WASHINGTON (AP) – The Internal Revenue Service apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.

2. Council OKs Registry for Blighted Properties - Thursday, April 04, 2013

For months, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and the Memphis City Council had delayed final votes on his proposal to require the registration of property to make it easier for the city to find the owners of blighted property.

3. Obama Nominates Justice Official to Top Labor Slot - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Thomas Perez, President Barack Obama's choice for Labor secretary, has used his perch as the nation's chief civil rights enforcer to crack down on voter suppression, discrimination and police brutality.

4. Payne Joins Fulton CPAs as Senior Accountant - Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Tarasha Payne has joined Fulton CPAs PLLC as a senior accountant in the areas of taxation, compilation and reviews, and client services. Payne has more than 15 years’ experience in the field and is working toward CPA certification. The announcement comes on the heels of big changes at the accounting firm, including new ownership and a name change from Polsgrove & Fulton. (See The Daily News’ Monday, Dec. 17, edition for more information.)

5. Bioventus Inks Deal for 40,000 Square Feet - Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Durham, N.C.-based biologics company is relocating its Memphis presence, signifying a boon to the Northeast office submarket.

Bioventus LLC has inked 38,880 square feet of office and manufacturing space in Goodlett Farms Business Campus, 1900 Charles Bryan Road, in Cordova.

6. Obama Carries Shelby, Cohen Over Flinn and Two Tax Hikes Defeated - Wednesday, November 07, 2012

President Barack Obama carried Shelby County in unofficial Nov. 6 election returns as his Republican challenger Mitt Romney took the state’s 11 electoral votes.

Voter turnout in the most popular election cycle among Shelby County voters was 61.9 percent, about the same percentage as four years ago. But the 371,256 voters is fewer than 2008 when more than 400,000 Shelby County voters cast ballots. The percentage is about the same because there are fewer registered voters in Shelby County than there were four years ago after a purge by election officials.

7. Senior Care Management Solutions Promotes Williams - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Darla Williams has been promoted to health care administrator at Senior Care Management Solutions. In her new role, Williams will play a critical role in overseeing and customizing clients’ daily care plans to fit their specific needs.

8. Business Growth Requires People Focus - Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Steve Jobs was famously meticulous about building out a certain kind of leadership team at Apple, with a view toward ensuring the company would be able to thrive long after its visionary co-founder was gone.

9. Starting Up - Friday, September 14, 2012

Shawn Flynn and Ryan Ramkhelawan have, both literally and figuratively, come a long way in a few months.

They moved to Memphis recently to bring their medical industry-focused startup here and take it through the inaugural round of a new startup accelerator program, ZeroTo510. Since the end of that program – a boot camp-style mix of mentorship, networking and related instruction that came with an infusion of cash – their startup Restore Medical Solutions got a term sheet and an invitation to negotiate for a Series A round of venture capital funding.

10. Packed Week for Entrepreneurs Draws to Close - Friday, August 17, 2012

The week that’s now drawing to a close is Exhibit A for why a national tech media site co-founder said he and his partner are relocating their operation to Memphis.

Nibletz.com co-founder Kyle Sandler said other cities made strong offers – some of them even willing to pony up more incentives than could be matched by Memphis entities wooing Nibletz, which bills itself as “the voice of startups everywhere else.” But Sandler said he wants to be where the action is, and as he sees it, the entrepreneurial and startup action is in Memphis.

11. Investor Day Arrives for ZeroTo510 - Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The first entrepreneurs to go through the ZeroTo510 business accelerator program are 24 hours away from their moment of truth.

Six medical-focused startups that participated in the first phase of the entrepreneurship boot camp, launched earlier this year by Memphis Bioworks Foundation and Innova, will pitch their concepts to investors Thursday, Aug. 16, in the hope of securing funding that takes them to the next level.

12. Public-Private Partnership At Heart of Harahan Grant - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

When the U.S. Transportation Department announced which projects across the country would get a share of $500 million in TIGER grants, it came after local leaders made a series of decisions of their own about a combination of state and federal funding that traveled different paths from the same coffers to two Memphis projects.

13. Events - Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force will host a meeting Tuesday, April 10, at 8:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Select, 160 Union Ave. Federal and state officials will discuss strategies to address water quality in the river basin and gulf. For details, contact Reginald Jackson at 501-352-7761 or reginald.jackson@ar.usda.gov, or Jeannine May at 601-260-0298 or jeannine.may@ms.usda.gov.

14. Cohen-Hart in Congressional Race at Filing Deadline - Friday, April 06, 2012

The chairman of the countywide school board, Billy Orgel, was effectively elected to his District 7 school board seat without opposition at the Thursday, April 5, filing deadline for candidates on the Aug. 2 primary and general election ballot in Shelby County.

15. 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.

16. iPhone Launch Turns Into Remembrance for Jobs - Monday, October 17, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – It wasn't just the latest iPhone that drew people to Apple stores Friday.

Many consumers waited in lines for hours – sometimes enduring chilly temperatures and overnight thunderstorms – to remember Steve Jobs, Apple's visionary who died last week.

17. Crye-Leike Honors Top Performers, Longevity - Friday, April 22, 2011

Crye-Leike Realtors Inc. honored its brokers working in the residential and commercial sectors Tuesday at its annual awards gala.

18. Tea Party Rallies to Keep GOP Cutting Spending - Friday, April 01, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The tea partyers who helped drive GOP gains in the last election rallied in the city they love to hate Thursday, urging Republican House leaders – Speaker John Boehner above all – to resist the drive toward compromise in the protracted fight over the federal budget. Even, they say, if that means Congress fails to do its most important job: pay for the government.

19. Menlo Deal Tops Noteworthy Leases - Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Daily News in September launched a new weekly column called “Inked” to spotlight Memphis’ commercial leasing landscape.

Despite tough times, local commercial real estate firms were able to ink plenty of deals in the past four months. Here’s a rundown of some of the most noteworthy commercial leases since Inked’s debut:

20. Projects Seeking IDB OK Need More Time - Monday, December 13, 2010

All of the items on the Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board’s special meeting Friday were lacking one major detail: time.

The board granted U.S. Foodservice Inc. more time for the presentation of its seven-year, $14.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes request for expanding a distribution warehouse it now leases a portion of at 5900 E. Holmes Road.

21. More Time Needed for Projects Seeking IDB Approval - Friday, December 10, 2010

All of the items on the Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board’s special meeting Friday were lacking one major detail: time.

The board granted U.S. Foodservice Inc. more time for the presentation of its seven-year, $14.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) request for expanding a distribution warehouse it now leases a portion of at 5900 E. Holmes Road.

22. County Commission Spars Over PILOT Rules For Suburbs - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners sparred over how much oversight is too much when it comes to awarding tax breaks for corporate and industrial moves to Shelby County and expansions of existing businesses.

23. Hardware Association Honors ‘Top Gun’ Cole - Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Charles Edward Cole, Jr., president of Cole’s Home Solutions, has been honored by the North American Retail Hardware Association with the organization’s Top Gun Award.

24. Clerk Races Generate Plenty of Heat - Monday, April 19, 2010

Seven clerks' positions are on the May 4 primary ballot and incumbents are running for re-election in three of them.

None of the seven elections will be decided with the primaries because Democrats and Republicans are battling hard in the countywide races dominated just four years ago by the GOP.

25. Lasting Legacy - Wednesday, March 31, 2010

His name is emblazoned on the modest sign identifying 52 S. Second St. as the home of the world-famous barbecue establishment he founded in 1948.

26. 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.

27. 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)

28. 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.

29. Stephens Named Executive Director Of Exceptional Foundation of West Tenn. - Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Jeni Stephens has been named the executive director of the Exceptional Foundation of West Tennessee.

Stephens was appointed following a national search conducted by the EFWT.

She joins the EFWT with a 14-year background in nonprofit administration. She most recently served as deputy director of development for the Pink Palace Family of Museums. She also has served as director of marketing and development for the Memphis Bioworks Foundation and the Memphis Academy of Science in Engineering.

30. A City in Transition - Monday, November 09, 2009

Just before sunrise on a rainy Tuesday morning, the armed officers raided the city office. They didn’t make any arrests, but they took files, interviewed employees and served search warrants. And they temporarily closed the Memphis Animal Shelter.

31. Greenville, S.C., Publisher Elected SNPA President - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Steve Brandt, president and publisher of The Greenville (S.C.) News, was elected president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association during the SNPA's annual convention Monday.

32. Events - Friday, October 16, 2009

The University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts will recognize filmmaker Craig Brewer today at 11:30 a.m. at Charles Vergos Rendezvous, 52 S. Second St. Brewer will receive the 2009 Distinguished Achievement Award in the Creative and Performing Arts. Cost is $50 per person and $350 for a table of eight. For reservations, call 678-5086 or 678-4372.

33. Carpenter Pledges MPD Changes; Wharton’s Support Grows - Friday, August 28, 2009

For the past two years there has been a steady political drumbeat to increase the number of officers on the Memphis police force. Few have ignored it.

It was something that most of the nine first-term Memphis City Council members followed into office in 2007. And the call for “more boots on the street” also prompted an intense council discussion of whether residency requirements for police should be eased to help reach a force of more than 2,500 officers.

34. Politicians Out in Full Force - Tuesday, August 11, 2009

With back-to-school supplies to hand out and a new crop of brightly colored campaign signs, the October special election race for Memphis mayor and several other races on the 2010 ballot came alive this past weekend.

35. Election Commission Sets Oct. 15 Date For Special Election - Wednesday, August 05, 2009

The race for the rest of Willie Herenton’s term of office as mayor was already going to be a sprint. The campaign got 12 days shorter.

The Shelby County Election Commission has set Oct. 15 as the special election date. The date was moved up from Oct. 27 to coincide with a special set of primary elections Gov. Phil Bredesen is expected to order to fill the District 31 State Senate seat.

36. UPDATE: Oct. 15 New Special Election Date - Tuesday, August 04, 2009

The race for the rest of Willie Herenton’s term of office as mayor was already going to be a sprint. Today the campaign got 12 days shorter.

The Shelby County Election Commission has set Oct. 15 as the special election date. The date was moved up from Oct. 27 to coincide with a special set of primary elections Gov. Phil Bredesen is expected to order to fill the District 31 State Senate seat.

37. Herenton Prepares For Next Political Chapter - Friday, July 31, 2009

Retirement may be upon him, but he won’t be spending hours at the golf course, adding Hawaiian shirts to his wardrobe or hitting the road for long delayed vacations.

Now that Willie Herenton has driven out of the City Hall garage for the last time, he’s preparing to channel all his stamina, his unique status as the city’s first black mayor and a deep competitive streak into a new brand of politics.

38. Halbert Mulls Run for City Mayor - Thursday, July 30, 2009

Another potential mayoral candidate is considering stepping into the fray.

With the release of a brief statement Wednesday afternoon, Wanda Halbert floated her interest in October’s special election to choose someone to fill the rest of Willie Herenton’s mayoral term, which ends in 2011.

39. Halbert Mulls Run for City Mayor - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Another potential mayoral candidate is considering stepping into the fray.

With the release of a brief statement Wednesday afternoon, Wanda Halbert floated her interest in October’s special election to choose someone to fill the rest of Willie Herenton’s mayoral term, which ends in 2011.

40. Events - Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The Shelby County Commission Ad Hoc Committee on Reappraisals will meet today at 9 a.m. in the fourth floor committee room of the Shelby County Administration Building, 160 N. Main St. The “Reinventing Government Tour” meeting, hosted by commission Chairwoman Deidre Malone, will meet at 10 a.m. For more information, call Steve Summerall at 545-4301.

41. Fogerty Joins Jackson Lewis In Of Counsel Role - Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Whitney King Fogerty has joined Jackson Lewis LLP as of counsel.

Fogerty was previously a shareholder at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC, where she specialized in labor and employment litigation. She has practiced law for 10 years and has been named among Chambers USA’s Leading Lawyers for Business the past two years.

42. A New Day for King Cotton: Biotech and agribusiness redefine themselves - Thursday, May 21, 2009

If you’re in the right place at the right time during May, you might glimpse a motorcade cutting through mid-day traffic, followed by a green bus with a big papier-mache boll weevil on top. Nothing hints at Memphis’ agribusiness roots like that longtime foe of the cotton plant.

43. Events - Thursday, April 23, 2009

SCORE will hold a seminar today from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the eighth floor conference room of Clark Tower, 5100 Poplar Ave. The seminar is titled “How to Successfully Manage a Small Business.” Cost is $70 in advance and $99 at the door. To register, visit www.scorememphis.org/registration. For more information, call 544-3588.

44. Events - Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Talk Shoppe will present “Keep Swinging: An Entrepreneur’s Story of Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Small Business Success” today from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, 3693 Tyndale Drive. Jay B. Myers, president and chief executive officer of Interactive Solutions Inc., will present the seminar. For more information, call Jo Garner at 482-0354.

45. Treadway Joins Thomas & Betts as Senior VP for Electrical Business - Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Charles L. Treadway has joined Thomas & Betts Corporation in the newly created position of senior vice president, group president – electrical. Treadway will provide strategic and operational leadership to the company’s electrical products businesses on a global basis. The electrical segment of Thomas & Betts has approximately 60 manufacturing and distribution facilities in 11 countries and employs approximately 8,000 associates worldwide. The electrical segment reported $2.1 billion in revenues in 2008. Treadway previously served as president and chief executive officer for the Custom Sensors and Technology unit of Schneider Electric.

46. Council, Commission Mobilize Against State Wage Bill - Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A bill passed by the Tennessee Senate Thursday and sponsored by a state lawmaker from Germantown would prohibit local governments from requiring private employers to pay their workers a living wage.

47. Diocese Settles With Man Abused as Teen - Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Catholic Diocese of Memphis has come to a legal settlement with a man sexually abused as a teenager nine years ago by a Dominican priest.

The settlement was announced Monday in Circuit Court at the start of the last hearing on motions before the John Doe lawsuit goes to trial.

48. Harrison Wholesale Provides Wealth of Roofing Experience - Monday, February 23, 2009

Whether a building is flat, sloped or steep, be it shingled or rubberized, Harrison Wholesale has the materials to roof it.

This Binghampton business at 2680 Broad Ave. specializes in shingles and anything else needed for a roof, including some guidance for the do-it-yourselfers.

49. Duncan Named Senior VP For Homewood Suites by Hilton - Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Bill Duncan has been appointed senior vice president of brand management for Homewood Suites by Hilton and the newly launched Home2 Suites by Hilton.

50. New Info Surfaces in Priest Sex Cases - Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Fifteen priests in the Catholic Diocese of Memphis have been accused of sexually abusing children since the diocese was formed in 1971.

That was among the disclosures made in a Circuit Court hearing late last week to set the ground rules for the pending civil trial of a lawsuit against the diocese and the Dominican religious order. The hearing continues Thursday.

51. Taube Named Partner At Adams and Reese - Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Emily Campbell Taube has been named a partner at Adams and Reese LLP. Taube is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and focuses on the areas of commercial litigation, employment litigation, product liability and estate and trust litigation.

52. Memphis Drum Shop Named ‘Independent Retailer of the Year’ - Monday, December 15, 2008

The students mix with the masters at Memphis Drum Shop.

One recent day saw Tony Coleman, who tours with B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland, shake hands with some of the aspiring drummers as they trotted past cymbals, congas, djembes, timpanis and toms toward the back of the store.

53. Freight Haulers Slam on the Brakes - Friday, December 12, 2008

In a normal year, Gordon Trucking Inc. might replace 20 percent of its fleet of 1,500 big rigs with new trucks. But given the bleak outlook for the freight business, the Pacific, Wash., hauler doesn’t intend to buy a single new truck next year.

54. Monday Vote Could Make — or Break — Bass Pro Agreement - Friday, November 14, 2008

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ vote on a development agreement for Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid will probably be close Monday if this week’s vote by a committee is any indication.

Monday’s vote will make or break the plan to lease The Pyramid to the hunting and fishing retailer. The one-year development agreement to precede a lease goes to the 13-member body with a negative recommendation from the commission’s Economic Development & Tourism Committee.

55. Both Parties Expect Democratic Senate Pickups - Tuesday, November 04, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats counted on solidifying their thin leadership grip on the Senate as voters flocked to the polls Tuesday to fill 35 Senate seats. Embattled Republicans braced for losses but hoped they would be modest ones.

56. County Looks to Lighten Arena Ownership Load - Monday, September 22, 2008

Members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners aren’t ready to vote on the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid deal just yet.

But today they could take the latest step toward such a deal. That step would be away from ownership of not just The Pyramid but the Mid-South Coliseum and Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

57. Medical Schools, Journals Fight Industry Influence - Friday, September 12, 2008

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Just about every segment of the medical community is piling on the pharmaceutical industry these days, accusing drugmakers of deceiving the public, manipulating doctors and putting profits before patients.

58. Bass Pro Project Picture Becomes Clearer - Wednesday, August 27, 2008
For six hours Monday, the political and legal forces backing a Bass Pro Shops development of The Pyramid made their case to Memphis City Council members and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

They began that morning at City Hall and ended that afternoon at the County Building as Bass Pro CEO Jim Hagale ran to catch a 3 p.m. flight out of Memphis.

After it was done, the effort had made some progress with the skeptical local elected officials who are most concerned with the financial assumptions behind the project. And critics on both bodies succeeded in stripping away a bit of the gift wrapping on the package.

Part of the sales pitch included how rent from Bass Pro would help pay the remaining city and county government debt on The Pyramid. The combined debt comes to about $10 million with county government owing just more than $5 million of that.

Commissioner Mike Ritz calculated that all but about a million of the county’s debt would be paid by the time a Bass Pro Shop opens.

Memphis Regional Chamber President and CEO John Moore came with a printed handout after the meeting to refute the point. Ritz had his own and neither made much progress in convincing the other. But Ritz is the one with a vote on the future of the project.

“Some of them are drinking the Kool-Aid,” Ritz said after a couple of rounds with Moore on the point. A lobbying session between Ritz and former County Commission member Charles Perkins, hired by the city of Memphis, appeared more amicable.

Pursuing finality

Incoming commission chairwoman Deidre Malone said the four-member city-county Pyramid Reuse Committee of which she’s a member will be the next to take up the proposal and make a recommendation to the full council and commission.

A commission vote could come by the end of September, she estimated.

Council member Jim Strickland chaired the council’s session but said no vote had been scheduled by the full council.

Negotiators for the city, who have taken the lead in the talks at the agreement of both mayors, had set a Sept. 15 deadline to have approval by both bodies.

But Hagale didn’t seem to be worried about trying to enforce an exact date.

“All these deadlines are floating around. I’m not sure what they are,” he told The Daily News. “I’m going to be honest. I’ve signed three agreements here. The ball is in the city and county’s court. Hopefully, they’ve had enough time to vet all of the other options and they’ll come to a conclusion. This process, I think, for everybody’s benefit needs to be finalized.”

As Commissioner Steve Mulroy questioned Hagale about Bass Pro’s Memphis business plan, Hagale put a finer point on the efforts from his end of the negotiations that began three years ago this week.

“I’ve signed three agreements since this all started that have not been counter-signed,” he said. “Frankly, I think Bass Pro has been given credit for delays in this project that are not rightfully ours.”

The central question for commissioners and council members is $30 million in state and federal government funding to build a parking garage and take on infrastructure projects around The Pyramid.

Funding sources

City Housing & Community Development Director Robert Lipscomb was adamant that no city or county general fund revenue would be used in the project. He and the city negotiating team said $87 million in potential funding through the use of tax incentives and other financing instruments has been identified to draw the $30 million from. That includes drawing from excess tax revenue returned to projects already in zones identified as a tourism development zone (TDZ) and a tax increment financing (TIF) area.

Strickland questioned attorney Charles Carpenter, part of Lipscomb's team, closely on whether the city and county governments would be on the hook if there aren’t excess revenues.

“That’s never been anticipated,” Carpenter replied.

“There’s no way possible?” Strickland asked.

“I’m not that omnipotent,” Carpenter responded.

Strickland was uncertain at the end of the session.

“I still am not crystal clear in my mind that general fund tax dollars will not be used for the project. It was said that they are not intended to be used,” he said. “I don’t know the answer to that.”

Attorney Hunter Humphreys said Bass Pro’s $1-million-a-month rental fee to local government starting in the second year of a 20-year contract once the new attraction is open could be offset with ad valorem tax revenue or payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements. But Humphreys said that wouldn’t include an offset for sales tax revenue.

Ritz, who had feared tax offsets would mean Bass Pro wouldn’t pay any rent, argued the language on that point could be more specific in the agreement.

Humphreys said a lease agreement to come after the development agreement would have more detail.

“I think it’s clear on this issue. … I’d love to argue it if it were ever disputed on this issue,” he told Ritz.

The 20-year contract would follow a two-year construction period that would in turn follow the one-year period covered by the development agreement unveiled this week.

The commission and council would have to approve those agreements as well.

Meanwhile, Hagale said structural issues that had been a concern of Bass Pro this summer have been resolved.

“I don’t think that at this point, we have any concerns about the structural feasibility of that building,” he said.

Concerns about new seismic standards in place since The Pyramid was opened in 1991 and how to build a seven-story hotel inside the structure were a major issue earlier this year as project negotiations reached a decisive point. Hagale told The Daily News on Monday that he was unaware of the end of July deadline at the time.

He also addressed doubts about his commitment to the project.

“Early on we said that we wanted this to be really evaluated on the merits, and not become a part of the theatrics,” Hagale said at the first session of the day.

59. Countrywide Admits Employees Made Errors - Thursday, May 08, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - Mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., which is under investigation for inflating certain borrowers' fees, has acknowledged that it has made errors and pledged to take steps to improve its operations.

60. Donald Mulls Over Strip Club Beer Sales - Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Whether Memphis strip clubs continue to serve beer at the end of this month depends on a ruling to come in the next two weeks by U.S. District Court Judge Bernice Donald.

Donald's written ruling is to come on a motion by seven of the strip clubs to bar enforcement of the new ordinance pending trial and a court ruling on the constitutionality of the ordinance itself.

61. Elvis Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes Earnings List - Thursday, November 01, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) - Elvis Presley is still the King.

Presley, who earned an estimated $49 million in the past 12 months, has reclaimed the No. 1 spot on Forbes.com's list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities. He last topped the list in 2005.

62. Shooting Incidents Can Happen At Businesses, Too - Friday, May 11, 2007

Editor's Note: This is the last in a series examining the Virginia Tech killing spree and its effects in Memphis.

Decked in sunglasses and security uniform, a .45-caliber handgun at his side, Charles Strickland stands watch on the southeast corner of Second Street and Jefferson Avenue in Downtown Memphis.

63. U of M Spring Series Spotlights College Sports - Friday, March 16, 2007
     College sports means big business in the United States, as evidenced by the buzz surrounding the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which began Thursday. So the timing of the University of Memphis Sports and Leisure Comme

64. Rich With History - Tuesday, February 13, 2007

In 1906, Edward Boyle, a member of the well-known Memphis family of developers, helped fashion a grand boulevard through the Central Gardens neighborhood.

Scores of influential Memphians have lived in the Midtown community's bungalows, foursquares and Tudor estate homes, including former Memphis City Council member Florence Leffler and federal judge Julia Gibbons.

65. Commercial Advisors' Jensen Voted Commercial Broker of the Year - Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Larry Jensen has received the 2005 Pinnacle Award for Commercial Broker of the Year from the Memphis Area Association of Realtors' Commercial Council. Jensen is president and CEO of Commercial Advisors LLC. He has more than 30 years of experience in real estate.

66. Private Involvement in Public Schools Offers Hope - Monday, February 06, 2006

In a speech to the nation's governors at an education summit last year, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates called the nation's high schools obsolete - and his ideas about how to fix that problem are having a profound effect on the way Memphis schools operate.

67. Baptist Names College of Health Sciences President - Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Baptist Memorial Health Care named Betty Sue McGarvey president of the Baptist College of Health Sciences. McGarvey recently served the college as provost and is a graduate of the Baptist School of Nursing. She was a nursing instructor for two years and was among the 10 founders of the Baptist College of Health Sciences.

68. Archived Article: Lead - Monday, June 27, 2005
Germantown Office Park Ready for Business

Germantown Office Park Poised for Growth

ThyssenKrupp considers site in Forest Hill Heights

LANCE ALLAN

The Daily News

Germantown has long been an address for upscale residential communities a...

69. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Smith & Nephew Announces New Division and Promotions

Smith & Nephew Announces New Division, Promotions

Steve Hirsch was named president of Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics, a new division of the company opening in Europe. The following ...

70. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Rhodes Psychology Professor to Serve as Diversity Delegate at Leadership Conference

First Horizon Exec Named to Fed Advisory Council

J. Kenneth Glass was appointed to a one-year term on the Federal Reserve Boards Federal Advisory Council. Glas...

71. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, December 29, 2004
BOMA Inducts 2005 Officers

Gibbons Named to Chair National Committee

Judge Julia Gibbons of Memphis was named by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist as chair of the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference. Gibbons has bee...

72. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, December 15, 2004
MBA Elects Officers

Memphis Bar Names 2005 Officers, Directors

The Memphis Bar Association announced the election of the following 2005 officers: Susan M. Clark, president; Barbara Zoccola, vice president; David Cook, treasurer; and Amy Amunds...

73. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Local Attorney Named Chairperson of ABA Business Law Section

SCO President Earns Distinguished Service Award

The Tennessee Optometric Association presented Dr. William E. Cochran with its 2004 Distinguished Service Award. Cochran is president ...

74. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Sheriffs Office Graduates Reserve Deputies

Sheriffs Office Graduates Reserve Deputies The Shelby County Sheriffs Office graduated the following reserve deputies, who received training through the Memphis Police Department Training Academy between...

75. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, October 08, 2003
(ephoto) Dr

WMC Forecaster Wins Speech Communicator Award Dave Brown, senior weather forecaster for WMC-TV 5, was named Tennessee Speech Communicator of the Year by the Tennessee Communicator Association. Brown, who has worked for WMC for 26 year...

76. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Judy Caldwell, executive director of The Childrens Museum of Memphis, was named a new board member for VSA arts Project of Te

Judy Caldwell Named to Tenn. Arts Board

Judy Caldwell, executive director of the Childrens Museum of Memphis, was nam...

77. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Susan C. Te Paske

Susan C. Te Paske was appointed director of student disability services for the University of Memphis. She has served as the departments assistant director since 1993. She received the 2002 Dona Sparger Professional Service Awar...

78. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Memphis Memos March 19

Ken Newberry was appointed senior vice president at Memphis Area Teachers Credit Union. He earned a bachelors degree from Christian Brothers University. Prior to joining MATCU, he worked at Union Planters Bank. Stan Cardwel...

79. Archived Article: Calendar - Monday, January 06, 2003
Calendar 01-06-03

Calendar of events Jan. 6-Jan. 12

Jan. 8

The Memphis Jewish Community Center presents artwork by Memphians Ken Boettcher and Bill Bailey through Jan. 26 in the Shainberg Gallery, 6560 Poplar Ave. The gallery is open 9 a.m....

80. Archived Article: Law Briefs - Thursday, January 02, 2003
Law briefs 01-02-03

A Pension and IRA Update will be shown at Edward Jones representative Steve Hefners office, 1862 Poplar Crest Cove, at 1 p.m. Jan. 9. The satellite broadcast, produced by the firms professional education network, is designed f...

81. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Connie Cupples, Methodist Schools of Nursing senior instructor, is the most recent recipient of the Lola Llewellyn Excellence

Connie Cupples, Methodist Schools of Nursing senior instructor, is the most recent recipient of the Lola Llewellyn Excel...

82. Archived Article: Standout - Friday, April 26, 2002
A full life A full life By MARY DANDO The Daily News As Law Week 2002 approaches, Memphis oldest practicing lawyer reflects on a life dedicated to community and church affairs. Charles Metcalf Crump was born Oct. 9, 1913. His father, a cotton broker...

83. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, April 03, 2002
Anita Huggins joined the art Museum at the University of Memphis staff as administrative secretary Anita Huggins joined the Art Museum at the University of Memphis staff as administrative secretary. She earned a bachelors degree from Mississippi Sta...

84. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, December 12, 2001
Edward L Edward L. Stanton III joined Armstrong Allen PLLC as an associate member. Stanton comes to the firm from the City of Memphis, where he served as assistant city attorney. Prior to his employment with the city, Stanton worked at the Charles C...

85. Archived Article: Market Briefs - Monday, June 04, 2001
Weatherly & Kovsky Management Group will host a workshop luncheon on "Using Weatherly & Kovsky Management Group will host a workshop luncheon on "Using Annuities to Your Advantage," 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. June 12 at the Crescent Club, Cres...

86. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, May 08, 2001
Crye-Leike recently recognized five sales associates and staff for their 20 years of service to the company Crye-Leike recently recognized five sales associates for their 20 years of service to the company. They are: Steve Brown, vice president and ...

87. Archived Article: Real Focus (tour) - Tuesday, November 28, 2000
Downtown Living Goes on Show Downtown living goes on display By MARY DANDO The Daily News Anyone wishing to know what its like to live Downtown is in for a treat Sunday when the Downtown Neighborhood Association hosts its annual home tour. The tour ...

88. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, October 17, 2000
Fifty two Memphis-area Crye-Leike sales associates earned the accredited buyer representative (ABR) designation this year A total of 52 Memphis-area Crye-Leike sales associates recently earned the accredited buyer representative designation. They jo...

89. Archived Article: Comm Briefs - Friday, July 14, 2000
WEVL FM 90s 12th annual Blues on the Bluff, featuring Sid Selvidge, The Mason Ruffner Band and the Daddy Mack Blues Band, i WEVL FM 90s 12th annual "Blues on the Bluff," featuring Sid Selvidge, The Mason Ruffner Band and the Daddy Mack Blu...

90. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, June 02, 1999
Dr Philip G. Satre, chairman and chief executive officer of Harrahs Entertainment Inc., has been named to the board of directors of JDN Realty Corp. Paul Stone has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Mark VII Inc. Ston...

91. Archived Article: Real Briefs - Tuesday, May 18, 1999
Equity Inns Completes Sale of Two Gardenwood, a 152-unit property at 4787 Garden Grove Cove in the Raleigh/Bartlett area, sold May 7 for $4.7 million or $30,920 per unit. TVO Realty Partners, a limited partnership based in Chicago, purchased the pro...

92. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, September 16, 1998
Easley To Replace Georgiu As Brett Easley was appointed acting president of Alldata. Easley was formerly vice president of information and training for AutoZone. Keith Johnson was named senior vice president of the YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South....

93. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, June 24, 1998
Sheila Collins has been promoted to vice president at Arnoult & Associates Sheila Collins has been promoted to vice president at Arnoult & Associates. She formerly was project director and operations manager. Collins has an undergraduate deg...

94. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, April 22, 1998
Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell has announced two attorneys have joined the firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell has announced two attorneys have joined the firm. Frank L. Watson Jr. has joined the firm as a shareholder and will conc...

95. Archived Article: Benchmark - Thursday, August 28, 1997
Steve Allen White vs Steve Allen White vs. the Board of Education of Memphis City Schools; and N. Gerry House, superintendent of Memphis City Schools. A former Memphis City Schools teacher has filed suit in Chancery Court against the Memphis City Sc...

96. Archived Article: Milestones - Friday, July 25, 1997
The University of Memphis Charles E The University of Memphis Charles E. Thornton Outstanding Journalism Alumni Awards will be given this year to Robert L. "Bobby" Hall and James E. "Jimmy" Hayslip. Hayslip has been associated wi...

97. Archived Article: Standout - Friday, May 16, 1997
By SUZANNE THOMPSON Visual visionary Dr. Carl Flinn has dedicated his life to helping others see clearly By SUZANNE THOMPSON The Daily News In the TV room, where 2-foot-tall patients wait for their eyes to dilate, The Lion Kings Simba wails "I ...

98. Archived Article: Law Focus - Thursday, May 01, 1997
By SUZANNE THOMPSON Riding dry Changes in the open container law in Tennessee would plug the jug for passengers in vehicles By SUZANNE THOMPSON The Daily News A change in the state law governing transporting open containers of alcoholic beverages if...

99. Archived Article: Briefs - Monday, December 09, 1996
Freds Inc Freds Inc. has reported sales for the four-week and ten-month periods ended Nov. 30. Freds sales for November, at $35.9 million, were unchanged from the prior-year period. On a comparable store basis, sales for November declined 3.3 percen...

100. Archived Article: Back - Wednesday, October 09, 1996
Two apartment complexes sell Two apartment complexes sell The Graceland Manor Apartments, an 80-unit property, located at 4103 Westmanor Circle in Memphis, was sold Oct. 1 for $631,650 or $7,900 per unit. Chambliss Village Apartments, a 36-unit prop...