Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) has joined Illinois U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) in introducing the Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act.
Read the full story
A Tennessee state senator said on X, formerly known as Twitter, Saturday that Christians use their faith to justify racial terror.
“Never forget that hatred and racial terror was – and still is – justified in the name of Christianity,” said State Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville), whose biography on the Tennessee General Assembly website curiously lists her as a Christian.
Read the full story
Tennessee General Assembly members reacted strongly to a bizarre tweet from an organization headed by a former political candidate on Monday.
“Like the plandemic, 9/11 was probably just a coincidental opportunity for the elites to continue their take down of our Constitution. Probably not,” nonprofit organization Tennessee Stands tweeted on Monday morning.
Read the full story
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Ayers Foundation Trust announced this week the launch of a new collaborative statewide initiative to improve the economic prospects of rural Tennessee.
The initiative, called Come Home Tennessee, aims to reduce the number of economically distressed and at-risk counties in the state by providing the highly qualified graduates of the well-acclaimed Ayers Scholars Program and other Tennesseans with connections to regional employers and remote employment options that allow them to stay or return to their hometowns to live, work, and raise their families if they so choose.
Read the full story
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee swore in Justice Dwight E. Tarwater on Friday to serve on the state Supreme Court.
As previously reported by The Tennessee Star Lee appointed Tarwater to the high court in February and the legislature confirmed him as a Supreme Court Justice in March.
Read the full story
Donald Trump Jr. served as the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Firearms Association Legislative Action Committee’s (TFALAC) annual convention on Saturday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon.
Read the full story
At a special meeting of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees at Thursday night, the state university system adopted a new policy that will guarantee college admission to certain in-state applicants.
Effective immediately, Tennessee high schoolers applying to a University of Tennessee school with the following credentials will automatically be accepted to at least one school in the state university system:
Read the full story
U.S. Congressman and Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN-07) signed a letter this week urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to rethink a new rule on cybersecurity for public companies.
According to the new SEC rule, effective Tuesday, publicly traded corporations must alert the SEC of a cyberattack within four days of the event. A company’s strategies and procedures for managing cybersecurity risk must also be disclosed on a regular basis, among other requirements.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition (TNFFC) applauded Governor Bill Lee for signing an anti-human trafficking bill into law on Friday.
Read the full story
A group of BlueCross BlueShield employees whom the company terminated between October and November 2021 for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine filed a federal lawsuit this week against the company.
As previously reported by The Tennessee Star, In 2021 BlueCross BlueShield of Tennesee (BCBST) terminated 41 of its employees, many of whom worked remotely from home, after the company implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Read the full story
A Tennessee state senator said Dr. Bren Elliott, Tennessee’s new State Turnaround Superintendent, and new State Education Commissioner Lizette Gonzalez Reynolds, do not reflect “the educational philosophy desired by parents and Tennesseans.”
“The hiring of Bren Elliott is the continuation of the bad decision of hiring Commissioner Reynolds. They represent the destructive direction of schools becoming ‘mental and emotional institutions’ rather than traditional educational facilities,” State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma).
Read the full story
Around 25 Tennessee National Guardsmen deployed Tuesday for a year-long deployment to the Middle East.
“We have an incredibly professional and well-trained team,” said Capt. Jeffry Rennert, commander of the 1130th Finance Detachment, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Military. “We have been working hard to prepare for this mission over the past year, and I could not be any prouder of what my Raptors (unit’s mascot) have accomplished to get ready.”
Read the full story
A Tennessee veteran became the 33rd Tennessean to receive the Medal of Honor, the highest honor the United States can bestow on a member of the military.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden awarded the honor to 81-year-old former Army pilot Captain Larry Taylor who, while serving in the Vietnam War, risked his life by flying into intense enemy fire to save four members of a reconnaissance squad from an imminent enemy overtake.
Read the full story
Four Tennessee counties affected by severe storms in July have been approved to receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance (PA) program, the federal agency announced this week.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced this week it has identified human remains from a cold case murder that took place nearly four decades ago in 1983.
Read the full story
Tennessee State Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) said that Tennessee will not comply with any effort by the federal government to reinstate COVID-19 mask mandates.
According to Zachary, Tennessee has safeguards in place to prevent the government from imposing another mask mandate in the state.
Read the full story
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 54 states and territories urging federal lawmakers to study and eventually propose legislation to protect children from being exploited through artificial intelligence (AI).
Read the full story
A state representative who announced her run for U.S. Senate Tuesday once told a news outlet that North Korea was more democratic than the state of Tennessee.
“I feel like North Korea has more democracy than we do in the state of Tennessee, and it’s terrifying to me that we’re in this march to fascism,” State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) told Mother Jones in April. “And it seems like the Tennessee supermajority is leading the charge.”
Read the full story
The state of Tennessee has launched a new website dedicated to soliciting commercial truck drivers, who right now are in short supply.
A website called truckingtn.com says the state needs truck drivers, and offers useful tips on how and where would-be truck drivers can obtain commercial driving licenses (CDLs).
Read the full story
Republican state lawmakers and members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation are rallying behind U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) after State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) officially announced her bid for Senate on Tuesday.
Read the full story
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) signed a letter urging the Biden administration’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to pause the effective date of the Dodd-Frank Section 1071 small business data collection rule.
The rule would compel banks to gather private information on small business owners who apply for loans.
Read the full story
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) joined an 18-state coalition last week in support of a Tennessee law that protects children from sexually explicit performances.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) signed the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act into law in March of this year, which bans “adult cabaret performance” in public or front of children in the state.
Read the full story
U.S. Congressman and Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN-07) has signed onto a letter demanding that President Joe Biden reconsider the potential nomination of former Treasury Secretary Democrat Jack Lew to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
This follows reports that Lew is Biden’s leading candidate for the position of ambassador.
Read the full story
U.S. Congressman John Rose (R-TN-06) is leading a group of U.S. House Republicans demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas keep Congress updated while the government searches for illegal immigrants from Uzbekistan who allegedly crossed the Mexican border into the U.S through a global trafficking network.
This follows the National Security Council (NSC) confirming to Fox News last week that U.S. officials are aware of “a human smuggling network working to facilitate the travel of Uzbekistan nationals to the United States.”
Read the full story
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation recently announced it raised $515,397,000 for education in the Volunteer State during Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), setting a new Fiscal Year record for the amount generated for education.
Read the full story
An online petition urging the organizers of the Tennessee State Fair to move the event to later in the year has garnered more than 2,500 signatures.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Supreme Court recently unanimously elected Justice Holly Kirby to serve as the Court’s next Chief Justice.
Kirby is succeeding Justice Roger Page, who was appointed as Chief Justice in 2021.
Read the full story
The city of Rocky Top is receiving a $2.3 million loan for water infrastructure from the state of Tennessee.
The loan is part of the State Revolving Fund Loan Program to help communities, utility districts and water and wastewater authorities obtain low interest loans for community infrastructure needs.
Read the full story
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a bipartisan coalition of 33 attorneys general in sending a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the rise of flavored, disposable e-cigarettes use among the nation’s youth.
Read the full story
Members of the House Oversight Committee were silent Friday when asked whether they were investigating the death of a Henderson man at the hands of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The Tennessee Star reached out to five members of the House Oversight Committee, asking whether they had heard about the killing of Theodore Deschler, and if they planned to investigate the circumstances of Deschler’s death at the hands of the FBI.
Read the full story
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is citing an “ongoing criminal investigation” in refusing to turn over records on Hunter Biden’s trashed gun.
It’s the same suspect blocking argument the FBI is trying to use in The Star News Network’s lawsuit demanding the agency turn over the Covenant School killer’s manifesto in Nashville.
Read the full story
The brother of Theodore Deschler, a Henderson man who was shot and killed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on August 16 at a home that he shared with his mother, provided further details on the incident in an interview with DailyMail.
“We believe they broke the windows of the garage so they could shoot,” Russell Deschler told the news outlet.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced Wednesday that its Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) will begin accepting applications from farmers in October.
Read the full story
Tennessee’s special session finished Tuesday with an expense of $351,476 to bring lawmakers to the capital for six days of the session on public safety and four bills passed.
Each day, it cost the state $58,576 in stipends and mileage for lawmakers, according to numbers provided by Office of Legislative Administration Director Connie Ridley.
Read the full story
As part of Thursday’s International Overdose Awareness Day, the Tennessee Department Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) touted the success of fentanyl test strips, which are meant to reduce overdoses involving the deadly drug.
“With new legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in the spring 2022 session, TDMHSAS has been distributing fentanyl test strips for the past year to great success,” the department said. “The department distributed 125,000 test strips in the first year, and data collected from participants shows outcomes that surpass prior studies.”
Read the full story
The Tennessee Department of Education released data on Wednesday for third-grade students who participated in state-sponsored summer learning camps and completed the required post-test.
Beginning this summer, third-grade students scoring “approaching” or “below” on the ELA portion of the spring TCAP assessment faced prevention unless they participated in the state-provided pathways to fourth-grade promotion. These include the TCAP retake opportunity, free summer camp, and tutoring in the upcoming school year. Third-grade students who choose to participate in summer school must show adequate growth – defined by the State Board of Education(SBE) as 4 percent – to be eligible for promotion. Participants must also meet a 90 percent attendance measure.
Read the full story
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) re-introduced legislation this week that would prohibit schools that violate their state’s laws regarding materials deemed harmful to children from receiving federal funds.
Read the full story
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 15 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler regarding business practices reported by the China-founded, fast-fashion retailer SHEIN.
SHEIN was founded in Nanjing, China in 2008 has become the world’s largest fashion retailer with an estimated value of $64 billion. The company’s mobile app is currently the fourth most downloaded app in the United States. In addition, the company is one of TikTok’s largest advertisers and pays thousands of social media “influencers” to market its wares to consumers via videos on the platform.
Read the full story
The University of Tennessee (UT) Tuesday announced that it will expand eligibility for a major scholarship program called the UT Promise.
“The University of Tennessee System announced plans to extend the qualifying income level for UT Promise scholarship recipients once again, this time from $60,000 to $75,000 (adjusted gross income),” the school said on its website. “The university increased the income level from $50,000 to $60,000 in 2021. The announcement was made as UT System President Randy Boyd prepares to tour high schools across the state for the fourth UT Promise tour.”
Read the full story
Tennessee school districts are touting their Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System(TVAAS) scores, even as the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has yet to make those scores available for public inspection.
TVAAS measures student academic growth over the course of a school year. Since it focuses on growth over proficiency, TVAAS allows administrators to see what strategies truly impact student performance.
Read the full story
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) was apparently a no-show at this past Saturday’s Tennessee Democratic Party fundraiser held in Nashville.
On August 15, the Tennessee Democratic Party issued a press release announcing Newsom as a featured speaker for the August 26 event.
Read the full story
According to a Tennessee state senator, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) did not inform relevant local authorities that it would be conducting a raid in Chester County that resulted in the death of a Henderson man.
“I’ve been making some inquiries since I learned of it,” State Senator Page Walley (R-Savannah) told The Tennessee Star Tuesday. “I’ve been on the phone with the Chester County Sheriff’s Department, and the Henderson police. “Neither the sheriff’s department or the Henderson Police Department were informed by the FBI until after the event.”
Read the full story
The Tennessee Titans and Verizon have announced they are partnering to verify guest identities this NFL season at Nissan Stadium by using facial authentication technology.
The move comes after Verizon recently added dozens of 5G Ultra Wideband cell sites at Nissan Stadium, which the company said “will provide enhanced wireless performance to customers in the stands starting at regular season games and events this year.”
Read the full story
A 12-person team from the Tennessee National Guard deployed to Louisiana to support state, county, and local emergency responders battling the Tiger Island wildfire burning in Beauregard Parish, the Tennessee Department of Military announced Monday.
Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from Knoxville’s 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion were sent to the Pelican State equipped with a specialized bucket system called Bambi Buckets to deliver hundreds of gallons of water from the air to fight the wildfires.
Read the full story
The special session of the Tennessee General Assembly ended Tuesday afternoon, as lawmakers in the House and Senate voted to adjourn.
Despite calls from Gov. Bill Lee (R) for lawmakers to bring him a red flag law bill, no such bill was passed.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition (TNFFC) released a statement commending the passage of a bill in the Tennessee House of Representatives which addresses child and human trafficking.
Read the full story
The Henderson Police Department (HPD) provided no update when asked Monday by The Tennessee Star about the August 16 killing of a local man at the hands of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The Star’s inquiries went unreturned in the case of Theodore Deschler, who was killed after the FBI raided his home. HPD did not mention the incident on its Facebook page at all. Neither did the official Facebook page for Chester County, which is used by the Chester County Sheriff’s Office.
Read the full story
Former Tennessee Governor and U.S. Representative Don Sundquist passed away Sunday morning. He was 87 years old.
Read the full story
Known for its warm hospitality, cultural heritage, and mountainous landscapes, Tennessee is confronted with the nationwide crisis that challenges the very essence of our values. It’s time to strip away the veneer of normalcy and address the stark truth: individuals, including children, are being subjected to unspeakable horrors. Their lives are manipulated and controlled, their dignity shattered, and their futures stolen. The reality of sex-trafficking is not confined to a single corner of our state; it is an issue that transcends geographical boundaries, urban and rural areas alike.
Read the full story
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) released county-specific unemployment data on Thursday for July.
Last month, a majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported lower unemployment rates compared to the data reported in June, according to TDLWD.
Read the full story