thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Commentary: The Third Worlding of America

Whether it is forest fires caused by decrepit infrastructure , the use of intelligence agencies to target domestic political opponents , growing inequality , or a rejection of our political traditions , America more and more feels like a third world country .
First , consider what it meant to be a first world country .
This has always been a small club : the United States , Canada , Western Europe , Japan , and , more recently , Singapore and South Korea made the cut .
The former Soviet Union and its satellites were part of the so-called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral terms , they were decidedly inferior : little political or social freedom , shoddy consumer goods , and a malfunctioning economic system .
The Third World was everyone else .
First world status comes from various political , social , and economic achievements .
One of the more salient is low corruption .
The classic symbol of third world corruption is the shakedown for bribes by border officials and police officers .
For the most part , this has been absent from American public life .
There is a reason Norman Rockwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that Americans living in the most American parts of our country still talk about leaving their doors unlocked at night .
Low levels of corruption foster another distinct feature of America ’ s first world status : the dominance of the private sector and high degrees of entrepreneurialism .
While all first world countries enjoy low corruption , Europe ’ s governments were always more involved in it .
In the United States , the government sector was historically small , competent , and responsive .
Most people made their living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the government , it was either true public service among those who achieved their success elsewhere , or a tradeoff of more modest wages for higher job security within the civil service .
Increasingly , the government sector is both higher paying and more secure , with access controlled by nepotism and racial classifications .
In other words , the private sector—other than the top echelons—is for suckers .
Another feature of American life has been low levels of crime and disorder .
You don ’ t need to be a historian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a set of eyes .
When you see the decaying , boarded-up facades of yesteryear—the modest and orderly row homes of Baltimore , the grandiose public works of Detroit—these are the ruins of a prosperous and orderly society .
They could not have been built so sturdily or well by the current denizens of these communities .
They are a window into a disappearing America of prosperous small towns and orderly and civilized cities , where a middle class could live and work .
Such “ normalcy ” exists now , if at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around our cities , usually more shoddily and less beautifully built than the original cities themselves .
Political normality , compromise , and restraint are other features of first world societies .
These habits of self-limitation are the products of a common culture , where the goal of preserving and strengthening an existing society is taken for granted .
This is the inheritance of George Washington , who stepped down after two terms .
It is reflected in Richard Nixon taking advice from LBJ , and the whole country mourning the murder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen in the high degrees of trust among voters for the government and its institutions , which has been falling for decades .
Many commenters like to say the country ’ s historical stability and wealth are the product of its ideas and creed .
That ’ s certainly part of it , but it ’ s also because of the people .
These habits developed over a long time .
Our countrymen ’ s common background , religion , and language limited the range of domestic political disagreement .
The American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units with nothing in common .
They were a people .
Everything fit together .
The combination of austere Christian morality , a lack of formal class system , and a predictable legal regime led to dynamism , ingenuity , and growth .
America went from a colonial backwater to a world power in 200 years .
Unlike France , which is on its fifth constitution , or the Soviet Union , which broke apart after 70 years , the United States and its legal order have proven to be remarkably durable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the passing of a generation or two , the features outlined above feel less prominent .
Politics , morality , economics , and demographics have all undergone a substantial , engineered change .
Old commitments , whether to free speech or respect for religion , are in decline .
New images , new habits , and new human types have emerged following the multi-faceted social revolution since the 1960s .
It feels , for lack of a better word , more and more like we are living in a third world country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What are its features ?
It is not just grinding poverty .
Some of the richest people in the world and their opulent palaces can be found in the Third World .
But even as the Third World has gotten comparatively wealthier , it retains many features that make it unpleasant , particularly for the common man .
This is why millions of people from that part of the world risk life and limb to come to the United States and Europe .
One feature is a lack of public spiritedness .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trashed .
In the Third World , political office is a means to enrich oneself and one ’ s family .
This is as true for presidents as it is for mayors and lower-level officials .
The endemic corruption of the Third World both reflects and reinforces an extreme tribalism , which elevates the extended family above the public as a whole .
Elections and parties reflect these ethnic divisions , and a winner-take-all spirit prevails .
This is as true in India as Iran , in Mexico as in Mauritania .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with immigrant groups from the Third World , the local politics reflects the same values .
Old habits die hard .
To the extent there is a private sector in the Third World , it is intertwined with and dependent on the political one .
Bribes are a necessary cost of doing business .
But the real money is in public corruption , whether in the form of official or unofficial monopoly , government contracts , or the like .
This is increasingly true at home , where whole sectors of the economy—health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and e-commerce—are dependent on a combination of regulatory assistance , government contracts , or outright subsidies .
As the Hunter Biden episode reminds us—along with the dozens of other well-paid relatives of politicians—self-enrichment among the political class is becoming an unremarkable feature of American life .
One can not imagine today a president ending up , like Harry Truman , near-broke at the end of a presidency .
A related feature of the Third World is failing infrastructure .
While gleaming homes , sports cars , and private affluence are well-known , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and obsolete .
You can ’ t drink the water .
There is little incentive to fix these things , as politics chiefly consists of individually rewarding one ’ s close associates , rather than benefiting the public as a whole .
Complex problems remain unsolved and persistent .
Along these lines , here at home , we see increasing evidence of both organizational and technological decline .
A nation that once built skyscrapers , world-class universities , beautiful highways , and railroads from coast to coast , now finds much of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often exceeding the cost of the original construction .
This does not mean money is not spent .
In 2009 , Obama enacted a $ 1 trillion stimulus .
In response to COVID-19 , President Trump authorized $ 2 trillion in spending .
But what do we have to show for either ?
Where is the Golden Gate Bridge or Hoover Dam ?
For that matter , where ’ s our wall ?
Yet another notable feature of the Third World is poverty , lawlessness , and disorder .
The most jarring symbol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shantytowns that surround their urban centers .
Here at home , we now find armies of homeless and tent dwellers in our most prosperous cities .
San Francisco and New York now have to deal with a public defecation crisis .
There is little serious discussion of these problems .
No one in power has the will to end them .
At the same time , private security and gated communities are becoming the symbols of the age .
A final feature of the Third World , now familiar at home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exists in some measure in many third world nations , it is what Fareed Zakaria has called “ illiberal democracy.
” Everything is on the table .
Political opponents are often targeted for punishment if they lose power .
Thus , every election becomes a referendum on the freedom and safety of large sectors of the populace , and thus they are often marred by fraud and violence .
America ’ s traditions of a peaceful transfer of power and political decorum are disappearing .
Open talk of “ burning it down ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now becoming common .
There is no restraint , because the stakes are higher and the visions of America ’ s future come from entirely different traditions .
The Left ’ s view is a foreign import with totalitarian implications ; it is alien to the principles of due process and restraint embedded in America ’ s constitutional order .
It Pays to Be a Winner It ’ s all rather depressing .
But the change is also undeniable .
Conservatives like to talk about American exceptionalism and a silent majority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , mere nostalgia .
America , like every nation , can undergo revolutionary change or slow decay .
It ’ s legal forms can become devoid of substance as its people change .
The talk of tiny homes , the gig economy , and vibrancy are the coping mechanisms of a nation where a middle-class existence can not be had for more and more people , who are weighed down by low wages , rising real estate costs , debt , and the insecurity of urban life .
From rolling blackouts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ousted politicians in D.C. , to draconian enforcement of mask mandates while arsonists shut down our streets , this is not Norman Rockwell ’ s America .
Indeed , it ’ s not even the America one might remember growing up in the 1980s and ’ 90s .
It ’ s changed for the worse .
More important , the rules required to survive and thrive are quite different from those of the recent past .
As in Venezuela or Iraq , politics and life are becoming “ winner take all.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromise is not possible .
And , under these circumstances , it pays to be a winner .
Christopher Roach is an attorney in private practice based in Florida .
He is a double graduate of the University of Chicago and has previously been published by The Federalist , Takimag , The Journal of Property Rights in Transition , the Washington Legal Foundation , the Marine Corps Gazette , and the Orlando Sentinel .
The views presented are solely his own .

by Christopher Roach
Whether it is forest fires caused by decrepit infrastructure, the use of intelligence agencies to target domestic political opponents, growing inequality, or a rejection of our political traditions, America more and more feels like a third world country.
First, consider what it meant to be a first world country. This has always been a small club: the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Japan, and, more recently, Singapore and South Korea made the cut.
The former Soviet Union and its satellites were part of the so-called Second World. In both material and moral terms, they were decidedly inferior: little political or social freedom, shoddy consumer goods, and a malfunctioning economic system.
The Third World was everyone else.
Our First World Past
First world status comes from various political, social, and economic achievements. One of the more salient is low corruption. The classic symbol of third world corruption is the shakedown for bribes by border officials and police officers. For the most part, this has been absent from American public life. There is a reason Norman Rockwell painted police officers as heroic and non-threatening, and that Americans living in the most American parts of our country still talk about leaving their doors unlocked at night.
Low levels of corruption foster another distinct feature of America’s first world status: the dominance of the private sector and high degrees of entrepreneurialism.
While all first world countries enjoy low corruption, Europe’s governments were always more involved in it. In the United States, the government sector was historically small, competent, and responsive. Most people made their living privately.
To the extent anyone worked for the government, it was either true public service among those who achieved their success elsewhere, or a tradeoff of more modest wages for higher job security within the civil service. Increasingly, the government sector is both higher paying and more secure, with access controlled by nepotism and racial classifications. In other words, the private sector—other than the top echelons—is for suckers.
Another feature of American life has been low levels of crime and disorder.
You don’t need to be a historian to see this; you merely need a set of eyes. When you see the decaying, boarded-up facades of yesteryear—the modest and orderly row homes of Baltimore, the grandiose public works of Detroit—these are the ruins of a prosperous and orderly society. They could not have been built so sturdily or well by the current denizens of these communities. They are a window into a disappearing America of prosperous small towns and orderly and civilized cities, where a middle class could live and work. Such “normalcy” exists now, if at all, in the rings of suburbs around our cities, usually more shoddily and less beautifully built than the original cities themselves.
Political normality, compromise, and restraint are other features of first world societies. These habits of self-limitation are the products of a common culture, where the goal of preserving and strengthening an existing society is taken for granted. This is the inheritance of George Washington, who stepped down after two terms. It is reflected in Richard Nixon taking advice from LBJ, and the whole country mourning the murder of JFK. Further back, it is seen in the high degrees of trust among voters for the government and its institutions, which has been falling for decades.
Many commenters like to say the country’s historical stability and wealth are the product of its ideas and creed. That’s certainly part of it, but it’s also because of the people.
These habits developed over a long time. Our countrymen’s common background, religion, and language limited the range of domestic political disagreement. The American people were not just an assembly of economic units with nothing in common. They were a people.
Everything fit together. The combination of austere Christian morality, a lack of formal class system, and a predictable legal regime led to dynamism, ingenuity, and growth. America went from a colonial backwater to a world power in 200 years. Unlike France, which is on its fifth constitution, or the Soviet Union, which broke apart after 70 years, the United States and its legal order have proven to be remarkably durable.
Even so, things feel different. In the passing of a generation or two, the features outlined above feel less prominent. Politics, morality, economics, and demographics have all undergone a substantial, engineered change. Old commitments, whether to free speech or respect for religion, are in decline. New images, new habits, and new human types have emerged following the multi-faceted social revolution since the 1960s.
It feels, for lack of a better word, more and more like we are living in a third world country.
Our Third World Future
What is the Third World? What are its features? It is not just grinding poverty. Some of the richest people in the world and their opulent palaces can be found in the Third World. But even as the Third World has gotten comparatively wealthier, it retains many features that make it unpleasant, particularly for the common man. This is why millions of people from that part of the world risk life and limb to come to the United States and Europe.
One feature is a lack of public spiritedness. The public space and the commons are literally trashed. In the Third World, political office is a means to enrich oneself and one’s family. This is as true for presidents as it is for mayors and lower-level officials. The endemic corruption of the Third World both reflects and reinforces an extreme tribalism, which elevates the extended family above the public as a whole.
Elections and parties reflect these ethnic divisions, and a winner-take-all spirit prevails. This is as true in India as Iran, in Mexico as in Mauritania. In parts of the United States heavily populated with immigrant groups from the Third World, the local politics reflects the same values. Old habits die hard.
To the extent there is a private sector in the Third World, it is intertwined with and dependent on the political one. Bribes are a necessary cost of doing business. But the real money is in public corruption, whether in the form of official or unofficial monopoly, government contracts, or the like. This is increasingly true at home, where whole sectors of the economy—health care, green jobs, aerospace, and e-commerce—are dependent on a combination of regulatory assistance, government contracts, or outright subsidies.
As the Hunter Biden episode reminds us—along with the dozens of other well-paid relatives of politicians—self-enrichment among the political class is becoming an unremarkable feature of American life. One cannot imagine today a president ending up, like Harry Truman, near-broke at the end of a presidency.
A related feature of the Third World is failing infrastructure. While gleaming homes, sports cars, and private affluence are well-known, public investments are often shoddy, decrepit, and obsolete. You can’t drink the water. There is little incentive to fix these things, as politics chiefly consists of individually rewarding one’s close associates, rather than benefiting the public as a whole. Complex problems remain unsolved and persistent.
Along these lines, here at home, we see increasing evidence of both organizational and technological decline. A nation that once built skyscrapers, world-class universities, beautiful highways, and railroads from coast to coast, now finds much of it is in disrepair, with repair projects often exceeding the cost of the original construction.
This does not mean money is not spent. In 2009, Obama enacted a $1 trillion stimulus. In response to COVID-19, President Trump authorized $2 trillion in spending. But what do we have to show for either? Where is the Golden Gate Bridge or Hoover Dam? For that matter, where’s our wall?
Yet another notable feature of the Third World is poverty, lawlessness, and disorder. The most jarring symbol of third world inequality and chaos are the shantytowns that surround their urban centers.
Here at home, we now find armies of homeless and tent dwellers in our most prosperous cities. San Francisco and New York now have to deal with a public defecation crisis. There is little serious discussion of these problems. No one in power has the will to end them. At the same time, private security and gated communities are becoming the symbols of the age.
A final feature of the Third World, now familiar at home, is high stakes politics. While democracy exists in some measure in many third world nations, it is what Fareed Zakaria has called “illiberal democracy.” Everything is on the table. Political opponents are often targeted for punishment if they lose power. Thus, every election becomes a referendum on the freedom and safety of large sectors of the populace, and thus they are often marred by fraud and violence.
America’s traditions of a peaceful transfer of power and political decorum are disappearing. Open talk of “burning it down” and changing the rules to guarantee victories are now becoming common. There is no restraint, because the stakes are higher and the visions of America’s future come from entirely different traditions. The Left’s view is a foreign import with totalitarian implications; it is alien to the principles of due process and restraint embedded in America’s constitutional order.
It Pays to Be a Winner
It’s all rather depressing. But the change is also undeniable. Conservatives like to talk about American exceptionalism and a silent majority, but this seems to be, especially now, mere nostalgia. America, like every nation, can undergo revolutionary change or slow decay. It’s legal forms can become devoid of substance as its people change.
The talk of tiny homes, the gig economy, and vibrancy are the coping mechanisms of a nation where a middle-class existence cannot be had for more and more people, who are weighed down by low wages, rising real estate costs, debt, and the insecurity of urban life.
From rolling blackouts in California and millionaire “private-sector” jobs for ousted politicians in D.C., to draconian enforcement of mask mandates while arsonists shut down our streets, this is not Norman Rockwell’s America. Indeed, it’s not even the America one might remember growing up in the 1980s and ’90s. It’s changed for the worse.
More important, the rules required to survive and thrive are quite different from those of the recent past. As in Venezuela or Iraq, politics and life are becoming “winner take all.” It’s important to know when compromise is not possible. And, under these circumstances, it pays to be a winner.
– – –
Christopher Roach is an attorney in private practice based in Florida. He is a double graduate of the University of Chicago and has previously been published by The Federalist, Takimag, The Journal of Property Rights in Transition, the Washington Legal Foundation, the Marine Corps Gazette, and the Orlando Sentinel. The views presented are solely his own.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Country Star and Hit Elvis Songwriter Mac Davis Dies at 78

NASHVILLE , Tennessee ( AP ) — Country star Mac Davis , who launched his career crafting the Elvis hits “ A Little Less Conversation ” and “ In the Ghetto , ” and whose own hits include “ Baby Don ’ t Get Hooked On Me , ” has died .
He was 78 .
His longtime manager Jim Morey said in a press release that Davis died in Nashville on Tuesday after heart surgery and was surrounded by family and friends .
Davis had a long and varied career in music for decades as a writer , singer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 .
He was named 1974 ’ s entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
“ Thank you , dear Lord Jesus , for letting us know the man to whom you gave the most incredible talent , ” said Reba McEntire in a statement .
“ He entertained and spread joy to so many people .
What a wonderful legacy he left all of us with his music .
Mac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m so blessed to have been one of his many friends.
” Born in Lubbock , Texas , and raised in Georgia , Davis was inspired by fellow Lubbock native Buddy Holly , but it was Elvis who gave him his first musical big break .
Davis worked as a staff songwriter in Los Angeles for Nancy Sinatra ’ s publishing company when in 1968 Presley cut the funky “ A Little Less Conversation , ” which Davis had written with Aretha Franklin in mind .
Although it had a little success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bigger hit after Presley ’ s death , being covered by more than 30 artists and topping charts everywhere from Canada to Denmark .
Davis ’ most licensed TV soundtrack song , “ A Little Less Conversation ” reached No .
1 in the UK in 2002 after it was used in a Nike commercial and was featured in the hit movie “ Ocean ’ s 11.
” Davis also helped craft the sentimental “ Memories ” that was a cornerstone of Elvis ’ celebrated 1968 comeback TV special , and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s revival : The somber ballads “ In the Ghetto ” and “ Don ’ t Cry Daddy , ” both top 10 singles which marked rare times Presley covered material with any kind of political or social message .
“ In the Ghetto ” was the story of a young Black man raised in poverty who turns to crime and ends up dead , a story Davis would say was based on a childhood friend .
“ Don ’ t Cry Daddy , ” in which a son consoles his grieving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dies , appealed personally to Presley , who lost his beloved mother when he was in his early 20s .
“ A small town boy who ’ d achieved the greatest kinds of fame , he remained a good guy , a family man , ” said country star Kenny Chesney .
“ That was Mac : a giant heart , quick to laugh and a bigger creative spirit .
I was blessed to have it shine on me .
And Mac , who was joyous , funny and created a family around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , creating music and inspiring everyone around him.
” Davis got a recording deal of his own in 1970 , recording “ Hooked on Music , ” “ It ’ s Hard to be Humble , ” and “ Texas in my Rearview Mirror , ” and getting crossover success on pop charts .
He had his own TV series , “ The Mac Davis Show ” on NBC , and also acted in TV and film , including alongside Nick Nolte in the football film “ North Dallas Forty.
” He even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will Rogers Follies ” and toured with the musical .
The group Gallery had a hit on his song “ I Believe in Music.
” “ He was the songwriter behind some of the most iconic and timeless songs that transcend genres and generations and was named a BMI Icon in 2015 , ” said BMI President and CEO Mike O ’ Neil .
“ Beyond his extraordinary talent , Mac was a dedicated friend and advocate for songwriters everywhere.
” He also wrote songs recorded by Kenny Rogers ( “ Something ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( “ White Limozeen ” ) and Ray Price ( “ Lonesomest Lonesome ” ) .
He was still writing later in life , getting co-writing credits on songs by Avicii ( “ Addicted to You ” ) and Bruno Mars ( “ Young Girls.
” ) “ Today our country community lost an amazing entertainer , songwriter and artist , ” said Sarah Trahern , CEO of CMA .
“ I remember watching Mac ’ s TV show as a kid as well as his three years co-hosting the CMA Awards with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the TV medium as well as the music.
” Kristin M. Hall is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : Musician Mac Davis performs at the Texas Film Awards in Austin , Texas on March 6 , 2014 .
Davis , a country star and Elvis songwriter , died on Tuesday , Sept. 29 , 2020 after heart surgery .
He was 78 .
Davis started his career writing hits for Presley , including “ A Little Less Conversation ” and “ In the Ghetto.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the years as a singer , actor and TV host and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 .
He was named ACM entertainer of the year in 1974 after the success of songs like “ Baby Don ’ t Get Hooked on Me.
” ( Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP , File )

by Kristin M. Hall
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Country star Mac Davis, who launched his career crafting the Elvis hits “A Little Less Conversation” and “In the Ghetto,” and whose own hits include “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me,” has died. He was 78.
His longtime manager Jim Morey said in a press release that Davis died in Nashville on Tuesday after heart surgery and was surrounded by family and friends.
Davis had a long and varied career in music for decades as a writer, singer, actor and TV host and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. He was named 1974’s entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Thank you, dear Lord Jesus, for letting us know the man to whom you gave the most incredible talent,” said Reba McEntire in a statement. “He entertained and spread joy to so many people. What a wonderful legacy he left all of us with his music. Mac was one of a kind. I’m so blessed to have been one of his many friends.”
Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Georgia, Davis was inspired by fellow Lubbock native Buddy Holly, but it was Elvis who gave him his first musical big break. Davis worked as a staff songwriter in Los Angeles for Nancy Sinatra’s publishing company when in 1968 Presley cut the funky “A Little Less Conversation,” which Davis had written with Aretha Franklin in mind.
Although it had a little success at the time, the song became a bigger hit after Presley’s death, being covered by more than 30 artists and topping charts everywhere from Canada to Denmark. Davis’ most licensed TV soundtrack song, “A Little Less Conversation” reached No. 1 in the UK in 2002 after it was used in a Nike commercial and was featured in the hit movie “Ocean’s 11.”
Davis also helped craft the sentimental “Memories” that was a cornerstone of Elvis’ celebrated 1968 comeback TV special, and two other songs that were key to Presley’s revival: The somber ballads “In the Ghetto” and “Don’t Cry Daddy,” both top 10 singles which marked rare times Presley covered material with any kind of political or social message.
“In the Ghetto” was the story of a young Black man raised in poverty who turns to crime and ends up dead, a story Davis would say was based on a childhood friend. “Don’t Cry Daddy,” in which a son consoles his grieving father after the boy’s mother dies, appealed personally to Presley, who lost his beloved mother when he was in his early 20s.
“A small town boy who’d achieved the greatest kinds of fame, he remained a good guy, a family man,” said country star Kenny Chesney. “That was Mac: a giant heart, quick to laugh and a bigger creative spirit. I was blessed to have it shine on me. And Mac, who was joyous, funny and created a family around him, never stopped writing great songs, creating music and inspiring everyone around him.”
Davis got a recording deal of his own in 1970, recording “Hooked on Music,” “It’s Hard to be Humble,” and “Texas in my Rearview Mirror,” and getting crossover success on pop charts. He had his own TV series, “The Mac Davis Show” on NBC, and also acted in TV and film, including alongside Nick Nolte in the football film “North Dallas Forty.” He even starred on Broadway, in “The Will Rogers Follies” and toured with the musical. The group Gallery had a hit on his song “I Believe in Music.”
“He was the songwriter behind some of the most iconic and timeless songs that transcend genres and generations and was named a BMI Icon in 2015,” said BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neil. “Beyond his extraordinary talent, Mac was a dedicated friend and advocate for songwriters everywhere.”
He also wrote songs recorded by Kenny Rogers (“Something’s Burning”), Dolly Parton (“White Limozeen”) and Ray Price (“Lonesomest Lonesome”). He was still writing later in life, getting co-writing credits on songs by Avicii ( “Addicted to You”) and Bruno Mars (“Young Girls.”)
“Today our country community lost an amazing entertainer, songwriter and artist,” said Sarah Trahern, CEO of CMA. “I remember watching Mac’s TV show as a kid as well as his three years co-hosting the CMA Awards with Barbara Mandrell, which proved his command of the TV medium as well as the music.”
– – –
Kristin M. Hall is a reporter for The Associated Press.
About the Headline Photo: Musician Mac Davis performs at the Texas Film Awards in Austin, Texas on March 6, 2014. Davis, a country star and Elvis songwriter, died on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 after heart surgery. He was 78. Davis started his career writing hits for Presley, including “A Little Less Conversation” and “In the Ghetto.” The Lubbock, Texas-native had a varied career over the years as a singer, actor and TV host and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. He was named ACM entertainer of the year in 1974 after the success of songs like “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.” (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Mayor Andy Ogles Implores Governor Bill Lee and Mayor John Cooper to Open Up Tennessee Now

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles to the newsmakers line .
During the second hour , Ogles discussed his plea for Governor Lee and Mayor Cooper to open up Tennessee stressing how mom and pops are not going to be able to hold on to their businesses for much longer .
He also added that Nashville was the heartbeat for many blue-collar counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livelihoods are at stake .
Leahy : We are joined on our newsmakers line now by our very good friend the mayor of Murray County Andy Ogles .
Good morning Andy .
Ogles : Good morning .
Just enjoying a fresh cup of coffee and looking forward to talking to you .
Leahy : What kind of coffee do you drink Andy ?
Ogles : Dark roast .
The stronger the better .
Leahy : My kind of coffee .
I got a cup of coffee here and I ’ m waking up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on the phone here and drinking the coffee .
So yesterday you had our lead story basically .
Andy Ogles says it ’ s who saves time to open up Tennessee .
And you had a message for Mayor Cooper and Governor Lee .
Time to open up .
The governor held the press conference yesterday .
Sounds like he listened partly to what you had to say .
What ’ s your reaction to what he did yesterday in his announcement ?
Ogles : Well , you know , obviously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been advocating for a while now that is time to open this thing up .
You know , if you think back to what the White House first asked America .
It was 15 days to stop the spreads and flatten the curve .
It stretched to 45 days .
But all of that was in the context of preparing our healthcare infrastructure .
Nobody said we were going to eradicate this virus .
And now we seem to be on this misguided , you know the mission that we ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s here .
It ’ s not going away .
And we ’ re destroying lives and families .
We have kids struggling and schools .
And you know in Maury County I have fought to keep our economy open .
We ’ ve continued to hold events .
Our businesses are open .
and our spread rate is the same as everyone else ’ s .
Our case rates are the same as everyone else ’ s .
But you know , I never did the mask mandate .
But I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s fundamental .
That ’ s what is in our Constitution .
We have the right to choose .
Leahy : Yeah , we absolutely do Andy .
And the mask mandate you asked the governor to stop allowing the county mayors , the other 89 county mayors who don ’ t have their own public health department .
You ask them to stop giving them that authority .
The governor apparently didn ’ t agree with you on that .
Give us your thoughts on that .
Ogles : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is one of the areas where I take God ’ s or the governors , the governor and I are friends .
He ’ s a good man .
But under the Emergency Powers Act under it ’ s lettered and It ’ s got , you know a couple of numbers and then under that , there are some letters .
And under H , he can not grant me an authority that I don ’ t already have .
It has to be prior to and threat of an emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us that authority to issue mask mandates during .
And the reason why that ’ s important is you know , as a matter of the subdivision of the counties my authority is derived from the state legislature .
And what that does and the reason why the law is very specific that he grants a new authority before an emergency is it gives our legislature time to intervene and say hold on a minute cover governor .
You don ’ t have that authority to do that .
Now , there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature that they haven ’ t stepped up and really kind of rein this in , but it ’ s an election year .
And unfortunately , politics plays in here .
and so I ’ ve stood firm .
Look if you want to wear a mask , wear a mask .
I defend your right to do that , but also defend your right to make a choice .
But the thing is if you look at all of the events we ’ ve had in Maury County and I always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with , I could end up with COVID tomorrow .
I don ’ t know .
I don ’ t know what God ’ s plan is , but I ’ ve been to the fair every single night .
I was at our 9/11 event where we had 3,500 to 4,000 people show up , you know .
I ’ ve been to these events .
But I shake someone ’ s hand and I immediately take a step back and we have that conversation socially distanced and when that conversation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I use hand sanitizer .
I take those simple precautions that protect me and the person I ’ m speaking with , and you know , in the last two months , I have shaken hundreds and hundreds of hands .
I ’ ve met a thousand or more people and I ’ ve not gotten COVID yet .
And again , I could catch it tomorrow .
Who knows .
But that being said is I ’ m taking those precautions to protect myself and others .
and if need be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a board meeting that I go to every couple of weeks .
And in that room , there ’ s a lot of individuals that are at high risk .
It ’ s a small room .
We are kind of crowded in there .
That ’ s a perfect example of why you wouldn ’ t why and when you would want to wear a mask .
But you know again , we ’ ve got to get this thing back open .
And that ’ s where I really point the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these blue-collar counties that donut around Nashville plus Maury County and we are dependent on Nashville ’ s economy .
And Nashville is the heartbeat of Tennessee ’ s economy .
It ’ s that driving engine .
and as long as that is shuttered , Maury County , Williamson County , Wilson , Sumner Rutherford , etcetera all are going to continue to see job layoffs and business closures .
And look the big box stores , those corporate stores that are publicly traded .
They are better able or positioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom and pops .
I ’ m seeing it every day that people are struggling to pay their bills .
And we have to .
I implore the governor .
I implore Mayor Cooper .
I know both of these men are both good men .
Please open this up .
I ’ m not saying that it won ’ t be messy .
I ’ m not saying it ’ s not going to if this is going to be easy and there ’ s not going to be bumps along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people back to work .
Because I ’ m seeing not just restaurant and retail employees losing their jobs .
I ’ m seeing 50 and 55-year-old professionals losing their jobs .
And if you get laid off at 50 or 55 and you ’ re professional there ’ s a good chance that job doesn ’ t come back and we ’ re in a period of eight to 11 percent unemployment .
I ’ m worried that you ’ re not going to be able to find a job .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose your home .
You ’ re not going to be able to feed your family .
We are facing a problem come to order one and quarter to that I hope I ’ m wrong .
I really do .
The best way to avoid that problem is to open our economy period .
Let ’ s make Tennessee a destination for the rest of the country and encourage people to socially distance .
Leahy : One thing I like about the way you approach this Andy is you are fact-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you could comment on this as it may apply in Maury County .
I noticed when you see reports other cases are up and maybe the hospitalizations are steady and where those hospitalizations occur , cases occur tend to be in these nursing home facilities .
People over the age of 65 .
That ’ s the issue .
That ’ s where the high risk exists .
These events seem not to be really the promoters of COVID as much as people would claim .
Nor are they spreading the high-risk COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have you seen down there in Maury County ?
Ogles : Well , for example , you know the Williamson and Wilson County fairs were canceled .
That ’ s a decision they had to make for themselves .
I ’ m not going to criticize or comment on that , but we decided that we were going to move forward and we worked with the operator of the fair .
We spread the rides out .
Every single every kind of a ride was ridden .
It was wiped down .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midway every night every single hour of the night while shaking hands taking selfies encouraging people thanking people for coming .
And we saw people from all over Tennessee , even Kentucky and Alabama came to our fair .
But what was interesting is that you know , you would see groups of people walking around but it was family clusters .
Or it was the two families that go out to eat anyway .
The two families that go to church together .
And so you say you saw these pods of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I ’ m not going to say that there wasn ’ t COVID that didn ’ t occur because of some of these events .
But what we ’ re saying is it was not a mass spread event .
And that was the accusation .
But I had some vile things said about me .
That I was going to have blood on my hands and that blood would be running in the streets in Maury County .
But that didn ’ t happen .
And like you said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago and kind of timed that with the incubation period of the fair .
And what it turns out is that we had two employer clusters .
One of them was a county department .
And three of them were in the nursing home facilities .
Totally unrelated to the fair .
Totally unrelated to know the 9/11 event .
And even with the 9/11 event , you know , there ’ s a lot of people there but you saw people sitting in these little groups .
And so again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to church together .
Or their kids go to school together .
And on Friday and Saturday night when the families get together and they break bread .
That ’ s who they ’ re congregating within their homes .
People have adjusted how we move amongst ourselves , and we ’ ve got to trust that process .
And again , you know people say well all you care about is money .
And that ’ s not the case at all .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Andy Ogles ” by Andy Ogles .
Background Photo “ Tennessee Capitol ” by Peggy Anderson .
CC BY-SA 4.0 .

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles to the newsmakers line.
During the second hour, Ogles discussed his plea for Governor Lee and Mayor Cooper to open up Tennessee stressing how mom and pops are not going to be able to hold on to their businesses for much longer. He also added that Nashville was the heartbeat for many blue-collar counties surrounding the city and that their very livelihoods are at stake.
Leahy: We are joined on our newsmakers line now by our very good friend the mayor of Murray County Andy Ogles. Good morning Andy.
Ogles: Good morning. Just enjoying a fresh cup of coffee and looking forward to talking to you.
Leahy: What kind of coffee do you drink Andy?
Ogles: Dark roast. The stronger the better.
Leahy: My kind of coffee. I got a cup of coffee here and I’m waking up as I’m talking to the people on the phone here and drinking the coffee. So yesterday you had our lead story basically. Andy Ogles says it’s who saves time to open up Tennessee.
And you had a message for Mayor Cooper and Governor Lee. Time to open up. The governor held the press conference yesterday. Sounds like he listened partly to what you had to say. What’s your reaction to what he did yesterday in his announcement?
Ogles: Well, you know, obviously, I’m an advocate and have been advocating for a while now that is time to open this thing up. You know, if you think back to what the White House first asked America. It was 15 days to stop the spreads and flatten the curve. It stretched to 45 days.
But all of that was in the context of preparing our healthcare infrastructure. Nobody said we were going to eradicate this virus. And now we seem to be on this misguided, you know the mission that we’re going to eradicate COVID. Look it’s here. It’s not going away. And we’re destroying lives and families. We have kids struggling and schools. And you know in Maury County I have fought to keep our economy open.
We’ve continued to hold events. Our businesses are open. and our spread rate is the same as everyone else’s. Our case rates are the same as everyone else’s. But you know, I never did the mask mandate. But I do encourage personal responsibility. But to me, that’s fundamental. That’s what is in our Constitution. We have the right to choose.
Leahy: Yeah, we absolutely do Andy. And the mask mandate you asked the governor to stop allowing the county mayors, the other 89 county mayors who don’t have their own public health department. You ask them to stop giving them that authority. The governor apparently didn’t agree with you on that. Give us your thoughts on that.
Ogles: Well, you know for me and this is one of the areas where I take God’s or the governors, the governor and I are friends. He’s a good man. But under the Emergency Powers Act under it’s lettered and It’s got, you know a couple of numbers and then under that, there are some letters.
And under H, he cannot grant me an authority that I don’t already have. It has to be prior to and threat of an emergency. which means before and he gave us that authority to issue mask mandates during. And the reason why that’s important is you know, as a matter of the subdivision of the counties my authority is derived from the state legislature.
And what that does and the reason why the law is very specific that he grants a new authority before an emergency is it gives our legislature time to intervene and say hold on a minute cover governor. You don’t have that authority to do that. Now, there’s equal blame to point at our legislature that they haven’t stepped up and really kind of rein this in, but it’s an election year.
And unfortunately, politics plays in here. and so I’ve stood firm. Look if you want to wear a mask, wear a mask. I defend your right to do that, but also defend your right to make a choice. But the thing is if you look at all of the events we’ve had in Maury County and I always kind of you know qualify my statement with, I could end up with COVID tomorrow.
I don’t know. I don’t know what God’s plan is, but I’ve been to the fair every single night. I was at our 9/11 event where we had 3,500 to 4,000 people show up, you know. I’ve been to these events. But I shake someone’s hand and I immediately take a step back and we have that conversation socially distanced and when that conversation is over I reach into my right pocket and I use hand sanitizer.
I take those simple precautions that protect me and the person I’m speaking with, and you know, in the last two months, I have shaken hundreds and hundreds of hands. I’ve met a thousand or more people and I’ve not gotten COVID yet. And again, I could catch it tomorrow. Who knows.
But that being said is I’m taking those precautions to protect myself and others. and if need be I have a mask. I have a board meeting that I go to every couple of weeks. And in that room, there’s a lot of individuals that are at high risk. It’s a small room. We are kind of crowded in there.
That’s a perfect example of why you wouldn’t why and when you would want to wear a mask. But you know again, we’ve got to get this thing back open. And that’s where I really point the finger at Nashville. You have all of these blue-collar counties that donut around Nashville plus Maury County and we are dependent on Nashville’s economy.
And Nashville is the heartbeat of Tennessee’s economy. It’s that driving engine. and as long as that is shuttered, Maury County, Williamson County, Wilson, Sumner Rutherford, etcetera all are going to continue to see job layoffs and business closures.
And look the big box stores, those corporate stores that are publicly traded. They are better able or positioned to withstand this. but those little mom and pops. I’m seeing it every day that people are struggling to pay their bills. And we have to. I implore the governor. I implore Mayor Cooper.
I know both of these men are both good men. Please open this up. I’m not saying that it won’t be messy. I’m not saying it’s not going to if this is going to be easy and there’s not going to be bumps along the way. But we have to get people back to work.
Because I’m seeing not just restaurant and retail employees losing their jobs. I’m seeing 50 and 55-year-old professionals losing their jobs. And if you get laid off at 50 or 55 and you’re professional there’s a good chance that job doesn’t come back and we’re in a period of eight to 11 percent unemployment. I’m worried that you’re not going to be able to find a job.
I’m worried you’re going to lose your home. You’re not going to be able to feed your family. We are facing a problem come to order one and quarter to that I hope I’m wrong. I really do. The best way to avoid that problem is to open our economy period. Let’s make Tennessee a destination for the rest of the country and encourage people to socially distance.
Leahy: One thing I like about the way you approach this Andy is you are fact-based. And what I notice and perhaps you could comment on this as it may apply in Maury County. I noticed when you see reports other cases are up and maybe the hospitalizations are steady and where those hospitalizations occur, cases occur tend to be in these nursing home facilities.
People over the age of 65. That’s the issue. That’s where the high risk exists. These events seem not to be really the promoters of COVID as much as people would claim. Nor are they spreading the high-risk COVID that turns into hospitalization death. What have you seen down there in Maury County?
Ogles: Well, for example, you know the Williamson and Wilson County fairs were canceled. That’s a decision they had to make for themselves. I’m not going to criticize or comment on that, but we decided that we were going to move forward and we worked with the operator of the fair. We spread the rides out.
Every single every kind of a ride was ridden. It was wiped down. And what I saw as I walked the Midway every night every single hour of the night while shaking hands taking selfies encouraging people thanking people for coming. And we saw people from all over Tennessee, even Kentucky and Alabama came to our fair.
But what was interesting is that you know, you would see groups of people walking around but it was family clusters. Or it was the two families that go out to eat anyway. The two families that go to church together. And so you say you saw these pods of people together that would ordinarily be together.
And I’m not going to say that there wasn’t COVID that didn’t occur because of some of these events. But what we’re saying is it was not a mass spread event. And that was the accusation. But I had some vile things said about me. That I was going to have blood on my hands and that blood would be running in the streets in Maury County.
But that didn’t happen. And like you said, we had a small spike a few weeks ago and kind of timed that with the incubation period of the fair. And what it turns out is that we had two employer clusters. One of them was a county department. And three of them were in the nursing home facilities. Totally unrelated to the fair.
Totally unrelated to know the 9/11 event. And even with the 9/11 event, you know, there’s a lot of people there but you saw people sitting in these little groups. And so again, these are the people that are going to church together. Or their kids go to school together.
And on Friday and Saturday night when the families get together and they break bread. That’s who they’re congregating within their homes. People have adjusted how we move amongst ourselves, and we’ve got to trust that process. And again, you know people say well all you care about is money. And that’s not the case at all.
Listen to the full second hour here:

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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 “Andy Ogles” by Andy Ogles. Background Photo “Tennessee Capitol” by Peggy Anderson. CC BY-SA 4.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Adidas Touts Donations to Minnesota Freedom Fund, Which Bailed Out Convicted Domestic Abusers, Man A

Adidas Touts Donations to Minnesota Freedom Fund, Which Bailed Out Convicted Domestic Abusers, Man Accused of Sexually Penetrating Child

Athletic apparel giant Adidas is still touting its donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund , which bailed out a lengthy list of alleged violent criminals , including multiple convicted domestic abusers and a man accused of sexually penetrating a child .
Adidas ran a Twitter advertisement Tuesday that linked to a page on its website showcasing Adidas ’ s efforts to create “ meaningful and lasting change ” on the issue of racial justice , which includes matching employee donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund by 200 % .
“ We are matching employee donations by 200 % through DEED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support nonprofit organizations driving racial justice and human rights for underrepresented communities , ” reads the page .
“ This currently benefits the NAACP , the National Urban League , Campaign Zero , ACLU , The Innocence Project , Transgender Law Center and the Minnesota Freedom Fund , ” it states .
Adidas last updated the page on Sept. 9 , according to its website .
The Minnesota Freedom Fund helped bail out a man accused of sexually penetrating an eight-year-old child in July , court records reviewed by the Daily Caller News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped free from jail six men accused of domestic violence between July and August , according to court records reviewed by the DCNF .
All but one of those men had previously been convicted of domestic violence , court records show .
The athletic apparel company isn ’ t the only large name to support the Minnesota Freedom Fund , which also received donations from a long list of celebrities .
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris also promoted the bail fund to her followers on Twitter following the May 25 death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 13 staffers working for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s campaign donated to the bail fund in the first week following Floyd ’ s death , Reuters reported .
Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Peter Hasson
Athletic apparel giant Adidas is still touting its donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which bailed out a lengthy list of alleged violent criminals, including multiple convicted domestic abusers and a man accused of sexually penetrating a child.
Adidas ran a Twitter advertisement Tuesday that linked to a page on its website showcasing Adidas’s efforts to create “meaningful and lasting change” on the issue of racial justice, which includes matching employee donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund by 200%.
“We are matching employee donations by 200% through DEED, our online donation platform, to support nonprofit organizations driving racial justice and human rights for underrepresented communities,” reads the page.
“This currently benefits the NAACP, the National Urban League, Campaign Zero, ACLU, The Innocence Project, Transgender Law Center and the Minnesota Freedom Fund,” it states.
Adidas last updated the page on Sept. 9, according to its website.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund helped bail out a man accused of sexually penetrating an eight-year-old child in July, court records reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation show.
The bail fund also helped free from jail six men accused of domestic violence between July and August, according to court records reviewed by the DCNF. All but one of those men had previously been convicted of domestic violence, court records show.
Adidas didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.
The athletic apparel company isn’t the only large name to support the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which also received donations from a long list of celebrities.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris also promoted the bail fund to her followers on Twitter following the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody.
At least 13 staffers working for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign donated to the bail fund in the first week following Floyd’s death, Reuters reported.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without
– – –
Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Gov. DeWine Sends Mixed Signals on Mask Orders

Last week The Ohio Star broke the story of Alecia Kitts .
She is the Ohio mom who was tased , arrested and escorted from a football stadium because she refused to wear a mask at her son ’ s middle school football game – consequently , Kitts was charged with criminal trespass , resisting arrest and obstructing official business .
Kitts refused to comply with the request to put on a mask claiming an exemption for her asthma .
She was also seated away from other fans .
At the heart of the controversy is whether schools are required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide mask order and the Ohio sports order , the latter which gives schools guidelines for conducting sports contests .
The July 23 statewide mask order contains a list of exemptions : • Those with a medical condition or a disability or those communicating with someone with a disability ; • Those who are actively exercising or playing sports ; • Those who are officiants at religious services ; • Those who are actively involved in public safety ; or • Those who are actively eating or drinking .
The sports order released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Director Lance Himes includes the same exemptions from the statewide mask order .
The order also states all individuals must wear facial coverings in public at all times when “ [ o ] utdoors , but unable to maintain six-foot social distance from people who are not household members.
” On Tuesday during the COVID presser , The Star asked Ohio Republican Governor DeWine about schools and their selective enforcement of the mandates : Last week a Marietta mom was violently removed from a stadium after she was asked to mask and didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet away from others not in her family and having a medical exemption .
Today , the mother of a high school student was told that her son ’ s medical exemption was not going to be honored by the school and the school also questioned her religious exemption – asking for documentation from a church leader and materials that would establish the existence of long-standing beliefs .
Essentially , the school is now adjudicating which religious beliefs are valid and which are not .
Governor should schools simply be honoring exemptions allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask mandate from July 23 ?
Why or Why not ?
DeWine ’ s answer did not clear up the matter , except to signal that schools may pick-and-choose whether and how to implement state orders : Well we created the exemption to take care of seriously held beliefs that would prohibit someone from wearing a mask .
It came about in a conversation I had with a superintendent where the superintendent said we have people in our community and they – for religious reasons – do not want to or feel that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sounds reasonable .
Throughout this we have tried to be very respectful of people ’ s religion .
We never closed the churches .
We never , ever did that – at all .
So we put this religious exemption in there .
We have 630-some school districts , we have private schools and each one of them has to make a determination .
I can ’ t make a determination in these cases .
I think our superintendents are doing a good job .
I think our principals are doing a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case-by-case determination of what they can do .
Your question is…what you don ’ t want to have is a situation where you just say to people ‘ look , all you have to do is check this box and you don ’ t have to wear a mask.
’ That ’ s not going to accomplish what we need to accomplish .
We don ’ t have to have everybody wearing a mask .
But we have to have a very , very significant number of them .
And we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in society , out in different counties that does make a huge , huge difference .
This is something I trust our local schools – they have leeway in this .
We ’ re not going to second-guess them .
We ’ re not going to tell them they were wrong .
We try to give them broad guidance so that we could say to parents and we can say to schools ‘ if you go back in person , if you follow these guidelines , this is the safest way that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , they ’ re doing a bang-up job .
They ’ re doing a very , very , very good job in managing a difficult situation .
My hat ’ s off to the superintendents , the principals , the teachers , parents .
I think by-and-large everyone is doing a very , very good job in a very difficult environment .
However , the governor ’ s assertions that “ throughout this we have tried to be very respectful of people ’ s religion ” contradicts comments made during pressers since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor Jon Husted – as evidenced by an April 1 tweet from DeWine ’ s Twitter account .
There are at least a few legal matters at play now involving mandatory masking in school and at sporting contests .
The first is whether a mandate can be picked-and-chosen from by schools who then selectively enforce mask wearing without exemptions .
The second issue was identified by an Ashland Municipal Court judge in a case involving mask wearing when he said : The third issue involves schools choosing which religious beliefs and institutions qualify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political subdivision and put themselves in a tricky spot when choosing which religion to honor and which to refuse .
The Star received an email from Carissa Fetty , the mother of David Fetty , a South-Western City School District ( SWCSD ) student .
The email is from the district ’ s deputy superintendent , David Stewart .
Fetty told The Star the district initially refused to accept medical documentation to exempt her son from wearing a face covering – but eventually offered for David to wear a shield instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious exemption in her communication with the school that the district denied .
In the email , Stewart indicates he will determine whether the student ’ s religious belief qualifies for an exemption and writes “ we request the following from you : Providing the requested information will not guarantee an exemption , as Mr. Stewart goes on to write that he would be “ happy to review ” the materials and expects the student in question to wear “ at a minimum , a face shield when he attends Grove City High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing.
” The Star called Stewart to validate the email and get his comments on the matter .
A SWCSD spokesperson returned the call and requested to see the email in question before commenting – the spokesperson later confirmed the email but additional comments were not provided before this article published .
Mrs. Fetty responded to Stewart ’ s email at length , writing “ while it would be difficult for any pastor to tell you the heart and desires of anyone in their congregation , I can give you Scripture references that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church , regarding face coverings.
” Fetty goes on to offer her pastor ’ s name and encourages Stewart to contact him for verification .
Stewart responded to Fetty ’ s religious documentation through email with succinct answer , writing “ [ t ] he District ’ s position remains that Daniel will be expected to wear a mask when attending Grove City High School.
” The Star followed-up with DeWine ’ s press secretary Dan Tierney on the selective enforcement of mask orders , asking “ [ t ] he order and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – correct ?
How does this affect OHSAA-hired inspectors and schools enforcing/not enforcing orders and guidance ?
” Tierney responded by text message the following “ I think the issue you described is more of due diligence .
It is common for schools to ask for verification from parents on these types of issues , pandemic emergency or not .
The expectation remains that except in very limited and uncommon circumstances , masks should be worn in the settings prescribed.
” Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reporter at WMFD-TV .
Follow Jack on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Mike DeWine ” by The Ohio Channel .

Last week The Ohio Star broke the story of Alecia Kitts. She is the Ohio mom who was tased, arrested and escorted from a football stadium because she refused to wear a mask at her son’s middle school football game – consequently, Kitts was charged with criminal trespass, resisting arrest and obstructing official business.
Kitts refused to comply with the request to put on a mask claiming an exemption for her asthma. She was also seated away from other fans.
At the heart of the controversy is whether schools are required to honor mask exemptions written into the statewide mask order and the Ohio sports order, the latter which gives schools guidelines for conducting sports contests.
The July 23 statewide mask order contains a list of exemptions:
Those with a medical condition or a disability or those communicating with someone with a disability;
Those who are actively exercising or playing sports;
Those who are officiants at religious services;
Those who are actively involved in public safety; or
Those who are actively eating or drinking.
The sports order released by the Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes includes the same exemptions from the statewide mask order.
The order also states all individuals must wear facial coverings in public at all times when “[o]utdoors, but unable to maintain six-foot social distance from people who are not household members.”
On Tuesday during the COVID presser, The Star asked Ohio Republican Governor DeWine about schools and their selective enforcement of the mandates:
Last week a Marietta mom was violently removed from a stadium after she was asked to mask and didn’t comply – despite being six feet away from others not in her family and having a medical exemption. Today, the mother of a high school student was told that her son’s medical exemption was not going to be honored by the school and the school also questioned her religious exemption – asking for documentation from a church leader and materials that would establish the existence of long-standing beliefs. Essentially, the school is now adjudicating which religious beliefs are valid and which are not. Governor should schools simply be honoring exemptions allowed in the sports order and the statewide mask mandate from July 23? Why or Why not?
DeWine’s answer did not clear up the matter, except to signal that schools may pick-and-choose whether and how to implement state orders:
Well we created the exemption to take care of seriously held beliefs that would prohibit someone from wearing a mask. It came about in a conversation I had with a superintendent where the superintendent said we have people in our community and they – for religious reasons – do not want to or feel that they can wear a mask. That sounds reasonable. Throughout this we have tried to be very respectful of people’s religion. We never closed the churches. We never, ever did that – at all. So we put this religious exemption in there. We have 630-some school districts, we have private schools and each one of them has to make a determination. I can’t make a determination in these cases. I think our superintendents are doing a good job. I think our principals are doing a good job and they’re making a case-by-case determination of what they can do. Your question is…what you don’t want to have is a situation where you just say to people ‘look, all you have to do is check this box and you don’t have to wear a mask.’ That’s not going to accomplish what we need to accomplish. We don’t have to have everybody wearing a mask. But we have to have a very, very significant number of them. And we’ve seen time and time again, out in society, out in different counties that does make a huge, huge difference. This is something I trust our local schools – they have leeway in this. We’re not going to second-guess them. We’re not going to tell them they were wrong. We try to give them broad guidance so that we could say to parents and we can say to schools ‘if you go back in person, if you follow these guidelines, this is the safest way that you can do this.” Let me just say, they’re doing a bang-up job. They’re doing a very, very, very good job in managing a difficult situation. My hat’s off to the superintendents, the principals, the teachers, parents. I think by-and-large everyone is doing a very, very good job in a very difficult environment.
However, the governor’s assertions that “throughout this we have tried to be very respectful of people’s religion” contradicts comments made during pressers since March by both him and Lt. Governor Jon Husted – as evidenced by an April 1 tweet from DeWine’s Twitter account.
Churches: Anyone who goes into a big group of people is making a very, very serious mistake. They're endangering themselves, their family, and total strangers. Any pastor who brings a group of people together – it's a huge mistake. — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 1, 2020
There are at least a few legal matters at play now involving mandatory masking in school and at sporting contests.
The first is whether a mandate can be picked-and-chosen from by schools who then selectively enforce mask wearing without exemptions.
The second issue was identified by an Ashland Common Pleas Court judge in a case involving mask wearing when he said:
If the State’s Order recognizes exceptions to a blanket mask wearing rule and as such would not consider the lack of wearing a mask an immediate danger to the public health, then it begs the question as to whether the failure to wear a mask for any reason could ever constitute a basis for finding an immediate danger to the public health.
The third issue involves schools choosing which religious beliefs and institutions qualify for a religious exemption. Schools are a political subdivision and put themselves in a tricky spot when choosing which religion to honor and which to refuse.
The Star received an email from Carissa Fetty, the mother of David Fetty, a South-Western City School District (SWCSD) student. The email is from the district’s deputy superintendent, David Stewart.
Fetty told The Star the district initially refused to accept medical documentation to exempt her son from wearing a face covering – but eventually offered for David to wear a shield instead of a mask. Fetty also included a religious exemption in her communication with the school that the district denied.
In the email, Stewart indicates he will determine whether the student’s religious belief qualifies for an exemption and writes “we request the following from you:
Documentation from your church leader, such as a letter, that states that specific tenets of your established religion prevent [student] from wearing a face shield. Materials that would establish the existence of these long-standing beliefs of your religion, such as a website address or recognized statement of religious doctrine.”
Providing the requested information will not guarantee an exemption, as Mr. Stewart goes on to write that he would be “happy to review” the materials and expects the student in question to wear “at a minimum, a face shield when he attends Grove City High School this week and maintain appropriate social distancing.”
The Star called Stewart to validate the email and get his comments on the matter. A SWCSD spokesperson returned the call and requested to see the email in question before commenting – the spokesperson later confirmed the email but additional comments were not provided before this article published.
Mrs. Fetty responded to Stewart’s email at length, writing “while it would be difficult for any pastor to tell you the heart and desires of anyone in their congregation, I can give you Scripture references that we have discussed in our mask-free Covenant Church, regarding face coverings.” Fetty goes on to offer her pastor’s name and encourages Stewart to contact him for verification.
Stewart responded to Fetty’s religious documentation through email with succinct answer, writing “[t]he District’s position remains that Daniel will be expected to wear a mask when attending Grove City High School.”
The Star followed-up with DeWine’s press secretary Dan Tierney on the selective enforcement of mask orders, asking “[t]he order and exemptions are up to each individual school – correct? How does this affect OHSAA-hired inspectors and schools enforcing/not enforcing orders and guidance?”
Tierney responded by text message the following “I think the issue you described is more of due diligence. It is common for schools to ask for verification from parents on these types of issues, pandemic emergency or not. The expectation remains that except in very limited and uncommon circumstances, masks should be worn in the settings prescribed.”
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Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star. Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV. Follow Jack on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Mike DeWine” by The Ohio Channel.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Northam Vows to Count Every Ballot – the Fraudulent Ones, Too

Governor Ralph Northam joined 10 other Democratic governors issuing a joint statement on Wednesday defending American democracy , vowing that every valid ballot will be counted in the election .
The statement comes after a contentious debate Tuesday night where President Trump expressed skepticism of mail voting .
Trump also called on his backers to scrutinize voting procedures at the polls , which critics said could cross into voter intimidation .
Without mentioning Trump by name , the governors noted his refusal last week to commit to a peaceful transition of power .
Former state Senator Bill Carrico ( R-Grayson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel like they ’ re trying to imply that Trump is trying to figure out a way not to concede the election , and I don ’ t think that ’ s the case at all.
” Carrico said Trump is right to be concerned about mail-in ballots .
“ Any efforts to throw out ballots or refuse a peaceful transfer of power are nothing less than an assault on democracy , ” the governors wrote .
“ There is absolutely no excuse for promoting the intimidation or harassment of voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our constituents the right to have their voices heard , as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution , and to know the will of the people will be carried out.
” “ There ’ s so many things that are fraught and wrong in the process unless you have some measures in place to protect it , ” Carrico said .
“ If you were to have 80 million ballots cast , the time that it would take to count these ballots , and do the process to certify and say it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s where [ Trump ’ s ] major concern is .
I don ’ t think it ’ s what they ’ re trying to imply , that he ’ s not wanting to concede.
” “ Our nation has held presidential elections and upheld the results throughout our history , even in times of great peril .
We did it during the Civil War and both World Wars , and we can do it during a pandemic , ” the Governors said .
“ And if the outcome of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he must leave office—period.
” Signing the statement were Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan , Gavin Newsom of California , Phil Murphy of New Jersey , Ralph Northam of Virginia , Jay Inslee of Washington , Tony Evers of Wisconsin , Tim Walz of Minnesota , Kate Brown of Oregon , Steve Sisolak of Nevada , Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and John Carney of Delaware .
The eleven states together have 151 electoral votes ; a presidential candidate must win at least 270 electoral votes out of a total 538 possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not “ an exercise in controlling power ” and that disenfranchising voters “ strikes at the very heart ” of democracy .
“ We call on elected leaders at all levels , from both parties , to speak out loudly against such efforts in the weeks ahead , ” they said .
Carrico said that in their desire to make voting easier , Democrats risk compromising the process .
“ All these things that you ’ re putting in place to [ give the elections process integrity ] are just being wiped away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first ones to scream that there ’ s outside influence in our elections process , ” Carrico said .
“ Well , when you water it down , there ’ s always going to be some influence and it can be outside because you ’ ve weakened the process to vote.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .
Photo “ Ballots ” by Lance Fisher .
CC @ @ @

Governor Ralph Northam joined 10 other Democratic governors issuing a joint statement on Wednesday defending American democracy, vowing that every valid ballot will be counted in the election.
The statement comes after a contentious debate Tuesday night where President Trump expressed skepticism of mail voting. Trump also called on his backers to scrutinize voting procedures at the polls, which critics said could cross into voter intimidation. Without mentioning Trump by name, the governors noted his refusal last week to commit to a peaceful transition of power.
Former state Senator Bill Carrico (R-Grayson) told The Virginia Star, “I feel like they’re trying to imply that Trump is trying to figure out a way not to concede the election, and I don’t think that’s the case at all.” Carrico said Trump is right to be concerned about mail-in ballots.
“Any efforts to throw out ballots or refuse a peaceful transfer of power are nothing less than an assault on democracy,” the governors wrote. “There is absolutely no excuse for promoting the intimidation or harassment of voters. These are all blatant attempts to deny our constituents the right to have their voices heard, as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, and to know the will of the people will be carried out.”
“There’s so many things that are fraught and wrong in the process unless you have some measures in place to protect it,” Carrico said. “If you were to have 80 million ballots cast, the time that it would take to count these ballots, and do the process to certify and say it’s all legitimate ballots, then I think that’s where [Trump’s] major concern is. I don’t think it’s what they’re trying to imply, that he’s not wanting to concede.”
“Our nation has held presidential elections and upheld the results throughout our history, even in times of great peril. We did it during the Civil War and both World Wars, and we can do it during a pandemic,” the Governors said. “And if the outcome of this election means the end of a presidency, he must leave office—period.”
Signing the statement were Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Ralph Northam of Virginia, Jay Inslee of Washington, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Tim Walz of Minnesota, Kate Brown of Oregon, Steve Sisolak of Nevada, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico and John Carney of Delaware. The eleven states together have 151 electoral votes; a presidential candidate must win at least 270 electoral votes out of a total 538 possible.
The governors wrote that elections are not “an exercise in controlling power” and that disenfranchising voters “strikes at the very heart” of democracy.
“We call on elected leaders at all levels, from both parties, to speak out loudly against such efforts in the weeks ahead,” they said.
Carrico said that in their desire to make voting easier, Democrats risk compromising the process.
“All these things that you’re putting in place to [give the elections process integrity] are just being wiped away, and then they’re the first ones to scream that there’s outside influence in our elections process,” Carrico said. “Well, when you water it down, there’s always going to be some influence and it can be outside because you’ve weakened the process to vote.”
– – –
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Email tips to [email protected]. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Photo “Ballots” by Lance Fisher. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Virginia Colleges Enrollment Plummets

Virginia Colleges Enrollment Plummets

Enrollment in Virginia ’ s public and private nonprofit colleges and universities for the fall semester declined by 1.3 percent or 6,658 students , according to early enrollment estimates from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia ( SCHEV ) released Tuesday .
The data used by SCHEV is directly provided by 64 colleges and universities located in the Commonwealth , including some of the state ’ s most prestigious and largest schools such as William and Mary , Virginia Tech , University of Virginia , Virginia Commonwealth University and Washington and Lee University .
The 1.3 percent total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 percent drop that some analysts projected in the spring .
Undergraduate enrollment is down 3.2 percent or 13 , 489 fewer students compared to the 2019 numbers , the report said .
Public four-year institutions enrolled 37,700 students in 2019 , but SCHEV ’ s current estimate has 2020 enrollment at 33,911 , representing a decrease of 10 percent or 3,789 students , according to the report .
Estimates for private four-year nonprofit schools actually showed an increase in enrollment of 3.4 percent .
The growth is largely attributed to Liberty University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These estimates are still preliminary and will change before final reports arrive later in the year , but it is safe to say that the situation is not as bad as some feared , ” said Tod Massa , SCHEV ’ s director of policy analytics and author of the report , in a press release .
The institutions hit the hardest by COVID are community colleges .
SCHEV estimates that enrollment across all public two-year institutions will decrease by 9.7 percent , according to the report .
Jeffrey Kraus , assistant vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community College System , spoke with The Virginia Star about the impact and subsequent fallout of COVID-19 .
Kraus said the pandemic has impacted enrollment in community colleges in multiple ways including the dual enrollment programs and field-specific short-term training programs that are difficult to conduct without in-person instruction .
“ We also have plenty of folks that we serve who do not have what is necessary at home to take online courses , ” Kraus told The Star .
“ Whether it is a matter of having access to high speed internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our 23 colleges are in rural Virginia , [ or ] in other cases it is lacking the [ necessary ] technology.
” The SCHEV estimates are subject to change since the final enrollment numbers from four-year schools will not be available until November and final enrollment numbers for community colleges will not be available until late December or early January due to the way their programs are structured .
SCHEV also has a research system that allows anyone to look up individual colleges and universities to see specific enrollment data that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out-of-state , full-time versus part-time and more .
Laura Osberger , SCHEV ’ s senior associate for communications and outreach , told The Star that while they always have early enrollment estimates , SCHEV does not normally release the data at this point in the year .
The only reason SCHEV ended up publishing the information was because of the aforementioned projections of a significantly larger decrease in enrollment , Osberger said .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ]

Enrollment in Virginia’s public and private nonprofit colleges and universities for the fall semester declined by 1.3 percent or 6,658 students, according to early enrollment estimates from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) released Tuesday.
The data used by SCHEV is directly provided by 64 colleges and universities located in the Commonwealth, including some of the state’s most prestigious and largest schools such as William and Mary, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Washington and Lee University.
The 1.3 percent total decrease in enrollment is less than the 20 percent drop that some analysts projected in the spring.
Undergraduate enrollment is down 3.2 percent or 13, 489 fewer students compared to the 2019 numbers, the report said.
Public four-year institutions enrolled 37,700 students in 2019, but SCHEV’s current estimate has 2020 enrollment at 33,911, representing a decrease of 10 percent or 3,789 students, according to the report.
Estimates for private four-year nonprofit schools actually showed an increase in enrollment of 3.4 percent. The growth is largely attributed to Liberty University, according to the report.
“These estimates are still preliminary and will change before final reports arrive later in the year, but it is safe to say that the situation is not as bad as some feared,” said Tod Massa, SCHEV’s director of policy analytics and author of the report, in a press release.
The institutions hit the hardest by COVID are community colleges. SCHEV estimates that enrollment across all public two-year institutions will decrease by 9.7 percent, according to the report.
Jeffrey Kraus, assistant vice chancellor for strategic communications for the Virginia Community College System, spoke with The Virginia Star about the impact and subsequent fallout of COVID-19.
Kraus said the pandemic has impacted enrollment in community colleges in multiple ways including the dual enrollment programs and field-specific short-term training programs that are difficult to conduct without in-person instruction.
“We also have plenty of folks that we serve who do not have what is necessary at home to take online courses,” Kraus told The Star. “Whether it is a matter of having access to high speed internet, keep in mind that 14 of our 23 colleges are in rural Virginia, [or] in other cases it is lacking the [necessary] technology.”
The SCHEV estimates are subject to change since the final enrollment numbers from four-year schools will not be available until November and final enrollment numbers for community colleges will not be available until late December or early January due to the way their programs are structured.
SCHEV also has a research system that allows anyone to look up individual colleges and universities to see specific enrollment data that is broken down by gender, in-state versus out-of-state, full-time versus part-time and more.
Laura Osberger, SCHEV’s senior associate for communications and outreach, told The Star that while they always have early enrollment estimates, SCHEV does not normally release the data at this point in the year.
The only reason SCHEV ended up publishing the information was because of the aforementioned projections of a significantly larger decrease in enrollment, Osberger said.
– – –
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Follow Jacob on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-10-01--Local Officials Report Virginia Election System Malfunctioning – Election Commissioner Says It’s ‘Fi

Local Officials Report Virginia Election System Malfunctioning – Election Commissioner Says It’s ‘Fine’

Elections officials report that Virginia ’ s critical election system is malfunctioning during early voting , and worry it could fail on or before Election Day .
This isn ’ t the first time the Virginia Election and Registration Information System ( VERIS ) has presented issues .
A 2018 report recommended the legislature replace VERIS .
Specifically , the report stated that the system couldn ’ t be relied upon for elections .
“ The state ’ s IT system ( VERIS ) used to maintain the voter registration list and interact with general registrars is not sufficiently functional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide all of the functionality registrars need to administer elections effectively .
The system has long-standing reliability problems that continue to slow processing speed during peak usage .
A 2019 survey of general registrars and electoral boards in all Virginia localities aligned with the 2018 report findings .
Respondents cited VERIS causing delays with frequent slowing and timing out .
Across the board , respondents also reported inaccurate voter registration as a major issue with VERIS .
“ Issues mentioned over and over were the process of incomplete or inaccurate voter registration application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part by the lack of mandatory fields and lack of warning messages in the process that could prevent registration mistakes.
” Fairfax City elections officials reported their inability to connect poll books into VERIS on the first day of early voting , according to interviews with 13NewsNow .
Officials were concerned that the system failure would allow people to vote twice .
Fairfax City ’ s VERIS malfunction took hours to fix .
The officials stated that their government officials didn ’ t get back to them , or any other local polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the following Monday .
However , Virginia Elections Commissioner Christoper E. Piper says the system is fine to withstand this election .
“ We ’ ve done a lot of work on VERIS , and we ’ ve added features and functions to ensure that when VERIS is being used by the citizens and the registrars , that is in optimal performance.
” VERIS isn ’ t scheduled to be replaced until 2022 .
Early voting ends on October 31 .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Voting Sign ” by Tom Arthur .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

Elections officials report that Virginia’s critical election system is malfunctioning during early voting, and worry it could fail on or before Election Day.
This isn’t the first time the Virginia Election and Registration Information System (VERIS) has presented issues. A 2018 report recommended the legislature replace VERIS. Specifically, the report stated that the system couldn’t be relied upon for elections.
“The state’s IT system (VERIS) used to maintain the voter registration list and interact with general registrars is not sufficiently functional or reliable. The system does not provide all of the functionality registrars need to administer elections effectively. The system has long-standing reliability problems that continue to slow processing speed during peak usage.
A 2019 survey of general registrars and electoral boards in all Virginia localities aligned with the 2018 report findings. Respondents cited VERIS causing delays with frequent slowing and timing out.
Across the board, respondents also reported inaccurate voter registration as a major issue with VERIS.
“Issues mentioned over and over were the process of incomplete or inaccurate voter registration application forms through the DMV, caused in part by the lack of mandatory fields and lack of warning messages in the process that could prevent registration mistakes.”
Fairfax City elections officials reported their inability to connect poll books into VERIS on the first day of early voting, according to interviews with 13NewsNow. Officials were concerned that the system failure would allow people to vote twice.
Fairfax City’s VERIS malfunction took hours to fix. The officials stated that their government officials didn’t get back to them, or any other local polling places having issues with VERIS, until the following Monday.
However, Virginia Elections Commissioner Christoper E. Piper says the system is fine to withstand this election.
“We’ve done a lot of work on VERIS, and we’ve added features and functions to ensure that when VERIS is being used by the citizens and the registrars, that is in optimal performance.”
VERIS isn’t scheduled to be replaced until 2022. Early voting ends on October 31.
– – –
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Voting Sign” by Tom Arthur. CC BY-SA 2.0.