His team had just overcome a 17-point first-half deficit and beaten Oklahoma City in overtime to win Game 4 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. So someone asked Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins if he was impressed.

2. Schools Budget Gap At $35.7 Million In New Budget Draft - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The countywide school board should have a budget proposal ready for the Shelby County Commission by the end of this week. And as it stands now, it would require just under $36 million in new funding.

3. Core Focus - Saturday, May 11, 2013

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

4. Papa Murphy’s Considers 25 New Local Stores - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Papa Murphy’s, one of the largest pizza companies in the U.S., is looking to grow its Memphis presence exponentially.

The Vancouver, Wash.-based chain is looking to add as many as 25 stores in Memphis, where there are currently two existing Papa Murphy’s locations. That’s according to the company’s chief development officer Kevin King, who said the company already has a similarly strong presence in Nashville, with 20 stores there.

5. Magna Intent on Raising Profile, Enhancing Services - Saturday, April 27, 2013

This year is turning out to be a big one for Magna Bank as it rolls out new products and services, adds key personnel and boosts its profile across the Mid-South.

6. Events - Saturday, April 13, 2013

New Ballet Ensemble will present Springloaded Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14, at Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St. The annual event fuses ballet, contemporary and urban dance with works by local and guest choreographers. Visit nbespringloaded13.eventbrite.com for times and tickets.

7. Panther Properties Buys Two Cordova Apartments - Tuesday, April 02, 2013

2350 N. Houston Levee Road and 2323 N. Houston Levee Road

8. Haslam’s Medicaid Option Fuels Debate - Friday, March 29, 2013

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam called it a “third option” as he turned down an expansion of Medicaid funding at least for now with the federal government paying 100 percent of the cost in the first three years.

9. Highwoods Buys Land for International Paper Expansion - Thursday, March 28, 2013

Highwoods Realty LP has bought two parcels of East Memphis land totaling about 5.1 acres that will be used for International Paper’s headquarters expansion.

10. Grizzlies Proving Their Brand is Winning Games - Friday, March 22, 2013

The long-term benefits of the Grizzlies’ 90-89 overtime win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, if there are any, won’t be known for a while. The Western Conference playoff standings are ever-changeable.

11. Look at the Facts, Not Rhetoric - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

CITE YOUR SOURCE. In human psychology, fear seems more legitimate than hope. Claims of “impending doom,” and “bursting bubbles” elicit fast emotional responses that seem impervious to critique. So many programs, speeches and advertisements prey on this phenomenon today.

12. Events - Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Calvary Episcopal Church will hold its 2013 Lenten Preaching Series and Waffle Shop on weekdays through March 22 at the church, 102 N. Second St. Speakers from various faiths will speak from 12:05 p.m. to 12:40 p.m.; the Waffle Shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Visit calvarymemphis.org for a list of speakers.

13. Fogelman Properties Moves Headquarters to Triad II - Saturday, March 02, 2013

Memphis-based Fogelman Properties LLC has signed a lease for 12,000 square feet on the second floor of Triad Centre II, an 110,305-square-foot, Class A office building at 6060 Poplar Ave.

14. U of M Files Permit for New Residence - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

3615 Central Ave. Memphis, TN 38111

Permit Cost: $43.5 million

Project Cost: $53 million

15. Fogelman Properties Moves Headquarters to Triad II - Monday, February 25, 2013

Memphis-based Fogelman Properties LLC has signed a lease for 12,000 square feet on the second floor of Triad Centre II, an 110,305-square-foot, Class A office building at 6060 Poplar Ave.

16. Streaking Tigers Keeping Fans on Their Toes - Friday, February 22, 2013

In this era of University of Memphis basketball the home crowd is easily made restless. So when a 7-point halftime lead over Houston went away early in the second half as the Cougars tied the score 39-39, a community grumble rolled through FedExForum.

17. Burger King Feels Heat as Rivals Focus on Value - Monday, February 18, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – A revamped menu helped boost Burger King's profit in the fourth quarter but now the world's second biggest hamburger chain says it needs to play up value more aggressively to compete with rivals.

18. Calvary Kicks Off Annual Lenten Series, Waffle Shop - Thursday, February 14, 2013

Calvary Episcopal Church is busy preparing this week for its 90th Lenten Preaching Series and Waffle Shop – an annual institution that many Memphians have chosen as an annual culinary rite of passage.

19. Events - Thursday, February 14, 2013

National Hispanic Professional Organization-Memphis will meet Thursday, Feb. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. Rene Bustamante, staff vice president of Global Cash Management at FedEx, will speak. Cost is free for members and $20 for nonmembers. R.S.V.P. to info@nhpomemphis.us or 466-6476.

20. For Love of Money - Thursday, February 14, 2013

The staples of a great Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart – flowers, candy and delicious food – equal big business for local establishments specializing in romantic fare.

Annual Valentine’s Day spending in the U.S. totals more than $13 billion, according to numbers from the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association and statisticsbrain.com. The average consumer spends $120 wooing that special someone on Valentine’s Day.

21. Saluting UNCF Founder Patterson - Friday, February 08, 2013

Black History Month celebrations are incomplete without a salute to nationally recognized fundraiser Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, founder of the United Negro College Fund. Named for abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Patterson was committed not only to fundraising but to collective fundraising that has changed the lives of generations of African-Americans.

22. Filling the Voids - Saturday, February 02, 2013

Last year was a banner year for adaptive reuse projects in Midtown and Downtown.

Developers announced plans for the Sears Crosstown building, Overton Square, Hotel Chisca, James Lee House and old United Warehouse in the South Main Historic Arts District. Construction began on The Pyramid, turning it into a 220,000-square-foot mega-Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World, and Memphis in May moved into its new headquarters at 56 S. Front St., a 14,600-square-foot building that’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

23. Nothing Too Absurd With These Grizz - Friday, January 25, 2013

Trade 40 percent of your bench to Cleveland, play the Lakers the next night, and everything will be just fine. The Fakers are so bad they might not beat El Segundo Middle School at their gym.

But so what? Teams that make trades to avoid the luxury tax – small-market beggars – can’t be choosers. So the Grizzlies graciously accept the 106-93 victory, marvel at the 27-14 record and No. 4 spot in the Western Conference standings, and do all they can do to keep it going.

24. ‘Stable’ Foreclosures - Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Crowne Plaza Hotel at 300 N. Second St. sits on a little less than two acres near Interstate 40. The Shelby County Assessor of Property’s 2012 appraisal for the 11-story, 244-room hotel was $6.6 million.

25. Mortgage Gains Point to Solid 2013 - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Shelby County’s mortgage market made decent strides during the past 12 months, posting gains over 2011 and foreshadowing a healthy 2013.

Banks and mortgage lenders made 8,028 purchase mortgages in Shelby County during 2012, a 17 percent improvement from the 6,862 mortgages during 2011, according to the latest data from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

26. Foreclosure Notice Filed on Jamesbridge Apartments - Monday, January 14, 2013

A first-run foreclosure notice has been filed against the owner of the 432-unit Jamesbridge apartments at 3689 James Road in Raleigh.

27. Back to Work - Friday, January 11, 2013

The Shelby County legislative delegation to Nashville returned to the capital Tuesday, Jan. 8, with three fewer members – one state senator and two state representatives – all Democrats – but with no new faces.

28. Events - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host student loan expert Heather Jarvis Tuesday, Jan. 8, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the school’s Wade Auditorium, 1 N. Front St. Jarvis’ seminar is part of a workshop for second- and third-year law students. Visit memphis.edu/law for details.

29. Forecasting 2013 in Sports - Friday, January 04, 2013

2013 Sports Forecast by the numbers: 1. The Grizzlies swing a deal before the trade deadline but are fined by the NBA when, out of habit, they try to trade O.J. Mayo.

2. The Memphis Airport is invited to join the Big East.

30. Commission Finds Barriers to Comparing Pre-K - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The idea of universal pre-kindergarten in public schools across Shelby County – or at least an expansion of pre-kindergarten access with the coming August merger of city and county schools – is one goal of the schools merger that has a broad consensus.

31. Survey Shows China's Manufacturing Improving - Monday, December 17, 2012

BEIJING (AP) – China's manufacturing activity rose to a 14-month high in December, adding to signs the world's second-largest economy is recovering, but export orders weakened, a survey showed Friday.

32. US Manufacturing Output Rises 1.1 Percent in November - Monday, December 17, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. factories rebounded in November from Superstorm Sandy, boosting production of cars, equipment and appliances. But after factoring out the impact from the storm, the broader trend in manufacturing remained weak.

33. Achievement School District Adds Six Schools - Monday, December 17, 2012

The Achievement School District will double in size in Memphis with the 2013-2014 school year.

Leaders of the state-run school district for the bottom 5 percent of schools statewide by student performance announced Friday, Dec. 14, six new Memphis schools for the district.

34. Achievement School District Adds Six Schools - Friday, December 14, 2012

The Achievement School District will double in size in Memphis with the 2013-2014 school year.

Leaders of the state-run school district for the bottom 5 percent of schools statewide by student performance announced Friday, Dec. 14, six new Memphis schools for the district.

35. Suburbs to Discuss Schools Agreement - Friday, December 14, 2012

There will be plenty to discuss Friday, Dec. 14, when suburban leaders sit down with their attorneys to talk about some kind of agreement on the terms under which schools in the six suburban municipalities will be part of the merged Shelby County public school system.

36. Gordon Elementary Not Part of State-Led District - Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Leaders of the Achievement School District will announce Friday, Dec. 14, which schools in the Memphis City Schools system they plan to include in the state-led school district next school year.

And as the announcement nears, they are also making it clear that Gordon Elementary School will not be on the list of 10 schools. Gordon also is not on the list of 14 Memphis elementary and middle schools under consideration.

37. Hickory Hill Warehouse Sells for $15.7 Million - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

6380 Holmes Road Memphis, TN 38141

Sale Amount: $15.7 million

Sale Date: Dec. 5, 2012

38. Rheumatology Clinic Buys Germantown Office Building - Tuesday, November 27, 2012

7660 Poplar Pike Germantown, TN 38138

Sale Amount: $986,850

Sale Date: Nov. 14, 2012

39. Madison Automotive Wants to Brighten Holidays for Car Owners - Monday, November 26, 2012

Cars are indispensable necessities for many Memphians who don’t live close to their jobs. When they break down, the repairs often are costly and can force some tough choices to be made.

Many drivers are delaying those repairs. That’s according to Memphis-based AutoZone Inc., which says the average car on the road today is a little past the decade mark.

40. Medtronic Quarterly Earnings Remain Flat - Thursday, November 22, 2012

Medtronic Inc., the world’s largest medical device maker, on Tuesday, Nov. 20, announced overall net income of $902 million, or $0.88 per share, for its second quarter of fiscal year 2013, which ended Oct. 26.

41. Medtronic Quarterly Earnings Remain Flat - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Medtronic Inc., the world’s largest medical device maker, on Tuesday, Nov. 20, announced overall net income of $902 million, or $0.88 per share, for its second quarter of fiscal year 2013, which ended Oct. 26.

42. Magna Bank on Track for Record 2012 - Monday, November 19, 2012

Several banking industry leaders who have spoken with The Daily News in recent days have said banking in Memphis is seeing a lot of institutions simply taking market share from each other, as opposed to organic growth in the marketplace.

43. This Den of Grizzlies Players Doesn’t Bluff - Friday, November 16, 2012

They were three words that were perfect for summing up Zach Randolph. Three words that were perfect for describing the Memphis Grizzlies seven games into this NBA season.

“I don’t bluff,” Randolph told reporters when asked about his exchange of unpleasantries with the Thunder’s Kendrick Perkins after the Grizzlies’ 107-97 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Oklahoma City, and on national television no less.

44. This Den of Grizzlies Players Doesn’t Bluff - Thursday, November 15, 2012

They were three words that were perfect for summing up Zach Randolph. Three words that were perfect for describing the Memphis Grizzlies seven games into this NBA season.

“I don’t bluff,” Randolph told reporters when asked about his exchange of unpleasantries with the Thunder’s Kendrick Perkins after the Grizzlies’ 107-97 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Oklahoma City, and on national television no less.

45. Report: FDA Wanted to Close Massachusetts Pharmacy in 2003 - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Nearly a decade ago, federal health inspectors wanted to shut down the pharmacy linked to a recent deadly meningitis outbreak until it cleaned up its operations, according to congressional investigators.

46. Achievement School District Leaders Hold Meetings - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Leaders of the Achievement School District started earlier in the run-up to their second school year than they did with the first group of five Memphis schools they picked for the state-run district’s debut in August.

47. Shaping Combat - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

In an unassuming building in Germantown is a company helping to shape the way combat pilots and ground crew work, and combat missions are flown the world over.

Inside that building, situated among aviation memorabilia and artifacts, is Alan Mullen, former Navy pilot assigned to the U.S.S. Nimitz and TOPGUN instructor, and the founder of Crew Training International.

48. More Student Loans Boost Consumer Credit $11.4 Billion - Thursday, November 08, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans took out more student and auto loans in September to boost consumer borrowing to a record level. But they cut back on credit card borrowing, a sign many remain cautious about taking on high-interest debt.

49. Decision Day - Tuesday, November 06, 2012

The last election of 2012 will be one where questions continue to command as much attention if not more than candidates.

The polls are open Tuesday, Nov. 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters come to the polls in this election to vote in the presidential general election. That is what drives the only election cycle in which more than half of the county’s registered voters consistently show up.

50. Seminar Underscores Commercial Sectors’ Highs, Lows - Monday, November 05, 2012

Memphis’ commercial real estate market for the most part appears to mirror national trends, with all four sectors boasting challenges and bright spots so far this year.

That was a message a room full of real estate professionals received when The Daily News hosted its second annual Commercial Real Estate seminar Thursday, Nov.1, at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, sponsored by Magna Bank and Evans Petree PC.

51. I-Bank Tower on Poplar Sells for $14.4 Million - Tuesday, October 30, 2012

5050 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38117

Sale Amount: $14.4 million

Sale Date: Sept. 14, 2012

52. US Economic Growth Up To Still-Modest 2 Percent Rate - Monday, October 29, 2012

The U.S. economy grew at a slightly faster 2 percent annual rate from July through September, buoyed by more spending by consumers and the federal government.

Even with the increase from a 1.3 percent growth rate in the April-June quarter, the economy remains too weak to rapidly boost job creation.

53. GiVE 365 Names Nine Grant Recipients - Friday, October 26, 2012

DeNeuville Learning Center. KIPP Memphis Collegiate Schools. Shelby County Books from Birth. WriteMemphis.

These are some of the nine recipients of this year’s GiVE 365 grants. GiVE 365 is an initiative of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis whose members pledge a dollar per day per year, and are encouraged to vote on what causes that money will go. This year’s theme was “Eyes on the Prize: Organizations helping students graduate from high school or college,” and 11 finalists were asked to give three-minute presentations in front of voting members.

54. J.D. Byrider Brings First Franchise To Memphis - Friday, October 26, 2012

The nation’s largest used car franchise company has entered the Memphis market. Carmel, Ind.-based J.D. Byrider has inked 30,900 square feet at 2580 Mount Moriah Road, marking the company’s second Tennessee dealership.

55. Negative Impact - Monday, October 22, 2012

First Horizon National Corp. reported a $26 million profit for the third quarter and improved profitability in its regional banking and capital markets businesses, though the Memphis-based company’s results still missed Wall Street’s expectations.

56. Foreclosures Continue Rise in Third Quarter - Thursday, October 18, 2012

At a public gathering at Calvary Episcopal Church last week, the city’s Housing and Community Development director Robert Lipscomb lamented the pervasiveness of poverty in Memphis.

57. Building Permits Show Little Change - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Local homebuilders didn’t change much the amount of new home permits they filed during the third quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 218 permits during the quarter (July to September), compared with 216 filed during the same period in 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. Third-quarter permits marked a 12 percent drop from the 249 permits filed during the second quarter of this year.

58. Tigers Weather Elements, Past to Give Fuente First Victory - Friday, October 12, 2012

If the first victory of the Justin Fuente Era proves to be something of a turning point for the University of Memphis football program, it will be remembered differently in the days and years ahead.

59. Shelby Oaks Red Roof Inn Sells for $1.6 Million - Tuesday, September 25, 2012

6055 Shelby Oaks Drive
Memphis, TN 38134

Sale Amount: $1.6 million

Sale Date: Sept. 19, 2012

60. Gates, Buffett Again Top Forbes' Billionaires List - Thursday, September 20, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates remains the nation's richest man by far, as the tech and philanthropy giant took the top spot on the Forbes 400 list for the 19th year running, with a net worth of $66 billion.

61. Police Officer Latest Defendant in Sex Trafficking - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The latest sex trafficking case in Memphis federal court involves a Memphis police officer who allegedly brought three women into a Memphis nightclub last November and “announced the women were available as prostitutes to patrons of the nightclub.”

62. LeMoyne-Owen to Begin Work on $13.5 Million Residence Hall - Tuesday, September 18, 2012

869 Saxon Ave.
Memphis, TN 38126

Permit Cost: $9 million

Permit Date: Applied September 2012

63. Higher Gas Costs Drive up Consumer Prices - Monday, September 17, 2012

More expensive gas drove up consumer prices in August by the most in three years. But outside energy, inflation was tame.

The Labor Department said Friday, Sept. 14, that consumer prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent last month, the first increase since March. Higher gas prices accounted for 80 percent of the increase. Food prices rose 0.2 percent.

64. Free People Set to Open in Saddle Creek - Friday, September 14, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The Philadelphia-based retailer fills part of the space formerly occupied by Gap, in between the new Brighton Collectibles and Anthropologie. The location marks Free People’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville.

65. Free People to Open in Saddle Creek - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The location marks the Philadelphia-based retailer’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville. The 2,000-square-foot space will feature a “Blacksmith Cottage” concept, the brand’s second store with this design, and the first of its kind in the U.S.

66. Free People to Open in Saddle Creek - Thursday, September 13, 2012

Free People, a high-end women’s retailer of apparel and other items, will open at The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown on Friday, Sept. 14.

The Philadelphia-based retailer fills part of the space formerly occupied by Gap, in between the new Brighton Collectibles and Anthropologie. The location marks Free People’s second boutique in Tennessee, after a location in Nashville.

67. Morgan Stanley to Buy Citi's Smith Barney Stake - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Morgan Stanley and Citigroup have settled a dispute Tuesday over the value of the brokerage firm Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, which they jointly own.

68. Oil Prices Fall on Sour Economic News From China - Tuesday, September 11, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – The price of oil fell slightly Monday after an unexpectedly weak economic report from China and warnings of a further slowdown.

But the hope of stimulus action by the Federal Reserve on Thursday served as a safety net, preventing the price from falling further.

69. Verso Paper Calls Off Merger Talks - Thursday, September 06, 2012

Memphis-based Verso Paper Corp. has called off talks with NewPage Corp. and its creditors about acquiring or merging with NewPage.

70. 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.

71. Second Quarter Profit Rises for Fred's - Friday, August 24, 2012

Discount store operator Fred’s says its net income rose 19 percent in the second quarter, helped by an income tax settlement as revenue improved. But the company’s earnings fell short of Wall Street’s expectations and it cut the low end of its full-year earnings forecast.

72. US Homebuilder Confidence at 5-Year-High in August - Thursday, August 16, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) – U.S. homebuilders grew more confident in the housing recovery in August, as many reported that prospects for sales are the best they've been since the home bubble burst five years ago.

73. US Economic Recovery is Weakest Since World War II - Thursday, August 16, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression.

Since World War II, 10 U.S. recessions have been followed by a recovery that lasted at least three years. An Associated Press analysis shows that by just about any measure, the one that began in June 2009 is the weakest.

74. Inspection Finds Overcrowding at Memphis VA's ER - Thursday, August 16, 2012

MEMPHIS (AP) – Chronic overcrowding in the emergency department of the Memphis Veterans Affairs hospital led to some patients waiting up to 14 hours to be admitted or transferred to another hospital, according to a new inspection report released Wednesday from the VA Inspector General.

75. Questions Stack up for Unincorporated County - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Countywide school board member David Reaves said he didn’t know on Tuesday, Aug. 14, enough times that a standing-room-only crowd at Bolton High School began to anticipate the answer to their questions about where there children would attend school in the first year of the schools merger.

76. Shelby Co. Home Sales Up 13 Pct. - Tuesday, August 14, 2012

July’s home sales report marked the seventh consecutive month with improvements over 2011 totals and the most sales filed during a single month this year, but pricing year to date is still troublesome.

77. County Sees 21.6 Pct. Voter Turnout - Monday, August 06, 2012

Slightly less than 127,000 Shelby County residents – or 21.6 percent of 584,443 registered voters – cast ballots in the Aug. 2 elections.

The turnout in early voting and election day combined was a higher percentage than the 15 percent turnout four years ago in the same election cycle, but it was well below the 44-year high of 39.4 percent set in the August 1992 elections.

78. Muni Schools Questions Pass, Cohen Wins Big - Friday, August 03, 2012

Voters in each of the six suburban towns and cities in Shelby County approved establishing municipal school districts in the unofficial results of the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general and state and federal primary elections.

79. Shelby Crossing Retail Center Sells for $2M in Foreclosure - Tuesday, July 31, 2012

6100 Macon Road
Memphis, TN 38134

Sale Amount: $2 million

Sale Date: July 13, 2012

80. 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.

81. Netflix's 2Q Results Riding on Subscriber Growth - Tuesday, July 24, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Netflix will provide an update on the growing popularity of its Internet video service and the death march of its DVD-by-mail rental service Tuesday when the company releases its second-quarter earnings.

82. Auto Sales Weaken a Bit in Early July - Monday, July 23, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — The raft of gloomy economic news may be starting to hurt U.S. auto sales.

Industry analysts and dealers said this week that sales during the first half of July slowed a bit from the robust pace in June. But they still were expected to be better than July of 2011.

83. Fed: Memphis Area Improves Modestly - Friday, July 20, 2012

The Federal Reserve believes the economy of the central bank’s regional district that includes Memphis “continued to expand” modestly in June and early July.

In nearly every category in the Fed’s latest so-called Beige Book economic survey, which is based on reports from the Fed’s 12 regional districts and which is published eight times per year, the central bank’s St. Louis district earned a proverbial grade of “improved.” The language in the report, however, was unenthusiastic, mirroring a general wariness about the current economic picture in the area and beyond.

84. Returns Equal Reality Minus Expectations - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

At the beginning of the year, expectations ran high. Some economists forecasted U.S. GDP growth rates above 4 percent, European credit spreads indicated crisis containment, and China’s economy appeared to be on a government-conceived glide to slower, non-inflationary growth. As expectations ran high, the first quarter provided stock market investors with the best index returns in 14 years.

85. Active Builders - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Local homebuilders filed 54 percent more new home permits during the second quarter compared with the same period last year.

Shelby County homebuilders filed 247 permits during the quarter (April to June), compared with 160 filed during Q2 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

86. Q2 Mortgages up 14 Percent - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Shelby County’s mortgage market is continuing to turn a corner, with more buyers during the second quarter signing on the dotted line and bankers handing over a shiny new set of keys.

During the second three months of 2012, banks and mortgage lenders in Shelby County made 2,149 purchase mortgages, up 14 percent from the 1,878 mortgages during Q2 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

87. Economic Dev. Conference Slated for Saturday - Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Home for the Holidays Summer Conference 2012 is slated for Saturday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Union Avenue Campus of Southwest Tennessee Community College in the Verties Sails Gymnasium (Building E).

88. Le Bonheur Offers CPR Training in Effort to Prevent Drownings - Wednesday, July 11, 2012

About 40 children who drown or almost drown in pools, ponds or other bodies of water each year are admitted to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, 50 N. Dunlap St.

89. Firms Make Investments in Memphis Distribution - Tuesday, July 10, 2012

In the past month, a pair of out-of-town firms have scooped up local distribution warehouses, growing its Memphis industrial real estate portfolio and planning for more.

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC recently closed on its $1.5 million purchase of 3615 Lamar Ave. from an entity affiliated with Miami-based loan servicer LNR Partners LLC.

90. Weak Hiring Shows Economy Still Hurting - Monday, July 09, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A third straight month of weak hiring shows the U.S. economy is still struggling three years after the recession officially ended.

U.S. employers added just 80,000 jobs in June, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.2 percent, the Labor Department said Friday.

91. Council Approves Overton Square Land Acquisition - Friday, July 06, 2012

The Memphis City Council has approved the resolution key to the construction of an Overton Square parking garage and a new Hattiloo Theater on what is now an open parking lot for the Midtown entertainment district.

92. Council Tests Auto Inspection Rules - Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Memphis City Council members have approved a financial hardship waiver that allows Memphis motorists who flunk the emissions part of their auto inspection to claim the repairs will cost them too much and get a one-year one-time-only waiver on the inspection.

93. Schools Planning Commission Approves Merger First Draft - Friday, June 15, 2012

With a unanimous voice vote Thursday, June 14, the schools consolidation planning commission approved a draft plan for the schools merger.

The milestone moment for the group came at the end of a day-long meeting that started at 9 a.m. and went to 6 p.m.

94. Hitting the Road - Friday, June 08, 2012

Before Kate Hendrix of the Metropolitan Planning Organization could get started at Baker Community Center in Millington this week, a woman in the front row wanted to know where Interstate 69 would be built.

95. Council Hears About Sales Tax Hike Referendum - Thursday, June 07, 2012

Memphis City Council members will take the first vote in two weeks on putting a ballot question to Memphis voters in the Nov. 6 elections to raise the city’s local option sales tax rate by half a percent.

96. Council Lowers Property Tax Rate, Approves $609M Budget - Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Memphis City Council members approved a $3.11 city property tax rate Tuesday, June 5, to fund a city operating budget of $609,802,357 and Memphis City Schools to the tune of $64,819,307.

The split council vote came nearly 14 hours after the council’s day started at City Hall with a budget committee session in which the basic elements of the ultimate budget compromise were mapped out before noon.

97. Health Insurer WellPoint to Buy 1-800 Contacts - Tuesday, June 05, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – WellPoint Inc. plans to buy contact lens retailer 1-800-Contacts Inc. in a deal that would give the insurer its first direct-to-consumer business outside selling individual health coverage.

98. School of Rock to Open Locale in Germantown - Tuesday, June 05, 2012

National music store School of Rock will open a location in Germantown next month adjacent to Lane Music, marking a unique partnership from both a synergistic and commercial real estate standpoint.

99. Strike up the Band - Monday, May 21, 2012

For anyone who finds themselves in conversation with Mei-Ann Chen about the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, its big plans for the year and major guest performers who’ve been lined up, be prepared to get an earful on a topic about which Chen will evangelize, her smile broad and voice brimming with cheer.

100. Verso Paper Posts Q1 Operating Loss - Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Memphis-based Verso Paper Corp. posted a $12.3 million operating loss for the first three months of 2012 compared to the same quarter a year ago.