News - Friday, July 31, 2026

Haley Morgan came home from Nashville convinced the dream that had carried her there was over. After years spent chasing a recording career, the Signal Mountain native returned to Chattanooga determined to leave the music business behind.

Music remained woven into who she was, though, and she eventually found her way back to the stage – not as a performer chasing a record deal but as a worship leader.

When Katie Burton began organizing a new chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Chattanooga, she was solving a problem she knew firsthand.

As a college student and later a full-time intern with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Burton found it difficult to participate in her DAR chapter because meetings were held during the workday.

Twice this month, Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies ended dangerous vehicle pursuits the same way.

After suspects fled into Georgia, deputies intentionally struck the rear quarter panel of each vehicle, sending it into a controlled spin that brought the chases to an end.

The offer has been accepted, the closing date is on the calendar and everyone is picturing the next step. Then something unexpected comes up.

Maybe the appraisal is lower than planned, the inspection reveals a problem, financing gets complicated or a title issue appears. These moments can feel stressful, but they are also a normal part of why preparation and professional guidance matter in real estate.

More than 7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a 2025 report from the Alzheimer’s Association concludes. The emotional toll of watching a loved one struggle with the memory loss, depression, anxiety and cognitive decline is already overwhelming, but the financial burden can be significant, too. 

Longtime public address announcer Ron Hall has been officially named the “Voice of Finley Stadium” in recognition of his two decades of service and lasting impact on Chattanooga sports.

The Stadium Corporation presented Hall with an encased microphone and a proclamation during a June 29 ceremony at Finley Stadium as he prepares to retire after 20 years behind the microphone. Since 2006, Hall has served as the public address announcer for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football games, becoming one of the most recognizable voices in local athletics.

Camp Jordan Park’s two canoe launches have reopened after a renovation that improves public access to South and West Chickamauga creeks while helping protect the waterways from erosion.

The project was led by the city of East Ridge in partnership with WaterWays and Tennessee American Water, with funding provided by the American Water Charitable Foundation through Tennessee American Water.

Children receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger have a new place to play, relax and spend time with their families after hospital leaders unveiled a new outdoor playground designed specifically for pediatric patients.

The Children’s Hospital Land of Enchantment, known as CHLOE, is open on the third floor of Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. The outdoor space is designed to give children facing serious illnesses an opportunity to leave their hospital rooms while remaining in a safe, accessible environment.

The University of Tennessee hasn’t brought a quarterback to SEC Media Days since Hendon Hooker in 2022. That trend continued this year as the Vols arrived in Tampa, Florida last week without a leading man behind center.

It didn’t prevent quarterback from being the main topic of most interviews conducted by head coach Josh Heupel and UT’s three player representatives – running back DeSean Bishop and linebackers Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander.

Fifty cents or a buck, whatever’s the going rate for a cup of lukewarm liquid is at a neighborhood lemonade stand, you’re usually happy to pay it. Yep, you were a young entrepreneur once, a kid with a growing piggy bank and dreams of your own business. 

The Lexus ES and Mercedes-Benz CLA are two luxury sedans you might be familiar with. The ES is Lexus’ comfort-oriented midsize sedan, while the CLA is a relatively affordable entry point to getting a new Mercedes. Notably, both are redesigned for 2026 and come in both gas-powered and fully electric versions. 

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy is harnessing the artificial intelligence boom in its bid to convert another Cold War-era uranium enrichment site, tapping private equity to fund a $100 billion data center complex that will include its own new natural gas and battery storage power plant in Kentucky.

DETROIT (AP) — Two people who attended a prestigious Michigan fine arts school reported conduct of a sexual nature by Jeffrey Epstein, a major donor, according to an investigation that also uncovered dozens of allegations spanning decades against nearly 50 other people.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy expanded at a sluggish 1.5% pace from April through June as rising imports weighed on growth, yet consumers continued to spend. And the Federal Reserve's favored measure of inflation grew more slowly last month. But it remained above the central bank's 2% target at a time when Americans are frustrated about the high cost of living ahead of the midterm elections, now less than 100 days away.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but layoffs remain in the historically healthy range of the past few years.

U.S. filings for jobless aid in the week ending July 25 rose by 9,000 to 197,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week's figure was revised up by 1,000 to 188,000 but remains the lowest in more than 50 years.

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England kept its key interest rate on hold for the fifth time this year on Thursday after a bigger-than-expected drop in the inflation rate last month gave policymakers breathing space to assess the fallout from renewed fighting in Iran.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Dream may not be dead for many Black Americans, but it is further away than at any point since the Civil Rights Movement, warns a report by the National Urban League.

Released on Thursday, the annual "State of Black America" report grimly describes Black Americans ' economic and political prospects as having worsened due to policy changes from President Donald Trump's administration, according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he may pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination for the full-time post to avoid making concessions to a few Senate Republicans who want him to scale back protections for his family business and potential payouts for his allies that the president negotiated with his own Department of Justice.

NEW YORK (AP) — A Senate committee on Thursday advanced Dr. Erica Schwartz's nomination to be director of the nation's top public health agency, setting aside concerns that she will not stand up to political meddling.

If confirmed by the full Senate, the 54-year-old would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her resume includes medical and law degrees, a stint as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard.

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors was hit hard Thursday by his former colleagues at UEFA, who agreed to boycott all the global soccer body's competitions in protest.

"UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions," the European soccer body said after an urgent online meeting of its 55 member nations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Palestinian authorities asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to halt for now a $656 million judgment in a long-running lawsuit filed by Americans killed or wounded in attacks in Israel.

The emergency appeal comes after a lower court reinstated the damages in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that followed more than two decades of litigation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration's activation of a long-dormant court to seek an Afghan woman's deportation violates her constitutional rights, a defense lawyer argued Thursday at a hearing for the first case to be heard in the obscure court since its creation 30 years ago.

NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of older adults on Medicare prescription drug coverage could face steeper monthly costs in 2027, after the Trump administration concludes a temporary subsidy program that has helped offset premiums for the past two years.

NEW YORK (AP) — A monster day for Microsoft following signals that its big spending on AI is translating into profits led a powerful rebound on Wall Street, while AI stocks regained some of their sharp recent losses.

The S&P 500 rallied 1.7% Thursday and more than recovered its drop from the prior day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.8%.

DALLAS (AP) — One of Scouting America's biggest gatherings has eliminated dedicated spaces for gay youth, women and scouts of color as the organization faces pressure from the Pentagon to pull back diversity efforts.

The changes at the National Jamboree, which ends Friday, reflect shifts made by Scouting America since the organization became a target of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over what he calls "woke" policies. Some scouts who had planned to attend the event in West Virginia said they backed out because Scouting America scrapped the inclusion initiatives it previously celebrated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans outside the nation's capital will soon be able to get limited-edition U.S. passports that feature a picture of President Donald Trump and celebrate America's 250th birthday, the State Department said Thursday.

The department's 27 passport agencies nationwide will start offering the special travel documents next month. They previously had only been available at the Washington, D.C., passport office for in-person applicants.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he may pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination for the full-time post to avoid conceding to Senate Republicans demanding limits to a sweeping tax audit immunity deal benefiting the president and members of his family that Trump negotiated with his own Department of Justice.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Defensive end Jeremiah Johnson II cannot wait until the Tennessee Titans finally put the pads on.

Neither can his teammates, especially along the line.

"Honestly, they don't know what's coming when we get pads on," Johnson said Thursday. "But we say that in the best way possible. We're just eager to really play this front the right way, and you can only do that with pads on, so we're just very excited."

One key difference between Senate negotiators and the conferences still holding out on proposed legislation to regulate college sports is whether language in the bill would truly create a "hard salary cap" that would eliminate many third-party payments that have sent roster costs skyrocketing.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers wide receiver Chris Brazzell's rookie season is over before it ever had a chance to begin.

The Panthers announced Thursday that the third-round pick from Tennessee will undergo season-ending surgery on the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) of his left knee and be placed on injured reserve.

NEW YORK (AP) — American oil and gas giants raked in massive spring profits while fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments and consumers around the world paid more for fuel and confronted shortages.

The conflict, now in its sixth month, halted most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that previously served as a delivery route for a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas. With global supplies constrained, prices for Brent crude, the international standard, soared from about $70 to above $100 a barrel for much of March, April and May, and at one point reached $126.

NEW YORK (AP) — Who will be there each morning with Solange French's eggs at breakfast, and who will be ready with soup or fish at lunch? When the 91-year-old needs help in the shower, who will rush to her side, and when it's time for a doctor's appointment, who will take her? Who will do the laundry or buy the groceries or clean the house?

DETROIT (AP) — The jokes practically wrote themselves as an eclectic group of progressive pastors, imams and a rabbi walked into a room, finding their seats around a table to talk about religion and politics.

Though there was no shortage of levity, a sense of urgency filled the Detroit meeting room as Abdul El-Sayed, a former gubernatorial candidate who is running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, began speaking about how his Muslim faith informs his progressive views.

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said it will be increasing this year's capital spending on technology, mostly artificial intelligence, by an additional 10% after the tech and e-commerce giant delivered strong profits and net sales during for fiscal second quarter, helped by surging growth in its prominent cloud computing unit.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union rolled out a new team on Friday to rein in AI companies across the world, in one of the most aggressive regulations the high-tech sector has so far faced as fears rise over the risks the rapidly advancing technology poses to people, politics and prosperity.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A drifting SpaceX rocket is on a collision course with the moon after launching a pair of lunar landers more than a year ago.

The rocket's upper stage will unintentionally slam into the moon on Wednesday, carving out a crater and sending up a plume of dust and rubble that scientists — and skygazers — are eager to observe.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Landmark fundraising deals by two of Africa's largest off-grid solar companies are raising hopes that private capital markets could become a major source of funding to help bring electricity to millions of homes lacking access to reliable power.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Flight attendants at WestJet, Canada's second-largest airline, threatened Thursday to go on strike over unpaid work, a move that could disrupt travel during the busy summer season.

The union representing 4,400 cabin crew at WestJet issued a 72-hour strike notice. That means that if an agreement isn't reached, the strike could begin Sunday — at time when the Monday, Aug. 3 holiday in Canada creates a three-day weekend for many people.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is taking Friday's Cabinet meeting on the road — to the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, a rustic backdrop for sessions that have come to be known for being overly long and consumed by administration officials' endless praise for their boss.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza, but many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remained to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just months before the midterm elections, Democrats hope to convince voters that lawlessness under President Donald Trump's administration is the biggest threat to their rights and pocketbooks. But the party's past debates over crime and safety threaten to undermine that pitch.

GENEVA (AP) — Gianni Infantino truly looked the "King of Soccer," as U.S. President Donald Trump likes to call him, as the two allies sat together watching the World Cup final less than two weeks ago.

Sure, there were some boos inside MetLife Stadium near New York, when the two men walked across the turf to present the trophy and medals to Spain and Argentina players on July 19.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is making permanent a pilot program under which citizens from 50 countries, mainly in Africa, are required to post bonds to apply for a U.S. visa, and it's raising the cost as well, to as much as $20,000.

A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register says a nearly year-long review "provided sufficient data" to suggest the bond program effectively enforces compliance with visa conditions, and would be made permanent.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump Administration has announced an overhaul to the rules governing a critical piece of Civil Rights-era legislation, most notably a reduction in the number of banks that will need to fully comply with the law.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on Friday jointly announced the proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act, a law that requires regulators to document how well banks do in lending to low-to-middle income neighborhoods. It would be the first major revision of the law's rules and regulations in nearly three decades.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Friday to finish a wildJuly for Wall Street as Amazon leaped, Apple sank and rising oil prices worsened worries about inflation staying high.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% after veering between gains and losses through the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 276 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1% after briefly losing all of an early 1.3% jump.

During a Cabinet meeting on Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that recent cyberattacks in Minnesota were the fault of the state, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

Trump also repeated myriad false claims that have become part of his regular talking points, about topics such as immigration, foreign conflicts and prescription drug prices.