NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today joined Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder and Major General Terry “Max” Haston from the Tennessee Military Department to recognize five veteran state employees and more than 470,000 Tennessee veterans of all ages and eras. The Governor’s Veterans Day event was held on the second floor of the State Capitol in downtown Nashville.

KNOXVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced today the award of a transportation alternative grant for $1,865,149 to the city of Knoxville for the Northwest Greenway Connector - Phase 2. This project includes construction of a greenway beginning at a new trailhead at Middlebrook Pike (SR-169) and Third Creek Road and ending at the SR-62 Western Avenue Pedestrian Bridge. The project also includes landscaping, a retaining wall, ADA upgrades and fencing.

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.”

CHAPEL HILL – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer announced today the award of a $1,784,102 Transportation Alternative Grant to the city of Chapel Hill for downtown bicycle and pedestrian improvements (Phase I). This project includes construction of a multi-use path along both sides of SR-11/US-31A from City Hall to West Depot Street (Phase 1). The project also includes ADA upgrades, pedestrian signals, landscaping, pedestrian lighting, pedestrian amenities, signage and pavement markings.

NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today recognized 22 state employees for providing outstanding service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans at a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence. The Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards was launched in 2016 to honor outstanding state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing efficient and effective state services every day.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner John Schroer today announced the state has awarded $297 million in contracts from bids accepted in December for crucial road and bridge construction projects – the first major awarding of IMPROVE Act projects and the largest such bidding process in TDOT’s history. With increased transportation funds provided through the IMPROVE Act and TDOT’s federal budget, 72 new projects will be under construction across the state in the coming weeks. Within the first year of the IMPROVE Act’s implementation, 288 – 30 percent – of the 962 projects designated in the legislation are underway.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will hold budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 on Monday, November 6 through Thursday, November 9. The hearings will be held in the Executive Conference Room on the ground floor of the State Capitol. Haslam, Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin, Chief Operating Officer Greg Adams and David Thurman, state budget director, will preside over the hearings.