WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration ordered the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington on Monday and threatened sanctions against the International Criminal Court if it pursues investigations against the U.S., Israel, or other allies. The moves are likely to harden Palestinian resistance to the U.S. role as a peace broker.

2. Companies Weighing Options to Continue Recycling - Saturday, September 8, 2018

Recycling capabilities for many Memphis businesses and institutions were stopped or substantially reduced in recent weeks, even as global warming continues to escalate.

Republic Services confirmed that its Memphis recycling facility, ReCommunity, recently stopped accepting recycling items from commercial and institutional sources.

3. Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum Helping Local MWBEs Connect, Grow - Saturday, September 8, 2018

For local minority- and women-owned business owners like Will Graham, becoming a member of the Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum (MMBCC) has been a critical piece of her company’s growth. She joined the MMBCC to help connect her medical device special processing business with local medical device manufacturers, suppliers and other medical professionals.

4. Facebook, Twitter Pledge to Defend Against Foreign Intrusion - Thursday, September 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook and Twitter executives pledged on Wednesday to better protect their social media platforms in the 2018 elections and beyond, and told Congress of aggressive efforts to root out foreign intrusions aimed at sowing divisions in American democracy.

5. EDGE Calls Special Meeting for Southbrook Mall Money - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

The use of county funds to help revitalize the blighted Southbrook Mall property will bring members of the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) together Thursday, Sept. 6, for a special called meeting.

6. U.S. Ends Funding of UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees - Monday, September 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is ending its decades of funding for the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees, the State Department announced Friday, a week after slashing bilateral U.S. aid for projects in the West Bank and Gaza.

7. Shooting Suspect Able to Buy Guns Despite Mental Illness - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

BALTIMORE (AP) — Even though the suspect in a shooting at a Florida video game tournament had been hospitalized for mental illness, authorities say he was able to legally purchase the two handguns he was carrying at the time of the attack.

8. Microsoft Uncovers More Russian Hacking Ahead of Midterms - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Microsoft has uncovered new Russian hacking efforts targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections.

The company said Tuesday that a group tied to the Russian government created fake websites that appeared to spoof two American conservative organizations: the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Three other fake sites were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate.

9. Strickland Open to Talks About Idea of City-Only Industrial Development Board - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says he is open to discussing the idea of a city-only Industrial Development Board along with other ideas to be explored by a study group approved by the Memphis City Council last week.

10. Memphis Newsmakers Aug. 8, 2018 - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Hayley Grossman has been promoted to public relations manager at boutique marketing/public relations agency Morris Marketing Group. Grossman joined MMG in 2017 as PR/MarCom specialist. In her new role, she manages clients’ PR strategy and tactics, including creating and pitching news angles and providing digital and social marketing strategies to work in tandem with client PR tactics.

11. Nashville Public Housing Authority Won't Enforce Smoking Ban - Thursday, August 2, 2018

NASHVILLE (AP) — One Tennessee city says it won't enforce the new national ban on smoking in public housing.

Public housing residents in Nashville recently signed leases that prohibited smoking. But Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency spokeswoman Jamie Berry tells WPLN-FM the housing authority will tack on a grandfathering addendum that lets current tenants smoke.

12. Facebook finds 'sophisticated' efforts to disrupt elections - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook said it has uncovered "sophisticated" efforts, possibly linked to Russia, to influence U.S. politics on its platforms.

The company said it removed 32 accounts from Facebook and Instagram because they were involved in "coordinated" political behavior and appeared to be fake. Nearly 300,000 people followed at least one of the accounts.

13. MGM Turns to Never-Tested Law to Sue Vegas Shooting Victims - Monday, July 23, 2018

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The unprecedented move from MGM Resorts International to sue hundreds of victims of last year's mass shooting in Las Vegas using an obscure U.S. law never tested in court has been framed by the casino-operator as an effort to avoid years of costly litigation — but the legal maneuver may not play out that way.

14. Detaining Immigrant Kids is Now a Billion-Dollar Industry - Friday, July 13, 2018

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Detaining immigrant children has morphed into a surging industry in the U.S. that now reaps $1 billion annually — a tenfold increase over the past decade, an Associated Press analysis finds.

15. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Plans Groundbreaking - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is slated to break ground on a new laboratory and regional headquarters.

The agency says an event Tuesday will mark the start of construction in Jackson on the Special Agent De'Greaun ReShun Frazier TBI Crime Laboratory and Regional Headquarters.

16. Last Word: River Museum Review, Tigers' Blended Family and Oxford Crackdown - Friday, July 6, 2018

It’s not the Gulf. It’s Lake Pontchartrain that draws the crowds on Mud Island. The Riverwalk replica of the Gulf of Mexico’s neighbor that is. A few adjustments is all it took to return authorized wading to the area at the end of the scale model of the Mississippi River. The river park is changing as it continues to make its way through the annual season from the summer and into the fall.

17. Catholic Charities Helping With Refugee Relief Effort - Friday, July 6, 2018

Catholic Charities of West Tennessee is leading a delegation of Catholic Charities staff, community leaders and Catholic high school students to support the staff of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in its Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas. The center provides assistance to refugees who have crossed the border and have been processed by U.S. officials.

18. US to Reunite Migrant Families as Immigration Politics Boil - Friday, July 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stung by a public outcry, the Trump administration said Thursday it will meet court-ordered deadlines for reuniting families separated at the border, even as the politics of immigration remained at a boil.

19. Trump Choice to Head IRS Says He’ll Work For All Taxpayers - Friday, June 29, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under sharp questioning from some Democratic senators, President Donald Trump's choice to head the IRS promised on Thursday to work for the benefit of ordinary taxpayers in administering the massive new tax law.

20. ‘Kindred’ Exchange - Thursday, June 28, 2018

The old name, The Exchange Club Family Center, required some explanation. And not just because The Exchange Club Family Center was vague to those not familiar with the organization, but because as executive director Jennifer Balink put it, “Among people who already knew us, our name equaled confusion.

21. Supreme Court deals big setback to labor unions - Thursday, June 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that government workers can't be forced to contribute to labor unions that represent them in collective bargaining, dealing a serious financial blow to Democratic-leaning organized labor.

22. Arkansas judge sets sanctions on Human Services Department - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A judge has ordered the Arkansas Department of Human Services to publish statistics related to its failures in assessing needs of disabled Medicaid recipients.

23. Methodist Kicks Off Centennial Celebration - Friday, June 22, 2018

This weekend Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare begins its next 100 years helping people in the Mid-South with their healthcare needs. The hospital is celebrating with events like a book launch on Friday and “The Party of the Century” with special guest Magic Johnson on Saturday.

24. Schowen Named Manager Of Baptist Ambulance - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Greg Schowen has been named general manager of Baptist Ambulance, a member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies that currently serves 10 Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities with interfacility transport, as well as six communities with 911 response. Schowen brings 25 years of experience overseeing operations for emergency medical service providers in high-performance 911 service areas, including Los Angeles County, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

25. Your Internet Use Could Change as 'Net Neutrality' Ends - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Your ability to watch and use your favorite apps and services could start to change – though not right away – following the official demise Monday of Obama-era internet protections.

26. Group That Advises Gov't Watchdog is Disbanded, Members Say - Thursday, June 7, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dissolved a group of outside experts that acts as an important sounding board for the watchdog agency on economic and financial issues as well as policy.

27. Businesses Seek to Expand Opportunities for Disabled Workers - Thursday, May 31, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – On any weekday morning, Miles Thornback is working on marketing campaigns for real estate agents or dealing with tricky tech issues at the office.

Thornback, who has cerebral palsy, got hired three years ago at the RE/MAX Prestige real estate agency in Costa Mesa, California, after the owners heard that he'd spent six years applying for jobs at hundreds of companies and finding nothing but negative mindsets.

28. Abuse, Neglect Claims Investigated at 460 Tennessee Schools - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – An analysis has found Tennessee's Department of Children's Services investigated 647 allegations of child abuse or neglect involving students at more than 460 schools during a recent 20-month period.

29. An A-One Idea For Memphis - Thursday, May 10, 2018

A-One Staffing LLC, a female- and minority-owned and operated staffing agency in Memphis, is all about people and all about Memphis.

30. Luttrell Proposes Adjusting Down County Property Tax Rate - Thursday, May 3, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell is proposing a rollback of the $4.11 county property tax rate to $4.05 in his last budget proposal to the Shelby County Commission.

Luttrell will formally present the $1.3 billion consolidated county government budget to commissioners at Wednesday, May 9, committee sessions. The proposal, known as the budget book, was delivered to individual commissioners Monday.

31. More Businesses are Mellowing Out Over Hiring Pot Smokers - Thursday, May 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – FPI Management, a property company in California, wants to hire dozens of people. Factories from New Hampshire to Michigan need workers. Hotels in Las Vegas are desperate to fill jobs.

32. CDC Chief Asks For, And Gets, Cut to His Record $375K Pay - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The new head of the top U.S. public health agency has asked for – and will receive – a cut to his record-setting pay, federal officials said Monday.

Dr. Robert Redfield Jr.'s new salary was not revealed.

33. Youth Villages Program Making Impact Nationwide - Monday, April 30, 2018

Public agencies in New York and Pennsylvania will expand services to former foster and transition-age youth through public-private partnerships backed by local and national philanthropists.

New Yorkers For Children, on behalf of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, and Allegheny County Department of Human Services in Pennsylvania are launching YVLifeSet, an evidence-informed intensive program designed to help former foster and transition-age youth who need the most comprehensive support.

34. Mayor Strickland Takes Third Budget Proposal to City Council - Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland takes his third budget proposal to the Memphis City Council Tuesday, April 24, opening City Hall’s budget season with what is expected to be a budget that keeps the city property tax rate stable.

35. Opioid Litigation, FedExForum NonCompete Top Local Law Developments - Saturday, April 21, 2018

Here are some of the legal issues making news in recent months.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery says lawsuits by local prosecutors over the opioid epidemic are complicating his efforts to reach a multistate settlement with drug companies. In response, the prosecutors, who represent about half of Tennessee's counties, say local communities lose out when lawsuits like theirs are rolled into one settlement.

36. EDGE Approves Trio of Tax Abatements - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County approved a trio of tax abatement packages during its Wednesday April 18 meeting.

Massachusetts-based Franklin Sports Inc. was awarded a six-year Jobs PILOT to build a 250,000- to 300,000-square-foot warehouse adjacent to its Memphis distribution center at 5510 Getwell Road, adding 27 new jobs with an average salary of $39,722, excluding benefits.

37. 3 Companies Seek Abatements for Memphis Projects - Saturday, April 14, 2018

Sports equipment manufacturer Franklin Sports Inc., pharmacy services provider Enclara Pharmacia Inc. and petroleum distributor OMO Energy & Technology Inc. will all make their cases for tax incentives when the Economic Development Growth Engine meets Wednesday, April 18.

38. Mulvaney Insists Consumer Watchdog is Still Doing its Job - Thursday, April 12, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Mick Mulvaney tried Wednesday to reassure Democrats on a House finance panel that he's committed to punishing unscrupulous financial companies, while agreeing with Republicans that the watchdog agency he runs needs to be reined in and refocused.

39. At the EEOC, Harassment Cases Can Languish for Years - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal agency handling workplace harassment complaints has become a crowded waystation in an overwhelmed bureaucracy, with wait times often stretching years. And as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission takes on renewed significance in light of the growing #MeToo movement, lawyers worry the increased caseload will lead to even longer delays.

40. Child Advocates Ask FTC to Investigate YouTube - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The fine print of YouTube's terms of service has a warning that goes unheeded by millions of children who visit YouTube to watch cartoons, nursery rhymes, science experiments or videos of toys being unboxed.

41. Perry Leading Fire Museum Forward as Executive Director - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Shannon Perry became executive director of the Fire Museum of Memphis earlier this year, a role that brings her back to the institution she helped launch in the 1990s, when she served as its first curator. As executive director, Perry is the Fire Museum’s only full-time employee, and she handles a range of functions – including its collection, exhibits and facilities, budgets, fundraising, public relations, special events, staff and volunteers – while also working directly with the museum’s board.

42. The Doctor is In: White House Physician Nominated to Lead VA - Friday, March 30, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump fired Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominated White House doctor Ronny Jackson to replace him following a bruising ethics scandal and a mounting rebellion within the agency.

43. Businesses Must Protect Children’s Information - Thursday, March 22, 2018

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires a company to safeguard information collected online from children under 13. That includes clearly disclosing to parents what information it collects and how it will be used, and seeking verifiable parental consent. The company must take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality and security of the information.

44. Extreme Collaboration - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Collaboration, as a concept, can be used by those seeking control of a culture for their own purposes. If collaboration becomes a form of groupthink or censorship, watch out. I’ve seen many different professional cultures’ versions of collaboration – and have left some feeling as if I were in a governmental public input meeting where very little actual input is allowed by design. 

45. Digest - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis Grizzlies Suffer 15th Consecutive Loss

The Grizzlies lost their 15th straight game, 119-110 at Chicago, on Wednesday, March 7.

The team has not won since defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum on Jan. 29.

46. Last Word: Rising River, Driving The Dream and Harwell Advances Medical Pot - Thursday, March 1, 2018

The Mississippi River at Memphis should reach flood stage at any moment. As Last Word was going up online Wednesday evening the National Weather Service at Memphis put the river level here at 33.52 feet. Flood stage at Memphis is 34 feet. The river is forecast to crest some time next week at 38 feet, four feet over flood stage. Keep in mind that in April 2011, the river at Memphis crested 10 feet higher, at 48 feet on the Memphis river gauge – which turned to be the one on the support beams of the bridge over Beale Street at Riverside Drive. That was the second highest river level at Memphis ever recorded.

47. Driving the Dream - Thursday, March 1, 2018

The aim of United Way of the Mid-South’s “Driving the Dream” project is still the same: Provide the means for more people to lift themselves out of poverty and, over time, achieve self-sufficiency.

48. RBG Promotes Callicutt To Audit Partner - Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Accounting firm Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck PLC recently promoted Joseph D. Callicutt Jr. to audit partner from the position of senior audit manager. Callicutt, a certified public accountant and 10-year RBG employee, works exclusively in the financial institutions industry niche and oversees audit, tax and consulting services, including outsourced internal audit, interest rate risk management, bank profitability and efficiency, and strategic planning facilitation for RBG’s financial institution clients. 

49. The Latest: Facebook to Work With FBI, Boost Security - Monday, February 19, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the indictments in the special counsel's Russia probe (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

Facebook says it is doubling its security staff to 20,000 and actively working with the FBI to stop election interference by Russians and others.

50. More Companies Providing Some Parental Leave Pay - Saturday, February 17, 2018

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act ensures that employees with over a year of employment get 12 weeks unpaid time off from their jobs, and the Tennessee Maternity Leave Act allows certain female employees four months of unpaid leave for pregnancy, childbirth, care of a newborn and adoption.

51. Last Word: Higher Ed Pushback, 50 Years Later and Attack Ads in the Race for Gov. - Tuesday, February 13, 2018

The idea that higher education is primarily about getting people into jobs as soon as possible is getting some push back. And it comes several years into an emphasis at the state level on associate degrees and trade certifications. Rhodes College president Marjorie Hass said several times during our talk on “Behind The Headlines” that she isn’t downplaying the importance of trade skills and the education necessary for those skills.

52. Customer-Focused Government Not Always a Pleaser - Thursday, February 8, 2018

Gov. Bill Haslam is fond of saying government should run more like a business, and during his eighth and final State of the State address he invoked the term “customer-focused” at least twice in a victory lap.

53. House Republicans Working to Plan to Avert Another Shutdown - Tuesday, February 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The era of trillion-dollar budget deficits is about to make a comeback – and a brewing budget deal could mean their return comes just next year. In the meantime, House GOP leaders are grappling with the need to pass legislation to avert another government shutdown at midnight on Thursday.

54. US Appeals Court Gives Victory to Consumer Finance Agency - Thursday, February 1, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal appeals court has handed a victory to the government's beleaguered consumer finance watchdog agency, ruling that its director's power isn't excessive and the president shouldn't have freer rein to fire that person.

55. CDC Director Resigns Over Financial Conflicts of Interest - Thursday, February 1, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned Wednesday over financial conflicts of interest involving her investments in health care businesses.

56. Federal Judge Wants Opioid Lawsuits To End In Settlement - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The goal is impressive: Hammer out a legal deal that starts guiding the nation out of an epidemic of opioid addiction.

How and when that can happen, if at all, is the subject of talks scheduled to begin Wednesday in a federal courthouse in Cleveland.

57. Government Shutdown Stretches Into Workweek, Sows Confusion - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – A government shutdown has effectively cleaved the federal workforce in half, sowing confusion and frustration among hundreds of thousands of affected workers, including some who reported to work Monday only to turn right back around.

58. Tax Law Gives Unexpected Break to Farmers Who Sell to Co-Ops - Friday, January 19, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Key senators and farm groups are trying to fix a provision in the federal tax overhaul that gave an unexpected tax break to farmers who sell their crops to cooperatives rather than regular companies.

59. Last Word: Snow Week, Liberal Arts and Their Critics and Tunica Casinos - Thursday, January 18, 2018

Snow Day 3 as this becomes a snow week for many of us. Granted one of those days was a federal holiday in which the temperature was above freezing and the sun was out. During the second consecutive snow day Wednesday for Shelby County Schools students, Candous Brown, a teacher at Raleigh Egypt High School held class anyway via Facebook.

60. Last Word: Second Snow Day, The Post-King Generation and Cohen's Cadillac - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

A second snow day awaits Wednesday on this short week for many but not all of us. And there is some grumbling about the approach to treating roads off the main thoroughfares that may, in this city where a cut-through detour is a real thing and the reason for speed humps, still see a lot of traffic.

61. CW/CA Adds Fenton As Marketing, Research Director - Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Laura Fenton has joined Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors as director of marketing and research. CW/CA’s Marketing & Research department serves as the commercial real estate firm’s in-house agency for brokers and clients, and in her role, Fenton leads strategic communication, marketing and research for business development initiatives, marketing on behalf of clients, public relations, advertising, internal communications, social media and community involvement. 

62. Cities Sue Defense Dept. Over Gun-Check System Failures - Wednesday, December 27, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Three large U.S. cities filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Defense, arguing that many service members who are disqualified from gun ownership weren't reported to the national background check system.

63. Fall Creek Falls: Sound Plan or Political Payback - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Now go find a job. That’s the message the state of Tennessee is sending nearly 60 employees at Fall Creek Falls State Park this joyous holiday season.

64. Arkansas Removes 80K From Medicaid After Eligibility Review - Wednesday, December 20, 2017

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Officials at the Arkansas Department of Human Services say more than 80,000 people were removed from the state's Medicaid rolls in 2017 after new technology and data were used to show they were ineligible for the benefits.

65. FCC Votes Along Party Lines to End 'Net Neutrality' - Friday, December 15, 2017

The Federal Communications Commission repealed the Obama-era "net neutrality" rules Thursday, giving internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T a free hand to slow or block websites and apps as they see fit or charge more for faster speeds.

66. Memphis Animal Services Nears 6,000 Placements - Friday, December 15, 2017

Memphis Animal Services is nearing its goal of 6,000 pet placements in new homes for the year 2017.

With a few weeks left in the year, MAS reports it has placed around 5,800 pets through private adoptions and rescue transfers. That comes with an 84 percent save rate for the year.

67. Trump Signs $700 Billion Military Budget Into Law - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a sweeping defense policy bill that authorizes a $700 billion budget for the military, including additional spending on missile defense programs to counter North Korea's growing nuclear weapons threat.

68. Net Neutrality Fans Speak Up as FCC Set to Strike Down Rules - Monday, December 11, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Net neutrality is a simple concept but a dense and often technical issue normally discussed in tech and telecom circles. Now it's hit the mainstream.

This week, the Federal Communications Commission plans to vote on gutting Obama-era rules meant to stop broadband companies such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from exercising more control over what people watch and see on the internet.

69. Shelby County Commission Rejects Jail Food Contract - Saturday, December 9, 2017

Shelby County commissioners on Monday, Dec. 4, voted down a $4.4 million five-year contract with Aramark Correctional Services LLC for food service at the Shelby County jail through the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

70. Battle Over Arlington ER Facility to Resume in 2018 - Saturday, December 9, 2017

A pitched battle in the town of Arlington between major Memphis health care institutions and state officials is set to pick back up in 2018.

State officials in late summer will hear an appeal filed by Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. over a denial in August of its application to build an emergency room facility in the Memphis suburb. That denial followed an earlier rejection by the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency of a slightly different version of the same request in April.

71. As Health Premiums Rise, Small Businesses Seek Alternatives - Friday, December 8, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – As small business owners learn what their 2018 health insurance costs will be, some are considering providing different types of coverage for their employees.

Companies are receiving notices of premium and coverage changes for 2018. The changes vary, depending on factors including the state where a company is located, how many employees it has and how comprehensive its insurance is. But many owners are seeing rate increases of double-digit percentages, finding dramatically reduced coverage, or both. Health insurance consultants expect more owners to rethink their strategies beyond 2018 and choose alternatives like paying for claims themselves or adding health services that can lower costs.

72. Kennedy Wrestles With Wedding Cake Case at Supreme Court - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – His vote likely to decide the outcome, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy voiced competing concerns Tuesday about respecting the religious beliefs of a Colorado baker who wouldn't make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and the gay couple's dignity.

73. Shelby County Commission Rejects Jail Food Contract - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Shelby County commissioners on Monday, Dec. 4, voted down a $4.4 million five-year contract with Aramark Correctional Services LLC for food service at the Shelby County jail through the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

74. Blankenship Named President Of Coldwell Banker Collins Maury - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Sean Blankenship has joined Coldwell Banker Collins Maury as president, coming to the Collierville-based full-service real estate firm after serving as chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. In his new role, Blankenship will focus on growing the company’s presence in the greater Memphis and northern Mississippi markets.

75. County Commission Renews Opioid Legal Skirmish with County Administration - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday, Dec. 4, to hire another attorney to represent it in an ongoing legal battle with county mayor Mark Luttrell over opioid litigation. And the commission approved a resolution declaring opioid abuse a “public nuisance” as an opening to legal depositions of opioid manufacturers and distributors.

76. New Task Force Focused on Mental Health Response After Disasters - Monday, November 27, 2017

The Shelby County Health Department, working with several community partners, has assembled a first-of-its-kind volunteer task force in Tennessee that will respond to behavioral and mental health challenges after mass-casualty disasters.

77. Hard to Believe: Some Consumers Find Free Health Insurance - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Consumers are getting the word that taxpayer-subsidized health plans are widely available for next year for no monthly premium or little cost, and marketing companies say they're starting to see an impact on sign-ups.

78. Bush Administration Alums Rising in Trump's Orbit - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – For all the lingering tensions between President Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush, Trump's White House shares one thing in common with his Republican predecessor's: People.

79. Phone Companies Get New Tools To Block Spam Calls - Friday, November 17, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Phone companies will have greater authority to block unwanted calls from reaching customers as regulators adopted new rules to combat automated messages known as robocalls.

80. Under Pressure, Social Media Giants Acknowledge Meddling - Friday, November 3, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – In three exhaustive hearings this week, executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google acknowledged that their platforms were used by Russia to try and create division over such disparate issues as immigration, gun control and politics. House investigators released a trove of Facebook and Twitter ads that showed just how extraordinary the cyber intrusion was.

81. Package Wars: Postal Service Offers Next-Day Sunday Delivery - Thursday, November 2, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – As consumers demand ever-quicker and convenient package delivery, the U.S. Postal Service wants to boost its business this holiday season by offering what few e-commerce retailers can provide: cheap next-day service with packages delivered Sundays to your home.

82. Goodin Joins Hagwood Adelman As Memphis Managing Attorney - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Michael T. Goodin has joined Hagwood Adelman Tipton PC as managing attorney of the Memphis office. In that role, he provides legal services to HAT’s clients in matters such as medical malpractice and senior housing litigation for health care providers along the continuum of care, including skilled nursing, assisted living, behavioral health, home health and hospice litigation. In addition, he assists in supervising the attorney and paraprofessional teams.

83. Justice Department Changes Police Review and Juvenile Court Terms - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

In two weeks’ time, the U.S. Justice Department has substantially changed the terms of its collaborative review of the Memphis Police Department and left in place the terms of a settlement agreement with Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court involving disproportionate minority contact.

84. ACLU: Teen at Center of Immigration Case Has Abortion - Thursday, October 26, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — An immigrant teen in federal custody who was seeking an abortion over the Trump administration's objections had the procedure Wednesday after a U.S. appeals court ruled in her favor, her lawyers said.

85. Senators Push For More Online Transparency In Elections - Friday, October 20, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators are moving to boost transparency for online political ads, unveiling on Thursday what could be the first of several pieces of legislation to try to lessen influence from Russia or other foreign actors on U.S. elections.

86. Under Pressure From Congress, IRS Suspends Equifax Contract - Monday, October 16, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The IRS suspended a $7.25 million contract with the credit reporting company Equifax Friday after members of Congress complained the tax agency had awarded a no-bid contract to a company that recently had a massive data beach.

87. Steele Joins Southern Growth Studio’s Anthropology Team - Wednesday, October 11, 2017

April Steele has joined Southern Growth Studio as a business anthropologist, responsible for collecting and analyzing data to evaluate existing and potential products and services. Steele’s hire comes as the Memphis-based innovation consulting firm grows its applied anthropology practice. Using qualitative social research methods like ethnography, the anthropology team steers the innovation process, conducting primary research to distill and communicate key insights to clients.

88. Federal Regulator Clamps Down on Payday Lending Industry - Friday, October 6, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Payday and auto title lenders will have to adhere to stricter rules that could significantly curtail their business under rules finalized Thursday by a federal regulator. But the first nationwide regulation of the industry is still likely to face resistance from Congress.

89. For Memphis Libraries, ‘Start Here’ Message is Reality - Thursday, September 28, 2017

At a time when it might seem that the usefulness of public libraries is waning, they are reemerging as 21st century community hubs — democratic spaces where people from every walk of life can encounter humanity, the elusive element technology cannot conquer.

90. Public Shaming Likely but GOP Wary of New Laws After Equifax - Monday, September 25, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Prospects are good for a public shaming in the Equifax data breach, but it's unlikely Congress will institute sweeping new regulations after hackers accessed the personal information of an estimated 143 million Americans.

91. Hurricanes Deliver Pain And Important Message - Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Tens of thousands are still dealing with the floods and aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, even as at least one more storm approaches the U.S. mainland. It’s gut-wrenching to see all the devastation and havoc these storms have caused.

92. Federal Trade Commission Investigating Equifax Breach - Friday, September 15, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – The Federal Trade Commission has become the latest authority to announce an investigation into the massive security breach at credit agency Equifax.

The FTC said Thursday that it was opening an investigation into how Equifax got hacked and tens of million Americans' personal information was either accessed or stolen. Typically the FTC does not disclose who it is investigating, but the agency said the high amount of attention in this case made it necessary.

93. Action on Student Loan Forgiveness Delayed as Rules Revised - Thursday, September 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Tens of thousands of former students who say they were swindled by for-profit colleges are being left in limbo as the Trump administration delays action on requests for loan forgiveness, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

94. Memphis Small Business Landscape Stable Amid Slow Economic Growth - Saturday, September 9, 2017

While the local small-business landscape mirrors the national environment of a slowly growing economy keeping things stable, the lack of population growth is holding the Memphis area back from truly breaking out.

95. ICCC Program Attracts Local Business Owners - Thursday, August 31, 2017

More than 100 local entrepreneurs received mentoring and coaching on Tuesday, Aug. 29, to help them grow their small businesses. The Inner City Capital Connections program at the FedEx Institute of Technology on the University of Memphis campus returned after first coming to Memphis in August 2014.

96. Inner City Capital Connections Program Attracts Local Business Owners - Wednesday, August 30, 2017

More than 100 local entrepreneurs received mentoring and coaching on Tuesday, Aug. 29, to help them grow their small businesses.

The Inner City Capital Connections program at the FedEx Institute of Technology on the University of Memphis campus returned after first coming to Memphis in August 2014. The ICCC program was developed by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a nonprofit research and strategy organization.

97. Donating to Harvey Relief Efforts: How, When, What to Give - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Charities are stepping up their donation requests in the wake of Harvey, a severe, Category 4 hurricane that has devastated South Texas and could still lead to worse flooding in the days ahead.

98. Trump Prepares to Travel to Texas as State Copes With Harvey - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Monday prepared to visit Texas to view the federal government's response to Harvey's devastating flooding as his administration vowed to help the millions of residents dealing with the catastrophic storm.

99. 9/01 in the 901 - Saturday, August 26, 2017

What started as an esoteric online conversation five years ago has grown into a massive citywide event to celebrate all the best parts of the Bluff City.

Though only in its second official year, attendance is expected to be high for Exposure at 901 Day, a free event that will be held at AutoZone Park from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on, you guessed it – Sept. 1.

100. State Rejects 2nd Request from Baptist Memorial Health Care for Arlington ER - Friday, August 25, 2017

A state agency has again turned down Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp.’s application to build a free-standing emergency room in Arlington.