Dr. Steve Bares, president and executive director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, is clear-eyed and unequivocal about what success looks like for the startup accelerator program his foundation operates and which launched its new season this week.

2. Zero Budget – What a Boon - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Entrepreneurs come alive when all odds are stacked against them. Think of the famous stories. Walt Disney and Frank Lloyd Wright going bankrupt several times until their visions pay off. Edison brokering the GE deal that meant the West would use the type of electricity the wizard of Menlo Park created. Steve Jobs kicked out of Apple, starting Next. The old saying holds true: the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

3. Startup Ground Zero - Saturday, February 16, 2013

For three days over the past week, Memphis was effectively ground zero for technologists, startup founders, investors and entrepreneurs from near and far.

For that, the city can thank the organizers of the Everywhere Else startup conference who, with help from a collection of sponsors and supporters, took what was initially going to be called “Pitchmas,” happening last December, and refashioned it in a matter of months.

4. Conference Turns Memphis Into Startup Hotspot - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Everywhere Else startup conference that kicked off at the Memphis Cook Convention Center earlier this week has turned the city into ground zero for technologists, startup founders, investors and entrepreneurs.

5. BenchMark to Relocate, Restructure - Friday, January 25, 2013

BenchMark at Southwind Realtors LLC will soon relocate its Southeast Memphis office, add agents, integrate technology into its business practices and go paperless in one fell swoop.

6. Events - Saturday, December 08, 2012

LightWave Solar will host a lunch & learn titled “How Solar Can Work for Your Home or Business” Friday, Dec. 14, from noon to 1 p.m. in the River Tower at South Bluffs clubhouse, 655 Riverside Drive. R.S.V.P. to Grace Robertson at grobertson@lightwavesolar.com or 615-641-4050, ext. 104.

7. Permit Filed for Seasons 52 at Crescent Center - Friday, November 30, 2012

Preparations have been made for Seasons 52’s first Memphis location at the Crescent Center, according to a recent permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement.

8. It’s Magic - Thursday, November 08, 2012

Nine-year-old Joel Brown, a fourth-grader at Moody Elementary in White Hall, Ark., and his dad, Chris, a Jefferson County deputy clerk, arrived at Sturgis Hall at 4:20 last Friday (Oct. 26). Busy with her nursing school studies, mom Stacy couldn’t come.

9. Crew Training International Names Woodward Director - Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Steve Woodward has joined Crew Training International as director of learning. In his new role, Woodward will manage CTI’s core learning centers, oversee professional development programs and develop metrics to measure and manage the most efficient learning systems.

10. Midtown Dance Club Sells for $1.1 Million - Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The former Backstreet Night Club at 2018 Court Ave. in Midtown has sold for $1.1 million to an entity called Turner Holdings LLC.

11. Public Hearings Begin On Main to Main Connector - Friday, October 26, 2012

Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Morris calls it “Main Street to Main Street Over The Harahan.”

The unofficial name for the $30 million project linking Main Street Memphis to Broadway Street in West Memphis via a bicycle and pedestrian boardwalk on the Harahan rail bridge across the Mississippi River draws fewer questions than the title that involves the term “intermodal connector.”

12. Bar Launches Health Care Law Section - Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Memphis Bar Association has a new section of attorneys dedicated specifically to health care law.

The bar’s newly formed Health Law Section held its organizational meeting Oct. 17 at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Officers were chosen at that time, including Robyn Diaz, deputy general counsel at St. Jude, who led the effort to form the section and who was nominated as the first chair.

13. County Commission Approves School Funding - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners approved $13.9 million in funding for computer software and a program to handle the human resources and financial needs of the merged school system to come.

The original request was for $15 million and including contingency funding in the event the project had cost overruns.

14. Cohen, Fincher Discuss Issues at Krone - Monday, October 22, 2012

U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen and Stephen Fincher couldn’t be more different.

For starters, Cohen is a Democrat and Fincher is a Republican. Both are the congressmen who represent Shelby County in Washington. Cohen’s district is entirely within Shelby County. Fincher’s district is rural West Tennessee for the most part, with a part of East Memphis and East Shelby County included.

15. 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.

16. Race to the Finish - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey walked into the storefront at the Carrefour shopping center earlier this month and liked what he saw of the local effort for the Romney-Ryan presidential ticket.

17. Midtown Utopia - Monday, September 24, 2012

Of Memphis’ tales of humble beginnings, of which there are many, the fluctuating renaissance of the Cooper-Young neighborhood is certainly compelling throughout.

The area has cycled from its 19th century roots to 1970s crime and neglect to its present-day status as one of the largest historic districts in the Southeast, a magnet of all ages and walks of life. All thanks to individuals and organizations that wouldn’t settle for sub-par quality in their tiny town within the bustling Bluff City.

18. Snyder’s-Lance Signs Deal In Southaven - Friday, September 21, 2012

A well-known snack food company has boosted its distribution presence in the Memphis area.

Snyder’s-Lance Inc. signed a 26,757-square-foot lease at Airways Distribution Center Building F, 8425 Airways Blvd., in Southaven.

19. Commission to Appoint School Board Members - Monday, September 10, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners will appoint two new members to the countywide school board at their Monday, Sept. 10, meeting.

The commission meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at the Vasco Smith County Administration Building, 160 N. Main St.

20. Nonprofit Center Could be New South Memphis Gateway - Thursday, August 30, 2012

The giant milk bottle will outlive the old dairy plant it stands atop in South Memphis. For more than 80 years, the giant milk bottle adorning a now old and crumbling dairy building on Bellevue Boulevard at Walker Avenue has been an icon.

21. Back to the Gridiron - Monday, August 27, 2012

It was the last day before fall practice would begin. First-year University of Memphis football coach Justin Fuente couldn’t wait to get started.

“This is the longest day of the year,” he said.

22. Gatewood Named Marketing Dir. At Methodist Healthcare - Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Megan Gatewood has been promoted to marketing director at Methodist Healthcare. In her new role, Gatewood is responsible for developing and overseeing marketing strategies for Methodist’s adult hospitals, outpatient services and physician practices.

23. Hard Work, Sincerity Keep Albertine Thriving - Monday, August 06, 2012

When Gary Albertine Sr. got into the real estate business in 1948, an average 1,500-square-foot house sold for about $15,000.

Contracts were one-page long, men dominated the industry and the eastern boundary of Memphis city limits was Goodlett Street. It was a simpler time, when business was based on trust and word of mouth.

24. The State of Green - Monday, July 30, 2012

There are many shades of green.

And the use of the term “green” to describe public policies, business practices and other decisions designed to improve or sustain natural surroundings and our connection with them touches on so many other considerations.

25. Magna Bank Taps Stewart To Lead SBA Division - Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Tom Stewart has been named senior vice president and manager of the small business administration division at Magna Bank. Since joining Magna in March, Stewart has led the bank in obtaining national preferred lending provider status. In his new role, Stewart will oversee all business development activities for the Mid-South along with portfolio management and loan servicing.

26. 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.

27. Federal Officials Award $15M for Harahan Bridge - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Federal transportation officials have awarded a $15 million grant to the plan for a pedestrian and bicycle boardwalk along the Harahan Rail Bridge across the Mississippi River at Memphis.

The funding comes through the TIGER – Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery – program of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

28. Harahan Project Wins $15 Million TIGER Grant - Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Federal transportation officials have awarded a $15 million grant to help create a pedestrian and bicycle boardwalk along the Harahan Rail Bridge across the Mississippi River.

The funding comes through the TIGER – Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery – program of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

29. Evans Joins MERI As Finance Director - Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Devonya Evans has joined the Medical Education & Research Institute as director of finance. Evans, a licensed certified public accountant, will be responsible for heading MERI’s finance and information technology departments.

30. Scott Joins Methodist South as Chief Medical Officer - Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Dr. Howard Scott has been named chief medical officer at Methodist South Hospital. Before joining Methodist South, which is part of the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system, Scott served as chief medical officer for West Kendall Baptist Hospital in Miami. He has also maintained an active private practice for 29 years.

31. Restaurants Make Market Entrée at Crescent Center - Tuesday, May 01, 2012

The Poplar/240 corridor soon will add a pair of national restaurant tenants to its already booming portfolio of dining options.

The Land Use Control Board unanimously approved in April a planned development to add two upscale freestanding restaurants to the Crescent Center office building site at Poplar Avenue and Ridgeway Road.

32. Events - Monday, April 30, 2012

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen will host the Federal Procurement Fair Monday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the University of Memphis FedEx Institute of Technology, 365 Innovation Drive. The fair will cover how businesses can participate in the federal government contracting process. R.S.V.P. at cohen.procurement@mail.house.gov. For details, call Michael Fulton at 202-225-3265.

33. 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.

34. Construction Loan Filed To Develop Lamar Crossing - Tuesday, March 20, 2012

2881 Lamar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38114

Loan Amount: $5.4 million

Loan Date: March 1, 2012

35. Bynum, Bryant Help Lakers Beat Grizzlies in 2 OTs - Wednesday, March 14, 2012

MEMPHIS (AP) – It took two overtime periods, but the Los Angeles Lakers eventually made sure the Memphis Grizzlies stayed behind them in the Western Conference standings.

Andrew Bynum had a season-high 37 points and 16 rebounds, Kobe Bryant scored 22 of his 34 points after halftime, and the Lakers beat Memphis 116-111 in double overtime on Tuesday night.

36. CK’s Moves Into Jackson as Part of Expansion - Friday, March 02, 2012

A longtime Memphis diner chain is expanding its presence into the Jackson, Tenn., market.

CK’s Coffee Shop has signed a five-year lease for 1,390 square feet of the existing 4,900-square-foot Old Medina Market Gas Station at 2800 Old Medina Road.

37. Review: Netflix and Hulu's New Scripted Originals - Monday, February 13, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Within just over a week, Netflix and Hulu are both debuting their first stabs at original scripted programming.

The shows amount to a milestone in Internet television, an early sign of the leveling between broadcasting and streaming. Programming options between TV and the Web are increasingly separated by little more than the "video source" button on your remote.

38. Sum Greater Than Parts for This Grizzlies Squad - Friday, January 27, 2012

Team identities are never static. When Rudy Gay was injured last season, the Memphis Grizzlies formed a new identity, one even more devoted to the interior game and feeding the ball to power forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol.

39. State Redistricting Wrinkles Save Kyle's Seat But Continue Debate - Monday, January 16, 2012

There was one very important change to the new district lines for the Tennessee State Senate as the week ended in Nashville with the legislature taking final action on the once a decade redistricting process.

40. Crossing Boundaries - Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Philanthropy takes a lot of planning and a lot of caution – so much so that young adults might give it a wide berth when it comes to ongoing involvement in the fundraising that is a central function of philanthropy.

41. Cohen Concerned Over Redistricting - Tuesday, January 10, 2012

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, got a closer look over the weekend at the proposed set of new district lines for his congressional district.

42. Cohen Expresses Concern Over Redistricting - Monday, January 09, 2012

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, got a closer look over the weekend at the proposed set of new district lines for his congressional district.

43. GOP Redistricting Plan Changes Shelby Representation in D.C. - Monday, January 09, 2012

The Republican leaders of the Tennessee legislature on Friday, Jan. 6, rolled out their second redistricting proposal in as many days.

The day after outlining their plan to redraw district lines in the Tennessee House and Tennessee Senate, the leadership of both chambers unveiled their proposal for redrawing district lines for the state’s nine federal Congressional districts.

44. Binkley Promoted to VP at Boyle - Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Les Binkley has been promoted to vice president at Boyle Investment Co.

Hometown: Memphis

45. Message of Hope - Thursday, December 15, 2011

Bruce Hopkins, First Tennessee Bank’s president of banking for West Tennessee, couldn’t attend last year’s Greater Memphis Chamber annual chairman’s luncheon.

46. Chamber Luncheon Highlights City’s ‘Medical Miracles’ - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Bruce Hopkins, First Tennessee Bank’s president of banking for West Tennessee, couldn’t attend last year’s Greater Memphis Chamber annual chairman’s luncheon.

47. USPS Cuts Will be Felt in Memphis - Friday, December 09, 2011

The recent set of U.S. Postal Service recommendations for closings would have a larger impact in Memphis than customers waiting two or three days instead of next-day service for letter and package delivery.

48. Address Unknown - Tuesday, October 04, 2011

For anyone in Memphis – and across Tennessee – who uses the U.S. Postal Service to send and receive bills, to get things like newspaper subscriptions by mail and DVDs from Netflix or just to write an old-fashioned letter on paper, things are about to change.

49. Substantial Deal Inked By Ontario-Based Manufacturer - Friday, September 09, 2011

A substantial lease has been signed in a formerly distressed southwest Memphis industrial park that has made leaps and bounds since it was purchased by an out-of-town investor earlier this year.

KIK Custom Products, an Ontario-based manufacturer of national and retail brand consumer products, has signed a lease for 115,000 square feet in the Space Center Industrial Park, 265-353 Titan Drive.

50. County Commission Approves City Convention Center Buyout - Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Shelby County Commissioners have approved selling county government’s share of the Memphis Cook Convention Center to the city of Memphis for $75 million.

The commission vote Monday, Aug. 22, came after city Housing and Community Development director Robert Lipscomb fielded a lot of questions from several commissioners about the Bass Pro Shops renovation of The Pyramid.

51. Picnic Kicks Off Political ‘Offseason’ - Tuesday, July 19, 2011

There is no campaign literature in Pleasantville. The family spread in Arlington of former state Rep. Bubba Pleasant drew several hundred people – most politicians or the politically minded – over the weekend for the annual “Pleasantville” picnic hosted by Pleasant and state Rep. Ron Lollar.

52. Advocates Push Overton-Greenline Link - Tuesday, July 12, 2011

When the group of architects and planners working on a bicycle-pedestrian path connecting the Shelby Farms Greenline with Overton Park went beyond the end of the Greenline onto Tillman Street recently, they had a Memphis Police bicycle escort.

53. Rep. Steve Cohen Travels to Mideast - Friday, June 10, 2011

This week, Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen is leading a fact-finding trip to Israel, the West Bank and Egypt.

Cohen, who recently was appointed to a commission on security and cooperation in Europe, was encouraged to visit the region by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who appointed him to the commission.

54. McDonald's Sales Climb, But Gains Weaken in May - Thursday, June 09, 2011

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) – Sales of McDonald's fruit and maple oatmeal and drinks like frozen strawberry lemonade pushed the fast-food chain's revenue at restaurants open at least 13 months up 3.1 percent in May.

55. Topless-Club Owner Sues Over Cordova Restaurant - Tuesday, June 07, 2011

A little more than a month after a Shelby County Chancery Court judge dismissed a previous lawsuit on the matter, topless-club owner Steve Cooper has filed a new suit over his attempt to open a Cordova restaurant that he says will have Coyote Ugly-style entertainment.

56. Topless-Club Owner Cooper Files Federal Suit Over Cordova Restaurant - Monday, June 06, 2011

A little more than a month after a Shelby County Chancery Court judge dismissed a previous lawsuit on the matter, topless-club owner Steve Cooper has filed a new suit over his attempt to open a Cordova restaurant that he says will have Coyote Ugly-style entertainment.

57. Travel Officials Optimistic About Summer Season - Monday, May 30, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge has a new ride that park namesake Dolly Parton is "plain scared" to ride.

In Nashville, famed for records and rhinestones, the raucous downtown honkytonks are prepared to serve cold beer and hot songs.

58. McDonald's Sales Figure Rises 6 Percent in April - Tuesday, May 10, 2011

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) – Sales of McDonald's shakes, coffee drinks and breakfast food helped revenue at its restaurants open at least 13 months rise 6 percent in April, the company said Monday.

59. Nonprofit Excellence Gears Up for Conference - Friday, April 22, 2011

The Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence will offer the nonprofit community a full day’s worth of respected industry speakers, panel discussions, breakout sessions and networking opportunities during its sixth annual conference Wednesday.

60. Unemployment Falls in Two-Thirds of States - Wednesday, April 20, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The unemployment rate fell in two-thirds of the nation's states last month, the latest evidence that the strengthening economy is encouraging many employers to boost hiring.

61. FedEx Files $10.8M Permit For Demolition Work - Tuesday, April 19, 2011

2781 Democrat Road
Memphis, TN 38118
Permit Amount: $10.8 million

Permit Date: Applied April 2011
Owner: FedEx
Tenant: FedEx
Contractor: Flintco Inc.

62. Intel Chief to Join White House Council on Jobs - Monday, February 21, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Casting about for innovative job-creation ideas, President Barack Obama is naming one of his critics to an advisory council responsible for finding new ways to promote economic growth and bring jobs to the U.S.

63. Bridge to Everywhere - Monday, February 07, 2011

In four years, there could be a location in the Memphis area designated for the construction of a new intermodal bridge spanning the Mississippi River.

Exactly when construction would begin and how it would be funded are matters to be determined later.

64. Stern Cardiovascular’s McGrew at Forefront of Research - Monday, January 24, 2011

Longtime Memphis cardiologist Dr. Frank McGrew with the Stern Cardiovascular Center remains at the forefront of clinical cardiology research.

His projects include using a catheter to electrically map the inside of the heart to properly place pacemaker electrodes, injecting stem cells into the hearts of heart attack patients to repair damage, and conducting the clinical trial that resulted in the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first new oral blood thinner to hit the market in half a century.

65. Issues Dominate 2010 Political Headlines - Thursday, December 30, 2010

The top two vote getters in the 2010 election year weren’t candidates. They were causes.

Leading the way among all races within Shelby County was the 178,358 votes cast in November for an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that specifically stated hunting and fishing are “personal rights.”

66. Apartment Optimism - Thursday, December 30, 2010

Apartment owners and operators in the Memphis market forecast a bright 2011, boosted by a continued weak homebuying landscape and a lack of new multifamily product coming online within the market.

“2010 was certainly an improvement for the multifamily sector – both in operations and in sales – over 2009, and we expect to see more of the same next year,” said Blake Pera, senior vice president of CB Richard Ellis Memphis’ multifamily division. “Most operators experienced comfortable revenue growth throughout the year, and there is some positive momentum in continued stable occupancy and concession burn-off next year with the lack of new supply hitting the market.”

67. Memphis Stands Tall as Logistics Industry Struggles - Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Although the aftermath of the recession was palpable across all industry sectors in 2010, Memphis continued to prove its status as a critical logistics and distribution center.

The year came to a close with a milestone in economic development when Swedish manufacturer Electrolux said it will build a $190 million manufacturing plant on 800 acres of land in the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park in southwest Memphis.

68. Magnolia Homes to Build New Style in Winstead Farms - Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Four Lots In Winstead Farms
Loan Amount: $971,250

Loan Date: Dec. 7, 2010
Maturity Date: Dec. 10, 2011
Borrower: Magnolia Homes Inc.
Lender: Regions Bank NA

69. Competitors Partner on Bone Marrow Transplants - Thursday, November 11, 2010

Some of the city’s fiercest health care competitors have joined forces so Memphis can have a top-quality bone marrow transplant center.

The Tennessee Blood & Marrow Transplant Center, with locations at Methodist University Hospital and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, is the new collaboration.

70. Split Vote Takes Down Metro Charter Proposal - Wednesday, November 03, 2010

The metro consolidation charter won a narrow victory with Memphis voters Tuesday but was crushed by Shelby County voters outside Memphis.

The first consolidation charter to go to voters in 39 years had to win both in Memphis and outside Memphis in order to consolidate the city of Memphis and Shelby County governments.

71. MALS Awards Cohen for Legislative Leadership - Monday, October 18, 2010

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has been given the Tennessee Equal Justice 2010 Legislative Leadership Award by Memphis Area Legal Services for his work to increase funding for the Legal Services Corp. and for working to address racial and ethnic disparities in the federal criminal justice system.

72. Commission Debates Charter Stand, Approves Terms For New Morgue - Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners talked Monday about consolidation, education funding and minority business contracts during a session that also included a debate about building a new morgue.

A resolution approving the agreements between Shelby County and the state for the construction of a new Regional Forensic Center passed on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Heidi Shafer abstained and Commissioner Justin Ford, who is a funeral director, recused himself from the vote.

73. Down-Home Culture - Friday, October 08, 2010

Back in 1995, Perry Welch had a wild idea.

His wife, Carrie, was in the shipping business and was about to take a business trip to San Francisco.

74. Greenline Galas - Tuesday, October 05, 2010

For trail lovers across Memphis, it is time to rejoice.

The highly anticipated Shelby Farms Greenline will get its official christening with two big events this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place Tuesday followed by an all-day community celebration up and down the greenline’s corridor Saturday.

75. Jobless Rates Drop in Two-Thirds of Metro Areas - Thursday, September 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment fell in nearly two-thirds of the nation's 372 largest metro areas last month, the broadest improvement since May.

The jobless rate dropped in 230 cities in August, the Labor Department said Wednesday. It rose in 95 cities and was flat in 47. That's an improvement from the previous month, when rates fell in only 152 areas.

76. Wharton Flips Switch On Tiger Lane - Thursday, September 09, 2010

With a crowd of several hundred watching, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Wednesday evening flipped the switch on the lights for the new Tiger Lane project at The Fairgrounds.

It lit up a set of streetlights and parallel lower trails of blue lights that mark the parking and tailgating areas along the green space.

77. Fan Friendly - Tuesday, September 07, 2010

The Mid-South Fairgrounds may be the most unlikely landscape for a civic project that has succeeded in catching the eye of skeptical Memphians.

But it isn’t the architectural renderings of water-colored citizens strolling in the glow of a possible future that has our attention. It’s what Memphians don’t see when they drive by the fairgrounds that has their attention.

78. Galloway Gardens Apartments Sells for $1.1 Million - Tuesday, September 07, 2010

1565 Galloway Ave.
Memphis, TN 38112
Sale Amount: $1.1 Million

Sale Date: Aug. 27, 2010
Buyer: Galloway Gardens LLC
Seller: Steve Benetti and Virginia Benetti
Loan Amounts: $200,000; $200,000; $916,937 (assumption)
Loan Date: Aug. 27, 2010
Maturity Dates: Aug. 27, 2011 ($200,000); Sept. 15, 2015 ($200,000); Sept. 10, 2013 ($916,937)
Lender: Regions Bank

79. Galloway Gardens Sells for $1.1 Million - Wednesday, September 01, 2010

A Germantown-based limited liability company, Galloway Gardens LLC, has bought Galloway Gardens Condominiums for $1.1 million. The sellers were Steve Benetti and Virginia Benetti of California, who bought the property in 2004 for $1.7 million.

80. Bankruptcy Remains On Front Burner - Friday, July 16, 2010

When two of West Tennessee’s five bankruptcy judges arrive at the University of Memphis’ Downtown law school Monday to address representatives of a U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee, they’ll have plenty to talk about.

81. Attorney Takes On Urban Blight - Thursday, July 01, 2010

Down a side road in the Medical Center neighborhood, past tire piles, trash-strewn lots and a makeshift sign announcing a church “coming soon to save souls,” there’s an empty, slightly overgrown field.

82. Shelby County Schools Files Permit For Millington Central Renovations - Tuesday, June 08, 2010

8057 Wilkinsville Road
Millington, TN 38053
Permit Amount: $3.9 Million

Project Cost: $5 million
Permit Date: Applied June 2010
Completion: July 2011
Owner: Shelby County Schools
Tenant: Millington Central High School
Contractor: Barnes & Brower Inc.
Architect: Steve Landwehr, Fleming/Associates/Architects PC

83. Chemical Vapor Leak in Shelby Contained - Wednesday, May 26, 2010

MEMPHIS (AP) — An acidic vapor leak from a West Tennessee acrylic-based products plant has been contained with no injuries reported.

Marney Gillmore, the manager of the Lucite International plant in northern Shelby County, said Tuesday morning that the all-clear was sounded around 10:15 a.m., about an hour after vapor was found escaping.

84. Lyons Ridge Apartments Latest in Affordable Housing Push - Monday, May 10, 2010

A 102-unit apartment complex in South Memphis is about to go up beside Carver High School.

Lyons Ridge Apartments, which will be affordable rental housing for senior citizens, is the latest city-led effort to replace traditional public housing with affordable housing.

85. Furniture Stores Struggle, Adapt Through Recession - Tuesday, May 04, 2010

HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) - Richard Sexton's small furniture store has survived the recession by focusing on online sales. Steve Travers, meanwhile, is still in business because he fired four employees and renegotiated his lease. And Tad Lanford is trying a no-frills approach to selling sofas.

86. New CEO at West Clinic, Memphis Heart Clinic - Thursday, April 22, 2010

Erich Mounce, who started out on the front line of health care as a paramedic in Los Angeles, has come to Memphis almost 30 years later to head two of the city’s premier specialty practices.

He’s the new chief executive officer of The West Clinic and Memphis Heart Clinic, oncology and cardiology practices that operate under the same administrative umbrella.

87. Project Greenway - Monday, March 22, 2010

There’s no doubt 2010 will go down as a watershed year for the Wolf River Greenway, the $28 million, 22-mile nature corridor that traces the Wolf River from Memphis’ eastern border to Downtown.

The team responsible for giving life to the Greenway – the city parks department, the Wolf River Conservancy and the Hyde Family Foundations – has achieved a pair of key milestones, both of which are being celebrated as the jumpstart this project sorely needed.

88. Little Draws on Experiences To Recognize Opportunities - Monday, March 08, 2010

George Little refers to the past two months as “eight weeks since I got out of prison.”

Little was state commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Corrections before he took the job as chief administrative officer to Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.

89. Events - Monday, February 22, 2010

The InMotion Orthopaedic Research Center will present another lecture as part of its Quarterly Musculoskeletal Lecture Series today at 5 p.m. at the University of Memphis FedEx Institute of Technology. Richard Coutts will speak on “National Total Joint Replacement Registries.” To register, call 271-0021.

90. Officials Establish High-Speed Link For Research Data - Friday, February 19, 2010

Russell Ingram is mapping out a way for information to zoom between research institutions.

Ingram, the president of the Memphis Coalition for Advanced Networking (MCAN), said this proprietary, high-speed link will enable data to travel 3,000 times faster than typical broadbands.

91. Strong Lobby Helps in Medicare Struggles - Monday, February 15, 2010

Nine years ago, businessman Steve Coplon accomplished something thousands of doctors had been struggling with since 1983: He pulled together 20 oncology practices from across the nation, persuading Medicare to reverse planned cuts to reimbursements.

92. Is 9th District Really Black? Maybe, Expert Says - Wednesday, February 10, 2010
 

One of the most hotly contested issues of the Democratic congressional primary race between Willie Herenton and Steve Cohen may be why the district lines are drawn the way they are.

The 9th Congressional District has been predominantly in Memphis for decades. In recent years it has grown to take in small parts of the suburbs. The lines could change again after the 2010 Census, when the Tennessee Legislature begins its usual reapportioning process.

Herenton and his supporters have repeatedly said the district’s borders were drawn to enhance the possibility of black representation in a congressional delegation that’s all white.

“I want you ... to help us to retrieve for our children what we lost in representation,” Herenton told a predominantly black crowd of 300 people Saturday at an East Memphis campaign rally.

To make the point even plainer, Herenton quoted radio talk show host and political blogger Thaddeus Matthews.

“Think about that. White folks, y’all got all 11. We just want one,” Herenton said to cheers from the crowd.

The legal concept and practice of drawing districts that reflect a majority black population, however, is not that simple. It’s rooted in the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Section II of the act requires that, in certain circumstances, districts be drawn to “give effect to the political preferences of the minority population.”

“This is actually a fairly technical area and it’s been the subject of a lot of litigation over the years, trying to interpret how Section II applies,” said attorney John Ryder.

Ryder is a Republican National Committeeman and chairman of the RNC’s redistricting committee. He is also the most experienced attorney locally of either party in the law and political effect of drawing district boundaries.

The clearest guideline for the creation of such a district is the 1986 Gingles case from North Carolina, which established three criteria or preconditions to create such a district:

• The minority population must be compact and contiguous.
• The minority population usually votes as a bloc.
• The white population usually votes as a bloc in such a way as to defeat the minority population’s candidate of choice.

Tennessee meets the first condition, Ryder said.

“The problem with the second two … conditions is that it’s hard to argue that the white majority votes in such a way as to defeat the preferred candidate of the minority population’s choice when we’ve elected Barack Obama as president,” he said, adding the 2006 U.S. Senate race in Tennessee in which Harold Ford Jr. got 49 percent of the vote in a statewide race won by Bob Corker.

“You just don’t see the kind of racial bloc voting that existed in 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was originally passed,” Ryder said.

The first black political leader to claim what is now the 9th District seat did so in the 1974 midterm congressional elections, in a district drawn with no overt racial considerations.

Harold Ford Sr. was a Democratic state representative at the time, seeking to unseat Dan Kuykendall, the white Republican congressman from Memphis in what was then the 8th Congressional District.

After the 1970 census, the majority Democrat Tennessee Legislature redrew congressional district lines to cede to Republicans seats in the majority GOP eastern end of the state, Ryder said. They also moved to create more Democratic districts in West Tennessee by splitting the Republicans outside Memphis between the 8th and 7th districts.

“As a result in 1972, those seats elected Republicans,” Ryder said. “They got a little too clever and overreached. What was then the 8th district was drawn to be a Democrat district, not necessarily a black district.”

Ford upset Kuykendall in the year of Watergate, when Republican incumbents were imperiled by the scandal and the tarnished presidency of Richard Nixon. Kuykendall also underestimated Ford, who held the seat for 22 years. His son, Harold Ford Jr., continued for another 10 years.

By then, black voters were considered the majority of registered voters in Memphis. The official numbers from the Shelby County Election Commission by themselves are less conclusive.

Voter registration statistics as of Jan. 31 show there are 412,433 voters in the city of Memphis. Of that number, 183,443 are black and 96,686 are white. Another 132,304 are listed as “other,” meaning they are of another racial group or did not indicate their race on voter registration forms.

The 2000 U.S Census puts the city’s population at 670,902 with 61.4 percent black and 34.4 percent white. Of the total population counted, 27.9 percent were younger than 18.

Ryder said the central question that was already present when Cohen was elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 is who is the preferred candidate of the black population.

“Steve Cohen has obviously been successful in obtaining votes from the black population. I think he can make a legitimate claim to be the preferred candidate of choice,” Ryder added. “What it means is the Voting Rights Act certainly led to the creation of a majority black district, and that means that the black population in the 9th District has the opportunity to elect its preferred candidate of choice. In our political system, all players are free to compete to become that preferred candidate.”

Herenton and those putting together his campaign strategy point out that Cohen won the Democratic primary the first time in a large field with numerous black contenders. In 2008, Nikki Tinker returned from that pack for a second try in a smaller field of four challengers. Cohen won easily and Tinker later expressed regret over a controversial campaign strategy that stressed race.

The message to black voters from Herenton’s camp is a tacit admission that Cohen was elected with black votes.

“It’s the only place in Tennessee that you can elect somebody that looks like you,” Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism said at Saturday’s rally. “We’ve got to clean up what we messed up. … You should want the same, and if you don’t, something’s wrong.”

93. Glankler Brown’s Hancock Elected Bar Foundation Fellow - Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Jonathan C. Hancock of Glankler Brown PLLC has been elected a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, an association of 710 attorneys across the state.

94. Adversarial - Monday, February 08, 2010

Both sides in the federal lawsuit Memphis and Shelby County have filed against Wells Fargo are beginning to strap on their armor.

The San Francisco-based financial services giant – one of the largest U.S. banks by assets – has hired Memphis attorney Jef Feibelman of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC.

95. MED Officials Brace for News In Bredesen’s Budget Address - Friday, January 29, 2010

After having made their case to Nashville powerbrokers this week for more funding for the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, officials with The MED are bracing for the news that will come Monday night.

96. 2010 - Monday, January 04, 2010

Is it over yet? That may be the most frequently asked question in the New Year. “It” is the worst national economic recession since the Great Depression.

Accurately reading the indicators will not be easy. Some will predict the recession is about to end, just as new indicators point to continuing economic agony for thousands of Memphians.

97. 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.

98. Findings Pinpoint Lamar Corridor’s Troubles - Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Anyone who has traveled along Lamar Avenue between Interstate 240 and the Mississippi state line knows how congested it can get, with a seemingly endless line of trucks driving both directions and backing up traffic.
Members of the Greater Memphis Chamber’s aerotropolis initiative now have a better idea of the corridor’s horrendous deficiencies.
Cambridge Systematics Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based firm that studies transportation assets and needs nationwide, late last week presented the preliminary findings of its Lamar Avenue Corridor Study to the aerotropolis initiative’s access and transportation committee.
The message is clear and not at all surprising: Lamar Avenue has a host of problems that need to be resolved if Memphis wants to continue its role as a critical link in the global supply chain.
The study, which kicked off in the summer, is addressing traffic flows and transportation needs within the Lamar Avenue corridor – the area bordered by I-240 to the north, the Mississippi state line to the south, Interstate 55 to the west and Hickory Hill to the east.
Cambridge Systematics is conducting the study in conjunction with the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization, the University of Memphis’ Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute and the chamber.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation assigned Cambridge Systematics to the study following a request from MPO; TDOT has an ongoing contract with Cambridge Systematics to assist local planning organizations around the state.

99. Vaccines on Horizon for AIDS, Alzheimer's, Herpes - Wednesday, November 18, 2009

MARIETTA, Pa. (AP) - Malaria. Tuberculosis. Alzheimer's disease. AIDS. Pandemic flu. Genital herpes. Urinary tract infections. Grass allergies. Traveler's diarrhea. You name it, the pharmaceutical industry is working on a vaccine to prevent it.

100. 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.