State Briefs

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 budget...

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...

Unemployment in Tennessee remained unchanged between August and September, according to data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September came in at 3.4% and is just 0.2 of a percentage point away from...

Tennessee Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total September tax revenues were $2.1 billion, which is $243.3 million more than September of last year and $277.2 million more than the budgeted estimate.

The total growth rate for the month was 12.76%.

“September sales...

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced 11 municipalities will share in 12 grants totaling $34,585,121 from the state’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) fund, part of which TDEC is administering in the form of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure grants. 

The...

Gov. Bill Lee and Commissioner David Salyers of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced the creation of Savage Gulf State Park in Grundy and Sequatchie counties, a boost for recreation in the region, bringing the total of Tennessee’s state parks to 57.

The park...