Juvenile Court Judge Jay Taylor commended by Hawkins County School System on stance against truancy

School attendance is on the rise in Hawkins County and Attendance Supervisor Steve Starnes recently recognized Judge Jay Taylor as part of that increase. “One of our goals has been to improve our relationship with Juvenile Court, and I think we really have done that, especially with our new Judge James Taylor. He takes the stance too that kids should be in school.”

Judge Taylor states that Juvenile Court heard 224 truancy cases during the 2006 calendar year, according to the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts.

“Juvenile Court’s purpose, in part, is to provide for the wholesome moral, mental and physical development of children coming within its Court,” Judge Taylor said. “If children are to have a future, they must have an education and I intend to see that Juvenile Court does its part to make that happen.”

Judge Taylor has proposed to the County Commissioners that the office of Juvenile Court Judge be made full-time. The office was originally created by private act in 1982 as a one day per week position and has not been modified since its inception although the caseload of the Court has increased by 7.66% per year over the last ten years.

Follow the Money: State Senate Race Begins

It's often said that if you really want to know about someone's priorities, see how they spend their time and their money. The same is often true in politics.





July 16, 2007 was the deadline for candidates and potential candidates to disclosure their financial contributors and expenditures for the first six months of 2007.





A review of the former GOP State Senator's contributor list is revealing. He had only two contributors in that six month period. The legislative session during which he couldn't legally raise money consumed most of the six month period. Each gave contributions to Williams for both the 2008 primary and s008 general election. One gave the maximum allowed under law. The other contributed only $60.54 short of the maximum.




The former Speaker pro tem, appointed by Democrat Lt. Governor John Wilder, accepted contributions from Jesse Hughes and Gillian Barnett.





Jesse Hughes was fired in November by the Senate Republican Caucas reportedly for his disloyalty to the cause and has been freelancing for the ex-Republican since then.





Gillian Barnett is a paralegal in the Tennessee Office of the Attorney General. You may recall, Governor Bredesen's former legal counsel, Robert Cooper, was appointed in November, 2006 as the State's new Attorney General.

Bob Davis, Jr. Resigning as Tennessee GOP Chairman

The Tennessee Republican Party is losing one of its most effective leaders in recent years. Bob Davis, Jr. has announced his intentions to resign as State GOP Chairman - effective August 4, 2007.

The State Party's loss is Fred Thompson's gain. It is a foregone conclusion that Chairman Davis is leaving his current post to take a prominent position in the Fred Thompson for President campaign.

First Vice-Chairman Robin Smith from southeast Tennessee (Hixon) has announced her intention to seek appointment as the new Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

If you have thoughts on the subject, contact your State Executive Committeeman and/or Committeewoman:

Senate District 4

Counties Represented:

Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Union

Mr. Henry DeVault

695 Rutledge Pike

Blaine, Tennessee 37709

Phone: (865) 933-5208

Ms. Cecile Testerman

601 East Main Street

Rogersville, Tennessee 37857

Phone: (423) 921-8591Fax: (423) 282-0838.

E-mail: nathanielhawthorne2003@hotmail.com