It does appear the Ten Commandments will not hang in Monroe County public buildings any time soon.

County Mayor Tim Yates issued a lengthy press release this week, explaining why the county has no immediate plans to hang the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments hung in the Courthouse in 2005, but county officials took them down that summer to avoid a further legal battle with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Earlier this year, County Mayor Tim Yates expressed his plans to place the documents in the Courthouse once again as part of an historical display that would include other documents.

The thinking was a new state law would protect the county from lawsuits opposing the posting of the Ten Commandments.

"As all of you are aware, I was excited when the Tennessee Legislature passed the law to enable Tennesseans to hang historical displays in public areas," Yates stated.  

See full story in the Sunday, Nov. 11, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.