As educators we must build a system that gives students the educational foundation to succeed, despite whatever dire circumstances our students may come out of personally.
Read the full storyJC Bowman Commentary: Beauty in Broken Places
Month: January 2019
Bruce Ohr Testimony Undercuts Adam Schiff’s Defense of FBI
by Chuck Ross Justice Department official Bruce Ohr’s testimony about his meetings with FBI officials regarding dossier author Christopher Steele severely undercuts claims made in 2018 by California Rep. Adam Schiff and his fellow Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee. Ohr told lawmakers Aug. 28, 2018, he briefed top FBI officials Andrew McCabe and Lisa Page in early August 2016, just days after he met with Steele, a former British spy who was investigating then-candidate Donald Trump. Ohr testified he told McCabe and Page about his interactions with Steele, who was working at the time for Fusion GPS, a Democrat-funded opposition research firm. The FBI relied heavily on Steele’s unverified dossier to obtain Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Republicans have focused on the Ohrs’ link to the dossier and Steele. In a memo dated Feb. 2, 2018, House Intelligence Republicans, led by then-Chairman Devin Nunes, asserted the FBI filed to disclose in their FISA applications Ohr’s wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS. They also noted in the so-called Nunes memo that the FISA applications do not reveal Steele’s anti-Trump bias. Ohr claimed Steele told him during a meeting Sept. 23, 2016,…
Read the full storyFather Ryan’s Adriana Batey Signs Letter of Intent to Milligan College
SOUTH NASHVILLE– If you see Adriana Batey in the mall or about town, she looks like a normal teenager. Around the Father Ryan campus, she is soft-spoken and studious. When you put a shot put in her hand, she is aggressive and as her coach describes, a self-motivated technician that is intentional on fixing her smallest errors and is critical on herself but gets results. Batey accounts her aggressiveness from playing soccer at a younger age. Today that hard work paid off as she signed a letter of intent to compete in track at Milligan College, a NAIA near Johnson City, Tennessee. “We are so proud of where she is right now,” said mom Veronica Batey. “She struggled with academics when she first came to Father Ryan and now she has excelled as an A-B student. Her coach, Coach (Scott) Shaver is like family to me. We saw her start as a multi-eventer and then she decided to just throw. I am happy she picked Milligan because they cultivate the athletes well. I am so proud of her, I can’t even imagine.” Adriana has been competing in track for seven years. Her personal best is close to 34 feet in…
Read the full storyNorth Carolina Wins 5-Year $26.6 Million Federal Charter School Expansion Grant
North Carolina is one of eight states to have won a 5-year federal charter school opportunities expansion grant worth $26.6 million. The other states receiving the grants are Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Michigan, and New York. The Expanding Opportunities through Quality Charter School Program seeks to expand educational opportunities and support for traditionally underserved students who are economically disadvantaged, homeless, students with disabilities, unaccompanied youths, and non-native English speakers. “I am excited that North Carolina was awarded this highly competitive grant from the Department of Education,” said Dave Machado, director of the Office of Charter Schools at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. “This grant will help us promote high-quality schools and open more schools in the underserved rural areas of North Carolina.” “The CSP grant represents an important step forward for the charter school sector in North Carolina,” said Alex Quigley, chairman of the Charter Schools Advisory Board. “This investment will help drive innovation in the important work of ensuring all students in this state have the opportunity to choose an excellent education.” According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the grant funds will be used to: Increase the number of educationally disadvantaged students attending high-quality…
Read the full storyPro-Legalization Protesters Mock and Shout Down Minnesota Mother Who Lost Son to Impaired Driver
A Wednesday press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol kicked off what is sure to be an emotional and divisive debate over the legalization of marijuana. The press conference was called by Smart Approaches to Marijuana Minnesota, and both Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom and Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie were in attendance. But supporters of legalization repeatedly mocked and interrupted the speakers throughout their remarks, and essentially hijacked the news conference by the end of it. In one case, Sandy Melville, a woman who lost her son to an inebriated driver, was shouted down by protesters when she attempted to discuss how the issue has personally impacted her. “Minnesota road safety will be compromised even further by impaired drivers if this ridiculous initiative passes. Alcohol is legal, easy to get, hence the 24,000 DUI arrests a year. Legalizing recreational marijuana will likely cause a huge increase in DUI arrests,” Melville said, but was interrupted by sarcastic jeers from protesters. “It should be illegal. We should be a dry state,” one protester exclaimed. “If you can’t support cannabis, you can’t support alcohol,” another added. “You can’t support cigarettes either.” Melville went on to reveal that her son was “thrown 51-feet”…
Read the full storyNorth Carolina Congressman George Holding Proposes Term Limits Amendment
Republican Congressman George Holding (NC-02) has proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will create term limits for members of Congress. Holding’s proposed amendment would limit members of the U.S. House of Representatives to six two-year terms or 12 years. U.S. Senators would be limited to two six-year terms or 12 years. Today, I introduced a Constitutional amendment imposing #termlimits on Congress. Term limits will end politics-as-usual in Washington & help fix D.C.'s broken culture. It’s time for elected officials to start making a difference, not a career. >>https://t.co/QdHJ9s07kj pic.twitter.com/s0UWyupIz2 — Former Rep. George Holding (@RepHolding) January 15, 2019 “Since the government shutdown began, we’ve seen plenty of posturing and finger-pointing – but not much common-sense. Sadly, this is the new normal in American politics,” said Congressman Holding in a press release. “Term limits will put an end to politics-as-usual in Washington, help restore a citizen legislature, and encourage elected officials to do what’s best for their constituents, instead of special interests.” Representative Holding’s statement pointed to a recent survey which found that 82% of voters support a Constitutional amendment for congressional term limits like the one he has proposed. “It’s time for elected officials to start making a…
Read the full storyMinnesota Woman Becomes First in the Nation to Successfully Challenge Union’s ‘Window Period’ Scheme
A Brainerd public official has become the first in the nation to successfully challenge her union’s “window period” scheme in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Janus v. AFSCME decision. Sandra Anderson, a clerk for the City of Brainerd Police Department, filed suit against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 31 last year after she attempted to resign her membership and stop paying dues, according to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Anderson was told she could only opt out of the agreement during a 10-day “window period” prior to either the anniversary of the city’s contract with IBEW or her date of employment. IBEW Local 31, an electrical union, entered into a monopoly bargaining agreement with the City of Brainerd in 2004 that required all city employees to either join the union or pay union fees. 2018’s Janus decision, however, ruled it unconstitutional to require public employees to subsidize labor unions, and further ruled that deducting union fees from an employee’s check without their affirmative consent violates their First Amendment rights. When Anderson asked IBEW Local 31 and the City of Brainerd to cease withholding union fees, she was told she could only…
Read the full storyBill Lee Names UC Berkeley Grad Penny Schwinn, Who Began Career at Teach for America, as Education Commissioner
On Thursday Governor-Elect Bill Lee named 36-year-old Penny Schwinn, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, who began her career in education working as a teacher for Teach for America, as Tennessee’s new Commissioner of Education. Kevin Huffman, who served as Commissioner of Education during the Haslam administration from 2011 to 2014, also began his career at Teach for America, a controversial non-profit organization that pays new college graduates to teach in urban schools as part of its mission to address “educational inequity” and “help children overcome obstacles like systemic racism and poverty.” Huffman’s tenure as Education Commissioner was widely considered to be unsuccessful. “Penny leads with students at the forefront and I believe her experience is exactly what we need to continue improving on the gains we have made in the past few years,” Lee said in the announcement of her appointment. “As a former teacher and seasoned administrator, she will help make Tennessee a leader in the nation on education,” Lee added. The announcement continued: Schwinn currently serves as the chief deputy commissioner of education at the Texas Education Agency. In this role, she pursued a series of reforms including the transformation of a failing state assessment program. She…
Read the full storyMemphis Man, Ramiro Junior, Pleads Guilty to Fatal Crash While Driving Drunk
A 29-year-old Memphis man pled guilty Wednesday to a drunk-driving crash that killed a motorist in Memphis. Members of the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office refused to say if that man, Ramiro Junior, is an illegal immigrant. The crash happened in 2015, south of Poplar Avenue, said Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich, in a press release. According to Memphis TV station WREG, at the time of the crash police found several bottles of Corona beer — open and unopened — inside Junior’s car. The car also had 18 bottles in the back seat. No one at the district attorney’s office returned The Tennessee Star’s repeated requests for comment Wednesday on Junior’s immigration status. Criminal Court Judge John Campbell sentenced Junior to eight years in prison for vehicular homicide involving alcohol. Junior’s blood-alcohol content was .111, according to a press release. Jose R. Jaimes, 24, died in that crash. “Investigators said Junior was driving an SUV at (a) high rate of speed westbound on I-240 when he lost control, spun into another lane and struck a sedan, injuring two occupants and killing Jaimes,” the press release said. Sam Winnig of the district attorney’s DUI Prosecution Unit handled the case,…
Read the full storyGovernor-Elect Bill Lee Appoints Long Time Deputy to Liberal Pro-LGBTQ Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero to His Cabinet
Governor-elect Bill Lee has continued his preference for appointing those closely affiliated to either liberals or Bill Haslam to top positions in his Administration. His latest selection, Christi Branscom of Knoxville, whom he named to his cabinet on Thursday as head of the Department of General Services, fills both boxes. Branscom spent five and a half years as the Deputy Mayor and Chief Operating Officer for extreme liberal Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, during which time Rogero opposed 2d Amendment rights, advocated strongly for LGBTQ issues (including vocal opposition to legislation designed to protect women and girls from men entering their bathrooms and locker rooms), and actively supported the anti-Trump “Women’s March” protests, including speaking at the January 2018 event in Knoxville. Rogero is not new to liberal activism. During the mid-1970s, Rogero worked as an organizer for César Chávez’s United Farm Workers, a labor union that advocated for migrant farm workers. More recently, the pro-abortion community organizer was a Hillary Clinton delegate to the 2016 Democratic Party Convention and has embraced sanctuary city “lite” policies. Her chief Deputy for five years is now the choice of “conservative Christian” Bill Lee as Commissioner of General Services. One conservative noted that if…
Read the full storyFormer Sen. Bob Corker Says Trump Responsible for ‘Juvenile’ Government Shutdown
Former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) cannot get off the Never-Trump bandwagon, this time blaming the Commander-in-Chief for the government shutdown. Corker has long gone cuckoo over President Donald Trump and used his platform as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to criticize Trump. Twice last year he compared the president to a banana republic for removing former CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance and other former officials’ clearances. Now, the retired senator conducted a phone interview with Sergio Martínez-Beltrán OF WPLN (Nashville Public Radio) and blamed the president for the shutdown. A story and the audio clip are available here. Corker said of the shutdown, “This is one where at the last minute the president changed his mind and so now we are sitting here shut down because – just because. This whole thing, as I’ve mentioned before, is pretty juvenile, and at some point government will open back up.” WPLN asked Corker about his potential designs on running for president in 2020 against Trump in the Republican primary. Corker said he would be good as president but it is “not necessarily even on the front burner; it’s a possibility.” As The Tennessee Star reported in the past, Corker…
Read the full storyEXCLUSIVE Charlie Kirk Commentary: Five Crazy Things the Government Pays for Other Than Border Security
by Charlie Kirk Democrats want you to think they’ve finally discovered a sense of fiscal responsibility in response to President Trump’s request for $5.7 billion to fund construction of the border wall. That’s preposterous. The same party that is even now pursuing multi-trillion boondoggles such as “Medicare for All” and the “Green New Deal” somehow believes it can convince the American people that its opposition to the wall is based primarily on a desire to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, but Democrats’ newfound austerity is unconvincing in light of their consistent, long-standing obsession with wasteful spending projects.. In fact, the federal government spends hundreds of billions of tax dollars every year on all sorts of questionable programs, and eliminating even a handful of the most egregious examples would easily suffice to pay for the pittance that President Trump is seeking for border security. Here are just a few examples: #1 Yoga Classes for Federal Bureaucrats -In 2015, Senator Rand Paul’s office reported that $150,000 in taxpayer dollars were spent on yoga classes for federal employees. While most agencies require participants to pay for their own therapeutic exercises, others, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, and the…
Read the full storyParents Group Calls for Resignation or Termination of Sumner County School Director Del Phillips Over School Rezoning
GALLATIN, Tennessee – Dozens of parents attended Tuesday evening’s Sumner County Board of Education meeting in opposition to the rezoning plan of Sumner County Schools (SCS) Director of Schools Del Phillips and called for his resignation or termination by the board. The major point of contention for the parents, several of whom wore shirts displaying a Stop Stage 1 logo, is that some elementary and middle school students will be temporarily re-zoned from their current schools for the 2019-2020 school year before being permanently rezoned to newly constructed schools for the 2021-2022 school year. The temporary and permanent series of zone changes have been named by Director Phillips as Stage 1 and Stage 2, respectively. The group of parents organized on October 23, 2018, the same day the rezoning plan was introduced by Director Phillips in a non-voting “retreat” of the school board. The goal of the group, named “Stop Stage 1 – Better Solutions for SCSC Temporary Rezoning,” is to stop the temporary or transitional rezoning of students. Stop Stage 1 is not against the permanent rezoning to the new three-school campus, and in fact, has specifically stated their support for the building of it. Per the school system’s…
Read the full storyNorth Carolina’s Superintendent Lays Out Steps to Reduce K-12 Testing
North Carolina’s Superintendent Mark Johnson has announced a set of steps he plans to take over the next two years to reduce the number of tests K-12 students have to take. “We are just getting started reforming testing in North Carolina’s public schools,” Superintendent Johnson said in a press release. “The changes I am announcing today will be a major step in reducing outdated testing methods to measure students’ progress, and the future is bright for North Carolina’s public schools.” “We will be working with local superintendents and state leaders to reform the system of over-testing,” he added. “That way, we can give the teachers the time to do what they entered the profession to do: teach.” The announcement comes after a series of listening tour events to garner public feedback as well as a survey launched by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The survey created by DPI last year saw incredible participation with over 42,000 parents and teachers responding. An overwhelming 78 percent of parent respondents said their child takes too many tests. 76 percent of teachers agreed that students were being tested too much. Steps Johnson intends to take include: Reducing the number of questions…
Read the full storyNashville’s Debt Reportedly On the Rise
To borrow an old campaign slogan from former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, Nashville is rising. And by that, we specifically mean its debt. Nashville’s debt continues to climb, so much so it’s at its highest point in 10 years, according to The Tennessean. The paper cited a new report that shows city officials spent one out of every $10 of taxpayer money to pay off debt the last fiscal year. The current path, the paper went on to say, quoting experts, is unsustainable. As Metro Council member Steve Glover told The Tennessee Star last month, Nashville is broke and can’t afford to hand out more incentives for corporations, like the one proposed for Amazon.com But incentives aren’t the only thing plaguing the city’s finances, according to The Tennessean. “As debt payments climb they can crowd out salaries for teachers, police and other government workers — particularly when the mayor and council decline to raise property taxes, as they did last spring,” The Tennessean said. “Some of the rising burden can be traced to a decision by city officials during the Great Recession to delay debt payments. Since then, the borrowing has continued.” Chris Coviello, lead Nashville analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, told…
Read the full storyMembers Named to North Carolina’s Influential Senate Education Committee
North Carolina Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-D30) has announced the members of the influential Senate Education Committee. Co-Chairs this session are Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-D45), Sen. Rick Horner (R-D11), and Senate Majority Whip Jerry Tillman (R-D11). Tillman and Ballard have also been named as Education/Higher Education Appropriations co-chairs. Sen. Tillman has been a long-time leading Republican on education policy in the Senate and is entering his ninth term as a legislator. Prior to becoming a lawmaker, Tillman was a teacher. Tillman was a leading voice in the fight to repeal Common Core in the state. After a commission tasked with reviewing the controversial standards failed its assigned task in 2015, Tillman said the legislature would take action. That action never came and Common Core remains as the state’s academic standards. Ballard is working on her second term and serves as director of the office of the president/CEO for Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization headquartered in Boone. She also works with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association based in Charlotte. Berger also named Horner to the Appropriations/Base Budget, Health Care, Judiciary and Pensions, and Retirement and Aging committees. The Senate Education Committee is made up of five Democrats…
Read the full storyPlanned Parenthood Says it is Ready to Bring Abortions Back to Nashville Starting in February
Nashville’s Planned Parenthood clinic plans to start killing babies again in February, Nashville Public Radio (WPLN) says. The Nashville clinic, which was possibly the last abortion facility in Nashville, stopped offering abortions in December, pro-life website Live Action said last month. But now, WPLN says, the clinic will start aborting babies in February. Chief Medical Officer Sarah Wallett of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee told WPLN the suspension was due to a merger between the Nashville/East Tennessee and Memphis offices. The merger was meant to save money but led to “hiccups” such as staffing issues – about 40 percent of the workers are new needed training to help carry out abortions. When the Nashville Planned Parenthood clinic’s abortions stopped in December, Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life, said, “With the suspension of abortion services in our state’s largest city, Tennessee Right to Life is grateful for a Christmas miracle.” Harris said his organization was receiving a spike ion calls from women seeking abortion appointments, and he cited efforts to provide referrals to agencies and resources to help abortion-vulnerable women and girls. When Planned Parenthood closed in December, that brought the number of known abortion sites in Tennessee down to…
Read the full storyNC Governor Cooper Allegedly Delayed Signing Pipeline Fund Doc to Leverage a Solar Deal With the State
Did North Carolina’s Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) delay signing a controversial fund document tied to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to force Duke Energy to cut a deal with the state’s solar industry? A report by WBTV’s investigative reporter Nick Ochsner says that’s what it looks like. Buried in the 19,000+ pages of documents dumped by @NC_Governor's office days before Christmas about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline or records that show Cooper held off signing the pipeline MOU until Duke Energy reached a deal to buy more solar power #ncpol https://t.co/wQ5lD4uH4Z — Nick Ochsner (@NickOchsnerWBTV) January 14, 2019 This latest bombshell adds to the mounting questions from North Carolina lawmakers previously reported by Battleground State News. Ochsner’s report points to text messages found in a massive public records dump by Cooper’s office: “The decision by Cooper and senior staff to use the pipeline permit as leverage to force Duke into cutting a deal with the state’s solar industry is documented in text messages, emails and memos included in a 19,216-page document dump released by the administration days before Christmas.” The WBTV report highlights that at the same time Cooper was working on the pipeline funding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that included Duke…
Read the full storyTop Takeaways From William Barr’s AG Confirmation Hearing
by Fred Lucas William Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee he wouldn’t be intimidated by anyone, including President Donald Trump, who nominated him to serve as attorney general. “I am not going to do anything that I think is wrong, and I will not be bullied into doing anything I think is wrong. By anybody. Whether it be editorial boards, or Congress, or the president,” Barr said Tuesday in response to questions by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. “I’m going to do what I think is right,” he said. Barr testified all day before the Senate committee, talking about issues ranging from abortion and the First Amendment to Hillary Clinton and the controversial Uranium One deal. Here are seven big takeaways from the first of two days of confirmation hearings for Barr. 1. ‘You’re Crazy’: On Independence Much of the questioning from senators revolved around special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and Moscow’s potential ties to the Trump campaign. Barr’s general assertion of independence, however, could affect more issues if he is confirmed, as expected. Having served already as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush from November 1991 through January 1993 allows him…
Read the full storyBlack Radio Host David Webb Speaks Out After Being Accused of Benefiting From White Privilege
by Nick Givas Black radio host David Webb spoke out on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday after he was accused of benefiting from white privilege by CNN analyst Areva Martin. Webb was interviewing Martin on his show Tuesday about diversity in media when she mistook him for a white male and said he had “the privilege of doing what people of color don’t have the privilege of.” When Webb asked for an explanation she said, “David, by virtue of being a white male, you have white privilege.” “Areva, I hate to break it to you, but you should’ve been better prepped. I am black,” Webb replied. “You’re talking to a black man who started out in rock radio in Boston.” Webb accused Martin of launching into a false attack against him and said she failed to gather the facts before speaking out. He also said there is no such thing as white privilege. “We were on the radio. Which is what makes this really interesting to me. Forget tone, voice, being prepped as I said to her. She immediately defaulted to an attack, which is a false narrative,” he told “Fox & Friends.” “There is no such thing as white…
Read the full storyNorth Carolina College Fires Employee Early After She Removed Silent Sam Statue
by Neetu Chandak The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s chancellor was asked to step down in her role earlier than expected after making the swift decision to remove leftovers of the school’s Silent Sam statue. Carol Folt planned to resign as the school’s chancellor after commencement in May, according to the letter Monday. But the Board of Governors wanted Folt to resign earlier after she ordered for the removal of the Confederate statue’s plaque and base without consulting others, Inside Higher Ed reported Wednesday. The board held a private meeting with Folt Tuesday afternoon and accepted her resignation date starting Jan. 31. “While I’m disappointed by the Board of Governors’ timeline, I have truly loved my almost six years at Carolina,” Folt said in a statement posted on Twitter Tuesday. Folt had cranes and crews remove the leftovers of the statue at night, hours after her resignation announcement. Gone, baby gone. Silent Sam’s pedestal is nowhere to be seen on @UNC campus. #silentsam reporting for @CarolinaJournal pic.twitter.com/Ta5bz5v9vz — Kari Travis (@KariLynnTravis) January 15, 2019 “You know, it’s a bit stunning based on how this has gone, that UNC Chapel Hill felt they needed to take this kind…
Read the full storySears Staves Off Liquidation, Stores to Remain Open
Sears will live on— at least for now. The company’s chairman and largest shareholder, Eddie Lampert, won a bankruptcy auction for Sears in New York, averting liquidation of the iconic chain, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The person agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the negotiation publicly. Lampert was the only one to put forth a proposal to rescue the floundering company in its entirety. He had sweetened his bid multiple times to more than $5 billion over the last few days through an affiliate of his hedge fund ESL. Details of the final terms couldn’t be learned. Lampert, who steered the company into bankruptcy protection, may be able to keep the roughly 400 remaining Sears stores open, which would mean tens of thousands of jobs are saved, at least for now. Whether Sears, founded 132 years ago as a mail order watch business, can survive in the era of Amazon remains questionable. Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. At that time, it had 687 stores and 68,000 workers. At its peak in 2012, its stores numbered 4,000. Lampert says there’s still potential for the company…
Read the full storyFlorida Commissioner Under Fire for Calling Michigan Congresswoman a ‘Hamas Loving Anti-Semite’ Who Might ‘Blow Up Capitol Hill’
by Joshua Gill Florida officials and Muslim advocacy groups have lambasted a city commissioner for calling Rep. Rashida Tlaib a “Hamas-loving anti-Semite” who might “blow up Capitol Hill.” Hallandale Beach Commissioner Annabelle Lima-Taub made the comments in a Jan. 8 Facebook post, announcing that she had signed an online petition demanding that Tlaib be removed from office. Lima-Taub, originally from Israel, argued that Tlaib should not be a part of the U.S. government given her allegiance to Palestine. The post came five days after Tlaib urged Democrats to “impeach the motherf—,” referring to President Donald Trump. “Proudly signed. A Hamas-loving anti-Semite has NO place in government! She is a danger and [I] would not put it past her to become a martyr and blow up Capitol Hill,” Lima-Taub wrote, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Lima-Taub reportedly removed her post shortly after the Sun-Sentinel reached out to her for comment, and has since faced harsh criticism from fellow Hallandale Beach commissioners and demands for an apology from Muslim advocacy groups. This sort of hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric doesn’t happen in a vacuum – this President embraced it and Republicans have happily gone along with it.https://t.co/3THoHQmRVy — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) January…
Read the full storyDrug Pricing War That Led CVS and Walmart to Part Ways Will Disproportionately Impact Rural Communities
by Evie Fordham Walmart and CVS Health’s pharmacy benefit management (PBM) division announced they’re parting ways Tuesday, and it’s a split that could disproportionately impact rural patients, health care entrepreneur Dave Chase told The Daily Caller News Foundation. The split was brought on by a pricing dispute and means that many people who have CVS Health drug plans will no longer be able to pick up their prescriptions at Walmart locations. “Walmart is in a lot of rural areas where there aren’t a lot of choices … I think it’s definitely troublesome for patients,” Chase, a health care author and co-founder of Health Rosetta, told TheDCNF in a telephone interview Tuesday. But Chase also emphasized Walmart’s “unassailable” reputation for making drugs affordable, including its $4 generic prescription drug program. Walmart maintained that CVS was trying to control where customers filled their prescriptions, according to Bloomberg. “We are committed to providing value to our customers across our business, including our pharmacy, but we don’t want to give that value to the middle man,” Walmart said in a statement to The Daily Caller News Foundation Tuesday. “This issue underscores the problems that can arise when a PBM can exert their unregulated…
Read the full storyMajority of Americans Say Abortions Should Be Restricted, New Poll Finds
by Courtney Joyner A poll released Tuesday just ahead of the 46th March for Life demonstration in Washington, D.C, shows the majority of Americans support tighter restrictions on abortion, and would even like to see the landmark Roe v. Wade decision “reinterpreted” to allow more restrictions. The annual survey conducted by Marist in partnership with the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, reveals that three-quarters of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion abroad, even though 55 percent of Americans polled identify as pro-choice. Additionally, 75 percent of Americans—including those who identify as Republican (92 percent), Democrat (60 percent), and independent (78 percent)—said abortion should be limited to the first three months of pregnancy. “As in past years, this poll shows that the pro-choice label on the abortion issue is simply insufficient,” said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson in a statement. “The majority of Americans—in both parties—support legal restrictions on abortion,” Anderson added. “Two-thirds of Americans want Roe revisited to allow for state regulation of abortion or to ban it altogether. The majority of the American people deserve to have their opinions heard.” Now in its 11th year, the poll, which randomly selected and surveyed 1,066 American adults…
Read the full storyCommentary: Walls are Closing in on the FBI and its Media Accomplices
by Julie Kelly Those of us who have closely followed the unfolding scandal at the Justice Department— particularly how the FBI abused its power not only to spy on the Trump presidential campaign but also on the president himself—have been frustrated with the inaction both of the White House and Congress. Documents have not been declassified as promised; letters by top lawmakers have gone unanswered with no consequence; and not one perpetrator in the biggest political scandal in history has been held accountable. The New York Times over the weekend confirmed the worst suspicions: Andrew McCabe, a disgraced FBI official caught lying to federal investigators and fired by Trump, and his corrupt lackeys opened up a criminal and counterintelligence probe into President Trump on the flimsiest of evidence in May 2017. Further, statements from William Barr, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, seem to indicate he would be deferential to Special Counsel Robert Mueller rather than focus on the real scandal. It was unclear whether a change in leadership at the Justice Department and on the Senate Judiciary Committee (Lindsey Graham took the reins from Charles Grassley this year) would restart stalled congressional inquiries. A Clean-Up Pledge But Barr’s confirmation…
Read the full storyOhio Senator Sherrod Brown Makes Early Moves for 2020 Presidential Bid
The only Ohio Democrat to hold or win office in the 2018 midterm elections appears to have his sights set on the White House. Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown announced that he will tour four early, and key, presidential primary states. His team refers to the trip as the “Dignity of Work” tour and will travel to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. Concurrent with this announcement was the launch of his new website, “DignityOfWork.com.” The website is funded by America Works PAC, the senator’s personal political action committee. As of now the site only lists some of his key issues, an email registration link, and a donation page. The crux of this early campaign appears to be an appeal to the blue-collar working class that largely abandoned the Democratic party in the 2016 election in favor of President Donald Trump. He emphasizes that “dignity of work means hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are or what kind of work you do.” The campaign revolves around the point that it’s not enough to have a job, but rather a well-paying job. This is a clever messaging manipulation that both emphasizes the bipartisan call for a strong…
Read the full storyHezbollah Sympathizer Attended a Private Dinner for Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) hosted a private dinner in Detroit after being sworn into Congress last week, and among her guests was a man who has expressed praise for the leaders and members of Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. “I was honored to be at Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib swearing in ceremony in Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends, and activists across the country,” Abbas Hamideh wrote on Twitter Saturday. https://twitter.com/Resistance48/status/1084233942591520770 Of note is the scarf draped around Tlaib’s neck in the painting Hamideh seemingly presented to her. The black and white checkered scarf is called a keffiyeh, and has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity. In the painting, Tlaib’s keffiyeh is seen wrapped around the U.S. Capitol. Jewish News Syndicate and Clarion Project later unearthed several of Hamideh’s past controversial comments. In one case, he mourned the passing of “legendary Hezbollah martyr” Samir Kuntar, who led an attack that resulted in the deaths of four Israelis. During that attack, Kuntar personally murdered a four-year-old child by smashing her head in with the butt of his rifle. In other social media posts, Hamideh has praised Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a “heroic resistance leader.” “Israel does not have a right to…
Read the full storyIlhan Omar Calls Anti-BDS Bill ‘Unconstitutional,’ Defends Past Anti-Semitic Comments
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) said during a recent appearance on MSNBC that Senate efforts to combat the “discriminatory economic warfare against the Jewish state” are “unconstitutional.” Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) “Combating BDS Act” was included in a package of bills introduced in early January under a title of “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act.” Rubio’s bill in particular received significant media attention for its targeting of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. The BDS movement is widely criticized by Republicans such as Rubio as an “anti-Israel” campaign that “pressures companies to stop doing business in Israel, and banks and funds to divest of investments in Israel,” as Rubio explained in a recent tweet. His bill would allow local and state governments to end contracts with companies that practice BDS tactics. But the package of bills was stalled in a recent Senate vote of 56-44, and Democrats attributed their opposition to the bills to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) hard-line stance against passing any bills that don’t include government funding. Rubio, however, said the “shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats don’t want to move to Middle East security bill.” “A huge argument broke out at Senate…
Read the full storyFreedom From Religion Foundation Objects to Worship Service as Part of Governor-Elect Bill Lee’s Inauguration
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is objecting to Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee reportedly selling tickets to a worship service as part of his inauguration. The 2019 Inaugural Worship Service Saturday will feature Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nicole C. Mullen, Matthew West and others, The Tennessee Star reported Tuesday. The service at 8:30 a.m. CST Saturday was scheduled for the Ryman Auditorium, but due to overwhelming demand, it has been moved to the Grand Ole Opry House, the governor-elect said on Facebook. The worship service made the atheist organization upset. According to a press release, FFRF sent the governor-elect a letter asking him to “honor the U.S. Constitution, and all the Tennessee citizens he is soon to represent in office, by refraining from including religion in his swearing-in event. Additionally, FFRF has submitted a public records request for information pertaining to the worship service.” A copy of the letter is available here. FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne said in the letter addressed to Lee, “This defiance of the U.S. Constitution is a disappointing way to start your time as governor of Tennessee. As you take your oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, FFRF urges you to reflect…
Read the full storyThe Tennessee Star Report Talks to New GOP Caucus Chair Cameron Sexton, Who Sets Record Straight on False Claim All Meetings Will Be Closed
On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to State Representative and good friend Cameron Sexton about his new role as caucus chairman for the Republican State House of Tennessee and the current misconception promoted by the failing Tennessean newspaper about open caucus meetings for Republicans. During the segment the men got further into the discussion noting that the Democrats proceeded to have an unannounced, locked door meeting claiming that it was open, however, the Tennessee media outlets somehow missed that headline. Gill: Cameron Sexton is the new caucus chairman for the Republicans in the State House. House Speaker Glen Casada moving up a step. A little bit of shuffle in the leadership. And new committee chairman including, our friend Robin Smith becoming a committee chairman as a freshman member of the state house. A lot of new things coming and more oversight of what the executive branch actually does after the legislature passes legislation. Cameron Sexton, long time friend is with us. And if you believe the mainstream media, again, there’s your first…
Read the full storyCommentary: Democratic Leaders Backed in a Corner, Held Hostage by Crazed Kooks
by Jeffrey A. Rendall Late last week Democrats and the liberal establishment media trumpeted the fact the government shutdown had reached a milestone — at three weeks in duration, it was the longest involuntary bureaucratic work stoppage in the nation’s history. As would be expected, leaders of both parties blamed the opposition for the impasse, repeating ad nauseum the same tired arguments they’d advanced for weeks…months…years. It’s almost as though the political class didn’t study the theory of diminished marginal utility in high school or college Economics class. For those memory challenged (or perhaps zoned-out with glazed eyes when the subject was covered in the classroom), according to Wikipedia, diminished marginal utility means, “…the first unit of consumption of a good or service yields more utility than the second and subsequent units, with a continuing reduction for greater amounts. Therefore, the fall in marginal utility as consumption increases is known as diminishing marginal utility.” Where the DC swamp dwellers are concerned, diminished marginal utility means the act of mouthing the same thing over and over again has less and less effectiveness as time passes. Lord knows Americans don’t possess the greatest attention spans as it is, and coming just…
Read the full storyGovernor-Elect Bill Lee Appoints Commissioners of Transportation, Environment, Human Resources
Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee on Tuesday announced three appointments to his Cabinet: for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Human Resources. The new commissioners are: • Clay Bright – Department of Transportation • David Salyers – Department of Environment and Conservation • Juan Williams– Department of Human Resources “I am pleased to announce three additions to our cabinet who bring a high level of expertise and deep knowledge of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with these appointments as we build forward-thinking solutions for Tennessee.” Lee has been busy filling Cabinet positions in the days leading up to his inauguration, which is Saturday. Last week he appointed Court of Appeals, Western Section Judge Brandon Gibson to serve as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor. One Middle Tennessee business owner vouched for Salyers, saying, “He’s an excellent engineer who’s had mud on his boots and understands how things have to operate in the real world.” Salyers, of Madison County, serves as the executive director of the West Tennessee River Basin Authority, a division of the Department of Environment and Conservation, according to Lee’s website. Salyers…
Read the full storyU.S. Rep. Mark Green Calls for Border Security in Speech on House Floor, Chastises Democrats for Partisanship
U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Monday delivered an impassioned speech on the House floor calling for border security and chastising the Democrats for partisanship. The C-SPAN video clip is available here. “We could spend our time debating what a physical barrier should consist of, but let’s make one thing clear, whether it’s in the form of a wall or a fence or some barrier, combined with 21st century surveillance technology and increased border security agents, a barrier is an effective defense against entry by criminals, gang members, drug smugglers, and yes, even terrorists,” Green said. He chastised Democrats for saying physical barriers are ineffective and “immoral.” “Now this is not the position they held in the recent past,” he said, and added Democrats were willing to spend $40 billion under President Barack Obama but not $5.7 billion under President Donald Trump. “What’s changed?” He pointed out that ISIS is encouraging followers to cross over the United States’ “porous” border. “That leads me to direct some questions to my colleagues and friends across the aisle,” Green said. “Is it worth the risk?” “I’d pay 5.7 billion to stop the next 9-11.” In 2017, an estimated 72,000 Americans died of…
Read the full storyLA School District Superintendent Says Day 1 of Teacher Strike Cost District $25 Million
by Neetu Chandak The Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) superintendent claims the first day of teacher strikes on Monday cost the district $25 million. LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner got this number based on student attendance, which determines the district’s funding, and the number of people not at work, according to a Tuesday conference. “So, the district, on a day like yesterday, would lose approximately $25 million in funding,” Beutner said in a LAUSD Facebook live video. He clarified $10 million of the $25 million was from wages of people not at work. “About $15 million that would have been better spent to reduce class size, to hire more nurses, counselors, librarians… Each day we should be asking ourselves, ‘Why can’t we get this solved?’ Let’s finish this contract. Let’s put that behind us. Let’s move forward. Let’s get back to Sacramento, where I was last week. Let’s keep working for more funding so we can do more at our schools,” Beutner said, according to ABC 7. Teachers represented by the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union walked out of classes Monday to protest higher pay and smaller class sizes, among other issues. LAUSD claims UTLA’s demands are unreasonable…
Read the full storyGovernment Shutdown Soon to Cost More Than Trump’s Border Wall
by Hanna Bogorowski The U.S. economy lost $3.6 billion by Jan. 11, according to an S&P Global Ratings report, which suggests that by the end of the next two weeks, the economy will have lost more than the price of President Donald Trump’s requested border wall. Having lost just over $3.5 billion by Friday, the 21st day of the partial government shutdown, the S&P says that roughly $1.2 billion a week for another two weeks would “[exceed] the $5.7 billion requested for the proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.” “The longer this shutdown drags on, the more collateral damage the economy will suffer,” the agency said in a news release. As of Saturday, the partial government shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, is the longest in the country’s history. Trump and the White House have pushed to cast blame on the Democrats for not agreeing to pass legislation to fund the $5.7 billion wall. Trump reiterated this claim in a Monday tweet, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer could end the shutdown “in 15 minutes.” Nancy and Cryin’ Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes. At this point it has become their, and…
Read the full storySteve Gill Commentary: Why are Public School Teachers Avoiding Public Schools for Their Own Children?
Would you eat at a restaurant that the cooks and wait staff avoided themselves? Wouldn’t that tell you everything you needed to know about the quality of the food they were serving? Likewise, as public school teachers send their own children to private schools at about TWICE the rate of the general public, and at an even HIGHER rate in our urban centers, doesn’t that tell us more about the quality of our schools than a huge stack of glossy, bureaucrat-generated reports about test scores? A survey conducted by EducationNext in 2015 found that 20% of public school teachers had sent their own children to private schools at some point compared to 13% of non-teachers. Those figures don’t include public school teachers who live in another county or district to avoid the schools where they teach. In 2004, an even more comprehensive national study by the Fordham Institute revealed even more disturbing figures. According to that survey, more than 1 in 5 public school teachers sent their children to private schools, which is consistent with the EducationNext study. Nationally, 11% of non-teachers made that same choice. But the Fordham Institute dug more deeply into the choices being made by parents…
Read the full storyNew York Immigration Group Spending $1 Million to Convince Lawmakers to Allow Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Immigrants
by Neetu Chandak New York’s largest immigration advocacy group is looking to spend $1 million to convince lawmakers in the state to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses as President Donald Trump cracks down on unlawful entry into the U.S. The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) plans to increase its lobbying efforts and invest at minimum $1 million on TV, radio and targeted ads on social media, the New York Daily News reported Monday. This could be NYIC’s biggest campaign. “Our goal is to target every single legislator in New York State,” NYIC Executive Director Steven Choi said, according to the NY Daily News. Choi said allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses would make roads safer by decreasing the number of drivers without licenses. The policy would also help lower auto insurance costs for New Yorkers, though it is unclear how this would occur. Around 265,000 people would benefit from NYIC’s proposed initiative, the NY Daily News reported. “If Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo is looking to protect immigrants from Donald Trump and his administration, as he says, this is the No. 1 policy we can adopt to do that,” Choi said, according to the NY Daily News. Choi…
Read the full storyGillette Uses New Ad Buy to Lecture Men on Toxic Masculinity
by Evie Fordham Razor brand Gillette dropped a new ad campaign Sunday fighting against what its brand director characterized as a harmful “Boys Will Be Boys” attitude. But the ad is a risk, said brand adviser Dean Crutchfield. “It’s a risky move,” Crutchfield, CEO of branding firm Crutchfield + Partners, told The Wall Street Journal. “Does the customer want to be told they’re a naughty boy? Are you asking too much of your consumer to be having this conversation with them?” The nearly two-minute ad, titled “We Believe,” doesn’t focus on men shaving and instead shows on footage of men interacting. The ad includes two scenes in which men discourage other men from harassing women as well as a short storyline involving a father setting an example for his young son by defending a preteen from bullies. “This is an important conversation happening, and as a company that encourages men to be their best, we feel compelled to both address it and take action of our own,” said Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette brand director for North America, in an email to the WSJ. “We are taking a realistic look at what’s happening today, and aiming to inspire change by acknowledging…
Read the full storyNashville Council to Consider Three Pivotal Bills Relating to Amazon
Metro Nashville Council members were scheduled to consider three bills Tuesday night related to the Amazon.com and its proposed move to Music City, according to The Nashville Business Journal. Metro Council members are considering a controversial $15 million incentive package for Amazon to locate a hub downtown. As The Business Journal went on to say, Amazon has promised to bring 5,000 jobs to Nashville in exchange, but people who don’t like the idea of more corporate incentives have pushed back. “Metro officials have agreed to pay the company $500 per new job created for seven years, or roughly $15 million,” The Business Journal reported. The mayor’s office has not yet presented that proposal to the Metro Council, though it’s expected to debut in the coming months. The first bill council members were to consider as it pertains to Amazon involves, of all things, affordable housing. As The Tennessee Star reported, Nashville would have to hand out the same amount of money for more affordable housing units as it gives to major corporations to get them to come to the city. Nashville Metro Council members Fabian Bedne and Colby Sledge are reportedly pushing the idea. But fellow council member Steve Glover said…
Read the full storyFederal Judge Orders Removal of Citizenship Question From 2020 Census
by Kevin Daley A federal judge in New York barred the Trump administration from including a citizenship question on the 2020 census questionnaire. The decision appears to have significant implications for a related matter the Supreme Court will consider in February. “The attempts by the Trump administration to mandate a question about citizenship were not rooted in a desire to strengthen the census process and would only undermine our immigrant communities,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. “Inciting fear in our residents is not only immoral, but also ill-conceived.” The Constitution mandates a census every 10 years to apportion seats in the House of Representatives among the states. Population is also used as a basis for rewarding federal aid. A citizenship question was included in the census until 1960. A coalition of Democratic cities, states, and interest groups challenged the addition of a citizenship question to the census questionnaire in April 2018, warning it would discourage minority participation. An incomplete survey of minority populations, the plaintiffs feared, would result in diminished federal funds and congressional representation for urban areas. The plaintiffs charged that the addition of the citizenship question violated the Constitution and the Administrative…
Read the full storyThe Tennessee Star Report Talks with One America News Network Reporter Neil McCabe About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Uncertain Health Status
In an interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Wednesday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy spoke to Leahy’s former Breitbart former colleague, now a Washington reporter for One America News Network, Neil McCabe, about the mystery of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s current health condition. The men also went on to discuss the lack of transparency the Supreme Court continues to show in relation to Ginsburg’s health and how the American people have a right to know the state of her condition. The segment touched upon Ginsburg’s lethal style as a Supreme Court justice when questioning conservative attorneys in the past and how, with her current state of health, conservatives may need to approach the situation. Leahy: Hey we are joined now by our good friend and my former Breitbart colleague, Neil McCabe who is the Washington reporter for One America News Network. Neil are you snowed in up there? McCabe: (Laughs) Yeah it’s really amazing what snow does to our nation’s capitol. (Leahy laughs) McCabe: I’m just glad the Russians never came up with a freezing…
Read the full storyCommentary: Democratic Senators are Getting Way Too Comfortable with Religious Tests
by Lathan Watts This new year will quickly reveal to the American people whether some Democrats in Washington have resolved to abandon their overused—and unconstitutional—religious test for office. Two Democrats in the Senate, Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Kamala Harris of California, recently objected to the nomination of Brian Buescher to a U.S. district court in Nebraska based on his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. Their objections, premised on the organization’s affirmation of Catholic teaching, hearkens back to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s now-infamous criticism of the “dogma” of Judge Amy Coney Barrett and other Democratic senators who have vocally opposed religious nominees. These “extreme positions,” according to Hirono, should require Buescher to recuse himself from any future case related to the subject matter. Harris, employing the two most formidable weapons in the progressive arsenal—ignorance and audacity—asked Buescher if he was aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed abortion when he joined. Sadly, this is nothing new for judicial nominees facing their version of a secular inquisition, formerly known as “confirmation.” Catholics, Protestants, and others without any religious affiliation recoiled at the sight of a U.S. senator questioning a nominee’s fitness to serve based…
Read the full storyAmerica’s Youngest Lawmaker, WV Delegate Caleb Hanna, Wants to Help Build the Wall to Combat Drug Epidemic
by Evie Fordham West Virginia House of Delegates member Caleb Hanna wants to fund a southern border wall with $10 million of his state’s surplus to combat West Virginia’s drug problem, he said on “Fox and Friends” Tuesday. “West Virginia has a terrible drug problem,” Hanna said Tuesday. “I believe that a lot of those drugs and opioids are coming directly from the southern border. I spoke to local and state law enforcement, and they say these drugs are so pure they can’t be coming from anywhere other than Mexico. So I believe that the wall is a crucial part in addressing West Virginia’s drug problem.” Hanna and his fellow Republican delegates Carl “Robbie” Martin and Patrick Martin plan to introduce the bill that would transfer $10 million of the state’s $185 million surplus to the border wall that President Donald Trump has proposed, reported The Mountaineer Journal. The state surplus funds would not make much of a dent in the wall fund, though — Trump is asking for more than $5 billion. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com “So, the West Virginia Republican majority in the House has been very supportive of President Trump and his efforts to…
Read the full storyMetro Nashville Basketball Round-Up
by McKinley Young Jr. Girls Thursday 1-10-19 Bailey Leads Antioch past Republic Aniyah Bailey scored 22 points to lead the Antioch Lady Bears over the Republic Lady Blazers 60-40. Destiny Johnson had 13 points and JiKiya Morris added 10 points for the Lady Bears. Other games: Cheatham County 60- Maplewood 35 Franklin 51 – Cane Ridge 39 Friday 1-11-19 Shaw Triple-Double Helps Lead East Pass Whites Creek WHITES CREEK, Tenn.-East Nashville Lady Eagle sophomore guard Tameia Shaw recorded her second triple-double of the season with 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 steals, as the number one ranked Lady Eagles (17-1, get a district road win 73-22. Junior London Fairs lead all scorers with 29 points hitting seven three-pointers. Quentarra Mitchell notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. NaKiya Armstrong led Whites Creek with six points. East Nashville (73): London Fairs 29, Quentarra Mitchell 14, Tameia Shaw 12, A’Niya Young 8, Kristina Smikes 4, Jaelynn Knox 3, Mariuana Hughes 2, Zayla Jones 1 Whites Creek (22): NiKiya Armstrong 6, T. Cockrill 4, D. Boatright 4, M. Shannon 4, A. Waller 2, M. Shelton 2 McGavock Outlast Overton in a Thriller Jada Johnson scored 14 points to lead McGavock…
Read the full storyGOP Slams Klobuchar for Backtracking on Promise to Complete Senate Term
The Minnesota Republican Party called out Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Tuesday after she indicated that she is leaning towards launching a presidential campaign. But during her 2018 Senate reelection campaign, Klobuchar promised to finish her full six-year term if reelected. “Of course I will. I think my track record shows that. I love working in the Senate. I love representing Minnesota,” she said during a debate with opponent Jim Newberger. Klobuchar has repeatedly indicated that she’s considering a run for the White House, and during a Tuesday interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe all but announced that she’s running. “I also said I wanted to talk to my family, so big news today—my family is on board, including my in-laws, showing some momentum. But I will make this decision on my own course, regardless of what other candidates are doing,” she said. “I think what America wants is someone that is going to make their own decisions, that’s not going to be influenced by every tweet out from the White House or what happens every single day in the news. I think they need a president that’s there for them in the long haul,” she added. The Minnesota GOP responded in…
Read the full storyAudit: No Records Exist to Justify Hardeman County Employees Taking Nearly $26,000 Worth of Benefits
Two employees with the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office received more than $26,000 worth of vacation time, holiday time, and compensatory time they might not have rightfully earned, according to a state audit released Tuesday. This, of course, matters because it’s taxpayer money. Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson’s audit did not name the employees, but it did say the two employees no longer work for the sheriff’s office. Wilson’s audit also said this occurred in April and May of last year. “Due to a lack of adequate documentation on file to support these payments, as well as a lack of adequate time and leave records maintained by the Sheriff’s Department, we were unable to determine the validity of these payment amounts,” Comptrollers wrote. “This deficiency was a result of a lack of management oversight and may have resulted in unauthorized compensation.” No one at Sheriff John Doolen’s department returned The Tennessee Star’s repeated requests for comment Tuesday. County officials, the audit went on to say, did not follow their own personnel policy on this matter. “Adequate payroll records and supporting documentation should be maintained to support all payments to employees,” Comptrollers wrote. “Accrued leave records should be accurately maintained to ensure proper…
Read the full storyDavid Brock Backed Progressive Org Files Second Ethics Complaint Against North Carolina’s Tim Moore
The Campaign for Accountability (CfA), a Washington, D.C. non-profit, filed a second ethics complaint Monday against North Carolina’s Speaker of the House Tim Moore after their first one was dismissed. The first complaint filed by CfA was dismissed on December 28, 2018, mainly because it failed to prove Moore knowingly used his position to leverage financial gain. The second CfA complaint claims to contain “new documents” and questions the findings of the North Carolina Ethics Commission. CfA’s hints at impropriety by one of Speaker Moore’s legislative aides, Mitch Gillespie, who “intervened” in the case by seeking a status report about tank cleanup issues. “New documents obtained by Campaign for Accountability reveal that one of Speaker Moore’s legislative aides inquired with DEQ officials about Speaker Moore’s company after it apparently violated several environmental regulations,” CfA Executive Director Daniel E. Stevens said in a statement. “The documents indicate that yet again Speaker Moore appears to have attempted to use his official position to enrich himself. North Carolina officials should immediately investigate whether Speaker Moore directed his aide, a former DEQ official, to contact the agency on his behalf,” Stevens’ statement said. These new documents, according to CfA, were obtained on November 29,…
Read the full storyOhio Officially Opens Three Marijuana Dispensaries, But Most Doctors Aren’t Prescribing Just Yet
After being delayed by more than a year, legal medicinal marijuana will finally be available in Ohio. Medicinal marijuana prescriptions, however, will be much harder to come by. 80 percent of doctors who are eligible to prescribe the drug have yet to register in the program. Of the few that did register, many only did so to stay abreast of new developments and not necessarily to prescribe. In addition, the overwhelming majority of hospitals have refused to participate in the program and have barred their physicians from prescribing the controversial drug. A majority of the 300 physicians who are registered to prescribe the drug operate private practices and are not attached to hospitals. Marijuana is still a Schedule I drug in the eyes of the federal government. This classification means, as far as the government is concerned: There is no accepted medical use, It has a high potential for abuse, It is among “the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.” For all the success medicinal marijuana has found with state legalization, this classification makes many hospitals fearful that, should laws change or the federal government crackdown on state legalization, they could find themselves facing severe fines, prison, and even the loss of…
Read the full storyKeith Ellison Says Minnesota Attorney General’s Office Prepared to Take ‘Legal Action’ in Response to Shutdown
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) was joined by a large cohort of bipartisan lawmakers, top administrative officials, and local faith leaders Tuesday to discuss the impact of the partial government shutdown on Minnesota. According to Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans, the state receives roughly $1 billion in federal funding per month, and about a quarter of state agencies are currently affected by the shutdown. The group of state leaders stressed in particular the impact the shutdown is having on programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), veterans health care, and Medicaid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a one-month extension for SNAP benefits that will last through mid-February, and Walz has directed the Minnesota Department of Human Services to ensure recipients “are informed about any changes to their SNAP food benefits.” Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke at Tuesday’s press conference and argued that the “literally hundreds of federal streams of income” are “contractually obligated to flow.” “From the attorney general’s standpoint, we’re here and we are busy working to make sure that these promises are kept. And we’re exploring the remedies that we have available to us to make sure the federal government meets its obligations,” he said.…
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