KNOXVILLE — Tennessee’s senior elected Republican, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, said Friday night that when it comes to state House Speaker Kent Williams, who was booted out of the party earlier this year, GOP leaders should remember Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, a wayward figure who ultimately was forgiven.

Though there were no major Tennessee races in Tuesday’s elections, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and attorney Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican candidate for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District, commented on the day’s significance.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander will attend a fundraiser organized by Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams, who's on the outs with the state GOP.

Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s gubernatorial campaign says the candidate “handily” won a straw poll conducted Thursday night by the Tennessee Conservative Union.

NASHVILLE — State officials Thursday selected six venture capital firms, including one with Chattanooga ties, that will split $120 million in tax credits intended to spark investment in new Tennessee companies.

State officials today selected six venture capital firms, including one with Chattanooga ties, to split $120 million in tax credits.

NASHVILLE — When the state’s largest organization of conservatives hears from 2010 Republican gubernatorial hopefuls at its annual Reagan Day Dinner in Knoxville today, Knoxville mayor — and GOP candidate — Bill Haslam will not be there.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a 2010 Republican candidate for governor, will not be attending a major gathering of conservatives in Knoxville on Thursday, his campaign confirmed today, citing a previously scheduled fundraising event in Sumner County.

NASHVILLE — State Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, said he will seek re-election to the House District 24 seat he now holds.

Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, said today he thinks an 8.1 percent increase in Tennessee legislators’ expense reimbursements that took effect Oct. 1 is “ludicrous.”

NASHVILLE — U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said he continues to think term limits are a good thing and that he never felt “whole” after he broke a 1994 campaign pledge to serve no more than 12 years in Congress.

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee legislators now will get another $14 a day in expenses as they come to the Capitol to wrestle with drastic state budget cuts that could force layoffs.

NASHVILLE — More than 24,000 jobs in Georgia have been created or saved so far through the federal stimulus, according to federal government estimates which gauge the impact on Tennessee employment at nearly 9,600 jobs.

NASHVILLE -- Nearly 180 years after President Andrew Jackson forcibly began uprooting American Indians from the Southeast, a Tennessee commission that deals with Native American issues may die amid a fight involving groups wanting state recognition.

NASHVILLE — One potential 9th Senatorial District candidate took himself out of the running for the seat Thursday.

NASHVILLE -- Children attending state-funded prekindergarten programs do better academically than their peers, but the gains appear to diminish by second grade, a new state comptroller's report says.

Children who attended Tennessee’s state-funded pre-kindergarten program before going to kindergarten did better academically over their kindergarten peers, but those higher achievements appeared to putter out by second grade, a new report says.

NASHVILLE -- Former state Sen. Lou Patten confirmed Wednesday he is weighing a run in the Senate District 9 GOP primary now that Sen. Dewayne Bunch has decided not to seek re-election.

While most of its lawmakers didn’t vote for the stimulus package, Tennessee still is among the top states in jobs generated through stimulus-funded federal contracts, according to an early report on the program’s progress.

NASHVILLE — A newer, greener welcome center soon could greet visitors traveling to the Volunteer State.

NASHVILLE — Some legislative Republicans hope to put Tennessee government at the forefront of a national state “sovereignty” movement aimed at defending states’ rights from what conservative critics say are intrusions by the federal government.

NASHVILLE — The U.S. Small Business Administration has granted Gov. Phil Bredesen’s request for a disaster declaration for Hamilton and contiguous counties after severe storms and flooding in September.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has granted Gov. Phil Bredesen’s request for a disaster declaration for Hamilton County and adjoining counties in Tennessee and Georgia after recent severe storms, the governor said today.

NASHVILLE -- The use of cameras by Chattanooga and other Tennessee cities to nab speeders and red-light runners may be limited but not eliminated by the General Assembly, according to local lawmakers.

NASHVILLE — Tennessee may have to slash as much as $350 million more from its budget next year on top of $753 million in already planned reductions.

NASHVILLE — Chattanooga City Council members’ recent move to use $400,000 from a traffic-camera enforcement fund to continue providing take-home vehicles for city workers left top officials spinning their wheels Wednesday before a state House Transportation Committee hearing.

NASHVILLE — Nearly half of Tennesseans believe President Barack Obama is a socialist, while one out of three think he wasn’t even born in the United States, according to a poll released Wednesday.

A majority of Tennesseans believe health care reform is important, a new poll shows.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen warned Tuesday that pending federal health care legislation could cost Tennessee far more than the $735 million “best estimate” his administration previously has cited.

NASHVILLE -- Bredesen administration officials reported Monday that Tennessee has spent $203.7 million in federal stimulus funds that so far have created or retained an estimated 7,710 jobs.

State has spent about $204 million in federal stimulus money.

NASHVILLE -- Two of the Tennessee General Assembly's potentially more powerful oversight panels, which have helped eliminate or revamp at least 100 state government agencies since 1977, once again are cracking the whip, lawmakers say.

NASHVILLE — House Democratic Leader Mike Turner said Thursday he no longer intends to seek the top job at the Tennessee State Employees Association.

House Democratic Leader Mike Turner said today he no longer intends to seek the top job at the Tennessee State Employees Association.

NASHVILLE — State officials so far have cut an estimated 84,000 people from TennCare rolls since a federal judge ruled in January the state once again could act to reverify the eligibility of enrollees who originally qualified for the program through a federal Social Security Administration benefit.

Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, has one of the highest pro-environment rankings in the state Senate, according to Tennessee Conservation Voters’ annual evaluation of lawmakers’ votes and sponsorship of legislation votes.

NASHVILLE -- The chairman of the state House Democratic Caucus said he sees no conflict of interest if he becomes the paid head of the Tennessee State Employees Association, a group that frequently lobbies the General Assembly.

NASHVILLE -- With Tennessee government facing its worst fiscal situation in decades, some lawmakers and the Bredesen administration have different ideas on how to spend the state's expected share of a $2.3 billion national settlement with Pfizer Corp.

NASHVILLE — Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s endorsement of a limited individual insurance mandate as part of health care reform isn’t going down well with some conservatives.

NASHVILLE — Tennessee won’t formally take over local business tax collection from city and county governments until Jan. 1, but Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr said oversight compliance for businesses required to file by Nov. 30 will begin sooner.

NASHVILLE — Republican congressional hopeful Robin Smith says that, when she was state GOP chairman last year, then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama labeled her as “everything from racist to terrorist to extremist” after the state party posted a video criticizing Michelle Obama.

NASHVILLE -- The Chattanooga area will get its first residential facilities for end-of-life care after state regulators on Wednesday agreed to allow Hospice of Chattanooga to operate two 16-bed bed projects in Hamilton and Bradley counties.

Hospice of Chattanooga was given approval this afternoon to operate the area’s first two residential hospice facilities.

A Cleveland, Tenn., company wanting to buy an MRI for its outpatient clinic was shot down today by a state agency.

NASHVILLE — U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’ decision to eliminate a “public option” from a health care overhaul doesn’t mean insurers such as Chattanooga-based BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee now are clamoring to get aboard the bill.

NASHVILLE -- Major Tennessee businesses and handgun-carry permit advocates squared off in a General Assembly committee meeting today over whether to let workers with permits keep loaded weapons in their locked vehicles on company parking lots.

Opponents clashed today in a legislative committee on whether to to let workers with permits keep loaded weapons in their locked vehicles on company parking lots.

NASHVILLE -- Some U.S. senators and governors remain worried about the fiscal impact of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' health care proposal on state Medicaid budgets despite the Montana Democrat's attempts to soothe their fears.

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee ranked No. 3 among states when it comes to getting federal stimulus funds for highway and bridge projects out for bid, put under contract and work actually under way, according to a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure report issued this month.

NASHVILLE -- Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey has named state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, the new chairman of the Senate's Government Operations Committee and appointed Sen. Jack Johnson, R-College Grove, to head the Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture Committee.