Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday that $200 million in grants will be distributed across the state to every county and city government for one-time, local expenses, AP News reports. At least $500,000 will be given to each county, and each city or municipality will receive at least $30,000. The grant money can be spent on certain tornado recovery and COVID-19 response costs, road projects, IT upgrades, capital maintenance, utility system upgrades and public safety projects. Lee’s office will begin accepting applications for the grants on April 30.

The state has received a $476,000 federal grant to support the mental health needs of victims of deadly tornadoes that devastated parts of Middle Tennessee earlier this month, WKRN reports. The grant, from FEMA’s Crisis Counseling & Training Program, will support outreach and support services to storm survivors in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties. Activities will be coordinated with Centerstone, Mental Health Cooperative and Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System.

Due to property and other damage in the March 3 tornado and concerns over the spread of COVID-19, Davidson County has halted all evictions, the Tennessean reports. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it would also indefinitely suspend the service of other civil papers. Some proceedings, including orders of protection, child custody orders, emergency mental health orders and papers dealing with protection of elderly or vulnerable persons will still be delivered as normal. 

There are multiple legal clinics coming up to help those impacted by the March tornado. In Wilson County, virtual clinics will be held by phone on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and on March 28 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attorneys interested in volunteering should contact Sonya Wright or Tiffany Hagar. The North Nashville Legal Advice Clinic will go on as scheduled on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, 1035 14th Ave. North. Attorneys interested in volunteering their legal services in person or by phone, should contact Andrae Crismon.

Lipscomb University’s Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice & Society will host a free legal advice clinic tomorrow from 9 to 10 a.m. to offer free legal advice for those who have insurance and housing questions in the wake of last week's tornadoes. The clinic will take place at Schrader Lane Church of Christ, 1234 Schrader Lane, Nashville 37208. For more information or to volunteer contact Susan T. Jones.

The Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced today that phone and internet service has been restored to its Cookeville office and operations will return to normal. Those with questions or who need to schedule an appointment should call 931-520-4290.

Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands will hold a free legal clinic in hard-hit North Nashville on March 19. The clinic will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, 1035 14th Ave. N., Nashville 37208. Contact Andrae Crismon for more information. Tornado survivors needing immediate legal assistance can call 1-844-HELP4TN or ask questions through the Tennessee Free Legal Answers online service. See a list of all clinics being held to help tornado survivors. Volunteers are needed to provide legal information, advice, and representation to those affected by the recent storms. Attorneys interested in volunteering should complete this online form.

A toll-free legal assistance hotline is now available to support survivors of recent tornadoes in Middle Tennessee. Low-income individuals facing legal issues as a result of the tornadoes may call 1-844-HELP4TN (1-844-435-7486). Callers should identify that they are seeking tornado-related legal assistance, state their county of residence, and provide a phone number where they can be reached by an attorney. Survivors also can ask legal questions through the Tennessee Free Legal Answers online service, and get information about their rights, available resources, and a list of upcoming legal clinics at www.HELP4TN.org. The toll-free hotline is a partnership between the Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, Nashville Bar Association, Napier-Looby Bar Association, Upper Cumberland Young Lawyers Association, 15th Judicial District Bar Association, Legal Aid of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands and Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts. Read more in this press release.

Volunteers are needed to provide legal information, advice, and representation to those affected by the recent storms. Attorneys interested in volunteering should complete this online form.

Businesses and homeowners impacted by last week’s tornado have extra time to file their taxes, the Internal Revenue Service announced Friday. Those impacted by the storm in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties now have until July 15 to file their taxes. The new date applies to individual income tax returns, quarterly estimated income tax payments and quarterly payroll and excise tax returns.

As Putnam County residents continue to deal with the damage from last Tuesday’s tornado, attorneys with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands offered free legal assistance Saturday at two locations in Cookeville. The Cookeville Herald Citizen has coverage of those efforts. Andrae Crismon with Legal Aid also told the paper that two other clinics will be held this week. Legal Aid will hold a clinic Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Double Springs Church of Christ, 4665 Norton Dr., Cookeville 38501. The Upper Cumberland Bar Association will hold a clinic on March 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Putnam County Justice Center, 421 E Spring St, Ste 1D, Cookeville 38501.