Blake Farmer
Blake Farmer is WPLN's assistant news director, but he wears many hats - reporter, editor and host. He covers the Tennessee state capitol while also keeping an eye on Fort Campbell and business trends, frequently contributing to national programs. Born in Tennessee and educated in Texas, Blake has called Nashville home for most of his life.
-
The Trump administration has given states ways to restrict spending on the government insurance program for low-income Americans. A Biden administration would expand Medicaid coverage. -
The CARES Act provides funds to pay medical bills for uninsured COVID-19 patients. But a young man's death in Nashville, Tenn., shows people often don't know about the program until it's too late. -
The rare migratory birds have made a pit stop in downtown Nashville. Residents are delighted, turning out at dusk to catch a glimpse of the Purple Martins before they head south for winter. -
Nationwide, coronavirus infection numbers are trending down, but several states are seeing upticks, with the heaviest impact falling on communities of color and nursing home residents. -
As states move on from social distancing, they need plenty of coronavirus testing to prevent future outbreaks. But many communities face testing bottlenecks. Tennessee has a solution. -
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with WPLN's Blake Farmer from Nashville and KCUR's Peggy Lowe from Kansas City about how nursing homes are dealing with deadly outbreaks of COVID-19.
-
Newly released data shows the toll the disease is taking on doctors, nurses and other health care workers. Nurses' groups call for increased protection for frontline staff. -
There is currently no central coordination of the supply of protective garb and masks in U.S. hospital inventories. A CDC project wants hospitals to share that information for the good of all. -
The for-profit hospice industry has grown, allowing more Americans to die at home. But few family members realize that "hospice care" still means they'll do most of the physical and emotional work. -
U-Haul is the latest company to say it won't hire nicotine users, in the 21 states where that's legal. It's one way to avoid the costs of smoking-related illness, but critics call it discrimination.
