Year: 2017

State of Arkansas Takes Over Small Rural School District After Finding Audit Violations

Wendy Wilson

The state of Arkansas has taken over a small rural school district after finding audit violations and unallowable expenses, reports WREG News Channel 3. A review of the Earle School District by the Arkansas Department of Education found almost $2 million in misuse of state and federal funds starting in the 2015-16 school year and continuing into the current school year. District Superintendent Rickey Nicks has resigned and the state has named a replacement who has been affiliated with the school improvement unit of the Arkansas Department of Education. School board members will remain in place to serve as advisers. Last month, the state classified the school district as being in fiscal distress and the district did not appeal. Violations included poor fiscal management procedures, inaccurate fund balances, nonpayment to vendors, outstanding debts, issues with payroll and failure to follow state guidance on correcting problems. Apart from the fiscal issues, the state found violations involving student transcripts, teacher assignments and special education teacher certification. Located 28 miles west of Memphis in Crittenden County, the Earle School District has only one elementary school and one high school. In an application for federal grants for the high school several years ago, the district noted…

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Chinese Smitten with President Trump’s Mandarin-Speaking Granddaughter, Arabella

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While media coverage of Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Thursday focused on trade and North Korea, it was the wide-eyed crooning of the US leader’s granddaughter that stole Chinese netizens’ hearts. In a video that Trump showed Xi during their stroll through the historic Forbidden City Wednesday, his granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, greets “Grandpa…

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Commentary: The Hidden Scandal More Disastrous Than ‘Uranium One’

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by CHQ Staff   Our friends at the Center for Security Policy have issued one of their “occasional papers” on a scandal that we think is worse and more threatening to national security than the Uranium One scandal through which Hillary Clinton and Obama transferred 20 percent of America’s uranium to Russia. What could be worse than giving 20 percent of our uranium to Russia one might ask? How about giving a 35-year lease to one of America’s largest container ports, located just minutes from the Kennedy Space Center, to a Middle Eastern company with ties to Iran, North Korea, Russia and the evil genius behind Saddam Hussein’s nuclear weapons program? But that’s exactly what the same players involved in the Uranium One deal did when they leased the cargo container operations at Port Canaveral, Florida after two years of secret talks with the Obama administration. Now the Center for Security Policy’s dogged and fearless team of Alan Jones and Mary Fanning have revealed exactly what could go wrong, with potentially catastrophic consequences for U.S. national security. Jones and Fanning originally broke the news that the family of Iraqi nuclear physicist Dr. Jafar Dhia Jafar – known as Saddam Hussein’s…

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EXCLUSIVE Interview: Joe Carr Standing Firm on Conservative Record in 14th District State Senate Special Election

Wendy Wilson

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee — Joe Carr held forth on a range of issues Thursday at Slick Pig BBQ on East Main, a favorite hangout where he feels right at home. In an interview with The Tennessee Star, the conservative State Senate candidate energetically answered questions on immigration, health care and education. Carr announced Monday that he will run for the State Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), who late last week was appointed as state director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tracy’s resignation means there will be a special election within the next few months. Murfreesboro businessman Shane Reeves also announced this week that he will run for the seat as a Republican. Carr served in the Tennessee State House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014, lost the 2014 Republican U.S. Senate primary to Lamar Alexander, and also lost the 2016 Republican 6th Congressional District primary to Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06). He lives on his family farm in Lascassas and is semi-retired after having founded and sold two engineering firms. In recent years, he has become known for his T-Bones and Politics fundraisers featuring big-name guest speakers. Viewed as a solid conservative by his admirers, Carr is against the…

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Rep. Steve King Commentary: The Day the Berlin Wall Came Crumbling Down

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What were you watching on Thursday, Nov. 9, 1989? Twenty-eight years ago, Thursday nights were dominated by NBC’s “Must See TV” lineup of “The Cosby Show,” “A Different World” and “Cheers.” I remember something else, though. For me, Nov. 9, 1989, wasn’t about watching sitcoms I enjoyed. It was about watching the most significant political moment…

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Commentary: The Democrats’ Electoral Windfall Is Not A Rejection of Trump, It Is a Rejection of the Republican ‘Status Quo’

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by Robert Romano   Republicans in Congress should be paying very close attention to the results in Virginia, where Ed Gillespie lost the gubernatorial race to Ralph Northam, and learn the right lesson for a change. Political parties serve very much as a function of their standard bearers, which is who voters will rally to. Right now, that standard bearer for Republicans is President Donald Trump, who one year ago was elected. And love it or hate it, the fortunes of Republicans in the House and to a lesser extent the Senate in 2018 will be tied to how successful Trump is at enacting his agenda in Congress. The formula for potential success is quite simple. Want to keep Congress in 2018? Enact the Trump agenda that won the day in 2016. The promises including cutting taxes, repealing and replacing Obamacare and building the southern border wall, among others. If the Republican Congress won’t implement the Trump agenda, how do we justify a Republican majority in Congress? It has been the failure to accomplish any major legislation in the first year that has driven down the approval of the Republican Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch…

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Delaware Senator Chris Coons Says the Key for Democrats in Red States Is to Keep Races Local

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Sen. Chris Coons said Wednesday that Democrats in red states need to keep their campaign’s local in next year’s midterm races. “The Democratic senators who are incumbents up for election this time in the five the states that you’re referencing – states like Indiana, North Dakota, Montana, Missouri, West Virginia – are terrific, active, engaged, local…

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Phil Valentine, Raul Lopez Discuss Illegal Immigration at Nashville Republican Women Luncheon

Wendy Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Conservative radio talk show host Phil Valentine said Wednesday that illegal immigration can easily be stopped if we “demagnetize” the U.S. “The solution is quite simple,” he said at a Nashville Republican Women’s luncheon at the Richland Country Club. In addition to not being able to get a job, people here illegally should not be able to open a bank account, take out a loan or get a credit card, Valentine said. “If you demagnetize America, like I’ve been saying for 20 years, and make it impossible for somebody to be able to function in this society unless they’re legally here, you’ve solved that problem,” he said. In recent years, a growing number of banks and financial institutions have allowed people to open accounts without requiring them to show they are in the U.S. legally. Valentine also said the diversity visa lottery is “insane.” The program allows people to immigrate, often more quickly, to the U.S. to give underrepresented countries a boost. Valentine said he favors a merit-based system, which President Trump and his allies are promoting. “If people want to come, then come to the table and tell us what you can do for us. This…

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Art Laffer Endorses State Sen. Mark Green for Congress

Wendy Wilson

Conservative economist Arthur Laffer, who advised the Reagan administration, has endorsed state Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) for Congress. Green is running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) to run for Senate. “As a Tennessean, I’ve witnessed firsthand Mark’s leadership for pro-growth policies in the State Senate,” Laffer said in a campaign news release. “With great tenacity and courage, Mark led the fight to repeal the Hall Income Tax, making Tennessee one of only two states that has ever repealed an income tax of any kind. The U.S. Congress needs Mark Green’s leadership.” Laffer is known as the father of supply side economics, which contributed to economic growth in the 1980s. He previously endorsed U.S. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-6) for Tennessee governor and announced he would assist her campaign as economic policy adviser. In Nashville, he serves as founder and chairman of Laffer Associates, an economic research and consulting firm. Green is an Army veteran, physician and businessman. He also has been endorsed by the Club for Growth, Family Research Council Action PAC and the House Freedom Fund. “I’ve looked up to Art Laffer ever since I was a student of economics at West Point,” Green said.…

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Tennessee Capitol to Continue Prohibiting Handguns

Wendy Wilson

The Tennessee Capitol will continue to prohibit handguns despite a new policy at the new home for state lawmakers that will allow permit holders to have them, Gov. Bill Haslam said this week. Haslam told reporters Monday he has no intention of proposing a change in policy at the Capitol, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He earlier had released a statement to that effect. Haslam said he doesn’t want guns at the Capitol because of the numerous tour groups and school children it attracts. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) announced recently that permit holders will be allowed to carry firearms into the renovated Cordell Hull Building. Lawmakers are in the process of moving into their new offices and the building will open to the public next week. Lawmakers had tried to get guns allowed at Legislative Plaza, which they are leaving for the Cordell Hull Building. But their attempts failed because of the Haslam administration’s concerns about logistics for security at Legislative Plaza and the desire for it to have the same policy as the Capitol. The legislature last year passed a law giving it oversight of its building, paving the way for a change at…

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Dave Brat: Gillespie Lost Because He Didn’t ‘Run on the Populist Message’

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Virginia Rep. Dave Brat said Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show” that Ed Gillespie’s run for governor in Virginia was a “disaster” because Gillespie refused to embrace fully the populist message President Donald Trump campaigned on in 2016. Brat, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in congressional history when he ousted former House Majority…

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Shelby County Commission Slaps Down Mayor Mark Luttrell’s Attempt to Stop Opioid Abuse Lawsuit

Tennessee Star Staff

On Wednesday the Shelby County Commission slapped down an attempt by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell to stop the opioid abuse lawsuit it filed last week, voting 8 to 0 “to immediately move forward in suing opioid manufacturers and distributors.” “Why Mayor Luttrell would want to drag his feet for two years when Tennessee’s opioid prescription rate is the second highest in the United States is a mystery to me,” Shelby County Commission Chairwoman Heidi Shafer tells The Star in an exclusive interview. “We have more prescriptions for opioids than we have people. Who benefits from that?” Shafer asks, adding: Not the babies born addicted. Not the elderly who are routinely prescribed these addictive drugs and becoming hooked. Not the hospitals, schools, and law enforcment. Not the taxpayers! “It looks like the Swamp does not exist only in Washington, D.C. It looks like we have a Swamp right here in Memphis,” Shafer says. The commission’s vote “comes ahead of a Tuesday, Nov. 14, hearing in Chancery Court on county mayor Mark Luttrell’s lawsuit against Shafer. Luttrell claims Shafer violated the county charter by acting unilaterally to hire a law firm,” the Memphis Daily News reported: Commissioner Terry Roland said the commission’s ratification vote…

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Faith: Verse of the Day for Thursday, November 9

Dana Hunsinger Gill
Tennessee Star - Verse of the Day

  VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing November 9, Thursday John 1:5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 3:19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 2 Corinthians 3:16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.      

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Republican Women of Wilson County to Hold Gubernatorial Candidate Forum Thursday

Wendy Wilson

The Republican Women of Wilson County will hold a gubernatorial candidate forum Thursday in Lebanon. All candidates for the Republican nomination in the 2018 race have been invited to participate. They include former Mt. Juliet state Sen. Mae Beavers, U.S. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-6), businessman Randy Boyd, businessman Bill Lee, state House Speaker Beth Harwell and real estate agent Kay White. The forum will be moderated by WTN 99.7 radio anchor Pamela Furr. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Cherokee Steak House and Marina at 450 Cherokee Dock Road. Tickets are $35. Dinner is included. Tickets are available by calling 615-444-7417 or by clicking here for Eventbrite.

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Eight Arrested After Fight at Music City Central Bus Station in Downtown Nashville

Wendy Wilson

Eight young people were arrested Tuesday afternoon outside the Music City Central bus station in downtown Nashville as a result of a physical altercation. Some resisted arrest when police arrived. Patricia Hill, 18, allegedly struck an officer in the face and continued to struggle with him until taken into custody, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. The officer was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released for eye and knee injuries. Hill was charged with assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, and was jailed on a $4,500 bond. Also arrested, and charged with disorderly conduct, were Kevin Haynes, 18, and James Scales Jr., 24. In addition, three males and two females ages 15-17, were arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and criminal trespassing. Some critics of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s $5.2 billion mass transit plan have raised concerns about the potential for greater criminal activity if the project goes forward. They point to past problems at the Music City Central bus station and worry they could surface elsewhere on public transportation and at transit stations. Barry’s plan calls for expanded bus service and light rail. Last year, four teens were injured in a shooting at…

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Commentary: How Donald Trump’s Epic 2016 Win Made America Great Again

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by Jeffery Rendall   November 8, a day that will live in infamy. Not to everyone, mind you, but particularly to Democrats, liberals and GOP establishment #NeverTrumpers that still can’t understand or accept what happened a year ago today. Donald Trump’s triumphant victory in the Electoral College would make him president. TV news anchors and pundits working election night acted as though they’d just been kicked in the mid-section after a gluttonous meal. Some looked like they had tears in their eyes; their lips trembled; others pinched themselves in a vain attempt to awaken from a horrible nightmare. The rest of us just hooted, hollered and celebrated. It was like the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets all over again. Or Apollo 13 gently floated back to earth. The relief and excitement was tangible. Some found Trump’s triumph was sweet; others thought Hillary Clinton’s downfall was sweeter. It didn’t matter – the day had come. For those who supported Trump and earnestly hoped some kind of “miracle” would transpire to keep the Clintons permanently out of the Oval Office it was a day and night to never forget. It was like Christmas morning had arrived early, though this particular…

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Remembering Roy Halladay

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Former major league pitcher Roy Halladay died Tuesday after his ICON A5 plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico, 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, Florida, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press conference. He was 40 years old. The man often called “Doc” retired in 2013 after spending 16 years in the major…

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The CMA Awards Kick Off Tonight’s Festivities Online with ‘All Access’ LiveStream Coverage with Kellie Pickler and Ben Aaron

Bethany Bowman

Walmart will bring together a special group of Country Music fans at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville to enjoy a special rendition of “Get Together” performed by Vocal Duo of the Year nominee Dan+Shay, in collaboration with New Artist of The Year nominee Lauren Alaina. The song is featured in one of Walmart’s recent advertising spots, which promotes the importance of people from all walks of life coming together in the spirit of inclusiveness and kindness. Viewers are encouraged to share their reaction to the song and their thoughts on how music brings people together using #GetTogether. “The 51st Annual CMA Awards” broadcasts live Wednesday, Nov. 8 (8-11 PM ET) from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on the ABC Television Network. https://youtu.be/gCVnxY3nBoA Walmart is also sponsoring “The CMA Awards: All Access,” which offers viewers exclusive access to the evening’s entertainment. Country Music artist and previous two-time CMA Awards nominee Kellie Pickler and television personality Ben Aaron (“Pickler & Ben”), “Today In Nashville’s” Kelly Sutton and Country Music artist Clayton Anderson are hosting this year’s show, which will stream globally, exclusively on live.twitter.com/CMAawards beginning with the red carpet stream at 6 PM ET (5 PM CT) Wednesday,…

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Trump Administration to End Quasi-Amnesty for Nicaraguans After 20 Years

Tennessee Star Staff

The Department of Homeland Security indicated Monday that it would end a quasi-amnesty program for 5,300 people in the U.S. from Nicaragua, but extend it for 86,000 people from Honduras. The U.S. had originally granted Temporary Protected Status to people from both countries after they were ravaged by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Administration officials, speaking on…

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Fort Negley Park Supporters File Lawsuit Alleging Metro Nashville Violated Laws in Choosing Developer

Wendy Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Metro Council member Steve Glover and a handful of other supporters of Fort Negley Park announced Tuesday they were filing a lawsuit alleging Metro government did not follow its own laws and procedures in selecting the Cloud Hill Partnership to redevelop the historic park. The group, which included an Abe Lincoln impersonator, stood on the steps of the Metro Courthouse downtown for a press conference before filing the suit in Davidson County Chancery Court. “This process needs to start over,” said Attorney Jim Roberts. Roberts said secret meetings led to the selection of Cloud Hill and that the process needs to be redone in a more transparent and public way. Bert Mathews, whose real estate firm founded the Cloud Hill team, held a fundraiser for Nashville Mayor Megan Barry when she was running for mayor. Barry spearheaded the efforts to select Cloud Hill. The proposal to redevelop Fort Negley Park has been controversial across the Nashville area among various communities and has draw national attention. The main concern is historic preservation. Cloud Hill’s plans call for building affordable and workforce housing, shops and restaurants and creative spaces for artists. The fort would remain intact, but critics say the…

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Stanford University Hiring Microaggression and Implicit Bias Staffer for Medicine School

Tennessee Star Staff

Stanford University is hiring an employee to teach its medical school faculty about microaggressions and implicit bias, according to a Monday report. The university is hiring a “Manager of Inclusion and Culture Strategy” to host social justice trainings for its medical school faculty, as well as investigate and emphasize diversity and inclusion, reported Campus Reform. “Design…

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Maine Upholds Governor’s Veto Blocking Retail Marijuana Sales

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A bill establishing a legal framework for selling recreational marijuana in the state of Maine has met its demise after lawmakers sustained Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of legislation regulating retail weed sales. Maine’s House of Representatives voted 74-62 on Monday in support of the Republican governor’s veto, slashing the odds of recreational marijuana sales starting in…

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Nashville Metro Council Approves Plan for Soccer Stadium and Development at Nashville Fairgrounds

Wendy Wilson

Nashville’s Metro Council on Tuesday voted 31-6 to approve $225 million in revenue bonds for a soccer stadium at the Nashville Fairgrounds despite concerns about the fairgrounds’ existing uses as well as the growing list of costly city projects. Mayor Megan Barry pushed the deal to attract a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team to Nashville. Cities need to have a plan in place to be in serious contention. MLS is expected to choose two cities for expansion teams next month. The deal includes allowing the ownership team to lease 10 acres for a mixed-used development including housing, a hotel and retail. There also will be several recreational soccer fields, a dog park and a greenway. The 10-acre development was a major sticking point for critics, who consider it a land giveaway designed to sweeten the deal for investors. Other concerns involved the revenue bonds and how much Metro could be at risk if the stadium doesn’t generate the expected revenue. The group Save Our Fairgrounds fought the plan approved Tuesday just as the group previously opposed a plan by former Mayor Karl Dean to redevelop the fairgrounds. The group led a petition drive for a May 2011 referendum, resulting…

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Vanderbilt University Files Amicus Brief on Behalf of DACA Recipients

Wendy Wilson
DACA

Vanderbilt University has joined with 18 other elite universities in filing an amicus brief in lawsuits seeking an injunction against President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, reports the Vanderbilt Hustler, the student newspaper. Trump announced his decision to end DACA in early September but has given Congress a chance to act. Started by former President Obama with an executive order, the program has granted temporary permission to live and work in the U.S. to young people who immigrated here illegally as children and who meet certain criteria. They can get driver’s licenses and enroll in college. Numerous groups filed suits challenging Trump’s repeal of the program, including 15 states, the University of California system and a number of DACA students. Filed Nov. 1, Vanderbilt’s friend of the court brief is in support of the suits brought by the University of California Board of Regents, six DACA recipients, the state of California and the city of San Jose. “It is incredibly important that these talented young people be able to continue to aspire to be scholars and leaders, and contribute greatly to our nation’s communities,” Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos said in a statement. “We stand…

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Shane Reeves Announces Candidacy to Replace State Senator Jim Tracy

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Businessman Shane Reeves announced his bid Tuesday to replace state Senator Jim Tracy (SD 14) in the upcoming special election to be held within the next six months. Tracy resigned Monday to accepted an appointment by the Trump administration to the USDA. “I want to personally thank Senator Jim Tracy for his years of service to the middle Tennessee community,” Reeves told WGNS radio. “His legacy of growing business and supporting rural Tennessee will continue through his well-chosen appointment as State Director for Rural Development.” Hailing from Murfreesboro, Reeves is well-known as the former owner of the Reeves-Sain Family of Medical Services. Reeves sold his majority interest in the the company to Fred’s in 2015, and currently owns TwelveStone Health Partners where he employs 125 people in Rutherford County. “As a 7th generation Tennessean, I’ve spent my whole life here raising a family, opening businesses, and creating jobs,” Reeves said in a statement. “I genuinely love the people of Tennessee, and I believe that conservative values, strengthening families, and rethinking healthcare will make for an unstoppable Tennessee.” Reeves said he will use his years of experience as a business owner to “cut through the red-tape that often hinders growth.” “My desire…

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