Alexander Proposes Changes to No Child Left Behind

The No Child Left Behind education law is up for renewal this year. Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander has joined several of his Republican colleagues in sponsoring legislation that would make radical changes.

Governor Bill Haslam says some officials who’ve been criticizing Tennessee’s new voter ID requirement may not fully understand it. WPLN’s Blake Farmer reports the governor’s comments come in the same week Illinois Senator Dick Durbin – a Democrat – questioned the new law.

The military has moved many training exercises into the virtual world. And simulations – in some instances – have cut costs. An indoor shooting range at Fort Campbell is saving $4 million a month in ammunition.

A handful of businesses in Rutherford County are in trouble for allegedly breaking state laws meant to ensure that gold sold for cash actually belongs to the people who sell it.

Transit officials say they’re “pleased” with the number of people taking the Music City Star. The commuter train is marking its 5th anniversary. Ridership has shot up in the last year.

The chairman of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, Eddie Roberson, has announced he’ll resign October 1.  His resignation comes at time when the agency’s future is uncertain.

Ford Motor Company is towing its hybrid and electric cars around the country, reminding consumers of its fuel efficient offerings. A stop in Nashville highlighted the night-and-day difference between Ford’s approach to electric vehicles and the thinking at Franklin-based Nissan North America.

Around 60 percent of Tennessee Tech’s class of 2010 owes no student debt. That’s according to the annual college rankings from US News and World Report.

Longstanding Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is questioning the new Tennessee law requiring voters to present photo ID at the polls. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed the law this spring. Critics say it could disenfranchise voters.

The largest chain of for-profit hospitals in the country is trying to explain why its Medicare revenue dropped for the first time in more than five years. HCA officials held a conference call with analysts after markets closed Monday night.