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Bill Lee

Lee delivers eighth State of the State

Gov. Bill Lee delivered his eighth and final State of the State Address on Feb. 2 before the Tennessee General Assembly, highlighting priorities including expanding the school voucher program, crime...
Bristol Public Works

Municipalities deal with water, power outages after Winter Storm Fern strikes

State officials confirmed 31 weather-related deaths amid Winter Storm Fern, leading to a statewide emergency declaration. Officials with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said one death...
Pennies

End of penny production creates challenges for local governments

With penny production halted and circulation shortages reported by banks and retailers, cities across Tennessee are also looking for guidance on how to handle currency issues. Perhaps nowhere is the...
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News Across Tennessee

New medical facility coming to Fairview

Ascension St. Thomas and Dickson Medical Associates will partner to build a freestanding emergency department and outpatient campus in Fairview. The $20.6 million project will be the first 24-hour, freestanding emergency department in Fairview, and the 11,345-square-foot facility will include 10...

McDonald Farm to become newest state park

A historic farm near Chattanooga is going to become the newest Tennessee State Park. Gov. Bill Lee has proposed $45.3 million to transform 1,300 acres of the McDonald Farm’s total 2,100 acres in a new state park. At least 250 acres of the remaining 800 acres of land will still be owned by Hamilton...

Germantown celebrates new fire engine

A new fire engine has been added to the Germantown Fire Department as part of the city’s overall Capital Improvement Plan. Designed to carry up to six firefighters, the engine meets and exceeds current NFPA and ISO standards and is fully equipped to handle fire suppression and medical emergencies...

Franklin receives two AAA bond ratings

The city of Franklin has received triple A bond ratings from both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services for proposed $106.5 million in 2026 general obligation (GO) bonds. In assigning the highest rating, the top rating available, the rating agencies cited the City’s healthy financial...

Chattanooga breaks ground on first development under new PILOT housing program

Officials with the city of Chattanooga broke ground on a new affordable housing development, the city’s first financed through the revamped Affordable Housing Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Program. The riverfront development at 702 Manufacturers Road will include 42 affordable homes alongside...

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...
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People

William Barner

William Barner
William Barner

William Barner has retired as public works director of Greeneville after 44 years of service to the town. Barner’s initial employment with the department was for three months in 1972 when he took a summer job as a high school student. After graduating high school, he joined the Marine Corps for...

Linda Adair

Linda Adair
Linda Adair

Linda Adair, finance director and city recorder for Lawrenceburg, has retired after 41 years of service to the city. Adair joined the city in 1984, becoming a steady, dependable, and trusted presence in local government. Adair holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of North...

Emmett Bolyard

Emmett Bolyard
Emmett Bolyard

Emmett Bolyard, the longest-serving volunteer with the Bolivar Fire Department, died Feb. 10, 2026. Bolyard began his service to the department in 1964, later hired as a career firefighter and eventually promoted to captain in 1970. He was promoted to assistant chief in 1994 and then retired in...

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...
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State Briefs

Tennessee ranks as sixth most popular state for movers

Tennessee is the sixth most popular state for in-bound movers, according to a new survey by U.S. News and World Report. Tennessee’s low cost of living, mild weather, outdoor opportunities, affordable housing, and job growth were cited as making the state one of the most appealing. South Carolina...

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...

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TML Updates