When the administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. went to the state earlier this year for approval of a $112.4 million refunding bonds issuance, it was the second time in four years City Hall had used a debt tactic known as “scoop and toss.”

2. 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.

3. County Commission Approves Capital Improvements Budget - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Shelby County Commission also approved Monday a capital improvements plan budget of $29.9 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The biggest part of that amount – $13.6 million – is pay-as-you-go projects funded from county savings with another $10 million in CIP funding from the federal government.

4. The 'Sell in May' Story - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The “Sell in May, and Go Away” slogan is common vernacular within the investment sphere. However, for some of our readers who might not be as familiar with this phrase, we will use this week’s writings to review.

5. Measuring Innovation With Money - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

But will it make real money? Innovation is such a heady, ill-defined concept. Innovation is one of those words – like strategy or creativity – that means either nothing or something different to anyone who hears it. But when handled correctly, genuine innovations are the lifeblood of any company’s continued health and success.

6. Changing the Fiber of Your Nonprofit - Friday, May 17, 2013

A capital campaign – or any other quantum leap in your fundraising – will pull at every fiber of your nonprofit. These are not “business as usual” activities. If you want to grow from one level of donated revenue to another you have to do things differently. It’s no different than a business seeking to enter a new market or release a new product. New, more and different thinking, actions and people are required for new, more and different results.

7. ZeroTo510 Accelerator Launches New Season - Friday, May 17, 2013

Dr. Steve Bares, president and executive director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, is clear-eyed and unequivocal about what success looks like for the startup accelerator program his foundation operates and which launched its new season this week.

8. Past Due - Friday, May 17, 2013

In the last five years, the 600 computers in the Memphis Public Library & Information Center were used 1.2 million times.

In that same five years, the budget for the library system of 18 locations has been cut 21 percent and there has been a 20 percent reduction in hours over the same five years.

9. School Board Considers Funding Shifts - Thursday, May 16, 2013

When countywide school board members begin considering changes Thursday, May 16, to the $1.18 billion budget proposal before them, there will be few easy choices.

First reactions and questions from school board members Tuesday at the first of three board sessions this week revolved around ways to shift funding in order to expand pre-kindergarten to more schools.

10. School Board Examines Budget Fine Print - Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The funding gap for the still tentative schools merger stands at an even $35 million in new funding.

The new total came Tuesday, May 14, after interim schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson told countywide school board members he and his staff had eliminated a “district initiative department” that would have cost $737,366.

11. 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.

12. Oakhaven Warehouse Sells After Foreclosure - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

4120 Air Trans Road, Memphis, TN 38118

Sale Amount: $2.5 million

Sale Date: May 7, 2013

13. Grocery Gadgetry - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Kroger’s Memphis-area shoppers might not have noticed, but the supermarket chain is paying more attention to them these days.

The high-tech proof doesn’t necessarily call attention to itself, but that’s not to say it’s not hidden, either. Television screens mounted near the front of its Memphis stores are a product of Kroger making a big investment a few years ago in new infrared camera technology.

14. Two Memphis Krystals Sell for $2.5 Million - Monday, May 13, 2013

A pair of Memphis Krystal restaurants – 2663 Mount Moriah Road in Hickory Hill and 4431 Summer Ave. in Berclair – have sold for a combined $2.5 million.

15. Jobless Aid Applications Fall to Five-Year Low - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, a five-year low. Layoffs have returned to pre-recession levels, a trend that could lead to more hiring.

16. Jobless Aid Applications Fall to Five-Year Low - Friday, May 10, 2013

The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, a five-year low.

Layoffs have returned to pre-recession levels, a trend that could lead to more hiring.

17. Nurturing Social Capital - Friday, May 10, 2013

“Trusting relationships and reflection/rejuvenation are required for building strong networks and collaborations.”

That’s the word from Patricia Brandes, executive director of the Barr Foundation. She didn’t say more funding, more collaboration, lower expenses or greater impact. She focuses on the three R’s – relationships, reflection and rejuvenation.

18. Police Changes Continue Amid Budget Talks - Friday, May 10, 2013

With the start of the new year, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong began a reorganization of the department that changed the boundaries of the city’s nine police precincts, evening out the amount of territory and calls each area handles.

19. 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.

20. Pilot Flying J Lauds Denial of Witness-Tampering Claim - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A Knoxville judge on Monday rejected a claim that Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam is tampering with potential witnesses in a lawsuit stemming from an FBI raid on the country's largest diesel retailer.

21. Orders for US Durable Goods Fall 5.7 Percent in March - Thursday, April 25, 2013

Orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods fell in March by the most in seven months. The drop reflected a steep decline in commercial aircraft demand and little growth in orders that signal future business investment.

22. New-Homes Sales Rise 1.5 Percent in March to 417,000 - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season.

23. 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.

24. Tennessee Lags in Hospital Care Spending - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Hospital care spending in Tennessee averaged $2,160 per person in 2009, a figure that is among the 10 lowest in the nation on a state-by-state comparison.

Tennessee ranked No. 10 in the country for the states with the lowest hospital care spending, including services for outpatient care, operating room fees and the services of physician residents, data from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed. Nationally, hospital spending averaged $2,475 per person in 2009. That’s about 14.6 higher than the average per person hospital spending in Tennessee.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. U of M President Raines Announces Retirement - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Shirley C. Raines is retiring at the end of June after 12 years as president of the University of Memphis.

Raines announced her retirement Monday, April 15. John Morgan, the chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, will name an interim president for the university possibly as early as this week for the transition.

28. JPMorgan CEO: 'Work to Do' on Controls, Compliance - Monday, April 15, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase, says that grappling with new regulations and strengthening internal controls are the bank's top priorities.

In a call with reporters Friday to discuss first-quarter earnings, he said that the bank would be aggressive in making changes, opting for quick decision-making over consensus building.

29. Carson Takes Charge of Shelby Democrats - Friday, April 12, 2013

The new chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party says the 2014 big ballot of county elections will require more than a conclusion that there are more Democrats than Republicans in Shelby County.

30. Call to Action - Thursday, April 11, 2013

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s famous father was a political iconoclast who captured the imagination of voters with stirring assurances in his speeches like, “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, he sends a tiny ripple of hope out into the world.”

31. Time Recognizes St. Jude Genome Project - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

In February, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital completed a three-year-effort to sequence the genomes of 700 pediatric cancer tumors. It’s the largest project of its kind in the world.

32. New York Company Buys Country Squire for $49.2 Million - Tuesday, April 09, 2013

8056 Country Squire Lane Cordova, TN 38018

Sale Amount: $49.2 million

Sale Date: March 28, 2013

33. Social Suds Brings Services to Soulsville - Friday, April 05, 2013

With a bubble machine on the roof, the new South Memphis Alliance laundromat and resource center opened Wednesday, April 3, at 1044 S. Bellevue Blvd.

34. Cohen, Fincher Offer Differing Views of Sequestration - Friday, April 05, 2013

With sequestration at the one-month mark in Washington, the two congressmen representing Memphis in the nation’s capital offered differing views on the ongoing automatic federal government spending cuts as a result of a lack of a budget agreement.

35. Cestaro: Lab Will be First of its Kind - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

TriMetis president Phil Cestaro took a year off after he resigned from Nashville-based SCRI Global Services at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in 2011, where he was president.

“I didn’t know how much time I was going to take off, I just knew I was going to enjoy life and my family,” he said. “It was the best decision I ever made.”

36. Survey: US Manufacturing Grew More Slowly in March - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A survey shows U.S. manufacturing activity expanded more slowly in March than February, held back by weaker growth in production and new orders. But factories hired at the fastest pace in nine months, an encouraging sign ahead of Friday's report on March employment.

37. Crosstown Leaders Discuss Ambitious Project - Saturday, March 30, 2013

Leaders of the Crosstown Development Project talked this month with The Memphis News editorial board about their plans for the adaptive reuse of the 1.5 million-square-foot, circa-1927 Sears Crosstown building.

38. The Cyprus is Falling! - Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Cyprus economy is $23 billion. (The Vermont economy is $26 billion.) Bank loans in Cyprus are eight times the size of GDP, compared with 3.5 times in the Eurozone and 1 times U.S. GDP. With leverage ratio’s that high, a small deterioration in loan performance can render the banking system insolvent.

39. Make Memorable Impressions at Networking Events - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Find yourself attending countless networking events with little result in new business generated? It’s possible you’re just not leaving a memorable impression. But don’t take it personally. Most attendees are more focused on what they’re going to say than what you or anyone else is saying. That’s why deploying attention-grabbing strategies are essential to generating a real return on your networking time investment.

40. Housing, Manufacturing Give US Economy Lift - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Gains in housing and manufacturing propelled the U.S. economy over the winter, according to reports released Tuesday, and analysts say they point to the resilience of consumers and businesses as government spending cuts kick in.

41. Overton Park Conservancy Explores Golf Course Management - Monday, March 25, 2013

The Overton Park Conservancy is considering a bid to run the Overton Park Golf Course for the city of Memphis.

“This is in the very, very preliminary stages,” said Tina Sullivan, executive director of the conservancy, which takes in all of the parkland at the Midtown landmark but currently not the nine-hole golf course, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the Levitt Shell, Memphis College of Art or the Memphis Zoo.

42. Fashion Philanthropy - Monday, March 25, 2013

Not many companies can say their customer base includes Sheryl Crow, JJ Grey and Mofro, Robert Plant, Brandi Carlile and Grace Potter.

43. Average for US Jobless Claims at Fresh 5-Year Low - Friday, March 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid barely changed last week, while the average over the past month fell to a fresh five-year low. The decline in layoffs is helping strengthen the job market.

44. Explore Alternatives to Banks - Thursday, March 21, 2013

Ray’s Take In decades past you built a relationship with your bank and, more importantly, your banker. After so many mergers, that’s become harder to do. Generation low interest rates have banks piling up fees on their customers as well as limiting services It might be worthwhile to at least consider options other than the neighborhood brick-and-mortar bank.

45. Hattiloo Theatre Ready to Rise at Overton Square - Thursday, March 21, 2013

Hattiloo Theatre is preparing to break ground on its build-to-suit facility at Overton Square in Midtown within the next 45 days, as it finalizes some last-minute financing and lines up subcontractors.

46. Northward Expansion - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Thirteen years after Visible Music College founder Ken Steorts launched a school with a focus on music ministry and production that relocated into Memphis after outgrowing its original Lakeland campus, the school is preparing to launch a satellite campus.

47. Artspace Granted 15-Year Tax Break - Saturday, March 16, 2013

National nonprofit Artspace Projects Inc. was granted a 15-year tax freeze Tuesday, March 12, for its live/work space for local artists behind The Arcade Restaurant called South Main ArtSpace Lofts.

48. Events - Saturday, March 16, 2013

Rhodes College will host Mia Farrow and son Ronan Farrow, presenting “Cinema, Politics and Mobilizing Change in Our Community” Tuesday, March 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the McCallum Ballroom of the Bryan Campus Life Center on campus, 2000 North Parkway. Email locap@rhodes.edu.

49. Holtzclaw on Front Line of Myriad Real Estate Projects - Monday, March 18, 2013

Anna Holtzclaw’s footprint is on property all over Memphis.

Since 2001, the real estate marketing entrepreneur has worked to promote properties developed and designed by the likes of the Henry Turley Co., LRK Inc. and Loeb Properties Inc.

50. Launching Pad - Saturday, March 16, 2013

Eric Mathews sounded a little emotional in early February as he described what was about to happen to the organization he leads that’s at the vanguard of spurring entrepreneurship and startup activity in Memphis.

51. Events - Friday, March 15, 2013

Playhouse on the Square will present “Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika” Friday, March 15, through March 31 at Playhouse, 66 S. Cooper St. Visit playhouseonthesquare.org for times and tickets.

52. Three-Way Race for Local Democratic Leadership - Friday, March 15, 2013

Local Democrats gather Saturday, March 16, for what is already a high-profile race for the chairmanship of the Shelby County Democratic Party.

A straw poll earlier this month at an Overton Square bar featured several dozen teenagers bused in by one of the three contenders that has triggered an investigation by Memphis City Schools officials of the “field trip.”

53. Artspace Granted 15-Year Tax Break - Thursday, March 14, 2013

National nonprofit Artspace Projects Inc. was granted a 15-year tax freeze Tuesday, March 12, for its live/work space for local artists behind The Arcade Restaurant called South Main ArtSpace Lofts.

54. Events - Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division Supplier Diversity Department will hold a vendor fair for minority- and women-owned small businesses Thursday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to noon in the MLGW administration building lobby, 220 S. Main St. Call Renise Holliday at 528-4635 for details.

55. McIver Celebrates 15 Years at MALS - Thursday, March 14, 2013

Harrison McIver has entered his 15th year as executive director of Memphis Area Legal Services Inc. with a daunting challenge that’s as constant as it is acute.

56. Belle Harbour Apartments Owner Files $17.1 Million Loan - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The owner of the 499-unit Belle Harbour Apartments on Mud Island Drive has filed a $17.1 million loan on the property.

Knickerbocker Properties XXXIX, an affiliate of New York-based Sentinel Real Estate Corp., filed the multifamily deed of trust, assignment of leases and rents, security agreement and fixture filing Feb. 26 through Berkeley Point Capital LLC.

57. Flinn, Harris Talk Schools Funding Prospects - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

For several weeks, it has been an undercurrent feeding the roots of the various branches of the tree that is the Shelby County schools merger.

The thought is that the city of Memphis will come up with some amount of funding for the consolidated school district once the schools consolidation crosses over into the new fiscal year that starts July 1.

58. TJX Leases Up Chickasaw Building D - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The TJX Cos. Inc. has inked a substantial deal in Southeast Memphis, representing the largest industrial lease so far in 2013.

59. Improv Time - Friday, March 08, 2013

The Orpheum Theatre Memphis’ expansion of its iconic South Main campus is being “re-energized” due to an unanticipated lack of donor dollars.

The Memphis Development Foundation, the organization that operates The Orpheum, in May closed on its $1.2 million purchase of the 0.87-acre parking lot immediately to the south of the 85-year-old theater at 203 S. Main St. from Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division.

60. ‘Roberta’ Arrives - Thursday, March 07, 2013

The due date was Feb. 7. First child. The expectant couple declined all invitations, exhortations and overt begging from friends and relatives to disclose, or even hint at, the name they planned to give their daughter.

61. Local Ad Execs to Present at SXSW Festival - Tuesday, March 05, 2013

A pair of admen from Memphis will be in Austin, Texas, presenting at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival that starts later this week.

Archer-malmo chief creative officer and principal Gary Backaus, along with archer-malmo associate creative director and copywriter Justin Dobbs, will be there during the five days’ worth of presentations from leaders in emerging technology.

62. US Unemployment Aid Claims Drop to 344,000 - Saturday, March 02, 2013

The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell 22,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 344,000, evidence that the job market may be picking up.

The four-week average of applications dropped 6,750 to 355,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

63. 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.

64. US Pending Home Sales Rise to Highest Since 2010 - Thursday, February 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A measure of the number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January from December to the highest level in more than 2 ½ years. The increase suggests sales of previously occupied homes will continue rising in the coming months.

65. Apple CEO Promises Investors ‘Great Stuff' to Come - Thursday, February 28, 2013

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) – Apple CEO Tim Cook sought to assure shareholders Wednesday that the company is working on some "great stuff" that may help reverse a sharp decline in its stock price.

66. Schools Questions Dominate County Commission Agenda - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners approved on the second of three readings Monday, Feb. 25, an ordinance that gives Memphis City Schools teachers living outside Shelby County five years to move within Shelby County.

67. U of M Files Permit for New Residence - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

3615 Central Ave. Memphis, TN 38111

Permit Cost: $43.5 million

Project Cost: $53 million

68. Dunavant Grows Logistics, Transportation Divisions - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Dunavant Enterprises Inc. continues its transformation into a purely third-party logistics and asset-based transportation firm.

69. ZeroTo510 Accelerator Accepting Applications - Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The ZeroTo510 startup accelerator is now accepting applications from entrepreneurs who’d like to be part of the program’s sophomore season.

March 25 is the deadline to apply for the program, the goal of which is to help entrepreneurs bring medical device products and services to market.

70. Schools Merger Issues Moving on Several Fronts - Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The schools merger issue is moving again on several fronts less than six months before the first school year of the consolidation begins.

The movement began with the release of a preliminary schools budget for the first year of the merger that shook many county and city schools parents out of the mindset that the merger would mean few changes at the school level.

71. Capital Gains Tax Could Hurt Local Real Estate - Tuesday, February 19, 2013

When investor/developer Phil Woodard sells his warehouse at 138 St. Paul Ave. in the South Main Historic Arts District to nonprofit ArtSpace this year for $850,000, he’ll be handing over $3,500 from his proceeds to the federal government.

72. Hart To Explore Schools Merger Delay - Saturday, February 16, 2013

Countywide school board member Tomeka Hart will offer a resolution at a school board meeting Monday, Feb. 18 that could call for a one year delay in the scheduled July 1 merger of the city and county school systems.

73. Burger King Feels Heat as Rivals Focus on Value - Monday, February 18, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – A revamped menu helped boost Burger King's profit in the fourth quarter but now the world's second biggest hamburger chain says it needs to play up value more aggressively to compete with rivals.

74. US Factory Output Falls on Weak Auto Production - Monday, February 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. factories slowed production in January after two solid months of cranking out goods. The weakness mainly reflected a big drop in output at auto factories that is likely temporary.

75. Hagerty Outlines Changes Made in Past Two Years - Saturday, February 16, 2013

Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty says 2013 will see the administration of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam advance basic changes the administration made in the previous two years.

76. Memphis Marriott Sells for $12.4 Million in Foreclosure - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Memphis, TN 38118

Sale Amount: $12.4 million

77. US Fourth-Quarter Growth Stronger on Export Gains - Monday, February 11, 2013

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in December because exports rose while oil imports plummeted. The smaller trade gap means the economy almost surely grew in the October-December quarter – an improvement from the government’s estimate last week that it shrank in the final months of 2012.

78. Autumnwood Apartments Sells for $13.5 Million - Monday, February 11, 2013

The 324-unit Autumnwood Apartments, situated at the southwest corner of Kirby Parkway and Mount Moriah Road Extended, has sold for $13.5 million to an entity named Autumnwood Investments LLC.

79. Expert: Memphis Has Big Story to Tell - Monday, February 11, 2013

Memphis area commercial real estate brokers were not only brought up to speed on the latest numbers and trends Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Property Forecast Summit – they were also briefed on how to tweak their marketing strategy to recruit business by a former executive with the Federal Reserve.

80. 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).

81. Conference Brings Jobs Creation Into Focus - Monday, February 11, 2013

Jim Clifton, CEO of the Gallup organization since 1998, believes the stakes are extraordinarily high in the global arms race for jobs.

He made the point in stark terms in a recent interview he gave to Forbes.

82. Lighting the Spark - Saturday, February 09, 2013

Somewhere, there’s an entrepreneur scribbling an idea on little more than the back of a napkin. Someone else has all the pieces of a new company in place, and now they’re ready to dial for dollars. Entrepreneurs are a talented bunch, but that talent doesn’t always include a knack for management or finance – skill sets that plenty of experts in Memphis stand ready to help explain.

83. US Unemployment Aid Applications Decline to 366,000 - Friday, February 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, indicating companies continue to hire at a modest but steady pace.

The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000.

84. Economic Development Through Entrepreneurism - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Last week we visited downtown Las Vegas to tour and learn more about what Zappos founder Tony Hsieh is doing to stimulate entrepreneurial activity and urban revitalization through his Downtown Project initiative. Hsieh is personally investing $350 million to transform downtown Las Vegas into the most community-focused large city in the world in less than five years.

85. US Service Firms Grew More Slowly in January - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Growth at U.S. service companies slowed slightly in January behind weaker new orders and business activity. But hiring improved, a bright sign for the economy.

The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its index of non-manufacturing activity dipped to 55.2 in January. That’s down from 55.7 in December, which was the highest level in nearly a year. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion.

86. Vaco Memphis Adds Two Divisions - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Vaco has added two new divisions to its Memphis office, growth partners of the consulting and placement firm say is an organic extension of its service offerings.

Vaco – a Nashville-based staffing firm that provides candidates for positions in finance, accounting, technology and logistics – has recently launched a new division, Vaco Operations, which will be focused on recruiting human resources, sales, marketing and executive assistants.

87. Hope Emerges for Filling Empty Spaces - Saturday, February 02, 2013

When The Pyramid reopens as a Bass Pro Shops later this year or early next year, it will be the only adaptive reuse of an arena in the country that is not a church.

That and Sears Crosstown are probably the city’s biggest empty spaces in terms of square footage, but the smaller ones highlighted in our cover story have a similar impact.

88. Filling the Voids - Saturday, February 02, 2013

Last year was a banner year for adaptive reuse projects in Midtown and Downtown.

Developers announced plans for the Sears Crosstown building, Overton Square, Hotel Chisca, James Lee House and old United Warehouse in the South Main Historic Arts District. Construction began on The Pyramid, turning it into a 220,000-square-foot mega-Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World, and Memphis in May moved into its new headquarters at 56 S. Front St., a 14,600-square-foot building that’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

89. It’s All About Commitment - Friday, February 01, 2013

Part two of a two-part series Commitment is at the heart of all successful nonprofit fundraising. It needs to be developed and sustained. It starts with the organization’s leadership – the executive director or CEO, board members as well as leadership level employees and volunteers. The purpose and vision for proposed fundraising needs to be carefully discussed by these parties, ideally through one-on-one conversations with time for challenging questions and clear answers.

90. Johnson Honored by U of M With Authur Holmon Award - Friday, February 01, 2013

If Cato Johnson ever decided to leave his position as senior vice president of corporate affairs at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, he could quite possibly become an epic spokesperson for an energy drink. A healthy one, that is.

91. New Breed Expands Memphis Footprint - Friday, February 01, 2013

New Breed Logistics recently announced plans to expand its Memphis operations with an investment of $23 million that will create 468 warehouse and distribution jobs.

The privately held 3PL company helps businesses design and operate efficient supply chains. Its newest facility will consist of 404,000 square feet at 4585 Quality Drive, and the company will also significantly expand operations inside its facility at 4895 Citation Drive.

92. US Home Prices Accelerate in November - Wednesday, January 30, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. home prices accelerated in November compared with a year ago, pushed higher by rising sales and a tighter supply of available homes.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 5.5 percent in November compared with the same month a year ago. That's the largest year-over-year gain in six years.

93. Tech Talk - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

It is a pleasant lunchtime hour on a recent weekday, and a small gathering of technologists has huddled at Panera Bread in the Laurelwood shopping center for their monthly confab.

They’re participants in a recurring series of “Tech Lunches” spearheaded by Brian Swanson. He’s a software developer and the founder of Purple Ant Software, which focuses on Web and desktop software development.

94. US New-Home Sales Fell in December, Sales for Year Up - Monday, January 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sales of new U.S. homes cooled off in December compared with November but for the entire year were the best since 2009.

The Commerce Department said Friday that new-home sales fell 7.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 369,000. That's down from November's rate of 398,000, which was the fastest in 2 ½ years.

95. Delta Posts Hugely Profitable 2012 - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Delta Air Lines Inc. on Tuesday, Jan. 22, reported a profitable quarter despite taking a substantial hit from Superstorm Sandy in October.

96. City, Bass Pro File Permits for Pyramid Renovations - Monday, January 21, 2013

1 A.W. Willis Memphis, TN 38105

Permit Costs: $21.5 million; $7 million

Project Cost: TBA

Permit Date: Applied January 2013

Completion: TBA

Owner: City of Memphis

97. ‘Stable’ Foreclosures - Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Crowne Plaza Hotel at 300 N. Second St. sits on a little less than two acres near Interstate 40. The Shelby County Assessor of Property’s 2012 appraisal for the 11-story, 244-room hotel was $6.6 million.

98. Three Components Will Determine 2013 - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Forecasting 2013 The fiscal cliff episode proved bullish for stocks. Fearful asset owners facing tax code uncertainty pulled outsized income and capital gains into 2012. Sellers quickly became buyers to complete the tax arbitrage. For the week ended Jan. 9, investors poured $18.3 billion into stock mutual funds and ETFs, the largest combined inflow in five years. This capital re-commitment has propelled the S&P 500 3.25 percent higher in 2013. Does this mean that 2013 will continue to see fantastic equity returns? Domestic stock returns are driven by three primary components – earnings, dividends and valuations. Let’s consider each to arrive at our forecast.

99. Guscette Named Sales Representative at P.O.P. Solutions - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Ally Guscette has been promoted to sales representative at Germantown-based brand-marketing firm P.O.P. Solutions Group LLC. In her new role, Guscette will help businesses develop brand awareness through promotional products, press kits, print materials and point-of-purchase displays. She joined the company in 2011 as part of a sales team and begins Germantown Leadership training this month.

100. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill in Bartlett Sells for $2.1 Million - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

An affiliate of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based STORE Capital has paid $2.1 million for the Firebirds Wood Fired Grill at 8470 U.S. (Highway) 64 in Bartlett.

The entity, STORE Master Funding II LLC, bought the 7,168-square-foot restaurant in a Dec. 28 special warranty deed from DMLD Building Group LLC of Charlotte, N.C.