The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 62

CP LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2002 AnSttlEAH mm Tim Chavez 7th District hopefuls say Kiistoff fabricated ratings district that stretches from Nashville to Memphis in a race in Inside Jim Cooper and Gayle Ray, opponents in the 5th District congressional race, express their support for health care during a campaign stop at a senior center. On 4B Opponents' accusations are flying in the closely fought 4th District congressional race between businesswoman Fran Marcum and state Sen. Lincoln Davis. On 46 Kustoff admitted that his campaign "inadvertently misstated" his standing with the NRA and the National Right to Life organization, which only rates incumbent members of Congress. The NRA has made no endorsement in the 7th District congressional race.

"Kustoff has no record on gun issues, so he fabricated a rating from the NRA," said Layne Provine, a spokesman for Taylor. "David Kustoff has no record, so he's using questionnaires sent to all Please see CONGRESS, 4B which the difference between an A and an A in campaign literature is cause for strong words, multipage faxes and dueling news conferences. Reforms offer hope for failing schools Election 2002 7th District By ROB JOHNSON Staff Writer Call it a case of grade inflation with high-decibel results. Three major Shelby County candidates for the 7th District congressional seat have been sparring over the way David Kustoff characterized his standing with the National Rifle Association and the National Right to Life organizatioa Brent Taylor and Mark Norris both charged yesterday that the fellow Shelby Countian made false claims: for example, that Kustoff scored an on a recent NRA candidate survey when the NRA will only give an A to incumbent members of Congress who in its view go "above and beyond" in the cause of gun owners' rights. Kustoff, according to the NRA, did complete the organization's survey "and would be rated an So would Taylor and Norris, as would candidates Marsha Black-bum and Forrest Shoaf.

All are competing in a mostly Republican The controversy began with a Saturday article in The Commercial Appeal. The Memphis paper reported that Gun totin', horse ridin' cowboys return -i At one time, officials at the Martha O'Bryan Center were considering an opening of a charter public school if only the state of Tennessee would ever allow it Even though the children they served and loved from Metro's largest housing project had a regular public school next door, education was not a way out at Cayce Homes; it was just another intimidating disappointment Failing test scores and depressed academic achievement never seemed to improve at Kirkpatrick Elementary School. This year, state lawmakers passed charter school authoriza-tioa From Washington, President Bush's education reforms now allow parents everywhere to take their children out of perennially failing public schools like Kirkpatrick and send them to better ones. But Marsha Edwards, chief executive officer at Martha O'Bryan, says there is a new sense of hope at Kirkpatrick one that has led the social services center not to pursue creation of a charter school or encourage parents to transfer their kids The new hope emanates from the school's new principal Kim Fowler. "We have a new principal who comes with a good track record and highest credentials" Edwards said According to the 2001 state J.

report, Fowler's teachers and stu- 1 dents at Chadwell Elementary School recorded impressive gains in the value-added portion of the annual TCAP testing four A's and one B. A lot of her kids came from Sam Levy Homes another housing project a few miles north of Cayce Homes Meanwhile, Kirkpatrick was scoring all failing grades in the achievement portion of TCAP and two Fs one and two A's in value-added For Fowler, it all comes down to focus "My children are just as smart as anyone else's" she said They just need a little more time, little more practice and a lot more focus That means in the classroom, we use every bit of time we have with those kids to meet their individual needs their grouping, and how we instruct them." It also means communicating regularly with parents Parents of Kirkpatrick students will get a weekly newsletter. They'll receive academic reviews every three weeks There will also be an active PTO. There wasn't one at Chad-well when Fowler said she arrived She does not think there is a very active PTO at Kirkpatrick. Fowler said her new assignment is the best in her career.

"There is an underlying level of support here that I've never had before," she said "I believe parents will see immediate results with their kids There will be huge gains here at Kirkpatrick." There were gains for Kirkpatrick the past school year in reading, thanks to the Reading Recovery program Fowler wants more. She is indicative of a new attitude and a sense of urgency in school districts across the country. New, dynamic human resources are being focused at perennially failing schools Because of the Bush reforms PHOTOS BY KARLA GACHET STAFF 1 will pretend to be pursued. Bin Glidden, left, and Tony Townsend practice for the Aug. 2-4 Dog Days Shootout show in Columbia, where the "cowboys' Muddy Creek group shows what life was like in 1 880s save a beautiful young maiden from a villain, if one would happen by.

But none did, so the cowboys busied themselves with scenarios they will perform this weekend at the Briar Fest in Lexington, Ky, and Aug. 2-4 at Dog Days Shootout in Maury County Park. "We love doing this" said Bill Glidden, owner of Fiddler's Green Farm. "It's fun for us to be able to show people what cowboy life was like in the 1880s." They dress the part, right down to their laced-up leather chaps. "No zippers on chaps," Townsend chided.

"Everything we do is authentic," he continued The only thing missing is the real bullet I've been shot by blanks, stuck with sabers and bucked off horses. "It's great," he added grinning. These cowboy shooters use black-powder caps which create a realistic puff of smoke but don't endanger lives. Still, what they do is dangerous. "It takes a lot of practice," said Glidden, who drives the wagon as Townsend stands to shoot.

"And you really need to know each other and trust each other. "And trust the horse. There are wrecks, so you've got to be carefuL" Townsend who spends his days Eunching cattle and tending 100 rood cows on his Pulaski farm, has experienced different time periods from frontier pioneer to Civil War soldier to cowboy for 18 years. And Gliddea 63, has not hung up his saddle since working on the set of The Virginian in Hollywood Spring Hill resident Bobby Cathey, who fired at Townsend from astride his horse, is relatively new to the cowboy game. "I've fooled with horses a long time, but I've just been doing the mounted shooting thing for five or six months," he said "But I grew up in the country, and like the old Willie Nelson song, 'my heroes have always been cowboys' he said "So I'm living out a dream." By SUE McCLURE Staff riltr SPRING HILL Bracing himself in the back of a horse-drawn wagon thundering down a grassy embankment, Tony Townsend raised a gleaming Colt revolver and fired several rounds.

A gunman on horseback returned fire as the wagon barreled by, rounding a bend at breakneck speed "The cargo is safe," Townsend joked, jumping down from his perch in the bed of the wagon. And with that, the Muddy Creek Cowboys have saved the day. This group of cowpokes regularly practices cowboy derring-do in the fields surrounding Fiddler's Green Horse Farm in Spring Hill in preparation for cowboy mounted shooter events. On this swelteringly hot day, they have saddled up to shoot it out with bad guys, perform death-defying feats on horseback and recover loot from bandits who rob stagecoaches. Heck, these cowboys would even Tony Townsend, left, and Bobby Cathey, who says "I'm Hving out a dream," practice shooting at each other and the bad guys, too.

MIDSTATE BRIEFLY Accident involving tour bus snarls 140 A country singer's tour bus was sideswiped by a tractor-trailer yesterday morning, and the ensuing wreckage backed up traffic on Interstate 40 and nearby streets for several hours. children at these schools no longer are imprisoned there. They can transfer if they want, and the district must pick up the transportation cost This has led to principals at these failing schools making calls to parents encouraging them to stay and telling them their children are wanted Whether Bush's reforms prompted Fowler's appointment, or whether it was just another impressive move by new local leadership in Pedro Garcia, there is finally real hope at Kirkpatrick. Such hope deserves a new chance to succeed INSIDE Midstate 2B Tennessee Davidson 3B Tennessee Obituaries 5B Midstate Davidson Weather 6B EACH WEEK Sunday: Meetings calendar Wednesday: "Learn Nashville" Friday. Road construction update Saturday: Faith Values TO REACH OUR NEWSROOM Tommy Goldsmith, Assistant Managing Editor Local News, 259-8095 E-mail newstipstennessean.com This is an opportunity for the boys to see men who were once just like them, who have made their dreams come true," said Bill Tichi, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

In addition, Allstate officials will announce a $20,000 grant to 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee to support the organization's work with African-American boys Fire departments win grants Sue Midstate fire departments are among those who nave won substantial federal grants, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced yesterday. The winners are the fire departments in Springfield Pleasant View Tracy City Griffith outside Pikeville Eastland outside Sparta ($26,289) and McEwen joining the Highway Patrol in 1988. Davis 49, was leaving the scene after investigating a wreck on March 2L 200L when he lost control of his car on a curving road in Humphreys County and crashed Allstate insures a good time Employees at Allstate Insurance will be using their creativity today to make their jobs interesting to a dozen youngsters attending a career day courtesy of 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee and Big Brothers Big Sisters "For example, the people in accounting will be doing a Men in Black piece because their job is to keep the company in the black," Allstate spokeswoman April Eaton Robinson said A tour from 9 am-noon for participants who are ages 9-12, will be followed by a debriefing session with the company and sponsoring organizations burst into flames police said Riggin, who was slightly injured and was taken to Saint Thomas Hospital was cited for operating a vehicle while experiencing fatigue, police said Coffey, whose first single is When Vou Lie Next to Me, and her band were not on the bus during the accident, her publicist said Fallen trooper to be honored A section of Interstate 40 in Dickson County will renamed in honor of state Trooper John Davis, who died in the line of duty last year. A dedication ceremony for Trooper John Robert Davis Memorial Highway" is set for 1030 am today at the Renaissance Center in Dickson, A Dickson County native, Davis served in the VS. Army and the Dickson Police Department before Kevin of Greenbrier, Ark, fell asleep at the wheel of the tractor-trailer, which hit singer Kellie Coffey's tour bus, Metro police said The accident COFFEY occurred on 1-40 eastbound between the Charlotte Pike and White Bridge Road exits.

The truck's trailer, which was carrying two military vehicles then detached from the cab and Chavez can be reached 259-6304 ore-mailed at G3 1,1 IB at A tel Tim tcnavezOtennessean.com '-'VfWilW'fltNMIW www.ttnriMMuont.