UTC initiative brings law enforcement, academics together to fight violent crime A new research center at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga is bringing academics and law enforcement together, using data to tackle violent crime. City officials gather in Nashville for 2025 TML Legislative Conference Municipal officials from across Tennessee gathered in Nashville on March 3-4 to hear from a variety of lawmakers, state officials, and experts on the issues at the TML Legislative Conference. Police departments must meet federal cybersecurity standards to access important databases Police departments without proper cyber security measures in place could lose access to valuable state and federal databases that provide information about sex offenders, warrants, licensing data... Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly wins second term Tim Kelly will remain mayor of Chattanooga with two council races headed to run-offs and voters approving residency changes for city employees. News Across Tennessee Gallatin dedicates airport improvements Officials dedicated the newly completed Mid-Field Apron at the Music City Executive Airport (MCEA) in Gallatin. MCEA has experienced a tremendous amount of growth over the last several years with yearly operations growing 700% in the last six years. The airport has received more than $7 million in... Chattanooga unveils new fire tower The Chattanooga Fire Department and Hamilton County Emergency Management have unveiled a state-of-the-art $3 million fire training tower. The new facility will provide realistic, hands-on training to ensure our crews are ready for any emergency. The tower replaces an older facility that was 50 years... Employees report for first day at Blue Oval SK facility in Stanton Employees have begun reporting to the BlueOval SK Battery plant in Stanton. The site is still under construction and equipment installation remains ongoing with production on schedule to start later this year. Employees have already begun to report to the company’s corporate office in Shelby County... Goodlettsville locates new AEDs in city parks Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation has added two AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) to the parks system that are accessible 24/7 for public use. One is placed at Moss-Wright Park, centrally located at the football fields, and another is at the Peay Park Pickleball courts. The goal is to... Bolivar land donation goes toward new hospital A new hospital is coming to Bolivar. West Tennessee Healthcare will replace its current, 51-year-old facility that serves as the only hospital in Hardeman County through a $9,610,000 grant awarded by the Tennessee Department of Health Healthcare Resiliency Program Capital Investment Program. The new... Collierville earns Aaa rating from Moody's Moody’s Ratings has reaffirmed the town of Collierville’s prestigious Aaa bond rating with a “No Outlook” indicator, confirming the Town’s exceptional fiscal health and financial stability. Moody’s annual review evaluates four key areas when assessing ratings: economy/tax base, finances, management... People Shanon Irwin Shanon Irwin Shanon Irwin, chief of the Centerville Police Department, died March 19, 2025, after a battle with pancreatic and liver cancer at the age of 50. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and Army National Guard, Irwin spent 27 years with the Centerville Police Department. He had served as chief of CPD... April Sanford April Sanford April Sanford has been selected as the new finance director for the city of Springfield. Sanford brings years of experience in financial management and a strong commitment to transparency and community growth. In her new role, she’ll be overseeing the city’s financial operations and working to... Carolyn Durham Carolyn Durham Carolyn Durham has been selected as the new community development director for Springfield. Durham has more than a decade of experience in land development planning in the private sector with an extensive background in the land development process in all its phases. She earned her bachelor's degree... Earlene Teaster to retire after 63 years with Pigeon Forge Earlene Teaster After 63 years of service to her hometown, Pigeon Forge City Manager Earlene Teaster has announced plans to retire on June 30 after serving as city manager for 44 years. Teaster’s career includes the distinction of being the Volunteer State’s first female city manager. Teaster was named Pigeon... Patrick Smith Patrick Smith Patrick Smith has been appointed to fill the municipal judge vacancy in Ashland City following the death of longtime city Judge Bill Stinnett Jr, who died in January. Smith is an Ashland City native who holds degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and the Nashville School of Law. He is the... Comptroller Mumpower recognized with National Leadership Award Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason E. Mumpower has been recognized as one of the nation’s top leaders after receiving the 2025 USA Today Top Workplaces Leadership Award. State Briefs Tennessee February unemployment rate remains unchanged Unemployment in Tennessee remained steady at 3.7% in February, the six continuous month at that average. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) said the rate has remained unchanged since September. In 2024, the February unemployment rate was 3.1%. Tennessee’s... Tennessee February 2025 revenues $16.9M more than estimated Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of February with Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reporting total February tax revenues were $1.37 billion, $16.9 million more than the budgeted estimate and $45.3 million more than February 2024. The total tax growth... Tennessee’s Births are Up – Now the Rest of the Story Despite a declining fertility rate, a growing female population is pushing the number of births in the state higher. The number of childbirths was up again last year in Tennessee. Pedestrian deaths in Tennessee decline in 2024 Pedestrian deaths declined year-over-year in 2024 but still remained well above where they were a decade ago. Tennessee reported a 30% decrease in pedestrian deaths with 63 deaths in 2024, down from 90 in 2023. However, the state has seen a 38% increase in pedestrian deaths since 2015 with more than... Tennessee AG's office announces top consumer complaints of 2024 In honor of National Consumer Protection Week, the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announces the top ten complaint categories of 2024. Tennessee unemployment holds steady in January Unemployment in Tennessee held steady in January, matching the rate from December, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the month was 3.7%, while December’s rate was revised to 3.7%. In a... TML Updates Call for Nominations Set for April 1 for TML Achievement Awards TDEC accepting applications for waste tire reuse TDEC accepting applications for Solid Waste Management grants Restore Return Relief Advocacy
