Race to the Top Proposal Has Support of All Gubernatorial Candidates

Governor Phil Bredesen says he’s confident the programs proposed in the state’s Race to the Top application will be supported by his successor, if the state wins the massive federal education grant.

Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling will shake up the way Congressional races are funded this fall. But it’s not expected to immediately affect political races at the state level. The ruling overturns a federal ban on political spending by companies.

The state Senate has approved the governor’s plan to increase college graduation, and the House is poised to do so as well this afternoon.

Two Tennessee-based companies made Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.

Today a new solar company announced plans to set up shop in Tennessee. Missouri-based Confluence makes materials for solar cells, which are pieces of solar panels. Most of its customers are in China.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded $2 million in stimulus funding to the Tennessee Valley Authority to repair a levee on Kentucky Lake.

Some Davidson County residents are pushing to keep the state fairgrounds open. They’re circulating a petition to protest Mayor Karl Dean’s plan to effectively shut down the state fair, as well as other events at the site throughout the year.

Republicans in Congress, including Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, are using Tuesday’s G.O.P. win in Massachusetts to call for a redo on the debate over healthcare.

Tennessee lawmakers say they want to know how state collages are setting
tuition before deciding how to fund higher education each year.

Middle Tennessee State University is one of the schools which might lose some state dollars if funding is based on the number of students graduating, as Governor Phil Bredesen wants.