Memphis in May International Festival is adding four members to its board of directors for the 2019 festival.

They are Dow McVean, principal of McVean Trading and Investments; Al Gossett, president and CEO of Gossett Motor Cars; Ron Cohen, territory account manager for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Pat Kerr Tigrett, chairwoman, president and CEO of Pat Kerr Inc. and a past Memphis in May board member.

2. Memphis in May Adds Four to Festival Board - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Memphis in May International Festival is adding four members to its board of directors for the 2019 festival.

They are Dow McVean, principal of McVean Trading and Investments; Al Gossett, president and CEO of Gossett Motor Cars; Ron Cohen, territory account manager for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Pat Kerr Tigrett, chairwoman, president and CEO of Pat Kerr Inc. and a past Memphis in May board member.

3. Election Verdict - Thursday, August 2, 2018

A week into the early voting period, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen was quizzing Democratic nominee for Shelby County mayor Lee Harris about the path of Harris’ campaign to election day. The race between Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir was already getting dicey, with Lenoir’s attacks on Harris continuing at their debates and moving into mailers, including a controversial mailer featuring a picture of Harris that was noticeably darker than Harris is in real life.

4. Early Opening - Friday, July 13, 2018

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 2 Election Day opens Friday, July 13, at five locations across Shelby County. On Tuesday, 22 additional sites will be open through July 28. Between the Shelby County Election Commission and Chancery Court there were three other sets of early-voting locations and hours in a three-week period before Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins signed off Tuesday afternoon on a fourth set.

5. Last Word: Storms and Birds, Sizing the MPD and Plans for Early Voting's Opening - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Very dark skies Monday afternoon over parts of the city. I could be off in this but I think there is a connection to these sudden summer rain showers that we need to consider. I think they line up very closely with areas where you cannot find a Bird scooter or at least not one that is fully charged. Then again it could just be me.

6. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Deadline - Monday, April 9, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

7. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, April 6, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

8. Last Word: Night in the Park, Hattiloo Goes Bigger & Cohen on the Republican Soul - Tuesday, August 15, 2017

A gathering in Health Science Park a little before 11:30 Monday evening by a group of protesters who Facebooked that their intent was to take down the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Memphis Police showed up quickly and the police supervisor told those around the statue that the park is a private park and that no one can be in the park after 8 p.m. No arrests but the police did ask for identification from those in the park.

9. Last Word: Valero Protest Arrests, Anticipating Trump's Impact & Saving Booksellers - Tuesday, January 17, 2017

A busy King holiday weekend that reflects what the week as a whole will probably be like at least politically. The weather is anyone’s guess. A group of about 40 people protested at the entrance to the Valero refinery in South Memphis Monday afternoon and a dozen were arrested by Memphis police.

10. Norris, Others Take Next Step After Election - Tuesday, November 15, 2016

State Senate Republican leader Mark Norris of Collierville ran for re-election this year the way just about any incumbent prefers to run – unopposed.

11. Last Word: Underperforming At the Polls, Tenoke Plans and Poverty in Cordova - Thursday, November 10, 2016

Still parsing election numbers, although 24 hours after the polls closed in Shelby County, the Election Commission was still counting absentee ballots.

Here is a statewide perspective from Associated Press.

12. Study Leads to Broader Call for Business Ties - Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Rodney Strong, CEO of the Atlanta law and public policy firm Griffin and Strong that authored city government’s latest disparity study on minority contracting, didn’t come to talk about the study last week when he spoke to a room of 40 African-American civic and business leaders.

13. Last Word: The Wiseacre Deal, City Hall Goes To Pot and TEDx Memphis - Wednesday, August 24, 2016

That was quick. Less than a week to come up with lease terms between the city and Wiseacre Brewing for the Mid-South Coliseum including a due diligence period that is the first order of business.

14. August Primaries Feature Intra-Party Challenges - Monday, April 11, 2016

Two years after a disastrous slate of races for countywide offices, there is a move among younger Democratic partisans in Memphis to shake up the Democrats who represent the city in the Tennessee Legislature.

15. 8th Congressional District Primaries Draw 22 Contenders, 13 Republican - Friday, April 8, 2016

The Republican primary race to fill the 8th District Congressional seat Republican incumbent Stephen Fincher is giving up drew a field of 13 contenders – seven from Shelby County and four from Jackson, Tennessee – at the Thursday, April 7, noon filing deadline for the Aug. 4 ballot.

16. Last Word: The Curtain Falls in Nashville, Political Cuneiform and Ramsey Talks - Thursday, March 31, 2016

And in less than a half hour Wednesday, the de-annexation drama that should qualify as the political equivalent of a Netflix binge-watchable television series made just for Memphis was done.

17. Minority Leader Harris Confident Even on Wrong Side of Supermajority - Thursday, February 4, 2016

Lee Harris says he ran for state Senate because he felt Memphis could do better on Capitol Hill, defeating Ophelia Ford in 2014.

18. Last Word: New Minority Business Numbers, The House Affair and The Heights - Friday, January 29, 2016

The recently revived discussion on minority business in Memphis is about to go back on the front burner again. Fueling the intensity are new U.S. Census numbers. They show the percentage of business receipts in Memphis produced by black-owned businesses has dropped since the 2007 census numbers showed a 1.08 percent share of those receipts by black-owned businesses. That in a city whose population is 63 percent African-American.
The drop to below one percent is even though the overall receipts in 2012 were higher than they were in 2007.
Madeline Faber is the first to report the new numbers as part of a cover story in our weekly, The Memphis News, that will be on the streets and in the racks Saturday, on-line Friday afternoon.
The numbers are such a telling story and such an important indicator that we broke it out as its own story in advance of the cover story.

19. Last Word: Legislature's Return, Uber Pilot, Minivan Comeback and Bowie's Exit - Tuesday, January 12, 2016

The gavel falls in Nashville.
The Tennessee legislature is back in session Tuesday. This is an election year session for the legislature. So it will be short – likely an early April adjournment. But that doesn’t mean the session is without expectations from outside Nashville.

20. After a Year of Triumphs and Defeats, Haslam Looks Ahead - Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Eight days into 2015, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam formally set a special session of the Tennessee legislature for February on his Insure Tennessee plan, a Medicaid expansion Haslam negotiated with the Obama administration.

21. Corker Says Visa Waivers a Bigger Risk Than Refugees - Thursday, December 17, 2015

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker says he believes the nation needs to stop admitting Syrian refugees until security problems are solved, but the nation’s “bigger risk” in letting terrorists slip into the country lies with the nation’s Visa Waiver Program.

22. If Fear Is Goal, Terrorists Have Won in Tennessee - Thursday, November 26, 2015

The terrorists who struck Paris three weeks ago succeeded in more than killing and wounding hundreds of people. Their attack is pitting Americans against each other in how to respond, and Tennessee politicians are no exception.

23. Trolleys Will Stage a South Main Comeback - Saturday, November 21, 2015

Memphis trolleys are on track to return to South Main. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced Thursday, Nov. 12, that the Memphis Area Transit Authority had received a $2.6 million federal grant to purchase three new electric rail trolleys.

24. Trolleys Will Stage a South Main Comeback - Friday, November 13, 2015

Memphis trolleys are on track to return to South Main. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced Thursday, Nov. 12, that the Memphis Area Transit Authority had received a $2.6 million federal grant to purchase three new electric rail trolleys.

25. Haslam's Insure Tennessee Health Plan Fails in Legislature - Thursday, February 5, 2015

Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to extend health coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans has failed during a special legislative session.

The Senate Health Committee defeated the Republican governor's Insure Tennessee plan Wednesday on a 7-4 vote.

26. One Percent - Saturday, January 24, 2015

Majority and minority are volatile terms in Memphis.

Using them in a context outside race requires an explanation because without that, the assumption is the terms are being used in a racial context.

27. Building a Framework - Friday, December 5, 2014

Moving the needle on minority business growth in Memphis is in a phase of knitting and prodding six months after a renewed call for a larger share of business for minority businesses in a city whose population is majority African-American.

28. Political Leaders Weigh In on Ebola Prep - Tuesday, October 21, 2014

There is the medical response to the potential of an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. And then there is the political response to the possibility of such an outbreak.

And health care professionals tend to stick to the medical response and leave the political response to those who are elected.

29. Memphian Walter Nominated to TVA Board - Saturday, September 6, 2014

The Tennessee Valley Authority board would include two Memphians with the appointment of Ron Walter to the board.

30. Walter Nominated to TVA Board - Monday, September 1, 2014

The Tennessee Valley Authority board would include two Memphians with the appointment of Ron Walter to the board.

31. Obama Nominates WREG President to TVA Board - Friday, August 29, 2014

President Barack Obama has nominated Ron Walter, president and general manager of WREG-TV, to the Tennessee Valley Authority board.

32. Election Commission Certifies August Vote - Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Shelby County Election Commission certified the August election results Monday, Aug. 25, at the beginning of a week that includes an early oath of office for those elected to county offices on the ballot.

33. Cohen Prevails, Incumbents Dominate - Friday, August 8, 2014

Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen held off Thursday, Aug. 7, the most serious electoral challenge he’s faced since winning the Congressional seat in 2006, in the form of attorney Ricky E. Wilkins.

34. Cohen, Luttrell, Weirich, Harris Take Early Vote - Friday, August 8, 2014

Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen has taken the early vote over challenger Ricky Wilkins in the hard fought Democratic Congressional primary on Thursday’s Shelby County election ballot.

35. Supreme Court Justices Rally in Court Square - Thursday, August 7, 2014

The three Tennessee Supreme Court justices on the Thursday, Aug. 4, ballot spent the day before the election campaigning in Memphis for retention.

Chief Justice Gary Wade and Justices Cornelia Clark and Sharon Lee are countering a well-financed campaign by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and others, urging voters to vote against retaining the three justices.

36. Early Voting Draws 673 in First Weekend - Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Democratic political leaders and candidates put a lot of emphasis this past weekend on a strong start to the early voting period in advance of the Aug. 7 elections.

The early voting period opened Friday, July 18, with three Tennessee Supreme Court justices in town as well to campaign for retention in their nonpartisan races at the bottom of the ballot.

37. Early Vote Expands as Campaigns Enter New Phase - Monday, July 21, 2014

There is a unique and persistent part of the political process that gnaws at candidates, separating them from the voters they court and sometimes stalk. You might call it the day of the ballot.

In the weeks leading up to the start of early voting, they get hit up constantly by those putting out endorsement ballots to be distributed during early voting and on election day, most often by paid poll workers. Candidates must pay to be on a ballot, which those organizing the ballots say is necessary to cover printing and distribution costs.

38. August’s ‘Big Ballot’ Awaits County’s Voters - Wednesday, May 7, 2014

With the unofficial results in the Shelby County primary elections in, get ready for the “big ballot.”

The candidates who won the Democratic and Republican primaries in Tuesday’s elections advance to the August ballot where they will join a much larger group of candidates and races that once every eight years produce the largest ballot of any election cycle in Shelby County politics.

39. Wal-Mart and Wild Oats Unveil Cheaper Organic Line - Friday, April 11, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) – Wal-Mart is using its massive size to drive down the price of organic food items from tomato paste to chicken broth to make them more affordable for its low-income customers.

40. Harris Files Ford Challenge at Deadline - Thursday, April 3, 2014

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris is challenging Democratic state Sen. Ophelia Ford in the August primary for District 29, the Senate seat held by a member of the Ford family since 1975.

41. Call Center ‘Gratifying’ for Local Office Sector - Friday, January 24, 2014

Conduit Global’s announcement this week that it is locating a call center in Shelby County that will employ 1,000 people was a breath of fresh air for local office real estate professionals.

42. Hats in the Ring - Friday, January 3, 2014

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will be seeking a second term as governor, and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander will be running for re-election – both starting with the Aug. 7 statewide primaries that open for filing Friday, Jan. 3.

43. Possible TennCare Expansion Still Work in Progress - Friday, November 15, 2013

The Tennessee lieutenant governor says it is a waste of time. The Memphis representative in U.S. Congress says it is overdue.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is still negotiating with the White House on a possible $1.4 billion expansion of Medicaid in Tennessee that could cover 140,000 uninsured Tennesseans under TennCare, the state’s version of Medicaid.

44. Cohen Pushes Medicaid Expansion in Wake of Shutdown - Monday, October 21, 2013

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, got a lift back to his district from Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., at the end of a long week in Washington in which Congress ended the government shutdown just as it was hours from intersecting with the debt ceiling.

45. Cohen 'Stunned' Woman Isn't His Daughter - Saturday, July 20, 2013

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said Thursday that he’s “stunned and dismayed” to learn that DNA tests revealed he is not the father of a woman with whom he had an affectionate Twitter exchange this year.

46. Cohen 'Stunned' Woman Isn't His Daughter - Friday, July 19, 2013

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, said Thursday that he’s “stunned and dismayed” to learn that DNA tests revealed he is not the father of a woman with whom he had an affectionate Twitter exchange this year.

47. Donelson: Tennessee Republicans See Changes in Past 60 Years - Monday, November 12, 2012

As Memphis voters were going to the polls on Election Day last week, attorney Lewis Donelson was talking about the modern day Tennessee Republican Party he was instrumental in forming 60 years ago.

48. Cohen Talks About Opponents, Schools, Race and His Political Past - Monday, July 23, 2012

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is running for a fourth term in Congress starting with the Aug. 2 primary, in which he is being challenged by countywide school board member Tomeka Hart.

49. Court Upholds Health Care Reform - Friday, June 29, 2012

The Supreme Court has upheld the individual insurance mandate that’s the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s historic health care overhaul.

Chief Justice John Roberts Thursday, June 28, announced the court’s judgment, which will allow the law to move forward with its aim of covering more than 30 million currently uninsured Americans.

50. Picnic Kicks Off Political ‘Offseason’ - Tuesday, July 19, 2011

There is no campaign literature in Pleasantville. The family spread in Arlington of former state Rep. Bubba Pleasant drew several hundred people – most politicians or the politically minded – over the weekend for the annual “Pleasantville” picnic hosted by Pleasant and state Rep. Ron Lollar.

51. Issues Dominate 2010 Political Headlines - Thursday, December 30, 2010

The top two vote getters in the 2010 election year weren’t candidates. They were causes.

Leading the way among all races within Shelby County was the 178,358 votes cast in November for an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that specifically stated hunting and fishing are “personal rights.”

52. Election Guide 2010 - Monday, October 18, 2010

A rundown of the key issues and races that voters will decide when they go to the ballot  for early voting through Oct. 28 or on Election Day, Nov. 2.

GOVERNOR'S RACE

Tennessee voters choose a successor to Gov. Phil Bredesen in the Nov. 2 elections. Here’s a summary of where Democratic nominee Mike McWherter and Republican nominee Bill Haslam stand on the major issues:

53. Election Day Arrives With Plenty of Drama - Thursday, August 5, 2010

Voters in Shelby County go to the polls Thursday for the second of three election rounds this year.

The second campaign season of 2010 began with floodwaters from a storm that dampened voter turnout in the May 4 elections. It ended this week in a heat wave that drove even the most energetic political troupers inside, leaving only campaign signs to deal with the weather.

54. Candidates Feel The Heat As Election Nears - Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Here comes the blitz.

The last full day of campaigning before the Thursday election will be a dash through triple-digit temperatures for all of the contenders on the county ballot.

Two of the three contenders in the Republican primary for governor, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, will be in Memphis.

55. Candidates Pour Own Money Into Congressional Races - Wednesday, July 21, 2010

NASHVILLE (AP) – Primary contests for each of Tennessee's three open congressional seats feature at least one candidate spending a hefty amount of their own money in efforts to secure the Republican nomination.

56. Early Voting Begins as Candidates Jockey for Votes - Friday, July 16, 2010

Voters begin making decisions Friday as early voting begins in advance of the Aug. 5 election.

Early voting Friday and Saturday is limited to Shelby County Election Commission headquarters, 157 Poplar Ave. Friday hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

57. Campaign Calendar Crowded - Monday, June 21, 2010

Lt. Gov. and Republican contender for governor Ron Ramsey opened his Memphis campaign headquarters Friday with a call for grassroots conservative support in the Aug. 5 primary.

58. White House Official to Visit Local Orgs - Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The White House official who finds new ways to address the nation’s social issues will be in Memphis next month to visit two charities and speak at a conference for nonprofit organizations.

Sonal Shah, director of the newly created White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, is coming at the invitation of the Alliance for Nonprofit Alliance. She is scheduled to give the keynote address at the Alliance’s annual conference.

59. Filing Deadline Hits for August Primaries - Thursday, April 1, 2010

The stage is set for the county’s most anticipated political showdown in the Aug. 5 state and federal primary elections.

Noon today is the deadline for candidates in the primaries, as well as those vying for nonpartisan seats on the Shelby County school board and the three judicial positions, to file their qualifying petitions for the ballot.

60. Former Orgill Distribution Center Sold Following Foreclosure - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

2108 Latham St.
Memphis, TN 38109
Sale Amount: $2.5 Million

Sale Date: March 9, 2010
Buyer: NW-2100 Latham Street LLC
Seller: Bradley Ottinger, trustee

61. Events - Monday, August 10, 2009

The Memphis Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals will meet today at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select East, 5795 Poplar Ave. Dr. Ron Davis, campus dean at Strayer University, will present “Emotional Intelligence and Servant Leadership.” Cost is $20. For reservations, contact Dianne Cordaro at diannecordaro@yahoo.com or 287-6009.

62. Events - Friday, August 7, 2009

Attorney Larry Rice will present a one-hour continuing legal education seminar today at 3 p.m. at 275 Jefferson Ave. Cost is $10. Seating is limited. For reservations, contact Sarah Beth Cohen at scohen@ricelaw.com or 526-6701.

63. Cohen Wants to Block Congress Pay Raise - Friday, January 9, 2009

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has signed on to legislation that would block a nearly $4,700 automatic pay raise members of Congress could receive next year.

64. Few Surprises At Filing Deadline - Monday, April 7, 2008

About half of Shelby County's delegation to the Tennessee Legislature won re-election at Thursday's filing deadline for candidates on the Aug. 7 ballot.

Eight of the 16 state House seats had only one candidate - the incumbent. And all three of the state Senate seats on the ballot were incumbent-only affairs.

65. Primaries Heat Up as Filing Deadline Passes - Friday, April 4, 2008
The race for the Memphis 9th Congressional District seat will have no Republican contenders.

At Thursday’s deadline for candidates to file in the Aug. 7 state and Congressional primaries, no Republicans had filed for the GOP primary.

66. Primaries Heat Up as Filing Deadline Passes - Thursday, April 3, 2008
The race for the Memphis 9th Congressional District seat will have no Republican contenders.

At today’s deadline for candidates to file in the Aug. 7 state and Congressional primaries, no Republicans had filed for the GOP primary.

67. Filing Deadline For Elections Is Thursday - Tuesday, April 1, 2008

A healthy voter turnout doesn't necessarily mean every race on the ballot gets the benefit. Politicos call it "ballot falloff." It means races such as those for president or mayor get voters to the polls. But those same voters might decide not to vote in the other races.

68. Leatherwood to Challenge Blackburn; Other Races Heating Up Too - Thursday, March 27, 2008

The 9th Congressional District Democratic primary won't be the only challenge to an incumbent congressman whose district includes the Memphis area.

Shelby County Register Tom Leatherwood told The Daily News this week that he will challenge 7th District Republican incumbent Marsha Blackburn on the Aug. 7 ballot.

69. Tinker Works To Out-Fundraise Cohen For His Congressional Seat - Friday, August 17, 2007

In last Friday's edition of The Washington Post, columnist Mary Ann Akers introduced her readers to Memphis congressman Steve Cohen, summing up her interviewee as a "fun-loving hipster in an aging man's body."

70. Archived Article: Calendar - Monday, June 17, 2002
Calendar of events Jan Calendar of events: June 17-June 23 June 17 Memphis Investors Group will hold its monthly meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select, Adams Lecture Hall, 2490 Mount Moriah Road. MIG is a private, non-profit, educa...