VOL. 37 | NO. 17 | Friday, April 26, 2013
Realtor Jeremy Pittman had an experience in January he hadn’t had since the housing boom of the mid-2000s. He put a house on the market in the Spring Hill area that immediately received multiple offers and sold within a week.
When Realtor Judy Rockensock moved to Mt. Juliet with her young family in 1984, she recalls having to plan her shopping days around trips to the Hermitage Kroger.
There are certain things about Sylvan Park that lured resident Steve Swartz away from Belle Meade seven years ago, like the variety in architecture and diversity in character of the neighbors.
REALTY CHECK
Nashten, LLC is invading Nashville. This venture, allegedly consisting of a two-headed partnership, has purchased the condominium development at 4th and Monroe in Germantown, which is conveniently located at 4th and Monroe.
Top March 2013 residential real estate transactions for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.
NEWSMAKERS
Award-winning architecture and engineering firm Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon, Inc. appointed four new vice presidents at its recent annual stockholders’ meeting:
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Passion is a vital skill for entrepreneurs, but did you know it can actually kill a sales call?
THE WORLDLY INVESTOR
It has been a particularly tough stretch for sage taxicab investors. My recent taxi tips have centered on three clear winners. Gold, Apple and Cash. Let’s evaluate.
SMART STUFF 4 WORK
When I get curious, I read a lot. Last week I got very curious about a form of ineffective behavior that seems all too common these days.
I SWEAR
A decade ago in this space, I told a story about receiving multiple hang-up phone calls between midnight and dawn over a period of several weeks.
KAY'S COOKING CORNER
Breakfast is the healthiest and best meal of the day, but if you stopped and asked the people around you if they eat breakfast, I’ll bet half of them don’t.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - Thousands of fans who had been waiting in line since the wee hours joined some of country's biggest stars Thursday to pay their respects to George Jones at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Court of Appeals has upheld a jury verdict that forces Metro Nashville to pay $30 million for the city's use of a piece of property that is located at the site of the new convention center. The ruling involves 5.7 acres that was owned by Tower Investments.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Brad Martin, the newly appointed interim president of the University of Memphis who once hired Gov. Bill Haslam as an executive at Saks Inc., was named Wednesday by Pilot Flying J to oversee an internal investigation into FBI allegations of fraudulent business practices involving rebates to trucking customers.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Children's Services has disciplined three high-ranking employees over child death record-keeping.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee has been recognized as the second bike friendliest state in the Southeast.
MIDSTATE
MURFREESBORO (AP) - State Rep. Joe Carr of Murfreesboro is joining the race to oust embattled U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais in next year's Republican primary.
NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials say a company that makes floor and trunk mats for automobiles is expanding its facility in Manchester, adding 75 jobs in the process.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors' net income fell 14 percent in the first quarter, as it earned less money in North America while preparing to launch a redesigned version of its best-selling vehicle, the Silverado pickup.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Plans to overhaul neglected sites on Washington's National Mall with lakeside gardens, grassy amphitheaters and restaurants with views of the nation's memorials are getting a boost from a German carmaker.
DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that it's adding 2,000 workers to the Missouri plant that makes the F-150 pickup because of surging U.S. truck demand.
LINCOLN, Ala. (AP) — Gov. Robert Bentley is joining Honda officials in Lincoln to celebrate the start of production for the 2014 Acura MDX sports utility vehicle.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average U.S. rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell to a new record low last week, and the rate on the 30-year fixed loan declined. Cheaper mortgages have encouraged more home-buying and refinancing.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell last week to seasonally adjusted 324,000, the lowest since January 2008. The drop points to fewer layoffs and possibly more hiring.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in March for a second month as the daily flow of imported crude oil dropped to the lowest level in 17 years. The deficit with China hit a three-year low.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. worker productivity barely grew from January through March after shrinking in the final three months of 2012. Weak productivity growth could prompt employers to hire more if consumers and businesses continue to increase spending.
NEW YORK (AP) — Encouraging news about the job market and higher profits from CBS, Facebook and other companies lifted stocks Thursday.
BANGKOK (AP) — The price of oil stabilized near $91 per barrel Thursday after a big fall as traders digested an increase in U.S. crude inventories that suggested weak demand for fuel.
NEW YORK (AP) — YouTube vs. TV? YouTube says the battle — if there ever was one — is over.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday will nominate longtime fundraiser and philanthropist Penny Pritzker to run the Commerce Department and economic adviser Micahel Froman as the next U.S. Trade Representative.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) - When the legislature failed to extend the life of the Judicial Nominating Commission, it effectively ended merit-based selection of judges in Tennessee. It also left open the question of whether there is any mechanism to replace a Tennessee judge who steps down, retires or dies.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - State and federal agencies are at odds as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presses ahead with a ban on fishing from boats both above and below Cumberland River watershed dams.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Ford, GM, Chrysler and Nissan all reported double-digit U.S. sales increases last month, signaling the best April for car and truck sales in six years.
DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is cutting prices on seven of its 18 models in the U.S., hoping its cars and trucks will show up in more Internet searches by shoppers.
DETROIT (AP) — Strong demand for the Ram pickup truck helped drive Chrysler's sales up 11 percent last month as the company posted its best April in six years.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cautioned America's political leaders Wednesday that their policies are hurting the economy.
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market fell the most in two weeks as the outlook for the economy grew dimmer.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil dropped more than 2 percent Wednesday, following disappointing economic news from the world's two biggest oil-consuming nations and a large increase in U.S. crude supplies.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spending on U.S. construction projects fell in March as the biggest drop in government projects in more than a decade overwhelmed strength in home building.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factory activity expanded at a slower pace in April, held back by weaker hiring and less company stockpiling. The report is the latest sign that economic growth may be slowing this spring.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A private survey shows U.S. companies added just 119,000 jobs in April, the fewest in seven months.
NEW YORK (AP) — Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable company and owner of NBCUniversal, on Wednesday said its net income rose 17 percent in the latest quarter, powered by continued strong results from its cable operations.
NEW YORK (AP) — Earnings at Time Warner Inc. grew 24 percent in the first three months of the year despite a slight drop in revenue, as the company benefited from strength in its television networks.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama intends to nominate Rep. Melvin Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the government regulator that oversees lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and he has chosen a former cable and wireless industry lobbyist to head the Federal Communications Commission, according to White House officials.
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
STATE LEGISLATURE
SMYRNA (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam said Tuesday he was not swayed by celebrities opposing a bill that would make it a crime to video record animal abuse if it isn't turned over to law enforcement authorities within 48 hours.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - Country star Kenny Chesney is starting a fund to help those who lost limbs in the Boston Marathon bombing.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Curb Records is suing Tim McGraw. Again.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was in Nashville with U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper Tuesday to drum up support for Internet sales tax collection and an immigration overhaul.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A new convention center in Nashville is transforming the look of downtown with a wavy roof dominating six city blocks, but tourism officials hope the eye-catching facility will also show business travelers a revitalized Music City.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee State University professor has won a $334,000 grant to explore developing technology that would improve the capability of automated surveillance systems.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee is shutting down a rapid response team that has been sent to aid workers in mass layoffs.
NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials say a program that aims to revitalize downtown commercial districts in communities across Tennessee generated more than $82 million in private and public investment last year.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market overcame a morning slide to finish modestly higher, giving the Standard & Poor's 500 index another record close and its sixth straight month of gains.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil fell about 1 percent Tuesday on anticipation of another increase in U.S. crude supplies.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Wall Street Journal says Apple Inc. is selling $17 billion in bonds on Tuesday. That would make it the largest corporate bond issue ever.
NEW YORK (AP) — You can recycle your waste, grow your own food and drive a fuel-efficient car. But being socially responsible isn't so easy when it comes to the clothes on your back.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Poker devotees can now skip the smoky casino and legally gamble their dollars away on the couch — at least in the state of Nevada.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are more optimistic the job market is healing and will deliver higher pay later this year. That brighter outlook, along with rising home prices, cheaper gasoline and a surging stock market, could offset some of the drag from the recent tax increases and government spending cuts.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices rose 9.3 percent in February compared with a year ago, the most in nearly seven years. The gains were driven by a growing number of buyers who bid on a limited supply of homes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans' wages increased at a faster rate from January through March than the previous quarter, a trend that helped boost economic growth. But their benefits barely grew.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A combination of scant inflation and still-modest U.S. economic growth will likely lead the Federal Reserve this week to maintain its drive to keep borrowing costs at record lows indefinitely.
NEW YORK (AP) — Best Buy is looking to exit Europe, selling its stake in its joint venture there to partner Carphone Warehouse Group PLC in a cash-and-stock deal valued at 500 million pounds (about $775 million).
LONDON (AP) — Pressure is mounting on the European Central Bank to cut interest rates this week after figures Tuesday showed inflation in the euro area at a three-year low and unemployment at another record high.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama argues that his signature health care law is already benefiting most Americans even if they don't know it.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he is open-minded about immigration legislation being fashioned in the House. But he says he won't support it if it doesn't meet his criteria, including a "pathway to citizenship."
MONDAY, APRIL 29
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) — A public funeral will be held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville for country music superstar George Jones, who died Friday at the age of 81.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Jason Aldean has filed for divorce. The country music star filed the complaint for divorce against his wife Jessica on Friday afternoon in Williamson County, citing irreconcilable differences.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A federal judge overseeing changes at the state Department of Children's Services expressed cautious optimism Monday that the agency's new leadership can resolve some of its problems.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A Knoxville judge on Monday rejected a claim that Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam is tampering with potential witnesses in a lawsuit stemming from an FBI raid on the country's largest diesel retailer.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee authorities are preparing to test welfare recipients for drug abuse.
NASHVILLE (AP) — When federal agents descended on the Knoxville headquarters of Pilot Flying J on April 15, it was the first inkling the public and company executives had of an FBI and Internal Revenue Service investigation that began nearly two years ago.
MIDSTATE
MURFREESBORO (AP) - A recent survey says Middle Tennessee consumers are becoming more optimistic about the local economy and are increasingly upbeat about the future.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Victims' rights group You Have the Power is celebrating its 20-year anniversary and will be honoring Nashville District Attorney General Torry Johnson with the first annual Powerhouse Award.
HEALTH CARE
NEW YORK (AP) — They sweep. They swab. They sterilize. And still the germs persist.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler's first-quarter profit tumbled 65 percent as shipments of cars and trucks fell while it prepared to launch several key new vehicles.
DETROIT (AP) — Subaru is recalling just over 10,000 of its 2014 Forester wagons because the floor mats can interfere with the clutch, brake or gas pedals.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — Technology companies are leading the stock market higher, pushing the Standard & Poor's 500 index to another record high.
The price of oil rose above $94 per barrel Monday as positive U.S. economic data added to optimism for a rate cut in Europe.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in March to the highest level in three years, pointing to higher sales this spring.
WASHINGTON (AP) — This year got off to a sour start for U.S. workers: Their pay, already gasping to keep pace with inflation, was suddenly shrunk by a Social Security tax increase.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is trying to upstage Siri, the sometimes droll assistant that answers questions and helps people manage their lives on Apple's iPhone and iPad.
ATLANTA (AP) — The British film studio that's home to the James Bond movie franchise announced plans Monday for its first U.S. film production facility, at a site near Atlanta.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army's hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle.
WASHINGTON (AP) — State funding for pre-kindergarten programs had its largest drop ever last year and states are now spending less per child than they did a decade ago, according to a report released Monday.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents like to take credit for economic recoveries, just as President Barack Obama is angling to do now.
FRIDAY, APRIL 26
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - When it comes to country music, George Jones was The Voice.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Five things to know about country music superstar George Jones, who died Friday at 81:
NASHVILLE (AP) - The country music world reacted with deep emotion upon learning of the death of legendary singer George Jones. Here's a sampling of quotes and tweets about Jones:
NASHVILLE (AP) — America loves its outlaws, and few are as admired and lionized as Willie Nelson.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - A state review of election problems in Davidson County has concluded the outcomes of two 2012 primary elections could have been influenced by voting technology bungling.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is participating in an initiative Saturday sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Some military chaplains trying to access the Southern Baptist Convention website this week were surprised to find it blocked with a message that it contained "hostile content."
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee's Department of Children's Services has adopted a new plan for investigating child deaths that it says will be faster and more effective.
MIDSTATE
SMYRNA (AP) — Nissan officials say an employee of a supplier died in a fatal accident at its vehicle assembly plant in Smyrna.
MURFREESBORO (AP) — The Rutherford County teachers group has filed a formal complaint over the way the state now allows bargaining over pay.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Republicans, positioned to make major changes to state law with the governorship and a supermajority in the General Assembly, ended the session with some high-profile measures derailed by infighting.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A judge in northeast Tennessee is dismissing a $750,000 libel lawsuit against state Republican Sen. Stacey Campfield for publishing false information online about a Democratic candidate for the state House in 2008.
HEALTH CARE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A long-standing legal dispute between two publicly traded healthcare companies and the receiver for two Tennessee non-profit corporations could ultimately result in $40 million going to charities in the Volunteer State.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors said Friday that a base model of the 2014 Corvette Stingray will start at just under $52,000.
TOKYO (AP) — Honda's fiscal fourth quarter profit rose nearly 6 percent as the Japanese automaker's recovery from floods in Thailand the previous year offset recent sales losses in China.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans shrugged off higher taxes to lift the U.S. economy at the start of the year. Government spending fell, though, and the impact of the tax increases along with federal budget cuts could slow growth later this year.
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market stalled Friday after the U.S. economy didn't grow as much as hoped and earnings from a handful of big companies failed to rev up investors.
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil rose more than 5 percent this week, even with a decline on Friday, as traders concluded last week's dive to a low for the year was overdone.
NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T Inc. is launching its home security and automation service in 15 cities Friday, with an eye toward getting customers hooked on security cameras, thermostats and locks they can control from phones and tablets.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average U.S. rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell last week to its lowest level on record, making refinancing and home-buying more attractive to those who can qualify.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times Co. reported a sharp decline in its first-quarter earnings on Thursday mainly because businesses it sold last year were not included in the latest results.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to require Internet shoppers to pay sales taxes for online purchases may be cruising through the Senate but it will soon hit a roadblock in the House.
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 100 crucial gauges that warn of imminent flooding or lack of needed water will be shut down starting next month as part of the federal government's automatic budget cuts.