thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Gets High Marks in New Report on Economic Freedom During COVID-19

Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee ranks seventh in The American Legislative Exchange Council ’ s new scorecard that assesses America ’ s 50 governors on policy performance and leadership before and after the start of the COVID-19 health crisis .
Members of the Arlington , Virginia-based ALEC released their 2020 Laffer-ALEC Report on Economic Freedom Tuesday .
“ Tennessee Governor Lee has restrained state spending , including his billion-dollar proposed spending reduction for FY 2021 .
In lieu of lobbying for more federal subsidies , Governor Lee has proposed a further spending reduction to account for a decline in revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
“ Along with these notable actions , his continuance of fiscally responsible debt , union , education , and welfare policies grant the Governor a five-star rating.
” ALEC awarded each governor an overall rank , a results rank and a policy rank , which is expanded to list the exact criteria used so readers can identify how their state leader stacks up and why .
Governors and taxpayers can also use the criteria to determine state policy areas that need improvement , such as tax and spending policy , handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic competitiveness data , according to an ALEC press release .
Study co-author Stephen Moore said in the press release that government lockdowns and unclear timetables have harmed the health and economy of various states .
“ It ’ s no surprise , states where governors mandated strict lockdowns and restricted individual freedom are in far worse shape than states that remained safely open , ” Moore said .
ALEC ranked Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott as the best governor on policy performance and leadership before and after the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhode Island Gov .
Gina Raimondo as the worst .
“ President Trump wisely respected the principle of federalism and empowered elected state leaders to make critical decisions and shape their own health and economic responses to the pandemic , ” said ALEC Chief Economist Jonathan Williams in the press release .
“ Unsurprisingly , the 50 governors took very different approaches to policymaking .
Some reduced taxes , regulations and enhanced their economic competitiveness , while others took a very different policy strategy .
That ’ s why it is important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and contrast the widely different results.
” Williams and Moore co-authored the report along with Reagan Economist Arthur B. Laffer and Donna Arduin .
The report said “ we must adamantly reject the notion that governors choosing to open their states have placed greed , profits , and business over safety.
” “ This is , and always has been , a false narrative – a Sophie ’ s choice that does not exist .
Nor is there evidence that the reopening in Florida , Texas , or Arizona led to a substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in their report .
“ The reality we face is that there are negative and indirect health consequences to economic lockdowns .
There were undeniable mistakes made when opening bars , restaurants , and other indoor activities without proper protections , but none of these plans were adopted by governors without first considering the safety of their constituents.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

Arizona State Rep. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) and 19 other legislators issued a statement following a video that went viral of three black students kicking two white students out of Arizona State University’s multicultural center. They demanded accountability and threatened to withhold funding from the university.
They announced, “It has come to light following the racially-motivated harassment of two students and their subsequent removal from one of the campus’ study facilities that ASU has allowed a culture of institutionalized racism and neo-segregation to take hold on its campus. The racially-charged removal of these students from the multicultural center begs the question of why Arizonans are being forced to spend tens, potentially hundreds, of millions of their hard-earned tax dollars on a building at a public university that some of our citizens are not allowed to use?”
Hoffman is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and concluded that he would “get to the bottom of this and take the appropriate action in the upcoming budget. Not one penny of taxpayer money should be appropriated to a public institution that in any way enables racism or neo-segregation. Period.”
ASU said it is investigating the incident. The angry students may have been “triggered” by a sticker on the laptop belonging to one of the white males, which said “Police Lives Matter,” and the slogan on the other white male’s shirt, which said “Did not vote for Biden.” They told the two young men, “You’re making this space uncomfortable” and “white is not a culture.” They said the Police Lives Matter sticker was racist.
One of the three told the students to leave, and another remarked, “This white man thinks he can take up our space, and this is why we need a multicultural space, because they think they can get away with this sh*t.” One of the two males packs up and leaves, and the other one stands up and looks like he might have been about to leave too.
A fundraiser was started for the harassed students on GoFundMe — one of the students mentioned in the video that he works 60 hours a week to support himself and his tuition, explaining that he’s not entitled — but GoFundMe removed it, refunding the money back to the donors. The company said it violated their “prohibited conduct policy,” which bans content that GoFundMe finds to be “in support of hate, violence, harassment, bullying, discrimination, terrorism, or intolerance of any kind.”
– – –
Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--CVS to Hire 15,000 Employees in Preparation for Flu Season, COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

CVS Health announced that it would bring on approximately 15,000 additional workers in preparation for the upcoming flu season and an expected rise in coronavirus cases before the distribution of an eventual vaccine .
The hirings will take place before the year ’ s end , the company said Monday in a statement .
Though most of the positions are temporary , many could transition into full-time positions , CVS said .
“ Additional team members typically are needed every flu season .
However , we ’ re estimating a much greater need for trained pharmacy technicians this year given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , ” CVS Health Chief Human Resources Officer Lisa Bisaccia said .
“ These jobs offer a rewarding career opportunity , with flexible hours , advancement potential and a supportive environment while helping people on the path to better health , ” she added .
The company has also advocated for allowing technicians to administer vaccines as long as they are supervised by a certified pharmacist , arguing that it would “ help fill the urgent need to safely and quickly scale distribution of a vaccine and extend the capacity of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ We can help get more Americans back to work from the convenience of their own homes , where they can contribute to the company ’ s ongoing efforts to help solve the country ’ s health care challenges , ” said CVS ’ s vice president of acquisition , according to The Hill .
Over 8 million Americans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus throughout the pandemic , and approximately 220,000 have died , according to a Johns Hopkins University database .
Though President Donald Trump has floated the possibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Nov. 3 , most experts say that an effective vaccine will not be developed and distributed across most of the country before mid-2021 .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ CVS ” by Mike Mozart CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Commentary: Grifter Joe Biden Needs to Win the Election Before He and His Son are in the Clintons’ L

Commentary: Grifter Joe Biden Needs to Win the Election Before He and His Son are in the Clintons’ League

Last week ’ s New York Post stories revealed a web of corruption that began with Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter , and ended by implicating the presidential candidate in regard to Burisma , the Ukrainian natural gas company , and CEFC , a Chinese energy company .
The Post ’ s revelations about Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter , were derived from emails found on a laptop abandoned in 2019 at a computer repair shop owned by one John Paul “ Mac ” Isaac .
The computer was seized by the FBI but only after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani apparently obtained a copy from Isaac and shared its information with the Post .
Neither Hunter Biden nor his father have disputed the authenticity of the emails .
A lawyer for the younger Biden reportedly tried to recover the computer from Isaac , asserting Hunter ’ s ownership .
Hunter Biden became a member of Burisma Holdings Ltd. ’ s board of directors in 2014 and served until 2019 .
He was reportedly paid about $ 50,000 a month during that period .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or expertise in the natural gas industry when he was hired .
The only thing he brought to Burisma was access to his father , then vice president .
( A Senate report last week found that in addition to his salary , Hunter was paid several million dollars by Burisma . )
The practice of influence-peddling is as old as the Washington swamp .
Joe Biden has claimed that he knew nothing about the business dealings that his son , Hunter , had with Burisma and had never met with Burisma officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings.
” One of the emails reported by the Post was from Burisma advisor Vadym Pozharskyi , thanking Hunter for setting up a meeting with his father .
The email , dated April 17 , 2015 , said , “ Dear Hunter , thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [ sic ] some time together .
It ’ s realty [ sic ] an honor and pleasure.
” Joe Biden ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place and then backpedaled , first saying the meeting wasn ’ t on Joe ’ s official schedule and then that it couldn ’ t guarantee that Joe hadn ’ t met with Pozharskyi .
Joe Biden ’ s campaign didn ’ t renew his insistence that he ’ d never discussed his son ’ s foreign business deals with him .
Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin was , beginning around 2014 , investigating Burisma ’ s founder , Mykola Zlochevsky , for corruption .
Shokin was criticized repeatedly for slow-rolling the investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s point man on Ukraine and was pressuring its government to end corruption .
In 2016 , when $ 1 billion in loan guarantees had been promised to Ukraine , Joe Biden intervened , insisting that Shokin had to be fired or Ukraine wouldn ’ t receive the loan guarantees .
( You can view Joe Biden ’ s 2018 statement bragging about his threat to Ukraine here , beginning about 50 seconds into the video . )
Shokin was fired at Joe Biden ’ s insistence .
Shokin ’ s successor didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he dropped it .
Biden ’ s claim that , by insisting on Shokin being fired , he was carrying out Obama ’ s anti-corruption crusade is clearly untrue .
Joe Biden and his media pals have contended that he was just carrying out Obama administration policy by insisting that Shokin be fired .
Right .
It ’ s neither unusual nor illegal for lobbyists to sell their services because of the access they have to powerful government officials .
That ’ s part of how Washington works .
But it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government officials to get kickbacks for doing what the lobbyists want them to do .
CEFC China Energy Company was China ’ s largest “ private ” ( i.e.
, not outwardly controlled by Beijing ) energy company .
Hunter Biden was pushing to be hired by CEFC , which would form a new company for that purpose .
An email from Hunter Biden reported by the Post said that one of the proposed deals with CEFC would be “ interesting to me and my family.
” One of the emails revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by James Gillar , an international consultant brokering the deal , on May 13 , 2017 .
It said that Hunter would be either the chairman or vice chairman of the board .
In addition , he would be paid “ 850 ” — obviously $ 850,000 — and that 80 percent of the new company ’ s equity shares would be split equally among Hunter and three other people , “ with 10 held by H [ unter ] for the big guy ?
” According to a Fox News report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified by their source as Joe Biden , who may be elected president next month .
Was the 10 percent held for “ the big guy ” intended as a bribe or kickback ?
And for what ?
There are several other emails revealed by the Post , including one from Hunter involving a deal he apparently negotiated with CEFC that would have paid him $ 10 million annually for three years “ for introductions alone.
” CEFC reportedly went bankrupt this year .
In Michigan on Friday , Joe Biden refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post reports , claiming it was a smear campaign .
On Saturday , a Breitbart report by Peter Schweizer said that in 2011 , Hunter Biden helped a delegation of Communist Chinese “ entrepreneurs ” gain access to the White House , including a meeting with then–Vice President Joe Biden .
Let ’ s step back for a moment .
None of the emails prove any illegal actions by either Joe or Hunter Biden .
But they are evidence of possible illegal acts that should compel an investigation by the FBI of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI does investigate the Bidens — which , given its track record over the past four years , seems highly doubtful — there will be nothing that will come out before the November 3 election .
Joe will be protected by the media — and social media , such as Twitter and Facebook , which blocked the Post ’ s exposés of his and Hunter ’ s involvement with Burisma and China — at all costs .
What the emails do prove is that as grifters go , the Bidens are rank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their amateur status will change if Joe Biden is elected president .
The emails illustrate one of the biggest problems that the election of Joe Biden would cause .
Biden has , for decades , been soft on China .
His policy statement in the campaign pretends he would be as tough as Trump wants to be .
We know from Joe ’ s record that he will continue to be soft on China with or without trying to tilt U.S. policy to enhance Hunter ’ s business ambitions .
Joe will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we are fighting a second Cold War against China .
He ’ ll let China continue its global aggression unanswered .
Joe has said his children won ’ t get White House jobs if he ’ s elected .
Why should they want such jobs when they can get richer by selling access to daddy if he gets elected ?
American Spectator contributing editor Jed Babbin served as a deputy undersecretary of defense in the George H. W. Bush administration .
He writes the “ Loose Canons ” column for The American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on television and radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Memphis Business Fraudulently Got More Than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief Money, Federal Officials S

Memphis Business Fraudulently Got More Than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief Money, Federal Officials Say

Officials with the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the Western District of Tennessee on Monday announced that a Memphis-based business fraudulently obtained $ 1.1 million in COVID-19 economic injury disaster loans .
This , according to a press release that attorneys published on the U.S. Department of Justice ’ s website .
Officials charged Brandy D. Scaife , 42 , Janisha L. Jones , 22 , and Sharika L. Carpenter , 42 , of Better Days Tax Service with wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States , the press release said .
“ According to information presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and June 2020 , Scaife , Jones , and Carpenter participated in a fraud scheme to obtain COVID-19 relief funds from the Small Business Administration in excess of $ 1 million , ” according to the press release .
“ Further , the scheme resulted in 401 fraudulently filed applications seeking Economic Injury Disaster loans made available to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic .
Numerous applications were submitted using false information for the purpose of facilitating the fraudulent activity .
Evidence revealed approved loan applications netted approximately $ 1.1 million in fraudulently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defendant faces up to 30 years in federal prison .
There is no parole in the federal system , the press release said .
“ Protection of the United States Treasury is a top priority for the Department of Justice , and our office is absolutely committed to bringing to justice those who would seek to take unfair advantage of critical government resources through fraud during this challenging and uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic , ” United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant ( pictured above ) said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal law enforcement partners in this brazen and disturbing case.
” Federal officials have already sent a generous amount of COVID-19 relief money to Memphis .
As The Tennessee Star reported in June , U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) announced the feds would send more than $ 100,000 of taxpayer money to the University of Memphis to study how COVID-19 affects employee morale .
As reported in April , Cohen announced that as part of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act , the already publicly-funded Memphis Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million in taxpayer money .
MATA is Memphis ’ public transportation provider .
Members of the Federal Transit Administration disbursed that money .
Later that month , Cohen announced that the feds would send the Memphis International Airport nearly $ 25 million in COVID-19 relief money — even though the facility had struggled for years because far fewer people use it .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Study of Late-Night Comics Finds Few Joe Biden Jokes, But Plenty for President Trump

NEW YORK , New York ( AP ) — From the perspective of late-night joke writers , there ’ s really only one person running for president .
A staggering 97 % of the jokes Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon told about the candidates in September targeted President Donald Trump , a study released Monday found .
That ’ s 455 jokes about Trump and 14 about Democrat Joe Biden , according to the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University .
That doesn ’ t even count 64 jokes made about Trump ’ s family or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Trump ’ s onstage , everyone else is blacked out , ” said Robert Lichter , communication professor at George Mason .
He ’ s been studying late-night humor and politics since 1992 .
Republicans are usually targeted more than Democrats by the comedy writers , but the difference has never been this stark .
The closest was the 2016 campaign , when Trump was the punchline for 78 % of the jokes to Hillary Clinton ’ s 22 % , the center said .
That ’ s good news if , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially make Trump the central issue in the campaign .
It may present a real challenge for the comics if Biden defeats Trump in next month ’ s election , however .
What will they have to poke fun at ?
“ I think they will find a way to keep making jokes about Trump , even after he leaves office , ” Lichter said .
There ’ s precedent for that .
In 2001 , late-night comedians made former President Bill Clinton the subject of more jokes than his successor , George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bauder is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : This combination of photos shows President Donald Trump , left , and former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic , in Cleveland , Ohio on Sept. 29 , 2020 .
A staggering 97 percent of the jokes Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon told about the candidates in September targeted President Donald Trump , a study released Monday found .
That ’ s 455 jokes about Trump , 14 about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University .
( AP Photo/Patrick Semansky )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Banana Republic: Crom Carmichael Discusses the Legitimacy of Hunter Biden Emails and Why There Has B

Banana Republic: Crom Carmichael Discusses the Legitimacy of Hunter Biden Emails and Why There Has Been No FBI Action

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss the Hunter Biden email scandal and its legitimacy and the FBI ’ s inaction .
Leahy : We are joined in the studio by our good friend and the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael .
Crom , good morning .
Carmichael : Good morning .
How are you , sir ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have changed their mind again .
They were going to come in here Monday and you and I were going to talk and we were to be somewhere on the far left station far left Network in January of French .
But they change their mind and they ’ re going to come tomorrow .
So the French public Crom will not get to see you .
Carmichael : That ’ s the way it goes .
( Sighs ) Leahy : ( Laughs ) It ’ s interesting though .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they might be trying to caricature us .
They just might .
But we ’ ll see .
Carmichael : They won ’ t have me to kick around .
Leahy : Speaking of kicking around , Hunter Biden ’ s been kicked around quite a bit over the past couple of days .
Carmichael : Well , apparently legitimately .
you know Tucker Carlson , he would not do this without clearance from the legal people at Fox .
He has said that there is no question about the legitimacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive and laptop .
Again you kind of can ’ t make this up .
Apparently , the story is somebody , perhaps a slightly inebriated Hunter Biden dropped off this laptop a de Delaware computer repair shop .
The guy who got it is legally blind .
I mean I can see enough to apparently work on computers , but not much beyond .
Carmichael : He has a mechanism , he has something some physical thing that helps him do that .
Leahy : But anyway , when he looked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these emails from Hunter Biden and foreign types .
And apparently , the first thing he did in December is he gave that to some of the FBI had a grand jury asked for the laptop and he gave it to him .
He made a copy of it .
the FBI ’ s had it since December .
there ’ s a lot of incriminating stuff on that .
Carmichael : Yeah , and apparently I mean what we don ’ t know if you have the FBI has done anything with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ve done nothing .
But that doesn ’ t mean we know everything .
But as far as we know there have been no reports from the FBI on what was on there .
And you would think that frankly , that ’ s very troubling .
Just the fact that there aren ’ t any reports .
Leahy : Very troubling .
the other part is that there ’ s been no denial from the Biden campaign that this is authentic .
No denial , and apparently , Tucker Carlson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ve apparently double-checked people that receive some of the emails there .
And they said yeah , that ’ s really what happened .
I got that email .
So the emails appear to be authentic .
Carmichael : A separate deal , but probably a lot of emails are duplicates .
Leahy : That ’ s from a different source .
It ’ s not from Hunter Biden ’ s hard drive .
Leahy : There was a guy who was in business with him and Yes who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy who ’ s in prison apparently is unhappy because he ’ s in jail and Hunter Biden isn ’ t .
It was a separate deal on 60 million dollars of fraudulent bonds for a tribal Indian operation that this one guy was is now in jail for .
And then another guy was convicted and is going to jail .
And the third partner hundred Biden apparently his off scot-free on that .
It was prosecuted by the way by the southern district of New York .
The same guys that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re getting very very close to a country that is a Banana Republic .
Leahy : It looks like it .
Carmichael : I mean , getting very very close .
Leahy : Well , the other thing about this about these emails is if you look at them Crom , what was interesting about the email is this .
In the email in the laptop what you saw was a communication from Hunter Biden basically to set up a meeting with a guy at Burisma , an executive there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ And this meeting apparently did happen with his dad .
Carmichael : Well , you have a thank you email from the executive .
Carmichael : Saying thank you so much for setting up the meeting with either his father or the vice president .
But I mean , they ’ re one of the same .
Leahy : Crom , I have one little thing .
Our Caller Faith has a very interesting thing to talk about .
Apparently the Today show .
I guess this morning is talking about Hunter Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So you said the Today Show is talking about Hunter Biden this morning ?
Faith : That ’ s apparently this morning .
That was what they were saying .
that this whole thing is just a Russian spy hoax .
Faith : That Guiliani is in on it and they are just trying to take all this and turn it into something it ’ s not .
Leahy : All right .
Well , Faith talking about the left and their operatives in the mainstream media .
NBC by the way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate here on Thursday .
Hold on a second Faith .
Crom what Faith is saying is not a surprise .
Carmichael : No , it would be a surprise if it were otherwise if they treated it as a true news story .
Leahy : Yeah .
So Faith as a somebody who ’ s watching this , how do you respond when you hear this apparently false claim by NBC that this was all a Russian set up when we know that these emails are authentic .
The hard drive was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you respond to that Faith ?
Faith : ( Inaudible talk ) I immediately started broadcasting this especially on Twitter because it ’ s so surprising in the four years since Trump was elected to now have Twitter changing and the positiveness towards him .
But you know look , Savannah Guthrie ’ s husband works for Twitter .
And my goodness as soon as the story broke Twitter banned it .
Faith : Twitter cleaned out tons of channels and Facebook put people in jail for passing it around .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That explains a lot , and then I think how many of these journalists ’ names are on the indictments that were all still breathlessly waiting to be served .
Leahy : Which indictments you are talking about their faith ?
Faith : Well , all this supposed hundreds and thousands of sealed indictments some of which have been served and some of which are still waiting to be served apparently .
I ’ m not quite sure if I buy that extreme or not .
But I do know that many journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying about the news .
Leahy : Well , thank you .
Thank you for that faith .
Crom , I want to follow up on what faith was saying .
I ’ m not sure that there are a bunch of indictments that are out there waiting .
But I do think that basically most mainstream media are folks that are Democratic operatives with bylines .
And the way they ’ re treating the Hunter Biden story seems to be a great example of that .
Carmichael : Well , the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guthrie ’ s questions were all silly .
Leahy : Yeah .
They were all silly .
Carmichael : I wish the president at some point had turned to the audience and said , you know , I thought I was here to answer your questions .
And I doubt if your questions are about this .
And then just get up and go ask an audience person what they care about .
Just get up in the chair and go over and ask him , and say , Savannah you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly are .
Leahy : Yeah , she certainly was .
Carmichael : An embarrassment to your profession and your paid millions of dollars .
Leahy : My question to you and would about how like it ’ s if today ’ s Today Show and NBC ’ s trying to portray the laptop story as one that ’ s a Russian plant .
How do you think that ’ s playing with the electorate .
Carmichael : I think that people who are undecided I think it ’ s a relatively small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably helped the President considerably because he in fact selected her .
So they ’ re not disconnected .
And she did a marvelous job of keeping her cool showing she has a wonderful temperament for the job .
And also she showed her intellect and her knowledge of the law to be absolutely beyond description .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by Burisma .
Background Photo “ Joe Biden Ukraine ” by U.S. Embassy Kyiv .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Activists Claim Nashville’s ‘Black Lives Matter’ Mural ‘Intentionally Vandalized’ Less Than 24 Hours

Activists Claim Nashville’s ‘Black Lives Matter’ Mural ‘Intentionally Vandalized’ Less Than 24 Hours After Completion

Activists are claiming that tire tracks across Nashville ’ s newest “ Black Lives Matter ” mural are signs of intentional vandalism .
One set of tires left burnout marks across the bottom half of the letters .
According to reports , the organizers for painting the mural have reached out to Mayor John Cooper about the incident .
The mayor ’ s office hasn ’ t issued any statements on the matter .
None of the activists reported going to the police .
Organizers included Nashville Black Lives Matter member Grayce Gadson , local businessman John Smith , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was completed Saturday , at a reported cost of $ 20,000 .
Some citizens agree with the organizers that the damage was intentional .
They say it ’ s a clear act of racism .
“ I think it ’ s sad that less than 24 hours could go by before racism showed its ugly face , ” stated a passerby .
Many disagreed , saying it was likely just a driver being reckless or losing control on the rainy streets .
“ Not defacing anything .
Almost every street in Nashville has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Welcome to Tennessee .
This isn ’ t news.
” A few individuals questioned the decision to paint a mural rather than investing money into Black-owned businesses or historically black higher education .
The Metro Arts Board of Commissioners approved the mural .
The painting spans 350 feet along Woodland Avenue next to the Nissan Stadium .
In a press conference , the organizers expressly linked the mural to the controversial organization , Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) .
“ Of course the letters will also carry the monochrome color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logo of Black Lives Matter over these past five years , ” stated Gadson .
In an interview after completion of the mural , Gadson stated that it exemplifies the absence of Black individuals in downtown Nashville .
She also stated that none of the buildings downtown are black-owned .
The permit for the mural expires in January , at which point the organizers must remove or reapply it .
On Monday , several groups informally announced their intentions to request “ Make America Great Again ” and “ Blue Lives Matter ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Nashville BLM Mural ” by Ray di Pietro Twitter .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Ivy League Grapples With Decisions Surrounding Anti-Racism Training, Course Requirements

Ivy League schools are grappling with whether or not to implement mandatory antiracism and bias training programs .
So far , the results have been mixed .
In a statement from the Board of Trustees released on July 1 , Dartmouth College announced that it would “ make implicit bias training mandatory for all students , faculty , and staff ” as part of a “ strong support for the growing movement across the nation to put an end to systemic and systematic racism.
” The Board of Trustees will likewise submit itself to the training .
The University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has decided that its current course offerings present ample opportunities for students to study race .
Therefore , the school will not implement an anti-racism course requirement .
“ Penn has a number of courses and opportunities for undergraduates across all of the schools to study and learn about the experiences , history , and struggles of different ethnic populations in the United States , ” said Associate Vice Provost for Education and Academic Planning Gary Purpura to the Daily Pennsylvanian .
“ At this time , there is no discussion of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the schools.
” An Asian-American student majoring in political science in Penn ’ s College of Arts and Sciences , who would like to remain anonymous , told Campus Reform that he thinks Penn ’ s decision is wise : “ There ’ s already a cultural diversity requirement , so I ’ m not sure what the point is.
” He added that “ most ethnic studies is BS.
” At every Ivy League school , students have called upon their universities to implement mandatory bias or antiracism training .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School of Design called upon leadership to provide “ training to understand the specific racial context of America for domestic and international students.
” The students explained that “ it is important to be familiar with the history and dynamics of race relations in the country both before matriculation and during enrollment so that the Black students are not responsible for this labor.
” In late June , students at Princeton University ’ s School of Public and International Affairs demanded that the school implement “ the establishment of a core requirement or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public and International Affairs whose curriculum substantively examines power , race , and identity.
” The letter mentioned that only two courses at the School of Public and International Affairs these three issues .
Five days after the letter ’ s release , Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber announced that the university would be removing former United States President Woodrow Wilson ’ s name from the School of Public and International Affairs , which was mentioned in the students ’ demands .
However , the university did not address the matter of mandatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zeisloft is a Pennsylvania Senior Campus Correspondent , reporting on liberal bias and abuse for Campus Reform .
He is studying Finance and Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania .
Benjamin also writes for The UPenn Statesman and the Wharton International Business Review .
Photo “ Dartmouth College ” by Ken CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Victor Davis Hanson Commentary: The Unapologetic Bias of the American Left Today

Some yearn for the ancient monopolistic days of network news , the adolescent years of public radio and TV , and the still reputable New York Times – when once upon a time the Left at least tried to mask their progressivism in sober and judicious liberal façades .
An avuncular Walter Cronkite , John Chancellor , Jim Lehrer , or Abe Rosenthal at least went through the motions of reporting news that was awkward or even embarrassing to the Left .
Their agenda was 1960s-vintage Great Society liberalism , seen as the natural evolution from the New Deal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ACLU of old , and Free Speech Movement at Berkeley – these were their liberal referents .
Those days are gone .
Yet even during the Obama years , when studies showed the president had received the most slanted media honeymoon in news history , overt media bias was , at least , as hotly denied as it intensified .
There were still a few ossified , quarter-hearted efforts now and then to mention the IRS scandal , the surveillance of Associated Press reporters , the various scandals embroiling the Veterans Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Alcohol , Tobacco , and Firearms , and the Secret Service .
But even that thin pretense is over now , too .
What ended liberal dissimulation about slanted reporting is a new pride , or rather an arrogance , about bias itself .
The new liberated defiance is something like , “ We are biased .
Damn proud of it .
And what exactly do you plan on doing about it ?
” Jim Rutenberg infamously announced in January 2017 his profession ’ s proud defiance of now ossified norms in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ throw out the textbook American journalism has been using for the better part of the past half-century.
” Christiane Amanpour felt she was now released from the old chains of professed “ objectivity.
” “ Much of the media was tying itself in knots trying to differentiate between balance , between objectivity , neutrality , and crucially , the truth , ” she said just a few weeks after the 2016 election .
“ We can not continue the old paradigm.
” Michel Foucault could not have said it any better .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ less ridiculed classical journalistic training and embraced the liberation from the old bourgeois idea of “ neutrality.
” Or as the New York Times ’ Jim Roberts in 2016 put the new “ Walter Durantyism ” : “ Yes .
The media is biased .
Biased against hatred , sexism , racism , incompetence , belligerence , inequality , To [ sic ] name a few.
” So said them all .
In Orwellian terms , Roberts ’ media has now come to adore the omnipresent progressive party line : “ You must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to obey him : you must love him.
” When early on in the Trump Administration , the liberal Harvard Kennedy School ’ s Shorenstein Center on Media , Politics and Public Policy found that in the first 100 days all news coverage was on average 80 percent anti-Trump – 93 percent negative in the case of CNN and NBC – no one seemed embarrassed .
Again , since May 2017 , the bias has not merely increased but is now a badge of honor—whether it was the months of “ walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imminent Mueller investigation indictments of the Trump family or the serial “ Trump is finished ” psychodramas about the Logan Act , the Emoluments Clause , and the 25th Amendment .
No one in the media , to this day , after the Mueller implosion , the findings of Inspector General Michael Horowitz , and the recent releases of Russian intercepts about the Clinton gambit to fabricate a “ collusion ” election narrative , has ever said “ We were wrong ” – because they really think they were “ right ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump .
We can see the new arrogance manifested in a variety of ways .
In the recent debates and town halls , the moderators were as praised by the media as they were a turn off to many in the public who were disgusted by their arrogance in making no attempt to appear fair .
The most anti-Trump Fox News figure currently is Chris Wallace .
Naturally , he was deemed a perfect moderator – not so much in the old style as the token conservative , but in the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , have come to love Big Brother .
Wallace performed as expected , directing his gotcha questions to Trump and softballs to Biden .
When pre-debate observers predicted that Wallace would return to his earlier 2016 debate questioning mantra of “ white supremacy ” – once more selectively editing the old saw of Trump ’ s Charlottesville remarks to eliminate his denunciation of white supremacists and the KKK – Wallace not only met but exceeded their expectations with his “ When will you stop beating your wife ?
” hammering .
Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also as predicted , adopted the same unbalanced tactic with Vice President Pence and Senator Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) .
She is currently writing a likely favorable biography of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) – apparently no more worrisome a fact than had a debate moderator from American Greatness announced that she was currently at work on a hagiography of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) .
No wonder Trump said “ No !
” to a town-hall zoomed remote second debate – the medium in which Candy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined with Barack Obama and her preselected questioners to advance her own agenda .
The now-canceled second debate moderator Steven Scully , of course , was a former Biden intern .
He had tweeted a request to the unhinged , arch-Trump hater Anthony Scaramucci , seeking advice on how to best respond to Trump ’ s prescient accusations of his bias .
When that request was inadvertently publicly posted on Twitter rather than in an intended private chat , Scully did not just lie by claiming , after Carlos Danger , that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had done such a thing .
He also then kept silent in the expectation that the media class , in Joy Reid fashion , would swarm to his defense , prior to any formal investigation of his improbable charges of computer malfeasance .
And they did so on spec , from Chris Wallace to C-Span and the federal debate commission itself .
Scully is now seen by the Left not as a prevaricator , but as a tragic hero .
The subtext of his fall is not that he was biased , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his legitimate activist and righteous hatred of Trump , Scully rendered his prejudice politically ineffective .
The two town halls proved that they could have been easily combined into a second debate .
Both were live and conducted quite safely .
But health concerns were not the criteria that got the town hall debate canceled .
Rather , it was legitimate fear for Biden ’ s ability to appear again on a live stage with an aggressive Trump .
Both separate town halls followed predictable scripts without worry that they were embarrassing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephanopoulos asked questions as if he were conducting an obsequious PBS profile .
Savannah Guthrie , the spouse of a former Al Gore campaign traveling chief of staff , Democratic activist , and current liberal lobbyist , Michael Feldman , sought to showboat her left-wing bona fides ( given that Guthrie had been criticized by the Left for the crime of appearing on stage with Trump ) .
From the outset she assumed the role of the missing Biden , and heatedly debated Trump – but with the twist of knowing all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time each would have in answering .
All this was considered not just fine , but absolutely necessary by the Left – a fact known in advance by the careerist Guthrie .
In the old days of the early 21st century , Silicon Valley and other tech giants went through the motions that they were more interested in providing social media access , online buying , and internet services than massaging them all to indoctrinate the public .
Even during the Obama years , they protested vehemently suggestions that they had given campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were beginning to massage internet search results or asymmetrically blocking conservative users .
Not now .
Big Tech has offered no coherent defense of its censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal , or even appeared to worry about the hypocrisy that they had gladly let Trump ’ s illegally obtained and published tax returns fly through the cyberworld , in the manner that Christopher Steele ’ s leaked and made-up hoax was freely promulgated online during the late critical days of the 2016 campaign .
Now Twitter , without much worry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in government from posting .
White House public health and coronavirus advisor Dr. Scott Atlas routinely is censored and shut down by Twitter for referencing scientific studies that have found in a cost-benefit analysis no arguments for lockdowns and blanket mask-wearing by the public .
Facebook couldn ’ t care less that it has been taken to task for its systematic bias in censoring social media content .
Their collective attitude toward government insistence that they not censor oppositional views seems to be something like , “ When we were a multibillion-dollar industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are a multitrillion-dollar business , we despise you.
” Recently Amazon ’ s many “ platforms ” temporarily banned access to documentarians Shelby and Eli Steeles ’ new film “ What Killed Michael Brown ?
” Amazon apparently was protecting its high standards so that it can continue to sell and show serious documentaries like “ Tickled ” ( From the show ’ s description : “ The less you know about David Farrier ’ s descent into the strange world of ‘ competitive endurance tickling ’ before watching his 2016 documentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that the answer to who ’ s making videos of young men tickling each other while restrained is simultaneously shocking and exactly what you think it is.
” ) Yet Amazon considered exploration of what really happened at Ferguson not to meet such high “ content quality expectations.
” It defiantly added just three days before the documentary was to be shown on Amazon platforms that it would not “ be accepting resubmission of this title and this decision may not be appealed.
” So there !
One is left wondering whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misogynist “ Bang Gang ” and “ Night Call Nurse ” from its online film catalog .
The new defiance and the glee that comes from open bias have now saturated our culture , as if the liberated Left in today ’ s globalized market has no need of half the U.S. population—the supposed loser , unwoke half .
The NBA intensifies both its worship of the Chinese Communist Party and its utter disdain for American democratic culture .
When revenues crash from eroding viewership and public criticism of collaboration with a government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and state-sponsored racism and murder , the woke players fire back in defense of China , with “ So what ?
” certainty .
Liberal writers used to warn us of “ dark money , ” as in the anti-Trump Koch family donations to libertarian causes .
Now there is no such thing as money being “ dark.
” The Left is proud that most of the Fortune 400 ’ s top-20 multibillionaires are generous progressive-giving leftists , and that George Soros and Michael Bloomberg promise to infuse tens of millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but to massage the rules of voting itself by reexamining voter eligibilities and methods of voting to enhance progressive agendas .
Pollsters used to highlight moderate liberal leads to jack up enthusiasm .
But in the final few days of a race , they began offering more realistic numbers to ensure that if the vote went south , they would not go down with the ship .
Not now .
At a time when the Zogby , Trafalgar , Democracy Institute , or Rasmussen polls show Trump ’ s favorability climbing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three weeks , we are to believe YouGov , Reuters , or Politico that the president fights a 10-15 percent negative favorability gap .
Perhaps .
But one wonders why , in the context of 2016 , we never saw a symmetrical split , half of the polls believing Trump would lose sizably in the Electoral College , and half winning by a substantial number .
Given the similarly asymmetrical record of the Senate in grilling and voting on Supreme Court picks , one would have thought after the Kavanaugh hearing , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , the Left would have tried to appear respectful and professional in questioning the brilliant , learned , personable , and charismatic Amy Coney Barrett .
Such an expectation was not absurd , given that in just a few weeks they bragged that they would recapture the Senate in a way they had failed in 2016 and 2018 .
Left unsaid was the tic of the Left to destroy not just the nomination chances of a Robert Bork , Clarence Thomas , and Brett Kavanaugh , but their very characters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sonya Sotomayor deserved overwhelming bipartisan support given they were progressive and enlightened .
But in the climate of the new defiance , the Left now believes that even the appearance of fairness and empirical objectivity is proof of weakness or lack of revolutionary bona fides and fervor .
So they did their best to smear Barrett as a veritable Medieval Catholic monarchist , an unthinking clone of the late but still very much hated Antonin Scalia , a wacko cultist , a veritable murderer who would bring back-alley abortions and cancel health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Behind all this unabashed venom lies a reasonable strategy .
There is a long history of conservative and Republican-appointed justices who eventually acquiesce , and , with hands over ears , cry that they can not take such social ostracism any more .
In the manner of Harry Blackmun , William Brennan , Lewis Powell , David Souter , John Paul Stevens , Potter Stewart , and Earl Warren , many Republican appointees eventually come to accept , and learn to love , the Left .
Add the examples of the dishonest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1619 Project , ” or the unapologetic admission of discrimination against Asian-American university applicants , and we can sense not so much a brave new defiance , but a more calculated insolence that the Left is at last soon going to dominate and alter politics as they have the major American cultural and social institutions .
They see their efforts bending in a preordained historical arc that ends with ultimate progressive justice—and retributions .
And in that context there is no longer any need to play by the rules of fairness , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exist or indeed ever existed .
On November 3 , we will see whether they are justifiably arrogant or suicidal .
Victor Davis Hanson is an American military historian , columnist , former classics professor , and scholar of ancient warfare .
He was a professor of classics at California State University , Fresno , and is currently the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford University ’ s Hoover Institution .
He has been a visiting professor at Hillsdale College since 2004 .
Photo “ Democrats ” by Steve Baker @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton Talks About His Barnstorming Tour Through Tennessee and Defea

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton Talks About His Barnstorming Tour Through Tennessee and Defeating Socialism

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Speaker Cameron Sexton to the newsmaker line .
During the third hour , Sexton discussed his barnstorming tour throughout Tennessee in the next 15 days in which they will deliver conservative philosophies of what made Tennessee great over the last 10 years and how well the state is doing .
He reminded listeners how Democrats had control of Tennessee for over 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Republican control has resulted in more success than in the Democrats 100 .
Leahy : We are joined now on our newsmaker line by our good friend and the Tennessee Speaker of the House of Representatives Cam Sexton .
Good morning Cam .
Leahy : Well , one of the great things about living in a state like Tennessee is that we can speak with the Speaker of the House often .
And it ’ s like a normal conversation .
What are you up to today ?
Sexton : Well today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our great state over the next week and a half with members of the General Assembly and then with our Republican Congressional Delegation members .
And we ’ re going to hit 35 counties .
37 stops , to deliver the conservative philosophies of what made Tennessee great over the last 10 years and how well we ’ re doing .
Leahy : It sounds like a lot of work , but also a lot of fun .
What are you finding as you talk to people out in the state ?
Sexton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive about Tennessee and where we ’ re going and that we ’ re in the right direction .
I think they just wish Washington would do the same thing .
But we met a lot of people who ’ ve moved from here from outside of Tennessee .
And they didn ’ t know that Tennessee existed like it does until they got here and they see how far their dollar can go .
How friendly the people are , and they ’ re falling in love with Tennessee .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people that are moving in here what sort of political attitudes are they bringing Cam ?
( Chuckles ) Sexton : Well , that ’ s a question .
I think retirees when they ’ re moving into Tennessee , I have one the biggest retirement populations Fairfield Glade in the state .
And you know , when they come in they leave their union Democrat views behind .
And they come here with conservative philosophies on money and voting .
And so we ’ re very hopeful that is they come into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re doing it compared to how California is destroying businesses .
Destroying families and destroying their state .
That they don ’ t want to go back to that type of place .
And then so Tennessee is a great place .
And I ’ ll remind you that Democrats had control of our state for over 100 years and Republicans only had control over the last 10 years and the success over the last ten has equated to more than they ever did in the last hundred .
Carmichael : You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when people flee from Cuba and come to Florida , they realize that they landed in a much better place so they leave any communist views they might have had , they leave those in Cuba .
( Leahy chuckles ) And the people coming in here from California are leaving their similar California values in California .
Which is certainly good to hear .
Sexton : Well , you know , I think President Trump ’ s right , and I think he said , our great military has defeated fascism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box , we ’ re going to have to defeat socialism ourselves in the state of Tennessee and all across this America and that ’ s what this election is about defeating socialism .
Leahy : Where will you be today ?
What ’ s if people are listening and they want to come to see this barnstorming tour ?
Where will you be today ?
Sexton : Yeah , so we ’ re getting ready to roll into Gallatin right now at 8 a.m. And then we will be in Lebanon today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then we ’ re going to be in Cookeville at their courthouse today about 12 and then across will today at 3:00 .
We ’ re going to hit 35 counties in the next week and a half to make 37 stops .
And we ’ re going to deliver the Conservative Republican message .
Carmichael : Now , there are 35 out of 95 counties , What is happening in the other 60 counties ?
are they relatively safe counties ?
Sexton : Well , so we ’ re hitting members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate and Congressional delegations be with us .
You know , it ’ s hard to hit all 95 counties in a short period of time but we felt like we have done a lot between now and then .
This bus tour is really about delivering the message and going into districts , and doing what they used to do in the old days and barnstorm across the great state of Tennessee or America .
And so we ’ re hopeful .
We ’ re looking forward to the next week and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we tell you what speaking on behalf of a lot of Tennesseans we appreciate everything that you and the Republican House and Senate do to keep to keep our state the greatest state in the country .
Sexton : Well , thank you .
Thank you very much .
I appreciate that .
we ’ re going to do we ’ re going to continue that path in the state of Tennessee making sure that we elect the good conservatives to represent our people and our district .
And that ’ s our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very blessed in the last 10 years .
And the last thing I ’ ll mention on how long you ’ ll have me , but these new case numbers are coming out… Leahy : Oh , yeah the COVID case numbers .
What ’ s the latest on that ?
We ’ re going to want to talk about that a little bit Speaker Sexton .
Sexton : Yeah , so let me approach that subject .
So back in July on the active cases , only one percent of those cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have not been tested or they haven ’ t been tested positive yet .
But they ’ re only showing symptoms .
But as you know , the symptoms mirror the flu .
They mirror allergy .
So having symptoms doesn ’ t mean you ’ re active .
Well in July that was one percent of the people who are in the active cases .
And for some reason now , it ’ s being reported that 11 percent of the active cases being reported now is probable .
And so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was in July .
which could be why the numbers are inflating a little bit .
And so you have kids who are going back to school .
And like in Williamson County alone they had 80 some positive cases and they sent 4,000 kids home .
And so if you look at the probable this of that , meaning those kids who show symptoms , they get lumped into seen active even though they ’ re not active .
And so it ’ s a huge issue that we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not try to put in people who we assume are positive .
Carmichael : Also , are hospitalizations going up ?
Sexton : Hospitalizations were going up but we ’ re still within the capacity of the hospitals .
You know , the state puts out a nice little page .
We ’ re not in the red and hospitalizations or ICU .
But what I will tell you is if that if you are over 70 and 80 years old we have to be very careful with that age group as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know is for the most part anybody who is younger than 60 , your success rate , if you do test positive , is 99.8 percent .
We just need to make sure the older population is being very aware of what ’ s going on .
Leahy : Speaker Sexton , a couple of weeks ago you are on this program and you talked about a letter you sent to our controller of the state Justin Wilson – a great guy .
A very very down the middle of the road .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I think at that time you asked him to give you a review of how Metro Nashville Davidson County has spent some of the state and federal covid-19 money .
Can you give us an update on just comptroller Wilson ’ s activities in that regard ?
Sexton : Yes , my understanding is they have finished their internal review of all that and I should have a briefing .
I think we ’ re doing a WebEx meeting here in the next couple of days for them to go over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is back .
I haven ’ t seen it .
But they have finished their work .
Leahy : Great .
Well , we ’ ll be delighted to find out whatever comes from that .
And I know you got a lot going on over the next 15 days with your barnstorming tour etcetera .
But we ’ d be delighted to hear those results when they come in .
Sexton : I ’ ll be happy to come back on and talk to you about those issues and about other things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get our state open back up in these big cities and control these independent health boards come January which needs to be controlled a lot more than what they ’ re being controlled now .
And then go back into session and really passing very conservative legislation that will continue to lead our state and our nation .
Leahy : I have to tell you I am a bit envious of your travels around the state .
you know , I ’ ve lived Of tear since well since 1990 .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved here and we ’ ve been friends ever since .
But one thing that really struck me about Tennessee is that every time I travel around I see how beautiful it is .
I see how nice the people are .
And so I ’ m kind of envious of you having that opportunity to go all around the state over the next several days .
Sexton : You can join us anytime you want to .
love to have you .
Our state is a great state and very beautiful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Midwest .
They all have great things about them that are unique .
And so I ’ m going to enjoy getting on here with our members .
We ’ re going up here to see William Lamberth and Johnny Garrett here .
And then they ’ re going to hop on the bus and go with us .
So it ’ s going to be a great week and a half to go meet people in our state and talk to them about what ’ s important to them .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how our state leading America .
And then hopefully grab some good food at some great restaurants in these areas that are known for .
And that ’ s one thing that we ’ re all about too .
It ’ s visiting the local businesses and making sure that they know that they ’ re important to us and what they do every single day .
We want to make sure that they have the opportunity to succeed and be successful and make money .
There ’ s nothing wrong in America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Are you going to make it as far east as Mountain City ?
I ’ ve been to Mountain City that ’ s quite a travel up there .
How far east will you go ?
Sexton : We ’ re gon na tickle that .
We ’ re going to get up into Bristol .
Leahy : Oh yeah .
You are really seeing the state .
Well Speaker Sexton , thanks so much for joining us today .
And we will look forward to having you back on the Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you do .
Leahy : This is one of the great things about Tennessee .
Carmichael : Now that ’ s a Speaker of the House who cares about the people and not about himself .
Carmichael : The contrast between our Speaker and Speaker Pelosi could not be greater .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Background Photo “ Tennessee House ” by Ichabod CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Woman Missing for Two Weeks Found Safe in Zion National Park

by The Associated Press SPRINGDALE , Utah ( AP ) — A California woman who was missing for about two weeks in Zion National Park in Utah has been found and left the park with her family who had feared the worst , authorities said .
Holly Suzanne Courtier , 38 , of Los Angeles , was found Sunday by search and rescue crews after park rangers received a tip that she had been seen in the park , Zion National Park officials said in a news release .
They didn ’ t say where she was found or anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Crews began searching for Courtier after she didn ’ t show up for her scheduled pickup in the park by a private shuttle on Oct. 6 , authorities said .
The park and nearby town of Springdale were filled with missing person signs featuring pictures of Courtier and the clothes she was wearing .
Her sister , Jillian Courtier-Oliver , told ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America ” that her sister is recovering after being found with bruises all over her body and losing weight .
Courtier-Oliver said she had started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a park known for its towering red rock cliffs that has several hikes that take people along narrow trails with steep drops nearby .
“ It wasn ’ t until two days ago I actually said , ‘ I ’ m starting to lose hope , ’ ” she said .
“ They had a lot of cadaver dogs out , and I knew what they were looking for was a body , not a person .
It was the first time I actually started losing hope .
And I went with up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to find her.
” The park released a statement attributed to the family .
“ We would like to thank the rangers and search teams who relentlessly looked for her day and night and never gave up hope .
We are also so grateful to the countless volunteers who were generous with their time , resources and support , ” her family said in statement .
About the Headline Photo : This Sept. 15 , 2015 , file photo , shows Zion National Park near Springdale , Utah .
A California woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Zion National Park in Utah has been found and left the park with her family who had feared the worst , authorities said .
Holly Suzanne Courtier , 38 , of Los Angeles , was found Sunday , Oct. 18 , 2020 , by search and rescue crews after park rangers received a tip that she had been seen in the park , Zion National Park officials said in a news release .
( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Violent Attacks on Trump Supporters Spike as Election Day Draws Near

As Election Day draws near , Democrats are lashing out violently at Trump supporters for the crime of expressing support for the president ’ s reelection in public .
Just as they did throughout the 2016 election season and for many months after , left-wing agitators are engaging in political violence to terrorize and intimidate conservatives in the public square .
After President Trump ’ s rocky first year , the attacks against Trump supporters slowed down , but never completely went away .
( A long list of attacks on Trump supporters since Sept. 2015 can be found here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gears up for Election Day 2020 , anti-Trump assaults are on the rise again—and becoming deadly .
In July , Bernell Tremmell , a black Trump supporter in Milwaukee , was shot and killed in broad daylight outside his business , Expression Publications .
His shop had signs covering the front with bible versus , as well as “ Vote Donald Trump 2020 , ” and “ Re-Elect Trump 2020 ” signs .
In August , “ 100 percent antifa ” Michael Forest Reinoehl fatally shot a Patriot Prayer member named Aaron ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reinoehl died in a shootout with police in Washington a week later .
And earlier this month , Matthew Dolloff , a far-left private security guard working for Denver TV station KUSA 9-News , fatally shot Lee Keltner , a Trump-supporting 49-year-old U.S. Navy veteran during dueling right-wing and left-wing demonstrations in downtown Denver .
Reinoehl was immediately arrested and is facing 2nd degree murder charges .
In just the past few days , a pro-Trump black man in San Francisco had his teeth bashed in by white left-wing agitators at a free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was attacked by two deranged females at the Women ’ s March in Washington DC , a pro-Trump Kansas man was severely beaten and almost run over , and a pro-Trump 73-year-old Vietnam vet in Massachusetts was viciously knocked to the ground because he was holding a Trump sign .
The first assault happened in San Francisco on Saturday , where a small group of conservatives staged a protest in front of Twitter ’ s headquarters .
The group Team Save America organized the protest after the social media platform locked the Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many others for posting links The Post ’ s bombshell report on Hunter Biden ’ s emails .
According to the Associated Press , members of the group wore red MAGA hats and carried pro-police “ Thin Blue Line ” flags , as well as U.S. flags .
Unfortunately , the peaceful demonstration fell apart when several hundred violent antifa militants showed up and began busting heads .
At least two people sustained injuries requiring medical attention , Philip Anderson , the organizer of the event , and an unidentified Team Save America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambulance .
An AP reporter also witnessed “ an injured San Francisco police officer on the ground.
” Anderson was sucker punched twice in the mouth as he and a fellow demonstrator were making their way through the antifa mob .
Anderson posted photos to social media of his bloodied mouth with a front tooth missing and another hanging loosely .
He said the antifa militants attacked him for no reason .
Addressing Joe Biden , he said in a video posted on social media : “ you said antifa was just an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely to show his two missing front teeth , he declared , “ this is what your ‘ idea ’ you ’ re talking about , antifa , this is what they did to me.
” He added , “ I ’ m at the hospital right now Joe Biden because of antifa .
So I just want to ask you , do you still think , after seeing this , that they ’ re just an idea ?
” On Saturday in Washington DC , a young woman was allegedly attacked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter activists while she was participating in a pro-Trump rally .
Isabella Maria DeLuca is reportedly a Turning Point USA ambassador , and the Outreach Director for the pro-Trump organization Republicans for National Renewal .
She posted images of her injuries while recovering at a local hospital .
DeLuca described being assaulted by a deranged old lady in a statement to the National File .
“ The first woman was a white older woman – she had glasses on , a glittery bedazzled Black Lives Matter shirt , ” Deluca told National File @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been my grandma , honestly.
” She said the woman grabbed DeLuca ’ s Trump flag , and then when DeLuca attempted to retrieve it , the battleaxe punched and choked her .
According to the National File , DeLuca felt reluctant to defend herself due to the woman ’ s advanced age , but was determined to get her Trump flag back .
Coverage of the protests by Breitbart News earlier on Saturday showed DeLuca waving a Trump flag and shouting “ four more years ” in support of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were suspended from Facebook and Instagram after sharing their stories .
Anderson ’ s Twitter account was suspended late Sunday night after he had posted several photos and videos of himself talking about what happened .
Anderson vented about getting suspended by Instagram and Facebook in a video that is no longer available on Twitter .
This is so crazy—I ’ m an actual victim !
” Anderson exclaimed in the video .
“ If I were a Democrat right now , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook would be boosting me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter martyr : Black man gets sent to the hospital .
Gets sucker-punched two times in the mouth .
Gets his teeth knocked out , ” he continued .
“ But just because I ’ m Republican , you want to know what happens ?
They immediately ban me .
They knock out my front teeth and then they ban me on Instagram .
And they put me on a ban on Facebook temporarily , ” he complained in another video posted to social media .
Monday morning , Rep. Paul Gosar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help Anderson : In Prairie Village , Kansas , Dwight Sutherland was allegedly attacked after he confronted a man who was in the process of stealing his yard signs in support of President Trump ’ s reelection and Amanda Adkins for Congress .
Someone had stolen his signs for five nights in a row , so Sutherland on the sixth night was watching and waiting to catch the miscreant , who of course showed up yet again to abscond with his signs .
Sutherland says that when he went out to confront him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off in his vehicle .
The TDS sufferer then turned around and drove back toward him as he was standing in front of his home .
A physician who lives nearby reportedly assisted at the scene and Sutherland was transported to the hospital .
He has since been released .
Prairie Village Police are investigating the altercation as an aggravated battery with a motor vehicle , and a misdemeanor criminal charge for damaging property .
Left-wing thugs are now leaving fliers on the houses of Trump supporters threatening to burn them down due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mike Kuckelman , chair of the Kansas Republican Party , said Republicans are repeatedly intimidated for expressing their political views .
“ It is shocking that someone would engage in such violence against Mr. Sutherland who was peacefully exercising his First Amendment right to display yard signs in support of Republican candidates as citizens have done for years .
Only with the Democrat party having moved so far left has it become dangerous for Republicans to express their support for Republican candidates .
This must stop .
I hear from many Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Left , they will not express their political views out of fear for their safety .
We wish Mr. Sutherland a speedy recovery.
” Also shocking was the alleged assault on a 73-year-old Vietnam veteran over the weekend while he was showing his support for the president at an intersection in Douglas , Mass .
The vet and another individual were were at the intersection at around noon on Saturday holding Trump flags and signs , according to the Boston Herald .
About 30 minutes after they arrived , 34-year-old Kiara Dudley allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to berate them with insults and demanded that they leave , ” police said in a statement .
“ As the couple tried to move away , the party continued to follow them and bumped the gentlemen with her body , ” Douglas Police said .
“ At one point the party stepped on the victim ’ s Veterans for Trump sign and as he bent over to pick it up the party knocked him to the ground causing an injury to his finger.
” Douglas Police arrested Dudley and charged her with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing injury after the incident .
She was released on $ 250 cash bail , and is scheduled to be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court on Monday .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--University Told Student Groups Not to Gather, but Allowed Black Lives Matter Protest

A free-speech group has repeatedly warned the University of South Florida about the unfairness and unconstitutionality of its coronavirus guidelines .
The Southeastern Legal Foundation has now sent three letters to the public university in Florida , warning it about problems with both its approaches to student gatherings and coronavirus tracking and reporting .
The university does allow sports teams to practice , but told student organizations they could not meet .
Its concerns about vagueness of the policies that were first raised in its August 26 first letter came true when the university allowed the campus chapter of Students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off-campus protest on August 28 against racism and in support of Jacob Blake , who was shot by a Kenosha , Wisconsin police officer on August 23 .
Blake ’ s shooting has become a focus of Black Lives Matter activism .
It sent another letter to USF on September 15 .
On September 17 , the university counsel responded to the two letters and dismissed the concerns .
University officials “ developed guidelines to be applied in a fair and equitable fashion , ” wrote Joanne Adamchak , the school ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the “ existing use of space policies were developed as viewpoint neutral ” and student organization guidelines “ will be applied equitably and in the interest of the health of the university community.
” Kim Hermann , the attorney for the legal nonprofit , challenged the counsel ’ s assertion of an equitable policy in a September 18 response letter .
Hermann said that “ some student organizations were allowed to gather in protest while others have not been able to host socially distanced meetings.
” The group also said the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Young Americans for Liberty or Turning Point to hold in person meetings , ” in a September 15 blog post .
Hermann posed a series of 18 hypotheticals to Adamchak , asking her about how situations such as off-campus protests and off-campus volunteering would be treated .
The university did not develop fair guidelines , Hermann told The College Fix .
“ USF admin allowed and encouraged students to violate COVID restrictions for BLM protests but won ’ t let other student organizations meet , ” Hermann said via email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent a third letter on September 18 , after receiving an unsatisfactory response to its first two letters .
It has not heard back any further from the school .
In another twist , the university allowed an outside group , gun-rights activist Kaitlin Bennett and her security team , to appear on campus on October 7 after she sought permission from the school , according to campus paper The Oracle .
“ USF ’ s campuses remain open to visitors from the public and the university values the right for individuals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson Adam Freeman .
Freeman had previously referred The Fix via email to the September 17 letter it sent to Southeastern Legal and said “ USF has not sent any additional correspondence.
” Freeman did not respond to a follow-up question on the discrepancy between the school ’ s guidelines and the Black Lives Matter protest .
He told The Fix via email that students will not “ face sanctions for choosing to participate in an interview with Kaitlin Bennett or for participating in a protest of her appearance on campus on October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain a concern for Southeastern Legal .
It challenged USF on its policies .
The legal nonprofit argued they could silence free-speech and violate civil liberties .
It asked the university to clarify its referral form , which encourages students to report their peers when they suspect they might be sick .
It ’ s a policy that Southeastern Legal regularly targets , including successfully at the University of North Georgia .
Not only has the university discriminated on viewpoint , they have also developed policies regarding COVID-19 , according to Hermann , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to privacy .
Random COVID tests are “ a direct infringement on students ’ Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures , ” Hermann wrote in the August 26 letter .
She noted that the school “ warns that if a student refuses , he could face discipline or forced quarantine.
” “ SLF will monitor the situation to make sure that USF does not cherry pick who it enforces its gathering ban against , ” Hermann told The Fix .
The legal group will ensure the university does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative and libertarian students on campus , ” Hermann said .
The legal nonprofit stated it hopes litigation is not necessary .
Jeremy Hill is a political science student at Western Wyoming Community College .
He also is involved in Young Americans for Freedom and Students for Life of America .
He is the Wyoming state captain for Students for Life Action .
Photo “ USF ” by Simon Kellogg CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Virginia Vote Counters: No Winners on Election Night

As November 3rd draws closer , general registrars and their staff in central Virginia are working extremely hard to get as many ballots counted as possible on election night , even though the results will not be official until Friday of that week .
On Monday , The Virginia Star spoke with registrars from Henrico , Hanover , New Kent and Goochland counties , and discussed the timing of ballot counts .
In what has been a whirlwind of an election season in the Commonwealth , with newly-implemented state laws and the coronavirus pandemic causing a historic amount of absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ability to get the majority of ballots in on election night and provide a solid unofficial count .
Election officials have provided guidance to registrars for counting on election night , simply telling them to go until they ’ re done or until 11 p.m. , Henrico County deputy registrar Anne Marie Middlesworth said .
Teresa Smithson , Hanover County general registrar , believes that her office will be able to count nearly all of the ballots by the first day .
“ I would say that we will have probably a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election night , I think that the late absentee [ ballot ] element is going to be a small number , ” Smithson said in an interview with The Star .
“ We ’ ve had pre-processing underway since the week following the launch of the absentee ballots on September 18th and we ’ ve pre-processed over 6,280 ballots.
” New Kent County general registrar , Karen Bartlett , issued the same prediction but did not offer any percentages .
“ The majority of the ballots will be counted on election night because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the precincts or the central absentee precinct , ” Bartlett told The Star .
No matter how many ballots are counted on November 3rd , new election laws put into place by the General Assembly during its January session allow absentee ballots to be accepted for an additional three days , pushing back when official results will be released .
“ The official results can not be released until after the election is certified .
Typically , elections could be certified at the local level the next day , ” Ryan Mulligan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That is if you did not have any outstanding No ID provisional ballots as voters had until 3 days later to produce a copy of their ID .
“ Now , we can not certify the election until after noon on the Friday following the Election as any Absentee Ballots received by mail before then and postmarked on or before election day must be counted and included.
” The number of ballots that registrars must count between Wednesday morning and noon on Friday varies between the different counties because of several factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of provisional ballots remaining .
Bartlett , who said she and her staff have been working seven-days a week and twelve-hours a day , is hoping for less than 20 ballots needing to be counted during those days , while Mulligan estimated a few hundred for his office .
“ I would ask [ voters ] to be patient , ” Smithson said .
“ This is a new process that the General Assembly passed down and we ’ re trying to adjust to it .
I can tell you that general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making sure that every single is counted .
Doing that is going to take some time.
” As of October 1st , there were 5,896,141 registered voters in Virginia ; Henrico had 234,384 , Hanover had 83,416 , Goochland had 19,806 and New Kent had 17,262 , according to data from the Virginia Department of Elections .
But , with the original voter registration deadline of October 13th being extended two days by a judge after a fiber cable was inadvertently cut causing the system to experience outages , there are likely tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Virginia Public Access Project , early voting as of Sunday in those four counties is as follows : In Hanover , there have been 27,530 early ballots cast and absentee applications , a little more than seven thousand of that by mail , compared to just 5,746 total absentee ballots in the 2016 election .
Henrico has seen 86 , 376 early ballots submitted and absentee applications , 25,603 of those by mail , compared to 16,955 total absentee ballots in 2016 .
In Goochland there have been 6,482 early ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total absentee ballots in 2016 .
Lastly , New Kent has had 4,082 early ballots and absentee applications , compared to just 1,005 total absentee ballots in 2016 .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Ballot Counting ” by Fairfax County CC BY-ND 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Dr. Christine Hoffman of Job Creators Network Discusses Healthcareforyou.com, Voting Safety, and the

Dr. Christine Hoffman of Job Creators Network Discusses Healthcareforyou.com, Voting Safety, and the Irrational Fear of COVID

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Dr. Christine Hoffman to the show to discuss COVID safety and voting and what is driving the irrational fear .
Fredericks : Joining us now Dr. Christine Hoffman .
Dr. Hoffman , great to have you with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John .
Thank you for having me this morning .
Fredericks : Dr. Hoffman part of our network of medical professionals at the Job Creators Network and what one of our key members also very involved in the Job Creators Network health plan healthcareforyou.com .
Go to healthcareforyou.com .
Dr. Hoffman , let ’ s get to the op-ed that you did the other day .
One of the reasons that I wanted to have you on is talking about voting safely .
Because I know a lot of people are concerned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ re not going to go and vote in person .
They ’ re afraid .
They ’ re voting by mail .
If you do choose the early voting and vote in person you said there are some precautions that you could take .
Can you elaborate on that ?
Hoffman : Absolutely John .
We recommend that people if they ’ re going to go vote in person that they do the same precautions they do when they ’ re going shopping or to a restaurant or in groups of people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance by six feet apart .
Hoffman : Basically that ’ s it .
I know at our voting booths when I voted last week they had us put on a glove as well .
But other places might not do that .
But the basic tenets of being safe are distancing six feet apart and wearing a mask it ’ s that simple .
Fredericks : It is simple .
I mean when I early voted a couple of weeks ago I live in Virginia .
When I leave early voted I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I don ’ t know where I ’ m going to be the nature of my work on election day .
I could be traveling or depending on where I ’ m going to have my anchor desk .
So I like to get it done .
So the only difference is I stood six feet back from someone .
And I had a mask .
No different than when I go to the line in Walmart .
Kroger .
The gas station or McDonald ’ s .
I mean there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So why this fear about voting ?
Hoffman : They ’ re just pushing fear-mongering to scare people away and it is absolutely safe .
There ’ s a bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel who served as a health advisor to the Obama administration and he said voting in person is as safe as going to the grocery store .
Which we do on a weekly basis .
Fredericks : But the Democrats have scared everybody into mail-in ballots , and I ’ ve been saying this since May because with a with 60-70 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engage in stealing elections .
Fraud and everything else that you simply can ’ t do when you vote in person .
So it ’ s part of their warped narrative .
One of the things that you said in your op-ed you said the new infection rate is slowed to its lowest level in part because of herd immunity .
The MIT Technology Review acknowledges that it ’ s begun to act as a break in the spread of the disease .
Yet when you say herd immunity the big tech companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s false .
There is no herd immunity .
Also now they ’ re reporting that cases are going up again .
And so that would appear to not be consistent with what you said in your op-ed .
Can you expand on that for us ?
Hoffman : Sure .
At the time I was writing it the bigger states where it was more infectious start to go down .
And there are some states that it ’ s going up as well .
But more and more people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it then fewer people are going to come down with it because they ’ ve already been in contact with it .
That ’ s the herd immunity .
Fredericks : So basically the herd immunity says if you get it once you ’ re not going to get it again .
And of course , we know now 99.7 percent of people recover , and that percentage is even higher if you ’ re under 65 .
We ’ ve also learned that out of the 220,000 coronavirus deaths that only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually caused by coronavirus only .
But yet that ’ s not reported in the news .
All they keep telling you is about the bigger number .
So where do we go from here ?
Hoffman : We need to go to where we ’ re living our lives again because the majority of people like you said , if you ’ re under 65 they recover without any consequences but there is a disproportionate number of people over that age group that does have consequences and tends to have a worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they usually have an underlying condition and of course , as we get older we have more underlying conditions .
But the rest of us , the kids need to get back in school and we need to get out and vote .
We need to go on with our lives because it is safe for the majority of us .
Fredericks : Dr. Hoffman , what is driving the fear ?
Hoffman : I think it ’ s false news that they ’ re not reporting .
Right from the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another case oh another death .
What about all the recoveries ?
I mean they never reported oh we have this many recoveries .
That drove me crazy .
And when I pounded it into my family and my friends and my patients it ’ s like yes we have all these people coming down with it but we have even more people recovering from it .
Fredericks : It seems that a lot of us experience when we go out that if like , I always have a mask out of respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know I ’ ll go into the gas station something and I ’ ll simply forget in the car .
I forget it .
Well the other day I went into the 711 I ’ m pumping gas and I go in for a bottle of water and I had forgotten to put my mask on .
And I opened the door and there ’ s some lady with a big mask and I mean I thought she was going to hit me .
She was like oh my god you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from me get away and she starts screaming .
Fredericks : Get away from me !
And she was like maybe 25 to 30 years old somewhere in there .
I mean certainly not a senior citizen .
And I ’ m just like hey I ’ m so sorry I ’ ll go get my mask .
How do people have that kind of irrational fear over this ?
Hoffman : Again I think a lot of it is that they ’ ve not been taught in actuality , you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area with someone who ’ s positive for 10 to 15 minutes before you ’ re going to catch the infection .
You ’ re not going to get it by passing someone in the store .
And they have studies that show that and they even have reports of that .
It ’ s been published .
But that ’ s not what ’ s getting released .
Fredericks : I ’ ve got a question here from Gene in Chesterfield Virginia .
He says Dr. Hoffman , how much longer will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s really sad for so many of our seniors that are in rehab centers or nursing homes and their family can ’ t visit them except through an outside window Hoffman : It ’ s up to the individual areas .
I know here in Murfreesboro they ’ re actually probably about two-three weeks ago they started letting the families come in contact with their loved ones again .
So it is very sad and very heart disheartening but it ’ s up to the individual areas that are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow that to happen .
Fredericks : So basically the states and the counties and the cities where wherever it is ?
Hoffman : That or the individual nursing homes too .
Fredericks : This is the John Frederick ’ s Radio Network and we ’ re with Dr. Christine Hoffman part of the Job Creators Network .
She ’ s from the Memphis , Tennessee area and she ’ s part of the Job Creators Network conglomerate that we have .
Small business owners ’ small doctor .
Not a small doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own practice .
Dr. Hoffman , the Job Creators Network has put together a very comprehensive health care plan called healthcareforyou.com and you can go to healthcareforyou.com .
A lot of talks now about pre-existing conditions .
The Democrats were able to win a majority in the House in 2018 on one issue , Obamacare .
And the Republicans are trying to underpin it .
Now they ’ re trying to do the same thing in 2020 .
What is it about the plan that you guys have signed on to ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Go to healthcareforyou.com .
How does that plan protect people from losing coverage if they have a pre-existing condition ?
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Trial to Decide Fate of Robert E. Lee Statue Underway in Richmond

The trial over a lawsuit aiming to stop Governor Ralph Northam from removing the statue of former Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee began Monday morning in Richmond .
After the death of George Floyd , the Lee monument and other Confederate statues throughout the city became a focal point of the summer protests over racial inequality and police brutality in Richmond .
The plaintiffs in the case are Helen Marie Taylor , a veteran neighborhood activist , and other residents that live near the monument , who originally filed suit against the governor after he ordered the statue be removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the statue would violate restrictive conditions of a resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 1889 that transferred the deed of the statue , its pedestal and the land it sits to the state .
Attorney General Mark Herring ’ s office is arguing that Northam is within his authority to order the statue be removed and are calling for the lawsuit to be dismissed and the injunction barring removal to be lifted .
“ It is past time for this divisive , antiquated relic to come down , ” Herring said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge W. Reilly Merchant is presiding over the case .
No matter which side Merchant rules in favor of , the case will likely not be completely finished since an appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia is expected .
Del .
Jeff Bourne ( D-Richmond City ) supports the removal of the statue .
“ I do think it should be removed because , as I ’ ve said and as others have said throughout this debate , those statues are visual reminders of a very dark and painful past for so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an interview with The Virginia Star .
“ We can do something else with those spaces that bring more unity and more togetherness rather than division.
” “ The culture of America is that we ’ re a tolerant society of people with different values and beliefs than ours , ” Chase told The Star .
“ I object to taking down the monuments because I believe that it is simply reflective of a period in time , and that its , regardless of what people choose to interpret the symbol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time .
“ I would also say that once you start erasing history , my concern is that we ’ re destined to repeat it .
We are supposed to learn from history , not repeat it.
” One factor in the trial could be an amendment included in the General Assembly ’ s recently passed state budget , which repeals the 1889 resolution and has language for the removal and storage of the statue .
The 12-ton , 21-foot-tall statue stands prominently at the start of Richmond ’ s historic Monument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monument on the residential thoroughfare .
Originally unveiled on May 29 , 1890 surrounded by a crowd of up to 150,000 people , the bronze statue was constructed by French sculptor Marius Jean Antonin Mercié who cast the giant work in nine total pieces – seven for the horse and two for Lee , according to previous reporting done by The Star .
Now , the statue ’ s pedestal is almost completely covered in spray-painted messages still remaining from the protests .
As of 5:30 p.m. on Monday , there was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Lee Statue ” by Jacob Taylor/The Virginia Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-20--Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill Allowing Jury Trials With Judge Sentencing

Virginia lawmakers passed legislation Friday that allows those accused of a crime to receive a jury trial and a judge ’ s sentence , which proponents believe will reduce sentence lengths .
Under current law , a defendant must opt for a jury sentence if he or she requests a jury trial , which can often result in longer sentences than guidance normally would suggest .
The law allows a judge to reduce the sentence , but this happens in only about 8.1 % of cases .
Virginia is one of two states that still requires jury sentences for jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 44 states , a judge sentencing with a jury trial is mandatory .
Sen. Joe Morrissey , D-Henrico , who sponsored Senate Bill 5007 , told lawmakers on the Senate floor that judges can offer longer-than-usual sentences for certain crimes because the accused would be too afraid to opt for a jury out of fear of an even longer sentence .
He said when this threat becomes empty ( because the defendant can take a judge ’ s sentence after the jury trial ) , judges will begin to reduce their proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a judge trial and sentencing .
Morrissey conceded there could be an initial uptick in jury cases immediately after the bill goes into effect , which would be July 1 , 2021 .
However , he said it will go back to normal after judges begin to reduce sentences .
Once the law is established , he said jury trials probably will rest somewhere between 1 % and 4.1 % .
Some Republicans disagreed with Morrissey ’ s prediction .
Sen. Mark Obenshain , R-Harrisonburg , argued there could be a long-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require additional circuit court judges , jurors , commonwealth ’ s attorneys and public defenders .
He said the budget does not account for these needs , which could mean the state would have to put civil lawsuits to the side to prioritize the new criminal cases going to trial .
Obenshain said it is irresponsible to rush this legislation through a special session without accounting for the potential costs in the budget .
He urged lawmakers to vote against the proposal and reconsider it in January , when they will have more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bill will head to Gov .
Ralph Northam , who can choose to sign the bill into law , veto the bill or propose amendments to the bill and send it back down to the General Assembly .
Tyler Arnold is a reporter for The Center Square .
Photo “ Joe Morrissey ” by Cliff CC BY 2.0 .
Background Photo “ Virginia Capitol ” by Matheus Gonçalves CC BY-SA 2.0 .