The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • A1

TODAY'S WEATHER A74 49 Five-day forecast on Page 6B FISHER: COLLINS STILL NO. 1 BIDDLE: START YOUNG NOW IN SPORTS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2006 The TENNESSEAN A GANNETT NEWSPAPER VOLUME 102, NO. 262 6 SECTIONS COPYRIGHT 2006 MANAGE DA I fi rTW i English-only issue splits council it 'official 1 3 lean against INSIDE The Tenness-ean talked to each council member. Find out where they stand on this issue. On Page 4A ATTENNESSEAN.COM Speak out in an online forum.

Read a Metro Law Department memo about potential legal issues. Read the text of the proposed law. Go to Tennessean.com and type in keyword ENGLISH. 1 5 inclined to make By LEE ANN O'NEAL and ANNE PAINE Staff Writers A proposal requiring that all Metro government communications be only in English has drawn mixed reaction from Metro Council, with 15 mem "When you come here, it's not our responsibility to teach you how to do everything, hold your hand when you go to do every aspect of daily living," Crafton said. The measure could be challenged as unconstitutional or as violating the Voting Rights Please see ENGLISH, 5A bers voicing firm or tentative support and 13 members voicing firm or tentative reservations.

Eight members say they are not leaning either way, as the measure heads to the first of three required readings at to night's Metro Council meeting. The measure, proposed by Metro Councilman Eric Crafton, would make English Metro government's "official language" and require all city communications to be only in English. CRAFTON Introduced the measure FIRST-DAY RIDERS ENJOY MUSIC CITY STAR TREK Staph infects 45 in 3 school districts Rutherford cases antibiotic-resistant HB By CLAY CAREY Staff Writer At least 45 students and school workers in Sumner, Franklin and Rutherford counties have recently contracted a contagious skin infection that, according to one disease expert, is becoming more common, especially among young people. Cases of staphylococcus, commonly known as staph infection, in those schools come as no surprise to Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Medical studies show the bacteria that cause it are becoming more common, and Creech says it's likely that there are children carrying that bacteria at most, if not all, schools, though not all of them will develop the infection.

As of Monday, 21 cases of staph had been confirmed in at least six Sumner County schools. "The health people have told PHOTOS BY LARRY MCCORMACKTHE TENNESSEAN Engineerconductor Lane De Vors checks tickets of passengers Monday as the Music City Star's opening day drew a mixed rid-ership of commuters and curiosity seekers to the new rail service running between Lebanon and downtown Nashville. Drivers who hate commute happy to have alternative The Tennessean names Silverman its new editor WHO'S INFECTED 21 cases of staph infections in at least six Sumner County schools. 20 cases of staph infections in 1 1 Rutherford County schools. Four cases among football players at Franklin County High School in Winchester.

HOW SERIOUS IS IT? Most cases of staph and MRSA are minor, usually showing up as pimples, abscesses and boils, and easily treatable with antibiotics. But severe cases can cause pneumonia, bone infections, joint infections and blood infections. On Page 5A: Learn how to prevent staph infections. us it's not an outbreak it's not a huge problem," Sumner County Schools spokesman Steve Doremus said. The Please see STAPH, 5A oped a great respect for his outstanding leadership," said Ellen Leifeld, president and publisher of The Tennessean.

"The Tennessean, much like Nashville as a whole, is at an important crossroads. Now, more than ever, we need to produce outstanding journal SILVERMAN ism. Silverman comes to Nashville from McLean, where for the past year he served as editor of Gannett News Ser- Please see EDITOR, 5A INSIDE Learn more about why the MacArthur Fellow selection committee found Catania worthy. On Page 3A ONLINE To read more about star-nosed moles, go to keyword MOLE. i By RYAN UNDERWOOD Staff Writer The Tennessean on Monday named Mark Silverman, former editor of Gannett News Service and previously publisher and editor of The Detroit News, as its new editor and vice president of content and audience development.

Silverman, 56, replaced Everett J. Mitchell who was named executive editor of the Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, N.J., also owned by Gannett Co. Mitchell had served as editor and vice president news of The Tennessean since December 2004. "I have known Mark for many years and have devel As the day dawns through cloudy skies, passengers at the Hermitage station wait for the inaugural run of the Music City Star. opening day's total at about 700, less than half the daily riders RTA hopes to attract by the time the service reaches its six-month mark.

rounding Nashville, 345 riders took the $40 million rail line Monday morning. The number of riders on last evening's trips will not be available until today. However, if a similar number made the return trip, that would put the By LEON ALLIGOOD Staff Writer ON THE MUSIC CITY STAR William Redmond of Mt. Juliet thought Monday would never come, the day when he would hear the two words that he believes will emancipate him from the perils and hassles of T40 congestion: "All aboard." For Redmond, Monday's call to passengers was "beautiful." "It's finally here," said the state employee. He was so eager to commute via the train that he purchased the first Music City Star ticket sold at Mt.

Juliet City Hall. "I was going to make sure I got one," Redmond said as the train began to rumble on to Nashville, continuing its inaugural run to bring an era of commuter rail to the region Now the question is, will the Star be a star? According to the Regional Transportation Authority, a consortium of cities and counties sur- Sections: Local News Sports Living Business Classifieds Crossword Dear Abby 2D 2D To subscribe call: 242-NEWS or (800) 342-8237 De Vors summons passengers with the familiar call "All aboard." INSIDE Tennessean reporters compare the opening-day Leb-anon-to-Nashville trip on the Music City Star with vehicle commutes via Interstate 40. On Page 2A the money to the best use." Officials with the foundation said the money would be paid out in installments and would go directly to the winner. "We feel as though Kenneth Catania is serious enough about his work that he is going to use it wisely. We have no doubts," said Daniel Socolow, director of the MacArthur Fellowship Program.

Part of Catania's work at Vanderbilt involves studying the brains of moles, shrews and other mammals to determine how different brains have evolved. VU prof says he's no genius, but $500,000 proves otherwise Please see RAIL, 2A Edgar Meyer, an adjunct professor at the Blair School of Music, was the last Vanderbilt faculty member to win one of the prestigious grants. Meyer, an accomplished musician, won in 2002, meaning he is still receiving grant money. The 40-year-old Catania wasn't quite sure Monday how he would use the funding but said it would be used to further his research. "I'm not comfortable with the term genius because I'm by no means a genius, but I appreciate the honor," he said.

"I'll have to figure out how to put By RALPH LOOS Staff Writer A Vanderbilt University professor who studies brains of moles and similar creatures is among the newest MacArthur Fellows. Kenneth Catania, an associate professor of biological sciences, will be announced today as one of 25 winners of the annual "genius grants," awarded each year by the Chicago-based John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation He will get a $500,000 "no strings attached" award, paid over five years. COURTESY NEIL BRAKE VANDERBILT Kenneth Catania, associate professor of biological sciences, is among 25 MacArthur Fellows.

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