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VOL. 48 | NO. 12 | Friday, March 22, 2024

Spring is in the air

And there’s plenty to see and do with winter in the rearview

We think about calendars often, especially faced with the endless list of tasks, to-dos and meetings causing our devices to ding constantly.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

No mystery why legislators killed reparations study

Legislation, like people, can die a variety of deaths: fast or slow, public or private, merciful or cruel. But perhaps the most humiliating form – sometimes intentionally so – might be thought of as death by silence.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

No, the 6% commission has never been mandated

The National Association of Realtors has settled a lawsuit, or series of suits, for $418 million, and the various news outlets reported the news with surprisingly different interpretations.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
37.9°F
Overcast
Wind: South at 4.6 mph
Humidity: 55%

EVENTS

Wilson County State of the County. Forum will discuss critical issues such as growth, achievement and goal that lie ahead for the next 10 years. Wilson Bank & Trust Operations Center, 105 N Castle Heights Ave., Lebanon. Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Fee: $20. Information

more events »

REAL ESTATE

Average long-term US mortgage rate climbs back to nearly 7% after two-week slide

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed back to nearly 7% this week, pushing up borrowing costs for home shoppers with the spring homebuying season underway.

TENNESSEE HISTORY

100 years ago: Jack Daniel’s Motlow beats murder charge

One of the most powerful men in Tennessee was indicted for murder a hundred years ago this month.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans change game through free agency

The Tennessee Titans’ long-anticipated signing of running back Tony Pollard on the first day of the so-called “legal tampering” period last week sent a clear signal.

Team gives young QB building blocks for success

Here’s one thing to keep in mind as the Titans use free agency to rebuild the roster and change their offensive philosophy: These moves are being done to try and maximize the skillset of second-year quarterback Will Levis.

Henry’s moving on to a better future; so are Titans

Derrick Henry’s departure was inevitable. He said his goodbyes after leading the Titans past Jacksonville back in January when the regular season ended.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Weber has been there through it all with Predators

As the Predators celebrate their 25th anniversary this season, one voice has been a constant in bringing the action to fans since the puck first dropped in October 1998. Over the course of these 25 years, play-by-play voice Pete Weber has seen and described it all to the teams’ fans.

Now Zucker can be pain in the backside to Nashville opponents

To paraphrase Predators general manager Barry Trotz, Jason Zucker is a pain in the backside to play against. That endearing quality is one of the main reasons Trotz made the trade deadline deal to acquire the winger from the Arizona Coyotes.

Three Periods: Watch out for those trap games

A week of games begins with a familiar face wearing an unfamiliar jersey returning to play the Predators as the playoff push for many teams, including the Predators, continues as the number of games remaining approaches single digits.

UT SPORTS

UT men, 5 Tennessee women’s teams chase NCAA titles

The Tennessee men’s basketball team had time to go back to the drawing board after its poor performance in the SEC Tournament. The Vols won’t have the luxury to do the same in their next postseason tournament. A loss there would end the season.

NEWSMAKERS

Neal & Harwell adds 2 associates

Dani Bhadare-Valente and Elizabeth C. Tirrill have joined Neal & Harwell, PLC as associates in the firm’s litigation group.

BRIEFS

MTSU survey: Tennessee business leaders more optimistic

Heading into spring, Tennessee business leaders have a much more positive outlook about their industries, a sentiment trend that “has flipped” in the past year, the latest Tennessee Business Barometer by MTSU’s Jones College of Business finds.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Three-row ESUVs: Kia EV9, Rivian R1S reviewed

Shoppers thinking about buying a three-row SUV have plenty of options – unless they want an electric. Fortunately, there are two models that hold plenty of promise: the Kia EV9 and the Rivian R1S.

MILLENNIAL MONEY

Single with benefits: Avoiding the SSI ‘marriage penalty’

Jennifer Updike and Lewis Fredette, of Auburn, New York, got engaged in December 2023. The couple, who are both on the autism spectrum, look forward to moving in together soon and tying the knot in a religious ceremony.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Selling your home could boost your nest egg – but is it worth it?

A 2023 report from investment firm Vanguard estimates that about a quarter of Americans age 60 and over could move to a cheaper housing market and use the equity in their homes to upsize their retirement savings – making retirement more secure and enjoyable.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Josi scores OT winner to lead Predators past Vegas 5-4; streak at 16-0-2

NASHVILLE (AP) — Roman Josi scored 40 seconds into overtime to lead the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, and extend the team's stretch of consecutive games unbeaten in regulation to a franchise-record 18.

NASHVILLE AREA

Being HIV-positive will no longer automatically disqualify police candidates in Nashville

NASHVILLE (AP) — Having HIV will no longer automatically disqualify someone from serving as a Metropolitan Nashville Police Officer, the Tennessee city agreed in a legal settlement on Friday.

Activists forming human chain in Nashville on Covenant school shooting anniversary

NASHVILLE (AP) — When a former student killed three 9-year-old children and three adults at the Covenant School in Nashville, a group of Tennessee moms decided they had to do something.

COURTS

Trump assails judge, his daughter after gag order in New York hush-money criminal case

Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.

Hunter Biden's tax case heads to a California courtroom as his defense seeks to have it tossed out

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Attorneys for Hunter Biden are expected in court Wednesday in Los Angeles, where he is accused in what prosecutors call a four-year scheme to avoid paying $1.4 million in taxes while living an extravagant lifestyle.

Hurry up and wait: Trump's classified documents case is mired in delays that may run past election

WASHINGTON (AP) — The case against Donald Trump seemed relatively straightforward in August 2022 when FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago estate, with authorities citing evidence that the former president hoarded enough classified documents to fill dozens of boxes and obstructed the government's efforts to retrieve them.

Trump ally Clark disciplinary hearing begins over role trying to overturn 2020 election

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark's efforts to help then-President Donald Trump overturn the 2020 election were characterized Tuesday as a coup attempt by Washington, D.C., Office of Disciplinary Counsel at a hearing to determine if Clark should be sanctioned.

5 takeaways from the abortion pill case before the U.S. Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday did not appear ready to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone, in a case that could have far-reaching implications for millions of American women and for scores of drugs regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

ELECTION 2024

Biden leans on his Democratic predecessors as Trump remains isolated from other Republican leaders

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden needs advice, there are two people he can turn to who know what it's like to sit in his chair. Sometimes he will invite Barack Obama over to the White House for a meal or he will get on the phone with Bill Clinton.

AUTO INDUSTRY

$15 toll to drive into part of Manhattan has been approved. That's a first for US cities

NEW YORK (AP) — New York is on track to become the first U.S. city with congestion tolls on drivers entering its central business district after transit officials approved a $15 fee for most motorists headed into part of Manhattan.

MEDIA

US sanctions online site Gaza Now and its founder for allegedly supporting Hamas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday imposed sanctions on online media site Gaza Now and its founder Mustafa Ayash for allegedly supporting Hamas.

NBC has cut ties with former RNC head McDaniel after employee objections, some on the air

NEW YORK (AP) — NBC News cut ties Tuesday with former Republican National Committee chief Ronna McDaniel less than a week after hiring her as an on-air political contributor, a decision that followed a furious protest by some of its journalists and commentators.

HEALTH CARE

Controversial military reproductive health care travel policy used just 12 times in 7 months

WASHINGTON (AP) — A controversial military policy that allows service members to be reimbursed for travel if they or a family member have to go out of state for reproductive health care — including abortions — was used just 12 times from June to December last year, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

A Japanese supplement pill is recalled after two people died and more than 100 were hospitalized

TOKYO (AP) — Health supplement products believed to have caused two deaths and sickened more than 100 people have been ordered to be taken off store shelves in Japan.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

S&P 500 sets a record after Wall Streets breaks out of its lull

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to a record Wednesday after breaking out of their three-day lull.

Settlement reached in lawsuit between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' allies

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney reached a settlement agreement Wednesday in a state court fight over how Walt Disney World is developed in the future following the takeover of the theme park resort's government by the Florida governor.

Amazon pours an additional $2.75 billion into AI startup Anthropic

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said Wednesday it is pouring an additional $2.75 billion into Anthropic, bringing its total investment in the artificial intelligence startup to $4 billion.

MyPillow, owned by election denier Mike Lindell, faces eviction from Minnesota warehouse

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A court plans to order the eviction of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used, but company founder and prominent election denier Mike Lindell said Wednesday that it's just a formality because the landlord wants to take the property back.

Yellen says China's rapid buildout of its green energy industry 'distorts global prices'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called out China's ramped-up production in solar energy, electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries, calling it unfair competition that "distorts global prices" and "hurts American firms and workers, as well as firms and workers around the world."

China wins WTO dispute with Australia over steel products

SYDNEY (AP) — China has won a nearly three-year-long dispute with Australia at the World Trade Organization over tariffs on steel products that began during a low point of bilateral relations between the countries, and Australia's trade minister said Wednesday his government accepted the ruling.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats' VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and who almost became Republican John McCain's running mate eight years later, has died, according to a statement issued by his family.

Talks resume on bringing Israeli officials to the US to discuss Gaza operation, the White House says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Talks have restarted aimed at bringing top Israeli officials to Washington to discuss potential military operations in Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit this week because he was angry about the U.S. vote on a U.N. cease-fire resolution, the White House said Wednesday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is committed to advancing Ukraine aid. But it will be a difficult task

WASHINGTON (AP) — For over a month, House Speaker Mike Johnson has sat on a funding package that would send desperately needed ammunition and weaponry to Ukraine, mulling how best to gain a grasp of what is expected to be a difficult lift in the House.

Chinese leader Xi issues a positive message at a meeting with US business leaders as ties improve

BEIJING (AP) — China's nationalist leader, Xi Jinping, called for closer trade ties with the U.S. during a meeting on Wednesday with top American business leaders in Beijing that came amid a steady improvement in relations that had sunk to the lowest level in years.


TUESDAY, MARCH 26
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Vanderbilt hires Mark Byington away from James Madison to replace Stackhouse

NASHVILLE (AP) — Vanderbilt hired Mark Byington away from James Madison just three days after he led the Dukes to a first-round upset of Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament.

UT SPORTS

James, Rivers help No. 3 seed NC State hold off No. 6 seed Tennessee to reach Sweet 16

RALEIGH, N,C, (AP) — Tennessee didn't wilt when North Carolina State built a 20-point lead. Just as importantly, the Wolfpack didn't either after Lady Vols climbed all the way back within a single bucket.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee Senate tweaks bill seeking to keep tourism records secret for 10 years

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's Republican-controlled Senate on Monday tweaked a proposal initially designed to keep the state's tourism records hidden from public scrutiny, bidding to add more sunshine into how the state secures high-profile events.

NASHVILLE AREA

A year after deadly Nashville shooting, Christian school relies on faith — and adopted dogs

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nearly a year after a shooting at a Christian elementary school in Nashville that left three adults and three children dead, the students and their families have formed tight bonds out of their shared suffering. They've also adopted a lot of dogs.

COURTS

Judge issues gag order barring Donald Trump from commenting on witnesses, others in hush money case

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge Tuesday issued a gag order barring Donald Trump from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial, citing the former president's history of "threatening, inflammatory, denigrating" remarks about people involved in his legal cases.

When will Trump pay his $175 million appeals bond? Here's what's next in his civil fraud case

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump got a break this week when an appeals court cut down the amount of money he needs to put up to pause collection while he appeals a $454 million-plus judgment in his New York civil fraud case.

Supreme Court seems likely to preserve access to the abortion medication mifepristone

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed likely to preserve access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court's first abortion case since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

US prosecutors try to send warning to cryptocurrency world with KuCoin prosecution

NEW YORK (AP) — A top U.S. prosecutor announced criminal charges Tuesday against a once-ascending company in the cryptocurrency world and two of its founders in a bid to send a message to other players in the industry to follow U.S. laws.

Authorities searched Diddy's properties as part of a sex trafficking probe. Here's what to know

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the first nine months of 2023, Sean "Diddy" Combs triumphantly performed at the MTV VMAs, released an R&B album that garnered a Grammy nomination and was a suitor to buy the BET network.

US appeals court finds for Donald Trump Jr. in defamation suit by ex-coal CEO Don Blankenship

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court rejected a bid Monday from former coal executive Don Blankenship, who argued that Donald Trump Jr. defamed him by calling him a "felon."

ELECTION 2024

Trump is selling 'God Bless the USA' Bibles for $59.99 as he faces mounting legal bills

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is now selling Bibles as he runs to return to the White House.

Biden and Harris team up for health care event in North Carolina

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will promote their health care agenda on Tuesday in North Carolina, a battleground state that Democrats hope to flip in their favor after falling short to Donald Trump in the last two presidential elections.

MEDIA

A vocal revolt: MSNBC personalities object to NBC News' hiring of Ronna McDaniel as a contributor

NEW YORK (AP) — The internal furor over NBC News' decision to hire former Republican National Committee head Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor spread Monday, with MSNBC personalities Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Nicolle Wallace, Joy Reid, Lawrence O'Donnell and Joe Scarborough all using their shows to publicly object.

AUTO INDUSTRY

China to challenge Biden's electric vehicle plans at the WTO

BEIJING (AP) — China filed a World Trade Organization complaint against the U.S. on Tuesday over what it says are discriminatory requirements for electric vehicle subsidies.

Chinese EV makers challenging market leaders at auto show in Bangkok

BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese electric vehicle makers are showcasing their latest models, including a flying car, as they take on global rivals at the Bangkok International Motor Show.

Vietnamese automaker VinFast to start selling EVs in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced Tuesday that it plans to sell its electric vehicles in Thailand and said it had tied up with auto dealers to open showrooms in the country.

ENERGY

Wind and sun are free, but it's harder to get renewable energy projects built these days. Here's why

SPRAKEBUELL, Germany (AP) — The wind gusting across north German farm country brings much to the village of Sprakebuell: fog and rain from the sea, the occasional migrating stork, the faint smell of manure in the newly fertilized fields.

ECONOMY

Small business hiring woes show signs of easing as economy stays strong

NEW YORK (AP) — Hiring woes may be easing for small businesses.

US consumer confidence holds steady even as high prices weigh on household budgets

U.S. consumer confidence held steady this month even as Americans wrestle with higher prices and feel less optimistic about the short-term future.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street pulls back further from its all-time highs

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street slipped a bit further from its record heights.

Do you want fries with that? Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald's

NEW YORK (AP) — Krispy Kreme and McDonald's are getting together over breakfast.

Baltimore bridge collapse and port closure send companies scrambling to reroute cargo

The stunning collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge is diverting shipping and trucking around one of the busiest ports on America's East Coast, creating delays and raising costs in the latest disruption to global supply chains.

Visa, Mastercard settle long-running antitrust suit over swipe fees with merchants

NEW YORK (AP) — Visa and Mastercard announced a major settlement with U.S. merchants on Tuesday, potentially ending nearly two decades of litigation over the fees charged every time a credit or debit card is used in a store or restaurant.

Trump's social media company soars nearly 50% in its first day of trading on Nasdaq

NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Donald Trump's social media company jumped nearly 50% in the first day of trading on the Nasdaq, boosting the value of Trump's large holdings in the company as well as the smaller stakes of fans who purchased shares as a show of support for the former president.

Strippers' bill of rights bill signed into law in Washington state

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Legislation in Washington state known as the strippers' bill of rights, which advocates say includes the most comprehensive statewide protections in the nation, was signed into law on Monday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

'Duty to warn' guided US advance warning of the Moscow attack. Adversaries don't always listen

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. warning to Russia couldn't have been plainer: Two weeks before the deadliest attack in Russia in years, Americans had publicly and privately advised President Vladimir Putin's government that "extremists" had "imminent plans" for just such slaughter.

Pentagon urges Israel to protect civilians in Gaza as military chiefs meet at time of high tensions

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense leaders pressed their Israeli counterparts Tuesday to ensure that any military operation in the southern city of Rafah unfold in phases to protect civilians and secure the delivery of aid, a senior Pentagon official said. Israel's defense minister was receptive, the official said, but it's not clear what impact the meeting will have on Israeli plans for Gaza or on growing tensions between the two nations.

Republicans threaten to hold Attorney General Garland in contempt over Biden documents case

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans threatened to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress if he did not turn over unredacted materials related to the special counsel probe into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents.


MONDAY, MARCH 25
UT SPORTS

Tennessee's Key comes full circle with NCAA Tournament second-round game close to home vs. NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Tamari Key wasn't sure how this season might pan out after missing most of 2022-23 with Tennessee because of blood clots in her lungs.

NASHVILLE AREA

Death of Missouri student Riley Strain appears accidental, Metro police say

NASHVILLE (AP) — The death of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in Tennessee's capital for nearly two weeks, appears to be accidental, police said.

COURTS

Judge dismisses lawsuit by Musk's X against nonprofit researchers tracking hate speech on platform

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Elon Musk's X Corp. against the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate, which has documented the increase in hate speech on the site since it was acquired by the Tesla owner.

Court agrees to pause collection of Trump's massive civil fraud judgment if he puts up $175M

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Monday agreed to hold off collection of former President Donald Trump's more than $454 million civil fraud judgment if he puts up $175 million within 10 days.

Trump's New York hush money case is set for trial April 15

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will stand trial April 15 on charges related to hush money payments meant to cover up claims of marital infidelity, a New York judge ruled Monday, tersely swatting aside defense claims of prosecutorial misconduct.

Supreme Court again confronts the issue of abortion, this time over access to widely used medication

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will again wade into the fractious issue of abortion this week when it hears arguments over a medication used in the most common way to end a pregnancy, a case with profound implications for millions of women no matter where they live in America and, perhaps, for the race for the White House.

ELECTION 2024

As Biden tours the country, visits swing states, Trump is fundraising, playing golf

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden visited five cities in a multiday trip last week, former President Donald Trump was hardly seen in public, spending most of his time in South Florida.

YOUR MONEY

The IRS has 940,000 unclaimed tax refunds from 2020 that are about to expire. Is one of them yours?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Volkswagen workers to vote on union representation next month in the 1st test of recruiting drive

DETROIT (AP) — Workers at Volkswagen's factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will vote next month on whether they want to be represented by the United Auto Workers union.

Japan's Nissan promises aggressive electrification push to cut costs, boost global sales

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan will expand its electric vehicle lineup, develop more powerful batteries and cut production costs, while speeding up the whole process, in what the Japanese automaker's chief called "The Arc" pathway to higher sales by 2030.

MEDIA

TikTok bill faces uncertain fate in the Senate as legislation to regulate tech industry has stalled

WASHINGTON (AP) — The young voices in the messages left for North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis were laughing, but the words were ominous.

Big brands could pivot easily if TikTok goes away. For many small businesses, it's another story

NEW YORK (AP) — If content creators and corporate executives made TikTok videos about the platform's possible U.S. demise, disco diva Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" could supply the soundtrack.

ENVIRONMENT

Energy agency announces $6 billion to slash emissions in industrial facilities

The Biden administration announced $6 billion in funding Monday for projects that will slash emissions from the industrial sector — the largest-ever U.S. investment to decarbonize domestic industry to fight climate change.

RESTAURANTS

Chick-Fil-A backtracks from its no-antibiotics-in-chicken pledge, blames projected supply shortages

ATLANTA (AP) — The fast-food chain Chick-Fil-A backtracked from its decade-old "no antibiotics ever" pledge intended to help prevent human antibiotic resistance linked to the rampant use of the drugs in livestock production.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street's momentum cools after its latest record-setting week

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted lower at the start of what will be a shortened trading week. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Monday.

Trump's social media company to start trading on the Nasdaq on Tuesday

Trump Media & Technology Group, whose flagship product is social networking site Truth Social, will begin trading on the Nasdaq stock market on Tuesday.

Boeing CEO to step down this year, board chairman to exit, head of commercial airplanes retires

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down from the embattled plane maker at the end of the year after a series of mishaps at one of America's most storied manufacturers.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US and UK announce sanctions over China-linked hacks on election watchdog and lawmakers

LONDON (AP) — The U.S. and British governments on Monday announced sanctions against a company and two people linked to the Chinese government over a string of malicious cyberactivity targeting the U.K.'s election watchdog and lawmakers in both countries.

U.S. sanctions Russian entities accused of enabling digital currency sanctions evasion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Monday imposed sanctions on a collection of fintech firms and people, mostly in Russia, accused of enabling sanctions evasion.


FRIDAY, MARCH 22
UT SPORTS

Knecht, Aidoo help No. 2 seed Tennessee roll past 15-seed Saint Peter's

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tennessee's Dalton Knecht pushed the ball in transition, took a bump from a Saint Peter's defender and hit a layup through the whistle. As he landed, he stumbled over a baseline cameraman, but twisted to recover as he fell and landed in a position befitting a quality-form pushup.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Forsberg scores 2, Predators beat Panthers and extend point streak to franchise-record 16 games

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored twice and the Nashville Predators extended their point streak to a franchise-record 16 games with a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Tennessee just became the first state to protect musicians, other artists against AI

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday signed off on legislation designed to protect songwriters, performers and other music industry professionals against the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

RELIGION

Southern Baptists pick a California seminary president to lead its troubled administrative body

A top Southern Baptist administrative body has selected its first permanent leader in nearly two-and-a-half years, a time when it has navigated a tumult of controversies ranging from a sexual abuse scandal to financial struggles — to its own stumbling efforts to find a new president.

COURTS

Trump says he has nearly $500 million in cash but doesn't want to use it to pay New York judgment

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump claimed on Friday to have almost a half-billion dollars in cash but said he'd rather spend it on his presidential run than on the $454 million civil fraud judgment against him in New York. The former president vowed to fight the verdict "all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary" as the state gears up to potentially seize some of his assets if he doesn't pay the hefty tab.

Cardinals super fan known as Rally Runner pleads guilty to storming Capitol in face paint

WASHINGTON (AP) — A St. Louis Cardinals super fan known as Rally Runner pleaded guilty on Friday to storming the U.S. Capitol while wearing red face paint and red clothes, fueling a baseless conspiracy theory that government plants secretly incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.

Prosecutors in 3 Wisconsin counties decline to pursue charges against Trump committee, lawmaker

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Prosecutors in three Wisconsin counties declined to pursue felony charges of campaign finance violations against former President Donald Trump 's fundraising committee and a Republican state lawmaker related to an effort to unseat Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.

Requiring ugly images of smoking's harm on cigarettes won't breach First Amendment, court says

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal requirement that cigarette packs and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking — including pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow — does not violate the First Amendment, an appeals court ruled Thursday.

ELECTION 2024

Biden and Trump ask voters if they're 'better off' than they were 4 years ago. It's complicated

HOUSTON (AP) — "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" Rarely have voters' answers to that question been so complicated.

US Jews upset with Trump's latest rhetoric say he doesn't get to tell them how to be Jewish

Since the start of his political career, Donald Trump has played on stereotypes about Jews and politics.

REAL ESTATE

Compass agrees to pay $57.5M, make policy changes to settle real estate commission lawsuits

Real estate brokerage company Compass Inc. will pay $57.5 million as part of a proposed settlement to resolve lawsuits over real estate commissions, the company said in a regulatory filing Friday.

TRANSPORTATION

The FBI tells passengers on the plane that lost a panel in flight they might be crime victims

The FBI has told passengers on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max that lost a door-plug pane l in midflight that they might be victims of a crime.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

With police departments facing a hiring crisis, some policies are being loosened to find more cadets

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Faced with gaping vacancies in its police force and concerns about public safety, the Philadelphia Police Department had to think creatively about how to get more candidates in the door. The answer? Fewer pushups.

YOUR MONEY

How freelancers can prepare for changing tax requirements

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers across different industries are increasingly receiving some or all of their income via apps. They include tutors, graphic designers, hair stylists, and all kinds of independent and self-employed workers, along with merchants who sell products online through Etsy, eBay, Amazon and other sites. But tax law is still catching up when it comes to how best to report this income.

ENVIRONMENT

With organic fields next door, conventional farms dial up the pesticide use, study finds

Champions of organic farming have long portrayed it as friendlier to humans and the earth. But a new study in a California county found a surprising effect as their acreage grew: Nearby conventional farms applied more pesticides, likely to stay on top of an increased insect threat to their crops, the researchers said.

Higher temperatures mean higher food and other prices. A new study links climate shocks to inflation

Food prices and overall inflation will rise as temperatures climb with climate change, a new study by an environmental scientist and the European Central Bank found.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street hangs near records as it closes its best week of the year

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street had a wobbly finish to its best week of the year so far.

Trump's social media company approved to go public, potentially netting former president billions

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is returning to the stock market, and the former president stands to reap a sizeable payout in the process.

What is Truth Social, Donald Trump's social media platform?

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former President Donald Trump launched his social media platform, Truth Social, in early 2022, after he was banned from major sites such as Facebook and the platform formerly known as Twitter following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

State Farm discontinuing 72,000 home policies in California in latest blow to state insurance market

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — State Farm will discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California starting this summer, the insurance giant said this week, nine months after announcing it would not issue new home policies in the state

How Europe's regulatory battle with Apple could signal what's to come for American consumers

LONDON (AP) — It'll likely take years before the U.S. government's massive antitrust lawsuit against Apple is resolved — but the iPhone maker's troubles with European regulators offer a glimpse of what changes American customers may see down the line.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Rep. Mike Gallagher says he's resigning early, leaving House Republicans with thinnest of majorities

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, said Friday he would resign from the House, leaving House Republicans with the thinnest of majorities.

House approves $1.2 trillion package of spending bills before shutdown deadline, Senate up next

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills on Friday just a few hours before funding for some key federal agencies is set to expire, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that will push any threats of a government shutdown to the fall.

Republican Rep. Greene files motion to oust Speaker Johnson

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate on Friday in the middle of a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government open.

What's next now that Speaker Johnson is facing a motion to vacate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely six months into the job, House Speaker Mike Johnson is already at risk of the same conservative revolt that took down his predecessor.

The EU will impose tariffs on Russian grain, fearing Moscow will use exports as a weapon of war

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission wants to prevent Russia from using farm products as a tool to wreak havoc on the EU market and is moving to impose tariffs on grain imports from Russia and Belarus.


THURSDAY, MARCH 21
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Moore, Washington lead Vanderbilt women past Columbia 72-68 in NCAA First Four

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Iyana Moore scored 22 points, Sacha Washington had a double-double and Vanderbilt celebrated its return to the NCAA Tournament with a 72-68 win over Columbia in a battle of 12-seeds in the First Four on Wednesday night.

UT SPORTS

Dalton Knecht hopes to change Tennessee's history of early exits in March Madness

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Tennessee Volunteers have a history of underachieving in the NCAA Tournament under coach Rick Barnes.

SPORTS

SEC sticking to 8-game league football schedule through at least 2025

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is sticking to an eight-game league schedule for at least two more seasons.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee Senate advances nearly $2B business tax cut, refund to prevent lawsuit

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Senate on Thursday approved a nearly $2 billion tax and refund for businesses, a proposal designed to prevent threats of a potential lawsuit even as critics warned the so-called solution was rushed without being properly vetted and shrouded in mystery.

Trump's lawyers keep fighting $454M fraud appeal bond requirement

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's lawyers kept pressing an appellate court Thursday to excuse him from covering a $454 million fraud lawsuit judgment for now, saying he'd suffer "irreparable harm" before his appeal is decided.

COURTS

Justice Department sues Apple, alleging it illegally monopolized the smartphone market

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors, stifles innovation and keeps prices artificially high.

ELECTION 2024

Trump's invite to major donors prioritizes the committee paying his legal bills over the RNC

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee directs donations to his campaign and a political action committee that pays the former president's legal bills before the RNC gets a cut, according to a fundraising invitation obtained by The Associated Press.

Trump's latest 2024 campaign fundraising report shows him lagging behind Biden in cash

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's fundraising picked up last month, but his political operation is still struggling to catch up to President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party in money coming in.

Biden touts Arizona as America's 'future' as government invests $8.5B in chipmaker Intel

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday celebrated an agreement to provide Intel with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans for computer chip plants around the country, talking up the investment in the political battleground state of Arizona and calling it a way of "bringing the future back to America."

Wall Street debut of Trump's Truth Social network could net him stock worth billions on paper

NEW YORK (AP) — The Wall Street debut of Donald Trump's Truth Social network could give him stock worth billions of dollars on paper. But the former president probably will not be able to cash it out right away, unless some things change.

HEALTH CARE

California wants to pay doctors more money to see Medicaid patients

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — When Hunter Morgan bought an optometry practice in Southern California three years ago, one of the first things he did was start seeing patients who use Medicaid — the government-funded health insurance program for low-income people.

REAL ESTATE

February home sales hit strongest pace in a year as mortgage rates ease and more houses hit market

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in February from the previous month to the strongest pace in a year with homebuyers encouraged by a modest pullback in mortgage rates and more properties on the market.

Homelessness, affordable-housing shortage spark resurgence of single-room 'micro-apartments'

SEATTLE (AP) — Every part of Barbara Peraza-Garcia and her family's single-room apartment in Seattle has a double or even triple purpose.

TECHNOLOGY

New bipartisan bill would require online identification, labeling of AI-generated videos and audio

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bipartisan legislation introduced in the House Thursday would require the identification and labeling of online images, videos and audio generated using artificial intelligence, the latest effort to rein in rapidly developing technologies that, if misused, could easily deceive and mislead.

Federal officials want to know how airlines handle — and share — passengers' personal information

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials said Thursday they will review how airlines protect personal information about their passengers and whether they are making money by sharing that information with other parties.

Tech Tip: How to spot AI-generated deepfake images

LONDON (AP) — AI fakery is quickly becoming one of the biggest problems confronting us online. Deceptive pictures, videos and audio are proliferating as a result of the rise and misuse of generative artificial intelligence tools.

MEDIA

Prince Harry's lawyer implicates Rupert Murdoch in cover-up of unlawful snooping by his tabloids

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry's lawyer leveled explosive new allegations Wednesday that Rupert Murdoch was aware of cover-ups at his British tabloids that used unlawful techniques to spy on the Duke of Sussex and others.

TRANSPORTATION

Major airlines want to hear how Boeing plans to fix problems in the manufacturing of its planes

The heads of leading U.S. airlines want to meet with Boeing and hear the aircraft manufacturer's strategy for fixing quality-control problems that have gained attention since a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines jetliner in January, people familiar with the situation said Thursday.

ECONOMY

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits dip to 210,000, another sign the job market is strong

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans signing up for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week, another sign that the labor market remains strong and most workers enjoy extraordinary job security.

UK inflation is heading in 'right direction,' but Bank of England isn't ready to cut rates

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at a 16-year high on Thursday and avoided signaling, unlike other central banks, when it might start to cut even though inflation has dropped sharply from multidecade peaks.

Swiss central bank makes a surprise cut to its key interest rate as others hold steady

GENEVA (AP) — The Swiss National Bank said Thursday that it is trimming its key interest rate, a surprise move that makes Switzerland the first major financial center to announce a cut in recent months.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Some Georgia workers would find it harder to become union members under a new bill

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers have made it harder for workers at companies getting state economic incentives to unionize, in what could be a violation of federal law.

Japan's exports rise nearly 8% in February on strong shipments of cars and machinery

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's exports rose 7.8% in February from a year earlier on strong shipments of cars and electrical machinery, the government said Thursday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Nearly 8 in 10 AAPI adults in the US think abortion should be legal, an AP-NORC poll finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — With abortion rights poised to be one of the major issues in the 2024 election, a new poll shows that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States are highly supportive of legal abortion, even in situations where the pregnant person wants an abortion for any reason.

Congress unveils $1.2 trillion plan to avert federal shutdown and bring budget fight to a close

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package Thursday that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies this weekend and allows Congress, nearly six months into the budget year, to complete its work in funding the government through September.

Republicans make last-ditch request for Biden to testify as impeachment inquiry winds down

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is all but winding down, lacking the political appetite from within the Republican ranks to go forward with an actual impeachment, but facing political pressure to deliver after months of work.

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