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☆ New homes are getting smaller. That could be big news for first-time buyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In 1973, the median size of completed single-family homes was 1,525 square feet, according to US Census data. But as the cost of buying a home has exploded and McMansions have fallen out of favor, homebuilders have reversed course, building smaller homes with an eye to first-time buyers. Today, smaller, often more affordable homes under 1,000 square feet are harder to come by in most US suburbs. According to an NAHB survey, 17% of homebuilders said they built homes on smaller lots in 2023 to support home sales, and 14% said they built more townhouses. Smaller homes and fewer amenitiesHeather Eisenmann, a Realtor who specializes in selling new construction in Clarksville, Tennessee, said that she’s noticed that many of the new homes she shows now have smaller bedrooms and living rooms.

Persons: Jordyn Carias, ”, homebuilders, Alan Ratner, “, we’ve, Levittowns, wasn’t, Jacob Anbinder, ” Anbinder, Levitt, Irving Haberman, Michael Murray, Heather Eisenmann, she’s, ” Eisenmann Organizations: CNN, Zelman, Associates, National Association of Homebuilders, Cornell University, Sons, National Association of Realtors, Census Bureau Locations: Muscatine , Iowa, America, Levittown, New York, Puerto Rico, Real, United States, Horton, Clarksville , Tennessee, Muscatine, Sacramento

☆ Opinion | Is It Too Late to Save the Southern Grasslands?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Margaret Renkl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I just assumed that Nashville was part of the great temperate deciduous forests that once covered much of the eastern half of the United States. When I went looking for the once-endangered Tennessee coneflower in 2019, I found them in a rocky glade surrounded by grasslands blooming with wildflowers. And if there are grasslands here now, surely there must have been grasslands here in the past. Today nearly all those Southern prairies — along with nearly all the other types of Southern grassland ecosystems, and nearly all the plants and animals they supported — are gone. In a study published in 2021, a team of scientists including Dr. Estes identified 118 major types of grassland ecosystems in the South.

Persons: Ken Burns, Dwayne Estes, Dr, Estes Organizations: PBS, Tennessee coneflower, Austin Peay State University, Southeastern Grasslands Institute Locations: American Buffalo, ”, Middle Tennessee, Nashville, United States, Tennessee, North America, American, Clarksville, Tenn, glades

☆ America's 10 best states for infrastructure, where you can rely on roads, bridges, airports, power, and internet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

To rate each state's infrastructure, we look at roads, bridges, ports and airports. New in 2024, we evaluate so-called site readiness programs set up in many states to link companies with shovel-ready sites. The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama offers one of the more robust site readiness programs in the nation. Roads, bridges, and broadband are also in excellent shape in Tennessee. A respectable 24% of the state's power comes from renewable energy, putting it in the top half of states.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, Gary Hershorn, Brad Lander, Kathy Hochul, Luke Sharrett, Liam Kennedy, Chicago —, Carl Sandburg, Minnesotans, Tim Walz, Nathan Howard, — Virginia, Caitlin O'Hara, Elijah Nouvelage Organizations: Infrastructure Law, CNBC, Law, Business, Empire, Hudson, Corbis, Census, Gov, Indiana, CSX Corp, Bloomberg, Getty, Crossroads of America, U.S . Surface Transportation, Hoosier State, of Energy, Street Foundation, Economic Development, Alabama, Tennessee Downtown, Istock, Volunteer State, Energy Department, Illinois Metra, Chicago, Railroads, Census Bureau, Surface Transportation, Traffic, Midway, Chicago Department of Aviation, Lincoln, Minnesota, Jimkruger, Minnesota's Department of Economic, The Utah Department of Transportation, Beehive State, Planners, Virginia, Amazon.com Inc, —, Washington Post, Georgia Passengers, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport Locations: States, York, Manhattan, New York City, New York, Ohio, Clarksville , Indiana, U.S, Indiana, Alabama, Trinity , Alabama, Yellowhammer State, Tennessee Downtown Nashville , Tennessee, Tennessee, Illinois, Chicago, Rudybalasko, Texas, Minneapolis , Minnesota, Mississippi, Minneapolis, Utah, Salt Lake City, Beehive, Farmington, Ashburn , Virginia, Northern Virginia, Arizona, Phoenix , Arizona, Atlanta , Georgia

☆ High Interest Rates Are Hitting Poorer Americans the Hardest
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Ben Casselman | Jeanna Smialek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

High interest rates haven’t crashed the financial system, set off a wave of bankruptcies or caused the recession that many economists feared. But for millions of low- and moderate-income families, high rates are taking a toll. More Americans are falling behind on payments on credit card and auto loans, even as many are taking on more debt than ever before. Monthly interest expenses have soared since the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates two years ago. She is making progress, but high rates aren’t helping.

Persons: ”, Ora Dorsey, Ms, Dorsey Organizations: Federal Reserve, Army Locations: Clarksville, Tenn

☆ 'Guilt tipping' is getting out of control, but signs show consumers are pushing back
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Indeed, the pressure to tip has increased over the past year, NerdWallet's consumer budgeting report also found — a feeling now known as "guilt tipping." 'Guilt tipping' is on the riseParticularly when it comes to payment prompts with predetermined options that can range between 15% and 35% for each transaction, "the guilt kind of washes over you," Self said. However, "you are not obligated to tip," Self added. Too often, consumers feel obligated to tip, he said. In the end, he said, that will be what causes business owners to scale back on suggested tip amounts or eliminate tip prompts altogether.

Persons: Tim Self, Jgi, jamie Grill, Alex Skijus Organizations: Austin Peay State University, True, Wealth Management Locations: Clarksville , Tennessee, Tampa , Florida

☆ Four Countries Join U.S. in Pausing Funding for U.N. Aid Agency in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, during the first day of the California legislative session in Sacramento this month. The federal case in Northern California is unlikely to succeed, given legal precedents that limit judicial power over U.S. presidents on foreign policy decisions. Israel also said that inflammatory comments about Palestinians were taken out of context or made by individuals without decision-making power. One of her relatives is living under a nylon tarp in Gaza with her four children and husband, a cancer patient, she said. Israeli attacks have killed 88 relatives just on her mother’s side of the family, she said.

Persons: Biden, Judge Jeffrey White, “, Antony J, Blinken, Lloyd J, Austin III, Judge White, George W, Bush, Laila el, Haddad, Jean Lin, Katherine Gallagher, ” Erwin Chemerinsky, ” Basim, Elkarra, We’re, Mr Organizations: Palestinian, Calif, United Nations, International Court, Court of Justice, Hague, International Court of Justice, Government, Justice Department, Center for Constitutional Rights, University of California, Islamic, Democrat Locations: Gaza, California, Sacramento, Israel, U.S, Oakland, Fairfield , Calif, San Ramon, Northern California, Bay Area, Atlanta, Palestinian, United States, ”, United, Clarksville, Md, New York, Berkeley, Palestinian American

☆ Here's how three educators are teaching financial literacy in Nashville-area schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Morrow Courtesy: Michael MorrowAs Americans grapple with economic uncertainty, educators in Nashville, Tennessee, are preparing high school and middle school students with personal finance courses that many of their parents never had. Currently, 23 states, including Tennessee, guarantee at least one semester of personal finance before high school graduation, according to Next Gen Personal Finance. 'I think it's going to be life-changing for them'Teresa Helms Courtesy: Teresa HelmsWhile personal finance isn't required for middle school students, Teresa Helms, 45, recently began teaching My Classroom Economy, a financial literacy program. Since 2018, nearly 8,900 Tennessee students have used My Classroom Economy and more than two-thirds of teachers have reported a boost in students' financial skills, according to the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission's 2022 annual report. Shelly Lott Educator at Northeast Middle School

Persons: Michael Morrow, It's, Morrow, Teresa Helms, I'm, Helms, Shelley Lott, Shelly Lott, Lott Organizations: Finance, Tennessee, Southeast High School, Financial, Rose Park Middle School, Northeast Middle, Middle Locations: Nashville , Tennessee, Tennessee, Alabama , Iowa , Mississippi , Missouri, North Carolina , Utah, Virginia, Nashville, Clarksville , Tennessee

☆ Tennessee Zinc Smelter Is at the Center of U.S.-China Trade Fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Asa Fitch | Photography William Deshazer For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.—An obscure zinc smelter in Tennessee is sitting on two minerals vital to producing chips for smartphones and radar systems, landing it in the middle of a global trade war. The plant’s Dutch owner and local officials are looking to fund an expansion so the smelter can process the sought-after materials, germanium and gallium, which are supplied to the rest of the world primarily by China.

Locations: CLARKSVILLE, Tenn, Tennessee, China

☆ Pentagon identifies Army soldiers killed in helicopter crash in eastern Mediterranean Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen Dwyer, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane Barnes, Staff Sgt. Cade Wolfe were truly SOF professionals and are among the nation’s finest soldiers,” Col. Roger P. Waleski Jr., commander of the 160th SOAR (Abn. In 2020, he “fully dedicated himself to the organization” by resigning his commission and becoming a warrant officer, the Army release says. His awards and decorations include the Air Medal with Combat device, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal with combat device. He volunteered for an assignment with the 160th SOAR and completed the regiment’s “extensive training and assessment program” this year.

Persons: Stephen R, Dwyer, Shane M, Barnes, Tanner W, Andrew P, Cade M, Wolfe, Stephen Dwyer, Shane Barnes, Tanner Grone, Andrew Southard, Cade Wolfe, ” Col, Roger P, Waleski Jr, “, ”, Jonathan Braga, ” Braga, Barnes ’, Grone, Southard, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Apache, Abn, US Army Special Operations Command, Operations, US European Command, Army Special Operations Command, United States Military Academy, Army, Star, UH, Gonzaga University, Staff, 160th, Hawk, Combat Aviation Brigade, Overseas Service Ribbon, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Battalion, Overseas Service, Defense, America Locations: Clarksville , Tennessee, Sacramento , California, Gorham , New Hampshire, Arizona, Mankato , Minnesota, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Hawaii, 160th SOAR

☆ 10 cities where home prices are set to decline the most over the next 3 years with real-estate values overinflated, according to Moody's
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Moody's economists expect US home prices to fall by around 4.5% in the years ahead. Home prices in cities like Provo, Utah and Clarksville, Tennessee will fall most, Moody's says. Some housing markets around the US are in for a rough few years. According to Matthew Walsh, an economist at Moody's focused on housing, national home prices are due to decline to the tune of about 4.5% in the near future, following a 40% surge since 2020. Based on several factors including a valuation model, Walsh shared with Insider Moody's projections for markets where they see home prices falling most in the years ahead.

Persons: Moody's, Matthew Walsh, Walsh Locations: Provo , Utah, Clarksville , Tennessee

Exports last year were 94 metric tonnes, up 25% on 2021. Last year's exports totaled 44 metric tonnes in both wrought and unwrought form. As of September 2022 the DLA was storing 14 metric tonnes of germanium metal and 6.9 metric tonnes of scrap. An outright ban could be counter-productive, as China found out when it halted exports of rare earths to Japan in 2010. China has no shortage of pressure points to push, from rare earths to cobalt to lithium and even electric vehicle batteries.

Persons: Germany's, Wei Jianguo, Barbara Lewis Organizations: U.S, Chips, Export, United States Geological Survey, Alliance, Defense Logistics Agency, Teck Resources, Agency, Solutions, Democratic, Gecamines, World Trade Organization, China, Toyota, Honda, Audi, Commerce, China Daily, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, United States, Teck, NYR.BR, Clarksville, Tennessee, New York, Australia, Europe, Democratic Republic of Congo's, Russia, Japan, Beijing, West

☆ Tennessee Law Sows Fear Among Drag Performers Ahead of Pride Month
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Emily Cochrane | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Renae Green-Bean had started taking precautions in public even before the Tennessee legislature approved a law in March limiting where “adult cabaret” can be performed. rights and worried that restaurant nights with her wife, children or grandchildren, or her preference for masculine attire and closely cropped hair, would invite harassment. It will not stop the shows that Ms. Green-Bean, 46, puts on at an adults-only club in Clarksville and other clubs near the Kentucky border. Still, she and other performers said, being seen in drag anywhere in public feels far riskier now. The law and others like it come as far-right activists have increasingly targeted drag shows across the country, with members of the Proud Boys and other protesters, sometimes heavily armed, appearing at the shows and at library story hours when drag performers read books to children.

☆ A Tennessee high school club tried to put up flyers for transgender awareness month. The school said they were illegal.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A school club in Tennessee tried to put a flyer that defined the word "transgender" in November. But the principal of Northeast High School rejected it, a 17-year-old member of the club said. After the poster was rejected, Elizabeth came up with other ideas in an effort to get the word out about Transgender Awareness Month. Elizabeth said the experience raised her awareness about the extent to which trans rights are threatened in the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee law is part of a wave of legistion focused on trans people largely fueled by anti-LGBTQ sentiment in the United States.

☆ LG Chem Buys Stake in North Carolina Lithium Miner
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

South Korea’s LG Chem will take a stake in Piedmont Lithium Inc., boosting its North American presence and banking on incentives to scale up its role in U.S. electric-vehicle supply chain. LG Chem will commit $75 million to Piedmont in return for a 5.7% stake in the miner, whose shares are listed on the Nasdaq and Australian Securities Exchange. PREVIEWThe U.S. is our key market and by preemptively securing raw materials this deal allows LG Chem to provide North American customers with products that satisfy IRA standards, said Mr. Hak-Cheol Shin, Vice Chairman and CEO of LG Chem in a statement. LG Chem is planning to build a $3 billion cathode plant in Clarksville, Tenn., slated to open in 2027. Already, Piedmont has an existing contract to supply Tesla with 50,000 tons annually until 2025, in addition to its new LG Chem supply deal.

☆ Cities in Tennessee are constantly getting named the best places to move. Are they?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tennessee cities like Chattanooga and Knoxville often show up on lists of the best places to live. Even smaller Tennessee cities have experienced an influx in movers. Even Nashville dwellers are turning their back on city life and spreading out in smaller Tennessee towns like Clarksville, Pleasant View, and Ashland City, according to Frate. "In 2017 my average sales price was in the $180,000s," Frate said. "Now my average sales price is in the low to mid $300,000s."

☆ People investing as little as $1,000 for partial ownership of a property share how they did it, the risks, and the rewards
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Several real-estate investing startups allow people to buy portions of properties instead of whole homes. Though he bought a personal residence for himself in 2020, the Eagle Mountain, Utah resident didn't have enough cash on-hand to purchase an investment rental property. A growing number of startups like Fintor — including Arrived Homes, Fundrise, and others — are making real-estate investing more accessible for the average person using the "fractional ownership" model. Fundrise also allows investors to buy shares of Fundrise the company itself through a primary offering, which Kelkile has also done. Tyler Witty, a 47-year-old who owns an exterior cleaning company in Richmond, Virginia, already owns three investment properties.

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