Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading the charge against a proposed change to Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare).
Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will lead a coalition of 20 states in filing a public comment against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’s (DHS) plan to change the wording in Section 1557 from “sex” to “gender identity.”
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Several University of Tennessee – Knoxville (UTK) professors are speaking out about the so-called “divisive concepts” bill that has taken effect in Tennessee, which they oppose.
“Professors and faculty at universities and colleges are specially qualified to teach the classes that they teach. They need to be in charge of what goes on in their classrooms and when the legislature comes in and starts dictating what can and cannot be discussed, that disrupts the entire purpose of higher education,” UTK professor Kristina Gehrman told 10NEWS.
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Deputies are searching for an escaped convict who disappeared Sunday from the Meigs County Jail, according to several reports.
Dustin Cody Miller was reportedly in recreation time when he escaped the Meigs County Jail Sunday.
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An online and in-person Herzing University is opening a campus in Nashville, according to an announcement from the school.
Herzing University’s eleventh campus will provide students with “several nursing and healthcare programs and pathways for prospective healthcare professionals of all backgrounds and experience levels.”
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The governor of Tennessee has announced that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TB) will hire 25 new forensic analysts in order to assist with processing Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs).
“Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton announced a decisive step to accelerate the hiring process for 25 additional forensic lab positions at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI),” said a press release from the governor’s office. “Taking this action ahead of the regular budget process will expedite the TBI’s efforts to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround time for sexual assault kits (SAKs).”
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A Vanderbilt University alumnus who is touted as one of the chief architects of the early COVID-19 vaccine will return to his alma mater to give a speech, the school recently announced.
“Pathbreaking immunologist, virologist, educator and leader Barney S. Graham, PhD’91, will deliver the School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Lecture on Monday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. CT in the Jacobs Believed In Me Auditorium at Featheringill Hall,” said a press release from the school. “Graham was the chief architect of the first experimental COVID-19 vaccines and earned the 2021 Vanderbilt University Distinguished Alumnus Award.”
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Arizona’s Democrat gubernatorial candidate continues to be hobbled by her refusal to debate her Republican opponent, this time refusing to discuss the issue with a concerned citizen.
“Hey Secretary of State Hobbs, I’m just wondering: why aren’t you debating Kari Lake?” a man said, filming Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in a Starbucks.
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A multitude of people from Clarksville have been convicted of serious crimes over the past week.
The convictions began with members of a motorcycle gang in the city.
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An autopsy has revealed the cause of death of a Memphis woman, who was abducted in September while jogging.
“Eliza Fletcher, 34, had a gunshot wound to the back of her head, blunt-force injuries to a leg and jaw fractures, according to an autopsy completed by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center in Memphis,” according to Fox News.
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ROTONDA WEST, Florida – More than 36 hours after the devastating Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida, a Star News Network reporter trekked to the rural town of Rotonda West to do a wellness check on his parents, who live in the sprawling community.
The deed restricted community of Rotonda West, located in Charlotte County, spent approximately eight hours inside the eyewall of Hurricane Ian on Wednesday, as the storm moved slowly northeast towards Orlando and later Jacksonville.
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Shelby County’s District Attorney Wednesday announced more than two dozen new charges against the man who went on a rampage killing spree in Memphis on September 7.
“Ezekiel Kelly has been indicted on 26 additional charges related to the September 7th shooting spree, including two homicides, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Steve Mulroy,” according to a release from Mulroy’s office.
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A large group of Tennessee Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) Board of Directors, asking the organization to stop performing gender transition surgeries for minors.
“This is a time in which elected leaders must boldly lead and speak on behalf of the people. I’ve been joined by my esteemed [Tennessee House GOP] colleagues in formally requesting that Vanderbilt Medical halt all gender transition surgeries on minors,” said State Rep. Jason Zachary (R-District 14) on Twitter, attaching a copy of the letter.
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A number of school teachers in Rutherford County took advantage of a public comment form in order to speak out against what would be a competing charter school in the county.
In the open public comments, 255 of 311 comments were in favor of Rutherford County Schools, meaning that about four in five of the commenters said they did not want the American Classical Academy, a Hillsdale College affiliated school, to open in the county.
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A suspected human smuggler has been charged with serious crimes after he allegedly attempted to run a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent off the road.
“Last week, Daniel Jerome Wagner, 54, of Phoenix, Arizona, was arrested on one count of Assault on a Federal Officer with the Use of a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon,” said a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. “Wagner was charged by criminal complaint and had his initial appearance on Friday before United States Magistrate Judge Eric J. Markovich.”
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The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) plans to send support to Florida as expected Category 3 Hurricane Ian bears down on the Sunshine State.
“As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Ian, Tennessee emergency service professionals are traveling to the area to help the state prepare and to provide support after the storm,” said Gov. Bill Lee (R) in a press release. “We are proud of men and women who have stepped up to represent the Volunteer State and provide critical, life-saving services to Floridians in need.”
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The president of Chattanooga Pride, an LGBT non-profit in the Scenic City, says it is considering updating its guidelines for drag events after a weekend event at a brewery spawned a public relations nightmare for the organization.
Noah Corbin told The Tennessee Star in a wide-ranging interview Tuesday that the group is considering ways to alert audiences about the more provocative events that the group hosts.
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The political left is raging at a U.S. Senator from Arizona who refuses to join her fellow Democrats in abolishing the filibuster.
“I committed to the 60-vote threshold, it’s been an incredibly unpopular view. I actually think we should restore the 60 vote threshold for the areas in which it has been eliminated already,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said in a speech at the University of Louisville during a conference called The Future of Political Discourse and the Importance of Bipartisanship.
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Two prominent Republican political figures were engaged in a war of words over the weekend, after one of them, an outgoing U.S. Congresswoman, said she would campaign against a Republican gubernatorial candidate.
At the Texas Tribune Festival Friday, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY-01) said she would not vote for her Republican primary opponent, by whom she was beaten in a landslide earlier this year, and said she will “do whatever it takes to make sure [Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee] Kari Lake never takes office.”
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The Memphis Police Department (MPD) Monday confirmed that it did not shut down a drag show at the Memphis Museum of Science and History (MoSH), but that the museum canceled the event due to protests.
“Management of the Pink Palace chose to cancel all events [Friday], MPD Public Information Officer Theresa Carlson told The Tennessee Star. “MPD was asked to assist. No incidents occurred and no arrests were made.”
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The brewery where a child touched the groin of a drag queen at a “family friendly” drag show claims it is the victim of Republican smears.
“We hosted Chattanooga Pride on Saturday September 24 as one of their locations to hold a Family Friendly Pride Event as part of Chattanooga Pride Week,” said Wanderlinger Brewing Company Co-Owner Chris Dial. “We have hosted a few of these events over the last few years for them with one of the more recent even including local politicians. The video that was taken by a supporter of Robby Starbuck [and] was a targeted attack against our business and more specifically the LGBQT community as seen with similar events they targeted at [Tennessee] Tech, Memphis and calling for action against more. If you look at his social media he is very strongly targeting this kind of activity across the state, whether you agree or not that is the fact.”
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A U.S. Senator from Tennessee, along with several of her colleagues, announced Friday that she had introduced legislation aiming to stop the federal government from kicking soldiers out of the National Guard due to their COVID-19 vaccination status.
“Joe Biden announced the ‘pandemic is over,’ and therefore has no reason to continue to fire our servicemembers using his politically-motivated vaccine mandate,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn in a press release. “America’s national readiness should not be jeopardized because this White House is hellbent on preserving their forever pandemic. My legislation continues my work to strengthen our armed forces and prevent yet another unconstitutional power grab from the Biden administration.”
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The city of Memphis Friday refused to comment on the lawsuit filed against it by the woman who says she was raped by Cleotha Abston, the man accused of abducting and killing Eliza Fletcher.
“We do not comment on pending litigation,” said Arlenia Cole, the city’s Media Affairs Manager.
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Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) troopers on September 14 seized more than 50pounds of fentanyl during a traffic stop in Pima County, according to a release from this week.
“During the traffic stop, the trooper observed multiple indicators of criminal activity,” the release said. “A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 52 pounds of suspected fentanyl pills concealed within a compartment built into the vehicle’s rocker panels. The suspected fentanyl was being smuggled from Nogales, Mexico, to Tucson.”
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Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams made an unscientific remark on the topic of abortion during a recent campaign stop.
“There is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks. It is a manufactured sound designed to convince people that men have the right to take control of a woman’s body,” Abrams said.
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Tennessee’s governor is calling for an investigation after a scandal emerged involving a transgender clinic at Vanderbilt University.
“The ‘pediatric transgender clinic’ at Vanderbilt University Medical Center raises serious moral, ethical and legal concerns,” Lee said in a statement. “We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain. We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation.”
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Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, who just this week announced that she would host an “Ask Me Anything” tour as her opponent continues to duck a debate, has completed the first stop on that tour.
“My ‘Ask Me Anything Tour’ has been an incredible experience so far,” said Kari Lake on Twitter. “I’ve been meeting patriots from all over Arizona, who are so excited to hear my plans for this state.”
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A U.S. Senator from Tennessee released a video recapping a 95 county tour of the state, which she does annually, meeting with members of local communities statewide.
“We just finished our annual 95 county tour, visiting with all our county mayors, elected officials, our business owners and citizens of this great state,” said U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn in a video uploaded to her YouTube page.
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Disney owned ABC has cast its first drag queen in its hit show Dancing With The Stars.
The drag queen, called Shangela, is known from the show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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After last week’s news that American Express, Mastercard and Visa, plan to keep lists of those who purchase weapons using their credit card services, Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading a coalition of 24 of his peers from various states in opposition of that plan.
“Giant financial companies must not use their combined market power to circumvent our
representative democracy,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “As Attorney
General, I protect the people of Tennessee from corporate collusion that threatens to undermine their constitutional rights. Working together with my colleagues from other states, we will marshal the full scope of our lawful authority to stop this abuse.”
A ballot initiative that will be voted upon this November could change the way Tennessee’s gubernatorial line of succession is structured.
” On the November 8 ballot, Tennessee voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a proposed amendment to the state constitution that establishes a framework for a temporary transition of power for the highest elected official in the state,” said a press release from the Tennessee General Assembly. “If approved, the amendment would be invoked if the governor is temporarily incapacitated and unable to perform his or her duties, most likely due to a medical emergency. Tennessee is the only state that does not have a provision in its state constitution to address this issue.”
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A U.S. Congressman from Tennessee said over the weekend that former President Donald Trump is still a threat, even though he no longer holds office.
“If indicted, Trump said there will be problems in this country ‘the likes of which we’ve never seen,'” said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) on MSNBC. “He’s threatening another insurrection and encouraging his people to be prepared to do it. He is a present and imminent danger to our democracy.”
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Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee says she will conduct a wide-ranging tour to answer voters’ questions while her Democrat opponent remains noticeably absent from the campaign trail.
Kari Lake said in a video posted to her Twitter account that she is announcing an “Ask Me Anything” tour in response to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’s refusal to share a stage with her, escalating what has been a one-sided war in that arena.
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Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators have introduced legislation that would speed up the process of analyzing sexual assault kits after Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher was abducted and killed by a habitual offender two weeks ago.
“United States Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Restoring Law and Order Act in response to the violence plaguing communities across America,” according to a joint press release. “Compared to mid-2019, America’s largest cities have seen a 50% increase in homicides and a 36% increase in aggravated assaults. In Tennessee, Memphis has experienced a series of shockingly violent crimes.”
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The latest poll in Arizona’s high-profile gubernatorial race shows Republican Kari Lake widening her margin of victory over Democrat Katie Hobbs.
The poll, conducted by the Trafalgar Group between September 14 and September 17 among 1080 likely 2022 voters, shows Lake with a lead of 50 percent to 45.6 percent.
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Two Democrat state representatives from Arizona have found themselves in a spat over one’s alleged “misogyny” and “sexism.”
Misogyny and sexism have no place in the Arizona Legislature. What [Rep. Brian Fernandez (D-District 4) did is wrong and not representative of our Democratic Party. We are a party where women are respected,” said Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-District 3), attaching an open letter dated September 16 in which she aired her grievances with Fernandez.
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A technology company based in San Francisco plans to lay off 11 percent of its workforce, and plans to do so with race in mind.
“As you all know, we are committed to becoming an Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppression company,” said Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson in a message to employees. “Layoffs like this can have a more pronounced impact on marginalized communities, so we were particularly focused on ensuring our layoffs – while a business necessity today – were carried out through an Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppression lens.”
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According to data provided to The Tennessee Star by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the average time it takes for the state law enforcement agency to conduct analysis on sexual assault kits (SAKs) submitted to it by local law enforcement is 45 weeks.
That figure accounts for SAKs that are reviewed by TBI’s Jackson crime lab. In its Nashville lab, TBI tests and analyzes SAKs in about 25 weeks. In its Knoxville lab, that figure is around 30 weeks.
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Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Wednesday announced that she has received an endorsement from yet another law enforcement organization.
“I have been endorsed by the Maricopa County Deputies Law Enforcement Officer Association The McDLEA seeks to ‘promote the positive role of the law enforcement profession’ throughout the county. Our law enforcement officers will have my full support & I’m honored to have theirs,” Lake said on Twitter.
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The Memphis Museum of Science and History is facing backlash after news emerged that it will hold a drag show for people of all ages on September 23.
“Presenting the Museum of Science & History’s grand culmination of our Summer of Pride programming and a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, the FIRST EVER MoSH DRAG SHOW!,” says an advertisement on the museum’s website. “This historic show will star a diverse cast of performers featuring different styles, expressions, and identities, showcasing some of the infinite ways in which we can manifest the art of drag. After the show, we’ll kick off our intergenerational dance party, where everyone is invited to come together and dance the night away. Join us for a night of art, music, dance, and community at the museum.”
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In a statement provided Tuesday to The Tennessee Star, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said it followed standard procedure on securing and testing a sexual assault kit (SAK) in a case related to Cleotha Abston, who is also accused of kidnapping and murdering Eliza Fletcher.
The following is part of TBI’s statement:
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Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake is continuing her onslaught of opponent Katie Hobbs, the Democrat Secretary of State, who is refusing to debate.
The saga, which has been taking place for weeks, has mostly revolved around Hobbs’s unwillingness to share a stage with Lake.
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New details have emerged about more alleged crimes committed by the suspect in Eliza Fletcher’s brutal kidnapping and murder.
Cleotha Abston has been charged separately in an aggravated rape and aggravated kidnapping case stemming from September of 2021. He is also charged in that case with unlawful carrying or possession of a weapon.
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Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, running for Arizona’s highest office, released an education plan that bashes school vouchers and calls for tighter restrictions on charter schools.
“Katie continues to oppose the universal expansion of school vouchers. As governor, she will work to roll back universal vouchers, which the legislature enacted against the will of voters this year,” according to the plan. “Vouchers should not have been expanded to provide an unaccountable means of enriching private schools and defunding our local public schools.”
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After the Arizona Clean Elections Commission rejected Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’s proposal for dueling town halls with Republican gubernatorial opponent Kari Lake, Hobbs has officially declined a formal debate.
“We must respectfully decline the invitation,” said a statement from Hobbs’s campaign.
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After a video depicting children participating in an on-campus drag show was widely shared around the internet, Tennessee Tech University President Phil Oldham said he was offended, and that the school is investigating.
The video was first posted to Twitter by Landon Starbuck, wife of former Tennessee congressional candidate Robby Starbuck.
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Despite reports that the suspect in the Eliza Fletcher’s kidnapping and murder has now been charged with a separate abduction and rape in 2021, Shelby County District Attorney, who ran his campaign on criminal justice reform, says the Fletcher incident was an “isolated attack.”
Cleotha Abston Thursday was charged separately with aggravated rape, especially aggravated kidnapping, and unlawful carrying of a weapon stemming from an event that allegedly occurred in 2021, though details were not immediately available.
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Three children are now parentless after their mother was killed by a 19-year-old gunman who Wednesday went on an apparently random shooting spree in Memphis.
“Allison Parker was murdered on Wednesday, Sept. 7 during a mass shooting in Memphis,” says a GoFundMe for the Crittendon County, Arkansas woman who was killed Wednesday. “She leaves behind three children who also lost their father two years ago. One of her children was with her at the time of the shooting. Please give what you can to help them.”
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Tucker Carlson Thursday night ripped Tennessee’s governor for what he sees as soft-on-crime policies in the wake of a murderous rampage that left four dead in Memphis.
“So this happened in a city that is collapsing due to violence,” Carlson said on his show “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “Memphis set an all time record for homicides last year. Earlier this week, a woman called Eliza Fletcher, as you know, was kidnapped and murdered while she was out for a jog in her neighborhood. Her killer had just gotten out of jail on a kidnapping charge. He was let out years early. So, he got out and committed the same crime, this time with murder.”
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Two Cobb County Sheriffs Deputies were killed in the line of duty Thursday night while attempting to serve a warrant, that law enforcement agency said.
“Two deputies died tonight in the line of duty while serving a warrant,” the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) said Thursday night. “SWAT and FAST teams are at the scene. The suspect is barricaded. We will release additional information, including the names of the fallen deputies, as it becomes available.”
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An Emerson poll released Friday shows that both the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races in Arizona, are essentially dead heats.
The poll shows Sen. Mark Kelly (R-AZ) leading his insurgent challenger Blake Masters by only two points, 47 percent to 45 percent. Five percent of voters remain undecided, and four percent say they will vote for someone else. Meanwhile, 53 percent say they expect Kelly to win, regardless of whom they support.
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