(The Center Square) – Gov. Bill Lee has signed into law authorization that significantly will change the way Tennessee's Medicaid program receives federal funding.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Applications opened on January 15 for PYA's new Tom Ballard Innovation Award. The award competition is open to any early-stage company in the East Tennessee area with revenue and an established "proof of concept." Applicants are competing for a combination of investment capital and in-kind services totaling at least $50,000 to support their innovative ideas.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. and NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lirio, the world leader in Precision Nudging, today announced it has earned Certified status for information security by HITRUST.

CHICAGO, Jan. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arete Wealth - an independent Broker-Dealer (BD), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), and Insurance firm headquartered in Chicago - will acquire Center Street Securities in Q1 2021.

Jan. 15, 1919: The Johnson City Daily Staff reported on the death of a young lady. “Miss Ida Scott, eighteen years of age, died Monday three miles from Elizabethton from pneumonia developing from influenza. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M.D. Scott whose residence is near Speedwell on Cherokee. Two sisters at home and a brother in France survive.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DK) ("Delek US" or the "Company") today issued the following statement in response to the letter received from and disclosed by CVR Energy, Inc. ("CVR"), a majority owned subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises L.P.:

(The Center Square) – A TennCare block grant authorization passed the state Senate on Thursday afternoon, putting Tennessee a step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to receive federal Medicaid funding in a lump sum.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP announced the election of nine new partners: Tayo Atanda, Blake Bernard, John Bunge, Nathan Hertzog, Stacy Clark Hooper, Lindsay Jacques Irving, Nora Katz, Leanna Weinstein, and Josh Wood.

NASHVILLE—State Senator Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) has been reappointed to the committee which approves budgets for the largest and second largest economic sectors in the state, the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The announcement was made by Lt. Governor Randy McNally as the 112th General Assembly met to organize the 2021-2022 legislative sessions.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Perception Health, a leading provider of healthcare market prediction software, announced today the national rollout of Monthly Executive Reports.

The Montgomery County Commission named Sharon T. Massey Grimes to fill the remaining term of her late husband, Judge Raymond Grimes, as general sessions and juvenile court judge.

Portland area churches are responding in different ways to the rise in the number of active COVID-19 cases in Sumner County.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- First Community Mortgage (FCM), announces that it will acquire a Mortgage Boutique (AMB) in a transaction it hopes to close within the next month, pending regulatory approval. Both privately held mortgage organizations are headquartered in Murfreesboro.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- XOi Technologies, providers of a cloud-based mobile application that connects field service contractors with an industry-leading online knowledge base and empowers them to complete more service requests, has announced an enhanced integration with partner Davisware that will optimize customer experience while increasing the value of their applications for joint customers.

(The Center Square) – Four days after Tennessee became the first state in the country to receive federal approval for a Medicaid block grant waiver, Republicans in the Tennessee Legislature were working quickly to advance a resolution approving implementation of the proposal.

(The Center Square) – State lawmakers elected constitutional officers Wednesday in a joint session, reelecting Tennessee’s election chief, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, despite an objection by Democrats.

Guns and development taxes were two items of consideration at the recent Rutherford County Commission committee meeting.

U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport, released a statement Tuesday afternoon that she opposed the ousting of President Donald J. Trump during his last week in office.

Deputy Comptroller Jason Mumpower of Bristol was appointed to comptroller Wednesday by the Tennessee General Assembly.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Even in a pre-COVID world, healthcare providers of all sizes were being challenged to re-shape their businesses in response to the ever-shifting healthcare landscape. Although we do not yet know the full extent and long-term impact of COVID-19 on healthcare providers (and the national economy as a whole), it has undoubtedly accelerated these pressures and further increased the emphasis on cost management, market efficiencies, and access to capital.

After shutdowns and low attendance, area churches are hoping 2021 brings increased membership and renewed faith.

A group of women at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lenoir City is working to improve the community and beyond.

For more than a year, the Rev. Emily Collins has conducted her pastoral residency at the Community Church at Tellico Village in hopes of eventually serving another church.