Weekly Address By President Barack Obama April 25, 2010

Weekly Address: Good News from the Auto Industry

As the auto industry and financial markets begin to stabilize, the President says the government’s emergency interventions are now winding down. He pledges that real reform, particularly on Wall Street, must now begin.

West Nashville Students Honored For Academic Excellence

Nashville Judge Bill Higgins With West Nashville Y.E.S. Straight A Students, At Honors Dinner


On April 15th, more than forty students from West Nashville's "Nations" neighborhood were recognized for Academic, Excellence, Achievement, Improvement, and Diligence at an Honors Dinner hosted by the staff of West Nashville's Youth Encouragement Service (YES). The honored students, all participate in the daily after school tutoring program offered by Y.E.S.

Nashville Judge and West Nashville native, Bill Higgins who serves on the Board of Youth Encouragement Services attended the dinner. Serving a community where almost half the adults have not obtained a high school diploma, and where the current drop out rate at the local high school is twice the county average, Higgins said that he "was proud to be small part of this wonderful organization that helps lift up West Nashville's children." Active in the local community Judge Higgins is committed to serving West Nashville and was instrumental in establishing the YES center four years ago.

West Nashville's Y.E.S. center directors Dave and Suzie Estes work daily with their students and provide innovative methods to inspire and encourage the children in their program. In February the center hosted fifteen Fulbright scholars from fourteen different countries. Representing multiple fields of study including engineering, archaeology, architecture, and political science , the visiting scholars met the center's high school students and discussed the importance of setting and fulfilling educational goals.

To learn more about Youth Encouragement Services visit www.youthencouragement.org. The center is located at Saint Lukes Community House at 1605 56th Avenue North.

Roots Music At It's Finest, Cherryholmes With The Nashville Symphony

On April 18th the Grammy award winning Nashville Symphony joined neo-traditional Bluegrass family ensemble, Cherryholmes, inside the Laura Turner Concert Hall closing three nights of informal and lively Roots themed music, part of the Bank Of America Pops Series.

Under the energetic direction of resident Conductor George Schram, the orchestra opened with a selection of European folk influenced music that included an outstanding presentation of Georges Enesco's Romanian Rhapsody. Reminiscent of traditional Gypsy music the piece led the audience on a syncopated journey through Romania's colorful cultural landscape. Segueing into American folk based music, Shrachm surprised and impressed the audience by delivering a vocal a duet with eleven year old Jake Moor. The contrasting tones of Schram's mature raspy voice coupled with Moor's warm and bright timbre gave emotion and depth to their rendition of David Frost's, "I Love This Land." When closing the evening's first half, Shchram offered a playful apology to Vanderbilt's fans and alumni before exuberantly leading the orchestra in a rousing performance of "Rocky Top."

Molly Cherryholmes arrival in front of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra announced the beginning of a remarkable and versatile performance by Cherryholmes, a four time Grammy nominated band. Joined by her sister Cia, brothers Skip and B.J. and her parents Sandy and Jere Cherryholmes, Molly took the stage first, giving the audience a preview of her fierce and driving instrumental style and beautiful voice.

First noted for their authentic Bluegrass sound, Cherryholmes is now also known as a group of innovative and able songwriters. With a talent for composing diverse songs that combine the complicated components of Jazz and Celtic music with traditional Appalachian musical elements, the Cherryholmes Band continues to creatively evolve and mature.

Delivering one the evening's most memorable performances, Cia Cherryholmes sang "Weaver of Lies, " an original song featured on the band's upcoming CD, "Common Threads." Accompanied by her sister Molly on fiddle and symphony cellist Julia Tanner, "Weaver Of Lies," exemplifies Cia's outstanding lyrical sophistication and her musical virtuosity.

Following their opening night performance with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Sandy Cherryholmes stated that performing with Nashville's prestigious Symphony was a tremendous honor. Noting that the orchestra adds a new and exciting dimension to their music, she also went on to say that "The blending of classical and acoustic, shows that downhome music can also have an artistic, beautiful side."

On May 6th, 7th and 8th, contemporary 80's recording artist, Christopher Cross will join the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in the next Bank Of America Pop Series program.
On June 2nd the Cherryholmes Band will release their new CD "Common Threads" at the Loveless Cafe Barn, where they will perform on "Music City Roots" a weekly radio show. The live show will also feature a performance by Bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs.

A-Me-Oh-Mio, Hank Williams Awarded Special Citation By Pulitzer Prize Board

Today the Pulitzer Prize Board awarded Nashville's Hank Williams a special citation for "transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life." The citation praises Williams for his "craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity" and recognizes his lasting impact and influence on a "wide range of musicians and performers."

In 2008 the board awarded a similar citation to singer songwriter Bob Dylan.

“Quilts of Tennessee: what they Can Tell Us About Our Ancestors.’’ Workshop, At Tennessee State Library And Archives, April 17

The Tennessee State Library and Archives will host a free workshop at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 17, titled, “Quilts of Tennessee: what they Can Tell Us About Our Ancestors.’’

The session is in the State Library and Archives building, at 403 Seventh Avenue North. Lori D. Lockhart, M.A. Ed., a fourth generation Tennessee quilter and archivist at TSLA, will conduct the workshop.

Please visit Gordon Belt's Posterity Project to read more about this event.

Juvenile Court Clerk Candidate Eric Crafton, Guest Speaker At April Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club Meeting

Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club, April 3, 2010


On Saturday April 3rd the Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club held their monthly meeting. Led by speaker Eric Crafton ( who is currently running for the office of Juvenile Court Clerk) the meeting was well attended and the club's visitors included a number of candidates hoping to gain support in the upcoming Metro and State elections.

Crafton , who stated that he feels the degrees in math and economics he earned at Vanderbilt, coupled with his public service as a metro councilman makes him the most qualified candidate for Juvenile Court Clerk , is a long time member of the Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club. Following the meeting he praised club coordinator Betty Hood, for her ability to find interesting guest speakers and to lead lively discussions.

The Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club meets on the first Saturday of every month in the private dining room at the Shoney's located on Highway 70 South. The meeting is open to the public and anyone interested in learning more about the candidates in the upcoming election cycle is encouraged to attend. The dining room opens at 7:15 AM and the meeting starts at 8 :00 AM.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, April 3, 2010

In this week of Easter, Passover, and faithful celebration, the President offers a holiday greeting and calls on people of all faiths and nonbelievers to remember our shared spirit of humanity.

In this week of faithful celebration, President Barack Obama used his address to offer his holiday greeting and to call on people of all faiths and nonbelievers to remember our shared spirit of humanity. All people know the value of work, health, education, and community.

This week is a time to be mindful of this common bond which is at the heart of all the world’s great religions.

Remarks of President Barack ObamaWeekly AddressThe White HouseApril 3, 2009

This is a week of faithful celebration. On Monday and Tuesday nights, Jewish families and friends in the United States and around the world gathered for a Seder to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt and the triumph of hope and perseverance over injustice and oppression. On Sunday, my family will join other Christians all over the world in marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And while we worship in different ways, we also remember the shared spirit of humanity that inhabits us all – Jews and Christians, Muslims and Hindus, believers and nonbelievers alike. Amid the storm of public debate, with our 24/7 media cycle, in a town like Washington that’s consumed with the day-to-day, it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of the eternal. So, on this Easter weekend, let us hold fast to those aspirations we hold in common as brothers and sisters, as members of the same family – the family of man. All of us know how important work is – not just for the paycheck, but for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can provide for your family. As Americans, and as human beings, we seek not only the security, but the sense of dignity, the sense of community, that work confers. That is why it was heartening news that last month, for the first time in more than two years, our economy created a substantial number of jobs, instead of losing them. We have begun to reverse the devastating slide, but we have a long way to go to repair the damage from this recession, and that will continue to be my focus every single day. All of us value our health and the health of our loved ones. All of us have experienced an illness, a loss, a personal tragedy. All of us know that no matter what we’re doing or what else is going on in our lives, if the health of someone we love is endangered, nothing else matters. Our health is the rock upon which our lives are built, for better and for worse. All of us value education. We know that in an economy as competitive as ours, an education is a prerequisite for success. But we also know that ultimately, education is about something more, something greater. It is about the ability that lies within each of us to rise above any barrier, no matter how high; to pursue any dream, no matter how big; to fulfill our God-given potential. All of us are striving to make a way in this world; to build a purposeful and fulfilling life in the fleeting time we have here. A dignified life. A healthy life. A life, true to its potential. And a life that serves others. These are aspirations that stretch back through the ages – aspirations at the heart of Judaism, at the heart of Christianity, at the heart of all of the world’s great religions. The rites of Passover, and the traditions of Easter, have been marked by people in every corner of the planet for thousands of years. They have been marked in times of peace, in times of upheaval, in times of war. One such war-time service was held on the black sands of Iwo Jima more than sixty years ago. There, in the wake of some of the fiercest fighting of World War II, a chaplain rose to deliver an Easter sermon, consecrating the memory, he said “of American dead – Catholic, Protestant, Jew. Together,” he said, “they huddled in foxholes or crouched in the bloody sands…Together they practiced virtue, patriotism, love of country, love of you and of me.” The chaplain continued, “The heritage they have left us, the vision of a new world, [was] made possible by the common bond that united them…their only hope that this unity will endure.” Their only hope that this unity will endure. On this weekend, as Easter begins and Passover comes to a close, let us remain ever mindful of the unity of purpose, the common bond, the love of you and of me, for which they sacrificed all they had; and for which so many others have sacrificed so much. And let us make its pursuit – and fulfillment – our highest aspiration, as individuals and as a nation. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all those celebrating, here in America, and around the world.

Springfield Oregon, My Hometown

Two weeks ago I returned from a visit to my hometown, Springfield Oregon. A small city situated on the banks of the Willamette River, Springfield recently celebrated it's 150th "birthday", and throughout my short visit I took time to explore and examine some of the region's history.

I arrived in Oregon with a mission. Shortly before my trip I attended a lecture by Tennessee pre-history archaeologist Aaron Deter-Wolf, who stated that an archaeological find in Paisley Caves Oregon has led some experts to discount the long held view that Tennessee's first human inhabitants arrived from Asia. Many now believe that the first Tennesseans arrived from the Pacific Northwest. Also a few weeks before attending the lecture I learned of the 1,000 emigrants who, on the advice of their leader Elijah Elliot, took a "short cut," wandering off the well traveled Oregon Trail, and almost perished from starvation before being rescued by the residents of Lowell, a small community southeast of Springfield. Determined to learn as much as I could in a short period of time, I was pleased and surprised to find that one of my oldest friends was a descendant of a member of the "Lost Wagon Train."

After visiting several local museums and reading articles relating Springfield's interesting past, I left my hometown with a desire to know more about it's history and heritage, and in the future, Nashville Past And Present will include articles on Springfield, and Oregon history.

Where Are The Law Students And History Majors?

Photo below shows page one of the original hand written Charter of incorporation for Tennessee's first operating railroad, The Nashville Chattanooga Railroad ( later known as the Nashville Chattanooga & St Louis Railway). The charter was signed by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Campbell,and Speaker of the Senate, Watterson on December 11 1845, and is one of thousands of historic and original documents housed inside the Tennessee State Library and Archives.



Visiting the Tennessee State Library and Archives is my favorite past time. I am in awe of the number of original documents, photographs, maps, and manuscripts that are available for me to review and study. I also appreciate how familiar the librarians and archivists are with Tennessee's stored historic materials and how willing they are to help patrons like me locate and access rare and scholarly resources.

Nashville is home to two law schools and at least seven colleges and universities so I often wonder why I seldom encounter a law or college student during my frequent visits to the State Library and Archives. Shouldn't law students have a desire to understand the circumstances surrounding the establishment ( and in some cases the dis-establishment) of our state's laws? Don't college students have research papers to write? Are they unaware of the tremendous number of resources available to them at the State Library and Archives? Are they solely relying on secondary information quickly gleaned from the Internet? Do they know how intellectually satisfying it is to discover an un-cited historical fact? Why aren't their instructors and professors "encouraging" them to dig deeper into their subjects?

With so many documents and manuscripts available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives I encourage any Nashville student who has a research paper or project due this semester to utilize TSLA resources. I am confident that with a little digging most students will discover original documents relating to their assigned topic and that by reviewing those documents they will develop a fresh and unique view of their subject.

The Tennsee State Library and Archives is located in Nashville at 403 7th Avenue North.

Weekly Address By President Barack Oabama, March 27, 1010

The President looks back on a week that saw the passage of two major sets of reforms: one putting Americans in control of their own health care, and one ensuring student loans work for students and families, not as subsidies for bankers and middlemen.




In this week’s address, President Barack Obama praised the bold reforms to the higher education system passed by Congress this week. These reforms save the taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade by ending the subsidies given to banks and middlemen who handle student loans. The money saved will help expand and strengthen the federal Pell Grant program. The reforms will also cap college graduates’ annual student loan repayments at 10% of their income, revitalize community colleges, and increase support for Minority Serving Institutions.



Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
March 27, 2009

This was a momentous week for America. It was a week in which together, we took bold new steps toward restoring economic security for our middle class and rebuilding a stronger foundation for our future. It was a week in which some of the change that generations have hoped for and worked for finally became reality in America.

It began with the passage of comprehensive health insurance reform that will begin to end the worst practices of the insurance industry, rein in our exploding deficits, and, over time, finally offer millions of families and small businesses quality, affordable care – and the security and peace of mind that comes with it.

And it ended with Congress casting a final vote on another piece of legislation that accomplished what we’ve been talking about for decades – legislation that will reform our student loan system and help us educate all Americans to compete and win in the 21st century.

Year after year, we’ve seen billions of taxpayer dollars handed out as subsidies to the bankers and middlemen who handle federal student loans, when that money should have gone to advancing the dreams of our students and working families. And yet attempts to fix this problem and reform this program were thwarted by special interests that fought tooth and nail to preserve their exclusive giveaway.

But this time, we said, would be different. We said we’d stand up to the special interests, and stand up for the interests of students and families. That’s what happened this week. And I commend all the Senators and Representatives who did the right thing.

This reform of the federal student loan programs will save taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade. And with this legislation, we’re putting that money to use achieving a goal I set for America: by the end of this decade, we will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

To make college more affordable for millions of middle-class Americans for whom the cost of higher education has become an unbearable burden, we’re expanding federal Pell Grants for students: increasing them to keep pace with inflation in the coming years and putting the program on a stronger financial footing. In total, we’re doubling funding for the federal Pell Grant program to help the students who depend on it.

To make sure our students don’t go broke just because they chose to go to college, we’re making it easier for graduates to afford their student loan payments. Today, about 2 in 3 graduates take out loans to pay for college. The average student ends up with more than $23,000 in debt. So when this change takes effect in 2014, we’ll cap a graduate’s annual student loan repayments at 10 percent of his or her income.

To help an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates over the next decade, we’re revitalizing programming at our community colleges – the career pathways for millions of dislocated workers and working families across this country. These schools are centers of learning; where students young and old can get the skills and technical training they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. They’re centers of opportunity; where we can forge partnerships between students and businesses so that every community can gain the workforce it needs. And they are vital to our economic future.

And to ensure that all our students have every chance to live up to their full potential, this legislation also increases support for our Minority Serving Institutions, including our Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to keep them as strong as ever in this new century.

Education. Health care. Two of the most important pillars of a strong America grew stronger this week. These achievements don’t represent the end of our challenges; nor do they signify the end of the work that faces our country. But what they do represent is real and major reform. What they show is that we’re a nation still capable of doing big things. What they prove is what’s possible when we can come together to overcome the politics of the moment; push back on the special interests; and look beyond the next election to do what’s right for the next generation.

That’s the spirit in which we continue the work of tackling our greatest common tasks – an economy rebuilt; job creation revitalized; an American Dream renewed – for all our people.

Thank you.

EXIT 196

Songwriter, Author, Emerging Youtube Personality, and Nashville resident, David Olney

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.

Last week we were informed that a new album by songwriter David Olney, will soon be available. The title of his new album, "Dutchman's Curve," acknowledges a set of West Nashville railroad tracks where, more than ninety years ago, the deadliest train wreck in American passenger train history occurred. At Exit 196 we have spent countless hours sifting through the facts and folklore surrounding that 1918 head on collision and we were interested and pleased to hear that Mr. Olney chose to name his latest album after the tragedy's unfortunate site.“There are, maybe, 20 interesting people in the world,” says legendary Folk-performer songwriter, published author & rising YouTube star David Olney, and they all seem to exist somewhere within his music. On his new album, "Dutchman's Curve," David continues to cultivate his own multi-dimensional character studies with unparalleled perspective. That perspective finds David Olney writing songs and prose about characters who encounter interesting people and experience unusual events. Many of the songs on "Dutchman's Curve," including "Train Wreck" were inspired by history and reality.

On Wednesday , April 7, Kosher Taco will present a free show and preview of David Olney's new album "Dutchman's Curve. The show starts at 2:00 PM and will be held at Manuel's located at 1922 Broadway. The public is invited to attend. We plan to be there and we hope you will join us there also!

Exit 196

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.

Last Saturday spring made it's annual debut. With the new season officially here we asked some local farmers about this year's growing season and we are happy to report that seedlings for cool weather vegetables such as onions , potatoes, peas, broccoli and cabbage are almost ready for planting and that by early summer fresh produce will be available at Exit 196. Many of our local farmers utilize sustainable agricultural practices and we listened closely as they discussed how through the use of sustainable growing methods they are able to produce food that is healthy for people and animals without harming the environment.

At Exit 196 we are proud of our communities long agricultural heritage and of how working neighborhood farms like the Buffalo Valley Farm continue on in the traditions of our region's first settlers. We are also proud of how the area's farmers are working hard to protect the local environment and to produce food that is not only safe and healthy but also tasty and flavorful. We look forward to reaping the benefits of their labor throughout the upcoming growing season and will hope for a bountiful harvest.

EXIT 196

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.


This week Nashville students are celebrating spring break and some of us at Exit 196 are using our vacation time to travel and explore America with our children and or grandchildren. Last week after arriving in Denver from Nashville, one adventurous local family boarded a United Airlines flight, bound for Portland Oregon. By the end of the two hour flight the children (who had never flown before) were well acquainted with the friendly flight attendants who delivered an invitation from the aircraft's Captain to join him inside the cockpit after the plane had safely landed. Once inside the children learned that the cockpit is where the aircraft's
controls, instruments, electronic communication and navigation equipment is located. The Captain explained how before departure, pilots check their aircraft to make sure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly and that they talk to flight dispatchers to find out about weather conditions on their route and at their destination. Relating how take-offs and landings require close coordination between the pilot and co pilot, the Captain explained how the pilot concentrates on the runway while the copilot, scans the instrument panel.

Long after we return home to Exit 196 we will remember the vacation we took in March 2010 and the flight we took from Denver to Portland and we will always appreciate the kind services offered to little first time flyers by the experienced and kind United Airlines staff and crew.

EXIT 196

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.

Last week, at Exit 196 we heard that Mayor Karl Dean and The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park announced that Seattle based landscape architects would lead the design team for the Centennial Park Master Plan. Sylvia Rapoport, President, of The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park told us that "Mayor Dean charged the Centennial Park Master Plan Committee with one overarching purpose: to revitalize a park that is at once a prime player in Metro Nashville’s network of greenspaces while also serving as Nashville’s central park. This revitalization involves much more than a general sprucing up. The committee’s objective is a long range plan that acknowledges past and future simultaneously, respecting the tradition of Centennial Park as a showcase for Nashville’s culture, arts and history, while transforming the park into a model of sustainable ecological practice and horticultural excellence."

The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park was first established in 1982 as the Athena Fund. Its original purpose was to raise funds to recreate the statue of Athena, which once stood in the ancient Greek Parthenon. They later worked to gain further funding for the gilding of Athena. The Conservancy supports the Parthenon educational programs, symposia speaker series, ongoing exhibits, Greek theatre and other special projects. In 2006, The Conservancy began a cultural exchange with Greece to connect Nashville's Parthenon with the ancient Parthenon, the New Acropolis Museum, Benaki Museum and the city of Athens. The Conservancy mission has now expanded to include a commitment to enhancing, restoring and preserving Centennial Park and it's monuments. In 2008 the Conservancy succeeded in having Centennial Park placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

At Exit 196 we have confidence in the Conservancy's ability to oversee the maintenance of Centennial Park's historic integrity of and we look forward to learning more about the proposed plans to improve the sustainability of one Nashville's greenest and historic places.