Author: Associated Press

4 on escort list file lawsuit against city of Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Four people among dozens whose names are on a list of individuals requiring a police escort in Memphis City Hall have filed a lawsuit against the city. One of the plaintiffs, ordained minister Elaine Blanchard, told…

Gas tax proposal hits jam in House committee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A key vote on efforts to boost transportation funding in Tennessee has been put off by at least a week. House Transportation Subcommittee Chairwoman Terri Lynn Weaver on Wednesday decided to first take up a rival…

Poll: Trump approval rating at 51 percent in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A new poll shows that President Donald Trump's approval rating in Tennessee is around 50 percent three months after he won the state by a wide margin in the general election. The Middle Tennessee State University…

Beale Street Music Festival announces lineup

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Soundgarden, Kings of Leon, Snoop Dogg and Sturgill Simpson are among the musical acts scheduled to perform at the Beale Street Music Festival at Memphis in May. Festival officials announced Wednesday that Widespread Panic, Death Cab for…

GOP members of Congress meet with protests at town halls

FAIRVIEW, Tenn. (AP) - In her district on a congressional break, Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee faced tough questions at a town hall on issues ranging from health care reform to President Donald Trump's appointees. Nearby, more than 100…

Nashville officer resigns after arrest on theft charge

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Nashville police officer has resigned from the force after being arrested and charged with stealing a bottle of whiskey from a suspected drunken driver's crashed car. The department said in a news release that 29-year-old…

Haslam’s transportation plan headed for key vote in House

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's ambitious transportation plan is headed for a key vote in the House on Wednesday, though lawmakers are uncertain whether the bill that would include Tennessee's first gas tax hike since 1989 can…

Chattanooga cop fired, accused of violating Code of Conduct

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - A Chattanooga police officer has been fired after being accused of violating the department's code of conduct. Multiple media outlets report that Chattanooga police say in a news release that Officer David Campbell was terminated after…

Sedgwick Claims Managements to add 150 jobs with expansion

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Memphis-based claims management service is planning to expand its headquarters, adding 150 jobs. The Commercial Appeal reported Monday (http://memne.ws/2l1dM4X ) that officials with Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. say the company proposes to consolidate its…

Woman arrested in slaying of Fort Campbell veteran

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Clarksville woman has been arrested in the slaying of an Army veteran whose body was found in a wooded area of Middle Tennessee in 2015. The Leaf-Chronicle (http://leafne.ws/2kVfLH1) reported Thursday that the Montgomery County Sheriff's…

Tennessee senator vacates, locks office amid renewed protest

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee senator has locked up her state Capitol office amid a renewed feud with protesters. About a dozen people were involved in Tuesday's protest at Republican Sen. Mae Beavers' office. Some read civil rights writings…

Middle Tennessee mayors voice support for local option tax

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Five mayors from Middle Tennessee are speaking out in favor of allowing local governments to hold referendums on raising taxes to pay for transit projects. Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson says the issue is of particular…

Memphis police mull change in tallying of homicides

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis police are considering tallying homicides differently, which would make the city's totals smaller. The Commercial Appeal reports that if the Memphis Police Department would start counting similar to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System, or…

Eric Church cancels 25K tickets bought by scalpers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Country star Eric Church cancelled more than 25,000 tickets to his spring tour that were purchased by scalpers and is making those seats available to fans for purchase. Although Church has cancelled purchases from scalpers on…

Tennessee Capitol protests lead to call for more security

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Protests around the state Capitol in Nashville have some Republicans calling for a crackdown on demonstrators and for resurrecting more stringent security requirements for entering the legislative office complex. Democrats are pushing back against those calls,…

Lawsuit filed by parents of children arrested over fight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The parents of three Tennessee elementary school children arrested on school grounds have filed a lawsuit against police officers and local government. The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro (http://on.dnj.com/2lWLh9i ) reports the federal lawsuit was filed…

Memphis man convicted in death of 3-year-old son

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Memphis man has been convicted of killing his 3-year-old son in 2015. News media report that a Shelby County jury on Friday found Terry Patterson guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated…

Tennessee inmate sues over quality of kosher prison food

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee inmate has filed a lawsuit claiming the food he has to eat in prison doesn't meet kosher standards. The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/2kvluId ) Perry A. March sued the Tennessee Department of Correction and Philadelphia-based…

Hundreds apply for new warehouse jobs coming to Milton

MILTON, W.Va. (AP) - Hundreds of people have applied for jobs with wholesale grocery distributor H.T. Hackney Co., which is opening its first warehouse in West Virginia. State officials announced this week that the company is coming to Milton, creating…

Ex-church treasurer charged with stealing nearly $500K

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A former church bookkeeper is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Clarksville church where she worked. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says in a statement that 71-year-old Connie Parker was arrested Tuesday…

Amtrak officer faces murder charge in fatal Chicago shooting

CHICAGO (AP) - Prosecutors have charged an Amtrak police officer in the shooting death of a Minneapolis man outside Chicago's Union Station. The Cook County State's Attorney's office announced Friday that 31-year-old LaRoyce Tankson surrendered to police Thursday. He has…

Ethics panel finds ex-lawmaker violated harassment rules

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A House ethics panel has found that former Republican Rep. Mark Lovell violated the Legislature's sexual harassment policy before resigning from the body this week. The Tennessean reports…

State updates graduation requirements report after backlash

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Department of Education has clarified its findings in a recent report that found one in three high school students graduated without meeting the state's requirements. The Tennessean reports the department said in a memo…

Memphis police create unit to combat wave of violent crime

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Police Department has created a new unit in an effort to reduce increased violent crime in the city. Officials told The Commercial Appeal this week that the Violent Crimes Unit was started last month.…

2 Tennessee lawmakers flee bathroom bill event amid protest

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Two Tennessee lawmakers pushing a bathroom bill and legislation declaring marriage between a man and a woman have quickly fled their news conference when protesters interrupted it. Republican Rep. Mark Pody had spoken less than two…

Jury in mosque attack case deadlocked, returning Thursday

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Jurors have notified a federal judge they are deadlocked in their deliberations regarding a man accused of planning to attack a mosque in upstate New York. The Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/2l9Cv81 ) reports that the…

Longtime radioman, former cellist Sherman Novoson dies at 70

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Sherman Novoson, a former concert cellist and longtime radio reporter about sports and politics in Tennessee, has died. He was 70. Colleagues remembered Novoson appearing at the Capitol in a tuxedo to cover legislative floor sessions…

New Tennessee chancellor vows to move ‘quickly’ in AD search

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - New Tennessee chancellor Beverly Davenport says the school plans to move "very quickly" in hiring an athletic director but isn't specifying a target date on making the selection. Davenport says the qualities she's seeking include "administrative…

Deputies: 4 juvenile escapees arrested after home invasion

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) - Wilson County deputies have arrested four boys who they say escaped from a juvenile detention center, broke into a home and assaulted the homeowners. Media outlets report that the boys escaped from Lebanon Academy Sunday night…

Lawmaker says he resigned at urging of GOP leadership

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee lawmaker says he resigned at the urging of Republican leadership after being accused of sexual misconduct at a legislative event. Former Rep. Mark Lovell, who represented suburban Shelby County, tells WATN-TV in Memphis (http://bit.ly/2lggZQR…

Former high school employees dispute charges in lawsuit

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Former employees at a Tennessee high school say they shouldn't be held responsible for a December 2015 attack by three of the school's basketball players against a teammate. The Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/2lPQ8Jq ) says…

Former church treasurer charged with stealing nearly $500K

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Authorities say a Clarksville woman has been charged with stealing nearly a half-million dollars from a church where she worked. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Tuesday that Connie Parker…

Greitens appoints head of Missouri insurance department

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has appointed a Tennessee official to lead the state agency that monitors financial industries and businesses to protect consumers and encourage job growth. The governor announced Tuesday that Chlora Lindley-Myers is…

H.T. Hackney to open West Virginia warehouse, create 70 jobs

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - State officials say wholesale grocery distributor H.T. Hackney Co. is opening its first warehouse in West Virginia and creating an estimated 70 jobs. The state Department of Commerce says in a news release that the company…

Officials: Man fatally shot after ramming officers’ vehicles

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Authorities say a man has been fatally shot by Tennessee law enforcement officers who were trying to arrest him on charges including theft and endangerment. The Knox County Sheriff's Office says in a news release Tuesday…

Knoxville jury convicts man in multistate bank-hostage cases

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A federal jury in Knoxville has convicted a Pennsylvania man of charges connected to a multistate bank robbery-kidnapping spree. The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/2lehEml ) reports 44-year-old Michael Benanti of Lake Harmony, Pa., was convicted of…

Tenn. lawmakers OK new board appointments at 6 public universities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The House and Senate have approved Gov. Bill Haslam's nominations for new boards for six public universities. The new boards are part of the Republican governor's initiative to spin six four-year public universities out of the…

Free legal clinics to be held around Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Supreme Court has announced that free legal clinics will be held around the state to help citizens who find themselves in need of a lawyer's advice on matters outside criminal law. It's all part…

Hawkins school board considering closing 2 schools

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Hawkins County school board members are considering closing the school system's two oldest and smallest schools. The Kingsport Times-News reports (http://bit.ly/2kCCnMU) that Director of Schools Steve Starnes presented the board with information on Thursday about declining…

1 dead, 6 hurt in shooting at party in Missouri nightclub

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. (AP) - A man has been charged with first-degree murder for a shooting outside a rural southeast Missouri nightclub that left one man dead and six others wounded. Travis Ware II was also charged Monday and armed criminal…

NAACP wants probe into fatal shooting by Nashville police

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The NAACP wants an expedited investigation by Nashville's district attorney general and possibly federal agencies after police shot an African-American man they say was armed while fleeing…

New University of Memphis rec center delayed

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Financial concerns are delaying the construction of a new recreation center at the University of Memphis. University President David Rudd said in an email to the community Sunday that an increase in student fees to pay…

Tennessee Highway Patrol major on leave after assault arrest

ALTAMONT, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Highway Patrol has placed the head of its Special Investigations Bureau on leave following his arrest on charges including aggravated assault and public intoxication. News outlets report 47-year-old Maj. Stacy Williams was arrested Sunday…

Amish Classic Colby cheese recalled in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Department of Agriculture says the manufacturer of Amish Classic Colby deli horn cheese has recalled several lot numbers and instructed wholesalers and retailers to stop selling their stock. The action comes after the Agriculture…

More Ruth’s Salads pimento cheese recalled in Southeast

CHESTER, S.C. (AP) - Authorities have announced a wider recall of Ruth's Salads products after listeria was found in a batch of the spread maker's products at a South Carolina plant. The South Carolina Agriculture Department said in a news…

Deputy: Man faked kidnapping to get money from grandmother

FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) - Authorities say a northern Alabama man tried to get money from his grandmother by faking his own kidnapping. Lauderdale County, Alabama Sheriff's Office investigator Lt. Brad Potts tells news outlets 23-year-old Preston Kelley texted his grandmother…

No charges to be filed against officer in off-duty shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee prosecutor says no criminal charges will be filed against a Memphis police officer who was off-duty when he fatally shot a man last year. In a statement, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said…

Tennessee lawmakers scramble to file bills on deadline day

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee lawmakers are scrambling to get their legislative proposals submitted before Thursday's filing deadline. Among the last batch of bills is a renewed effort to require transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to…

Tennessee Treasury returns record of 42k property claims

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Treasury Department says it returned a record of almost 42,000 claims of unclaimed property in the 2016 budget year. The department says the claims amount to more than $34 million returned last year, with…