Holly McCall
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Holly McCall
@jhollymc.bsky.social
Editor, Tennessee Lookout. Nonprofit news outlet holding the powerful accountable. Publish the news and raise hell. https://tennesseelookout.com/
Reposted by Holly McCall
President Donald Trump’s signature on the document pardoning former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada was among those replaced by the Justice Department because it closely matched others when the president signed a spate of pardons in early November.
Trump signature on Casada pardon identical to others • Tennessee Lookout
President Donald Trump’s signature pardoning former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada was among those replaced by the Justice Department.
tennesseelookout.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Commentary: In Tennessee and beyond, ending gun violence means addressing America’s failure to take care of its people, writes columnist Ren Brabenec.
The root cause of America's and Tennessee's gun violence epidemic goes much deeper than we think • Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee lawmakers pass laws making it easier for those to obtain and carry guns, while ignoring the underlying reasons for gun violence.
tennesseelookout.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
UT-Austin hasn’t said whether it will sign an agreement with the Trump administration that would tie preferential access to federal funding to a series of campus policy changes.

Most other invited universities have rejected the administration’s offer.
University of Texas silent on Trump compact as deadline looms
Most other invited universities have rejected the administration’s offer tying priority federal funding to campus policy changes.
www.texastribune.org
November 17, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Tennessee’s forestry products industry supports an estimated 85,000 jobs. Now, nearly 40 Tennessee hardwood companies are among hundreds of U.S. hardwood industry operators calling for federal relief from tariff-induced economic hardship, reports @cstephenson.bsky.social.
Dozens of TN hardwood companies join industry plea for federal relief from tariff hardships • Tennessee Lookout
Nearly 40 Tennessee hardwood companies are among hundreds of U.S. hardwood operators asking for relief from tariff-induced economic hardship.
tennesseelookout.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
President Donald Trump said during his campaign that he would wield college accreditation as a “secret weapon” to root out DEI and other “woke” ideas from higher education. Now, a consortium of six Southern university systems - including Tennessee- has summer launched its own accreditation agency.
Accreditation of colleges, once low key, has gotten political • Tennessee Lookout
When six Southern public university systems this summer formed a new accreditation agency, the move shook the national evaluation model that higher education has relied on for decades.
tennesseelookout.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
seems bad
The US Transportation Department is abandoning an effort started by the Biden administration to require airlines to provide meals, hotels and cash payouts to passengers affected by significant flight disruptions.
Trump Administration Ditches Plan to Compensate Stranded Flyers
The US Transportation Department is abandoning an effort started by the Biden administration to require airlines to provide meals, hotels and cash payouts to passengers affected by significant flight disruptions.
bloom.bg
November 15, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Reposted by Holly McCall
As a judge weighs issuing a temporary injunction to stop the National Guard from patrolling Memphis, Gov. Bill Lee has decided to send even more - adding up to 250 more Guard personnel to the 140-180 currently serving as part of Trump's Memphis Safe Task Force.
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/14/h...
Hundreds more National Guard headed to Memphis even as judge weighs request for temporary injunction • Tennessee Lookout
Hundreds more members of the Tennessee National Guard are expected to arrive in Memphis over the next few days.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Memphis Police confirmed Friday afternoon the number of Tennessee National Guard members in Memphis will rise from 140-180 to about 350, reports @anitawadhwani.bsky.social.
Hundreds more National Guard headed to Memphis even as judge weighs request for temporary injunction • Tennessee Lookout
Hundreds more members of the Tennessee National Guard are expected to arrive in Memphis over the next few days.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Just in from @anitawadhwani.bsky.social: Hundreds more members of the Tennessee National Guard are expected to arrive in Memphis over the next few days, even as local leaders await a judge’s decision on their petition to temporarily bar the guard from patrolling the city.
Hundreds more National Guard headed to Memphis even as judge weighs request for temporary injunction • Tennessee Lookout
Hundreds more members of the Tennessee National Guard are expected to arrive in Memphis over the next few days.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Tennessee Rep. Jeff Burkhart, a second-term state representative and former member of the Clarksville City Council, has died at age 63. The cause of death was not immediately known.
State Rep. Jeff Burkhart of Clarksville dead at 63 • Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee Rep. Jeff Burkhart, a second-term state representative and former member of the Clarksville City Council, has died at age 63.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
As the government began to reopen Thursday, officials were working to untangle issues caused by the longest shutdown in government history.
Air travel, SNAP benefits, back pay at issue as federal government slowly reopens • Tennessee Lookout
The record 43-day government shutdown that ended Wednesday cost the U.S. economy about $15 billion per week.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
There was no network news correspondent more powerful — and productive — than NBC’s Jim Avila.

And yet, when I got my first big assignment for Nightly News, it was HE who sent me a simple topline: “Go get ‘em.” 🙏🏼

#RIP @nbcnews.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Your @tennesseelookout.com crew is grabbing a little lunch as we plot our 2026 election coverage (and hope for no wild news to break while we graze.)
November 14, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Many of the arrests made since the Memphis Safe Task Force began its work have been for traffic violations and drug charges, despite its stated focus on violent crime, according to new data compiled by the Shelby County Criminal Clerk's office. From @mlk50.bsky.social.
Newly public data shows task force increased traffic and drug charges in Memphis • Tennessee Lookout
Many of the arrests made since the Memphis Safe Task Force began its work have been for traffic violations and drug charges.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Tennessee House, Senate speakers disagree with Trump pardons of former Speaker Glen Casada and his ex-chief of staff, convicted on political corruption crimes. tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/14/t... @tennesseelookout.com
Tennessee House, Senate speakers disagree with Trump pardons • Tennessee Lookout
Two top Tennessee lawmakers disagree with President Donald Trump’s pardon of former House Speaker Glen Casada on a corruption conviction.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
The two top lawmakers in Tennessee’s House and Senate disagree with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon former House Speaker Glen Casada and his ex-chief of staff on political corruption convictions.
Tennessee House, Senate speakers disagree with Trump pardons • Tennessee Lookout
Two top Tennessee lawmakers disagree with President Donald Trump’s pardon of former House Speaker Glen Casada on a corruption conviction.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Tennessee Rep. Jeff Burkhart, a second-term state representative and former member of the Clarksville City Council, has died at age 63. The cause of death was not immediately known.
State Rep. Jeff Burkhart of Clarksville dead at 63 • Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee Rep. Jeff Burkhart, a second-term state representative and former member of the Clarksville City Council, has died at age 63.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Just in: Tennessee state Rep. Jeff Burkhart, a Clarksville Republican, has died. No other information has been provided.
November 14, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
Less than three weeks from the special election in Tennessee Congressional District 7 and the race has reached a fever pitch: President Donald Trump does a call in town hall for Republican Matt Van Epps and Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn pulls national Democratic support.
Stockard on the Stump: Behn, Van Epps go full tilt in Tennessee congressional race • Tennessee Lookout
The independent Cook Political Report has shifted predictions on the outcome of the Tennessee Congressional District 7 special election.
tennesseelookout.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Helluva gig here.
GREAT JOB ALERT!
ProPublica is hiring another senior editor for our Local Reporting Network.

The editor will edit the work of 4-5 reporters from our partner newsrooms, collaborating on projects that spur change.

💰 Salary range: $150,000 to $195,000
➡️ Apply: propub.li/3JAIqme
November 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
NEW: The Nevada Supreme Court has revived the criminal case against the Trump 2020 fake electors, ruling that AG Ford was correct to bring the case in Clark County. www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
November 14, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has sent a video in Congressional District 7 urging people to early vote. He mentions Tennessee and conservative valued but never says the word "Republican," nor does he name any candidate.
November 13, 2025 at 9:11 PM
A federal jury seated in Nashville spent four weeks of their lives listening to testimony about Glen Casada, once the third most powerful person in Tennessee, before finding him guilty on 14 counts of corruption. A pardon from President Donald Trump had wiped Casada's slate clean: justice is dead.
Editor's notebook: A failure of justice as a convicted Tennessee lawmaker skates free • Tennessee Lookout
A Tennessee miscarriage of justice as convicted former House Speaker Glen Casada skates free thanks to a presidential pardon.
tennesseelookout.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Reposted by Holly McCall
The Weakley County Grand Jury on Monday indicted Martin, Tenn. Mayor Randal “Randy” Brundige and two other city officials, one of them the mayor’s daughter, for using public funds for travel, meals and, in one case, to funnel money into a personal consulting firm.
Martin mayor indicted on theft of funds, official misconduct  • Tennessee Lookout
The Weakley County Grand Jury on Monday indicted Martin, Tenn. Mayor Randal “Randy” Brundige for theft of funds and official misconduct.
tennesseelookout.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The Trump administration has offered $14 billion in incentives nationally for local law enforcement agencies to sign up for a controversial program giving them power to enforce federal immigration laws. In Tennessee, 48 agencies have taken them up on the offer.
Tennessee partnerships with ICE multiply as feds offer $14B in incentives nationwide • Tennessee Lookout
In Tennessee, 48 local and state law enforcement agencies ave signed onto 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
tennesseelookout.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:24 PM