Tennessee has had an unprecedented spike in new initial unemployment claims according to data the United States Department of Labor released Thursday.
Read MoreTennessee Unemployment Claims Go Up Dramatically
Author: Chris Butler
Left-Wing PBS to Instruct Tennessee Children During Coronavirus Outbreak
The Tennessee Department of Education has secured a partnership with the state’s PBS stations to deliver daily educational content to public school students as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to keep them out of school.
Several organizations, including the Family Research Council, have, in the past, faulted PBS’s educational materials for what they call a left-leaning bias.
TDOE spokeswoman Victoria Robinson on Thursday said she could not describe the PBS content in detail or whether state officials are making sure it has no political biases.
Read MoreMark Green: COVID-19 Bill Has Pork and Will Create Debt, But it Will Jumpstart the Economy
U.S. Rep. Mark Green, (R-TN-07) said Thursday there are some unfortunate realities about the pending $2 trillion federal stimulus bill, but he also said the country needs Congress to pass it.
Read MoreCoronavirus Forces Tennessee’s Elected Officials to Hold Official Meetings in Cyberspace
The coronavirus outbreak has forced Tennessee’s local elected officials to relocate their regularly scheduled meetings from their official council chambers, where many of them would otherwise have to sit within six feet of each other.
Read MoreMark Green’s Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall Will Explain Relief Package Details
U.S. Rep. Mark Green, (R-TN-07) said that a coronavirus Tele-Town Hall he has scheduled for Thursday will detail the ways Congress has responded to the pandemic.
Thursday’s Tele-Town Hall, Green said, will also describe what the future holds.
Green has scheduled his Tele-Town Hall for 5 p.m. Central/6p.m. Eastern Thursday for broadcast on his congressional Facebook page.
Read MoreMike Rowe: We Will Need More Skilled Tradespeople Because of the Coronavirus
American television host Mike Rowe said Tuesday that the effects of the coronavirus emergency could radically alter how Americans perceive the skilled trade industry.
Rowe said this while appearing on Tucker Carlson Tonight.
“I think if you’re looking for a silver lining in all of this, in my own foundation our prime directive over the past 10 years has been to affirmatively confront and debunk the stigmas and stereotypes and myths and misperceptions that dissuade people from pursuing a career in the trades. When we come through the other end of this thing, the need for skilled tradespeople in this country, I believe, is going to be at an all-time high. That is basically good news for the middle class. If we can somehow level the playing field by the way in which we present opportunities to kids, middle class kids in particular, I think we might see real success in not only closing the skills gap but getting people on a path to a six-figure job that doesn’t require a big, giant college debt,” Rowe said.
Read MoreMark Green Scolds Nancy Pelosi for Her Behavior During Coronavirus Emergency
U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Wednesday blasted Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) for using the coronavirus emergency as an excuse to impose a left-wing agenda through Congress.
Read MoreMarsha Blackburn Says Congressional Democrats’ Actions This Week Harmed Tennessee’s Struggling Small Business Owners
U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said Tuesday that the current coronavirus emergency has frightened the state’s small business owners — and Congressional Democrats’ actions this week did not help matters.
Read MoreGroup Calls on Tennessee Sheriffs Who Release Inmates Due to Coronavirus to Notify Victims
Members of one organization are warning sheriffs throughout Tennessee not to release inmates from their jails unless they notify the inmates’ alleged victims.
Read MoreMark Green Announces Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall
U.S. Rep. Mark Green, (R-TN-07) announced that he will host a series of Facebook and Tele-Town Halls about COVID-19 starting Thursday.
Read MoreDollar General Plans to Increase Hiring Efforts to Support Community and Customer Needs
Officials at the Goodlettsville-based Dollar General stores announced Monday that they will nearly double their normal hiring rate and add up to 50,000 employees by end of April.
This, during heightened demand for household essentials that the store offers during the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“We are proud to serve as one of America’s essential retailers, and we believe our customers are relying on us now more than ever to provide an affordable, convenient retail option,” said Kathy Reardon, Dollar General’s senior vice president and chief people officer, in the press release.
Read MoreBill Hagerty Files Petition with Over 2,500 Signatures from All 95 Counties
U.S. Senate Republican candidate Bill Hagerty said Monday that he had filed his nominating petition to qualify for the Republican primary ballot with the most signatures for a GOP candidate running for public office in Tennessee history.
Hagerty announced this on his campaign’s website Monday.
Read MoreShelby County Issues ‘Stay at Home’ Order
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris on Monday announced that county and other local officials will enforce a stay-at-home order for residents because of the coronavirus emergency.
Harris announced this at a press conference Monday.
“The coronavirus is a major disruption to our way of life,” Harris said.
“And we have to expect that it could be a long-lasting effect on our way or life.”
Read MoreMore Than 500 Tennesseans Have Coronavirus, Health Officials Say
Tennessee had more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday night, according to the Tennessee Department of Health’s website.
Davidson County continued to have the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases by far at 179. But, as of Sunday night, Shelby County overtook Williamson County and ranked as having the second highest number of confirmed cases, according to TDH.
Read MoreSenator Rand Paul Tests Positive for Coronavirus
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement his staff released on his social media accounts Sunday afternoon.
“He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person,” according to the statement.
“He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time. Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”
Read MoreFDA Authorizes New 45 Minute Coronavirus Test for Release Next Week
A California-based molecular diagnostics company announced Saturday they will ship a point-of-care test next week that they say can detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 in 45 minutes.
Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave that company, Cepheid, Emergency Use Authorization to do so, company officials said in a press release.
Called the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2, the test is designed to operate on any of Cepheid’s more than 23,000 automated GeneXpert Systems worldwide, with a detection time of less than one hour.
Read MoreCoronavirus Cases in Tennessee Jump to Nearly 400 on Saturday
Tennessee had 371 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Tennessee Department of Health’s website Saturday evening.
Read MoreU.S. Sen. Rick Scott Releases 30-Day Plan to Get America Back to Normal
U.S. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida on Saturday released what he described as a 30-Day Plan to help America get back to normal following the spread of the coronavirus.
Read MoreDavidson County Sheriff Reduces Jail Population During Coronavirus Emergency
Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall announced he has initiated plans to reduce the number of inmates in sheriff’s office custody as the coronavirus emergency continues.
This, according to a press release Hall put out this week.
Those plans include expanding pre-trial release criteria and eliminating the work release program. PTR participants are expected to double over the next few days and all work release inmates are being furloughed immediately, the press release said.
Read MoreFeds Waive Standardized Testing for Current School Year Because of Coronavirus
On Friday U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said the federal government would waive standardized testing for the 2019-2020 school year because of the ongoing coronavirus emergency.
U.S. Rep. Mark Green, (R-TN-07), in a press release, said he appreciated DeVos and U.S. Republican President Donald Trump for this action.
“The gravity of the situation our schools continue to face while navigating the COVID-19 outbreak would have created an undue burden for preparing and administering statewide assessments,” Green said.
Read MoreNumber of Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in Tennessee Surpasses 200
Tennessee had 228 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Friday evening, according to the Tennessee Department of Health’s website, although Friday’s news brought cause for some optimism, at least in Davidson County.
Davidson County continued to have the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, 101, according to the TDH website. This, even though Alex Jahangir, who chairs that county’s Metro Coronavirus Task Force, said the number was higher at a press conference Friday morning.
Read MoreNumber of Coronavirus Cases in Tennessee Tops 150
As of Thursday, Davidson and Williamson counties continued to tally the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, according to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH)’s website.
Read MoreManny Sethi Is Optimistic the United States Can Defeat the Coronavirus
U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Manny Sethi believes the United States can avoid Italy’s fate and not allow the coronavirus to overwhelm our country’s resources.
Read MoreMarsha Blackburn Advocates for Telehealth to Help Rural Americans
U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee reportedly wants reforms that would expand people’s access to telehealth and thus protect them from the coronavirus.
Read MoreUnemployment Claims Skyrocket in Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development has reportedly received a dramatic increase in unemployment benefit claims.
Read MoreBill Hagerty Says We Must Hold China Accountable for Coronavirus
Republican senatorial candidate Bill Hagerty said this week that China should be held accountable for the Wuhan Coronavirus.
“The Wuhan coronavirus is officially a pandemic, and yet China continues to work overtime to conceal the origins and deflect any and all blame for this deadly illness — at the expense of the world’s health and our economy. While China withheld valuable, lifesaving information, President Trump endured partisan criticism as he took decisive action that helped slow the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus to the United States,” Hagerty said in a new column on Breitbart.com.
Read MoreGeneral Motors’ Spring Hill Plant to Temporarily Suspend Production
General Motors’ officials said Wednesday that they will suspend manufacturing operations in North America, including their Spring Hill location, due to market conditions, to deep clean facilities and to protect people.
Read MoreFederal Law Forces Knox County to Record Local Coronavirus Case, Even Though Person Who Got it is in Another State
Knox County Health Department officials said Tuesday they recorded a second confirmed case of coronavirus in the area, even though the person who got it wasn’t actually in Knox County.
Read MoreThomas More Law Center Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Review Tennessee’s Challenge to Federal Refugee Resettlement Program
In what could have far reaching implications for all states seeking to withdraw from the federal refugee resettlement program, the Thomas More Law Center, collaborating with attorney John Bursch, filed a certiorari petition Monday, in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read MoreNashville Officials Create Fund to Help Businesses As Number of Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Soars
Officials in Nashville have set up a fund to help people who have fallen ill to the coronavirus or lost their jobs or number of working hours because of it.
Read MoreWith No Jurors to Choose From During Health Emergency, Tennessee Court Officials Make Drastic Changes
The dangers of the Coronavirus are overtaking the right to a speedy trial in Tennessee.
Read MoreNashville Might Forego Collecting Liquor Taxes to Help Struggling Businesses During Coronavirus Emergency
Nashville business owners who have either had to shut down their businesses or limit capacity because of the coronavirus emergency, per city orders, might soon have a way to help their employees.
Read MoreKid Rock’s Steakhouse in Nashville Originally Defied Order, But Will Now Close
Staff at Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse announced Monday night that they will temporarily close, per a city order that all bars on Lower Broadway must shut down.
This, even though Kid Rock’s Steakhouse owner originally said he would defy that order.
As The Tennessee Star reported, on Sunday members of the Metropolitan Board of Health of Nashville and Davidson County declared a public health emergency that forced business owners to either close their doors or limit capacity. Bars on Lower Broadway and throughout Davidson County must close until further notice.
Read MoreManny Sethi Schedules Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall for Thursday
U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Manny Sethi announced Monday he will host a tele-town hall this coming Thursday on Facebook to discuss the Coronavirus.
According to a press release, Sethi has scheduled his Coronavirus town hall for noon central Thursday on Facebook.
People may submit questions and get more information by going to Sethi’s campaign website.
Read MoreMark Green Requests Flexibility for School Statewide Assessments Amid Coronavirus
U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Monday asked U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to recognize the impact the Coronavirus emergency has had on schools’ abilities to administer statewide assessments.
Green asked this of DeVos in a letter dated Monday.
Read MoreGovernment Red Tape May Keep Nashville Business Owners from Getting Tax Relief During Coronavirus Emergency
Nashville Democratic Mayor John Cooper hinted Monday that city officials will help businesses in the city that have either had to shut down or limit capacity because of the Coronavirus emergency, per city orders.
Will city officials offer tax relief?
Metro officials say a maze of government rules complicate matters.
On Sunday members of the Metropolitan Board of Health of Nashville and Davidson County declared a public health emergency that forced business owners to either close their doors or limit capacity, according to the city’s website.
Read MoreGovernor Bill Lee: ‘I Urge Every School District in Tennessee to Close As Soon As Practically Possible’
Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee said Monday that he wants all school districts in the state to close as soon as possible and to remain closed until the end of this month.
“As the response to COVID-19 evolves, I urge every school district in Tennessee to close as soon as practically possible, with all schools expected to close by Friday, March 20, 2020 at the latest. Schools should remain closed through March 31, 2020 to further mitigate the spread of this infectious disease and we will issue further guidance prior to March 31,” Lee said in a statement.
Read MoreTennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery Warns State Residents About Census Scams
Members of Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery’s office are warning Tennesseans not to fall for U.S. Census scams.
This, according to a press release Slatery’s office released this week.
Members of the U.S. Census Bureau are now sending out notices with detailed information on how to respond online, by phone, or by mail.
Read MoreMarsha Blackburn Wants to Distance American Universities from China-Funded Confucius Institutes
U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said she wants to minimize Chinese efforts to exert inappropriate influence on American university campuses through Confucius Institutes, which she said repress free speech and discourage transparency.
Blackburn introduced the Transparency for Confucius Institutes Act, which is designed to require program participation agreements between Confucius Institutes and American institutions that house them to address the ways China exerts undue influence.
Read MoreTennessee Officials Charge Williamson County Dentist and Wife with TennCare Fraud
State officials have charged three people, a married couple from Williamson County and a Knox County man, with TennCare fraud.
Read MoreAustin Peay and Middle Tennessee State Universities Address Their Coronavirus Plans
Officials at two Middle Tennessee universities announced this week that they too will make drastic measures because of the coronavirus.
Read MoreNashville Leaders Say They Want Better Transit and Sidewalks as Part of Regional Transportation Plan
Transit and sidewalks are two big priorities for Middle Tennessee and its regional transportation needs, according to a survey of community members who gathered for a special meeting this week.
Read MoreU.S. Rep. Phil Roe: America Prepared if China Withholds Life-Saving Medications During Coronavirus Emergency
America has a contingency plan in case China, as threatened, withholds life-saving medications to the United States during the coronavirus emergency, U.S. Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN-01) said Friday.
Read MoreBill Hagerty: End Human Trafficking, Support Death Penalty for Traffickers
U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Bill Hagerty weighed in on human trafficking and said it is a serious problem that affects every county in Tennessee.
Read MoreManny Sethi Thanks President Trump and Encourages Shutting Down the Borders if Pace of Transmission Increases
U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Manny Sethi thanked U.S. Republican President Donald Trump Thursday for announcing policies that Trump said will keep America safe during the Coronavirus outbreak.
Read MoreNashville Leaders Discuss the Area’s Future Transportation Needs
Nashville Democratic Mayor John Cooper’s senior advisor for Transportation and Infrastructure appeared before a group of community members Thursday to gather their input about the region’s transportation needs.
Read MoreMarsha Blackburn Files Bipartisan Bill to Increase U.S. Prescription Drug Manufacturing
U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and U.S. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey on Wednesday introduced the Securing America’s Medicine Cabinet Act, which they said will increase American manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.
Read MoreUniversity of Tennessee Courses Move Online Because of the Coronavirus
University of Tennessee Interim President Randy Boyd announced Wednesday that school officials will temporarily suspend all in-person classes until further notice as a proactive measure against the coronavirus.
Read MoreAfter Coronavirus, Marsha Blackburn Bill Might Bring Drug Manufacturers Back to the United States
U.S. Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said the United States should rely less on China for pharmaceutical drugs, especially because of the coronavirus, and she will file legislation Wednesday to help make that happen.
Read MoreManny Sethi Says It’s Time to Stop Relying on China for Medicine
U.S. Republican senatorial candidate Manny Sethi, citing national security, said Tuesday that America should not depend on China for pharmaceutical products, and America should also secure its own supply chain of medicine.
Read More