VOL. 40 | NO. 22 | Friday, May 27, 2016
TIM GHIANNI: STREET LEVEL
Alvin M. Fitzgerald has earned the right to put the issue of what’s happening to his neighborhood in black-and-white terms. Literally.
DAVID CLIMER: OUT OF LEFT FIELD
With only five victories in the last two seasons, the Titans have fallen out of step with most of the rest of the NFL.
SAM STOCKARD: VIEW FROM THE HILL
My late father kept a paper weight on his desk at home that read: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK
This spring has been filled with mysterious weather, hot, cold and, of course, wet with only a few days when it was difficult to drive a “For Sale” sign into the hardened soil.
REAL ESTATE
Top commercial real estate sales, April 2016, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week but remained at low levels that could entice purchasers amid the current home buying season.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans signed more contracts to buy homes in April for the third straight month, driving pending home sales to the highest level in more than a decade.
NEWSMAKERS
Bruce Doeg of Baker Donelson has been named vice chairman of Launch Tennessee.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
Ford’s long-running Explorer SUV goes upscale in a big way with the new-for-2016 Platinum model that rivals traditional luxury SUVs with its numerous high-tech features, quilted-stitched leather seats and exclusive sound system.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
The service industry just isn’t what it used to be. Mediocre is the norm, and attention to detail seems all but lost in this fast-paced world.
CAREER CORNER
The No. 1 reason employees change jobs varies depending on the source you’re reading.
I SWEAR
It is reported that yet another memorable and popular former NFLer, this one a quarterback, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, or simply the concussion disease.
TECHNOLOGY
RANCHOS PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says if things go according to plan people will be on Mars just nine years from now.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose this week for a third straight week yet remained near three-year lows as the home buying season progresses.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses added 173,000 jobs last month, lifted by strong gains in services industries, according to a private survey.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans applied for jobless aid last week, the third straight drop in a sign that the job market remains healthy despite a recent slowdown in hiring.
U.S. stock indexes edged lower in morning trading Thursday, paring some of their early losses. Energy companies were down following a drop in the price of oil after a meeting of OPEC ministers ended without an agreement on crude production cuts. Utilities also fell.
VIENNA (AP) — OPEC countries failed Thursday to agree on measures to influence crude supplies and prices, in a missed opportunity to show the resolve that for decades let them set how much consumers and industries worldwide would pay for gasoline, heating and related necessities.
VIENNA (AP) — The European Central Bank is expected to underline that its current stimulus measures are boosting the economy of the 19 countries that use the euro— and need time to work before any new monetary jolts are added.
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators are proposing a significant clampdown on payday lenders and other providers of high-interest loans, saying borrowers need to be protected from practices that wind up turning into "debt traps" for many.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery is reasserting his authority to investigate sexual harassment allegations against state Rep. Jeremy Durham.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Derrick Schofield has resigned to take a job with a publicly-traded prison corporation in Florida.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — New York Jets coach Todd Bowles will be joining former Washington and Denver coach Mike Shanahan along with other NFL coaches and former players to raise money for the foundation named in honor of the late Titans assistant Mike Heimerdinger.
COURTS
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Trump University gave employees detailed instructions on how to entice people to enroll in its real estate seminars, from targeting people making at least $90,000 a year and choosing words of flattery that are most persuasive to picking music for the gatherings — The O'Jays' "For the Love of Money."
TECHNOLOGY
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos says when it comes to technology, "We're on the edge of the golden era."
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — U.S. car buyers are tapping the brakes. May is usually one of the strongest months of the year for the U.S. auto industry, as Americans buy cars ahead of summer road trips. But last month, U.S. auto sales were expected to drop 7 percent to 1.5 million cars and trucks, according to car shopping site Kelley Blue Book. That's the biggest monthly sales decline since the Cash for Clunkers hangover in August 2010.
DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling nearly 1.9 million vehicles in North America to replace faulty passenger-side front air bags made by Japanese supplier Takata Corp.
DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling nearly 80,000 Pathfinder SUVs in the U.S. because the brake lights can stay on even when the driver isn't stopping.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the economy grew at a modest pace in much of the country from April to mid-May, leading to tightening labor markets and higher wages.
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes eked out tiny gains after spending much of the day in the red.
NEW YORK (AP) — Forbes has revised the net worth of the woman it crowned America's richest self-made woman last year from $4.5 billion to nothing.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The impact of low oil prices has continued to hobble the finances of U.S. banks, which posted increased loan losses in the first quarter driven by a huge jump in delinquent energy loans.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. construction spending fell in April by the biggest amount in five years as housing, nonresidential construction and spending on government projects all declined.
PARIS (AP) — The world economy risks getting caught in a "low-growth trap" if governments don't spend more on investments, open up to trade, and make reforms, a top economic forum warned Wednesday.
TUESDAY, MAY 31
MIDSTATE
MURFREESBORO (AP) - A Rutherford County sheriff's office administrator who faces federal charges has asked for a public defender to represent him, weeks after obtaining a permit to build a $598,684 home.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville Mayor Megan Barry says an independent third party will assess the finances and governance of Nashville General Hospital.
AUTO INDUSTRY
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German automaker Volkswagen saw its net profit fall 19 percent in the first three months of the year as it grappled with a costly scandal over cars it had equipped to cheat on diesel emissions tests.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home prices kept climbing in March as the spring home buying season began, but so far the higher costs haven't thwarted sales.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer spending surged in April by the largest amount in more than six years, led by a big jump in purchases of autos and other durable goods.
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes struggled to a mixed close Tuesday as energy companies fell with the price of oil, overcoming gains in utilities and phone companies.
GENEVA (AP) — The UN health agency says "plain packaging" on tobacco products has shown to be an effective complement to health warnings, advertising restrictions, and curbs on misleading packaging to help save lives.
MONDAY, MAY 30
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - In an effort to prevent the spread of insects, Tennessee State Parks officials are warning people at campsites to use only heat-treated wood or wood collected nearby.
NEW YORK (AP) — The courtroom fight between former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan and news-and-gossip site Gawker is becoming a battleground of sorts for Silicon Valley tycoons as well.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
BEIJING (AP) — Major stock markets edged up on Monday amid greater optimism about the global economy, though trading volumes were low as the U.K. and U.S. markets were closed for a holiday.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Economic confidence is up in the 19 European countries that use the euro, a survey showed Monday, thanks in particular to greater optimism among consumers that has led to a pickup in inflation expectations.
FRIDAY, MAY 27
MIDSTATE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold is facing public corruption charges after being named in a 14-count indictment that accuses him and others of benefiting from a scheme to sell electronic cigarettes to inmates in the jail he oversees.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - Justin Bieber and Skrillex have been sued for copyright infringement by singer-songwriter Casey Dienel for the multi-platinum song "Sorry."
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A Republican Tennessee lawmaker says getting a traffic camera ticket isn't a problem - he just burns them.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Transportation is halting road construction on the state's highways over the Memorial Day weekend.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee has received the top ranking from all three major credit rating agencies.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam and top aides have used the Republican's personal email server to communicate about official business.
NASHVILLE AREA
GOODLETTSVILLE (AP) — Discount retailer Dollar General on Thursday posted better-than-expected first-quarter profit as more customers spent more.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Eight automakers are recalling more than 12 million vehicles in the U.S. to replace Takata air bag inflators that can explode with too much force.
BEIJING (AP) — General Motors Co.'s main Chinese joint venture is recalling 2.2 million cars to deal with insufficient corrosion resistance on crankcase valves.
TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Friday that an interest rate hike would be appropriate in the coming months if the economy keeps improving.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose Friday to wrap up their strongest week in almost three months. Banks gained ground after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said the central bank intends to keep raising interest rates provided the economy continues to improve.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans turned more optimistic about the economy in May than the previous month, buoyed by steady hiring and higher incomes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy's slowdown in growth at the beginning of the year wasn't quite as bad as first thought, thanks to a bigger boost from housing and less drag from business investment and trade.
SHIMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe claimed success Friday in winning support for his approach to fighting off a possible economic crisis from fellow leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations, despite mounting evidence the formula is failing to yield promised results in Japan.
NEW YORK (AP) — Long-struggling retailer Sears says it plans to try to leverage its strongest brands like Kenmore and Craftsman to help sustain itself as it posted a larger first-quarter loss Thursday and said sales fell at its Kmart and namesake stores.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives angered by the inclusion of LGBT protections in an otherwise routine spending bill scuttled the measure Thursday in a stark display of the potency of a civil rights issue suddenly prominent in the presidential race and responsible for a legal standoff between the Obama administration and several states.