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VOL. 42 | NO. 30 | Friday, July 27, 2018

More growth, less protection

Metro’s refusal to re-adjust tax rates stokes fears of layoffs in fire, police depts.

Metro Nashville police are “disgusted” with a status quo budget and the Metro Council’s move to renege on a cost-of-living promise.

Metro Council panel seeks solution for its own inaction on tax rates

Less than a month into fiscal 2019, Metro Nashville is set to dig into its $2.23 billion budget with a blue-ribbon commission while enforcing spending-reduction “targets” totaling $11.5 million.

SAM STOCKARD: VIEW FROM THE HILL

Battle fatigue setting in with Metro Council

The Metro Nashville City Council is “just worn out,” Councilman Robert Swope says. “All of us are completely beat up. We’ve had more elections in the last three months than we’ve had in the last five years. We’re all sick of it,” Swope says. “We’ve got the MLS soccer stadium thing going crazy. Look at it, transit, property taxes, budget. This is a part-time gig for us. I’m spending 70 hours a week working on my part-time gig.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
44.1°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 10.4 mph
Humidity: 68%

EVENTS

Throwback Thursday on the Gallatin Square. Shop and eat on the square while supporting a local nonprofit. Sidewalk sales at many locations. Thursday, 5-8 p.m. Information

more events »

STATE GOVERNMENT

State Rep. Sherrell sued for buying $82K in disputed farm equipment for $20K

A White County farm owner has filed a civil complaint against state Rep. Paul Sherrell, who serves on the House Criminal Justice Committee, contending the legislator wrongfully bought more than $82,000 worth of his farm equipment for $20,000 from someone not authorized to sell.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

What lurks beneath: Pools easier in lands of sand, loam

As the humidity cools the market and the heat pours down in waves, swimming pools become more desirable for buyers. The groups migrating to town from the West Coast are always surprised at the scarcity of pools the Midstate offers.

REAL ESTATE

Top Middle Tennessee commercial sales for June 2018

Top commercial real estate sales, June 2018, for Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson and Sumner counties, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Average US mortgage rates edge up; 30-year at 4.54%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates edged up slightly this week, reaching their highest levels since late June.

TENNESSEE TITANS

20 key numbers heading into Titans camp

Only months removed from their first playoff victory since 2003, the Tennessee Titans returned to training camp this week seeking to build on last year’s momentum. There are plenty of storylines this season, – a new head coach, a quarterback looking to rebound and, as always, important new rookies and free-agent signings.

UT SPORTS

Vols' Pruitt passes 1st test as SEC head coach

University of Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt recorded his first “victory” of the season last week without even taking the field.

Tennessee to honor 1998 championship team on Sept. 22

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee plans to honor its 1998 national championship team Sept. 22 when the Volunteers host Florida.

NEWSMAKERS

Stites & Harbison adds litigator from Memphis

Stites & Harbison, PLLC has hired Jonathan Wolf to its Nashville office. Wolf joins the Intellectual Property & Technology and Domestic Relations/Family Law service groups.

BRIEFS

Tax-free holiday set for Friday-Sunday

Tennessee’s annual sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Eight for the road: Vehicles for towing small trailers

Going small is big these days. Just scroll through all the tiny-house shows on cable and you’ll see how popular minimalism is. It’s also popular for trailers. Pulling up to a parking spot and having a comfortable, enclosed bed to sleep in is ideal for lots of travelers – especially if they’re using small, lightweight trailers that don’t require a full-size SUV or a heavy-duty pickup truck to pull them along.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Rebel with a cause: A more productive workplace

Your latest hire came highly recommended. His former employer spoke very favorably of him, but there was something unsaid that you picked up on, and it’s nagging you. He’s very competent – and yet, he’s also pretty far outside the box. Read “Rebel Talent” by Francesca Gino and you’ll wish you had more employees like him.

CAREER CORNER

It’s vacation time! But there's a good chance you won't take one

A good vacation can be one of the most relaxing things you can do for yourself. Whether you prefer the beach, camping or grilling in your backyard, down time is something we all need.

GUERRILLA MARKETING

Geofencing’s tools work for more than just mall retailers

Last week, I left my home to drive 30 minutes to my favorite retailer. Later, when I was almost home, I remembered I needed running shoes and should have gone to the shoe store before leaving the shopping center.

ELECTION 2018

Rough governor's race highlights Tennessee primary election

NASHVILLE (AP) — Four candidates who have spent tens of millions of dollars of their own wealth fighting over who is more devoted to President Donald Trump face off Thursday in the Republican primary for Tennessee governor.

EDUCATION

University of Tennessee board picks ex-PepsiCo head as chair

NASHVILLE (AP) — The University of Tennessee's newly retooled board of trustees has selected a former president of PepsiCo Inc. as its next chairman.

COURTS

Tennessee Supreme Court asked to clarify laws on life sentences

NASHVILLE (AP) — A federal appeals court has asked the Tennessee Supreme Court to clarify whether a woman serving a life sentence for killing a man when she was 16 can ever gain parole.

REAL ESTATE

Average US mortgage rates rise; 30-year at 4.60 percent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates rose for the second straight week, continuing to dampen prospects for potential homebuyers.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Trump team wants to roll back Obama-era mileage standards

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is proposing to roll back Obama-era mileage standards that were designed to make cars more fuel efficient and reduce pollution.

Spending on future tech eats into BMW profits

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — BMW's profit fell 6 percent in the second quarter as it spent more on developing new technologies for electric, autonomous and digitally connected automobiles, the luxury carmaker said Thursday.

TECHNOLOGY

Social media plays whack-a-mole with Russia interference

Facebook is spending heavily to avoid a repeat of the Russian interference that played out on its service in 2016, bringing on thousands of human moderators and advanced artificial intelligence systems to weed out fake accounts and foreign propaganda campaigns.

Q&A: How Facebook regulates the wild west of political ads

NEW YORK (AP) — With less than three months to go before the midterm elections, Facebook is enforcing strict new requirements on digital political ads. Among other things, they force political ad buyers to verify their identities by receiving mail at a known U.S. address.

TRANSPORTATION

TSA considering ending screening at small airports

WASHINGTON (AP) — The TSA is considering ending screening of passengers at smaller airports across the country to focus security efforts at the largest airports.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US-China trade worries send global stocks lower

NEW YORK (AP) — World stocks indexes are falling Thursday after the Trump administration said it will consider an even higher tax rate of 25 percent on $200 billion in imports from China, raising the stakes in the trade war between the two largest economies. In the U.S. most groups of stocks are lower, with energy and basic materials companies taking some of the worst losses.

China says US tariff threat runs against trend of the times

BEIJING (AP) — China's foreign minister said Thursday that U.S. threats to hike tariffs run against the trend toward globalization and will hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.

NATIONAL POLITICS

White House: Trump's tweet about Russia probe was an opinion

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump bluntly declared his attorney general should terminate "right now" the federal probe into the campaign that took him to the White House, a newly fervent attack on the special counsel investigation that could imperil his presidency. Trump also assailed the trial, just underway, of his former campaign chairman by the special counsel's team

Spotify takes down Alex Jones podcasts citing 'hate content'

The music streaming service Spotify says it has removed some episodes of "The Alex Jones Show" podcast for violating its hate content policy. The move followed a backlash on social media.


WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans add 2 defensive lineman, place defensive back on IR

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have added a pair of defensive linemen after placing cornerback Tye Smith on injured reserve and waiving injured defensive lineman Claude Pelon.

HEALTH CARE

Trump's short-term health plans are cheaper but cover less

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers will have more options to buy cheaper, short-term health insurance under a new Trump administration rule, but there's no guarantee the plans will cover pre-existing conditions or provide benefits like coverage of prescription drugs.

Insurers warn Trump's short-term health plans fall short

WASHINGTON (AP) — A major insurer group is warning that the Trump administration's short-term health insurance plans could be harmful for consumers.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Tesla posts $717.5M 2Q loss, burns $739.5M cash

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — Tesla burned through $739.5 million in cash last quarter as it geared up a factory to crank out more electric cars, leading to a $717.5 million net loss.

Trump administration cites safety to freeze mileage standard

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says people would drive more and be exposed to increased risk if their cars get better gas mileage, an argument intended to justify freezing Obama-era toughening of fuel standards.

Volkswagen sees profit rise but warns on trade disputes

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Volkswagen said its earnings rose in the second quarter on record sales and fatter profit margins, but warned that "growing protectionism" is a threat to the globally connected car industry.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Apple soars but energy, industrial stocks weigh on market

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple surged to its biggest gain in a year and a half Wednesday and drew closer to $1 trillion in value after it reported stronger iPhone sales and rising prices. But losses for energy and industrial companies left major stock indexes lower.

US proposes higher tax on $200 billion in Chinese imports

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is proposing raising planned taxes on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent from 10 percent, turning up the pressure on Beijing in a trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

Wells Fargo to pay $2.1 billion for role in housing bubble

NEW YORK (AP) — Wells Fargo agreed Wednesday to pay a $2.1 billion fine to settle allegations it misrepresented the types of mortgages it sold to investors during the housing bubble that ultimately led to the 2008 financial crisis.

Fed keeps key rate unchanged while signaling future hikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged while signaling further gradual rate hikes in the months ahead as long as the economy stays healthy.

Fidelity slashes fees as funds battle for investors

NEW YORK (AP) — The price war among mutual fund companies is hitting a new frontier, to the further benefit of investors.

EU imports of US soybeans were rising before deal with Trump

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union imports of U.S. soybeans were already rising substantially before a top EU official told President Donald Trump last week that the bloc would buy more.

US construction spending fell 1.1 percent in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — Spending on U.S. construction projects fell 1.1 percent in June, the biggest decline in more than a year as spending on public construction dropped at the highest rate in more than five years.

US factories grow at a slower pace in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. factories grew at a slower pace in July, but American industry remains healthy despite growing concern about trade conflicts.

Survey: US companies add healthy 219,000 jobs in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses added 219,000 jobs in July, a private survey found, a robust total that suggests employers are still able to find the workers they need despite the low unemployment rate.

Inflation, gas prices, tariffs squeeze consumers

The price of a can of Coca-Cola? Likely going up. A package of Pampers? That too. Plane tickets? They also may be more expensive. These items and more may cost more in the coming months as people start feeling the effects of higher fuel prices and raw-material costs as well as a range of tariffs.

NATIONAL POLITICS

China warns of retaliation if US takes more trade steps

BEIJING (AP) — China's government warned Wednesday it will retaliate if Washington imposes new trade penalties, following a report the Trump administration will propose increasing the tariff rate on an additional $200 billion of Chinese imports.

Trump criticized for not leading effort to secure elections

WASHINGTON (AP) — As alarms blare about Russian interference in U.S. elections, the Trump administration is facing criticism that it has no clear national strategy to protect the country during the upcoming midterms and beyond.

NKorea provided just 1 dog tag with 55 sets of war remains

WASHINGTON (AP) — When North Korea handed over 55 boxes of bones that it said are remains of American war dead, it provided a single military dog tag but no other information that could help U.S. forensics experts determine their individual identities, a U.S. defense official said Tuesday.

House Speaker Paul Ryan uncovers Jewish roots on PBS show

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan was surprised and proud to find out he has Jewish roots.


TUESDAY, JULY 31
NASHVILLE AREA

Vanderbilt University investigating racist emails

NASHVILLE (AP) — Vanderbilt University is investigating a racist message that was sent to e-mail lists of students, faculty and staff.

UT SPORTS

Vols' Smith returns after treatment for blood clots in lungs

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee offensive lineman Trey Smith was dealing with blood clots in his lungs when he missed spring practice.

COURTS

US Supreme Court ruling in union dues impacts case in Oregon

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon state employee and a labor union have reached a settlement over her lawsuit seeking payback of obligatory union fees, marking the first refund of forced fees since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in late June that government workers can't be required to contribute to labor groups, the employee's lawyers said Monday.

AUTO INDUSTRY

White House: No need for better gas mileage, heavy vehicles safer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says people would drive more and be exposed to increased risk if their cars get better gas mileage, an argument intended to justify freezing Obama-era toughening of fuel standards.

Polluting parts force US recall of half-million trucks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the recall of a half-million trucks with faulty pollution controls.

Honda profits jump on strong car and motorcycle sales

TOKYO (AP) — Honda Motor Co. profits jumped 17.8 percent in the latest quarter, driven by strong auto sales in North America and motorcycle sales in Asia, the company said Tuesday.

TECHNOLOGY

New Homeland Security center to guard against cyberattacks

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is creating a center aimed at protecting banks, electric companies and other critical infrastructure against cyberattacks — a threat that now exceeds the danger of a physical attack against the U.S. by a hostile foreign group, Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Tuesday.

Facebook finds 'sophisticated' efforts to disrupt elections

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook said it has uncovered "sophisticated" efforts, possibly linked to Russia, to influence U.S. politics on its platforms.

REAL ESTATE

Senate votes to extend flood insurance program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Tuesday to extend for four months the program that provides flood insurance for nearly 5 million homeowners and business owners.

US home prices march higher in May, throttling sales

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S home prices rose rapidly in May, a trend that is thwarting some would-be buyers and pulling down home sales.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Health care and industrial stocks lead US indexes higher

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Tuesday following strong results from industrial and health care companies as well as a report that the U.S. and China are trying to restart trade talks. Small companies rallied.

Discount ticket service MoviePass raises prices by 50 pct

NEW YORK (AP) — MoviePass, the discount service for movie tickets, is raising prices by 50 percent and barring viewings of most major releases during the first two weeks.

US consumer confidence edges up in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans were a bit more confident about the economy in July, but their expectations for the near future dimmed slightly.

Annual US worker pay gains rose at fastest pace since 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. workers saw their wages and benefits rise in the second quarter at the fastest pace in nearly a decade, a sign that the low unemployment rate is forcing employers to raise pay to attract and keep workers.

Consumer spending up solid 0.4 percent in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer spending rose by a solid 0.4 percent in June, while a key gauge of inflation increased at an annual pace of 2.2 percent for a second straight month — the strongest back-to-back gains in six years.

European economic expansion slows amid trade fears

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe's economic upswing slowed further in the second quarter amid concerns over global trade disputes that have seen the world's major powers impose new tariffs on each other.

Film inclusion report: Rhetoric doesn't equal results

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Despite enthusiastic discourse around diversity in film, a report from the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released Tuesday says when it comes to the numbers, little has changed. The most popular movies are still largely the domain of white, straight, able-bodied men, both in front of the camera and behind.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Auditors: 30M taxpayers will owe more due to low withholding

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional auditors say about 30 million people — 21 percent of U.S. taxpayers — will have to come up with more money to pay their taxes next year because their employers withheld too little from their paychecks under government tables keyed to the new tax law.

Trump administration considering tax break on capital gains

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is studying the idea of implementing a big tax break for wealthy Americans by reducing the taxes levied on capital gains, but no decision has been made yet on whether to proceed.

Will he or won't he? Trump sows confusion on shutdown plans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Will he or won't he? President Donald Trump is sowing confusion about whether he's committed to keeping the government open through the fall elections or would willingly shut it down to secure more money for his promised wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Clash of GOP titans as Trump v Kochs feud escalates

NEW YORK (AP) — The war of words intensified between two titans in Republican politics on Tuesday as President Donald Trump trashed the conservative billionaire Koch brothers as a "total joke in real Republican circles."

Trump says Koch brothers are 'a total joke' in GOP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at the Koch brothers, tweeting that the billionaire industrialists are a "total joke in real Republican circles" and that he is "a puppet for no one."

Trump "looking into" 3D guns issue

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is "looking into" the idea of a company providing plans for 3D plastic guns to the public, declaring it "doesn't seem to make much sense!"

Threats aside, Trump says he's willing to meet with Iranians

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said that he'd "certainly meet" with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and without preconditions, if the Iranian leader were willing.

Lawmakers struggling to develop a response to Trump-Putin

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is producing an unusual outpouring of bills, resolutions and new sanctions proposals to push back at President Donald Trump's approach to Vladimir Putin, shore up relations with NATO allies and prevent Russian interference in the midterm election.

AP FACT CHECK: Russia probe about more than just 'collusion'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump denies any "collusion" with the Russians, while his lawyer Rudy Giuliani says it's not even a crime. Case closed? Not exactly.


MONDAY, JULY 30
STATE GOVERNMENT

New faces in Tennessee legislative primaries as dozens leave

NASHVILLE (AP) — An exodus of more than two dozen state lawmakers means new faces are running for the Republican-led Tennessee General Assembly, setting up primary fights that could have early implications on the jockeying to become the House's new leader.

STATEWIDE

Tennessee State Parks earns award for fitness program

NASHVILLE (AP) — A program that rewards Tennessee State Parks visitors for participating in outdoor activities has received an award for integrating time spent outdoors with health care.

PREDATORS

Predators sign restricted free agent Salomaki to 2-year deal

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators have signed restricted free agent Miikka Salomaki to a two-year deal worth $750,000 in each of the next two seasons.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Butler says he never got explanation for Super Bowl benching

NASHVILLE (AP) — The question just keeps coming, and Malcolm Butler still has the same answer.

HEALTH CARE

Study: 'Medicare for all' projected to cost $32.6 trillion

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan would boost government health spending by $32.6 trillion over 10 years, requiring historic tax hikes, says a study released Monday by a university-based libertarian policy center.

REAL ESTATE

US pending home sales rose 0.9 percent in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in June compared to May, but the volume of pending sales has slipped over the past year.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Another tech stock tumble pulls US indexes sharply lower

NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks tumbled for the third day in a row Monday as a sharp reversal for some of Wall Street's recent favorites worsened. Major U.S. indexes skidded.

Treasury projects Q3 borrowing to surge to $329 billion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department announced Monday the federal government plans to borrow $329 billion in the current July-September quarter. That's the highest third-quarter figure in eight years, as the government faces rising borrowing needs due to higher budget deficits.

Fed is set to leave rates alone as trade war raises anxiety

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve will meet this week to assess an economy that has just enjoyed a healthy spurt of growth but faces a flurry of trade fights pushed by President Donald Trump that could imperil that growth over time.

State Dept. announces $113M in initiatives in Asia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is announcing $113 million in investment initiatives in Asia focusing on digital economy, energy and infrastructure.

Harley-Davidson rebels with an electric motorcycle

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Smaller bikes, electric engines and urban storefronts: Harley-Davidson, we hardly knew you.

Charles Koch warns Trump trade war could trigger recession

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Billionaire industrialist Charles Koch warned Sunday that Trump administration trade policies could trigger a recession.

Officials say fast growth to continue, Trump respects Fed

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's top economic policymakers insisted Sunday that the robust growth marked in the April-June quarter will maintain its pace and that he respects the Federal Reserve's independence despite his condemnation of the central bank for raising interest rates.

Caterpillar has a big second quarter, raises outlook again

Caterpillar's second-quarter easily beat Wall Street expectations thanks in part to the blistering pace of construction and demand for big machines, a the company boosted its full-year earnings forecast again.

Accusations fly as firms seek to avoid Trump's steel tariff

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies seeking to be exempted from President Donald Trump's tariff on imported steel are accusing American steel manufacturers of spreading inaccurate and misleading information, and they fear it may torpedo their requests.

Average price of US gas slips 3 cents, to $2.91 a gallon

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average price of regular-grade gasoline in the U.S. fell 3 cents over the past two weeks to $2.91.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Trump says he has 'no problem' shutting down government

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he would have "no problem" shutting down the federal government this year if congressional lawmakers don't agree to provide additional border security funding.

Kochs won't help top GOP Senate candidate in key state

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The conservative Koch brothers' network declared Monday that it will not help elect the Republican Senate candidate in North Dakota, turning its back on the GOP in a marquee election — at least for now — after determining that the Republican challenger is no better than the Democratic incumbent.

AP-NORC/MTV Poll: Young people looking for younger leaders

WASHINGTON (AP) — Young people are looking for a change this election season — a generational change.

Trump threatens government shutdown over border security

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans anxious about keeping control of Congress think it's a bad idea, but President Donald Trump still says he's willing to close the government over border security issues, including money he wants to build a promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

What does Mueller have? Manafort trial offers glimpse

WASHINGTON (AP) — The trial of President Donald Trump's onetime campaign chairman will open this week with tales of lavish spending, secret shell companies and millions of dollars of Ukrainian money flowing through offshore bank accounts and into the political consultant's pocket.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump's 'historic' economic gains, 2016 myths

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump exaggerated his role in boosting U.S. economic growth, falsely claiming full credit for positive economic news and inaccurately declaring a "historic" turnaround.

Times publisher pressed Trump on 'anti-press rhetoric'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The publisher of The New York Times says he took President Donald Trump to task for "deeply troubling anti-press rhetoric" that is "not just divisive but increasingly dangerous" when the two met privately at the White House this month.


FRIDAY, JULY 27
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans sign tight end Delanie Walker through 2020

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans and Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker have agreed to a two-year extension keeping him under contract through the 2020 season.

With new deal, Taylor Lewan is Boss Hogg of Titans' O-line

NASHVILLE (AP) — Taylor Lewan has waited and planned for the day when the Tennessee Titans would reward him with a new multimillion-dollar contract.

Titans agree to terms with defensive lineman Claude Pelon

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have filled their final roster spot by agreeing to terms with defensive lineman Claude Pelon before their first practice of training camp.

STATEWIDE

Pence throws support behind Black in Tennessee GOP gov race

NASHVILLE (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is throwing his support behind U.S. Rep. Diane Black just days before a heated four-way Republican primary election for Tennessee governor.

Spending in Tennessee governor's race tops $51M

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee governor's race tab has topped $51 million before the Aug. 2 primary.

With rough GOP primary, Tennessee Dems see gov's race chance

NASHVILLE (AP) — While the Republicans in contention for Tennessee governor spend big to sort out who is most devoted to President Donald Trump, the two leading Democratic hopefuls recently stood side-by-side at a debate and, for an hour, pretty much agreed.

Man charged with threatening U.S Rep. Black

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a man on charges of threatening Republican U.S. Rep. Diane Black, who is running for governor of Tennessee.

Haslam grants executive clemency to 4

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam has granted executive clemency to four people and is considering more requests.

Trump tariffs put GOP on defense in Tennessee's Senate race

NASHVILLE (AP) — Marsha Blackburn is supposed to do well among Tennessee's hog farmers and whiskey makers.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Nissan profits plunge on slumping sales, rising costs

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan Motor Co.'s profits plunged 14 percent in the latest quarter as U.S. and European sales fell sharply and raw material costs rose.

ENVIRONMENT

EPA reverses order on Tennessee-made diesel truck engines

WASHINGTON (AP) — Environmental Protection Agency acting chief Andrew Wheeler has withdrawn a break that the agency gave makers of higher-pollution diesel trucks on Scott Pruitt's last day as agency administrator.

Trump administration backing Obama proclamation in Oregon

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A dispute over acts of Congress in 1906 and 1937 has put the Trump administration in court — and into the unusual position of supporting a proclamation by former President Barack Obama.

COURTS

Judge rules Tennessee can use lethal injection drugs

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee judge on Thursday upheld the state's use of controversial drugs to execute inmates after a challenge by 33 inmates on death row.

Tennessee to appeal federal ruling over license revocations

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee is appealing a landmark federal court ruling that says it's unconstitutional for the state to revoke or suspend driver's licenses over unpaid court costs.

Prosecutors rest case in rape trial of ex-Tennessee players

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Prosecutors in the rape trial of former Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson and defensive back Michael Williams have rested their case after testimony from a Knoxville police official who mentioned how the Tennessee football program's clout complicated the investigation.

Tennessee to appeal federal ruling over license revocations

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee is appealing a federal court ruling that says it's unconstitutional for the state to revoke or suspend driver's licenses over unpaid court costs.

California court: Workers must be paid for off-clock tasks

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court says Starbucks and other employers in the state must pay workers for minutes they routinely spend off the clock on tasks such as locking up or setting the store alarm.

TECHNOLOGY

Texas company cleared to put 3D-printed gun designs online

They look futuristic, the type of firearms that would-be assassins use in movies: 3D-printed guns made of a hard plastic that are simple to assemble, easy to conceal and tough to trace.

Report: China, Russia and Iran ramp up economic spying on US

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Chinese cyberespionage group called APT10 relentlessly attacks U.S. engineering, telecom and aerospace industries. Russian hackers last year compromised dozens of U.S. energy companies. Iranian hackers known as "Rocket Kitten" repeatedly target American defense companies in hopes of stealing information to boost Tehran's missile and space programs.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Tech stocks lead market lower again as Twitter takes a dive

Technology companies led a slide in U.S. stocks Friday, adding to the market's losses from another tech-driven sell-off a day earlier.

Trump claims US is 'economic envy of the entire world'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday celebrated the release of new economic data, claiming the U.S. is now the "economic envy of the entire world."

AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims historic turnaround

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump falsely claimed Friday he's pulled off "an economic turnaround of historic proportions."

US economy surges to 4.1 percent growth rate in Q2

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy accelerated last quarter at an annual rate of 4.1 percent, the government estimated Friday, as consumers spent tax-cut money, businesses stepped up investment and exporters rushed to ship their goods ahead of retaliatory tariffs.

Government revised GDP growth down slightly for 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — The economy grew at a slightly slower pace last year than previously believed, but Americans' saving rate was a lot higher, thanks to a flood of previously unreported income.

Facebook cleanup: Hurt the stock, help the world?

NEW YORK (AP) — It's been a rough year for Facebook and its investors. Questions of data privacy, fake news proliferation and user growth have dogged the company.

Bad week in social media gets worse; Twitter hammered

NEW YORK (AP) — Cracking down on hate, abuse and online trolls is also hurting Twitter's standing with investors.

Nod for Disney's $73.1B acquisition of Fox entertainment

NEW YORK (AP) — Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of Twenty-First Century Fox's entertainment division is one step closer after shareholders approved the deal Friday.

Amazon's quarterly profit tops $2 billion for first time

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon's quarterly profit soared past $2 billion for the first time, as revenue from online shopping and its cloud computing business grew.

Facebook stock plunge: Brief setback or portent of trouble?

NEW YORK (AP) — Thursday's massacre of Facebook shares, which plunged 19 percent in the biggest one-day drop in history, answered one big question. The stock, it turns out, can fall every bit as fast as it rises.

Airlines trim flights, make other tweaks to offset fuel

DALLAS (AP) — Airlines are bowing to the pressure of higher fuel prices by culling unprofitable flights while trying to boost revenue by being nicer to customers.

European Central Bank says rates will remain low for months

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank is stressing that interest rates will stay low well into next year even as the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to keep raising rates in coming months.

Amid trade war, US and China exchange invectives at WTO

GENEVA (AP) — Ambassadors from the United States and China exchanged barbs at the World Trade Organization on Thursday over the countries' simmering trade dispute.

June durable goods up solid 1 pct ... manufacturers abide

WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods rose in June after declining for two months, a sign manufacturing is still growing despite a series of global trade disputes.

Oil prices spike after Saudi halts shipments after attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Oil prices rose to a 10-day high Thursday after Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil company announced it was temporarily halting crude shipments through a strategic Red Sea shipping lane after Yemen's Shiite rebels attacked two tankers in the strait the previous day.

Backing off auto tariffs, US and EU agree to more talks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and European leaders pulled back from the brink of a trade war over autos Wednesday and agreed to open talks to tear down trade barriers between the United States and the European Union.

NATIONAL POLITICS

Trump open to visiting Moscow visit if Putin invites him

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is open to visiting Moscow if formally invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said Friday.

White House defends decision to bar CNN reporter from event

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday defended its decision to bar a CNN correspondent from attending an open press event but contended it had nothing to do with the questions she asked.

Watchdog: Energy Department broke law with health care tweet

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Energy Department violated federal law when it tweeted about an opinion column by Energy Secretary Rick Perry urging repeal of President Barack Obama's health care law, a government watchdog said Thursday.

Arts and science medal ceremonies absent under Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — In February 2017, weeks into the Trump administration, the National Endowment for the Humanities was reviewing a list of nominees for the National Humanities Medals, one of the top honors for creative and scholarly achievement. The plan, as in previous years, was to submit names to the White House and await final approval.

Democrats press for tariff relief to bail out fishermen

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A group of Democrats in Congress says fishermen are headed for a financial disaster due to increasing tariffs, and the government should be prepared to provide relief.

House backs defense bill with pay raise for troops

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday approved a $716 billion defense policy bill that would give the military a 2.6 percent pay hike, the largest in nine years.

11 House Republicans seek impeachment of DOJ's Rosenstein

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans sharply escalated their months-long clash with the Justice Department as a group of 11 conservatives introduced articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the official who oversees special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

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