NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Danny Howard Goodman Jr. of Ridgely as district attorney general for the 29th Judicial District. Goodman replaces retiring C. Phillip Bivens. The 29th Judicial District includes Lake and Dyer counties.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed M. Wyatt Burk of Shelbyville as Circuit Court Judge for the 17th Judicial District. He replaces Judge Lee Russell, who has retired. The 17th Judicial District includes Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore counties.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the September murder of Michael Heatherly.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Kyle E. Hedrick of Chattanooga as Circuit Court Judge for the 11th Judicial District. He replaces Judge W. Neil Thomas III, who has retired. The 11th Judicial District serves Hamilton County.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Barry Ross Tidwell of Murfreesboro as Circuit Court Judge in the 16th Judicial District, which includes Rutherford and Cannon counties.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Angelita Blackshear Dalton of Nashville as Criminal Court Judge for the 20th Judicial District, replacing retiring Judge J. Randall Wyatt. Dalton, 46, has served as Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge for Division III since 2006. In that role she has presided over civil and criminal cases. She was chosen by her peers as presiding judge in 2010 and in 2017. She has also served as co-chair of the Court Operations Committee overseeing implementation of recommendations of the Domestic Violence Safety Assessment commissioned by the Nashville mayor’s office.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the state will re-issue a $5,000 reward and match for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the homicide of Lorenzen Wright.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the participants selected for the 2018 Governor’s Academy for School Leadership (GASL), a one-year fellowship program for assistant principals to increase their leadership capacity. The third annual academy is a unique partnership between the state of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College and local school districts to cultivate and develop future school leaders and improve school effectiveness and student performance.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced that for the fifth month in a row, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is lower than it has been in recorded history. The state unemployment rate for October 2017 held steady at 3.0 percent, matching the historically low rate set in September. Tennessee first marked an all-time low unemployment rate in June at 3.6 percent, which was bested by the July rate of 3.4 percent, and then in August fell to 3.3 percent.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Brooklynn M. Townsend as special judge for the General Sessions Court of Polk County. Townsend’s appointment fills a temporary vacancy due to the disability of Judge Billy D. Baliles.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today announced the Tennessee Children’s Cabinet is accepting nominations for the 2018 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Early Foundations. These awards were created to recognize collaborative and innovative projects that are helping Tennessee students enter the classroom prepared to learn. “In Tennessee, we believe an education is the pathway to a better future, and that begins with our youngest citizens,” Governor Haslam said. “These awards give us the opportunity to honor the many community agencies and partners across the state who help Tennessee children succeed and start school prepared to learn.”
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced Stephen Smith will serve as his chief of staff to oversee day-to-day operations of the governor’s office and serve as top advisor and strategist. Smith joined the governor’s office in August 2016 and most recently served as senior advisor to the governor. He has served in the Haslam administration since 2011, previously as deputy commissioner for policy and external affairs for the Tennessee Department of Education.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Carter S. Moore of Cosby as Circuit Court Judge for the 4th Judicial District, which serves Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties. Moore replaces retiring Judge Ben W. Hooper II.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced today that in September 2017, for the first time ever, below 5 percent in every county across the state. This is the second consecutive month rates have declined in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. September also marked the fourth consecutive month Tennessee experienced a historic low statewide unemployment rate. At 3 percent, Tennessee has the lowest unemployment in the southeast and the eighth lowest rate in the nation.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced Katie Ashley will serve as director of legislation, the governor’s chief advisor and strategist for legislative matters. The Crockett County native is one of the longest serving Haslam staffers, starting out on his campaign in 2009 before becoming a legislative liaison in 2011 and handling one of the governor’s top priorities: education in Tennessee.