For Some, September 11th Was Call to Act

When passenger-filled airliners flew into the Twin Towers 10 years ago, many considered it this generation’s Pearl Harbor. In terms of lives lost, 9/11 was even bigger. As for a rush to the military recruiting office, not even close.

The University of Tennessee has filled the position of athletic director. Last night, UT named Dave Hart to the post overseeing athletic programs. He comes to Tennessee from his own alma mater and UT rival – the University of Alabama. At a news conference Hart said he is – however – “absolutely and totally committed to the University of Tennessee.”

A private funeral will be held in Nashville this weekend for a former Predator who appears to have taken his own life. The hockey world has lost three players in a matter of months. The National Hockey League is reviewing whether there’s more it should do to help.

August proved a big month for auto-parts suppliers announcing new business in Tennessee. State officials tallied more a thousand new jobs planned for the industry.

After holding out for more than a month, running back Chris Johnson has agreed to a four-year, $53.5 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.

August sales for Franklin-based Nissan North America are up more than 19 percent compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, the two other big Japanese automakers continue to see declines as they struggle to recover from this year’s earthquake and tsunami.

This weekend’s National Folklife Festival is expected to be the largest single event ever held at Bicentennial Mall. Other festivals have shied away from the venue because of a ban on alcohol.

The attorneys general of 46 states, including Tennessee, say an online classified site isn’t doing enough to prevent sex trafficking using its ads.

TennCare will soon take another round of applications from people whose medical bills overshadow much of their income. The program known as Standard Spend Down is in high demand. It accepts 2,500 applications at a time, and typically gets that many in the first hour.

In about two weeks, a team of more than a dozen experts will arrive at Brown’s Ferry Nuclear Plant to begin a unusually deep inspection. Officials with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission say the process will last well into next year—at the very least.