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VOL. 48 | NO. 44 | Friday, November 1, 2024

Come for the holidays, enjoy the tropics

Look past seasonal glitter for Opryland Hotel’s real beauty

While Middle Tennessee weather can be unpredictable in the final months of the calendar year, scores of people within Gaylord Opryland Hotel work round the clock so guests can experience at least two seasons simultaneously.

Opryland Hotel for the holidays: If you go

Tickets for holiday events at Gaylord Opryland Hotel can be purchased through the Marriott website. Many events sell quickly, but check back with the site for deals, group pricing and discounts.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Buses are nearly empty now. Do we need more?

The scariest part of the Davidson County ballot comes right at the top, the contest for president, but that’s also the easiest choice to make: Rachele Fruit.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
37.0°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind: South at 4.6 mph
Humidity: 54%

EVENTS

YP Learning Series. GALLUP StrengthsFinder: Unlock Your Leadership Potential. The Jack C. Massey College of Business is partnering with the YP Chamber for an hourlong workshop designed for young professionals to explore their leadership qualities and potential through the CliftonStrengths assessment. This program is free for YP Nashville Partner Organizations. Belmont University, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Barbara Massey Rogers Center, Room 400. Wednesday, 8-9:30 a.m. Information

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Vrabel a winner, selling for $2.8M more than he paid

The house at 2023 Otter Creek Road sold last week for $4.8 million after the All-Pro real estate team of Jonathan Heard and Lacey Newman listed it for that price and had it under contract practically before the opening whistle. Katie Morrell had a buyer on the sidelines.

REAL ESTATE

Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises for fifth straight week

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the fifth straight week, returning to its highest level since early August.

TENNESSEE TITANS

What would Bud do after one of worst losses ever for franchise?

I was going to use the space for this week’s column to do a nice little feature story on a Titans player and his role on the team.

Defense also must shoulder blame for losses

There is much to blame for the Tennessee Titans’ ineptitude in their 1-6 start. The primary problem seems to be where to assign it first.

Patriots at Titans: What to watch

The Titans are back home for what will almost certainly be a half-empty Nissan Stadium Sunday when they face the 2-6 New England Patriots. The Titans need a win in the worst way. Here are some of their keys.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Don't worry, get Happy: Predators looking for a spark from L’Heureux

Looking to add spark to a lineup that to that point had lost this season’s opening five games, the Predators made a call to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL to recall forward Zach L’Heureux.

Wedgewood joins Preds' surprisingly short list of goaltenders

Scott Wedgewood has entered an exclusive club, being one of the few goaltenders to record a victory between the pipes for the Nashville Predators.

What to watch as Predators make way for CMA Awards

As the calendar moves to November, the Predators will see the road more than they did in the season’s first month. After playing seven of their 10 October games at Bridgestone Arena, the Predators will play nine of 15 November games on the road.

UT SPORTS

Old guards, new faces ready to ride UT’s hoops momentum

Defensive intensity and leadership at the guard position will not be a problem for the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team this season as the Vols have two of the best in the country returning to their backcourt.

No. 7 Tennessee rested and eager to avoid letdown against struggling Kentucky

KNOXVILLE (AP) — The seventh-ranked Tennessee Volunteers want to avoid a repeat performance of what happened coming off their last open date.

BRIEFS

DOJ names Midstate district election officer

Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee announced that Criminal Chief Ben Schrader will lead the United States Attorney’s Office’s efforts in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general election.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

The best lightly used hybrid cars, SUVs, trucks

Buying a hybrid can significantly boost fuel efficiency and lower monthly fuel bills. And these days, there are plenty of new hybrid cars, SUVs and even trucks to choose from. But what if you can’t afford to buy a new car? Consider buying a used one.

CAREER CORNER

The power of inclusivity

Why do you think most job seekers are looking for a new job? Many managers would confidently report their employees leave because they are looking for more pay. And, to some degree, this theory makes sense.

How to protect yourself from scammers offering fake jobs

Between finding openings, sending out your resume and interviewing, looking for a job is tough. Now a growing trend of scammers impersonating recruiters is making it even harder.

VANDERBILT SPORTS

South Carolina off to another late surge after convincing win over Top 10 Texas A&M

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Another November and another late surge for South Carolina and coach Shane Beamer.

MIDSTATE

GOP Rep. Ogles wins Tennessee reelection while under FBI probe of campaign finances

NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles has won reelection in Tennessee while facing an FBI investigation into his campaign finances.

Republican Green wins reelection to U.S. House in Tennessee's 7th

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Mark Green won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Tennessee on Tuesday.

Republican DesJarlais wins reelection to U.S. House in Tennessee's 4th

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Tennessee on Tuesday.

STATEWIDE

Republican supermajority unchanged in Tennessee Statehouse but Democrats don't give up ground

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's Republican legislative supermajority will remain unchanged after Democrats failed to flip seats in a handful of competitive races, but the minority party didn't give up any ground, either.

Republican US Sen. Marsha Blackburn wins reelection in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn won her reelection bid Tuesday, securing a victory in GOP-dominant Tennessee after largely avoiding her Democratic opponent.

COURTS

Special counsel evaluating how to wind down two federal cases against Trump after presidential win

WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith is evaluating how to wind down the two federal cases against Donald Trump before he takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department protocol that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

ELECTION 2024

AP VoteCast: Voter anxiety over the economy and a desire for change return Trump to the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — A disaffected electorate wanted former President Donald Trump to return to the White House, a blatant rejection of Vice President Kamala Harris and her nearly four years with President Joe Biden.

Democrats hoped Harris would rescue them. On Wednesday, she called Trump to concede

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris called President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to concede the election and congratulate him on his victory, according to a senior adviser to the vice president.

Global leaders congratulate Trump but his victory looks set to roil the world — again

LONDON (AP) — The verdict of U.S. voters was more decisive than most pundits and analysts had predicted. Now the world waits to see whether the election of Donald Trump as president for a second time is as destabilizing many American allies fear.

Trump wins the White House in a political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here's what he's proposed

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has promised sweeping action in a second administration.

Republicans take Senate majority and eye unified power with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have taken control of the U.S. Senate and are fighting to keep their majority in the U.S. House, which would produce a full sweep of GOP power in Congress alongside President-elect Donald Trump in the White House.

Abortion rights advocates win in 7 states and clear way to overturn Missouri ban but lose in 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters in Missouri cleared the way to undo one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bans in one of seven victories for abortion rights advocates, while Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota defeated similar constitutional amendments, leaving bans in place.

Russian Bomb threats in swing states disrupt a mostly smooth Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — A series of bomb threats across multiple battleground states and baseless claims of wrongdoing by former President Donald Trump disrupted an otherwise smooth Election Day that capped a tumultuous presidential campaign.

Black women notch historic Senate wins in an election year defined by potential firsts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters for the first time elected two Black women to serve simultaneously in the Senate and sent an openly transgender lawmaker to Congress on Tuesday. They're among historic choices in nearly a dozen races showing Americans opting for more diverse representation even with issues such as affirmative action and LGBTQ inclusion driving deeper divisions.

Election takeaways: Trump's decisive victory in a deeply divided nation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump scored a decisive victory in a deeply divided nation. And in so doing, the Republican president-elect exposed a fundamental weakness within the Democratic base and beat back concerns about his moral failings, becoming the first U.S. president with a felony conviction.

ENVIRONMENT

Trump likely to target climate measures that are making the most difference

WASHINGTON (AP) — The election of Donald Trump as president for a second time and the Republican takeback of the U.S. Senate could undo many of the national climate policies that are most reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to climate solutions experts.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Tesla shares soar 13% as Trump win sets stage for Musk's electric vehicle company

NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Tesla soared Wednesday following an election that will send Donald Trump back to the White House, an outcome that had been strongly backed by CEO Elon Musk in the closing months of the race.

Japanese automaker Honda reports lower profits as China sales decline

TOKYO (AP) — Honda's profits slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the fiscal year from the same period the previous year, as sales suffered in China, the Japanese automaker said Wednesday.

Hit by scandal, Japan's top automaker Toyota reports lower profits

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's July-September profit sank to less than half of what it was in the same period the previous year, as a production stoppage that followed a certification scandal and recalls dented vehicle sales, the Japanese automaker said Wednesday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Trump Media suffers $19.2 million Election Day loss and shares surge higher

NEW YORK (AP) — The parent company of Donald Trump's social networking site Truth Social lost $19.2 million in the last quarter, according to an earnings report released on the same day he won back the presidency.

CVS Health Q3 profit misses estimates, company names new leaders at 2 divisions

CVS Health fell short on third-quarter profit, but it posted strong sales and the health care giant shook up leadership under new CEO David Joyner after a rough year that has sent shares plunging.

Trump win ignites crypto frenzy that sends bitcoin to a record high

LONDON (AP) — The price of bitcoin hit a new high Wednesday as investors bet that former President Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election will be a boon for cryptocurrencies.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

European summit will focus on common challenges and implications of Trump's win for the continent

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Dozens of European leaders will be assessing a new global outlook during a one-day summit in Hungary's capital on Thursday, with the knowledge that the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president could have far-reaching consequences for the continent.


TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans need QB Will Levis to play to help salvage a disappointing season

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans find themselves at the midpoint of their season right about where they started.

Coach Jim Harbaugh feeling good about Chargers with 3 wins in past 4 games

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — A fresh haircut isn't the only thing that had coach Jim Harbaugh feeling good on Monday.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Darcy Kuemper makes 16 saves for 32nd career shutout in the Kings' 3-0 victory over the Predators

NASHVILLE (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 16 saves for his first shutout of the season and 32nd overall, helping the Los Angeles Kings beat the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Monday night.

VANDERBILT SPORTS

McGlockton perfect from field and Vanderbilt dumps Maryland Eastern Shore 102-63 in opener

NASHVILLE (AP) — Devin McGlockton had 24 points and 13 rebounds and Vanderbilt won its season opener 102-63 over Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday night.

UT SPORTS

Chaz Lanier scores 18, Jordan Gainey 16 to lead No. 12 Tennessee past Gardner-Webb 80-64

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Chaz Lanier scored 18 points and Jordan Gainey had 16 as No. 12 Tennessee beat Gardner-Webb 80-64 on Monday night in the season opener for both teams.

NASHVILLE AREA

Man arrested after federal officials say he sought to destroy Nashville power site

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Department of Justice said Monday that federal agents have arrested a Tennessee man with ties to white nationalist groups who they say attempted to use what he believed to be an explosive-laden drone to destroy a Nashville energy facility.

ELECTION 2024

Election Day voting unfolds generally smoothly with some scattered issues, delays

WASHINGTON (AP) — Election Day voting unfolded largely smoothly across the nation Tuesday with only scattered reports of delays from extreme weather, ballot printing errors and technical problems.

Trump snaps at reporter when asked about abortion: 'Stop talking about it'

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump is refusing to say how he voted on Florida's abortion measure — and getting testy about it.

GOP Rep. Andy Ogles faces a Tennessee reelection test as the FBI probes his campaign finances

NASHVILLE (AP) — U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles is hoping to fend off a Democratic opponent in Tennessee in a race complicated by an FBI investigation into the first-term Republican's campaign finances.

Tennessee's US Sen. Blackburn seeks reelection against Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee voters will decide whether to reelect Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn to a second term or choose Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson.

A turbulent campaign nears its finale as Americans choose between Harris, Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.

Here's what to watch on Election Day in the US

WASHINGTON (AP) — Election Day is here. Polls opened Tuesday across the nation and Americans cast ballots in the 2024 presidential election. In a deeply divided nation, the election is a true toss-up between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.

The final day of voting in the US is here, after tens of millions have already cast their ballots

WASHINGTON (AP) — Election Day voting was underway across much of the U.S. on Tuesday morning after tens of millions of Americans had already cast their ballots. Those early votes included record numbers in Georgia, North Carolina and other battleground states that could decide the winner.

Empty seats become a more common sight at Trump's final rallies

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump has spent nearly a decade bragging about his crowds. Lately, he's been making the same boasts to swaths of empty seats.

Trump called Megyn Kelly 'nasty' 9 years ago. She just helped deliver his closing message

Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly delivered a fiery speech supporting Donald Trump during an event billed as his "closing message" on Monday night, a full-circle moment after the former president and the onetime Fox News star feuded bitterly during Trump's 2016 campaign.

Trump wants the presidential winner to be declared on election night. Why that's unlikely

Former President Donald Trump is stepping up his demands that the winner of the presidential race be declared shortly after polls close Tuesday, well before all the votes are counted.

Federal agencies say Russia and Iran are ramping up influence campaigns targeting US voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's federal law enforcement and election security agencies debunked two new examples of Russian election disinformation on the eve of Election Day, highlighting attempts by foreign actors to sow doubt in the U.S. voting process and warning that the efforts run the risk of inciting violence against election officials.

Abortion is on the ballot in nine states and motivating voters across the US

WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters in nine states are deciding whether their state constitutions should guarantee a right to abortion, weighing ballot measures that are expected to spur turnout for a range of crucial races.

Control of Congress is at stake and with it a president's agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) — Control of Congress is at stake Tuesday, with ever-tight races for the House and Senate that will determine which party holds the majority and the power to boost or block a president's agenda, or if the White House confronts a divided Capitol Hill.

EDUCATION

USDA bans school lunch fees for low-income families

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that students eligible for free or reduced price school meals cannot be charged processing fees beginning in 2027.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

A courtroom of relief: FBI recovers funds for victims of scammed banker

WICHITA, KANSAS (AP) — Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas on Monday as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned that federal law enforcement had recovered their money.

MEDIA

South Korea fines Meta $15 million for illegally collecting information on Facebook users

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's privacy watchdog on Tuesday fined social media company Meta 21.6 billion won ($15 million) for illegally collecting sensitive personal information from Facebook users, including data about their political views and sexual orientation, and sharing it with thousands of advertisers.

ENERGY

Saudi oil giant Aramco posts third-quarter profits of $27.5 billion, down 15% from a year earlier

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco reported third-quarter profits of $27.5 billion on Tuesday, down about 15% from last year as low oil prices ate into its revenues.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Bernie Marcus, The Home Depot co-founder and billionaire philanthropist, dies at 95

NEW YORK (AP) — Bernard "Bernie" Marcus, the co-founder of The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement chain, a billionaire philanthropist, and a big Republican donor, has died. He was 95.

Strike at Boeing was part of a new era of labor activism long in decline at US work places

Aircraft assembly workers at Boeing factories near Seattle and elsewhere voted to end a seven-week strike overnight.

Nintendo reports lower profits as demand drops for its aging Switch console

TOKYO (AP) — Nintendo, the Japanese video game maker behind the Super Mario franchise, said Tuesday that its profit fell 60% in the first half of the fiscal year, as demand waned for its Switch console, now in its eighth year since going on sale.


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4
TENNESSEE TITANS

Nick Folk's 25-yard field goal in OT helps Titans edge the Pats 20-17

NASHVILLE (AP) — Mason Rudolph told first-year Titans coach Brian Callahan not to worry after a rookie quarterback's amazing play with no time left to force overtime.

UT SPORTS

Bracket Watch: Oregon, Georgia, Miami and BYU top seeds, Vols No. 8

Oregon, Georgia, Miami and BYU remained the top four seeds in the The Associated Press College Football Playoff projection on Sunday, the final edition of the bracket before the CFP releases its first rankings of the season.

SEC SPORTS

SEC fines South Carolina $250,000 after fans rush field following win over top 10 Texas A&M

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina was fined $250,000 by the Southeastern Conference for fans rushing the field after the Gamecocks' 44-20 win over then No. 10 Texas A&M at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday night.

COURTS

Musk lawyer tells Philadelphia judge the $1 million sweepstakes winners are not chosen by chance

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A lawyer for Elon Musk 's political action committee told a judge in Philadelphia on Monday that the so-called winners of his $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes in swing states haven't won by chance but instead were selected to be paid "spokespeople" for the group.

Supreme Court will weigh in on new mostly Black Louisiana congressional district, after election

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it will take up a new redistricting case involving Louisiana's congressional map with two mostly Black districts.

ELECTION 2024

Some Republican-led states refuse to let Justice Department monitors into polling places

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Republican-led states say they will block the Justice Department's election monitors from going inside polling places on Election Day, pushing back on federal authorities' decades-long practice of watching for violations of federal voting laws.

A presidential campaign unlike any other ends on Tuesday. Here's how we got here

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's the election that no one could have foreseen.

Harris and Trump make a furious final push before Election Day

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final sprint across a handful of states on Election Day eve.

In dash across Michigan, Harris contrasts optimism with Trump's rhetoric without uttering his name

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Two days out from Election Day, Kamala Harris dashed through four stops across battleground Michigan on Sunday without uttering Donald Trump's name, while urging voters not to fooled by the GOP nominee's disparagement of the electoral system that he falsely claims is rigged against him.

Trump wants to narrow his deficit with women but he's not changing how he talks about them

GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump says he will be the "protector" of women, whether they like it or not.

Trump talks about reporters being shot and says he shouldn't have left White House after 2020 loss

LITITZ, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump delivered a profane and conspiracy-laden speech two days before Tuesday's presidential election, talking about reporters being shot and suggesting he "shouldn't have left" the White House after his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Here's what to watch as Election Day approaches in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Election Day is nearly upon us. In a matter of hours, the final votes in the 2024 presidential election will be cast.

RFK Jr. says Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water. 'It's possible,' Trump says

PHOENIX (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent proponent of debunked public health claims whom Donald Trump has promised to put in charge of health initiatives, said Saturday that Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office if elected president.

Federal judge lets Iowa keep challenging voter rolls although naturalized citizens may be affected

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge ruled Sunday that Iowa can continue challenging the validity of hundreds of ballots from potential noncitizens even though critics said the effort threatens the voting rights of people who've recently become U.S. citizens.

MEDIA

You may have blocked someone on X but now they can see your public posts anyway

Elon Musk's X has been modified so that accounts you've blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.

AUTO INDUSTRY

US agency ends investigation into Ford engine failures after recall and warranty extension

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's auto safety regulator has ended a 2 1/2-year investigation into Ford engine failures after the company replaced engines or extended the warranty on some vehicles.

ENERGY

The UAE opens its annual oil-and-gas summit as industry weathers Mideast wars and awaits US election

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates opened its annual oil-and-gas summit on Monday as it plans to increase the country's energy output as global prices stay volatile and world politics remain uncertain ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

OPEC extends its oil output cuts by one month until the end of December

Saudi Arabia and allied oil producing countries said on Sunday they would postpone a plan to gradually increase oil output until the end of the year, extending their output cuts by one month.

MILITARY

Japan has grounded its V-22 Osprey fleet again after flight incident

WASHINGTON (AP) — Japan has grounded its fleet of V-22 Osprey aircraft again after an incident last Sunday where one of the hybrid helicopter-aircraft tilted unexpectedly and hit the ground while trying to take off.

ECONOMY

Federal Reserve is set to cut rates again while facing a hazy post-election outlook

WASHINGTON (AP) — No one knows how Tuesday's presidential election will turn out, but the Federal Reserve's move two days later is much easier to predict: With inflation continuing to cool, the Fed is set to cut interest rates for a second time this year.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street drifts ahead of Election Day, manic week for markets

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted lower Monday ahead of a momentous week full of potential flashpoints in Washington, D.C., and around the world.

Boeing machinists hold contract vote that could end their 7-week strike

Unionized factory workers at Boeing were voting Monday whether to accept a contract offer or to continue their strike, which has lasted more than seven weeks and shut down production of most Boeing passenger planes.

Many retailers offer 'returnless refunds.' Just don't expect them to talk much about it

It's one of the most under-publicized policies of some of the biggest U.S. retailers: sometimes they give customers full refunds and let them keep unwanted items too.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

China files complaint at World Trade Organization over EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles

GENEVA (AP) — China has moved forward with a complaint at the World Trade Organization that alleges the European Union has improperly set anti-subsidy tariffs on new Chinese-made electric vehicles.

Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans vying to replace longtime leader Mitch McConnell have been crossing the country to campaign and fundraise for colleagues, making their final arguments before a consequential ballot the week after the presidential election. But their pitches are mostly behind closed doors, and most GOP senators won't yet say which lawmaker they are backing.


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
TENNESSEE TITANS

New coaches for the Patriots and Titans focused on winning now and not 2025 draft

NASHVILLE (AP) — Jerod Mayo and Brian Callahan are going through the challenges first-year NFL coaches usually face.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Draisaitl scores twice, assists another to lead Oilers to 5-1 win over Predators

NASHVILLE (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and assisted another to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.

EAST TENNESSEE

Rescuers find body of worker swept away from Tennessee factory by Hurricane Helene flood

ERWIN (AP) — Rescue workers in Tennessee said Friday they have recovered the body of the final person still missing after massive flooding from Hurricane Helene hit a plastics factory there.

COURTS

Los Angeles County sues Pepsi and Coca-Cola over plastic bottles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County is taking on Pepsi and Coke for their role in plastic pollution.

ELECTION 2024

Harris assails Trump for saying Liz Cheney should have rifles 'shooting at her'

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Kamala Harris said Friday it was "disqualifying" for Donald Trump to say former Rep. Liz Cheney, one of the former president's most prominent Republican critics, should have rifles "shooting at her" to see how she feels about sending troops to fight.

Harris team warns CEOs that Trump is a threat to economy, while Trump says tariffs can drive growth

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris ' campaign is actively warning business leaders that Donald Trump has a pattern of disregard for democracy and the rule of law that would threaten U.S. economic growth — a closing argument designed to show the possible consequences for companies and workers if he returns to the White House.

FBI links video falsely depicting voter fraud in Georgia to 'Russian influence actors'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A video purporting to depict voter fraud in Georgia is fake and the work of "Russian influence actors," U.S. intelligence officials said Friday as they warned that foreign efforts to undermine faith in the integrity of next week's elections may persist long after votes have been cast.

Musk tests the role of money in U.S. politics with multimillion-dollar effort to back Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Next week's presidential election isn't just a referendum on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. It's also a measure of the influence the world's richest man wields over American democracy.

RFK Jr. wants federal health data so he can show vaccines are unsafe, Trump transition co-chair says

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A co-chair of Donald Trump's transition team said Trump supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants access to federal health data so he can show vaccines are unsafe and lead to them being pulled from the market in a second Trump administration.

Trump and Harris will both visit the Milwaukee area in a final push to win Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will host dueling rallies within seven miles of one another on Friday night in the Milwaukee area as part of a final push for votes in swing-state Wisconsin's largest county.

Trump and Harris both support a bigger child tax credit. But which families should get it?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Never before in a presidential election cycle has there been so much discussion of the child tax credit — a tool many Democrats and Republicans have endorsed as a way to lift children and young families out of poverty.

Trump makes anti-trans attacks central to his campaign's closing argument

ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump has made his opposition to transgender rights central to his closing argument before Election Day, using demeaning language and misrepresentations to paint an exceedingly narrow slice of the U.S. population as a threat to national identity.

Voters view one another across partisan divide with increasing animosity

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tried to explain this week that he doesn't really think Donald Trump's supporters are "garbage," but that doesn't mean that other people don't believe the label occasionally fits.

AP-NORC poll finds skepticism of nationwide election tallies, especially among Republicans

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's deep partisan divisions extend to trust in the vote tallies for this year's election, as a new poll finds that Republicans are much more skeptical than Democrats that ballots will be counted accurately.

Donald Trump gambles with late-stage trips to Democratic New Mexico and Virginia

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Donald Trump is traveling to New Mexico and Virginia in the campaign's final days, taking a risky detour from the seven battleground states to spend time in places where Republican presidential candidates have not won in decades.

Trump will become first major 2024 candidate to visit majority-Arab Dearborn, Michigan

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Donald Trump is set to visit Dearborn, Michigan — the nation's largest Arab-majority city — on Friday, according to a local business owner who first insisted the former president call for peace in Lebanon before hosting him.

Hakeem Jeffries chooses calm over chaos as Democrats work to win the House majority

PALMDALE, Calif. (AP) — This election, he has warned, is about the economy. Freedom. Stopping Project 2025 and the MAGA extremes.

PERSONAL FINANCE

IRS announces pension and retirement plan contribution adjustments for 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS on Friday announced an increase to the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2025 — to $23,500, up from $23,000 in 2024.

ENVIRONMENT

Will people leave Florida after devastating hurricanes? History suggests not

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The news rippled through Treasure Island, Florida, almost like a third storm: The mayor planned to move off the barrier island a month after Hurricane Helene flooded tens of thousands of homes along the Gulf Coast and two weeks after Hurricane Milton also ravaged the state.

ECONOMY

US employers added 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes, strikes sharply reduce payrolls

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's employers added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists say was held down by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. The report provided a somewhat blurry view of the job market at the end of a presidential race that has pivoted heavily on voters' feelings about the economy.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Amazon leads Wall Street higher

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon led U.S. stock indexes higher on Friday, while a surprisingly weak jobs report marred by some unusual occurrences cemented bets on Wall Street for another cut to interest rates next week.

Wendy's closing 140 more restaurants as part of push to update its locations

Wendy's plans to close 140 U.S. restaurants before the end of this year on top of the 100 it said it would close in May.

Exxon Mobil's $8.6B profit tops Street in 3rd quarter, helped by Pioneer Natural acquisition

Exxon Mobil's third-quarter profit beat analysts' expectations, as the oil and gas giant was helped by contributions from Pioneer Natural Resources, a recent acquisition.

Apple sells $46 billion worth of iPhones over the summer as AI helps end slump

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple snapped out of a recent iPhone sales slump during its summer quarter, an early sign that its recent efforts to revive demand for its marquee product with an infusion of artificial intelligence are paying off.


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans receiver Calvin Ridley's best game of season follows short chat and extra work

NASHVILLE (AP) — The foot injury that kept Calvin Ridley from practicing with the Tennessee Titans two straight sessions didn't stop the wide receiver from working.

SEC SPORTS

Revised SEC penalties for field invasions haven't ended them yet. But officials say they're safer

If 16th-ranked LSU defeats No. 14 Alabama on an approaching Saturday night in November, and fans at Death Valley respond by rushing the field again, the Tigers' athletic program would have to pay up to $500,000 to the Crimson Tide.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Beyoncé, Shaboozey and Post Malone topped country in 2024. How will Grammy voters respond?

NEW YORK (AP) — Country music has become a dominant force, bleeding into pop music's mainstream. And artists who might not have been previously associated with the genre — like Beyoncé and Post Malone — have recently released country albums.

COURTS

Ex-FTX executive spared prison sentence after cooperating against Sam Bankman-Fried

NEW YORK (AP) — An ex-FTX executive who testified against the cryptocurrency firm's founder at his trial last year was spared a prison sentence Wednesday by a federal judge who credited his substantial cooperation and late arrival in the multibillion dollar fraud.

Musk's $1M-a-day voter sweepstakes for Trump goes before a Philadelphia judge

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia judge began a hearing Thursday in the city prosecutor's bid to shut down Elon Musk's $1 million-a-day sweepstakes in battleground states. The giveaways come from Musk's political organization, which aims to boost Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

ELECTION 2024

Kamala Harris says Trump's comments on women 'are offensive to everybody'

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Kamala Harris said Thursday that Donald Trump's comment that he would protect women "whether the women like it or not" showed that the Republican presidential nominee does not understand women's "agency, their authority, their right and their ability to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies."

A national campaign to lessen polarization pushes states to ditch partisan primaries

DENVER (AP) — A national campaign is backing ballot measures in six states to end partisan primaries, seeking to turn down the temperature in a polarized country by removing a process that gives the most active members of both major parties an outsize role in picking the country's leaders.

US voters hear a stark message in the presidential race: The country's fate is on the line

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Few elections in the nation's history have provided such a divide as this year's, with the two major candidates and so many of their supporters saying the outcome will determine the fate of the country and whether it can hold to its democratic moorings.

Inspired by Harris, many Black sorority and fraternity members are helping downballot races

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes isn't a member of the historically Black sororities and fraternities known as the "Divine Nine."

Trump won't vote early, though he said he would

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) — Donald Trump is planning to cast his vote on Election Day despite having previously said he would vote early.

The struggle for Senate control goes down to the wire as spending shatters records

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Billions of dollars in advertising are raining down on voters across the Rust Belt, Rocky Mountains and American southwest as the two major political parties portray their opponent's candidates as extreme in a struggle for control of the U.S. Senate.

The US election system is secure. But human nature is a vulnerability

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hacking a local election system in the United States wouldn't be easy, and secretly altering votes on a scale massive enough to change the outcome of the presidential race would be impossible, election officials have said, thanks to decentralized systems, paper records for nearly all ballots, exhaustive reviews, legal due process and decades of work by American election officials, volunteers and citizens.

Americans are anxious and frustrated about the presidential campaign, an AP-NORC poll finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans are feeling a lot of emotions heading into Election Day, but excitement is not one of them.

Nicky Jam withdraws endorsement of Donald Trump over comedian's 'garbage' comment about Puerto Rico

NEW YORK (AP) — Puerto Rican reggaeton singer Nicky Jam has withdrawn his endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election a month after appearing at a rally for the candidate.

Ping! Harris and Trump are blowing up your phones with political texts in campaign's last days

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the millions of Americans on the radar of the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns and those of their allies, the apocalypse is only a text message away.

Some US Muslims struggle to find a candidate they can tolerate supporting for president

ATLANTA (AP) — With the death and destruction in Gaza on her mind, Soraya Burhani agonized over how to cast her vote for president.

Speaker Mike Johnson is pulling closer to Trump to save the GOP's House majority

HOLLAND, Ohio (AP) — Wherever House Speaker Mike Johnson goes, Donald Trump, seemingly, is not far away.

Trump campaigns with Packers legend Brett Favre at rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Donald Trump showered former NFL star Brett Favre with praise on Wednesday at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where the former Packers quarterback campaigned for the Republican presidential nominee in the final week before Election Day.

Trump boards a garbage truck to draw attention to Biden remark

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Donald Trump walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name, walked across a rain-soaked tarmac and, after twice missing the handle, climbed into the passenger seat of a white garbage truck that also carried his name.

TECHNOLOGY

Google Maps adds AI features to help users explore and navigate the world around them

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — Google Maps is heading down a new road steered by artificial intelligence.

Samsung reports 'major' progress in supply deal for AI chips

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics on Thursday reported progress on a major supply deal for artificial intelligence-focused chips, aiming to reassure investors following a slowdown in semiconductor profits during the last quarter.

New York semiconductor site picked for $825 million in funding

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A semiconductor research facility in upstate New York was selected as one of three national technology centers and will receive up to $825 million in funding as part of a broader federal effort to boost the United States' competitiveness in the industry.

MILITARY

Pentagon audit says Boeing cleaned up on Air Force parts, including soap dispensers marked up 8,000%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Boeing overcharged the Air Force nearly $1 million for spare parts on C-17 cargo planes, including an 8,000% markup for simple lavatory soap dispensers, according to the Pentagon's inspector general.

ENVIRONMENT

Asia needs to spend much more to adapt to climate change and limit its damage, bank study says

BANGKOK (AP) — Countries in Asia will suffer worse damage from the climate crisis than other regions and are falling far behind in spending on improvements to limit the damage and adapt to changing weather patterns and natural disasters, the Asian Development Bank said in a report released Thursday.

California announces sustainable fuels partnership to curb emissions from planes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will partner with a trade group representing major U.S. airlines to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuels, state officials said Wednesday.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Autonomous truck company Aurora delays hauling freight without human drivers until April

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Autonomous truck company Aurora Innovation says it won't start hauling freight without humans on board until April of next year, a delay from previous statements that commercial service would begin by the end of 2024.

MEDIA

Washington Post report: Subscriber loss after non-endorsement reaches a quarter million

The Washington Post has lost at least 250,000 subscribers since announcing last Friday that it would not endorse a candidate for president — roughly 10 percent of its digital following, the newspaper reported Wednesday.

FOOD SAFETY

McDonald's E. coli case count rises as federal officials inspect an onion grower

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of E. coli poisoning among people who ate at McDonald's, as government investigators seeking the outbreak's source identified an "onion grower of interest" in Washington state.

ECONOMY

Inflation gauge closely watched by the Fed falls to lowest level since early 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a presidential race profoundly shaped by Americans' frustration with high prices nears its end, the government said Thursday that an inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve has dropped to near pre-pandemic levels.

US applications for jobless benefits fall as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels

Fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs remained at historically healthy levels despite elevated interest rates.

HEALTH CARE

'Obamacare' enrollment opens as Republicans threaten the health insurance program used by millions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can start signing up Friday for health care coverage offered through the Affordable Care Act marketplace for 2025, days before a presidential election that could threaten eligibility and raise costs for millions of those in the program.

EU Commission fines Teva $500 million for trying to stop rival's multiple sclerosis drug

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission said Thursday it has fined Israeli generic drugmaker Teva more than 460 million euros ($500 million) for improperly seeking to protect the patent for its multiple sclerosis drug and for disparaging a rival company's development of a competing medicine.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Microsoft, Meta and the burden of expectations knock Wall Street sharply lower

NEW YORK (AP) — The downside of high expectations thumped Wall Street on Thursday, and Microsoft and Meta Platforms dragged U.S. stock indexes lower despite delivering strong profits for the summer.

Amazon exceeds quarterly revenue estimates as it invests in AI

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Amazon reported a boost in its quarterly profits Thursday and exceeded revenue estimates, sending the company's stock up in after-hours trading.

Microsoft reports quarterly sales up 16% to $65.6 billion as investors ask if AI spending worth it

Microsoft on Wednesday reported its quarterly sales grew 16% to $65.6 billion as the company sought to assure investors its huge spending on artificial intelligence is paying off.

Meta's third-quarter profit surges 35% reflecting strong ad revenue and its AI push

Meta Platforms Inc. posted stronger-than-expected third-quarter results on Wednesday fueled by its advertising revenue growth and its push to incorporate artificial intelligence.

Starbucks CEO sets four-minute service goal as he tries to reinvigorate sagging sales

Starbucks' new Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol wants customers to get their orders hand-delivered by a barista in four minutes or less, a goal that will be central as he tries to reinvigorate the company's sagging sales.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US imposes sanctions on top members of the armed wing of a Mexican fentanyl-trafficking cartel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on senior members of the armed wing of a Mexican drug cartel that operates on border territories in and around Chihuahua, Mexico.

About 8,000 North Korean troops now at Ukraine's border are expected in combat soon, US says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some 8,000 North Korean soldiers are now in Russia near Ukraine's border and are preparing to help the Kremlin fight against Ukrainian troops in the coming days, the Biden administration said Thursday.


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