NASHVILLE (AP) – Records released by the state Department of Children's Services showing 42 cases where children died or nearly died after the agency had some type of involvement with them shows that half of the kids were under 1 year old. Some of the records didn't even include the child's age.

2. Tennessee First Lady, Muppet Against Obesity - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam is teaming up with Grover, the loveable Muppet from Sesame Street, and United HealthCare to teach kids the benefits of eating healthy and getting in shape while helping them learn to love reading.

3. Civic Leader Says City Has ‘Right Stuff’ - Monday, May 13, 2013

A little less than two years ago, Dr. Robert Ross was up for a standard performance review from the board of the foundation he leads.

4. Reality TV's New Stars: Small Businesses - Thursday, May 09, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – There's no business like small business.

Mix the high stakes of running a small business with a dash of family drama and throw in a camera crew and you get hit reality television shows such as "Pawn Stars," ''Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" and "Duck Dynasty."

5. Wise Investors Know to Avoid Distractions - Thursday, May 09, 2013

Ray’s Take Hopefully you have a financial plan to guide you to your goals, whether they are college for the kids, a vacation home or a secure retirement. However, one of the key indicators as to whether you will be able to achieve those goals is your ability to avoid distractions from your plan.

6. 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.

7. Tennessee Named Top Choice for Retirement - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Retirees considering where to spend their golden years might want to consider Tennessee.

That’s according to Bankrate.com, the personal finance website, which this week ranked Tennessee at the top of its list of the 10 best states for retirement. The site’s analysts crunched numbers in several categories, including cost of living, taxes, health care, crime and climate.

8. Promoting Play - Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Work crews with ViktorHall Construction have been wrapping up some extensive site work needed to renovate the area of Overton Park that houses the Rainbow Lake Playground.

That work is nearly finished and will offer adventurous youngsters a new Overton Park-themed place where they can play.

9. Briglia Joins Archer-Malmo as Web/Broadcast Artist - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Kristen Briglia has joined archer-malmo as web/broadcast turbo artist. In her new role, Briglia will produce web graphics, HTML and video-editing services for the growing digital and broadcast departments, and will also help on print projects as needed.

10. Lifeblood to Hold Event to Increase Blood Donations - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Lifeblood, the area’s only nonprofit blood center, will hold an event to increase blood donations June 9 to June 15.

Summer is often the most difficult time for Lifeblood as donations drop and blood demand remains high.

11. Data Facts Leading by Example - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Last week we highlighted Friends For Life Corp., which is an organization helping people affected by HIV/AIDS to live well. This week let us discuss an important trend in corporate philanthropy and spotlight a local company leading by example.

12. Basketball Boon - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Before the Grizzlies began their first-round playoff series with the Clippers in Los Angeles, Dennis Flanagan looked ahead to Game 3, which was to be played on Thursday night, April 25, in Memphis.

13. New Venture Empowers Mentoring Programs - Friday, April 26, 2013

Brittany Fitzpatrick recently left her job as communications coordinator for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis because she wants to devote herself full time to the venture she’s founded and to the problem she wants to help solve.

14. Reaction Mixed to School Closings Plan - Thursday, April 25, 2013

There is a joke going around among school administrators across the country in the wake of the decision by Chicago school leaders to close more than 50 schools there.

“What do you call a superintendent who closes schools?” countywide school board member Kevin Woods began in telling the joke at the Tuesday, April 23, board meeting. “You call him a past superintendent.”

15. Good Times for All - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

There will be kickball games, limbo dances, arts and crafts, and a talent show. There will be all of that and more at the sixth annual Camp Good Times residential summer camp May 30 through June 5 at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park in Millington.

16. Events - Saturday, April 20, 2013

Ballet Memphis will present “Wizard of Oz” Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, at The Orpheum Theatre, 203 S. Main St. Visit balletmemphis.org for tickets.

17. Events - Friday, April 19, 2013

The Circuit Playhouse will present “Time Stands Still” Friday, April 19, through May 12 at Circuit, 51 S. Cooper St. Visit playhouseonthesquare.org for times and tickets.

18. EpiPen Bill Headed to Governor - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Legislation that would authorize at least two epinephrine auto-injectors be placed in all public and private schools in Tennessee is headed to the governor for his consideration.

19. Green Machine Brings Food to Neediest Areas - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, dozens of volunteers worked to paint an 80-foot mural on the side of a former Memphis Area Transit Authority bus.

Students from Hollis Price Leadership Academy High School and other volunteers from the Memphis Grizzlies, St. Patrick’s Church and the University of Memphis graduate program in City and Regional Planning painted a colorful wellness-inspired mural that combines Memphis’ musical roots with fruits, vegetables and a message of healthy living.

20. Taste of Jubilee to Benefit Underprivileged Students - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Founded in 1947, St. John Catholic School at 2717 Lamar Ave. was once the largest Catholic school in Memphis.

21. In Need of Relief - Saturday, April 13, 2013

Perhaps it is only too appropriate that baseball is played without a clock. For securing the future of the Memphis Redbirds may require extra innings, not to mention extra effort.

The ballpark was on the leading edge of revitalizing Downtown when it opened in 2000 at Third and Union. This, of course, was “B.G.” in Memphis – Before the Grizzlies. Also, before FedExForum. The city was ready for something big and bold – something that showed Memphis could overachieve, not underachieve.

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

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

23. House Panel Advances Welfare Penalty for Parents - Thursday, April 11, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A Tennessee House committee on Tuesday recommended passing a bill that would dock the welfare payments of parents of children who fail at a school despite Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's opposition to the measure.

24. Take Time to Budget Your Vacation - Thursday, April 11, 2013

Ray’s Take It’s that time when people start looking forward to summer vacations. Unfortunately, all too often, the aftermath of those vacations turns out to be more than just wonderful memories – a blown budget and burdensome debt.

25. White House Celebrates the Sounds of Memphis Soul - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A White House celebration Tuesday night of Memphis soul music is an affirmation of the decades of hard work that went into making it a classic American music sound, said some of the artists tapped to perform.

26. Kelsey: State Confirms Six-Year Auto Inspection Timeframe - Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown says he is confident Shelby County vehicle owners outside Memphis won’t have to go through auto inspections for another six years.

27. New School Media Blends Film, Music Into ‘Funky’ - Monday, April 08, 2013

In 2007, Sean Faust and business partner Brad Ellis came together with Memphis music icon Doug Easley to create a company offering full-service audio and video recording and mixing services.

28. April 5-11: This Week in Memphis History - Saturday, April 06, 2013

1993: U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr. was acquitted of all federal bank fraud charges in the dramatic conclusion to his second trial on the charges in three years. The jury foreman read the not guilty verdicts on 18 counts and on the final count, Ford embraced his oldest son, Harold Ford Jr. Co-defendants Douglas Beaty and Karl Schledwitz were also acquitted of all charges by the jury in a case that began with the collapse of the Butcher bank empire in 1983.

29. Then and Now - Saturday, April 06, 2013

Jay Bailey pictured marching bands and floats when his mother told him he was going on a march.

“We thought of it as a parade,” said Bailey, who was 6 years old in March 1968. “We thought of it as something fun.”

30. Haslam School Voucher Bill Dead This Session - Friday, April 05, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Republican leader carrying Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to create school vouchers in Tennessee said he's decided to let it die this session because he's tired of the "gamesmanship."

31. Single-Handed Success Story - Friday, April 05, 2013

SINGULAR PERFORMANCE. The White Station Class of 1966, the year ahead of mine, had two Academy Award winners – one you’ve heard of and one you haven’t.

That was some class. Physicist, gray matter repository and best-selling author Alan Lightman was in it. Federal judge and arbiter of public education’s future in Shelby County Hardy Mays was in it. John Vergos, former courageous city council maverick and scion to Rendezvous rib royalty, was in it. Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates was in it.

32. Disconnecting Could Mean a Richer Life - Thursday, April 04, 2013

Ray’s Take Every time you go out to lunch you see it: everyone’s smart phones are right there on the table, ready for texting, talking, checking emails, or some quick research. What happened to simply staying connected to the ones right there in front of you?

33. Tennessee Lawmakers Could Require EpiPens in Schools - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Kendra Tiedemann's 8-year-old son has been carrying an epinephrine injector with him since he was 3.

But the Franklin mother says not all children may have the so-called EpiPen, a device designed to quickly treat serious allergic reactions. That's why she and others support a bill advancing in the Legislature that would authorize at least two epinephrine auto-injectors to be placed in all public and private schools in Tennessee.

34. Marketing Power of Predictability - Monday, April 01, 2013

When I was a very young man many, many years ago, I remember being fascinated by the information on the bottom of the McDonald’s hamburgers signage. Of course, I didn’t know about the word signage back then. I just knew McDonald’s had really cool signs with golden arches and big red and white words. The words at the bottom of the sign intrigued me most.

35. Health Care Decisions - Saturday, March 30, 2013

In the past four years, the health care premiums Courtney Liebenrood Ellett has paid for her 12 employees have risen about 70 percent.

Liebenrood Ellett, the founder and principal at Obsidian Public Relations in Memphis, has paid 100 percent of her employees’ premiums since 2009.

36. ‘Teacher Town’ - Saturday, March 23, 2013

There was a time not too long ago when teacher residency programs in Memphis were exercises in isolation. The new teaching recruits in and out of those programs often talked of being overwhelmed in their new school and career environments. But in the larger maelstrom of changes to the face of local public education, the residency programs are growing across all the different types of public schools emerging in advance of the August merger of city and county schools.

37. The Duck, The Dog, The Farm - Friday, March 22, 2013

GOING TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. My column last week prompted a number of you to share your memories of the creatures that came home with you from the cages at Katz Drug Store. My friend Bill Haltom, attorney and storyteller, sent me this:

38. Jack Jones Shootout Returns to Memphis - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Four of the five players in the 2013 recruiting class of the University of Memphis basketball team will be featured in the annual Jack Jones Basketball Shootout that begins Thursday, March 21, and continues through Saturday, March 23.

39. Whalum, Woods Differ on Schools Mediation - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Two countywide school board members who ran against each other for the same seat on the school board last year agree that the 23-member board is doing the best it can to make decisions about the schools merger.

40. Poll Finds Attitude Shift Among Working Moms - Friday, March 15, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Working mothers increasingly want full-time jobs, and tough economic times might be a big reason, according to a national survey.

In the Pew Research Center study being released Thursday, researchers saw a big spike in the share of working mothers who said they'd prefer to work full time; 37 percent said that was their ideal, up from 21 percent in 2007.

41. Review Your Will Regularly - Thursday, March 14, 2013

Ray’s Take Let’s assume you’ve done the right thing and have a will in place. That is a good start, but it’s not enough. You need to regularly review your will to make sure it stays in line with your intentions and the law. Congress continues to kick the can down the road on important income tax and transfer payments, but we now have pretty good guidance on estate tax laws both federally and in Tennessee.

42. Soul Celebration - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

John Fry, the venerable founder of the Memphis-based Ardent record label and accompanying studio facility, still remembers wandering into the Satellite Record Shop, the music store that once operated in front of Stax Records.

43. Masson Talks Plan for Merger Work - Monday, March 11, 2013

The special master in the schools merger federal court case says his first order of business is to look at the paperwork and other documents of the case and what has been done so far in the merger.

44. Gang Tackle - Saturday, March 09, 2013

Cecil Dotson was a gang member until the day he died violently five years ago this month.

He also worked every day for 16 years as the maintenance man at the apartment complex where he lived until he moved, just before his death, into a rental house on Lester Street in Binghampton.

45. 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.

46. Real Estate Law, Community Work Keep Purdom Busy - Thursday, March 07, 2013

Clay Purdom, director and shareholder with Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston PC, says he comes from a “numbers family.”

His father and sister are both physicists, and his grandfather was one of the first certified public accountants when the formal licensing process first began.

47. Fink Joins Diamond Cos. as Senior Vice President - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Justin Fink has joined Diamond Cos., an International truck dealership holding company, as senior vice president, truck sales. In the new role, Fink oversees new and used truck sales, and helps develop programs and processes to grow customer relationships, sales and profits.

48. Funding From Suburbs Suggested - Monday, March 04, 2013

Countywide school board members are not the only players in the schools merger feeling pressure, although they may be feeling more pressure than others.

Shelby County Commissioners whose districts include suburban towns and cities have also been hearing a lot from parents in the suburbs who not too long ago had made peace with the idea that they would be part of the consolidated school district for at least the first school year.

49. Obama, Top Lawmakers to Meet as Cuts Kick In - Thursday, February 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House conceded Wednesday that efforts to avoid automatic budget cuts are unlikely to succeed before they kick in and is initiating new talks with congressional leaders to confront seemingly intractable tax-and-spend issues.

50. Halting Medicaid Expansion, Cutting Taxes Drive Casada - Thursday, February 28, 2013

State Rep. Glen Casada, R-Franklin, the Republican caucus chairman of the state House, is part friend and part cajoler to the 70 representatives with whom he serves.

“I help members with their legislation,” he said. “And I help the caucus rally around a few positions.”

51. Apple to Hand Out iTunes Credits in Settlement - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) – Apple has agreed to give more than $100 million in iTunes store credits to settle a lawsuit alleging that the iPhone and iPad maker improperly charged kids for playing games on their mobile devices.

52. Kroc Center Opens to Big Crowds - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

To cap off Healthy Heart Month, the new 100,000-square-foot Kroc Center held its open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony last weekend.

The state-of-the-art Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center has welcomed more than 10,000 visitors in its first few days.

53. Barbic Says Coexistence at Humes Possible - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The superintendent of the state-run Achievement School District believes there is room at Humes Middle School for an optional school and the ASD charter school now at Gordon Elementary School.

54. Mays Plans to Appoint Special Master - Monday, February 25, 2013

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays plans to move ahead with appointing a special master to oversee the merger of Shelby County’s two public school systems.

55. Breaking the Mold - Saturday, February 23, 2013

When Rosemarie Fair was named Broker of the Year in investment sales at last year’s Pinnacle Awards, she became the first woman ever to do so.

Before Fair founded One Source Commercial Inc. in 1993, she worked with Carlisle Corp. in the early 1980s on Beale Street Landing Downtown. She remembers often what her mentor Gene Carlisle taught her – “Somebody will take care of the big stuff, it’s the nickels and dimes that make the difference.”

56. Time in D.C. Helped Shape Kelsey’s Political Philosophy - Thursday, February 21, 2013

State Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Memphis, came to politics young, specifically as a second-year law student.

Today, at age 35, he sits in a unique position, sponsoring not one but two amendments to the Tennessee Constitution that appear likely to pass the legislature.

57. Humes Middle School Future Plans Debated - Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Achievement School District wants to move its Gordon Science & Arts Academy out of Gordon Elementary School next school year and into Humes Middle School.

58. Changeover - Saturday, February 16, 2013

It was almost 40 years ago, but Nancy Smith remembers the one year the men’s pro tennis tournament was held at the Mid-South Coliseum; her father had box seats. But even more memorable is that not long after the tournament moved to The Racquet Club of Memphis, a young and unknown Czech player came to town and, in that far simpler time, stayed at her parents’ house.

59. School Board Asks For $145 Million Extra - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The countywide school board is asking the Shelby County Commission for $145 million in extra funding for the first fiscal year of the schools merger.

The “ask” is a preliminary number that goes to a county commission budget retreat scheduled for Feb. 23. It is extra funding beyond the $361 million county government currently provides both school systems.

60. Ardent Film Department Wins Mid-South Emmy - Saturday, February 09, 2013

Jonathan Pekar, director of Ardent Studios film department, won the 27th Mid-South Emmy award for Best Commercial Spot for creating the animated Memphis Music Foundation commercial.

The project also showcases the talents of painter Lamar Sorrento and singer/songwriter Keia Johnson.

61. What Tangled Webs of Ego - Thursday, February 07, 2013

In December, the star athlete was in New York for the festivities surrounding the presentation of a major sports award. The media were all over him, and he, thus, was on his best behavior – perhaps. He was, I take it, on that circuit that athletes apparently are put on by silent agents, wherein they get their pictures taken while bringing cheer to people with bleak futures – such as sportswriters.

62. APNewsBreak: Effort Building to Change US Pot Laws - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

SEATTLE (AP) – An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a federal pot tax.

While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.

63. Ardent Film Department Wins Mid-South Emmy Award - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Jonathan Pekar, director of Ardent Studios film department, won the 27th Mid-South Emmy award for Best Commercial Spot for creating the animated Memphis Music Foundation commercial.

The project also showcases the talents of painter Lamar Sorrento and singer/songwriter Keia Johnson.

64. Seminar to Tackle Reappraisal, Consolidation - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Real estate industry professionals will soon have the opportunity to learn more about two ongoing issues that will affect every homeowner and taxpayer – the 2013 Shelby County reappraisal and the school consolidation.

65. Healthy Schools: Goodbye Candy and Greasy Snacks - Monday, February 04, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Goodbye candy bars and sugary cookies. Hello baked chips and diet sodas.

The government for the first time is proposing broad new standards to make sure all foods sold in schools are more healthful, a change that would ban the sale of almost all candy, high-calorie sports drinks and greasy foods on campus.

66. Creative Space - Thursday, January 31, 2013

By the time Crosstown Arts occupies space in the 1.5 million-square-foot Sears Crosstown building, it will have completed a solid test run of promoting arts-based community and economic development in Midtown.

67. District Attorneys Outline Wish List - Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference’s legislative agenda for the new session of the Tennessee General Assembly includes a focus on children, sentencing guidelines and the fight against drugs.

68. Arkansas Governor Announces $1.1 Billion Steel Mill Plan - Wednesday, January 30, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Gov. Mike Beebe on Tuesday unveiled Arkansas' largest ever economic development project, saying investors were poised to build a $1.1 billion steel mill along the Mississippi River if legislators approve startup funding.

69. Take Stand With Positives - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Last week we discussed DeNeuville Learning Center, which is an organization that is working to assist women of all backgrounds and cultures in learning the skills needed to make positive choices for themselves and their families. This week let us highlight the importance of infusing positive energy into our community and being intentional to share hope-filled and uplifting stories, like those of our everyday heroes, who are leading by example to strengthen the Mid-South.

70. Schools Must Provide Sports for Disabled, US Says - Monday, January 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Students with disabilities must be given a fair shot to play on a traditional sports team or have their own leagues, the Education Department says.

Disabled students who want to play for their school could join traditional teams if officials can make "reasonable modifications" to accommodate them. If those adjustments would fundamentally alter a sport or give the student an advantage, the department is directing the school to create parallel athletic programs that have comparable standing to traditional programs.

71. Due Process - Saturday, January 26, 2013

One at a time. That is the most noticeable change so far at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court as a result of a landmark settlement in November with the U.S. Justice Department. The children before the court come before the court magistrates one at a time. No more groups of juvenile defendants waiting for their case to come up as other cases are being heard.

72. You Can Still Save for Retirement - Thursday, January 24, 2013

Ray’s Take It may feel as if those gray hairs are multiplying faster than your 401(k). Or maybe your career or other life experience has thrown you curve balls that ate through your savings. Either way, it’s not too late to save for a more comfortable future!

73. Kelsey Discusses School Vouchers Bill - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The bill to come in the Tennessee Legislature that permits school vouchers will be built around the more than $9,000 in state funding per school child, in the case of Memphis, and the ability of parents to use it to move their child to a private school.

74. Racing Time - Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Next month, a siren song in the form of a 420-plus horsepower engine roar will beckon all manner of car enthusiasts, speed demons and adrenaline junkies to Memphis International Raceway in Millington.

75. Haslam Addresses School Vouchers Issues - Monday, January 21, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says the third year of significant education reform legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly will include vouchers but added that “ultimately our efforts in Tennessee are going to be around the vast majority of kids that are in public schools.”

76. Sheriffs, State Lawmakers Push Back on Gun Control - Friday, January 18, 2013

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – From Oregon to Mississippi, President Barack Obama's proposed ban on new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines struck a nerve among rural lawmen and lawmakers, many of whom vowed to ignore any restrictions – and even try to stop federal officials from enforcing gun policy in their jurisdictions.

77. Sharpening Students’ Academic Abilities Crux of Sylvan Model - Monday, January 14, 2013

For some kids, school is never truly out for the holidays.

Trends in education standards provide the currents that keep tutoring businesses sailing.

“There have been many (educational) trends in the tenure that I’ve been with this company,” said Andrea Goughnour, director of the Sylvan Learning Center, 1605 N. Germantown Parkway in Cordova.

78. Historic Opportunity - Monday, January 14, 2013

The best look at the competition conventional public schools in Memphis face begins at Humes Middle School, which recently got some attention for the birthday anniversary of a student who went there in the 1950s.

79. Malco Theatres ‘Wraps’ Up Fundraiser - Saturday, January 12, 2013

This year, more than 86,500 bows were sold during Malco Theatres’ five-week holiday campaign “Wrapped with Love.”

The annual campaign benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program is in its 14th year, and this year it saw an increase of more than 6,000 bows sold compared to 2011.

80. Making Sense of the Merger - Saturday, January 12, 2013

There are several certainties for public education in Shelby County when the new school year begins in August.

Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools will be consolidated into a single countywide system and there will be more competition than most Memphians can remember in their lifetimes for that single consolidated school system.

81. Fitzpatrick Lends Hand to Nonprofits, Startups - Friday, January 11, 2013

When Brittany Fitzpatrick first came to Memphis a few years ago for graduate studies at the University of Memphis, journalism professor Dr. David Arant welcomed her to the city with three words.

82. A Murphy’s Law Birthday - Thursday, January 10, 2013

“Turn right in four-tenths of a mile,” Susan said. “I’m looking forward to some light, warmth, TV and Internet access.”

It was Dec. 26, 2012, my 61st birthday. Mother Nature had doused us with a wet, yucky snowfall the night before. The familiar pop of transformers had punctuated the cold winter evening as we watched blue bursts of energy in the distance.

83. Set Goals to Make Saving Easier - Thursday, January 10, 2013

Ray’s Take I’m always emphasizing the importance of saving. However, saving without specific goals in mind with their time horizons is extremely hard to do. There are just too many distractions in this world – too many well-trained marketers with different agendas. Goal setting is an essential step in the planning process. It’s the primary motivating factor. After all, if you haven’t identified any goals, what’s driving you to save? Just as important, how do you know when you’ve saved enough?

84. Prather Parlays Experience Into Job as ALSAC Counsel - Thursday, January 10, 2013

After 12 years with Martin Tate Morrow & Marston PC, attorney Lauri Prather has made the move to in-house counsel with ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

85. Malco Theatres ‘Wraps’ Up Fundraiser - Wednesday, January 09, 2013

This year, more than 86,500 bows were sold during Malco Theatres’ five-week holiday campaign “Wrapped with Love.”

The annual campaign benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program is in its 14th year, and this year it saw an increase of more than 6,000 bows sold compared to 2011.

86. New Shoes, Lifting Spirits - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Last week we explored Memphis Recovery Centers, which is helping adolescents and adults fight drug and alcohol addiction. This week, in light of our Samaritans Feet Shoe Distribution coming up on Thursday, Jan. 17, let us discuss the annual event and spotlight the organization working to help people around the world who go without shoes each day: Samaritans Feet International.

87. Appraisal Institute President Pushes for Appraiser Education - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Kids aren’t the only ones with “back to school” on their minds this week. Members of the Appraisal Institute in Memphis are responding to a leadership push to develop the education of Memphis-area appraisers by seeking special designations.

88. Poll: Fight Obesity Crisis but Keep the Junk Food - Monday, January 07, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Everyone could use a little help keeping those New Year's resolutions to slim down. But if it means the government limiting junk food, the response is an overwhelming, "No."

89. Commission: More Training Needed to Protect Kids - Friday, January 04, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A report from the state Second Look Commission cites what members called "gaping holes" in the child welfare system.

According to The Tennessean, the annual report looked into what the commission termed the worst incidents of child abuse in Tennessee.

90. New Heroes - Friday, January 04, 2013

SCHOOL LESSONS IN HEROISM. On Friday morning, Dec. 21 – one week after semi-automatic gunfire swept through elementary school classrooms and the nation, murdering innocence – one week after a Memphis police officer stood between a bullet and you and me, giving us all she had – a single two-ton bell in the tower of Idlewild Presbyterian Church rang 29 times. Once for officer Martoiya Lang, 20 times for the children of Newtown, six times for their teachers and, unlike anywhere else I’m aware of, once for the shooter’s mother and once for him. Each is the toll of madness, of misplaced priorities and violence, of the belief that more armed violence is not only a righteous solution but a constitutional right. And of a country where it’s easier to buy an assault rifle than vote, easier to buy ammunition than Sudafed.

91. Babaoglu Driven to Help Others Find American Dream - Thursday, January 03, 2013

Being of Azerbaijan descent and born in Milan, Italy, Rehim Babaoglu of Thomason Hendrix Harvey Johnson & Mitchell PLLC, preaches the American dream from his pulpit high above Main Street as an immigration lawyer.

92. True Cost of Vacation Homes - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Ray’s Take You’re on vacation with your family. Everyone is relaxed and having a great time, so you think: Why don’t we quit “renting” our vacation and buy a vacation home here? What could be better than having a place to build family memories for years?

93. Changes on Horizon for Achievement School District - Monday, December 31, 2012

As the Achievement School District added six low performing Memphis schools in December for the new school year that begins in August, the leader of the state-led district was in Memphis to deal with backlash in the community around one of the six existing Memphis Schools that have been part of the district since last August.

94. Judge Deciding if Stores Must Post Tobacco Apology - Thursday, December 27, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A federal judge will soon decide whether your next tank of gas or bottle of soda comes with a free apology from the Marlboro man and Joe Camel.

A recent ruling ordering a multimedia blitz stating that the nation's largest tobacco companies lied about the dangers of smoking left open the possibility that retailers could be required to post large displays with the mea culpas.

95. Tight Credit is Your Friend - Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Ray’s Take Credit is tighter than it used to be. Loans are harder to come by. That’s good news as far as I’m concerned. Many people are still longing for those “glory days” when credit was easy for anything we wanted. Well, they didn’t end well for most people.

96. Missions Double for Heart Foundation - Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Children around the globe in countries that do not have the medical resources available here in the U.S. are getting a helping hand from The International Children’s Heart Foundation, a local organization targeting congenital heart disease.

97. JIFF Fights Recidivism - Monday, December 24, 2012

Last week we shared some helpful holiday safety tips, like locking car doors while pumping gas and hiding all belongings BEFORE getting to the store. Extending this theme of crime prevention, let us now highlight a local organization working with youth from in and around the juvenile justice system to equip them with the skills and support necessary to break the destructive cycle of criminal behavior: Juvenile Intervention & Faith-Based Follow-Up (JIFF).

98. Software Industry Braces for New Phone Apps Rules - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A cellphone game for kids about U.S. geography, "Stack the States," gets rave reviews from parents. Its creator, Dan Russell-Pinson, considered making the 99-cent app better by adding a feature to allow children to play online against one another. But with the Federal Trade Commission issuing more stringent online child privacy rules, he's not even pursuing the idea.

99. Study: People Worldwide Living Longer, But Sicker - Friday, December 14, 2012

LONDON (AP) – Nearly everywhere around the world, people are living longer and fewer children are dying. But increasingly, people are grappling with the diseases and disabilities of modern life, according to the most expansive global look so far at life expectancy and the biggest health threats.

100. Federal Review of Tobacco Products Grinds to a Halt - Friday, December 14, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Talk about a smoke break.

Tobacco companies have introduced almost no new cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. in more than 18 months because the federal government has prevented them from doing so, an Associated Press review has found.