Associated Press

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (AP) — An Australian who was hiking the Appalachian Trail in eastern Tennessee has died.

Authorities said 71-year-old George Walls Grant from Collie, Western Australia, fell ill while hitchhiking to a market on Monday.

The Johnson City Press (http://bit.ly/16BMTKp ) reported motorist James Self noticed Grant was having a medical problem and took him to a rescue squad station. An ambulance took Grant to a hospital emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.

JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will create nine recovery courts to combat mental health and substance abuse issues.

The Jackson Sun reports the courts will combine the services currently found in drug courts with those of mental health courts and veterans courts.

Department Commissioner Douglas Varney says that because so many people dealing with substance abuse also have a mental health issue, the recovery courts will help them get all the help they need at one time and in one location.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  --  Al-Jazeera plans to open a news bureau in Nashville.The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/18HPsHc) the news organization that bought Al Gore's Current TV for $500 million earlier this year has said it will begin broadcasting Al-Jazeera America sometime late this summer. The network plans news bureaus in 12 cities across the country.

Bob Wheelock, executive producer of Al-Jazeera English, confirmed Nashville as one of the bureau sites during an interview with WWJ-AM 950 in Detroit on Thursday.

PARSONS, Tenn. (AP) — The brother of a young West Tennessee nursing student who was last seen walking into the woods with a man two years ago says he has been maligned.

Holly Bobo disappeared on April 13, 2011, from her family's home in Parsons. Clint Bobo saw his sister and a man wearing camouflage clothing walking away from the carport and into the woods.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A special committee formed to suggest new names for three Memphis city parks mired in controversy has made a recommendation to the City Council.

The committee yesterday proposed new identities for parks that were formerly named in honor of the Confederacy.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Ken Paulson, former editor at USA Today and CEO of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, has been selected as the next dean of the College of Mass Communication at Middle Tennessee State University.Paulson will take over his new position on July 1 and replaces Roy Moore, who will remain with the university as a professor.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Middle Tennessee State University's new science building is still under construction, but new video and images illustrate what the building's interior will look like once complete.

Final completion on the $147 million project on the Murfreesboro campus is scheduled to be ready for faculty and staff to move in by the fall of 2014. The first classes will start in the 2015 spring semester.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Legislation to bar public universities and colleges from implementing nondiscrimination policies for student groups has been signed by the governor.

The Senate unanimously passed the measure 30-0 and the House approved it 75-21.

The legislation does not include private institutions like Vanderbilt University — a provision that caused Republican Gov. Bill Haslam to veto last year's version.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Organizers of the Country Music Marathon are beefing up security for their April 27 event in the wake of last week’s bombings at the Boston Marathon.

Competitor Group Inc., the group that runs the marathon, announced Friday it would increase security presence at the start and finish lines, with more than 150 private security officials added to the staffing plan. Security will control entry and exit into the 32 runner corrals. All participants may be subject to random bag checks at the April 25-26 health and fitness expo as well as at the race.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The owner of a Maryville pill mill who jumped bond during her federal trial for conspiracy, drug charges and money laundering has been sentenced to spend more than 21 years in federal prison.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports (http://bit.ly/Zwo9hZ) U.S. District Judge Tom Varlan on Thursday also ordered all of Tammy Guzman's assets forfeited.

The 42-year-old was convicted earlier this year in a pills-for-cash scheme at her Maryville Pain Consultants clinic that netted at least $2 million over two years.