jacquelinefellows

The Governor and state highway officials pledged today to reduce the number of deaths on Tennessee’s roads by 10% by the end of next year. That represents 127 lives. The pledge is part of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which all states are required to have. The plan calls for improving intersections and cracking down […]

The record breaking heat and drought across Tennessee has closed schools, diminished the water supply, and killed 14 people. Now, fire officials say they will restrict burning near open areas. Summer wildfires aren’t as common here as they are in the west because there’s typically more humidity in the air. But not this year and […]

There were more questions than answers today about how contraband, like drugs and weapons, get inside Tennessee prisons. The legislative Oversight Committee on Corrections met for a status report on the department’s effort to increase drug searches of visitors, inmates, and prison employees. Many senators, like Nashville democrat Thelma Harper wanted more concrete answers than […]

There’s been an overwhelming response to the state’s new $20 million dollar Community Enhancement Grant program. The money was originally slated to be doled out as $100,000 discretionary grants for each legislator to use in his or her district. Critics called the proposal “pork barrel” spending, and by the time the budget was signed, lawmakers […]

The 6,000 hours that Nashville resident Shirley Caldwell-Patterson put in as a volunteer and champion for clean water were honored today with the nation’s highest volunteerism award. The President’s Volunteer Service is the highest honor a U.S. President can give a volunteer. 79-year old Patterson is a co-founder of the Cumberland River Compact, an organization […]

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is pinning his hopes for a new version of the farm bill on the Senate. The House version of the bill includes tax increases on foreign companies and subsidies for farmers who make a million dollar or less– two issues that Ag Secretary Mike Johanns wants removed. Those issues also […]

A little over 100,000 voters turned out to elect Nashville’s next Mayor, Vice-Mayor and Metro councilmembers, but many races, namely the Mayor’s race, remain undecided. Former Metro Legal Director Karl Dean edged slightly ahead of fomer Congressman Bob Clement. They will face each other in a run-off scheduled for September 11th. Eight council district seats […]

Nashville’s candidates for Mayor say decreasing juvenile crime is part of their plan to make the city safer. WPLN’s Jacqueline Fellows has more.

Early voting for Metro’s General Election next Thursday ends tomorrow. So far, 35,803 voters have turned out pick the city’s next Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Metro Council. Davidson County Election Coordinator Ray Barrett says early voting totals show that 10% of eligible voters have turned out for the election. The ballot is crowded with candidates […]