Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed for the long Labor Day holiday weekend as a lot of Americans mark the unofficial end of summer the same way they celebrated the season’s unofficial start: by traveling.
The Transportation Security Administration anticipates screening more than 17 million people between Thursday and next Wednesday – a record for the Labor Day period.
AAA says bookings for domestic travel are running 9% higher than last year for the holiday weekend, while international trips are down 4%.
American Airlines plans to have its largest Labor Day weekend operation ever and expects a 14% increase in passengers compared to last year.
Motorists are getting a break on gasoline compared with last year. The nationwide average was recently $3.44 per gallon, compared to $3.86 a year ago, according to AAA.
Average airfares in July were down 7.1% from June and 2.8% from July 2023, according to the government’s consumer price index. The trend appears to be accelerating as the peak summer-vacation season comes to an end.
TN gas prices drop by 9 cents before Labor Day
The decrease in pump prices picked up momentum last week, with pump prices across the state falling nine cents on average and dropping below $3 per gallon.
The Tennessee average is now $2.93, which is 15 cents less expensive than one month ago and 48 cents less than one year ago. The state’s least-expensive gas can be found in Clarksville ($2.78), Chattanooga ($2.80) and Cleveland ($2.88).
Labor Day gas prices are likely to be the least expensive in three years for Tennessee. Today’s state gas price average is 48 cents cheaper that what drivers paid on Labor Day last year and only two cents more expensive than what drivers paid in 2021.
Reaching a price point last seen March 6, the national average for a gallon of gas fell 6 cents to $3.35 since last week.
State population to hit 7.94M by 2040: UT study
Tennessee’s population is expected to reach 7.94 million by 2040, the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville estimates.
By 2040, the state’s population of adults 65 and older is expected to increase by 25% compared to the 2022 census estimate (the most recent available), with a 36% spike among those aged 75-84 and a 72% surge in individuals aged 85 and above.
During the same period, a projected overall population increase of nearly 900,000 people will increase the number of Tennessee residents by 12.6% from the 2022 population of 7.05 million.
From 2020 to 2030, Tennessee is projected to experience an annual population growth rate of 0.82%. A period of steady but smaller population gains is expected to follow as the state’s projected rate of increase slows to 0.55% annually between 2030 and 2040. This slower pace of increase is expected to continue to 2070.
TDOT: No lane closures for Labor Day weekend
The Tennessee Department of Transportation will halt all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways for the Labor Day holiday travel period. Construction crews will stop all lane closure activity at noon Friday, Aug. 30, until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for motorists traveling during the Labor Day holiday.
While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers will still be on-site in many construction zones, and drivers are urged to obey posted speed limits. Drivers convicted of speeding in work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possibly increased insurance premiums.
77 counties show July drop in unemployment
The July employment situation improved in counties across Tennessee, according to new data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Seventy-seven counties reported lower unemployment than in June, while rates stayed the same in eight counties and increased in the remaining 10.
Unemployment was lower than 5% in 82 of the state’s 95 counties during the month, with the remaining 13 counties at or above 5%.
Sevier and Williamson counties recorded July’s lowest jobless rates, at 2.5%. The new statistics represented a 0.2% drop for each county compared to their June rates.
Cheatham and Wilson counties had Tennessee’s next lowest monthly unemployment rate at 2.7%. The Cheatham County rate dropped 0.1%, while Wilson County’s rate was down 0.2%.
Weakley County’s unemployment rate jumped 1.7%, from 4.5% to 6.2%, between June and July. That was the highest rate in the state.
Houston and Bledsoe counties had the state’s next highest unemployment rates at 5.5%. Houston County’s rate increased 0.6%, while Bledsoe County’s dropped 0.3%.
Statewide, seasonally adjusted unemployment in Tennessee remained at the record-setting low rate of 3% for the third month.
Nationwide, the jobless rate grew 0.2% in July to 4.3%.
CHI Memorial a top performer for heart care
CHI Memorial has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2024. CHI Memorial is one of only 259 hospitals nationwide and the only Chattanooga hospital to receive the honor.
Chest Pain-MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety, and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.
“We are committed to continuously improving our processes and ensuring that every patient receives the best possible treatment, in accordance with the latest clinical guidelines,” says Kevin Hopkins, CHI Memorial market vice president of cardiovascular service line. “This award is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional care and saving lives.”
To receive the Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, CHI Memorial has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain-MI Registry for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures.
Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.
Delta expands service to Atlanta, Detroit
Delta Air Lines has announced the addition of flights from Chattanooga Airport, enhancing connectivity to both Atlanta and Detroit.
Currently, Delta operates 46 weekly departures to Atlanta. With the addition of new flights, this number will increase to 59 weekly departures.
In addition, Delta will be adding another flight to Detroit, increasing service from six to 13 departures each week.
“With this investment, Delta will be the largest carrier by seat volume in the Chattanooga market, demonstrating our commitment to support the region’s continued growth,” says David Hart, Delta’s managing director for network planning.
Including the recently announced service from Chattanooga to LaGuardia beginning in October, Delta’s total seat capacity will increase by 48% from August to November.
“We continue to be so appreciative of Delta’s commitment to our region and our long-term relationship with them,” says April Cameron, CEO and president of Chattanooga Airport.