SUMMARY:

At a Murfreesboro town hall, ACLU-TN leaders Stella Yarbrough and Claire Gardner discussed their lawsuit against Rutherford County’s ban on over 145 books addressing sexuality and race in school libraries. The ACLU argues these bans violate the First Amendment’s protections of free speech and the right to receive information. The lawsuit, representing three local families and PEN America, highlights that popular titles like Beloved have been removed without public vote, relying on a conservative group’s rating system. Community support and a clear public record of the school board’s actions strengthen the case, with the ACLU seeking to restore the banned books.

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The post The ACLU is fighting Rutherford County’s book bans. Here’s why. appeared first on wpln.org

SUMMARY: Eighteen-year-old Cornelius Otis Jr., a recent Kirby High School graduate, was tragically killed in a shooting at Cache 42 in Memphis’ Hickory Hill. Just weeks after graduating, Cornelius was preparing to leave the city for trade school when gunfire erupted, with over 50 bullet casings found at the scene. Cornelius was shot and died from his injuries, leaving his family heartbroken and struggling to accept the loss. His loved ones remember him as a bright, promising youth whose future was cut short. The family is seeking justice and support through a GoFundMe and urges anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers.

A recent high school graduate and 18-year-old was killed after violence unfolded at a Memphis restaurant lounge over the weekend. After years of hard work, Cornelius Otis Jr., better known as “DJ” walked across the stage at Kirby High — diploma in hand. His family told FOX13 that moment meant everything. READ MORE: https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/family-mourns-loss-of-18-year-old-recent-high-school-grad-killed-during-cache-42/article_f5bf4cab-1606-4b2e-9479-7d74b647490d.html

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SUMMARY: Tennessee leads the U.S. in maternal mortality from 2018 to 2022, with 166 pregnancy-related deaths and a rate of 41.1 per 100,000 births. The state’s Maternal Mortality Review Board cites mental health issues, substance use, cardiovascular conditions, and infections as leading causes. In 2022, 76% of these deaths were preventable. Sen. London Lamar attributes the high rate partly to Tennessee’s near-total abortion ban and limited quality care access. She advocates for better policies, including more hospitals, doctor reimbursements, permanent TennCare doula service coverage, and enhanced postpartum and substance use disorder screenings to improve maternal outcomes.

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The post Tennessee has highest maternal mortality rate in country, CDC data says appeared first on www.wkrn.com