Day: May 27, 2017

9th Annual ‘Healing Field – Flags of Remembrance’ in Murfreesboro Opens at The Grove

Tina LaFleur

  For nearly a decade, Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro has put on the Healing Field Flags of Remembrance event over Memorial Day weekend. The volunteer-run event is a moving tribute to our veterans, military, and personal heroes. This year’s Healing Field is located at The Grove at Wilkinson Place, and will run through 5pm Monday, Memorial Day. At this morning’s opening ceremonies, volunteers gathered to dedicate and place hundreds of American flags across the Healing Field. A wagon brimming with American flags awaiting placement by the volunteers at this year’s opening ceremony. Boy Scout troop 3200 lent several helping hands. Sisters Mary Grace (left) and Elizabeth unfurl the Healing Fields flags. Long-time volunteer Joe is a Navy vet and his dog Jack is his fishing buddy. A group of Walmart employees volunteer again this year, and brought water to share with everyone. Sara Walker and her daughter Lilyana Gillespie were among the volunteers from the New Hope Lutheran Church in Murfreesboro. This is Mike Gann’s first time helping with the Healing Fields event. Shea Young and her children Julian and Rowan are first time volunteers at the Healing field. She and her husband are both veterans and they have a son currently serving…

Read the full story

BREAKING: Mae Beavers Plans to Announce Campaign for Governor on Saturday, Promises ‘A Full Effort to Repeal the Gas Tax Increase’

Tennessee Star Staff

  State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) has decided to run for the Republican nomination for Governor of Tennessee in 2018, and her top priority will be repeal of the recently enacted 6 cents per gallon gas tax increase pushed by Gov. Haslam. Beavers released a statement late Saturday that says she “intends to formally announce a campaign for Governor of Tennessee at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet at 1 pm on Saturday June 3.” She will become the third candidate officially in the race for the GOP nomination. Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee have already announced their candidacies. Congresswoman Diane Black, State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), State Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville), and Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) are all potential candidates. With her announcement, Beavers becomes the only clearly conservative announced candidate in the race, and is the only candidate, announced or expected, to come out in support of repealing Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase. “Over the past several weeks, it has become increasingly clear that conservatives in Tennessee are looking for bold leadership that will not shrink from standing up and speaking up on the key issues…

Read the full story

Mae Beavers: I May Still Run for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff

  State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) says she has made no decision yet about whether she will run for the Tennessee Republican nomination for Governor in 2018. “Lots of people are asking if I am running for Governor. Despite what the Tennessean says, I have NOT decided whether or not I will enter the race,” Beavers told The Tennessee Star late Friday evening. “Voters across our state are looking for a Governor who doesn’t just talk conservative at election time but who will be a bold, clear leader on conservative issues once they are in office,” she added. “I have consistently provided conservative leadership from the County Commission to the State House to the State Senate, and I am truly humbled and blessed that so many want to see me bring those same values to the Governor’s office. My family and I are listening, praying, and soon enough we will be deciding,” Beavers concluded. Earlier on Friday afternoon, Beavers posted this on Facebook: Due to a scheduling conflict, Beavers did not attend Thursday’s Rutherford County GOP Reagan Day Dinner where two announced candidates for Governor–businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee– and two potential candidates–Congresswoman Diane Black and State Senator…

Read the full story

School Districts Across State Experiencing Delays In Getting Student Test Results

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  A delay in getting standardized test results is frustrating school officials across Tennessee as they get ready to send out report cards and wrap up the year. As a result, many districts are opting not to factor in TNReady test scores for final grades. The problems come a year after a much larger debacle prompted the state Department of Education to find a new testing vendor, and is the fourth year in a row in which there has been some type of issue. Complications this year stem in part from some districts not meeting the state deadline to turn in completed tests for grading, forcing state officials to scramble to send back results. But the state could perhaps manage things better by enforcing fixed, staggered testing windows, said JC Bowman, executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee (ProEd). The state typically sets one testing window for the entire state, which risks having numerous districts simultaneously waiting to the last minute, or past the last minute, to package up the paper tests and send them off for grading. “Calendar flexibility allowed for smoother administration of the test, but hampered the return of results,” Bowman told The Tennessee Star. In an email…

Read the full story

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais Rips Mainstream Media At Rutherford County GOP Event

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais slammed the mainstream media Thursday in delivering his welcoming remarks at the Rutherford County GOP Reagan Day Dinner. “These folks are not even trying to be neutral and impartial anymore,” he said, describing how he believes coverage has become even more slanted since President Trump was elected. DesJarlais, who represents the 4th district which includes Rutherford County, said news stories are full of “complete and utter nonsense” and cautioned attendees to be wary of what they see and read. “The president is doing everything we elected him to do but you won’t hear about that on TV,” he said. Four announced and expected candidates for Tennessee governor spoke at Thursday’s event at the Stones River County Club in Murfreesboro. They included state Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Congresswoman Diana Black, and businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee. Only Boyd and Lee have officially announced that they are running. DesJarlais encouraged state and local Republicans to stick together, saying that Democrats’ only chance of putting forward a winning gubernatorial candidate is if Republicans divide among themselves. In Washington, D.C., things are going better than some Republicans realize, he said. “Border crossings are dramatically down and that’s without…

Read the full story

Donald Trump Cites Fight Against Terrorism in Ramadan Greeting

Tennessee Star Staff

In another stark departure from his predecessor, President Trump used the words “terrorist” or “terrorism” three times Friday in a statement wishing Muslims a joyful Ramadan, a traditional month of fasting. “This year, the holiday begins as the world mourns the innocent victims of barbaric terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom and Egypt, acts of depravity…

Read the full story