NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog on Feb. 17, 2026, by Julia Wilburn: * * * 1-Time Transfer Bill Goes to Governor, House Approves Ten Commandments in Schools The Tennessee General Assembly has passed SB0016/HB0025, allowing middle and high school athletes a one-time school transfer without losing athletic eligibility, as long as the move occurs before the school year begins. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, and  more

CLARKSVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 17 -- Austin Peay State University posted the following news: * * * APSU psychologists to host 'Built Not Born' community talk on performance, skill development * According to APSU's Dr. Kevin Harris and Dr. Emily Pica, evidence-based strategies from performance psychology can help people build resilience, overcome plateaus, and sustain long-term growth. CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - What separates people who steadily improve from those who feel stuck isn't talent. It's  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, Feb. 16 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: * * * Chemists advance grid-scale energy storage * Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have advanced the knowledge required to improve large-scale energy storage. In doing so, they have revealed distinct chemical reactions that improve the stability and efficiency of a promising energy-storage system. Their findings suggest posi  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Feb. 17 [Category: BizHospital] -- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital issued the following news release: * * * Classifying pediatric brain tumors by liquid biopsy using artificial intelligence * Liquid biopsies, which test body fluids that contain cancerous material, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are a noninvasive way to learn about a cancer's biology. However, technological limitations with the small amount of ctDNA available from pediatric brain tumor liqu  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Cohen Remembers Jesse Jackson * MEMPHIS -Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) made the following statement after learning of the passing of civil rights leader and presidential candidate Jesse Jackson: "Jesse Jackson was a man in the arena for most of his life and was one of the prominent civil rights and human rights leaders in our nation's history. He was a splendid orator and a courageou  more

CEDARVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 17 -- Cedarville University posted the following news: * * * Entrepreneur Wins "The Pitch" With Fraction Learning Tool * by Elisabeth Coon, Student Public Relations Writer Jenna Stout wants students to stop guessing at fractions and start seeing them. With a hands-on tool designed to help middle schoolers visualize math concepts, the Cedarville University senior won first place at the Pitch on Feb. 6, earning a $1,000 prize to further her business concept, BrightPond  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Feb. 17 -- East Tennessee State University posted the following news: * * * ETSU advances seven Fulbright semifinalists * Seven of eight East Tennessee State University applicants advanced to the Fulbright semifinal round, marking new institutional milestones across disciplines and global destinations. Seven of eight. That's how many East Tennessee State University applicants advanced to the semifinal round in Fulbright competitions this year, a success rate that  more

JOHNSON CITY, Tennessee, Feb. 17 -- East Tennessee State University posted the following news: * * * ETSU earns national online nursing ranking * The Princeton Review has listed East Tennessee State University as one of the top online nursing master's programs for 2026. The national recognition places ETSU among a select group of programs preparing advanced-practice nurses for leadership in today's health care system. "This recognition affirms our commitment to preparing nurses for advan  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (TNSrpt) -- First Focus Campaign for Children issued the following news release: * * * 40 Senators, 80 Representatives, named Champions or Defenders Amid the failure of this Congress to protect the nation's children, a new report finds that 120 lawmakers stand out for their efforts to fight harmful legislation and advance bills that promote children's best interests. First Focus Campaign for Children's 2025 Legislative Scorecard, released today, identifies 40 senators and  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * Justice Department Closes 60-Year-Old Tennessee Desegregation Case The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division announced today the dismissal of a desegregation case in Dyersburg, Tennessee, concluding a matter that has remained on the docket for sixty years. In 1966, the United States filed a complaint against the Dyersburg Board of Education to challenge racially segregated pub  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release: * * * Lawsuit Seeks Endangered Species Protection for Hellbenders * WASHINGTON-The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to force the agency to set a binding date to enact federal protections for hellbender salamanders under the Endangered Species Act. The agency was required to finalize protections for Eastern hellbenders in December 202  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Feb. 18 -- The Liberty Justice Center issued the following news release: * * * Liberty Justice Center Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Defend Freedom of the Press and the First Amendment Citizens and Media Should Have Access to Tennessee's Judicial Advisory Commission Meetings * The Liberty Justice Center urges the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case McCaleb v. Long and to reconsider the Sixth Circuit's ruling that the First Amendment does not guarantee public access to me  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: * * * Lujan, Blackburn Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Weather Forecasting * Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Co-Chairs of the Senate National Labs Caucus, reintroduced the bipartisan Advanced Weather Model Computing Development Act to authorize a collaborative research partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Feb. 18 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * Drummond calls for federal action to protect Oklahoma children from online harm Attorney General Gentner Drummond today urged Congressional leadership to act on behalf of Oklahoma families by passing the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). He and 39 attorneys general circulated a letter to House and Senate leadership in advance of potential consideration of the   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release: * * * Seven Tennessee Counties Now Eligible for Additional Categories of FEMA Public Assistance ATLANTA - Local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in seven Tennessee counties affected by the January winter storm are now eligible for additional categories of Public Assistance grants. Lawrence, Maury, Robertson and Wilson counties are now eligible  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog on Feb. 17, 2026, by Julia Wilburn: * * * Shelby DA's Office Highlights Faster Case Resolution The Shelby County District Attorney's (DA) Office reported quicker case resolutions and a 16% countywide crime reduction in its 2025 annual report. The Commercial Appeal reports that DA Steve Mulroy highlighted that general sessions court cases concluded in an average of 92 days, while felony cases   more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog on Feb. 17, 2026, by Julia Wilburn: * * * State Audit: Caremark Violated Reimbursement Practices A new audit by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance found that Caremark, a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) and subsidiary of national drug store operator CVS Health, committed multiple violations, including preferential reimbursement to its own pharmacies, spread pricing, improper disp  more

WISE, Virginia, Feb. 18 -- The University of Virginia College at Wise issued the following news: * * * STRONG ACC announces three-year, $599,448 IMPACT grant from Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia The STRONG Accountable Care Community (STRONG ACC) announced today that it has been awarded a three-year, $599,448 IMPACT grant from the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia, with the University of Virginia's College at Wise (UVA Wise) Foundation serving as administrative manager. T  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog on Feb. 17, 2026, by Julia Wilburn: * * * Supreme Court Amends Rule on Confidentiality, Adds New Rule on Sanctions The Tennessee Supreme Court today amended Rule 9, Section 32.1 to add the phrase "or as otherwise provided in an order of this Court" to language regarding confidentiality in investigations of attorney misconduct by the Board of Professional Responsibility. Read the order and see  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- Tennessee State University issued the following news: * * * TSU Graduate Lands Six-Figure Software Engineer Role at PayPal By Angel Higgins Tennessee State University continues to produce career-ready graduates, and Mahesh Yadav is proof. With a 4.0 grade point average, the December 2025 TSU graduate secured a six-figure full-time software engineer position with PayPal shortly after graduation, turning his academic success into immediate career momentum in th  more

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- The University of Memphis issued the following news: * * * CAESER Launches New Drill Sites as Part of Memphis Aquifer Study Behind Crosstown Concourse near Downtown Memphis, the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) was hard at work drilling into the Memphis Aquifer. Led by Logistics Coordinator Saddam Hossain and PhD student Ivan Zamora-Plaza, the team was investigating potential weak points and breaches in the aquifer as part of a   more

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, Feb. 18 (TNSjou) -- The University of Michigan issued the following news: * * * Long-term warming transforms mountain meadows above and below ground 29-year study reveals changes in climate reshape plant communities, soil ecosystems Written By: Kathryn Gebauer, University of Oklahoma In the longest-running field warming experiment of its kind, researchers have documented dramatic shifts in high-elevation mountain meadows, revealing that changes in climate alter not only  more

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 17 -- The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture issued the following news release: * * * University of Tennessee Team to Evaluate Whether New Biofungicides Persist in the Environment * USDA NIFA-funded study will contribute data for guidelines for their safe use KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -Among the next generation pest management tools being scrutinized for crop production are RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides. A researcher with the University of Tenn  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 18 -- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences issued the following news: * * * Neuroscientist Shan Meltzer named 2026 Sloan Research Fellow Marissa Shapiro Shan Meltzer, assistant professor of pharmacology at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, has been named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow in neuroscience. Awarded annually since 1955, the prestigious fellowship recognizes exceptional early-career scientists whose creativity, i  more