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May 13, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Dulce Torres Guzman – One-third of gas stations in Tennessee were without gas on Thursday, after a ransomware attack on a major fuel pipeline prompted a temporarily shut down in operations and consumers’ engaged in a panic-driven frenzy to fill up their tanks. Colonial Pipeline resumed operations of…
‘Stress and uncertainty’ follow Gov. Lee’s decision to end federal unemployment benefits
May 12, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Sam Stockard – East Nashville bartender Richie Townsend finally got his old job back after losing it during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the months he spent on unemployment were anything but fun. “It just creates a level of stress and uncertainty that makes it difficult to do your…
May 5, 2021 – The Tennessean by: Yue Stella Yu – In the dwindling hours of this year’s legislative session, Tennessee lawmakers reached consensus on a deal to overhaul the state’s unemployment benefit system. The bill, which cleared the Senate 26-7 and the House 71-19 on Wednesday afternoon, caps the maximum payout period at as low…
House, Senate approve opposing court plans to hear redistricting, constitutional challenges
May 5, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Sam Stockard – Republicans say it’s necessary to move statewide legal decisions out of Davidson County. Democrats contend it is “sausage making” and “court packing” at its worst. Either way, the House voted 68-23 to create a three-member statewide appellate court – to be appointed by the governor…
May 4, 2021 – WZTV by: Jackie DelPilar – Equality advocates say some Tennessee lawmakers are discriminating against the LGBTQ community by blocking a resolution to honor country music star TJ Osborne of the band Brothers Osborne. The resolution honors the artist for his contributions to the state and his courage in coming out as the first…
April 27, 2021 – Medium – Schools in Tennessee could begin implementing a Stop the Bleed program as soon as next school year under a bill that passed the Senate today. Stop the Bleed training empowers bystanders to take life-saving action to control severe bleeding — regardless of the situation or cause of the bleed.…
April 27, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Sam Stockard – The House took a step Monday toward making the Legislature legally invincible, but the Senate turned back a measure in its version of the legislation that would have prohibited local governments from suing the state. That 14-14 vote defeating an amendment by Sen. Brian Kelsey…
Infrastructure plan renews hope for Amtrak in Nashville
April 6, 2021 – NewsChannel5 by: Rebecca Schleicher – President Joe Biden’s current infrastructure plan includes $80 billion for rail, which Amtrak says will help trains roll back into Nashville. Last year, COVID-19 brought plans to study a Nashville to Atlanta line to a halt in the state legislature. But Amtrak says the President’s plan…
Tennessee Speaker of the House Sexton pours cold water on Medicaid expansion proposal
March 27, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Sam Stockard – Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said Thursday the state’s modified block grant should stay in place before he would support a move to accept the Biden Administration’s Medicaid expansion funds. But regardless, the measure doesn’t appear to have any hope in the House, based on…
March 24, 2021 – Tennessee Lookout by: Sam Stockard – Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally is opening the door to President Joe Biden’s plan to offer states more money for coverage of the working uninsured. A McNally spokesman said Tuesday the lieutenant governor believes the proposal within the American Recovery Act, which would increase Medicaid…