The Department of Justice began releasing thousands of records Friday related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but questions remained over whether officials will meet the requirements of a law overwhelmingly backed by both Republicans and Democrats and signed by President Donald Trump.

I am so freaking proud of this series! cc: @wpln.bsky.social and @tennesseelookout.com.

Since Trump returned to office, the Education Department’s civil rights office has not resolved a single racial harassment investigation. NOT ONE. It sends a message that “people impacted by racial discrimination … don’t matter,” one attorney said.

Gov. Bill Lee declined to comment about the late Charlie Kirk’s inflammatory statements this week but said he “broadly” supports Turning Point USA's --the organization founded by Kirk -- efforts to bring about “civil discourse” in schools.

The U.S. Senate confirmed four Trump nominees to the Tennessee Valley Board of Directors Wednesday night but left out Nashville car magnate and political donor Lee Beaman.

Look for members of the Tennessee National Guard to remain in Memphis at least until March 5, when the Tennessee Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in state’s appeal of a Nashville judge’s decision to temporarily block the Guard’s deployment to Memphis.

Calculating the debt: After nationwide protests over racial injustice in 2020, the Tennessee Legislature formed a committee to ask the question: How much do we owe Tennessee State University? From @tennesseelookout.com / @wpln.bsky.social tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/18/h...

A South Korea metals company will invest $6.6 billion to build a minerals refinery on the site of a shuttered mine in Smith County, marking the largest single economic investment in Tennessee history, Gov. Bill Lee announced this week. From @anitawadhwani.bsky.social.

The City of Martin’s Finance Committee met Monday for the first time in several months, weeks after former Mayor Randy Brundige and the city's economic development head were indicted for misuse of public funds. From @cstephenson.bsky.social.

Commentary: A year ago, Memphis Mayor Paul Young announced the creation of task force focused on policing and public safety, but no results or findings have been publicized, even as federal and local agencies tell Memphians they are more safe. From columnist Rev. Earle Fisher.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has agreed to hear the state’s appeal of a Nashville judge’s decision to temporarily block the Tennessee National Guard’s deployment to Memphis. Oral arguments are set for March 5. From @anitawadhwani.bsky.social.

Korea Zinc will partner with the federal government in a joint venture that federal officials say aligns with the Trump administration’s goals to limit reliance on China for minerals critical to U.S. semiconductor, artificial intelligence, aerospace and defense industries.

Historically Black colleges and universities like Tennessee State University have been poorly funded by state governments since the Jim Crow era. We attempted to calculate how much TSU has been shorted. @tennesseelookout.com and @wpln.bluesky.social.

Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles calls for deportation of immigrants who don't come from "compatible nations," "worship our god" and "fit the mold" of his vision for America www.tennessean.com/story/news/p...

I just heard a singer at the Preds sing three country songs in a row and they were indistinguishable from each other. #IHateCountryMusic

John Cole's Tennessee: A very Memphis Christmas carol. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris told the Lookout he gets daily reports of arrests made by a federal law enforcement task force, but is afraid to share the information for fear of retaliation from the Trump administration.

In Part 3 of The Debt: Nashville state Rep. Harold Love, Jr. talks about digging through his late father’s documents to determine how much money Tennessee owed historically Black Tennessee State University. A series from @tennesseelookout.com and @wpln.bsky.social.

An audit conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller found in northeast Tennessee, children spent an average of 18 days housed in government offices during the same six-month period. One child spent 104 days in an office.

“BlueOval City will be a key part of the Ford truck family, and we’re looking forward to hiring thousands of employees at the Tennessee Truck Plant. Ford has a bright future in Tennessee – and we can’t wait to get going,” Bryce Currie, Ford’s chief manufacturing officer, said in a statement.

Tennessee farmers and forest owners who suffered agricultural losses due to Hurricane Helene will receive $38.1 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The funding will cover infrastructure and timber losses, future economic losses and market losses. @cstephenson.bsky.social.

This growing season ends with unsold harvests and financial losses for soybean farmers after China stopped purchasing U.S. soybeans during tariff negotiations. Story via @investigatemidwest.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com and @buffalosfire.bsky.social

Rep. Harold Love, Jr., a Nashville Democrat, found himself turning to research conducted by his father — the late Rep. Harold Love, Sr. — to find how much money the state owed Tennessee State University. His findings stunned him. From @Tennesseelookout.com and @wpln.bsky.social, Part 3 of The Debt.

The Debt tells the story of the 40-year-long legal case over equitable funding for Tennessee State University, Tennessee’s only public historically Black university. From @tennesseelookout.com / @wpln.bluesky.social

A shutdown-delayed jobs report released Dec. 16 showed an increase of 64,000 jobs in November, rebounding from a large loss of 105,000 jobs in October. Unemployment ticked higher to 4.6%, the highest since September 2021. By @timhenderson.bsky.social @stateline.org

Commissioner Margie Quin says Tennessee's Department of Children's Services has improved and that may be true, but still kids -- and staff members who must be with them -- are sleeping in temporary housing, including on office floors.

An audit by the Tennessee Comptroller outlines new and persistent failures in caring for abused and neglected children taken into custody by the Department of Children’s Services, including kids still sleeping on the floors of state office buildings, reports @[email protected].

Not enough tampons. Not enough pads. Incarcerated women often don’t have enough period products. Some states are doing something about it. Important reporting from @amandavhernan.bsky.social and @stateline.org stateline.org/2025/12/17/i...

U.S. senators left a closed-door meeting Tuesday with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio split over the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug-running vessels near Venezuela. From @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

HOW TO GET A TAXPAYER-FUNDED XMAS DINNER: White supremacist Sean Kauffmann was being taken into custody until he could post a higher bond on a DV charge. Then he shot a bird at NC5’s cam, landing himself 10 days in jail for contempt and getting his bond revoked. 🎥: Bryan Staples

After spending 20 years covering the Arkansas Capitol for The Associated Press, Andrew DeMillo is taking over as editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Advocate this week. #arpx

In The Debt, Part 2: a 1984 court ruling was supposed to equalize funding for Tennessee State University, the state's only public HBCU-- but only if the school became "less Black." From Emily Siner and Camellia Burrus for @tennesseelookout.com & @wpln.bsky.social.

Tennessee farmers and forest owners who suffered agricultural losses due to Hurricane Helene will receive $38.1 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reports @cstephenson.bsky.social.

I like being busy and when not suitably occupied, I become like an impish and destructive gremlin. Having said that, it's the week before Christmas and for God's sake can the news news at a slightly slower pace?

When Ford BlueOval City was approved with nearly $1 billion of state financial incentives, it was slated to be producing electric vehicles by 2025. Now, it's gas vehicles in 2029.

Just in from @cstephenson.bsky.social: On Monday, Ford Motor Company announced it is scrapping plans to manufacture a next-generation electric pickup truck at BlueOval City in West Tennessee, looking instead to gas-powered pickup trucks with more stable paths to profit.

My latest #AngryGrandmother for the @tennesseelookout.com and @jhollymc.bsky.social

Every generation has fought for Tennessee State University to receive fair funding. The Debt asks the question: What would it mean for Tennessee to finally settle its debt with its only public HBCU? From @TennesseeLookout.com / @WPLN.bsky.social:

Underrated scoop from @anitawadhwani.bsky.social . This data would provide so much insight into the day-to-day operations of this expansive, expensive federal initiative. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said he cannot share this data with the public, because he may end up being punished by Trump.

When I open J. Holly McCall's 24-Hour Gym for People Who Lift Heavy and Love Sweat, I'm putting timers on the machines: loaf for more than 2 minutes and an alarm goes off before one of the retired Marine DIs I hire flips you ass over teakettle off that seat so someone else can use the equipment.

U.S. House Republicans released a health care bill Friday evening they hope will help curb rising costs, though the measure doesn’t have the level of Democratic support needed to get through the Senate. From @jennifershutt.bsky.social.

What does Tennessee owe its only public historically Black university? A special series rolling out this week, The Debt unpacks the legal case that changed higher education in the state, with continuing ramifications for Tennessee State University. From @tennesseelookout.com, @wpln.bsky.social.

New York Young Republican Club gala draws white nationalist, far-right Germans - and Tennessee’s Andy Ogles politi.co/4pG0rzf

Support local news whenever you can. If you live (or are just interested) in Tennessee, the @tennesseelookout.com is a great outlet to support and follow.

The @tennesseelookout.com is in end of year fundraising mode and I love donations like the $10 I got today -- from my college best friend, Mark's, brother. We re-met this year, 39 years after I last saw him as an 11-year-old at Mark's funeral. We'd love your $10, too. tennesseelookout.com/donate/

What does Tennessee owe its only public historically Black university? A special series rolling out this week, The Debt unpacks the legal case that changed higher education in the state. From @tennesseelookout.com and @wpln.bsky.social tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/15/t...

"In a corner conference room, it was time to party. They traded congratulatory speeches and cut into a sheet cake."

Emily Siner came to me a year ago with this idea: What if we take an in depth look at the Geier v. Tennessee case over TSU funding? A great idea, since the Tennessee legislature continues its involvement in the only public HBCU in the state. This is part one of four.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said all Memphis Safe Task Force arrest information, including names, mugshots and charges, is compiled and provided to his office daily by federal officials, but he could not share it. From @anitawadhwani.bsky.social.

It was supposed to be a joyful event. But a Christmas tree and menorah lighting scheduled for late Sunday afternoon at Lippitt Memorial Park was turned into a vigil for the victims of Saturday’s shooting at Brown University. From @rhodeislandcurrent.com.