VOL. 37 | NO. 50 | Friday, December 13, 2013
Top November 2013 residential real estate transactions for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.
A look at Davidson County’s top lenders based on total number of all loans, commercial and residential. Only loans that have the actual lender name listed on the trust deed filing are included.
REALTY CHECK
Data from the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors shows November and sales were up 4 percent over the same period last year.
TERRY McCORMICK
It’s amazing what can apparently pass for “breaking news” around the NFL these days.
NEWSMAKERS
Michael Wiechart has been named president and CEO of Capella Healthcare, effective January 1.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Social media is a terrific opportunity to engage with the marketplace and build brand loyalty. Unfortunately, along with the reward comes risk. When a social media campaign backfires, your failure can be quite public.
THE WORLDLY INVESTOR
With another successful earnings season in the books, earnings news will move to the backburner for financial market observers. In the midst of this earnings vacuum, economic news moves to the forefront, as investors try to determine if the strong earnings will be sustainable via a healing economy. Or, if the economic support is beginning to deteriorate, perhaps earnings have peaked.
BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW
Your next biggest competitor has established a real game-changer.
I SWEAR
Last week, I thanked all who had weighed in on the issue of stopping unwanted calls from marketers. One contributor (“Tanya”) sent me what was represented as something that had helped “cut down on phone calls to me.”
KAY'S COOKING CORNER
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever and with whomever you celebrated. In my opinion, the time of year when families and friends gather and share a meal together is the most wonderful time of the year.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Metropolitan Nashville residents are 12th in the nation for volunteering, according to the annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report.
MIDSTATE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Firefighters are making progress against a large industrial fire at a federal Superfund site in central Tennessee, an official said Thursday.
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) — The state Supreme Court has ruled that a woman injured in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Red Bank can proceed with her negligence lawsuit against the store.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people who bought existing U.S. homes in November declined for the third straight month. Higher mortgage rates have made home-buying more expensive, while the lingering effect of the October government shutdown might have deterred some sales.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 379,000, the highest since March. The increase may reflect volatility around the Thanksgiving holidays.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks pulled back from record levels Thursday after surging a day earlier. The market gained the most in more than two months Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it was trimming its stimulus efforts, which investors saw as a vote of confidence in the economy.
WASHINGTON (AP) — In his final performance, Ben Bernanke rewrote the script.
The price of oil remained near $98 Thursday on a fall in U.S. crude stockpiles and optimism about growing demand in the world's largest consumer.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Average U.S. rates for fixed mortgages rose slightly this week but remained near historically low levels.
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Facebook plans to offer 70 million shares of its Class A stock in a sale that includes more than 41 million shares from chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who also will buy Class B shares that carry more voting weight.
Target says about 40 million credit and debit card accounts may be affected by a data breach that occurred just as the holiday shopping season shifted into high gear.
NEW YORK (AP) — With less than a week until Christmas, a real-life Grinch has stolen the credit and debit card information of about 40 million Target shoppers.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Darden Restaurants Inc. is looking to either spin off or sell Red Lobster, part of its plan to boost shareholder value.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — There were no champagne corks popping at the White House after Congress passed a two-year budget deal, no declarations of a new era of cooperation in President Barack Obama's second term.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville is one of 23 U.S. cities to win a $25,000 grant that supports mayors who are implementing strategies to address local challenges.
AUTO INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) — Parts supplier Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee Inc. is planning a $54 million expansion in Anderson County and will add 81 jobs over the next two years.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve expects unemployment to fall a bit further over the next two years than it thought in September and expects inflation to remain below the Fed's target level.
NEW YORK (AP) — Sparse crowds at malls and "50 percent off" signs at The Gap, AnnTaylor and other stores give a clue as to how the holiday season is going.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has decided to reduce its stimulus for the U.S. economy because the job market has shown steady improvement. The shift could lead to higher long-term borrowing rates for individuals and businesses.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are surging after the Federal Reserve decided the economy was strong enough for it to reduce its stimulus efforts.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil bounced around but closed with a gain Wednesday as the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to start to reduce its monetary stimulus and U.S. oil supplies fell for a third straight week.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Delta Air Lines won't allow passengers to make voice calls from its planes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. builders broke ground on homes at the fastest pace in more than five years, strong evidence that the housing recovery is accelerating despite higher mortgage rates.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rate increases helped FedEx Corp. post net income that was 14 percent higher than a year earlier, when superstorm Sandy hurt business.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress sent President Barack Obama legislation Wednesday scaling back across-the-board cuts on programs ranging from the Pentagon to the national park system, adding a late dusting of bipartisanship to a year more likely to be remembered for a partial government shutdown and near-perpetual gridlock.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is on the verge of doing something it hasn't done during three years of partisan warfare: Passing a budget deal that won't likely hurt the economy.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
MUSIC INDUSTRY
DALLAS (AP) — Good friends like Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard got more credit for their contrary ways and trend-setting ideas, but it was Ray Price who set the precedent for change in country music more than a decade earlier.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Merle Haggard can still remember the first time he heard Ray Price's voice come out of the radio, fronting Lefty Frizzell's band on "If You're Ever Lonely Darling" in 1951. And the memory of hearing "I'll Be There" for the first time in 1954 still makes him break out into song.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam has named Appeals Judge Holly M. Kirby to join the state Supreme Court after Justice Janice Holder retires next year.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The State Funding Board has made its revenue projections for the upcoming budget year.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Laura Herzog is leaving her position as spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in Washington to become deputy director of communications for Gov. Bill Haslam in Nashville.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — State Rep. Mike Turner has decided to remain House Democratic Caucus chairman.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville International Airport is adding a daily nonstop flight to New York City's LaGuardia Airport.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and some of his teammates have worked with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to help feed more than 250 families.
COURTS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge made headlines Monday by declaring that the National Security Agency's bulk collection of millions of Americans' telephone records is likely unconstitutional. But even he realized his won't be the last word on the issue.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Five General Motors factories in three states will soon share in a $1.3 billion investment so they can make higher-quality pickup trucks and new fuel-efficient engines and transmissions.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Nobody wanted to stick their neck out on Tuesday.
The price of oil edged lower Tuesday as investors wait to see whether or not the U.S. Federal Reserve will decide to start reducing its monetary stimulus this week.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The growing gap between the richest Americans and everyone else isn't bad just for individuals.
U.S. homebuilders' confidence bounced back strongly this month, a sign that construction and industry hiring may pick up in coming months.
NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook said Tuesday that it's testing video advertisements that show up in its users' news feeds, creating another potential source of advertising revenue for the social network.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Death, devices and celebrity drove the quest for more information on Google's search engine this year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer prices stayed flat in November, held down by falling gas prices. Inflation remains low across the broader economy, giving the Federal Reserve latitude to continue its extraordinary stimulus program.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. current account deficit narrowed in the July-September quarter to the lowest level in four years as a rise in Americans' foreign investment earnings helped offset a bigger deficit in goods.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is meeting Tuesday with executives from leading technology companies, including Google, Twitter and Apple.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan budget bill that would ease some but not all of painful budget cuts that would otherwise slam the Pentagon and domestic agencies passed a pivotal test in the Senate on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leaders are criticizing a bipartisan budget deal, parting ways with their House counterparts who shepherded the measure through that chamber last week.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16
COURTS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled Monday that the National Security Agency's bulk collection of phone records violates the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches, but put his decision on hold pending a near-certain government appeal.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A state panel has recommended extending a moratorium on municipal annexations while a study on the practice continues.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fired chief of staff for Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander will live with his parents in Maryland and be electronically monitored while he awaits trial on charges of possession and attempted distribution of child pornography.
MIDSTATE
MURFREESBORO (AP) — The presidents of Middle Tennessee State University and Alabama A&M have signed a pact for scientific research.
AUTO INDUSTRY
WASHINGTON (AP) — Retiring General Motors CEO Dan Akerson says the government bailout of his company was a net gain for taxpayers — even though they lost $10.5 billion in the deal.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Corporate deals and fresh evidence of a stronger economy are giving the stock market a jolt.
The price of oil rose above $97 a barrel Monday after new signals that Europe's economy is on the mend and the ongoing closure of export terminals in Libya.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factories increased output in November for the fourth straight month, led by a surge in auto production. The gains show manufacturing is strengthening and could help boost economic growth at the end of the year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. workers boosted their productivity from July through September at the fastest pace since the end of 2009, adding to signs of stronger economic growth.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says there is no evidence that antibacterial chemicals used in liquid soaps and washes help prevent the spread of germs, and there is some evidence they may pose health risks.
BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of workers at Amazon.com in Germany have walked off the job in an effort to put pressure on the American online retailer in the busy days before Christmas to settle on a new wage agreement.
BEIJING (AP) — Apple Inc. might have a chance to pep up cooling iPhone sales in China if it finally can reach a deal with the world's biggest phone carrier.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Distinctly unpopular among voters and a scant presence in most congressional districts, federal workers have become an easy target in the hunt for budget savings.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) - They sit at the pinnacle of Tennessee's justice system, enjoying power, privileges, prestige - and even a job nearly for life, once in office.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are asking fans to help with Christmas by bringing donations for the Toys for Tots drive before Sunday's game against Arizona.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development has announced four new locations ready for company investment.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The fired chief of staff for Sen. Lamar Alexander made his first court appearance Thursday on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.
AUTO INDUSTRY
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — After a four-year legal battle, Toyota is entering settlement talks on hundreds of lawsuits that allege sudden unintended acceleration problems with its vehicles led to deaths and injuries.
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. got about $343 million for its 7 percent stake in French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen.
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says 2014 will be its busiest year ever, with 23 new vehicles being introduced around the world.
DETROIT (AP) — New cars and trucks sold in the U.S. last year got an average of 23.6 miles per gallon in combined city and highway driving, a record that came mainly through improvements to engines and transmissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Automaker Volkswagen said Thursday it was replacing the head of its U.S. division, which has struggled to reach sales goals.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Technology problems with President Barack Obama's health care website are forcing the administration to extend a federal insurance plan for some of the sickest patients by a month.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Residents in some parts of the U.S. are signing up for health care coverage at a significantly greater rate than others through the new online insurance marketplaces now operating in every state.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale prices dropped in November for the third consecutive month, pushed down again by cheaper gasoline and lower home heating oil costs. But excluding volatile energy costs, inflation was mostly stable.
A record-breaking rally in stocks paused this week as investors contemplate what's next for the market.
The price of oil slid to around $97 a barrel Friday on the possibility of new supplies from Libya and expectations the Federal Reserve will cut its stimulus program.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans ramped up spending at retail businesses in November, providing a boost to the economy just in time for the holidays.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just because it's safe to use cellphones on a plane, it doesn't mean that passengers should call just to say hello.
NEW YORK (AP) — Many Americans appear to be watching the annual holiday spending ritual from the sidelines this year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Merrill Lynch has agreed to pay $131.8 million to settle U.S. civil charges that it misled investors about risky mortgage bonds it sold ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he'll meet with his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell to discuss whether they can speed things up in the Senate and move on a budget agreement and a defense policy bill more quickly.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican establishment's much-anticipated pushback against the tea party wing is underway. House Speaker John Boehner made that clear Thursday, when he renewed his denunciation of groups that try to defeat GOP incumbents they consider too willing to compromise with Democrats.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House pushed toward passage of a comprehensive defense policy bill on Thursday that would address sexual assault in the ranks, cover the cost of combat pay for the nation's war-fighters and fund new aircraft and ships.