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Nashville TennesseanNashville Tennessean
What is 'Kirkaversary'? Online trend tied to Charlie Kirk assassination sparks outrage

What is 'Kirkaversary'? Online trend tied to Charlie Kirk assassination sparks outrage

The online trend known as "Kirkaversary" has drawn criticism from Charlie Kirk supporters, who say it is disrespectful and offensive.
USA TodayUSA Today
Florida executes 'Hog Trail Killer' suspected in at least 13 killings

Florida executes 'Hog Trail Killer' suspected in at least 13 killings

The execution of Daniel Conahan Jr. came 30 years after the discovery of a naked man who had been strangled in the woods set off a complex investigation that's ongoing to this day
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Raymond Lee Stewart Executed for Six-Day Killing Spree in Illinois and Wisconsin

Raymond Lee Stewart Executed for Six-Day Killing Spree in Illinois and Wisconsin

Raymond Lee Stewart was executed by lethal injection on September 18, 1996, at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois. Stewart was a spree killer responsible for the deaths of six people across Illinois and Wisconsin during a six-day rampage in 1981. His victims included Willie Fredd and Albert Pearson in Rockford, two gas station attendants in Rockford (Kevin Kaiser and Kenny Foust), and Donald Rains and Richard Boeck in Beloit, Wisconsin. Stewart had a prior criminal record for gas station robberies, for which he served six years in prison. Years after the murders, in an audio recording made just days before his execution, Stewart claimed the killings were racially motivated acts of retaliation against Caucasians for the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy. He stated that the victims had not provoked him and offered an apology.
AP NewsAP News
Florida man faces execution for 1996 killing connected to 'Hog Trail Murders' in woods

Florida man faces execution for 1996 killing connected to 'Hog Trail Murders' in woods

A Florida man convicted in one of a series of suspected killings that became known as the “Hog Trail Murders” in the 1990s is scheduled to become the state’s 15th person executed this year
USA TodayUSA Today
'Hog Trail Killer' may have killed as many as 13. Florida is about to execute him

'Hog Trail Killer' may have killed as many as 13. Florida is about to execute him

The Hog Trail Killer would target young men down on their luck, luring them to the woods with promises of cash for nude photos before tying them up and killing them.
The Commercial AppealThe Commercial Appeal
Shelby Co. leader sees tax fraud charges; Autopsies detail Task Force deaths

Shelby Co. leader sees tax fraud charges; Autopsies detail Task Force deaths

Also this week, the ACLU of Tennessee made more allegations of intimidation against the Memphis Safe Task Force.
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Tennessee Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Halt Data Center Tax Exemptions Amid Revenue Concerns

Tennessee Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Halt Data Center Tax Exemptions Amid Revenue Concerns

Tennessee State Representative Aftyn Behn is set to introduce the "Blank Check to Data Centers Act" in the 2027 legislative session. This proposed bill aims to temporarily suspend new sales tax breaks for data centers for three years. During this period, the Department of Revenue would be mandated to track the exact amount of sales and electricity tax revenue the state is foregoing due to these exemptions. Currently, under Tennessee law, data centers can qualify for tax breaks if they invest over $100 million within three years and create at least 15 new full-time jobs. However, the Department of Revenue has stated it cannot precisely quantify the lost tax revenue because purchases made under these exemptions are not reported separately, and electricity tax sales are combined with other businesses receiving similar rates. The bill seeks to address this lack of transparency by requiring data centers to report electricity purchases distinctly and obliging the Department of Revenue to annually disclose the un...
Nashville TennesseanNashville Tennessean
Trump's midterm convention breaks tradition. Will Tennessee Republicans take the stage?

Trump's midterm convention breaks tradition. Will Tennessee Republicans take the stage?

President Trump and Republicans will gather in Dallas for a nationally televised midterm convention as the GOP works to maintain control of Congress ahead of November's elections.
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Senator Marsha Blackburn Declines Debate, Highlights Policy Differences in Tennessee Gubernatorial Race

Senator Marsha Blackburn Declines Debate, Highlights Policy Differences in Tennessee Gubernatorial Race

Senator Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee for Tennessee's gubernatorial race, has not committed to participating in a series of debates proposed by her Democratic opponent, Memphis City Councilmember Jerri Green. Blackburn previously declined to debate other Republican candidates during the primary election. Despite the lack of direct debates, both candidates participated in a 30-issue policy questionnaire, which revealed significant differences in their approaches to governance. Blackburn's responses generally support the current conservative direction of Tennessee, emphasizing low taxes to attract businesses and punitive measures in criminal justice and immigration, including advocating for accelerated executions and the use of the electric chair. Green, in contrast, proposes detailed policy changes across various sectors, such as increasing the minimum wage to at least $20, disengaging from federal immigration enforcement, and halting executions. The questionnaire highlighted that the candidates ...
SB NationSB Nation
Kane has a great shot at being a U.S. Senator next year, per report

Kane has a great shot at being a U.S. Senator next year, per report

It seems WWE Hall of Famer and former Knoxville County Mayor Glenn Jacobs played the Tennessee politics games very well.
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Tennessee Lawmaker Requests Comptroller Investigation into $9.2 Billion I-24 Toll Lane Deal After Attorney General Declines

Tennessee Lawmaker Requests Comptroller Investigation into $9.2 Billion I-24 Toll Lane Deal After Attorney General Declines

State Representative John Ray Clemmons has formally requested that Tennessee Comptroller Jason E. Mumpower initiate an investigation into the procurement process for the $9.2 billion I-24 'Choice Lanes' contract. This request follows the Tennessee Attorney General's Office declining to investigate, citing a lack of general investigative authority for such matters. Clemmons' concerns stem from public reports questioning financial relationships between the winning companies, particularly Ferrovial Cintra which leads the Drive-TN group, and former officials within Governor Bill Lee's administration. The contract involves a 50-year lease for the private company to build and operate the toll lanes. Clemmons highlighted the movement of former TDOT Chief of Staff Steve Townsend to Ferrovial Cintra in 2025, and former Deputy Governor Butch Eley's return to the infrastructure industry in 2025, shortly before the I-24 partnership with Drive-TN was announced. These transitions raise questions about potential conflict...
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Georgia Increases Spending on Lethal Injections Amidst Secrecy Laws, Records Reveal

Georgia Increases Spending on Lethal Injections Amidst Secrecy Laws, Records Reveal

Georgia has significantly increased its spending on lethal injection processes, with records obtained through a lawsuit revealing over $1.1 million in payments to at least one contractor since the COVID-19 pandemic. This period saw only a single execution in the state. The average annual cost for lethal injection-related expenses over the past decade has exceeded $150,000, a substantial increase from prior years. These details emerged after a ProPublica journalist sued the state to release records, which Georgia had initially withheld under its Lethal Injection Secrecy Act. This law aims to protect individuals involved in executions from harassment by death penalty opponents. The state's Department of Corrections and the Attorney General's office have declined to comment on the rising costs or the secrecy surrounding the process. The Georgia Supreme Court recently removed a barrier that had paused executions, leading to a scheduled execution for September 16, which would be the state's first in two years.