Topic: Cheatham County

Local Legal Aid Society could use your help!

By Turner McCullough Jr. | December 30, 2008 |

The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands operates a field office here in Clarksville. From their 120 Franklin Street office, all of Montgomery, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Robertson and Stewart counties have access to Legal Aid Society services.

Issues as diverse as domestic abuse, elder care, special education, housing discrimination, rental disputes, salary garnishment and more are addressed at the Legal Aid Society. There is an income-level determination that restricts who may receive services, but every effort is made to provide some level of assistance, even if that is just a referral to a local government entity, organization or attorney. Many free self-help brochures are available for downloading on the Legal Aid Society website (www.las.org). «Read the rest of this article»

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Barnes takes Senate seat in 2-1 victory

By Christine Anne Piesyk | November 5, 2008 |

Montgomery, Cheatham and Houston Counties Tuesday night  gave Atty. Tim Barnes a resounding 2-1 vote of confidence over incumbent Senator Rosalind Kurita for the 22nd District seat. Kurita waged a strong write-in campaign but could not recreate the marginal win that was hers in the primary race. Barnes garnered 27,958 to Kurita’s 15,693, an impressive write-in tally.

The thrill of victory for State Senator-elect Tim Barnes

In the primary, Kurita topped Barnes by 19 votes, and that contested race was overthrown by the State Democratic Executive Committee, which in turn passed the choice of nominee to the local Democratic committees. Barnes became the Democratic nominee in a 61-4 vote.

Rep. Joe Pitts, with his wife, Cindy Pitts

In Cheatham County, Barnes gathered 7,113 to Kurita’s 6,097. Houston County tallied 1,907 to Kurita’s 1,079.

The total tri-county count was 36,978 to 22, 869 to elect Barnes as the new state senator.

Barnes joined a gathering of family, friends, and campaigners at the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville, where he waited for the number to trickle in.  State Representative Joe Pitts said he was “pleased and proud” to see Barnes win the senate seat.

“Tim has a heart for people. He is a man of his word and has always put people first. This will be anexciting time for the people of Montgomery County.”

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Senator Kurita launches Write-in campaign at new Madison Street headquarters

By Beth Robinson | October 5, 2008 |

Voters picked up yard signs and bumper stickers at new Write-in Kurita Montgomery County Headquarters

This unprecedented decision prompted Kurita to support her constituents by beginning a write-in campaign.  Are her supporters willing to go to the extra effort of typing in her name, K-U-R-I-T-A, on the voting machines in November? As with Senator Obama, the Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator Kurita welcomes votes from all Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who feel she will be the best candidate for the job. Her campaign slogan is “In America, we don’t steal elections.”

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1 person, 0 votes : Voters elected Kurita, Committee selected Barnes

By Beth Robinson | September 18, 2008 |

I honestly have nothing against Mr. Barnes.  I have everything against systems that select the winner of an election instead of letting the voting public make that decision.  My vote was stolen.

When the Supreme Court made the wrong decision to decide the presidential election in favor of Bush and not count the votes, I was dismayed.  My vote was stolen.  We all know the ramifications that has had over the past eight years.

1 Person, 1 Vote?

Jessica Cameron made a statement at last night’s session without saying a word.  She is a veteran of the Iraq war and a strong advocate for the environment.  Last year, she was the president of the APSU’s Students Organized to Advance Renewable Energy.

Protesting last night's tri-county convention and its selection of Tim Branes as state Senate District 22 candidate, Jessie Cameron protested the disenfranchising of 4000+ Kurita votes in the primary.

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Breaking News: Barnes, 61, Kurita 4, in tri-county caucus for state Senate seat

September 17, 2008 |

BREAKING NEWS: The executive committees of Montgomery, Cheatham and Houston counties met at the Riverview Inn in downtown Clarksville where a roll call vote gave the Democratic Party’s senate nod to Tim Barnes for the November ballot.  The vote was Tim Barnes, 61, incumbent Rosalind Kurita, 4. Story, photos to follow.

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“Democrat against Democrat…” as Primary vote is overturned; Executive Committees to decide outcome in Senate race

By Debbie Boen | September 16, 2008 |

“Brother against Brother. Democrat against Democrat. The Republicans don’t need to defeat the Democrats - they’re doing that all by themselves.” ~~ Beth Robinson

Some long-time Democrats become “Incurably Uncertain” about remaining in their own party after Kurita’s election win was discredited on September 13. The eight hour session which seemed to most observers to be a sure win for Kurita ended with a 33-11 vote to null and void Kurita’s Senate election win.

When this decision was announced, APSU Associate Professor of Biology, Dr. Joe Schiller, told the officials in the room that “they had been instructed to vote based on the evidence and facts, not on retribution and revenge”. He was asked to leave the room. Feeling disenfranchised, he told me that the whole event was a miscarriage of justice and he is seriously reconsidering his party affiliation. “If it is a Republican conspiracy when Republicans vote for Democrats, that’s a conspiracy I’d like to have.”

“There was no proof. It was a Scopes monkey trial. It was embarrassing”, said Beth Robinson, a Clarksville computer systems analyst and member of The Climate Project. “This reminds me of the Supreme Court ignoring the voting public and handing Bush the White House despite the fact that Gore received more votes.” Beth said she’d like Senator Kurita to explore a write-in campaign and possibly run as an Independent.

Standing room only as the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee hears evidence in the Kurita/Barnes primary election case

R. Neal wrote his view on the case in the Tenn Views web site. He includes a link to Kurita’s attorney’s response to the Barnes challenge, which you can read here or at http://www.tennviews.com/files/kuritachallengeresponse.pdf Neal writes that Barnes filed a challenge, citing a litany of alleged irregularities. Kurita filed a response refuting them point by point. Read the rest of Neal’s article at http://www.tennviews.com/node/3882. «Read the rest of this article»

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Primary Senate vote overturned; tri-county convention to decide Senate candidacy

By Christine Anne Piesyk | September 14, 2008 |

Atty. Tim Barnes

Senator Rosalind Kurita

It’s not over ’til it’s over. And the controversial Kurita/Barnes campaign for a seat in the Tennessee Senate is definitely not over.

Incumbent Senator Rosalind Kurita defeated challenger Atty. Tim Barnes by a mere 19 votes in the August primary, a win that was almost immediately contested by Barnes and his supporters. That win came on the heels of a controversial eleventh hour campaign play that put bold over-sized color postcards depicting Barnes, whose practice focuses on family law and adoption, as an attorney who defends drunk drivers and abusers.

The eleventh hour negative ad campaign incurred the wrath of 38 area attorneys who countered with their own election day ad and strong statement in defense of Barnes and of the right of every American to a defense, and about the “true” nature of Barnes’ legal practice. «Read the rest of this article»

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CAMTAN addresses HIV/AIDS pandemic in seven county area

By Turner McCullough Jr. | August 19, 2008 |

Local ministry effort confronts HIV/AIDS pandemic. Offers general health advisories and assistance to those suffering from the disease.

Five years ago, a meeting of local area ministers resulted in the founding of the Clarksville Area Ministers Technical Assistance Network, CAMTAN. A non-profit group organized to provide mental, physical, and spiritual assistance to those confronting an HIV/AIDS infection. CAMTAN also seeks to provide capacity building faith-based responses to HIV/AIDS. The organization furthers seeks to combat this disease with a prevention education outreach campaign as well.

Dispelling the vast amount of misinformation and simply false data about this disease that is circulating within the community takes a considerable amount their time. CAMTAN’s client service area includes the city of Clarksville; Montgomery, Robertson, Chetham, Dickson, Stewart, Houston and Humphreys Counties. Clarksville is the central operation base.

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