Tennessee State News

Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:04:17 +0000

Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out in favor of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.

It poses new uncertainty for advertisers, who have fled X over concerns about hate speech appearing alongside their ads, and is the latest divisive public personality to get back their banned account.

Musk posted a poll on Saturday asking if Jones should be reinstated, with the results showing 70% of those who responded in favor. Early Sunday, Musk tweeted, "The people have spoken and so it shall be."

A few hours later, Jones' posts were visible again and he retweeted a post about his video game. He and his Infowars show had been permanently banned in 2018 for abusive behavior.

Musk, who has described himself as a free speech absolutist, said the move was about protecting those rights. In response to a user who posted that "permanent account bans are antithetical to free speech," Musk wrote, "I find it hard to disagree with this point."

The billionaire Tesla CEO also tweeted it's likely that Community Notes X's crowd-sourced fact-checking service "will respond rapidly to any AJ post that needs correction."

It is a major turnaround for Musk, who previously said he wouldn't let Jones back on the platform despite repeated calls to do so. Last year, Musk pointed to the death of his first-born child and tweeted, "I have no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame."

SEE MORE: Sandy Hook families offer to settle Alex Jones' $1.5B debt for $85M

Jones repeatedly has said on his show that the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six educators never happened and was staged in an effort to tighten gun laws.

Relatives of many of the victims sued Jones in Connecticut and Texas, winning nearly $1.5 billion in judgments against him. In October, a judge ruled that Jones could not use bankruptcy protection to avoid paying more than $1.1 billon of that debt.

Relatives of the school shooting victims testified at the trials about being harassed and threatened by Jones' believers, who sent threats and even confronted the grieving families in person, accusing them of being "crisis actors" whose children never existed.

Jones is appealing the judgments, saying he didn't get fair trials and his speech was protected by the First Amendment.

Restoring Jones' account comes as Musk has seen a slew of big brands, including Disney and IBM, stop advertising on X after a report by liberal advocacy group Media Matters said ads were appearing alongside pro-Nazi content and white nationalist posts.

They also were scared away after Musk himself endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory in response to a post on X. The Tesla CEO later apologized and visited Israel, where he toured a kibbutz attacked by Hamas militants and held talks with top Israeli leaders.

But he also has said advertisers are engaging in "blackmail" and, using a profanity, essentially told them to go away.

"Don't advertise," Musk said in an on-stage interview late last month at The New York Times DealBook Summit.

After buying Twitter last year, Musk said he was granting "amnesty" for suspended accounts and has since reinstated former President Donald Trump; Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, following two suspensions over antisemitic posts last year; and far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who was kicked off the platform for violating its COVID-19 misinformation policies.

Trump, who was banned for encouraging the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, has his own social media site, Truth Social, and has only tweeted once since being allowed back on X.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

6 dead, nearly 2 dozen injured amid severe storms in central Tennessee U. Penn's president and board chair resign amid antisemitism backlash As you shop, it's key to know concerning chemicals in some clothing

Tens of thousands without power, shelters open across Middle Tennessee following tornado outbreak

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 13:18:56 +0000

Following Saturday's severe weather, tens of thousands remain without power across Middle Tennessee. In addition there's also a number of road closures in place due to the storm.

Shelters have since opened up across the area to help those in need as well.

Deadly tornado outbreak kills multiple

As of 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, here are the numbers:

NES - 27,499

CEMC - 112

CDE - 13,177

We will continue to update this page as these numbers change.

These state routes are still closed this morning:

Sumner - SR 6 & SR 258 (Open with partial lane closures)

Montgomery - Ft. Campbell Blvd.

Robertson - SR 11

Davidson - Old Hickory Blvd. & Dickerson Pike

If you are in need of shelter, we have a list of locations available to you below:

Clarksville:

Northeast High School - 3701 Trenton Rd

Mosaic Church - 1020 Garrettburg Road

Manna Cafe - 503 D Street

Church of Christ at Trenton Crossing - 2650 Trenton Road

Hendersonville:

Beech High School - 3126 Long Hollow Pike

Nashville:

Isaac Litton Middle School - Alumni Center - 4500 Gallatin Pike

We will update these locations as anything changes.

Israel steps up southern Gaza offensive as US approves arms sales

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 12:26:44 +0000

Heavy fighting raged overnight and into Sunday across Gaza, including in the devastated north, as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive after the U.S. blocked the latest international push for a cease-fire and rushed more munitions to its close ally.

Israel has faced rising international outrage and calls for a permanent cease-fire after the killing of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Nearly 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced within the besieged territory, where U.N. agencies say there is no safe place to flee.

The United States has lent vital support to the offensive once again in recent days, by vetoing United Nations Security Council efforts to end the fighting that enjoyed wide international support, and by pushing through an emergency sale of over $100 million worth of tank ammunition to Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for the "important ammunition for the continuation of the war," and for supporting Israel at the Security Council.

The U.S. has pledged unwavering support for Israel's goal of crushing Hamas' military and governing abilities and returning all the hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. Hamas and other Palestinian militants stormed into southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people and capturing around 240, over 100 of whom were released during a weeklong cease-fire late last month.

Netanyahu's office said Sunday that Hamas still has 117 hostages, as well as the remains of 20 people killed in captivity or during the Oct. 7 attack. The militants hope to exchange them for large numbers of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

In response to the attack, Israel launched an air and ground war that has killed thousands of Palestinians, mostly civilians, and forced some 1.9 million people to flee their homes. With only a trickle of aid allowed in, and delivery rendered impossible in much of the territory, Palestinians face severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who invoked a rarely-used power last week to call for a cease-fire, said "We are facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system."

"The situation is fast deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for the Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region," he told a forum in Qatar.

Israel's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, told Israel's Channel 12 TV late Saturday that the U.S. has set no deadline for Israel to achieve its goals of dismantling Hamas and returning all the hostages.

"The evaluation that this can't be measured in weeks is correct, and I'm not sure it can be measured in months," he said.

Fighting and Arrests in the North

Israeli forces continue to face heavy resistance, even in northern Gaza, where entire neighborhoods have been flattened by air strikes and where ground troops have been operating for over six weeks.

Israel's Channel 13 TV broadcast footage showing dozens of detainees stripped to their underwear with their hands in the air. Several held assault rifles above their heads, and one man could be seen slowly walking forward and placing a gun on the ground before returning to the group.

Other videos in recent days have shown groups of unarmed men held in similar conditions, without clothes, bound and blindfolded. Men from a separate group of detainees who were released on Saturday told The Associated Press they had been beaten and denied food and water.

Israeli media have portrayed the mass detentions as a sign that Hamas is surrendering in the north.

But residents said there was still heavy fighting underway in the Gaza City neighborhood of Shijaiyah and the Jabaliya refugee camp, a dense urban area housing Palestinian families who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding its creation.

"They are attacking anything that moves," said Hamza Abu Fatouh, a resident of Shijaiyah. He said the dead and wounded were left in the streets as ambulances could no longer reach the area, where Israeli snipers and tanks had positioned themselves among the abandoned buildings.

"The resistance also fights back," he added, saying gunbattles had raged late Saturday.

Israel ordered the evacuation of the northern third of the territory, including Gaza City, early in the war, but tens of thousands of people have remained there, fearing that the south would be no safer or that they would never be allowed to return to their homes.

No Safe Places

With the war in its third month, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has surpassed 17,700, the majority women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties, saying the militants put civilians in danger by fighting in dense, residential neighborhoods. The military says 97 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive. Palestinian militants have also continued firing rockets into Israel.

Israel says it has provided detailed instructions for civilians to evacuate to safer areas, even as it continues to strike what it says are militant targets in all parts of the territory. Thousands have fled to the southern town of Rafah and other areas along the border with Egypt in recent days one of the last areas where aid agencies are able to deliver food and water.

Israel has designated a narrow patch of barren southern coastline, Muwasi, as a safe zone. But Palestinians there face overcrowded conditions with scant shelter and no toilets.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned Sunday that as displaced people pack into smaller areas without adequate food, water, shelter and sanitation, it creates "ideal conditions for disease to spread."

The war has raised tensions across the region, with Lebanon's Hezbollah trading fire with Israel along the border and other Iran-backed militant groups targeting the U.S. in Syria and Iraq.

France said one of its warships in the Red Sea shot down two drones that had approached it from Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have vowed to halt Israeli shipping through the key waterway.

Hanegbi said Israel has called on its Western allies to address the threat and would give them "some time" to organize a response. But he said if the threats persist, "we will act to remove this blockade."

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com Israel continues bombing Gaza, including where it told people to flee Israel says it's rounding up Palestinian men in northern Gaza Rocket attack targets US embassy in Iraq

Share the Warmth and help change lives with Piedmont Natural Gas

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 03:01:50 +0000

By Stephen Francescon
Community Relations Manager, Piedmont Natural Gas

As a Piedmont Natural Gas community relations manager, I’m always thinking about the residents of the towns and cities we serve. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season upon us, it’s easy to focus on things like shopping for gifts, planning parties, travelling to visit family and more, while overlooking our friends and neighbors who may be struggling to make ends meet. But in my mind, thinking about what we can do to help and protect those in our communities who are most vulnerable is what the holiday spirit is all about.

That’s where Piedmont’s Share the Warmth program comes in. For no more than $12 a year, Piedmont customers can make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. When you enroll in Share the Warmth, Piedmont will round up your monthly natural gas bill to the next dollar and donate 100% of that difference to approved local assistance agencies to help those in your community who are having difficulty paying their energy bills.

Share the Warmth truly is about helping those in our community who may need aid. Recipients do not need to be Piedmont customers or even use natural gas to receive these funds; the energy source used in their homes doesn’t matter. If you need help, Share the Warmth is here for you.

Piedmont and round-up customer contributions to the Share the Warmth fund have totaled more than $5 million since 2003. What may seem like a small donation added to your monthly bill truly does add up to help those less fortunate keep their heat on and their energy bills paid not only during the winter season, but year-round.

Non-customers who want to help or customers who’d like to contribute more than their round-up amount can make direct donations to the fund, as well. More information on the program and how to enroll or contribute is available at piedmontng.com/sharethewarmth.

A small contribution by you can make a big difference to those trying to make ends meet and truly give them something to be thankful for this holiday season and year-round. As you share the giving spirit of the holidays with your friends and loved ones, I ask you to please consider rounding up to Share the Warmth with those in need as well.

The post Share the Warmth and help change lives with Piedmont Natural Gas appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Hendersonville tornado damage has shut down most of northern portions of Main Street

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 02:40:55 +0000

Most of the damage from the Hendersonville tornado is concentrated from the North side of Main Street.

Meteorologist Bree Smith lives in Hendersonville and has been giving us updates on the state of the damage. Hear more from her in the player above, along with Aaron Cantrell who was live about ten minutes from the area.

Mayor of Sumner County John C. Isbell issued a state of emergency for Sumner County to keep people safe in the area while damage assessments continue.

"This will be a multi jurisdictional process and our team will work diligently to get the assessments done for disaster relief. We are a strong, resilient community and will emerge even stronger as we work together to clean and rebuild our community," Isbell said. "Continue to keep those impacted by the storms in your prayers; especially the families who experienced the loss of a loved one."

NewsChannel 5 meteorologist Bree Smith says the south side businesses do not have near as much damage as on the North side of Main Street. Near Old Shackle and Main Street, there is a hole in the center of home of a woman who runs a medical office there. If you move Eastward, the north side of the street has a business called Big Play, with Pizza Ranch close by, both severely damaged.

The tornado then continued across a small business called Acai Addiction, went behind it to a train track in town and further along the northern portion of Main street towards a Halloween and party supply store where the roof is completely caved in.

"Maybe 50 yards down the road is what used to be a Kroger now an all air extreme and a Walgreens, and behind that Walgreens is an automotive business where the roof almost looked like it was lifted off and wrapped around the side," Bree said. "You can tell that there are small business owners in this town that are just observing with shock and dismay at what's left of their structures."

The top a new Raising Cane's that was being built was completely torn off, Smith said.

The police have shut down most of Main Street, which has made traffic along Indian Lake and the Eastern portion of town as you approach the edge of Hendersonville and Gallatin, very backed up.

Many small businesses were damaged, Smith says, and asked to be thinking about how we can help, because to lose a business this time of year is very difficult to deal with.

Emergency personnel are active across the area monitoring the damage.

6 dead, dozens injured after possible tornado in central Tennessee

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 02:09:51 +0000

Severe storms that tore through central Tennessee killed six people Saturday and sent about two dozen to the hospital as homes and businesses were damaged in multiple cities.

Three people, including a child, were killed after an apparent tornado struck Montgomery County north of Nashville near the Kentucky state line, county officials said in a news release. And the Nashville Emergency Operation Center said in a post on a social media account that three people were killed by severe storms in a neighborhood just north of downtown. Meanwhile, another 23 people were treated for injuries at hospitals in Montgomery County.

Photos posted by the Clarksville fire department on social media showed damaged houses with debris strewn in the lawns, a tractor-trailer flipped on its side on a highway and insulation ripped out of building walls.

"This is devastating news and our hearts are broken for the families of those who lost loved ones," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts in a statement. "The city stands ready to help them in their time of grief."

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department identified the victims killed north of downtown as Joseph Dalton, 37; Floridema Gabriel Perez, 31, and her son, Anthony Elmer Mendez, 2. Dalton was inside his mobile home when the storm tossed it on top of Perez's residence. Two other children, one in each home, were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the department said in a statement.

No further information about the other three deaths was immediately available Saturday night.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that a tornado touched down around 2 p.m. A shelter was set up at a local high school.

Residents were asked to stay at home while first responders evaluated the situation. In a briefing shared on social media, Pitts said there was extensive damage.

"So please, if you need help, call 911 and help will be on the way immediately. But if you can, please stay home. Do not get out on the roads. Our first responders need time and space," he said.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said he and his wife, Maria, were praying for all Tennesseans who had been affected by the storms.

"We mourn the lives lost and ask that everyone continue to follow guidance from local and state officials," Lee said in a statement.

Shanika Washington said that as soon as she heard the storm sirens going off in her Clarksville neighborhood, she took her children, ages 5 and 10, to a windowless bathroom in the basement of her townhouse.

"The lights were flickering, so I knew it was somewhere close in the vicinity," she said. "I just kept praying to God as it was going on. It was very terrifying and scary."

During their 20 harrowing minutes in the bathroom, Washington hovered over her children as a protective shield.

"The back door absolutely did fly open, and you just heard a bunch of wind," she said. "The blinds and stuff were like shaking really bad. I could tell that we were dead smack in the middle of a storm."

When she came out of the bathroom, she looked out of a window and saw the destruction: Debris swept onto cars that had their windows broken out. Shutters ripped from homes. Some roofs were ripped off townhouses. Air conditioning units and backyard grills were tossed like toys, and wooden dividers between townhouses were missing.

Because the power in the area was out, Washington took her children to a hotel for the night.

"I'm still shaken up a little bit, so I probably won't get much sleep tonight," Washington said. "I'm still trying to just kind of like process it all."

Allie Phillips, who lives in Clarksville, said she was grabbing lunch when she began receiving notifications that a tornado was quickly approaching her neighborhood.

"It was excruciating watching the live stream and not knowing if my house was still there," she said. "When we finally decided to leave, the road to my home was shut down because so many power lines were on the road and we had to take a detour."

Phillips said her home survived with minimal damage noting that her daughter's toys were banged up and that a neighbor's dog kennel hit the back of her home but she was saddened to see that her neighbor's house was missing a roof and a home up the block had all but completely disappeared.

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings in Tennessee, and said it planned to survey an area where an apparent tornado hit in Kentucky.

More than 80,000 electricity customers were without power in Tennessee on Saturday night, according to PowerOutage.us.

The storm came nearly two years to the day after the National Weather Service recorded 41 tornadoes through a handful of states, including 16 in Tennessee and eight in Kentucky. A total of 81 people died in Kentucky alone.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones U. Penn's president and board chair resign amid antisemitism backlash As you shop, it's key to know concerning chemicals in some clothing

Man, woman, toddler identified as Madison tornado victims

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 01:32:37 +0000

Metro Nashville Police have identified the three people killed when a suspected tornado hit Madison Saturday.

Officials said Joseph Dalton, 37, Floridema Gabriel Perez, 31, and her son, Anthony Elmer Mendez, 2, died in the storm. Dalton was inside his mobile home on Nesbitt Lane when the strength of the storm rolled it on top of Perezs residence, according to police.

Perezs 7-year-old son and Daltons 10-year-old son were both inside their homes at the time. Both were transported to Vanderbilt Pediatrics with injuries.

Hear from residents near the damage in the player above.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell issued a state of emergency for Metro and Davidson counties.

"First responders are still working across the county to get to some hard-to-reach areas, and our Emergency Operations Center is operating," a statement from O'Connell said.

NEO as well as Nashville Fire Department are on scene and asking people to avoid the area an do not approach power lines, as there is significant damage. Metro Police say multiple power lines are down along Gallatin North / OHB area.

Some were transported with injuries, MPD says.

This is a developing story, and we will update you as we have more information.

U. Penn's president and board chair resign amid antisemitism backlash

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 01:19:18 +0000

The University of Pennsylvania's president has resigned amid pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the schools conduct policy.

The chairman of the Ivy League school's board of trustees, Scott Bok, also resigned immediately during a trustees meeting Saturday evening, just hours after Bok announced Liz Magill's departure as president in just her second year.

Bok, a supporter of Magill's, defended her through several months of criticism over the universitys handling of various perceived acts of antisemitism.

He called her a good person and talented leader who is not "the slightest bit antisemitic," but gave a legalistic and wooden response after being worn down by months of criticism and hours of questioning in the congressional hearing.

"Following that, it became clear that her position was no longer tenable, and she and I concurrently decided that it was time for her to exit," Bok said in a statement also announcing his resignation.

The university said Magill will remain a tenured faculty member at the universitys Carey Law School. She has agreed to keep serving as Penns leader until the university names an interim president.

SEE MORE: $100 million UPenn donation at risk following antisemitism hearing

Calls for Magill's firing exploded after Tuesday's testimony in a U.S. House committee on antisemitism on college campuses, where she appeared with the presidents of Harvard University and MIT.

Universities across the U.S. have been accused of failing to protect Jewish students amid rising fears of antisemitism worldwide and fallout from Israels intensifying war in Gaza, which faces heightened criticism for the mounting Palestinian death toll.

The three presidents were called before the committee to answer those accusations. But, their lawyerly answers drew renewed blowback from opponents, focused particularly on a line of questioning from Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who repeatedly asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate Penn's code of conduct.

"If the speech turns into conduct it can be harassment, yes," Magill said. Pressed further, Magill told Stefanik, "It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman."

Harvard President Claudine Gay and MIT President Sally Kornbluth gave similar responses to Stefanik, and Bok pointed that out.

Magill made a "very unfortunate misstep - consistent with that of two peer university leaders sitting alongside her - after five hours of aggressive questioning before a congressional committee," Bok said.

Still, criticism of Magill rained down from the White House, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, members of Congress and donors. One donor, Ross Stevens, threatened to withdraw a $100 million gift because of the universitys "stance on antisemitism on campus" unless Magill was replaced.

A day later, Magill addressed the criticism, saying in a video that she would consider a call for the genocide of Jewish people to be harassment or intimidation and that Penns policies need to be "clarified and evaluated."

It did not quell criticism.

In a statement Saturday, Stefanik said Magill's "forced resignation" is the "bare minimum of what is required" and said Harvard and MIT should follow suit.

"One down. Two to go," Stefanik said, adding that "this is only the very beginning of addressing the pervasive rot of antisemitism that has destroyed the most 'prestigious' higher education institutions in America."

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. said Magills resignation allows Penn to "chart a new course in addressing antisemitism on campus."

Bok said he was asked to remain as chairman to help with the transition to a new president, but decided that now was the best time for him to leave.

Even before Tuesday's hearing, Magill had been under fire from some donors and alumni this fall. Some also had called for the resignation of Bok, who had defended Magill amid criticism over the universitys handling of various perceived acts of antisemitism.

That included allowing a Palestinian literary arts festival to be held on its campus in September featuring speakers whose past statements about Israel had drawn accusations of antisemitism.

A former U.S. Supreme Court law clerk, Magill, 57, is the daughter of a retired federal judge and was dean of Stanford University's law school and a top administrator at the University of Virginia before Penn hired her as its ninth president last year.

Bok is chairman and CEO of investment bank Greenhill & Co.

Earlier Saturday, New York's governor called on the state's colleges and universities to swiftly address cases of antisemitism and what she described as any "calls for genocide" on campus.

In a letter to college and university presidents, Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration would enforce violations of the state's Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials.

Hochul said chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York systems confirmed to her "that calling for genocide of any group" or tolerating antisemitism violates codes of conduct on their campuses "and would lead to swift disciplinary action."

A popular chant at pro-Palestinian rallies at Penn and other universities has been falsely misrepresented in recent months as a call for "Jewish genocide."

Experts and advocates say the chant, "Israel, we charge you with genocide," is a typical refrain heard at pro-Palestinian rallies. Jewish and Palestinian supporters both acknowledge protesters aren't saying "We want Jewish genocide."

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

As you shop, it's key to know concerning chemicals in some clothing Don't want to wait in crowds? Visit with Santa virtually this year! Spike in female prisoners is move in the wrong direction, experts say

As you shop, it's key to know concerning chemicals in some clothing

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 23:33:10 +0000

As we get out in the crowds or go online to holiday shop, headlines and product reviews have raised concerns about some of the possibly dangerous forever chemicals found in the fabrics used to make a lot of the popular clothing we buy every day.

"I just found out there are forever chemicals in our leggings. I wear leggings every single day!" said one shopper.

Chemicals like bisphenol a, also known as BPA - along with PFAs, or forever chemicals as they are known - have been found in many clothing items like leggings, sports bras, workout shirts, and even in airline uniforms.

These chemicals have been linked to a handful of health issues, like endocrine disorders and kidney disease. Some of the most talked about reports have come from the center for environmental health, a non-profit organization that sends legal notices to brands they say "after testing showed the clothing could expose individuals to up to 40 times the safe limit of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), according to California law."

Many of the brands named in the accusations have pushed back on CEH's claims. These are brands like Athleta, which according to Forbes, said in a statement, "as a certified B-Corp, Athleta is deeply committed to ensuring all our products are made to applicable safety standards. We believe the CEH claims have no merit and stand by our products and practices."

"So there's a lot of things that they put in clothing that they don't necessarily tell you about. But it's really important as a consumer to be aware of this," said Leah Segedie, founder of watchdog group MamaVation.com.

The site conducts consumer investigations on products to determine if they have toxins like PFAs.

SEE MORE: Family buys fake Apple AirPods, now warning other holiday shoppers

According to Segedie, her website uses "several EPA-Certified labs to help ... find indications of these chemicals and report on those findings."

She says her organization's "scientific and medical advisory team helps ... translate the science behind the findings, while ... supply chain advisers help ... make sense of the data," the website reads.

"Your sweat increases the ability for these chemicals to be pulled out of your clothing and into your body," she said. "We don't know a lot about how you're going to be exposed individually, brand to brand. It's just something to be generally aware of."

So now, many consumers may be wondering what they should consider to cut down on any potential exposure to chemicals in clothing.

"So ultimately the answer is less is more. With fast fashion the way it is. You really don't need 20 pairs of jeans. You know? You're only going to wear 2 or 3 of them. You've got 20 pairs. You've got all these that you don't need. Just buy less. I'm telling you to buy less," she said.

Segedie said there are lots of product reviews and studies available to help consumers decide which chemical free clothing to purchase, to limit any potential exposure. She says that smelling the clothing can also help to determine where the chemicals are.

"When you buy clothing items and they have a smell about them, that is not good. So you want to make sure that when you buy the clothing, you take a smell of it ... if it smells funny, you may want to let it off gas a little bit in the garage or wash it a bunch so that the smell disappears," she said. "The other thing I would concentrate on is looking for a lot of organic wool and organic cotton."

She says it's very hard to avoid all harmful chemicals.

"We can't live in a world right now without petroleum. It's everywhere. It's unavoidable. And honestly, to avoid it makes you kind of crazy. So I wouldn't say to go 100%, because that's impossible. Nobody can do that. But just be mindful of it," she said.

Experts say limiting exposure really goes hand-in-hand with limiting purchases of new items, which could also help you declutter and reduce spending.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

Don't want to wait in crowds? Visit with Santa virtually this year! Spike in female prisoners is move in the wrong direction, experts say Who is Gypsy Rose Blanchard? Why a 'sick' girl helped murder her mom

Don't want to wait in crowds? Visit with Santa virtually this year!

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 22:03:53 +0000

Oh, Santa Claus. He sure is busy this time of year, but he has to find out who has been naughty or nice before setting out in his sleigh to deliver all of those presents in the cold or warm weather, depending on which hemisphere children are in on Christmas Eve.

His magical sleigh is fast, but with modern problems come modern conveniences.

So, what better way to help Saint Nick save some time than to visit with the big bearded guy virtually? That's now an option with the Visit with Santa service.

What's even more special about this new way to connect with Father Christmas is there are ASL and Spanish options so that more children can comfortably try and convince Kriss Kringle that they have been nice this year. It's the best way to ensure kids get the gifts they want on Christmas morning, right?

SEE MORE: 'We need the world's help': 'Home Alone' actor begins cancer fight

Santa was able to set aside some time to speak to Scripps News, and he said the new virtual way to get in touch is a welcome addition to his workshop as he prepares for the big night of gift giving.

Alexa Liacko tried to press him on which cookies are his favorite, so that parents can be sure they leave out his favorite treats for after he slips down the chimney, but he was cagey on the topic.

He asked Liacko which cookies she likes best. Those would be white chocolate chip macadamia of course. We think it might be safe to say that Santa likes all types of cookies. As long as they are the parent's favorite, Santa seems OK with that.

So, if families across the U.S. just don't want go out into the crowds and lines of shoppers this holiday season to talk with Santa, try connecting with him virtually.

We're sure Mrs Claus won't mind having him home more often, even if he is working remote.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

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Every state's favorite Christmas song – and the 10 most-hated: study

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 20:31:47 +0000

(WDKY) — A new study breaks down the nation's favorite Christmas songs by state, as well as the most-disliked – which happened to be the same song, in some states.

To get a better sense of which songs are most and least likely to nurture Christmas cheer, FinanceBuzz used Google Trends to find the most popular Christmas song in every state and surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. adults on the most annoying Christmas songs.

FinanceBuzz collected Google Trends search data on the 25 highest-charting Christmas songs on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of Christmas 2022. For the list of the most annoying holiday songs, FinanceBuzz surveyed 1,250 U.S. adults in November 2022.

Across the nation, "All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey trended in 10 states, making it the most popular Christmas song. Carey's Christmas mega-hit was the most-searched song in both the Northeast and the South.

Forbes estimated that Carey makes a profit of $2.5 million every year from the song.

Rounding out the most popular songs were “Run Rudolph Run,” “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” and Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” which ranked number one in at least three states.

For Tennessee, there can be no other than the King. "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley reigns as Tennessee's top Christmas song.

In California, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" reigned supreme, while in Texas and Florida it was "Feliz Navidad." Heading north, "Blue Christmas" was the top tune in Oklahoma, with "Underneath the Tree" ranked first in Ohio and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in Illinois and New York.

People's least favorite Christmas songs

During the holiday season Christmas music seeps into our daily life seemingly every time we turn on the radio, go to a shopping mall or get placed on hold.

For those who love it, it's great, but for those who dislike it, it becomes a seasonal torture. With the most popular songs such as "All I want for Christmas is You" seemingly playing everywhere the closer we get to Christmas, it's no wonder that it's one of the most popular – and most despised songs.

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Americans ranked these 10 Christmas songs as the most annoying:

"All I Want for Christmas is You"
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" by Alvin and the Chipmunks
"Feliz Navidad"
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives
"Baby It's Cold Outside"
"Deck the Halls"
"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon
"White Christmas"
"Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney
"Do You Hear What I Hear?"

FinanceBuzz reported that the most common reason for listing a song was that listeners felt as if it was overplayed.

View the entire study and all 50 state's favorite songs here.

Ole Smoky Distillery honors East TN moonshine legend with new brand

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 15:18:24 +0000

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — After 14 years in the making, the Ole Smoky Distillery “The Holler” in Gatlinburg launched their new “Popcorn Sutton Distillery” brand. Named after the late Appalachian moonshiner, the distillery created two liquors to honor his legacy.

Popcorn Sutton was known as an outlaw, moonshiner, and an Appalachian at heart. Making him the perfect candidate for Ole Smoky Distillery to name a brand after. Pam Sutton, Popcorn’s widow, said he would be proud.

“I am very happy this is what Popcorn wanted before he died,” said Pam.

Ole Smoky made a Master Blend Bourbon Whiskey and brought Popcorn's original “Likker” recipe to market.

Tennessee among worst states for drunk driving, report shows

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 22:53:24 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The holiday season is in full swing, but so is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. A new report ranked Tennessee the 12th worst state for drunk driving.

Based on the Forbes Advisor report released last week, 26.75% of traffic deaths in the Volunteer State are caused by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08%. In addition, for every 100,000 drivers in Tennessee, there are 362.11 arrests for driving under the influence and 5.53 drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes.

Meanwhile, crashes involving drunk driving are on the rise nationwide. In 2021, more than 13,384 people died in such crashes, a 14% increase from 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

‘No little girl should have to bury their daddy like this’: Family leans on prayer for closure after deadly hit-and-run

These numbers are no surprise to advocates like Alex Otte, who's a part of the nonprofit Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

"The staggering numbers that we're seeing, both nationally and in Tennessee, are super concerning," said Otte, the regional executive director for MADD in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. "We know that, on average, two out of three people will be impacted by drunk or drug driving in their lifetime. None of those people expected for it to be them. When I was run over, I was a 13-year-old girl, so when I talk a lot about the fact that this happens, of all the people in the world it was supposed to happen to, a 13-year-old kid wasn't it, but it did."

The Forbes Advisor report also found that 42.18% of drivers have witnessed a friend or family member drive after having more than one alcoholic drink. With more families out on the roadways for the holidays, advocates are pushing for deeper consideration before you get behind the wheel.

Officer injured in South Nashville crash

"We encourage people not to be the person to take someone away from their holiday table this Christmas. We know that the holidays between 'Blackout Wednesday' and New Year's Day are one of the deadliest times of the year," said Otte. "You can't imagine if you were able to watch someone leave somewhere under the influence and then to see on the news that a crash happened, to know that something happened and you could've stopped it and you didn't. And that's why we ask people to take a level of responsibility. You never know who it's going to happen to."

NHTSA data shows about 37 people die in the United States in drunk driving crashes every day. That's one person every 39 minutes. Advocates believe even one fatality is too many.

"The families who are impacted, the people who are injured and killed, they had plans for tomorrow. They had hopes and dreams and things that they wanted to do that they didn't get to because someone made a choice," said Otte.

Georgia man dead after tire crashes through windshield on I-40 in Knoxville

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 21:19:51 +0000

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville Police Department has released the identity of a driver who died Thursday in Knoxville after a tire detached from another car and crashed through his windshield while driving on I-40.

A police spokesperson said Friday that the victim has been identified as 64-year-old Terry Hohm of Snellville, Georgia.

Kentucky woman sentenced for forging federal judge’s signature

Officers responded to the crash on I-40 West near West Hills on Thursday, Dec. 7 just after 1 p.m. According to KPD, a Nissan SUV was traveling east on I-40 when it reportedly lost a tire that flew over the dividing wall and struck another Nissan SUV driving west on I-40.

KPD said "the tire went through the windshield" and hit Hohm, who was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he later died. No one else was in the vehicle and no injuries were reported from the car that lost the tire.

Rare car recovered by Hancock County Sheriff’s Office

The crash remains under investigation by KPD crash reconstruction investigators.

Goats rescued from Hamilton County mountain ledge

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 15:35:49 +0000

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee emergency crews came to the rescue Thursday for four goats trapped on a mountain ledge in Hamilton County.

Waldens Ridge Emergency Service reported the goats were stranded on a ledge for close to two weeks.

⏩ Read today's top stories on wkrn.com

Concerned neighbors called for help when they realized the goats could not get off the ledge themselves.

Crews used ropes to rappel the goats to safety.

Waldens Ridge Emergency Service thanked the "dedicated volunteers from Chattanooga Hamilton County Rescue Service, as well as the Sparta Rescue Squad, for their invaluable assistance in the successful extraction."

Tennessee makes progress on state trooper shortage

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:45:15 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After years of dedicated recruitment efforts by Gov. Bill Lee and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, urging law enforcement officers from New York to Los Angeles to join the patrol in Tennessee, they are now seeing the results.

"There was a time when we had gotten down to probably less than 800 troopers in the state, and now, we are sitting well over a thousand," Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Col. Matt Perry said.

Tennessee joins antitrust lawsuit against NCAA

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 23:59:14 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Tennessee has signed onto a multi-state lawsuit against the NCAA for violating antitrust laws related to pay for college athletes.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined six other states involved in the suit by filing the federal lawsuit on behalf of the Volunteer State, challenging the NCAA's transfer eligibility rule in order to "stop unlawful conduct that harms both collegiate athletes in Tennessee and consumers of Tennessee college sports."

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

The transfer eligibility rule requires college athletes who transfer between Division I schools to wait one year before competing in games, unless the NCAA waives the rule for a particular athlete. The NCAA began automatically exempting first-time transfers from the regulation in 2021 but has continued to enforce the rule for subsequent transfers and to deny waivers for no legitimate reason, the AG said. The lawsuit is challenging the rule as an "illegal restraint on college athletes’ ability to market their labor and control their education."

“College athletes deserve clear rules, consistently applied, so they can make the best decisions about their futures,” Skrmetti said.

As part of the multistate lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, the attorneys general of Tennessee, Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina and West Virginia are seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to keep the NCAA from enforcing the rule.

The AG said the NCAA has "expanded its rulebook beyond on-field competition to regulate off-the-field competition among its member institutions and manage the burgeoning business of collegiate sports."

Click HERE to read the full lawsuit challenging the NCAA's eligibility rule

While some of the regulations are essential, Skrmetti said "certain rules, lacking a clear procompetitive benefit, may run afoul of the nation's antitrust laws, which are rooted in the belief that market forces yield the best outcomes."

In justifying the one-year waiting period for second-time transfers, the NCAA cites the promotion of academic well-being and the preservation of athletic amateurism. But the suit calls the connection between the rule and these goals “pretextual”; notes that these purported goals can be accomplished through less-restrictive means that do not so significantly restrain the ability of our universities to compete; and argues that the harm it does to athletes and fans far exceeds any supposed benefits, according to the release issued by the AG.

The one-year waiting period constitutes 20% of the total time allotted by NCAA regulations for the completion of a college athlete’s full eligibility — and, as such, could prove devastating for athletes seeking to optimize their career and welfare by transferring to schools that better suit them, something any other college student can choose to do if they feel it best.

Teacher arrested after drugs found in car at Cumberland County elementary school

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 23:55:56 +0000

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE/WKRN) — A part-time teacher from Putnam County is facing multiple charges after drugs were found inside a car at a Cumberland County elementary school.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said a K-9 alerted its handler from Interquest Canines -- a service the Cumberland County Board of Education has used for several years to help detect drugs and guns -- to a car in the parking lot of Pine View Elementary School.

Lebanon police arrest vandalism suspect after church sustains $25K in damages

School resource officers searched the vehicle and located "illegal drugs," Cumberland County Schools announced. Authorities said the vehicle belonged to a part-time teacher.

According to officials, 31-year-old Angela Elizabeth Anderson, of Cookeville, has been arrested and charged with manufacture, delivery, or sale of a Schedule II controlled substance (cocaine); simple possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana); and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. She has also been suspended without pay by the school system.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

Anderson was reportedly taken to the Cumberland County Jail, where she is being held on a $7,000 bond pending a General Sessions Court date on Jan. 8, 2024.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case since Pine View Elementary School is a part of Cumberland County Schools, even though its mailing address is in Rockwood, which is located in Roane County.

UAW says over 1,000 workers at VW plant in Tennessee have signed cards seeking union representation

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:47:44 +0000

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — More than 1,000 workers at Volkswagen's Tennessee factory have signed cards authorizing a vote on representation by the United Auto Workers, the first plant in the nation to reach that milestone in the UAW's quest to organize more than a dozen nonunion factories.

The union said Thursday that the VW workers signed on in less than a week.

The factory in Chattanooga employs about 3,800 people who make the VW ID.4 electric vehicle and the Atlas family of gas-powered SUVs. It could become the first test of the union's strategy to simultaneously try to organize the nonunion plants.

The UAW said workers have complained about mistreatment by management including mandatory overtime on Saturdays, and they are seeking higher pay.

UAW will try to organize workers at all US nonunion factories after winning new contracts in Detroit

In November, VW gave workers an 11% pay raise at the plant. The raises came after UAW members ratified new contracts with Detroit automakers. The union said VW's pay lags behind what workers make at UAW-represented auto plants.

The UAW pacts with General Motors, Ford and Jeep maker Stellantis include 25% pay raises by the time the contracts end in April of 2028. With cost-of-living increases, workers will see about 33% in raises for a top assembly wage of $42 per hour, plus annual profit sharing, the union said.

In a statement, VW said it’s proud of the “world-class production environment” it has created in Chattanooga, and said the pay and benefits show a commitment to employees. Top assembly plant workers make $32.40 per hour, the company added.

VW said it believes in dialog with workers so they can help shape the work environment: “We also respect the right of our workers to determine who should represent their interests in the workplace."

VW said it has invested over $4.3 billion in the plant and has added over 1,200 jobs and another shift to make the ID.4.

Autoworkers strike cut Ford sales by 100,000 vehicles and cost company $1.7 billion in profits

In close votes in 2014 and 2019, workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant twice rejected a factory-wide union under the UAW. Some prominent Tennessee Republican politicians had urged workers to vote against the union during both campaigns.

The year after the 2014 vote failed, 160 Chattanooga maintenance workers won a vote to form a smaller union, but Volkswagen refused to bargain. Volkswagen had argued the bargaining unit also needed to include production workers. As a result, the 2019 factory-wide vote followed.

Less than two weeks after ratifying new contracts with Detroit automakers, the UAW announced plans to try to simultaneously organize workers at the nonunion plants, most owned by foreign-based automakers.

The UAW said the drive covers nearly 150,000 workers at factories largely in the South, where the union has had little success in recruiting new members.

The organizing drive will target U.S. plants run by Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Subaru, Mazda, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW and Volvo. Also on the union’s list are U.S. factories run by electric vehicle sales leader Tesla, as well as EV startups Rivian and Lucid.

The union said its strategy includes calling for an election at factories when about 70% of the workers sign up. A union can seek an election run by the National Labor Relations Board once a majority of workers support it.

⏩ Read today's top stories on wkrn.com

Workers at Nissan's plant in Smyrna have likewise rejected a plantwide union twice under UAW, though the 2001 and 1989 votes were not close.

The Smyrna plant's fewer than 100 tool and die workers also resoundingly voted this March against forming a union under the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, in a campaign hampered by two years of delays in front of the National Labor Relations Board.

The Japan-based automaker’s other U.S. assembly plant in Canton, Mississippi, rejected facility-wide representation by the UAW during a 2017 vote.

TVA Pays Memphis VP “Big” Salary

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:47:07 +0000

By Marc Perrusquia

MEMPHIS, TN — The Tennessee Valley Authority is paying Memphis-based vice president Mark Yates nearly a quarter-million dollars a year in salary and possibly as much as $338,000 or more counting bonuses.

That’s according to newly released records obtained through a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by an attorney with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Overall, TVA is paying as much as $1.4 million in annual salaries and bonuses to Yates and three others who were hired to fill newly created regional vice president positions in 2021.

“It just defies logic,’’ said TVA critic Karl Schledwitz, a Memphis businessman who said he believes the federal utility’s total annual cost for the four positions could reach as high as $3 million when short- and long-term incentives, staff support and other factors are considered.

“TVA is a bureaucratic organization that has not had checks and balances for a long time,’’ Schledwitz said. “As a result of that, they have gotten very fat. They’re very top heavy.’’

In response, TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said the agency fixes competitive salaries based on “benchmarking with other utility peers,’’ contending the new vice presidents are helping improve performance and customer service.

“Our customers expect and deserve affordable, reliable, resilient, and clean energy,’’ Brooks said in a statement released to the Institute for Public Service Reporting. “To meet their expectations, we must attract and retain the best talent – highly skilled individuals in a specialized industry.”

TVA created the position of West Regional Vice President and hired Yates, a longtime Memphis businessman and political operative, to fill the post in early 2021. The move stirred criticism because it came as officials at Memphis Light, Gas & Water debated whether to sever ties with TVA and find a cheaper power supplier. TVA receives about $1 billion a year from city-owned MLGW to serve as its exclusive supplier of electricity.

At the time TVA hired Yates, his wife Veronica was operating a business with Carlee McCullough, then a member of MLGW’s board of commissioners. Veronica Yates and McCullough were listed at the two key proprietors of the popular Midtown restaurant, Mahogany Memphis. McCullough has since left the MLGW board.

TVA later hired three other regional vice presidents across its seven-state service area.

Paul McAdoo, an attorney for the Reporters Committee, filed suit in federal court in Knoxville in September 2022 on behalf of a Memphis journalist after TVA declined to release salary and compensation information involving the four regional vice presidents.

U.S. District Court Judge Ronnie Greer ruled earlier this fall that TVA must release the compensation information. TVA is a federal agency created by Congress during the Great Depression that generates electrical power for local utility companies in portions of seven states. The agency has attempted to conceal salary information of its employees in recent years, arguing that it no longer receives subsidies from the federal government, although its dams and utility infrastructure were built with millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.

Greer said in his decision that TVA could withhold the names and other personal identifying information of the four regional vice presidents.

In response, attorneys for TVA released four sheets of information last week listing salary and compensation details for four unnamed regional vice presidents. According to the released records:

One of the regional vice presidents received a rate of pay equivalent to $242,050 a year effective Sept. 30, 2021. The employee also was eligible for an additional 40% annual bonus, which would boost total compensation to $338,870, plus an additional 30 percent long-term bonus.

Two of the regional vice presidents received a rate of pay equal to $244,400 a year, plus short-term and long-term bonuses.

One of the regional vice presidents received a rate of pay equal to $286,768 a year, plus short-term and long-term bonuses.

TVA spokesman Brooks said in an email that a greater share of compensation for higher level employees like the regional vice presidents comes through “at risk” pay – through short-term and long-term incentives – that is based on performance.

“No individual payout is guaranteed. It is directly tied to meeting specific, measurable financial and operational performance goals, and in many cases the individual’s personal performance,” Brooks said.

Yates, 57, could not be reached for comment.

TVA announced in January 2021 that it had hired Yates to fill its newly created West Regional vice presidency. Four months later, the agency announced that it had named longtime TVA employees Carol Eimers and Jared Mitchem as vice presidents in its east and south regions respectively. Then, that June, TVA said it had selected its vice president of federal affairs, Justin Maierhofer, to serve as regional vice president in its north region.

TVA said at the time of the appointments that the new regional vice president positions would help build “powerful partnerships” and strengthen relations “with customers and local leaders to bring value to the communities we serve.’’

As controversy about Yates’ appointment grew, Buddy Eller, TVA’s vice president for communications and public relations, said in 2022 that TVA hired Yates for “his extensive business background,’’ which includes stints as chief financial officer at LeMoyne-Owen College, senior vice president at First Horizon National Corporation and vice president at the Morgan Keegan investment firm.

Yates also once served as chief of staff to former Congressman Harold Ford Jr., and as chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party.

Comparative industry salaries weren’t available Thursday, but critics said creation of the four regional vice president positions fits a larger pattern of secrecy and excess at TVA.

“TVA didn’t have (these positions) for a hundred years. And so now, all of a sudden, they need to pay out a couple of million dollars more in salaries for newly created positions? It just defies logic,’’ said Schledwitz, chairman and CEO of Monogram Foods, who co-founded a nonprofit advocacy group, 450M For Memphis, that contends Memphis could save money by finding a new power supplier.

Statement Released By TVA Spokesman Scott Brooks: Our customers expect and deserve affordable, reliable, resilient, and clean energy. To meet their expectations, we must attract and retain the best talent — highly skilled individuals in a specialized industry.

This is amplified by the unprecedented increase in energy demand, the need to expand and replace our assets, and the national skilled trades labor shortage. The regional vice president roles are essential to our business and play a pivotal role in delivering to the communities across this region – they have a direct working relationship with our customers and the people in their region to keep them informed of TVA’s efforts.

Ongoing benchmarking with other utility peers ensures TVA maintains a competitive compensation system to support a diverse and skilled workforce that can deliver the outcomes our customers expect, including keeping energy cost low. This is specifically defined in the TVA Act.

“This is all ratepayers money. They’re a government organization. I mean, we deserve for them to be transparent. You shouldn’t have to sue to get public information from a public entity. It makes you wonder: What do they have to hide?”

Retired East Tennessee utility executive Rody Blevins said he tried unsuccessfully for years to get executive salary information from TVA while trying to determine if the power supplier was overcharging ratepayers.

“It’s supposed to be public power. You know, they’re supposed to be transparent,’’ said Blevins, the former CEO of Volunteer Energy Cooperative, a rural power company in Decatur, Tennessee, about an hour northeast of Chattanooga. “I think ratepayers should know that information.”

As a corporate entity of the federal government, TVA is required to provide salary data for a handful of top executives in annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. TVA’s latest annual reportshows it paid CEO Jeff Lyash $10.5 million in total compensation during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. It paid four others compensation ranging from $2.5 million to $4.6 million.

Lyash often is characterized as the highest-paid federal employee, yet his compensation is far less than some peers in the utility industry. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported last month that Pacific Gas and Electric’s CEO Patricia Poppe makes considerably more – $51.2 million in 2021 – as does Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good, who made $21.35 million in 2022.

TVA spokesman Brooks said in his written statement that the new regional vice presidents serve as key liaisons between the federal power company and the communities it serves.

“The regional vice president roles are essential to our business and play a pivotal role in delivering to the communities across this region – they have a direct working relationship with our customers and the people in their region to keep them informed of TVA’s efforts,’’ TVA spokesman Brooks said.

Nonetheless, TVA critic Stephen Smith said he believes the new regional vice presidents are little more than “cheerleaders for TVA’’ who are trying to keep Memphis and other cities in the region from abandoning it for other power suppliers.

“This is just TVA paying money to keep the citizens of Memphis held captive,’’ said Smith, executive director of the Knoxville-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “They are holding Memphis hostage.”

The post TVA Pays Memphis VP “Big” Salary appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Entrepreneur Bootcamp in Memphis

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:37:50 +0000

MEMPHIS, TN — Paula Anderson Coaching and Consulting LLC is offering an Entrepreneur Bootcamp for emerging entrepreneurs in Tennessee starting Jan. 2024.

This is one of our continuing education courses in partnership with Austin Peay State University. It will be held virtually and in-person. The next cohort will begin in Jan. 2024.

Paula Anderson, founder of PACC said, “The 10-week course focuses on entrepreneurship, financial management, marketing, public relations and leadership.”

Eric Ruffin, president of Ruffin Consulting, will teach the financial management portion, which consists of personal credit, business credit, community financial development institutions (CDFI) and capital investments.

“Ruffin Consulting has a history of working with small business owners in the areas of government contracting, accounting system development, management and technical assistance. The Financial Management course in the Entrepreneur Bootcamp covers personal credit, business credit, understanding access to capital and DCAA compliance for securing government contracts,” said Eric Ruffin, president and CEO of Ruffin Consulting.

“Participants will receive five weeks of instruction and five weeks of coaching. It is ideal for business owners less than three years old,” said Anderson.

To learn more about Paula Anderson Coaching and Consulting, LLC, visit paulaandersononline.net or call 901-410-6689.

The post Entrepreneur Bootcamp in Memphis appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Ringing Bells This Christmas

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:36:00 +0000

From Staff Reports

COLUMBIA, TN — Two middle school sisters here are ringing bells this Christmas in conjunction with their Beta Club memberships.

Courtlyn James and her sister, Paizley James, are among many Salvation Army volunteers who are ringing bells to attract donations to the international charity.

The sisters’ mother, Renita James, says they attend Maury County’s Whitthorne Middle School and are members of the school’s Junior Beta Club. It promotes academic achievement, character, service and leadership among students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

The Salvation Army now has volunteers ringing bells at thousands of the Christian Protestant church’s signature red kettles where they accept donations.

At a grocery in Columbia on South James Campbell Boulevard recently, bellringers Courtlyn and Paizley were helped by their little sister, Matti, and their mother. The older James sisters volunteer time and efforts in connection with their middle school Beta Club membership. Club membership requires them to: maintain good grades in school; perform acts of service; and, offer leadership for the betterment of their community.

The Salvation Army offers a wide variety of services including homeless shelters in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Memphis and many American cities and other nations. Founded in 1865 by the Rev. William Booth and his wife, Catherine, the Christian movement has a quasi-military structure. It’s an evangelical part of the universal Christian church to meet human needs in the name of Jesus Christ. The organization began in London, England.

The post Ringing Bells This Christmas appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

McLemore House Museum to Hold Annual Christmas Open House

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:34:30 +0000

FRANKLIN, TN — The African American Heritage Society of Williamson County invites you to join us for our Annual Christmas Open House on Saturday, December 9 from 10 am to 1 pm at the McLemore House Museum located at 446 11th Avenue North in Franklin. Our very own Harvey Chrisman and Carolyn Wall will be reprising their roles as Harvey McLemore and his granddaughter, Maggie, in a special live re-enactment tour which will run between 10 am-12 pm. Self-guided tours will be available from noon-1 pm. Tour fees are $15 for the re-enactment tour and $10 for the self-guided tour. Join us as we usher in the beauty of the Christmas season and listen to the inspiring stories of hope being retold within the historic walls of the McLemore House Museum. We hope to see you there.

The African American Heritage Society would like to thank the community for the amazing support in the many efforts to protect and preserve our rich African American history in Williamson County. AAHS is a 501c (3) organization; donations are tax-deductible and may be made online at aahswc.org.

To make a donation through mail, checks should be made payable to the:
African American Heritage Society
P.O. Box 681016, Franklin, TN 37068

The post McLemore House Museum to Hold Annual Christmas Open House appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

The Road to Recovery Celebrated by Memphis Woman

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:03:08 +0000

By Wiley Henry

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first installment of a two-part series about a woman who turned her life around after a tumultuous battle with alcohol and drug addiction.

MEMPHIS, TN — Meishal Berniece Henry is deliriously happy. She earned a college degree in phlebotomy, makes a decent wage on her “dream job,” and purchased a new home in the Alcy Ball community.

“I’m doing awesome,” she said.

But that wasn’t always the case. In fact, Henry’s journey to happiness didn’t come so easily. It was hampered by destructive behavior – a kind of self-inflicted wound that festered over time.

“I didn’t know that I was sick,” Henry confessed. She was an alcoholic stuck in a quagmire that kept her in a drunken stupor for 35 years.

“I started drinking and experimenting in high school with my friends,” she explained. “But I think things went wrong when I met my husband and I got pregnant with my first child.”

Henry was 19; he was 27.

“He kept some things from me, and it kind of shook me up,” said Henry, now 62. “By the time I found out, I was already with child. Things went mentally downhill for me after that.”

Henry found it difficult to cope, which caused her to spiral down into an abyss of emotional and mental distress. She also suffered from severe postpartum depression.

“But I wasn’t drinking when I had my children,” the mother of five conceded: Natasha, now 42; Ashley, 38; Erica, 36; Amanda, 33; and Christopher, 30.

Then Henry’s brother died. He was her rock; she could lean on him for support. At that time, “It was just me, my mother, and my brother,” she said.

Henry’s father died, too, in the early 90s; she was in her early 30s. On top of that, “Me and my mom were sort of estranged,” she said unabashedly. “Everything wasn’t her fault, though.”

Even so, Henry kept drinking in excess while trying to run a household. Her marriage was on the brink as well. “I was trying to be an adult with a child’s mind,” she recounted, “and it was just hard.”

Thinking she was doing the right thing, Henry relinquished custody of her children to the state. But her son was separated from his sisters.

“I didn’t understand the consequences,” she said in retrospect. “Since he was so young, he ended up getting adopted.”

After the children were gone, Henry took to the streets, drank incessantly without fail, got hooked on drugs, and teetered in and out of relationships.

She also worked a job off and on to support her drinking binges and drug addiction. “I was pretty much a wild child,” she admitted, and struggled to keep a roof over her head.

“I tried to get back with my husband a couple of times. It didn’t work,” she said. “And I bounced around with whoever I could live with.”

Henry was at a crossroad. She could succumb to her addiction or she could seek help.

She chose the latter and got herself admitted to Serenity Recovery Centers, a treatment facility in Memphis for alcohol and drug addiction. A sponsor got her a job. After six months of sobriety, she relapsed.

“I lost my job in 2013,” she said. “I couldn’t hold the job any longer.”

Henry was broken, hopeless, at the edge of despair. Hitting rock bottom was closer than ever. After her brother died in 2014, suicidal thoughts emerged. In 2019, she had a heart attack.

“I couldn’t stop drinking; I didn’t want to stop drinking,” she said.

Henry had been staying with a man that kept her inebriated. She couldn’t break the lure of alcohol, the urge to drink. She needed to dry out. So, in 2021, she sought help at Alliance Mental Health Service.

“They put me on convulsive medication,” she said, “because I drank so much that I was in danger of going into convulsions.”

Henry decided to stop drinking. She could almost hear the cries of her children and her children’s children. She wanted to be a good example for them.

“My grandchildren and my children were a big inspiration to me – especially my grandkids – to stop drinking,” she said.

Henry wound up back at Serenity. From there, it was Grace House of Memphis, a home for alcoholic women. At Grace, her therapist recommended that she contact Wanda Taylor-Wilson, founder and CEO of Ladies in Need Can Survive, Inc., a transitional home for women.

“So, I asked Mrs. Wanda if she would interview me to see if I was a good fit for her program.”

That was 18 months ago. Henry is a different woman now.

Copyright 2023, TN TRIBUNE, all rights reserved.

The post The Road to Recovery Celebrated by Memphis Woman appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

15 restaurants in Middle Tennessee visited by Guy Fieri on 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives'

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:50:33 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - Many food lovers have put their trust in Guy Fieri’s opinions when it comes to learning about the best diners, drive-ins and dive bars to indulge in a good meal.

The Mayor of Flavortown has some beloved go-to eateries in Middle Tennessee. More than a dozen have been featured on his popular Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

Here's list of restaurants in Middle Tennessee that Fieri has visited during the show's 45 seasons.

Graze

Fieri skipped the meat on this visit! Graze, a family-owned and locally-sourced vegan restaurant, is located in East Nashville on Eastland Avenue. The vegan eatery was featured in a season 34 episode and showcased their club sandwich spin and meatless chorizo.

Fattoush Café

Found on Charlotte Avenue, Fattoush Café is known for serving up a classic Greek cuisine such as salad, falafel, gyros and baklava. In a season 34 episode, the café showed Guy Fieri how to make they're beloved lamb shank.

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Nicky’s Coal Fired

Welcome to Nicky's Coal Fired! An Italian joint featured on season 34 that serves grandma's meatball recipe and righteous coal-fired pizza. The restaurant is located on Centennial Boulevard in West Nashville.

Riddim N Spice

The Mayor of Flavortown featured Jamaican brothers Kamal Kalokoh and Rashean Conaway on a season 34 episode. The dishes featured showed Jamaican specialties with their on special twist. Fieri tired the barbeque jerk jackfruit, snapper and peas and rice.

Soy Bistro

Located in Brentwood is Soy Bistro, a family-owned and operated restaurant that serves Korean cuisine. Things got spicy during the visit as Fieri got a taste of the bistro's chicken and bulgogi. Some house favorites on the menu are bibimbap, gochujang chicken and Spicy Pork Bulgogi.

Mas Tacos por Favor

Mas Taco por Favor is easily one of Nashville's favorite eateries. In fact, Fieri loved it so much that he visited twice! In the show's first season, Fieri enjoyed the shop's holiday tamales and quinoa tacos. As for the pozole verde soup? He says, the "depth of the broth is ridiculous." Yelp ranked the restaurant as one of the highest-rated taco shops earlier this year.

Center Point Pit Barbecue

At Center Point Pit Barbecue, owner Robert Duke smokes his pork until in turns "black as night." However, Fieri learned that the Hendersonville BBQ joint's holiday ham is unlike any other. After a four-day brine and a six-hour smoke, the ham is sprinkled with sugar and torched, resulting in a delicious "ham brittle."

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The Grilled Cheeserie

This food truck features unique versions of a good ol' grilled cheese sammie and churns out delicious cheesy concoctions. According to Fieri, the Pimento mac and cheese had him "dreaming of childhood." If you prefer to dine inside, the food truck also has a brick & mortar restaurant on Belcourt Avenue in Hillsboro Village.

Martin Bar-B-Que Joint

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, which has several locations across Middle Tennessee, has been featured on Triple D three times. In a season 9 episode, the Mayor of Flavortown learned the "whole hog" literally means roasting a 200-pound hog in its entirety.

The meat at the BBQ chain is hit with a signature blend of spices, then cooked over hickory wood for 24 hours. The succulent meat also serves as the filling for the sliders, which made Guy Fieri a fan. He called the pork “beyond juicy and moist and flavorful.” In 2022, Mashed said the bar-b-que chain had the best ribs in the Volunteer State.

Phat Bites

During a visit featured in season 18, Fieri fell in love with the Donelson restaurant's Love Life Salad. The salad was served on a bed of kale with black-eyed peas, Christmas lima beans, black beans, split lentils, red quinoa, pecans, dried cranberries, gold raisins, plums, mangoes and a citrus vinaigrette

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55 South

Located in downtown Franklin, 55 South serves up traditional Southern dishes like the Nashville Hot Chicken and the Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. However, the "wood smoke component" of the char-grilled oysters topped with garlic-lemon and Parmesan was the highlight for Fieri.

Caffee Nonna

Caffe Nonna, serving rustic Italian meals, is located on Murphy Road in the Sylvan Park area. Nothing on the menu is more rustic than the Lasagna Nonna. The Triple D episode highlighted the delectable eight-layer dish filled with butternut squash, spinach, pasta, ricotta and sautéed Swiss chard, and finished off with two sauces and lots of cheese.

Athens Family Restaurant

Near Belmont University, Athens Family Restaurant aims for the "best quality for the money." As Fieri learned, that meant giant bacon lamb burgers made with their "love spice" blend, gargantuan Greek suzukakia meatballs and kotopita, a tasty chicken turnover Guy called his kind of breakfast.

Jamaicaway

Tucked into the Nashville Farmers Market is an all authentic and homemade Jamaican eatery. The silky ackee and salt-fish intrigued Fieri in the season 10 episode, and he enjoyed the crunchy fried chicken with mango chutney sauce.

Café Rakka

Café Rakka is no ordinary restaurant. Rather, it's a "Nashville-Mediterranean-Indian experience in Music City," according to Fieri. During his visit in season 10, Fieri recommended the filet mignon kebabs, cooked on a sizzling Himalayan salt block for a flavor-packed meal.

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There were other spots in Middle Tennessee that made the list but have since closed, which includes Savarino Cucina and the iconic Arnold's Country Kitchen — both which were in Nashville.

To see where Fieri has dined in Tennessee, click here.

Does Your Vet Care Feel More Expensive? Local Vet Explores Why

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 03:17:22 +0000

By Logan Langlois

Have your routine expenses at the vet felt higher lately? Many attribute this increase to
general inflation, the fluctuating modern economy, or the general rise in the cost of health care across America. Though these things play a factor in the rise of prices everywhere, Dr. Catrina Herd, owner and operator of veterinary clinic Animal House located in Antioch, says a big contributor is the quiet purchasing of private practices by large corporations.

Herd graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007,
working with Williamson County for three years upon graduation to establish its first vet shelter.

She was then employed by Animal House, until buying the establishment in 2011. Herd said that in 2020 she did a lot of research into why many of her fellow veterinarians were selling to corporations and eventually decided to sell as well, as it would give her employees better pay, equipment, and benefits.

However, Herd said after a year of negotiating with Southern Veterinary Partners, a
subsidiary of Shore Capital, the corporation canceled the deal two days before the buyout date.

Herd said the deal fell through after Southern Veterinary Partners onboarded all her employees with benefits and raises she couldn’t match, forcing her to close Animal House for six months to recover.

“I have a little bit of a, I think, biased opinion about corporates because of that,” Herd said.
Herd said oftentimes when private practices are bought out the name, face, and as many
employees as possible are maintained, leaving the transition to go largely unnoticed by the public. Herd said in addition to feeling private practices aren’t given much room to grow, she has heard of $50,000 sign-on bonuses for practices to go corporate.

“Now that’s an awful lot of money to turn down, but once you take it, you’re stuck,” Herd
said. “You’re signing a … 15-mile non-compete.”

Herd said if she, for example, signs such a deal and decides to quit later, she would be forced to open again in a rural area, effectively ending her career.

Herd said that the accessibility of animal care diminished significantly after COVID, partly
because most of the population was staying home and far more animals began circulating in the population. She said this provided far more pets to take care of which was good for business, but it also put a physical and emotional tax on herself and her staff.

“We could have never predicted that in a million years,” Herd said. “But what happened for
veterinarians, is that we went from worrying about pets coming through our door to saying ‘Oh no, we can’t take any more pets through our door.’”

Herd said it was during this time vet care saw much of its rise in price under corporate
practices, allowing corporate operators to make more money while also cutting down on the
overwhelming demand throughout unaffordability. Herd said the way her practice has been able to keep costs low is by limiting office aesthetics so as not to pass the cost of superficial
pleasantries on to the client, as well as seeing more clients.

“We typically have to see three to four times the clients, to be affordable, then the bougie
practices see,” Herd said.

Herd said she would love to see a study done to see how many of Nashville’s veterinary
clinics are privately owned, though she suspects must have been corporatized. She concluded by saying there are times she’s not even sure Animal House can keep up despite its 30% profit margin. Until then, Herd said she’s taking one day at a time.

The post Does Your Vet Care Feel More Expensive? Local Vet Explores Why appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

“Lighting the Path for Girls” Public Speaking Workshop

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 13:15:48 +0000

By Victoria Green

NASHVILLE, TN — The ladies of Les Gemmes Inc., Nashville Chapter presents a workshop on public speaking to strengthen the confidence of “The Jewels.” Workshop Speaker Autumn Prather captured our attention by informing us that “Public Speakers” “inform you, persuade you, advocate, and entertain you.”

“We must capture our audience’s attention when speaking at the podium.” Throughout Prather’s presentation she continued to remind us of how we can perfect our public speaking. She says, “Practice makes progress,” “Jitters are ok,” “Lift your voice for the people in the back,” and “Serve your purpose.”

Gemmes and Jewels l-r: Patsy Rees, Mylan Alexander, Kaylea Arnold, and Dr. Phyllis Qualls, Les Gemmes Nashville Chapter president

The Jewels were able to speak on the topics of “What Makes You Great,” Social Media,” and “Music.” Kaylea Arnold, Alayna Mitchell, Andrea Howard, Bene’ Malone, and Yavonne Nix walked up to the podium with smiles on their faces and spoke with confidence. The Ladies of Les Gemmes gleamed with immense joy.

Autumn Page Prather is the co-founder and CEO of The Mother & Daughter Experience^™ (M.A.D.E.), a 501 (c) 3organization that she and her daughter created that champions the sacred bond of the mother and daughter relationship. Through their nonprofit, she and her daughter host an annual Mother/Daughter Breakfast, bringing together generations of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and “the village.” It is their biggest fundraiser for The Mrs. Linda M. Everett Arts Memorial Scholarship, a fund she formed in her late mother’s honor.

Prather is a professional speaker through her business known as Speak Legacy,^™ where she designs and delivers keynote speeches that touch, teach, and move her audiences to action. Prather has facilitated team building, leadership, and goal-setting workshops for private and public organizations. During the height of the pandemic, Prather hosted a series of virtual masterclasses on valuable topics for women, including self-care, mental health, and building generational wealth. Prather is featured on various podcasts and was a guest speaker for the annual Rise! Women’s Summit, hosted by Junior League of Nashville, in Spring of 2023. Whether she is speaking at a local school or on an international stage, her talks highlight her passion to be a change agent, the catalyst, by which women and girls are informed, uplifted, and empowered.

Prather is a published author and the proud mother of three children: Sydnei, age 24, Braxton, age 17 and Braylon, age 12. She enjoys motivational speaking, serving the community, traveling, reading, and resting.

Thank you, Autumn Prather, Dr. Phyllis Qualls, Patsy Rees, Rene’ Whittaker, Wanda Miller-Benson, and Gloria McKissack for such a motivating and educational workshop on public speaking.

The post “Lighting the Path for Girls” Public Speaking Workshop appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Emerging Entrepreneurs

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 04:06:06 +0000

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (TN Tribune) Paula Anderson Coaching and Consulting LLC is offering an Entrepreneur Bootcamp for emerging entrepreneurs in Tennessee starting Jan. 2024. ‘

This is one of our continuing education courses in partnership with Austin Peay State University. It will be held virtually and in-person. The next cohort will begin in Jan. 2024.

Paula Anderson, founder of PACC said, “The 10-week course focuses on entrepreneurship, financial management, marketing, public relations and leadership.”

Eric Ruffin, president of Ruffin Consulting, will teach the financial management portion, which consists of personal credit, business credit, community financial development institutions (CDFI) and capital investments.

“Ruffin Consulting has a history of working with small business owners in the areas of government contracting, accounting system development, management and technical assistance. The Financial Management course in the Entrepreneur Bootcamp covers personal credit, business credit, understanding access to capital and DCAA compliance for securing government contracts,” said Eric Ruffin, president and CEO of Ruffin Consulting.

“Participants will receive five weeks of instruction and five weeks of coaching. It is ideal for business owners less than three years old,” said Anderson.

To learn more about Paula Anderson Coaching and Consulting, LLC, visit paulaandersononline.net or call 901-410-6689.

The post Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Emerging Entrepreneurs appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Invitation from the Family of Dr. James A. Hefner

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:20:33 +0000

Dr. James A. Hefner Family Legacy Scholarship Music Program
Talent, Leadership, Research, Opportunities; A Commitment to Excellence
Tennessee State University 6th President and Phenomenal Visionary

NASHVILLE, TN — Please join the Hefner Family at Tennessee State University on December 3, 2023 from 4:30 -6:30 pm for the portrait unveiling to honor, recognize and announce the official establishment of the Dr. James A. Hefner Legacy Endowment Fund and The Dr. James A. Hefner Family Legacy Scholarship Music Programs at Tennessee State University in recognition of his accomplishments.

The Hefner family and Tennessee State University College of Fine Arts will keep his contributions alive with the visibility of his portrait and the scholarships to be awarded through the endowment that will foster student access and aid towards the completion of a college education that makes an impact for TSU student career development.

Dr. Hefner’s vision was to ensure that a designated Performing Arts Center was built at TSU and a commercial music curriculum established at five HBCUs where TSU is nationally known as the home for the HBCU National Piano Competition, established under Dr. Hefner’s leadership.

Donation Link:

https://epay.tnstate.edu/C20204_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=573&SINGLESTORE=true

Donation Contributions

• Donors will be listed on the Dr. James A. and Mrs. Edwina Hefner Family Legacy HBCU Music Scholarship Scroll in the Fine Arts Building Rotunda.

• Donors extended an invitation to annual performance Dr. James and Edwina Hefner Family Legacy

Concert “Musical Salute to HBCU

TSU Legacy and Leaders”

• Donors will receive a supporter recognition certificate.

Supporter Friend Level 1 $100.00

Supporter Friend Level 2 $250.00

Supporter Friend Level 3 $500.00

President’s Support Friend Level 1 $1,000.00

President’s Support Friend Level 2 $1,500.00

President’s Support Friend Level 3 $2,500.00

President’s Support Friend Level 4 $5,000.00

President Hefner Gold Circle $10,000.00

President Hefner Legacy Leader $25,000.00

Mail a Check Payable to:

Tennessee State University

Dr. Hefner Family Legacy Scholarship

Tennessee State University Foundation Office

3500 John A Merritt Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209

Contributions will be assigned as shared donation:

Hefner Endowed Scholarship Fund to ensure program sustainability

Hefner Annual Scholarship Fund to provide immediate student impact

The post Invitation from the Family of Dr. James A. Hefner appeared first on The Tennessee Tribune.

Stephen Colbert likens final presidential debate to ‘getting our last wisdom tooth taken out’

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:25:33 +0000

‘Donald Trump is the only president who gets marks for good behaviour,’ Jimmy Kimmel quipped

AOC snaps back at Trump's 'unhinged' debate attack

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 06:48:05 +0000

Trump picked out Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez during Thursday night’s debate, saying she ‘knew nothing about the climate’