TDOT Announces No Lane Closures for Labor Day Holiday
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will halt all lane closure activity on interstates and state routes for the Labor Day holiday travel period. Construction crews will stop all lane closure activity at noon on Friday, August 29, until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 2. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for motorists traveling during the Labor Day […]
TDOE & TERA Release 2025 Tennessee Educator Survey Results
The Tennessee Department of Education and Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) at Vanderbilt University released key findings and responses from the 2025 Tennessee Educator Survey. “The Tennessee Educator Survey is an important tool that helps us understand what teachers are experiencing in and outside their classrooms every day,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “I’m grateful to […]
East Tennessee Construction Report for July 31 to August 6, 2025
ANDERSON COUNTY, I-75 North near Mile Marker 128.2: On Wednesday, August 6, 2025, motorists should be alert for possible temporary lane closures between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning as crews perform guardrail repairs. Motorists should be alert for workers present, slow or stopped traffic, and use extreme caution through this […]
GOP Chairman Jeremy Faison encourages Tennesseans to take advantage of sales tax holiday
House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, is encouraging citizens to take advantage of Tennessee’s upcoming sales tax holiday. The state’s annual back-to-school tax-free weekend, designated by the Tennessee General Assembly, begins Friday, July 25 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, July 27 at 11: 59 p.m. “The Volunteer State leads the nation in fiscal stability, conservative governance and […]
TWRA and ABR Reach New Partnership Agreement
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) have reached a new partnership agreement for black bear rehabilitation in Tennessee. During the course of 2023 and 2024, the presence of pneumonia raised initial concerns about the health of bears being housed at ABR. After a difficult decision in December 2024 to […]
Office of Evidence and Impact Releases Updated Education to Employment Dashboard
The Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration’s Office of Evidence and Impact (OEI) has released an updated dashboard illustrating Tennessee students’ educational achievement and employment outcomes. “OEI works with state departments to support their efforts to make evidence and data-driven decisions,” said Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson. “This updated dashboard represents the […]
TDEC’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Announces $22 Million in Parks and Recreation Grants
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Office of Outdoor Recreation today announced $22,059,191 in grants from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program, the Tennessee Recreation Initiative Program (TRIP), and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) for 31 communities across the state. The LPRF program provides state funding to match local government investments for […]
Secretary Hargett, Tennessee Hospital Association, & Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association Remind Parents to Use Free ‘Baby in the Back’ Hangtag Program
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the Tennessee Hospital Association, and the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association today reminded parents to use the free ‘Baby in the Back’ car hangtag program during the summer months to help reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths in children. Since its launch, almost 600,000 Tennesseans have requested these free car hangtags. They […]
Tennessee Reports Sharp Decline in July 4th Holiday Traffic Fatalities
Preliminary figures from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) show a significant drop in traffic fatalities across the state during the 2025 Independence Day holiday period. Four people were killed in crashes, compared to 18 during the same time frame in 2024. The holiday enforcement period ran from 6 p.m. Thursday, July 3, through 5:59 a.m. […]
TDOE Announces Year-Over-Year Improvement Across All Subject Areas
Tennessee Department of Education released the 2024-25 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) state and district-level results, which include both fall 2024 end-of-course (EOC) exams and spring 2025 exams in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies. Together, teachers, administrators, families, and elected officials continue to use practices and programs proven to support students. […]
Tennessee Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at 3.5%
Tennessee’s unemployment rate held steady last month at 3.5% and continues to track well below the national rate, according to the latest data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May was unchanged from the previous month. A year ago, it was 3.2%. Tennessee’s unemployment […]
Tennessee Attorney General Joins Bipartisan Coalition of 51 AGs to Protect Veterans’ Education Benefits
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general in filing a Virginia-led amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, standing with military veterans and their families to ensure they receive full G.I. Bill education benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). “America’s veterans […]
TWRA WITHDRAWS LICENSE FEE INCREASE – LEGISLATURE COMMITS TO ALTERNATIVE FUNDING
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) appeared before the Joint Government Operations Committee June 18, 2025 to present the license fee increase previously approved by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (TFWC). After hearing numerous verbal commitments from members of the committee to seek alternative funding for wildlife conservation, TWRA Executive Director Jason Maxedon decided […]
THEC Releases 2025 Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book Highlighting Enrollment Gains and Improved Student Success
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is pleased to announce the release of the 2025 Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book, featuring notable gains in student enrollment and retention across the state’s public postsecondary institutions. Enrollment in credit-bearing courses at Tennessee’s public community colleges and universities increased by 2.3% in fall 2024 compared to fall 2023, […]
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and Tennessee Highway Patrol Warn of “Outstanding Traffic Ticket” Scam
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) are warning Tennesseans about a new scam involving text messages that say they come from the Tennessee Department of Vehicles (DMV). The scam messages claim the recipient has outstanding traffic ticket fines and threatens that their vehicle registration and driving […]
Payroll employment increases by 139,000 in May; unemployment rate unchanged at 4.2%
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 139,000 in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in health care, leisure and hospitality, and social assistance. Federal government continued to lose jobs. This news release presents statistics from two monthly surveys. […]
