The Pacer

Student Government presidential candidate Brittany McGruder defended her position on lottery scholarship reform — saying she and the Action Party were given bad information about the rules that govern the scholarship — while Engage Party presidential nominee Lorie Mallari fought off allegations of being unprepared to be president at a last-minute roundtable debate on Monday.… 3 Comments

WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) — A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people up to 450 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor. The quake just before 4:37 a.… 1 Comment

Brittany McGruder and the Action Party swept the Student Government Association elections on Wednesday, taking all three Executive Committee positions from the challenging Engage Party. McGruder defeated Engage's Lorie Mallari for president, Eric Lipford defeated Nicholas Lewis for SGA vice president, and Rebecca Weaver defeated Heather McLean for the secretary-general position.… Post the First Comment

UT Martin recently hosted its 40th annual Spring College Rodeo, but not everyone on campus appeared to be celebrating or enjoying the event. Across campus last week, visual protests against the rodeo were abundantly chalked on sidewalks. A temporary student/faculty group, People Educating on Animal Cruelty and Exploitation, or PEACE, has become the force behind these protests.… 66 Comments

The American Democracy Project and UTM Recycles are sponsoring the third annual Earth Week event April 21-26 in what sponsors say are exciting times for environmental events. Dr. Mike McCullough, director of the UT Martin American Democracy Project, said that he has seen significant changes in the response to environmental issues since the first Earth Week three years ago.… Post the First Comment

Members of the Executive Committee for the UTM Faculty Senate said they were not aware of any problems related to sexual orientation discrimination during their meeting, where they discussed what action to take on revising the university's nondiscrimination clause to include sexual orientation and gender identity.… 7 Comments

The eerie emptiness of Business Administration, the muddy fenced off construction of the new dorm ... It is hard to miss all the construction being done on campus. Even though it may have inconvenienced some staff and students the destruction, construction and renovation is meant to improve the university.… 1 Comment

An arrest is soon to be made in the burglary of Dragon Buffet where a thief made off with $20,000 in cash, police said. While police would not name the suspect, Martin Police Chief David Moore said that, "as late as this afternoon [Monday], they've tentatively located the guy.… Post the First Comment

Several UTM professors are leaving the classroom and hitting the road later this month as they run the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon in Nashville. Brad Coker, Mark Simmons, Amy Simmons, Lucia Florido and Lynn Patterson and UTM philosophy professor Jim Fieser's wife Laura Fieser will be competing in the race on April 26.… Post the First Comment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Gov. Phil Bredesen has already signed 126 bills into law, including measures requiring toll facilities in Tennessee be operated by American-owned companies, banning cars from parking on highway ramps and increasing the font size for birth dates on driver's licenses.… Post the First Comment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Mosquitoes were another victim of last summer's drought, but experts say they'll return - and possibly carrying the West Nile virus - if recent rains continue. Metro Nashville Health Department has been testing known breeding spots for a week, even though the West Nile season doesn't officially start until May 1.… Post the First Comment

Summer is quickly approaching and with that the talk of pools and beaches is in the air. Now is the time that tank tops, tube tops, shorts and swimsuits are on the minds of many of us, which can be seen by the increased number of people in the Fitness Center and the incredibly long line at the tanning bed.… 1 Comment

Comprise legislation that seeks to provide statewide cable TV franchising is moving in the house with little debate. The measure unanimously passed the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday after Democratic chairman Charles Curtiss of Sparta had state Comptroller John Morgan address committee members to make sure they understood the bill.… Post the First Comment

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The drought is easing because of rain this year, a Tennessee Valley Authority official says. At the start of 2008, rainfall totals were 19 inches below normal. That's now down to 2.5 inches, thanks to the recent rains. "We're still making up those dry deficits, but we are beginning to gain on it," said TVA spokesman David Bowling, who manages the agency's River Forecast Center.… Post the First Comment

Betty H. Rasberry, retired professor of Social Work at UTM, recently received the Jim Pryor Child Advocacy Award for her careerlong dedication to child advocacy. The award was presented in Nashville at the 20th annual meeting of Children's Advocacy Days.… Post the First Comment