Clips and quote

Quote of the Day:

“No one has got the backbone or the guts to even talk about revenue enhancement.”

- House Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington) during a meeting to brief House leaders on the status of the state budget as tax collections continue to fall. (knoxnews.com)

Tennessee News Clips

Politics

A C Wharton wins with 60 percent of vote; turnout less than 25 percent
October 15, 2009 Memphis Commercial Appeal
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton cruised to victory on Thursday with 60 percent of the vote, spanking 24 opponents in the special election to replace longtime Memphis mayor Willie Herenton.

Tea-Party Activists Complicate Republican Comeback Strategy
October 16, 2009 Wall Street Journal
The rise of conservative "tea party" activists around the country has created a dilemma for Republicans.

Wharton’s Memphis win to set off scramble for interim Shelby County leadership
October 15, 2009 Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sometime in the next few days, A C Wharton will submit a resignation letter to the Shelby County Commission, setting in motion a chain of events that will ripple through local government for months.

Education

Students Held Back Did Better
October 15, 2009 New York Times
A long-awaited study analyzing the Bloomberg administration’s student-promotion policy says that fifth graders who were held back did better in subsequent years, and that specialized instruction for struggling students showed moderate success.

School board questions teacher training plans
October 16, 2009 Chattanooga Times Free Press
Plans to send teachers and principals to educational conferences and development training opportunities came under harsh criticism from the Hamilton County Board of Education on Thursday night.

Stimulus

Early stimulus reports show gain in teaching, construction jobs
October 16, 2009 Stateline
Teachers, construction workers and public safety officials appear to be the initial winners from the states' share of the $787 billion federal economic stimulus package, according to the first quarterly reports filed by states to show how many jobs the rescue plan saved or created.

Healthcare

Funding and Middle-Class Relief Are Keys to Health Bills
October 16, 2009 Wall Street Journal
Don't be fooled by the turmoil. This is the week the odds tipped ever so slightly in favor of a health overhaul passing Congress.

Smoking Bans Reduce Heart Attacks and Disease
October 15, 2009 New York Times
Bans on smoking in places like restaurants, offices and public buildings reduce cases of heart attacks and heart disease, according to a report released Thursday by a federally commissioned panel of scientists.

Wellness Incentives Could Create Health-Care Loophole
October 16, 2009 Washington Post
Get in shape or pay a price.

Economy

State eyes $1.1 billion in budget cuts in ’10
October 16, 2009 Chattanooga Times Free Press
Tennessee may have to slash as much as $350 million more from its budget next year on top of $753 million in already planned reductions.

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