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Tennesseans on the move: People to watch in 2022
As one year passes and another begins, the staff of the Tennessee Lookout brings your attention to a handful of Tennesseans on whom to keep your attention on in the coming year. Politicians, activists and healthcare professionals will stay in the spotlight as we enter our third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and an election […]
Metro Nashville Schools contract, Ford deal top annual Pork Report
A $18 million no-bid contract awarded to a Meharry Medical College offshoot by Metro Nashville Public Schools took the top spot in the Beacon Center of Tennessee’s annual Pork Report. Titled “2021 Pork Report: 12 Recipes for Government Waste, Fraud, and Abuse,” the report is formatted to look like a cookbook that offers “recipes” from […]
Governor requests federal emergency aid, issues executive order for storm-stricken areas
Gov. Bill Lee sought federal emergency assistance Monday for nine counties struck by tornadoes Friday and early Saturday killing four people and doing millions of dollars in damage. The governor also issued an order giving counties flexibility to deal with the disasters. For example, individuals will be allowed to help in storm damage cleanup and […]
Schwinn to hold final funding town hall Tuesday
Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn will hold a town hall meeting in Gainesboro on Tuesday, the final of eight meetings to discuss a revision of the state’s funding strategy of public schools. Jackson County Public Schools will host the meeting at Jackson County Middle School in Gainesboro. Event cohosts include White County Middle […]
Human Rights Campaign Equity Index scores Jackson, Nashville highly for LGBTQ equity
An annual survey that evaluates American cities on measures of equality for members of the LGBTQ community ranked Jackson the highest of the state’s six largest cities. The Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index released its 10th edition, which rates 508 cities across the county on 49 criteria including whether they offer employee benefits to […]
Labor leader Eddie Bryan dies at 88
Edward Lyle “Eddie” Bryan, longtime Tennessee labor leader, died Sunday at the age of 88. A Nashville native and graduate of Hume Fogg High School, Bryan began his career as an installer and repairman for South Central Bell, joining Communication Workers of America Local 3808 before working his way into labor leadership. He served as […]
Group hosts discussion on the First Amendment and disinformation
A Nashville-based civic engagement group will host a panel discussion on Thursday to probe the line between First Amendment rights and tensions arising from disinformation, called “Protected Speech and Fear in America.” As part of its “Conversationalist Series,” Millions of Conversations will share information from global conflict mediation expert Andrew Ladley and Deborah Fisher, director […]
Kelly picks up endorsements from national progressive groups
Odessa Kelly, Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District, has picked up two endorsements from national progressive organizations, her campaign announced on Tuesday. Indivisible, which was founded after former President Donald Trump’s 2016 election and Working Families Party (WFP,) endorsed Kelly. WFP, founded in New York City in 1998, is a progressive grassroots political party […]
Michael Sullivan named Hagerty state director
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty has named Michael Sullivan as state director for his U.S. Senate office, based in Nashville. Sullivan replaces Jim Henry, who is retiring. “Michael Sullivan has been by my side since I began this journey to have the honor of representing my fellow Tennesseans in the U.S. Senate, and I am pleased […]
Coalition hold events for abortion justice in nine Tennessee cities
A coalition of progressive groups and organizations that work for reproductive rights is holding a rally for abortion justice in nine Tennessee cities on Saturday, with Murfreesboro serving as a central site. The “Bans off our Bodies” event is part of a Nationwide Day of Action for Abortion Rights which will feature more than 600 […]
Education committee drops discussion of Black history education
Chattanooga Democratic Rep. Yusef Hakeem says he is “surprised and disappointed” the Joint Legislative Education Committee won’t be discussing a bill he introduced during legislative session to provide the study of Black history to public school students. In April, HB1460 was deferred to summer study, which typically means a bill has little traction. Hakeem wrote […]
Metro Nashville Council defers vote on license plate readers
Two competing ordinances allowing for the use of License Plate Readers (LPR) in Nashville’s public right of ways were deferred at Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting. Councilmember Courtney Johnston brought her ordinance back for consideration after indefinitely deferring it in April to get through the annual budget process. Her ordinance calls for LPRS to be affixed […]