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Watchdog coalition files complaints against ALEC in 15 states
A coalition of watchdog organizations is filing complaints in15 states this week against the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC,) a nonprofit group of conservative state legislators and private organizations that draft model legislation to share with states across the country. Tennessee is one of the states included in the action. The Center for Media and […]
Visit Franklin names new President and CEO
The board of directors for Visit Franklin, the convention and visitors bureau for Williamson County, has named Maureen Haley Thornton as president/CEO. Thornton replaces Ellie Westman Chin, who left the role in February to take over as president/CEO of Destination Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. Andy Marshall, chair of the Visit Franklin Board and CEO of […]
Gov. Lee Announces Next Steps for Memphis Regional Megasite
On Tuesday, Gov. Bill Lee announced he’s planning to complete major infrastructure investments at the Memphis Regional Megasite, as well as addressing workforce and quality of life issues in the region. “The Memphis Regional Megasite offers tremendous opportunity for West Tennessee, and I am committed to building out infrastructure and supporting area workforce as we […]
Pro-Palestine demonstrators hit streets in Nashville
Hundreds of Tennesseans marched through the streets of downtown Nashville on Friday night to support Palestine and protest treatment of Palestinian civilians in the recent Israel-Palestine conflict. Many of the approximately 800 attendees were of Palestinian descent. “We will sacrifice our blood and souls for Palestine,” was a refrain chanted by marchers in Arabic through […]
Tennesseans on the move: who to keep an eye on in 2021
A year like 2020, replete with drama in politics, health care, education and civil rights, gives public leaders the chance to shine or flop. With the year near to passing in our collective rear view mirrors, the staff of the Tennessee Lookout brings your attention to a handful of Tennesseans in politics, education, health care […]
The year in photos: September-December
Politics and pandemic consumed our photojournalists for the latter portion of the year. When President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, Memphis photojournalist Karen Pulfer Focht went to Barrett’s alma mater, Rhodes College, to get images from Justice Barrett’s college years. Focht also got what may will be one of […]
The year in photos: May-August 2020
No matter how well-crafted a written story, superb art work always makes the story better and in 2020, there have been no shortage of opportunities for our talented crew of photojournalists to show off their professional chops. Less than a month after the Tennessee Lookout launched in May, John Partipilo attended the May 30 “I […]
FBI, ATF search Antioch house of bombing suspect
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives converged on an Antioch house named as the residence of a person of interest in the Christmas Day RV bombing on Nashville’s Second Avenue. Neither local nor federal agencies have named the suspect, but agents were seen entering a house […]
Christmas morning bomb devastates Downtown Nashville block
At around 6:27 on Christmas morning, what appears to be an intentionally-set bomb detonated on Second Avenue in downtown Nashville just outside an AT&T infrastructure building. The Metro Nashville Police Department reports the bomb was inside a vehicle, believed to be a recreational vehicle (RV.) No one was killed and three people were reported injured. FBI […]
Tidings of Joy: West Tennessee gets lit
The December holiday season of Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa, is typically anticipated with joy. This year has been epically hard, filled with pandemic, recession, calls for racial justice and election strife. The holiday parties we look forward to? Gone this year. Big church celebrations? Not recommended. But holiday light displays are always accessible. Mask-clad Tennesseans are […]
Pence in Memphis to discuss Operation Warp Speed
Vice-President Mike Pence was in Memphis Thursday for a roundtable discussion of Operation Warp Speed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine distribution program and Tennessee’s plan to operationalize vaccinations once approved. Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee greeted Pence at Memphis International Airport. The roundtable was held in Air National Guard 164th […]
Trump supporters converge in Nashville for second week
For the second weekend in a row, supporters of President Donald Trump converged on the Tennessee State Capitol and the Legislative Plaza in Nashville for a “Stop the Steal” protest of the election of President-elect Joe Biden. Several hundred people gathered the same day thousands gathered in Washington, DC for what was alternately known as […]