Piedmont Lithium Abandons Nearly $600 Million Investment Planned for Southeast Tennessee

Piedmont Lithium

Piedmont Lithium announced Thursday that the company abandoned its plan to invest $582 million to establish a lithium hydroxide processing, refining, and manufacturing facility in Etowah and instead build the proposed plant in North Carolina.

The company currently operates a plant in Gaston County, North Carolina, called Carolina Lithium, which will be expanded with the addition of the facility originally expected to be built in Etowah.

Read the full story

Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti Joins Lawsuit Challenging the Biden Administration’s Plan to Extend Full Health Care Benefits to Illegal Immigrants

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined a federal lawsuit on Thursday challenging the Biden administration’s plan of extending Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, benefits to more than 200,000 illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota Western Division.

Read the full story

Drug Dealer with Long Criminal History Charged with Murder in Death of Customer Under Tennessee’s ‘Death by Distribution’ Law

A fentanyl dealer from Crossville has been arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder after one of her customers overdosed and died.

“On September 14, 2021, officers with the Crossville Police Department responded to a 911 call at a home on Willow Street in Crossville. Samuel Mashburn … was found deceased in the driveway,” according to a press release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). “An autopsy determined Mashburn died from acute combined multiple drug intoxication.”

Read the full story

Kamala Harris Lobbied for Gun Control in Tennessee After Covenant School Shooting

Kamala Harris and Tennessee Three

In the wake of the Covenant School shooting in 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, held a rally in Tennessee in support of the infamous “Tennessee Three” and to push gun control.

“We are here because [The Tennessee Three] and their colleagues, the Democratic caucus of the state legislature — and I’d ask you to stand as well, please, because they chose to show courage in the face of an extreme tragedy, which is that 11 days ago, six people, three educators and three babies, nine years old, were murdered senselessly due to gun violence,” she told students at Fisk University, a historically black college in Nashville.

Read the full story

Chief Judge Silent on Apparent Leak of Sealed Info About FBI Search Warrant for Rep. Andy Ogles

Andy Ogles

Chief District Judge William Campbell, who oversees the Middle District of Tennessee for the U.S. District Court, did not respond to a Thursday inquiry from The Tennessee Star that sought information about the apparent leak of information related to the FBI search warrant executed on Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).

Ogles confirmed on Tuesday the FBI executed a search warrant at his Maury County, Tennessee home to obtain his personal cell phone last Friday, less than 24 hours after he won the Tennessee Republican primary in a victory over his Never Trump-backed opponent.

Read the full story

Kash Patel: Harris-Walz Campaign is a ‘Complete Government Gangster Deep State Operation’

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz

Former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense Kash Patel said Kamala Harris being inserted as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee after incumbent President Joe Biden exited the race is a precise example of a “complete government gangster deep state operation.”

Patel – who stars in the new War Room documentary “Government Gangsters” which “pulls back the curtain on the sinister world of corrupt bureaucrats, government officials, and their media accomplices” – said the Democratic Party and the media’s coverup of Biden’s diminished capabilities to carry out the job as commander in chief before pushing the incumbent out of the 2024 race and inserting Harris as the nominee is the “absolute form of governing gangsterism.”

Read the full story

Judge Restores Freedoms to Alleged Cyberstalker McKenzie McClure, Who Visited Nashville School and Wrote About Gov. Bill Lee

McKenzie McClure

U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson ruled on July 29 that alleged cyberstalker McKenzie McClure, the transgender person who wrote publicly about Governor Bill Lee and left an unsettling voicemail before visiting the campus of the Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) elementary school in Nashville, will be allowed greater freedom at the East Tennessee psychiatric treatment center where she remains.

A student of CPA from 1999 until 2003, McClure was arrested in May on charges of cyberstalking after she wrote posts claiming Lee would not take action to undermine pro-Palestine protests because the governor “knows if he makes one wrong move it’s Joever for him and my 4th grade teacher… i.e., his WIFE.”

Read the full story

Former Trump Campaign Spokesman Steve Cortes Stresses Importance of Exposing Harris-Walz ‘Radical’ Records Going into 2024 Election

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz

Steve Cortes, former senior spokesman and strategist for the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns and current head of the League of American Workers, said it is critical that Republicans expose Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’ “radical” records while in public office leading up to the November 5 general election.

Read the full story

Exclusive: Sen. Blackburn Releases Kids Online Safety Guide Ahead of New School Year

Kid on tablet

After the resounding success of Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, she has exclusively released to The Tennessee Star a guide for parents to keep their children safe online as they head back to school. 

“When children are online, they are the product, and Big Tech is trying every method possible to keep them scrolling, clicking ads, and sharing every detail of their lives,” the guide says. “Social media platforms put children at risk of being exposed to eating disorders, suicidal ideation, sexual exploitation, and advertisements for illegal substances. Now is the perfect time to study up on how you can keep your kids safe online.”

Read the full story

Planned Parenthood Says It Has a Plan to Break Tennessee General Assembly Supermajority

The leaders of Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood (TAPP), Planned Parenthood’s electioneering arm, held a press conference at the Tennessee Capitol saying that it has a plan to break the Republican supermajority in the state’s general assembly, thus making it easier to accomplish its pro-abortion work. 

“Stopping the supermajority in Tennessee is not going to be easy,” TAPP CEO Ashley Coffield said during the press conference. “We have a plan this year to flip four seats and three after that so we break the supermajority before redistricting in 2030.”

Read the full story

U.S. Attorney Who Oversaw FBI Search Warrant Served on Rep. Andy Ogles Previously Served Under Jack Smith

Henry Leventis, Jack Smith

Henry Leventis, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee who oversaw the FBI search warrant served on Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) last Friday, previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney under special prosecutor Jack Smith.

Leventis supervised the FBI search warrant executed at Ogles’ Maury County home. In a statement, Ogles said the warrant was issued to obtain his personal cell phone due to well-reported issues with his initial campaign filings. Ogles filed amendments earlier this year that he claims corrected what were honest mistakes.

Read the full story

Tennessee Democrat Challenging Rep. Andy Ogles Blamed ‘White Patriarchy’ After Lawmakers Denied Gun Control Push in 2023

Maryam Abolfazli and Andy Ogles

The Tennessee Democrat who received the nomination to challenge Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in November blamed the state’s “white patriarchy” last year after the General Assembly did not pass gun control legislation during a special session in the wake of the March 27, 2023, attack on the Covenant School.

Maryam Abolfazli, the Democratic nominee for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, wrote in an August 2023 article published by Tennessee Lookout that the “white patriarchy” was responsible for the failure of gun control legislation to materialize during the special session called by Governor Bill Lee in the wake the Covenant School attack.

Read the full story

Tennessee TennCare and CoverKids Members to Begin Receiving Free Diapers for Children Under Two

Diapers

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that TennCare and CoverKids members under age two will be eligible to receive up to 100 diapers per month as part of the TennCare Diaper Benefit beginning Wednesday.

TennCare is Tennessee’s Medicaid program, while CoverKids offers free health coverage for pregnant women and children who do not have insurance and do not qualify for TennCare.

Read the full story

KamaLawfare: Politicized FBI Executes Search Warrant on GOP Rep. Andy Ogles, Who Leads Impeachment of VP Harris

Andy Ogles and FBI

The Tennessee Star learned the controversial and allegedly politicized FBI on Friday executed a search warrant at the Maury County, Tennessee, home of Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).

Ogles confirmed in a statement provided to The Star that the FBI executed a search warrant for his personal cell phone in an apparent investigation of his campaign filings.

Read the full story

X Sues Global Alliance for Responsible Media over ‘Illegal Boycott’

Linda Yaccarino Madrazo

Linda Yaccarino, the Chief Executive Officer of Elon Musk-owned X, announced Tuesday that the company is filing a lawsuit against a group called Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM).

“After a career in media and advertising, I thought I had seen everything. Then I read the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s report entitled ‘GARM’s (Global Alliance for Responsible Media) Harm’ last month. The report disclosed that their investigation had found evidence of an illegal boycott against many companies, including X,” Yaccarino said. 

Read the full story

In Mesa County, Colorado Clerk Trial, Prosecution’s Partisan Witness Sobs, Other Witnesses Backtrack

Stephanie Wenholz testifies

The third fully live streamed day of the trial against former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters featured testimony from a partisan election employee who sobbed for about five minutes while speaking, as well as backtracking from other witnesses when cross-examined by Peters’ attorney. Peters is being prosecuted for her role in attempting to take a video of a software update on Dominion voting machines. She was concerned that overriding the election files with the upgrade would violate both state and federal law requiring retention of files for 22-25 months. 

Stephanie Wenholz, the elections manager for Mesa County, broke down in tears when asked about the day she found out that the Colorado Secretary of State’s (COSOS) office was investigating Mesa County over the incident. Although Wenholz admitted that Peters instructed employees not to speak with law enforcement, but to direct them to her and her attorneys instead, Wenholz said she contacted Detective James Cannon, the chief investigator for the Mesa County District Attorney. 

Read the full story

Nashville Police Replace Internal Affairs Director Months After Retired Officer’s Complaint Sparked Investigation

Kathy Morante, Nashville City Hall

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on Monday reportedly replaced the head of its internal affairs office in a decision that came months after retired Lieutenant Garet Davidson submitted a 61-page complaint naming the former official, prompting an investigation.

It was reported on Monday by Nashville Banner that Kathy Morante, the head of the MNPD Office of Professional Accountability since 2013, was replaced.

Read the full story

TBI Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting of Alabama Fugitive

crime scene

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Sunday announced that it is investigating an officer-involved shooting of a wanted Alabama fugitive in Hardin County.

“Preliminary information indicates that deputies encountered an Alabama robbery suspect, later identified as Jonathan Schutte, in a parking lot … in Savannah,” TBI said in a release. “When [Hardin County] deputies approached the vehicle, Schutte reportedly exited his vehicle and fired his weapon at deputies, resulting in the deputies returning fire, hitting and killing 33-year-old Schutte.  No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident.”

Read the full story

Memphis High School Student Charged, Immediately Expelled for Possession of Handgun on School Property

Power Center Academy

A high school student in Memphis who was arrested Monday morning for possessing a firearm at school has been charged with carrying a weapon on school property and has been expelled. 

The unnamed 17-year-old attended Power Center Academy Hickory Hill High School, which is a charter school under the umbrella of Gestalt Community Schools, in Memphis.

Read the full story

Commentary: After Years of Big Tech Putting Profit over Children’s Safety, the Senate Just Took a Big Step to Hold Them Accountable

Little Girl online

Since 1998 — the last year Congress passed a major law to reform the tech industry and protect children in the virtual space — a lot has changed.

In the last 26 years, more than 100 million Americans were born during the internet’s profound transformation from dial-up to near constant connectivity, especially with the emergence of the biggest social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and more.

Read the full story

Trump Campaign Raked in Nearly $140 Million in July

Donald Trump Rally

Former President Donald Trump announced Thursday his campaign has raised nearly $140 million for July.

Within an fundraising update for the month of July, Trump’s campaign stated they’ve pulled in a total of $138.7 million, thus providing a cash on hand total of $327 million. The new numbers come after Trump was confirmed as the GOP’s presidential nominee at the Republican National Committee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and notably after the failed assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Read the full story

Memphis Police Officer Killed in Crash After Responding to Shooting

Demetrice Johnson

A Memphis Police officer died after a crash with an alleged suspect in a shooting early Friday morning.

“At 3:06 a.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at Mississippi Boulevard and Danny Thomas Boulevard involving a gray Nissan and an MPD squad car,” MPD said in a statement. “Responding officers located three injured males, two of which are MPD officers, and the third male was the occupant of the Nissan. All were transported to Regional One Hospital in critical condition. An MPD officer and the driver of the gray Nissan were pronounced deceased at the hospital. The second MPD officer remains in critical condition.”

Read the full story

State Rep. Gloria Johnson Celebrates U.S. Senate Primary Victory

Gloria Johnson

A far-left member of the Tennessee House of Representatives Thursday night won her primary election, and now faces an uphill battle against incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

“Thank you, Tennessee. I am running for office to represent you, to fight for you, and make life easier for all who call Tennessee home. I have never felt more ready to fight for a Tennessee that works for all of us. Let’s do this!” said State Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knovxille) when the primary results rolled in. 

Read the full story

ACLU Sues Tennessee over New Bail Law

Attorney Trisha Trigilio

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing Tennessee over a recently-enacted law bars judges from considering whether an alleged criminal can afford bail when making the decision on whether grant bail. 

“Today, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Criminal Law Reform Project, ACLU of Tennessee, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP filed a lawsuit on behalf of Just City Memphis to challenge the constitutionality of Tennessee’s unprecedented new bail law, arguing that the law violates the Fourteenth Amendment by mandating unfair bail hearing procedures and discriminatory wealth-based detention,” according to the ACLU. 

Read the full story

Never Trumpers Lose Big in Tennessee GOP Primary

Andy Ogles and Courtney Johnston

The Never Trump donors who assembled to oppose Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Thursday Republican primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional district were trounced by the incumbent, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump more than one year prior to the election.

Ogles’ victory came despite the incumbent being out raised by his opponent, Metro Councilwoman Courtney Johnston, who also benefited from more than $600,000 in advertising from the Conservatives with Character super PAC, whose treasurer told The Tennessee Star its primary purpose was to see the Trump-endorsed incumbent defeated.

Read the full story

Freedom From Religion Foundation Forces Chester County Sheriff’s Office to Remove ‘Religious Imagery’ from Website

Chester County Sheriff's Office Sherriff Deputies

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) says a tip from a “concerned citizen” led them to demand that an image on the Chester County Sheriff’s office be removed from the law enforcement entity’s website. 

The image was a “Thin Blue Line” flag with a bible verse on it that reads, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” 

Read the full story

Murfreesboro Approves Salary Increases for Police, Firefighters

Murfreesboro Approves Salary Increases for Police, Firefighters

The Murfreesboro City Council approved pay adjustments for public safety in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget last week, raising the annual pay of police officers, sergeants, firefighters, and AEMTs.

At its meeting on July 25, the council voted to approve the pay adjustments after reviewing a survey of neighboring Middle Tennessee cities to compare the city’s police pay plan to peer cities.

Read the full story

OPMobility to Receive $558,000 Toward $3 Million Spring Hill Expansion

OP Mobility

OPMobility will receive a $558,000 incentive grant from Tennessee toward a $3 million expansion of its Spring Hill plant, which is expected to lead to 186 new jobs in Maury County.

The France-based company was renamed OPMobility from Plastic Omnium in March. It will then have 568 employees in Tennessee and more than 200 in Spring Hill after expanding from its 18 current employees in Maury County.

Read the full story

U.S. Recognizes Edmundo Gonzalez as Winner of Venezuelan Elections

Edmundo González Urrutia

The United States announced on Wednesday that it recognizes opposition candidate Edmundo González as the winner of Venezuela’s presidential election.

The Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the United States Department of State, Brian Nichols, told the Organization of American States (OAS) in an extraordinary meeting regarding the situation in Venezuela, that what is happening in the South American country in electoral matters is unacceptable, because the dictator Nicolás Maduro refuses to allow vote revisions.

Read the full story

Star News Network, Michael Patrick Leahy Launch Appeal After Nashville Judge Blocks Covenant School Killer’s Journal from Public

Audrey Hale and I'Ashea Myles

Star News Digital Media, Inc. (SNDM), which owns and operates The Tennessee Star, and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy launched an appeal on Wednesday to reverse Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea L. Myles’s ruling blocking the release of even one page of the writings left by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale.

Lawyers for SNDM, including America First Legal Foundation attorney Nicholas Barry and attorney Paul Krog, officially filed notice with the Court of Appeals of Tennessee at Nashville that it intends to appeal, making SNDM and Leahy the first plaintiffs to appeal Myles’ July 4 ruling.

Read the full story

Trump Raised $25 Million in Nashville Bitcoin 2024 Fundraiser, Conference Organizer Confirms

Donald Trump Bitcoin

Former President Donald Trump raised $25 million during his recent fundraiser at the Bitcoin 2024 conference held in Nashville, according to the conference organizer, who also said it was the second-largest sum raised by the former president in any fundraiser over his three presidential campaigns.

David Bailey, the CEO of the Bitcoin Conference and Bitcoin Magazine, confirmed the $25 million fundraising haul for the Trump campaign in a post to the social media platform X.

Read the full story

State Sen. Brent Taylor Responds to ‘Misinformation’ Claims over Push to Oust D.A. Steve Mulroy, Publishes Full Transcript of Interview

Steve Mulroy and Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) on Wednesday published his public response to the MLK50 article, which accused him of using misinformation about Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Memphis crime in his effort to oust the district attorney from office.

In addition to rebutting or providing context to the five alleged points of misinformation MLK50 reporter Katherine Burgess included in the publication’s report, Taylor also provided the full transcript of the email interview he completed at Burgess’ request.

Read the full story

Reps. Ogles, Burchett, Labeled ‘Far-Right Obstructionists’ by FiveThirtyEight

Andy Ogles and Tim Burchett

Poll aggregation website FiveThirtyEight said that U.S. Reps Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) are “Far-Right Obstructionists.”

“In a Congress largely defined by Republicans’ struggle to govern in harmony with their far-right flank, it’s no surprise that a cluster of hardline, obstructionist conservatives emerged as a cohesive voting cluster,” FiveThirtyEight said.

Read the full story