December 13, 2020 - Tennessee Star

Tennessee Spent 25 Percent More Per Job to Recruit Businesses in 2020

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 The Center Square

Attracting new jobs to Tennessee in 2020 has cost taxpayers 25% more in FastTrack economic incentive grants than last year, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).

The TNECD has spent an average of $5,448 this year for each new job commitment incentivized by a FastTrack grant. Rural job recruitment proved particularly costly. On average, the state provided $9,765 in FastTrack grants per rural job – more than three times last year’s average.

Commentary: President Trump’s Unique Political Strengths

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

Perhaps because John Batchelor is more an objective observer than most radio hosts, as well as the author of Ain’t You Glad You Joined the Republicans?: A Short History of the GOP, he was, to my knowledge, the first publicly to note Donald Trump’s unique political strengths.

The first unique political strength is that President Trump is blessed with his enemies.

Nearly 50 Percent Approve of Trump’s Performance, Poll Finds

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

Almost 50% of registered voters approved of Donald Trump’s performance as president, according to a Hill-HarrisX poll published Thursday.

The poll, which was conducted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7, showed that 49% of respondents favored the president’s performance, while 51% disapproved, according to the Hill-HarrisX poll. The president has been hovering just below or at 50% for several months, polls show.

Arizona GOP Appeals Election Overturn Attempt to U.S. Supreme Court

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 The Center Square

The state chapter of the Republican Party is asking the nation’s highest court to consider its challenge to Arizona’s election results that was summarily rejected by other judges.

In the case, Kelli Ward, Arizona GOP chairwoman and plaintiff, posted a video Friday to Twitter announcing the appeal.

Hunter Biden Called His Father and Chinese Business Partner ‘Office Mates’ in September 2017 Email

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

Hunter Biden called his father, President-elect Joe Biden, and his Chinese business partner “office mates” in a Sept. 21, 2017, email to the general manager of his former Washington, D.C. office building.

“[P]lease have keys made available for new office mates,” Hunter Biden wrote in the email before listing Joe Biden, his stepmother Jill Biden, his uncle Jim Biden and Gongwen Dong, who he identified as the “emissary” for the chairman of the now-bankrupt Chinese energy conglomerate CEFC.

Commentary: The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database Tops 1,300 Cases

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

With the addition of the newest batch of cases, all from the state of Texas, The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database now has 1,302 cases of proven election fraud, and we are following numerous other ongoing prosecutions.

As these cases and the database demonstrate, the threats to election integrity and instances of election fraud throughout the country continue to jeopardize fair and free elections for the American people.

Joe Biden: Georgia U.S. Senate Race Must End Before Civil Rights Leaders Can Go Back to Preaching ‘Defund the Police’

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Chris Butler

Joe Biden reportedly doesn’t want civil rights leaders to discuss defunding the police until after the Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs have concluded. This, for fear that such rhetoric will scare off Georgia voters and prevent Democrats from controlling the U.S. Senate next year.

Michigan AG and Sec. of State Block Results of Forensic Audit of 22 Dominion Machines in Antrim County

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

A Northern Michigan judge has allowed Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to block the results of a forensic audit of Dominion machines in Antrim County, where thousands of votes for President Trump were flipped to Joe Biden.

Chief Judge Kevin A. Elsenheimer last week issued an order granting a local man, William Baily, permission for a forensic examination of the county’s 22 Dominion tabulators.

Josh Hawley, Bernie Sanders Team Up, Pressure Congress for Direct Stimulus Checks

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Admin

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders joined forces Thursday, introducing an amendment that would provide direct cash payments to Americans as part of any additional coronavirus relief that Congress passes.

The unlikely allies agree that Congress should not leave Washington before passing a relief package, and that any such package must include direct payments to help mitigate the economic hardship inflicted on millions of Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pennsylvania House GOP Circulates Memo for Appointing New Pennsylvania Electors

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 The Center Square

House Republican lawmakers circulated a cosponsorship memo Friday that would appoint new electors if a pending Supreme Court legal challenge requires them to do so.

The move comes after GOP leaders in both chambers insisted the state constitution prevents them from choosing electors that defy the certified popular vote.

35 Years Ago: Unsolved Gander Aircrash Kills 248 101st Airborne Soldiers, 8 Crew

December 13, 2020December 13, 2020 Neil W. McCabe

Thirty-five years years later, questions remain how Arrow Air 1285 crashed into a wooded hillside in Gander, Newfoundland, with 248 soldiers from 101st Airborne Division for the final leg of their journey Cairo to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, killing all the soldiers and the eight crewmembers the morning of Dec. 12,…

Three Churches Sue Northam Over COVID-19 Executive Orders

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Eric Burk

Three churches from Culpeper County and Madison County are suing Governor Ralph Northam, because although his latest capacity limits do not include churches, the other restrictions of Northam’s recent orders do.

Falls Church City School Board in Virginia Votes to Rename George Mason High and Thomas Jefferson Elementary

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Falls Church City School Board voted to change the names of local schools George Mason High and Thomas Jefferson Elementary on Tuesday night.

The seven-member board was unanimous in its decision to rename and each member offered remarks during the virtual meeting to explain their reasoning or opinion.

No Trial, No Jail for Man Who Destroyed Columbus Statue in Minnesota

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 The Center Square

Michael Anthony Forcia, the man who organized the destruction of Minnesota’s Christopher Columbus statue, never faced trial and will not go to jail.

Forcia once faced a first-degree criminal property damage charge, which has now been suspended, and his trial was replaced with a virtual Zoom-based hearing. Instead of going to jail, he will have to perform 100 hours of community service and write a letter acknowledging that he destroyed the statue, according to Fox 9.

In Virginia, Jerry Falwell Jr. Drops Lawsuit Against Liberty University

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Eric Burk

Jerry Falwell Jr. has dropped his lawsuit for defamation against Liberty University, although he says he is keeping his options open. Falwell, the former president and chancellor of the university, did not explain why he dropped the suit.

Three Ohio Cities Rank High Among Cities Needing the Most COVID-19 Vaccines

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 The Center Square

With COVID-19 vaccines expected in states throughout the country next week, some communities need more than others, according to a recently released study, and Ohio is home to three of those cities.

According to the personal finance website WalletHub, Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati rank among the top 10 of 90 large cities in the United States in terms of vaccine need based on 13 key factors, such as frontline healthcare workers, nursing home residents, essential workers, residents diagnosed with various diseases and other things.

Chase Caves on Convention for Virginia GOP Nomination

December 13, 2020December 14, 2020 Eric Burk

Six days after the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) decided to hold a nominating convention instead of a primary, gubernatorial candidate State Senator Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) finally declared that she would run in the convention, and not as an independent.

“My team and I have received thousands of communications across the Commonwealth this past week asking me to continue to run as the next Republican Governor of Virginia,” Chase said on Facebook on Friday.

Marsha Blackburn Introduces Legislation to Defund Businesses Linked to the Chinese Military

December 13, 2020December 12, 2020 Chris Butler

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has introduced legislation to prohibit U.S. pension investments in Chinese companies. This, according to a press release that Blackburn’s staff emailed this week.