State Briefs

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced that the number of distressed counties in the state has reduced to eight, the fewest in Tennessee history, marking a significant milestone in the Lee administration’s mission to accelerate the transformation of rural Tennessee.

“In 2019, we began an administration...

Tennessee will receive more than $813 million dollars for affordable, high-speed internet projects as part of $42.25 billion announced by the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)...

Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson today announced that revenues for May were $1.6 billion, which is $117.3 million more than the budgeted monthly revenue estimate.

“May revenues exceeded the budgeted monthly estimate, and sales tax collections, fuel taxes...

Nearly $300M in ARP drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater will be divided among 90 municipalities as part of 131 grants recently announced by TDEC. 

Of the cities and towns that received grants, 11 municipalities received collaborative grants to work with other entities for projects while 79...

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is thrilled to announce the release of the college-going rate for the Class of 2022. The data for the Class of 2022 showcases a one and a half percentage point increase over the class of 2021, for a statewide college-going rate of 54.3%. This...

Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate held steady at 3.3% in May, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). That number is unchanged from the state’s unemployment rate in April.

While the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate did not change...

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has announced Tennessee will receive an expected $419 million as part of a $17.3 billion opioid settlement made with drugmakers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens.  

Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants...

The state of Tennessee has taken one more step toward the creation of an Amtrak rail line that would connect Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. TDOT has sent a letter of intent hoping to bring passenger rail back through the center of the state for the first time since the 1970s. Amtrak...

Methamphetamine is the most commonly found in criminal cases in Tennessee, according to a recent report from TBI. The list is the result of the 393 Initiative, which brings together TBI and District Attorneys to better target and disrupt drug trafficking in the state. While meth was the most...

Portions of East Tennessee will be receiving a new area code due to growth in the region. The Tennessee Public Utility Commission said the current 423 area code will run out of numbers by the end of 2025 and as a result, a new 729 area code will soon be issued. Existing customers will keep their...

The state of Tennessee saw 3.3% unemployment in April, 0.1% lower than the previous month and just above the all-time lowest rate of 3.2%. This is the second month in a row the state's jobless rate has dropped, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Tennessee...