VOL. TMN-6 | NO. 3 | Saturday, January 12, 2013
What to expect when city and county schools unite in August 2013
There are several certainties for public education in Shelby County when the new school year begins in August.
Change is nothing new for parents when it comes to education. School attendance zone boundaries change as schools fill up or empty out. Teachers and principals who make a difference retire or move. Schools get new programs with teachers and leaders coming in who start to make a difference.
SPECIAL EMPHASIS: Education
Schools officials honor Humes’ past while planning for its future
The best look at the competition conventional public schools in Memphis face begins at Humes Middle School, which recently got some attention for the birthday anniversary of a student who went there in the 1950s.
Kriner Cash came to the city as Memphis City Schools superintendent in July 2008. He began with an informal census that organized the school district’s student population by how many students were overage for their grade level, how many had no primary care physician and how many had access to no pre-kindergarten services.
While many of the most controversial issues of the coming merger of Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools are still to be decided, the issue of how to handle school security appears to be settled.
Plans for a higher education presence in Fayette County could take a substantial leap forward early in 2013 after years of general plans for such a presence.
For some kids, school is never truly out for the holidays.
Downtown Memphis Commission turns up heat on city’s eyesores
The kickoff date to the Downtown Memphis Commission’s anti-blight initiative on April 1, 2011, is embedded in president Paul Morris’ memory.
Since December, Paragon National Bank has been showcasing art pieces from Dogwood Elementary School students at its Saddle Creek bank branch at 7600 Poplar Ave.
Kids aren’t the only ones with “back to school” on their minds this week. Members of the Appraisal Institute in Memphis are responding to a leadership push to develop the education of Memphis-area appraisers by seeking special designations.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center plans to reactivate its baccalaureate program for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing beginning in the fall. The program was suspended in December 2009.
Two months after voters – most of them Memphians – rejected a countywide sales tax hike, there is a new proposal for a citywide sales tax hike to go on the ballot later this year in a special election.
Grizzlies’ new data guru ready to roll up his sleeves
John Hollinger is a familiar sight at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the event Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has jokingly described as Geekapalooza.
Memphis-based Highland Capital Management LLC and Louisiana-based Argent Financial Group, which entered the Memphis market a few years ago, are merging.
The Shelby County District Attorney General’s office and attorneys for the owners of Club Crave have been talking privately since prosecutors got the court order that closed the Beale Street nightspot during the Christmas holidays as a public nuisance.
Dr. George Huang of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is attempting to develop a revolutionary new root canal treatment that would actually regrow infected and lost pulp tissue in the roots of diseased teeth.
Home organization businesses aim to eradicate closet chaos
In late 2011, Lydia Bors-Koefoed of Cordova was preparing for her daughter’s wedding and realized she needed a little extra help.
Two East Memphis restaurants soon will have new addresses.
Crime numbers may be the most politically volatile set of statistics elected officials can debate or rely on.
The James Lee House redevelopment is moving along in Victorian Village.
In the financial services world, the compliance work overseen by legal counsel has grown in prominence and importance.
Breastfeeding Coalition campaign touts health benefits for mother, child
The Shelby County Breastfeeding Coalition continues its rollout of a new marketing campaign across the city to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and how it contributes to the overall health of the mother and child.
The parking garage being demolished on North Second Street east of Court Square has a past.
Helen of Troy Ltd., a manufacturer and distributor of household products, has finalized plans to build a 1.3 million-square-foot distribution facility in Olive Branch.
The Conference USA Tournament came early this season. That, or Tigers guard Joe Jackson has his dates confused. After two roller coaster seasons that included winning the Most Valuable Player award in two straight league tournaments – a C-USA first – Jackson apparently has decided to flip the calendar forward.
The time will come – after this season, if not before the Feb. 21 trade deadline – when moving Rudy Gay will be the only sensible thing for the Grizzlies’ new ownership to do.
The realm of the professional bra fitter is a delicate one.
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MEMPHIS NEWSMAKERS
Rebekah McLain has joined Counterpart Communication Design as copywriter. In her new role, McLain will write copy for print and websites, with areas of expertise including higher education, security and disability law, neuropsychology and hospitality.
MEMPHIS LAW TALK
After 12 years with Martin Tate Morrow & Marston PC, attorney Lauri Prather has made the move to in-house counsel with ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
MEMPHIS STANDOUT
When Brittany Fitzpatrick first came to Memphis a few years ago for graduate studies at the University of Memphis, journalism professor Dr. David Arant welcomed her to the city with three words.
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
My wife and I were recently strolling through a small tourist spot when we happened upon one of those vintage machines that guesses your weight, your age and tells your fortune. According to the instructions, all you had to do was stand very still facing the machine and drop a specified coin in the slot.
Last week we explored Memphis Recovery Centers, which is helping adolescents and adults fight drug and alcohol addiction. This week, in light of our Samaritans Feet Shoe Distribution coming up on Thursday, Jan. 17, let us discuss the annual event and spotlight the organization working to help people around the world who go without shoes each day: Samaritans Feet International.
Despite what you may believe about how price-sensitive consumers are given the economic realities of late, Oracle’s “Customer Experience Impact Report” indicates 86 percent of customers would pay 25 percent more for a better customer experience.
To celebrate the New Year, we’ll begin this week’s column with an unconventional source of wisdom for business, the great Persian poet Hafiz:
Ray’s Take I’m always emphasizing the importance of saving. However, saving without specific goals in mind with their time horizons is extremely hard to do. There are just too many distractions in this world – too many well-trained marketers with different agendas. Goal setting is an essential step in the planning process. It’s the primary motivating factor. After all, if you haven’t identified any goals, what’s driving you to save? Just as important, how do you know when you’ve saved enough?
“Turn right in four-tenths of a mile,” Susan said. “I’m looking forward to some light, warmth, TV and Internet access.”
THREE YEARS LATER, MEMPHIS GOES TO COMMITTEE. Almost three years ago, in the hope that we were on the verge of positioning ourselves, of taking our rightful place among places, I wrote this in another column:
Why are some nonprofits successful with fundraising and when others face challenges? What can be done to change a nonprofit’s fundraising “fate?”