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VOL. 37 | NO. 29 | Friday, July 19, 2013

The case of the shrinking law schools

Enrollment slides as potential students argue costs v. benefits

With lawyer jokes, the punch line is often a variation on: “There’s too many.” But if current trends continue, one day there may be too few.

Nashville School of Law provides alternative path to legal career

There’s no motto hanging over the entrance to Nashville School of Law.

Practice makes better for today’s law classes

The buzz in legal education today is all about “practical skills.”

Franklin couple hops on top with Zinghoppers

One of Nashville’s hottest bands has excitable groupies, a Grammy nomination, thousands of social media followers and a high-powered fan base that includes Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
45.0°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 8.1 mph
Humidity: 68%

EVENTS

TSBDC Counseling. Free and confidential one-on-one counseling sessions are available today with the Tennessee Small Business Development Centers for existing and start-up small businesses. By appointment only. Appointment times are 9, 10, 11 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m. Information: Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, 444-5503.

more events »

REAL ESTATE

Home buying now a game of insider trading

The old fashioned way of buying a house – spotting a sign in the yard and having a Realtor arrange a tour – has gone the way of automobile tail fins and spats.

Midstate real estate trends for second quarter 2013

Second quarter 2013 real estate trends for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford and Wilson counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Midstate real estate trends for June 2013

June 2013 real estate trends for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford and Wilson counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Top Midstate residential real estate transactions for June 2013

Top June 2013 residential real estate transactions for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

REALTY CHECK

Tangled web can snare unsuspecting buyers

The residential real estate world, like many industries, is its own ecosystem, complete with snakes, swine and scum. Not all real estate agents are Realtors, and Realtors are held to a higher standard, especially as ethics go.

NEWSMAKERS

Accelerent Nashville selects Minucci to leadership post

Accelerent, a national partnership-driven business development platform, has tapped Steve Minucci as the leader of the company’s recently launched Nashville market.

GUERRILLA MARKETING

No-nonsense negotiating strategies

If you’re fighting for who’s right in a negotiation, by definition, someone loses. That’s the philosophy behind negotiation strategies that build relationships versus tearing them down. Whether you “win” or not, a customer may not continue to buy from you if they felt beaten down through the negotiation process. The objective is to close a mutually beneficial deal versus winning the negotiation.

THE WORLDLY INVESTOR

Two acts remain in Bernanke’s screenplay

After weeks of volatility, driven by complex Fed speculation after a chorus of mixed messages, Chairman Bernanke re-focused marketplace attention on the Fed’s core purpose.

SMART STUFF 4 WORK

Does this makes sense?

It appears that as humans we have a “makes sense” switch in our brains. Here is the way it works. First we decide what we think about an issue and take a position on it. Then we run our decision through some sort of mental process to gather information in support of our position. Often, when we first stumble across any evidence that causes us to think, “That makes sense,” we abandon any further exploration, store our position in memory for possible future use and move on to the next thing.

I SWEAR

Back from Paris and ready for some ‘French Fryz’

ARDEN, N.C.—This suburb of Asheville is home to my newest favorite burger place. Don’t get me started on the Old-Fashioned—mustard, onions, chili, slaw. Check out frenchfryz.net.

KAY'S COOKING CORNER

Celebrating summer with fresh fruits

The first week in July holds many celebrations for the Bona Family. It marks our son-in-law Doug Baltzer’s birthday; Don’s brother Bob Bona’s birthday and the Fourth of July – our country’s Independence birthday! So, we celebrate! And most of the celebrations are in the warm, sunny outdoors. There’s no place I’d rather be!

STATEWIDE

Obama to talk manufacturing in Tennessee

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama will travel to Tennessee next week to promote his proposals for boosting U.S. manufacturing and high-wage jobs.

Bonds to aid energy saving capital projects

NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is launching the next phase of the state's Qualified Energy Conservation Bond Program for energy saving capital projects.

Tennessee gets top grade in financial literacy

NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee's effort to teach financial literacy skills to young people has gotten it a top grade among the states.

MIDSTATE

DesJarlais to kick off campaign Aug. 7

NASHVILLE (AP) - Incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais says he will officially kick off his 4th District campaign on Aug. 7.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Yen fall boosts Nissan quarterly earnings to $820M

TOKYO (AP) — Without doing much different, Nissan made its shareholders a lot more money last quarter.

GM 2Q profit beats estimates; N. America soars

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors' second-quarter profit topped expectations as a solid performance in North America offset declining profit in some international markets and more losses in Europe.

New Impala tops sedans in Consumer Reports tests

DETROIT (AP) — The Chevrolet Impala, long the standard-bearer for mediocre cars from Detroit, has made an amazing turnaround.

NATIONAL BUSINESS

4 Russians, 1 Ukrainian charged in massive hacking

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Four Russian nationals and a Ukrainian have been charged with running a sophisticated hacking organization that over seven years penetrated computer networks of more than a dozen major American and international corporations, stealing and selling at least 160 million credit and debit card numbers, resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Feds charge hedge fund SAC Capital in NY case

NEW YORK (AP) — The hedge fund operated by embattled billionaire Steven A. Cohen made hundreds of millions of dollars illegally and allowed unprecedented and pervasive insider trading to go on unchecked for years, federal prosecutors said in an indictment unsealed Thursday.

Orders for US durable goods rise 4.2 pct. in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods rose in June, bolstered by a surge in aircraft demand and more spending that signals businesses growing confidence in the economy. The increase suggests manufacturing could help the economy in the second half of the year.

US unemployment aid applications rise 7K to 343K

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose by 7,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 343,000.

Stocks are mixed in midday trading

NEW YORK (AP) — Disappointing results from PulteGroup, D.R. Horton and other home builders left major stock indexes with only tiny gains in midday trading. Technology stocks rose after Facebook soared past analysts' earnings estimates.

Oil near $104 as slower China dims demand outlook

The price of oil fell to near $104 a barrel Thursday, extending a big drop the previous day sparked by weakness in China's economy.

US average rate on 30-year loan falls to 4.31 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average rates on U.S. fixed mortgages fell for the second straight week, a welcome sign for homebuyers hoping to lock in lower rates that had spiked earlier this month.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Student loan deal faces an easy path in House

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan Senate compromise on student loans is heading to House, where lawmakers there already have voted to link interest rates with the financial markets.

No more mail at your door? Delivery changes eyed

WASHINGTON (AP) — Door-to-door mail delivery is about as American as apple pie. With the Postal Service facing billions of dollars in annual losses, that tradition could be virtually phased out by 2022 under a proposal in Congress.

Obama economic tour attracts low expectations

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's hard to find anyone who thinks President Barack Obama's series of heavily promoted economic speeches will be the flash point that unclogs the system in Washington — including the president.


WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
NASHVILLE AREA

The City Paper to cease publication Aug. 9

The City Paper, a Monday-Friday print and Web publication launched in Nashville 13 years ago, will cease publication on Aug. 9.

More than 60 Metro teachers face termination

NASHVILLE (AP) - More than 60 Nashville teachers could be fired this fall for low-performing state evaluation scores under a new policy orchestrated by the director of schools.

NTSB: Southwest nose gear 'collapsed rearward'

NEW YORK (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board says the nose gear of a Southwest Airlines jet collapsed backward and into the body of the aircraft following a hard landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Ramp to be repaired at Harpeth River State Park

NASHVILLE (AP) — State officials say an access ramp at Harpeth River State Park will be closed several days for repair.

Capella trying to lease Mississippi hospital

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors meets Aug. 5 to discuss a 50-year lease proposal for OCH Regional Medical Center by Franklin-based Capella Healthcare.

STATEWIDE

Pilot Flying J revises class action settlement

NASHVILLE (AP) - The truck-stop company owned by Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has revised a class action settlement with trucking companies that were cheated out of fuel rebates.

Study shows Tennessee's debt ratio lowest in nation

NASHVILLE (AP) — A recent study shows Tennessee's debt ratio is the lowest in the nation.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Ford raises profit forecast on strong 2Q results

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. reported better-than-expected earnings for the second quarter and raised its profit and sales forecasts for the year as strong U.S. pickup truck demand and growing sales in China offset persistent — but narrowing — losses in Europe.

NATIONAL BUSINESS

Grim Caterpillar outlook tugs stocks mostly lower

NEW YORK (AP) — A gloomy outlook from Caterpillar, the world's largest construction equipment company, tugged the stock market lower Wednesday.

Weak China data, falling US stocks push oil lower

NEW YORK (AP) — Weak manufacturing data from China and falling U.S. stock markets pushed oil to its biggest one-day decline in five weeks Wednesday.

HanesBrands buying Maidenform for about $547.6M

NEW YORK (AP) — It's the perfect fit. Two of the world's top bra makers have come together in the biggest development in the $11.5 billion underwear industry in years.

Detroit bankruptcy tests state pension protections

As the once-proud city of Detroit humbles itself in bankruptcy court, its financial future may hinge on this key question: Is the city obliged to its past? Or can Detroit renege on its promises to thousands of retirees for the sake of its present city services?

US new home sales jump to highest level in 5 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans snapped up new homes in June at the fastest pace in five years, a sign the housing recovery is strengthening.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo see soda declines continue

NEW YORK (AP) — It seems that not even Beyonce or new, lower-calorie options can convince Americans to drink more soda.

Dell's founder boosts offer to buy the company

NEW YORK (AP) — A group led by Dell's founder raised its offer for the struggling computer maker Wednesday in hopes of attracting more shareholder support for its plan to take the company private.

Caterpillar 2Q profit falls 43 pct; cuts outlook

PEORIA, Illinois (AP) — Caterpillar says its second-quarter profit fell 43 percent as dealers cut inventories more than it had anticipated and the company cut its profit and revenue outlook for the year.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Obama: Washington took its eye off economic ball

GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) — President Barack Obama said Wednesday that Washington has "taken its eye off the ball" as he pledged a stronger second-term commitment to tackling the economic woes that strain many in the middle class nearly five years after the country plunged into a recession.

Senate set to finish work on student loan deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Borrowing for tuition, housing and books would be less expensive for college students and their parents this fall but the costs would start climbing almost immediately under a deal the Senate was poised to pass Wednesday.

Backers of surveillance program battle a challenge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and congressional backers of the National Security Agency's surveillance program warn that ending the massive collection of phone records from millions of Americans would put the nation at risk from another terrorist attack.


TUESDAY, JULY 23
NASHVILLE AREA

Commuter train hits truck, driver injured

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Music City Star commuter train and a dump truck have collided in Hermitage.

Official: 10 hurt as landing gear collapses on Nashville-to-NYC flight

NEW YORK (AP) — The front landing gear of a flight arriving at New York's LaGuardia Airport collapsed Monday right after the plane touched down on the runway, officials said, sending the aircraft skidding before it came to a halt.

Cooper adds 3 people to Washington office

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper is adding three people to his Washington office.

STATEWIDE

Tennessee lawmaker to propose tuition freeze

NASHVILLE (AP) - A Republican state lawmaker says he wants to freeze tuition at Tennessee's colleges and universities despite criticism from education officials that such a proposal would eliminate funds needed to sustain essential programs and basic operation.

COURTS

German home-schoolers to appeal to Supreme Court

NASHVILLE (AP) — Attorneys for Christian parents who fled Germany in order to home school their children but have been denied U.S. asylum said they are preparing to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and were working with Congress to try to change asylum law.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Ford, Toyota end collaboration on hybrid trucks

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford and Toyota are ending joint research into hybrid systems for trucks and SUVs.

Former GM exec sees Toyota role as sign of change

NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Mark Hogan, a former General Motors Co. executive tapped to join the Toyota board, sees his appointment as a sign of change at the Japanese automaker and hopes he'll play a role in the company becoming less insular and quicker in decision making.

NATIONAL BUSINESS

Apple's 3Q earnings fall 22 pct on flat revenue

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple's latest quarterly report confirms the iPhone maker's growth has stalled along with its pace of innovation.

Stock market ends flat after uneven earnings news

NEW YORK (AP) — Uneven corporate earnings news left the stock market flat on Tuesday.

Oil rises as market waits on supply data

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose Tuesday as the market awaited the latest data on U.S. crude oil and gasoline supplies.

Grants, scholarships surpass parents in paying for college

WASHINGTON (AP) — Grants and scholarships are taking a leading role in paying college bills, surpassing the traditional role parents long have played in helping foot the bills, according to a report from loan giant Sallie Mae

Netflix's 2Q report flops despite soaring earnings

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix's revival of the comedy series "Arrested Development" didn't reel in as many subscribers to the Internet video service as Wall Street had hoped, turning a solid second-quarter earnings report into a reality check.

UPS says 2Q profit down 4 percent

DALLAS (AP) — UPS said Tuesday that second-quarter profit fell 4 percent as customers shifted from premium toward lower-priced shipped services.

Wendy's tops expectations, selling restaurants to franchisees

NEW YORK (AP) — Wendy's reported a quarterly net income that came in above Wall Street expectations and said it's selling 425 of its restaurants to franchisees, a move that's expected to help boost its profit margins.

NATIONAL POLITICS

NLRB picks pledge fairness, despite union history

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's newest picks for the National Labor Relations Board sought to assure Senate lawmakers Tuesday that they can be fair and impartial in resolving business-labor disputes, despite backgrounds that include advocating for unions.

House GOP, Democrats clash over immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans took a tentative step toward offering citizenship to some unauthorized immigrants Tuesday, but hit an immediate wall of resistance from the White House on down as Democrats said it wasn't enough.

US surveillance, Syria at issue on defense bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Limits on secret U.S. surveillance programs and President Barack Obama's push to help Syrian rebels were in dispute as the House weighed legislation to fund the nation's military.


MONDAY, JULY 22
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott welcomes daughter

NEW YORK (AP) - Lady Antebellum's leading lady has given birth to a little lady.

NATIONAL BUSINESS

S&P 500 closes higher, helped by gold miners

NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market is closing at a record high despite a disappointing quarterly performance from McDonald's.

Oil lower after housing data; pump prices steady

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil fell Monday after the U.S. government said sales of previously occupied homes dipped in June.

Netflix gains 630K subscribers as 2Q earnings soar

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix's second-quarter earnings more than quadrupled as the revival of the comedy series "Arrested Development" attracted more subscribers.

Judge sets first hearing for Detroit bankruptcy

DETROIT (AP) — The federal judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy will hear arguments Wednesday on the city's request to freeze lawsuits by retirees who claim their pensions are protected by the state constitution.

US home sales dip but remain near 3½-year high

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes slipped in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.08 million but remain near a 3½-year high.

Survey: Brighter US economic outlook boosts hiring

WASHINGTON (AP) — Companies are increasingly confident the economy will grow at a modest pace over the next year and are hiring more, according to a survey of business economists.

McDonald's predicts tough year despite new items

NEW YORK (AP) — McDonald's is mixing up its menu with healthier, fresher sounding items such as its chicken McWraps but not enough customers are biting.

NSA revelations reframe digital life for some

In Louisiana, the wife of a former soldier is scaling back on Facebook posts and considering unfriending old acquaintances, worried an innocuous joke or long-lost associate might one day land her in a government probe.

NATIONAL POLITICS

House GOP on health care: For repeal, not replace

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three years after campaigning on a vow to "repeal and replace" President Barack Obama's health care law, House Republicans have yet to advance an alternative for the system they have voted more than three dozen times to abolish in whole or in part.


FRIDAY, JULY 19
COURTS

6th Circuit won't stop prayers before meetings

NASHVILLE (AP) - A federal appeals court won't halt prayers before Hamilton County Commission meetings, at least for the time being.

STATEWIDE

Wait time at driver services centers decreases

NASHVILLE (AP) - The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says the average wait time at state driver services centers has decreased so far this year compared to last year.

Haslams move briskly to end truck stop scandal

NASHVILLE (AP) - The nation's largest diesel retailer reached a speedy settlement with some customers cheated out of rebate money, which experts say is all the better for Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his brother, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, whose family owns the truck stop chain.

NASHVILLE AREA

Moonshine moves out of the hills and into stores

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tim Smith, the clandestine star of Discovery's unexpected reality hit "Moonshiners," doesn't have anything against the growing legion of legal distillers who are plying their brands at your local liquor store.

AUTO INDUSTRY

AutoNation posts 14 pct profit rise for 2Q

DETROIT (AP) — AutoNation, the country's largest car dealership chain, made optimistic predictions for the next year as its second-quarter earnings rose 14 percent on strong growth in all of its business units.

HEALTH CARE

Obama talks up health care rebates, lower premiums

WASHINGTON (AP) — Disputing Republican criticism of his health care plan, President Barack Obama said Thursday the law is working and cutting costs for consumers with insurance company rebates and the promise of lower premiums.

NATIONAL BUSINESS

Tech slump holds back US stocks; S&P 500 edges up

NEW YORK (AP) — A bad day for technology stocks Friday held back the stock market's big run-up.

Oil little changed near $108; pump price at $3.67

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil finished with a fourth straight weekly gain after rising a penny on Friday.

GE posts small gain in 2Q profit, sees US pickup

NEW YORK (AP) — General Electric posted a slight gain in net income in the second quarter and said its U.S. operations are picking up steam.

Long-suffering Detroit finally turns to bankruptcy

DETROIT (AP) — At the height of its industrial power, Detroit was an irrepressible engine of the American economy, offering well-paying jobs, a gateway to the middle class for generations of autoworkers and affordable vehicles that put the world on wheels.

Moody's upgrades outlook for US government debt

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moody's Investors Service upgraded the outlook for U.S. government debt to 'Stable' from "Negative" and affirmed the United States' blue-chip Aaa rating.

Bernanke: Congress could do more to help economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that Congress could do more to help the U.S. economy this year but instead has focused on reducing the federal deficit.

Dell delays buyout vote, signaling lack of support

ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) — Michael Dell believes he can revive the company bearing his name if his group of investors can buy it for $24.4 billion. But that deal is in danger of falling apart, increasing the chances that the personal computer giant's founder might not be CEO much longer.

Choices: Closer look at 2 plans for Dell's future

Dell Inc. has delayed Thursday's vote on founder Michael Dell's plan to take the computer maker private. That's a sign the board needs more time to rally support. Activist investor Carl Icahn and the Southeastern Asset Management fund, which own 13 percent of the company combined, have made a competing proposal.

Barbie fights for her life

NEW YORK (AP) — As far as catfights go, this is a doozy. Barbie, long the reigning queen in the doll world, has suddenly been thrust into the battle of her life.

NATIONAL POLITICS

House passes bill to replace education law

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday passed legislation outlining their vision for national educational policy to replace the No Child Left Behind law. The measure would give state and local governments greater powers to determine how best to improve schools and would sharply reduce federal involvement in education matters.

Compromise would restore lower college loan rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — A compromise deal on student loans that could hold down loan rates in the short term was expected to come to a vote next week, well before students returning to campus this fall have to sign their loan agreements.

Student Loans 101: Why Uncle Sam is your banker

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Congress scrambles to pull back a messy student loan increase, it raises the question: Why did Uncle Sam get into the college loan business, anyway?

Anxiety brews among immigration supporters

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of far-reaching immigration legislation fear they're losing the message war and say an all-out campaign is needed from business groups and other outside advocates with ties to House Republicans to turn it around.

IRS watchdog 'disturbed' agency withheld documents on targeting progressives

WASHINGTON (AP) — The investigator who wrote a scathing report about the Internal Revenue Service targeting tea party groups says he is "disturbed" the agency withheld newly released documents showing progressive groups may also have been singled out for additional scrutiny.

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