The future of the state’s role as a major employer and user of office space Downtown could become much clearer this week.

Proposals are due Thursday, May 16, for 100,000 square feet of office space that will become vacant when the state abandons the Donnelley J. Hill State Office Building Downtown. A recent request for proposals from the agency that handles state real estate appears to put the state’s focus entirely on Downtown.

2. Restored Video Shows James Earl Ray in Memphis - Thursday, April 04, 2013

MEMPHIS (AP) – Newly-restored videotapes showing James Earl Ray's return to Memphis to face trial for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. have been released on the 45th anniversary of the civil rights leader's death.

3. South Main’s New Life - Saturday, March 02, 2013

The history of the South Main Historic Arts District is as colorful as its present-day users, an alternating rhythm of sorts in Memphis’ songbook.

The area has oscillated from its ritzy suburban roots of the 1800s to the industrial era ghost town of the 20th century and now to its current status as Downtown’s flourishing arts and boutique district and the subject of some $100 million in investment. And it’s all due to stakeholders who braved the status quo in distinguishing the southern end of the Central Business District as that funky place with an indescribable vibe.

4. Permit Approved for Planned Klan Rally in Memphis - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

MEMPHIS (AP) – A Ku Klux Klan chapter has been granted a demonstration permit to protest the renaming of three Memphis parks that honored the Confederacy and two of its most prominent figures.

5. Council Approves City Tax Collections By Trustee - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Shelby County Trustee’s office will collect property taxes for the city of Memphis under an interlocal agreement approved Tuesday, Dec. 18, by the Memphis City Council.

The agreement negotiated between Trustee David Lenoir and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. comes after several decades of attempts on both sides of the city-county governments divide at such an arrangement.

6. Gay, Transgender City Workers Protected From Discrimination - Thursday, October 18, 2012

At the end of a long night at City Hall with a relatively short agenda, Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism told Memphis City Council members that their meetings looked like more “fun” than the commission’s meetings.

7. Haslam Appoints Three to Court Panel on Hooker Case - Monday, September 24, 2012

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Robert Carter Jr. and attorney Monica Wharton of Memphis are among two of the three new members of a Special Tennessee Supreme Court appointed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.

8. Council Delays Anti-Discrimination Ordinance - Thursday, September 20, 2012

When the Memphis City Council got to the real intent this week of the latest version of an anti-discrimination ordinance it has been debating off and on for two years, it wasn’t just a decision about including “sexual orientation” in the wording.

9. IP Looks to Future Following Temple-Inland Acquisition - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

When International Paper Co. moved its headquarters to Memphis in 1987 it was an economic development milestone for Shelby County.

10. McBroom Joins Indie Memphis as Director of Operations - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Mandy McBroom has been named director of operations for Indie Memphis, the first full-time staff member to hold the position. In her new role, she will oversee festival operations, shorts programming, volunteer opportunities and membership growth.

11. Grant Entity Files $20M Loan For Collierville Construction - Tuesday, August 07, 2012

25 acres north
Of Shea Road

Loan Amount: $20.4 million

Loan Date: July 31, 2012

Maturity Date: Aug. 1, 2017

Borrower: Westbrook Crossing GP

Lender: Magna Bank

12. Grant Partnership Plans to Build in Collierville - Monday, August 06, 2012

Westbrook Crossing GP, a partnership comprised of Milton and Ruth Grant, has filed a $20 million construction loan to build adjacent to the FedEx World Technology Center in Collierville.

13. Supreme Court to Hear Judge Selection - Thursday, August 02, 2012

A new Tennessee Supreme Court will hear the latest court challenge to how state appellate court judges are selected.

The case of John Jay Hooker vs. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is a challenge to what is known as the Tennessee Plan – yes or no retention votes on all judges above the trial court level including the Tennessee Supreme Court.

14. Polls Set to Open for Early Voting - Friday, July 13, 2012

Shelby County voters start deciding Friday, July 13, general election countywide races for assessor of property, General Sessions Court clerk, district attorney general and a race for a Shelby County Commission seat. The ballot also includes seven races for district seats on the countywide school board.

15. Court’s Ruling Won’t Impact Orgs.’ Missions - Tuesday, July 03, 2012

In 1987, Dr. Scott Morris, a physician and United Methodist minister, founded the Church Health Center, a health care ministry that serves the working poor and their families.

16. ‘Unique Setting’ - Friday, June 22, 2012

Bass Pro Shops executives and city leaders marked the beginning of Bass Pro Shops construction inside The Pyramid Thursday, June 21, with a fish fry in the iconic Downtown landmark before the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World begins to take shape.

17. Poag, N.Y. Investor Buy The Avenue - Friday, May 11, 2012

The Avenue Collierville – the largest lifestyle center in the Memphis metropolitan area at Houston Levee Road and Bill Morris Parkway – has been bought by an affiliate of Memphis-based Poag Lifestyle Centers.

18. Poag, N.Y. Investor Buy The Avenue - Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Avenue Collierville – the largest lifestyle center in the Memphis metropolitan area at Houston Levee Road and Bill Morris Parkway – has been bought by an affiliate of Memphis-based Poag Lifestyle Centers.

19. Clearing Blockage - Wednesday, May 09, 2012

The block of Madison Avenue between Main and Second streets hasn’t been easy for quite a while.

It’s where the Main Street Trolley makes the turn to its Madison Avenue leg. It’s also where the trolleys sit idle for long periods of time seemingly unaware that they coexist with auto traffic. Residents of the Exchange Building who don’t have paid parking routinely park there instead, sometimes despite numerous tickets.

20. In Need of Repair - Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Shelby County Trustee’s office is out of the Vasco Smith County Administration Building and in the county government building across Second Street at 157 Poplar Ave.

21. Loaded Garage Has Grizzlies Revved Up - Friday, April 13, 2012

Just how deep are the Memphis Grizzlies? So deep that Zach Randolph’s second car is a Rolls-Royce.

No kidding. Another driver hit Randolph’s Dodge Challenger on Bill Morris Parkway the other day, so Z-Bo had to go to the automotive bench and drive the Rolls to his office (alias, FedExForum).

22. Multipurpose Bldg. Planned for Soulsville Charter School - Tuesday, February 07, 2012

1115 College St.
Memphis, TN 38106
Permit Cost: $4 million

Permit Date: Applied February 2012
Owner: The Soulsville Foundation
Tenant: The Soulsville Foundation
Details: The Soulsville Foundation has filed a $4 million building permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement for a 15,000-square-foot, one-story, multipurpose building at The Soulsville Charter School.

23. Christian Bros. Automotive Finances SE Shelby Garage - Friday, February 03, 2012

Houston-based Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. has filed a $7.5 million trust deed through Wells Fargo Bank NA secured by properties in multiple states, including an auto service garage at 7446 Sonic Drive in southeast Shelby County.

24. Moore Takes Reins of Home Builders Association - Tuesday, December 06, 2011

As a homebuilder, philanthropist and body builder, Jimmy Moore is a well-rounded individual.

And as the newly installed president of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, he is poised to lead the trade organization by example and with empathy for its members.

25. Heart of Memphis - Monday, November 14, 2011

The day before Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam was the keynote speaker this summer at the Downtown Memphis Commission’s 2011 Annual Luncheon, he went for a jog in Nashville wearing his “Believe Memphis” Grizzlies T-shirt.

26. A Look Back, A Look Ahead - Monday, October 17, 2011

Now that you know the past and present of the company that publishes The Daily News and The Memphis News, what should you expect in the future?

Here are a few predictions about our city in general – something to agree or disagree with, or have a good laugh. And maybe keep a copy of to compare with what actually happens between now and then.

27. Unions Continue Budget Battle in Thursday’s Election - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

No ballot questions are to be decided in the Thursday, Oct. 6, Memphis elections. But at least one of the City Council races will be viewed as a referendum on the clout of the city’s municipal labor unions.

28. Senate Dems Give Way to GOP to End FAA Shutdown - Monday, August 08, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate approved legislation Friday ending a two-week partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration and President Barack Obama signed it into law, clearing the way for thousands of employees to return to work and hundreds of airport construction projects to resume.

29. City Council Delays Decision on Labor Impasse - Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Memphis City Council voted Tuesday, July 19, to delay any decision on an already declared impasse between the city and the Memphis Firefighters Association.

City Attorney Herman Morris advised the council to delay an impasse decision and any discussion of one because of a federal lawsuit filed by the union and a dozen other municipal unions this month claiming the city has violated the impasse procedure by seeking a 4.6 percent pay cut and a voluntary buyout plan for sanitation workers. Union leaders said the pending impasse is separate from the lawsuit but agreed to the delay.

30. MCS-City Council Talk Money At 4 PM - Thursday, July 21, 2011

As Memphis City Council members and Memphis City Schools board members prepare to talk for the first time since the school board voted to possibly delay the Aug. 8 start of the school year, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. has offered to put $10 million in city funding on the table.

31. MCS Board Votes To Delay Aug. 8 School Start - Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The stakes got higher Tuesday evening, July 19, in the funding dispute between the city of Memphis and the Memphis City Schools system.

MCS board members voted 8-1 Tuesday to delay the Aug. 8 start of the school year until the city pays a disputed amount of money the school system says the city owes for the fiscal year that began July 1.

32. Seminar To Detail Reform’s Effect on Biz - Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Philip Johnson is partner with Argyle Benefits Consultants LLC, a chartered life underwriter and certified employee benefits specialist, so he more than understands the ins and outs of federal health care reform, including how the legislation will impact large and small businesses, as well as individuals.

33. Seminar to Examine Health Care Reform - Wednesday, June 29, 2011

One of the most contentious and complex issues facing the nation today will be the focus of the latest seminar hosted by The Daily News.

Health care reform will be the topic at hand on Thursday, July 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Ave.

34. Center of Attention - Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Next month, several hundred business leaders, civic officials and Downtown stakeholders will gather at The Peabody hotel to hear Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam argue for the importance of building up a city’s Downtown core.

35. Special Coverage: Mid-South Flooding - Friday, May 06, 2011

DeWitt Spain Airport Inundated With Water

General DeWitt Spain Airport was inundated with flood waters early Thursday morning. Reports said around midnight, part of a berm washed out as well as part of North Second Street, which had already been closed because of rising water. A broken water main contributed to the high water.

36. Mum’s the Word on Wharton’s Involvement in Schools - Thursday, April 07, 2011

If there will be talks to settle the schools consolidation lawsuit out of court, they will probably be conducted out of the public spotlight as much as possible and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. probably will be the circumspect moderator.

37. Takeuchi Joins Memphis Veterinary Specialists - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Dr. Ai Takeuchi has joined Memphis Veterinary Specialists and PetMed Emergency Center as the facility’s first hospitalist.

Hometown: Kugenuma, Japan, but I grew up in Trinidad, U.S., Indonesia and Singapore as well.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, VMD; Mount Holyoke College, BA
Family: I am in Memphis with my husband, Chris, and my son, Aiden, who is almost 4 months old. We have a dog named Bovie and three cats: Rex, Mika and Lailee.
Activities you enjoy outside of work: Eating good food; I’m a foodie and love trying new restaurants. I also love to cook, horseback ride, read books and go on hikes or long walks with the family and our dog, Bovie.
Who has had the greatest influence on you? My mom had the most influence over me. She was a “Tiger Mom” and raising me in different countries while upholding cultural traditions must have been a challenge. She always pushed me to excel and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.
Why did you pursue a career as a veterinarian? At the age of 4, I went from wanting to be a bus driver to a veterinarian. I’ve always loved animals, and taking care of them is my dream job. They have no voice of their own and need someone to champion for them and take their interests at heart. They are all innocent little souls that need someone to watch over them.
What drew you to Memphis Veterinary Specialists? I wanted to work with boarded specialists who offered the highest level of medicine available. I enjoy emergency work as well as the challenges of complicated cases. It is imperative that I can give my clients a variety of medical options, including seeing a premier specialist.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? Whenever I can say I helped a family cope with their pet’s illness and was able to ease both their pain and help their pet. That is a great accomplishment for me.
What do you most enjoy about your work? Making a difference in an animal’s life and their family’s life. Being able to bring comfort to both the pet and the family makes my job fabulous. Even if the diagnosis is not a good one, at least I can answer their questions and help them make the right decision for their family.

38. APNewsBreak: Businesses, PACs Give $1.4M to Haslam - Thursday, February 17, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Businesses, trade groups and political action committees accounted for three out of every five dollars raised for Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's inauguration last month.

39. Muller Brings Love for Memphis to Chamber - Monday, February 07, 2011

In the eyes of Dexter Muller, Memphis’ shining attribute is that it’s too big for its britches.

Memphis is the smallest city in the country that has a NBA team, an airline hub and a zoo with a panda exhibit.

40. Charities Turn Super Sunday into Day of Giving - Friday, February 04, 2011

Several Memphis-based nonprofits are using Super Bowl Sunday as an opportunity to encourage citizens to give back to their community.

For the seventh year in a row, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis, a nonprofit housing ministry dedicated to providing decent housing for all members of the community, is asking football fans to party with a purpose this Sunday for its annual Home Team Huddle.

41. No Election Date Yet For MCS Charter Surrender - Thursday, January 06, 2011

The Shelby County Election Commission met Wednesday and adjourned minutes later without putting the Memphis City Schools (MCS) charter surrender on a special election ballot.

The five-member body refused based on a legal opinion from Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins delivered an hour before the meeting. The opinion says the Memphis City Council must approve having the referendum before the item can go on the ballot.

42. Council Wants Mediation of MCS Funding Dispute - Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Mediation is the latest direction in a complex school funding morass that is getting more complex by the day.

Memphis City Council members Tuesday voted to have their attorney file a motion in Chancery Court seeking non-binding mediation on how and how much the city should pay the Memphis City Schools (MCS) system in a two-year funding dispute.

43. Real Estate Recycling - Monday, November 08, 2010

If sustainability is defined as reuse of land and/or structures for new purposes, Hickory Hill may be the capital of the concept in Memphis.

Consider New Direction Christian Church, which found a home in a vacant big box store and now plans to transform a vacant and blighted apartment complex into a charter middle and high school with a performing arts center. The bulldozers began demolishing the Marina Cove apartments complex last month.

44. Commission Approves New Morgue - Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The legal agreements are in place for the construction of a new Regional Forensic Center.

The Shelby County Commission approved this week the agreements between Shelby County and the state for the construction of the new morgue.

45. Lott Residency Questions Linger After Confirmation - Friday, October 01, 2010

Martha Lott begins serving Friday as head of the city’s General Services Division. But how long she will remain in the post is an open question.

46. Consolidation Sides Gather Steam for Battle - Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Organizers on both sides of the consolidation issue are stepping up their efforts on the way to the Nov. 2 ballot.

A proposed consolidation charter goes to voters on the ballot and must pass in the city of Memphis and the county outside Memphis in separate vote counts.

47. IDB Approves Kirby Parkway PILOT - Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board has approved an eight-year, $3 million tax break for the Nashville developers of a long-term acute-care hospital and outpatient center on Kirby Parkway north of Bill Morris Parkway.

48. Gov. Contender McWherter Tours MED - Monday, August 30, 2010

For candidates running for Tennessee governor, their frequent trips to Memphis this summer have resembled pilgrimages at times.

No one has made the most obvious Memphis pilgrimage stop yet – Graceland – but two other points in the city have been popular.

49. Pinnacle Board Gets Downtown Hard Sell - Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Pinnacle Airlines Corp. executives, after listening to a coordinated, Downtown-focused pitch from developers, businessmen and political leaders, will now take about a month to finish deciding where to relocate their corporate headquarters.

They’re considering sites Downtown, near Memphis International Airport as well as beyond the city. Mississippi has made what Pinnacle acknowledged is a “generous” offer for the company to move to Olive Branch.

Pinnacle executives are in town this week for the Memphis-based regional air carrier’s regular board meeting. Backers of the proposal to make Pinnacle the anchor tenant at Downtown’s One Commerce Square took that opportunity to make their case directly to the company in a private meeting Tuesday evening on the 29th floor of the landmark tower.

After about an hour, Pinnacle executives descended to the One Commerce lobby, where Memphis’ business elite were gathered, refreshments were served, and projected onto a screen were the words “Pinnacle Land Here” against a backdrop of the city.

Guests included a handful of political leaders, representatives of the Greater Memphis Chamber, EmergeMemphis, the Center City Commission and the heads of Memphis two largest locally-based banks, First Tennessee and Independent Bank, among other people.

Contrasting with the traditional nametags everyone else wore, the nametags of Pinnacle board members were brightly colored. All the better, Downtown supporters pointed out, for identifying them and laying on the charm.

“We’re going to fill this building,” exclaimed Karl Schledwitz, one of the partners with Southland Capital president Terry Lynch involved in buying the tower and working to lease a significant portion of it to Pinnacle.

As guests mingled, a marketing video produced by the Center City Commission was played on one wall that featured Downtown workers talking up the neighborhood. The same video was shown earlier that evening during the private pitch to Pinnacle’s board.

Making the case to the board were Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.; incoming Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell and representatives of the investors buying One Commerce, as well as the Center City Commission and the Looney Ricks Kiss architectural firm.

“Pinnacle Airlines Corp.’s board of directors participated in a walk-through of One Commerce Square, hosted by members of the Center City Commission, the investors who are buying the building, and key business and government leaders,” said Phil Trenary, Pinnacle’s president and CEO, in a statement released Tuesday night. “This visit gave our board an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the building.

“Pinnacle has not selected a new site and still has to complete an in-depth analysis on this and other sites. We appreciate the interest and enthusiasm that the City of Memphis, the CCC, the Chamber and the ownership group have shown as we move through this process.”

Tuesday was the culmination of a months-long synchronized attempt at deal-making among several entities working to keep Pinnacle from being lured away from Memphis.

Details of the multimillion-dollar incentive package business and civic leaders have pieced together to cement the Downtown location for Pinnacle also began to trickle out Tuesday.

Coupled with that, a series of well-timed dominoes still needs to fall into place before a deal sweetened with a variety of incentives comes together.

Lynch confirmed Tuesday afternoon that several things have to happen more or less simultaneously.

The city, or perhaps an entity like one of the Center City Commission’s affiliated boards, would need to buy a nearby parking garage at the same time the investors buy One Commerce Square and at the same time Pinnacle signs a lease. Plans in the works now call for leasing the nearby parking garage back to One Commerce Square's new owners and giving Pinnacle parking there. More Pinnacle parking would be available at 250 Peabody Place.

Lynch said a memorandum of understanding has already been making its way around to various people involved in the deal. Wharton, outgoing Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford and CCC President Paul Morris have all signed a memo outlining the proposed incentives.

Lynch said U.S. Bank, the current owner of One Commerce Square, has accepted the investment group’s bid, but plenty more moving pieces need to fall into place.

“We have a letter of intent and we’re working through a contract right now. We’re just going back and forth. That’s the status of it right now,” Lynch said.

He said the timeline for next steps is fluid.

“If we don’t get past the first one, we can’t get to the second one,” Lynch said. “There’s various steps we have to get to.”

Wharton said Tuesday the city would like to commit $3 million from the $5 million economic development fund Wharton recently asked for the City Council’s approval to establish.

Wharton also mentioned Tuesday the possibility of applying for $15 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act bond allocations from the state to add to the pot of financing for the Pinnacle deal.

Another facet of the issue is how to pay for and fit into the package the acquisition of a nearby parking garage for Pinnacle’s use. The importance of that topic was discussed by Downtown officials with Pinnacle’s board Tuesday night.

“Landing Pinnacle Downtown would be a big boost in all kinds of ways,” said council member Bill Boyd.

U.S. Bancorp recently accepted the bid to buy One Commerce Square tower from a group of investors that includes Lynch; Schledwitz; and Gary Prosterman.

Lynch’s group is committing $25 million to $30 million on the building, which includes the purchase price and improvements to the building in the coming months. The group is now teeing up a deal to make Pinnacle the building's anchor tenant, something that Wharton has said will be an attraction to other businesses that have expressed interest in following suit if Pinnacle inks a deal.

Lynch wasn’t able to disclose the building's formal purchase price, but One Commerce Square was listed for $12 million.

Look for updates at The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

50. Bass Pro Founder Sees Vital Partnership with DU - Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris said this week he hopes Ducks Unlimited will be a partner with his company in the planning of attractions for The Pyramid.

51. Salazar Promotes Conservation Funding During Memphis Visit - Thursday, July 29, 2010

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made a strong push during a Memphis visit this week for full funding of the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund for what he described as “Gulf Coast restoration on steroids.”

52. Rout Brings Experience, Leadership To BankTennessee - Friday, July 23, 2010

Jim Rout was an elected official in Shelby County for nearly 30 years and served two terms as the county’s mayor, beginning in 1994.

It’s safe to say he’s a very experienced public speaker, but back in 1961, as a freshman at then-Memphis State University, the prospect of speaking in front of a few of his college classmates was so daunting that he walked out of the class and never came back.

53. DECISION '10: Mayor’s Race a Contest Between Contrasting Styles - Monday, July 19, 2010

The race for Shelby County mayor offers a choice between two very different politicians who, while in the political spotlight for years, have often been near the edges of that light.

Joe Ford, the interim Shelby County mayor and Democratic nominee, is a former Shelby County Commissioner and City Council member. He has served as chairman of both legislative bodies. Ford also is the face of the city’s most storied political family.

54. Bass Pro’s CEO To Meet With Wharton - Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Bass Pro Shops CEO Jim Hagale is due in Memphis Friday.

Hagale’s name turned up on Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s list of public meetings and appearances for this week.

Hagale is scheduled to meet with Wharton as well as City Attorney Herman Morris.

55. Former Atlanta Mayor To Highlight CCC Meeting - Monday, June 14, 2010

Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will be the keynote speaker at the Center City Commission’s annual luncheon.

56. Wynstone Mill Lots Hit Auction Block - Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Thirty-six lots in the Wynstone Mill subdivision of the Schilling Farms Planned Development have been foreclosed and will be sold in a substitute trustee’s sale, according to a pair of notices that begin on Page 38 of today’s print edition of The Daily News and also at The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

57. Sheriff's Race Attracts Hard-Boiled Veterans - Monday, April 19, 2010

Most of the Democratic and Republican candidates for Shelby County sheriff gathered last month in the office of outgoing Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

58. Events - Thursday, April 01, 2010

The Greater Memphis Chamber will hold a breakfast forum today from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Memphis Marriott East, 2625 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Meri Armour, president and chief executive officer of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, will speak. Cost is $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. To register, contact Ericka Milford at 543-3518 or emilford@memphischamber.com.

59. The Road Ahead - Thursday, April 01, 2010

Hardly anyone refers to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by its official name. They instead abbreviate it as “ARRA,” or more commonly, call it the “stimulus plan.”

No matter its acronym or moniker, the landmark legislation approved by Congress last year pledged $787 billion in tax cuts and funding – and promised to spark the U.S. economy.

60. Both Sides Take Tobacco Fight to Supreme Court - Monday, February 22, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to allow the government to seek nearly $300 billion from the tobacco industry for a half-century of deception that "has cost the lives and damaged the health of untold millions of Americans."

61. County Mayor Deadlock Moves to Next Week - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The pressure of 24 roll call votes didn’t change any minds. Attempts at persuasion between the votes didn’t change any votes on the Shelby County Commission.

So now commissioners on both sides of the body’s deadlock over an interim county mayor are counting on another tactic to break the draw between Commissioners Joe Ford and J.W. Gibson – time.

62. A City in Transition - Monday, November 09, 2009

Just before sunrise on a rainy Tuesday morning, the armed officers raided the city office. They didn’t make any arrests, but they took files, interviewed employees and served search warrants. And they temporarily closed the Memphis Animal Shelter.

63. Chaotic Council Welcomes Wharton To ‘Land of Fire’ - Thursday, October 22, 2009

Memphis Mayor-elect A C Wharton Jr. got an early welcome to the ways of City Hall in the week before he took the oath of office.

It came from the City Council he will serve with for the next two years.

64. Morris Confirmed As City Atty. - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Memphis Mayor elect A C Wharton Jr. was put to the test by Memphis City Council members before he even takes office.

The council approved his indirect nomination of Herman Morris as the new city attorney.

And it approved his five indirect nominees to the Metro Charter Commission.

But there was a lot of discussion among council members this afternoon and evening about:

-Morris being paid $140,000 a year as city attorney, $15 thousand more than his predecessor, Elbert Jefferson.

-Whether Morris was the choice of outgoing Mayor Pro Tempore Myron Lowery or Wharton. The answer was Wharton with Lowery making the appointment since he is still mayor.

In another rapid move, Wharton and Lowery teamed up to appoint the five city of Memphis representatives to the Metro Charter Commission. All five nominees were recommended by members of the City Council. Normally, the council votes on such groups of nominees to one body with a single vote on the slate. The council voted separately on all five.

The original five nominees were:

-Damon Griffin, an assistant District Attorney General.

-Carmen Sandoval, an administrative director at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

-Steve Ross, a freelance video and technical director who also has a popular political blog.

-Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis city council member.

-Rev. Ralph White, pastor of Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist Church and candidate for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in past elections as well as in the 2010 elections.

Strickland was named just this week to Wharton’s transition team. But he is giving up the transition team spot to serve on the charter group. Council members Bill Boyd and Joe Brown voted against Strickland’s appointment saying they considered it to be a conflict of interest for an elected official to serve on the commission. Brown didn’t vote on the other nominations. Council member Wanda Halbert passed on Strickland.

Ross encountered vocal resistance during committee sessions from council members upset with critical comments he has made on his blog about council members. Council member Shea Flinn, who recommended Ross, came to his defense during an emotional committee discussion – clashing with Brown as Lowery and Wharton watched from the end of the council committee table.

“I’m a real man,” Brown told Flinn at the end of the exchange. “I’m a real black man. I hope you are a real white man.”

By the time the council voted, Wharton and Lowery decided to pull his nomination and instead nominated Richard Smith, a FedEx executive and son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. Council member Janis Fullilove was the only no vote. Halbert recused herself because she works at FedEx. Brown and Boyd did not vote.

65. Wharton Picks Morris for City Attorney Post - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
 

Memphis Mayor elect A C Wharton Jr. was put to the test by Memphis City Council members before he even takes office.

The council Tuesday approved his indirect nomination of Herman Morris as the new city attorney. And it approved his five indirect nominees to the Metro Charter Commission.

But there was a lot of discussion among council members this afternoon and evening about:

• Morris being paid $140,000 a year as city attorney, $15 thousand more than his predecessor, Elbert Jefferson.

• Whether Morris was the choice of outgoing Mayor Pro Tempore Myron Lowery or Wharton. The answer was Wharton with Lowery making the appointment since he is still mayor.

In another rapid move, Wharton and Lowery teamed up to appoint the five city of Memphis representatives to the Metro Charter Commission. All five nominees were recommended by members of the City Council. Normally, the council votes on such groups of nominees to one body with a single vote on the slate. The council voted separately on all five.

The original five nominees were:

• Damon Griffin, an assistant District Attorney General.
• Carmen Sandoval, an administrative director at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
• Steve Ross, a freelance video and technical director who also has a popular political blog.
• Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis city council member.
• Rev. Ralph White, pastor of Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist Church and candidate for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in past elections as well as in the 2010 elections.

Strickland was named just this week to Wharton’s transition team. But he is giving up the transition team spot to serve on the charter group. Council members Bill Boyd and Joe Brown voted against Strickland’s appointment saying they considered it to be a conflict of interest for an elected official to serve on the commission. Brown didn’t vote on the other nominations. Council member Wanda Halbert passed on Strickland.

Ross encountered vocal resistance during committee sessions from council members upset with critical comments he has made on his blog about council members. Council member Shea Flinn, who recommended Ross, came to his defense during an emotional committee discussion – clashing with Brown as Lowery and Wharton watched from the end of the council committee table.

“I’m a real man,” Brown told Flinn at the end of the exchange. “I’m a real black man. I hope you are a real white man.”

By the time the council voted, Wharton and Lowery decided to pull his nomination and instead nominated Richard Smith, a FedEx executive and son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. Council member Janis Fullilove was the only no vote. Halbert recused herself because she works at FedEx. Brown and Boyd did not vote.

66. Greenville, S.C., Publisher Elected SNPA President - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Steve Brandt, president and publisher of The Greenville (S.C.) News, was elected president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association during the SNPA's annual convention Monday.

67. City Mayoral Transition Yields Crowded To-Do List - Tuesday, October 20, 2009
 

Memphis Mayor-elect A C Wharton Jr. will be appointing a new city attorney once he takes office next week.

Elbert Jefferson, the city attorney Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery tried to fire just minutes after taking the oath of office on July 31, Friday sent a second resignation letter to Lowery. The two met for an hour Sunday evening at City Hall and Lowery accepted Jefferson’s resignation.

Jefferson’s attorney, Ted Hansom, and city Chief Administrative Officer Jack Sammons were also present. Jefferson turned in his key card, the keys to his city car and his laptop.

“The drama is over,” Lowery said Monday. “For my part, I wish it had never happened.”

Dramatis personae

In a resignation letter last week to Wharton, Jefferson had expressed hope that he would be hired for some position in the new administration. Over the weekend, he used the same text in the new letter but addressed it to Lowery instead. He requested the city pay his legal fees as well.

The resignation letter to Lowery made moot an ouster suit filed by Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons. Criminal Court Judge James Lammey, who was to hear the case, reset a final report to Oct. 27, citing Jefferson’s departure.

“A hearing on the issue of suspension would be an inefficient use of judicial resources, of the state of Tennessee and of the resources of the city of Memphis, and considering (Jefferson’s) current health status, would be an unnecessary tax on (Jefferson’s) well-being and a possible threat to his health,” Lammey wrote in the court order.

Jefferson was scheduled to return to City Hall from sick leave Monday. He apparently believed the new mayor would be in office by the time he returned.

An audit of city financial affairs is standard procedure in a change of administrations. Wharton is naming team members to review the offices of the city attorney, human resources and finance and administration. He was also to name members of his transition team Monday.

Time-, battle-tested

Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter and Methodist Healthcare executive Cato Johnson will head the team.

The other members are:

- Herman Morris, attorney and 2007 candidate for Memphis Mayor.

- Tomeka Hart, Memphis Urban League CEO and Memphis school board member.

- Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis City Council member.

- Rev. Dwight Montgomery, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Memphis chapter President.

- Jose Velasquez, Latino Memphis former executive director.

- Nisha Powers, Powers Hill Design Inc. President.

- Paul Morris, attorney and former chairman Center City Commission.

- Douglas Scarboro, The Leadership Academy vice president.

- Steve Reynolds, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. CEO.

- Diane Rudner, Plough Foundation chairman.

- Darrell Cobbins, Universal Commercial CEO.

Johnson has more experience serving on such task forces and ad hoc committees than any other leader in the city’s corporate community. Most recently, Johnson was one of two business leaders on the ad hoc committee exploring single-source local funding for education. He also served as a leader of the Mid-South Fairgrounds renovation committee and has been involved in similar capacities with every major construction project for a civic use in the past 15 years.

Carpenter’s appointment is certain to fuel speculation that he might be tapped for some role in the new administration. However, Carpenter has already been holding fundraisers in anticipation of a bid for re-election to his commission seat in the 2010 county elections.

Wharton is tentatively scheduled to take the oath of office Oct. 26.

The Shelby County Commission also meets that same day and could receive Wharton’s resignation and declare a vacancy in the county mayor’s office with a vote to appoint Wharton’s successor-to-come in November. Until that vote, County Commission Chairwoman Joyce Avery will serve as interim mayor.

“It will be a day in which I come to work at one place and leave work from another place,” Wharton told The Daily News.

But the Shelby County Election Commission will meet earlier than expected -- Thursday afternoon -- to certify the Oct. 15 election results. Once the results are certified, Wharton is free to resign as Shelby County mayor and take the oath as Memphis mayor.

Cooperative efforts

Meanwhile, Wharton has asked City Council Chairman Harold Collins to consider delaying a council vote today on the five appointees the city mayor is to make to a metro charter commission. The council set today’s vote with the intention of having whomever won the Oct. 15 special election appoint members of the panel.

“I won’t be there on the 20th. … I’m seeing if they are in a position to put it off until I’m actually over there,” Wharton told The Daily News, as he has had attorneys researching if a council vote in November would meet timelines for such an effort set out in state law.

“I believe that they may be able to meet on Nov. 3,” Wharton said.

Wharton has already named the 10 appointees to be made by the Shelby County mayor to the panel. The County Commission approved all 10 earlier this month.

While it appears he will make the other five, Wharton said he will ask the council, through Collins, to effectively pick the five nominees, whom Wharton would then send to the council as his appointees.

“I chose all 10 over here, which I had to do by law. If I could find some way around it that passed legal muster, then I would do that,” he said. “But we’ve researched it and I know of no way in which the city mayor can say … ‘I’m not going to do that.’ You can’t transfer it.”

Wharton and Lowery were to discuss the matter at a meeting Monday afternoon. Lowery told The Daily News he had received no suggested appointees from council members, but would be willing to submit names the council wants on the charter commission.

68. Byrd Enters 2010 Race For County Mayor - Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Seven years after he first ran for Shelby County mayor but reluctantly called off his bid, longtime Bartlett banker Harold Byrd is back.

69. Byrd Enters 2010 Race for County Mayor - Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Seven years after he first ran for Shelby County mayor but reluctantly called off his bid, longtime Bartlett banker Harold Byrd is back.

“I’m Harold Byrd, and I want to be your Shelby County mayor,” is how he put it in a video on the campaign Web site, www.haroldbyrdformayor.com, he unveiled Tuesday.

The founder, vice chairman and president of Bank of Bartlett, Byrd made his intentions known about next year’s county mayor race the day before Shelby County Commission member Deidre Malone kicks off her bid for county mayor at the University of Memphis.

Malone’s campaign launches tomorrow night at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis.

A group of more than 60 Byrd supporters, calling themselves the Harold Byrd for Mayor Support Group, sent out this e-mail Tuesday: “Please join with us in our support of Harold Byrd as our next Shelby County Mayor! Harold has demonstrated talented, tireless, and effective leadership in government, business, and the community! We need a leader that can make a difference. Please show your support by visiting www.haroldbyrdformayor.com and joining the winning team!”

The group includes a broad cross section of Shelby Countians, everyone from former U of M basketball players Penny Hardaway and Elliot Perry to former county Mayor Bill Morris. Also included in the group are civil rights activists Maxine and Vasco Smith, developer Jackie Welch and his daughter, Dawn, Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson, developer Terry Dan and the former general manager of the Memphis Redbirds Allie Prescott.

Byrd told The Daily News Tuesday’s development does not represent a formal campaign announcement. It’s an acknowledgement supporters are urging him to run, so he wants to see what kind of response the news generates.

Current Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton Jr., whose term ends next year, is running in next month’s special election to succeed former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.

70. Service First: Nonprofit orgs struggle to balance client needs with funding shortages - Monday, September 14, 2009

Rahema Barber gazed into the void of the Power House. It looked as though all the art had been wiped away: blank walls, empty rooms and silent space.

What had been a center of creative energy was about to become a shuttered building once again – just six years after the nonprofit Delta Axis had transformed the old coal plant into a venue for contemporary art and film.

71. U.S. Supreme Court Receptive to Freer Election Spending - Thursday, September 10, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it may let businesses and unions spend freely to help their favored political candidates in time for next year's elections.

In a case that began with a movie attacking Hillary Rodham Clinton, newly seated Justice Sonia Sotomayor jumped right into the questioning. She appeared skeptical about taking the far-reaching step of lifting the ban, a move urged on the court by a lawyer for a group that made the 90-minute movie that sought to undermine Clinton's presidential ambitions.

72. Dress Newest Pathologist At Pathology Group of the MidSouth - Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Dr. Matthew A. Dress has joined Pathology Group of the MidSouth PC as its newest pathologist.

Before joining Pathology Group of the MidSouth, Dress served as the chief resident in anatomic and clinical pathology at the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Tennessee. He then completed a fellowship in hematopathology at the University of Rochester Medical Center-Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. 

73. Youth Jobs Program’s Growth Leads to Pay Problems - Friday, August 28, 2009

When reporters showed up at City Hall Wednesday, a dry erase board was still on an easel in the mayor’s conference room.

“Gather timesheets for all 334 worksites,” read one line written in red.

74. Mayor’s Race Gets ‘Crazy’ As Election Day Approaches - Tuesday, August 25, 2009

“It’s crazy now,” Memphis Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery told members of the Downtown Neighborhood Association last week.

Lowery was contemplating the possibility of more than 30 candidates in the Oct. 15 special election for mayor. He described it as “the circus that’s getting ready to happen in this city.”

75. Kyle Crafts Run for Governor in Common Terms - Wednesday, August 12, 2009

A few minutes before noon Tuesday, the voices of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell burst out of loudspeakers, launching into “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

When state Sen. Jim Kyle mounted the podium amid those speakers arrayed in front of the McWherter Library at the University of Memphis, he and his supporters outlined different versions of that same idea in announcing Kyle’s 2010 gubernatorial bid.

76. House Set to Send FDA Tobacco Bill to Obama - Monday, June 15, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - After more than a decade of efforts by smoking opponents, Congress prepared to take a final vote Friday on legislation giving the government far-reaching powers to regulate tobacco and limit tobacco industry marketing and sales practices that lure young people into smoking habits.

77. Events - Monday, June 15, 2009

The Greater Memphis Chamber will hold a metro mixer Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. Deadline for registration is today. To register, contact Tunga Lee at 543-3571 or tlee@memphischamber.com.

78. Historic Anti-Smoking Vote to Give FDA New Power - Friday, June 12, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress struck the government's strongest anti-smoking blow in decades Thursday with a Senate vote to give regulators new power to limit nicotine in cigarettes, drastically curtail ads and ban candied tobacco products aimed at young people.

79. Life After City Hall: The story behind Herenton’s Washington surprise - Thursday, May 07, 2009

You would think that Mayor Willie Herenton’s “resignation” last spring as he thought about trying out for Memphis City Schools superintendent would be difficult to top.

80. Reappraisal Notices To Go Out Friday - Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Some of the most expensive pieces of commercial real estate in Shelby County are the area’s shopping malls. Reappraisal notices sent out last week to the mall owners show the degree to which that’s the case.

81. Duncan Named Senior VP For Homewood Suites by Hilton - Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Bill Duncan has been appointed senior vice president of brand management for Homewood Suites by Hilton and the newly launched Home2 Suites by Hilton.

82. Harrah’s Names New Regional President - Thursday, December 18, 2008

Harrah’s Entertainment has named a new regional president to supervise management of casinos in Mississippi and North Carolina.

R. Scott Barber will move to the Memphis area from Atlantic City, N.J., in late January. He will replace Bill Wright, who was general manager of the Tunica casinos until a month ago, said Valerie Morris, regional vice president of communications and community affairs.

83. Harrah’s Names New Regional President - Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Harrah’s Entertainment has named a new regional president to supervise management of casinos in Mississippi and North Carolina.

R. Scott Barber will move to the Memphis area from Atlantic City, N.J., in late January. He will replace Bill Wright, who was general manager of the Tunica casinos until a month ago, said Valerie Morris, regional vice president of communications and community affairs.

“He will be taking on additional responsibilities for the Cherokee, N.C., property and also the Margaritaville property in Biloxi,” Morris said. “He will be a regional president versus a divisional president.”

Wright managed the Tunica casinos for three years before his departure.

The management change will not have any impact on Harrah’s decision to close its Memphis corporate offices and consolidate those operations in Las Vegas, Morris said.

Ricky Busey, the assistant general manager of Harrah’s Tunica, and Sherri Pucci Sosa, the assistant general manager for the Horseshoe and Sheraton Casinos in Tunica, will report to Barber.

The Margaritaville property is still under construction.

Barber is now senior vice president and general manager at Harrah’s Atlantic City. His promotion is pending approval by state regulators.

Harrah’s, which is one of the Mid-South’s largest employers, has more than 4,000 people working at its Tunica properties.

84. Holiday Shopping Season Off to a Modest Start - Tuesday, December 02, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - The Thanksgiving shopping weekend may not have been the disaster some had feared, but unprecedented discounts and tempered buying likely resulted in overall soft sales as a buying binge on Friday quickly fizzled. Now, online retailers are ramping up deals to turn skittish shoppers into "Cyber Monday" spenders.

85. Tobacco Bill Unlikely to Pass This Year - Wednesday, September 10, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - Landmark legislation that would give federal health authorities the power to regulate the tobacco industry is unlikely to pass this year.

The House overwhelmingly approved the bill this summer, and a majority of senators, including presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, support the legislation. But President Bush has threatened a veto, and the prospect of a drawn-out debate will probably keep the Senate from taking up the measure as it races through a tight schedule this month, senior congressional officials of both parties said.

86. Hennessy Joins Board Of Opportunity Scholarship Trust - Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Scott C. Hennessy, president and chief executive officer of True Temper Sports, has joined the board of directors of Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust.

Hennessy will help direct the operations and growth of the nonprofit organization, which provides scholarships and tuition assistance. Hennessy also serves on the Board of Governors of the National Golf Foundation.

87. Cohen, Blackburn Lead Local Election Winners - Monday, August 11, 2008

More than half and possibly as much as 75 percent of Shelby County’s nearly 626,000 voters are expected to turn out for the Nov. 4 election that will be highlighted by the John McCain-Barack Obama battle for the White House.

88. Cohen Crushes Tinker - Jackson Upsets Turner - Charter Changes Pass-Fail - Friday, August 08, 2008
Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen was the big winner in Thursday’s primary elections. Cohen, with 80 percent of the vote, crushed challenger Nikki Tinker in the hard fought 9th District Democratic primary.

The upset of the evening was the general election contest for General Sessions Court Clerk where Democratic challenger Otis Jackson beat Republican incumbent Chris Turner.

And only one of two sets of Shelby County charter amendments on the ballot were approved by voters.

Voter turnout was just under 16 percent in Shelby County. Voter turnout was clearly driven by the 9th District Democratic primary. More people voted in that primary which covers most but not all of Shelby County than voted countywide in the state Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. Turnout in the Democratic primaries was twice that of the Republican primaries in Shelby County.

All results are unofficial pending audit and certification by the Shelby County Election Commission and Tennessee election officials

9th Congressional District
Democratic Primary
Steve Cohen 50,284 79%
Nikki Tinker 11,814 19%
Joe Towns Jr. 914 1%

Not even close. Cohen won the primary for the open all Shelby County seat two years ago by 4,400 votes over Tinker and 13 other candidates. This time around he was the incumbent and Tinker’s challenge was more strident with a pair of controversial attack ads in the gap between the end of early voting and election day. Both were probably factors in the vote totals along with a smaller field of five candidates.

Cohen faces independent candidate Jake Ford in the Nov. 4 general election.

7th Congressional District
Republican Primary
248 of 265 precincts reporting
Marsha Blackburn 29,158 65%
Tom Leatherwood 15,636 35%

These are the results district wide which includes not only the eastern part of Shelby County but a strip of Middle Tennessee up to the Kentucky state line. In Shelby County’s part of the 7th district, Leatherwood beat Blackburn with 62 percent of the vote. But it was 62 percent of just over 19,000 votes. Outside Shelby County it was always going to be difficult for Leatherwood.. The low voter turnout in Collierville and other eastern parts of the county made Leatherwood’s task impossible.

Blackburn faces Democrat Randy G. Morris on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Shelby County Charter Amendment #360
Yes  49,506   49.73%

No   50,043   50,27%

Closest contest of the night in Shelby County with a 537 vote margin and the highest turnout with 99,549 votes total.

This set of charter changes was to fix a legal problem noted in a recent Tennessee Supreme Court ruling. Another part of the package deal was increasing term limits for the county mayor and the county commission from two consecutive four year terms approved by voters in 1994 to three consecutive four year terms. The County Commission meets Monday to ponder whether it should offer another charter amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot that would fix the legal problem.

Shelby County Charter Amendment #361
Yes 65,548 68%
No 30,188 32%

This set of charter amendment includes provisions for recalling elected officials. It also establishes a new method for filling a vacancy in the office of County Mayor.

General Sessions Court Clerk
Otis Jackson 51,438 52%
Chris Turner 43,971 45%

The upset of the evening. Turner, the Republican nominee and the incumbent was seeking a fourth term. Jackson, the Democratic nominee, was making his fourth bid for county-wide office after coming close in a 2006 bid for County Clerk.

Trustee
Paul Mattila 54,734 57%
Ray Butler 29,977 31%

Mattila beats Butler in a race featuring an energetic and misleading campaign by M. LaTroy Williams in which Williams billed himself as the “real Democrat.” He was, in fact, an independent candidate garnering 8 percent of the vote. Mattila fills the remaining two years left in the term of office of the late Bob Patterson, a Republican. Mattila, a Democrat, worked with Patterson. Butler, the Republican, was also a friend of Patterson’s and the race amounted to who would best continue to operate the office as Patterson did.

Criminal Court Judge Div. 6
John Fowlkes 44,581 52%
Latonya Burrow 21,874 26%
Michael G. Floyd 12,071 14%
Claiborne H. Ferguson 6,240 7%

Fowlkes serves out the remaining six years left of the eight year term of office of Fred Axley who resigned from the bench shortly after winning re-election in 2006. Burrow finished a close second to Axley two years ago and again ran an energetic campaign this time around. But Fowlkes status in the legal community and his appointment to the bench by Gov. Phil Bredesen proved to be the advantage.

Assessor of Property
Cheyenne Johnson 59,637 60%
Bill Giannini 39,057 40%

Johnson, the Democratic nominee, easily beat Giannini, who is also doubling as local GOP chairman. Local Democrats keep the county-wide position in their column as voters go for the candidate endorsed by outgoing Democratic incumbent Rita Clark.

U.S. Senate
Democratic Primary
2,192 of 2,290 precincts reporting
Bob Tuke 54,613 32%
Gary G. Davis 37,193 22%
Mike Padgett 32,190 19%
Mark Clayton 30,359 18%
Kenneth Eaton 13,718 8%
Leonard Ladner 4,431 3%

These are the statewide results. Tuke got 42 percent of the Shelby County vote with Clayton finishing second. Tuke, the former state Democratic Party chairman, faces Republican incumbent Lamar Alexander, one of the most successful politicians in the history of the state, in the Nov. 4 general election.

Judicial Retention Races

All seven state appellate court judges, including two Tennessee Supreme Court justices, won their yes/no contests on the ballot across the state. That includes Tennessee Criminal Appeals Court Judge Camille McMullen of Millington who was just appointed to the bench in June by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

89. Addington Joins Memphis Heart Clinic - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Dr. M. Brent Addington has joined Memphis Heart Clinic. Addington is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. A native of Memphis, he has been in private practice for more than 20 years in the Memphis community.

90. Few Surprises At Filing Deadline - Monday, April 07, 2008

About half of Shelby County's delegation to the Tennessee Legislature won re-election at Thursday's filing deadline for candidates on the Aug. 7 ballot.

Eight of the 16 state House seats had only one candidate - the incumbent. And all three of the state Senate seats on the ballot were incumbent-only affairs.

91. Commission Moves Forward On Reshaping Elected Offices - Friday, March 21, 2008

Five countywide offices - sheriff, trustee, register, assessor and county clerk - would remain elected with term limits of three four-year terms under a set of Charter Commission amendments being assembled by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. But all five offices would lose some power.

92. Spiegel to Begin Work Friday as CEO At Methodist University Hospital - Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Kevin M. Spiegel Friday will begin work as chief executive officer and administrator of Methodist University Hospital.

Spiegel is board-certified in health care administration and is a fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives. He previously served as president and chief operating officer of Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren, Ohio.

93. 'Sicko' Raises Flags About Larger Health Care Issues - Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Michael Moore films are intended to raise the dander, and channeling that anger into thoughtful discussion was the aim of a recent screening of "Sicko" at Rhodes College.

Steve Haynes, a professor of religious studies at Rhodes, hosted the event. It was followed by a lively open discussion with Scott Morris, a family practice doctor and the Methodist minister who started the Church Health Center, which serves the working poor.

94. Bowers Receives 16-Month Prison Sentence - Monday, February 18, 2008

She came to federal court on Valentine's Day wearing red - her hair a slightly different shade of red than her jacket. Some of her supporters wore red as well and carried homemade signs with hearts on them.

95. Obama, Huckabee Dominate Shelby in Tenn. Primaries - Thursday, February 07, 2008

The presidential primary season came to a rain-soaked and stormy end Tuesday evening in Memphis even as some voters were still showing up at the polls.

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee carried Shelby County in Tuesday's Tennessee presidential primaries in which 24 percent of Shelby County's 611,000 registered voters cast ballots.

96. Obama, Huckabee Carry Shelby In Tn Primary - Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee carried Shelby County in Tuesday’s Tennessee presidential primaries.

Huckabee went on to win statewide in the GOP contest while New York Sen. Hillary Clinton took the statewide Democratic primary.

97. Keep Pensions Away From Iran, Some Legislators Say - Monday, January 14, 2008

Shortly before the Tennessee General Assembly reconvened in Nashville last week, two local state lawmakers introduced a bill with a faraway target in mind: Iran.

More specifically, the legislation they sponsored creates a mandate directed at managers of the state's $33 billion public pension system. Its goal is to keep the pool of money that Tennessee police officers, firefighters and tens of thousands of other professionals will dip into when they retire away from companies that do business with Iran, a country the U.S. State Department has called the world's most active state sponsor of terrorism.

98. Events - Tuesday, January 08, 2008

The Memphis Rotary Club will meet today at noon in Ballroom B of the Memphis Cook Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. A lunch buffet will be provided for $18. Dr. Vivian Morris, director of the New Teacher Center at the University of Memphis, will speak on "Seven Steps to Improve Student Achievement in Memphis." Reservations should be made to Taylor Hughes at 526-1318 or taylor@memphisrotary.org.

99. Events - Monday, January 07, 2008

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners committee meetings will begin today at 9 a.m. in the fourth floor conference room of the Shelby County Administration Building, 160 N. Main St. For a complete schedule of commission meeting times, call Steve Summerall, chief administrator, at 545-4301.

100. Herenton : Will 'Hit Hard' On Consolidation - Friday, January 04, 2008

Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton says he is open to several possible ways of consolidating city and county governments. But he wants one vote by Shelby Countians on any proposal that might make it onto a ballot.