TN AG Pushes Back on Unlawful DEI Federal Regulation
On Monday, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led 24 states in warning the Department of Labor (DOL) that its proposed rule to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the National Apprenticeship System exceeds congressional authority, illegally promotes racial-discrimination, and is antithetical to the American ideal of equality. “Americans fought for generations to ensure that […]
Tennessee State Parks Host Free Guided Spring Hikes
Tennessee State Parks will host Spring Hikes on Saturday, March 23, the second of the parks’ Signature Hikes series throughout this year. The Spring Hikes are free and guided by park staff, who can highlight the natural, cultural, and historical features of the parks. A full schedule of the Spring Hikes at specific parks is available […]
Behavioral Health Scholarship Program Opens for Applications
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is excited to announce that applications are open for a new, multi-million dollar behavioral health scholarship program. The Tennessee Behavioral Health Pathways Scholarship is designed to support the next generation of professionals working in mental health and substance use treatment careers as they earn […]
Rising Use of Antidepressants Among Young People Accelerated During and After Pandemic, Driven by Teenaged Girls and Women
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, antidepressant use was rising among adolescents and young adults. New research shows this rise not only continued but began to accelerate through and after the COVID pandemic, according to “Antidepressant Dispensing to U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults: 2016-2022,” in the March 2024 Pediatrics (available online Feb. 26). […]
American Academy of Pediatrics Offers Health and Safety Tips on How to Keep the Fun in Sports
While it’s exciting to watch your child excel in single sport and devote time to it, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages all parents and families to take a commonsense approach when it comes to sports training. These days, it’s less common to see kids outside playing pick-up games or racing each other to see […]
On Gratitude and Vouchers – Letter To The Editor by Troy Pulliam, President, Jefferson County Education Association
On Gratitude and Vouchers I am grateful for 26 years of teaching at Jefferson County High School and am especially grateful for the students, families, fellow educators, and the experience of educating and caring for three generations of young people. I am humbled to know that I had a very small part in making Jefferson […]
TN AG Skrmetti Issues Statement Raising Concerns Over Maine’s Proposed Legislative Assault on Federalism
On Monday, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led 16 state Attorneys General in raising concerns over proposed legislation in Maine that would interfere with other states enforcing their state laws restricting childhood gender transition if those laws differed from Maine law. “We have enough disagreement in America these days without state governments reaching outside their borders […]
CPI for all items rose 0.4% in February; gasoline and shelter up
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.3 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.2 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose in February, […]
TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT ABOLISHES COURT RULE REQUIRING CORROBORATION OF ACCOMPLICE TESTIMONY
The Tennessee Supreme Court has abolished a common law rule that required testimony of a criminal defendant’s accomplice to be supported by other evidence. The Court’s opinion abolished the accomplice-corroboration rule prospectively, which means only in future cases. As part of that decision, the Court upheld the first-degree premeditated murder convictions of Mr. Tony Thomas, […]
Payroll employment rises by 275,000 in February; unemployment rate increases to 3.9%
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 275,000 in February, and the unemployment rate increased to 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, in government, in food services and drinking places, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing. This news release presents statistics from two monthly […]
VITAL POLICY – Opinion – Consequences of Unchecked and Unlawful Immigration, Rally Scheduled at Tennessee Capitol
If I set out on a pilgrimage to leave the United States and move to another nation, I would learn to speak the language of that nation and abide by the laws of their government set forth for legal immigration. My goal would be to contribute and become a productive member of their society by […]
Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, introduce the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act
House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, and Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, and have introduced legislation that explicitly lays out 12 fundamental rights of parents in Tennessee law. The Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, House Bill 2936/ Senate Bill 2749, protects parents’ fundamental rights and responsibilities to make education, health care, moral and religious […]
State of Tennessee: Carson-Newman “exceeds expectations” in latest Board of Education report
Carson-Newman University’s Education Department received news worth celebrating courtesy of the State of Tennessee. The Board of Education released its annual Educator Preparation Report Card this month. The report noted that Carson-Newman, along with nine other programs, in the state is considered to “exceed expectations.” Dr. Kim Hawkins, dean of Carson-Newman’s School of Education and […]
Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs Notifies Public of New Law Impacting Recording of Service Contracts
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) would like to notify the public of a new law impacting the recording of service contracts with a Register of Deeds. This new law prohibits the recording of service agreements and makes a service contract void and unenforceable if the agreement: Purports to run with […]
Pothole Repairs Update
Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) crews are working around the clock repairing potholes along interstates and state routes caused by last month’s record winter storm which dumped more snow in 24 hours than we normally see in an entire winter. The statewide effort is using all available resources, including contract crews, to repair the damaged areas […]
Updates Needed to Measure Judicial Caseloads in Tennessee
A new report shows updates are needed to produce the study state lawmakers consult when allocating resources across Tennessee’s 32 judicial districts. The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office is required by law to complete a weighted caseload study to understand how criminal and civil cases impact district attorneys (DAs), public defenders (PDs), and trial court judges each […]
