Corn Farmers Eye Weather, Growing Demand

It could be a profitable year for corn farmers in Tennessee. International demand from China is up, and while Texas languishes from a months-long drought, Tennessee is in relatively good shape. But some are worried higher corn prices might not be an entirely good thing.

The current system for training doctors takes far longer than it needs to, says Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper. He was speaking to medical students and doctors at Vanderbilt. Cooper says it also steers too many students into specialties, “whether they’re helping us live longer or not.”

“Stand down,” was the order for the Tennessee National Guard last night. Bags were packed and equipment loaded, but more than 2,000 troops in the state have been told they won’t be needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

A car bomb killed a soldier from the 101st Airborne Division over the weekend in Kandahar city, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense says Specialist Michael Roberts was a Military Policeman.

Former chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, Adolpho A. Birch, has died. Friends confirm the passed away Thursday at age 78.

Governor Bill Haslam says he doubts Tennessee departments will have to hack 30 percent from their budgets. But with less federal money expected to come to states, Haslam says it’s wise to lay out a plan now.

The CEO of Gibson Guitar says federal agents took imported hardwood and cost the company a million dollars when they raided factories in Memphis and Nashville this week.

As much of the 101st Airborne Division has now returned to Fort Campbell, officers are handing out medals for bravery. Thursday a Silver Star was granted posthumously to a young combat medic named Jordan Byrd.

It’s been more than two years since GM announced it would idle car production at its factory in Spring Hill. Tennessee Senator Bob Corker said yesterday he’s not certain what to expect for the plant going forward.

U.S. Senator Bob Corker says he’ll sit down and talk with the Tennessee Valley Authority about how it will pay to finish its Bellefonte nuclear plant. TVA is looking at selling a different nuclear reactor and leasing it back in order to afford the $5 billion Bellefonte project in Alabama.