U.S. Overdose Deaths Decrease for Third Consecutive Year in 2025
Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate there were an estimated 69,973 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2025—a decrease of almost 14% from the 81,313 deaths estimated in 2024. Almost all states across the nation saw decreases; Rhode Island, New York, North Carolina, Alabama and Vermont experienced declines of […]
Almost a Third of U.S. Adults and Children Have at Least One Allergy
Approximately, 3 in 10 U.S. adults and children reported having a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy in 2024, according to new data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Almost 7% of adults in the U.S. and 5% of children have a food allergy. The data are captured in two new reports from the […]
HHS Issues Update On Title 42 Order – Temporarily Limits Entry of Specific People To Help Stop Spread Of Dangerous Diseases
As of May 22, 2026, HHS has issued an interim final rule revising the authority under 42 CFR Part 71.40, which temporarily limits the entry of specific people into the United States to help stop the spread of dangerous diseases. The revised rule now applies the ability to suspend introduction into the United States to U.S. […]
Enhanced Ebola Airport Screening Expands to Atlanta
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded enhanced public health entry screening for Ebola to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport effective May 22, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. This is in addition to screening currently happening at Washington-Dulles International Airport that started at 11:59 PM on May 20, 2026. Hartsfield-Jackson previously […]
Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti Joins Coalition Opposing KIDS Act, Supports Stronger Online Protections for Children
Attorney General Skrmetti announced Tennessee has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (“KIDS Act”), H.R. 7757, arguing the bill would weaken states’ ability to protect children online while insulating Big Tech from accountability. The coalition warned the KIDS Act would broadly preempt state laws addressing […]
Comptroller’s Office Recognizes a Record 15 Counties for Clean Audits
Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower has announced that 15 Tennessee counties have earned a clean audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, which is a record number. These counties, audited by the Comptroller’s Division of Local Government Audit, reported no findings in their annual financial and compliance reports. The 15 counties […]
Gov. Lee, General Assembly Invest in Tennessee Agriculture Through 2026–2027 Budget
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture recognizes Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for significant investments in agriculture included in the 2026–2027 state budget. The approved budget includes key recurring investments that support agricultural innovation, education and food access, including $1 million for the Representative Johnny Shaw Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative and […]
TVA’s 3,770-Megawatt Construction Build Positions Valley for Long-Term Growth
The Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors met Thursday to review progress on one of the largest generation construction programs in the agency’s history and to reinforce TVA’s role in keeping the region – and the nation – energy secure, economically competitive and positioned for long-term leadership. The Board reported that the state of TVA […]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Set for Major Expansion
The footprint of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about to grow, with more than 600 acres of forest and ridgeline habitat slated for addition this summer. The Foothills Land Conservancy is finalizing the purchase of the Oliver Tract, a large property near Townsend long tied to one of the region’s earliest settler families. […]
Deer Mice and a Deadly Virus: What East Tennessee Needs to Know About Hantavirus Right Now
A rare but potentially deadly virus carried by common North American rodents has resurfaced in national public health discussions, prompting questions about local risk here in East Tennessee. While Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) remains extremely uncommon in the eastern United States, the deer mouse—the primary carrier of the virus—is widespread across Tennessee, including the foothills and […]
TWRA Confirms New Largemouth Bass Fishing Record
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has confirmed that a new state record for a Largemouth Bass has been established, breaking the previous mark, which was set more than 11 years ago. Darren Nunley caught the record fish in Nickajack Reservoir on Feb. 28 that weighed 15 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces, and was 27 7/8 inches in […]
Ongoing Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry sickens 150 more people with over a quarter of cases in children under 5 years old
A CDC investigation notice regarding three multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to backyard poultry has been updated: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/outbreaks/saintpaul-04-26/index.html Key Points: 150 more people across 18 new states have gotten sick with the outbreak strains of Salmonella that have been linked to backyard poultry, bringing the total count to 184 people. This includes 53 hospitalizations (40 new) and one death […]
Tennessee Secures Final Victory Against Biden Administration’s Title IX Gender Ideology Rules
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced today that interest groups have officially dropped their appeal of Tennessee’s landmark Title IX victory, cementing a nationwide win for common sense, girls’ privacy, and the rule of law. The now-defeated rules would have forced schools to allow biological males into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, threatened protections for […]
Comptroller Review Finds Tennessee Reconnect Enrollment Declining, but Participants See Positive Outcomes
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has released a new evaluation of the Tennessee Reconnect Grant, providing an updated look at how the state’s tuition-free program for adult learners is being used and how participants are performing. Created by the General Assembly in 2017, Tennessee Reconnect helps eligible adults, primarily at […]
Tennessee Unemployment Rate Holds Steady in March
NASHVILLE – Unemployment in Tennessee held steady at 3.6% in March, and again, remains below the national unemployment rate, according to new data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was also 3.6% a month ago. A year ago, it was 3.5%. The U.S. rate for March was 4.3%, […]
National Water Safety Month reminds families: Drowning is preventable – but often silent
May is National Water Safety Month, a time to remind families that drowning is preventable, yet it remains one of the leading causes of death for young children and people under 30. Drowning rarely looks the way it does in the movies. Most people expect splashing or yelling—but drowning is often silent and can happen in […]
