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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at Tennessee State University graduation
On a rainy spring morning, Vice President Kamala Harris stood before Tennessee State University’s class of 2022, reviewing the past and a future unknown to the graduating students. Before her played a montage of the country’s history of Black Americans, of Emmitt Till’s murder, the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr., all of […]
Harris gets pushback from Shelby commissioners over tax rate
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris got little time to celebrate his victory in Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary, getting pushback from county commissioners about a change in the county’s tax rate on Wednesday as he announced his proposed budget for FY 2023. During a Shelby County commission meeting, Harris proposed a budget of $1.6 billion with […]
Primary election draws small voting numbers in Davidson County
Voters meandered in and out of Cathedral of Praise in north Nashville, many apprised on the issues facing Nashvillians on a local and federal level. Few people had shown up to vote by noon, said Carmen Dixon, despite her efforts to encourage more young people to vote. She noted that a lot of people voted […]
Hospice nurse charged with fraud and identity theft
A hospice nurse was arrested and charged with fraud and identity theft for her role in defrauding pharmacies throughout Middle Tennessee and stealing the identities of six patients and physicians with the intent of distributing controlled drugs. From 2015 to 2021, Contessa Lynn Holley from Pulaski worked in two different hospice facilities–Compassus Hospice and Willowbrooke–while […]
Tennessee’s community oversight boards restricted by state laws
Across Tennessee police-oversight boards were created to play a role in mediating between a critical public and an often self-regulating police force. Each of the four largest cities in Tennessee have a police-oversight board, each with their own ordinances, bylaws and inception dates. Both Chattanooga and Nashville’s police-oversight boards were created in the last five […]
Comptroller: Tennessee’s aging population on track to outpace available senior services
The projected growth in the number of Tennesseans over the age of 60 will far outpace the availability of public services designed to keep aging Tennesseans out of nursing homes, according to a report released Wednesday by the Tennessee Comptroller. There are currently about 1.6 million Tennessee residents aged 60 and older, a figure that […]
Germantown schools takeover advances in Tennessee House
On Tuesday, a controversial bill allowing Germantown to take over Shelby County schools in their district was amended to include tighter restrictions if both parties were unable to reach an agreement by next year. On April 4, HB2430 passed despite outcries from Memphis Democrats that forcing Shelby County schools to cede four properties to Germantown […]
Murfreesboro mortuary settles suit in corpse “abuse” case
A Murfreesboro funeral home named in a federal lawsuit for allegedly abusing the bodies of deceased immigrants has settled with the victim’s family. On April 6, Nelson and Sons Memorial Chapel settled with the family of Freddy Aroldo Cristotomo, who died in October 2019. Nelson was one of five funeral homes named by multiple families […]
Land use dispute pits prominent Nashville family against conservation group
Thousands of years ago, Native Americans, wild animals and later,early white settlers traveled along the Natchez Trace, on what is now Vaughn Road in Williamson County. Around the corner lies Sneed Road, where Native Americans once settled alongside the Harpeth River, building their villages and homes on higher plains to avoid flooding, and burying their […]
Tennessee House passes CROWN Act
On Monday, the Tennessee House passed a bill banning race-based discrimination at work, preventing employers from discriminating against hairstyles belonging to an employee’s ethnic group. The CROWN Act, as known as the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, is a nationwide movement to prevent employers and schools from using hair discrimination […]
Senate passes two bills aimed at transgender athletes
The state Senate passed two bills targetting LGBTQ youth in sports, despite concerns voiced by some lawmakers on the negative impacts for LGBTQ children. On Monday, senators voted in favor of passing SB1861 and SB2153, both bills that prohibit trans athletes from participating in women’s sports. SB2153, sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, prohibits males […]
Tennessee House bill seeks to gather information on immigrant children
A bill seeking to gather identifying information on unaccompanied migrant children was placed on the state budget for review, despite reservations from legislators as to who would have access to the information. On Tuesday, Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, introduced to the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee a bill to require organizations housing migrant children […]