JUNE JUBILEE 2021 RETURNS TO JEFFERSON COUNTY THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 19
June Jubilee is coming to the streets of the Historic Town Square in downtown Dandridge on Saturday, June 19, 2021. The county’s largest and oldest street festival will kick off at 10 am Saturday morning with food, music and vendors galore! June Jubilee is a family friendly event and there is something for everyone to […]
Op-Ed from TN House of Representatives, Jeremy Faison – Tennessee banned racist and divisive concepts to protect students
Jeremy Faison: Tennessee banned racist and divisive concepts to protect students Your Tennessee General Assembly makes laws that protect the integrity of our state and defend those of us who are the most vulnerable. This time, the group in desperate need of defense is our children. A dangerous theory of thought is sweeping through our […]
Vital Policy – Tennessee Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in School Voucher (ESA) Case
When the Tennessee legislature enacted a school voucher pilot program in 2019, a lawsuit was immediately filed by Shelby County, the Nashville Metropolitan Government of Davidson County, and Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education asking the Chancery Court of Davidson County to declare ESAs unconstitutional, essentially an effort to stop the voucher program. The trial […]
VITAL POLICY – U.S. Supreme Court Rejects “Community Caretaking” Doctrine in Fourth Amendment Case, Tennessee Court to Address Warrantless Surveillance by TWRA
Two cases involving unreasonable search by government authorities have caught the attention of constitutional activists on a national scale. The first, decided unanimously in the U.S. Supreme Court, involves the entry into a private residence and the subsequent confiscation of firearms by law enforcement under the “community caretaking” doctrine. The second involves warrantless video surveillance […]
Comptroller Encourages Counties to Be Prepared for 2021 Redistricting
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason E. Mumpower is making sure Tennessee’s 95 counties are ready to take action on the required 2021 redistricting and reapportionment process. Every ten years, following the U.S. Census, Tennessee counties must redistrict and reapportion their legislative bodies to ensure they are meeting the one person, one vote principle of […]
State to Intervene in Federal Lawsuit Challenging TennCare Block Grant
Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit designed to challenge Tennessee’s Medicaid Block Grant waiver amendment. The Block Grant is the result of more than a year of discussions and negotiations with the federal government, input experts, providers, and stakeholders, and extensive planning by TennCare Officials. TennCare […]
April Unemployment Rate Highlights State’s Economic Recovery
Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate for April 2021 decreased by double digits when compared to data from the previous year. In April 2020, the state’s jobless rate reached a record high during the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tennessee’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted rate for April is 5%, according to data released from the Department […]
Wine Down This May for Tennessee’s Grape and Wine Appreciation Month
Home to Jack Daniel’s whiskey, seven genres of music, barbecue and hot chicken, Tennessee’s abundant and ever-growing grape and wine industry is often overlooked. Dating back to the 1800s, wine plays an important role in Tennessee’s tourism industry. With over 67 wineries, the wine industry employs over 400 people, provides memorable experiences and offers picturesque […]
School Board Votes To Send Un-Balanced Budget To Commission
The Jefferson County School Board will send a deficit budget to the Jefferson County Commission for approval for the fiscal year 2021-2022. School Board Member Jarnigan offered a motion to send the budget as presented, which was balanced, for budget committee and, ultimately, full commission approval. He was 2nd by School Board Member Bradley but […]
Amendment Riddled Special Called Meeting Ends In Pass To Worksession
Jefferson County Commissioners met this week in a Special Called Meeting to address a handful of general housekeeping items, as well as a time sensitive budget amendment for the Department of Education that addressed federal funds for an intensive summer program that is designed to catch students up that have fallen behind during the recent […]
Gov. Lee Pushes Return to Work, Economic Recovery – Ends All Federal Pandemic Unemployment Funding
Tuesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the end of all federally funded pandemic unemployment compensation programs in Tennessee, effective July 3. “We will no longer participate in federal pandemic unemployment programs because Tennesseans have access to more than 250,000 jobs in our state,” said Gov. Lee. “Families, businesses and our economy thrive when we focus […]
Petting therapy dogs enhances thinking skills of stressed college students
For college students under pressure, a dog may be the best stress fighter around. Programs exclusively focused on petting therapy dogs improved stressed-out students’ thinking and planning skills more effectively than programs that included traditional stress-management information, according to new Washington State University research. The study was published today in the journal AERA Open, a peer-reviewed […]
AG Slatery Leads Coalition Urging Facebook to Abandon Launch of Instagram Kids
Nashville- Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III is leading a coalition of 44 attorneys general urging Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13. “Facebook has a record of failing to protect the safety and privacy of children,” said General Slatery. “Let’s not take their […]
Mental Health Month Offers New Opportunity to be Open and Honest
Around the world and right here in Tennessee, we celebrate May as Mental Health Month. After the last year, the opportunity to pause, reflect, and evaluate our own mental health and that of the people in our lives has never been more important. “How are you doing today?” It’s a question we asked each other […]
