VOL. 41 | NO. 51 | Friday, December 22, 2017
Battling streaming, HDTVs with recliners, bars, real food, more
Television was going to end the movies. Everyone in the 1950s knew that. Didn’t quite turn out that way – as this weekend’s $45 million opening of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” demonstrates – but the advent of new forms of entertainment did get movie theater operators thinking about ways to compete for audience share, a trend that has ramped up to new heights 60 years later.
STATEWIDE
Gov. Bill Haslam is considering reducing the number University of Tennessee Board of Trustees members and trimming the number of finalists presented for top leadership positions in the UT system, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally has confirmed.
SAM STOCKARD: VIEW FROM THE HILL
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Now go find a job. That’s the message the state of Tennessee is sending nearly 60 employees at Fall Creek Falls State Park at this joyous holiday season.
RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK
As Nashville grows, there is more smart growth than unintelligent growth, if smart growth is defined by the principles that governed the phrase when it came into being around in 2006.
REAL ESTATE
Top commercial real estate sales, November 2017, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week but remain lower than they were a year ago. The five-year adjustable-rate mortgage rate hit the highest level since mid-2011.
PREDATORS
If recent trade acquisition Kyle Turris keeps playing this well for the Nashville Predators, we might have to divide the history of the franchise into the pre- and post-Turris eras. Predators general manager David Poile has pulled off plenty of impressive in-season trades in the past, adding the likes of Cliff Ronning, Steve Sullivan, Peter Forsberg, Mike Fisher and Ryan Johansen to Nashville’s roster over the years.
TIM GHIANNI: STREET LEVEL
Eric Brace laughs at himself easily when describing his latest project, an album of French jazz songs – sung in that storied language of love – accompanied by a wall of sound mostly provided by a blind, musical genius who began his career in a South Dakota family gospel band.
TERRY McCORMICK: TENNESSEE TITANS
The Tennessee Titans will tell you that their success is built around the run game. Don’t buy it. “Exotic smashmouth” has become a mere shell of its former self.
Wesley Woodyard vs. Todd Gurley. After struggling last year, Gurley is back and is even picking up some chatter as an MVP candidate. The Titans have to find a way to slow him down if they are to have any chance of upsetting the Rams on Sunday. Gurley, who has nearly 1,200 yards rushing, also has caught 54 passes.
NEWSMAKERS
Bank Investment Consultant magazine has named Pinnacle Financial Partners associate Brock Kidd No. 1 on its list of Top 100 Bank Advisors. This is his eighth appearance on the list.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
Every December, carmakers and dealerships scramble to hit end-of-year goals and sell off vehicles from the outgoing model year. But this December might be one for the record books. Inventory is at unusually high levels, and the push to clear it will be far more aggressive than in years past. Rebates will be generous – particularly on sedans, which are not nearly as popular as SUVs. So, bargain hunters can find significant savings.
CAREER CORNER
I hate to admit this, but I have seen more people let go this holiday season than in years past. It’s a sad and stressful situation.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — A senior adviser to the Tennessee House speaker is leaving to take a job at a law firm.
SPORTS
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne loves playing against the St. Louis Blues.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates increased this week, although they're lower than a year ago.
HEALTH CARE
After decades of hope and high promise, this was the year scientists really showed they could doctor DNA to successfully treat diseases. Gene therapies to treat cancer and even pull off the biblical-sounding feat of helping the blind to see were approved by U.S. regulators, establishing gene manipulation as a new mode of medicine.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
U.S. stock indexes were up slightly in light trading early Thursday as technology companies posted more gains. Financial stocks were also moving higher as bond yields rose. Energy companies rose as crude oil and natural gas prices headed higher. Health care and industrials stocks lagged.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of unemployed workers filing for jobless benefits remained the same from the previous week at 245,000, a low level signaling a healthy job market.
WASHINGTON (AP) — In this season of giving, charity seems to be getting an extra jolt because next year the popular tax deduction for donations will lose a lot of its punch.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Power was fully restored at Disneyland on Wednesday after an outage at the California theme park forced some guests to be escorted from stalled rides.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) — "Nashville" survived one previous cancellation, but the final curtain call is coming for the TV melodrama about the trials and tribulations of country music stars.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — U.S. Rep. Diane Black announced Wednesday that she is stepping down as House Budget Committee chairwoman, but will remain in Congress as she runs for governor of Tennessee.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Officials say Tennesseans that participated in a national prescription drug disposal initiative turned in a record number of unwanted or expired medications.
SPORTS
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jaguars coach Doug Marrone has no plans to rest starters in the regular-season finale even though Jacksonville is locked into its playoff seeding.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Slightly more people signed contracts in November to buy homes — with pending sales rising just 0.2 percent as the housing market copes with a dwindling supply of properties on the market.
AUTO INDUSTRY
LONDON (AP) — Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk says the electric car company will make a pickup truck after the release of its next model.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
U.S. stock indexes capped another quiet day on Wall Street Wednesday with slight gains, recouping some of the market's modest losses from a day earlier.
NEW YORK (AP) — It was a strong year for the stock market, but 2017 was a great year if you made airplanes (think Boeing), were an online juggernaut (Amazon) or built homes (KB Homes). It was a year to forget if you were an energy company (Chesapeake) made Barbie dolls (Mattel) or if you were a storied industrial conglomerate about to go on a radical slim-down program (General Electric).
Taken a look at your stock portfolio lately? It's a good bet it's racked up solid gains this year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — It's a Christmas gift the middle class might want to give back in a few years.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans were a bit less confident about this economy this month than they were in November, but their spirits remained high overall during the holiday shopping season.
NEW YORK (AP) — Back in 1979, Karen Schneider was an entry-level copy editor in her 20s when a senior editor at her newspaper offered her a ride after some late-night drinks with colleagues. At her destination, he locked the car door and forcibly kissed her.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Democrats eager to take control of the Senate next year are turning to the state of Tennessee, where a popular Democratic former governor is running for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Sen. Bob Corker.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — President Donald Trump is returning to Tennessee to speak at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention.
SPORTS
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Titans coach Mike Mularkey says he's not ruling out DeMarco Murray of their regular-season finale against Jacksonville just yet despite an injured right knee that has the running back day to day.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The playoff math for the Tennessee Titans couldn't be simpler now.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices climbed a robust 6.2 percent from a year ago, amid strong demand from would-be buyers and a shrinking supply of properties for sale.
TECHNOLOGY
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A team of college students is getting attention from internet companies and Congress after developing a browser extension that alerts users to fake and biased news stories and helps guide them to more balanced coverage.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
A listless day of trading on Wall Street ended with major stock indexes closing slightly lower Tuesday, weighed down by losses among some big technology companies.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Craft breweries are raising a glass to the Republicans' new tax overhaul: It cuts the excise tax on beer. Retailers, long saddled with heavy tax bills, will get relief. So will some high-profile names in corporate finance, led by Wells Fargo.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook and record label Universal Music Group have signed a multiyear deal that will let Facebook users share videos that have the label's music in them.
SPORTS
NASHVILLE (AP) — A fast start by Carolina spelled an early exit for Pekka Rinne.
NASHVILLE AREA
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Soccer is postponing a decision on its next expansion team until next year.
COURTS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Tennessee prosecutor has been chosen as the next inspector general for New Orleans.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials say the state's unemployment rate in November was well below the jobless figure a year earlier.
MEMPHIS (AP) — A private group headed by a county commissioner used anonymous donations to purchase two parks from the city of Memphis, remove two Confederate statues and keep the parks running at their current level.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A private group headed by a county commissioner and fueled by anonymous donations bought two parks from the city of Memphis at little cost this week, allowing for the swift removal of two Confederate statues that had sparked conflict for years.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has again failed to approve long-term funds for a popular program that provides health insurance for nearly 9 million low-income children, leaving each party blaming the other for Christmas-season gridlock and states scrambling to decide how to parcel out dwindling money.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Senate Republican is skeptical at best about revisiting the Senate's botched efforts to dismantle Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act despite one GOP lawmaker's insistence the health care law will be scrapped.
WASHINGTON (AP) — About 8.8 million people have signed up for coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act, the government said Thursday. The surprisingly strong numbers come after a deadline surge last week.
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump completes his first year in office, Americans are increasingly concerned about health care, and their faith that government can fix it has fallen.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up their purchases of new homes at the fastest pace in more than 25 years in November, with sales skyrocketing 17.5 percent amid robust demand and a continued shortage of existing homes on the market.
TECHNOLOGY
NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook says it is changing how it identifies "fake news" stories on its platform to a more effective system.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks finished slightly lower Friday in subdued trading ahead of a three-day holiday weekend. Health care companies and banks slipped.
NEW YORK (AP) — A payment technology firm says that holiday spending is surging in the days before Christmas.
WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers stepped up their spending last month, a good sign for the holiday shopping season.
Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods rose last month by 1.3 percent, boosted by orders for both commercial and defense aircraft. A category that measures business investment slipped for the first time since June.
NEW YORK (AP) — What's a bitcoin worth? Lately nobody knows for sure, but after a wild ride on Friday, it's worth a good deal less than it was Thursday.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are moving moderately higher on Wall Street Thursday as energy companies and banks post solid gains. Goldman Sachs and Chevron sent the Dow Jones industrial average higher. Wells Fargo was also up, and Finish Line jumped after reporting a narrower loss than investors were expecting. Utilities fell.
NEW YORK (AP) — One of Wall Street's traditional warning signs for a recession is flashing yellow, and nobody seems to care.
ATLANTA (AP) — Home Depot is buying online retailer The Company Store, moving forward with aggressive plans to protect itself from competitors like Amazon.com.
NATIONAL POLITICS
With Congress sending President Donald Trump a tax overhaul, state and local governments are preparing for some fallout.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed a temporary spending bill into law on Friday to avert a government shutdown after the Republican-led Congress did the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punted disputes on immigration, health care and the budget to next year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed into law a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul package.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the temporary spending bill to keep the government operating until Congress returns next year (all times local):
NEW YORK (AP) — Congress' giant tax overhaul is poised to reach virtually every corner of American life — even Splitsville.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill to avert a government shutdown, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punting disputes on immigration, health care and the budget to next year.
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Stansbury propped his rusty bike against a live oak tree and cast his fishing line into the rushing waters of Florida's Anclote River.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conflict-weary lawmakers eyed the U.S. Capitol exits Thursday as the Republican-led Congress rushed to approve a temporary spending bill to avoid a government shutdown and then sprint home for the holidays.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled a new, stripped-down spending bill Thursday, aiming to prevent a government shutdown this weekend and allow quarreling lawmakers to punt most of their unfinished business into the new year.