thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--China, India Disavow Clash but Pledge to End Border Standoff

BEIJING , China ( AP ) — China and India accused each other Wednesday of instigating deadly border clashes between their forces along the disputed Himalayan frontier , pledging to safeguard their territory but also to try to end a standoff that has dramatically raised the stakes between the nuclear-armed Asian giants .
Twenty Indian troops were reportedly killed in the clashes Monday night in the Ladakh region ’ s Galwan Valley , while it was not clear whether China suffered any casualties .
Indian security forces said neither side fired any shots , with some officials saying the soldiers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Indian soldiers , including a colonel , died of severe injuries suffered in sub-zero temperatures after the two sides threw rocks and traded blows , Indian officials said .
It was the deadliest conflict between the sides in 45 years , and escalated a standoff in the disputed region that began in early May , when Indian officials said Chinese soldiers crossed the boundary at three different points , erecting tents and guard posts and ignoring verbal warnings to leave .
That triggered shouting matches , stone-throwing and fistfights , much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social media .
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned New Delhi not to underestimate Beijing ’ s determination to safeguard what it considers its sovereign territory .
His comments came in a phone call Wednesday with his Indian counterpart , Subrahmanyam Jaishankar .
Wang said China demanded that India conduct a thorough investigation and “ harshly punish ” those responsible .
“ The Indian side would best not make an incorrect judgement of the situation , would best not underestimate China ’ s strong determination to safety its sovereign territory , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreign ministry .
He repeated China ’ s claims that India was solely responsible for the conflict , saying Indian forces had crossed the Line of Actual Control that divides the thousands of troops from both sides deployed in the area .
Jaishankar , in turn , accused China of erecting a structure in the Galwan Valley , which he called a “ premeditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties , ” according to a statement .
He added that the incident would have “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship with China , but that both sides were committed to further disengaging on the remote plateau of the Himalayan terrain .
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the soldiers killed in the clashes .
“ Their sacrifices won ’ t go to waste , ” he said .
“ For us , the unity and sovereignty of the country is the most important thing .
India wants peace , but when provoked , it is capable of giving a fitting reply , be it any kind of situation.
” A group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New Delhi , India ’ s capital , condemning the killing of the soldiers and demanding a ban on Chinese goods .
They carried placards with crossed-out photographs of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese army .
A small group of retired Indian army personnel also marched close to the embassy with placards reading “ Chinese army down down.
” They were detained by police .
While experts said the two nations were unlikely to head to war , they also believe easing tensions quickly will be difficult .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India-China relations and the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific , ” said Abraham Denmark , Asia program director at The Wilson Center .
“ Both countries are led by men who have embraced nationalism , and both countries are facing tremendous domestic and international upheaval as a result of COVID-19 and other long-standing problems.
” The main questions now are if either side can find a path to deescalation and whether India ’ s allies such as the United States will help .
“ It is a highly volatile and dangerous situation between two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when American influence has badly diminished , ” Denmark said .
An editorial published Wednesday in the Global Times , a Chinese Communist Party newspaper , said India was being encouraged by the U.S. , which has been steadily building relations with India ’ s military .
“ The arrogance and recklessness of the Indian side is the main reason for the consistent tensions along China-India borders , ” the editorial said , adding that China “ does not and will not create conflicts , but it fears no conflicts either.
” China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ square miles ) of territory in India ’ s northeast , while India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers ( 15,000 square miles ) of its territory in the Aksai Chin Plateau in the Himalayas , a contiguous part of the Ladakh region .
India unilaterally declared Ladakh a federal territory while separating it from disputed Kashmir in August 2019 .
China was among the handful of countries to strongly condemn the move , raising it at international forums including the U.N. Security Council .
Thousands of soldiers on both sides have faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretch of the 3,380-kilometer ( 2,100-mile ) Line of Actual Control , the border established following a war between India and China in 1962 that resulted in an uneasy truce .
“ We are concerned about reports of violence and deaths at the Line of Actual Control between India and China , ” U.N. associate spokesperson Eri Kaneko said .
“ We take positive note of reports that the two countries have engaged to de-escalate the situation.
” This story has been corrected to show a reference to 17 injured is a description @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report of more casualties .
Sam McNeil and Ashok Sharma report for the Associated Press .
Sharma reported from New Delhi .
About the Headline Photo : An Indian army convoy moves on the Srinagar- Ladakh highway at Gagangeer , north-east of Srinagar , India , Wednesday , June 17 , 2020 .
Indian security forces said neither side fired any shots in the clash in the Ladakh region late Monday that was the first deadly confrontation on the disputed border between India and China since 1975 .
China said Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Himalayan border dispute with India following the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the most violent confrontation in decades .
( AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan )


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Nashville City Council ‘Should be Ashamed,’ Beacon Center of Tennessee Says After Massive Tax Increa

Nashville City Council ‘Should be Ashamed,’ Beacon Center of Tennessee Says After Massive Tax Increase Passes

Officials with a Nashville-based right-of-center think tank on Wednesday harshly criticized members of the Metro Nashville Council for jacking up property taxes by 34 percent .
Members of that think tank , the Beacon Center of Tennessee , said this in a press release .
“ The Nashville City Council should be utterly ashamed about last night ’ s vote to raise property taxes .
They had a chance to rebuff the mayor ’ s egregious tax hike proposal and stand with middle-class taxpayers , business owners who have been shut down by the government , and everyone in between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much-needed systemic reforms that could begin to right the city ’ s fiscal ship .
Instead , they took the cowardly way out and raised taxes by 34 percent , an even greater amount than that proposed by the mayor , filling in the gaps with pork and special interest favors .
Last night may very well be the turning point in Nashville ’ s growth and the day Nashville went from ‘ It ’ city to ‘ It was ’ city , ” Owen said .
“ Years of gross fiscal mismanagement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working to fix the mistakes of the past and chart a better path forward , 32 Council members took the easy way out and voted to pass the buck to Nashvillians .
Last night is just another indication that many Council members want to see us become another San Francisco or Seattle .
The question is , do the voters ?
” Nashville officials approved a tax hike that will increase funding for police and schools .
Nashville council members voted 32-8 after a lengthy debate that lasted until early Wednesday to approve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent tax hike .
The spending plan will give cost-of-living increases to city employees , add $ 7.6 million for the school district and $ 4.9 million so that minimum wage for district employees will increase to $ 15 per hour .
The plan also included a $ 2.6 million increase for police , which the department says is needed to hire 48 recruits .
The addition of that funding came despite some council members and community advocates rallying for reduced funding .
The new budget will go into effect on July 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property tax rate by $ 1.066 per $ 100 of assessed value .
The new tax rate is the largest jump in Metro ’ s history , but it remains the lowest tax rate among Tennessee ’ s largest cities and counties .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

Eighteen individuals are now collecting petitions for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District race as of last Friday.
Twelve people are collecting qualifying petitions for the GOP primary, three are gathering petitions for the Democrat primary, and three independents are also accumulating petitions.
The 12 Republicans listed on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website as collecting petitions are former Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell of Nashville, businessman Baxter Lee of Nashville, Robby Starbuck of Franklin (listed as Robert Starbuck Newsom), Geni Batchelor of Lebanon, Natisha Brooks of Nashville, former Williamson County GOP Chair Omar Hamada of Franklin, Timothy Bruce Lee of Nashville, Annabelle Lee of Madison, Alan Clement Sharp of Nashville, David Vitalli of Brentwood, Stewart Parks of Nashville, and Richie Lee of Nashville.
Among the publicly announced candidates, Tennessee newcomer and former State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus and retired Brig. General Kurt Winstead have not yet been listed as having begun their qualifying petitions process. Hamada has not yet made a decision as to whether or not he is officially entering the race.
Records show that Harwell, Starbuck, Brooks, Baxter Lee, Ortagus, Winstead, Batchelor, and Timothy Bruce Lee have also filed candidate paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Starbuck has raised $255,066.53 and has $138,741.16 on hand, which Brooks has raised $24,517.00 and has $19,655.34 on hand. The rest filed their FEC paperwork after the year-end December 31, 2022 deadline. The 2022 first quarter January 1-March 31 financial reports, which are scheduled to be released in mid-April, will cover all candidates who have reached the FEC reporting threshold.
Sources tell The Star that several Republican candidates are expected to have impressive fundraising totals.
Clay Faircloth, Richard H. Harris, and Joel Michael Hurbert, all from Nashville, are listed as collecting petitions for the Democrat primary.
Derrick Brantley of Nashville, Patrick O. Halfacre of Hohenwald, and Richard A. Shannon of Franklin are the independents who are collecting petitions. Shannon has appeared on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy. Only Brantley appears to have filed documents with the FEC.
In order to appear on the ballot, candidates are required to collect 25 valid signatures from registered voters and have until noon on April 7 to turn in those qualifying petitions. Candidates who qualify have until April 14 to withdraw their names from the ballot. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office told The Star, unless pending legislation changes things, that they will finalize the ballots on April 21.
The 5th Congressional District consists of parts of Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson counties, and all of Maury, Marshall, and Lewis counties.
– – –
Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected] Follow Aaron on GETTR.
Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Martin Falbisoner. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Tennessee Star National Correspondent Neil McCabe Talks About the Democrats’ Strategy for Police Ref

Tennessee Star National Correspondent Neil McCabe Talks About the Democrats’ Strategy for Police Reform

Live from Music Row Wednesday 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 Tennessee Star National Correspondent Neil McCabe to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , McCabe discussed the Democrat ’ s immediate agenda and strategy for law enforcement and police reform .
He pointed out that their intent is not to defund the police but to federalize it via a blueprint inspired by the Obama administration .
Leahy : Amongst all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political points the Democrats are trying to make this week in Washington , D.C. ?
McCabe : I think the Democrats are really trying to really check the box on the law enforcement and police reform angle .
The problem that the Democrats are running into now is that the political season of Washington , D.C. closes on July 4 .
You really are not going to see Congress again until we have the budget crisis which will hit us between Labor Day and the end of September .
People have to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got political conventions , virtual and otherwise .
So they ’ ve got to get their licks in on police reform .
And Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina has been working with the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows .
Of course , those two men served in the House together .
Of course , Jared Kushner is on board .
So the White House staff are united in getting something done with Tim Scott .
The president ’ s executive order was a very important first step politically because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their hat on .
When the Democrats are talking about defunding the police .
They don ’ t really want to defund the police or eliminate the police departments .
They want to recreate police departments in their image that are more aligned with their political interests .
And so we ’ re just going to have to see how that shakes out .
My feeling is that any kind of police reform legislation is going to die on the vine because there just isn ’ t time to get it done especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still willing to play defense .
McConnell is very bad at advancing the Conservative agenda .
He ’ s very bad at offense .
But when it comes to defense and blocking and tackling , there is no one better than McConnell .
Carmichael : As a person who lives in Nashville I can ’ t think of something that is scarier than a bunch of politicians in Washington , D.C. telling us in Nashville and our elected representatives how the police department in Nashville will be run .
That to me is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we don ’ t like the way that the police department is run in Nashville than our redress is either at the election box or in the case of Nashville we can actually file a petition and have changes voted on by democracy .
But if Washington , D.C. edicts then the police departments across the country will be functioning about as well as the VA system did under Obama .
McCabe : What you are going to see is the blueprint for reworking for police departments has been already laid out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department under President Barack Obama and Eric Holder as the Attorney General where they went in either by decree or other coercions .
They reworked the way the police systems were operating .
And remember , some of these states on their own like say New York state does not have bail .
Carmichael : But that ’ s their choice .
I think that ’ s a dumb idea .
But if the people of New York elect representatives who do that and then live under it that ’ s up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year of my life in the military was at Fort Bragg and I hope they keep that name .
Leahy : ( Laughs ) Right .
Neil McCabe , thanks for joining us .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Defund the Police ” by Tony Webster .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Senate GOP Propose Police Changes

Senate GOP Propose Police Changes

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — Senate Republicans unveiled proposed changes to police procedures and accountability Wednesday , countering Democratic policing legislation with a bill that is less sweeping but underscores how swiftly the national debate has been transformed five months before elections .
Republicans are embracing a new priority with the “ Justice Act , ” the most ambitious GOP policing proposal in years , in a direct response to the massive public protests over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he believes America is not a racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally gone ” from slavery and the Civil War .
He said the chamber will move swiftly to floor debate next week , a change in schedule after the lead senator on the bill , South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott , said he believed it should be considered immediately .
Scott is the Senate ’ s lone black Republican .
The GOP proposal includes an enhanced use-of-force database , restrictions on chokeholds and new commissions to study law enforcement and race .
Scott led a task force of GOP senators compiling the package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being stopped by police — including once this year — and urged colleagues to understand it ’ s “ not a binary choice ” between supporting law enforcement or people of color .
“ We hear you , ” Scott said , addressing himself to the families of those Americans killed by police .
“ I think this package speaks very clearly to the young person and his concern when he stopped by law enforcement officers.
” McConnell said Republicans are “ serious about making a law ” and challenged Democrats to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer immediately criticized the legislation , saying it was clear that the GOP bill “ does not rise to the moment ” and would provide less accountability than House Democrats ’ version .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the bill as well , saying in a statement that the House version would “ fundamentally and forever transform the culture of policing ” but the Senate legislation would not .
“ The Senate proposal of studies and reporting without transparency and accountability is inadequate , ” Pelosi said .
As Senate Republicans released their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was considering a much broader Democratic proposal before an expected House vote next week .
That bill would limit legal protections for police , ban chokeholds and attempt to reduce racial profiling .
It would also boost requirements for police body cameras and limit the transfer of military equipment to local jurisdictions .
The GOP legislation would beef up requirements for law enforcement to compile use-of-force reports under a new George Floyd and Walter Scott Notification Act , named for the Minnesota man whose May 25 death sparked worldwide protests over police violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man shot by police after a traffic stop in 2015 .
Scott is not related to the senator .
It would also establish the Breonna Taylor Notification Act to track “ no-knock ” warrants .
The 26-year-old was killed this year after police in McConnell ’ s home state of Kentucky used a no-knock warrant to enter her Louisville home .
Focusing on ending chokeholds , the legislation encourages agencies to do away with the practice or risk losing federal funds — but does not require them to do so .
Many big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The legislation also provides funding for training to “ de-escalate ” situations and establish a “ duty to intervene ” protocol to prevent excessive force .
The GOP effort seeks to reach across the aisle to Democrats in several ways .
It includes one long-sought bill to make lynching a federal hate crime and another to launch a study of the social status of black men and boys that has been touted by House Speaker Pelosi .
The Republican package — dubbed the “ Just and Unifying Solutions To Invigorate Communities Everywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bipartisan Senate proposal to establish a National Criminal Justice Commission Act and extends funding streams for various federal law enforcement programs , including the COPS program important to states .
The package includes a mix of other proposals , including tapping the Smithsonian ’ s National Museum of African American History and Culture to create a law enforcement training curriculum on “ the history of racism in the United States.
” Another closes a loophole to prohibit federal law enforcement officers from engaging in sexual acts with those being arrested or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be considered on an emergency basis , so as not to count against federal deficits .
The GOP proposal comes amid a crush of activity from Washington as President Donald Trump announced executive actions Tuesday to create a database of police misconduct .
At a Rose Garden event , he declared himself “ committed to working with Congress on additional measures.
” Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick report for The Associated Press .
AP writers Jim Mustian and Colleen Long contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : Sen. Tim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. , left , Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , center , and others , speaks at a news conference to announce a Republican police reform bill on Capitol Hill , Wednesday , June 17 , 2020 , in Washington .
( AP Photo/Andrew Harnik )


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Author of ‘George Washington, Entrepreneur’ John Berlau Talks About Washington as an Innovator

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report Early Edition 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 American economist and the Director at the Center for Investors and Entrepreneurs at the Competitive Enterprise Institute John Berlau to the newsmakers line .
During the first hour , Berlau joined the show to discuss his new book entitled George Washington , Entrepreneur , and how his innovative spirit contributed to America .
He also touched upon Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of his life had led the way by freeing all of his slaves .
Leahy : We are joined now by my very good friend John Berlau , a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the winner of several journalism prizes .
Also the author of a great new book coming out towards the end of this month .
George Washington , Entrepreneur : How Our Founding Fathers Private Business Pursuits Changed America and the World .
We had to bring John on just before the official release of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story at The Tennessee Star .
“ Harpeth Hall Elite Nashville Prep School Drops George Washington.
” Not relevant to the way we teach history today .
What do you think of that John ?
Berlau : I think it ’ s very sad but unfortunately typical of what ’ s going on in the rest of the country .
This is a private academy .
They can do whatever they want .
But if I were a parent wanting my daughter as a student at that school I would be very disappointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a well-rounded education .
And instead of becoming what they said they aren ’ t anymore and that they ’ re a protected enclave where they have to shelter students to any experience that might be different .
Of course , George Washington is relevant if you live in this country being the father of this country and someone who set up the American system .
A lot of by what he didn ’ t do which was assume power after the war and voluntarily give up power as president .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you ’ ve written about him , he ’ s extraordinarily relevant for a number of reasons .
And you ’ ve documented some relevant information about his tremendous character and impact and America in your book George Washington , Entrepreneur .
Berlau : Yes .
Thanks , Mike .
George Washington , Entrepreneur is available now for pre-order on book sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble .
on June 30 .
But there is something in the email that was sent from a parent to Harpeth Hall alumni where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is conflicting with tradition .
Well , what about America ’ s tradition of innovation .
It ’ s not a conflict .
George Washington was responsible in many ways for setting up America ’ s tradition of innovation .
He was an innovator himself .
Making new plows and creating things like a 16-sided barn .
Was the first to bring mules to America .
And introducing crop rotation .
Giving up tobacco when he said it was harmful and weed and hemp .
And other crops .
But also that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a private citizen and a president .
He championed as a private citizen and retired as a general before he was president .
James Rumsey who was the co-inventor of the steamboat and who everybody thought was a crackpot .
But Rumsey ended up making the design and Washington would eventually grant him and the other inventor of the patent that influenced the Fulton commercial steamboat 20 years later .
And Washington welcomed balloonists from France to this country and remarked in a letter that maybe we ’ ll travel someday by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an innovative mind and came from a humble background and worked constantly and welcomed innovation to America .
Leahy : But the left-wingers who run Harpeth Hall , the elite private school where the tuition is more than $ 27,000 a year .
And by the way , the alumni include Reese Witherspoon , the actress who just recently said we have to get rid of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust in the state Capitol .
George Washington they would say , “ Well he must have been a morally bad person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his views of slavery and how that evolved throughout his life .
Berlau : Slavery is a stain on him and a stain on the country .
But it ’ s a stain on the world including Africa where the African American scholar Henry Louis Gates , Jr. talked about how African kings and queens and others were willing partners in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and had slaves themselves .
What was unique about America and other places in the western world was the abolition of slavery .
I argue and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course through condemning slavery publicly as early as 1774 and the Fairfax Resolve .
The list of grievances with Great Britain when America was still a colony an that he filed with George Mason who would become a fellow patriot .
But also he was the only president who helped slaves and freed all of his slaves at his death .
In his will , he freed all the slaves .
Over 100 that he owned .
And he also set up provisions that Mt .
Vernon was paying till 1830 for old-age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s providing for their education .
He commendably saw the evils of the institution and took steps in his own , for what he could do to gradually end it .
People said he could have done it sooner .
He could have spoken out more .
Nobody is the perfect man .
There is no perfect man in history .
What he did was honorable and set it on a course and Lincoln was inspired by him and of the other Founding Fathers .
Leahy : Doug Kellett .
Doug , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve met John but a great guy .
Competitive Enterprise Institute fellow .
And a great book .
I ’ ve been reading it .
You sent it to me by the way .
I love it .
It ’ s a fabulous book .
Doug meet John Berlau .
Kellett : You would think ok you see George Washington on the dollar bill .
They are going to be curious about why he ’ s on the dollar bill and why he ’ s called the father of the country .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat any appreciation of George Washington .
I think what ’ s always lost in this especially in the public schools specifically is that we don ’ t give appreciation and other Founding Fathers about how they put in place a government that provided the vehicle for change as attitudes changed over the centuries .
We never really give any kind of appreciation to them .
Berlau : I think you ’ re right .
It ’ s one thing to say , and it ’ s fine to teach criticism of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve made changes to the program before .
You could talk about slavery .
You could talk about other things .
You could say how he evolved and eventually freed all of his slaves and set the country on the course .
And how slavery is an evil but it isn ’ t a uniquely American evil .
But yes , setting up .
I talk about some of the reasons Washington who came from humble backgrounds himself .
His family couldn ’ t afford college .
His father died when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child .
He did not immediately inherit Mt .
Vernon .
He started out as a free land surveyor .
He read constantly and improved himself .
There are a lot of things you could learn about women that Martha was a savvy businesswoman herself that became a widow with two children and ran her first husband ’ s business for a time .
Then she would run significant things like the textile mill at Mt .
Vernon .
There are so many things I think that are inspiring today about both George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his tolerance in America of ethnic minorities when he went to the Jewish synagogues in 1790s in Rhode Island and said we give to bigotry no sanctions .
There are so many inspiring things .
Plus nobody was perfect then and today the criticism you could say about how he slew the evils of Great Britain as far as frustrating American enterprise .
My book George Washington , Entrepreneur talks about how there was a war against Americans starting manufacturing enterprises and how Great Britain wanted them to be in a mercantile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evils we had in America here with slavery and other things .
Leahy : Here is what the head of school at the elite private prep school Harpeth Hall .
It ’ s been around since 1951 .
It ’ s predecessors go back to the 19th century of this school .
About the end of the George Washington celebration which has been around for around 70 years there .
They are ending the celebration but I can promise they ’ ve also changed the curriculum .
They don ’ t say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just to get your reaction .
Jess Hill said , “ It is not consistent or relevant to the way that we teach history today that is celebrating George Washington .
And it does not demonstrate the significant role women played in our history.
” Berlau : You can change it and you could talk about Martha ’ s role for women .
But it ’ s certainly relevant .
Listen to the full first hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ John Berlau ” by the Competetitve Prize Institute .
Photo “ George Washington , Entrepreneur ” by Amazon .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Revival with Miracles Breaks Out in Spot Where George Floyd Died in Police Custody

Christian media outlets report a revival filled with miracles has been happening in the spot where George Floyd died in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department .
CBN News reports salvations , baptisms , worship and healings are taking place .
The movement began with Dr. Charles Karuku and Pastor Lindsey Karuku of International Outreach Church , CBN News said .
They told CBN ’ s The Prayer Link that they felt a call from God .
“ I was on a 40-day fast that ended the day after George Floyd was killed , ” Dr. Charles said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lord told us that , on the day of Pentecost , He would do a big thing .
We did not know what it would be , so we kept praying and fasting .
The day we ended the fast , the riots broke out.
” “ We knew on the day of Pentecost , we needed to be on that ground where George Floyd was killed and proclaim the name of Jesus Christ and bring a message of unity , ” he added .
Evangelist Sean Feucht posted a YouTube video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the George Floyd Memorial Site , where the street was renamed George Floyd Avenue .
In the video , people of many races talk and hug , and baptisms take place .
Joshua Lindquist with Global Revival Harvest has been present during the revival , The Christian Post reported .
In a broadcast from Wednesday night , Lindquist explained that they were invited into the community by a local church and noted the presence of Pastor Charles Karuku of International Outreach Church , a growing multi-racial congregation in Burnsville , Minnesota , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s family to spread the message of healing and forgiveness in the community .
“ This pastor who is preaching right now , his name is Charles Karuku and George Floyd ’ s family asked him to come here and share his message of forgiveness and healing through Jesus every day he can .
They endorsed him .
They said , ‘ please , this is the message the community needs , ’ ” he said .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Praying ” by Sean Feucht .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Warner Bros to Hold Massive Virtual Event for DC Comics Fans

LOS ANGELES , California ( AP ) — Comic-Con may be canceled this year , but Warner Bros. will convene a 24-hour virtual gathering of the biggest names in the DC Comics universe .
The studio announced Tuesday that DC FanDome will be held on August 22 starting at 10 a.m. PDT .
The event will feature talent announcements and reveal new content from WB games , comics , film and television .
The announcement comes a couple months after Comic-Con , which attracts tens of thousands of comics fans to San Diego , was canceled due to the coronavirus-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will feature cast and creators from DC films including “ The Batman , ” “ Black Adam ” and “ Wonder Woman 1984.
” The panels will also highlight casts from television shows such as “ The Flash , ” “ Stargirl ” and “ Black Lightning.
” “ Wonder Woman 1984 ” was expected to be one of the summer ’ s biggest releases , but its arrival in theaters has been delayed until October .
FanDome will be spread out across six different areas on the event ’ s website : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DC YouVerse , DC KidsVerse , DC InsiderVerse and DC FunVerse .
Content will be available in 10 languages .
About the Headline Photo : This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in a scene from “ Wonder Woman 1984.
” Warner Bros. will hold a 24-hour virtual event in August featuring the biggest heroes in the DC Comics universe .
The studio announced Tuesday that DC FanDome will be held on the event ’ s website on August 22 starting at 10 a.m. Pacific .
Virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DC films including “ The Batman , ” “ Black Adam ” and “ Wonder Woman 1984 .
( Clay Enos/Warner Bros Pictures via AP )


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--During Obama-Era CIA, Unit Specializing in Hacking Failed to Protect Itself from Secrets Being Leake

During Obama-Era CIA, Unit Specializing in Hacking Failed to Protect Itself from Secrets Being Leaked

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — A specialized CIA unit that developed sophisticated hacking tools and cyber weapons didn ’ t do enough to protect its own operations and wasn ’ t prepared to adequately respond when the secrets were stolen , according to an internal report prepared after the worst data loss in the intelligence agency ’ s history .
“ These shortcomings were emblematic of a culture that evolved over years that too often prioritized creativity and collaboration at the expense of security , ” according to the report , which raises questions about cybersecurity practices inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Ore. , a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee , obtained the redacted report from the Justice Department after it was introduced as evidence in a court case this year involving the stolen CIA hacking tools .
He released it on Tuesday along with a letter he wrote to new national intelligence director John Ratcliffe , asking him to explain what steps he ’ s taking to protect the nation ’ s secrets held by federal intelligence agencies .
The 2017 report , whose findings were first reported by The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier of sensitive cyber tools the CIA had developed to hack into the networks of adversaries .
WikiLeaks had announced months earlier that it had obtained tools created by the CIA ’ s specialized Center for Cyber Intelligence , and the anti-secrecy website published comprehensive descriptions of 35 of them , according to the report .
The report describes the spring 2016 theft as the largest data loss in agency history — compromising at least 180 gigabytes to as much as 34 terabytes of information .
The agency did not realize the loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year later , the report said , and identified as a prime suspect a CIA software engineer who officials said had copied the hacking arsenal without raising suspicion .
The former employee , Joshua Schulte , was charged by the Justice Department with stealing the material and providing it to WikiLeaks .
But a jury deadlocked on those charges and convicted him in March of more minor charges after a trial in Manhattan .
The CIA report revealed lax cybersecurity measures by the specialized unit and the niche information technology systems that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the systems more broadly used by everyday agency employees .
The report says that because the stolen data was on a system that lacked user activity monitoring , it was not detected until when WikiLeaks announced it in March 2017 .
“ Had the data been stolen for the benefit of a state adversary and not published , we might still be unaware of the loss—as would be true for the vast majority of data on Agency mission systems , ” the report says .
The report , prepared in October 2017 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suggests the CIA should have been better prepared in light of devastating information compromises at other agencies .
The hacking tools compromise occurred almost three years after Edward Snowden , a former contractor for the National Security Agency , confiscated classified information about the NSA ’ s surveillance operations , and disclosed it .
“ CIA has moved too slowly to put in place the safeguards that we knew were necessary given successive breaches to other U.S. Government agencies , ” the report said .
Among the problems the report identified : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passwords were shared and users had indefinite access to historical data .
CIA spokesman Timothy Barrett declined to comment on the report ’ s findings , but said the “ CIA works to incorporate best-in-class technologies to keep ahead of and defend against ever-evolving threats.
” Sean Roche , former associate deputy director of digital innovation at the CIA , who testified at the Schulte trial , said that although the CIA did have a problem with one of its networks , “ to say that the people at the CIA don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s completely inaccurate.
” Speaking Tuesday at a webinar hosted by the Cipher Brief , an online newsletter that focuses on intelligence , Roche likened the task force report to an after-accident report by the National Transportation Safety Board .
“ This broke .
This is what happened , ” ’ Roche said .
“ We need to make sure this doesn ’ t happen again .
How is that not a healthy thing for an organization that doesn ’ t have a public eye into what it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hacking tools featured prominently in Shulte ’ s trial , with prosecutors portraying him as a disgruntled software engineer who exploited a little-known back-door in a CIA network to copy the hacking arsenal without raising suspicion .
“ These leaks were devastating to national security , ” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Laroche told jurors .
“ The CIA ’ s cyber tools were gone in an instant .
Intelligence gathering operations around the world stopped immediately.
” Defense attorney Sabrina Shroff argued that investigators could not be sure who took the data because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the farthest thing from being secure ” and could be accessed by hundreds of people .
Ultimately , Schulte was convicted of contempt of court and making false statements after a four-week trial .
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the more significant charges .
Deb Riechmann and Eric Tucker report for The Associated Press .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Crom Carmichael Points Out the Silver Lining in the Recent LGBTQ Discrimination Ruling

Live from Music Row Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed in-studio all-star panelist Crom Carmichael .
During the third hour , Leahy and Carmichael discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling that said LGBTQ people can ’ t be legally discriminated against .
Leahy : Crom , there was a Supreme Court Decision on Monday which was surprising to me .
The case was Bostock Clayton County , Georgia .
And in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Conservative Neil Gorsuch and one of your favorites , John Roberts joined the Liberals .
I ’ ll just read the headline from Politico .
LGBT Rights Advocates Triumph at the Supreme Court Monday Winning a Sweeping Decision From the Justices That Protects Gay , Lesbian , and Transgender Employees From Being Disciplined , Fired , or Turned Down From a Job Based on Their Sexual Orientation .
Carmichael : Now , here ’ s what ’ s interesting to me about that case .
I can now not think of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from discrimination .
Except one .
Leahy : I wonder who that minority might be Crom ?
Carmichael : People who think that less government is good .
Leahy : Yes .
Yes .
We do not have protection against discrimination .
Carmichael : So here ’ s what I am hoping .
I hope that the Conservative moment goes out and actively recruits minority people whether it ’ s LGBTQ , or whether it ’ s black .
Whether it ’ s Hispanic .
Whether it ’ s female .
Whatever it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and recruit people who fit those categories and teach them the benefits to society of freedom , small government , and free markets .
Now , I ’ m not talking about China because that ’ s a different subject .
But free markets in general .
And especially in things like healthcare and education .
And then have those people apply for work at The New York Times , NBC , ( Leahy laughs ) CNN and express their thinking in the application .
Carmichael : Write a letter on what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think .
And then when they get turned down I hope they sue .
I hope they sue .
Leahy : ( Laughs ) That would be interesting .
Carmichael : What I ’ m saying is , sometimes you can use a law .
Your first blush of looking at law you say well I don ’ t like that .
But then you are only looking at that particular case .
But if you apply the principal .
This is what I get back to over and over again .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What Gorsuch is saying is that discrimination is wrong .
I would say that Neil Gorsuch would side with a woman , a black person , a LGBTQ , Hispanic .
Any of those people if they applied for work at CNN and had all of the background that was needed from the standpoint of education and everything but put in their application here ’ s what I think and why this thinking is valuable to you .
And then they would get turned down and a lawsuit would come .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of a fly in the eye in that argument Crom .
Leahy : Here ’ s what the story says at Politico .
Writing for the Court ’ s majority Conservative Gorsuch that seemed radical to many Liberals many years ago .
That the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibition on sex discrimination of employment also effectively banned bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity .
Even if few if any members of Congress in 1964 thought they were doing that at the time .
So the basis of this lawsuit was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act prohibition on sex discrimination in employment .
Carmichael : But also the Civil Rights Act covered minorities .
Leahy : That wasn ’ t at issue in this case .
Carmichael : I know that .
But that ’ s already be adjudicated .
This is now another brick as it were , in this subject matter of discrimination is wrong .
So what I ’ m saying is you take people who are members of any of these minority groups and convince them of the benefits of limited government and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education .
And you do this and when they then apply to CNN or NBC .
In fact , they could even apply specifically for Chuck Todd ’ s job .
I would love it .
He ’ s a white male .
Carmichael : He has no right to that job .
Carmichael : Exactly .
He should apply for Chuck Todd ’ s job .
Leahy : Now there you might have an argument .
Carmichael : This is what I ’ m saying because these newsrooms are under tremendous pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes .
Oh yes .
Carmichael : They are under tremendous pressure to turn more Left .
That can be used against them by saying you don ’ t have a right as a newsroom if diversity is what is required .
And we have black , and women and LGBTQ people who have applied and you have rejected them only because of what they think .
And they still fit the minority status to be protected .
I think those lawsuits would be very very interesting .
And it would put Liberals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : What ’ s interesting , Richard Grennell .
Very Conservative .
Very smart .
Very supportive of the Trump agenda .
Former ambassador to Germany .
Was the acting Director of National Intelligence .
That guy is a strong defender of Conservative principles .
He would be a perfect guy to apply .
Carmichael : Yes .
I really prefer to think of him as incredibly logical .
Carmichael : Because Conservatives and Liberal people believe they mean what they mean .
There is nothing that Richard Grennell has done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logically .
On everything else , people say we want transparency ?
What has he done ?
He has provided transparency .
People who say they want transparency but not that transparency because he ’ s the one that laid out all of the documents .
He ’ s the one that took them over and either handed them over to the press .
Carmichael : Declassified them .
Then he turned them out there and then everybody got mad at him .
He ’ s saying no , no , no .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a Conservative principle .
That ’ s a logical principle .
Leahy : In 2012 , Mitt Romeny fired him from his campaign because he was gay .
Remember that ?
Leahy : By the way , Richard Grennell .
I ’ ve talked to him on many occasions .
I ’ d like to try and get him on as a guest .
Leahy : By the way , I have a ticket for you on the 2020 GOP .
Tim Scott and Richard Grennell .
Carmichael : That would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s making a name for himself because he ’ s doing great work .
Leahy : Crom , another wonderful day here on The Tennessee Star Report .
We ’ re just having too much fun .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Hawley Announces Bill Targeting Bad-Acting Tech Companies Hours After Google, NBC Demonetization Dis

Hawley Announces Bill Targeting Bad-Acting Tech Companies Hours After Google, NBC Demonetization Dispute Over the Federalist

Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley announced Wednesday that he is introducing a bill aimed at fighting bad-acting tech companies hours after Google threatened a conservative publication with demonetization .
The Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act , cosponsored by Republican Sens .
Marco Rubio of Florida , Mike Braun of Indiana and Tom Cotton of Arkansas , would prevent big tech companies from receiving Section 230 immunities unless the companies updated their terms of service , promised to operate in good faith and promised to pay a $ 5,000 fine if they violated their promise .
“ For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter , Google and Facebook have used their power to silence political speech from conservatives without any recourse for users , ” Hawley said in a statement .
“ Section 230 has been stretched and rewritten by courts to give these companies outlandish power over speech without accountability .
Congress should act to ensure bad actors are not given a free pass to censor and silence their opponents.
” Hawley ’ s announcement came a day after Google threatened to ban The Federalist and ZeroHedge from its ad platform , Google Ads , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Google had banned both The Federalist and ZeroHedge .
Google alerted The Federalist that Google was planning to block the news site from using Google Ads over a Federalist article on protests following the death of George Floyd , according to NBC ’ s report .
Floyd was a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes , video of the incident showed .
Derek Chauvin , the officer , was fired and arrested on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges .
NBC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more questions after Google disputed the claim that The Federalist had already been demonetized from the Google Ads platform — though the NBC story had quoted a Google spokesperson who said that both ZeroHedge and The Federalist had been demonetized .
“ To be clear , The Federalist is not currently demonetized , ” a Google spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday .
“ We do have strict publisher policies that govern the content ads can run on , which includes comments on the site .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reworded the top half of its story .
The latest version of the article includes two statements : the first saying that Google removed “ removed both sites ’ ability to monetize with Google ” and the second saying that “ Google backtracked ” and that The Federalist “ has three days to remove the violations before the ban goes into effect.
” Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Atlanta Officer Charged with Felony Murder in Rayshard Brooks Shooting

The former Atlanta officer involved in Rayshard Brooks ’ s shooting has been charged with felony murder .
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced Wednesday that former Officer Garrett Rolfe has been charged with murder , according to CBS News .
Rolfe was fired after the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Brooks , who was shot in the back as Brooks ran away with Rolfe ’ s taser .
Rolfe faces 11 criminal charges , including felony murder , according to CBS .
He had spent seven years with the police department before he was fired after the shooting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could face life in prison — or the death penalty .
Brooks allegedly failed a sobriety test after he fell asleep in his car and then physically struggled against responding officers before he grabbed a taser and ran away .
Brooks was then shot .
A Sunday autopsy found that he died from blood loss as well as damage to internal organs after he was shot twice in the back .
News of the charges against Rolfe comes as protests and riots continue throughout the nation over the death of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes , video of the incident showed .
Derek Chauvin , the officer , has been fired and arrested on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges .
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Rayshard Brooks Law Enforcement Encounter ” by Atlanta Journal-Constitution .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Author Jake Brown Releases a New Book About What Happens Behind the Scenes in Nashville’s Music Indu

Author Jake Brown Releases a New Book About What Happens Behind the Scenes in Nashville’s Music Industry

Nashville , Tennessee- Jake Brown knows more about the music industry than any human I have ever met .
Being that he just completed his 50th book , Behind the Boards : Nashville , he writes memoirs and provides a plethora of behind the scenes ’ antidotes for all music genres .
Brown said he got interested in what goes behind the scenes when he was a kid .
His mother took him and his brother to see the Bon Jovi –Slippery When Wet concert .
At the concert , Brown and his family could barely see the stage while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing Brown could see was what was happening behind the stage .
“ [ What they were doing ] was so cool to me .
I had a Beatles moment , ” he said .
His goal with the Behind the Boards books is to “ take the reader into the recording studio , sit them down behind the monitor and let them feel as if they there at the producer ’ s console.
” His first two Behind the Boards books were based on rock music .
Brown decided to write his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after he became depressed after his dog died in 2018 .
The new book explores the in-depth relationships between artists and producers while revealing the compelling stories behind some of the biggest hits to come out of Music City .
Behind the Boards : Nashville invites readers inside for front-row , first-hand conversations with 30 of country music ’ s most successful and legendary record producers of the past 50 years , including Tony Brown , Dann Huff , Buddy Cannon , Dave Cobb .
If people are country music fans , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming in the extensive 600-page book .
Just like an encyclopedia of who ’ s who in 21st-century country music , they can easily find out about their favorite artists , songwriters , and producers in the online version of the book .
Many producers came to fame by taking the chance and working with ( then ) unknown artists such as Dierks Bentley , Kenny Chesney , Luke Bryan , Jason Aldean , Miranda Lambert and others .
“ The book gives you an appreciation for how much work these producers put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ songs to make sure they are perfect , ” Brown said .
Collectively , the book features over 300 # 1 hits by country ’ s biggest stars , including Taylor Swift , Luke Bryan , Lady Antebellum , Chris Stapleton , Carrie Underwood , George Strait , Jason Aldean , Miranda Lambert , Clint Black , Jimmy Buffett ’ s “ Margaritaville ” and many others .
Since he knows about all genres of music , I asked him if the camaraderie that is found in country music is the same as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In Nashville , they don ’ t tolerate not being a team player .
There are 85 million people who want to be in your shoes and 25 people are waiting to replace you .
It creates an environment where everyone who is in the room is there because they want to be there .
They are excited to be there and you hear it in the music.
” Brown admitted that country music has fused with pop/dance and is sometimes is indistinguishable , which shows how Nashville is opening its mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a power that Nashville has to capture the life of the listener in three minutes , ” he said .
“ Hip hop can help get more ears interested in these real-life lessons from country music and I think that is fantastic.
” Behind the Boards : Nashville will hit store shelves on June 23 .
This book is available now for pre-order on Audible.com and Amazon.com .
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer .
You can follow her blog , Bethany Writes , Instagram , and Twitter .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Coronavirus Prison Deaths Up 73 Percent Since Mid-May: Report

Coronavirus-related deaths in prisons and correctional facilities have reportedly increased by nearly 75 % since mid-May , according to The New York Times .
Coronavirus-related deaths in prisons increased 73 % since mid-May totaling at least 607 , according to the NYT ’ s database .
The highest number of confirmed prison COVID-19 cases have been at Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio ( 2,439 ) .
Confirmed cases of the coronavirus in prisons and correctional facilities nearly doubled in May to at least 67,000 , the NYT reported .
The NYT database includes confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and deaths include those who tested positive based on local and state government evaluations , and confirmed cases and deaths include only those who tested positive from a laboratory test .
“ Every day is nerve-racking .
I already have to fight things everyday , but fighting the coronavirus , it ’ s not a fair fight because they keep us in the dark about a lot of things , ” Connecticut inmate Elijah McDowell told the NYT .
To contain the spread of the virus in prisons in March , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials called for the release many inmates .
More than 48,000 deaths from the coronavirus were in nursing and long term care facilities , accounting for 40 % of coronavirus deaths in the United States , according to the NYT data .
“ This disease creates the potential for a perfect storm in a long term care facility–large groups of vulnerable people living together and a highly transmissible virus that may not cause symptoms in those who care for them , ” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Daniel Rusyniak of the Indiana State Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Police Investigate Chattanooga City Hall Vandalism

Chattanooga Police Department officers are investigating vandalism that occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Chattanooga City Hall .
“ No suspects have been arrested , ” Chattanooga Police spokeswoman Elisa Myzalsaid in an email to The Tennessee Star Wednesday night .
Myzal said nothing further .
Staff at Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke ’ s office declined our request to comment .
The Chattanooga-based WRCB , however , reported that red paint covered the steps of city hall Wednesday morning .
Reporter Caroline Corrigan said on air that she did not see the paint on the steps between 5:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This happened hours after the city council voted to defund $ 2 million of the police department ’ s budget .
Protestors said they didn ’ t think that was enough money , and they were angry they didn ’ t have enough time to talk Tuesday night , Corrigan reported .
Bliss Zechman , reporter with the Chattanooga-based NewsChannel 9 , posted video of the vandalism on her Twitter feed Wednesday .
Myzal relayed the following message to The Star .
“ If anyone has information that could identify who did this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please contact the Chattanooga Police Department at ( 423 ) 698-2525 or submit a tip via the Chattanooga PD mobile app , ” Myzal said .
Vandals have struck elsewhere in Tennessee this week .
As reported , one or more people vandalized the Holocaust Memorial at Nashville ’ s Gordon Jewish Community Center , according to officials who oversee the facility .
“ What happened was something was posted there over the weekend , but someone did notice it , and it has been removed .
There isn ’ t actually anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Deborah Oleshansky said Monday .
“ Law enforcement has asked that we not share more information specifically because they are still investigating.
” While Oleshansky did not provide additional details , she did say the vandal or vandals damaged the memorial this past weekend .
She said the memorial is visible at the Gordon JCC parking lot .
The Gordon JCC Holocaust Memorial is about 15 years old , Oleshansky said .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hall Vandalism ” by WRCB Chattanooga .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--University of Memphis Launches George Floyd Memorial Scholarship

The University of Memphis in partnership with Shelby County Schools recently announced the creation of a George Floyd Memorial Scholarship .
According to a press release , the goal of the scholarship is to provide support to “ as many African American Male Academy members as possible.
” The African American Male Academy is a program created by Shelby County Schools and the university to improve graduation rates among African American men .
The program inducted its first class of 50 middle-school students on Sunday .
“ As we embark on a new frontier of partnerships in Memphis , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend , Dr. Rudd , in this work of putting a laser-like focus on the empowerment of young men of color in middle schools across the city , ” said Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joris M. Ray .
“ The fight against systemic racism is personal for me , as I know that students can ’ t breathe without equitable education .
Through this memorial scholarship , we ’ ve set out to ensure that George Floyd did not die in vain , and that his final cries for breath will forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend a financial lifeline to students seeking to achieve greater outcomes , ” Ray added .
The movement to create scholarships in Floyd ’ s memory was spawned during his memorial service at North Central University , whose president challenged “ every university president in the United States to establish your own George Floyd memorial scholarship fund.
” Since then , Missouri State , Ohio University , Alabama State University , Winona State University , the University of Minnesota and several other schools across the country have launched Floyd memorial scholarships .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ productive change , but I can assure you it is the first of many concrete changes and reforms our university and community will be taking , ” said University President M. David Rudd .
“ Loretta and I both will support the effort personally and will also dedicate time and energy to raise funds and support as many young Academy members as possible .
We can build a better future , in Memphis , across Tennessee , and our country.
” All four officers involved in Floyd ’ s death have been charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers , Thomas Lane , was recently released on conditional bail .
Floyd ’ s autopsy revealed that he had tested positive for the coronavirus , and had meth and fentanyl in his blood .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Thomas Homan: Democrats Want Chaos So They Can Defeat Trump in the 2020 Election

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the line by author and former Acting Director of ICE Tom Homan .
During the second hour , Homan checks the mayor of Seattle and chief of police and the unlawful order requesting that the chief abandon her precinct .
He adds that all of this is designed to create chaos by the Democratic party so they can get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Leahy : We are joined now by our good friend .
Fellow upstate New York native Tom Homan .
The former acting director of ICE .
Also the author of a great book called Defend the Border and Save Lives .
Tom , good morning .
Homan : Good morning .
Thanks for having me .
Leahy : Tom , when we were growing up in upstate New York , you grew up in Watertown .
I grew up around Plattsburg .
It was just normal life .
You went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You learned about the differences between right and wrong .
You learned how to read and write .
Did you ever think that the country would become as crazy as it has become today ?
Homan : No .
It ’ s incredible .
It ’ s like there ’ s an entire population inside the country that thinks there is no need for deterrence and if there are no consequences for bad behavior it usually doesn ’ t stop .
That ’ s why the crazed leftists want to defund the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police .
Leahy : Re-imagine the police !
( Laughs ) How does that look , Tom ?
Homan : They want social workers to do the jobs of police officers .
And you see that in Seattle .
And shame on the mayor .
And shame on the government for not taking action and not letting the police department take back their precinct .
I think sooner or later President Trump is going to go in and do something .
We have to lead by example .
We can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not be held accountable for their actions .
I hope the American people are paying attention .
This is the difference between having law and order and not having no law and order .
Leahy : Tom , you have a strong law enforcement background .
I want to raise this question to you and just see if you ’ ve thought about this .
So , in Seattle , they begin this Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone that ’ s declared its independence from the United States of America .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle .
It began when the mayor ordered the chief of police to abandon that precinct to these radical crowds .
What do you think of that ?
Homan : I think she ’ s an idiot .
I mean , you can not surrender law and order .
Her number one responsibility as a mayor is to protect the citizens of that community .
And you don ’ t do that by telling the police department to stand down and not take action which his exactly what she ’ s done .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and age the police would be ordered by a politician .
Now she ’ s a politician , she ’ s not a law enforcement officer to abandon the precinct .
Leahy : Yes .
I ’ ve wanted to ask somebody this for the past month .
The police chief there , who ’ s a black woman .
She seems like she ’ s got some common sense .
But when the mayor ordered her to abandon that police precinct and give it up to these lawless autonomous zone creators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a choice I think .
And she chose to follow the order .
Tom , was that the right choice for her to make at that time ?
Homan : Absolutely not .
She took her job and her concern for keeping her job and put that ahead of the oath of office she took .
If that would have been me I would have resigned that very day .
You can not be ordered to ignore the law .
Leahy : So let me follow up on that .
Had you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received that order , would that be called an unlawful order from the mayor or not ?
Is that a lawful order to abandon the precinct ?
Homan : I think it ’ s an unlawful order for her to not enforce the law .
If there are rioters and people out there committing crimes .
Nobody is going to tell me to stand down .
You heard it from the New York Police Department and other large police departments where they ’ ve been ordered to stand down .
The police association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeBlasio for being ordered to stand down .
That ’ s a problem .
Let me just take a shot at this .
Mayor DeBlasio and these Democratic mayors , they want chaos .
They want chaos .
They think if they can show chaos it helps to defeat the president in the November elections .
That ’ s why the Democrats have come up with their own bill that will take the qualified immunity away from police officers which were established by the Supreme Court .
They know they ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
Even if they do pass that legislation the Supreme Court will overrule it , but they want that talking point .
This is about politics .
Nancy and Chuck haven ’ t said a word about a violent protest .
The first time they opened their mouth was when the president walked across the street to the church .
Leahy : That was the awful thing .
Homan : We should have been asking why we had to empty the park before he went across the street to access the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be asking ourselves .
Leahy : Back to what a police officer has to do .
If the chief of police in Seattle had received and considered the mayor ’ s order to abandon the precinct in what ’ s now the autonomous zone , I guess there would be two options .
One , to resign immediately , or the option would be to disobey the order .
What would happen after that if they were to disobey what they considered an unlawful order and stayed in the precinct ?
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think the police would have regained control of the area .
I think the chief would have lost her job .
It would have pulled out in litigation for years .
The police chief could have left with her head held high knowing she kept the oath of office she took .
And she protected the citizens , and not only the citizens , but the businesses in that area from looters that are being taken over by strong-armed radicals .
All of that community .
There is no section of the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it should never be .
Leahy : I think this is now the time for people to choose .
A lot of folks and I think this police chief in Seattle made the wrong choice by bending to an illegal order and not making the stand .
Not realizing , oh , this is an illegal order right now .
I have a choice .
I can either resign now or uphold the law and be fired in a week or two .
That seems to me like the choice .
Homan : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the mayor and the city council .
You got to figure first of all , who ’ s the police chief ?
Why did this city hire this police chief ?
Why did the mayor and city council approve the hiring of this police chief ?
Because she must have been in the same political stratosphere as they are .
Seattle is not going to hire a hardcore police chief to clean the city .
They are going to hire somebody to come in there and lean as far left as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous sheriffs across this country do the same thing who are career law enforcement officers and they decide to run for sheriff .
All of a sudden they become sheriff and they stop cooperating with ICE .
In my opinion , the day you make those decisions you stop being a cop you were for 30 years and you became a politician .
Leahy : Exactly .
In Seattle and Nashville in effect , they are defying federal law in sanctuary city ’ s , right ?
They are not cooperating with ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are resisting ICE .
They ’ re going to be totally disobedient of that law but they are going to follow the unlawful orders of these nutcase mayors .
Homan : It all started with the first call to abolish ICE .
Now abolish the police is just ridiculous .
But Seattle , and the entire state of Washington .
The cities in Washington and the cities in Oregon are some of the most left-leaning non-law enforcement people that we have in this country .
That ’ s just a fact .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they push back on law enforcement .
Oregon police have been told numerous times to stand down when Antifa has torn the communities apart .
Assaults take place right in front of the police and they are told to stand down by that Mayor Ted Wheeler .
The state of Washington needs entirely new leadership .
Leahy : In our democratic constitutional republic , if the elected leaders do not respect the rule of law particularly in Washington state and Oregon state and other areas that are sort of left-leaning , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Homan : You get to the voting booth and vote .
And fight for control of your city and your state .
You are right .
You made the point that if politicians lead by example .
It ’ s like we can look back to Nancy Pelosi after the president he was going to do a nationwide operation to arrest those that were ordered by a judge and didn ’ t leave .
She went on national TV and saying that people didn ’ t need to open their doors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people how to evade the law .
Leahy : Yes .
Evade the law .
Thomas Homan , former ICE director and author of Defend the Border and Save Lives .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 am to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Commentary: Violence Seen and Unseen

Commentary: Violence Seen and Unseen

Morally speaking , we live today as a people peering into a mirror without reflecting glass .
As a culture , we hardly know who we are .
This has become most clear to me as a consequence of the experiment I have conducted in recent days .
I requested people of disparate backgrounds , dispositions , understandings , and political inclinations to respond to a video that has circulated around the web .
The video engages the drumbeat narrative of racial differences and their consequences , and I sought to discover whether anyone at all could peer beyond the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ substance .
The answer was that no one , from any perspective and no matter how genuinely earnest to be humane , could discern the gruesomely dehumanizing content of the video—a thing that might have been manifest except that it has attracted not the least concern from the tech watchmen who sit in judgment on every expression .
To make clear the foundations of the foregoing judgment , I direct attention once more to the video .
Please take four minutes to watch .
The most frequent response to this video takes notice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than race account for the differences among the subjects of this social experiment or , on the other hand , to embrace a fund of responsibility to be sensitive to the disadvantages under which some labor into and through life .
In case you have skipped viewing the video , I will summarize it .
A rather taut , hyperactive social engineer has lined up 30 or so youths ( a summer camp atmosphere ) and invited them to a foot race for a $ 100 prize .
Before giving the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called out a series of social distinctions—how many had intact families ; how many had food security ; how many had tutors when younger ; how many went to private school ; etc.—and at each turn calling on those who responded in the affirmative to take two steps forward .
At the end of this exercise , he had a staggered starting line for his foot race , with most of the white participants far out in front , and a backline , mostly people of color , with their heads hung down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that posture—not from a fair starting point—he raced the participants in order to make the dubious claim that the outcomes were pre-determined by the cultural and social advantages that the winner ( s ) started with .
And that , he said , is life in the United States .
It is of course inane to describe a handicapped race as life when full opportunity to stage an equal race clearly existed and surely would have produced a different outcome .
Thus , the claim about the lesson of life was actually a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this too-familiar slur was not the evil of the exercise .
I do not casually apply the word evil , for this was an act of violence no less outrageous than what happened to George Floyd .
Yes , Floyd had his breath and therefore his life snuffed out .
But the youngsters in this pseudo-scientific experiment had their hopes , dreams , and ambitions snuffed out .
Those hung heads and moistened eyes describe so much emotional and psychological damage that it must be recognized as an act of violence .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as defined victims in a case in which they had every opportunity , if treated fairly , to see themselves as competitive if not even victors .
To drill into their minds the sense of victimhood was the reciprocal required to deprive them of a sense of agency .
It is outrageous that this social science experiment was practiced , upon human subjects , without the least regard for or attention to the ethical limits upon conducting such research .
We must consider that the inconsiderate sermon that was delivered could have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been run in reverse , and the distinguishing of relative advantages had occurred only after the race had been run .
In that case , the false argument would have been manifest , since the outcome of the fair race would not have produced the supposed mirror caused by the advantages and disadvantages of life .
The possessor of the greatest social advantages would not have surpassed the natural advantages of a Michael Jordan unless he or she were in fact a Michael Jordan .
Instead , the observer would have noted people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions , providing a truer picture of “ real life.
” Now , why is it that almost no one could comprehend intuitively this clearest view of the video ?
The answer is simple : virtually all have been trained , like circus animals , to respond to prompts of racial differentiation as determining and therefore inviting only extenuation or compensation .
We no longer see one another with the eye of human beholding human and thus keen to the moral abuses to which one might be subject .
Our stylized view of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blindfold barring the view of moral reality .
As a culture , we have finally reached the equivalent of zero on the scale of moral quotient that would correspond with the putative intelligence quotient .
A contrasting experience from my own life will highlight the distinction I now make .
As I left my home to attend college , I paid a goodbye visit to my high school English teacher .
We enjoyed a pleasant season of reminiscence , but just before parting she delivered her final admonition to me .
I must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would be attending a mostly white college ( coming , as I did , from a segregated school in the South ) I would discover that I would study among people better prepared than I for the experience of college .
They will , she noted , have had better educations and be brighter than I , and I should not expect to excel comparatively as I was accustomed to doing .
She was wrong about that , in fact , but the lesson she imparted was not an act of violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her own limited appreciation of the circumstances , seeking to prepare me to avoid discouragement .
The video experiment offered no such consolation or encouragement .
It acted far more as a putative sociology , as if designed to reinforce the false sociology of Justice Henry Brown in the 1896 Plessy decision that legitimized Jim Crow : any inferences from the separation of the races that “ the colored people ” might draw from the separation of the races derives from their own subjective experience of the reality .
This false premise served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced sense of inferiority .
And the video accomplishes the same result .
That is why the race could not be fairly run .
What distinguishes this abstract and conceptual ethic of separation , however , is not the literal separation of the races as a social good , but the emphatic psychological separation of the races under the illusion of advocating justice .
In that sense it is the offspring of the diversity affirmative action that similarly—if not so immediately violently—inflicts the same damage .
One may observe this damage in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Law School student who discovered the reality of the empty promises of the decision in Grutter v. Bollinger from 2003 .
The student complains of the well-foreseen poisonous consequences of those practices , but instead of recognizing the necessity to abandon the Egypt of enslavement that they represent , and subject still to hoping without hope , she redoubles the demand for more sacrifices to Moloch .
Yet , keeping our focus on the video with which we opened , it is vital to indicate just what is at stake morally and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not capable of reacting with the same instinctive horror to the treatment of the youths in the video as we did to the dramatic murder of Floyd , provides evidence that our reaction to Floyd ’ s murder was not moral repulsion at all .
It was rather an expression of the same acquired sensibility to the distinctions of race that we acquired at the hands of such treatment as we observe in the video .
The reality is that even those among us who are most repulsed about the false claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conquered by the sustained assault on our sensibilities .
It is no accident that there is almost no one in any position of authority in our society—whether educational , corporate , military , religious , media , or political—who has not drunk the Kool-Aid .
Abraham Lincoln identified a similar Kool-Aid in his day .
In his day he described the effect as “ blowing out the moral lights among us.
” Today , the lights are extinguished .
We have gone dark .
We do not see the moral violence .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an effort to recover , which begins with understanding how we came to be in such a state .
For , although we have closed our eyes to moral imperatives , we have not doffed our nature .
Whatever is human in us may still be invoked in defense of our civic lives .
W. B. Allen is Emeritus Professor of Political Philosophy at Michigan State University and a pastor at First Baptist Church in Havre de Grace , Maryland .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Michigan Gov. Whitmer Requests Major Disaster Declaration from President Trump Over Michigan Floods

Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday requested a major disaster declaration from President Trump in response to the flooding in mid-Michigan .
The failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams last month caused catastrophic flooding in Arenac , Gladwin , Iosco , Midland and Saginaw counties .
Whitmer previously declared a State of Emergency for the area , as well as requested that the Michigan Department of Environment , Great Lakes , and Energy launch an investigation into the cause of the failures .
The dams ’ failure followed two days of heavy rainfall and caused record flood levels along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor ’ s office .
“ Last month ’ s flooding and dam failures upended the lives of thousands of Michigan families and business owners at a time when we were just beginning to reopen our economy following weeks of working to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ This natural disaster , coupled with a global health pandemic , has created enormous stress and emotional trauma for these residents , and they need the federal government ’ s help to begin rebuilding their lives.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 500-year disaster , meaning it has a chance of happening once every 500 years — caused more than $ 190 million in residential losses and more than $ 42 million in damage to public buildings and infrastructure , Whitmer ’ s office said .
“ I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective recovery is beyond the capabilities of the State of Michigan and the affected local governments , and that supplemental federal relief assistance is necessary , ” Whitmer wrote in her letter to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected a wide variety of people .
“ This 500-year disaster has impacted everyone from homeowners and renters to businesses and farmers throughout mid-Michigan , and I urge the federal government to provide the resources necessary to ensure they don ’ t suffer financial hardships for years as they attempt to repair and restore their damaged homes and businesses , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ We will get through this together and will emerge stronger on the other side.
” Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Email her at [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Michigan Flood ” by American Red Cross Michigan Region .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Ohio Governor Proposes Outside Probes of Police Shootings

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — All shootings by Ohio police officers and any deaths of individuals in custody would be investigated by independent agencies under a proposal announced Wednesday by Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine in his first major response to days of protests over police treatment of minorities .
As part of the proposal , the State Highway Patrol , which is under DeWine ’ s direct supervision , will no longer investigate its own shootings , the governor said .
DeWine also wants lawmakers to create a law enforcement oversight and accountability board similar to licensing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the authority to revoke an officer ’ s ability to work as an officer in the state if necessary .
The governor also called on lawmakers to ban police choke holds except in life-and-death cases .
He ordered the state patrol and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation to outfit all officers with body cameras , and asked lawmakers to find ways to pay for more body cameras for officers statewide .
DeWine requested that the Republican-controlled Legislature , which has recessed for the summer , to take up the measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is new , and much of it has been discussed previously , the governor said .
“ These are things that have been around for a long time , and it ’ s time for us to take action , ” DeWine said .
Under a bill introduced June 11 by House Republicans , Ohio would create a statewide disciplinary database for violent officers and require psychological testing for all new police officers .
That bill “ is the beginning of what we expect will be a robust and thoughtful conversation , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris said Wednesday in response to DeWine ’ s proposals .
Senate Republicans encouraged Ohioans to participate in upcoming legislative hearings on police proposals .
Spokesman John Fortney said it was too early to say whether those hearings would happen this summer .
Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron , the top Democrat in the House , criticized DeWine for briefing members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus at the last minute—earlier Wednesday—before announcing his plan .
She said reforms must go beyond policing , and pushed for support for a pending resolution that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio .
“ Statehouse Republicans , from the governor to the speaker , don ’ t seem interested in truly listening to Black Ohioans , ” Sykes said in a statement .
“ They think they have the answers to hundreds of years of racism , brutality and oppression .
They do not.
” Thousands of people have protested racism and police brutality in multiple Ohio communities since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month .
— Announced the state will pay for six additional hours of police training this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid racial bias .
— Asked lawmakers to create a database that would record all incidents of police use of force .
— Asked lawmakers to require that applicants to law enforcement agencies pass a psychological test to show they ’ re fit to be an officer .
DeWine said the independent investigations could be done by BCI , which is run through the Attorney General ’ s office , or another agency if needed depending on circumstances .
“ It ’ s time that this process becomes automatic and mandatory for every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeWine said .
It ’ s unclear what practical impact the choke hold ban would have , since many Ohio agencies already have the exact same prohibition in place , including the Toledo and Columbus police departments .
For example , a Columbus police rule stretching back several years bans the holds except “ when the use of deadly force would be reasonable and when necessary to end the deadly threat and survive the encounter , ” said spokesman Sgt .
James Fuqua .
“ In layman ’ s terms , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basically no other option to survive , ” he said Wednesday .
Earlier this month , the governor said the state will ensure that hundreds of non-compliant law enforcement agencies meet statewide performance standards .
DeWine said the state is also adding guidelines to that list for responding to mass protests .
DeWine also is creating a new state office to recruit more black and female officers .
Dave Yost , the state ’ s top cop as attorney general , prefaced his remarks with a video of a young black man listing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taught to take , from clothes he should avoid wearing to never leaving a store without a purchased item in a bag .
“ This is not a law enforcement problem , ” said Yost , a Republican and former prosecutor .
“ This is a societal problem with a law enforcement component.
” In 2015 , a task force commissioned by DeWine — then attorney general — recommended Ohio should dramatically increase the amount of basic and advanced training it requires for police officers and reduce the number of police academies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes happened with academies .
The same year , an advisory board commissioned by then Republican Gov .
John Kasich created a series of standards on deadly force , recruiting and hiring , and other measures that departments must follow to receive a state certification .
As of this month , more than 440 agencies employing more than 25,000 officers , or about eight of every 10 Ohio officers , have met the state standards , according to the Department of Public Safety .
Both DeWine and Kasich ’ s task forces were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shootings in Ohio and nationally .
Also Wednesday , the Ohio Mayors Alliance—a bipartisan group of mayors of the state ’ s largest urban and suburban cities—announced the formation of a law enforcement support network .
The committee will help Ohio cities examine , share , and support efforts to implement the best ways to address racial bias in law enforcement and improve community-police relations .
Andrew Welsh-Huggins reports for The Associated Press .
Photo “ Mike DeWine ” by The Ohio Channel .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Michigan Schools Will Hold In-Person Classes in Fall, Whitmer Announces

Michigan schools will be allowed to reopen and hold in-person classes in the fall , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer announced on Wednesday .
Schools will be required to follow strict safety measures .
Whitmer said she plans to release an executive order and a “ Michigan ’ s Return to School Roadmap ” on June 30 that will contain the requirements and recommendations for schools .
It is currently unclear what those requirements may be .
“ Our students and educators have made incredible sacrifices these past few months to protect themselves and their families from the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ Thanks to our aggressive action against this virus , those who have done their part to flatten the curve , and the heroes on the front lines , I am optimistic that we will return to in-person learning in the fall.
” Whitmer originally closed schools on March 16 .
She closed them for the rest of the school year on April 2 , just days before they were originally set to reopen .
The governor ’ s office said the Roadmap will provide the minimum health and safety requirements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more aggressive measures .
The requirements will apply to all schools , including traditional public , charter , private and parochial schools .
“ The most important thing we can do when developing a return to school plan is closely examine the data and remain vigilant in our steps to fight this virus , ” said MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun in a statement .
“ …This is a big step , and we will remain flexible to protect everyone who steps foot in a Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will match the MI Safe Start Plan closely , the governor ’ s office said , adding that educators must be prepared to move backward if the number of confirmed coronavirus cases begins to rise again .
“ Schools must make sure to enact strict safety measures to continue protecting educators , students , and their families , ” Whitmer said .
“ I will continue working closely with the Return to Learn Advisory Council and leaders in health care to ensure we get this right… ” Jordyn Pair is a reporter with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--University of Minnesota and Its Law School Announce George Floyd Memorial Scholarships

Several schools across the nation have launched memorial scholarships in honor of George Floyd , including the University of Minnesota and its law school .
The University of Minnesota Law School announced the creation of a George Floyd Memorial Scholarship in Law on Monday .
The scholarship named for Floyd , an unarmed black man who died while in the custody of Minneapolis police , was created with “ a generous gift ” from Catlan McCurdy and Sanjiv Laud , a married couple and graduates of the law school .
According to a press release , the scholarship will provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue careers in law .
“ Mr .
Floyd ’ s killing was a tragic reminder of the inequity and injustice facing Black Americans today , despite the decades that have passed since the civil rights movement , ” McCurdy and Laud said in a statement .
They said they hope the recipients of the scholarship will advocate for “ racial justice and equality.
” “ Our nation is at a crossroads .
The time to confront inequality and racism is now , and the whole world is watching .
Together we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A webpage for the scholarship says it will provide support for “ full-time professional students ” at the law school and notes that “ preference will be given to students who will enhance the diversity of the student body.
” “ As we lean into this moment together , I am proud and humbled by the actions and leadership of Catlan and Sanjiv , along with others in our Minnesota Law community , ” University of Minnesota Law School Dean Garry Jenkins said .
“ They have stepped up and taken action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving us towards justice .
Their gift shows that we can all make a difference.
” The University of Minnesota also created an undergraduate scholarship “ in honor of George Floyd.
” “ This fund honors George Perry Floyd Jr. and was established to support undergraduate students whose identities are underrepresented at the University of Minnesota , or undergraduate students whose studies focus on racial and social justice , ” states a website for the scholarship .
The movement to create scholarships in Floyd ’ s memory was spawned during his memorial service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged “ every university president in the United States to establish your own George Floyd memorial scholarship fund.
” Since then , Missouri State , Ohio University , Alabama State University , Winona State University , and several other schools across the country have launched Floyd memorial scholarships .
All four officers involved in Floyd ’ s death have been charged and arrested , though one of the officers , Thomas Lane , was recently released on conditional bail .
A memorial at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue , the site of Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a permanent fixture in Minneapolis .
“ The MPD will not be altering or decommissioning the memorial of George Floyd .
We respect the memory of him and will not disrupt the meaningful artifacts that honor the importance of his life , ” the Minneapolis Police Department said on Twitter over the weekend .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ University of Minnesota ” by The University of Minnesota .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Nine More Lawmakers Join Lawsuit Against Gov. Walz Over Use of Emergency Powers

Nine more Republican lawmakers have joined a lawsuit against Gov .
Tim Walz regarding his use of emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic .
The lawsuit was filed on May 28 by four members of the New House Republican Caucus , the Free Minnesota Coalition , and at least eight businesses across the state .
The complaint argues that the governor does not have the authority to “ suspend the constitutional rights of Minnesotans.
” Specifically , the lawsuit claims Walz has exceeded his legal authority in a variety of ways , starting with his alleged violation of the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders are an “ exercise of pure legislative power without judicial oversight.
” Additionally , Minnesota law does not authorize the governor to invoke emergency powers for public health purposes , the lawsuit contends .
In response to the lawsuit , the courts have ordered the Walz administration to provide legal justification for its actions no later than today .
A formal hearing for the lawsuit has been set for July 16 , 2020 in Ramsey County District Court .
“ With a writ of quo waranto , the burden is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional authority to exercise the powers he asserted with his emergency executive orders , ” Dan McGrath , a spokesperson for the Free Minnesota Coalition , explained in a press release .
“ If our lawsuit prevails , all of the peacetime emergency orders will be nullified and the balance of power between the executive , legislative and judicial branches in state government will be restored.
” On Tuesday , nine more state lawmakers joined the lawsuit against Walz , including Reps. Shane Mekeland ( R-Clear Lake ) , Mary Franson ( R-Alexandria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Joe McDonald ( R-Delano ) , Jeff Backer ( R-Browns Valley ) , and Glenn Gruenhagen ( R-Glencoe ) .
In the Minnesota Senate , Sens .
Scott Jensen ( R-Chaska ) , Mike Goggin ( R-Red Wing ) , and Andrew Mathews ( R-Milaca ) have joined the lawsuit .
“ The unilateral authority awarded to Gov .
Walz by virtue of his declaring a peacetime emergency is egregious and unconstitutional , ” Rep. Steve Drazkowski ( R-Mazeppa ) , leader of the New House Republican Caucus , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gov .
Walz once again extended the peacetime emergency declaration by a full month .
These actions have allowed the governor to circumvent the Minnesota Legislature for four full months .
No governor should be allowed to write law on their own and dismiss the legislative branch of government , ” he added .
A GoFundMe page was launched to help support the legal challenge and has raised more than $ 21,000 so far .
“ Our system demands checks and balances , ” added Rep. Jeremy Munson ( R-Lake Crystal ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ignore our constitutional process is devastating to the institutions which maintain a responsible system of self-governance .
We filed this lawsuit because Governor Walz has not been held accountable for his unconstitutional actions.
” Walz has been sued by other Republicans in the state , including Senate candidate Jason Lewis and the Upper Midwest Law Center , which is representing multiple churches in its complaint .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tim Walz .