58 Million Nonsmokers in US Are Still Exposed to Secondhand Smoke
Although secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in the United States dropped by half between 1999 to 2000 and 2011 to 2012, one in four nonsmokers — 58 million people — are still exposed to SHS, according to a new Vital Signs (http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/tobacco/) report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from the National Health […]
Punxsutawney Phil Spooked Once More
February 2 marks Groundhog Day 2015, a celebrated folk holiday where the trend of the remaining days of winter is predicted by the holiday’s revered mascot, Punxsutawney Phil, the resident groundhog of Punxsutawney, Pa. Groundhog Day has been celebrated for over 170 years, with the first recorded instance of celebration occurring in Morgantown, Pennsylvania on […]
Budget Chairman Scarlett Addresses County Debt Issues
Recent actions by the Jefferson County Commission, as well as the fast approaching budget season, have brought serious questions to the forefront regarding the financial situation in Jefferson County. John Neal Scarlett is serving his second stint as Jefferson County Budget Committee Chairman (two years during his previous term) and will be leading the Committee […]
Jefferson County Chamber – Helton at the Helm
The new CEO of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is a familiar face in Jefferson County government. Darrell Helton took the helm of the Chamber on January 2, 2015, after nearly four years in service as the Finance Director of Jefferson County. When ask what motivated him to make the move, Helton said that […]
State Representative Jeremy Faison Introduces Bill to Decriminalize Cannabis Oil
State Representative Jeremy Faison (R–Cosby) officially filed House Bill 197 today in Nashville, a piece of legislation designed to decriminalize the possession of cannabis oil in Tennessee for the purpose of treating children who suffer from intractable, life-threatening seizures. The motivation behind filing House Bill 197 by Representative Faison occurred after learning of the plight […]
Corker Statement on Senate Passage of Keystone XL Pipeline Legislation
U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after voting for S.1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, which passed the Senate by a vote of 62 to 36. First proposed more than six years ago, the pipeline would have the capacity to transport more than 800,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada […]
Corker Cosponsors Bill to Prevent IRS Political Targeting
U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) this week cosponsored S.283, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2015. The bill, introduced by Senators Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) in the Senate and Representatives Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) in the House of Representatives, would prohibit the Internal Revenue […]
The Post Turns 4
Happy Birthday to the Jefferson County Post! We turn four today! The Post launched on January 31, 2011 and we have certainly changed since that launch issue. Our look is different but we have the same commitment to bringing fast, accurate news to the area that was the motivation for that very first issue. We […]
83% of TN Consumers Who Signed Up For Health Insurance Through Marketplace Get Financial Assistance, Lower Premiums
83 percent of Tennessee consumers who signed up for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace are getting financial assistance to lower monthly premiums. As the Feb. 15 deadline approaches, HHS encourages consumers to enroll in a quality, affordable coverage through the Marketplace As the Feb. 15 deadline to sign up approaches, HHS is encouraging Tennessee consumers to check out […]
Applications Now Available for Industrial Hemp Production
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications from farmers and producers interested in growing industrial hemp. In 2013, the Tennessee General Assembly enacted Public Chapter 916 tasking the department with development of a licensing and inspection program for the production of industrial hemp in Tennessee. As provided in Sec. 7606 of the 2014 […]
American Academy of Pediatrics Urges Parents to Vaccinate Children to Protect Against Measles
A measles outbreak that began at Disneyland in California – and has grown to more than 50 confirmed cases in multiple states – is a stark reminder of our nation’s responsibility to protect our most vulnerable citizens. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its 62,000 member pediatricians urges parents, schools and communities to commit […]
NIH Study Reveals Many Americans At Risk For Alcohol-Medication Interactions
Nearly 42 percent of U.S. adults who drink also report using medications known to interact with alcohol, based on a study from the National Institutes of Health released today. Among those over 65 years of age who drink alcohol, nearly 78 percent report using alcohol-interactive medications. Such medications are widely used, prescribed for common conditions […]
Asteroid to Fly By Earth Safely on January 26, 2015
An asteroid, designated 2004 BL86, will safely pass about three times the distance of Earth to the moon on January 26. From its reflected brightness, astronomers estimate that the asteroid is about a third of a mile (0.5 kilometers) in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known space rock […]
School Board Meets – Bradley & Jarnigan Appointed To Building Oversight Committee
The Jefferson County School Board met for their first meeting of 2015 on Thursday, January 22nd, in the Patriot Academy. Chairman of the Board Jarnigan called the meeting to order. Absent from Roll Call were Board Members Rogers and Lowery. Director’s Gallery Art Winners for the first nine weeks were recognized. Jefferson Elementary School third […]
Widow Of Inmate Files Suit Against Jefferson County
A lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern Division of Tennessee at Knoxville regarding the death of Jeffrey Free, an inmate in the Jefferson County Jail. Donna Free, the wife of Jeffrey Free and the executor of his estate, is named as the Plaintiff, with the Defendants being Jefferson County […]
Jefferson County Republican Party Holds Mass Meeting
The Grand Old Party held their annual local convention on Saturday morning, January 24, 2015 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. State Representatives, Senator Frank Niceley, Representative Andrew Farmer and Representative Jeremy Faison were in attendance, as well as several local elected officials. Chancellor Telford Forgety offered the invocation and sitting Chairwoman Paula Gibson led […]
