Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A vocal faculty member at Tennessee State University who has opposed university leadership was taken away from a meeting in handcuffs and removed from her leadership position on the faculty senate.

Jane Davis, an English professor, was arrested by campus police on Monday on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to TSU spokesman Rick Delahaya.

The Tennessean reported (http://tnne.ws/PAq0ex ) that Delahaya said Davis became extremely disruptive and would not allow the meeting to proceed.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  Tennessee’s unemployment rate rose sharply in July.

Joblessness jumped three tenths of one percent to 8.4 percent, pushing it above the national rate of 8.3 percent.

The new rate is the highest Tennessee has seen since last December, but still a full percentage point below August 2011.

In spite of rising unemployment, Tennessee saw strong job growth in July in the manufacturing, health care and government employment sectors. The state lost jobs in hospitality, business services, and transportation.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Muslims in the Tennessee city of Murfreesboro were able to celebrate Friday prayers in a new mosque after more than two years of controversy about the building.

Opponents of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro who sued to try to halt construction were nowhere to be seen. Instead the worship space was filled with smiling men, women and children.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The run of unusual weather continued in Tennessee this past month.

Memphis was dry in July while rainfall in the Tri-Cities set an all-time record. The mid-state almost caught up on annual rainfall.

National Weather Service meteorologist Danny Gant says a stubborn high pressure ridge has taken up residence over western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. It blocks storm systems from moving into the Mississippi Valley. The farther away from the ridge, the better chances of rain.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro will meet for prayers in its new mosque on Friday.

Rutherford County Building Codes Director David Jones said Tuesday that he issued a temporary occupancy permit to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro after inspectors approved the building.

Construction was nearly shut down after Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew ruled in May that the meeting at which mosque construction was approved was not sufficiently advertised to the public.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Caucus Chairwoman Debra Maggart has lost her state House primary to a retired Air Force officer backed by the National Rifle Association.

With 88 percent of precincts reporting Thursday night, Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers had more than 1,630 votes, or 58 percent, compared with Maggart's 1,157, or 42 percent.

Rogers was endorsed by the NRA, which was outraged that Maggart didn't push through legislation to allow workers to store guns in vehicles parked on company lots regardless of their employers' wishes.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Voters in six Memphis suburbs have approved the creation of municipal public school systems to sidestep the merger of city and county schools.

Referendums in Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington passed Thursday. Next month, a judge will have the final say on whether the vote will stand.

Voters in those municipalities want their own schools to avoid the merger between the larger, struggling, majority-black Memphis school system and the smaller, more successful, majority-white Shelby County district.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Six congressional incumbents have defeated their challengers in Tennessee's primary election.

Republican Reps. Chuck Fleischmann and Diane Black won their races, following some of the state's toughest campaigns.

The other winners were Republican Reps. Jimmy Duncan in the 2nd District, Stephen Fincher in the 8th District and Scott DesJarlais in the 4th District. Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen prevailed in the 9th District.

Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker also easily won nomination.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —  Filled with big money punches and verbal attacks, the primary for the 6th District congressional seat is looking more like a female boxing match: Black vs. Zelenik, the rematch.

Two years ago former state Sen. Diane Black defeated Lou Ann Zelenik by fewer than 400 votes in a GOP primary that pitted Black's mainstream Republican credentials against Zelenik's tea party fervor. Black went on to win the seat east of Nashville, helping tip the Tennessee congressional delegation to 7-2 in favor of the GOP.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Health has issued licenses to 255 pain clinics since a new law took effect on Jan. 1 requiring the step.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that there are another 20 applications being reviewed, while 19 have been rejected.

The law imposes regulations on pain management clinics in an effort to crack down on so-called pill mills. In addition to licenses, the new regulations outlaw cash payments for treatment and require licensed physicians to be present in the clinic at least 20 percent of the time.