NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam began the year by dismissing what he called misguided predictions that the new Republican supermajority in state government would devolve into infighting.

2. US Government Collecting Huge Number of Phone Records - Friday, June 07, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is secretly collecting the telephone records of millions of U.S. customers of Verizon under a top-secret court order, according to the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Obama administration is defending the National Security Agency's need to collect such records, but critics are calling it a huge over-reach.

3. AP Survey: Economists See No Stock Market Bubble - Friday, June 07, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A debate is raging among investors and analysts: Has the Federal Reserve inflated a stock market bubble by driving interest rates to record lows?

The answer, according to economists surveyed by The Associated Press: No.

4. Next Wave - Friday, June 07, 2013

What do you follow a splash park with at the Children’s Museum of Memphis?

A robotic cow, of course.

As children out of school for the summer enjoy the newly opened “H2Oh! Splash” water park at Hollywood Street and Central Avenue, museum public relations and marketing director Carrie Roberts says plans are being made for the robotic cow and a barn on the other side of the museum property including an outdoor classroom.

5. Sallie Mae to Split Into Two Companies - Saturday, June 01, 2013

Sallie Mae plans to split into two separate, publicly traded companies. The student loan giant also named John Remondi as its CEO.

Sallie Mae, formally named SLM Corp., said Wednesday that the two separate companies – an education loan management business and a consumer banking business – would help unlock value and boost its long-term growth potential.

6. Sallie Mae to Split Into Two Companies - Thursday, May 30, 2013

Sallie Mae plans to split into two separate, publicly traded companies. The student loan giant also named John Remondi as its CEO.

Sallie Mae, formally named SLM Corp., said Wednesday that the two separate companies – an education loan management business and a consumer banking business – would help unlock value and boost its long-term growth potential.

7. FDA Warns of Infections Tied to Tennessee Pharmacy - Monday, May 27, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Health officials are investigating cases involving patients who suffered complications after being injected with potentially contaminated medications made by a Tennessee specialty pharmacy.

8. Between Economy and Trouble, Obama Approval Steady - Friday, May 24, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The economy is recovering, the White House is dealing with multiple controversies, and President Barack Obama appears generally unaffected either way.

He's getting no significant uptick in approval from gains in housing, jobs and the stock market. Likewise, he has so far seen no downtick from the recent storms over the terror attack in Benghazi, Libya, the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS and a leak investigation that has swept up the phone records of Associated Press journalists.

9. Kruger Unveils $300 Million Expansion - Friday, May 24, 2013

The North Memphis plant that began by manufacturing automobile parts and eventually produced the bodies and wings for B-25 bombers, celebrated a milestone Wednesday, May 22, with the $300 million expansion of the Kruger Inc. facility near Mud Island in Downtown.

10. Apple's Cook Faces Senate Questions on Taxes - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate dragged massively profitable Apple Inc. into the debate over the U.S. tax code Tuesday, grilling CEO Tim Cook over allegations that its Irish subsidiaries help the company avoid billions in U.S. taxes.

11. Changing Current - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Uptown waterfront along the Wolf River Harbor – the area of the rejuvenated Uptown neighborhood that has for the most part been left out of the revitalization – could soon become a bustling waterfront village, according to a recently released master plan for the area.

12. Another Round for the House on 'Obamacare' - Friday, May 17, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – There they go again: The House is moving toward a vote on yet another Republican bill to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.

Only months away from the rollout of coverage for uninsured Americans, Republicans on Thursday were making their 37th attempt in a little more than two years to eliminate, defund or partly scale back the Affordable Care Act.

13. Mumford Sentenced in Teacher Exam Fraud - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Clarence Mumford Sr., a one-time assistant principal in Memphis City Schools, was sentenced Monday, May 13, to seven years in prison for organizing and running a cheating ring on teacher tests.

Mumford was sentenced by Memphis federal Judge John Fowlkes following his guilty plea to 21 counts in the cheating scandal including conspiracy.

14. Republicans to Back Obama's Student Loan Plan - Friday, May 10, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are willing to give President Barack Obama a rare win, the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee said Thursday in outlining a deal that would let college students avoid a costly hike on their student loans.

15. Internet Sales Tax Bill Faces Tough Sell in House - Wednesday, May 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Traditional retailers and cash-strapped states face a tough sell in the House as they lobby Congress to limit tax-free shopping on the Internet.

The Senate voted 69 to 27 Monday to pass a bill that empowers states to collect sales taxes from Internet purchases. Under the bill, states could require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes when they sell products over the Internet, in catalogs, and through radio and TV ads. The sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.

16. Grizzlies Trying to Create Season to Remember - Friday, May 03, 2013

Disappointments past can set up unmitigated joy in the present. At its best, that’s how this whole sports fandom thing works.

You invest yourself emotionally (yes, perhaps financially, too) and if you hold the stock (your loyalty) long enough, there’s a nice payoff.

17. International Paper’s Net Earnings Up - Thursday, May 02, 2013

Memphis-based International Paper Co. reported net earnings Thursday, May 2, of $318 million for the first quarter of 2013, a $130 million increase from a year ago.

Quarterly net sales for International Paper of $7.1 billion were up $400 million from a year ago but the same as for the fourth quarter of 2012.

18. 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.

19. ‘Real Big Decisions’ Looming for Grizzlies - Friday, April 26, 2013

The Grizzlies returned from Los Angeles down 2-0 to the Clippers, the idea of “Believe Memphis” being put to the test.

Thursday night, April 25, the Clippers and Grizzlies were to play Game 3 at FedExForum, and then Saturday, April 27, Game 4.

20. The New Beale - Saturday, April 20, 2013

Over the last four years, the next chapter in the development of Beale Street has been a stop-and-go affair. First would come announcements followed by silence from official channels.

Along with that silence, though, was quiet activity on the side, a movement that culminated with the March announcement of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s strategic planning committee’s report, “A Framework for Beale Street.”

21. Apostrophe Yes or No? - Thursday, April 18, 2013

Henry Chu of the Los Angeles Times reported in late March that “To grammarians’ delight, officials in southwest England who had considered expunging apostrophes from street signs threw out the idea … and vowed to follow the rules of proper English.” Ha! Good luck with that!

22. U of M President Raines Announces Retirement - Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Shirley C. Raines is retiring at the end of June after 12 years as president of the University of Memphis.

Raines announced her retirement Monday, April 15. John Morgan, the chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, will name an interim president for the university possibly as early as this week for the transition.

23. 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.

24. Minutes Show Fed Supports Stimulus Through Midyear - Thursday, April 11, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A majority of Federal Reserve policymakers want to continue extraordinary bond purchases to help boost the U.S. economy at least through the middle of the year, according to minutes from the Fed's last meeting released Wednesday.

25. Motivated by Freshness - Tuesday, April 09, 2013

As consumer demand for healthy, locally grown food has increased, farmers markets are cropping up all over Memphis.

Farmers markets provide a place for smaller producers to sell their goods, and hopefully earn a profit. But profitability can be challenging for the operators who run the markets. Some, like Agricenter International’s Farmer’s Market and the farmers market at the Memphis Botanic Garden run the markets to support their overall mission. They say the markets are about more than profitability.

26. Schools Begin Front Office Layoff Process - Monday, April 08, 2013

When Shelby County’s two public school systems went to a single superintendent in March, interim superintendent Dorsey Hopson emphasized that his first priority is a budget proposal later this month for the school system that merges formally with the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

27. Favors Began Activism Early With Kennedy - Thursday, April 04, 2013

State Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, has one word to describe the state’s proposed school voucher system: rip-off.

The vouchers, as proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam, would allow lower-income students from poorly performing schools to go to any school of their choice.

28. Arkansas Steel Mill Proposal Gains Traction - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Gov. Mike Beebe's plan to provide $125 million in state financing to help a new company build a steel mill in Mississippi County is gaining bipartisan support among legislators – though some conservatives still object to having the government help fund one of Arkansas' largest economic development projects.

29. Easter Travelers Won’t Face Road Work - Saturday, March 30, 2013

Tennessee transportation officials are shutting down highway construction for the Easter weekend.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has told contractors and its own crews to knock off work no later than 6 p.m. Thursday, in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

30. Easter Travelers Won’t Face Road Work - Thursday, March 28, 2013

Tennessee transportation officials are shutting down highway construction for the Easter weekend.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has told contractors and its own crews to knock off work no later than 6 p.m. Thursday, in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

31. Hopson Takes Over Public Schools Leadership - Thursday, March 28, 2013

Since Dorsey Hopson became general counsel for Memphis City Schools in 2008, he has experienced a whirlwind of change.

The Memphis City Council cut funding to the school system triggering a landmark court case, city and county school systems have been on a fast and rocky path to a merger, and the countywide board ballooned to 23 members. And then Hopson found himself in January serving as the interim superintendent of Memphis City Schools.

32. Hopson Heads Both School Systems - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The city and county school systems have a single school superintendent less than five months from the start of the first school year of the consolidated school system in Shelby County.

Interim Memphis City Schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson was appointed interim Shelby County Schools superintendent at the first countywide school board meeting since the board approved a buyout last week of county schools superintendent John Aitken.

33. Beale District Future Mapped Out in Report - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Whatever comes next for the Beale Street entertainment district, the city of Memphis isn’t likely to turn over the three blocks of real estate for several decades to a developer and the nonprofit middleman, Beale Street Development Corp.

34. Secret Sauce - Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Twenty years ago this month, a trio of businessmen opened a new pizza shop in Overton Square.

And one year after Memphis Pizza Cafe opened its doors, Memphians were hungry enough for the business’ signature thin-crust pizza that a second location soon was in order.

35. House Passes GOP Budget Plan Promising Deep Cuts - Friday, March 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled House passed a tea party-flavored budget plan Thursday that promises sharp cuts in safety-net programs for the poor and a clampdown on domestic agencies, in sharp contrast to less austere plans favored by President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies.

36. St. Agnes-St. Dominic Installs Solar Panels in Memory of Alumnus - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

St. Agnes Academy-St. Dominic School has honored Ryan Edwards by promoting environmental sustainability, a concept that was close to the late St. Dominic alumnus’ heart.

37. Boyle Celebrates 80 Years, Sponsors Art Exhibit - Monday, March 18, 2013

Boyle Investment Co. turns 80 this year, and has partnered with the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art to celebrate.

38. New TSA Policy on Knives, Bats Sparks Backlash - Monday, March 11, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Flight attendants, pilots, federal air marshals and even insurance companies are part of a growing backlash to the Transportation Security Administration's new policy allowing passengers to carry small knives and sports equipment like souvenir baseball bats and golf clubs onto planes.

39. Obama Presses On With GOP Charm Offensive - Friday, March 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama pressed on with his Republican charm offensive Thursday, holding a White House lunch with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan in an effort to soften the ground for potential talks on a long-term deficit reduction deal.

40. Exterior Plans for Bass Pro Approved - Friday, March 08, 2013

Bass Pro Shops’ exterior building and site improvements for repurposing the city-owned Pyramid as a destination retailer were approved by the Design Review Board Wednesday, March 6, but the board asked for more time to digest the company’s controversial signage requests.

41. Exterior Plans for Bass Pro Approved - Thursday, March 07, 2013

Bass Pro Shops’ exterior building and site improvements for repurposing the city-owned Pyramid as a destination retailer were approved by the Design Review Board Wednesday, March 6, but the board asked for more time to digest the company’s controversial signage requests.

42. Cuts Imminent, Senate Democrats, GOP Stage Votes - Friday, March 01, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Squabbling away the hours, the Senate swatted aside last-ditch plans to block $85 billion in broad-based federal spending reductions Thursday as Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the latest outbreak of gridlock and the Obama administration readied plans to put the cuts into effect.

43. Strickland, Carson Given Dunavant Honors - Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Memphis City Council member Jim Strickland remembers putting on his tie in front of a mirror this month after learning he won the Bobby Dunavant Public Service Award.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. Boehner: 'Hard to Imagine' Budget Agreement - Thursday, February 14, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Speaker John Boehner says "it's hard to imagine" the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate reaching a budget deal.

Boehner spoke in an interview with The Associated Press the day after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

47. Ramsey Steered to the Right by Harvey, Reagan - Thursday, February 14, 2013

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey has one issue that has drawn little attention that he wants to pass through this session of the legislature: redrawing the state’s judicial districts.

48. Phillips Joins Spirco as Manager, Vice President - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Mike Phillips has joined Spirco Manufacturing as general manager and vice president of operations. In his new role, Phillips will oversee all divisions of the metal-building manufacturer and direct its organizational needs.

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

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

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

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

51. Luttrell ‘Alarmed’ Over Budget Numbers - Friday, February 08, 2013

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell meets Friday, Feb. 8, with Shelby County Schools superintendent John Aitken to look over the still tentative budget plan for the consolidated school system that debuts in August.

52. Obama Seeks to Avoid Sequester With Short-Term Fix - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama is asking Congress for a short-term deficit reduction package of spending cuts and tax revenue that will delay the effective date of steeper automatic cuts now scheduled to kick in on March 1. Obama said the looming cuts would be economically damaging and must be avoided.

53. State Budget Will Include Local Medical Community - Monday, February 04, 2013

The two biggest capital spending items in Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s state budget proposal are a $62 million renovation of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis and a new $60 million Community Health Building at the University of Memphis.

54. Congress Sends Obama Bill to Raise Debt Ceiling - Friday, February 01, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress passed must-do legislation Thursday to permit the government to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars more to meet its obligations, averting a first-ever government default that had loomed as early as mid-February.

55. Hopson Calls for Unity in Schools - Thursday, January 31, 2013

Once countywide school board members finished Tuesday, Jan. 29, posing for a picture with outgoing Memphis City Schools superintendent Kriner Cash, the board quickly got back to the emerging details of the coming schools merger.

56. Court: Obama Appointments are Unconstitutional - Monday, January 28, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – In a setback for President Barack Obama, a federal appeals court ruled Friday that he violated the Constitution in making recess appointments last year, a decision that could severely curtail the president's ability to bypass the Senate to fill administration vacancies.

57. Beale Bankruptcy Terms Nearly Done - Monday, January 28, 2013

A federal bankruptcy court judge has adopted a settlement on the bankruptcy case involving control of the Beale Street Entertainment District.

But all sides in the legal action will be reading the fine print of the coming written court order carefully as one part of the long-running legal drama over the storied district nears an end.

58. Facing Headwinds - Monday, January 28, 2013

Despite struggling through a 2012 of decreased air service and sky-high airfares, officials at Memphis International Airport continue to work hard to improve the facilities and make it a more comfortable and enjoyable place for travelers.

59. Facing Headwinds - Monday, January 28, 2013

Despite struggling through a 2012 of decreased air service and sky-high airfares, officials at Memphis International Airport continue to work hard to improve the facilities and make it a more comfortable and enjoyable place for travelers.

60. Mississippi Casino Regulations Could be Game Changer - Thursday, January 24, 2013

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi regulators want new casinos to be sturdier and gambling space larger with better restaurants and hotels.

The Sun Herald reports that the Mississippi Gaming Commission is accepting written comments on the new regulations. Commission executive director Allen Godfrey said depending on the comments, regulators could vote on the changes in March.

61. Schools Merger Begins Move Into Parental Reality - Thursday, January 24, 2013

Countywide school board chairman Billy Orgel noticed lots of parents of school children from the county outside of Memphis at the annual camp-out for optional school enrollment over the long weekend.

62. Shelby County Business Licenses See Slight Decline - Monday, January 21, 2013

The Shelby County Clerk’s Office issued 5,520 business licenses in 2012, a 4 percent drop from 2011, when 5,751 licenses were filed in the county, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

63. Final Bell - Saturday, January 19, 2013

From the moment he became Memphis City Schools superintendent, Kriner Cash had competition.

“I’ve been fighting since I got here,” he said in the early stages of what winds up as a five-year tenure that officially comes to an end July 31.

64. AP IMPACT: Deficient Levees Found Across America - Friday, January 18, 2013

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Inspectors taking the first-ever inventory of flood control systems overseen by the federal government have found hundreds of structures at risk of failing and endangering people and property in 37 states.

65. Mississippi Economy Growing Slowly, Lawmakers are Told - Friday, January 18, 2013

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi's economy is growing gradually but still lags behind the pace of the U.S. economy overall, an expert told state lawmakers Thursday.

State economist Darrin Webb said during a briefing at the Capitol that the state and nation have a "boring kind of economy" right now, with slow job growth and shaky consumer confidence.

66. Debt Drama - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

One of the common refrains among money managers and economists in Memphis is that the nation’s political leaders spend too much time wrestling with crises and not enough actually solving problems.

Case in point: in a few weeks, the federal government will have reached the limit of its authorized borrowing capacity, the so-called “debt ceiling.” In truth, that moment already has come, but the U.S. Treasury Department has some procedural room to maneuver to keep things going for a few more weeks.

67. Cash Exits At Critical Juncture In Merger - Friday, January 11, 2013

Countywide school board members approved Thursday, Jan. 10, a severance package that ends Kriner Cash’s tenure as superintendent of Memphis City Schools.

Cash will remain through the end of July as an employee in an advisory capacity. At the end of July he gets six months of regular pay and $17,000 in moving and legal expenses as well as a letter of recommendation from the school system.

68. Wharton Talks New Convention Center - Friday, January 11, 2013

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. said 2013 will be the year his administration reopens discussions about a new convention center.

Wharton’s open question about how to compete for convention and meeting business comes five years to the month that his predecessor as mayor, Willie Herenton, talked of building a new convention center or expanding the existing one, which underwent a major renovation in 2005.

69. Wharton Gives Beale Street Clues - Thursday, January 10, 2013

There would still be a role for the Beale Street Development Corp. in the second phase of development of the entertainment district.

70. Sekisui, Circa to Relocate Spaces - Thursday, January 10, 2013

Two East Memphis restaurants soon will have new addresses. 

Sekisui is moving from its original location in the Shops of Humphreys Center, 50 Humphreys Blvd., into Circa by John Bragg’s space in Regalia Shopping Center at 6150 Poplar Ave., suite 122. Circa plans to relocate west to Chickasaw Crossing, 2855 Poplar, in the space where Ronnie Grisanti’s restaurant operated for years.

71. By the Numbers - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

John Hollinger is a familiar sight at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the event Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has jokingly described as Geekapalooza.

Hollinger was a panelist this past March at the most recent conference, when he was still an ESPN columnist and a few months away from being offered a job in the Memphis Grizzlies front office.

72. Google Emerges From Federal Probe Relatively Unscathed - Monday, January 07, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Google has settled a U.S. government probe into its business practices without making any major concessions on how the company runs its Internet search engine, the world's most influential gateway to digital information and commerce.

73. Local Politicians Split on Fiscal Cliff Bill - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

There was only one vote for the American Taxpayer Relief bill Tuesday, Jan. 1, among the nine Tennesseans who represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said he wasn’t happy with all of the agreement but voted for it because of the tax cuts it maintained.

74. Nonprofit Tech Innovators Inspire New Philanthropy - Monday, December 31, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Scott Harrison knows his charity has funded nearly 7,000 clean water projects in some of the poorest areas of the world in the past six years. How many of those wells are still flowing with drinking water months or years later, though? That's a tough question to answer.

75. No Deal in Sight as Deadline for Fiscal Deal Nears - Friday, December 28, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A last-gasp effort Thursday to avoid automatic tax increases and spending cuts got off on the same convulsive, partisan tone that marked congressional attempts to resolve the impasse before lawmakers left Washington to go home for Christmas.

76. Ford Jr. Ready for Ascent to City Council Chairman - Friday, December 28, 2012

If you didn’t know that Edmund Ford Jr. teaches mathematics, there would be clues.

He can almost sense a percentage that is wrong and he prefers not to “ballpark” numbers.

The precise numbers are part of the story of his entry into politics.

77. US Economy Could Handle Short Fall Over 'Cliff' - Thursday, December 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The economic threat that's kept many Americans on edge for months is nearing reality – unless the White House and Republicans cut a budget deal by New Year's Day.

78. Perl Retires From Airport Board - Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority will begin the next year with an empty chairman’s seat as Arnold Perl retired Thursday, Dec. 20, after 31 years of service, including 16 years as the committee’s chairman.

79. Bioworks Seeks to Restore Hotel - Thursday, December 20, 2012

Memphis Bioworks Foundation is working to renovate the old Holiday Inn building in Memphis Medical Center into a mixed-use facility.

Brandon Wellford, chief financial officer and director of real estate for Memphis Bioworks Foundation, said the vision is to redevelop the 12-story property with hotel space on the top; apartments for Memphis Medical Center students, staff and faculty in the mid-levels; and retail on the ground floor.

80. US Homebuilder Confidence at Highest Level Since 2006 - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Confidence among U.S. homebuilders inched up this month, to the highest level in more than six and a half years, as builders reported the best market for newly built homes since the housing boom.

81. Fiscal Cliff Efforts Ongoing, Boehner Offers Plan - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner pushed ahead on negotiating a broad deal to avert the "fiscal cliff," even as the GOP leader readied a backup plan Tuesday to pressure the White House with little time left to avoid a double hit on the economy.

82. Towns Named to Southern College of Optometry Board - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Leticia “Tish” Towns, senior vice president of external relations for the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, has been named to the Southern College of Optometry board of trustees. Among her duties at The MED, Towns oversees the development of the hospital’s strategic plan and manages marketing and communications, community engagement, the Traumatic Brain Injury program, government relations and pastoral care.

83. Good News - Tuesday, December 18, 2012

There’s something newly electric in the air. That’s how the editors of National Geographic Traveler describe Memphis, putting the city in the category of 20 must-see places in 2013.

It’s a description that came at the end of November in the form of something Memphians aren’t altogether used to – the editors of national publications nodding approvingly from afar at a city long relegated to one arbitrary ranking after another.

84. Vanderbilt Poll Shows Support for State-Run Health Exchange - Thursday, December 13, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – A majority of Tennesseans – including nearly three-quarters of those identifying themselves as Republicans – prefer a state-run health insurance exchange over one run by the federal government, according to a poll released by Vanderbilt University on Wednesday.

85. As 'Fiscal Cliff' Looms, Voter Angst is Palpable - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

HOOKSETT, N.H. (AP) – Five hundred miles from Washington, the lunch crowd at Robie's Country Store and Deli is filled with angst over America's elected leaders and their latest struggle to prevent a fiscal crisis.

86. Michigan House Approves Right-to-Work Limiting Unions - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – The Michigan House approved the first of two right-to-work bills Tuesday that would weaken union power in the historical labor stronghold as hundreds of protesters rallied at the Capitol.

87. Obama Says he 'Won't Compromise' on Taxes - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

REDFORD, Mich. (AP) — President Barack Obama warned Monday that he "won't compromise" on his demands that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes, digging in on the chief sticking point between the White House and Republicans as they seek a way to avert the "fiscal cliff."

88. Home Sales Up 16 Percent - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Shelby County housing market continued to improve last month with year-over-year increases in home sales and average prices, and industry experts say those are just two of the signs that local residential real estate has stabilized.

89. Apple's Softer Side Emerges Under CEO Cook - Monday, December 10, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – "Those jobs aren't coming back."

That's what Steve Jobs reportedly told President Obama when asked at a dinner in early 2011 whether Apple would consider moving some of its manufacturing from China to the United States.

90. Health Warning on New Round of Fungal Infections - Friday, December 07, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee health officials are once again alerting patients who received tainted steroid shots after finding that some have infections at the injection site that could lead to fungal meningitis.

91. Urban Land Institute: Memphis Recovering Slowly, Behind Nashville - Thursday, December 06, 2012

Memphis’ economy and commercial real estate industry is recovering, but not as fast as other places – like Nashville.

That was the message local professionals heard Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Urban Land Institute Memphis’ 2013 Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South.

92. Obama to Appeal to Public on Fiscal Cliff - Wednesday, November 28, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the looming fiscal cliff, traveling to the Philadelphia suburbs Friday as he pressures Republicans to allow tax increases on the wealthy while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.

93. Supreme Court: Who Counts as a Supervisor? - Tuesday, November 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – When does your coworker also count as your supervisor? The Supreme Court may make a final decision on whether to draw a legal line between work colleagues and work managers, at least when it comes to harassment and retaliation claims.

94. Things That Matter - Monday, November 26, 2012

This morning I read in the news that John Gagliardi, the somewhat maverick coach of the St. John’s “Johnnies” Division III football team, is retiring after 64 years of coaching. In addition to holding the record for coaching longevity, there is one more little thing about Gagliardi that is worth noting. Let’s talk a little about football history.

95. Retail Therapy - Monday, November 26, 2012

The retail business has been described in recent times as Darwinian in nature to those in the industry, meaning formats come and go as competition intensifies each year.

That concept is apparent in retail chains having trouble finding the best real estate for new locations as antiquated strip centers retain high vacancies. Or in the resurgence of upscale retailers, while dollar stores are simultaneously expanding at a rapid clip.

96. Best Buy Reports Third-Quarter Loss - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Struggling Best Buy Co. reported another dismal quarter on Tuesday, recording a third quarter loss and continued sales slump just as the crucial holiday season revs up.

97. Investment Strategies After the Election - Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Status Quo After billions of dollars in campaign costs, thousands of TV and radio advertisements, hundreds of campaign rallies, fundraisers and speeches, the voters spoke on Tuesday. What was the result? We are essentially right back to where we started.

98. Elvis Presley Boulevard Work Big Moment for Neighborhood - Tuesday, November 20, 2012

As early afternoon truck traffic on Brooks Road mixed with after-school traffic Friday, Nov. 16, on Elvis Presley Boulevard, a few tourists from the Graceland area mixed with several dozen local government and business leaders at the visitors center at the intersection.

99. Obama Pressing Business and Labor on Fiscal Cliff - Thursday, November 15, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – In a challenge to Republicans, President Barack Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to extend expiring tax cuts immediately for all but the highest income earners as a way to eliminate half of the so-called fiscal cliff that threatens to send the economy back into recession.

100. Ben F. Jones Law Chapter Chooses Officers - Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Ben F. Jones chapter of the National Bar Association has tapped new officers and board members for 2013. And the group’s president-elect talks about the group’s work in a way that heralds a continuing service to the Memphis community.