The Associated Press

An FBI agent's affidavit says a Pilot Flying J employee told authorities that Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam knew about rebate fraud at the truck stop chain his family owns.

The 120-page document was filed Thursday in federal court in Knoxville, where Pilot is based. It identifies the employee only as a confidential source.

Haslam says the foundation of the company is integrity and pledged to cooperate with the investigation.

A measure seeking to change the way certain Tennessee charter schools are authorized has passed the House.

The proposal was approved 62-30 Thursday. It's similar to the Senate version, which is expected to be taken up today on the Senate floor.

A number of attempts by Democrats to amend the bill failed.

A proposal allowing Tennessee school districts to allow people with police training to be armed in schools is headed to Gov. Bill Haslam for his consideration. He is expected to sign it.

The measure was moved Thursday evening after the House voted 72-15 to concur with changes made by the Senate.

The proposal would allow schools to hire retired law enforcement officers after they meet certain requirements, such as completing a 40-hour school security course. The bill would make information about which teachers are armed or which schools allow the guns confidential to anyone but law enforcement.

The chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority has expressed confidence in the organization following a proposal in the 2014 Obama budget last week that suggested a possible sale of the public utility.

At a board meeting Thursday, Bill Sansom said the board welcomes a proposed strategic review of the agency and any suggestions for ways to better serve the people in its seven-state region.

The Illinois House has defeated a proposal allowing the carrying of concealed guns in public.   

The vote was 64-45 in favor of the bill. But it fell short of the needed 71 votes. A supermajority was necessary because the law would pre-empt the home-rule powers of several cities.

The legislation sponsored by Democratic Rep. Brandon Phelps would have required authorities to issue concealed-carry permits to anyone who passed background checks. Phelps used a legislative procedure that will allow him to recall the bill later for another vote.

Gov. Pat Quinn has issued an emergency declaration following the flooding and severe weather affecting areas across Illinois yesterday.

The action allows the state to access federal resources including generators, pump systems sandbags and additional funds. It is a step below a disaster emergency declaration.

Quinn says the American Red Cross has opened two shelters in north central Illinois. One is in Oglesby and another in Roanoke.

The Century Aluminum smelter in Hawesville has notified employees that it plans to shut down operations Aug. 20 unless it can get lower electric rates.

The aluminum smelter has been in negotiations with its power supplier, Big Rivers Electric Corporation, for more than a year. Both parties say they are still trying to negotiate a deal before time runs out.

Kentucky’s junior Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul says he’s considering a 2016 presidential bid but will not make a decision before next year.

Paul told attendees at a breakfast sponsored by The Christian Science Monitor he wants to be part of the national debate and that being considered a potential candidate gives him what he calls a larger microphone on issues.

A Kentucky basketball icon turned politician could be the subject of a federal grand jury meeting Friday.

Frankfort defense attorney Guthrie True says the grand jury will look at former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. The Executive Branch Ethics Commission charged Farmer last month with 42 administrative ethics violations for allegedly misusing government funds and employees while in office.

Both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly adopted Governor Bill Haslam's $32.8 billion budget proposal.

The Senate unanimously approved the spending plan Wednesday afternoon, and the House followed suit. The House vote came after the chamber rejected a Democratic proposal to include a provision allowing the state to spend up to $3 billion in federal Medicaid money if the governor succeeds in negotiating an expansion under the federal health care law.