The Tennessee Star Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star Report: Jim Larew Gives His Take on the Democratic Field From Iowa and the Road to the White House

April 2, 2019April 1, 2019 Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to good friend, attorney Jim Larew direct from Iowa with the inside scoop on the twenty twenty presidential candidate playing field and what he thinks will determine the road to the White House. Towards the end of the segment, the men touched upon whether or not the recent allegations against Joe Biden would hinder his run. Leahy: We are joined by my very good friend Jim Larew direct from Iowa. Jim and I many years ago when I was a Democrat, hadn’t seen the light yet. Jim and I were summer roommates in Washington, D.C. Welcome to The Tennessee Star Report Jim! Larew: Well thanks so much and good morning to you. Leahy: So tell us what’s going on. You have been tracking everything happening with the presidential candidates out in Iowa. What is the latest? Larew: Well I have not made a choice myself yet, sort of observing and I think that’s what a lot of Iowans, it’s almost a moveable feast, large crowds, enthusiastic…

Read the full story

Mark Levin’s TV Program Spends Full Half Hour on ‘White Privilege’ Videos from Williamson County Schools Obtained by The Tennessee Star

March 21, 2019June 5, 2019 Julie Carr

On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy held a special discussion after Mark Levin featured the WCS boards in service training modules on the Mark Levin’s show BlazeTV Tuesday evening. Throughout the segment, Gill and Leahy discussed Mark Levin’s response to the videos and talked about how other counties might be putting this racist and biased agenda into their in-service teacher trainings. The men called for citizens to take control of their schools and to investigate whether or not their schools are taking part in this anti-American agenda. (BlazeTV Show audio plays) Gill: That’s Mark Levin on his show on The Blaze last night literally took an entire segment, thirty minutes of the show and dissected the Williamson County white privilege video as you heard it there. That’s just kind of the initial part where he was breaking it down. He literally went segment by segment tearing it apart as it went. And again in the way that the brilliant Mark Levin can do. He illustrates the idiocy of this whole thing including…

Read the full story

One America News Network’s Neil McCabe Talks to the Tennessee Star Report About the #Webuildthewall Rallies

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to One America News Networks Neil McCabe about the success of the We Build the Wall rally last week in both Cincinnati and Detroit. Further on in the discussion, they chatted about the overall passion and emotion displayed at the rally’s, the MAGA All-Stars that comprise the rallies, and the potential of where they may visit next. Leahy: Neil good morning. McCabe: Michael how are you? Leahy: Morning, thanks so much for joining us. So, the big news Neil is you were the moderator of the Build the Wall event in Cincinnati last week. We reported on that. Our own Anthony Gowkowski was there. And then you also were the moderator of the Build the wall event in Detroit. Now tell us about those two events. McCabe: Yeah Michael, so what happens is that We Build the Wall scheduled these events and basically the idea is you know there is tremendous publicity when the founder, Brian Kolfage raised more than $20 million to build the wall…

Read the full story

Tennessean Reporter ‘Rage Tweets’ Because of Tennessee Star Article ‘Discrediting My Story About the Racist Wall Incident at Sunset Middle’

March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 Steve Gill

Amelia Knisely, the Tennessean reporter whose March 8 story titled “Racist incidents are occurring in Williamson schools,” was discredited by the subsequent Tennessee Star article on March 15, “Williamson County Parent of Sunset Middle School Student Says Alleged ‘Racist Incident’ at School Claimed by Tennessean Never Happened,” went on a self described “rage tweet” on Monday morning about the two stories. “A thread of Monday rage: I don’t normally feel inclined to respond to @tnstar “reporting,” but a story has come out discrediting my story about the racist ‘wall incident’ at Sunset Middle,” Knisely, who “Prior to moving to Tennessee, Amelia was a television reporter and producer in West Virginia. She holds a master’s degree from Marshall University,” according to her Tennessean bio, tweeted. Her bio also notes that, “She previously served as editor of The Contributor in Nashville, and she has written extensively on poverty and homelessness.” At the end of her “rage tweets,” Knisely apologized for directing her tweets to @tnstar, rather then the Twitter account of The Tennessee Star, which is @TheTNStar. “Ah, yes, sorry @tnstar as you are not the @TheTNStar. Never rage tweet before coffee, y’all,” Knisely tweeted. Between those two tweets, Knisely added a…

Read the full story

Commentary: Snopes Veers Far Left to Smear Tennessee Star and Promote Bizarre Conspiracy Theory

March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 Admin

by George Rasley One of the more interesting phenomena of the internet age is the rise of self-appointed Leftwing “fact checkers” who have created a cottage industry of undermining straight news reporting critical of Democrats and Leftist causes. One of the more prominent examples of this phenomena is Snopes.com, which began as a website debunking urban myths on the internet and has gradually moved further and further Left to become a favored tool of the Left for shielding Democrats and helping Leftwing advocacy groups smear conservatives as purveyors of “fake news.” One of the most egregious recent examples of Snopes.com’s Leftist tilt is its defense of Native American Nathan Phillips from claims of stolen valor leveled at him after he instigated the post-March for Life confrontation with the Covington Catholic High School students. While Snopes.com rated the charges that Phillips falsely claimed he was a Vietnam veteran as “unproven” and posted a lengthy defense of him here, the military culture website “Task and Purpose” had already exposed Phillips stolen valor claims. Paul Szoldra explained in a post on taskandpurpose.com, that Phillips has a long history of making “stolen valor” claims: I was going to bring up his troublesome claims of…

Read the full story

Neil McCabe Joins the The Tennessee Star Report From the #WeBuildtheWall Rally to Talk Border Security and the Wall

March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill talked to Neil McCabe of One America News Network while he was in Cincinnati preparing for the #WeBuildtheWall rally. Gill and McCabe concluded the segment talking about illegal immigration statistics and how the influx of illegal migrants was putting a strain on American taxpayers, their schools, and their communities. Gill: And our own Neil McCabe from One America News Network is going to be there hosting the event. He’s on our news makers line in Cincinnati WKRP from Cincinnati, don’t let them do a turkey drop or anything Neil. (McCabe laughs) As god as my witness I thought turkey’s could fly. (McCabe bellows) McCabe: Hey good morning Steve. Gill: Good morning. McCabe: So does your news director have a line pasted on his floor like Les Nessman? Gill: He had to have his area of what was designated. Quick radio story because you’re a media radio kind of guy. Years ago we were doing a promotions meeting and I made some reference to hey yeah this promotion will be…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Report Discusses the Slow Creep of The Southern Poverty Law Center into the Williamson County School System

March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy discussed the steady advance of a so-called social justice doctrine into the public school systems of Tennessee. Towards the end of the show the men agreed that the reason for this socialist agenda making its way into public schools was due to the lack of conservative leadership. Gill: And now Williamson County schools, I know this seems shocking to people if you’re just waking up and you’re still a little blurry and caught in a fog because of daylight savings time. Listen up, this is true. It’s not The Onion, it’s not some parody. Williamson County schools, thanks to the leader ship of Mike Looney, the schools superintendent. Williamson county schools are teaming up with the leftist hate group, the Southern Poverty Law Center to teach teachers in Williamson County how despicable Williamson County is basically. Leahy: Yeah basically. It’s a group that they put this program on, called “Teaching Tolerance,” that’s a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center you can see it right on the…

Read the full story

Williamson County Schools: ‘White People Have the Privilege of Seeing Their Skin Tone Reflected Daily in the Goods and Public Spaces Around Them’

March 11, 2019March 10, 2019 Admin

Dr. Mike Looney, superintendent of Williamson County Schools, wants to make sure every teacher in the system knows how to teach students about “white privilege,” a left wing concept that, while it has no standing in law, has been pushed to indoctrinate public school teachers and and students alike in direct opposition to the fundamental principles of American civics and American exceptionalism. Towards that end, Looney has taken steps that began with the creation of a “cultural competency committee” in January 2018, the hiring of a WCS diversity officer, and the creation and development of a series of in-service training videos known as the Williamson County Schools Cultural Competency Series. The series has at least three modules, and possibly four. According statements Looney made to The Tennesseean, Williamson County Schools launched system wide in-service training based on these “cultural competency” videos in August. A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Education told The Tennessee Star that the department has not reviewed or approved this series. The Star secured a copy of Module 3 of this series last Tuesday, a 26 minute video which can be seen in its entirety here. Because the video advances so many alarming concepts, The Star…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Wants to Hear from Parents, Students, and Teachers for Eyewitness Accounts of Alleged ‘Racist Incident’ at Sunset Middle School in Brentwood

March 11, 2019March 10, 2019 Chris Butler

An alleged “racist incident” occurred in January at Brentwood’s Sunset Middle School, according to Friday’s Tennessean, five months after the Williamson County School System launched a system-wide “Cultural Competency Series” of In-Service training days for teachers. Allegedly, some students at the school linked arms in between classes, formed a human chain, and then barred non-white students from passing as a play on U.S. President Donald Trump’s border wall. As The Tennessee Star reported, the In-service training for teachers included several videos the school system created that focused on “white privilege.” The Tennessean offered rather thin evidence to support their assertion that a racist incident had, in fact, occurred Jan. 18. The paper’s evidence included on-the-record statements from two members of the WCS cultural competency committee. Neither of the two women quoted apparently witnessed the alleged incident. Williamson County Schools addressed the details of the alleged incident in a way that was unusual. A Tennessean reporter emailed school system officials to confirm the event. But rather than respond to The Tennessean reporter, WCS officials printed out the email and someone hand wrote “Yes it happened,” on it and included that document — unsolicited —in a package to The Tennessee Star, along…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Report: Phil Kerpen Provides Details on the Knoxville Location That Served as Campaign Hub for AOC and Justice Democrats

March 7, 2019March 6, 2019 Julie Carr

On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill spoke with Kerpen who is an American free-market policy analyst and political organizer. He is the president of American Commitment, a conservative 501c organization which he founded in 2012. The Tennessee Star Report spoke to Kerpen about his recent Twitter feed wherein a Knoxville location on Gay Street was the hub for the newly elected freshman congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which allegedly funneled funds through the location between PAC and campaign accounts through corporations. Gill: Yesterday I was reading through the twitter stream of Phil Kerpen who previously was vice president of American’s for Prosperity is now President of the American free market policy group, American Commitment. It’s a conservative 501 organization that he founded in two thousand and twelve. He and I actually ran into each other repeatedly at Grover Norquist’s regular weekly meetings and through American’s for Prosperity. So anyway I’m reading through Phil’s Twitter and there’s a picture of a building in Knoxville, Tennessee and I’m going, “Wait a minute, I’m from Knoxville, I know that building.”…

Read the full story

Tennessee Star Report: Laurie Cardoza-Moore Petitions for the Resignation of Anti-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

February 23, 2019February 22, 2019 Julie Carr

On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy spoke with Laurie Cardoza-Moore from Proclaiming Justice to the Nations about her current petition which can be found online at PJTN.org, regarding the removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), the Somali Muslim who came to the United States under the Refugee Resettlement Program, for her anti-Semitic tweets and conduct. During the segment, Moore called for the removal of Omar citing her continuous anti-American views and values that she continues to promote and her recent speaking engagement on Thursday in Tampa, Florida alongside other anti-American, Islamic radicals. Gill: Also go to PJTN.org, this morning, that’s PJTN.org, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, PJTN.org where there is a petition you can sign demanding the immediate resignation of Minnesota Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar. She’s the one who allegedly married her brother to cheat us immigration laws. Traveled apparently to Venezuela a year or so ago with an anti-American group. And Nancy Pelosi puts her on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Chairman of PJTN, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations is Laurie Cardoza-Moore…

Read the full story

Tennessee Star Report EXCLUSIVE: State Rep. Robin Smith Discusses a Tennessee ‘Consumer Friendly’ Healthcare Standard

January 18, 2019January 17, 2019 Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy chatted with Tennessee State Representative and brand new committee chairman, Robin Smith about how the Democrats continue to obstruct, distract, and delay by challenging her State Rep victory. Further on in the segment, Smith touched upon the issue of redistricting and a solution to Tennessee’s healthcare issues by devising some sort of healthcare standard that will allow a more affordable cost to consumers coupled with choices. Gill: As the Tennessee legislature kicks off, not in earnest, on Monday after the inauguration of Governor Bill Lee on Saturday. One of those who’s going to be participating in the inaugural events and watching with great attention is former state party chair of the state of Tennessee, Robin Smith, now State Representative Robin Smith from down in the Chattanooga area. And she’s also a brand new committee chairman and will focus on how we deal with the issues that effect the health insurance, well healthcare of the people of Tennessee. And Robin good to have you with us. Smith: Good morning…

Read the full story

Carol Swain Commentary: President Trump’s Ingenious Plan to Get the Supreme Court to Rule on the Constitutionality of Birthright Citizenship

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 Admin

by Dr. Carol M. Swain On October 30, President Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order ending the practice of giving U.S. citizenship to children of illegal aliens. By taking this bold action, the President is poised to make history by forcing the U.S. Supreme Court to issue its first-ever clarification on whether the USA-born children of illegal aliens are entitled to birthright citizenship. Following the President’s lead, Senator Lindsey Graham expressed his support by stating his plans to file legislation addressing the matter. Birthright citizenship comes from the 14th Amendment’s citizenship clause, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Although some scholars argue it would take a constitutional amendment to end the practice, others point to statutory language and the text of the 14th Amendment to argue that Congress has the authority to address the matter. Congress’s authority, they argue, is found in the language that implies anyone not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States is excluded from automatic citizenship. The “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” clause is understood to mean…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Announces Workshop for Parents: How to Raise Children Who Believe in America

December 5, 2018December 5, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

American Spirit

The Tennessee Star announced Wednesday it will host an important one-day workshop for parents, “How to Raise Children Who Believe in America,” on February 16, 2019 in Spring, Hill, Tennessee. Parents who are unable to attend the workshop in person will be able to watch it online. The workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Spring Hill, Tennessee from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m on Saturday, February 16, 2019 with a bonus hour from 11 a.m. to noon for parents who have a third hour available that morning. Tickets are $39.00, and can be ordered online here: How to Raise Children Who Believe in America Workshop Feb 16 Workshop in Spring Hill, TN $39.00 USD Three other online publications that, like The Tennessee Star, are owned by Star News Digital Media, Inc.–Battleground State News, The Minnesota Sun, and The Ohio Star, will co-host the event. “We have reached that moment in history Ronald Reagan warned us might come,” Tennessee Star CEO and Editor-in-chief Michael Patrick Leahy said. “Now is the time for parents to act, before it is too late. Attending this workshop is the first concrete step parents can take to help ensure their children understand what…

Read the full story

Tennessee Star Parent Company Launches Ohio Star and Minnesota Sun

September 4, 2018February 7, 2020 Tennessee Star Staff

The Minnesota Sun

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Star News Digital Media, Inc., the parent company of The Tennessee Star, announced today that it has launched two new conservative news websites that focus on state and local news, The Ohio Star and The Minnesota Sun. The Ohio Star launched on Monday, August 27, and The Minnesota Sun launched today, September 4. The company also announced that Anthony Gockowski has been named the managing editor of The Minnesota Sun. The Tennessee Star, the first conservative news site owned by the company and its predecessor, was launched over a year and a half ago on February 6, 2017. Since its launch it has been very successful, both in terms of its political influence in the state and its financial performance. Since its launch, more than eight million visitors have come to The Tennessee Star website. The website has been profitable each month of its operation, due to a business model that focuses on attracting advertisement from mid-sized locally owned businesses, and its focus on news that is of importance to residents of the state who voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential election. Michael Patrick Leahy, Steve Gill, and Christina Botteri are the co-founders of…

Read the full story

Ireland’s Government Confirms: Randy Boyd’s Irish Tax Records Cited in Tennessean Article Not Available to Media or Public

July 9, 2018July 8, 2018 Chris Alto

Randy Boyd

The government of Ireland has confirmed to The Tennessee Star that the Irish tax records cited in a recent Tennessean article about the Irish subsidiary of GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd’s company are private, and not available to the public or the media through legal means. Ms. Leann O’Kelly, Press & Media Manager for Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners, the body in the Irish government that addresses tax matters has confirmed that tax records of “any individual, company or entity,” are not available to the public or the media and that “Revenue is legally precluded from providing public comment on the tax affairs of individuals or entities.” The Tennessean newspaper reported earlier in the month that the Irish subsidiary (PetSafe Ireland) of Radio Systems Corporation, the company founded and majority controlled by Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, is a tax haven that enables Boyd’s Knoxville-based company to significantly diminish its U.S. tax obligations. However, The Tennessean failed to publish, produce, or explain the legal provenance of the alleged unverified tax documents upon which its story relies, despite a direct request from The Star. The claim made by The Tennessean, therefore, in the headline of the article, “How Randy Boyd’s company avoided millions in taxes,” is unproven and…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Increases Focus on Battleground States

June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 Admin

Gill Battleground States

The Tennessee Star is increasing its coverage of Battleground States as the nation moves towards the 2018 Mid-term elections. A new link on the website is devoted to stories and reports from states where voters will determine control of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives in November. “The intense battle between Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen may have an impact on the control of the Senate, although Blackburn remains the favorite,” Tennessee Star Editor-in-chief Michael Patrick Leahy pointed out. “But Tennesseans are also interested in what is happening in House and Senate races in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Missouri, Florida, and Michigan to name a few. Our new section devoted to Battleground States coverage will not only keep Tennessee voters informed about the political campaigns in those states but also remind them of the importance of the Tennessee Senate race in the national balance of power.” The link for Battleground States appears in the top line section of The Tennessee Star. Political Editor Steve Gill noted that there are about a dozen House races in Ohio and Pennsylvania that can either preserve the Republican Majority in the House or swing control to Nancy Pelosi and the…

Read the full story

CNN’s Reliable Sources: Brian Stelter Interviews Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill

May 4, 2018May 13, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Brian Shelter Interviews Steve Gill

CNN’s Brian Stelter interviewed Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill in Thursday’s edition of the network’s Reliable Sources podcast about the recent national interest in The Star and its reporting on state and local news. “Steve Gill, co-founder of The Tennessee Star website, tells Brian Stelter about his local coverage with a conservative bent. Are sites like his filling a void left by local newspapers? Gill says he is “filling a void” in the marketplace, citing “flaming” liberal bias from other outlets. Stelter says these local sites are another sign that the U.S. is reverting back to a more partisan press,” CNN said in its promotion of Stelter’s interview. “This weekly podcast is our chance to go in depth with media leaders and newsmakers, a chance to highlight some of the stories that might otherwise get lost amid the absolutely crushing news cycle that we’re all experiencing” CNN’s Stelter explained. “This week I wanted to highlight a story in Politico by author Jason Schwartz. The headline is ‘Baby Breitbarts to pop up across the country?” It’s a really interesting story about what Schwartz says is a growing trend of ‘opaque, locally focused, ideological outlets dressed up as traditional newspapers.’ He…

Read the full story

Tennessee Star Editor-in-Chief to Guest Host the Dan Mandis Show on WTN Today and Interview Carol Swain About Moral Leadership

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy will guest host The Dan Mandis Show from noon to 3 p.m. central time on Supertalk 99.7 WTN today, President’s Day, Monday, February 19. The first hour will address the turbulent recent events in Tennessee politics, including Sen. Bob Corker’s (R-TN) potential re-entry into the U.S. Senate race and the controversy surrounding Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. At 12:30 former Vanderbilt professor Carol Swain will offer her commentary on Megan Barry’s lack of moral leadership and its impact on Nashville, the hypocrisy of the #metoo movement with regards to Barry’s extramarital affair with her Metro Nashville Police bodyguard, and the Megan Barry Must Resign rally Tuesday. In the 1 p.m. hour, conservative icon Richard Viguerie, president of ConservativeHQ.com, will discuss the status of 2018 midterm elections. In the second half of that hour, author and Reagan biographer Craig Shirley will offer his reflections on Ronald Reagan on President’s Day, discuss his most recent books, Reagan Rising: The Decisive Years, 1976-1980 and Citizen Newt:The Making of a Reagan Conservative, and will let us in on his future book projects. The final hour of the program will focus on civic education and instruction of elementary and secondary school…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Celebrates Its First Anniversary and Over 5 Million Visits

February 7, 2018June 5, 2019 Admin

One year ago Tuesday, February 6, The Tennessee Star launched into the news media scene. Since then, the news organization has filed more than 4,500 stories and received over five million visits from people all over Middle Tennessee, across the Volunteer State and around the world. “I remember that first moment when we went live,” Managing Editor Christina Botteri said. “It was like being all ready for a party, but before anyone shows up…. Will anyone come? Will they see what we are doing and appreciate the fresh take on the news of the day?” Botteri didn’t have to wait long for an answer. Within the first 24 hours, the brand-new website had over 3,000 unique visitors, and over 9,000 visits. “We out performed our projections by a factor of three,” Botteri said. “By the end of our first month – a mere 22 days – we were visited over 175,000 times,” Botteri recalled, adding, “We realized almost immediately we would have to upgrade our servers in order to handle all the the traffic.” Through March, The Star began reporting on Governor Haslam’s gas tax hike proposal and readership soared to over 285,000 visits within that 31-day period alone, followed by…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Blazes by 4 Million Visits

November 18, 2017November 18, 2017 Admin

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–In less than two months since September, traffic at The Tennessee Star has grown from 3 million visits to an astounding 4 million visits subsequent to its launch in early February. WOW!! We just had our FOUR MILLIONTH visit to The https://t.co/Awo9LigL60 since our launch Feb 6. THANK YOU, Tennessee – your readership and support mean the world to us! pic.twitter.com/aThos9gCeg — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) November 17, 2017 Launched on February 6, The Star hit the 3 million visit mark on September 23. It took just 7 weeks and 6 days to add another 1 million visits and hit the 4 million visit mark on Friday, November 17. It took The Star 3 months and 16 days from its launch on February 6 until it hit the first 1 million visit mark on May 23. Adding another million total visits in about half the time it took to reach the first million visits is a sign The Star’s traffic growth continues to accelerate dramatically. When asked what the secret to the upstart news outlet’s success is, Managing Editor Christina Botteri replied, “That is an interesting question. I believe it’s a number of factors that together, have created a new…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Celebrates Its TWO MILLIONTH Visit

July 13, 2017July 19, 2017 Admin

Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star announced via Twitter Tuesday its online news site has been visited a whopping TWO MILLION times since its launch earlier this year. Today we had our TWO MILLIONTH visit to the https://t.co/CucY9Mxgrh since our launch Feb 6. Thank you, Tennessee – you're the BEST! pic.twitter.com/XOn5IM0Aui — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) July 11, 2017 The Tennessee Star went live on Monday, February 6 and by the end of the month – just 22 days later – The Star was visited over 175,000 times. “Tennesseans tell us that have wanted a fact-based news site with a conservative worldview for many years. That’s what we offer, and I believe that is the reason we have seen such a steep growth curve with no end in sight,” said Managing Editor Christina Botteri. The news media upstart experienced growing pains almost immediately, requiring them to upgrade their servers months ahead of schedule. After a strong inaugural month, visitors returned regularly and in growing numbers throughout March to stay current with the breaking developments surrounding Governor Haslam’s unpopular gas tax hike. Readership soared to over 285,000 within that 31-day period. “In April, we kicked off our ‘Constitution Series,’ and saw another uptick in readership with about 370,000 for the month,” Botteri recalled. The…

Read the full story

JUGGERNAUT: The Tennessee Star Eclipses Single-Day Traffic Record Monday with Over 50,000 Visitors

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 Admin

Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star announced its online news site recorded over fifty thousand unique visitors in the twenty-four hour period between 12:00:00 a.m. and 11:59:59 p.m. Monday, June 5. “It was astonishing to watch,” said managing editor Christina Botteri. “Because of our rapid growth to date, we know the warning signs to look for when our servers get overheated. Early on, we thought there was a chance we were the subject of an attempted denial of service attack. But that was quickly disproven when we saw the organic – but very fast – correlating climb in our Facebook site referrals and shares.” Much of the sudden spike in traffic is thanks to a story featuring Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s vow to ignore the U.S. Constitution and uphold the Paris Climate Agreement – “even if President Trump doesn’t.” After President Trump made his now-famous ‘Pittsburgh-not-Paris’ speech Saturday, Barry, along with a cadre of Democrat mayors and governors across the country, issued statements admonishing the President’s decision. “The United States of America should be a global leader in addressing the dire impact of climate change on our civilization, and it is very disappointing that President Trump does not see that,” Mayor Barry said in…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Tops 1 Million Website Visits in Less Than 4 Months

May 23, 2017June 4, 2017 Admin

Tennessee Star

FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE (Tuesday, May 23) — Today The Tennessee Star announced its online news site has had ONE MILLION visits since its launch February 6. “The Tennessee Star is the only consistently conservative media outlet in the state of Tennessee. This is a conservative state, and Tennesseans have wanted a fact-based news site with a conservative perspective for many years. That’s what we offer, and that’s why we’ve seen such tremendous traffic,” said Managing Editor Christina Botteri. “People are smart and they want to be informed and not preached at or dictated to, and I believe that is a big part of why we are growing at such a substantial rate – especially compared to other area news outlets,” she said. Judson Phillips, a long-time conservative activist and Tea Party Nation founder agreed. “I am not shocked at the excellent performance of The Tennessee Star. While the Gannett-owned papers read like newsletters for the Tennessee Democrat Party, The Star goes after important stories that the liberal media will not touch,” Phillips said. While the raw viewership of The Tennessee Star is remarkable, media experts also recognize the impact and influence the upstart news outlet is already having at Legislative Plaza. “Attracting one…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Launches Constitution Series for Secondary School Students, Teachers and Parents

April 2, 2017April 2, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star

FRANKLIN, Tennessee – The Tennessee Star announced today it is publishing the first of twenty-five weekly articles in its Constitution Series for secondary school students, teachers and parents tomorrow, Monday, April 3. “The idea behind this series is to present the important story of our Constitution to Tennessee secondary students in grades 8 through 12 in a compelling way that will engage them on both an intellectual and emotional level,” says Christina Botteri, managing editor of The Star. “Each week we will advance the narrative of the Constitution in chronological order. Along the way, secondary students can use these articles as a guide to prepare for The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Bee, which we will hold in Middle Tennessee on September 23,” she adds. “Students will compete at that event to win first, second, and third place honors at each grade level. So each grade – 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th – will have a champion. In addition, the grade level champions will compete to become The Overall Champion of The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Bee. The winner and overall champion, along with a parent, will win a grand prize of a trip to Washington, D.C.,” Botteri says. “About a dozen Tennesseans with experience in…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star to Host RIGHT NOW Coverage of President Trump’s Visit to Nashville Wednesday, March 15

March 10, 2017July 17, 2018 Christina Botteri

Tennessee Star

President Trump is coming to Nashville next Wednesday, March 15, and The Tennessee Star will be there to cover all the pageantry, protesters, and most importantly, the president and “We the People.” This is going to be a large event, and we recognize that there might be moments we miss, and so we are excited to announce we have set up dedicated channels to receive pictures, video, reports, and recordings from YOU! We call it RIGHT NOW Coverage. Here’s what to do: – At the rally, use your smartphone to take a picture or short video – Text your picture/video to The Tennessee Star at 615-538-8526 – Include your name (first name, last initial) and your hometown – Also include a short description of your picture/video Optional: Email your picture/video and description to [email protected] Example: “Three generations of our family are here to support President Trump! ~ Sarah T., Franklin, TN” We will have staff standing by to post your pictures and reports live and in REAL TIME all day – from before the Nashville Municipal Auditorium opens until the last protester leaves (about 2pm – 10pm). If your haven’t already, get your tickets to attend the event here. We are…

Read the full story

State Rep. Susan Lynn Confirms User Fees are ‘Diverted From the Highway Fund’ in Email Sent to Entire Tennessee General Assembly

March 3, 2017March 1, 2023 Laura Baigert

“I actually have a slide in my town hall presentation that shows why money is diverted from the Highway Fund and where it goes,” State Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) told a constituent in an email, confirming The Tennessee Star’s report that Highway Fund user fees are being allocated to the General Fund, Education and Debt Service. The constituent had forwarded a link to The Star’s report on Wednesday that “The Highway Fund receives road construction “user fee” revenues from gasoline tax, motor fuel tax, gasoline inspection tax, motor vehicle registration tax and the motor vehicle title fees. At least 25 percent of those road construction “user fees” go to the General Fund, Education and Debt Service.” In the email reply to her constituent, Rep. Lynn copied every member of the Tennessee General Assembly in both the House and Senate, ensuring that they have knowledge of the “diversion” of user fees from the Highway Fund. You can read the first part of Lynn’s reply to her constituent here: I actually have a slide in my town hall presentation that shows why money is diverted from the Highway Fund and where it goes. Each amount makes perfect sense. Please see my slide below with…

Read the full story

Commentary: The New York Post Explains Why The Tennessee Star Will Win the Local Media Battle in The Volunteer State

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Salena Zito of the New York Post has probably not yet heard about The Tennessee Star. But in Thursday’s column titled “Why All Your News Now Comes With a Heap of Condescension,” she explained perfectly why The Tennessee Star will soon win the local media battle in the Volunteer State: Used to be that you consumed your news from a local reporter who lived in your community and covered events from a perspective you recognized. Today, as more and more local newspapers die, that relationship has evaporated. And folks are going to be less trusting of a reporter who works and lives in a cosmopolitan culture that has no connection with them. There’s no social consequence or contract because reporters and readers don’t have much in common. And politics reflects the culture, so pols increasingly retreat to the “safe spaces” of their preferred national media organizations. “Coverage of Trump is often treated as a proxy for how the press thinks of Trump’s supporters. That might be unfair to national reporters chasing down a controversial president. But the disconnect is exacerbated by the fact that far too many Americans don’t have a local press that understands them, and thus all their…

Read the full story

The Tennessee Star Has 3,000 Unique Visitors on Launch Day

February 7, 2017February 7, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

“The Tennessee Star website had more than 3,000 unique visitors on Monday, the day we launched,” managing editor Christina Botteri said shortly after midnight after all the day’s results were counted. “The remarkable thing about our traffic on launch day is that each visitor came back and visited different stories on the site several times during the day. The total number of page views and visits for Monday was well over 9,000,” Botteri added. “That means people are very interested in the kinds of stories we are covering, and how we report on them,” she concluded. Across Middle Tennessee, conservatives who have not had a reliable media outlet cheered the arrival of The Tennessee Star on the scene. Every story on the website is free of charge to readers, a marked contrast to the policies of the dominant left-leaning newspaper in the Middle Tennessee area. Botteri added that when people sign up on the site and give their email address, they are subscribing to the free Tennessee Star Daily email summary of important news, which will arrive every morning to set the tone for what’s on the news agenda in Middle Tennessee that day. The Tennessee Star Facebook page also…

Read the full story

Kevin and Laura Baigert Join The Tennessee Star as Political Contributors and ‘Grassroots Pundits’

February 6, 2017February 5, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Kevin Baigert, Laura Baigert, and former State Rep. Joe Carr Veteran grassroots activists Kevin and Laura Baigert are joining The Tennessee Star as political contributors and “grassroots pundits.” The Baigerts worked together at the 3M Company in Connecticut for a combined 37 years. When they retired in 2012, they were drawn to Tennessee by the wonderful people and the cost of living, and they quickly became two of the most well-respected and reliable conservative grassroots activists in the state. The team of two handled operations and logistics for the BEAT LAMAR project in 2013 and 2014, in 2015 co-founded Sumner Taxpayers Alliance with well-known activist Ben Cunningham, in 2016 handled the merchandising for WWTN radio host Ralph Bristol’s The 2nd Amendment is Homeland Security Tour, and have added “critical mass” to numerous conservative causes under the moniker “Roving Patriots.”

Read the full story