Gov. Bill Lee granted clemency to 16 people Dec. 22, including two inmates who will be eligible for parole.

In the Republican’s second round of clemency actions since taking office in 2019, Lee approved 13 pardons and three commutations, including the elimination of parole restrictions for one 78-year-old man who has been out of prison for 18 years. Fourteen of the 16 are no longer in prison, according to Lee’s office.

2. Bill naming post office for Harper goes to Biden - Friday, December 23, 2022

NASHVILLE (AP) — A bill that would name a Nashville post office after a late former state senator is headed to President Joe Biden's desk.

In a news release Thursday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper said the proposal dedicated to former Sen. Thelma Harper passed the House earlier this year and cleared the Senate this week.

3. Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark to lie in state - Friday, September 24, 2021

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark, who died last week, will lie in state at the State Capitol on Wednesday.

According to court officials, Clark will be the first active member of the judiciary to lie in state and the second woman after former state Sen. Thelma Harper did so earlier this year.

4. "Transformative" Tennessee legislator Thelma Harper dies - Friday, April 23, 2021

NASHVILLE (AP) — Former Tennessee Sen. Thelma Harper, who became the first African-American woman elected to the state Senate, died Thursday. She was 80.

5. Top Davidson County residential sales for June 2020 - Friday, July 17, 2020

Top residential real estate sales, June 2020, for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Chandler Reports has been publishing Real Estate Market Data since 1968. That year, Chandler began collecting residential sales information for the Chandler Residential Report, considered the authoritative source for residential real estate sales information. Over the next three decades, the publications have been continually refined, enhanced and expanded, growing to include lot sales data, new residential construction and absorption information, and commercial sales. In 1987, Chandler Reports began one of the first on–line real estate market data services in the country, and is a nationally recognized leader in the industry. In 2004, Chandler Reports was purchased by The Daily News Publishing Co. In 2007, Chandler introduced RegionPlus, including property research for Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Visit online at chandlerreports.com.

6. Legislators work all the angles for leadership posts - Friday, September 7, 2018

With apologies to Robert Zimmerman, “the times they are a-changing.” Unlike Bob Dylan’s 1964 song of rebellion, Capitol Hill isn’t turning into a hotbed of liberals, although someday the first could be last. In fact, it could turn more conservative this fall before things take a different direction.

7. New faces in Tennessee legislative primaries as dozens leave - Friday, July 27, 2018

NASHVILLE (AP) — An exodus of more than two dozen state lawmakers means new faces are running for the Republican-led Tennessee General Assembly, setting up primary fights that could have early implications on the jockeying to become the House's new leader.

8. Harper leaving Senate after nearly 40 years of public service - Friday, March 30, 2018

After nearly 40 years of public service, state Sen. Thelma Harper has announced she would is not seeking re-election to the 19th Senatorial District.

“Even though there is no greater honor than being able to serve and be your voice on the hill, I truly feel the time is right for me to pass the baton to the next generation of future leaders,” Sen. Harper said. “Even though I will no longer be an elected public servant, I will continue to serve and work in the community to help those in need.”

9. Rotating Forrest bust out of Capitol gains momentum - Friday, February 2, 2018

Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s days in the State Capitol could be numbered.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican, says he could support a move to rotate Forrest’s bust out of the Capitol and make sure Capitol displays are “more reflective of the entire history of Tennessee.”

10. Legislators not shy in pushing ‘model’ bills from outsiders - Friday, December 15, 2017

The group that brought Tennessee the voter photo ID law could be on the brink of spawning another kink on the voting process, one that cross-checks jury service with voter rolls.

At the behest of the American Civil Rights Union, legislators across the nation who belong to the American Legislative Exchange Council could be sponsoring bills in the next couple of years requiring local election commissions to take a closer look at people who miss jury duty.

11. Despite massive turnover, GOP owns legislature - Friday, November 17, 2017

2018 will be a year of change for the Tennessee General Assembly, and 2019 will bring even more, especially in leadership – much depending on the popularity of President Donald Trump.

Not only is the Legislature moving to the Cordell Hull Building, vacating the Legislative Plaza after 45 years or so, a number of legislative faces are changing, too, even before next year’s election.

12. Top Middle Tennessee residential transactions for September 2017 - Friday, October 20, 2017

Top residential real estate sales, September 2017, for Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports. Due to technical issues, Davidson County sales are unavailable for September.

13. Gilmore to run for Harper's state seat in Tennessee Senate - Friday, April 14, 2017

NASHVILLE (AP) — State Rep. Brenda Gilmore has announced she will run for the Nashville seat currently held by longtime Sen. Thelma Harper, a fellow Democrat.

14. Kingdom Café serves second chances at life - Friday, November 18, 2016

The reformed felon-turned-missionary who uses meatloaf and fried chicken to decorate his pulpit climbs from his chair as Fannie Holmes stops to talk with him.

“This is really nice,” says Fannie, a retired HCA mailroom supervisor as she leans into the lingering hug proffered by Howard E. Jones III, who is beaming with joy and gratitude at her comments.

15. Top Middle Tennessee commercial real estate transactions for September 2015 - Friday, October 30, 2015

Top commercial real estate transactions, September 2015, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

16. Records show $8M spent on lawmaker health premiums since '92 - Friday, May 15, 2015

NASHVILLE (AP) - Newly released records show that Tennessee taxpayers have paid more than $8 million since 1992 for health insurance premiums for sitting lawmakers.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/1Ba8V2j) reports those records show that the state has paid out the most for Johnson City Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe and his family. Records obtained by the newspaper through a public information request show the state paid out $200,000 for Crowe's premiums since he enrolled in the plan in 1992.

17. Is ‘getting rid of public schools’ Legislature’s goal? - Friday, March 27, 2015

Are Tennessee’s public schools headed for extinction? Not if it’s up to Memphis teachers.

A group from Shelby County recently packed a House committee meeting room at the Legislative Plaza in an effort to turn back bills they consider damaging to their profession and the future of public education.

18. Tennessee school voucher bill headed for full Senate vote - Friday, March 13, 2015

NASHVILLE (AP) - The House sponsor of a proposal to create a school voucher program in Tennessee says he's taking his time moving it through the legislative process after it failed in the last two legislative sessions.

19. Senate votes for open gun carry without permit - Friday, April 4, 2014

NASHVILLE (AP) — The state Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to allow Tennesseans to openly carry guns without a state-issued permit.