President Barack Obama's Weekly Address, February 28th, 2009

Keeping Promises

In the Weekly Address this morning, President Obama explains how the budget he sent to Congress will fulfill the promises he made as a candidate. On fiscal responsibility, a fair tax code, a clean energy economy, real health care reform, and education, this budget sets out a new vision for our country.

But having put his priorities on paper and having stood behind them, the President recognizes that there are those who will fight against change every step of the way.


"I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries. I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:

"So am I."


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Washington, DC

Two years ago, we set out on a journey to change the way that Washington works.

We sought a government that served not the interests of powerful lobbyists or the wealthiest few, but the middle-class Americans I met every day in every community along the campaign trail – responsible men and women who are working harder than ever, worrying about their jobs, and struggling to raise their families. In so many town halls and backyards, they spoke of their hopes for a government that finally confronts the challenges that their families face every day; a government that treats their tax dollars as responsibly as they treat their own hard-earned paychecks.

That is the change I promised as a candidate for president. It is the change the American people voted for in November. And it is the change represented by the budget I sent to Congress this week.

During the campaign, I promised a fair and balanced tax code that would cut taxes for 95% of working Americans, roll back the tax breaks for those making over $250,000 a year, and end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas. This budget does that.

I promised an economy run on clean, renewable energy that will create new American jobs, new American industries, and free us from the dangerous grip of foreign oil. This budget puts us on that path, through a market-based cap on carbon pollution that will make renewable energy the profitable kind of energy; through investments in wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient American cars and American trucks.

I promised to bring down the crushing cost of health care – a cost that bankrupts one American every thirty seconds, forces small businesses to close their doors, and saddles our government with more debt. This budget keeps that promise, with a historic commitment to reform that will lead to lower costs and quality, affordable health care for every American.

I promised an education system that will prepare every American to compete, so Americans can win in a global economy. This budget will help us meet that goal, with new incentives for teacher performance and pathways for advancement; new tax credits that will make college more affordable for all who want to go; and new support to ensure that those who do go finish their degree.

This budget also reflects the stark reality of what we’ve inherited – a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis, and a costly recession. Given this reality, we’ll have to be more vigilant than ever in eliminating the programs we don’t need in order to make room for the investments we do need. I promised to do this by going through the federal budget page by page, and line by line. That is a process we have already begun, and I am pleased to say that we’ve already identified two trillion dollars worth of deficit-reductions over the next decade. We’ve also restored a sense of honesty and transparency to our budget, which is why this one accounts for spending that was hidden or left out under the old rules.

I realize that passing this budget won’t be easy. Because it represents real and dramatic change, it also represents a threat to the status quo in Washington. I know that the insurance industry won’t like the idea that they’ll have to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that’s how we’ll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs for American families. I know that banks and big student lenders won’t like the idea that we’re ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that’s how we’ll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won’t like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that’s how we’ll help fund a renewable energy economy that will create new jobs and new industries. In other words, I know these steps won’t sit well with the special interests and lobbyists who are invested in the old way of doing business, and I know they’re gearing up for a fight as we speak. My message to them is this:

So am I.

The system we have now might work for the powerful and well-connected interests that have run Washington for far too long, but I don’t. I work for the American people. I didn’t come here to do the same thing we’ve been doing or to take small steps forward, I came to provide the sweeping change that this country demanded when it went to the polls in November. That is the change this budget starts to make, and that is the change I’ll be fighting for in the weeks ahead – change that will grow our economy, expand our middle-class, and keep the American Dream alive for all those men and women who have believed in this journey from the day it began.

Thanks for listening.

Book Review, "Fulfilling Your Spouse's Fantasy"

By Betsy Thorpe

Fantasy, a mental image, a vision or an idea.

Through the presentation of concepts based on solid biblical principals, Fulfilling Your Spouse's Fantasy offers advice that is relevant to both men and women who want to understand and fulfill their spouse's vision and hopes for the life they plan to share together.

Addressing topics ranging from the importance of promise keeping to issues of intimacy and the soothing power of forgiveness, this book offers practical applications of scripture presented in a way that enables and encourages the establishment of strong marital unions.



Christian writer, educator and motivational speaker Shunekari Harris lives in Tennessee with her husband Brian Vincent Harris. In Fulfilling Your Spouse's Fantasy she shares how their marriage survived mis-communications, moments of doubt, and one unimaginable tragedy. It is her hope that her personal testimony and the principals she follows will "help others build and unify their relationships".

What Is Mardi Gras?

By Betsy Thorpe



Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday is the last day of Carnival, a period of festivities marked on the Christian Calendar that originated in France during the Middle Ages. Carnival begins on January 6th with the Feast Of Epiphany (also known as the Twelfth Day of Christmas or Three Kings Day). In the days following Epiphany a series of Carnival parties, parades and masked balls lead up to Mardi Gras, the season's final day of celebration. Carnival ends abrubtly at midnight on Tuesday with the onset of Ash Wednesday when the forty days of abstinence and fasting known as Lent begins.

Nine Pounds in Four Weeks, C L Continues Forward With His Weight Loss Program

By Betsy Thorpe


On Monday, C L made his weekly visit to the Bellevue YMCA to check his weight loss progress. He was mentally prepared to accept that he might reach a weight loss plateau this week and not show any loss for the past seven days, so he was happy to report a one pound loss during week four of his plan of action to lose weight and improve his health.

Starting at 324 C L now weighs 315 pounds. He is very encouraged, after his visit to the YMCA he stated " I feel slightly lighter and I am now in control of my food, it is no longer controlling me."

Knowing that he will eventually reach a plateau where he will for short time maintain his weight C L is looking forward to the next four weeks with strength and determination. On Monday he said " I know I could have lost twice this much weight on a fad diet, but I am interested in taking it slow and changing my eating habits." For C L breaking the habit of snacking and not eating between meals is the key to his success.

Local Woman Marks Off One Item From Her "Bucket List"

By Betsy Thorpe


Sue Spence Kisses A Dolphin, At Miami's Dolphin Harbour

Last December we reported on the Bucket List compiled by Bellevue resident Sue Spence. Last week she marked off one item from her list when she celebrated her 71st birthday at Dolphin Harbour in Miami Florida.

The desire to swim with a dolphin first came to Mrs. Spence after feeding one at the San Diego Zoo in 1985. Years later, still intrigued by the magnificent marine mammal Sue Spence, a non-swimmer, asked herself "What would I have to do to achieve my dream of going in the water with a dolphin? It seemed impossible. I was afraid of the water, and it seemed that it was too much to learn. I had never been in water over my head. But last year I enrolled in an aquatic class at the Bellevue YMCA and to celebrate my 71st birthday I entered the water with a dolphin. It was a very fulfilling experience. A big acheivment."

This spring Mrs. Spence will face another challenge on her Bucket List when she attempts to climb the steps of The Great Wall Of China.

Lost In The Woods

By Betsy Thorpe


Heather Gallagher, Environmental Education Specialist, Talks To Children About Safety And Preparedness In The Woods


By Betsy Thorpe

Have you ever been lost? Children learned basic survival skills in this program endorsed by North American Search & Rescue.


What should you do if you are lost in the woods? On Saturday at Warner Park's Nature Center, environmental educator Heather Gallagher addressed that question with a group of local children. Her primary advice to the children was to stop wandering once they realized they were lost. She also talked to the children about items they should carry in their pockets before starting on a hike and the importance of remaining calm if they should get lost in the woods.

The Warner Nature Center was established to provide quality environmental education and responsible recreation, and to help protect, preserve, restore and manage the park ecosystem and all natural resources and to raise awareness, foster respect and share enthusiasm for the natural environment.


Various environmental appreciation classes and programs for both children and adults are offered at Warner Park's Nature Center throughout the year.

Weekly Address By President Obama, SATURDAY, February 21, 2009

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SATURDAY, February 21, 2009
WEEKLY ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATION




The quickest and broadest tax cut ever
Two important takeaways from the President's Weekly Address this morning.

#1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start having an impact as soon as a few weeks from now, in the form of the quickest and broadest tax cut in history:


"Because of what we did, 95% of all working families will get a tax cut -- in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign. And I’m pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks -- meaning that by April 1st, a typical family will begin taking home at least $65 more every month. Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans."

#2, once the economy has recovered and we’ve laid the groundwork for a sustainable future, the President is committed to taking on the massive deficits we inherited:


"That work begins on Monday, when I will convene a fiscal summit of independent experts and unions, advocacy groups and members of Congress to discuss how we can cut the trillion-dollar deficit that we’ve inherited. On Tuesday, I will speak to the nation about our urgent national priorities, and on Thursday, I’ll release a budget that’s sober in its assessments, honest in its accounting, and that lays out in detail my strategy for investing in what we need, cutting what we don’t, and restoring fiscal discipline."



TO THE NATION

THE PRESIDENT: Earlier this week, I signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- the most sweeping economic recovery plan in history. Because of this plan, 3.5 million Americans will now go to work doing the work that America needs done.

I'm grateful to Congress, governors and mayors across the country, and to all of you whose support made this critical step possible.

Because of what we did together, there will now be shovels in the ground, cranes in the air, and workers rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, and repairing our faulty levees and dams.

Because of what we did, companies -- large and small -- that produce renewable energy can now apply for loan guarantees and tax credits and find ways to grow, instead of laying people off; and families can lower their energy bills by weatherizing their homes.

Because of what we did, our children can now graduate from 21st century schools and millions more can do what was unaffordable just last week -- and get their college degree.

Because of what we did, lives will be saved and health care costs will be cut with new computerized medical records.

Because of what we did, there will now be police on the beat, firefighters on the job, and teachers preparing lesson plans who thought they would not be able to continue pursuing their critical missions. And ensure that all of this is done with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability, I have assigned a team of managers to make sure that precious tax dollars are invested wisely and well.

Because of what we did, 95 percent of all working families will get a tax cut -- in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign. And I'm pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks -- meaning that by April 1st, a typical family will begin taking home at least $65 more every month. Never before in our history has a tax cut taken effect faster or gone to so many hardworking Americans.

But as important as it was that I was able to sign this plan into law, it is only a first step on the road to economic recovery. And we can't fail to complete the journey. That will require stemming the spread of foreclosures and falling home values, and doing all we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes, which is exactly what the housing plan I announced last week will help us do.

It will require stabilizing and repairing our banking system, and getting credit flowing again to families and businesses. It will require reforming the broken regulatory system that made this crisis possible, and recognizing that it's only by setting and enforcing 21st century rules of the road that we can build a thriving economy.

And it will require doing all we can to get exploding deficits under control as our economy begins to recover. That work begins on Monday, when I will convene a fiscal summit of independent experts and unions, advocacy groups and members of Congress, to discuss how we can cut the trillion-dollar deficit that we've inherited. On Tuesday, I will speak to the nation about our urgent national priorities. And on Thursday, I'll release a budget that's sober in its assessments, honest in its accounting, and lays out in detail my strategy for investing in what we need, cutting what we don't, and restoring fiscal discipline.

No single piece of this broad economic recovery can, by itself, meet the demands that have been placed on us. We can't help people find work or pay their bills unless we unlock credit for families and businesses. We can't solve our housing crisis unless we help people find work so that they can make payments on their homes. We can't produce shared prosperity without firm rules of the road, and we can't generate sustained growth without getting our deficits under control. In short, we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all. And that is exactly what the strategy we are pursuing is designed to do.

None of this will be easy. The road ahead will be long and full of hazards. But I am confident that we, as a people, have the strength and wisdom to carry out this strategy and overcome this crisis. And if we do, our economy -- and our country -- will be better and stronger for it.

Thank you.

More Thoughts From C L On Snacking

C L Shows Why He Has All But Forgotton About Snacking

"When you enjoy 6 PM meals like this, who needs 4 PM snacks?", said C L before eating his Friday night Ribeye Dinner at Bellevue's Dalton's Grille.

Bowie Nature Park, Fairview Tennessee

"Our most interesting trails are the Turnbull River Trail, The White Pine Trail and the Bluff Trail. These trails are all unique. On the Turnbull Trail you see spider lilllies, alder and rushes. The White Pine Trail is a beautiful stand of White Pine that makes you feel like you are in a special place and the smell is wonderful. The Bluff Trail gives you a panoramic view of the Turnbull river and has several large hardwood trees, it is very peaceful".

Park Naturalist, Melissa Bell
Bowie Park And Nature Center


Prior to her death in 1992 Dr. Evangeline Bowie deeded to the city of Fairview the 722-acre forest that she created from land that was once barren and eroded. Following her wishes the city made a public park out of the land and this year more than 137,000 children and adults are expected to visit Fairview's Bowie Nature Park.

The Bowie Park Nature Center is located near the park's entrance and includes The Bowie Museum where information and exhibits regarding the history of the Bowie family and their gift to the city of Fariview is available. The center also contains the “Discovery Room” a classroom that offers a hands on learning environment that encourages the discovery of the park's natural wonders. The Nature Center's classes on identifing local mushrooms, and on weather watching are very popular. Night hikes, and fishing rodeo's are favorite programs offered by the center.

Inside the park are seventeen miles of winding hiking trails that move through the park's various eco-systems. A small channel runs through the park's Lake Van and is great for cat-fishing. An interpretive trail surrounds the lake. The trail begins in a Loblolly Pine forest and progresses into a hardwood bottom wetland. The interpretive signs posted along the trail help hikers discover some of the more interesting plants and animals growing and living in the area. Several species of woodpeckers, hawks and water fowl populate the forests and lakes at Bowie Nature Park. In addition to hiking trails, the park also offers trails accessible to equestrians and mountain bikers.


Bowie Nature Park is located at
7211 Bowie Lake Road
Fairview, Tennessee


Park Hours
Bowie Nature Center is open from Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
Bowie Nature Park is open from sunrise to sunset year round.

For more information on Bowie Nature Park, call 615 799-5544

TVA Offers Free Energy Conservation Kit To NES Customers

By Betsy Thorpe


Compact fluorescent bulbs last 10 times longer and use seventy five per cent less energy than traditonal light bulbs.


In the hope of reducing energy demand in it's service area The Tennessee Valley Authority is currently offering a free energy conservation kit to Nashville Electric Service patrons who complete a “do-it-yourself" home energy audit. Use of the energy conservation kit will reduce home electricity consumption resulting in significantly lower utility bills.


The Conservation Energy Kit includes:

2 compact fluorescent bulbs
Outlet & light switch gaskets
Filter whistle
2 faucet aerators
Hot water temperature gauge
Home thermometer
How to Save brochure

To help Nashville Electric Service customers understand how their home uses and wastes energy, an audit report is provided following the completion of the online audit.

Harpeth River State Park

By Betsy Thorpe


"Not many people know that one of the oldest man-made tunnels in existence today is located at the Narrows of the Harpeth, or that off the beaten path near Hidden Lake is a one-mile spur trail that ascends to the top of a ridge where the remains of an old marble dance floor are all that's left from a 1940s resort".
Meg Lockhart
Deputy Director of Communications
Harpeth River State Park

The Harpeth River State Park is a day-use park consisting of two archaeological sites, two historic sites and six river access areas. The park is primarily used by hikers and river enthusiasts who enjoy fishing, canoeing or kayaking. Nearly 155,000 people visit the park annually, with summer serving as the busiest time of year however, in spring visitors enjoy the truly beautiful sight of wildflowers in full bloom and in autumn vibrant colors are splashed across meadows preparing for winter.

The park offers something for everyone. While many of the trails may be considered strenuous, there are a number of trails that are easily accessible and moderate. The Narrows of the Harpeth offers hikers a panoramic view of the vista below and a first-hand look one of the oldest man-made tunnels in existence today. The Gossett Tract is two miles of easy walking trails.

Birding and wildflowers are abundant along the trails at Hidden Lake. Park Rangers lead year-round tours at the Mace Bluff Archaeological Site and from November through March at the Mound Bottom Archaeological Site. The park's Newsom’s Mill Historic Site houses the oldest grist mill in Davidson County.

On any given day park visitors might see deer, groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, red tail foxes, grey foxes and a variety of birds, including great blue herons and owls.

The Harpeth River State Park is located on Hwy.70 South in Kingston Springs.
For more information on Harpeth River State Park call 615-952-2099.

Harpeth River State Park's seasonal hours are:
November - February 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
March 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April - September 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
October 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

C L Talks About His Progress And His Challenges

After a month of avoiding snacks and eating three meals a day, C L has lost a total of eight pounds.


C L Speaks

The scales have slowed down to a 1 pound loss/week. I may experience 'zero' weight loss/week every now and then, but that's to be expected...weight plateaus are quite common during weight loss, though more common on more restrictive diets.
This program is easy with menu choices like this. I was tested last week as my girlfriend does not follow my program (especially on Valentine's Day). Other than that, I have not experienced snack cravings.




The program continues!




Menu Selections

Monday:

Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs (2 eggs)
Bacon (3 strips)
Toast (2 slices, whole wheat)

Lunch

BBQ Sandwich

Dinner

Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad w/ Italian Dressing


Tuesday:

Breakfast

Egg McMuffin

Lunch

Oriental Chicken Salad (J. Alexander's)

Dinner

1/2 BBQ Chicken, Potato salad, Baked Beans, Cheese Muffin

Lady Antebellum At The Grand Ole Opry Saturday

Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum talks about the origin of trio's unusual name. "We knew when we came up with this name that we’d have to explain it everyday for the rest of our lives. We were taking some photos one day in front of some old ‘antebellum’ style houses in Nashville, and that word came out and it just kinda stuck. The word has a nostalgic feel to it, and in a weird way we felt that reflected our sound and what we were going for."





Lady Antebellum will take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry,on Saturday February 21st. They will also make a special Opry Shop in-store appearance before the show. The trio will be available to sign autographs in the shop from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Pam Tillis, Steve Wariner, Lee Greenwood, Joe Diffie, Mel Tillis,and Hal Ketchum will also perform at the Opry this weekend.


For information on the Grand Ole Opry or to purchase tickets, call: 1-800-733-6779

Presidential Homes, Nashville Past

The Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachael, is now a popular attraction in Nashville.

Polk Place the Nashville residence of President James Polk and his wife Sarah once stood near downtown Nashville on Union Street between 7th and 8th Avenue North.

President's Day, The Tennessee Connection

Do you know how many United States Presidents came from Tennessee?

A presidents house still stands in Nashville, do you know the name of that house?


One president from Tennessee acquired more than a million square miles for the United States during his presidency. Do you know his name?

Who tried to govern America through the turbulent years immediately following the Civil War? He rose from self-educated tailor to president of the United States. His OWN HOME was occupied by his enemies during the Civil War. Do you know his name?

For information on all the United States Presidents who once called Tennessee home visit Tennessee History For Kids

Warner Park Nature Center

By Betsy Thorpe









"My favorite day is that one perfect day in March, when you know the next day, the park will look different. You can just feel the energy about to be released, tree buds are ready to open, the bluebirds are looking for nesting spots, the yellow daffodils are open, and the organic vegetable garden has been planted".
Heather Gallagher, Environmental Education Specialist, Warner Parks Nature Center



The Warner Park Nature Center on Highway 100 is owned and operated by Nashville's Metro Parks, and serves as the gateway to Warner Parks. The Nature Center was established in October 1973, and continues to lead public programs, field trips and other events designed to inform local residents about the rich natural history of the area. Hundreds of visitors arrive at the center each week to experience programs and lectures, or to get a trail map and learn about the plants and animals they might see while hiking on the park's twelve miles of dirt trails. Families with strollers, joggers, and bikers enjoy the paved Old Roadway in Edwin Warner Park, which is closed to motorized vehicles.

The Warner Nature Center is open year round and the park's wildlife announces the onset of each season. In winter, deer, bobcat, and other mammals leave tracks in the soft mud of the trails. In spring Carolina bluebells, endangered Nashville mustard, and Painted Trilliums welcome visitors to the park and migratory birds, such as the ruby-throated hummingbird, purple martin, and scarlet tanager, return, filling the park's forests and fields with their songs and bright colors. With the summer heat, the wildlife of children and families arrive at the Nature Center. Children join naturalists on butterfly hikes, and enjoy night hikes when they explore the sky and watch for flying bats or owls. Families picnic at shelters nestled deep within the park. In Autumn the foliage is colorful and the park's migratory visitors leave, as dried milkweed pods release their seeds in the fields, marking the end of the growing season.

Hummingbirds are a special attraction at the Nature Center and Hummingbird Day, celebrated in August is one of the center's most popular program's. Crafts, games, hikes, and lectures all highlight middle Tennessee's smallest and favorite bird. Another popular event is Winter Bird Banding Day, on February 7, 2009 a record number of visitors arrived at the center to participate in the annual bird tracking program. Nature Play is the park's newest attraction. Situated behind the Nature Center, this area provides a safe place for young children to play and explore the outdoors. April and October are the center's busiest program months. More than twenty programs geared to help visitors become more familiar with the area's natural environment are offered during each of those months.


The Warner Park Nature Center is especially popular with area Senior Citizens, many take advantage of the "Tours a la cart" program for park visitors who find walking trails difficult. The tours are offered on Friday and Saturday mornings April through October, providing an opportunity to observe the interior of Edwin Warner Park's paved road system via a naturalist-led electric golf cart tour. Seniors also enjoy the organic gardening demonstrations and hummingbird lectures. Many of the Nature Center's volunteers are local retirees who help out in the library, at the front desk, and with tree maintenance.

The Warner Park's Nature Center is located at 7311 Highway 100 and is open Tuesday through Saturday,from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30p.m. For more information on Warner Park's Nature Center call 352-6299.

WEEKLY ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, February 14, 2009

A major milestone
Today President Obama is celebrating the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a "major milestone on our road to recovery," while still emphasizing that we have many miles yet to go.

"This historic step won't be the end of what we do to turn our economy around, but the beginning," he says in his weekly address. To get us there, he invokes President Kennedy, who said, "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."

President Obama acknowledges that some people are skeptical about the plan given how Washington has performed in the past, which is why he's encouraging people to check back at Recovery.gov -- the site where, once the plan is in action, you'll be able to track the funds.

"Utlimately, this is your money, and you deserve to know where it's going and how it's spent," he says.

WEEKLY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT
TO THE NATION

February 14, 2009

This week, I spent some time with Americans across the country who are hurting because of our economic crisis. People closing the businesses they scrimped and saved to start. Families losing the homes that were their stake in the American Dream. Folks who have given up trying to get ahead, and given in to the stark reality of just trying to get by.

They’ve been looking to those they sent to Washington for some hope at a time when they need it most.

This morning, I’m pleased to say that after a lively debate full of healthy difference of opinion, we have delivered real and tangible progress for the American people.

Congress has passed my economic recovery plan – an ambitious plan at a time we badly need it. It will save or create more than 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, ignite spending by business and consumers alike, and lay a new foundation for our lasting economic growth and prosperity.

This is a major milestone on our road to recovery, and I want to thank the Members of Congress who came together in common purpose to make it happen. Because they did, I will sign this legislation into law shortly, and we’ll begin making the immediate investments necessary to put people back to work doing the work America needs done.

The work of modernizing our health care system, saving billions of dollars and countless lives; and upgrading classrooms, libraries, and labs in our children’s schools across America.

The work of building wind turbines and solar panels and the smart grid necessary to transport the clean energy they create; and laying broadband internet lines to connect rural homes, schools, and businesses to the information superhighway.

The work of repairing our crumbling roads and bridges, and our dangerously deficient dams and levees.

And we’ll help folks who’ve lost their jobs through no fault of their own by providing the unemployment benefits they need and protecting the health care they count on.

Now, some fear we won’t be able to effectively implement a plan of this size and scope, and I understand their skepticism. Washington hasn’t set a very good example in recent years. And with so much on the line, it’s time to begin doing things differently.

That’s why our goal must be to spend these precious dollars with unprecedented accountability, responsibility, and transparency. I’ve tasked my cabinet and staff to set up the kind of management, oversight, and disclosure that will help ensure that, and I will challenge state and local governments to do the same.

Once the plan is put into action, a new website – Recovery DOT gov – will allow any American to watch where the money goes and weigh in with comments and questions – and I encourage every American to do so. Ultimately, this is your money, and you deserve to know where it’s going and how it’s spent.

This historic step won’t be the end of what we do to turn our economy around, but the beginning. The problems that led us into this crisis are deep and widespread. Our response must be equal to the task.

For our plan to succeed, we must stabilize, repair, and reform our banking system, and get credit flowing again to families and businesses.

We must write and enforce new rules of the road, to stop unscrupulous speculators from undermining our economy ever again.

We must stem the spread of foreclosures and do everything we can to help responsible homeowners stay in their homes.

And in the weeks ahead, I will submit a proposal for the federal budget that will begin to restore the discipline these challenging times demand. Our debt has doubled over the past eight years, and we’ve inherited a trillion-dollar deficit – which we must add to in the short term in order to jumpstart our sick economy. But our long-term economic growth demands that we tame our burgeoning federal deficit; that we invest in the things we need, and dispense with the things we don’t. This is a challenging agenda, but one we can and will achieve.

This morning, I’m reminded of words President Kennedy spoke in another time of uncertainty. "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."

America, we will prove equal to this task. It will take time, and it will take effort, but working together, we will turn this crisis into opportunity and emerge from our painful present into a brighter future. After a week spent with the fundamentally decent men and women of this nation, I have never been more certain of that. Thank you.

C L Offers Lifestyle Choices That Help Avoid Snacking

HOW TO AVOID SNACKING

"I once read that some people consume as many as 1500 calories per day just from snacks. It's hard to put a number on it, personally, but I must have been taking in at least 2000 - 3000 calories of snack food per week....probably more".



C L Turns His Back To The Temptations Waiting Inside His Local Convenience Store
He say's "ALWAYS PAY AT THE PUMP!"


Here is how I combat my 'snacking' temptations on this program:

1) No Snacks Stored In My House: This can be tricky with kids or a snack-loving spouse, but the temptation is hard to fight when staring in a pantry full of Oreos and Doritos.

2) Timeout From TV Time: If you are convinced that snacking and TV go together, quit watching TV. Actually, that use to be a problem for me, but now I'm content watching the tube with just a cranberry flavored diet ginger ale. I broke the habit and you can too! (see #4 and #5)

3) Drink Up: If you have snack cravings between meals, you might have deprived yourself at your last meal...maybe you ate your last meal so fast that you did not give your brain enough time to send out the full signal to your tummy...whatever the case might be, try drinking coffee or hot tea. Seems like sipping hot beverages eliminates any cravings you might encounter. Also, make sure you are hydrated throughout the day. Sometimes hunger can be mistaken for thirst.

4) Brush: Try brushing your teeth before those times you are most vulnerable. If you like to snack while watching TV, brush beforehand.

5) Avoid Convenient Stores: Yes, we purchase fuel for our cars at convenient stores, but keep in mind that if you pay at the pump, you will not be tempted by all of the 'point-of-purchase' snacks that surround the counter inside the store.

6) Eat 3 Meals Each Day: It's important to eat all 3 meals each day. Sometimes if you skip a meal during the course of a day, you could experience intense snack cravings later in the evening. Remember the key to success on this program is to not deprive yourself during a meal (or from a meal).

7) My Favorite: When you find yourself craving a snack, start thinking about what you are going to have at your next meal. For me, I think to myself "No, I don't want that because I'm going to be sinking my teeth into a big ribeye steak and baked potato in less than 2 hours"...and immediately focus on the upcoming meal and how great it's going to be. Works every time for me!

A COLD DAYS NIGHT, Rooftop Performance By The WannaBeatles

Video By Chip Curley




The WannaBeatles
Nashville Tennessee, January 30, 2009

The Lads:

DENNIS SCOTT guitar, synth, vocals
BRYAN CUMMING saxophone, guitar, flute, vocals
JIM HAYDEN keyboards, vocals, bass
DAVID TOLEDO drums,percussionist,vocalist

Book Review, J. B. Gaither, His Place In Time

By Betsy Thorpe

The South is known as the Bible Belt of America and the state of Tennessee is often referred to as the belt's buckle. The faithful nature of one man whose life long service and devotion to God contributed to the strength of Tennessee's Christian foundation is revealed in J. B. Gaither His Place In Time.

Utilizing family photo's, journal entries, church bulletins, study notes and sermon excerpts, this book follows the life and career of old time gospel preacher, radio evangelist, and man of enduring faith, James Burgess Gaither. He entered the ministry in 1928 and throughout his fifty year career in the pulpit he led his various congregations through the Great Depression, a global war and the tumultuous events that occurred during the 1960's, by providing guidance inspired by God's unchanging Word.

J B Gaither His Place In Time is not only the story of one man, it is also the story of his church and a testimony of how the good seeds he planted throughout his faithful life continue to grow and flourish in the lives of his children and grandchildren.

Sandra Gaither Ptichford of Mountain Home Arkansas wrote this loving tribute to her family's Godly heritage, to honor, remember and share the Gaither legacy of service first established by her father James Burgess Gaither, more than eighty years ago.

Nashville Woman Recalls Her Role In School Integration

In honor of Black History Month I am reposting this article. I am especially proud to tell Delia Clark's story . She is my granddaughter Adriana's other Grandma.


1960's High School Students Enter School In Clinton Tennessee


By Betsy Thorpe


"It was an uplifting experience. Very emotional and spiritual for me. I pray that President Obama is a God sent and he will make a difference and a change this world has longed for."
Delia Clark on the inauguration of Barack Obama
January 21, 2009






The city of Chickamauga is located in northern Georgia near the banks of Chickamauga Creek, on land that was once settled and farmed by the Cherokee Nation. During the War of 1812, more than five hundred Cherokee soldiers from the area fought against the British with General Andrew Jackson. In 1830 President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act leading to the Cherokees forced removal from their home and to the infamous 1838 exodus known as the Trail of Tears. In 1847 the Gordon Lee Plantation was established on land once owned by the Cherokee Nation and soon a small town developed near the plantation. In September of 1863 more than 150,000 soldiers from the Federal and Confederate armies met at The Battle of Chickamauga. The Gordon Lee Plantation house was used as a Federal hospital and following the Confederate victory many Federal doctors remained at the hospital to care for their armies wounded soldiers. In 1890 the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, was established on the battlefield's ground and in 1891 the city of Chickamauga was incorporated. The cities founders named the towns north and south avenues after the Northern and Southern Generals who led the two armies in battle.

In 1916 the town's high school first opened its doors. The school, Gordon Lee Memorial High School was funded through a grant left to the city by plantation owner, Gordon Lee and was erected on land that was once part of the plantation's holdings. For fifty years the school provided education to the communities white students. For most of those fifty years segregation was not only the custom in Georgia it was also the law. In 1966 a group of black students marched to the doors of Gordon Lee Memorial High School, requesting admittance. One participant, Delia Clark, who now lives in Nashville recently recalled the incident, "It was peaceful, we did not get into the school, we were sent home but we caused the city system to expand their city limits to include a portion of the black community and they opened the doors for the next school term and admitted blacks".

More than ninety years after Gordon Lee Memorial High School first opened it's doors, students of various race and ethnic backgrounds enter the school everyday without incident. Few if any of the school's current pupils give thought or notice to the group of brave black students who in 1966, marched up to the school's door with a peaceful purpose in their heart and quietly changed the future of education in Chickamauga Georgia. Today Ms. Clark is admitted freely through any door she encounters as she follows a path of her own choosing in her personal pursuit of happiness.

MAYOR ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY

The Mayor's Green Ribbon Committee


By Betsy Thorpe

Mayor Karl Dean announced today the completion of the first comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory in Nashville. The three month study conducted by Gresham Smith and Partners and the Metro Health Department was commissioned by Nashville Electric Service and the Mayor’s Green Ribbon Committee in November to measure greenhouse gas emissions produced by residential, commercial, industrial and municipal activities througout Davidson County.

Results from the study reveal that Nashville produces 23.9 tons of carbon dioxide or equivalent gases per capita, about the same as the national average, but lower than Tennessee's average of 24.9. The operations of Metro Government, including Metro Nashville Public Schools, accounted for only 5 percent of Davidson County's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Mayor Dean who recently signed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection agreement, said, "This inventory was critical for providing us a baseline from which we can move forward and begin to implement changes in Metro and across the city to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions".

The mayor will hear recommendations regarding the improvement of air quality and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in a meeting with the Green Ribbon Committee next month. Following the completion of the greenhouse gas inventory study Jenna Smith, the Mayor's liaison to the Green Ribbon Committee stated “Metro Government will be making strong efforts to lead by example and reduce its own emissions. At the same time, this data underscores the importance of overall community support as we work together toward a greener Nashville. The actions of every business and every resident have a meaningful impact on our emission levels.”

Bellevue Man Weighs In At YMCA

By Betsy Thorpe

On Monday February 9, C L weighed in at the Bellevue YMCA at 317 pounds, marking a total two week loss of 7 pounds. After recording his weight loss C L said, "next week my loss will slow down, probably to about a pound a week, but that is okay".

He also admitted there is one challenge he not up to yet, "I can't imagine going to the movies and not eating popcorn".

Davidson County Republican Party Board Election

By Betsy Thorpe


Tim Lee, Brian Lapps, Tom Lawless, current Davidson County Republican Party Chair, and Kathleen Starnes

On Saturday February 9, three candidates for the Davidson County Republican Party Executive Board Chair met with several members of the Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club. The candidates, Tim Lee, Brian Lapps, and Kathleen Starnes each shared their vision for the future of the DCRP.

The election for the party's executive board will be held at Hillsboro High School on Saturday, March 7th. To participate in this election registered voters must submit their name at a caucus that will take place at Hillsboro High School at 9:am on February 21st.

The Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club meets at Shoney's Restaurant on Highway 70S at 8 am on the first Saturday of each month. The monthly meeting is open to the public and interested parties are encouraged to attend.

Lincoln, Obama and Her

I first posted this article on Dr. Palace Pillow- MCcuthen on January 20th, 2009. I am reposting it today in honor of Black History Month.




By Betsy Thorpe


Dr. Palace Pillow- McCuthen Age 13




Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 19, 1863

From the onset of his campaign in 2007 Barack Obama channeled the memory of Abraham Lincoln, by announcing his candidacy on the steps of the old State Courthouse in Springfield Illinois where Lincoln gave his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858. Throughout the campaign, Obama often called on the memory of Lincoln to combat criticism that as a first term senator he lacked the national political experience necessary to be president. Following his election the President-elect put three former Democratic presidential primary opponents in his Cabinet, modeling his administration after Lincoln's "team of rivals". At a dinner party last week he symbolically took a drink out of a "Lincoln glass" now owned by columnist George Wills. On Saturday the Obama family arrived in the Capitol by rail following the Lincoln family's 1861 journey from Springfield Illinois to Washington. On Sunday Obama hosted a concert at the Lincoln Monument. This morning when President Obama took the oath of office his left hand was placed on President Lincoln's inaugural Bible. At the traditional Inaugural Luncheon held at Congress's Statuary Hall, oysters, duck, pheasant, winter vegetables and apple cake was served on replicas of china picked out by Mary Todd Lincoln. The meal was prepared using President Lincoln's favorite foods. The Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies chose "A New Birth Of Freedom" from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address as the theme for the historic inauguration.

Dr. Palace Pillow-McCuthen, an early supporter of Barack Obama's bid for the presidency is a Tennessee native and a TSU alumni who relocated to Nashville after living in Chicago for many years. In Chicago she was on staff at Lincoln Elementary School and also worked to recruit children from the Cabrini Green housing project for the Head Start Program and she sat on the board of several Chicago based community service groups and organizations. She is particularly pleased by the Inaugural Committee choosing "A New Birth Of Freedom" as the theme for President Obama's inauguration. A commemorative glass plate inscribed with the Gettysburg Address hangs on the wall in her kitchen.

In 1954 Palace Pillow graduated eighth grade at Perry Hill Elementary in Columbia Tennessee, a segregated country school where one teacher, Miss Hatchet taught all subjects and grades. As the graduating class Salutatorian she was assigned to recite the Gettysburg Address during the commencement ceremony. The young student committed the address to memory and heart and throughout her life she has relied on it's hopeful message "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."

Shortly before today's historic events began in Washington, Palace Pillow McCuthen said, "In Dr. King's last speech he said I've been to the mountain top, I've looked over, I've seen the Promised Land, I may not get there with you, but we as a people will get there.......... I feel like he knew he wouldn't see this but he knew this day would come. Well now it's here".

On January 20th, Dr. Palace Pillow-McCuthen a woman who holds a Doctorate in psycho -therapy, issued by the University of Illinois, a woman who as a child was forced by law to receive her early education in a tiny segregated school house, stood in our nations capitol with more than two million of her peers and fellow citizens and witnessed the swearing-in of Barack Obama as the forty fourth President of a nation that was "conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

WEEKLY ADDRESS, By PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, February 7, 2009

"Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us. Let's show them that we are."




REMARKS OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
WEEKLY ADDRESS
The White House
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Yesterday began with some devastating news with regard to our economic crisis. But I'm pleased to say it ended on a more positive note.

In the morning, we received yet another round of alarming employment figures – the worst in more than 30 years. Another 600,000 jobs were lost in January. We've now lost more than 3.6 million jobs since this recession began.

But by the evening, Democrats and Republicans came together in the Senate and responded appropriately to the urgency this moment demands.

In the midst of our greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people were hoping that Congress would begin to confront the great challenges we face. That was, after all, what last November's election was all about.

Legislation of such magnitude deserves the scrutiny that it's received over the last month, and it will receive more in the days to come. But we can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary. The scale and scope of this plan is right. And the time for action is now.

Because if we don't move swiftly to put this plan in motion, our economic crisis could become a national catastrophe. Millions of Americans will lose their jobs, their homes, and their health care. Millions more will have to put their dreams on hold.

Let's be clear: We can't expect relief from the tired old theories that, in eight short years, doubled the national debt, threw our economy into a tailspin, and led us into this mess in the first place. We can't rely on a losing formula that offers only tax cuts as the answer to all our problems while ignoring our fundamental economic challenges – the crushing cost of health care or the inadequate state of so many schools; our addiction to foreign oil or our crumbling roads, bridges, and levees.

The American people know that our challenges are great. They don't expect Democratic solutions or Republican solutions – they expect American solutions.

From the beginning, this recovery plan has had at its core a simple idea: Let's put Americans to work doing the work America needs done. It will save or create more than 3 million jobs over the next two years, all across the country – 16,000 in Maine, nearly 80,000 in Indiana – almost all of them in the private sector, and all of them jobs that help us recover today, and prosper tomorrow.

Jobs that upgrade classrooms and laboratories in 10,000 schools nationwide – at least 485 in Florida alone – and train an army of teachers in math and science.

Jobs that modernize our health care system, not only saving us billions of dollars, but countless lives.

Jobs that construct a smart electric grid, connect every corner of the country to the information superhighway, double our capacity to generate renewable energy, and grow the economy of tomorrow.

Jobs that rebuild our crumbling roads, bridges and levees and dams, so that the tragedies of New Orleans and Minneapolis never happen again.

It includes immediate tax relief for our struggling middle class in places like Ohio, where 4.5 million workers will receive a tax cut of up to $1,000. It protects health insurance and provides unemployment insurance for those who've lost their jobs. And it helps our states and communities avoid painful tax hikes or layoffs for our teachers, nurses, and first responders.

That's what is at stake with this plan: putting Americans back to work, creating transformative economic change, and making a down payment on the American Dream that serves our children and our children's children for generations to come.

Americans across this country are struggling, and they are watching to see if we're equal to the task before us. Let's show them that we are. And let's do whatever it takes to keep the promise of America alive in our time.

Thank you.

LEGISLATION FOR CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM FILED TODAY

By Betsy Thorpe


Omohundro Water Treatment Plant is one oldest water pump stations in the United States. Construction of the historic water plant was completed in 1889. The Omohundro Water Treatment Plant has provided continuous service to the city of Nashville since that time.



“I fully recognize this is not an ideal time to be asking our citizens to pay more for anything. If I felt this was something we could put off, or not do altogether, we would not be proposing this program. Demand on our aging water and sewer systems has gone up 30 percent over the last decade while rates have remained constant. We must invest in our infrastructure to protect our environment, and ensure safe, clean drinking water for our citizens now and in the future.”
Mayor Karl Dean Febuary 6, 2009


Mayor Karl Dean discussed the proposed Clean Water Infrastructure Program today at Nashville's historic Omohundro Water Treatment Plant. The proposed ordinance calls for an increase in Nashville's water and sewer rates over a three-year period. It also creates a stormwater management program. The rate adjustments will fund a five-year capital improvement plan, which will upgrade Nashville’s aging water infrastructure to meet growing demands on the system and stricter federal regulations.

The City Council will meet on Feburary 17th to consider the Clean Water Infrastructure Program ordinance. If the Council approves the program, Metro water and sewer rates will increase on May 1st 2009. The stormwater management fees will be added later on July 1st.

More information on the proposed Clean Water Infrastructure Program is available at www.nashville.gov/water/cwip

Energy Assistance For Davidson County Residents Now Available Online

By Betsy Thorpe

Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
Metro Action Commission's promise to the community


As a result of our nation's current economic crisis Nashville's Metro Action Commission has served more than 6,000 Davidson County residents in the first six months of the commission's fiscal year that started last June. During the same time period in the previous year less than half that number of residents received assistance from MAC.

Last month Metro Action's Executive Director, Cynthia Croom, stated "With nearly 200 people coming to us each day for help mostly with utilities, rent and mortgages, we need to make some temporary changes to the way we handle all requests so that families will not have to wait extreme amounts of time for assistance."

Requests for energy assistance can now be assessed by caseworkers online. Applications for energy assistance are available on the Metro Action Commission web site.

The Metro Action Commission was created in 1964, for the purpose of securing and expending federal grant money in accordance with regulations established to eradicate poverty within the community.

Words From Bellevue Man On Day 11 Of Plan Of Action To Lose Weight And Improve Health

DAY 11:
This eating plan seems a little easier to follow as each day goes by - maybe because of the accountability factor with being monitored by both The Westview newspaper & Betsy Thorpe's Nashville Past & Present blog. It really wasn't too difficult the first time around.

Many people have voiced their disbelief that this program can actually work. The truth is, it works for me. I can't say that it will work for you since we are all different. Personally, I can succeed on this program because 'eliminating snacks' from my daily can be done without too much emotional disruption. My trick with snacking is "Don't keep snacks in the house". In the past, I have bought nuts, chips, etc. with the intention of eating one serving per day. Never quite works out that way...

So, what do I keep at home? Not much. I eat most of my meals outside the home (which is not a good habit, but works right now). Sometimes hunger can be mistaken for thirst, so I do keep plenty of diet drinks, unsweet tea and coffee on hand.

How am I holding up emotionally? Excellent! On past conventional diets, I would feel deprived. Every Pizza Hut and McDonald's commercial on TV would make my mouth salivate and my stomach growl. That doesn't happen on my program. My thoughts were always zeroed in on what I 'could not' have...well, you would think on this program, my thoughts would be centered on what I 'can' have, right? Well, maybe at first, but a few days into this, one should discover that there is a lot less emphasis on food & beverage.

That's a nice feeling!
DAY 10 Menu:

Breakfast: Gardenburger on whole wheat muffin w/ cheddar cheese and mayo.

Lunch: 3-piece fried chicken dinner w/ side of red beans & rice and 1 biscuit (Popeye')_

Dinner: Grilled chicken salad w/ raisins, nuts and raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

"Soft As Cotton" A Novel By Nashville Author, J. Carter-Ball

By Betsy Thorpe

A tapestry of hope, “Soft As Cotton" portrays the timeless nature of faith by weaving the tragedies and triumphs of three women into a seamless fabric created by the cultivation of a hope first planted in the heart of a young slave. Throughout her life Sarah Johnson nurtured a fertile seed of faith embedded deep in her soul, believing the future would reap bountiful freedoms for the daughters of slavery.

Decades pass and the reader finds Celia Bentley leading a fruitful and abundant life harvested from Sarah's hope. Further in the future Raini Hamilton-Carrington reaps faith's benefits through successes woven into her life by the unknown women who tended hope before her.

Both women eventually face adversity. Celia's hope for her family's future is threatened when she learns a frightning truth about her daughter. Raini's faith in her past is shattered through the revelation of a long kept family secret. The discovery of Sarah's story hidden in a trunk stored in Celia's attic gives new birth to the seed of faith first cultivated in Sarah's heart and completes the tapestry woven with it's yield.


Nashville Administrative Law Judge, J.Carter-Ball found inspiration for her first novel, "Soft As Cotton" when she was a student of law at The University of Mississippi. Her early morning commute from Memphis Tennessee to Oxford Mississippi took her past stately antebellum homes surrounded by fertile cotton fields. As she tried to imagine the daily lives of the slaves that once populated the area, the story of Sarah Johnson was born.

Soft As Cotton By J Carter-Ball is available at PublishedByWestview.com

February 3, 1959

By Betsy Thorpe




In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, the ill-fated Winter Dance Party set out for Moorhead Minnesota . Most members of the Winter Dance Party re boarded the tour bus that had brought them to Clear Lake Iowa from Green Bay Wisconsin, however, the "Big Bopper" and Ritchie Valens chose to join Buddy Holly on the Beechcraft B35 Bonanza aircraft leased by Holly. The plane crashed less than five miles from Clear Lake. Buddy Holly, J.P "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens were all killed on impact along with the aircraft's young pilot, Roger Peterson.










Following the tragic deaths of rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson and Ritchie Valens, teen idols Bobby Vee, Frankie Avalon, Jimmy Clanton and Fabian joined the Winter Dance Party. The tour continued forward and no shows were canceled, however the heart and soul of rock and roll was forever altered.

"The Wind Is At My Back", Congressman Zach Wamp

By Betsy Thorpe




Congressman Zach Wamp addresses group in Bellevue on February 2


"The Republican Party lost its way in recent years. The November elections brought us to the bottom where we now have nowhere to go but up".

"We must take a long range view of what we want the state to be in 2020."

Congressman Zach Wamp
February 2, 2009
Bellevue

On January 5, 2009 ,Rep. Zach Wamp, of Chattanooga announced that he will be running for Governor of Tennessee in the Republican primaries in 2010. Following his announcement Congressman Wamp stated, " I believe the time is at hand for me to expand my service to help even more people in our great state by pursuing the office of governor".

Rep. Zach Wamp is a Chattanooga native. He assumed office in 1995 and now serves with seniority as a member of the influential House Appropriations Committee. Using conservative principles, he has established himself as a leader on national issues like alternative energy, preventive health care and global security.

In spite of criticism by some that he should be in Washington addressing the current economic crisis, Congressman Wamp is traveling across the state of Tennessee campaigning for Governor. On February 2nd he made a scheduled stop at Shoney's in Bellevue for an event hosted in part by the Republican Bellevue Breakfast Club, where he said, "I've got some magic in this campaign that money can't buy. It's relationships, values, your record, your heart, and there's some magic there. Get excited about it because it's happening. People identify and connect with me because I'm one of them. I've got the middle-class in my heart."In reference to his campaign Wamp said "the wind is at my back".

More than forty members of the local community attended Monday nights meeting. Following the event, Breakfast Club Coordinator Betty Hood said " I think Zach Wamp is by far our best candidate for governor", and Martha Brown, praised the congressman saying " he has lots of energy and long term vision".

On Saturday, February 7, the Breakfast Club will host its monthly meeting at 8 AM at Shoney's on Highway 70 South. Candidates for the Davidson County Republican Executive Board will speak to the group. The public is invited to attend.

Bellevue Man Loses Five Pounds In Week One Of His Plan Of Action To Improve Health

Today, after weighing in at 319 lbs ( a five pound loss for week one), C L headed to Shoney's for lunch where he was served a Turkey Club Sandwich.