Tennessee Department of Agriculture hosting Agriculture and Forestry “Listening sessions”
April 8, 2012
Focus on Farm and Forest Issues, Rural Development Opportunities
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is hosting a series of listening sessions across the state in April and May for farmers, forest landowners and agribusinesses. The purpose of the meetings is to hear stakeholder concerns about current issues and to explore opportunities for developing our rural economy and increasing farm and forest income.
“We want to be available to our producers, landowners and agribusinesses to hear their concerns and to get their input on how to enhance our rural communities and economy,” Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson said. “This is also about ongoing efforts to look at how we, as an agency, can provide better service and be more responsive to challenges and opportunities. [Read more]
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security encourages Voters to obtain Photo IDs before March 6th Presidential Primary
February 28, 2012
Special Saturday Service will cease after March 3rd, County Clerk Partners to stop issuing Voter Photo ID on March 12th
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is encouraging voters this week to obtain photo IDs for voting purposes at no cost before the Tennessee Presidential Primary elections on March 6th.
The department will open certain driver service centers across the state this Saturday for voter photo identification issuance only. March 3rd will be the last opportunity for registered voters to take advantage of this special Saturday service.
Additionally, March 12th will be the final day the Department of Safety & Homeland Security’s county clerk partners will issue voter photo IDs at no cost. [Read more]
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security issues more than 6,300 Photo IDs for Voting purposes since July 1st
November 29, 2011
Department Reminds Citizens That Certain Driver Service Centers Will Be Open On First Saturday Of December For Voter ID Issuance Only
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced Monday that during the month of November it had more than doubled the number of photo identifications issued for voting purposes since the end of October.
As of November 28th, the department had issued 6,566 photo IDs for voting purposes, compared to the 2,385 issued as of October 31st. A new state law will require a federal or state-issued photo ID to vote starting in 2012. The law also requires the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to issue photo IDs for voting purposes at no charge. [Read more]
Department of Safety and Homeland Security issues nearly 2,400 Photo IDs for Voting purposes since July 1st
October 31, 2011
Department reminds Citizens that certain Driver Service Centers will be open on the First Saturday of November for Voter ID Issuance Only
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced Monday that as of October 24th it had issued 2,385 forms of photo identification for voting purposes since a new law went into effect making on July 1st photo IDs for voting purposes available at no charge.
The number of photo IDs issued for voting purposes includes original photo identification cards (for voters who had never been issued a driver license or photo ID and were not already in the Department’s database) and non-photo driver licenses converted into photo driver licenses. (Drivers in Tennessee age 60 and older may opt to carry a non-photo driver license.) [Read more]
State of Tennessee Completes Record Bond Sale
October 23, 2011
Nashville, TN – The State of Tennessee entered the capital markets and sold $546,655,000 worth of bonds this week – the largest sale in the state’s history. Demand for the state’s bonds was high among investors, a reflection of the state’s strong credit ratings.
Earlier this month, Fitch and Moody’s Investor Services, two of the country’s major bond rating agencies, reaffirmed the state’s AAA credit rating, which is the highest available. Standard and Poor’s, the third major rating agency, reaffirmed the state’s AA+ rating, which is the second highest rating available. The state’s high ratings reflect its debt level, which is one of the lowest in the country. [Read more]
August 9th is the Deadline for Tennesseans to Register with FEMA
June 30, 2011
Nashville, TN – Tennesseans who suffered losses due to severe spring weather have about six weeks remaining to apply for assistance. August 9th is the last day the Federal Emergency Management Agency will accept applications for individual assistance.
State and federal officials continue to encourage anyone with damage or other losses in the disaster-designated counties to register. “You may think you don’t need assistance, but you could later have disaster related losses,” said TEMA Director James H. Bassham “Registration with FEMA is free. It’s better to get your name in the system before the August 9th deadline. After that date, it will be too late.” [Read more]
Four Tennessee Counties approved for Disaster Assistance
May 3, 2011
Bradley, Greene, Hamilton and Washington will receive federal assistance
Nashville, TN – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam joined FEMA Director Craig Fugate today to announce the federal government has approved four Tennessee counties to receive federal assistance as a result of the severe storms, flash flooding and tornadoes that struck the state beginning on April 25th and continuing to April 28th, 2011.
Residents who sustained losses in these counties can begin applying for assistance immediately through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). [Read more]
Haslan requests Presidential Disaster Declaration
May 1, 2011
Initial counties to include Bradley, Greene, Hamilton and Washington
More counties to be added as damage assessments are completed
Nashville, TN – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has asked President Barack Obama to declare four Tennessee Counties as federal disaster areas following the severe storms, flash flooding and tornadoes that struck the state beginning on April 25th, 2011.
Should this initial request for assistance be granted Bradley, Greene, Hamilton and Washington counties would have access to varying levels of federal assistance programs.
As local officials and responding agencies complete damage assessments, other counties are expected be added to the April 25th declaration request. [Read more]
TVA Ranks in Top 10 for Economic Development for Fifth Straight Year
September 5, 2010
Knoxville, TN – For the fifth year in a row, the Tennessee Valley Authority has been named by Site Selection magazine as one of the top 10 North American utilities for economic development achievement.
In 2009, TVA and its distributor customers, working with state and local partners, helped attract or retain more than 26,000 jobs and leverage more than $4 billion in capital investment for the seven-state TVA territory.
“Being recognized by Site Selection magazine for the fifth consecutive year is definitely a win for all of our economic development partners,” said John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development. “This economic development success is the result of teamwork between distributors of TVA power, state agencies and economic, industrial and community leaders across the TVA service region.”
Cumberland Fossil Plant is located northwest of Nashville on the shores of Barkley Reservoir on the Cumberland River. It produces more power than any other plant in the TVA system. In fiscal year 2004, its two generating units turned out over 18.5 million megawatt-hours, more than any other TVA fossil or nuclear plant. That represented almost 12 percent of TVA's total generation for the year.
2011 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Finalists announced
June 11, 2010
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Education is proud to announce the finalists for the 2011 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Award. The nine finalists are comprised of elementary, middle and high school educators from each grand division of the state. Grand Division winners and Teacher of the Year will be chosen from this group this fall.
“I am very proud to have such outstanding teachers in this state,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “These teachers were instrumental in implementing the Tennessee Diploma Project this year and are examples of the kind of support we will need to successfully implement our Race to the Top efforts statewide. Teacher of the Year is about just one teacher, but I want to thank all of our teachers for the tremendous work in ensuring the success of every single Tennessee student.” [Read more]
