All posts tagged: Tennessee

A Tennessee School District has Banned Alex Haley’s ROOTS

A Tennessee School District has Banned Alex Haley’s ROOTS

Published by Jenni Sidey

Welcome back to another headline roundup for library employees. Today, we’re going with a bit of a theme and talking a lot about AI: authors using AI as part of the writing process, selling books written by AI, and more. Let’s jump in (but maybe hold your nose first). Barnes & Noble CEO Explores Idea of Selling AI-Written Books Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt made headlines when he said that he would support selling AI-written books in stores: “So as long as an AI-written book says it’s an AI-written book and doesn’t pretend to be something else and isn’t ripping off somebody else, as long as that’s clearly stated and the customer wants to buy it, then we will stock them.” He later issued a clarifying statement, saying that Barnes and Noble does not “endorse or intentionally sell AI-generated books. We take active measures to exclude all AI-generated books from our online offerings and never knowingly order any for in-store stock.” I don’t know how much this actually clarifies, but speaking as a book …

Tribal coalition urges appeals court to reject Kalshi betting theory challenge in Tennessee

Tribal coalition urges appeals court to reject Kalshi betting theory challenge in Tennessee

Published by skeptic

A coalition of tribal organizations and federally recognized tribes is asking a federal appeals court to overturn a ruling that temporarily blocked Tennessee from enforcing its sports wagering laws against prediction market operator Kalshi. The filing, submitted Tuesday (May 26) to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, backs Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and state officials in their challenge to a preliminary injunction granted to Kalshi. Tribal groups argue the company’s legal position would weaken tribal sovereignty, disrupt long-standing gaming regulations, and erode revenue that supports tribal governments. NEW: More than 25 tribes and gaming groups urged a federal appeals court to overturn #Kalshi’s Tennessee injunction victory. @RWW pic.twitter.com/f9JYtqGkZc — Suswati Basu (@suswatibasu) May 28, 2026 The coalition includes more than 25 groups such as the Indian Gaming Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund, regional tribal gaming groups, and tribes from across the country. On the same day, the American Gaming Association also filed its own supporting brief. Why the tribal coalition …

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

Published by Sam Flores

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities under a newly enacted law meant to halt the spread of deepfake pornography. Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, were both arrested Tuesday for generating sexually explicit AI content that drew millions of views online, according to criminal complaints. The men — who do not appear to be connected — are among the earliest defendants to face charges under the Take It Down Act, a law signed last year by President Donald Trump that adds stricter penalties for publishing AI-created deepfakes and “revenge porn.” The bill drew bipartisan support, as well as the public backing of first lady Melania Trump. Under the new law, the men now face up to two years in prison. Attorneys for Shannon and Hernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Joseph Nocella, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said the men had ”used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded …

Some See White Livestreamer’s Freedom of Speech Claims as Cover for Race-Baiting

Some See White Livestreamer’s Freedom of Speech Claims as Cover for Race-Baiting

Published by Sam Flores

A shooting involving a white livestreamer known for filming himself provoking people with racist words that left a Black man wounded has reignited debate over freedom of speech and content creators who monetize hate-filled interactions. As more users of livestreaming social media platforms find being performative with bigoted language can draw big bucks, the line is blurring between freedom of expression and freedom for people to feel safe. Even within livestreaming communities, some assert they have a right to say whatever and earn revenue while others support having boundaries. Racial justice advocates worry throwing money into the equation will only heighten and normalize racist antics. As for regulation, it can feel lawless out on the social media landscape. It is often left up to platforms to self-regulate and hold users accountable for obscene and abusive words. But, experts say, at some point laws for offline behavior can trump online freedoms. Eatherly, 28, and the victim got into a “physical altercation that escalated to gunfire,” the local sheriff’s office said. A witness described the man, who …

Alex Haley’s ROOTS Banned by Tennessee School District

Alex Haley’s ROOTS Banned by Tennessee School District

Published by Jenni Sidey

Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. James Patterson Pledges $10 million to Early Adolescent Literacy Institute The mega-bestselling James Patterson has promised $10 million to his alma mater, Vanderbilt University. The institute will “work to address the increasingly urgent need for literacy training for students in grades four through eight.” It sounds like the institute plans to attack literacy issues from different angles. It will conduct research through partnerships with elementary and middle schools, run outreach programs that get parents and caregivers involved, instruct current and future literacy teachers, create “a living laboratory in Middle Tennessee schools,” and more. While private citizens—no matter how rich they are—shouldn’t bear the brunt of fixing our literacy crisis, this current administration sure won’t. And while we wait for them to leave office, we get further in the hole. Hopefully, this pledge brings more attention to this mounting problem. Alex Haley’s ROOTS Banned by Tennessee School District On the opposite end of the book news …

Man Pleads Guilty in Shooting Death of Rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis Bakery

Man Pleads Guilty in Shooting Death of Rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis Bakery

Published by Sam Flores

MEMPHIS, Tenn, (AP) — A Tennessee man pleaded guilty on Friday in the shooting death of Young Dolph during a daytime ambush at a Memphis bakery, marking an end to courtroom battles stemming from the rapper and music label owner’s shocking killing in his hometown more than four years ago. Cornelius Smith Jr., 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Memphis courtroom under an agreement with prosecutors that dropped other charges against him, according to a press release from the district attorney’s office. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison as part of the plea deal. Smith was the main witness in the trial of Johnson, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024 after Smith named him as the second shooter. Johnson was sentenced in September 2024 to life in prison. Johnson was later sentenced for two other convictions from the trial: conspiracy to commit murder and possession of a gun as a felon. Smith also testified at the trial of Hernandez Govan, who was acquitted in August of charges that he …

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen to retire after Republican-led redistricting in Tennessee

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen to retire after Republican-led redistricting in Tennessee

Published by Sam Flores

Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., announced Friday that he won’t be running for re-election this fall after a redistricting push in Tennessee carved up his Memphis-based district. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. “This morning, I announced my decision not to run in any of the three gerrymandered congressional districts carved out of the 9th District that I have represented for more than 19 years,” Cohen said in a statement. “Last week Tennessee Republicans silenced the Black vote here in Memphis to make Republican victories likely,” the congressman added. The new district map, which the Republican-led state Legislature and GOP Gov. Bill Lee enacted last week, divides Cohen’s majority-Black district three ways. Tennessee’s new map comes just weeks after the Supreme Court’s decision in Callais v. Louisiana, which gutted parts of the Voting Rights Act and sharply limited the use of race in drawing congressional districts. In the wake of the decision, lawmakers in several states across the South have moved forward with redistricting in ways that …

Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen to retire after GOP targets him with redistricting

Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen to retire after GOP targets him with redistricting

Published by Sam Flores

Rep. Steve Cohen (Tenn.), a liberal Democrat in his 20th year on Capitol Hill, announced Friday that he will retire at the end of the term, becoming the earliest casualty of the Republicans’ redistricting campaign ahead of November’s midterms. Cohen, who will turn 77 later this month, hammered the Republicans for orchestrating what he called a power… Source link

Watch live: Cohen unveils plans after new Tennessee map cuts up district

Watch live: Cohen unveils plans after new Tennessee map cuts up district

Published by Sam Flores

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) will give remarks Friday morning, just days after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed a new GOP-friendly map into law that carved up his district. Cohen has vowed to take legal action after the Memphis-based 9th Congressional District — the state’s only majority-Black district — was gutted amid Republicans’ efforts to… Source link

What do Tennessee residents think about their new redistricting maps? : NPR

What do Tennessee residents think about their new redistricting maps? : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Demonstrators against the redrawing of Tennessee’s congressional maps following the approval of a new congressional map during a special legislative session at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn. on May 7. Madison Thorn/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Madison Thorn/Bloomberg via Getty Images MEMPHIS, Tenn. — From the founding of Memphis more than two centuries ago, Poplar Ave. has served as a spine of the city, connecting urban, suburban and rural Shelby County and contributing to its growth into the hub of the mid-South region. After last week’s redistricting push by Tennessee Republicans, the thoroughfare now serves as a boundary line that fractures the majority-Black city’s residents into three congressional seats that are likely to be held by Republicans. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision that weakened a part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 relating to racial discrimination, Tennessee is the first of several southern states that have rushed to redraw their congressional maps in ways that they say is purely aimed at electing more Republicans to the …