The Associated Press

The Tennessee Valley Authority is reporting a net income of $54 million in its second fiscal quarter. TVA President and CEO Bill Johnson said the government utility ended the quarter on plan because of more favorable weather and employee efforts to reduce costs.  The results from the January-March period compare favorably with the same quarter in 2012, in which revenues showed a net loss of $94 million.

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says he expects his legislative proposal to reform the state's pension systems will trump all others and reach the governor's desk. Madigan's remarks yesterday followed House lawmakers sending the speaker's comprehensive pension-reform plan to the Senate on a 62-51 vote. Senate President John Cullerton is proposing an alternative plan to solve Illinois' $97 billion pension crisis. He has being negotiating a solution with union leaders.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is encouraging lawmakers to create a committee to study how Illinois funds education and recommend ways to improve it. In a statement yesterday Simon said the General Assembly should pass a resolution sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill.

Members of the Tennessee faith community are expressing their opposition to a bill that would make it a crime to video record animal abuse if it isn't turned over to law enforcement authorities within 48 hours. The director of Clergy for Justice and another minister delivered a letter to Gov. Bill Haslam this week asking him to veto the bill, which is drawing opposition from other groups and even some celebrities.

Kentucky education officials say they've been assured technical glitches affecting proficiency tests administered online have been resolved, and testing is scheduled to resume Monday. The state Education Department suspended online testing Wednesday after problems were reported with slow or dropped connections experienced by students taking the computer-based tests in about 25 districts.

The post positions are set for Saturday’s running  of the Kentucky Derby.

Orb has been made the early 7-2 favorite for the Derby and a full field of 20 horses.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Orb drew the No. 16 post on Wednesday. Four horses have won from there, most recently Animal Kingdom two years ago. McGaughey is in racing's Hall of Fame, but the 62-year-old trainer has yet to win the Derby in six previous tries.    He says he's happy with the post position draw.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon says the General Assembly should take action on an ethics reform package before the legislative session ends. Simon says lawmakers have many important issues to tackle before the session is scheduled to end May 31, but says they cannot allow ethics reform to fall to the wayside.  Simon supports legislation sponsored by Democratic Senator Dan Kotowski. His bill would require elected officials to disclose more information about their financial interests.

Kentucky has set a record with April's sales of hunting and fishing licenses. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says sales totaled more than $7 million. Fish and Wildlife Budget Director Scott King says the mark broke the previous record by $140,000 and is $800,000 more than the April average.

Tennessee has been recognized as the second bike friendliest state in the Southeast. That's according to the League of American Bicyclists that recently released its latest Bicycle Friendly States ranking. Tennessee placed 17th nationally this year, up from last year's ranking of 26. 

Kentucky education officials have suspended online testing through at least today after glitches with the testing system used to administer end-of-course assessments. Kentucky students are among thousands in four states — including Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma — that have been kicked offline while taking tests in recent weeks. Kentucky Education Department spokeswoman Nancy Rodriguez says its vendor, ACT Inc., reported online issues in Kentucky and Alabama.