www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-17 16:07:00
Tennessee’s unemployment rate remained steady at 3.5% in June, slightly higher than June 2024’s 3.3% but below the national average of 4.1%. Nonfarm jobs increased by 6,100 in June, with professional and business services, education and health services, and trade sectors leading growth. Average weekly earnings fell by $22.13 to $1,000.82 and hourly earnings dropped by 48 cents to $24.47, both below national averages. Over the past year, Tennessee added 22,900 net jobs, mainly in government, leisure, hospitality, and education-health services, while construction, administrative services, and nondurable goods manufacturing saw declines.
(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s June unemployment rate was 3.5% for the third straight month as nonfarm jobs increased by 6,100.
The number is just slightly higher than the June 2024 rate of 3.3% and lower than the national average of 4.1%, according to information from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The average weekly earnings dropped by $22.13 from $1,022.95 to $1,000.82. It remains below the national level, which increased by $7.40 in June to $1,187.38.
The state’s average hourly earnings are down 48 cents in June from $24.96 to $24.47. The national average is up slightly to $28.82, according to the department.
The sectors with the most job growth in June were professional and business services, education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities. Durable goods manufacturing, the federal government and construction had the biggest decreases, according to the department. Tennessee gained 6,100 net jobs in June.
Job growth has been steady over the year in the Volunteer State, with the addition of 22,900 net jobs, the department said. Government, leisure and hospitality and the education and health services sector grew the most year over year.
The three sectors that lost the most jobs over the year are construction, administrative, support and waste services and nondurable goods manufacturing.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents a straightforward, data-driven report on Tennessee’s June unemployment rate and job sector changes, using official statistics from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The content avoids emotive or ideologically charged language, does not frame the economic performance in a partisan context, and refrains from attributing credit or blame to political actors. It focuses on facts such as job growth, wage trends, and sector-specific performance without interpretation or commentary. As such, it maintains a neutral tone and adheres to standard economic reporting, reflecting a centrist, nonpartisan stance.
SUMMARY: Mini-meteorologist Trevor gives the weekend forecast, starting with dense morning fog, explained as clouds touching the ground that will lift as it warms. This morning brings some showers mainly on the plateau, visible on the green screen. Later tonight, there’s a level 1 to 2 out of 5 storm risk from the west, so everyone should be prepared. Trevor emphasizes the importance of knowing your safe place during tornado warnings, sharing his own family’s tornado bunker and cupboards as shelters. Showers and storms will arrive after dark, between 8 and 9 p.m. Viewers are reminded to have weather alert tools, like a NOAA weather radio.
Trevor gets you ready for the storms moving into the area this weekend.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee reversed his earlier refusal to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis amid calls for increased security, aligning more with President Trump’s stance. This shift follows GOP lawmakers’ request for a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation audit of Memphis crime reports, which Democrats criticize as baseless and harmful to police morale. Meanwhile, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder launched a Democratic bid for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, emphasizing responsible leadership. Lee also faces backlash from Republicans over his appeal of a court ruling on gun laws, while Democrats support the appeal for public safety. Tennessee leads with a new bill requiring autopsies of mass shooters to test for psychotropic drugs.
A week after saying he wasn’t considering deploying National Guard troops to Memphis or Nashville, Gov. Bill Lee reportedly said this week anything is possible.
The waffling came amid increased calls for troops to patrol the streets of Tennessee’s bluest cities, even though last week Lee referred to statistics showing a 15% decrease in Memphis crime to explain why the Bluff City didn’t need troops on patrol. The governor said increased efforts by Tennessee law enforcement with local and federal agencies combined to cut down on criminal incidents.
Sen. (Brent) Taylor reportedly says in an interview that even though he hasn’t ‘seen any evidence’ that MPD is reclassifying crimes to make the numbers look better, he wants to waste TBI resources to act as Big Brother to our police department based on rumors and hearsay.
– Rep. Jesse Chism, D-Memphis
The same day, or thereabouts, though, Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor of Shelby County and GOP Rep. John Gillespie of Memphis asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to audit Memphis’ crime report for accuracy. It marked another Taylor bomb lobbed at Memphis after he worked this year for a state takeover of the city’s school district, saying – without providing proof – an audit could lead to criminal charges.
Now comes Democratic Rep. Jesse Chism of Memphis calling their request “ridiculous.”
“Sen. Taylor reportedly says in an interview that even though he hasn’t ‘seen any evidence’ that MPD is reclassifying crimes to make the numbers look better, he wants to waste TBI resources to act as Big Brother to our police department based on rumors and hearsay,” Chism said in a statement.
The normally soft-spoken Chism acknowledged more work is necessary to cull crime, but added, “We don’t need people casting doubt on the work being done by the dedicated men and women of the MPD, just like we don’t need an armed occupation by the National Guard.”
The governor’s stance last week put him at odds, somewhat, with President Donald Trump, who illegally – according to one court – unleashed the California National Guard and U.S. Marines in Los Angeles during protests over his deportation policy, which is putting a dent in the nation’s workforce.
Next week, Lee could have a different outlook, depending on how shrill the cry is to deploy.
Lee had no trouble sending Tennessee Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to patrol the streets at Trump’s request. If he sends troops into Memphis and Nashville, where will they go? What will they do? Will that be a sign that seven years of his policies failed?
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who rarely disagrees with Trump, except when it came to certifying Joe Biden’s presidential election five years ago, chimed in to agree with the president about occupying Memphis.
This elicited a response from Memphis City Council member Jerri Green, who thinks it’s a terrible idea and believes officials should focus on education and poverty. She’s running as a Democrat for governor and toured craft beer joints across the state to kick off her campaign, a great idea.
Can we get more pale ales, please?
Another Democrat ogles a congressional seat
Capping a couple of months of rumors, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder kicked off his race for the Democratic nomination in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District at an ice cream joint on the Columbia square Thursday.
Molder, a Columbia native and attorney, is in his second term in office and has his sights set on the incumbent congressman, U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles.
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District on Thursday. (Photo: J. Holly McCall/Tennessee Lookout)
“People are tired of electing the most extreme voices on either side,” said Molder. “They’re looking for responsible leaders, whether Republican or Democrat, who aren’t just chasing the latest soundbite to grab a headline.”
“We don’t have to be embarrassed by our congressman,” he said, in an obvious reference to Ogles, who has had his share of ethical scrapes.
Molder is the third Democrat to enter the primary, joining Metro Nashville Councilmember Mike Cortese and Jim Torino, the COO of a telemedicine business. But it’s no secret 5th District Democrats have been whispering in Molder’s ear for years, urging him to run. It won’t hurt that former House Democratic Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, who is respected on both sides of the political aisle, is Molder’s father-in-law.
Taking it on the chin
Lee is appealing a Chancery Court decision declaring the state’s “intent to go armed” law and guns-in-parks prohibition unconstitutional, a move drawing heavy criticism from some House Republicans.
State Rep. Monty Fritts of Kingston penned letters to the governor and Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, blasted the decision in a Facebook post as “betrayal” and accusing the “elitist political class in Nashville” of spending tax dollars to take away “our Creator endowed rights.” WSMV reported it.
Besides complaints about the gun-law appeal, Fritts said the governor “created out of control budget growth,” up 59% in six years, and ignored lawmakers’ requests for immediate help after Hurricane Helene. Fritts also says “we cautioned him about placing us in the judgment path of God on the IVF/contraception bill which places babies at risk and he did not listen. But the Watchman must continue to call out the danger.”
(Never mind that a woman, Republican Rep. Iris Rudder of Winchester, sponsored the bill to make in vitro fertilization a right.)
Sounding a bit like a gubernatorial candidate, Fritts wrote that the “Nashville establishment” doesn’t understand the concept of more liberty and less government (which is probably true).
Shame on the Governor and Nashville establishment political machine for approving the continuing infringement upon Tennesseans 2A rights. These House members let their voice be heard in support of Liberty. Where are the men of courage and constitution who will stand for Liberty? pic.twitter.com/V1e6cfALlm
“I am already in the doghouse of a group of petty and weak bullies who cut backroom deals to kill my bills. I am certain my straight words here will not help that. But let the hard truth be heard,” Fritts says. “Pray for Tennessee. We are in trouble.”
It’s hard to know whether to laugh or cry. But it does sound sort of like the song that never ends.
“As the gutless, drunken, and dimwitted politicians smile at you and assert all is well, your money is being taken needlessly to fund corporate welfare and special interests, your rights are being eroded while crime in some cities explodes and we fund the education of illegals, you are told by senior leaders in Nashville that the church sign (which had been in place for 30 years) was in a right of way and they could do what they wished with it while you repair tires from potholes, and the people doing this to you feel no accountability to you.”
OK, let me up, I’ve had enough.
That’s not freedom. That’s a recipe for disaster.
– Rep. London Lamar, D-Memphis, on allowing gun owners to carry weapons in parks
Asked why he appealed, Lee’s spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said only that the governor appreciates the attorney general’s “leadership to defend Tennessee’s gun laws and provide clarity for law enforcement personnel and citizens.”
Democratic Sen. London Lamar of Memphis backed the decision to appeal, saying the laws exist to help police protect people.
“If the lower court’s ruling is allowed to stand, it will tie the hands of police officers – even when they encounter someone with a loaded assault rifle parked outside a children’s park,” she said.
Lamar accused Republican lawmakers of pandering to the gun lobby and dismantling the state’s gun-carry permit requirements (which would include Lee).
The senator added that officers wouldn’t be able to question a person’s intent for carrying an assault rifle “until it’s too late.”
“That’s not freedom. That’s a recipe for disaster,” she said.
The hits keep coming
The congressional House Freedom Fund endorsed state Rep. Jody Barrett in the 7th District special election set for Oct. 7 and is pouring a big chunk of cash into ads backing him for the post, the Tennessee Journal reports.
A Facebook post by the group says he’s the first elected official in the state to earn a 100% conservative rating on the Tennessee Legislative Report Card, a group backed by Williamson County-based Tennessee Stands and its leader, Senate candidate Gary Humble.
The House Freedom Fund, a political action committee
Barrett, a Dickson Republican, also signed Fritts’ letter to the attorney general questioning the gun-ruling appeal.
Also this week, Matt Van Epps, the state’s former General Services commissioner, got a lift from the Patriot Fund with an independent expenditure of nearly $28,500, according to the report.
On the Democratic front, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, one of the infamous “Tennessee Three,” endorsed Rep. Vincent Dixie in the 7th District race, saying she agrees with his focus on families.
This will be sure to win friends in the House Democratic Caucus, as two of Dixie’s colleagues — Reps. Aftyn Behn and Bo Mitchell of Nashville — are also running.
Head of the class?
Tennessee is leading the nation – again – with a bill requiring mass shooters to be tested for psychotropic and gender-altering drugs to see whether those might cause them to go on a violent spree such as the Covenant Schools shooting in Nashville.
The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe of Bristol and Rep. Mary Littleton of Dickson requires autopsy results on shooters to be sent to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center for studies on how the substances interact and whether they cause violent behavior.
“People often ask why these mass shootings were so rare decades ago,” Crowe said in a release. “We know the widespread use of powerful psychotropic drugs began around the same time we saw a rise in these horrific attacks, and it’s important to look into possible links. This law is about getting the data we need to protect our communities.”
Sounds almost like they’re trying to make transgender people the scapegoat for shootings.
Then again, will they look for root causes in the legislature to inane bills and comments such as outlawing chemtrails, lynching people and encouraging first-cousin marriage?
“Alligator lizards in the air, in the air.”*
* America, “Ventura Highway”
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Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The content shows a center-left bias by critically examining Republican officials’ actions and policies, especially surrounding law enforcement and gun legislation, while providing opposing Democratic viewpoints that emphasize social issues and caution against militarized policing. It includes skeptical commentary on conservative stances, highlights Democratic voices advocating for education and poverty reduction, and questions right-wing policies with a tone that is occasionally sardonic yet measured, avoiding overt partisanship. This balanced scrutiny combined with subtle criticism of conservative figures positions the overall perspective slightly to the left of center.
SUMMARY: The annual Path to Freedom Lecture at Fort Negley Park highlights African Americans who escaped slavery during the Civil War and sought refuge within Union lines. Fort Negley was Tennessee’s first major site employing freed blacks in the war effort, influencing the creation of contraband labor camps across the state. Historian Amy Murrell Taylor, author of the award-winning book *Embattled Freedom*, reveals that nearly 500,000 refugees formed about 300 camps nationwide by 1865. These camps fostered new federal protections and communities amid hardship. The lecture, hosted by Metro Parks and Friends of Fort Negley, offers insight into this pivotal yet lesser-known chapter of Civil War history.
