A big weekend to avoid the interstate with a rare closing of I-240 between the 385 split and the I-40 split and Poplar over I-240 also closed in both directions. This kicks in Friday evening and runs up to Monday morning’s rush hour as TDOT crews work to replace four bridges in East Memphis using a relatively new process in which parts of the bridges are assembled in advance and then moved into place. The bridges are both Poplar bridges, the Park Avenue bridge and the Norfolk Southern rail bridge. And this will happen all over again in about a week’s time using the same schedule, weather permitting. Weekenders on the interstate already have some experience with a milder version of this with the interstate projects on the south leg

2. I-240, Poplar Avenue To Close This Weekend - Friday, July 20, 2018

Two major Memphis thoroughfares will close this weekend as the Tennessee Department of Transportation continues working to replace a set of aging bridges in East Memphis.

Starting Friday, July 20, at 9 p.m., I-240 eastbound and westbound will be shut down from Tenn. 385 to the Interstate 40 split, while Poplar Avenue will close in both directions over the interstate. Both roads will reopen Monday, July 23, at 6 a.m.

3. NATO Insists it's United as Trump Lashes Allies Over Budgets - Friday, July 13, 2018

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO leaders pledged Thursday to stand united against foes like Russia despite a tumultuous summit that saw U.S. President Donald Trump rip into his allies for failing to boost defense spending, casting a dark cloud over the world's biggest security alliance.

4. The Week Ahead: July 9-15 - Monday, July 9, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! This week delivers a blast with some entertainment straight out of the '80s, plus your chance to tour a midcentury property in the midst of a restoration. Plus, we share what you need to know about early voting, I-240 closures, and plenty of other local happenings in The Week Ahead...

5. I-240 Project Will Replace Four Bridges - Friday, June 29, 2018

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will begin replacing a set of four 50-year-old bridges over Interstate 240 in East Memphis next month. The $54.1 million project will mean up to 12 weekends when the interstate is completely shut down from the I-40/I-240 split to the I-40/Tenn. 385 split.

6. Memfix 4 to Replace 4 Bridges with Interstate, Poplar Closures In July - Thursday, June 28, 2018

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will begin replacing as set of four 50-year old bridges over Interstate 240 in East Memphis next month in a $54.1 million project that will mean up to 12 weekends when the interstate is completely shut down from the I-40/I-240 split to the I-40/Tn 385 split.

7. Last Word: Bird Is The Word, Governors Quartet and Charlie Morris's Secret - Friday, June 15, 2018

Former Vice President Joe Biden plays the Orpheum Friday evening. Maybe that isn't the right way to put it -- unless there's a drum solo no one is talking about. Free Bird?

I'll take it as further evidence of the new American politics that is evolving and is far from settled at this point. Politicians do paid speaking gigs all the time. And at times it is controversial. But the gigs are usually some kind of speaking fee to make remarks at a corporate function -- not selling individual tickets on line. This is ostensibly to promote Biden's new book and book deals and politicians go way back. But in a lot of cases, those are free events in a book store. When Biden was last here, it was as vice president at the Norfolk Southern intermodal rail yard in Rossville.

8. Transport Safety Rules Rolled Back Under Trump - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – On a clear, dry June evening in 2015, cars and trucks rolled slowly in a herky-jerky backup ahead of an Interstate 75 construction zone in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Barreling toward them: an 18-ton tractor-trailer going about 80 mph.

9. Cooper Tire Taking 1 Million Square Feet in Gateway Global - Thursday, February 8, 2018

Ohio-based tire manufacturer Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will lease a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in Gateway Global Logistics Center in Marshall County that Newport, California-based Panattoni Development Co. broke ground on Wednesday, Feb. 7. 

10. Railroad Company Still Probing Tennessee Oil Spill Cause - Thursday, January 18, 2018

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – A Norfolk Southern Railway official says the company still doesn't know how thousands of gallons of oil ended up in the Tennessee River and Citico Creek.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press quotes company spokesperson Susan Terpay as saying spill cleanup is complete, but groups investigating last week's spill on the company's behalf are still searching for a cause.

11. Railroad Sues Over Millions of Rail Ties It Calls Defective - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

ATLANTA (AP) – One of the nation's largest railroads must replace millions of defective wooden railroad ties on its tracks because they're degrading faster than expected, the company said in a federal lawsuit.

12. Union Pacific Lays Off 500 Managers, 250 Other Rail Workers - Thursday, August 17, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Union Pacific is laying off 500 managers and 250 other workers to save about $110 million annually and eliminate about 8 percent of the railroad's managers.

The railroad told the affected workers Wednesday that their jobs will be eliminated by mid-September.

13. Panattoni Moving Forward With Phase Two of Industrial Park - Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Since it first broke ground in 2014, Panattoni Development Co.’s Gateway Global Logistics Center has delivered 4.4 million square feet of industrial facilities, $276 million in investment and almost 700 jobs to a formerly vacuous tract of land spanning the Tennessee-Mississippi border.

14. Immigration Order Playing Well to Trump's Fans Around Nation - Wednesday, February 1, 2017

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – President Donald Trump's order temporarily banning refugees and immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries is playing well in Trump Country, those places that propelled him to the White House.

15. Industrial Real Estate Competition Heats Up Between DeSoto, Marshall - Saturday, October 29, 2016

A North Mississippi industrial park more than 10 years in the making is reaching the finish line. By next May, Hillwood Investment Co. will wrap construction on a 947,000-square-foot warehouse on the final parcel in the DeSoto Trade Center.

16. Music, Rec Facilities in the Works at U of M - Friday, September 23, 2016

The Tennessee Board of Regents is helping pave the way for the University of Memphis to build a $44 million on-campus music center instead of an already approved biochemistry and biology building.

The TBR has granted the U of M’s request to substitute the music center building project for an earlier request to build a $36 million biochemistry and biology building. Coming in at 40,000 square feet, the music center would be located along Central Avenue, near the school’s Holiday Inn. The request was granted at the Tennessee Board of Regents’ quarterly meeting in Chattanooga Sept. 15-16.

17. Last Word: The Sound of Dominoes, Brexit Anxiety and Schilling Farms Backstory - Tuesday, July 26, 2016

The Memphis Newspaper Guild makes it official – filing grievances against Gannett, the new owner of The Commercial Appeal, over the first significant changes in how the paper is put out. Those changes involve abolishing copy editing positions and making them part of the new job of digital producers.

18. Land Bridge Project Could Transform Entire University of Memphis Area - Saturday, July 23, 2016

The official planning phase has begun for the much anticipated $33 million University of Memphis land bridge, which will safely connect two sides of the university that are currently split by the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and Southern Avenue.

19. Storied University of Memphis Railroad Right Of Way To Become Safer, Greener - Saturday, July 9, 2016

When classes resume at the University of Memphis in August, the unofficial campus tradition of crossing the railroad tracks along Southern Avenue will change.

Students on foot will no longer be able to cross just anywhere along the 2,000 feet of track between Patterson and Zach Curlin.

20. Canadian Pacific Says Railroads Will Need Mergers in Future - Thursday, April 21, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The CEO of Canadian Pacific still thinks railroad mergers are needed if the industry is to handle more freight, even after the company's bid for Norfolk Southern crumbled under stiff resistance.

21. Canadian Pacific Ends Bid to Buy Norfolk Southern - Tuesday, April 12, 2016

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Canadian Pacific said Monday that it is ending its nearly $30 billion takeover bid for Norfolk Southern, less than six months after it offered to buy the rival railroad.

22. The Moving Election - Saturday, February 27, 2016

The Trump balloons were a late arrival to the Shelby County Republican party’s annual Lincoln Day Gala, the local party’s largest annual fundraiser.

They were an unsubtle accent in a room of 500 people where unabashed hand-to-hand campaigning kept the buzz of conversation at a steady level for most of the evening.

23. Biden Praises Benefits of 2009 Stimulus Package at Rail Yard - Friday, February 19, 2016

For 36 years Vice President Joe Biden was an Amtrak train commuter, traveling an estimated 2 million miles in his daily trips to Washington D.C. as a U.S. senator from Delaware.

So when he arrived at the Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility in Rossville Wednesday, Feb. 17, Biden’s photo-op with workers at the Norfolk Southern rail yard before his speech became a long walk to the podium.

24. Last Word: 901Fest, First Tennessee Sues Pinnacle and EDGE Responds - Thursday, February 18, 2016

U of M Tigers 73 – UCF Knights 56 at FedExForum and on ESPN Wednesday evening.

As that was underway, Vice President Joe Biden was on his way out of the Memphis area after a visit to the Norfolk Southern intermodal facility in Rossville.
Here’s the basic web story account from Wednesday evening of Biden’s visit which comes on the seventh anniversary of the enactment of the federal stimulus act.
More on the larger themes in the visit and three-city tour by Biden in the print version that hits online Thursday afternoon.

25. Biden Touts Stimulus In Stop At Rossville Intermodal Facility - Thursday, February 18, 2016

Vice President Joe Biden came to the Norfolk Southern intermodal yard in Rossville Wednesday, Feb. 17, to tout the seven-year old economic stimulus act and push for continued public investment in roads as well as railways.

26. Memphis to Host Back-to-Back Transportation Conferences - Saturday, December 5, 2015

On Thursday, Dec. 10, Memphis’ status as a logistics hub and its future in inner-city transportation will be debated.

The University of Memphis will be hosting two back-to-back free conferences at the FedEx Institute of Technology. The Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute will host its ninth annual conference, dubbed The State of Freight, from 7:30 a.m. to noon, and the newly established University of Memphis Design Collaborative will host the Workforce to Work Transportation Summit from noon to 4:30 p.m.

27. Collierville Sites Being Groomed to Attract Industrial Development - Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Cartwright Farms in the Collierville Commerce Center is a 165-acre lot well positioned for new industrial activity.

It has the infrastructure and utilities capability. It is served by U.S. 72, which just underwent a $20 million five-lane expansion. It’s shovel-ready. It’s one of the largest pieces of Collierville’s 500 acres zoned industrial. All it needs is a little statewide attention.

28. Koonce Joins Sedgwick Client Services - Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. has added K. Max Koonce II as senior vice president of client services for its casualty retail business unit. Koonce, an attorney by trade, comes to Sedgwick from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where he was senior director of risk management. He simultaneously served as president of Claims Management Inc., Wal-Mart’s wholly owned third-party administrator.

29. New Industrial Market Takes Hold in Marshall, Fayette Counties - Saturday, December 13, 2014

In November, Volvo began operations at its new parts distribution center in Marshall County, Miss.

The 1 million-square-foot distribution center inside Panattoni Development Co.’s Gateway Global Logistics Center is the centerpiece of the company’s streamlined North American parts distribution network and helped solidify the Marshall County and Fayette County, Tenn., region as a major player in local industrial real estate.

30. West Coast Strife Persists and Local Impact Remains Elusive - Saturday, December 6, 2014

Labor strife on West Coast docks isn't going to steal Christmas in Memphis, but it is having an impact locally, according to industry officials. But just how deep that impact cuts remains to be seen.

31. Norfolk Southern CEO Says Rail Mergers Won't Work - Thursday, October 23, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Norfolk Southern Corp.'s CEO doesn't think railroad mergers are a good idea even if regulators might approve one.

32. Canadian Pacific CEO Says Rail Deal Possible - Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The CEO of Canadian Pacific thinks U.S. regulators would approve a well-structured railroad merger, but nothing is planned now that talks with CSX ended.

CEO Hunter Harrison said during a conference call Tuesday he doesn't agree with the view that the Surface Transportation Board wouldn't approve any merger.

33. Canadian Pacific Ends CSX Deal Talks - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Canadian Pacific Railway has ended talks with U.S. counterpart CSX about a possible combination and plans no more discussions.

The railway operator did not say on Monday why it ended talks, but it did note in a brief statement that regulatory concerns appear to be a major deterrent for railroads considering combinations.

34. Events - Saturday, October 4, 2014

The Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the grand opening of Memphis Central Station on Saturday, Oct. 4, with an 11 a.m. ceremony and free events from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can tour the Amtrak Exhibit Train, a Norfolk Southern Railroad exhibit car and a Canadian National freight locomotive cab. Visit mrtm.org.

35. Events - Friday, October 3, 2014

The Circuit Playhouse will present “The Fantasticks” Friday, Oct. 3, to Oct. 26, at the theater, 51 S. Cooper St. Buy tickets at playhouseonthesquare.com.

36. ‘Swamp Rat’ Remembers Last Tennessee-Oklahoma Game - Saturday, September 13, 2014

University of Tennessee quarterback Dewey “Swamp Rat” Warren stood on the field during a timeout with a few seconds left in the Jan. 1, 1968 Orange Bowl.

Warren was the holder for UT place-kicker Karl Kremser, who lined up for a 43-yard field goal attempt against Oklahoma. The Sooners led, 26-24.

37. Rail House Roots - Thursday, August 21, 2014

Editor’s note: This is the third in a three-part series. “Rail house” is a term that businesses – especially restaurants and bars – near train tracks, or with railroad motifs, use in their names.

38. Marshall County in Running for Cummins Jobs - Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Add the burgeoning industrial area in Marshall County, Miss., to the list of communities competing for a significant chunk of the Cummins Inc. jobs that are currently in Memphis.

39. Bourland Heflin to Expand, Renovate Poplar Home - Friday, May 16, 2014

A Memphis law firm is expanding its East Memphis office and improving public areas for clients and visitors.

Bourland Heflin Alvarez Minor & Matthews PLC renewed and expanded its lease in the 5400 Poplar Ave. office building.

40. Volvo Group’s Byhalia Facility to Employ 250 - Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Volvo Group will build a massive new distribution center in Byhalia, Miss., that should employ around 250 people.

The 1 million-square-foot distribution center will support the company’s Mack, Volvo and UD truck brands, as well as Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Penta. 

41. City Pension Change Outlined for 2015 - Thursday, March 20, 2014

The administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. made its formal proposal of a “long-term solution” and change in the city’s pension plan to a 401(k) style plan this week with specific terms Wharton has long said would be included.

42. Full Steam Ahead - Monday, January 27, 2014

A burgeoning distribution and logistics market for the Mid-South is taking root in the rich Delta soil in Marshall County, Miss., and Fayette County, Tenn.

Industrial developers and their tenants, lured by the availability of large tracts of land, major infrastructure enhancements, a new intermodal facility and friendly, focused public policy, are increasingly targeting the area.

43. Full Steam Ahead - Saturday, January 25, 2014

A burgeoning distribution and logistics market for the Mid-South is taking root in the rich Delta soil in Marshall County, Miss., and Fayette County, Tenn.

Industrial developers and their tenants, lured by the availability of large tracts of land, major infrastructure enhancements, a new intermodal facility and friendly, focused public policy, are increasingly targeting the area.

44. Panattoni’s Speculative Warehouse Underway - Friday, October 18, 2013

In industrial development news, construction on Panattoni Development Co.’s speculative industrial building in Marshall County, Miss., is progressing.

45. Logistics Limelight - Saturday, October 5, 2013

World-renowned as a logistics and distribution hub, Memphis will further raise its profile this month with events that showcase the city’s transportation assets and standing in the global economy.

46. Suburbs See Different Sales Tax Realities - Tuesday, July 23, 2013

While Shelby County and city of Memphis government leaders have grappled with the loss of property value and its impact on the property tax rates for both governments, suburban leaders have a different reality.

47. Bumper Crop - Saturday, July 13, 2013

Unless you see the signs, it is hard to tell when you have crossed the Tennessee-Mississippi state line where Fayette County, Tenn., meets Marshall County, Miss., not too far from the southern city limits of Collierville.

48. Riding the Rails - Thursday, April 18, 2013

By some estimates, America’s railroad companies are in the midst of the largest investment boom since the Gilded Age – when America’s railroad track mileage tripled between 1860 and 1880.

This year, North American’s freight railroads plan to invest $24.5 billion in intermodal terminals, new track, bridges and tunnels, safety equipment and rail cars, according to the Association of American Railroads.

49. Mo’ Money Fraud Sparks Fed Shutdown Effort - Friday, April 12, 2013

Less than a week before the April 15 federal tax-filing deadline, U.S. Justice Department attorneys from Washington went to Memphis federal court seeking to shut down a Memphis-based company that operates five tax preparation companies.

50. Southern Steam Locomotive Trips Planned for Spring - Thursday, February 7, 2013

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – Norfolk Southern is partnering with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society to host steam locomotive excursion trips in 2013.

51. Events - Monday, February 4, 2013

The University of Memphis will screen “Duty of the Hour,” a documentary about Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks Monday, Feb. 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the Michael D. Rose Theatre on campus, 470 University St. Cost is free. Visit memphis.edu.

52. Events - Saturday, February 2, 2013

Nike Inc. will host construction symposiums for locally owned small, women-owned and minority businesses Thursday, Feb. 7, and Friday, Feb. 8, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the U of M Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N. Front St. Attendees will learn about construction opportunities at Nike’s Memphis expansion. R.S.V.P. to Brenda Montgomery at bmontgomery@memphischamber.com or 543-3500.

53. Archer-Malmo Grows Again With Lease Expansion - Friday, February 1, 2013

Archer-malmo has inked an additional 3,000 square feet in the Cotton Exchange Building, bringing its total footprint in the historic 12-story Downtown tower to 41,277 square feet across six floors.

54. ‘Memphis Enthusiast’ Ham Honored by Advertising Federation - Monday, January 28, 2013

Phrases used to describe Cynthia Ham at the Thursday, Jan. 24, American Advertising Federation Memphis meeting included “the Memphis enthusiast,” “the art-aholic,” “the hostess/entertainer,” “a local celebrity” and even “a pushy broad.”

55. ‘Memphis Enthusiast’ Ham Honored by Advertising Federation - Friday, January 25, 2013

Phrases used to describe Cynthia Ham at the Thursday, Jan. 24, American Advertising Federation Memphis meeting included “the Memphis enthusiast,” “the art-aholic,” “the hostess/entertainer,” “a local celebrity” and even “a pushy broad.”

56. Rail Yard Renews Higher Education Effort in Somerville - Monday, January 14, 2013

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.

Leaders in Somerville, the county seat, launched the drive for a 26,000-square-foot “Fayette County Higher Education Center” in September. There has been general discussion for such a center the last two years.

57. Norfolk Southern Increases Activity - Friday, January 4, 2013

Norfolk, Va.-based Norfolk Southern Corp. expects to continue increasing operations this year at its new Memphis Regional Intermodal Terminal in Rossville, just east of Collierville.

58. Trains Carrying More Oil Across US Amid Boom - Wednesday, January 2, 2013

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Energy companies behind the oil boom on the Northern Plains are increasingly turning to an industrial-age workhorse – the locomotive – to move their crude to refineries across the U.S., as plans for new pipelines stall and existing lines can't keep up with demand.

59. ‘Banner Year’ for Logistics Industry - Friday, December 28, 2012

Positive momentum far outweighed the negative in the local logistics and distribution industry during 2012, as city officials and business leaders continued elevating Memphis’s status as world logistics hub.

60. Fayette, Marshall Prep for Ambitious Industrial - Monday, December 17, 2012

With Norfolk Southern Corp.’s Memphis Regional Intermodal Terminal now operational in Rossville and a pair of large-scale industrial manufacturing buildings under way in the area, stakeholders say the future is bright for the region.

61. Urban Land Institute: Memphis Recovering Slowly, Behind Nashville - Thursday, December 6, 2012

Memphis’ economy and commercial real estate industry is recovering, but not as fast as other places – like Nashville.

That was the message local professionals heard Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Urban Land Institute Memphis’ 2013 Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South.

62. Norfolk, CB Richard Ellis Memphis Executives Tout Intermodal Yard - Friday, November 9, 2012

Norfolk Southern Corp.’s most ambitious intermodal terminal to date, the $105 million, 380-acre Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility in Rossville, is making steady progress toward becoming a driving force for industrial development in Tennessee and Mississippi.

63. Rail Yard Opens In Rossville - Friday, July 27, 2012

Those in the logistics industry have known since the end of June, but Norfolk Southern Corp.’s Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility at Rossville had its soft opening earlier this month.

64. Analysis: Loss to Saint Louis Ends Tigers’ Dreams of Deep NCAA Run - Monday, March 19, 2012

Anything can happen in the NCAA Tournament. See No. 15 seed Norfolk State beating No. 2 seed Missouri. See No. 15 seed Lehigh beating No. 2 seed Duke.

In the same day.

So if you want to frame the Memphis Tigers’ 61-54 loss to Saint Louis University as unexpected, surprising, crazy, an upset, you can do that.

65. The Right Place - Thursday, March 1, 2012

When people think of Memphis, they might picture an aerial shot of Downtown – skyscrapers, The Pyramid and all.

But Andy Cates’ view of Memphis is different. He sees the city’s “dirty, industrial real estate.”

66. 'In the Middle' - Friday, December 30, 2011

Memphis executives and business owners moving their goods around the world this year kept a close eye on international developments like the Arab spring and the Greek government’s fiscal crisis.

67. Railroads Avert Looming Strike - Monday, December 5, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Railroads have cleared a major hurdle as the industry averted a looming strike, paving the way for growth ahead, analysts said Friday.

The freight rail industry announced late Thursday it has settled labor disputes with two unions and agreed to extend talks with a third. Without the agreements, the railway unions could have launched a strike as early as Tuesday, when a federal "cooling off" period was set to expire. The agreements came just hours after Republican House leaders said they would move to vote Friday on emergency legislation to prevent a work stoppage.

68. Railroads Avert Looming Strike - Friday, December 2, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Railroads have cleared a major hurdle as the industry averted a looming strike, paving the way for growth ahead, analysts said Friday.

The freight rail industry announced late Thursday it has settled labor disputes with two unions and agreed to extend talks with a third. Without the agreements, the railway unions could have launched a strike as early as Tuesday, when a federal "cooling off" period was set to expire. The agreements came just hours after Republican House leaders said they would move to vote Friday on emergency legislation to prevent a work stoppage.

69. Adair Discusses Grand Vision for Piperton - Friday, November 11, 2011

Proving naysayers wrong has become a hobby of William Adair’s.

When the Collierville native and his wife started Direct General Insurance Co. in 1991, it had six employees. Twelve years later, the firm had 520 offices across 13 states, was competing with State Farm and Allstate, and “all of the things that couldn’t be done were getting done,” he said.

70. Norfolk Southern Q3 Profit, Revenue Rise - Thursday, October 27, 2011

DALLAS (AP) — Freight railroad Norfolk Southern says third-quarter profit rose 24 percent on higher rates.

Net income was $554 million, or $1.59 per share, compared with $445 million, or $1.19 per share, a year earlier.

71. Continental Shift - Monday, October 17, 2011

After a 15-year transformation from a government operated east-west railroad network to a privately owned company with a North American reach, Canadian National Railway Co. is positioning itself as a logistics “enabler.”

72. Mississippi Muscle - Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Since the 1950s, Memphis has been building industrial space for users to benefit from the city’s transportation amenities, which now includes five Class 1 railroads, several interstate highways, the nation’s fourth-busiest inland waterway port and the world’s second-largest cargo airport.

73. Region Sees Logistics Assets Grow - Monday, August 22, 2011

Change is afoot with the area’s transportation and logistics industries. New developments in the region – from a proposed third bridge spanning the Mississippi River to a new multimillion-dollar intermodal facility – should keep transportation and logistics as the area’s bread-and-butter businesses.

74. Norfolk Southern's Q2 Profit Jumps 42 Percent - Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Railroad Norfolk Southern says its second-quarter earnings jumped as higher revenue offset a 60 percent increase in fuel costs.

The Norfolk, Va., company said Tuesday that net income totaled $557 million, or $1.56 per share, compared with $392 million, or $1.04 per share, a year ago.

75. Bridging the Gap - Friday, July 8, 2011

Between now and the end of the year, transportation planners in the tri-state area and beyond will round up the final work product that will go into the preliminary search for a new Mississippi River bridge at or near Memphis.

76. Railroads Reach Tentative Deal With Largest Union - Tuesday, May 3, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The major U.S. freight railroads have reached a tentative five-year deal with their largest union, which represents 38,000 workers.

The deal between the railroads' National Carriers' Conference Committee and the United Transportation Union, whose members include brakemen and conductors, was announced Monday. The UTU represents roughly one-third of all rail workers.

77. Fayette Norfolk Southern Work Begins - Monday, May 2, 2011

Tennessee state Sen. Delores Gresham compared it to Friday’s royal wedding. “This beats any royal wedding,” the Fayette County legislator said from beneath a white tent on a leveled dirt field where the Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility in Rossville is being built.

78. New Plants Bode Well for Industrial Sector - Monday, March 7, 2011

Although the overall commercial real estate market is soft, Memphis’ industrial sector appears to be gathering more steam than any other category.

With the arrival of such large projects like the Electrolux and Mitsubishi plants and Norfolk Southern Corp.’s new Fayette County intermodal yard, industry professionals hope ancillary business will bolster the industrial market by sparking new development, attracting new investors and enhancing the area’s economy.

79. 2011 CRE Outlook Cautiously Optimistic - Monday, February 21, 2011

Optimism is in the eye of the beholder in the commercial real estate industry. In a city plagued with high vacancies and scarce speculative development, investors have Memphis on its radar – and Memphis should too.

80. We’re in Good Company - Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Memphis often gets a bad rap. So many people want to focus on negatives, and that simply breeds more negativity. From my perspective, the Memphis market is a uniquely great place to live and do business. Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so. FedEx, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, AutoZone, International Paper, Conwood, Smuckers, Asics, Nucor and Electrolux – all are major corporations either headquartered here or choosing to have major manufacturing or distribution centers here.

81. Norfolk Yard Finally Set to Commence - Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Norfolk Southern Corp. has a busy year ahead as it finally begins preparations for a $112 million project that will create jobs, increase rail capacity and reduce highway traffic congestion in the Memphis area.

82. Mississippi EPA Sues Railroad for $34 Million - Tuesday, January 4, 2011

South Mississippi Electric Power Association has sued Norfolk Southern Railway Co. for $34 million, claiming the railroad uses a monopoly over coal delivery to inflate costs.

83. Memphis Stands Tall as Logistics Industry Struggles - Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Although the aftermath of the recession was palpable across all industry sectors in 2010, Memphis continued to prove its status as a critical logistics and distribution center.

The year came to a close with a milestone in economic development when Swedish manufacturer Electrolux said it will build a $190 million manufacturing plant on 800 acres of land in the Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park in southwest Memphis.

84. Norfolk Southern Q3 Profit Soars as Shipments Rise - Thursday, October 28, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Norfolk Southern Corp. said Wednesday that a slowly improving economy, cost controls and higher prices drove third-quarter earnings up 47 percent.

85. 'User Friendly' - Tuesday, October 19, 2010

With significant commercial real estate progress in 2010, DeSoto County’s stamina has no end in sight, industry professionals say.

DeSoto County is similar to that of other areas with a handful of submarkets that continue to do well and bolster the rest of the region. One of the county’s most prominent firms, Chuck Roberts Commercial Real Estate, has seen thriving submarkets that are located just a few miles from struggling ones.

86. Congress to Examine Trickle Down of Rail Rates - Thursday, September 16, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) – Congress is taking a closer look at the growing profits of the nation's railroads and the price hikes for their customers that may trickle down to consumers.

In a report released Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee says higher rates for rail transportation are putting undue pressure on customers who don't have an alternative way to ship their goods. Those customers, called captive shippers, are mostly electric utilities, chemical and agricultural companies. Higher transportation rates for them can mean higher energy and grocery bills for consumers.

87. Mallory Alexander Opens NY Office - Friday, August 13, 2010

Memphis-based Mallory Alexander International Logistics has opened an office in New York state, its 23rd worldwide branch, the company announced Thursday.

The privately held, longtime third-party logistics firm (3PL) teamed with Charles Kendall Freight of London to open a branch in Inwood, N.Y., a small town in Nassau County just outside New York City.

88. Citizens Question Rail Terminal’s Environmental Impact - Wednesday, August 4, 2010

What began as a tame public hearing Monday night turned contentious as concerned citizens pounced on a chief environmental issue surrounding Norfolk Southern Corp.’s proposed intermodal facility in Rossville.

89. Norfolk Southern Almost Ready To Break Ground - Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Norfolk Southern Corp. is about to clear the final hurdle needed to begin work on its Rossville intermodal terminal, where cargo containers will be transferred between trucks and trains.

90. Pinnacle Weighing Options for HQ Relocation - Monday, July 19, 2010

Pinnacle Airline Corp.’s pending headquarters relocation marks the second time in little more than a year that a transportation company has mulled over where to move a significant part of its operation.

91. Realizing Dreams - Tuesday, July 6, 2010

William Adair’s quad-cab, four-wheel-drive pickup truck is splattered with mud. The office where he parks it out back, a converted country home at the corner of Tenn. 196 and U.S. 72, is littered with maps.

92. BNSF Opens New Rail Yard Site After Finishing Upgrades - Thursday, April 22, 2010

Memphis has long been a railroad town.

The city’s central location and the availability of other transport modes like the Mississippi River made it a popular choice with Class I railroads, five of which now have extensive intermodal and switching operations here.

93. MPO to Kick Off Imagine 2035 Public Phase - Wednesday, April 14, 2010

An initiative designed to give citizens and communities input in the region’s future transportation needs will reach a critical milestone next week with the first round of its public meeting phase.

94. The Road Ahead - Thursday, April 1, 2010

Hardly anyone refers to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by its official name. They instead abbreviate it as “ARRA,” or more commonly, call it the “stimulus plan.”

No matter its acronym or moniker, the landmark legislation approved by Congress last year pledged $787 billion in tax cuts and funding – and promised to spark the U.S. economy.

95. Water Contamination From Norfolk Site Almost a Certainty - Monday, March 8, 2010

News came recently that Norfolk Southern Corp. will receive $105 million in federal stimulus money. It was reported that $52.5 million of the taxpayer funds will be used to build the company’s new Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility in Fayette County between Rossville and Piperton on the former Twin Hill Ranch.

96. Rail Yard Backers Tout Economic Benefits - Monday, March 8, 2010

Ahost of heavy hitters back Norfolk Southern Corp.’s plan for a $112 million intermodal facility in Fayette County, but many of those in the private sector declined to comment here.

97. Intermodal Yard Points to Larger Questions About Fayette’s Future - Monday, March 8, 2010

The Piperton-Rossville area of Fayette County will change and the central question is how.

But that’s not the only question to consider as Norfolk Southern works to assemble another $28.5 million in financing for its $112 million intermodal yard.

98. The Cost of Progress - Monday, March 8, 2010

The development of Norfolk Southern Corp.’s $112 million intermodal yard on a former cattle ranch in Fayette County has polarized the community for more than a year.

99. Norfolk Yard Lands Federal Dollars - Thursday, February 18, 2010

Norfolk Southern Corp.’s plan to build a $112 million intermodal facility in neighboring Rossville received a major boost today with the announcement that it would receive $105 million in federal stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program.

100. Norfolk Yard Lands Federal Dollars - Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Norfolk Southern Corp.’s plan to build a $112 million intermodal facility in neighboring Rossville received a major boost today with the announcement that it would receive $105 million in federal stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program.