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VOL. 40 | NO. 42 | Friday, October 14, 2016

The future takes flight over Middle Tennessee

MTSU program gives students head start on drone revolution

It’s a good 10 minutes before class is supposed to start, but most of the students are already there, gathered around work tables to craft small multi-rotor drones with wood framing and tiny parts that look a bit like Legos to an untrained eye.

Agriculture, public safety may gain most from UAVs

It might not be a surprise to learn that in Music City the entertainment industry has embraced drones in a big way. But an industry trade group points to agriculture and public safety as areas prime for drone adoption nationwide.

Careers in unmanned aircraft systems

Students have been able to take courses on unmanned aircraft systems at MTSU since spring 2014, with a full-fledged concentration in UAS available since 2015.

SAM STOCKARD: VIEW FROM THE HILL

Jane Doe’s outing gives new life to Durham scandal

Like sands through the hour glass, these are the days of our Legislature’s lives.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
44.1°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 10.4 mph
Humidity: 68%

EVENTS

Williamson County Young Professionals CONNECT. An after-hours networking opportunity. TITLE Boxing Club, 1550 W. McEwen Dr. Wednesday, 5-7 p.m. Information: williamsonchamber.com

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

After the gold rush: Midstate market slows

The long-awaited slowdown has finally appeared in the Greater Nashville residential real estate market.

REAL ESTATE

Top Middle Tennessee residential transactions for September 2016

Top residential real estate sales, September 2016, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Top lenders for September 2016

A look at Davidson County’s top lenders based on total number of all loans, commercial and residential. Only loans that have the actual Lender name listed on the trust deed filing are included.

Average US 30-year mortgage rate rises to 3.47 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week as the prospect of a year-end interest-rate increase by the Federal Reserve grew more likely.

DAVID CLIMER: OUT OF LEFT FIELD

As always, Vols’ season comes down to Bama

Halfway through a heart-stopping season, how strong is the pulse for the Cardiac Vols? Once-beaten and physically battered, what does Tennessee have left in the tank as it faces top-ranked Alabama and the lesser challenges that lie ahead?

DAVE LINK: UT SPORTS

Is this the year the Tide rolls out with a loss?

Tennessee defensive end LaTroy Lewis was raised in Akron, Ohio, and recalls a special Saturday of football each fall when he was a youth: Ohio State vs. Michigan.

TERRY McCORMICK: TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans, Lewan on same track to success, failure

Is it too simple to say: As goes Taylor Lewan, so go the Tennessee Titans? It’s obviously too broad a generalization, but Lewan’s ups and downs on the field and off do seem in many ways to mirror the Titans’ fortunes in recent years.

Browns at Titans: What to watch

Keep on running. The Titans showed against Miami how their “exotic smashmouth” system is supposed to work. The offensive line did a great job opening holes for DeMarco Murray, who has run for 114, 95 and 121 yards in the past three games. The Titans are second in the league in rushing offense, while the Browns are 20th in rushing yards allowed.

NEWSMAKERS

Rogers joins BlackLine Advisory Group

BlackLine Advisory Group, led by financial technology veterans Pat Moran, Howard Herndon and Joshua Rosenblatt, has added Courtney Rogers as advisor. Rogers has extensive experience in financial matters, including bonds, loans and distressed lending. She has worked as a corporate bankruptcy restructuring and litigation attorney for a New York City law firm, handled due diligence and litigation e-discovery matters, and served as a distressed debt and special situations analyst at a large international bank.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Ridgeline returns with new features, old favorites

After a more than two-year hiatus, Honda’s has brought its Ridgeline pickup truck back for 2017, and it’s bigger, more powerful and better looking than ever.

GUERRILLA MARKETING

Keep your marketing emails out of the trash folder

On a typical day, the average professional receives about 100 emails and, according to a recent study, that number is only expected to grow.

CAREER CORNER

Tell-tale signs the job you’re seeking might be a loser

As strange as I know it sounds, I think of looking for a job a little bit like dating.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Workplace sexism harder to ID, can be fought

Nobody just handed you your job. No, you had to strike fast and scratch up a decent resume that packed a wallop.

I SWEAR

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission

Twelve states have cities named Greenville: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas. Tennessee has Greeneville.

REAL ESTATE

Average US 30-year mortgage rises to 3.52 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week for a second straight week, reaching their highest levels since June.

US home sales rebounded in September despite tight supply

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans bought homes in September, many for the first time, despite a persistent shortage of properties for sale.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Nissan-Renault CEO Ghosn to chair troubled Mitsubishi Motors

TOKYO (AP) — Carlos Ghosn, who heads Japan's Nissan Motor and Renault of France, will become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors, working to restore faith in the troubled automaker after a devastating mileage scandal.

Tesla equipping cars to drive completely on their own

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tesla Motors is starting to build its electric cars with all the sensors, cameras and other gear needed to drive completely on their own when regulations allow the technology to take over that responsibility.

TECHNOLOGY

Amazon streaming TV devices won't be so Amazon-focused

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon's own video store will no longer have the starring role on the company's Fire TV streaming devices.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US claims for unemployment benefits rise by 13,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in five weeks but still remained close to the recent 43-year lows.

US stock indexes mixed in early trading; oil down

U.S. stocks were little changed in early trading Thursday as investors weighed disappointing quarterly results and forecasts from several big companies. Telecom stocks fell, while health care stocks mostly rose.

Luxury goods market hampered by terror threats, US election

MILAN (AP) — The terror threat in Europe, a strong dollar and uncertainty over the U.S. presidential elections have eroded the confidence of the globe's big-spenders, holding luxury purchases flat in 2016, according to a study released Thursday.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Allies struggle with Trump stance on election results

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Donald Trump's allies are struggling to defend his refusal at the final presidential debate to say he will honor the results of the November election should he lose, with condemnation arriving from both Republicans and Democrats alike.

AP FACT CHECK: Health insurance costs up, but not doubling

WASHINGTON (AP) — A claim from the final presidential debate and how it stacks up with the facts:

AP FACT CHECK: US manufacturing better than Trump portrays

WASHINGTON (AP) — A claim from the final presidential debate and how it stacks up with the facts:


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Garth Brooks joins Amazon's streaming service

NASHVILLE (AP) - A week after launching its paid streaming music service, Amazon announced a deal with one of streaming music's biggest holdouts: country superstar Garth Brooks.

STATEWIDE

High turnout, and some problems, on 1st day of early voting

NASHVILLE (AP) - High turnout was reported at several polling locations around Tennessee on Wednesday as the state's early voting period got underway.

REAL ESTATE

US home construction fell 9 percent in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homebuilders pulled back on construction for a second straight month in September, with a plunge in apartments offsetting gains in single-family homes. Building activity was weak in all parts of the country except the Midwest.

HEALTH CARE

Modest gain seen for Obama's last health care sign-up season

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing new challenges to a legacy law, the Obama administration on Wednesday set modest expectations for the president's final health care sign-up season. The biggest worry: rising premiums and dwindling choices.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Want a self-driving car? Regulators consider public use

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California regulators asked members of the public Wednesday what they think about proposed regulations that would — eventually — permit self-driving cars that lack a steering wheel or pedals on public roads.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US economy grows a bit faster in September, Fed says

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. economic growth picked up a bit as summer ended and fall began, supported by modest hiring, an uptick in consumer spending, and steady homebuilding, according to the Federal Reserve.

Stocks end modestly higher

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are ending modestly higher on Wall Street, led by energy companies as the price of crude oil climbs.

Regulators looking to strengthen banks' cyber defenses

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are looking to set up new standards for big banks' planning and testing for possible cyberattacks. The aim is to bolster the banking industry's defenses amid concern over periodic security breaches at U.S. banks.

NATIONAL POLITICS

WHY IT MATTERS: IRS

WASHINGTON (AP) — THE ISSUE: The Internal Revenue Service touches everyone, not just taxpayers but anyone who receives a government check, drives on roads made possible by tax revenue or sends a child to a school helped by Washington. It's a touch that can come with a heavy hand, in the eyes of critics who believe the agency's far-reaching powers are abused and the agency needs to be cut down to size.


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18
STATEWIDE

Tennessee tax revenues beat September projections by $108M

NASHVILLE (AP) - General fund tax collections have beaten projections by $108 million in September.

NASHVILLE AREA

Tennessee State University raising admissions standards

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee State University is planning to raise admissions standards for the next incoming class in an effort to draw higher-performing students who will have a greater likelihood to graduate.

REAL ESTATE

Survey: More first-timers than expected are now buying homes

WASHINGTON (AP) — First-time buyers may be entering the U.S. home market in greater numbers than industry watchers had assumed.

HEALTH CARE

UnitedHealth raises 2016 forecast, again

UnitedHealth Group has hiked its 2016 earnings forecast again after its profit swelled 23 percent to nearly $2 billion in the third quarter, helped by gains both in and outside its core insurance business.

AUTO INDUSTRY

'Played the fool': Several car owners slam VW emissions deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Several angry Volkswagen owners told a federal judge on Tuesday that a $10 billion settlement does not adequately compensate them for the automaker's emissions cheating scandal, part of a vocal minority who objected to the deal as hundreds of thousands of others signed up for payments.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stocks rebound on strong company earnings; oil rises

Surprisingly strong earnings from Netflix, UnitedHealth Group and other companies put investors in a buying mood Tuesday, driving U.S. stocks solidly higher.

US consumer prices rose in September on higher oil costs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Higher energy costs fueled U.S. consumer prices in September, but overall inflation remained in check as it has for the past several years.

$4 a month? Social Security recipients to get tiny increase

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Social Security recipients and federal retirees will get a 0.3 percent increase in monthly benefits next year, the fifth year in a row that older Americans will have to settle for historically low raises. The adjustment adds up to a monthly increase of less than $4 a month for an average recipient.


MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Garth, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw added to CMA Awards

NASHVILLE (AP) - The list of performances at the 50th annual Country Music Association Awards keeps growing.

Randy Travis stuns crowd, sings at Hall of Fame induction

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country singer Randy Travis found his distinctive voice three years after a life-threatening stroke and sang "Amazing Grace" during his induction Sunday into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Tesla says it hopes to work with Panasonic on solar energy

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. electric car maker Tesla says it plans to start working with Japanese electronics company Panasonic Corp. on solar energy.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stock indexes close modestly lower as energy prices fall

Major U.S. stock indexes closed modestly lower Monday, with some of the biggest declines coming in oil and gas companies as energy prices turned lower.

Macy's bucks trend, to open hour earlier on Thanksgiving Day

NEW YORK (AP) — Don't count on Thanksgiving reverting to its traditional status of feasting on turkey and giving thanks.

At booming Jim Beam, strikers complain of grueling workweeks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Striking Jim Beam workers kept picketing the world's largest bourbon producer on Monday, ahead of another round of talks that a union leader hopes will resolve their complaints about being overworked.

US factory production rebounded in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. manufacturers boosted output modestly last month, led by greater production of construction supplies, autos and petroleum products.

Bank of America's profits rise 6 percent, beats estimates

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America's third-quarter profits rose nearly 6 percent from a year earlier, helped by strong results in investment banking and trading, as well as lower expenses.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
HEALTH CARE

Medicare unveils far-reaching overhaul of doctors' pay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare on Friday unveiled a far-reaching overhaul of how it pays doctors and other clinicians. Compensation for medical professionals will start taking into account the quality of service — not just quantity.

STATEWIDE

Haslam's rejection of Trump roils Tennessee Republicans

NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam's public rejection of Donald Trump's presidential aspirations has sent shock waves through the Tennessee Republican party.

Haslam names astronaut to Tennessee Tech board

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam has named the new boards of Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Tech, completing his appointments to six four-year colleges that the Republican has spun out of the Tennessee Board of Regents system.

EDUCATION

Study: Minorities less likely to attend top public colleges

BOSTON (AP) — A new study of federal data finds that black and Latino students are far less likely to attend top public colleges — including schools in Tennessee — than their white and Asian peers.

TECHNOLOGY

Periscope extends beyond phones as Twitter ups ante on video

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter is taking the smartphone shackles off its live-video service Periscope in the struggling company's latest attempt to broaden its audience.

AUTO INDUSTRY

VW fix for some cheating diesels could be approved soon

DETROIT (AP) — Repairs that would fix about 15 percent of Volkswagen's cheating 2-liter diesel engines could be approved by regulators in the next few weeks.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stocks rise as banks rebound on strong earnings

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks gave up large gains and finished barely higher Friday. Banks and technology companies traded higher, while stocks that pay large dividends fell thanks to a jump in bond yields.

Yellen: Slow recovery confounds economists' expectations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Friday that the slow recovery from the Great Recession has surprised economists, confounding long-held beliefs about growth and inflation. Her remarks could help explain why the Fed has been reluctant to raise U.S. interest rates.

US retail sales rebounded 0.6 pct. in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. shoppers upped their spending in September, with sharp increases in sales at auto dealers, restaurants and gas stations.

US producer prices rose in September on energy, food costs

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. producer prices rose in September, as wholesale energy and food costs increased. But overall inflation appears to be limited, as has been the case for several years.

Samsung Note 7 recall to cost at least $5.3 billion

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics said Friday that the discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7 would cost the company about $3 billion during the current and next quarters, bringing the total cost of the recall to at least $5.3 billion.

Many Hurricane Matthew victims don't have flood insurance

POOLER, Ga. (AP) — Waist-deep floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew coursed down the street in Pooler and seeped under Lori Galemore's doors, swamping the carpets and furniture as she and her three sons retreated upstairs, where they stayed until firefighters arrived by boat.

Applications for US unemployment aid remain at 43-year low

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits stayed at a 43-year low last week in the latest sign that layoffs are scarce.

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