Tennessee
Judge declines to halt Tennessee state takeover of majority-Black town’s finances
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee choose has declined to halt the state’s monetary takeover of a majority-Black city close to the positioning of a deliberate Ford pickup truck manufacturing facility.
The ruling Thursday by Nashville Chancellor Anne Martin causes that officers’ issues within the city of Mason are “barely outweighed” by the state’s have to oversee balanced budgets and monetary woes in native governments.
Earlier this yr, Comptroller Jason Mumpower raised eyebrows when he introduced the state would take over monetary supervision of Mason, a city close to the positioning of a future Ford electrical pickup truck manufacturing facility, due to ongoing years of mismanagement. Mumpower made the choice after initially asking Mason’s city leaders to give up their constitution, which they refused to do.
WATCH: Biden touts electrical automobile charging plant to be in-built Tennessee
Days after the takeover was introduced, Mumpower added that the state may reduce its monetary oversight if Mason met sure objectives by this summer time. City leaders sued, searching for to cease the takeover and problem the state’s authorized standing to require that Mason get approval to spend greater than $100.
Because the authorized problem proceeds, the choose additionally wrote that she wants extra details about the claims from Mason’s management that the state is treating the city’s majority-Black leaders otherwise than they’ve prior white directors who have been fighting funds. They allege that the pending Ford plant has sparked additional scrutiny.
Martin wrote that “the allegations are vital and lift critical issues in regards to the Comptroller’s equitable train of his broad authority,” however stated she has not but seen sufficient proof to find out whether or not Mason is being handled otherwise in contrast with equally located native governments.
Martin acknowledged the “harsh realities” on native authorities leaders who “didn’t contribute to the monetary burden of the City,” however stated she additionally should “take note of the state’s curiosity in shifting the City in direction of monetary stability and a balanced finances.”
The state’s attorneys have argued {that a} corrective plan formulated by the comptroller’s workplace will assist Mason lastly steadiness its finances with out having to improperly dip into different funds.
The comptroller praised the choose’s ruling.
“We are going to proceed to work with Mason in order that it could pay again its money owed, function on a balanced finances, and ship well timed monetary statements,” Mumpower stated in an announcement. “The residents and taxpayers of Mason deserve a financially sound authorities that’s arrange for achievement.”
At a listening to final week, an lawyer representing the city argued that whereas the state has beforehand taken over different cities’ funds, it did so with out asking an area jurisdiction to first hand over its constitution. He additionally argued that the state overreached its authority by demanding approval of any expenditures above $100.
The state’s lawyer defended the strict expenditure restrict, saying it was primarily based on “historic information” offered by Mason officers. The choose remarked that $100 is “a small quantity for anybody to run a enterprise.”
READ MORE: Tennessee bans educating important race idea in faculties
Positioned in Tipton County, Mason shouldn’t be removed from the deliberate, $5.6 billion Ford manufacturing facility in neighboring Haywood County. Officers say the plant, which is able to produce electrical pickup vehicles, will enhance West Tennessee’s financial system. Ford plans to make use of about 5,600 employees on the plant, and building of the manufacturing facility will create hundreds extra jobs.
Information of Tennessee’s plan to take over Mason’s funds sparked criticism from most of the state’s Black and Democratic leaders. Republican Gov. Invoice Lee advised reporters final month that he had not spoken to Mumpower in regards to the choice. Nonetheless, his workplace acknowledged in mid-March that “Ford is a bit spun up over this” in an e-mail offered to The Related Press by way of a public information request.
The 2020 census exhibits Mason’s inhabitants as about 1,330. However that fell to lower than 800 after a jail closed not too long ago.
Mason has not submitted its annual audit on time for the reason that 2001 fiscal yr and monetary statements from 2004 to 2016 “have been primarily un-auditable,” the comptroller’s workplace has stated. Finances deficits have mounted, from $126,659 within the 2016 fiscal yr to $481,620 in 2020.
Mason has already voted to make use of about $227,000 of the federal pandemic funds it acquired to pay again a part of the almost $598,000 the city owes its water and sewer funds.
Auburn football flipped three-star defensive tackle Darrion Smith from Tennessee on National Signing Day on Wednesday for the 2025 class.
Smith had been committed to Tennessee since July 30.
The 6-foot-2, 265-pound Smith is a three-star recruit according to 247Sports Composite. A Maryland product, Smith attends St. Frances Academy, with fellow Auburn commits Blake Woodby and Bryce Deas.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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Cade Phillips was 40 feet away from the rim when he pointed at it Tuesday.
The Tennessee basketball forward saw what was going to happen when he was still a long ways off. Guard Zakai Zeigler had the ball on the opposite wing when Phillips pointed. He held his left arm high as Zeigler then tossed a lob from the elbow.
Phillips sailed, snared it with two hands and slammed it. The sophomore played it perfectly — just as he has been doing often this season in his increasingly essential role.
“When Cade checks in, it is just like a boost of energy,” senior guard Chaz Lanier said. “He is super athletic — probably one of the most athletic people I have played with. Just a boost of energy and intensity.”
Phillips is a star as a role player for Tennessee, which was on full display again for No. 3 Tennessee (8-0) as it smashed Syracuse (4-3) by a score of 96-70 on Tuesday at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
How Cade Phillips is starring in his role for Tennessee
Phillips can define the core of his role well.
“I think is is to be as versatile on both ends of the floor as possible,” Phillips said.
There is something to be said for a player who knows his role. There is even more to be said for a player who does it well. Phillips deserves recognition for both during Tennessee’s torrid eight-game start to the season.
“The more and more he is out there … he is feeling more and more at ease doing some things,” Vols coach Rick Barnes said.
Offensively, Phillips maximizes who he is as a 6-foot-9 forward. He runs and cuts hard. He is strong enough now to bump defenders with a hard dribble and score through contact — he did both in his 10-point first half Tuesday. He’s a solid floor-spacer.
On the other end, the Alabama native is a potentially diabolical defender. Barnes has voiced the Vols view Phillips as a Jahmai Mashack-caliber player. In other words, Phillips can guard all five positions on the court but as a forward. That ability comes from athleticism and length.
He rebounds ferociously on both ends and it is an innate skill for him.
But it all comes back to versatility.
“As the season is progressing, I am getting more and more comfortable I feel like,” Phillips said.
What is next for Cade Phillips?
Phillips wasn’t supposed to play last season. He was going to redshirt then the senior pair of Santiago Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James insisted Phillips would help the Vols. He did early as a freshman then his role diminished later in the season.
Vescovi’s reasoning was Phillips was so active he could play immediately. That is what earned Phillips trust. That remains part of the process.
“It gets down to the more consistency you get doing certain things, you earn trust,” Barnes said. “Not only I think with your coaches and your teammates, but most importantly with yourself. You realize I have this down now and I can take another step.
“We have watched Cade do that.”
Phillips is averaging 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game, a stellar stat line as he splits time between UT’s two forward positions. He is tied for the team lead with 20 offensive rebounds, which is more than his 18 defensive rebounds. He has nine blocks and only nine fouls, a great ratio to possess.
Barnes expects that an expanded offensive game is out there for Phillips. That’ll be a process. The immediate focus is handling success well as it keeps coming.
“Cade is going to do everything he can,” Barnes said. “He has got a little bit of a stubborn streak where when he messes up, he wants to come back and fix it right away.”
On second thought, it’s something else — and something central to Phillips perfecting his role as he develops.
“It is probably more of a competitive spirit,” Barnes.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
HARDEMAN COUNTY, Tenn. — A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry.
The event celebrated a new work center to be located at 1865 Fire Tower Road near Henderson.
The facility will serve as the headquarters for all forest management operations at Chickasaw State Forest, as well as landowner assistance programs, vendor services and wildland fire control operations in the region.
It’ll house administrative offices and wildland firefighting equipment storage facilities and provide a meeting space for training, outreach activities, and educational events.
“Our mission at division of forestry is to protect, conserve, enhance Tennessee’s forests and these work centers are just another way that the state is investing in that mission,” said Heather Slayton, Tennessee state forester and assistant commissioner for the Forestry Division.
State and local officials, as well as Smokey Bear, were also on hand to celebrate the groundbreaking of this new facility.
For more Chester County news, click here.
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