JACKSON, Miss. John Aiken has been promoted from an assistant position to head coach of the Belhaven University men's basketball team.

WASHINGTON Congress has given itself two more months to come up with long-term solutions for the debt-burdened federal program that provides insurance for homes and businesses in areas subject to flooding.

JACKSON, Miss. Federal prosecutors in Mississippi have dropped criminal cases against five aerospace engineers who had been accused of stealing trade secrets.

DESTIN, Fla. With the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M, the Southeastern Conference is tweaking its football and basketball schedules.

JACKSON, Miss. Here's a glance at the specialty car tags approved by the 2012 Legislature. They are in Senate Bill 2661, which becomes law July 1:

JACKSON, Miss. A sheriff in central Mississippi said Wednesday he's switching from Democrat to Republican because of President Barack Obama's support of same-sex marriage.

NEW ORLEANS An expanded class-action settlement agreement calls for around two dozen companies that manufactured trailers distributed by the government after hurricanes Katrina and Rita to pay a total of $37.5 million to resolve claims that Gulf Coast residents were exposed to dangerous fumes while living in them.

FRIARS POINT, Miss. Conway Twitty, who started as a teen rock idol in the 1950s and crossed over to country to become a star, will be honored with a marker on the Mississippi Country Music Trail.

PEARL, Miss. Hurricane Natasha was a fake storm, but Mississippi's emergency responders treated it like it was the real thing.

CORINTH, Miss. A special election will be held in Corinth on Aug. 21 on a special tax levy to support a thoroughfare program.

JACKSON, Miss. Jerry Latch isn't interested in shelling out extra money to express himself with a car tag promoting a particular group or cause, but he knows plenty of people who do.

JACKSON, Miss. The state Court of Appeals has ruled a Hamilton, Miss., woman can pursue claims of malicious prosecution against her former employer.

SHANNON, Miss. Defense contractor General Atomics will add 25 jobs over the next three years as it expands its plant near Tupelo.

NEW ORLEANS An expanded class-action settlement agreement calls for around two dozen companies that manufactured trailers distributed by the government after hurricanes Katrina and Rita to pay a total of $37.5 million to resolve claims that Gulf Coast residents were exposed to dangerous fumes while living in them.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. These Tennessee lotteries were drawn Wednesday:

RIDGELAND, Miss. C Spire Wireless and Fox Sports South have announced that the Oak Grove at Petal football game will be one of four Mississippi prep rivalries to be telecast in the "Bright Lights' series.

COLUMBUS, Miss. The second of three finalists for Columbus schools superintendent has withdrawn.

OMAHA, Neb. FBI agents and workers in Nebraska and Iowa will be getting a new agent in charge.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. First-term Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant told a group of teenagers that he believes it should be possible for public schools to have some sort of nondenominational prayer to open the day.

JACKSON, Miss. The state Court of Appeals has upheld an award of $500,000 to a teenager who was sexually abused by workers at facilities operated by the Mississippi Department of Human Services in Starkville and Ackerman.