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Inside Politics

This is how Fielding Rolston led during a crisis

In 2007, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce began a national effort to use data to determine which states were leading in educational performance and which states were falling behind. The resulting report ranked states on nine indicators, including "Truth in Advertising." Tennessee got an "F."

Oct 3, 2019 at 3:05 PM
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U.S. Rep. Phil Roe

Roe: Impeachment inquiry is 'a lot of something about nothing'

U.S. Rep. Phil Roe says he had read the transcript of Trump's telephone conversation with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine that got an impeachment inquiry rolling.

Sep 28, 2019 at 5:45 PM
eboard

Editorial: If the BMA wants to stand alone, it needs a plan

Make no mistake about it, some members of the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen don’t like the Appalachian Highlands name. They recently vocalized that sentiment in crystal clear fashion.

Sep 28, 2019 at 2:03 PM
eboard

Editorial: Sullivan County Commission antics an embarrassment

“Attempted coup” conjures visions of failure. Perhaps that’s why some bristled at that two-word term after we used it to describe antics at the Sullivan County Commission meeting last week.

Sep 25, 2019 at 2:00 PM
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Iraqi President Barham Salih at the Lotte New York Palace hotel during the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
AssociatedPress

Trump tweets with fury, says impeachment push helps him

The product of Trump's norm-breaking presidency and Democrats' lingering anger over the outcome of the 2016 election, the impeachment inquiry has largely been welcomed by the Republican president's advisers, who believe it could backfire against Democrats. 

Sep 25, 2019 at 8:53 AM
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, center, talks to state Rep. Timothy Hill, R-Blountville, at Thursday night's Hawkins County Republican Party Reagan Day dinner as First Lady Maria Lee observes. Lee is attempting to change TennCare, the state's Medicaid program to block grant funding.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee

Will Gov. Lee's plan to change TennCare work?

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s plan to reinvent TennCare — the state’s Medicaid program — has started its journey. "We need a Medicaid program that fits Tennessee in a better way," Lee, a Republican, said before Thursday night's Hawkins County Republican Party Reagan Day dinner held at the American Legion post.

Sep 20, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable
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Republican Party

Sullivan GOP fracture evident as commissioners try to oust Venable as chairman

“A year ago the citizens asked for change,” Sullivan County Commissioner Alicia Starnes said. “The time is here to change things.”

Sep 20, 2019 at 12:46 AM
Brince Manning of the U.S. Chamber, left, presents the Spirit of Enterprise Award to U.S. Rep. Phil Roe. The award is given to members of Congress based on their votes on critical business legislation.
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Kingsport Chamber

Roe: Attack on Iran 'will be bad for the whole world'

The chamber luncheon was held so Roe could give an update on what's happening in Congress and for an annual presentation of the U.S. Chamber's Spirit of Enterprise Award to Roe for his pro-business votes in 2018.

Sep 16, 2019 at 5:45 PM
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U.S. Rep. Phil Roe

Roe not buying committee's look into impeachment

"It is a complete waste of time," Roe, R-Tennessee, said in a conference call with reporters. "We don't even know yet all of what happened on the Russia investigation, the Mueller investigation. We're still uncovering stuff that went on with FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) abuse. I won't vote for another bill that doesn't have some protections from FISA. It turned out the Russia collusion was nothing. It was zero. I don't know what you impeach somebody for because you don't like him, I guess."

Sep 12, 2019 at 10:00 PM
President Donald Trump talks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Friday.
AssociatedPress
Trade Wars

Latest U.S., Chinese tariff hikes take effect

The United States and China went ahead with their latest tariff increases on each other’s goods Sunday, potentially raising prices Americans pay for some consumer items in advance of the holiday shopping season.

Sep 1, 2019 at 5:56 AM
State Rep. Gary Hicks
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Tennessee General Assembly

Hicks named chairman of 'Black Hole' subcommittee

State Rep. Gary Hicks, R-Rogersville, is now chairman of the powerful House Finance Subcommittee.The 14-person subcommittee is responsible for all measures related to taxes and the raising of revenue, the appropriation of state funds, as well as passage of the general appropriations bill before it is moved to the full House Finance Committee.

Aug 27, 2019 at 10:15 PM
Former presidential candidate and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee joked Donald Trump was not his first choice for president. "I was my first choice," he said.
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Bristol Community Prayer Breakfast

"Forget the things that are behind you," Huckabee says at Bristol prayer breakfast

You should look at where you're going rather than where you have been, former presidential candidate and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told more than 700 business leaders and elected officials at a Bristol Community Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday.

Aug 20, 2019 at 7:30 PM
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, right, visits with state Rep. David Hawk of Greeneville after a meeting with state lawmakers to discuss everything from mental health to Medicaid.
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U.S. Rep. Phil Roe

What will Congress do about mass shootings? Roe says lawmakers will weigh options

"There's good verbiage about red flag laws," Roe, R-Tennessee, said during a meeting with reporters at his district office in Kingsport. "What that means is if someone is a danger, you can have some length of time, four or five days, where they can maintain a person's due process rights because you are innocent until proven guilty here."

Updated Aug 14, 2019 at 2:45 PM
Tom Parham, left, gets served by state Rep. Gary Hicks, R-Rogersville. From left, the other state lawmakers are state Rep. Timothy Hill, R-Blountville, state Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, state Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, state Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport and Deputy Comptroller Jason Mumpower.
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Kingsport Chamber

NET lawmakers dish it out

Northeast Tennessee lawmakers donned aprons to feed hungry Kingsport Chamber members and then dished out their major takeaways from the last legislative session during the chamber's 14th annual legislative barbecue at Domtar Cabin Thursday night.

Aug 9, 2019 at 9:15 AM
President Donald Trump waves to members of the media as he and first lady Melania Trump walk across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, as they return from Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
AssociatedPress

Trump says he wants stronger gun checks, but reneged in past

President Donald Trump tweeted Monday about the weekend shootings in Texas and Ohio that left 29 dead and dozens wounded . He suggested that a background check bill could be paired with his long-sought effort to toughen the nation's immigration system.

Aug 5, 2019 at 9:23 AM
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