MEMPHIS (AP) – Decades after Martin Luther King Jr. was shot to death here, some of the striking sanitation workers who marched with him are again fighting for their jobs.

2. Klan Rally, Heavy Police Presence Mix With Rain - Saturday, March 30, 2013

A group of 60 robed Ku Klux Klan members and swastika flag bearing members of the National Socialist Movement rallied Saturday, March 30, outside the Shelby County Courthouse.

The protest and a counter protest came with chilly temperatures and a rain that alternated between a mist and a downpour over several hours.

3. Fairgrounds Events Grow as Klan Protest Nears - Friday, March 29, 2013

As Memphis Police have been planning in preparation for the Saturday, March 30, Ku Klux Klan demonstration at the Shelby County Courthouse, the Mid-South Fairgrounds has been a busy place for organizers of several alternatives to the Klan protest including a “Heart of Memphis” gathering there.

4. Green Line Marketing Doubles Office - Friday, February 15, 2013

Green Line Marketing Group has outgrown its East Memphis office space due to its expanded staff and client roster.

The boutique agency has signed a 2,000-square-foot lease in Racquet Club Plaza, where it will relocate from its three 350-square-foot executive suites in Clark Tower by the end of the month.

5. 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.

6. Madewell Coming to Saddle Creek - Friday, February 08, 2013

The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown will soon gain another national retailer with no other presence in Tennessee.

Madewell, a subsidiary of J. Crew Group Inc., has signed a 3,061-square-foot lease in The Shops of Saddle Creek North, 7509 Poplar Ave., in part of the space that was previously The Gap in between James Avery Jewelry and Brighton Collectables.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Slow and Steady - Monday, December 03, 2012

The local office market saw little change in the third quarter, and brokers say the fourth quarter will likely yield similar results.

Memphis’ vacancy rate ended the quarter in the mid-14 percent range, the same levels as 2008, according to Colliers International Memphis’ Q3 office report. Vacancy during that period in 2007 was below 12 percent.

10. Highpoint Church Buys Briarcrest’s East Memphis Campus - Friday, November 09, 2012

After seven years of leasing space for its worship services, Highpoint Church has acquired Briarcrest Christian School Systems Inc.’s property at 6000 Briarcrest Ave. for $7.25 million.

11. Seminar To Tackle Commercial Conditions - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

While many commercial real estate professionals would like to forget about 2011 altogether, celebrating increases in 2012 is necessary for morale.

Shelby County experienced the most second-quarter sales this year since the second quarter of 2008, and the highest quarterly sales revenue since the second quarter of 2007.

12. CCDC Passes Two Downtown Projects - Thursday, September 20, 2012

Two Downtown Memphis projects were propelled Wednesday, Sept. 19, by the Center City Development Corp. while the board was briefed on several of the area’s businesses that are in flux.

13. Judges Uphold East Arkansas Senate Redistricting - Tuesday, September 18, 2012

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A federal court on Monday rejected a state senator's claim that a redistricting panel intentionally diluted the black vote in his district, ruling the decrease stemmed from politics but not racial discrimination.

14. Prosecutor Probes Ties Between Regions Financial and Fiderion - Thursday, August 23, 2012

A federal prosecutor has opened an inquiry into business ties between Regions Financial Corp. and Fiderion Group LLC.

15. Hinte Expands Role At Second to Nunn - Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Lowell Hinte has been promoted to account manager and designer at website- and branding-design company Second to Nunn Design. Hinte has served as a designer at S2N since 2009. In his expanded role, Hinte will ensure clients’ expectations are met on key projects regarding strategy, vision, quality and schedule.

16. US Hiring Picks Up in July With 163,000 Jobs Added - Monday, August 06, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Employers added 163,000 jobs in July after three months of sluggish hiring, a pleasant surprise that could signal the U.S. economy may be resilient enough to shake off a midyear slump.

17. After 21 Rounds of Voting, Still no Commission Chair - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners put off electing a chairman for the next year’s term Monday, July 16, after 21 rounds of voting in which no one got seven votes.

The commission will try again at its July 30 meeting.

18. Events - Monday, June 25, 2012

The Tennessee Beta Unit of Parliamentarians will hold its monthly meeting and education program Monday, June 25, at 5:45 p.m. at the Poplar-White Station branch library, 5094 Poplar Ave. Call Jennifer Thompson at 324-5184.

19. Senate Defeats Bid to Block EPA Power Plant Rule - Thursday, June 21, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democrat-controlled Senate defeated a bid Wednesday to block the Environmental Protection Agency from setting the first federal standards to reduce toxic air pollution from power plants.

20. Fed. Judges Won't Block Ark. Primary Certification - Wednesday, May 30, 2012

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A federal court panel on Tuesday refused to block the certification of an east Arkansas state Senate primary while they consider a lawmaker's complaint that his district was redrawn to intentionally weaken the black vote.

21. Ark. Governor Says He Wanted to Boost Black Vote - Wednesday, May 09, 2012

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. (AP) – Gov. Mike Beebe testified in federal court Tuesday that he wanted to keep the black voting-age population high in an east Arkansas Senate district, but that he and the redistricting panel he chaired had to consider all of the state's legislative districts.

22. Humane Soc. Names Walker Development, Marketing Mgr. - Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Leah Walker has joined the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County as development and marketing manager. Walker represented her home state as Miss Georgia in 2008 before joining the Greater Memphis Chamber as a development consultant.

23. Senate Passes Highway, Transit Programs Overhaul - Thursday, March 15, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate voted Wednesday to overhaul transportation programs and keep aid flowing to thousands of construction projects while strengthening highway and auto safety.

24. Revealing Character - Monday, March 05, 2012

Not long after the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature was awarded to “Undefeated” during the 84th annual Academy Awards, the film’s big-name executive producer excitedly sent out a flurry of tweets.

25. Transportation Boosted to Top of Political Agenda - Wednesday, February 15, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – After years of procrastination, the White House and Congress have suddenly boosted a long-term plan to improve the nation's roads, bridges and transit systems to the top of the political agenda.

26. Grinding it Out - Monday, February 06, 2012

After most recessions, real estate bounces back.

But the Great Recession has been notably different – long, deep and very prolonged.

That’s the message Dr. John Gnuschke, director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research and co-director of the Center for Real Estate at the University of Memphis, delivered in December at the Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South.

27. New District Plan Fizzles, Causes Strife - Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The dust hasn’t completely settled on the differences Shelby County Commissioners are having with each other across party lines and on a number of other fronts.

“We’ve outed a civility gap on this commission,” commissioner Steve Mulroy said. “It’s existed for a while.”

28. Raymond James Welcomes Morgan Keegan to Fla. HQ - Thursday, January 19, 2012

The integration of Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. and Raymond James Financial Inc. isn’t officially under way yet, since the $930 million deal in which Raymond James is buying Morgan Keegan won’t close for several more weeks.

29. Vandy Going for 3rd Bowl Win Ever vs Cincinnati - Monday, January 02, 2012

Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve will have his own cheering section for the Liberty Bowl. It will include about 100 family and friends, and he couldn't help everyone asking for tickets.

Marve grew up in Memphis, Tenn., and went to high school at White Station. Former coaches and their families will be joining his relatives and friends in the stands Saturday when Vanderbilt plays Cincinnati.

30. Economists: Obama's Policies 'Fair' or 'Poor' - Thursday, December 29, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama gets mediocre marks for his handling of the U.S. economy, and Mitt Romney easily outpolls his Republican rivals in an Associated Press survey of economists.

31. GOP Faces Uphill Battle on Policy Issues - Friday, December 09, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Conservative flashpoint issues from abortion and abstinence education to President Barack Obama's health care law are the biggest obstacles to Congress completing a massive year-end spending bill next week that would keep the government running through next September.

32. Deadline Looms For Candidates In March Primaries - Thursday, December 08, 2011

There is the paperwork and there are the deadlines in politics. And then there are the campaigns that begin long before the paperwork or deadlines.

One group of candidates in the 2012 election cycle is approaching its first deadline Thursday, Dec. 8, at noon – the filing deadline for the March 6 county primaries.

33. Commission Approves Flat Bonus, Moves Toward Redistricting End Game - Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Shelby County Commissioners approved a flat $650 bonus per county employee Monday, Dec. 5, after a lengthy debate about what to do with $2.5 million of an $8.7 million surplus from the fiscal year that ended June 30.

34. Peppers Joins Lifeblood To Grow Donor Base - Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Jeanie Peppers has joined Lifeblood as senior donor relations account manager.

Hometown: Drummonds, Tenn.

35. Game Nice Diversion From NBA Labor Woes - Thursday, November 10, 2011

If NBA labor negotiations could mirror the action on the court during Rudy Gay’s Charity All-Star Game Tuesday, Nov. 8, at the DeSoto Civic Center, solving the league’s lockout would be an uncontested slam dunk.

36. Obama Offers Mortgage Relief on Western Trip - Tuesday, October 25, 2011

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Obama administration offered mortgage relief on Monday to hundreds of thousands of Americans in the latest attempt to ease the economic and political fallout of a housing crisis that has bedeviled President Barack Obama as he seeks a second term.

37. White House Sets New Cybersecurity Safeguards - Monday, October 10, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House is taking new steps to safeguard classified information and protect government computer networks against unauthorized disclosures such as last year's release of thousands of pages of secret documents by the website WikiLeaks.

38. Social Media, Mobile Tech on the Rise for Weddings - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – As her grandfather sat pleasantly perplexed at her wedding, Lauren Barnes reached into the recesses of her strapless white gown, whipped out her iPhone and accepted her groom's Facebook relationship change to "married."

39. Early Voting Count Suggests High Election Day Turnout - Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Early voting in advance of the Oct. 6 Election Day in Memphis cracked 30,000 of the city’s 426,583 voters.

Because early voting in Memphis elections usually doesn’t account for even half of the overall voter turnout, the early voter turnout suggests the total voter turnout may be in double-digit percentages. That is low, but not as low as some politicos had predicted for the ballot topped by a mayor’s race and contests for all 13 seats on the Memphis City Council.

40. Shutdown Averted, but Deep Differences Linger - Thursday, September 29, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – After the U.S. avoided a government budget crisis in the nick of time for third time this year, the public seems fed up with the nonstop partisanship that led to the close calls.

41. Ole Miss Honors Historian who Fought Racism - Thursday, September 29, 2011

Students of University of Mississippi history professor Jim Silver will gather on the Ole Miss campus Friday, Sept. 30, to honor the historian who left Mississippi in the turbulent 1960s after a prophetic warning about the growing level of violent resistance to racial integration in the state.

42. Class of ‘66 Stands Out At White Station - Tuesday, September 13, 2011

There was clearly something special about the 1966 graduating glass of White Station High School.

The graduates that year include an Oscar-winning actress, world-famous physicist and author, owner of a nationally known restaurant, federal judge, attorneys, artists and many others who attained a lot of success at local and national levels.

43. Opposites Attract in Exhibition - Monday, September 12, 2011

Opposites attract in art as well as in love. A local art gallery hopes to attract audiences as well by exhibiting two artists from opposite ends of the country with diametrically opposing styles.

However, “Haute Chroma” opening Friday, Sept. 16, at T. Clifton Art, makes a singular statement about the use of bold color.

44. Pelosi Names Final Members to Debt Supercommittee - Friday, August 12, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's appointment Thursday of three Democrats to Congress' new debt-reduction supercommittee completes the roster of a panel whose members are already being tugged in competing directions.

45. Senate Dems Give Way to GOP to End FAA Shutdown - Monday, August 08, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate approved legislation Friday ending a two-week partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration and President Barack Obama signed it into law, clearing the way for thousands of employees to return to work and hundreds of airport construction projects to resume.

46. Cracker Barrel Names Cochran as its New CEO - Tuesday, August 02, 2011

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) – Casual dining chain Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. said Monday that President and Chief Operating Officer Sandra B. Cochran will become its CEO next month as part of a succession plan that has been in the works for two years.

47. Roth Forges Own Path with Alchemy in C-Y - Monday, August 01, 2011

Ben Vaughn has some advice for Karen Roth:

48. GOP Retools Plan as Congress Seeks Debt Fix - Thursday, July 28, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — Six days away from a potentially calamitous government default, House Republicans appeared to be coalescing Wednesday around a work-in-progress plan by House Speaker John Boehner to increase the U.S. borrowing limit and chop $1 trillion in federal spending. But the White House dismissed the proposal as a waste of time, and it got a thumbs-down from Senate Democrats and tea party activists, too.

49. Auto Industry, Seeing New Life, is on Hiring Spree - Thursday, July 07, 2011

DETROIT (AP) – Volkswagen opened a plant in Tennessee last month with 2,000 workers. Honda is hiring 1,000 in Indiana to meet demand for its best-selling Civic. General Motors is looking for 2,500 in Detroit to build the Chevy Volt.

50. Obama Reaps Victory as Judges Uphold Health Law - Thursday, June 30, 2011

CINCINNATI (AP) – In the first ruling by a federal appeals court on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, a panel in Cincinnati handed the administration a victory Wednesday by agreeing that the government can require a minimum amount of insurance for Americans.

51. Breakthrough on Trade Could Clear Way for Vote - Wednesday, June 29, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Finance Committee will take up three long-stalled free trade agreements on Thursday after committee chairman Max Baucus said agreement had been reached on extending a program that helps American workers displaced by foreign trade.

52. Film Fest Brings Fab Moments - Thursday, June 16, 2011

The column about my knee evoked a record amount of viewer mail. Evidently, many folk have joint pain issues.

My PRP injection was one month ago, and my knee feels better than it has in years. On a couple days there’s been some semblance of the old pain, as after three days of golf and yard work Memorial Day weekend.

53. APNewsBreak: Taxpayer Identity Theft is Soaring - Thursday, June 02, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Imagine filing your tax return and learning that someone else got your refund. With your name and Social Security number, no less.

The IRS is grappling with a nearly five-fold increase in taxpayer identity theft between 2008 and 2010, a Government Accountability Office official plans to tell a House hearing Thursday. There were 248,357 incidents in 2010, compared to 51,702 in 2008.

54. Spring Fever, Flavors Hit Memphis Kitchens - Monday, April 04, 2011

March came in like a lion and it didn’t exactly go out like a lamb, but the contradictory month still spells the beginning of spring, when young men’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and chefs in restaurant kitchens begin considering changes to their menus that reflect a more buoyant season. In fact, chefs get pretty darned excited about this momentous change of seasons.

55. Takeuchi Joins Memphis Veterinary Specialists - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Dr. Ai Takeuchi has joined Memphis Veterinary Specialists and PetMed Emergency Center as the facility’s first hospitalist.

Hometown: Kugenuma, Japan, but I grew up in Trinidad, U.S., Indonesia and Singapore as well.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, VMD; Mount Holyoke College, BA
Family: I am in Memphis with my husband, Chris, and my son, Aiden, who is almost 4 months old. We have a dog named Bovie and three cats: Rex, Mika and Lailee.
Activities you enjoy outside of work: Eating good food; I’m a foodie and love trying new restaurants. I also love to cook, horseback ride, read books and go on hikes or long walks with the family and our dog, Bovie.
Who has had the greatest influence on you? My mom had the most influence over me. She was a “Tiger Mom” and raising me in different countries while upholding cultural traditions must have been a challenge. She always pushed me to excel and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support.
Why did you pursue a career as a veterinarian? At the age of 4, I went from wanting to be a bus driver to a veterinarian. I’ve always loved animals, and taking care of them is my dream job. They have no voice of their own and need someone to champion for them and take their interests at heart. They are all innocent little souls that need someone to watch over them.
What drew you to Memphis Veterinary Specialists? I wanted to work with boarded specialists who offered the highest level of medicine available. I enjoy emergency work as well as the challenges of complicated cases. It is imperative that I can give my clients a variety of medical options, including seeing a premier specialist.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments? Whenever I can say I helped a family cope with their pet’s illness and was able to ease both their pain and help their pet. That is a great accomplishment for me.
What do you most enjoy about your work? Making a difference in an animal’s life and their family’s life. Being able to bring comfort to both the pet and the family makes my job fabulous. Even if the diagnosis is not a good one, at least I can answer their questions and help them make the right decision for their family.

56. Election Time - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A quiet week in the schools consolidation issue is being matched by some modest numbers for early voting turnout.

Through Monday, early voting in advance of the March 8 referendum Election Day had topped 3,500. The early voting period runs through March 3.

57. Board Cautious About Revenue Estimates - Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Economic forecasts call for a growth in Tennessee revenues, but the State Funding Board is taking a cautious approach toward setting projections for the upcoming budget year.

Comptroller Justin Wilson said Monday that it would be equally damaging for the panel to either overestimate or underestimate tax collections.

58. Bridge Deal Could Bring 600-Mile River Bike Trail - Tuesday, February 08, 2011

If plans materialize for a pedestrian and bicycle boardwalk on the north side of the Harahan rail bridge, the access areas on both sides of the Mississippi River near the bridge would change rapidly.

59. Obama Calls for New Era of Competitiveness - Thursday, January 27, 2011

MANITOWOC, Wis. (AP) – President Barack Obama campaigned vigorously for his revamped economic message Wednesday, warning that other countries have been grasping for first place in the global marketplace as the U.S. fell down on the job.

60. Obama Goal: 'Putting the Economy Into Overdrive' - Tuesday, January 25, 2011

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (AP) – More than half the nation disapproves of President Barack Obama's policies to reduce stubbornly high unemployment, a new Associated Press-GfK poll said Friday as Obama refocused his job-creation efforts on a business-friendly vision emphasizing innovation and exports to other countries.

61. House Democrats Reject Tax Plan Without Changes - Friday, December 10, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats voted Thursday to reject President Barack Obama's tax deal with Republicans in its current form, but it was unclear how significantly the package might need to be changed.

62. Girl Scouts Heart of the South Buys White Station Property - Tuesday, November 16, 2010

717 S. White Station Road, Units A, B and C
Memphis, TN 38117
Sale Amount: $1.8 Million

63. Hobbled Dems, Eager GOP Back for Lame-Duck Session - Tuesday, November 16, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Dejected Democrats and invigorated Republicans returned to the Capitol Monday to face a mountain of unfinished business and greet more than 100 mainly Republican freshmen-elect lawmakers determined to change how they do that business.

64. Employers Looking at Health Insurance Options - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – The new health care law wasn't supposed to undercut employer plans that have provided most people in the U.S. with coverage for generations.

But last week a leading manufacturer told workers their costs will jump partly because of the law. Also, a Democratic governor laid out a scheme for employers to get out of health care by shifting workers into taxpayer-subsidized insurance markets that open in 2014.

65. Lasting Legacies - Monday, September 27, 2010

Consider the continent as it was when Memphis was founded in 1819. No railroads crisscrossed the land and Tennessee roads would not be paved until after World War I.

For a city to thrive and prosper, transportation would be paramount. For Memphis, the Mississippi River, an integral artery of commerce and communication in America, would be its gateway to greatness.

66. Taking Care of Business - Monday, August 30, 2010

A diverse mix of Memphis businesses is defying the odds and finding success spanning multiple family generations. Grant & Co., Champion Awards, Jim’s Place East, Barden Stone and Broadway Pizza are among the Memphis institutions thriving under second- and third-generation ownership and management.

67. Obama Overtures to Business Fall Flat - Tuesday, August 10, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Labeled antibusiness by Republicans and some corporate chiefs, President Barack Obama mounted a campaign to show he wasn't. But his charm offensive has hit a rocky patch.

Business leaders gripe about burdensome new financial and health care regulations, what they see as unfriendly tax policies and vast government spending. They were put off by Obama's harsh depiction of "fat cat bankers" and "reckless practices," a label he applied both to Wall Street and to oil-spill giant BP.

68. Boyle Investment Files Loan on Ridgeway Center Office Building - Tuesday, July 27, 2010

889 Ridge Lake Boulevard
Memphis, TN 38120
Loan Amount: $6.9 Million

Loan Date: July 19, 2010
Maturity Date: Jan. 1, 2020
Borrower: Boyle-889 RLB Partnership
Lender: Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society

69. West Memphis Mojo Rises - Monday, May 24, 2010

On the night of the worst civic tragedy in West Memphis’ history, blues stood up and did its thing.

The “Blues Trail to Chicago” concert was briefly canceled before officials decided to go with the show in honor of the two second-generation law enforcement officers who were shot and killed earlier Thursday.

70. Elena Kagan Chosen by Obama for Supreme Court - Tuesday, May 11, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court on Monday, declaring the former Harvard Law School dean "one of the nation's foremost legal minds." She would be the court's youngest justice and give it three female members for the first time.

71. Ford Name Plays Into Election Victory - Thursday, May 06, 2010

It didn’t work for Myron Lowery in last year’s special election for Memphis mayor.

But Joe Ford won the Democratic nomination for Shelby County mayor this week by running from the office.

72. Ford Wins Democratic Mayoral Primary - Wednesday, May 05, 2010
 

Interim County Mayor Joe Ford became the Democratic nominee for mayor in the August county general elections Tuesday night.

And the August sheriff’s race will be a contest between Democrat Randy Wade and Republican Randy Wade.

All three were among the winners in Tuesday’s low turnout county primaries.

Approximately ten percent of Shelby County’s nearly 600,000 voters cast ballots in early voting and election day polling.

Ford, who was appointed interim mayor in December, beat County Commissioner Deidre Malone and General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson in the Democratic primary. He will face Republican Mark Luttrell who had only token opposition in the Republican primary from perennial contender Ernie Lunati.

Luttrell has raised more money than all three of the Democratic primary contenders combined and began running television ads in the last week runup to election day.

The final unofficial totals in the Democratic mayoral primary are:

Ford 20,360 57%

Malone 12,916 37%

Jackson 2,168 6%

The pair of primaries for Sheriff featured eight candidates, seven of whom either currently work for the sheriff’s department or are past employees. Only Reginald French, in the Democratic primary was not a former or current department official.

Wade was the 2002 Democratic nominee, losing to Luttrell who is leaving as Sheriff after serving two terms. French was the Democratic nominee in the 2006 elections.

Oldham is Luttrell’s chief deputy, the number two position in the department. He is also a former director of the Memphis Police Department.

The final unofficials totals in the Republican primary are:

Bill Oldham 13,821 48%

Dale Lane 7,981 28%

Bobby Simmons 5,886 21%

James Coleman 943 3%

In the Democratic primary:

Randy Wade 22,643 67%

Reginald French 6,777 20%

Larry Hill 2,738 8%

Bennie Cobb 1,814 5%

Voters in the primary elections decided to return six Shelby County commissioners to new four year terms with Tuesday’s results. They also elected six new commissioners. The winner of the thirteenth commission seat will be decided on the August general election ballot in a contest between district 5 Democratic incumbent Steve Mulroy and Republican challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos. The winner of the match up will determine whether the commission remains majority Democrat or goes majority Republican.

Mulroy easily defeated Jennings Bernard in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Republican incumbent Mike Ritz ran unopposed as did new Democratic commissioner Walter Bailey.

In the remaining ten contests, the primaries decided who gets the seats since no one ran in the opposing party’s primary.

The most hotly contested contest among the commission races was for District 4 Position 1. Outgoing Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas beat John Pellicciotti, appointed to a commission seat last year but running for a different position in the same district. Jim Bomprezzi, the former mayor of Lakeland, was the third contender in the contest.

The final unofficial totals in the Republican primary:

Thomas 7,631 52%

Pellicciotti 4,871 33%

Bomprezzi 2,298 15%

In position 2 of the same district incumbent Republican Wyatt Bunker easily overcame two challengers with former Lakeland alderman John Wilkerson finishing second and Ron Fittes finishing third.

Millington businessman Terry Roland claimed the third position in the district that takes in all six of Shelby County’s suburban towns and cities.

Roland beat George Chism to take the seat Pellicciotti was appointed to but opted not to run for in deference to Roland.

Heidi Shafer, an aide to outgoing County Commissioner George Flinn, claimed Flinn’s District 1 Position 2 seat over Albert Maduska.in the GOP primary.

District 1 incumbent Republican Mike Carpenter easily beat businessman Joe Baier.

In the Democratic commission primaries, Melvin Burgess claimed Malone’s District 2 Position 3 seat in a field of six contenders. His closest contender was Reginald Milton. Burgess, a city school system audit manager, had run for the seat before. He brought in 54 percent of the vote.

The other hard fought Democratic commission primary saw Justin Ford, son of the interim mayor, claim his father’s District 3 Position 3 seat.

Ford beat Edith Moore, a retired IBM executive, whom the commission appointed to the seat after the elder Ford became mayor.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Ford 7,342 66%

Moore 3,822 34%

Democratic incumbent commissioners Henri Brooks, Sidney Chism and James Harvey were all re-elected over primary challengers.

The county-wide primaries for seven clerk’s positions saw the return of former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican 16 years after Republican challenger Bill Key took her job. Johnican decisively beat Ralph White and Vernon Johnson in her first bid for office since the 1994 defeat. She will face Republican Kevin Key, the son of Bill Key in the August general election.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Johnican 16,381 51%

White 10,170 31%

Johnson 5,954 18%

Former Juvenile Court Clerk Shep Wilbun easily won the Democratic primary with 76 percent of the vote to face Republican Joy Touliatos in August for the office being vacated by Republican Steve Stamson. Touliatos was unopposed in the primary.

Democrat Coleman Thompson is back for another go at incumbent Republican Register Tom Leatherwood.

Aside from Leatherwood, Jimmy Moore is the only other of the seven clerks seeking re-election. Moore ran unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Ricky Dixon in August.

Trustee Regina Newman was appointed to her office following the death last year of Paul Mattila. Newman easily overcame M LaTroy Williams in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. She will face David Lenoir, who beat former Shelby County Commissioner John Willingham in the Republican contest.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Lenoir 15,922 58%

Willingham 11,569 42%

The other six candidate field on the ballot was in the Democratic primary for Probate Court Clerk. Sondra Becton posted impressive vote totals over her rivals, bringing in 35 percent of the vote with Peggy Dobbins her closest rival. Becton, who is making her fourth bid for the office, will face Republican Paul Boyd, who ran unopposed in his primary.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Becton 10,929 36%

Dobbins 5,366 18%

Annita Hamilton 4,848 16%

Clay Perry 3,549 12%

Danny Kail 3,120 11%

Karen Tyler 2,782 9%

The closest contest of the evening was in the Democratic primary for County Clerk. Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin won his political debut by less than 1,400 votes over Charlotte Draper and LaKeith Miller. He will face Republican Wayne Mashburn who beat Steve Moore in the companion primary.

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 5 election day begins July 16. The August ballot will also feature state and federal primary elections including the statewide primaries for governor and the primaries for all nine of the state’s Congressional districts.

73. Tenn. Woman Seeks Photos for Vietnam Memorial - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) - A White Bluff woman is trying to gather photographs of the more than 1,300 Tennesseans who died in the Vietnam War.

The effort is part of the "Put a Face with a Name" project of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which maintains a virtual memorial wall on its Web site.

74. Events - Monday, March 22, 2010

James Hutto of Valeo Marketing and Design will offer a five-course series on social media today through Friday at Emerge Memphis, 516 Tennessee St. To register, visit nawbo-workshop.eventbrite.com.

75. Ex-Klansman Convicted in '64 Slayings Sues FBI - Friday, February 26, 2010

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A former Ku Klux Klansman convicted in the 1964 slayings of three civil rights workers has sued the FBI, claiming the government used a mafia hit man to pistol-whip and intimidate witnesses for information in the case.

76. Shelby Farms Set To Begin Two Projects - Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Shelby Farms Park Conservancy has filed a pair of building permits with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to build a new playground and pedestrian bridge.

The nonprofit organization that oversees two-thirds of the 4,500-acre Shelby Farms Park filed a $3.5 million permit for the playground and a $1.8 million permit for the bridge. Both permits list the park’s formal address of 500 Pine Lake Drive.

77. Candidate Filing List -- The Final Version - Friday, February 19, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

78. UPDATE: Mayor's Race Grows At Filing Deadline - Thursday, February 18, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

Luttrell faces only token opposition from perennial candidate Ernie Lunati.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for mayor grew to three contenders as General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson filed his qualifying petition just before the deadline. He joins interim County Mayor Joe Ford and Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone.

Luttrell ruled out a bid for Shelby County mayor last year (2009). But when Harold Byrd decided not to run in the Democratic primary, some local GOP leaders asked Luttrell to reconsider.

The result touched off a scramble of candidates from both parties for the open sheriff’s office. But before the noon deadline, the initial field of over a dozen possible contenders was narrowed to ten – six Democrats and four Republicans.

The other surprise at the filing deadline was the return of attorney Walter Bailey to the District 2 Position 1 seat he gave up in the 2006 elections. Bailey sought re-election then to another term despite a two term limit on commissioners. Bailey lost to J.W. Gibson who decided not to seek re-election. He also lost a court fight to overturn the term limits.

Bailey was the only candidate who had filed for the seat at the Thursday deadline.

Only one incumbent county commissioner – Republican Mike Ritz -- was effectively re-elected at the deadline because he had no opposition.

All but one of the eleven contested County Commission races will be decided with the May 4 primaries. The only general election battle for the August ballot is the district 5 contest between GOP challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos and whoever wins the May Democratic primary between incumbent Steve Mulroy and Jennings Bernard.

Former County Commissioner John Willingham also returned to the ballot among a field of Republican contenders in the primary for Shelby County Trustee.

And former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican joined the Democratic primary field for her old job. Incumbent Republican Bill Key pulled petition to seek re-election but did not file at the deadline.

Here is the list of races and contenders from The Shelby County Election Commission. All candidate have until noon Feb. 25 to withdraw from the ballot if they wish.

D-Democrat

R- Republican

I- Independent

Shelby County Mayor:

Deidre Malone (D)

Joe Ford (D)

Otis Jackson (D)

Mark Luttrell (R)

Ernest Lunati (R)

Leo Awgowhat (I)

Shelby County Sheriff:

James Coleman (R)

Bobby Simmons (R)

Bill Oldham (R)

Dale Lane (R)

Larry Hill (D)

Bennie Cobb (D)

Randy Wade (D)

James Bolden (D)

Elton Hymon (D)

Reginald French (D)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 1

Mike Ritz (R) (incumbent)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 2

Albert Maduska (R)

Heidi Shafer (R)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 3

Mike Carpenter (R) (incumbent)

Joe Baire (R)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 1

Walter Bailey (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 2

Henri Brooks (D) (incumbent)

David Vinciarelli (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 3

Eric Dunn (D)

Norma Lester (D)

Tina Dickerson (D)

Melvin Burgess (D)

Reginald Milton (D)

Freddie Thomas (D)

County Commission Dist 3 Pos 1

James Harvey (D) (incumbent)

James Catchings (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 2

Sidney Chism (D) (incumbent)

Andrew "Rome" Withers (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 3

Edith Moore  (D) (incumbent)

Justin Ford (D)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 1

Chris Thomas (R)

John Pellicciotti (R)

Jim Bomprezzi (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 2

Wyatt Bunker (R) (incumbent)

John Wilkerson (R)

Ron Fittes (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 3

Terry Roland (R)

George Chism (R)

Edgar Babian (R)

County Commission Dist 5

Steve Mulroy (D) (incumbent)

Jennings Bernard (D)

Rolando Toyos (R)

Shelby County Clerk

Charlotte Draper (D)

Corey Maclin (D)

LaKeith Miller (D)

Wayne Mashburn (R)

Steve Moore (R)

Criminal Court Clerk

Vernon Johnson (D)

Minerva Johnican (D)

Ralph White (D)

Michael Porter (R)

Kevin Key (R)

Jerry Stamson (I)

Circuit Court Clerk

Jimmy Moore (R) (incumbent)

Steven Webster (D)

Carmichael Johnson (D)

Ricky W. Dixon (D)

Juvenile Court Clerk

Joy Touliatos (R)

Charles Marshall (D)

Sylvester Bradley (D)

Shep Wilbun (D)

Julia Roberson Wiseman (I)

Probate Court Clerk

Paul Boyd (R)

Sondra Becton (D)

Danny Kail (D)

Annita Sawyer Hamilton (D)

Peggy Dobbins (D)

Clay Perry (D)

Karen Tyler (D)

Shelby County Register

Tom Leatherwood (R) (incumbent)

Coleman Thompson (D)

Lady J. Swift (D)

Carlton Orange (D)

Shelby County Trustee

Regina Newman (D) (incumbent)

M. LaTroy Williams (D)

John Willingham (R)

Jeff Jacobs (R)

David Lenoir (R)

79. Opening Date Set For New Stewart Brothers - Monday, February 08, 2010

The new Stewart Brothers Hardware at 1470 N. Germantown Parkway will have its official opening Feb. 12.

80. Events - Monday, January 25, 2010

The Downtown Parking Authority will meet today at 12:30 p.m. at 114 N. Main St.

The Tennessee Beta Unit of Parliamentarians will hold its monthly meeting and educational program today at 6 p.m. at the Poplar-White Station Branch Library, 5094 Poplar Ave.

81. 2009 Year In Review - Monday, December 28, 2009

2009 was a year without a script – and plenty of improvising on the political stage.

It was supposed to be an off-election year except in Arlington and Lakeland.

2008 ended with voters in the city and county approving a series of changes to the charters of Memphis and Shelby County governments. Those changes were supposed to set a new direction for both entities, kicking into high gear in 2010 and ultimately culminating two years later.

82. FBI Wants Public’s Help in Civil Rights Killings - Tuesday, November 24, 2009

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Over the past three years, the FBI scoured faded documents, interviewed aging lawmen and tracked down witnesses from killings that occurred decades ago, many of them involving white police officers who shot black men or teenagers.

83. Events - Monday, November 23, 2009

The Tennessee Beta Unit of Parliamentarians will hold its monthly meeting and educational program today at 6 p.m. at the Poplar-White Station Branch Library, 5094 Poplar Ave.

84. Senate Democrats Advance US Climate Bill - Friday, November 06, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats sidestepped a Republican boycott Thursday, pushing a U.S. climate bill out of committee in an early step on a long and contentious road to passage.

At least five other committees still must weigh-in on the measure, but the partisan antics early on threatened to cast a pall over the bill – one of President Barack Obama's top priorities. While the measure makes its way to the Senate floor, nations are preparing to meet in Copenhagen, Denmark next month to hammer out a new international treaty to slow climate change.

85. UTHSC College of Medicine Names Smith Interim Dean - Wednesday, October 21, 2009

J. Lacey Smith has been named interim dean for the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Smith currently serves as the associate dean of clinical affairs for the College of Medicine and the chief medical officer and executive vice president for UT Medical Group Inc.

86. After the Fall: The messy cleanup of Stanford Financial - Monday, September 28, 2009

R. Allen Stanford, the Texas billionaire now passing time in a Texas jail for his role in what U.S. regulators have called a “massive Ponzi scheme,” once told a roomful of his employees they ought to have three priorities in life.

87. A River Runs Through Us: Memphis’ once and future connection with the Wolf - Monday, September 07, 2009

A cottonmouth slithers through the marsh. A wolf spider clings to a cypress tree. A white heron soars above the bottomland forest.

Paddle a canoe down the Ghost River section of the Wolf River in Fayette County and you’ll travel through multiple, distinct ecosystems teeming with wildlife. But while animal sightings convey the true spirit of the Wolf, only one creature – the elusive “river rat” – can verbalize why this river and its wetland corridor are so important.

88. Field of 28 For Mayor Meets Filing Deadline With Enough Signatures - Thursday, September 03, 2009
 

A field of 28 candidates had filed petitions with enough valid signatures to run in the Oct. 15 special election for Memphis mayor by today’s noon deadline.

Shelby County Election Commission administrator Richard Holden told The Daily News several contenders had their petitions rejected once election commission staff checked the signatures.

Each person signing must be a registered voter in the city of Memphis and list the address that is on their voter registration record.

A total of 33 petitions were filed by the noon deadline. But several candidates were disqualified for not having enough signatures. And then three were returned to the list of candidates after a second check of their petitions. Those who returned to candidate status included Memphis school board member Sharon Webb.

Those who made today's cut have until noon Sept. 10 to withdraw from the race. The field will then become final.

The candidates include: 

• Leo Awghowhat
• Kenneth Baroff
• Joe Brown, Memphis City Council member
• Randy L. Cagle
• Charles Carpenter, attorney
• Carol Chumney, former City Council member
• Dewey Clark, former aide to and witness against jailed Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell
• James M. Clingan
• Menelik Fombi, a candidate for Memphis City Schools Board in past elections
• Wanda Halbert, chairwoman, City Council budget committee
• Johnny Hatcher
• Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges  
• Constance Houston
• Dewayne Jones
• E.C. Jones, former City Council member
• Jerry Lawler, entertainer and former professional wrestler
• Myron Lowery, Memphis mayor pro tem
• Ernie Lunati
• Harrel C. Moore  
• Mary T. Shelby-Wright, perennial candidate for numerous offices
• Detric W. Stigall
• Silky Sullivan, restaurant owner and entrepreneur
• David Vinciarelli
• Vuong Vaughn Vo
• Sharon Webb, Memphis school board member
• Kenneth T. Whalum Jr., pastor of New Olivet Baptist Church and Memphis school board member
• A C Wharton Jr., Shelby County mayor
• John Willingham, former Shelby County commissioner

Sullivan showed up at the Election Commission in a white Rolls Royce wearing a white suit.

“When you see this white suit, you know I’m coming at you,” he told reporters as he outlined a plan to turn The Pyramid over to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital instead of the proposed lease to Bass Pro Shops.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” Sullivan said of the mayor’s race.

When someone asked if he would still be in the race after next week’s withdrawal deadline, Sullivan said he was in “to the violent end.”

“You know you can’t win,” political blogger and radio talk show host Thaddeus Matthews said to Sullivan.

“Why not?” Sullivan replied.

Anthony Willoughby, the last candidate to file before noon, told reporters he was a Realtor-broker who played a role in the development of Banneker Estates in southwest Memphis, the subdivision developed by former Mayor Willie Herenton.

“I’m not a politician,” Willoughby said. “I’m going to run on that statement.”

Willoughby didn't have enough qualified signatures, though. So he won't be running.

Daniko Flowers, a construction worker still wearing his safety vest, showed up at five minutes before noon and checked out a petition. He returned at three minutes past noon and was not allowed to file. Flowers only had 18 signatures on the petition anyway.

89. UPDATE: Commission Approves Metro Charter Commission - Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday to form a Metro Charter Commission. The resolution passed on a 9-2 vote.

Memphis City Council members are to discuss a similar resolution today in executive session with a vote by the full council likely in two weeks. If the council approves its side of the joint resolution, the Memphis and Shelby County Mayors would then begin appointing citizens to the 15 member body. That body would write a charter proposal to consolidate Memphis city and Shelby County governments.

90. County Commission Approves Metro Charter Commission - Monday, August 31, 2009

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday to form a Metro Charter Commission. The resolution passed on a 9-2 vote.

Memphis City Council members are to discuss a similar resolution Tuesday in executive session with a vote by the full council likely in two weeks. If the council approves its side of the joint resolution, the Memphis and Shelby County Mayors would then begin appointing citizens to the 15 member body. That body would write a charter proposal to consolidate Memphis city and Shelby County governments.

91. Events - Friday, August 28, 2009

Dr. Buzz Aldrin will discuss and sign his book “Magnificent Desolation” today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Road Extended. For more information, call 683-9801.

92. Accused Financier Stanford Hospitalized - Friday, August 28, 2009

HOUSTON (AP) – Texas financier R. Allen Stanford, jailed on charges of bilking investors out of $7 billion, has been hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat and high pulse, the judge in his case said Thursday.

93. AP Analysis: Banks Added 10,000 Branches in Boom - Tuesday, August 18, 2009

DALLAS (AP) - Banks expanded at a breathtaking pace over the past five years, adding more than 10,000 full-service branches, but barely 1 in 10 were in inner-city, minority neighborhoods, another sign the financial spending spree skipped over substantial parts of the country.

94. Baldwin Joins Visible School As Department Chair, Professor - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

George Baldwin has been hired by Visible School as department chair and assistant professor of music business ministry and audio production.

95. Here Comes the Sun: Memphis’ cut of the state’s solar energy plan - Monday, July 20, 2009

The Sharp Manufacturing plant in Hickory Hill has always been a symbol as much as a working part of the city’s economic infrastructure.

The plant on South Mendenhall Road represents the city’s first truly international big business presence. It opened in 1978 after Japanese executives came to Memphis to negotiate directly with city leaders. And once the deal closed, a now-legendary picket line was thrown up by local union leaders. The picketing symbolized organized labor’s determination to have a voice in local economic development.

96. Obama Says Unemployment Will Keep Ticking Up - Wednesday, July 15, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - As he conceded that unemployment will keep growing, President Barack Obama on Tuesday said new jobs will require greater training and post-high school education to achieve a better skilled work force.

97. MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Americans' Debt Stress is Easing - Tuesday, July 14, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Unemployment is rising. Nest eggs are in tatters. Home values have tanked. And yet surprisingly, Americans are feeling less stress from debt these days.

Chalk it up to the power of positive thinking combined with people saving more, spending less and trimming debt to cope with the recession.

98. Obama Chooses Ala. Doctor as Next Surgeon General - Tuesday, July 14, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama turned to the Deep South for the next surgeon general, choosing a rural Alabama family physician who made headlines with fierce determination to rebuild her nonprofit medical clinic in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

99. Poplar Rail Study Juggles Citizen, Business Concerns - Thursday, June 25, 2009

Paul Morris empathizes with the college students who climb over the trains stopped on the tracks that intersect the University of Memphis campus on their way to class.

100. More Minority Teachers Needed at Theology Schools - Monday, June 08, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Minority teachers are underrepresented at theological schools and need more financial help and encouragement to become faculty, according to a prominent group of scholars dedicated to improving religious education.