Two for the price of one. The object, MU69, could be a single, long target. NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Alex Parker In less than two years, the New Horizons space probe is going to go whizzing by an object a billion miles further away from us than Pluto at speeds of up to 30,000 miles per hour. We know generally…
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You know the drill by now: This contains plot details from Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones, “The Spoils of War.” And speaking of spoils — I’m not paying attention to any fruits of the HBO hack, so if you know something I don’t that doesn’t come from watching this episode, please keep it to yourselves.…
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The USA took another sprinting gold on Sunday when Tori Bowie became Women’s 100 metres World Champion in London. And just like compatriot Justin Gatlin’s victory over Usain Bolt in the men’s 100 metres final a day earlier, American success meant deep Jamaican disappointment. Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson had been favourite to take top spot on the…
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Today is a very special day in American history. Two hundred and thirty-five years ago today, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington, introduced the “Badge for Military Merit” to his soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action.” The Badge consisted of a simple heart of purple silk edged in silver, with ‘Merit’ stitched across it, also in silver. The award allowed the bearer – whose name was added to The Book of Merit – to pass guards unchallenged. Sadly, the Book was lost to history, and the fate of Washington’s “Badge of Military Merit” nearly was, too, until 1927, when US Army Chief of Staff General Charles P. Summerall tried to reinstate it. Summerall retired the next year, and his replacement, General Douglas MacArthur took up the cause, determined to reinstate the Badge in time for George Washington’s 200th birthday the following February. Sure enough, on February 22, 1933 the Department of War re-introduced General George Washington’s “Badge of Military Merit” as, “The Order of the Purple Heart.” So let’s pause to thank all those extraordinary men and women through the centuries who have suffered and sacrificed to preserve the blessings of our liberty. Happy Purple Heart Day!
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State House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) has officially thrown his hat in the ring in the race for Tennessee governor. He will face former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean in the August 2018 Democratic primary. Fitzhugh, who announced his candidacy over the weekend, had been expected to join the race. A native of rural West Tennessee, where he still makes his home, Fitzhugh has represented Lauderdale, Crockett and Haywood counties in the state legislature for more than two decades. He was first elected to the District 82 seat in 1994. Fitzhugh is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served four years in the Air Force as a captain in the Judge’s Advocate General (JAG) Corps, and then returned to Ripley to practice law. He joined the Bank of Ripley in 1992 and today is its chairman and CEO. While Dean is considered the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Fitzhugh offers a contrast with his emphasis on rural communities and his support for public schools. He has been cautious about charter schools, while Dean has been a strong supporter. “Memo to Tennessee Democrats: Craig Fitzhugh supports public schools, students and…
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MIAMI — Jay Cutler is the Miami Dolphins new starting quarterback and the reason the team needs him is because regular starter Ryan Tannehill suffered ACL damage to his left knee during practice last week. Cutler on Sunday agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million plus incentives, per a league source. As $5 million of…
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by: Steve Gill The August, 2018 Republican primary is now less than one year away and the field of candidates for Governor seems to be firming up. For Republicans the choices will apparently be between Mae Beavers, Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Bill Lee, and Beth Harwell. With numerous “self funders” in the game, the primary season will almost certainly see spending in the GOP Governor’s race exceed $50 million. As the late night commercials say: “But wait, there’s more!” Tennessee is also likely to see a contested Republican Senate Primary battle as Bob Corker faces reelection at a time when voter anger at Washington D.C. is clearly on the rise. President Trump remains extremely popular among his Tennessee voter base, and potential candidates like Mark Green, Andy Ogles, and others continue to gauge their prospects. A contested Senate GOP primary could easily mean another $10-15 million is spending next spring and summer. Black’s decision to run for Governor and vacate her Congressional seat has opened up Middle Tennessee’s 6th District. Likewise, the decision of Congressman Jimmy Duncan to retire after serving for three decades in the Knoxville-area 2nd District seat leaves a once in two generations opportunity available. Tim…
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Former senior members of the White House National Security Council say they are shocked at what they call the rare leak of full transcripts of phone calls between President Donald Trump and the leaders of Australia and Mexico, and are worried about the lasting effects it could have on American diplomacy. The transcripts, published by The…
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After more than three years and spending over $238,000, the Sumner County Board of Education loses its appeal in the Jakes vs. Sumner County Board of Education (SCBOE) dispute over open records, and blames the state’s Office of Open Records Counsel (OORC) for bad advice. In March 2014, Joelton citizen activist Ken Jakes requested the Sumner County School Board policy on open records of the school system’s community relations supervisor, Jeremy Johnson, by email and phone via a voice mail message. Jakes’ request stated, “If the records policy is online, you can simply provide the link.” Johnson denied Jakes’ request in an email response, which stated, “In keeping with our practice regarding open records requests, you’ll need either to submit your request in person or via the postal service.” Indeed, the School Board’s policy at the time required a “forced election,” as Sumner County Judge Dee Gay termed it in the original chancery court ruling November 13, 2015, when one of the choices – that a records request be in writing – is “expressly prohibited” under the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA). The OORC website’s “frequently asked questions” states that “Given that a requester is not required to make a…
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HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — Gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) told a group of about 40 at the Republican Party of Sumner County monthly breakfast her on Saturday, “We’re not going to have the millions of dollars that a lot of the other candidates will have.” “So, we’ll be depending on the conservatives — the people who want fiscal responsibility, who want a pro-life state, who want a 2nd amendment state, who want to do what’s right — to get out there and work and vote for us. We are confident that we can be the nominee for the Republican side,” the long-time conservative state legislator added. The wealth of three of the Republican gubernatorial candidates, Rep. Diane Black (TN-06) as well as businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, has been well publicized. Beavers, distinguishing herself on her credentials, said about others candidates for the Republican primary, “Everybody’s saying I’m a conservative,” continuing persuasively, “I will put my record up against anybody in this race. I think I have the most conservative record. I can back up what I’m saying to you today. And I’m not sure that anybody else can.” Reaffirming her long-standing principles, Beavers said, “You…
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Former Vice President Al Gore told HBO host Bill Maher that he actually thinks he won the state of Florida — and thus the presidency — on Election Day in 2000 against President George W. Bush during an interview Friday night on “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Gore, former President Bill Clinton’s running mate and a…
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White House renovators didn’t waste any time overhauling the West Wing once President Trump left for a 17-day vacation Friday. Renovations at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue began hardly an hour after Mr. Trump boarded Air Force One en route to Bedminster, New Jersey, according to his social media manager, Dan Scavino. The president is scheduled to spend…
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President Donald Trump has ushered in a new age of politics, one that’s not been seen since Ronald Reagan’s day, that supporters see as putting people over pols, citizens over Capitol Hill. And boy, are the RINOs on edge about that. So oust ’em, some say. The trouble is it’s easier said than done. Here’s why.…
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This is the fifteenth of twenty-five weekly articles in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Series. Students in grades 8 through 12 can sign up here to participate in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Bee, which will be held on September 23. The Eighth Amendment contains one of the most famous phrases in American judicial history: “cruel and unusual punishment.” That phrase over the past half century has been the rallying cry around which opponents of capital punishment gather. But the Eighth Amendment is an important protector of two other rights: the prohibition of excessive bail requirements and the prohibition of the imposition of excessive fines: Excessive bail shall not be required, not excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. The amendment protects the rights of the individual by prohibiting three specific acts of the state: (1) Excessive bail shall not be required. (2) Excessive fines shall not be imposed. (3) Cruel and unusual punishment shall not be inflicted. We begin our discussion of the Eighth Amendment with the best known clause: the prohibition of “cruel and unusual punishment,” which opponents of capital punishment have cited over the past half century as proof that the execution of prisoners for murder or any severe crime is…
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by Chris Butler Editor, Tennessee Watchdog Williamson County needs about half a billion dollars to pay for planned growth, and selling the Williamson County Medical Center to a private company could be one way to start raising that money. But most county commissioners say the hospital isn’t for sale. As reported, the county has owned the hospital since the 1950s. The only alternative to selling the hospital, other commissioners say, would be to increase property taxes — year after year. Last month, most commissioners wouldn’t even consent to a study into whether it’s in taxpayers’ best interests to sell the hospital. Seven elected county officials have ties to the medical center. • Four of the 24 commissioners — Bert Chalfant, Dana Ausbrooks, Matthew Williams, and Jack Walton — serve on the hospital’s board of trustees. • County Mayor Rogers Anderson also serves on the hospital’s board of trustees. • Another commissioner, Thomas Little, has a brother who serves on the board of trustees. • County Commissioner Steve Smith directs the Williamson Medical Center Foundation. These examples reek of conflict, Commissioner Sherri Clark said. “If there is a direct conflict of interest, then I do believe that they need…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 7, Monday Luke 10:1-11 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are…
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