Hours after terrorist bombs ripped through Madrid commuter trains six years ago Thursday, an outpouring of grief engulfed the ...

The largest aftershock since Chile's devastating earthquake rocked the South American country Thursday minutes before the inauguration ...

A Mississippi county school board announced Wednesday it would cancel its upcoming prom after a gay student petitioned to bring ...

Four are fighting Louisiana's required testing and licensing. The state is the only one with the rule.

Jeff Woods thinks the Democrats have given themselves a chance in the race for governor by falling in behind Mike McWherter:

But by quitting, Kyle strengthened his party’s chances to keep the governor’s office in November. In fact, anointing a nominee, which is essentially what the party has done, might have been the only way for Democrats to make themselves competitive.

Republicans in the race have outraised Democrats by a 5-to-1 margin so far. McWherter now can save his campaign cash for the general election. He also avoids the difficult primary fight that likely will weaken the eventual Republican nominee.

Instead of fending off Democratic attacks, McWherter is free to throw knives directly at the Republicans. He did just that last week, blithely ignoring McMillan at a Tennessee Chamber of Commerce forum to call out Bill Haslam for refusing to disclose all his income or to agree to put his Pilot Corp. holdings into a blind trust if he’s elected governor.

From David Weigel:

Tea Party Nation, the group that sponsored the National Tea Party Convention and announced a clear stance against third parties, is helping the effort to discredit the “Tea Party” candidate in Nevada by accusing him of trademark infringement. The group accuses the candidate, John Ashjian, of being “liberal-funded” — an allegation I haven’t seen proof to back up.

The Kansas City school board is closing nearly half of the district's schools in a desperate bid to stay afloat.

From the NY Post:

Tiger Woods has summoned someone even more significant than swing coach Hank Haney to help facilitate his wildly anticipated comeback.

Two sources in the golf community have told The Post that Ari Fleischer, the former presidential advisor to George W. Bush and the man who was brought in to help repair the steroid-shattered image of Mark McGwire, has been huddling with Woods, plotting a strategy for his return to golf — at the Arnold Palmer Invitational starting March 25 at Bay Hill in Orlando.

“They were in his living room this week going over a strategy for how to handle Bay Hill in two weeks,” one source told The Post.

One person has been killed in the tornadoes that cut a path through Arkansas, ripping off rooftops and downing power lines along ...

A day after the news hit that Rockhouse Partners will co-operate the Tennessee State Fair this year, the company issued a news release announcing the hiring of Chrysty Fortner and the launch of its division focused on festivals and fairs.

Of course, several of the news outlets mentioned Fortner in their coverage Tuesday, identifying her as director of festivals and fairs, knocking the wind out of the presser. But in case you didn’t catch it: Fortner was previously director of marketing and sponsorships for the Tennessee State Fair, after roles with the Nashville Speedway, NASCAR and the Walt Disney Co. She’ll oversee sponsorship and sales activation for Rockhouse’s live event clients.

Nashville's Billy Cox recalls a guitar god who still casts a long shadow
 

Nursing home operator Advocat is working on an update to its Web site, CEO Will Council said on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings conference call Wednesday.

He said it’s been “correctly pointed out that our Web site is pretty ordinary and could stand some modernization and improvement.” Council said he agrees with that assessment and has begun a Web site review and revision expected to be complete by the end of the second quarter.

Workforce safety and health software company PureSafety had added two to its marketing staff. Becky Sargent, formerly product marketing director at Passport Health Communications, is now PureSafety’s senior marketing manager for the company’s workforce safety and training management solutions unit. Andie Sanders, who previously served as a marketing and event planning specialist at Spheris, is now PureSafety’s trade show and event manager.

See more on PureSafety here.

The top United Nations envoy in Iraq urged election officials Wednesday to release the results of this week's historic vote as ...

Tidbits from the exclusive reporting of “Big Sandy” Campbell of the LebDem on the reentry of Mae Beavers into the 17th District state Senate race:

LYNN: “I’ve spent money and put out campaign materials. … I’m astounded. Several weeks ago I completed my petition to run for State Senate and I did that in good faith. And Sen. Beavers knows that.”

BEAVERS: “I don’t know what Susan will do. I’ll be happy to sit down and talk with her.”

CAMPBELL: “[Beavers] said she began to rethink her plans a few weeks ago when constituents and Republican Party leaders from the eight counties she presents asked her to stay in the Senate and continue as chair of the Judiciary Committee. She said said there was only one key adviser who urged her to stay in the mayor’s race.”

PREVIOUSLY: Beavers to announce for re-election.

NOTE: Big fist tap to the intrepid J.R. Lind for busting it to the county line to scoop up an edition.

From Jamie Sarrio:

Tennessee State University’s accreditation is at risk this year unless it proves professors adequately test students, administrators make results-driven decisions and instructors have the right credentials to teach their subjects.

The university is in the first stage of its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation renewal process. In past years, other outside groups gave TSU scathing reviews for lacking an evidence-based culture and not providing basic services.

Nashville-based Delta Coals has been awarded a $6.7 million contract to supply coal to the Army and Marine Corps for a year. Delta was founded in 1970 by former Vanderbilt Board of Trust member John Rich and has been a regular military supplier.

Greek police fired tear gas to disperse protesters throwing rocks and firebombs outside Parliament as more than 20,000 people ...

Daniel Vaughn puts a name to the state Senate GOP primary in District 17.

Betsy Phillips is misty-eyed:

I literally cannot write this post without getting all choked up. These women fought discrimination every step of the way just to be able to serve their country. They had to fight discrimination while serving their country. Then they had to wait over 30 years to win the right to have a flag on their coffin.

We often talk of the first person to do something — the pioneer, the groundbreaker. But that first person can always be written off as an anomaly. The first person is important, but it’s the 1,100 (in this case) who come after her who are really crucial, who prove that such a thing is not out of reach of women.

I am so very glad we didn’t wait until they were all dead to honor them.