Energy and mineral development on lands managed by the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) in Nevada contributed nearly $3.8 billion in added value to the state’s economy last year, according to a department report.
Read the full storyMonth: October 2019
Commentary: ‘Orange Man Bad’ Becomes Foreign Policy
Have you noticed an uptick in the appearance of a specific talking point from the political and military elite about President Trump’s recent drawdown in northern Syria? It goes something like this: Yes, the president was in a tight spot in Syria – caught between Turkey, a NATO ally, and the Kurds, who we were allied with against ISIS. But the president was wrong to pull U.S. forces out of northern Syria the way he did. Very often, these detractors say the president ordered the precipitous drawdown of U.S. forces in Syria without “consulting the Pentagon.”
Read the full storyWhite House Aide Mulvaney Reiterates, No Ukraine Money Link to Political Investigations
Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Sunday defended his claim that President Donald Trump did not withhold nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine in order to get Kyiv to undertake investigations of Democratic rivals and the 2016 election.
Read the full storyDysfunctional Immigration Courts Cited for Growing Asylum Crisis
Blame for a rising backlog of immigration asylum claims at the southern border belongs with a dysfunctional system in which immigration judges don’t have the power to toss out meritless and fraudulent claims, a panel of experts said this week.
Read the full storyTennessee Loses Substantial Amount of Money to Tax Abatement Programs, New Findings Reveal
Tennessee lost more than $159 million in revenue to tax abatement programs in 2018.
The state also lost $226 million to these programs in 2017.
Read the full storyUK’s Johnson Sends Unsigned Brexit Delay Request to EU, Source Says
LONDON – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent an unsigned letter to the European Union on Saturday requesting a Brexit delay and a separate note saying that he did not want an extension, a British government source said.
Read the full storyJustin Amash Says Trump Treating Troops Like ‘Paid Mercenaries,’ Won’t Rule Out Libertarian Presidential Run
Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI-03) slammed President Donald Trump for treating U.S. troops like “paid mercenaries” in a Sunday interview while stoking rumors that he may launch a presidential run as a Libertarian candidate.
Read the full storyMinnesota Businesses Sign Legal Brief in Support of Upholding DACA
Several prominent businesses headquartered in Minnesota signed on to an amicus brief in support of upholding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Read the full storyThe Star News Digital Media Statement of Principles on K-12 Education
Star News Digital Media is a Nashville-based company that owns and operates five online news sites–The Tennessee Star, The Ohio Star, The Minnesota Sun, The Michigan Star, and Battleground State News–and publishes textbooks for secondary school students.
Our reporting on K-12 education is based on our philosophical perspective, which is reflected in our statement of principles.
Read the full storyTennessee State Revenue Report Shows Surplus of $138.8 Million in September
The report of Tennessee state revenues for September at $1.6 billion resulted in a budget surplus of $138.8 million. Revenue for the month of September 2019, as indicated in the report, is $138.7 million more than September 2018, reflecting a 9.75 percent year-over-year growth rate. On an accrual basis, September is the second month in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Combined with August, the two months of revenues have resulted in a total $167.6 million budget surplus year-to-date. Revenues are 6.6 percent ahead of the plan for the 2019-2020 fiscal year and 9.00 percent ahead of this time in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter said of the most recent month’s revenue results, “September sales tax receipts continue to reflect strong consumer activity within the state and corporate tax revenues greatly outperformed expectations.” The sales and use tax, the state’s largest revenue generator accounting for more than 60 percent of the 2019-2020 budgeted revenues, exceeded the estimates for September by $31 million or nearly 4 percent. Year-to-date, sales tax revenues have exceeded the budgeted estimates by $40 million, or 2.5 percent for the two month period. Franchise and excise taxes combined, the state’s second-largest revenue source…
Read the full storyTennessee Republican Party Executive Director Michael Sullivan Leaves to Serve as Bill Hagerty’s Senate Campaign Manager
Tennessee Republican Party Executive Director Michael Sullivan is leaving to serve as campaign manager for Bill Hagerty’s U.S. Senate campaign, the Nashville Post said.
Read the full storyCommentary: Christopher Wray Has Some Explaining to Do
Article 35 of the constitution of the People’s Republic of China guarantees “freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, and of demonstration.” Article 36 guarantees religious freedom including the right to believe in any religion. Article 37 prohibits illegal arrests and unlawful searches of Chinese citizens. Article 40 guarantees a Chinese citizen’s right to privacy of correspondence. Article 126 guarantees judicial independence without interference by any administrative organ, public organization, or individual.
Read the full storyManny Sethi TV Ad Triggers Liberals
Dr. Manny Sethi’s television ad criticizing illegal immigration triggered prominent Democrats nationwide into a torrent of anger this past week, and many of them took to Twitter to show their disgust. Sethi and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty are running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate to replace Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who is retiring. The Republican primary will be held in August 2020, and the winner will be a heavy favorite to win the general election in November 2020. A congresswoman from Washington state along with a New York Times op-ed writer were among some of the progressives speaking out against Sethi’s commercial. In the ad, Sethi, whose parents emigrated to the United States many years ago, challenged anyone to call him a racist for speaking out against illegal immigration. Jenalyn Sotto, an official with the National Women’s Law Center, criticized the commercial perhaps more harshly than anyone else. “Manny Sethi’s ‘illegal immigrant invasion’ rhetoric as a Brown man is absolution porn for white racists and dog whistling for naturalized citizens and green card holders who are conditioned to believe that if they don’t call out unauthorized immigration, they’ll lose their status,” Sotto tweeted…
Read the full storyTrump Campaign Threatens to Sue CNN Over ‘Unfair, Unfounded, Unethical and Unlawful Attacks’
President Trump’s reelection campaign sent a letter to CNN Friday threatening legal action against the network over its biased, unfair and possible unlawful coverage of the president.
Read the full storyAudit: Tennessee Officials Put Patients at Risk By Not Vetting Caregivers
Officials with the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities put patients at risk by hiring a person with a criminal conviction to care for them, according to Tennessee Comptrollers, in a new audit.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Strongest Support for School Vouchers Comes From Lower-Income Families
hen it comes to education, the word voucher tends to elicit strong reactions in three broad public opinion camps. First, there are those who feel strongly that vouchers can expand education options for families by allowing children to attend a private school using some or all of the per-pupil spending amount allocated to the local district school.
Read the full storyTrump Says Turkey-Syria Ceasefire Is on Again After Friday Morning Shelling
President Donald Trump said the ceasefire agreed upon by the U.S. and Turkey on Thursday is on again after reports of Friday morning shelling and machine-gun fire on the Syria-Turkey border.
Read the full storyUS Justice Department Announces Record Number of Immigration-Linked Prosecutions
The U.S. Justice Department said Friday it prosecuted a record number of immigration-related criminal cases over the last year.
Read the full storySenate Fails to Override Trump’s Veto on Border Emergency
After the United States Congress voted to end President Trump’s national emergency declaration on the southern border, the President vetoed that resolution; yesterday, the Senate failed to override his veto, according to Politico.
Read the full storyPresident Donald Trump Announces New Energy Secretary Pick
President Donald Trump announced Friday he would nominate Dan Brouillette to be the next secretary of the Department of Energy, following the departure of Rick Perry.
Read the full storyElizabeth Warren Campaign to Have a Presence in Tennessee
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren has reportedly set up a presence in Tennessee in her quest to get elected president next year. This, according to The Nashville Post, which reported that Elizabeth Henderson will serve as Warren’s Tennessee state director. “According to several local Democratic hands, that makes Warren, newly atop some national and early-state polls, the first presidential candidate with staff working in Tennessee, more than four months before the state’s Democrats vote in the Super Tuesday primary,” The Nashville Post reported. “Henderson previously worked on Karl Dean’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign, David Briley’s 2015 vice mayoral campaign and for The Wilderness Society and Organizing for Action. She has also worked with Run for Something, a group that supports progressive candidates running in down-ballot races.” As The Tennessee Star reported earlier this month, Warren’s presidency could spell ruin for the stock market, at least according to what analysts predict. “The stock market has already started to show negative impact from Warren’s campaign, analysts told Bloomberg, and her presidency could impact the stock market even further. The bank earnings season will begin October 15, the publication reports,” according to The Star. The Royal Bank of Canada’s Lori Calvasina worries that a Warren presidency combined with…
Read the full storyState Rep. Gant Plans to Reintroduce Legislation to Raise Tobacco, Vaping Age to 21 During Next Legislative Session
Assistant Majority House Leader Ron Gant (R-TN-94) plans to resume his efforts to raise Tennessee’s legal smoking and vaping age to 21 next year.
Read the full storyCommentary: Nancy Pelosi’s Impeachment Witch Hunt Makes the World More Dangerous
It’s been about a month since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) opened her certain-to-fail impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Sept. 24, and the world is not getting any safer.
Read the full storyNashville Officials Want to Track People on Scooters in Real Time
Nashville officials are demanding scooter companies turn over GPS and route information that would allow the government to track people who ride scooters in real-time.
Read the full storyMark Zuckerberg Says That Private Companies Should Not Censor Politicians
In an interview with Fox News’ Dana Perino, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that he believes private social media companies should not censor politicians.
Read the full storySaving Nashville Fairgrounds: Attorney Jim Roberts Weighs in on Legalities of the Fight
Live from music row Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Leahy was joined in studio by all-star panelist, Attorney Jim Roberts from Nashville to talk about his background as a conservative in law and how he aims to help serve the taxpayers.
Read the full storyMexico Deports Hundreds of Indian Migrants Back to Their Home Country
Mexico announced that it deported over 300 Indian nationals via airplane, an unprecedented type of repatriation by the Mexican government as it continues to crackdown on illegal immigration.
Read the full storyFour Big Indicators of What’s Next in Impeachment Process
As House Democrats’ impeachment probe moved forward Thursday, a star witness told Congress that “no quid pro quo” existed in the president’s dealings with Ukraine and the president’s chief of staff told reporters that politics typically play a role in foreign policy.
Read the full storyState Department Concludes Clinton Email Review, Says It Found Nearly 600 Security Violations
State Department investigators probing Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state discovered nearly 600 security incidents that violated agency policy, according to a report the Daily Caller News Foundation obtained.
Read the full storyICE Identifies Hundreds of Migrants Allegedly Lying About Their Family Status
The United States government identified hundreds of migrants allegedly falsely claiming familial status and numerous other migrant adults attempting to pose as minors.
Read the full storyCommentary: Chicago Teachers’ Strike Shows Why We Don’t Need Public Schools
As the Chicago teachers’ strike continues with no end in sight, 300,000 students spend another day outside of the public school classroom. Chicago’s mayor, Lori Lightfoot, says this is damaging to children.
Read the full storyBrexit Breakthrough, but British MPs Could Torpedo EU Deal
BRUSSELS – Britain and the European Union sealed a new withdrawal agreement Thursday, on the first day of an EU summit in Brussels, paving the way for Britain’s possible exit from the bloc at the end of the month.
Read the full storyZombies, Fairies and Clones Await You for Things to Watch This Weekend
The makeshift family of Little Rock, Wichita, Columbus and Tallahassee have moved to America’s heartland where they face off zombies who have evolved from the first movie ten years ago.
Read the full storyTwice-Deported Illegal Immigrant Faces Federal Firearms Charges in Nashville
A federal grand jury this week indicted a previously-deported man on charges of being an aggravated felon who re-entered the United States illegally.
Read the full storyBlackburn Announces Filing of Legislation for Sanctions Against Turkey for Syria Incursion
U.S. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Thursday announced the filing of legislation for sanctions against Turkey despite a temporary ceasefire in Syria.
Read the full storyCommentary: National Security Doesn’t Care About Your Feelings
Ben Shapiro has become famous for the line: “Facts don’t care about your feelings!” Neither does strategy. And the last week should serve as a lesson in how to do strategy properly, and how to serve the national interest: clinically and without emotion.
Read the full storyHundreds Arrested Around the World in Connection to Child Porn Site Funded by Bitcoin
Hundreds of people around the world have been arrested in connection to the largest-ever online child sexual exploitation market funded by bitcoin, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
Read the full storyRand Paul: Pulling US Troops From Syria ‘May Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to the Kurds’
Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul argued Wednesday that pulling the remaining U.S. troops from northern Syria “may be the best thing that ever happened to the Kurds.”
Read the full storyJC Bowman Commentary: Grow Your Own Teachers
Tennessee is a unique state, not only because we have the greatest citizens, but because of our geography. We border eight states. That can be an advantage and a disadvantage at times. When economic times are good, people want to relocate to our state. When economic times are difficult, it allows residents to move to a neighboring state and pursue more money in their chosen occupation. In education, we lose teachers to our border states on a regular basis.
Read the full storyAnalysis: Climate Change Fears of Teen Activist Are Empirically Baseless
At a recent United Nations summit, 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg claimed that the Earth is on the brink of destruction and that older generations are betraying younger ones by not doing enough to stop climate change. The media has amplified these allegations by giving her speech broad, glowing coverage, but the fears she expressed are not grounded in reality.
Read the full storyFedEx Invests $1.5 Billion to Expand, Modernize Memphis Hub to Handle E-Commerce
FedEx filed a $212 million building permit Tuesday for a new package sorting facility and hub in Memphis, MyNorthwest reported.
Read the full storyCarol Swain Talks to Leahy About the Problems in Public Education and Societies Lack of History and Civic Knowledge
During a specific discussion Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am –Leahy spoke with in-studio guest and former Mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain about public education issues and Obama’s 2014 executive order called restorative justice through a document issued by his Department of Education (Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline). This allowed for more often than naught black students to remain in the classroom despite high levels of discipline problems. The program also added those of disabilities to its initiative.
Read the full storyChristianity Declines in US as More Adults Identify as ‘Nothing in Particular,’ Surveys Show
Christianity continues to decline among U.S. adults as the number of adults identifying as “nothing in particular” increases, Pew Research Center found.
Read the full storyThe Tennessee Star Report: Can America’s Schools Be Saved: How the Ideology of American Education is Destroying It
In a special interview, Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Michael Patrick Leahy spoke with Can America’s Schools Be Saved: How the Ideology of American Education is Destroying It author, Edwin Benson about the origins of American education and how it’s affecting the minds of young students and teachers alike today.
Read the full storySnopes Butchers Fact Check of Viral Smear of Chick-Fil-A
Fact-checking website Snopes butchered its fact check of a viral but false tweet linking Chick-fil-A to anti-gay legislation in Uganda.
Read the full storyPence Announces Cease-fire in Turkish Assault in Syria
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has announced a cease-fire in Turkey’s assault on Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
Read the full storyNew Tennessee Law Allows Fed Up Jackson Residents to Recall School Board Members
Jackson-Madison County residents are trying to recall one of their school board members, and more may follow, thanks to a newly enacted Tennessee law.
Read the full storyCommentary: Here Is Why Americans Can’t Wait to Vote for President in 2020
How amped up are you for the 2020 election?
Read the full storyReport Claims Gannett, Owner of The Tennessean, Plans to Cancel USA Today Print Edition
A new report claims that the merger between Gannet and GateHouse Media, owned by the New Media Investment Group, will result in the cancellation of USA Today’s print edition.
Read the full storyMaryland Rep. Elijah Cummings Dead at 68
Rep. Elijah Cummings died at 68 at an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Hospital early Thursday as a result of complications from longstanding health challenges, his office said in a statement.
Read the full story