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Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Piercey urges Tennesseans to forego even home gatherings
Officials from the Tennessee Department of Health unveiled data Sunday afternoon showing the rise in COVID-19 cases filling the state’s hospitals, and intensive care units in particular, and strongly urged Tennesseans’ to forego any social gatherings even in the home. “As you know, the latest numbers we’ve been dealing with are very dramatic and are […]
Editor’s column: Gov. Bill Lee does his best Ebenezer Scrooge impression
Nothing warms the heart at the holidays like viewings of Christmas fare like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and adaptations of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Each features a villain lacking in holiday spirit and empathy for his fellow man — or Who, in the Grinch’s case — but who comes to realize […]
Tennessee Democratic Party overhauls chair selection process
The Tennessee Democratic Party is overhauling its process for choosing a new party chair. For the first time, the TNDP Executive Committee has hired an outside human resources consultant to make the process more professional and akin to a hunt for the CEO of a statewide organization. Candidates typically send an announcement to the 66 […]
Editor’s column: Welcome to Tennessee! Now y’all go home.
In my Tennessee home town, every time there’s a move towards something progressive — removing the Confederate flag from the county seal, for instance, imposing a mask mandate or changing the name of a school mascot to something not offensive to a third of the school’s graduates — the comments on social media usually include […]
Editor’s column: Is that all there is?
Saturday, I drove to Knoxville to see my brother and his family, after not seeing them since January. We sat outside on his deck for a few hours talking about work, about COVID-19, mutual friends, books and politics. As I left, I found myself turning not towards the interstate ramp home but towards the University […]
East Tennessee doctors to Lee: “Get up there and lead.”
Two East Tennessee doctors said Wednesday most Tennesseans won’t be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine for a year and decried what they call a lack of leadership by Gov. Bill Lee. Dr. Deaver Shattuck, an internal medicine specialist in Blount County and Dr. Kevin James, a geriatrician who also practices in Blount County, talked […]
Community leader, political activist David McMurry dies Monday
David McMurry, a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Convention Center Authority and former candidate for Metro Council, was found dead in his condominium Monday. News of McMurry’s death spread rapidly via social media channels Monday night. Russ Bradford, council member for District 13, said Metro Police were called for a wellness check on McMurry when […]
Commentary: Tennessee Democrats need to take off the rose-colored glasses
Many Tennesseans, particularly Democrats, are rejoicing after Joe Biden clinched Pennsylvania’s electoral college votes Saturday, giving him the required 270 votes to win the presidency. President Donald Trump has brought a particular kind of misery to Americans who saw gains in immigration policy, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights and healthcare trimmed back or threatened. He horrified […]
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat
A truism of politics is that there’s always a winner and always a loser. In the case of the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden has emerged as president-elect, after clinching Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes Saturday morning. Sitting President Donald Trump has not conceded and shows no indication he is going to, with attorneys general […]
Shakeup in House Democratic Caucus: Stewart declines to run again, two reps announce run
State Rep.Mike Stewart will not run for reelection as chair of the Democratic House Caucus and Friday, two Nashville state representatives announced they are running to lead the group. Rep. John Ray Clemmons, who represents West Nashville District 55, was the first out of the gate. He shared a letter with the Tennessee Lookout he […]
Live Election Coverage 2020
Join the staff of the Tennessee Lookout as we bring you coverage throughout Election Day 2020 of the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Marquita Bradshaw and Republican Bill Hagerty, as well as state house and senate races.
Commentary: Donald Trump exploits Southern class insecurities
When venture capitalist J.D. Vance published his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy” in the summer of 2016, columnists aplenty critiqued the book as an explanation for white voters’ affection for Donald Trump. Vance chronicles his childhood and youth growing up in a dysfunctional Appalachian family, rife with substance abuse, economic instability and class resentment but through hard […]