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A state comptroller’s report issued today says that urban school districts are being shortchanged on funding. It’s the second report on school districts that have failed to improve on a series of indicators according to standards set under No Child Left Behind. The last report was issued in 2001. The Basic Education Program, or BEP, […]

Under grey skies and a cold drizzle, a crowd of about 300 anti-abortion activists gathered on the steps of the state capitol yesterday afternoon to mark the 34th anniversary of the federal Supreme Court’s Roe-V-Wade decision which legalized abortion. Tennessee Right to Life President Brian Harris says regardless of whether the case will ever be […]

To the sound of a 19-gun salute, Governor Phil Bredesen took his second oath of office this weekend at War Memorial Plaza in downtown Nashville. While health care and job creation were issues at the center of his first term, Bredesen says education is going to his top priority for his second. “Hear me now, […]

Residents of Nashville’s Wedgewood and 12-South neighborhoods are skeptical of a new Belmont University plan to renovate existing park facilities. The school wants to spend 6-million dollars building baseball, softball and soccer fields, a track and other amenities in the E-S-Rose Park—a Metro-owned property. In exchange, Belmont will be able to use the facilities for […]

After several months of contentious debate over Councilman Eric Crafton’s English-first bill, the Metro Council last night passed a second proposal stating that English is the official language of Metro Government. This time though, it’s a resolution, which means it is non-binding. Sponsor Jim Hodge says he thought Crafton should have proposed a resolution to […]

A 50-percent drop in public health workers is predicted to happen in Tennessee over the next five years, so new doctoral programs in health are being created at Tennessee universities. Masters in Public Health programs are already offered at the University of Memphis and at East Tennessee State University. But both schools plus Tennessee State […]

The Metro Council approved an extension for the Nashville Sounds stadium deal last night. Developer Struever Brothers, Eccles & Rouse is building a residential and retail development as part of the 43-million dollar stadium deal. Struever Brothers requested more time to get the financing worked out for its side of the project. Five council members […]

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee beat out two other insurance companies to win the Cover Tennessee contracts. That’s the health insurance plan created this year for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees that don’t currently offer insurance. Governor Phil Bredesen says Blue Cross won because it came back with a 10-dollar administrative cost–the […]

A proposed historical overlay for Lower Broadway got a mixed reception from property owners, at a meeting held last night at the Downtown Library. Councilman Mike Jameson made the passage of the overlay a condition for the approval of the proposed Westin Hotel development. Jameson is supporting the 19-story hotel, but says he wants to […]

Missouri-based Express Scripts has launched a take-over bid for Nashville-based Caremark R-X. Both companies are pharmacy benefit managers, which administer prescription drug plans. CVS, the drugstore chain, had already reached an agreement to buy Caremark for about 21-billion dollars. Express Scripts is topping that offer by about 5-billion dollars. The bid has been termed hostile […]