Tennessee

August 06, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tech. Sgt. Joey D. Link, 29, of Portland, Tennessee, died of natural causes at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Aug. 5.

He was assigned to the 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

Source: DoD

August 02, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Stephen R. Maddies, 41, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, died July 31 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from enemy small arms fire.

He was assigned to the 473rd Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar Platoon, Tennessee Army National Guard, Columbia, Tenn.

Source: DoD

08/07/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen announced today the award of a $515,000 grant to the United Ways of Tennessee to assist in the state’s efforts to reduce infant mortality rates and improve birth outcomes throughout the state. Tennessee currently ranks 43rd among all states in the number of children who die before their first birthday, according to the recently released Annie E. Casey 2007 Kids Count report.    » read more »

08/01/2007 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today granted Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen’s request for federal farm assistance for all 95 Tennessee counties due to drought. Bredesen made the request July 5 as a result of extreme drought conditions across the state that have plagued Tennessee farmers since the beginning of the growing season.    » read more »

07/11/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen today lifted the June 18 suspension of admissions at Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes in Knoxville and Humboldt. The action follows a recommendation from state assessors who performed an intensive review of the homes and the hiring of a nationally-recognized healthcare consulting firm to perform a quality assessment.    » read more »

July 08, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Michelle R. Ring, 24, of Martin, Tennessee, died July 5 of wounds sustained from enemy mortar fire in Baghdad, Iraq.

She was assigned to the 92d Military Police Battalion, Fort Benning, Ga.

Source: DoD

07/05/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has requested a federal designation of natural disaster for agriculture for all 95 counties in Tennessee to help farmers who have suffered crop and livestock losses as a result of extreme drought conditions. A designation from USDA would allow farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans that could help them manage losses and plan for next year. Bredesen made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns.    » read more »

06/29/2007 -- In anticipation of Independence Day celebrations next week, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen is urging the public to refrain from outdoor burning and home fireworks displays in areas of the state where extremely dry conditions exist.

“We want people to enjoy and celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, but we want them to be safe, not sorry,” said Bredesen. “Even with a few scattered showers, conditions in many areas of the state are such that we’re asking citizens to simply use common sense when dealing with fire and fireworks.    » read more »

06/28/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen today unveiled BioTENN, a new campaign to raise the visibility of biofuels in Tennessee. The Governor announced the new initiative during the first ever Biofuels Day in Tennessee at the Daily’s fueling station on South Hartman Drive in Lebanon. The BioTENN logo will be used to designate biofuels on pumps across the state. Governor Bredesen placed the first BioTENN logo sticker on two new E85 ethanol and two new B20 biodiesel pumps at the Daily’s station, then fueled up cars waiting in line for the reduced biofuel prices.    » read more »

June 19, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Frank B. Walkup, IV, 23, of Woodbury, Tennessee, died June 16 in Kirkuk, Iraq, from injuries sustained in Rashaad Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his position during dismounted operations.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Source: DoD

06/18/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen’s request for federal farm assistance for all 95 counties in Tennessee received approval today from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bredesen made the request April 11 after record low temperatures severely damaged crops across the state and Southeast.    » read more »

06/15/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Bredesen today appointed William C. Koch Jr. to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Koch, who has served as presiding judge of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Middle Section, since 2003, fills the remaining vacancy created by the retirements of Justice E. Riley Anderson and Adolpho A. Birch, Jr.    » read more »

June 08, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Senior Airman William N. Newman, 23, of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, died June 7 south of Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team of the 15th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.

Source: DoD

06/07/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen today signed three education bills into law that mark a historic investment in Tennessee public schools.

“We are raising the bar for education in Tennessee with these important reforms and the adoption of a funding source to sustain this progress,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “This is good for Tennessee students and all Tennesseans.”

The Governor signed the following bills this morning at the State Capitol:
• SB 2326 - Schools First/cigarette tax increase
• HB 2293 - BEP 2.0
• SB 570 - Accountability measures    » read more »

05/29/2007 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen today filed a supplemental appropriation amendment representing historic single-year investments in education and the state’s Revenue Fluctuation Fund (“Rainy Day Fund”). The amendment was presented to the General Assembly in a joint meeting of the State House and Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committees.    » read more »