By The Associated Press Jazmin Evans had been waiting for a new kidney for four years when her hospital revealed shocking news: She should have been put on the transplant list in 2015 instead of 2019 — and a racially biased organ test was to blame. As upsetting as that notification was, it also was part of an unprecedented move to mitigate the racial inequity. Evans is among more than 14,000 Black kidney transplant candidates so far given credit for lost waiting time, moving them up the priority list for their transplant. “I remember just reading that letter over and over…
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Story by Garrett Smith Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray, a senior minister and civil rights leader who emerged as a calming presence during the Los Angeles riots in 1992, passed away of natural causes this week at the age of 94. Reverend Murray was born in Lakeland, Florida, and grew up in the segregated South. In his early life, Murray attended Florida A&M University and eventually joined the Air Force after graduating. He retired as a major after ten years of service. After leaving the Air Force, Murray went back to school, this time to the School of Theology at Claremont College to earn his PhD in religion and became a minister. Cecil ended up…
Legislature passes bill giving rural communities lifeline to fight disasters. NASHVILLE, TN. – The Tennessee General Assembly provided rural communities with access to the funds they need to mitigate disasters this week. The Resilient Tennessee Revolving Loan Fund is a key step toward strengthening Tennessee communities against increasingly costly and deadly natural disasters. Natural disasters have become a serious threat to the safety of Tennesseans. Over the past few years, tornadoes and floods have wreaked havoc on Tennessee communities from Memphis to Mountain City. Rural communities are often most at risk, and the Resilient Tennessee Revolving Loan Fund will help…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville Cable named the winners of the 34th Annual ATHENA Awards last week. Cynthia Whitfield-Story was named the winner for the traditional category and Tamara L. Bates was named as the winner for the young professional category. The ATHENA Awards were held during Women’s History Month and are part of a prestigious international nonprofit organization, designed to celebrate and honor incredible women leaders who catalyze change in the community. In the traditional category, recognizing women 40 and older, Cynthia Whitfield-Story was named as the 2024 winner. Nominated by the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee, Whitfield-Story is…
Don Lemon is a married man. The former CNN anchor, who now has his own streaming program — “The Don Lemon Show” — tied the knot with his longtime partner Tim Malone on Saturday. Lemon, 58, and the real estate broker, 40, exchanged vows during a ceremony at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in midtown Manhattan in front of approximately 140 guests, according to People.
NASHVILLE – In response to the USDA confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle in four states, the State Veterinarian has ordered a movement restriction on dairy cattle coming to Tennessee from the affected premises. As of April 1, 2024, Texas, Kansas, Michigan, and New Mexico had confirmed cases of HPAI in dairy cattle and results for a presumptive positive test for a herd in Idaho are pending at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL). NVSL confirmed that the strain is H5N1, which has been circulating in wild birds for the last several years and appears to…
Columbia, TN: Democratic challengers have qualified for the ballot in all of Maury County’s state legislative races this year. The following candidates qualified for the August 1 Democratic Party primary:House District 64 (currently held by Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka)): House District 71 (currently held by Rep. Kip Capley (R-Summertown)): Senate District 28 (currently held by Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald):
NASHVILLE—The Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus is renewing his call for State Comptroller Justin Mumpower to audit Governor Bill Lee’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This is the third such request by Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons to Comptroller Mumpower in nine months. The initial request was made last August and renewed in September following news reports in The Tennessean involving the office’s budget. Last year, Lee appropriated $1.2 million dollars of taxpayer money to the office. These funds are exclusively controlled and spent by the governor’s hand-picked board of directors. This week, The Tennessean published a new report detailing how Lance…
NASHVILLE- State Representative Antonio Parkinson of Memphis has advanced a bill to help restore citizenship rights to many deserving Tennesseans. Currently in Tennessee, certain convicted felons who have paid their debt to society remain ineligible for basic citizenship rights including the right to bear arms, to serve on a jury, to vote or run for political office, or serve as a fiduciary financial advisor. The legislation, (HB2380), would provide a pathway for the restoration of rights to many who have turned their life around and are deserving of citizenship. The measure also clarifies the steps to voting rights restoration that…
Ruling cites multiple violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in attempting to collect alleged overpayments under the Road Home Program LOUISIANA — The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of Louisiana homeowners Iris Calogero and Margie Randolf. The court reversed a lower court’s ruling that allowed a Louisiana law firm to seek collection of alleged overpayments to homeowners who participated in the Road Home Program. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), along with attorneys Margaret Woodward, Jenny Deasy and Keren Gesund represent the plaintiffs. “We are enormously gratified by the ruling of the Fifth…