On Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the Helene Emergency Assistance Loans (HEAL) Program. The program provides no-interest loans for those in Tennessee counties impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. “Today, we announced the HEAL Program that will dedicate $100 million to assist East TN communities with recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. These no-interest loans will help impacted counties cover the initial costs of water & wastewater repair & debris removal,” Gov. Lee said Thursday. Today, we announced the HEAL Program that will dedicate $100 million to assist East TN communities with recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. These no-interest loans will help impacted counties cover the initial costs of water & wastewater repair & debris removal. — Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) October 10, 2024 From Gov. Lee’s office: Counties eligible for assistance include Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington. “Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster for Tennessee, and many local communities don’t have the resources to recover on their own,” said Gov. Lee. “Federal dollars will be available later, but these communities need immediate relief. Tennessee’s record of fiscal conservatism has placed us in a strong financial position to make government work for the people and step up to help in this time of need.” Gov. Lee has met with flood survivors, emergency operations personnel, and local law enforcement in Northeast Tennessee to identify the greatest needs. Work to remove dangerous debris and repair water and wastewater systems must begin immediately. Unfortunately, the damage is too extensive, and expense is too great for local jurisdictions to cover the cost of repairs and wait for FEMA reimbursement. The HEAL Program allocates $35 million to address water and wastewater system damage across eligible counties. These systems experienced extensive damage in most counties and were destroyed in others. Utilities are central to the health and wellbeing of the Tennesseans living in the affected areas, as well as the first responders and volunteers who are temporarily deployed to help with the rebuilding process. $65 million will be divided equally among eligible economically at-risk and distressed counties to address dangerous debris removal. Eligible counties may opt-in for the no-interest loans, which are funded by TennCare Shared Savings. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) will distribute funds accordingly. Some social media users criticized the announcement because the funds consisted of loans instead of aid, citing significant state contributions to big corporations in comparison. “Tennessee’s leadership is a joke! They’ve thrown $1 BILLION to Ford & $500 MILLION to the Titans for a stadium. Meanwhile, communities devastated by Hurricane Helene get stuck with a $100 MILLION LOAN NOT aid,” X user ‘M.L. Nowlin’ said. “This isn’t conservatism; it’s crony capitalism. Real conservatism = fiscal responsibility, limited government, & free markets—not bailing out corporations while disaster victims get crumbs. Tennessee deserves better,” he added. Tennessee’s leadership is a joke! They’ve thrown $1 BILLION to Ford & $500 MILLION to the Titans for a stadium. Meanwhile, communities devastated by Hurricane Helene get stuck with a $100 MILLION LOAN NOT aid. This isn’t conservatism; it’s crony capitalism. Real conservatism… https://t.co/enVV9uyh6q — M.L. Nowlin (@mnbookman) October 11, 2024 Tennessee Stands, a nonprofit “working to protect the individual liberty of all Tennesseans,” referenced the same corporate contributions. $1 BILLION of free money to @Ford $500 MILLION of free money to the @Titans …but to the communities (tax-paying Tennesseans) who have been devastated by Hurricane Helene? …a $100 MILLION LOAN I could not possibly despise @GovBillLee more. https://t.co/OVqADK3rcz — Tennessee Stands (@tennesseestands) October 11, 2024 “I really can’t fathom that you are bragging about giving those affected a loan to rebuild. To put their lives and communities and neighbors back together from catastrophic damage. Can I ask a serious question? Are we loaning money to other countries and their governments?” another X user wrote. I really can't fathom that you are bragging about giving those affected a loan to rebuild. To put their lives and communities and neighbors back together from catastrophic damage. Can I ask a serious question? Are we loaning money to other countries and their governments? — Ryan – Wake up America (@RyanLayne17) October 10, 2024 “How many corporations get breaks from you without even a thought of repayment? Now, these ravaged communities not only have to rebuild, but also have immense debt to pay off. Where are your priorities,” another X user said. How many corporations get breaks from you without even a thought of repayment? Now, these ravaged communities not only have to rebuild, but also have immense debt to pay off. Where are your priorities. — sɴᴀʀᴋᴀsᴛɪᴄ sʜᴇɴᴀɴɪɢᴀɴs ? (@The_HistOracle) October 11, 2024 In 2022, the Tennessee state legislature approved $500 million for the Tennessee Titans to construct a new stadium. From The Tennessean: After drawn-out negotiations, the Senate and House passed a state budget Thursday that will include $500 million in bonds for a new Tennessee Titans Stadium in Nashville. The Titans are looking to build a new enclosed stadium costing between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion, according to early projections. The state will provide $500 million of the funding through a bond estimated to cost taxpayers $710 million over 20 years, according to documents from Gov. Bill Lee’s administration. The rest of the funding is expected to come from the Titans, Metro Nashville and the NFL. Tennessee lawmakers have also approved about $1 billion for Ford Motor Company to construct an electric vehicle manufacturing plant. Per Tennessee Lookout: Production of Ford Motor Company’s electric next-generation pickup truck at its new West Tennessee plant will be delayed until 2027, the company announced Wednesday. Construction on the new campus continues, and the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center where the truck will be manufactured still plans to employ 3,000 workers, a Ford spokesperson confirmed. The campus’ battery plant — a joint venture between Ford and SK — will make up the remaining jobs needed to fulfill Ford’s promise that the campus would create 5,800 jobs. Tennessee lawmakers approved nearly $1 billion for the $5.6 billion project three years ago. A spokesperson said Ford remains confident it will meet requirements set in that incentives deal. “West Tennessee is a linchpin in our plan to create a strong and growing Ford in America. BlueOval City will be one of the most advanced manufacturing complexes anywhere in the world, and we are counting on the workforce in West Tennessee to produce advanced batteries starting next year, and then our most innovative pickup ever starting in 2027,” Ford President and CEO Jim Farley said in an emailed statement. “Ford is leading the electric revolution by creating an automotive manufacturing ecosystem in Tennessee, called BlueOval City. Ford’s Campus at BlueOval City will be the home of the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center, which will produce our next generation all electric truck. This Campus will reimagine how electric vehicles and batteries are designed, built and recycled – all Built for America,” Ford writes on its website.

washington — A U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to help the Islamic State conduct a deadly ambush of U.S. troops, the Department of Justice said on Friday. Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, 24, will undergo supervised release for 10 years following his release from prison, the department said. Bridges, who was a private first class at the time of his arrest, was charged in 2021 with giving "military advice and guidance on how to kill fellow soldiers to individuals he thought were part of ISIS," the department said. Bridges pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in June 2023. He joined the Army in 2019. Before joining, according to the department, he began researching and consuming online propaganda "promoting jihadists and their violent ideology, and began to express his support for ISIS and jihad on social media."