WASHINGTON, May 19 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: Over the 10 years ended March 2023, nonfarm employment in the Austin-Round Rock, Texas, metropolitan area increased 49.9 percent, the highest percentage increase among the nation's 51 large metropolitan areas (those with a population of at least 1 million in the 2010 Census). There were increases over 35.0 percent in three other large areas: Nashville-Davi  more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, May 19 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release and letter on May 18, 2023: Attorney General William Tong today led a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general urging Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993), which would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Today's letter comes following a surg  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency issued the following news release on May 18, 2023: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Cpl. Joe A. Vinyard, 23, of Loudon County, Tennessee, killed during World War II, was accounted for Sept. 9, 2022. In December 1944, Vinyard was assigned to Company A, 774th Tank Battalion, as a crewmember on an M4 Sherman tank. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces nea  more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, May 19 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release on May 17, 2023: * * * Medsurant Forced Female Technician to Quit for Protesting Being Underpaid Because of Her Sex, Federal Agency Charges * * * A Pennsylvania health care services company violated federal civil rights laws by paying a female technician less than males on the basis of sex and by retaliating against her for complaining, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Com  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Tennessee to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and a tornado from March 1-3, 2023. Public Assistance federal funding is available to the state, eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a   more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, May 19 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: As a biogeochemist at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Matthew Berens studies how carbon, nutrients and minerals move through water and soil. In this firsthand account, Berens describes recent fieldwork in Louisiana with colleagues. Their research focuses on advancing understanding of key processes in coastal ecosystems with the aim of improvi  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, May 19 -- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued the following news release on May 18, 2023: Attorney General Ashley Moody today urged congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993). This bill would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Attorney General Moody's call on Congress follows a surge in overdose deaths nationwide related to xy  more

BALTIMORE, Maryland, May 19 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release and letter on May 18, 2023: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 Attorneys General in urging Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993), which would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Today's letter com  more

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, May 18 -- Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued the following news release: In an effort to protect the Constitution, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey joined a coalition of 18 state attorneys general in opposing the Biden Administration's proposed standards which would regulate the types of refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers Americans can use or buy. Ninety-five percent of "standard-size refrigerator-freezers, which account for approxima  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, May 19 -- North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein issued the following news release and letter on May 18, 2023: Attorney General Josh Stein today urged Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993) to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Xylazine is a potent veterinary medication that has been widely mixed with opioids like fentanyl and is easily obtainable onlin  more

ALBANY, New York, May 19 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release and letter on May 18, 2023: New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in urging Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993), which would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Today's letter comes followi  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, May 19 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: In mid-April, students from Webb School of Knoxville taking an advanced science class that focuses on quantum computing topics visited the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to tour its world-class facilities and discover the many career paths available in the ever-growing field of quantum information science. Much of this information came from a se  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, May 19 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education issued the following news release: The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education will offer a variety of professional development courses throughout the month of June to equip STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educators with valuable new skills and experiences. All professional development courses are free but registration is required. All times listed are Ea  more

WASHINGTON, May 19 -- The White House issued the following news release on May 18, 2023: Late last evening, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornado from March 1 to March 3, 2023. Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a co  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 19 -- The Tennessee Department of Education issued the following news release: The Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) announced 26 schools have received the Tennessee STEM/STEAM School Designation for 2023. This honor recognizes schools across the state for preparing students for postsecondary and future career success by committing to promote STEM/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) learning f  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 19 -- Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tennessee, issued the following news: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the signing of the Teacher Paycheck Protection Act, a landmark bill that will give teachers the largest pay raise in state history and protect Tennessee teachers and taxpayers by ensuring that union membership dues are no longer collected by school districts. "Teaching is more than just a career - it's a calling," said Gov. Lee. "The Teacher Paycheck Protection Act provides  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 19 -- The Tennessee Public Utility Commission issued the following order establishing procedural schedule (Docket No. 23-00029) on May 18, 2023: * * * In Re: Chattanooga Gas Company Petition For Approval Of Its 2022 Annual Rate Review Filing Pursuant To Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 65-5-103(D)(6) ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURAL SCHEDULE This matter is before the Hearing Officer of the Tennessee Public Utility Commission ("Commission" or "TPUC") to establish a procedural sched  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, May 19 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release and letter on May 18, 2023: Attorney General Jason Miyares today joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 state attorneys general in urging Congressional leadership to pass the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R.1839/S.993), which would provide critical measures to combat the widespread illicit use and trafficking of xylazine and help prevent xylazine-related deaths. Today's letter follows a   more

CHARLESTON, West Virginia, May 19 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, Will Thompson, issued the following news release on May 18, 2023: Calvin Butler, 25, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $18,540 in restitution for a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, R  more