Andy Sher

While Hamilton Countians and fellow Tennesseans began curbing their movements in the days since the state's first coronavirus case appeared here on March 10, a recent jump in travel across many areas of the state helped convince Gov. Bill Lee last week to finally issue a stay-at-home order.

Gov. Bill Lee announced Thursday he is signing a new executive order requiring Tennesseans to stay at home unless they are conducting "essential activities," citing data showing an increase in residents' movements across the state.

Tennessee physician and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Thursday joined the effort to persuade Gov. Bill Lee to issue a strict "stay-at-home" order to help quell the rising number of coronavirus pandemic cases here.

With Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear calling on residents in his state to avoid traveling to Tennessee because of differences in their respective COVID-19 responses, Gov. Bill Lee is pointing to what he says is the Volunteer State's more aggressive virus testing.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday afternoon the state is preparing for a "surge" of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations and seeking to bring "thousands" of additional hospital beds online as well as staffing and supplies to prepare for it in the next 3 1/2 weeks.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday announced state officials will begin releasing county-specific information on the coronavirus' impacts, including the number of deaths.

NASHVILLE — A Franklin, Tennessee, physician is sharply criticizing Gov. Bill Lee's "safer at home" coronavirus executive order issued Monday, calling it "weak leadership" that is generating public confusion.

Tennessee's U.S. senators and congressmen on Monday urged President Donald Trump to move quickly and approve Gov. Bill Lee's request the state be declared a "major disaster" area to let it qualify for emergency federal funding to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus and deal with its impact.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee today announced Monday he is issuing a statewide order closing "non-essential" businesses and directing state residents to remain at home to battle the continuing spread of the coronavirus, according to sources.

As they grapple with COVID-19 as well as existing infrastructure needs, Hamilton County, Chattanooga and nine other municipalities within the county can look forward to some $9.2 million as their share of a $200 million statewide grant program created by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and state lawmakers.

The Tennessee complaint says "specifically, Tennessee's guidelines exclude people with 'advanced neuromuscular disease' who require 'assistance with activities of daily living or requiring chronic ventilatory support,' from accessing critical care, including ventilators."

Tennessee's two largest cities, Nashville and Memphis, are expected to directly receive between $100 million and $125 million in relief through Congress' just-approved $2 trillion coronavirus response act.

The U.S. House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a sweeping $2.2 trillion spending bill intended to address national economic and health care systems as well as states and local governments left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander revealed Friday that his daughter, who lives in New York, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said Thursday that Tennessee government is slated to receive an estimated $2.8 billion to $3 billion through the $2.2 trillion emergency economic rescue package that passed the Senate Wednesday.

More than three dozen groups and individuals, including Metro Nashville's former public defender, have filed an emergency petition urging Tennessee Supreme Court justices to reduce COVID-19 health risks in state prisons, local jails and juvenile detention centers by releasing prisoners they say represent low risks.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday his COVID-19 executive order barring "non-essential" medical procedures would also apply to elective abortions.

More than three dozen groups and individuals, including Metro Nashville's former public defender, have filed an emergency petition urging Tennessee Supreme Court justices to reduce COVID-19 health risks in state prisons, local jails and juvenile detention centers by releasing prisoners they say represent low risks.

While President Donald Trump wants the U.S. economy to "open" back up by Easter Sunday, Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday that with the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus continuing to spread here "the impacts in Tennessee are not going to be over by Easter and we're planning for a long runway in both the economic impacts and the medical impacts."

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Lottery is temporarily closing its in-person prize claim centers at its Nashville headquarters as well as its district offices across the state amid the COVID-19 crisis.