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Kingsport art gallery exhibit

Art exhibit showcases talent of Kingsport city employees

A special exhibit at the Circle Gallery at Kingsport City Hall is showing a different side of city employees. Kingsport Cultural Arts, a department within the city, is hosting the exhibit of art works...
State of the Child

2025 State of the Child Report reveals concern over child poverty, childcare costs

Nearly one-fifth of Tennessee children are living in poverty as childcare costs soar above rates of in-state tuition for state colleges. Data from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY)...
General Assembly flag flying

114th General Assembly reconvenes

Legislators returned to Nashville on Jan. 13, 2026.  to convene the second session of the 114th General Assembly. Top priorities expected for this session include the expansion of Gov. Bill Lee’s...
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News Across Tennessee

Sevierville receives sixth TLEA accreditation

The Sevierville Police Department has received its sixth accreditation from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation (TLEA). To receive accreditation, agencies must submit to a three-year process in which TLEA evaluates 164 law enforcement standards, including an on-site assessment. The TLEA...

Ballad Health to rebuild hospital in Unicoi

Ballad Health has announced plans to rebuild Unicoi County Hospital, which was deemed unsafe after it was inundated with floodwaters during Hurricane Helene. The former hospital was located in the town of Erwin while the new hospital will be located in town of Unicoi. The new location was chosen to...

Knoxville cuts ribbon on park upgrades

Officials with the city of Knoxville opened the new pavilion at the city’s Urban Wilderness Gateway Park. The new 23,000-square-foot structure includes four bathrooms, a water refill station, picnic tables, and a series of play structures using the area’s natural boulders and landscaping. The $4.6...

Two Nashville sites added to U.S. Civil Rights Trail

Nashville's Jefferson Street Sound Museum and the Museum of Christian and Gospel Music have been added to Tennessee’s portion of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The Jefferson Street Sound Museum shows how music, culture, and activism brought together artists like Jimi Hendrix, Etta James, Ray Charles...

Watertown plans railroad museum expansion

The city of Watertown, Watertown Railroad Museum, Nashville Steam Preservation Society and Tennessee Central Railroad are partnering to build a new space to honor the city’s railroad. Plans call for a 14,000-square-foot facility featuring a museum, restaurant, observation deck, outdoor park, train...

Plans underway for new city hall in New Tazewell

Plans are underway to break ground on a new city hall for New Tazewell in April as part of several projects to improve the downtown area. The $2 million city hall will be built on a vacant lot on Main Street designed to replicate the train depot. It will house the New Tazewell Police and Street...
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People

Lynn Murphy

Lynn Murphy
Lynn Murphy

Robert “Lynn” Murphy, who served in numerous emergency services roles for the city of Clinton, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, of congestive heart failure. A Clinton native, Murphy began his public service career as a 911 dispatcher for hte Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. He then served as a...

Chris Jackson

Chris Jackson
Chris Jackson

Chris Jackson has been selected as the new city manager for the city of St. Joseph. Jackson takes over the role from Joan Nelson, who retired from the position. Jackson comes to the city as director of the Southern Tennessee Higher Education Center. He also spent 16 years as a Lawrence County...

TML officials meet with Tennessee Fire Chiefs, MTAS

TML, MTAS, and TFCA leaders

Officials with the Tennessee Municipal League, Tennessee Fire Chiefs Association (TFCA), and Municipal Technical Advisory Service met in Smyrna to discuss opportunities for collaboration and improving...

Comptroller announces changes in Local Government Audit Division

Jim Arnette
Jim Arnette

Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower has announced changes to his office’s local government team.  

Jim Arnette, director of local government audit, will retire effective March 31, 2026, following 42 years of service to the comptroller’s office. In his role, Arnette has played a vital role in...

Chattanooga's Kelly to head regional rail initiative

Tim Kelly
Tim Kelly

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly has been selected to chair a coalition of municipal and state leaders working toward the creation and enhancement of passenger rail and freight networks in the Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-Memphis rail corridor. 

The Sunbelt Atlantic Compact is looking to connect the four...

Linda McCrary

Linda McCrary
Linda McCrary

Linda McCrary has been selected to fill the vacancy on the Red Boiling Springs City Council left by the death of her husband George in December. A member of the Retired Teachers Association, McCrary is a lifelong Red Boiling Springs resident and served as a librarian for the Macon County Schools...
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State Briefs

Seven cities to share in state Site Development Grants

More than $13 million in state site development grants have been awarded with seven municipalities among the grantees.

State Data Center: Tennessee has nation's eighth largest population increase in 2025

Tennessee’s population increase was the nation’s 8th largest last year – adding nearly 64,000 new residents and reaching a population of 7.32 million people.

Tennessee December 2025 unemployment remains steady

Tennessee’s December 2025 unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%. The state unemployment rate has remained at 3.6% since July, though no data was recorded for October due to the government shutdown. The U.S. rate for December was 4.4%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month...

Tennessee December 2025 revenues $82.7M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of December with a monthly tax growth rate of 6.09%. 

Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total December tax revenues were $2 billion, $82.7 million more than the budgeted estimate and $116.5...

TDEC unveils new water quality maps

A new map is highlighting sources of pollution in state waterways to improve water quality. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation unveiled a map that helps monitor water quality in streams, rivers, and reservoirs across the state. The map shows that 19,000 miles of the state’s 60...

FEMA announces $9 million in Helene recovery funds

The Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) has approved nearly $9 million in federal funds to help communities across Tennessee rebuild following Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters. 

The funds are part of FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which is funded at a minimum of 75% federal...
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TML Updates