Tag Archives: murfreesboro

Court of Appeals Reverses Judge’s Ruling on Murfreesboro Mosque

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The state Court of Appeals has ruled that Rutherford County provided proper public notice before approving mosque construction plans in 2010, reports the Daily News Journal.
The appeals court reversed local Chancellor Robert Corlew III’s decision a year ago that the county failed to provide adequate public notice before the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission approved construction plans for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro mosque on Veals Road off Bradyville Pike.
Corlew had ruled that the county’s May 2, 2010, public notice in The Murfreesboro Post about the meeting time, date and location without an agenda, didn’t reach enough people before planning commissioners approved the mosque plans May 24, 2010.
The planning commissioners in June 2012 voted to appeal Corlew’s decision. The matter might not end with the appeals court, though. The Tennessee Supreme Court will be asked to reverse the ruling, plaintiffs’ Murfreesboro attorney Joe Brandon said Thursday.

Tracy Holding First Fundraiser for Congressional Campaign

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Republican state Sen. Jim Tracy’s first major fundraiser for his 4th Congressional District bid is set for March 14 in Murfreesboro, reports the Chattanooga Times-Free Press.
Former Gov. Winfield Dunn; Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey; Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Bo Watson, R-Hixson; and Rep. Ron Travis, R-Dayton, are among the honorary hosts. The per-person price of a ticket is $250 while tickets for members of the sponsor committee are $2,500 per person or couple and $1,000 for host committee members.
Dr. Warren McPherson and his wife, Beverly, are holding the event in their home.
Tracy, of Shelbyville, is running against U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., a physician whose past personal controversies have made him vulnerable to challenge, Republicans say. State Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lacassas, also is weighing a bid, but Tracy has been the first challenger to announce officially

Guns Inspire Shouting at DesJarlais ‘Coffee With the Congressman’

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U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais’ first “Coffee with the Congressman” in Murfreesboro erupted into an argument over gun control Friday with constituents shouting at each other inside the venerable City Cafe, reports the Daily News Journal.
Florence Tolbert of Murfreesboro and Rebekah Majors-Manley of Bell Buckle butted heads toward the end of DesJarlais’ visit over the rights of Americans to use high-capacity magazines and military-style assault weapons.
The heated discussion was spurred by requests from Murfreesboro resident Sara Mitchell, a veteran, who told the congressman she doesn’t believe civilians should have access to high-capacity magazines and that a better background check is needed for weapons purchases, in addition to improved mental health care.
“Right now, what I’m hearing in my 10 coffee shop visits across the 16 counties so far is you’re in the minority with that opinion right now,” said DesJarlais, who earlier contended that citizens need the right to bear arms to fend off a tyrannical government. “That we feel those rights are protected under the Second Amendment …”
“So does the Second Amendment guarantee me the right to have a nuclear weapon if I can afford it?” Mitchell asked.
“I don’t think that that’s the case. I don’t think it allows you to have a machine gun. There’s laws that are on the books now,” DesJarlais responded.
…As DesJarlais cut off the conversation, Tolbert continued to point out that laws should not be made based on emotion, and she and Majors-Manley had an up-close conversation.

Editorial: Governor Misleading in Jobs Announcement

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From an editorial in the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal:
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam delivered some good news last week with a bit of information about Nissan’s workforce. The only problem was that his statement was misleading and obviously designed to garner favor during a national economic development convention for governors in Nashville.
Early last Friday, the governor issued a statement from the convention that Nissan would be adding 810 jobs and running a third shift for the first time in the plant’s nearly 30-year history. That sounds great. The only problem is that these jobs were announced in mid-2011, and they’ve already been hired. They started running vehicles off the line Oct. 14 on the third shift, which was a historical moment of sorts at the Smyrna plant.
We appreciate Haslam’s efforts to spur manufacturing growth at Nissan. But to try to crank out some new numbers at a national governor’s conference when those employees are already working is misleading and disingenuous

DesJarlais, Black, Corker, Haslam, Hagerty to Rage Against Federal Regulations

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News release from U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais’ office:
WASHINGTON, DC – House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today announced an official Congressional field hearing entitled, “Tennessee Job Creation: Do Federal Government Regulations Help or Hinder Tennessee’s Economic Development?” The hearing will begin at 9:00amCST on Monday, June 18, 2012 at S102 Business and Aerospace Building, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The hearing, which is open to the public, will feature testimony from state leaders and Tennessee job creators on the effects of state and federal policies and regulations.
“The federal government has yet to grasp the effects of burdensome regulations that obstruct job growth and economic recovery. During the course of this Administration, regulatory costs have grown for American job creators across the board,” said Chairman Issa. “We’re going to Tennessee to hear directly from those on the ground who are surviving in this stifling regulatory environment because the private sector is not ‘doing fine.'”
“Last year, I embarked on my Tennessee Job Creators Tour in an effort to talk directly with businesses owners here in Tennessee about ways that the federal government was hurting their ability to grow and create jobs,” said Representative DesJarlais. “What I heard from them painted a troubling picture of Washington regulators imposing mountains of job-crushing bureaucratic red tape. I look forward to having Chairman Issa down to Tennessee to hear from our local job-creators on ways that Washington can reduce the barriers to private sector job creation.
Details for Monday’s hearing in Murfreesboro:
What: Official Congressional Field Hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee “Tennessee Job Creation: Do Federal Government Regulations Help or Hinder Tennessee’s Economic Development?” with Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rep. Scott Desjarlais (R-TN). Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) will join Chairman Issa and Rep. Desjarlais on the dais.
Date/Time: 9:00am CST on Monday, June 18, 2012
Location: S102 Business and Aerospace Building, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Witnesses confirmed to testify include:
The Honorable Bill Haslam, Governor, State of Tennessee
The Honorable Bob Corker, United States Senate
Mr. William “Bill” F. Hagerty, IV, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Mr. H. Grady Payne, Chief Executive Officer, Conner Industries, Inc.
Mr. Scott Cocanougher, Chief Executive Officer, First Community Bank of Bedford County
Mr. Mark Faulkner, Owner, Vireo Systems, Inc. on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business
Mr. Bob Bedell, Sales Unit Manager, Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated on behalf of the Beverage Association of Tennessee
Press Conference: Between witness panels (around 10:00 CST), Governor Haslam, Senator Corker, and Commissioner Hagerty will join Chairman Issa, Rep. Desjarlais, and Rep. Black to answer questions from the press.

Judge Stops Construction of Murfreesboro Mosque

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By Travis Loller, Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Construction of a Tennessee mosque that has been strongly opposed by critics of Islam likely will be stopped after a judge ruled Tuesday that local officials didn’t give the public adequate notice before the meeting where it was approved.
The mosque was one of several Muslim projects in the U.S. that hit a swell of conservative opposition around the same time as the controversy over a plan to build a Muslim community center near New York’s ground zero.
Chancellor Robert Corlew found that the Rutherford County Planning Commission didn’t do enough to inform the public of the May 2010 meeting when it approved the site plan for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.
Though his ruling voids the approval, he noted there was nothing stopping the commission from reconsidering the issue and voting on the mosque site plan again, as long as any action they take is for “non-discriminatory reasons.”
Saleh Sbenaty, a spokesman for the mosque, said the ruling was disappointing but his group remained committed to building the Islamic center. They have been worshipping for many years at a smaller site in Murfreesboro, a booming city of about 100,000 people southeast of Nashville.

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Mayor Fact Checks State Rep’s Flag Remarks, Finds Fault

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Mayor Tommy Bragg sent two letters to state Rep. Rick Womick in March challenging “misstatements” he made in the General Assembly about city codes enforcement to garner support for a resolution against United Nations Agenda 21, reports the Murfreesboro Daily News.
Bragg sent the first letter March 19 “to correct” several things Womick said on the House floor about the city’s dealings with Papa’s Butts and BBQ Hot Sauce Store on Old Fort Parkway. The second letter, dated March 20, said Womick made other “misstatements” in a House Judiciary subcommittee meeting March 14 about Murfreesboro’s flag regulations.
“At the meeting, you began describing the event when you presented a Tennessee flag to the president of the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic (Joey Peay). You commented that after I presented it to him publicly, (he) comes to me and says, ‘Well, Rep. Womick, thank you very much for the Tennessee flag. I appreciate it, but you’re going to have to talk to the City of Murfreesboro because they won’t let me fly the Tennessee flag on my property. We’re not allowed to fly any flags. No U.S., no Tennessee, nothing.'”
…Bragg’s letter states that Womick did not contact any city staff about flag or flagpole regulations, which led to his failure to “accurately describe the situation.”
City Manager Rob Lyons spoke to Peay, who told him he made a comment in jest that he would have to “go through the process with the city” to put up the flag. Peay made no comments that the city had banned state or U.S. flags, the letter states.
Bragg’s letter points out that the city requires a flagpole permit — at no charge — to verify proper footings and wind-load design. Nineteen flagpoles have been permitted in the last three years since the permit was established and none have been rejected, the letter states.
The mayor noted that the city lost a court case over flag regulations after previously exempting the American flag from its ordinance. The court ruled that it had to treat the U.S. flag the same as all signs.
Bragg wrote that Murfreesboro Medical Clinic did not apply for a flagpole, so the city could not have denied a permit request.
….”Your comments ….created the impression that the city banned the display of the flag and damaged our reputation statewide as a patriotic community.”
American and Tennessee flags fly over city buildings, Bragg stated, and Murfreesboro police officers and firefighters wear American flag patches on their uniforms.
…The Rockvale Republican, who is serving his first term in the state House, refused to speak to a DNJ reporter when approached Thursday morning on the House floor. Asked if he would talk when the House let out for the day, Womick, said, “I don’t have anything to say.” He has declined to return phone calls.

Rep. Womick Wrong About Murfreesboro and Agenda 21?

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A state lawmaker was mistaken about the facts of a restaurant’s zoning issues when he used the case of Papa’s Butts and BBQ Hot Sauce Store as an example of the creeping influence of the United Nations in Tennessee, a city official said.
Republican Rep. Rick Womick cited the store’s issues with the city of Murfreesboro in remarks on the House floor to support a resolution urging the rejection of the UN’s Agenda 21 on sustainable development.
But Murfreesboro Planning Director Joseph Aydelott told the Daily News Journal for Friday’s editions (http://on.dnj.com/yMjxz8 ) that Womick had the facts wrong about the case heading for a hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals on March 28.
And Aydelott told the paper that Agenda 21 has nothing to do with the case. “I don’t really know what that is, except for what I’ve read in the paper,” he said.

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Judge Says Occupy Murfreesboro Protesters Can Be Prosecuted

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A municipal judge has cleared the way for prosecutors to proceed with a case against Occupy Murfreesboro protesters.
Murfreesboro City Court Judge Ewing Sellers on Thursday denied a motion to dismiss citations, based on protesters’ contention that the law violated First Amendment rights.
Occupy Murfreesboro attorneys Will York and Joan Hill argued the ordinance was overly broad and infringed upon the group’s right to speak freely and assembly peaceably, according to The Daily News Journal (http://on.dnj.com/yVxP8h).
The city’s lawyer, Adam Tucker, argued city government had a compelling interest in maintaining order on Civic Plaza.
Sellers said his ruling was guided by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that camping in a public park was not protected symbolic expression to raise awareness about homelessness.
Attorneys said they would explore a settlement.

Amazon’s Deal With Tennessee Finalized

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — With Amazon and Tennessee in agreement over the collection of sales taxes, the online retailer on Thursday finalized its plans to open two new distribution centers in Murfreesboro and Lebanon that are expected to create 1,300 new jobs.
Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. earlier this year agreed to a deal to expand its presence in the state, with the requirement that Amazon would start collecting Tennessee sales taxes in 2014. The retailer already has facilities in Hamilton, Bradley and Wilson counties.
Amazon says the new distribution centers will employ about 1,300 people when they are completed next fall, bringing the online retailer’s total workforce at its five Tennessee facilities to more than 3,300.
The State Funding Board last week approved $7 million in grants to make infrastructure improvements at the sites in Murfreesboro and Lebanon. Bill Hagerty, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, said in a memo that Amazon’s investment in the two sites totals $145 million.
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and Amazon officials in October announced the agreement for the company to begin collecting the state’s sales tax on items sold to customers in Tennessee.
Amazon was originally granted an indefinite waiver on collecting state sales taxes as part of a deal struck by Haslam’s Democratic predecessor, Phil Bredesen, that led the company to build its first two distribution centers in Tennessee earlier this year.
Haslam has said he will introduce legislation next year to solidify the tax deal, in keeping with a state attorney general’s opinion that the executive branch can’t unilaterally waive tax collection requirements.
Conventional retailers who must collect sales tax at their Tennessee stores have criticized the deal for not requiring Amazon to do the same sooner, giving the online retailer an unfair price advantage.
Amazon also announced it will donate $20,000 to the Books from Birth Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides books to preschool children in Tennessee.
Note: News release is below

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