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A Phoenix woman became the latest Arizonan to be convicted and sentenced to prison for using social media to entice American citizens to participate in human smuggling of illegal immigrants, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Wednesday. In a press release, the DOJ revealed Destiney Rae Montoya, a 22-year-old, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison by United States District Judge Raner Collins. The prosecutors explained that Montoya's sentence was enhanced due to her status as the "coordinator" of the human smuggling operation.

A former coworker of Shaquille Taylor, who is accused of fatally shooting Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig in the head, said in a Friday interview that Taylor did not seem to have reduced cognitive abilities during their workplace interactions, and instead said he regaled her with stories of his criminal history. After recognizing Taylor from photographs spread by the media, WSMV4 claims a Nashville woman said she worked with the alleged killer "at a fast food chain off White Bridge Pike." Speaking to the outlet, she disputed reports that Taylor has the mental capacity of a small child.

A Nashville man remains hospitalized after he was shot following an apparent fight to which he was not a party, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The shooting occurred less than one hour after the death of Belmont University freshman Jillian Ludwig, another innocent bystander who was allegedly shot in the head by Shaquille Taylor on November 7. Police initially described the victim as man in his 50s who was shot after a fight between two men ended in gunfire in North Nashville, according to WSMV. Police Spokesman Don Aaron told The Tennessee Star the victim is expected to survive, and will be interviewed to ascertain the circumstances that led to the shooting after he recovers.

Phoenix cleared the final blocks of "The Zone" last Wednesday, marking the end of the largest homeless encampment in Arizona, after the majority of homeless were relocated. On the following day, city officials revealed more evictions were filed in October 2023 than in any other month since 2005. The City of Phoenix cleared the final blocks of "The Zone" last week following a deadline set in court after the city lost a lawsuit from local businesses who successfully obtained a court ruling that determined the city was negligent and ordered the camp cleared. Photos posted to social media appear to confirm "The Zone" was completely cleared on November 2.

The University of Tennessee (UT) admitted in a statement on Wednesday night that one of its professors made antisemitic comments during a classroom lecture, but said it could not go into details out of respect for the students' privacy. In a statement, UT Director of News and Information Tyra Hagg distributed to the media late Wednesday, the university claimed it "has addressed concerns about a class lecture that included several comments" which fall under the "working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance" in 2016.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R) has 30 days to appeal the Tuesday decision from a three-judge panel that ruled the legislature violated the state constitution with its new law governing the Metro Nashville Airport Authority. Metro Nashville filed the lawsuit after the Tennessee Legislature passed a law changing how the board's members are selected, with the new law allowing the mayor, governor, and House and Senate speakers to each select two appointees. Tuesday's ruling invalidated this law, and restored the board's previous members who were all appointed by Nashville's mayor and approved by the Metro Nashville council, effective immediately.

Activists have announced a three-day protest against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center will occur in November in what the organizers claim is a final bid to stop its construction. The activists claim protest will occur from November 10-14, and are organizing it because their petition calling for a public referendum on the future of a facility that will train law enforcement and firefighters remains stalled with the City of Atlanta even though the public safety training center is nearly halfway complete.

The Atlanta Professional Firefighters addressed city leaders in a strongly worded letter on Tuesday, warning the city's fleet of emergency response vehicles is in dire condition. Its letter came after Atlanta Fire and Rescue informed the city of its decision to formally close three fire stations due to vehicle and staffing issues. In a letter obtained by Atlanta First News, firefighters claimed that many of Atlanta's fire stations lack an actual fire engine with water capable of extinguishing a fire. They stated that this implies the actual number of non-operational fire stations is higher than the three identified by the city on Monday.

A member of the Clayton County Commission was stripped of her title on Monday as part of an official sanction after her claims of being slipped the date rape drug at a Morrow bar were contradicted by a police investigation and video that appeared to show her consume at least five alcoholic drinks before losing consciousness. The Clayton County Commission unanimously voted to sanction Commissioner Felicia Franklin and strip her from the vice chairman position, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Franklin did not attend the meeting or participate in the vote.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said on Thursday that the city's new Public Safety Training Center is about 40 percent complete, and he expects construction on the site's buildings will begin in January. Dickens told the Buckhead Young Republicans that the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center is nearly halfway complete, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The training center is located in Buckhead, the uptown commercial and residential district of Atlanta that has sought to become its own city, and the outlet noted that 61 percent of residents supported its construction in a March poll. 

The family of Leonard Cure, a man fatally shot by Georgia law enforcement, seemed to blame mental illness after Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor released videos of the incident. Cure was once wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for over 16 years before he was released in 2020. Cure was allegedly driving in excess of 100 miles per hour when he passed a Camden County deputy. Video released by the sheriff's office shows Cure did not immediately pull over his vehicle after the deputy activated his vehicle's lights, but instead continued driving to pass other traffic before pulling over to the highway's shoulder.

The Clayton County Commissioner who claimed she was slipped the date rape drug while at a live music event refused calls for her to resign on Tuesday, even after local police, a urinalysis test, and video recorded by the venue all seemed to contradict her story. Clayton County Commissioner Felicia Franklin, who is running to become the board's chairman, said during a commission meeting on Tuesday that she would only "resign as the District 3 commissioner" when she is "elected as Chairwoman of the Board of Commission," according to WSB-TV.

Tyler Bowyer, an executive for conservative activist group Turning Point Action, revealed on Monday that he received two Maricopa County ballots for former residents of his home. He told The Arizona Sun Times the episode represented "horrible public policy" and "administration of our elections." Bowyer posted an image of four ballots to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday night, revealing that only two registered voters live at his address. Voters in Maricopa County, and much of Arizona, are required to use mail-in ballots for the November 7, 2023 elections.

Tennessee’s fifth-largest city wants all municipalities to be able to follow the same rules at the Tennessee Legislature and not the sunshine laws municipalities currently have to follow. Clarksville passed its 2023-24 legislative agenda with an amendment to ask the Tennessee Legislature to make those changes for all local governments.

The City of Atlanta has approved legislation to scan more than 115,000 petition signatures calling for a referendum on the Atlanta Public Safety Safety Training Center on Monday. After scanning the petitions, Atlanta will make them available to the public, but will not determine the validity of the signatures at this time. Activists claimed to deliver 116,000 petition signatures on September 11, nearly doubling the 58,232 required to force a public vote on the future of the training center for law enforcement and first responders. However, a legal ruling briefly extended the petition deadline from August 21 to late October, before it was stayed by a higher court. Atlanta ultimately accepted the petitions, but said it would not begin processing them until it received guidance from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.