MNPD Breaks Ground on Southeast Nashville Precinct

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) broke ground on the city’s ninth precinct this week, which will be located in Southeast Nashville. 

“We need a police station here and this is going to help a lot,” said MNPD Police Chief John Drake reportedly said.

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Tennessee Democrats Celebrate the Beginning of Pride Month

As “pride month” kicks off across the country, Tennessee’s Democrats took to social media to show their support for the gay pride agenda. 

State Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-District 29) retweeted a tweet by Sesame Street – a supposed children’s show – celebrating gay pride. 

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Nashville Pride Sponsors Include Tennessee Titans, Vanderbilt, Other Huge Name Brands

Nashville Pride, which has several events upcoming during the month of June, is sponsored by big name brands including the Tennessee Titans, Vanderbilt Health and others, according to its website. 

Both Bridgestone and Nissan, who have huge presences in Tennessee, are listed on the site as “presenting partners” of this year’s pride activities. Nissan also sponsors the Tennessee Titans football stadium. 

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Memphis Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Postal Workers

A Memphis man was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in connection with armed robberies of several postal workers.

“Sidney Poitier Pilcher, Jr., a/k/a Slimey Sidd, 21, has been sentenced to over nine years in federal prison for aiding and abetting in the robbery of postal carriers while brandishing a firearm,” according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Tennessee.

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Seattle Far-Left Reverend Training Tennessee Students to Protest Gun Control

In the wake of The Covenant School shooting, a far-left reverend from Seattle has been working in Nashville to teach students how to protest.

“Reverend Osagyefo Sekou came to Nashville to work with the Dores Worker Solidarity Network [DWSN] on April 13,” according to Vanderbilt University’s website. 

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Beacon Center Hires Renowned Attorney to Lead Legal Efforts

The Beacon Center of Tennessee announced Thursday that it has hired Wen Fa, a nationally renowned attorney, as its Director of Legal Affairs. 

“Fa joins Beacon from the Pacific Legal Foundation, where he served as a senior attorney in PLF’s equality and opportunity program,” according to a press release. “Fa led the expansion of PLF’s equality project by litigating numerous cases and securing important victories for farmers and entrepreneurs fighting for economic opportunity and against racial discrimination.”

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After Covenant Shooting, Gov. Lee Met with Far-Left State Senator Who Just Introduced 17 Gun Control Bills

According to State Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville), also a candidate for mayor of Nashville, Gov. Bill Lee (R) met with Campbell before he announced his August special session of the General Assembly, which will focus on gun control.

“I met with the Governor prior to his announcement of the special session but have not heard from him about this bill package,” Campbell told The Tennessee Star Friday. “My office would welcome the opportunity.”

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Tennessee School District Sues Big Tech Giants, Claims Social Media Harmful to Children

According to multiple Thursday reports, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSs) is filing a lawsuit against several Silicon Valley titans of industry, claiming that social media is having a debilitating effect on its students.

The Frantz Law Group of California, working with the Tennessee law firm Lewis Thomason, filed the lawsuit the week of May 8, according to ClarksvilleNow.com. The defendants in the suit include Facebook, Google, Instagram, Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp and YouTube. 

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Attorney General Skrmetti Warns Biden Administration to Follow the Law During Debt Ceiling Negotiations

After President Joe Biden said he would invoke the 14th Amendment if Congress did not agree to raise the debt ceiling, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led other state attorneys general from across the country in telling Biden that such an action would be unlawful.

“We, the undersigned chief legal officers of 19 states, write in response to your recent assertion that you have the authority to ignore federal law and raise the debt ceiling without congressional approval,” Skrmetti wrote in letter signed by 19 other state attorneys general. “You do not. Our constitutional system may be frustrating at times, but it is the fundamental guarantor of American liberty, and we must all abide by the oaths we swore to defend it.”

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No Response From Gov. Lee on Far-Left Riots Planned During August Special Session

After The Tennessee Star exposed the far-left’s plan to disrupt and commit acts of violence during the August special session of the Tennessee General Assembly, Gov. Bill Lee’s office could not even be reached for comment. 

The Star followed up with Lee’s office on its series of exclusive reporting of audio obtained from inside a far-left gathering hosted by Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood, but the phone number for Lee’s spokesperson goes directly to a voicemail box that is full, and cannot take new messages. 

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ICE Vows to ‘Maintain Peace’ Through Special Security Measures After Threat from Left-Wing Rioters

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said it is committed to maintaining peace ahead of August’s special session of the Tennessee General Assembly after far-left agitators said they plan to wreak havoc at ICE’s Nashville office.

Last week, The Tennessee Star reported that left-wing activists plan to protest outside ICE, and that one of their tactics is to disable ICE vehicles. 

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ICE Offers No Comment on Rioters Who Plan to Disable Vehicles at Nashville Office During August Special Session

After The Tennessee Star last week reported that far-left agitators plan to disable U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) vehicles while violently rioting during August’s special session of the legislature, The Star reached out to ICE to see if the law enforcement entity had any plans to quell the potential rioters. 

After multiple comment requests and a promise to provide a statement, the agency did not respond to The Star’s inquiry.

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Tennessee National Guard Unit Deploying to Kuwait

According to the Tennessee Department of Military, a Tennessee National Guard Unit, the 267th Military Police Company, will soon deploy to the Middle East. 

“The 267th, headquartered in Dickson and with a detachment in Waverly, is a military police unit comprised of National Guardsmen trained in various security, policing, detention, and combat functions which enables the Army to maneuver freely, provide protection to the force, and promote the rule of law,” the Tennessee Department of Military said in a release. “The unit is initially deploying to Kuwait and then sending teams to countries throughout the Middle East to support other forward deployed military units.”

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Heritage Foundation Attorney Says Tennessee Man Wrongly Charged with Reckless Endangerment After Returning Fire on Assailants

A lawyer from the conservative Heritage Foundation says that she is “floored” after a Tennessee man who returned fire on multiple assailants was charged with reckless endangerment. 

“I’m floored that the home owner here is being charged with ‘reckless endangerment.’ The arguments from police seem absurd on their face to me. The only people he endangered were…the ones shooting at him. And he’s 100% entitled to ‘endanger’ them,” said Heritage Senior Legal Fellow Amy Swearer. 

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Mainstream Media Note ‘Strange Alliances’ as Gov. Lee Joins Leftists to Push ‘Red Flag’ Gun Control Laws in Special Session

Gov. Bill Lee (R) has earned high praise from Democrats in the state after announcing his August special session that will be dedicated to gun control.

According to NBC, the governor has some new allies, including Democrat elected officials and members of anti-Second Amendment groups. 

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Exclusive: Left-Wing Agitators Say Ending Police Would Make Communities Safer

In secretly obtained recordings of a training session for far-left activists held Saturday in Nashville, participants said communities would be safer without any police at all. 

During a part of the training hosted by Katia Carillo, who runs a small upstart community group called Conmigo, Carillo asked the trainees what their perfect utopian communities would look like. 

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Former Nashville Public Radio Reporter Offered Media Training at Far-Left Activist Planning Session

A former Nashville Public Radio reporter spoke at a far-left activist planning session as left-wing agitators plan to disrupt August’s special session of the Tennessee General Assembly. 

The Tennessee Star received secret audio recordings of the meeting, and has reported extensively on the contents of those recordings. 

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Revealed: Far-Left Agitators Plan to Be Arrested at August Protests at Amazon, Lee Company, Metro Council

After obtaining a secret audio recording from a far-left Saturday activist planning session in Nashville, The Tennessee Star can reveal locations wherein left-wing agitators plan to wreak havoc during August’s special session of the Tennessee General Assembly.

Those locations include Amazon’s Nashville office, the Lee Company, owned by Gov. Bill Lee (R), and the Metro Council. 

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Exclusive: Far-Left Radicals Plan to Disable ICE Vehicles During August Special Session, ‘It’s Only Illegal If You Get Caught’

After obtaining secret recordings from an activism planning session held by Planned Parenthood’s political advocacy arm in Tennessee, The Tennessee Star learned that far-left agitators are planning to disable U.S. Customs and Immigration (ICE) vehicles during August’s special session of the General Assembly. 

During the day-long training, which was held Saturday at 50 Vantage Way in Nashville, where Planned Parenthood has an office, the will-be protestors surveyed the danger levels of protesting at various places in the city. 

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Exclusive: Far-Left Agitators Planning to ‘Bird Dog’ Republican Officials During August Special Session

In secretly recorded audio files from a Saturday planning session among far-leftists in Nashville obtained by The Tennessee Star, left-wing agitators say they plan to “bird dog” Republican lawmakers during August’s special session of the General Assembly. 

Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood held a training session for activists in Nashville, which was run by Julie Edwards, the organization’s advocacy & organizing manager, along with the organization’s Executive Director Francie Hunt. 

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Exclusive: Secret Recordings of Far-Left Activists Reveal Plans to Disrupt Lawmakers’ Special Session to Address Public Safety in August

The Tennessee Star has obtained audio of a group of far-left agitators who met over the weekend to discuss plans to disrupt the Tennessee legislature’s August special session on gun control.  

The recording, which is nearly two hours in length, provides insight into what the political left is planning, from legitimate protesting up to and including possible acts of domestic terrorism. 

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Exclusive: Radical Leftists Will Have Armed Security for August Special Session ‘Protests’

In secret audio obtained by The Tennessee Star, radical leftists who plan to “protest” the upcoming August special session of the General Assembly say they have armed security at the ready. 

“Also, like there are groups in Nashville who do this – keep in mind – who like, if at any point you need armed security at a protest, there are people who we trust as a community to show up and do that,” said an organizer of the Saturday meeting. 

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Gov. Lee’s Office Won’t Confirm Whether He Met with State Rep. Justin Jones on Gun Control

Gov. Bill Lee’s office did not respond to The Tennessee Star’s Monday inquiries seeking clarification on whether Lee met with Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and a group of students to discuss gun control last week. 

Friday, the far-left Tennessee Holler posted a video to Twitter claiming that he was marching to Lee’s office with students to stress the urgency of implementing gun control measures during the upcoming August special legislative session. 

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‘Democracy Summit’ Hosted by Democrat Lawyer Filled with Accusations of Republican ‘Fascism,’ ‘Misinformation’

In what has become commonplace for the American far-left, one of its top lawyers hosted a “Democracy Summit” wherein speakers and panelists insisted that Republicans are “fascists” and that anything the political right says is “misinformation.”

David Becker, founder of the lobbying group Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR) which is funded by Facebook tycoon Mark Zuckerberg, organized the conference. 

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Gov. Lee Defends Red Flag Law Push in New Interview

In his first time speaking with reporters after his controversial calls for “order of protection” (red flag) laws, Gov. Bill Lee (R) defended his position, as well as the upcoming special legislative session that will be focused on gun control.

“It is a very important conversation that I think Tennesseans want us to have,” said Lee, according to WTVF. “We oughta find a way to separate those who are a threat to others and a threat to themselves from having access to weapons.”

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Tennessee Restaurant Owners Plead Guilty to Crimes Stemming from Employing Illegal Aliens

Five people who owned eight restaurants in middle Tennessee have pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to employing illegal aliens at those restaurants. 

The five criminals pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding the United States via failure to pay employment taxes, among other charges. 

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Gov. Lee Signs School Safety Bill into Law Ahead of Special Gun Control Session

Ahead of August’s special session wherein Gov. Bill Lee (R) is expect to push for “Order of Protection” (red flag) laws, the governor has signed into law a bill that provides financial resources for school security measures. 

Namely, HB 0322 allocates $30 million for the state to hire homeland security agents in each county to serve both public and private schools. The new law also provides $140 million for one full-time, armed School Resource Officer (SRO) for every public school in the state. 

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Gov. Lee Signs Off on Bill Making Juneteenth Official State Holiday

Governor Bill Lee signed a slew of legislation into law last week, including SB0269/HB0317, which makes June 19, or “Juneteenth,” a statewide paid holiday.

The law was sponsored by State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) and State Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and passed through the General Assembly in mid-April.

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Murfreesboro Police Won’t Charge Man Who Killed Home Intruders

Police in Murfreesboro say they will not charge a homeowner shot and killed an intruder after that intruder, along with a second suspect broke into the home, used a taser on the homeowner’s dog and held a gun to one of the homeowner’s children.

“MPD Criminal Investigations Division detectives are investigating a home invasion where the homeowner shoots two intruders, killing one and injuring the other on Friday night. 52-year-old Kevin Ford was pronounced dead at the scene,” according to the police department’s Twitter account.

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Lawsuit Claims Tennessee Aquarium Hiring Practices Discriminated Against White Applicants

A trio of Tennesseans who applied to work at the Tennessee Aquarium were turned down because they were white, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court.

Timothy Shawn Gunn and Marni Renee Pearce, both of Hamilton County along with Zachary Chance Taylor of Catoosa County, are suing the aquarium for discrimination. 

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TBI Investigating Multiple Hoax School Shooter Calls

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced Wednesday that it was investigating a series of hoax phone calls made to schools around the state alerting them to potential school shootings.

“DEVELOPING: TBI is currently working with state and federal partners to determine the source of several hoax calls, placed to local law enforcement agencies, reporting an active shooter at several high schools in the state,” TBI said Wednesday on Twitter.

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Nashville DA Files Motion to Unseal Records Related to Probe into His Office

While his office is under investigation by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk is filing a legal motion to see what exactly he is under investigation for. 

Funk joined a motion first made by NewsChannel 5 to unseal the records, according to that news outlet. 

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Tennessee Bill Regulating Hemp-Derived Products Headed to Gov. Lee’s Desk

After the successful passage of SB038 by the Tennessee Senate, which establishes guidelines for regulating hemp-based products, including hemp seeds, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, and salts, is headed to the desk of Gov. Bill Lee (R) for review, and possibly a signature that would make the bill a law.

Aside from barring those under the age of 21 from purchasing hemp-derived cannabinoid, also known as CBD, SB038 tightens regulations to ensure that CBD products are safe for consumption. 

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Nashville MS-13 Members Convicted in Murder, RICO Case

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), two members of the international MS-13 (La Mara Salvatrucha) gang living in Nashville were found guilty by a federal jury for their roles in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case.

Specifically, Jorge Flores, 30, aka Peluche and Kevin Tidwell, 29, aka Miklo, both of Nashville, were convicted in their roles in a RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, and destruction of evidence, the DOJ revealed. 

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Memphis-Based FedEx Closing 29 Freight Locations

Amid what it is describing as a “weaker demand environment,” Memphis-based FedEx has announced that it will close 29 freight locations as part of its plan to cut more than $1 billion in expenses. 

In the closing of the locations, the company will furlough certain employees for at least three months. 

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Reported Gun Sighting Prompts Lockdown of Clarksville Elementary School

A Montgomery County elementary school went on immediate lockdown Tuesday morning after a student reported seeing a gun on the school’s campus.

According to reporting in ClarksvilleNow.com, Rossview Elementary School in Clarksville locked down after the early morning report, Rossview High School and Rossville Middle School were placed on “lockout,” which bars entry to the school.

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TBI Report Shows Violent Crime Rising on Tennessee College Campuses

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) last week released its annual report on criminal activity on college campuses, which shows, in part, that violent crimes are on the rise at Tennessee’s institutions of higher learning.  

According to the report, crime as a whole jumped a whopping 26.28 percent from 2021 to 2022. 

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14-Year-Old Charged After Accidentally Discharging Gun in Knoxville High School

The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) at the end of last week that a teenage suspect was in custody after accidentally discharging a firearm inside a high school. 

“An investigation is underway after a gun possessed by a student at West High School discharged in a classroom. Preliminarily appears that the gun was in the student’s backpack,” KPD said on Twitter. “A teacher was grazed either by the bullet or bullet fragment. No serious injuries were reported. The student is in custody and the gun is accounted for.”

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MNPD Tells The Tennessee Star that Covenant Mass Shooter’s ‘Dated Journals’ Will be Released, Does Not Provide Timeline

In a shift from what has widely been called a “manifesto,” the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Friday told The Tennessee Star that it will release “dated journals” left behind by the mass shooter who killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville one month ago. 

“The writings are essentially dated journals,” Don Aaron, an MNPD spokesman, told The Tennessee Star. “While the word manifesto was used on the first day, we have since referred to these as ‘writings’ or ‘journals.'”

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$400 Million Tax Cut Bill Includes Grocery Tax Holiday, Tax Cuts for Small Businesses

According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue (TDOR), the state will soon begin implementing a $400 million tax cut law recently passed by the Tennessee General Assembly.

“Decades of smart fiscal stewardship have enabled Tennessee to maintain a balanced budget while cutting taxes for Tennessee families and businesses,” said Governor Bill Lee in a TDOR release. “We are proud to continue that legacy this year by putting dollars back in the pockets of Tennesseans and supporting future economic growth across Tennessee, and I thank the General Assembly for its partnership to promote future growth and opportunity for our state.”

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MNPD Denies Tennessee Star Public Records Request for Covenant Mass Shooter’s Toxicology Report

After the CEO of Star News Media, Inc., the owner and operator of The Tennessee Star, submitted an open records request to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on Thursday asking that Covenant School mass killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale’s toxicology report be made public, The Star learned Friday that that request has been denied.

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The Tennessee Star Files Open Records Request with MNPD for Toxicology Report from Autopsy of Covenant Killer Audrey Hale

The CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Star News Network Thursday filed an open records request with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), seeking the release of a toxicology report of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the person who shot and killed six people at The Covenant School a month ago, at the time of Hale’s rampage.

Hale identified as transgender, and a toxicology report would identify what, if any, drugs were in Hale’s system at the time of the mass killing.

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Gov. Lee Signs ‘Forever Homes Act’ into Law to Speed Up Adoption Process

Gov. Bill Lee (R) this week signed into law a bill that streamlines the adoption process in Tennessee. 

“I signed the Forever Homes Act, legislation that will provide critical support to TN foster & adoptive families to accelerate child placement,” Lee said after the Tuesday bill signing in Chattanooga. “Great to meet with [Tennessee Department of Children’s Services] caseworkers & adoptive parents in Chattanooga who are giving TN children a loving, permanent home.”

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Tennessee Teacher Goes Viral After Saying Kids Aren’t Ready for Social Media

A Tennessee teacher has gone viral on Facebook after a post saying that children are not ready for social media.

Jackie Tate, whose Facebook profile identifies her as a teacher at St. Patrick’s School, a Catholic school in McEwen, Tennessee, says the following:

Imagine something embarrassing happened to you at school when you were in the 7th grade. Everyone laughed and it was awful and you were mortified. Then a few weeks passed and everyone found new things to laugh about and they moved on. You didn’t forget how embarrassed you were, but you could move on too.

Now imagine you did something embarrassing in 7th grade. And everyone laughed and it was awful. But someone also caught it on Snap Chat. And turned it into a meme. And a Tik Tok. And everyone in school saw it. And took a screen shot of it. And spread it further. And you couldn’t get away from it. And no one forgot. And you couldn’t either. And people were still re sharing it months later.

Just sit there and imagine it for a minute.

Kids aren’t ready for social media. It starts with us parents. Please share.

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Davidson County Sheriff Wants Covenant School Shooter Manifesto Released

Davidson County’s sheriff said he wants the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release the manifesto The Covenant School shooter left behind.

“I think the manifesto needs to be released ASAP,” Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall reportedly said. “I think it would help. I don’t see any reason for it to be private any longer in my opinion.”

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Tennessee Lawmakers Call for the Release of Covenant Murderer Hale Manifesto Ahead of Special Session

Tennessee Republicans are demanding a the release of a manifesto written by the person who killed six at The Covenant School on March 27, before entering into a special legislative session that will be focused on gun control. 

State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has filed a public records request with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) in order to obtain information about the manifesto left behind by 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who identified as transgender, after Hale’s rampage at The Covenant School in Nashville. 

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Lizzo Welcomes Drag Queens on Stage at Knoxville Show to Protest Tennessee Drag Show Laws

Pop star Lizzo invited drag queens onto the stage in her weekend performance in Knoxville, apparently in protest of a Tennessee law that bans drag shows near children.

“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,'” Lizzo said during her show. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most? “The people who need to feel this release the most?”

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Report: Rupert Murdoch Made Decision to Fire Tucker Carlson

According to a Monday afternoon report, the billionaire head of Fox Corp., Rupert Murdoch, was directly responsible for firing Tucker Carlson, after the cable news network abruptly announced that it had parted ways with its most popular host.  

Citing sources “familiar with the situation who were not authorized to comment publicly,” The Los Angeles Times said that Murdoch himself made the decision to fire Carlson, along with some input from the Fox Corp. board of directors. 

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ACLU Sues Tennessee over Law Preventing Trans Surgeries, Hormones

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Thursday announced that it is filing a lawsuit against the state of Tennessee over what it calls an “attack” on transgender youth. 

SB 1 recently passed the Tennessee Senate and subsequently enacted into law, bans doctors from child genital mutilation and giving harmful sex-change hormones and puberty blockers to children, the former of which often cannot be reversed. 

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Rep. Andy Ogles Among Signees of Letter Demanding End of Ukraine War Escalation

A U.S. congressman from Tennessee is among 16 members of Congress and three U.S. senators who signed a letter to President Joe Biden demanding the de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine and a strategic plan to bring the war between those two countries to an end.

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