The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday passed legislation introduced by Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-Tn.) and his colleagues to fix responsibility for the safety of sterile compounded drugs and, Alexander said, “avoid another outbreak like the meningitis nightmare that killed 15 Tennesseans and made more than 150 people in our state sick.” The ... (click for more)

Jarrett Millsaps, CEO of Parkridge East Hospital, announced that Amy Wheeler is joining the administrative team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Ms. Wheeler comes to the Parkridge system on June 3 from a position as Controller of HCA’s TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.   Ms. Wheeler began her career with HCA after graduating from Trevecca ... (click for more)

Federal authorities have dismissed an indictment against Mike Ross, the developer of a floundering Rarity Club project at Nickajack Lake in Marion County. The Maryville developer was charged last November with mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. However, in a document filed today, prosecutor John MacCoon said, "The United States hereby moves the Court pursuant to ... (click for more)

The head of BB&T's Chattanooga commercial banking operations has been charged by federal authorities with making fraudulent loans. Tracy Brown is set to plead guilty to bank fraud on June 4. Authorities said Brown "appropriated the identities of three customers and took out fraudulent loans in their names. In October 2012, a customer of BB&T, D.M., went to the Ooltewah ... (click for more)

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department is very responsive and professional out in Apison, and I appreciate that.  We have some fine deputies serving Hamilton County.    I took a minute to call and tell them thank you, I hope my neighbors will also. Brian Wood Apison (click for more)

I am still wincing over the fact a horrendous bill passed in the state legislature that would make whistle-blowers into criminals would have actually gone into law had it not been for Governor Bill Haslam’s eleventh-hour veto. Called the “Ag-Gag bill,” similar efforts in other states have also soured because it is no more than a Catch-22 trick to protect those who abuse animals, ... (click for more)