Red Cross Cares for Thousands Across Tennessee

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New Orleans residents Tammy Fenderson, left, and Linda Thompson anxiously watch TV reports from Louisiana on Monday at the Red Cross shelter at Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville. The Red Cross says there are 450 to 500 evacuees in Nashville and 10,000 in the state. DIPTI VAIDYA / THE TENNESSEAN

By MATT MEDVED

Willie Butler had not planned to spend his Labor Day at a Red Cross shelter in Nashville.

But the 52-year-old New Orleans resident wasn’t complaining as he scanned the television news coverage of Hurricane Gustav, sitting in a makeshift cafeteria at Two Rivers Baptist Church.

“I’m just very relieved it wasn’t as bad as they said it could be,” Butler said. “I’m hoping to get on back there soon.”

Three years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Butler was stranded for 11 days in his flooded Mid City Bowl apartment before boats rescued him from the 7-foot waves. While he had considered waiting out the storm again this time, he decided to heed the mayor’s orders and boarded a Mass Care evacuation plane to Nashville on Friday night.

Butler was one of more than 2,000 Gustav evacuees being housed in 10 Red Cross and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency shelters across Middle Tennessee. Red Cross spokeswoman Jill Gorin said there were 450 to 500 evacuees in Nashville and 10,000 evacuees in the state.

Although a Nashville Red Cross representative was deployed to the Gulf Coast before the storm hit, there are no current plans for additional deployments unless the Federal Emergency Management Agency authorizes them. Instead the local Red Cross is focusing its efforts on taking care of evacuees in Tennessee.

Guard is on the way

“In the last 48 hours, statewide the Red Cross has distributed more meals than we did in the entire Tennessee tornado relief operation” in February,” Gorin said.

Some 600 state National Guard soldiers and airmen were preparing to deploy to the Gulf Coast on Monday.

Although his area did not appear to have been hit hard, Butler was still concerned that his neighborhood could flood if the levee walls failed.

“People think they’re going to go home tomorrow,” Butler said. “There’s no way. If that levee gives way, it could be just as bad as last time.”

John Lee, a Red Cross volunteer at the Two Rivers shelter, said about 180 evacuees had been flown in to the shelter Saturday.

‘Tension, uncertainty’

“The Red Cross will be here as long as the evacuees need us,” Lee said.

Although Lee described the evacuees as calm and cooperative, he acknowledged that there was also an atmosphere of “tension and uncertainty.”

This sentiment was etched into the creased face of Lavell Hewitt, 52, of New Orleans, who had just received word that his home’s area in the Ninth Ward was underwater.

“I’m just glad to be out and well,” Hewitt said.

Hewitt spent two days waiting for rescue on the roof of his waterlogged home before helicopters came to his aid in 2005. He had to rebuild his home months later upon his return.

“I had just finished working on my home when the storm came,” Hewitt said. “Looks like I have to start over again.”

Libraries see high Internet demand

Madison branch library patrons use the Internet stations Sunday afternoon. Computer usage at libraries has skyrocketed. Job searches, research for school projects and connecting with friends on social networking sites are among the most common reasons customers use library computers, patrons and librarians say. GEORGE WALKER IV / THE TENNESSEAN

By MATT MEDVED

Tennessee library patrons are waiting longer for computers as libraries struggle to match a steady increase in demand for the Internet.

Nashville Public Library branch administrator Barbara Weedman said overall computer usage increased by more than 10 percent from the last fiscal year to the one that ended June 30. The system tracked a record 890,246 one-hour computer sessions on 478 public Internet terminals over the most recent fiscal year

“We’ve seen this demand just grow and grow,” Weedman said. “It may be associated with people saving money from having an Internet connection. Also, not everyone can afford to own a PC in their home. We’re helping to bridge that digital divide.”

The numbers reflect a national trend charted by the Chicago-based American Library Association, the nation’s largest library membership group. The group released a report Tuesday showing only 17 percent of libraries nationwide say they have enough computers to handle patrons demands at all times.

Job searches, research for school projects and connecting with friends on social networking sites are among the most common reasons customers use library computers, patrons and librarians say.

Nashville resident Phil Chase, 56, said he frequents the Southeast Branch of the Nashville Public Library in Antioch once a week to check his e-mail since his home computer crashed. He usually has to wait an hour and a half to get on a computer. “The library is free, close and convenient to go to,” said Chase.

The demand has grown to the point that nine out of every 10 libraries in the country have been forced to institute Internet session time limits to allow fair Internet use distribution, the report showed. Nashville implemented a reservation system with a maximum one-hour session in 2007.

Gallatin librarian Lin Hagen said her branch of Sumner County’s system hosted 72,079 Internet sessions in 2007, up considerably from the 2006 figure of 38,574. She said enacting a reservation system accounts for some of the increase because patrons could browse the web indefinitely prior to its arrival. “It certainly seems like the demand is up,” Hagen said. “Even since we started the new system, every computer is booked.”

Curtis McMillan, 21, said he visits the Southeast branch in Nashville once every two days to check his e-mail and other sites like MySpace and Facebook. He said he normally has to wait before he can get access to one of the computers and described the current availability as “inadequate.” “I think they should invest in more computers,” said McMillan. “It’s a simple fact that everyone uses the computer these days.”

Library computer use

Tennessee | National
Number of hours that the average public library outlet is open per week :
45.3 | 45
Average number of Public Internet Workstations per public library:
14.3 | 12
Percentage of public libraries with wireless service:
70% | 66%
Percentage of public libraries that don’t have wireless service but plan to make it available within the next year:
7% | 12%
Percentage of public libraries where they are the only provider of free public internet access to the community:
56% | 73%
Percentage of local libraries that plan to add more computer workstations or laptops within the next year:
18% | 16%
Percentage of libraries who say there are always sufficient public Internet-accessible computers available:
24% | 17%
SOURCE: AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

Tennessee lawmakers react to Biden’s VP nod

By MATT MEDVED

Tennessee Democrats praised Democratic presumptive nominee Barack Obama’s announcement of Delaware Senator Joseph Biden as his running mate Saturday, while Republicans claimed the pick amounted to an admission of Obama’s inexperience.

While reports of Biden’s vice presidential nod leaked out to the media Friday evening, the pick was not made official until the Obama campaign sent out a 2 a.m. text message confirmation. Obama and Biden made their first joint rally in Springfield, Illinois Saturday afternoon.

Wilson County Democratic Chairman Todd Sharpe said Biden was a “good, solid pick” and a “likable guy.”

“I hope he brings a little bit of reassurance to the experience question,” said Sharpe.

“Obama represents a whole new idea, its not about ‘is he ready?’ It’s ‘are we ready?’ He has an extraordinary ability to inspire people to demand better for themselves in big numbers. When you put that along with a guy like Biden, it balances it out.”

Sumner County Democratic Vice-Chair Leonard Assante said he had met Biden in the past and was “very happy” to see him on the ticket.

“I was very impressed with his knowledge in foreign policy and defense issues, which is something Obama does not have as much experience on so there’s a good contrast between the two,” said Assante.

“I think it makes the ticket stronger overall. Biden speaks his mind. You hear people talk about him having a big mouth but I like that. I like the honesty.”

Assante said he was pleasantly surprised that he had not heard more dissatisfaction from supporters of New York Senator Hillary Clinton in Tennessee.

“Clinton won Tennessee in the primary and I thought there’d be a lot of people out there wanting her to be the VP pick but I haven’t heard anything,” said Assante.

However, while former Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter praised Biden as a “solid, sound statesman,” he said Clinton was his personal preference.

“I think Biden’s safe and sound and he would complement Obama’s presidency if he’s elected,” said McWherter.

“But I believe if he had picked Hillary we would have had a chance to carry Tennessee. As it is, it will be an uphill battle.”

Serving as Governor from 1987 to 1995, McWherter said he knew Bill Clinton when he was he was the Governor of Arkansas and has supported the family since. McWherter also had some sage advice for the newly minted Democratic ticket.

“They need to get out with the people more, out here to the real America and talk to the average man and woman who get up everyday and send their kids to schools,” said McWherter.

“Hit some places like Murfreesboro instead of Detroit, Johnson City instead of Atlanta. You can have large crowd of sixty or seventy thousand but those are the people who are going to vote for you anyways.”

Tennessee Republican Party spokesman Bill Hobbs said the Biden pick was tantamount to “an admission by Obama that he has absolutely no foreign policy experience” and that it muddled the Democrats’ message.

“You really undercut your message of change when you pick someone with 30 more years of Senate experience than most people have been alive,” said Hobbs. “It’s hard to say you’re the candidate of change when your vice president is the status quo.”

Hobbs echoed an advertisement released by the McCain campaign today, saying that there has been “no harsher critic of Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden.”

“On multiple occasions he’s said Obama is simply not ready to be president, he simply does not have the foreign policy experience and credentials that the country needs,” said Hobbs.

“I think voters should consider that ultimately it’s not the vice president we’re electing. The person at top of ticket is Obama and he’ll be making decisions if he’s elected. It’s not Obama and Biden vs. McCain, it’s Obama vs. McCain.”

State Republican Party Chairperson Robin Smith acknowledged that McCain and Biden had been friendly towards one another during their Senate tenures, but pointed to major differences between the two.

“I do think McCain will respect Biden on his accomplished record and that’s the big piece that’s missing with Barack Obama,” said Smith.

“I think we can expect moments of collegial exchange, but without question we know McCain has a much more conserve voting record with regards to taxes, the issue of life, and the definition of marriage. Biden has an extraordinarily liberal voting record.”

John Geer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, said Biden should prove to be an effective spokesman for Obama and assuage fear about his presidential qualifications.

“This pick became more and more important not only because of Obama’s new emergence on the national scene but also because of the attacks that McCain and fellow Republicans have been leveling on Obama about his readiness to lead,” said Geer.

“If you think of the president and VP as a partnership, which began under Clinton and Gore in 1993, Biden would be a great partner for Obama if he becomes president. Especially if he needs to navigate the tricky international waters.”

Geer said Biden’s life story could appeal to swing blue-collar voters that Obama has had trouble reaching.

“He’s got a compelling narrative and working class roots in Scranton,” said Geer.

“After he was elected to the Senate, he has a tragic car wreck that kills his wife and daughter. Since then, he’s been taking train back and forth to his Delaware home and he’s a totally dedicated family man. He’s actually like McCain in that he’s a genuine guy and is not as scripted as some. But the American public understands that.”

Geer also touched upon some of Biden’s potential downsides, including his status as a long-time Washington inside and his history of verbal gaffes. He said it was possible Republicans would try and use Biden’s controversial description of Obama as “the first sort of mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” against him.

“Biden sometimes says things he wishes he hadn’t, so you have to do some damage control,” said Geer. “The Republicans will pick through Biden’s long record of votes and pick out quotes of him criticizing Obama or praising McCain. But no candidate’s perfect.”

While Geer does not believe Biden will turn Tennessee blue, he does believe the pick could help Obama in certain battleground states.

“I think Biden provides a little bit of strength here in Tennessee, but it’s not likely to be in play,” said Geer. “But Biden helps him in key states like Pennsylvania and Ohio and Virginia and that’s where action’s going to be.”

ObamaNelson.com fuels more VP musings

By MATT MEDVED

Amid widespread speculation around Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s VP pick, it appears that a number of potential ticket URLs are popping up on the Internet.

The most intriguing seem to be www.obamanelson.com and www.obamabayh.org, which redirect back to the Illinois senator’s campaign home page.  Most combinations of Obama and other vice presidential shortlist regulars, such as Joe Biden, Kathleen Sebelius, and Tim Kaine, are also parked on GoDaddy.com.

How much should be read into these? Probably not much. It’s more likely to be the work of Internet squatters hoping for a payday once the pick is announced. It’s also possible that the Obama campaign has reserved a number of potential website addresses in preparation for the pick. Anyone with a keyboard and a credit card can register a site (Exhibit A: www.obamabiden.org… which redirects to www.stop-obama.org). But speculating is interesting and anything beats waiting for the Holy Grail of text messages to come through.

As for www.obamanelson.com, a Whois.Net domain search revealed that the address was registered by a “Joe Chan” through GoDaddy.com. In contrast, the registrant of the actual campaign site was listed as “Obama for America.” The search did not have results for www.obamabayh.org.

Since the chances of Obama picking a Bayh not named Evan are slim, it can’t hurt to look further into the potential Nelsons that could be a dark horse candidate.

The more obvious candidate would be Bill Nelson, the senior senator from Florida. Nelson could theoretically help boost Obama in the all-important swing state and while he doesn’t sport as many foreign policy credentials as Biden, he has served on the Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on a 2006 trip to Damascus. He is also a vigorous opponent of offshore drilling on Florida’s coast. But perhaps most importantly, he one-ups McCain in the aviation department, having been one of the only two sitting members of Congress to fly into space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986.

But don’t count out Ben Nelson, the junior senator from Nebraska who serves alongside Chuck Hagel. A conservative Democrat with pro-life credentials, he would be a post-partisan pick that would fit with Obama’s message of change and perhaps sit better with Democratic leadership than having Hegel a heartbeat from the Oval Office. However, he had a hand in crafting the Bush tax cuts and was one of the only two Democrats to vote against a failed March 2007 resolution for troop withdrawals from Iraq. He did later introduce a bill to transition U.S. troops out of Baghdad in July and he, too, has voted consistently against offshore drilling.

But there’s only one Nelson that could potentially put the red state of Tennessee into play. Seeing as it’s not longer taboo for candidates to admit histories of drug use, what’s to stop Willie from propelling the Democrats to fall victory?

A special thanks to Joe Chan for making this post possible, whoever and wherever he may be.

Nashville hotel bookings tumble as travelers cut back

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Jennifer Marvin of Rodgersville gets checked into the Ramada Inn hotel by Glenda Con on Saturday afternoon. Nashville's hotel bookings slid sharply lower in May and June. ARMANDO SANCHEZ / THE TENNESSEAN

By MATT MEDVED

Nashville’s hotel bookings slid sharply lower in May and June, suffering from the summer doldrums as vacationers around the country took shorter trips or stayed home because of rising gas prices and economic uncertainty.

“It is a significant decrease, but it’s not too much of a difference from what we’re seeing in larger markets,” said Smith Travel Research vice president Duane Vinson.

The most recent data from Smith Travel, a Hendersonville-based research firm, shows hotel occupancy in Nashville fell 8.4 percent in June compared with a year earlier across all properties, following a 12.5 percent drop in May. Budget hotels were hit the hardest, especially last month.

Vinson said the economy played a role in the declines, as did the fact that Nashville has built more hotel rooms in the past year, adding about 600 rooms to Music City’s summertime supply of almost 34,000 rooms.

“It certainly could be the rising gas prices, but it’s not just them,” Vinson said. “In light of a downturn in the economy, we’re continuing to open new hotel rooms, which is probably not the best thing to happen with the drop in room demand.”

Vinson said cities considered prime leisure destinations are feeling the strain more than business markets. Nashville straddles the line between the two categories, he said. Room rates here are holding steady, though, between $94 and $98 a night on average, Smith Travel data show.

“The leisure markets are highly dependent on flying traffic, and we’re obviously seeing an impact of the airline industry cutting flights,” Vinson said.

Few top markets gain

Among the nation’s top 25 travel markets Dallas, New York and San Francisco are seeing slight improvements in hotel occupancy. New Orleans also posted big gains in travel this summer, but that’s in part because the Crescent City is still recovering from shattered tourism numbers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Vinson said.

Walt Baker, chief executive officer of the Tennessee Hotel and Lodging Association, said Nashville’s marketing partnership with Southwest Airlines has helped insulate the city from some of the airline industry fallout, which is linked to higher fuel prices. Southwest has done better than most airlines in hedging against higher fuel costs with long-term contracts for jet fuel.

“Southwest was terribly smart in buying their fuel futures, and now they’re paying a lot less for jet fuel than other airlines,” Baker said.

Drew Dimond, founder of the Dimond Hospitality Consulting Group, said fewer leisure travelers are on the road this summer, and that hurts many hotels.

“Since this time of the year is heavily weighted towards leisure travel, it gives you an idea of who is not traveling,” Dimond said.

All Nashville hotels are not created equal. The latest Smith Travel Research report shows economy class hotel occupancy down 12 percent in June, and about 10 percent off for the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2007.

“My sense is that the people who would stay in low-budget hotels are the hardest hit by what’s going on,” Baker said, referring to the nation’s economy. “It is severely curtailing their activities. Upper-end customers are probably trading down to your mid-scale (properties), but there’s no place for budget hotel customers to fall out to.”

Ray Waters, the general manager of the Nashville Hilton Downtown, said the Hilton has fared pretty well this summer, with occupancy coming within “four-tenths of a percent” of last year’s figures. Waters attributed the Hilton’s relative success to its focus on business conventions.

Conventions are stable

“We try and fill up with group business because they tend not to cancel and are much more stable than transit customers,” he said, adding that travelers are more cost-conscious. “I think the hotels sitting back and waiting for phones to ring are going to be the ones suffering,” Waters said.

Nevertheless, some Nashville-area residents are continuing to make travel plans, even if they are more subdued than in years past.

In previous years, 65-year-old Brentwood resident J. Michael Patterson took overseas trips to England, Scotland and Ireland. But this year he plans on visiting his children in Knoxville, Charlotte and Atlanta, while checking out local attractions and staying in budget hotels along the way.

“I’m going to be making a number of day and weekend trips this year, not only because of the gas prices, but because of foreign exchange rates, too,” Patterson said.

Baker said the hotel association adjusted its summer marketing to more of a local approach within a 300- to 400-mile radius. “Locals are probably less likely to pack a bag and stay at the neighborhood hotel, but the real magic will be somewhere outside of 100 miles where it takes less than a tank of gas to get there,” Baker said.

Dimond said a local focus makes sense, but there’s not a lot to be done to cure the weak occupancy numbers. “The hotel industry usually lags six months behind the economy,” he said. “The best strategy is an improved economy.

“We’ll start seeing improvement when the Dow Jones average hits 12,500 points. But the key is: Will hotel operators be able to maintain their rates? If they maintain (room rates), then I think they will be OK. The big fear is that they’ll have to start discounting. It’s a matter of weathering the storm.”