From Congressional Budget Office ...

The Budgetary Effects of the Raise the Wage Act of 2021

Every decade, coinciding with the census, states redraw their legislative maps to better reflect where people live. In most states, lawmakers draw the maps, though a handful use commissions. The stakes are high: Some states will gain congressional seats, while others will lose them. These boundaries are then set for 10 years, barring intervention by the courts, and determine who votes where.

It's time to redraw America's voting maps. Where's the data?

The former Knox County Sheriff, Jimmy "JJ" Jones, has been away from the office for more than two years after Tom Spangler began serving the county. Now, Jones is saying he wants the chance to serve again.

Jimmy "JJ" Jones to run for Knox County Sheriff again in 2022

The project will also add bike lanes, street lighting, on-street parking and a new roundabout.

City plans for multi-million dollar overhaul of Sevier Avenue

Pretty harsh ...

"Oftentimes when they are evicted for lot rent, they're forfeiting the equity on the home. You could lose your home for $1."

"You're selling under a fire sale," Slonski said. "I've seen people sell their homes on Facebook Marketplace for $1,000."

Mobile home dwellers hit even harder when facing eviction

Looks good. I wonder if Covid-19 impacted those any.

Officials said the average annual number of crashes involving walkers and bikers fell by 89 percent while traffic crashes fell by 44 percent.

Cumberland Avenue project improves safety

A Republican congresswoman from Washington state is corroborating a CNN report that former President Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy were involved in a heated phone call during the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot in which Trump allegedly said the rioters "are more upset about the election" than McCarthy. Her revelation prompted the Senate Saturday to do what was previously unexpected and subpoena witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial.

Trump's heated call with House Republican leader during riot confirmed by GOP congresswoman

Rep. Herrera Beutler in middle of impeachment trial turmoil

Shelby, 86, is now the fourth Republican senator to announce plans to retire at the end of the current Congress.

GOP Sen. Richard Shelby announces he won't seek re-election in 2022

Will be interesting to see how this works out

The dogs will walk past each fan upon arrival, according to a video posted to the site. If a dog sits down, the dog is indicating that it has detected the virus, and the person and their party will not be allowed in the arena.

Miami Heat to welcome back fans with help of Covid-sniffing dogs

The CDC announced an order late Friday that will require people to wear a face mask while using any form of public transportation, including buses, trains, taxis, airplanes, boats, subways or ride-share vehicles while traveling into, within and out of the US.

The order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday.

CDC says travelers must wear masks on all forms of public transportation

CDC requires wearing of face masks while on public transportation and at transportation hubs

Biden has inked 42 executive actions thus far. See them all here organized by topic.

Biden has signed 42 executive actions since taking office. Here's what each does

Using molecular recycling technologies like methanolysis, Eastman’s new world-scale facility will convert polyester waste that often ends up in landfills and waterways into durable products, creating an optimized circular economy.

Eastman hopes to have the facility up and running by the end of 2022. The company has committed to recycling more than 250 million pounds of plastic waste annually by 2025 and hopes to recycle more than 500 million pounds annually by 2030.

Eastman to build one of the largest plastic-to-plastic recycling facilities in the world in Tennessee

This would give Americans who missed the most recent sign-up period, which ended December 15, access to Obamacare policies -- and to federal assistance to pay for them. Roughly 15 million uninsured people could benefit, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Nearly 9 million of them could qualify for free or subsidized coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Individuals making up to about $51,000 and families of four earning up to about $104,800 are eligible for subsidies.

Here's what Biden's Obamacare executive order means for you

President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order that will phase out the Department of Justice’s use of private prisons.

Biden's order terminates federal private prison contracts. Here's what that means

Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; on-site Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.

Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing

... Minimum Wage for Contractors (the Executive Order or the Order), beginning January 1, 2021. Beginning on that date, the Executive Order minimum wage rate that generally must be paid to workers performing work on or in connection with covered contracts will increase to $10.95 per hour, while the required minimum cash wage that generally must be paid to tipped employees performing work on or in connection with covered contracts will increase to $7.65 per hour

Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors, Notice of Rate Change in Effect as of January 1, 2021

Coyotes are on the prowl in East Tennessee. It's mating season and homeowners are already catching them on doorbell cameras.

How to stay safe as coyotes are out and about in East Tennessee

The Tennessee River, a 652-mile tributary of the Ohio River, is notoriously polluted. In 2019, researchers said the river was more like a river of plastic, according to CNN affiliate WVLT, possibly with more broken down bits of plastic than any other river in the world.

Volunteers remove more than 9,000 lbs of trash from Tennessee River

Experts call Tennessee River "River of Plastic"

‘Vaccine tourism’ stirs anger as coronavirus cases surge

Florida downplays reports of medical tourism for vaccines

Thinking About Traveling Just to Get Vaccinated? You Need to Read This First

The Secret Service who’ve pledged to give their lives to protect Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have for years been instructed not to use any of the seven bathrooms in the Trump/Kushner home.

Instead, the Secret Service has spent $100,000 in taxpayer money to rent a $3,000-per-month basement studio apartment nearby with a bathroom so that agents can use the toilet.

Jared and Ivanka Aren’t Sharing Toilets With People Who’ve Agreed to Die for Them