Democratic U.S. Senate contender Phil Bredesen met a crowd of 500 at Rhodes College Thursday, Sept. 13, that consisted mostly of supporters on what was originally planned as a debate with Republican rival Marsha Blackburn. Blackburn bowed out of the debate.

2. Bredesen Defends Wait-And-See Stand on Kavanaugh Nomination - Friday, September 14, 2018

Democratic U.S. Senate contender Phil Bredesen met a crowd of 500 at Rhodes College Thursday, Sept. 13, that consisted mostly of supporters on what was originally planned as a debate with Republican rival Marsha Blackburn. Blackburn bowed out of the debate.

3. Republicans Lack Votes – and Appetite – to End 'Obamacare' - Wednesday, September 12, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona's new senator says he'd vote to repeal the nation's health care law. That's one additional Republican ready to obliterate the statute because his predecessor, the late Sen. John McCain, helped derail the party's drive with his fabled thumbs-down vote last year.

4. High Stakes as 2-Month Sprint to Election Day Begins - Tuesday, September 11, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Control of Congress and the future of Donald Trump's presidency are on the line as the primary season closes this week, jump-starting a two-month sprint to Election Day that will test Democrats' ability to harness opposition to Trump and determine whether the Republican president can get his supporters to the polls.

5. Nike's Kaepernick Campaign Signals Change in Shoe Politics - Monday, September 10, 2018

A pair of shoes are set aflame with a cigarette lighter, captured on video and shared widely online to protest a political statement made by the manufacturer.

The New Balance shoes were burned by their owners two years ago after a spokeswoman indicated the company's support for President Donald Trump's trade policies.

6. Intent on Getting a Big Raise? You May Have to Quit Your Job - Monday, September 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite one of the best job markets in decades, workers across the U.S. economy are struggling with a common frustration: What does it take to finally get a decent raise?

7. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Won't Seek 3rd term - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

CHICAGO (AP) — In a surprise announcement, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that he would abandon his effort to seek a third term next year and gave no reason for his sudden change of heart.

8. Chaos Marks Start of Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearing - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Quarreling and confusion disrupted the start of the Senate's confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday, with Democrats trying to block the proceedings over documents withheld by the White House while protesters interrupted the session in a persistent display of opposition.

9. Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke Shakes Up Senate Race With Cruz - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — If elections were decided by viral videos and fawning media profiles, Democrat Beto O'Rourke would win Texas' Senate race in a landslide.

Video of the candidate defending NFL players' right to protest during the national anthem had been viewed by millions even before NBA star LeBron James called it a "must-watch." Another of O'Rourke, a three-term congressman, cruising through a Whataburger parking lot on a skateboard is almost as popular, increasing the onetime punk rocker's already considerable street cred.

10. Family, Friends Say Final Goodbye To McCain - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Sen. John McCain's final journey ended on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy within view of the Severn River and earshot of midshipmen present and future, and alongside a lifelong friend.

11. Liberal Gillum, Trump-backed DeSantis Win Florida Primaries - Thursday, August 30, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — A liberal Florida Democrat pulled off an upset victory Tuesday in the state's primary for governor while President Donald Trump's favored candidate cruised to victory for the GOP, setting up a fierce fall showdown in the nation's largest political battleground. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who would be the state's first black governor, and Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, both defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties' establishment.

12. White House Flags Back at Full-Staff After McCain Death - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flags at the White House were back at full-staff Monday, even as objections mounted and Senate leaders of both parties formally requested that American flags at government buildings stay at half-staff to honor Sen. John McCain.

13. White House Flags Back at Full-Staff After McCain Death - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flags at the White House were back at full-staff Monday, even as objections mounted and Senate leaders of both parties formally requested that American flags at government buildings stay at half-staff to honor Sen. John McCain.

14. Iran Asks UN's Highest Court to Suspend U.S. Sanctions - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Iran warned Monday that re-imposed U.S. sanctions would cripple its economy and plunge the volatile Middle East deeper into crisis as it urged the United Nations' highest court to suspend the Trump administration's economic pressure on Tehran.

15. Sen. John McCain to be Buried Next to Best Friend at U.S. Naval Academy - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It will be a fitting final resting place for a man who prized military service, cherished friendship and had little patience for formalities.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who died Saturday of brain cancer, will be buried Sunday on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, right next to a lifelong friend, within earshot of the next generation of midshipmen and within view of the banks of Severn River.

16. War Hero and Presidential Candidate John McCain Dies at 81 - Monday, August 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain, who faced down his captors in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp with jut-jawed defiance and later turned his rebellious streak into a 35-year political career that took him to Congress and the Republican presidential nomination, died Saturday after battling brain cancer for more than a year. He was 81.

17. Bredesen Seeks Rural Broadband Access Through TVA - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is calling for congressional action enabling the Tennessee Valley Authority to deliver broadband internet access to rural parts of the state, a plan his opponent, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, says would be “anti-competitive.”

18. EPA Moves to Dramatically Cut Regulation of Coal Power - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved to dismantle another major piece of President Barack Obama's environmental legacy on Tuesday, proposing to dramatically scale back restrictions on climate-changing emissions from coal-fired power plants even as it acknowledged that could lead to more premature deaths and serious illnesses.

19. Trump Dares Brennan to Sue Because His Clearance was Revoked - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday dared former CIA Director John Brennan to take legal action to try to prevent him from stripping security clearances from other current and former officials.

20. Memphis-Born Aretha Franklin Dies; Queen of Soul was 76 - Thursday, August 16, 2018

Aretha Franklin, who cast the first sounds from her wonderful voice in a South Memphis house, died Thursday, Aug. 16, at her home in Detroit, her publicist confirmed. She was 76. Her longtime publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn, said the legendary singer died from advanced pancreatic cancer. Earlier this week, word emerged that Ms. Franklin was in hospice care. 

21. Black Americans Aren't Buying Omarosa's Turn Against Trump - Thursday, August 16, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Omarosa Manigault Newman stood at Donald Trump's side, making her deeply unpopular with African-Americans who see her as a sellout for aligning herself with a president who has hurled one insult after another at black people.

22. Key Afghan City Turned into 'Ghost Town' by Deadly Battles - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Hundreds of people have fled four days of fierce fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban over the key provincial capital of Ghazni that has killed about 120 security forces and civilians, the defense minister and witnesses said Monday.

23. Inspired by Unlikely Hero, Robertson Fulfilling Needs - Friday, August 10, 2018

When thinking of “heroes” or “role models” for African-American males, the first names that come to mind might be sports phenoms or our immediate past president, Barack Obama. But wherever your mind wanders, I doubt it lands on Bayard Rustin.

24. Kansas Democrats Pick Gay, Native American Nominee for Congress - Thursday, August 9, 2018

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Sharice Davids shattered the mold for a congressional primary winner from ruby red Kansas on Wednesday, becoming the state's first Native American and gay nominee for Congress.

25. Trump Rips LeBron James' Smarts Hours Before Rally in Ohio - Monday, August 6, 2018

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (AP) — Ahead of campaigning in Ohio on Saturday, President Donald Trump unleashed a withering attack on the state's favorite son, savaging LeBron James in a late-night tweet that derided the intelligence of one of the nation's most prominent African-American men.

26. Watchdog: Energy Department Broke Law With Health Care Tweet - Friday, July 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Energy Department violated federal law when it tweeted about an opinion column by Energy Secretary Rick Perry urging repeal of President Barack Obama's health care law, a government watchdog said Thursday.

27. Pence Touts Conservative Credentials of Blackburn, Black - Monday, July 23, 2018

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence touted Republican tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks Saturday, using a visit to Tennessee to also heap praise on the conservative credentials of two GOP congresswomen waging tough campaigns for statewide offices.

28. US Political Spending Getting More Secretive With IRS Change - Friday, July 20, 2018

Political spending in the U.S. is about to become even more secretive after the IRS this week dropped a requirement that many nonprofits have to provide lists of their major donors.

The federal government will stop collecting donor information from certain types of nonprofit groups, including business associations, labor unions and "social welfare" organizations, which have become major players in the nation's politics over the past decade.

29. Democrats, Republicans Release Endorsement Ballots - Friday, July 20, 2018

A group of Democrats including former U.S. representative Harold Ford Sr. is preparing to mail and distribute at the polls 60,000 endorsement ballots at no cost to the Democratic contenders on the ballot.

30. New IRS Policy Allows Some Tax-Exempt Groups to Veil Donors - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is lifting requirements that some tax-exempt groups disclose the identities of their donors to federal tax authorities.

The change benefits groups that spend millions of dollars on political ads, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an organization tied to the billionaire Koch brothers.

31. Trump's Attacks on NATO Raise Questions About its Future - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's repeated tongue lashings of NATO allies and his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin are stirring questions at home and abroad about Trump's commitment to an Atlantic alliance that has been a pillar of U.S. security policy for more than half a century.

32. Lawsuit: Mississippi Legislative District Dilutes Black Vote - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A state Senate district in Mississippi dilutes black voting power and should be redrawn, three African-American plaintiffs say in a federal lawsuit filed Monday.

The suit asks a judge to order legislators to reconfigure the district before the 2019 state elections.

33. US Army Quietly Discharging Immigrant Recruits - Monday, July 9, 2018

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Some immigrant U.S. Army reservists and recruits who enlisted in the military with a promised path to citizenship are being abruptly discharged, the Associated Press has learned.

34. In Supreme Court fight, Dems target 2 GOP Senate moderates - Monday, July 9, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — By themselves, Democrats can't stop the Republican-run Senate from confirming President Donald Trump's pick for the Supreme Court. But they're determined to make it agonizing for a pair of pivotal GOP senators to back the nominee.

35. Pruitt Leaves His Mark on Businesses But Will it Last? - Monday, July 9, 2018

As head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt tried to roll back rules affecting many industries, but whether he made lasting changes in the government's regulation of business or failed to leave a legacy could be decided in the courts.

36. Trump has 2 or 3 More Candidates to Interview for Court - Wednesday, July 4, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has interviewed four prospective Supreme Court justices and plans to meet with a few more as his White House aggressively mobilizes to select a replacement for retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.

37. Trump Interviews 4 for Supreme Court, 2-3 More to Go - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump interviewed four prospective Supreme Court justices Monday and planned to speak with a few more, as he powered forward with a speedy selection process to fill the fresh vacancy.

38. Barack Obama Visits Venture Capital Firm on California Trip - Monday, July 2, 2018

Former President Barack Obama has visited a prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm.

Andrew Chen, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, posted a photo on Twitter of Obama posing Friday with a large group of people, including several venture capitalists at the firm based in Menlo Park, California.

39. Barack Obama Visits Venture Capital Firm on California Trip - Monday, July 2, 2018

Former President Barack Obama has visited a prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm.

Andrew Chen, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, posted a photo on Twitter of Obama posing Friday with a large group of people, including several venture capitalists at the firm based in Menlo Park, California.

40. Floodgates Burst On Attacks In Tennessee Gop Governor’s Race - Monday, July 2, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The floodgates have burst on attack ads in Tennessee's Republican gubernatorial primary.

New TV ads keep hitting the airwaves after U.S. Rep. Diane Black's commercial this week that labeled former state economic development chief Randy Boyd and businessman Bill Lee as moderates. All four leading Republican contenders have touted their conservative credentials throughout the campaign, and now Black and Boyd are trying to pick each other's claims apart.

41. Senate Leaders Trade Barbed Words Over Supreme Court - Friday, June 29, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate battle over Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee is off to a fiery start — even before the president makes his choice. Republican and Democratic leaders traded accusations and barbed comments Thursday on the new vacancy, abortion rights and the debate to come.

42. Enthusiasm Not Enough to Turn Tennessee Blue - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Tennessee’s legislative Democrats are eternally optimistic. They don’t have much choice but to look on the bright side with 75-24 and 28-5 deficits in the House and Senate.

So when they put a nearly full slate of candidates on the ticket for November’s general election – about 110 districts – and say they’ve got a good chance of picking up seats, they almost have to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.

43. Tennesseans Struggle to Get and Stay Healthy - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Despite having some of the best health care companies in world, the people who live and work in Tennessee are not healthy.

Bad habits

Too many of us are too fat. Tennessee has the worst childhood obesity rate in the USA, and the fifth worst adult obesity rate. 

44. Trump Commutes Sentence for Drug Offender in Memphis Case - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump commuted the sentence Wednesday of a woman serving a life sentence in a Memphis drug case whose cause was championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West in a recent visit to the White House.

45. Biden to Make Tour Stop At Orpheum Theatre - Saturday, June 2, 2018

In 2018, Joe Biden is continuing his American Promise Tour and will visit The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on Friday, June 15. The tour is a series of conversations that go beyond the 24-hour news cycle and Twitter arguments to connect friends and neighbors around topics that matter most to them.

46. Biden to Make Tour Stop at Orpheum Theatre June 15 - Friday, June 1, 2018

In 2018, Joe Biden is continuing his American Promise Tour and will visit The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on Friday, June 15. The tour is a series of conversations that go beyond the 24-hour news cycle and Twitter arguments to connect friends and neighbors around topics that matter most to them.

47. Kardashian West Asks Trump to Pardon Woman in Memphis Drug Case - Thursday, May 31, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West was scheduled to head to the White House Wednesday to make a star-powered case for prison reform and advocate on behalf of a great-grandmother serving a life sentence.

48. Trump Signs Bill Easing Post-2008 Crisis Restraints on Banks - Friday, May 25, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law a measure that loosens key restraints for banks imposed after the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. Savoring the legislative triumph, he called it "the next step in America's unprecedented economic comeback."

49. 'It's About Time': Trump Pardons Late Boxer Jack Johnson - Friday, May 25, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing's first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson's name more than 100 years after what many see as his racially-charged conviction.

50. US Clings to Health Coverage Gains Despite Political Drama - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans kept up their health insurance last year despite President Donald Trump's all-out push to dismantle the Obama-era coverage expansion. That's the counter-intuitive conclusion from a major government survey Tuesday.

51. Trump to DOJ: Investigate Whether FBI Infiltrated Campaign - Tuesday, May 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump said he will "demand" that the Justice Department investigate whether the FBI infiltrated his presidential campaign, an extraordinary order that came hours before his legal team said the special counsel indicated the investigation into the president could be concluded by September.

52. Netflix Says It Has Signed Barack and Michelle Obama - Tuesday, May 22, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Barack and Michelle Obama are getting into the television business with Monday's announcement that they had signed a multi-year deal with Netflix.

The former president and first lady have formed their own production company, Higher Ground Productions, for the material. In announcing a deal that had been rumored since March, Netflix offered no specifics on what shows they would make.

53. Fed Keeps Key Rate Steady But Notes Rising Inflation - Thursday, May 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday but noted that inflation is nearing the Fed's 2 percent target rate after years of remaining undesirably low.

54. East Meets West as 2 Legislators Run Out of Time - Thursday, May 3, 2018

It wasn’t quite a constitutional crisis, but when Reps. Micah Van Huss and Joe Towns start teaming up, something is amiss.

55. Fed is Set to Leave Rates Alone But to Hike Later in Year - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve is all but sure to leave interest rates unchanged this week, though steady economic growth and inflation pressures will likely keep the Fed on a path toward further rate hikes later this year.

56. Sprint, T-Mobile Have to Sell $26.5B Deal to Antitrust Cops - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – To gain approval for their $26.5 billion merger agreement, T-Mobile and Sprint aim to convince antitrust regulators that there is plenty of competition for wireless service beyond Verizon and AT&T.

57. George W. Bush Says His Mother Didn't Fear Death - Thursday, April 19, 2018

HOUSTON (AP) — Former President George W. Bush said Wednesday that his mother, Barbara Bush, didn't fear death because she believed in an afterlife and that she would be "wonderfully received in the arms of a loving God."

58. Local Experts: Health Care So Far Immune to Simplification and Lower Costs - Monday, April 16, 2018

That Walmart may be close to acquiring the health insurer Humana is one signal that we’re in not just a period of change for the health care industry, but a fundamental reshaping of the landscape and a shifting of the players involved.

59. IRS Head Sees Huge Task Ahead to Administer New Tax Law - Friday, April 13, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The acting head of the IRS says the current tax-filing season has gone well, while acknowledging the tough challenge the cash-strapped agency faces of administering the new tax law that will affect 2019 returns.

60. Former US House Speaker to Promote Legalizing Marijuana - Thursday, April 12, 2018

CINCINNATI (AP) – Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday he has had a change of heart on marijuana and will promote its nationwide legalization as a way to help veterans and the nation's deadly opioid crisis.

61. Last Word: Mason Temple 50 Years Later, Medical Pot Dies in Nashville and Fire - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Mason Temple still looks pretty much the same as it did in 1968 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came there to give what would be his last speech – the Mountaintop speech – the night before his assassination. Tuesday evening, 50 years to the day that King gave that speech, the Church of God In Christ sanctuary was awash and aglow in multi-colored lights as a capacity invitation-only crowd gathered to mark the occasion.

62. King's Children See New Movements, Same Challenges 50 Years After Mountaintop - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

The bright and multi colored lights at Mason Temple Church of God In Christ gave way for a few minutes Tuesday, April 3, to a single white spotlight on the empty pulpit of the South Memphis church and a recording of part of the speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered from the pulpit 50 years ago Tuesday.

63. Commitment to King's Unfinished Work Remains 50 Years Later - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

ATLANTA (AP) – Tyrone Brooks was 22 years old and 400 miles away, seeking clues to an unsolved lynching as old as he was, when he got the news that Martin Luther King Jr. was dead. Stunned, Brooks dropped everything and drove to Memphis, crying all the way.

64. In-State Immigrant Tuition Bill Dead in Tennessee - Saturday, March 31, 2018

A bill to offer in-state tuition for Tennessee public college students whose parents brought or kept them in the country illegally has stalled because House leadership won’t let it go forward, the sponsor said Wednesday.

65. In-State Immigrant Tuition Bill Halted in Tennessee in House - Friday, March 30, 2018

A bill to offer in-state tuition for Tennessee public college students whose parents brought or kept them in the country illegally has stalled because House leadership won’t let it go forward, the sponsor said Wednesday.

66. China Targets $3 Billion of US Goods in Tariff Spat - Monday, March 26, 2018

BEIJING (AP) — China announced a $3 billion list of U.S. goods for possible retaliation in a tariff dispute with President Donald Trump and girded Friday for a bigger battle over technology policy as financial markets sank on fears of global disruption.

67. Trump Signs $1.3 Trillion Budget After Threatening Veto - Monday, March 26, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending measure Friday, averting a midnight government shutdown just hours after declaring he was considering a veto.

Trump said he was "very disappointed" in the package, in part because it did not fully fund his plans for a border wall with Mexico and did not address some 700,000 "Dreamer" immigrants who are now protected from deportation under a program that he has moved to eliminate.

68. For Some Defrauded Students, Only Partial Loan Forgiveness - Monday, March 19, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Department of Education has begun notifying some former Corinthian Colleges students that it will forgive only one-half or less of their federal student loans, even though the students were defrauded by the now-defunct schools, The Associated Press has learned.

69. Trump Picks Camera-Proven Kudlow as Top Economic Aide - Thursday, March 15, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has chosen Larry Kudlow to be his top economic aide, elevating the influence of a long-time fixture on the CNBC business news network who previously served in the Reagan administration and has emerged as a leading evangelist for tax cuts and a smaller government.

70. US Sets New Record for Censoring, Withholding Gov't Files - Tuesday, March 13, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal government censored, withheld or said it couldn't find records sought by citizens, journalists and others more often last year than at any point in the past decade, according to an Associated Press analysis of new data.

71. Tennessee Panel Won't Let Las Vegas Shooting Survivors Speak - Friday, March 9, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee legislative panel refused to let two Las Vegas concert shooting survivors testify Wednesday after Republicans delayed action on a Democratic bill to ban the device used by that gunman in October.

72. For Many Factory Towns, White Collar Job Loss Hurts the Most - Thursday, March 8, 2018

ERIE, Pa. (AP) – With the abandoned smokestacks off the bay and ramshackle factories along 12th Street, it's easy to pin the blame for this industrial city's plight on the loss of manufacturing jobs to China and Mexico.

73. What’s Best for State, Education or Punishment? - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Carlos Reyes, a graduate of Murfreesboro Oakland High School’s Class of 2017, would be in his second semester at MTSU majoring in business administration – if he could afford it.

74. Tennessee GOP Leader Drops Name From Bump Stock Ban Bill - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A few days after signing on, a Republican Tennessee Senate leader has dropped his name from a Democratic proposal to ban bump stock devices that allow guns to fire like automatic weapons.

75. Trump Urges Lawmakers to Buck NRA Every Once in a While - Wednesday, February 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump declared he's willing to take on the National Rifle Association over gun legislation, but Republicans who control Congress aren't so sure. They prefer to consider only modest changes to firearms limits in response to the mass shooting at a Florida high school.

76. Supreme Court Declines to Decide Fate of 'Dreamers' Just Yet - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration's highly unusual bid to bypass a federals appeals court and get the justices to intervene in the fate of a program that protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

77. White House Says US Could Reach 3 Percent Growth Rate - Thursday, February 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House's top economist said Wednesday the U.S. could achieve annual growth rates of 3 percent through the next decade if President Donald Trump's policies on regulations and infrastructure are enacted.

78. Rev. Billy Graham, Known as 'America's Pastor,' Dies at 99 - Thursday, February 22, 2018

MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) – The Rev. Billy Graham, the magnetic, movie-star-handsome preacher who became a singular force in postwar American religious life, a confidant of presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday at 99.

79. Trump Backs Efforts to Bolster FBI Gun Checks - Tuesday, February 20, 2018

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump offered support Monday for an effort to strengthen the federal gun background check system as he hunkered down at his private Florida golf course just 40 miles from last week's deadly school shooting.

80. Romney Makes It Official: He's Running for Utah Senate Seat - Monday, February 19, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is running for a Utah Senate seat, officially launching his political comeback attempt Friday by praising his adopted home state as a model for an acrimonious national government in Washington.

81. Oregon State Lawmakers Vote to Make Health Care a Right - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon's Legislature took a step Tuesday toward enshrining the right to health care in the state Constitution, which would be unprecedented in the United States.

The House of Representatives' 35-25 endorsement of the bill sends it to the state Senate, whose approval would put it on the ballot for Oregon voters in the November election. The move comes as the Trump administration has tried to dismantle former President Barack Obama's health care law.

82. Agency-By-Agency Highlights of Trump's 2019 Budget - Tuesday, February 13, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Here are highlights from President Donald Trump's budget for fiscal year 2019...

___

DEFENSE

Trump's budget for 2019 shows the administration's concern about the threat from North Korea and its missile program.

83. Trump's $4.4 Trillion Budget Moves Deficit Sharply Higher - Tuesday, February 13, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget for next year that heralds an era of $1 trillion-plus federal deficits and – unlike the plan he released last year – never comes close to promising a balanced ledger even after 10 years.

84. Trump Plan Would Study Sale of TVA’s Assets - Tuesday, February 13, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The infrastructure plan outlined by President Donald Trump on Monday suggests studying whether the nation's largest public utility should sell its transmission assets, which Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander called "a looney idea" with "zero chance of becoming law."

85. House Republicans Working to Plan to Avert Another Shutdown - Tuesday, February 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The era of trillion-dollar budget deficits is about to make a comeback – and a brewing budget deal could mean their return comes just next year. In the meantime, House GOP leaders are grappling with the need to pass legislation to avert another government shutdown at midnight on Thursday.

86. Top Career US Diplomat to Step Down in Blow to State Dept. - Friday, February 2, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The top career U.S. diplomat announced Thursday he will step down, dealing a blow to the State Department as the Trump administration confronts numerous international challenges.

87. For-Profit Loan Forgiveness Program Could See Major Cut - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department's plan to provide only partial loan forgiveness to some students defrauded by for-profit colleges could reduce overall payments by about 60 percent, according to a preliminary analysis obtained by The Associated Press.

88. Lee, Boyd Pushing For Technical Education - Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Bill Lee led with his master plumber’s license last week as he toured Moore Tech. “I’m running for governor, too, by the way,” the Republican primary contender from Williamson County said as he talked with those attending classes and their instructors.

89. Immigrant Tuition Splits Tennessee Governor's Field in Forum - Thursday, January 25, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Candidates for governor in Tennessee largely agreed on broad issues facing education during the race's first televised forum Tuesday, except for a partisan split on in-state tuition for immigrants whose parents brought or kept them in the country illegally.

90. State Voters Have More to Fear Than Russian Meddling - Thursday, January 25, 2018

About 30 years ago, my wife and I were hanging out with another couple and decided to make a big night of it. We’d go out for Mexican food and then rent a movie.

After we had some Mexican grub, we went to Kroger to find a flick. As we perused the selections, my friend said, “What about a Russian spy movie?” To which his girlfriend (future wife, now ex-wife) whined, “John, you know I don’t speak Russian.” (His name is changed to protect the innocent.)

91. Trump's Move May Nudge Holdout GOP States to Expand Medicaid - Wednesday, January 24, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – In an ironic twist, the Trump administration's embrace of work requirements for low-income people on Medicaid is prompting lawmakers in some conservative states to resurrect plans to expand health care for the poor.

92. Deportation Fears Have Legal Immigrants Avoiding Health Care - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

MIAMI (AP) – The number of legal immigrants from Latin American nations who access public health services and enroll in federally subsidized insurance plans has dipped substantially since President Donald Trump took office, many of them fearing their information could be used to identify and deport relatives living in the U.S. illegally, according to health advocates across the country.

93. Medicaid Expansion Splits Tenn. Governor Hopefuls in Health Forum - Monday, January 22, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A health care forum Friday illustrated the partisan split in the Tennessee governor's race over Medicaid expansion, with Democrats ranking it their top priority and Republicans opposing it or espousing other priorities.

94. This week in Memphis history: Jan. 19-25 - Saturday, January 20, 2018

2008: Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee exits the Republican primary for president after a string of poor finishes in primary and caucus states, ending with the South Carolina primary, where he finishes third. Thompson had left his recurring role on “Law and Order” the previous spring to explore a possible run, then officially announced his candidacy on “The Tonight Show” in June.
The presidential bid marks Thompson’s return to politics following his 1990s prime, in which he had walked away from what looked to be a slam-dunk bid for governor. But his fundraising never hits the level it’s supposed to and he has early turnover on his staff. He is out of the race before the Tennessee primary, in which former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee carries Shelby County.
The same week Thompson leaves the race, Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign opens its local office in East Memphis, not far from fellow Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign headquarters.

95. Last Word: Second Snow Day, The Post-King Generation and Cohen's Cadillac - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

A second snow day awaits Wednesday on this short week for many but not all of us. And there is some grumbling about the approach to treating roads off the main thoroughfares that may, in this city where a cut-through detour is a real thing and the reason for speed humps, still see a lot of traffic.

96. Trump Administration Appeals Ruling on Young Immigrants - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The Trump administration on Tuesday appealed a judge's ruling tem-porarily blocking its decision to end protections for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants and announced plans to seek a U.S. Supreme Court review even before an appeals court issues a decision.

97. Norris Acknowledges Stall in Federal Judicial Nomination - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville says he will continue with his legislative duties unless or until the U.S. Senate confirms his appointment to the federal judiciary.

98. This week in Memphis History: Jan. 12-18 - Saturday, January 13, 2018

2008: The campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama opens its Memphis headquarters in the Eastgate Shopping Center three weeks before the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday Tennessee presidential primary. Obama and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York are competing for the nomination. In the February primary, Clinton will carry Tennessee but Obama will take Shelby County’s base of Democratic primary voters, the largest base of Democrats in a single county in the state.

99. Judge Blocks Trump Decision to End Young Immigrant Program - Thursday, January 11, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily blocked the Trump administration's decision to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup granted a request by California and other plaintiffs to prevent President Donald Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program while their lawsuits play out in court.

100. Prosecutors in Pot-Friendly States Will Decide on Crackdown - Monday, January 8, 2018

DENVER (AP) — Whether to crack down on marijuana in states where it is legal is a decision that will now rest with those states' top federal prosecutors, many of whom are deeply rooted in their communities and may be reluctant to pursue cannabis businesses or their customers.