West Tennessee residents who purchase health care insurance through Community Health Alliance beginning this fall will be directed to providers at Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities.

The exclusive agreement should be a boon for the Memphis-based Baptist system, which operates 14 hospitals in West Tennessee, North Mississippi and eastern Arkansas. The Baptist network also includes more than 4,000 affiliated physicians, a multi-specialty physician group of more than 450 providers, home, hospice and psychiatric care, and a network of surgery, rehabilitation and outpatient centers.

2. Love of Public Service Drives Caldwell to Law School Role - Thursday, May 23, 2013

In 2008, the Tennessee Supreme Court laid out a strategic plan to get attorneys more involved in pro bono work.

Though it isn’t required of the state’s professionals, there is an inspirational goal of 50 hours per year of public service that is heavily encouraged by the justices.

3. Armstrong Hears Whalum-Woods Election Dispute - Thursday, May 23, 2013

On his way this week to hearing and later deciding the case of a disputed election for a countywide school board seat, Chancellor Kenny Armstrong got a feel for the complexities voters faced in the 2012 election and beyond.

4. Kroger Announces Changes to Whitehaven Store - Thursday, May 23, 2013

The latest upgrade of a Kroger supermarket in Memphis to be announced by the grocery giant’s Delta Division will be the Whitehaven store at 1212 E. Shelby Drive.

5. Local Startup Chosen for Launch TN Conference - Thursday, May 23, 2013

Memphis’ startup community will have a presence next month at Southland, Launch Tennessee’s new conference highlighting Southern culture and technology to be held in Nashville.

Kufikia, a subsidiary of Memphis-based startup venture Work for Pie, is one of 50 companies that will participate in the June 12-13 event. And the benefits are many, some of which carry the prospect of big rewards.

6. Kramer Given Crystal Award by Carwash Association - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bruce Kramer, an attorney with Apperson Crump PLC, has been given the Crystal Award by the International Carwash Association for his 20 years of service as the association’s general counsel. The association, which was started in Memphis in 1955, is comprised of 15,000 professional car wash operators, retailers and suppliers in 25 nations.

7. Suburbs Return School Districts to Ballot - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

As three of Shelby County’s six suburban towns and cities locked in July 16 referendums on forming municipal school districts, there were indications of renewed discussions between the suburban leaders and Shelby County Commissioners on the terms of forming those districts.

8. Commission Approves Certified Tax Rate As Prelude To Tax Debate - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners established a certified county property tax rate of $4.32 Monday, May 20, after much debate about what the calculation means in a reappraisal year where reappraisal values went down instead of up or staying roughly even.

9. Club 152 Hearing Delayed to Tuesday - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

A first hearing on the nuisance court order that closed Club 152 on Beale Street last week was postponed Monday, May 20, to Tuesday before General Sessions Environmental Court Judge Larry Potter.

10. Iberiabank Installs New Executive in Memphis - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Iberiabank has a new senior vice president and commercial relationship manager in the bank’s Memphis market.

Brandon Cooper will be in the bank’s Memphis-area corporate office at 4984 Poplar Ave. He comes to Iberiabank from Trustmark National Bank, where he was first vice president and commercial relationship manager.

11. City Council Mulls Ending Auto Inspections - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris will propose Tuesday, May 21, exempting Memphis auto owners for two years from required auto emissions inspections.

12. Club 152 Makes Appearance in Environmental Court - Monday, May 20, 2013

The owners of Club 152 in the Beale Street entertainment district are due in Shelby County General Sessions Environmental Court Monday, May 20, for the first hearing on the injunction that closed the popular nightspot Thursday afternoon as a public nuisance.

13. Commission Begins Busy Week on Schools Front - Monday, May 20, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners may not have much to say at their Monday, May 20, meeting about a critical decision to come on funding for the new consolidated school system.

That’s more likely to happen at a Wednesday committee session, where they will review the $1.18 billion budget proposal formally for the first time since it was approved Thursday by the countywide school board.

14. Bill Haslam Vetoes ‘Ag Gag’ Bill - Saturday, May 18, 2013

Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday vetoed a bill that would require images documenting animal abuse be turned over to law enforcement within 48 hours, saying his main concern is its constitutionality.

State Attorney General Bob Cooper last week said in a legal opinion that the measure would be “constitutionally suspect” because it could violate Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination and for placing burdens on news collection.

15. Governor Signs Ignition Interlock Bill - Saturday, May 18, 2013

Tennessee’s ignition interlock law will apply to more drunken drivers under legislation signed by Gov. Bill Haslam.

Currently, ignition-locking devices, which force drivers to pass breath tests to start vehicles and keep them running, are required for DUI offenders whose blood alcohol level topped 0.15 percent.

16. Club 152 on Beale Closed as Nuisance - Friday, May 17, 2013

Club 152 in the Beale Street entertainment district was closed Thursday, May 16, as a public nuisance.

Memphis Police and officials with the Shelby County District Attorney General’s office emptied the three-level club of customers and employees and then had a locksmith padlock the doors to the club.

17. Governor Signs Ignition Interlock Bill - Friday, May 17, 2013

Tennessee’s ignition interlock law will apply to more drunken drivers under legislation signed by Gov. Bill Haslam.

Currently, ignition-locking devices, which force drivers to pass breath tests to start vehicles and keep them running, are required for DUI offenders whose blood alcohol level topped 0.15 percent.

18. Henry Discusses Decision Not to Seek Re-Election - Thursday, May 16, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Longtime Sen. Douglas Henry said Wednesday that his health and the high cost of campaigning were factors in his decision not to seek re-election next year, even though he believes he could win if he did run.

19. River Infrastructure Fee Tough Sell in DC - Thursday, May 16, 2013

U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher told a group of business owners and others who work on the Mississippi River that the political environment in Washington is changing.

Fincher is a member of the Congressional Mississippi River Caucus that is pushing for continuing funding for infrastructure along the river.

20. Profitable Year Has Paragon Upbeat - Thursday, May 16, 2013

Executives with Paragon National Bank laid out for shareholders this week a set of strategic objectives for 2013 that included making continued progress toward wringing problem assets out of the bank and improving the bank’s earnings power.

21. Brimhall Named Bartlett Entrepreneur of Year - Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Terry Brimhall, founder and president of Brimhall Foods Co. Inc., has been named entrepreneur of the year by the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce.

22. Hospital Billings Vary Widely in Memphis - Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Government data released for the first time last week showed that hospitals across the nation bill Medicare widely different amounts for the same procedures.

St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, N.Y., charged $29,637 for patients who received a respiratory system diagnosis and remained on a ventilator more than 96 hours, while Stanford Hospital in Stanford Hospital, Calif., charged $929,119.

23. Tennessee First Lady, Muppet Against Obesity - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam is teaming up with Grover, the loveable Muppet from Sesame Street, and United HealthCare to teach kids the benefits of eating healthy and getting in shape while helping them learn to love reading.

24. Haslam Vetoes ‘Ag Gag’ Bill - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday vetoed a bill that would require images documenting animal abuse be turned over to law enforcement within 48 hours, saying his main concern is its constitutionality.

State Attorney General Bob Cooper last week said in a legal opinion that the measure would be “constitutionally suspect” because it could violate Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination and for placing burdens on news collection.

25. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

26. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

27. Construction Lending Still Facing Tepid Improvement - Saturday, May 11, 2013

As the economy starts to rebound, local lenders like Magna Bank, First Tennessee Bank and Renasant Bank are seeing moderate improvement in activity for new commercial and residential construction projects, and competition is intensifying to land deals.

28. Family’s Values Led Bradshaw to Life’s Mission - Friday, May 10, 2013

Fittingly, Kenya Bradshaw can trace her life’s mission back to her childhood and a family that valued public service.

29. Danish Manufacturer Roxul Brings Facility to Byhalia - Friday, May 10, 2013

Just a few feet beyond the Tennessee-Mississippi state line past the Fayette County line on U.S. 72 is the turn onto Cayce Road in Byhalia and what is soon to be the first U.S. plant of the Danish company Roxul Inc.

30. Mortgages Near $107 Million in April - Friday, May 10, 2013

From where he sits, Renaissance Realty’s Jeff Jenkins is optimistic that 2013 will be a fruitful one for the local real estate industry.

31. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

32. Path to Law Career Began Early for McLaughlin - Thursday, May 09, 2013

Julie McLaughlin has worked her way up the legal ladder for much her life.

Beginning with a degree in paralegal studies from Hinds Community College in Raymond, Miss., and then a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Memphis, the final rung was earning a law degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2001.

33. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

34. Celebrating Rails - Thursday, May 09, 2013

More railroad passengers boarded and stepped off Amtrak trains at Memphis Central Station in 2012 as travelers turned to trains amid higher gas prices and improved rail reliability.

Passengers who embarked and alighted in Memphis gained 11.2 percent to 73,116 travelers in the 2012 fiscal year ended Oct. 31, compared with 65,769 passengers a year earlier.

35. Council Moves on School Funding Standoff - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Memphis City Council members want to try to resolve the Memphis City Schools $57 million court judgment against the city as well as the city’s legal counterclaim that the school system owes it more than twice that by the end of this month.

36. Suburbs Start Again on Municipal Schools - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Aldermen in five of the six suburban towns and cities in Shelby County began the move Monday, May 6, to a July 16 referendum date for a second round of referendums on forming municipal school districts possibly as early as the 2014-2015 school year.

37. Tennessee Named Top Choice for Retirement - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Retirees considering where to spend their golden years might want to consider Tennessee.

That’s according to Bankrate.com, the personal finance website, which this week ranked Tennessee at the top of its list of the 10 best states for retirement. The site’s analysts crunched numbers in several categories, including cost of living, taxes, health care, crime and climate.

38. Suburbs Start Second Move To Ballot On Municipal Schools - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Aldermen in five of the six suburban towns and cities in Shelby County began the move Monday, May 6, to a July 16 referendum date for a second round of referendums on forming municipal school districts possibly as early as the 2014-2015 school year.

39. Nuclear Protester Trial Gets Underway This Week - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – An octogenarian nun and two codefendants used bolt cutters to cut through fences and spent about two hours inside a Tennessee national security plant that has had a hand in making, maintaining or dismantling parts of every nuclear weapon in the country's arsenal, federal authorities allege.

40. Tennessee GOP: Infighting Typical of Supermajority - Saturday, May 04, 2013

Republicans, positioned to make major changes to state law with the governorship and a supermajority in the General Assembly, ended the session with some high-profile measures derailed by infighting. Leaders say it was to be expected, and they had been warning of it since winning more than two-thirds of the legislative seats in November.

41. Germantown Fire House Gets LEED Gold Award - Saturday, May 04, 2013

The new Germantown Fire House 4 at 30301 Forest Hill-Irene Road, designed by Renaissance Group architects, has earned the status of being the first LEED Gold building for the city of Germantown and the first LEED Gold municipal facility in West Tennessee.

42. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

43. Beyond the Numbers - Saturday, May 04, 2013

It’s that time of year again when thick budget books dominate life for those in the Memphis and Shelby County governments.

But this year’s budget season on both sides of the Civic Center Plaza is more than line items and bottom lines on paper. The deliberations that ultimately determine how much you will pay in property taxes and at what rate go beyond the plans in the books of estimates, projections and the recurring and one-time revenue sources.

44. Couple Moves to Memphis to Launch Startup - Monday, May 06, 2013

Pam and Tom Cooper are the co-founders of Boosterville, a Memphis-based startup with an app that helps school fundraisers raise money by connecting them with local businesses.

45. Tennessee Children Services Disciplines Three Workers - Friday, May 03, 2013

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services has disciplined three high-ranking employees over child death record keeping.

The Tennessean cited internal memos in reporting the demotion of team coordinator Lisa Lund, who appealed the penalty and was reinstated with a two-day unpaid suspension. The documents also noted the two-day suspension of Director of Child Safety Marjahna Hart, who is Lund’s supervisor.

46. Metropolitan Bank Earnings Up 43 Percent - Friday, May 03, 2013

Metropolitan Bank is starting off its fifth year by reporting another quarter of increased earnings – the 14th straight quarter in which that’s happened.

47. Coupé Works to Protect City’s Most Vulnerable - Thursday, May 02, 2013

As supervising attorney over both the Judge’s Action Center and the Office of Advocate for Noncustodial Parents at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, Tom Coupé works to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are being fairly and equally represented.

48. School Board Approached by Suburbs - Thursday, May 02, 2013

A new round of talks about the schools merger and municipal school districts is about to begin.

And this time, the countywide school board may be at the table.

Countywide school board attorney Valerie Speakman told school board members Tuesday, April 30, that attorneys for the leaders of Shelby County’s six suburban municipalities have sent her a letter about possible talks on issues that go beyond the consent decree governing the merger.

49. Tribute Symposium Honors Six Local Women - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis paid tribute to six local women at a sold-out luncheon of more than 1,600 attendees on Friday, April 26.

The Legends Awards honor women whose work embodies the mission of the foundation – to support women and children throughout Shelby County.

50. Parks Controversy Back to City Council - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The committee recommendations are in for new names for three Confederate-themed city parks. And the long-running controversy about the parks is now back to the Memphis City Council.

The ad hoc committee of nine, which included several historians and two City Council members, held its final meeting Monday, April 29, and voted with little discussion on several ideas for what used to be known as Confederate, Forrest and Jefferson Davis parks.

51. Mays Ponders Changes in Merger Terms - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

U.S. District Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays is considering whether he should change the terms of the 2011 consent decree that so far has governed the path to consolidation of Shelby County’s two public school systems.

52. The Daily News Takes Two TAPME Awards - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News took two awards at the annual Tennessee Associated Press Managing Editors competition.

The publications placed first in the competition for best editorial among Division 3 publications, which includes a daily circulation of up to 15,000, for an editorial in the July 27 Memphis News edition on the state of local green initiatives that also ran on the daily website.

53. Kyle, Kelsey Debate Health Care, Government’s Role - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

State Senate Democratic leader Jim Kyle of Memphis says Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly are becoming like “Dixiecrats” – the Southern segregationist Democrats in the U.S. Congress in the late 1940s who formed their own party for a time.

54. UTHSC Professor Receives $1.6 Million to Study Hepatitis C - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Kui Li, an associate professor with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, received two grants worth $1.6 million to study Hepatitis C and antiviral innate immunity.

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects more than 130 million worldwide. The RNA virus damages the liver slowly, causing chronic hepatitis in most people infected, putting patients at risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. A patient’s natural immune response is the first line of host defense against invasive pathogens, like Hepatitis C. But it’s still not clear how a patient’s natural immune response defeats Hepatitis C and other RNA viruses.

55. Forbes Gives High Marks to First Tennessee Unit - Saturday, April 27, 2013

First Tennessee Advisory Services is ranked No. 8 on Forbes magazine’s list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing wealth management firms.

The entity, which is a business line of First Tennessee Bank, offers investment portfolios ranging from ultra-conservative to aggressive.

56. Tennessee GOP: Infighting Typical of Supermajority - Monday, April 29, 2013

Republicans, positioned to make major changes to state law with the governorship and a supermajority in the General Assembly, ended the session with some high-profile measures derailed by infighting.

57. New Germantown Fire House Gets LEED Gold Award - Monday, April 29, 2013

The new Germantown Fire House 4 at 30301 Forest Hill-Irene Road, designed by Renaissance Group architects, has earned the status of being the first LEED Gold building for the city of Germantown and the first LEED Gold municipal facility in West Tennessee.

58. Magna Intent on Raising Profile, Enhancing Services - Saturday, April 27, 2013

This year is turning out to be a big one for Magna Bank as it rolls out new products and services, adds key personnel and boosts its profile across the Mid-South.

59. Metropolitan Bank Still Growing 5 Years In - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Metropolitan Bank has come a long way in five short years. Since being founded amid the worst financial crisis in the U.S. in generations, the bank – which in March celebrated its fifth birthday – has grown its assets from $243 million at the end of 2008 to $722 million at the end of 2012.

60. Basketball Boon - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Before the Grizzlies began their first-round playoff series with the Clippers in Los Angeles, Dennis Flanagan looked ahead to Game 3, which was to be played on Thursday night, April 25, in Memphis.

61. Commitment to Memphis Shows in Wolowicz’s Work - Friday, April 26, 2013

Melissa Wolowicz is up with the chickens every morning, working to make Memphis a better place.

The new vice president of development for BRIDGES has been raising chickens in her backyard since she, husband Shawn and son Grayson moved into Midtown and a house shaded by a canopy of trees.

62. Haslams Try to Halt Fallout From FBI Raid on Pilot - Thursday, April 25, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee's Haslam family is furiously trying to control the damage following a federal investigation into the family business that could threaten to unravel decades of growing wealth and influence that spans business, sports and politics in the state and beyond.

63. Forbes Gives High Marks to First Tennessee Unit - Thursday, April 25, 2013

First Tennessee Advisory Services is ranked No. 8 on Forbes magazine’s list of the Top 50 Fastest Growing wealth management firms.

The entity, which is a business line of First Tennessee Bank, offers investment portfolios ranging from ultra-conservative to aggressive.

64. Dickerson Learns Unintentional Consequences - Thursday, April 25, 2013

As a freshman lawmaker, state Sen. Steven Dickerson, R-Nashville, said he spent his first legislative session “pretty-tightly circumscribed.”

65. New Schools Computer System Behind Schedule - Thursday, April 25, 2013

One of the earliest items on the schools merger checklist was a new computer system that would handle the payroll and other human resources needs of Shelby County’s two school systems once they become one at the start of the new fiscal year July 1.

66. Hopson Proposes Closing 11 Schools In 2014-2015 - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson is proposing the countywide school board close 11 more schools, 10 in the city of Memphis and one in Millington.

The closings which include three Memphis high schools – Northside, Carver and Westwood – would take effect in the 2014-2015 school year if approved by the school board.

67. UTHSC Professor Receives $1.6 Million to Study Hepatitis C - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Kui Li, an associate professor with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, received two grants worth $1.6 million to study Hepatitis C and antiviral innate immunity.

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects more than 130 million worldwide. The RNA virus damages the liver slowly, causing chronic hepatitis in most people infected, putting patients at risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. A patient’s natural immune response is the first line of host defense against invasive pathogens, like Hepatitis C. But it’s still not clear how a patient’s natural immune response defeats Hepatitis C and other RNA viruses.

68. Wright Joins Magna Bank as Senior Vice President - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Andy Wright has joined Memphis-based Magna Bank as senior vice president and manager of commercial banking. Wright, who previously held senior vice president positions at Iberiabank and First Tennessee Bank, has experience working with a variety of industries, with in-depth expertise in the transportation and logistics industries.

69. A Look at the Bills That Passed, Failed in 2013 - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Here is a look at some of the top pieces of legislation that passed or failed during the first session of the 108th Tennessee General Assembly.

WINNERS:

– GUNS IN PARKING LOTS. Allows people with handgun carry permits to store firearms in their vehicles no matter where they are parked. SB0142.

70. 108th General Assembly Adjourns for Year - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The 108th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on Friday, the first time in 45 years that lawmakers have finished as early as April in the first year of a session.

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey had set an adjournment goal of April 18, but he didn't seem upset finishing a day later.

71. Four-Way Self Storage Facility Sells for $1.3 Million - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

6780 Country Park Drive Memphis, TN 38134

Sale Amount: $1.3 million

Sale Date: April 9, 2013

72. Mitsubishi Plant Opens in Southwest Memphis - Saturday, April 20, 2013

A group of 200 dignitaries marked the formal opening Friday, April 19, of the Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. plant in Southwest Memphis.

73. Judicial Redistricting Passes in Senate - Saturday, April 20, 2013

A proposal to redraw Tennessee’s judicial districts for the first time since 1984 has passed the Senate.

The plan from Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville was approved 27-4 on Tuesday.

74. Judicial Redistricting Plan Dead This Session - Monday, April 22, 2013

A proposal to redraw Tennessee’s judicial districts for the first time since 1984 has failed this session.

The House voted 66-28 on Friday to defeat the measure sponsored by Republican Rep. Jon Lundberg of Bristol. The companion bill was approved 27-4 earlier this month.

75. Madewell Holds Opening at Shops of Saddle Creek - Monday, April 22, 2013

Madewell, a subsidiary of J. Crew Group Inc., is holding a grand opening party on April 23 to celebrate the high-end retailer’s newest location at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown.

76. Select-O-Hits Files Loan on Property - Monday, April 22, 2013

Select-O-Hits Inc. has filed a $2.6 million loan on its 17,050-square-foot industrial property at 1981 Fletcher Creek Drive in Northeast Memphis.

77. County Business Licenses Dip 7.4 Percent - Monday, April 22, 2013

The number of business licenses filed with the Shelby County Clerk’s office fell 7.4 percent to 1,415 in the first quarter, compared with 1,528 in the first quarter of 2012, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

78. First Horizon Grows Profit in Quarter - Monday, April 22, 2013

Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp., the parent company of First Tennessee Bank, kicked off its first quarterly earnings announcement of 2013 by meeting analyst expectations and reporting a profit of $42.2 million, up from $30.5 million during the first quarter of 2012.

79. First Horizon Grows Profit as Expenses Fall - Friday, April 19, 2013

Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp., the parent company of First Tennessee Bank, kicked off its first quarterly earnings announcement of 2013 by meeting analyst expectations and reporting a profit of $42.2 million, up from $30.5 million during the first quarter of 2012.

80. Lawmakers Pass Bill for More Ignition Interlocks - Friday, April 19, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal to make Tennessee's ignition interlock law apply to more drunken drivers has cleared the Legislature.

The measure was unanimously approved 95-0 in the House on Tuesday before passing the Senate 31-0, sending it to the governor for consideration.

81. Bankruptcies Dip Slightly as Economy Improves - Friday, April 19, 2013

The first quarter of 2013 showed a slight slump in West Tennessee bankruptcy filings as the economy improved.

All chapters combined – Chapters 7, 11 and 13 – declined to 3,031 Shelby County bankruptcies for the three-month period ended March 31, down 1 percent from 3,063 bankruptcies filed during the same three-month period in 2012, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

82. Riding the Rails - Thursday, April 18, 2013

By some estimates, America’s railroad companies are in the midst of the largest investment boom since the Gilded Age – when America’s railroad track mileage tripled between 1860 and 1880.

This year, North American’s freight railroads plan to invest $24.5 billion in intermodal terminals, new track, bridges and tunnels, safety equipment and rail cars, according to the Association of American Railroads.

83. Foreclosures Drop 17 Percent - Thursday, April 18, 2013

Regulators and major lenders are still on the hot seat over flawed and sometimes abusive foreclosures that were carried out in recent years.

On Main Street, the ebbs and flows of foreclosure patterns – things like the public notice of a sale and the actual foreclosure transaction – still haven’t returned to a predictable or natural rhythm.

84. Judicial Redistricting Passes in Senate - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A proposal to redraw Tennessee’s judicial districts for the first time since 1984 has passed the Senate.

The plan from Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville was approved 27-4 on Tuesday.

85. Meadows Named Director of Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Bobby Meadows has joined Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab as executive director. Meadows, a licensed nursing home administrator, has 13 years of nursing home experience, including 11 as an executive director. Most recently, he served for six years at Allenbrooke Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Memphis.

86. Martin Named Interim U of M President - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Brad Martin, the retired chairman and CEO of Saks Inc. and current chairman of the private investment firm RBM Venture Co., will be the interim president of the University of Memphis.

87. Haslam Continues Talks on Medicaid Expansion - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has been talking with President Barack Obama’s administration since his decision last month not to accept federal funding for an expansion of the state’s Medicaid funding at least for now.

88. Municipal Schools Bill Sails Through House, Senate - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

After much speculation about resistance from other parts of the state to lifting the statewide ban on special school districts statewide, the bill to do that sailed through the Tennessee House and Senate Monday, April 15.

89. Legislature Sends Municipal Schools Bill To Haslam - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Tennessee House and Senate sent a bill permitting municipal school districts in 29 cities including the six suburban towns and cities in Shelby County to Gov. Bill Haslam Monday, April 15, for his signature.

90. Program Addresses Neonatologist Shortage - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Memphis hospitals face a shortage of physicians that care for critically ill and premature newborn infants.

While the rate is falling, premature births in Shelby County remain well above the national average, says Ramasubbareddy Dhanireddy, who is medical director of the Sheldon Korones Newborn Center at The Regional Medical Center at Memphis and the neonatal intensive care unit at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

91. Budget Season Opens With Wharton Proposal - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. presents his budget proposal Tuesday, April 16, to the Memphis City Council for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

And council members will probably be listening closely for one dollar amount in particular and how Wharton proposes to deal with it.

92. Shelby County Mortgage Market Up 2 Percent - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Someone let out a cheer earlier this month at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors 2013 Residential Real Estate Summit as MAAR President Regina Hubbard gave her optimistic forecast for the local housing market.

93. Federal Cuts Blamed For Modest Tennessee Retail Activity - Saturday, April 13, 2013

State Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes says federal spending cuts and tax hikes are to blame for a dip in consumer confidence in Tennessee.

Emkes in a release Friday said March sales tax collections, which reflect spending activity in the previous month, came in $2.8 million below estimates.

94. Raymond James Adds Fellman as Senior Vice President - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Ted Fellman has joined Raymond James as a senior vice president in the firm’s public finance group.

Fellman, who is based in Nashville, has had an extensive career in state government, including serving 18 years with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. His work with that group included stints as executive director and chief financial officer.

95. Kyle Awarded Wilder Law School Scholarship - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Glen Alan Kyle is the 2013 recipient of the first BankTennessee John S. Wilder Law School Scholarship.

96. Events - Saturday, April 13, 2013

New Ballet Ensemble will present Springloaded Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14, at Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St. The annual event fuses ballet, contemporary and urban dance with works by local and guest choreographers. Visit nbespringloaded13.eventbrite.com for times and tickets.

97. April 12-18: This Week in Memphis History - Saturday, April 13, 2013

2012: The largest solar farm in the state opened in Haywood County along Interstate 40. The West Tennessee Solar Farm has 21,000 solar panels, and its opening in Haywood County came one day after Agricenter International formally opened its solar farm, a 998,400 watt photovoltaic system on five acres.

98. Marx-Bensdorf Prides Itself on Strong Independent Spirit - Saturday, April 13, 2013

A small, boutique real estate agency sees longevity as its strength rather than its worth to larger companies looking for acquisition targets.

And Marx-Bensdorf Realtors remained strong through the recession by staying out from under other people’s umbrellas.

99. Cohen Part of Bill Easing State-Federal Pot Conflict - Monday, April 15, 2013

A bill introduced in Congress on Friday would fix the conflict between the federal government’s marijuana prohibition and state laws that allow medical or recreational use.

California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said his bill, which has three Republican and three Democratic sponsors, would assure that state laws on pot are respected by the feds.

100. Kyle Awarded First Wilder Law School Scholarship - Friday, April 12, 2013

Glen Alan Kyle is the 2013 recipient of the first BankTennessee John S. Wilder Law School Scholarship.