Butler Rows Condos Sold Back to Bank

The property slated to house the Butler Rows condominiums in the South Forum District was sold back to the lender Dec. 10 following a foreclosure. Dyersburg, Tenn.-based First Citizens National Bank formally reclaimed the land where a 35-unit, brownstone building was to be built for $1.6 million from bank trustee Ralph Henson.

The 2.08-acre property includes three parcels – 185 E. Butler Ave., 509 S. Third St. and 190 E. G.E. Patterson Ave. – and is east of Navy Park in the “SoFo” area, whose name is derived from its location south of FedExForum.

The owner, Butler Rows LLC, defaulted on a $2.7 million loan through First Citizens dated Sept. 21, 2007. The plan for Butler Rows was a five-story building with 35 townhome-style units, each with a private elevator and two-car garage, according to the developer’s Web site, www.butlerrows.com.

The Shelby County Assessor of Property shows the parcels in the same condition as when Butler Rows LLC bought them.

The 185 E. Butler Ave. parcel contains 1.19 acres of vacant land with an appraised value of $145,900; the 509 S. Third St. parcel contains an 84-year-old warehouse on 0.6 acres with an appraised value of $215,300; and the 190 E. G.E. Patterson Ave. parcel contains 0.29 acres of vacant land with an appraised value of $37,800.

A call to the trustee wasn’t immediately returned.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

– Eric Smith

Medtronic Launches New Spinal System

The Memphis-based spinal and biologics division of Medtronic Inc. on Friday announced the launch of the Sovereign Spinal System in the United States.

The device is used to treat patients who suffer from a degenerative condition that affects the lumbar area of the spine, which is the five vertebrae between the ribs and the hipbone. The Sovereign is designed to stabilize the spine and promote bone fusion.

The system is used with bone grafts taken from other parts of the patient’s body. It helps hold vertebrae in place and is made of a material that is radiolucent on X-rays, allowing surgeons to more easily gauge spinal fusion during follow-up visits.

– Tom Wilemon

Fayette Cares Collections Up 36 Percent From 2008

Fayette Cares Inc. has announced that community organizations collected nearly 15,000 food items this year for families supported by Fayette Cares, which is a 36 percent increase from 2008.

Hundreds of Fayette Cares volunteers and donors provided food for nearly 500 families and contributed toys to more than 300 children during the organization’s recent Christmas Caring efforts held in Somerville.

Fayette Cares saw a 10 percent increase in the number of qualifying Fayette County families this year.

Fayette Cares is a United Way member agency.

– Taylor Shoptaw

Police Association Gives $1K to The MED

The Memphis Police Association has made a $1,000 donation to the financially struggling Regional Medical Center at Memphis.

Police Association Vice President Mike Williams presented the donation made payable to The MED Foundation to members of a hospital task force that was put together by interim Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford.

– Andy Meek

Sen. Kyle Holds Fundraiser For Tenn. Governor’s Race

State Sen. Jim Kyle of Memphis drew a group of nearly 100 supporters Thursday evening to a Christmas-themed fundraiser on Beale Street.

Kyle, seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010, promised to take “higher education to a higher place” if elected. Kyle has pledged to propose freezing the tuition of students at state universities at freshmen levels as long as the students make progress toward graduation.

He also warned supporters that there is still a “long road” to the Aug. 5 statewide primary.

The $250 a person fundraiser for Kyle at BB King’s Blues Club was hosted by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr.

Kyle and Wharton considered running for Shelby County mayor in 2002. Kyle opted not to run. Wharton won the Democratic primary as well as the general election with Kyle’s support.

Since then, Wharton said he has worked with Kyle in the Legislature on several issues including stopping a withdrawal of state funding from The Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Wharton referred to it as “when Gov. (Phil) Bredesen pulled the rug out from under us.”

“This is the man who has represented us when everybody else turned against us,” Wharton said.

– Bill Dries

Four Southwest Students Win Graphic Awards Honors

Four Southwest Tennessee Community College graphic arts students recently won honors for their posters promoting the field of engineering.

The theme of the poster contest, sponsored by the Oregon-based Engineering Education Service Center, was “Engineers of America.” The contest drew 201 entries from high school and college students in 13 states.

“The designs submitted were thoughtful, smart and dynamic,” said Patsy Fancher, associate professor and interim department chair of Industrial, Environmental and Graphics Arts Technologies at Southwest.

Susanna Bunt Harlan, whose entry tied for first place, said she mulled over the theme for two weeks.

“Then one night it just came to me. I decided that I should create an application like the iPhone has and incorporate it into the ‘Engineers of America’ theme. The slogan on the end of the poster, ‘The Next Application is You,’ just came naturally,” she said.

Rachelle Baker tied for third place, and Lloyd Dale and Tommy Robbins received honorable mentions.

– Linda Raiteri