thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Steve Bannon: The Chinese Communist Party is the Enemy of the United States, the Chinese People, and

Steve Bannon: The Chinese Communist Party is the Enemy of the United States, the Chinese People, and All of Mankind

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 Michael Patrick Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by War Room Pandemic host and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon .
Bannon laid out the timeline of the Chinese Communist Party ’ s coverup of the coronavirus and how they stockpiled personal protective equipment from around the world .
He stated that the destruction of our personal lives , communities , cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Chinese Communist Party .
Leahy : We are joined now by our good friend .
Former boss , mentor , chairman of Breitbart news for a bit , and also the chairman and executive chairman of the Trump campaign .
He ’ s the former White House , chief strategist .
And also , the host of the wildly successful War Room Pandemic .
We do a live stream every Saturday of War Room Pandemic .
Welcome , Steve .
Bannon : Hey Michael Patrick Leahy how you doing , brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
Leahy : First , hats off to you for your spectacularly good War Room : Pandemic podcast .
We broadcasted your special Saturday every two hours from 10 am to noon Eastern time .
Nobody in the country , no one is covering the pandemic at the level that you are particularly what the Chinese Communist Party has done .
You noted in your appearance on Maria Bartiromo that the President said something very significant that the Chinese Communist Party was ‘ knowingly responsible ’ for the spread of this pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us a little bit more about that , Steve .
Bannon : If you are out there in the listening audience of the great reach of Michael Patrick Leahy ’ s newspapers and particularly in Tennessee .
You have to own something and you have to embrace something .
This is not the fault of some governor or some mayor , the President of the United States or the Senate .
You are at home with no job , no pension fund , no clear direction of where we are going to head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countrymen dead in the biggest mass casualty event in American history .
And it ’ s the sole responsibility of the Chinese Communist Party and Beijing .
President Trump said , ‘ knowingly responsible.
’ Let ’ s leave aside the labs they had .
The testing they ’ ve been doing .
They gain function experiments to try to weaponize .
leave all that aside .
There are going to be intelligence investigations .
World medical investigations .
All types of investigations going on .
Put a pin on that .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get to the bottom of it .
We need to get the right genome secret to getting a vaccine .
That ’ s one .
But right now today we know that they are 100 % responsible for all the deaths and all the economic carnage .
Why ?
They knew as a matter of fact that this was human to human transmission and community spread in late December of 2019 .
That was the latest they knew .
I could actually argue that they knew about it in November or early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they knew about it in late December .
The Taiwanese and CDC notified the World Health Organization .
One of my broadcast partners went on a show on the 31st .
And most importantly the doctors in Wuhan and this Dr. Lee you keep hearing about .
Most importantly the doctors in Wuhan .
These young medical professionals who go to school together were on WeChat saying hey , there are a ton of SARS-like pneumonia patients coming in here with something we ’ ve never seen before .
That Dr. Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigative apparatus of the police and tortured and forced to sign a false confession to say he was fear-mongering .
And he would go down on social credit and his kids would not get in school .
they did all that in late December , early January .
They came here to the White House to sign the trade deal on the 14th , 15th and never told our government .
The entire time they were planning to shut down Hubei Province which is the size of France and Wuhan which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suppress them .
At the same time in the entire month of January they never stopped travel from China to the rest of the world .
The Chinese people are totally innocent here .
This is not about the Chinese people .
They are the biggest victims .
they let 50,000 people fly from China to the United States .
Why is New York City the hot zone ?
Why do 40 % of our casualties come from New York City ?
It ’ s because of JFK .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing is the World Health Organization who are the useful idiots of the CCP those guys on the 12th of January .
Then Tweeted it out on documents we had that went public with a press release on the 12th .
Then on the 14th Tweeted out in their conversations with senior medical officials of the Chinese Communist Party and the minister of health there was no human to human transmission and no community spread .
That ’ s on the 14th of January .
The University of South Hampton did a study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s on CNBC every day , he refers to it .
The South Hampton study was done by Chinese doctors who left China so that if the Chinese had moved to suppress this and moved in late December 95 % of the deaths and 95 % of the economic carnage would have been stopped .
All they had to do was be straightforward and honest with people we would have handled this .
It was lies and misrepresentations .
Let me get to a worse stat .
Starting in late January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited travel inside of China but not to the world .
At the same time , they went around the world to Europe , the United States , and Australia and vacuumed up all the PPE .
The personal protective equipment .
They are the number one supplier of masks and PPE in the world .
They bought the rest of the world ’ s supply .
They bought over two billion masks .
Why did they do that ?
To make sure they had it in case the outbreak got out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it strategically to make the West kowtow to them including the United States which is what we ’ re doing right now to get the PPE back .
Remember , that personal protective equipment is the key to keep doctor and nurse teams alive to do the testing in the ICU units .
Every doctor and nurse is dead in Northern Italy .
Remember , at one time 10 % of the casualties in Italy where doctors and nurses early on .
This is one of the reasons that the disease got out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many people .
When President Trump finally stood up to them and said no more travel to the United States part and we are going to quarantine every person on the 31st of January Joe Biden takes the party line of Beijing .
He said it ’ s racist it ’ s nativist and xenophobic .
So when he had to make the choice of what side he was going to play on , he joined the side of the Chinese Communist Party .
Look it ’ s important for the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embrace this .
Understand what happened here .
This is the war .
Separate out the signal from the noise .
The noise is all the back chatter .
The World Health Organization are all running dogs and useful idiots for the Communists .
But the responsibilities of the destruction of your personal life , your community , your city , your state , and your nation is because of the Chinese Communist Party .
And here ’ s what ’ s the most outrageous of all .
In 2000 years of Christianity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not celebrate as a group .
That ’ s a responsibility not of your government but of the Chinese Communist Party .
They are the ones that did that .
If you haven ’ t had your traditional Passover dinner and worship by tradition on Ramadan .
You weren ’ t able to worship the risen Christ like you ’ ve done for generations and generations and generations , the responsibility of that is the Chinese Communist Party .
President Xi , Long Chi Chong , and the rest of the gangsters that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese Communist Party are adversaries of the United States of America .
Steve , why are , I ’ ll call them the Manchurian Media , the mainstream media , and the Democratic party , why are they pushing the Communist Chinese propaganda line ?
Bannon : It ’ s more than the Democratic party .
We have a problem in this country .
The financial , cultural and business elites , this is why Donald Trump is President .
The managed decline over the last 20-25 years is because the leaders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West , they lost faith in the United States of America and particularly working class and middle-class people of America .
They chose the side of the Chinese Communist Party .
Remember , our biggest allies and the biggest victims of the CCP are all the citizens of China .
It ’ s the citizens of Wuhan that bore the brunt of the lies and misrepresentations .
Donald Trump is President because he tried to reverse the decline of this country and stand up for it .
I ’ ll tell you why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are brutal .
Look what they just did to the world .
They are the enemies of the Chinese people .
They are the enemies of the United States .
They are the enemies of all mankind .
They have a tremendous amount of money .
A tremendous amount of influence .
A tremendous amount of power .
You try to take them on , you better be prepared to get punched because they punch hard .
My point is , this is just like Hitler and the Nazis of 1938 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stand up to them today , and I mean today .
We are going to rue that fact in the next year or two because now is a valuable decision .
It can be no more happy talk .
No more spin .
No more accommodations with them .
This is black and white .
They are guilty of allowing .
And this doesn ’ t even get to the fact of what happened in those labs and do they have a bio-weapons program .
We ’ ll find that all out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fact that they are guilty .
This is a biological Chernobyl .
They knew exactly what was going on and they hid that because they thought the regime just like the Soviets did would topple from power .
Leahy : Steve , thanks so much for joining us .
Keep up the great work .
Listen to the full third hour : 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--2020-04-21--After Mocking ‘Liberate Minnesota’ Protest, State Media, Politicians Silent on Minneapolis Gun Viole

After Mocking ‘Liberate Minnesota’ Protest, State Media, Politicians Silent on Minneapolis Gun Violence Demonstration

Minnesota ’ s political establishment and mainstream media mocked and condemned the pro-Trump protesters who gathered outside the Governor ’ s Residence Friday , but were silent just two days later when hundreds gathered for a demonstration in Minneapolis .
According to the St. Paul Police Department , an estimated 800 people were in attendance at Friday ’ s “ Liberate Minnesota ” protest , which called for an end to Gov .
Tim Walz ’ s stay-at-home order issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Gov .
Walz condemned the Friday protest and said it was “ putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Minnesota Sun reported .
Attorney General Keith Ellison called the protest “ irresponsible ” and “ dangerous.
” He then went on MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joy ” Saturday and warned that the protesters would “ pay an awful price.
” “ It ’ s disturbing .
It ’ s sad .
I pray for those people , because even though I disagree absolutely with these protests as completely and entirely inappropriate , I know they and their loved ones will pay an awful price , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the Friday protest “ sad ” and criticized the demonstrators for willfully ignoring “ the shelter-in-place order today.
” “ I pray that none of them get sick because guess who is not going to help when they do – Donald Trump , ” he wrote on Twitter .
House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler ( DFL-Golden Valley ) said the “ reckless and dangerous actions by a few don ’ t represent the large majority of Minnesotans who are following guidelines and care about each other ’ s health.
” Jennifer Brooks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mocked the demonstrators and said they would be “ the people arguing to leave the barricaded shopping mall ” if this “ were a zombie movie.
” Former Minnesota-based Associated Press reporter Kyle Potter cut to the chase and called the protesters “ f–king morons.
” Others called them “ idiots , ” “ astoundingly dumb , ” “ Minnesota know-nothings , ” dummies “ with a red hat , ” and predicted they would “ cause an outbreak.
” When President Donald Trump tweeted his support for the protesters , City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Tribune , told him to “ shut the f–k up.
” Just two days later , however , the same pundits were silent when the coronavirus social-distancing guidelines were broken during a gun-violence demonstration in Minneapolis .
Hundreds of people were reportedly in attendance .
Video of the event shows that many attendees were wearing masks , but were clearly gathered in groups of more than 10 and within six-feet of one another .
The Sunday demonstration was held for 27-year-old Kevin Beasley , who was shot to death at a house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Image “ Two Protests ” by Libor Jany ( right ) and Theo Keight ( left ) .

by Tom Joyce
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is leading a group of 21 attorneys general in an amicus brief regarding federal immigration law.
The attorneys general are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold a federal statute to enforce federal immigration law in United States v. Hansen.
“In the middle of this man-made disaster at our southern border, we need every tool and law available,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a press release. “The last thing we need is anyone incentivizing migrants to come here illegally and further straining our social safety net. Border communities are being overwhelmed by the influx of people.”
A grand jury charged California resident Helaman Hansen with multiple crimes in 2017 for scamming hundreds of noncitizens out of more than $1 million by promising them a nonexistent path to citizenship.
According to the release, Hansen was charged under a federal statute for encouraging people to come to the United States illegally for “commercial advantage or private financial gain,” according to the release.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals then struck down the statute arguing that the words “encourage” and “induce,” in the law are too broad.
General Brnovich and the attorneys general argue in their amicus brief that the Ninth Circuit decision jeopardizes the constitutionality of criminal law in all 50 states. They worry that the decision may cause other state and federal courts to invalidate existing criminal laws.
The other attorneys general who signed the brief is from the states of: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
– – –
Tom Joyce is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Mark Brnovich” by Mark Brnovich. Background Photo “U.S. Supreme Court” by AscendedAnathema. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Feds Sending $108 Million to Ohio Airports as Part of CARES Act

The federal government is sending more than $ 108.8 million to 97 airports in Ohio as part of a program to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The money is part of the $ 2 trillion Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act Airport Grant Program .
In total , the feds are doling out $ 10 billion to airports nationwide .
“ This $ 10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation ’ s airports during this crisis and save workers ’ jobs , ” U.S. Transportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news release .
Ohio ’ s cut of the federal dollars includes more than $ 46.3 million for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport , nearly $ 31.5 million for the John Glenn Columbus International Airport and more than $ 14.5 million for the James M. Cox Dayton International Airport .
“ We need to be sure that our airports continue to be able to provide a safe environment for their employees and passengers , ” U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan , D-Ohio , said in a news release .
“ This funding will ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue serving our community after we get through this crisis.
” The money supports ongoing operations at commercial and general aviation airports and offsets lost revenue stemming from a decline in passenger traffic , according to a Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) news release .
Airports may use the funds for capital expenditures , operating expenses , payroll , utilities and debt payments .
“ Ensuring these airports remain fully operational during and after the Coronavirus Pandemic is vitally important , ” U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty , D-Ohio , said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received less than Michigan , where 94 airports received a total of nearly $ 257 million , and Pennsylvania , where 63 airports received more than $ 239.2 million .
However , Ohio received more than Indiana , where 65 airports received more than $ 96.5 million ; Kentucky , where 55 airports received more than $ 77.2 million ; and West Virginia , where 23 airports received nearly $ 9.4 million .
Last week , Gov .
Mike DeWine said he plans to allow businesses in the Buckeye State to reopen starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio had more than 9,100 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 418 confirmed deaths .
“ We must continue to assume that everyone has this disease because it is not going away until we have a vaccine , ” DeWine said in a news release .
“ As we gradually , carefully , and responsibly start to reopen Ohio , it will be important that we all continue to work together to protect each other.
” Todd DeFeo is a contributor to The Center Square .
Photo “ Cleveland Hopkins International Airport @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Trump Says He Received ‘Very Nice Call’ from Minnesota’s Gov. Walz, Despite Tweet Supporting #ReOpen

Trump Says He Received ‘Very Nice Call’ from Minnesota’s Gov. Walz, Despite Tweet Supporting #ReOpenMN

President Donald Trump said on Twitter Monday morning that he received a “ very nice call ” from Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz .
“ We are working closely on getting him all he needs , and fast .
Good things happening , ” Trump said .
The president ’ s comments come just days after he tweeted his support for the hundreds of protesters who gathered outside Walz ’ s home Friday afternoon to call for an end to the state ’ s stay-at-home order .
Walz said during his Friday press briefing that he attempted to contact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach him .
“ I just don ’ t have time to try to figure out why something like that would happen .
I just have to lead from Minnesota ’ s perspective , ” he said .
The governor revealed during his Monday briefing that the president called him back Saturday night and said the two had a “ very good and long conservation.
” Walz has previously expressed some frustration with not being able to obtain personal protective equipment ( PPE ) and testing materials from the federal government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ not interested in adjudicating why we don ’ t have these things.
” “ I ’ m just interested in how we get them .
And that ’ s what I expressed to the president again .
I think he echoed that and expressed a great desire to continue to work with us , ” he said .
“ I think it just shows , and I ’ m convinced of this , that Minnesotans and Americans in general , they don ’ t need to see us fight.
” Walz said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ believing that we are aligned , that we are getting this right.
” “ I said I understand the frustrations but I did express to the president that I ’ m not sure that ’ s really helpful at this point in time and if there ’ s anything that he needs me to do , it would be better to just call and we would talk and I think we both agreed to that , ” he continued .
“ It ’ s just not healthy to play it out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a real back and forth.
” Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Ohio Schools To Remain Closed Through End of School Year, Governor Announces

Ohio schools will stay closed through the rest of the school year , Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine announced on Monday .
DeWine originally closed the schools starting at the end of March 16 .
He then extended the order , which was originally slated to end on April 3 , to May 1 .
On Monday , he announced that schools would stay closed through the end of the school year .
“ We ’ ve flattened the curve , but the virus remains .
Also , to go back to school now with a relatively small amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me that this wouldn ’ t be a good idea even if the health situation was resolved , ” DeWine said on Twitter .
“ We have to think about the risk to teachers , students , and our communities.
” DeWine said the administration is has not yet decided about whether school will resume in the fall .
“ I know parents , teachers , and administrators are anxious about an answer about the fall , but we ’ re not in the position to make that decision yet , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that we will have a blended system this fall — some distance learning as well as some in-person learning .
That ’ s just a possibility and each school district is different.
” DeWine also expressed concern for children with special needs who are now home from school , such as those developmental needs , health challenges , limited access to the internet or those who do not have “ supportive home lives.
” “ As these decisions are made , we ’ re going to allow a great deal of flexibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What you find in one district is different from another district , ” DeWine said .
“ I ’ m so impressed with everything our educators are doing to continue educating our kids in these difficult circumstances.
” Ohio currently has more than 12,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus , according to the Ohio Department of Health .
The death toll in the state is 491 .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--‘Secret’ COVID-19 Model Touted by Acton and DeWine That Predicted 10,000 Daily Cases on Peak Sunday

‘Secret’ COVID-19 Model Touted by Acton and DeWine That Predicted 10,000 Daily Cases on Peak Sunday Was Off by 700 Percent

Ohio ’ s official coronavirus model was projecting 10,000 new cases per day for Sunday ’ s peak , but only 1,317 new cases were reported .
As recently as March 29 , the Ohio Department of Health ’ s forecast was predicting that the coronavirus pandemic would reach its peak in the state on April 19 when 10,000 new cases would be reported , The Ohio Star said .
Under that prediction , Ohio ’ s model was off by 8,683 .
The Ohio Department of Health said Monday that 1,317 new cases were reported between Sunday and Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed at some point to predict 1,607 new cases for Sunday ’ s peak .
Even under that projection , the model was still off by 290 cases .
Between Sunday and Monday , Ohio ’ s confirmed caseload increased from 11,602 to 12,919 .
For Saturday , the day before the projected peak , the model predicted 1,600 new cases in Ohio .
In actuality , the state saw 1,380 new cases reported Saturday , meaning the model was off by 220 cases .
The model was previously projecting well over 9,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health releases new data daily at 2 p.m. , so the data released Monday provides a picture of what happened on Sunday , the day of the peak .
Department of Health Director Amy Acton and Gov .
Mike DeWine previously estimated that Ohio would need roughly three-times its normal hospital capacity for Sunday ’ s coronavirus peak .
DeWine said on April 1 that “ in about two weeks ” Ohio would “ start seeing it very hard in our hospital admissions.
” Between Sunday and Monday , Ohio reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admissions , and 38 deaths .
The Department of Health says 90,839 Ohioans have been tested for the virus as of Monday .
A model from the University of Washington ’ s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation ( IHME ) thinks that Ohio has already passed both its peak resource use and peak in daily deaths .
The IHME says that Ohio reached peak resource use on April 15 , when the state needed 1,230 hospital beds and had 14,290 beds available .
Overall , the IHME model predicts that Ohio will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month period .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Image “ Dr .
Amy Acton ” by Ohio Channel and “ Gov Mike DeWine ” is by Gov Mike DeWine .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Whitmer Creates Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities

Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer created the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities on Monday in an effort to study how the coronavirus pandemic has “ disproportionately impacted communities of color ” throughout Michigan .
Although African Americans represent just 13.6 percent of Michigan ’ s population , they make up 40 percent of deaths from the coronavirus .
Nearly 80 percent of residents of the City of Detroit , the area most impacted by the coronavirus , are African American , according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau .
Detroit has more than 7,700 confirmed cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services .
It is followed by Oakland County at 6,178 cases and 479 deaths and the rest of Wayne County at 6,176 confirmed cases and 507 deaths .
Wayne County and Detroit are counted separately , according to the MDHHS .
“ COVID-19 has taken a disproportionate toll on Michigan ’ s communities of color and I am confident this task force will help us identify the factors driving this disparity and to identify actions we can take to create a more equitable Michigan for everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Each of the task force members will provide a unique perspective and play a vital part in identifying these barriers and ensuring all Michiganders have equal access to critical resource when they need them most.
” The task force will study the racial disparities in the coronavirus ’ impact , as well as the “ historical and systemic inequities that underlie them , ” according to Whitmer ’ s office .
It will focus on increasing transparency in data reporting , removing barriers to physical and mental healthcare , mitigate environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , and develop and improve systems for supporting economic recovery .
The task force will be chaired by Lieutenant Gov .
Garlin Gilchrist and will include Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon or his designee , Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun and other members appointed by the governor .
“ We know that generations of racial disparities and inequality has a detrimental impact on the lives of people across the state , ” Gilchrist said in a statement .
“ The coronavirus pandemic has shown this inequity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the black community , where the health of our friends and family has been disproportionately impacted .
That ’ s why we are taking immediate action to assemble some of the greatest minds to tackle this racial injustice now and in the future.
” Read the complete list of Whitmer ’ s appointees to the task force here .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ] Image “ Whitmer Announcement ” by Gov .
Gretchen @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-21--Bill Lee Announces Tennessee Safer at Home Order for COVID-19 Will Expire April 30

Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee announced Monday that the state ’ s order for Tennesseans to remain at home due to COVID-19 will expire April 30 .
Lee also said the vast majority of businesses in 89 counties are allowed to re-open May 1 .
“ Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday , April 27 , ” Lee said Monday .
“ These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work with officials in Shelby , Madison , Davidson , Hamilton , Knox , and Sullivan counties and their health departments as they plan their own re-open strategies .
“ While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April , we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible , ” Lee said .
“ Social distancing works , and as we open up our economy it will be more important than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives and livelihoods depend on it.
” As The Star reported last week , Lee said government and private-sector officials are working to reopen the state ’ s economy in May .
The Economic Recovery Group is composed of 30 leaders from the public and private sector is crafting guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening .
“ Due to the Safer at Home order , the curve is flattening and damage to the public health has been minimized .
We are testing more Tennesseans than ever and that will continue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now well-prepared for a cautious reopening and economic reboot .
Our state has consistently balanced the health of our people with the health of our economy .
That remains the case today as we prepare to reestablish Tennessee ’ s strong and structurally sound economy.
” As The Tennessee Star reported Monday , an estimated 750 people participated in the # FreeTN event held at the State Capitol in Nashville Sunday in response to the extension of the statewide stay-at-home order .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Chattanooga Police Could Fine People $50 for Going Against Mayor Andy Berke’s COVID-19 Orders

Anyone in Chattanooga caught violating Mayor Andy Berke ’ s executive orders during a civil emergency would have to pay up to a $ 50 fine , plus court costs , according to a proposed city ordinance .
This , as Berke announced this week on Facebook that he will continue Chattanooga ’ s shelter-in-place order .
People may read the proposed ordinance , meanwhile , on the city government ’ s website .
The proposed ordinance says “ the police department shall enforce a strict observance ” of any laws that city officials enact to prevent or control infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This Ordinance shall take effect immediately from and after its passage , ” according to the proposal .
According to the Tennessee Department of Health ’ s website , as of Tuesday night COVID-19 had killed 12 Hamilton County residents .
The TDH website also said 124 county residents tested positive for the virus while 1,616 tested negative .
Exactly 71 county residents had gotten the virus and recovered as of Tuesday .
On Facebook , Berke said the Hamilton County Health Department expanded COVID-19 testing last week .
“ I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the country this weekend , including at our community , about the orders .
I absolutely respect people ’ s right to disagree , certainly with me and any other elected official .
That is what you should do — speak out .
We ’ re listening to people .
I promise each and every one of you that it was not , never has been , and never will be my goal to issue executive orders .
That ’ s not what I want to do .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midst of an unprecedented global pandemic , ” Burke said .
“ That we ’ re seeing these responses around the country .
That we have to keep people in our community safe .
I am reluctant always to use government power , but I also understand that if we don ’ t keep people safe that there could be drastic health consequences for you , your loved ones , and other people in the community .
I take that very seriously as well .
So , acting within my legal authority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is consulting with lawyers , making sure we understand what the parameters are .
Everything I am doing is attempting to make sure that people are safe and they ’ re healthy and that we protect people , listening to experts , and also coming to the best conclusions.
” As The Tennessee Star reported Monday , Gov .
Bill Lee announced Monday that the state ’ s order for Tennesseans to remain at home due to COVID-19 will expire April 30 .
Lee also said the vast majority of businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties are allowed to re-open May 1 .
Hamilton is not among those 89 counties .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Chattanooga Police Officer ” by Chattanooga Police Department .

The Arizona U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) recently revealed that 22 Arizonans have been indicted for drug-related charges following a multi-year investigation of a South Phoenix criminal street gang.
“According to the criminal complaints filed last week, in January 2020, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) began an investigation targeting a drug and firearms supplier in South Phoenix. In February 2021, in conjunction with the DPS investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Violent Street Gang Task Force began investigating the Lindo Park Crips (LPC), a criminal street gang operating in South Phoenix,” according to a press release from the USAO.
The release outlined that DPS and FBI investigators targeted LPC members and drug suppliers, ultimately leading to a major bust. Investigators reportedly found over 2,000 grams of cocaine, 35,000 counterfeit pills suspected to contain fentanyl, 26 grams of methamphetamine, four and a half grams of crack, 32 doses of MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy or XTC), and weapons, including 17 firearms and eight Glock conversion devices.
All 22 defendants are charged with either conspiracy to distribute cocaine or fentanyl, and some are charged with actual possession of the drugs. Furthermore, several are charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.
According to the release, these charges incur heavy fines and jail time if convicted. For the drug charges, a conviction for conspiracy to distribute or intent to sell the amount of cocaine charged in the complaint carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine, while a conviction for the amount of fentanyl can be up to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. Moreover, a conviction for illegally possessing a firearm carries jail time up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine.
Most of the 22 individuals come from Phoenix, but others hail from cities across Arizona, including Avondale, Florence, Buckeye, and Goodyear. The youngest defendant is Jesus Salazar, 24, of Avondale, while the eldest is 62-year-old Terry Lee King of Phoenix.
The USAO stated that this case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCFETF) operation which seeks to dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
As The Arizona Sun Times reported, Border Patrol agents recently seized 4.2 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.1 kilograms of heroin at a highway checkpoint at the El Centro Station. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBS) said the drugs confiscated had an estimated street value of $190,000. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, depending on the person’s tolerance. Based on that statistic, this bust alone involved enough fentanyl to kill over 2 million people.
According to statistics from CBS, 3,513.15 kilograms of illicit fentanyl were confiscated in May, which would hypothetically be enough to kill 1,756,575,000 people under the DEA’s metric.
– – –
Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Phoenix Police Department” by Phoenix Police Department.


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Commentary: Constitutional Rights and Voluntary Action Are the Keys to Beating COVID-19

A recent survey conducted by The Atlantic has revealed that a majority of Americans from both sides of the political aisle now support possibly unconstitutional government action to combat the continuing spread of COVID-19 .
This includes 78 percent of Americans supporting private health care workers being forced to provide services to the public despite the obvious risk to their own health .
Just under 60 percent support government taking over private businesses and property .
Some politicians have even floated the idea of declaring martial law .
The belief is that the only possible response to the crisis is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only are more government dictates , force , and coercion unnecessary , they would make the country less prepared to combat COVID-19 .
It ’ s important to recognize how the private market has already stepped up to provide much-needed goods and services , and in a more efficient and cost-effective manner than the government ever could .
And all without overly aggressive and unconstitutional government mandates .
For example , Ford Motor Company , General Electric , and 3M Company have forged a partnership to produce face masks and ventilators to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the coronavirus .
This effort includes manufacturing ventilators with new , improved technology that will increase ease of use .
According to Executive Chairman Bill Ford , “ By coming together across multiple industries , we can make a real difference for people in need and for those on the front lines of this crisis.
” While the federal and state governments have called for more ventilators and medical masks to be produced—no companies have been taken over by the government in order to do so .
Abbott Laboratories has begun producing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become infected with the virus .
It is now the fastest test available , delivering results in a matter of minutes .
Other promising innovations include the development of a new test for COVID-19 antibodies ; production of a wearable sticker to read vital signs that doesn ’ t require clunky , antiquated equipment ; and remote-controlled robots through which doctors can interact with infected patients without endangering their own health .
On the other hand , the FDA , CDC , and bureaucratic agencies failed to anticipate the testing needs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , slowing down private companies ’ response in the process .
One of the first products US stores ran short of after the crisis broke was hand sanitizer .
In response , several large international distilleries began shifting production to alcohol-based hand gels instead of whiskey .
According to Ann Mukherjee , a regional director for the North American division of Pernod Ricard SA , “ I say to everyone on my team that a time of crisis is not what builds your character , it ’ s what reveals it.
” Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country are returning to work voluntarily—without government mandates—to help deal with doctor shortages in cities hit hardest by COVID-19 .
But the adaptation to changing demand hasn ’ t stopped with the health care industry .
Corporations including Amazon , Instacart , Lowes , and Walmart all have begun hiring hundreds of thousands of new employees to help ensure that food and other essential home deliveries can continue .
Many major tech companies are also making their remote working platforms free to encourage more companies to embrace remote working and slow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened without government taking over industries or dictating what or how businesses operate .
In order to foster the necessary response to these trying times , it ’ s critical to recognize how the free market has been able to pivot , innovate , and expand because of the rights and liberties protected in the Constitution .
Even “ suspending ” those rights temporarily would make Americans less able to respond , adapt , and innovate to deal with COVID-19 .
The current situation has shown both the ingenuity of the free market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed on private industry .
The best way for government to respond to crises like COVID-19 is to ensure the public is provided with honest information about dangers and needs , and then find ways to enable and encourage innovation in the private sector .
Timothy R. Snowball is an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation ( PLF ) .
His practice spans PLF ’ s issue areas , with a particular focus on individual rights , including Americans ’ Fourth Amendment right to be free from arbitrary warrantless searches in the comfort and @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--80 Percent of Small Business Owners Are Waiting to Receive a Loan from the SBA, Survey Finds

The National Federation of Independent Business ( NFIB ) Research Center released a survey Tuesday that said 80 percent of small business owners are still waiting to receive a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) .
“ Small businesses were prepared and ready to apply for these programs , the only financial support options for most , and it is very frustrating that the majority of these true small businesses haven ’ t received their loan yet , ” Holly Wade , NFIB Director of Research & Policy Analysis , said .
“ Small businesses make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s crucial that their doors stay open.
” Under the CARES Act , Congress created PPP which was meant to help out small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic .
Congress allocated $ 350 billion for this program .
However , the original money set out for this program ran out of money almost a week ago , according to The Wall Street Journal .
Congress is expected to pass a deal this week that will add more money to PPP .
On Tuesday , the Republican-controlled Senate passed a $ 480 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PPP will receive $ 310 billion , CNN reported .
The bill will be sent to the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives where they could approve the bill as soon as Thursday , according to Fortune .
Previously , Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats blocked the Senate ’ s $ 250 billion small business relief proposal .
Even as fast as the money went on the first round of available loans , the second round of loans is expected to go even faster , INC reported .
The nation ’ s largest small business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of small business owners submitted an application for a PPP loan as of April 17 .
Additionally , small business owners in America said they have a bleak outlook for the foreseeable future , with one-out-of-four respondents saying they believe the economy will not return to normal until 2022 .
In addition , only around 33 percent of small business owners thought the economy would return to normal economic activity by the end of the year , according to NFIB ’ s survey .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ] Photo “ Business Loan ” by Nick Youngson .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--South Korean Officials Deny Rumors Kim Jong Un Is Seriously Ill

SEOUL , SOUTH KOREA – South Korea ’ s government is disputing reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seriously ill after undergoing heart surgery .
“ We have nothing that could substantiate that [ Kim Jong Un ] has a health situation , ” a senior South Korean foreign ministry official told VOA .
A South Korean presidential spokesperson earlier said Seoul has detected no unusual activity in North Korea and has “ nothing to confirm ” regarding the reports about Kim , who was absent from a key public celebration last week .
The Daily NK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a network of contacts in North Korea , on Tuesday reported Kim was in stable condition after a heart operation .
The report cited unnamed “ sources ” who speculated the surgery was due to “ a number of factors , including [ Kim ’ s ] obesity , prolific smoking habits , and ‘ overwork.
’ ” CNN , the U.S.-based television news network , later quoted unnamed U.S. officials who said they are “ monitoring intelligence ” that Kim is in “ grave danger ” after the surgery .
The nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another unnamed U.S. official quoted by Bloomberg News said , “ the White House was told that Kim underwent surgery last week and took a turn for the worse.
” That report said Kim was in critical condition .
Western countries are believed to have very few , if any , intelligence assets in North Korea , one of the most secretive and oppressive countries in the world .
North Korea has not commented on the matter .
Rumors about Kim ’ s health have spread since the 36-year-old leader was absent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Day of the Sun , North Korea ’ s most important political holiday .
The holiday marks the birth anniversary of Kim ’ s grandfather , the country ’ s late founding leader , Kim Il Sung .
Kim Jong Un ’ s last public appearance was April 11 at a meeting of the Korean Workers ’ Party .
The next day , Kim skipped a key session of North Korea ’ s rubber-stamp Parliament .
“ All we know at this point is that he did not show himself at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be a good reason for that , ” says the South Korean foreign ministry official .
“ And we are not sure what that is.
” Since Kim ’ s absence from the Day of the Sun festivities , there has been a comically wide range of rumors about his health .
He was rumored to have had wrist surgery , ankle surgery , and heart surgery .
Some rumors said he was brain dead .
“ None of that has been backed up by any substantive information , ” said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Kim ’ s absence may be related to the coronavirus .
North Korea insists it has had no infections , but observers widely dismiss the claim .
According to the unconfirmed Daily NK report , Kim underwent surgery on April 12 at the Hyangsan Hospital in North Pyongan Province .
The facility is “ exclusively for the use of the Kim family , ” the paper reported .
“ Kim is reportedly under the care of doctors at the Hyang San Villa , which is near the hospital , ” the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South Korean government disputed the report , telling VOA the facility is not likely set up for major operations like heart surgery .
“ They have three major medical facilities in Pyongyang to deal with the leader and upper crust guys .
I really doubt he ’ d have heart surgery there [ Hyang San Villa ] , ” said the source , who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter .
The source also pointed to a Sunday statement from North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied Kim had recently sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump .
“ If something had happened to Kim , the foreign ministry would probably not issue a statement like that , which means up until Sunday , Kim was in control , ” the source said .
A European diplomat based in Seoul also was skeptical .
“ As of right now , I wouldn ’ t take these rumors too seriously , ” the diplomat told VOA .
“ But of course , who knows .
Even though he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly overweight.
” It isn ’ t the first time that Kim Jong Un has been absent from major events or state media coverage .
In 2014 , Kim disappeared from state media for more than a month , before eventually appearing in public using a cane .
“ Kim Jong Un ’ s poor health and premature death was always a wild card in potential North Korea scenarios , ” said Jung Pak , a former North Korea analyst for the CIA .
She now works at the Brookings Institution .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a family history of heart disease .
His reported ill health since summer might explain why his sister has been issuing statements in her own name in recent weeks , ” Pak adds .
Kim took power after the unexpected death of his father , Kim Jong Il , in 2011 .
Kim , who suffered a massive heart attack , had been dead for days before the rest of the world became aware of his death .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Bill Hagerty: ‘We Need Business People Like Me to Stand Up to These Radical Socialists’

Former Ambassador to Japan and TN Republican Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty joined 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. – Tuesday morning on the newsmakers line .
During the third hour of the show , Hagerty discussed his role on President Donald Trump ’ s Economic Advisory Board and stressed the economic and human damage that China has brought upon the globe .
He advocated for bringing our supply chains back to America because we can no longer be dependent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined now by our good friend , former ambassador to Japan and current candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate , Bill Hagerty .
Good morning Bill .
Hagerty : Good morning Mike .
How are you doing ?
Leahy : I ’ m delighted to have someone who ’ s actually physically been in North Korea here this morning to talk to us about what is going on in North Korea .
Reports late last night that CNN said that the dictator Kim Jong-Un was brain dead .
Then there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is gravely ill or not .
What do you make of all that ambassador ?
Hagerty : I ’ m very accustomed to the difficulty of getting accurate information from North Korea .
( Leahy chuckles ) It ’ s a hermit kingdom and very very difficult to trust anything that comes from their news media .
But its something we ’ re going to watch very closely I can assure you .
Leahy : Its something where you get an initial report like this and you say , hmm , is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , maybe not .
Maybe .
I suppose if he were to not be around any longer that would be a huge transition issue involved in North Korea I guess right ?
Hagerty : It ’ s going to be very challenging .
You know the story about me taking my wife and family there in the midst of all the heat just to demonstrate the fact that I have complete confidence in the military strength to protect us , to protect the Korean peninsula , Japan , and the region .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be vacationing in North Korea if we saw a collapse in their government though .
Leahy : Speaking of government , you have a very important job now .
You are on the president ’ s economic advisory board as we start to reopen America .
When did you learn you ’ d be on that board ?
And what does that entail ?
Hagerty : The president put me on that board for the same reason that he ’ s endorsed me for the United States Senate here in Tennessee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courage to stand up to China and the experience to do something about it .
I ’ ve been focused on this before he named the board .
I ’ ve been working with the White House staff .
In fact , I was on the phone with them more than half the day yesterday putting together a plan to bring back these strategic supply chains from China .
We ’ ve got to stand up to China , Mike .
They have been cheating and unfairly competing for far too long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted .
You ’ ve heard me say it before .
It ’ s the greatest cover-up in human history .
I ’ ve called it the crime of the century .
I call it the crime of the century in terms of the amount of economic and human damage that they ’ ve brought all across the world .
We ’ ve got to get our supply chains back .
We can no longer be dependent on China .
It ’ s about our American economy .
It ’ s about our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the president has brought me on board to have me do and drive us in that direction and our team to start to win again .
The president certainly wants to see our economy revive .
I applaud Governor Lee too for taking steps to get us working again here in Tennessee .
Leahy : What would be step one for us to take back control of our supply chain with China ?
Hagerty : It ’ s already started , Mike .
The president began early in his administration with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the regulations in Washington .
He ’ s trying to make America a place that ’ s more friendly to business .
That was a big help and a big step in the right direction .
But even more important was when the corporate tax rate was reduced from the highest in the world , 35 % .
Down to something more competitive at 21 % .
I ’ d like to see that 21 % made permanent .
It ’ s not today .
I ’ d like to see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our problem with China is that they ’ ve been cheaper .
It ’ s been a cheaper location for companies to produce .
We ’ ve got to wipe out that advantage .
We also have several other steps that I ’ m working on with a team at the White House to make America more competitive .
I think what ’ s happened that in the minds of the CEOs and boards of directors in America , I can ’ t imagine them watching this cover-up in China right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good place to do business right now .
Hagerty : American leaders are waking up if they haven ’ t already .
And certainly , the American public realizes that this is a strategic vulnerability that we need to avoid and need to address .
Leahy : The president made other news last night .
You go to sleep early and you wake up to a lot of changes in the world .
The other news that he made is that he will be signing today an executive order temporarily suspending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few exemptions apparently .
What can you tell us about that executive order ?
Hagerty : The president ’ s goal is to put America first , again this is why he ’ s endorsed me .
I see it the same way that he does .
We have got to put the American economy .
We ’ ve had a massive decimation of the United States economy right now .
The highest rate of unemployment that we ’ ve seen in America right now .
The president is doing this to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point in time when we need to be bringing in more immigrants to work here in America .
We need to be putting Americans back to work .
You see it right here in Tennessee , people want to get back to work .
With unemployment record highs , this is not the time to have an immigration policy that doesn ’ t take into account this sort of unemployment .
So that ’ s what the president is doing .
He ’ s putting our economy first .
He ’ s protecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our health and safety in mind too .
This goes back to January when he stepped up and put the travel ban on China .
He took a ton of criticism from people like what I call Beijing Biden .
( Leahy laughs ) He called the president xenophobic .
Now everybody looks back and says it was a brilliant move .
The president has our health and safety in mind .
He ’ s also got the economy in mind .
The economy is perceptive of the order that ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exactly .
In your work with the president ’ s executive advisory board , do you do that mostly over the phone or do you travel to D.C ?
How does that happen ?
Hagerty : The answer is both .
I ’ ve been up to the White House and its sort of eery going up there , Mike .
You ’ ve got to have your temperature checked .
There are very few people .
I saw Kellyanne Conway the last time I was there and she said Bill , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on campus right now .
Very few people are coming in from the outside .
But this task force is very critical to what the president wants to see happen .
He wants to see us get our economy back going .
As he said , the cure need not be worse than the disease .
We have got a huge challenge ahead of us .
Again , my focus is longer-term on getting these strategic supply chains back to America .
Standing up to China and putting in place the right policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearly the United States is where they need to be locating .
It ’ s already happening as I said but we need to accelerate that .
Leahy : When you look at the economic recovery , some commentators have said it ’ s going to be like a deep V going down deeply and going up sharply .
Do you see it going up sharply or do you see it moving perhaps more steadily upward as we start to reopen ?
Hagerty : I would say that the V will be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
If this think is aloud to drag out longer which I know some folks want to see this drag out past the November election .
If it were aloud to drag out longer it would go into a full-on depression making it much harder to recover .
The V is possible if we can begin to open the economy safely but soon .
What the president has done , we put it out last week and created a three-tier program .
It ’ s a very logical structure that has certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety and capacity of our healthcare system .
But once those gates are crossed , it ’ s an orderly process of beginning to reopen our economy .
You ’ ll see Governor Lee and several other governors ’ have already begun to move through that process now .
What the consumer needs to know is that their health and safety are first and foremost .
And the president has made that clear .
But there are ways to reopen the economy by taking that into account .
And I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress there .
That ’ s a way we make this a sharp V. That ’ s the way the economic recovery package works too .
This is not a long term package .
The rescue package that is caught up in Congress right now is not aimed to be a long term stimulus .
It ’ s a rescue package to hold companies together over a short period of time while we get our hospital capacity in order .
While we get new health and safety protocols in place so when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be there for our workers .
Leahy : Speaking of getting the economy back up and running .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell late last night said , “ Hey we ’ re ready to pass this paycheck protection program of additional funding of 250 billion dollars .
It ’ s time for the Democrats to come together.
” Do you see that bill of additional funding for small businesses passing in the next week or so ?
Or will the Democrats try and hold it up with a Christmas tree of goodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this bill should have been passed a week ago .
Leader McConnell put this forward just as a clean bill .
Let ’ s just reload it .
They ’ ve already gone through this ridiculous negotiating process with Nancy Pelosi .
You remember , she flew back from San Francisco and held the bill up for five days so she could get as you say a complete Christmas tree list and a laundry list of socialism put into the bill .
And she went through that process .
We had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s unbelievable .
We ’ ve been through this negotiation .
Now they come and try to reload because it was hit very hard .
The companies need these funds and they ’ ve held it up again .
It ’ s unbelievable what they want to do .
This is socialism .
They are pushing us in a direction where they want to go by loading more big government onto the backs of our economy .
We need to get people back to work .
And we need business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these radical socialists and explain how the economy works and put our citizens back to work again .
That ’ s what we want and that ’ s what we need to be .
Leahy : Former Ambassador to Bill Hagerty and candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate , thanks so much for joining us today .
Come back with us anytime .
Hagerty : Great to be with you again .
Thanks so much .
Listen to the full third hour : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--‘Blatant Xenophobia’: Democrats, Critics Fume Over Trump’s Pending Immigration Ban

From accusations of xenophobia , to claims that it ’ s a means to distract the public , Democrats and progressive organizations across the country are fuming over President Donald Trump ’ s anticipated ban on immigration .
Trump announced Monday that he would be signing an executive order to temporarily limit all immigration into the United States , citing the economic concerns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic .
The move , he said , would protect the jobs of U.S. citizens .
The move came as many aspects of U.S. immigration have already been siphoned off .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern and southern borders is banned , and all illegal entrants are being quickly turned back .
The Trump administration has also suspended a plan to release thousands of H-2B visas in response to millions of Americans losing their jobs .
It ’ s not entirely clear what the president ’ s executive order will do , and the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) has not commented publicly on the matter .
The administration said an executive order will be created in the coming days for the president to sign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers from blasting the announcement .
“ Trump will ban immigration but allow some Southern states to loosen restrictions , ” tweeted Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar .
“ This has nothing to do with our safety and everything to do with his blatant xenophobia.
” Other Democrats said the move was a way of scapegoating migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ President Trump now seeks to distract us from his fumbled COVID-19 response by trying to put the blame on immigrants , ” said New York Rep. Jerry Nadler .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who are serving on the front lines against COVID while the President shows himself as small and ineffective.
” The American Civil Liberties Union , one of the most prolific opponents of the Trump administration ’ s immigration agenda in the courtroom , likened the order to “ xenophobia and racism.
” Julian Castro appears to be the first former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to speak publicly about the impending order .
The Texas Democrat said that cutting off immigration will “ crater our nation ’ s already weakened economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to make the public forget that he “ failed miserably ” with the coronavirus response .
“ Immigrants are on the frontlines of leading and helping our country , ” said Illinois Rep. Chuy Garcia .
“ Trump and the GOP are using the pandemic to distract from his failures .
We are better than Trump ’ s attacks on immigrants and we stand in solidarity with everyone in our communities.
” Garcia is widely known as the sponsor of the New Way Forward Act , legislation that would decriminalize illegal immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and allow criminal illegal aliens back into the United States .
DHS did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Letter to the Editor: The ‘Area Under the Curve’ Is Us

I am math-impaired , but I know enough to wonder if all the Wuhan virus “ experts ” yammering about “ flattening the curve ” understand the concept of the “ area under the curve.
” If I lower the top of the infection-rate curve — the number of patients at one time on the vertical axis , with time on the horizontal axis , that “ area under the curve ” — all those infected people — has to go somewhere , if nothing else changes .
Visualize squashing the spike by applying pressure to it from above .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is placing the population under house arrest , putting the economy and society in a coma from which it may not awaken .
The only place under the curve for these patients to go is in the horizontal axis — spreading the total time of the pandemic over a longer period .
The maximum number of patients at the peak is lower , but there is a longer period in which the population experiences the infection , and the control measures .
NOTE : The actual NUMBER OF PATIENTS , and the actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes , do not change .
“ Public Health ” bureaucrats and Trump haters are more than willing to let you think their heroic “ flattening the curve ” saves lives or prevents infections , but it DOESN ’ T .
It just spreads it over a longer time .
How often do they mention that ?
How long a time under these toxic strictures is “ long enough ” ?
Now , let ’ s visualize another curve of suffering and death .
People who are ruined economically , physically and psychologically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel , produce and consume , will suffer and die as a result of that abuse .
Any tally of the death toll from WuhanVirus should be accompanied by a tally of those deaths and that suffering .
No honest discussion of the virus ’ s toll on humanity can be had without including the toll virus countermeasures — legitimate or not — are also having on humanity .
Don ’ t presume to scold me as being cavalier about virus deaths , if you choose to ignore the toll virus countermeasures also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unaccountable “ Public Health ” bureaucrats persuade our elected leaders to keep us under these restrictions on what we are told are Civil Rights , the greater the cost , to all of us .
“ Flattening the Curve ” may sound noble and worthy to the ignorant and the powerful , but to the people in the area under those curves , it ’ s just government-imposed misery for no good reason .
It ’ s war being waged against us .
Sooner or later , Americans will have enough of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Russia, China, Iran Acting in Tandem to Paint COVID-19 as an American Bioweapon, State Dept Report S

Russia, China, Iran Acting in Tandem to Paint COVID-19 as an American Bioweapon, State Dept Report Suggests

China , Russia and Iran are acting in tandem to promote propaganda suggesting coronavirus is an American bioweapon and that the U.S. economy is buckling under the strain of lockdowns , a State Department report shows .
All three governments are pushing the message that the virus originated in the United States and not Wuhan , China , according to a State Department report obtained by Politico .
The report , which is not public , suggested China and Russia ’ s disinformation campaign began to coalesce around February .
The State Department ’ s report came after the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propaganda is taking hold in Western media .
The Daily Mail , a British tabloid , published dozens of articles in recent months related to coronavirus that were based on stories originating from People ’ s Daily , the communist party ’ s official newspaper , the DCNF reported in March .
The pandemic has allowed the countries to act in tandem on the issue , according to Lea Gabrielle , who helms the Global Engagement Center ( GEC ) , which crafted the report .
The GEC is responsible for fleshing out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What we saw as the health crisis started to come under control in China is that the CCP really started pushing a concerted effort to try to re-shape that narrative , ” Gabrielle told Politico , referring to China ’ s communist party .
The State Department has not yet responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s request for comment .
“ So in a short period of time the CCP went from letting Russian disinformation claiming the U.S. was the source of the virus proliferate in Chinese social media , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually evolved to embrace the message that the United States was responsible for the virus .
Politico ’ s report noted that a Chinese embassy spokesperson flagged to the media outlet an interview Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai did in which the former argued the United States is taking “ political advantage of other people ’ s sufferings.
” “ The U.S. medias are full with stories of lies and disinformation spread by the administration in the lead up to the virus creating a tragic pandemic in almost every state in America , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the United Nations told Politico .
Politico did not reveal the name of the spokesperson .
A spokesperson for Russia ’ s embassy in the United States directed Politico to a lashing out at the Department of Defense for accusing Russia of spreading disinformation regarding the virus , which officials said originated in China and killed more than 150,000 people worldwide .
Politico ’ s article fleshing out the State Department report also highlighted a March story from ZVEZDA , a media company controlled by Russia ’ s armed forces .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a secret laboratory and a conspiracy of pharmaceutical companies : who can benefit from coronavirus.
” That ZVEZDA story suggested Gates had knowledge of the virus beforehand and also stated that the virus is biologically engineered to target the “ Mongoloid race.
” Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Vladamir Putin and Xi Jinping ” by Kremlin.ru .
CC BY 4.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Manny Sethi Applauds Donald Trump’s Immigration Announcement

U.S. Senate candidate Manny Sethi this week applauded President Trump ’ s announcement that our nation will pause all immigration as we battle COVID-19 as a country .
Sethi said this in an emailed statement .
“ Thank you President Trump .
This is the right thing to do for America ’ s workers , the economy , and our public health , ” Sethi said .
“ I am so glad we finally have a president who cares more about protecting the American people than he does about the opinion of the establishment elite.
” Sethi , a physician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrants .
He announced his own three-step immigration plan in October called the “ Protect The American Dream.
” As The Tennessee Star reported last week , Sethi released his Conservative Strategic Agenda entitled “ Vertical Containment is the Way Forward to Get Tennessee and America Back to Work.
” As the shutdown of our economy continues and unemployment tops 22 million , Sethi said there is a growing threat to the livelihoods of Americans .
Public health intervention meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 has the potential to lead to hardship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and individuals with other diseases are unable to receive treatment , he added .
“ I appreciate President Trump ’ s leadership in standing up to government bureaucrats who are threatening the economic health of our country .
As we have done in times of crisis like World War II , we must put fear aside and take a more offensive posture .
Our national economy can not withstand a prolonged shutdown .
Our country needs to get back to work , ” Sethi said last week .
“ To stop the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted , containment options .
This will allow large portions of our economy to begin to reopen , which will result in positive public health effects and get people back on the job.
” As The Star reported last month , Sethi , at a coronavirus tele-town hall , said the United States must now rely less on China for pharmaceutical drugs , hospital gowns , surgical caps , and medical supplies .
Sethi went on to call COVID-19 “ a national security issue.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Manny Sethi ” by Manny Sethi .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Commentary: Why Do More Men Die from Coronavirus Than Women?

All over the world – in China , Italy , the United States and Australia – many more men than women are dying from COVID-19 .
Why ?
Is it genes , hormones , the immune system – or behavior – that makes men more susceptible to the disease ?
In Italy and China deaths of men are more than double those of women .
In New York city men constitute about 61 % of patients who die .
Australia is shaping up to have similar results , though here it ’ s mostly in the 70-79 and 80-89 age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presence of chronic diseases , particularly heart disease , diabetes and cancer .
These are all more common in men than women , which might account for some of the bias .
But then we must ask why men are more vulnerable to the diseases that put them at greater risk of COVID-19 .
Men and women are biologically different Men and women differ in their sex chromosomes and the genes that lie on them .
Women have two copies of a mid-sized chromosome ( called the X ) .
Men have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small Y chromosome that contains few genes .
One of these Y genes ( SRY ) directs the embryo to become male by kick-starting the development of testes in an XY embryo .
The testes make male hormones and the hormones make the baby develop as a boy .
In the absence of SRY an ovary forms and makes female hormones .
It ’ s the hormones that control most of the obvious visible differences between men and women – genitals and breasts , hair and body type – and have a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contains hardly any genes other than SRY but it is full of repetitive sequences ( “ junk DNA ” ) .
Perhaps a “ toxic Y ” could lose its regulation during aging .
This might hasten aging in men and render them more susceptible to the virus .
But a bigger problem for men is the male hormones unleashed by SRY action .
Testosterone levels are implicated in many diseases , particularly heart disease , and may affect lifespan .
Men are also disadvantaged by their low levels of estrogen , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart disease .
Male hormones also influence behavior .
Testosterone levels have been credited with major differences between men and women in risky behaviors such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol , as well as reluctance to heed health advice and to seek medical help .
The extreme differences in smoking rate between men and women in China ( almost half the men smoke and only 2 % of women ) may help to account for their very high ratio of male deaths ( more than double female ) .
Not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any respiratory disease , but it also causes lung cancer , a further risk factor .
Smoking rates are lower and not as sex-biased in many other countries , so risky behavior can ’ t by itself explain the sex difference in COVID-19 deaths .
Maybe sex chromosomes have other effects .
Two X chromosomes are better than one The X chromosome bears more than 1,000 genes with functions in all sorts of things including routine metabolism , blood clotting and brain development .
The presence of two X chromosomes in XX females @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one X is mutated .
XY males lack this X chromosome backup .
That ’ s why boys suffer from many sex-linked diseases such as hemophilia ( poor blood clotting ) .
The number of X chromosomes also has big effects on many metabolic characters that are separable from sex hormone effects , as studies of mice reveal .
Females not only have a double dose of many X genes , but they may also have the benefit of two different versions of each gene .
This X effect goes far to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than females at every age from birth .
And another man problem is the immune system .
We ’ ve known for a long time that women have a stronger immune system than men .
This is not all good , because it makes women more susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis .
But it gives women an advantage when it comes to susceptibility to viruses , as many studies in mice and humans show .
This helps to explain why men are more susceptible to many viruses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 60 immune response genes on the X chromosome , and it seems that a higher dose and having two different versions of these gives women a broader spectrum of defenses .
Sex differences in the frequency , severity and treatment efficacy for many diseases were pointed out long ago .
COVID-19 is part of a larger pattern in which males lose out – at every age .
This isn ’ t just humans – it is true of most mammals .
Are sex differences in disease susceptibility simply the by-catch of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they , like many other traits , selected differently in males and females because of differences in life strategy ?
It ’ s suggested that male mammals spread their genes by winning competitions for mates , hence hormone control of risky behavior is a plus for men .
It ’ s also suggested female mammals are selected for traits that enhance their ability to care for young , hence their stronger immune system .
This made sense for most mammals through the ages .
So the sex bias in COVID-19 deaths is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very much older picture – of sex differences in genes , chromosomes and hormones that lead to very different responses to all sorts of disease , including COVID-19 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Senator Kerry Roberts Weighs in on What Tennessee’s April Revenues Will Look Like While Davidson Cou

Senator Kerry Roberts Weighs in on What Tennessee’s April Revenues Will Look Like While Davidson County Remains Closed Under Mayor Cooper Rule

Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the line during the program ’ s second hour by Tennessee state Senator Kerry Roberts .
At the top of the third hour , Roberts weighed on what he thought April revenues would bring in for Tennessee while noting that consumer confidence has not waned during the virus crisis with Walmart and Lowe ’ s parking lots remaining full .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two buckets of people that will either remain home or venture out .
Leahy : We are joined now by our good friend state Senator Kerry Roberts .
Kerry , so a big question for me is now that the governor has not gone on to extend his order to basically safer at home non-essential business shut down .
So May 1 .
That ’ s Friday .
Basically every business in the state apparently can reopen following social distancing guidelines in 89 of the counties .
Here in Middle Tennessee the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under some social distancing requirements starting May the first will be Davidson County .
I don ’ t know how long it will take for mayor Cooper to open up Nashville .
But putting that aside , what is it going to look like if all of the counties in Middle Tennessee except for Davidson County start opening up their restaurants starting a week from Friday .
And right now we have 7,200 cases .
We ’ ve had 152 deaths .
A month from today or a month from May the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look like here in Tennessee ?
How many cases do you think we ’ ll have ?
Roberts : Well , it ’ s going to vary widely depending on what the experience of the county has already been .
If you have a county that ’ s had very little experience with COVID-19 they ’ re going to go back to business as usual pretty quickly .
Could we see a spike in some cases ?
That ’ s always a possibility .
There are going to be people who are ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be people who air on the side of caution or are medically fragile , or who are elderly and want to stay at home .
In some instances , they need to continue to stay at home .
So that ’ s kind of the two big buckets of people .
The ones who can ’ t wait to get out of the house and the ones who think they are better off to stay in .
I think we just need to respect that decision .
The heart of this is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is the right of somebody to choose and the right to take risks ?
Of course , as we know once the government starts making choices for people they are very reluctant to give that choice back to people which is why part of the reason I ’ m glad to see this stay-at-home order is not being extended .
The real test is going to be what it does to small businesses .
Are customers going to return ?
Are customers going to spend ?
Are they going to have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they don ’ t have the business ?
Have people to move to online shopping or in the case of restaurants ’ food delivery ?
So they are reluctant to go back into a small business .
And of course , there ’ s going to be an impact on large businesses and large offices .
How do you handle bringing 500 people back into an office ?
Do you do it in shifts ?
Do you rotate people ?
Do you have half one day and half the next day ?
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to affect the state of Tennessee .
We are a consumption-driven state government in that we don ’ t have a state income tax it ’ s done by sales tax .
So we need people to pay sales taxes .
Leahy : Did you see the report in The Tennessee Star that Laura Baigert had that basically said that revenues in the state of Tennessee were up in March beyond projections ?
Roberts : That was in March .
The real test I think is April .
Yeah , I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like 600 million or something like that ?
Roberts : I think what ’ s going to be really interesting is what happens over the next couple of months because of the lag and what we ’ re actually reporting .
Leahy : A good part of March was covered by these stay at home restrictions right ?
At least a week I think ?
Roberts : So you are more accurate numbers come when sales tax is reported on the 20th of the month .
So on March 20 , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February .
April 20 if you ’ re reporting your sale tax collections in March .
As you move forward sometimes those numbers get changed around .
Leahy : So what ’ s your guess that the April numbers would be in terms of revenues ?
Roberts : You know , ( Scoffs ) judging by what Walmart and Lowes looked like… Roberts : Now this is a little bit deceptive .
The parking lots were very full but I suspect they were not turning people over as quickly because of the queue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines .
I don ’ t know if they were checking people out any faster or any slower .
You know with restaurants we talk about turning tables .
Walmart thinks in terms of how many people get in and out of there in a day .
I don ’ t know what their customer turn looked like .
Roberts : Just judging from the parking lot , lots of consuming going on there .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Thales Academy-Franklin to Hold Tentative Parent Informational Meeting May 12 at The Gate Community

Thales Academy-Franklin to Hold Tentative Parent Informational Meeting May 12 at The Gate Community Church per Social Distancing Guidelines

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcasting live from Music Row 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 newsmakers line by all-star panelist and Thales Academy in Franklin ’ s Principal Rachael Bradley .
Leahy : We are joined now by our newest all-star panelist and good friend Rachael Bradley the principal of Thales Academy-Franklin .
Welcome , Rachael .
How are you this morning ?
Bradley : I ’ m great Mike .
How are you ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s now April 21 .
You have been a resident and a Tennessee Volunteer for 21 days .
Everyday gets better , doesn ’ t it ?
Bradley : It does .
It ’ s hard to believe .
Yeah .
( Leahy chuckles ) Leahy : So tell us a little bit about whats going on with Thales Academy .
The new high quality affordable private school that ’ s opening up in Franklin at the old Gate Community Church in Franklin on July 20 .
Tell us about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and all that good stuff .
Bradley : It ’ s been a busy week and a half .
Last Monday all of our students in North Carolina , we have over 3,000 students at eight campuses in North Carolina who started online learning to complete their fourth quarter of the school year .
Our new Franklin campus is scheduled to open in July .
And we saw a need that there are a lot of families at home right now with no learning options available for their students around Williamson County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classes at Thales Academy for any child that is interested in participating .
And I ’ ve had a lot of interest and a lot of parents contact me in the last four or five days , Mike .
Leahy : Well , that ’ s great .
If you want to connect with Rachael there are a couple of ways you can do that .
You can go to the tennesseestar.com and click on the Thales Academy banner that will take you to the Facebook page .
You also have an email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rachael ?
Bradley : It ’ s my first and last name .
[ email protected ] Leahy : That ’ s a great thing to do right now because public schools apparently throughout the state will not be reopening until August .
And so if you have kids that are K-5 this is available to ?
Leahy : K-5 online .
It ’ s a great value and a great way to keep kids moving and thinking and learning .
Also , your tuition is pretty good from what I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that ?
Bradley : We did lower our tuition a few weeks ago to meet the moment because a lot of families are struggling right now .
Our tuition is already low .
That ’ s part of our mission to offer an excellent high-quality education that is an affordable cost to families .
So that comes in at $ 5,300 a year .
Leahy : Pretty good .
Pretty good .
We ’ ll talk a little bit about direct instruction which is the methodology that ’ s been proven and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been around for about 50 years .
It ’ s the best way to learn reading , writing , and arithmetic .
Before we do that , I know before this pandemic and the governor ’ s “ stay at home ” order that you were doing parent meetings .
Now that the governor has said the state will be opening back May 1 , a week from Friday , I don ’ t know what the ruling is in terms of gathering sizes that will be allowed .
But at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you may be opening up for probably 10 folks at a time to come in .
Are there plans for more parent informational meetings coming up ?
Bradley : I was pulling up my calendar Mike .
We would love to do that .
We initially had one scheduled for Tuesday , May 12 .
I don ’ t see any reason why we couldn ’ t go ahead and do that in a safe way .
As you said , even if its just 10 people that are able to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are holding those at The Gate , the future site of our school at 3835 Carothers Parkway .
There ’ s a large sanctuary where it would be completely feasible for 10 or 12 people to spread out and maintain social distancing .
Leahy : Yeah .
And everybody could have more than six feet of distance .
Leahy : Everybody could wear a mask and follow the social distancing guidelines .
Although I would love to be there .
If we are going with the 10 person standard than it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) We ’ ll investigate what those rules are .
I think every school and every business is trying to figure out what the rules will be .
I ’ m guessing you are going to spend some of your time this week figuring out what those rules will be ?
Bradley : Absolutely .
Absolutely .
We ’ ve been looking at all those guidelines and making a plan of how we can reopen safely as soon as we ’ re able to do so .
In the interim , we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it ’ s me .
I did that at our corporate office before I left North Carolina .
That is on our Thales Academy-Franklin Facebook page .
It ’ s about 36 minutes and its a complete overview of our program at Thales Academy .
So in the meantime , while you are sitting at home I encourage you to go to the Thales Academy Facebook page and check that out .
Leahy : For our listeners , a very easy way to get there is this : Go to tennesseestar.com and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Academy ad and click on it and it will take you right to that Facebook page .
In our last minutes here , we ’ ve talked a lot about direct instruction and the importance of that to learn reading , writing , and arithmetic .
I want to see if you could emphasize again how direct instruction works , why its the best to do it and why parents need to learn about why it ’ s used at Thales Academy-Franklin .
Bradley : Well for me its come from first-hand experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the basis of direct instruction , I ’ ve said this many times , its really two key things .
It ’ s maximizing student engagement and maintaining high time on task .
So what that means is that all of our students are learning every minute of the school day .
It ’ s a remarkable thing to watch .
It ’ s a very high energy , fast-paced , lots of engagement , and data-driven .
We are monitoring student progress with a mastery-based program so nobody is falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet students where they are needed .
Leahy : When I went to Thales Academy and saw these classes in session , typically you think of like , the Charlie Brown at school cartoon ’ s right ?
Leahy : And the kids are daydreaming .
They are thinking of this and that .
They are not engaged .
Look , all those kids that I saw where absolutely engaged .
Almost transfixed and focused on what the teacher was saying and understanding how to respond to what the teacher was saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You know , it ’ s all about execution .
And we at Thales are all about execution .
And executing at a high level .
We are focused on the outcomes .
And the way we do that is side by side coaching .
Every quarter of every school year for every teacher .
So there is a lot of support for our teachers to ensure that they are executing at a high level .
And that again yields success for the students .
Leahy : That ’ s the interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their 20s and early 30s , I remember what it was like to have young kids and boy , it takes a lot of energy .
Kids are easily… Leahy : That was the word I was looking for !
( Bradley chuckles ) So keeping them on task , that ’ s quite a challenge .
Bradley : Can you imagine right now the struggle that parents are having with their children ?
I only have one Mike and he ’ s almost eight and I ’ m an educator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own child to do what he ’ s supposed to do .
If I didn ’ t have an education background with multiple kids , and I know most of our families do , this is a really challenging time .
I know I was so happy when our classes started last Monday and my son was able to continue with his classmates and teachers from North Carolina .
It ’ s been a beautiful thing to watch .
Leahy : Rachael Bradley , principal of Thales Academy-Franklin opening up K-3 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Middle Tennessee .
If all goes well , there is an opportunity for a parent in-person informational meeting on May the 12 .
Thanks , Rachael for joining us .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Thales Academy ” by Thales Academy .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Bill Hagerty Schedules Town Hall with Donald Trump’s National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow

Bill Hagerty announced this week he will host a telephone town hall with Larry Kudlow , President Donald Trump ’ s director for the National Economic Council .
Hagerty has scheduled that town hall with the conservative economic commentator for 10 a.m. Central Standard Time and 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday , April 23 according to a statement on Hagerty ’ s campaign website .
“ I am honored Larry Kudlow will be able to answer questions from Tennesseans , ” Hagerty said on his campaign ’ s website .
“ Larry has been one of the leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the Senate , I will work to cut taxes and ensure our Tennessee businesses have the resources they need to expand and create jobs once again.
” The website said that Kudlow is a special guest for this event and that his participation is not a solicitation of funds .
As The Tennessee Star reported last week , Hagerty released a television ad touting the candidate holding China accountable for what he called that nation ’ s deceitful actions as it relates to COVID-19 .
Hagerty said China ’ s leaders continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus data .
China , Hagerty said , even accuses the United States of starting the global pandemic .
“ The Chinese Communist regime ’ s efforts to conceal and destroy valuable evidence – including silencing their own people – regarding the Wuhan coronavirus is the crime of the century and the greatest coverup in human history , ” Hagerty said last week .
The country must hold the Communist Chinese leaders accountable for the death and destruction leveled on their own people and for the widespread damage to the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In the Senate , I will continue to stand with President Trump to help put an end to Communist China ’ s deception about the origins and the impact of this deadly virus , along with holding organizations like the World Health Organization accountable for perpetuating the Communist regime ’ s propaganda , ” Hagerty said .
The U.S. Senate candidate received President Donald Trump ’ s endorsement to replace the retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander ( R-TN ) .
Hagerty previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Japan .
Chris Butler is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Larry Kudlow ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-04-22--Renacci: Re-Open Soon So Ohio Can Begin a Return to Normalcy

Former congressman and Ohio businessman Jim Renacci joined Newsradio WTAM 1100AM ’ s Mike Trivisonno – and his producer Angelo Carmen – Monday to discuss the state of business in Ohio in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown , and what working people can and should expect in the coming days and weeks as the state looks to re-open .
Triv : Mr. Renacci , how the hell have you been buddy ?
Renacci : I ’ m doing good .
I ’ m out of the public world and into the private world .
I ’ m working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying a lot of the same things that I heard you say on the radio .
They are frustrated .
They are losing employees .
They are afraid they are going to lose their business .
A lot of potential concerns with economic welfare .
Look the governors got a tough tough job .
There ’ s no doubt about it .
There has to be a balance between the decisions being made with the economic curve as well .
Triv : We ’ re talking with former congressman Jim Renacci .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
You can ask Carmen and Seth from day one .
Six weeks ago I started saying that there needs to be somebody from the economic side up on these press conferences with Dr. Amy Acton so we can balance it out and give the people of Ohio instead of this doom and gloom .
Give them a little hope .
A little light at the end of the tunnel .
There has to be some balance .
You ’ re right .
Renacci : And I would agree with you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things I love about the President is that he has economic people behind him .
He ’ s got medical people behind him and they ’ re all talking about statistics .
I ’ ll give you a statistic that nobody thinks about .
This is from the National Bureau of Economic Research .
With a one percent increase of unemployment produces a three percent increase in drug overdose death and a nine-point nine percent increase in suicide .
The St Louis Federal Reserve has us going to a 32 % unemployment potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic sides of this COVID-19 that we have to start talking about .
We have to get business up and running .
And by the way , I heard you ask a question about unemployment .
who ends up paying the unemployment ?
The taxpayers end up paying for it so we have to make sure the economic health is balanced .
I know this governor has a good heart and he ’ s trying to do all the right things but there is a balance between COVID situation between what we talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health of the individual .
Triv : One of the greatest things and I ’ ve mentioned this numerous times Jim .
We are talking with Jim Renacci .
The President said the cure could be worse than the disease itself if we don ’ t watch ourselves .
That ’ s one of the most brilliant things I ’ ve heard anybody say and he said that weeks ago .
Renacci : Well and I would agree .
And Triv , for me , I ’ ve got a son up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Mount Sinai .
So he ’ s right in the heart of it .
I ’ ve got a sister who ’ s a nurse anesthesiologist and I hear them always telling me you don ’ t understand .
You don ’ t understand .
But I ’ ll tell you what my son said to me last night .
We are in trouble either way .
He said when we open there ’ s going to be more .
There ’ s definitely going to be more people getting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as bad .
And he ’ s starting to see it as well .
Here ’ s a 30-year emergency room physician that ’ s seeing COVID patient after patient .
Triv : Jim I was going to bring this up to the governor but he wouldn ’ t have been able to answer that so I didn ’ t bring it up .
And you brought a little bit of it up .
Crime , suicide rates , overdoses , drug use , alcohol , domestic violence .
There ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with forcing people to stay in their homes and they are never going to give us those exact numbers .
They won ’ t even give us nursing home numbers .
Renacci : No , and like it says , if unemployment hits 32 % it ’ s estimated some 77,000 Americans will likely die from suicide and drug overdoses as a result of layoffs .
Scientists call these fatalities deaths of despair .
These are fact-based on experience and not models .
It ’ s funny , we ’ re judging everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that come out .
What happens when unemployment goes to these levels ?
It has to be balanced .
It truly does .
Carmen : You answered my question but I have another one for you , Jim .
You were a leader .
You know how things work .
You cited those frightening numbers regarding drug use and suicides .
Would you open this state up on May one ?
Renacci : One of the things that I would do , and I ’ d be interested to see what the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 1st that he ’ ll start opening things .
There are those that we have to protect .
There are those over 65 and maybe have some of those conditions .
But you got to give them the right .
Some of them say I don ’ t want to stay in the house anymore , I want to leave .
Well , that ’ s up to them .
That ’ s why I believe there have to be some freedoms .
But we should try and protect those .
Anybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a little bit concerned , we should try and protect those .
But then we should look at those that want to go to work and have to go to work .
Maybe under 55 .
There are businesses out there today .
There are manufacturing companies .
I ’ m on the board of a manufacturing company .
It ’ s still operating .
they are practicing social distancing .
They practice hand-washing and hand sanitizing and they are still operating .
I think we have to do that .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them out a little bit .
Let ’ s let them open up .
I hear people say people won ’ t want to go to those restaurants .
OK. if they don ’ t want to go they don ’ t have to go .
I think you have to at least allow the process to start to open up .
I do think there should be a process .
The governor is talking about that .
I don ’ t know what it is just yet .
But I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a quick return to normalcy .
Although I don ’ t see it if we shut schools down now for the rest of the year .
I think in some ways we ’ ve got to come up with a plan .
I ’ ve said this all along about businesses .
Businesses look forward .
They need certainty and predictability .
They need it .
And there is no business out there that I represent today that has any certainty and predictability .
And without certainty and predictability businesses fail .
Triv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I got ta go because the President ’ s going to be talking pretty soon and I got to take a break here .
Call anytime , Jim .
Thank you for the info .
Renacci : I appreciate it .
Thank you and keep up the great work .