Tennessee
Doctors say ‘mini epidemic’ is possible after measles case confirmed in Middle Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The first measles case of 2025 has been confirmed in the state, and it’s in Middle Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
Health officials said the infected person is recovering in their home, while doctors and people worry about the viral infection spreading.
The measles is an infection some people said they weren’t too surprise was spreading, Breanna Thomas said she almost expected it.
“I’m going to be honest I wasn’t too shocked because a lot of mothers and fathers are very hesitant to vaccinate their children,” Thomas said.
Doctor Joseph Gigante with the Monroe Carole Junior Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt said the spread of measles seemed to be moving fast.
“Unfortunately, the most recent outbreak that started in west Texas has now spread,” Dr. Gigante said.
The Tennessee Department of Health announced a measles case was found in Middle Tennessee in March on Friday.
“This is where you get really worried and really concerned,” Dr. Gigante said.
Tennessee health officials said measles is highly infectious. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes.
Officials said the person in Middle Tennessee was infected in early March, but they’re investigating to find out where or how they got the virus.
“It’s a tragedy, but it’s so easy to prevent measles. The best thing parents could do is to vaccinate your child,” Dr. Gigante said.
Doctors said watch out for symptoms of small bumps, high fever, cough and a runny noise. Measles can also be fatal.
“There could definitely be a mini epidemic here in Tennessee for sure,” Thomas said.
The department reports that there’s an active national measles outbreak with over 300 cases in 11 states, including two deaths.
“I would hope that the cases are quarantined very well and even put in isolation rooms if they do have to go unfortunately to the hospital,” Thomas said.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
$660,000 Daily Tennessee Jackpot winner in La Vergne – WBBJ TV
INCLUDES NEWS RELEASE FROM TENNESSEE EDUCATION LOTTERY
LOTTERY WINNER NEWS
Jan. 11, 2025
$660,000 DAILY TENNESSEE JACKPOT WINNER IN LA VERGNE
LA VERGNE– Congrats to a lucky Daily Tennessee Jackpot player in La Vergne, who won the game’s jackpot of $660,000 from the drawing held last night, Jan. 10.
The winning ticket was sold at Walmart Supercenter, 5511 Murfreesboro Road in La Vergne.
Daily Tennessee Jackpot is a Tennessee-only game with drawings held every day. Tickets are just a dollar per play, and for an extra dollar, players can add Quick Cash for the chance to win up to $500 instantly.
No additional information is available until the prize is claimed.
About the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation operates from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products. Since January 20, 2004, the Lottery has raised more than $8 billion to fund designated education programs, including college grants, scholarships, and K-12 after-school programs. In addition to the educational beneficiaries, players have won more than $22 billion in prizes and Lottery retailers have earned more than $2.1 billion in commissions.
For more Tennessee news stories, click here.
Tennessee
Tennessee mom loses leg in attack by her own pit bull that left limb ‘basically hanging off’
A Tennessee mom was forced to have her leg amputated after her pit bull savagely locked its jaws around the limb, leaving it “hanging on by a thread” as she tried to break up a dogfight inside her home.
Amanda Mears, 42, was preparing to take her mixed American Pit Bull-American Staffordshire, named Dennis, out for a walk when the dog lunged at Ralphie, an American Bully, after he escaped from a bedroom where he had been kept inside her Murfreesboro home, according to The Mirror.
As Mears, a health care worker, tried to intervene in the vicious attack, Dennis clamped onto her left leg and refused to release his grip, prompting her to choke the animal with her other leg to break free.
“When he charged at my other dog, Ralphie, I got in between them, and that’s when Dennis latched on to my leg and would not let go,” she told the outlet of the terrifying Dec. 10 incident.
“I was a bit scared, but I’ve broken up dog fights before, and I didn’t feel any pain because of the adrenaline. I ended up having to hook my right leg and my arms around him and choked him out to get him off me.”
She said the pit bull also bit her left hand and crushed the bone in her right arm — injuries she didn’t even realize she’d suffered amid her chaotic attempt to pry her dog’s jaws loose while also yelling at her 10-year-old son to stay in his room.
Once Mears finally broke free, she was rushed to a Nashville hospital, where her mangled leg was practically “hanging off.” Doctors told her she could either amputate the limb or undergo a series of painful surgeries over the next two years, the outlet reported.
“I wasn’t able to stand up because my leg was basically hanging off,” Mears, who has four dogs and also homes canines abandoned by their previous owners, recalled.
“I decided to have my leg amputated because to save my leg, I’d have had to have 12 more surgeries over the next two years and I would be in constant pain.”
Mears had her leg removed below the knee three days later and underwent surgery on her arms, according to a GoFundMe launched to help with her medical expenses.
She is also expected to be fitted for a prosthetic.
After spending a week in the hospital, the single mom chose to euthanize Dennis to keep her son safe.
“Dennis has always been the sweetest dog; he’d never been aggressive before,” she told the outlet.
“I decided to have Dennis put down, which was hard. He was my best friend, and I raised him from two weeks old. It was a decision that hurt, but it was not a difficult decision.”
Tennessee
Tennessee football beats out Ohio State for a top transfer portal target
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tennessee football beat out Ohio State for transfer edge rusher Chaz Coleman, giving the Vols one of the top players in the portal.
Coleman spent one season at Penn State. With the Nittany Lions, the former four-star prospect collected eight tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble in nine games.
Coleman is a native of Warren, Ohio. His offer sheet out of Harding High School included Ohio State, Missouri, Illinois, Ole Miss and Kentucky, among others.
In Coleman’s lone season at Penn State, the Nittany Lions saw a plethora of change.
Former head coach James Franklin was fired in mid-October after a 3-3 start. After finishing the season with an interim staff, Penn State hired Matt Campbell as its next head coach.
The change in staff also led to the departure of Jim Knowles — Penn State’s defensive coordinator who served in that role at Ohio State from 2022-24. He’s not at Tennessee.
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