Climate change blamed for wildfire smoke impacting the US
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Climate change blamed for wildfire smoke impacting the US

Published by News Channel 5, Reporter Scripps News Staff – June 8, 2023 Air quality alerts were issued for the second day in a row along the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast U.S. as a blanket of smoke covers cities and towns, creating health concerns for millions. “This one is a pretty big one and some…

Stockard on the Stump: Push to arm teachers will rise again
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Stockard on the Stump: Push to arm teachers will rise again

Published by the Tennessee Lookout, Reporter Sam Stockard – June 9, 2023 The Aug. 21 special session to react to shooting deaths at The Covenant School is pressing closer, but some lawmakers are quietly making plans for 2024 to arm school teachers. Extreme risk protection orders aren’t being given much chance to pass later this…

Proposed food stamp changes would add work requirements for older Americans
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Proposed food stamp changes would add work requirements for older Americans

Published by Fox13 Memphis, Reporter Kate Bieri – May 31, 2023 It could soon get more challenging for older adults to get food stamps. The deal struck this week to raise the debt limit includes increased work requirements for older Americans. “We’re really disappointed about these changes,” said Signe Anderson, the director of nutrition advocacy…

Tennessee Supreme Court strikes TennCare cap on emergency room payments
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Tennessee Supreme Court strikes TennCare cap on emergency room payments

Published by the Tennessee Lookout, Reporter Anita Wadhwani – June 6, 2023 For more than a decade, Tennessee’s Medicaid program set a $50 cap on its payments to emergency room doctors treating low-income patients who show up at hospitals without experiencing a genuine medical emergency. The Tennessee Supreme Court has now ruled that TennCare failed…

Legislature constantly embroiled in litigation
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Legislature constantly embroiled in litigation

Published by the Tennessee Lookout, Reporter Sam Stockard – June 7, 2023 Under Republican Gov. Bill Lee and supermajority GOP control, Tennessee is tied up in a wide range of legal battles, some on hot-button social questions and others that are reshaping the state’s relationship with local governments, mainly Metro Nashville. In his fifth year…

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services holds weekend “surge” to address caseloads

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services holds weekend “surge” to address caseloads

Published by the Tennessee Lookout, Reporter Anita Wadhwani – June 5, 2023 Nearly three dozen child welfare workers from across the state crowded into a Nashville conference room on Friday, preparing for an intensive weekend ahead.  Their goal: visit up to 200 families who have been reported to the Department of Children’s Services on suspicions…

What to know after federal judge tosses out Tennessee’s anti-drag law
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What to know after federal judge tosses out Tennessee’s anti-drag law

Published by the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Reporter Omer Yusuf – June 4, 2023 A federal judge tossed out Tennessee’s controversial “anti-drag” law just after midnight Friday. The law would have restricted drag performances in the state. Judge Thomas Parker ruled the law unconstitutional after closing arguments in hearings about the state’s recent passage of the bill…

Stockard on the Stump: House speaker avoids questions on Cothren claims
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Stockard on the Stump: House speaker avoids questions on Cothren claims

Published by the Tennessee Lookout, Reporter Sam Stockard – June 2, 2023 House Speaker Cameron Sexton is declining to respond to assertions that Cade Cothren was a “confidante” and helped him in his 2019 speakership bid, claims the embattled former chief of staff made in a federal court filing. Asked about Cothren’s proclamations this week,…

Tennessee woman gets emergency hysterectomy after doctors deny early abortion care
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Tennessee woman gets emergency hysterectomy after doctors deny early abortion care

Published by ABC News, Reporter Nadine El-Bawab – May 31, 2023 Hollis was eight weeks pregnant when she met with a maternal fetal medicine specialist, who confirmed that she had a cesarean scar pregnancy and sent her back to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for care. Vanderbilt University Medical Center said it would not comment on…