Category: Tennessee

‘Family Friendly’ Furry Convention to Be Held This Weekend in Tennessee State Park

Peter D'Abrosca
Woods Flock

Members of the “furry” community will host what they describe as a family friendly convention in a Tennessee state park beginning Friday and ending Saturday. 

“If you enjoy spending time in nature AND the furry fandom, this is the trip for you! Woods Flock is a a community that holds our annual Spring mini-con at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee (USA),” says an event invitation by a group called Woods Flock. “Participants will have a plethora of outdoor, crafty, and fun activities to choose from during their stay at our family-friendly camp.”

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Shares New Bus Lines Proposed in Transit Referendum

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Thursday provided details of how his proposed transit referendum would expand lines and services for the city’s bus system.

O’Connell posted the details to the social media platform X, where he wrote the bus transit improvements are “a key element” of his referendum. The mayor confirmed, “We’ll have local, frequent, new, and express service updates.”

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Carol Swain and Neil W. McCabe Explain Why Pro-Life Organizations, Fake Christians ‘Talk the Talk’ but Have ‘No Interest in Ending Abortion’

Kaitlin Housler
Abortion protest

Dr. Carol M. Swain and national political reporter Neil W. McCabe, while discussing the politics surrounding the topic of abortion, identified how some seemingly pro-life groups and individuals who claim to be Christians “talk the talk and not walk the walk” when it comes to protecting the unborn.

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Jason Snead on Why Democrats Promote Ranked-Choice Voting: ‘It’s About Pushing Politics to the Left’

Kaitlin Housler

Jason Snead, the director of the Honest Elections Project Action Fund, said the practice of Ranked-Choice Voting is a tool used by the Left to “push politics to the left” and “give more power to the left-wing mega-donors.”

Ranked-Choice Voting, an election process where voters can rank multiple candidates for a single office, is currently used statewide in the states of Alaska and Maine, cities including New York City, and other jurisdictions across the nation.

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Tennessee Senate Passes Abortion Trafficking Bill Called ‘Cruelty’ by California Governor Gavin Newsom

Tom Pappert
Gavin Newsom and Jason Zachary

The Tennessee State Senate on Wednesday passed legislation that would impose criminal penalties for adults who provide transportation to minors seeking to circumvent the state’s abortion laws.

SB 1971 passed with 26 votes in favor and just three votes against. If passed by the House and signed by the governor, the legislation would create the criminal offense of abortion trafficking of a minor.

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Tennessee GOP Congressional Candidate George Flinn Says U.S. Rep. David Kustoff ‘Should Not Go Unchallenged’

Kaitlin Housler
David Kustoff George Flinn

Shelby County resident Dr. George Flinn, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in West Tennessee’s 8th District, said he is running because incumbent U.S. Representative David Kustoff (R-TN-08) needs to be “challenged.”

Flinn, who has run as a Republican and Independent candidate in U.S. Senate and primary races for Tennessee’s 8th and 9th Congressional districts, said he believes Kustoff “should not go unchallenged” considering the incumbent’s recent voting record on bills, particularly spending packages.

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Tennessee U.S. Rep Andy Ogles Among 19 Republicans Who Voted to Kill FISA, Warrantless Surveillance

Tom Pappert
Andy Ogles

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) joined 18 other Republicans in voting against reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on Wednesday. He told The Tennessee Star his vote would protect Tennesseans from “unreasonable searches and seizures by the federal government.”

Ogles explained his decision to break with the majority of Republicans and vote against reauthorizing FISA came after House leadership “chose to keep the doors closed and did not allow an open amendment process.” He noted he had six amendments that were all ignored by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04).

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Texas Republican Mike Olcott Corrects the Record After NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams Falsely Claims His Vanquished Opponent, Glenn Rogers, Is a Conservative

Kaitlin Housler
Olcott Phil Williams

Mike Olcott, a Republican who won last month’s primary election for Texas House District 60, invalidated News Channel 5’s Phil Williams’ claims that his opponent he defeated in the race, State Representative Glenn Rogers, was defeated by “billionaire” pro-school voucher “forces.”

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Memphis Records 100 Homicides in First 100 Days of 2024, Police Say Number Could Swell to Nearly 400

Tom Pappert
CJ Davis Memphis

Just 100 days into the year, the Memphis Police Department reported on Tuesday that it recorded the city’s 100th homicide of 2024.

Memphis Police Department (MPD) Chief CJ Davis revealed on Tuesday that her department recorded 100 homicides on April 9, coinciding with the 100th day of 2024, as part of a public safety update delivered to the Memphis City Council.

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Tennessee Becomes 10th State to Sanction Girls Flag Football

Kaitlin Housler
Flag Football

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) voted on Tuesday to make girls flag football an officially-sanctioned Tennessee high school varsity sport beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.

The TSSAA voted unanimously in favor of Franklin High School’s proposal to make the sport a sanctioned sport. The TSSAA previously tabled the proposal during its December 2023 legislative council meeting.

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Tennessee Senate Passes Bill to Arm Teachers After Gallery Cleared Due to Outbursts

Tom Pappert
TN Capitol Protest

The Tennessee State Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to allow some teachers to be armed on public school property, but the Senate gallery needed to be cleared prior to the vote following a series of outbursts from activists opposed to the bill.

Lawmakers voted to pass SB 1325, which would allow school faculty and staff to carry concealed handguns if they obtain an enhanced handgun carry permit, complete 40 hours of school safety training annually, obtain approval of relevant school and law enforcement authorities and are not restricted from owning firearms.

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Ben Cunningham: Nashville Mayor’s Transit Plan Appears to be Illegal

Kaitlin Housler
Freddie O'Connell

Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s transit plan, which is expected to be on the November ballot, is likely illegal under the IMPROVE Act, which passed the Tennessee General Assembly in 2017.

The 2017 IMPROVE Act, signed by former Governor Bill Haslam, permits local governments to seek a dedicated funding source via surcharge to support mass transportation projects through local referendum.

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Multi-Agency Effort Leads to Arrest of Jail Escapees

Peter D'Abrosca
Lincoln County Escapees Walter Allen Sr. and Christopher Meeks Captured

A search by multiple law enforcement entities ended in the capture of two jail escapees who were on the run over the weekend. 

“Sheriff Joyce McConnell would like to thank her staff for the long hours that they put in for capturing the two escapees,” said a Sunday Facebook post from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. “Sheriff McConnell would also like to thank Ruthford [sic] County Sheriff’s Department, Fayetteville Police Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol for their help with the capture of the two escapees!! Great job to all agencies!!”

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Announces Date to Reveal Full Transit Referendum

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell will reportedly announce the full contents of his transit referendum, called “Choose How You Move,” on April 19.

O’Connell will outline his full plans for the future of transit in Nashville next week, with both the Nashville Post and the Nashville Business Journal confirming the April 19 unveiling will be held one week from Friday at the Southeast Community Center in Antioch.

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Tennessee Public School Teacher, Principal Indicted as Investigators Claim They Stole Thousands with Falsified Time Sheets

Tom Pappert
Scotts Hill Elementary

A public school principal and teacher in Henderson County were criminally indicted by a grand jury after investigators claimed they falsified hours work to pay out nearly $8,000 in wages and benefits for hours that were never worked.

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office announced on Thursday that their investigation into Scotts Hill Elementary School principal Brian Lane and teacher Tiffany Koelsch, who they claim conspired to pay Koelsch “$7,988.50 in wages and benefits that she did not earn,” led to criminal indictments.

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Tennessee Court Advisory Board Will Look at Alternate Juror Dismissal Timing

The Center Square
The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Rules of Practice and Procedure

The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Rules of Practice and Procedure listened to a proposal to keep alternate jurors on even after deliberations begin in a criminal case during its Friday public meeting.

Circuit Court Judge Russ Parkes said the proposal came so cases did not have to be delayed or declared a mistrial if a juror becomes ill or is unable to continue after deliberations have begun in a case.

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Tennessee GOP State Executive Committee Removes 8 Trump Delegates for Not Meeting ‘Bona Fide Republican’ Standard Despite Warning from Campaign

Kaitlin Housler
Donald Trump. GOP Convention

The Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee (SEC) voted on Saturday to remove eight individuals who were elected as Trump delegates to the Republican National Convention (RNC) in the March 5 primary election in Tennessee.

The convention, which will formally name Donald J. Trump as the Republican Party’s nominee for President in 2024, will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from July 15 to July 18.

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Amended Bill Blocking Incentives for ‘Countries of Concern’ Heads to Tennessee Senate

The Center Square
Ed Jackson

A Tennessee bill banning incentives for companies from countries of concern advanced in Senate committee after another costly part of the bill was removed.

Senate Bill 2426 previously banned tax credits for companies already receiving credits that are from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela or Syria, along with adding tax credits for research and development from energy and tech companies.

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Metro Nashville Councilwoman Courtney Johnston Announces Primary Challenge to MAGA Rep. Andy Ogles in TN-5

Tom Pappert
Courtney Johnston Congressman Andy Ogles

Metro Nashville Councilwoman Courtney Johnston on Friday officially announced her primary challenge to Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).

In a statement emailed to Tennessee media, Johnston declared, “I’m running for Congress because I believe in public service and in just a few short years on the Metro Council, I’ve been able to deliver real results.”

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Treasurer of Tennessee Dark Money Super PAC Founded by Pro-Abortion Democrat Is Never Trumper Who Donated to Nikki Haley Presidential Campaign

Tom Pappert
James Seabury

The treasurer for The Best of Tennessee Action Fund, part of the “Lincoln Project of Tennessee” announced on Wednesday, recently made two $1,000 donations to the presidential campaign of Nikki Haley, the former Ambassador to the United Nations who reportedly courted Democrats in her ill-fated primary campaign against former President Donald Trump.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC) records indicate James Seabury III is the treasurer for The Best of Tennessee’s super PAC, which it calls the Action Fund.

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Biden DOJ Convicts ‘J6 Praying Grandma’ Rebecca Lavrenz, 71, Who Faces Year in Prison

Tom Pappert
Rebecca Lavrenz

The Biden Department of Justice successfully convicted 71-year-old January 6 defendant Rebecca Lavrenz on Thursday. Known as the “J6 Praying Grandma,” the great grandmother now faces up to a year in prison and a serious fine.

Lavrenz, who owns and operates a Colorado bed and breakfast, was convicted by a Washington, D.C. jury after almost 26 hours of deliberation, The Gazette reported.

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Metro Councilman Jeff Eslick: Some Council Members Try to Shame Opponents of Far Left Resolutions

Kaitlin Housler
Jeff Eslick

Metro Nashville Council Member Jeff Eslick detailed how the council has recently taken up resolutions surrounding statewide issues and how some members request that a hand vote be recorded as a “shaming move” against members who oppose the resolutions.

In addition to activists taking advantage of the public comment period during Metro Council meetings to speak on the current situation in the Middle East between Israeli and Hamas forces, Eslick said the council has taken up three different types of resolutions that “condemn or express disappointment with the state” in recent weeks.

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Ford Delays Production of New Electric Truck to Be Manufactured at BlueOval City

Kaitlin Housler

Ford announced Thursday that it is delaying the rollout of two new all-electric vehicle models. Once the facility is operational, one of them will be manufactured at BlueOval City at the Memphis Regional Megasite in West Tennessee.

The company said it plans to begin customer deliveries of its new all-electric pickup truck model made at BlueOval City in 2026 – one year after the original anticipated delivery date.

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Bureau of Prisons Denies Transfer of Unjustly Imprisoned J6 Defendant Stewart Parks to Minimum Security Camp

Tom Pappert
Stewart Parks Memphis

Unjustly convicted and imprisoned January 6 defendant Stewart Parks told The Tennessee Star on Monday that his request to transfer to the minimum security satellite camp at FCI Memphis was denied despite intervention by Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) and his congressional colleagues.

Parks called Michael Patrick Leahy, the editor-in-chief of The Star, and were able to share a brief conversation Thursday morning before the phone system at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Memphis automatically disconnected the call after just five minutes.

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Teachers Could Carry Firearms Under Proposed Legislation Set for Tennessee Senate Vote

Tom Pappert
Teacher Gun

Tennessee teachers could soon be allowed to carry firearms while on school property. The State Senate is poised to vote on legislation allowing faculty and staff to carry concealed weapons if they are licensed, trained, and undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Tuesday to advance SB 1325, which would authorize school faculty or staff members “to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds subject to certain conditions, including obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit and completing annual training.”

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Domestic Violence Offender Registry Bill Moving Through Tennessee House

Peter D'Abrosca
Sabi Kumar Talking

A bill that would create a domestic violence offender registry is moving through the Tennessee House of Representatives. 

“This bill creates within the Tennessee bureau of Investigation (TBI) a registry of persons who have been convicted of the offense of domestic assault. The TBI must maintain this registry based upon information supplied to TBI by the court clerks pursuant to this bill, and information available to the TBI from the department of correction and local law enforcement agencies. The TBI must make the registry available for public inquiry on the internet,” according to the summary of HB 2898.

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Vanderbilt Confirms It is Considering Building New Campus in Florida

Peter D'Abrosca
Stephen Ross Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt University confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Wednesday that it is considering building a new campus in Florida.

“We are assessing an opportunity to expand Vanderbilt graduate programs in business and computing in South Florida,” Vanderbilt’s Senior Media Relations Specialist Julia Jordan told The Star. “We will share details as they become available.”

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Democrat Maryam Abolfazli Launches Bid for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District

Kaitlin Housler
Maryam Abolfazli

Maryam Abolfazli, founder of the nonprofit group Rise and Shine Tennessee, launched a bid for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District on Wednesday.

“I refuse to sit back while our fundamental values and freedoms are under threat. That’s why I’m stepping up to put an end to the extremism that’s harming our state and country,” Abolfazli, a Democrat, wrote in a social media post announcing her campaign.

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Steve Bannon Calls Out Leftist Author Jim Wallis for Infusing the New Testament with Social Justice Politics by Pointedly Ignoring the Gospel of Mark

Kaitlin Housler
Jesus Two Dads Poster

Matt Giffin, a reporter at The Tennessee Star, and Michael Patrick Leahy, editor-in-chief and CEO of The Star, discussed a recent segment from Steve Bannon’s War Room where host Bannon explained how leftist Christians deceptively cherry-pick elements from the Gospel to push a socialist agenda.

Bannon specifically used Jim Wallis, founder of the non-profit, faith-based organization Sojourners and author of The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Re-founding Democracy, as an example of those using selective elements from the Gospel to paint Jesus as a social justice warrior.

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Democrat Pro-Abortion Lawyer and Fundraiser Kim Kaegi Form ‘Lincoln Project of Tennessee’ Style Super PAC Ahead of ‘Moderate’ Courtney Johnston’s GOP Primary Challenge to MAGA Rep. Andy Ogles in TN-5

Tom Pappert
Courtney Johnston, Chloe Akers

A pro-abortion lawyer based in Knoxville has joined forces with Tennessee political fundraiser Kim Kaegi to form three strategically intertwined organizations – a 501 (c) (4) nonprofit, a political action committee (PAC), and a super PAC, a Wednesday report reveals.

The PACs and nonprofit will be called The Best of Tennessee, and the political wing of the operation will focus on “pro-choice” messaging to elect moderate candidates, according to The Tennessean.

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Nashville Restaurant Where Shooter Killed One, Injured Several on Easter Closed Until Further Notice

Kaitlin Housler
Roasted Store

Roasted, the restaurant in the Salemtown neighborhood of Nashville where a gunman opened fire on Easter Sunday, killing one and injuring multiple others, announced Tuesday it is closed until further notice in the wake of the incident.

“As our team continues to process and heal we will be closed until further notice. We appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers for everyone involved in this tragic incident,” the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

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Tennessee Pornographic Website Age-Verification Bill Shifts Enforcement to AG

The Center Square
Kid on Phone

A bill that would require adult pornographic websites to verify the age of those viewing the website in Tennessee advanced in the Senate on Tuesday after a change to lower the costs of its implementation.

Senate Bill 1792 initially had a fiscal note saying it would cost the state more than $4 million in the first year and then $2 million each year after that.

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