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Governor Lee in Newport
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee paid a visit to Cocke County on Friday, hosted by the Cocke County Partnership. State Representative Jeremy Faison of Cosby said Lee in Nashville has a reputation as "genuine, real and approachable." The governor said his administration has three goals; good jobs, good schools and safe neighborhoods. Lee who owned a HVAC company prior to his election said he wants to promote vocational education, aimed at high schoolers who do not want to obtain a four-year college degree. He also wants to revamp the prison system to promote education and training in an effort to reduce the recidivism rate. "We need to be smart on crime and tough on crime at the same time," he argued. Cocke County Commissioner Forrest Clevenger argued for a rehabilitation facility locally to deal with the local issue of heroin and methamphetamine. Dr. Ken Johnson, a local physician and a member of the Cocke County School Board, questioned the governor's support of vouchers to fund students from low performing schools to go to private schools. Dr. Johnson said he is concerned that vouchers will take money away from school systems that are already struggling financially. "Those were the vouchers of the past", the governor said. He wants education savings account that would go to low income students who currently attend a school in a district which has at least three low performing schools. Lee said the money would be available only to metro schools with low performance. The governor said the school system will not lose funding, but the state will use taxpayer dollars to fund the students who attend a private school. His plan also would increase teacher salaries and fully fund the Basic Education Program. The Tennessee Legislature has refused to accept $3.8 million daily to boost TennCare coverage of 280,000 low income working Tennessee. Dr. Johnson argued that rural hospitals are having a difficult time financially because of the lack of insurance coverage for many patients. "Every Tennessean deserves high quality health care that they can afford. Right now they cannot because of the rising cost of healthcare," responded Lee. He said the state could take short term steps to address the issue but that would be only a short term fix. Now the governor wants the federal government instead of boosting Medicaid coverage, to provide a block grant to Tennessee to use the funding however it chooses. "My goal is to work to lower the cost so that more people can be covered and can afford healthcare," Lee said. During the event, State Senator Steve Southerland said the Pigeon River is soon to be the leading rafting river in the state. Governor Lee was asked what his administration is doing to boost tourism in the Smokies region. He said earlier on Friday he was with Commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development. Mark Ezell at a Bassmasters fishing event. He said they talked about ways to promote tourism in rural counties including a possible. "We talked about a possible Bass Trail across the state that would include streams and lakes across the region. We have a real belief that one of the ways we can boost rural economies is to look at the unique assets that each community has, that will draw people into the beautiful regions of our state."
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Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
More Bad News For Smokies' Fans
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
Goodbye Smokies?
Keep Cocke County Beautiful
Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
The fireflies are coming!
Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
Gas prices drop
Tennessee keeps all US House seats
Monday, April 26, 2021
Boat accident victim ID'd
Traffic stop yields drug arrest
Cocke County Wildfires
Friday, April 23, 2021
Leaving WNPC
Mathis announces candidacy
Newport drug roundup
Cruise Against Cancer
Jobless numbers
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