VOL. 41 | NO. 1 | Friday, January 6, 2017
RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK
As the market slows, the sale-of-home contingency has escaped extinction.
TERRY McCORMICK: TENNESSEE TITANS
Optimism, joy and even satisfaction – emotions largely missing for several seasons – were evident as the Tennessee Titans closed out the 2016 season and emptied their lockers at St. Thomas Sports Park.
The regular season is over and the postseason phase of the NFL is upon us. And while the Titans fell short in their quest to reach the playoffs, the postseason begins Saturday and Sunday with Wild-Card Weekend, featuring two games in each conference.
DAVID CLIMER: OUT OF LEFT FIELD
There was a time in University of Tennessee football history when a nine-win season and a victory over Nebraska in a bowl would guarantee a coach something just this side of a lifetime contract.
DAVE LINK: UT SPORTS
Tennessee senior Joshua Dobbs has created a quarterback controversy.
NEWSMAKERS
Abby Rubenfeld and Bill Harbison have been honored by the Nashville Bar Association with the The John C. Tune Public Service Award, the organization’s highest.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
In a hot-off-the-presses study by eMarketer, marketing professionals have spoken with gusto about their intended 2017 investments in Instagram.
BEHIND THE WHEEL
Infiniti has re-engineered its Q60 coupe for 2017, giving it more sculpted and sexy styling, three turbocharged engines and more features than ever, including various selectable steering modes.
CAREER CORNER
You may wonder, “What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen during my job search?”
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville International Airport has set a new record with nearly 13 million passengers in 2016. That's an increase of 1.3 million travelers, or 11 percent more than the previous year.
AUTO INDUSTRY
MIAMI (AP) — A high-ranking Volkswagen AG executive indicted in the company's U.S. emissions scandal is seeking release on bail over the objections of federal prosecutors.
HEALTH CARE
CVS is now selling a rival, generic version of Mylan's EpiPen at about a sixth of its price, just months after the maker of the life-saving allergy treatment was eviscerated before Congress because of its soaring cost to consumers.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
U.S. stocks moved broadly lower in morning trading Thursday, giving back the market's gains from the day before. Technology and financial stocks were down the most. Investors were turning their focus to the next wave of corporate earnings reports in the weeks ahead.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is urging people to buy L.L. Bean as the company faces calls for a boycott because of a family member's donations to his candidacy.
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon plans to hire 100,000 people across the U.S. over the next 18 months.
WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but the increase was modest and overall applications remain low, a sign of a steady job market.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A Republican state lawmaker wants all Tennessee license plates to include the phrase "In God We Trust."
NASHVILLE (AP) - A joint convention of the Tennessee General Assembly has approved new terms for three constitutional officers.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee health officials say William and Emma remained the top baby names in the state in 2016.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led Senate is poised to take a step forward on dismantling President Barack Obama's health care law despite anxiety among GOP lawmakers over the lack of an alternative.
AUTO INDUSTRY
WASHINGTON (AP) — Six high-level Volkswagen employees from Germany were indicted in the U.S. on Wednesday in the VW emissions-cheating scandal, while the company itself agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $4.3 billion — by far the biggest fine ever levied by the government against an automaker.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
LONDON (AP) — Reforming the very nature of capitalism will be needed to combat the growing appeal of populist political movements around the world, the World Economic Forum said Wednesday.
Energy companies led U.S. stocks modestly higher Wednesday, nudging the Nasdaq composite to its fifth record-high close in a row.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Randy McNally was elected as the new speaker of the Tennessee Senate on Tuesday, and fellow Republican Beth Harwell unanimously won a fourth term in charge of the House.
NASHVILLE (AP) - State lawmakers have convened the 110th Tennessee General Assembly.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A state lawmaker is seeking an end to Tennessee's firearm silencer ban in the name of "hearing protection."
NASHVILLE (AP) — The first major order of business for the members after they're sworn in to 110th Tennessee General Assembly will be the election of the House and Senate speakers.
NASHVILLE AREA
Nashville-based Healthways, Inc., today announced the company is rebranding and changing its name to Tivity Health, Inc., to better align with its portfolio of fitness and health improvement programs and to position the company for future growth.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A report says Nashville would need more than $800 million for a wide-spanning plan to build and fix sidewalks and create a bikeway network.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress may be moving to repeal "Obamacare," but millions of people are still signing up. The administration said Tuesday that 11.5 million enrolled nationwide through Dec. 24, ahead of last year's pace.
AUTO INDUSTRY
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German automaker Volkswagen AG said Tuesday that it was in "advanced talks" with United States authorities over a proposed settlement in its diesel emissions scandal under which the company would pay $4.3 billion in criminal and civil fines.
DETROIT (AP) — Optimistic executives at General Motors say strong sales in two core markets, the U.S. and China, along with cost-cutting will power the company to higher profits in 2017.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — It's ironic: Volkswagen spent 2016 battling a huge scandal over cars it rigged to cheat on emissions tests.
TECHNOLOGY
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Few people realized it at the time, but the world shifted fundamentally a decade ago when Steve Jobs pulled the first iPhone from Apple's bag of technological tricks.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
The Nasdaq composite index notched its third record-high close in three days Tuesday, eking out a modest gain on a day when the other major U.S. stock indexes barely budged.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is delaying tax refunds for more than 40 million low-income families this year as the agency steps up efforts to fight identity theft and fraud.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted more jobs in November and quits also rose — signs that job gains and wages may increase in the months ahead.
Health care companies led the major U.S. stock indexes mostly higher in afternoon trading Tuesday, as the market gave up some of its gains from earlier in the day. Consumer goods and financial stocks also rose, while real estate companies were the biggest laggard. Crude oil prices headed lower.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — As a businessman, Donald Trump has kept the courts busy. That's hardly likely to change when he enters the Oval Office, creating an unusual and potentially serious problem for a sitting president.
MONDAY, JANUARY 9
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Randy Boyd is stepping down as commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development as he ponders a bid to succeed term-limited Gov. Bill Haslam in 2018.
MIDSTATE
NEW YORK (AP) — Mars is buying the pet health care company VCA in a deal valued at around $7.7 billion.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors has no plans to change where it produces small cars because of criticism from President-elect Donald Trump, the company's top executive said Sunday night.
DETROIT (AP) — The Chevy Bolt has been named top car in North America, an important milestone for a car General Motors hopes will finally get Americans hooked on electric vehicles.
DETROIT (AP) — The Volkswagen executive who once was in charge of complying with U.S. emissions regulations was arrested during the weekend in Florida and accused of deceiving federal regulators about the use of special software that cheated on emissions tests.
DETROIT (AP) — Fiat Chrysler will add three new Jeeps to its lineup including a pickup truck as it invests $1 billion in two U.S. factories, furthering its effort to increase production of hot-selling SUVs and pickup trucks and get out of producing small and midsize cars. The expansion will create 2,000 new jobs.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says that President Barack Obama's health care law "will fall of its own weight."
WASHINGTON (AP) — Yes, Donald Trump is taking charge and Republicans control both the House and Senate, having won an election promising to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.
NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealth Group is buying surgical center operator Surgical Care Affiliates for about $2.3 billion in a cash-and-stock deal that will add to its outpatient holdings.
COURTS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it won't hear an appeal from three sex trafficking victims who accuse advertising website Backpage.com of helping to promote the exploitation of children.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal from a company that wants to offer flight-sharing services using a model similar to Uber.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
A slide in oil and natural gas companies led U.S. stock indexes mostly lower Monday, even as the Nasdaq composite index eked out another record high.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Expecting a baby? Congratulations! Better put plenty of money in your savings account.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump pledged to step away from his family-owned international real estate development, property management and licensing business before taking office Jan. 20. With less than two weeks until his inauguration, he hasn't stepped very far.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) - Justice reform groups are challenging a Tennessee law they say unfairly punishes the poor by revoking driver's licenses due to unpaid court fines.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville's $623 million convention center is expecting a $20 million upgrade 3 ½ years after it opened.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - House Speaker Beth Harwell has named Tammy Letzler as the first female chief clerk in Tennessee history.
JACKSON (AP) — With just over three weeks remaining until he presents his annual Tennessee spending plan to lawmakers, Gov. Bill Haslam is still trying to find what he calls a "comfort level" with lawmakers on his efforts to boost transportation funding in the state.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican state Sen. Mark Green is the first among a bevy of potential candidates to take a formal step toward entering the Tennessee governor's race in 2018.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Republican donor Andy Miller Jr., who has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Tennessee candidates for state and federal offices, is moving to Kansas.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - The company that owns the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium is opening two new venues in Tennessee and Oklahoma with the help of country star Blake Shelton.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Country music star Mel Tillis is receiving home care following surgery and treatment for a digestive disease.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) — After nine straight weeks of increases, long-term US mortgage rates fell this week.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen will soon be able to repair some of its diesel cars so they meet U.S. emissions standards.
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is a "good corporate citizen" and intends to work with President-elect Donald Trump to help make America strong, the Japanese automaker's president, Akio Toyoda, says.
DETROIT (AP) — Mercedes-Benz is recalling nearly 48,000 SUVs in the U.S. to fix a sensor problem that could stop the front passenger air bag from inflating in a crash.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama derided as "reckless" on Friday a Republican plan to repeal his health care law now and replace it later, predicting that the replacement may never come.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers will act this year on bills not simply repealing President Barack Obama's health care law but replacing it as well, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — So close! The Dow Jones industrial average missed the 20,000 mark by a fraction of a point Friday as U.S. stock indexes rose after the government said wages jumped in December. Two other major indexes set records.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs in December, capping a year of slower but solid hiring and providing the last major snapshot of the economy President-elect Donald Trump will inherit from President Barack Obama.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. services companies grew again in December during the holiday season, maintaining the high pace reached in the previous month.
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel says that veteran pundit Tucker Carlson will replace Megyn Kelly in the network's coveted 9 p.m. time slot sandwiched between Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped significantly last week, a sign of a robust job market.
NEW YORK (AP) — After controlling the Craftsman name for 90 years, troubled department store operator Sears said it will sell the famous tool brand to Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Days after Donald Trump won the White House vowing to deport millions of people in the country illegally and fortify the Mexican border, California farmer Kevin Herman ordered nearly $600,000 in new equipment, cutting the number of workers he'll need starting with the next harvest.
NEW YORK (AP) — After a disappointing holiday shopping season, the nation's largest department stores and some of the shoppers who still depend on them are set for an unhappy new year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies reported a modest gain of 153,000 jobs last month, all in service industries such as retail and health care, according to a private survey.
DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government is accusing Fiat Chrysler of failing to disclose software in some of its pickups and SUVs with diesel engines that allows them to emit more pollution than allowed under the Clean Air Act.