SUMMARY: Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Expect warm temperatures in the middle 50s this afternoon, with clear skies and sunshine. Meteorologist Rebecca Suweet forecasts a warming trend, reaching 60s and 70s tomorrow. Winds will shift to a south-southwesterly direction before a system brings rain and possible thunderstorms by Thursday. The Storm Prediction Center is monitoring the situation, though the severe weather risk seems lower in our area. Some flurries may occur, and scattered showers are predicted heading into Wednesday and Thursday, just in time for the official start of spring this weekend, with highs returning to the 60s.

Here is your evening weather forecast for Monday, March 17, 2024.

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Tennessee Department of Health bars employees from using preferred pronouns

by Anita Wadhwani, Tennessee Lookout
March 17, 2025

The Tennessee Department of Health has banned the use of preferred pronouns in staff emails, mirroring similar directives issued by federal agencies in response to orders issued by the Trump Administration.

The ban on the use of preferred pronouns is reflected in a “communication policy branding standards” March 5 policy update. 

The updated policy about state employees emails says that “gender pronouns may not be included in the subject line, body, or signature line for purposes of identifying the preferred pronouns of the sender.”

“Pronouns may not be used in an email unless they are being used within a sentence in the place of a noun.”

The policy revisions came at the “authority of the Commissioner of Health,” said a spokesperson. Dr. Ralph Alvarado — a former Republican state senator from Kentucky and one-time running mate with former Kentucky governor Matt Bevin — has been commissioner of the department since 2023.

The health department’s directive reflects a broader national rollback of policies intended to recognize the identities of nonbinary individuals in and out of government. 

Dean Flener, a health department spokesperson, initially responded to questions about a policy change by saying there was “not a new policy.”

The previous version of the health department policy, however, revealed no instructions on the use of preferred pronouns. That prior policy was revised March 5. 

Flener said the update reflects a “more comprehensive” reiteration of existing department policy.

“The Department’s Communication Policy previously addressed what may and may not be included in employee emails and auto-signatures,” Flener said in response to additional questions from the Lookout.

“The updated language in the policy reiterates those existing requirements in a more comprehensive manner,” he said. 

The new policy also adds one more prohibition: “emails may not include inspirational quotations.”

DOH pronoun policy

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.

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SUMMARY: Tennessee State Parks has hired its first accessibility coordinator, Ryan Jolley, to improve access to outdoor experiences for people with disabilities. Jolley, who has been legally blind since age 10 due to a rare genetic disease, will advise, train, and lead projects to enhance park accessibility. Nearly 50 parks in Tennessee now offer all-terrain wheelchairs, helping visitors with mobility issues enjoy otherwise inaccessible areas. Tennessee State Parks aims to become the nation’s most accessible system, with continued progress driven by Jolley’s expertise and input from those with diverse abilities. The announcement coincided with Disability Advocacy Day.

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