Culture
Lawmakers want to fund Dolly Parton reading initiative at 100%(The Center Square) – Tennessee could pick up the local funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, according to a proposal by state House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Hixson Republican… Read More
Politics
Geriatric Democrat Senator fends off young-blood challenger in rare win for old guard(Daily Caller News Foundation) – Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey defeated Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton Tuesday in a landslide, marking a rare win for the old-guard incumbents. Read More
Courts
Nashville School district removes LGBTQ content following religious liberty dispute with teacherA Nashville school district voluntarily removed gender ideology content that may have violated a state law requiring schools to notify parents of sex-related curriculum. “The school, on its… Read More
Government
Former WWE star-turned-mayor cuts the cord with flock(Daily Caller News Foundation) – Knox County, Tennessee, Mayor Glenn Jacobs told Flock Safety that a contract with the county sheriff was no longer valid, placing the future of… Read More
Public Education
Nashville public school student records discovered at area Goodwill storeA Nashville Goodwill store uncovered more than good deals in one of its items for sale – a treasure trove of public-school records, which would have gone unnoticed except… Read More
Public Education
Tennessee county notes shrinking school enrollment despite growing population baseEducation officials in a Tennessee district are puzzling over a pattern repeating itself nationwide – declining public-school enrollment even when the local population has been growing. … Read More
Politics
Tennessee poised to have its first female governor(The Center Square) – Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green took the Tennessee Democratic primary for governor, and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the Republican primary in contests decided on… Read More
Culture
DOJ reaches million-dollar settlement with pro-life father targeted by Biden adminThe Justice Department has agreed to pay a seven-figure settlement to Paul Vaughn, a Christian father of 11 whose home the FBI raided after he took part in a… Read More
Culture
State protections for religious liberty: Arkansas, Tennessee rank top in fifth annual reportIn an annual report ranking state protections for religious liberty, Arkansas placed first, followed by Tennessee, while New York ranked last. “Religious liberty… Read More
Culture
Analysis: CNBC quality-of-life rankings by state overwhelmed by real-life statistics, Republican outrageRepublicans are pushing back on CNBC’s latest Top States for Business rankings, arguing the network’s quality-of-life score relies on a cherry-picked list rather than measures that reflect where Americans… Read More
Culture
First colonies and southern charm – VA, NC, SC, GA, TN showcase the southern East Coast at The Great American State Fair(Editor’s note: A series on The Great American State Fair, held in Washington, D.C., in honor of America’s 250th birthday, written by Heartlander News interns.) Virginia, North Carolina,… Read More
Government
Tennessee hospitals still violating state law on parents’ access to minors’ medical recordsMultiple Tennessee health systems are still withholding teenagers’ medical records from parents despite a new state law requiring parental access. Public Chapter No. 883,… Read More
Government
Tennessee’s $30M subsidy to Starbucks puts clawback record under scrutiny(The Center Square) – Tennessee taxpayers are handing $30 million to Starbucks to open new corporate offices in the state. But at least 70 times, companies that promised to… Read More
Politics
Analysts: Redistricting to cost taxpayers, while slowly shifting election outcomes (The Center Square) – As states engage in unprecedented mid-decade redistricting across the country, analysts predicted taxpayers will foot the bill while changes in representation will come slowly over… Read More
Government
Georgia, Tennessee expand baby safe haven lawsGeorgia and Tennessee have expanded safe haven laws meant to give parents in crisis a legal way to surrender newborn babies instead of abandoning them. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed… Read More
Culture
Nashville, state spent billions of taxpayer funds drawing Super Bowl(The Center Square) – Tennessee already has granted $10.8 million of taxpayer money from its special events fund toward luring Super Bowl LXIV in 2030 to Nashville in additional to… Read More
Courts
Tennessee teacher removed after requesting religious exemption to avoid reading LGBT book to first gradersA Tennessee public-school teacher is facing disciplinary action and a possible termination after declining to read an LGBTQ book to his first-grade students, citing his religious convictions. First… Read More
Politics
More states moving to close election funding loophole few voters knew existed(The Daily Signal) – As many as two dozen states could enact legislation this year to ban foreign funding of ballot measures, a trend that gained bipartisan support last… Read More
Courts
Court ruling affirms students’ free speech rights, parental rights over ‘thin-skinned’ school officialsA jury verdict in the case of a Tennessee high school student who posted memes criticizing his principal affirms not only the student’s right to free speech but also the role of parents… Read More
Christian Schools
Christian charter school in TN gets support from AG, education reform advocatesTennessee may soon become the first state to officially fund a Christian public charter school. The Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville filed a lawsuit against… Read More