Author: Tom Pappert

Virginia State Police Confirm 150 Reported Drone Sightings in December, Urge Public to Send Tips

Tom Pappert
Virginia State Police Drone

The Virginia State Police (VSP) on Thursday confirmed citizens have reported 150 drone sightings throughout the commonwealth during the month of December in a statement that urged the public to notify authorities if they see drones flying over sensitive areas.

A VSP press release shared to the social media platform X confirms the Virginia Fusion Center (VFC), part of the VSP’s Homeland Security Division, “has received more than 150 tips involving drone activity,” since the beginning of the month. It also confirmed these reports were made amid “reports of drones flying in other areas of the country, including New Jersey.”

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Audio Confirms Amarillo VA Knew Veteran Complained of Sex Between Staff Members in May 2023

Tom Pappert
Thomas E. Creek Dept of Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Audio recorded by retired U.S. Army Sergeant Donald Belzer, and provided to The Tennessee Star, confirmed through the White House VA Hotline that the Amarillo Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System was made aware of the complaint the veteran filed in 2022, when Belzer said he captured video depicting two VA staff members engaged in a sex act inside a clean supplies closet.

Belzer recorded the audio after The Star published the video, recorded by the veteran on August 17, 2022, as the veteran called the White House hotline to obtain copies of the complaints he filed with the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center and the White House hotline in August 2022 and April 2023.

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Tennessee Law Enforcement, Judges Silent on Claim One-Third of Williamson County Criminal Cases Now ‘Due to Illegal Aliens’

Tom Pappert
Crime Scene

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, and four judges on Tennessee’s 21st Judicial District either did not respond, or did not confirm, to inquiries by The Tennessee Star seeking more information about the claim by Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) that one-third of criminal cases in Williamson County now involve an illegal immigrant.

The silence comes after Warner appeared on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday, telling the hosts, “I recently met with the Williamson County delegation, and judges from Williamson County, here in southern Middle Tennessee, and a judge last week told a group of about five of us… either build more jails, build more prisons, or remove the immigrants from this state.”

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California Judge Orders Guns Taken from Man Who Allegedly Planned Bombing with Wisconsin School Shooter Natalie Rupnow

Tom Pappert
Natalie Sam Rupnow

News emerged Wednesday that Alexander Paffendorf, of Carlsbad, California, was served with a restraining order under California’s red flags law on Tuesday after being questioned by the FBI after investigators learned he allegedly he communicated with Natalie Rupnow, the 15-year-old who police say killed one student and one teacher at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin before ending her life, to plan an attack on a government building.

According to CBS8, Paffendorf admitted to the FBI that he and Rupnow discussed plans to “arm himself with explosives and a gun” in order to “target a government building,” with the outlet reporting the restraining order granted by a California judge stated that federal agents were able to view the messages the southern California man allegedly exchanged with the killer.

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Chair of Virginia Democrats Tells Journalist to ‘Delete’ Himself in Deleted Tweet

Tom Pappert
Klippenstein and Swecker

The chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia told an independent journalist to “delete himself” in a post to the social media platform X, which has now been deleted in turn.

“Delete yourself,” Chairwoman Susan Swecker told Substack writer Ken Klippenstein after he questioned the decision by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to vote for Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) to represent the party on the House Oversight Committee.

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Tennessee Representative Says One-Third of Criminal Cases in Williamson County Now ‘Due to Illegal Aliens’

Tom Pappert
Illegal Immigrants

A Tennessee state lawmaker told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday that one-third of the criminal court cases in Williamson County are now related to illegal immigrants, claiming a county judge warned state lawmakers must consider increasing the number of jails and prisons due to an uptick in crime.

State Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) divulged the purported number of criminal cases related to illegal immigrants after he was asked about his legislation that would require law enforcement agencies to detain anyone found to be in the country illegally for the maximum amount of time legally allowed, and then transport the illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities for release if they are not retrieved for deportation by federal agencies.

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Madison Police Refuse to Confirm Public Report 15-Year-Old Natalie Rupnow ‘Enrolled in Therapy’ Prior to Abundant Life Attack

Tom Pappert

The Madison Police Department (MPD) on Tuesday night declined to confirm to The Tennessee Star the public reporting that 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who police say fatally shot a student and a teacher before ending her own life at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, was enrolled in therapy prior to the attack.

Following reporting by The Washington Post which revealed Rupnow was “enrolled in therapy” during her parents’ divorce, The Star asked MPD to confirm the mental health treatment. The Star also asked whether she was seeing a psychologist, if these therapy sessions resulted in a diagnosis of a mental health condition, and whether Rupnow was understood to be prescribed any medications for mental health conditions.

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Virginia Democrat Leader Says Youngkin’s No Tax on Tips Proposal May Not be ‘Responsible’

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin and Don Scott

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) reportedly said in a Monday press conference that Democrats are only likely to support Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposal to stop taxing tips if it is “responsible,” suggesting the governor’s proposal to mirror the federal campaign promise by President-elect Donald Trump within the commonwealth could face opposition over financial concerns.

Scott said during his Monday press conference, “Any idea that’s going to put money back into the pockets of hard work of Virginians, we’re going to strongly consider and take a look at it,” reported VPM. 

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Madison Police ‘Working to Authenticate’ Alleged Manifesto Left by 15-Year-Old Natalie Rupnow, but Urge Media Against Sharing

Tom Pappert
Shon Barnes

Madison Police Department (MPD) Chief Shon Barnes on Tuesday said his department is not yet able to authenticate the documents shared online by Reduxx founder Anna Slatz, who claims to have obtained the manifesto left by but nonetheless urged members of the media from disseminating the purported manifesto left by Natalie Rupnow, who police say killed two and injured seven in an attack on the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday.

“We know a document has been widely shared on social media. At this time, we cannot verify its authenticity,” said Barnes in a Tuesday press briefing.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Among 26 Governors Pledging Support for Trump Immigration Plans, Including Deportations

Tom Pappert
Illegal Immigrants

Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee was among the 26 governors who signed a letter confirming their support for the immigration proposals advanced by President-elect Donald Trump, including the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.

Lee confirmed his support in a post to the social media platform X, where he shared a joint letter issued by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), which Lee continues to lead through the end of this year.

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Amarillo VA Confirms Investigation of Alleged ‘Sexual Misconduct’ by Staff After Tennessee Star Publishes Video

Tom Pappert
Amarillo VA Health Care System

A spokesman for the Amarillo Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that it is now investigating following the publication by The Star of video that purportedly shows two staff members engaged in a sex act at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center in Amarillo, Texas on August 17, 2022.

Emily Bell, the Public Affairs Officer for the Amarillo VA, told The Star on Tuesday that the agency “has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, and we take any allegation extremely seriously. We are investigating this matter thoroughly, and we will take any appropriate action at the conclusion of our investigation.”

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Virginia U.S. Rep-Elect John McGuire Urges Party Unity After Luther Cifers Wins GOP Nomination for State Senate

Tom Pappert
John McGuire

U.S. Representative-elect John McGuire (R-VA-05) urged Republicans in Virginia’s 10th State Senate district to unite behind Luther Cifers, the outsider businessman who secured the Republican Party’s nomination to run for McGuire’s former seat.

Cifers won the nomination during the Friday mass meeting in Goochland that The Daily Progress reported drew 1,000 Republicans, ultimately securing more votes than Louisa County Board of Supervisers Chairman Duane Adams in the third round of voting, which was concluded at about 1 a.m. on Saturday.

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Majority of Arizona Voters Support Changing Laws for Faster Election Results: Poll

Tom Pappert

A majority of Arizona voters would support legislation aimed at increasing the speed of election results as lawmakers in the Arizona State Senate file legislation to emulate the rapid election tabulation seen in Florida.

The poll, released last Thursday by Noble Predictive Insights, found that 52 percent of Arizona voters want Arizona to “change its laws to maintain election integrity and count votes more quickly.”

According to the pollsters, 15 percent more Arizonans want the laws to change than the number who want them to remain the same, as just 37 percent said the current laws are “the best way to ensure a correct vote count.” An additional 11 percent of respondents told Noble Predictive Insights they were not sure.

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Madison Police Identify Abundant Life Christian School Shooter as 15-Year-Old Girl Natalie Rupnow

Tom Pappert
Natalie Rupnow

The Madison Police Department (MPD) on Monday identified the shooter who killed two and injured seven at the Abundant Life Christian School as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who was known by Samantha.

Police have said that Rupnow took her own life after committing the shooting, and on Monday night reported she was pronounced dead while being transported to the hospital.

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Arizona Senate President ‘Optimistic’ Gov. Katie Hobbs Will Sign Bill for Faster Election Results

Tom Pappert
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) said in a Saturday interview on “The Jeff Oravitz Show” podcast that he is “optimistic” Governor Katie Hobbs will sign legislation the lawmaker said will result in faster election results in the state.

Petersen and other lawmakers last week introduced SB 1011 last week, which would require voters submit their mail-in ballot by Friday at 7 p.m. or else vote on Election Day, and change how ballots are handled when voters cast them in person.

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Report: 3 Dead, 7 Injured at Wisconsin Christian School Shooting

Tom Pappert
Abundant Life Christian School

A shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin reportedly led to the deaths of three people, with another five injured, according to a police press conference held at a nearby gas station by Madison Police Department (MPD) Chief Shon Barnes.

Barnes confirmed the latest information during his 12:15 p.m. press conference indicated there were five individuals killed at the Abundant Life Christian School, but law enforcement later clarified this was incorrect. They confirmed three died in the attack, including the shooter.

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Detransition Activist Says Blackburn’s Kids Online Safety Act Could ‘Inspire Parents’ to Monitor Internet Use

Tom Pappert
kids smartphone

Detransition activist Elle Palmer, a biological woman who identified as a transgender man through most of her teens, told The Tennessee Star she was optimistic legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), proposed by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), would “inspire parents” to keep a closer watch on their children’s use of the internet.

Palmer, who recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to support Tennessee’s law banning transgender treatments for minors, told The Star last week that she became enraptured with online discussions related to feminism, gender theory, and ultimately transgenderism during her teen years, when she described herself as anxious and inverted.

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Vet Says Veterans Affairs Hospital in Texas Ignored Complaint over Alleged Sex at Facility Despite Video Evidence

Tom Pappert
Donny Belzer video

The Tennessee Star on Friday obtained a video a veteran says shows two staff members at the Amarillo Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System engaged in a sexual activity inside a clean supplies closet, just feet away where he was being treated for a hand injury.

According to data retrieved from the video, it was recorded on August 17, 2022, when the veteran told The Star he was at the Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center to seek treatment for an injury he sustained while working on a dirt bike.

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Virginia Immigrant Group Opposing Youngkin’s Sanctuary City Proposal Lost $1.5 Million over Lip Balm, Fidget Toy Purchases

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

The immigrant group that opposes the proposal by Governor Glenn Youngkin to strip funding from so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was denied federal funding by the Prince William County commission in February after it reportedly filed nearly $200,000 in expenses that are unfit for federal dollars distributed by the county.

Youngkin on Thursday unveiled a budget plan that includes a “No Sanctuary Cities” proposal that would require local law enforcement agencies to coordinate with ICE or lose funding.

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Request for Alleged Manifesto of Luigi Mangione Denied by Police amid Refusal to Release Bodycam Video, Arrest Inventory

Tom Pappert
Luigi Mangione

The City of Altoona, Pennsylvania on Friday denied the Right-to-Know request filed by The Pennsylvania Daily Star for copies of the documents found during the arrest of Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York.

Altoona denied the Right-to-Know request filed by The Daily Star on Monday, which specifically sought copies of any written documents found with Mangione at the time of his arrest, including his purported manifesto, as well as any documents, journals, or diaries, citing an exception to public information requests for ongoing investigations.

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CAIR Claims ‘Police Brutality’ After Sonny Perdue Credits Georgia’s Stance on Anti-Israel Protests for ‘Huge Influx’ in Student Applications

Tom Pappert
Chancellor Sonny Perdue

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Georgia suggested Sonny Perdue, the Chancellor of the Georgia University System, showed support for “police brutality” after he said the stance of Georgia universities against anti-Israel protests led to a “huge influx” of new students applying to receive a higher education in the Peach State.

Perdue reportedly said the decision by Georgia’s higher education system to disallow extended student-led protests over the war between Israel and Hamas “created a huge influx in out-of-state applications to our schools here in Georgia,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, during a conference with lawmakers held by the Biennial Institute in Athens.

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Tennessee State Rep. Gillespie Files Bills to Restrict Bail for Gun Crimes, Require Judges to Consider Juvenile Records

Tom Pappert
State Rep John Gillespie

Tennessee State Representative John Gillespie (R-Memphis) two bills this week that would tighten Tennessee’s bail laws, requiring judges to consider juvenile records and pretrial reports when considering whether a minor defendant is eligible for release, and changing the standards for bail to automatically preclude those accused of crimes involving firearms, serious injury, or death.

Gillespie filed HB 33 on Wednesday, would change Tennessee law to establish “a presumption that a defendant should not be released” from jail should the circumstances of their charges include, “the use or display of a firearm,” or if their alleged crimes “resulted in the serious bodily injury or death of the victim.”

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Woman Who Detransitioned Says Covenant School Killer’s Extensive Mental Health Treatment a ‘Risk Factor for Transition’

Tom Pappert
Elle Palmer

Elle Palmer, who identified as a transgender man through most of her teen years before detransitioning to her biological, female gender, that early experiences with mental health treatments are “absolutely” a “risk factor” for a desire to transition genders later in life.

In an interview conducted after Palmer traveled to Washington, D.C. to support Tennessee’s law banning transgender treatments for minors, she told The Star that she had a psychiatrist by time she was 11, and said, “I absolutely think it’s a risk factor for transition.”

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Virginia Man Faces Prison for Allegedly Sending Bitcoin to ISIS Members in Syria Through Turkish Intermediary

Tom Pappert
Mohammed Chhipa

The trial began this week for Virginia man Mohammed Chhipa, who prosecutors say immigrated to the United States from India but is now a naturalized citizen who has lived in Virginia since 2008 and faces charges related to the alleged transfer of Bitcoin to a Syrian member of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group through an intermediary in Turkey.

Prosecutors said on Tuesday that Chhipa converted over $74,000 into Bitcoin that was then transferred to ISIS members in Syria, according to Fox 5 DC, with the outlet reporting an undercover FBI agent testifying conversations about Chhipa sending the money happened alongside others about suicide bombings.

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Detransitioner Supports Tennessee’s Minor Transgender Ban That Would Have Prevented Her Teen Transition

Tom Pappert
Elle Palmer

A woman who identified as a transgender man for most of her teen years, before ultimately detransitioning to her biological, female gender at 19, told The Tennessee Star that Tennessee’s ban on gender transition treatments would have successfully prevented her years-long stint on hormone treatments that resulted in a permanently lowered voice and other side effects.

Elle Palmer told The Star she spent her early teenage years identifying as nonbinary after learning about gender theory online, and explained this progressed to a desire to obtain treatment in order to formally transition to a transgender man by time she was 15.

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TBI Director Says Tren de Aragua Allegedly ‘Escaped’ Prison During Confrontation with Maduro Regime

Tom Pappert
David Rausch and Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Director David Rausch said the Tren de Aragua gang members active in Tennessee are likely part of the criminal network that formed in Venezuelan prisons under the country’s dictator, Nicolas Maduro, whose government later claimed the prisoners escaped.

Rausch made the comments to U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) during a Saturday appearance in her “Minute with Marsha” podcast, expanding on his previous confirmations that Tren de Aragua members are present in Tennessee’s major cities and travel through the state in human trafficking operations.

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Sen. Bill Hagerty: Trump Will Set Policy for ‘Loyal’ Cabinet Members to Follow

Tom Pappert
CNN's Jake Tapper interviews Sen. Bill Hagerty

U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Monday told CNN that those nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve in his cabinet will be enacting policies set by the White House after host Jake Tapper asked about potential policy disagreements between Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, who the president-elect nominated to serve as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

Hagerty told Tapper that Gabbard was selected by Trump “for a very specific job,” and referenced “questions” raised by Gabbard about the intelligence community that “need to be delivered upon.”

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George Mason Students Trespassed over Anti-Israel Vandalism Reportedly Owns ‘Several Firearms,’ Hamas and Hezbollah Flags

Tom Pappert
GMU Coalition for Palestine🇵🇸 protest

Police reportedly removed multiple firearms from the home of Jena and Noor Chanaa, where a police document states authorities found anti-American slogans and flags associated with terrorist groups.

The Chanaa sisters are two former George Mason University students who were criminally trespassed for four years over their alleged defacing of university property with an anti-Israel slogan. 

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Judicial Watch Claims Fani Willis ‘Hides’ Communications with Jan 6 Committee as Embattled D.A. Claims Records ‘Legally Exempted’

Tom Pappert
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Judicial Watch on Tuesday said Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is hiding records of communications between her office and the House January 6 committee after Willis claimed records of such conversations are “legally exempted” in response to a court order demanding she respond to a freedom of information request related to her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump.

Willis was ordered to respond to the information request filed by Judicial Watch in a December 4 court order. In a court filing submitted by Willis’ office, and published by Judicial Watch, the district attorney acknowledged the existence of “communication sent or received from the United States House January 6th Committee,” but asserted the records cannot be released, “because they arose from the investigation, subsequent indictment, and prosecution” of Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election results in Georgia.

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NYPD, FBI, Altoona PD Silent on Alleged Leak of ‘Manifesto’ Written by Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case

Tom Pappert
Luigi Mangione

The New York Police Department (NYPD) and Altoona Police Department (APD) did not immediately respond to press inquiries from The Pennsylvania Daily Star seeking answers regarding the authenticity of the alleged leak of the handwritten “manifesto” reportedly found in the backpack of Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The FBI referred The Daily Star to the NYPD.

Independent reporter Ken Klippenstein on Tuesday reported he “obtained a copy of suspected killer Luigi Mangione’s manifesto,” stating, “Major media outlets are also in possession of the document but have refused to publish it and not even articulated a reason why.”

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Georgia AG Chris Carr Asks Trump Nominees to Block Biden Admin’s Pay Raise for Foreign Farm Labor

Tom Pappert
Farm Workers

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr urged those nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Agriculture (DOA) to reconsider the decision by the Biden-Harris administration to raise the minimum wage for foreign farm labor in a Friday letter.

After congratulating Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Brooke Rollins on their nominations, Carr urged them to address “the continuously rising” wages the government mandates for temporary farm workers allowed to enter the United States through the H-2A visa program, which allows qualified foreign workers to fill agricultural roles.

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Virginia Bill to Require Physicians Affirm Biological Gender of Athletes, Ban Male-to-Female Transgender Students from Girls’ Teams

Tom Pappert
Softball

Legislation proposed in the Virginia General Assembly on December 1 by Senator Tammy Brankley Mulchi (R-Clarksville) would require student athletes to provide a written statement by a physician that affirms they seek to participate in a sports team that corresponds to their biological gender, prevents biological males from playing on teams designated for girls, under the threat of civil litigation.

Blankley Mulchi’s SB 749 would require schools to clearly state whether sports teams are male, female, or coed, and mandates any team participating in the Virginia High School Sports League which “is expressly designated for ‘females,’ ‘women,’ or ‘girls,'” must “not be open to any student of the male sex.”

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Cheatham Middle School Adopts ‘Musketeers’ Mascot Used by University of Cincinnati Rival After Cease and Desist

Tom Pappert
Cheatham Middle School PTO

Cheatham Middle School in Ashland City, Tennessee on Monday announced its students are now “The Musketeers” following a survey conducted after the University of Cincinnati (UC) ordered the school to drop its previous “Bearcats” mascot the Ohio university claimed too closely resembled its own.

Cheatham County Schools Athletic Director Jeff Hobbs confirmed the mascot change to The Tennessee Star on Monday, when he explained the rivalry between the Xavier University Musketeers and the UC Bearcats prompted serious consideration after it was suggested on the social media platform X.

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Luigi Mangione, the Person of Interest in Killing of UnitedHealth CEO Reportedly Praised Unabomber, Left Anti-Corporation Manifesto

Tom Pappert
Luigi Mangione

Police say a handwritten document was found with Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man arrested as a person of interest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, during his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania on Monday.

After the Altoona Police Department confirmed it arrested a person who a McDonald’s employee said matched the description of Thompson’s killer, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed in a press conference on Monday that Altoona police arrested Mangione, finding weapons and clothing consistent with those worn by the killer, as well as a “handwritten document” that allegedly explains Mangione’s motivations.

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Tennessee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn Thanks Elon Musk, X CEO for Help Updating Kids Online Safety Act

Tom Pappert
Sen Marsha Blackburn, Elon Musk

A new version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), created by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), was announced on Saturday by Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, who said she collaborated with the senators to create legislation that would prioritize youth safety while preserving the First Amendment.

Revealing the new legislation in a post to X, Yaccarino noted the company, which was formerly known as Twitter, vowed it would help Congress establish new laws to protect children during a January appearance in Congress alongside Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

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Federal Judge Allows Enforcement of Tennessee Ban on ‘Restorative Justice’ Bail Policy, Prompts Celebration from State Senator

Tom Pappert
Gavel court judge order

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) confirmed on Friday that enforcement of his legislation prohibiting Tennessee judges from considering a defendant’s ability to pay when setting their bail was allowed by a federal judge.

The judge made the decision despite determining the lawsuit brought by restorative justice organization Just City against Tennessee over the law will proceed.

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Virginia Sheriff Calls for Strict Borders After Two Illegal Immigrants Arrested for Shooting in Alleged Road Rage Incident

Tom Pappert
Mike Chapman

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on Friday confirmed the arrest of two illegal immigrants who were charged with firing at a moving vehicle during a road rage incident, causing damage to the vehicle but no injuries to its passengers, prompting Sheriff Mike Chapman to urge the federal government to improve border security.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office announced the arrests of Aldo Betancourth Rivera and Jimmy Paredes Madrid, who authorities described as, “both of Sterling and undocumented.”

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Tennessee Republicans File Legislation to End Grocery Tax in 2025

Tom Pappert
Grocery Shopper

Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly filed legislation this week that would abolish the sales tax on groceries in the state, and in a press release explain their legislation would maintain current funding for schools while avoiding tax increases for business owners. 

House Bill 21, submitted by State Representative Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) on Thursday, would prohibit sales taxes from being levied on food and food ingredients in Tennessee, while simultaneously requiring the General Assembly to allocate “an amount substantially equal to the amount that would have been allocated” based on the 0.5 percent of revenue from taxing groceries that is earmarked for schools. Groceries are currently taxed at 4 percent in Tennessee.

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Tennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Worries ‘Congress Doesn’t Have the Guts’ to Enact DOGE Government Reforms

Tom Pappert
Tim Burchett

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Thursday expressed doubt that Congress would have “the guts” to enact the cuts and reforms recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a commission announced by President-elect Donald Trump that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will helm.

Burchett voiced concern about his colleagues in a video posted to the social media platform X on Thursday, which the Tennessee Republican said he recorded after leaving the first meeting between Musk, Ramaswamy, and Congress.

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Arizona Republicans Target Trans Policies in Schools, Election Integrity After Senator Warns Gov. Hobbs Could ‘Regret’ Using Veto Power

Tom Pappert

Republicans in the Arizona State Senate on Wednesday had submitted three bills ahead of the upcoming legislative session that they acknowledge are tougher versions of legislation previously vetoed by Governor Katie Hobbs earlier this year in remarks published less than one month after Senate Pro Tem T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge) suggested lawmakers could allow voters the final say on anything she rejects.

The bills include SB 1001 by Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler), which would require voters using mail-in ballots to present their identification if submitting their ballots on the Friday before Election Day.

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Majority of Virginians Hopeful or Optimistic for Trump Admin as President-Elect Improves Favorability, Post-Election Poll Shows

Tom Pappert
Donald Trump in Virginia, 2024

Polling released Thursday by Roanoke College found the majority of Virginians are either optimistic or hopeful for the future of the United States ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in the White House.

The survey found 60 percent of Virginians have a positive view of Trump’s reelection, with 32 percent of Virginians hopeful as they approach Trump’s second term in office, and an additional 28 percent telling pollsters they will respond optimistically to president-elect regaining the White House.

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Both Tennessee U.S. Senators Endorse Hegseth for Defense Secretary as Hagerty Says ‘Momentum is with Pete’

Tom Pappert
Pete Hegseth

Both Tennessee U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty have confirmed they will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth, who President-elect Donald Trump nominated to serve as his Secretary of Defense.

Blackburn and Hagerty both said they will vote to confirm Hegseth, with Hagerty declaring Trump’s nominee has the “momentum” to be confirmed when interviewed by CNN on Wednesday.

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Lawyers Representing Illegal Immigrant Jose Ibarra Request New Trial for Murder of Laken Riley

Tom Pappert

Attorneys representing Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan illegal immigrant sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus, on Tuesday formally requested a new trial for their client.

Ibarra was found guilty of all charges related to his murder of Riley by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge Patrick Haggard on November 20. The judge rendered his verdict after Ibarra waived his right to a trial by jury, and instead allowed the judge to determine his fate at a bench trial.

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Virginia Election Official Resigns After Report Found He Spent $500,000 on Alcohol, Hotels, Private Security, and Office Remodel

Tom Pappert
Keith Balmer

The top two election officials in Richmond, Virginia, resigned on Wednesday after a report claimed their office misappropriated $500,000 on expenses, including alcohol, unnecessary hotel stays, private security, and a luxury remodeling of office space leased by a government agency. Their resignations will reportedly take effect on December 31.

Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned on Wednesday, with the Richmond Electoral Board reportedly accepting both his resignation and the resignation of his deputy, Jerry Richardson. This comes just one week after Richmond Inspector General James Osuna released a report claiming their office wasted almost $500,000 in taxpayer money.

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Lawsuit Claims TSU Fired Financial Aid Director over Refusal to Request Federal Aid for Students Lacking Proof of High School Degree

Tom Pappert
Tanaka Vercher

The former Director of Financial Aid at Tennessee State University (TSU) filed a lawsuit against the institution on Tuesday, claiming she was fired in August after she refused to request federal financial aid for students who had yet to provide proof they were eligible to enroll at the university.

According to the lawsuit, Tanaka Vercher was a 21-year employee at TSU in 2024, when Tennessee auditors informed her the state was unable to provide evidence that up to 20 percent of first-year students enrolled at the university graduated high school or obtained an equivalent degree.

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Police May Not Finish Covenant School Shooting Investigation by January 1 Goal as MNPD Spokesman Says ‘No Hard Date’

Tom Pappert
John Drake

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) may not meet its “goal” of completing the Covenant School shooting investigation by January 1, 2025, according to spokesman Don Aaron, who told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday he was unable to offer a firm date or time for the lead detective to finish documenting the case.

Aaron previously told The Star in November that “some work” was necessary to complete the documentation phase of the investigation early last month, then on November 12 confirmed it was “the goal” of the department to finish the investigation before the end of this year.

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Semiconductor Manufacturer to Close Arizona Factory Despite $162 Million in CHIPS Act Funds from Biden-Harris

Tom Pappert
Microchip Technology Inc

A semiconductor manufacturer announced Monday it will close its Tempe, Arizona factory in September of next year. The announcement came less than one year after the Biden-Harris administration announced $162 million in incentives to convince the company to expand its facilities in other states.

Microchip Technology Inc. announced in a Monday quarterly call that the company would shut down its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Tempe, which will reportedly impact about 500 employees, as a cost-saving measure as executives instead look to the company’s facilities in Colorado and Oregon.

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Virginia Republican Seeks to Ban Institutional Investors from Buying Single-Family Houses

Tom Pappert
Home for Sale

Virginia State Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-Midlothian) revealed on Saturday he intends to file legislation that would prohibit institutional buyers, like hedge funds and private equity groups, from purchasing single-family homes in the commonwealth.

In posts to the social media platform X, Sturtevant noted that Redfin found in August that one in six homes in the United States are purchased from such institutional buyers, and revealed that the figure increased to 11 percent of home purchases in Virginia Beach and 9 percent in Washington, D.C.

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Fani Willis Dealt Twin Losses as Judge Defaults D.A. in Judicial Watch Case, Jury Lets YSL Defendants Walk

Tom Pappert
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was dealt two losses on Tuesday after a Georgia judge found her in default in the freedom of information case case brought against her by Judicial Watch and her Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case against Young Slime Life (YSL) ended with acquittals for the final two defendants.

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton first announced the organization’s victory in a post to the social media platform X, confirming a favorable judgment in their effort to obtain any evidence of communications or collusion between Willis’ office and Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought a federal case against President-elect Donald Trump that legal pundits said bore striking similarities to her own case against Trump.

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Tennessee Lawmaker Files Legislation to Block State from Destroying, Relocating Historic Buildings and Monuments

Tom Pappert
Sam Davis Statue, Tennessee Capitol

Tennessee State Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun) introduced a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would block the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) from recommending the removal or destruction of any property deemed to be of historical, architectural, or cultural significance to Tennesseans.

Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) would limit the authority of the THC to the approval or recommendation of “certain renovations or alterations” to property deemed significant, according to its summary. It would also prohibit the commission “from taking adverse action,” such as fines, against properties boasting statues or monuments the THC wants removed.

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