VOL. 37 | NO. 2 | Friday, January 11, 2013
The great-grandson of H.G. Hill Sr., Jimmy Granbery started working with H.G. Hill Realty in 1981 and was named CEO in 2002.
For years, Rivergate Mall has the shopping destination of choice for Sumner County residents.
Middle Tennessee’s largest office construction projects are centered in Nashville and Cool Springs, but significant commercial real estate developments are taking root throughout the region.
Top 2012 residential real estate transactions for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
Music City Roots: Live from the Loveless Cafe embarks on a music and marketing mission in late January, when the broadcast moves for a week from the Pasquo Community, in the shadow of the Natchez Trace, to Tamworth, Australia.
REALTY CHECK
As the New Year rolls in, the residential real estate inventory will increase in volume from its current surprisingly low levels. Many of these homes have served as rental properties as the homes were worth less than the loan balances, yet the owners, with the assistance of rental income, were able to avoid foreclosure and opted not to fight the short sale dragon.
NEWSMAKERS
Seigenthaler Public Relations, Inc., with offices in Nashville, New York and Chicago, has named Nicole L. Cottrill, Virginia K. “Ginger” Johnson and Ryan J. Witherell as new partners. All had previously been vice presidents with the agency.
TERRY McCORMICK
Between the start of the NFL playoffs and Monday night’s national college championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, a surprise slid in under the sports radar on Sunday morning.
I SWEAR
“Turn right in four-tenths of a mile,” Susan said.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Despite what you may believe about how price-sensitive consumers are given the economic realities of late, Oracle’s “Customer Experience Impact Report” indicates 86 percent of customers would pay 25 percent more for a better customer experience.
SMART STUFF 4 WORK
My wife and I were recently strolling through a small tourist spot when we happened upon one of those vintage machines that guesses your weight, your age and tells your fortune. According to the instructions, all you had to do was stand very still facing the machine and drop a specified coin in the slot.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - "The Voice" winner Cassadee Pope has a new record deal.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - The deadline to file a claim under the national mortgage settlement is Friday.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Nashville International Airport is breaking down walls to make room for a new United Service Organizations center for military troops and their families.
STATE LEGISLATURE
MURFREESBORO (AP) - State Rep. Joe Carr is proposing a state law to make it a crime in Tennessee for federal agents to enforce any effort to ban firearms or ammunition.
AUTO INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - Two General Motors plants 90 miles apart will be utilized to build the newest incarnation of the Chevrolet Corvette sports car.
LONDON (AP) — An auto industry group says British factories set a record for car exports in 2012 with 1.2 million shipped abroad.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
CINCINNATI (AP) — Regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp reported Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income jumped 28 percent, helped by improving credit conditions.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lenders took possession of fewer U.S. homes in 2012 than a year earlier, as the pace of new homes entering the path to foreclosure slowed and banks increasingly opted to allow troubled borrowers to sell their homes for less than what they owed on their mortgage.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage inched closer to its record low this week, helping to keep home buying more affordable.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid plummeted to a five-year low last week, a hopeful sign the job market may be improving. But much of the decline reflects seasonal volatility in the data.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. builders started work on homes in December at the fastest pace since the summer of 2008 and finished 2012 as their best year for residential construction since the early stages of the housing crisis.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks advanced, pushing the Standard and Poor's 500 to another five-year high, after strong reports on housing starts and unemployment claims made investors more optimistic about the U.S. economy.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose above $95 a barrel on Thursday on positive reports about the U.S. economy.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lithium batteries that can leak corrosive fluid and start fires have emerged as the chief safety concern involving Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, a problem that apparently is far more serious than government or company officials acknowledged less than a week ago.
Citigroup's fourth quarter earnings fell short of Wall Street's expectations as the bank's legal expenses rose and it released less money from its loan-loss reserves.
NEW YORK (AP) — The housing crisis is still weighing down Bank of America.
UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s fourth-quarter net income slipped 1 percent, as growing medical costs countered revenue gains for the nation's largest health insurer.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's sweeping gun-control package faces an uncertain future on Capitol Hill, where majority House Republicans are rejecting his proposals while the president's allies in the Democratic-controlled Senate are stopping well short of pledging immediate action.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the National Rifle Association says the organization has no problem with tighter background checks of gun purchasers.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - The state attorney general's office says a vetoed bill that took aim at Vanderbilt University's treatment of religious student groups is "constitutionally suspect."
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam says it's too soon to say whether Tennessee should require an armed police presence in every school in the aftermath of the Connecticut school shooting that left six teachers and 20 students dead.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Approximately 250 Tennessee National Guard soldiers and airmen will be assisting civil law enforcement with security for the 57th presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Monday.
AUTO INDUSTRY
For 2013, the Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle is longer, wider and has a roomier interior than its predecessor. At the same time, this new Pathfinder is 500 pounds lighter. And with a 30 percent boost in fuel economy, it tops all other mid-size crossover SUVs in sipping gasoline.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Holiday shopping, strong auto sales and a recovering housing market helped boost the U.S. economy from the middle of November through early January, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Southeastern Conference isn't No. 1 in one category: revenues.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Confidence among U.S. homebuilders remained unchanged this month from December at the highest level in nearly seven years, but builders are feeling slightly less optimistic about their prospects for sales over the next six months.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley will pay a combined $557 million to settle federal complaints that they wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factory production rose in December for the second straight month, buoyed by more output of autos, electronics and business equipment.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lower gas costs offset more expensive food and higher rents to keep a measure of U.S. consumer prices flat last month.
NEW YORK (AP) — More problems for Boeing's 787 sent the aircraft maker's stock down sharply Wednesday, dragging the Dow Jones industrial average lower.
The price of oil jumped above $94 a barrel Wednesday after an unexpected drop in U.S. crude supplies.
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Wendy's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings topped Wall Street's view, even as a key indicator of sales at North American restaurants dipped slightly. The hamburger chain also maintained its fiscal 2013 adjusted earnings forecast above analysts' estimates, and its stock rose more than 4 percent in premarket trading Wednesday.
NEW YORK (AP) — America's best-known banker is getting a big pay cut.
NEW YORK (AP) — Goldman Sachs' earnings almost tripled in the fourth quarter as investment banking revenues surged.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Braced for a fight, President Barack Obama on Wednesday unveiled the most sweeping proposals for curbing gun violence in two decades, pressing a reluctant Congress to pass universal background checks and bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly six in 10 Americans want stricter gun laws in the aftermath of last month's deadly school shooting in Connecticut, with majorities favoring a nationwide ban on military-style, rapid-fire weapons and limits on gun violence depicted in video games, movies and TV shows, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who oversaw a moratorium on offshore drilling after the BP oil spill and promoted alternative energy sources throughout the nation, will step down in March.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15
MIDSTATE
CLARKSVILLE (AP) — Hemlock Semiconductor is laying off three-fourths of its employees in Clarksville shortly before the planned start of production at its new $1.2 billion plant.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will be declaring a state of emergency and opening its emergency operations center on Tuesday as an ice storm was moving across the state with accumulations expected in West and Middle Tennessee.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam announced Tuesday that he wants to put Tennessee on a path toward boosting college graduation rates by 23 percentage points by the year 2025.
NASHVILLE (AP) — When former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush briefly veered off topic at an education forum in Nashville this week, he inadvertently took aim at what's expected to be among Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's legislative priorities this year.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Genesco Inc. said Tuesday that it expects its fiscal-year profit to come in at the lower half of its previously projected range, saying that a delay in federal tax refunds may prompt some customers to delay purchases.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Educators in science, technology, engineering and math are invited to attend a focus group on science standards.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Fiat, Chrysler and a Chinese automaker have signed an agreement to expand manufacturing in China and produce the Jeep for sale in that market.
The North American International Auto Show begins this week in Detroit with media and industry previews. It opens to the public Jan. 19.
General Motors is trying to take the Chevrolet Volt's electric technology upscale with a new Cadillac.
DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is lowering the price of its Leaf electric car to try to boost anemic sales.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices in November extended their steady recovery from the housing bust, rising 7.4 percent compared with a year ago. It was the biggest year-over-year increase in 6½ years.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies increased their stockpiles a steady pace in November from October, responding to a solid increase in sales.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending at retail businesses in December, buying more autos, furniture and clothing. Steady job growth and lower gas prices kept consumers shopping for the holidays, despite worries about potentially tax increases.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale prices fell for the third month in a row last month, pushed down by falling food and gas costs. The drop is the latest evidence inflation is tame.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged higher on Wall Street after a rally in retail stocks offset concerns about flaring tensions in Washington over increasing the country's borrowing limit.
Oil fell the most in three weeks as traders worried about another heated fiscal debate in Washington and slowing demand for gasoline.
NEW YORK (AP) — Why wait on Washington to fix the economy when there's Wal-Mart?
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a new search feature on Tuesday in the company's first staged event at its Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters since its May initial public offering.
LONDON (AP) — The United States could lose its top credit rating from a leading agency for the second time if there's a delay in raising the country's debt ceiling, Fitch Ratings warned Tuesday.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says House Republicans are making a mistake by using the issue of increasing the borrowing limit to challenge President Barack Obama on spending issues.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing powerful opposition to sweeping gun regulations, President Barack Obama is weighing 19 steps that could be taken through executive action alone, congressional officials said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House moved toward action Tuesday on a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that Northeast lawmakers hoped could be approved despite attempts by fiscal conservatives to eliminate unrelated projects and to gain offsetting spending cuts to cover the costs of the bill. Amendments offered by opponents of full funding set up a faceoff on the emergency spending package, with Northeast lawmakers in both parties eager to provide recovery aid for one of the worst storms ever to strike the region.
MONDAY, JANUARY 14
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam confirmed Monday that he will introduce his own proposal to create a school voucher program in Tennessee, though he declined to give a detailed preview of which parents would be eligible to use public money to send their children to private schools.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Farmers and ranchers from Farm Bureau chapters all over the country are in Nashville this week for the annual American Farm Bureau meeting.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Got an overdue library book, but anxious about the fines? The Nashville Public Library is currently forgiving overdue fines if patrons bring in food for the hungry.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen is getting into the midsize SUV market dominated by Ford and Jeep.
DETROIT (AP) — Toyota has once again dethroned General Motors as the world's top-selling automaker.
BERLIN (AP) — German automaker Volkswagen AG says its 2012 group sales hit a record high as growing demand around the world more than offset sluggish sales in Europe.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple held down the Standard & Poor's 500, pushing it further below the five-year high it reached last week, after the technology giant's stock sank following a report that demand for the iPhone 5 may be weaker than expected. The Dow Jones industrial average edged higher.
NEW YORK (AP) — The prospect of chilly temperatures in the Northeast gave the price of oil a boost Monday.
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Shares in package delivery company TNT Express NV were knocked as much as 50 percent lower Monday on news that United Parcel Service Inc. has ditched its €5.2 billion ($6.9 billion) takeover of the struggling Dutch company, citing objections from European regulators.
NEW YORK (AP) — Coca-Cola became one of the world's most powerful brands by equating its soft drinks with happiness. Now it's taking to the airwaves for the first time to address a growing cloud over the industry: obesity.
GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland's biggest watch maker, Swatch Group AG, will pay about $1 billion to acquire Canada's Harry Winston watch and jewelry brand, officials from both companies said Monday.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday that global sales of its Galaxy S smartphones surpassed 100 million units since the first model in the series was released less than three years ago.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is urging Congress to increase the debt ceiling, declaring "we're not a deadbeat nation." He insists he will not negotiate with Republicans over raising the government's borrowing authority and says there are no contingency plans to avoid congressional action.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Reiterating a threat he first issued in the summer of 2011, President Barack Obama on Monday warned Republicans that older Americans might not get their Social Security checks and veterans won't get timely benefits if Congress fails to increase the government's borrowing authority.
WASHINGTON (AP) — As Vice President Joe Biden finalizes a package of recommendations for the president to curb gun violence, the National Rifle Association predicted that Congress is likely to block any new laws that would ban assault weapons.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives and watchdog groups are mounting a "not-so-fast" campaign against a $50.7 billion Superstorm Sandy aid package that Northeastern governors and lawmakers hope to push through the House this coming week.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Steve Gill, a vocal opponent of efforts to create a state income tax and a two-time Republican congressional nominee, is giving up his radio show.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville has received a $2 million grant to provide one-on-one financial counseling to low-income residents.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner is calling for a special meeting to investigate the Department of Children's Services' refusal to release records related to the abuse and death of children under its care.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey on Thursday replaced the chairwoman of the powerful judiciary committee with a key ally, while some opponents of a proposal to allow wine sales in grocery stores lauded committee assignments in the lower chamber.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A new state law requiring the real-time tracking of pseudoephedrine purchases does not seem to have decreased methamphetamine production in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee's general fund revenue collections came in $25 million above expectations in December, bringing the total surplus through the first five months of the budget year to $84 million.
AUTO INDUSTRY
CANTON, Miss. (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. will assemble its Murano crossover vehicle at its Mississippi plant beginning in 2014.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit expanded in November to its widest point in seven months, driven by a surge in imports that outpaced only modest growth in exports.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing little changed on Wall Street as the Standard & Poor's 500 index eases just below a five-year high reached the day before.
Oil prices fell back to near $93 a barrel Friday following a rise in China's inflation that if sustained could limit measures to support growth.
NEW YORK (AP) — Wells Fargo, the country's biggest mortgage lender, reported a 25 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings Friday. The bank made more loans, set aside less money for potential defaults and enjoyed above-average returns from the investments made by its private equity business.
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Best Buy Co. jumped on Friday after the electronics chain showed signs of starting to reverse declining sales during the critical holiday selling season, a better-than-expected result.
BEIJING (AP) — Apple expects China to overtake the United States as its biggest market, CEO Tim Cook told a Chinese government news agency.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration is conducting a comprehensive review of the design, manufacture and assembly of the Boeing 787, but government officials declared the plane safe despite recent incidents including a fire and a fuel leak earlier this week.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Superman belongs to Warner Bros., according to the latest legal victory granting the film and television studio complete commercial control of the lucrative Superman franchise.
NEW YORK (AP) — At least gasoline should cost you less in 2013.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama nominated White House chief of staff Jack Lew to be secretary of the Treasury Thursday, declaring his complete trust in an aide with three decades of Washington experience in economic policy and a penchant for shunning the limelight.
NEW YORK (AP) — Lawmakers are making public emails that show that Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s CEO found out in 2005 that the retailer was handing out bribes in Mexico.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he is asking his department to begin taking steps to freeze civilian hiring, delay some contract awards and curtail some maintenance to prepare for drastic budget cuts if Congress can't reach an agreement on a final spending plan.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Thursday that the "door to the American dream must always remain open" as he announced a broad coalition of business, labor, faith organizations, law enforcement and ethnic groups intent on overhauling the nation's immigration system.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican opposition to Chuck Hagel as the next defense secretary swelled from inside and outside the Senate Thursday as a former Senate colleague launched a campaign to block his nomination.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pledging swift action to curb gun violence, Vice President Joe Biden said he would deliver new policy proposals to President Barack Obama by Tuesday.