New data projects more than 176,000 West Tennessee residents by 2045 New population projects indicate that Blue Oval City could bring more than 176,000 new residents to West Tennessee by 2045 with population growth increasing in all 21 counties. Sharon Younger, founder... Former mayor's train display brings Mt. Juliet history to life As the WeGo Star pulls out of the Mt. Juliet station, bringing commuters into Nashville, another, smaller train is making its way around the bend nearby in the Mt. Juliet Community Center in the city... Adaptability, unique experiences, and technology can help downtowns meet post-pandemic lifestyles The face of retail in downtown spaces is transition yet again as technology and post-pandemic lifestyles continue to change how citizens want to live, work, and play in their communities. Lena... EPA announces protections removed from majority of wetlands following WOTUS ruling Federal protections have been removed from a majority of the country’s wetlands as the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to comply with a recent U.S. Supreme court ruling. A joint announcement on the final rule amending the definition of protected “waters of the United States” came from the... News Across Tennessee Johnson City cuts ribbon on new water and sewer services complex The Johnson City Board of Commissioners joined city staff; representatives from Cain, Rash and West Architects; and GRC Construction to celebrate the completion of the new Johnson City Water and Sewer Services Complex located at 2250 Eddie Williams Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The former 7... Nashville to pilot compost pick-up program In addition to trash and recycling, a new pilot program in Nashville will be picking up compost as part of zero-waste efforts in the city. The initial program will offer the service to 750 households to allow compost collection at the curb. Participants will be selected from online applications and... Brentwood celebrates first all-female fire engine company The Brentwood Fire Department announced a historic event in the department’s history when an all-female engine company took to the frontlines of firefighting duty for the first time. Though women have been a part of the department for years, this marked the first time an all-female team was working... Clarksville cuts ribbon on new park Mayor Joe Pitts, community members, and officials with the city of Clarksville and Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department were on hand to cut the ribbon on the city’s Beech Street Park. The new park offers a wide variety of amenities to cater to the diverse needs of the community, including an... Belgian company opens new manufacturing facility in Gallatin A Belgium-based LED housing and framing producer Twenty Three has chosen Gallatin for its first U.S. manufacturing operations. The global company will invest $3 million for its manufacturing operations in the Gallatin Industrial Center and create 10 fulltime jobs, with up to 30 new jobs eventually... New business park breaks ground in Gallatin Ground has been broken on a new industrial park in Gallatin. The 90-acre Aero Business Park at 750 Airport Road will serve tenants near the Music City Executive Airport. Officials with TennProperties said plans for the park include dividing it’s 297,000-square-feet into properties that can... People Beverly Holloway Beverly Holloway, city clerk for Piperton, was named the 2023 recipient of the Tennessee Association of Municipal Clerks and Reporters (TAMCAR) Clerk of the Year award. Piperton Mayor Henry Coats was also present to help honor Holloway at the 2023 TAMCAR Fall Conference held in Murfreesboro... Richard Hall Richard HallRichard Hall, police chief of Germantown, is retiring after 38 years of service with the city. He will be taking a new position as the national director of a training company that works with law enforcement officers and dispatchers. Hall graduated from the University of Memphis – then Memphis State... Debra Murrell Debra MullerDebra Murrell, longtime employee of the city of Lakeland, died Sept. 9, 2023, after a battle with cancer. Murrell was first hired by the city of Lakeland on June 29, 1998 as a utility clerk/minutes clerk and audited the MLGW and sewer accounts and established trash service for new residents. She... Stephanie Pugh Stephanie PughStephanie Pugh has been selected as the new downtown director for the city of Covington. The newly-created position will coordinate activity within the city’s downtown revitalization program that utilizes historic preservation as an integral foundation for downtown economic development. Pugh... Jason Miles Jason MilesJason Miles has been selected as the new public works director for the city of Johnson City. Miles brings more than 25 years of experience to the department and its five divisions: engineering, solid waste, stormwater, streets, and traffic. Miles comes to Johnson City from Fayetteville, N.C., where... Blake Walley Blake WalleyBlake Walley has been selected as the new city manager of Savannah. Walley has been serving as the city’s assistant city manager since 2021. Prior to that, he served in several roles in planning in both the public and private sector including as a planning manager with Oxford, Miss.-based Slaughter... State Briefs AG Skrmetti: Food City parent company agrees to $44.5M opioid suit settlement The parent company of the Food City grocery store chain has reached a $44.5 million settlement in an opioid case, according to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. K-VA-T Food Stores will pay the majority of the money to Tennessee’s Opioid Abatement fund to support local efforts... Six Tennessee schools named National Blue Ribbon winners Six Tennessee schools have been named 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Only 353 schools across the nation were recognized for this honor, which is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student... Tennessee August revenues $39.4M less than estimates Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that August revenues were less than the budgeted estimates for the first month of the state’s fiscal year, as growth rates continue a return to normalcy. August revenues were $1.5 billion, which is $39.4 million... Tennessee's August unemployment rate stays at record-low level Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate for August 2023 remained at the state’s all-time low rate of 3.1%, according to new data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The state reached its lowest unemployment rate in July, besting the previous record of 3.2%. The new... Tourism generated nearly $29B in Tennessee in 2022 Tennessee tourism generated $29 billion in direct visitor spending and saw 141 million visitors to the state in 2022, according to newly released data from Tourism Economics. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell announced the news at Hospitality... Five municipalities, Development Districts to share in $1.1 million in federal historic preservation grants Five cities are among the 37 entities awarded a share in $1.1 million in Federal Historic Preservation Fund grants from the Tennessee Historical Commission and State Historic Preservation Office. The Federal Historic Preservation Fund provides funds for non-profits, municipalities... TML Updates Volunteer Tennessee Announces AmeriCorps Funding Opportunity Opioid abatement community grant portal now open Federal grants available for community facilities in Tennessee damaged by 2022 winter storms USDOT makes more than $3B for Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program Museum capital improvement grants available through Tennessee State Museum program Restore Return Relief Advocacy