Tennessee
Tennessee spent only 10% of American Rescue Plan allotment. Use it or lose it by Dec. 31
Now is the time for the governor and the state legislature to use the money they have to make things better for working families.
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STAFF VIDEO, USA TODAY
President Ronald Reagan loved to say that the nine most terrible words in the English language were, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
The American Rescue Plan Act, enacted three years ago in March, proves Reagan wrong: Government action − when timely, targeted, and sufficient in size − can make all the difference for people across the country. It’s a model we’d do well to follow in future crises. It’s also a model that Tennessee seems to have ignored, to the disadvantage of the state’s working families.
One of ARPA’s key elements was sending $350 billion directly to state and local governments with few strings attached. These State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) were designed to tackle the myriad ills plaguing communities in the wake of COVID, and it did its job.
Here’s how other states are using their ARPA funds
Typically when the federal government gives cash to state and local governments, it’s for specific uses at specific times − so many dollars for fixing roads, or buying new fire trucks, or securing our elections, that sort of thing.
But when President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, his team knew that if ARPA tried to micromanage how state governments spent the money, it would have missed the mark. Instead, SLFRF could be used for effectively anything responding to the pandemic or the economic impact of the pandemic such as making up lost government revenue, hero pay for frontline workers, or infrastructure spending, whatever the state thinks is best.
Some states have used their funds in inventive and helpful ways. Minnesota allocated $500 million in “hero pay” for frontline workers. Connecticut announced a plan to pay off the medical debts of thousands of families with fiscal recovery funds. Other states used the money to rebuild public services, which had never fully recovered from budget-cutting that many states adopted in the decade following the Great Recession.
States closer to Tennessee have also used these funds to strengthen their economies and rebuild public services. Kentucky spent $168 million to repair and renovate school buildings. North Carolina spent almost $500 million in grants to businesses to help recover from COVID. Georgia spent $1 billion of ARPA money in 2022 to give cash assistance to poor families.
Nearly 90% of Tennessee funds have not been spent yet
And Tennessee? Tennessee has barely touched the money. According to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of the Treasury,
Tennessee has spent just 10.5% of the $3.7 billion it received in fiscal recovery funds in 2021. While other states have rebuilt infrastructure and supported working families, Tennessee has done almost nothing.
More: Nashville OKs use of COVID-19 relief funds to stabilize rocky Fisk University finances
While the state rolled out an ambitious plan for using the money, very few of those paper plans have been approved by the legislature, and even less money has gone out the door. $500 million was allocated for broadband, but only $44.6 million has been spent. $1.3 billion was budgeted for wastewater infrastructure – just $36 million has been spent. $15 million was earmarked for Habitat for Humanity to support low-income housing, but none of those funds have yet been appropriated by the legislature.
It’s an open question whether they ever will. Tennessee only has until Dec. 31 to formally obligate the funds, or it loses them forever. Now is the time for the governor and the state legislature to use the money they have to make things better for working families. If they don’t, they will have wasted a once-in-a-generation chance to do good.
Dave Kamper is senior state policy strategist for the Economic Policy Institute.
CHICAGO − Iowa State’s star forward Joshua Jefferson is questionable against Tennessee basketball according to the NCAA player availability report released at 6:32 p.m.
The No. 6 Vols (24-11) and No. 2 Cyclones (29-7) play in the Men’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 at the United Center on March 27 (10:10 p.m. ET, TBS).
Jefferson sprained his ankle in the opening minutes of Iowa State’s first-round game against Tennessee State. He sat for the remainder of the game and missed the Cyclones’ win over Kentucky on March 22. Iowa State didn’t need the All-Big 12 forward as it generated 20 Wildcat turnovers in its 19-point victory.
Senior Nate Heise started in place of the 6-foot-9 Jefferson. He had 12 points against Kentucky, but senior Tamin Lipsey stepped up with a season-high 26 points and 10 assists.
Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.6 steals and shot 47.1% from the field.
Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com
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Tennessee
What channel is Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game
Vanderbilt baseball is back home in SEC play against Tennessee, beginning on March 27 at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores (14-12, 2-4 SEC) were swept at Mississippi State last weekend to fall below .500 early in league play.
Tennessee (18-7, 3-3) lost the Friday opener to Missouri last weekend, then rebounded with two wins to take the series.
Here’s how you can watch Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee:
Vanderbilt baseball vs Tennessee on March 27 will be televised on SEC Network.
- Game 1 start time: 7 p.m on March 27, ESPNU
- Game 2 start time: 1 p.m. on March 28, SEC Network
- Game 3 start time: 11 a.m on March 29, ESPN2
- Feb. 13: vs. TCU in Arlington, Texas, L 5-4
- Feb. 14: vs. Texas Tech in Arlington, Texas, W 13-3 (8 innings)
- Feb. 15: vs. Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas, L 11-1 (8 innings)
- Feb. 17: Eastern Michigan, W 13-2 (7 innings)
- Feb. 18: Eastern Michigan, W 16-2 (8 innings)
- Feb. 20: Marist, W 16-5 (8 innings)
- Feb. 21: Marist, W 12-1 (7 innings)
- Feb. 22: Marist, W 8-1
- Feb. 24: Evansville, W 15-3 (7 innings)
- Feb. 27: vs. UC Irvine in Las Vegas, L 9-4
- Feb. 28: vs. Arizona State in Las Vegas, L 5-1
- March 1: vs. Oregon in Las Vegas, L 6-4
- March 3: Central Arkansas, L 5-4
- March 4: Troy, W 4-1
- March 6: North Dakota State, W 14-2 (7 innings)
- March 7: North Dakota State, W 10-0 (8 innings)
- March 8: North Dakota State, L 5-2
- March 10: Indiana State, W 14-6
- March 13: LSU, W 13-12
- March 14: LSU, W 11-3
- March 15: LSU, L 16-9
- March 17: Indiana, L 5-1
- March 20: at Mississippi State, L 4-2
- March 21: at Mississippi State, L 7-2
- March 22: at Mississippi State, L 17-7 (7)
- March 24: Tennessee Tech, W 15-5 (8)
- March 27: Tennessee, 7 p.m on ESPNU
- March 28: Tennessee, 1 p.m on SEC Network
- March 29: Tennessee, 11 a.m on ESPN2
- March 31: Belmont
- April 2-4: at Texas A&M
- April 7: EKU
- April 9-11: Oklahoma
- April 14: Lipscomb
- April 17-19: Kentucky
- April 21: Xavier
- April 24-26: Texas
- April 28: MTSU
- April 30-May 2: at Alabama
- May 5: Louisville
- May 8-10: at Missouri
- May 14-16: South Carolina
CHICAGO – As Tennessee basketball’s newest Sweet 16 team was on the court at the United Center, prepping for Iowa State, the best pure shooter in the building sat on the side in a hoodie.
Chris Lofton, as always, was looking for his shot.
“I’m ready to shoot now, you know?” he said with a laugh. “When they start stretching, I’ll get a shot up or two for sure. I tell Mike (Keith) all the time, ‘If we go to the gym and there’s a basketball, I have to shoot it.’ That’s just a rule. I’ve got to shoot at least once.”
Though his last professional basketball game was in 2019, Lofton still gets on the court occasionally, and when he does, he can still shoot it.
Tennessee star freshman Nate Ament can confirm. He’s seen it.
“Really good,” Ament said of Lofton. “Even now.”
He’s a radio guy now, though.
Lofton is finishing a season back in Knoxville as part of the newly built Vol Network crew for men’s basketball games. He has been working with new play-by-play man Mike Keith, the former voice of the Tennessee Titans, among those tasked with replacing longtime Vols duo of Bob Kesling and Bert Bertelkamp.
“Mike has been great,” Lofton said, “teaching me a lot. I’m learning so much. It’s been fun just to be back around Tennessee basketball as much as I’ve been this year. I’m VFL. I bleed orange. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
In a game of horse, I’d still take Lofton against anyone. Vols fans old enough to remember watching him play for Tennessee (2004-08), I’d imagine many of y’all would, too.
This guy is a myth, a Tennessee legend. Unforgettable because of magical moments during games as “the best bad-shot-maker I’ve ever coached,” said former Vols coach Bruce Pearl, and because of his inspirational personal story. The circumstances of Lofton’s final UT season, during which he played through a secret cancer diagnosis, comprised a recent ESPN documentary.
The old heads know. And I’ve got something to make those old heads feel a bit older:
Lofton is about to turn 40.
The last day of his 30s, in fact, was practice day at the United Center on the eve of 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament regional games there. He’ll celebrate while working. Lofton’s 40th birthday will be March 27, same day that Tennessee faces Iowa State in the Sweet 16.
“I’m telling you,” Lofton said, “it goes by fast.”
The opportunity “came out of nowhere,” said Lofton. He’d been through the NBA’s coaching program a couple of years ago, and he was close to landing a scouting job with the Boston Celtics last year.
Lofton hadn’t envisioned a detour through media until he got the call in October – and he recoiled initially. “I’ll get back to you,” Lofton told them at the time, all the while thinking, “Talking on the radio? That’s not me.”
But Lofton thought more about it, figuring “Why not? What else do I have to do?” Since then, Lofton has thrown himself into the role.
“Just like he was as a basketball player,” Keith said, “he wants to be good at it.”
This season’s Vol Network hoops team included Keith, Lofton, former UT player Steve Hamer and John Wilkerson, the play-by-play man for Vols baseball.
Since baseball season started for Wilkerson, Lofton has consistently been a part of Tennessee’s broadcasts despite jumping in short-notice to a new career path with no previous experience.
“What Chris has done has been amazing,” Keith said. “Nothing short of amazing, considering his background in (radio) – which was non-existent – his sort of knowledge of how it works and his interest in it before he was contacted in October. …
“If you listen to him from a broadcast in November or December to now, it’s a totally different guy.”
Keith added that “it’s going to be off the charts” for Lofton in Year 2, given how much he has improved.
All Lofton has decided for his post-playing future is that wants to stay in basketball. He hasn’t ruled out a career in coaching or scouting.
But he does love what he’s doing now, he said.
“I open to whatever, honestly,” Lofton said. “I love what I do now. I would love to be more involved on the court, for sure, but it might just be here (on radio).”
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
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