Search Results for: the tennessee star

AP Reporter Takes Sides Against Tennessee Right-to-Work Campaign

Bradley Vasoli

The campaign for the constitutional “right-to-work” amendment appearing on this year’s Tennessee election ballot has garnered vocal opposition from labor unions and other left-wing thought leaders. Supporters could have expected that. Less predictably, a Nashville-based Associated Press reporter railed against the effort this week.

In a Twitter post, AP writer Kimberlee Kruesi opined strongly against Governor Bill Lee’s pronouncements on the issue, characterizing them as “false” and “outrageous spin.” 

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Sen. Hagerty: Biden Will Allow Two Times Tennessee’s Population in Illegal Aliens to Enter Country

Peter D'Abrosca

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee slammed President Joe Biden for his open borders policies, and contextualized the amount of illegal aliens who will cross into the United States under the Biden administration. 

“With an estimated 5,500,000 illegal border crossings so far, Biden is on track over a 4-year term to allow illegal immigration in an amount nearly double the entire population of Tennessee,” Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) said Tuesday on Twitter. 

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Beacon Center Publishes Report Examining Return on Investment of Degrees at Tennessee’s Public Universities

Kaitlin Housler

A new report was released by the Beacon Center of Tennessee on Wednesday examining the return on investment for students and taxpayers at Tennessee’s public universities and colleges.

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J.C. Bowman of Professional Educators of Tennessee Reviews NAEP Scores, Down Across the State

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Professional Educators of Tennessee’s head, JC Bowman in studio to take a closer look at Tennessee’s NAEP scores which reveal Davidson, Shelby, and Madison County public schools failing.

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Professional Educators of Tennessee President Cites Alarming Dropout Rates for State’s Public Schools

Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Professional Educators of Tennessee President JC Bowman in studio to examine the large percentage of public-school student dropouts across the country.

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Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office Releases First Four Days of Early Voter Turnout Data

Kaitlin Housler

Early and absentee voting data for the first four days in Tennessee and the federal general election has been released by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office. In the first four days of early and absentee voting, 178,182 Tennesseans cast their vote, according to the data.

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Tennessee Officials Encourage Residents to Participate in Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Peter D'Abrosca

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is urging  Tennesseeans to get rid of their unneeded prescription medications later this week. 

“Whether it’s a recent surgery, dental procedure, or clearing out a home after the death of a loved one, there are so many situations where people have mass quantities of medications just sitting around.  Safe and secure disposal through Take Back Day events is just about the easiest way we all can have an impact on substance use and addiction in our communities,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. “And with deadly doses of illicit fentanyl being pressed into counterfeit pills, there’s never been a more important time to take back your medications so that young people never begin experimenting with medications they find in the home.”

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Tennessee Home Education President Claiborne Thornton Defines an ‘Educated Citizen’

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the president of the Tennessee Home Education Association, Claiborne Thornton in studio to discuss the concept of an educated citizen.

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Tennessee Home Education Association President Claiborne Thornton Talks Home Schooling and Parents’ Worldview

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the president of the Tennessee Home Education Association, Claiborne Thornton in studio to talk about his background and why he chose to homeschool his own children in 1981.

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GlockStore to Host Upcoming Davidson County Republican Party ‘Shooting Stars’ Fundraiser on Saturday

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed GlockStore owner Lenny Magill in studio to describe the Davidson County Republican Party Shooting Stars Fundraiser at the GlockStore this Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

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Far-Left Congresswomen Rally Behind Tennessee Congressional Candidate Odessa Kelly

Bradley Vasoli

Odessa Kelly, who is challenging incumbent U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-7) for reelection, is touting the backing of three of Congress’s most left-wing members. 

Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7) and Cori Bush (D-MO-1) issued the endorsements on Monday. The congresswomen are members of what many observers call “The Squad,” a six-member coalition of far-left U.S. House members who advocate for such causes as police defunding, Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.

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Tennessee Public Libraries Receive Thousands in Technology Grants

Kaitlin Housler

The La Vergne Public Library in Murfreesboro and E.G. Fisher Public Library in Athens both recently received grants administered by the Tennessee State Library & Archives. The Tennessee State Library & Archives is a division of the Department of State.

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Tennessee Joins Other States in Significant Declines in Math and Reading Tied to Pandemic School Closures

Susan Berry, PhD

Results of the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, show Tennessee’s scores reflected the unprecedented national declines in student achievement tied to the extended school closures demanded by teachers’ unions and their allies in government.

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Commentary: Tennessee’s National Assessment of Educational Progress Results Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Admin

Like any other test, I am careful about reading too much into the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results. With NAEP, representative samples of students rather than the entire national, state, or district populations take the test every two years and only in 4, 8, and 12th grades.

National Center for Education Statistics Commissioner Peggy Carr said “specific pandemic-era local decisions, like how long to keep a school or district shuttered, aren’t solely the cause of these results. Exploring that deserves more research.” My response: “Why?”

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Unemployment Remains Low in Tennessee

Peter D'Abrosca

Unemployment remained near record lows in Tennessee during September, according to new data released this week.

“The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September came in at 3.4% and is just 0.2 of a percentage point away from Tennessee’s all-time low rate of 3.2%,” according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).

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Kari Lake to Host Rally Concert Event Featuring Country Music Star John Rich

Neil Jones

Arizona’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake’s next big event, Kari’s Country Concert, will take place Saturday at 5:00 pm and feature a rodeo, rally, and concert starring county music star John Rich.

“Join us in Morristown for a Rodeo, Rally & concert with [John Rich]! This event will be so much fun! I can’t wait to see you all there,” Lake tweeted.

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Americans for Prosperity Tennessee’s Deputy State Director James Amundsen Discusses the Right-to-Work Amendment

Julie Carr

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Deputy State Director James Amundsen at Americans for Prosperity Tennessee to the newsmaker line to discuss his recent op ed and explain right to work and why it’s important to remain as law in the state.

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Term Sheet Sheds Light on Details of New $2.1B Tennessee Titans Stadium Deal

The Center Square
LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee

Members of the Metro Nashville City Council will be asked to approve a term sheet and legislation to enact a 1% hotel-motel tax starting Feb. 1 with its initial consideration of both to begin at the board’s Nov. 1 meeting.

The term sheet outlines plans for the projected $2.1 billion new stadium for the Titans, including the order of financing and how a fund that includes the hotel tax and sales tax at the stadium and outside the stadium can be used. The stadium is expected to be ready for the 2026 NFL preseason. The lease will be for the term of the bonds — about 30 years — with three five-year renewal options.

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Tennessee Senator Blackburn Introduces Bipartisan Broadcast Transparency Legislation

Bradley Vasoli

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) this week announced she is cosponsoring a measure alongside Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) to identify broadcasting content that foreign governments are underwriting. 

Called the Identifying Propaganda on Our Airwaves (IPA) Act, the bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to mandate that radio and television broadcast companies check foreign-media databases to ascertain non-American sources of programming and advertising. 

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Exclusive: Tennessee Club for Growth Releases Lawmaker Scorecards

Peter D'Abrosca

The Club For Growth Foundation will release a scorecard based on voting records of elected officials from 2021, the contents of which were exclusively shared with The Tennessee Star Thursday. 

“The Foundation conducted a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s record on votes related to pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies,” according to the scorecard provided to The Star. “The Foundation’s study examined over 4,400 floor votes and, in the end, included 20 Tennessee House votes and 20 Tennessee Senate votes.”   

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All-Star Panelist Clint Brewer Predicts New Stadium ‘Up to the Titans’ Side of the Ball’ to Complete

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in the studio to handicap the new deal for a new Titans’ Stadium involving Mayor John Cooper’s office, and Nashville Metro City Council.

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Tennessee Collects Record $8.7 Million in Taxes on September Sports Betting After June Rule Change

The Center Square

Tennessee collected $8.7 million in taxes on $336.9 million in sports wagers in September, according to new numbers from the state’s Sports Wagering Advisory Council.

The taxes are more than the state has collected in a month since wagering opened in November 2020. The previous high was $5.9 million collected in November 2021.

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Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Rejects Founders Classical Applications in Williamson and Sumner Counties

Peter D'Abrosca

Despite massive turnout in support of two Founders Classical Academy charter schools, the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission (TPCSC) has rejected the schools’ bids to open campuses in Williamson and Sumner counties.

“I think it is clear that this school has a lot of community support,” Tess Stovall, TPCSC’s executive director reportedly said. “However, that is not the only thing that one needs for a school to be successful.”

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Tennessee Charter School Commission Executive Director Recommends Rejection of Two More Proposed Schools

Peter D'Abrosca

The executive director of Tennessee’s Public Charter Schools Commission has recommended against two new charter schools, after last month battling to stop a charter school from opening in Rutherford County and another from opening in Williamson County. 

Tess Stovall reportedly agreed with the Memphis-Shelby County School Boards unanimous votes – one in April and another in July – and recommended against the opening of Binghampton Community School and Tennessee Volunteer Military Academy.

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Brian Haas of Del Rey Education Explains the Process of Bringing a Public Charter School to Tennessee

Julie Carr

Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Brian Haas of Del Ray Education in studio to describe the process for bringing a public charter school to the state of Tennessee and the role of the local school boards.

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Tennessee State Comptroller Jason Mumpower Signs Off on $100 Million Development Plan Centered Around Chattanooga Lookouts Stadium: Report

Kaitlyn Osteen

Tennessee State Comptroller Jason Mumpower gave his conditional approval for the plan to build the new South Broad District in Chattanooga, which includes the Chattanooga Lookouts’ new stadium.

In a letter to Attorney Mamantov, Comptroller Mumpower stated that the final contract is in the best interest of the city if it includes a commitment to make annual lease payments of at least one million dollars for the next 30 years and if all excess tax revenues will be used for eligible purposes.

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The Tennessee Department of Environment Announces over $34 Million for Infrastructure Grants

Kaitlyn Osteen

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced on Tuesday that 12 grants totaling $34,585,121 from Tennessee’s American Rescue Plan, will be administered in the form of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure grants.

“These grants will address important water infrastructure needs across our state, especially in disadvantaged communities. We commend communities who have gone through the application process, and we look forward to the substantial improvements the grant will bring,” said Governor Bill Lee.

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Tennessee Appellate Court Says Government Housing Entity Must Respect Tenants’ Second Amendment Rights

Peter D'Abrosca

A Tennessee appellate court said a public housing complex in Columbia must uphold the Second Amendment rights of its tenants.

“As a threshold matter, we recognize that Columbia Housing is a government entity acting as a landlord of the Creekside Acres residences,” Appellate Judge Frank Clement Jr. wrote in a Thursday opinion. “For this reason, the actions of Columbia Housing and the policies of Creekside Acres must conform to the [U.S.] Constitution.”

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The Tennessee STEAM Festival Comes to the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport

Kaitlin Housler

The Murfreesboro Municipal Airport is participating in the Discovery Center’s sixth annual Tennessee STEAM Festival this month.

The Tennessee STEAM Festival “brings science, technology, engineering, art, and math to life at events across the state,” according to its website.

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Federal Department of Education Threatens to Ask for Money Back from Tennessee Department of Education

Peter D'Abrosca

A late September letter from the Federal Department of Education (DOE) to the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) threatened to pull TDOE’s federal funding over what the federal government describes as failure to comply with federal assessment reporting standards in 2021.

“The assessment and accountability compliance issues are significant because they not only impact the State’s ability to provide clear and transparent information to the public about school performance, but also result in the State using information that is not comparable across schools in TDOE’s statewide accountability system,” said the letter addressed to Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Peggy Schwinn.

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J.C. Bowman of Professional Educators of Tennesse: Feds Are Troubling the Waters of Tennessee Education

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the head of Professional Educators of Tennessee, JC Bowman in studio to comment upon the recent letter from the US Department of Education regarding the missing implementation of assessment and accountability requirements.

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J.C. Bowman of Professional Educators of Tennessee on Williamson County School System’s Insistence That Teachers ‘Stick to a Script’

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Professional Educators of Tennessee Executive Director and CEO JC Bowman in studio to discuss the implementation of the Instructional Practice Guide for only Williamson County public school teachers forcing teachers to stick to a “script.”

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Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti Leads Coalition of GOP AGs in Letter Demanding DOJ Respect Rights of Critics of Children’s Trans Surgeries

Peter D'Abrosca

After the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Children’s Hospital Association asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate critics of transgender surgery for minors, Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading a coalition of his peers in responding. 

“We, the undersigned State Attorneys General, write to express our deep concern with the recent letter you received from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and the Children’s Hospital Association asking you to investigate and prosecute people who question the medical establishment’s current treatment of children struggling with gender dysphoria,” says the letter penned by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, and co-signed by 12 other attorneys general. “You cannot and should not undertake such investigations or prosecutions.”

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Tennessee Representative Introduces Bill Attempting to End Warrantless Surveillances on Americans

Kaitlin Housler

Tennessee Congressman John Rose (R-TN-06) recently introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would “stop the government from warrantless surveillance of the American people,” according to a press release by Rose’s office.

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