U.S. House Candidate John Miglietta files federal Election Commission Report

By Christine Anne Piesyk | July 18, 2008 |

John Miglietta, Green Party candidate for U.S. Congress (TN-05), filed his quarterly Federal Election Commission Report on Wednesday July 9, 2008.

Miglietta reported approximately $860 in contributions for the reporting period. These were all contributions from individual donors. The largest was $150. Miglietta and the Green Party believe in grassroots democracy. An important issue for John Miglietta’s campaign is electoral reform. He believes that corporate money must be taken out of politics.

Campaigns must focus on issues. Miglietta and the Green Party call for the public financing of elections and an end to corporate special interest funding of elections. Candidates should have equal access to the media and all candidates for an office should be included in all debates and public forums in order to give voters as broad of a choice as possible in an election.

On Tuesday July 15, 2008 John Miglietta participated with other candidates for federal, local, and state offices in a candidate forum sponsored by the Edgefield Neighborhood Association at the East Park Community Center in East Nashville. Those in attendance heard from each candidate individually and had the opportunity to ask questions. This was an ideal forum to allow voters to judge candidates for office and make an informed choice.

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Local government puts beauty before protection

By Scott Beasley | July 18, 2008 |

For several years now I have noticed the subpar pay that the Clarksville Police and Firefighters have received. In the past, I have done little more than shake my head and think, “that’s pathetic”. Recently the local leaders of Clarksville approved a budget that again, kept the city employees from getting a cost of living increase. That’s understandable in a “tight” budget year. The problem is they haven’t gotten a cost of living raise in 10 years. Even the study conducted by the city found the city employees were underpaid by $1.8 million to comparable markets. The study also found that CPD officers were underpaid by $5,000.

Of the $9.4 million budgeted for capital projects, $4.2 million were mandated by a lawsuit to bring the sidewalks into ADA compliance. That leaves $5.2 million being spent on projects such as the marina, fountain and river walk. All of these amenities are very nice and many people around the community desperately want them. That being said, there’s a huge difference between wants and needs. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | No Comments

IED tossed through local store window

July 18, 2008 |

The Clarksville Police Department

Police are continuing to investigate an incident in which an unknown person hurled an Improvised Explosive Device through a local store window.

On July 17th, 2008, at approximately 11:05 pm, officers responded to the Cell Doctor, 1354 Fort Campbell Blvd., in response to an alarm activation. It was discovered that unknown person(s) had thrown an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) through the window of the business, which appeared to be a Pineapple Military Hand Grenade that had been modified.

The Montgomery County Sheriffs Department Bomb Squad came to the scene, removed the item to a safe zone and detonated it with a safe charge. There were no injuries. This is an active investigation and no further information will be released.

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The Dark Knight: perfection in every way

By David W. Shelton | July 18, 2008 |

When the closing credits rolled for The Dark Knight, I was left in stunned silence. In what is easily the best film of the year so far (and possibly one of the best in the last thirty years), director Christopher Nolan has delivered his shining star; a masterpiece that has set a new standard in crime dramas.

Oh, it’s a comic book adaptation? How I seem to forget that simple little thing. To be honest, it’s easy to forget that this complex, juicy, layered dissertation of the human condition is based on a nearly seventy-year-old comic book character that first began in the half-toned pages of Detective Comics back in November of 1939.

The Dark Knight, unlike Superman or Spider-Man 2 (which themselves were the best of their own genre), has completely emerged from not only from its paneled source material, but has soared into skyline of cinematic brilliance. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Opinion | 1 Comment »

Tennessee youth qualifies for National Motocross Championship

July 18, 2008 |

Hurricane Mills, TN- Justin Barkey just made his dream come true. The 6-year-old dirt bike racer has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 27th annual Air Nautiques/AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. Justin took on over 20,000 hopefuls from across America to earn one of just 1386 qualifying positions.

“The Amateur Nationals at Loretta Lynn’s is the event every motocross racer in the country wants to compete in,” says Event Director Tim Cotter. “A win at the Amateur Nationals can serve as a springboard to a lucrative professional motocross career.”

Most of America’s top professional motocrossers, including James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Jeremy McGrath have won AMA Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s. The race is so prestigious that last year, three teenaged stars, Elk City, Oklahoma’s Trey Canard, Saint Clair, Michigan’s Nico Izzi, and Lincolnton, North  Carolina’s Austin Stroupe, were awarded six-figure pro contracts after the race. «Read the rest of this article»

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