Tennessee
Could passenger rail return to Tennessee soon? We asked state leaders
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Back in the 1970s, Nashville residents could walk down to Union Station and hop on an Amtrak line that ran all the way down to Florida. These days, if you’d like to travel by train, you’ll have to drive out to West Tennessee and hop on the Amtrak line that stops in Dyersburg or Memphis.
But could access to passenger rail soon be changing in Tennessee?
On Thursday, the Tennessee Senate passed a bill requiring TDOT to submit a yearly report to the legislature on the state of passenger and freight rail efforts. Two years ago, the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations performed a study on expanding rail access.
With all of these studies, NewsChannel 5 decided to ask state leaders if there’s any interest in actually moving forward with plans.
State leaders weigh in
“Well I think in certain areas, it could be beneficial,” said Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, a Republican from Oak Ridge.
“Always feasible to look at what the cost is,” said Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, a Republican from Crossville.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth expressed mild interest before changing the topic to potholes.
“We’ve got some severe damage from this winter. And so I think it’s fine to look at light rail and everything else, but I want to make sure TDOT’s stays laser-focused on getting our roads back up to the high quality we’re used to,” said Lamberth, a Republican from Portland.
Gov. Bill Lee showed a little more skepticism.
“I think it kind of depends on what these studies reveal, right? There have been studies. They’re inconclusive,” said Gov. Lee. a Republican from Williamson County. “I think the answer to that is yet to be determined.”
TDOT is standing by
It certainly doesn’t sound like anything is imminent.
Still, Rebekah Hammonds, a spokesperson for TDOT, says the department is doing a few things in case the urgency changes.
Hammonds tells NewsChannel 5 that TDOT is in active conversations with stakeholders, federal partners and neighboring states to explore future opportunities. Also, TDOT is a participant in a Federal Railroad Administration grant to study passenger rail from Atlanta to Chattanooga and Nashville to Memphis. She says the department is also looking at internal operations regarding rail, and comparing them to other states.
Essentially, if lawmakers want to get moving on rail, Hammonds says the department wants to be ready.
Appetite for alternatives
Even though leaders may not be ready, just yet, to barrel down the tracks, they also admit there’s an appetite for alternative options.
“There’s never a problem with looking at and trying to determine what the options should be for the future, as we are experiencing more growth than we ever have in our state’s history,” said Speaker Sexton.
“I think over the years we’re going to see increased interest in being able to move people from one state to another, in more efficient ways than we do now,” said Gov. Lee.
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I have two boys in elementary school, so as the school voucher debate takes center stage again – I wanted to really understand this issue. Arizona started its school voucher program 13 years ago and is the first state in the nation to offer universal school vouchers. That’s what Governor Lee is proposing in two years. I leaned on the expertise of an investigative reporter in Arizona – and she came through with facts, figures and plenty of insight. This reporting gave me a lot to think about as a mom and a taxpayer. I think it will for you too.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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