News

The Tennessee gas price average moved above $3.00 per gallon last week for the first time since November 2023. Over last week, gas prices rose six cents, on average. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.01 which is 16 cents more expensive than one month ago but four cents less than one year ago.  

“Tennessee drivers are now seeing gas prices above $3.00 per gallon for the first time since November, and it’s very likely the trend of fluctuating prices will continue,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “We saw an increase in gasoline futures last week, which likely indicates that summer-blend gasoline is now moving into the market. OPEC and its allies also announced on Sunday that they would extend voluntary oil production cuts until the end of June. Both of these are contributing to upward pressure on pump prices.” 

Quick Facts

• 66% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $3.00 
• The lowest 10% of pump prices are $2.80 for regular unleaded 
• The highest 10% of pump prices are $3.31 for regular unleaded
• Tennessee is the 10th least expensive market in the nation

The Cannon County Election Commission released the following results using social media Tuesday night.

Unofficial Results… 1,840 voters participated in the March 5th Election.

Top 3 Republicans: Ron DeSantis (10), Nikki Haley (140), Donald Trump (1462)

On the Democratic side: Joseph Biden (110)

Sales Tax Referendum: For (924) and Against (788)

State Rep. Michael Hale, R-Smithville, proposed legislation that would help combat food insecurity at universities and community colleges across the state.

A report by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) showed that campus administrators estimate roughly 30% of students experience food insecurity.

“Our college students, who are working hard to ensure a better life for themselves and their families, often make the difficult choice between rent and food,” Hale said.

House Bill 1914 would create a hunger-free campus grant program that would provide funds to help higher education institutions provide food to its students.

In order to be eligible for the grant program, schools must have an established food pantry or partner with a community food pantry that is accessible to students. They must also form a “Hunger Task Force” that includes at least two students to examine the need and best practices for food insecurity on campus. 

The institutions must use the funds to develop a student meal credit donation program, allocate funding for a meal voucher program or provide financial assistance to its food pantry or partner pantry. Along with raising awareness of community and campus resources for students facing food insecurity.

“Our goal is to make food insecurity a thing of the past. While this is not the end-all solution, it is a step in the right direction. It is an honor to carry this legislation, and I look forward to guiding it to passage to fight for our students,” Hale said.

Schools will have to submit an annual report to the Education Administration committee outlining its efforts to address food insecurity, demographics and best practices implemented.

The bill passed the Higher Education subcommittee and now moves on to the Education Administration committee.

Each year, the first full week in March is observed in Tennessee as Volunteer Firefighters Week to honor and recognize volunteer firefighters for their courageous and dedicated service.

According to Tennessee State Fire Marshall Carter Lawrence, “Tennessee’s volunteer fire departments are the embodiment of the Volunteer State’s spirit as they willingly put their lives on the line for their communities for little or no compensation or recognition to protect the lives and properties of their neighbors  I salute Tennessee’s volunteer firefighters this week for their work, and I believe that Tennessee’s volunteer firefighters should be honored for their sacrifices every day.”

WBRY would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the fire departments in the county for your dedication and service to our community.

To learn more, visit: https://www.tn.gov/…/tennessee-honors-heroism–bravery…

Today, U.S. Rep. John Rose (TN-06) introduced the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act with Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), which would expand on his work to ban trigger leads except in limited circumstances. 

When a consumer applies for a mortgage, credit bureaus are notified that the consumer is interested in financing, which is referred to as a trigger lead. That information is then sold by the credit bureaus to data brokers (including other lenders) without the consumer’s knowledge or approval. Consumers are then often bombarded with hundreds of calls that confuse consumers and seek to lure them away from their chosen lenders.

Rep. Rose’s bill prohibits a consumer reporting agency from furnishing a trigger lead unless an individual chooses to opt-in. In that case, only certain approved groups will be notified that an individual is seeking a new mortgage. The bill is tailored to give consumers more control over the information they receive as part of the homebuying process and eliminates trigger lead abuses while preserving their use in appropriately limited circumstances.

“Buying a home is stressful enough for many consumers. The last thing most folks want is to be annoyed incessantly by the constant barrage of emails, text messages, and phone calls after they apply for a mortgage,” said Rep. Rose. “My bill would put an end to this shady and confusing practice and restore data privacy for homebuyers.” 

This bill is supported by a broad coalition of financial trades and consumer groups, including the Independent Community Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Mortgage Bankers, American Bankers Association, and the Broker Action Coalition. 

Senator Hagerty (R-TN) and Senator Reed (D-RI) have also introduced S.3052, a companion bill, in the Senate.

Read the full text of the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act here.

Governor Bill Lee delivered his sixth State of the State address and presented budget and legislative priorities for the upcoming year to a joint session of the General Assembly and fellow Tennesseans.

Key highlights are noted below, and the full speech as prepared for delivery can be found here. A Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget overview can be found here.

“Tennessee is a remarkable place with a richness of passionate people of all kinds, an unrivaled culture and deep-rooted traditions,” said Gov. Lee. “We are also a state that is focused on opportunity, security and freedom for all of her people. In 2024, and for the remainder of my time in office, I believe our job is to fortify that which has been built over the years, and to remember the work it took to get here.”

Our state’s legacy of responsible fiscal stewardship places Tennessee in a strong budgetary position and allows for investments to secure continued success. Lee’s proposed $53 billion budget includes strategic funding to ensure economic and educational opportunity, protect Tennessee voices, preserve our natural resources, strengthen families, and more.

Notable highlights from Gov. Lee’s FY24-25 agenda include:

Economic Opportunity & Tax Relief

• $20 million investment in Tennessee’s Rainy Day Fund, bringing Tennessee reserves to more than $2 billion, the largest in state history
• $410 million recurring funding and $1.2 billion non recurring funding to simplify the franchise tax in Tennessee

Education

Public Education Investments

• More than $261 million to strengthen education through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula growth, including teacher pay raises
• $30 million for summer learning programs to support students between school years
• $3.2 million dedicated to AP Access for All, which provides AP courses to students across rural and urban Tennessee
• $2.5 million to strengthen students’ reading and phonics skills
• $577,000 to ensure we train Tennessee teachers to be the best and brightest educators of Tennessee children
• $15 million to fund charter school facility improvements

Expanding Choices for Tennessee Parents

• $141.5 million to establish Education Freedom Scholarships to empower parents with the freedom to pick the right school for their child

Strong & Healthy Families

• $208 million over five years from TennCare shared savings to strengthen rural health by investing in apprenticeships and skilled training, greater access to specialty care and telemedicine, improved career pathways, hospital and physician practice grants, and a new Center of Excellence to sustain and expand rural health support.
• $100 million over five years from TennCare shared savings to strengthen mental health care by investing in community mental health centers and behavioral health hospitals, expanding substance abuse disorder treatment, intensive in-home supports, primary care training, early childhood training, and children’s hospital infrastructure. 
• $26.7 million investment in services for Tennesseans with disabilities

Safe Neighborhoods

• $17 million in funding for an additional 60 State Troopers and related support staff to improve public safety across the state
• $8 million to expand the school-based behavioral health liaison program to fund 114 liaisons, giving students across Tennessee schools important resources and mental health support
• $750,000 to fund Houses of Worship Security Grants
• Funding for a National Guard recruitment incentive package

Brighter Future

• $63 million to create four new Tennessee State Parks, with the goal of funding a total of eight new state parks by the time Gov. Lee leaves office, tying a Tennessee record for the most state parks created by one administration
• $20 million to expand blueway trail access, which will drive tourism and economic activity across our rural communities 
• $20 million to improve water quality at rivers, lakes and streams across the state, making them safe for future generations to enjoy and the Bill Dance Signature Lakes Fishing Trail
• $25 million to establish the Farmland Conservation Fund, partnering with farmers to place a conservation easement on their land to preserve and protect Tennessee for future generations
• $5 million to protect and enhance scenic beauty along our major highways
• $3 million for Access 2030 to make Tennessee State Parks accessible to Tennesseans with disabilities

United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties announces the opening of the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program for the upcoming tax season, February 1 – April 13, 2024.

The United Way VITA program is an IRS-supported tax preparation service, through which trained volunteers prepare taxes at no cost for qualifying individuals and families. The VITA program, along with My Free Taxes, connects community members with eligible credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a benefit for working people with at least one dependent and can mean more resources for essential needs such as reliable transportation, housing, and food.

According to Debbie Curtis, United Way’s VITA program coordinator, the program “is a wonderful example of how your local United Way works to improve the financial stability of everyone in our community, by helping to keep money in taxpayer pockets.

“We can offer this free service to qualified families and individuals through the assistance of very committed volunteers,” Curtis added.

During United Way’s 2023 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, more than 1,400 tax returns were completed, resulting in a $1.8 million investment through tax refunds, as well as $480,000 in reduced tax prep fees, for a total economic impact of over $2.2 million in Rutherford and Cannon counties. Through combined efforts with My Free Taxes, a free online filing service, the economic impact of the VITA program has consistently increased each year.

Since the VITA program’s inception in 2012, more than $15 million has been invested back into Rutherford and Cannon counties through tax refunds.

This year in-person appointments will be available at the Boys & Girls Club of Smyrna and Patterson Park Community Center. Additional mobile VITA sites will be available in Cannon County, Bedford County, Motlow’s Smyrna Campus, and the MTSU Jones College of Business.

Online appointments will be available for scheduling on January 20.  For more information, visit yourlocaluw.org/vita.

DeKalb County has lost a longtime attorney and former state representative.

Frank Buck, 80 of Dowelltown passed away on January 24, 2024, at NHC HealthCare in Smithville, Tennessee.

For 36 years, Buck represented the 40th district including DeKalb County in the Tennessee General Assembly. He was first elected to the position in 1972 and re-elected every two years thereafter for a total of 18 terms until his retirement in 2008.

Buck and his wife Lena for many years have practiced law from their downtown Smithville office firm of Buck & Buck Attorneys

Frank was born on September 26, 1943 in Trousdale County, Tennessee; the second son of the late John and Georgia Buck. He graduated from Lebanon High School, Tennessee Technological University, and the University of Tennessee College of Law. While at TTU, he married his wife, Lena Ann Graves Buck in 1962. After law school, Frank settled in DeKalb County, joining the law firm owned by McAllen Foutch. Eventually, Frank formed his own practice which would ultimately become Buck & Buck Attorneys when his wife, Lena, joined the practice as a partner in 1991.

In 1972, Frank ran for the Tennessee General Assembly representing DeKalb, Cannon, Smith, and part of Rutherford counties. He would go on to represent District 40 for the next thirty-six (36) years in the General Assembly. While in the House, he served as Chairman of the House Judiciary and Conservation and Environment Committees; and Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee. Frank introduced many bills which bettered the lives of Tennesseans, including but not limited to the Lemonade Stand Bill, precluding the Department of Health from requiring certificates of health from lemonade stands; the Cup of Coffee Bill, which restrained lobbyists from buying meals and paying for travel expenses for the General Assembly and forcing disclosure of such acts; and the Tennessee Interstate Logos bill, which allows businesses to post their logos on interstate signs for motorists. Reflecting on his retirement from the legislature, Frank said, “I’ve been here 33 years, and when I retire from this place and when I see my constituents on the street, I’d like to have their respect that I did a good job for them and that I was an honorable public servant.” The Tennessean, (April 25, 2005).

His many honors included being named in 2005 Tennessean of the Year by The Tennessean Newspaper for his work on ethics; Chairman of the Tennessee Judicial Council for four (4) years; elected a Fellow by the Tennessee Bar Foundation; and the Common Cause Award for his Cup of Coffee Bill.

Frank was revered for his sharp legal mind, lively personality, and plain speech. In later years, he enjoyed retelling many stories involving his family and pranks while in the legislature. Frank rarely abandoned his signature outfit: brown leather vest, khaki pants, and blue button-down shirt. He maintained a lifelong commitment to the legal community. He loved his family deeply and recounted his best memory as, “probably the children.”

Frank is survived by his wife of over sixty-one (61) years, Lena, and daughters, Kathryn Buck Pursell (Brice) of Dowelltown; Melinda Buck Brown (Chase) of Oak Ridge; Sara Buck Doude (John) of Milledgeville, Georgia; and Jennifer Buck of Dowelltown; six grandchildren, Frank Forrest Pursell (Taylor) of Crossville; Ann Pursell Williams (Timothy) of Liberty; William Pursell of Liberty; Emeline Brown Hébert (Luke) of Nashville; Ellie Brown of Nashville; and Lilah Brown of Oak Ridge; and two great grandchildren, Lena Pursell of Liberty and Caroline Pursell of Crossville.

Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm and Sunday, January 28, 2024 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. All services and visitation are scheduled at Love Cantrell Funeral Home, 100 East Church Street, Smithville, Tennessee 37166.

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Cannon County Schools will return to a regular schedule on Thursday, January 25th.

The basketball teams at the high school have make up games scheduled for Thursday night with Forrest.

In a rescheduled game on Wednesday night, the Lionettes defeated Cascade 57-21. The Lions defeated Cascade 62-47.

U.S. Representative John Rose joined Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and 161 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing the Death Tax Repeal Act. This legislation would permanently repeal the death tax, which imposes an unfair and costly tax on the transfer of property, land, and other assets from a deceased family member to heirs of family farms and small businesses.

Rep. Rose was a member of the Tennesseans Against the Death Tax group that spearheaded the successful effort to vanquish the inheritance tax in Tennessee in 2015. Now, he’s looking to take Tennessee values to Washington by ending the Death Tax nationally.

Over 99% of our country’s two million farms and ranches and over 95% of our nation’s small businesses are owned and operated by individuals and families, and this legislation would enable these multigenerational businesses to continue to support their families without having to pay a devastating tax upon the death of a family member. The Death Tax Repeal Act enjoys support from 194 organizations.

Rep. Rose released the following statement:

“Tennessee can always teach Washington a thing or two, and this is a prime example,” said Rep. Rose. “Farm families should be able to pass their family farms to the next generation without the heavy burden of the Death Tax. We repealed it in Tennessee, and it’s time we repeal it nationally. That’s why I am proud to support this legislation to axe the Death Tax once and for all.”