Tennessee
Letters: Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn breaks China in ridiculous display of ignorance
Editor’s note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to the bottom to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree. We welcome diverse viewpoints.
Blackburn’s ‘break China’ commercials mystifying
I find Marsha Blackburn’s current ad called “Breaking China” disgusting and racist. As she breaks her dishes, she makes several statements of hate.
First of all, is she talking about Chinese people or the countries of Taiwan or mainland China? Does she know the difference? By the way, Taiwan is an ally of ours, and it produces most of our computer chips.
She says China stole our jobs. Let me remind her that American businesses consciously offshored (not just to one Asian country) their manufacturing, seeking lower wages and less environmental concerns. This move was a strategic move to increase profits regardless of patriotic concerns. So, why is she saying just China?
China turned loose the virus on the USA? Actually, it was the world, but don’t let that get in the way of a political argument. I want proof, which would be impossible because she doesn’t know. Opinion is not fact.
Finally, she says we must break China, the world’s largest goods manufacturer. She makes it sound so simple, but it is a ridiculous statement. Hint: The USA is not the only trading partner between the Chinese. Buy American if you don’t want Chinese goods, and do not add fire to our adversarial relationship.
James Allen, Dickson 37055
Blame USA policy for wanting cheap goods and labor
I have to laugh somewhat when I see Marsha’s political ad on TV lately, smashing plates labeled China. Any fool who knows history of the U.S. knows that the jobs lost have been since the 1970s when the fat cats in business ( especially down south where many jobs went because of lower wages) wanted profits to go higher so sent jobs to Taiwan, Japan, Korea and China.
Union workers lost out to cheap labor. Republicans had been in the leadership in the House and the Senate during some of this time no matter who was president. So, Marsha , look into the mirror for the blame. Enough said!
Richard Smith, Spring Hill 37174
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Tennessee
Remembering one of Middle Tennessee’s largest tornado outbreaks 4 years later
Tennessee
Tracking Music City Bowl opt outs for Tennessee and Illinois
Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:
Tennessee
Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.
Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.
Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.
Illinois
Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.
EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.
Tennessee
More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.
Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:
- Davidson
- Sumner
- Maury
- Rutherford
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Coffee
- DeKalb
- Bedford
- Lawrence
- Putnam
The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.
The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.
Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.
“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.
According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.
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