March 12, 2023 - Tennessee Star

Titans Projected to Sell $270 Million in Personal Seat Licenses at New $2.1 Billion Stadium

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 The Center Square

The Tennessee Titans are expected to make about $270 million off personal seat licenses, an amount that will go toward the team’s contribution to a new projected $2.1 billion stadium set to open in fall 2027.

The projection was revealed through a $25 million sales tax estimate on Nashville’s 9.25% state and local sales tax during Wednesday’s work session of the Metro Nashville Sports Authority. The team will be giving current Nissan Stadium PSL holders a full credit for their current PSL toward the price of a PSL at the new stadium.

Saturday Night Live Skewers Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 Michael Patrick Leahy

Saturday Night Live skewered Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R- Oak Ridge) in a devastating skit that featured his bizarre social media posts on Saturday’s broadcast.

“Sorry I’m late, I’ve spent all day printing out Mapquest directions,” the SNL actor portraying Lt. Gov. McNally says at the beginning the skit.

House Votes to Overturn ‘Overreaching’ Biden Water Rule

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 Admin

The House of Representatives voted 227-198 Thursday to overturn the Biden administration’s “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, which has been heavily criticized for broadening the definition of what are considered “navigable waters” subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act.

Republicans say the rule places a costly burden on landowners, ranchers, and farmers by claiming regulatory control over lands containing small streams and wetlands. All but one Republican, Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, voted to overturn the rule, with nine Democrats joining.

Catholic Nonprofit Spends $4 Million to Root Out Priests Using Hookup Apps

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Admin

A Catholic nonprofit paid $4 million to collect dating app data in an effort to determine if priests are adhering to their commitment to celibacy, according to a report from the Washington Post.

Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal (CLCR) is a Colorado nonprofit that seeks to help the clergy by providing “evidence-based resources,” “support quality formation practices” and “identify weaknesses,” according to the organization’s website. CLCR reportedly spent $4 million to gain access to data from multiple dating apps, including Grindr, Scruff and OKCupid, and determine whether members of the Catholic priesthood were using the apps, according to the Post.

U.S. Congress Asks Biden to Declassify Reports on COVID-19’s Orgin

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 ADN America

by John Palomino The United States Congress approved this Friday a bill that calls for the declassification of information from the country’s intelligence services on the origins of Covid-19. The bipartisan initiative goes to the table of President Joe Biden. After its authorization in the Senate on March 1, the House of…

House Freedom Caucus Names Its Price for a Debt Limit Increase

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Just the News

The House Freedom Caucus on Friday outlined the terms by which it might agree to vote for an increase to the debt limit amid a budgetary standoff between House Republicans and President Joe Biden with a looming deadline to avert an unprecedented default.

Announcing their plans in a press conference, the conservative bloc indicated they would support an increase in the debt limit after Congress enacted legislation both to cut current spending and cap future expenditures.

Biden Administration Requires Diversity Pledge from Companies Seeking Decarbonization Funds

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 Admin

On Wednesday, the Biden Administration’s Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new plan for a $6.3 billion decarbonization fund that will only be available to companies that first submit a pledge to “diversity.”

According to the Daily Caller, companies can only apply for funding from the Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP) after they submit a “Community Benefits Plan.” The plan must outline each individual company’s dedication to four policy goals of the administration: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); investment in America’s workforce; engaging communities and labor; and implementing aspects of a plan called “Justice 40,” which pledges to spend at least 40 percent of federal spending projects focusing on minority communities that are allegedly disproportionately impacted by “pollution.”

New Legislation Would Exempt Tennessee Teachers from Cataloging Books in Classroom Libraries

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 TC Weber

State Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) introduced legislation that would exempt teachers from the state requirement of cataloging books in their personal classroom libraries in a manner that would not undermine current law as it applies to school libraries.

According to Yarbro’s legislation, if passed into law, this bill would free teachers up while creating a policy that ensures parents and legal guardians have multiple opportunities throughout the school year to view books in their student’s classroom libraries. Also, a provision prohibits teachers from knowingly or intentionally using their classroom libraries to circumvent the current law. This ensures that inappropriate books for the school’s library can not be included in classroom libraries.

Chief Justice: Backlog of Georgia Courts’ Cases ‘Could Take Years to Resolve’

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

The backlog of cases facing courts across Georgia “could take years to resolve,” Supreme Court of Georgia Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs said during his “State of the Judiciary” address on Wednesday.

Boggs pointed to Fulton County, where he said there are more than 4,000 “pending indicted felony cases.”

Virginia Officials Make Case to GSA for New FBI HQ

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

Gov. Glenn Youngkin and members of the Virginia congressional delegation made their case Thursday for why the Federal Bureau of Investigation should build their new headquarters in the commonwealth, arguing the location is a better fit than either of the sites under consideration in Maryland.

Virginia officials made presentations to members of the General Services Administration and the FBI in Washington D.C. Thursday regarding a site in Springfield, Virginia, that is one of three locations under consideration for the FBI’s new headquarters. The other two locations under consideration are both located in Prince George’s County in Maryland.

New Arizona Party No Labels Confirms It Has No Current Plans to Run Candidates Outside of the Presidential Race in 2024

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Neil Jones

Following Tuesday’s news that the political party, the No Labels Party (NLP), qualified for Arizona’s 2024 ballot, the party confirmed to The Arizona Sun Times that it would only be using its presence on the ballot for a potential presidential candidate.

“Right now, we do not have any plans to use the ballot lines for races other than the presidency,” said a spokesperson for the NLP.

Bill Would Ban Bias Response Teams from Pennsylvania Public Colleges

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

College campuses in recent years have created “bias response teams” to respond to student concerns over bias or controversial speech, with hundreds of them established nationwide.

However, free speech advocates have challenged the legitimacy of the teams, fearing that they can chill or limit constitutionally protected speech.

Commentary: Climate Policies Will Shut Down Farmers

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Admin

Belgian and Dutch farmers are protesting because they are losing their livelihoods in the name of fighting so-called climate change as European governments seek to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and ammonia, necessary inputs of modern agriculture. Will American farmers and consumers soon face the same fate?

European farmers are being told that because of the aim for “net-zero emissions” of greenhouse gases and other so-called pollutants in 2050, their industry is being phased out if they can’t adapt.

Ohio Senate Bill Seeks to Reduce Police Officer Age Requirement to Address Police Shortage

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Hannah Poling

A recently proposed law that is now making its way through the Ohio Statehouse would lower the age requirement for an Ohioan to join the police department.

In Ohio, applicants must currently be 21 years old to become police officers, but Senate Bill (SB) 53 would lower that age limit to 18. Senators Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) and Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) have sponsored the legislation.

Wisconsin Schools Allocate Millions in Stimulus Dollars After Report on Slow Progress

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

Wisconsin schools have double the amount of coronavirus stimulus money they plan to spend in just the past two months.

Quinton Klabon, senior research director for the Institute for Reforming Government, says schools across Wisconsin rushed to allocate millions of dollars in ESSER III money after IRG reported in late January that most of the state’s $1.5 billion in stimulus cash was just lying around.

Powerlifter Slams Minnesota Judge’s Ruling Allowing Men to Compete Against Women

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Admin

USA Powerlifting will be forced to allow biological males to compete against women thanks to a ruling from Ramsey County Judge Patrick Diamond.

April Hutchinson, a female powerlifter for Team Canada, spoke out against the ruling on Tucker Carlson Tonight Wednesday.

About Nine Percent of Michigan’s Workers Impacted by Repeal of Right-to-Work

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

About 9% of all Michigan’s workers would be impacted by the repeal of the state’s right-to-work law.

The House of Representatives passed two bills that would rescind the state’s right-to-work law that was passed in 2012.

Florida AG Slams Biden After White House Says No Need to Designate Cartels as Terrorists

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody called President Joe Biden “trafficker-in-chief” Thursday in response to a White House spokesperson saying there’s no need to designate Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, “Designating these cartels as FTOs would not grant us any additional authorities that we don’t really have at this time. The United States has powerful sanctions authorities specifically designated to combat narcotics trafficking organizations and the individuals and entities that enable them.”

Top Ohio Guard General Faces No Charges After Shoving Reporter at Public Press Conference

March 12, 2023March 20, 2023 Hannah Poling

The two-star commander of the Ohio National Guard is not facing charges despite the outcry generated by police body camera video that appeared to show the general shoving a journalist during a news conference last month.

Captain Jenna Walton, State Public Affairs officer for the Ohio National Guard told The Ohio Star that “there have been no charges, either civilian or military, filed against MG John Harris, Jr.”

Arizona Warnings Continue over Mexican Cartels Lacing Fentanyl with Animal Tranquilizer

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 The Center Square

Mexican cartels are using Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, as a cutting agent for fentanyl, according to a report exclusively obtained by The Center Square.

On March 3, 2023, the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center unclassified a Situational Awareness Bulletin prepared by the Southern Tactical Intelligence Unit, in conjunction with the Joint Strategic Analysis Unit, to make state and local law enforcement agencies aware of an emerging trend: Mexican cartels are lacing fentanyl with Xylazine.

Raucous School Board Meeting After District Decides to Stop Hiring Teachers from Arizona Christian University

March 12, 2023March 13, 2023 Rachel Alexander

Over 100 concerned parents, educators, and others showed up at a school board meeting of Washington Elementary School District No. 6 (WESD) in Glendale to speak Thursday night, most of them upset that the school board unanimously decided that the district would no longer hire student teachers from Arizona Christian University (ACU). Newly elected School Board Member Tamillia Valenzuela, who describes herself as “witchy AF” and “queer AF,” led the effort, stating the university’s “biblically-informed” values made her feel unsafe.

Music Spotlight: Aliyah Good

March 12, 2023March 11, 2023 Bethany Bowman

I remember Jamie O’Neal telling me that her 17-year-old daughter accompanied her when she re-released her mega-hit “Somebody’s Hero.”

Now, O’Neal’s daughter, Aliyah Good is 19 and is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Professional Studies at the Frost School of Music in Miami. And while she is first to admit that going to school while pursuing an artist’s career is quite the juggle, she is fortunate enough to attend a university that understands what she is doing. Frost School has programs for people like Good who are college students who want to get an education but also want to pursue their careers.