thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--Congressman Ben Cline of Virginia’s Sixth District Discusses What Voters Want and How Nancy Pelosi C

Congressman Ben Cline of Virginia’s Sixth District Discusses What Voters Want and How Nancy Pelosi Continues to Campaign on the Misery of the American People

Live from Virginia Wednesday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Congressman Ben Cline to the show to discuss what Virginia voters want and how Nancy Pelosi continues to campaign on the misery of the American people .
Fredericks : Joining me now Ben Cline .
Ben congressman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win easily in the Sixth District .
That ’ s the Lynchburg to Roanoke area .
It ’ s a pretty big territory that Ben has .
Hey , Ben great to have you with us .
Cline : John always good to be with you here three weeks for election day .
It ’ s awesome .
Fredericks : I know even though you ’ re in the House and I know you ’ re following the Amy Coney-Barrett deliberations if you will .
But just honestly just Ben to John , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some of these Democrats like Senator Hirono in Hawaii asking Amy Barrett if she ’ s ever assaulted anybody sexually .
Like what is up with that ?
Cline : Yeah Hirono is an embarrassment .
The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are just making fools of themselves and falling all over themselves trying to appease the far left which opposes Coney-Barrett .
But they have no reason to oppose her .
She ’ s doing a fantastic job .
She ’ s a constitutionalist .
I mean that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follows the Constitution .
And the left wants to make the Constitution into a malleable document that they can change at will .
Their goal is to pack the court to put on four new liberals if they can win back control of the Senate .
Joe Biden won ’ t even stand in the way of that .
He refuses to say no , I want to stand up for an independent Supreme Court .
He just wants the election .
But it ’ s not going to happen because the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s about .
It ’ s going to be the Harris-Biden administration as he said .
And he ’ s just going to be a placeholder for the radical left .
Fredericks : Did you happen to see the Speaker ’ s meltdown yesterday on CNN fighting with Wolf Blitzer ?
Because you know they go on CNN and they expect that you know it ’ s friendly territory and everybody says how wonderful they are .
And they ask them if they ’ re comfortable and if they like a cold soft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Blitzer actually asked her a legitimate question .
Like why don ’ t you negotiate that CARES package down to what the President wants and give people relief ?
And she had an absolute meltdown .
She was offended that CNN would even ask her a question .
What was your reaction to that ?
Cline : She threw moderates under the bus who won a deal .
You know there are some who are pressing her to give in order to get a deal to actually help people .
Like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance for small businesses who are struggling to make ends meet .
We ’ ve got great restaurants here in the Roanoke Valley that are closing even right now because they can ’ t make ends meet and they have to let their employees go .
And then their employees have to get on unemployment .
And it just kind of snowballs .
So Pelosi could get a deal with the president .
The president wants to get a deal .
But no she wants the issue to campaign on in these last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the misery of the American people .
And it is sick and it is sad .
And when she ’ s confronted about it not just by the right which she ignores but by the left Wolf Blitzer of CNN where she thinks it ’ s a safe space she gets pushed back .
And she goes unhinged .
And it is a fantastic video .
So I would watch it because this is how Nancy Pelosi really is .
She can ’ t handle any pushback .
She can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what we hope we can remove the gavel from her hands here on November 3 when we take back the House .
It ’ s going to take Scott Taylor , Nick Freitas Aliscia Andrews , Leon Benjamin , and all these guys getting in the House .
And Bob Good getting in there .
Keeping the fifth red .
It ’ s going to be great .
Fredericks : The relief for COVID .
The CARES Act right ?
We talked about this a week ago .
But now you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let ’ s just get a clean bill and get this done .
Let ’ s get these checks in the mail for $ 1,200 .
Let ’ s get the PPP done .
And then if you win they ’ re saying if you win and Biden wins then you can go to act two and bailout all your states and there ’ ll be nobody to stop us .
And Pelosi ’ s melting down over that .
When you ’ ve talked to moderate Democrats that want this relief , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-point two trillion and then the Trump administration wants 200 million .
The Trump administration has gone with one point one trillion .
She wants 2.2 trillion .
So it ’ s a trillion-dollar difference but it ’ s still a trillion dollars .
So that ’ s a lot of money .
Why can ’ t they get this done ?
Cline : You know it is a lot of money but we can get it done if politics weren ’ t the preeminent goal of those on the left .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a deal than with a deal .
They don ’ t care about their constituents or about their small businesses or about us actually getting beyond this coronavirus because the lockdowns help them .
The left actually benefits politically from keeping people indoors .
Keeping people from getting out and actually starting back up again whether it ’ s economically or schools opening and things like that .
The left wants you under their thumb .
And that ’ s what they ’ re trying to do by refusing to get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get any kind of deal on a coronavirus bill because they don ’ t think that it would help their electoral chances to have this economy humming again like it was back in February .
Fredericks : So what you ’ re saying is in reality the Democrats don ’ t want the relief to go out before the election .
Fredericks : I understand what you ’ re saying Ben the $ 2.2 trillion of Pelosi is demanding and of course the other trillion has nothing to do with CARES or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s got to do with bailing out various states and cities that are in the tank that have mismanaged themselves forever .
And also bailing out her biggest donors which is part of the ploy .
But what you ’ re saying is she doesn ’ t want any of it to pass so that people can continue to suffer going into November 3 .
Is that my understanding ?
Cline : I think that she is willing to ignore the plight of working Americans who are desperate to get their businesses back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back on track .
To get their schools open .
To get their kids educated .
She ’ s ignoring the needs of this country in order to ensure victory on November 3 .
And it ’ s just sad .
Fredericks : Ben , how do you see Virginia now ?
I know we ’ ve got a great ground game .
I know you ’ ve been involved in some of the things that we ’ re doing .
You ’ re one of the incumbents that even when you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knock on doors and talk to voters .
In your district Ben Cline , what are you hearing what are they saying ?
Cline : Voters are exasperated .
They just can ’ t understand why we haven ’ t done what we need to do to get this economy started again .
And they are understanding that the CARES Act helped a lot .
But they are concerned that especially with Richmond dithering around the budget .
The governor ineffective Northam just kind of serving out his lame-duck term .
And nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather campaign on the issue .
They see politics not just not helpful but broken .
Severely broken .
And they are looking for folks that actually get in there and fight for them instead of New York or California to get their bailouts .
They just want folks fighting for them .
and the folks on the ballot in Virginia .
Nick Freitas in the Seventh .
Scott Taylor served with him .
Leon Benjamin in the Fourth .
Aliscia Andrews in the 10th doing great things .
And having Bob Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me and Jim Jordan and the other member of the freedom caucus for conservative values .
I ’ m pumped to get him in there as well .
We ’ ve got a lot of work to do but I think the folks in Virginia are ready for a good team to go to work for them after November 3 .
Listen to the full show here :


thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--Ohio Voters Flock to the Polls Thus Far in Early Voting

Ohio ’ s first week of early voting saw long lines at major cities and record numbers of Ohioans heading to the polls .
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a news release Tuesday that triple the number of early voters have gone to the polls this year than at the same point in 2016 .
At the same time , absentee ballot requests have increased by more than 1.2 million , including 23,853 military and overseas requests .
“ Voter enthusiasm is off the charts and we couldn ’ t be happier , ” LaRose said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people voting early in-person and it demonstrates what Ohioans know to be true – it ’ s easy to vote in Ohio.
” LaRose ’ s news release came a day after he won a stay in federal appeals court that upheld his directive to allow absentee drop boxes only on or near boards of election property across the state .
Cleveland wanted to post drop boxes at public libraries , sued LaRose and won , but that order was put on hold after LaRose won the stay from a higher court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Brookings Institute that ranked Ohio as the best among 42 other states in terms of traditional absentee voting .
Not surprisingly , the state ’ s most populace county with its largest city leads in total in-person votes cast thus far .
In Franklin County , 15,693 votes were cast , according to numbers supplied by LaRose ’ s office .
Also in Franklin County , the board of elections mailed nearly 50,000 replacement ballots to voters who received the wrong mail-in ballots , according to a board of elections spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , BlueCrest , is taking responsibility for the error .
Hamilton , Butler , Montgomery and Cuyahoga counties rounded out the top 5 .
Absentee mail-in voters can track their ballot at voteohio.gov.track .
An Ohio native , J.D .
Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio , Georgia , Alabama and Texas .
He has served as a reporter , editor , managing editor and publisher .
Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square .

A new bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour is emerging in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Representative Patty Kim (D-Harrisburg), the bill as described in a memorandum appears similar to legislation Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) is spearheading in his chamber. It contrasts with a more radical measure authored by Representative Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) that would hike the wage floor to $16.50 in July 2025 and gradually increase it to $21 by mid-2028. The Rabb bill would also apply the state minimum wage to prisoners, vastly boosting their pay.
In her memo pushing for a $15 hourly floor, Kim (pictured above) lamented that the commonwealth last hiked its minimum wage to $7.25 in 2009. She cited data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicating that 30 states, including all of those that neighbor Pennsylvania, mandate higher wage minimums. Her $15 rate would take effect in January 2024 and would tie future minimum-wage rises to inflation.
“Too many people have worked too hard for too long to not be able to pay their bills,” Kim said at a House Majority Policy Committee hearing on the issue in late March. “We want to tag a cost-of-living adjustment on this, so we never have to wait years and years – or wait for a once-in-a-century pandemic – for this issue to have a bright light shined on it.”
While free-market advocates generally oppose minimum wage increases, some in Harrisburg expect Republicans like Laughlin who now champion a hike will insist that such a policy come as part of a broader deal that will include regulatory reform. Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has urged enactment of a new $15 floor and many Republicans have sensed an opportunity for dealmaking, particularly insofar as they control the state Senate.
Advocates of an increase often cite a Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Advisory Board report indicating that 63,800 individuals — less than two percent of the state’s workforce — earned $7.25 per hour or less in 2021. Nonetheless, wages have risen markedly over the last two years and many who continue to make so little are teenagers working one of their first jobs.
After House Democrats began clamoring for new pay mandates, the Harrisburg-based Commonwealth Foundation (CF) issued a backgrounder in March opposing the idea. CF cited calculations from the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office suggesting that even raising the floor to $12 per hour would kill 5,000 jobs.
And the think tank fears the proposal could disadvantage even workers who keep their jobs insofar as employers may compensate for the new mandate by cutting worker hours and benefits. An example of this was observed nationally in 2018 after Amazon set its own low-end hourly wage to $15 but nevertheless suspended workers’ monthly bonuses and stock options.
Instead of raising the minimum wage, CF suggested, the commonwealth should focus on lowering impediments to employment by reforming licensing and permitting processes as well as improving public-assistance programs so they reward those who secure employment.
– – –
Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Pennsylvania Daily Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Patty Kim” by Rep. Patty Kim. Background Photo “Pennsylvania Capitol” by Ad Meskens. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--TRUMPDATE: Latest from the Team Trump Virginia Campaign for October 15

Welcome to the Thursday edition of our daily Virginia Trump campaign update !
We will provide our readers with daily updates on the Trump Virginia campaign from today to November 3 ( and after…if need be ! )
.
It ’ s officially 19 days until the election on November 3 – and 16 days until early voting in Virginia closes .
President Trump meets Joe Biden in the final presidential debate one week from today .
After a cut cable led to an outage of the Virginia voter registration site on Tuesday , Judge John A. Gibney Jr. of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District of Virginia extended the deadline to register to vote to tonight at 11:59 p.m. A lawsuit was filed Tuesday with the federal court on behalf of three voter rights groups seeking to have the deadline extended .
Even though President Trump is free of COVID-19 , the Commission on Presidential Debates canceled the second presidential debate originally scheduled for tonight .
So now both the president and Democrat nominee Joe Biden will be holding dueling town hall events tonight .
Trump will appear on NBC in a one-hour event anchored by Savannah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an event hosted by George Stephanopoulos .
NBC will air Trump ’ s town hall on MSNBC and CNBC , and stream online .
ABC will stream Biden ’ s town hall online .
Trump ’ s town hall will take place outdoors at the Pérez Art Museum in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines .
The big thing to note about these events is that while the president will most assuredly face a barrage of tough questions from a more left-leaning crowd and host , Joe Biden will likely field softball questions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will already be casting their vote for Biden and running mate Kamala Harris .
Trump has proven that he ’ s plenty capable of putting himself in the line of fire and doing interviews with news outlets that lean left .
Meanwhile you probably can ’ t remember the last time Joe Biden sat down with a conservative or Republican-supporting interviewer .
Even though there ’ s no debate , at the end of the night it will likely be Joe Biden the media fawns over .
They ’ ll claim Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t give him anything easy , but when Guthrie presses the president to disavow white supremacy or coax an answer she wants to hear , the media will continue to paint President Trump as a bully or someone who dances around questions .
Trump will be speaking at a rally today at the Greenville Airport .
Doors open at 10 a.m. , and the rally begins at 1 p.m .
The Virginia Star will have full coverage .
Check back every day for more Trump Virginia campaign updates !
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you need signs email Fredericks or Justin Rice .
To Donate to our Virginia campaign click here .
For more information , or to sign up to become a volunteer , click here .
John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--Senate and House Advance Budget Legislation to Conference Committee

RICHMOND , Virginia – Lawmakers in the Senate and House of Delegates advanced their biennial budget to a formal conference committee on Wednesday and assigned conferees to represent the bodies , but much of the work on compromising has already been conducted .
Before the two legislative bodies agreed to send the budget to a joint conference committee , however , the Senate first had to adopt a batch of seven committee amendments to the budget legislation .
Just as he did last week during session , Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment ( R-James City County ) asked Sen. Janet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Barker ( D-Fairfax County ) about the status of the redistricting commission language .
“ The status is that , although it is not currently in the budget , the plan is that [ agreed upon language ] will be sent down by the governor should the constitutional amendment pass , ” Howell responded .
Sen. Emmett Hanger ( R-Augusta ) assured Norment that Governor Ralph Northam had committed to offering an amendment on the redistricting commission with compromised language were voters to approve the proposed constitutional change .
The Senate then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As part of the procedural path to a conference committee , the House rejected those Senate budget amendments .
A move that Del .
Mark Sickles ( D-Fairfax County ) , vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee , told The Virginia Star would be the House ’ s plan .
Next , the Senate insisted on its amendments and requested a conference committee by a vote of ( Y-38 N-1 ) .
The House acceded to that request , forming the joint committee .
The conferees appointed for the Senate are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House conferees are Sickles , Luke Torian ( D-Prince William County ) Chair of the House Appropriations Committee , David Bulova ( D-Fairfax County ) , Betsy Carr ( D-Richmond City ) , Roslyn Tyler ( D-Southampton County ) and Barry Knight ( R-Virginia Beach ) .
Despite the formation of a conference committee on Wednesday , many of those same legislators have already been in talks working in the background to create a compromised budget for the Senate and House .
“ We ’ ve had an informal conference where we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we ’ ve made some good progress doing that , ” Hanger said in an interview with The Star .
“ We ’ ve spent more time at it than I ’ d hoped to over the last week and a half , basically working with staff to outline the differences and what it would take to get us back together.
” Sickles , who was also part of the talks offered a similar , positive view of the discussions .
“ We ’ re close and I think we will probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on by Friday , maybe Saturday , ” Sickles said .
“ The budget was fairly straight forward so we ’ ve got a pretty good handle on how it is going to work out.
” One of the few Republican lawmakers included in the process , Hanger said that there were lots of similarities in the priorities , but also a few differences .
Some of those differences included the amount of money allocated to state colleges and universities , how juvenile justice reform was going to be funded and varying levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Hanger .
Sickles mentioned differences relating to contingent spending and the structure of the two budgets .
The biggest point of contention between the small group of Delegates and Senators came on the redistricting commission .
Nevertheless , the two sides were eventually able to agree upon a compromised version of the language that did include some changes , Hanger said .
One change was taking out the criteria sections for how the districts would be drawn by the potential commission and the other was prohibiting the majority and minority party leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislative commissioners , according to Hanger .
Now , the formal conference committee can meet and solve any remaining issues before presenting a fully compromised budget to the governor .
All signs point to a final passage of the budget happening on Friday .
The Senate will convene at 4 p.m. and the House will convene at 5:40 p.m. Friday afternoon .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--Activist Faces Misdemeanor Charges After Protest at Acting ICE Director Pham’s Home

The Henrico County police have charged a protestor with misdemeanors related to the September 8 protest at Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) Tony Pham ’ s home .
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer , Nancy Nguyen , executive director of VietLead , was arrested and released on her own recognizance last week in Philadelphia .
“ A group of people illegally entered the Acting Director of [ ICE ] property , ” Henrico County police Lt. Matt Pecka said in a press release .
“ The subjects protested at his residence , dumping trash in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his family .
The Acting Director was not present at the time of the incident.
” In September , Pham said on The John Fredericks Radio Show that he wasn ’ t surprised by the protests .
“ What happened on the eighth , with no less than eight days in my role , as I was still trying to figure out where the water cooler was , these folks targeted my wife and my kids when they should have been taking their issues up with me at my office .
But instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a person ’ s home and target children.
” Pham added , “ They were screaming .
You know , saying some really vile and nasty things .
Encroaching on a person ’ s private property to try to harass and bully and intimidate to get to me by getting through my family.
” According to his bio at ICE , Pham immigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1975 , after the fall of Saigon , Vietnam .
He studied law and worked in the Richmond and Henrico areas as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also ran to be the Henrico Commonwealth ’ s Attorney .
“ When we came to this nation seeking hope and opportunity as refugees , I signed a promissory note to America .
I owe a debt for my freedoms and opportunities which must be repaid .
I do so by committing to my community as a dutiful citizen and to pass along my experiences and opportunities to serve those around me , ” Pham ’ s bio states .
VietLead said the charges against Nguyen were “ trumped up.
” In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Nancy [ Nguyen ] was targeted for speaking out publicly against [ Pham ] for using his Viet refugee status to spearhead their terror campaign against Black and Brown immigrant and refugee communities.
” Henrico police spokesman Pecka said , “ Two warrants were obtained for misdemeanors : 18.2-121 Entering Property of Another for the Purposes of Interfering with Property Rights and 33.2-802 Dumping Trash .
With the assistance of local law enforcement , Ms. Nguyen was served on these two offenses.
” “ While protesting is a protected First Amendment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s private property is illegal , ” Pecka said .
“ Henrico Police is working to identify others who were present on September 8th.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Nancy Nguyen ” by fundrazr .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-15--Nearly 900,000 U.S. Workers File New Unemployment Claims

Nearly 900,000 American workers filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week , an increase of 53,000 new claims from the week prior and a sign that the U.S. economy has a long way to go to recovery .
According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics released Thursday , 898,000 new claims were filed in the week ending Oct. 10 , when seasonally adjusted .
That ’ s up from the previous week ’ s revised level of 845,000 claims .
In addition , 372,891 workers filed for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance , a new federal program for gig and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for unemployment benefits .
For the third consecutive week , new claims from California were estimated by the department .
California paused its reporting as it works on a backlog of benefits and institutes new fraud prevention measures .
Continued claims , which count those who have filed for benefits at least two weeks in a row , fell about 1.2 million to 10 million .
In late March , when government restrictions shutting down businesses deemed nonessential to help slow the spread of COVD-19 were first put into place , new weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million .
Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square .
He welcomes your comments .
Contact Dan at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Belmont University Condemns Sunday Worship Protest, Cites COVID Safety Concerns – Never Addresses Pr

Belmont University Condemns Sunday Worship Protest, Cites COVID Safety Concerns – Never Addresses Protests

Belmont University sent out an email to students condemning Sunday ’ s worship protest and asking students to self-report if they attended .
The university cited concern over the “ city ’ s ability to manage the spread of this virus.
” “ Regardless of your personal views about COVID-related restrictions on religious worship , events like this severely challenge our city ’ s ability to manage the spread of this virus , ” read the email .
“ If you are a Belmont student and you did attend this event without wearing a mask and maintaining proper distance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can evaluate your potential exposure and determine if a period of quarantine or being tested is necessary.
” Christian artist Sean Feucht hosted the mass worship event on Sunday , saying that it was legal because it was a protest .
It is one in a series of “ worship protests ” in a nationwide campaign of events called , “ Let Us Worship.
” The Metro Public Health Department is investigating the event to issue “ penalties ” against Feucht .
Sami Lin , a Belmont student , shared with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe the university should have issued a statement on the safety of this event .
“ Well , I think if people are allowed to go into Home Depot and Starbucks , then a worship service is no different .
Students and others are expressing their religious beliefs in the great country of America where they have the freedom to do so .
No one took this much precaution with flu season .
If masks are supposed to work then I don ’ t see the issue in practicing religion , whatever it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christian university and students are getting in trouble for practicing their Christianity.
” In an interview with The Star , Belmont Turning Point USA President Jeffrey Seraphine stated that he disagreed with the university ’ s email entirely .
“ I trust that the leadership at Belmont is concerned about the health and well being of their students .
When I saw that email , I understood their interest in reaching out to students .
What I don ’ t understand is why they have decided to single out this event to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he added .
Seraphine added that the university ’ s level of concern over Sunday ’ s event wasn ’ t uniformly applied to other events throughout this semester .
“ The only form of communication concerning the potential hazards from the virus was during the first week of school .
Bob Fisher sent us an email warning us not to go out and party .
Since then , there have been a multitude of events such as parties , marches for racial justice , and riots .
All of which Belmont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t understand why this event would be singled out as a challenge to the entire city ’ s ability to control a virus while other events go unnoticed .
As a student , all I ask for is transparency and fairness .
But when Belmont decides to attack this service out of all the other things that have happened , it makes you wonder if the standards are being applied consistently.
” Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ] .
Photo “ Let Us Worship ” by Sean Feucht .

by Scott McClallen
Sixteen Michigan schools have been awarded $205,028 to develop Great Lakes-based science, technology, engineering, and math – STEM – programs.
“These grants will support freshwater literacy programs and offer students access to real world STEM experiences,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Our Great Lakes are our greatest asset, and we must empower young Michiganders to learn more about them and continue advancing conservation efforts. Michigan’s economic competitiveness depends on a workforce proficient in STEM and committed to solving our biggest challenges. Investments like these will help prepare our kids to lead our state into the future.”
Grant proposals were submitted and reviewed through a competitive process. Selected projects study freshwater conservation and real-world experiences.
Grant awardees and amount are as follows:
Alcona Community Schools: $6,892 to expand 3-P learning by studying coastal and wetland habitats.
Alpena Public Schools: $8,078 so students can work as scientific researchers collecting data and making observations to determine if environmental issues are impacting the Thunder Bay River Watershed.
Avron Township School: $5,000 to adopt two beaches so it can participate in science lessons.
Atherton Community Schools: $10,000 to engage 195 middle and high school science students in 3-P learning through its “Health in Our Hands” curriculum.
Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District: $20,000 for 3-P learning to support teachers.
Farmington Public Schools: $15,870 to incorporate “student voice” in water steward topics and activate 3-P teaching
Forest Hills Central Woodlands ⅚ School: $20,000 to provide 3-P learning students, including transportation for all students to visit the Inland Seas Schooner and engage in the remotely operated vehicle program through Inland Seas Education Association.
Grand Rapids Montessori, Grand Rapids Public Schools: $8,862 to help students identify and solve habitat loss for local pollinators, bird and turtle species through a partnership with the John Ball Zoo.
Harrington Elementary School: $12,000 for Marshall Public Schools to partner with Albion College to develop “outdoors at school” curricula for grades K-5.
Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency: $20,000 to support Southwest MiSTEM and the Kalamazoo Nature Center to establish a Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative hub to continue water stewardship education programs.
Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools: $15,000 to participate in the Flint River Green project, where students learn about the Flint River Watershed and its community impact.
Muskegon Area Intermediate School District: $15,000 to expand 3-P learning for 420 fourth grade students and 3-P training for 19 fourth grade teachers.
Pickfield Public Schools: $9,996 so students can gather water quality data from the local watershed.
Stanton Township Public Schools: $5,000 to train new teachers to carry out future Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative activities.
Washtenaw Intermediate School District: $20,000 to build a foundation for cross-district collaboration in support of freshwater-focused place-based education.
Wayne-Westland Community Schools: $13,330 to activate a 3-P learning program.
The grants continue the 2020 From Students to Stewards Initiative and the 2021 MiSTEM Transformative Playbook grants.
The Great Lakes account for over 20% of the world’s surface freshwater.
– – –
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 and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Judson Phillips Commentary: Big Tech Stomps on Free Speech

On Wednesday morning , the Star published my commentary on free speech .
Little did I know when I wrote it or the editors when they published it , the whole concept of free speech online was about to blow up in an incredibly spectacular way .
The New York Post dropped a bombshell story , showing emails from Hunter Biden to various Ukrainian figures .
This story included the allegation , apparently supported by emails , that Hunter Biden had introduced executives of the Burisma company to his father , the then sitting Vice President .
Hunter Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech immediately stepped up , acting as the Biden Campaign rapid response team .
Facebook was the first to “ restrict ” the distribution of this story online .
Twitter immediately jumped in .
It began blocking the twitter accounts of the New York Post , the Trump campaign ’ s twitter account , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany ’ twitter account , and even the House Republican Judiciary Committee ’ s twitter account was locked .
Twitter gave the lame excuse that it was blocking “ hacked ” or personal material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such reservations when it promoted the “ news ” about Donald Trump ’ s taxes being leaked .
Nor did it have any reservations when the home addresses of Republican lawmakers and conservative personalities were published on Twitter .
Republican outrage was instant .
President Trump railed against Facebook and Twitter online and in a campaign stop .
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley called for an immediate investigation by the Federal Election Commission to what he called an in kind contribution to the Biden Campaign .
President Trump ’ s tweet called for repeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act of 1996 .
Section 230 says that “ No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.
” Translation , this means that in most instances , these provides , such as Twitter and Facebook , are immune to lawsuits arising from their decisions or what they do or do not publish .
The theory behind the law was simple .
To encourage the growth of these platforms , they would not be treated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their site .
But along with that theory , was the idea that these platforms would not censor ideas either .
Any thought that big tech does not censor ideas has been disproved years ago .
Big Tech works against Republicans and conservatives .
Ninety percent of their donations go to Democrats .
They shadowban conservatives .
They suppress search results on the major search engines .
They are not simply an interactive computer service .
They are a publisher in every sense of the word , since they are controlling the content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even more , they are a defacto monopoly .
Google holds 92.26 % of the search engine market .
There are no major social media competitors to Facebook and Twitter .
Republicans are really good at outrage , but they fail every time in execution .
In fact , most of the time , they don ’ t even try to go beyond outrage .
If we are going to have a fair internet , a couple of things need to happen .
First , President Trump is right .
Repeal Section 230 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act like publishers , let them face the same legal liability publishers do .
The other thing is , these tech giants are monopolies and they must be broken up .
This will only happen if President Trump is reelected , the Republicans retain control of the Senate and take control of the House of Representatives .
Even then , it is not guaranteed .
When John Kerry ran for President , at least one columnist said media bias would be worth at least fifteen points to him .
That is nothing compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence or stifle political thought .
That is dangerous to a free society and this time the Republicans must do more than simply be outraged .
Judson Phillips is a long time conservative pundit and founder of Tea Party Nation .
Photo “ Google Censorship ” by Mike Mackenzie .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Ben Cunningham: ‘I Don’t Think There Is Any More Fundamental Concept Than the Balance of Power’

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed special guest host and Nashville Tea Party Founder Ben Cunningham to the show to discuss elements of the Senate confirmation hearing and how power corrupts .
Leahy : That is Kamala Harris remotely looking like big sister .
Leahy : Not a good look at all in her inquisition of the very accomplished , very qualified Amy Coney-Barrett .
Cunningham : Yeah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt but it was very lame .
The look was bad .
She just came off as kind of desperate and transparent .
Leahy : Transparently partisan .
And she was in her office in California and really the big screen .
It just didn ’ t go over well at all .
But there ’ s nothing that Kamala Harris has done that makes her likable to really anybody in my view .
Cunningham : Yeah , it ’ s I don ’ t think the Democrats or the Biden campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What advantage she gives them in the campaign .
It ’ s not clear to me that they but they have discovered any advantage that she gives them in the camp .
Leahy : Yeah , well , they ’ re hiding her .
She ’ s not on the campaign trail like Joe Biden who by the way , put a lid on him again yesterday in the morning right after that story broke in The New York Post .
The one that you can ’ t find on Facebook or Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let you share .
Emails apparently have emerged from Hunter Biden ’ s computer that shows that Hunter Biden arranged for a Burisma executive to meet in person with his father who was then the vice president of the United States Joe Biden .
He was in charge of sort of the Ukrainian policy .
And of course , all sorts of money were going to Hunter Biden for his access to his father .
His father denied that he ever talked business with his son .
But apparently , this email says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a ridiculous claim for Joe Biden to say I never talked with my son about overseas business .
Everybody knows that ’ s a ridiculous claim .
This just continues this whole pattern where they say , you know , Joe Biden , will you tell us how you stand on packing the court .
And he says you don ’ t deserve to know .
Leahy : You don ’ t deserve to know how I stand on that most important issue .
Cunningham : How in the world is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I mean , it ’ s so absurd !
It ’ s so ridiculous !
And yet they do .
Day after day after day CNN , MSNBC , and all these people who take Republicans to tasks every day are basically saying it ’ s okay Joe you have no obligation to tell the American people about this absolutely critical issue .
Leahy : And so the other interesting thing about this and I want to get into where the election stands right now .
And we have one of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here is on hold .
So here ’ s what ’ s interesting to me .
If you sort of look at the issue of court-packing .
There are right now , there are nine members of the Supreme Court .
There have been nine since 1869 .
The Constitution does not specify how many members of the Supreme Court there will be there .
The number has gone from the First Judiciary Act when it settled .
I think it ’ s six .
It went down to five for a while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
in 1863-64 for a brief period of time , there were 10 .
And then there have been nine since 1869 .
The Constitution does not specify the numbers .
But there is a fundamental foundational principle of our Constitution called separation of powers between the judiciary , the legislative , and the executive branch .
If you pack the court with say , I don ’ t know six , seven , eight , whatever number of liberals that under a Biden administration and Democratic Senate , you will ultimately change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is fundamental to our Constitution .
And the Supreme Court will become a super legislative branch .
That ’ s an issue I think it ’ s very significant and fundamental to the outcome of this election .
Joe Biden won ’ t talk about it .
Cunningham : As far as the Constitution goes and our system of governance I don ’ t think there is any more fundamental concept than the balance of power .
It ’ s what keeps each branch of government in check .
Leahy : Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madison , so aptly noted , men and women are not angels .
( Laughter ) Leahy : Just watch Mazie Hirono ask questions in the Senate hearings .
Cunningham : You get these and power corrupts people who don ’ t even know they ’ re being corrupted .
And liberals are an absolutely prime example .
Many liberals think of themselves as Thomas Sowell has always said is these kinds of utopian figures that bring the superior intellect and superior morality , so they don ’ t even think of themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst kind of tyrant .
Leahy : We had an example of that at the Judiciary Committee hearing when Senator Amy Klobuchar who is a Democrat , Minnesota said , you know , I had imagined myself in your seat someday because I would be a benevolent queen .
I ’ m paraphrasing .
Did you catch that ?
Leahy : She said , benevolent queen .
( Cunningham laughs ) Now , this is how liberals think .
Leahy : Now her benevolent queen is are authoritarian dictator , right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally rejected that comparison .
She said , I ’ m not a queen .
Cunningham : And her own personal humility and her own style is manifest that she would not be that kind of person .
But you ’ re absolutely right .
It ’ s these people who think of themselves in these kinds of utopian terms .
You know , I want the best for everybody .
I want people to be equal .
I want all these utopian principles quote-unquote that lead us to tyranny that leads us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last century under communism .
Now in the Great Awakening , The Bolshevik Revolution , the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia .
All these people had these utopian visions of society .
And it led to genocide every time .
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 .
Photo “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by Rachel Malehor .
CC BY 3.0 @


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Trump to Greenville: If Biden is Elected, China Will Own the U.S.

Sharp-eyed people in the crowd spotted it first — the landing lights of Air Force One approaching Pitt-Greenville Airport in North Carolina on Thursday .
’ 80 ’ s pop hit “ Gloria ” pounded as the aircraft roared by on the runway .
Then , with “ Eye of the Tiger ” building energy , President Donald Trump walked out of the plane and waved to the thrilled crowd .
In his speech , Trump focused on his own accomplishments and attacked Biden , stopping occasionally to criticize Big Tech , the fake news media , and Democrats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rally , including some outside the venue in overflow areas .
“ Joe Biden has been blatantly lying about his involvement in his son ’ s corrupt business deals , ” Trump said .
“ Everybody in Washington knows.
” Trump added , “ Just an hour ago a new deal shows up that Hunter [ Biden ] made a business deal for $ 10 million a year , ” Trump said .
“ If [ Joe ] Biden is elected , the United States will be owned by China.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We want to rebuild the economy and that ’ s happening quickly .
We had the greatest economy we ’ ve ever had , think of it .
Now we closed it down , and we saved two million lives .
” Trump also mentioned his Supreme Court nominees .
“ Presidents go an entire presidency , one term , two terms , without ever having a nominee but I had three in the first term .
Their heads are exploding , these people can ’ t believe it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ this is the most important election in the history of our country.
” “ [ Biden ] ’ s given control of his party — the Democrats used to be like normal people , now they ’ re socialists , Marxists , communists , [ … ] and some people would say far left lunatics .
Look at the Green New Deal , ” the president said .
The crowd responded with applause , but Trump said , “ Don ’ t clap too hard , go out and vote.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we don ’ t win , we won ’ t have our country anymore and it will never be able to come back.
” Attendees said they were there to support Trump .
“ This is historical , ” John Allen said .
Allen was present with his family including his son Grayson .
“ That ’ s why we brought our little one here .
This is probably once in a lifetime for him .
We homeschool him , this is his history lesson today .
I want him to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , and to understand it.
” “ Our president needs our support .
He ’ s done so much for this country and for all of us , and he needs for us to do something , ” attendee Sharon Higgins said .
“ If this is part of only what we ’ re able to do , then by God we are here.
” This was the second rally Debbie Roesel attended .
“ I think the enthusiasm was still the same , if not more , ” Roesel said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fun , it ’ s energetic , everybody cares about America , and everybody around here seems to care about each other.
” Attendee Mark Zephir said , “ The energy level that this president has is unsurpassed .
I mean where was he last night , Iowa ?
And he ’ s in Greenville today , he ’ s going to Miami now ?
I mean it ’ s just unreal .
And he was up on that stage for what , an hour and fifteen minutes.
” Mark ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nonstop , and he had just as much energy as he did when he exits .
He speaks for the people for sure.
” Trump concluded his speech : “ We are one movement , one people , one family , and one glorious nation under God , and together with the incredible people of North Carolina , we have have made America wealthy again .
We have made America strong again .
We have made America proud again , we ’ re proud .
We will make America safe again , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ YMCA ” pounded , the audience cheered and danced as Trump danced on stage .
Then , Trump waved goodbye and as the crowd strained to watch , Air Force One take off .
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photos by Eric Burk .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Senators Introduce Bill to Amend Rule Over Third-Party Internet Content

Bethany Blankley is a contributor to The Center Square .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--GOP Pushes Barrett’s Nomination Ahead, Dems Decry ‘Sham’

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) —Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination cleared a key hurdle Thursday as Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans powered past Democrats ’ objections in the drive to confirm President Donald Trump ’ s pick before the Nov. 3 election .
The panel set Oct. 22 for its vote to recommend Barrett ’ s nomination to the full Senate for a final vote by month ’ s end .
“ You don ’ t convene a Supreme Court confirmation hearing , in the middle of a pandemic , when the Senate ’ s on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the presidential election in a majority of states , ” declared Sen. Chris Coon , D-Del .
But Republicans countered that Trump is well within bounds as president to fill the court vacancy , and the GOP-held Senate has the votes to push Trump ’ s nominee to confirmation .
Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , said he understands Democrats ’ “ disappointment , but I think their loss is the American people ’ s gain.
” Barrett ’ s confirmation to take the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the court for years to come .
The shift would cement a 6-3 court in the most pronounced ideological change in 30 years , from the liberal icon to the conservative appeals court judge .
The committee ’ s session Thursday was without Barrett after two long days of public testimony in which she stressed that she would be her own judge and sought to create distance between herself and past positions critical of abortion , the Affordable Care Act and other issues .
Instead , outside witnesses testified , including representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing committee which gave Barrett its highest “ well qualified ” rating — but not unanimously .
Barrett is the first high court nominee since Justice Clarence Thomas not to earn a unanimous rating .
Kristen Clarke , the president of the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights opposing Barrett ’ s nomination , said the judge ’ s unwillingness to speak forcefully for the Voting Rights Act should “ sound an alarm ” for Americans with a case heading to the high court .
“ Our nation deserves a justice who is committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , particularly the most vulnerable , ” said Clarke .
Retired appellate court Judge Thomas Griffith assured Barrett is among justices who “ can and do put aside party and politics.
” Among those testifying was Michigan primary care doctor Farhan Batti who warned of the toll on his patients if the Supreme Court does away with the health care law and Crystal Good , a writer from West Virginia , who told the very personal story of seeking an abortion as a sexually-abused teen-ager .
“ Hear us when we ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she implored the senators .
Facing almost 20 hours of questions from senators , the 48-year-old judge was careful not to take on the president who nominated her .
She skipped past Democrats ’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of next month ’ s election or preventing voter intimidation , both set in federal law , and the peaceful transfer of presidential power .
She also refused to express her view on whether the president can pardon himself .
When it came to major issues that are likely to come before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care , Barrett repeatedly promised to keep an open mind and said neither Trump nor anyone else in the White House had tried to influence her views .
Nominees typically resist offering any more information than they have to , especially when the president ’ s party controls the Senate , as it does now .
But Barrett wouldn ’ t engage on topics that seemed easy to swat away , including that only Congress can change the date that the election takes place .
She said she was not on a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” though she has been critical of the two Supreme Court decisions that preserved key parts of the Obama-era health care law .
She could be on the court when it hears the latest Republican-led challenge on Nov. 10 .
Barrett is the most open opponent of abortion nominated to the Supreme Court in decades , and Democrats fear that her ascension could be a tipping point that threatens abortion rights .
Republican senators embraced her stance , proudly stating that she was , in Graham ’ s words , an “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history as a role model for other women .
Barrett refused to say whether the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights was correctly decided , though she signed an open letter seven years ago that called the decision “ infamous.
” In an exchange with Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , Barrett resisted the invitation to explicitly endorse or reject the late Justice Antonin Scalia ’ s comments about perpetuating “ racial entitlement ” in a key voting rights case .
“ When I said that Justice Scalia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly didn ’ t mean to say that every sentence that came out of Justice Scalia ’ s mouth or every sentence that he wrote is one that I would agree with , ” Barrett said .
One of the more dramatic moments came late Wednesday when Barrett told California Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , that she wouldn ’ t say whether racial discrimination in voting still exists nor express a view on climate change .
Along with trying to undo the health care law , Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for any disputes arising from the election , and particularly the surge of mail-in ballots expected during the pandemic as voters prefer to vote by mail .
Barrett testified she has not spoken to Trump or his team about election cases , and declined to commit to recusing herself from any post-election cases .
In 2000 , the court ’ s decision in Bush v. Gore brought a Florida recount to a halt , effectively deciding the election in George W. Bush ’ s favor .
Barrett was on Bush ’ s legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role .
Mark Sherman , Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick are reporters for The Associated Press .
AP writers Matthew Daly and Jessica Gresko in Washington , and Elana Schor in New York contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee , Wednesday , Oct. 14 , 2020 , on Capitol Hill in Washington .
( Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP , Pool )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Guest Host and Nashville Tea Party Founder Ben Cunningham Blocked By LinkedIn With No Warning or Exp

Guest Host and Nashville Tea Party Founder Ben Cunningham Blocked By LinkedIn With No Warning or Explanation

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed guest host and Nashville Tea Party founder Ben Cunningham to the show .
During the second hour , Cunningham discussed how he personally and the Nashville Tea Party had been blocked on LinkedIn with no warnings or explanations and added that the same thing is happening to conservatives across other social media platforms .
Leahy : As we have done every day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have shown up .
And on the day or two that I haven ’ t been here the official guest host of The Tennessee Star Report , Ben Cunningham has been here manning the forts for us .
Leahy : Is that the right word ?
( Laughs ) Cunningham : Well , everybody ’ s emotions are kind of like a wave .
You ’ re just up and down and up and down Cunningham : It really is .
I mean , you know , can you trust the polls ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cunningham : I don ’ t think you can trust them anymore .
They didn ’ t do 2016 right .
Leahy : I think this whole phenomenon they called about the shy Trump voter it ’ s greater this time because of the cancel culture .
I think a lot of Trump voters are don ’ t want to answer a pollster on the phone .
Cunningham : Well , but like I said early voting in Sumner County yesterday , which is obviously Trump central and as any of the collar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot literally was it looked like Opry Mills on a Saturday afternoon .
It was crazy .
Leahy : Now we were talking in the five o ’ clock hour with Doug Kellett about social media censorship of conservative outlets , news outlets , groups , etc .
And when you think of social media , you think obviously of Facebook .
they censor .
They are censoring this New York Post story that ’ s very unfavorable towards Joe Biden .
Twitter , they ’ re censoring it as well .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media outlets that are censoring conservatives .
LinkedIn , which is sort of the business connection group out there .
Reid Hoffman I think founded it .
A far lefty .
I read Hoffman .
I think the guy ’ s name founded it .
A far lefty a billionaire Leahy : Owned by Microsoft now .
You have a tale to tell about how they have basically censored the group you founded the Nashville Tea Party .
Tell us that story .
Cunningham : Censored is not really quite the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really a better term .
( Leahy laughs ) Totally blocked without explanation .
Cunningham : It ’ s even more Orwellian than that .
I ’ ll get into it .
We have always been on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram the national team already has .
We ’ ve got about 200,000 followers on Facebook .
We recently kind of put an emphasis on LinkedIn too at the beginning of the year .
We started out with 10,000 followers approximately think was a little over 10,000 .
Before this last block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like they have four times this year .
They literally just took us off of their platform .
No explanation .
No warning .
No nothing .
They simply removed us from their platform .
We ’ re into our seventh day right now of the current block .
But basically what happens is I ’ ll log on well , let me go back .
We had 10,000 followers .
We have exploded , people on LinkedIn obviously love our site .
We are now up to 40,000 users .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nashville Tea Party information .
Cunningham : Absolutely .
We are very information-rich .
We have the standard memes and everything but it ’ s good information .
We link a lot of good articles .
It ’ s mostly straight news and the response has been amazing .
The last time I checked our 28-day organic reach which is means the number of times the posts were seen in 28 days was twelve point three million… Leahy : So you caught their attention apparently .
Cunningham : Obviously people on the customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we logged on seven days ago just like you know have every other morning and it was gone .
But not only was the page for the Nashville Tea Party page gone but my personal account was blocked .
And again , they feel no obligation to do anything .
The only thing we can do is log on to open up what ’ s called a tech support case .
I couldn ’ t even do that this time because my personal account was blocked .
They opened up one for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the tech support avenue where you do a direct message to their Twitter people .
And even they , this is the part that is really Orwellian .
There is what they call a ‘ safety team.
’ And doesn ’ t that sound pretty Orwellian ?
Leahy : It sounds like the Mayor John Cooper welcoming committee on coronavirus advice ( Cunningham laughs ) to businesses in Nashville Cunningham : This is the safety team .
will who are you keeping safe ?
So the people that we contact through Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re your friend .
They say , okay , we ’ re going to advocate for you to the safety team .
But the safety team is somewhere deep in LinkedIn .
Nobody knows who they are .
What they do .
How they make these decisions .
And the four times we ’ ve been blocked , the safety team has been consulted and then all of a sudden nobody sends us a message and says your unblocked .
Nobody sends us a message and say this is why we blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is why we don ’ t like you .
That is never ever done .
No transparency .
No due process of any kind whatsoever .
They are arrogant son of a guns .
There is somebody somewhere that says okay we need to block these guys .
We don ’ t like the content .
They take you down .
And then it ’ s up to you to grovel and beg and get back on the platform .
Cunningham : Precisely .
No transparency .
No due process .
And you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 230 that gives them of Leahy : The Communications Act in the 1990s .
Cunningham : That gives them this immunity .
These people have absolutely no obligation whatsoever to tell you why they ’ re doing what they ’ re doing .
Leahy : Are you a customer ?
Do you pay for them ?
I mean are you do you have a free account or do you pay them ?
Cuningham : I have had a paid account in the past ?
It ’ s free now .
But we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a page where 40,000 of their customers have signed on as followers .
You would think that would get their attention .
Leahy : I think it has got their attention , Ben .
I think they know who you are and they don ’ t like your message going to the 40,000 people .
Cunningham : And it ’ s the same way on Facebook .
They feel no obligation to say this is why we blocked you .
We have not once gotten any explanation from Facebook or LinkedIn about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that The Tennessee Star will conduct an investigation and make inquiries to LinkedIn who is owned by Microsoft and see what resolution we could get .
Cunningham : I sure I would love to have any allies any folks out there that are on LinkedIn that visit our page .
send a message to the LinkedIn tech support and say where is Nashville Tea Party .
Leahy : Our intrepid reporter Chris Butler who ’ s breaking news left and right .
Cuningham : He is doing a superb didn ’ t he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m telling you , Chris , he is the number one investigative reporter .
Leahy : And so we ’ re going to put him on this .
And we ’ re going to follow it through to its resolution .
Now our experience with Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn and generally those social media oligopolists have not been good at all .
And I think actually , you know , the tide of public opinion is turning .
I think people are sick and tired of it .
Cunningham : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think people really understand how easy it is for a very very few dedicated liberal trolls on any of these platforms to get people thrown off .
We know they ’ re a group of people on LinkedIn that are trying always trying to get the Nashville Tea Party thrown off .
We had there ’ s a message that we saw where one of the young folks that were involved in this ongoing cabal to get us thrown off said that she was offered a job if she could get us thrown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent that to LinkedIn .
They know that ’ s going on .
Leahy : I think the job may have been with LinkedIn , Ben .
Cunningham : But it ’ s so easy for these trolls to get people thrown off .
Leahy : And what they really they hate what you stand for been which is freedom , liberty and the American way .
Let ’ s be honest about that .
Cunningham : They despise conservatives .
It ’ s hatred .
It is absolutely hatred .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in 2020 .
Not a good place to be but that is exactly where we are .
Listen to the full second hour : 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 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--CDC Report Indicates Masks May Increase Chance of Infection with COVID or Other Respiratory Illnesse

CDC Report Indicates Masks May Increase Chance of Infection with COVID or Other Respiratory Illnesses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) released a report last month in which the nearly 71 percent of individuals infected with COVID-19 reported “ always ” wearing their mask .
This opposed to the 4 percent of infected individuals who “ never ” wore masks .
The number of individuals infected with COVID-19 positively correlated with the consistency of mask-wearing .
The report didn ’ t address the possible correlation between face mask hygiene and COVID-19 infection , such as proper handling and disposal of masks .
It also didn ’ t differentiate the respondents ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people tested between July 1 and 29 in 11 different healthcare facilities .
Case-patients were symptomatic adults who tested positive for COVID-19 .
Control-participants were symptomatic adults who tested negative for COVID-19 , which might indicate a different illness .
Over 48 percent of infected individuals had at least one chronic underlying condition .
“ In the 14 days before illness onset , 71 % of case-patients and 74 % of control-participants reported always using cloth face coverings or other mask types when in public.
” The report ’ s takeaway didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported mask-wearing and infection rates .
Rather , it focused on the fact that infected individuals reported visiting dining establishments .
Most case-patients and control-participants even reported that other restaurant or bar patrons followed face mask and social distancing guidelines .
“ What is added by this report ?
Findings from a case-control investigation of symptomatic outpatients from 11 U.S. health care facilities found that close contact with persons with known COVID-19 or going to locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options were associated with COVID-19 positivity .
Adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have reported dining at a restaurant than those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results.
” This is the conclusion drawn , though the report also mentions over 50 percent of “ close contacts ” were infected family members .
Another 30 percent of individuals reported their close contacts as friends and co-workers .
The CDC combines health care workers , restaurant patrons , employee spouses , day care teachers , religious congregation members , and unspecified into a category of close contacts titled “ Other.
” The number of restaurant patrons associated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CDC then suggests consideration for reducing exposure in areas where people are gathering to eat and drink .
The report also admits that they can ’ t link conclusively the exact moment of infection to dining establishments .
CDC Director Dr. Redfield stated in a Senate Health Committee hearing less than a week after the publication of the report that face masks were the most important in protecting others and even ourselves from COVID-19 .
“ Face masks are the most important , powerful public health tool we have .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all individuals in our country to embrace these face coverings .
If we did it for 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 weeks we ’ d bring this pandemic under control .
These face coverings – we have scientific evidence they work and they are our best defense , and might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine , because the immunogenicity may be 70 percent .
And if I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine is not going to protect me .
This face mask will.
” Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Apprehensions at Southern Border Decreased by Nearly Half from Last Year 2019, CBP Says

Nearly half as many individuals were apprehended at the southern border during fiscal year 2020 as in the previous year , Customs and Border Protection announced Wednesday .
A total of 400,651 migrants were apprehended between ports of entry at the southern border in fiscal year 2020 , which ended with September , Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) announced .
In the fiscal year 2019 , just over 851,500 individuals were apprehended .
In September 2020 , over 2,900 migrants attempted to enter at ports of entry were considered inadmissible , with similar numbers reported in August and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fiscal year 2019 , over 126,000 individuals at the same ports of entry were deemed inadmissible .
Declines began soon after the Trump administration imposed a policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their court cases , The Wall Street Journal reported .
Additionally , migrants have been prevented from crossing multiple borders south of the U.S .
The Trump administration announced a policy in March that allows border agents to immediately turn back migrants rather than formally apprehending and deporting individuals , the WSJ reported .
The policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detention centers where the coronavirus could spread .
Since migrants won ’ t face formal consequences for trying to cross the border under the policy , many are making multiple attempts , the WSJ reported .
Around 34 % of individuals attempted multiple crossings , according to the WSJ , though CBP has not released data on the instances yet .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Key Battleground States Don’t Require Signature-Matching on Mail-in Ballots

Election rules in multiple key battleground states permit voters to submit mail-in and absentee ballots without having their signatures checked to ensure the vote is valid .
Five states that have historically been competitive in presidential races — North Carolina , Iowa , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , and New Hampshire — do not require signature-matching for mailed voting forms .
In some cases , state officials have explicitly codified that rule .
In August , Karen Bell , the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections , wrote in a memo to all local county boards that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be compared with the voter ’ s signature on file because this is not required by North Carolina law.
” “ County boards shall accept the voter ’ s signature on the container-return envelope if it appears to be made by the voter , ” she continued , “ meaning the signature on the envelope appears to be the name of the voter and not some other person.
” “ Absent clear evidence to the contrary , ” she added , “ the county board shall presume that the voter ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if the signature is illegible.
” In other cases , signature-match rules have been struck down by jurists .
Judges in New Hampshire and Iowa in recent years both struck down provisions of state laws mandating signature-match policies for absentee ballots .
In New Hampshire in 2018 , a judge struck down a state law ordering election officials to match a voter ’ s signature on the application for a mail-in ballot with the voter ’ s signature on an affidavit accompanying the ballot itself .
“ [ T ] he current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature mismatch fails to guarantee basic fairness , ” the ruling states .
“ Such discretion [ in signature verification ] becomes constitutionally intolerable once other factors are taken into account : the natural variations in voters ’ signatures combined with the absence of training and functional standards on handwriting analysis , and the lack of any review process or compliance measures.
” The ruling suggested election officials could institute a policy of reaching out to voters regarding disputed ballots in order to give them a chance to rectify the errors .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district court judge struck down a portion of a state election law which mandated that a voter ’ s affidavit signature match his or her signature on record with the state .
The judge struck down that rule both under the Iowa constitution and on procedural due process grounds .
And in Wisconsin , the state ’ s website declares that “ election inspectors are not required … to compare the signature [ of a voter ] to any other record.
” “ Voters should be directed to sign using their normal signature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document and election inspectors should indicate the line number on which the voter is to sign , ” the state says .
“ The law does not require voter signatures to be legible , ” the rule continues .
Reid Magney , a spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission , told Just the News that the state “ has never matched signatures for absentee ballots or any other voting activity.
” “ There are many other security measures in place to protect the integrity of absentee voting in Wisconsin , including the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Pennsylvania , meanwhile , the state Department of State issued guidance in September directing that local election officials are not authorized “ to set aside returned absentee or mail-in ballots based solely on signature analysis by the county board of elections.
” The absence of signature-verification policies in critical battleground states raises the specter of potential voter fraud among some of the most unpredictable voting districts in the country .
Numerous politicians and commentators , including President Trump , have claimed that mass mail-in voting this year could pose a greater-than-average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Barr said last month that the U.S. “ [ hasn ’ t ] had the kind of widespread use of mail-in ballots as being proposed ” this election year .
“ What we ’ re talking about is mailing them to everyone on the voter list , ” he argued on CNN , “ when everyone knows those voter lists are inaccurate .
People who should get them don ’ t get them , which is what has been one of the major complaints in states that have tried this in municipal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them are not the right people , ” he continued .
“ They ’ re people who have replaced the previous occupant , and they can make them out and sometimes multiple ballots come to the same address , with … several generations of occupants.
” Problems with mail-in ballots have been widely reported over the course of the year .
In a chaotic primary season in New Jersey , there were reports of residents receiving ballots for their dead parents and hundreds of Republicans receiving Democratic primary ballots .
Millions more voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic out of concerns that voting in person could put citizens at risk of catching and transmitting the coronavirus .
The mass move to mail-in voting has led to a litany of logistical and procedural issues over the last several months , including many involving signature-match problems .
In New York and New Jersey this year , for instance , thousands of primary ballots were thrown out due to mismatched signatures .
Voting rights activists argue that signature-match provisions are too burdensome for voters , particularly given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minor variations that can be observed in signatures over time .
Pundits more broadly argue that voting fraud in the U.S. is comparatively rare and not likely to influence the results of a presidential election one way or the other .
Yet the vote in key battleground states this year may come down to a dispute of just several thousand ballots .
In Wisconsin in 2016 , for example , President Trump ’ s margin of victory over Hillary Clinton was just 0.77 % , while in Pennsylvania it was 0.72 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ margin , at 0.4 % .
Many states with signature-matching laws dictate that voters must be contacted about any disputed ballots in order to be given the opportunity to correct them .
Some states permit voters to correct disputed signatures either before the election or up until several days after it .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Harris Suspends Travel After Staffer Tests COVID-19 Positive

WILMINGTON , Delaware ( AP ) — Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , will suspend in-person events until Monday after two people associated with the campaign tested positive for the coronavirus .
Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign said Thursday that the 77-year-old candidate had no exposure , though he and Harris spent several hours campaigning together in Arizona on Oct. 8 , when the two people were on a flight with Harris .
Both candidates have tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times since then , and Biden ’ s campaign said he tested negative again on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign ’ s first major coronavirus scare , after months of careful health procedures that brought mockery from President Donald Trump , even after a White House virus outbreak that included the president and first lady Melania Trump .
The Democratic campaign ’ s cautious reaction underscores again the differences in how the rival camps have approached the pandemic , both in terms of preferred government response and the candidates ’ personal protocols .
Harris ’ travel suspension interrupts the Biden campaign ’ s aggressive push across a wide battleground map , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two states Harris was scheduled to visit .
Biden aides see Harris , the first Black woman on a major party presidential ticket , as a key part of its outreach in North Carolina , where increasing Black turnout is key to the Democrats ’ hopes of flipping the state .
She had been scheduled to travel to the state Thursday for events encouraging voters to cast early ballots .
Her Friday trip to Cleveland would have been her first to Ohio as the vice presidential nominee and would have taken her into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s largest concentration of Black voters .
As the Biden campaign curtailed Harris ’ activities , Trump was on the road again to North Carolina , where his entourage continued was seen again ignoring public health experts ’ recommendations to prevent COVID-19 spread .
Among the president ’ s maskless entourage was Hope Hicks , whose coronavirus diagnosis became the first public disclosure of a White House outbreak .
The Biden campaign told reporters Thursday morning that Harris ’ communications director , Liz Allen , and a flight crew member tested positive after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon said both tested negative before and after Harris ’ travels .
Their positive results came in subsequent tests .
“ Neither of these individuals had any contact with Vice President Biden , with Sen. Harris or any other staff member since testing positive or in the 48-hour period prior to their positive test results , ” O ’ Malley Dillon said , adding that under CDC guidelines there was no need for quarantining .
But O ’ Malley Dillon said Harris would suspend travel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of caution.
” The campaign also is canceling upcoming travel for Doug Emhoff , Harris ’ husband .
Harris followed up in a statement saying that “ both the crew member and the staff member were wearing N95 masks at all points they were near me , and our doctors believe that we were not exposed under CDC guidelines.
” She also pledged to be “ transparent with you about any test results that I do receive .
In the meantime , remember : wear a mask , practice social distancing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible to stop the spread.
” Harris will continue virtual campaigning , including fundraisers previously scheduled for Thursday , Friday and Saturday .
Harris and Biden spent several hours together on Oct. 8 through multiple campaign stops , private meetings and a joint appearance in front of reporters at an airport .
They were masked at all times in public , and aides said they were masked in private , as well , including on all flights .
Harris has had two tests since then , most recently on Wednesday , O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ABC News town hall on Thursday airing live at 8 p.m. EDT , and he will proceed with his planned travel Friday and through the weekend .
O ’ Malley Dillon said all campaign staff members on the Oct. 8 flight have been tested at least twice since then .
All tests have been negative , she said .
The campaign became aware of the positive tests Wednesday night , O ’ Malley Dillon said .
Harris already this week had opted to attend virtually the Senate Judiciary Supreme Court confirmation hearings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in person after some of her GOP Senate colleagues tested positive for coronavirus or disclosed their exposure to others who had tested positive .
Biden ’ s campaign has taken the coronavirus seriously , drawing mockery from Trump and Republicans , even as the White House deals with the fallout of its virus outbreak .
The Democratic ticket ’ s campaign events are socially distanced and require participants to wear masks .
Staff often set chairs inside white plastic circles to denote six feet of distance .
During a recent indoor speech at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters were given and asked to wear KN95 masks .
Biden and Harris typically keep their masks on when speaking indoors .
Both travel on planes with a small number of staff and Secret Service .
For Harris ’ travel , a second plane carries the rest of the staff .
While for Biden , a second plane carries the traveling press corps .
Trump , meanwhile , openly defies recommendations about social distancing and masks .
His Sept. 26 announcement of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett featured a largely maskeless crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garden .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious disease expert , has since dubbed the announcement a “ superspreader ” event .
The president and his White House also have been less forthcoming with details of the outbreak .
Trump announced his diagnosis via Twitter only after media reports that Hicks had contracted the disease .
And even as the president was hospitalized and released , his physicians and top White House aides gave conflicting reports of his condition and his testing timeline , including whether he might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and Biden were on stage together for more than 90 minutes during their first presidential debate .
Bill Barrow is a reporter for The Associated Press .
AP reporters Kathleen Ronayne in Sacramento , Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines , Iowa , contributed .
About the Headline Photo : In this Oct. 8 , 2020 , photo , Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , speaks at Carpenters Local Union 1912 in Phoenix , as Democratic presidential candidate former vice president Joe Biden listens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris will suspend in-person events until Oct. 19 , after two people associated with the campaign tested positive for coronavirus .
( AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Music Spotlight: Drew Parker

Music Spotlight: Drew Parker

NASHVILLE , Tennessee – One of my favorite type of artists to interview are “ Highway Finds ” from SiriusXM The Highway .
The Highway plays new mostly unheard artists on their weekend show , On the Horizon and if they get enough response from their subscribers , they move the song over to their weekly rotation .
Even though Drew Parker has had a # 1 song as a songwriter , Jake Owen ’ s “ Homemade ” , he has never been on the radio as a performer until recently when Sirius radio introduced him to the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and coming EP , While You ’ re Gone .
Drew Parker grew up in a small , unincorporated town of Stewart , located in Covington , Georgia .
He started singing in church when he was a small child .
Back in the day , they would have gospel groups who traveled around and sang at the local churches .
When he was about 12 , he asked his parents how could he travel and sing at churches .
His parents took him seriously and bought sound equipment and started traveling throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really where it started for me , at least the knowledge of touring and how that kind of works .
I learned that at a very young age , ” he stated .
However , like many boys who are at that age , his primary interest was baseball while singing was just a hobby .
“ That ’ s kind of what I wanted to do was to be a professional baseball player , ” Parker said .
He played baseball in high school and had plans to play baseball in college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He explained , “ That ’ s when I thought , ‘ Maybe I should give up this baseball fantasy that I ’ ve been living and go all-in on the music and try to chase it.
’ ” Over the years , he began to build his confidence , and , at age 14 , he decided to pick up a guitar and teach himself how to play songs from his inspirations , such as Keith Whitley , Merle Haggard , Waylon Jennings , Travis Tritt , and Alan Jackson .
Somewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious about his music and began dabbling in songwriting .
Nevertheless , to please his parents , Parker went to college and got a degree in radiology where he learned to be an X-ray technician .
At the same time , he started playing small pizza and beer joints near his hometown in Georgia .
He admits to having grown up listening to country music his whole life and at these local dive bars , he honed his craft .
He just happened to sing gospel music in church .
Before coming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just wrote their own songs .
“ I had only really written one good song before I moved to Nashville , ” he said .
Then , in 2015 at age 24 , he left his job at a hospital in Covington , Georgia , and decided , “ I ’ ve got to get to Nashville , I ’ ve got to figure out what this is about .
I really want to make this my career and do this for the rest of my life.
” He packed his bags and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Combs and Ray Fulcher early on .
It while writing songs with them , he realized that there were lots of people who were just songwriters and wrote strictly for others to perform .
Even though Parker wanted to be an artist himself , he thought , “ If I can write songs for other people , I can establish myself as an artist , maybe it will help pave the way to get there.
” In 2017 he signed a publishing deal with RiverHouse/WarnerChappell .
Since then he has been a co-writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This One ’ s For You ” , Jake Owen ’ s single “ Homemade ” and Luke Combs ’ “ 1,2 Many ” .
I wanted to know about his friendship with superstar Combs .
The 29-year-old recalled , “ The first time we met ( in March of 2015 ) , I opened a show for him in Rome , Georgia and there was probably 80 there.
” ( Before COVID , Luke Combs sold out two shows at Bridgestone Arena . )
Now as a singer/songwriter he has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones to keep for himself .
Originally his whole outlook was to get in the room and write the best song that you can write and figure out where it goes from there .
“ If it is something I really like , I will hold onto it , but for the most part , I am OK with anything being cut because for the past five years it has been more beneficial to me to get a cut by a bigger artist.
” However , in the past six months , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto more songs for himself .
His EP While You ’ re Gone is being released on October 21 , 2020 .
He stated , “ I ’ ve been waiting for this release for over a year .
This was supposed to come out earlier in the year when we were out on tour with my buddy , Luke Combs , but the good Lord and COVID had different plans .
I ’ m so proud of these songs and this project.
” Parker currently has tour dates scheduled to open for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He admitted the pandemic has been a mixed bag .
“ Honestly , I miss playing shows so bad and the fans .
I am ready to play this new music that I ’ ve been writing .
But the silver lining was in March , me and my wife had a brand-new baby girl , and getting to spend all this time off the road and watching her grow up has been absolutely tremendous and I wouldn ’ t trade it for anything in the world , ” he exclaimed .
Click @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While You ’ re Gone.
” To stream the album While You ’ re Gone , click here .
You can follow Drew Parker on Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , and Apple Music .
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer .
You can follow her blog , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--C-SPAN Suspends Scully After He Admits to Lie About Hack

NEW YORK , New York ( AP ) — C-SPAN suspended its political editor Steve Scully indefinitely Thursday after he admitted to lying about his Twitter feed being hacked when he was confronted about a questionable exchange with former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci .
The news came on the day of what was supposed to be a career highlight for the 30-year C-SPAN veteran .
Scully was to moderate the second debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden , which was canceled after Trump would not agree to a virtual format because of his COVID-19 diagnosis .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as a “ never Trumper , ” Scully tweeted “ @ Scaramucci should I respond to Trump.
” Scaramucci , a former Trump communications director and now a critic of the president , advised Scully to ignore him .
Scully said that when he saw his tweet had created a controversy , “ I falsely claimed that my Twitter account had been hacked.
” He had been frustrated by Trump ’ s comments and several weeks of criticism on social media and conservative news outlets about his role as moderator , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ These were both errors in judgement for which I am totally responsible for , ” Scully said .
“ I apologize.
” He said he let down his colleagues at C-SPAN , fellow news professionals and the debate commission .
“ I ask for their forgiveness as I try to move forward in a moment of reflection and disappointment in myself , ” he said .
C-SPAN said Scully confessed to lying about the hack on Wednesday .
“ He understands that he made a serious mistake , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saddened by this news and do not condone his actions.
” Trump seized on the news , tweeting “ I was right again !
I was right again !
Steve Scully just admitted he was lying about his Twitter being hacked .
The Debate was Rigged !
” The debate commission did not immediately return a message seeking comment .
Scully has led the network ’ s presidential election coverage since 1992 , but the suspension means he won ’ t be part of C-SPAN ’ s election night programming .
Scully has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the weekly call-in program , and regularly hosted other C-SPAN programs .
The network said Scully has consistently demonstrated fairness and professionalism , and built a reservoir of good will .
“ After some distance from this episode , we believe in his ability to continue to contribute to C-SPAN , ” the network said .
David Bauder is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : White House Correspondents Association President Steve Scully appears at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 11 , 2007 .
C-SPAN suspended its political editor Steve Scully indefinitely after he admitted to lying about having his Twitter account hacked .
A week ago , when Scully was questioned about a message he had sent to former Trump aide Anthony Scaramucci seeking advice , Scully claimed that someone had gotten into his account and done that .
( AP Photo/Ron Edmonds , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-16--Europe, US Reel as Virus Infections Surge at Record Pace

Coronavirus cases around the world have climbed to all-time highs of more than 330,000 per day as the scourge comes storming back across Europe and spreads with renewed speed in the U.S. , forcing many places to reimpose tough restrictions they had eased just a few months ago .
Well after Europe seemed to have largely tamed the virus that proved so lethal last spring , newly confirmed infections are reaching unprecedented levels in Germany , the Czech Republic , Italy and Poland , and most of the rest of the continent is seeing similar danger signs .
France imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other big cities .
Londoners face new restrictions on meeting with people indoors .
The Netherlands closed bars and restaurants this week .
And the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland shut down schools .
In the United States , new cases per day are on the rise in 44 states , with the biggest surges in the Midwest and Great Plains , where resistance to wearing masks and observing other social distancing practices has been running high .
Deaths per day are climbing in 30 states .
“ I see this as one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Dr. Peter Hotez , an infectious-disease specialist at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas .
“ The numbers are going up pretty rapidly .
We ’ re going to see a pretty large epidemic across the Northern Hemisphere.
” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the U.S. government ’ s top infectious-disease expert , said Americans should think hard about whether to hold Thanksgiving gatherings .
“ Everyone has this traditional , emotional , warm feeling about the holidays and bringing a group of people , friends and family , together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on ABC ’ s “ Good Morning America.
” “ We really have to be careful this time that each individual family evaluates the risk benefit of doing that.
” According to Johns Hopkins University , new cases in the U.S. have risen from about 40,000 per day on average to more than 52,000 over the past two weeks .
Deaths were relatively stable over the same period , at around 720 a day .
Worldwide , deaths have fallen slightly to about 5,200 a day .
The head of the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments to be “ uncompromising ” in controlling the virus .
He said most of the spread is happening because people aren ’ t complying with the rules .
“ These measures are meant to keep us all ahead of the curve and to flatten its course , ” Dr. Hans Kluge said , while wearing a mask .
“ It is therefore up to us to accept them while they are still relatively easy to follow.
” Europe ’ s financial markets fell sharply Thursday on concerns that the new restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stocks slumped in afternoon trading on Wall Street .
The Czech Republic confirmed more than 9,500 new virus cases on Wednesday , over 900 more than the days-old previous record .
The government announced the military will set up a virus hospital at Prague ’ s exhibition center .
In France , which reported over 22,000 new infections Wednesday , President Emmanuel Macron put 18 million residents in nine regions , including Paris , under a curfew starting Saturday .
Italy set a new daily record for infections and recorded the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding 83 victims to bring its official count to nearly 36,400 , the second-highest in Europe after Britain .
In Britain , London and seven other areas face restrictions that will mean more than 11 million people will be barred from meeting with anyone indoors from outside their households and will be asked to minimize travel starting this weekend .
European nations have seen nearly 230,000 confirmed deaths in total from the virus , while the U.S. has recorded nearly 217,000 , though experts agree the official figures understate the true toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , deaths have not increased at the same pace as infections .
For one thing , it can take time for people to get sick and die of the virus .
Also , many of the new cases involve young people , who are less likely than older ones to get seriously ill .
Patients are benefiting from new drugs and other improvements in treating COVID-19 .
And nursing homes , which were ravaged by the virus last spring , have gotten better at controlling infections .
But experts fear it is only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising in step with infections .
“ All of this does not bode well , ” said Josh Michaud , associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington .
“ Rapid increases in cases like we ’ re seeing now are always followed by increases in hospitalizations and deaths , which is what is likely to occur across much of Europe and the U.S. in the coming weeks and months.
” Peter Hotez , the Baylor expert , said he worries that the nearly three-month transition period after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight against the virus .
“ There ’ s good chance we ’ ll have a lame duck government , ” Hotez said .
“ We haven ’ t had much of a national strategy to begin with .
… People are going to be worried , scared and feeling abandoned by the federal government.
” The pandemic continues to cause disruptions in the U.S. election campaign .
Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , said she would suspend in-person events until Monday after two people associated with the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. regions hit hardest by the new surge had largely avoided infections earlier in the pandemic .
Among them is Gove County in Kansas , which has had to send several patients , including Sheriff Allan Weber , to hospitals in other towns .
The county ’ s 22-bed medical center has only a few beds dedicated to virus patients and not enough staff to monitor the most serious cases around the clock .
Besides the sheriff , the county ’ s emergency management director , the hospital CEO and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even so , some leaders are reluctant to stir up ill will by talking about how often friends and neighbors wear masks or questioning how officials responded .
Doug Gruenbacher , a Gove County doctor who contracted the coronavirus in September , said residents have concerns about personal liberties and “ not wanting to be told what to do.
” “ That ’ s part of the reason of why we love it here , because of that spirit and because of that independence , ” he said .
“ But unfortunately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some of the difficulties that we ’ re having right now.
” David Crary , Carla K. Johnson and Geir Moulson are reporters for The Associated Press .
AP writers around Europe and the U.S. contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : Medical staff takes a swabs as she tests a boy for COVID-19 at a drive-through at the San Paolo hospital , in Milan , Italy , Thursday , Oct. 15 , 2020 .
Coronavirus infections are surging again in the region of northern Italy where the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on hospitals and health care workers .
( AP Photo/Luca Bruno )