Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday announced Business Facilities, a leading national publication focused on site selection and economic development, has named Tennessee its 2014 State of the Year for a second consecutive year. Tennessee becomes the first state in the award’s history to win back-to-back honors for economic development efforts and the first state to win the designation three times, winning in 2014, 2013 and 2009. Some of Tennessee’s top economic development projects in 2014 included Volkswagen Group of America’s Chattanooga expansion creating 2,000 jobs with an investment of $600 million, Under Armour’s new Mount Juliet fulfillment center...

With temperatures expected to drop down to as low as zero this week, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding residents to use portable generators safely this winter.  In a statement released by the TN Department of Commerce and Insurance, Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak says “it’s essential that you take precautions for your safety” when using a generator should power outages take place.  Safety Tips: -Never use generators inside your home or enclosed areas. Generator released carbon monoxide, which is odorless, can be deadly. A battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm should be installed in the area you are using a...

The Manchester Police Department reports that the two missing teenagers have been found. Kayla Chu (16) and Brooke Brindle (17) had been missing for several days but were located late Monday night in Sumner County. WMSR News has learned that Chu has been living in Manchester for the past few months and was attending Coffee County High School. She had been living in Hendersonville where Brindle is a current...

Motorists in Tennessee welcomed the New Year with gasoline selling below $2 a gallon at some filling stations. This begins what could be a year of monstrous savings at the pump after record-high oil production in 2014 pushed crude oil and gas prices to the lowest level in six years. U.S. gasoline prices were $1.11 more expensive just one year ago. At the beginning of 2014, the national average for regular unleaded was $3.32. Prices rose in the spring due to refinery maintenance and the switch to “summer-blend gasoline,” peaking at $3.70 on April 18th. Prices fluctuated through the...

It is completely preventable, but there will be some 40-thousand babies born in the U.S. this year, including hundreds in Tennessee, diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Frederick Palmer, professor of pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, says the severity of the health issues related to maternal alcohol use depends on the timing and frequency of consumption, which he says should be not a single drop. “The underlying thing is if you don’t drink while pregnant, you cannot have a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or any effects of...

The state Transportation Department is looking for a few good safety slogans. TDOT is asking the public to submit ideas for the electronic message boards that grace the state’s highways, warning motorists about speeding, texting and other driving hazards. TDOT Commissioner John Schroer says in a news release that recent slogans like “Ho Ho Hold Your Calls” have gotten the attention of drivers. He says some slogans are easily forgotten, but more colorful ones, even when painfully silly, stay with people and make them think. The contest began Monday and runs through Jan. 16. Entries will be considered for...

Manchester Police Department is seeking any information in regards to the location of Kayla Chu (16) and Brooke Brindle (17). Both girls are residents of Hendersonville, but were last seen at a residence on Pea Ridge Road in Coffee County last week. The girls are in a 2007, white, Mercedes Benz C320. GPS showed them to be in the Manchester area and GPS information also showed them to be in the Nashville area at one point around Cane Ridge Park and later near the Alabama line. Police departments in those areas have been notified. The girls have texted parents...