Vonore, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today traveled to Monroe County to sign legislation to reduce the state portion of the sales tax on groceries from 5.25 percent to 5 percent.
Haslam held a ceremonial bill signing at Sloan’s Grocery in Vonore, Tennessee.
In 2012, the General Assembly passed and the governor signed the first step in reducing the state portion of the sales tax on groceries, lowering the rate from 5.5 percent to 5.25 percent. «Read the rest of this article»
Clarksville-Montgomery County School System receives $785,000 Tennessee Grant to Develop School Leaders
May 7, 2013 |
Tennessee Invests $4 Million in Race to the Top Funds
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Education has pledged nearly $4 million in Race to the Top funds to pay for eight leadership development programs, which will impact future school leaders in more than 20 districts across the state.
The TN LEAD grants were awarded to organizations in partnership with one or more school systems, to either develop or replicate programs aimed at increasing leader effectiveness and improving student outcomes. The programs will target current and pre-service educators, in order to deepen the pipeline of effective leaders in Tennessee schools. «Read the rest of this article»
Tennessee Highway Patrol prepares Motorists for heavy presence this Thanksgiving Holiday
November 20, 2012 |
Tennessee State Troopers Will Strictly Enforce No Refusal Law
Nashville, TN – Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons and the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Colonel Tracy Trott are reminding citizens to expect a “No Refusal” and high-visibility, safe driving enforcement campaign during the 2012 Thanksgiving Holiday period. The “No Refusal” enforcement will begin at 6:00pm, Wednesday, November 21st and end at midnight, Sunday, November 25th.
The “No Refusal” law allows law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers. The goal is to deter impaired driving and reduce fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways. The Thanksgiving Holiday marks the third “No Refusal” enforcement effort, following campaigns over the Fourth of July and Labor Day holiday periods.
 Tennessee Highway Patrolman on a traffic stop.
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Tennessee Department of Agriculture reports Emerald Ash Borer found in Middle Tennessee for the First Time
September 20, 2012 |
TDA Foresters stress importance of Not Moving Firewood to help Slow Spread
Nashville, TN – Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that destroys ash trees, has recently been found in Smith and Jefferson counties. Smith is the first county in Middle Tennessee where EAB has been found. Both cases have been confirmed by USDA.
While Jefferson County is adjacent to previously quarantined areas where EAB has been confirmed, the find in Smith County was of particular concern because of the distance the insect was found from the already quarantined areas in East Tennessee. The location in Smith County where four EAB were caught is at Cordell Hull Lake in the Elmwood/Granville area.
 Emerald Ash Borer.
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Tennessee Department of Agriculture reports Partially Africanized Bees Found in East Tennessee
April 14, 2012 |
Citizens should be vigilant but not alarmed
Vonore, TN – Tennessee’s first case of partially Africanized bees was confirmed through genetic testing last week in a colony belonging to a beekeeper in Monroe County. The colony has been depopulated and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is working with beekeepers in the area to determine if other bees could have been affected.
State Apiarist, Mike Studer, says it is no surprise that partially Africanized bees have made their way to Tennessee considering they have already been found in other states such as Texas, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida.
 An Africanized honey bee (left) and a European honey bee on honeycomb. Despite color differences between these two bees, mostly they can’t be identified by eye. (Photo by Scott Bauer)
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Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security encourages Voters to obtain Photo IDs before March 6th Presidential Primary
February 29, 2012 |
Special Saturday Service will cease after March 3rd, County Clerk Partners to stop issuing Voter Photo ID on March 12th
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is encouraging voters this week to obtain photo IDs for voting purposes at no cost before the Tennessee Presidential Primary elections on March 6th.
The department will open certain driver service centers across the state this Saturday for voter photo identification issuance only. March 3rd will be the last opportunity for registered voters to take advantage of this special Saturday service.
Additionally, March 12th will be the final day the Department of Safety & Homeland Security’s county clerk partners will issue voter photo IDs at no cost. «Read the rest of this article»
2011 Black Bear Harvest establishes New Record
January 7, 2012 |
Nashville, TN – A record black bear harvest was established in the 2011 hunting seasons, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports. The new mark surpasses the previous mark of 573 that was set in 2009.
Hunters harvested a total of 581 bears, surpassing the previous record of 566 set in 2009. The third all-time high for a year was 446 in 2008.
This year’s record harvest is up from the 301 bears harvested in 2010. Hunters have harvested at least 300 bears in the state for the past seven years. «Read the rest of this article»
Wildlife Rabies Vaccination Project helps protect People and Pets
September 22, 2011 |
Tennessee Works With USDA, Other Southeast States to Prevent Raccoon Rabies
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Health is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to help prevent rabies by distributing oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons along Tennessee’s borders with Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The annual baiting program administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, will begin in Tennessee on September 30th, 2011.
“Control of raccoon rabies is vital to public health, and we are pleased to be part of this important and effective program to reduce rabies in wildlife, which helps prevent transmission to people, pets and livestock,” said Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, FACOEM. «Read the rest of this article»
August 9th is the Deadline for Tennesseans to Register with FEMA
July 1, 2011 |
Nashville, TN – Tennesseans who suffered losses due to severe spring weather have about six weeks remaining to apply for assistance. August 9th is the last day the Federal Emergency Management Agency will accept applications for individual assistance.
State and federal officials continue to encourage anyone with damage or other losses in the disaster-designated counties to register. “You may think you don’t need assistance, but you could later have disaster related losses,” said TEMA Director James H. Bassham “Registration with FEMA is free. It’s better to get your name in the system before the August 9th deadline. After that date, it will be too late.” «Read the rest of this article»
Five additional counties eligible for disaster unemployment assistance
May 11, 2011 |
Benefit claims must be filed within 30 days
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development announced Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are now available for workers in Dyer, Lake, Obion, Shelby and Stewart counties as a direct result of severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding for the incident period beginning on April 19th, 2011, and continuing. The declaration number is FEMA-1979-DR.
“As expected, a second disaster declaration has been issued by FEMA to address the damage, destruction and hardship caused by the flood waters of the Mississippi River,” stated Labor Commissioner Karla Davis. “It will take some time and a lot of hard work to recover, but labor staff is ready to provide assistance through regular unemployment and Disaster Unemployment Assistance.” «Read the rest of this article»
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