Newsroom

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s unemployment rate held steady in September at 3.6%, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The release of September’s data was delayed because of the impact to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics during the federal government shutdown.

Agriculture Commissioner Andy Holt is announcing the latest recipients of funding through the Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF). AEF supports projects that grow Tennessee agriculture by increasing farm income, expanding markets, boosting capacity, or advancing innovation.

NASHVILLE ---- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is reminding hunters to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautions for possible cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) among wild birds, backyard domestic flocks, and commercial poultry flocks in the Southeast. HPAI is highly contagious among bird populations and is known to be deadly for domestic fowl.

NASHVILLE – Today, by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Department of Correction carried out the death sentence of Harold Wayne Nichols by means of lethal injection at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution.

CHARLOTTE, Tenn. - The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue conducted the investigation that led Teresa Overton to plead no contest to tax evasion and tampering with government records.

Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park in Pickett County and Johnsonville State Historic Park in Humphreys County have received grants from the Tennessee America 250 project, part of the United States’ celebration of its semiquincentennial in 2026.

NASHVILLE -- The Sports Wagering Council (SWC) has issued $100,000 total in fines to illegal sportsbooks BetDSI and BetNow.

Nashville, TN — Today, the Tennessee Department of Education (department) released the ACT state results and participation rate for the graduating class of 2025. Thanks to the efforts of schools and districts encouraging student participation on the ACT, the overall statewide participation rate for the 2025 graduating class was 99 percent. The state average composite ACT score was 19.3 in 2025, remaining unchanged from 2024.

NASHVILLE--Commissioner of Financial Institutions Greg Gonzales announced today that the maximum effective formula rate of interest in Tennessee is 11.00 percent per annum. The rate is based on a ceiling of 4 percent over the weekly average prime loan rate of 7.00 percent as published by the Federal Reserve on December 8, 2025.