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A Reminder from Congressman Bart Gordon…

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

bartgordon Friends,

On Monday, August 24, I will be hosting a Town Hall at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Two days later, on Wednesday, August 26, I will be holding a Town Hall at Vol State’s Wemyss Auditorium. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for both events.

I organized each meeting because I want to hear from you about health care reform and other important issues facing our country. For more information about the Murfreesboro Town Hall, click here. For more information about the Gallatin Town Hall, click here.

If you are not able to attend either event, I still want to hear from you and encourage you to contact or visit any of my offices.

Stay in touch,

Bart Gordon
Member of Congress

Posted in FYI, Health care, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | 1 Comment »

Meet Lisa Harrell, Democrat for Rutherford County Clerk…

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

lisaharrell Ms. Lisa Harrell is proud to announce her candidacy for the office of Clerk of Rutherford County. She is a Democrat. A lifelong resident of Rutherford County, Ms. Harrell grew up in Murfreesboro and now resides in the Christiana community. Her husband James works in the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, and they attend Mount Carmel Baptist Church together. Her interests include gardening and tending to the many animals she has rescued over the years.

She is a 31-year veteran of the County Clerk’s office and is currently our county’s Probate Clerk, highly regarded and respected for her professionalism in this capacity. As a public servant dedicated to our county’s government and the citizens it serves, Ms. Harrell wishes to continue the exemplary leadership and common sense approach that Ms. Georgia Lynch brought to the Clerk’s office. Ms. Lynch, also a faithful Democrat, has made the decision to retire after two terms of exceptional service to our county, and endorses Ms. Lisa Harrell fully and enthusiastically. She knows the Rutherford County Clerk’s office will be left in good hands if the citizens of Rutherford County choose Lisa Harrell as their next County Clerk.

Posted in 2010, Democratic Party, FYI, Lisa Harrell, RCDP, Rutherford County Clerk, Rutherford County Democratic Women | No Comments »

Congressman Bart Gordon Announces $250 Payments to Middle Tennessee Veterans, Seniors, and Disabled

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

By the end of this month, Middle Tennessee retirees, disabled individuals, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Veterans Affairs Department, and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries will get a one-time $250 supplemental payment.

“This payment is meant to help reduce the pain felt by these individuals as a result of the current economic climate,” said Congressman Bart Gordon.

The $250 payment is automatic and there are no applications to complete, no emails to respond to and no fees to pay. If two people are on Social Security in the same home, both will receive the supplemental payment. If a person is involved in more than one program, like Social Security and SSI, unfortunately, you will only receive one payment.

“I realize times are hard for many people. The $250 one-time payment is a positive step, but more needs to be done,” added Gordon. “Know that now, more than ever, I’m committed to keeping Social Security strong and making health care more affordable.”

If you haven’t received your payment by June 4th, contact the Social Security Administration’s local office in Nashville at 615-781-5803 or toll-free at 1-800-772-1213.

Posted in ARRA, Economy, FYI, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-6) | No Comments »

Murfreesboro tea party organizer deletes his lawsuit and crawls under a rock

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Yesterday we reported that Michael Patrick Leahy, a Williamson County Republican and organizer for the Murfreesboro “tea party,” was exposed for having over $100,000 in tax liens and civil and small claims judgments against him. Leahy filed a libel lawsuit in Williamson County against the blogger who exposed his costly run-ins with the law and the IRS.

A day after we reported on Leahy’s lawsuit, Leahy quickly removed copies of the lawsuit everywhere he had posted them online and stopped posting to his blog and twitter. But lucky for us we copied the entire embarrassing complaint which you can now print and enjoy reading at your pleasure.

Why would we do something like this? Because we knew after reading the lawsuit that Leahy would come to his senses, feel embarrassed and try to make his words disappear. Besides, if you are going to waste the tax payer’s money on a lawsuit this hilarious, the least we could do is make sure everyone has a free copy. After all, you paid for it.

Once you read the lawsuit you might ask yourself what kind of Tennessee Republican feels it’s their right to private phone records, text messages and emails between those who report on anti-government advocates who tie up the courts with lawsuits over not paying their taxes. The answer is at the very top of the lawsuit itself: Michael Patrick Leahy. That’s who.

After reading Leahy’s ridiculous lawsuit, you might also ask yourself what kind of person does the Rutherford County Republican Party want representing them at tomorrow’s “instant tea party” here in Murfreesboro,TN. The answer is actually one of the two people who have confirmed online that they will attend: Michael Patrick Leahy.

It takes a very special person to stand on the street and demand the government give back money they never gave in the first place, and we suspect Leahy will rethink stepping foot in Murfreesboro tomorrow, but you never know what a fool will do.

Posted in FYI, Republican leaders, Rutherford County Republican Party, Taxes | 6 Comments »

Rutherford County is fastest growing county in the state

Monday, May 18th, 2009

New U.S. Census data puts Rutherford County at the top of the list of fastest growing counties in Tennessee.

Figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau placed Rutherford as the 57th fastest growing county in the nation. Rutherford County’s 2008 population stands at 249,270, up nearly 3.5 percent compared to 241,462 the previous year.

County Mayor Ernest Burgess wasn’t aware new figures had been released and was surprised by the total Friday afternoon.

“That seems like a little bit of a stretch, but we’ll go with what they have. That’s 3,000 to 4,000 households and it hasn’t shown up in our school enrollment,” he said, noting the county added about 800 students in 2008-2009, compared to 1,500 to 2,000 in previous years.

Census numbers show the county experienced a population increase of 36.9 percent, or 67,247, between April 2000 and July 1, 2008. Based on population totals, Rutherford is the fifth largest county behind Shelby, Davidson, Knox and Hamilton counties.

Murfreesboro, Smyrna and La Vergne all held special counts in 2008. Murfreesboro’s certified population is 100,575, Smyrna’s is 38,073 and La Vergne’s is 26,472.

Posted in FYI, Growth | No Comments »

Our Peace - memorializing the enslaved at the Hermitage

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

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Today, a memorial to the enslaved called Our Peace was officially dedicated at the Hermitage in Nashville, TN. The memorial honored slaves who likely worked for Andrew Jackson. Below is a description from the Hermitage’s website.

Enslaved Memorial Public Art ‐ In 2006, archaeologists discovered a slave cemetery at the site of the former Ingleside plantation near The Hermitage. This cemetery likely held the remains of the enslaved from not only Ingleside, but also Cleveland Hall, an adjacent plantation – both owned by nephews of Rachel Jackson. The Hermitage agreed to be the final resting place for these individuals because of their history with Rachel Jackson’s family. To memorialize these enslaved people, The Hermitage commissioned an artwork by sculptor Lee Benson. Funded by the Cracker Barrel Foundation, Our Peace stands as a memorial for these individuals while at the same time providing a place for everyone to reflect upon the continuing legacy of slavery.

Posted in FYI | No Comments »

When voter turnout is high, America wins

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

In the last election you stood up and made your voice count. Many of you voted for the first time in your lives, and your vote moved our country in the right direction.

The 2010 elections are right around the corner, and now we begin the work of moving our state in the right direction, and it starts here in Rutherford County, the birth place of today’s Democratic Party. We will never miss another election as long as we live in the greatest country on Earth!

Nearly one-fourth of voters in last November’s election were minorities, the most diverse election ever, fueled by high turnout from black women and a growing Hispanic population, an independent research group found.

The study by the Pew Research Center, released Thursday, also showed that for the first time blacks had the highest voter turnout rate of any racial or ethnic group among people ages 18 to 29. Analysts said it remained to be seen how fully the strong minority participation, a reflection of both changing U.S. demographics and enthusiasm for Democrat Barack Obama, would carry over to future elections.

In 2008, about 65% of blacks went to the polls, nearly matching the 66% voting rate for whites. Black women had the highest rates of participation among all voters at 69%; they were followed by white women (68 percent), white men (64 percent) and black men (61 percent).

Posted in Elections, FYI | No Comments »

Smyrna growth highlights importance of U.S. Census

Monday, April 27th, 2009

The DNJ reports this morning Smyrna could top 40,000 in next year’s U.S. Census. Growth in Smyrna underscores the importance of taking the U.S. Census.

U.S. Census numbers are how the state determines how much share of state revenues a town will receive each year. Census numbers are revised in the years between through a special census. One way you can assure that your town gets adequate funding for roads, schools, police and fire protection is to make sure you and your family are properly counted.

As 2,000 Census Bureau workers have been deployed to gather information for the 2010 census, Smyrna officials believe this may be the year the town hits the 40,000 mark.

“I feel sure, based on the number of residential dwellings that we have, that we’re right at 40,000 or maybe even a little over,” said Town Manager Mark O’Neal. “We felt like we were close to 40,000 when we did the special census.”

Smyrna conducted a special census last year as Tennessee cities have the option of counting residents three times between each 10-year federal census. The special census showed that Smyrna had more than 38,000 people.

O’Neal said the census information is important to the town’s well-being as each person means roughly $111 in funds from the state.

Learn more about the 2010 U.S. Census here and how you can apply to work on the 2010 U.S. Census.

Posted in FYI, Taxes | No Comments »