The advent of October brings crucial dates for the upcoming Nov. 5 federal, state and county elections.

Deadline for completing voter registration is Monday, Oct. 7. Online registration for new voters can be completed through the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website.

You can also check your registration status (or make changes to your registration) online.

Early voting begins Oct. 16 and runs through Oct. 31, and the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is Oct. 29.

Survey: Progress, issues in state housing market

With continued rising home prices and an emerging trend of fewer closings in some areas of the state during the second quarter of the year, Tennessee’s housing market presents mixed signals heading into the fall, the latest statewide report from Middle Tennessee State University finds.

Other report highlights include:

• Permits mixed: There was a quarterly decline in single-family permits across all regions of the state, with single-family permits decreasing by 3% statewide. But single-family permits showed year-over-year growth across all regions, with a 1.4% increase statewide.

• Multifamily permits saw a significant quarterly increase of 25.6% statewide but decreased 12.7% annually to indicate “a more challenging picture” in that sector.

• Strong price growth: Several metropolitan statistical areas exhibit robust home price increases, the report shows, with the Jackson MSA (5.5% quarterly and 12.7% annually) and Kingsport-Bristol MSA (6% quarterly and 13.4% annually) showing the highest growth rates.

The Johnson City MSA (5.2% quarterly and 9.7% annually) and Clarksville MSA (2.3% quarterly and 9.4% annually) also demonstrate significant annual gains.

Rental affordability improves in August

Despite seasonally driven demand, rents across the U.S. dipped by $5 (or -0.3%) year-over-year and nationwide to a median rent of $1,753, according to the Realtor.com August Rental Report.

Although affordability improved as a top-level trend, affordability varies widely by metro area and did not improve everywhere. This month’s report looked at the rent burden across the U.S. and found the most affordable rental markets include Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Columbus, Ohio and Austin, Texas while the markets with the biggest rental burden include Miami, Los Angeles and New York.

Among the top 50 metros, 39 of them saw affordability improvement in August 2024 compared to a year ago. Metros that experienced the most pronounced improvements in affordability were notably clustered in the South, where rents have shown a consistent downward trend over the preceding months. The main factor behind improved affordability in the South is the increase in new rental supply which drives down rents.

In the Nashville/Murfreesboro/Franklin metro area, median rent was $1,595 and a 23.7% share of income, a 2.1% drop from August 2023.

State unemployment up slightly in August

After three consecutive months of record-low unemployment, the statewide unemployment rate increased slightly last month, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.1% in August, an increase of 0.1% over the record low of 3% posted in May, June and July.

In a year-to-year comparison, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased 0.2% from 3.3% to 3.1%.

Between July and August 2024, total nonfarm employment across the state decreased by 1,400 jobs. The largest decrease was in the mining, logging and construction sector, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities sector and the leisure and hospitality sector.

Over the past year, Tennessee employers added 30,500 nonfarm jobs, with the largest increase in the education and health services sector, followed by the trade, transportation and utilities sector and other services.

Despite the increase in the unemployment rate over the last month, Tennessee’s rate is still well below the national rate of 4.2%. The U.S. rate decreased 0.1% from 4.3% in July. The rate is 0.4% higher than August 2023.

Library celebrates WillCo, Franklin’s 225th

The Williamson County Public Library, in collaboration with Visit Franklin, will present a special exhibit celebrating the 225th anniversary of Franklin and Williamson County.

The exhibit will run from Oct. 1-Nov. 1, showcasing pioneering families and influential figures who shaped the history and culture of our community.

The library will feature its popular Pioneer Family Program, offering information on the resource and how visitors could potentially have a permanent remembrance of family history in Williamson County.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the impact of some integral families in the county.

As part of the celebration, Visit Franklin invites the public to experience the historic landmarks and sites that define Franklin and Williamson County through the 225th Anniversary History Trail.

This mobile-exclusive, self-guided tour allows participants to explore at their own pace while earning points for each location check-in. Those who complete five or more check-ins can redeem a limited-edition prize at the Visitor Center through the end of the year.

Information: www.wcpltn.org or www.visitfranklin.com

ABC, VU partner for blood industry education

America’s Blood Centers, the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that supply 60% of the nation’s blood supply, announced the launch of the Executive Fellows Program in collaboration with Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management.

This innovative executive leadership initiative will provide industry-specific, best-in-class leadership training to blood community executives, elevating individuals, organizations and the nation’s blood supply. Senior leaders throughout the blood community are encouraged to apply.

The Executive Fellows Program comprises various components: a leadership residency at Vanderbilt University, in-person learning immersions, virtual learning sessions, executive coaching, a capstone project and a 360 Leadership Assessment.

These elements are designed to offer the blood community a comprehensive and tailored learning experience led by Vanderbilt Business faculty members who are experts in health care management, strategy and leadership development.

Information

Study: 1 in 3 NFL alumni think they have CTE

Based on their survey responses, about one out of every three former National Football League players believe they have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to a study published Sept. 23 in JAMA Neurology that underscores concern about the head impacts sustained over a career of training and on the playing field.

Additional findings from the survey of 1,980 former NFL players highlight a strong association between the perception of having CTE and conditions with symptoms that may mimic CTE.

Authors from the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center and Football Players Health Study at Harvard University found that 34% of former players surveyed believed they had CTE. The study also examined mental well-being and found that suicidality was reported by 25% of players who believed they had CTE, compared to 5% in those who do not believe they have CTE.

This study does not assess for the actual presence of CTE – which can only be diagnosed after death – so it is unknown if this clinical profile associated with perceived CTE aligns with the true presence of CTE based on autopsy neuropathology.

The researchers cannot rule out the possibility that some of the players who reported concerns do in fact have CTE-related brain changes, but they say that it is important for former players and their clinicians to focus on the things that can be treated.

Researchers used electronic and paper surveys to collect responses from retired players as part of the Football Players Health Study. The cross-sectional study ran from 2017 to 2020.

Lipscomb named to Great College to Work For list

Lipscomb University is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For program.

This year, Lipscomb is one of only 75 universities in the nation achieving “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies, with only 2% of institutions across the country having this prestigious designation.

Results are reported for small, medium and large institutions, with Lipscomb included among medium universities with 3,000 to 9,999 students. This is the first time Lipscomb has been recognized by the Great Colleges to Work For program.

Universities were measured in 11 categories: Job Satisfaction & Support, Professional Development, Faculty & Staff Well-being, Performance Management, Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness, Communication, Collaboration, Diversity Inclusion & Belonging, Mission & Pride, Confidence in Senior Leadership and Faculty Experience.

Metro celebrates Airways Plaza opening

The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County has announced the grand opening of Airways Plaza, located at 1281 Murfreesboro Pike.

This new facility will serve as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Action Commission and the site where Metro’s innovative digital inclusion program, TechTies: Connected Services for the Community, will be administered.

Earlier this year, Metro’s Digital Inclusion program was awarded $1.9 million from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to advance digital opportunity efforts. The TechTies program delivers virtual health monitoring, technology training, and other resources at no cost to program participants and from a single Metro location that serves as a hub for advancing digital access and opportunity.

Since its creation in 1964, the Metro Action Commission has been dedicated to eradicating poverty through various support services including technology training to help individuals begin or advance their careers. The TechTies program marks a groundbreaking collaboration, expanding Metro’s capacity to support residents and break cycles of poverty through technology and digital skills.