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.

2. May 3-9: This Week in Memphis History - Saturday, May 04, 2013

1993: J. Terry Steib became the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis.

The Harrah’s casino division of Memphis-based Promus Cos. announced plans to build a casino in Tunica on 150 acres of land five miles west of U.S. 61 with an opening date of late 1994.

3. US Home Prices Up Most in Nearly 7 Years - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. home prices rose 9.3 percent in February compared with a year ago, the most in nearly seven years. The gains were driven by a growing number of buyers who bid on a limited supply of homes.

4. MAA’s Net Income Rises in Fourth Quarter - Saturday, February 09, 2013

MAA reported a fourth quarter net income of $22.3 million, as compared to $18.8 million during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Net income results for the quarter ended Dec. 31 for the Memphis-based, apartment-only Real Estate Investment Trust included $3.2 million related to gains on the sale of one apartment community, while net income results for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011, included $7.9 million related to gains on the sale of one apartment community.

5. Memphis Law Firm Now Part of Regional Practice - Thursday, February 07, 2013

Rebecca Adelman’s new law firm launched Jan. 1 after a group of attorneys left one firm to start a new practice with her.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Shelby County Commission Finalizes Trustee Contract - Saturday, January 19, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners approved at their Monday, Jan. 14, meeting the agreement between the Shelby County Trustee’s office and the city of Memphis for Trustee David Lenoir to collect city property taxes for the city.

9. Shelby County Commission Finalizes Trustee Contract - Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners approved at their Monday, Jan. 14, meeting the agreement between the Shelby County Trustee’s office and the city of Memphis for Trustee David Lenoir to collect city property taxes for the city.

10. County Wage Theft Ordinance Defeated - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a “wage theft” ordinance Monday, Jan. 14, on third and final reading.

The proposal failed on a 5-7 vote with very little debate among commissioners but a just about even split among 23 citizens who spoke on the issue before the commission voted.

11. County Wage Theft Ordinance Defeated - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a “wage theft” ordinance Monday, Jan. 14, on third and final reading.

The proposal failed on a 5-7 vote with very little debate among commissioners but a just about even split among 23 citizens who spoke on the issue before the commission voted.

12. US New Home Sales Jump to Fastest Rate Since April 2010 - Saturday, December 29, 2012

Americans bought new homes last month at the fastest pace in more than two and a half years, further evidence of a sustained housing recovery.

Sales of new homes rose 4.4 percent in November from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 377,000, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That’s the fastest pace since April 2010, when a federal tax credit boosted sales.

13. US New Home Sales Jump at Fastest Rate Since April 2010 - Friday, December 28, 2012

Americans bought new homes last month at the fastest pace in more than two and a half years, further evidence of a sustained housing recovery.

Sales of new homes rose 4.4 percent in November from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 377,000, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That’s the fastest pace since April 2010, when a federal tax credit boosted sales.

14. Midtown Momentum - Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Midtown real estate market has long been an anomaly compared to its Bluff City counterparts, with fundamentals as diverse as its demographics.

“The types of real estate that you’ll find in Midtown can be some of the most expensive or some of the most modest when it comes to prices and facility,” said Gary Myers of Gary Myers Co. “Retail in particular.”

15. Measure of US Home Prices Rises Most in 6 Years - Wednesday, November 07, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A measure of U.S. home prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006. The gain reported by CoreLogic offered more evidence of a sustainable housing recovery.

16. Storm's Cost May Hit $50 Billion; Rebuilding to Ease Blow - Wednesday, October 31, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Superstorm Sandy will end up causing about $20 billion in property damages and $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm.

17. Homebuilder Confidence High - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Confidence among U.S. homebuilders remains at its highest level in six years, reflecting improved optimism over the strengthening housing market this year and a pickup in visits by prospective buyers to builders’ communities.

18. City Council to Vote on Discrimination Ordinance - Tuesday, October 16, 2012

With a legal opinion from City Attorney Herman Morris in hand, Memphis City Council members on Tuesday, Oct. 16, again take up an ordinance that would ban the city from discriminating in hiring and promotions based on sexual orientation.

19. Contracts to Buy US Homes Fell Slightly in August - Friday, September 28, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy previously occupied homes fell in August from a two-year high in July.

The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that its index of sales agreements dropped 2.6 percent last month to 99.2. In July, the index rose to 101.9. That was the highest level since April 2010, when the market benefited from a federal home-buying tax credit.

20. New US Home Sales Edged Down 0.3 Percent in August - Thursday, September 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sales of new homes in the United States dipped slightly in August from July but the median price of homes sold during the month rose by a record amount.

New-home sales edged down to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 373,000 in August, a dip of 0.3 percent from July's revised rate of 374,000, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That had been the fastest pace since April 2010 when government tax credits were boosting sales.

21. Leader Five Star Homes Partners With Energy Star - Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Leader Five Star Homes has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star for New Homes Program, which provides homebuyers with energy efficient new homes that save money on utility bills, offer greater comfort and better performance, and help to protect the environment.

22. Construction Spending up in June - Thursday, August 02, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Another strong gain in homebuilding pushed U.S. construction spending up for a third straight month in June.

The construction industry has been flashing signs of improvement while other sectors of the economy have slowed.

23. Residential Greening - Monday, July 30, 2012

There was a time not so long ago when potential homebuyers had to demand energy efficiency in new homes.

Nowadays, green features are more of an expectation than an extra.

“I would venture to say that just about everybody asks about energy efficiency,” said Martha Fondren, director of sales and marketing for Grant & Co. “They may not say it in those words, but they ask us about what kind of furnaces we are using, what kind of faucets, what kind of insulation. What are the standard things that people can expect when they walk in the home in order to save them money on the utility bills because that’s a huge expense.”

24. 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.

25. Haslam Honors Local Orgs in Environmental Stewardship - Friday, July 06, 2012

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has recognized two winners in Shelby County for his Environmental Stewardship Awards.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis won the Excellence in Building Green category, chosen for its Sustainable Building Program. During 2011, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis was the top builder of single-family, EcoBUILD-certified homes in Shelby County.

26. US Employers Still Waiting for Sales to Pick Up - Monday, June 04, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy suddenly looks a lot weaker.

Only 69,000 jobs were added in May, the fewest in a year, and the unemployment rate rose from 8.1 percent to 8.2 percent.

27. Foreclosures Squeezing US Home Prices and Sales - Wednesday, April 25, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Rising foreclosures are weighing on the U.S. housing market, reducing prices and keeping new-home sales weak.

Foreclosed homes are usually sold at steep discounts, thereby lowering average prices. And by expanding the supply of low-priced previously occupied homes, foreclosures tend to limit demand for new homes.

28. Average Rate on 30-Year Mortgage Down to 3.90 Pct. - Friday, March 02, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The average rate on the 30-year mortgage edged down this week to hover again above record lows. Cheaper rates have spurred modest improvements in the battered housing market, but not enough to signal a recovery.

29. Leader Five Star Homes Announces Energy Package - Friday, February 17, 2012

Leader Five Star Homes is offering a new standard in every home it builds with the NexGenLiving Homes package, which includes Energy Star certification, energy control automation and an energy saving kitchen.

30. Equipment Shortage Possible by Mid-Summer - Monday, February 13, 2012

Some local construction companies could be scrambling by summertime in search of heavy equipment like cranes, scissor lifts and backhoes for their projects.

With a number of large commercial construction projects ramping up across the city between now and then, equipment is expected to be in short supply and high demand.

31. Home Prices Dropped in November in Most US Cities - Wednesday, February 01, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. home prices fell for a third straight month in nearly all cities tracked by a major index. The declines show that most homeowners are not reaping the benefits from some signs of an improving housing market.

32. Council Begins Bed Tax Discussion - Monday, January 02, 2012

The first meeting of the Memphis City Council for 2012 offers some familiar issues and some new moves that point toward a break with the past in city operations.

The council meets Tuesday, Jan. 3, starting at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall, 125 N. Main St.

33. Green Means Green - Tuesday, December 13, 2011

As national real estate guru Jonathan David Miller said at last week’s Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South, in the rare event that new construction is taking place for office users, going green is standard in today’s economy.

34. Smith Named Vice Prez At S. Webster Haining - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Doug Smith has been named vice president, administrative operations, at S. Webster Haining & Co.

35. Shelby Farms Playground Seeks Green Certification - Monday, November 28, 2011

Shelby Farms Park’s Woodland Discovery Playground is in the running to be the first certified Sustainable Sites Initiative project in the world.

36. Somerset Park Apartments Sell for $1.1 Million - Tuesday, November 01, 2011

3425 Winchester Park Drive
Memphis, TN 38118
Sale Amount: $1.1 Million

37. Cotton Council Building Slated for Apartments - Friday, October 28, 2011

Cotton Council Apartments LLC has filed a $2.4 million building permit with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to renovate the former National Cotton Council headquarters at 1918 North Parkway into apartments.

38. Takeovers, Anticipated European Deal Lift Stocks - Tuesday, October 25, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks gained steadily Monday on a round of corporate takeovers and reports that Europe's bailout fund will be larger than anticipated. The Dow Jones industrial average was up nearly 130 points in the late afternoon. The Nasdaq composite index turned positive for the year.

39. Tenn. to Sell Estimated $584 Million in Bonds - Wednesday, October 12, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – The state of Tennessee plans to sell an estimated $584 million worth of bonds this week, the largest sale in the state's history.

The sale Tuesday through Thursday will use some of the proceeds to pay for new capital projects and infrastructure. These include economic development grants for Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Wacker Chemie in Bradley County, Hemlock Semiconductor in Clarksville and Electrolux in Memphis.

40. $18.8M Loan Filed to Build Robinwood Retirement Community - Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Construction Loan For Robinwood Retirement Community
Loan Amount: $18.8 million

Loan Date: Sept. 27, 2011

Maturity Date: Sept. 30, 2014, with conversion option that would extend maturity to Sept. 30, 2016

41. Uptown on Agenda in Carpenter’s Final Meeting - Monday, September 26, 2011

Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter will take his last votes as a commissioner Monday, Sept. 26, ending a five-year and one-month stay on the county’s legislative body.

42. Google Reveals Energy Use to Show Search is Green - Friday, September 09, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Stung by concerns that using Google is bad for the planet, the Internet search giant has revealed exactly how much electricity the company uses and how much greenhouse gases it produces in an effort to show its business model is environmentally friendly.

43. Obama Completes Economy Team Ahead of Jobs Speech - Tuesday, August 30, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama tapped labor economist Alan Krueger for a top administration post Monday as the White House scrambles for solutions to repair an ailing U.S. economy ahead of the 2012 election.

44. Corker: Government Could Learn from Realtors - Wednesday, August 24, 2011

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker learned early on in his construction business that as long as you’re chasing a profit, you can’t go broke.

It’s the fundamental rule of accounting – for a balance sheet to balance, you can’t be spending more than you’re earning.

45. Memphis Goodwill Finances U.S. 64, Austin Peay Stores - Tuesday, August 23, 2011

6899 U.S. 64
Memphis, TN 38134
Loan Amount: $3.2 million

Loan Date: Aug. 1, 2011

Maturity Date: n/a

Borrower: Memphis Goodwill Inc.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. 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.

49. Kruger Files $40 Million Loan for Memphis Plant - Wednesday, August 17, 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.

50. AP: Western States Lag in Recovery - Wednesday, July 20, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Western states hit hardest by the housing crisis are feeling the greatest economic stress two years after the recession ended, according to The Associated Press’s monthly analysis.

51. Young Draws Attention to Office of Sustainability - Monday, July 11, 2011

Paul Young has been very busy and very visible in the last three months.

The head of the joint city-county Office of Sustainability has been keeping a busy schedule, in part because of several high-profile sustainability undertakings that are reaching critical points at about the same time.

52. Flood Stymies Homeowners, Homebuilders - Wednesday, May 04, 2011

In the aftermath of last week’s storms and as the Mississippi River continues to rise, homeowners and builders alike are taking a closer look at their insurance policies.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid was made available to Tennessee to supplement the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and associated flooding during the period of April 25-28.

53. Switch Creative Designs On Local, National Levels - Monday, April 18, 2011

Switch Creative is a Memphis-based design firm that has made a name for itself on a local and national level in the advertising world.

With high-profile clients such as MTV, Oakley and Ride Snowboards, creator Michael Carpenter has been able to turn out top-notch designs on everything from snowboards, apparel and CD covers to posters, business cards and logos.

54. Good Deals on New Homes to be Had This Spring - Wednesday, March 09, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The spring home-selling season is under way, and homebuyers have more leverage this year to get price discounts and other perks on new homes than in years past.

It's the busiest time for homebuilders, which means they are under less pressure to lower prices. They typically reserve the best bargains for the fall, when they look to thin their slate of unsold homes.

55. Renovations Begin at Pinnacle Headquarters - Tuesday, March 01, 2011

40 S. Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103
Permit Amount: $8.7 Million

Project Cost: $8.7 million
Permit Date: Applied February 2011
Owner: Memphis Commerce Square Partners
Tenant: Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Contractor: Grinder, Taber & Grinder Inc.

56. Home Prices Hit Post-Bust Lows in Most Big Cities - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Home prices in a majority of major U.S. cities tracked by a private trade group have fallen to their lowest levels since the housing bubble burst, and analysts expect further declines this year.

57. Builders Began Work On Fewer Projects in 2010 - Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Builders began work on fewer homes, shopping centers and other projects in 2010, pushing total building activity down to the lowest point in a decade.

Construction spending dropped 10.3 percent last year, marking the fifth annual decline, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. It fell to $814.18 billion in 2010, the lowest level since 2000.

58. New-Home Sales in 2010 Fall to Lowest in 47 Years - Thursday, January 27, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Buyers purchased the fewest number of new homes last year on records going back 47 years.

Sales for all of 2010 totaled 321,000, a drop of 14.4 percent from the 375,000 homes sold in 2009, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. It was the fifth consecutive year that sales have declined after hitting record highs for the five previous years when the housing market was booming.

59. AP Analysis: Jobs Crisis Pushes Up Economic Stress - Thursday, January 13, 2011

Higher unemployment and foreclosure rates, especially in South Atlantic and Mountain states, raised the nation's economic stress in November, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis.

One month after economic stress reached an 18-month low nationally, it rose in three-quarters of the 3,141 counties the AP analyzed and in 39 states. Unemployment and foreclosures edged up in more than two-thirds of the states. Bankruptcies rose in half the states.

60. HTL Advantage Markets West Tenn. Industrial Sites - Wednesday, December 22, 2010

If there is strength in numbers, the HTL Advantage is operating at a definite advantage. Economic development efforts in Haywood, Tipton and Lauderdale counties have been consolidated under the organization formed in early 2008.

61. Sprint to Start Phasing Out Nextel Network in 2013 - Tuesday, December 07, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Sprint Nextel Corp. said it will start phasing out the Nextel part of its network in 2013, a decision that follows near-constant subscriber losses since Sprint bought Nextel in 2005.

62. MLGW Spearheads Green Switch Concept - Monday, November 15, 2010

In any economic climate, it’s pretty rare when businesses take actions that aren’t beneficial to the bottom line.

And when the economy is struggling, taking action that doesn’t produce immediate financial benefits is generally not considered a sound business practice.

63. AP Analysis: More Factory Jobs Ease Economic Pain - Wednesday, June 09, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — Manufacturing job gains in the Midwest helped lower the nation's economic stress in April to its lowest point in five months, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions around the country.

64. Commission Pleased With MED Pledge Attention - Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Shelby County Commission Chairwoman Joyce Avery said she has no regrets about the commission’s pledge for funding for The Regional Medical Center at Memphis.

65. Conserve and Protect - Monday, May 03, 2010

Iconic nautical images abound on the modern-day Mississippi River, this country’s largest and most storied river system.

Stroll along the banks of the “Mighty Mississippi” and it’s possible to see a tugboat pushing a barge against the current, a steamboat churning through the muddy waters, a Coast Guard cutter darting across the choppy surface.

66. Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Level in 4 Weeks - Friday, April 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowly improving.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial applications for jobless benefits dropped by 11,000 to 448,000, the lowest level in four weeks. The new total was slightly higher than economists had expected.

67. Rosy Earnings Show Corporate America is Back - Thursday, April 29, 2010

CHICAGO (AP) — Corporate America is back.

Companies that do everything from making appliances to selling cruises are reporting strong first-quarter profits — not because of the layoffs many of them used to dress up last year's earnings reports but because people are spending more.

68. PILOT Approval Clears Way for $90M Investment at Lucite - Friday, April 23, 2010

Wednesday’s monthly meeting of the city-county Industrial Development Board brought two companies – Lucite International and Christ Community Health Services – closer to expanding their Memphis operations.

The IDB unanimously approved a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) retention program for Lucite International to invest $90 million in its Memphis-area operation and keep 200 jobs intact.

69. AP Analysis: Economic Pain Eases in Hard-Hit Areas - Wednesday, April 14, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - Economic stress declined in the nation's most troubled areas in February as unemployment stabilized and the pace of foreclosures eased, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions in more than 3,100 U.S. counties.

70. State Enhances its 511 Motorist Information System - Thursday, April 01, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The state now has an enhanced 511 motorist information system.

Motorists who dial 5-1-1 can now access information about rest areas, public transportation, airports and tourism as well as the standard features such as wrecks, construction projects and weather forecasts from the National Weather Service.

71. The Cost of Progress - Monday, March 08, 2010

The development of Norfolk Southern Corp.’s $112 million intermodal yard on a former cattle ranch in Fayette County has polarized the community for more than a year.

72. Wharton Considers City Division Cuts To Aid MCS - Friday, December 18, 2009

There probably will be fewer divisions in city government sometime early next year.

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. raised that possibility this week as he and City Council members discussed a framework for coming up with $50 million for the Memphis City Schools.

73. Mega Bucks - Monday, December 14, 2009

Ten years ago, Jim Ewing and Jim Bruce wrote a piece for Site Selection, a trade magazine for people in the business of consulting on the best locations to build industrial plants. It was called “The Approaching Industrial Land Shortfall.”

74. Background: Tunica - Monday, December 07, 2009

Before the casinos, when the local economy was cotton and tractors, Tunica County had an unemployment rate as high as 25 percent.

Today’s Tunica bears little resemblance to that place from the mid-1980s.

75. Economy’s Rebound not as Strong as First Thought - Wednesday, November 25, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – The economy is growing modestly, with consumers too wary about spending to invigorate the recovery.

That picture emerged Tuesday from reports on the nation’s economy and the confidence of consumers, who power 70 percent of it. The economy grew at a 2.8 percent rate last quarter – less than originally estimated. And forecasts for the current quarter are for similarly slight growth before a drop-off next year.

76. Folks Like West Set Up for Failure When They Don’t ‘Get’ Memphis - Monday, November 16, 2009

Soon-to-be former Tigers football coach Tommy West started something with what amounted to his exit interview last Monday.

77. More Details, Concerns Emerge From Norfolk Southern Deal - Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Norfolk Southern Corp. has unveiled preliminary environmental data that will serve as the foundation of its proposed intermodal terminal in Fayette County, where cargo containers will be transferred between trucks and trains.

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

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

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

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

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

Dramatis personae

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

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

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

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

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

Time-, battle-tested

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

The other members are:

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

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

- Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis City Council member.

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

- Jose Velasquez, Latino Memphis former executive director.

- Nisha Powers, Powers Hill Design Inc. President.

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

- Douglas Scarboro, The Leadership Academy vice president.

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

- Diane Rudner, Plough Foundation chairman.

- Darrell Cobbins, Universal Commercial CEO.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cooperative efforts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

79. Commission to Appeal Second Juvenile Court Judgeship - Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The battle over more than one Juvenile Court judge is on its way to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Shelby County Commissioners voted this week to appeal an earlier ruling by the Tennessee Appeals Court to the high court. The Supreme Court could choose to hear the case or deny the request for an appeal, which would leave the appeals court ruling in place.

80. Job Data to Show Stimulus Aided Teachers, Laborers - Tuesday, October 13, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's stimulus plan spared tens of thousands of teachers from losing their jobs, state officials said Monday amid a nationwide effort to calculate the effect of Washington's $787 billion recovery package.

81. August Pending Home Sales Rise to 2 1/2-Year High - Friday, October 02, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Aspiring homebuyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit for first-time owners that expires in November, driving up the number of signed sales contracts for the seventh straight month in August.

82. 1.3 Million to Lose Jobless Benefits by Year's End - Friday, September 04, 2009

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Jobless since January, Donald Money has already moved in with his elderly parents, stopped going to the movies and started using less of his prescription medication so it will last longer.

83. Braking Point: Inside MATA's identity crisis - Monday, August 24, 2009

The bus system in Memphis has an undeserved “mythology,” according to the people who run it. However, some who ride Memphis Area Transit Authority buses everyday – and many who don’t – contend the system is far from perfect.

84. Carter Takes Helm of U of M’s Law Alumni Board - Thursday, August 20, 2009

Richard Carter, director and shareholder of the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC, in July took office as president of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law’s Alumni board of directors, which works with its members and area clubs to support and advance the mission of the law school.

85. Charter School to Rehab Potential Eyesore - Thursday, August 06, 2009

Not surprisingly, business education is standard fare at the Memphis Business Academy, a charter school about to begin its fifth academic year.

And in the coming semesters MBA students will receive an important lesson in one particular aspect of the business world – real estate acquisition and repositioning – as the administration takes possession of the 86,640-square-foot big-box retail building at 3306 Overton Crossing St. in Frayser and turns it into the school’s new home.

86. Southland Park Receives Environmental Certification - Friday, July 31, 2009

Southland Park Gaming & Racing has received international

certification that its operations are environmentally friendly from the International Organization for Standardization. The West Memphis racino could be the first U.S. gaming venue to achieve this standard, Southland officials said.

87. Index Adds to Spate Of Upbeat Housing News - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) – There were fresh signs Tuesday that home prices in much of the country are stabilizing and the housing market is on the mend.

Home prices in May posted their first monthly increase since the summer of 2006, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city index. Prices rose from April in 13 of the cities tracked, notably Cleveland, Dallas and Boston.

88. Cowles Co. Promotes Green Building - Friday, July 24, 2009

Bernard Cowles of The Cowles Co. is a firm believer in the environmental mantra of “reduce, reuse and recycle,” and evidence of this can be found at his construction project at Cooper-Young Place, a 33-home site he developed and is building at South Barksdale Street and Elzey Avenue.

89. Riviana Continues Work On Rice Processing/Distribution Plant - Tuesday, June 16, 2009

2371 Prospect St.
Memphis, TN 38106
Permit Amount: $3.5 Million

Project Cost: $67 million
Permit Date: Applied June 2009
Completion: 2010
Owner: Riviana Foods Inc.
Tenant: Riviana Foods Inc.
Contractor: Linkous Construction Co. Inc.

90. American Yeast to Expand Frayser Warehouse - Monday, June 15, 2009

American Yeast Corp. will expand its warehouse at 2405 N. Second St. in Frayser. The company last week filed a $949,000 permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement for the addition, bringing a 15,000-square-foot building to its 185-acre property.

91. SPIN METER: Counting Jobs a Political Numbers Game - Thursday, April 30, 2009

EDITOR'S NOTE — An occasional look behind the rhetoric of public officials.

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - When Ed Pegler was laid off from his highway construction job four months ago, the 47-year-old father of two didn't know when he'd be back to work. Then the phone rang. There was a job, paid for by the federal stimulus law.

92. Nucor Posts Q1 Loss of $190M on Weak Steel Demand - Friday, April 24, 2009

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Nucor Corp., the largest U.S. steel maker by production, on Thursday reported its first loss ever as a severe recession sapped demand for the metal. It forecast an even bigger loss for the second quarter, calling conditions the worst it's ever seen.

93. Refiner Valero to Obtain 7 VeraSun Plants - Thursday, March 19, 2009

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (AP) - Valero Energy will buy seven ethanol plants from VeraSun Energy for $477 million, the largest biofuel buyout in terms of production capacity.

VeraSun, the second largest U.S. ethanol producer, filed for bankruptcy protection in October.

94. Goddard School Planned For Winchester Road in Collierville - Tuesday, February 24, 2009

2.5 Acres
Collierville, TN 38017
Loan Amount: $1.3 Million

Loan Date: Feb. 13, 2009
Maturity Date: N/A
Borrower: R.S. Harris LLC
Lender: First Citizens National Bank

95. Postmaster General: Mail Days May Need to be Cut - Thursday, January 29, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Massive deficits could force the post office to cut out one day of mail delivery, the postmaster general told Congress on Wednesday, in asking lawmakers to lift the requirement that the agency deliver mail six days a week.

96. Forest, Paper Products Firms Struggled in 2008 - Monday, January 05, 2009

Lumber and paper products companies faced two challenges in 2008, soaring energy costs in the first half, and sinking demand for their products in the second, which sent shares tumbling for the year.

97. Economy Declined 0.5 Percent in Third Quarter - Friday, December 26, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - As the longest recession in a quarter century intensifies, analysts believe the small decline in economic activity in the third quarter has worsened significantly in the current fourth quarter.

98. Stocks End Back-and-Forth Session Mixed - Monday, October 20, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street ended a tumultuous two-week run relatively quietly Friday, finishing another back-and-forth session mixed as investors were cheered by signs of easing in the credit markets and managed to absorb lackluster economic news with equanimity.

99. Containerboard Makers Surge On China News - Tuesday, October 14, 2008

China’s announcement Monday that it will delay construction of a huge containerboard plant, along with a broader stock market surge, lifted shares of U.S. containerboard makers, including Memphis-based International Paper Co.

100. Stocks Tumble After Government Bailout of AIG - Thursday, September 18, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - Wall Street plunged again in a crisis of confidence Wednesday as anxieties about the financial system still ran high after the government's bailout of insurer American International Group Inc. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped about 340 points, and investors seeking the safety of hard assets and government debt sent gold, oil and short-term Treasurys soaring.