Author: Clint Confehr

From Staff Reports COLUMBIA, TN — More Tennessee county teacher associations are winning the right to represent teachers and the 2011 Professional Educators Collaborative Conferencing Act is being tested in court. PECCA revoked county education associations’ authority as work contract bargaining agents for teachers, an authority granted by state lawmakers 37 years ago. Contact negotiations were replaced with collaborative conferencing if a school board agreed to procedures outlined in the 2011 law. After trying to restart collaborative conferencing, the Maury County Education Association (MCEA) sued the county school board, in Maury County Chancery Court, alleging the board didn’t follow the…

By Clint Confehr FRANKLIN, TN — A construction company has issued an open invitation to businessmen and women, especially those in construction, to a “meet and greet” at its recently established Middle Tennessee headquarters. “We value all our construction partners,” says Joshua Rhodes, division manager of DeAngelis Diamond’s Nashville-area office near Williamson County Medical Center. Rhodes declined to describe prospective partners in one list. “We don’t value site workers over plumbers or electricians,” Rhodes said last week while discussing the informal gathering 4-6 p.m. April 20 in Suite 202 at 2179 Edward Curd Lane, Franklin. It’s scheduled for contractors, subcontractors,…

By Clint Confehr CHATTANOOGA, TN — Volkswagen is hiring for job openings because of growing production at its plant in Tennessee’s Scenic City. Hiring continues through mid-June, Volkswagen spokesman Keith King reports. That and attrition prevent him from stating an exact number of jobs to be filled. “We were at 2,400 employees as of last summer,” King said. “This surge will probably peak at 3,200 … and then continue … on an as needed basis.” VW’s diversity hiring goal is one in five, or minorities’ part of the local workforce. “Our annual production capacity for the newly-expanded factory is 250,000…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — As the featured speaker for the 20th Annual YWCA Memphis Benefit Luncheon, singer songwriter Michel’le Toussaint spoke against domestic violence, a chief cause for the organization. Michel’le’s debut album sold more than 1.5 million copies, but her “musical success was brought to a halt by years of substance abuse, financial struggles and physical assaults from N.W.A. founder Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, founder of Death Row Records,” the association reports. More than a survivor, Michel’le told her March 8 audience, “You should enjoy your bad days so you know when the good ones come.”…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — Winners of the Great Debate-Nashville last weekend at Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church were the audience, students, sponsors and the community, according to organizers and participants. That’s how the exhibition debates — no scoring to determine winners — were first described by coaches, organizers and associates who emphasized the larger goal of examining important issues related to identity movements and civil disobedience. However, judges scored the debates. Winning the first debate was Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School with a score of 35, or five more than the 30 points secured by McGavock High School…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — It’s debatable whether changing topics from Black Lives Matter to “social movements based on identity” will soften civil discourse Saturday at Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church. However, that was the decision by some organizers of “The Great Debate – Nashville” scheduled for college students during one of two debates starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in Gordon Memorial at 2334 Herman St. “When we met with the Vanderbilt coach, we were to debate ‘Black Lives Matter versus All Lives Matter,’” Tennessee State University Debate Director Sean Allen said. TSU and Vanderbilt University students…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — Bordeaux’s councilman wants metro’s council to take authority, as allowed by state law, to decide whether expansion of landfills here should be allowed. Getting authority might be likened to preventive medicine — taking responsibility for your own health — although there’s no immediate request to expand a construction and demolition (C&D) landfill near the closed Bordeaux Landfill. “I met with Waste Management after introducing the bill,” says Councilman Nick Leonardo. “They said they do have plans, not tomorrow but in the future, to expand.” When the C&D landfill is expanded depends on how much space…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — Washington’s new administration, ethics, civil disobedience and criminal justice will be dissected by four debate teams next weekend at a church in Music City’s Hadley Washington Neighborhood. To draw more attention to these national issues, the Reclamation Center and Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church are presenting The Great Debate – Nashville at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, in the church at 2334 Herman St. The nearby Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School debate team faces McGavock High School’s Kappa League in an exhibition match. The main event is a forensic face-off between debate teams…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — Changing rules on short-term lodging in residential properties raises existential issues in Nashville. Protecting neighborhoods is one thing. Discrimination is another. Asked about discrimination by short- term stay hosts, Metro Councilwoman Burkley Allen — she wants a moratorium on new commercial short-term lodging — said if racism is alleged, it’s something “we’d certainly need to deal with. It’s not… in the proposed amendment, but… Nashville’s worked to be welcoming and open.” Web-based short-term lodging is best known as Airbnb, but there are competitors, including Noirbnb. Allen’s amendment addresses “investor-owned B&Bs, those not occupied…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — Metro Council voted Tuesday for an additional $16 million to Metro General Hospital, increasing city support to $50 million. “We need to take care of the people in this city who deserve to have good health care and Metro General is that place,” said Councilman Edward Kindall. At-Large Councilman John Cooper predicted approval, but at least two other councilmen were dismayed that $16 million are in addition to $10 million authorized last year after the current budget began July 1. That was “stabilization money to keep them afloat,” Kindell said, “but I think, you…