NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced the March 2018 statewide unemployment rate for Tennessee remained near historic lows and matched the revised rate from the previous month. The preliminary, seasonally adjusted rate for March was 3.4 percent, which mirrored the revised rate for February and was nearly one percentage point less than the March 2017 rate of 4.2 percent. Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate has remained below 4.0 percent since last May, hitting an all-time low of 3.3 percent last September.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Colorobbia USA, Inc. officials announced today that the ceramics supplier will invest $5 million to establish operations in Cookeville.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Van Hool NV officials announced today that the Belgian company will establish its first U.S. manufacturing operation in Morristown and create nearly 640 jobs over the next five years.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced a partnership with the Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation to launch a $1 million competitive grant opportunity focused on expanding students’ access to high-quality music and arts education. Tennessee: State of the Arts is a first of its kind public-private partnership to ensure more students across the state of Tennessee will have access to a quality arts and music education. School districts in Tennessee will have the opportunity to apply for funding to improve or develop their music education programs. The statewide initiative will kick-off with the 2018-19 school year.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced that more than 10,000 adults have applied for Tennessee Reconnect, the state’s program for adult learners to earn an associate degree or technical certificate tuition-free. The application for Tennessee Reconnect opened on February 15 and 10,497 applications had been submitted as of April 10. Tennessee Reconnect is Haslam’s groundbreaking program that covers tuition and mandatory fees at a Tennessee community or technical college for eligible adults that do not yet have a college degree.

A Kentucky native with roots in family farming, Meghreblian has been active in environmental and business advocacy across Tennessee for more than two decades. She was appointed by Gov. Haslam in 2015 to serve on Tennessee’s Rural Development Task Force. In 2013, she was appointed by the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) to serve as the chair of its Federal Facilities Forum. She is also a board member of the West Tennessee River Basin Authority. Meghreblian has more than 20 years of combined experience in private sector manufacturing and environmental management systems. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Management and a master’s degree in Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and a bachelor of science in Marketing/Economics from Western Kentucky University.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today praised passage of the University of Tennessee Focusing On Campus and University Success (FOCUS) Act, legislation that restructures the UT Board of Trustees to improve governance of the UT system and establishes advisory boards for the primary UT campuses to create a local focus for each campus. The University of Tennessee FOCUS Act, SB2260/HB2115, reduces the current size of the UT Board of Trustees, empowering the reconstructed board to better oversee the multiple campuses that comprise the UT system. In addition to modernizing the focus and responsibilities of the UT Board of Trustees, the legislation establishes advisory boards for the primary UT campuses: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; The University of Tennessee at Martin; and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. These advisory boards will allow each campus to have a local focus.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner Bob Martineau will return to work in the private sector in May. Under Commissioner Martineau’s leadership, for the first time in more than two decades, the entire state of Tennessee is in compliance with federal air quality standards for particle pollution and ozone. Additionally, 41,000 acres have been added to our state lands, including three new state parks, and $170 million has been invested to modernizing our state park facilities. TDEC has facilitated the cleanup of more than 100 contaminated properties, resulting in renewed productive use and approximately 18,000 jobs at those locations. TDEC now has the lowest backlog of clean-ups of old contaminated underground storage tank sites in the Southeast.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and New River Hardwoods, Inc. officials announced today that the lumber company will invest $3.8 million in its operations in Roan Mountain.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder recognize the service and sacrifice of U.S. Army Corporal Thomas H. Mullins of Harriman, who went missing on November 2, 1950 while serving with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in the vicinity of Unsan, North Korea during the Korean War. He was 18-years old.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced his approval of recommendations submitted by the school safety working group he appointed earlier this month to make immediate enhancements to school safety. The working group identified three immediate priorities: 1. A review and risk assessment of all school facilities to identify vulnerabilities; 2.An increase in available resources to help secure school resource officers (SROs); and 3. A statewide technology application for anonymous reporting of security threats.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Dorman Products officials announced today that the automotive parts manufacturer, together with its capital partner, will invest more than $55 million to expand its operations in Robertson County.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced statewide unemployment remained near historic low levels in February with the preliminary rate at 3.4 percent. February’s rate is up just 0.1 of a percentage point from January’s revised rate of 3.3 percent. Over the past 12 months, Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased a full percentage point from 4.4 percent to 3.4 percent and remains less than the national average of 4.1 percent.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced today that 25 communities will receive more than $9.6 million in Site Development Grants.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Education Commissioner Candice McQueen today announced a comprehensive initiative to transform the leadership of Tennessee’s schools by improving the preparation, retention, and development of school principals. The Transforming School Leadership initiative leverages both state and private dollars to improve school leader preparation programs, reward and retain individuals effectively leading the state’s lowest performing schools, and provide networking opportunities and support for principals in rural communities.