Tag: Governor Bill Lee

Retired Brig. General and TN-5 GOP Primary Candidate Kurt Winstead Announces Key Campaign Personnel

Aaron Gulbransen

Retired Brig. General Kurt Winstead announced key personnel additions to his campaign for the Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th congressional district.

The Winstead campaign announced that Chris Devaney, campaign manager for Governor Bill Lee’s 2018 campaign, will serve as senior advisor to the campaign. Kim Kaegi, a veteran of numerous successful campaigns across Tennessee, will serve as the campaign finance consultant. Jimmy Granbery will serve as the campaign finance chairman. Granbery is currently the chairman of the H.G. Hill Company and CEO of H.G. Hill Realty Company.

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Tennessee Democrats File Lawsuit Challenging New State House and State Senate Districts

Aaron Gulbransen

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Tennessee Democrats challenging the new state House and state Senate districts. A challenge to the new Congressional district lines has not yet been filed.

The lawsuit was filed in the Chancery Court of Tennessee for the 20th Judicial district. Akilah Moore, Telise Turner, and Gary Wygant are listed as the filing parties in the case. Governor Lee, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, and Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins are being sued in their official capacities only.

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Governor Bill Lee Joins The Dan Mandis Show to Talk About Re-Working the Basic Education Program and Holding Schools Accountable

Julie Carr

  Live from Nashville, Tennessee, Friday morning on The Dan Mandis Show – weekdays on Supertalk 99.7 WTN – weekdays 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.– host Mandis welcomed Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to discuss how he will reformulate the Basic Education Program from the ground up and hold underperforming schools accountable. Mandis: Governor Bill Lee joining us. And always appreciate having you on the radio program, sir. There’s been a lot of discussions going on Capitol Hill over the last few weeks about how we’re going to fund the schools. Now, Governor, you have said that you want the funding to follow the kids no matter where they go. During your State of the State speech, you said this: (Bill Lee clip plays) I am proposing an innovative approach that sets aside dollars for each student based on their individual needs. And these dollars will be used in whatever public school they attend. This is not just hundreds of millions of dollars on the line. This is our kids and their lives. So, Governor, a lot of folks said hallelujah. And for the last many weeks, we have been waiting, including folks in the state legislature, eagerly awaiting your proposal.…

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Governor Lee Approves State’s Redistricting Plans

Cooper Moran

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Monday signed redistricting maps that will change the boundaries for the state’s House and Senate seats, in addition to the lines of the districts for the U.S. House of Representatives.

The congressional map, approved by the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this month, will divide Davidson County into three separate districts, potentially allowing Republicans to flip the seat from Democratic control.

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Tennessee Democratic Lawmakers Send Letter to Governor Lee, Urge Him to Reject Redistricting Maps

Cooper Moran

Multiple Democratic lawmakers in the Tennessee Legislature sent a letter on Friday to Governor Bill Lee, asking him to veto proposed changes to state and federal district lines.

The General Assembly has approved three maps that will alter the representation carried out by state senators, state representatives, and U.S. Representatives.

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3M Set to Expand Manufacturing Operations in East Tennessee, Invest $470 Million

Morgan Nicole Veysey

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and 3M Company announced this week the investment of approximately $470 million to expand manufacturing operations in East Tennessee. 3M’s expansion is expected to add around 600 new jobs by 2025.

Governor Lee said, “3M’s decision to expand in Tennessee is a testament to our state’s pro-business climate and skilled workforce. The creation of nearly 600 new jobs in Anderson County will positively impact this community for years to come, and we thank 3M for their investment in our state.”

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Twelve Tennessee Counties Qualify for Federal Recovery Assistance from December Tornadoes

Morgan Nicole Veysey
pieces of crushed metal in front of someone's house after tornado

Governor Bill Lee’s office announced Friday that the Biden administration has qualified twelve counties to receive Major Disaster Declaration relief after a tornado-producing storm front tore through the state in early December. 

“I appreciate the hard recovery work we’ve already accomplished with our local, state, and federal partners,” Governor Lee said. “We will continue working to make sure Tennesseans have every resource necessary for a full, swift recovery.”

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Parkway Products to Bring New Jobs to Tennessee

Morgan Nicole Veysey

Governor Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and Parkway Products, LLC, announced this week the company would be investing $5.7 million to expand existing operations in Greenville, Tennessee. The company estimated an additional 160 jobs will be created over the next five years at the injection molding site. 

“Thank you to Parkway Products for creating 160 new high-quality manufacturing jobs in Greeneville,” Governor Bill Lee said about the expansion. “Tennessee’s advanced manufacturing job creation far exceeds national growth with employment concentration more than 30% higher than the national average. We look forward to seeing how the residents of Greene County will benefit from this new investment.”

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FW Publishing and Nashville Scene Reporter File Public Records Lawsuit Against Gov. Lee to Release Documents from $3 Million McKinsey Contract

Cooper Moran

FW Publishing, the parent company of the Nashville Scene, and reporter Stephen Elliot filed a public records lawsuit against Governor Bill Lee after the state failed to provide reports for the state compiled by consulting group McKinsey and Company.

The suit, which names both Lee and Tennessee Department of Human Resources Commissioner Juan Williams as respondents, argues the journalist is entitled to the documents under the Tennessee Public Records Act.

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Governor Bill Lee Announces $15 Million ‘Bill Dance Signature Lakes’ Program to Boost Tourism in Tennessee

Morgan Nicole Veysey

Governor Lee announced a new program dubbed the “Bill Dance Signature Lakes” Initiative Thursday. The program – which will cost taxpayers $15 million – is a collaboration between Tennessee Department of Tourism Development (TDTD), the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Tennessee State Parks (TSP). The announcement said the effort “seeks to solidify Tennessee as the heart of fishing in the southeast and drive economic activity across the state;” and will improve “both above and below the water at 18 lakes which bear fishing legend Dance’s stamp of approval.”

“I’m unbelievably humbled and excited to be involved in such a helpful project that will benefit so many people and our natural resources in my great home state of Tennessee,” Dance said in a statement. “You can bet your favorite lure this project will definitely have a ripple effect for a mighty long time, not only giving the weekend fisherman, but tournament anglers a wonderful fishery as well, thanks to the great state of Tennessee and my friends at TWRA.”

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Governor Lee Announces Pay Raise for State’s Correctional Officers

Cooper Moran

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Wednesday announced a pay raise for new Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) officers across the state.

Specifically, new correctional officers will receive a 37 percent salary increase, bringing the position’s starting salary to $44,500 per year. Current security staff members will also see a bump in salary, gaining a minimum 15 percent pay increase.

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Governor Bill Lee Holds Press Conference After Surveying Tornado Damage: Sees ‘A Great Deal of Hope in the Midst of Real Devastation’

Morgan Nicole Veysey
Gov. Bill Lee speaking about tornado damage on Dec. 11

Governor Bill Lee held a press conference Sunday following the devastating tornadoes that ripped across Tennessee. Damage spanned the state, and left a trail of destruction through parts of 19 counties, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service.

Lee’s remarks followed an aerial surveillance of the damage from the storms. He called it, “A very heartbreaking and difficult day for the state of Tennessee.”

The governor continued that there was extensive devastation in the areas that he toured. He said it’s been a difficult day for Tennessee, and neighboring states.

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Governor Lee Will Send Tennessee National Guard Troops to Texas Border

Morgan Nicole Veysey

Governor Bill Lee announced Tuesday that in early 2022, he will send approximately 50 additional members of the Tennessee National Guard troops to the Texas border to help with the growing drug crisis.

“An open border has far-reaching consequences that are fueling a drug crisis impacting both our national security and the safety of our state,” Governor Lee said.  “I have authorized additional Tennessee Guard support at our Southern border as we look to address drug trafficking at the source.”

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Senator Bill Hagerty and Governor Bill Lee Speak at Tractor Supply’s 2,000th Store Opening in White House

Morgan Nicole Veysey

WHITE HOUSE, Tennessee — Both Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Governor Bill Lee spoke at the Tractor Supply Co.’s 2,000 store opening. Hundreds gathered at the new store to watch the company’s CEO Hal Lawton “cut the ribbon” at the grand opening. Customers were already making purchases ahead of the comments, while they waited for Hagerty to arrive. 

Lawton began the event, saying that he was honored to lead the comments, and thanked everyone for going to the event. He said the new Tractor Supply location was the 84th store in the state of Tennessee, and “it’s a momentous occasion because we’re celebrating our 2,000th Tractor Supply store in the United States, isn’t that incredible?”

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Former Vice President Mike Pence Travels to Tennessee to Meet with Governor Bill Lee and House Speaker Cameron Sexton

Kaitlin Housler

On Wednesday, former Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, traveled to Tennessee to meet with Governor Bill Lee and Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton. During the former Vice President’s visit, he complimented the state for having a “fiscally conservative approach” and its commitment to automotive manufacturing, according to House Speaker Sexton.

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Governor Lee Joins Blackburn and Hagerty, Questions Biden Administration over Afghan Refugee Resettlement

Cooper Moran

Governor Bill Lee (R) on Wednesday joined Senators Marsha Blackburn(R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and demanded answers from the Biden Administration over Afghan refugee resettlement.

Over the past several months, thousands of refugees from Afghanistan have been relocated across the United States after President Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal.

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Eric Trump to be Featured Speaker at The 911 Event Nashville

Laura Baigert
Eric Trump

The 911 Event Nashville announced Saturday that Eric Trump will join the already star-studded commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the deadliest terror attack in the history of the United States which took the lives of 2,977 men, women and children in New York City, Arlington, Virginia and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The announcement about Trump joining the event lineup was made to attendees of the annual fundraiser for the Tennessee Firearms Association held Saturday at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon and on the 911 event’s website.

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Sumner County Schools Announce Closure Next Week to ‘Help Mitigate Spread’ of COVID-19

Olivia Adams

Sumner County Schools announced on Wednesday that all district schools will be closed next week “to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff.” The announcement, which was made on Facebook, noted that the schools “will utilize inclement weather days.” In addition, “There will be no instruction via GoogleClassroom during this time period.” The school further noted that “extracurricular activities, including athletic games and practices, will continue but must occur after normal school dismissal time.” The schools will resume normal operations on September 13.

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Crom Carmichael: ‘Masks Are Just the Latest Way of Trying to Force Governors and Individuals to Bend a Knee’

Julie Carr
COVI-19 spraypainted on wall

  Live from Music Row Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to weigh in on the recent federal civil rights lawsuit charging governors who block mask mandates in their state. Leahy: In-studio, the original all-star panelist, Crom Carmichael. Crom, the federal government is suffering from mask madness or perhaps mask hysteria. Carmichael: It’s really more command and control. Masks are just the latest way of trying to force governors and individuals to bend a knee. Leahy: Exactly. Now we have a story up at WKRN that just broke late last night. The Biden administration is taking aim at states that are blocking mask mandates for school districts. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote a letter to Governor Bill Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn regarding Tennessee’s decision or the executive order from Bill Lee to allow parents to opt-out of local mass mandates. Of course, Williamson County Schools had a mask mandate. They appear to be complying with the governor’s executive order. But Metro Nashville Public…

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Patriot Group Members Grill Lt. Governor Randy McNally over Governor’s Executive Orders and Call for Special Session

Laura Baigert

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) was grilled at a Tuesday evening meeting by a large conservative grassroots group in his district that wants the state senate speaker to call a special session to deal with Governor Bill Lee’s executive orders.

McNally said that “a special session is one of the options on the table” and that he wouldn’t rule it out.

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Exclusive: Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Put Governors on Notice Because They Are a ‘Point of Influence’ for the Chinese Communist Party

Laura Baigert

FRANKLIN, Tennessee – Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he put the nation’s state governors on notice, in an exclusive interview with The Star News Network on Saturday, because they are a real point of influence for the Chinese Communist Party.

The reason, Pompeo explained, is because it is where so much of the commercial activity takes place.

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