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NASHVILLE – Manufactured houses are the scenes of relatively few fires every year in Tennessee, but those fires are among the deadliest, causing a disproportionate number of fire-related deaths and prompting the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office to remind consumers that fire safety should be a priority in all homes, especially during the high-risk winter months.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Driver Services division is offering Tennesseans more ways to reinstate their driver license. Citizens have the ability to reinstate online, in-person, or via mail.

NASHVILLE—Tennessee needs at least $45 billion of public infrastructure improvements during the five-year period of July 2016 to June 2021—a $2 billion (4.7%) increase from the year before—according to a new report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). Improvements needed for Transportation and Utilities, Education, and Health, Safety, and Welfare infrastructure continue to account for most of the inventory, with Education and Health, Safety, and Welfare infrastructure needs responsible for most of the reported increase this year. More than two-thirds of the estimated cost of needed infrastructure improvements included in this year’s report is not funded, a slight increase from last year. Looking ahead, it is possible that the annual inventory on which TACIR’s report is based could assist local communities in obtaining federal funding under eligibility guidelines included in preliminary discussions of President Trump’s infrastructure plan.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced his legislative agenda for the 2018 session, continuing his focus on leading the nation in jobs, education, and efficient and effective government. “We have made so many strides in higher education and workforce development, and we must not let up now. One of our top priorities this year will be making sure our students who receive Tennessee Promise and HOPE scholarships compete college on time, helping us reach our Drive to 55 goal,” Haslam said. “You’ll also see much needed reforms to Tennessee’s juvenile justice system that will strengthen families and communities while promoting public safety and ensuring a responsible and effective use of limited resources.”

On Wednesday January 31, Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) trooper Russell Bernard, assigned to the THP Nashville Interdiction Plus (IP) unit, stopped a rental vehicle on Interstate 40 in Dickson County near the 179 mile marker for a traffic violation.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) warns Tennesseans to exercise caution when searching online for driver services information. Tennesseans should be aware that deceptive, yet legal websites publish misleading information containing unofficial guidance on how to renew a driver license in order to scam customers into paying renewal fees.

NASHVILLE – The latest tally* of January fire fatalities has the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) urgently renewing its call that residents turn their focus to fire prevention during the high-risk winter months.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) announces today that smoke alarms installed as part of the “Get Alarmed” program are credited with saving 208 Tennesseans from fire danger over the past five years.

Two items from the Tennessee Historical Society Collection at the Tennessee State Museum will be on loan to the Clinton Presidential Center this February and March for an exhibit on the Louisiana Purchase. The two items, a Napoleon Bonaparte death mask and a portrait of Napoleon by John C. Grimes, will be on display February 2-March 4, 2018 at the Clinton Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, as part of The Great Expedition: Exploring the Louisiana Purchase and its Impact on Arkansas. The exhibit is part of the Clinton Center’s annual program, Fusion: Arts and Humanities Arkansas, which promotes heritage and culture and celebrates human achievement by weaving the arts and humanities together. In addition to viewing the exhibition, Fusion program attendees will have the opportunity to engage with content-area experts and observe performances that will bring a new perspective on the history of the Louisiana Purchase.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe recently approved nearly $25.5 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which assist communities with infrastructure improvements, health and safety initiatives and façade improvements in downtown commercial districts.

The February edition of the Tennessee State Museum’s Lunch & Learn series will focus on Tennessee’s African American Music Heritage. On Thursday, February 15 at 12:15 at the Museum, historians Graham Perry, curator of Social History, and Mike Bell, curator of Popular Music, together with Lorenzo Washington, CEO and Founder of Jefferson Street Sound, will speak about and perform some of the music of black Tennesseans that transformed American music, including spirituals, blues, ragtime, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and soul music.

NASHVILLE – If getting into shape is on your to-do list, make sure your gym membership passes the consumer fitness test before you sign any paperwork. To help consumers with this healthful resolution, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs shares some basic guidelines to consider before committing funds to a gym or health club.