Author: Associated Press

Tennessee Boys 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…

Tennessee Girls 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…

2 men sentenced for defrauding Memphis VA of $1.1 million

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say two men have been sentenced to prison for defrauding the Memphis VA Medical Center of more than $1 million. The U.S. attorney's office said Monday that Andre Reddix and Ronnie White pleaded guilty…

Subpoenas coming for officials in high school rape case

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Subpoenas are being issued to a superintendent and principal to testify in a hearing for three officials at a Tennessee high school facing charges of failing to report child sex abuse involving basketball players. Melydia Clewell,…

Dem chair: State House GOP leaders should resign over Durham

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The chairwoman of the Tennessee Democratic Party is calling on House Republican leaders to resign over their handling of Rep. Jeremy Durham and sexual harassment at the Tennessee General Assembly. Mary Mancini at a press conference…

No charges as investigation continues in gun shop shootout

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Pearl River County officials say they're still investigating a shootout over a $25 service charge that left a gun shop owner and his 17-year-old son dead. Another man and his son were left injured after the…

Tullos sworn in to Miss. House in small ceremony Friday

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Republican Mark Tullos of Raleigh was sworn in to the Mississippi House on Friday in a small ceremony that was not announced to the public. Tullos says Monday that "there was nothing sinister about it." The…

Closure of Sprint facility to affect more than 400 jobs

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The closure of a Sprint customer care facility in Sullivan County is expected to impact 444 jobs. The Kingsport Times News reports Sprint announced Friday the facility will close Feb. 5. Company spokeswoman Roni Singleton said…

Bevin: Kentucky budget must go ‘beyond break even’

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Republican Gov. Matt Bevin says Kentucky's two-year state spending plan must go beyond break even, calling for the state to generate more money to fix the multi-billion shortfalls that threaten to collapse its public retirement systems.…

Former Titans QB Vince Young arrested on drunken driving charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Police say former NFL quarterback Vince Young has been arrested on charges of drunken driving in Austin, Texas. Travis County jail records show that the 32-young former Texas star was booked shortly after midnight Monday on…

Corinth mayor wants citizens to vote on tax for city repairs

CORINTH, Miss. (AP) - The mayor of Corinth says he wants to give citizens the option to decide whether to tax themselves to improve the city's infrastructure. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports Corinth Mayor Tommy Irwin is urging the…

Man arrested on murder charges after New Year’s Eve crash

INDEPENDENCE, Ky. (AP) - An Independence man has been arrested in connection with a New Year's Eve crash that killed a husband and wife. Local news outlets report Independence police arrested 58-year-old Mark Huffman Friday on two counts of murder.…

Scott County investigating first homicide in 3 years

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) - The sheriff's department in Scott County is investigating its first slaying in three years. Scott County Sheriff Tony Hampton tells local media outlets that 24-year-old Jeremiah O. Washington of Memphis, Tennessee, was found shot behind a…

Belhaven University baseball player dies in crash

BELHAVEN, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say a Belhaven University baseball player died in a one-car wreck early Sunday morning. Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Brandon Fortenberry tells local media outlets 21-year-old Devin McCann was southbound on I-55 just north of Brookhaven…

Murder trial set to begin Tuesday in Hattiesburg

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - The trial of a Hattiesburg man charged in a 2014 shooting death begins Tuesday. Ray Allen Thompson is accused of the April 27 shooting death of 38-year-old Oliver Griffin at Hattiesburg apartment complex. The Hattiesburg American…

Police investigating after 2 women fatally shot in Jackson

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Police are investigating the fatal shootings of two women in Jackson. Local media outlets report the shooting happened Sunday night. Authorities say 23-year-old Janis N. Evans and an unidentified woman were pronounced dead at the scene.…

Jessamine County needle-exchange program approved

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Nicholasville-Jessamine County has become the fourth community in Kentucky to adopt a needle-exchange program. Media outlets report the Jessamine Fiscal Court voted 4-2 last week for the program, which will allow addicts to anonymously exchange used…

Officials: Pulaski County fire destroys farmhouse, kills 2

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) - Investigators in Pulaski County are trying to determine what caused a fire that destroyed a farmhouse and killed two people. Pulaski County Public Safety Director Tiger Robinson tells local media outlets that the fire occurred Sunday…

Man given 15 years in death of his wife at Lexington motel

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in the 2014 death of his wife at a western Lexington motel. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports 39-year-old Michael Wayne Crowe was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty…

Man arrested in connection with Verona kidnapping

VERONA, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say a 35-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a kidnapping in Verona. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports Marcus Benton was arrested Thursday by the U.S. Marshals Service. He's charged with armed robbery,…

Police find remains in car in wooded area in D’Iberville

D'IBERVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Police have discovered remains that are believed to be those of a Biloxi woman reported missing in a car in a wooded area in D'Iberville. Local media outlets report the body was found Saturday. Biloxi police…

TVA seeking comment on coal ash storage facility closures

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Valley Authority is planning to close coal ash storage facilities at its coal-fired power plants and is asking for the public to comment. A draft environmental impact statement is available online and looks at…

Health institute at UofL receives $2.5 million grant

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - An institute at the University of Louisville is receiving $2.5 million to help bring health care to rural and medically underserved areas in Kentucky. The grant to the Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging comes…

Manhattan Project Park offers session for volunteers

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) - The Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge has opportunities for volunteers at the park. The park is offering an information session for anyone interested in volunteering. The session will be at 10 a.m.…

Police: Alleged robber robbed of loot after holdup

MCCOMB, Miss. (AP) - McComb police say a man accused of robbing a convenience store told investigators that people he knew had robbed him of the stolen cigarettes and cash. Detective Shannon Sullivan says an investigator recognized 27-year-old Wallace Tompson…

Vicksburg barge accidents create economic waves

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Barge and railroad spokesmen say their customers see a big impact from a series of accidents in which barges hit the railroad bridge at Vicksburg. The Coast Guard is investigating five such accidents that occurred over…

Kansas bill aims to ban discrimination against gun dealers

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas Senate panel will consider a measure aimed at banning discrimination against gun dealers and manufacturers. The measure would function like laws that prevent religious or racial discrimination and allow gun dealers to sue when…

Vicksburg Police Department to use body cameras soon

VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) - Vicksburg police officers will soon start using body cameras in the line of duty. The Vicksburg Post reports the Board of Mayor and Aldermen accepted a policy and procedure on the use of body cameras during…

Sheriff: gun shop shootout over $25 kills 2, wounds 2

PICAYUNE, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi authorities say a gun shop owner and his 17-year-old son died in a shootout over a $25 service charge. Another man and his 29-year-old son are hospitalized. Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison tells news…

More people in Tennessee died from guns than car accidents

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - More people died from gunshots than car accidents in Tennessee during 2014. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the Violence Policy Center has produced a study comparing gun and car deaths across the nation in 2014.…

Officials point to signs of turnaround at Memphis airport

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Officials at Memphis International Airport are pointing to signs of a turnaround following a downsizing in operations. The Commercial Appeal reports that in terms of scheduled flights, Memphis is among the top 10 highest-growth airports of…

State official seeks rebid of workforce training grant

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A cabinet secretary in Gov. Matt Bevin's administration wants elected officials to rebid a multi-million-dollar workforce training grant. The Lexington Herald-Leader (reports the grant was awarded to the Bluegrass Area Development District in early January. State…

Fire destroys barn at Old Friends farm; no horses hurt

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) - Fire destroyed a barn at a Kentucky farm for retired thoroughbreds, but officials say no horses were in the structure at the time. The building lost in the early Saturday fire, according to media reports, was…

Lawmaker Investigated

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee lawmaker who narrowly escaped being ousted from House leadership earlier this month is resigning as majority whip. Republican state Rep. Jeremy Durham of Franklin told colleagues of his decision on Sunday. The move comes…

Officials: Snow plows clearing roads in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Officials say crews are using snow plows and salt trucks to clear roads in Nashville, which saw its heaviest snowfall in about 20 years as a winter storm passed through Tennessee. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry told…

Mississippi St hires USC’s Sirmon as defensive coordinator

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi State has hired former Southern California assistant Peter Sirmon to be its defensive coordinator. The 38-year-old Sirmon was at USC for two seasons and was the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach. He…

Lamar County School Board seeks new member

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - The Lamar County School Board is looking for someone to join its ranks. A vacancy occurred after District B member Steve Lampton's election to the Lamar County Board of Supervisors. Lampton's district covers parts of Purvis…

Sentencing stalls anew for Epps, others in prison bribe case

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A judge has again delayed sentencing for former Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps and two men who admitted to bribing Epps. U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate on Friday put off sentencing hearings that had been…

FEMA adds aid to 3 Mississippi counties for Dec. 23 twisters

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared three more Mississippi counties eligible for individual assistance after Dec. 23 tornadoes killed 11 people in the state. FEMA on Friday said people living in Monroe, Panola and Prentiss…

Bryant sets state Senate special election for March 8

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A special election to fill a state Senate seat in parts of Madison and Hinds County is set for March 8. Gov. Phil Bryant set the nonpartisan election Friday. A runoff, if needed would be on…

Contractor change means layoffs ahead at Stennis

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (AP) - A Stennis Space Center official has confirmed a contractor change will lead to layoffs at the NASA facility in Mississippi's Hancock County. WLOX-TV reports a new company will take over the operations and maintenance…

Monroe supervisors, elected officials get pay raise

ABERDEEN, Miss. (AP) - Monroe County supervisors have approved a raise for some elected officials, including themselves. WCBI-TV reports now that the county's total assessed value is more than $300 million, state law allows for some elected officials to get…

Bond set at $1M for Wayne County pastor

WAYNESBORO, Miss. (AP) - Bond has been set for a Wayne County pastor accused of sexual misconduct. WDAM-TV reports Christopher Beam made his initial appearance in court on Thursday, and his bond was set at $100,000 per count which totaled…

Event marking anniversary of 13th Amendment is postponed

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Officials are postponing an event scheduled for Saturday to mark the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery. The delay is due to the winter storm passing…

Kansas Supreme Court voids Wichita marijuana ordinance

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The highest court in Kansas has struck down a Wichita voter-approved ordinance that reduces penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana. The Kansas Supreme Court issued its ruling Friday. The case has been closely watched by…

Saltillo restaurateurs jailed on fraud charges

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - A Tupelo restaurateur couple has been jailed on fraud charges. Media outlets report that 44-year-old Lisa Alexander and 44-year-old Jesse Alexander were arrested Tuesday and charged with false pretense. They are accused of selling a house…

Kansas lawmaker imposes dress code on female witnesses

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas Senate committee chairman has imposed a dress code that prohibits women testifying on an elections or ethics bill from wearing certain clothing while establishing no wardrobe restrictions exclusively for men. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports…

State stops fining Hattiesburg over wastewater

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - The City of Hattiesburg has stopped paying fines to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality over its wastewater treatment plan. Local media outlets report the Hattiesburg City Council and Mayor Johnny DuPree received a letter from…

Resentencing set for man in family’s 1994 beating death

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) - Resentencing has been scheduled for a Jackson County man in the 1994 beating deaths of four family members. The Sun Herald reports Stephen Virgil McGilberry is scheduled for resentencing Nov. 14. He was in Jackson County…

Lawsuit blames 2 suicides on suspended disability checks

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Family members of two people who killed themselves last year are suing the Social Security Administration, saying that the government's decision to end disability checks for hundreds of eastern Kentucky residents played a substantial role in…