Christopher Blank has joined WKNO-FM, the Mid-South affiliate of National Public Radio, as news director. Blank, who has produced feature stories for the station since 2011, will oversee local news production for “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered.”

2. Garbage Services Weighs Collection Overhaul - Monday, June 17, 2013

As City Hall roils in a tempestuous budget season, discussions about changing how the city collects garbage for its citizens have been making progress.

Sanitation services are part of the city’s operating budget, but they are not funded through the city’s general fund, the largest pot of revenue the city of Memphis has. They are funded with the monthly $25.05 solid waste fee paid by citizens.

3. New U of M Engineering Dean Targets Growth - Saturday, June 15, 2013

Dr. Richard Sweigard, who took the helm on June 1 as the new dean of the Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis, believes strongly in the importance and value of engineering education.

4. ACEC Role Lets Matheny Advocate for Engineers - Friday, June 14, 2013

Harvey Matheny, associate with the Memphis office of Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. and current president of the Memphis chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee, has seen plenty of changes in the local engineering market over the past several years.

5. Residency Program Targets School Administrators - Thursday, June 13, 2013

The growing crop of teacher residency programs in Shelby County is being followed by residency programs for school system administrators and leaders outside the classroom.

But raising a crop of those further up the management chain isn’t the same as recruiting a crop of new classroom teachers says John Troy, of the group Education Pioneers.

6. Highers Retires From State Appeals Court - Monday, June 10, 2013

Alan Highers, the state’s longest-serving appellate court judge, will not be seeking re-election to a new eight-year term in the August 2014 elections.

Highers, a graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, was appointed to the Appeals Court in 1982 by then-Gov. Lamar Alexander.

7. Red Carpet Tour Courts Site Selectors - Thursday, June 06, 2013

Site selection experts from six nationally known firms got a “red carpet tour” from the Greater Memphis Chamber Wednesday, June 5, in a recruitment effort that included a look at the industrial infrastructure of the Memphis area.

8. Senate Introduces No Child Left Behind Successor - Wednesday, June 05, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The one-sized-fits-all national requirements of No Child Left Behind would give way to standards that states write for themselves under legislation Senate Democrats announced Tuesday.

9. App Savvy - Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Memphis’ entrepreneurial ecosystem has picked up a steady stream of buzz and success in recent years, attracting new participants, mentors, startups and accelerators.

In all that activity, though, it’s sometimes forgotten that there are startups out there that entrepreneurs have built from the ground up pretty much on their own, forgoing outside help to rely purely on their own hustle.

10. Fire Marshal’s Office Gives Hotel Safety Tips - Friday, May 31, 2013

The state’s fire marshal’s office is sharing some hotel safety tips for Tennessee travelers this summer.

Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak says hotels and motels become a home away from home for travelers, and it’s important for them to become familiar with new surroundings and have a plan in place should an emergency arise.

11. Bolding Advocates For Underserved Market - Friday, May 31, 2013

Some people get up early to look at the sports pages or comics in the local newspaper, but Tim Bolding wakes up early to look at foreclosure notices.

12. Attorney General: Gun Measure Doesn't Affect Employment Law - Thursday, May 30, 2013

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee employer could fire a worker who violates company policy by storing firearms and ammunition in vehicles parked on employers' property despite a new state law, according to a state attorney general's opinion.

13. Baker Donelson Litigator Tom Comes Full Circle - Thursday, May 30, 2013

Robert Tom, commercial and business litigation attorney for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC, has been elected shareholder of the law firm.

The 35-year-old Tom grew up in Memphis and attended Memphis University School before going to Emory University in Atlanta to study business and finance. Becoming an attorney was never even on his radar screen.

14. School Uniform Policies Remain Unchanged - Thursday, May 30, 2013

After setting policies on school uniforms and labor unions, next up for the countywide school board is a single policy for the two combined school systems on student access to cell phones.

Interim schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson gave school board members the preview Tuesday, May 28, of what is certain to be a coming debate at the June board meetings as they approved a much-discussed policy on uniforms and dress codes.

15. Bunker, Hart Clash on Merger Future - Monday, May 27, 2013

One of the most vocal critics of the countywide school board’s $1.18 billion budget proposal says the schools merger is imposing a failed education formula on legacy Shelby County Schools.

“Why is it that Shelby County Schools can provide more teachers, better salaries for their principals and so forth – they can provide more of that than Memphis (City Schools) can with more money?” Shelby County Commissioner Wyatt Bunker asked. “That is the failure of the school board that Tomeka (Hart) served on to do what needed to be done years and years and years ago.”

16. Arkansas Highway Officials Explore Toll on I-40 - Saturday, May 25, 2013

A consultant retained by Arkansas highway officials to assess the feasibility of making all or parts of Interstate 40 between North Little Rock and West Memphis a tollway to pay to widen the highway is surveying motorists on why they use the route and their willingness to pay a toll.

17. 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.

18. Arkansas Highway Officials Explore Toll on I-40 - Friday, May 24, 2013

A consultant retained by Arkansas highway officials to assess the feasibility of making all or parts of Interstate 40 between North Little Rock and West Memphis a tollway to pay to widen the highway is surveying motorists on why they use the route and their willingness to pay a toll.

19. Grant Turns Broad Avenue Dock Into Dance Stage - Friday, May 24, 2013

The concrete surface of the loading dock at Power & Tel on Broad Avenue isn’t good for ballet dancing.

So the dancers with Collage Dance Collective went with modern dance instead Wednesday, May 22, as the Broad Avenue Arts District formally announced a $350,000 grant from ArtPlace America that will turn part of the loading dock into a dance performance stage.

20. Suburbs Return School Districts to Ballot - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

As three of Shelby County’s six suburban towns and cities locked in July 16 referendums on forming municipal school districts, there were indications of renewed discussions between the suburban leaders and Shelby County Commissioners on the terms of forming those districts.

21. Two Bo’s, One Town - Friday, May 17, 2013

THANK YOU, Z’BO AND C’BO. AND THANK YOU, MICHAEL. Last week, my son reminded me to write a column about the Grizzlies. So I did. This week, a good friend commenting on that column reminded me of why I write them in the first place, and then wrote one for me.

22. 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.

23. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

24. Core Focus - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Great Recession silenced construction crews throughout the Memphis area, and that was especially evident Downtown, where ambitious, skyline-changing projects were put on hold, reconfigured or scrapped altogether.

25. Family’s Values Led Bradshaw to Life’s Mission - Friday, May 10, 2013

Fittingly, Kenya Bradshaw can trace her life’s mission back to her childhood and a family that valued public service.

26. Danish Manufacturer Roxul Brings Facility to Byhalia - Friday, May 10, 2013

Just a few feet beyond the Tennessee-Mississippi state line past the Fayette County line on U.S. 72 is the turn onto Cayce Road in Byhalia and what is soon to be the first U.S. plant of the Danish company Roxul Inc.

27. The Daily News Claims 11 Green Eyeshade Awards - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Daily News and The Memphis News claimed 11 Green Eyeshade Journalism Awards in the annual regional competition whose 2012 winners were announced Wednesday, May 8.

Sports commentary and sports reporting in The Memphis News by Don Wade claimed two first place awards in the 63rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for the 11-state Southeastern region of the Society of Professional Journalists that includes Tennessee.

28. 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.

29. Beyond the Numbers - Saturday, May 04, 2013

It’s that time of year again when thick budget books dominate life for those in the Memphis and Shelby County governments.

But this year’s budget season on both sides of the Civic Center Plaza is more than line items and bottom lines on paper. The deliberations that ultimately determine how much you will pay in property taxes and at what rate go beyond the plans in the books of estimates, projections and the recurring and one-time revenue sources.

30. Harper Finds Newest Adventure at Community Foundation - Friday, May 03, 2013

When Memphis native Ashley Harper graduated from Central High School and left town, it was for the mountains.

31. Please, Please Belize! Part 2 - Thursday, May 02, 2013

In last week’s column, I told how a guy from another city and state who spends his winters in Belize wound up with a dead ringer for my phone number on a cell phone he bought in that country. Starting with Belize’s country code, 501, being identical to Arkansas’ 501 area code and continuing through each and every one of the last seven digits, “George’s” cell number is identical to my home land line.

32. Coupé Works to Protect City’s Most Vulnerable - Thursday, May 02, 2013

As supervising attorney over both the Judge’s Action Center and the Office of Advocate for Noncustodial Parents at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, Tom Coupé works to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are being fairly and equally represented.

33. E-Strategy for Retailers - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A couple of weeks ago, my colleague Andy Cates penned an article regarding the impact of e-commerce on distribution and industrial real estate. If you think about it, regardless of the channel you use to buy, the item you purchase still has to get from seller to buyer in some manner. From a distribution perspective, as more people order online rather than shop in retail stores, more distribution is moving to direct-to-consumer and that will have an impact on distribution strategy. So what about the impact from the retail perspective? What is the future of the physical retail store?

34. Events - Saturday, April 27, 2013

ArtsMemphis will present the Stax to the Max music festival Saturday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. outside the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, 926 E. McLemore St. Admission to the festival is free; discounted museum tickets are $2 between noon and 5 p.m. Visit staxmuseum.com.

35. Settlement With Nonprofits Could Bring $40 Million - Monday, April 29, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A long-standing legal dispute between two publicly traded healthcare companies and the receiver for two Tennessee non-profit corporations could ultimately result in $40 million going to charities in the Volunteer State.

36. Emergency Preparation – Part 1 - Friday, April 26, 2013

A bombing and citywide lockdown in Boston, a chemical explosion in West, Texas; threats of flooding along the Mississippi River; tornadoes; earthquakes; and the all-too-frequent house fire.

These are a few of the disasters we all need to prepare for. We need to get ready at home with our families, at work, at our places of worship and at the nonprofits where we spend our time. Most emergencies come with little warning. Many are unthinkable. Some are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Others – such as fires – occur every day. How will you get ready?

37. Public Defender Role Lets Bell Help Others - Thursday, April 25, 2013

For assistant federal defender David Bell, the urge to be a lawyer was precipitated by the urge to help people.

38. Dickerson Learns Unintentional Consequences - Thursday, April 25, 2013

As a freshman lawmaker, state Sen. Steven Dickerson, R-Nashville, said he spent his first legislative session “pretty-tightly circumscribed.”

39. New Apartments Planned for South Main - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Plans for 197 apartments on two corners of West Carolina Avenue and Florida Street go to the Downtown Memphis Commission Design Review Board at its May 1 meeting.

South Junction will rise on the vacant northwest and southeast corners of Carolina and Florida, in the South Main Historic Arts District.

40. Suburban Mayors Preach Patience to Parents - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Suburban leaders are counseling patience among parents of children in their communities who will be part of the coming merger of the county’s two public school systems.

And they will start moving in May on the process of forming municipal school districts for the 2014-2015 school year.

41. Charter School Authorizer Bill Advances - Friday, April 19, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The sponsor of a proposal that seeks to change the way certain charter schools are authorized said Wednesday the measure is needed to continue education reform in Tennessee.

42. 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.

43. Ricin in Obama Letter, Odd Packages Scramble Hill - Thursday, April 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Letters sent to President Barack Obama and a Mississippi senator tested positive for poisonous ricin in preliminary checks Wednesday, and authorities chased reports of other suspicious mail at a U.S. Capitol already on edge.

44. Haslam Continues Talks on Medicaid Expansion - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has been talking with President Barack Obama’s administration since his decision last month not to accept federal funding for an expansion of the state’s Medicaid funding at least for now.

45. Municipal Schools Bill Sails Through House, Senate - Wednesday, April 17, 2013

After much speculation about resistance from other parts of the state to lifting the statewide ban on special school districts statewide, the bill to do that sailed through the Tennessee House and Senate Monday, April 15.

46. Legislature Sends Municipal Schools Bill To Haslam - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Tennessee House and Senate sent a bill permitting municipal school districts in 29 cities including the six suburban towns and cities in Shelby County to Gov. Bill Haslam Monday, April 15, for his signature.

47. Push Education Bills in Final Days of Session - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – As the 108th Tennessee General Assembly draws to a close, state lawmakers are hoping to push through education proposals that include creating a state panel to authorize charter schools for five counties and a measure that would clear the way for cities to begin forming municipal school systems.

48. Workers’ Comp and On-Call Workers - Monday, April 15, 2013

An on-call surgical technician injured while driving home after assisting with an emergency surgery at a hospital was eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, the Supreme Court of Tennessee has decided.

49. 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.

50. Health Care Challenge - Monday, April 08, 2013

To cap off National Public Health Week, The Daily News held an in-depth discussion about health care reform and the daunting task of trying to digest and comprehend the new Affordable Care Act, which encompasses more than 2,800 pages of law and more than 100,000 pages of regulations and rules.

51. Haslam: 'Major Problem' With Senate Nominees Bill - Saturday, April 06, 2013

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam says he has a “major problem” with a bill seeking to give state lawmakers the power to select nominees to the U.S. Senate.

The governor said he objects to eliminating primary elections to decide the Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate. He told reporters on Monday in Nashville that he would “very strongly” consider a veto of the measure.

52. Bill to Allow Schools to Choose Security - Friday, April 05, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal that would allow school districts to hire retired law enforcement officers for security advanced in the Legislature on Wednesday after being approved by the governor.

53. Haslam: 'Major Problem' With Senate Nominees Bill - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam says he has a “major problem” with a bill seeking to give state lawmakers the power to select nominees to the U.S. Senate.

The governor said he objects to eliminating primary elections to decide the Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate. He told reporters on Monday in Nashville that he would “very strongly” consider a veto of the measure.

54. Events - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

The Rotary Club of Memphis East will meet Wednesday, April 3, at noon at The Racquet Club of Memphis, 5111 Sanderlin Ave. U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will speak. Cost is $17. R.S.V.P. to Lee Hughes at lmhughes@bellsouth.net.

55. 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.”

56. 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.

57. Events - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Memphis Area Association of Realtors and Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir will host the 2013 Residential Real Estate Summit Tuesday, April 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Road. Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors chief economist, will discuss the current state of the local and national real estate market. Cost is free. Visit maar.org/residentialsummit to register.

58. Events - Saturday, March 30, 2013

Tennessee Shakespeare Co. will present “Hamlet” Wednesday, April 3, through Sunday, April 14, at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens Winegardner Auditorium, 4339 Park Ave. Visit tnshakespeare.org for times and tickets.

59. MED Reduces Some Employee Hours - Saturday, March 30, 2013

The Regional Medical Center at Memphis is reducing the hours of employees who work in transportation, telemetry and its call center to meet its 2013 budget goals.

Angie Herron Golding, the director of communications and marketing for The MED, said staffing levels are determined by department and the reduced hours are the result of areas “significantly over budget.” No positions will be eliminated and there has not been any reduction of hours or staff as an overall organization, she said. The MED declined to provide an estimate of how many workers will be impacted by the cuts.

60. High Court Takes on a New Affirmative Action Case - Tuesday, March 26, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court's decision to hear a new case from Michigan on the politically charged issue of affirmative action offers an intriguing hint that the justices will not use a separate challenge already pending from Texas for a broad ruling bringing an end to the consideration of race in college admissions.

61. ‘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.

62. Forum Highlights Concerns With Non-Urgent ER Visits - Friday, March 22, 2013

Healthy Memphis Common Table and the League of Womens Voters hosted a public forum Monday, March 18, at the Great Hall and Conference Center in Germantown to discuss findings from the seventh Take Charge For Better Health Report released earlier this week.

63. Poll: Low-Wage Workers, Bosses at Odds on Training - Friday, March 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – As they struggle to get ahead, many low-wage workers are not taking advantage of job training or educational programs that could help them make the leap to better-paying jobs. They are often skeptical about whether such programs are even worth the trouble, a new survey shows.

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

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

65. Council Explores Labor Rule Rewrite - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Memphis City Council members get their first look Tuesday, March 19, at a proposal to repeal the much amended impasse ordinance in place since the 1978 fire and police strikes.

At an 8:30 a.m. committee session, council members will discuss a proposal to replace the procedure for resolving impasses in contract talks between the city and municipal labor unions.

66. County Commission Weighs School Merger Changes - Monday, March 18, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners might discuss Monday, March 18, the idea of restructuring the countywide school board for a third time in the last year and a half.

But they are likely to delay action on a resolution that would create a 13-member school board effective Sept. 1 by appointing six new members to go with the seven existing members.

67. Reappraisal to Impact Office Market - Monday, March 18, 2013

For the first time in history, the property value of the once-every-four-year reappraisal is going down, and it has some commercial real estate property owners concerned.

Although how much the value decreases won’t be official until April 20, the first formal notices of 2013 Shelby County property values for taxation purposes were mailed at the beginning of this month to owners of commercial and industrial cost properties.

68. The Panama Effect - Monday, March 18, 2013

The expansion of the Panama Canal will affect the supply chain of businesses across the country, including those involved in Memphis industrial real estate.

The 48-mile Panama Canal connects the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean through the Caribbean Sea. The $5.2 billion expansion will allow bigger container ships through the canal, providing a more efficient way of moving a large number of containers.

69. 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.

70. Judicial Redistricting Plan Leaves Shelby Same - Wednesday, March 13, 2013

About a year after the Tennessee legislature set new district lines for itself and the state’s nine members of Congress, it is about to set the district lines for civil and criminal trial court judges at the state level.

71. 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.

72. Failing Every One of Us - Friday, March 08, 2013

FAILING TO DECIDE. I once heard advertising legend and certifiable-one-of-a-kind Jerry Della Femina give the keynote address at an Ad Age Creative Workshop in San Francisco. He was bemoaning the loss of creativity in American advertising at the time and the homogenizing of our colorful national character into a colorless blob. As I remember it, he said he’d had a dream that sometime in the late 60s all the radicals, revolutionaries, hippies, dropouts, turn-ons and turn-offs all got together in a field somewhere to figure out what to do next to take over the country.

73. House Approves Bill Preventing Shutdown March 27 - Thursday, March 07, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled House approved legislation Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown on March 27 and blunt the impact of newly imposed spending cuts on the Defense Department.

74. State Delays Auto Inspection Takeover - Thursday, March 07, 2013

The state of Tennessee has told the city of Memphis it will probably take two years for it to take over auto inspection duties in Shelby County.

But city funding for the auto inspection stations and employees runs out when the current fiscal year does, at the end of June.

75. Mays Appoints Masson Schools Special Master - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Memphis Federal Court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays appointed former city of Memphis Chief Administrative Officer Rick Masson Tuesday, March 5, as special master overseeing the federal court consent decree on the merger of Shelby County’s two public school systems.

76. Martha Stewart Denies Wrongdoing in Penney Deal - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Home diva Martha Stewart testified in court on Tuesday that she did nothing wrong when she signed an agreement to open up shops within most of J.C. Penney's stores across the country.

77. Growing Push to Halt Workplace Bullying - Monday, March 04, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Margaret Fiester is no shrinking violet, but she says working for her former boss was a nightmare.

"One day I didn't do something right and she actually laid her hands on me and got up in my face and started yelling, 'Why did you do that?'" said Fiester, who worked as a legal assistant for an attorney.

78. The Path Forward for Schools - Monday, March 04, 2013

“We’re making our community, by disagreement and discord, a very unattractive place to live, visit and locate businesses.”

When discussing the new unified Shelby County Schools this recent statement by Shelby County Schools Chairman Billy Orgel pretty much sums up the state of affairs.

79. Women Business Leaders Encourage Diverse Workforce - Monday, March 04, 2013

Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is regarded as one of the country’s most accomplished and high-profile women in business, and she has a new book coming out later this month on issues women face in the workplace.

80. 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.

81. Arkansas House Panel Rejects School Employee Gun Bill - Friday, March 01, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – An Arkansas House panel on Thursday rejected a proposal that would have allowed some school employees to carry guns in schools after completing an active shooter training course.

82. Justices Voice Skepticism of Voting Rights Law - Thursday, February 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court's conservative justices voiced deep skepticism Wednesday about a section of a landmark civil rights law that has helped millions of Americans exercise their right to vote.

83. Business Executives Discuss Grizzlies' Impact - Thursday, February 28, 2013

For years, FedEx Corp. has brought in 50 of the nation’s leading MBA students to try and recruit them to Memphis.

84. Grizzlies Owners Tout ‘Sustained Success’ - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Every year, FedEx Corp. brings in 50 of the nation’s leading MBA students to try and recruit them to Memphis.

After a three-day weekend of briefing those young professionals on the company and civic culture, an exit survey is conducted with those who didn’t choose FedEx. The No. 1 reason for why they opted out of Memphis? The lack of professional sports teams.

85. 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.

86. Commission’s Schools Debate Has Political Crossover - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

When U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays summoned attorneys from all sides in the schools merger case to his conference room Monday, Feb. 25, there was someone else in the room.

87. 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

88. 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.

89. Mays Schedules Monday Schools Case Conference - Thursday, February 21, 2013

Memphis Federal Court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays has called a Monday, Feb. 25, status conference in the Shelby County schools merger case.

All sides in the 2-year-old lawsuit are scheduled to appear before Mays at 9:30 a.m.

90. Mays Sets Monday Conference in Schools Merger Case - Friday, February 22, 2013

Memphis federal court Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays has called a Monday, Feb. 25, status conference in the Shelby County schools merger case.

All sides in the two-year-old lawsuit are scheduled to appear before Mays at 9:30 a.m.

91. City Council Approves Fairgrounds TDZ Request - Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Memphis City Council members approved Tuesday, Feb. 19, plans for a tourism development zone to capture sales tax revenue in a large area for a renovation of the Fairgrounds property at first.

The boundaries of the zone go to the state for approval and city Community and Housing Development division director Robert Lipscomb said such a proposal could be at the state building commission in Nashville in April.

92. Dixon Hughes Adds Associates in Memphis - Monday, February 18, 2013

Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, the largest certified public accounting firm based in the Southeast, is continuing to grow in Memphis.

93. Senate Votes to Place Income Tax Ban on Ballot - Saturday, February 16, 2013

The Senate voted Thursday to place a proposed constitutional amendment to ban a state income tax before Tennessee voters.

The chamber approved the measure on a 26-4 vote, and if the House concurs, it would be placed on the ballot in next year’s general election.

94. Lot of Love Remains for Tennis Tourney - Saturday, February 16, 2013

The U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships at the Racquet Club of Memphis serves as a reminder of the city’s unique sports mix and how much that mix says about our civic aspirations.

It is a welcome reminder after the last month of incessant chatter about being a “small market” NBA franchise.

95. Senate Votes to Place Income Tax Ban on Ballot - Friday, February 15, 2013

The Senate voted Thursday to place a proposed constitutional amendment to ban a state income tax before Tennessee voters.

The chamber approved the measure on a 26-4 vote, and if the House concurs, it would be placed on the ballot in next year’s general election.

96. Lawmaker Says Grade-Fixing Questions Justify Bill - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Questions about grades being changed at a privately run online school are a good example of why the so-called virtual schools should be run by the government, a state lawmaker said Tuesday.

97. County Commission Debates Schools Merger - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Shelby County Commissioners marked the two-year anniversary Monday, Feb. 11, of the federal lawsuit over schools consolidation and municipal school districts with a running debate across several items about the upcoming schools merger.

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

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

99. Austin Takes Reins Of Wolf River Conservancy - Thursday, February 07, 2013

Commercial real estate lawyer Stewart Austin of Glankler Brown, PLLC, has been named the new board president for the Wolf River Conservancy as of Jan. 1.

100. Businesses, Schools to Participate in Citywide Weight Loss Challenge - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Memphis businesses, school systems and individuals are gearing up to participate in the HealthyWage $10,000 Team Weight Loss Challenge, a citywide three-month weight-loss contest beginning Feb. 22 that will reward three top-performing Memphis teams with a total of $18,000.