Choose your location
Tennessee Lookout
U.S. House Democrats push for federal gun reform following surgeon general advisory
WASHINGTON – Democratic U.S. House members pushed for legislative action to address gun violence Wednesday, the day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared the issue a public health crisis. Murthy released a 40-page advisory Tuesday. It called gun violence the leading cause of death for children and adolescents, causing just over 4,600 deaths in […] The post U.S. House Democrats push for federal gun reform following surgeon general advisory appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Delayed Supreme Court ruling makes Trump trial on 2020 charges unlikely before election
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on whether presidents enjoy total criminal immunity, delaying one of the most consequential legal decisions in U.S. history and likely closing the door on former President Donald Trump facing his federal election interference trial before November. Trump, the presumed Republican presidential nominee who is entangled […] The post Delayed Supreme Court ruling makes Trump trial on 2020 charges unlikely before election appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected arguments by Missouri and Louisiana that the federal government violated the First Amendment in its efforts to combat false, misleading and dangerous information online. In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court held that neither the states nor seven individuals who were co-plaintiffs in […] The post SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Third lawsuit filed alleging Johnson City cops covered for serial rapist
A third lawsuit has been filed against Johnson City, its police force and more than two dozen officers by a woman who alleges cops took bribes to protect a serial rapist who drugged then pushed her from a fifth-story window during an attempted sexual assault. Mikayla Evans suffered life-threatening injuries that left her bedridden for […] The post Third lawsuit filed alleging Johnson City cops covered for serial rapist appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will pardon U.S. military veterans who were discharged or convicted under military law for consensual same-sex relations, the administration announced Wednesday. The White House could not provide an exact number of veterans who will be pardoned, but the administration estimates thousands were convicted over several decades and may be eligible. […] The post Biden to pardon vets discharged for same-sex relationships appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Editor’s notebook: Attacks on Shelby County district attorney won’t solve crime
Politics has never been a game of subtleties, and one issue that is proven to gin up strong emotions is crime. Republicans return to it year after year, leveraging fright in order to motivate voters. Tennessee Republican Sen. Brent Taylor is castigating Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy for being “soft on crime,” going so […] The post Editor’s notebook: Attacks on Shelby County district attorney won’t solve crime appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation
In Arizona, the state’s highest court upheld a Civil War-era abortion ban. Florida and South Carolina moved to restrict abortion to six weeks — before many people know they are pregnant. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are “children,” temporarily throwing fertility treatments, such as IVF, into uncertainty and igniting a national debate. […] The post The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Dems demand answers after Tennessee officials send 14k letters warning against illegal voting
Tennessee’s top Democrat in the state House wants the secretary of state to explain why more than 14,000 people received a letter warning them they might not be able to vote in the upcoming election. House Minority Leader Karen Camper, a Memphis Democrat, wrote to Secretary of State Tre Hargett, asking him to explain how […] The post Dems demand answers after Tennessee officials send 14k letters warning against illegal voting appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Tennessee Senate incumbents face challenges to status quo: not conservative enough, say opponents
Veteran Tennessee senators seeking re-election this fall are running into challengers who question their conservative credentials, calling them soft on red-meat Republican issues such as abortion and transgender care. The Republican-controlled state Senate banned abortion except in cases when a mother is on the brink of death, outlawed gender-affirming care for trans youths and largely […] The post Tennessee Senate incumbents face challenges to status quo: not conservative enough, say opponents appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
West Tennessee group makes another push for Ford to negotiate a community benefit agreement
A coalition of labor and faith leaders from West Tennessee is urging Ford Motor Co. to sign a community benefit agreement ensuring environmental standards, local hiring and affordable housing investments before opening its new factory. The organization, called BlueOval Neighbors and supported by the advocacy group Tennessee For All, has been trying to engage with […] The post West Tennessee group makes another push for Ford to negotiate a community benefit agreement appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
For both sides, abortion policy two years after Dobbs decision hinges on November
WASHINGTON — Exactly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, the battles rage among both advocates and lawmakers over the future of reproductive rights at the state and federal levels. Anti-abortion groups that have achieved considerable success in deep-red parts of the country are working to sway voters […] The post For both sides, abortion policy two years after Dobbs decision hinges on November appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
U.S. Supreme Court will hear challenge to Tennessee’s ban on care for transgender minors
(This story has been updated.) The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday morning it will take up a challenge to Tennessee’s 2023 ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal asked the court to review a ruling by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the law. […] The post U.S. Supreme Court will hear challenge to Tennessee’s ban on care for transgender minors appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Anderson County grade fixing scandal takes down principal, football coach
Allegations of grade fixing at an Anderson County high school have taken down a popular high school principal, the head football coach, two teachers and three counselors. Meanwhile, local education leaders have declined to take questions about how 1,500 grades were allegedly altered during the last school year at Clinton High, a school with 1,200 […] The post Anderson County grade fixing scandal takes down principal, football coach appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
EViscerating logic
It was disappointing if unsurprising to hear recent news that Ford is tapping the brakes on its timetable for full production of electric vehicles at the BlueOval City facility under construction in Haywood County. Although EV sales in the U.S. and abroad have been growing at a healthy rate over the last few years, this […] The post EViscerating logic appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Misguided Tennessee policies, not students, are root of classroom discipline problems, report says
Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s free daily newsletter to keep up with statewide education policy and Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Tennessee schools are increasingly punishing and excluding special education students with behavioral issues instead of providing them with evidence-based interventions to support their academic and behavioral growth, a new report says. And it’s not the fault […] The post Misguided Tennessee policies, not students, are root of classroom discipline problems, report says appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Blazing heat doesn’t deter Middle Tennesseans from Nashville’s Pride event
(Editor’s note: this story has been updated with additional detail.) High temperatures didn’t deter Middle Tennesseans from turning out in droves for Nashville’s two-day Pride event, which kicked off with a Saturday morning parade and wrapped Sunday after a performance by headliner Billy Porter, Broadway and TV star. Walking the parade route — the first […] The post Blazing heat doesn’t deter Middle Tennesseans from Nashville’s Pride event appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Exclusive: DNC moves ahead on all-virtual roll call for Biden presidential nomination
WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee has taken a significant step toward formally designating Joe Biden as the party’s presidential nominee before the Democratic convention in August — a move that’s necessary to place him on the Ohio ballot for November’s election, States Newsroom has been told. DNC members finalized their vote Thursday to move […] The post Exclusive: DNC moves ahead on all-virtual roll call for Biden presidential nomination appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
U.S. Supreme Court upholds law that prevents domestic abusers from owning guns
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Friday upheld a federal law that bars people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from owning a firearm. In an 8-1 decision on United States v. Rahimi, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion that “our Nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm […] The post U.S. Supreme Court upholds law that prevents domestic abusers from owning guns appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Trump is a go as Tennessee attorney general refuses to render opinion on putting felon on ballot
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office is declining to give an opinion on a lawmaker’s request to determine whether former President Donald Trump can be placed on the state ballot this fall after being convicted of a felony. In a letter to Democratic Rep. Vincent Dixie of Nashville, who requested a formal legal opinion, Attorney General […] The post Trump is a go as Tennessee attorney general refuses to render opinion on putting felon on ballot appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
Tennessee Lookout
3K+
Posts
50M+
Views
Now more than ever, tough and fair journalism is important. The Tennessee Lookout is your watchdog, telling the stories of politics and policy that affect the people of the Volunteer State. Our investigative reporters and journalists explain what’s happening, why it’s happening, and who it helps or hurts. We expose the relationships between politics, people and policy and we hold the powerful accountable. You can count on us for hard-hitting stories and incisive commentary on health care, hospital closures, mental health and addiction treatment, education, criminal justice reform and environmental issues. We are a nonprofit and all of our content is free for sharing. Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. Tennessee Lookout retains editorial independence.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.