From Staff Reports MEMPHIS, TN — Shelby County will soon have a director of education to be a liaison between the mayor, county commissioners, school board members and their superintendents. Dr. Cedrick Gray, who starts Jan. 7, was appointed Dec. 19 by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris to a position previously known as education liaison, but Harris says Gray will have greater responsibility. “In this leadership role, Dr. Gray will do more than just work with the commission on budgeting,” Harris said. “He is the right person to improve education from pre-K to workforce development.” Gray has considerable experience leading…
Author: Tribune Staff
From Staff Reports WASHINGTON, DC — Major change is needed on how congressional district lines are redrawn every 10 years, according to a coalition of federal lawmakers who want to remove partisan politics from reapportionment. “House Democrats are newly empowered,” Rep. Jim Cooper said, noting results of mid-term elections in November. “We should use our very first vote to clean up America’s rigged redistricting process. “Voters ought to be able to choose their elected officials, not the other way around,” Tennessee’s 5th District congressman said with leaders of the Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats who value commonsense over party…
From Staff Reports WASHINGTON, DC — Following discussions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Congress has passed legislation to train health care professionals on identifying and assisting human trafficking victims. Final passage of the Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond (SOAR) Act for a Health and Wellness Training Program was Dec. 20 on a 386 to 6 vote, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis said of the pending law to provide $4 million annually for training. “The SOAR Act encourages those on the front lines — our health care professionals — to be alert to possible instances…
By Rev. Jesse Jackson In 2019, we will commemorate 400 years since the first 20 slaves were transported by ship from Africa by white slave traders and landed in Jamestown, Va. Now four centuries later, race remains a central dividing line. Today, for example, the racial wealth gap exposes a stark difference. The median wealth of a white household (median means half are above and half below) is 12 times greater than that of a black household. The median wealth of a white household is $134,430, of blacks it is $11,030. This is virtually all about equity in a home,…
NASHVILLE, TN — Local pastors and community members held a press conference at Legislative Plaza to respond to the Texas judge’s ruling against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Texas v. United States. Faith leaders demanded Attorney General Herbert Slatery withdraw our state from this lawsuit and call on others to do the same. Members of the Southern Christian Coalition requested to meet with AG Slattery, but his office refused. Instead, his office issued a statement praising the decision and tossed the ball to Congress to find a solution. In fact, Congress has already taken action by passing the Affordable Care…
By Staff Reports MEMPHIS, TN – Each year The Tennessee Tribune selects its “Man of the Year,” a person who has made significant contributions in society or in various fields of endeavor. That person is Wiley Henry, a Memphis journalist, writer, artist and photographer. Henry is deserving of the honor as an award-winning journalist and a professional artist whose awe-inspiring artwork hangs in public and private collections locally and nationally. Add to that Henry’s work as a professional photographer, his awards and citations for community service, and you’ll understand why Henry is the Tribune’s “Man of the Year” for 2018.…
If a new car isn’t under the tree, it’s ok. Consider starting the new year with a 2019 Genesis G70 2.0T Sport. This sporty vehicle offers a blend of athletic styling, performance and smart technology. In fact, it’s already been named MotorTrend’s 2019 Car of the Year® This ve sophisticated all-wheel drive system works in sync with Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control to deliver enhanced stability and quicker response on slippery roads. A standard 2.0L turbocharged GDI 4-cylinder engine delivers an exhilarating 252 hp. In typical Genesis fashion, all of their most advanced safety features and technology, like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist…
By Tribune Staff NASHVILLE, TN — Purdue University squares off against the Auburn Tigers for the first time Friday in the 2018 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium. This will be the 21st edition of this game, which usually matches a Big 10 team against an SEC squad, and has emerged as one of the better pre-New Year’s Day outings. Each team has notable things in its season resume, with Purdue being the team most responsible for keeping Ohio State out of the college football playoffs. They blew out Ohio State by 22 points, giving them their…
NASHVILLE, TN — The Old and the New, the Tried and the True. When you think of Jefferson Street, in years of old, you can easily remember how it was an economic mecca for the African American community. From the 1940’s to the 1960’s, Jefferson Street was a financial machine, filled with stores, night clubs, funeral homes, banks, and so much more. Additionally associated streets in the North Nashville area were full of activity that spoke to economic sustainability. There is no secret Interstate 40 divided the com- munity and left it in peril, however some businesses re- mained vigilant.…
Why not start the New Year off in a brand new 2019 Nissan Altima? There’s a lot to be excited about in this mid-size sedan that’s more than worth noting. The all-new, sixth-generation Altima features: • Advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility safety and driving aid technologies, including ProPILOT Assist and introducing Safety Shield 360 with Rear Automatic Braking • Enhanced driving performance, including available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive • Two new engines, including the company’s world’s first production-ready Variable Compression Turbo • New open, airy premium uplifting interior design The 2019 Altima is available in five grade levels, along with a limited-production…