Author: Associated Press

Allegiant flight bound for Tennessee returns to Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) - An airport official says an Allegiant Air flight bound for Knoxville, Tennessee, returned safely to Las Vegas after reporting an in-flight aircraft navigation problem. McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Christine Crews said Monday that none of the…

Open for business: Signs point to recovery after wildfires

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) - The charred city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is still days away from reopening after devastating and deadly wildfires, but all around the city, communities in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains are welcoming back residents and…

Chamber launches program to promote GEDs among workers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce is launching a program to encourage more workers to gain high school equivalency degrees. The chamber says more than 300,000 people currently working in Tennessee have not completed their high school…

2 children killed, 2 adults hurt in Madison mobile home fire

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Two children have been killed and two adults injured in a mobile home fire in suburban Nashville. Nashville Fire District Chief Jerry Tomlinson told WSMV-TV (http://bit.ly/2fTnvqs ) that neighbors saw the trailer on fire early Friday…

Suspect in slaying of Nashville hair stylist arrested in NYC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A suspect wanted in the stabbing death of a Nashville hair stylist has been taken into custody by authorities in New York City. The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/2gV3Asc) that Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron says authorities arrested…

Memphis accepting applications for paid youth jobs programs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Memphis has opened enrollment for its paid youth jobs and development programs. The Commercial Appeal reports (http://memne.ws/2gVgKp5) the Memphis Office of Youth Services began accepting applications Thursday for its MPLOY Youth Summer Experience program and the…

Tennessee mom delivers baby girl after surviving tornado

ATHENS, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee mother is recovering from giving birth just after she was rescued from a tornado that destroyed her family's home. Multiple news outlets report that McMinn County resident Amber Newman was one of seven people…

Officials: Death toll from storms rises to 4 in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says two more deaths have been confirmed, for a total of four, in severe storms that hit the southeastern part of the state. TEMA said in a statement Thursday night that…

School bus driver declines interview in fatal crash probe

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - The driver in a Chattanooga school bus wreck that killed six children last week has declined to be interviewed by federal crash investigators on advice of his lawyer. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that…

Shelton, Lambert to headline 2017 Bayou Country Superfest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Some of the biggest names in country music will headline the 2017 Bayou Country Superfest, which moves from Louisiana's capital to the Superdome in New Orleans for its eighth year. Organizers on Thursday unveiled the lineup,…

Recovery begins as rains help put out Tennessee wildfires

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) - After nearly 24 hours of drenching rain helped quench a series of devastating wildfires in eastern Tennessee, local officials began turning to cleanup and recovery efforts. Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner said officials were discussing the possibility…

Deadly storms add to drought, flood and fires plaguing South

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - The National Weather Service confirms that at least 13 twisters damaged homes, splintered barns and toppled trees in parts of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, killing five people in two states. At least a dozen more…

Parker Hannifin buying Clarcor for about $4.03 billion

NEW YORK (AP) - Parker Hannifin is buying Clarcor, a maker of mobile, industrial and environmental filtration products, in a deal valued at about $4.03 billion so it can expand its filtration portfolio. Parker Hannifin Corp. will pay $83 for…

Chattanooga police seek suspect who shot officer 3 times

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Police in Tennessee are searching for a suspect who shot an officer three times. Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman Elisa Myzal says at least one of the shots Thursday hit the officer in the arm, and none…

Feds: Fatal wreck shows need for seat belts on school buses

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reemphasizing the agency's call for seat belts on school buses in the aftermath of a crash in Chattanooga that killed six students. Administrator Mark Rosekind said…

Tennessee among states receiving preschool grants

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee is among 18 states that will receive more than $247 million in federal grants to continue expanding access to high-quality preschool for children from low- to moderate-income families. The grants are jointly administered by the…

Son charged with killing, dismembering parents in Tennessee

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Louisiana on charges of killing and dismembering his parents at their home in West Knox County, Tennessee. The Knox County Sheriff's Office says Joel Michael Guy Jr. was…

Highland Hospital says sale to Acadia is off

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Highland Hospital has announced it is not selling its facilities to Franklin, Tennessee-based Acadia Healthcare. The sale was to include Highland's Kanawha City hospital. Highland's board of directors unanimously agreed to sell Kanawha City hospital three…

Athens newspaper offices among buildings damaged by tornado

ATHENS, Tenn. (AP) - The building housing offices of The Daily Post-Athenian newspaper is among several businesses and homes heavily damaged by a tornado that touched down in McMinn County in southeastern Tennessee. Editor Doug Headrick says a technician was…

Tennessee executive residence open house starts Friday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam and first lady Crissy Haslam are inviting Tennessee residents to tour the executive residence and see its holiday decorations beginning Friday and continuing through Dec. 16. The first lady's office says the theme…

Dolly Parton establishes fund to help wildfire victims

Gatlinburg, TENN. (AP) -- Country music legend Dolly Parton says she's establishing a fund to help victims of the wildfires that burned hundreds of homes and businesses in the Great Smoky Mountains area and left seven dead. She says The…

Son charged with killing, dismembering parents in Tennessee

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Louisiana on charges of killing and dismembering his parents at their home in West Knox County, Tennessee. The Knox County Sheriff's Office says Joel Michael Guy Jr. was…

Mayor says Tennessee wildfires have killed 7

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee mayor says three more bodies have been recovered after the wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains, bringing the death toll to seven. Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said Wednesday that officials believe more than…

Possible tornado kills 3 in northern Alabama

ROSALIE, Ala. (AP) - Authorities say three people have been killed as a line of storms and possible tornadoes moved across northern Alabama overnight. Jackson County Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen tells The Associated Press the three killed were all in…

US House votes to name courthouse after Fred Thompson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The U.S. House has voted to name the new federal courthouse in Nashville after the late actor-politician Fred Thompson. Rep. Marsha Blackburn announced Tuesday that the chamber passed the resolution to name the building after the…

Second victim dies in Nashville triple shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A second victim has died after a triple shooting in Nashville over the weekend. The Metro Nashville Police Department announced Tuesday that 33-year-old Chad Steven Miller died after he was shot in the head outside a…

Tennessee among states receiving preschool grants

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee is among 18 states that will receive more than $247 million in federal grants to continue expanding access to high-quality preschool for children from low- to moderate-income families. The grants are jointly administered by the…

Concern for animals after aquarium evacuated due to wildfire

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) - Workers at an aquarium evacuated because of wildfires around Gatlinburg, Tennessee, are concerned about the thousands of animals housed there. Ryan DeSears, general manager of Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, tells WBIR-TV (https://bitly.com/ ) that the…

3 convicted in Tennessee Waltz sting have rights restored

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Three former elected officials convicted in the FBI's Tennessee Waltz bribery sting have had their rights to vote and serve on a jury restored, but they cannot run for public office or own a gun. The…

Storms take aim at large wildfires in South

ATLANTA (AP) - As storms approach some of the largest wildfires burning in the South, the rain signaled new hope for firefighters working to put them out. But authorities said the storms were also bringing high winds, which could topple…

Fatal crash bus driver appears in court; hearing postponed

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - The driver in a Chattanooga school bus crash that killed six children last week has appeared in court, but his preliminary hearing on vehicular homicide charges has been postponed. News media outlets report the prosecutor and…

In video, Dolly Parton warned of wildfire threat

Country music icon Dolly Parton appeared in a video released hours before the wildfires that engulfed Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to urge people to prevent forest fires. Parton appears with Smokey the Bear in the 30-second video released Sunday by Great Smoky…

TVA fined $140K for fire violations at Alabama nuclear plant

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Valley Authority has been fined $140,000 for fire violations at a nuclear power plant near Athens, Alabama. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/2gFDhav ) that Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials issued the civil…

Teenager’s body found in Dickson apartment fire

DICKSON, Tenn. (AP) - Authorities say a teenager's body has been found in a fire at a Dickson apartment. Dickson police tell news outlets that firefighters recovered the body of an 18-year-old female from the fire at Sam's Townhomes early…

Falling tree kills worker trying to restore electric service

ALCOA, Tenn. (AP) - An East Tennessee worker trying to help restore electric service during a power outage has been killed by a falling tree. A statement from Alcoa City Manager Mark Johnson and Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong…

Over 800 staff vacancies at Tenn. public, private prisons

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Officials say there are more than 800 staff vacancies in Tennessee's public and private prisons amid ongoing complaints from employees, inmates and others about pay, benefits, safety and other concerns. State Department of Correction spokeswoman Neysa…

2 Fort Campbell soldiers charged in woman’s disappearance

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - Two Fort Campbell soldiers have been charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in the disappearance of another soldier. The Army post announced the military charges Tuesday against Sgt. Jamal Williams-McCray and Spc. Charles Robinson and…

20 co-workers to split Powerball jackpot of nearly $421M

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Lottery officials say 20 co-workers at a metal manufacturing plant will split a Powerball jackpot of nearly $421 million. The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/2fyLQGK) reports lottery officials announced Tuesday that the workers from North American Stamping Group…

Christmas tree at Tennessee Capitol to be lit on Monday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam and his wife, Crissy, are scheduled to light the state Capitol Christmas tree on Monday evening. The 40-foot Norway spruce was brought to the capitol from the Hermitage neighborhood of Nashville. The event…

Volkswagen teases with sketch of new upper midsize car

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Volkswagen is coming out with a new model that will add to its offerings of larger cars in the United States, where its market share has lagged the competition. The company released a sketch Monday of…

Police: 1 dead, 2 injured in Nashville shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A woman has died and two men have been injured following a shooting in Nashville. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department says in a news release that the shooting occurred Sunday afternoon outside a north Nashville residence.…

Sheriff: Boy, 13, fatally shot sister while unloading gun

ATHENS, Tenn. (AP) - Authorities in McMinn County say a teenage girl has been fatally shot after the gun her younger brother was unloading discharged. Local news outlets report that McCinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said the 17-year-old girl was…

Children’s Services closer to end of federal court oversight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - After 15 years, the Tennessee Department of Children's Services is nearing the end of federal oversight following a 2001 settlement over its treatment of foster care children. The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/2go7B8X) that November court filings show…

Lawyer: Driver likely to plead not guilty in fatal bus crash

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The attorney for the driver in a Chattanooga school bus crash that killed six children says her client will likely plead not guilty. Amanda Dunn says she anticipates 24-year-old Johnthony Walker will plead not guilty if…

Police: 2 shot after fight in Chattanooga mall parking lot

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Police are investigating at the scene of a double shooting in the parking lot of a mall in Chattanooga. Local media outlets report that police say one person was shot in the arm and another was…

Students complained about erratic driving before bus wreck

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver's behavior behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed six children. Police have charged driver Johnthony Walker with vehicular homicide after the…

Tennessee State students helping assess bridge safety

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Engineering students from Tennessee State University and their professors are studying five bridges around the Nashville Fairgrounds to assess their structural integrity. The university says the findings will be submitted to city structural engineers to help…

Businesses in Cocke, Sevier eligible for drought loans

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The U.S. Small Business Administration says federal economic injury disaster loans are available to businesses in Cocke and Sevier counties in Tennessee because of drought that began earlier this month. The agency says the counties are…