NASHVILLE (AP) — Lobbying ethics legislation that appeared to be going nowhere may have another chance after state senators reached a compromise Tuesday. A bill to make lobbyists disclose how much they spend wining and dining lawmakers could be reconsidered in the Senate— but only if the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Roy Herron, D-Dresden, steps aside.…

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Attorneys told a federal appeals court panel Tuesday that all 323,000 adults scheduled to be kicked off Tennessee’s expanded Medicaid program deserve an impartial hearing. The Tennessee Justice Center lawyers told a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the TennCare cuts violate the due-process rights of…

NASHVILLE (AP) — A total of $103.9 million will be spent dealing with the fallout of the state’s planned TennCare cuts, a key Senate panel decided late Tuesday. The so-called safety net for the 225,000 to 323,000 people who will be cut from TennCare sends money to county health centers, charity care clinics, help for…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers revealed this week that it’s routine for them to work behind closed doors and craft the state’s budget in private. “I’ve been on budget sub seven of my nine terms, and we always meet (in private),” said Rep. Joe Armstrong, a Knoxville Democrat on the House budget subcommittee. Members of…

By William Rusher / Columnist The news that South Korean scientists have successfully cloned human embryos, removed their stem cells for medical use, and destroyed the leftover embryonic material, raises again the question of how far medical research along these lines ought to be permitted to go — or, for that matter, can be prevented…

By Joan Ryan / Columnist A few weeks ago in Washington, D.C., I met a 23-year-old Marine. He fought with the 3rd Division, 1st Marines in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Then he was rotated home that fall to Camp Pendleton near San Diego.But, short on troops, the military sent his division back to…

By Duane Sherrill / Columnist It appears only one of the four court spots will be challenged in the upcoming 2006 elections, according to my continuing straw poll into who’s planning to run for the local offices.At present, the district attorney general’s race is the only election generating any interest as the offices of public…

Our Viewpoint The fact we need a day to promote awareness of missing children is a painful reminder we live in a world with some cruel people.Most parents realize nothing could ever be as emotionally draining and life altering as the abduction of one of their children. Each day would serve as a reminder of…

Our Viewpoint Hiding government records should never be considered a positive step. And having state senators meet in secret should not be tolerated.That’s exactly what happened earlier this week when members of the Senate Finance Committee met behind closed doors to discuss budget matters. The gathering was shrugged off by one lawmaker in attendance who…

Baby BoySean Mikel Pinegar was born April 22 at River Park Hospital weighing 7 pounds, 12.5 ounces. He is the son of Tammy and Donnie Pinegar of Morrison. The infant is joined by big brother, Nathan Pinegar.Grandparents include Ernest and Sharon Childress; Donnie and Betty Pinegar of Morrison. Great-grandparents are Jim and Dolly Harper. Baby…