Newsroom

NASHVILLE – With a new school year getting underway this week for residents of the Volunteer State, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is reminding consumers that education doesn’t stop in the classroom. TDCI’s divisions are offering consumers tips and reminders to help ensure your back-to-school season is safe and scam-free.

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) announced today that 14 colleges and universities in Tennessee will receive funding and program support through the Veteran Reconnect Grant to assist veterans and service members in their pursuit of college degrees.

A public hearing to offer comments on Tennessee’s Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Application has been scheduled for August 15, 2018.

NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today honored 23 state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing outstanding state services every day. The employees, who were nominated by their departments’ leadership for the Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards, were invited to attend a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence for providing efficient and effective service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans. “The employees honored today are on the forefront of improving how Tennessee state government delivers services,” Haslam said. “By exceeding leadership and customer expectations, creating innovative solutions or improving processes and services, these state employees are helping provide taxpayers with the highest quality service at the lowest possible cost.”

NASHVILLE – Flooding is the most common and expensive natural disaster in the U.S., according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Floods cost our nation nearly $8.2 billion annually. Yet, a 2016 Insurance Information Institute poll found that only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance. In Tennessee, most homeowners don’t have flood insurance. To raise awareness of the importance of flood insurance, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offer tips and information to help consumers better understand the importance of flood insurance.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) will open the application process for organizations to participate in this year’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) on Thursday, February 1, 2018. The goal of SFSP is to ensure that children 18 and younger who benefit from free and reduced meals during the school year continue to have that same access to nutritious meals during the summer.

NASHVILLE – As technology is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, scammers are using these new tools to reinvent their schemes and swindle unsuspecting consumers. To help raise consumer awareness, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is reminding Volunteer State residents to be on the lookout for con artists using technology as their platform to perpetrate scams.

BLOUNTVILLE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and today’s arrest of Robert Joseph Ranuro for tax evasion. Ranuro, 55, surrendered to Department of Revenue special agents at the Sullivan County Detention Center. Bond was set at $7,500.

NASHVILLE – Stop, drop, and roll is one of the oldest and most well-known fire safety messages, but it’s not the only fire safety message you or your family should remember during a fire emergency. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) reminds parents that children may get the ‘stop, drop and roll’ message confused with other equally important home fire safety messages. With a new school year on the horizon, the SFMO is encouraging parents to talk to their kids about when to stop, drop, and roll.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and local law enforcement agencies across Tennessee in an effort to keep one of the state’s busiest roads safe.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today praised the Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education for identifying core competencies for Tennessee’s medical education institutions to ensure future doctors, nurses, dentists and other prescribers receive in-class training on how to best manage patient pain and properly treat addiction in response to the state’s opioid epidemic. Haslam established the 19-member commission by executive order in January as part of the TN Together plan to fight opioid addiction in Tennessee. The commission submitted a report to the governor outlining 12 competencies for health care educators, as well as strategies to assure they are successfully adopted.

KNOXVILLE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of Bradley James Hensley, president of Knoxville Auto Brokers, for tax evasion and theft. Revenue special agents arrested Hensley, 36, at his residence Thursday. Bond was set at $50,000.