FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Oct. 4
FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) tomorrow, Oct. 4. The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The WEA portion of the test […]
Rep. Diana Harshbarger Holds Third Annual Military Service Academy Day
Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger held her third annual Military Service Academy Day for prospective students and their families in Tennessee’s First District who are interested in pursuing educational opportunities available at the United States Service Academies. Held at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education, the following representatives from our nation’s elite military academies attended the event […]
Annual Dandridge Scots-Irish Festival
The Annual Dandridge Scots-Irish Festival came to the streets of Historic Downtown Dandridge, Saturday, September 30, 2023. The annual festival is a highly anticipated event that celebrates the heritage of Scots-Irish settlers in the area. Traditional music, food, and dance are always a part of the festival as is the parade of Pipe and Drums. […]
HOPE Scholarship Program Provides Record Amount of Student Support
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has completed an overview of the HOPE Scholarship Program. In 2003, the General Assembly created the HOPE Scholarship program to provide lottery-funded financial aid to offset the cost of postsecondary education. Tennessee’s students began to benefit from this financial aid in the fall of 2004. […]
Tennessee Attorney General Again Pushes Back on Federal Government’s Campaign to Dictate Household Appliances
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has again filed a public comment opposing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) latest rule to set new efficiency standards for consumer water heaters. The proposed standards risk driving cost-effective models off the market and further straining the energy grid. General Skrmetti’s public comment highlights the legal flaws with DOE’s proposal […]
It’s Not Too Early to Talk Turkey
Even though Thanksgiving is eight weeks away, now is the time to order local meats for your holiday table. “Locally raised turkeys for Thanksgiving tables is a tradition,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “Buying directly from producers means you’re getting the freshest meat and increasing income for a local business.” Many farmers take reservations […]
AP Access for ALL Enters Third Year of Supporting Thousands of Tennessee Students
Tennessee Department of Education, in partnership with the Niswonger Foundation, highlighted the 2023 AP Access for ALL Annual Impact Report as the AP Access for ALL (APAA) program enters the third year of providing free, online advanced placement (AP) classes to Tennessee high school students. More than 2,200 students signed up to take APAA courses this fall, an increase […]
Tennessee Higher Education Commission Announces Fall 2023 College Enrollment Data
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today released the latest student enrollment data for the fall 2023 semester, indicating that 214,476 students across the state enrolled at community colleges and public universities for fall 2023. This represents an increase of 4,528 students, which is a 2.2% increase compared with fall 2022. “More and more Tennesseans […]
New City and County Demographic Info is at Your Fingertips
he Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has created new resources that make it easier than ever to quickly view key demographic information about all 95 Tennessee counties, 342 cities, and 132 state legislative districts. The new Community Demographic Profiles can be viewed on the Comptroller’s Maps webpage. Each profile contains information regarding a specific community’s population, housing data, types […]
Tennessee Attorney General Responds to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Decision in L.W. v Skrmetti
This evening, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s preliminary injunction in L.W. v. Skrmetti. As a result, Tennessee’s law that protects children from irreversible gender-related medical interventions remains in effect. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti had this to say. “This is a big win for democracy. Decisions that are not clearly resolved by […]
CDC recommends new vaccine to help protect babies against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) illness after birth
The CDC recommended the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for pregnant people to protect their newborn from severe RSV illness. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization for U.S. infants. This new vaccine, Pfizer’s bivalent RSVpreF vaccine (trade name Abrysvo TM), has been shown to reduce the risk of RSV hospitalization for babies by 57 percent in the first […]
Adult Obesity Prevalence Remains High; Support for Prevention and Treatment Needed
New population data from 2022 show 22 states have an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%, compared to 19 states in 2021, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Just ten years ago, no state had an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%. The 2022 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps highlight […]
Jefferson County Official Faces DUI Charges in Bradley County
Jefferson County Mayor Mark Potts was arrested September 27, 2023 in Bradley County, Tennessee for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and one count of open container. According to information provided on the officer’s report, Potts had pulled his vehicle to the roadside and was sitting outside the vehicle when the officer approached. Potts informed […]
VITAL POLICY – Congressman Burchett Visits Jefferson County Business
During the August recess, Second District Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) took some time to visit small businesses in East Tennessee and Jefferson County. A recent stop was in Strawberry Plains at More than Plants, a local full-service nursery and landscaping supply business operated by County Commissioner Rob Blevins and family. Burchett has a reputation for […]
Jefferson County Champions Family-Centered Responses to the Overdose Crisis
Jefferson County, Tennessee, Mayor Mark Potts joined the National Association of Counties August 29-31 for a joint convening of county leaders from the Opioid Solutions Leadership Network and Prenatal-to-Three County Leaders Academy. The multidisciplinary gathering of experts from across county government explored cross-sector initiatives that focus on the unique needs of parents and children affected […]
Tennessee Department of Health is encouraging all Tennesseans not to wait to get their annual flu vaccinations
The Tennessee Department of Health is encouraging all Tennesseans not to wait to get their annual flu vaccinations as the best prevention against getting or spreading the flu virus. “The elderly, people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, and young children are all at risk of severe complications if they get the flu,’’ TDH Commissioner […]
