Executive

A recent 320-count indictment and the arrests of 10 people from a joint investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation highlight an ongoing problem. People are filing fraudulent liens with the Division of Business Services, which can ruin the lives of public officials.

Representatives from seven West Tennessee counties gathered in Martin Feb. 13 to discuss a range of issues affecting the state’s public libraries. The event was organized by the Obion River Regional Library, which is part of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Beginning this week, hundreds of middle and high school students from across the state will compete for the right to participate in Tennessee History Day. History Day is a competition in which students submit projects, either individually or in groups, on historical topics of their choice, related to an annual theme. This year’s theme is “Taking a Stand in History.”

Initial business filings have grown year-over-year for more than five years and don't show any signs of slowing down, according to a report released Tuesday by the Secretary of State's office.

Over a five-year period, World War I ravaged Europe, the Middle East and parts of north Africa, overturning governments and costing millions of lives. The United States joined the battle in 1917, eventually mobilizing 130,000 soldiers from Tennessee. Countless other Tennesseans helped relief organizations like the Red Cross, organized scrap metal drives, manufactured war materials and provided other support for the war effort on the home front.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives has entered into a partnership to sponsor a regional final for National History Bee, an academic quiz competition that attracts tens of thousands of participating students each year.

The Bobby Martindale Memorial Library in Grand Junction will receive a major upgrade thanks to a $100,000 library construction grant from the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives recently awarded more than $300,000 in technology grants to 114 public libraries across the state. The grants, which are distributed annually, are funded by Tennessee state government and a federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In order to qualify, recipients must have dollar-for-dollar matching funds from their local governments.

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office is proud to announce the winners of an essay contest introduced last fall to encourage students to be actively engaged citizens. The contest, along with the Student Mock Election, is part of the office’s civic engagement program.

When Sarah Jo Myrick and her husband Robert evacuated their Gatlinburg home ahead of the fast-approaching wildfire in late November, they were rightly more concerned about their safety than their possessions.