NATIONAL NEWS

Kingston coal plant to install scrubbers A draft environmental assessment of the proposed construction of two scrubbers to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant is available for public review and comment. The two scrubbers would reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from the nine-unit plant by more than 90 percent. Construction of the scrubbers will cost about $500 million, and they would begin operating in 2010. The Kingston project is part of TVA’s $5.7-billion clean air program. Since 1977, TVA has reduced its total sulfur dioxide emissions by 80 percent. TVA will receive comments on the draft environmental assessment from Feb. 28 through March 29. After reviewing public comments, TVA will issue a final environmental assessment on the project. The draft EA is available online at http://www.tva.gov/environment/reports/kingston2/ TBI makes arrest in 17 year-old murder case This morning a Georgia man was arrested in connection with a Bradley County murder that occurred in 1989. On February 9th of 1989, the body of James Carl Rose was discovered lying on Weatherly Switch road. An autopsy revealed that the victim died from one or more gunshot wounds to the head, but for years the case remained a mystery. In 1997, investigators received information that an individual named Samuel Gregory Johnson had been talking about the case, and leads were developed that eventually resulted in Johnson’s indictment by the Bradley County Grand Jury for 1st Degree Murder. Johnson, who is a construction worker by trade, has been living in Hall County Georgia for many years. He was arrested this morning approximately 100 miles away, in Fannin County Georgia, while paying off a bad check. Johnson is being held in Fannin County Georgia, while he awaits extradition back to Tennessee. Tenn. halts driving permits to illegal immigrants The Department of Safety will immediately halt the issuance of Certificates for Driving to people who cannot prove they have legal presence in the U.S. “It’s clear from talks with law enforcement authorities that there are issues with this program that need to be addressed. The only responsible course of action is to suspend the program while we determine the next steps,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. Interim Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely says internal issues at the Department of Safety also make the change a prudent move at this time. “The department may undergo significant changes in the next year,” he said. Certificates for Driving will still be available to people with work visas and student visas, which meet the standard for legal presence in the United States. The department will also work with legislators on a measure that would allow persons with legal presence to obtain regular driver licenses good for the length of their stay in the U.S. Nicely added, “The bottom line is this: immigration is essentially a federal issue. But ensuring the security of Tennesseans is a state issue, and it’s one that both the Governor and I take very seriously.”