Archives: 2021

The Latest: Biden, Harris hold video link on Afghan chaos

Associated Press,

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have held a secure video conference on Saturday morning with national security officials in response to the worsening situation in Afghanistan. A White House official says they discussed efforts to reduce the number of U.S. civilians in Afghanistan, evacuate Afghans who worked with the U.S. government and the fast-moving changes…

Prosecutor: Fatal police shooting in Lenexa was justified

Associated Press,

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe says officers in Lenexa were justified in their actions when they shot and killed a Tennessee man in May. Darren Dejuan Chandler, of Nashville, was shot and killed in late May during a shootout with police at a Lenexa hotel. Officers responded to an Extended Stay America hotel after receiving…

Judges allows environmental groups’ lawsuit to proceed

Associated Press,

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge has declined to dismiss a lawsuit brought by environmental groups against the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Commercial Appeal reports the ruling by U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker means the case will proceed. The environmental groups argue the auto-renewing, 20-year contracts TVA has offered power companies violate the law governing the federal government-owned utility….

“Charlie Daniel’s Day” will be next Wednesday in Tennessee

Associated Press,

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has declared next Wednesday “Charlie Daniels Day” in the state. It’s a nod to Daniels’ Volunteer Jam concert that’s on Wednesday in Nashville. Among those playing the concert are Ricky Skaggs, Alabama, Big and Rich, Travis Tritt and Gretchen Wilson. Daniels died last year. For more stories from across the state, click…

Census: Tennessee sees big growth in, around Nashville

Associated Press,

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — New detailed population data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows areas in and around Nashville saw a population boom over the last decade, while the greater Memphis region saw low or no growth, or lost people. The updated information released Thursday sets the stage for state lawmakers to work on new political maps for themselves and…

Pandemic spurs boom in virtual offerings for U.S. schools

Associated Press,

UNDATED (AP) – School systems across the U.S. are setting up their own virtual academies in growing numbers to accommodate families who feel remote instruction works best for their children, regardless of the rise or fall of COVID-19 infection rates. A majority of the 38 state education departments that responded to an Associated Press survey this summer indicated there will…

Tennessee gov’s office debunks COVID misinformation as cases surge

Associated Press,

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee governor’s office is pushing back on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation that goes as far as claiming cows are being vaccinated to wittingly inoculate people when they eat meat. In an email Thursday to lawmakers, a top deputy of Republican Gov. Bill Lee debunked “several conspiracy theories” from constituents about a recent executive order. The email…