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State Briefs

Comptroller

New Comptroller guidance issued for volunteer fire departments

The Tennessee Comptroller’s division of Local Government Audit has launched a new resource designed to improve and emphasize the importance of good financial management within Tennessee’s hundreds of volunteer fire departments.

“While volunteer fire departments provide essential services across the...

PEP photo

Franklin, Lake and White counties selected for Property Evaluation Program

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced Franklin, Lake and White counties were selected to participate in the latest round of the Select Tennessee Property Evaluation Program (PEP). 

PEP evaluates potential industrial properties, advising counties on...

MTSU Housing report

State housing report shows progress, challenges

With continued rising home prices and an emerging trend of fewer closings in some areas of the state during the second quarter of the year, Tennessee’s housing market presents mixed signals heading into the fall, according to the latest statewide report from Middle Tennessee State University.

“The...

TCRS

TCRS exceeds projected rate of return

The Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System wrapped up the 2024 fiscal year with a 10.06% investment return, well exceeding the plan’s 6.75% assumed rate of return.

The annual earnings represent over $6.2 billion in new investment income added to the portfolio in a single year. The TCRS portfolio...

Blue Ribbon Schools

Six Tennessee Schools selected as Blue Ribbon Schools

The U.S. Department of Education recognized six Tennessee schools as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Awardees included the Brentwood’s Jordan Elementary School, Clarksville’s Spanish Immersion at Barksdale Elementary, Hendersonville’s Merrol Hyde Magnet School, Kingsport’s Miller Perry Elementary...

Tennessee Honor vote Program

Secretary of State's office encourages participation in Honor Vote program

On a clear, peaceful, September morning 23 years ago, our world and our lives as we knew them changed forever in only moments. 

Terrorists struck our country at home on American soil, claiming 2,977 innocent lives in New York City, Washington DC, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 

Rising from the ashes...

'Area Development' ranks Tennessee third in business

Tennessee was recently named the No. 3 state for doing business by Area Development off the heels of the state being rated the eighth-best state for business by CNBC in July. Ranking Tennessee just behind Georgia and South Carolina, Area Development also ranked  Tennessee in the top three in...

Tennessee August unemployment rate ticks up from record-low

Tennessee’s August unemployment rate ticked up slightly after three months of record-low unemployment. August recorded a 3.1% rate, up from the rate of 3% posted in May, June, and July. In a year-to-year comparison, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.3%...

Tennessee August revenues $1.3M over estimates

Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson announced that revenues were very near budgeted estimates for the first month of the state’s fiscal year.  

August revenues were $1.548 billion, which is $1.3 million more than the monthly estimate and $36.3 million more than...

Jonesborough

Five municipalities awarded Recreational Trails Program grants

Five municipalities will share in more than $2.6 million in grants from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Recreational Trails Program (RTP).  

The RTP program provides federal funding to match local government investments for land acquisition for trails, non-routine trail...

i40 site

Brownsville, Dickson sites certified through Select Tennessee program

Sites in Brownsville and Dickson have been certified through the Select Tennessee Certified Sites program. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced Brownsville’s I-40 Advantage Industrial Park and Dickson’s Canterbury Site have both completed the certification...

Smokies

National Park Service generated $2.2 billion toward Tennessee economy

The National Park Service generated $2.2 billion and 10.5 million across its 13 properties in Tennessee last year with Tennessee seeing the sixth-highest amount of tax benefit from the National Park Service. Visitors spent some $1.4 billion in the state and generated more than 20,000 jobs, leading...