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.

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. 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.

6. 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).

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.”

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. 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.

41. 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.

42. 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.

43. 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.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. 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.

47. 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.

48. US CEOs Optimistic About Economy - Thursday, March 14, 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. And 38 percent plan to invest more in plant and equipment, up from 30 percent in October-December quarter, when the Roundtable released its last report.

49. 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.

50. 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.

51. 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.

52. ‘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.

53. US Consumer Spending Up 0.2 Percent in January - Monday, March 04, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. consumers increased spending modestly in January but cut back on major purchases that signal confidence in the economy. The decline in spending on goods suggests higher tax rates that kicked in on Jan. 1 may have made consumers more cautious.

54. 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.

55. US Economy Barely Grew in Fourth Quarter, But Rebound Likely - Friday, March 01, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The weakest quarter for the U.S. economy in nearly two years may end up being a temporary lull. Economists think growth has begun to pick up on the strength of a sustained housing recovery and a better job market.

56. 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.

57. 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

58. Incentives Help Bring More Women Into Business Fold - Saturday, February 23, 2013

When Kimberly Taylor decided to launch her boutique K’PreSha, she considered East Memphis and Downtown.

59. 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.

60. 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.

61. 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.

62. Report: SEC Investigating Trading in Heinz Deal - Monday, February 18, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Federal regulators have opened an insider trading inquiry on the $23 billion acquisition of H.J. Heinz, according to a publish report.

Citing an unnamed source who was briefed on the matter, The New York Times reported Friday that the Securities and Exchange Commission is looking at "unusual trading" surrounding the deal for Heinz to be purchased by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, an investment firm that also recently bought Burger King. The report said regulators first noticed a suspicious spike in trading on Wednesday.

63. 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.

64. Small Business Administration Head Mills to Depart - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Karen Mills, the head of the Small Business Administration as it focused on helping small companies recover from the Great Recession, is stepping down.

65. 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.

66. FTN Financial Grows With New Offices, Hires - Monday, February 11, 2013

First Tennessee Bank’s capital markets subsidiary has been on a tear lately. FTN Financial has grown on several fronts, including with the addition of a public finance department as it expands into the general market municipal bond sector and with the opening of new offices as part of that expansion. The company also has opened additional new offices around the country and added employees in other areas to handle general growth.

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

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

68. Lawrence’s Background a Fit for Work at EDGE - Monday, February 11, 2013

It might be said that John Lawrence has a background made to order for looking at the big picture – one of real estate, urban planning, marketing and organization management. Through the course of various career moves, he’s developed the tools necessary for the use in his position as manager of strategic economic development planning for Memphis and Shelby County’s Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE).

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

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

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

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

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

71. FTN Financial Adds Public Finance Department - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

FTN Financial Capital Markets, a division of First Tennessee Bank, is expanding in the general market municipal bond sector with the addition of a public finance department.

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

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

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

73. Oracle to Buy Acme Packet for About $2.1 Billion - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. (AP) – Oracle will buy Acme Packet Inc., which makes equipment for telecommunications companies, for about $2.1 billion.

Acme's gear is used by more than 1,900 service providers and enterprises around the world. Its technology will complement Oracle's offerings for telecoms providers, said Citigroup analyst Walter Pritchard.

74. Council Votes on Sales Tax Referendum - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Memphis City Council members take the first step toward a fall referendum on a citywide half percent sales tax hike Tuesday, Feb. 4, as they vote on the first of three readings of the referendum ordinance.

75. Real Estate Leaders to Present Trends at Forecast - Saturday, February 02, 2013

Real estate leaders will offer their reviews and insights for the Memphis-area commercial market at the 10th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit starting at 8 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Road.

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

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

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

77. 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.

78. Growth Capital Wasteland - Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Capital makes the world go round – or at least it used to before the recession and our new economic reality took hold. Enacting growth strategies is difficult without capital to invest. This is certainly true for early stage companies that need enough runway to get the business off the ground and then gain momentum to cash flow the business.

79. Haslam Says Downtown State Workers to Stay Downtown - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has included funding in his budget proposal for a $62 million renovation at the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis and a $45 million center for the University of Memphis’s nursing and audiology programs.

80. Economists Growing More Upbeat About Year Ahead - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Economists are increasingly, but still cautiously, optimistic about growth in the year ahead with the hiring expected to pick up in coming months.

A quarterly survey by the National Association for Business Economists released Monday shows half of the economists polled now expect real gross domestic product – the value of all goods and services produced in the United States – to grow between 2 and 4 percent in 2013. That's up from 36 percent of respondents who felt the same way three months earlier.

81. Real Estate Leaders to Present Trends at Forecast Summit - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Real estate leaders will offer their reviews and insights for the Memphis-area commercial market at the 10th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit starting at 8 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Road.

82. Cash Talks of ‘Perfect Storm’ During Reform - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Kriner Cash says there were big “distractions” that began just before he became Memphis City Schools superintendent four-and-a-half years ago that created a “perfect storm” for his efforts to “transform” the school system.

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

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

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

84. Dyersburg Mall Sells for $4.4 Million - Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Dyersburg Mall has fetched $4.35 million after hitting the online auction block in November.

Yazoo, Miss.-based Action Properties LLC purchased the 191,038-square-foot regional shopping mall at 2700 Lake Road in Dyersburg, Tenn., under the entity Action Dyersburg LLC. The seller, Jackson, Miss.-based Mattiace Properties Inc., disposed of the asset under the entity Dyersburg Mall Co. LLC.

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

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

86. First Horizon Posts $41 Million Profit - Friday, January 18, 2013

Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp. booked a profit of $41 million in the fourth quarter and generated earnings in line with Wall Street expectations of 17 cents a share.

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

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

88. Conrad, Flinn Pitch Cost-Saving Measures for City - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Memphis City Council member Kemp Conrad wants to explore selling city assets, including Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division, and using the proceeds to establish a trust fund for early childhood education and other “wrap around” social services.

89. US Trade Gap Grows to $48.7 Billion as Imports Surge - Monday, January 14, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit expanded in November to its widest point in seven months, driven by a surge in imports that outpaced only modest growth in exports.

The Commerce Department report Friday suggests trade will drag on economic growth in the October-December quarter. A wider trade gap slows growth because it means Americans spent more on foreign products while U.S. businesses earned less in overseas sales.

90. Atlantic Track Grows Local Operations - Friday, January 11, 2013

Bloomfield, N.J.-based Atlantic Track & Turnout Co. is expanding its Memphis operations with a 12,900-square-foot pre-engineered metal building addition with a bridge crane at 363 E. Bodley Ave.

91. Back to Work - Friday, January 11, 2013

The Shelby County legislative delegation to Nashville returned to the capital Tuesday, Jan. 8, with three fewer members – one state senator and two state representatives – all Democrats – but with no new faces.

92. Crowne Plaza Hotel Sells Out of Foreclosure - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

300 N. Second St. Memphis, TN 38103

Sale Amount: $9.4 million

Sale Date: Dec. 28, 2012

93. U.S. Employers Add 155,000 Jobs in December - Monday, January 07, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in December, a steady gain that shows hiring held up during the tense negotiations to resolve the fiscal cliff.

The solid job growth wasn’t enough to reduce the unemployment rate, which remained 7.8 percent last month, the Labor Department said Friday. The rate for November was revised up from an initially reported 7.7 percent.

94. Construction Spending Declines 0.3 Percent - Saturday, January 05, 2013

Spending on U.S. construction projects fell in November from October because a steep drop in volatile federal projects offset another gain in home building.

Construction spending dipped 0.3 percent in November, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. It was the first decline since March and followed a 0.7 percent increase in October, which was revised lower.

95. Exeter Buys West Memphis Warehouse for $15.6 Million - Friday, January 04, 2013

Pennsylvania-based Exeter Property Group has snatched up the Smucker’s distribution warehouse in West Memphis for $15.6 million.

The 600,000-square-foot facility was a foreclosed property from Bank of America, which was selling it with a year-end anticipated closing, said Matt Brodnik, Exeter’s director of capital markets.

96. Complex Agenda - Friday, January 04, 2013

In the first year of his first full four-year term of office as Memphis mayor, A C Wharton Jr. put his political weight behind shifting priorities at City Hall.

In that year, he attempted to broaden the police department’s anti-crime strategy beyond the Blue CRUSH brand of hot spot crime crackdowns. He moved further in his long-held quest to redefine violence – particularly gun violence – as a public health issue. And Wharton continued to meld private funding with an advancing of public funding from different pockets to move capital construction projects inside and outside of the Downtown core area in a stubborn post-recession environment.

97. Construction Spending Dips 0.3 Percent - Thursday, January 03, 2013

Spending on U.S. construction projects fell in November from October because a steep drop in volatile federal projects offset another gain in home building.

Construction spending dipped 0.3 percent in November, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. It was the first decline since March and followed a 0.7 percent increase in October, which was revised lower.

98. Fewer US Banks Fail as Industry Strengthens - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. banks ended 2012 with their best profits since 2006 and fewer failures than at any time since the financial crisis struck in 2008. They're helping support an economy slowed by high unemployment, flat pay, sluggish manufacturing and anxious consumers.

99. Changing Market - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Much of 2012’s commercial real estate deals could be summed up in one of three phrases: speculative construction, institutional buyers and unusual transactions.

The first quarter was kicked off when Industrial Developments International Inc. revealed plans to add one build-to-suit and two speculative buildings in its Crossroads Distribution Center in Olive Branch – marking the area’s first spec construction since 2008.

100. Turning the Page - Saturday, December 29, 2012

It’s that time of year again. It’s that time when journalists across the fruited plain collectively try and make God laugh – with our prognostications, of course, about the year ahead and of what might be.