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VOL. 47 | NO. 7 | Friday, February 10, 2023

Backyard solution to housing shortage

But Tennessee cities have varied tolerances for detached rentals

Call them DADUs or ADUs – just don’t call them STVRs. Also, are they a property, a use or both?

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Aren’t there any real problems for legislators to fix?

Republican legislators wasted no time getting down to business this session, putting on performative displays to demonize drag shows and criminalize medical treatments for transgender minors.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Gov. Lee’s proposed budget: Roads, parks, tax breaks

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee this week unveiled a $55.6 billion state budget proposal stocked with cash for roads, state parks, tax cuts for businesses, state employee pay boosts and more.

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

EVENTS

Concert for a Cause. Shade Tree Clinic, is a nonprofit clinic run by the students at Vanderbilt Medical School, serves uninsured, underinsured and marginalized patients throughout the Nashville community. The clinic is coordinating a fundraiser to raise money for the clinic. Sheryl Crow will headline the show. VIP pre-show reception at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday with show at 7 p.m. Langford Auditorium, 2209 Garland Ave. Tickets: $30 and up. Information

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

All economic signals point to ... something? anything?

Interest rates are dropping, the job market is spewing higher than expected numbers and some of the financial experts continue to talk of the looming recession. Apparently, the Federal Reserve is content with the fruits of its labor, and the most recent increase was a quarter of a point versus the 0.75 hikes levied last year.

REAL ESTATE

Top Davidson County residential real estate sales for January 2023

Top Davidson County residential real estate sales for January 2023, as compiled by the Nashville Ledger.

Average long-term US mortgage rates inch back up this week

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate ticked up slightly this week after four weeks of declines, a possible sign of stability that could draw in home shoppers with spring buying season weeks away.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans franchise owes big debt to retiring Fisher

A pro football era has ended. Sure, everyone saw Tom Brady re-retired after 23 seasons of play that made him the greatest quarterback in NFL history in the eyes of most.

Brady retirement pushes Tannehill toward Titans

Ryan Tannehill’s stock in Tennessee might have gotten an unexpected boost last week with the retirement of Tom Brady and the resulting fallout.

Mahomes’ experience will win day

It might be a rare occurrence, but it’s pretty hard not to notice the two best and most consistent teams throughout the regular season have made it to the Super Bowl.

NEWSMAKERS

Ogletree Deakins picks managing shareholder-elect

Ogletree Deakins’ equity shareholders have voted Liz Washko as the firm’s managing shareholder-elect. Washko will assume the role of managing shareholder following the firm’s next shareholders meeting in January 2024, succeeding Matt Keen, who has served in the role since 2016.

BRIEFS

TSU marching band wins first Grammy

Tennessee State University’s renowned Aristocrat of Bands made Grammy history Sunday night, winning for best roots gospel album for the project “The Urban Hymnal.”

GUEST COLUMNIST

Citizens deserve full access to police video

If the video footage from the Tyre Nichols beating in Memphis tells us anything, it’s that we need to keep protecting the tools that allow public accountability for corruption.

PERSONAL FINANCE

‘Bridge’ your way to Social Security sustainability

Delaying the start of Social Security benefits is a powerful way for retirees to cope with inflation, survive bad investment markets and reduce the risk they’ll run short of money. The advantages of waiting are so great that financial planners often recommend their clients tap other savings, such as retirement funds, to help them delay claiming.

Use fresh tax credits, rebates for eco home updates

If you’ve been holding off on home improvements, a new law signed last year and now in effect as of Jan. 1, may provide a fresh incentive.

Should unmarried couples have one bank account?

When a couple joins financial forces, it’s typically so they can accomplish a joint savings goal or contribute to shared expenses, such as those that come from living together.

VANDERBILT SPORTS

Vanderbilt wins 4th straight SEC game, 75-64 over Gamecocks

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Liam Robbins scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Ezra Manjon added 15 points and Vanderbilt beat South Carolina 75-64 on Tuesday night for its fourth straight conference victory.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Stax offers free soul music event for Black History Month

MEMPHIS (AP) — The foundation associated with the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Music Academy says a new multimedia presentation celebrating Black History Month is now available for viewing online.

STATE GOVERNMENT

States' push to define sex decried as erasing trans people

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Adam Kellogg was a nerdy 16-year-old preparing to board a flight from Kansas City to Florida for a space and science camp trip to Cape Canaveral when security held him up for 30 minutes because his driver's license identified him as female.

Bill would ban companies that offer trans care from TennCare

NASHVILLE (AP) — The private companies that manage care for most of Tennessee's Medicaid program could no longer contract with the state if they cover gender-transitioning medical care, according to a bill Republican lawmakers advanced Tuesday.

Tennessee advances bill to narrowly loosen abortion ban

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's GOP-dominant Statehouse on Tuesday took a first step toward loosening one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, advancing a narrow exemption bill over threats from anti-abortion advocates that doing so would come with political retribution.

COURTS

In Trump probe, US seeks to pierce attorney-client privilege

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department prosecutors investigating the mishandling of classified documents at Donald Trump's Florida estate are seeking to pierce the attorney-client privilege and want to again question one of the former president's lawyers before a grand jury, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.

Fake pro, college sports memorabilia worth millions seized

More than 600 fake championship rings for professional and collegiate sports were confiscated by law enforcement agents last week during a raid of a South Carolina memorabilia store, officials said.

HEALTH CARE

FDA panel weighs moving opioid antidote over the counter

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers on Wednesday were weighing whether the overdose-reversal drug naloxone should be made available as an over-the-counter medication to help fight the national opioid crisis.

Governments target medical debt with COVID relief funds

Millions of Americans mired in medical debt face difficult financial decisions every day — pay the debt or pay for rent, utilities and groceries. Some may even skip necessary health care for fear of sinking deeper into debt.

TRANSPORTATION

FAA head defends safety of US air travel after close calls

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday the agency has taken steps to avoid a repeat of the technology failure last month that briefly halted all flights nationwide, but he said he couldn't promise there won't be another breakdown.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Park outside: Stellantis recalls Ram trucks due to fire risk

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is telling the owners of nearly 341,000 Ram diesel trucks to park them outdoors because an electrical connector can overheat and cause a fire.

Mini-union vote at Nissan Tennessee plant set for March 16

NASHVILLE (AP) — Fewer than 100 employees out of the thousands who work at Nissan's auto assembly plant in Tennessee will have the chance to vote on March 16 on whether to form a small union.

White House: Tesla to make some EV chargers available to all

WASHINGTON (AP) — Electric car giant Tesla will, for the first time, make some of its charging stations available to all U.S. electric vehicles by the end of next year, under a new plan announced Wednesday by the White House.

Amazon unit Zoox tests robotaxi on California city's streets

NEW YORK (AP) — Zoox, a self-driving vehicle company owned by Amazon, says it has successfully carried passengers on public roads — a development that helps the California company inch closer to bringing the vehicle to the general public.

ENERGY

Alaska carbon plan: Boost state coffers without cutting oil

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Oil-dependent Alaska has long sought ways to fatten its coffers and move away from the fiscal whiplash of oil's boom-and-bust cycles.

EPA declined to challenge TVA on new gas plant

NASHVILLE (AP) — Critics have long blasted the nation's largest public utility over its preference to replace coal-burning power plants with ones reliant on gas, another fossil fuel.

MEDIA

Study shows 'striking' number who believe news misinforms

NEW YORK (AP) — Half of Americans in a recent survey indicated they believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public to adopt a particular point of view through their reporting.

ECONOMY

CBO projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year with the unemployment rate jumping to 5.1% — a bleak outlook that was paired with a 10-year projection that publicly held U.S. debt would nearly double to $46.4 trillion in 2033.

UK inflation falls again, raising hopes prices will plunge

LONDON (AP) — Britain's inflation rate fell for a third consecutive month in January, boosting optimism that the cost-of-living crisis has peaked and prices will fall sharply later this year.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks eke out gains after blowout data on retail sales

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed slightly higher on Wall Street after a report showed U.S. shoppers opened their wallets at stores last month by much more than expected.

Retail sales jump as Americans defy inflation and rate hikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's consumers rebounded last month from a weak holiday shopping season by boosting their spending at stores and restaurants at the fastest pace in nearly two years, underscoring the economy's resilience in the face of higher prices and multiple interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.

Oil, mining giant Glencore posts record profit for 2022

GENEVA (AP) — Mining, oil and metals giant Glencore posted record profits last year on soaring demand for energy products, saying Wednesday that it will pay out more than $7 billion to shareholders.

Buffett's firm buys Apple, slashes chipmaker and bank stakes

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire Warren Buffett's company added to its already substantial Apple investment at the end of last year while slashing a new investment in computer chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor and two longtime bank holdings.

Airbnb 4Q profit and revenue rise on bookings, higher rates

DALLAS (AP) — Airbnb said Tuesday it enjoyed a record 2022, including its first annual profit, and it continues to see strong demand for travel carry over into the new year despite economic uncertainty and high inflation.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden's empathy shapes policy, but some voters don't feel it

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sitting aboard Air Force One last year, President Joe Biden was scanning the newspaper and spotted a ghostly photo of a child's swing set engulfed in raw sewage.

IRS nominee Werfel faces questioning on "thankless' job

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic senators who have been arguing over how much money to give the IRS and how it should be spent found at least one point of unanimity Wednesday as they considered President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the agency: Both sides wished Danny Werfel good luck with the worst job in Washington.

White House: GOP plans would drive deficits up $3 trillion

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden plans to go on the offensive against Republicans, saying in effect that their policies would add $3 trillion to the national debt.

Ukraine aid support softens in the US: AP-NORC Poll

WASHINGTON (AP) — Support among the American public for providing Ukraine weaponry and direct economic assistance has softened as the Russian invasion nears a grim one-year milestone, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.


TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14
SPORTS

SEC implements new rules to speed up league baseball games

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is implementing new rules in an effort to speed up league games.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans hire Brinker away from Packers as new assistant GM

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans announced Tuesday the hiring of Chad Brinker as assistant general manager.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Crouse scores 2 goals as Coyotes beat Preds 4-2 for road win

NASHVILLE (AP) — Lawson Crouse scored his second goal at 4:20 of the third period, and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 on Monday night to snap an 18-game road skid.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee closes in on trans youth care ban; lawsuit pledged

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's Republican-led Senate approved a measure Monday that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors, spurring civil rights groups to promise an immediate lawsuit if and when it becomes law.

COURTS

NY court nixes Fox News' bid to end voting tech firm's suit

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Tuesday rejected Fox News' bid to shut down a multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuit accusing the network of spreading lies that a voting-technology company helped "steal" the 2020 election from then-U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pence to fight special counsel subpoena on 2020 election

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence is planning to fight a subpoena by the special counsel overseeing investigations into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to people familiar with his thinking.

Russian businessman guilty in hacking, insider trade scheme

BOSTON (AP) — A Russian millionaire with ties to the Kremlin was convicted Tuesday of participating in an elaborate $90 million insider trading scheme using secret earnings information from companies such as Microsoft that was stolen from U.S. computer networks.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Tesla workers in NY launch campaign to organize a union

NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla workers at a factory in New York are launching a campaign to organize a union in New York.

Hyundai, Kia update security after TikTok challenge thefts

Hyundai and Kia are rolling out software updates to stem a raft of auto thefts related to a TikTok challenge that authorities believe has led to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities.

HEALTH CARE

18% drop since 2020 in people with reported medical debt

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people with medical debt on their credit reports fell by 8.2 million — or 17.9% — between 2020 and 2022, according to a report Tuesday from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

ENVIRONMENT

EPA outlines $27B 'green bank' for clean energy projects

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday outlined how states and nonprofit groups can apply for $27 billion in funding from a "green bank" that will provide low-cost financing for projects intended to cut planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Biden, Yellen warn of 'catastrophe' if debt limit not raised

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Tuesday of a potential economic crisis if a deal isn't reached to increase the federal debt ceiling.

Wall Street ends mixed after swerving on inflation report

NEW YORK (AP) — Several sharp reversals for stocks left Wall Street mixed on Tuesday after a report showed inflation is continuing to slow, but perhaps not as quickly or as smoothly as hoped.

Walmart to close 3 tech hubs, asks staff to return to office

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is closing three tech hubs and asking hundreds of employees to relocate to keep their jobs.

US inflation slows to 6.4%, but price pressures re-emerge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The pace of consumer price increases eased again in January compared with a year earlier, the latest sign that the high inflation that has gripped Americans for nearly two years is slowly easing.

Biden names Fed vice chair Brainard to head Economic Council

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday named Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard as the new director of his National Economic Council, making the Ph.D. economist a key point person for coordinating policy, talking with business leaders and negotiating with Congress.

IRS nominee faces herculean challenge of modernizing agency

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even in the best of times, the IRS is the agency Americans love to hate. And these are hardly the best of times.

Coke sees slower growth ahead as price hikes moderate

Coca-Cola said higher prices didn't hurt demand for its drinks in the fourth quarter, but it expects slower growth ahead as inflation cools and price increases moderate.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden yanks human rights candidate over anti-Israel comments

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has withdrawn its pick of a human rights activist for a post at the Organization of American States for calling Israel an "apartheid state" and blasting a top House Democrat as being "Bought. Purchased. Controlled" by pro-Israel groups.

California Sen. Feinstein says she won't run for reelection

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California announced Tuesday that she will not seek reelection in 2024, signaling the end of a groundbreaking political career spanning six decades.

GOP leaders start laying groundwork for more Ukraine aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — Testimony on Russian war crimes. Monthly classified briefings. High-profile hearings, TV appearances and even op-eds in conservative media outlets.

GOP launches probe into COVID origins with letter to Fauci

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are kicking off an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 by requesting documents and testimony for current and former Biden administration officials.

Rumors swirl about balloons, UFOs as officials stay mum

WASHINGTON (AP) — Maybe they came from China. Maybe from somewhere farther away. A lot farther away.

DOJ giving states $231M for gun violence prevention programs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is sending out more than $200 million to help states and the District of Columbia administer "red-flag laws" and other crisis-intervention programs as part of the landmark bipartisan gun legislation passed by Congress over the summer, officials said Tuesday.


MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13
STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee Senate speaker recovering after pacemaker inserted

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Lt. Gov. and Senate Speaker Randy McNally is recovering after having a pacemaker inserted.

COURTS

Judge to release parts of Georgia special grand jury report

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia judge on Monday ordered the partial release later this week of a special grand jury report into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Ford to build $3.5B electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. plans to build a $3.5 billion factory in Michigan that would employ at least 2,500 people to make lower-cost batteries for a variety of new and existing electric vehicles.

Toyota's CEO-to-be outlines leadership team bullish on EVs

TOKYO (AP) — The next president at Japan's top automaker Toyota, Koji Sato, introduced a management team Monday that he said will lead an aggressive push on electric vehicles.

MEDIA

Twitter's plan to charge for crucial tool prompts outcry

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, thousands of volunteer software developers have been using a crucial Twitter tool to comb the platform for calls for help — including from people trapped in collapsed buildings — and connect people with rescue organizations.

Google to expand misinformation 'prebunking' in Europe

WASHINGTON (AP) — After seeing promising results in Eastern Europe, Google will initiate a new campaign in Germany that aims to make people more resilient to the corrosive effects of online misinformation.

Super Bowl ads use celebs, humor, lots of dogs

NEW YORK (AP) — Advertisers bet big that viewers were turning to the Super Bowl for a comforting escape, and delivered a series of advertisements that relied on familiar celebrity faces, light humor, and plenty of cuddly dogs.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks rally ahead of hotly anticipated inflation report

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street rose Monday as traders made their final moves ahead of a report that could show whether inflation is cooling in the right way or setting the market up for worse pain.

EU foresees economy improving, but inflation still painful

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Union's executive branch has raised its economic growth forecast for the year, saying Europe will narrowly avoid a recession and has already passed its inflation peak as natural gas prices fall from astronomical highs.

In Mexico, US complaints help union organizing efforts

MEXICO CITY (AP) — It has been nearly two years since the United States began pressing Mexico over labor rights violations by using rapid dispute resolution methods contained in the U.S.-Mexico Canada free trade agreement.

Mars Wrigley fined after workers fall into vat of chocolate

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Federal workplace safety authorities have fined a central Pennsylvania confectionary factory more than $14,500 following an accident last year in which two workers fell into a vat of chocolate.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden fires Architect of the Capitol over alleged abuses

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has fired embattled Architect of the Capitol Brett Blanton, who oversees the historic building that houses Congress and its expansive grounds, as pressure mounted for his removal following a scathing inspector general report of personal and management lapses.

NATIONAL DEFENSE

US defends decision to shoot down three unidentified objects

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday defended the shootdowns of three unidentified objects in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month.

Army sees safety, not 'wokeness,' as top recruiting obstacle

WASHINGTON (AP) — While some Republicans blame the COVID-19 vaccine or "wokeness" for the Army's recruiting woes, the military service says the bigger hurdles are more traditional ones: Young people don't want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of Army life and put their lives on hold.


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10
SPORTS

SEC divides $721.8M in total revenue among schools

The Southeastern Conference says it distributed an average of $49.9 million to its 14 member schools for the fiscal year that ended last August.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee GOP steps up effort to punish left-leaning Nashville

NASHVILLE (AP) — For years, Nashville leaders have watched Tennessee's GOP-dominated Legislature repeatedly kneecap the liberal-leaning city's ability to set its own minimum wage, regulate plastic bag use and place higher scrutiny on police officers.

Feds: Tennessee's plan to forgo school funds is 'political posturing'

NASHVILLE (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education is criticizing a proposal floated by a top Tennessee Republican lawmaker to cut off federal K-12 funds, describing the proposal as "political posturing. "

WEST TENNESSEE

1st officer in Nichols arrest accused of brutality as jailer

MEMPHIS (AP) — Years before Memphis Police officer Demetrius Haley pulled Tyre Nichols from his car on Jan. 7, setting in motion a deadly confrontation, Haley was accused of taking part in the savage beating of an inmate at a county jail.

Officer drew gun as he approached Tyre Nichols, report finds

MEMPHIS (AP) — One of three Memphis Police officers who initially detained Tyre Nichols last month has admitted he did not witness the alleged reckless driving that was the justification for pulling over Nichols but still approached his car while brandishing his gun, according to police documents seeking to bar him from working in law enforcement.

COURTS

Revived Trump probe puts Manhattan DA back in spotlight

NEW YORK (AP) — When Alvin Bragg became Manhattan's first Black district attorney last year, one of his first big decisions was to tap the brakes on an investigation that had been speeding toward a likely criminal case against former President Donald Trump.

HEALTH CARE

Abortion pill could be pulled off market by Texas lawsuit

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Texas lawsuit with a key deadline this month is posing a threat to the nationwide availability of medication abortion, which now accounts for the majority of abortions in the U.S.

REAL ESTATE

More homeowners tap equity juiced by soaring prices

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Homeowners are increasingly tapping their equity, taking advantage of big gains following years of soaring housing prices.

MEDIA

Super Bowl ads keep it light by using nostalgia and stars

NEW YORK (AP) — Super Bowl ads are more than just breaks between gameplay during the biggest sporting event of the year: they offer a glimpse of the country's zeitgeist, along with how major industries are faring.

HarperCollins and striking union reach tentative agreement

New YORK (AP) — HarperCollins Publishers and the union representing around 250 striking employees reached a tentative agreement providing increases to entry level salaries. If union members ratify the contract, it will run through the end of 2025 and end a walkout that began nearly three months ago.

ENVIRONMENT

EPA awards $1B to clean up 22 toxic waste sites nationwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — Projects to clean up 22 toxic waste sites across the country will receive $1 billion from the federal Superfund program to help clear a backlog of hazardous sites such as landfills, mines and manufacturing facilities, the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.

Corruption endangers world's shrinking fisheries

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Indonesia's fisheries minister, Edhy Prabowo was tasked with protecting one of his country's most precious resources: baby lobsters so tiny one can fit on the tip of a finger.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street's tough week eases at the end as stocks drift

NEW YORK (AP) — The toughest week for Wall Street in nearly two months came to a quiet end on Friday, as stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish.

Year after 'Crypto Bowl,' crypto ads vanish from big game

NEW YORK (AP) — How the mighty have fallen.

How the 'boneless wing' became a tasty culinary lie

NEW YORK (AP) — One day in 2020, at the pandemic's height, an earnest-looking man with long hair the color of Buffalo sauce stepped up to a podium in Lincoln, Nebraska, to address his city council during its public comment period. His unexpected topic, as he framed it: It was time to end the deception.

Chicken farmers say their eggs could help reduce prices

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — U.S. chicken producers want to do their part to bring down current soaring egg prices by selling their 400 million surplus eggs to food producers.

UK economy avoids decline but cost of living pains many

LONDON (AP) — The small notice pinned to a wall at Union Chapel in north London is a sign of despair for charity workers dealing with the fallout from Britain's cost-of-living crisis.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the coast of Alaska on Friday on orders from President Joe Biden, White House officials said.

New classified document found in FBI search of Pence home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI discovered an additional document with classified markings at former Vice President Mike Pence 's Indiana home during a search Friday, following the discovery by his lawyers last month of sensitive government documents there.

Biden to visit Poland for anniversary of Ukraine war

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel to Poland this month to rally allies one year after Russia's assault on Ukraine, the White House announced, as he aims to sustain a coalition that has supported Kyiv's defenses.

Biden faces doubt from some voters who backed Dems in 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Scholten is among the Democrats who had a surprisingly good election night in November.

Biden, Lula to put focus on democracy, climate during visit

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva meet in Washington Friday, the leaders will share some awareness of what it's like to walk in one another's shoes.

'It just rang': In crises, US-China hotline goes unanswered

WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of an Air Force F-22 downing a giant Chinese balloon that had crossed the United States, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached out to his Chinese counterpart via a special crisis line, aiming for a quick general-to-general talk that could explain things and ease tensions.

Man arrested for assault on Minnesota congresswoman in DC

WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia police said Thursday night that they had arrested a suspect in an assault on Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota.


THURSDAY, February 9
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Vandy stuns No. 6 Tennessee on Lawrence's buzzer-beating 3

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores and coach Jerry Stackhouse finally experienced the thrill of a big upset inside the Southeastern Conference's oldest gym.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee Senate OKs bill that would restrict drag shows

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Senate approved legislation Thursday designed to restrict where certain drag shows can take place, marking the latest bill state Republican leaders have advanced targeting LGBTQ people.

Tennessee House speaker mulls rejecting US education money

NASHVILLE (AP) — One of Tennessee's most influential Republican lawmakers says the state should stop accepting the nearly $1.8 billion of federal K-12 education dollars that help provide support for low-income students, English learners and students with disabilities.

COURTS

Rioter who menaced officer with Confederate flag gets prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Delaware man who threatened a Black police officer with a pole attached to a Confederate battle flag as he stormed the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison.

Supreme Court might have easy outs on elections, immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court soon could find itself with easy ways out of two high-profile cases involving immigration and elections, if indeed the justices are looking to avoid potentially messy, divisive decisions.

FTX founder keeps talking, ignoring typical legal strategy

NEW YORK (AP) — For federal prosecutors, Sam Bankman-Fried could be the gift that keeps on giving.

Trump ex-lawyer Cohen meets again with New York prosecutors

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen met again Wednesday with New York City prosecutors who have spent years examining the former president's financial dealings.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Nevada battery recycler wins $2B loan from Energy Department

MCCARRAN, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada company that recycles batteries for electric vehicles has won a $2 billion green energy loan from the Biden administration.

Nissan reports better profit as chip crunch eases

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan reported a 55% jump in its October-December profit Thursday, as the Japanese automaker gears up for a less bumpy journey with its French alliance partner Renault.

Toyota reports 8% drop in Oct-Dec profit, keeps forecast

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota reported an 8.1% drop in fiscal third quarter profit Thursday, as a global shortage of computer chips and soaring raw material costs battering the auto industry hit Japan's top automaker.

Driver in strange Tesla crash apparently moved to rear seat

DETROIT (AP) — Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board apparently have solved the mystery of why no one was found behind the steering wheel of a Tesla that crashed in a Texas two years ago, killing two men.

TRANSPORTATION

Pilot shortage puts pressure on airline operations

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Until last summer, Ashley Montano had never flown. Now she was preparing to land a small plane with three passengers after a previous touch-and-go that had been rough.

Senate panel probes holiday meltdown at Southwest Airlines

A senior executive of Southwest Airlines apologized to a Senate committee Thursday for a December meltdown and said the airline is upgrading software to help fix its inability to reassign crews after the winter storm.

ENERGY

Several universities to experiment with micro nuclear power

If your image of nuclear power is giant, cylindrical concrete cooling towers pouring out steam on a site that takes up hundreds of acres of land, soon there will be an alternative: tiny nuclear reactors that produce only one-hundredth the electricity and can even be delivered on a truck.

Biden's oil comments spark debate over energy production

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden sparked a firestorm in energy circles when he said in Tuesday's State of the Union address that the United States will need oil "for at least another decade."

MEDIA

Disney to cut 7,000 jobs in Iger's company 'transformation'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. will cut about 7,000 jobs as part of an ambitious companywide cost-savings plan and "strategic reorganization" announced Wednesday by CEO Bob Iger.

EU calls out Twitter for incomplete disinformation report

LONDON (AP) — Twitter failed to provide a full report to the European Union on its efforts to combat online disinformation, drawing a rebuke Thursday from top officials of the 27-nation bloc.

Twitter scrambles to fix meltdown as many unable to tweet

Many Twitter users found themselves unable to tweet, follow accounts or access their direct messages on Wednesday as the Elon Musk-owned platform experienced a slew of widespread technical problems.

Netflix steps up its effort to get paid for account sharing

Netflix has a plan to deal with rampant account sharing: a program that lets subscribers pay extra to share their account with people outside their household.

TECHNOLOGY

AI search engines can now chat with us, but glitches abound

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Nearly a quarter-century after Google's search engine began to reshape how we use the internet, big tech companies are racing to revamp a familiar web tool into a gateway to a new form of artificial intelligence.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street sinks as early rally fizzles amid higher yields

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks dropped Thursday following another mixed set of profit reports from companies, as rising expectations for interest rates keep up the pressure on Wall Street.

Liquor before beer: Spirits beat brews in new market data

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Producers of spirits have new bragging rights in the age-old whiskey vs. beer barroom debate.

Applications for jobless aid rise last week, but remain low

More Americans filed for jobless benefits last week, but layoffs remain historically low despite attempts by the Federal Reserve to cool the economy, and hiring, to bring down inflation.

Pepsi price hikes fuel 10% jump in the fourth quarter sales

PepsiCo reported better-than-expected sales in the fourth quarter after hiking prices for its drinks and snacks.

Credit Suisse posts $1.4B pre-tax loss as woes go on in 4Q

GENEVA (AP) — Credit Suisse on Thursday reported a pre-tax loss of more than 1.3 billion Swiss francs (about $1.4 billion) in the fourth quarter of last year, as its new managers vie to right the top-drawer Swiss bank that has faced a string of setbacks in recent years.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US House votes to condemn China over balloon surveillance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted unanimously Thursday to condemn China's balloon surveillance program as a "brazen violation" of U.S. sovereignty, a rare and swift bipartisan rebuke of Beijing as questions mount about the craft the U.S. says was part of a vast aerial spy program.

House votes to overturn DC criminal code, voting laws

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House has launched the first salvo in what could be a long-running feud with the District of Columbia over self-government in the nation's capital.

DeSantis nears takeover of Disney government in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved closer to taking over Walt Disney World's self-governing district Thursday after House Republicans approved legislation meant to punish the company over its opposition to the law critics have dubbed "Don't Say Gay."

Minnesota congresswoman assaulted at Washington apartment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was assaulted in her Washington apartment building on Thursday, suffering bruises while escaping serious injury in an attack that did not appear to be politically motivated, her chief of staff said.

GOP asks for records from Biden's family on business deals

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans made the first official requests Thursday for documents from Hunter and James Biden regarding their foreign business dealings, further escalating a wide-ranging investigation into the president's family.

U.S., UK impose cybersecurity sanctions on Russian group

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday announced a joint U.S.-U.K. effort to sanction Russian cybercriminals as the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine nears and Treasury tightens its efforts to financially punish violators of existing sanctions.

Focused on 2024, Biden sees opportunity in GOP-held Florida

WASHINGTON (AP) — With an eye toward the 2024 campaign, President Joe Biden on Thursday ventures to Florida, a state defined by its growing retiree population and status as the unofficial headquarters of the modern-day Republican Party.

Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security, the GOP howls of protest during his State of the Union address showcased a striking apparent turnaround for the party that built a brand for years trying to do just that.

Rep. Gaetz says no charges for him in sex trafficking case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican firebrand known for his strong support of former President Donald Trump, said Wednesday that the Justice Department has ended a sex trafficking case with no charges against him.

Starbucks' Schultz declines to appear before Senate panel

Starbucks' interim CEO Howard Schutz has declined a request to appear before a Senate committee seeking to question him about the coffee chain's response to an ongoing unionization campaign at the company's U.S. stores.

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