WASHINGTON (AP) – Is the era of ultra-low interest rates nearing an end? That's the question – and the fear – Chairman Ben Bernanke will face this week when he takes questions after a Federal Reserve policy meeting.

2. City Council Again Tackles Budget, Tax Rate - Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Some Memphis City Council members say they are prepared for a long day Tuesday, June 18, at City Hall as they continue down the arduous path to a tax rate and budget for the coming fiscal year.

“Let’s just be ready to spend the night,” said council member Harold Collins last week. He commented as council-mediated discussions between the administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and municipal union leaders on possible cuts in employee benefits got nowhere quickly and ended after less than an hour.

3. Hattiloo Another Step in Square Comeback - Saturday, June 15, 2013

The latest milestone in the comeback of Overton Square came the weekend of the Tony Awards in New York City with the groundbreaking for the new Hattiloo Theater.

For Ekundayo Bandele, the founder of the black repertory theater company who named it for his two daughters, the groundbreaking on what is now a parking lot fronting on Cooper Street represented a milestone for theater in Memphis.

4. Sevierville Bank Transferred to First Tennessee - Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The 12 branches of Mountain National Bank of Sevierville reopened for business at the start of this week under the banner of First Tennessee Bank.

5. City Council Calls Special Meeting - Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Memphis City Council has called a special meeting June 25 to finish up its budget work before the June 30 end of the fiscal year.

A notice of the special meeting for 3:30 p.m. at City Hall, 125 N. Main St., published in The Daily News, is signed by 11 of the 13 council members “to consider items related to the fiscal year 2014 operating budget, capital improvement programs and tax rate.”

6. Hattiloo to Complete Overton Square Comeback - Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The latest milestone in the comeback of Overton Square came the weekend of the Tony Awards in New York City with the groundbreaking for the new Hattiloo Theater.

For Ekundayo Bandele, the founder of the black repertory theater company who named it for his two daughters, the groundbreaking on what is now a parking lot fronting on Cooper Street represented a milestone for theater in Memphis.

7. Editorial: A Few Suggestions for Our City Leaders - Saturday, June 08, 2013

For the last three years or so the game at City Hall has been to move money around from one pocket to another to try to make projects happen in the toughest economic downturn since the Great Depression.

8. Keller Finds Right Culture at RedRover - Friday, June 07, 2013

Catherine “Kitty” Keller is one of the newest members of the team at RedRover Sales & Marketing, and her addition comes at a time of a steady swelling of the ranks, a recent batch of awards and consistent business growth for the firm.

9. SEC Considers Tougher Rules for Money Funds - Thursday, June 06, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Investors could lose principal from money market investment funds that perform poorly under regulations proposed Wednesday by the Securities and Exchange Commission. But the change would affect mainly institutional rather than individual investors.

10. Commercial Advisors Adds Jensen to Capital Markets Group - Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Luke Jensen has joined Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors’ Capital Markets Group. In his new role with the commercial real estate firm, Jensen focuses on investment sales, debt and equity, development, and principal deal sourcing and structuring.

11. Wharton Proposes 14-Cent Tax Hike Above Recertified Rate - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

The administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. is proposing a 14-cent city property tax hike on top of the 25 cents added to the current rate of $3.11 to compensate for property value lost in the 2013 property reappraisal.

12. Commission Approves Budget and 1st Reading of Tax Rate - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners approved an operating budget for Shelby County government Monday and approved on the first of three reading a $4.38 property tax rate to fund that budget.

The votes that signal the end of the county’s budget season came after a prolonged commission debate about the basic role of county government.

13. Take It From 30 Years of Experience - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Ray’s Take I started my career as a professional financial planner 30 years ago this month. Just as I do with my clients every year, I think it is important to review what has happened, what has worked and what has not, in order to improve.

14. University Cabanas Sell for $2.1 Million - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

2059 Vollintine Ave., Memphis, TN 38107

Sale Amount: $2.1 million

Sale Date: May 20, 2013

15. Budget Vote Faces Postponement - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Memphis City Council members have final votes on their agenda Tuesday, June 6, on an operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 in addition to setting a city property tax rate.

But before the council meets at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall, 125 N. Main St., the group’s budget committee will hear from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and his administration one more time on possible changes to the budget and the tax rate.

16. City Budget Reset Stalls for Council - Monday, June 03, 2013

Memphis City Council members looking for a five-year budget plan of some kind last week were told by city Chief Financial Officer Robert Lipscomb that most of the ideas hadn’t been properly vetted yet.

17. Argent Hire Underscores Firm’s Growth - Saturday, June 01, 2013

The hiring of Phil Buchanan by Argent Financial Group as the company’s new president underscores what’s been a continual growth story at Argent.

Even before the Ruston, La.-based financial services firm established a Memphis presence in 2010, but especially since then, Argent has opened new offices, added staff, solidified its presence here and still managed to prepare for growth to come.

18. Wharton Pitches Options But No Recommendations On Budget Reset - Friday, May 31, 2013

Memphis City Council members were looking Thursday, May 30, for a new budget plan to get City Hall on new financial footing after a state comptroller’s office report critical of city financial practices.

19. Applications for US Unemployment Aid Rises - Friday, May 31, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 354,000. Still, the level of applications is consistent with steady hiring and remains near a five-year low.

20. US Economy Grew at Modest 2.4 Percent Rate in First Quarter - Friday, May 31, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a modest 2.4 percent annual rate from January through March, slightly slower than initially estimated. Consumer spending was stronger than first thought, but businesses restocked more slowly and state and local government spending cuts were deeper.

21. City’s Scarboro Passionate About Sharing Memphis - Friday, May 31, 2013

Born and raised in Fayetteville, N.C., Douglas Scarboro has chosen to make Memphis his home. As the executive director of the Office of Talent and Human Capital for the City of Memphis, his job is to help others realize the opportunities and recognize the same assets that he has found here.

22. County Commission OKs Capital Improvements - Saturday, May 25, 2013

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

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

23. Editorial: Convention Center Likely Years Away - Saturday, May 25, 2013

Nashville cut the ribbon this month on Music City Center, its massive new convention center that some Memphis leaders would like to match.

It is very tempting to point out that we have chased other cities in the past with these kind of massive civic projects and not fared well at all.

24. State Concerns Blow Up City Budget - Thursday, May 23, 2013

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

25. Local Startup Chosen for Launch TN Conference - Thursday, May 23, 2013

Memphis’ startup community will have a presence next month at Southland, Launch Tennessee’s new conference highlighting Southern culture and technology to be held in Nashville.

Kufikia, a subsidiary of Memphis-based startup venture Work for Pie, is one of 50 companies that will participate in the June 12-13 event. And the benefits are many, some of which carry the prospect of big rewards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. 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.

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. 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.

49. 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.

50. 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.

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. 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.

53. 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.”

54. 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.

55. 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

56. 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.

57. 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.

58. 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.”

59. 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.

60. 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.

61. 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.

62. 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.

63. 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.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. 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.

69. 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.

70. 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.

71. 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.

72. 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.

73. 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.

74. 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.

75. 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.”

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

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

77. Events - Thursday, March 14, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

82. Improv Time - Friday, March 08, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

86. South Main’s New Life - Saturday, March 02, 2013

The history of the South Main Historic Arts District is as colorful as its present-day users, an alternating rhythm of sorts in Memphis’ songbook.

The area has oscillated from its ritzy suburban roots of the 1800s to the industrial era ghost town of the 20th century and now to its current status as Downtown’s flourishing arts and boutique district and the subject of some $100 million in investment. And it’s all due to stakeholders who braved the status quo in distinguishing the southern end of the Central Business District as that funky place with an indescribable vibe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3615 Central Ave. Memphis, TN 38111

Permit Cost: $43.5 million

Project Cost: $53 million

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Memphis, TN 38118

Sale Amount: $12.4 million

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

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