The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance has received a $241,000 grant to fund a smoke alarm installation program, fire alarm training for staff and one-and-two family dwelling code training.

The Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S), administered by the Department of Homeland Security, awarded the grant. The department received $153,000 to purchase 8,000 smoke alarms to help reduce the number of home fire deaths in Tennessee. Smoke alarms for the hearing impaired will also be purchased. The Tennessee Fire Incident Systems reports that between 2003 and 2007, 34 percent of residential structure fires had no working smoke alarms. Home fires with working smoke alarms were 42 percent less likely to result in a fire death. A study by the U.S. Fire Administration ranked Tennessee with the fourth highest rate of fire deaths in 2005.

The goal of the smoke alarm installation program is to equip community organizations and fire departments with free smoke alarms to install in needy households in their communities. Interested organizations must make an application to the State Fire Marshal's Office and show proof of having the tools and manpower necessary to install them and the ability to find needy households. Alarms will not be issued to organizations that give alarms away without installing them. Interested parties can contact Jeff Huddleston at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Funding of $88,000 was also received to provide residential building code training to the State Fire Marshal's Office staff and other state code inspectors, and for fire alarm training for staff.

PHOTO BY INeedCoffee / CoffeeHero

The fifth annual Sales Tax Holiday is scheduled for Friday, August 6 and continuing through Sunday, August 8. The Department of Revenue is reminding Tennessee shoppers that during these three days of savings, you can save almost 10 percent on tax-free clothing, school and art supplies and computer purchases.

"The annual Sales Tax Holiday was designed with Tennessee families in mind," said Governor Phil Bredesen. "The holiday provides much needed savings for all Tennessee shoppers and prepares children for success by making sure they start the first day of school properly equipped with items they need."

The holiday begins Friday, August 6 at 12:01 a.m. and ends Sunday, August 8 at 11:59 p.m. During the designated three-day weekend, consumers will not pay state or local sales tax on select clothing with a price of $100 or less per item, school and art supplies with a price of $100 or less per item, and computers with a price of $1,500 or less.

"Last year's tax-free weekend was extremely successful in giving back to Tennesseans, providing nearly $8 million in tax savings to Tennessee families," said Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr. "We are hopeful that all Tennessee shoppers will enjoy the immediate relief of the 2010 Sales Tax Holiday."

Please visit the Sales Tax Holiday website at www.tntaxholiday.com to learn more about the items exempt from sales tax. The Tennessee Department of Revenue also assists customers via e-mail, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and through its toll-free statewide telephone hot line, (800) 342-1003. Staff is available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Central Time. (Out-of-state and Nashville-area callers, please dial 615-253-0600.)

In a continued effort to promote Tennessee's sales tax holiday, the Department of Revenue has launched a new dedicated facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TNTaxHoliday.

Examples of exempt items include:

• Clothing: Shirts, dresses, pants, coats, gloves and mittens, hats and caps, hosiery, neckties, belts, sneakers, shoes, uniforms whether athletic or non-athletic and scarves
• School Supplies: Binders, book bags, calculators, tape, chalk, crayons, erasers, folders, glue, pens, pencils, lunch boxes, notebooks, paper, rulers and scissors
• Art Supplies: Clay and glazes; acrylic, tempera and oil paints; paintbrushes for artwork; sketch and drawing pads; and watercolors
• Computers: Central processing unit (CPU), along with various other components including monitor, keyboard, mouse, cables to connect components and preloaded software (Note: While the CPU may be purchased separately, other items must be part of a bundled computer package in order to be eligible.) iPads are eligible for tax exemption, video games and consoles are not.

Road construction won't slow travelers through Tennessee this July 4th holiday weekend. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes beginning at noon on Friday, July 2, 2010.

"We want travelers on Tennessee's roadways to get to their destinations safely and efficiently," said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. "Suspending lane closures during the holiday period is one way to ensure that travelers don't have to contend with the additional stress of construction-related lane closures as they travel across our state."

No temporary lane closures will be allowed for construction on Tennessee roadways from noon on Friday, July 2 until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 6. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for holiday travelers.

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects. While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers may be on site in construction zones and reduced speed limits will still be in effect. Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.

"If you and your family are traveling during this holiday period, please buckle up and observe the rules of the road so you'll arrive safely at your destination," said Governor's Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole. "During this weekend drivers will notice an increased law enforcement presence on Tennessee's roadways in an effort to ensure that everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July holiday."

According to AAA projections, all types of travel are expected to increase 17.1 percent from 2009 with an estimated 34.9 million traveling this July 4th. AAA estimates 31.4 million people will travel by car this holiday weekend. In Tennessee, AAA predicts some 630,771 motorists will hit the roadways. AAA links the potential increase in travel to the heightened confidence in the U.S. economy.

Travelers are reminded to dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone to access valuable information about travel conditions any time, or to log on to www.TN511.com. TDOT is also on Twitter. For updated travel information via Twitter, follow TN511 or one of the regional feeds: Chattanooga511, Knoxville511, Memphis511 and Nashville511.

As always, motorists are reminded to stay safe while driving and refrain from texting, tweeting or using a cell phone from behind the wheel of a vehicle. TDOT advises motorists to "Know Before You Go!" by checking travel conditions before leaving home.

The Governor's Books from Birth Foundation (GBBF) and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library are celebrating a significant milestone: more than 10 million free books have been delivered to Tennessee children in all 95 counties since the program began in 2004, developing their vocabulary, school readiness and a love of learning.

The milestone comes on the heels of the announcement that Tennessee is one of just two states awarded funding in the first round of President Obama's Race to the Top competition, recognizing our state's forward thinking in education reform and changing the way the nation views Tennessee's commitment to education. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a part of that commitment, giving all Tennessee children access to free books and encouraging a lifetime of learning.

"Over the past seven years, we've focused on those things we can do to best prepare our children for success in the classroom, including the availability of pre-K and expanding the Imagination Library across all 95 counties to instill in children a love of reading right from the start," Gov. Phil Bredesen said. "This milestone shows how far we've come in a relatively short period of time and marks an achievement that will continue to pay rich dividends for Tennessee's children."

Dolly Parton, who first created the program, said, "I am one of the biggest dreamers that has ever lived, but I can honestly say I never dreamed that we would give 10 million books to Tennessee's children ... and the best thing of all, this is only the beginning!"

Created in 1996 by Dolly Parton as a gift to the children in her hometown of Sevierville, the Imagination Library mails a new, age-appropriate, high-quality book every month to registered children, from birth until age five - at no cost to the family, regardless of income. Just $24 annually provides for the purchase and delivery of 12 books to one child. This cost is split evenly between a non-profit sponsoring organization in every Tennessee county and a state budgetary allocation administered by the GBBF.

Currently, more than 214,000 Tennessee children under the age of five in all 95 counties are receiving a book delivered monthly to their home. More than 170,000 children have graduated from the program since 2004.

The books are selected from a blue-ribbon panel each year to ensure quality and age appropriateness for all ages, including The Little Engine That Could, Spot Goes to the Farm, The Snowy Day, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!.

To learn how to support Wilson County's Imagination Library program or, for information on how to register a child, please visit www.GovernorsFoundation.org or call 1-877-99-BOOKS.

As Tennesseans celebrate National Bike to Work Week, a new ranking shows they now have more bike friendly paths and roadways to travel. The League of American Cyclists recently announced their third annual Bicycle Friendly State (BFS) rankings. Tennessee jumped an astounding 19 spots in one year, climbing to 24th place this year from a ranking of 43rd in the 2009 report.

"I'm pleased to see this marked improvement in Tennessee's bicycle friendly ranking, but there is much work left to do," said Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner (TDOT) Gerald Nicely. "Clearly one area where improvement is needed is educating the public about safe bicycling and driving practices."

The ranking lists Tennessee as fifth in the nation for 2010 legislation, 11th for programs, 17th for infrastructure, 19th for evaluation, 27th for enforcement and 41st for education.

The Bicycle Friendly States rankings were first conducted in 2008 and are conducted annually, with all questions and methodology remaining consistent to track states' progress. The BFS rankings are based on a 95-item questionnaire that evaluates a state's commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement. The League offers feedback and technical assistance to states in an effort to improve their ranking as well as overall conditions for bicycling.

"The improvement in Tennessee's ranking is due in large part to the better collaboration among TDOT, regional and municipal planners, legislators, advocates, and sharing of information across the state," Tom Evans, founder and Secretary/Treasurer of Bike Walk Tennessee, said. "We'll use the 2010 rankings and feedback as a guide to prioritize efforts for future improvements."

To view the 2010 BFS Rankings list, complete with BFS awards and a breakdown of how the states fared in each evaluation category, please visit www.bikeleague.org. For more information on the Bicycle Friendly States program and the state rankings, e-mail Meghan Cahill at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pictured: A bicyclist and jogger cross a bike/pedestrian bridge in Chattanooga (image courtesy of TDOT)