Far-Left Tennessee Education Association Encourages Democrats to Vote in More Republican Primaries

The Tennessee Star learned that the far-left Tennessee Education Association (TEA) is distributing the same mailed literature piece recently targeting Democrat voters and encouraging them to vote for Jeff Eby in the House District (HD) 69 Republican race and other August 4 Republican district primaries.

In addition to promoting Eby’s bid, the TEA mailed the same exact piece in the HD 13 and Senate District (SD) 9 Republican primaries.

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Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Biography Series: Justice Sharon Lee

As Tennesseans prepare to head to the polls on August 4, where they will vote on whether to retain the state’s five Supreme Court justices, The Tennessee Star is profiling each justice who currently sits on the bench.

Justice Sharon Lee was first appointed to the Court by former Governor Phil Bredesen (D) in 2008. She was retained by voters in 2010, and in 2014. From 2014 to 2016, she served as the state’s chief justice.

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‘Non-Binary’ Teacher Boasts First-Grader ‘Came Out as Trans’ After Reading Book About Pronouns to Class

An alleged teacher claiming to be “non-binary” gushed in a video posted to the Twitter account of Libs of TikTok that two of her students, including one first-grader, “came out as trans” to her after she read a book to her class that pushes gender ideology and pronoun usage to very young children.

“[I]t was such beautiful proof that kids of any age are absolutely capable of accepting anything that they are taught with love,” the teacher touted.

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Barry Loudermilk Attacks Biden’s ‘War on American Energy’

Georgia’s 11th Congressional District (GA11) Representative, Barry Loudermilk, criticized President Joe Biden and the EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget on Tuesday.

“Biden’s war on American energy production is getting an assist from the Democrat-led Congress in the FY23 Interior and EPA appropriations package. [It] restricts offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and restricts new projects in designated areas of the continental shelf,” Loudermilk said.

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Kemp Targets Abrams as David Ralston Calls on MLB Commissioner to Award Future All-Star Game to Atlanta

Braves baseball stadium

As Governor Brian Kemp (R) called out Stacey Abrams on Tuesday for her role in the removal of the 2021 MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta, the state’s speaker of the house pressed the commissioner of baseball for answers.

“Last year, Stacey Abrams pressured MLB to move the All-Star Game out of Georgia. After costing Georgia businesses $100 MILLION in lost revenue, imagine the damage Abrams would cause to our economy if she’s elected governor,” Governor Kemp said on Tuesday.

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Commentary: Rights Abuser China Emerging as Dubious Linchpin of Biden’s Lithium-Battery Supply Chain

A Chinese-dominated mining company has procured millions of dollars in American subsidies to extract lithium in the United States – but, given a dearth of U.S. processing capacity, the mineral is likely to be sent to China with no guarantee that the end product would return as batteries to power President Biden’s envisioned green economy.

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Transgender Treatments Not Covered Under Florida Medicaid

The State of Florida has moved forward with a new policy that would deny Medicaid coverage for transgender treatments including puberty-blockers and hormone therapy. The Florida Department of Health prefaced the likely rule in April, but now the new policy stems from the Agency for Health Care Administration. “Following a review of available literature, clinical guidelines and coverage by other insurers and nations, Florida Medicaid has determined that the research supporting sex reassignment treatment is insufficient to demonstrate efficacy and safety,” said the report, which was signed in June by state Medicaid director Tom Wallace. Among the other procedures not covered included hormone “antagonists,” sex-reassignment surgeries and any “other procedures that alter primary or secondary sexual characteristics.” Pro-LGBT groups, like Equality Florida, have come out in opposition to the new rule from the Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) administration. “Governor DeSantis’ agencies have misrepresented findings and distorted data to advance a political agenda, rather than relying on good science,” said Jon Harris Maurer, public policy director for the LGBTQ-advocacy group Equality Florida on June 2. “This is yet another state agency being used to launch an overt attack on transgender Floridians. The transgender community, like all people, shouldn’t have their…

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Senator Ron Johnson Calls for Improved Care of Veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Senator Ron Johnson and other colleagues issued a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis R. McDonough over concerns about access to health care for veterans across the country.

According to the letter from the group, the federal agency has subjected veterans to long waiting periods and is not following guidance from federal statute.

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Atlanta Regional Commission Appoints Executive Team

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), the official planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta region, announced the appointment of its new executive team.

“ARC is already one of Atlanta region’s most impactful organizations, and these changes will only strengthen our ability to build a better future for all metro Atlanta residents,” ARC Executive Director Anna Roach said on Monday.

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Restaurant Owner Testifies Crime Has ‘Become a Daily Part of Life’ in Twin Cities

A St. Paul restaurant owner whose establishments have been targeted by criminals on numerous occasions has once again expressed frustration with high crime and inadequate police staffing in the Twin Cities area.

At a U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Brian Ingram testified to a wide variety of incidents targeting his restaurants: windows shot out and shattered, criminals using his parking lot as a gathering place, and robbers casually stealing the purses and car keys of employees.

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Proposal Would Bar Pennsylvania Counties That Ban Gas Drilling from Getting Gas Revenues

Pennsylvania state Sen. Gen Yaw (R-Williamsport) this week announced he is authoring a bill to bar any county that bans natural-gas development on county-owned lands from getting certain natural-gas revenues. 

Specifically, Yaw’s proposal would prevent those jurisdictions from receiving allocations from the commonwealth’s gas-drilling impact fee, including any grants from the Marcellus Legacy Fund that finances regional environmental improvement projects. Revenues collected from the levy on companies extracting gas from the sedimentary rock known as Marcellus Shale totaled $234.4 million last year. The fee has brought nearly $2.3 billion into the state Treasury over the last decade.

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Empower AI Expands Richmond Presence with Data Center on Site

RICHMOND, Virginia — Empower AI, a provider of artificial intelligence technology for Medicare and Medicaid, held a grand opening at its new office outside Richmond. Governor Glenn Youngkin and Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Littel toured the office with company officials.

“We think about the role that Medicaid and Medicare plays in the lives of so many Americans and Virginians, and to have the kind of trust in analytics that can detect errors at the kinds of rates that you all do, and make sure that we’re having an efficient execution of this most important of services — it is really exciting,” Youngkin said in remarks to employees. “So I just hope all of you feel the weight and the gravity of what you’re doing in order to deliver one of, if not the, most essential services to so many Americans and Virginians.”

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Connecticut Attorney General Reaches $1.8 Million Settlement with Eversource

A settlement has been reached with one public utility company, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said.

The state’s top law enforcement official announced a $1.8 million settlement has been reached with Eversource over the company’s alleged false and deceptive high-pressure tactics that were used to try to and encourage people to convert to natural gas.

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Virginia Barber Board Votes to Reduce Training Hours for Cosmetology License

The Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology has voted to reduce the training hours required for a cosmetology license from 1,500 to 1,000, although steps including a public hearing remain in the process to change the regulation. Governor Glenn Youngkin highlighted the July 11 vote in a Tuesday press release.

“Reducing regulatory obstacles that get in the way of both businesses and talented Virginians from entering the workforce has been a priority of mine since day one. Not only will this allow individuals to get to work sooner and help businesses find skilled workers, but it even reduces the amount of student loans a graduate will have to take on,” Youngkin said.

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Arizona Representative Lauds Enactment of Sponsored Legislation Which Aims to Improve Rural Ambulance Services and Protect Parental Rights

Arizona State Representative Judy Burges (R-AZ-01) lauded the enactment of two pieces on Tuesday of legislation she sponsored, one of which seeks to improve ambulance services for people who live in rural areas.

“State [statutes] regulating ambulance services, which were largely written in the 1970s and 80s, simply did not meet today’s needs,” Burges said in a press release. “Inadequate coverage of ambulance services and longer response times, as experienced in rural areas, put human lives at risk. This new law provides much-needed reform to improve ambulance services and response.”

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World Health Organization Trashes Science of Biology: ‘Sex Not Limited to Male or Female’

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its 2011 manual titled Gender Mainstreaming for Health Managers: A Practical Approach, to include new guidance that now claims “sex is not limited to male or female.”

In a press release two weeks ago, the global health agency of the United Nations (UN) said it would now be recognizing “that gender inequality is a cross-cutting determinant of health that operates in conjunction with other forms of discrimination based on factors such as age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity or place of origin and sexual orientation.”

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Arizona Mother Fights Prosecution by Department of Child Safety to Defend Right to Due Process

An Arizona mother, Sarra L., filed a lawsuit Wednesday, jointly represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) and the Goldwater Institute, against the Arizona Department of Child Safety (AZDHS) to protect her right to due process and clear her name.

“Due process and the separation of powers should have protected Sarra from the Department of Child Safety’s abusive prosecution. DCS has a track record of ignoring due process that should protect innocent parties from severe punishment,” said Adi Dynar, an attorney for Pacific Legal Foundation. “Sarra is seeking to right the wrong done to her and prevent other parents from facing a similar fate in the future.”

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Mark Brnovich Seeks Execution Warrant for Arizona Death Row Inmate Murray Hooper

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R) filed a notice at the Arizona Supreme Court Tuesday, declaring the state’s intent to seek an execution warrant for death row inmate Murray Hooper.

“Our state recognizes that those who commit the most heinous crimes deserve the ultimate punishment,” Brnovich said. “It is the appropriate response, and we must faithfully carry out the court-ordered sentences for the victims, their families, and our communities.”

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Andy Biggs Introduces Legislation to Prevent the Biden Administration from Using Federal Funds to Impose Woke Ideology Abroad

Arizona Representative Andy Biggs introduced legislation Tuesday called the Stop Imposing Woke Ideology Abroad Act, which seeks to prohibit federal funding for the State Department’s Equity Action Plan (EAP).

“Using taxpayer dollars to fund the Biden Administration’s woke programs abroad is a complete misuse of federal funding and further strains our relationships with countries abroad,” Biggs said in a press release. “This legislation ensures we protect American interests and curb the Biden Administration’s detached social agenda abroad.”

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‘Friends’ Creator Donates $4 Million to Atone for Her Non-Woke Series

Marta Kauffman, creator of the popular 1990s sitcom Friends, has donated $4 million to her alma mater, Brandeis University, to establish an endowed professorship in the university’s Department of African and African American Studies.

The endowment, which will “support a distinguished scholar with a concentration in the study of the peoples and cultures of Africa and the African diaspora”, was given by Kauffman, who has publicly expressed guilt for only casting White actors in the sitcom’s lead roles. 

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Same-Sex Marriage Bill Faces Uncertain Future in the Senate

The U.S. House passed a bill to codify same-sex marriage late Tuesday, but whether it will pass the Senate remains up in the air.

The “Respect for Marriage Act” passed the House 267-157 with 47 Republicans voting in favor. The legislation would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, signed into law by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, which defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. That law has been largely gutted by the Supreme Court but still remains on the books.

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Georgia Cities Push Back Against Fulton County’s Move to Increase Its Share of Sales Tax Revenues by 600 Percent

Mayor Andre Dickens released a joint statement on Friday about the opposition the Fulton County Board of Commissioners faces from the 15 cities in the county who oppose the 600 percent increase in the Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) proposed by the county. 

“We were pleased to have many of our #GACities leaders in the building for a @FultonInfo Commission meeting regarding LOST (Local Option Sales Tax) funding,” The Georgia Municipal Association said on Friday.

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Tennessee Chooses New Human Rights Commission Leader

The Tennessee state government has a new Human Rights Commission leader, according to a Tuesday release from the state. 

“The Tennessee Human Rights Board of Commissioners has named Muriel Malone Nolen to serve in the capacity of Executive Director of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) effective July 18, 2022,” that organization says. “Nolen joined THRC in April 2021 as the agency’s Deputy Director and later took on the responsibilities as the Interim Executive Director in February 2022.”

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CDC Says More than 20 Tennessee Counties Should Return to Wearing Masks

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued nationwide guidance on mask wearing as community COVID-19 spread levels increase, and included seven Tennessee counties in its assessment. 

“COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data,” according to the CDC. “Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.”

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TN-5 Candidate Andy Ogles Sues Winstead Friendly Super PAC That Launched Attack Ad Against Him

Tennessee 5th Congressional District candidate Andy Ogles filed suit on Tuesday in the Circuit Court for Williamson County, Tennessee, at Franklin against the Tennessee Conservatives PAC, a super PAC connected to Kurt Winstead’s campaign for the TN-5 seat that recently started attack ads against him.

According to a statement made by the Ogles campaign, “[T]he suit calls on the PAC to take down an ad that falsely accuses Ogles of not paying property taxes, highlighting false accusations the PAC ran on television in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in an attempt to maliciously defame Ogles and harm his congressional campaign.”

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Poll: Three Out of Four Middle Class Families Are Falling Behind as Prices Rise

Three out of 4 middle class households report falling behind the rising cost of living as inflation continues to soar., according to a new poll.

Primerica released the report, which found that 75% of middle-income families “say their income is falling behind the cost of living,” an eight-point rise since March. The poll found only 16% of those surveyed think they will be better off financially in a year.

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DOJ Secretly Thwarted Release of Russia Documents Declassified by Trump

In the final hours of the Trump presidency, the U.S. Justice Department raised privacy concerns to thwart the release of hundreds of pages of documents that Donald Trump had declassified to expose FBI abuses during the Russia collusion probe, and the agency then defied a subsequent order to release the materials after redactions were made, according to interviews and documents.

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Report: White House Considers Declaring National Emergency over Abortion Pills

President Joe Biden’s White House is considering executive action to make abortion pills accessible nationwide despite state laws restricting the drug, according to Politico.

The administration may use executive power granted under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to declare a public health emergency to allow abortion providers and pharmacists to distribute chemical abortion pills, even in states where abortion is heavily restricted, according to Politico.

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Six Days After FEC Deadline, TN-5 Candidate Andy Ogles Is Now Only Candidate Yet to File Campaign Finance Report

Six days have passed since the July 15 FEC finance report deadline for the reporting period covering April 1 through June 30, and Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles is now the only Tennessee Fifth Congressional District candidate who has not filed the required paperwork.

Paramedic Timothy Lee filed his campaign finance documents on Wednesday, making Ogles the only candidate in the nine-candidate field who has failed to file.

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