The Week That Was

Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., dogged for five years by allegations of Medicare fraud, agreed to pay the federal government $745 million to settle some of the case. It could be the largest health-fraud settlement ever. Columbia/HCA said it has racked up more than $200 million in legal and other professional fees related to the government’s investigation.

Chaos at the Capitol

Gov. Don Sundquist renewed his threats to veto a patchwork state budget. He told legislative leaders that they must restructure Tennessee’s underperforming tax system and warned that he might call them back into special session in the fall if they don’t. That would interrupt campaigning for November’s legislative elections. Two special sessions on taxes in the past year-and-a- half have ended in chaos with lawmakers fleeing Nashville in fear of angry voters.

Cheap puppies

More than 1,000 people, hoping to go home with a purebred puppy at a cut-rate price, tried to adopt 143 stranded dogs from the pound. Police had to turn away hundreds of people. Only 30 of the pups were available. Volunteers at the pound snatched up the rest. Bred in Missouri, the puppies were headed for pet stores when their truck broke down on May 9 in Nashville. While the truck was being repaired, a worker turned off the air-conditioning, and three puppies died of heat stroke before the city could rescue the animals.