Tennessee looks to build statewide disaster fund to fill in FEMA gaps • Tennessee Lookout Tennessee’s senate approved a statewide fund to provide disaster aid to those not helped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Tennessee looks to build statewide disaster fund to fill in FEMA gaps tennesseelookout.com/2026/02/27/t... @cstephenson.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

How long does it take to get federal assistance after a disaster? There’s no set timeline. • Tennessee Lookout The process for individuals to get financial aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is confusing and lacks transparency.

States need a major disaster declaration to access federal aid, but the wait time ranges from a few days to a few months, and the decision-making process behind who gets help and who doesn’t is not public record. From
@cstephenson.bsky.social.

Tennessee Republican won’t run anti-abortion bill • Tennessee Lookout Tennessee Sen. Mark Pody said Tuesday he is dropping a bill allowing women who have abortions to be charged with murder.

Just in from Sam Stockard: the Republican senator sponsoring a measure that would allow women getting abortions to be charged with murder will not bring the bill for a vote. "I don't have the votes," said Sen. Mark Pody of Lebanon.

Must-read reporting this week.

ICE to open second Tennessee immigrant detention center in Lebanon • Tennessee Lookout Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has purchased a facility in Lebanon to house detained immigrants, an agency spokesperson said Friday.

ICE to open second Tennessee immigrant detention center in Lebanon, about 30m from Nashville

Details were scarce Friday, including the size, exact address and capacity. The plan caught local/state officials by surprise Friday.
tennesseelookout.com/2026/02/13/i... @tennesseelookout.com

This Ballad hospital, flooded by Hurricane Helene, will be rebuilt for $44M in a flood plain • Tennessee Lookout A Ballad Health hospital in Unicoi County, Tennessee, flooded during Hurricane Helene. The company is rebuilding in a flood plain.

A Tennessee hospital that was destroyed by a surging river during Hurricane Helene will be rebuilt on low-lying farmland that could face several feet of flooding in a much smaller storm, risking another disaster if the new facility is not built to withstand extreme weather. From @kffhealthnews.org.

The Kids Trump Sent to ICE’s Dilley Detention Center ProPublica went inside the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of...

Read our full story that details how we got inside the Dilley detention center for immigrant families here: www.propublica.org/article/life...

FEMA approves $11M in expedited emergency response funds for Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana • Tennessee Lookout The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will give more than $11 million in combined emergency assistance funding to three states.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that it will deliver more than $11 million in combined emergency assistance funding to Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana to expedite immediate disaster response following a debilitating winter storm. @cstephenson.bsky.social reports.

How FEMA works A Flourish data visualization by Tennessee Lookout

I'm seeing a lot of confusion over what FEMA assistance might be available for people affected by the storm, and when. Here's how FEMA assistance works.

We're at "a state needs help" (Gov. Lee requested an expedited major disaster declaration today)

public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

States reeling from winter storm encounter a smaller FEMA • Tennessee Lookout States slammed by a deadly winter storm that left hundreds of thousands without power face a slimmed-down Federal Emergency Management Agency.

States are receiving aid from an agency that lost nearly 10% of its workforce since last Jan.
The Trump administration was quick to mobilize initial aid, but it’s not clear how a shrunken FEMA will handle the long-term recovery costs.
tennesseelookout.com/2026/01/29/s...

Thousands remain without power in Tennessee with single-digit temperatures expected • Tennessee Lookout Roughly 200,000 Tennesseans remain without power Monday in frigid temperatures after a major winter storm froze trees, power lines and roadways and coated them with ice. The Tennessee Department of He...

"My biggest concern is not having a way to contact someone if we need help, if my phone dies and the power still isn’t on," said Bethany Willard of Adamsville, in West Tennessee. @cstephenson.bsky.social reports on power outages and struggles to stay warm after a Tennessee ice storm.

Portion of federal rural health grant dollars for TN may depend on eliminating certificate of need • Tennessee Lookout The Tennessee Joint Ways and Means Committee voted unanimously to accept nearly $207 million in federal grant dollars a rural health program.

Some federal rural health grant $ for Tennessee may depend on ending "certificate of need" law, which mostly helps nonprofit hospitals by requiring a demonstration that a community needs more services before building a new hospital.

tennesseelookout.com/2026/01/22/p... @cstephenson.bsky.social

House passes anti-drag bill as legislature convenes for 2026 • Tennessee Lookout The Tennessee House of Representatives opened the 2026 session passing an bill targeting businesses that hold one drag show in a year.

The Tennessee House opened the 2026 session with rancor, passing a bill targeting businesses that hold one drag show in a year. "This is the wrong bill to start the legislative session with. It sets the wrong priority,” said Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project.

Columbia Council approves water rate hike of up to 150% over next 5 years for new infrastructure • Tennessee Lookout Columbia City Council on Thursday approved water rate hikes of up to 20% per year over the next five years to fund a new $520 million intake.

Columbia’s City Council on Thursday approved water rate hikes of up to 20% per year over the next five years to fund a new $520 million intake on the Duck River and a new water treatment plant. From @cstephenson.bsky.social.

ICE officer fatally shoots driver through car window in Minneapolis • Minnesota Reformer The driver then slowly backs up and appears to be leaving, when another officer fires three shots.

ICE officer fatally shoots driver through car window in Minneapolis minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/07/i...

Soybeans have been a top U.S. ag export for decades. What happens when the top buyer stops buying? • Tennessee Lookout U.S. soybean farmers have learned in 2025 that being heavily reliant on China for export sales is only good when things are good.

The lack of Chinese imports puts many soybean farmers in a lurch. This growing season ends with low prices, unsold harvests, big financial losses and uncertainty going into the next season despite a tentative new deal with China. From @cstephenson.bsky.social, Gabby Nelson & Monica Cordero Sancho.

Soybeans have been a top U.S. ag export for decades. What happens when the top buyer stops buying? • Tennessee Lookout U.S. soybean farmers have learned in 2025 that being heavily reliant on China for export sales is only good when things are good.

Soybeans have been a top U.S. ag export for decades. What happens when the top buyer stops buying? tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/10/s... @cstephenson.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

Tennessee River pipeline study among Duck River advisory group’s recommendations • Tennessee Lookout The Duck River Watershed Planning Partnership issued its first recommendations to Gov. Bill Lee on Nov. 20.

Advisory group tasked with identifying ways to balance conservation & water needs on the Duck River issues its first recommendations
tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/02/t... @cstephenson.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

Martin reels after former mayor, economic development director charged with theft, misconduct • Tennessee Lookout Martin, Tennessee is reeling after the mayor and economic development director were indicted on charges of theft and official misconduct.

In Martin, Tenn. the mayor, the mayor's daughter and the city's economic development director were all indicted two weeks ago on theft/misconduct charges
tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/01/m... @cstephenson.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

Federal officials launch crime hotline for Memphis public housing residents • Tennessee Lookout Federal officials announced a new crime hotline for residents of Memphis public housing Monday, the latest facet of a federal task force.

Memphis Safe Task Force announces a new crime hotline to take reports of “criminals, illegal aliens, sex offenders, human traffickers and those guilty of gang activity, drug distribution and fraud.” in public housing. @cstephenson.bsky.social

tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/26/f...

A tornado and an immigration sting. The start and end of a life in Nashville. • Tennessee Lookout Caught in an immigration sting, Felipe Mendez was ordered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to leave the U.S. or lose his children.

A must-read from @friedmanadam5.bsky.social and John Partipilo via @tennesseelookout.com.

Felipe Mendez lost his wife & 2yo son in a 2023 Nashville tornado. After ICE arrested him in May, he chose to self-deport rather than risk losing custody of his two kids.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/20/a...

Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment in Memphis • Tennessee Lookout A Davidson County chancellor on Monday temporarily blocked Gov. Bill Lee from continuing to deploy the Tennessee National Guard in Memphis.

BREAKING: A Davidson County chancellor on Monday temporarily blocked Gov. Bill Lee from continuing to deploy the Tennessee National Guard in Memphis. Reported by @cstephenson.bsky.social and @anitawadhwani.bsky.social.

USDA launches new round of disaster relief aimed at uncovered farmers and ‘shallow losses’ • Tennessee Lookout The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching the second round of relief funding for farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024, USDA officials announced Monday. Tennessee f...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching the second round of relief funding for farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024, USDA officials announced Monday, reports @cstephenson.bsky.social.

Dozens of TN hardwood companies join industry plea for federal relief from tariff hardships • Tennessee Lookout Nearly 40 Tennessee hardwood companies are among hundreds of U.S. hardwood operators asking for relief from tariff-induced economic hardship.

Dozens of Tennessee hardwood companies join industry plea for federal relief from tariff hardships tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/17/d... @cstephenson.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

“I Don’t Feel Safe”: Black Memphis Residents Report Harassment by Trump’s Police Task Force • Tennessee Lookout The Memphis Safe Task Force has innocent residents of majority-Black Memphis, including a 72-year-old taken from his home in his underwear.

“I Don’t Feel Safe”: Black Memphis Residents Report Harassment by Trump’s Police Task Force
Story from @mlk50.com
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/04/i... @tennesseelookout.com

Tennessee, feds provide few details on cost, arrests three weeks into Memphis task force • Tennessee Lookout The Memphis Safe Task Force won’t release the names of more than 1,000 people it has arrested or provide details about the charges they face.

The Memphis Safe Task Force won’t release the names of more than 1,000 individuals it has arrested or provide details about the charges they face -- details routinely made available to the media and public. But multiple agencies have ignored requests for information or declined to release it.

Traffic citations outnumber federal task force’s arrests in Memphis; sparse data leaves impact murky • Tennessee Lookout Officers from multiple federal and state agencies have issued more than 4,600 traffic citations with the Memphis Safe Task Force.

“That’s the craziest shit ever,” one driver said after 45-minute traffic stop in one of Memphis' poorest neighborhoods by multiple officers w the Highway Patrol, FBI, Homeland Security, & US Marshals

His crime: a dangling front bumper.

tennesseelookout.com/2025/10/20/t... @cstephenson.bsky.social

Jack Daniel’s is ending a program that helped farmers feed cows with its scraps. What happens now? • Tennessee Lookout Jack Daniel’s is terminating a program that provided the company’s corn byproduct “slop” to local cattle farmers at low or no cost.

Jack Daniel’s is terminating a decades-long program that provided the company’s corn byproduct “slop” to local cattle farmers at low or no cost, allowing the farmers to inexpensively feed their cattle -- a change that has left Moore County farmers reeling. From @cstephenson.bsky.social.

Tennessee has set execution dates for four people, including Christa Pike, the lone woman on death row. If Pike is put to death, she would be the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.

Tennessee National Guard set for Memphis deployment next week • Tennessee Lookout Tennessee National Guard troops as part of a crime-fighting effort in Memphis won't carry weapons unless asked by police, said Gov. Bill Lee.

Tennessee National Guard, federal law enforcement and increased presence of state troopers coming to Memphis next week, making it the third city in the country to see this kind of surge under the Trump administration

tennesseelookout.com/2025/09/26/t... @tennesseelookout.com