“The General Assembly has worked hard to preserve Tennessee’s nationally recognized business climate,” Sen. Stewart said. “Companies understand balancing budgets, keeping taxes low and helping to train workers makes Tennessee the best location to invest and create new jobs. MPC’s investment in Warren County is proof that strategy works.”

MPC, which produces thermoplastic injection molded components for automobiles, heavy trucks and lawn mowers, has 11 support and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. Company officials considered Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina in their search, but ultimately chose Tennessee due to its central location near much of MPC’s customer base. The state is uniquely positioned within a day’s drive of 75 percent of North America’s major markets and 50 percent of the entire U.S. population.

“Once again we are seeing the ripple affect from anchor companies putting down roots in our state,” said Kisber. “Miniature Precision Components’ move to Morrison is another strong example of the kind of investment we’ll continue to see in Tennessee in the future.”

The facility is expected to open on August 1 as the first phase of a three-part growth plan. The location will act as a distribution center, allowing the company to secure an immediate footprint with its existing customers in the state. Later phases will include a manufacturing component for the business.

MPC was recently awarded several contracts as a supplier for Volkswagen in Chattanooga. Callahan cites that as a key driver for the decision to locate a new facility in the southern part of the U.S.

“As we grow as a company, we are seeing more and more of our customers move their facilities to the southern and southeastern parts of the country, said Doug Callahan, vice president of engineering for MPC. “Logistically speaking, it just makes sense for us to make the move to be in closer proximity of our targeted customers. At the end of the day, we picked Morrison because its location helps us best execute our strategy.”

About Miniature Precision Components, Inc.

MPC is a leading automotive original equipment manufacturer of molded and extruded thermoplastic components and assemblies for the major automotive OEM’s. MPC offers innovative solutions to product design and manufacturing challenges. Through engineering, design, and prototype support, programs are delivered on time, and at the lowest possible cost.

The company was founded in 1972 and is privately held. MPC had sales of $179 million in 2005. The Company has over 1,200 employees. Sales offices are located in Southfield, Michigan, Cary, NC and Walworth, Wisconsin. Manufacturing plants are located in Wisconsin and Mexico.

Sen. Eric Stewart (D-Belvidere) praised state and local officials for their quick and potentially life-saving response to a massive sinkhole that opened on Interstate 24 East near the Coffee County line on Tuesday.

“Pictures can’t show how enormous this sinkhole is. It truly is a miracle no one was hurt,” said Stewart, who saw the sinkhole for himself Wednesday. “I want to personally commend the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and Coffee County and City of Manchester officials for their swift response to a very dangerous situation.”

The sinkhole, which TDOT measured at 40 feet wide, 25 feet deep and 18 feet long, opened Tuesday morning in Grundy County near the Coffee County line as a tractor trailer drove near it. The driver was able to swerve and went off the road into a median, but no one was hurt.

TDOT maintenance worker David Shelton, who was traveling behind the truck, quickly stopped his vehicle and jumped out to stop oncoming traffic from falling into the hole. Shelton has been praised as a hero in media reports for his quick thinking and courageous actions.

THP Lt. Johnny McBee, who was also near the sinkhole when it opened, worked with Shelton to redirect traffic until more officials arrived on the scene.

“Our state employees don’t get recognized enough for going above and beyond the call of duty, but this week these two men definitely saved lives,” Stewart said.

Drivers have been taking Highway 41 before getting back on I-24 at the Pelham/Winchester exit to get around the sinkhole. Crews are working around the clock to have the interstate back open as soon as possible.

“I appreciate the continued patience of people traveling in this area,” Stewart said. “I know the crews are working as hard as they can to get this road back to normal.”

“Our teachers have worked with us throughout the legislative session on difficult decisions that helped us secure federal education dollars,” Stewart said. “To go back and cut their pay would be a betrayal of our teachers. Enough is enough.”

Senate Republicans want to move the $37.5 million Career Ladder program into one-time funds that would signal the beginning of the end of the program. Career Ladder funds reward teachers who went the extra mile to continue their certification and take on additional tasks like training less experienced teachers and teaching remedial classes.

The incentive pay is crucial to many Tennessee teachers, whose average salary ranks 39th in the country.

Senate Democrats and House Democrats and Republicans have all said they want to see the Career Ladder program continue in the state budget. Sen. Stewart called on Senate Republicans to join their colleagues in supporting teachers and improving education.

“Our teachers make sacrifices every day to educate our children, and they deserve all the support we can give them in the state legislature,” Stewart said. “We have asked a lot of teachers this year, and it’s time we showed them how much they mean to us.”

Although new participants in the Career Ladder program were halted in the mid-1990s, lawmakers have continued to keep the promise made by then-Republican Governor Lamar Alexander to reward those teachers who have gone the extra mile.

“To make these cuts and to break our promise is not only senseless, it’s just plain wrong,” Stewart said. “We keep our promises in Tennessee, and I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle realize that keeping our promises and taking care of our teachers is truly the ‘Tennessee Way.’”

“I applaud these local governments for making energy efficiency an integral part of improving and updating their infrastructure,” Stewart said. “These funds will help save taxpayer dollars and increase not only energy efficiency, but also government efficiency.”

The grants are as follows:

• Bledsoe County will receive $100,000 for lighting, HVAC and energy management system retrofits at multiple schools in the county.

• Dunlap will receive $100,000 for lighting and pump retrofits at six city buildings.

• Estill Springs will receive $100,000 for lighting, HVAC, window and door retrofits at four city buildings.

• Gruetli-Laager will receive $17,500 for development of a Community Energy Plan, lighting, HVAC and door retrofits at City Hall.

• Grundy County will receive $100,000 for lighting and HVAC retrofits at four county buildings.

• Manchester will receive $100,000 for lighting and HVAC retrofits at the recreation center.

• Pikeville will receive $100,000 for street light replacement and biofuels development.

• Sequatchie County will receive $100,000 for HVAC retrofits at schools, the courthouse and the library.

• Tracy City will receive $100,000 for lighting, HVAC, window, roof and insulation retrofits at five city buildings.

• Winchester will receive $69,277 for HVAC retrofits and appliance replacement at six city buildings.

The award winners were part of 100 Tennessee cities and counties that were awarded more than $9.2 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“These Recovery Act grants will improve energy efficiency in cities and counties throughout the state as local governments lead by example in their energy conservation efforts,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “I applaud these communities that are incorporating energy efficiency measures into their strategic plans and demonstrating the importance of reducing energy consumption.”

The program is expected to support more than 100 Tennessee jobs and produce more than 65 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy savings annually, resulting in a cost-savings in excess of $5.5 million per year for Tennessee communities.

Parent and student accountability

As a state Senator, you learn pretty quickly that there are a lot of groups of people you stay in touch with. I represent all kinds of people, with a wide range of opinions and viewpoints. But there’s one group I care about a lot, and that’s teachers.

By now you have heard that Tennessee was awarded $500 million in federal money for education reform and improvement. To win those funds, we lawmakers had to make changes to show we were serious about moving Tennessee from the bottom of education rankings. One of those changes included incorporating student success data as part of a teacher’s evaluation, but I want to be clear: Parents and students are just as responsible as teachers for a student’s success.

Right now, a group of teachers and education experts are meeting to determine new guidelines for teacher evaluations. Within those guidelines, they’re discussing how to increase parental and student responsibility. A great teacher can only take a student so far. That student and their family have to decide that they are going to do what it takes to make the grades.

I’m serious about holding students accountable for the work they do. That’s why I support a bill by one of my colleagues to make TCAP test scores count for up to 25 percent of a student’s grade. Right now, elementary and middle school students can do whatever they want with the TCAP, because it has no affect on their grades. Students can randomly fill in answers, or not even finish the test.

But TCAP scores impact teachers – and they will have an even bigger effect with the changes we passed this session. Students need to know that they have a stake in their own education, and parents need to take these tests seriously because they help determine if their children are learning. We can improve education in Tennessee, but it’s going to take everyone – teachers, parents and students – working together to do it.

Bledsoe Co. Correctional Complex groundbreaking

On Friday, April 16, the Tennessee Department of Correction will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the new, state-of-the-art Bledsoe County Correctional Complex. This facility has been a long time coming since its approval in 2004, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. The complex is expected to create about 500 new jobs for Bledsoe and surrounding counties, and will be able to house nearly 1,500 inmates by the time construction is finished in 2013. The recession isn’t over in Tennessee, and these jobs will make a big difference for families in our area.

As always, I’m working for you. Contact me at the information below with any questions or comments, and I look forward to continuing to serve the 14th District.

State Senator Eric Stewart represents Franklin, Bledsoe, Coffee, Grundy, Sequatchie, Van Buren, and Warren Counties. Contact him at sen.eric.stewart@capitol.tn.gov or (615) 741-6694 or 310A War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243.

The new facility will have the capacity to house more than 1,444 inmates and create approximately 500 new jobs for Bledsoe and surrounding counties.

“I want to thank Governor Phil Bredesen, members of the General Assembly, and the State Building Commission members for supporting a project that will bring jobs to the area and will enhance public safety for all Tennesseans,” said Commissioner Gayle Ray.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2013.
WHAT:     Bledsoe County Correctional Complex Groundbreaking
WHEN:     Friday, April 16, 2010m, 11:00 a.m. CDT
WHERE:     1045 Glade Creek Road, Pikeville, Tennessee  37367

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has released the 2010 application for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program. Applications can be submitted June 1-7 and should not be postmarked prior to June 1. Applications are accepted on a first come, first serve basis, so producers are encouraged to apply early. Producer Diversification remains a competitive program and applications with proposals will be accepted June 1-7.

“The Ag Enhancement Program remains strong and we expect to be able to put several millions of dollars on the ground to help farmers continue to make strategic investments,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens. “We encourage farmers to apply early as we expect another year of high demand for these cost share opportunities.”

This year’s program offers the same menu of cost share opportunities as last year. This includes the livestock equipment, cattle genetics, hay storage, feed storage, grain storage and producer diversification opportunities. To date, TAEP has provided cost share funds for more than 15,500 projects. A recent study has shown that for every state dollar invested, an additional $4.64 is generated in local economic activity.

New this year, the Cattle Genetics cost share opportunity has expanded to include some costs associated with bull soundness evaluations (BSE) and pregnancy testing. Also, Fruits and Vegetables have been moved to the priority area under Producer Diversification, allowing certain projects to be eligible for a 50 percent cost share.

TAEP is a state funded program established by Governor Phil Bredesen and supported by the General Assembly to increase farm income in Tennessee by helping farmers invest in better farming practices and by encouraging diversification and innovation.
Through TAEP, farmers can qualify for 35 or 50 percent cost share, ranging from a maximum of $1,200 to $15,000 depending on the project.

Applications are available at most farm agencies including USDA Farm Service Agency, UT Extension and Farm Bureau offices, as well as most farm supply stores. Producers can get important messages and updates on the program by calling 1-800-342-8206.

For more information or to download an application, visit www.TN.gov/agriculture/enhancement.

But what happens now? Over the next four years, we will be expected to raise graduation rates, improve our low-performing schools and commit to an overall higher quality of education in Tennessee. We may see some changes in how some schools are organized, but our goal will always be to give our children the best opportunity for the future.

Of the $500 million in federal funds, half will go directly to local school districts. According to state Department of Education estimates, Bledsoe County Schools will receive $511,800.

Coffee County Schools are estimated to receive $612,600; Manchester City Schools will receive $202,000; Tullahoma City will receive $607,500; Franklin County will receive $953,200; Grundy County will receive $998,000; Sequatchie County will receive $647,800; Van Buren County will receive $227,700; and Warren County will receive $1.44 million.

But our work in the legislature went beyond obtaining federal funds. We had to commit to some hard decisions affecting our teachers, and I am especially proud of an amendment I sponsored to ensure that public school teachers would have a voice in determining how student achievement data will count toward teacher evaluations. Our public school teachers are the foundation of education in Tennessee, and they must have a seat at the table when we talk about education reform. Those discussions are ongoing, and I look forward to updating you on their progress.

As always, I’m working for you. Contact me at the information below with any questions or comments, and I look forward to continuing to serve the 14th District.

The Tennessee state legislature faced another full week of work with packed schedules and hundreds of bills to address. This week I want to update you on a bill affecting Tennessee farmers’ tax rates, and focus on two bills that impact the safety of our families and our environment by banning foreign nuclear waste and mountaintop removal coal mining.

Banning foreign nuclear waste

There’s a troubling effort by a Utah company that wants to bring 20 thousand tons of Italian nuclear waste into Tennessee. At the same time, this company wants Tennessee to allow them to mix more harmful nuclear waste with less harmful nuclear waste, in a process called downblending. It doesn’t make the nuclear waste safe – it just allows the company to avoid strict regulations.

We don’t want nuclear waste in our backyards, and we don’t want it being transported through our communities. If we allow downblending in Tennessee, we could be stuck with this Italian nuclear waste forever. No other state would take it. When other states and countries find out Tennessee accepts this waste, they’ll want to ship their nuclear waste to Tennessee, too. We would become the world’s nuclear dumping ground.

I’m not going to sit back and let that happen. I am co-sponsoring a bill to ban downblended nuclear waste, and keep foreign nuclear waste out of our communities. We must put the safety of our Tennessee families ahead of the financial interests of a Utah company. If you feel the same way, you can sign a petition against foreign nuclear waste in Tennessee at www.wastefreetennessee.com. I hope you’ll join me in the fight to show that Tennessee is not the world’s nuclear dumping ground.

Mountaintop mining ban

I am also co-sponsoring a bill to stop mountaintop removal coal mining in Tennessee. Mountaintop removal mining is the cheapest way for out-of-state mining companies to harvest low-grade, high-sulfur coal to then sell to Europe. In return, our mountains are destroyed and our water is polluted far downstream from the mining sites.

Currently Tennessee allows limited mountaintop mining in places like Zeb Mountain in Pioneer, where selenium pollution is starting to show up in water supplies. This pollution kills fish and travels downstream into our communities, where it builds up over time. We all have trace amounts of selenium in our bodies, but the amounts resulting from mountaintop mining causes serious harm to our wildlife and our families.

Mountaintop removal mining provides no benefits to Tennessee. A recent news report revealed that coal mining accounts for less than 400 jobs in Tennessee. In comparison, the solar energy companies that have come to Tennessee in the last two years will yield more than 2,000 jobs. Mountaintop removal mining doesn’t create jobs; it actually takes them away, by replacing people with dynamite. Out-of-state mining companies reap all the benefits, while Tennessee families pay the costs for generations. We must ban mountaintop removal mining in Tennessee, and protect our families and our environment.

Farm appraisals update

I have written previously about a bill to protect farmers from unfair estate taxes by revising how their land values are used. I’m pleased to report that the bill, sponsored by my colleague Sen. Tim Barnes, passed the Senate this week, and is moving forward in the House. I am hopeful that we will do the right thing and help Tennessee farmers keep farms in their families for generations to come.

As always, I’m working for you. Contact me at the information below with any questions or comments, and I look forward to continuing to serve the 14th District.

Senator Eric Stewart represents Franklin, Bledsoe, Coffee, Grundy, Sequatchie, Van Buren, and Warren Counties. Contact him at sen.eric.stewart@capitol.tn.gov or (615) 741-6694 or 310A War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243.