Area News

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is warning motorists heading out on state highways and interstates that last week’s winter storm has created an abundance of potholes in west and middle Tennessee. TDOT said Wednesday it is “launching a massive effort using all available manpower to repair the damaged areas as quickly as possible.” According to…

Vivian Jones The Center Square Responding to a bill in the Tennessee Legislature that would ban transgender individuals from participating in girls’ middle school and high school athletics, Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday that trans participation would “destroy women’s sports.” Speaking to reporters at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Lee stopped short of voicing support…

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is seeking public input on a state plan that will outline recreation, parks, and conservation priorities for the next 10 years. “Planning is an integral part of what we do, and we want to hear from Tennesseans about their thoughts for parks and conservation long term,” TDEC Commissioner…

Vivian Jones The Center Square Tennessee lawmakers are considering ways to provide financial incentives for nurses and health care staff to stay in the profession after medical staffing shortages highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, has filed a bill that would provide one-time payments of $1,500 to nurses, paramedics and EMTs who…

Adamsville resident Bobby Earl Oliver, 33, has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence Wednesday. The Justice Department said that according to information presented in court, on Sept. 26, 2019, a Selmer police officer conducted a…

Tennesseans will have an opportunity to apply for rent relief. State housing officials say Tennessee is being allocated some $458 million in federal COVID-19 funds to help qualifying tenants pay bills. Tasked with administering a majority of those funds, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency reports it is creating a web portal and call center for…

Tuesday morning, Savannah resident Jonathan Holt was fueling a vehicle at Murphy Oil in front of Walmart when a city police patrol unit pulled up behind him. According to the Savannah Police Department’s incident report, Holt, 38, stopped pumping gas, jumped behind the wheel and sped off, running a red light and heading east on…

The Tennessee Department of Health has added new features to the COVID19.tn.gov website to make it easier for users to find county-specific information and request an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID19.tn.gov website provides a tool for residents to find their phase in Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Updates to this tool make it easier for…

With vaccines to protect against COVID-19 now being administered, many have questions such as how they they work, how they were developed so quickly, and whether they are safe and effective. There are currently two vaccines available for use in the U.S. One was created by biotech company Moderna, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the other…

Hardin Medical Center CEO Nick Lewis confirmed a rumor that HMC did receive a limited number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine around noon Wednesday. Lewis said the Hardin County Health Department and HMC are working together to provide vaccine within the current phases of vaccination in the Tennessee Department of Health Vaccination Plan. He stressed,…