» Subscribe Today!
The Power of Information
Home
The Ledger - EST. 1978 - Nashville Edition
X
Skip Navigation LinksHome
VOL. 45 | NO. 32 | Friday, August 6, 2021
SPECIAL EMPHASIS: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Nashville’s future is up in the air

Downtown developers bet on vertical growth

Developer Tony Giarratana could be considered a visionary when it comes to Nashville’s growth and development potential, seeing the possibility of what could be built downtown and building it.

Still room for Station Inn in Gulch

Joshua Ulbrich knows he might surprise people when he says he loves all of the development in The Gulch, especially when they hear he owns and manages bluegrass mecca The Station Inn.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Fast track to normal stuck in partisan mud

To quote the great philosopher and sage Yogi Berra, “It’s like de´ja` vu all over again.” Remember when we were all up in arms about masks, what type to wear and when and where? And there were all those people who refused to wear one at all, and griped and groused as if the simple act of showing courtesy to others was an intolerable infringement on their constitutional, God-given right to be jerks.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
44.1°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 9.2 mph
Humidity: 71%

EVENTS

Williamson County Fair. Williamson County Agricultural EXPO Park, 4215 Long Lane, Franklin. Fee: General admission, $9 for adult, $5 for children. Family Fun Pass $28.50 for two adults, two. Monday-Thursday: Building Hours, 6-10 p.m., midway 11 p.m. Friday: 6-10 p.m., midway midnight; Saturday: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., midway midnight. Please note: Clear Bag Policy. Information

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Literally, a lot to dislike in overused, misused phrases

People say “a lot” a lot. When they say “a lot,” they use it to describe a large quantity such as “a lot of baloney,” which should be a lot of bologna. But since they have made it to this point in misspeaking, they might as well butcher bologna.

REAL ESTATE

Davidson County real estate trends for July 2021

July 2021 real estate trends for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

US average mortgage rates flat to lower; 30-year at 2.77%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mortgage rates were flat to lower this week, with the average for the key 30-year home loan below 3% for the sixth straight week.

Biden's new evictions moratorium faces doubts on legality

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden may have averted a flood of evictions and solved a growing political problem when his administration  reinstated a temporary ban on evictions because of the COVID-19 crisis.  But he left his lawyers with legal arguments that even he acknowledges might not stand up in court.

TENNESSEE TITANS

McMath fighting a numbers game with Titans

Old habits apparently die hard. The Tennessee Titans are now equipped with maybe the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL after adding Julio Jones to A.J. Brown. But early in training camp, while those guys are getting their share of deserved attention, an underdog receiver is also drawing rave reviews.

Bennett took proactive approach in longshot bid

Twenty years ago, when college quarterback Drew Bennett beat the odds to make the Titans roster as an undrafted receiver, the stars aligned perfectly. And when the opportunity came, Bennett made the most of it.

NEWSMAKERS

Marchetti receives national recognition

L. Gino Marchetti, Jr., managing partner of Taylor, Pigue, Marchetti and Blair PLLC, was recently presented the Richard Boyette Award from the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence for outstanding contributions to the foundation.

BRIEFS

Meharry, Icahn School team to fight racism, bias

Meharry Medical College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City have entered into an agreement that will address racism and bias in the basic sciences and introduce greater diversity and inclusion.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Edmunds’ guide to vehicle history reports

Obtaining a vehicle history report is an integral part of any used-car purchase. It’s one of the best ways to learn about a given vehicle’s past and help make your search for a used car much easier.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Authors offer better way to write your final chapter

Imagine leaving work one night this week. For good.

CAREER CORNER

Survey: Employees concerned about returning to work

Just when we thought we were out of the woods, the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving. Every day brings news of variants. We’re crossing our fingers, hoping that a full shutdown doesn’t happen again.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Better options than these four cash-raising pitfalls

If you’ve got more bills than money, the usual advice is to trim expenses and find additional income. But some ways of raising cash can be a lot more expensive than others. Here are four that should be avoided, if possible, and what to consider instead.

MILLENNIAL MONEY

Chopping remodeling costs when wood prices are high

Wood costs have skyrocketed over the last year, leaving would-be home renovators to choose between waiting in price purgatory or moving forward and possibly overpaying.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Elevation Worship, Cece Winans land Dove Award nominations

NASHVILLE (AP) — North Carolina-based Elevation Worship and singer-songwriter Brandon Lake are each nominated for seven awards at the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards, and Elevation's lead singer and songwriter Chris Brown earned nine nominations.

TOURISM

Tennessee: 2020 tourism decline not as bad as nation's rate

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials say the state saw a lower rate of decline in tourism spending than the country as a whole in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Big South Fork: Camping free on National Parks anniversary

ONEIDA (AP) — The Big South Fork National Recreation Area along the Kentucky-Tennessee border is celebrating a national parks milestone by offering free camping later this month.

COURTS

Judge: House entitled to some of Trump's financial records

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats who have spent years investigating Donald Trump are entitled to some of the former president's financial records, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Biden makes selection for his top Supreme Court lawyer

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar to be his administration's top Supreme Court lawyer on a permanent basis.

Dominion sues Trump-friendly broadcasters over fraud claims

PHOENIX (AP) — Vote-counting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems filed defamation lawsuits Tuesday against right-wing broadcasters and a prominent Donald Trump ally over their baseless claims that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.

TECHNOLOGY

Samsung slashes prices in bid to boost foldable phone sales

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Samsung is hoping cheaper but more durable versions of its foldable phones will broaden the appeal of a high-concept design that's so far fizzled with consumers.

EXPLAINER: What the $65B broadband service plan will do

The Senate's $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan includes a $65 billion investment in broadband that the White House says will "deliver reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to every household."

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Williamson County school board approves mask mandate

FRANKLIN (AP) — School officials in an affluent Tennessee county south of Nashville have voted to implement a temporary mask mandate for elementary school students, staff and visitors.

CDC urges COVID vaccines during pregnancy as delta surges

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged all pregnant women Wednesday to get the COVID-19 vaccine as hospitals in hot spots around the U.S. see disturbing numbers of unvaccinated mothers-to-be seriously ill with the virus.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

S&P 500, Dow industrials mark records but Nasdaq lags behind

Stocks closed mostly higher on Wall Street Wednesday, marking more records for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Delta variant spreads, Southwest no longer sees profit in Q3

Southwest Airlines said Wednesday that it no longer expects to turn a profit in the third quarter as a surge in COVID-19 infections fueled by the highly contagious delta variant darkens the outlook for travel.

More red ink: US budget deficit through July hit $2.54T

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. budget deficit hit $2.54 trillion for the first 10 months of this budget year, fed by spending to support the country after the pandemic-induced recession.

US consumer prices rose in July but at slower pace

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices for U.S. consumers rose last month but at the slowest pace since February, a sign that Americans may gain some relief after four months of sharp increases that have imposed a financial burden on the nation's households.

Biden team is seeking ways to address rising energy prices

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is moving at home and abroad to try to address concerns about rising energy prices slowing the nation's recovery from the pandemic-induced recession.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden to host 'summit' to rally democracies over autocrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host a virtual "summit for democracy" in December, the White House said Wednesday, as he aims to assemble government, civil society and private sector leaders in what he has cast as a global faceoff against rising autocratic forces.

Top Dem sees tough pathway for $3.5T social, climate plans

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after clinching an initial budget victory, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer conceded Wednesday that Democrats face a tough pathway to delivering a package surging $3.5 trillion into family, health and environment programs to President Joe Biden's desk.

Dems renew push on elections bill that GOP vows to block

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are renewing their push to enact their marquee voting bill, pledging to make it the first order of business when the Senate returns in the fall even though they don't have a clear strategy for overcoming steadfast Republican opposition.

For Biden and senators, a sense that 'world was watching'

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden first announced the framework he'd reached with a bipartisan group of senators for a big infrastructure bill, he said it meant more than building roads and bridges.

What's inside the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan plan to rebuild roads and bridges, modernize public works systems and boost broadband internet, among other improvements to the nation's infrastructure.


TUESDAY, AUGUST 10
EDUCATION

Tennessee State clearing returning students' balances

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee State University is clearing the account balances of students returning to study this fall, the school said.

Pandemic prompts changes in how future teachers are trained

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Before last year, a one-credit technology course for students pursuing master's degrees in education at the University of Washington wasn't seen as the program's most relevant. Then COVID-19 hit, schools plunged into remote learning, and suddenly material from that course was being infused into others.

COURTS

Dominion sues Trump-friendly broadcasters over fraud claims

PHOENIX (AP) — Vote-counting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems filed defamation lawsuits Tuesday against right-wing broadcasters and a prominent Donald Trump ally over their baseless claims that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Smyrna Nissan plant to close for 2 weeks due to chip shortage

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan says its huge factory in Smyrna, Tennessee, will close for two weeks starting Monday due to computer chip shortages brought on by a coronavirus outbreak in Malaysia.

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday still a goal for automakers

DETROIT (AP) — Rick Hendrick erased any doubt that marketing in motorsports is still effective when his automotive sales group bought the sponsorship rights through 2023 for NASCAR title contender Kyle Larson.

MEDIA

Facebook bans firm behind Pfizer, AstraZeneca smear campaign

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Facebook said Tuesday that it has removed hundreds of accounts linked to a mysterious advertising agency operating out of Russia that sought to pay social media influencers to smear COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

TECHNOLOGY

Without 'right to repair,' businesses lose time and money

As software and other technologies get infused in more and more products, manufacturers are increasingly making those products difficult to repair, potentially costing business owners time and money.

HEALTH CARE

Nursing home overhaul bill would boost staffing, oversight

WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to the ravages of COVID-19 in nursing homes, senior Democratic senators Tuesday introduced legislation to increase nurse staffing, improve infection control and bolster inspections.

Groups make own drugs to fight high drug prices, shortages

Impatient with years of inaction in Washington on prescription drug costs, U.S. hospital groups, startups and nonprofits have started making their own medicines in a bid to combat stubbornly high prices and persistent shortages of drugs with little competition.

AP-NORC poll: Americans have high trust in doctors, nurses

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans have high trust in doctors, nurses and pharmacists, a new poll finds.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Explainer: Will we need vaccine passports to do fun things?

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Ready to go out on the town before summer ends? In parts of the U.S., you might have to carry your COVID-19 vaccine card or a digital copy to get into restaurants, bars, nightclubs and outdoor music festivals.

US turns to social media influencers to boost vaccine rates

DENVER (AP) — As a police sergeant in a rural town, Carlos Cornejo isn't the prototypical social media influencer. But his Spanish-language Facebook page with 650,000 followers was exactly what Colorado leaders were looking for as they recruited residents to try to persuade the most vaccine-hesitant.

UT to conduct vaccination outreach in 6 rural counties

MEMPHIS (AP) — The University of Tennessee's nursing school has received a grant to conduct COVID-19 vaccination outreach in six rural counties in the state.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Bullard: Robust job growth supports Fed tapering 'soon'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Last week's jobs report demonstrated the ongoing strength of the U.S. economy and underscored the need for the Federal Reserve to rein in its stimulus efforts, a Fed official said Tuesday.

Stocks edge higher as banks, industrials offset tech slide

Stocks are ending another jagged day mostly higher on Wall Street Tuesday as gains in banks and elsewhere in the market outweigh a slide in technology companies.

EXPLAINER: How cryptocurrency fits into infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — What does Bitcoin have to do with roads and bridges?

SoftBank profit declines following Sprint perk a year ago

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank's fiscal first quarter earnings dropped 39% because of the absence of the cash benefit from the merger of Sprint, which boosted its profits a year ago.

India voids law that sought billions in retrospective taxes

NEW DELHI (AP) — India's government is repealing a controversial tax law under which it pursued billions of dollars from international companies for their past dealings and hopes that scrapping the retrospective levy boosts investor confidence.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Big win for $1T infrastructure bill: Dems, GOP come together

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a robust vote after weeks of fits and starts, the Senate approved a $1 trillion infrastructure plan for states coast to coast on Tuesday,  as a rare coalition of Democrats and Republicans came together to overcome skeptics and deliver a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's agenda.

What's inside the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed a nearly $1 trillion bipartisan plan to rebuild roads and bridges, modernize public works systems and boost broadband internet, among other improvements to the nation's infrastructure.

Senate debates Dems' $3.5T budget, GOP launches attacks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats started pushing their expansive $3.5 trillion framework  for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs through the Senate on Tuesday, as Republicans responded with an avalanche of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next year's elections.

Cuomo resigns over sexual harassment allegations

NEW YORK (AP) — New York's lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, will become the state's first female governor in two weeks.


MONDAY, AUGUST 9
SPORTS

Peyton's Place is Hall of Fame, with Woodson, Megatron

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Peyton's Place is now in Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

STATEWIDE

CEO of state-funded nonprofit Launch Tennessee stepping down

NASHVILLE (AP) — The president and CEO of Launch Tennessee has stepped down, a state official said.

AUTO RACING

Music City launches a smash hit event in IndyCar return

NASHVILLE (AP) — Marcus Ericsson thought for sure his car would snap in half as he treated the slowed car in front of him like some sort of Monster Jam ramp and soared through the air and leapfrogged a spot before he slammed onto the asphalt.

Ericsson soars to victory in inaugural Music City Grand Prix

NASHVILLE (AP) — Marcus Ericsson used the slowed car in front of him as a launching ramp and shot up and over — with a dangling wing — Sebastien Bourdais' Chevrolet.

NASHVILLE SC

Higuaín's goal helps Inter Miami beat Nashville 2-1

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federico Higuaín scored in the 65th minute to help Inter Miami rally for a 2-1 win over Nashville on Sunday night.

REAL ESTATE

Judge doubts eviction ban, but may lack power to stop it

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge who declared the earlier nationwide moratorium on evictions illegal was deeply skeptical Monday of the Biden administration's new order, but said she may lack the power to do anything about it.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Meharry requiring vaccinations for employees

NASHVILLE (AP) — Another medical establishment in Nashville is requiring employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

COVID vaccines would be required for military under new plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of the U.S. military would be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Sept. 15, under a plan announced by the Pentagon Monday and endorsed by President Joe Biden.

Judge: Norwegian cruises can require proof of vaccination

MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Florida law that prevents cruise lines from requiring passengers to prove they're vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the law appears unconstitutional and won't likely hold up in court.

Weary US businesses confront new round of mask mandates

Businesses large and small, from McDonald's and Home Depot to local yoga studios, are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise. Bars, gyms and restaurants across the country are requiring vaccines to get inside.

Canada begins allowing vaccinated US citizens to visit again

Canada on Monday is lifting its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but the United States is keeping similar restrictions in place for Canadians, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from COVID-19 travel bans.

Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeks

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The U.S. government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said Sunday that he was hopeful the Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month's end and predicted the potential move will spur a wave of vaccine mandates in the private sector as well as schools and universities.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Rosengren: Fed should begin slowing stimulus efforts by fall

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston added his voice Monday to a growing number of people, inside and outside the Fed, who say the central bank should soon begin to dial back its extraordinary aid for an economy that is strongly recovering from the pandemic recession.

Stocks end a wobbly day lower, edging below recent records

Stocks ended a wobbly day mostly lower on Wall Street Monday, with energy companies logging some of the biggest losses as oil prices took another turn lower.

Will gyms go the way of arcades, movie rental stores?

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Going to the gym was always part of Kari Hamra's routine until last year's government-ordered shutdowns forced her to replace the workouts with daily rides on her Peloton stationary bike.

U.S. job openings hit a record 10.1 million in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted a record 10.1 million job openings in June, another sign that the job market and economy are bouncing back briskly from last year's coronavirus shutdowns.

With chicken prices soaring, Sanderson Farms sold for $4.5B

Sanderson Farms, one of nation's third largest poultry producer, is being acquired for $4.53 billion as the price of chicken soars.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Senate Dems unveil $3.5T budget for social, climate efforts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats unveiled a budget resolution Monday that maps $3.5 trillion in spending boosts and tax breaks aimed at strengthening social and environmental programs, setting up an autumn battle royal over President Joe Biden's top domestic policy ambitions.

Hagerty accused of doing 'Trump's bidding' in infrastructure stall

WASHINGTON (AP) — One by one, Democrats and Republicans  trekked to the Senate floor on Sunday touting a $1 trillion infrastructure proposal and argued that, after months of haggling, it was time for a final vote on the measure.

Senators push infrastructure bill a step closer to passage

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators hoisted the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package over another hurdle late Sunday, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans pushing it closer to passage despite a few holdouts trying to derail one of President Joe Biden's top priorities.

Infrastructure senators brush off criticism from left, right

WASHINGTON (AP) — The often-elusive political center is holding steady in the Senate with a strong coalition of Democrats and Republicans brushing off critics to push  the $1 trillion infrastructure package toward passage.  Final votes are expected Tuesday.


FRIDAY, AUGUST 6
AUTO RACING

Home, speed, home: Newgarden set to tame Nashville streets

NASHVILLE (AP) — Josef Newgarden kept his pingpong paddle nearby in a case while the hometown driver gave his latest promotional pitch on why IndyCar will be a smash hit in the Music City.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans free-agent LB Dupree practices after leaving PUP list

NASHVILLE (AP) — Wearing red socks, red gloves and red long sleeves under his practice jersey, Tennessee Titans linebacker Bud Dupree stood out from the crowd during practice.

Titans add Matt Barkley to compete for backup QB position

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans haven't needed their backup quarterback since Ryan Tannehill took over as the starter in 2019, though competition for that job took another twist on Thursday.

REAL ESTATE

Tennessee says court ruling prohibits new eviction pause

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's court system won't follow a new COVID-19 pandemic eviction moratorium by President Joe Biden's administration, reasoning that a federal appeals court for its region has already decided the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't have authority to issue pauses on eviction.

Landlords get some relief as Americans pay more for rent

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Americans are paying more to live in apartments, as demand for housing increases and many would-be homebuyers are forced to rent because prices for houses have gotten too steep.

EDUCATION

Nashville school officials agree to implement mask mandate

Nashville's top school officials on Thursday agreed to enforce an universal mask mandate for the upcoming school year as part of an effort to protect children too young to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while the pandemic resurges across the state.

Lipscomb University picks ex-state commissioner as president

NASHVILLE (AP) — Lipscomb University has picked a former Tennessee education commissioner to become the Nashville school's new president.

AUTO INDUSTRY

US automakers pledge huge increase in electric vehicles

WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring the U.S. must "move fast" to win the world's carmaking future, President Joe Biden on Thursday announced a commitment from the auto industry to produce electric vehicles for as much as half of U.S. sales by the end of the decade.

EXPLAINER: The impact of Joe Biden's new fuel economy rules

DETROIT (AP) — President Joe Biden wants to erase Donald Trump's rollback of automobile pollution and fuel economy standards.

MEDIA

FTC official raps Facebook for booting political ads probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Federal Trade Commission official is criticizing Facebook's move to shut down the personal accounts of two academic researchers and terminate their probe into misinformation spread through political ads on the social network.

TRANSPORTATION

Virgin Galactic restarts space-trip sales at $450,000 and up

The ticket window is open again for space flights at Virgin Galactic, with prices starting at $450,000 a seat.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Health chief: Vaccinations on the rise in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee has seen a 90% increase in people receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination over the past two weeks, Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said Friday.

Students ask Supreme Court to block college vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is being asked to block a plan by Indiana University to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It's the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on a vaccine mandate and comes as some corporations, states and cities are also contemplating or have adopted vaccine requirements for workers or even to dine indoors.

Vaccination form for federal workers adds penalties for lies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal employees who need to certify their vaccination status under a new policy instituted by President Joe Biden intended to encourage COVID-19 shots will face disciplinary action and potentially criminal prosecution if they lie on the form.

Norwegian cruises challenges Florida passenger vaccine law

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Norwegian Cruise Line asked a federal judge Friday to block a Florida law prohibiting cruise companies from demanding that passengers show written proof of coronavirus vaccination before they board a ship.

'There are only so many beds': COVID-19 surge hits hospitals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are suspending elective surgeries and putting beds in conference rooms, an auditorium and a cafeteria. As of midweek, Mississippi had just six open intensive care beds in the entire state.

United Airlines will require US employees to be vaccinated

United Airlines will require employees in the U.S. to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by late October, perhaps sooner, joining a growing number of big corporations that are responding to a surge in virus cases.

Potential military vaccine mandate brings distrust, support

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Since President Joe Biden asked the Pentagon last week to look at adding the COVID-19 vaccine to the military's mandatory shots, former Army lawyer Greg T. Rinckey has fielded a deluge of calls.

CNN fires three employees for coming to work unvaccinated

NEW YORK (AP) — CNN has fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Strong jobs report sends most stocks, bond yields higher

Wall Street capped a choppy week of trading Friday with broad gains, which helped push the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average to new highs.

SEC approves Nasdaq's plan to require board diversity

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday approved Nasdaq's groundbreaking proposal to boost the number of women, racial minorities and LGBTQ people on U.S. corporate boards.

US hiring surges in July, unemployment rate drops to 5.4%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hiring surged in July as American employers added 943,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.4%, another sign that the U.S. economy continues to bounce back with surprising vigor from last year's shutdown.

Manchin urges Fed to begin trimming bond buys

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent Democratic senator, saying he is concerned about inflation, is urging the Federal Reserve to start trimming its monthly bond purchases.

Beyond Meat sees Q2 sales jump on restaurant demand

Plant-based meat maker Beyond Meat said Thursday that its revenue jumped 32% in the second quarter as demand from restaurants returned.

Huawei revenue sinks as smartphones hurt by US sanctions

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese tech giant Huawei's revenue fell 29.4% from a year earlier in the first half of 2021 as smartphones sales tumbled under U.S. sanctions imposed in a fight with Beijing over technology and security.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Senate Dems rallying behind Biden's $3.5T budget vision

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats across the political spectrum seem near the unanimity they'll need for the crucial first step toward their $3.5 trillion vision of bolstering health care, education, family services and environment programs

Biden nudges Senate over 'historic' $1T infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite a rocky week of fits and starts, President Joe Biden on Friday praised the Senate for edging the bipartisan infrastructure  plan closer to passage, ahead of a key vote on the $1 trillion package.


THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
AUTO RACING

IndyCar's Nashville invasion takes winding road through city

NASHVILLE (AP) — Honky tonk honk if you love racing! There's a new sound of this musical city that drowns out the country tunes at the Grand Ole Opry and the cacophony coming from bands playing at every bar — and the party people hanging from the rafters — as you walk down Broadway.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Keith Urban, Carly Pearce to play ACM Honors

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country stars Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Carly Pearce and Jamey Johnson will perform at the Academy of Country Music Honors, which will honor Loretta Lynn, Dan + Shay and Luke Combs among others.

SPORTS

SEC, Sankey agree to contract extension through 2026

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference extended the contract of Commissioner Greg Sankey, whose league is set to grab even more prominence and wealth with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas.

NASHVILLE SC

Willis makes 6 saves for MLS-high 8th shutout for Nashville

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Joe Willis made six saves for his MLS-leading eighth shutout of the season and Nashville tied the New England Revolution 0-0 on Wednesday night.

MIDSTATE

McDonald's franchisee offers to pay MTSU tuition for workers

MURFREESBORO (AP) — A company that owns 20 McDonald's franchises in the Nashville area is offering to pay tuition for employees who want to attend Middle Tennessee State University.

Oldcastle APG to expand operations in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Oldcastle APG will expand its operations in Clarksville, creating 45 new jobs, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced.

COURTS

Appeals court upholds Tennessee's abortion waiting-period

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld Tennessee's 48-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions, arguing that opponents had failed to identify instances where a woman had been significantly burdened by the requirement.

Biden nominates first LGBT federal appeals court nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is nominating a Vermont judge who played a critical role in paving the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage to become the first openly LGBT woman to serve on any federal circuit court.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Automakers pledge to increase U.S. electric vehicle sales

WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring the U.S. must "move fast" to win the carmaking future, President Joe Biden on Thursday touted a commitment from the auto industry to make electric vehicles up to half of U.S. sales by the end of the decade.

MEDIA

Social media stars: A glance at Olympians who went big

TOKYO (AP) — At the Tokyo Games, athletes have taken to social media in trailblazing ways — with high-profile results. Several Olympians from niche sports introduced themselves to America through viral videos, with TikTok the preferred platform.

TECHNOLOGY

Apple to scan U.S. phones for images of child abuse

Apple is planning to scan U.S. iPhones for images of child abuse, drawing applause from child protection groups but raising concern among some security researchers that the system could be misused by governments looking to surveil their citizens.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Amazon pushes back return to office to January due to COVID

SEATTLE (AP) — Amazon has pushed back its return-to-office date for tech and corporate workers until January as COVID-19 cases surge nationally due to the more contagious delta variant.

Quarter of active virus cases in Shelby County in children

MEMPHIS (AP) — Tennessee's most populous county reported more than 4,380 active cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, officials said, with a quarter of those being seen in children as schools prepare to resume classes next week.

US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is taking the first steps toward requiring nearly all foreign visitors to the U.S. to be vaccinated for the coronavirus, a White House official said.

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine tallies more than $4B in Q2 sales

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine brought in more than $4 billion in second-quarter sales, helping to push the vaccine developer into a profit.

Tokyo logs record 5,042 cases as infections surge amid Games

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo reported 5,042 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, hitting a record since the pandemic began as the infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks climb on Wall Street, notching more record highs

A broad rally on Wall Street pushed stocks higher Thursday, nudging the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes to record highs.

Shipping snags prompt US firms to mull retreat from China

WASHINGTON (AP) — Game maker Eric Poses last year created The Worst-Case Scenario Card Game, making a wry reference to the way the coronavirus had upended normal life.

US jobless claims down 14,000 to 385,000 as economy rebounds

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week by 14,000 to 385,000, more evidence that the economy and the job market are rebounding briskly from the coronavirus recession.

US trade deficit hits record $75.7 billion in June

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit increased to a record $75.7 billion in June as a rebounding American economy sent demand for imports surging.

Worst-Case Scenario: Firms wrestle with supply bottlenecks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Toy maker Eric Poses created a card game last year he called The Worst-Case Scenario, a wry reference to the way the coronavirus had upended normal life.

Longtime AFL-CIO President dies at age 72

WASHINGTON (AP) — Richard Trumka, the powerful president of the AFL-CIO who rose from the coal mines of Pennsylvania to preside over one of the largest labor organizations in the world, died Thursday. He was 72.

Bank of England hints at rate rise amid buoyant UK recovery

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England indicated Thursday that interest rates may be on the up soon as it painted a fairly rosy picture about the near-term prospects for the British economy following the lifting of lockdown restrictions in the wake of the rapid rollout of coronavirus vaccines.

Robinhood discloses stock offering, shares down premarket

Shares of Robinhood are down more than 10% before the market open on Thursday as the company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it plans a stock offering of up to nearly 98 million shares.

Lawyers for Huawei CFO argue US 'strategically crafted' case

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Lawyers for a senior Huawei executive argued in a Canadian court Wednesday that the United States "strategically crafted" a misleading record of the fraud case against her and acted "in bad faith" when presenting reasons she should be extradited.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

McConnell: Democrats 'won't get our help' to lift debt limit

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans will oppose raising the federal debt limit if Democrats pursue their $3.5 trillion, 10-year plan to strengthen social and environment programs, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday.

Progressives see blueprint for next fights in eviction win

WASHINGTON (AP) — The rare clash this week between the Biden administration and congressional Democrats over a lapsed eviction moratorium could become a blueprint for even larger fights that lie ahead.

Senators wrapping up $1T infrastructure bill, voting ahead

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearing decision time, senators are wrapping up work on the bipartisan infrastructure plan and talks were underway Thursday to expedite consideration of the nearly $1 trillion proposal, with votes expected in the days ahead.

Watchdog: No evidence Giuliani had Clinton probe inside info

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department's inspector general said Thursday that it did not find evidence that FBI agents shared inside information about the Hillary Clinton email investigation with Rudy Giuliani.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & RSS:
Sign-Up For Our FREE email edition
Get the news first with our free weekly email
Name
Email
TNLedger.com Knoxville Editon
RECORD TOTALS DAY WEEK YEAR
PROPERTY SALES 0 0 0
MORTGAGES 0 0 0
FORECLOSURE NOTICES 0 0 0
BUILDING PERMITS 0 0 0
BANKRUPTCIES 0 0 0
BUSINESS LICENSES 0 0 0
UTILITY CONNECTIONS 0 0 0
MARRIAGE LICENSES 0 0 0