Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will step down from her post, the Trump administration announced Monday, following multiple reports alleging work misconduct including misuse of funds and more. @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social reports.
A joint House-Senate committee on Monday approved a measure creating a new state authority with control over Memphis Shelby County Schools.
Hasbro first reported “unauthorized access” to its network in a four-paragraph April 1 SEC filing, saying the company “activated its security incident protocols,” and launched an investigation. By @nancyklavin.bsky.social rhodeislandcurrent.com/2026/04/20/a...
Commentary: Information about major Memphis issues, include the Memphis Safe Task Force and Elon Musk's xAI data center, are presented with plenty of data but a lack on context and critical analysis, writes columnist Rev. Earle Fisher.
Some of the Trump administration’s controversial new warehouse immigration detention centers are getting scaled back and postponed as states and cities fight back and new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reviews actions taken by his ousted predecessor, Kristi Noem.
The Tennessee House this week is scheduled to take a final vote on legislation requiring immigration status checks of any applicant for public benefits at state and local public agencies, including in each of the state’s 95 public health clinics. @anitawadhwani.bsky.social reports.
The U.S. military attacked a boat in the Caribbean Sea on Sunday, killing three people. The strike raised the death toll to at least 180 in the campaign by the U.S. against people it accuses of smuggling drugs at sea.
The creation of state board to oversee the spending of Nashville tourism taxes sparked criticism of the city's mayor from a leading state Democrat.
Commentary of the week: Tennesseans who live in rural areas need to pay attention to what happens next for Scott County. The House Committee had the chance to stop an unwanted massive landfill with waste shipped in by train from all over the country. From @angrygransaralee.bsky.social.
Tennessee lawmakers on Thursday adopted a budget that will allow the state to resume participation in a federal program that helped feed 700,000 low-income kids during the summer months before Gov. Bill Lee opted out in 2024.
--- @anitawadhwani.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com
The National Guard’s top general told Congress on Friday that it would follow the Constitution and the law when he was asked about the possibility President Donald Trump would order troops to polling places for the midterm elections.
The U.S. House on Thursday passed a measure that would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti for three years, in a rare rebuke by the GOP-led Congress to President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
At the end of the first quarter 2026 fundraising period, Tennessee 5th District U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles has less money in his campaign account than his Republican primary challenger or three Democrats, reports @friedmanadam5.bsky.social.
A Nashville Democratic lawmaker is criticizing Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell over a perceived lack of push back against state control.
via @tennesseelookout.com
In a bipartisan measure, Tennessee lawmakers on Thursday adopted a budget that will allow the state to resume participation in a federal program that helped feed 700,000 low-income kids during the summer months before Gov. Bill Lee opted out in 2024.
Discord over a new state board: "He’s just proven himself unwilling or incapable of making decisions on anything, so he’s more than happy to be a mere participator,” Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Nashville Democrat, said of Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell.
State Rep. @jrclemmons.bsky.social was miffed this week that Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell won’t serve as chairman of a new capital tourism board, enabling a governor’s appointee to take a stronger role in directing Music City money.
--- @tennesseelookout.com
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ campaign has less $100k heading into potential competitive election tennesseelookout.com/2026/04/17/u... @friedmanadam5.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com
Happy 15,000 Friday! Thank you for getting us to 15,000 followers on April 15! If you're not subscribing to our free, once daily newsletter, here's your chance to sign up (and share with your friends.)
When the Tennessee legislature passed a private school voucher plan in 2025, the measure included language that 5,000 new vouchers could be added annually. On Wednesday, it approved the addition 35,000 new voucher students in the coming year.
“Now, one thing that I find incredible is that you suspended this pro-vaccine messaging campaign. But somehow you’re spending taxpayer dollars to drink milk shirtless in a hot tub with Kid Rock,” said U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on Thursday.
A cartoon figure depicting U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn stands on a bag of cash labeled $1 million, representing the donation to a pro-Blackburn PAC from TikTok investor Jeff Yass.
Commentary from editorial cartoonist John Cole: Yass, girl. Jeff Yass, an investor in TikTok, donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s gubernatorial bid. In 2024, Blackburn called TikTok a ” national security threat.”
Just in: Despite budget concerns, the Tennessee legislature passed a measure nearly doubling the number of private school vouchers. In Thursday's Senate vote, eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the expansion.
A Boring Company project to build tunnels in Nashville has served as a continued proxy fight over who should have oversight of Nashville’s tourism and development: the Republican state legislature or the Metro government, whose voters are primarily Democrats. @friedmanadam5.bsky.social reports.
Despite constitutional questions, the Tennessee House passed legislation Wednesday giving the state attorney general power to audit and seek removal of the Shelby County district attorney for refusing to prosecute crimes.
If you live in (or care about) Tennessee, you should absolutely follow @tennesseelookout.com!
The 2026 tax filing season closed Wednesday with the Trump administration and Republicans on Capitol Hill hailing success under last year’s massive tax cuts law, while Democrats said any benefits have been wiped out by skyrocketing gas prices, inflation and more. From @ashleymurray.bsky.social
Just 2% of immigration arrests by Memphis Safe Task Force were for violent crime, an analysis by @mlk50.com finds
tennesseelookout.com/2026/04/15/j... @tennesseelookout.com
