James Clark photo Tyler Prater, 4, and Allie Thomas, 3, use pedal power to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital yesterday at The Learning House. The pre-school’s annual Trike-A-Thon usually raises around $1,000 for the hospital.

LEBANON (AP) — A Maryville woman’s past run-ins with law enforcement can be used in her trial on charges of killing two police officers by hitting them with a stolen car, a judge ruled Monday. A motions hearing for Fallon Tallent, 22, was held in Wilson County Circuit Court. Tallent is charged with first-degree murder…

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm and Museum in Camden was designated by Gov. Phil Bredesen on Monday as the state’s official site of freshwater pearl culturing. The Benton County facility is the only farm operation producing freshwater cultured pearls in North America. The bill designating the farm was approved unanimously last…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Phil Bredesen signed into law a bill he says could “help preserve farming as a way of life” in Tennessee. The legislation encourages private investment in rural technology by allowing the formation of limited liability cooperatives. Such co-ops would have to be approved by the commissioner of the state Agriculture Department.…

NASHVILLE (AP) — About 41 percent of children in Tennessee live in poverty or in “working poor” families, a new state report shows. The children can fall through holes in the state’s inadequate safety net program along with their guardians, the state comptroller’s Office of Research report showed. It says those in poverty tend to…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Phil Bredesen signed into law Monday legislation that will require university police to notify local law enforcement of any campus deaths or rapes, which would be jointly investigated. Called the “Robert ‘Robbie’ Nottingham Campus Crime Scene Investigation Act of 2004,” the bill is named in honor of an East Tennessee State…

By KARIN MILLER / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE (AP) — Under Gov. Phil Bredesen’s TennCare reform proposal, a patient must have rectal bleeding to get a colon cancer test covered, and that’s often too late, a doctor said Monday. The state would not have to pay for cancer screenings and other such preventative care under…

By TOM SHARP / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE (AP) — The House voted Monday for Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposal to equalize teacher pay between urban and rural school districts, approving what one representative called “a patch on a bad tire.” The teacher equity pay plan is a response to the 2002 Tennessee Supreme Court decision…

MURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee head men’s golf coach Johnny Moore announced today the signing of all-American Patrick McLennan to a scholarship agreement. McLennan makes his way to Murfreesboro after spending two years at Faulkner State Community College. “Anytime you can sign an all-American you have to be thrilled,” said Moore. “Patrick will give our team…

MURFREESBORO — Former Middle Tennessee defensive lineman Demetrios Walker has signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs and will report for mini-camp Friday. A native of Kansas City, Walker will be trying to earn a spot on the roster of his favorite childhood team when he reports to the Chiefs. Walker played…