Top Stories

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  More than 48,000 Tennesseans could lose their extended unemployment benefits by the end of the year.

As the recession gathered steam in early 2008, Congress authorized the first in a series of emergency extensions to unemployment benefits. With the jobless rate rising rapidly, the extra benefits were intended to tide the long-term unemployed over until the jobless rate began to fall.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — The Department of Defense has announced four units, including two from Fort Campbell, that will deploy to Afghanistan this year.

The scheduled rotation announced Thursday includes more than 11,000 soldiers from the four units who will start deploying between spring and winter.

More than 3,000 soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division based at Fort Riley, Kan., will deploy in the spring.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth released its annual look at the welfare of the state’s children earlier this week and the news is grim.

The report is based on data from 2009, the most recent information available. It shows that more than 350,000 Tennessee children, or nearly one-child-in-four, lives below the poverty line.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky (AP/WMOT) — The U.S. Army is looking for a few good psychiatrists. Fort Campbell says it has a number of unfilled mental health positions. The base is expanding its search for additional personnel.

Lt. Col. Marla Hemphill heads the Behavioral Health Department at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at the Fort. She says the base is looking for an additional 48 psychiatrists.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — Opponents of the Murfreesboro Mosque filed for an injunction yesterday in Rutherford County seeking to stop the Mosque’s construction.

Just last week Judge Robert Corlew declared void the 2010 county planning meeting at which the mosque’s construction plan was approved. Corlew opined in his written decision that county officials violated Tennessee’s Sunshine Laws by failing to give sufficient public notice for the meeting.

However, Corlew refused to halt the mosque’s ongoing construction.

MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — Bonnaroo 2012 begins Thursday. For the first time this year the show’s promoters will give attendees access to the festival grounds a day early.

It’s part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion as 80,000 concert goers converge on the Manchester area.

Event planners are taking other measures to ease traffic congestion as well. Festival traffic will be kept in the right lane or on the shoulder of the Interstate-24 this year, allowing through traffic to use the left lane unimpeded.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — The State of Tennessee is looking for volunteers to help families with members who have special needs.

Jim Henry, head of the state’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, says Tennessee is already providing services to more than 8500 individuals with disabilities. But he says 7,000 more families are on state lists waiting for assistance.