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.

2. Commission Approves Certified Tax Rate As Prelude To Tax Debate - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners established a certified county property tax rate of $4.32 Monday, May 20, after much debate about what the calculation means in a reappraisal year where reappraisal values went down instead of up or staying roughly even.

3. City Council Mulls Ending Auto Inspections - Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris will propose Tuesday, May 21, exempting Memphis auto owners for two years from required auto emissions inspections.

4. Gauge of US Economy’s Future Health Up in April - Monday, May 20, 2013

A measure of the U.S. economy’s future health rose solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build homes and a better job market.

The Conference Board said Friday that its index of leading indicators increased 0.6 percent last month to a reading of 95. That followed a 0.2 percent decline in March.

5. Capital of ’Cue - Monday, May 20, 2013

Before the sizzle on the grill, the first sounds of the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest heard in Tom Lee Park are hammers and nail guns.

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. Southwest to Save by Delaying Delivery of Planes - Thursday, May 16, 2013

DALLAS (AP) – Southwest Airlines Co. is delaying delivery of new airplanes and filling the gap with used planes to reduce spending over the next five years.

10. More Tips on Selling the Business - Thursday, May 16, 2013

I’d like to offer a counterpoint to a recent Daily News column that I presented a slanted view of the process used by investors to acquire the business of an entrepreneur (April 19, Selling the Business: Games Buyers Play).

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. US Retail Sales Rise in April on Cars, Clothing - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lower-priced gas allowed Americans to step up their spending at retailers in April, from cars and clothes to electronics and appliances. The rebound from a weak March suggests consumers remain resilient in the face of higher taxes and could continue to drive economic growth this spring.

15. New ZeroTo510 Teams Chosen for 2013 Cohort - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The ZeroTo510 medical device accelerator program has chosen the six new teams that will participate in the program’s 2013 cohort.

They include AIS Inc., a local team led by a biomedical engineering student from the University of Memphis. It’s building a leadless, single surgery GPS- and Bluetooth-enabled hybrid cardioverter defibrillator.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. Bernanke: Fed Increasing Financial Monitoring - Monday, May 13, 2013

The Federal Reserve has broadened its oversight beyond banks and now monitors a wide-range of financial institutions that could hasten another financial crisis, Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday.

Bernanke said the Fed is still monitoring banks and other systematically important financial institutions. But it has widened its scope to include other important participants that could either trigger a crisis or make the system more vulnerable.

19. 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.

20. Thomas & Betts CEO Sees Growth Post-Acquisition - Monday, May 13, 2013

Dominic Pileggi, the retired CEO of Thomas & Betts Corp., remembers being concerned more than a year ago when the Memphis-based maker of low voltage electrical and utility hardware was in talks with ABB Group of Zurich to buy Thomas & Betts.

21. 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.

22. Inman Keeps Construction Business Running Strong - Saturday, May 11, 2013

Page Inman had no intention of joining the family construction business, but 20 years and a couple $40 million construction jobs later, he has no regrets.

Cyclical economic changes and the need for competitive diversification are par for the course in an industry that depends on the availability of capital to survive.

23. 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.

24. Oakhaven Warehouse Sells After Foreclosure - Friday, May 10, 2013

The 224,749-square-foot warehouse at 4120 Air Trans Road in Oakhaven has sold for $2.5 million following a foreclosure.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. Bank of Fayette County Repays TARP Funds - Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Bank of Fayette County has finished paying back the slightly more than $6 million it got from the federal government as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, initiative.

29. Argent Trust Co. Acquires South Carolina Firm - Saturday, May 04, 2013

Argent Trust Co., which has its executive headquarters in Nashville, has acquired South Carolina-based East Broad Trust Co.

30. Editorial: City, County Budgets Need Sustainability - Saturday, May 04, 2013

There is always a reason, always a graph or charter that explains why something in a government budget can’t be cut.

Ask why funding for something that may be nice to have but isn’t essential can’t be used for something that is essential and you might get the analogy about the money coming from a different pocket. Or you could just get an earful of double talk.

31. US Factory Orders Down 4 Percent in March - Monday, May 06, 2013

Orders to U.S. factories fell in March by the largest amount in seven months but a key category that signals business investment plans managed a small increase. Factory orders dropped 4 percent in March, reflecting a big plunge in the volatile category of commercial aircraft, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Orders had been up 1.9 percent in February. Orders in a category considered a proxy for business investment plans rose 0.9 percent, a modest gain but an improvement from a preliminary report last week that had shown a decline.

32. US Trade Deficit Falls to $38.8 Billion in March - Friday, May 03, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in March for a second month as the daily flow of imported crude oil dropped to the lowest level in 17 years. The deficit with China hit a three-year low.

33. Argent Trust Co. Acquires South Carolina Firm - Friday, May 03, 2013

Argent Trust Co., which has its executive headquarters in Nashville, has acquired South Carolina-based East Broad Trust Co.

34. National, Local Leaders Discuss Nonprofit Challenges - Friday, May 03, 2013

Nonprofits need multifaceted ways to inform their stakeholders in a world that has grown more volatile, uncertain and complex, Jacob Herold, the president and CEO of GuideStar, told a sold-out audience at the annual Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence conference Wednesday, May 1.

35. International Paper’s Net Earnings Up - Thursday, May 02, 2013

Memphis-based International Paper Co. reported net earnings Thursday, May 2, of $318 million for the first quarter of 2013, a $130 million increase from a year ago.

Quarterly net sales for International Paper of $7.1 billion were up $400 million from a year ago but the same as for the fourth quarter of 2012.

36. Bank of Fayette County Repays TARP Funds - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The Bank of Fayette County has finished paying back the slightly more than $6 million it got from the federal government as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, initiative.

37. 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.

38. Capital Requirement - Saturday, April 27, 2013

In early April, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., joined a handful of other senators in drafting a letter in part about new rules of the road governing bank capital requirements.

That letter was sent to Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg.

39. 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.

40. FedEx Wins $10.5 Billion Contract With USPS - Thursday, April 25, 2013

FedEx Corp. said Tuesday, April 23, it won a $10.5 billion contract to carry mail between domestic airports for the U.S. Postal Service.

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. Bryce to Keep 318 Workers in Memphis - Friday, April 19, 2013

A packaging maker for retail brands like Frito-Lay and General Mills is getting a tax incentive worth $3 million to keep 318 workers in Memphis and add 95 new employees as part of a $21 million expansion here.

47. Martin Named Interim U of M President - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Brad Martin, the retired chairman and CEO of Saks Inc. and current chairman of the private investment firm RBM Venture Co., will be the interim president of the University of Memphis.

48. Harold Ford Sr. Buys Sycamore View Property - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

1670 Sycamore View Road Memphis, TN 38134

Sale Amount: $1.8 million

Sale Date: April 8, 2013

49. 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.

50. US Retail Sales Fall 0.4 Percent in March - Monday, April 15, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sales at U.S. retailers fell in March from February, indicating that higher taxes and weak hiring likely made some consumers more cautious about spending.

Retail sales declined a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent last month, the Commerce Department said Friday. That followed a 1 percent gain in February and a 0.1 percent decline in January. Both February and January figures were revised lower.

51. 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.

52. Houston REIT Moody Buys Germantown Hyatt Place - Monday, April 15, 2013

An affiliate of Houston-based Moody National REIT I Inc. has paid $11.3 million for the Hyatt Place hotel at 9161 Winchester Road in Germantown.

53. 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.

54. 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.”

55. 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.

56. Canterbury Woods Owner Files Loan on Property - Tuesday, April 09, 2013

The owner of the 400-unit Canterbury Woods apartments at 6520 Macon Road has filed a $9.8 million loan on the property.

57. 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

58. US Trade Deficit Narrows to $43 Billion in February - Monday, April 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in February as exports climbed close to an all-time high and the volume of imported crude oil fell to the lowest level in 17 years.

59. Arkansas House Panel Backs Beebe's Grocery Tax Cut - Monday, April 08, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Gov. Mike Beebe's proposal to conditionally reduce the state's grocery tax has won approval from an Arkansas House committee.

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee voted on Friday to pass the measure, which would reduce the grocery tax only if the state's desegregation settlement payments or bond obligations decrease by $35 million over a six-month period. If those conditions are met, the grocery tax would be reduced from 1.5 percent to 0.125 percent.

60. Fairfield Inn Sells for $4.2 Million - Monday, April 08, 2013

An entity related to GE Capital Real Estate has paid $4.2 million for the 89-unit Fairfield Inn & Suites Memphis at 4760 Show Case Blvd. near Interstate 240 and South Perkins Road.

61. 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.

62. 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.

63. US Service Firms Grow More Slowly, Hiring Weakens - Thursday, April 04, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Two reports Wednesday showed that U.S. service companies grew more slowly in March and private employers pulled back on hiring. The declines suggest businesses may have grown more cautious last month after federal spending cuts took effect.

64. 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.”

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. Law School Graduation to Feature Kennedy Jr. - Saturday, March 30, 2013

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, will be the graduation speaker for the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Class of 2013 graduation on May 12.

68. US Jobless Claims Jump 16,000 to 357,000 - Friday, March 29, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped by 16,000 last week, the second straight weekly increase. But the longer-term trend in layoffs remained consistent with an improved job market.

69. Bank Sets $500 Million Loan Fund for Mississippi Firms - Friday, March 29, 2013

RIDGELAND, Miss. (AP) – BancorpSouth Inc. is setting aside a $500 million loan fund aimed at Mississippi businesses, saying it will work with state officials to find qualified borrowers.

70. 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.

71. Law School Graduation to Feature Kennedy Jr. - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, will be the graduation speaker for the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law Class of 2013 graduation on May 12.

72. Whitehaven View Apartments Sell for $1.6 Million - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Saddle Vineyards LP has paid $1.6 million for the 128-unit Whitehaven View apartment complex at 1594 E. Holmes Road.

73. Companies Need to Think Like Venture Capitalists - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Last week we discussed the concept of the intrapreneur and our conviction that companies must add the pressures of failure and constrained resources to get ingenuity. Real entrepreneurs have vision, resilience and fortitude. Their natural drive, focus on survival and ability to pivot with the market is what generates market winners. It is the natural selection process at work. This is why VCs think the team is most critical, and companies looking to innovate should too.

74. 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.

75. 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.

76. 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.

77. 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.

78. Briarcrest Awarded $100,000 Grant From Assisi Foundation - Saturday, March 23, 2013

The Assisi Foundation of Memphis has awarded Briarcrest Christian School a $100,000 grant to be used for the construction of the Dr. Willard R. Sparks Chapel and Performing Arts Center.

79. 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.

80. 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.

81. Aerotropolis Pitch to Council Receives Mixed Reaction - Thursday, March 21, 2013

After years of very general talk about the aerotropolis concept, Memphis City Council members are ready for leaders of the effort to bring it in for a landing in specific terms that work with plans in smaller areas of the district around Memphis International Airport.

82. 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.

83. Put Your Internal Team on Bootstrap to Drive Innovation - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

In 1992, The American Heritage Dictionary acknowledged the popular use of a new word, “intrapreneur,” meaning “a person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation.” This term and concept is enjoying a revival as current companies struggle to realize growth and innovation. Companies seeking growth typically design programs that are based in strategy-driven or intrapreneur-driven innovation.

84. Briarcrest Awarded $100,000 Grant From Assisi Foundation - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Assisi Foundation of Memphis has awarded Briarcrest Christian School a $100,000 grant to be used for the construction of the Dr. Willard R. Sparks Chapel and Performing Arts Center.

85. Events - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

National Association of Women Business Owners Memphis chapter will meet Tuesday, March 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Chickasaw Country Club, 3935 Galloway Ave. The topic is “The Little Known Secrets of Lenders: How to Access Capital to Grow Your Business.” Cost is $35 at the door. Visit nawbomemphis.org.

86. 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.

87. US CEOs Optimistic about Economy - Saturday, March 16, 2013

Chief executives at the largest U.S. companies are much more optimistic about their sales prospects than they were three months ago, though many remain cautious about hiring.

The Business Roundtable said Wednesday that 72 percent of its members expect sales will increase in the next six months. That’s up from 58 percent at the end of last year.

88. 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.

89. Grubb & Ellis Affiliates With New York Advisory Firm - Saturday, March 16, 2013

Grubb & Ellis-Memphis – a full-service commercial real estate firm serving western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas – has formed an affiliation with Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, a New York City-based commercial real estate advisory firm.

90. 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.

91. US Consumer Prices Increase 0.7 Percent - Monday, March 18, 2013

A spike in gas prices drove a measure of U.S. consumer costs up in February by the most in more than three years. But outside the gain in fuel costs, inflation was mostly modest.

The consumer price index increased a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent last month from January, the Labor Department said Friday. It was the biggest monthly rise since June 2009.

92. Events - Monday, March 18, 2013

Rhodes College and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music will present the Charles Lloyd Sky Trio Monday, March 18, in the McCallum Ballroom of the Bryan Campus Life Center on campus, 2000 North Parkway. The concert celebrates Lloyd’s 75th birthday and the museum’s 10th anniversary. Visit rhodes.edu.

93. New York Firm Buys Distribution Center for $24.7 Million - Monday, March 18, 2013

Gramercy Capital Corp. has acquired Hacks Cross Logistics Center Building 1 in Olive Branch for $24.7 million from Hillwood Investment Properties.

94. 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.

95. Entrepreneurial Spirit Thriving in Memphis - Saturday, March 16, 2013

In recent years, there has been a civic pushback against the relentless downing of Memphis that over a long period of time came to dominate any attempt to have a purposeful discussion about the city’s future.

96. 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.

97. Gramercy Capital Acquires $25 Million Distribution Facility - Friday, March 15, 2013

Gramercy Capital Corp. has acquired Hacks Cross Logistics Center Building 1 in Olive Branch for $24.65 million from Hillwood Investment Properties.

98. Grubb & Ellis Forms Affiliation With New York Advisory Firm - Friday, March 15, 2013

Grubb & Ellis-Memphis – a full-service commercial real estate firm serving western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas – has formed an affiliation with Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, a New York City-based commercial real estate advisory firm.

99. 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.

100. 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.”