President Barack Obama carried Shelby County in unofficial Nov. 6 election returns as his Republican challenger Mitt Romney took the state’s 11 electoral votes.

Voter turnout in the most popular election cycle among Shelby County voters was 61.9 percent, about the same percentage as four years ago. But the 371,256 voters is fewer than 2008 when more than 400,000 Shelby County voters cast ballots. The percentage is about the same because there are fewer registered voters in Shelby County than there were four years ago after a purge by election officials.

2. Suburban School Board Races Almost Set - Friday, August 17, 2012

Races on the Nov. 6 ballot for six sets of suburban school boards took shape Thursday, Aug. 16, at the noon filing deadline for candidate qualifying petitions.

The candidates that made the deadline have another week to withdraw from the races if they wish.

3. Going Green - Friday, July 27, 2012

Many organizations of all sizes and across all sectors seek to “green” their facilities and operations but often worry about how reducing their carbon footprint could affect their bottom lines.

4. Dodging the Deluge - Friday, May 06, 2011

The last time the Memphis river gauge was this high, Memphis was a much different place. In 1937 when the Mississippi River at Memphis topped 48.7 feet, Mud Island was really an island with no levee connecting it to the city and the Wolf River flowing between it and the city proper. Parts of the city were still rural as was the county outside Memphis. Today’s suburban development was a long way off, and Millington was still a few years away from getting the Naval Air Station.

5. County Commission Spars Over PILOT Rules For Suburbs - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners sparred over how much oversight is too much when it comes to awarding tax breaks for corporate and industrial moves to Shelby County and expansions of existing businesses.

6. NBC’s Roker to Make Gift Stop in Memphis - Thursday, June 17, 2010

Al Roker, the weather anchor for NBC’s “Today,” will be broadcasting from Memphis on June 24 where he will make donations to a nonprofit organization as part of the annual “Lend a Hand Today” trip.

The organization receiving the donations won’t be announced until the broadcast. The gift will be a surprise so officials with charitable organizations should be on the lookout for a Penske truck.

That’s how the donated items arrive.

“When we started this nine years ago, we donated $50,000 worth of items over five cities the first five days,” Roker said. “This year, we’ve got more than $3.2 million in donations.”

The broadcast will also feature Nashville, which was not originally on the itinerary.

“Actually for the first time in our (Lend a Hand Today) history, we are doing two cities in one day,” he said. “We are doing you guys and Nashville because of the flooding that happened there this year. That’s a first for us.”

The other cities are San Francisco; Bozeman, Mont.; Des Moines, Iowa; and Rye, N.H.

Several companies have donated items for the program, including Gymboree, Expo, Columbia Sportswear Co., Lowes, Ethan Allen, JanSport, Western Union, Sara Lee, Kool-Aid, Toyota, GM and Glidden Paint.

The donated items vary from city to city.

“We tailor it to each individual charity,” Roker said. “We find out what they need through a fairly surreptitious means. We then go out and solicit those donations from vendors. We have kind of an overarching producer who works the phones and tries to get what those people need, whether it is office supplies, garden supplies, kids clothing or sporting goods. It runs the gamut, depending upon what the charity does.”

Roker will be joined at the broadcast from Memphis with Mike Mills, a three-time grand world champion at the Memphis In May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Mills owns Memphis Championship BBQ in Las Vegas and 17th Street Bar and Grille in Southern Illinois.

Another special guest will be the mascot for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Roker has visited Memphis numerous times before.

“I’ve been there for storms, been there for Memphis in May and everything in between,” he said.

After the “Today” show broadcast, fans of the show can log on to Todayshow.com for more information about the featured charity and learn how they can also help. The site also will have a complete list of all companies that have donated to “Lend a Hand.”

Besides being the weather anchor for “Today,” Roker this year began hosting the “Wake Up With Al” show on NBC Universal-owned The Weather Channel, which comes on just before the “Today” broadcast.

7. Food Giants Race to Pass Rising Costs to Shoppers - Monday, August 11, 2008

Companies throughout the food chain are changing the way they do business in response to soaring grain costs, and consumers are likely to bear the brunt in the form of rising food prices.

Farmers are making the broadest cuts to their livestock herds in decades, meaning meat at the supermarket will likely cost more in coming years. Middlemen are trying to shorten the duration of supply contracts to 90 days from one year so they can pass on higher costs more quickly. And food brands are shrinking the contents of their packages, from ice-cream cartons to beverage containers.

8. Events - Thursday, June 07, 2007

The Aging Commission of the Mid-South and the Alzheimer's Association will present a free educational conference for caregivers today from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Germantown Centre, 1801 Exeter Road.

9. Events - Wednesday, June 06, 2007

The Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence will hold a workshop titled "What If...? Crisis Management and Disaster Planning for Nonprofits" today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Assisi Foundation of Memphis Inc., 515 Erin Drive. The event is $99 for members and $150 for nonmembers.

10. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Rhodes Psychology Professor to Serve as Diversity Delegate at Leadership Conference

First Horizon Exec Named to Fed Advisory Council

J. Kenneth Glass was appointed to a one-year term on the Federal Reserve Boards Federal Advisory Council. Glas...

11. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Area Fire Fighters, Police Awarded for Bravery

Firefighters, Officers Awarded for Bravery The 100 Club of Memphis presented Valor Awards, the highest honor for bravery in Memphis and Shelby County, to Collierville police officer Michael Riley and...

12. Archived Article: Market Briefs - Monday, June 23, 2003
International Trade Centers-Tennessee Small Business Development Centers, Memphis Regional Chamber and the University of Memph

International Trade Centers-Tennessee Small Business Development Centers, Memphis Regional Chamber and the University o...

13. Archived Article: Market Briefs - Monday, May 07, 2001
Archer/Malmo has 40 finalists in the Memphis Public Relations Society of Americas Vox Awards Gala, which takes place May 18 a Archer/Malmo has 40 finalists in the Memphis Public Relations Society of Americas Vox Awards Gala, which takes place May 18...

14. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, October 28, 1998
David A David A. Boelter has joined Medshares Inc. as president of Medshares Nursing Services Inc. and Medshares Infusion Group Inc. He formerly was national director of home care and hospice services for Vencor Inc. Thomas W. Clarke has been appoin...

15. Archived Article: Market Cotton Lj - Monday, October 14, 1996
lj 10/5 cates Creating cotton consumers Trade association promotes cotton to international markets By LAURIE JOHNSON The Daily News The movement to pursue a more environmentally friendly lifestyle has made most consumers in the United States aware o...