MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Twenty-one leaders of Tennessee’s colleges and universities have sent a letter to the state’s two U.S. senators, urging their support for immigration reform that will allow more graduates to remain in the country after they finish their education.
The letter dated Wednesday asks Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to back a bipartisan plan that would ensure that foreign-born students educated in U.S. universities will have a clear path to work in this country after graduation.
The educators say current immigration policy threatens “America’s preeminence as a global center of innovation and prosperity” because of its inability to retain skilled foreign-born graduates. A limited number of visas forces U.S.-educated immigrants to leave the country or face long wait times for a permanent visa, the letter said.
Meanwhile, competing economies are welcoming scientists, engineers and other U.S.-educated professionals with streamlined visa applications and by creating dedicated visas for them, the letter said.
“The important role immigrants play in American innovation must not be discounted or diminished; their contributions and inventions lead to new companies and new jobs for American workers, and are an enormous boon to our economy,” the letter said.
Congress is working on an immigration reform bill. Some lawmakers want a bill that includes a pathway to citizenship for immigrants here illegally, an idea that’s been met with deep skepticism by others.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Foreclosure proceedings have been initiated against the Nashville Symphony and an auction of the center where it performs is scheduled for June 28.
The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/16NyTOU) reports the notice of the foreclosure was issued by Bank of America, the main lender on the more than $80 million still owed on the Schermerhorn Symphony Center that opened in 2006.
The Symphony could forestall a sale by filing for bankruptcy protection. Symphony officials would not comment on the foreclosure notice.
According to recent tax filings, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra suffered an $11.7 million loss in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2012.
Contributions dropped from $14.7 million to just under $10.6 million. Investment income dropped from $6.4 million to $2.2 million
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police in Nashville say three more girls have come forward, saying they were sexually victimized by the soccer coach at a private girls’ school.
The Tennessean reported police charged George Henry Laise on Tuesday with two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and two counts of rape involving a victim with a mental incapacity. Investigators said the latter charges involve a 16-year-old girl who is recovering from a concussion.
WKRN-TV, which first reported Laise’s arrest, said bond was set at $300,000 bond –$75,000 dollars for each count stemming from the charges he faces in connection to a now 17-year-old Nashville girl he had coached.
The station reported is scheduled to appear in court next week.
Authorities said the 46-year-old coach tried to kill himself Wednesday night in the Davidson County Jail. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Karla West said Laise was discovered with a bedsheet around his neck. He was taken to a hospital.
The sheriff’s office said Thursday that Laise was released from Vanderbilt University Hospital and was taken the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute for evaluation.
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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — State wildlife officials hope a very old idea leads them to suspects in the shooting of two bald eagles in southeast Tennessee.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/18R8NHVhttp://bit.ly/18R8NHV ), The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is distributing a poster to post office, libraries, markets and other public buildings.
TWRA spokesman Dan Hicks said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helped produce the posters.
Hicks said leads have come in, but no suspects have been developed yet, since a reward was offered.
One eagle was found on Chickamauga Lake near Soddy-Daisy in March and the other was discovered on Tellico Lake in Monroe County in May. Both were wounded in a wing and are being rehabilitated at the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge.
