President Obama eases commute along I-40

Nashville, Tenn. – Thanks to President Obama, I-40 and White Bridge Road will receive much-needed attention via construction.

Due to the stimulus bill that President Obama signed earlier in the year, out of the millions that the state of Tennessee received, $32 million has been allocated to complete the reconstruction of I-40 and White Bridge.

A significant number of Tennessee State University students use this I-40/White Bridge Road junction to commute to and from their native homes in Memphis, their apartments in Bellevue, the West Nashville Wal-Mart and even their jobs.

“I’m happy changes are going to be made to that part of I-40,” said Jasmine Moseley, a sophomore Biology major, from Nashville, TN. “Although right now, the construction creates a lot of traffic from the 46^th Ave exit all the way to the Old Hickory exit going 40 [I-40] west. So it takes longer for me to get to my apartment in the afternoons.”

While the construction now, creates more, elongated traffic, the results are promising.

Commuters of the I-40 at White Bridge interchange will be happy once the project is complete.

“This project will not only improve traffic flow in this area, the noise barriers will provide some much needed peace and quiet for the residents who live along this stretch of I-40. I want to thank Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Nicely for their commitment to these crucial efforts,” said Representative Gary Odom. (http://news.tennesseeanytime.org/node/2187)

However, had it not been for President Obama signing the stimulus bill, the efforts and commitment by Governor Bredesen would still have yet to be enacted.

- James Wilson

Will going out on Saturday Nights become more Expensive for you?

Nashville, Tenn. – You may have to start paying to park in downtown Nashville on Saturdays.
This affects over half of the Tennessee State University Student body in more ways than one.

Most students at Tennessee State University go out on the weekends to different venues around and in downtown Nashville. If the Nashville Traffic and parking commission passes this ordinance, going out on Saturday nights will become a little more expensive, especially for college students.

The Public Works Department of Nashville, TN will vote on whether to reinstate the “Saturday Enforcement” on December 9, 2009. If the Public Works Department votes to pass it, the Nashville Traffic and Parking Commission must approve the ordinance.

“I think they’re looking for another way to make money off of the hard working people of Nashville”, Jasmine Moseley, a sophomore from Nashville, TN said when asked about the possible ordinance. However, Moseley’s comments do raise some eyebrows as to the motivation behind the ordinance.

While no one from the Public Works Department could be reached for comment, in the Traffic Engineering Staff Report for The Traffic and Parking Commission of Nashville, it was discovered that one of the benefits of the “Saturday Enforcement” would be and increase of meter revenue for use by the traffic and parking operations.

For more information about the reinstatement of the “Saturday Enforcement”, you may visit:
http://www.nashville.gov/pw/pdfs/meetings/2009/091012sr.pdf

- James Wilson

Drug Free School Zone Laws and how they Affect the TSU Student

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - There are laws in the state of Tennessee that can land you in jail for a very long time, one in particular is the “Tennessee Drug Free School Zone Act”.

The School Zone Act, voted on in 1995, enhances the sentences of drug offenses upon

Conviction, punishing the offender a classification higher than is provided in § 39-17-

417(b)-(i) (a crime in Tennessee for a person to knowingly manufacture a controlled

Substance; deliver a controlled substance; sell a controlled substance; or possess a

Controlled substance with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell such controlled substance.

T.C.A. § 39-17-417).

You, the reader of this article may be ready to dismiss the threat of this act to your freedom altogether, because after all, on the surface, this law looks as if it only applies to the hardened, street thug, drug dealers. But in actuality, it can very well affect you.

Calvin Bryant, a former TSU student from Nashville, TN, who is currently serving a seventeen year prison term, was affected by the Tennessee School Zone Act. Bryant, a former TSU football player, had no prior convictions, no drug history whatsoever, yet, was penalized for being in violation of this law. Caught with “ecstasy pills”, Bryant was tried on five counts of possession with intent to distribute in a drug free school zone. After being tried twice on the five charges, one being a mistrial, Bryant was convicted in February of 2009, being found guilty on four of the five charges.

“It is a very unforgiving law”, Bryant’s attorney Joy Kimbrough said, when asked how she felt about the law [School Zone]. “This law can affect anyone from the biggest drug dealer to the meekest of mild pot smoker, dependent on the discretionary tactics used by the arresting officer.”

So how does this law affect the average Tennessee State University Student, you might ask?

According to the updated Tennessee Code Annotated comprised by the Tennessee Legislature, as stated earlier, the Tennessee School Zone Act is a violation of § 39-17-417, or a conspiracy to violate the section, that occurs on the grounds or facilities of any school or within one thousand feet (1,000') of the real property that comprises a public or private elementary school, middle school, secondary school, preschool, child care agency, or public library, recreational center or park. This can affect a lot of TSU students in many ways.

A lot of TSU students consume marijuana. If you were to ever be apprehended and found to be in possession of more than .5oz of marijuana, on TSU’s campus, you could be found in direct violation of the school zone law, which means if convicted you would face between a minimum of 2 years or a maximum of 12 years in prison (http://web.utk.edu/~scheb/overview.html) with no possibility of parole, probation or even a pardon from the governor. - James Wilson

For more information on the Tennessee School Zone Act you can visit:

http://web.utk.edu/~scheb/overview.html

http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2008/02/tennessee_school_zone_drug_law.html

For more information specific cases relating to the school zone, feel free to visit:

http://www.hwylaw.com

A&T Says No To Gucci Mane

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - North Carolina A&T will not be associating the univeristy's name with its annual homecoming concert this year, which is headlined by Atlanta rapper, Gucci Mane.

The university's decision comes after student's became concerned with the rapper's alleged gang affiliations and violent lyrics.

“We have agreed with the promoter to remove the name of North Carolina A&T State University from the event,” Chancellor Harold Martin revealed. “While this does not absolve us of our connection to the event, it allows us, within our limited options, to take a moral stand while we simultaneously honor our legal obligations.” (www.allhiphop.com)

Gucci Mane, who was released earlier this year from a jail stint due to a probation violation, has been the headliner for almost 50 concerts from the Spring through the summer of 2009.

The rapper has been considered the headliner for more than 10 homecoming concerts this year, while only confirmed for two, some TSU students wonder how the events that took place at A&T will affect their own University's concert.

"I love Gucci Mane", said Jasmine Moseley, sophmore, Nashville, Tenn. "What's the difference between him and Lil' Wayne, who we had 2 years ago, who's lyrics are comparable to Gucci's, and he's all over television and radio. They {North Carolina A&T} will probably regret that decision to ban him."

Former TSU Student, Ravaugh Harris Found Not Guilty

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - After seventeen months behind bars, the alleged "getaway driver" of the infamous 2007 Bellacino's Pizza robbery and slayings is now free.

Ravaughn Harris, a former Tennessee State University student from Chicago, Illinois, who if convicted, could have faced life in prison, was acquitted of all charges brought against him, which included First Degree Murder and Felony Murder on Saturday September 26, 2009.

"God did it!", said Joy Kimbrough, the defense attorney of Harris. "In a situation like this when you have people testifying against you in such an emotional and brutal case, ll you can really do is pray for the best."

Harris was arrested in April of 2008, after law enforcement officials gained information that Harris was not only a getaway driver, but helped plot the robbery, which led to the two execution style murders of Josh Cole and Chris Caris, employees of Bellacino's.

Crystle Rutherford, of Nashville, Tennessee a co-defendant of Harris who is also facing the same charges that were pitted against Harris, testified in court on Thursday September 24, 2009 that Harris helped plan the robbery in his car along with herself and Jason Bobo, another former TSU student from Memphis, Tennessee, and that Harris gave her a gun to use in the robbery, in addition to picking the two assailants up after the events transpired.

"It's only fair that the families know what really happened," Rutherford said. "When I die and I'm at the gates of heaven, I can't ask God to judge me fairly without doing this", she said.

Surveillance footage showed that only Rutherford and Bobo performed the robbery, which also showed Bobo fire the two fatal shots that left the Bellacino's workers dead.

While standing accused of being criminally responsible for the October 2007 murders, due to Harris' non-contacting of the police and admission to cleaning blood out of his vehicle, Harris made it very clear to the court as to why he made the decisions he did, immediately following the horrific incidents.

"I was scared. This man had just got in my car with blood all on him, saying he killed two people. After that I just went into tunnel vision. I was in fear of my life", Harris said in court last Thursday.

On Friday afternoon, September 25, after the prosecution and the defense presented their cases to the court, the decision was left to twelve jurors to come back with a verdict, which came back eleven hours later, Saturday morning, not guilty.

The decision brought tears to the families of the victims of the murders and to the family of Harris, leaving one family with a sense of relief. and the other with a journey for justice that has yet to be served.

"We're going to have a long talk", said Kwesi Harris, father of Ravaughn. - James Wilson

Jimmy "Races" to the problem

Jimmy “Races” to the problem


Just less than a week after Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., made his infamous outburst to president Barack Obama, “You lie”! , Former President of the United States, James “Jimmy” Carter has decided to speak out about the verbal assault, deeming it to be racist. According to USA Today’s quoting of Carter, Jimmy stated, “There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African American should not be President.”

While many Republicans and Democrats feel that Jimmy’s comments were political, the nation should embrace his statement. For years, race has been an issue that America has turned a blind eye to. Today, with the swine flu epidemic emerging, serious doubts about the health care reform and an economy that has gone “belly up”, Jimmy’s comments could not have come at a better time. America must put all of her problems on the table and treat each one if she plans to prevail.

Racism has been a cancer in the body of America since the country claimed its independence in 1776, and just like cancer, without treatment and a growing denial of the problem, racism will spread and eventually kill the greatest country on earth. Racism’s presence in America is being identified everywhere, from Wall Street, to the judicial system and even Congress.

The ugly truth is that the United States of America was built on the basis of racism. Jimmy’s statements, while viewed as political and unhelpful, were nonetheless true and shed light on one of America’s dire issues that must be addressed and fixed before any change can come about.




- James Wilson