President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser Gary Cohn should be fired immediately for publicly criticizing the president, Roger Stone, a longtime Trump confidante, told LifeZette Friday. Cohn, the chairman of the National Economic Council, aired his disappointment with Trump’s reaction to a racist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12 that turned deadly. “This administration can…
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by Jeffrey A. Rendall In watching footage from the Charlottesville riots recently I was struck by one fact in particular: there were almost as many people recording the event on their smart devices as there were Nazis and leftist thugs taking part in the melee. The scrolling pictures didn’t lie — whenever an Antifa goon would move towards a white supremacist idiot or vice-versa invariably there was a host of bystanders inching ever closer to get a good look and secure the best vantage point to electronically preserve the physical altercation. There were many times where it was difficult to distinguish the perpetrators from the amateur video documenters. What an odd world we live in where there are people who actually run towards such incidents solely to chronicle them for who knows what… fame on YouTube? A credit on the evening news, perhaps? An “I was there” post on Facebook? A personal thrill? Mental illness? It wasn’t as if there was a rare solar eclipse high overhead or a newly active volcano erupting in the distance. But maybe these curiosity-seekers thought it’s more stimulating to see miscreants beating on each other and throwing bottles filled with urine than…
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A rally for President Donald Trump supporters scheduled Saturday in San Fransisco has been called off by the organizers due to many violent threats. The group announced Friday afternoon in a Facebook live video that they would no longer be hosting the event due to safety concerns after speaking with the San Fransisco police saying the…
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The first phase of President Trump’s border wall is back on track after the Government Accountability Office dismissed contract protests that were holding construction of prototypes, officials said late Friday. “This means that we are now able to award contracts as soon as we are ready. We therefore expect to make awards soon,” U.S. Customs and…
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The Confederate monument protest in Knoxville Saturday ended without violence, police said. The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) tweeted Saturday that the demonstration in Fort Sanders was “peaceful and successful.” The protest was held against a monument in the historic neighborhood that honors fallen Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Fort Sanders on Nov. 29, 1863. WATE reported the city had shut down a portion of 17th Street to vehicles. Earlier in the day, the KPD tweeted that guns, knives and face coverings would not be permitted. Police also reported handing out water to protestors. Petitions were posted online last week calling both for the removal and the preservation of the monument, WATE reported. The monument was vandalized and then cleaned up. WBIR reported about 300 people gathered near the monument. Most protested the structure, while a few showed support. Some chanted “not in Knoxville,” while one woman displayed a sign reading “defend our monument.” The KPD tweeted that the drivers of dozens of cars that towed from the protest area would not have to pay. The department tweeted the name and number of the city impound lot. Democratic Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero tweeted “Thank you @knoxsheriff, @TNHighwayPatrol, @OakRidgePolice, @TBInvestigation, @KnoxvilleFire, @UTPolice &…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 27, Sunday Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
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Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said Friday that he was confident the debt ceiling would be raised in September and had assurances from both parties in Congress. He also backed President Trump’s stance that Congress should pass a “clean” bill that increases the government’s borrowing limit, which is the longtime Democratic position and bucks conservatives who…
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In the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, at a Stand Against Hate Rally held in Knoxville the following day, August 13, State Representative Rick Staples (D-Knoxville), one of several speakers at the event, said “I decided today that I am going to be dangerous.” In comments that lasted about five minutes and were livestreamed on Facebook by the Knoxville News Sentinel, Staples said that, as he approached the stage and “saw the sea of people standing here in solidarity,” he was “struck with an epiphany.” After sharing his perspectives on what is going on in the country, which he refers to as “evil,” Staples then said those things are not why “we are living and witnessing a dangerous time in America,” rather it’s dangerous “because right now today we’re standing together against that evil.” Staples was elected in November 2016 with no Republican challenger after being selected by the Knox County Democratic Party to replace 28-year Representative Joe Armstrong on the ballot. Armstrong was convicted of a felony for filing a false tax return. Staples has had his own legal battles related to non-payment of child support for a minor son he had with his now-estranged partner. Staples…
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The Center for Security Policy gave awards Friday to state Sen. Mark Green, (R-Clarksville), state Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and Bobbie Patray of the Tennessee Eagle Forum for their efforts to counter terrorism. Christopher Holton, vice president for outreach for the Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank, was at Legislative Plaza to present the awards. Holton called the three “exemplary individuals” and cited their work on state legislation approved this past spring that protects people who report suspicious activity from civil and criminal liability if they act in good faith. Green sponsored the legislation in the Senate and Matheny was the sponsor in the House. Holton said such legislation is needed to encourage people to report suspicious activity and behavior. He mentioned the reluctance of neighbors of the San Bernardino terrorists to report suspicious activity they witnessed. They did not contact authorities because they were afraid of being called racist. “We don’t want that to happen anywhere,” Holton said. Matheny told The Tennessee Star that it is a “much-needed law,” and Green said he was grateful that the Center for Security Policy recognized their efforts. They both received a Defender of Freedom Award. Patray, the longtime president of the Tennessee Eagle…
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President Trump signed an executive order imposing new financial sanctions on the “dictatorship” of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the White House said Friday. The new action prohibits dealings in new debt issued by the Venezuelan government and its state oil company. The sanctions also prohibit dealings in certain bonds owned by the Venezuelan public sector and…
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Mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro isn’t taking any chances when it comes to protecting The Floating City from radical Islamic terror. The controversial mayor has ordered Venice police to shoot on sight anyone who shouts “Allahu Akbar” in public and has reportedly ordered permanent sniper nests to be stationed around the city’s famed St. Mark’s Square.…
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A National Football League legend criticized Colin Kaepernick and other football players for kneeling during the National Anthem. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown said during a Thursday interview that he sympathizes with Kaepernick and wants to support him, but also feels that the former San Fransciso 49er’s player is a little misguided in his…
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee — State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) on Friday said U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) was out of line in his recent harsh criticism of President Trump. As a leading U.S. senator, Corker should know better than to undermine the president at a time when the country is facing tough challenges at home and abroad, Matheny said. “You don’t speak like that about the president. You just don’t. He ought to be ashamed,” Matheny told The Tennessee Star at Legislative Plaza, where Matheny was receiving an award from the Center for Security Policy for his efforts to fight terrorism. Corker told reporters in Chattanooga last week that “radical changes” are needed at the White House. He questioned Trump’s competence and his understanding of what has made the U.S. a great nation. Trump fired back on Friday with a tweet saying, “Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in ’18. Tennessee not happy!” Trump has been bombarded with criticism from the mainstream media, the left and establishment Republicans like Corker in the wake of his comments blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical…
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It’s the education, stupid. That, in a nutshell, is a major reason why America’s monuments and national symbols are being torn down, removed, relocated and otherwise blotted from the public square. If students in America’s public schools were properly taught the foundation of this country – the roots that made it great, the causes that both…
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Now this is interesting – a real “things that make you go hmmm” moment. Turns out House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the same woman who rode the back of the Charlottesville bus to deem dozens of Capitol Hill statues as offensive and President Donald Trump, as racist, has a dad who – get this – actually…
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The White House claims it is making progress on tax reform and could roll out part of its plan next week, but the president’s increasingly contentious relationship with lawmakers on the Hill has put a pall over the effort’s progress. President Donald Trump has been using Twitter to blast Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and reportedly…
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Senator Bob Corker was greeted Friday morning with another withering rebuke by President Trump, in response to a series of criticisms hailed at the President over the past ten days, for which Corker – who is up for re-election by Trump-friendly Tennesseans next year – staunchly “stands by.” Meanwhile, State Senator Mark Green’s (R-Clarksville) refusal to rule out a run against the struggling incumbent could signal a re-consideration to challenge Corker in the 2018 Republican primary. “I’ve already told Senator Corker my thoughts about his comments about the President and that’s as far as I intend to go at this point,” Green told Breitbart News Friday afternoon. Earlier this year State Senator Green was eyeing a run to replace the termed-out Governor Bill Haslam when the Trump Administration nominated him for Secretary of the Army. The move was met with the broad support of the Senate and wildly popular Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. However, after a sustained, two-pronged attack by leftist groups against Green’s nomination using inaccurate accounts of remarks he made having to do with the so-called “bathroom bill” and the threat of radical Islam to the American way of life, he withdrew his nomination. In early August, Green announced that he…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 26, Saturday Matthew 10:33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven” ~ Jesus Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by And that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost The Road Not Taken There are many ways to get fit. Many of these ways are not attractive – at least not to me. Long, boring cardio, burpees till you puke… You get the idea. There are new, trendy, fitness routines coming out all the time. Some are good, and some are outright ridiculous. One can be led to believe that if they’re not doing the latest craze, they’ll be left in the dust. This turns off many who would otherwise find their road to fitness: “If I need to go through all of this $%#! to attain health, count me out!” Fitness choices include: weightlifting (bodybuilding, Olympic lifting, powerlifting), bodyweight training (progressive calisthenics), kettlebells, bands, awkward object lifting, long “steady-state” cardio, high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.), yoga, Pilates, barre, Zumba, and so many more. Though I enjoy some of these disciplines, many people do not. And fortunately, that’s okay. There are many roads to fitness, including less regimented ones than those listed above. Activity of almost any kind – particularly in the great outdoors – is beneficial, as…
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President Trump took to Twitter Friday morning to lash back at U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) for Corker’s recent sharp criticisms of the president. Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in '18. Tennessee not happy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017 Last week in Chattanooga, Corker told reporters that “radical changes” are needed at the White House and that “the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful.” Corker said Trump “has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” Corker’s comments came as Trump was getting criticized by the mainstream media, the left and some Republicans for blaming both sides for the recent violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and radical leftists. Critics said Trump’s comments indirectly showed support for white supremacists. In Chattanooga, Corker said, “I think that sometimes he gets in a situation where he doubles-down to try and make a wrong a right.…
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A company near downtown Huntsville, Alabama, that makes flags is getting flooded with orders for the Confederate flag. Alabama Flag & Banner may be the the only flag manufacturer in the U.S. still making the rebel flag, reports AL.com. The company began manufacturing the Confederate flag after many retailers pulled it from their shelves in 2015 because of a shooting at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. Nine people were killed by a white supremacist who was featured in personal photos holding a Confederate flag. America’s major flag manufacturers have stopped producing the rebel flag, leaving Alabama Flag & Banner to fill the void for retailers and people still interested in obtaining American-made Confederate flags. Demand is up after the recent racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the renewed debate over the place for statues and memorials commemorating the role of Southern leaders during the Civil War. “We are shipping them as fast as we can make them and in the order in which they are received,” says a message on the company’s website. Belinda Kennedy is the longtime owner of Alabama Flag & Banner. She told AL.com that people have different reasons for buying the Confederate flag but…
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Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak blasted the E.U.’s migration policies on Wednesday in the wake of a string of radical Islamic terror attacks across the Europe. “Paris, Stockholm, Brussels, Berlin, Manchester, Barcelona,” Blaszczak’s statement read. “How many more European cities have to be hit by terrorists so the European Union wakes up? So the European Commission…
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The recent August 15 meeting of the Joint Committee on Rules and Regs chaired by State Rep Jerry Faison and State Senator Mike Bell is already having an impact on the previously little known Douglas Henry State Museum Commission which is next scheduled to meet on Monday morning at 10 October 9 at the Knoxville Zoo in East Tennessee. The meeting is open to the public. There is also a bylaws committee meeting on September 14 in Knoxville which will attempt to revise the current bylaws which created so much controversy about free speech. They will submit new bylaws for the Commission to vote on in October. Before you start commenting on this meeting being held at the Zoo after all the issues the Commission has faced, you should recognize the Zoo in Knoxville is well worth viewing. It is a real tourist attraction in Knoxville. Almost 500,000 people a year visit. When I served as Mayor of Knoxville we were and are very proud of what has been accomplished there. The actual meeting will be near the entrance and the gift shop. While the Zoo is not art or history, it is a well maintained and operated facility…
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As she was gearing up for her re-election campaign — and a potential presidential bid — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in January quietly set up a joint fundraising committee that allows wealthy donors to write five- and six-figure checks. As a candidate, Warren can raise a maximum of $5,400 from any individual contributor — $2.700 in…
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Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday that President Trump “should stop watching cable television” and continue pushing his agenda through Congress. “Nobody else watches it. You know, he called me up one night at about 11:00, and I said what are you doing, and he said you’ve got to turn on the TV. This guy just said…
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Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) blasted “some of the Republican leaders” for being “right there with the obstructionist Democrats” in holding up funding for President Donald Trump’s signature border along the southern border during an interview Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Although the House approved a budget bill with a $1.6 billion downpayment on border wall…
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When you want chaos or conflict, your goal is to continue the creation of problems, not find solutions to real problems. And if problems do not exist, you make them up. That is why some organizations and institutions are increasingly losing members, support and influence.
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House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Thursday that Congress will blow past the Sept. 30 deadline for approving new funding for 2018, saying the government will need to operate off stop-gap spending for several months. Mr. Ryan also insisted Congress will meet its deadline to raise the federal government’s borrowing limit, saying he was “really not…
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The city of Knoxville is bracing for demonstrations Saturday afternoon featuring a rally in support of a Confederate monument and counterprotesters, but a prohibition on firearms is raising concerns among some gun rights advocates. Because of the violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, two weeks ago, Knoxville city officials are taking precautions to try to prevent protests from turning violent. “Our officers will be there to maintain order and ensure that everybody is free to speak their piece,” said Mayor Madeline Rogero in a news release Wednesday. “These are volatile times, and I strongly urge everyone to refrain from antagonism. We can have these discussions as a community without resorting to angry rhetoric or violence.” No guns, other weapons or masks will be allowed for people entering designated demonstration areas. People planning to enter those areas will be screened with a metal detector. Signs and flags will not be allowed into the demonstration zones if they are attached to a pole or stick or any object that could be used as a weapon. Water bottles, drink containers, coolers, beverages and food are also banned. Water will be provided on site. The city is citing TCA 39-17-1359 in state law to support…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 25, Friday John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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The White House blasted Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker as “ridiculous” Thursday for asserting that President Trump hasn’t shown yet that he can run the country. “I think that’s a ridiculous and outrageous claim and doesn’t dignify a response from this podium,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Speaking to reporters last week…
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Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz said Tuesday that liberals should not treat Antifa members as heroes for tearing down Confederate monuments because they are trying to “tear down America.” “Do not glorify the violent people who are now tearing down the statues. Many of these people, not all of them, many of these people are trying to…
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The Center for Security Policy will honor three Tennesseans on Friday for their efforts to protect their fellow Tennesseans from terrorism. The Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank will recognize State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and Bobbie Patray, president of the Tennessee Eagle Forum. The group will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m. Friday in Room 16 at Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville, where the awards will be presented. The awards for Green and Matheny are for sponsoring legislation to counter terrorism. The award for Patray is for her leadership role in promoting legislative initiatives to counter terrorism, as well as her efforts to “preserve the integrity of Tennessee’s education system and to protect the constitutional rights of Tennessee’s citizens,” according to a press release from the group. Patray told The Tennessee Star on Wednesday that she is “very honored and humbled by this recognition and especially to share the day with Sen. Mark Green and Rep. Judd Matheny.” “We have worked together on a number of important issues,” she said. “I am very grateful to the Center for Security Policy for this recognition.” For Patray, the award comes as she has marks her 30th anniversary…
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State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) on Tuesday called on Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to do what he can to stop NFL players from taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem. Haslam’s brother, Jimmy, is owner of the Cleveland Browns in addition to being CEO of the Pilot Flying J chain of gas stations and convenience stores. Matheny, who is running for Congress in the Sixth Congressional District, posted the following on Facebook Tuesday morning along with a photo of Cleveland Browns players taking a knee at a game Monday evening. A dozen players were reported to have taken a knee. Governor Haslam, your family owns the Cleveland Browns. Would you please use your influence to put an immediate stop to the behavior displayed in the NFL last night. These individuals who disrespected our flag and anthem should be returned to normal jobs and help build our community. Their actions only set poor examples for our youth to follow-all this in a time when we need national cohesion worse than ever. Would the citizens of Tennessee, Ohio and the rest of the country please DEMAND this behavior stop. We cannot let public figures continue to get away with…
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UT Knoxville alumnus Rev. Osagyefo Sekou credits antifa forces with whom he was “discussing tactics,” for “saving [his] life” while he was protesting in Charlottesville: Antifa saved my life. — Rev. Osagyefo Sekou (@RevSekou) August 15, 2017 It’s ironic that Sekou, an anti-Israel agitator who supports extreme anti-Israel groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation (CEO), would be demonstrating against Neo-Nazis in Charlottesville. The Anti-Defamation League lists both organizations among the top 10 most influential and active anti-Israel groups in the United States. The CEO is led by Yousef Munayyer, who as former director of the Jerusalem Fund openly advocated for the BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanction) campaign against Israel which has continued under the new director. The Jerusalem Fund’s board Chairman is Dr. Subhi Ali from Waverly, Tennessee. His daughter, Samar Ali served in the Haslam administration. The BDS campaign attacks Zionism and seeks to demonize, delegitimize and eliminate the State of Israel, to wit, the slogan “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” used by BDS promoters to signal that if successful, there would be no Israel or Jews between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. It is…
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What happens when Saul Alinsky and his tactics do not go far enough for you? We are probably about to find out. There are seemingly no longer limits to acceptable behavior in society, no moral conscience for some people and Alinsky’s radical “methods” are now the new normal. Combined with the usual Orwellian double-speak from those trained in Alinsky tactics. They can attract the gullible.
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One legislator is campaigning against efforts by local governments to collect traffic citations he says they have no right to obtain. State Rep. Andy Holt (R-Dresden) championed a 2016 law that said vendors’ contracts for speeding and traffic light cameras could not renew once their terms expired. That law did not apply to the contracts of cameras used in school zones and along S-curve streets. “Photo enforcement has not been banned in Tennessee, but that’s why I have been going on a full-bent effort to inform folks they do not have to pay photo enforcement citations,” Holt said. “I fully believe the best way to get rid of photo enforcement is to starve the beast.” A police industry spokeswoman disputes claims that the Legislature changed the laws governing traffic cameras. “They did not change the statute any,” said Maggi M. Duncan, executive director of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. “All it (the new law) did was say what’s in the statute. The back-and-forth has some drivers confused, like Wayne Forkum of Knoxville, which has cameras. “When the cameras were first installed, the duration of the yellow caution light was shortened in order to catch motorists expecting the…
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President Donald Trump said he is supportive of shutting down the government if Congress fails to appropriate funds for the border wall during a rally in Phoenix, Ariz., Tuesday. Trump said building the wall along the border of Mexico is a necessary component in improving national security, noting he plans to make good on his campaign…
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Some of the nation’s largest labor unions have pledged to fight hate and violence in response to the events of Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced contributions to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. Following President Donald Trump’s response to the violence, numerous business leaders…
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In a first look at her new book, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton describes then-Republican nominee Donald Trump as a “creep” and says he invaded her “personal space” during the debates last fall. “Do you stay calm, keep smiling and carry on as if he weren’t repeatedly invading your space? Or do you turn, look…
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MT. JULIET, Tennessee — In traveling across the state to campaign for governor, Mae Beavers has encountered “an increasing anxiety” about Republicans not governing based on conservative principles, she told reporters Wednesday. Despite the dominance of Tennessee Republicans in the governor’s office and both chambers of the state legislature, the GOP is “losing its way in Nashville,” Beavers said. Beavers was at Mt. Juliet City Hall Wednesday afternoon to announce that she will not serve the remainder of her term as state senator so that she can give full attention to her gubernatorial campaign. Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) used the opportunity to also talk about the “discontent” and “skepticism” in the state about Republicans campaigning as conservatives but then going against conservative principles once in office. “Many citizens feel they’re strangers in their own state, that their values, their way of life, their history and heritage and home are under assault,” said Beavers, a strong supporter of President Trump who has said in the past that she hopes to pull off an underdog win just like he did. “But I can tell you that there’s also a mighty wind of cheerful determination to hold the line on taxes and regulations,…
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by ConservativeHQ.com Staff Most of what President Trump does or says seems to drive the Left and their fellow travelers in the national news media crazy, but the reaction to President Trump’s rally in Phoenix, Arizona was completely over the top. The media reaction was predictable and savage as CNN anchor Dona Lemon ranted, “Well, what do you say to that? I’m just going to speak from the heart here — what we have witnessed is a total eclipse of the facts,” Lemon began, adding: “He’s unhinged. It’s embarrassing.” That wasn’t all, as Politico put it, Lemon “thundered on” as he compared Trump to a petty 6-year-old who creates imaginary enemies. He said Trump’s speech was “without thought” and “without reason” and “devoid of fact.” “It was devoid of wisdom,” Lemon said. “There was no gravitas. There was no sanity there. He was like a child blaming a sibling on something else.” “This was a Castro-esque speech in length, an astounding chain of lies … by a man who is obviously mentally unstable,” said Rick Wilson, one of CNN’s stable of anti-Trump Republicans. The writers for Time magazine’s website contented themselves with quoting Hillary Clinton supporters to express…
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Mayor Megan Barry’s July 1, 2017, Metro Budget included proposed fare reductions and no-cost transfers for Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) users, making the “self-generated” portion of MTA’s funding a mere 16 percent, with the balance coming from Metro Government at 60 percent, the State at 6 percent and Federal at 19 percent. In Mayor Barry’s budget for fiscal year 2017-18 adopted by the Metro Council and approved by the MTA Board, effective August 1, 2017, “2nd Ride Transfers” within two hours of initial boarding were eliminated and nearly all other fares were reduced by at least 24 percent and up to as much as 40 percent. The total cost passed on to taxpayers to compensate for just the fee restructuring portion of next year’s MTA budget is $2.75 million. MTA is the public transportation agency based in Nashville that utilizes buses primarily through Music City Central, a paratransit specialized van service for people with disabilities, the Lebanon-to-Nashville Music City Star commuter rail, the free Music City Circuit and contracted services with the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) for service areas connected to Nashville/Davidson County. In 2016, MTA reported that of its $73.6 million budgeted operating funding, $16.8 million or 23…
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Apparently, even being Asian doesn’t mean people won’t take you for being a white nationalist. According to the popular college-football blog Outkick the Coverage, ESPN pulled an Asian announcer from calling a University of Virginia football game. The announcer’s name is Robert Lee. “Did I mention that Robert Lee is Asian?” blogger Clay Travis asked rhetorically…
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MT. JULIET, Tennessee — State Senator Mae Beavers announced Wednesday that she will resign her seat in the state legislature to focus on her campaign for governor of Tennessee. Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) said that she will deliver her letter of resignation to Gov. Bill Haslam and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally on Wednesday, August 30. The resignation will be effective Friday, September 1 at noon. Beavers made her announcement at Mt. Juliet City Hall Wednesday afternoon. In a press release, which was given earlier in the day exclusively to The Tennessee Star, Beavers said she has “mixed emotions” about resigning but said she believed it to be the best decision for her and for her constituents. By resigning now, a special election can be held later this year to ensure that Beavers’ 17th District has a “fully focused representative in place the day that session begins,” the press release said. “I have always taken my duties in the state legislature extremely seriously, and I have concluded that it is simply not possible for anyone to run a statewide grassroots campaign while effectively serving during legislative session,” Beavers said in the release. Beavers is known for her tenacious socially and fiscally…
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U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has joined demands to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, reports WKRN News 2. The Tennessee Republican spoke to reporters Tuesday about the issue when he was in Nashville for an event. Alexander said the Civil War can be remembered at museums, birthplaces and battlefields, but that “a place of honor” should be for Tennesseans “who inspire all of us,” such as Roots author Alex Haley, Senator Howard Baker or World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York. The bust of Forrest was installed at the Capitol in the late 1970s. In 1980, when Alexander was Tennessee governor, he was against removing the bust. Acknowledging that he has changed his mind, Alexander said Tuesday that when he was governor he “thought it was more important to appoint the first African-American Supreme Court justice in Tennessee, which I did. More important to pass the Martin Luther King holiday, which I did. More important to (appoint) the first black chancellor in the state, which I did.” Bill Haslam, the current Tennessee Republican governor, as well as activists, have called for the removal of the controversial bust. A Tennessee native, Forrest was a slave…
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By J.C. Bowman and Justin Owen This week is National Employee Freedom Week. From August 20 to 26, we celebrate Americans’ right to work freely of compulsory union representation, as well as every citizen’s right to join a union if he or she believes it is in his or her best interest. However, for Tennessee teachers, that freedom comes with some limits. A simple glance at the half page of fine print on Tennessee’s National Education Association affiliate’s membership application offers troubling music for union members’ ears. First up is the “Hotel California” clause. You can check out of the union anytime you like, but you can rarely leave. In order to withdraw from your union, you must provide written notice of termination to multiple entities prior to September 1 each year (how far in advance the notice can be sent is unclear). Otherwise, you are locked in for an entire year. And the key statement on the application form is revocation will only be acted upon in accordance with the established policy of the union board. That’s right, the union leadership decides if you get out of the union based on their policies, not based on your…
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An organizer for the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter has published an expletive-laced list of “10 requests” for white people, which includes asking white people who can afford to downsize to give up their homes. “White people, if you can afford to downsize, give up the home you own to a black or brown family. Preferably a family from generational poverty,” reads one suggestion from Chanelle Helm, co-founder and core organizer of the Louisville group. Another reads: “If you are a developer or realty owner of multi-family housing, build a sustainable complex in a black or brown blighted neighborhood and let black and brown people live in it for free.” Helm’s list was published Aug. 16 by LEO Weekly, an alternative newsweekly in Louisville, Kentucky. She also asks white people without descendants to will their property “to a black or brown family. Preferably one that lives in generational poverty.” In addition, she asks, “White people, if you’re inheriting property you intend to sell upon acceptance, give it to a black or brown family. You’re bound to make that money in some other white privileged way.” Helm also addresses the workplace and asks white people to “get a racist fired…You…
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LifeZette editor-in-chief Laura Ingraham endorsed Dr. Kelli Ward in her bid to oust Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Tuesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show,” saying that Ward “is by far the most committed to the conservative-populist cause.” Ward, who lost a 2016 GOP primary bid against Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), is a staunch supporter of President Donald…
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Constitution Week is coming up soon, and the 917 Society is prepared to get the word out about why it is so important. The group is making available a free program and pocket constitutions to all Tennessee eighth-grade social studies teachers to mark Constitution Day Sept. 17 and Constitution Week, which falls around that date. The U.S. Constitution is an area of focus in the eighth-grade curriculum. The program consists of a short documentary film narrated by Nick Clooney and a variety of other free resources, including The Tennessee Star Constitution Series. Joni Bryan, founder of the 917 Society, has worked on the Constitution project for nearly three years. The project is funded with private donations. The group does not receive state or federal funds. “We want every year for all eighth-grade students to receive their Constitution as a rite of passage into citizenship,” Bryan said. This September 17 marks the 230th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The 917 Society’s mission is to reach 4.5 million students nationally, with Tennessee being the first state covered. The goal is to reach almost 90,000 Tennessee eighth-graders annually, including public, private and homeschooled students. Bryan said the group will…
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