REARDON HONOR
PAGE 2
VOTING AUDIT
DECEMBER 1, 2022 | VOLUME 34 | NUMBER 45
PAGE 10
Kentucky State Sen. appointed as next Tenn. Department of Health Commissioner BY MATT MASTERS
Attendees of the 2022 Christmas at the Capitol look at Christmas decorations.
PHOTO BY KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY PHOTO CREDIT
The 2022 State of Tennessee Christmas Tree stands in front of the State Capitol.
Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee speak at the Christmas at the Capitol celebration on Nov. 28, 2022. PHOTOS BY MATT MASTERS
Christmas at the Capitol sees lighting of state Christmas tree BY MATT MASTERS
This year’s Christmas at the Capitol celebration took place at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville on Monday evening with the lighting of the state Christmas tree. The tree first served as a small Christmas tree for Joe and Suzie Barry in their Inglewood home some 20 years ago, marking the first Christmas for their daughter, Sarah, who was born on Dec. 28.
The family then planted the tree in their front yard and it grew and grew and continued to be decorated by the Barrys each holiday. The tree now towers above everything else, outgrowing their yard, which caused the Barrys to search for someone who could take the tree, eventually connecting with the state’s Special Projects Manager Bill Tolbert,
who is tasked with finding the perfect tree. “I try to be as conservationist with it as possible,” Tolbert said. “I look for trees under power lines, trees that have outgrown their spaces, and so when you start going to that level of looking for trees, it gets a little bit difficult.” Tolbert said that this will be the last tree he helps to secure for the state >> PAGE 7
Kentucky State Sen. Dr. Ralph Alvarado has been appointed as Tennessee’s new Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner beginning Jan. 16, 2023 Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee has appointed sitting Kentucky State Sen. Dr. Ralph Alvarado as commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health beginning Jan. 16, 2023, following the resignation of TDH Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey who led the department throughout the heights of the ongoing pandemic. Piercey announced her resignation in April, and in June, Dr. Morgan McDonald was named Interim Health Commissioner. “It’s an honor to join Governor Lee’s team to advance health and prosperity for every Tennessean,” said Alvarado. “I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to serving individuals and families across the Volunteer State.” Alvarado is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Kentucky-based >> PAGE 7
THENEWS @ FWPUBLISHING.COM | 615.298.1500 | THENEWSTN.COM TICKED OFF: tickedoff@fwpublishing.com
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID NASHVILLE, TN PERMIT # 338