Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt University Medical Center officials say federal automatic budget cuts require tough economic measures be taken.

The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/Z6IddpZ ) reported the hospital must make up for a $20 million shortfall by June 30.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Jeff Balser said the federal cuts mean payments are no longer being made to hospitals like Vanderbilt which treat a disproportionate number of indigent patients.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Symphony Association recently announced it would not renew a letter of credit with its bank lenders that secures the bonds used to build its acclaimed Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Symphonies around the country have had financial troubles recently, but Nashville's case is a bit different.

For one thing, the Nashville Symphony isn’t broke.

President and CEO Alan Valentine says it has enough money for its day-to-day operations for the foreseeable future.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A proposal to bar public universities and colleges from implementing nondiscrimination policies for student groups is headed to the governor for his consideration.

The measure unanimously passed the Senate 30-0 on Wednesday. It was approved in the House 75-21 earlier this month.

The legislation does not include private institutions like Vanderbilt University — a provision that caused Republican Gov. Bill Haslam to veto last year's version. The governor's office says it's OK with the current legislation.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge in Nashville has blocked Republican leaders' efforts to keep Planned Parenthood of Tennessee from participating in venereal disease prevention programs. The efforts are federally funded, but administered by the state and are aimed at reducing the infection rate of HIV and syphilis.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill that would allow people with handgun carry permits to store firearms in their vehicles no matter where they are parked.

The signing comes despite questions about whether the legislation affects employment law in Tennessee.

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville and four fellow Republican co-sponsors on Thursday submitted a letter for inclusion into the Senate Journal elaborating on their legislative intent for the measure.

GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The trial of a Hendersonville woman charged with murder in the smothering death of her newborn twins got underway Tuesday morning.

Twenty-six-year-old Lindsay Lowe told police she hid her pregnancy and gave birth to the boys at home in September, 2011. Police say she then smothered them so her parents wouldn’t hear their cries.

In his opening remarks, District Attorney General Ray Whitley read part of the statement police say Lowe made under questioning.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A Middle Tennessee State University professor says his coast-to-coast trip using no gasoline had to work around a glitch on the first day.

But Dr. Cliff Ricketts said he's "99 percent sure" the transmission coolant problem his backup driver experienced Saturday was not related to the hydrogen fuel the car is using.

Ricketts and his backup driver are making a trip from Tybee Island, Ga., to Long Beach, Calif., this week.

The cars are being powered by solar energy and hydrogen, which was obtained from water.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee legislators are hoping to help prevent college students from contracting a contagious form of meningitis.

Lawmakers have proposed a bill that would require incoming students at public higher education institutions to show proof they've gotten a meningitis shot.

Middle Tennessee State University freshman Jacob Nunley died last year less than 24 hours after contracting meningococcal (meh-NIN'-joh-KAH'-kul) meningitis. It’s a bacterial infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's unemployment rate for January was 7.7 percent, a slight increase from the previous month.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Karla Davis said Thursday that there are more than 2.8 million people employed in Tennessee.

That's the highest employment total for the state since December 2007.

The unemployment rate for last December was 7.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for January was 7.9 percent.

State figures show that nonfarm employment increased by 7,600 jobs between December and January.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The state Labor and Workforce Development Department says more than 30,000 Tennesseans receiving federal unemployment benefits will see their payments reduced because of automatic federal budget cuts that took effect this month.

The department said in a news release issued Thursday that people will start being notified by mail detailing the reduction in their benefits no later than March 22.