Former Corrections Officer Indicted, Accused of Official Misconduct
An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment of a former Cocke County corrections officer accused of conspiring to harm an inmate. On December 9th, at the request of 4th District Attorney General James Dunn, TBI special agents began investigating allegations involving Joseph Tyree (DOB 6/13/97). During […]
District Attorney General James “Jimmy” B. Dunn Announces Candidacy For Re-election as District Attorney General
District Attorney General James “Jimmy” B. Dunn announced Wednesday, June 23rd, outside the Jefferson County Courthouse that he will be running for another term to serve the Fourth Judicial District that includes Jefferson, Cocke, Grainger, and Sevier Counties. Dunn is focused on victims’ rights. He received a victim witness coordinator for Jefferson County through a federal grant […]
Tennessee National Guard aircrew rescue bear attack victim
A Tennessee Army National Guard medical flight crew responded to an emergency air evacuation mission after a camper was attacked and injured by a bear while sleeping in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park area, June 18. Shortly before 7 a.m., the Tennessee Military Department and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency were notified of a camper […]
Unemployment Steady as the Economy Continues Rebounding
Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate held steady at 5% between April and May 2021, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). While Tennessee’s unemployment rate did not change in the month-to-month comparison, it was 4.6 percentage points lower than the May 2020 rate. At that time, many of the […]
New position statement declares that sleep is essential to health
A new position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine emphasizes that sleep is a biological necessity, and insufficient sleep and untreated sleep disorders are detrimental for health, well-being, and public safety. Published online in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the statement notes that sleep is vital for health and well-being in children, adolescents, and […]
Blaming the pandemic for stress leaves couples happier
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit during the winter of 2020, locking down entire countries and leaving people isolated in their homes without outside contact for weeks at a time, many relationship experts wondered what that kind of stress would do to romantic couples. What they found was that when couples blamed the pandemic for their […]
NASA helps map impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on harmful air pollution
Early in the pandemic, it was expected that satellite imagery around the world would show cleaner air as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns. But not all pollutants were taken out of circulation. For tiny airborne-particle pollution, known as PM 2.5, researchers using NASA data found that variability from meteorology obscured the lockdown signals when observed […]
Undeclared Allergen Prompts Cookie Recall – Simple Truth Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Cookies, tested positive for the presence of dairy in Sevierville Kroger
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Consumer and Industry Services Division (CIS) is alerting consumers to a recall of chocolate chip cookies. An undeclared allergen was discovered during routine sampling and testing of food products at a Kroger store in Sevierville, Tenn. The product, Simple Truth Plant-Based Chocolate Chip Cookies, tested positive for the presence of […]
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 […]
