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This Hour: Latest Tennessee news, sports, business and entertainment

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POWERBALL

Tenn. Powerball ticket worth $1 million

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Powerball ticket sold in Tennessee barely missed winning a share of an estimated $590.5 million prize. But the ticket has a nice consolation prize worth $1 million.

Officials say the Powerball ticket worth $1 million was sold in Chattanooga.

There's no word yet on who won.

A Powerball ticket sold at a supermarket in Zephyrhills, Fla., matched all six numbers selected Saturday night for the estimated $590.5 million prize. It's the highest Powerball jackpot in history.

The winning numbers were 10, 13, 14, 22 and 52, with a Powerball of 11.

CHATTANOOGA HOTELS

Chattanooga adding hundreds of hotel rooms

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - The Chattanooga market will add hundreds of hotel rooms in the coming year, following four years of booming revenues for its hotel industry.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports at least 728 hotel rooms under construction are to be added this year and next, citing Smith Travel Research.

That extra supply comes amid expectations for a busy summer tourism season but on the heels of a drop in demand so far this year.

According to Smith Travel Research, Chattanooga's hotel occupancy rates in the first three months of this year dropped 10.4% from the same period a year ago.

The summer tourism season kicks off when the USA Cycling Professional National Championships roll into town Memorial Day weekend. The event is expected to draw about 25,000 spectators.

NASHVILLE CONVENTIONS

Planners looking at convention center growth

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Leaders of Nashville's convention center already are mapping out a possible future expansion of a center that spans six downtown blocks and sits on 19 acres.

The Tennessean reports the project leaders of Nashville's Music City Center are identifying which adjoining lots would best accommodate an add-on, in case the center is so successful that it isn't big enough.

As part of a master plan, planners have identified five options where future expansion could feasibly work.

Those include the city's Bridgestone Arena land, three private properties and the preferred option - building atop the existing center.

The exhibit hall, ballrooms and meeting rooms at Music City Center total 1.2 million square feet. Its overall square footage is 2.1 million, placing it somewhere in the 20s among convention centers nationwide.

MARYVILLE COLLEGE MILESTONE

Henderson receives tenure at Maryville College

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Maryville College professor Frances Henderson is making history at the East Tennessee school.

The Daily Times reports Henderson is the first African-American woman to be awarded tenure at Maryville College.

Henderson moved to the area six years ago to teach political science. She says she is "honored" by the award.

Barbara Wells, who is vice president and dean of the college, said Henderson has leadership skills that will make a positive difference on the campus.

Currently, Henderson is the only African-American on faculty at the college, but she said she has seen the school working toward becoming more diverse.

MILITARY LOANS

Loan program for soldiers extended

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A program to help soldiers get loans to purchase homes has gotten a permanent extension.

The Leaf-Chronicle reports officials gathered recently at Fort Campbell to announce that the Tennessee Homeownership for the Brave program will be permanently extended.

The sprawling Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border has a multitude of military families.

The program helps soldiers and veterans get loans at reduced rates. It has been a pilot program for two years, but the Tennessee Housing Development Agency says it has decided to keep the initiative.

AFGHAN AIR ASSAULT

Afghan pilots learn air assault tactics from 101st

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (AP) - With Afghan troops increasingly leading combat operations on the ground, the Afghan Air Force's fledgling helicopter fleet based in Kabul has learned new techniques to support them from the air.

The U.S. Army's 101st Combat Aviation Brigade started a new training program at Bagram Air Field for Afghan helicopter pilots to learn how to perform air assault missions, which they have started to use in combat operations.

101st Combat Aviation Brigade Commander Col. Paul Bontrager said the Afghans need to be weaned off American aviation during the drawdown of U.S. forces this year.

The ability of Afghan helicopters to quickly drop soldiers into combat is a new and critical role.