Tennessee Today

Most people don’t realize there’s one singular department that runs the state parks you visit, regulates the water you drink, and sets the rules for the nuclear companies now moving into the state. In fact, it may be the most wide-reaching department in our state government.

David Salyers is the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). In this episode, we get into how all of that work connects and how the department balances protecting Tennessee’s natural resources with driving its economic growth.

00:00 Introduction

02:24 David’s background: From rural Kentucky to running TDEC

14:57 Why water determines where Tennessee can grow

21:13 How state parks power rural economies

26:28 New parks, big investments, and $2 billion in impact

33:47 Making the outdoors accessible to everyone

38:20 Tennessee’s push to lead the country in nuclear energy

48:40 How Tennessee is ahead of other states 

–

Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

Every kid learns differently, so why do we so often expect them all to succeed in the same kind of classroom?

Lizzette Reynolds is the Commissioner of Education for the state of Tennessee, with over 30 years in education policy, from the Bush administration to the Texas school system to leading Tennessee's schools today. In this episode, we get into what it actually takes to give every student a real chance, from the schools they attend to the way they're taught to read.

We talk about why the best education is the one that fits the individual child, what school choice really means, why reading is the foundation everything else is built on, and why meaningful change in education can take a generation to show up.

Key Takeaways:

What "school choice" actually gives Tennessee families, and how to think about which option fits your child

The truth about charter schools, including what they are, what they aren't, and the biggest misconceptions people have about them

Why the middle school years are where reading quietly makes or breaks a student's future

Why Tennessee has held a consistent education strategy across three governors, from Bredesen to Haslam to Lee

–

Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

If it feels like Chattanooga is changing overnight, you're not imagining it. New apartments downtown, companies you've never heard of hiring hundreds of people, traffic on roads that used to be quiet. So what's actually driving all of this growth, and where are we headed?

Charles Wood is the president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, the organization that works to bring new companies and jobs to the region, and to do it in a way the community can actually sustain. 

In this episode, we get into how our local economy really works, why some companies transform a community while others don't, and why growth almost always arrives sooner than a city is ready for it.

Key Takeaways:

Why landing one big employer can ripple through the entire local economy

What happens when we literally run out of room for new businesses

How Chattanooga competes against (and sometimes works with) the surrounding areas to bring companies and jobs here

Why a strong local economy depends on what's happening in K-12 classrooms

–

Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

Most people think of the YMCA as a place to work out, but the Y is the largest provider of child care in the United States, and that's only the beginning of what it does.

Baron Herdelin-Doherty is the president and CEO of the Metropolitan YMCA in Chattanooga. In this episode, we talk about how the Y has spent 175 years meeting the needs of our community, from feeding programs and food deserts to childcare for working families.

We also dig into the Y's new partnership with Hamilton County Schools, which is consolidating three schools into a single new campus connected to the North River YMCA in Hixson, and what it could mean for the future of education.

Key Takeaways:

Why the YMCA (not a government agency) is the largest provider of child care in the country

What it really costs working families to get by in Tennessee, and how the Y helps close the gap

How an organization built in 1844 keeps reinventing itself around community needs

–

Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!

The best way to know where I stand is to ask me directly. In this episode, I tackle everything from education and healthcare to data centers and flock cameras, and even my own record in District 11.

00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - Who should I study if I want to run for office or work on a campaign? (Joshua, Ooltewah)

04:32 - Will you support a moratorium on flock cameras? (Glenda, Birchwood)

06:42 - What are the biggest challenges facing K-12 students in Tennessee? (Gabe, North Chattanooga)

09:46 - Should education savings accounts be a permanent part of Tennessee's K-12 system? (Gabe, North Chattanooga)

12:06 - What are your thoughts on creating a school supply stipend for teachers? (Mary, Clarksville)

15:19 - What vote or action best demonstrates you were willing to oppose leadership or special interests? (Rebecca, Hamilton County)

18:58 - What are your thoughts on data centers and their effect on Tennessee's water sources? (Brynn, Knoxville)

23:03 - Where did you go to high school? (Toria, Chattanooga)

24:57 - Would you support a Health Freedom Act protecting the doctor-patient relationship? (Debbie, Lakesite)

27:36 - Why did you sponsor SB0937 on preferred names and pronouns? (Lex, Chattanooga)

29:13 - What have you done to realistically improve lives in District 11? (Anna, Hixson)

32:14 - What are you most looking forward to in the next couple months leading up to election day? (Brooke, Chattanooga)

To submit questions for a future episode, visit https://www.bofortn.com/contact-bo 

–

Tennessee Today is your inside look at state government: what’s happening, why it matters, and how it affects you in your daily life. I break down key legislative topics, have important discussions with special guests, share my experiences in the Senate, and give you a firsthand perspective on how policies come to life. You’ll get the information you need straight from the source, so you can stay informed, engaged, and empowered! Share your questions for future episodes by emailing info@bofortn.com!