» Subscribe Today!
The Power of Information
Home
The Ledger - EST. 1978 - Nashville Edition
X
Skip Navigation LinksHome
VOL. 45 | NO. 43 | Friday, October 22, 2021

Will vaccine hesitancy extend to little arms?

Medical experts weigh in as trials seek to soothe concerned parents

Nashville dad Pierce Sandwith jumped at the chance to have his 2-year-old daughter vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of a clinical trial at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

White House details plans to vaccinate 28M children age 5-11

WASHINGTON (AP) — Children ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to get a COVID-19 shot at their pediatrician's office, local pharmacy and potentially even their school, the White House said Wednesday as it detailed plans for the expected authorization of the Pfizer shot for elementary school youngsters in a matter of weeks.

Former Westview newspaper owner Underwood-Miles dies

Evelyn Underwood-Miles, who owned the Westview newspaper before it was sold and rebranded as the Nashville Ledger, has died at age 94

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Militant Moonies might not be the ideal new neighbor

The welcome mat has long been out in Nashville and Tennessee, with predictable results: Businesses and new residents have been pouring in like bees to honey.

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

EVENTS

Inbound Marketing Secrets. In a free webinar, Horton will share the latest inbound marketing strategies in SEO, Google Ads, content creation, social media and more. Attendees will develop a better understanding of inbound marketing options and best practices. Registration required and Zoom access information will be sent upon registering. Thursday, 2-3 p.m. Information

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

‘Go away’ isn’t a viable strategy for handling influx

There are those who are irritated by the growth the Nashville area is experiencing, and their concerns are well-founded. Some of the accusations flowing are somewhat scathing. Is it greed that drives Realtors to sell real estate to those employees of firms moving to town?

REAL ESTATE

Justice Department to expand redlining investigation efforts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department announced Friday a cross-government effort to investigate and prosecute redlining, the practice of banks discriminating against racial minorities or certain neighborhoods. It is the first major expansion of redlining investigations since the Obama administration.

Top Davidson County commercial sales for September 2021

Top commercial real estate sales, September 2021, for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Johnson might finally get his chance to shine

With A.J. Brown and Julio Jones as the focal points of the Titans passing game – they combined for 10 catches, 150 yards in Monday night’s 43-31 win against the Bills – it’s easy for other receivers to get lost in the shuffle.

Center Jones continues to set bar for toughness on offensive line

The Titans offensive line has had its share of problems this year, and it didn’t get any better when Taylor Lewan was carted off the field Monday night with an apparent concussion.

Chiefs at Titans: What to watch

The Titans are in the midst of a tough stretch of games, first with the Buffalo win and then the Kansas City Chiefs on a short week. The Chiefs, despite a 3-3 record, are a tough out and a top contender.

UT SPORTS

Vols face 2 familiar foes in visit to No. 4 Crimson Tide

Tennessee senior offensive lineman Jerome Carvin doesn’t need to watch extra tape this week to get a scouting report on Alabama’s leading tackler.

NEWSMAKERS

Bradley’s Trent named to mortgage attorney board

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Tom Trent, a partner in the firm’s Nashville office, has been recognized for the second consecutive year with a 2021 Client Choice Award presented by Lexology. He also has been elected to a second term on the board of regents of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.

BRIEFS

Nashville law firms announce merger

MTR Family Law, PLLC, is merging with Gullett, Sanford, Robinson & Martin, PLLC, and establishing the new Family Law Practice Group of GSRM, effective Jan. 1.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

The five to drive in 2022 that are worth the wait

There are a number of new models on the horizon that promise big improvements. Buyers might find that holding out until they arrive nets them a forward-looking vehicle that leaves today’s models in the dust. Here are five of them coming out in the next three to six months that Edmunds’ experts believe will be worth the wait.

PERSONAL FINANCE

How the toy shortage could affect your holidays

Many popular toys could sell out long before the holidays, thanks to ongoing pandemic-related disruptions. This could be a disaster – or a great opportunity to reshape how we celebrate.

CAREER CORNER

The next generation of workers

It’s hard to overstate how happy I’ve been that our workforce is more remote now than ever before. Working from home opens options for many people. People are no longer confined to the job market in their town. They can live anywhere. And, they don’t have to commute or go into an open office.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Underwood, Aldean, Combs to play CMA stage

NASHVILLE (AP) — The CMA Awards will be a night of all-star collaborations between Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean, Kane Brown and Chris Young, and Mickey Guyton with Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards.

PREDATORS

Saros makes 28 saves as Predators down Sharks 3-1

NASHVILLE (AP) — Juuse Saros made 28 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

STATEWIDE

Shelby drops mask mandate for indoor spaces, but not schools

MEMPHIS (AP) — Tennessee's most populous county lifted a mask requirement for indoor public spaces on Wednesday amid a drop in COVID-19 cases, but face coverings were still required inside schools.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee lawmakers open special session focused on COVID

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's General Assembly on Wednesday will once again meet for a special legislative session this year, with the latest round dedicated to addressing COVID-19 measures after Republican Gov. Bill Lee declined to do so.

COURTS

She asked to bring oxygen to work -- they fired her instead

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A woman who was fired after asking to bring an oxygen tank to work to help her breathe will get $25,000 in a federal settlement.

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM 3Q profit falls 40% to $2.4B as chip shortage dings sales

DETROIT (AP) — High prices for trucks and SUVs helped General Motors post a $2.4 billion third-quarter profit, but the income was 40% lower than a year ago due to short supplies of new vehicles because of a global computer chip shortage.

Defense says American charged in Nissan pay case not involved

TOKYO (AP) — The defense for former Nissan executive Greg Kelly said Wednesday there was no evidence or motives linking him to alleged under-reporting of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosn's compensation.

TECHNOLOGY

Washington orders Chinese phone carrier out of US market

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. regulators are expelling a unit of China Telecom Ltd., one of the country's three major state-owned carriers, from the American market as a national security threat amid rising tension with Beijing.

MEDIA

Trump could get big 'bonus' shares in new social media firm

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's social media company will get tens of millions in special bonus shares in a new publicly traded entity if it performs well, handing the former president possibly billions of dollars in paper wealth based on current stock prices, according to a filing with security regulators Tuesday.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

FDA panel backs Pfizer's low-dose COVID-19 vaccine for kids

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. moved a step closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations for millions more children as government advisers on Tuesday endorsed kid-size doses of Pfizer's shots for 5- to 11-year-olds.

Merck agrees to let other drug makers make its COVID pill

LONDON (AP) — Pharmaceutical company Merck agreed to allow other drug makers worldwide to produce its COVID-19 pill, in a move aimed at helping millions of people in poorer countries get access to the potentially life-saving drug, a United Nations-backed public health organization said on Wednesday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks end lower on Wall Street, easing back from records

Stocks faded in the last hour of trading and ended mostly lower Wednesday, a day after the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average set their latest record highs.

Exacerbated by pandemic, child care crisis hampers economy

SEATTLE (AP) — After Bryan Kang's son was born in July, the occupational therapist and his wife, a teacher, started looking for child care in the Los Angeles area. The couple called eight day care centers: Some didn't have spots for months; others stopped taking their calls and some never answered at all.

Retail trade group: holiday sales could break new records

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, expects that holiday sales gain could shatter last year's record-breaking season even as a snarled global supply chain slows the flow of goods and results in higher prices for a broad range of items.

"Buy it when you see it." Retailers dread holiday shortages

NEW YORK (AP) — The Perfect Pigg, a gift shop owned by Ginger Pigg, is the go-to place for residents of Cumming, Georgia, to pick up gift items like kids toys and home goods.

Microsoft profit up 24% in quarter, driven by cloud growth

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Growth in Microsoft's cloud computing business helped push its profit up 24% in the July-September quarter over the same time last year.

Google ads gain fuels profit for parent company Alphabet

A continued rebound in digital ad spending at Google drove its parent company's profit up 68% in the third quarter.

McDonald's sales surged 14% as virus restrictions eased

Higher menu prices aren't yet denting demand for McDonald's, which reported stronger-than-expected sales in the third quarter.

Concerts return, dining rooms open and Coke sales rebound

Coca-Cola Co. is getting its fizz back.

Deutsche Bank makes profit as recovery reduces bad loans

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Deutsche Bank saw its net profit increase 6%, to 329 million euros ($381 million), in the third quarter despite a sharp increase in restructuring costs. The bottom line at Germany's largest bank benefited from fewer loans going bad as the economy rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic and credit support from governments and the European Central Bank.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Garland defends school board memo amid Republican criticism

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a memo aimed at combating threats against school officials nationwide while Republicans insisted he rescind the directive. He signaled he had no plans to do so despite their criticism.

US-China tensions evident as Biden heads to twin summits

WASHINGTON (AP) — For nine months under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has pursued a diplomatic strategy that could be characterized as about China, without China.

Pelosi upbeat on Biden deal but Manchin pans billionaire tax

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told colleagues Wednesday that Democrats are in "pretty good shape" on President Joe Biden's sweeping domestic plan, but fresh problems emerged as a pivotal Democrat panned a new billionaires' tax to help pay for the $1.75 trillion package.

Half its original size, Biden's big plan in race to finish

WASHINGTON (AP) — Half its original size, President Joe Biden's big domestic policy plan is being pulled apart and reconfigured as Democrats edge closer to satisfying their most reluctant colleagues and finishing what's now about a $1.75 trillion package.

Many progressives grudgingly accepting smaller economic bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many progressives have started lining up behind an emerging social and environment bill that's neither as big nor bold as they wanted, constrained by an outnumbered but potent band of party moderates who've commanded disproportionate clout and curbed the measure's ambition.

Italy hosts a climate-focused G20 as geopolitics shift

ROME (AP) — The leaders of Russia and China aren't coming. Turkey nearly set off a diplomatic incident on the eve of the meeting. And the United States, Australia and France will be at the same table for the first time since Washington pulled the rug out from under Paris' $66 billion submarine deal Down Under.


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Sonny Osborne, bluegrass banjoist behind 'Rocky Top,' dies

NASHVILLE (AP) — Bluegrass musician and singer Sonny Osborne, whose fast banjo licks turned "Rocky Top" into a hit with The Osborne Brothers, has died. He was 84.

STATE GOVERNMENT

DAs to school boards, Tennessee COVID session takes wide aim

NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are gearing up to take a broad swipe at officials who have had a role in maintaining COVID-19 pandemic protections, from school boards that passed mask mandates to a prosecutor who has pledged not to enforce the governor's order letting parents exempt their students from classroom mask wearing.

Emails reveal dismay, anger over vaccine chief's firing

NASHVILLE (AP) — The firing of Tennessee's former vaccination director caught the state's top health leaders off guard and sent them scrambling for answers as the health commissioner fumed over the praise coworkers heaped on the ousted employee, documents show.

COURTS

150 people arrested in US-Europe darknet drug probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement officials in the U.S. and Europe have arrested 150 people and seized more than $31 million in an international drug trafficking investigation stemming from sales on the darknet, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

REAL ESTATE

New home sales jumped 14% in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new homes jumped 14% in September to the fastest pace in six months as strong demand helped offset rising prices.

US home prices surged in August at near-record pace

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices jumped in August by a near-record amount from a year earlier, as Americans eager to buy a home drove up prices on a dwindling number of properties.

ENVIRONMENT

Poll: Majority in US concerned about climate

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden heads to a vital U.N. climate summit at a time when a majority of Americans regard the deteriorating climate as a problem of high importance to them, an increase from just a few years ago.

MEDIA

Senators put YouTube, TikTok, Snap on defensive on kids' use

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators put executives from YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat on the defensive Tuesday, questioning them about what they're doing to ensure young users' safety on their platforms.

Facebook froze as anti-vaccine comments swarmed users

WASHINGTON (AP) — In March, as claims about the dangers and ineffectiveness of coronavirus vaccines spun across social media and undermined attempts to stop the spread of the virus, some Facebook employees thought they had found a way to help.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Meatpacker Tyson: Mandate led 96% of workers to get vaccine

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Meatpacking giant Tyson Foods says more than 96% of its workers have been vaccinated ahead of the company's Nov. 1 deadline for them to do so.

FDA advisers review Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kid-size doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine may be getting closer as government advisers on Tuesday began deliberating whether there's enough evidence that the shots are safe and effective for 5- to 11-year-olds.

CDC extends cruise line health rules until mid-January

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials on Monday extended for nearly three more months its rules that cruise ships must follow to sail during the pandemic.

COVID cases falling, but trouble signs arise as winter looms

Tumbling COVID-19 case counts have some schools around the U.S. considering relaxing their mask rules, but deaths nationally have been ticking up over the past few weeks, some rural hospitals are showing signs of strain, and cold weather is setting in.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Solid earnings drive US stocks further into record heights

Stocks held on to modest gains on Wall Street Tuesday, pushing the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average further into record heights.

US consumer confidence rebounds in October after 3 declines

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence rose in October after three straight declines as the public's anxiety about the delta variant of the coronavirus appear to have abated.

Ports of LA, Long Beach to fine firms over container backlog

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In an effort to ease congestion at the nation's busiest port complex, officials said Monday that they will start fining shipping companies whose cargo containers linger for too long at marine terminals.

Higher shipping rates help UPS as Q3 results top Street

ATLANTA (AP) — UPS' third-quarter results beat analysts' expectations, as consumers are paying higher rates to have the package delivery company fulfill their shipping needs.

EU ministers debate how to tackle rising energy costs

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union ministers met Tuesday for emergency talks focusing on energy amid deep divergences between the 27 member countries on how to tackle a crunch that has seen consumers' bills skyrocket this year.

Treasury Department names first counselor for racial equity

NEW YORK (AP) — The Treasury Department has hired a former JPMorgan Chase executive to head a new government program aimed at combatting racial inequality issues in banking and other financial-services industries.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Billionaire tax runs into criticism; big Biden plan in flux

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats' idea for a new billionaires' tax  to help pay for President Joe Biden's social services and climate change plan has quickly run into criticism as too cumbersome, but party leaders insisted on Tuesday that a deal on Biden's big agenda was still within reach.

EXPLAINER: What's a 'wealth tax' and how would it work?

To help pay for his big economic and social agenda, President Joe Biden is looking to go where the big money is: billionaires.

White House eyes new climate change strategies in Biden bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is zeroing in on a package of clean energy strategies for President Joe Biden's big domestic policy bill  that officials believe could reach similar greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as an initial proposal that was quashed by opposition from a centrist Democrat.

Biden to announce $100 million spending at ASEAN summit

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday will announce a $100 million initiative meant to beef up the U.S. relationship with the organization of Southeast Asian nations, according to the White House.


MONDAY, OCTOBER 25
STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee senator indicted on campaign cash scheme charges

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee state senator and a Nashville social club owner were indicted on charges that they violated campaign finance laws by illegally concealing the transfer of $91,000 during the Republican lawmaker's 2016 failed congressional campaign, federal investigators announced Monday.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans look like AFC contender off wins over Bills, Chiefs

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are on quite a roll winning, three straight and five of their last six. Beating Buffalo and thumping the two-time defending AFC champ Kansas City could be a big ego boost.

Titans start fast, simply dominate Mahomes, Chiefs 27-3

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans wanted to start games faster and score more points early.

PREDATORS

Josi's 4-point game fuels Predators 5-2 victory over Wild

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Roman Josi had a four-point game, Connor Ingram won his first NHL start, and the Nashville Predators beat Minnesota 5-2 Sunday night, snapping the Wild's season-opening four-game win streak.

MIDSTATE

Deadline Monday to apply for FEMA aid after floods

NASHVILLE (AP) — The deadline is approaching for people impacted by deadly, destructive flooding in Tennessee to apply for federal aid.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Hertz order for 100,000 Teslas ranks among biggest-ever EV purchases

DETROIT (AP) — Hertz announced Monday that it will buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla, one of the largest purchases of battery-powered cars in history and the latest evidence of the nation's increasing commitment to EV technology.

NTSB chair wants Tesla to limit where Autopilot can operate

DETROIT (AP) — The head of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is calling on Tesla to act on recommendations to limit where its Autopilot driver-assist system can operate and to put a system in place to make sure drivers are paying attention.

Toyota testing hydrogen combustion engines in race cars

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota said Monday it is testing hydrogen combustion engines in race cars as it works toward using the technology in commercial products.

Average US price of gas spikes 13 cents per gallon to $3.44

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline spiked 13 cents over the past two weeks, to $3.44 per gallon.

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft: Russian-backed hackers targeting cloud services

NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft says the same Russia-backed hackers responsible for the 2020 SolarWinds breach continue to attack the global technology supply chain and have been relentlessly targeting cloud service companies and others since summer.

MEDIA

People or profit? Facebook papers show deep conflict within

Facebook the company is losing control of Facebook the product — not to mention the last shreds of its carefully crafted, decade-old image as a benevolent company just wanting to connect the world.

Apple once threatened Facebook ban over Mideast maid abuse

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two years ago, Apple threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from its app store over concerns about the platform being used as a tool to trade and sell maids in the Mideast.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

US details new international COVID-19 travel requirements

WASHINGTON (AP) — Children under 18 and people from dozens of countries with a shortage of vaccines will be exempt from new rules that will require most travelers to the United States be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Biden administration announced Monday.

Moderna says its low-dose COVID shot works for kids 6 to 11

Moderna said Monday that a low dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears to work in 6- to 11-year-olds, as the manufacturer moves toward expanding shots to children.

Merck asks EU regulator to authorize pill that treats COVID

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The pharmaceutical company Merck says it has asked the European Medicines Agency to authorize its COVID-19 antiviral treatment, the first pill that has been shown to treat the disease.

Russia marks another record number of daily COVID-19 cases

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia reported another daily record of confirmed coronavirus cases Monday as a surge in infections has prompted the Kremlin to tell most people to stay away from work starting later this week.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street sets more records as earnings season gears up

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street ticked further into record heights on Monday, as a better-than-expected profit reporting season gets into higher gear.

Group asks NLRB to OK union vote at Amazon's NY warehouse

NEW YORK (AP) — Union organizers at an Amazon distribution center in New York formally asked federal labor officials on Monday to authorize a vote that could establish the first union at the nation's largest online retailer.

Business economists less optimistic about next year's growth

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's business economists are slightly less optimistic about growth prospects over the next year, noting a number of threats ranging from higher-than-expected inflation to lingering disruptions from COVID-19 and snarled supply chains.

Supply chain woes throw sand in the gears of German economy

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A closely watched survey of German business optimism sagged for the fourth month in a row, underlining concern about the impact on Europe's largest economy from sharply higher energy prices and stubborn bottlenecks in supplies of raw materials and parts.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Billionaire tax takes shape as Biden pushes for budget deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are working frantically to shore up the revenue side of President Joe Biden's domestic package, poised to unveil a new billionaires' tax  to help pay for his social services and climate change plan after earlier tax plans fizzled.

Sluggish pace of confirmations vexes Biden White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's willingness to confirm a president's nominees took a downward turn during Donald Trump's first year in office. And it has only gotten worse for President Joe Biden.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22
TENNESSEE TITANS

Knack for finishing games not showing up early for Titans

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have a great knack for finishing games. Moving the ball after the opening kickoff is their big problem.

Lewan out vs. Chiefs, Jones questionable

NASHVILLE (AP) — Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan will not play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday as he recovers from a concussion.

PREDATORS

Rangers beat Predators 3-1 on Lafrenière's third-period goal

NASHVILLE (AP) — Alexis Lafrenière scored with 9:07 remaining in the third period to lift the New York Rangers over the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Thursday night.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee plans 8 town halls on education funding formula

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee will hold eight town hall hearings as officials review the state's K-12 education funding formula.

REGION

Bourbon maker reaches tentative deal with striking workers

Heaven Hill, one of the world's largest bourbon producers, announced a tentative contract deal Friday with a union representing striking workers, just days after signaling it intended to start hiring permanent replacement employees for bottling and warehouse operations in Kentucky.

COURTS

Supreme Court doesn't block Texas abortion law, sets hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing the Texas law that bans most abortions to remain in place, but has agreed to hear arguments in the case in early November.

EDUCATION

University of Tennessee expands scholarship eligibility

KNOXVILLE (AP) — The University of Tennessee system has increased the amount a family can earn and still have a student qualify for a UT Promise scholarship, the system announced Thursday.

AUTO INDUSTRY

On Nov. 1, no GM plants will be closed due to chip shortage

DETROIT (AP) — For the first time in eight months, the global shortage of computer chips won't force General Motors to close any North American factories.

Lyft report: Sexual assaults rose sharply in recent years

Lyft received an increasing number of reports of sexual assault in recent years, including more than 1,800 in 2019, according to a safety report from the ride-hailing company.

Nissan ex-chair Ghosn set on restoring reputation

TOKYO (AP) — Carlos Ghosn, the former auto industry superstar whose career screeched to a halt with his arrest three years ago, isn't about to settle into quiet retirement.

TECHNOLOGY

US intel warns China could dominate advanced technologies

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials are issuing new warnings about China's ambitions in artificial intelligence and a range of advanced technologies that could eventually give Beijing a decisive military edge and possible dominance over health care and other essential sectors in America.

ENVIRONMENT

Study says tech firms underreport their carbon footprint

BERLIN (AP) — Large technology companies such as SAP, IBM and Google are underreporting their greenhouse gas emissions at a time of heightened scrutiny over the role of corporations in driving climate change, a study released Friday claimed.

NASA launches tool that measures Western water loss

DENVER (AP) — NASA on Thursday launched an online platform with information on how much water evaporates into the atmosphere from plants, soils and other surfaces in the U.S. West, data it says could help water managers, farmers and state officials better manage resources in the parched region.

US regulators endorse efforts to address climate risks

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. financial regulators on Thursday approved a series of steps toward addressing the dangers that climate change poses to the nation's financial system.

Japan OKs plan to push clean energy, nuclear to cut carbon

TOKYO (AP) — Japan adopted a new energy policy on Friday that promotes nuclear and renewables as sources of clean energy to achieve the country's pledge of reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

EXPLAINER: Is it time to get a COVID-19 booster? Which one?

Millions more Americans just became eligible for COVID-19 boosters, but figuring out who's eligible and when can be confusing. And adding to the challenge is that this time around, people can choose a different brand of vaccine for that extra dose.

COVID vaccine: CDC expands booster rollout, OKs mixing shots

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions more Americans can get a COVID-19 booster and choose a different company's vaccine for that next shot, federal health officials said Thursday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Powell says inflation risks rising, but Fed can be 'patient'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that the tangled supply chains and shortages that have bedeviled the U.S. economy since this summer have gotten worse and will likely keep inflation elevated well into next year.

Stocks end mixed on Wall Street, still notch weekly gains

Stocks ended up with a mixed finish on Wall Street Friday after another choppy day of trading, but major indexes still marked their third weekly gains in a row.

Where are the workers? Cutoff of jobless aid spurs no influx

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Earlier this year, an insistent cry arose from business leaders and Republican governors: Cut off a $300-a-week federal supplement for unemployed Americans. Many people, they argued, would then come off the sidelines and take the millions of jobs that employers were desperate to fill.

US budget deficit hits $2.77 trillion in 2021, 2nd highest

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. budget deficit totaled $2.77 trillion for 2021, the second highest on record but an improvement from the all-time high of $3.13 trillion reached in 2020. The deficits in both years reflect trillions of dollars in government spending to counteract the devastating effects of a global pandemic.

American Express profits jump, as travel, dining normalizes

NEW YORK (AP) — American Express saw its profits surge last quarter by 70%, the company said Friday, as Americans and companies pulled out their cards to start traveling, dining out and entertaining as they had done before the pandemic.

Report: Struggling Chinese developer makes bond payment

BEIJING (AP) — A troubled Chinese developer whose struggle to avoid a multibillion-dollar debt default has rattled global financial markets wired $83.5 million on Friday to make an overdue payment to foreign bondholders, a government newspaper reported.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

White House: Biden to outline filibuster changes in 'weeks'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Friday that President Joe Biden would speak in the coming weeks about moving to "fundamentally alter" the filibuster or even eliminate the legislative roadblock that empowers the Senate minority as he aims to pass sweeping voting laws and secure the nation's credit.

Biden, top Dems strategize; Pelosi says deal 'very possible'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Congress' top two Democrats labored to wrap up their giant domestic legislation Friday as the party continued scaling back the measure and determining ways to pay for it ahead of new deadlines.

What's in, and what's out: Democrats reshape Biden bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of talks, Democrats are edging closer to an agreement on what programs and policies to include in President Joe Biden's massive plan to expand health and safety net programs and combat global warming.

House votes to hold Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to hold Steve Bannon, a longtime ally and aide to former President Donald Trump, in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

AP FACT CHECK: Biden overstates his record on COVID vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden botched the numbers behind the COVID-19 vaccine rollout Thursday as he stretched to take all the credit for the surge of shots once he was in office.


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Pippen expects Vandy to compete, 'didn't come back to lose'

NASHVILLE (AP) — Scotty Pippen Jr. has returned to Vanderbilt and the high-scoring guard expects things to be different. He believes Vanderbilt can be an NCAA Tournament team.

Vandy hosts Mississippi State trying to end 16-game SEC skid

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores are back home with the chance to show much they've learned from a missed opportunity.

NASHVILLE SC

Mukhtar, Willis help Nashville tie 1-1 with Crew

NASHVILLE (AP) — Hany Mukhtar scored in the 77th minute, Joe Willis had five saves and Nashville SC tied the Columbus Crew 1-1 on Wednesday night.

NASHVILLE AREA

Former HCA CEO, wife donate $10M to Belmont medical school

NASHVILLE (AP) — The former HCA Healthcare CEO who is currently Belmont University's board chairman and his wife have donated $10 million to the Nashville institution's new medical school.

Nashville to regulate rowdy party bus industry

NASHVILLE (AP) — Metro Council has approved implementing new regulations for the city's numerous entertainment vehicles that often loudly cruise down lower Broadway.

COURTS

Texas urges Supreme Court to leave abortion law in place

WASHINGTON (AP) — Texas on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to leave in place its law banning most abortions and told the justices there's no reason to rush into the case.

REAL ESTATE

Inflation, Fed action set stage for higher mortgage rates

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mortgage rates have hovered near all-time lows for much of this year, even as inflation has increased sharply across much of the economy.

Existing home sales surge as interest rates point higher

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes bounced back in September to their strongest pace since January as mortgage rates tick higher, motivating buyers to get off the sidelines.

TRANSPORTATION

Airlines bet on big December after Covid variant setback

DALLAS (AP) — Airlines are planning for a big December, believing that the recent surge in a highly contagious COVID-19 variant is fading and that holiday travel will soar.

American, Southwest post Q3 profits with help from taxpayers

DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines and Southwest Airlines posted third-quarter profits thanks to federal pandemic aid – smaller Alaska Airlines turned the trick even without money from taxpayers – and they expect planes to be packed over the holidays.

CSX 3Q railroad profit jumps 32% as volume grows 3%

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — CSX delivered a 32% jump in third-quarter profit as the volume of goods it hauled increased even beyond last fall's strong level.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Volvo adds 195,000 vehicles to recall for dangerous air bags

DETROIT (AP) — Volvo is recalling another 195,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the front driver's air bags could explode and send shrapnel into the cabin.

MEDIA

Facebook's oversight board seeks details on VIPs' treatment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook's semi-independent oversight board says the company has fallen short of full disclosure on its internal system that exempts high-profile users from some or all of its content rules.

Facebook says it will pay French publishers for news content

PARIS (AP) — Facebook said Thursday that it has struck a deal with a group of French publishers to pay for links to their news stories that are shared by people on the social network.

ENVIRONMENT

US: More threats, more desperate refugees as climate warms

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Earth's warming and resulting natural disasters are creating a more dangerous world of desperate leaders and peoples, the Biden administration said Thursday in the federal government's starkest assessments yet of security and migration challenges facing the United States as the climate worsens.

HEALTH CARE

Biden bill would put US back on path of reducing uninsured

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats' social spending and climate change bill would put the United States back on a path to reducing its persistent pool of uninsured people, with estimates ranging from 4 million to 7 million Americans gaining health coverage.

US salmonella outbreak tied to onions sickens more than 650

NEW YORK (AP) — A salmonella outbreak tied to onions has sickened more than 650 people in 37 states, U.S. health officials said.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

COVID-19 vaccine: CDC panel discusses booster rollout

WASHINGTON (AP) — Influential government advisers are deciding Thursday how best to expand the nation's COVID-19 booster campaign, including whether and when it's OK to "mix and match" brands for the extra dose.

US marks 200M COVID-19 shots shared with world

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Thursday donated its 200 millionth COVID-19 shot to help vaccinate the rest of the world, the White House announced. The Biden administration aims to lead a global vaccination campaign even as it rolls out boosters for domestic use, which critics say diverts doses from those who are in greater need around the world.

Can new variants of the coronavirus keep emerging?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Can new variants of the coronavirus keep emerging?

FDA OKs mixing COVID vaccines; backs Moderna, J&J boosters

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Wednesday signed off on extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.

India celebrates 1B vaccine doses, hopes to speed 2nd shots

NEW DELHI (AP) — India celebrated giving its billionth COVID-19 vaccine dose on Thursday, a hopeful milestone for the South Asian country where the delta variant fueled a crushing surge earlier this year and missteps initially held back its inoculation campaign.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks end mostly higher, enough for S&P 500 to set record

A wave of buying in the last hour of trading left stocks mostly higher on Wall Street, enough for the S&P 500 to beat the record high close it set in early September.

Bid to unionize Amazon workers in New York nears milestone

NEW YORK (AP) — A bid to unionize Amazon workers at a distribution facility in New York City neared an important milestone, as organizers prepared to deliver hundreds of signatures to the National Labor Relations Board as soon as Monday for authorization to hold a vote.

Fed imposes sweeping new limits on policymakers' investments

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is imposing a broad new set of restrictions on the investments its officials can own, a response to questionable recent trades that forced two top Fed officials to resign.

US unemployment claims fall to new pandemic low of 290,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to a new low point since the pandemic erupted, evidence that layoffs are declining as companies hold onto workers.

US blocks tomato imports from Mexican farm over labor abuses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States ordered a halt Thursday to imports of tomatoes from a Mexican farming company and its subsidiaries for what officials said was abusive treatment of workers that amounts to forced labor.

Warmer welcome for WeWork 2 years later on Wall Street

WeWork will become a publicly traded company Thursday after a spectacular collapse during its first attempt to do so two years ago.

EU leaders seek to safeguard energy supplies as prices soar

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders on Thursday are seeking to safeguard energy supplies to the 27-nation bloc while speeding up the transition away from polluting fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

White House, Dems hurriedly reworking $2 trillion Biden plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and Democrats are hurriedly reworking key aspects of President Joe Biden's $2 trillion domestic policy plan, trimming which social services and climate change programs to include and rethinking new taxes on corporations and the wealthy to pay for a scaled-back package.

Biden ties legislative agenda to MLK push for racial justice

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday tied his legislative priorities on voting rights, police reform and climate change to Martin Luther King Jr.'s push for racial justice as he marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of the civil rights leader's memorial on the National Mall.

House set to recommend contempt charges against Bannon

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is voting Thursday on whether to hold Steve Bannon, a longtime ally and aide to former President Donald Trump, in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Trump plan for new media venture gets investors' thumbs up

NEW YORK (AP) — Some investors aren't waiting to see if former President Donald Trump's plans for a media company to challenge the likes of Facebook, Twitter and even Disney can actually become reality — they're all in.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & RSS:
Sign-Up For Our FREE email edition
Get the news first with our free weekly email
Name
Email
TNLedger.com Knoxville Editon
RECORD TOTALS DAY WEEK YEAR
PROPERTY SALES 0 0 0
MORTGAGES 0 0 0
FORECLOSURE NOTICES 0 0 0
BUILDING PERMITS 0 0 0
BANKRUPTCIES 0 0 0
BUSINESS LICENSES 0 0 0
UTILITY CONNECTIONS 0 0 0
MARRIAGE LICENSES 0 0 0