AP/WMOT

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP/WMOT)  --  University of Tennessee officials will be back in Nashville this Friday to ask the state for permission to drill for oil in East Tennessee’s Cumberland Forest using a controversial extraction process called fracking.

UT says it wants to conduct research on the fracking process, which involves using explosives to crush oil bearing stone, then using chemicals under pressure to extract the oil.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Members of a new coalition say they plan to assist with a statewide campaign to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion scheduled to be on the ballot next year.

That amendment would allow the state to enact laws requiring a 48-hour waiting period for abortions and requiring all but first-term abortions to be performed in hospitals.

Members of Healthy and Free Tennessee spoke to reporters at a news conference yesterday. Rep. Gloria Johnson, a Knoxville Democrat, was one of the event’s speakers.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Middle Tennessee is wrapping up one of the warmest winters of the last 150 years.

Forecaster Trevor Boucher at the National Weather Service office in Nashville notes the meteorological winter was much warmer and a bit wetter than usual.

December through February averaged 4 degrees above the 30-year norm. Precipitation was 2.5 inches above normal for the period. The coldest reading of the winter was 17 degrees, recorded Feb. 1.

Spring officially arrives March 20, but Boucher says we’ve already turned the meteorological corner.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is warning Tennesseans about the impact of looming across-the-board federal budget cuts set to kick in Friday.

In his weekly radio address, President Obama said the so-called sequester cuts will slow the economy and hurt the middle class. He blamed the GOP for the impasse.

“Unfortunately it appears that Republicans in Congress have decided that instead of compromising, instead of asking anything of the wealthiest Americans, they’d rather let these cuts fall squarely on the middle class."

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.(AP/WMOT) — Tweety Knight scored a career-high 15 points off the bench to lead Middle Tennessee in an 87-46 shellacking of Louisiana-Monroe Saturday.

The win was the 14th straight for the Blue Raiders the second longest winning streak in program history. They currently stand at 25 and four overall and 17 and 1 in Sun Belt Conference play.

Knight hit 5 of 7 from the field and 4 of 5 at the foul line. Starters Raymond Cintron and Marcos Knight had 11 points each for Middle Tennessee, which has already clinched first in the Sun Belt.

CHICAGO (AP/WMOT) — Drug overdose deaths are up dramatically here in Tennessee and in the nation.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there were more than 38,000 drug overdose deaths nationwide in 2010. Of those deaths, 1059 occurred here in Tennessee.

Prescription narcotics were involved in nearly 60 percent of those deaths, overshadowing those from illicit drugs. OxyContin and Vicodin contributed to 3 out of 4 medication overdose deaths.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A proposal to eliminate affirmative action initiatives from higher education institutions has stalled in the Tennessee Senate.

The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Jim Summerville of Dickson was deferred in the Senate Education Committee after committee members expressed concern with the bill's language.

As written, the legislation would prohibit colleges and universities from granting preference "based on race, gender or ethnicity ... to any student or employee of the public institution."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A bill to keep businesses, schools and colleges from banning firearms in their parking lots has been approved by a House subcommittee after a six-minute hearing.

The measure sponsored by Republican Rep. Jeremy Faison of Cosby was advanced to the full House Civil Justice Committee by voice vote on Wednesday.

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce was a vocal opponent of the bill last year, and the Chamber’s Michelle Lacewell says they’re not any happier with this year’s version.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP)/WMOT — Rutherford County authorities have arrested a fired jailer on a felony extortion charge. Jessica Lehew (LAY'-hew) is accused of threatening Sheriff Robert Arnold with the release of embarrassing information.

Arnold called a press conference yesterday to say Lehew sent him emails stating she had damaging information about her former husband, Sheriff’s Deputy Will Lehew, and would send that information to a local reporter if Arnold didn’t reinstate her.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />

WASHINGTON (AP/WMOT) — President Barack Obama is following up Tuesday night’s State of the Union speech with three days of appearances designed to rally support for the job-creation measures outlined in his message.

The President is in Asheville, N.C., Wednesday visiting an auto parts plant. He'll make stops in Atlanta Thursday and Chicago on Friday.