News - Friday, October 9, 2026

More than three decades ago, Cheryl Finley opened an auction catalog and found a small album of 19th-century photographs for sale.

The album contained tintype portraits of African Americans dated to around the 1870s. Finley, then working as an appraiser specializing in photography, could not know the histories of the people pictured in its pages. But given when they had lived, she thought they were likely descendants of enslaved people or perhaps had themselves experienced enslavement.

The Hunter Museum of American Art is pairing “Free as they want to be: Artists Committed to Memory” with a series of talks, performances and community programs exploring themes raised by the exhibition. The show remains on view through Jan. 11.

Southern Adventist University celebrated the grand opening of its new $24 million Ruth McKee School of Business on Oct. 2, marking the completion of a donor-funded project that provides more than 400 business students with a dedicated academic home.

Ruth McKee was known to her 11 grandchildren simply as Grammy.

To the business world, she was something considerably more.

Decades before women commonly occupied leadership roles in American companies, McKee was managing plant operations, keeping the books and purchasing ingredients and packaging for the fledgling bakery she operated with her husband, O.D. McKee.

The Ferris wheel won’t be the only attraction competing for attention at McDonald Farm this November when the Little Debbie Hamilton County Fair returns for its fourth iteration.

There will be bucking bulls and racing pigs, lumberjacks and country music, farm animals and fireworks. The midway will be nearly twice the size it was last year.

Trust for Public Land and the city of Chattanooga will celebrate the opening of the first two phases of the Alton Park Connector Friday at 10 a.m. at 3210 S. Broad St. in Chattanooga. The completed section connects Broad Street to St. Elmo Avenue and is part of a planned 1.3-mile multiuse trail along a former rail line that will eventually connect residents to more than 25 miles of existing trails. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, City Councilwoman Raquetta Dotley, Alton Park resident leader Maria Noel, TPL Tennessee State Director Noel Durant and Perimeter Properties Principal Andy Stone are scheduled to participate. Remarks will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting at 10:45 a.m.

One of the hardest parts of planning a home purchase right now is knowing what your monthly payment might look like by the time you are ready to buy. A small change in the mortgage rate can make a noticeable difference in purchasing power, which is why I often encourage buyers to leave themselves breathing room when setting a budget.

For much of the 2010s, the names Russ and Jacob Huesman were nearly inseparable from Chattanooga football.

Now they’ll enter the school’s Hall of Fame together.

Russ Huesman, who helped revive the Mocs as head coach, and his son Jacob, the most decorated quarterback in program history, headline the six-member 2026 class announced last week by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

By Herald staff

A red panda cub born at the Chattanooga Zoo in July is healthy and growing despite a pregnancy that initially went undetected because of an unusual reproductive process.

The cub, named Masala, was born July 6 to Saffron after multiple tests failed to confirm she was pregnant, the zoo reports. Officials say the pregnancy was affected by delayed implantation, a process in which an early-stage embryo remains dormant in the uterus before implanting and continuing to develop.

Your financial security is only as strong as your digital security. A single stolen password, convincing scam or fraudulent investment offer can lead to lost savings, damaged credit or hours spent recovering compromised accounts. As our financial lives move increasingly online, protecting your personal information is part of protecting your financial future. 

Steve Cohen is a lame duck, a Democrat basically gerrymandered out of his comfy Memphis seat by the Republican legislature after 20 years in Washington.

But unlike former Congressman Jim Cooper of Nashville, similarly remapped into oblivion a few years back, Cohen is not going gentle into that good night. Last month he introduced impeachment articles – or charges – against President Donald Trump. A lot of impeachment articles. Twenty-six.

When the Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans Sunday at Nissan Stadium, it will renew one of the NFL’s most peculiar rivalries.

And because both teams go into the game floundering at 0-4, this rivalry could use a little bit of something to make it exciting.

Small SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are very popular, but what if you’re looking for something roomier? You could consider a midsize three-row SUV, but those models are a lot more expensive and perhaps too big. That’s where a two-row midsize SUV makes sense.

NEW YORK (AP) — Whether you realize it or not, your child may be enrolled in a "Trump Account."

Rolled out earlier this year, the Trump Accounts program allows parents to claim special investment accounts for children who are 18 years old or younger. And some babies and newborns are eligible to receive a one-time $1,000 contribution from the government.

NASHVILLE (AP) — A man armed with a pistol and knife was fatally shot by a security officer Thursday just inside the busy entrance of a federal courthouse in Tennessee's largest city, authorities said.

The man in his 40s tried to fire his gun but failed and then pulled out a knife at around 9:30 a.m., said Don Aaron, spokesperson for Metro Nashville Police.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An attorney for three news organizations told a federal judge Thursday that the Trump administration must be prevented from barring their reporters from the White House, saying the ban is a classic example of "viewpoint discrimination" that is punishing people for what they say — and violating the media outlets' First Amendment rights.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Americans who buy cheap drugs from Canada could soon lose access when a customs rule goes into effect later this month, a change that has sparked opposition from Democrats and some Republicans with the cost of living a top issue for voters ahead of midterm elections.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI has seized scanning and phishing tools used by a group of hackers that officials say is associated with the Chinese government and responsible for disruptive cyber operations in the United States and abroad, including against the power industry, academia and critical infrastructure.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will not order a resumption of military strikes on Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections in the United States.

Trump, while stumping for Republicans this week, has hinted that he was confident that an endgame to the war could come in the days before or after the election, while also hinting that he remained open to resuming full-scale military operations against Iran.

NEW YORK (AP) — Some sharp reversals kept financial markets unsteady on Thursday, as oil prices rose and U.S. stock indexes finished mixed.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% for a second straight loss after setting its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 51 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 1.3% as technology stocks took particularly hard hits.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump celebrated tech billionaires for their contributions to America on Thursday only hours after a company run by one of them, Microsoft, was accused by his vice president of abusing the visa system to bring in more foreign workers. It so happens five of the six leaders he honored are immigrants.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration announced Thursday it was suspending Microsoft and several other firms from a program allowing foreign workers to apply for green cards as it also lashed out at universities that bring international students to the U.S. on exchange programs.

MONTREAL (AP) — Ryan O'Reilly scored the go-ahead goal with 3:16 remaining, and the Nashville Predators rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Thursday night.

The veteran redirected a point shot from Roman Josi on the power play, 59 seconds after Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson tripped Steven Stamkos in the neutral zone.

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. (AP) — Isaias strengthened Friday into a major hurricane as it headed toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, where final preparations were being made for potentially life-threatening storm surges and high winds.

The hurricane is forecast to make landfall late Friday somewhere along the Alabama-Florida line and create dangerous conditions in the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi, the National Hurricane Center said.

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets remain indecisive on Friday, as the U.S. stock market tiptoes toward the finish of a record-setting week.

The S&P 500 rose 0.3% and clawed back some of its two straight days of losses since setting its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 158 points, or 0.3%, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% higher.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump opened another chapter in his effort to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook Friday by establishing a "committee of inquiry" to investigate allegations that she made false statements in mortgage applications.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bolstered by steady gains in the stock market, families headed by someone aged 75 or older are now America's wealthiest, while the youngest families saw their wealth decline in the past three years, a government report released Friday said.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Navi Pillay, a South African-born jurist and former U.N. human rights chief whose career has spanned from defending the rights of an imprisoned Nelson Mandela to leading a panel that found that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her efforts to promote international law as it comes under attack.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has imposed sweeping new sanctions on the International Criminal Court as part of its campaign to dismantle the tribunal that the U.S. believes has become politicized and attempted to unfairly and illegally prosecute Americans and Israelis on war crimes charges.

LONDON (AP) — OpenAI said on Friday that it fired three safety researchers for a "breach of trust," defending the dismissals after the trio accused the company of putting its corporate interests before safety as the reason for removing them.

NEW YORK (AP) — As most of the political world focuses on next month's midterm elections, the shadow primary for the 2028 presidential contest is quietly playing out in public view.

Democratic and Republican presidential prospects have been crisscrossing the country, raising money and tapping their political connections to help boost their parties' candidates — and their own White House ambitions.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market finished its record-setting week with gains on Friday, even as other financial markets remained indecisive.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% for its first gain since setting its all-time high three days earlier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 423 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.6%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said that he has struck a deal to obtain diesel from Russia, a stunning reversal of years of U.S. pressure on Moscow over its war with Ukraine and an attempt to address high fuel prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

YP Nashville Summit 2026. Join fellow young professionals for a full day of professional development, growth and connection. This year’s ticket includes a catered lunch, a keynote address, breakout sessions and dedicated time to network with peers. Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Belmont University - Janet Ayers Academic Center, 1501 Wedgewood Avenue, Nashville. Information

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are sticking with Cam Ward as their starting quarterback, and first-year coach Robert Saleh said Sunday there's no thought of benching the second-year player hoping for an offensive spark.

NASHVILLE (AP) — C.J. Stroud carried the Houston Texans to their first victory of the season, then his coach announced the quarterback is being reunited with his old Ohio State teammate after a trade with Arizona.

A very nice Sunday indeed for both Stroud and the Texans.

Georgia returned to the top of the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2024 after a hard-fought 20-17 win over Alabama. The Bulldogs took over the No. 1 spot after Texas fell to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game.

UCLA and Kentucky were the week's biggest climbers. The Bruins jumped to No. 12 after forcing seven turnovers while upsetting Oregon, and Kentucky returned to the poll at No. 15 after another overtime thriller, beating LSU 35-34 on a two-point conversion. LSU fell from No. 10 to No. 22 as Oregon and Florida dropped out of the rankings.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years after his release from prison, Patrick Dewayne Smith spends Sundays with his family in a modest brick church with a white steeple in rural Tennessee. He works two jobs. He goes to ball games to cheer for nieces and nephews he had never met. After serving 13 years for a nonviolent drug conviction, he is trying to rebuild his life.

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — At the General Motors Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, in suburban Detroit, hundreds of volunteer, real-world drivers have hopped inside a Cadillac Lyriq electric vehicle or other popular GM models and experienced all sorts of things while in the car: regular roadway driving, driving up and down hills, construction, rain, nearby traffic and other scenarios.

HONG KONG (AP) — China's passenger car exports surged 64% in September from the same month in 2025, an industry association reported Monday, as Chinese automakers increasingly focus on exports to drive growth amid sluggish domestic sales.

China exported around 919,000 passenger vehicles in September, lifted by overseas demand for plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed. In the first nine months of 2026, China exported over 7.1 million passenger cars, up more than 70% from the same period last year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of six senators on Sunday called for President Donald Trump's administration to "immediately reverse course" on a plan to purchase diesel from Russia as part of an effort to lower high fuel prices.

Trump shocked lawmakers when he announced on social media Friday that he struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call. He said Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the American and global market, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tons "within a short period of time" after that, he wrote.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy ceasefire" in the 4 1/2-year-old war, but he offered no details on it and Kyiv reported attacks by Moscow on energy sites after his statement.

CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia has launched an investigation to determine how its air defenses failed to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, including an attack on Riyadh airport that killed at least 13 people and wounded over 300, two regional officials said Monday.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford won the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics Monday for their work on models that have helped governments and central banks manage economic shocks, such as energy crises and inflation.

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk, the world's only trillionaire, has quietly become the biggest known donor in this year's midterm elections, doling out more than $276 million since July to try to save Republican majorities in Congress.

The numbers, first reported by the New York Times ahead of this week's federal filing deadline, were confirmed by Andrew Romeo, a spokesperson for Musk's super PAC.

NEW YORK (AP) — Maybe President Donald Trump really does believe that "tariff" is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.

Despite higher prices, criticism from trade experts and displeasure among voters, Trump holds fast to his belief that imposing the highest import duties on U.S. trading partners since the Great Depression is a winner.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agents on Monday searched the home of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a frequent target of Trump administration criticism, as part of a criminal investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The search was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents, said the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. More details about the investigation were not immediately clear, though Vice President JD Vance has in the past accused Omar of committing immigration fraud — an allegation she has denied — and has said he and a top White House official were trying to figure out how to investigate the Minnesota congresswoman.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday on almost 1,600 Russian people and companies linked to Russia's arms industry, notably targeting those suspected of involvement in making parts for drones and missiles.

In the biggest single listing of sanctions since the Kremlin launched full-scale war on Ukraine almost five years ago, the EU also targeted 77 people accused of organizing, working on, or running in "sham elections" in occupied parts of Ukraine.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chuck Schumer has won and lost Senate majorities since becoming Democratic leader a decade ago. But this year's midterm elections could be his most important yet, with some in the party having said he needs to step down and make way for a new generation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are considering firing U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after a series of reports alleging she has engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens.