Tennessee consumers’ improved outlook last fall about their financial prospects dropped noticeably over the winter heading into the spring, though higher income earners are a bit more optimistic than others, the latest statewide survey by Middle Tennessee State University found.

With 63% of survey respondents worried about the economy, the Tennessee Consumer Outlook Index registered a score of -170, down from -140 last fall, reports the Office of Consumer Research in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business at MTSU.

The overall index and its three sub-indices (current, future and purchasing) are based on consumers’ responses to 11 questions measuring their perceptions of the current economy, the future economy, jobs, personal finances and whether now is a good time to make large purchases.

Overall, Tennessee consumers had become more optimistic last fall, however, positive sentiment decreased from 21% to 18% for the latest quarter, with positive sentiment remaining at 21% for those with higher incomes (above $70,000) and dropped to 16% for those with lower incomes (under $70,000).

Full report

Political approval ratings: Consumer ratings of political leaders’ handling of the economy have remained relatively unchanged since the last survey, Peasley noted, with a high disapproval of President Joe Biden (48% strongly, 15% somewhat disapprove) and the U.S. Congress (30% strongly, 38% somewhat disapprove).

Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Lee (16% strongly, 17% somewhat disapprove) and the Tennessee General Assembly (16% strongly, 22% somewhat disapprove) both declined slightly this quarter, though the highest number of respondents are approving somewhat of their handling of the economy.

Community Health partners with Cost Plus

Franklin-based Community Health Systems, Inc. will become the first national health care system to purchase select pharmaceutical supplies from Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company as part of a new, collaborative relationship that promises to bring high-quality, lower cost drugs into the hospital setting.

The onset of the partnership coincides with the opening of a state-of-the-art, 22,000-square-foot, fill and finish drug manufacturing plant, owned and operated by Cost Plus Drugs, in Dallas, Texas. The plant is equipped with aseptic robotic filling lines that produce lifesaving injectable medications.

Initially, CHS-affiliated hospitals in Texas and Pennsylvania will purchase pharmaceuticals such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, drugs that are often used to treat life threatening conditions and serious illnesses, especially in emergency departments and intensive care units. The Food and Drug Administration includes epinephrine on its list of current drug shortages due to increased demand and manufacturing delays.

CHS and Cost Plus Drugs will work collaboratively to address critically important issues related to drug supply in the hospital setting, including the rising costs of pharmaceuticals, drug shortages, pharmaceutical waste, patient safety and medication error prevention.

Groups announce call for first TN Book Awards

Humanities Tennessee, in conjunction with the Tennessee State Library and Archives, has announced a call for submission for the inaugural Tennessee Book Awards.

This will be the first award recognizing excellence in fiction, nonfiction and poetry written by Tennessee residents. This collaborative effort with TSLA and HT will recognize Tennessee authors, support the literary community and highlight the tremendous talent in the state.

“HT has long prioritized the literary life of Tennessee through programs like the Southern Festival of Books and Chapter16.org,” says Tim Henderson, executive director of Humanities Tennessee. “The addition of the Tennessee Book Award will preserve the legacy of Tennessee writers and ensure their work is known for years to come.”

A statewide panel of teachers, librarians and Humanities Tennessee board members will review initial applications and select three finalists in each category. Three authors will serve as the finalist judges in fiction (Edwidge Danticat), nonfiction (John Jeremiah Sullivan), and poetry (George Ella Lyon) respectively.

The award recipient in each category will receive a cash prize of $2,500 and be announced in conjunction with the Southern Festival of Books in October.

The inaugural prizes will be awarded to books published in the calendar year 2023. Authors must live in Tennessee to be eligible. The deadline for submissions is April 15.

Submission form and additional information 

Hall of Fame acquires British country archive

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has added the British Archive of Country Music to its collection, which consists of more than 50,000 historic sound recordings, as well as books, periodicals, videotapes, photographs and more. The acquisition and transport of the collection from England was made possible through a gift from the Tyson Family Foundation.

The BACM collection was housed in Dover, England, and compiled by the late British collector Dave Barnes over a span of more than seven decades. Barnes established the nonprofit archive in 1987 to catalog and preserve thousands of country music recordings and more.

The collection is a trove of country music history assembled from a British vantage point, containing many recordings and information files about country musicians from Canada, Australia, the U.K. and Europe, as well as U.S. recordings. Upon Barnes’ death in 2020, his family collaborated with the museum on the acquisition of the BACM with support from the Tyson Family Foundation.

Nashville Yards towers sets leasing for summer

Southwest Value Partners and StreetLights Residential, development partners of two multifamily residential towers under construction at Nashville Yards, have announced that leasing will begin this summer.

Named The Everett and The Emory, the 34- and 35-story towers are expected to open in November and will together offer more than 650 residences for rent in the heart of Nashville Yards in downtown Nashville.

“The Everett and The Emory are at the center of Nashville’s finest amenities - a safe, healthy, walkable, 19-acre master planned community with abundant green and open space, and steps away from world class dining, retail, health and entertainment offerings,” says Cary Mack, Managing Partner of Southwest Value Partners.

The buildings, which recently “topped out” and entered the final phase of construction, will offer diverse living spaces and private, on-site parking.

The two residential buildings will also offer a variety of luxury features, including a shared third floor amenity deck with a pool, fitness center, game room, resident bar, coworking space and golf simulator.

The Everett’s 33rd floor and The Emory’s 34th floor will offer their own Sky Lounge complete with a rooftop dog park, additional coworking space and catering kitchen for events.

StreetLights Creative Studio is the architect of record for the project and is handling all interior design in-house. Clark Construction is the general contractor. To learn more about residential leasing opportunities at Nashville Yards, visit theeverettandtheemory.com and follow @TheEverettResidences and @TheEmoryResidences on Instagram.

VUMC center to focus on advancing health AI

The Department of Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has launched its groundbreaking center for health artificial intelligence (AI) – ADVANCE (AI Discovery and Vigilance to Accelerate Innovation and Clinical Excellence).

The ADVANCE Center represents a pivotal milestone in the evolution of innovations at the intersection of health care, biomedicine and informatics, aiming to transform patient care, research and training through the power of cutting-edge, proven and trustworthy AI.

Codirected by Peter Embí, M.D., MS, and Bradley Malin, Ph.D., in DBMI, ADVANCE leverages state-of-the-art AI technologies and expertise to drive innovation and excellence in research and health care.

Through advanced data analytics, machine learning, predictive modeling and generative AI capabilities, ADVANCE will empower health care professionals, scientists and patients to make informed decisions, accelerate biomedical discoveries and improve clinical outcomes.

ADVANCE will serve as a collaborative hub for interdisciplinary research and practice, fostering partnerships between clinicians, researchers, ethicists, data scientists, industry leaders and community partners. By facilitating broad collaboration, ADVANCE aims to address complex health care challenges and drive transformative innovations.

Redfin: Affordability affects presidential picks

More than half (53.2%) of U.S. homeowners and renters say housing affordability is impacting who they plan to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. That’s according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Qualtrics in February 2024. The nationally representative survey was fielded to roughly 3,000 U.S. homeowners and renters.

“Housing affordability is top of mind for voters because elevated mortgage rates and home prices, along with an acute housing shortage, have pushed the dream of homeownership out of reach for many Americans,” says Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. “While the economy is strong on paper, a lot of families aren’t feeling the benefits because they’re struggling to afford the house they want or already live in. As a result, many feel stuck, unable to make their desired moves and life upgrades.”

Nearly two-thirds (64.2%) of homeowners and renters say housing affordability makes them feel negative about the economy.

President Biden last week unveiled a number of initiatives aimed at making housing more affordable. His proposal includes tax credits for first-time buyers and sellers of starter homes, along with a plan to build more than 2 million new homes.

Tennessee average gas price climbs to $3.07

Tennessee gas prices are continuing to trend higher and moved 6 cents more expensive, on average, last week.

The Tennessee average is now $3.07, which is 22 cents more expensive than one month ago but 8 cents less than one year ago.

“Strong gasoline demand and the yearly switch from winter blend to summer blend gasoline is helping contribute to a rise in pump prices - which is what we typically expect to see this time of year,” said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA - The Auto Club Group.