Gov. Bill Lee Issues First Executive Order to Address Accelerated Transformation of Rural Areas
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued his first executive order, requiring all state executive departments to issue a statement of rural impact and provide recommendations for better serving rural Tennessee. “My administration will place a high emphasis on the development and success of our rural areas,” said Lee. “Our first executive order sends a clear message […]
Jefferson County Woman Charged with TennCare Fraud
A Jefferson County woman is charged with TennCare fraud for falsely reporting her income in order to obtain healthcare insurance benefits through the state program. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) with the assistance of the Jefferson City Police Department today announced the arrest of Consuelo Morales, 44, of Jefferson City. A Jefferson County Grand Jury charged Morales […]
Commission Meets For First Vote Of 2019
The Jefferson County Commission met for their first voting meeting of the new year on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The meeting was called to order by Commission Chair, Jefferson County Mayor Mark Potts. All Commissioners were in attendance. Following the approval of the agenda and minutes, the Commission heard […]
School Board To Address Insurance On Fair Property
The Jefferson County School Board met for a Work Session and voting meeting on Thursday evening at the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. Absent from the meeting was Board Member Bradley. Several interest groups from various schools were recognized at the beginning of the voting meeting. Jefferson County Mayor Mark Potts was on hand to present […]
Tennessee Reconnect Continues Extraordinary Success
When Republican leaders created Tennessee Reconnect in 2017, an estimated 7,000 adults were expected to benefit from this groundbreaking education initiative. New numbers recently released by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) indicate that Reconnect has greatly exceeded those early expectations. Through Jan. 15, more than 38,000 Tennesseans have already applied for the Reconnect Grant, […]
111th General Assembly Honors Martin Luther King, Pledges To Fight Racism
House Republicans formally honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life with a resolution noting all he did to bring us together. The measure also pledges to fight racism of all types in Tennessee. Members of the House leadership team introduced the measure during Wednesday morning’s session in the House chamber. It was later passed unanimously […]
Sen. Niceley Appointed to Leadership of Two Key Senate Committees
State Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) has been appointed to the leadership of two key committees in the Tennessee Senate. Niceley will serve as 1st Vice-Chairman of the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and 2nd Vice-Chairman of the Transportation and Safety Committee. The appointments were made by Lt. Governor Randy McNally during the General Assembly’s 2019 […]
Speaker Casada Names Representative Farmer Chairman of House Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada (R-Thompson’s Station) has named State Representative Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville)Chairman of the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. The 7-member subcommittee will be responsible for all matters and legislation related to criminal law. “Chairman Farmer has a remarkable record of legislative excellence during his time serving his community as a member of our General Assembly,” […]
Heating Woes Leaves Students Shivering
The return of frigid temperatures to the area has brought more than inconvenience to students and staff at the Patriot Academy. For several days, they have struggled with working in a space that has ranged from uncomfortable to cold due to heating issues at the Patriot Academy. With multiple classrooms without heat, administrators have moved […]
Number of Federal Unemployment Claims Doubles in Ten Days
The number of federal employees applying for Tennessee unemployment insurance benefits has more than doubled during the last 10 days as the partial shutdown of the United States government moves into its fourth week. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s (TDLWD) Unemployment Security Division processed 400 claims for federal employees from the day […]
Over 50 Percent of Tennessee Public High School Seniors Raise Score on ACT Senior Retake
Interim Commissioner Dr. Lyle Ailshie announced today that 76.1 percent of the state’s public high school class of 2019—53,478 students—participated in the department’s third ACT Senior Retake opportunity in October 2018, the state’s highest participation rate on record. Of those seniors who retook the ACT in 2018, more than 50 percent increased their composite score […]
Tennessee Unemployment Holds Steady During December
New data released Thursday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips showed Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate held steady during the final month of 2018. The seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for December 2018 was 3.6 percent, which mirrored the rate from the previous month. “Tennessee’s unemployment […]
AG Slatery Joins $1.5M Settlement with Neiman Marcus Over 2013 Data Breach
The Neiman Marcus Group LLC has agreed to pay $1.5 million and implement policies to resolve an investigation with 43 states and the District of Columbia into the 2013 breach of customer payment card data at 77 Neiman Marcus stores in the United States. In January 2014, Neiman Marcus disclosed that payment card data collected […]
Farmers Offered New Cost Share Opportunity for Certification Program
Tennessee farmers looking to expand their markets and increase food safety by becoming Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified now have the opportunity to receive financial assistance from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). GAP certification allows producers to sell directly to more businesses and institutions with stringent food safety requirements, such as grocery stores or […]
By the Numbers: JCHS Report Card Shows Improvement Needed in Academic Achievement and School Climate
Just prior to Christmas Break, the Tn Department of Education rolled out its’ 2017/2018 District/School Report Card complete with a new, easier to read system of scoring schools and districts. The new report card follows much the same system as student report cards. The various areas of scoring are done on a scale of 0-4 […]
State Rep. Jeremy Faison Urges A New Approach To Criminal Justice Reform: Restorative Justice
“Buzz Words” are thrown around during campaign season by passionate politicians to emphasize their platform and to bolster support. Criminal Justice Reform (CJR) is one of these “buzz words.” From conservative groups such as the Beacon Center to liberal groups such as the ACLU, public support for CJR is on the rise. President Trump, Nancy […]
