Tennessee

Editorial Roundup: Tennessee

Published

3 years ago

April 21, 2022

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Kingsport Instances Information. April 15, 2022.

Editorial: Legislators ought to get their info straight

U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Kingsport, together with six different members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation, has despatched a letter to the Veterans Administration complaining that the state’s nationwide cemeteries for veterans are shortly operating out of area.

If a lot of the state’s congressional delegation is worried, one thing have to be finished. Definitely, our federal lawmakers know what they’re speaking about particularly in going public with this allegation. Or do they?

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Our veterans deserve and have earned the precise to be buried in Tennessee’s nationwide cemeteries. How might this be allowed to occur?

Factor is, it hasn’t, says a spokesman for the Veterans Administration.

Please relaxation assured that our veterans cemeteries aren’t operating out of burial area,” says Gary Kunich of the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs.

Harshbarger, together with the opposite U.S. representatives from Tennessee, forwarded their letter to the VA on March 31 and requested that the VA reply by April 30. Kunich mentioned the VA can be “responding to the seven members of Congress shortly.”

Apart from Harshbarger, the opposite members of Congress who signed the letter are U.S. Rep. Mark Inexperienced, U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleicschmann, U.S. Rep. David Kustoff and U.S. Rep. John Rose.

Of their letter, the congressional members say that Tennessee is “dangerously shut” to not having funeral area for veterans. “Of the 5 nationwide cemeteries positioned in Tennessee serving our veteran constituents and their households, solely two at present have burial area accessible and even these restricted areas are quickly operating out,” the letter states.

However Kunich mentioned there are extra than simply 5 cemeteries throughout the state accessible to veterans and one other two which can be accessible simply throughout state strains. Two of 5 nationwide cemeteries in Tennessee are at present open for burials: Chattanooga and the Mountain Residence Nationwide Cemetery in Johnson Metropolis. The opposite three are cremation solely.

There are additionally 4 grant-funded state veterans cemeteries with two positioned in Knoxville. “Each certainly one of Tennessee’s 440,000 veterans dwell inside 75 miles of an open veterans cemetery,” Kunic mentioned.

He mentioned all three of the nationwide cemeteries which can be at present not accessible for burials and are cremation solely even have close by state veterans cemeteries.

It could seem that somebody’s confused, and we don’t consider it’s the VA, which “actively screens the capability of each VA nationwide cemeteries and VA grant-funded state cemeteries,” Kunich mentioned, “and can proceed to fund expansions of those cemeteries.”

We count on our congressional representatives to know what they’re speaking about earlier than they act. However that is one other in a rising variety of examples of that not being the case, and never for simply Tennessee’s representatives.

Johnson Metropolis Press. April 17, 2022.

Editorial: Don’t be distracted by the noise, Tennessee’s felony sleeping legislation is inhumane

The Common Meeting handed a invoice additional criminalizing homelessness this week, however we’ve let one senator’s confounding and abhorrent feedback distract us from the inhumane contents of the invoice.

Whereas lawmakers debated Senate invoice 1610 on Wednesday, Strawberry Plains Republican Sen. Frank Niceley stood earlier than the complete chamber and splattered out a complicated story about Adolf Hitler that gave the impression to be both an expression of admiration for the Nazi dictator or an try to pressure a correlation between him and folks with out properties.

A soundbite of Niceley’s baffling assertion was shortly seized upon by nationwide media shops, and Tennessee’s popularity within the outdoors world as soon as once more acquired one of many beatings our lawmakers and officers appear to attract with nice relish.

No matter his intention, the senator was flawed, however his feedback, regardless of how loathsome, shouldn’t be the primary focus of the dialogue on this invoice.

Now authorised by each the Home and Senate and headed to the governor for his signature, this legislation elevates the crime of sleeping — “tenting” within the authorized language — on native public land to a felony crime and makes sleeping or panhandling at freeway offramps and underpasses a misdemeanor. The legislation expands the scope of a statute enacted two years in the past that made it a felony to sleep with out authorization on state-owned land.

The brand new legislation will make it unlawful for people to be homeless almost in every single place within the state, however it would do nothing to deal with the causes of homelessness.

As an alternative, the brand new onslaught of felony fees and convictions for the crime of illegally sleeping will take away hundreds of individuals’s civil rights and make it much more troublesome for them to safe employment and housing.

In Johnson Metropolis, we’ve already been down this highway.

4 years in the past, underneath the guise of it being just one a part of a complete plan to deal with the complicated social drawback of homelessness, metropolis leaders made “tenting” on public property a neighborhood offense.

To date, all we’ve seen from this complete plan are lots of of tickets written to individuals who can’t afford them, a worsened relationship between indigent people and the police sworn to guard and serve and homeless individuals in our group pushed additional into the shadows and away from the outreach applications that will assist them.

The required act of sleeping ought to by no means be thought-about against the law, however classifying it as a felony is plainly inhumane.

As an alternative of pouring assets into the felony justice system to seek out, cost and incarcerate individuals for sleeping in public, primarily punishing them for current, we needs to be dedicating our efforts to outreach and assist to assist individuals discover and preserve dependable housing and employment.

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Tennessee

Analyst Sends Titans Sam Darnold Warning

Published

2 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Analyst Sends Titans Sam Darnold Warning

The Tennessee Titans are going to need to make a quarterback move this offseason. It’s clear that Will Levis is not ready to be a starter and Mason Rudolph isn’t a starting caliber quarterback either.

With that being said, many have been urging the Titans to make a move for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold has put together a massive season so far with the Vikings and has led the team to a 13-2 record entering Week 17 action. He has looked the part of a legitimate star so far this year.

Even though the numbers look great, one writer thinks that Tennessee should stay away from Darnold.

Sam Phalen of AtoZ Sports has warned the Titans to avoid Darnold “at all costs” this offseason.

“You could probably make compelling arguments for or against all of the quarterbacks on the market. But for me, there’s one option the Titans need to avoid at all costs: Paying Sam Darnold franchise quarterback money in free agency,” Phalen wrote.

His warning makes a lot of sense. Darnold has looked nothing close to being this kind of player with any of the other teams he has played with. He could very well be experiencing a big blowup due to the offense he is in and the weapons he is playing with.

So far this season in 15 games, Darnold has completed 67.2 percent of his pass attempts for 3,776 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He has also picked up 205 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

At just 27 years old, he is still young enough to end up being a franchise quarterback for a team if he keeps playing the way he has shown so far this year with Minnesota.

However, the truth of the matter is that Tennessee does not have a Justin Jefferson for him to throw to. Brian Callahan is a good offensive mind, the Kevin O’Connell’s offensive system fits Darnold perfectly.

There is a very good chance that he could end up falling flat immediately after leaving the Vikings.

That being said, the Titans simply cannot afford to miss on their next quarterback move. Another mistake at the position could lead to yet another all-out rebuild.

Expect to continue hearing Tennessee get linked as a fit for Darnold. Phalen certainly doesn’t think they should pay him big money, but the Titans could feel different.

It’s going to be very interesting to see what the upcoming offseason has in store for Tennessee.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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SEC transfer defender sets visit to Florida State

Published

11 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee transfer defensive lineman Jayson Jenkins set a visit to Florida State, his agents at A&P Sports Agency told CBS Sports. He will head to Tallahassee on Jan. 2.

Jenkins officially entered the transfer portal Thursday after announcing his plans to do so earlier this week. He spent three years with the Volunteers and appeared in all 13 games this past season before hitting the open market.

Jenkins totaled nine tackles in 2024, including four tackles for loss and a sack. That came after six appearances in 2023 with four total tackles as a sophomore. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Jayson Jenkins played high school football at Trenton (N.J.) Notre Dame, where he was. three-star prospect. He was the No. 1,066 overall player and No. 22-ranked player in the state from the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Florida State is once again active in the transfer market as it looks to rebound from a two-win season in 2024. The Seminoles currently have 10 commits from the portal so far this cycle, headlined by former USC wide receiver Duce Robinson – the No. 6 overall player and No. 5-ranked player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. Robinson spent two years with the Trojans, totaling 747 yards and seven touchdowns during that time.

Another notable addition came at quarterback. Former Boston College is also on his way to Tallahassee, reuniting him with Gus Malzahn. The two were together at UCF in 2022, providing familiarity as Malzahn takes over as Florida State’s offensive coordinator.

Castellanos put together a standout 2023 season at Boston College, totaling 2,248 yards and 15 touchdowns in the air while adding 1,113 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. This past year, his numbers dropped following a coaching change and injuries. He threw for 1,366 yards along with a career-high 18 touchdowns in eight games.

FSU’s group of portal additions ranks No. 8, according to the On3 Team Transfer Portal Index. It appears Mike Norvell and Co. aren’t quite done yet, though, as they line up more visits.

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Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Prediction: Odds, Best Bets, Player News, Injuries, & Stats for Week 17

Published

19 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Prediction: Odds, Best Bets, Player News, Injuries, & Stats for Week 17

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Preview:

The 3-12 Tennessee Titans are on a four-game losing streak, but they hope to snap it and avenge their early December loss when they head to Jacksonville to take on the 3-12 Jaguars.

Neither team has met expectations this season. Both have had their share of quarterback inconsistencies and injuries. In the first meeting between the two, only 16 points were scored. The Jaguars won that game, 10-6.

Since Doug Pederson took over as head coach, the Jaguars have beaten the Titans four of the last five times they have played. A win this weekend would make it the Jaguars’ second sweep in the last three seasons.

Despite both teams’ horrid seasons, they should see a little optimism as the season ends. They are both in contention for a top-five draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp actionable insight, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their wagers. So, whether you’re targeting spreads and totals, looking for value in futures markets or circling player props, give their podcast a listen to give you that extra edge.

How to Watch Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars Live on Sunday:

Date: Sunday, December 29th, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Site: TIAA Bank Field
City: Jacksonville, FL
TV/Streaming: CBS

Latest Game Odds for Titans at Jaguars – Week 17:

The latest odds as of Thursday morning courtesy of DraftKings:

Moneyline: Tennessee Titans (-110), Jacksonville Jaguars (-110)
Spread: Titans -1
Total: 39.5

NBC Sports Bet Best Bets:

NBC Sports analyst Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas) recommends betting on Calvin Ridley over 60.5 receiving yards…

Thomas: “The Titans haven’t been the best team through the air. Will Levis has struggled with consistency; he’s thrown 12 interceptions and just 12 touchdowns. However, the Jaguars love giving up big chunk plays to the wide receivers. Only two teams give up more receiving yards to wide receivers: the Vikings and the Lions.

When the two played earlier in the season, Calvin Ridley was targeted 12 times. He was able to haul in seven of those targets but fell short of the 60.5 mark. I think this week is different. He probably sees a few more deep shots with nothing to lose, which he should capitalize on.”

Titans at Jaguars Team Stats, Betting Trends:

The Titans have failed to cover in 6 of their 8 road games this season
The Jaguars have lost 9 of 12 games this season following a defeat
5 of the Titans’ last 7 games (71%) have gone over the Total

Quarterback Matchup for Titans at Jaguars:

Titans: Will Levis – The Will Levis Experiment has not gone as planned for the Titans. He’s yet to make the big leap. This season, his 12 interceptions are more concerning than his lack of big numbers. Ball security should be a point of emphasis in the offseason as he grows to be a better quarterback.
Jaguars: Mac Jones – Jones has been under center with Trevor Lawrence on the IR. The only win he’s had under center this season was against the Titans in Week 14.

Player News & Injuries:

Titans:

K Nick Folk (abdomen) is questionable
RB Tony Pollard (ankle) is questionable
WR Tyler Boyd (foot) is questionable
LB Kenneth Murray Jr is on the IR

Jaguars:

TE Brenton Strange (shoulder) is questionable
DT DaVon Hamilton (illness) is questionable
G Brandon Scherff (knee) is questionable
G Ezra Cleveland (knee) is questionable
OT Walker Little (ankle) is OUT

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