VOL. 37 | NO. 4 | Friday, January 25, 2013
She’s an incredibly sweet woman (pun intended), but The Cupcake Collection founder Mignon Francois is also a fighter.
LEGISLATIVE PROFILE
Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell today sits at the pinnacle of legislative power, overseeing a House Republican majority of better than 2-1.
REALTY CHECK
We’re not getting any younger, and no one knows that better than Steve Mathews.
NEWSMAKERS
The Nashville Bar Association has named Harlan Dodson, a partner and founder of the Nashville law firm Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella, PC, recipient of the John C. Tune Public Service Award.
BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW
Seventh Grade was a long time ago.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Despite their considerable marketing budgets and extensive teams, some of the world’s most well-known brands made significant marketing missteps in 2012. Learn from these epic fails to protect your brand.
SMART STUFF 4 WORK
For most of you, it’s about that time of the year again. It’s about the time that you have completely abandoned all those New Year’s resolutions you felt so strongly about a few weeks ago.
I SWEAR
Russell was screaming at the top of his lungs. Whisked quickly to a distant room, he continued his vocal displeasure. The wailing persisted through the first necessary task. It showed no sign of abatement.
KAY'S COOKING CORNER
I usually don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but not because I think I don’t need to change anything in my life, especially my eating habits.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal to allow supermarkets and convenience stores to stock wine would continue to limit sales of high-alcohol beer and fortified wines to liquor stores.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Nashville's top prosecutor says he is expecting a flood of appeals because a 2011 grand jury foreman was a felon.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The art of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters is going on display at Nashville's Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
AUTO INDUSTRY
TOKYO (AP) — Honda's quarterly profit surged nearly 63 percent as production recovered after disruptions from natural disasters, but the Japanese automaker slightly lowered its full-year profit forecast because of sales losses in China.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — General Motors has named the former head of Volkswagen's China business to head Opel, its unprofitable European arm.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rose this week to its highest level in four months but remains low by historical standards.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hostess has picked a lead bidder for its famous Twinkies. The bankrupt company said late Wednesday that it has selected a joint offer from two investment firms — C. Dean Metropoulos & Co. and Apollo Global Management LLC — as the lead bid for its Twinkies and other snack cakes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose sharply last week but remained at a level consistent with moderate hiring.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending in December at a slower pace, while their income grew by the largest amount in eight years. Income surged because companies rushed to pay dividends before income taxes increased on high-earners.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow drifted lower Thursday, but stayed on track for its best start to the year in more than two decades.
The price of oil fell near $97 a barrel Thursday as unemployment claims rose more than expected.
DALLAS (AP) — United Parcel Service Inc. says it was slowed down in the fourth quarter by weak global trade and a disappointing holiday-shopping season.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Thursday took up must-do legislation to permit the government to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars more to meet its obligations, putting off one Washington showdown even as others loom in coming weeks.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - The brewing industry wants Tennessee lawmakers to declare last call on the state's ballooning beer taxes.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Some Democratic lawmakers say they support a proposal by Gov. Bill Haslam that would place stricter enrollment requirements on online public schools established in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A coalition of Tennessee legal groups is launching a toll-free phone line offering free legal information for civil issues.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Al Gore, who takes aim in his new book at the corporate media for "suffocating the free flow of ideas," on Tuesday defended the sale of his television channel to Al-Jazeera.
AUTO INDUSTRY
MURFREESBORO (AP) - The Tennessee Technology Center in Murfreesboro would become a big player in automotive training if the legislature approves a proposal by Gov. Bill Haslam.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Pro-union workers said Tuesday that Nissan Motor Co. has threatened to close its Canton assembly plant if workers vote for the United Auto Workers to represent them, though the company denies such threats.
An Alfa Romeo sports car and a Jeep Grand Cherokee update are two of the splashier models Chrysler plans to roll out by 2015. The No. 3 U.S. automaker unveiled its list of upcoming cars and truck on Wednesday. Others include:
DETROIT (AP) — Just three years out of bankruptcy, Chrysler posted a $1.7 billion profit in 2012 and said it expects to earn more than $2 billion this year.
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is recalling 907,000 vehicles, mostly Corolla models, around the world for faulty air bags and another 385,000 Lexus IS luxury cars for defective wipers.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Time Inc., the magazine unit of Time Warner Inc., says it is cutting 6 percent of its global staff of 8,000, or about 500 people.
NEW YORK (AP) — A new generation of more versatile BlackBerry smartphones is finally about to hit the market after excruciating delays allowed mobile devices made by Apple, Samsung and others to build commanding leads in a market that is redefining society.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economy "paused" in recent months because of temporary factors and reaffirmed its commitment to try to stimulate growth by keeping borrowing cheap for the foreseeable future.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A private survey shows U.S. businesses increased hiring in January compared with a revised December reading.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A government watchdog says U.S. taxpayers stand to lose $27 billion from the 2008 financial bailout, up from an estimate of $22 billion made in the fall.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed lower after a report that showed the U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, putting the brakes on a January rally that has pushed stocks toward record levels.
Oil prices rose to near $98 a barrel on Wednesday ahead of the release of more U.S. economic indicators and the conclusion of a meeting of U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers.
Boeing says its top priority this year is to fix the battery problems that grounded its 787.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Driven by frustration over deficits and debt, Republican conservatives are pushing a politically risky move to permit painfully large automatic spending cuts to strike the Pentagon and domestic programs alike in an effort to force Democrats into making concessions on the budget.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen says small businesses suffer an unfairly high tax rate because they don't have powerful lobbyists to fight for loopholes.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — The secretary of state's office is warning businesses about letters asking for money to file their annual reports.
FRANKLIN (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam told participants in a school safety summit on Tuesday that the state is committed to doing what it can to provide better security at Tennessee schools.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday presented a $32.7 billion annual spending plan to lawmakers that includes a staffing shake-up at the troubled Department of Children's Services, a heavy investment in construction projects around the state and a large deposit into the state's cash savings fund.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford earned $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter as sales rose in every region outside Europe.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
SEATTLE (AP) — Amazon.com says its fourth-quarter net income fell 45 percent, as higher revenue failed to keep pace with increased spending on order fulfillment and digital content.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday approved an agreement for BP PLC to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay a record $4 billion in criminal penalties for the company's role in the 2010 rig explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence plunged in January to its lowest level in more than a year, reflecting higher Social Security taxes that left Americans with less take-home pay.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices accelerated in November compared with a year ago, pushed higher by rising sales and a tighter supply of available homes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Pfizer helped keep the stock market rally alive Tuesday. The drugmaker's stock gained after posting strong earnings, pushing the Dow closer to 14,000.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil climbed above $97 a barrel Tuesday for the first time in four months, and analysts said it could go higher if upcoming reports on jobs and U.S. economic growth are positive.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft's retooled version of its Office software is hitting the market as the company tries to extend one of its key franchises beyond personal computers.
WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Federal Reserve meets this week, it's likely to affirm a message it intends to help lift the economy: that consumers and businesses will be able to borrow cheaply well into the future — even after unemployment has dropped sharply.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said he'll sign a $50.5 billion emergency relief measure for Superstorm Sandy victims as soon as it lands on his desk.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jobless Americans are paying millions in unnecessary fees to collect unemployment benefits because of state policies encouraging them to get the money through bank-issued payment cards, according to a new report from a consumer group.
MONDAY, JANUARY 28
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee prosecutors are pushing for changes to the law that they say will aid the prosecution of serial child sexual abusers.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam is preparing to deliver his annual budget proposal to Tennessee lawmakers on Monday evening.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Skeptics of a proposal to allow wine to be sold in Tennessee supermarkets and convenience stores say any change in current law should be deferred for several years to give liquor store owners time to adjust to the new competition.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said his annual State of the State address on Monday won't include a decision on whether Tennessee should expand eligibility to Medicaid.
NASHVILLE (AP) - State auditors say they have serious concerns about oversight of the state film incentives programs.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Transportation says more than 35,000 people have downloaded the department's SmartWay Mobile App. The application was launched in late December and is available for both Apple and Android devices.
NASHVILLE (AP) — People who got state unemployment benefits last year can access online the forms they need for income tax purposes.
MIDSTATE
FRANKLIN (AP) — An alderman in Franklin wants to loosen city restrictions so people could carry guns into City Hall and other municipal buildings.
LEBANON (AP) — Cracker Barrel plans to begin selling its some of its products in grocery stores.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is joining with Daimler and Renault-Nissan to speed development of cars that run on hydrogen, with hopes of bringing a vehicle to market in as little as four years.
TOKYO (AP) — Now it's official: Toyota is once again the world's top automaker.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
U.S. stocks meandered between small gains and losses Monday, cooling off after a rally that had pushed the Standard & Poor's 500 index above 1,500 for the first time since December 2007. Encouraging news about manufacturing provided an early boost, but stocks fell later after a report on the pace of home sales fell short of expectations.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose Monday after a strong durable goods report in the U.S.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hostess has picked the maker of Little Debbie as the lead bidder to buy its Drake's cakes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Barnes & Noble plans to continue to shrink its store base.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell last month after reaching a 2 ½-year high in November. Sales were held back by a limited supply of available homes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Economists are increasingly, but still cautiously, optimistic about growth in the year ahead with the hiring expected to pick up in coming months.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. demand for long-lasting manufactured goods rose sharply in December, helped by a strong gain in volatile aircraft orders. But companies slowed orders for computers and other goods that signal investment plans, indicating manufacturing will stay weak in 2013.
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple has released a software update for iPhones and iPads that speeds up data downloads on some major overseas telecom networks and a handful of small U.S. carriers.
TORONTO (AP) — The maker of the BlackBerry smartphone is promising a speedy browser, a superb typing experience and the ability to keep work and personal identities separate on the same phone, the fruit of a crucial, long-overdue makeover for the Canadian company.
NEW YORK (AP) — J.C. Penney is bringing back sales.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Caterpillar's fourth-quarter profit was cut in half by a deal in China that went bad and by slower growth around most of the world. It said results for this year depend on how the global economy behaves in the second half.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of leading senators has reached agreement on the principles for a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, including a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — A Memphis state representative is proposing a change in the so-called parent trigger education law that would give the state final approval.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Freshman state Rep. Jeremy Durham has filed a House bill seeking to block Tennessee from expanding Medicaid under the federal health care overhaul.
STATEWIDE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pinnacle Airlines plans to move its headquarters and a few hundred jobs to Minneapolis from Memphis, Tenn.
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that family and legal advocates for a man convicted of killing seven people in a series of robberies in Nashville and Clarksville in 1997 cannot continue to appeal his convictions against his wishes.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Exxon has once again surpassed Apple as the world's most valuable company after the iPhone and iPad maker saw its stock price falter.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new U.S. homes cooled off in December compared with November, but sales for the entire year were the best since 2009.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Standard & Poor's 500 index closed above 1,500 on Friday for the first time since the start of the Great Recession in 2007, lifted by strong earnings from Procter & Gamble and Starbucks.
The price of oil edged above $96 per barrel Friday despite ample stockpiles of crude amid signs of growth in the world's two largest economies.
WASHINGTON (AP) — They seem right out of a Hollywood fantasy, and they are: Cars that drive themselves have appeared in movies like "I, Robot" and the television show "Knight Rider."
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Is the euro crisis over? A leading U.S. economist says not by a long shot.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix's rollercoaster ride on Wall Street surged to new heights Thursday.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday nominated Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney who built a reputation prosecuting white-collar criminals, terrorists and mobsters, to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency has a lead role in implementing changes on Wall Street.
NATIONAL POLITICS
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Hurricanes, floods, droughts and a newly climate-conscious Barack Obama are helping boost efforts around the world to fight climate change.
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron wants nothing to do with a United States of Europe, an idea that's gaining currency as the countries that use the euro struggle to fix their debt crisis.