A bill that would have allowed Tennesseans to weigh in on whether to decriminalize possession of low-level amounts of marijuana has failed in the Legislature. The Senate Judiciary Committee killed the proposal on Tuesday. The measure, which was sponsored by Memphis Democrats Antonio Parkinson and Sara Kyle, would not have legalized marijuana possession. Instead, it would have allowed voters to make their opinion known on whether police should arrest people in possession of one ounce of marijuana or less or give them a warning instead. The proposal would have allowed Metro governments or municipalities with their own police departments...

Tennessee State Parks and State Natural Areas are offering a variety of volunteer events across the state on Saturday, April 16 to help Tennessee Promise Scholars log community service hours required to meet their scholarship commitments. It’s a great opportunity for Tennessee Promise Scholars to improve a state park or natural area and bank volunteer service hours while having a little bit of fun at the same time. Volunteer events are listed below by park and include meet up time, location, duration, activity description and point of contact. State Parks officials ask that all participants complete an online registration...

Coffee County Deputy Mike Jarvis reported to a structure fire at 641 Lake Hill Road in the northern part of the county on Monday afternoon. Jarvis said in his report that when he arrived on the scene the home was already fully engulfed with flames. The report goes onto to say the residence was completely destroyed by the blaze. Volunteers from the North Coffee Volunteer Fire Department reported to the scene and were joined by volunteers from other volunteer fire departments from the area. Upon speaking with the owner, Fred Hobbs, Jarvis reports that the man stated he had...

What started off as a kitchen fire on Perry Rd just outside Manchester turned into the Hickerson Volunteer Fire Department being involved in an accident on Monday afternoon. The fire truck and a Nissan Sentra collided as the Hickerson fire truck was in route to the scene. Manchester Fire Department provided mutual aid with other Hickerson units to clear smoke from the kitchen fire. No one was seriously injured in the accident. The Tennessee Highway Patrol was in charge of the crash that occurred just after 2pm. Manchester Police Department, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and Coffee County EMS all...

Until now, not all financial advisors in Tennessee and the rest of the country were required to put their clients first, before any investment funds they represent. This month that’s expected to change after the U.S. Department of Labor issued a fiduciary rule, taking full effect in 2018, that requires all financial advisors who give retirement advice to act in the best interest of their clients. Jim Lardner, communications director for Americans for Financial Reform, explains what the problem was. “Brokers, insurance companies, sales people and others can take advantage of loopholes and have taken advantage of loopholes to...

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is joining states across the nation to remind motorists “Don’t be THAT driver: Work on safety. Get home safely. Every day.” TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11-15) in an effort to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones. “Work zones include everything from major interstate widening projects to pothole patching and mowing, and conditions in those areas can change quickly,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “We want everyone to get home safely, so don’t be that distracted or aggressive driver in...