Free Republic

LetÂ’s not fool ourselves. Civil asset forfeiture is nothing more or less than the unconstitutional seizure of property by law enforcement agencies as a way of generating an off-the-books income stream to provide funding at a higher level than that approved by the legislative body that is sets their budget. Stories of abuse abound and it will be to Jeff SessionsÂ’s everlasting shame and disgrace that he is supporting this fascistic practice. Because the funds are not appropriated there has been little oversight over how they are spent. Reason documents some of the more interesting uses: For example, a 2016...

In June, Tennessee’s Republican Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III signed a letter demanding that President Donald Trump end DACA, a program that allows undocumented individuals brought to the United States as children to live and work here legally. Nine other Republican attorneys general, as well as one GOP governor, joined the ultimatum, which informed Trump that if he did not kill DACA by Sept. 5, the coalition would sue to block it in court. Trump says he will announce his decision on Tuesday. On Friday, however, Slatery publicly withdrew his demand and instead urged Trump to keep DACA—and to...

NFI will invest approximately $7.2 million to establish a distribution facility in Smyrna, TN. The logistics provider plans to create nearly 170 new jobs over the next five years in Rutherford County. “NFI continues to grow rapidly and we are excited to bring this new location to the Nashville area,” said NFI President and Vice Chairman Jeff Brown. “The Smyrna operation is a great example of NFI’s ability to leverage its commercial real estate expertise and network to secure a location with its distribution operations to manage the facility and deliver a comprehensive solution for our customer.” New Jersey-based NFI...

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's call to remove a bust of a Confederate cavalry general and early Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest from the state Capitol building is getting its first hearing this week.

A Tennessee theater has canceled a long-running screening of “Gone With the Wind” because of racially insensitive content in the classic 1939 film. Officials at Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre have announced that the film will not be shown during its summer movie series in 2018. Theater president Brett Batterson says in a statement that “the Orpheum cannot show a film that is insensitive to a large segment of its local population.” […] Batterson tells the Memphis Commercial Appeal a “social media storm” played a role in the decision. …

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Governor Bill Haslam along with the Department of Economic and Community Development announced that Philips will be bringing about 800 new jobs to Tennessee. Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Philips officials made the announcement Thursday. The international technology company will establish a center of expertise in Middle Tennessee. Philips, a global leader in health technology, will create approximately 800 new jobs in the Nashville region. “In today’s economy, global businesses can choose to grow or expand anywhere in the world. More international companies like Philips are deciding to invest and create jobs in Tennessee because of the policies...

President Trump should be as wary of entering the Senate chambers as Julius Caesar should have been that fateful day in the Roman Senate. While Trump’s physical safety is assured, character assassins like Tennessee GOP Sen. Bob Corker await. Corker, who is up for reelection in 2018, has announced with his remarks about President Trump’s stability and competence, Corker’s lack of both: Sen. Bob Corker delivered his harshest criticism of President Trump yet, telling an audience in Chattanooga on Thursday that Trump has not demonstrated that he understands the character of the nation and has not shown the competence needed...

A prominent Republican senator delivered a stinging rebuke Thursday of Donald Trump’s short time in office, declaring he has not shown the stability or competence required for an American president to succeed. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, also said Trump “recently has not demonstrated that he understands the character of this nation.” During comments to local reporters after a speech to the Chattanooga Rotary Club, Corker called for “radical changes” in how the Trump White House operates. His remarks, which were posted on Facebook, came two days after Trump declared at a New York...

Tyson Foods, Inc. will invest approximately $80 million to expand operations in Union City, TN. Tyson, one of the world’s largest food companies, plans to create more than 300 new jobs as part of its expansion in Obion County. Tyson plans to add 25,000 square feet and new production lines to its Union City plant, effectively doubling its output capabilities at the facility. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall. The expansion is expected to be operational by mid-2019. “Customer and consumer demand for protein, especially chicken, is increasing so we’re investing in projects that build on our strengths, expand...

SELMER, Tenn. — A local manufacturing facility will soon be expanding, creating new jobs and investing millions of dollars in McNairy County. Monogram Refrigeration, LLC announced its plans on Monday along with Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and the Department of Economic and Community Development. The company’s Selmer location currently makes refrigerators, freezers and similar products. Now it wants to add an additional 120,000 square feet to the building to house the assembly of a new line of refrigerators and freezers as well as the new packaged terminal air conditioners. Overall, the company is expected to invest $9.3 million and create...

KINGSPORT — A Greeneville woman has been arrested after allegedly zooming through Interstate 81 traffic at 115 mph while hauling a 16-year-old and toddler as passengers. According to an affidavit filed in Kingsport General Sessions Court, Britanni N. Starnes, 20, is charged with reckless endangerment and speeding. The incident occurred Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. A Kingsport officer near mile marker 56 spotted a 2010 Nissan Versa speeding in the northbound lanes. Radar reportedly confirmed the vehicle was traveling at 115 mph. After being pulled over, Starnes claimed she was rushing to the hospital, where her brother was being treated for...

A woman in Nashville, Tennessee reportedly stabbed her ex-boyfriend after he refused to cook for her, according to a Tuesday report from Fox News 17 in Tennessee. Stranesha Buford, 29, was arrested Monday for stabbing the victim in the left side of his back. According to Davidson County's Active Inmate Search online, she received a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. An affidavit confirmed that the stabbing occurred July 26 at Buford's Dellway Villa apartment, which is listed as a Housing in Urban Development (HUD) apartment complex. The victim claimed that Buford asked him to cook her...

More than 80 new jobs are coming to the CarMax at The Pinnacle in Bristol, Tennessee. According to CarMax, the location is currently expanding production capabilities at the Bristol location to enable reconditioning of cars for sale on-site. As part of the expansion, the company will be hiring over 80 people. The jobs will primarily be for service operations positions. Applications are now being accepted online. Interviewing will begin this month. You can apply by clicking here.

PIKEVILLE, Tenn. — Textile Corporation of America, Inc. (TCA) will locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Pikeville, Tennessee. Governor Bill Haslam, Dept. of Economic and Community Development (ECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and TCA officials made the announcement Monday. TCA will invest approximately $27.1 million and create 1,000 new jobs in Bledsoe County, a private investment which the ECD says is the largest in the county's history. TCA produces quality industrial and institutional textile products including apparel, bedding, healthcare, hospitality, and kitchen linens. The company will locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility in the Bledsoe County Industrial Building in Pikeville....

Jamestown, Tennessee, is one of the poorest towns with a majority-white population in the US. The area overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump and locals believe new jobs will now come - but will that be enough to turn around decades of economic distress? Nine years after his plumbing company collapsed at the height of the credit crunch, Clint Barta is feeling confident enough to start again. "It's only been days, so it's a bit slow," says Barta who has been in the business for 33 years. "But I'm meeting with a builder tomorrow." The plumber had to lay off 75...

HAWKINS COUNTY, TN (WJHL) – State officials announced this morning that dozens of new jobs are coming to Hawkins County. Automotive supplier, Cooper Standard, is investing in the community to bring 98 jobs at its facility in Surgoinsville. In addition, it plans on investing $1 million in new plant equipment. The following is a news release from the state: “ Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Cooper Standard officials announced today the automotive supplier will create approximately 98 new jobs at its facility in Surgoinsville. Alongside the new jobs, Cooper Standard is investing $1...

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Clarksville woman is facing charges after she drove a battery-powered cart from Walmart home early Tuesday morning after her car wouldn’t stop. Clarksville police reported it received calls a woman was driving the cart down the center of 101st Airborne Division Parkway around 4 a.m.

Fitzgerald Collision & Repair will undergo a major expansion in the Upper Cumberland and create 220 new jobs in Tennessee. The truck repair company said today it will invest $9 million to expand its existing facility in Rickman, Tenn., and establish new operations in Sparta, Tenn. Fitzgerald Collision & Repair, which was established in 2014, will add 100,000 square feet to its existing state-of-the-art repair facility in Rickman where it will add 145 jobs. The company will also establish a new facility in White County, which will create another 75 jobs. "The Fitzgerald family has decades of experience in the...

HYLA, Inc. will open a new facility in La Vergne, TN. The specialized mobile device reverse logistics technology and services provider will invest more than $1 million and create approximately 225 new jobs in a 100,000-square-foot facility in Rutherford County. The new facility will allow HYLA to better serve its global customers. “We are excited about our new mobile device reverse logistics technology facility,” said Biju Nair, president and CEO of HYLA, Inc. “We selected the State of Tennessee, Rutherford County and La Vergne due to its central location, business friendly environment, and high-quality talent pool. We look forward to...

Sadly for those of us hoping California would go full commie as an object lesson for the rest of the nation, the state legislature has shelved the proposed $400 billion single-payer health care bill. Democrats are naturally blaming Trump, because the scheme would require a bunch of waivers from the Administration to go into effect, but the real reason is that it’s a total lunatic idea, and there a just enough Democrats who recognize this. You might as well build a high speed rail up the middle of the state. Oh, wait. . . Anyway, expect single-payer to come back...