlikely that law enforcement authorities across the state will suddenly devote their already stretched resources to pursuing spurious claims of harassment from citizens offended by their local newspaper's website.
In any case, the newly changed law seems most likely to end up being challenged in court before we see any of the worst-case scenarios dreamed up by bloggers.
Newspaper Sues for Records on Disgraced Judge, Drug Addict
The News Sentinel is challenging the sealing from public view of documents that could shed light on the relationship between a disgraced former judge, an addict in a drug court program he oversaw and a pill supplier under his legal thumb.
Attorney Richard Hollow on Monday filed on behalf of News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy a petition that challenges a decision to keep under wraps documents related to former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner.
The documents were filed in the case of Christopher Gibson, the felon who confessed supplying the ex-judge hundreds of prescription painkillers. Gibson's court file is scrubbed of any mention of documents believed by the News Sentinel to have been filed in the legal fight over whether Baumgartner should have been compelled to testify in the June 9 sentencing of Gibson on charges he violated his probation by having a gun in his Gap Road house.
However, the documents have twice been referenced in court - first by attorneys at Gibson's sentencing hearing and next by Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood when, last week, he ordered the investigative file on Baumgartner to be turned over to suspects in a January 2007 torture slaying over whose trials Baumgartner presided.
Rest of the story HERE.
On the New 'Cyberbullying' Law
When White County Sheriff Oddie J. Shoupe heard that a murder-suicide had apparently been triggered by an anonymous blog posting on the female murder victim's sexual relations, he contacted his state legislator.
"I think that was the straw that broke the camel's back for him," said Rep. Charles Curtiss, D-Sparta, who proceeded to join with Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro in sponsoring two bills to address what they saw as a shortcoming in the state's current criminal law.
"If somebody calls you every morning at 3 o'clock, just to wake you up and yell at you, you'd have a remedy -- change your phone number or, if they're saying something really bad, you could get law enforcement involved. There's already a harassment statute on the books," Curtiss said.
"But now we've got these websites where people can post anything they want, anonymously. They can say you're a pedophile, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."
TN Newspapers Moving from Political Clout to Political Target?
The Tennessee Journal's current issue has a lengthy analysis on the decline in political influence of Tennessee newspapers.
Meanwhile, Frank Gibson, who heads the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, has written a piece for the Tennessee Press Association under the headline, "In Legislature, target was on the backs of newspapers."
The Journal piece begins thusly:
It used to be accepted political wisdom that one should never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel. But in the 2011 legislative session, state lawmakers were quite willing to take on the newspaper industry.
Some of the fights involved access to public records, and some pertained to public notices, an important source of advertising revenue for papers big and small. Bills of both sorts have been common in recent years.
What was unusual this year was the volume. Newspapers found themselves in multiple battles. Among the threats to transparency and prosperity were proposals to deny public records to parties suing the government and let local governments publish notices on the Internet.
In the end, most but not all of the bills either failed, were deferred, or passed with amendments that made them more palatable to the industry. Some of the fights, and likely new ones, will wait until 2012.
A common explanation for the rash of bills is the big Republican takeover. Republicans, it is theorized, are less friendly to the media because they perceive the media, sometimes accurately, as less friendly to them than to Democrats. Thus, they turned their fire on newspapers in the same way they shot at the Tennessee Education Association, though on a much smaller scale.
Reasons for newspaper loss of political clout listed range from decline in number of newspapers and readership to fallout over media pushing for open government and corporate ownership of papers as opposed to the past tendency toward them being owned and operated by local folks well plugged into the community.
Jackson Baker has reproduced a couple of charts on newspaper circulation decline from the Journal article and thrown in some of his own commentary HERE.
Gibson's TPA piece is reproduced below.
Continue reading "TN Newspapers Moving from Political Clout to Political Target?"
A PR War -- In Court
The recent parting of ways of a high-profile Knoxville public relations executive from his employer, a leading Knoxville public relations firm, apparently is not amicable, reports Bill Brewer..
Ackermann PR, which has done business in Knoxville for 29 years, is suing its former executive vice president, Mike Cohen, and is seeking a temporary restraining order to stop him from taking Ackermann clients to his new company. In addition to the restraining order, the firm said it will ask a judge to make an injunction permanent.
The firm also is seeking to recover any damages and losses arising from the dispute. Cohen recently announced the opening of Cohen Communications Group.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Ackerman PR claims Cohen informed company founder and CEO Cathy Ackermann on April 25 that he was resigning to start his own public relations firm and informed Ackermann that several of the firm's clients had agreed to join him in his new venture, which would compete with Ackermann PR.
Cohen then supplied a memo to Ackermann identifying eight clients of the firm that he had spoken to before his resignation, informing them of his plans to leave Ackermann PR, according to the 12-page complaint filed in Knox County Chancery Court.
...The firm also is seeking to recover any damages and losses arising from the dispute. Cohen recently announced the opening of Cohen Communications Group.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Ackerman PR claims Cohen informed company founder and CEO Cathy Ackermann on April 25 that he was resigning to start his own public relations firm and informed Ackermann that several of the firm's clients had agreed to join him in his new venture, which would compete with Ackermann PR.
Cohen then supplied a memo to Ackermann identifying eight clients of the firm that he had spoken to before his resignation, informing them of his plans to leave Ackermann PR, according to the 12-page complaint filed in Knox County Chancery Court.
A Report on TNReport and Its Funding
The Nashville Scene has a long piece by Matt Pulle on TNReport, the political website, that is generally complimentary of its reporting while revealing the the previously-unrevealed source of its funding.
It is against this backdrop of slimmed-down, lightweight news coverage that Tennessee Report (TNReport.com), a political website, hopes to thrive. Barely 18 months old and powered by two full-timers and one prolific freelancer, the site has been providing thorough and balanced coverage of state politics, along with surprisingly compelling footage of lawmakers in action.
With a narrow audience and financial backing from a conservative nonprofit based in, of all places, North Dakota, Tennessee Report may not mark the future of media. But it's definitely part of the present. During the recently concluded legislative session, the politics-only site seemed to come of age, earning a devoted following among the folks who obsess over state legislators the way Arnold Schwarzenegger scopes out nannies.
"I read the Tennessee Report as much, if not more, than any of the dailies," says Brandon Puttbrese, the communications director for the Tennessee Democratic Party. "For people who pay attention to state politics, they've become a must-read."
On this issue -- and perhaps this issue alone -- the GOP agrees.
"How well read they are on the Hill? Very," says Brent Leatherwood, the spokesman for the House GOP caucus. "Personally, I've added them to the other blogs and news sites I continually check throughout the day. I know others have done the same."
Part of what makes Tennessee Report work is that it knows it has an audience: folks who find state politics more interesting than sugar-free margaritas. In trying to appeal to that crowd, the site can misfire, running dense, earnest stories that don't end up saying anything. But the site's keen attention to political maneuvers can also lead to some memorable journalism.
....Otherwise open and collegial, Engler refuses to divulge who actually pays the site's bills. After all, its content is free to all and features virtually no advertisements. Someone has to be funding all this.
"We don't discuss funding, and that's our policy," he says.
That policy is understandable, considering that -- as the Scene learned -- Tennessee Report is supported by the Franklin Center, a North Dakota nonprofit with deep Republican Party ties that backs similar political websites across the country. Jason Stverak, the center's president, spent six years as the executive director of the North Dakota Republican Party, while Gwen Beattie previously worked for Jim Gilmore, the former Virginia governor and onetime Republican National Committee chair. In addition, the center has a close relationship with the Sam Adams Alliance, a Chicago-based nonprofit that has avidly encouraged the spread of the Tea Party movement.
"The Franklin Center is proud to support TNReport's efforts to provide the people of Tennessee with more original content about what is going on in their government," emails center spokeswoman Meghan Tisinger, who once worked for former Republican congressman John Kuhl. "The TNReport relentlessly works to promote transparency and keep Tennessee's elected officials accountable through digging into the stories that the legacy media is no longer equipped to do."
Still, despite the leanings of its backers, Tennessee Report shows not the slightest trace of partisan or ideological bias. In fact, the site runs press releases from the ACLU or, for that matter, any other organization with access to a fax machine. Meanwhile, Engler himself says the site will accept donations from people and groups of all political persuasions, provided the funding does not come with strings attached. So far, this arrangement doesn't seem to trouble the Report's readers.
Opinions Offered on Matters Before the Legislature
Dirty Taxing Secret?
Gail Kerr opines on a "dirty little secret" about Tennessee taxation as the Legislature moves toward l granting a bit of a break to lower-income folks who pay the Hall Income Tax, banning forever a real income tax and protecting $6 billion or so in sales tax exemptions.
So how can the legislature on the one hand continue to support a tax that hits Tennessee's oldest people hardest, while campaigning and beating their chests against any form of income tax? The answer is simple: They refuse to replace the revenue in some other way. Because everywhere they turn, there's a lobbyist supporting a special interest that would get hit hard if widespread changes were made.
Cagle the Convert
Frank Cagle declares that he has changed his views from supporting popular election of officeholders to favor having more of them appointed, as currently the case with the state attorney general, comptroller, secretary of state, lieutenant governor, etc.
In that spirit and with the zeal of a new convert, I propose that we just haven't gone far enough. We had a very expensive gubernatorial election campaign last year; we do it every four years. When these candidates run, they accept contributions from a wide variety of people. How corrupt can you get?
I think we change the constitution and allow the Legislature to appoint the governor. They already appoint the lieutenant governor.
Just think how much better it will be. We can do a nationwide search, hire consultants (creating jobs), and appoint just the right person. We don't have to stay in-state. Remember that our last two governors moved to Tennessee as adults. We could go hire Jeb Bush. Maybe we could get Bill Clinton to come out of retirement. The sky's the limit. We'd have to pay more of course. But we could offer to pay the appointed governor as much as, say, an appointed school superintendent.
Foreclosing Differences
The bill to reduce the number and size of published foreclosure notices is the subject of op-ed pieces Sunday in The Tennessean. Rep. Jimmy Matlock, R-Lenoir City, sponsor of the bill writes the pro piece. Rep. Sherry Jones, D-Nashville, does the con side.
Amazon Tax Warriors
The dispute over whether Amazon should collect sales taxes is personalized by Pam Strickland in the News Sentinel and Mark Kennedy in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Amon Carter Evans Dies, Aged 77
Former Tennessean publisher Amon Carter Evans died Wednesday at his home in Henry County. He was 77.
From the Tennessean obituary story:
The Evans family bought The Tennessean in 1937. Amon Evans' father, Silliman Evans Sr., served as publisher.
Amon Evans became chief executive officer of The Tennessean in 1961 and publisher in 1962. He named John Seigenthaler as editor in 1962.
Mr. Evans and Seigenthaler led the newspaper through the tumultuous 1960s, supporting such issues as civil rights and environmental protection.
"Those were tough days,'' Seigenthaler said. "We had liberal editorial policies on race and the environment.
"There is a lot of heat when you take a controversial stand, and often the publisher takes that more than the editor.''
Mr. Evans named Seigenthaler publisher in 1973. In 1979, Mr. Evans sold the paper to Gannett Co., for a reported $50 million.
Note: Sen. Lamar Alexander issued this statement on Evans' death: "Amon Evans was a Tennessee original. He loved his state, his newspaper and the Great Outdoors. He was a steadfast friend. Honey and I will miss him."
Fighting Over Foreclosure Notices
Legislation to cut back on the number and length of home foreclosure legal notices now required in Tennessee is being pushed by bankers who stand to save money if the bill passes and opposed by newspapers that stand to lose money.
While that is clear, the two sides - both aided by a contingent of lobbyists - clashed sharply over whether the proposed change would benefit financially strapped homeowners and the general public as the bill advanced in the House last week.
As drafted and introduced at the behest of the Tennessee Bankers Association, HB1920 would require that just one notice of a pending foreclosure be published in a newspaper based in the county where the property is located.
Current law requires three notices. That has been the case for more than 125 years in Tennessee, according to Steve Baker, a Nashville foreclosure attorney who testified before committee in support of sticking with the "tried and true" three-time publication rule.
The bill was amended in committee last week to set the number of required notices at two, a move that sponsor Rep. Jimmy Matlock, R-Lenoir City, characterized as "compromising with ourselves."
The full News Sentinel story is HERE.
Veteran TN Newsman Duren Cheek Dies, Aged 73
UPDATE: Jim East, who worked with Duren, did an obituary for The Tennessean, available HERE. Second update below.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Duren Cheek, who managed the United Press International bureau in Nashville and then covered the Tennessee Legislature for The Tennessean, has died. He was 73.
His death was confirmed Wednesday by his wife, Beverly Cheek, who said her husband died about 8:30 Tuesday night in the emergency room at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin. He had been in declining health for several months, she said.
Cheek was hired at The Tennessean by Frank Sutherland when he was the editor at the newspaper. Sutherland said Cheek's fierce loyalty and keen competitive nature fit well with his fine editing and reporting skills.
"His No. 1 trait was loyalty," Sutherland said. "He had an institutional knowledge of Nashville; who the players were and how they interacted. He was a great journalist."
Sutherland recalled Cheek organizing several charity golf tournaments to raise money for journalism scholarships.
Sue Allison, who worked for Cheek at UPI, recalled his ability to dictate a perfect breaking news story from the scene without notes.
"Duren under fire was like no one else," Allison said. "He was my boss for seven years; the best seven years of my career."
The family said Cheeks' body will be cremated and his ashes spread over the golf course at Henry Horton State Park.
A memorial service was being planned in Nashville for next week.
Personal note: Actually, Sue, I'd say Duren was better at taking the dictation over the phone and turning the rudimentary mumblings of a cub reporter into a sparkling piece of prose. (Sue and I worked with Cheek several years at UPI. He was about the best editor I've ever known, a fine writer... and a generally remarkable man.
UPDATE II: Resolutions memorializing Duren were introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly by both Republican Sen. Jack Johnson and House Democratic Chairman Mike Turner. The text, which I read at Duren's memorial service, is available HERE. It passed the House on Thursday, May 12, unanimously and likely will clear the Senate within a week or so. An engrossed official copy will then be sent to Beverley, according to Skip Cauthorn, a former reporter who worked with Duren and, in his capacity as a legislative staffer, was instrumental in working up the resolution promptly.
The memorial service, with Frank Sutherland as moderator of sorts, went well. Several folks shared Duren stories - including Sue Allison and Joey Ledford, who posted comments below. There was also a slide show of photographs from Duren's life, many of them of him with family. (Having gone fishing with DC a few times, I liked the one of him holding a BIG rockfish.)
Ron Campbell, RIP; Plaza Room to Bear His Name
A room in the Legislative Plaza is designated as the "Ron Campbell Radio Broadcast Room" under a resolution approved unanimously Wednesday to honor the veteran radio and television personality who died Monday after a long bout with cancer.
Campbell served as the House broadcast officer since 1988, taping interviews with legislators on issues and providing them to radio stations in their districts.
He worked out of Room 16A in the Legislative Plaza. Under HJR129, sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Eldridge, R-Jackson, that room will now bear his name.
Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, led House members in a brief prayer for Campbell after passage of the resolution. Shaw, who is a radio broadcaster himself, said that he knew the "awesome" voice of Campbell before he ever met him. (Personal note: Ron did have a remarkably deep, resonate - even melodious voice - and used it in joshing as well as in broadcasting.)
Shaw said that, after meeting Campbell, "I found out the person was much greater than the voice."
UPDATE: From Kara Watkins, information on funeral arrangements:
Visitation will be Friday from 5-7pm at Liberty Mortuary, 30 South Palmetto St., Liberty, S.C. Funeral will be at 11am on Saturday at Liberty Mortuary Memorial donations can be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN 37203.
Tennessean obituary is HERE.
Excerpt from the resolution:
Continue reading "Ron Campbell, RIP; Plaza Room to Bear His Name"
Lydia Lenker, Bredesen Press Secretary, Takes Lipscomb University Position
News release from David Lipscomb University:
NASHVILLE (April 28, 2011) - Lydia Lenker, press secretary to former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, has been appointed executive-in-residence at Lipscomb University's Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL).
As executive-in-residence, Lenker will develop and manage special initiatives for the institute. The position is a one-year appointment for Lenker.
Continue reading "Lydia Lenker, Bredesen Press Secretary, Takes Lipscomb University Position"
More Commentary on 'Don't Say (or Make that Teach?) Gay'
Sen. Stacey Campfield has written an op-ed piece for The Hill on his legislation, nicknamed the "Don't Say Gay bill" -- though he prefers "Don't Teach Gay," as noted in the article. An excerpt:
Because the prevailing movement seems to one eroding the rights, wishes and desires of the parents, I have sponsored this legislation as a preemptive move to ensure that those very weighty and complicated topics remain within the decision-making framework of the family, at least for grades K-8.
I don't think my constituents need to worry about their children being introduced to such sensitive material. We can teach the biology of the human body without a guide to sex acts.
The United States continues to fall behind in educational achievement. I wish I wouldn't have to even raise this topic, however, many special interest groups are encouraging the introduction of orientation, transgendered identification, and even experimentation and promiscuity, into school curriculum.
I have received complaints from several parents here in Tennessee regarding what they feel has been inappropriate educational material. I want parents and teachers to rest knowing that these topics are a distraction to the purpose of school and that they won't be raised in Tennessee.
By keeping these topics out of the official curriculum, we assure both those who promote homosexuality and those who oppose it, that one view won't be promoted over another.
There are also some recent postings on the topic in Campfield's blog.
Meanwhile, critical commentary continues from Tennessee columnists. Wendi C. Thomas is the latest. An excerpt:
The legislation is required, Campfield has sa
id, because this is an issue in schools. Where, it's not clear.
For whom, he hasn't said -- but who needs proof? Why bog down your bigotry with facts when your party controls the state House, Senate and the governor's office and can ram through just about any hurt legislation it chooses?
See also earlier post on critical commentary from Pam Strickland and Gail Kerr.
Most TN Legislators on Facebook, Fewer Twitter
The folks over at TNReport have compiled a list of state legislators' Facebook and Twitter accounts, providing the state's social networking political junkies with an opportunity to be inundated with lawmakers' self-promotion. Links are provided so you can check out them all.
In the Tennessee Senate, 29 of 33 lawmakers have an account on Facebook, and of those, 14 senators have an account on Twitter as well.
In the House, 60 of 99 total members have a Facebook account, but only 11 have Twitter accounts.
In other words, most state lawmakers have some presence on social networking sites, according to a TNReport survey of the statehouse pack.
Even the Legislature's elder statesman, Sen. Douglas Henry, D-Nashville, has both a Twitter and Facebook account. Bear in mind, Henry first began serving as a state representative in the 79th General Assembly from 1955-1956, an era when color television was virtually unheard of and a full year before the Soviet Union launched Sputnik.
Mike McWherter: Promoting Communication, Not Self, With New Blog
Mike McWherter says he is covering the cost of an Internet "daily buzz" report on Tennessee politics and state government to promote communication on the topics, not himself.
Still, the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee did not exactly rule out future political endeavors during a recent telephone interview.
"I don't know what the future holds for me. I truly don't," said McWherter, who lost in a landslide to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. The same basic comment was repeated in response to various questions about his political future, if any.
"I've seen a lot of people offering themselves for political office and then, at the end of the campaign, they tend to just fold it up and walk away from their supporters," he said. "I want to make sure we continue communicating."
The communication device, called "Out of the Blue," is being run by Trace Sharp, a veeran Tennessee bloger who served as "director of new media" in McWherter's gubernatorial campaign. Shelby White, the campaign press spokesman, is helping out a bit.
It is decidedly Democratic in orientation, especially on emailed daily briefings seen in the first week of operation. The the main website has the most extensive blog roll on Tennessee political stuff you'll find - if you'll click that 'view all' button down at the bottom and keep on clicking. (It even seems to be collecting everything I churn out - but then, I didn't notice any Stacey Campfield's posts.)
"Conceptually, I started really thinking about this after the campaign, in December; about an additional way to communicate with a lot of our supporters across the state," he said.
A scheduled launch last month was postponed as his father, former Gov. Ned McWherter grew increasingly ill before his death April 4, he said.
"There's just a lot of people out there, a lot of commentary, bloggers and newspapers... and most people, like me, just don't have time to surf the Internet reading all that... What we're trying to do is launch a communication vehicle that (inspires) water cooler talk in urban areas and coffee shop talk in rural areas."
people talking around the urban water cooler and the rural coffee shop."
"If you have good communication, you open up state government, make government more accountable," he said. "I'm not out to beat anybody down, but to open up what's happening in our state."
McWherter said that "for right now," there's no advertising on "Out of the Blue" and he is covering the costs out of his own pocket "and I'm happy to do that."
State Government PR People: New Jobs for Nagi, Hougland
Mark Nagi, who has been a TV personality in Knoxville, has taken a Department of Transportation PR job with the Haslam administration.
Meanwhile, Sara Jo Hougland, who was PIO for the Department of Revenue during the Bredesen administration, has taken a job with Comcast, the cable TV company.
The news releases are below:
Continue reading "State Government PR People: New Jobs for Nagi, Hougland"
Bill Blocks Broadcast of 911 Calls Without Permission
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Written consent would be required to broadcast 911 emergency calls in Tennessee under a proposal advancing in the Senate.
The proposal (SB1665) sponsored by Republican Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville was approved 23-8 on Thursday. The companion bill is awaiting a House floor vote.
Tracy says some 911 calls are heard on the news or radio not long after they're given.
He says his legislation still makes the calls available for broadcast, but only if the caller says it's OK.
All records of the calls would remain open to the public.
Haslam Too Busy for Bristol?
Gov. Bill Haslam has been visiting newspaper editorial boards this week, typically resulting in stories such as one in today's Kingsport Times-News, which focuses on his first 100 days in office, dealing with education reform and such.
Less typical is the Bristol Herald-Courier report, under the headline, "Haslam Too Busy for Bristol."
Mike McWherter Launches TN Version of 'Daily Buzz'
Statement from Mike McWherter announcing the launch of his new 'communication resource:'
April 20, 2011 - Tomorrow you will be receiving a daily email from me titled "Out of the Blue." It is designed to summarize the "Daily Buzz" of events happening around the state. It is not designed to be an "editorial," but rather a short version of comments by others from around the state on current affairs.
Of course, with the legislature in session, many of the comments will center on their activities for now. My hope is this information will be useful in generating "coffee shop" talk throughout our state and provide you with commentary to engage in meaningful dialogue with your friends and acquaintances. Please feel free to forward this information onto others with whom you wish to share.
During my campaign for Governor, I realized a need to capture traditional and new media content in an easily accessible format to measure the thoughts of various constituencies. I am truly grateful to my supporters from the gubernatorial campaign, and in launching this communication tool, my goal is to help keep them informed.
Many of you may be like me in finding it difficult to have the time to navigate all the different sources available online. This is an attempt to summarize the "daily buzz" from around the state. Trace Sharp, former newspaper editor and social media expert, has graciously agreed to staff this effort. I hope you find it useful and informative.
So many candidates walk away and "fold the tent" following their races. I want to remain an active Democrat and do everything I possibly can to promote the values our party. Due to the recent illness of my father, Governor Ned McWherter, we were forced to delay this venture, but now we are moving forward.
Let me assure you, this is not an attempt to usurp any efforts by our leadership, but merely to help enhance communication efforts. United we can stand and develop an environment in our state which serves everyone, not just a privileged few.
To subscribe to "Out of the Blue" (go to)... http://bluetn.com/.
Mike McWherter
Compromise Proposed on 911 Call Legislation
Two Middle Tennessee legislators are backing a plan that would keep 911 calls open to the public but wouldn't allow them to be rebroadcast without the caller's permission, reports the Daily News Journal.
State Sen. Jim Tracy and state Rep. Mike Sparks, along with the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, reached an agreement with the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government to amend legislation (SB1665) that would make 911 calls confidential, blocking public access without approval by the caller or the courts.
"We've agreed to give the media access," said Tracy, R-Shelbyville. "I have no problem with that."
Frank Gibson, executive director of TCOG, said the amendment "keeps the records open so you can still go and listen to a tape or get a tape. ... One restriction is you couldn't broadcast it."
Gibson, who did not propose the amendment, believes the original bill would ruin the ability of the public, or press, to oversee one of government's most vital public safety functions -- emergency response.
Jim Balentine, RIP
Jim Balentine, a former state capitol reporter who became a lawyer and lmore recently wrote a book about surviving a heart transplant and a months-long coma (among other things), died Friday, at age 66. Funeral services were scheduled Sunday afternoon.
Balentine could be gruff, profane and combative. But if you knew him -- and i did for 30 years or so -- those occasionally-displayed qualities and his sometimes grizzled appearance were far surpassed by a genuinely gentle nature, a monumental sense of humor and a keen, quick intelligence that he could focus on any task at hand.
The Commercial Appeal obit is below.
Legislature's Fox News Mandate Lifted (Temporarily)
In a brief floor speech Thursday, House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh appealed to House Speaker Beth Harwell to "lift the mandatory channel ban" requiring that Legislative Plaza TV sets be tuned to Fox News when not broadcasting legislative events - at least during the NCAA basketball tournament.
Harwell replied with a cryptic "so noted" to Fitzhugh's request on the floor. But a few hours later, Plaza TVs were indeed tuned away from Fox News to an NCAA game.
Harwell spokeswoman Kara Watkins, an acknowledged college basketball fan herself, said later that the Fox News mandate had, indeed, been lifted for the duration of the tournament. In fact, the television in the speaker's conference room was tuned to the game between Kentucky and Princeton Thursday afternoon.
Ketron Tired of Media Trashing Shariah Bill
State Sen. Bill Ketron said Friday he's tired of the journalism that continues to "trash" his legislation that targets Shariah law and material support of terrorism, according to the Daily News Journal.
The Murfreesboro Republican pointed to a story written by The Tennessean that was picked up by The Daily News Journal and Washington Post that indicated his bill could even affect foot washing.
"That is not in the bill," Ketron told a crowd of business people Friday morning at the Capitol Connection breakfast at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce office. "The bill is about material support of Shariah organizations."
...Ketron said he has received support of his Shariah bill from people in 48 states, in addition to widespread opposition in the form of e-mail.
"Our Constitution says you have the right to come here and worship any way you see fit, and the bill does not touch that," Ketron said.
He noted that it would create "a so-called ring of fire" around groups the Secretary of State identifies as supporting terrorist organizations.
Ketron said he has been on a number of radio shows in the last two weeks, including G. Gordon Liddy's program, to discuss his legislation.
"I asked the peaceful, worshiping Muslims to come stand with us," Ketron said.
But those who commit jihad against American targets, "we're going to put you in jail," he said.
Senate Bill 1028, which is co-sponsored by Tracy, is designed to protect Tennesseans, "including those who engage in the peaceful religious worship of Islam" from radicals, according to Ketron.
Kelsey vs. Overbey on Newspapers Vs. Internet
A debate last week in the Senate Judiciary Committee is repeated (much abbreviated) in Sunday's Tennessean. Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, was the apparent winner in committee since the panel adopted, 5-4, his amendment requiring publication of the official legal notice of a proposed change in the state constitution in newspapers. Sen. Brian Kelsey wanted publication instead on a state government website. (In the course of debate, Kelsey declared this editorial in the News Sentinel "totally unethical.")
Snippet from Kelsey's op-ed piece:
The $20,000 cost to taxpayers for printing the amendment in the back pages is nothing more than a giveaway to a special-interest group, albeit a powerful one; that is, newspapers.
The Internet is a free, environmentally friendly and better source to notify the public of proposed constitutional amendments.
Snippet from Overbey's op-ed piece:
The facts are simple: If we publicize the fact that this constitutional amendment is on the 2014 statewide ballot in the same way that we have since 1870, and it passes, this issue goes away forever. We will never have to worry about a state income tax again.
But if we experiment with a constitutionally suspect way of informing the citizens -- one that we already know cannot reach 1 in 4 Tennesseans -- we've gained nothing. The vote will be challenged, we'll probably lose, and we start over and try again for 2018 or 2022. Why in the world would we do that?
New Blogger on TN Political Block
Mike Donila, who covers local government and some other political stuff for the News Sentinel, has started a blog that promises a focus on "inside baseball of Knox County politics."
An initial post, for example, discusses a claim that Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett has "hired his old fraternity running mates" for government jobs.Another deals with prospective county budget cuts.
It's called "Screams from the Porch." But there's a picture of Mike that appears to show him screaming from atop the Legislative Plaza with the state Capitol in the background. At night.
Link HERE.
Shelby Commissioner Says Colleagues Violated Open Meetings Law
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A Shelby County Commissioner has said that other commissioners privately lobbied him about a state legislative appointment in violation of the state's open meetings law.
Terry Roland said in a sworn statement filed last month with the county attorney's office that several commissioners called or spoke with him in person regarding a deal with a Memphis City Schools board member who would vote to surrender the school system charter if commissioners agreed to pick her as interim representative for state House District 98.
Roland said in an interview with The Commercial Appeal that he refused to discuss it and wouldn't say which commissioners contacted him.
"They came to me wanting to discuss it, and I wouldn't talk to them," he said.
The open meetings law requires school boards, city councils and similar bodies to post meeting notices and says two or more officials cannot "deliberate toward a decision" outside a public meeting.
The school board member, Stephanie Gatewood, said Roland's statement is incorrect and that instead, several commissioners told her that they would consider supporting her candidacy if she voted against the charter surrender or abstained from voting.
Continue reading "Shelby Commissioner Says Colleagues Violated Open Meetings Law"
Reporter's 'Off-Color' Political Joke Prompts Apology
A reporter for the website Chattanoogan.com has apologized to Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd for e-mailing an off-color joke to Boyd's county e-mail account, reports the Chattanooga TFP.
Dennis Norwood, a former Chattanooga Police Department employee who covers East Ridge government, Catoosa County courts and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball and football, sent the e-mail to several people on Jan. 27, including state Rep. Vince Dean, R-Chattanooga, according to e-mail records.
Boyd and Dean said they did not read the e-mail.
The joke with the subject line "Splinters in her Crotch" concerns a woman described as a "tree hugger, a Democrat and an anti-hunter" who climbs a tree and gets splinters. The punch line is a doctor denying the woman medical care because he "had to get permits from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management" and because "due to ObamaCare, they turned me down."
... Dean doesn't remember the e-mail, but said he typically does not read forwarded e-mails.
"I can just about guarantee you if I saw one with that subject line I deleted it and didn't even read it," Dean said.
Attacks and Antics in the Campfield-Walker Race (& a Note on Coverage)
The News Sentinel today has an overview article on the state Senate 7 District race that begins thusly:
Stacey Campfield wants to discuss only the issues.
The three-term Republican state representative's bizarre antics and personal disputes, however, are among the most relevant issues in the race, argues Randy Walker, his Democratic opponent for Knox County's 7th District state Senate seat.
The Hayes Hickman report covers a lot of ground. Down a ways is a note that, while Campfield is refraining from personal attacks on Walker, the state Republican party is not.
"When you don't want to talk about the issues, you attack the person," he (Campfield) said.
Where Campfield has left alone, however, the state GOP has attacked on his behalf - funding a recent mailer smearing Walker as "irresponsible and neglectful of his own debts," over the Democrat's 2006 Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
During a debate earlier this month, Walker volunteered that he and his wife, Cindy, filed for bankruptcy, explaining it as a consequence of mounting medical bills while caring for her mother, who later died.
When asked, Campfield said he had no say in the piece and wouldn't choose to criticize the bankruptcy himself.
(The state Democratic party has done attack mail against Campfield, too.)
Note: There's been some discussion of Georgiana Vines being removed from coverage of the Senate District 7 race after advising News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy that she was dating a man who donated $250 to Walker.
David Oatney kicked off the discourse, it appears, and Campfield then did a lengthy post. On Sunday, McElroy did a column touching on the matter and the policy of reporter neutrality in general.
At the time Vines was sidelined, she had been scheduled to write a story on Campfield's latest campaign financial disclosure. I was asked to do the article instead, and did so. The able Hayes Hickman did Sunday's overview article on the race.
What Republicans Say at 1st Tuesday Stays at 1st Tuesday
The Nashville Republican group 1st Tuesday, which logically enough meets on the first Tuesday of each month, has invited all Republican candidates running for anything to appear at its October gathering while making clear that the public - especially including the media -- is NOT invited.
At the September meeting, which featured Republican lawyer John Ryder talking about the Republican-engineered redistricting that will come after Republicans win all state elections this year, 1st Tuesday presiding officer Tim Skow gave media representatives the boot .
(Disclosure note: I was elsewhere on that day, but have heard a bit of talk on the matter. And I was listening when the media-astute Mr. Ryder dropped by to tell reporters what he said in what was a secret meeting. It's also my recollection that the first 1st Tuesday flap with the media came after it was reported in early 2009 that Skow engaged in some wishful thinking about House Speaker Kent Williams having a fatal accident.)
In an email to 1st Tuesday members urging their attendance at the October event, Skow:
A) Announced that, "For those who make a campaign contribution of $25 or more to your favorite 2010 Republican candidate on OCT 5th -- your $25 dues for 1ST TUESDAY in 2011 will be waived". Which could be viewed as 1st Tuesday making an "in kind" contribution, subject to state campaign finance disclosure laws. Doubtless the appropriate reports will be prepared and filed.
B) Acknowledged that, "Some of you may have read that the Press was turned away from that (September) meeting. That is true. Sadly, 4 members of the Press showed up just 2 minutes before we were stated to begin and with no prior notice."
C) Provided a copy of the email to media types explaining the "rules of engagement" for media - basically, reporters can talk to the speaker after they leave, but not listen to what they say to the group.
A copy of the email to media is available below.
Continue reading "What Republicans Say at 1st Tuesday Stays at 1st Tuesday"
Wayne Whitt Dies at Age 86
Wayne Whitt, retired managing editor of The Tennessean, has died at age 86.
From the Tennessean obit:
A memorial service for Mr. Whitt, a Harvard Nieman Fellow, will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday in Second Presbyterian Church, 3511 Belmont Blvd. A reception with the family will begin at 12:15 p.m.
Born July 18, 1924, in Athens, Ala., Mr. Whitt died at the Health Care Center at West Meade Place after a short illness. He had Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. Whitt started as a cub reporter at The Tennessean in 1946, working his way up to write a popular column called "Metro Beat." He covered everything from moonshine whiskey raids to fireworks laws and used his column to push to combine Davidson County and Nashville city governments into a single Metropolitan system, which began operating in 1963.
His sources ranged from politicians and police officers to carnies and gamblers. He retired on April 1, 1990.
He loved his family, bawdy jokes, University of Alabama football and a good cigar.
TN Legislature's Website Wins Another Award
The Tennessee General Assembly's website has won a "Digital Government Achievement Award." Both House Speaker Kent Williams and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey issued news releases on the award-, which comes the legislature's website won the "Online Democracy Award" in 2009 from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Both releases are reproduced below.
Continue reading "TN Legislature's Website Wins Another Award"
Prison Rights Group Sues TN Company for Vermont Records
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- A prisoners' rights group is asking a court to order a company that provided health care in Vermont's prisons to release details of any lawsuits it has settled in Vermont.
Prison Legal News, a self-help magazine and inmate advocacy organization based in Brattleboro, is suing a company formerly known as Prison Health Services in hopes of getting a court to find that the company is, in effect, a public agency subject to public records law.
The Brentwood, Tenn.,-based company, which is now known as PHS, was contracted by the Vermont Department of Corrections from 2005 to 2009.
Prison Legal News had asked the company for its Vermont records earlier this month, but the request was rejected. The company said it wasn't bound by Vermont's public records law.
Continue reading "Prison Rights Group Sues TN Company for Vermont Records"
Ramsey Really Gunning for Votes
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Ramsey was given an A+ rating by the National Rifle Association this week as his campaign focused on gun enthusiasts as target audience in his strategy for a come-from-behind primary win Thursday.
"I believe we're peaking at the right time," said Ramsey in a telephone interview Tuesday after firing a machine gun at Coal Creek Armory in Knoxville. "That's all you can hope for when you're running against megabucks, Bill Haslam. You've got to look for advantages that don't cost any money."
The lieutenant governor said updated figures show 338,000 Tennesseans now have handgun carry permits and most are Republican-oriented in their voting. With perhaps 630,000 Republicans voting in the primary, he said, that provides a basis for a voting bloc that can carry him to victory even though polls have shown him running behind Haslam, mayor of Knoxville, and Wamp, a congressman from Chattanooga.
Ramsey points to his sponsorship of the original legislation legalizing handgun carry permits in Tennessee in direct mail advertising and stump speeches, as well as his push for subsequent bills to expand the places weapons may be carried - including establishments that sell alcohol.
Ramsey has also benefited from a new statewide newspaper, Tennessee Patriot, that is mailed free to handgun permit holders by its publisher, Bob Pope, who operated gun shows for 24 years before selling his business in 2008.
Pope said in an interview Tuesday that he believes Ramsey, a "personal friend," is an extraordinarily pro-gun candidate. He said Wamp is "not a man of his word" because the congressman broke a promise to serve only 12 years in the U.S. House while Haslam is "a good man, but scares me" when it comes to gun issues.
In Tennessee Patriot, Ramsey is featured in a two-page centerfold ad, aiming a bolt-action, high-powered rifle while wearing camouflage clothing. Ramsey said he was firing at a groundhog when the photo was made. Several other candidates for various offices have smaller ads in the paper.
Pope said the two-page ad would normally cost $8,000, but he billed Ramsey just $4,000 and counted the rest of the cost as an in-kind contribution to the Ramsey campaign.
The Patriot has a front-page article on Ramsey being endorsed by Gun Owners of America. The first two editions of the newspaper, published in March and July, were given away free. Pope said he intends now shift to paid subscriptions, having operated at a loss initially.
Old TN Newspapers Online... Soon
News release from Secretary of State's office:
Thousands of issues of old newspapers from across Tennessee will be available to the public online, courtesy of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
Using grant funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the National Digital Newspaper Program, the State Library and Archives will make available dozens of urban and rural newspapers from across the state.
The State Library and Archives, which is part of the Tennessee Department of State, has been preserving newspapers on microfilm since 1957. The two-year process of converting those microfilmed documents into digital records will be managed by the University of Tennessee.
Eventually, the digital images of Tennessee newspapers will be part of the Chronicling of America website: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.
Newspapers from 15 other states are already available for use on the site.
"We are delighted to be a part of this project," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "Going digital will enable us to put these wonderful historic sources directly onto computer screens in Tennessee homes and schools. Tennesseans will gain an even greater sense of our history when they read these first-hand newspaper accounts."
The State Library and Archives' vast collection of old newspapers is stored on some 20,000 rolls of microfilm negatives. The collection includes newspapers dating back to 1791, when The Knoxville Gazette was founded as the state's first newspaper.
This phase of the project will focus on newspapers from 1836 through 1922, involving approximately 2,500 microfilm rolls from the collection.
"Newspapers are one of the great hidden treasures of the Library and Archives," said State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill. "So much information is buried in those pages. From horrible accounts of lynchings to reports about winners at the county fair, they reveal the foundations of life and culture in Tennessee in a very real way."
For more information about the State Library and Archives' newspaper microfilm collection, go to: http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/history/newspapers/tn-paper.htm
For more information about the National Digital Newspaper Program go to: http://www.neh.gov/projects/ndnp.html
For more information about the University of Tennessee's role in the project go to: http://www.cci.utk.edu/NDNPgrant
Bill "Rocky" Rawlins, Veteran AP State Capitol Reporter, Dies at 82
(Note: Updates and expands earlier post)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Bill Rawlins, who wrote about state government and politics during a 46-year career with The Associated Press, died early Monday in Nashville. He was 82.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Suzanne. She didn't specify a cause of death.
The last 42 years of his career were spent in Tennessee, and the final 20 reporting from the state Capitol. Part of that time he was the dean of statehouse reporters.
He retired in 1994. Shortly before his retirement, a General Assembly resolution honored his "unswerving commitment to fair and accurate reporting."
The resolution also cited his expertise at shorthand, saying he took notes "at such a rapid pace that smoke sometimes seems to rise from his pad and pencil."
Continue reading "Bill "Rocky" Rawlins, Veteran AP State Capitol Reporter, Dies at 82"
Rusty: Haslam Campaign Misrepresented Him
Rusty Criminger, who has the starring role in a Zach Wamp television ad attacking fellow GOP gubernatorial nominee hopeful Bill Haslam as an "oil billionaire," has himself come in for criticism from the Haslam campaign in statements sent to media declaring he is "anything but the average Tennessean."
Criminger says, however, there are some "misstatements" involved in the Haslam campaign critique that was apparently based on looking at a website and drawing the wrong conclusions.
The Haslam campaign said Criminger is helping one of his clients create a "village" in Tennessee that will be a "resident-developed, cooperative neighborhood, modeled after the co-housing communities of Denmark." Another client is a commune in Summertown, Tenn., with an on-site hippie museum and a history of promoting "group marriages."
The latter reference is to "The Farm," a decades-old commune in Middle Tennessee.
Criminger says he didn't even know it still existed. "The Farm" references on a website, he said, refer to a "creative farm," the name applied to an organization he helped set up to help nonprofit organizations and young students aspiring to get involved in the advertising business - as he is - at the same time.
The creative farm has the aspiring students work on helping design and implement a public relations campaign for nonprofit organizations that otherwise could not afford such a thing, with "professional mentors" overseeing the process, he said.
The other referenced endeavor involves a long explanation, which Criminger provided in a telephone interview after protesting the Haslam commentary in posting a comment on a blog. At one point, there was a reference to Scandinavian community residences that was "misinterpreted," he said.
"There was no active effort to develop a communal housing arrangement - it's not about communal living or anything like that," he said.
Otherwise, Criminger said, he is "not a partisan politics kind of guy" who once worked with Wamp's predecessor in the state's 3rd Congressional District - Democratic U.S. Rep. Marilyn Lloyd - in her 1980s campaigns and has been on friendly terms with Tom Ingram, consultant to Haslam's campaign, since the days when Ingram was chief of staff to former Gov. Lamar Alexander. He said he has been friends with Wamp since the 1970s.
For the Record: I Do Not Endorse Joe Carr
As R. Neal initially pointed out today, state Rep. Joe Carr's website has listed yours truly as giving him an endorsement.
Not so.
I called the Rutherford County Republican today and he immediately apologized for the mistake. Seems he has a new web designer who decided to do an 'endorsements' page and threw me into the mix, based on a 2009 column on 'legislative superlatives.' (Link to the column is HERE)
Carr was deemed Republican freshman of the year in the commentary piece. Here's a cut-and-paste of what was said about him:
Freshman of the year, Republican - Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas displayed considerable determination and a dash of diplomacy in overcoming vocal, bipartisan opposition to legislation legalizing liquor distilleries around the state. Also, he overcame head-scratching and consternation, mostly from Democrats, in successfully sponsoring a bill outlawing "sanctuary cities" in Tennessee, a measure which does nothing except make a political statement by declaring cities must follow federal immigration laws. In other words, he could cover all the bases.
"That's not at all an endorsement," said Carr when contacted. "I understand that and it's my fault. I didn't even think about that when we put it under endorsements. I apologize."
He said the website would be changed promptly.
Carr is one of the top Democratic targets in the coming fall campaigns that will decide partisan control of the state House. He faces a stiff re-election challenge from David LaRoche of Murfreesboro.
Case of the Reporter and Parking Tickets
A Nashville judge has refused to dismiss a parking ticket issued to WTVT TV reporter Phil Williams, who has done stories on parking ticket fixing, even though police asked for the dismissal. Seems Williams parked in a designated media parking spot without leaving anything on his vehicle to identify the car as belonging to a member of the media.
The Nashville City Paper reports that Judge Dan Eisenstein's blood pressure "spiked at times" during a lengthy hearing - including a 40-minute interrogation of police spokesman Don Aaron. He said Williams had not made any request for dismissal of the ticket.
Clint Brewer Moving to Tennessean
Clint Brewer, former editor of The City Paper in Nashville and more recently editor of the TennesseeWatchdog.org website, will become political editor of The Tennessean on June 28, Chas Sisk reports.
Otis Sanford Exiting Media for Academia
One of the state's best political pontificators (arguably the best from a center left perspective), Otis Sanford, has decided to do other things. Here's the AP brief on his pending departure:
Otis Sanford, opinion editor of The Commercial Appeal newspaper and president of the Associated Press Managing Editors, is in line to join the faculty of the University of Memphis.
University Department of Journalism chairman David Arant said in an e-mail that Sanford has been recommended for the Helen and Jabie Hardin Chair of Economics/Managerial Journalism. The Tennessee Board of Regents is considering the recommendation.
Sanford said if his appointment is approved he plans to continue his newspaper and APME work through the end of the year.
Sanford is a native of Como, Miss., and a member of the Ole Miss Alumni Hall of Fame.
He started working for The Commercial Appeal while in college and he has worked for newspapers, including The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., continuously since 1975.
Griscom Stepping Down as Chattanooga TFP Editor/Publisher
From the newspaper's website: Tom Griscom, executive editor and publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, today announced he will resign effective June 30.
In making the announcement, Mr. Griscom said, "The opportunity to build the merged newspaper in this community has been a unique experience. In a changing media world, it has been gratifying that our readers continue to enjoy the printed newspapers as we expand into other digital formats."
Resolution to Ban AP Reporter from House Chamber Withdrawn; Williams Says He Did Nothing Wrong
By Lucas Johnson
The House sponsor of a resolution that sought to ban an Associated Press reporter from the chamber withdrew the measure Monday night.
Democratic Rep. Joe Towns of Memphis said he decided to pull the resolution (HR371) after talking with House leaders.
The sergeant at arms and a state trooper ordered Erik Schelzig to leave the House floor last week after he began taking photos of a collapsed House Speaker Kent Williams, who had fainted as a result of low blood sugar. The Elizabethton independent got up minutes later and resumed presiding over the session about an hour later.
He said he didn't eat breakfast and his blood sugar was low. He was back to work this week.
The resolution said Schelzig hindered "emergency medical personnel from providing necessary medical care" to Williams.
But video footage from a local television station showed Schelzig was actually behind a glass barrier where reporters are required to work.
He has been supported by news organizations and open government advocates -- all of whom said he was doing his job.
Laura Leslie, president of Capitolbeat, a national association of statehouse reporters and editors, wrote a letter to the speaker. She said if Schelzig was obstructing medical assistance, the sergeant at arms should have told him to move. But the video and the angle of Schelzig's photo suggest that wasn't the case, she said.
"It would set a very poor precedent if your chamber were to give this measure any consideration, let alone pass it," she wrote. "No reporter should ever be threatened with the loss of credentials for reporting a story that those in power don't like. That may be the norm in dictatorships, but a functional democracy requires zealous reporting about public officials within the limits of the law."
The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government agreed Schelzig "did no harm" and that his action "violated no rules of the House of Representatives, including those that govern decorum."
"Passage of this resolution would be inappropriate and unwarranted," the group said in a statement. "It would send a chilling signal to the citizens of this state and jeopardize future coverage and the very freedoms citizens put in their constitution."
Williams, meanwhile, says he sees nothing wrong in Schelzig's actions. Details from TNreport, HERE.
House Resolution Urges That AP's Erik Be Given the Boot
State Rep. Joe Towns has filed a House resolution (Copy of HR371 HERE) that calls for AP reporter Erik Schelzig to be banned from House floor sessions. The Memphis Democrat has two Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Josh Evans of Greenbrier and Richard Floyd of Chattanooga.
This, of course, is motivated by Schelzig's attempt to take pictures of House Speaker Kent Williams after he collapsed during Thursday's floor session. (Prior post HERE.)
Jeff Woods has some observations on the matter:
- Contrary to the text of the resolution, Schelzig did not hinder emergency medical personnel, as WSMV's video shows. (Maybe some of the well-meaning representatives who crowded around Williams did, but Schelzig was off to the side and, at one point, stood on a desk where he was completely out of the way. That is what seemed to annoy the legislators.)
- The resolution asks the chairman of the Capitol Hill Press Corps to yank Schelzig's credentials when Schelzig is chairman of the Capitol Hill Press Corps.
Thus, it's doubtful that - in the unlikely event that the urging resolution is adopted - the chairman would pay any attention to the urging. And he shouldn't.
A sampler of what some others say:
Michael Silence says the claim of hindering medical personnel is "a flat out lie" and Aunt B. declares Joe Towns an "idiot."
Taking Pictures of Collapsed Speaker 'Despicable' or 'Distasteful?'
When House Speaker Kent Williams collapsed during Thursday's floor session, Associated Press reporter Erik Schelzig tried to take pictures. That upset some legislators, as reported in posts by Jeff Woods (HERE and HERE).
State Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, in a speech afterwards: . "It was so good to see everybody rush in there in assistance. It was so disappointing to see that they had to get people out of the way trying to document such silliness. It was quite despicable behavior."
Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, commented on his blog:
I must say that while the speaker and I have had our differences I found it quite distasteful that someone would try and get a picture of someone while they are down in a weakened state like that.
Yes, I tried to block the pictures from being taken.
A few seconds later the capitol security showed up and ordered Eric Schelzig to stop taking pictures and leave the chamber. He tried to fight about it but they were ready to carry him out if he did not go, so he walked out, escorted by the security.
I did not hear any cussing or threats. I heard a lot of No,no, no!, Stop that! Sort of thing but that was about it. There was no real physical contact other then possibly capitol security had him by the arm.
And Adam Yeomans, Associated Press chief of bureau for Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi, offered this comment to Woods upon request:
"Associated Press reporter Erik Schelzig was doing his job covering breaking news at the General Assembly when House Speaker Kent Williams collapsed. The legislative sessions are open to the public, and members of the news media routinely record what happens there in words, photographs, audio and video. Though we believe Schelzig had the right to continue his reporting, he complied immediately with officials' order to leave the chamber."
WSMV-TV has some video, including Schelzig stepping up to try and take his pictures and legislator reaction, that was apparently shot from enough distance so that no lawmakers' noticed or got concerned.
Party Press Release War Over Who's Showing Lunacy
An interesting exchange of party press releases has occurred over a bill sponsored by freshman Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, who is obviously a top target for Democrats in the war for control of the House. The Republicans, of course, want to defend her.
Both party press releases are targeted toward being reproduced in media within Weavers' House district, where a couple of bridges in disrepair have been the subject of substantial local controversy. And Weaver has been battered on the matter.
First paragraph of the Democratic press release that launched the attack:
After voting against funding bridge projects in her own district last year, state Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver now wants to require the General Assembly to approve all bridge and road projects across the state before any work can begin, potentially jeopardizing additional federal funding.
Then, here's the opening statement of the Republican counterattack:
Just this morning, the Tennessee Democratic Party went on the attack against State House Republican Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver for a bill (HB 3627) she has been working to move through the legislature. Democrats characterized the intent of the legislation as "sheer lunacy." Interestingly, the bill has already been approved by voice vote at the subcommittee and full committee levels with the support of Democrats. Further, the full committee that approved the legislation two days ago is actually chaired by a Democrat.
In other words, if Weaver was guilty of lunacy, then so were all the Democrats who voted for the bill in committee and subcommittee.
Continue reading "Party Press Release War Over Who's Showing Lunacy"
Tennessee Newspaper Network to Jointly Cover Campaign
The state's four largest newspapers have announced they will collaborate on coverage of the 2010 gubernatorial campaign as The Tennessee Newspaper Network.
The first story published by the joint reporting venture is an article on Republican candidates' response to a request for disclosure of personal tax information. (See post below.)
The editors of all four newspapers also did Sunday columns on TNN and the reasoning in establishing the cooperative effort.
Chattanooga Times-Free Press Editor Tom Griscom's column is HERE.
Knoxville News Sentinel Editor Jack McElroy's column is HERE.
Commercial Appeal Editor Chris Peck's column is HERE.
Tennessean Editor Mark Silverman's column is HERE.
Naturally, I think they're all insightful and well-written pieces. There's really nothing I could add.
The newspapers have already been swapping stories. Some smaller newspapers are also involved in this "content sharing" exchange and, as I understand it, they will have access to the TNN articles as well.
For further commentary, see also Jack Lail, the News Sentinel webmaster.