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Daily Dose for July 29, 2008
Clarksville Could Get Next ED Deal
Clarksville Could Get Next ED Deal -- The next major economic development project could land at the TVA megasite in Clarksville. EDC officials are apparently hoping to entice Hemlock Semiconductor Corp., a unit of Dow Corning, to come to Clarksville's megasite immediately after landing VW at Chattanooga's site. HSC is the world's largest maker of polycrystalline silicon, an ultra-pure rock-like material used in solar panels and semiconductor chips, and thus could qualify for a major tax incentive for producing environmentally friendly energy products. The project could mean 4,000 jobs. Michigan, where the company is located currently, is planning on giving up without a fight. That state has planned a major package of incentives for the company to stay.
Laura Bush Pushes Reading First -- In case you missed it, First Lady Laura Bush was in Nashville yesterday to speak at the national Reading First conference. Reading First is one of the cornerstones of the Bush No Child Left Behind law, which provides federal dollars for a science-based teaching method that emphasizes basic skills like phonics. Last year, Congress slashed the Reading First budget by 60%. This year, neither the House nor the Senate has budgeted any funds at all for Reading First.
Cooper Pushes Private Healthcare -- Rep. Jim Cooper is pushing for a bill that would allow Americans to buy their own health insurance, rather than getting it through their employer. Congress will not be taking any action on the proposal until at least next year under a new president, but while in Nashville on Monday, Cooper said it’s important to begin talking about the issue now. Under the bill, employers would give employees the money spent on health care premiums. Employees would then be required to buy health insurance with after-tax dollars. Cooper said a $15,000 tax-credit for a family of four would also allow those whose employers don’t offer health insurance to buy it.
Gay Group Asks Haslam for Recognition in Light of Knoxville Shooting -- The shooting at the Uniterian Universalist Church in Knoxville has made national news in the past few days. Now one group wants to use the shooter's apparent motive - hatred of gays - to leverage formal recognition by Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. In an e-mail to the mayor Monday, local activist Gary Elgin, former director of the Rainbow Community Awareness Project asks the Mayor, "This is the time for you, when called upon, to answer and step up and be counted as our mayor as well." Haslam responded in part by saying, "Knoxville is a caring, compassionate city where diverse viewpoints are shared and respected. Every person, regardless of race, religion, age, sex, or sexual orientation, is a person of human dignity and a valued member of our community."
Love Out -- One of the first TN Waltzers to go down, Charles Love, is out of prison. Love, a former Hamilton Co. School Board official, was convicted in the Waltz investigation of being a bagman. Love served less than a year in prison following a plea deal.
