TENNESSEE STATE SENATOR

May 14 2026WEATHER

Stormy Winds, Heavy Rains and a Heat Spike Hit Staten Island

Staten Island will see a mix of strong breezes and wet weather this week. In the afternoon, gusts may reach 40 miles per hour across much of the area. That same day, a slow‑moving cold front will bring widespread showers and possible thunderstorms from the evening into Friday. The heaviest

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May 12 2026HEALTH

Staten Island trains workers to spot suicide and overdose risks at the same time

Staten Island is tackling two big problems—overdose deaths and suicide—by teaching frontline workers how to handle both at once. Around 300 people have already gone through a six-part training that mixes mental health and drug-use screening. The idea is to catch warning signs early, whether someone

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May 04 2026POLITICS

Planned Parenthood Loans: A Code‑Word Controversy

Senator Joni Ernst said the Biden team talked about giving large forgivable loans to Planned Parenthood during COVID, but used a secret label “Benghazi” in emails to hide the plan. The SBA chief of staff replied “Yes, let’s talk Benghazi” after a senior attorney asked for a meeting. Ernst claims t

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May 03 2026OPINION

Mysterious Tattoos, Big Politics: A Deep Dive

Senator Chris Murphy was recently on television trying to explain why a candidate from Maine has a Nazi symbol inked on his arm. He claimed it was the result of trauma and that people deserve a second chance. The story stirred up debate about how politicians justify questionable pasts. The discussi

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Apr 26 2026POLITICS

Tennessee’s New School Rules: Who Really Gets to Speak Freely?

Tennessee has a long record of pushing LGBTQ+ people to the sidelines. Back in 2018, a local prosecutor argued that domestic abuse laws shouldn’t apply to gay couples. Fast forward to 2023, and one city nearly made being gay illegal just by passing a local rule. That kind of history shows a pattern:

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Apr 25 2026CRIME

Tennessee joins Indiana in blocking Bitcoin ATMs over scam worries

Tennessee just made it illegal to own or run a Bitcoin ATM starting July 1. The law treats it like a minor crime, similar to simple drug possession. State leaders say those machines are too often used to trick people—especially older adults—out of their savings. In 2023, U. S. seniors lost $257 mill

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Apr 21 2026POLITICS

Prediction Markets: Who Gets to Tax Them?

States want to raise money from online prediction sites, but they’re not sure what those sites actually are. The debate centers on whether the sites should be treated like sports betting, financial derivatives, or something else entirely. If they’re seen as gambling, states could tax them the sam

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Apr 21 2026WEATHER

Cold Weather and Pollen Alert for Staten Island

Staten Island residents can expect a sharp temperature dip after Monday’s brief showers. The National Weather Service says it will be partly sunny in the morning, with a high around 54°F. At night, the temperature will plunge nearly 20 degrees, settling near 34°F by Tuesday morning. Sunlight

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Apr 20 2026WEATHER

Spring Weather Switch: Rain, Wind, and Allergies Hit Staten Island

Staten Island is about to face a spring mood swing this week. After a taste of warm 80-degree days last week, the upcoming forecast is bringing it back to typical spring unpredictability. Rain showers are expected to roll in starting Sunday, kicking off a stretch of days that feel more like April th

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Apr 16 2026POLITICS

When U. S. Lawmakers Split Over Weapons to Israel

Senators just voted down two attempts to block $450 million in U. S. military gear heading to Israel. A coalition of Democrats pushed the measures, arguing the bulldozers and bombs end up harming civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank. The votes failed 59-40 and 63-36—both short of the 60 nee

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