News - Friday, April 10, 2026

The return to the final frontier that the Artemis II mission represents has focused so many peoples’ attention around the world…and out to the moon and back.

The opportunities for compare and contrast seem endless: Four humans riding atop the biggest rocket ever created; thousands of technical professionals pointing their efforts at one small orbital spot 238,900 miles away, give or take; the first steps of a much larger road map that could take humans back to the surface of our celestial partner, then potentially out to the next planet in the neighborhood.

With the approach of Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure” June 12, I’ve found myself reminiscing about one of my most memorable moviegoing experiences – seeing “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” with a friend in a Toledo theater in 1977.

First Street. Second Street. Third Street. Fourth Street.

It’s a scene played out in many U.S. cities, a grid system of numbered streets that helps residents navigate their hometowns and gives urban planners a practical framework to build upon. It might not be inspired, but it’s undeniably efficient.

The Southeast Tennessee Council of the Tennessee Society of Health Care Social Workers has named Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel elder law and special needs care manager William “Dub” Ellis as its 2026 Social Worker of the Year, recognizing his longstanding commitment to advocacy and client support.

Property sales in Hamilton County topped $368 million in March, while more than 5,400 documents were recorded, according to the latest monthly report from the county register of deeds.

The March 2026 Sales & Mortgages Report shows total property sales of about $368.4 million, generating roughly $1.36 million in conveyance tax revenue for the state.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host the inaugural Karel Hujer Memorial Lecture April 10 at 7 p.m. in Grote Hall Room 129 on the UTC campus. Co-hosted by the Clarence T. Jones Observatory and the Barnard Astronomical Society, the free, public event will feature Chattanooga native Dr. Harold McAlister, Regents Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at Georgia State University and a 1971 UTC physics alumnus, presenting “Karel Hujer: Chattanooga’s Astronomer and Citizen of the World.” Free parking is available beginning at 5 p.m. in the Lupton Hall garage at 700 Vine Street.

The Chattanooga Convention Center generated an estimated $78.1 million in economic impact during the 2024-25 fiscal year, driven by strong attendance, steady event bookings and continued growth in food and beverage revenue, according to its newly released annual report.

Two Hamilton County students have been recognized as winners in the 2026 Tennessee Civics Essay Contest, according to Tre Hargett.

Emily Hernandez Martin, a student at Hixson Middle School, placed third in the sixth-eighth grade category. Riley Swinford, who attends Baylor School, placed third in the ninth-12th grade category.

Good financial habits are a little like brushing your teeth. When you learn them early, they become second nature, and you carry them with you for life. And while money can feel complicated, especially today, the foundation starts simply. 

Parents can begin the conversation with very young children, and young adults can build on those basics as they take on more responsibility. Step by step, these habits create confidence that helps build longterm financial security and a more fulfilling life.

Thumbs up. You’ve been using words since before you could walk, but here you are expressing pleasure with hieroglyphs through a simple left click of the mouse. Yes, it’s an easy response, almost a knee-jerk reaction. You barely have to pay attention when you do it but, as you’ll see in the new book, “Like, Follow, Subscribe” by Fortesa Latifi, the poster relies on you.

George MacIntyre spent the early part of the offseason monitoring the quarterback situation at the University of Tennessee. MacIntyre didn’t know if Joey Aguilar would win his lawsuit and return as the starter, or if any transfers may arrive through the portal to join the program.

With volatile gasoline prices rising in recent weeks, Edmunds has seen increased shopper interest in hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles.

If you’re thinking about going 100% electric, there’s a way to save even more money: Buy used. While new EVs are more expensive than similar gas-powered vehicles, steep depreciation can actually make a 3-year-old EV more affordable than its gas counterpart.

The Justice Department is investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices, according to a government official.

The official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name and spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday, said the investigation is "about affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers."

An NCAA panel is scheduled to discuss potential changes to eligibility rules that would include an age limit, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

The proposal, which mirrors language written in the executive order issued by President Donald Trump last week, would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting when an athlete turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever is earliest. There would be limited exceptions but they would not include injuries, which has been a common reason for players to ask for and receive extra eligibility.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed weakened rules governing the safe disposal of ash produced by burning coal. Those regulations were strengthened under the Biden administration as part of a wider crackdown on pollution from coal-fired power plants.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before Donald Trump returned to the White House, the Biden administration and many electric utilities were building a future dominated by renewable energy. They aimed to replace coal, slashing greenhouse gases and reducing air pollution that kills more than a thousand people annually.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the "stories are completely false" and calling accusations that she was somehow involved "smears about me."

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against "unfound and baseless lies" in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy — whether or not a fragile ceasefire holds, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday.

Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the fund will downgrade its forecast for the world economy next week.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Thursday, even though oil prices did too, as financial markets moved more modestly a day after surging on optimism about a ceasefire in the war with Iran.

The morning began with moderate losses for Wall Street following drops for Asian and European stocks. But the S&P 500 erased its dip and finished with a 0.6% gain after Israel's prime minister authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon. That eased worries that the two-week ceasefire announced late Tuesday may already be in trouble because of Israel's bombardment of Lebanon.

NEW YORK (AP) — Calls are increasing inside Congress for investigations into the prediction market platform Polymarket after the latest instance where groups of anonymous traders made strategic, well-timed bets on a major geopolitical event hours before it occurred.

The U.S. Postal Service said Thursday it has informed federal budget officials it will temporarily suspend its employer contributions to Federal Employees Retirement System annuities, allowing it to keep making payroll, paying suppliers and delivering the mail.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's threats to wipe out Iran, "a whole civilization," ended the restraint that Democrats have mostly practiced when it comes to questions of removing him from office in his second term.

By the dozens, Democrats came out to say that Trump should no longer serve in the White House, either through the impeachment process or the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and the Cabinet to declare that a president is no longer able to perform the job.

PHOENIX (AP) — Renewable energy advocates in Arizona made gains against a business-backed slate in a fight over how the nation's largest public power utility will meet fast-rising electricity demand in a data center hot spot.

However, election results released by the Phoenix-area Salt River Project mean that the rival slates will be forced into compromises over potential questions of whether to increase rates and whether to favor natural gas or renewable energy technologies to meet power demand.

NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer for 34 states suing Live Nation Entertainment tried to convince a jury Thursday during an antitrust trial 's closing arguments that the company and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, are monopolizing the industry and driving up concert prices.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Plaintiffs challenging the Trump administration's cost-cutting measures against an agency that funds and promotes libraries across the U.S. said Thursday they settled the case with the Justice Department in a deal that would reverse some of the steps taken.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored his 39th goal of the season, Clayton Keller had three assists to reach 56 and the Utah Mammoth beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

Jim Knowles has installed new defenses in a lot of places. Having familiar faces around is making the experience much smoother this spring at Tennessee.

Volunteers coach Josh Heupel not only hired Knowles as his new defensive coordinator in December, he added three defensive assistants who've worked with Knowles in the past. Four players also followed Knowles from Penn State to Knoxville through the transfer portal.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Three days after winning its first national title since 1989, Michigan has started retooling its roster for next season.

J.P. Estrella confirmed on Instagram Thursday that he is transferring from Tennessee and joining the Wolverines. ESPN was first to report Estrella's move.

NEW YORK (AP) — Jury deliberations began Friday in an antitrust case pitting 34 states against the concert giant Live Nation Entertainment.

The states argue in the civil case that the company and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, are monopolizing the industry and driving up prices to see live music.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has notched a string of wins on the Supreme Court 's emergency docket, in part because the conservative justices believe that blocking executive policies is a blow that can't be easily fixed, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Thursday.

PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request from prediction market operator Kalshi to bar Arizona prosecutors from moving forward with a criminal case, alleging the company is operating an illegal betting platform in the state.

In a decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Michael Liburdi also denied Kalshi's request for a ruling saying federal law trumps Arizona's gambling laws. Liburdi said it's too early in the case for him to rule on that issue.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Defense Department is violating his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters, a setback in the administration's efforts to impede the work of journalists.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman sided with The New York Times for the second time in a month. He had earlier said the Pentagon's new credential policy violated journalists' constitutional rights to free speech and due process. On Thursday, he said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team had tried to evade his March 20 ruling by putting in new rules that expel all reporters from the building unless guided by escorts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has updated the charter of a key federal vaccine advisory committee in ways that may increase the voices of anti-vaccine activists, the latest in a series of moves that critics say are undermining confidence in life-saving shots.

LANDRUM, South Carolina (AP) — With baby Arthur too young for the measles vaccine and a sibling due in June, the Otwells grew nervous when the threat of the highly contagious virus started factoring into their grocery run.

"We go to the Costco that was kind of a hotbed," said John Otwell, who knew about the state health department's warnings of public exposures at the store. "A lot of people just don't get it; they think it's just a cold. It's not."

HONG KONG (AP) — China's exports of passenger cars accelerated in March, an industry association said Friday, as Chinese automakers stepped up their push to grow overseas markets.

Passenger car exports jumped 82.4% year-on-year last month to around 748,000 vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, up from the 586,000 vehicles exported in February.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tax refunds this season are up 24% compared with the four-year average of refunds before President Donald Trump took office, his administration said Thursday — a change credited to Republicans' tax legislation signed into law last year.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With the ceasefire in Iran still shaky, U.S. Vice President JD Vance headed Friday to Pakistan for high-level talks with Iranian officials, as Israel and Hezbollah traded fire and Tehran maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's search for an off-ramp from the war with Iran is getting bumpy inside his Republican Party.

In the decade since Trump's "America First" movement rose to power by rejecting military intervention, his coalition has rarely been tested the way it is now. Trump's exit efforts — first through threats of annihilation, then with a ceasefire that is proving precarious — are doing little to paper over tensions that have festered since the war began six weeks ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Since the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. was announced, leaders in President Donald Trump's administration have been quick to say Iranian military and arms capacity have been all but wiped out during weeks of fighting.

But there is also an acknowledgment that Tehran retains some capabilities, whether to strike back or defend itself.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Friday warned Iran not to "play" the U.S. as he headed overseas for negotiations aimed at ending their war.

President Donald Trump has tasked the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the 6-week-old conflict with Iran to now find a resolution and stave off the U.S. president's astonishing threat to wipe out its "whole civilization."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political hurdles for the White House.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration this week acknowledged it made a significant error in figures it used to help justify a fraud probe into New York's Medicaid program, a glaring mistake that undercuts a federal campaign to tackle waste, mostly in Democratic-led states.

Donald Trump is accustomed to criticism from coast to coast — Democrats, disaffected Republicans, late-night comedians, massive protests. Yet in his second presidency, Trump's most influential American critic doesn't live in the country but at the Vatican.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill to regulate the country's mining as it seeks to attract leery foreign investors to a once-private industry that has long been exploited by criminal groups with ties to the government.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a fragile ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran holding for now, China is calculating its role in helping find a durable endgame to the war in the Middle East.

After prodding China, which is more reliant on Persian Gulf oil than the U.S., to get involved in reopening the choked-off Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump told the French news outlet Agence France-Presse this week that he believed China played a part in encouraging Iran to agree to this week's temporary truce.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the "stories are completely false" and calling accusations that she was somehow involved "smears about me."

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against "unfound and baseless lies" in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

NEW YORK (AP) — The centerpiece of President Donald Trump's economic policy — sweeping taxes on global imports — is under legal assault again.

The U.S. Court of International Trade, a specialized court in New York, is hearing oral arguments Friday in an attempt to overturn the temporary tariffs Trump turned to after the Supreme Court in February struck down his preferred choice — even bigger, even more sweeping tariffs.

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury finished its first day of deliberations Friday without reaching a verdict in an antitrust case pitting 34 states against the concert giant Live Nation Entertainment.

The states argue in the civil case that the company and its ticketing arm, Ticketmaster, are monopolizing the industry and driving up prices to see live music.

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — For some evangelical Christians, faith is about having a personal relationship with Jesus. At $1.99 per minute, the tech company Just Like Me is taking that concept to a new level.

Users of the platform can join video calls with an avatar of Jesus generated by artificial intelligence. Like other religious AI tools on the market, it offers words of prayer and encouragement in various languages. With the occasional glitch, it remembers previous conversations and speaks through not-quite-synced lips.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marine heat waves are supercharging damage caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones across the globe, a new study found.

Researchers looked at 1,600 tropical cyclones — the broader category of storms that includes hurricanes — that made landfall since 1981 and found those that went over the extra-hot water were more likely to intensify rapidly, a problem that's becoming more frequent. This resulted in 60% more disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage — adjusted for inflation — when they hit land, according to a study in Friday's journal Science Advances.

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump's seemingly out-of-the-blue statement Thursday denying affiliation with disgraced sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein left people still wondering Friday what prompted the public declaration at a time when the case had receded from the spotlight.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Friday warned Iran not to "play" the U.S. as he headed overseas for negotiations aimed at ending the war.

President Donald Trump has tasked the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the 6-week-old conflict with Iran to now find a resolution and stave off the U.S. president's astonishing threat to wipe out its "whole civilization."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation last month, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening already substantial political hurdles for the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's plans for a new triumphal arch in the capital, unveiled on Friday, include a towering winged figure with a Lady Liberty-like torch and crown, flanked by two eagles and guarded by four lions — all gilded.

The 12-page plan released by the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts shows the arch will stand 250 feet tall (76.2 meters) from its base to the tip of the winged figure's torch, with "One Nation Under God" and "Liberty and Justice for All" inscribed in gold atop either side of the monument.

HOUSTON (AP) — Phil Garner, a former University of Tennessee player and a three-time All-Star infielder who went on to manage the Houston Astros to their first World Series appearance, has died. He was 76.

Garner's family issued a statement Sunday saying Garner died Saturday after a two-plus-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge dismissed President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Monday over a story on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House economists estimate the United States has a shortage of 10 million houses, according to a new report out Monday — and say regulatory cuts could lead to more construction to stabilize prices, increase home ownership and fuel faster economic growth.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The future of theatrical moviegoing is at a critical moment. More people have been going to movie theaters this year than last, but the foundation is delicate.

Annual domestic box-office grosses are still down about 20% from pre-pandemic levels, competition from streaming has only intensified and there are very real worries about what consolidation might mean for the release schedule as Warner Bros. stares down new ownership under Paramount.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than a thousand movie stars, writers, directors and other Hollywood professionals announced their "unequivocal opposition" to the proposed Paramount merger with Warner Bros. Discovery in an open letter published Monday.

A large swath of the movie industry, including Denis Villeneuve, Kristen Stewart, J.J. Abrams and Joaquin Phoenix came out forcefully against the $111 billion deal that would consolidate two legacy studios into one, arguing that it further reduce jobs and movies in an already downsized Hollywood.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday on President Donald Trump's broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican's appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesn't fear the Trump administration.

ROME (AP) — In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the "delusion of omnipotence" that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.

Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan and as a fragile ceasefire held.

CANFIELD, Ohio (AP) — Through the window of his combine, Wayne Greier watches his teenage son Blake drive a tractor across an empty field, towing a plow into position for another uncertain season of spring planting.

Greier would be worrying less if the solar farm he wanted on his land had come to pass. But local officials blocked it in 2023 under an Ohio state law, and Greier — facing a heavy medical debt — had to sell part of his land to stay afloat. The deal that was killed would have brought him about $540,000 in lease payments every year.

HONG KONG (AP) — A humanoid robot about the size of a primary school student had something to share in Hong Kong — it sang songs and spoke to people in Mandarin and English, answering whatever questions they posed and delighting the audience around it.

HONG KONG (AP) — China is poised to benefit from the Iran war as global energy disruptions accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels and toward clean technologies and renewable power, industries that China dominates.

Most of the oil and gas from the now mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was Asia-bound. Asian nations are scrambling to conserve energy and bolster dwindling reserves. As a temporary ceasefire teeters, gasoline prices in the U.S. and Europe are spiking.

CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. military vowed to blockade all Iranian ports starting Monday in an effort to force Tehran to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz and accept a peace deal. Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, taking aim at U.S.-allied countries.

CAIRO (AP) — The U.S. military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, as President Donald Trump sought to pressure Iran in a move that risks driving oil prices even higher and renewing the war. The announcement set the stage for a showdown, as Iran immediately responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

WAHOO, Neb. (AP) — Strong winds whipped around Doug Bartek, a fifth-generation farmer, as he headed into a grain bin to shovel soybeans onto a conveyor chute. The 60-year-old was anxious at the onset of the spring planting season, rattling off the long list of issues affecting his family's livelihood at their 2,000-acre farm near Wahoo, Nebraska.

NEW YORK (AP) — For decades, presidents avoided even the appearance of profiting from their office.

Harry Truman refused to lend his name to any business, even in retirement. Richard Nixon so feared a brother might profit off their ties, he had his phone tapped. And George W. Bush dumped his individual stock holdings before taking office.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The big election over the weekend was in a small European country nearly half a world away from Washington, but the defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has significant reverberations in the United States.

That's because President Donald Trump and many U.S. conservatives have long embraced Orbán, who has become an icon among the global right for his anti-immigrant stance. The American president's agenda has striking parallels with the way the Hungarian leader used the levers of government to tilt the media, judiciary and electoral system to keep his party in power for 16 years.

MADRID (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is in China again this week, his fourth trip in just over three years to the world's number two economy as Spain seeks to strengthen its political and commercial ties with Beijing.

His visit comes at a complex geopolitical moment as European leaders try to influence an end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, and as Spain's relationship with the U.S. has been strained by Sánchez's vocal disapproval of the conflict.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said Sunday that it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of five people and leaving one survivor, as the Trump administration pursues its campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America while preparing a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit from the race for California governor left his rivals scrambling to lock down his former supporters in a crowded contest with no clear leader, injecting more turmoil into the campaign to lead the nation's most populous state.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump refused to apologize to Pope Leo XIV on Monday after criticizing the pontiff for his opposition to the war in Iran — and he sought to explain away a now-deleted social media post depicting himself as Jesus by saying he had thought the image was of him as a doctor.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A majority of U.S. Catholic voters supported Donald Trump in his 2024 presidential victory. Yet across the broad Catholic political spectrum – even among conservative-leaning bishops – there is dismay over Trump's unprecedented verbal assault on the Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead their church.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee has begun an investigation into whether Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., engaged in sexual misconduct toward an employee working under his supervision, the panel announced Monday.

The announcement comes one day after Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor after the emergence of allegations that he continues to deny.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration agreed Monday to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument, reversing course after removing the banner in February.

The government revealed the decision as it seeks to settle a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups who had sought to block the removal. A judge must still approve the agreement.