ASHLAND CITY, Tennessee, Oct. 1 -- The A.O. Smith, a manufacturer of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, issued the following news: A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment, announces the introduction of the Voltex(R) AL (anti-leak) hybrid electric heat pump water heater to its family of residential products. This unit brings to market a first-of-its-kind water heating solution with integrated leak detection, smart connectivity and updated water connections f  more

FRANKLIN, Tennessee, Sept. 28 (TNSres) -- Atmos Energy Corp. issued the following news release: Atmos Energy customers in Tennessee who want an affordable option to reduce their carbon footprint will soon be able to enroll in the SmartChoice Carbon Offset program. As approved by the Tennessee Public Utility Commission, this strictly voluntary program will give customers the ability to offset 25, 50 or even 100 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with their monthly use of na  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Sept. 29 (TNSper) -- Baker Donelson, a law firm, issued the following news release: Theresa Concepcion has joined Baker Donelson's Health Care Litigation Group as of counsel in the Baltimore office. She is the latest in a number of recent additions to the Firm's growing Baltimore office. In the last year, more than a dozen shareholders, of counsel, and associates have joined Baker Donelson's Baltimore office in practice areas including corporate, health law, financial servi  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSper) -- Baker Donelson, a law firm, issued the following news release: Baker Donelson has added Amanda Wilson Speier to the Firm's Health Care Litigation Group as of counsel in the Atlanta office. "Amanda brings great skills and experience as a litigator who will enhance our services for successfully resolving our clients' highly complex regulatory disputes and civil litigation in the constantly evolving health care arena," said Christy Tosh Crider, chair of th  more

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, Sept. 28 (TNSpar) -- Chattanooga State Community College issued the following news release: Chattanooga State Community College and Komatsu America Corporation have partnered to offer the Chattanooga area's first state-certified pre-apprenticeship program. Komatsu is the second largest, fully integrated manufacturer and supplier of construction equipment in North America. The inaugural cohort class consists of five high school seniors from Sequatchie, Marion and Hamilto  more

LEBANON, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSper) -- Cumberland University issued the following news release: With the 2022 academic year underway, a vast number of facility upgrades are ongoing at 1 Cumberland Square. Additionally, the rapidly growing university is also expanding their academic footprint with a number of prominent staffing additions. Cumberland University is excited to name Dr. Mark Hanshaw as the new Associate Provost and General Counsel for the university. Hanshaw joined the Cumberlan  more

CLARKSDALE, Mississippi, Sept. 30 -- The Delta Regional Authority issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022: Delta Regional Authority (DRA) today announced a $1,900,376 investment that will boost economic development and improve the quality of life for West Tennessee communities and residents. The investment will be matched by $2.3 million. The five new investment projects will improve water and sewer systems, support business development, and support job training in communities acr  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSconf) -- Endeavor Business Media issued the following news release: In partnership with the Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company (CHC), Endeavor Business Media's Offshore magazine introduces Subsea Technology Eastern Mediterranean (STEM), a new conference and table-top exhibition dedicated to facilitating the transfer of technology, best practices, and regional cross-border collaboration for sustainable offshore energy development. The event will be held May 17-19, 202  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSres) -- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center issued the following news: Radhakrishna Rao, PhD, vice-chair and professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has received two large national awards totaling $5 million for separate studies involving the gut as a therapeutic target for treating disease. Dr. Rao is known worldwide for his two decades of research into the structure and regulation of  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 27 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news on Sept. 26, 2022: Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition 18 states opposing the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022. The state chief legal officers say the proposed legislation is a back-door attempt to impose the failed Clean Power Plan. In a letter to Senate Leadership, the attorneys general say the Act will "allow the restriction of the electric grid by abrog  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 29 (TNSper) -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced two key judicial appointments. "I am proud to announce the appointment of these two highly qualified individuals and value the significant experience they will bring to their respective roles," said Lee. "I appreciate their leadership and am confident they will serve Tennesseans with integrity." The following Tennesseans have been appointed: * Amanda B. Dunn  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 (TNSper) -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Deniece Thomas as Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development, effective September 30. Thomas succeeds Jeff McCord following his departure to lead Northeast State Community College. "Deniece is a dedicated public servant who has worked tirelessly to ensure Tennesseans, businesses and our economy thrive through   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 28 -- The Tennessee Military Department issued the following news release: Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes, Tennessee's Adjutant General, announced today that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee authorized the deployment of roughly 1,200 Soldiers and Airmen from the Tennessee National Guard to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Ian, which is expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday. "As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Ian, the Tennessee National Gu  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton announced a decisive step to accelerate the hiring process for 25 additional forensic lab positions at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Taking this action ahead of the regular budget process will expedite the TBI's efforts to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround time for sexual assault kits (S  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 (TNSacc) -- Lipscomb University issued the following news: Lipscomb University recently received official notification that the accreditation of its undergraduate programs in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering have been renewed by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the world standard in engineering education. Each of these three programs, which are housed in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering, are fully accredited for the next ac  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSconf) -- East Tennessee State University issued the following news: Noted scientist, physician and administrator Dr. James E.K. Hildreth will give a free public lecture at East Tennessee State University on Thursday, Oct. 13. Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, will speak at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Soldiers Ballroom of the Carnegie Hotel, following a 5:30 p.m. reception. His talk, titled "An Immunological Paradox Explained: HIV as Trojan   more

MILLIGAN, Tennessee, Sept. 30 (TNSpar) -- Milligan College issued the following news release: Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan has created a pathway for students to gain paid ministry experience by partnering with local churches in the region. The new Ministry Fellows Program is part of Emmanuel's Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, funded through a million-dollar grant Milligan received from Lilly Endowment Inc. last December. Each church also provides supplemental funding to support the  more

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 30 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release on Sept. 29, 2022 and Sept. 20, 2022, letter: Attorney General Paxton joined a multistate letter led by Tennessee and Montana that is being sent to the CEOs of American Express, Mastercard, and Visa due to their problematic targeting of 2nd Amendment rights. Backed by gun-control advocates and the International Organization for Standardization, these companies' new policy takes direct aim at lawful gu  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Sept. 28 (TNSper) -- Southwest Tennessee Community College issued the following news: Southwest Tennessee Community College has named Dr. Jacqueline Taylor as the college's first chief strategy officer and chief of staff effective Sept. 19, 2022. Taylor served as Associate Vice President for Retention and Student Success at Southwest from 2016 to 2021 before serving as a leadership, teaching and learning and equity coach for Achieving the Dream, a national network of more th  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 29 (TNSres) -- The Tennessee Department of Education issued the following news release: The Tennessee Department of Education released the graduation rate data for the 2021-22 school year, which exceeds pre-pandemic levels. With a statewide rate of 89.8% of Tennessee high school students graduating on time in the 2021-22 school year, a total of 78 districts improved their graduation rates from last year, and 95% of eligible students in 53 districts graduated on time   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 28 -- The Tennessee Department of Education issued the following news release on Sept. 27, 2022: The Tennessee Department of Education, in collaboration with the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN), launched the "Reach Them All" initiative to highlight the importance of computer science instruction for all students and provide Tennessee educators and district-level leadership professional development that integrates computer science practices into and across aca  more

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSfund) -- Tennessee Technological University issued the following news release: Tennessee Tech University officials announced that externally funded research topped $23 million, a new high for Tech researchers, and the fourth consecutive year for the university above $20 million. "The efforts of Tech's researchers resulted in another record-breaking year for external research and public service funding," said Tech President Phil Oldham. "External funding allows  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 -- The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance issued the following news: The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance ("TDCI") Division of Regulatory Boards is helping raise awareness of its support for Volunteer State military families and newcomers with new landing pages devoted to sharing information about miliary exemptions and licensure information. "The Division of Regulatory Boards' team is focused on streamlining our processes in order to help  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 28 -- The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance issued the following news: The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance's ("TDCI") Division of Securities is joining the North American Securities Administrators Association ("NASAA") to recommend that investors use caution when considering advice from social media financial influencers, or "finfluencers." A finfluencer is a person who, by virtue of their popular or cultural status, has the capability to i  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 28 -- The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development issued the following news on Sept. 27, 2022: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and Daejin Advanced Materials USA Inc. officials announced today the company will invest $10.2 million to establish its second U.S. manufacturing and processing facility in Cumberland City, Tennessee. Located in a portion of the Stewart-Houston Indust  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 27 -- The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development issued the following news on Sept. 26, 2022: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and Georgia-Pacific officials announced today the company will invest at least $425 million to construct a state-of-the-art Dixie(R) manufacturing facility in Jackson. Located in the Highway 223 East Site, a Select Tennessee Certified Site, through th  more

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, Sept. 29 (TNSgov) -- Tennessee American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, issued the following news release on Sept. 28, 2022: Tennessee American Water announced today that six watershed-related projects across the Chattanooga Valley will receive financial support through the company's annual Environmental Grant Program. This year, Tennessee American Water awarded over $10,000 to local organizations within its service area that are engaged in sustainability projects  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news: Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced a consumer restitution program to provide refunds for cancelled "Fan Fest" events organized by Walker Stalkers, LLC. Consumers wishing to request refunds (either for tickets purchased or for fees paid to participate as a vendor) must act quickly, as this program will only accept claims for approximately 120 days (January 30th, 2023). "T  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Sept. 29 (TNSres) -- The University of Memphis issued the following news release: * * * Receives patent for electrochemical sensor technology for measuring drug concentrations * * * The United States Patent Office awarded Dr. Erno Linder and Vanderbilt University professor Dr. Edward Chaum with the patent: "Method and device for detection of bioavailable drug concentration in a fluid sample" (U.S. Patent 11,375,929 B2). Linder is the R. Eugene Smith Professor of Biomedic  more

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 (TNSres) -- The University of Tennessee's Institute of Agriculture issued the following news release: * * * Study to Contribute to Growing Organic Food Industry * * * Researchers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture have received a grant to study native warm-season perennial grasses for organic livestock feed production. The $750,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund four years of research for Sindhu J  more

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, Sept. 30 (TNSfund) -- The University of Virginia issued the following research news: The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced that the University of Virginia is part of its new Mid-South Innovation Corps Hub, a consortium whose aim is to enhance innovation capacity, support promising research, generate economic value and create opportunities for diverse communities. One of five such NSF hubs spread throughout the country, the hub is led by Vanderbilt Univer  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 28 (TNSjou) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Hypophosphatasia (HPP) -- a rare genetic disorder that impacts the mineralization of bones and teeth -- has a wide spectrum of disease presentation and is challenging to diagnose. Kathryn Dahir, MD, and colleagues evaluated urine phosphoethanolamine (PEA) as a marker for HPP diagnosis and treatment monitoring. They collected data from the records of 78 adults who were referred to the Van  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSjou) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic condition that causes bladder pressure, pain and lower urinary tract symptoms. It affects 3-8 million women and 1-4 million men in the U.S. Lindsey McKernan, PhD, MPH, and colleagues assessed gender differences in IC/BPS using validated patient-reported outcome measures and qualitative analysis of focus group discussions.   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSper) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Rondi Kauffmann, MD, MPH, associate professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, can pinpoint when her spark to address disparities in global health caught fire. She was a wide-eyed 12-year-old staring up at a 10-story mountain of garbage in Manila, Philippines. "It was the summer of 1990, and my family was living for three months just outside of Manila,"  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNStalk) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Given the stakes for patients and for public health, experts say current efforts to correct mistaken or outdated penicillin allergy records are destined to spread to more patient care areas at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. It turns out that a great majority of people whose health records indicate penicillin allergy will not have an allergic reaction to penicillin. Pending a simple   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSjou) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: A Veterans Health Administration project that provided resources for lung cancer screening programs increased the number of veterans screened, according to a study published in the September issue of the journal CHEST. "We showed that resources made a difference in the rates of lung cancer screening," said Jennifer Lewis, MD, MS, MPH, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Hemat  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSjou) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: A recent study found that higher reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was not associated with wider use of an embolic protection device (EPD) during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. Rather, greater use of the EPD device was associated with centers that had higher volumes of TAVR procedures, according to the paper recently published i  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 30 (TNSper) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: David Vinson has been named Senior Vice President for Diagnostic Laboratory Services, effective Oct. 3. Vinson comes on board as Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Diagnostic Laboratory Services are undergoing a major relocation and expansion project which will relocate most of VUMC's clinical and anatomic pathology to an off-campus facility and renovate the main lab's existing locati  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Sept. 27 (TNSper) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Chris Wilde, MBA, CPA, executive vice president and enterprise chief financial officer for Atrium Navicent Health in Macon, Georgia, has been named to the newly expanded role of Vice President & Divisional Chief Financial Officer (DCFO) for Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH) and Adult Ambulatory Operations. Wilde will join Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Oct. 31. With colleagues  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 1 (TNSfund) -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center issued the following news: Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been awarded a nearly $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to construct a state-of-the-art BioSafety Level 3 (BSL3) facility for research involving the COVID-19 virus, anthrax and other dangerous microorganisms. VUMC currently has two BSL3 labs, but they are small, outdated and can accommodate only a few investigators. As a shared  more