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.

2. US Options Exchange Reopens After Half-Day Outage - Friday, April 26, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Trading on the biggest exchange for financial options resumed Thursday following an outage caused by software problems.

The Chicago Board Options Exchange reopened at 12:50 p.m. Eastern time after being closed from the start of the trading day. The shutdown forced traders to scramble for alternatives.

3. Critics Revive Past Promises to Knock Obama Budget - Friday, April 12, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Advocates for seniors say President Barack Obama is breaking his promise to protect Social Security, while conservatives say he is breaking his promise not to raise taxes on the middle class.

4. Olymbec Files $5.5 Million Mortgage on Brinkley Plaza - Saturday, March 09, 2013

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, has filed a $5.45 million mortgage on Brinkley Plaza in Downtown Memphis.

5. Olymbec Files $5.5 Million Mortgage on Brinkley Plaza - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, has filed a $5.45 million mortgage on Brinkley Plaza in Downtown Memphis.

6. Do You Need Life Insurance? - Thursday, February 21, 2013

Ray’s Take For most people, life insurance decisions depend on two things: 1) whether anyone depends on your income to support their standard of living, and 2) whether you have enough other assets that could provide what is needed.

7. Arkansas Senate Panel Backs Abortion Coverage Ban - Thursday, February 07, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – An Arkansas Senate panel approved a measure Wednesday banning insurers participating in an exchange created under the health care law from covering most abortions, while the sponsor of legislation banning abortions 20 weeks into a pregnancy said he's facing resistance for it not exempting victims of rape or incest.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. Supreme Court Hears Dispute Over Class Actions - Saturday, January 12, 2013

The U.S. Supreme Court is questioning efforts by consumers’ lawyers to limit the amount of money sought in class-action lawsuits so they are heard in state courts rather than more business-friendly federal court.

11. Supreme Court Hears Dispute Over Class Actions - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The U.S. Supreme Court is questioning efforts by consumers’ lawyers to limit the amount of money sought in class-action lawsuits so they are heard in state courts rather than more business-friendly federal court.

12. Countdown to Reform - Saturday, January 05, 2013

The Obama administration recently took the next step in implementing the new health care reform by laying out more specific guidelines regarding the health insurance market reforms. The Department of Health and Human Services published the new regulations on Nov. 20.

13. 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.

14. Woman-Owned Engineering Firm Finds Right Design for Success - Monday, October 08, 2012

Entrepreneurship was never in Nisha Powers’ plans.

Armed with a degree in civil engineering, Powers moved to Memphis in 1997 and followed a traditional post-college path: She sought and landed a job at one of the state’s top firms in her field. But after eight years in one small office, she was ready to explore new territory.

15. AP IMPACT: Aggressive Start for Consumer Bureau - Thursday, September 13, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The new federal agency charged with enforcing consumer finance laws is emerging as an ambitious sheriff, taking on companies for deceptive fees and marketing and unmoved by protests that its tactics go too far.

16. Premiums for Family Health Plans Hit $15,745 - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Annual premiums for job-based family health insurance went up just 4 percent this year, but that's no comfort with the price tag approaching $16,000 and rising more than twice as fast as wages.

17. New Case at High Court Aims to Blunt Class Actions - Monday, September 03, 2012

The Supreme Court will consider an insurance company’s plea to move a class-action lawsuit from state court to a more business-friendly federal court.

The justices on Friday agreed to hear an appeal from The Standard Fire Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn. The case involves the reach of a 2005 federal law that allows defendants in class-action lawsuits to transfer disputes involving more than $5 million to a federal court from state courts that often favor plaintiffs.

18. Homemade Wills Can Cause Woes - Thursday, August 30, 2012

Ray’s Take The Internet is loaded with do-it-yourself will instructions and fill-in-the-blank documents. I do not recommend using any of them. Not only is there no assurance there aren’t errors in the document you may select, they may well lead to greater problems for the very people you had intended to help.

19. Reaction: Coverage for Most, Scramble for States - Friday, June 29, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court settled the legal argument over health care Thursday. Now people in the United States will find out if President Barack Obama’s overhaul can work as advertised to provide coverage to millions of uninsured while also keeping costs in check.

20. Towering Questions - Monday, April 02, 2012

It’s been slightly more than two years since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, but when it comes to small businesses meeting its demands, confusion still abounds.

While some provisions of health care reform – such as expansion of coverage to adult children up to age 26, new coverage options for individuals with pre-existing conditions and eliminating lifetime caps on coverage – have been implemented, the government will continue to roll out provisions through 2014 and beyond.

21. Put Your Legacy Into Words - Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Last week we spotlighted BRIDGES, an organization helping to build a community of leaders to advance racial, economic, educational, and environmental justice. This week, as we reflect on a recent visit from LPBC guest speaker Dr. Joseph Michelli, let us share some of his sage advice, which could redefine priorities and ignite our effect on future generations: a legacy statement.

22. American Airlines Aims to Cut 13,000 Jobs - Thursday, February 02, 2012

DALLAS (AP) – The parent of American Airlines wants to eliminate about 13,000 jobs – 15 percent of its workforce – as the nation's third-biggest airline remakes itself under bankruptcy protection.

23. User-Friendly Health Plan Summaries at Risk - Friday, January 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – One of the most popular provisions of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul – consumer-friendly summaries of what your insurance plan covers – suddenly seems to be at risk.

24. Speeding Yields More Tales - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Last week’s column was about speeding and how some charged therewith find a way to make the issuing officer laugh by candor, poetry, good-natured jokes, etc. Such stories remind others of their own experiences.

25. A GOP Debt Plan Would Hit Some Popular Tax Breaks - Friday, November 18, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Millions of taxpayers who take advantage of deductions for mortgage interest, charitable donations and state and local taxes would be targeted for potential tax hikes under a GOP plan to raise taxes by $290 billion over the next decade to help reduce the nation's deficit.

26. $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

27. Foreclosed Medical Bldg. Sells for $1.2 Million - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

A medical high-rise office building at 220 S. Claybrook St. has been bought at a foreclosure sale by lenders 220 South Claybrook Street LLC and UM Holdings IV LLC for $1.2 million after the property went into default. The original borrower was A. Roy Tyrer Jr.

28. Berkshire Hathaway to Buy Back Shares - Tuesday, September 27, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Warren Buffett is sending a clear signal that he believes Berkshire Hathaway's stock is undervalued by announcing a plan to repurchase stock for the first time since taking over the firm in 1965.

29. Tigers Can Help You LEAD - Monday, September 19, 2011

Last week we spotlighted New Ballet Ensemble & School, which is bringing together children from all backgrounds by providing a professional standard of training, regardless of the ability to pay. This week let us showcase three University of Memphis programs that offer your business tremendous partnership and growth opportunities.

30. Diversity Project for Cultural Arts - Monday, September 12, 2011

Last week we exemplified how one person or company can start a movement by taking action with small steps to impact our community. This week let us spotlight an organization that is bringing together children from all backgrounds by providing a professional standard of training, regardless of the ability to pay: New Ballet Ensemble & School.

31. Open Enrollment Cutoff for Medicare Plans Moves Up - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

A new deadline for privately run versions of the government's Medicare program may trip up customers who typically wait until the holidays to settle on their health insurance coverage for the coming year.

32. Service Firms Grew at Slightly Faster Pace - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Service firms that employ 90 percent of the U.S. work force expanded at a slightly faster pace in August. But the sector remains too weak to help an economy that is barely growing and struggling to create jobs.

33. Fundraisers Rappel Tower for Special Olympics - Tuesday, August 30, 2011

In one of the city’s most unique fundraising events, 64 brave souls scaled the exterior of the 23-story i-bank Tower (formerly White Station Tower) in East Memphis Friday, Aug. 26, and Saturday, Aug. 27, for Over the Edge, a high-thrills fundraiser for Special Olympics of Greater Memphis.

34. S&P Chief Resigns; Hedge Fund Seeks Parent Split - Wednesday, August 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Standard & Poor's wild month continues.

The president of S&P is stepping down just two weeks after the rating agency stripped the United States of its AAA credit rating. At the same time, an activist hedge fund is calling for S&P's parent to break into four separate companies to unlock more value for shareholders.

35. Health Plan Rules: What Counts as an Emergency? - Thursday, August 11, 2011

When is an emergency not an emergency? In health care, that can be a costly distinction.

Emergency rooms are designed to live up to their names by treating life-threatening or serious medical problems. But they often handle much more than that, sometimes at great cost to patients.

36. Federal Deficit Tops $1T for 3rd Straight Year - Thursday, August 11, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The nation's budget deficit has topped $1 trillion for a third straight year, adding pressure on Congress and the White House to make more progress a long-term plan to shrink the growing imbalance.

37. Claybrook Building Facing Foreclosure - Thursday, August 11, 2011

A first-run foreclosure notice has been filed against the owner of the seven-story Claybrook Medical Office Building, 220 S. Claybrook St., on the Methodist University Hospital campus.

38. Consumer Confidence Rises in July - Wednesday, July 27, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Two years into the recovery, Americans' confidence in the economy continues its rollercoaster ride.

As their short-term outlook on jobs and income eased somewhat amid a mix of optimistic and bad economic news, U.S. consumers' confidence rose slightly to 59.5 in July, according to a survey released Tuesday by a private research group.

39. Helping People Drives Campbell to Law Success - Thursday, July 07, 2011

After growing up in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Memphis, Christopher Campbell now works as a partner for Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC, one of the most respected law firms in the region.

40. Medicare 'Doughnut Hole' Looms for Drug Customers - Wednesday, July 06, 2011

The federal health care overhaul delivers deep price cuts this year that will benefit Medicare prescription drug customers who fall into a coverage gap known as the "doughnut hole." But limited coverage still may pose a financial challenge for a few more years.

41. Seminar to Examine Health Care Reform - Wednesday, June 29, 2011

One of the most contentious and complex issues facing the nation today will be the focus of the latest seminar hosted by The Daily News.

Health care reform will be the topic at hand on Thursday, July 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Ave.

42. Health Care Law Waivers Stir Suspicion of Favors - Tuesday, June 07, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Call it the Department of Waivers and Adjustments. It's doing a brisk business with the new health care law.

President Barack Obama's administration has granted nearly 1,400 waivers easing requirements of the new health care law, and some critics on the right say Obama is giving his political allies a pass from burdensome requirements everyone else will have to live with.

43. Gov't Cuts Rates for Hard-to-Insure Patients - Wednesday, June 01, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is cutting premiums by up to 40 percent in nearly two dozen states and implementing other changes to make it easier for people with pre-existing medical conditions to get health insurance.

44. Small Cars Getting Safer, Insurance Group Says - Thursday, May 26, 2011

DETROIT (AP) – Small cars are getting safer as more models than ever earn the top safety rating from the insurance industry.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Thursday that 6 of the 13 small cars it most recently tested are top safety picks. They include the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic and the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Juke, Lexus CT 200h and Toyota Prius.

45. Blues City Brewery Buys Hardy Bottling - Tuesday, May 17, 2011

5151 E. Raines Road
Memphis, TN 38118
Sale Amount: $10 million

Sale Date: May 2, 2011
Buyer: Blues City Brewery LLC
Seller: Chism Hardy Enterprises LLC

46. State House Approves Foreclosure Bill - Monday, May 16, 2011

Tennessee lawmakers have moved closer toward cutting back the number of foreclosure notices lenders have to publish in newspapers before borrowers in default lose their home.

Legislation drafted by the Tennessee Bankers Association and amended in legislative committees would allow lenders to reduce the current mandate from three foreclosure notice publications to two. The new notices also likely won’t include the lengthy descriptions they feature now.

47. Cordova Shopping Center Sells in Foreclosure - Thursday, May 12, 2011

8195 Dexter Road LLC, an affiliate of Hillsboro, Ore.-based StanCorp Mortgage Investors LLC, has acquired a strip shopping center at 8195 Dexter Road in Cordova via a foreclosure sale. The original borrower was Old Forest Properties GP, who borrowed $1.8 million from Standard Insurance Co. in December 2008.

48. 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.

49. MBGH Hands Out Health Honors - Monday, May 02, 2011

The Memphis Business Group on Health Thursday awarded two insurance companies and five regional hospitals for their progress toward improving the quality of health care in the region during 2010.

Doctors and administrators from organizations such as Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp., Methodist Le Bonheur Health Care, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, as well as representatives from companies such as FedEx Corp., First Horizon National Corp., Merck & Co. Inc. and Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc., attended the awards luncheon at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis, 3700 Central Ave.

50. Spears Prosthetics & Orthotics Gives New Movement to Amputees - Wednesday, March 09, 2011

When Ulysses Moore of Memphis lost the lower part of his right leg to gangrene several years ago, Spears Prosthetics & Orthotics – the Mid-South’s largest privately owned facility of its type – equipped him with a prosthesis and the training to increase his mobility.

51. 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.

52. Mississippi LLCs Finance Three Self-Storage Sites - Monday, February 28, 2011

Three limited liability companies affiliated with Gulfport, Miss.-based Tellus Equity GP have financed self-storage facilities the LLCs bought last year. All the loans were taken out through Standard Insurance Co. with a maturity date in March 2036.

53. 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.

54. New Tax Law Packed With Obscure Business Tax Cuts - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The massive new tax bill signed into law by President Barack Obama is filled with all kinds of holiday stocking stuffers for businesses: tax breaks for producing TV shows, grants for putting up windmills, rum subsidies for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

55. Baby Boomers Near 65 With Retirements in Jeopardy - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

CHICAGO (AP) – Through a combination of procrastination and bad timing, many baby boomers are facing a personal finance disaster just as they're hoping to retire.

Starting in January, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65, a pattern that will continue for the next 19 years.

56. Health Insurer Humana Forecasts 2011 Earnings Drop - Friday, November 19, 2010

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Health insurer Humana Inc. said Thursday it expects its 2011 earnings per share to fall by about a dollar from this year due to its Medicare Advantage program and medical cost trends, among other factors.

57. Buffett: Recession Continues, By his Definition - Friday, September 24, 2010

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Billionaire Warren Buffett says the economy remains in a recession, by his definition, because most people and businesses still aren't doing as well as they were before the financial crisis.

58. Air Charter Company Expanding to Little Rock - Monday, September 13, 2010

As the owner of an air charter business, Andrew Bettis understands that safety must be his top priority.

In fact, his eponymous company, Andrew Bettis Aviation, is the only one in Memphis to earn the prestigious recommendation from Wyvern Ltd., a third-party auditing service.

59. This Employee Benefit Proves to Be Helpful In Recruiting Good Employees - Wednesday, August 18, 2010

If you are the owner of a small business, you probably understand the difficulties in finding and keeping qualified employees.

There are many factors that an employee will consider when deciding where to work. One that employers often overlook is the availability of a tax-qualified retirement plan.

60. FDIC Takes Step Toward Cutting Use Of Ratings - Wednesday, August 11, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal regulators have taken a first step toward eliminating the use of credit ratings in rules for banks, under a mandate of the new financial overhaul law.

The board of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. voted Tuesday to take public comment on alternatives to relying on credit rating agencies to assess the risk of investments.

61. Some Insurers Stop Writing New Coverage for Kids - Monday, July 26, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some major health insurance companies have stopped issuing certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday.

62. A Piece-by-Piece Guide to Financial Overhaul Law - Thursday, July 22, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years after the global financial system nearly collapsed, a vast revamping of regulation has been signed into law. The measure targets the risky banking and oversight failures that led to the last crisis. The goal is to make another crisis less likely — and, if it does happen, less costly for taxpayers.

63. Premiums for New "High Risk" Pool Could be Steep - Friday, July 02, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama's new health coverage for uninsured Americans with health problems won't be cheap – premiums averaging $300 to $600 a month in the largest states, according to a government website that went live Thursday.

64. Be Tough with Your Financial Adviser - Tuesday, June 01, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) - Your financial adviser might be acting like a doctor who prescribes certain medicine only because he's on a drug company's payroll and then neglects to tell you about it.

Not all brokers who sell stocks, bonds, annuities and other investments are required to put their clients' interests first. They can steer you into mutual funds or college savings plans that pad their firms' profits or their own commissions, and you might never know.

65. Consumer Watchdog Eyes Lenders in New Bank Rules - Monday, May 24, 2010

Consumer watchdog eyes lenders in new bank rules

JIM KUHNHENN,Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is getting tougher on both borrowers and lenders blamed for inflating a housing bubble that, when it popped, plunged the nation into a severe recession two years ago.

66. Jobless Claims Rise by Larges Amount in 3 Months - Friday, May 21, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week by the largest amount in three months. The surge is evidence of how volatile the job market remains, even as the economy grows.

67. Hospital Operator HCA Inc. Files for $4.6B IPO - Monday, May 10, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Hospital chain HCA Inc. plans to raise $4.6 billion in its third initial public offering of common stock, more than three years after it was taken private in a leveraged buyout by a group of private equity investors.

68. SEC Seeks Tighter Rules on Asset-Backed Securities - Friday, April 09, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulators proposed new, stricter rules Wednesday for asset-backed securities, the bundles of loans that helped spark the market's collapse in 2008 and nearly brought down the financial system.

69. Gov't Official Warns on Home Down Payment Hikes - Monday, March 15, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Federal Housing Administration is warning that boosting the minimum down payment borrowers must provide to qualify for home loans backed by the agency could threaten the housing market.

70. Memphis Financial Firms See Optimism - Monday, March 01, 2010

Policymakers, consumers and business leaders probably would like to hold the U.S. economy to the same standard the world’s best athletes have been striving for in Vancouver for the past two weeks.

But as the U.S. economy slaloms down the bumpy slope of recovery in 2010, its performance likely will be something less than the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”

71. Stratford Place Owner Files $1.4 Million Loan - Tuesday, February 16, 2010

1806 and 2098 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38104
Loan Amount: $1.4 million

Loan Date: Jan. 26, 2010
Maturity Date: N/A
Borrower: Stratford Place LLC
Lender: Union Central Life Insurance Co.

72. Chandler Reports Kicks Off Luncheon Series - Thursday, February 04, 2010

Real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com, is introducing a quarterly luncheon series that will deliver the latest market trends to real estate professionals, appraisers, investors and lenders.

73. Professors: Corporate Tax Rate Holds U.S. Back - Tuesday, January 12, 2010

As nations emerge from the global recession and reposition themselves, the United States could be left behind because of its high corporate tax rate, said Ronald W. Spahr, a finance professor at the University of Memphis.

74. Docs Deflect Increasing Malpractice Claims - Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Tennessee doctors continue to fend off the vast majority of malpractice suits filed, but the five-year trend is unmistakable: The price of success grows higher every year.

Physicians and their insurance companies traditionally close up to 85 percent of malpractice cases without paying a penny to plaintiffs. But in the latest year of data available, 2007, the cost of those wins was up 17.5 percent, following an 8.4 percent rise a year earlier.

75. Senior Care Management Solutions Looks to Set Industry Standard - Monday, December 28, 2009

Senior Care Management Solutions Inc. has joined the growing list of personal support agencies that help the elderly and disabled maintain independent living.

76. Federal Budget Deficit for November Hits $120.3B - Friday, December 11, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal deficit for the first two months of the new budget year is piling up faster than last year's record imbalance.

Economists worry the flood of red ink could push interest rates higher and raise the cost of borrowing for consumers and businesses, a potential drag on the fragile economic recovery.

77. Houston Appointed by Governor To State Court Reporting Board - Thursday, December 03, 2009

Earl W. Houston II, a member of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC’s litigation section, was appointed recently to the newly formed Tennessee Board of Court Reporting by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

The Tennessee General Assembly established the board earlier this year. The seven-member board is charged with overseeing and maintaining a standard of competency for court reporters. The board also establishes professional qualifications and issues licenses for court reporters. Houston is the only Memphian on the board.

78. Fitch Reviews Whether to Cut Berkshire Rating - Friday, November 06, 2009

CHICAGO (AP) - Fitch Ratings warned Thursday that Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s deal for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. could overexpose Warren Buffett's company to weaknesses in the economy at the expense of its more durable investments.

79. TennCut: Why the state Medicaid program is slashing services to thousands of disabled people - Monday, November 02, 2009

Thyroid disease, congestive heart failure, blood clots, anemia and rheumatoid arthritis are just some of the health problems Memphian Ann B. wakes up to every day. For 11 years, she has been covered under a class of TennCare called Supplemental Social Security, or the “Daniels” class. Ann asked that her last name be kept anonymous.

80. 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.

81. Health Care Reform Bill Could Cost Tenn. $735M - Wednesday, October 07, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday a health care reform proposal in the U.S. Senate could cost the state more than $730 million.

Bredesen spoke to reporters during a teleconference from New York where he met with all three national credit ratings agencies about the state's bonding rate.

82. AIG Shares Jump after Talk of Bailout Revamp - Tuesday, September 22, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Shares of American International Group Inc. jumped more than 20 percent Monday after the head of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said that panel will examine a plan to reduce the company's massive bailout package.

83. 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.

84. White House Putting Off Budget Update - Tuesday, July 21, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is being forced to acknowledge the wide gap between its once-upbeat predictions about the economy and today's bleak landscape.

The administration's annual midsummer budget update is sure to show higher deficits and unemployment and slower growth than projected in President Barack Obama's budget in February and update in May, and that could complicate his efforts to get his signature health care and global-warming proposals through Congress.

85. Obama Challenges on Health Care - Tuesday, July 14, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - A defiant President Barack Obama sought Monday to revive his faltering plan to overhaul health care, delivering a full-throated promise to get comprehensive legislation and summoning lawmakers crucial to his effort to the White House.

86. SunTrust Exec’s Consulting Role Follows Other Leadership Changes - Monday, June 29, 2009

William R. Reed Jr., vice chairman of Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks Inc., will retire at the end of August to work as a consultant for the bank with a focus on Memphis.

Reed has entered into a contract with the bank under which he’ll be paid $502,000 over the next two years. He’ll get office space in Memphis and will be expected to promote “the business interests of SunTrust and its affiliates both at the corporate level and, in particular, in the Memphis, Tenn., market,” according to SunTrust.

87. Benefits Tax Advances in Health Care Negotiations - Thursday, June 25, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Taxing workers for employer-provided medical benefits could become the next big controversy for President Barack Obama in his quest to overhaul the nation's health care system.

88. After Economy Induced Détente, Divorces Rise Again - Thursday, May 07, 2009

The recession hit hard late last year, giving many couples another reason – besides the holiday season – to put off filing for divorce.

Splitting up real estate, stock options and deciding on custody issues were reasons many people avoided filing for divorce during the worst of the recession, divorce attorneys say.

89. Council, Commission Mobilize Against State Wage Bill - Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A bill passed by the Tennessee Senate Thursday and sponsored by a state lawmaker from Germantown would prohibit local governments from requiring private employers to pay their workers a living wage.

90. 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

91. 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.

92. Economy's Tumble Even Worse than Expected in Q3 - Wednesday, November 26, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - The economy took a tumble in the summer that was worse than first thought as American consumers throttled back their spending by the most in 28 years, further proof the country is almost certainly in the throes of a painful recession.

93. Corporate Bond Rates Keep Rising, Portend Defaults - Wednesday, October 29, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - The recent decline in bank-to-bank lending rates is having no effect on corporate bonds, which continue to plunge in value – a sign that the market believes more loan defaults and a wave of bankruptcies are ahead for U.S. companies.

94. Bush, Bernanke Open to New Stimulus Package - Tuesday, October 21, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) – Momentum increased Monday for a new economic stimulus package as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke endorsed extra help for the ailing economy, while the White House was open to the idea.

95. Troubled Lenders Give Money To Legislators - Monday, October 13, 2008

As a cascade of dramatic events has rocked the very foundations of Wall Street over the past several months, money continued to flow from the country’s financial sector to many of the lawmakers deciding the future of the marketplace.

96. WaMu Biggest Bank to Fail In Nation’s History - Monday, September 29, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) – Washington Mutual Inc., one of the nation’s largest banks, has collapsed under the weight of its enormous bad bets on the mortgage market.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seized WaMu on Thursday, and then sold the thrift’s banking assets to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for $1.9 billion.

97. 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.

98. Applications to Refinance Home Mortgages Surge - Thursday, September 18, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - Homeowners rushed to take advantage of last week's drop in interest rates following the government's takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but rates are rising again on investor fears over the eroding conditions in financial markets.

99. Fed Observers: Shifting Markets Could Spell Rate Cuts - Wednesday, September 17, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) – With turbulence hitting financial markets as a global credit crisis claims heavyweight victims, suddenly the possibility of a reduction in interest rates by the Federal Reserve was back on the agenda by press time Tuesday.

100. AIG Shares Fall as it Tries to Shore Up Books - Wednesday, September 17, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of American International Group Inc. fell Tuesday as investors questioned whether the huge insurer would come up with more money and avoid igniting even more global financial turmoil.