The Associated Press

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services is facing more scrutiny for not providing details on 31 children who died in the first six months of this year while under investigation. The agency released that information in September after repeated requests from a Democratic lawmaker and The Tennessean.

More than 15,000 books have arrived in Owensboro thanks to a donation made by Scholastic Incorporated to the Marine Corps League's Toys for Tots program. Daviess County program coordinator Matt Fitzgerald says the gift from the children's book publisher was both "a great blessing" and "a logistical nightmare." The books are for children from newborn to 12 years old, which is the Toys for Tots target age group.

The top two Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly say they support allowing the sale of wine in supermarkets. With the influx of new GOP lawmakers comes the opportunity to reshape key committees where efforts to allow wine sales have long been corked up by opponents. 

Former Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo says he's considering a run to become the Commonwealth’s governor. Mongiardo is a Democrat who served under Gov. Steve Beshear during his first term. The 52-year-old Hazard physician served in the state Senate from 2001 to 2007.

A school voucher task force has submitted its recommendations to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. Haslam appointed the nine-member task force to study how to start a school voucher program a year ago. The group includes lawmakers and representatives from both private and public schools.

The sponsor of legislation to add five new casinos in Illinois says Gov. Pat Quinn has been unwilling to negotiate a compromise. But he remains hopeful one can be reached. Democrat Rep. Lou Lang says he questions whether Quinn wants a deal before the end of the legislative session. Quinn has not met with either of the bill’s sponsors.

Commercial trucks are not being allowed on a ferry that is the only route between Kentucky and Missouri. The detour is about 80 miles for trucks traveling between the two states. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the Dorena-Hickman Ferry restriction is because of the low water level of the Mississippi River.

A lane restriction on a Ledbetter bridge undergoing repairs is being lifted for a day and a half starting Friday. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the lane restriction on the U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge that connects McCracken County to Livingston County will be lifted beginning this afternoon and is expected to return early Sunday.

A tax expert is warning state officials that Tennessee would be among the hardest-hit states if federal officials don't resolve the so-called fiscal cliff. Dr. Stan Chervin says states like Tennessee that depend heavily on sales taxes for revenue would feel the most stress if tax breaks are not extended. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports Chervin is a senior research consultant with the state Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relation.

State leaders say a nearly $1 billion project to update pollution controls at a massive Louisville power plant will be a boost for Kentucky's coal industry.

The upgrades at LG&E's Mill Creek Generating Station in southwestern Jefferson County are expected to add about 700 construction jobs. They will also allow the 1,400-megawatt plant to continue to burn coal by meeting stricter federal air regulations that go in force in 2016.