thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--Minnesota’s Legislative Deadline Passes with No Agreement on Infrastructure Proposal

The Minnesota legislature failed to reach agreements on a major construction bill , tax relief , or state employee contracts before the midnight Sunday deadline for this session .
The lawmakers could still find a middle ground in a special June session .
Minnesota House Republicans Saturday blocked Democrat ’ s $ 2 billion bonding bill .
Bonding bills must originate in the House and require a three-fifths majority , or 81 votes , to pass .
The final tally fell six votes short .
House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt ( R-Crown ) previously said he wouldn ’ t approve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walz relinquished his emergency powers , which the Democrat extended last week until June 12 .
• $ 161.8 million to the University of Minnesota • $ 200 million to the commissioner of natural resources DFL lawmakers argued the bill would stimulate the economy and provide much-needed jobs .
“ Updating our aging infrastructure will help our people , communities , and businesses make it through the COVID-19 crisis and provide jobs with wages and benefits that can support a family , ” House Speaker Melissa Hortman ( DFL-Brooklyn Park ) said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investments now more than ever.
” Republican lawmakers cited the state ’ s projected $ 2.4 billion budget deficit as the reason not to pass the largest bonding bill in its history .
“ Bringing a bill to the floor that is between two and three times the biennial average and puts Minnesotans on the hook for debt service we can not afford is a disservice to Minnesotans , ” Daudt said .
Walz tweeted encouragement to legislative leaders Sunday to pass a bonding bill that again failed .
“ Communities across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass a robust Local Jobs and Projects Plan , ” he wrote .
“ Work together and get this done for Minnesotans.
” • $ 85 million to both the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State colleges and universities Sen. Scott Dibble , DFL-Minneapolis , said the bill favored GOP territory , didn ’ t take advantage of low interest rates and called it a “ slap in the face ” to the metropolitan area .
The House last week ratified the contracts of about 50,000 state union employees that included two pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 34-33 to ratify the 2019 pay increase for state union workers but tied a 2.5 percent pay raise in July 2020 to a budget surplus in July 2021 .
Without action before July , the state union employees would have faced a pay cut .
Gazelka told reporters Sunday that passing GOP tax relief legislation and DFL spending projects likely required a successful bonding bill .
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square .
A graduate of Hillsdale College , his work has appeared on Forbes.com @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula Allowed To Reopen, Gov. Whitmer Says

Two regions in Michigan will be allowed to reopen retail businesses , office work and restaurants with limited seating , according to an executive order signed by Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on Monday .
The partial reopening , which will take effect on May 22 , will allow retail businesses and office work that can not be done remotely to reopen , as well as restaurants and bars with limited seating .
Restaurants and bars will be required to limit capacity to 50 percent of normal seating , keep groups at least six feet from one other and require serves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a big step , but we must all remember to continue doing our part to protect ourselves and our families from the spread of COVID-19 , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ It ’ s crucial that all businesses do everything in their power to protect their workers , customers , and their families .
And as we approach Memorial Day weekend , I encourage everyone to be smart and be safe .
My team and I will continue to work around the clock to protect the people of Michigan.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are regions six and eight , according to Whitmer ’ s MI Safe Start Plan .
The regions cover all of the Upper Peninsula and the counties of Manistee , Wexford , Missaukee , Roscommon , Benzie , Grand Traverse , Kalkaska , Crawford , Leelanau , Antrim , Otsego , Montmorency , Alpena , Charlevoix , Cheboygan , Presque Isle and Emmet .
There are currently 542 confirmed cases and 52 deaths between both reopening regions , according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks an important first step of reintegrating restaurants into the fabric of our daily lives , ” said Justin Winslow , President and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association , in a statement .
“ Restaurants in the U.P .
and northern Michigan understand that with their opportunity comes an extraordinary responsibility to operate in a manner that ensures the safety of their guests and their employees .
I believe they are up to the challenge.
” Whitmer said that cities , villages and townships may choose to continue enforcing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrict their authority to restrict the operations of bars and restaurants .
“ I support the shift to making decisions on a regional level when possible , ” said Marquette Mayor Jenna Smith in a statement .
“ As restrictions are slowly eased , it will be important for us to remain vigilant to stop the spread of the virus.
” Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]

by Bethany Blankley
Nineteen attorneys general, led by Indiana, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri against the Biden administration.
They’re asking the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s order instructing the Biden administration to follow the law to fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
“No one is above the law in America, and we are simply insisting that the Biden administration follow the law,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said (pictured above).
“The rule of law is the framework that enables American liberty to survive and thrive,” he added. “The situation at our southern border provides the perfect example of how going soft on the rule of law gives rise to anarchy, chaos, and ultimately the erosion of our freedom and safety.”
In January 2021, President Joe Biden announced via executive order that he was terminating MPP. Months later, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began dismantling it and other immigration policies. Southern border encounters then surged to historic levels. In Biden’s first year in office, Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol agents encountered or apprehended roughly 2 million people entering the southern border illegally. This number excludes the several hundred thousand who are estimated to have evaded law enforcement.
At the same time, Mayorkas implemented a wide range of policy changes to effectively halt most deportations. CBP and Border Patrol agents were directed to release illegal immigrants into the U.S. en masse instead of sending them back to Mexico to go through the immigration process.
Texas and Missouri sued, District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas granted their request for a permanent injunction and ordered the administration to reinstate the MPP. He ruled the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it halted the MPP.
The administration appealed to the Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court and lost. Both courts denied its request to stay Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
After its Supreme Court loss, the administration said it was appealing Kacsmaryk’s ruling, vowing to “vigorously challenge it.” In a statement, it said, “As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith. Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the Government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocols.”
But compliance hasn’t happened, as evidenced by the flood of illegal immigrants the administration is releasing into the U.S. and by the tactics it’s used in court to circumvent the law, the AGs argue.
“From the beginning of this Administration, the United States has been forthright about its intention to terminate MPP simply because it did not like the program, and its conduct demonstrates its readiness to do anything – including ignore the APA’s requirements – to accomplish that objective,” they argue in the brief.
“The Administration’s ‘act now, justify later’ approach began on Inauguration Day, when it summarily paused MPP,” they add.
Throughout the appeals process, “the Fifth Circuit correctly concluded that the United States’ efforts to avoid judicial review violated basic principles of procedure,” they argue.
An unprecedented number of people are expected to come through the southern border after the administration ends the Title 42 public health authority May 23, the attorneys general have argued, necessitating the urgency for the Supreme Court to weigh in.
Implemented under President Donald Trump in January 2019, the MPP led to a reduction in the number of people entering the U.S. illegally. The Trump administration also invoked Title 42 to enable CBP and Border Patrol agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants and prevent entry to a greater number of people during a public health emergency.
Current law requires those not authorized to enter the U.S. to be detained, to stay in Mexico, or be “paroled” into the U.S. based on narrowly defined case-by-case circumstances including “urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”
The Biden administration has been issuing paroles en masse to release illegal immigrants into the U.S., the attorneys general argue, violating the law.
The administration maintains it’s inherited a flawed system, and its policies are more humane than the previous administration’s. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters last December after the administration lost another court battle in the case, “it is not our preference to be reimplementing and reinstituting the Migrant Protection program. … we still feel that the program is inefficient, inhumane, and we are not – we weren’t, we were – did not eagerly reimplement it.”
– – –
Bethany Blankley is a regular contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “AG Todd Rokita” by AG Todd Rokita.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--Keith Ellison Sues Minnesota Restaurant Owner Who Planned to Open Early, Threatens $150,000 in Fines

Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Sunday night that his office has sued a Minnesota restaurant owner who planned to reopen for business Monday .
Kris Schiffler , owner of Shady ’ s Bar and Grill , planned on reopening his six locations for dine-in business Monday , two weeks earlier than the June 1 reopening date set by the state .
He told one local outlet that he received a call from Ellison ’ s office Friday threatening $ 25,000 in fines per location , which would amount to $ 150,000 in total .
“ I can end up broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 163 employees of mine are going to do the same thing in a little bit here if we don ’ t get operating , ” Schiffler told WCCO .
The House Republican Caucus sent a letter to Ellison Sunday warning that the “ rural Minnesota economy is on the verge of collapse due to the numerous executive orders issued by Governor Walz.
” “ It has come to our attention that the Attorney General ’ s Office is contacting these businesses and threatening them with a fine , which could be up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners have the audacity to try and earn a living , ” said the letter .
“ We would like to think the Attorney General ’ s office has better things to do than to financially punish people who have gone without a paycheck for nearly two months.
” A few hours later , Ellison ’ s office announced that it filed an enforcement action against Schiffler and his chain of restaurants because he has “ repeatedly publicly represented his intention to violate Executive Order 20-56 by reopening the restaurants for on-premises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of bar and restaurant owners have said they don ’ t want to wait any longer and want to reopen illegally .
Over the past several days , my office has reached out to them to try to educate them on their rights and responsibilities under the law and the risks to Minnesotans ’ health of reopening illegally .
In almost all cases , owners have agreed to comply with the law .
I thank them for complying , ” Ellison said in a press release .
“ The owner of Shady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his intention to break the law and endanger his customers and employees – in Stearns County , with the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota .
My office has the duty to enforce the law and the Governor ’ s order , to protect Minnesotans ’ health , and to protect businesses that are complying with the order from unfair competition .
I take that duty seriously , ” he continued .
The lawsuit asks the courts to prevent Schiffler from reopening early and allow the Attorney General ’ s Office to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ellison said the lawsuit marks the first enforcement action brought by his office to “ prevent the premature restart of on-site consumption.
” A GoFundMe page was created for Schiffler and had raised more than $ 200,000 as of Monday afternoon .
Schiffler spoke to a crowd of supporters Monday outside his Albany location and said his lawyers advised him not to defy Ellison ’ s demands .
“ The attorney general has just called and they have shut us down , ” he said .
“ Our attorney has advised us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said it will continue to investigate other bars , restaurants , and taverns that threaten to “ illegally reopen for on-premises consumption.
” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Shady ’ s ” amd “ Kris Schiffler ” by Kris Schiffler .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--Ohio House Democrats Call for Statewide Mail-In Voting, Eliminating Application for Absentee Ballot

Ohio House Democrats want to mail a ballot to every voter in the state and skip the “ confusing application step , ” according to an election proposal put forward Friday .
“ Our members have worked intensely over the last several months pushing for improvements in the primary election and now proposing needed fixes to ensure a fall election that goes much more smoothly than the primary , ” House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes ( D-Akron ) ( pictured above ) said in a statement .
“ I am proud of the work they ’ ve done to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No one should have to choose between their fundamental right to vote and their health and safety .
We can and must protect both , ” she added .
Democrats said their proposal for the November general election was created by a House working group and will be introduced as a bill .
The plan calls for sending a mail-in ballot to every registered voter in the state with return postage prepaid .
The Democratic proposal wants to get rid of the “ confusing application step ” for mail-in voting that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting rights in the primary.
” Alternatively , if ballot applications continue to be required for mail-in voting , Democrats would like to send an application to every registered voter and allow voters to apply online .
“ During this pandemic we have a duty to protect Ohioans ’ rights .
We can protect people ’ s health and their liberty .
It is not either/or .
We have put together a proposal that balances trusted voting methods for all Ohio voters .
By expanding and improving absentee mail voting , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while also taking pressure off the in-person polling places that many people still rely on , ” said Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson ( D-Toledo ) .
The proposal further calls for accepting ballots that are postmarked by Election Day .
Current law requires absentee ballots to be postmarked by the day before the election , which is a “ source of great confusion and misinformation , ” according to House Democrats .
Another measure would allow counties to set up “ multiple secure drop-boxes ” in the community for voters to “ drop off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allow voters to have a trusted helper deliver their ballots to their boards of election .
Current law only permits certain family members to return ballots for someone but excludes grandchildren , cousins , roommates , and friends of the voter ’ s choosing , ” the proposal continues .
The proposal concludes by calling on Secretary of State Frank LaRose to reinstate voters who have been purged from Ohio ’ s voter rolls if they still live in the state , implement automatic voter registration , and create an online portal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not afford a repeat of the chaos and uncertainty that surrounded the March 17 election and the unconstitutional attempt to move it to June 2 with only minimal voter outreach , ” said Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney ( D-Cleveland ) .
“ This plan ensures that election workers will have clear and definitive directions as well as ample time and resources to prepare for the general election in November .
We must act now to preserve Ohioans ’ right to vote in the face of a global pandemic .
Elections are too important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action ” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--Michigan Gov. Whitmer Refuses to Apologize for Coronavirus Restrictions, Says ‘I’m Not Changing the

Michigan Gov. Whitmer Refuses to Apologize for Coronavirus Restrictions, Says ‘I’m Not Changing the Way I Run This State’

Democratic Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer said Monday that she will not change the way she runs Michigan during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Michigan governor discussed her coronavirus restrictions and the protests that have erupted against her executive orders during an interview with Fox News .
Whitmer sparked outrage after implementing strict stay-at-home orders prohibiting Michigan residents from visiting their family and friends , holding public and private gatherings of any kind , and restricting which businesses may operate .
“ There is a lot of politics at play here , unfortunately , ” Whitmer told Fox News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nature instead of being focused on the stay-at-home order.
” “ But I ’ ve been focused on doing my job , and I ’ m going to keep doing that and I ’ m not going to apologize about that , ” Whitmer said , before adding , “ I ’ m not changing the way I run this state because of some protests.
” Protests against Whitmer ’ s restrictions began in the middle of April and have continued almost weekly in Lansing , Mich. , Fox News reported , causing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together during the pandemic .
Whitmer has also raised concerns about protestors carrying assault weapons .
“ The threats of violence are very real and no one in public life should be subject to that , ” Whitmer said .
“ With everyone from local leaders to my calls with the White House , I ’ ve asked if we can all please do whatever we can to bring down the heat.
” Despite the protests , the Michigan governor has not backed down .
Whitmer previously warned that her executive orders are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference .
“ I expect people to follow the law .
These executive orders are not a suggestion .
They ’ re not optional .
They ’ re not helpful hints , ” Whitmer said May 11 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-19--57 Workers Test Positive for COVID-19 at Tennessee Food Processing Facility

Loudon County Mayor Rollen Bradshaw announced Sunday that 57 employees of a food processing facility have tested positive for COVID-19 .
Bradshaw said 57 of the nearly 300 employees at a Monterey Mushroom facility in Loudon County tested positive for the virus .
“ Yes , that is a high number but we ’ ve known the entire time that active case numbers were not a true reflection of total numbers in the County .
I was also told that an overwhelming majority , if not all , were asymptomatic .
This is a drastic jump in confirmed cases but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be doing to protect ourselves , ” he said in a statement posted to Facebook .
Bradshaw claimed that residents can ’ t “ catch the virus from the mushrooms , ” but urged customers to wash their hands “ after removing them from the package.
” “ The company is going above and beyond to reduce or eliminate exposure at the plant and folks who tested positive have been made aware and given instructions .
There is still no reason to panic , hoard , or give up .
We knew the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
Now that it has happened we need to work our way through it , ” he added .
The 57 cases account for 60 percent of Loudon County ’ s 94 total cases .
Food processing plants across the country , especially meatpacking plants , have seen large outbreaks of the coronavirus .
The Smithfield Foods pork processing facility in Sioux Falls , South Dakota has seen 1,095 workers test positive , while the JBS USA pork production facility in Worthington , Minnesota now has 654 cases .
The New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities across the country that have coronavirus outbreaks .
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) said approximately 4,913 workers at 115 meat and poultry processing facilities have tested positive nationally .
“ Factors potentially affecting risk for infection include difficulties with workplace physical distancing and hygiene and crowded living and transportation conditions , ” said the report .
The Monterey Mushroom facility doesn ’ t plan to close , but all employees who have tested positive will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meatpacking plants as critical infrastructure in an April executive order in an effort to avoid a potential meat shortage .
The Trousdale Turner Correctional Center remains the largest coronavirus cluster in Tennessee and is the third largest identified outbreak in the U.S. with more than 1,300 cases .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Image “ Monterey Mushroom Processing ” by Monterey Mushrooms .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--State Rep. Bruce Griffey’s Says His Bill to Tax Out-of-Country Wire Transfers Will Solve State’s COV

State Rep. Bruce Griffey’s Says His Bill to Tax Out-of-Country Wire Transfers Will Solve State’s COVID-19 Revenue Shortfall

State Representative Bruce Griffey sponsored a bill that he says will solve Tennessee ’ s revenue shortfall caused by the shutdown associated with the COVID-19 pandemic .
In a May 19 letter to the editor ( embedded below ) , Griffey offers , “ How To Solve Tennessee ’ s COVID 19 ( a.k.a .
Chinese virus ) Budget Problem.
” Calling the solution “ simple , ” Griffey calls for passing his HB1706 , which was sponsored by Senator Mark Pody under SB2075 , which would impose sales tax on money transfers from Tennessee to foreign countries .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s revenues were $ 693.8 million less than the $ 1.3 billion budgeted for the month of April , which was a negative growth rate of 40 percent compared to April 2019 , The Tennessee Star reported .
The legislator ’ s proposal would have the 7 percent state sales tax rate and up to the maximum 2.5 percent sales tax that the locals have adopted applied to money transfers going to foreign countries .
The sales tax would apply to persons making such transfers only if the person is without a social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other words , illegal aliens .
The fiscal note associated with the bill estimated that the collection of the taxes would generate $ 371 in new revenue in the first half-year of implementation and $ 742 million in each year that follows .
Griffey points out that most Tennesseans are probably not aware that in 2018 , there was $ 14.5 billion in money transfers to foreign countries from Tennessee alone .
Meanwhile , in 2017 illegal immigration cost Tennessee taxpayers $ 793 million for the additional burdens on our education system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other things , says Griffey .
The application of the sales tax on out-of-country wire transfers is limited to only those who are not in the state or federal taxpayer system , because they are not contributing like other Tennesseans , according to the representative .
In a sales tax reliant state like Tennessee , when cash is transferred outside the state , it will never be spent in the state and , in turn , can not support the state ’ s economy .
Griffey made a related proposal last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from each customer of $ 10 plus one percent of the transfer amount over $ 500 .
A portion of the fees would have been used for specific law enforcement related activities and half would have been designated for the purpose of securing the southern border .
Both bills met their demise in the House Banking & Investments Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee .
While the make-up of the committee differs from last year to this , the bills died from No votes or “ Present and not voting ” by Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before recessing due to the coronavirus pandemic , passed a tax increase on all Tennesseans that amounts to $ 112 million in the first partial year and $ 151 million in future full years , The Star reported .
The bill , SB2182 / HB2249 , requires that all marketplace facilitators with sales in Tennessee over $ 500,000 such as Amazon and Ebay collect sales tax .
The measure passed by an overwhelming majority in both the House with an 86 Ayes , 1 No and 4 Present and not voting and 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not voting in the Senate .
Griffey questions whether his fellow Republican legislators were convinced that his HB1706 was a bad bill by lobbyists for the licensed money transfer agents .
He explains that the bill could be brought back up for consideration by suspending the rules or by one of the legislators who voted against or didn ’ t vote asking to change their vote and reconsidering the actions .
The legislature plans to reconvene on June 1 with floor sessions , while House subcommittee meetings are set to resume on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .

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--2020-05-20--Commentary: Resolving the Argument Between Lockdown and Liberty

As the debate between those who want an unlimited lockdown and those who want to reopen America as quickly as possible becomes more clangorous every day , months of intensive study and sad experience with the coronavirus enable us to determine the best course and resolve the argument .
The shutdown must end in all but severely afflicted areas .
Its original purpose was to “ flatten the curve.
” In the early stages , the number of coronavirus reported cases and deaths in the United States was doubling every few days .
Horrifying projections based on the scanty evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put as much pressure and blame on the president as possible for his initially somewhat casual treatment of the subject , stirred fears of millions of deaths and of a universal vulnerability to an almost untreatable fatal illness .
As viruses do not die and only become dormant , there was no possibility of stamping the coronavirus out completely in any country that it had entered .
Flattening the curve was always a method for slowing the progress of the coronavirus , but never had any possibility of eliminating it .
Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely unsustainable beyond a couple of months .
It was correctly estimated that unemployment would swiftly rise to 25 percent or more , a number not seen since the depth of the Great Depression in 1933 .
The shutdown achieved its initial purpose ; the incidence of coronavirus has declined from its height of several thousand to approximately 1,400 fatalities per day last week .
We now know that approximately 80 percent of fatalities occur among the approximately 20 percent of people above the age of 60 , especially those with supplementary problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic burden of the shutdown rests most heavily upon Americans of working age , so 90 percent of the economic cost of the shutdown is endured by the physically strongest 80 percent of the population , in order chiefly to protect the 20 percent of the population that is most at risk .
Obviously no responsible or civilized person wants to turn these facts into an equation that directly translates the value of any human life into a precise amount of money .
The United States , however , is now facing either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able-bodied , with redoubled effort to protect and assist those most vulnerable to the pandemic , or a continuation of the shutdown which will either hobble the nation with unsustainable amounts of inflationary debt or impose a grinding poverty on tens of millions of people who are not only blameless but are not condemned to that state by the normal forces of a free market .
The national Democrats involved in the presidential campaign , and the great majority of the national political media who are as fervently committed to the defeat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have been the authors of an unannounced mission creep by which flattening the curve has been informally redefined to the elimination of the coronavirus , in an effort to lumber the administration with an unattainable goal .
On the heels of the Russian and impeachment fiascos and reduced to carrying the thoroughly defeated Joe Biden to the edge of the nomination in order to avoid the Marxist nightmare of a Bernie Sanders presidential candidacy , the Democrats and their media accomplices are trying to create a moral imperative for the president to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of medical success in order to create an economic depression that could give them a chance of replacing Trump in the White House with the palsied candidate haltingly campaigning for the presidency from his basement in Delaware .
Since neither party is prepared to forgo massive assistance to the economic victims of the shutdown , this Democratic strategy includes , as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) revealed last week , continuing to deluge the country ( and particularly traditional Democratic constituencies ) with trillions of dollars of borrowed money .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump obligingly becomes the Herbert Hoover of the 21st century by subscribing to an impossible plan to eliminate an indestructible virus .
We now know from a rich variety of statistics from many advanced countries that the number of people apt to die from the coronavirus is almost none beneath the age of 20 , approximately 1 in 25,000 in their 20s , 1 in 14,000 in their 30s , 1 in 7,000 in their 40s , 1 in 1,000 in their 50s , and 1 in 200 in their 60s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has only approximately one-third more deaths per capita than the United States from the coronavirus , demonstrates that the continued shutdown only trades self-induced penury for a modest reduction in the incidence of the illness .
There is only one possible solution : wait for a vaccine , and whether a vaccine eventually is developed or not , achieve what is rather crudely described as “ herd immunity.
” All the data indicate that the number of people infected by the coronavirus who have mild or no symptoms is over 90 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and there is ample evidence that individuals who have recovered from the coronavirus may ( rarely ) be attacked again by it , though such attacks are considerably less effective and much more strenuously resisted .
It is this development of antibodies among the great majority of coronavirus sufferers who recovered from the illness that provides the only certain route to defeating the illness , barring a vaccine .
The Democrats ’ argument is that Trump failed to develop an adequate testing capacity early and that accordingly the entire population must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed as being infected by the coronavirus must identify everyone with whom they have been in close contact in the last 14 days so that those people may be traced and quarantined .
Of course this is complete nonsense and would require a medical constabulary dragnet over practically the whole population .
It is of a piece with the Obama theory that the current administration ’ s management of the coronavirus crisis has been a shambles .
This administration inherited an antediluvian anti-pandemic capability from Obama that included testing only by appointment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Georgia for eventual evaluation .
The speed with which the Trump Administration sponsored the development of instant testing and the vast increase in production of supplies and necessary equipment and hospital capacity was by any standard impressive , and more than adequate to meet the problem .
The importance of tests has been absurdly exaggerated ; their use is in developing data and satisfying the curiosity of the individual tested about whether that person has at that time the coronavirus or not .
It is no silver bullet to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t and they can test negative today and positive tomorrow .
For all of these reasons the conclusion is clear : without getting into the constitutionality of continued restriction of the right of people to move about freely and without imputing motives to the advocates of impractical options , additional measures should be taken to warn and assist the vulnerable and especially those in homes for the elderly , and the country as a whole should be returned to full normal activity on a fast timetable .
Those who are most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon to act prudently .
The stadiums , theatres , and immense restaurant , hospitality , travel , and pleasure cruise industries of America can not be closed all summer and reduced to mendicancy from fear that a few vulnerable people will be incautious about their own condition .
Above all , the United States , as the world ’ s most important country , should lead our entire species out of an attitude of fear verging on cowardice and tainted with political opportunism , to a posture of prudent strength and determination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restore the lives and livelihoods of those whose vulnerability is economic and not medical , and assert the human spirit of survival and progress over a demeaning and unfeasible culture of intimidation lest we live like furtive , fearful , moles .
Conrad Black has been one of Canada ’ s most prominent financiers for 40 years , and was one of the leading newspaper publishers in the world as owner of the British telegraph newspapers , the Fairfax newspapers in Australia , the Jerusalem Post , Chicago Sun-Times and scores of smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the daily newspapers in Canada .
Photo “ Lockdown Protesters ” by Lorie Shaull .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Howie Carr on Neil McCabe’s Treasury Dept. Whistleblower Report:  ‘You’ve Really Advanced the Story

Howie Carr on Neil McCabe’s Treasury Dept. Whistleblower Report:  ‘You’ve Really Advanced the Story Here’

Neil McCabe appeared on Boston radio talk show king Howie Carr ’ s program on Tuesday to discuss his recent Treasury Department whistleblower story .
Carr : There is an article that is written by Neil McCabe who ’ ve I ’ ve known for a long time from Boston who I ’ ve known for a long time who is now a big national correspondent for Star News Digital Media newspapers and he ’ s a media fellow at the Gold Institute .
I saw this story today that “ The Treasury Department Spied on Flynn , Manafort and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you saw last week Rick Grenell the acting director of National Intelligence released the list of the people who had unmasked Michael Flynn in the post-election transition to the Trump administration on January 20 .
And seven of them were from the Treasury Department .
We all kind of wondered what was going on with all these treasury people wanting to look at Flynn ’ s phone records .
Now it turns out there ’ s more context to what happened with the Treasury Department that was illegally bird-dogging Flynn .
So joining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thanks for being with us on the Howie Carr Show .
McCabe : Oh absolutely Howie and I really want to thank you when I was with One America News you were the cornerstone of our news special on the truth behind Elizabeth Warren .
That was great stuff and I really appreciate you coming on with us man .
Carr : My pleasure Neil .
You found this Treasury Department whistleblower .
Tell us what she said to you and what she told you about the Treasury Department under Obama was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been talking to someone close to her for over a year and she just didn ’ t want to come forward .
So there was a lot of back and forth .
Like you , I saw this unmasking where there were seven treasury officials including Jacob Lew who is the Treasury Secretary and Sarah Raskin who is the deputy secretary and the wife of Congressman Raskin who of course was part of the impeachment team .
And they had that meeting on December 14 , I still don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She doesn ’ t know what happened on December 14 .
But what she did tell me that in December of 2015 she started seeing metadata that is name , time , access .
Not actually what they were looking for but she started seeing reports come through that somebody in the treasury in the office of intelligence and analysis was going through his financial records and monitoring his financial transactions .
And that continued into 2016 when she reached out to someone else who is a woman who has been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to somebody else who is also in the treasury intelligence community .
The two of them basically looked at this and said this is wrong , we ’ ve got to speak up .
They tried to ring the bell and they got shut down .
Carr : Let me just point out again .
This started according to Neil ’ s source here in December of 2015 .
Donald Trump wasn ’ t even the front runner for the Republican nomination at that point .
It kind of puts the lie to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today where they make it appear that they only became interested in Flynn when he began talking with the Russian ambassador after the election .
So 11 months before the election they are not dipping into his phone records with the Russians but these hacks in the treasury , these Democrat hacks are looking at his financial transactions .
Is that the bottom line ?
McCabe : Yes , and I will point out maybe you know the details better than I do but it ’ s my understanding that Flynn hadn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn was actually talking to other candidates .
This was very much a Flynn centric operation .
The other name was Paul Manafort ’ s name and Flynn ’ s name are in her complaint to the office of the special counsel and the IG at the treasury .
There are other names she can ’ t say because they are not part of the paperwork .
So I asked her who else ?
Where there members of Congress ?
Yes .
Were there senior staffers in the Trump campaign ?
Yes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ?
And members of the Trump family ?
Yes .
Carr : You know Trey Gowdy the former Congressman from South Carolina who was in a lot of these intelligence committee hearings and he said they were unmasking members of the Trump family on inauguration day in the morning .
I just want to read something from the story here .
This rouse tapping into their financial transactions was used to get around using classified resources to surveil Americans because they didn ’ t have a court warrant and hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had more information is more accessible than they were targeting from the black box meaning more accessible information they would go to the white box for a faster and more informed search .
This was a strictly illegal dirty tricks situation .
This is the kind of stuff they accused Nixon of doing .
He never had the capacity or resources .
I don ’ t think he had the will to do something like this you know ?
McCabe : I will also point out if you want to talk about unmasking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rendition of the executive order that governs surveillance EO-12333 and it was like the 12th that you see that the secretary to the treasury Jack Lew accesses Flynn ’ s records .
And on the 12th you see a ton of people access that list on the 12th because that was the day that Obama opened it up to everybody .
Carr : This surveillance program , again this is the illegal surveillance program that was run out of the Treasury Department .
Which was then under the leadership of SS .
Leslie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had a one year stint as an Obama intelligence briefer .
So , in other words , he was a soldier in the Obama crime family and they put him in their just like they put Lew in there because he was the chief of staff for Obama .
They needed to keep the lid on these dirty tricks .
Do you think they were dipping into all the financial records ?
Is that where you think she ’ s getting at your whistleblower ?
Do you think they were dipping into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates ?
Senator Grassley said they were probably illegally surveilling all the Republican candidates .
Do you think that ’ s what she was getting at your whistleblower ?
McCabe : I mean think about it .
You are a reporter .
If a cop leaves a folder off a desk and walks away would you look through the folder ?
Why would you stop ?
Think about it if you go back to Watergate and Nixon most of those investigators weren ’ t looking into Nixon .
They were auditing Bob Dole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They investigated every Republican who could have run for president in ’ 76 and just charged it to the Watergate account .
Carr : If you are digging through financial records and you do it very carefully you might be able to spot something a check , let ’ s say just to make something up like an abortion and you got some kids adopted and you didn ’ t do it in a proper way through a back door payment to somebody all of a sudden you have a lot of blackmail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate for president .
McCabe : So go back Howie to black-box versus the white box .
In the black box , you see a check to the abortion clinic then you go to the white box and you say , “ Oh , on Facebook they were out of town on the same day .
Oh , OK let ’ s go to the security cameras.
” We see them walking into the building .
Once you have all the details you need on the black box you can go to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of how they get a parallel description on you to say we don ’ t need a warrant it ’ s right on your Facebook page .
Carr : This is pretty amazing .
We ’ ve got another woman coming up in the next hour that ’ s sort of on the same topic how Adam Housely on Fox has been saying that this thing is just massive .
It ’ s almost unbelievable how many people were under surveillance and the depth of the surveillance that they were under .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t it , Neil McCabe ?
McCabe : Well , yes I don ’ t have proof it was hundreds of people but why would you stop ?
If I had all afternoon to just look up anybody I want why wouldn ’ t I ?
Carr : Right .
( Chuckles ) We ’ re both reporters .
It ’ s very addictive once you get started .
Carr : Then you are just digging .
Pretty soon it becomes a hobby .
You go home and put your feet up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the evening .
It ’ s more fun than watching TV .
McCabe : OK. Then you see the connections .
Then you see something in the Flynn file and you say oh , now I get what the connection is .
Carr : Yes .
There have been other stories earlier on the surveillance on Flynn in various forms that were going back to 2014 .
Your story says you have it connected back to 2015 .
He ’ s got a hell of a civil suit once he gets rid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Sullivan .
Can you imagine that ?
How much time and effort did they expend and how many people were involved in trying to kill this guy a three-star general ?
McCabe : You saw what they disclosed today the declass of Susan Rice memo of Comey going after Flynn .
I had no idea that Flynn was the scariest guy on earth .
Who knew that Mike Flynn was such a scary guy .
Carr : Neil McCabe this is a great story .
We ’ re going to tweet it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keep us informed about this .
You ’ ve really advanced the story here .
This is quite interesting .
I think we ’ ll be reading more about this .
Thank you , Neil McCabe , of the Star News Digital Media newspapers .
He ’ s also a media fellow from the Gold Institute .
Photo “ Howie Carr ” by Howie Carr .
Background Photo “ Treasury Building ” by Sealy J. CC BY 4.0


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Comey Said He Had ‘No Indication’ Flynn Colluded with Russia According to Declassified ‘By the Book’

Comey Said He Had ‘No Indication’ Flynn Colluded with Russia According to Declassified ‘By the Book’ Email

A newly declassified document confirms that the Obama administration was spying on Lt. General Michael Flynn even though the FBI had “ no indication ” that President Trump ’ s short-lived national security advisor had been colluding with Russia .
According to the document , disgraced former FBI director James Comey told then-President Obama that he had “ no indication thus far that Flynn has passed classified information to Kislyak.
” White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice sent herself a curious email on Jan. 20 , 2017 , detailing a Russia briefing with Obama , then-Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then-CIA Director John Brennan , then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper , and fired former FBI Director James Comey .
Portions of Rice ’ s email have previously been released , but some Flynn-related material remained redacted until Tuesday , May 19 .
According to the email , after the briefing , Obama asked Yates and Comey to “ stay behind , ” and said he had “ learned of the information about Flynn ” and his conversation with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak about sanctions .
According to recently declassified documents , Yates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised ” to hear Obama asking about Flynn ’ s discussions with Kislyak in the meeting because she had not been aware of the calls herself .
Recall that Obama ’ s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough made an unmasking request on Flynn on that same day .
Joe Biden also made an unmasking request on Jan. 12 , 2017 —the day before the illegally leaked information about Flynn ’ s phone calls with Kislyak were published in the Washington Post .
Rice wrote in her email that Obama “ specified that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter , but was seeking information on whether the White House should be treating Flynn any differently , given the information.
” He also allegedly stressed that Comey ’ s team “ should proceed as it normally would by the book.
” “ From a national security perspective , President Obama said he wants to be sure that , as we engage with the incoming team , we are mindful to ascertain if there is any reason we can not share information fully as it relates to Russia , ” Rice wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI had been spying on Trump ’ s campaign and later his transition team as part of its Crossfire Hurricane investigation .
Rice ’ s email , declassified by acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell , says that Comey then told Obama that he was doing everything “ by the book ” as it relates to law enforcement , ” but he had “ concerns ” about Flynn because he was “ speaking frequently ” with Kislyak .
Flynn spoke by phone with Kislyak five times in December 2016 after President Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia for interfering in the 2016 presidential election .
Flynn , an experienced national security professional who knew his calls would be monitored , merely told the Russian ambassador not to escalate tensions , and Russia agreed .
“ President Obama asked if Comey was saying that the NSC should not pass sensitive information related to Russia to Flynn , ” Rice wrote .
According to the email , “ Comey replied ‘ potentially , ’ ” and “ added that he has no indication thus far that Flynn has passed classified information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ the level of communication is unusual.
’ ” Because the FBI was listening in on the phone calls , Comey knew full well that Flynn was not sharing “ sensitive information ” with the Russian ambassador .
Moreover , Comey gleefully admitted during a television interview a year later that his team did not do things “ by the book ” when he sent a pair of agents to the White House interview the new national security advisor without a lawyer present .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--COVID-19 Closes Williamson County’s Softball Fields, but Indoor Rec Centers Stay Open

Williamson County Parks & Recreation officials , because of COVID-19 , have padlocked all outdoor softball fields to keep people off the premises .
But those same county officials allow access to their indoor recreation centers , where people can , among other things , play tennis and basketball .
Spring Hill parent Lori Wigginton said she doesn ’ t understand the disparity .
“ They can ’ t arbitrarily lock fields that are considered public property that we pay taxes for , and that ’ s my whole premise for this .
We fund it.
” Wigginton said county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago .
She also said she has reached out to Gov .
Bill Lee , among several other public officials at the state and county levels .
Williamson County Parks & Recreation Director W. Gordon Hampton told The Star in an email Tuesday that he and other county officials restricted access to the softball fields to abide by Lee ’ s Tennessee Pledge .
According to the governor ’ s website , Lee and several representatives from the public and private sectors crafted the Pledge to help state residents return to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reboot Tennessee ’ s economy .
“ Governor Lee ’ s Tennessee Pledge guidance for reopening of some recreational activities continues to state that adult and youth team sports and leagues should remain closed , and that social distancing should continue , ” Hampton said .
“ While we attempted to open fields when the Governor ’ s stay at home order was initially lifted , we found that patrons were not willing to comply with these expectations.
” Hampton said that anyone who operates a pool , park , basketball court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas “ if the circumstances and operation of that particular venue would lead to persons gathering in groups of 10 or more.
” This is also true if separate groups of fewer than 10 are in close proximity to other groups of less than 10 .
“ Based upon this guidance and our experience when we attempted to open the ball fields , we are continuing to keep them closed until we can offer them consistent with state guidance and the safety and health of our patrons , ” Hampton said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recreation centers open ?
“ Only some activities in our indoor recreation centers have opened , all consistent with the TN Pledge Guidance , ” Hampton said .
“ In our indoor centers we are better able to manage social distancing , limitations on groups and hygiene protocols than is possible at outdoor field scattered across the County.
” Hampton said he and other officials will reopen the fields as soon as they “ can do so safely.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Anti-Homeschool Harvard Professor Thumbs Her Nose at ‘Conservative Christians’

After the school received backlash for Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Bartholet ’ s call for a ban on homeschooling , she ’ s doubling down .
The Harvard Gazette gave Bartholet a chance to clarify her statements in an interview published Friday .
In the piece , titled “ A warning on homeschooling , ” Bartholet doubled down on her anti-homeschooling stance , proposing even stricter government regulations on the practice than in her original article .
Bartholet attributes the increased interest in homeschooling in America to the “ growth in the conservative evangelical movement , ” explaining that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a way to “ escape from the secular education in public schools , ” after a failed effort “ to have their children exempted from exposure to alternative values in schools.
” “ Many homeschooling parents are extreme ideologues , committed to raising their children within their belief systems isolated from any societal influence , ” Bartholet warns , offering examples of families that “ believe that black people are inferior to white people ” and that “ women should be subject to men.
” Bartholet goes on to explain that homeschooling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not have the chance to choose for themselves whether to exit these ideological communities , ” and “ society may not have the chance to teach them values important to the larger community , such as tolerance of other people ’ s views and values.
” When offered a chance to explain her proposed “ presumptive ban ” on homeschooling , Bartholet offered a clearer view of how exactly she hopes to regulate the practice .
Her proposed policies would effectively ban anybody from fully homeschooling their own children .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transformation of the homeschooling regime , ” Bartholet said plainly , before explaining that parents wishing to homeschool would have to “ demonstrate that they have a legitimate reason to homeschool , ” as well as that they are “ qualified to provide an adequate education ” and that such an education would be “ comparable in scope ” to that of public schools .
She goes on to explain that those parents “ granted permission ” to teach their own children would still be required to put their children in “ at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they get exposure to a set of alternative values and experiences .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Steve Cohen Endorses Video of Robert De Niro Bragging He Would Do Violence to Donald Trump

Last weekend a Twitter user out of Jackson , Tenn. shared a video of actor Robert De Niro bragging he wants to punch President Donald Trump in the face — and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) shared it .
The Twitter user , who goes by @ Jasonmjarrett , tagged Cohen and added his own commentary to the De Niro video : “ I believe my @ RepCohen would agree in Memphis .
I ’ m in Jackson and I feel this same sentiment.
” And , later that day , Cohen obliged and apparently endorsed De Niro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s post .
Cohen offered no commentary of his own .
Does Cohen want to punch Trump in the face , as De Niro does ?
No one in Cohen ’ s office replied to The Tennessee Star ’ s request for comment Tuesday .
In the video , a visibly angry De Niro hurls a number of epithets toward Trump : “ stupid , ” “ punk , ” “ pig , ” “ con , ” and “ a mutt.
” “ He ’ s an embarrassment to this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country has gotten to this point that this fool , this bozo , has wound up where he has .
He talks how he wants to punch people in the face ?
” De Niro said .
“ Well , I ’ d like to punch him in the face .
This is somebody that we want for president ?
I don ’ t think so .
What I care about is the direction of this country .
And what I ’ m very very worried about is that it might go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump.
” As The Star has reported several times , Cohen takes political and personal jabs at the 45th president whenever and wherever possible .
As reported in February , for instance , Cohen bragged that Trump will forever have his name tarnished with the word impeachment .
It doesn ’ t matter that the U.S. Senate voted to acquit him , he said at the time .
As reported last summer , Cohen made similar remarks several months before the U.S. House of Representatives even impeached the president .
As reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst person in the world.
” Cohen also called Trump a “ paranoid , delusional individual ” and said one of Trump ’ s rallies was on par with Nazism .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Steve Cohen ” by Steve Cohen.Background Photo “ Robert De Niro Video ” by Jason M. Jarrett .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--‘Null and Void:’ Judge Overturns Oregon Gov. Brown’s COVID-19 Executive Orders

Brown exceeded her authority when she restricted activities for longer than the 28 days the governor is authorized under a state law , Baker County Circuit Court Judge Matt Shirtcliff said .
The judge ’ s ruling effectively blocks enforcement of the 10 orders Brown gave since early March when she first imposed stay-at-home orders on citizens .
Shirtcliff ’ s decision came after Elkhorn Baptist Church of Baker City filed a lawsuit challenging the duration of the governor ’ s legal authority .
Salem attorney Ray Hacke of the nonprofit Pacific Justice Institute filed the lawsuit .
Bill Harvey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Commissioners , filed a lawsuit as a nonparty participant , telling reporters Monday that his “ emphasis was that she [ Brown ] overstepped her bounds.
” He filed as an individual rather than a state official .
Two attorneys with the Oregon Department of Justice requested Shirtcliff to either issue a stay or to wait 48 hours before entering his decision into the record , meaning the injunction would not take effect immediately .
Shirtcliff denied the requests , saying he would enter his decision right away .
Brown noted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appealing the ruling , which applies to the entire state .
“ This will ensure we can continue to safeguard the health of all Oregonians — including frontline health care workers , those living in nursing homes , workers in agriculture and food processing plants , and Oregonians with underlying health conditions — while the legal process moves forward , ” the Democratic governor said .
Brown ’ s attorneys — Marc Abrams and Christina Beatty-Walters — argued that the governor ’ s orders were working to limit the spread of coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , killing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide .
The “ issue is not whether it ’ s working .
It ’ s whether she has exceeded the limits of her authority , ” Hacke countered .
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , for instance , was criticized after implementing strict stay-at-home orders prohibiting citizens from visiting their family and friends , or from holding public and private gatherings .
Chris White is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Kate Brown ” by Kate Brown .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Commentary:  To Liberals Disdain, CBS News’ Catherine Herridge Is an Honest Reporter

After CBS national security reporter , who once held the same job at Fox , broke the story that Joe Biden was one of the 39 government officials who “ unmasked ” General Mike Flynn , Andrew Bates , one of Biden ’ s top spokesmen sent this tweet : SCOOP : Catherine Herridge is a partisan , rightwing hack who is a regular conduit for conservative media manipulation ploys because she agrees to publicize things before contacting the target to ask for comment .
Soon after that attack , the Daily Beast weighed-in to , with only slightly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a righwinger .
Max Tani at The Daily Beast posted the attack on Herridge under the headline “ The New CBS Reporter Driving Democrats—and Some of Her Own Colleagues—Crazy.
” Tani claimed , “ Herridge has also occasionally shaken up the normal course of business at CBS News , which has a reputation for by-the-book , no-nonsense reporting without a hint of bias .
Some staff have privately grumbled that she gives the network the appearance of partisan political bias .
“ Personally I and a few of my other colleagues are really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to CBS to do real news , not just GOP talking points , but she ’ s just doing more of the same stuff , ” one insider said .
Several CBS staffers noted how the Fox News editorial standards are different than those at the more buttoned-up traditional broadcast news outlet , perhaps an inherent challenge in Herridge ’ s transition to her new outlet.
” Editor ’ s Note : When you stop laughing at the claim CBS News “ has a reputation for by-the-book , no-nonsense reporting without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now here ’ s the tell in Tani ’ s article that this is not about journalism standards : “ Since jumping from Fox News to CBS last year , journalist Catherine Herridge has frustrated Democrats and some of her own co-workers , who worry she pushes ‘ GOP talking points ’ .
” The Daily Beast later posted a telling tweet , expanding on the Democrats ’ beef with Ms. Herridge : “ Democrats on Capitol Hill have grown particularly irked by Catherine Herridge ’ s work , believing she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for conservative conspiracy theorists who want to give their material the veneer of mainstream objectivity.
” Tani later admits “ Herridge has been careful to never cross the line into overt advocacy , ” and quotes CBS officials praising her work .
But it ’ s not hard to imagine that Herridge is finding herself to be the new version of Sharyl Attkisson , where many stories are sidelined to the internet because they ’ re too upsetting for liberals to grant the “ imprimatur of neutrality ’ .
” We have long-admired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharyl Attkisson precisely because they have reported stories that don ’ t fit the conventional wisdom and can be upsetting – and not just to liberals .
We don ’ t recall Ms. Herridge pulling any punches in her reporting on the national security failures of the Bush administration , same with Ms. Attkisson .
However , the Daily Beast claims some of Herridge ’ s stories have been relegated from television to the CBS ’ s online-only network CBSN .
According to one person with knowledge , said Tani , CBS News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national security council official Kash Patel to its digital streaming platform amid some concerns that an initial segment didn ’ t have enough opposing voices .
Where were the opposing voices in the breathless CBS News “ reporting ” on the Russiagate hoax ?
Nowhere to be found of course , because the totally false Trump – Russian collusion was the narrative that Democrats and their Deep State allies wanted to establish as the “ truth.
” And in our view busting that narrative was Catherine Herridge ’ s real sin in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBS and elsewhere .
Bloomberg ’ s highly respected Eli Lake , who covers much of the same national security beat Herridge covers tweeted in her defense : @ CBS_Herridge is doing her job and following a story that her media and partisan attackers once hyped , to their discredit .
To attack her is partisan gets it backwards .
Not reporting on the new documents on the Flynn case betrays partisanship .
Speaking with Fox News host Martha MacCallum on Friday , the Intercept ’ s decidedly liberal co-founder Glenn Greenwald praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting on the Russian collusion narrative in spite of attacks from 2020 Democratic candidate Joe Biden ’ s campaign staff .
“ I think Catherine Herridge is a reporter of the highest integrity and professionalism , ” Greenwald told MacCallum .
“ I find it extremely ironic because every time President Trump has insulted or attacked a journalist popular among mainstream media outlets , they proclaim that the republic is coming to an end , that it ’ s an assault on the free press.
” Greenwald , agreeing with us , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presented facts that run counter to prevailing narratives in the media about President Trump ’ s administration .
“ For years , there ’ s been no dissent and no questioning tolerated in the mainstream media when it comes to the Russiagate scandal , the Mueller probe , and she doesn ’ t play that game , ” said Greenwald .
“ And that ’ s why they want to punish her .
”


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Cotton Bill Blocks Stimulus ‘Handout’ to Illegal Aliens

Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton announced legislation Tuesday that would prevent state and local governments from using public funds to make coronavirus assistance payments to individuals living in the United States illegally .
Cotton plans to introduce the No Bailouts for Illegal Aliens Act , an amendment to the CARES Act that would restrict any future payments to states or municipalities until they certify they ’ re not distributing stimulus checks or other payments to illegal aliens .
“ Congress passed the CARES Act to help workers impacted by the China virus pandemic , not to give a handout to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The federal government shouldn ’ t be subsidizing states ’ efforts to send cash to illegal aliens , ” Cotton said in a prepared statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Under the auspices of the bill , states or municipalities would be deemed ineligible for further funds provided by the CARES Act if they are not compliant with the certification requirements .
Cotton ’ s office specifically singled out California , which on Monday began accepting applications from illegal aliens for direct cash assistance .
Cotton ’ s bill does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and non-profit groups under the CARES Act , and also does not affect the unemployment measures or relief checks given to American under the CARES Act .
Introduction of the legislation marks the latest back-and-forth between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of coronavirus relief for those living in the U.S. illegally .
The CARES Act , the first major stimulus bill passed by Congress to provide economic relief to the country , did not allow illegal aliens eligible for assistance , sparking protest from some Democratic lawmakers .
The House of Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since passed the HEROES Act , which if signed into law would make many illegal aliens eligible for cash assistance by way of Taxpayer Identification Numbers .
On the day the House Democrats introduced their bill , House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy called it a “ liberal wishlist that has no chance of becoming law.
” The White House has also indicated that the Democrats ’ coronavirus package is a no-go .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--US Rejects WHO’s Abortion Language in Coronavirus Resolution

Hours after President Donald Trump threatened to quit the World Health Organization , the U.S. rejected abortion language in the World Health Organization ’ s coronavirus resolution Tuesday .
The U.S. representatives to the World Health Assembly said in a statement that it “ dissociates ” from the World Health Organization ( WHO ) language on guaranteeing the rights of poor countries to forgo intellectual property rules during emergencies in order to get medicine and to guarantee reproductive and sexual healthcare during the pandemic .
“ The United States strongly supports women reaching the highest attainable outcomes for health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives , ” the statement said .
“ We champion access to high-quality health care for women and girls across the lifespan .
However , we do not accept references to ‘ sexual and reproductive health , ’ or other language that suggests or explicitly states that access to abortion is included in the provision of population and individual level health services , ” the statement said .
“ The United States believes in legal protections for the unborn , and rejects any interpretation of international human rights , ” the statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stated , ‘ Americans will never tire of defending innocent life.
’ Each nation has the sovereign right to implement related programs and activities consistent with their laws and policies , free from external pressure.
” The statement notes that “ there is no international right to abortion , ” that there is no duty on the part of states to either “ finance or facilitate abortion , ” and that the United States does not recognize abortion as “ a method of family planning.
” Despite the objection to the abortion language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resolution , but allowed it to pass by unanimous consent .
The rejection of abortion language comes after Trump issued an ultimatum to the WHO Monday night over the organization ’ s “ alarming lack of independence ” from the Chinese government .
Trump warned the WHO to reform within the next month or lose U.S. funding .
“ I can not allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that , in its present state , is so clearly not serving America ’ s interests , ” POTUS ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump criticized the WHO ’ s “ alarming lack of independence ” from the Chinese government .
“ If the World Health Organization does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days , I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding to the World Health Organization permanent and reconsider our membership in the organization , ” the president added in the letter .
The WHO told the Daily Caller News Foundation in early April that “ services related to reproductive health are considered to be part of essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women ’ s choices and rights to sexual and reproductive health care should be respected , irrespective of whether or not she has a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection , ” WHO said in the statement to the DCNF .
“ This includes contraception , quality health care during and after pregnancy and childbirth , and safe abortion to the full extent of the law , ” the organization said , noting that the WHO provides both global technology and policy guidance to WHO members “ on the use of contraception to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment of complications from unsafe abortion.
” The WHO did not respond to repeated requests for comment from the DCNF .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Town of Farragut Resolution Petitions State and Federal Government to Halt 5G Pending FCC Reevaluati

Town of Farragut Resolution Petitions State and Federal Government to Halt 5G Pending FCC Reevaluation of Decades-Old Standards

The Town of Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman ( BOMA ) passed a resolution at its May 14 meeting urging the Tennesee and United States governments to take actions within their power to halt the deployment of the 5G wireless facilities within local rights-of-way until the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) reevaluates its decades-old standards .
The resolution goes on to state that the FCC , as the only agency with the authority to do so , should reevaluate through an independent study the adequacy of its radio frequency emissions standards and concludes that the standards are adequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public will not be adversely affected by long-term exposure to radiofrequency emissions due to the placement and operation of 5G wireless facilities .
The effort was spearheaded by Farragut resident , Mike Mitchell , who developed and presented the original proposal to the Farragut BOMA .
Mitchell , who refers to himself as a citizen advocate , told The Tennessee Star that his version focused more on the rights and self-governing authority of Farragut residents and recognized the duty of all governments to protect the peace , safety and happiness of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mitchell would have had Farragut ’ s five-member BOMA take a more definitive stance by making it unlawful for any business entity to “ engage in the planning , design , construction or operation of High Frequency 5G Wireless digital infrastructure , or to engage in land acquisition necessary for any of these purposes.
” Small cells are base stations or antennas that boost the high-speed but limited-range 5G millimeter waves , also known as Extremely High Frequency ( EHF ) .
Because the EHF waves don ’ t travel as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every community , thousands of the antennas will need to be deployed .
That puts the installation of poles or towers for the small cells every two to 10 houses .
In the town of Farragut , Mitchell told The Star that it could easily number 4,000 to 5,000 towers installed in the area , some of which have already been installed in Knoxville ’ s premiere Turkey Creek shopping area .
According to Realtor Magazine , the official magazine of the National Association of Realtors , an overwhelming 94 percent of home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are less interested and would pay less for a property located near a cell tower or antenna.
” “ What ’ s more , ” the article about a 2014 study went on to say , “ of the 1,000 survey respondents 79 percent said that under no circumstances would they ever purchase or rent a property within a few blocks of a cell tower or antennas , and almost 90 percent said they were concerned about the increasing number of cell towers and antennas in their residential neighborhood.
” A market sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices of properties were reduced by around 21 percent after a cell phone base station was built in the neighborhood.
” Mitchell estimates that the installation of 5G towers in the targeted upscale Farragut area in west Knoxville could result in a loss of as much as $ 200 million in property values .
That would not only impact homeowners looking to sell , but Knox County could see a corresponding drop in the associated property tax revenues .
While some cite the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as an assurance of safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 128-page Act includes no safety provisions .
Rather , the stated purpose of the Act is “ To promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies.
” The Act goes further to specifically state in Title VII , Sec .
704 ( 7 ) ( B ) ( II ) ( iv ) “ No State or local government or instrumentality thereof may regulate the placement , construction , and modification of personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the Commission ’ s regulations concerning such emissions.
” Mitchell told The Star that in 2018 , Congress reaffirmed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and raised the radiation levels to accommodate 5G and declared cell towers a utility .
Declaring cell towers a utility , Mitchell says , allows a cell tower to be put in front of your house in the right-of-way , and “ there ’ s nothing that can be done about it.
” Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EHT ) as a source for information .
EHT is a think tank that promotes a healthier environment through research , education and policy .
It is the “ only non-profit organization in the world that carries out cutting edge research on environmental health hazards and also works directly with communities , health and education professional , and policy makers to understand and mitigate these hazards , ” according to the website .
EHT founder and president , Devra Davis Ph.D. , M.P.H.
, has said “ The 5G rollout will dramatically increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollutant with documented harms to human health and the environment.
” Additionally , Davis points to numerous peer-reviewed research that document the adverse effects from cancer to DNA changes .
A number of other state and local governments around the country have passed resolutions regarding various aspects of 5G , many of which are more stringent than that of Farragut , reports EHT .
Town of Farragut Mayor Ron Williams stated in an email , “ It does not say anywhere in our Charter that it is the job of the BOMA to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war on the State of Tennessee to try to abolish a State Law particularly when it is backed by a Federal Law.
” Mitchell argued , however , that the Town of Farragut has spent over $ 25 million in the past few years on a park , renovating a historic building and a new senior center .
In contrast , as Mitchell pointed out to the Mayor , “ To this date the Mayor and Board of Alderman will not spend a single dollar to protect the people of Farragut from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a powerful cell tower 25 feet from where I sleep.
” Williams said it is up to the state legislature who passed the law , and that all that BOMA can do is “ address the few items that we have control with our ordinance which we have underway now.
” Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .
Photo “ Farragut Town Hall ” by Brian Stansberry .
CC BY 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--FBI Arrests Couple Allegedly Involved in Cross-Border Kidnapping Ring of Americans

An American woman and her boyfriend were arrested and charged for allegedly collecting ransom money as part of their involvement in a deadly kidnapping conspiracy of U.S. residents in Tijuana , Mexico .
Leslie Briana Matla , a 20-year-old U.S. citizen who lived in Mexico , and her boyfriend , Juan Carlos Montoya Sanchez , a 25-year-old resident of Tijuana , were arrested by U.S. authorities pursuant to money-laundering conspiracy charges , according to an announcement from the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) .
“ The complaint alleges that Matla crossed the border from Mexico into the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims ’ family members at locations predetermined by her co-conspirators , ” the DOJ press release reads .
In the span of a month , three California men — residents of San Diego , Norwalk and Pasadena — all were kidnapped in Tijuana while visiting family or on business .
Each time , their family members were contacted by a Mexican phone number and ordered to pay thousands of dollars for their return .
Unfortunately for the family members , paying the ransom money didn ’ t guarantee a safe release .
Salvador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Diego , called his son on March 28 and requested $ 25,000 for his release , according to the Los Angeles Times .
The son complied , stashing a bag with the funds in the women ’ s restroom at a McDonald ’ s in San Ysidro — as the captors had directed .
Despite Medina ’ s son receiving a WhatsApp message from his phone the next day claiming he would be released , Mexican authorities subsequently found Medina ’ s body in Tijuana .
A similar story played out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s family reported him missing to the FBI .
Guzman ’ s mother received a Facebook message from his account , an image of his beaten face .
The family negotiated a payment of $ 1,000 and her son ’ s Chevrolet Camaro , according to the affidavit .
However , the money transfer never materialized , and Guzman ’ s body was eventually discovered .
Things changed , however , when the captors in late April abducted a taco shop proprietor , only identified by authorities by his initials .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiated a $ 14,000 payment , but she never had to pay the money .
Just minutes before the drop was supposed to take place , a Mexican anti-kidnapping squad raided a hotel the captors operated out of and arrested nine suspects — and freed the taco proprietor .
Matla was arrested on Thursday and Sanchez was arrested on Sunday — both in San Diego .
Upon review of U.S.-Mexico border crossing records , security camera footage and social media , law enforcement identified Matla as the woman sent to the U.S. side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial records indicate Sanchez received wire transfers from the victims ’ families .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Arrest ” by U.S. Marshalls .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Owosso Barber Draws Support After License Suspended for Violating Gov. Whitmer’s Shutdown Order

Throngs of people waited for as long as three hours in an Owosso downpour to see Karl Manke , a local 77-year-old barber , speak on Monday afternoon .
Manke has gained celebrity status and a certain amount of notoriety for his refusal to adhere to Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s shutdown of what are deemed non-essential businesses .
Manke ’ s barbershop falls under that rubric as defined by the governor ’ s executive orders .
Manke ’ s barber license was suspended by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday .
Joining Manke at the podium was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , beauty shop owner who was jailed last week for refusing to comply with Texas ’ lockdown .
Luther boasts Michigan roots , and told the Owosso crowd she was raised in Frankenmuth , and much of her family still resides there .
She also noted she had no choice but to defy Texas Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott ’ s shutdown order when she found herself a month behind on her mortgage .
She also noted most of the beauticians she employs were also behind on their respective mortgages , and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegally in customers ’ homes .
Those were the reasons she said that prompted her to reopen her shop .
Her actions earned her a seven-day jail sentence of which she served less than 48 hours after the Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency order for her release on a personal bond .
Luther had been charged with violating Judge Eric Moyes ’ order to close her shop as well as contempt of court for refusing to apologize to Moyes as he had ordered .
The Texas Supreme Court did not overturn Moyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manke , he repeated much the same remarks he made at a news conference in front of his shop last week .
Once again , he thanked all those who attended for their combined support .
He also recited the Serenity Prayer as he did last week .
Unlike his previous recitation , many of the crowd in attendance joined him .
Luther ’ s comments veered into political territory , which reflected the impromptu rally for President Donald J. Trump in the adjacent parking lot .
She stated she thought Whitmer ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made little sense to her when the governor ’ s orders shut down hair-cutting services while allowing abortion services at the same time .
Manke ’ s attorney , David Kallman , initiated the proceedings with a legal update on his client ’ s predicament .
He stated he had filed an emergency appeal in Shiawassee County Circuit Court Monday morning to stay the suspension of Manke ’ s barber license .
Kallman also filed an appeal in the Michigan Court of Appeals Monday in response to the Attorney General ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matthew Stewart ’ s ruling last Monday .
in which he denied the attorney general ’ s demand to close Manke ’ s shop .
Both matters are pending , Kallman said .
Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square .
Photo “ Karl Manke ” by Matt Maddock .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Host Michael Patrick Leahy and State Senator Kerry Roberts Discuss the Insensitivity of Mayor Cooper

Host Michael Patrick Leahy and State Senator Kerry Roberts Discuss the Insensitivity of Mayor Cooper’s Property Tax Increase Proposal

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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. – Leahy was joined in the studio by Tennessee state Senator Kerry Roberts ( R-Springfield ) .
During the second hour , Roberts and Leahy discussed Metro Nashville ’ s reluctance to cut state costs while marveling at the insensitivity of Mayor John Cooper ’ s ill-timed property tax increase proposal .
Leahy : It ’ s Studio Freedom Week !
We have in studio with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and half months our good friend state Senator Kerry Roberts .
Good morning Kerry .
Roberts : Good morning !
I ’ m very glad to be back with you .
It ’ s amazing how everything in Nashville is kind of like a ghost town this morning driving in .
I got here 10 minutes faster than it would normally take .
Roberts : It is a plus .
But they are not mowing the grass in Nashville .
Is that a budget cut ?
Roberts : Are they afraid they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why are they not mowing the grass in Nashville ?
Leahy : Does mowing the grass increase the chances of COVID-19 ?
I think not !
Roberts : I ’ m not sure .
It doesn ’ t look like the Nashville that I knew months ago is gone .
Leahy : We ’ ll have to ask Mayor John Cooper why they are not mowing the grass in the public areas of Nashville .
Roberts : I thought he was against letting anybody go .
And that ’ s why he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : Hard to say .
Mayor Cooper who was elected back in September apparently through ambassadors we ’ ve been asking him to come on the program .
You know we are nice here .
But we do call him a left-wing progressive power-hungry mayor .
( Roberts chuckles ) Which he is .
But we are nice .
We are polite .
We say it with a smile .
He ’ s yet to come on the program .
Roberts : Just the insensitivity and the timing of it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % property tax proposed tax increase when you have people recovering from a tornado and the pandemic that hit with people out of work .
Roberts : So you don ’ t have to cut any government programs ?
That is so stainly tone-deaf to me it ’ s amazing .
Leahy : Yes .
He ’ s actually increasing the budget in Metro Nashville Davidson County by five percent .
While everybody else is losing their job and claiming unemployment .
Leahy : It just doesn ’ t seem to make sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in another state this will be shocking to you a Democratic governor named John Bel Edwards of Louisiana is actually proposing cuts .
Leahy : John Bel Edwards a Democrat was re-elected barely back in November as governor for another four-year term .
Louisiana has been harder hit than Tennessee but he ’ s going to cut the state budget .
I don ’ t know what the city of New Orleans is doing but it seems to me that ’ s logical .
Mayor Cooper is not doing that .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me .
It ’ s progressive logic I suppose .
Leahy : I know .
What do you say to that ?
Now the big news , because Tennessee has been historically one of the most well-managed states fiscally the state government is in better shape but revenues are down .
Leahy : Down significantly and not likely to go up a great deal in the next few months .
Tell us what the state legislature is going to be doing about this .
Are they going to be back in session @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be happening ?
Roberts : Let me give you some encouraging news .
Roberts : So when we talk about the revenue reports which is a nice way of saying here ’ s your tax money that we collected .
( Leahy laughs ) you know because politicians call it revenue .
Leahy : We call it taxes that you citizens paid us .
Mostly its sales tax .
Roberts : Sales tax , franchise , and excise we still have the haul income tax that ’ s being phased out .
Roberts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ ve been phasing out because a lot of rich people flee Tennessee .
They go to Florida .
Leahy : We want those rich people here .
Roberts : We want them here because they invest in businesses .
They are the guys that you go to church with who ’ s got a lot of money and you ’ re trying to start a business .
Roberts : That ’ s right .
And then they move to Florida they don ’ t go to church with you anymore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the same social circles you are anymore .
Leahy : Florida , of course , has no state income tax .
A good thing .
Leahy : And they have no haul income tax .
That haul income tax is going to be phased out completely next year ?
Roberts : Or two more .
Gosh , I don ’ t know .
I ’ m having a brain cramp here .
It ’ s going to be very quick .
Leahy : If you are by the way a high net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t live in Tennessee and you are thinking about moving to Tennessee , it ’ s time to move .
Roberts : It ’ s time to move .
Wait , only if you vote Republican .
I think we ’ ve invited enough liberals to Tennessee and we are paying the price for it .
Leahy : I think that is an excellent caveat .
( Laughter ) Don ’ t bring your Chicago , Illinois big government let ’ s go bankrupt at the state level values to Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unwritten rule that the Economic and Community Development are going to research the voting records .
It ’ s grandma ’ s sales tax dollars that pay for the Amazons and the Alliance Bernsteins of the world then tell us that we ’ re all a bunch of homophobic , trans-phobic , and racists .
Roberts : As if we just bounced off the turnip truck Tennesseans .
Leahy : Here ’ s the perfect law Kerry .
You know how you go into a restaurant and they are taking your temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , they do .
I ’ ve been to a restaurant .
They take your temperature and if you have a temperature above the normal range they don ’ t let you in .
All we need simply is a little laser thing and if someone is coming in from another state we just do a little laser and check their voting history and who ’ ve they ’ ve voted for and the liberals can ’ t come in .
( Laughs ) Roberts : Maybe we should just have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can scan them at the border .
You asked about Nashville ’ s budget .
Here ’ s a bit of good news .
Leahy : All of our listeners , by the way , are sitting there thinking I ’ ve had so much bad news for two and a half months .
Give me some good news .
Roberts : The good news is that despite this huge number of Tennessee ’ s revenue being down in March .
It ’ s confusing because it ’ s April numbers that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collections .
Down dramatically but when you break it down sales tax was only down about six percent .
Roberts : It was down dramatically because franchise and excise were pushed back .
But when you break it down sales tax was only down about six percent .
Ostensibly that ’ s money that will come back .
Roberts : But I ’ m not surprised because even though we have these local businesses that got unconstitutionally , in my opinion , forced to close .
While Walmart was thriving .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from me on the unconstitutionally forced to close angle .
All of this is being reported by our new commissioner of finance , Butch Eley who was the former COO of the state and been promoted I guess .
Butch is a good friend of mine and a very very good guy .
So anything that he gives us you can take it to the bank .
Roberts : I didn ’ t know that you had a friendship with Butch .
He is a really good guy .
Roberts : You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got hired because in his political career he ’ s worked with Democrats before .
But I ’ ve found him to be very receptive and open .
Leahy : Would you like to know the rest of the story ?
Leahy : We went to church together for many many years at Woodmont Hills Church of Christ .
It ’ s now Woodmont Hills a Church of Christ now in Franklin .
On Franklin Road here in Nashville .
We don ’ t attend there now .
Roberts : That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy : When it was Ashwood ?
Roberts : When it was Ashwood .
I had no idea .
Leahy : You discover these things .
I talk to Rubble what a great guy .
Roberts : We both have a Church of Christ background .
Leahy : I converted when I got married .
And I ’ m very happy that I did .
So we ’ ve known each other from church .
I taught a long time ago as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Belmont and he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy .
The Lee administration is very fortunate to have Butch Eley , my good friend there .
Roberts : But he went to Belmont .
Roberts : I don ’ t know as a Lipscomb guy I ’ m not sure about that .
Leahy : He got his MBA there .
I don ’ t remember where he did his undergraduate .
Roberts : Well , he ’ s a good guy and I think it was a good move to put him in .
Leahy : I agree .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that aren ’ t quite as superlative but we won ’ t because we ’ re going to be on a positive note Kerry .
Roberts : It ’ s going to last through the break ( Leahy laughs ) but there are no promises when we get back .
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 iHeart Radio .
Background Photo “ Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Ohio Lifts Stay-at-Home Order, Issues Urgent Health Advisory Instead

Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine lifted the state ’ s stay-at-home order on Tuesday , changing it instead to an “ urgent health advisory.
” Saying that Ohio had been successful in flattening the curve and that the rates of infection are down , DeWine cut short the stay-at-home order , instead shifting it to “ strong recommendations.
” “ This is a new phase in our battle against the virus , and it really is even more incumbent , as we open up Ohio economically , on each of us to protect each other , ” DeWine said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new order is title “ Ohioans Protecting Ohioans.
” Although staying at home is no longer required , social distancing is still encouraged and businesses will be required to follow certain guidelines .
The recommendations include a limit of 10 people for mass gatherings and frequent handwashing .
It also “ incorporates all of the business orders about social distancing and sanitation , including employees wearing masks , as well as efforts to protect employees and efforts to protect the public , ” DeWine said in a tweet .
Ohio has been slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dictating how and when they can reopen .
The advisory follows a list of business sector opening dates published last week as part of the Responsible RestartOhio plan .
According to the list , campgrounds are set to reopen on May 21 , horse racing with spectator is set to reopen May 22 and child care is set to reopen on May 31 .
Gyms , sports leagues with no or limited contact , public pools and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles are all set to reopen on May 26 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that safety practices for restaurants would be in place until July 1 .
The language for the advisory is currently unavailable as it has not yet been signed , a spokesperson told Cleveland.com .
“ The coronavirus is not gone .
It is real .
And it is deadly , ” DeWine said in a tweet .
“ This new phase that we are now in is about learning to live with this virus .
It is with us — it will remain with us — and we must do all we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from killing our fellow citizens.
” Ohio currently has more than 27,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus , according to the Ohio Department of Health .
The death toll in the state is 1,720 .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ] Photo “ Mike DeWine ” by The Ohio Channel .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-20--Bonfire Restaurants Latest COVID Casualty, Announces Permanent Closure of All Locations

Bonfire Restaurants announced Friday that it will permanently close all five of its Minnesota locations because of the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
The company said in a statement that its locations in Blaine , Eagan , Mankato , Savage , and Woodbury will not be reopening .
“ As you know , the future of hospitality is incredibly uncertain and over the past month , we have tried our best to navigate this uncharted territory .
We have explored multiple paths to emerge triumphant at the end of this pandemic , but there ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial weight of our company and the building we call home .
We were already walking a fine line before COVID-19 and given that no one knows how long the impacts of this pandemic will last , or what the new normal will be , we do not see a viable path forward , ” said the statement .
The company said unused gift cards can be used at Axel ’ s , a sister chain of restaurants that will reopen .
“ We can not express the amount of sadness that fills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overcome with the sincerest gratitude , ” the statement continued .
“ It has been our privilege to be in your company and we believe in your ability to overcome these unprecedented challenges.
” Several other Twin Cities restaurants have announced permanent closures in recent weeks , including the Egg and I , Sleepy V ’ s doughnut shop , El Burrito Mercado ’ s Minneapolis location , NE Arcade , Anelace Coffee , Bar Luchador , Muddy Waters , 4 Bells , Bachelor Farmer , Izzy ’ s Ice Cream ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wok , Wabasha Street Caves , A Cupcake Social , and Vivo Kitchen .
Under Gov .
Tim Walz ’ s “ Stay Safe Minnesota ” executive order , bars and restaurants aren ’ t allowed to reopen for dine-in service until June 1 .
A recent report from Hospitality Minnesota predicted that more than half of businesses in the hospitality industry could close if the shutdown doesn ’ t end soon .
A similar survey from the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild warned that up to 80 percent of the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
The owner of a chain of bars and restaurants in rural Minnesota attempted to reopen early , but was sued by Attorney General Keith Ellison and threatened with up to $ 150,000 in fines .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking ” by Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking .