NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Vanderbilt University posted the following news release: * * * "Festschrift" honors lifelong scholarship of Lynn Fuchs, renowned special education and psychological sciences scholar * By Jennifer Kiilerich In Germany, a Festschrift-literally "festival writing"-is an academic tribute that honors a scholar through collected works and new research from peers. On April 16-17, Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development hosted a unique event based around this tradition. The gathering honored the more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- A coalition of 57 housing advocacy organizations submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opposing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled "Establishing Flexibility for Implementation of Work Requirements and Term Limits." The coalition and partners argue that the proposal would jeopardize housing stability for millions of HUD-assisted residents, exacerbate homelessness, and impose undue burdens on housing providers. According to the coalition, HUD's proposed rule threatens t more ST

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The American Civil Liberties Union has submitted a series of public comment letters and Freedom of Information Act requests to the U.S. Department of Justice concerning the DOJ's proposed amendments to the rule governing state capital counsel systems certification. The DOJ's Office of Legal Policy and other components, including the Office of the Attorney General, are involved in rulemaking aimed at revising the certification process. The ACLU, through its Capital Punishment Project, emphasizes the importance of preserving more ST

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee, May 4 -- Middle Tennessee State University posted the following news: * * * After 20 years, MTSU student completes degree, earns Cornell MFA acceptance * MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -For more than two decades, Daniel Hartmann carried the weight of a decision he couldn't undo, leaving college just short of finishing his degree. Now, at 45, the Middle Tennessee State University student and longtime craftsman is preparing to graduate on Friday, May 8, at Murphy Center, turning a long-held sense of regret into a renewed sense o more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * AG: $7.4 Billion Opioid Settlement Goes Into Effect * A $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, has taken effect, resolving years of litigation over their role in the opioid crisis and directing funds to states, communities and victims nationwide. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced in a press release, that Tennessee is expected to receive approximately $122.4 million  more PR

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, May 4 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: * * * AI model delivers river temperature insights, strengthening US energy security * Hydrology experts at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used artificial intelligence and a physics-based understanding of streamflow to create a model that provides highly accurate predictions of river temperatures, even in waterways that lack sensors. The method is important to hydropo more PR

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, May 4 -- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center posted the following news: * * * Colleen Hastings, MD, Appointed Chair of Department of Physician Assistant Studies * Colleen Hastings, MD, has been appointed chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Medicine, effective May 1, 2026. Dr. Hastings has led the department as interim chair since January 1, 2025. She assumes the role permanently, after guiding the program with steady leadership a more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Court Releases Regulatory Reform Comments Filed * The Tennessee Supreme Court has released the comments submitted in response to its September 2025 order soliciting feedback on seven potential regulatory reforms, which according to the court, are designed to increase access to legal representation while also ensuring the competency of attorneys and safeguarding the public. The comments have been combined into five s more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Court Seeks Comments on Changes to Pro Bono Emeritus Attorney Program * The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on May 1 seeking comments on proposed amendments to Rule 50A, which governs Tennessee's Pro Bono Emeritus Attorney Program. That program was created to improve access to justice by allowing retired attorneys to provide pro bono services through a sponsoring organization. The amendments were requested b more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Court Seeks Comments on Pro Bono Emeritus Program * The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order on May 1 seeking comments on proposed amendments to Rule 50A, which governs Tennessee's Pro Bono Emeritus Attorney Program. That program was created to improve access to justice by allowing retired attorneys to provide pro bono services through a sponsoring organization. The amendments were requested by the courts' Access more PR

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene on Why GOP is Pursuing Their Corrupt Power Grab: "They're losing across the country, so they want to rig the system." * DelBene also weighs in on Supreme Court's recent decision to gut the Voting Rights Act: "This is judicial overreach and a sad day day for our country" In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling to gut the Voting Rights Act and subsequent moves by Republicans to rig the midterms with new g more PR

DOVER, Delaware, May 5 -- Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings issued the following news release on May 4, 2026: * * * AG Jennings, coalition secure final approval in $700 million Google Settlement over app store monopoly Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings has announced that a federal court will approve a $700 million settlement in a multistate antitrust lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit, first filed in 2021 by a bipartisan group of 52 Attorneys General, challenged Google's control over Android app distribution and in-app payment more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- Edfinancial Services LLC, Knoxville, Tennessee, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid office regarding the development and implementation of a common manual for the Federal Direct Loan Program. The letter outlines suggestions to promote consistency, transparency, and effective servicing and collections processes across all servicers managing federal student loans. Edfinancial emphasized the need for standardization in key servicing areas, beginning with income-driven  more ST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Former TBA President Buck Lewis to Receive 2026 Leech Award * NASHVILLE, May 4, 2026 -The 2026 William M. Leech Jr. Public Service Award will be presented to Memphis attorney and former Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) President George Tolbert "Buck" Lewis next month by the Fellows of the TBA Young Lawyers Division. Named for former Attorney General William M. Leech Jr., the award is given each year to a Tennessee la more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Greater Memphis Housing Justice Project, Tennessee, submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opposing an interim final rule that revokes the 30-day notification requirement prior to lease termination for nonpayment of rent. GMHJP highlighted that the 30-day notice rule requires housing providers to give tenants a full month's notice before eviction for nonpayment and guarantees residents the right to cure outstanding rent arrears. The organization emphasized that this sa more ST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * Lawmakers Try to Fill Hardaway's Seat for Special Session * Lawmakers are seeking to fill the late state Rep. G.A. Hardaway's vacant seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives before the legislature returns for a special session Tuesday, the Daily Memphian reports. Hardaway, D-Memphis, died April 24, but his District 93 seat is not officially vacant unless Gov. Bill Lee issues a writ of election. Under normal ci more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Nashville, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opposing the agency's proposed rule titled Establishing Flexibility for Implementation of Work Requirements and Term Limits. LAS, a nonprofit law firm representing low-income and vulnerable tenants across 48 counties in Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, has called for the withdrawal of the rule, arguing it would harm renters who rely on public and subsidi more ST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 5 -- Lipscomb University issued the following news: * * * Lipscomb University celebrates one of largest graduating classes in school history with over 1,000 May graduates Saturday, May 2 was an exciting day for the Lipscomb University community as degrees were conferred to over 1,000 students, marking the completion of their academic journey across two ceremonies on Saturday, May 2 in front of family, friends, faculty and staff in a packed Allen Arena. The day began with a morning ceremony to celebrate the academic more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 5 -- Lipscomb University issued the following news: * * * Hannah Fritsch's Book House tells the story of how reading opened a world of wonder, possibility Kim Chaudoin At 11 feet tall, Hannah Fritsch's Book House is hard to miss. Built from wood, thousands of pages and about 900 books once destined for a landfill, the structure rises inside the atrium of Lipscomb University's Beaman Library. Visitors can walk inside it and take in a world made almost entirely from the written word. There are walls covered in page more PR

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Tennessee Technological University issued the following news release: * * * Local family makes transformational gift to support student success at Tennessee Tech College of Business * A generous gift from a family of longtime Tennessee Tech University supporters will expand opportunities for students to develop professional skills needed for career success. Thomas Lynn, a two-time Tech graduate and member of the university's Board of Trustees, along with his wife, Kay, his sister, Pam Coonce, and her husban more PR

NEW YORK, May 2 -- The Manhattan Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on May 1, 2026, by fellow Danyela Souza Egorov to the Daily Wire: * * * Schools Received More Money Than Ever. Parents Aren't Seeing The Results. Test scores and enrollment are falling, but schools keep hiring staff. * American K-12 public education spending reached $1 trillion for the first time in 2024. But what are students getting for that money? While spending grew by 56% since 2013, reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Educatio more PR

STARKVILLE, Mississippi, May 4 -- Mississippi State University posted the following news: * * * MSU's Rovey named NOAA Hollings Scholar * An aspiring coastal ecologist is Mississippi State's latest Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship recipient, a prestigious award given by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration providing financial support and practical experience to select undergraduates.  Leah Rovey, a junior wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture major from Franklin, Tennessee, will receive almost $10,000 for two years of full-time more PR

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee, May 4 -- Middle Tennessee State University posted the following news: * * * MTSU students earn top honors, highlight strength of Japanese program * MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -Students from Middle Tennessee State University earned top honors at this year's Tennessee Japanese Video Skit and Presentation Contest, with awards recently presented during the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival. Five students received recognition in the regional competition, which draws participants from across Tennessee. The contest challenges s more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The National Health Care for the Homeless Council has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expressing opposition to a proposed rule which would establish work requirements and term limits in HUD-assisted housing. NHCHC represents Health Care for the Homeless health centers, medical respite programs, and other organizations providing healthcare services to people experiencing homelessness across the country. The organization cautions that the proposed rule would severely  more ST

WASHINGTON, May 4 [Category: Political] -- The Independent Women's Forum posted issued the following news release: * * * National Small Business Week: Lawmakers Must Protect Small Businesses and Cut Through the Red Tape * To kick off National Small Business Week, Independent Women is celebrating the entrepreneurs and small business owners powering America's economy and welcoming a long-overdue shift in federal labor policy that restores clarity and protects freelance freedom.  Patrice Onwuka, vice president for economic policy, said: "Pa more PR

CLARKSVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Austin Peay State University posted the following news: * * * Night of Honor celebrates APSU business students' academic achievements * Awards and medals are displayed at the APSU College of Business' annual Night of Honor, celebrating student excellence. | Photo by Robyn Jacobs CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The College of Business at Austin Peay State University hosted its annual Night of Honor on April 23 to recognize student accomplishments for the 2025-26 academic year. The event celebrates student excellence more PR

FRANKFORT, Kentucky, May 4 -- Kentucky State University issued the following news: * * * Oak Ridge visit gives Kentucky State students firsthand look at advanced scientific research and instrumentation * Thirty participants toured national laboratory facilities tied to supercomputing, neutron science, advanced manufacturing, and transportation innovation FRANKFORT, Ky. -A recent spring visit to Oak Ridge National Laboratory turned classroom concepts into a firsthand look at some of the nation's most advanced scientific research for Kentu more PR

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, May 5 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on May 4, 2026: * * * Drummond urges CFTC to recognize state authority over sports gambling on prediction market platforms Attorney General Gentner Drummond is urging federal regulators to reaffirm that jurisdiction over sports-related prediction markets belongs to States. Drummond and 40 other state attorneys filed a formal comment Thursday with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), arguing that prediction markets effe more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Vanderbilt Law School posted the following news: * * * Property Insurers Are Inflating Premiums for Consumers and Businesses by $150 Billion, New VPA Reports Show * Property insurance premiums are growing rapidly, now exceeding $1 trillion every year. Climate change is part of that story, increasing the cost of homeowners insurance to cover increasing natural disaster damage. But a new white paper and academic article released by the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator ( VPA ) show that insurers are inflating prices more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * TBA to Host 'Real Estate Essentials 2026' June 3 * The TBA will host its annual Real Estate Essentials program virtually on June 3 from noon to 3:15 p.m. CDT, offering an introductory overview of key topics in real estate law. The program will cover the fundamentals of commercial real estate in its first session, followed by a discussion of FIRPTA, FinCEN and cash reporting requirements. The course will feature pres more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Radiological Health Director Beth Shelton submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission addressing proposed amendments to 10 CFR Part 37 concerning the physical protection of Category 1 and Category 2 quantities of radioactive material. The letter conveyed TDEC's support for certain proposed changes while opposing others, emphasizing concerns regarding security and safety impacts. TDEC expressed support for the removal of the more ST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 5 -- Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions issued the following news on May 4, 2026: * * * Greg Gonzales reselected to the FFIEC's SLC The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) today announced the reselection of Greg Gonzales to the FFIEC's State Liaison Committee (SLC) for the term that runs from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2028. This is Gonzales's second consecutive two-year term, and he previously served on the SLC as the CSBS-designated member from 2016 to 2021 and served as SLC more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Vanderbilt Law School posted the following news: * * * The EELU 2026 State of the Environment Conference * The Fourth-Annual State of the Environment Conference, held by the Vanderbilt Law School's Energy, Environment, and Land Use ( EELU ) Program, took place on January 21 at Vanderbilt Law School. Faculty, policymakers, and experts discussed major environmental issues in the Southeast. Supported by the Sally Shallenberger Brown Program Fund, the conference consisted of five panels, followed by a networking r more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 -- Vanderbilt University posted the following news release: * * * The Moral Reckoning of AI * As artificial intelligence gets woven into the fabric of everyday life, the human implications of AI demand thoughtful leadership. Vanderbilt is working to ensure that ethics-not just innovation-drive its future. Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract frontier. Generative AI is reshaping the most human parts of our lives in ways both subtle and profound. A chatbot can mimic a comforting emotional exchange.  more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 5 -- Trevecca Nazarene University issued the following news: * * * Trevecca Partners with State to Offer Certificate Program as Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers Trevecca is helping expand support for educators across the state through a new professional development opportunity that's offered to teachers at no cost. In partnership with the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, the Academic and Behavioral Learning Certificate (ABLC) program equips teachers with practical, research-based and  more PR

WASHINGTON, May 5 -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development released the following testimony by Brandon M. Williams, under secretary of Energy for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, from an April 29, 2026, hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget request: * * * Chairman Kennedy, Ranking Member Murray, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Request for the United States Department of Energy's more PR

PENSACOLA, Florida, May 5 -- The University of West Florida, a component of public state university system in Florida, issued the following news release: * * * UWF IDT students earn top honors at ISPI Case Study Competition Two teams from the University of West Florida's Department of Instructional Design and Technology, housed in the School of Education, earned top honors in the 2026 International Society for Performance Improvement Case Study Student Competition in Nashville, Tennessee, placing first and third. This is the second year in a more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 5 -- Vanderbilt University School of Engineering issued the following news: * * * Biomedical engineering grad student receives awards to advance epilepsy research Ghassan Makhoul, a biomedical engineering graduate student at Vanderbilt, has received a prestigious grant - as well as three other awards - to advance his research in the study of epilepsy. The F31 grant provides predoctoral students with mentored research training to support dissertation research and career development in health-related fields. Makhoul  more PR

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, May 4 -- Western Kentucky University posted the following news: * * * WKU Libraries Recognizes 2026-2027 Connie Foster Student Scholarship Recipients * This year, WKU Libraries recognizes Skylar Vacanti and Taylor Niggl as recipients of the 2026-2027 Connie Foster Student Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes student library employees who demonstrate exceptional dedication to their academic pursuits while contributing meaningfully to the mission of Western Kentucky University. Established in 2017, the award hono more PR

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, May 4 [Category: Law/Legal] -- The Tennessee Bar Association posted the following commentary blog: * * * YLD to Swear In New President, Present Awards at TBA Convention * Young lawyers should make plans now to connect with colleagues during the 2026 Annual Convention, set for June 10-13 at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Knoxville. The TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) will hold events throughout the week, including the swearing-in of incoming president Jennifer Sneed-Perry and the presentation of annual awards by current pre more PR