Home | Entries [Previous |Next]
0 Comments
Daily Dose for December 11, 2007
Alexander Gets New Bug Named After Him
Alexander Gets New Bug Named After Him -- Sen. Lamar Alexander may be the only sitting Senator to ever have a new species of bug named after him. The new species, whose scientific name is Cosberalla lamaralexandrei, is a small insect called a springtail, which resembles a caterpillar. Scientists named the bug, discovered in Smokey Mountains National Park, after Alexander, partially to thank him for securing research funding for the park, and partly because the little bug's checkerboard markings reminded them of the bold red and black flannel shirts Alexander sported during his campaigns. Alexander on reaction: "It's a pretty cute bug."
Mumpower Fights for Lottery Balls -- House Minority Leader Jason Mumpower is pushing a proposal to reexamine several key aspects of the state lottery. The first is the use of randomly drawn ping-pong balls to determine the lottery numbers. Lottery officials say the ball method costs more money than the newly instutited computer-selected method. The GOP is apparently also pushing to distribute more money back to retailers from lottery ticket sales. Mumpower's bill pushes the current incentive 6.5% up to 9%, which he says will encourage retailers to push more lottery tickets to the customers they interact with.
New Memphis City Councilmen Get Training on Ethics -- The Memphis City Council holding a retreat on ethics and the city code to train the new incoming city councilmen. Chief among the topics discussed was the state's Open Meeting Laws, which prohibit two members of a government body from deliberating in private. Councilman-elect Bill Boyd asked if he and Councilman Jim Strickland could talk about city business at a Kuwanis Club meeting where they are both members. Council Chair Tom Marshall responded, "the best way to deal with it is to just stay away from it altogether. That's the only way to remain safe."
Shelby Co. Schools Pondering Lawsuit -- Shelby Co. schools apparently finally caught up with the times. The Shelby Co. school system is pondering a lawsuit against the State to bring school funding up to higher levels. County Commissioner Mike Ritz is pushing the lawsuit. According to two years of data provided by the state comptroller's office, county funding for Shelby County and Memphis City Schools exceeded state funding by more than $90 million in 2005 and by more than $145 million in 2006. Ritz said in most counties it's the other way around -- state funding exceeds local funding for schools. The Commercial Appeal quotes board chairman David Pickler about the 1994-adopted funding formulary, but fails to mention that this past year the state revised the BEP to bring up school funding for larger counties like Shelby.
Govs Mansion Plans Expanded -- The taxpayer contribution for improvements to the governor's mansion has increased sevenfold since Gov. Phil Bredesen took office, according to the Tennessean. The renovation and expansion of the fading home on Curtiswood Lane was expected to cost $9.5 million when the plan was first unveiled in late 2003. Of that, $1.5 million was to come from taxpayers, documents show. Now, four years later, the project features an underground banquet hall and has grown in cost to $19.2 million, with $11.1 million to come from public funds. Bob Corney, a spokesman for the governor, when asked why public funding for the project had risen more quickly than private contributions, Corney said, "It's for a variety of factors, not the least of which is funds available for the project."
