Newsroom

COOKEVILLE – On June 14, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Emergency Communication Dispatch Center received calls from motorists stating that a blue Chevy Suburban was firing shots into a gold passenger vehicle, while traveling on I-40 West in Cookeville, TN. Dispatch issued a BOLO of the suspect vehicle to troopers in the area. Trooper Doug Foster and Trooper Donnie Clark immediately initiated stationary observation at the 291-mile marker westbound.

NASHVILLE – Preliminary data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) indicated Tennessee’s unemployment rate for May 2022 increased slightly from April’s record-breaking number. The seasonally adjusted statewide rate for the month was 3.3%, 0.1 of a percentage point higher than the previous month’s revised figure.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Rockford Spring Company officials announced today the company will establish new manufacturing operations in Lewisburg.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) and Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) are recognizing June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) by bringing awareness to the signs of abuse, methods to report abuse, and resources for caretakers.

DJIBOUTI – When it was announced that the Tennessee National Guard’s 268th Military Police Company, headquartered in Millington, were deploying to the Horn of Africa for a year starting in January 2022, Soldiers from across Tennessee eagerly volunteered to serve overseas with the 80-member company. Among those many volunteers were two siblings from Humboldt, Specialists Jacob and Mahala Perry.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is accepting applications from agricultural, food, and forestry businesses to receive cost-share funding through its Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF) program.

Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Butch Eley today announced that revenues for May were $1.6 billion, which is $327.4 million more than the budgeted monthly revenue estimate.

OAK RIDGE - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of John McGuire Packard, manager of McGuire’s Books, Music, Movies, & More. Revenue special agents arrested Packard, age 38, Tuesday, and bond was set at $45,000.

Canadian buyers visited seven Tennessee horticulture businesses last week for an inbound trade mission. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) hosted the tour to expand export opportunities for the state’s producers of ornamental plants.

Tennesseans facing food insecurity will have improved access to nutritious foods thanks to a grant awarded to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service has awarded a $1 million grant to TDA to improve reach and resiliency of The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) in the state. TEFAP is a federal program that supplements the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food at no cost.

The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led James Russell Rice, 77, to plead guilty to tax charges in Knox County Criminal Court Friday. He will be sentenced on July 21, 2022.

A Marion County woman is charged with TennCare fraud in connection with allegedly selling prescription drugs obtained through TennCare healthcare insurance benefits.

COOKEVILLE – The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is accepting applications for the second Citizens’ Academy in Cookeville, Tennessee. The first session begins on August 16. Sessions run from 5:45 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. weekly. The deadline to register is July 8, 2022. Applications must be returned by that date for processing.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Commissioner Bob Rolfe’s departure from state government to enter the private sector. Stuart McWhorter will return to the Lee administration to serve as the Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD), effective July 11.

KNOXVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Correction’s Knoxville Day Reporting Center (DRC) held its largest-ever graduation ceremony last night, celebrating 32 participants who recently completed the three-phase, intensive treatment program.