Author: Associated Press

Military spouses who leave their jobs because of the frequent moves required in the military would be eligible for unemployment benefits under proposed bill in Tennessee that has the support of the governor. The bill sponsored by state Sen. Tim…

The city of Holly Springs will ask the Legislature to approve a local 1 cent sales tax with the proceeds supporting a large capital improvements program. Mayor Andre DeBerry tells the South Reporter (http://bit.ly/A76KhE) that the levy would bring in…

Authorities say an eight-grader who brought a gun to a private school in Greenwood had a problem with another student the day before. The boy was arrested Friday at Pillow Academy after tip from a concerned parent led officials to…

Plans for an Oak Ridge railroad museum are back on track after being delayed for a decade due to security concerns and fundraising problems. The $1 million Southern Appalachia Railway Museum received approval last week to move forward, though it…

The Tennessee Valley Authority is laying off its 61 uniformed police employees on staff and moving to contract workers. The federal utility said Friday it's part of an organizational realignment meant to cut costs and make it more competitive. TVA…

Columbus police have made an arrest in the 1997 deal of an elderly man in the city. Police Chief Selvain McQueen says 44-year-old Earnest Talley has been charged with murder in the death of 70-year-old George Wilbanks. McQueen says Wilbanks…

A Republican lawmaker who did not vote on legislation intended to stop Occupy Nashville protesters from staying overnight at the Capitol complex says the measure is too broad. Rep. Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains was the only Republican who didn't…

Police say the niece of Nashville Mayor Karl Dean was killed when her father ran over her while backing out of his driveway. Joe Davis, the brother of Dean's wife, Anne Davis, was backing up Thursday evening out of his…

A state panel has unanimously approved credits for a law enforcement training course that critics have called anti-Muslim. The Muslim civil rights organization Council on American-Islamic Relations is among those that have publicly denounced the "Understanding the Threat to America"…

A proposal aimed at stopping Occupy Nashville protesters from staying overnight on the Capitol complex comes before both chambers of the Legislature Thursday. The measure up in the House and Senate would make it a misdemeanor to lay down "bedding…

Full body scanners are coming to the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. The new high-tech security devices will be installed in the next few weeks, according to WKYT-TV. The Transportation Security Administration says there will be privacy safeguards for all…

The car parked along Interstate 40 on Nashville's west side looked like a broken down vehicle. Police were counting on it. Metro Nashville auto theft detectives were monitoring a global positioning system device on the car and closed in when…

Gov. Bill Haslam said Wednesday that he's abandoning his proposal to do away with average class size restrictions in Tennessee. The Republican governor's decision came as a growing chorus of educators and parents - and the lawmakers who represent them…

After 42 years as an administrator and coach, Malcolm Kuykendall, superintendent of Tishomingo County School District, will retire on June 30. Kuykendall has served as superintendent for six years. School Board President Michael Puckett says the board will begin a…

About half of the Occupy Nashville protesters that were encamped on the Capitol complex for nearly five months have removed their tents. Tennessee Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the protesters informed a state trooper…

Knoxville Police have found relatives of a young boy found wandering alone along a road. The boy is about three feet tall and has blond hair. A truck driver called 911 at 1:48 a.m. on Wednesday and said he found…

Newly released audit reports call into question large entertainment reimbursements the Southaven Chamber of Commerce paid Mayor Greg Davis without receipts or other documentation. The reports released Tuesday by the chamber to The Commercial Appeal include a statement by auditors…

Tennessee Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons said Occupy Nashville protesters plan to leave the Capitol complex after spending more than five months encamped there. Gibbons told The Associated Press that the protesters informed a state trooper patrolling the area that they…

Authorities are searching for a small plane that may have gone down in Mississippi. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen says the plane was about 18 miles southeast of Tupelo when the pilot reported a problem Tuesday morning. Bergen says…

The reunited Beach Boys will celebrate sunshine and summer at the 2012 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival with Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish and Bon Iver. The always eclectic four-day festival's lineup also will include Skrillex, Foster the People,…

Gov. Steve Beshear has unveiled a plan to amend Kentucky's Constitution to allow casinos to open in the state. The much-anticipated proposal was announced Tuesday at the Capitol. The Democratic governor also introduced the sponsor of the measure, Republican state…

A water well was drilled months ago in Middle Tennessee and now crude oil is leaking into a nearby creek. State environmental inspectors told the land owner, Rev. John Gouldener, the small pocket of oil will probably play out soon.…

A leak of anhydrous ammonia has been stopped at a Chattanooga chemical plant and a busy highway reopened. The leak was discovered around 5 a.m. CST Tuesday at the BASF Corporation plant. A hazardous materials crew located the source and…

State Auditor Adam Edelen has completed the first phase of a state audit, issuing a "clean opinion" on government finances. Edelen said Tuesday he did issue more than 60 recommendations to strengthen internal controls over financial reporting. In particular, Edelen…

The sponsor of legislation that seeks to strengthen a Tennessee law prohibiting the tattooing of minors says the measure would also help fight gang activity, even though critics lament the proposal could be burdensome. Currently, a person under 18 cannot…

A western Kentucky couple is suing the Iowa-based maker of a popular tax return software program claiming the company has failed to fix a glitch that could cause filers problems with the Internal Revenue service. The lawsuit filed in U.S.…

Occupy Nashville protesters are considering a temporary withdrawal from their encampment at Legislative Plaza. The idea was among four discussed Saturday during a meeting about the group's future. The proposal comes as state lawmakers work to evict them. D.J. Hudson,…

A federal inmate has pulled off a rare feat - suing the federal government and getting a trial date. Johnny Davis filed suit in 2008 in federal court in Pikeville over complications stemming from eye surgery while done while housed…

The Internal Revenue Service and the town of Metcalfe have agreed on a monthly payment plan to erase a tax debt. The Delta Democrat Times reports (http://bit.ly/yMe5zS) that the board of aldermen approved a repayment plan of $350 a month.…

The future of a western Kentucky coal mine remains up in the air after planners in Owensboro split over whether to allow the project. The Owensboro Metropolitan Planning Commission's two tie votes Thursday night came after testimony from groups including…

State Rep. Steve Holland wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for "official purposes within the state of Mississippi." Holland, D-Plantersville, says the measure aims to mock anti-immigrant legislation that he finds mean-spirited and insignificant.…

The Columbus Municipal School District has announced it will not renew the contracts of 59 teachers and support staff. Interim Schools Superintendent Dr. Martha Liddell says personnel cuts and other reductions will save the district $3.4 million. Officials say about…

The Mississippi Supreme Court will decide whether ex-Gov. Haley Barbour legally pardoned 10 current and former inmates. Among the inmates are four convicted murderers who served as trusties at the Governor's Mansion while Barbour was in office. Meanwhile dozens of…

Gov. Steve Beshear and education department officials are applauding a decision by the federal government to grant the state a waiver from some parts of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind Law. The Kentucky Department of Education announced the decision…

PARCHMAN, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi inmate has been put to death for killing two men in a December 1995 robbery spree after the courts declined to stop the execution based on arguments that he was mentally ill. Authorities say…

An Alabama House committee has approved a bill that would ban sending or reading text messages while driving. The bill by Republican Rep. Jim McClendon of Springville passed the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. It would…

A federal appeals court has vacated an order blocking Wednesday's execution of Mississippi death row inmate Edwin Hart Turner. Mississippi Department of Corrections officials say they are planning to move forward with the execution at 6 p.m. On Monday, U.S.…

Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to lift a cap on class size averages is meeting resistance from educators, but the Republican calls the proposal a key element to his effort to allow school districts to hike teacher salaries. Haslam told reporters…

Hamilton County School officials are investigating what could be cheating on a state test at an elementary school. County School Superintendent Rick Smith said administrators at Lakeside Academy of Math, Science and Technology reported the possibility of cheating as required.…

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis has attended his first board of aldermen meeting since he became a target of an investigation into his alleged misuse of city money. A number of people who spoke urged the embattled mayor to step down,…

Members of Occupy Memphis have evicted six people living at their encampment due to drinking and drug use. Marquella Scott said Tuesday that about 15 members voted to remove three tents from their camp in front of Memphis City Hall…

Amish men from across Kentucky arrived at the Capitol on Tuesday to watch the Senate approve a bill that would allow them to use reflective tape on their horse-drawn buggies rather than bright orange triangular signs that some object to…

State Rep. Glen Casada is moving ahead with a bill calling for the popular election of Supreme Court justices, a position at odds with the wishes of fellow Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and the speakers of both chambers. Casada's bill…

Alabama Republicans have added to their majority in the Alabama House with the decision of a west Alabama legislator to switch parties just hours before the start of the 2012 legislative session. Rep. Alan Harper of Aliceville said Tuesday that…

Murray State University Police have charged a student with having explosives in his dormitory room. David Matthew Wilson was released on a cash bond after being charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, according to The Paducah Sun (http://bit.ly/ysNfQb ). The 18-year-old…

The Mississippi Department of Health's has suspended some services and cut hours at its office in Ocean Springs. The clinic no longer offers medical or environmental services. It is open Wednesdays and Thursdays only for WIC, the federally funded health…

A record number of tornadoes hit Tennessee in 2011. The National Weather Service said there were 113 confirmed tornadoes last year in the state, resulting in 33 fatalities. Forecaster Bobby Boyd said that was the largest number of tornadoes since…

The latest effort to allow wine to be sold in Tennessee supermarkets has failed for lack of a sponsor in the state Senate. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that Republican Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol had expected a better fate…