TN News Buzz From Crockett 7-14-14

 
Here are today's top reads from around Tennessee, brought to you by Crockett Policy Institute:

Down ballot races attract interest in upcoming election  Few lawmakers stir stronger feelings than state Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who has mixed it up with everyone from a governor to talk show hosts over a political career that spans more than a decade. His analogy last month comparing health care reform to the Holocaust drew condemnation from Gov. Bill Haslam and the Tennessee Republican Party. Knox County Commissioner Richard Briggs has raised more than $157,000 for his campaign, largely on a platform of not being Campfield. He could get an endorsement from Gov. Bill Haslam. Mike Alford, a Knoxville tour bus driver, also filed for the GOP primary.-The Tennessean**SUBSCRIPTION**

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/07/13/10-races-across-tennessee-to-watch-in-augusts-primary/12608185/
East Tennessee park welcomes white buffalo

The chances of an American buffalo being born white instead of the normal brown are about one in a million, according to Ron Nease. Now, residents of the Lakeway Area, or anywhere else, have a chance to see one of the rare creatures. Briarwood Safari Ranch in Cocke County, which Nease owns with his wife Deborah, has a white buffalo roaming the park. They got it in the first week of June, fulfilling a dream Nease has long held.
"I'd searched for years to try to find a white buffalo. I'd only ever seen one," he said.
He finally found a 7-year-old bull for sale in North Dakota and had it shipped to East Tennessee. It was a fortunate find because they are seldom found at any price. Normally, a white buffalo, if one can be found, sells for about 10 times as much as regular brown specimens.
"This is the first one the ranch in North Dakota has ever sold," Nease said.-Bismark Tribune

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/east-tennessee-park-welcomes-white-buffalo/article_ac08379c-0ab4-11e4-88e7-0019bb2963f4.html

Plan to put treated water in Nolichucky river draws concerns
Environmental activists in East Tennessee are opposing a plan that calls for taking water from the Nolichucky River for use by a Greene County industrial chemical plant and then returning the treated water to the river. US Nitrogen, a subsidiary of Austin Powder Co., plans to produce ammonium nitrate, an ingredient used in industrial explosives, at the plant in Midway, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has granted air and water permits that would allow discharge of the treated water into the river, which has been called one of the most beautiful waterways in the country. Greene County Commissioner Hilton Seay said he believes all the proper precautions have been followed in the permitting of the plant.
“I have faith in our regulatory agencies,” he said.-TriCities

http://www.tricities.com/news/article_d39a843e-0af7-11e4-8d7c-001a4bcf6878.html

Visitation services held for Nashville icon John Seigenthaler
Hundreds of people turned out to deliver their last respects to Nashville icon John Seigenthaler during a visitation at the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University. Seigenthaler was known for his work as the longtime Tennessean editor and for his dedication to the civil rights movement during the John F. Kennedy administration. The doors opened early Sunday, and it remained crowded right until the end of the visitation. Those in attendance said it was a testament to the impact of a man who helped shape Nashville. Seigenthaler died Friday at his Nashville home at age 86. His funeral is scheduled for Monday. Seigenthaler's casket was placed Sunday in the lobby of the center devoted to his life's work on issues of media freedom.-News Channel 5
http://www.newschannel5.com/story/26007782/nashvillians-turn-out-to-pay-respects-to-john-seigenthaler
UPDATE: VW announces Chattanooga-made SUV, and 2,000 new jobs

Volkswagen will invest $600 million and add 2,000 jobs to produce the new SUV in Hamilton County. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger are both in Germany along with Martin Winterkorn, VW’s chief executive.

“Volkswagen’s commitment to Hamilton County also means the possibility of more suppliers locating here, creating additional family wage jobs,” Coppinger said.

It will include 200 employees for a new engineering and development center in Chattanooga. VW has said it will commit more than $7 billion to North America. North America is a key market for the Volkswagen Group. These investments will enable Volkswagen to bring more products and advanced production systems to market, such as its flexible modular toolkit. The city was competing with VW’s plant in Puebla, Mexico, for the SUV.-Times Free Press

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/jul/14/vw-announce-new-suv-today-chattanooga/

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