Reporter
Sam Stockard is a Nashville-based reporter with more than 30 years of journalism experience as a writer, editor and columnist covering the state Legislature and Tennessee politics for The Daily Memphian.
There are 1037 articles by Sam Stockard :
Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday he believes the president and Senate have the responsibility to fill the vacancy left by the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg just six weeks before the presidential election.
Gov. Bill Lee sounded the alarm Wednesday, saying Tennessee is projecting a massive learning loss by students because of school closings during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for minority students and those with disabilities.
With less than two months left in his final term, the state representative raised concerns about the state’s method for evaluating teachers, urging the House Education Committee to find another way to measure their performance.
Tennessee superintendents described a litany of problems to legislators Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the worst of the problems being that low-performing students are falling further behind during the COVID-19 pandemic. Related Story: Lawmakers grill education commissioner over ‘missteps’
Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn avoided a no-confidence vote Tuesday, Sept. 21 but not verbal criticism from lawmakers during a House Education Committee hearing.
Appeals Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Rhodes College graduate, is once again a frontrunner for a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy, this time to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to reports.
President Donald Trump’s plan to nominate a replacement for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is putting Senate candidates Bill Hagerty and Marquita Bradshaw at odds six weeks before the Nov. 3 election.
Torrey Harris isn’t making his sexuality the focal point of his political campaign, but he would be Tennessee’s first openly LGBT legislator if he defeats veteran Rep. John DeBerry in the race for the House District 90 seat.
Gov. Bill Lee says a move to bolster Tennessee’s unemployment insurance trust fund saved businesses $837 million in tax premiums, but some legislators believe the system is structurally flawed.
Tennessee officials call the state’s 11-year-old TNInvestco program a “sham” that needs to be investigated and ended because of poor return on a $200 million investment.
Democrat Gabby Salinas and Republican John Gillespie are getting feisty over an endorsement she received from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, hinting at a lively race this fall for an open House seat.
Gov. Bill Lee ordered the Economic and Community Development Department to go after private Chinese investment, especially in the electric car sector, the state’s commissioner said.
With cases declining statewide, Tennessee will allow nursing homes to lift restrictions for more visitation and activities as long as they show no new cases for two weeks.
Lawmakers could consider new laws for economic incentive accountability after finding out Tennessee collected $18.4 million from 17 companies.
Tennessee’s lieutenant governor and House speaker are entering the fight over Nathan Bedford Forrest, saying another step should be taken before the Historical Commission can consider a waiver to remove the Confederate general’s bust from the State Capitol.
Legislators could question Gov. Bill Lee’s administration this week over reports it is recruiting Chinese investment to Tennessee amid a trade war and questions about whether China misled the world over COVID-19.
Shelby County’s Republican legislators defend President Donald Trump’s comments to author Bob Woodward while Democrats say he misled the nation.
The Tennessee Department of Education has launched an online dashboard with COVID-19 case information at school and district levels. It shows 514 student cases and 242 staff cases statewide.
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner supports Gov. Bill Lee’s police reform plan amid nationwide chaos over alleged police brutality, saying it is a “starting point” to improve police work and relationships with communities.
Lawsuit challenged the Tennessee state law preventing first-time voters from using expanded eligibility for absentee voting during the pandemic.
The Tennessee Department of Education scrubbed its Best for All Central virtual teaching site of Common Core resources after questions were raised about the controversial curriculum, leaving no extra worksheets in its place on most of its teaching options for students learning remotely.
Some four weeks into the school year, the Tennessee Department of Education is postponing a new COVID-19 tracking site because of technical problems.
Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn could face a no-confidence vote from lawmakers during September meetings if she doesn't say what they want to hear.
Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers made an emotional plea for racial justice as the NBA postponed playoff games, echoing the sentiment of some Tennesseans such as Memphis' Earle Fisher.
Bill Lee signed executive orders Friday extending Tennessee’s state of emergency until Sept. 30 and allowing mayors to put mask mandates in place.