“Teaching is more than just a career – it’s a calling,” said Gov. Lee. “The Teacher Paycheck Protection Act provides the largest salary increase in Tennessee history and ensures union dues are no longer collected by school districts, giving teachers control of their own hard-earned paycheck. I thank the General Assembly for their continued partnership to support Tennessee teachers and ensure taxpayer dollars are used to educate students, not fund politics.”
The Teacher Paycheck Protection Act continues Gov. Lee’s commitment to increase teacher pay each year since taking office and will support students and teachers by:
· Making Tennessee a top-10 state for teacher pay to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers
· Raising the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 by 2026, a significant increase from $35,000 in 2019
· Protecting teachers and taxpayers by ensuring that union membership dues are never automatically deducted from teacher paychecks
Gov. Lee appreciates the Tennessee General Assembly’s partnership to invest in teachers and protect taxpayer dollars:
“Teachers are tasked with the incredibly important job of educating the next generation,” said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R – Franklin). “This legislation recognizes the importance of teachers’ work by raising their pay and protecting their paychecks. It will also enhance the quality of our education system by helping attract and retain talented teachers. I am grateful to Senator Powers for helping pass this legislation in the Senate and appreciate Governor Lee for proposing this initiative.”
“When we invest in the people who guide, teach and nurture our students, it pays big dividends down the road,” said House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R – Portland). “The efforts of Governor Lee and the General Assembly to prioritize students and elevate the teaching profession will prove to be transformative for our state. We are investing in education at every level in Tennessee. By providing competitive compensation, we will create a pipeline of highly effective and talented individuals eager to become educators.”
“Through this legislation we are reinforcing our commitment to Tennessee teachers and improving education,” said Senator Bill Powers (R – Clarksville). “These pay raises will help recruit talented individuals and mitigate teacher shortages. I was glad to work with Governor Lee, Leader Johnson and my colleagues in the Senate to pass this important initiative. I look forward to continuing our work to support Tennessee teachers.”
“Tennessee’s teachers inspire, empower and transform the lives of students across our state each year,” said State Representative Debra Moody (R – Covington). “These dedicated individuals should receive the compensation they deserve. The Tennessee Teacher Paycheck Protection Act represents the largest salary increase for educators in our state’s history. It also protects tax dollars from being used to benefit organizations like labor unions. I was honored to help guide passage of this important piece of legislation to help Tennessee become one of the top states in the nation for teacher pay.”
Knoxville Police are investigating a fatal shooting in East Knoxville with a suspect in custody, charged with first-degree murder, following a stand-off with police.
Officers responding to Wilderness Road and found a woman who had been shot in the backyard of the home. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
KPD officers identified the suspect as 76-year-old John Deloach and say he reportedly shot the victim following a dispute and barricaded himself inside the home before officers arrived.
Crisis Negotiators spent about three hours talking with the suspect who finally surrendered.
Witt Utility District manager Benjamin Harris and his brother, Joseph Harris, Witt’s district water treatment operator, have been charged after an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation began in July 2021 and ran through March of this year. The investigation found that Benjamin Harris had misappropriated at least $12,000 by paying for a new roof and gutters on his home and questionable overtime payments of at least $67,000.
This news comes just a few months after the Witt Utility District violated EPA regulations, failing to test for several chemicals in their tap water.
The Hamblen County Grand Jury indicted Benjamin Harris for one count of theft of property over $10,000 and other charges. Joseph Harris was indicted on one count of official misconduct.
Knox County Parks and Recreation Department is launching a new initiative for the summer called Park & Play to expand recreation and wellness access across Knox County.
“Knox County has an incredible park system,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “It only stands to reason that Parks staff would find ways to expand recreation offerings even further and in increasingly creative ways.”
The Park & Play vehicle boasts a number of engaging individual and staff-led activities including hula hoops, jump ropes, chalk, and some water-based relay games. Check it out at the following locations throughout the summer:
June 8: Halls Community Park (6983 Recreation Lane)
June 15: Thomas “Tank” Strickland Park (4618 Asheville Highway)
June 22: Carl Cowan Park (10058 S. Northshore Drive)
June 29: Corryton Park (7737 Corryton Road)
July 6: French Memorial Park (7752 Martin Mill Pike)
July 13: Solway Park (3206 Solway Road)
July 20: Mascot Park (1909 Number Two Drive)
July 27: Powell Levi Park (7222 Martingale Drive)
August 3: Walker Springs Park (700 Kidder Lane)
Park & Play is free and open to the public and is designed with inclusivity in mind, featuring activities for all ages and abilities.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs will attend most Knox County Schools’ graduation ceremonies over the next two weeks, keeping a promise he made to each public high school senior class.
Throughout the school year, Mayor Jacobs visits graduating classes to share a message of encouragement about the importance of earning a high school diploma—whether a student has plans to enroll in a 2- or 4-year university or community college or start the journey for trade certifications.
Mayor Jacobs also joined Randy Boyd and Tennessee Achieves earlier this year to announce the goal of increasing the rate of college attendance in Knox County to 70 percent by 2024. It was a message to families that he wants to work with them in showing their student the importance of post-secondary education and of finding their own pathway to personal success.
“Graduation is a big accomplishment,” said Mayor Jacobs. “I’m happy to join in celebrating Knox County graduates and their success in establishing a strong foundation for their futures.”
Mayor Jacobs will join Superintendent Jon Rysewyk, key central office staff, and school administrators on stage following the schedule below:
Thursday, May 18: Ridgedale (1 p.m.)
Friday, May 19: Central High (6 p.m.)
Saturday, May 20: L&N STEM (9 a.m.) and Kelley Academy (11 a.m.)—both at Central
Sunday, May 21: Farragut High (6 p.m.)
Tuesday, May 23: Powell High (6 p.m.)
Wednesday, May 24: Fulton High (6 p.m.)
Thursday, May 25: West High (6 p.m.)
Friday, May 26: Karns High (9 a.m.) and Hardin Valley Academy (6 p.m.)
Wednesday, May 31: Austin-East High (9 a.m.) and Bearden High (6 p.m.)
Thursday, June 1: Halls High (9 a.m.) and Gibbs High (6 p.m.)
Friday, June 2: Carter High (9 a.m.) and South-Doyle High (6 p.m.)
As the Mayor is unable to attend the Career Magnet and KCS Virtual School graduations on Saturday, May 20, a representative will attend in his place.
It’s time for summer, and MEDIC is ready to kick things off with the annual Parrot Head Week from May 22 – 26.
MEDIC will be serving cheeseburgers to throughout the week, and donors will receive a special edition t-shirt (while supplies last), Texas Roadhouse coupon, Salsarita’s coupon, and automatic entry to win one of five Margaritaville gift cards or a two-night stay at the hotel in Pigeon Forge.
Grilling schedule:
Monday – Athens Donor Center
Tuesday – Crossville Donor Center
Wednesday and Thursday – Ailor Avenue and Farragut Donor Centers
Friday – No grilling
On Wednesday and Thursday, donors at Ailor Avenue can enjoy live music from Barry Jolly in the outdoor tent sponsored by Pinnacle Financial.
Reserving a time slot is encouraged and can be completed in- the MEDIC donor app, on the website at medicblood.org, or by calling 865-521-2683.
MEDIC is the primary blood product provider for 24 hospitals in 22 counties including Blount Memorial, Covenant Health System, East TN Children’s Hospital, Tennova Healthcare, and UT Medical Center.
As a reminder, the blood, platelets, and plasma products on the shelves now are what would be used in a trauma event, and it takes at least three days for donated blood to be processed and ready for distribution. Demand remains high while donations have been low this summer.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash in Sevier County.
It happened yesterday afternoon on Newport Highway when THP says a car driven by 23 year-old Kobe Jack crossed the highway into an SUV driven by 29 year-old Jesse Lohr, who swerved to avoid Jack’s car which still hit him head-on.
Jack, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was killed in the crash. Lohr and his passenger were injured, no word on their condition.
