RALEIGH, North Carolina, Dec. 15 (TNSPer) -- The John Locke Foundation issued the following news release on Dec. 14, 2021: Jordan Roberts, a rising star in North Carolina's liberty movement, has been selected to lead the John Locke Foundation's government affairs division. Roberts' promotion to Director of Government Affairs is effective December 20, 2021. A four-year veteran of Locke, Roberts takes the reins of the legislative-focused team from Becki Gray, his mentor and work partner during t  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Dec. 16 (TNSPer) -- Ballad Health, a community health improvement organization, issued the following news release: Ballad Health has announced the promotion of two experienced leaders in its Southern Market, a market composed of eight hospitals spanning Greeneville to Mountain City to Unicoi County. The market includes the region's state-designated safety net and teaching hospital, Johnson City Medical Center, Niswonger Children's Hospital and a myriad of outpatient ser  more

ELON, North Carolina, Dec. 13 (TNSOps) -- Elon University issued the following news release: There's a famous Shakespeare line that the president-elect of the American Bar Association wanted to share at Commencement for Elon Law's Class of 2021: "'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Why would anyone wish such violence on lawyers? Deborah Enix-Ross had one possible answer for graduates and their families who chuckled at the quote from Dick the Butcher in "Henry VI, Part 2." "It  more

INDEPENDENCE, Virginia, Dec. 16 -- Appalachian Power, an American Electric Power company, issued the following news release: Appalachian Power recently joined elected officials and internet service provider GigaBeam Networks to mark a broadband milestone in Grayson County. In mid-December, the Elk Creek Volunteer Fire Department became the first in the county to have access to high-speed internet delivered over fiber optic cable attached to the company's power poles. Crews installed the first   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (TNSPol) -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release: Yesterday, President Joe Biden released a statement making clear that the U.S. Senate would head home for the holidays without passing the Build Back Better bill, which includes crucial investments for Appalachian communities. Among those investments left on the table is the extension of the Black Lung Excise tax at current rates. This tax is the only source of revenue for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Dec. 16 (TNSOps) -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release: Appalachian Voices has created a web page designed to help concerned residents, reporters and regulators track the status of mines caught up in the Blackjewel bankruptcy where the permits will become void once the Blackjewel companies cease to exist at the end of the year. When Blackjewel, Revelation Energy and other affiliated mining operations filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2019, the fat  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Dec. 15 (TNSPol) -- Appalachian Voices issued the following news release on Dec. 14, 2021: The Virginia State Water Control Board approved a water permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) via a 3-2 vote, finalizing state approval for the MVP to build across hundreds of Virginia waterways. The Board is an independent regulatory body composed of seven private citizens appointed by the Governor. Despite significant evidence to the contrary, the Board accepted the Virginia  more

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina, Dec. 18 -- The National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway issued the following news release on Dec. 17, 2021: The National Park Service today announced the 2021 Volunteer of the Year awards, honoring those who have made exemplary contributions to the preservation, protection, and enjoyment of the Blue Ridge Parkway during its first ever Virtual Volunteer Celebration Event. During the past year, over 1,200 volunteers collectively contributed more than 40,000 hours in s  more

TAKOMA PARK, Maryland, Dec. 16 (TNSPol) -- The Chesapeake Climate Action Network issued the following statement on Dec. 15, 2021, by Central Virginia Grassroots Organizer Elle De La Cancela: * * * The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) joined other climate activists today in reacting to the Virginia State Water Control Board's decision to approve a water permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Below is the statement from CCAN: "The decision to permit a pipeline that has already amassed  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (TNSPol)(TNSCapv) -- The Sierra Club issued the following news release: A coalition representing thousands of members who live in communities directly impacted by coal mining sent a letter to the White House asking the Biden Administration to prioritize the appointment of a permanent director for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). The groups highlight three specific, unprecedented challenges facing the coal mining industry and coal mining commu  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Dec. 18 (TNSJou) -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news on Dec. 17, 2021: For Tennesseans, passion flowers are a point of regional pride, officially designated as a Tennessee state flower back in 1919. Now, a century later, paleontologists have found fossil evidence of an extinct Appalachian passion flower species, Passiflora appalachiana, previously unknown to science. This ancient species is unique to the fossil record of Tennessee, museum offic  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Dec. 14 (TNSPro) -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region, the College of Business and Technology at East Tennessee State University has announced the start of its Entrepreneurship-In-Residence (EIR) program, exposing student candidates to startup investment decisions. The program is a collaborative effort between The Angel Roundtable (ART) of the Appalachian Highlands and the Entrepreneurship Program  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2021: A Tennessee nurse practitioner was arrested today for allegedly distributing prescription drugs unlawfully from the medical clinic she owned and operated. According to court documents, Kelly McCallum, 39, of Dyersburg, unlawfully prescribed controlled substances, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, at the Convenient Care Clinic (Clinic). Over approximately four years, McCallum prescribed   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced two awards totaling $1,000,000 from the American Rescue Plan. This funding is allocated through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the West Virginia Department of Economic Development and Coalfield Development to help West Virginia recover from COVID-19, create jobs and boost the economy.   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-New York, issued the following news release: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $1,094,614 in federal funding for the towns of Dryden and Caton to expand access to broadband internet. The funding was allocated through the Appalachian Regional Commission and will be used to install fiber optic cables and establish telecommunications towers to provide broadband services to over  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2021: U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $8,706,711 from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for infrastructure projects at 22 West Virginia airports. "During the process of negotiating and putting together the final bipartisan infrastructure package, West Virginia's  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- The White House issued the following readout of an investment roundtable hosted by the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization on Dec. 15, 2021: * * * Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (IWG) Co-Chairs National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese hosted a roundtable with stakeholders from the private sector, philanthropy, l  more