TDCI: UnitedHealthcare Announces Withdrawal from FFM
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is notifying consumers that UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company will no longer offer coverage to Tennessee consumers through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM). The company recently notified the Department about its intent. Today, the company said they plan to only offer coverage in a handful of states next year. […]
EDOC, White Pine School, Commission Policy – Topics Of Quarterly Meeting
The Jefferson County Commission met for their Quarterly Voting Session on Monday, April 18, 2016 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The meeting was Called to Order by Commission Chairman Carmichael. All members were present for Roll Call. Minutes from the March 17th meeting were Approved with a Motion from Commissioner Scarlett and 2nd from […]
Representative Jeremy Faison To Run For Re-election
Six years ago, the good people of Cocke, Jefferson, and Greene Counties sent me to Nashville to speak on their behalf-something I consider one of the greatest honors of my life. I have had the privilege of listening to your concerns, your needs, and the issues which you are most passionate about. Meeting so many […]
State Representative Jeremy Faison Passes Legislation to Help Citizens Wrongly Convicted of Violent Crimes
The Tennessee House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed legislation sponsored by State Representative Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) that would help ensure innocent individuals are not wrongly put to death for crimes they did not commit. House Bill 2377 requires law enforcement officials to hold on to biological evidence collected for cases in which the defendant is […]
Greenness Around Homes Linked to Lower Mortality
Women live longer in areas with more green vegetation, according to new research funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Women with the highest levels of vegetation, or greenness, near their homes had a 12 percent lower death rate compared to women with the lowest […]
State Board Approves New Tennessee Math and English Language Arts Standards
Today, the State Board of Education voted unanimously on final reading to approve new, Tennessee-specific academic standards for Mathematics and English language arts. A multi-year public review culminated in a six month rigorous revision process led by the Standards Recommendation Committee (SRC), whose members were appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the […]
Budget Committee Faces $2.3 Million Deficit As Department Requests Roll In
The numbers are in and the Jefferson County Budget Committee got its first look at funding requests for the 2016/17 fiscal year, on Tuesday evening. Uncontrolled expenses, such as recent salary increases for County employees and costs associated with benefits, coupled with departmental “additional needs”, which includes everything from vehicles to additional employees and equipment, […]
Agenda Still Point of Contention with Comission
Agenda format was, again, a topic of discussion as the Jefferson County Commission met for their Quarterly Work Session on Monday evening. Though in March the Commission voted 18-1 to add language to their rules that would require a vote of the full body to remove an item from their agenda outline, the agenda issue […]
UT Professor & Kentucky Business Woman Found Dead In Hot Tub In Gatlinburg
A University of Tennessee Professor and Kentucky Business Woman were found dead in a hot tub early Saturday morning in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Jon Levin, who taught in the Department of Physics and Astronomy for the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and Myra Smith-Findell of Corbin were discovered at Gatlinburg Falls Resort, 820 Resort Way in Gatlinburg, […]
Stargazing Party at Cades Cove
Around two hundred people gathered in a field in Cades Cove to gaze in to the heavens. The National Park Service, along with the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society, hosted a star gazing event. “Ranger Mike” Maslona greeted visitors, explaining how The Cove was a “giant cereal bowl and we are the Rice Crispies,” pointing out […]
Saturday Night Riot At Mountain View Has Citizens Concerned
Local Police converged on Mountain View Youth Development Facility in Dandridge to regain control of a rioting student inmate population. According to information provided by Dandridge Police Chief, Carson Williams, a call came in for assistance at Mountain View around 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 9, 2016. Chief Williams stated that the information indicated that […]
TDCI Securities Division Warns Tennesseans of Pension Scams
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Securities Division reminds Tennesseans to be cautious if approached with an offer that targets their pension plan. A pension is a type of retirement plan, usually tax-exempt, in which an employee makes contributions toward a pool of funds set aside for an employee’s future benefit. The pool […]
County Complex Dies In Committee
In a 2-3 vote, the Jefferson County Facilities Committee declined to proceed with a proposed County Complex that would see the County government offices moved from their current location in downtown Dandridge. Following discussion on the proposed County Complex, Committee Member David Gaut offered a motion to proceed with the concept of a County Complex, […]
Commissioner Seal Speaks Out On Building New County Complex & EDOC / Chamber Cost Effectiveness
Commissioner David Seal, District 9 writes: Two current issues come to mind that I consider newsworthy with respect to Jefferson County Government, one is the Facilities Committee Meeting this Thursday at 10:30 AM. The other is the CHAMBER/EDOC issue of cost-effectiveness. Both of these issues raise important questions for county residents and elected officials. County […]
Tennessee Guard Helicopter Proves Key Factor in Mountain Rescue
The type of medical helicopter that normally flies into Knoxville’s Ft. Sanders Regional Hospital heliport is a UT Lifestar bird, but yesterday the heliport was reminiscent of a scene from MASH. A HH-60 Blackhawk assigned to the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 1-169 Medevac unit landed at Fort Sander’s after rescuing a 66 year old man […]
