State Briefs

More than 45 municipalities will share in the $27.3 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) being shared among 64 communities across the state. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter recently approved $27.3 million...

New business filings in Tennessee for the third quarter of 2022 were the highest for a third quarter in the 24-year history of the data being collected, according to the new Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators report issued by Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office. The 1.1% year-over-year...

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) recently launched a state-level vision and initiative to create a momentum-building year with key goals to increase the college-going rate and better align education to meet the state’s growing workforce needs. 

As an early indicator for the...

Tennessee continues to experience low unemployment, despite a slight uptick in October’s monthly rate, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The seasonally adjusted number for the month increased by just 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5%. The state has had unemployment...

Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson announced that Tennessee tax revenues exceeded budgeted estimates in October.

Overall October revenues were $1.5 billion, which is $125.4 million more than October of last year and $178.1 million more than the budgeted...

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti  announced that he has reached a settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores.  

The settlement will provide more than $3...

The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is excited to expand a proven program for reversing drug overdoses and connecting patients to addiction treatment to more parts of the state.  The U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance is providing a $6,000,000...

The state of Tennessee has again received top marks for its efforts to address sex trafficking, according to Shared Hope International. The agency that works on behalf of sex trafficking victims ranked Tennessee in the top spot of its State Report Cards for 2022 with Tennessee earning a B+, the...

With 27 boating fatalities reported at the start of November, Tennessee could potentially see another record-high year of boating deaths. The state has reported 31 boating-related deaths three times: in 1996, 2004, and 2020. The Tennessee Wildlife resources Agency is concerned with the recent upward...

Gov. Bill Lee has invited local law enforcement agencies to apply for public safety grants from a $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund.  

As a cornerstone of Gov. Lee’s Proven Crime Prevention agenda, the Violent Crime Intervention Fund was included in the state’s Fiscal Year 2022-23...

An additional 838 acres of land has bee added to Fall Creek Falls State Park as part of a purchase arranged through multiple partners. Located within the Dry Fork watershed, the property contains nearly five miles of streams, including Dry Fork, Benton Branch, and Mount Pleasant Branch. Waters from...