Tennessee Suffers Through Lee with Flood Warnings, Closures

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Middle and East Tennessee suffered through rainfall as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee moved across the southeast on Tuesday.

Between Sunday and Tuesday, the Nashville International Airport reported 3.39 inches of rain, the Tennesseean reports.

A flood warning was in effect across the Tennessee River Valley from Chattanooga to Knoxville. Flash flood watches were in effect for much of East Tennessee and Virginia.

Many schools in East Tennessee were forced to close on Tuesday.

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TVA Making Adjustments to Solar Power Program

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- The Tennessee Valley Authority announced Tuesday it will scale back an energy-efficient initiative designed to help customers generate their own power at minimal costs.

Officials say the Green Power Switch program was costing the TVA close to $5 million a year due in part to renewable power entrepreneurs and businesses tying up all the contributions from customers by paying a little more than 12-cents-per-kilowatt-hour for the solar power.

As a result, the TVA says the program will only be offered for residential and small business use.

It is also downsizing the maximum project size from 200 kilowatts to 50 kilowatts, effective Sept. 16.

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Tennessee Airports Get Over $429,000 in Grants

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- A total of $429,570 in state aeronautics grants have been approved for five Tennessee airports.

The grants have been approved for the following airports: Cleveland Municipal Airport ($73,125); Greeneville-Greene County Municipal Airport ($88,695); Henry County Airport ($36,000); Maury County Regional Airport ($76,500) and Winchester Municipal Airport ($155,250).

The grants are made available through the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division, which administers federal and state funding to assist with the location, design, construction and maintenance of the state's public aviation system.

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Flash Flood Warning for Parts of Tennessee, Va.

(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) -- A flash flood watch has been placed on east Tennessee and southwest Virginia until Tuesday evening.

As Tropical Storm Lee disintegrated over the Southeast, Tennessee has been subjected to heavy rainfull and thunderstorms. The Tennessee Valley is expected to receive between two to four inches, while the southern part of the state could receive between five and seven inches.

Affected rivers may rise above flood level, the National Weather Service says.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

Volunteer Firefighters on the Decline

(PLEASANT VIEW, Tenn.) -- Tennessee fire officials say recruitment has decreased and volunteer efforts have leveled off despite an increase in emergency calls, according to a report in The Tennessean.

Departments throughout the state rely heavily on volunteers with nearly 70 percent of Tennessee's firefighters comprised of such. Young people have long been the most coveted target of fire departments and even they have become increasingly hard to attract.

“Now with everyone going to college and people working out of town, and the generation we’re in, it’s a tough thing to work with,” P.J. Duncan, assistant chief for the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department told The Tennessean. “The recruit rate is low. The retention rate is lower.”

With staff getting older and volunteer numbers leveling off, officials say they are unsure how to reverse the downward trend.

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