NASHVILLE STATE SEEKS ANTIOCH SITE

DATE: February 23, 2010 CONTACT: Eileen Crane at 615-353-3545 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EDUCATION/BUSINESS

Nashville State Community College announced today that it has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a site in Antioch to lease or purchase as a permanent location to serve students in the Antioch area. The RFP envisions a 40,000 square feet facility with classrooms, labs and office space that will accommodate what college officials project will be a 1,200 student campus. NSCC President George Van Allen says the reason is growth. "We require more classrooms and must find the most economical way to develop them. Developing a facility in Antioch has the advantage of lower cost and places us in an area where many of our students call home.

For many students, that will eliminate the inconvenience and expense of cross-town commuting." The college analyzed the zip codes of all its students to determine a location for off campus development to alleviate the space problems experienced on the main campus. Roughly one third of main campus students live in the Antioch area. No other areas approached this volume of students making Antioch the obvious area for expansion. NSCC's fall 2009 enrollment at all locations was over 9,400 students, more than 7,200 of whom attended the main campus in Nashville. The proposed Antioch campus is expected to have a wide range of general education and developmental classes. Nashville State is looking for a site that can be ready as soon as November 1st so students might begin attending with the spring 2011 semester. Proposals will be due on March 22. Details regarding the RFP are available on the college's website at www.nscc.edu, and in the legal notices of the Tennessean February 24 and February 26 editions.

More information regarding the RFP can also be obtained by contacting Julia Covington at Johnson Johnson Crabtree Architects in Nashville at 615-837-0656.

CRIME OF THE WEEK of FEBRUARY 23rd, 2010

CRIME OF THE WEEK FOR FEBRUARY 23rd, 2010

THIS WEEK NASHVILLE CRIME STOPPERS IS OFFERING A REWARD OF $1000 CASH FOR CLUES CALLED IN TO 74-CRIME THAT HELP SOLVE THE MURDER OF SANTOS LEAL ON BELL ROAD IN SOUTH NASHVILLE. ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31ST AT APPROXIMATELY 8:25 IN THE EVENING, SANTOS LEAL AND SOME FRIENDS WERE SITTING IN THE LIVING ROOM OF A DUPLEX IN THE 1500 BLOCK OF BELL ROAD SOCIALIZING WHEN TWO MASKED GUNMEN BURST THROUGH THE DOOR. BOTH MEN AIMED LONG GUNS AT SANTOS AND HIS FRIENDS AND DEMANDED MONEY. SANTOS STOOD UP AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SHOT BY ONE OF THE GUNMEN. AFTER GUNNING DOWN SANTOS, THE ROBBERS RAN OUT THE DOOR EMPTY HANDED AND INTO THE DARKNESS. SANTOS WAS TRANSPORTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD ON ARRIVAL. THE FIRST SUSPECT WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING MALE BLACK, 28 TO 30 YEARS OLD, WEARING A GRAY SHIRT AND BLACK PANTS. THE SECOND ONE WAS ALSO A MALE BLACK, WITH A SHAVED HEAD, WEARING A RED AND WHITE BANDANA, APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET SIX INCHES TO FIVE FEET EIGHT INCHES TALL. IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION WHICH MIGHT HELP METRO POLICE SOLVE THE MURDER OF SANTOS LEAL IN THE 1500 BLOCK OF BELL ROAD IN SOUTH NASHVILLE, CALL CRIME STOPPERS AT 74-CRIME. IF THE INFORMATION RESULTS IN THE ARREST AND PROSECUTION, NASHVILLE CRIME STOPPERS WILL PAY A REWARD OF $1000 CASH. CRIME STOPPERS WILL ALSO PAY UP TO $1000 FOR CLUES CALLED IN TO 74-CRIME ON ANY OTHER MAJOR CRIME, WANTED PERSON, STOLEN PROPERTY OR DRUGS. YOU NOW HAVE THREE WAYS TO SUBMIT YOUR TIP. YOU CAN VISIT http://www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com/ , CALL 74-CRIME OR TEXT THE WORD CASH AND YOUR MESSAGE TO CRIMES (274637). ALL THREE WAYS ARE TOTALLY ANONYMOUS AND SECURE. YOU WILL ONLY BE KNOWN BY THE CODE NUMBER YOU ARE ISSUED.

Handgun licenses increase in TN

ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 22, 2010 New state statistics say the number of Tennesseans licensed to carry a handgun increased by 23 percent over the previous year. The Commercial Appeal in Memphis reports that 268,711 people were permitted at the start of 2010, compared with last year's total of 218,004 on Jan. 1, 2009. The numbers come from the state Department of Safety Figures. The new data indicate that about 6 percent of Tennessee residents old enough for a handgun-carry permit had one at the start of 2010. The legal age is 21 and older. Knoxville has the highest concentration of permit-holders among the state's largest cities. More than 11 percent of its residents eligible for permits are licensed to carry firearms

Mayor readies plan to fight Nashville poverty

A plan to reduce Nashville's poverty rate will be presented today by Mayor Karl Dean. The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. in the Board Room at the Metro Action Commission, 1624 Fifth Ave. N. In September 2008, the Poverty Reduction Initiative was started and action committees formed to focus on improving child care, economic opportunities, health care, housing, employment, neighborhoods and food availability for those in poverty. The report will include recommendations in each category. — MITCHELL KLINE THE TENNESSEAN

Bredesen, other governors offer help on health-care compromise

Group says states can reignite talks ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 22, 2010 WASHINGTON — Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen joined other state governors Sunday in offering to strike a health-care compromise between the warring factions in Washington. "We are making an offer to help and are very willing to roll up our sleeves and help if that's what Congress and the president decided," Bredesen said at a news conference on the sidelines at the National Governors Association meeting. The governors' plea was an implicit acknowledgment that President Barack Obama and the Democratic-led Congress have frozen governors out of the process. The White House, meanwhile, readied its last-ditch effort to salvage health-care legislation, while the Senate's Republican leader warned Democrats against the go-it-alone approach. The White House was expected to post a version of Obama's plan for overhauling health care on its Web site today, before his critical summit at Blair House on Thursday. The plan, which was likely to be opposed by the GOP, was expected to require most Americans to carry health insurance coverage, with federal subsidies to help many afford the premiums. Hewing close to a stalled Senate bill, it would bar insurance companies from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more. The expected price tag is around $1 trillion over 10 years. The conference at the White House guest residence is to be televised live on C-SPAN and perhaps on cable news networks. It represents a gamble by the administration that Obama can save his embattled overhaul through persuasion — a risky and unusual step. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday that he would participate but that Obama and congressional Democrats would be wrong to push the bills they wrote in the House and Senate. "The fundamental point I want to make is the arrogance of all of this. You know, they are saying, 'Ignore the wishes of the American people. We know more about this than you do. And we're going to jam it down your throats no matter what.' That is why the public is so angry at this Congress and this administration over this issue," McConnell said on Fox News Sunday Compromise sought While the House and Senate have each passed their own version of a health overhaul, lawmakers have yet to settle their differences and produce a single bill acceptable to both chambers. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, hoped a compromise — "sweet spot," he called it — was possible. "If you really want to serve the people and not just your party, I think you will find that sweet spot and you can get it done," he said. Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania appealed to Republicans to offer their own proposals. "You take some of our ideas. We'll take some of your ideas. We may not love your ideas, but we'll take them. If they don't do that, I think this whole dynamic of this political year could turn around," he said. Schwarzenegger and Rendell appeared on ABC's This Week. Bredesen was among four leaders of the National Governors Association, two Republicans and two Democrats, who offered to work on a health-care compromise. The Blair House meeting takes place nearly a year after Obama launched his drive to remake health care — a Democratic agenda item for decades — at an earlier summit he infused with a bipartisan spirit. The president will point out that Republicans have supported individual elements of the Democratic bills. Under the expected Obama plan, regulators would create a competitive marketplace for small businesses and people buying their own coverage. The plan would be paid for with a mix of Medicare cuts and tax increases. It would also strip out special Medicaid deals for certain states, while moving to close the Medicare prescription coverage gap and making newly available coverage for working families more affordable. The changes would cost about $200 billion over 10 years. It's unclear what the total price tag for the legislation would be; the Senate bill was originally under $900 billion. Options open Over the weekend, Obama suggested that he was willing to move toward Republicans in a couple of areas, including a measure that allows people to buy insurance from a company in another state. He said he might also be willing to support a plan giving small businesses the power to join together and offer health care at lower prices. "I don't want to see this meeting turn into political theater, with each side simply reciting talking points and trying to score political points," Obama said in his weekend radio address. "Instead, I ask members of both parties to seek common ground in an effort to solve a problem that's been with us for generations."

HELP WANTED - For Music City Center Building

To get an application for a job on the Music City Center project, go to www.musiccitycenterdbe.com, click on “The DBE Program” and then click on “Employment and Contract Opportunities.” You can apply online or print out an application and mail it to the address provided on the Web site. You also can pick up an application at the construction management team’s trailer at Demonbreun Street and Seventh Avenue South

City Center jobs come slowly

Convention hall contractors expect to employ up to 3,000 By Michael Cass • THE TENNESSEAN • February 22, 2010 Work on a new downtown convention center will become much more visible next month, gradually creating thousands of jobs over the next three years, project managers said. Mayor Karl Dean and other supporters sold the $585 million Music City Center project as a stimulus package for Nashville, where the unemployment rate is about 10 percent. They've said the project should create 2,500 to 3,000 jobs, with 800 to 1,000 people on-site at peak times. About 100 people are working on the job already, said Gary Schalmo, project director and senior vice president with Bell/Clark/Harmony, the general contractor. They're working on plans and shop drawings, procurement and other tasks. Excavation work will start around March 1, bringing 20 people or so to the construction site south of Sommet Center and First Baptist Church. An additional 100 workers will start putting up the 1.2-million-square-foot building's concrete frame in April or May. Schalmo said the concrete work would stretch into 2011. About 400 workers should be on-site by the end of this year, with more working behind the scenes. "It won't be a huge work force until we get the frame up," he said. "It'll be a pretty constant ramp-up of about 40 (workers) a month." Metro Councilman Bo Mitchell said he remains concerned that many of the contracts and individual jobs could go to companies and people who don't do business or live here. "I take everyone at their word, but until it happens, I still have that concern," Mitchell said. "The profit is going back to wherever that business is from. I'm looking for those 3,000 jobs to be Nashvillians for the most part or Middle Tennesseans, and for the contracts to be the same way." Schalmo and Larry Atema, Metro's senior project manager, said some of the contracts would have to go to firms that aren't based in Nashville. For example no local company is capable of doing $30 million to $40 million of concrete work on an "intense" schedule, they said. "There will be times when a national firm will need to be relied upon," Atema said. Local workers wanted But out-of-town firms will want to hire mostly local workers so they can avoid housing costs, Atema said, and many will form joint ventures with local companies that can do specific jobs. For instance the electrical subcontractor could hire a local firm to put in all of the electrical cables for the convention center's fire alarms. Atema said the economic downturn also would ensure the availability of local workers. That wasn't always the case when Metro built LP Field in the late 1990s, an economic boom time. "There are enough local workers to get this job built," Atema said. He said it had been "sobering" to see how many out-of-work project managers — people he's known or heard about for years — were applying for jobs on the convention center project. The project team will start sending companies the bid requirements for some contracts today. It will continue that process through June 1 as it looks to bring in qualified firms to install everything from structural steel and plumbing to elevators and bathroom fixtures. All subcontractors should be on board by October, Schalmo said. Bell/Clark/Harmony has guaranteed Metro that construction itself won't cost more than $415 million. The contractor will be on the hook for any overruns. The city has already spent about $20 million on the project and has $150 million in remaining costs beyond construction, such as land acquisition, design and relocation of a Nashville Electric Service substation. Metro is paying for the project with a municipal bond issue. It will pay the debt created by the bond issue with revenues collected from tourists. If the tourist revenues fall short, the city will tap a $130 million-a-year pool of general fund revenues — excluding property and sales taxes — to make up the difference.

United Neighborhood health Services

Hi District 29 Neighbor, Join me in congratulationing United Neighborhood Health Services! You serve Nashville well! Gratefully, Vivian

For Release: February 18, 2010

Contact: Mary Bufwack 615-294-2923 (cell) Email: maryunhs@aol.com CEO, United Neighborhood Health Services

One Year Later: United Neighborhood Health Services Cares for 3,000 More Uninsured & Underserved People Thanks to Economic Stimulus Funds

Nashville, TN -- Thanks to funding received as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) enacted one year ago, United Neighborhood Health Services (UNHS) was able to serve 3,000 more uninsured and underserved patients in its clinics located in neighborhoods throughout the city. The “economic stimulus” funds allowed UNHS to recruit additional staff and to offer primary health services through three new clinic sites in low-income neighborhoods, expand existing facilities, and improve care and access through an updated electronic medical records (EMR) system and new central call center. “The economic stimulus investment has made a substantial difference at our health centers and in our community,” said Mary Bufwack, CEO of UNHS. “The economic stimulus funding was the right medicine at the right time and one year later the investment is still delivering results.” Bufwack noted that people who are losing jobs are finding themselves without health care and UNHS is providing primary care to this new group of uninsured people. UNHS grew from 24,000 clients in 2008 to about 27,000 clients in 2009. And with funds for serving the homeless UNHS received, it added another 4,000 patients to those served, growing to over 31,000 patients served in 2009. UNHS is one of the first organizations in Tennessee to receive funds as a result of enactment ARRA, signed into law on February 17, 2009. In March 2009, UNHS received $973,593 from ARRA to support a two-year project to expand primary health services through three new clinic sites in Nashville. One of the clinics is located to serve residents of public housing in the Edgehill Homes. A second clinic is located on Dickerson Road and will serve the 37207 community, an area seriously lacking in primary health care. This clinic will open in March. A second round of funding brought $451,913 to UNHS to expand services. Approximately 15 new jobs were created as a result of funds for expanded services and the new clinics. Then in July 2009, UNHS received an additional $1,053,180 in economic stimulus funding. These funds will be used to renovate its Downtown Clinic that serves the homeless and expand its Main Street Clinic to include a women’s clinic and a teen clinic. These renovations will begin in March.

Funds also support updating UNHS’ electronic medical records (EMR) network. The updated network will help make electronic health records available at all sites, including the mobile medical clinics. Patients will be able to go to any UNHS site for care and the provider there will have access to their electronic records. Funds will also be used to establish a central call center for UNHS so that one number 620-UNHS (620-8647) can be called to make an appointment at any UNHS clinic. United Neighborhood Health Services Cares for 3,000 More People Thanks to Economic Stimulus Funds

Bufwack said, “The economic stimulus funds were very important. However, it is important to remember that this was one time funding. Our state and city continue to face enormous challenges that include proposed budget cuts by TennCare and by Metro.” Nationally uninsured patient visits are up by 21 percent and are likely to continue increasing as the economic recession lingers, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). To learn more abut how the economic stimulus funding is still making a difference in communities, visit the NACHC economic stimulus map at www.nachc.com United Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. (UNHS) is a private non-profit network of neighborhood health centers that have served Nashville for more than 30 years. Through its eight Nashville neighborhood clinics, four school-based clinics, the Downtown Homeless Clinic, the Charlotte Avenue Youth Clinic, two mobile health units, and a clinic in Hartsville, Tennessee, United Neighborhood Health Services annually serves approximately 31,000 medically underserved people of all ages; 16,000 have no health insurance. Visit http://www.unitedneighborhood.org/ for information about United Neighborhood Health Services’ other clinics and programs. For Additional Information: Deborah Varallo 615-367-5200, ext. 14 or 615-482-6444 (cell number) Email: varallo@varallopr.com Varallo Public Relations

Listing of Prom Dates!

Health-care reform limbo sets stage for wave of hospital mergers

Analysts expect health-reform stall to strain nonprofits By Getahn Ward • THE TENNESSEAN • February 19, 2010 Health-care reform was a pill that many hospital operators were willing to swallow, especially given the promise of insurance coverage for more people that would offset expected cuts in reimbursements. Now, with comprehensive reform in limbo and expectations of piecemeal legislation that would bring more gradual changes, analysts see continued growth in patients who can't afford to pay even as cuts to programs such as Medicare remain possible. "Our fear is we're going to see the cuts without the coverage," said Craig Becker, chief executive of the Tennessee Hospital Association, a trade group. Analysts expect a new wave of mergers and acquisitions in the wake of the collapse of comprehensive health reform, as nonprofit hospitals faced with financial pressures seek alliances with larger hospital chains that are better capitalized. "Providers will continue to be pressed to operate their institutions at lower costs and more efficiently utilizing the best available health-care information technology," said Leigh Walton, an attorney and co-head of the health-care group at Bass Berry & Sims law firm here. "Some of the smaller systems will not have access to the capital to, for example, implement strong health-care IT and... may suffer from basically the inability to run as efficiently as a large system." In recent conference calls with analysts, officials of several Nashville area hospital chains have cited encouraging prospects for mergers and acquisitions. On Thursday, executives of Community Health Systems said a fair amount of activity should continue in the next 18 months as lower investment returns hinder abilities of hospitals, especially not-for-profit players, to fund capital projects. "It's not that their operating results haven't been decent, but they are all continuing to miss those nice investment returns they enjoyed for several years," said Charlie Martin, chief executive of Vanguard Health Systems, during that company's conference call last week. "So their balance sheets are not necessarily in good shape." More competition for acquisitions, however, could drive up prices that had fallen sharply, said Wayne T. Smith, CEO of Franklin-based Community Health, citing its plans for at least two acquisitions this year. "The difference between today and a year ago is buyers have interest in acquisitions and have access to capital," said CRT Capital analyst Sheryl Skolnick. "A year ago, they might have been interested, but the credit markets has just began to open up again." While some CEOs have avoided direct answers to questions on reform, Iasis Healthcare's David White bluntly called the effort a "disjointed, herky-jerky process" and more health-care "deform" than reform. "My suspicion and guess is that they're going to go ahead and implement their cuts that supposedly the health-care industry agreed to, at some point in time in the future," Martin said, referring to $155 billion in cuts the hospital sector pledged as part of reform. Although a comprehensive expansion of coverage in exchange for the cuts isn't likely, considering that the reform push has stalled, experts see incremental reforms in areas such as allowing for sale of policies across state lines and restricting denial of coverage by insurers because of pre-existing conditions. Those along with other potential measures, such as coverage for more children, could help hospitals, but not like expanding coverage to a majority of the 46 million people nationwide without insurance. Rate cuts expected With government's share of the nation's health-care bill is expected to rise to more than half of all spending by 2012, cuts in Medicare rates are inevitable, experts said. If next month's release of the Medicare Trustees Report shows acceleration of the time by which a key fund would run out of money, there could be pressure on Congress to make sharp cuts, said John M. Cousins, an analyst with CIT Group based in Tallahassee, Fla. "We all know that the deficit cannot continue to grow at the way it is, so payment cuts are going to come," said Reggie Hill, a health law attorney and partner in the Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis law firm in Nashville. "It's just the question of when." Hill will be watching to see the outcome of the health-care summit that President Obama plans next week. Many experts said chances are slim for compromise between Republicans and Democrats on differences that have stalled the reform. "It could turn out to be a bust," Hill said about the summit. "On the other hand, it could be some indication there'll be agreement to move forward on some sort of piecemeal reform."

Nashville crime drops with help of citizens' watchful eyes

Chief says citizens' involvement makes Nashville a safer place By Clay Carey • THE TENNESSEAN • February 19, 2010 Nashville, you are being watched — and it's a good thing. The city's crime rate is down and Metro police Chief Ronal Serpas credits neighborhood watch groups for helping make Davidson County neighborhoods safer. During the past five years, neighborhood watch organizations have nearly doubled. There are currently 475 active neighborhood watch groups in Metro. New crime statistics released by the Metro police department show a nearly 11 percent decline in major crimes from 2008 to 2009. It was the sixth consecutive year that the rate dropped. Carrie Fussell, president of Tomorrow's Hope Neighborhood Watch, said officers regularly attend the association's meetings. "That's where we sit down with people and make our priorities," Serpas said. Residents in the community, which stretches from 44th Avenue to 42nd Avenue near Tennessee State University, formed the neighborhood watch to combat drug sales. "That's the biggest problem we had," Fussell said. "Used to be, you couldn't get by on the corner (of 43rd and Albion) for all the people standing on the street. "During the summer, we still see a lot of drug dealing, but not at all like it used to be," she said. "Working with the police department, a lot of that was stopped." The overall crime rate in 2009 — about seven crimes reported for every 100 Nashville residents — was Nashville's lowest since 1978. The per-capita property crime rate was at its lowest since 1972. Rape last year declined 8.5 percent to its lowest level since 1979. Motor vehicle thefts fell by 26.4 percent to the lowest level since 1963. Homicide and burglary rates in Nashville were up last year by 8.1 and 7.1 percent, respectively. Police said the number of murders — 80 — was still lower than it was in 2006, and that there were fewer burglaries in 2009 than there were in 1970. Before 2009, burglary rates had gone down for five consecutive years, Serpas said. "We have a whole lot more people living here, so there are a lot more opportunities," the chief said. Serpas did not think the recession had anything to do with burglary figures. "Probably, if there is any recession-related crime, it might be inter-personal stuff" like fights caused by financial stress, he said. But other cities blamed the failing economy for some of their property crime increases. In Murfreesboro, 2009 saw robbery increase by 10 percent. Burglaries were up by 24 percent. "It's hard to put an exact number on how the economy affects the crime rate, but we do see changes with that," said police spokesman Kyle Evans. Mark Cohen, a professor of economics, ethics and social responsibility at Vanderbilt University, said it is difficult to draw a clear line between the two; other changes in the community can come into play. Some don't feel safe Though every Nashville police precinct showed a decline in the crime rate, North Nashville resident Thomas Williams feels his neighborhood is more dangerous than ever. "I've seen kids walking around with guns in their hands," said Williams, 64. "I guess (the police) are doing the best they can." Serpas said he recognizes there are places where police have not had success. "We still have a lot of challenges," the chief said. Pete Horton, a block commander with the Woodland-In-Waverly neighborhood watch, says a heavy police presence and neighbors willing to call police will help. "If you see something suspicious and call, they will send two patrol cars," Horton said. He says loiterers don't linger in his neighborhood. "They know that somebody's watching," he said.

TN Board of Regents schools have 524 accept buyouts

Schools are cutting costs By Jennifer Brooks • THE TENNESSEAN • February 17, 2010 Familiar faces are vanishing from universities across Tennessee as longtime professors, administrators and office staff voluntarily leave their posts in the face of looming budget cuts. In all, 524 people have left or will soon be leaving at schools in the Tennessee Board of Regents system in a wave of voluntary buyouts the schools hope will save them millions of dollars in the coming year. For the people involved, it's the end of a career. For the schools, it's the loss of decades of experience and institutional memory. And for the students, it will likely mean larger classes and fewer choices in years to come. "Certainly, I'm going to miss MTSU, but I'm also looking forward to retirement," said advertising professor Edward Applegate, one of 38 professors who accepted the buyout offer and will leave at the end of this semester. Applegate is planning books to write in his free time. "I believe there is life after doing something for 37 years." He will be joined by an exodus of longtime university fixtures, including library dean Don Craig; Randy O'Brien, broadcaster and news director at WMOT, the campus jazz radio station; Tech Wubneh, director of MTSU's international studies program; and octogenarian education professor Bob Womack. The university had hoped to see 45 faculty, 36 administrators and 34 clerical staff take buyouts — a move that would have cut an estimated $18.2 million from the budget. Instead, the bulk came from lower-paid clerical staffers. The university has not yet decided whether it will need to resort to layoffs. Middle Tennessee State University was facing a $19.3 million budget cut from the state when it began drawing up its buyout plan last year. The governor's new budget has them bracing for an additional $5.9 million cut. "The buyouts are just one piece," MTSU Senior Vice President John W. Cothern said. "It's part of a process. And it's a big process." 9 TSU faculty to leave At Tennessee State University, only nine professors accepted the buyout from a target goal of 33. In all, TSU accepted 47 voluntary buyouts of its goal of 100. The staffers left in August, including the university's director of nursing education and director of admissions. Bradley White, assistant vice president for business and finance, said TSU has not yet discussed the possibility of layoffs and is still debating other cutbacks — including eliminating so-called "low-producing" areas of study that fail to attract much student interest. "Hopefully, we will have done enough before the stimulus money runs out" that layoffs won't be necessary, he said. The universities have a year's breathing room, thanks to the federal stimulus that will flow to Tennessee higher education for one more year, and then the state budget cuts will be reinstated. Between now and then, MTSU and other universities in the system face a lot of painful choices — whether to cut more faculty, whether to increase class size, whether to eliminate less popular classes and majors — or all of the above. "The cumulative effect of all this reduction in staffing is probably going to result in larger class sections," said Dale Sims, vice chancellor for business and finance at the Tennessee Board of Regents, who is monitoring the ongoing cuts at MTSU, Tennessee State University and the other schools in the regents system. The governor's latest budget calls for a 6 percent cut in overall higher education spending — possibly as high as 9 percent. APSU relies on growth Not every school is trying to offset the cuts with staff reductions. Fast-growing Austin Peay State University, Sims said, is relying on its increasing student population — and the tuition revenue that comes with all of those extra students — to make job cuts unnecessary. The school also is spending its stimulus grants on energy-efficiency projects around campus designed to reduce maintenance expenses in the future. But, Sims said, "At the end of the day, 75 percent of what (universities) spend money on is people…You can't really get away from that."

Davidson sheriff to use new technology to track registered sex offenders

Tennesssean February 16, 2010 DAVIDSON COUNTY Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall will unveil new technology today that he says will improve the tracking of registered sex offenders. The sheriff's office received a grant for an iris scan machine worth about $10,000 that will be used to check in the sex offenders who come to register at the booking department. The technology can positively identify a person through an eye scan and can even differentiate between twins, the sheriff's office says. The information gathered through the iris scans will be entered into a national database that will help determine if a sex offender is wanted in another jurisdiction. "It is the sheriff's office's responsibility to gather information on sex offenders when they come to register in this county," Hall said in a news release. "Including them in an iris scan database is a great step because you can never be mistaken for someone else and you can share the data electronically with other law enforcement agencies." If the data are useful, Hall said, the department may buy more equipment to better track inmates and ensure the right ones are released from custody. — KATE HOWARD

Metro Nashville Council looks to silence Twitter at meetings

By Michael Cass • THE TENNESSEAN • February 17, 2010 A social networking service that's often credited for creating greater openness may not always be open enough to meet Tennessee's standards for local governments, Metro Council's attorney said Tuesday. Jon Cooper said council members should refrain from using Twitter during meetings to discuss bills under debate or other members' comments. Doing so could violate the state Open Meetings Act, which prohibits deliberations by public officials out of public view and often is interpreted broadly by courts, Cooper said. "If you tweet during a council meeting about what's going on, that could be problematic," he said, using the newly created verb for posting a comment or information on the service, which limits each post to 140 characters. Cooper said he sees no problem, however, with council members giving "play-by-play" of votes after they're over. Only a few council members use Twitter during meetings, but two of them said the decision was misguided. After Erik Cole mentioned the issue on his "district7" Twitter feed Tuesday and announced, "no more tues night tweets," fellow councilman Jamie Hollin replied, "Don't quit now @district7. I think that's a bit overbroad." Cole later wrote back, "Agreed. Overbroad ... or overboard?" Decision draws criticism In a telephone interview, Hollin said he disagreed with the decision and had told Cooper so. "Using Twitter as a tool to communicate principally with your constituents, I don't think that's a violation of the Open Meetings Act," said Hollin, an attorney. "I don't think you can blame a member, with the tools at their disposal, for getting all the information out there that they can." Freddie O'Connell, an Internet entrepreneur and Metro Transit Authority member who often uses Twitter to keep tabs on council meetings, said the decision seemed odd. He noted that council members routinely talk privately to each other and even to citizens during the course of meetings. "It's curious that something that distributes information about what's happening could be construed as a violation of openness," he said. "What's the difference between that and somebody coming off the floor and talking to a citizen?" Guidance for state legislators has been less direct. Connie Ridley, director of the Office of Legislative Administration, said lawmakers are aware of the Open Meetings Act, and "we assume they are acting accordingly." The state attorney general's office hasn't issued any opinions on Twitter use by elected officials, spokeswoman Sharon Curtis-Flair said. Florida's attorney general, Bill McCollum, wrote an opinion last year that said members of city boards and commissions shouldn't discuss issues that could come before them for action on city Facebook pages. McCollum's office told the Naples Daily News that the same tests for determining what is a public record would apply to Twitter or any other medium. Follow Michael Cass' abundant tweeting from Metro Council meetings and elsewhere at www.twitter.com/tnmetro. Or contact him at 615-259-8838.

Fair Board Meeting Tuesday the 16th reschedule due to weather

We are all concerned about what could happen to the Fair Grounds. The thought of not using the Fairgrounds for flea market events, races and the state fair just to name a few has disheartened many. Oh the other hand, expand the existing use seems to be the agenda of others. If you have not been apart of this tug of war, here is an opportunity to stay involved. A rescheduled February Board Meeting of the Fair Commissioners will meet at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday February 16th in the Administration Office Board Room (Note this is a change from Wilson Hall). They will follow the Metro Schools weather policy and if Metro schools are out on the 16th, the rescheduled Board Meeting will be Wednesday February 24th, at 8:00 a.m. back in the Wilson Hall. Since we now know that Metro schools is closed on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 due to inclement weather, please attend the rescheduled meeting on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 8 am back in the Wilson Hall. If you have questions contact Kristi Harris Assistant to the Director - Buck Dozier Tennessee State Fair office (615) 862-8980 cell (615) 337-1874 www.tennesseestatefair.org