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Young, Tracie/As the candidates for municipal judge in Knoxville head toward a Nov. 7 runoff election, issues of politics in a nonpartisan election, and the operations of the court, are at stake. Incumbent Judge John R. Rosson was endorsed by the Knox County Republicans and says he's "working hard" for re-election. His opponent, Tyler Caviness, says the court needs some operational change. -
Tennessee is in the top 10 states for traffic fatalities, and the Knoxville Police Department says traffic safety, and noise, are among the top complaints from residents and businesses. The city has taken some measures, including noise-detecting cameras, to try mitigate the problem. But traffic enforcement and resources remain challenging for law enforcement. WUOT's Eden Bollschweiler reports.
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Rural Tennessee counties like Campbell, Clay and Claiborne counties are some of the biggest per capita recipients of opioid settlement funds. -
In the south, abortion access is a shifting landscape. Roe v. Wade was overturned this week last year, freeing up states to limit or ban the procedure. We have a snapshot of those changes in Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. We begin in Knoxville with WUOT's Riley Thompson.
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The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public feedback through June 27 on proposed rules to limit emissions of ethylene oxide, a gas used by sterilizers like DeRoyal in New Tazewell, Tennessee. Some nearby residents are worried for their health, and a cancer cluster study is underway.
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Tennessee's law banning drag performances was blocked by a federal court in April after it was challenged by the Memphis drag theater group Friends of George's. Drag performers are awaiting a new ruling from the state that could come as soon as June 6. WUOT's Jacqui Sieber talks with civil rights attorney Melissa Stewart and Knox Pride about the ongoing legislation.
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Pride organizers in Tennessee are running into a different deadline this year. A judge is expected to make a decision in the case against the restrictive drag law just as Pride festivals are underway.
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Tennessee voted on Thursday to expel Reps Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. An expulsion vote for Rep Gloria Johnson failed. The three were facing expulsion due to leading a protest on the House floor last week calling for gun law reforms. Critics of the expulsion are maintaining that the action was racist and unconstitutional. Dwight Aarons, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee College of Law, talked with WUOT about the legalities of the expulsion process. The interview was edited for clarity.
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NPR's Scott Simon speaks with drag star Eureka O'Hara about a new law in Tennessee that prohibits drag performances on public property.
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Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill banning drag performances the same afternoon he signed a ban on youth gender-affirming care. Advocates say some are asking whether staying in the state is worth it.
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William Blount, arguably the father of the state of Tennessee, was the first and as yet only member of the federal legislature to be impeached. WUOT’s…
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Knoxville’s zoning code hasn’t had a major overhaul in over 50 years. In that time the country has seen a return to downtown, the rise of gig economies,…
