Latest Headlines
Teachers Salaries on the Rise in Most of Tennessee
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released a report examining how money intended to boost teacher salaries has been used by local school districts. More than $300 million in new, recurring state dollars was appropriated by the General Assembly through the state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) between fiscal years 2015 and 2018. The legislative intent for the increased state funding was to increase teacher salaries across Tennessee. The Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) surveyed Tennessee’s school districts, and the majority of respondents reported awarding salary increases to teachers for three consecutive years (fiscal years 2016, 2017, and...
Gas Price Staying about Steady
Tennessee’s state average gas price is $2.61 per gallon for regular unleaded, which is one cent less than a week ago, 14 cents more than this time last month, and four cents higher than this time last year. The national gas price average is $2.88. With a four cent jump on the week, the national gas price average sets a new high for the year. A spokesperson for AAA said with 17 states within a dime of or already at $3 a gallon or more, Americans can expect the national average to likely surpass last year’s high of $2.97...
Gov Lee deciding on the Banning Handheld Electronic Devices, including Cellphones While Driving
Gov. Bill Lee will decide whether Tennessee will ban the use of handheld electronic devices, including cellphones while driving. The Senate voted 23-7 on Tuesday to send Lee the bill. The House previously cleared it in a 53-38 vote. Supporters in the GOP-supermajority Legislature touted the bill as a safety measure, while opponents argued it’s a government overreach. Violators would face up to a $50 fine. That amount could reach $100 if the violation causes an accident or $200 for violations in construction or school zones. The bill would take effect in July. Sixteen states and Washington D.C. prohibit...
State Fire Marshal’s Office Shares Tips on keeping families Safe from Toxic Smoke and Fumes in Home Fire
While smoke alarms have always been a factor in the survivability of a home fire, their importance has never been greater. Most fire fatalities are not caused by burns, but by smoke inhalation. As the toxicity and speed of smoke increases, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is sharing tips on how you can keep your family safe from the toxic smoke and fumes produced by a home fire. When a fire grows inside a building, it will deplete most of the available oxygen which slows the burning process. This slowed rate of fire spread leads to incomplete...
Honor Flight Takes Off May 1
The next Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee will take flight May 1. 50 veterans including some from Coffee County and their companions will travel to go Washington, D.C. to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of the country. Fifteen of the veterans will be in wheelchairs, with guardians assisting them. The group will fly out of Nashville to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The veterans will visit the World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Marine Corps, and Air Force memorials. Participants will also watch the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of...
Two Cumberland County Sixth Graders Charged Conspiracy to Commit Murder
In a surprising story today, two Cumberland County sixth graders are charged with plotting to bring weapons to school to shoot students and faculty on the last day of classes. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and Crossville Police Department issued a joint release saying a school resource officer at South Cumberland Elementary was alerted to a rumor of a “hit list” containing students to be shot in a future school shooting. They did not uncover a hit list, but they did find a hand-drawn map of the school and a plot between the two sixth grade students to bring...
Fatal Accident in Decherd
An unnamed person was killed in a one-vehicle accident in Decherd early Saturday. Authorities have not released the name, pending notifying next of kin. The police report indicates that the late model Oldsmobile went off the road about 4:30 a.m. and the driver was ejected. Authorities and first responders arrived, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. As of Monday afternoon, the name of the victim nor gender had been announced by...
Two More Cases of Measles in Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Health State Public Health Laboratory has confirmed two additional cases of measles in residents of East Tennessee. This brings the total number of measles cases in Tennessee in 2019 to three. The two new cases are associated with the first measles case in Tennessee this year which was announced April 18, and were identified as part of the ongoing contact investigation. TDH is providing information about measles and how to prevent it online at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/tennesee-measles.html. This page includes the number of measles cases in the state this year, which will be updated if additional cases...
