US Records 71 New Measles Cases Last Week as Outbreak Spreads

Reuters   The United States recorded 71 new measles cases last week, a 13 percent increase as the country faces its second-worst outbreak of the disease in almost two decades, federal health officials said on Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had recorded 626 cases…

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Labor Union Representing Lordstown Auto Workers Rocked By Scandal

The labor union solely responsible for the future of Ohio’s Lordstown Auto Complex was blasted Wednesday in Tennessee for the myriad of scandals that have plagued the organization over the past several years. The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, commonly known as the United…

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Feds Bust 60 For Alleged Participation in Illegal Prescribing and Distributing of Opioids, Other Narcotics, As Well As Alleged Health Care Fraud

The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced a major multi-agency national bust against 60 people for their alleged participation in the illegal prescribing and distributing of opioids and other dangerous narcotics and for health care fraud schemes. The DOJ announcement is available here. The defendants are from 11 federal…

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Dr. Carol M. Swain Commentary: Shouting your Abortion is a Desperate Cry for Help

by Dr. Carol M. Swain   Last month marked the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, two landmark Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion in all 50 states. Since the legalization of abortion, more than 60 million unborn babies have been aborted. One of those babies was mine. More than 40 years ago, I made…

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Marsha Blackburn Says Voters Sent Her to DC to Secure the Border

by Nick Givas   Republican Sen.-elect Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said voters sent her to Washington to help secure the U.S. southern border, on “America’s Newsroom” Wednesday. “Let me tell you something. There is an acronym for the word team. My mom used it with me growing up. Together everyone…

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Voters Who Support the President on Immigration Will be Watching Key Races in Battleground States Tonight

Trump illegal immigration

    Whether you are out with friends to watch returns or home alone biting your fingernails, here are a few races that will be significant in determining whether President Donald Trump’s immigration message resonated in the final weeks leading up to the midterm elections. First, there is little argument…

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Bredesen Refuses to Release Tax Returns, Offers No Comment on Whether He Personally Benefits from Solar Investment Tax Credit

Phil Bredesen

Former Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen could soon become one of the wealthiest members of Congress, but the 74-year-old candidate has declined to release his income tax returns. Bredesen did recently file financial disclosures, which all candidates are required to do, revealing that he had an income of between $3.3 million…

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JC Bowman Commentary: A Few More Thoughts on Testing in Tennessee…

students in class

All stakeholders want to get testing right.  However, the emphasis on testing misses the bigger issue:  student academic growth measured by flawed testing.  Then the results being used in educator evaluations.  This is certainly more problematic to educators than the actual tests themselves. 

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JC Bowman Commentary: Testing is Open for Debate

Professional Educators of Tennessee raised the issue on Testing, with a hard-hitting editorial called the Trouble with Testing. Professional Educators of Tennessee did NOT support the use of that data on teacher evaluations, nor did they sign a support letter on the original grant submission., which the Tennessee Education Association did.

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One Reported Case of Measles in Tennessee ‘Acquired from Outside U.S.’ in Midst of Nationwide Outbreak

"Measles" by Dave Haygarth

There’s a reported nationwide outbreak of measles. Even though Tennessee is one of the affected areas, in fact, only one person in the Volunteer State got it, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. “These cases are not part of one outbreak,” said Bill Christian, department spokesman, in an emailed…

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DesJarlais: New Federal Defense Act Will Help Tennessee

Scott DesJarlais

U.S. Congressman Scott DesJarlais said he has inserted measures into the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that will give more aid to Middle Tennessee’s Aerospace and Defense Technology Corridor. According to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee’s aerospace cluster includes 52 companies, including the Arnold Engineering Development…

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Think Tank: Tax Incentives Hurt Small Business Owners in Tennessee

small business

Tennessee’s economy would thrive even without local and state governments dishing out tax incentives to already wealthy corporations. What’s more, these tax incentives penalize Tennessee’s small business owners. This from the spokesman for the Nashville-based free market think tank The Beacon Center of Tennessee. “Simply put, corporate handouts benefit rich…

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Trump Tax Cuts At Risk: Democrats Conspire to Repeal While Record Low Unemployment Surges

Steve Gill

Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed on Monday’s edition of The Gill Report – broadcast on Knoxville’s 92.3 FM WETR – how Democrats are conspiring to repeal the Trump tax cuts while record low unemployment among Hispanic and African-Americans surge and the federal government rakes in a record amount of…

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We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: ‘Drag Queen Readings’ No Longer in Far Off Places, Now in Tennessee

Steve Gill

In the audio below, conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville discussed his concern regarding the new trend to expose our young children with ‘drag queen readings’ and how it has slithered it’s way into…

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JC Bowman Commentary: Time to Separate PACS from Lobbying

dealmakers

Professional Educators of Tennessee will continue to lobby for public education.  However, we will never endorse political parties or candidates as an organization on behalf of our members.  We also do not have a PAC, nor do we plan to ever start one.  It would harm our effectiveness.  We must advance public education without the divisive tribalism of partisan politics, and we will only get involved in education related issues.

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Commentary: Tennessee’s ObamaCare Fiasco Shows the Perils of Short Term Plans

Obamacare

By Peter Moorman   On August 1, the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury released a final ruling on the expanded use of STLDI plans (Short Term, Limited Duration Insurance). Prior to this ruling, short-term insurance plans lasted a maximum of three months before individuals had…

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Mark Skoda Commentary: Diane Black for Governor

Mark Skoda

Over the years, I have observed Diane Black support pro-life issues, our 2nd Amendment gun rights and more recently, President Trump.  Her conservative bona fides are clear reasons for this endorsement.  Her experience and tenacity in the face of vocal opposition are what we need in Tennessee’s next gubernatorial term.…

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Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Hold Final Get Out the Vote Rallies

Bill Lee, Diane Black, Randy Boyd

The Republican gubernatorial candidates are making whirlwind, last-minute tours of the state in the closing days of the primary election to get out the votes. Randy Boyd said in a press release, “Too much is at stake and too many people are depending on us. On Primary night, we will…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Randy Boyd’s Foundation Hands Out $1 Million For 37 Tennessee Community Pooch Parks in Days Preceding Election

Randy Boyd

Isn’t free money to support man’s best friend a good thing? What if the money is coming from a gubernatorial candidate just before the election? Republican candidate Randy Boyd’s foundation is handing out cash. The Randy Boyd Foundation presented the city of Jackson with the grand prize check of $100,000…

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Things That Make You Go Hmm: Independent Polling Firm Puts Lee in the Lead While Tied to Campaign Consultants

Steve Gill

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill baffled at a recent independent poll that stated Bill Lee was leading Tennessee’s GOP primary race. The question remains to be answered of whether or not Lee knew the…

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Charlotte, North Carolina Embraces the 2020 Republican Convention, Nashville Passes

Donald Trump

Charlotte, North Carolina has been selected as the location for the 2020 Republican National Convention. Nashville was under consideration as a potential location, but local government entities apparently did not pursue the bid with much interest. Charlotte, in contrast, let the Republican National Committee know it wanted the financial benefits…

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Early Voting Republicans Trending to Set Records Across the State

Steve Gill

On Wednesday’s Gill Report – broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the early voting trends and the possibility of a new early voting record that could be set across the state of Tennessee. Gill said, “As voters have headed to the…

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$87 Million Government-Run Pre-Kindergarten in Tennessee Failing Kids, Report Says

Teacher and Kids

A report examining findings from a randomized controlled trial of Tennessee’s $87 million voluntary prekindergarten program for low-income children casts doubt on its effectiveness. Indeed, the report’s authors say the data show adverse effects on math and science achievements.

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Conservative Chattanooga Editorial Page Endorses Bill Lee in Republican Gubernatorial Primary

The conservative Free Press editorial page of The Chattanooga Times Free Press endorsed Bill Lee in the Republican gubernatorial race on Friday, the first day of early voting. Clint Cooper, the Free Press page editor, said Tennessee Republicans have an “embarrassment of riches” in their primary, with four of six…

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Tennessee Loses Money Spending $17,500 Per Job to Lure 1,000 AllianceBernstein Employees to Nashville from New York City

Tennessee Capital building

A $17.5 million tax incentive from the state of Tennessee to lure 1,000 jobs to Nashville–$17,500 per job—came at the expense of taxpayers to lure well-paid corporate executives when they already were drawn to the state’s other features like a favorable tax structure, experts say. The Tennessee Department of Economic…

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Tennessee House Delegation Unanimously Opposes Ryan Immigration Bill

TN Congressional Delegation

Tennessee’s U.S. House delegation voted unanimously against House Speaker Paul’s Ryan’s immigration bill Wednesday, including both Democrat members, with Rep. Diane Black not voting. The bill went down in defeat by a wide margin, 121-301, despite President Trump’s subdued support. A sprawling, compromise GOP immigration bill that would have provided a…

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Mark Green Picks Up Another Endorsement For Congress, This Time From Williamson Business PAC

Mark Green

The Williamson Business PAC on Thursday announced its support of Dr. Mark Green for U.S. Congress to replace Marsha Blackburn. The PAC conducted interviews with all the candidates running for the vacant 7th District congressional seat, and its board concluded that State Sen. Green is the best choice, according to…

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Diane Black is Only Gubernatorial Candidate Willing to Change Attorney General Selection Process, Victor Ashe Says

Diane Black Would Veto in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrant students

Victor Ashe noted in his weekly column that Diane Black is the only gubernatorial candidate who supports bringing more transparency to the attorney general selection process. The Black campaign touted Ashe’s column in a press release. The former Knoxville mayor wrote in the Knoxville News-Sentinel that Democratic candidates Craig Fitzhugh…

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Mike Huckabee Endorses Randy Boyd For Tennessee Governor

Mike Hukabee

Conservative former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has endorsed Republican candidate Randy Boyd for governor of Tennessee. Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, made the announcement in a television ad Friday, the Boyd campaign announced. “Huckabee, a notable voice for the conservative movement, is throwing his support behind Randy as a…

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Complaint Targets Bill Lee’s Business, Campaign Advertising

Bill Lee

The Tennessean reported Friday that a complaint alleges that gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee is using a tax-sheltered trust to illegally donate money to his own campaign. The complaint, filed by Joe Darke of Dover, Tennessee, also alleges that the Republican candidate has accepted illegal contributions from some individuals and businesses…

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Tennessee Adds 45,000 Jobs Over Past Year

Handshake deal

Tennessee’s unemployment rates remain low and the state added 45,000 jobs the past year, the National Federation of Independent Business said. According to the March 2018 numbers from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 82 of the state’s 95 counties saw lower unemployment rates that month than they…

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