Mike Osborne

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- The Tennessee Environmental Council is looking for volunteers to join them in planting 3000 trees this weekend in Murfreesboro.

The effort is part of a larger campaign to plant 1 million trees in Tennessee.

Council Executive Director John McFadden notes that trees can improve property values, cut down on soil erosion, and even reduce instances of some illnesses.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  (WMOT)  --  Memphis Mayor A. C. Wharton says two bills introduced in the Tennessee legislature yesterday smack of “racism, classism, and schoolyard bullying.”

The measures would hem the city in by limiting its ability to annex surrounding communities.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal says the bills were introduced by three east Shelby County Republicans.  One of the measures was introduced by Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. Curry Todd, both of Collierville; the other by Norris and Rep. Ron Lollar of Bartlett.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  The Tennessee Department of Labor has released its county-by-county look at unemployment for December.

Middle Tennessee’s overall jobless rate fell to 6.9 percent in December, down three-tenths from the November rate and down a full percentage point from December 2010.

Williamson County has the region’s lowest unemployment rate at 5.4 percent in December. Hickman County has the worst joblessness at 9.8 percent. Hickman and Trousdale were the only counties in the mid-state to see unemployment rise between November and December.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  You’ve no doubt heard about the tarmac confrontation yesterday between the president and the governor of Arizona. That heated exchange reportedly centering on illegal immigration.

Immigration issues have figured prominently as well in the Republican presidential primary.

But Dr. Andrei Korobkov, a professor of political science at Middle Tennessee State University, says the current national debate ignores immigration realities on the ground.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  If you’re looking for something to do with the kids this weekend, here’s an idea.

The Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra will give a family concert tomorrow at the United Methodist Church on West Thompson Lane, beginning at 11 a.m.

Joe Lee is the Orchestra’s conductor.

"It's really designed for children of all ages, but especially the younger ones among us. It's a concert that will last only about an hour, and the selections are just perfect for the young listeners."

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  Three of Tennessee's congressional representatives have signed up to take "dates" to tonight's State of the Union speech.
 
The political action group No Labels is sponsoring the initiative that asks representatives to arrange to sit with members of the opposite political party at the president's speech to promote political civility.
 
No Labels launched the dates program at last year's State of the Union address, shortly after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot at a political event in Arizona.
 

MOBILE,‭ ‬Ala.‭ (WMOT) ‬- The Blue Raider men’s‭ ‬and women’s‭ ‬basketball teams are on quite a roll.‭ ‬

The Lady Raiders extended their winning streak Saturday night to‭ ‬10‭ ‬games with a‭ ‬60-53‭ ‬victory over South Alabama at Mobile.‭  ‬

The men’s team‭ ‬also beat‭ ‬South Alabama.‭ ‬The‭ ‬68-47‭ ‬win gave the men their‭ ‬11th-straight victory to improve to‭ ‬19-2‭ ‬on the season,‭ ‬marking the best start in MTSU history.‭ ‬

The‭ ‬men's and women’s squads  remain the Sun Belt’s only undefeated teams.‭ ‬

WASHINGTON‭ (‬AP‭) — ‬Tennessee’s‭ ‬Republican‭ ‬Senator’s‭ ‬are‭ ‬reacting strongly to President Barack Obama’s decision to‭, at least temporarily‭, ‬block‭ ‬the‭ ‬$7‭ ‬billion Keystone oil pipeline.

Lamar Alexander‭ ‬says he can’t understand why the president failed to move ahead on a‭ ‬project that would,‭ ‬as the Senator put it,‭ ‬“...make us less reliant on oil from hostile countries.‭”

Senator Bob Corker was even more scathing,‭ ‬saying the president’s decision is‭ ‬election year politics and concluding,‭ “‬...we really need the energy and the jobs.‭”

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  -- Tennessee Republicans go into the current Tennessee General Assembly firmly in control of both the House and Senate, and with a clear legislative agenda.

They’re not the only ones. Political action groups with a wide range of interests are also gearing up for the session.

An Occupy Wall Street inspired march is getting underway at this hour in downtown Murfreesboro.

Occupy Murfreesboro leaders have permits to assemble on the grounds of the county courthouse.

Protestors say they’ll also march around three downtown banks; all within a few blocks of the square.

One of the protest organizers, local resident Connor Moss, says Occupy Murfreesboro usually has about 20 people at their meetings, but expects about a hundred protesters to attend today’s march.