NATIONAL NEWS

First THP promotions granted under new system The Tennessee Department of Safety today named two veteran Tennessee Highway Patrol Sergeants as the first to be promoted under a new transparent promotions system which allows any citizen to view the process via the Department of Safety’s webpage. The new THP Lieutenants each have more than 15 years of service with the patrol and registered some of the highest scores of those qualified for the positions. “These are the first of a series of promotions that we will make under a new system which is totally transparent. It allows anyone who chooses to view the whole process from beginning to end and see who is promoted, why they were promoted and when they are promoted,” stated Interim Department of Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely. Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Mike Walker said, “These two gentlemen, like the majority of our Troopers, are good hard working men who conduct themselves professionally and with integrity.” Inaugural Judicial Service Award to Justice Drowota Former Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Frank F. Drowota was awarded the Inaugural Justice Frank F. Drowota III Award for Outstanding Judicial Service during the Tennessee Bar Association’s annual convention in Memphis last week. This past year Drowota chaired the TBA’s committee working to ensure fair and ethical judicial campaigns. He helped develop a code of conduct to govern judicial campaigns and personally contacted each judge and judicial candidate in the state to encourage them to abide by the code during the coming election cycle. Drowota retired from the Supreme Court in 2005 after serving 35 years on the bench, including service on the Davidson County Chancery Court and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. He began his career in the law after graduating from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 1965. This award for judicial service will be presented each year to a Tennessee judge who demonstrates outstanding and dedicated service to the bench and the bar. Agreement approved by Alcoa unions The United Steelworkers (USW) announced today that the new four-year agreement has been approved by a majority of union members in secret ballot ratification votes taken yesterday by all 15 Alcoa master agreement local unions. The contract covers 9,000 workers at the world’s largest aluminum company. The new union contract contains average 2.6 percent annual wage increases and each worker will receive a $1,500 ratification bonus. Other key provisions of the new agreement include: continued health care insurance for retirees, a single family health care insurance plan for all workers - instead of the multi-tiered plan the company proposed - pension increases and greater protection against contracting out jobs and layoffs.