Author: Associated Press

Swazye Field receiving $13 million upgrade by 2018

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Ole Miss' baseball stadium will undergo renovations valued at $13 million. In a news release Tuesday, the university said the project will include a new baseball performance center, a field level club, more box seating, a…

Louisville woman gets 5 years in prison for Medicaid fraud

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A 31-year-old Louisville woman is going to prison for Medicaid fraud. Attorney General Jim Hood, in a news release Tuesday, said Labeatris Estes pleaded guilty to two counts of Medicaid fraud before Rankin County Circuit Court…

Suspect charged in triple fatal shooting pleads not guilty

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The suspect arrested in the fatal shooting of three people found at a Louisville home has pleaded not guilty. The Courier-Journal reports (cjky.it/1R63hb4) 26-year-old George Slaughter of Louisville pleaded not guilty Monday in Jefferson District Court.…

Former pastor sentenced after sexual battery conviction

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - A former Stone County preacher has been sentenced to serve 22 years in prison after being found guilty in the sexual battery of a girl. The Sun Herald reports 55-year-old Carlos Smith was sentenced Monday in…

Another man accused of bribing Epps over prison contracts

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say another man has been charged with bribing former Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps. Federal prosecutors filed a criminal charge late last week against Robert Simmons alleging he kicked back part of his consulting fees…

West Virginia Senate to vote on earlier Sunday booze sales

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A push to let West Virginia restaurants and other businesses serve alcohol on Sunday mornings is set for a Senate vote. Senators are likely to cast a vote Tuesday to move the start of Sunday alcohol…

Nashville plans to donate properties for affordable housing

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - On the heels of legislation passed last year authorizing cities to donate land for affordable housing, Nashville is preparing to give away 13 lots. The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/20QfLvn) officials have developed a plan to divide the…

Haslams, Education Commissioner launch literacy campaign

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam, first lady Crissy Haslam and state Education Commissioner Candice McQueen are launching a new literacy campaign on Wednesday known as Read to be Ready. The campaign, which will kick off at Music City…

Western Kentucky forms search committee for president

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) - Western Kentucky University's Board of Regents has formed a committee to find a new president. Current President Gary Ransdell announced recently that he will retire from the position in June 2017. According to a news…

Spring forest fire hazard season begins

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - The Kentucky Division of Forestry says the spring forest fire hazard season has begun. A statement says burning laws will be enforced from Feb. 15 through April 30. During that time period, it is illegal to…

Police: Another arrest after Mississippi parade shooting

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say they've arrested a Gulfport woman in connection with a shooting after a Mardi Gras parade in Mississippi that left two people dead and four others wounded. Local news outlets report that officials have…

Trial set for former Ohio college basketball coach

COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A bench trial has been set for a former Ohio college women's basketball coach accused of groping a player in northern Kentucky. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports court records show the trial of former Xavier University assistant…

Shots fired at Rutherford County Sheriff’s home

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold and his family are uninjured after shots were fired outside their Murfreesboro home. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Marchesoni tells local media that someone fired shots outside Arnold's home around 10 p.m.…

15 UK students report swollen salivary glands

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - At least 15 University of Kentucky students have sought medical attention because of swollen salivary glands over the past week and a half. Media outlets report that on Friday, university administration sent an email to students,…

Study adds to debate over bill to push back start of school

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Supporters of legislation to push back the opening date for many Kentucky school districts are pointing to a study claiming the early return to school costs the state millions of dollars. The Lexington Herald-Leader says the…

New tarantula species named after singer Johnny Cash

A tarantula named after singer Johnny Cash is among 14 new species identified by scientists who spent a decade collecting the hairy spiders and studying nearly 3,000 of them. The tarantula doesn't sing, but it's black and can be found…

Final Tennessee Girls Basketball Prep Poll

The Associated Press' Top 10 teams in each of Tennessee's three Division I non-financial aid classifications and in the combined Division II financial aid classification as selected by Tennessee AP-member sportswriters and broadcasters. With first-place votes in parentheses, records through…

Final Boys Basketball State Rankings

The Associated Press' Top 10 teams in each of Tennessee's three Division I non-financial aid classifications and in the combined Division II financial aid classification as selected by Tennessee AP-member sportswriters and broadcasters. With first-place votes in parentheses, records through…

Byhalia man sought on murder charge caught in traffic stop

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) - A 65-year-old Marshall County man suspected of killing his girlfriend has been captured. Marshall County Sheriff Kenny Dickerson tells local media that Chester Dallas Brents was caught at traffic stop in Chickasaw County Saturday night.…

Couples marry in Valentine’s Day speed weddings

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - Romance was in full bloom as three couples were married in speed weddings in what's become a Valentine's Day tradition in Paducah. The Paducah Sun reports each wedding took about 10 minutes with retired McCracken Circuit…

Univ. of Miss. names new CEO of Lexington, Grenada hospitals

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - University of Mississippi Medical Center has named Don Hutson to lead its hospitals in Grenada and Lexington. A Corinth native, Hutson now leads the Marion VA Medical Center in Illinois, which provides health care to military…

Wildfire burns across refuge on Mississippi-Alabama line

MOSS POINT, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say a wildfire has burned thousands of acres in a national wildlife refuge in south Mississippi, and in an Alabama marsh. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Brittany Peterson said that as of Sunday,…

Agency: Oak Ridge nuclear plant’s lithium supply good through 2028

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) - The National Nuclear Security Administration says it has identified "other sources" of purified lithium for use in refurbishing nuclear warheads. The Knoxville News Sentinel (bit.ly/1Qh7tHZ) reports the update could alleviate concerns that the Y-12 nuclear…

Staff shortage causes longer 911 wait time in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - The calls start coming in as soon as Metrica Spears takes her seat at the Memphis Police Department's 911 call center. Shootings. Assaults. Car accidents. For 14 years, she has fielded frantic phone calls from Shelby…

Health care, economy focus of Paul’s town hall events

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Rand Paul says he will help Gov. Matt Bevin get a waiver from the federal government this summer to begin charging Medicaid recipients for their health insurance. That will be part of Paul's message…

Rebuilding Rabbit Hash General Store could be long process

BURLINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Supporters of the Rabbit Hash General Store say it could be a long process to rebuild the approximately 185-year-old landmark following a fire. The clapboard store in northern Kentucky was destroyed by the Saturday night fire.…

School district, Justice in desegregation order talks

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - The U.S. Justice Department and the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District are asking a federal court for more time to work out a permanent desegregation order. The Daily News reports that the joint filing Friday says they've…

Veterans Affairs starts probe into Cincinnati medical center

CINCINNATI (AP) - The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has opened an investigation into its Cincinnati hospital. A statement issued by the department on Saturday did not reveal the reason for the investigation. The hospital each year delivers medical…

Marshall deputies seek man they suspect killed girlfriend

BYHALIA, Miss. (AP) - Marshall County officials seek a man they suspect killed his girlfriend. Sheriff Kenny Dickerson tells the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (http://bit.ly/1oarOBW) that 65-year-old Chester Dallas Brents faces murder charges following the Friday death of Cathy Mills.…

Escaped inmate, girlfriend and 3-year-old found in Kentucky

FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (AP) - A felon who escaped his work release program and fled with his girlfriend and her son has been found in Kentucky. Volusia County Sheriff's Office spokesman Andrew Grant tells media outlets that Gary Bullock Jr., Natasha…

Newspaper Lawsuit

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Knoxville News Sentinel is asking a judge to unseal evidence in the cases of two former University of Tennessee football players charged with aggravated rape. The newspaper says (http://bit.ly/20QoP3i ) it filed a lawsuit on…

Time capsule opened on Eastern Kentucky University president

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) - Eastern Kentucky University officials have opened a more than half-century-old time capsule whose discovery on campus came as a surprise. The Richmond Register reports that the copper box was buried in 1961 in the cornerstone of…

Chickasaw County governments now eligible for tornado aid

PEARL, Miss. (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared another Mississippi county eligible for aid to governments after Dec. 23 tornadoes killed 11 people in the state. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency on Friday said governments and certain…

Chief: Mardi Gras shooting arrests ‘groundwork’ for inquiry

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (AP) - Police are still looking for people involved in a shooting after a Mississippi Mardi Gras parade, although an investigation has produced seven arrests on other charges. Pass Christian (kris-TYANH) Police Chief Tim Hendricks tells WLOX-TV…

Louisville police say woman shot by toddler

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Louisville authorities say a mother is expected to recover after being shot by her 2-year-old child. The woman was taken to University of Louisville Hospital for treatment following the shooting Friday evening, according to media reports.…

Jennifer Lawrence donating $2 million to hometown hospital

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Actress Jennifer Lawrence is donating $2 million to a Kentucky hospital where she visited sick youngsters during a recent holiday trip home. The Oscar winner, a Louisville native, announced by video Friday that she's giving the…

Plaintiffs in UT rape lawsuit ask court to prevent hearing

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The women who filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Tennessee are asking the court to prevent an upcoming university hearing in one of the sexual assault cases listed in the lawsuit. Media outlets report…

Middle Tennessee State University sets fundraising record

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Middle Tennessee State University officials say the school surpassed $100 million during a recent fundraising effort. The Tennessean reports that the more than $105 million raised during the six-year Centennial Campaign was a record-setting total for…

Proposed Hamilton Co. shooting range met with controversy

GRAYSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Plans to build a shooting range in west Hamilton County are being met with opposition. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Justin Whaley and his company, Dead Zero Shooting, are proposing a shooting range complex…

Greenville firefighters get 100 new radios, other equipment

GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Communication just got a little clearer for the Greenville Fire Department. The Delta Democrat-Times reports the department has purchased 100 new handheld radios, new mobile units for all of the firetrucks and command staff vehicles and…

John Nelson retires from Advocate-Messenger

DANVILLE, Ky. (AP) - John A. Nelson, who has led the newsroom at The Advocate-Messenger in central Kentucky for nearly 20, has announced that he is retiring. Nelson told staff at the Danville newspaper last week that he was stepping…

Senate leader calls for audit of Kentucky Horse Park

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A leading Senate Republican is calling for a new audit of the Kentucky Horse Park to review what he claims has been mismanagement at the popular tourist attraction in the state's bluegrass region. Senate Majority Floor…

Bill would ensure insurance coverage of special formula

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - The Kentucky House has passed a bill aimed at helping children who need a special formula due to a chronic immune system disease. The measure would ensure that insurance companies cover the formula needed by those…

Bevin’s proposed cuts include government watchdog agency

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - As part of his proposed budget cuts, Republican Gov. Matt Bevin exempted what he considered to be key government services. Not protected: The government agencies charged with holding him and his administration accountable. The executive director…

Massive Lexington stockyards fire ruled accidental

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Investigators say a preliminary investigation has found that a construction worker accidentally started a massive fire that destroyed a beef cattle auction business in Lexington. Media cited a statement released Friday by the Lexington Fire Department…

Young herring gull flies 1,700 miles to Pascagoula

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - A six-month-old herring gull named K2A has defied the odds by flying more than 1,700 miles from Great Duck Island in Maine to Pascagoula's Point Park. Pascagoula bird watcher Brian Johnston tells the Mississippi Press that…

Louisville Zoo unveils $180M expansion plan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The Louisville Metro Council will consider a resolution for a $180 million expansion at the Louisville Zoo that could include an African savanna park, shark tanks and a re-creation of an earlier Kentucky complete with flatboat…

Iranian man pleads not guilty in bank fraud case

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - An Iranian national accused of selling financial information stolen from thousands of customers at three southern Mississippi banks was arrested after flying to New York upon winning a lottery that allowed him to obtain a U.S.…

Chief: Waterline too small to properly fight apartment fire

VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) - The Vicksburg fire chief says inadequate waterlines of an apartment complex prevented firefighters from properly putting out a fire at the complex. The Vicksburg Post reports Fire Chief Charles Atkins told city officials Wednesday that the…

Fire at Tupelo mattress factory causes heavy damage

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - Tupelo fire crews remain at the scene of a mattress company fire. WTVA TV reports the blaze broke out Friday around 1 a.m. at the Sleeper Craft plant. Fire Chief Thomas Walker says the fire stretched…