WASHINGTON (AP) – The economy is recovering, the White House is dealing with multiple controversies, and President Barack Obama appears generally unaffected either way.

He's getting no significant uptick in approval from gains in housing, jobs and the stock market. Likewise, he has so far seen no downtick from the recent storms over the terror attack in Benghazi, Libya, the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS and a leak investigation that has swept up the phone records of Associated Press journalists.

2. Kruger Unveils $300 Million Expansion - Friday, May 24, 2013

The North Memphis plant that began by manufacturing automobile parts and eventually produced the bodies and wings for B-25 bombers, celebrated a milestone Wednesday, May 22, with the $300 million expansion of the Kruger Inc. facility near Mud Island in Downtown.

3. Senate Panel Considers Labor Board Nominees - Friday, May 17, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Republicans said Thursday they would not support five nominees to the National Labor Relations Board, raising the possibility the troubled agency could be rendered mostly inoperable later this year.

4. Whole Foods Files Permit for Expansion - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

5014 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38117

Permit Cost: $3.1 million

Project Cost: TBA

Permit Date: Applied April 2013

5. Failed Education Bills on Radar for Next Session - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – In the last few years, Tennessee hasn't shied away from contentious education initiatives as it seeks to remain at the forefront of education reform in the nation.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has even characterized the state's efforts as "courageous leadership."

6. Charter School Authorizer Bill Passes House - Monday, April 22, 2013

A measure that seeks to change the way certain charter schools are authorized has passed the House.

The proposal sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark White of Memphis was approved 62-30 on Thursday. It’s similar to the Senate version, which was expected to be taken up Friday on the Senate floor.

7. Push Education Bills in Final Days of Session - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – As the 108th Tennessee General Assembly draws to a close, state lawmakers are hoping to push through education proposals that include creating a state panel to authorize charter schools for five counties and a measure that would clear the way for cities to begin forming municipal school systems.

8. Obama to Nominate Package of Labor Board Members - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama on Tuesday nominated three candidates for full terms on the National Labor Relations Board, which has been in limbo since a federal appeals court invalidated his recess appointments to the agency.

9. Charter School Authorizer Bill Advances - Thursday, March 14, 2013

A measure that would create a special panel to authorize charter school applications is advancing in the House.

The measure sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark White of Memphis was approved on a voice vote in the House Government Operations Committee on Wednesday. The companion bill was to be heard in the Senate Education Committee later that day.

10. Obama Presses On With GOP Charm Offensive - Friday, March 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama pressed on with his Republican charm offensive Thursday, holding a White House lunch with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan in an effort to soften the ground for potential talks on a long-term deficit reduction deal.

11. Charter School Authorizer Bill Advances - Thursday, March 07, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal that seeks to create a special panel that would authorize charter school applications advanced out of a key House committee Tuesday despite concerns that it strips control from local school districts and could dig into taxpayers' pockets.

12. Opposing Forces Cause Swirling Economy - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Remember Relative Value One by-product of the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy is the widespread positive returns that numerous asset classes have been able to experience. For instance, from March 9, 2009 (the closing low on the S&P 500), thru Dec. 31, 2012, the cumulative returns of the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) have been 128 percent and 127 percent, respectively. Whether your chosen investment was high-yield bonds or the 500 stocks in the S&P 500, returns have been identical since the bottom.

13. Merger Again Intersects With Nashville - Monday, February 18, 2013

For a third consecutive year in Nashville, the Shelby County schools merger and the suburban reaction to it are on the calendar of the Tennessee legislature.

As the General Assembly finished its legislative week Thursday, Feb. 14, state Senate Republican leader Mark Norris of Collierville introduced several bills, some of them captions to be added to as needed that would make suburban municipal school districts possible.

14. Lawrence’s Background a Fit for Work at EDGE - Monday, February 11, 2013

It might be said that John Lawrence has a background made to order for looking at the big picture – one of real estate, urban planning, marketing and organization management. Through the course of various career moves, he’s developed the tools necessary for the use in his position as manager of strategic economic development planning for Memphis and Shelby County’s Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE).

15. War Within the State - Friday, February 08, 2013

TENNESSEE HAS DECLARED WAR ON SHELBY COUNTY. We now have renamed three parks. Forrest Park to Health Sciences Park. Confederate Park to Memphis Park. Jefferson Davis Park to Mississippi River Park. The new names are uninspired and uninteresting – they might as well be Boring Park, Bland Park and Whatever Park – but what inspired them is what makes them interesting.

16. Due Process - Saturday, January 26, 2013

One at a time. That is the most noticeable change so far at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court as a result of a landmark settlement in November with the U.S. Justice Department. The children before the court come before the court magistrates one at a time. No more groups of juvenile defendants waiting for their case to come up as other cases are being heard.

17. Swimming in Memory - Friday, January 25, 2013

THE POOL’S CLOSED. My first date was Ann Wiggs. I took her to a dance in the cafeteria at White Station at the beginning of the seventh grade. She was tall and all elbows and angles. I was short and dumpy and all nervous. We didn’t so much dance as run into each other to music. I was 11. She was 12.

18. White to Chair House Education Subcommittee - Saturday, January 19, 2013

Republican state Rep. Mark White of Memphis has been named chairman of the House Education Subcommittee by House Speaker Beth Harwell.

19. White to Chair House Education Subcommittee - Friday, January 18, 2013

Republican state Rep. Mark White of Memphis has been named chairman of the House Education Subcommittee by House Speaker Beth Harwell.

20. Schools Security Plan Emphasizes Consistency - Monday, January 14, 2013

While many of the most controversial issues of the coming merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools are still to be decided, the issue of how to handle school security appears to be settled.

21. US Still Faces Political Fights on Spending, Debt - Thursday, January 03, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A last-minute deal will keep the U.S. from driving off the so-called "fiscal cliff," but higher taxes and continued political fighting in Washington threaten to shake the fragile economy well into 2013.

22. Local Politicians Split on Fiscal Cliff Bill - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

There was only one vote for the American Taxpayer Relief bill Tuesday, Jan. 1, among the nine Tennesseans who represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said he wasn’t happy with all of the agreement but voted for it because of the tax cuts it maintained.

23. A Candidate Makes Friends, Asks for Votes - Thursday, December 20, 2012

The elections of 2012 are over. Under local law, a certain person was reelected, unopposed, to a fifth four-year term.

The 16-year incumbent had occasion recently to reflect on the election of 1996, his first. He’s fond of saying, “I’ll never forget the year Bill Clinton rode my coattails to another term in the White House.”

24. As 'Fiscal Cliff' Looms, Voter Angst is Palpable - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

HOOKSETT, N.H. (AP) – Five hundred miles from Washington, the lunch crowd at Robie's Country Store and Deli is filled with angst over America's elected leaders and their latest struggle to prevent a fiscal crisis.

25. On Economics, Foreign Policy, Corker Eager to Act - Monday, December 10, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican Sen. Bob Corker is spending a lot of time lately talking to Democrats.

The freshman lawmaker from Tennessee unveiled his own 10-year, $4.5 trillion solution for averting the end-of-year, double economic hit of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts and then spoke briefly last week with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Deficit-cutting maven Erskine Bowles had forwarded Corker's proposal to White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew.

26. Twinkies Maker Hostess Lives at Least Another Day - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) – Twinkies will live to see another day.

Hostess Brands Inc. and its second largest union agreed on Monday to try to resolve their differences after a bankruptcy court judge noted that the parties hadn't gone through the critical step of private mediation. That means the maker of the spongy cake with the mysterious cream filling won't go out of business yet.

27. Investment Strategies After the Election - Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Status Quo After billions of dollars in campaign costs, thousands of TV and radio advertisements, hundreds of campaign rallies, fundraisers and speeches, the voters spoke on Tuesday. What was the result? We are essentially right back to where we started.

28. Most in US Won't be Able to Escape 'Fiscal Cliff' - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Everyone who pays income tax – and some who don't –will feel it.

So will doctors who accept Medicare, people who get unemployment aid, defense contractors, air traffic controllers, national park rangers and companies that do research and development.

29. Highpoint Church Buys Briarcrest’s East Memphis Campus - Friday, November 09, 2012

After seven years of leasing space for its worship services, Highpoint Church has acquired Briarcrest Christian School Systems Inc.’s property at 6000 Briarcrest Ave. for $7.25 million.

30. County’s Early Vote Total: 38.9 Percent - Monday, November 05, 2012

Nearly 40 percent of Shelby County’s 598,803 voters cast ballots during the early voting period that ended Thursday, Nov. 1.

But the 232,690 early voters – which accounts for 38.9 percent of the total number of registered voters – is fewer than four years ago when 254,362 early votes were cast.

31. J.D. Byrider Brings First Franchise To Memphis - Friday, October 26, 2012

The nation’s largest used car franchise company has entered the Memphis market. Carmel, Ind.-based J.D. Byrider has inked 30,900 square feet at 2580 Mount Moriah Road, marking the company’s second Tennessee dealership.

32. Soul Map - Monday, October 22, 2012

The Soulsville arrows beneath the Bellevue Boulevard railroad overpasses near Walker Avenue point north and south. It is the first indication that you are in an area where several possibilities can coexist.

33. Nightmare Election Scenarios Worry Both Parties - Friday, October 19, 2012

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Here in a county that knows a thing or two about Election Day meltdowns, both parties are fretting over what might go seriously wrong before, during or just after the Nov. 6 presidential election.

34. Events - Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Cannon Wright Blount will present “Getting Started With QuickBooks: Learn From the Experts” Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at its office 756 Ridge Lake Blvd., suite 100. Cost is $75. Visit cannonwrightblount.com or email quickbooks@cannonwrightblount.com.

35. Levine Named President of Southern Growth Studio - Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Mark Levine has joined Southern Growth Studio as president. In his role, Levine leads the firm’s Strategic Analysis team and plays a key part in the company’s culture, business development and client relationship management.

36. Getting to Business - Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A year after they took the oath of office along with other members of the new countywide school board, David Reaves and Billy Orgel got a brusque introduction to each other.

37. Judges Uphold East Arkansas Senate Redistricting - Tuesday, September 18, 2012

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A federal court on Monday rejected a state senator's claim that a redistricting panel intentionally diluted the black vote in his district, ruling the decrease stemmed from politics but not racial discrimination.

38. Americans' Confidence Falls Off in August - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans are feeling worse about the economy than they have in a long time – a fact that could have wide-reaching implications everywhere from Wal-Mart to the White House.

39. Events - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Talk Shoppe and the Small Business Chamber will present “The Mastermind Principle: Based on the Book ‘Think and Grow Rich’” Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Better Business Bureau, 3693 Tyndale Ave. Cost is free. Visit talkshoppe.biz.

40. US Economic Recovery is Weakest Since World War II - Thursday, August 16, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression.

Since World War II, 10 U.S. recessions have been followed by a recovery that lasted at least three years. An Associated Press analysis shows that by just about any measure, the one that began in June 2009 is the weakest.

41. Biz Owners Weighing Health Care Law Impact - Monday, August 13, 2012

So far, it’s not easy to get a clear picture of how President Barack Obama’s health care law will affect Memphis-area small businesses.

That’s mainly because there are lots of business owners – including both supporters and even strident critics of the Affordable Care Act – who themselves don’t know what impact the law will have.

42. Shelby County’s Early Voting Tops 62K - Tuesday, July 31, 2012

As Shelby County Election Commission officials admitted there was a problem with early voting, turnout by early voters soared for the voting period that ended Saturday, July 28, in advance of Thursday’s election day.

43. Senate Passes Cuts for All but Richest Americans - Friday, July 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has debated, sniped and voted on the politically fraught issue of tax cuts, and next week the House is likely to do it all over again. Still, Americans won't know until after the November elections how much more of their paychecks will go to the government next year.

44. ASD Welcomes Students, Parents With Block Party - Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The organizers of the Achievement School District chose the middle ground on a hot Saturday afternoon in Frayser.

The parking lot between Frayser High School and Frayser Elementary School, the school the state-run district will oversee starting next month, had inflatable slides, a climbing wall, video dance games, mobile dental and eye care clinics, and plenty of ice and water.

45. Bush Talks Post-White House Life - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Though the main attraction at a private gathering at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens Monday, July 16, included former President George W. Bush, it was a mostly nonpolitical evening.

The 43rd president neither excoriated nor overtly praised President Barack Obama, for example, nor did he wade much into the health care debate despite the occasion of his visit being related to a hospital – specifically, to the 100th anniversary of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp.

46. Weak Hiring Shows Economy Still Hurting - Monday, July 09, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A third straight month of weak hiring shows the U.S. economy is still struggling three years after the recession officially ended.

U.S. employers added just 80,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.2 percent, the Labor Department said Friday.

47. Poplar Transformation - Monday, July 09, 2012

Two big retail deals have recently been inked on the Poplar Avenue corridor, soon filling empty spaces on the city’s busiest street.

A new Family Dollar is going in the old Stringer’s Garden Center site at 2974 Poplar, while Office Depot and Hollywood Feed are going in the former Samuel’s Furniture space at 5502-5510 Poplar, near South Yates Road.

48. Hit Dogs - Friday, July 06, 2012

IT’S NOT RACIAL. IF I’M LYING, I’M DYING. We are lying. And if we don’t realize it, we will die from it.

Annie Laurie Peeler put it best. She was, after all, the best sixth grade teacher in the history of the universe. Really. With all due respect to the sixth grade teacher you love, Mrs. Peeler will spot her or him two eyes in the back of her head, three stories you’ll never forget, and four Southernisms and still beat your teacher like a cloakroom paddling.

49. Hart Discusses Congressional Bid With The Memphis News - Monday, July 02, 2012

Countywide school board member Tomeka Hart talked with The Memphis News editorial board this month about her candidacy in the Aug. 2 Democratic Congressional primary – a challenge of incumbent Congressman Steve Cohen in the 9th District.

50. School Board Looks for Consensus - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

After effectively ruling out Kriner Cash last week as the leader of the consolidated Shelby County school system, school board members now turn to a decision about how to select that superintendent.

51. Juvenile Court Needs ‘In-Depth Culture Change’ - Monday, June 25, 2012

The head of the committee overseeing a developing plan for changes at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court said the court will undergo an “in-depth culture change” that includes “race neutral decision making.”

52. Reform Won’t Mean Better Access For Minorities - Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Although health care reform will likely have a favorable outcome regarding access to insurance coverage, that won’t necessarily translate to actual access to medical care, particularly for minorities.

53. Fed. Judges Won't Block Ark. Primary Certification - Wednesday, May 30, 2012

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A federal court panel on Tuesday refused to block the certification of an east Arkansas state Senate primary while they consider a lawmaker's complaint that his district was redrawn to intentionally weaken the black vote.

54. ‘A Unifier’ - Friday, May 25, 2012

The Levitt Shell recently kicked off its season of free public concerts with its most well-attended opening weekend to date, continuing a 75-year tradition of bringing together Memphians from all walks of life to enjoy music in Overton Park.

55. Learning From Wrecks - Friday, May 11, 2012

SPEAKING OF EDUCATION, WE DON’T LEARN. The weight of his robes bearing down, the certain confusion and probable chaos resulting from his next words, the U.S. District judge in Memphis adjusted his glasses, took a deep breath, and changed public education in his hometown forever.

56. Ark. Governor Says He Wanted to Boost Black Vote - Wednesday, May 09, 2012

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. (AP) – Gov. Mike Beebe testified in federal court Tuesday that he wanted to keep the black voting-age population high in an east Arkansas Senate district, but that he and the redistricting panel he chaired had to consider all of the state's legislative districts.

57. Election Commission Certifies Aug. 2 Ballot - Friday, April 20, 2012

The Shelby County Election Commission has certified the ballot for the Aug. 2 election cycle, which features nonpartisan races for countywide schools board and Millington mayor and aldermen as well as state and congressional primaries.

58. Todd Challenger Drops Out at Withdrawal Deadline - Monday, April 16, 2012

Add Republican state Rep. Curry Todd to the list of state legislators from Shelby County who are unopposed in the August primaries and the November general elections.

At the Thursday, April 12, deadline for candidates to withdraw from the August ballot, Todd’s lone challenger, Bob Nozigla, dropped out of the Republican primary in District 97.

59. New District Lines Lead to New Races - Monday, April 09, 2012

“This time I waited to be sure,” Ian Randolph said just before the Thursday, April 5, deadline for candidates to file in the Aug. 2 elections.

60. Cohen-Hart in Congressional Race at Filing Deadline - Friday, April 06, 2012

The chairman of the countywide school board, Billy Orgel, was effectively elected to his District 7 school board seat without opposition at the Thursday, April 5, filing deadline for candidates on the Aug. 2 primary and general election ballot in Shelby County.

61. Robinson: Health Study Confirms Known Problem - Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Dr. Kenneth Robinson, public health policy adviser to Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, said he wasn’t at all surprised by a recent study that found African-American women in Memphis are more than twice as likely to die from breast cancer as their white counterparts.

62. Deadline Looms for Complex Aug. Elections - Thursday, March 29, 2012

The August elections were already going to be more complex than usual. There are the changes from this year’s drawing of new district lines for the Tennessee Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.

63. Price Increase Coming to Wine, Other Liquors - Monday, March 26, 2012

Gazing into my crystal ball, I see that prices for a liquid near and dear to your heart are going to increase in 2012.

Oh, sure, gasoline, but what I’m speaking of is wine. In retails stores and in restaurants, your favorite brand will probably cost more, even to the glass of wine you order at a bar or with a meal.

64. Muni School District Votes on Hold - Friday, March 23, 2012

At week’s end, the move to municipal school districts had slowed for a possible pit stop in Shelby County Chancery Court.

And efforts in the Tennessee Legislature to check a possible legal challenge of the state law that allows the suburban school districts specifically in Shelby County encountered some vocal non-Memphis resistance in the House Education Subcommittee.

65. In a Word - Friday, March 09, 2012

A WORD ABOUT MEMPHIS. THREE, IN FACT. I’m paraphrasing a bit, but this was the gist of what they were asked:

What matters most to our city’s future?

What do we promote to bring your friends here?

66. AAPI Leaders Meet White House Officials - Monday, February 20, 2012

Memphis community and business leaders of Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani heritage gathered with White House officials Thursday, Feb. 16, to discuss economic, educational, health and civil rights issues.

67. Obama Promotes Job Training at Community College - Tuesday, February 14, 2012

ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) – President Barack Obama called on Congress Monday to create an $8 billion fund to train community college students for high-growth industries, giving a financial incentive to schools whose graduates are getting jobs.

68. Congress Tries to Give President Line-Item Veto - Thursday, February 09, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled House sought Wednesday to give President Barack Obama and his successors the line-item veto, a constitutionally questionable power over the purse that has been sought by Republican and Democrats alike.

69. Grinding it Out - Monday, February 06, 2012

After most recessions, real estate bounces back.

But the Great Recession has been notably different – long, deep and very prolonged.

That’s the message Dr. John Gnuschke, director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research and co-director of the Center for Real Estate at the University of Memphis, delivered in December at the Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South.

70. Obama Wants Small-Business Bill This Year - Wednesday, February 01, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Seeking cooperation in a polarized climate, President Barack Obama called on Congress Tuesday to act quickly on bipartisan measures that would extend tax breaks for small businesses and help startup companies raise money. He said he would sign the legislation "right away."

71. State Redistricting Wrinkles Save Kyle's Seat But Continue Debate - Monday, January 16, 2012

There was one very important change to the new district lines for the Tennessee State Senate as the week ended in Nashville with the legislature taking final action on the once a decade redistricting process.

72. White House Proposing Raise for Federal Workers - Monday, January 09, 2012

An Obama administration official says the White House is proposing a 0.5 percent raise for civilian federal employees in its 2013 budget.

If Congress approves the measure, it would mark the first pay increase for federal workers since the two-year freeze ordered President Barack Obama ordered in 2010.

73. Obama Nominates Fowlkes for Vacancy - Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The White House nomination of Criminal Court Judge John Fowlkes to be a U.S. District Court judge would return Fowlkes to the building where he once worked as a federal prosecutor.

74. Senate Rejects 2 Balanced Budget Amendments - Thursday, December 15, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate on Wednesday voted against changing the Constitution to require a balanced budget as Congress hit yet another dead end in its search for a way out of its fiscal morass.

75. AP Sources: Dem Lawmakers May Drop Millionaire Tax - Thursday, December 15, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic lawmakers are considering whether to jettison their demand for a millionaires' surtax, which they had hoped to use to cover the cost of a Social Security payroll tax cut extension for millions of wage-earners, officials said Wednesday.

76. House and Senate Agree on Sweeping Defense Bill - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress is pressing ahead with a massive $662 billion defense bill that requires military custody for terrorism suspects linked to al-Qaida, including those captured within the U.S., with lawmakers hoping their last-minute revisions will mollify President Barack Obama and eliminate a veto threat.

77. GOP Bill Would Increase Congressional Powers - Thursday, December 08, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress would gain major new power over government regulations under legislation set for approval by the Republican-run House.

Republicans say the major shift in power, from unelected regulators to elected lawmakers, is needed to kill the most costly regulations – with an economic impact of more than $100 million. Republicans call those rules job killers.

78. ULI Event To Tackle CRE Outlook - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Most commercial real estate markets have stabilized, but improvement in occupancies and rents won’t be as certain in 2012.

That’s the message real estate professionals will receive Tuesday, Dec. 6, when the Urban Land Institute District Council Memphis hosts its fifth annual Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis’ Tennessee Ballroom, 3700 Central Ave.

79. Events - Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Peabody hotel will host a Thanksgiving Day brunch Thursday, Nov. 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the mezzanine at the hotel, 149 Union Ave. Cost is $55 for adults and $20 for children. For reservations, call 529-3668. Thanksgiving Day dinner at the Capriccio Grill is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $40 for adults and $15 for children. For reservations, call 529-4199. Thanksgiving Day dinner at Chez Philippe is $70 per person and includes a four-course menu. For reservations, call 529-4188. A Christmas tree-lighting ceremony will be held Friday, Nov. 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the hotel. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

80. Events - Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Talk Shoppe will present “Open Microphone Discussing Hot Business Topics” Wednesday, Nov. 23, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Better Business Bureau, 3693 Tyndale Drive. For more information, call Jo Garner at 482-0354.

81. Memphis Churches, Org. Unite to Fight AIDS - Wednesday, November 09, 2011

As communities around the world prepare to observe World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, Memphis area faith leaders are joining forces with the Memphis Ryan White Program in a show of support for the more than 7,000 men, women and children in Shelby County who are living with HIV/AIDS, almost half of whom are not receiving the care they need.

82. Fed-Up Consumers Planning for 'Bank Transfer Day' - Monday, November 07, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – It's moving day for bank customers.

A grassroots movement that sprang to life last month is urging bank customers to close their accounts in favor of credit unions by Saturday.

83. Senate Unveils Next Piece of Obama Jobs Bill - Monday, October 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama's allies in the Senate on Friday unveiled the next piece of his failed $447 billion jobs measure to get a vote in the Senate: an almost $70 investment in infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.

84. City Pride - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

“Memphis,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, took New York by storm where it started a successful run two years ago.

In Memphis, the popular musical’s namesake city where this weekend at the Orpheum Theatre it kicked off an 80-week tour, it may have to work a little harder to resonate with audiences.

85. Obama: Jobs Bill is 'Moment of Truth' for Senate - Wednesday, October 12, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate faced a critical "moment of truth," President Barack Obama declared Tuesday as lawmakers neared a vote on his $447 billion jobs bill. Despite his exhortations, defeat was likely at the hands of Republican senators opposed to stimulus spending and a tax surcharge on millionaires.

86. Apple Unveils Faster, More Powerful iPhone - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) – Apple Inc. unveiled a new iPhone on Tuesday that is faster and more powerful but stops short of a more radical upgrade. It said Sprint customers will now be able to use one.

87. Starbucks Pushes Job Growth Program - Tuesday, October 04, 2011

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Starbucks hopes customers will be willing to pay at least $5 more when they stop in for their morning cup of Joe.

Starting Nov. 1, Starbucks will begin collecting donations of $5 or more from customers to stimulate U.S. job growth through its "Jobs for USA" program. The Seattle-based coffee chain is collaborating with the Opportunity Finance Network, a nonprofit that works with nearly 200 community development financial institutions to provide loans to small businesses and community groups. Starbucks says 100 percent of the donations will go toward loans for firms and organizations that can add jobs or stem job losses.

88. U.S. Court of Appeals Hears Health Care Law Challenge - Monday, September 26, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – A conservative-leaning panel of federal appellate judges raised concerns about President Barack Obama's health care overhaul Friday, Sept. 23, but suggested the challenge to it may be premature.

89. Feds Still Mum on Reason for Gibson Raids - Thursday, September 22, 2011

Federal officials have shed a little light on last month’s raid of Gibson Guitar Corp. facilities in Memphis and Nashville – but not too much.

90. Stimulus 2? - Tuesday, September 13, 2011

President Obama gave his widely publicized speech last week. Ever since he announced his intentions last month to roll out this jobs plan, the anticipation has built. The background for the anticipation helps frame the sense of urgency that spurred the speech in the unusual “State of the Union”-style format.

91. Obama Tax Cut Would Boost Typical Pay by $1,500 - Monday, September 12, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Typical workers would get an extra $1,500 in their paychecks next year under a plan by President Barack Obama to expand a payroll tax cut that is scheduled expire at the end of the year. Higher paid workers would get more, and businesses would get tax breaks, too.

92. Economists Show Support for Obama Job-Growth Plan - Monday, September 12, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – A tentative thumbs-up.

That's the assessment from economists, who have offered mainly positive reviews of President Barack Obama's $447 billion plan to stimulate job creation.

93. Working-Age Adults Make Up Record Share of US Poor - Thursday, September 08, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Working-age America is the new face of poverty.

Counting adults 18-64 who were laid off in the recent recession as well as single twenty-somethings still looking for jobs, the new working-age poor represent nearly 3 out of 5 poor people – a switch from the early 1970s when children made up the main impoverished group.

94. Schools Consolidation Opponents Differ on Next Step - Friday, September 02, 2011

Shelby County Schools board members meet Thursday, Sept. 8, to make selections to a schools consolidation planning commission and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam expected to announce his selection by the end of this week.

95. Tennessee Legislators Make Summer Trip to China - Tuesday, August 30, 2011

NASHVILLE – The organizer of a trip by 15 state legislators to China this summer says he returned with a "verbal commitment" from Chinese officials to match up to $5 million in state money for establishing educational ties between the nation and Tennessee.

96. Administration Moves Plan to Ax Hundreds of Rules - Wednesday, August 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration disclosed plans Tuesday to cut or roll back hundreds of federal regulations, including some that will streamline tax forms at the Internal Revenue Service, let railroad companies pass on installing expensive new technology, and speed up the visa process for low-risk visitors to the U.S.

97. Kruger Expansion Long Time Coming - Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The announcement last week that Canadian manufacturer Kruger Inc. will spend $316 million upgrading its plant in North Memphis, bringing 100 additional jobs to the area and preserving 294 jobs, can be traced back to the same starting point as several other multimillion-dollar corporate deals Memphis has recently landed.

98. Kruger to Invest $316M in Memphis Plant - Monday, August 22, 2011

Canada-based manufacturer Kruger Inc. has chosen Memphis from among several locales as the place where the company will invest $316 million to develop a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

99. Kruger to Invest $316M in Memphis Plant - Friday, August 19, 2011

Canada-based manufacturer Kruger Inc. has chosen Memphis from among several locales as the place where the company will invest $316 million to develop a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant.

100. Kruger Files $40 Million Loan for Memphis Plant - Thursday, August 18, 2011

Canada-based manufacturer Kruger Inc., which has been considering several locales including Memphis as possible sites for a major capital investment, this week filed a $39.8 million construction loan for its existing Memphis facility at 400 Mahannah Ave., north of Downtown.