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VOL. 43 | NO. 11 | Friday, March 15, 2019

Choosing their own path

Campers find happiness in flexible programs

Many children today don’t have much to say about how their days are structured. Aside from a strict school schedule, most of their activities are dictated, scheduled and organized by their parents.

Counselors learn more at camp than treating bug bites

Confidence, communication, responsibility, resilience, participation and resourcefulness – these are some of the skills that teenagers learn as camp counselors.

From sports to science, a camp for every interest

Camp provides children with the opportunity to connect with nature, participate in human-powered activities and benefit from personal and primary relationships. From academics to athletics, there is a camp for children of almost every age or interest. Here are a few to consider when trying to find the best option for your family.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Proposed state honor needs a name, preferably not ‘Pioneer’

The sponsor, Rep. David Hawk, readily admits that his proposal is not necessarily the most important matter facing Tennessee legislators this year.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
41.0°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind: Southwest at 4.6 mph
Humidity: 45%

EVENTS

Chamber Midtown Quarterly Meeting. Discussion will focus on entrepreneurship in the Midtown area, including the thriving industries of technology, health care and more. Chamber Midtown is one of six of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Area Advisory Councils, formed to champion business prosperity in one of Nashville’s most thriving business districts. Homewood Suites by Hilton Nashville Vanderbilt, 2400 West End Ave. Thursday, 8-9:30 a.m. Registration required. Fee: free for chamber members and future members. Information

more events »

JIM MYERS: CULINARITY

Is it really authentic Indian? Just relax, enjoy the meal

I recently heard a couple of food fanatic friends arguing about the relative authenticity of two Indian restaurants. Neither of the two was from India nor had any Indian family, but both were fairly well-acquainted with the cuisines of that part of the world and even some of the regional variations.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Soggy basement? Solution might be in your back yard

With the abundance of rainfall that has tormented the area during the past several weeks, thousands of residents have experienced flooding or water intrusion in their basements.

REAL ESTATE

Top Middle Tennessee residential sales for February 2019

Top residential real estate sales, February 2019, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

SPORTS

All Belmont’s Roy needs to burnish her resume is an NCAA win

Bart Brooks watched the video six times because he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.

NEWSMAKERS

Creswell named GNR Realtor of the Year

Denise Creswell with Pilkerton Realtors has been named the 2018 Realtor of the Year by Greater Nashville Realtors.

BRIEFS

HealthTrust announces purchasing partnership

Nashville-based HealthTrust is partnering with Kindred Healthcare on a group purchasing and supply chain services deal.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Ready for a new lease? Don't expect 2016's deals

A record 4.3 million Americans have vehicle leases that are ending in 2019. If you're one of them and expect to get the same kind of deal you got in 2016, you could be in for a shock.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Can your employer really cure your money woes?

Millions of Americans get their health insurance and retirement accounts through their employers. Now some are getting help with their debt.

CAREER CORNER

Some common-sense ideas to help you find job candidates

I read articles about candidates who are ghosting employers. They don’t show up to interviews or even their scheduled first day or employment.

NASHVILLE AREA

Man accused of dragging Tennessee officer with ATV arrested

SPRINGFIELD (AP) — U.S. Marshals have arrested a man suspected of driving an off-road vehicle that dragged a police officer when a group swarmed a downtown street in Tennessee's capital.

REGION

Forecasters: 'Potentially historic' flooding threatens South

Scientists are warning that historic flooding could soon deluge parts of several Southern states along the lower Mississippi River, where floodwaters could persist for several weeks.

Tennessee Valley Authority plans to increase solar power

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — The nation's largest public utility plans to rely more on solar power in the future, according to proposals in a draft long-range power plan.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Felon voting rights restoration bill advances

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee push to make it easier for some felons to get their voting rights restored has cleared its first legislative hurdle.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Ford CFO Shanks retires; former Snap CFO Stone to take over

Ford Motor Co. says its chief financial officer, Bob Shanks, will retire in December, capping a 42-year career at the automaker.

TRANSPORTATION

European, Canadian regulators to do own review of Boeing jet

Boeing's grounded airliners are likely to be parked longer now that European and Canadian regulators plan to conduct their own reviews of changes the company is making after two of the jets crashed.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Export slump deepens for American whiskey producers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — American whiskey producers are suffering a worsening hangover from the Trump administration's trade disputes.

After the fall: How to take advantage of lower rates

NEW YORK (AP) — So much for those worries about rising interest rates.

US trade negotiators to visit China for talks next week

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. officials will visit Beijing next week for the next round of high-level trade talks, China's commerce ministry said Thursday.

New Fed forecast for 2019: Slower growth and zero rate hikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve sent a stark message Wednesday: The economy is slowing. And it won't be raising interest rates anytime soon.

Levi Strauss readies for prime time in the public markets

NEW YORK (AP) — Levi Strauss & Co., which gave America its first pair of blue jeans, is public again, for the second time.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Trump to order colleges to back free speech or lose funding

President Donald Trump is expected to order U.S. colleges to protect free speech on their campuses or risk losing federal funding.

AP: GOP redistricting edge moderated Democrats' 2018 gains

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Democrats won more votes, regained control of the U.S. House and flipped hundreds of seats in state legislatures during the 2018 elections. It was, by most accounts, a good year for the party.

Gerrymandering lawsuits are pending in a dozen states

Gerrymandering is on trial as the U.S. Supreme Court and judges in a dozen states consider whether mapmakers — typically state lawmakers — have gone too far in manipulating the boundaries of legislative districts for their own advantage.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump takes credit for law named after McCain

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's posthumous slam on Sen. John McCain flips reality on its head when it comes to who gave veterans the option to see a private doctor at public expense.

Poll: More Americans want immigration to stay the same

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A growing number of Americans say immigration levels should remain the same or increase, according to a major U.S. survey, a shift that comes as the Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement.

With black lung fund in jeopardy, taxpayers could foot bill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Trump administration and coal industry allies are insisting that a federal black lung trust fund will continue to pay benefits to sick miners despite a drastic cut in funding.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely says Mueller appointment biased

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to discredit a highly anticipated report on the Russia investigation, President Donald Trump is attacking the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller by falsely claiming it was biased and conflicted.

New Zealand bans 'military-style' guns after mosque attacks

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The government of New Zealand announced a ban on "military-style" semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines Thursday, just a week after such weapons were used in attacks on two mosques in the city of Christchurch that killed 50 people.


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20
STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee lawmakers scale back charter school proposal

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers are scaling back Gov. Bill Lee's proposal to make it easier to open high-quality charter schools and close poor performing ones.

Tennessee panel kills anti-birthright citizenship resolution

NASHVILLE (AP) — A resolution that commends President Donald Trump for wanting to end the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship has suffered defeat in Tennessee.

NASHVILLE AREA

Nashville's SmileDirectClub announces 2,000 new jobs

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee has announced Nashville-based SmileDirectClub will hire more than 2,000 employees over the next five years as part of plan to expand its headquarters and facilities in Tennessee.

COURTS

$800K Wells Fargo penalty OK'd in Schilling video game deal

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A federal judge has approved an agreement for Wells Fargo Securities to pay an $800,000 civil penalty to end a lawsuit by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over Rhode Island's failed $75 million deal with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's video game company, 38 Studios.

Lawsuit: Vanderbilt hospital operated on wrong kidney

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee woman says Vanderbilt University Medical Center operated on the wrong kidney during her surgery in what federal officials call a "never event."

MIDSTATE

Mt. Juliet to review zoning rule blocking some abortions

MT. JULIET(AP) — The Mt. Juliet Planning Commission is set to review a zoning amendment that blocks a new health clinic from performing surgical abortions.

MEDIA

WKRN owner selling 19 TV stations for $1.32B

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Nexstar, which owns Nashville's WKRN, is selling 19 television stations for $1.32 billion as part of its buyout deal with Tribune Media.

TRANSPORTATION

Survey: Tennessee seat belt use neared 91 percent in 2018

NASHVILLE (AP) — A survey from Tennessee officials has found that seat belt usage increased from 88.5 percent in 2017 to 90.9 percent in 2018.

SPORTS

Belmont beats Temple 81-70 for first NCAA Tournament win

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A few seconds were still left on the clock when Fran Dunphy headed to midcourt for his final postgame handshake, the outcome long decided. Belmont was simply too much for his Owls.

PREDATORS

Rinne, Preds blank reeling Maple Leafs 3-0

NASHVILLE (AP) — Pekka Rinne is starting to regain some of his Vezina Trophy form he showed last season.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Ford repackages investment, boosts new jobs from 850 to 900

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is repackaging a previously announced $900 million manufacturing investment in the Detroit area, boosting the number of jobs added from 850 to 900.

BMW warns profits will fall due to costs, trade uncertainty

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German automaker BMW said Wednesday that profits in 2019 would be "well below" last year's and that it planned to cut 12 billion euros ($13.6 billion) in costs by the end of 2022 to offset spending on new technology.

ENVIRONMENT

US judge blocks oil, gas drilling over climate change

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A judge blocked oil and gas drilling on almost 500 square miles (1,295 sq. kilometers) in Wyoming and said the federal government must consider the cumulative climate change impact of leasing broad swaths of U.S. public land for oil and gas exploration.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Fed news sends bond yields sharply lower; US stocks mixed

Banks led U.S. stocks mostly lower Wednesday after a brief rally sparked by the Federal Reserve's latest policy update faded. The real action centered in the bond market, where prices rose sharply, pulling Treasury yields down to the lowest levels they've seen in more than a year.

Federal Reserve foresees no interest rate hikes in 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday and projected no rate hikes this year, reflecting a dimmer view of the economy as growth weakens in the United States and abroad.

Trump says tariffs on China could stay to ensure compliance

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says if the U.S. gets a trade deal with China, tariffs could stay in place for some time to ensure Beijing "lives by the deal."

Survey: Top CEOs report weaker economic outlook for 1Q

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top U.S. CEOs reported Wednesday that their economic outlook weakened in the first three months of the year although it remains above its historical average.

UK's May asks a wary EU to delay Brexit until June 30

LONDON (AP) — Exactly 1,000 days after Britain voted to leave the European Union, and nine days before it is scheduled to walk out the door, Prime Minister Theresa May hit the pause button Wednesday, asking the bloc to postpone the U.K.'s departure until June 30.

Supreme Court: Google class-action case should be revisited

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is telling a lower court to take another look at a class-action settlement involving Google and privacy concerns.

EU fines Google $1.7 billion for abusing online ads market

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union regulators have hit Google with a 1.49 billion euro ($1.68 billion) fine for abusing its dominant role in online advertising.

Shares in Germany's Bayer plunge on Roundup ruling

BERLIN (AP) — Shares in Germany's Bayer have plunged after a U.S. jury found the Roundup weed killer was a substantial factor in a California man's cancer — the second case that has gone against manufacturer Monsanto, acquired by Bayer last year.

Disney closes $71B deal for Fox entertainment assets

Disney has closed its $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment business, putting "Cinderella," ''The Simpsons," ''Star Wars" and "Dr. Strange" under one corporate roof.

NATIONAL POLITICS

AP-NORC Poll: Most at least partly confident in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the special counsel investigation into Donald Trump's presidential campaign winds down, a new poll finds that most Americans are at least moderately confident that Robert Mueller's probe has been fair and impartial.

Poll: Support rises in all age groups for legal pot

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A growing majority of Americans say marijuana should be legal, underscoring a national shift as more states embrace cannabis for medical or recreational use.

Congress' inaction endangers black lung fund

COEBURN, Va. (AP) — Former coal miner John Robinson's bills for black lung treatments run $4,000 a month, but the federal fund he depends on to help cover them is being drained of money because of inaction by Congress and the Trump administration.


TUESDAY, MARCH 19
STATEWIDE

US Rep. Green confirms interest in Senate bid in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green says he's "thinking about" running for a Senate seat opening up in Tennessee but hasn't given much thought to when he'll decide.

Broadband grants awarded in 13 Tennessee counties

NASHVILLE (AP) — Thirteen companies across Tennessee will receive part of $14.8 million in broadband accessibility grants announced by Gov. Bill Lee.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee to try anti-harassment bill again next year

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee House panel says more work is needed before the GOP-dominant statehouse can pass legislation strengthening anti-harassment protections for independent contractors.

Governor 'glad' to meet with woman who accused lawmaker

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday that it took "a lot of courage" for a woman to meet with him last week about her accusations of sexual misconduct against a state lawmaker.

Tennessee education savings account plan clears first hurdle

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee's school voucher proposal has cleared its first hurdle inside Tennessee's GOP-dominant statehouse but not without facing a wide range of questions from lawmakers uneasy about the broad scope of the bill.

Police oversight bill divides Tennessee House, Senate

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee House and Senate lawmakers remain split on a proposal to limit community oversight boards that investigate police misconduct, a division that is only heightening this session's top legislative issue.

Tennessee House OKs bill to nix 1 court death penalty review

NASHVILLE (AP) — As U.S. executions hover near historically low levels, a bill passed by the Tennessee House aims to remove one state court's review before putting inmates to death.

Hair braiding bill advances in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — A proposal to loosen state regulations surrounding African-style hair braiding advanced on Monday in the Tennessee Statehouse.

COURTS

Facebook settles suits over ad-targeting discrimination

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook is settling five lawsuits alleging that its advertising systems enabled discrimination in housing, credit and employment ads.

Judges grill lawyers in suit over Trump's Washington hotel

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday grilled lawyers for the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia about their claims that President Donald Trump is violating the Constitution by accepting profits through foreign and domestic officials who stay at his Washington hotel.

Trump's 2 Supreme Court picks on opposite sides in 2 cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's two Supreme Court appointees were on opposite sides of two of three cases that the justices decided Tuesday.

Supreme Court rules against immigrants in detention case

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday against a group of immigrants in a case about the government's power to detain them after they've committed crimes but finished their sentences.

Records show FBI was probing Michael Cohen long before raid

NEW YORK (AP) — Special counsel Robert Mueller began investigating President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for fraud in his personal business dealings and for potentially acting as an unregistered foreign agent at least nine months before FBI agents in New York raided his home and office, according to documents released Tuesday.

Lawyers for Tennessee lawmakers, feds clash in refugee case

NASHVILLE (AP) — Attorneys for Tennessee lawmakers and the U.S. government clashed Tuesday in a hearing over the federal government's refugee resettlement program.

Tennessee man gets 20 years for $3M investment scam

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for defrauding investors out of $3 million.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Jerry Lee Lewis cancels shows, is recovering from stroke

NASHVILLE (AP) — Rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis has been transferred from a hospital to a rehabilitation center following a stroke last month, but will have to cancel upcoming shows, including his appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Country star Kane Brown countersues producer over contract

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country star Kane Brown and Atlanta-based producer Polow Da Don are embroiled in a contract dispute that has both sides claiming they are owed money.

PREDATORS

Preds offer free prostate exams tonight; no fang fingers required

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators are joining with Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Fans for the Cure to offer fans and employees a free prostate cancer screening.

Predators' Austin Watson gains reinstatement from NHL

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson has earned reinstatement from the NHL as he enters the follow-up phase of the league's substance abuse program.

ENVIRONMENT

Hawaii bills push 1st state ban on plastics in restaurants

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii would be the first state in the U.S. to ban most plastics at restaurants under legislation that aims to cut down on waste that pollutes the ocean.

MEDIA

Report: National Enquirer paid $200K for private Bezos texts

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Wall Street Journal reports that the National Enquirer's publisher paid $200,000 to obtain intimate texts between Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his mistress Lauren Sanchez. American Media Inc., the supermarket tabloid's publisher, reportedly paid that sum to Michael Sanchez, Lauren's brother.

TECHNOLOGY

Goodbye console? Google launches game-streaming platform

NEW YORK (AP) — Google on Tuesday unveiled a video-game streaming platform called Stadia, positioning itself to take on the traditional video-game business.

Germany launches auction for 5G network frequencies

BERLIN (AP) — Germany began auctioning frequencies for the future super-fast 5G network on Tuesday, amid frustration over conditions imposed by authorities and questions over whether China's Huawei can supply equipment.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stocks give up an early rally, ending winning streak

U.S. stock indexes closed mostly lower Tuesday after a late-afternoon splash of selling erased early gains, ending a weeklong rally.

Fox Corp. begins trading as Disney completion looms

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox Corp., the Fox assets that are not part of Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets, began trading as a stand-alone company on Tuesday.

White House foresees long economic boom where others don't

Contrary to the views of most economists, the Trump administration expects the U.S. economy to keep booming over the next decade on the strength of further tax cuts, reduced regulation and improvements to the nation's infrastructure.

UK aims to salvage Brexit deal as EU says: make up your mind

LONDON (AP) — The British government was preparing Tuesday to ask the European Union for a delay of at least several months to Brexit after the speaker of the House of Commons ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot keep asking lawmakers to vote on the same divorce deal that they have already rejected twice.

SEC says Musk's contempt defense 'borders on the ridiculous'

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. securities regulators countered Tesla CEO Elon Musk's contempt-of-court defense Monday night, writing in court papers that he brazenly disregarded a federal judge's order and that one of his arguments "borders on the ridiculous."

NATIONAL POLITICS

Trump: Never was, never will be Sen. John McCain fan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Carrying a bitter personal feud beyond the grave, President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on the late Sen. John McCain on Tuesday, declaring he will "never" be a fan of the Vietnam war hero and longtime Republican lawmaker who died last year of brain cancer.


MONDAY, MARCH 18
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Tim McGraw, CeCe Winans to perform during NFL Draft

NASHVILLE (AP) — The stars of the gridiron will meet the stars of Music City when the NFL Draft comes to Nashville, Tennessee, in April.

Brooks & Dunn, Stevens, Bradley to join Country Music Hall of Fame

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country hit-making duo Brooks & Dunn are riding a resurgence of interest in '90s-era country music with a new album celebrating their top-selling singles, a longstanding Las Vegas residency and now an invitation to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Lee 'honored' to support lawmakers backing abortion bill

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee says he's honored to support the lawmakers pushing a proposal to ban most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy.

NASHVILLE AREA

Nashville Food Hall announces 4 partners

The soon-to-be-named Nashville Food Hall, a dining and entertainment concept set to be the anchor tenant for the new Fifth + Broadway development, has announced Prince’s Hot Chicken, The Pharmacy Burger, The Donut + Dog and Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen as its first four food partners.

High-rise Four Seasons Hotel coming to SoBro

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Congress Group, a Boston-based real estate investment and development firm, and AECOM Capital, the investment arm of AECOM, announce today that a Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences will be built in the SoBro area of downtown Nashville.

National Science Foundation awards $1M to TSU

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee State University's College of Engineering is using a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to provide scholarships to graduate students.

Tennessee officer dragged by off-road vehicle in swarm

NASHVILLE (AP) — Police in Tennessee's capital say an officer was dragged when a group of off-road vehicles swarmed a downtown street.

COURTS

Justices reject B&B owner who denied room to gay couple

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is rejecting an appeal from a Hawaii bed and breakfast that wouldn't rent a room to a lesbian couple.

Supreme Court agrees to hear identity theft case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could make it more difficult for states to prosecute identity theft and other crimes.

HEALTH CARE

Group with consumer-friendly vibe pushes drugmakers' message

WASHINGTON (AP) — As ominous music plays in the background, the narrator of a radio ad warns that a Trump administration proposal to apply international pricing to certain Medicare drugs would be a nightmare for seniors.

TECHNOLOGY

Apple refreshes iPad lineup, with larger entry-level model

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple has unveiled a new iPad that's thinner and slightly larger than its current entry-level tablet.

From dollars to bytes: Digital payment tech companies merge

Fidelity National Information Services is buying Worldpay for about $35 billion to combine forces as financial transactions increasingly move online.

Facebook says service hindered by lack of local news

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook's effort to establish a service that provides its users with local news and information is being hindered by the lack of outlets where the company's technicians can find original reporting.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Former VP of United Auto Workers charged in corruption probe

DETROIT (AP) — A former vice president at the United Auto Workers was charged Monday in a scheme with Fiat Chrysler executives to buy meals, golf and other perks with the automaker's money — the highest-ranking official snagged in an investigation that has exposed corruption between labor and management.

Trump calls GM's CEO in push to reopen Ohio auto plant

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump stepped up his pressure on General Motors to reopen an Ohio manufacturing plant that recently closed and put 1,700 people out of work.

EDUCATION

White House proposes caps on student loan borrowing

The Trump administration is proposing new limits on student borrowing as part of a broader plan to curb the cost of college.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

AP Source: Justice Dept. probing development of Boeing jets

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. prosecutors are looking into the development of Boeing's 737 Max jets, a person briefed on the matter revealed Monday, the same day French aviation investigators concluded there were "clear similarities" in the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 last week and a Lion Air jet in October.

Energy companies lead modest gains for US stock indexes

U.S. stock indexes finished modestly higher Monday, extending the market's solid gains from a rally last week.

Fed set to signal no expectation of rate hikes anytime soon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Patience. A focus on incoming economic data. And no interest rate hikes likely soon.

Poll: Losing Amazon second HQ deal was bad for New York

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Most voters in New York think it was bad for the state when Amazon dropped plans to put a second headquarters in Queens and many think U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez bears blame for the deal falling through, according to a new poll released Monday.

Expectations of weaker economy unites small business owners

NEW YORK (AP) — Although small businesses vary widely in terms of size, industry and issues, they do appear to be generally united by a growing uneasiness about the economy.

UK speaker stymies May's bid for 3rd vote on Brexit deal

LONDON (AP) — The speaker of Britain's House of Commons dealt a potentially fatal blow to Prime Minister Theresa May's ailing Brexit deal on Monday, saying the government couldn't keep asking lawmakers to vote on the same deal they have already rejected twice.

Lyft opens up its IPO road show, offers 30 million shares

NEW YORK (AP) — Lyft officially kicked off the road show for its initial public offering, putting 30 million shares up for sale Monday with an anticipated price of between $62 and $68 per share.

Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank shares up despite merger concerns

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Shares in Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank rose on Monday after the two said they were in merger talks, but that didn't stop people from questioning what a merger would accomplish.

Southwest, mechanics reach tentative deal in labor dispute

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines and a union representing its mechanics could be on the verge of ending a bitter, long-running labor dispute that has triggered hundreds of flight cancellations and raised safety concerns.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Judge to release info on FBI raid of Trump lawyer Cohen

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has directed prosecutors to publicly release documents related to the search warrant that authorized last year's FBI raids on the home and office of President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Beto O'Rourke says he raised $6.1M online in 1st 24 hours

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke raised more than $6 million online during the first 24 hours after he announced his White House bid, the highest first-day number reported by any candidate, his campaign said Monday.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump plays down white nationalist threat

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump appears to be oblivious to the threat of white nationalism.


FRIDAY, MARCH 15
STATE GOVERNMENT

Woman who accused lawmaker meets with Lee

NASHVILLE (AP) — A woman who has accused a Tennessee state lawmaker of sexual misconduct said she met with Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday to talk about the Republican.

Lawmaker: Student in T-shirt lawsuit should be named

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct is asking a judge to name the student who filed a lawsuit alleging school officials wrongly distributed T-shirts promoting the Republican.

Tennessee voucher plan would to cost state $125M

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee's school voucher plan is expected to cost $125 million spread over five years, based on details released Thursday, a significant jump from what the Republican had said earlier this month.

MIDSTATE

La Vergne mayor accused of sidelining worker who protested sexism

LA VERGNE (AP) — A Tennessee mayor is accused of retaliating against an employee who complained of sexist treatment and pay.

EDUCATION

University of Tennessee to offer some students free tuition

NASHVILLE (AP) — The University of Tennessee will begin providing free tuition to Tennessee residents starting in the fall of 2020.

Tennessee regents to report on tuition-free college programs

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's Board of Regents said it plans to provide updates on tuition-free college programs and fees for students at community colleges at a meeting later this month.

STATEWIDE

Eastman cutting jobs in state, blaming US-China trade dispute

MEMPHIS (AP) — Eastman Chemical Co. says it is cutting an undisclosed number of jobs globally, citing "the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute" and an economic slowdown in Europe.

NASHVILLE AREA

Dollar General 4Q results mixed, fiscal 2019 outlook weak

GOODLETTSVILLE (AP) — Dollar General Corp. posted mixed fourth-quarter results, with profit pressured by an income tax expense while revenue grew during the critical holiday period. The discount retailer also provided a fiscal 2019 profit outlook below Wall Street's view.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Miami QB Ryan Tannehill traded to Titans for draft picks

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been traded to the Tennessee Titans in a deal that also involves draft picks.

Titans releasing right guard Kline amid O-line rebuild

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are releasing right guard Josh Kline a year after signing the veteran to a four-year contract.

Receiver stuck with Titans' deal even after Patriots' push

NASHVILLE (AP) — For Adam Humphries, Tennessee has been a potential destination for months because of his Tampa Bay connection with Titans general manager Jon Robinson.

PREDATORS

Predators keep pace in Central race with 3-1 win over Kings

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colton Sissons had scored one point in his last 16 games for the Nashville Predators before he picked up a goal and an assist in a 2:27 span against the Kings.

REAL ESTATE

US new-home sales fell 6.9 percent in January

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales of new U.S. homes slumped 6.9 percent in January, a possible sign that buyers paused during the government shutdown.

US average mortgage rates fall; 30-year at 4.31 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates fell this week, with the benchmark 30-year home loan reaching its lowest level in more than a year as a potential inducement to homebuyers.

COURTS

Supreme Court expands April 23 census arguments

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will try to resolve all the legal issues about a citizenship question on the 2020 census.

Tennessee judge rebuked for nixing out-of-state abortion

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — A Tennessee judge has been rebuked for denying the request of a woman on house arrest to travel to Atlanta for an abortion.

US bars entry of International Criminal Court investigators

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will revoke or deny visas to International Criminal Court personnel who try to investigate or prosecute alleged abuses committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan or elsewhere, and may do the same with those who seeking action against Israel, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday.

Tennessee court expands exceptions for evidence suppression

UNION CITY (AP) — The Tennessee Supreme Court has expanded exceptions for when evidence obtained without a warrant is admissible.

Court rules gun maker can be sued over Newtown shooting

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Gun-maker Remington can be sued over how it marketed the rifle used to kill 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, a divided Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Feds: Charity funneled millions in college bribery scam

The mastermind of a wide-ranging college admissions scandal set up a charity that wove a deep web of deception and fraud to mask bribes and payoffs, funneling millions of dollars through the tax-exempt organization under the nose of U.S. officials, according to prosecutors and tax documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

TRANSPORTATION

FAA's close ties to Boeing questioned after 2 deadly crashes

For more than six decades, the Federal Aviation Administration has relied on employees of airplane manufacturers to do government-required safety inspections as planes are being designed or assembled.

Regulators challenge Boeing to prove 737 Max jets are safe

Aviation regulators worldwide laid down a stark challenge for Boeing to prove that its grounded 737 Max jets are safe to fly amid suspicions that faulty software might have contributed to two crashes that killed 346 people in less than six months.

ENVIRONMENT

US eases land restrictions meant to protect bird in West

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday finalized changes to sweeping federal land use plans for Western States to ease energy industry restrictions in a way officials say will protect a struggling bird species.

From Pacific to Arctic, students demand action on climate

BERLIN (AP) — From the South Pacific to the edge of the Arctic Circle, students mobilized by word of mouth and social media are skipping class to protest what they see as the failures by their governments to take tough action against global warming.

French government faces legal challenge for climate action

PARIS (AP) — Four activist groups have launched legal action to try to take the French state to court for not doing enough to fight climate change.

AUTO INDUSTRY

SEC charges Volkswagen, former CEO with defrauding investors

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators charged Volkswagen and former CEO Martin Winterkorn with defrauding investors during its massive diesel emissions scandal.

Tesla unveils Model Y SUV, expanding into popular segment

HAWTHORNE, Calif. (AP) — Tesla unveiled a new all-electric SUV on Thursday night that the automaker hopes will win over consumers looking for an all-electric alternative in the most popular segment of the auto market.

Toyota investing $750M at 5 US plants, $288M in Huntsville

BUFFALO, W.Va. (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. on Thursday announced it is investing an additional $750 million at five U.S. plants that will bring nearly 600 new jobs, including the production of two hybrid vehicles for the first time at its Kentucky facility.

TECHNOLOGY

Facebook launches AI to find and remove 'revenge porn'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook is rolling out technology to make it easier to find and remove intimate pictures and videos posted without the subject's consent, often called "revenge porn."

Tech companies scramble to remove New Zealand shooting video

LONDON (AP) — Internet companies say they're working to remove video filmed by a gunman in the New Zealand mosque shooting that was widely available on social media hours after the horrific attack.

Facebook says outages due to 'server configuration change'

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook went down for almost a full day across parts of North America and Europe, but it's still not saying exactly what happened.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks end week on high note

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing broadly higher on Wall Street, as gains by technology firms and retailers lift the market to a strong finish for the week.

US job openings rise, outnumber the unemployed by 1 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted nearly 7.6 million open jobs in January, near a record high set in November, evidence that businesses are still hungry for workers despite signs the economy has slowed.

May tries to save Brexit deal after vote to delay UK exit

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May worked Friday to pull off an against-the-odds rescue for her European Union divorce deal, after Parliament voted to postpone Brexit to avert a chaotic U.K. departure in two weeks.

US industrial production rose just 0.1 percent in February

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. industrial production rose a slight 0.1 percent in February, as an increase in utilities and mining offset the second straight monthly drop in manufacturing.

2 top Facebook executives depart the company

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook says two of its top executives are leaving the company. Chief Product Officer Chris Cox and Chris Daniels, who heads messaging app WhatsApp, are departing. It isn't clear what future plans the executives have.

Nuclear industry pushing for fewer inspections at plants

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nuclear power industry is pushing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to cut back on inspections at nuclear power plants and throttle back what it tells the public about plant problems. The agency, whose board is dominated by Trump appointees, is listening.

US stock indexes end mostly lower, end 3-day winning streak

U.S. stocks indexes barely budged Thursday as the market's three-day winning streak stalled.

Brextension: UK lawmakers vote to seek delay of EU departure

LONDON (AP) — In a stalemate over Brexit, British politicians have chosen to delay it.

NATO weighing whether Huawei poses security threat

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the military alliance is mulling whether to take action in response to security concerns about Chinese tech giant Huawei.

NATIONAL POLITICS

NKorean official: Kim rethinking US talks, launch moratorium

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will soon decide whether to continue diplomatic talks and maintain his moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests, a senior North Korean official said Friday, adding that the U.S. threw away a golden opportunity at the recent summit between their leaders.

Senate rejects Trump border emergency as Republicans defect

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-run Senate firmly rejected President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the southwest border on Thursday, setting up a veto fight and dealing him a conspicuous rebuke as he tested how boldly he could ignore Congress in pursuit of his highest-profile goal.

Trump rejects limit to emergency declaration law

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is urging Republican senators to support his emergency declaration for border funding, and says any efforts to change the national emergency law should come later.

FBI debated in 2016 how aggressively to probe Trump campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) — During the early days of the Russia investigation, FBI officials debated whether Donald Trump's chance of winning should factor into how aggressively they investigated potential coordination between his campaign and the Kremlin, two FBI officials told Congress last year, according to newly released transcripts of their interviews.

In 420-0 vote, House says Mueller report should be public

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted unanimously Thursday for a resolution calling for any final report in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation to be made public, a symbolic action designed to pressure Attorney General William Barr into releasing as much information as possible when the probe is concluded.

Mnuchin says he'll protect Trump privacy if taxes requested

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested Thursday he will protect President Donald Trump's privacy if he receives a request from House Democrats for Trump's tax returns.

Democratic lawmakers grill Ross on citizenship question

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of a House oversight panel is questioning whether Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was "truthful" when testifying last year about his decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.

EU leaders open to Brexit delay but demand UK passes deal

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders said Thursday they were likely to grant Britain a short delay in its departure from the bloc if the U.K. government can win parliamentary support next week for its EU divorce deal. But some warned that both Britain and the EU are heading toward a disruptive no-deal Brexit if lawmakers spurn the agreement again.

Bill to nix 1 court death penalty review goes to governor

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers are sending Gov. Bill Lee a proposal to remove one state court's review before executing inmates. The Republican appears poised to sign it.

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