» Subscribe Today!
The Power of Information
Home
The Ledger - EST. 1978 - Nashville Edition
X
Skip Navigation LinksHome
VOL. 45 | NO. 41 | Friday, October 8, 2021

College football’s future? Follow the money

UT would likely be part of new elite, but what about Vanderbilt?

Change has historically come slowly in college sports. Multiple NCAA committees, competing interests and regional traditions have combined to stall the pace of movement.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Alas, the best design for new Tennessee license plate didn’t win

Did you vote for your favorite new car tag design? Gov. Bill Lee’s office set up the recent online poll that allowed a choice among four options. Where those four options came from I have no idea, but they’re not bad, as these things go.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Slowdown? Not in homes selling for $1M or more

Almost everyone wants the residential real estate market to slow. Realtors cannot find homes for buyers, homeowners will not sell because they have no place to go and builders are building like mad but cannot get inspections in time for deadlines. All of which means the supply of homes is limited.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
41.0°F
Overcast
Wind: Southwest at 4.6 mph
Humidity: 47%

EVENTS

Chamber West: On the Road to Transit. An update on transit in Nashville from Steve Bland, CEO of WeGo Public Transit and Faye DiMassimo, senior adviser for transportation and infrastructure for Metro Nashville, on the development of the Hillsboro Transit Center and other changes on the horizon for public transit. Hampton Inn & Suites-Green Hills, 2324 Crestmoor Road, Nashville. Wednesday, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Information

more events »

REAL ESTATE

Davidson County real estate trends for September 2021

September 2021 real estate trends for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

US average mortgage rates decline; 30-year at 2.99%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term mortgage rates declined this week, with the benchmark 30-year loan slipping back below 3%.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans are consistently inconsistent

After four games there is much to dissect about the Tennessee Titans. About the only certainty with this team is that it is completely inconsistent.

Landry one of few bright for Titans’ defense

The Titans have waited for four years for Harold Landry to show signs of being a consistent pass rusher.

Titans at Jaguars: What to watch

Coming off a stinging upset loss to the previously winless Jets, the Titans now face division foe Jacksonville, which has lost 19 consecutive games dating back to last season. They have to hope their letdown against the Jets is a lesson learned as they approach another winless team in Week Five.

UT SPORTS

Vols find their running game, face another test with SC

Josh Heupel revealed the Tennessee game plan days before the Vols took the field against Missouri, explaining “the secret behind the sauce is really the run game for us.”

NEWSMAKERS

McGlinchey adds Schwegler to corporate law team

Michael Schwegler has joined McGlinchey Stafford’s Nashville office where he will work in its national business corporate practice.

BRIEFS

VUMC helps develop first COVID-19 pill

U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Merck& Co. is seeking authorization for the first oral antiviral pill to treat COVID-19, after a Vanderbilt University Medical Center clinical trial showed it cut the risk of hospitalization or death in half when given to high-risk people during infection.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Hyundai Tucson takes aim at Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V has for years been one of the most appealing small crossover SUVs on the market. It boasts a smooth ride, enjoyable acceleration and handling, and lots of passenger and cargo space. However, Honda introduced this latest CR-V generation back for the 2017 model year and hasn’t significantly updated it since. And that has opened the door for newer rivals to challenge its reign.

PERSONAL FINANCE

How gratitude can help improve your financial life

Gratitude makes us more aware of the sources of joy, wonder and hope in our lives. Being grateful also can improve health, strengthen relationships and help us manage our money.

CAREER CORNER

Want a job in pro sports? Yeah, so does everyone else

Ever dreamed of working in professional sports? Who wouldn’t want to get up and go to work for their favorite sports franchise? Every day would be fun and exciting, and you might even meet a few of the players. Sounds amazing, right?

MILLENNIAL MONEY

The case for being boring with your money choices

The idea of gaining wealth in flashy ways isn’t new. After all, Charles Ponzi, for whom Ponzi schemes were named, defrauded investors more than 100 years ago with a get-rich-quick scheme built on a foundation of lies.

PREDATORS

Predators sign D Mattias Ekholm to 4-year, $25M deal

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Mattias Ekholm to a four-year, $25 million extension keeping him under contract through the 2025-26 season.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans' 3-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern on COVID-19 list

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have placed three-time Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

EAST TENNESSEE

VW, Conservation Fund transfer land for Cherokee Forest

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — Volkswagen of America and The Conservation Fund have completed their effort to transfer land to be included in the Cherokee National Forest, they said.

ENVIRONMENT

Administration sets plan for 7 offshore wind farms by 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it will help develop up to seven offshore wind farms on the East and West coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico as it moves to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 — generating enough electricity to power more than 10 million homes.

Climate change: North Carolina gov signs major energy law

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina signed a milestone energy bill into law Wednesday that aims to sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the state's power plants by 2030, celebrating the legislative accomplishment with Republican lawmakers.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Mexico gives reprieve to illegally imported "chocolate" cars

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has long had a problem with illegally imported cars, and on Wednesday President Andrés Manuel López Obrador pledged to legalize them all.

Tensions rise as US seeks answers from Tesla over no recall

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety investigators want to know why Tesla didn't file recall documents when it updated Autopilot software to better identify parked emergency vehicles, escalating a simmering clash between the automaker and regulators.

TRANSPORTATION

Southwest limits canceled flights after 3 tumultuous days

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines flights appeared to be running closer to normal on Tuesday after the airline canceled nearly 2,400 flights over the previous three days.

Delta posts $1.2 billion Q3 profit, touts holiday bookings

Delta Air Lines posted a $1.2 billion profit for the third quarter, helped by the latest installment of federal pandemic aid for the airline industry, and gave an upbeat forecast for the holiday-dominated fourth quarter.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Winter heating bills set to jump as inflation hits home

NEW YORK (AP) — Get ready to pay sharply higher bills for heating this winter, along with seemingly everything else.

Big boost for Social Security benefits as inflation rises

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

FDA grapples with timing of booster for J&J COVID-19 vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is wrestling with whether and when to offer a booster of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine — at six months or as early as two months. And a new study raises the prospect that using a different vaccine might give a better boost.

US to drop 19-month ban on nonessential travel

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says the United States will reopen its land borders for nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

US to reopen land borders in November for fully vaccinated

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the country moves to require all international visitors to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Boeing tells workers they must get COVID-19 vaccine

SEATTLE (AP) — The Boeing Co. has told employees they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or possibly be fired.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Modest gain breaks a 3-day losing streak for S&P 500 index

Major U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Thursday, snapping a three-day losing streak for the S&P 500 despite another choppy day of trading.

Fed officials: Bond purchases could end by middle of 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials agreed at their last meeting that if the economy continued to improve, they could start reducing their monthly bond purchases as soon as next month and bring them to an end by the middle of 2022.

IMF head pledges renewed efforts to protect data integrity

WASHINGTON (AP) — The embattled head of the International Monetary Fund, who successfully fought to keep her job following a data-manipulation scandal, is pledging renewed efforts to bolster data integrity while focusing on the main job of helping countries recover from a devastating global pandemic.

Inflation rises 5.4% from year ago, matching 13-year high

WASHINGTON (AP) — Another surge in consumer prices in September pushed inflation up 5.4% from where it was a year ago, matching the highest shift higher since 2008 as tangled global supply lines continue to create havoc.

White House: LA port going 24/7 to ease shipping backlog

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Wednesday it has helped broker an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation, part of an effort to relieve supply chain bottlenecks and move stranded container ships that are driving prices higher for U.S. consumers.

Logjam at busiest UK commercial port adds to Christmas fears

LONDON (AP) — A logjam at the U.K.'s busiest commercial port ratcheted up concerns Wednesday that the country could see an array of shortages in the crucial Christmas trading period, including of toys and food.

JPMorgan's 3Q profits rise, but low rates weigh on revenue

NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase posted a 24% jump in third-quarter profits on Wednesday, largely driven by one-time items that boosted its results, as the bank struggled to grow revenues with interest rates at near-zero levels.

Theft-plagued Walgreens closing 5 more San Francisco stores

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Walgreens said Tuesday that it will close five more stores in San Francisco next month because of organized retail theft in another blow to a city that has earned an embarrassing reputation for widespread and brazen shoplifting.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

GOP stalls pick who'd be government's highest-ranking Muslim

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nomination of a Pakistani-born businessman who would be the highest-ranking Muslim in the U.S. government is in jeopardy because Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked his confirmation. The stalemate has led to Democratic charges of anti-Muslim bias and galvanized some Muslim and Jewish organizations to condemn the delay.

Jan. 6 committee subpoena targets begin turning over docs

WASHINGTON (AP) — At least three of the officials involved in organizing and running the Jan 6. rally that preceded the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol are handing over documents in response to subpoenas from the House committee investigating the attack.

'Difficult decisions' as Biden, Democrats shrink plan to $2T

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the calendar slipping toward a new deadline, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is warning that "difficult decisions must be made" to trim President Joe Biden's expansive plans for reimagining the nation's social service programs and tackling climate change.

House sends debt limit hike to Biden, staving off default

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has approved a short-term increase to the nation's debt limit, ensuring the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December and temporarily averting an unprecedented default that would have decimated the economy.

US talks global cybersecurity without a key player: Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid an epidemic of ransomware attacks, the U.S. is discussing cybersecurity strategy this week with 30 countries while leaving out one key player: Russia.


TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12
PREDATORS

Predators promote Scott Nichol to assistant general manager

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators have promoted Scott Nichol to assistant general manager going into his 13th season overall with the franchise.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Former state Rep. Jim Coley, a Memphis Republican, dies

MEMPHIS (AP) — Former Tennessee state Rep. Jim Coley, who represented a Memphis district for 14 years in the General Assembly, has died, a relative said Monday.

COURTS

Judge: Knox County may issue school mask mandate exemptions

NASHVILLE (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday slightly tweaked his order requiring Knox County schools implement a school mask mandate, saying officials would be allowed to approve exemptions on a case by case basis.

Supreme Court could OK new defense of Kentucky abortion law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed inclined to allow Kentucky's Republican attorney general to continue defending a restriction on abortion rights that had been struck down by lower courts.

Justices' views on abortion in their own words and votes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abortion already is dominating the Supreme Court's new term, months before the justices will decide whether to reverse decisions reaching back nearly 50 years. Not only is there Mississippi's call to overrule Roe v. Wade, but the court also soon will be asked again to weigh in on the Texas law banning abortion at roughly six weeks.

Tennessee state senator seeks acquittal, new trial

MEMPHIS (AP) — Attorneys for a Tennessee state senator are seeking an acquittal or new trial after the Democrat was convicted of four counts of wire fraud last month.

WEST TENNESSEE

Jackson site chosen for possible industrial development

JACKSON (AP) — A large parcel of land in Jackson has been selected by state economic development officials for possible industrial development.

HEALTH CARE

FDA authorizes first e-cigarettes, cites benefit for smokers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heath officials on Tuesday authorized the first electronic cigarettes in the U.S., saying the R.J. Reynolds vaping products can benefit adult smokers.

PERSONAL FINANCE

EXPLAINER: Why Social Security COLA will jump next year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rising inflation is expected to lead to a sizeable increase in Social Security's annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for 2022. Exactly how much will be revealed Wednesday morning after a Labor Department report on inflation during September, a data point used in the final calculation.

ENVIRONMENT

Report: Offshore wind supply chain worth $109B over 10 years

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A group studying the economics of offshore wind energy in the U.S. says building and operating the nascent industry will be worth $109 billion to businesses in its supply chain over the next 10 years.

TECHNOLOGY

Big picture, big data: Swiss unveil VR software of universe

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The final frontier has rarely seemed closer than this — at least virtually.

As Shatner heads toward the stars, visions of space collide

"Risk is our business," James T. Kirk once said. "That's what this starship is all about. That's why we're aboard her."

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Next on FDA's agenda: Booster shots of Moderna, J&J vaccines

WASHINGTON (AP) — With many Americans who got Pfizer vaccinations already rolling up their sleeves for a booster shot, millions of others who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine wait anxiously to learn when it's their turn.

Report says UK's slow virus lockdown cost 1000s of lives

LONDON (AP) — The British government failure to impose a lockdown in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic ranks among England's worst public health blunders, lawmakers concluded Tuesday in the country's first comprehensive report on the pandemic.

Texas governor orders ban on private company vaccine mandate

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday to prohibit any entity, including private business, from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on workers and called on state lawmakers to pass a similar ban into law.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks edge lower ahead of company earnings, inflation data

Stocks ended an up-and-down day mostly lower on Wall Street as traders wait for more data on inflation and corporate earnings this week.

EU's first green bond issuance raises $13.8 billion

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission issued its inaugural green bonds Tuesday, raising 12 billion euros ($13.8 billion) from a sale that attracted strong demand from investors.

Companies scraping for staff ahead of the holidays

NEW YORK (AP) — All employers want for Christmas is some holiday help. But they might not get their wish.

Americans quit their jobs at a record pace in August

WASHINGTON (AP) — One reason America's employers are having trouble filling jobs was starkly illustrated in a report Tuesday: Americans are quitting in droves.

IMF foresees a slight drop in global growth from pandemic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund is slightly downgrading its outlook for the global recovery from the pandemic recession, reflecting the persistence of supply chain disruptions in industrialized countries and deadly disparities in vaccination rates between rich and poor nations.

IMF board confident about leader despite data-rigging claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund expressed "full confidence" in its managing director Tuesday in response to allegations that while she was a World Bank official, she and others pressured staffers to change business rankings in an effort to placate China.

UK job vacancies hit record high amid worker shortages

LONDON (AP) — Job vacancies in the U.K. rose to a record high of nearly 1.2 million, official figures showed Tuesday, a further sign that the British economy is experiencing worker shortages in an array of sectors as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and Britain's departure from the European Union.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

House returns to stave off default with debt limit vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the House are scrambling back to Washington on Tuesday to approve a short-term lift of the nation's debt limit and ensure the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December.

Risky move: Biden undercuts WH executive privilege shield

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's a risky move by President Joe Biden that could come back to haunt him — and future presidents — in the hyperpartisan world of Washington politics.


MONDAY, OCTOBER 11
TENNESSEE TITANS

Henry again carrying battered Titans into crucial stretch

NASHVILLE (AP) — Derrick Henry is carrying the Tennessee Titans yet again.

Titans use 2 huge defensive plays to beat Jags

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Tennessee safety Kevin Byard has a plan for the ball from his first NFL touchdown.

Henry scores 3 TDs; Titans send Jags to 20th straight loss

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Derrick Henry enjoyed another happy homecoming while continuing to torment his hometown team.

TRANSPORTATION

Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue into Monday

Southwest Airlines canceled hundreds more flights Monday following a  weekend of major service disruptions.

ENVIRONMENT

Donors pledge $223M aimed at reducing methane emissions

WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of philanthropic donors said Monday they will spend more than $220 million to reduce global methane emissions, the largest private commitment ever toward this effort.

Scientists urge speedy switch to renewables in Middle East

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A climate change conference will underscore to policymakers in the Middle East and the east Mediterranean that the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is needed urgently because greenhouse gas emissions are helping to drive up regional temperatures faster than in many other inhabited parts of the world.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Merck asks US FDA to authorize promising anti-COVID pill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drugmaker Merck asked U.S. regulators Monday to authorize its pill for treating COVID-19 in what would add an entirely new and easy-to-use weapon to the world's arsenal against the pandemic.

Russia's new COVID-19 infections, deaths near all-time highs

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's daily coronavirus infections and deaths hovered near all-time highs Monday amid sluggish vaccination rates and the Kremlin's reluctance to toughen restrictions.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Amazon to allow employees to work remotely indefinitely

SEATTLE (AP) — Amazon said Monday it will allow many tech and corporate workers to continue working remotely indefinitely, as long as they can commute to the office when necessary.

Stocks give up an early gain, end lower on Wall Street

Stocks gave up an early gain and ended lower on Wall Street Monday.

How US states help rich foreigners shield assets

DOVER, Del. (AP) — A mention of "tax havens" typically conjures images of sun-soaked Caribbean escapes like the Cayman Islands or the buttoned-down banks of Switzerland. Not South Dakota.

Small businesses navigate ever-changing COVID-19 reality

NEW YORK (AP) — For a brief moment this summer, it seemed like small businesses might be getting a break from the relentless onslaught of the pandemic. More Americans, many of them vaccinated, flocked to restaurants and stores without needing to mask up or socially distance.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Fall will test leaders' ability to keep Congress on rails

WASHINGTON (AP) — Year-end pileups of crucial legislation and the brinkmanship that goes with them are normal behavior for Congress. This autumn, lawmakers are barreling toward battles that are striking for the risks they pose to both parties and their leaders.

No. 2 House Republican refuses to say election wasn't stolen

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House's second-ranking Republican, Rep. Steve Scalise, repeatedly refused to say on Sunday that the 2020 election wasn't stolen, standing by Donald Trump's lie that Democrat Joe Biden won the White House because of mass voter fraud.

Fiona Hill, a nobody to Trump and Putin, saw into them both

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vladimir Putin paid scant attention to Fiona Hill, a preeminent U.S. expert on Russia, when she was seated next to him at dinners. Putin's people placed her there by design, choosing a "nondescript woman," as she put it, so the Russian president would have no competition for attention.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8
TENNESSEE TITANS
STATE GOVERNMENT

Titans LB Dupree: Mind, pride got ahead of knee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Outside linebacker Bud Dupree says his mind, and pride, got ahead of his body in his recovery from a torn right ACL.

Tennessee leaders to review education funding formula

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn on Friday announced plans to review how the state funds its multibillion dollar K-12 education system.

COURTS

Supreme Court Notebook: Don't stand so close to us

WASHINGTON (AP) — Get tested. Wear a mask. Don't get too close. Not your typical court orders, but that was the word from the Supreme Court to lawyers and reporters who returned to the high court this week for the first in-person arguments in more than a year and a half.

Texas judge says abortions can resume, but future uncertain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abortions in Texas can resume under a federal judge's ruling this week, but for how long? A conservative federal appeals court, and ultimately the Supreme Court, might take a more skeptical look at the Biden administration's lawsuit over Texas' six-week abortion ban.

TECHNOLOGY

White House proposes tech 'bill of rights' to limit AI harms

Top science advisers to President Joe Biden are calling for a new "bill of rights" to guard against powerful new artificial intelligence technology.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Smart robots do all the work at Nissan's 'intelligent' plant

KAMINO KAWA, Japan (AP) — Nissan's "intelligent factory" hardly has any human workers. The robots do the work, including welding and mounting. They do the paint jobs and inspect their own paint jobs.

MEDIA

Poll: Americans agree misinformation is a problem

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly all Americans agree that the rampant spread of misinformation is a problem.

ENVIRONMENT

Pentagon climate plan: War-fighting in hotter, harsher world

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new Pentagon plan calls for incorporating the realities of a hotter, harsher Earth at every level in the U.S. military, from making worsening climate extremes a mandatory part of strategic planning to training troops how to secure their own water supplies and treat heat injury.

Biden to restore 3 national monuments cut by Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will restore two sprawling national monuments in Utah that have been at the center of a long-running public lands dispute, and a separate marine conservation area in New England that recently has been used for commercial fishing. Environmental protections at all three monuments had been stripped by former President Donald Trump.

HEALTH CARE

California first to let kids add parents to insurance plans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is the first state to let some adult children add their parents as dependents on their insurance plans, a move advocates hope will cover the small population of people living in the country illegally who don't qualify for other assistance programs.

New FDA chief can't come soon enough for beleaguered agency

WASHINGTON (AP) — Straining under a pandemic workload and battered by a string of public controversies, one of the leading agencies in the government's fight against COVID-19 is finally on the verge of getting a new commissioner.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

UK to offer new vaccine shots to Novavax trial volunteers

LONDON (AP) — Britain announced Friday that it will offer new vaccinations to thousands of people who volunteered for trials of the Novavax coronavirus vaccine, which hasn't yet been approved for use in any country.

Anti-vaccine chiropractors rising force of misinformation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The flashy postcard, covered with images of syringes, beckoned people to attend Vax-Con '21 to learn "the uncensored truth" about COVID-19 vaccines.

Finland joins other Nordic nations in curbing Moderna shots

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stock indexes closing lower as jobs data sparks questions

U.S. stock indexes are closing lower Friday after a weak jobs report sparked questions about when the Federal Reserve could pare back its immense support for the markets.

Delta variant and worker shortage keep a lid on job growth

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added just 194,000 jobs in September, a second straight tepid gain and evidence that the pandemic has kept its grip on the economy, with many companies struggling to fill millions of open jobs.

5 key takeaways from the September jobs report

WASHINGTON (AP) — September wasn't exactly the robust month for hiring that many had expected and hoped for.

Ireland buckles to pressure, joins global corporate tax deal

LONDON (AP) — Ireland has agreed to join an international agreement establishing a minimum corporate tax of 15% around the world, ditching the low-tax policy that has led companies like Google and Facebook to base their European operations in the country.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden won't invoke executive privilege on Trump Jan. 6 docs

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will not block a tranche of documents sought by a House committee's investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, setting up a showdown with former President Donald Trump, who has pledged to try to keep records from his time in the White House from being turned over to investigators.

Biden is first president to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples' Day, lending the most significant boost yet to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus toward an appreciation of Native peoples.

Trump-backed candidates face scrutiny after minimal vetting

WASHINGTON (AP) — One has been accused of assaulting another White House aide. Another allegedly threatened his ex-wife's life, exaggerated claims of financial success and alarmed business associates with his erratic behavior. A third has asked a judge to keep past protection-from-abuse orders sealed.

Senate avoids a US debt disaster, votes to extend borrowing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has dodged a U.S. debt disaster, voting to extend the government's borrowing authority into December and temporarily avert an unprecedented federal default that experts warned would devastate the economy and harm millions of Americans.


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans determined to fix issues protecting QB Ryan Tannehill

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are having serious issues protecting their quarterback.

VANDERBILT SPORTS

No. 20 Florida seeks bounce-back performance against Vandy

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida needs a pick-me-up, and there are few better cures for a broken-hearted Gators team than having Vanderbilt next on the schedule.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Fisk Jubilee Singers celebrate 150 years since first tour

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Fisk Jubilee Singers' first tour wasn't an immediate success, but their perseverance through financial hardship to find an audience took them around the world and kept their school afloat.

NASHVILLE AREA

Firestone Building Products to expand Nashville headquarters

Firestone Building Products officials announced today the company will expand operations in Nashville, creating 28 new jobs and a $13 million investment.

EDUCATION

Vanderbilt announces $10M donation to law school

NASHVILLE (AP) — Vanderbilt University announced on Wednesday that an alumnus and Board of Trust member has donated $10 million to the law school.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee proposes health, industry help with pandemic aid

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee panel is proposing to use untapped federal COVID-19 stimulus money for new health investments, industry and tourism aid, and reserves for future projects.

MIDSTATE

Dolly Parton, businesses raise $700K for flood victims

PIGEON FORGE (AP) — Country star Dolly Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses have raised $700,000 to help residents impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee.

COURTS

Nashville files lawsuit to shut down hot tub party vehicle

NASHVILLE (AP) — Metro Nashville has asked a judge to temporarily shut down a hot tub on wheels, claiming in a lawsuit that the party vehicle is operating without a public swimming pool permit.

Judge: Civil lawyers to see more of Waffle House murder case

NASHVILLE (AP) — Attorneys who filed a lawsuit against a Waffle House in Tennessee after a deadly shooting in 2018 will be able to access some of the files that have been sealed in the criminal case against the gunman, a judge ruled Thursday.

Russian court orders bailiffs to enforce fine on Facebook

MOSCOW (AP) — A Moscow court has ruled to enforce the collection of fines from Facebook for breaching Russian laws on illegal content, officials said Thursday.

Ex-CEO who oversaw doomed nuclear project sentenced

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A utility executive who repeatedly lied to keep investors pumping money into South Carolina's $9 billion nuclear reactor debacle will spend two years in prison for fraud, a federal judge decided on Thursday.

US poised to sue contractors who don't report cyber breaches

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is poised to sue government contractors and other companies who receive U.S. government grants if they fail to report breaches of their computer systems or misrepresent their cybersecurity practices, the department's No. 2 official said Wednesday.

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft: Russia behind 58% of detected state-backed hacks

BOSTON (AP) — Russia accounted for most state-sponsored hacking detected by Microsoft over the past year, with a 58% share, mostly targeting government agencies and think tanks in the United States, followed by Ukraine, Britain and European NATO members, the company said.

MEDIA

Barry Diller's IAC buying magazine publisher Meredith

NEW YORK (AP) — Barry Diller's IAC is buying Meredith, one of the country's largest magazine companies and the publisher of People, Southern Living and InStyle, in hopes of accelerating a digital shift as print fades.

Facebook exec: We do not prioritize engagement over safety

A Facebook executive is pushing back on a whistleblower's claims — supported by the company's own internal research — that the social network's products harm children and fuel polarization in the U.S.

Ex-Facebook employee asks lawmakers to step in. Will they?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Camera lights glare. Outrage thunders from elected representatives. A brave industry whistleblower stands alone and takes the oath behind a table ringed by a photographers' mosh pit.

HEALTH CARE

EXPLAINER: The Texas abortion law's swift impact, and future

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Texas to suspend a new law banning most abortions, which had already put a strain on clinics and patients in the month since it took effect.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

UK eases travel restrictions further by slashing 'red list'

LONDON (AP) — The British government said Thursday that it is to relax travel rules further next week, a move that will open up many long-distance holiday destinations to travelers for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic a year and half ago.

Pfizer asks US to allow COVID shots for kids ages 5 to 11

Pfizer asked the U.S. government Thursday to allow use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 -- and if regulators agree, shots could begin within a matter of weeks.

More than 120,000 US children had caregivers die during pandemic

NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic may be larger than previously estimated, and the toll has been far greater among Black and Hispanic Americans, a new study suggests.

Biden, a convert to mandates, making economic case for shots

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is wielding his weapon of last resort in the nation's fight against COVID-19, as he champions vaccination requirements across the country in an effort to force the roughly 67 million unvaccinated American adults to roll up their sleeves.

Russia's infections reach the highest level so far this year

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's daily coronavirus infections soared Thursday to their highest level so far this year as authorities have struggled to control a surge in new cases amid a slow pace in vaccinations and few restrictions in place.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks closing higher as receding debt fears spur rally

Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street Thursday as investors welcomed progress in Congress' standoff over extending the federal debt ceiling.

Puzzle overhanging job market: When will more people return?

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the U.S. government issues the September jobs report on Friday, the spotlight will fall not only on how many people were hired last month. A second question will command attention, too: Are more people finally starting to look for work?

Inflation knocks businesses off balance as recovery slows

Companies will soon start reporting their latest quarterly financial results and investors have been warned that inflation is going to sting.

US jobless claims fall to 326,000, first drop in four weeks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, another sign that the U.S. job market and economy continue their steady recovery from last year's coronavirus recession.

Shell warns of possible $500 million hit from Hurricane Ida

LONDON (AP) — Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell warned Thursday that it will take an earnings hit of up to $500 million as a result of the disruptions caused by Hurricane Ida, which hit the Gulf of Mexico in late August.

Russia says it could boost supplies to ease Europe gas costs

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has the potential to boost natural gas supplies to Europe, where surging gas prices have ramped up pressure on consumers, the Kremlin said Thursday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Trump to invoke executive privilege in Jan. 6 House probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump intends to assert executive privilege in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, a move that could prevent the testimony of onetime aides, according to a letter sent by lawyers for the former president.

Report details Trump's all-out bid to undo election results

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump's extraordinary effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat brought the Justice Department to the brink of chaos, and prompted top officials there and at the White House to threaten to resign, a Senate Judiciary Committee report found.

Default crisis dodged — for now — with Dem-GOP debt accord

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate leaders announced an agreement Thursday to extend the government's borrowing authority into December, temporarily averting an unprecedented federal default that experts say would have devastated the economy.

CIA creates working group on China as threats keep rising

WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA said Thursday it will create a top-level working group on China as part of a broad U.S. government effort focused on countering Beijing's influence.

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