By MATT GOURAS / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — The Senate endorsed a new license plate Wednesday touting the country as “One Nation Under God” and another backing a religious group, above objections from one senator that the state could end up back in court over the program. Last year, a federal court struck down…

By MATT GOURAS / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — Lawmakers are again delaying the governor’s pre-K proposal, amid concerns it will cost too much and burden the state with a big obligation in years to come. House Republicans issued Thursday a two-page list of issues they have with the measure, and the Senate Education Committee…

NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials based this year’s TennCare budget on pharmacy savings that never occurred, a misstep that contributed to Gov. Phil Bredesen’s call for drastic cuts in the health insurance program. TennCare Director J. D. Hickey said it is hard to speculate on how many people might have been spared cuts if the…

By LUCAS L. JOHNSON II / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — The judge who will decide whether the state can cut 323,000 people from TennCare is showing frustration with the pace of testimony that began Monday. U.S. District Court Judge William J. Haynes has said more than once that he thinks state officials and lawyers…

By MATT GOURAS / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — The Republican leader in the Senate said Thursday he thinks the Legislature needs to get more involved in TennCare after giving the governor two years to reform the program. Sen. Ron Ramsey of Blountville, who hasn’t ruled out a gubernatorial campaign, also said he believes Gov.…

By Jim Mullen I am never going to catch the flight. My plane is leaving in 20 minutes and I’m still on the freeway 20 miles out of town. Even if there’s no traffic, even if I get off at the right exit, even if I make every light, I will still have to return…

By Nat Hentoff I supported our war against Saddam Hussein’s mass graves and torture chambers — and I would have had to be a Michael Moore clone not to support our war against worldwide homicidal terrorists whom that blatherer praised as “Minutemen.” However, since late 2002, I and other reporters have been writing on abuses…

By James Clark The controversy surrounding Terry Schiavo’s right to live, or her right to die, lasted until her death yesterday. I don’t think I can offer any new insight into that argument, but I do have a major problem with how her case was handled.Simply put, Schiavo should have never been left to starve…

Our Viewpoint The meth legislation Gov. Phil Bredesen signed into law Wednesday is reason for thunderous applause.It is not a passive bill. Rather, it is meaningful legislation that takes direct action to keep ingredients used to make meth out of the hands of the people who make it.There will be some inconvenience. Stores that don’t…

By Janice M. Howard / Style Editor for the Southern Standard McMinnville Jaycees will present the Little Miss and Mister Warren County Pageant Saturday in the gymnasium at Hickory Creek Elementary School. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with admission set at $3 for adults and $1 for children under age 12. Rehearsals are…