the morning cram [10 years of Patriot Act edition]

Ten years after it’s signing, the Patriot Act is still controversial.

NPR reports that on the tenth anniversary of President George W. Bush’s Patriot Act, Americans still disagree about whether or not it violates their right to privacy.

Kentucky~ Paducah property taxes go up (a little bit). Paducah Middle’s Walker moves to the district office under scrutiny. The 101st deals with budget cuts. Records show no evidence of David Williams sexual abuse. Beshear is well in the lead with money to blow.

Tennessee~ The Legislative Black Caucus wants in on redistricting.

the morning cram [Namibian conservation edition]

Imagine the US Government told the people living around Yellowstone that wildlife conservation was their job. That’s what’s going on in Namibia.

NPR reports that in an effort to conserve wildlife, the Namibian government handed responsibility over to farmers, and its working.

Kentucky~ Police busted a Chicago drug dealer in Paducah. More Amish are refusing to use triangles. Special crops are getting state money. Fort Campbell remembers fallen this week.  Gubernatorial candidates are coming to Paducah. Conway is getting a money boost.

Tennessee~ AARP hopes to clarify voter ID law.

the morning cram [medical merger edition]

Two health care giants have merged. How could that affect you?

NPR reports last month’s merger of Express Scripts and Medco Health Services will give someone the power to greatly affect your pocketbook.

Kentucky~ A Trigg County Amish man was killed by farm equip. The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Dept is gettin some money. Stumbo says we need to keep an eye on doctors. The First Lady is celebrating green schools. An appeals court rejects former soldier convicted of rape and murder. State ACT scores are low (insert dumb Kentuckians joke here).

Illinois~ Gov Quinn says new leg maps are fine. Bird’s Point residents are mad about new levee plans.

Tennessee~ A Clarksville man may have been murdered. Kids are in better shape in the state.

the morning cram [GOP debate edition]

The royal rumble of debates went down in Iowa last night.

NPR reports that while Romney remained unscathed, other candidates embarked down a path of fire.

Kentucky~ More troops received a hero’s welcome at Fort Campbell. Maj Gen Campbell hands over control to Maj Gen McConville this morning. The Owenboro airport will undergo expansion.

Tennessee~ Enrollment over the summer was up for UT Martin.

the morning cram [Latino appeal edition]

As the Latino population of the US grows, appealing to Hispanic voters becomes increasingly important to politicians.

NPR reports both Democrats and Republicans hope to make gains with the nation’s fastest growing minority, however Hispanic voters are frustrated with leaders from both parties.

Kentucky~ The Union puts off the Honeywell vote (what’s a few more weeks?). A Paducah man wins the British Senior Open. Debates continue over a hospital/religion merger. A Fort Campbell soldier faces murder charges. The state needs more dentists (insert Kentucky teeth joke here).

Illinois~ Report says gambling money goes to political campaigns.

Tennessee~ A Henry County Medical Center project seeks more money.

the morning cram [ringing ear edition]

Tens of thousands of Americans are afflicted by a condition that causes an incessant ringing in the ears.

NPR reports that while diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus (aka ringing ears) is in the early stages, some progress is being made.

Kentucky~ An MSU student won the Fulbright Scholarship. A WKU student is crowned Miss Kentucky. A Hopkinsville man is killed by a car. More students are defaulting on loans. Some art groups got some money. The 101st Airborne command is changing hands. Some state politicians think there should be a special session to redraw district lines, while others do not.

Tennessee~ Teens in Clarksville get a close look at police work. The state legislature passes a bunch o’ bills.

morning cram [fuel cell edition]

The Honda FCX Clarity can go about 240 miles on a tank of hydrogen fuel (about 60 mpg compared to gas). The only emission is water so pure you could drink it.

Honda tells NPR: US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is wrong when he claimed it would take a miracle to make fuel cell cars viable in the marketplace.

WEATHER~ Possibly severe activity predicted tonight.

KENTUCKY~ State Police are matching a missing man’s dental records to found skeletal remains with hopes they match. You can see the Ohio River from where Paducah’s Executive Inn recently stood. 4 Fort Campbell soldiers die in an Afghan suicide blast. Transportation workers will setup an I-24 (west) workzone between Eddyville/Grand Rivers next week. Out of work? Have a mortgage? There’s help. Gov Beshear has almost $5mil banked for re-election. US Rep Ed Whitfield yesterday fielded telephone calls from constituents about gas prices, the economy and the federal budget. US Sen Rand Paul files for re-election (5 years early).

TENNESSEE~ Highway Patrol investigators say Henry’s Police Chief (allegedly) ran a red light that caused a wreck leaving him critically injured. A resolution to the state’s constitution that would  further restrict abortions gets one step closer to a statewide vote.

ILLINOIS~ SIU-Carbondale will likely hire its next Provost from within its ranks.

morning cram [unconstitutional edition]

A federal judge in Florida rules the federal health overhaul violates the Constitution.

NPR reports Judge Roger Vinson didn’t need a trial to come to the decision.

KENTUCKY~ Paducah’s future middle school now has a floor plan. Murray/Calloway County leaders are updating the public this morning on the state of the community. A Murray businessman buys the city a new drug dog. Barlow’s alleged bath salt dealer pleads not guilty. Why did Carlisle County’s new Health Department have no power over the weekend? Fort Campbell’s bomb squad comes home from Afghanistan with no casualties and the base gets a new deputy commanding general. The General Assembly is back in full-swing; see what’s ahead and what Governor Beshear is expected to say at his Commonwealth Address tonight. An economist warns the Republican-led state tax reforms could be regressive.

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville and Montgomery County industrial recruiters want to be able to sweeten deals with free land. Governor Haslam says the state can’t afford everything because it’s out of $timulus funds.

morning cram [uphill edition]

US House Republicans are expected to unanimously overturn the sweeping health system overhaul only to be blocked by the still Democrat-controlled Senate. If that happens, they will then try to delay or defund  it.

~NPR reports that won’t be easy.

KENTUCKY~ Paducah’s Army Reserve surgical unit ships out to Afghanistan tomorrow. A Marshall County murder/arson case will be retried in March. Murray’s 5-points intersection will be closed over the next few days. Watch out for I-24 lane restrictions near Calvert City. Hopkinsville thinks about going smoke-free. The latest Fort Campbell casualty in Afghanistan matches the number (105) the base lost in Iraq.

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville’s new mayor raises an official eyebrow at the former mayor’s new job. Men’s Basketball: APSU > UTC; UTM < SEMO.

Soldiers Celebrate Thanksgiving in Afghanistan

The following story is courtesy of the Bagram Media Center of Regional Command East in Afghanistan.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Task Force Iron Rakkasan celebrated Thanksgiving 2010 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Even thousands of miles from home, the Soldiers had many reasons to be thankful.

“We’ve completed nine months of our deployment and we have had a lot of success,” said U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Joshua Isbell from Sylacauga, Ala., a squad leader in 2nd Platoon, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. “The battalion has made a lot of progress at pushing the insurgents out of Ghazni while preparing the Afghan National Security Forces to take up the task on their own.”

The chains of command throughout Task Force Iron Rakkasan scheduled minimal operations and patrols for their Soldiers. Although some patrols were still needed to ensure everyone’s safety, all Soldiers were granted some down time to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and to call home to their families.

The Soldiers across the battalion enjoyed a well-cooked Thanksgiving meal which was prepared by each forward operating base’s team of cooks. The military provided the majority of the turkeys, hams and cranberry sauce, but private donations made the meal memorable. A private radio station, 92.3 FM out of Las Vegas, Nev., donated more than 750 pounds of spices, seasonings and side dishes.

The special meal required special service. Members of the Iron Rakkasan staff as well as leadership from each element located at FOB Andar helped with carving the turkey and serving the Soldiers. Even the Polish Brigade Commanding General Brig. Gen. Andrezej Reudowicz came to help Task Force Iron celebrate Thanksgiving and took a turn carving the turkey.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Fivecoat from Delaware, Ohio, and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Johnson from Lansing, Mich., TF Iron Rakkasan commander and command sergeant major, respectively, circulated to the each company’s FOBs to visit the Soldiers and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.

To honor traditional Thanksgiving celebrations, Iron Rakkasans held their annual “Turkey Bowl” football game, pitting the unit’s officers against its noncommissioned officers.

“The opportunity to come together as an organization and play football was a great bonding experience,” said U.S. Army Maj. Kenric Bourne from St. Louis, Mo., 3-187th executive officer. “My view of Thanksgiving is not complete without turkey and football, and I believe this experience gave all who played a small taste of home while here in Afghanistan.”

At the end of the game, the NCOs squeaked out a win over the officers in a very close and toughly contested game. The NCOs were excited to maintain the Turkey Bowl championship title for at least one more year. The officers, however, have already begun planning and training for next year’s rematch.