Anyone who has ever been a student knows that the main ingredient in a quality education is the teacher, whether it is kindergarten, high school, or college. At the university level, tuition has risen dramatically as professor compensation has dropped. What is wrong with this picture?

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Private utilities did not bring electricity to sparser populated rural areas in the USA. Private businesses will NOT bring high speed internet to those areas either. They are all about making the most money for their stockholders while providing the lowest level of service the market lets them get by with. We have a spectacular success model in Chattanooga, which has some of the fastest internet available. It isn't a private entity, it is a municipal utility.

Congressperson Marsha Blackburn (R) thinks this is terrible. She wants corporations to get their cut (so she gets her cut of campaign donations). A bill in the TN Legislature is at odds with Marsha.

Update: FCC Tells Marsha Blackburn to Shove it!

Here's what's on the state website:

SB 1130 by *Bowling (HB 0728) by *Pody

Telecommunications - As introduced, requires the office of the comptroller to prepare a report on or before January 1, 2016, replacing June 30, 2005, for the business and utilities committee of the house and the commerce and labor committee of the senate evaluating the operations of municipal electric systems offering cable, two-way video transmission, video programming, Internet, or similar services and including a recommendation as to whether the authority to provide the services should be expanded, restricted, or terminated. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 65.

Here's the TFP story

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My favorite journalist, Betty Bean, nails UT Athletic Director Dave Hart to the "T".

Last November, the UT Athletics Department announced the “One Tennessee” initiative, which will abolish the use of the name “Lady Vols” in all sports except basketball. Athletics director Dave Hart said this change was driven primarily by past and present student athletes and secondarily by Nike, which is UT’s new “apparel partner,” replacing Adidas.

He singled out four-time softball All-American Monica Abbott as approving of the change.

Two days later, Abbott emailed the Tennessean newspaper debunking Hart’s claim...

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I have a project in mind and this will guide me if can move forward with the construction plans. There's a reasonable pay back on Zero Energy building. It needs to be the way we look at the future. David Bolt is one of our Roane County visionaries. He's showing us the way!

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I like this. The "man beaten with hedge clippers" story was pushed back a page or two so we're making progress. I did note this headline in the online version of this story:

"Family makes due while waiting for electricity"

As king of the typo I can't go around tossing stones but that is not a typo. "Make due" is what the bank does to an overdue loan. Make "DO" is what these folks are accomplishing.

With no wind, this is a very pleasant morning to wander around outside. We have less than a half inch of snow at Whites Creek Global headquarters. Most of the ice melted yesterday.

From State Senator Ken Yager:

At last, I'm finally getting a Special Report out. A combination of the flu and the wicked weather slowed me down a bit, but I am back to full throttle.

After a recess, the General Assembly reconvened on Feb 2nd for a Special Session called by the Governor to consider Insure Tennessee, his proposal to include persons up to 138% of the poverty level. Currently we offer TennCare to only those up to 100% of the poverty line. The estimates ranged from 200,000 to 280,000 new enrollees. One factor that got lost in the debate was that Insure Tennessee actually encouraged people to work. Over half of these potential new enrollees were currently working and a voucher would be available to help pay their share of employer offered insurance. But it was not to be. The Governor was not able to distinguish Insure Tennessee from Obamacare, which killed it. And I don't think it will come up again this session.

Mr. Avel,

This is not confirmed yet, but I am hearing that that there might be an extension of the comment period and/or another public hear based upon the receipt of a revised or updated mitigation plan.

It all started after a heartbreaking story from last year when an elderly man in Rockwood essentially froze to death inside his home. The Rockwood Police Department launched the program so that there would never be another tragic weather related death in the city.

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Make it 2.5 hours and I'll support this:

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Joseph LeMay was our artist for the Ladd Landing Listening Room Friday night. The weather had other ideas. Joseph is rescheduled for March 27. In the mean time here you go...You can thank me later.

The people most often cited as "education experts" in blogs and news stories may have the backing of influential organizations -- but have little background in education and education policy, a new study suggests.

The findings are cause for concern because some prominent interest groups are promoting reform agendas and striving to influence policymakers and public opinion using individuals who have substantial media relations skills but little or no expertise in education research...

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The Tennessee legislature has never failed to disappoint when it comes to idiocy. Let's go back a few weeks to Fox News making up a story about Muslims in Great Britain having instituted zones where non Muslims are not permitted. This was a total fabrication by Fox News, not the first by any means and not the last, I'm willing to bet. Anyone who says they get their "news" from Fox turns out to be more ignorant of actual news than folks who say they don't get their news from anyone.

So what does the TNGOP do about this false claim by Fox News? They introduce a bill to prevent a thing from happening that cannot possibly be happening.

Tom Humphrey has the story:

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Don't make a bad decision and go anywhere for a while. The trees are re-coated with ice and we could see more power problems in Roane County if this continues. We should work our way to above freezing temps around noon. It's 32° currently at Whites Creek Global Headquarters and headed your way.

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You fine people are on your own tonight. I hate to let the weather win but it takes this round.

Joseph LeMay is rescheduled for March 27.

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This is in our end of the county.

A 44-year-old man died of hypothermia in Roane County. The Roane County sheriff says he was found Wednesday in his home in the Eagle Furnace area. The power had been out for a few days. The man has some previous medical issues as well.

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Yes, we've been a little slack in our postings. There were a number of trees, a large number, across the power lines to Whites Creek Global Headquarters. A big Thanks to the folks at Rockwood Electric Utility for working all that overtime and getting the lights back on. Roane County Schools will be out for the rest of the week, as will a number of other school systems in the area. We'll try to catch up with the news and get back to our usual snarky selves.

Cheers!

There is a sweet picture of some kids to go along with the speculative and gossipy attack on the Property Assessor. This is related to the School System budget woes though it's never mentioned by reporter Damon Lawrence. The overly high appraisals from the last Assessor regime which was approved by the County Commission caused Roane County to be declared "affluent" which cut the BEP fundng from the state by over a Million dollars per year. The Commission blames the schools for their problem, of course.

Then there is the continued attack on Tiger Haven, with a nebulous bill filed by Sen. Yager and REp. Calfee calling for "adequate space" for these animals but never defining it. Why not file a bill calling for "adequate space" for ALL kept animals, or do we only want to be kind to animals we want to get rid of?

Regardless, I wish the corporate bosses of the Roane County News would try to help Roane County in the long view by accepting their role in how the world sees us. There are lots of good things hapening in Roane County to focus on. We don't need our ambassador to the world viewing our County through manic depressive glasses.

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As I read these there is an excellent legal case for stopping TVA from going forward. I have wondered if legal action was justified based on several points of law. This now lays out the case in a shot across the bow for TDEC and TVA.

Frankly I would be willing to allow the landfill to go forward with two provisions:

1. TDEC limits the permitted height to be at 825 feet elevation and require the closure expenses to be escrowed as is the case in every other landfill.

2. TVA must agree to an immediate mediation in the case of failure that will compensate property owners and other victims for lost valuation without resorting to lengthy litigation processes. TVA avoided paying around $100 million dollars in lost valuation damages because the law couldn't make TVA pay even though the Judge found that TVA was certainly responsible. This unconscionable action by TVA should be prevented going forward in Roane County is going to be subjected to continued risk.

This is upsetting in more ways than one. How does a legislator justify making government actions secret from those being governed unless it is to hide corruption?

Among the 23 public records bills filed so far in the Tennessee General Assembly, 18 of them restrict the public records law further or clarify language that make previously public documents confidential or unnecessary to maintain.

Can anyone explain why the TSSAA should be exempt from public scrutiny in its actions that control the governance of public school athletics. This organization has way too much control and autonomy as it is.

A bill hiding water usage data is extremely bothersome. Government must be disinfected by sunlight. The GOP appears to think that is a very bad idea.

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...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 1 am Monday to 7 am EST Tuesday...

The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow...which is in effect from 1 am Monday to 7 am EST Tuesday. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect.

* Event...a winter storm will bring accumulating heavy snowfall of 4 to 7 inches in the great Tennessee Valley...with locally higher amounts possible.

* Timing...late Sunday night through Monday night.

I'm liking this weather site: Wunderground.com

From Our "These people are idiots" Dept: Bill Withdrawn

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This was an avoidable waste of time. Why Senator Yager wanted to be known as the man who brought electrocution back to Tennessee is beyond me. Ken Yager is a talented politician who could use his powers for good. I hope he sees the light one day.

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KnoxViews.com with the newsflash:

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Much like Armstrong Custer gave those Cheyenne women and children a fighting chance at Washita...

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