Payroll employment rises by 467,000 in January; unemployment rate changes little at 4.0%
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 467,000 in January, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment growth continued in leisure and hospitality, in professional and business services, in retail trade, and in transportation and warehousing. This news release presents statistics from two monthly […]
CDC Reports Increase in Human Rabies Cases Linked to Bats in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is raising awareness of the risks of rabies from bats in the U.S. after three people, including one child, died from rabies between late September and early November 2021. The three cases, described in the January 6, 2022, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, bring the total number of cases […]
TN Attorney General, Commerce & Insurance Join CFTC to Stop $68 Million Precious Metals Scheme
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office and the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) are participating in a consolidated enforcement action to stop a fraudulent precious metals scheme that resulted in solicitations exceeding $68 million from at least 450 investors nationwide. The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office- on behalf of the TDCI- joined the U.S. Commodity […]
Texas A&M study shows paternal alcohol use increases frequency of fetal development issues
Prenatal visits have traditionally focused almost exclusively on the behavior of mothers, but new research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) continues to suggest that science should be looking more closely at the fathers’ behavior as well. Dr. Michael Golding, an associate professor in the CVMBS’ Department of Veterinary Physiology […]
Gov. Bill Lee Delivers 2022 State of the State Address
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee delivered his fourth State of the State address and presented budget and legislative priorities to a joint session of the General Assembly. Key highlights are noted below, and the full speech as prepared for delivery can be found on the Governor’s website. A budget overview can be found here. Due to Tennessee’s conservative […]
Director of Schools Announces Plans To Resign
Director of Jefferson County Schools, Dr. Shane Johnston, has unofficially announced his intent to vacate his position. Though he has not tendered his resignation, Dr. Johnston has plans to submit his letter of resignation early next month. Johnston has led the Jefferson County Department of Education since July 1, 2018. During his tenure at the […]
Unemployment Reaches Its Lowest Level Since January 2020
Unemployment in the state of Tennessee reached a two-year low in December, according to new data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The state ended 2021 with an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which was 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the rate it recorded in November. Over the past year, Tennessee’s […]
Governor Lee, Commissioner Rolfe Announce 62 Communities to Receive Community Development Block Grants
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe recently approved $28.5 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which will assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitations and health and safety initiatives. “Investing in local infrastructure is one of our top priorities, and these funds will play a vital role as communities work to update their assets and keep their communities […]
TBI Agents Investigating Jefferson County Officer-Involved Shooting
Just before 11:00 a.m., the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a request to perform a welfare check on a man at a residence in the 1400 block of David Swann Drive in Dandridge. Upon arrival, the man was not cooperative with officers and refused to come outside. Preliminary information indicates the man eventually came outside […]
Secretary Hargett Launches 2022 Statewide Poll Worker Recruitment Campaign
On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Secretary of State Tre Hargett launched a new statewide campaign, Be an Election Hero. Become a Poll Worker., to encourage Tennesseans to serve their community as poll workers for the 2022 election cycle. “We cannot run elections in Tennessee without poll workers. They are the most fundamental piece of […]
TDOT Launches Plan for Pothole Repair
This month’s back-to-back winter storms have created an abundance of potholes along interstates and state highways. TDOT is using all available staffing to repair the damaged areas as quickly as possible. As the weather allows, multiple crews will be patching potholes over the coming days and weeks. Cold mix asphalt is currently being used for […]
Carson-Newman online education program ranked No. 2 in Tennessee
Carson-Newman University’s online graduate education program is the No. 2 in the state according to U.S. News & World Report. Released today, the ranking also places the program in the top slot among Tennessee’s private institutions. Additionally, Carson-Newman’s nursing program garnered the No.3 spot in the state in the category “Best Online Master’s in Nursing […]
Canine Distemper Case Confirmed at Area Shelter
Last weekend a puppy at the Morristown Hamblen Humane Society (MHHS) exhibited symptoms of distemper. On Monday, the mother and rest of the litter were confirmed positive after MHHS director Pam Velder submitted samples to the virology laboratory at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. MHHS staff followed best practices by immediately testing […]
Attorney General Slatery Announces $1.8 Billion Settlement with Student Loan Servicer Navient
Nashville-Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced today that Navient, one of the nation’s largest student loan servicers, will provide relief totaling $1.85 billion to resolve allegations of deceptive practices in originating predatory student loans. This settlement, joined by a coalition of 39 attorneys general, resolves claims that since 2009, Navient steered struggling students into […]
VITAL POLICY – Dr. Monty Sharp Facilitates Medal of Honor Character Development Training for Jefferson County High School Staff
Critics of public schools often point to the lack of patriotic education and the absence of character-related values in school curriculum. These pundits would have one less thing to complain about if they spent one afternoon with Dr. Monty Sharp, Assistant Principal, Jefferson County High School, or witnessed 2000 students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance […]
The brain pays attention to unfamiliar voices during sleep
A good night’s sleep is not as simple as it appears. While you snooze, your brain continues to monitor the environment, balancing the need to protect sleep with the need to wake up. One example of how the brain accomplishes this is by selectively responding to unfamiliar voices over familiar ones, according to new research […]
