Panel in place to take up potential appeal of Hooker et al. v. Haslam et al.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed three new attorneys to the Special Supreme Court to hear a case from which all five Tennessee Supreme Court justices have recused themselves.  

The new special appointees join two previous appointees to make up a group of highly qualified and diverse legal minds representing the three grand divisions of the state.  The governor’s new appointees are:

Governor hopes to encourage new information in 3-year old case

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced that the state is increasing a $10,000 reward to $25,000 for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Dawn Shannon Hercutt.

“I am hopeful that this new reward encourages someone with information about this case to come forward,” Haslam said.  “It is past time for the person or people responsible for this terrible crime to be brought to justice.”

Grants Assist Communities with Infrastructure Improvements

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced today seven recipients of Community Development Block Grants that will assist with infrastructure improvements in area communities.  The grant recipients included Alexandria, Algood, Lafayette, McMinnville, South Carthage, Sparta and Westmoreland.  Additional CDBG recipients will be announced throughout September and October.

Hagerty to serve on Romney readiness team through November election
 
NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Haslam today announced that Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Bill Hagerty will take a temporary leave of absence to volunteer as a member of the Romney/Ryan presidential readiness team in Washington, D.C.
 
Hagerty’s unpaid leave will run from Monday, September 17 through Tuesday, November 6.  Despite the scheduled time away, he will be in Nashville October 18 and 19 to oversee the Governor’s Conference on Economic and Community Development.

Information Technology Company to Invest $600,000, Create 116 New Jobs in Chattanooga

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today announced Hönigsberg & Düvel Corporation, an information technology company, will expand its Chattanooga operations. The announcement represents an investment of $600,000 and will create 116 new jobs. 

“When companies in Tennessee make decisions to expand and grow, it is our goal to offer the right environment and partnerships to ensure those jobs are created here,” Haslam said. “I am grateful to Hönigsberg & Düvel for increasing the company’s presence in our state and creating more high-quality jobs for our citizens.”

Company to Open Call Center in Bristol, Tenn., Create Over 500 Jobs

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty today announced U.S. Solutions Group, Inc., a Teleperformance company, will open a call center in Sullivan County. The announcement represents an investment of $4.1 million and the creation of 548 jobs. The new facility will be located at 2536 West State Street in Bristol, Tenn.

Governor to evaluate future steps for improving path to Tennessee’s job market

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has concluded a series of seven candid conversations he held across the state with employers and educators to better link post-secondary education to high-quality jobs.

“It is our responsibility to produce a quality workforce that meets the needs of Tennessee employers and is attractive to companies interested in doing business here,” Haslam said. “While there are examples of productive programs and partnerships already in place, we need to do a better job of connecting employers and educators to prepare our graduates for the jobs of the future.

Reward Schools located in 70 districts across the state in cities and rural areas
 
BRENTWOOD – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman today announced 169 schools as the 2011-12 Reward Schools, the top 5 percent of schools in the state for annual growth and the top 5 percent for academic achievement.
 
The Reward Schools are spread across 70 districts, located in major cities as well as rural areas, and 102 of the recognized schools serve mostly economically disadvantaged populations. A list of the schools can be found on the department’s website, at www.tn.gov/education/accountability.

Governor appoints 109 Tennesseans to 48 boards and commissions
 
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the appointments of 109 Tennesseans to 48 state boards and commissions.
 
Earlier this year, the legislature passed Haslam’s recommended reforms to many of the state’s boards and commissions, and most of those changes take effect October 1, 2012.

Members represent fields of business and law, includes students and professors

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced the appointments of seven new members to Tennessee’s higher education boards.

Evan Cope and Adam Jarvis will serve as new members of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). Vicky Gregg, Shalin Shah and Victoria Steinberg will serve as new members of the University of Tennessee (UT) Board of Trustees. Ashley Humphrey and Dr. Bob Raines will serve as members of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR).