U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper
Congressional sportsmen’s group endorses clearcutting plan
A controversial plan by state wildlife officials to raze portions of a popular recreational area in White County got a surprising stamp of approval from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to support the hunting and fishing policy objectives advanced by federal and state lawmakers The endorsement came as a surprise because […]
Federal Child Tax Credit program boosts thousands in Tennessee
While Jessica Crumbley was able to keep her job as assistant manager at Dollar General in Loudon throughout the pandemic, her wages barely kept her disabled husband and three children afloat. Any financial hiccup could be enough to destabilize her family, and in July, Crumbley quarantined from COVID-19 without knowing if her job would pay […]
Nashville Muslims mark 9-11 anniversary by aiding new refugees to U.S.
Sept. 11 holds special significance for all Americans, including the Muslim community. Among the crowded sidewalks of 12th Avenue South, the Islamic Center of Nashville stands seemingly in contemplation of how life drastically changed the 2001 day radical terrorists flew two commercial planes onto the World Trade Center, killing nearly 3,000 people. Behind the mosque, […]
Congressman pushes to keep Davidson County whole in redistricting
Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper urged a House redistricting committee Wednesday to keep Davidson County together rather than split it up to create a potential Republican seat. “We’re one community here. We’re one of the best communities in the world. To break that up would be tragic,” Cooper said. With a state population of 6.9 million, […]
Odessa Kelly picks up national SEIU endorsement
Odessa Kelly, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Congress in Tennessee District 5, has picked up the national endorsement of Service Workers International Union on Thursday. Kelly, who is taking on incumbent Congressman Jim Cooper, is member of SEIU Local 205 in Nashville through her work with the Metro Nashville Parks Department. “I’m a proud […]
Stockard on the Stump: Governor defends no-bid contracts during state of emergency
Gov. Bill Lee is standing behind his administration’s decision to sign hundreds of sole-source contracts over the last year and a half even though many of them didn’t have anything to do with the COVID-19 state of emergency. The governor’s Unified Command Group, made up of the Department of Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and […]
Editor’s column: The hottest ticket in town
Political tongues have been flapping all over Nashville since community organizer and activist Odessa Kelly announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the 5th Congressional District in early April. Kelly is taking on incumbent Jim Cooper, who has served in the 5th District seat since his election in 2002 (and in the 4th Congressional […]
Analysis: How the Delke plea affects DA Glenn Funk’s political future
The starting point for any analysis about District Attorney Glenn Funk’s political future is the acknowledgment that Funk would not be district attorney in the first place had it not been for the support of Black voters. But a high profile plea deal could put that support in jeopardy a year out from the next […]
In litigation with national organization, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee continues to thrive
Little girls selling Girl Scout cookies in plexiglass face shields is just one example of why Middle Tennessee Girl Scouts are in financially better circumstances than many of their sisters across the country. Recently the Associated Press reported that Girl Scouts of the USA has 15 million boxes of unsold cookies and faces financial difficulties. […]
Governor goes “back to the future” with Memphis Megasite push
Gov. Bill Lee sent out a press release this week hailing a renewed effort to market the Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County and – at long last – build a wastewater line needed to attract a major manufacturer. It’s a tactical change of sorts because not too long ago, state officials were saying Tennessee […]
Harwell considering congressional run if the lines are right
Former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell has a hankering to enter public office again. In fact, after just four years away from the state House, she’s eyeing a congressional race if the 2022 redistricting plan puts her in a strong position. In an interview Thursday with the Tennessee Lookout, Harwell, a southwest Davidson County Republican, […]
Democrats anticipate Republican efforts to redraw Cooper’s district out of existence
Republicans already hold seven of nine Tennessee congressional districts, but with redistricting approaching in 2022, Democrats fear the GOP-controlled Legislature will try to redraw U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper’s Nashville-based district and effectively push him out of Congress. Such a move could help Republicans gain another seat in Congress to chip away at Democrat control on […]