AP/WMOT

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.

Here’s what the Sheriff had to say during yesterday’s press conference.

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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — House leaders who last year fended off a bill to overrule businesses seeking to ban firearms in their parking lots appear to be giving up the fight.

House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick of Chattanooga says he and fellow Republicans just want to put the measure behind them so they can move on to other more pressing issues.

In McCormick's words: "We can argue about it and then pass it, or we can just pass it."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Governor Haslam says Tennessee is preparing to open offices in four countries to help increase exports to key international markets.

Tennessee will open Export Development Offices in Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and China.

Clint Brewer of the Department of Economic and Community Development says the offices will help Tennessee businesses navigate the exporting process.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — An influential education advocacy group is pushing for Tennessee teacher candidates to face higher academic standards before they even begin taking college classes.

The move by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education comes after state education officials linked teacher effectiveness to better ACT scores.

SCORE says some colleges and universities admit teacher education students with marks as low as 15 on the college admissions test.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The legacy of onetime Confederate cavalryman and slave trader Nathan Bedford Forrest has sparked new controversy here in Tennessee that spans from Memphis to the state capital building.

The Memphis City Council this week fast-tracked efforts to rename the city’s Nathan Bedford Forrest Park, where a statue of Forrest stands and where the general is buried.

Reporter Eleanor Boudreau of public radio station WKNO in Memphis the council’s vote came in reaction to moves here in Nashville.

Nashville, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children's Services has resigned amid scrutiny of how her agency was handling it cases.

It was revealed recently that an alarming number of children had died in 2012 while either in DCS custody or the subject of DCS abuse investigations.

Gov. Haslam announced O'Day’s resignation this morning with a press release. Just last week, the Republican governor had defended O'Day's leadership.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The number of confirmed tornadoes has grown to 12 as forecasters assess damage from Wednesday's storms in Tennessee.

All of the confirmed touchdowns were here in Middle Tennessee, although there was severe damage from micro-bursts that produced high winds in West Tennessee.

The strongest of the tornadoes — EF-2 strength — struck Mount Juliet in and near the Coble community in Hickman County.

Other counties with tornado damage include Cheatham, Dickson, Macon, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner and Williamson.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Gov. Bill Haslam delivered his State of the State address to a joint session of the Tennessee Genaral Assembly last night.

Haslam presented a $32.7 billion annual spending plan that includes a staffing shake-up at the troubled Department of Children's Services, a heavy investment into construction projects around the state and a large deposit into the state's cash savings fund.