by Lee Rizzuto In today’s political discourse, conversations about saving our nation and its future are increasingly common. Key issues such as border security, increasing crime, economic stability, and rising inflation dominate headlines. However, amidst these pressing concerns, there is a critical, yet often overlooked, issue that demands our immediate attention. Ronald Reagan famously said, “The family has always been the cornerstone of American society.” We are witnessing in America, a systematic erosion of that cornerstone. Family values are defined as the principles which allow one man and one woman the opportunity to marry, have children, and earn a living to pay for the care and raising of their children – in short, family values are laid out early in our nation’s founding – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Across America, there is a palpable sense of concern as these core principles are under threat. Divisive ideologies that preach blatant falsehoods have infiltrated our communities, our schools, our homes, our minds, our children’s minds. A man cannot become a woman and vice versa – a biological truth, yet one that is treated as bigotry by those seeking to destroy the cornerstones of society. Those spreading these falsehoods…
Read the full storyCategory: Tennessee
Nashville Transit Plan Approved by Audit, Mayor O’Connell Says in State of Metro Address
Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell announced in his first State of Metro address on Tuesday that his Choose How You Move mass transit plan passed a required independent audit.
O’Connell’s mass transportation plan Choose How You Move includes public transportation available 24/7, almost 600 upgraded traffic signals, 86 miles of sidewalks, and other features, all proposed to be funded by a half-cent sales tax. The plan must meet certain requirements under Tennessee’s IMPROVE Act, like the independent audit, before being considered by Nashville voters on a November ballot.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Introduces the ‘Let Trump Speak Act’
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) led a group of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing the Let Trump Speak Act on Thursday.
The bill, filed as H.R.8410, would prohibit judges from issuing gag orders to defendants in any criminal or civil proceeding.
Read the full storyPenske Truck Rental Employees in Nashville Successfully Vote to Decertify Labor Union
Penske Truck Rental employees in Nashville successfully voted to remove the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union from power, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation announced Thursday.
Read the full storyMNPD Asks for Public’s Help in Solving Decades-Old Cold Case
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is asking for the public’s help in solving a decades-old cold case.
“Do you know what happened to Ricky Rydell Young, 36?” asked a Thursday post on MNPD’s Facebook page. “On May 14, 1998, A resident on Greenwood Avenue in East Nashville was walking his dog when he discovered Ricky suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest in a nearby driveway. There were no witnesses to his murder. Someone knows what happened to Ricky Young.”
Read the full storyForbes Ranks Tennessee 11th in Country for Porch Piracy
A new Forbes study ranks Tennessee the 11th worst state in the country when it comes to porch piracy, stealing packages delivered to homes before the homeowner receives them.
“Porch piracy peaked during the pandemic when more people shopped online than ever before, according to Security.org’s annual package theft report,” according to Forbes. “Theft of parcels in general tends to increase during the holiday season as well. As online shopping continues to be on the rise, so do incidences of porch piracy.”
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Reps. Andy Ogles and Diana Harshbarger Travel to New York to Support Former President Trump in Hush Money Trial
Tennessee U.S. Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) were among 11 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who traveled to New York on Thursday to support former President Donald Trump in his hush money trial.
While speaking to reporters outside of the Manhattan courthouse, Harshbarger called the trial involving Trump “the persecution of a patriot,” saying, “We’re watching in real time the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice interfere in a case that should have never been brought in the first place.”
Read the full storyAaron Gulbransen Says Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Universal School Choice Bill Will Be First Order of Business in January
Aaron Gulbransen, executive director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, said he believes state lawmakers will craft a final bill for Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice proposal before the General Assembly convenes in January.
Lee’s school choice bill, the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, failed to pass the General Assembly during its recent convened session.
Read the full storyWashington D.C. Left-Wing Advocacy Group Human Rights Campaign Foundation Behind Williamson County Transgender Lawsuit
A Washington D.C.-based left-wing advocacy group called the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is behind a lawsuit against the Williamson County Board of Education challenging a state law that restricts students from using multi-person restrooms that do not match their sex.
The plaintiff, a transgender minor, is represented by two attorneys with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a nonprofit organization under the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). HRC describes itself as “the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization” on its website with local groups in most states.
Read the full storyEmbattled Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert Refuses to Apologize Following Legal Petition Demanding Her Removal
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert held a press conference on Tuesday after her attorney filed a motion to dismiss the legal petition calling for her to be removed from office.
In her remarks, Halbert reasserted her stance that the Shelby County Clerk’s office should be given the majority of the money it collects for the betterment of the office and declared she will not apologize.
Read the full storyTennessee National Guardsmen in Bulgaria Training with NATO Allies
Several Tennessee National Guard members headed to Bulgaria this week for joint training with NATO allies.
“Nearly 20 Soldiers from Athens’ 117th Military Police Battalion and Murfreesboro’s 269th Military Police Company joined more than 140 military policemen from five different allied nations today for the opening ceremony of Beyond Horizon 2024, a multi-national training exercise held at Bulgaria’s Novo Selo Training Site, May 14-22,” according to the Tennessee Department of Military.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Extends Full Support of Israel Summit Set to Be Held at the Ramsey Event Center Next Week
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) sent a letter to the mayors of Williamson County and Franklin as well as the top law enforcement officials of the area to offer his office’s support for the upcoming Israel Summit set to be held at the Ramsey Event Center on May 20-22.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert: Sonesta Hotel’s Decision to Back Out of Hosting Israel Summit Shows ‘Lack of Moral Leadership’
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s decision to break its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit not only appears to be antisemitic but also a “lack of moral leadership.”
Read the full storyRFK Jr. to Hold Campaign Event with Comedians in Nashville
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Independent running for president, will hold a campaign event with big-name comedians on Wednesday night in Nashville.
“Laughter is the best medicine. Get a heaping dose and help heal America with humor at a ‘Night of Comedy’ with future President Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and future Vice President Nicole Shanahan,” said a flyer for the event.
Read the full storyBen Cunningham Says Nashville’s Proposed Transit Plan Is an ‘Absolute Ripoff of the Taxpayer’
Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, said the Nashville Mayor’s $3.1 billion transit referendum is a “ripoff” of the taxpayers who are not given a proper voice in the media to express opposition to the transportation plan.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell unveiled his $3.1 billion transit plan, “Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety,” last month.
Read the full storyLegal Counsel for Sponsors of Israel Summit Raises Questions on Sonesta Hotel’s Reasoning to Cancel Event
First Liberty Institute, the legal counsel for the organizing groups of the 2024 Israel Summit, raised questions to the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s reasoning behind its decision to break its contractual obligation to host the event next week.
The Israel Summit was expected to be hosted next week at the Sonesta Hotel until hotel leadership contacted one of the summit’s sponsors, notifying the group that it was dropping its contract to host the event, citing “threatening” calls and messages.
Read the full storySonesta Hotel Management Silent After Pulling Venue Booked for 2024 Israel Summit in Nashville
The Massachusetts-based asset management company which owns the Sonesta Nashville Airport hotel currently under threat of legal action over its decision to cancel the use of its venue for the 2024 Israel Summit did not respond to a Wednesday press inquiry by The Tennessee Star.
The hotel company’s silence comes amid conflicting claims by the Sonesta Nashville Airport hotel’s general manager, Troy Carver, and the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD).
Read the full storyTennessee Governor Bill Lee Signs Bill Allowing the Death Penalty to be Considered in Child Rape Cases
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill to authorize the death penalty in child rape cases into law last week. The law now goes into effect on July 1.
The bill, SB 1834/HB 1663, authorizes the death penalty as a punishment for rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, or especially aggravated rape of a child.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn Urges Lawmakers to ‘Defund Colleges That Peddle Antisemitism’ After Convicted Killer Arrested at Encampment
Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Tuesday argued Syracuse University should lose its federal funding after a man convicted of manslaughter was arrested at an anti-Israel encampment constructed on the university campus.
Eural Warren was arrested by the Syracuse University of Public Safety on Friday, according to The National Desk, after the outlet previously confirmed the convicted killer was staying at the anti-Israel encampment constructed at the university despite officials declaring only students would be allowed access to the protest.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Introduces Bill to Restrict China from Accessing American Financial Markets and Exchanges
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives this week for Ohio U.S. Senator JD Vance’s (R-OH) bill that would restrict the Chinese government’s access to American capital markets and exchanges.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert Discusses Latest Developments in Case Involving Transgender Arrested on Stalking Charges
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, pointed out that McKenzie McClure, the biological female and former Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) student arrested by federal authorities on cyberstalking charges, may have been subject to a 30-day mental hold as she awaits a detention hearing scheduled for June 3.
McClure, who identifies as a transgender man and prefers the name “Kalvin,” was arrested on cyberstalking charges on April 29 after making a public threat against Governor Bill Lee and leaving a concerning voicemail to CPA in March, which caused two schools to shut down the following day.
Read the full storyRamsey Event Center in Franklin to Host Israel Summit
The Ramsey Event Center in Franklin will hold the 2024 Israel Summit next week after the event’s original venue, the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel, broke its contractual obligation to host the summit.
“God is doing amazing things in Tennessee, and we are even more excited about the upcoming Israel Summit,” two of the summit’s sponsors, HaYovel and The Israel Guys, announced Tuesday. “Dave Ramsey stepped in TODAY and offered his state-of-the-art event center for the Israel Summit!”
Read the full storyNational Religious Broadcasters Association Demands Sonesta Hotel in Nashville Reverse Course, Host Israel Summit
Troy A. Miller, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) association, is demanding that the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel fulfill its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week.
Read the full storyTennessee A.G. Jonathan Skrmetti Leads Coalition in Lawsuit Challenging the EEOC’s New Guidance on Gender Identity in the Workplace
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 17 other states in filing a lawsuit challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) final guidance on harassment in the workplace which went into effect on April 29.
Read the full storyNashville Announces It Will Test Some Beer Sellers for Selling Without Checking ID
Nashville will test some of its beer sellers by having someone attempt to purchase beer without presenting identification.
The Metro Beer Permit Board announced Monday it will conduct compliance checks by having an individual over 21 years old enter establishments with off-sale beer permits and try to purchase beer without an ID, according to a Nashville government news release. The board wants to enhance compliance with state law among sellers with off-sale permits.
Read the full storyUniversity of Tennessee Silent as Anti-Israel Protesters Demonstrate Past School’s Deadline
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK) has apparently not made any statements or actions as anti-Israel protesters continued to demonstrate past the school’s given deadline of May 11.
UTK allowed the People’s School for Gaza, which is not an official student organization at the university, to demonstrate on campus for about two weeks after starting on May 1, despite UTK’s rules for using its outdoor spaces. The school went so far as to reserve the space the protesters had been using, the Student Union Cumberland Plaza, on the group’s behalf.
Read the full storyAmericans for Prosperity Action Announces Endorsements in Tennessee State House and Senate Races
Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) endorsed one Tennessee Senate candidate and six candidates for the Tennessee House of Representatives in the primary elections on August 1.
Read the full storyKentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to Headline Pro-Abortion Fundraiser in Nashville
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, described in the press as rising star within Democratic Party politics, is set to headline a Nashville abortion event and fundraiser in June, it was reported Monday.
A website advertising the Tennessee Freedom Circle event reveals Beshear will appear with “survivor and advocate, Hadley Duvall,” for the “Championing Reproductive Freedom” event on June 21.
Read the full storyTennessee Department of Homeland Security, Local Law Enforcement Silent About McKenzie McClure Investigation
The Tennessee Department of Homeland Security, a state-level law enforcement agency, conducted interviews of transgender alleged cyberstalker McKenzie McClure while Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) did not take action.
According to the criminal complaint against McClure, who left a voicemail of a “threatening nature” for her former school Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) in Nashville, the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security became involved in the investigation of McClure. As of now, there are no publicly available details as to how the department became involved in the case.
Read the full storyTennessee Collects $7M in Sports Gambling Taxes on $384.2M in Wagers in April
Tennessee saw $384.2 million in sports wagers in April with $7 million in taxes collected.
That was up from $318.4 million in wagers and $6.4 million of taxes collected in April 2023.
Read the full storyAttorney Representing Sponsor of Israel Summit Details Why the Sonesta Hotel Must Reverse Course and Hold Event, Citing ‘Unlawful Religious Discrimination’
Hirram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, said the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s decision to break its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week is an of discrimination.
Read the full storyFirst Liberty Institute Demands Nashville Hotel Fulfill Contractual Agreement to Host 2024 Israel Summit
First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the general manager of the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel demanding that the hotel fulfill its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week.
Read the full storyExecutive Assistant U.S. Attorney Confirms Transgender Arrested for Alleged Cyberstalking Will Remain in Custody Leading up to June 3 Hearing
An executive assistant attorney with the Middle District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed to The Tennessee Star that McKenzie McClure, the biological female and former Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) student arrested by federal authorities on cyberstalking charges, will remain in custody leading up to a June 3 detention hearing.
Read the full storyIsrael Summit Set to be Held in Nashville Forced to Change Venue Amid Threats by Pro-Palestine Group: Report
The 2024 Israel Summit originally set to be held at the Sonesta Hotel in Nashville will reportedly change venues amid threats by individuals encouraged by the local pro-Palestine group Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville.
Read the full storyNew Tennessee Law to Revoke Driving Privileges for Minors Behind Threats of ‘Mass Violence’ Against Schools
A law set to take effect before the 2024-2025 school year will require juvenile courts to revoke driver’s licenses from juvenile offenders who are convicted of threatening schools or school property.
SB 1664 by State Senator Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) will mandate juvenile offenders who are found guilty of threatening mass violence on school property or during school activities must have their driving privileges suspended for one year.
Read the full storyNorth Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum Emerges as a Potential VP Pick for Trump, May Be Able to Draw Moderates
With his appeal to moderate voters, North Dakota GOP Gov. Doug Burgum is emerging as a potential vice presidential pick for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The latest signals came Saturday evening when Trump flew the 67-year-old Burgum on his jet to a rally in Wildwood, N.J., and put him front and center on stage, where he forcefully made the case for a second Trump term.
Read the full storyArrest of Transgender Former Student Who Allegedly Threatened Nashville’s Christ Presbyterian Academy Raises Troubling Parallels to Covenant Killer
The recent arrest of McKenzie McClure, the biological female and former Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) student federal authorities accused of cyberstalking following alleged threats to CPA in Nashville, shares concerning similarities with the circumstances which preceded the tragic Covenant School shootings by Audrey Elizabeth Hale last year in which the former Covenant School student killed 3 students and 3 staff members before she, in turn, was killed by Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers.
Read the full storyTennessee Court of Appeals Rules That State Statute Allowing TWRA Game Wardens to Enter Private Property Without a Search Warrant Is Unconstitutional
The Tennessee Court of Appeals released a decision in Terry Rainwaters, et al. v. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, et al. on Thursday, holding a previous ruling that found a state statute that allows TWRA to patrol private properties without warrants or consent to be unconstitutional.
Read the full storyState Senator Brent Taylor Says Memphis Will Be ‘Hollowed Out’ If Crime is Not Addressed
State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) warned that Memphis will be ‘hollowed out’ if its crime problem is not addressed.
Taylor, who sponsored several crime-related bills in the recently-adjourned legislative session of the General Assembly, said the response he has received from the community in Memphis for his work to crackdown on crime has been positive.
Read the full storyTransgender Arrested for Alleged Cyberstalking Was Previously Charged with Domestic Assault in 2022
A transgender alleged cyberstalker who caused a Nashville Christian school to close for a day in March after sending a disconcerting message was previously charged with domestic assault, according to court records.
McKenzie McClure, also known as Kalvin McClure, was charged twice with domestic assault according to Williamson County public court records. The records list the “violation date” on each charge as August 21, 2022.
Read the full storyTN-18 State Senate GOP Primary Challenger Chris Spencer Refuses to Answer If He’d Vote for Governor’s School Choice Bill If Elected
Chris Spencer, a Republican candidate challenging incumbent Tennessee State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) in the August 1 TN-18 GOP primary, refused to answer whether he’d vote for or against Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill during the next legislative session of the General Assembly if elected.
The governor’s school choice bill, called the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, failed to pass the General Assembly during the most recently convened session of the General Assembly.
Read the full storyGov. Lee Signs $1.6 Billion Franchise Tax Refund, $400K Repeal into Law
The property portion of Tennessee’s franchise tax has been repealed and businesses will be eligible for a rebate of up to three years of those taxes.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law Friday. The rebate could cost the state up to $1.6 billion.
Read the full storyWyoming Secretary of State Slams Governor for Vetoing ‘Basic Election Integrity Safeguards’
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray criticized Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s veto of a proposed amendment to the state’s voter registration rules that would have required Wyoming residents to provide proof of residency when registering to vote, calling the veto move “horrifying.”
Read the full storyFormer Memphis Police Officer Now Faces Federal Charges in Alleged Murder
A former Memphis Police officer who was charged in 2021 with kidnapping and murdering a man has now been charged at the federal level.
“A federal grand jury in Memphis, Tennessee, returned an eight-count indictment today charging former Memphis Police Officer Patric J. Ferguson with federal civil rights, kidnapping and weapons offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of a victim identified as R.H.,” according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). “The indictment also charges Ferguson and a civilian, Joshua M. Rogers, with federal offenses for conspiring to cover up the fatal shooting and destroying evidence of the crimes. The indictment further charges Rogers with accessory after the fact for helping Ferguson cover up his crimes.”
Read the full storyLouisiana Governor Jeff Landry Announced as Keynote Speaker at TNGOP Statesmen’s Dinner
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry will serve as the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Republican Party’s (TNGOP) annual Statesmen’s Dinner, which will be held next month in Nashville.
Read the full storyMaury County Sheriff’s Office Works with Nonprofit to Identify Remains in 50-Year-Old Cold Case
The Maury County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in conjunction with a nonprofit identified the remains of a woman murdered nearly 50 years ago.
On February 14, 1975, hunters found the remains of a woman near Highway 99 East in Maury County, according to DNA Doe Project.
Read the full storyEmbattled Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert Will ‘Absolutely Not’ Resign, Declares Transparency to Begin After She’s ‘Given Authority’
Wanda Halbert, the embattled Shelby County Clerk currently facing a legal petition for her removal from office, confirmed in Tuesday remarks to a Memphis media personality that she will not resign amid court proceedings.
Halbert currently awaits a court date following a 49-page petition submitted by Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp which alleged the clerk demonstrated “willful neglect to perform” duties associated with her office.
Read the full storyUniversity of Tennessee Reserves Campus Space for Anti-Israel Protesters After Noncompliant Behavior
After about one week of protests and refusal to comply with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s (UTK) rules and flouting warnings of violating state law, an anti-Israel protest group on campus has had the Student Union Cumberland Plaza designated for it by the school itself.
On Wednesday, May 1, a group of protesters called the “People’s School for Gaza,” which is not a student organization registered with UTK, began demonstrating on campus after an official event held by the school’s official chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, The Tennessee Star previously reported.
Read the full storyReport: Late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny’s Death Ruled Accidental, Caused by Drug Overdose
The late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny’s April 2 death was caused by drugs present in his system, compounded by heart conditions, according to an autopsy report conducted by the Center for Forensic Medicine in Nashville.
The report, first obtained by The Tullahoma News, concluded that Matheny’s death was accidental, with the cause of death “ascribed to mixed cocaine, ethanol, mitragynine toxicity with hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a significant contributing factor.”
Read the full storyTennessee Republican Delegation Members Vote to Advance Bill Requiring Citizenship Question on the U.S. Census
All eight Republicans representing Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives voted with the majority of members to pass a bill requiring the U.S. Census to include a question asking if the person is a United States citizen.
The Census determines how many congressional districts and electoral college votes each state gets to help ensure American votes are equally represented in Congress.
Read the full story