By LUCAS L. JOHNSON II / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — Hundreds of disabled people parked their wheelchairs in the intersections around the state Capitol on Monday, shutting down traffic to protest a lack of options for people in nursing homes. Sixty people were arrested, Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said. Fifty were voluntarily cited…

NASHVILLE (AP) — The House Ethics Committee on Monday decided not to investigate a complaint against Rep. Judd Matheny regarding his work helping a political action committee distribute campaign contributions. The committee voted that there wasn’t enough probable cause to continue. Because Matheny, R-Tullahoma, received an opinion from the Registry of Election Finance that he…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to revive a lawsuit against two Tennessee officials over the release of the personnel file of an officer who killed a family’s dog in 2003 during a traffic…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — A state official urged senators on Monday not to let the state’s $20 million investment in four golf courses “go to waste,” and to approve the state’s takeover of their operations. State Environment and…

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Former Vice President Al Gore said Monday he’s not planning to run for president in 2008 but hasn’t ruled out a future in politics. “I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” Gore told an audience at…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — To some towns it’s an important stream of revenue. To some drivers it’s highway robbery. Tim Gant, a guardrail inspector from Clarksburg, says his tiny West Tennessee town is a speed trap that artificially…

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Air quality around the Great Smoky Mountains continues to improve and the East Tennessee region may attain federal pollution compliance for soot and smog emissions sooner than expected, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander said Monday.…

By ERIK SCHELZIG / Associated Press Writer NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Monday that he hopes to eliminate political influence at the Tennessee Highway Patrol by following recommendations made by the interim safety commissioner and a consulting firm. Bredesen has agreed with three broad recommendations made by interim Safety Commissioner Jerry Nicely, which were…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — The furor over efforts by an Arab company to buy U.S. port operations has focused attention on a little noticed economic fact of life: America increasingly is foreign-owned. From the ritzy Essex House hotel in…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday dismissed suggestions that the Bush White House, hampered by a weak response to Hurricane Katrina and stumbles on policy questions, needs a shake-up. “I don’t think we can pay…