VOL. 126 | NO. 250 | Friday, December 23, 2011
A local economic development agency granted a 15-year tax freeze to Valero Energy Corp. in return for the company spending more than $298 million in planned investments and upgrades at the Memphis refinery.
‘A Christmas Carol’ wraps stellar year at Theatre Memphis
Perennial holiday favorite “A Christmas Carol” wraps Friday, Dec. 23, at Theatre Memphis – providing a strong finish to what’s been a solid year marked by quality productions and a steady show of community support for the nonprofit theater at 630 Perkins Road Extended.
Dallas-based Behringer Harvard has acquired the Arbors Harbor Town Apartments – a 345-unit multifamily community in Harbor Town on Mud Island – for $31.5 million, or $91,304 per unit.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Jason Clark scored 18 points and Hollis Thompson added 17 as No. 16 Georgetown beat Memphis 70-59 Thursday night.
The head of the Memphis Area Transit Authority hesitates to even bring up the idea of light rail as he talks to audiences about the changes to come to the city’s bus system.
A Memphis-based multifamily renovation and maintenance firm is expanding its presence in the northeast industrial submarket.
MEMPHIS STANDOUT
After 14 years running a gallery, representing artists and writing for arts magazines in the Big Apple, Michel Allen last year returned home to the Bluff City to raise money, provide public relations services and develop marketing strategies for Memphis area nonprofits.
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
CHRISTMAS TIME It was my first time to England, first time overseas and prime time for The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Soho and the rocking HQ for the whole British invasion.
Editor’s note: Part two of a two-part series Taking a risk and funding smaller, grassroots organizations may feel challenging when there are larger, more established organizations providing similar services. Yet, even when providing award-winning services, not all organizations or institutions can serve everyone within a service area.
SPORTS
Coaches always see a bigger picture. So it is that Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins bristles at any suggestion that his team took its big step forward in last season’s playoffs – the implication being that this snapshot of two series and 13 games does not do the Grizzlies’ success in 2010-2011 full justice.
To write about sports, it only makes sense that you have to spend time watching sports on TV. So there I was, working from my recliner the other day, a cold beverage within reach, and all the drama and pageantry of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl flashing across the screen when my wife interrupted a first-quarter, one-yard, off-tackle run.
NASHVILLE (AP) – The Vanderbilt Commodores know how to wrap up a final practice in style. Just ask senior linebacker Chris Marve.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman didn't miss a step in their debuts for the New Orleans Hornets.
CHATTANOOGA (AP) – After almost a year as president of the University of Tennessee, there is no hiding Joe DiPietro's enthusiasm for his system-wide strategic plan, his efforts to streamline the replacement of outdated learning facilities and promote all the campuses.
ATLANTA (AP) – Jamal Lewis, Dorsey Levens and two other former NFL players have sued the league over brain injuries that they say left them struggling with medical problems years after their playing days ended.
MEMPHIS AREA
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Tiera Washington's workload doubled during the holiday rush at UPS' largest air hub, where seemingly endless streams of packages are sorted and shipped as the peak season puts the package delivery company to the test.
STATEWIDE
NASHVIILLE (AP) – The Nashville hospital that performed Tennessee's first heart transplant says it will no longer do such surgeries because of factors that include competition and the departure of one of its surgeons.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) – The economy is ending 2011 on a roll.
WASHINGTON (AP) – In in the latest sign that the U.S. economy is surging at year's end, unemployment claims have dropped to the lowest level since April 2008, long before anyone realized that the nation was in a recession.
WASHINGTON (AP) – A gauge of future economic activity posted a solid increase in November, providing further evidence that the economy is gaining strength.
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
MIAMI (AP) – Authorities conducting a six-week counterfeit sweep in three countries seized 327,000 phony items including fake Hello Kitty clothing and cheap imitation Casio G-Shock sport watches that if legitimate carry suggested retail prices of more than $76 million, federal investigators said Thursday.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate's top Republican on Thursday urged the GOP-led House to pass a short-term renewal of payroll tax cuts and break an impasse that threatens all workers with a Jan. 1 tax increase. Within hours, a House Republican freshman broke ranks and agreed, signaling that fierce pressure from almost every corner of the Republican Party had begun to crack conservative opposition to a short-term fix.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The head of Customs and Border Protection will leave his post at the end of the month.
REAL ESTATE
WASHINGTON (AP) – The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to a record 3.91 percent this week, the third time this year that rates have hit new lows.