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Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is preparing to send food to Oklahoma.More >> Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is preparing to send food to Oklahoma.More >> Two elementary schools were directly impacted by a massive tornado in the Oklahoma City area on Monday. It brings to mind a storm from a 1996 tornado which destroyed the Allardt Elementary School in Fentress County.More >> Two elementary schools were directly impacted by a massive tornado in the Oklahoma City area on Monday. It brings to mind a storm from a 1996 tornado which destroyed the Allardt Elementary School in Fentress County. More >> Two Knoxville police officers have resigned amid an investigation into the alleged beating of a homeless man.More >> Two Knoxville police officers have resigned amid an investigation into the alleged beating of a homeless man.More >> As the search for survivors continues in Oklahoma hundreds of volunteers from across country are stepping into help including some from East Tennessee.More >> As the search for survivors continues in Oklahoma hundreds of volunteers from across country are stepping into help including some from East Tennessee.More >> Students at Tellico Plains High School when March 2012 tornado hit recall the school's safety procedures.More >> Students at Tellico Plains High School when March 2012 tornado hit recall the school's safety procedures.More >> Gov. Bill Haslam came to East Tennessee Tuesday to sign a bill into law designed to prevent people from being abandoned like one Illinois woman was in 2012.More >> Gov. Bill Haslam came to East Tennessee Tuesday to sign a bill into law designed to prevent people from being abandoned like one Illinois woman was in 2012.More >> Tea Party members and supporters gathered in downtown Knoxville Tuesday to protest the IRS.More >> Tea Party members and supporters gathered in downtown Knoxville Tuesday to protest the IRS.More >> East Tennessee is no stranger to natural disasters and in case of an emergency, EMA officials say there are preparations we need to make just to be safe until help arrives.More >> East Tennessee is no stranger to natural disasters and in case of an emergency, EMA officials say there are preparations we need to make just to be safe until help arrives.More >> Six people are facing drug charges in Blount County after a pair of meth lab busts on Monday.More >> Six people are facing drug charges in Blount County after a pair of meth lab busts on Monday.More >> No charges will be filed in the case of a senior prank at a Knox County High School last week.More >> No charges will be filed in the case of a senior prank at a Knox County High School last week.More >>
By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press
NASHVILLE (AP) - The top two Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly support allowing the sale of wine in supermarkets.
And the influx of new GOP lawmakers is giving them the opportunity to reshape key committees where efforts to make that change have long been corked up by opponents.
Under the state's restrictive three-tiered beverage control system, every drop of alcohol is supposed to flow from the manufacturer to a wholesale distributor and finally to the retailers. And any bottle stronger than beer can only be bought at 1 of 501 liquor stores around the state.
Both the House and Senate speakers say they support the latest proposal to counties that currently allow liquor sales to hold a referendum on whether to remove liquor stores' exclusive right to sell wine.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
