Tuesday - April 30, 2024
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Tennessee Newsletter for Sunday April 07, 2024 ( 13 items )  

After Fire Destroys Stem Lab, School Gets Second Chance With Help From ORAU's 2024 Extreme Classroom Makeover Competition
OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, April 2 -- The Oak Ridge Associated Universities issued the following news release on April 1, 2024: A week after opening a brand-new STEM lab in the fall of 2023, Elk Valley STEM School faced a major setback when fire ripped through the portable unit destroying the structure and all that was in it. Through insurance compensation and funds secured by the school board, the Campbell County K-8 school raised enough money to replace the lab but didn't have enough to equip the   more

Black Voters Matter and Student Organizers Issue Statement on the Appointments to the Tennessee State University Board
ATLANTA, Georgia, March 29 -- Black Voters Matter, a voting rights and community empowerment organization, issued the following news: Black Voters Matter alongside our partners and coalition of student organizers at Tennessee State University (TSU) are pleased that the Governor made the right decision in appointing TSU alumni to the board following the recent vote to vacate. We believe that representation matters, and the board should always reflect the needs of the campus community. However, w  more

Council of Chief State School Officers: Tennessee English as a Second Language Teacher Named 2024 National Teacher of the Year
WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The Council of Chief State School Officers issued the following news release on April 3, 2024: The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) today announced Missy Testerman, a kindergarten through eighth grade English as a second language (ESL) teacher, as the 2024 National Teacher of the Year. Testerman served as a first and second grade teacher at Rogersville City School in Rogersville, Tennessee, for three decades before taking advantage of the state's Grow Your   more

Ducks Unlimited Announces 2024 Wetland Conservation Achievement Award Winners
MEMPHIS, Tennessee, April 4 -- Ducks Unlimited issued the following news release: Ducks Unlimited (DU) announced the winners of the 2024 Wetland Conservation Achievement Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the conservation and restoration of North America's wetlands and waterfowl. The awards, spanning nine categories, were presented at the 89th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Each year, Ducks Unlimited proudly acknowledges the s  more

Eighth Grade Computer Science Teacher Wins $25,000 Grand Prize in ORAU's 2024 Extreme Classroom Makeover Competition
OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, March 31 -- The Oak Ridge Associated Universities issued the following news release: Teaching children is not just a profession--it's a calling, and some teachers go above and beyond that call. That's the case for the winner of ORAU's 2024 Extreme Classroom Makeover grand prize. Shelby Woods entered ORAU's competition, going up against teachers from around East Tennessee who were vying for $25,000 to improve the technology in their classrooms. The Sevier County Junior Hig  more

Independent Women's Voice Praises Idaho Women's Bill Of Rights Inspired Legislation, Calls For Additional Clarity To Define Sex-Based Terms
BOISE, Idaho, April 6 -- The Independent Women's Voice, an organization that fights for policy solutions for women, issued the following news release on April 5, 2024: Today, Independent Women's Voice (IWV) applauds the passage of Idaho's H.B. 421, inspired by IWV's Women's Bill of Rights (WBOR) model legislation that codifies the common public understanding of sex-based words, such as 'woman' and 'man', already used across state code. The Idaho Legislature follows the lead of other states ins  more

Institute for Justice Applauds Tennessee General Assembly For Passing Bill Codifying Right To Have Court Determine If Eminent Domain Is Necessary
ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 4 -- The Institute for Justice issued the following news release: * * * Urges Governor To Sign Into Law * * * The Institute for Justice applauds the Tennessee General Assembly for passing HB 2119, a bill that would codify the right for a property owner to ask a court if the use of eminent domain is truly necessary to accomplish a public use. The bill now waits to be sent to the Governor to either approve or veto. Eminent domain is the process of the government t  more

IRI ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP, RISING STAR, AND CHAIRMAN AWARD RECIPIENTS
WASHINGTON, April 5 -- The Insured Retirement Institute issued the following news release: The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) presented three awards at its 2024 annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, to recognize industry leaders among its members and IRI staff. This year's Leadership Award recipient is Colleen Tycz, Senior Vice President, Head of Strategic Accounts & Insurance Distribution with Franklin Templeton. Joe Caruso, Assistant Vice President, Government Relations and Public P  more

PETA 'Fashion Police' to Crack Down on Leather in Downtown Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 6 -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release: A pair of PETA supporters dressed in fashionable police outfits will be "reporting for duty" on Tuesday to bust fashion felons on Broadway and issue "tickets" to anyone caught wearing leather. The action is part of PETA's campaign to call attention to the suffering of more than a billion cows and other animals killed every year by the leather industry and to urge consumers to choose s  more

RECORD CROWD WELCOMES IRI'S 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO NASHVILLE
WASHINGTON, April 3 -- The Insured Retirement Institute issued the following news release on April 2, 2024: The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) opened its 2024 Annual Conference to a record-setting crowd and sponsorship in Nashville, Tennessee, as the industry prepares for an expected Department of Labor (DOL) investment advice regulation. Wayne Chopus, President and CEO of IRI, told attendees, "If I wanted you to take away one clear message from my remarks today, it's to regard IRI as the   more

Sierra Club: Deadly Kingston Coal Plant to Be Retired
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 3 (TNSres) -- The Sierra Club issued the following news release on April 2, 2024: * * * Replacement Methane Gas Plant Would Be Polluting, Costly * * * Today, after years of dedicated community advocacy and activism, the Tennessee Valley Authority finalized its plan to retire the 1,700-megawatt Kingston coal plant in Roane County, Tenn. The federal utility issued the final decision to decommission all nine units in 2027. This is the 382nd coal plant to announce a r  more

Southern Environmental Law Center: TVA Ignores Warnings From Federal Agencies, Moves Forward With Proposed Kingston Gas Plant
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 3 -- The Southern Environmental Law Center issued the following news release: In an extremely disappointing move, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a Record of Decision for the proposed Kingston Gas Plant, a dirty and expensive project that will hurt the climate and cost families in the Tennessee Valley millions of dollars in unnecessary costs. The new plant would also require a 122-mile pipeline. The decision comes just days after the Environmental Protection A  more

The MLC Reaches Milestone of $2B in Total Royalties Distributed
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 4 -- The Mechanical Licensing Collective issued the following news release: * * * Files Initial Submission for Periodic Review of Designation * * * The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) announced that its total royalties distributed have now exceeded $2 billion. The MLC reached this significant milestone in just over three years since beginning full operations. The MLC has now successfully completed 36 monthly royalty distributions to date, every one of wh  more