The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has confirmed they have been requested by 12th District Attorney General Michael Taylor to investigate a homicide that occurred on Tuesday in Monteagle, TN. Police in Monteagle responded to a residence on 3rd Street after being notified by a family member that the victim was found deceased inside the home. The victim has been identified as 65-year-old Kenneth Tate.
Since the investigation remains active and ongoing, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation cannot speak to any specifics at this stage.

A school custodian who is accused of writing threats on a wall at Warren County High School has waived her right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to the Grand Jury.
Marlene Madewell, who was a custodian at the high school is accused of writing threats on a bathroom wall, prompting an evacuation of the school and a search by police and K-9s.
It happened a day after a similar threat was reported, resulting in students being bussed to the civic center.
An investigation by school officials and law enforcement led to the arrest of Madewell.

More than a dozen education advocacy groups are calling for more transparency from the Tennessee Department of Education after it failed to communicate a change it made in the way a student’s test score is calculated.
The Tennessean reports the issue is over “quick scores,” the scores educators in grades 3-8 are legally required to incorporate into a student’s final grade.
A quick score is generated from a student’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program raw score, or the number of questions a student answered correctly.
In the past, quick scores have been tied specifically to proficiency levels, but the department stopped that practice this year.
State education officials acknowledged the decision wasn’t “widely communicated” and are holding meetings across the state with superintendents, principals and others to answer questions.

Do you know where your money is? Chances are you do, but not all public money in Tennessee is accounted for, according to the Tennessee Comptroller’s office. Nearly $2 million in stolen public money remains uncollected in municipalities and counties from more than 90 Tennessee counties. Jim Arnette, director of local government audit for the Tennessee Comptroller’s office, says in many cases employees have been ordered to pay restitution, but it can take months or even years to collect, and sometimes the clock runs out. “There are attempts to recoup this money,” he states. “Unfortunately, there are some of these shortages after a period of time, the local government will determine they’re uncollectible and will have to write them off their accounting records.” Arnette points out many counties purchase surety bonds, which provide a means for local governments to recoup the shortages through a contracted third party. A report released by the comptroller details examples of theft that include using checks for personal use, cash shortages in public accounts, and personal purchases on government-issued credit cards. Arnette says an effective way local governments can prevent a misuse or theft of funds is to separate job responsibilities so the person spending money is not the same person who is accepting payments. “A classic example of an internal control would be a segregation of duties where the same individual is not responsible for all of the functions associated with an accounting function so the same person is not doing all three of those functions,” he explains.

Postmaster General Megan Brennan announced Wednesday that Elvis Presley will be commemorated on a Forever stamp as the sixth inductee into the Postal Service’s Music Icon Series. The stamp image will be previewed at a later date.
“Elvis is a natural addition to our Music Icon Series,” said Brennan. “His life and talents are an incredible story. Spanning from his humble beginnings in a Tupelo, Mississippi, two-room house to becoming one of the most legendary performance artists of the 20th Century, Elvis Presley’s works continues to resonate with millions the world over.”
The First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony will take place on the morning of Aug. 12 at Graceland in Memphis as part of this year’s Elvis Week celebration. The public is encouraged to tweet about this news using #ElvisForever.
Launched in 2013, the Music Icons series consists of beloved musicians whose blend of sound and way of life broke musical boundaries. The first inductees included Lydia Mendoza, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. Last year’s inductees were Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.