Category: Local

Hambrick Family Attorney Goes Off the Rails in WTN Interview on Police Shooting

Jason M. Reynolds

WTN radio’s Dan Mandis tried to hold a reasoned debate with the attorney representing the family of a man who was shot and killed by Metro Nashville Police last month. Mandis hosted attorney Joy Kimbrough on his Super Talk 99.7 program Monday. The audio is available here. Kimbrough represents the family of Daniel Hambrick. Video shows Metro Officer Andrew Delke shooting and killing Hambrick as he was running away on July 26, News Channel 5 said. The video is available here on the Nashville Scene. The surveillance video obtained from nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School shows the shooting near the intersection of 17th Avenue North and Jo Johnston Avenue on the evening of July 26, the Scene said. Criminal history Hambrick had several pending serious criminal charges at the time he was shot, Fox 17 News said. His prior convictions include felony aggravated robbery, misdemeanor assault, possession or casual exchange, felon in possession of a weapon, drugs in a drug-free school zone, resisting arrest and more. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Daniel-Hambrick-Arrest-History.pdf” title=”Daniel Hambrick Arrest History”]   On the rap sheet, the following initials mean: PEND-pending DROS- Dismissed request of the state GLC-Guilty of Lesser Charge DIS- Dismissed GUI-Guilty CONC-Concluded Mayor David Briley last…

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Gov. Phil Bredesen Increased Refugee Resettlement in Tennessee by Thousands, Bringing Big Money to ‘Non-Profits’ Catholic Charities and World Relief

Chris Alto
Phil Bredesen

When he was governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011, Phil Bredesen set the state up to receive a dramatically higher number of refugees – an increase well into the thousands – bringing with it significant financial benefit to federal refugee contractors like Catholic Charities of Tennessee and World Relief. Early into Bredesen’s second term as governor, he withdrew Tennessee from the federal refugee resettlement program writing to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that “refugee-specific service providers” could better meet the needs of arriving refugees. By taking this step, Bredesen created the opportunity for the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to hand over running of the state’s program to Catholic Charities of Tennessee (CCTN) but without any accountability to the state legislature or the state budget. The first full year during which CCTN administered the program in Tennessee, refugees arriving to the state increased from 847 to 1,492, despite a decline in refugee arrivals on a national level. By 2010, with the new designation from the U.S. ORR and more federal funding, CCTN expanded its refugee operations and established its Tennessee Office for Refugees (TOR). This department was set-up to coordinate all refugee resettlement agencies operating in the state. CCTN’s…

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Southwest Airlines Begins Nonstop Flights Between Nashville, Atlanta

Jason M. Reynolds
Southwest Air

Southwest Airlines has begun nonstop flights from Atlanta to Nashville. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said the airline launched the flights from Atlanta to Nashville, The Associated Press reported. Nashville International Airport celebrated the inaugural flight from BNA to Atlanta Tuesday. The airline will operate five flights a day Monday through Friday between Hartsfield-Jacskon Atlanta International Airport and BNA, as well as three flights a day on Saturdays and Sundays. Southwest Airlines Co. vice president of technical operations Trevor Stedke said in a statement when the airline announced the route in February that it answers business community requests in both cities. Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority CEO Doug Kruelen says business people have long sought more service between Nashville and Atlanta. Kruelen says the route brings more competition and options. Delta Air Lines already flies the route. Nashville International Airport served more than 14.9 million passengers in the fiscal year that ended in June, making it one of the nation’s fastest growing airports, The Tennessee Star previously reported. The record makes Nashville International, or BNA, the fourth fastest growing airport among the top 50 airports in North America, the airport’s website said. BNA serves 450 daily flights to more than 65 nonstop markets.…

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Taxpayer-Funded Program Didn’t End Homelessness in Tennessee

Chris Butler
homelessness

Five years ago, Nashville officials launched an initiative to end homelessness as we know it. The program, part of the “How’s Nashville” campaign, promised homelessness would end before 2017. Seeing as how we’re more than halfway done with 2018 it’s time to assess — did the program do what Nashville officials said it would do? After all, they promised. Unfortunately, city officials did not return requests for comment Wednesday. Back in 2013, the city’s Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency paired up with the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission and announced 200 housing opportunities for the chronically homeless. They offered an unspecified amount of federal taxpayer money, via Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant money. Apparently, though, city officials didn’t get enough cash the first go-round. Last month, according to Nashville NBC affiliate WSMV, city officials announced yet another initiative to end homelessness, this time among young people, using $3.54 million of federal taxpayer money, again from HUD. “HUD is awarding $43 million to 11 local communities across the country,” the station reported. “The money will fund rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing and other programs.” There were other times officials in Tennessee used taxpayer money to end homelessness as…

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As Mayor of Nashville, Karl Dean Made LGBT a Specially Protected Class Under Metro Law

Chris Alto
Karl Dean

In 2009, when Karl Dean was Nashville’s mayor he signed into law an ordinance making “sexual orientations” and “gender identity” protected classes in Nashville’s non-discrimination employment policy. Two years later, Dean tried to require vendors wanting to do business with the Metro government to include the same LBGT protections in their employment policies. Megan Barry was the Metro Council member that sponsored the 2009 ordinance which did not define the terms “sexual orientations” or “gender identity” which are generally understood to refer to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. The ordinance passed by the Metro Council and signed into law by Dean continues to apply to all Metro employees including public school teachers. Two years later, the Metro Council passed and Karl Dean signed the Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance (CANDO) requiring any vendor seeking to do business with the Nashville government to also include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their employment non-discrimination policies. The Tennessee General Assembly responded by passing the Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act which stopped Dean’s CANDO law. The legislature’s action stopped the over-regulating of businesses resulting from Dean’s CANDO law, but it has not slowed the LGBT agenda from advancing in Tennessee. For example, despite efforts in…

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Nashville Taxpayers Funded Expensive Abstract Art Under Karl Dean

Chris Butler
Karl Dean

Tennessee Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean has no comment about what some people call a taxpayer-funded boondoggle erected in downtown Nashville during his tenure as mayor. At least no one from Dean’s campaign returned a request for comment Tuesday regarding the public art project known as Stix. That project cost the city $750,000. Some people refer to it as art. Other people call it a waste of taxpayer money. Either way, it’s nothing more than a bunch of sticks. Oh, and the sticks have bright, shiny colors. The Tennessee Star wanted to know if a possible Dean administration would force taxpayers at the state level to pay for public art projects such as this — or any public art period. As for Stix itself, the artist, Christian Moeller, called it an homage to the Native Americans who first lived in Middle Tennessee. Nashvillelifestyles.com says it’s “the most expensive public art piece ever in Nashville.” Dean and other city officials could have sent that $750,000 check to a local artist — where the money could have gone right back into Tennessee’s economy. Instead, they sent that money out to California, where Moeller resides. Moeller, at the time he got that six-figure…

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Metro Nashville Schools Director Ducks Questions on Sexual Harassment And His Handling of Complaints

Jason M. Reynolds
Shawn Joseph

Metro Nashville Schools’ director is ducking questions on alleged widespread sexual harassment — and coverups — in his district, news outlets are reporting. NewsChannel 5 reported last week that school director Dr. Shawn Joseph tried to run from their reporter who wanted an interview on the topic and his role in the investigations. The TV station has tried to interview him since June 5. He tried to dodge the station’s reporter at a news conference to ask about Dr. Sam Braden, the executive principal of John F. Kennedy Middle School in Antioch. Among other things, Braden allegedly hired a school employee from an adult bookstore he allegedly frequented, NewsChannel 5 said. He was placed on administrative leave two days after the station aired its story on him. Spinning the damage Joseph sent a memo to school board members, saying he was “concerned that the reporter … will report on information that was ‘alleged’” and he wanted to lobby the Tennessee General Assembly to keep human resources files secret, the station said. NewsChannel 5 also reported the school board met in closed executive session to discuss Braden. Braden’s lawyer, Michie Gibson, released a statement saying, “Dr. Braden denies all allegations made…

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State Rep. Tim Wirgau Voted to Give In-State Tuition to Illegal Alien Students But Is Not Fessing Up to It With Voters

Chris Alto
Tim Wirgau

Posted on Rep. Tim Wirgau’s campaign website under the heading “Straight Talk with Tim” is this statement about his 2015 “yes” vote to award illegal alien students residing in Tennessee the in-state tuition benefit: I am opposed to illegal immigration. My consistent voting record as your State Representative proves it. I have voted against sanctuary cities in Tennessee and illegal immigration. My opponent claims I voted to give to illegals with HB675. The record shows I voted against HB675. “Wirgau requested to be recorded as voting No. It was only when the Senate version was presented on the House floor with Amendment 488 which states, “A student may be classified as a Tennessee resident and be charged in-state tuition if the student: (1) Is lawfully present in the United States;…” I felt it necessary not to deny lawfully present children the opportunity for skilled training if they can afford to pay their way. No HOPE scholarship. NO Tennessee Promise. And That’s a Fact. Wirgau’s post shows that he voted against the original language of the bill presumably because he understood that the bill was intended to give illegal alien students in Tennessee the in-state tuition benefit. But, he states, he decided…

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State Senator Thelma Harper Endorses Howard Jones as Her Successor Over Long Time Rival Brenda Gilmore

Jason M. Reynolds
Thelma Harper, Howard Jones

Tennessee State Sen. Thelma Harper (D-Nashville) endorsed Howard Jones Jr. as her successor to the 19th State Senatorial District in Nashville, a seat she has held for 27 years, over longtime rival State Rep. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville). The Tennessee Tribune reported the endorsement of Jones, a pastor and educator. “A few months ago, I announced it was time for me to pass the baton to the next generation of leaders,” said Harper. “Today, I am honored to lend my full support and endorsement to Howard Jones as your next State Senator for the 19th District. “I support Jones because I know he will listen, be honest and work tirelessly with the community to continue to move the 19th District forward.  I trust him to be our voice and to do what is right for the men, women and children that he represents.” Jones said, “I’m honored to have earned the support of Hon. Senator Thelma Harper. She has a been a trailblazer in Tennessee for more than 30 years. Throughout the years, I have proudly worked with the Hon. Senator Harper on a variety of issues to improve our community. I have the utmost respect for her tireless work on behalf of the people in the Senatorial 19th District.”…

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Bill Lee Agrees With Gov. Haslam That Transgender Bathroom Issue Does Not Need Leadership From the State

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

Governor Haslam and Bill Lee propose the same approach to the use of school bathrooms and locker rooms by students whose choice of gender and anatomy may not match. Both Haslam and Lee have said that this issue does not require leadership from the state but instead, should be problem-solved at the local level. Shortly after a May 2016, “dear colleague” letter was issued by the Obama Department of Education advising school districts to protect access by students to bathrooms and locker rooms “consistent with their gender identity” or risk violating federal law and jeopardizing federal funds, Haslam issued the following statement: The White House itself has said what they issued last week is not an enforcement action and does not make any additional requirements under the law. Congress has the authority to write the law, not the executive branch, and we disagree with the heavy-handed approach the Obama administration is taking. Decisions on sensitive issues such as these should continue to be made at the local level based on the unique needs of students, families, schools and districts while working closely with the local school board counsel, understanding that this is an emerging area of law that will ultimately…

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First Lady Melania Trump Visits Vandy Children’s Hospital, Shines Light on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Jason M. Reynolds
Melania Trump

First Lady Melania Trump visited Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt on Tuesday. The first lady’s visit was part of her “Be Best” campaign, an initiative focusing on the major issues children face, WSMV said. It was Trump’s first domestic trip to highlight the effort, NewsChannel 5 said. She took part in a discussion about babies born addicted to drugs, neonatal abstinence syndrome. The disease, or NAS, happens in newborn infants when their mother takes drugs like heroin, codeine, oxycodone, methadone or buprenorphine while pregnant. Trump visited the kids in the hospital and interacted with them by blowing bubbles and playing with trains, the Lincoln Journal Star said. The First Lady shared how she wants to help educate mothers and children about drug misuse, CP24 said. Monroe Carell’s program helps keep mothers and babies together. #BeBest will continue to bring attention to NAS. A very big thank you to @VUMCchildren & staff for an informative & moving visit. It is a joy spending time w/ such courageous kids & to witness the strength of families who must deal with these tough situations. pic.twitter.com/WuZtjee1EQ — Melania Trump 45 Archived (@FLOTUS45) July 25, 2018 “My passion is to shine a light…

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OFF THE RECORD: In Case You Missed This From the GOP Primaries . . .

Chris Alto
Barry Doss, Randy Boyd, Clay Doggett, Beth Harwell

What do you get when horse-race gambling meets legal weed? Beth Harwell for governor! There was an “interesting” welcome line-up for Harwell’s June meet and greet in Jefferson City putting Harwell and company only about 20 miles northeast of GOP challenger mega-millionaire Randy Boyd’s home of Knoxville. Four state legislators from the counties surrounding Jefferson City showed up to show their support for Harwell’s campaign – House members Dale Carr and Andrew Farmer from Sevier County, Jeremy Faison from Cocke County and Sen. Frank Nicely who represents Jefferson and Grainger Counties. Carr and Farmer are supporters of in-state tuition for illegal alien students and voted to pass that bill in 2015 – except it failed by a single vote in the House. When that bill came up, Beth walked out of the House chamber so she wouldn’t have to vote on it and could wait to take a position once she knew whether her colleagues had managed to give a state benefit to illegal aliens. Faison owes his rise in committee leadership to Beth although his “skunks for sale” bill and let’s-make-marijuana-legal bill-because-God-gave-us-this-plant-for-a-reason, really should be enough to distinguish him from his peers all on his own. And then there’s Frank Nicely…

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State Governments Move to ‘Off-Load’ Public Responsibilities to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Chris Alto

State governments partnering with faith-based and community organizations to maximize the use of resources is not a new concept. In some states, public-private partnerships have been expanded across most government departments, a model GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee proposes to follow for Tennessee. With President Trump’s intention to trim federal spending, a new question has been raised with regard to the role of faith-based and community organizations helping to augment the work of state government agencies and one that may be especially relevant for Tennessee. According to a 2017 article in Governing Magazine, data related to major spending areas put 38% of Tennessee’s general revenue reliant on federal aid in the domains of public welfare spending (59.7% federal dollars), education (14.6% federal dollars), and 53% reliant on federal dollars for roads. WalletHub ranked Tennessee overall as the 13th state most reliant on federal aid but whose state government funding was 8th overall most dependent on federal dollars. If Tennessee were to receive fewer federal dollars, would the state be forced to cut certain services? Would faith-based and community organizations be financially prepared to step into the service gap? There has been long-standing opposition to faith-based groups relying on government funding. Responding to President Bush’s push…

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Nashville International Airport Sets Another Record, Making It Fourth Fastest Growing Among Largest In Nation

Jason M. Reynolds
Nashville Airport

Nashville International Airport served more than 14.9 million passengers in the fiscal year just ended, The Associated Press reported, making it one of the nation’s fastest growing airports. The record makes Nashville International, or BNA, the fourth fastest growing airport among the top 50 airports in North America, the airport’s website said. BNA serves 450 daily flights to more than 65 nonstop markets. It is the 33rd busiest airport in the United States. The 14.9 million passenger figure breaks last year’s record by more than 1.3 million passengers and marks the fifth consecutive year the airport has set a passenger record. June also set a record as the busiest month in BNA history with 1,460,525 passengers, a 2.9 percent increase over the previous record set the previous month, and a 11.1 percent increase over June 2017, the airport said. “The astounding passenger growth continues at Nashville International Airport, maintaining BNA’s position as one of the fastest growing airports in North America,” said Doug Kreulen, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and CEO. “Per our forecast, solid growth is expected to continue, so it is imperative we continue to plan for our future needs. Our board of commissioners and staff are focused…

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Early Voting Turnout Heavy in Maury County

Jason M. Reynolds
vote

Voters hit the polls heavily in the first two days of early voting in Maury County. The polls opened Friday at the Maury County Election Commission for early voting in the 2018 Tennessee general and primary election, The Daily Herald reported. On Friday and Saturday, at least 1,100 votes were cast even as Maury County candidates lined both shoulders of the road leading to the polling location. Maury County has 43,000 registered voters. Normally, about 30 percent of voters cast ballots early. During early voting in the 2016 presidential election, which included local races, more than 3,200 residents participated in early voting. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, which oversees elections, lists the advantages of early voting on its website: “being able to choose a day during the early voting period that best fits the voter’s schedule and the voter being able to change his or her address of registration and vote in the same voting location.” Each county’s election commission office may be found online here. Early voting will be from July 13-28. In Maury County, early voting will be held at the county’s election commission office at 1207A Tradewinds Drive in Columbia. The Secretary of State’s office also…

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Diane Black Wins Davidson County GOP Straw Poll For Governor

Jason M. Reynolds
Diane Black, Bill Lee, Randy Boyd

Gubernatorial candidate Diane Black won a straw poll at the Davidson County Republican Party picnic Saturday, a blog reported. U.S. Rep. Black (R-TN) received 116 votes in the governor’s primary straw poll, according to a blog called “A Disgruntled Republican in Nashville.” Rod Williams is the author. Second place went to Bill Lee, 106 votes. Other results were: Beth Harwell, 28 votes, Kay White, 11 votes and Randy Boyd, 2 votes. Williams says it appears many of the candidates brought their voters to the picnic at the Centennial Park event shelter. “Still, I was surprised that Randy Boyd only got two votes,” Williams said. About 300 people attended. Black spoke at the gathering, while other candidates’ representatives also spoke. The picnic straw poll is merely the latest forecasting in the Tennessee gubernatorial race. Boyd led Black by 32 percent to 27 percent among likely Republican gubernatorial primary voters in a Tennessee Star poll released June 29. The battle for the Republican nomination for governor is a three-way race, the poll showed, with Lee surging into a strong third position, with 20 percent. Harwell is no longer a factor in the Republican gubernatorial primary, coming in a distant fourth position with only 7…

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Nashville Plans Overhaul of Two Public Housing Developments For Mixed-Income Communities

Jason M. Reynolds
housing

Nashville’s housing agency plans to rehab two properties even as the city takes over public housing from the federal government. The Nashville Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency will release its 600-page five-year plan to the federal government soon, Nashville Public Radio reports. The plan overview is available here. Council will consider it next Tuesday. The developments slated for an overhaul are J.C. Napier and Tony Sudekum. Much of the focus is on transforming an area adjacent to Fort Negley from low-income into apartments rented to low, moderate and higher income residents. It’s estimated to cost nearly $600 million dollars, Nashville Public Radio says. MDHA is using a federal policy that transfers ownership of housing property from the federal government to local agencies, allowing them to take out loans. In June the city broke ground on a 40-townhome affordable housing community in the Bordeaux Redevelopment District, WKRN recently reported. Target renters may be police officers or teachers who make up to 120 percent of the area’s median income.            

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TDOT Considers Total Closure of Interstate 440 For Reconstruction

Jason M. Reynolds
Highway 440, Nashville

TDOT is planning to overhaul Interstate 440 in Nashville, with options ranging from closing segments at a time all the way to completely closing the roadway for 10 months. The Tennessee Department of Transportation laid the options out at a public information meeting on Tuesday. WKRN reports the department is considering three closures, each focusing on two areas of the road: east, from Interstate 24 to Interstate 65, and west, from I-65 to Interstate 40. One option is temporary lane closures in both directions lasting 36 months. The second option, WKRN says, would be to completely close I-440 east then west for 10 months to get the project done in a faster time. Or, a third approach would combine the first two options and take up to 22 months. TDOT says it is using the Design-Build method to deliver the I-440 Reconstruction Project. Four Design-Build teams are preparing proposals that will include final design of the project, plans for how it will be constructed and a bid amount. TDOT has provided the teams with the three construction options. The Design-Build teams will submit their final proposals later this month, the department says. TDOT hopes to award the I-440 Reconstruction Project contract…

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Bill Lee’s Contributions to Bredesen and Barry the Focus of New Billboards in Middle Tennessee

Admin
anti-Lee billboard

Diane Black is hitting Bill Lee hard for his financial support for Democrats like Phil Bredesen, Megan Barry and Karl Dean. A new Black ad, “Burn”, specifically targets Lee for his donations to Democrats Phil Bredesen and Megan Barry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7iy1LF_MXs&feature=youtu.be Diane Black “BURN” ad: You know the old saying, fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. Will Bill Lee fool you again. The last time Bill Lee got involved in politics he pushed liberal Megan Barry for Mayor. She pushed sanctuary policies and gun control and we got burned. Now we learn Bill Lee gave money to liberal Phil Bredesen, too. Bill Lee’s the kind of Republican who helps Democrats get elected. Don’t let Bill Lee burn you again. Now, electronic billboards by an independent expenditure group, Jobs4TnNow, have popped up in Middle Tennessee that are hitting Lee on the same theme. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill says Black has clearly realized she has a Bill Lee problem. Lee is taking voters away from Black and she has to bring them back. The biggest question, Gill has pointed out, is whether and how Bill Lee would respond to the attacks. “If he hesitates to…

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Cost for English Language Learner Services in Tennessee Public Schools Increases Over 100 Percent Since FY 2016

Chris Alto
ESL student

The cost to teach English to non-English speaking students in Tennessee public schools has increased over 100 percent since FY 2016. In FY 2016, the total cost for English Language Learner (ELL) services was $94,110,440. Seventy percent was funded through the state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) in the amount of $65,877,308, matched by a “required” local share of approximately 30 percent, totaling $28,233,132. In FY 2018, funding for ELL services for the upcoming school year will cost state and local taxpayers $198,150,357. The state will fund $138,705,250, a 110 percent increase from FY 2016. The required local match will increase 111 percent from FY 2016 at a cost of $59,705,107. “There are 2,872 EL teaching positions and 287 translator positions that will be funded for this [FY 2018] school year, which are funded at a ratio of 1 teacher per 20 EL students and 1 translator per 200 EL students,” according to information forwarded to The Tennessee Star by the state’s Department of Education Deputy Director of Communications. In FY 2016 the BEP funded 1,570 teaching positions and 153 translator positions, highlighting the sharp increase just two years later. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Title VI of the…

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GOP Candidate Brent Moody Supports Controversial Medical Marijuana Proposal

Chris Alto
Brent Moody

Republican candidate for Tennessee House of Representatives District 56 Brent Moody, a Nashville dermatologist looking to replace Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) as the district’s representative, tweeted a trifecta of support for medical marijuana and the two state legislators who have tried to legalize it in Tennessee: I am in favor of medical marijuana and support ⁦@DickersonforS20⁩ and ⁦@JeremyFaison4TN⁩ in their efforts to bring this therapy to TN. I was told by a prominent oncologist ‘We need this for our cancer patients.’ That is a compelling argument. Dickerson has failed several times to pass some version of a medical marijuana bill, but has vowed to continue trying. After withdrawing this year’s bill because it became “so watered down,” State Senator Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville) announced a new approach and a new House sponsor for the 2019 session. This time he is joined by conservative House member Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), who like Dickerson, is a practicing physician. Terry served as Chairman of the House Health Subcommittee during the most recent legislative session and was a co-sponsor of Dickerson’s most recently failed Medical Cannabis Only Act. Dickerson and Terry’s new bill is named the Tennessee Responsible Use of Medicinal Plants Act…

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Ireland’s Government Confirms: Randy Boyd’s Irish Tax Records Cited in Tennessean Article Not Available to Media or Public

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd

The government of Ireland has confirmed to The Tennessee Star that the Irish tax records cited in a recent Tennessean article about the Irish subsidiary of GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd’s company are private, and not available to the public or the media through legal means. Ms. Leann O’Kelly, Press & Media Manager for Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners, the body in the Irish government that addresses tax matters has confirmed that tax records of “any individual, company or entity,” are not available to the public or the media and that “Revenue is legally precluded from providing public comment on the tax affairs of individuals or entities.” The Tennessean newspaper reported earlier in the month that the Irish subsidiary (PetSafe Ireland) of Radio Systems Corporation, the company founded and majority controlled by Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, is a tax haven that enables Boyd’s Knoxville-based company to significantly diminish its U.S. tax obligations. However, The Tennessean failed to publish, produce, or explain the legal provenance of the alleged unverified tax documents upon which its story relies, despite a direct request from The Star. The claim made by The Tennessean, therefore, in the headline of the article,  “How Randy Boyd’s company avoided millions in taxes,” is unproven and…

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Tennessee 6th Congressional District: Robert Corlew Hits John Rose for Supporting Huge Tennessee Gas Tax Increase

Admin
Bob Corlew

A massive gas tax increase that was part of the Haslam Administration’s IMPROVE Act, which raised fuel taxes over $300 million a year, is becoming an issue in the 6th District Republican Primary congressional race. Former judge and conservative businessman Bob Corlew is hitting fellow Republican contender John Rose for supporting the huge tax increase in a new digital ad that may soon find its way to broadcast and cable outlets in the district. According to a Corlew campaign spokesman, the ad was rejected by “Gas Station Television” because, as a representative at Gas Station Television told the campaign, “they didn’t want to run anything that would shine ‘a negative light on the gas space (or oil industry).’ So this ad never got to run on their air.” A transcript of the ad: “HEY! HEY YOU PUMPING GAS! DO YOU THINK YOU PAY TOO MUCH  AT THE PUMP? WELL, IF JOHN ROSE HAD HIS WAY YOU WOULD BE PAYING MORE EVERY TIME EVERY TIME YOU FILL UP. THAT’S RIGHT, JOHN ROSE SUPPORTED INCREASING FUEL TAXES BY 33%. JOHN ROSE SAID YOU PAYING MORE EVERY TIME YOU PUMP GAS ‘MAKES GOOD SENSE’. AND ‘I HOPE THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.’ JOHN ROSE:…

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Nashville Organizations and Metro Government Lawyers Defend Illegal Aliens

Chris Alto

Nashville Community Defense/Defensa Comunitaria Nashville uses the tagline “here to stay.” The group is led by Cathy Carrillo who organizes and leads protests against deporting criminal illegal aliens while Metro’s lawyers in the Public Defender’s office provide legal services for “non-citizen defendants.” According to Elizabeth Lopez, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and a spokesman for Nashville-based Workers Dignity which is funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Workers Dignity helped spin-off Carillo’s group. Last year Lopez and Carrillo spoke as representatives of Workers Dignity at the TN Alliance for Progress conference on a panel titled “Resisting Deportation: Immigration Policy and Organizing.” Workers Dignity organized in 2010, to advocate for the workplace rights of legal immigrants and illegal aliens. Protesting “wage theft” from low wage immigrant hotel cleaners, the group has expanded the campaign to include construction workers and are bootstrapping their menu of demands to the explosive growth currently being experienced in Nashville. Listed among the TN Immigrant & Refugee Right’s (TIRRC) coalition members, Workers Dignity hired a full-time organizer to head up a Neighborhood Defense Committee, the project launched by the TIRRC to shield criminal and non-criminal illegal aliens and obstruct enforcement of immigration law by U.S. authorities. A 2017 meeting notice for Carrillo’s Nashville Community Defense group explained…

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‘La Raza’ Randy Boyd’s Beneficiary, Conexion Americas, Supports ‘NoMuslimBanEver’ and ‘NoBanNoWall’

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd

The same day the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed President Trump’s executive authority to restrict entry into the U.S. from designated countries, “La Raza Randy” Boyd’s collaborator Renata Soto, founder and director of Conexion Americas spoke to a group organized by Tennessee’s American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC), rallying against the court’s decision and in support of the “NoMuslimBanEver”-“NoBanNoWall” campaign: …while we are at a really low point and a sad, sad day for this country’s history I know that we are more powerful than one directive from the courts. And if each of us help one person register to vote for all of us who have migrated from other countries and took the step to become a U.S. citizen, if we find one or two people who are already registered  or are actually eligible to become U.S. citizens and we encourage them to take that step and we encourage them to make sure that they claim their place in this country not only because it feels good, but also because we need to expand and amplify our voice and we do that through political power and through votes… I know with the young and beautiful people and diverse voices gathered here…

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OFF THE RECORD: Update on Who Else Wasn’t Paying Attention to What Steve Dickerson, ‘The Different Kind of Republican,’ Was Doing in the State Senate

Chris Alto
Steve Dickerson

So GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee wasn’t the only GOP gubernatorial candidate throwing his money at “the different kind of Republican,” State Senator Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville), to help him get elected again in 2016. Lee only gave Dickerson $1,000 in 2016, which, as it turns out, was significantly less than either of his two main rivals for the GOP nomination for governor, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd gave the liberal Republican state senator from Nashville. Back before anyone really knew just what kind of “different” Republican Steve Dickerson would be – that is in 2012 before he was elected to his first term in the Tennessee State Senate, Diane and David Black gave him a total of $5,990 – an odd amount to be sure.  But it looks like the bloom was off the rose a bit, so to speak, since after his first term mis-steps, they gave him a piddling $3,000 in 2016–three times the amount Bill Lee gave him that year. But picking up after the slacker donors Lee and Black in 2016, and probably gearing up for his own campaign, Randy Boyd, along with his wife Jenny Boyd, together gave Dickerson a total of $6,000,…

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Tennessee Republicans Call For Democrats To Denounce Memphis Leader’s Remarks Calling Candidates Racist

Jason M. Reynolds
Corey Strong, Scott Golden, Karl Dean, Phil Bredesen

The Tennessee Republican Party is calling for Democrats to denounce comments of Shelby County’s party leader, who on Facebook labeled Republican candidates “demonstrably racist, homophobic and unethical.” Newsweek reported on the now-deleted comments made Saturday by Corey Strong, chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party. Strong was elected last year to lead the state’s largest county party, which includes Memphis, after the Tennessee Democratic Party “de-certified” the group in 2016 following years of internal strife. “No matter what the Election Commission has done, the Democratic ticket needs 15k+ non-August Democrats to show up and moderate/suburban Dems to not cross over and vote for the demonstrably racist, homophobic, unethical, and unqualified Republican nominees,” Strong said on Facebook. Strong’s comments come in the wake of comments made by Maxine Waters where people should oust Trump Administration officials from public spaces. Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden released the following statement: Democrats have reached into their failed 2016 playbook and again taken to name calling and outright lying in an attempt to score political points, all the while nothing but continued silence from Tennessee Democratic leaders Phil Bredesen, Karl Dean, Craig Fitzhugh, and Mary Mancini. When it comes to divisive and harmful rhetoric, Tennesseans deserve better…

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Beacon Center Releases Alternative Transit Plan For Nashville With No Tax Increases

Jason M. Reynolds
traffic jam

Conservative think tank Beacon Center of Tennessee has created a transit plan for Nashville that it says would serve all drivers in the near future while not raising taxes or requiring a referendum. The plan is available here. “Proponents of the Let’s Move Nashville light-rail plan argued that an alternative plan would likely take years to develop, with some even suggesting as high as another 10 years, making approving the plan imperative,” Beacon Center said. “Luckily, voters disagreed, knowing better alternatives existed.” The plan had its genesis from a forum called Off Track: What’s Wrong with Nashville’s Transit Plan & What We Should Do Instead where experts reviewed the proposed plan and offered alternative solutions, policy coordinator Ron Shultis wrote for Beacon Center. For Metro Nashville, Beacon proposes: Build an adaptive traffic control system (ATCS) that enables traffic signals to immediately respond to traffic demand in real time. Nashville’s last countywide optimization project in 2016 reduced travel times by 14%. The Federal Highway Administration recommends recalibrating lights every 3-5 years unless there are major changes earlier. Beacon Center says ATCS has helped Los Angeles cut travel time by 12% and increase speeds by 16%. Eliminate government bans on private transportation companies’ ability…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Donated to Lowest Conservative-Rated Republican in State Legislature

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

  Can you guess who it is? Admittedly it’s tough because pretty much any Republican in Tennessee running for the state legislature claims they’re a conservative and there are plenty who forgot what they told voters once they’re elected. Even Bill Haslam claimed he was a conservative when he was campaigning. And then there are all those non-stop radio and print ads which Randy Boyd the self-described political moderate, is now buying to try and fool voters that he didn’t really mean it when he said it given that it was a terribly inconvenient truth for trying to become governor in Tennessee. But at least he’s making good on his promise to “spend whatever it takes” to buy win votes, and now with all that Irish green tax savings…. If you still can’t guess which State Senator got $1,000 in 2016 from Bill Lee, here are the clues: in 2015, a year before Bill Lee decided to send his check, this Tennessee State Senator voted in the Senate Education Committee to give in-state tuition to illegal alien students and then voted again on the Senate floor to help pass that bill two months after this State Senator was the ONLY Republican…

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6 Shootings in Nashville in 24 Hours Highlight Double-Digit Increases in Violent Crimes

Jason M. Reynolds
Nashville Police

Officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department responded to at least six unrelated shootings in less than 24 hours, NewsChannel 5 reported Saturday. Meanwhile, police report a spike in violent crimes in the state’s capital. The first shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Friday on Joseph Avenue at Riverchase Apartments. Officials said the 50-year-old female victim told them she was standing in her doorway when a man in a dark car started firing a gun, hitting her in her hand. The other shootings were: Around 12:15 a.m. Saturday, an apartment in the 2100 block of Waterford Circle, when reports stated a man in his 20s said he accidentally shot himself one time in the thigh with a pistol. At 1 a.m. Saturday, in the1300 block of Bellshire Terrace. After 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a group of young male suspects approached another group and began shooting. Police said the victims had been hanging out near 21st Avenue South. Saturday, around 5 p.m., officials said a juvenile showed up at the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his leg from an accidental discharge. Around 7 p.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old was shot, and the suspect also allegedly took his backpack. Murders rise 33.73 percent The…

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Tennessee Star Poll: As Gas Prices Rise So Does Opposition to Tennessee Fuel Tax Increase

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Aaron Shane anti-Susan Lynn gas tax

Gasoline prices across Tennessee continue to nudge towards $3 a gallon. As those prices rise Tennessee voter opposition to the fuel tax increase included in the IMPROVE Act is increasing as well. Despite the state having two billion dollars in surplus and recurring revenues, Governor Bill Haslam and Republican legislative leadership jammed through a $330 million a year fuel tax increase last year, which is phased in over three years.  The latest phased increase went into effect on July 1. A new Tennessee Star statewide poll of 1,040 likely Republican Primary voters conducted by Triton Polling from June 25-28, 2018 indicates that voters are not supportive of the fuel tax increase. The poll asked: “Last year, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill, signed into law by Gov. Haslam, to increase the gas tax by 6 cents per gallon and the diesel tax by 10 cents per gallon, to fund road construction. Do you support this gas tax increase?” 35.4 percent of likely GOP primary voters support the tax increase while 51.3 percent oppose the increase. 13.3 percent were not sure of had no opinion. A year ago, the Tennessee Star Poll conducted at that time indicated that 48.1 percent of…

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Maury County Poll: Andy Ogles Leads By 10 in Race for Mayor, Bill Lee Leads GOP Gubernatorial Primary by 12

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Andy Ogles, Bill Lee

A new poll of voters planning to vote in Maury County in the August 2 election show Republican Andy Ogles leading among all voters in his general election campaign for County Mayor by ten points. The poll also shows conservative Republican businessman Bill Lee leading among Republican voters in the GOP primary race for Governor by twelve points over Congresswoman Diane Black among Republican voters. The poll, conducted by Right Way Marketing on behalf of Power of Liberty, a non-profit educational group, has a margin of error of 5% for both the general election and the Republican primary election and was conducted from June 24 to 26, 2018. Voters were asked: “If the election were held today, who would be your choice for Maury County Mayor, the Republican nominee Andy Ogles, Independent candidate Amanda Kelton, Independent candidate Charlie Norman or Independent candidate Sonny Shackelford?” The poll results were: Andy Ogles 33% Charlie Norman 23% Sonny Shackelford 21% Amanda Kelton 4% Undecided 19% A previous poll conducted by Right Way Marketing from May 14-16 showed Ogles leading with 32.4% over incumbent Independent Charlie Norman – 25.4%. Early voting in the race begins on July 13. With respect to the GOP Primary for…

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Bill Lee’s Proposed Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives Will Ask Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim Groups ‘To Help Solve State’s Problems’

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

In March, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee, who has made his Christian faith a central theme of his campaign, announced that he will create an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives if he is elected governor. None of his rivals for the Republican nomination have set forward a similar proposal. President George W. Bush first introduced the notion of integrating “faith-based” initiatives with governmental operations after he was elected in 2000. As those initiatives have evolved over subsequent presidential administrations, and been deployed to various degrees in several state and local governments, a sticky wicket of Constitutional issues and unintended consequences has emerged. The first is that once such a program is established, all religious groups–Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and others–must be given the same opportunity to participate. The second, and perhaps most troubling, arises when government funding is provided to these faith-based groups to conduct governmental actions and that activity creates the potential for the faith group to proselytize while conducting the government-sanctioned activity. Lee’s campaign website offers this description of his proposed Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: The Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will be housed within the Office of the Governor. It will serve as…

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Phil Bredesen Afraid to Admit He’d Side With Schumer to Delay Vote on SCOTUS Nominee Until After Midterm Elections?

Chris Alto
Phil Bredesen, Chuck Schumer

On the heels of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announcing his retirement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), called for delaying the Senate vote on the President’s nominee until after the November mid-term elections. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running to succeed Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), issued a statement shortly after Kennedy made his plans known and indicated her intent to support President Trump’s nominee. The Tennessee Star asked Democrat Phil Bredesen who is also running to succeed Corker, a simple question – “Do you agree with Chuck Schumer that no vote should be held on the SCOTUS nominee until after midterms?” Whether out of loyalty to Schumer who personally recruited Bredesen to run for the Senate, or because he is afraid to alienate potential votes, Bredesen had no response. Bredesen has gone out of his way to avoid giving direct answers to some of the more defining issues in the November elections including whether he would vote for a Constitutional originalist like Neil Gorsuch and whether he agrees with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision upholding President Trump’s travel ban.          

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Brad Greer Endorses 2016 GOP Primary Opponent Dr. George Flinn for Congress in 2018 Election

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Brad Greer, George Flinn, David Kustoff

In 2016 Dr. George Flinn narrowly lost a multi-candidate Republican primary race to now first term 8th District Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN8). Flinn and Kustoff are facing off again in 2018, but this time one of their primary opponents, Brad Greer, has signed on to help Flinn. In the 2016 Republican primary Greer won Madison, Obion and Lake counties. “We need a Congressman who will represent the whole district – from Memphis to Lake County over to Henry County and down to Jackson,” Greer said in making his endorsement. “We need someone who will guard our West Tennessee values – faith, family, hunting, fishing and supporting our community. George Flinn embodies those values. He’s a Christian man, who loves this country.” Greer said he really got to know Dr. Flinn during the 2016 Republican Primary. “I learned during the 2016 campaign what type of man George Flinn is – he’s a man of integrity. He’s someone who cares about the people. He’s the same person behind the curtain as he is on stage. I saw it day in and day out because I was campaigning against the man,” Greer pointed out. “I came to a point of realizing, if I…

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State Senate Candidate Wade Munday Looking For Lawyers to Help Illegal Aliens Come and Stay in Tennessee

Chris Alto
Wade Munday

With the continuing crush at the border of illegal aliens traveling with children to whom they may or may not be related and children being sent with smugglers to cross the border alone, liberals and open border groups have found a new reason to oppose President Trump’s “zero tolerance” for illegal immigration. In Nashville, Wade Munday, Executive Director of the open borders organization TN Justice For Our Neighbors (TN-JFON) is looking for lawyers to volunteer and help illegal aliens come and stay in Tennessee. In addition to his $61,000+ job at TN-JFON, Munday is the Democrat candidate running against incumbent conservative Republican Kerry Roberts for the state Senate District 25 seat. TN-JFON provides free and low-cost legal services to legal immigrants like refugees as well as to asylum seekers and “unaccompanied alien children” (UAC) who have entered the country illegally. TN-JFON finds legal help by providing continuing legal education which is required for Tennessee lawyers, partnering with area law school legal clinics and using area media to carry their appeal. Not surprisingly, TN-JFON supports Obama’s unconstitutional DACA administrative amnesty program and “safe arrivals” for “unaccompanied minors,” their term in lieu of the statutorily correct unaccompanied alien children. Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC), by law are defined as…

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TDOT Commissioner Says Nashville Transit Plan Would Have Helped No One

Jason M. Reynolds
John Schroer

TDOT’s leader said Nashville’s transit plan failed at the ballot box because it “had no bearing on regional traffic” and would not help anyone, the Nashville Business Journal reports. John Schroer made the comments at a town hall meeting last week at Williamson Inc., the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce. He is commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. “It wasn’t going to help anybody, it was going down through the main corridors in Nashville,” the Journal said, quoting the Brentwood Home Page website. “Those were all state roads, and they had to get our approval … in order to do what they were going to do, but no one ever asked us about it.” Schroer referred to the $9 billion Nashville transit plan that failed in a May 1 referendum by a massive ratio of 64 percent against vs. 34 percent in favor. The Brentwood Home Page story quoted Schroer as saying Tennessee’s interstates are being used at only 20 percent of their capacity. “If you look at downtown Nashville, that’s not our issue. We do have traffic, we know we have traffic, but it can be better managed,” Schroer said. Technology and use of flexible work schedules can…

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Nashville Metro Council Asks Citizens to Critique Future Budgets

Jason M. Reynolds
Nashville Budget

Nashville residents soon will have a voice in Metro Council’s spending habits. Metro Council voted 34-4 to create a “Blue Ribbon Commission” like a popular one in Atlanta in which private citizens may critique the budget, Nashville Public Radio WPLN reports. The commission will form by October. Councilman Fabian Bedne said he doesn’t want to see the effort turn partisan as people do not always agree on spending. Councilman John Cooper suggested the commission. The commission’s recommendations will be just that — recommendations. “This is a statement from us as a council that we recognize … our budget process is somewhat broken. That we do need fresh eyes,” said Councilwoman Angie Henderson. WPLN also reports that Metro Council members, who were dissatisfied with the surprise budget shortfall, also voted to cut funding by $103,000 for the city’s Finance Department. Those funds will provide a finance expert to work directly for the council to help them handle the budget. Betsy Phillips of The Nashville Scene reports that move will help the council hold the Finance Department accountable — since the department answers to the mayor. Phillips compares the mayor’s office’s control of the complicated budget to The Labyrinth of Greek myth:…

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Illegal Aliens Get In-State Tuition in Five States That Also Allow Them to Practice Law

Chris Alto
Sergio Garcia

California, New York, Florida, New Jersey and Connecticut all provide the in-state tuition benefit for illegal aliens in their states and all permit illegal aliens who graduate from law school, to apply for and obtain a license to practice law. Last week Connecticut became the fifth state to change its rules and license eligible illegal aliens to practice law. Prior to the rule change, Connecticut required lawyers to either be a U.S. citizen or “an alien lawfully residing in the United States.” The rule now includes anyone “authorized to work lawfully in the United States.” The rule change was proposed by Denia Perez, a grantee of Obama’s unconstitutional DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) administrative amnesty program. Illegal aliens trying to get a license to practice could potentially have an easy path in Tennessee, especially as explained below, if proponents of the in-state tuition bill are successful during the next legislative session. State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) and State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) who last session sponsored the bill for its fourth run, are likely to try again in 2019. Unlike Connecticut and California before they changed their rules, Tennessee’s rules about who is eligible to be granted a law…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Wants Term Limits For State Legislators

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee a relative newcomer and self-described “outsider” to Tennessee state politics, is trying to use this status to distinguish himself from the other candidates: There are four people running for the Republican primary in this race. The others are politicians. They all either worked for the government or been long involved in politics. Threading this theme through his campaign, Lee wants to reform state government by imposing terms limits on state legislators although it’s not clear whether he wants to impose consecutive or lifetime term limits. Opponents of term limits consider the governor term-limited in Article III, Section 4 of the Tennessee Constitution which limits the Governor to serving two consecutive four year terms. Article II, Section 3 of the state’s Constitution limits House members to two year terms and Senators to four year terms. While state legislators are not limited to either consecutive or lifetime terms, they are forced, at regular intervals to re-run for their office if they want to continue to serve. Opponents of term limits consider the voting booth to be the most definitive statement on the matter. Six states have repealed their term limit restrictions – Idaho, Massachusetts, Oregon, Utah, Washington and…

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Eve Thomas Sworn In As Knoxville Police Department’s First Female Chief

Jason M. Reynolds
Eve Thomas

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero has promoted Deputy Chief Eve Thomas to become Knoxville’s first-ever female police chief, WBIR reported. Thomas was sworn in Thursday and succeeds Chief David Rausch as he becomes director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Monday, June 25. Rausch is taking over the TBI after his predecessor, Acting Director Jason Locke, announced his retirement, WATE reported. Locke came under investigation and had lawmakers calling for his resignation after his wife accused him of having an affair with a high-ranking state worker at taxpayers’ expense. Rausch left the KPD in a good position for her, Thomas told WBIR. “The reason I know I am prepared is because of the great team we have. And Chief Rausch has left me in a great spot.” Thomas began her career at KPD in 1993, where her duties included Field Training Officer, Recruitment Coordinator, and working in the accreditation unit, among others. In February, she was named one of KPD’s four deputy chiefs and division commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, making her the second woman to obtain the rank. She told WBIR she wants to grow community relationships Rausch built and continue his focus on fighting drugs.    …

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Culture of Corruption: Metro Nashville Paid $175,000 for ‘Cost-Efficient’ Paint Job to Spruce Up Fairgrounds and It’s ‘Already Peeling’

Jason M. Reynolds
Rich Riebeling

The Nashville Metro government paid over $175,000 to paint the fairgrounds but Larry Atema, the fairgrounds project manager, asked the painting contractor who did the job to use “cost-efficient paint” that turned out to be under warranty for only three months. “But some of that paint is already peeling, after less than a year,” the News 4 I-Team reported in the investigation that broke the story. Metro Council had voted two years ago to invest $12 million to spruce The Fairgrounds Nashville up, the station said. The News4 I-Team said it found emails in July 2017 between Larry Atema, CEO of Commonwealth Development and the fairground project manager, and Metro Nashville Chief Operating Officer Rich Riebeling discussing the details of the $175,000 paint job. The two are friends, the news station said. Riebeling, the long time city finance director under former Mayor Karl Dean, has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Metro Nashville since the election of former Mayor Megan Barry in 2015. “The culture of corruption that has permeated Metro Nashville Government for years revolves around Chief Operating Officer Rich Riebeling, the man who appears to be in control of all the reins of power,” The Tennessee Star reported in May,…

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State of Tennessee Left to Protect Itself From Illegal Immigration As Corker & Alexander Say Laws Should Not Be Enforced

Chris Alto
Bill Haslam, Bob Corker, Lamar Alexander

Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker each released a statement opposing the administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy including separating children traveling with adult illegal border crossers. The law requiring the separation of children from the adults illegally crossing the border and who are being detained, was signed by President George W. Bush in 2008. Yesterday, President Trump signed an Executive Order allowing illegal alien adults and any children they bring across the border, to stay together in detention pending a determination of their illegal border crossing. While Corker limited his remarks to how adults traveling with children should be dealt with when apprehended at the border, Alexander’s statement goes much further, suggesting that legislation to fix the current crisis should include some type of amnesty for illegal aliens already present in the U.S.: Illegal immigration is against the law but new enforcement policies have resulted in hundreds of children being separated from their parents. The administration should end that new policy immediately while Congress works with the president on a bipartisan immigration solution that secures the border, provides a status for those already here and prevents a humanitarian crisis at the border. Both Alexander and Corker voted to…

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Ireland ‘Approved Grant Assistance’ to Randy Boyd’s Radio Systems Corporation

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd

When Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd’s Knoxville based company, Radio Systems Corporation, announced in 2012 that it would be locating its European headquarters in Dundalk, Ireland, press reports at the time indicated that the government of Ireland would be providing financial incentives to the company as part of the deal. In a September 25, 2012 press release, Boyd’s company acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the government of Ireland: Expanding global pet product expert and manufacturer Radio Systems Corporation, has today announced the opening of a new European head office in Dundalk, Ireland following comprehensive market research and evaluation. The opening opening of the new head office will result in the creation of 56 new jobs over the next three years. The investment is supported by the Irish Government with the aid of IDA Ireland. From January 1, 2013 Radio Systems PetSafe Europe Ltd will be fully operational and will base its European multilingual customer services centre, finance, order management, supply chain and human resources departments in Dundalk. Of the 56 jobs being created over the next three years 25 will be hired by the end of December. “As our business continues to grow internationally, Radio Systems Corporation plans to…

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Nashville Becoming ‘Chic Urban Playground for the Wealthy,’ Vanderbilt Professor Tells Wall Street Journal

Jason M. Reynolds
Nashville City at night

The Wall Street Journal has taken notice of how Nashville is becoming gentrified and is in danger of becoming a “chic urban playground for the wealthy.” James Fraser, an urban studies professor at Vanderbilt University, told The Wall Street Journal the city needs 30,000 more units of affordable housing and should spend $1 billion to meet the demand. Working people are being pushed to outer suburbs and rely on buses to reach their jobs, while wealthier people are moving into inner neighborhoods, he said. Affordable housing has long been a benefit of living in the South, said Laurel Graefe, deputy regional executive of the Nashville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. While corporate incentives and low taxation are still attractive, housing demand has outstripped supply, raising prices. From 2008 to 2018, housing values, based on a weighted measure of all transactions in the housing market, rose 75 percent in Nashville, compared with 33 percent in Charlotte, according to the Brookings Institution. The Wall Street Journal story discussed the trend of tearing down older homes and building “tall skinnies”—multistory homes geared toward wealthier home buyers. Much of the issue is from rapid economic growth, the story says. The Nashville…

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Metro Nashville Faces Reality of Heavy Borrowing in $34 Million Revenue Shortfall

Jason M. Reynolds
John Cooper

Surprise! Nashville is growing skyscrapers and other developments at an ever-increasing rate yet faces a $34 million revenue shortfall. Councilman-at-large John Cooper, who is on Metro’s Budget and Finance Committee says Nashville’s revenue continues to grow faster than most cities, to the tune of a couple billion dollars, NewsChannel 5 reports. At the same time, Metro can’t fully fund schools or provide promised pay raises to employees, and some are calling for a property tax hike. Nashville has been glutted with massive capital projects despite some narrow misses. Most of the new money has gone to debt service to pay for pretty and shiny projects like the Sounds baseball stadium and the convention center, plus more conventional needs like school improvements. Borrowing costs have increased about $100 million in the last five years. Former Mayor Megan Barry’s resignation earlier this year following a sex and ethics scandal was followed by the failure of the $9 billion transit plan, the Nashville Scene reports. Then there was Barry’s quickly abandoned plan to end inpatient care at Metro General Hospital, the same week that the Metro Council approved a $275 million soccer stadium plan; the proposed Cloud Hill development, a sweetheart deal for…

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Off the Record: Randy Boyd’s Globalist Jobs Philosophy: Export Manufacturing – Import Refugees and Cheap Labor

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd

One of Randy Boyd’s latest radio ads has him recounting all the lessons he learned about hard work when he started working at a very young age in his father’s factory for $1.00 per hour and then how he later paid his way through college working tirelessly at an injection molding machine. The details of him operating the heavy factory machinery while studying his college textbooks and completing homework was recounted in the same article in which Boyd declared himself to be a political MODERATE. Child labor laws? OSHA? No matter, it made Randy Boyd the worker he is today and if it was good enough for him, it should be good enough for anyone working in a factory setting. You know, like the assembly-line workers in those Chinese factories where some of Boyd’s products are being manufactured. Wonder if he ever peeks under the covers there? One would hope so especially after the not-so-good exposure by the New York-based China Labor Watch just a few years ago about the “deplorable working conditions” in ten Chinese factories where Apple high tech products were being made. But Boyd the mega-millionaire knows that the bottom line comes first. Unlike his father’s Tennessee factory whose products were…

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Tennessee’s Zealous Barber Licensing Board Sued for ‘Irrelevant Requirements’

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Elias Zarate

Those looking for a swifter path to becoming a barber in Tennessee just might find relief. The Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barbers Examiners is under fire for what twenty-five year-old Elias Zarate is calling “irrelevant requirements” associated with obtaining a Barber license – namely, a high school diploma. Born and raised in Texas, as a young boy Elias Zarate lost both parents as a result of a car accident. His mother died in the crash, and his father – in the US illegally – was deported after recovering from his substantial injuries. Elias went to school and worked to support his two younger siblings, but ultimately quit in the 11th grade to work full time. “After so many years of hard, grueling work to provide for others, Elias thought he had made it,” the Beacon Center of Tennessee wrote in an article about the would-be barber, adding: He was finally able to work in a field that he cared about and had a talent for, and he was able to earn good money doing it Life, it seemed, was coming together. State officials quickly tore his dream apart. Elias was shut down shortly after he got started. He was subjected…

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