The Nashville Way: Racial Etiquette and the Struggle for Social Justice in a Southern City , by Benjamin Houston, is the winner of the 2012 Tennessee History Book Award, presented annually by the Tennessee Library Association and the Tennessee Historical Commission.  Published by the University of Georgia Press, the well-written history gives a new perspective on race relations ... (click for more)

First Contact   The first Europeans to encounter the Indians of Tennessee, of course, were the Spanish would-be conquistadors of the 16 th century.  The expedition of Hernando de Soto passed through both ends of Tennessee in 1540 and 1541.  That of Tristan de Luna came northwest in support of their allies from Coosa into the Chattanooga area.  Juan Pardo ... (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)