Tennessee
A conservative case for dedicated wildlife funding in Tenn. | Opinion
Tennessee’s wildlife supports public health, outdoor access and a multi-billion-dollar economy. Relying almost entirely on hunters and anglers to fund it is neither fair nor sustainable.
As a physician, I have spent much of my career focused on prevention. Long before illness requires treatment, the environments we live in shape our physical and mental health. In Tennessee, few environments matter more than our outdoors, and in the outdoors, nothing is more therapeutic than our fish and wildlife.
Public lands, waterways and wildlife are not just recreational assets. They are places where Tennesseans walk, fish, hunt, paddle and spend time with family. Access to these spaces supports physical activity, reduces stress and strengthens mental health. These benefits reach communities across the state and contribute directly to overall public health.
There is also a clear economic and fiscal connection. Outdoor recreation and wildlife-related activity supported by responsible management generate billions of dollars in income each year, support well over 200,000 Tennessee jobs and return nearly $2 billion annually in state and local tax revenue. These jobs span tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, retail and small businesses that rely on well-managed land and water. A healthy environment supports healthy people and a healthy economy. When wildlife management is underfunded, the economic and public health consequences follow.
The consequences of a funding imbalance
Maintaining these benefits requires steady and responsible management. Wildlife populations must be monitored. Habitat must be conserved. Public lands and access points must remain safe and usable. These responsibilities exist regardless of economic cycles or inflation and require consistent funding to be carried out effectively.
Today, the way wildlife management is funded no longer reflects how widely these resources are used. Hunters and anglers currently provide 81 percent of the funding through license fees and federal excise taxes, even though they represent a minority of users. Sportsmen have carried this responsibility for decades and remain deeply committed to conservation. But asking one group to shoulder nearly the entire cost of a public resource that benefits all Tennesseans is neither fair nor sustainable.
This imbalance also places pressure on hunting and fishing access. Relying solely on license fees risks pricing that can discourage participation in activities that promote physical health and connection to our wildlife resources. It also fails to recognize that wildlife management benefits everyone, including families seeking to be active outdoors.
A fiscally responsible path toward sustainability
A dedicated general fund support offers a sustainable approach. It will help safeguard hunting and fishing access, reduce pressure for repeated fee increases and protect one of Tennessee’s most reliable economic engines. Just as importantly, it will provide stability so wildlife management can focus on long-term planning rather than short-term budget constraints.
It is also important to address a common misconception. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has been fiscally disciplined. It is not overspending and has taken concrete steps to manage its budget responsibly. However, sound management alone cannot overcome structural funding challenges.
Over the past four to five years, the situation has been further complicated by more than $18.5 million in mandated expenses imposed without any offsetting revenue. Other state departments faced similar requirements but received general fund support to cover them. Wildlife management did not. Shifting these unrelated costs onto hunters and anglers through higher fees is neither fair nor fiscally sound. Inflation has increased operating costs by more than 30 percent. We have felt the impact on the prices of vehicles, fuel, equipment, materials and maintenance. At the same time, revenues tied largely to license sales have not kept pace.
Dedicated funding represents a fiscally responsible approach. It prioritizes stability over uncertainty, long-term planning over short-term fixes, and shared responsibility over shifting costs from one group to another. It avoids selling public assets or deferring maintenance that only creates larger expenses in the future.
Prevention, stewardship and Tennessee’s future
From a public health perspective, this is also about prevention. Healthy land supports healthy people. Updating how wildlife management is funded reflects Tennessee’s long tradition of stewardship and fiscal discipline while ensuring our communities remain strong, active and resilient for generations to come.
Sen. Bill Frist, M.D., is a nationally recognized heart and lung transplant surgeon and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. He is a founding partner of Frist Cressey Ventures, special partner and chairman of the Executives Council of the health service investment firm Cressey & Company and current chair of the Global Board of The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest conservation organization.
Tennessee
Tennessee Titans’ Star Jeffrey Simmons Addressed Health and Contract Concerns on Wednesday
The Tennessee Titans wrapped up minicamp on Wednesday and will now head for a summer break. Before heading out, several players spoke with the media. Jeffery Simmons was one of those, and the veteran revealed he’d been managing an elbow issue for years before deciding to address it this offseason.
“That’s the reason why I’ve been wearing a brace, you know? Probably, what, two and a half years to where I wasn’t even able to straighten out my right arm,” Simmons said.
“So to just be able to get that cleaned up… I feel good. I don’t think it’s gonna be a big difference from last year because, like I said, it’s already years in the past… I mean, I played with the brace, and [I might] play with the brace this year, who knows? But at the same time… I feel great. My body feels good, I’ll be ready to go. I’m gonna get back to training camp and hopefully this year continue to keep getting better as a player.”
Let that sink in. Simmons just put together the best season of his career while unable to fully straighten his right arm. That’s absurd.
Big Jeff Speaks: Dollars and Cents
Simmons also made it abundantly clear he’s not interested in any noise on the contract front.
“I think the biggest thing is, since I got to Tennessee, this organization has been nothing but good to me. We’ve been on the same page since I got here. So when it comes down to the contract, I [let] everything play out,” Simmons said.
“Since I got here, I don’t think we [missed] a [beat] in the front office. Me and Ms. Amy, everyone been on the same page. And whenever [it’s] time to talk contract… I know my agent… they’re going to work together to make sure it’s done the right way.
That’s a veteran who knows exactly where he stands — and trusts the people around him to handle the business side.
“One thing when it come down to that contract, we know how messy it could get. And that’s not what I’m looking for, especially going on year eight… This organization been nothing but good to me. So I’m not so focused on the contract right now. Like I said, my goal this offseason is, let me go work my tail off and get ready for training camp.”
The Scariest Part for the Rest of the AFC
Here’s where it gets fun. It’s going to be fascinating to watch how defensive guru and new Titans’ head coach Robert Saleh chooses to deploy Simmons — especially alongside his new running mate, John Franklin-Myers, who signed a three-year, $63 million deal in the spring.
Simmons is legitimately one of the best defenders this organization has ever had. In 2025, he racked up a career-high 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 67 tackles. He’s an absolute monster. For his career, he’s now at 42.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles.
Pairing a player at the peak of his powers with a legit interior running mate, under a head coach whose entire reputation is defensive violence? It’s not a stretch of the imagination to now call Jeffery Simmons arguably the best defender in the AFC. And if he played all of last season with one good arm? Look out.
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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says a Kingsport man was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison after an investigation found that he trafficked large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Chattanooga to Sullivan County for distribution.
A release says Aaron Tyshawn Jackson, of Kingsport and formerly of Chattanooga, was sentenced Wednesday to 288 months behind bars by a U.S. District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.
Jackson is set to serve 10 years of supervised release after his prison term.
The release says a federal jury in February convicted Jackson of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
He was also convicted of two other drug-related offenses.
Evidence presented at trial showed Jackson purchased large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Chattanooga for years, and distributed the drugs in Kingsport.
TBI says Jackson was pulled over on October 22nd, 2024, following what they say was a trip to Chattanooga to purchase drugs.
Jackson was in a vehicle with three other people when police attempted to stop the car.
When officers activated their lights and sirens, TBI says Jackson told the driver to “drive,” and a pursuit followed, ending in a crash.
The release says the vehicle reached speeds in excess of 120 mph before the collision.
Authorities said Jackson threw a duffel bag out of the window while fleeing.
The bag contained more than 2.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and 11 ounces of fentanyl.
Agencies involved in the joint investigation included the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Kingsport Police Department, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Chattanooga Police Department, and Etowah Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez and AnCharlene Davis represented the United States.
TBI says the case was part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on illegal immigration enforcement, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime.
Depend on us to keep you informed as we learn more.
The Miss Tennessee Opportunity welcomes contestants, families, alumni, and supporters from across the state to Nashville June 15-20, 2026, for Miss Tennessee Competition Week at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Belmont University. The week will culminate with the crowning of a new Miss Tennessee and Miss Tennessee’s Teen as current titleholders Zoe Scheiderich and Analee Shaver pass on their crowns. The Miss Tennessee Opportunity is the officially licensed state program of the Miss America Opportunity, one of the nation’s leading achievement and scholarship organizations for young women. Click for More Events
Competition week features interviews, rehearsals, preliminary competitions, special events, and scholarship opportunities for talented young women representing communities throughout Tennessee. Throughout the week, attendees will have opportunities to participate in special events and celebrations leading up to the final night of competition. These events include a Red Carpet Gala on Wednesday, June 17 and the Miss Tennessee Par-Tea on Thursday, June 18, both taking place in the lobby of the Fisher Center. Tickets for the competition and official events are available through the Miss Tennessee website at misstennessee.org.
Miss Tennessee 2025 Zoe Scheiderich, a native of Lebanon and student at Middle Tennessee State University, has represented Tennessee with distinction throughout her year of service. At the Miss America Competition, Scheiderich earned recognition as a Top 11 finalist and Preliminary Fitness Award winner while advancing her initiative to empower and equip women and girls. A classically trained dancer and aspiring sports broadcaster, she has earned significant scholarship support through the Miss America Opportunity and has served as an ambassador for the organization across Tennessee.
Joining her on the final night stage will be Miss Tennessee’s Teen 2025 Analee Shaver of Collierville. A student leader, accomplished dancer, and advocate against bullying, Shaver has spent her year promoting her community service initiative, Stand4Me, which encourages students to become advocates for peers experiencing bullying. Through school visits and community appearances, she has championed inclusion, empathy, and kindness among Tennessee’s youth.
The Miss Tennessee competition celebrates its 73rd year this June and is honored to welcome the reigning Miss America and former Belmont student, Cassie Donegan, to join in on the competition week festivities and perform a special showcase of music. Donegan has enjoyed a whirlwind year of appearances and advocacy since being crowned the 98th Miss America last September. She will be a featured guest Wednesday – Friday of competition week.
“We are excited to welcome Tennessee’s outstanding young women and their supporters to Nashville celebrating service, scholarship, style, success, and sisterhood,” said Dr. Colene Trent, CEO and Executive Director of the Miss Tennessee Opportunity. “We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of Zoe and Analee while introducing Tennessee to the reigning Miss America and the next generation of leaders who will represent our state.”
The competition is supported by a robust team of sponsors including The Clothes Tree Nashville, which provides all competition and appearance gowns and clothing for the titleholders and Beaman Toyota, which provides the official Miss Tennessee vehicle. The official transportation partner of the Miss Tennessee Competition is Gray Line Tours. The competition is also grateful for its partnership with the Fisher Center and Belmont University. The new Miss Tennessee will receive a $10,000 scholarship, a year of opportunities and travel throughout the state, and the honor of representing Tennessee in the iconic Miss America Competition in September.
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