NATIONAL NEWS

Kisber leads Australian trade mission ECD Commissioner Matthew Kisber led more than a dozen Tennesseans on the state’s first trade mission to Australia in more than a decade, designed to build ties with one of the southern hemisphere’s fastest growing economies. During the week, Kisber attended meetings with more than a dozen Australian companies, several of whom said they were actively considering Tennessee for business expansion. In addition, meetings were held with several Australian companies who already have investments in Tennessee, including PBR, Zinefex and Pratt Industries. Altogether, Australian companies employ about 1,000-1,500 Tennesseans. “Australia is a great stepping stone for Tennessee companies seeking to enter the booming Asian markets,” said Kisber. “The U.S. and Australia have recently adopted a free trade agreement which lowers barriers to our respective countries and the Aussies view Tennessee products very favorably.” UTHSC establishes Garrett Scholarship Students at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Pharmacy have established a scholarship endowment in the name of Melinda Garrett. Garrett, 23, a first-year pharmacy student at the UTHSC College of Pharmacy, died suddenly on March 28 following a brief illness. She was pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UTHSC and was a member of Kappa Psi, a professional pharmacy fraternity, and the Academy of Student Pharmacists Executive Committee. As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, patient care and community service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans. Offering a broad range of post-graduate training opportunities, the main campus, with its seven colleges, is in Memphis. Troopers plan sobriety checks for holiday The Tennessee Highway Patrol will conduct increased enforcement this Independence Day weekend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Fourth of July is the second most deadly holiday period of the year—just behind New Year’s. During the 2005 Independence Day holiday, four of the 11 fatalities on Tennessee roadways occurred in alcohol related crashes. The THP is also still engaged in “100 Days of Summer Heat” activities, which stress seat belt usage and the proper restraint of child passengers. Increased enforcement is provided in part through grants from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. During the July 4, 2005 holiday weekend, 11 people died in crashes on Tennessee roads. That’s a fatality rate of one death per seven hours, five minutes during the 72-hour holiday period. Of the eight vehicle occupants killed, 50% were not wearing safety restraints.