The display of the Ten Commandments is already present in numerous churches across Tennessee, and a newly approved bill in the state House would permit their posting in public schools. Opponents argue this action may conflict with the First Amendment and infringe upon the rights of students who adhere to faiths other than Christianity or …
Tag: Gov. Bill Lee
Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Application Deadline Extended
The deadline for Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship applications has been extended. The new deadline to apply is Friday, February 6 at 4:00pm central time. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said the extension is due to the recent winter storm that impacted Tennessee. Applications for the 2026-2027 school year’s Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship have already exceed the amount …
Group Wants Governor Lee to Pray with Inmate before Friday’s Execution
Tennessee is preparing to execute Harold Nichols on Thursday for the 1990 rape and murder of 20-year-old Chattanooga State student Karen Pulley. Investigators later linked Nichols to additional rapes, which he admitted. As the execution nears, an anti–death penalty group called March4Mercy is urging Governor Bill Lee to pray with Nichols before the lethal injection …
Trump administration provides update on Tennessee SNAP waivers
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is on the “Make America Healthy Again” train, aiming to disqualify some sodas from SNAP benefits and add healthier items. This initiative comes in the form of two waivers submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins, who is in town this week at the Tennessee State Fair …
State Senator Gives Hope to Grundy County Teachers
Grundy County is once again considering providing teachers with a bonus, following a proposal from State Senator Janice Bowling. This comes after the board had previously decided to withdraw from a state program that would have granted teachers a $2,300 bonus. Senator Bowling has announced her plan to introduce legislation in the next session to …
State Funded Teacher Bonus Not on Agenda as Grundy County School Board Approves More Spending
The Grundy County School Board held a special meeting on Monday to review two items in the proposed 2026 budget. These items included a $70,000 maintenance director position, currently filled by the Director of Schools, Dr. Clint Durley, and a $20,000 supplement for the board’s Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Jennifer Webb. A one-time $2,000 statewide …
Five Grundy County School Board Members No-Show Emergency Meeting
Recently, the Grundy County School Board voted to turn down state-funded $2,000 bonuses for teachers. In a special emergency meeting held on Saturday afternoon, only four members of the Grundy County School Board were present. It takes five votes to approve agenda items. The hope of teachers and board members who attended was to reverse the …
Grundy County School Board Votes to Turn Down State Funded Teacher Bonuses
Educators in the Grundy County school system will not receive a one-time bonus available to teachers statewide. This decision follows the Grundy County School Board’s approval of a resolution rejecting the $2,000 bonus. The bonus was associated with Governor Bill Lee’s “Education Freedom Act” and required a vote by local school boards to accept the …
Farmland Preservation Act Signed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
On Monday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the Farmland Preservation Act, landmark legislation ensuring farms can be preserved for future generations. Upon passage into law with the Governor’s signature, the Farmland Preservation Act establishes a permanent conservation easement and creates a grant fund to support farmers who voluntarily choose to protect their farmland. The legislation passed …
More Recess Time for Elementary Students Proposed
A Tennessee bill to increase recess time for younger students has passed the House unanimously and now awaits the governor’s signature. The bill proposes raising recess time for elementary students from about two hours per week to at least 40 minutes per day, meaning over three hours weekly. Middle and high school physical activity requirements …



