State has only 500 coronavirus tests available
Tennessee has tested less than 300 people in the past two weeks; 'There aren't enough kits,' local doctor says
Sam Stockard
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 1058 articles by Sam Stockard :
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March 2020
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Coronavirus -
State Government Governor to expedite scaled-back budget for early recess, long layoff
Reacting to the national coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Bill Lee will present an “adjusted” budget by Wednesday containing funds to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and mid-state tornado victims as lawmakers hoped to take a recess of at least two months.
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Coronavirus Legislature to pass short-term budget and vacate premises
House and Senate leaders reached an agreement Monday for the Legislature’s schedule, likely entailing an early, temporary adjournment for 60 days out of concern for COVID-19, according to sources.
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Coronavirus Governor likely to declare small business emergency
Gov. Bill Lee outlined an assistance plan Tuesday to help people survive the crisis financially and is expected to declare a small business emergency so companies can obtain federal loans to stay afloat.
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Coronavirus Untangling the testing process: With state shortage, who is getting tested and how
COVID-19, or coronavirus, testing has been slow and frustrating. Here's what you need to know about how it works.
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State Government Governor proposes ‘no-growth’ budget plan for fiscal 2021 amid emergency
Gov. Bill Lee introduced a “no-growth” budget for the next fiscal year, reducing a 3.1% revenue growth projection to zero and eliminating dozens of spending proposals while spending hundreds of millions to respond to the COVID-19 emergency.
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State Government Controlling House Republicans hold secret meeting to discuss budget
House Republicans met secretly Thursday and agreed to cut nearly $1 billion from the state budget but leave education voucher funding in place. Teacher pay raises would be cut by half.
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State Government Governor makes small business disaster declaration amid expected rise in COVID-19 cases
Gov. Bill Lee issued a disaster declaration Wednesday, enabling small businesses to seek federal loans as coronavirus cases are expected to rise amid increased testing.
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State Government Governor inks broad order to boost COVID-19 health care, extend deadlines on licenses
With COVID-19 spreading statewide, the governor signed an executive order Thursday to expand the state’s health care capacity and give people more time to renew driver’s licenses and car tags. It even allows the Parole Board to hold closed meetings.
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State Government General Assembly votes on budget, leaves Nashville
Facing the biggest state and national emergency in decades, the Tennessee Legislature adopted a $39.8 billion budget Thursday night, March 19, and vacated the State Capitol as COVID-19 continued to spread.
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LIVE
CoronavirusCoronavirus daily blog, March 17: Strickland declares state of emergency; third local case confirmed
The state reports the total number of confirmed cases in Tennessee is 73, and a third Shelby County case has also been reported. That individual is isolated at home and did not contract it in Shelby County.
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Coronavirus Coronavirus daily blog, March 19: Tipton County records first COVID-19 case
Mayor Jim Strickland announces churches, dine-in restaurants and gyms must close.
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Coronavirus Coronavirus daily blog, March 18: Health Department confirms fourth Shelby case
- Tennessee's 98 cases mostly in patients between 18-49 years old
- Small business emergency declared
- Nike donating $500,000 to Memphis response
- Community Foundation launches response fund
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State Government Governor signs executive order on electronic local government meetings
Gov. Bill Lee worked with the state attorney general and comptroller on an executive order to put electronic government meetings rules in place after legislation failed Thursday in the final hours of the General Assembly session
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State Government Lieutenant Governor: State copes with 2 disasters
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally calls it the “black swan,” an unforeseen event capable of shaking Tennessee’s foundation, yet one the state must be prepared to handle, this time using a military approach on a worldwide scale.
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State Government Lawmakers likely to reload permitless carry bill when Legislature returns
Delayed by the COVID-19 crisis, legislation such as the “constitutional carry” bill allowing people to carry handguns without a permit is expected to revive when lawmakers return to Nashville this summer after a long recess.
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CoronavirusCoronavirus daily blog, March 20: Graceland closing through at least April 3
The total number of Shelby County cases is up to 30, and Shelby County Schools is scrapping its plan to provide lunches for students due to a Central Nutrition Center employee testing positive for COVID-19.
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Coronavirus Coronavirus daily blog, March 22: Miss. reports 18 cases in DeSoto County
Memphis: 66
DeSoto: 18
Tipton: 5
Fayette: 3
Marshall: 3
Crittenden: 1
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