WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of people covered under the Affordable Care Act will see only modest premium increases next year, and some will get a price cut. That's the conclusion from an exclusive analysis of the besieged but resilient program, which still sparks deep divisions heading into this year's midterm elections.

2. Consequences of Careless Driving Can Be Costly - Friday, September 7, 2018

RAY’S TAKE: When it comes to owning a car or in most families, several cars, there are lots of things to consider when it comes to your finances. And the ramifications of careless driving shouldn’t be one of them.

3. Memphis City Council Debates Reality vs. Perception on Beale - Thursday, August 30, 2018

A stabbing in the Beale Street entertainment district the Saturday night before Memphis City Council members took up safety and crowd-control recommendations from a task force added some urgency to an already emotional subject.

4. A Costly Ride - Saturday, August 11, 2018

Memphis is poised to adopt a transit plan that promises a big economic splash, but first supporters must sell the general public on a $30 million annual price tag before any transformation occurs.

“Everyone in Memphis has an interest in a good, effective transit system,” said Mayor Jim Strickland, already in promotion mode, “even if you never get on a bus.”

5. Report: Malaysia Airlines plane could have been hijacked - Tuesday, July 31, 2018

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian-led independent investigation report released Monday, more than four years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, highlighted shortcomings in the government's response and raised the possibility of "intervention by a third party."

6. Program Raises Bees in the Face of Population Decline - Tuesday, July 17, 2018

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – Ivy Academy student Noah Lewis walks outside to inspect the school's bee population each week. Curious students eagerly watch from a distance as the senior beekeeper inspects the hive, looking for signs the queen bee is healthy and repopulating.

7. Tenn. Legislature Breaks TNReady Gridlock, Adjourns Session - Thursday, April 26, 2018

NASHVILLE – The House and Senate broke gridlock Wednesday night on problems stemming from the results of troubled TNReady testing by passing legislation saying no “adverse action” would be taken against teachers, students or schools for poor test scores.

8. TNReady Causes Gridlock in Tenn. Legislature - Thursday, April 26, 2018

NASHVILLE – The day after Republican House leaders called for a review of the state’s TNReady testing vendor, the House of Representatives and Senate got stuck on the impact of botched testing this spring and the potential for incorrect student scores affecting teacher evaluations.

9. TNReady Causes Gridlock in State Legislature - Thursday, April 26, 2018

NASHVILLE – The day after Republican House leaders called for a review of the state’s TNReady testing vendor, the House of Representatives and Senate got stuck on the impact of botched testing this spring and the potential for incorrect student scores affecting teacher evaluations.

10. Walker Named President Of Black Swan Digital Forensics - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Jim Walker has been named president of Memphis-based Black Swan Digital Forensics, the only forensics lab in the U.S. that focuses exclusively on data recovery from digital devices such as cellphones, vehicle systems, computers and social media accounts. Walker comes to Black Swan after more than 30 years of military and public service at the federal, state and local level, including eight years as Alabama’s director of homeland security and more than 20 years in the U.S. Army, where he was an Airborne Ranger and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

11. Haslam Proposes Completion Condition for Tennessee Promise - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s final State of the State address Monday, Jan. 29, included a call to continue education reform with some changes to the administration’s signature higher education reforms.

12. Haslam Proposes Credit Hours Minimum on Higher Ed Access - Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s final State of the State address Monday, Jan. 29, included a call to continue the state’s reforms in education with some changes to the administration’s signature higher education reforms.

13. Orpheum CEO Batterson Honored For Excellence in Performing Arts - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Brett Batterson, president and CEO of the Orpheum Theatre Group, has been named the North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents’ 2017 Presenter of the Year. The award honors individuals in the performing arts field for their excellence in exemplifying mentoring; setting an example of best practices, achievement and leadership in their discipline; and cultivating diversity, practicing inclusion, and creating equity for underserved members of the community.

14. 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. 

15. County Commission Moves Toward More Fixes in Minority Business Rules - Monday, January 8, 2018

Shelby County commissioners meet Monday, Jan. 8, for the first time in 2018 and have a fairly simple agenda along with some longer-range issues to discuss.

Among the more immediate items on Monday’s agenda is a $1.5 million contract for mobile data terminals, tablets and vehicle wireless routers that Tate Computer Systems Inc. of Memphis would provide to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

16. Kosten Foundation Wins SPARK Award - Monday, December 25, 2017

The Kosten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research recently was named a 2017 SPARK Award winner for a nonprofit with an annual budget under $1 million.

The annual awards recognize the efforts of individuals, nonprofits, corporations and schools in 13 categories who are igniting change and making a positive impact in Memphis. The 2017 win-ners were announced at an awards ceremony that aired on WKNO-TV on Dec. 18.

17. 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.

18. Chamber Chairman’s Circle Expands Leadership - Saturday, November 18, 2017

As the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Chairman’s Circle continues to grow, its founding members have decided to restructure its leadership.

Original co-chairs Gary Shorb, Richard Smith, Calvin Anderson, Carolyn Hardy, Spence Wilson Jr., Duncan Williams, Leigh Shockey and Jason Hood voted to install a new leadership structure that will include addition of a chairman, vice chairman and new co-chairs.

19. Chamber Chairman’s Circle Expands Leadership - Thursday, November 16, 2017

As the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Chairman’s Circle continues to grow, its founding members have decided to restructure its leadership.

Original co-chairs Gary Shorb, Richard Smith, Calvin Anderson, Carolyn Hardy, Spence Wilson Jr., Duncan Williams, Leigh Shockey and Jason Hood voted to install a new leadership structure that will include addition of a chairman, vice chairman and new co-chairs.

20. FBI Again Finds Itself Unable to Unlock a Gunman's Cellphone - Thursday, November 9, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Texas church massacre is providing a familiar frustration for law enforcement: FBI agents are unable to unlock the gunman's encrypted cellphone to learn what evidence it might hold.

21. 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.

22. FDIC Report Shows Top Memphis Banks - Thursday, October 5, 2017

With a few exceptions, the Top 10 banks in the Memphis metro area as ranked by deposits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in its latest annual report hasn’t changed much this time around.

23. Moral Mondays Organized by Religious Leaders Who Talk of ‘Fragmentation’ - Tuesday, October 3, 2017

A group of 25 local religious leaders plan three “Moral Mondays” gatherings over the next six months to discuss social justice issues before the April observances of the 50th anniversary of the sanitation workers strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

24. Data Facts Inc. Adds Fingerprinting Solution - Friday, September 29, 2017

Memphis-based Data Facts Inc. is adding to its background screening options with fingerprinting solution that offers national coverage.

25. 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.

26. Computer Attacks Underscore Need for Cyber Insurance - Saturday, August 26, 2017

The cyberattack that hit FedEx subsidiary TNT Express in June, temporarily disrupting the company’s worldwide information systems, was a reminder about the fragility of digital systems that Herb Davis didn’t need.

27. 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.

28. Charting a Course - Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Daphne Large, founder, CEO and president of Data Facts Inc., didn’t have her company certified as a woman-owned business for 25 years. “I don’t want to be chosen because I’m a woman, but because I’m the best,” Large said, voicing a sentiment that many women business owners agree with.

29. Women-Owned Businesses Chart Progress of Diversity Contracting Efforts - Saturday, August 12, 2017

Daphne Large, founder, CEO and president of Data Facts Inc., didn’t get her company certified as a woman-owned business for 25 years.

30. Last Word: St. Peter's Picnic, Frayser Spike and Ferguson at Camp - Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Hopefully you are reading this with a slight breeze blowing around you as you contemplate evening fireworks and very little in the way of work between now and then, although daytime fireworks might be a trend to watch for on future Fourth of Julys from a few events I’ve come across on social media.

31. CLERB Prepares Response to Rallings’ Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Monday, May 15, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’ dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. Even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

32. CLERB Prepares Response To Rallings Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Friday, May 12, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’s dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. That’s even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

33. CLERB Prepares Response To Rallings Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Friday, May 12, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’s dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. That’s even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

34. Memphis Chamber Sets Goal for Local, Minority Contracts - Friday, April 21, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber has set a goal of 600 new business-to-business contracts for minority- and women-owned enterprises and locally-owned firms by the end of the year.

The goal, split 50-50 between the two kinds of contracting and hiring by private businesses, was announced Thursday, April 20, at the chamber’s quarterly Small Business Council breakfast in East Memphis.

35. Death Toll in Syria Chemical Attack Rises to 86 - Thursday, April 6, 2017

BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the suspected chemical attack in Syria (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

A Syrian monitoring group says the death toll from a suspected chemical weapons attack on the northern town of Khan Sheikhoun has risen to 86.

36. EBiz Solutions Announces New Tech, Local Partners - Saturday, April 1, 2017

Memphis-based digital business solutions firm eBiz Solutions has lined up new local partners in addition to announcing new technology it can offer clients.

In addition to providing web applications and digital solutions, eBiz now specializes in app development and process automation for new and expanding companies. The firm has launched its first stage of process automation platform using Office 365 SharePoint for Data Facts, and it’s launching a location intelligence app Jinzgo, which connects local businesses to consumers across the country based on their current location and preferences.

37. EBiz Solutions Announces New Tech, Local Partners - Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Memphis-based digital business solutions firm eBiz Solutions has lined up new local partners in addition to announcing new technology it can offer clients.

In addition to providing web applications and digital solutions, eBiz now specializes in app development and process automation for new and expanding companies. The firm has launched its first stage of process automation platform using Office 365 SharePoint for Data Facts, and it’s launching a location intelligence app Jinzgo, which connects local businesses to consumers across the country based on their current location and preferences.

38. Ernest Strickland Takes On Workforce Role at Chamber - Wednesday, January 25, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber has promoted Ernest Strickland to senior vice president of workforce development, a newly created role. Strickland, who has worked at the chamber since 2006, previously served as vice president of international and business partnerships.
In his new position, he is responsible for creating and implementing the chamber’s workforce development strategy. His department serves as a liaison, working directly with existing and prospective businesses to ensure they are able to attract and retain a qualified workforce today and in the future.

39. Chairman's Circle Moon Missions Are Taking Flight - Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Although the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Chairman’s Circle and its Moon Missions are designed to bring change on a long-term scale, some of the missions are already having a tangible effect on the community.

40. Memphis Chamber Announces Program to Assist Minority-, Women-Owned Businesses - Friday, December 16, 2016

At a press conference fittingly held at the National Civil Rights Museum, The Greater Memphis Chamber announced their newest pilot program Thursday, Dec. 15: the Ascend Memphis Business Development Pilot Program.

41. Zuckerberg: 'Crazy' to Say Facebook Influenced Election - Monday, November 14, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the idea that fake news spread on Facebook influenced the outcome of the U.S. election is "crazy."

Still, the majority of Americans (six in 10) say they get at least some news from social media , mostly Facebook, according to the Pew Research Center. While a lot of this news comes from established outlets – whether CNN or BuzzFeed News, misinformation spreads on Facebook just as information does, shared by users, recommended by software and amplified by both.

42. Local Task Force Prepares For Return of Deannexation Issue - Monday, August 22, 2016

You might call it round two of the deannexation battle.

In Nashville Monday, Aug. 22, a summer study committee of legislators picks up where the debate on a deannexation proposal during the Tennessee Legislature’s regular session ended earlier this year.

43. What Would It Take for Trump to Lose Tennessee Voters? - Thursday, August 11, 2016

Murfreesboro Realtor Larry Sims almost closes his ears when Donald Trump speaks.

“He gets out of bounds. Of course, the press, they love it because they get to exploit his sayings and doings,” says Sims, who traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, as a Trump delegate for the Republican National Convention. 

44. Last Word: GMF Aftermath, Cop Counts and Budgets and Richardson Towers' Fall - Thursday, May 12, 2016

More on the move by Bank of New York to have a receiver appointed for the Warren and Tulane Apartments currently owned by Global Ministries Foundation.

GMF CEO Rev. Richard Hamlet responded Wednesday to the filing in Memphis federal court saying he agrees that a receiver for the property is a good idea. But he doesn’t agree – and in fact, strongly disagrees with the claims and reasoning behind the bank’s call for the receiver.

45. Data-Driven Marketing Decisions Spark Growth - Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Correctly analyzed, data can be a catalyst for predictable, incremental growth and transformative change in your organization. However, we all know there’s more to creating measurable outcomes through data analysis than just crunching the numbers.

46. Microsoft Sues US Over Secret Demands for Customer Data - Friday, April 15, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – In the latest clash over privacy rights in the digital age, Microsoft is suing the U.S. government over a federal law that allows authorities to examine customer emails or online files without the individual's knowledge.

47. McMullen Takes on Public Sector Challenges as City’s Legal Chief - Thursday, February 11, 2016

Bruce McMullen remembers his hometown of Sparta, Georgia, as small, about 3,000 people.

“Life was pretty simple,” he said. “A lot of family, a lot of friends.”

48. School Choice Bills to Highlight Next Legislative Session - Thursday, December 24, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Supporters of school choice say they plan to push for proposals that they argue allow parents to play a stronger role in how their children are educated in the legislative session that begins in January.

49. Let Your Team Lead - Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Have you empowered your sales and marketing pros to lead?

Leadership isn’t a title or a salary range. And I bet every one of your employees is capable of leading.

The trick is to allow their different leadership tendencies to benefit your business. There are seven tendencies, which you can read about more in the Harvard Business Review’s piece on the Seven Transformations of Leadership.

50. The Corporate Inquisition Of Intuition - Monday, July 27, 2015

While there are clear benefits of data and analytics when applied to growth efforts, a widespread, unhealthy dependence on a purely analytical approach to business cripples too many corporations.

While small- and mid-sized organizations still welcome some calculated risks backed by and bet on a team of spirited rising leaders, corporations appear more risk averse to their approach to launching new products in the market. In fact, the gestalt is that we’ve entered a second age of enlightenment where nothing gets signed into action unless analytic models, predictive tools, and others first bless it with a numerical score.

51. With Data Breaches, Bad News Can Show Up Well Down the Road - Monday, July 13, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) – The revelation that the data breach at the U.S. government's personnel office was actually much worse than the government originally thought is following a familiar script.

52. New Memphis Institute's Annual Summer Experience Connecting Young Professionals - Monday, June 15, 2015

Hundreds of interns working at Memphis companies this summer are getting a taste of what the Bluff City has to offer them, should they choose to put down roots here.

The New Memphis Institute’s annual Summer Experience slate of events is intended to connect young professionals working in the city with their peers; to establish movers and shakers; and to give them an up-close look at Memphis. The goal: capture their attention at a formative stage in their life, when they’re poised to make plans about whatever city they’ll ultimately call home.

53. Moms Demand Action Seeks Common-Sense Gun Restrictions - Saturday, March 28, 2015

It’s another blood-pressure-raising Tennessee legislative session – at least for a politically active group of moms concerned about their children potentially being shot.

This spring, lawmakers who want to loosen gun restrictions will get a morale boost from a three-day National Rifle Association convention. It coincides with consideration of several gun-related bills, including one that would eliminate the need for a firearms permit altogether.

54. New Memphis Website Helps Guide Parents in School Selection - Monday, March 16, 2015

Education bends family trees in the direction of progress. It is a liberating experience that paves the way for the quality of life that proves beneficial to the individual, the family and the community.

55. Martinez Pitching for Himself, and for Taveras - Friday, February 20, 2015

Carlos Martinez’s English isn’t very good. But you don’t need a translator to communicate the raw facts.

56. Clinton, Bloomberg: Data Will Help Women's Issues - Tuesday, December 16, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) – Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg teamed up Monday to highlight the power of information in helping women worldwide and to promote a joint effort to gather more data on their health, workplace roles, childbirth and other facets of their lives.

57. IRS Says It Has Lost Emails From 5 More Employees - Monday, September 8, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Internal Revenue Service has lost emails from five more employees who are part of congressional probes into the treatment of conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status, the tax service disclosed Friday.

58. Home Depot CEO: Probe of Possible Breach Continues - Friday, September 5, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) – Home Depot's outgoing CEO Frank Blake told investors Thursday that the nation's largest home-improvement chain continues to investigate a potential breach at the company and reassured that customers will not be liable for any potential fraudulent charges.

59. US Won't Reveal Records on Health Website Security - Wednesday, August 20, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – After promising not to withhold government information over "speculative or abstract fears," the Obama administration has concluded it will not publicly disclose federal records that could shed light on the security of the government's health care website because doing so could "potentially" allow hackers to break in.

60. Survey: Graduates Should Return to Memphis After School - Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Measuring economic sentiment among consumers at any given moment in time involves looking at specific data points and how consumers feel about those sets of numbers and facts.

That’s a key element of the Memphis Economic Indicator, a quarterly survey measuring general business and economic sentiment produced jointly by The Daily News and Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP that’s now one year old.

61. Amazon Ties New 4.7-Inch Phone to Its Services - Thursday, June 19, 2014

SEATTLE (AP) – Amazon has introduced a new smartphone with audio and object recognition technology that seeks to make it easier for consumers to locate and purchase products and services from the nation's largest e-commerce company.

62. Departing PDS Head Says Education Needs ‘Disruption’ - Friday, June 13, 2014

The departing headmaster of Presbyterian Day School says American education needs more of a revolution than evolution.

Lee Burns is leaving the East Memphis private school to become head of school at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn., after 14 years in Memphis. He was the keynote speaker Wednesday, June 11, for the second day of the Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence’s two-day summer conference on the PDS campus.

63. Touch of History - Saturday, June 7, 2014

For its 150th anniversary, First Tennessee Bank didn’t want to only blow out the candles, so to speak.

In addition to commemorating the enviable milestone of longevity in an industry as frequently upended as banking, the Memphis-based financial institution wanted to help customers directly feel the impact of the bank’s presence in their community. At the same time, the bank also wants to let customers literally reach out and touch the bank’s history.

64. Health Insurers: Payment Rates Above 80 Percent - Thursday, May 8, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – Top health insurance companies told members of Congress Wednesday that more than 80 percent of people who've signed up under the president's new health care law have gone on to pay their premiums – a necessary step for the enrollment figures touted by the Obama administration to hold up.

65. Data-Breach Costs Take Toll on Target Profit - Thursday, February 27, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) – Looks like Target Corp. will be feeling the financial pain for a while from the theft of credit card numbers and other information from millions of its customers.

66. Kerry Mocks Those Who Deny Climate Change - Tuesday, February 18, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday called climate change perhaps the world's "most fearsome" destructive weapon and mocked those who deny its existence or question its causes, comparing them to people who insist the Earth is flat.

67. Food Industry Cuts Calories Four-Fold Over Pledge - Friday, January 10, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – Some of the nation's largest food companies have cut daily calorie counts by an average of 78 per person, a new study says, more than four times the amount the industry pledged to slash by next year.

68. Will Surge of Older Workers Take Jobs From Young? - Monday, January 6, 2014

CHICAGO (AP) – It's an assertion that has been accepted as fact by droves of the unemployed: Older people remaining on the job later in life are stealing jobs from young people.

One problem, many economists say: It isn't supported by a wisp of fact.

69. Memphis Economic Indicator Shows Business Optimism - Friday, October 25, 2013

The results of the second Memphis Economic Indicator, a new survey measuring general business sentiment jointly produced by The Daily News and Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, reflect a modest overall improvement in optimism among business leaders compared to last quarter’s survey results.

70. Arrested Development - Thursday, June 27, 2013

It’s not illegal for businesses to use criminal-background checks when making hiring decisions, but two recent complaints filed by federal regulators highlight the increasing government scrutiny of criminal and credit checks.

71. Data Facts Leading by Example - Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Last week we highlighted Friends For Life Corp., which is an organization helping people affected by HIV/AIDS to live well. This week let us discuss an important trend in corporate philanthropy and spotlight a local company leading by example.

72. Look at the Facts, Not Rhetoric - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

CITE YOUR SOURCE. In human psychology, fear seems more legitimate than hope. Claims of “impending doom,” and “bursting bubbles” elicit fast emotional responses that seem impervious to critique. So many programs, speeches and advertisements prey on this phenomenon today.

73. Sales, Marketing Lessons From Presidential Campaign - Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Despite your political affiliations or how your candidate fared in this year’s presidential election, it’s tough not to appreciate the full-court press the candidates give in selling and marketing their own personal brands. In fact, there are sales and marketing takeaways that we can glean from one of the most expensive elections (AKA “ad campaigns”) in our nation’s history – lessons we can leverage in promoting our own local brands.

74. After Pandit, a Smaller Citigroup Could Get Smaller Yet - Thursday, October 18, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – The incredible shrinking bank may have to shrink more.

In the hours after Tuesday's surprise announcement that Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit was stepping down, speculation was rife, and facts scant, about what lay ahead for the nation's third-largest bank.

75. GlaxoSmithKline to Pay $3 Billion for Health Fraud - Tuesday, July 3, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – GlaxoSmithKline LLC will pay $3 billion and plead guilty to promoting two popular drugs for unapproved uses and to failing to disclose important safety information on a third in the largest health care fraud settlement in U.S. history, the Justice Department said Monday.

76. ‘Serious, Systemic Failures’ Mar Juvenile Court System - Monday, May 14, 2012

When U.S. Justice Department attorneys came to Memphis in 2010 and 2011 with a team of juvenile justice experts, they had good news and bad news for leaders of Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court.

77. Public Shelters Vs. Rebates for Private Ones - Monday, May 7, 2012

Tennessee is building more community tornado shelters while other states are using federal funds to help homeowners build their own.

WZTV-TV in Nashville reported the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spent $46 million over the last 10 years to build public shelters.

78. Pulling the Strings - Monday, December 12, 2011

Long before the first widgets roll off the assembly line, way back before the ribbon cutting and the first shovels break ground, and even before executives quietly slip in to scout out a prospective piece of land, someone like Mark Sweeney gets a phone call.

79. Report Looks at Children’s Health - Monday, August 1, 2011

The Urban Child Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to the health and well-being of local children from conception to age 3, has released the sixth edition publication about the state of children in Memphis and Shelby County.

80. Thompson Dunavant to Present Compliance Program - Monday, August 1, 2011

The news has been filled for months with stories of hack attacks on major entities around the world like Sony Corp. and even the CIA.

81. Wells Fargo Rebukes Lending Lawsuit - Monday, June 6, 2011

Wells Fargo has fought for about 18 months to keep allegations about its lending practices, leveled by Memphis and Shelby County governments, from being heard in court.

But last month, a federal judge denied Wells’ motion to dismiss the joint city-county federal lawsuit that alleges Wells aggressively pursued black borrowers to offer them high-cost, predatory home loans.

82. Sony, Epsilon Execs Support Data Breach Bill - Friday, June 3, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Top executives from Sony and online marketing firm Epsilon told lawmakers Thursday that they support federal legislation that would require companies to promptly notify consumers if their personal information is stolen or exposed by a data breach.

83. Federal Judge Denies Local Wells Fargo Suit Dismissal - Thursday, May 5, 2011

One week after a federal judge in Baltimore denied an effort by Wells Fargo to dismiss that city’s mortgage discrimination lawsuit against the lender, a federal judge in Memphis has done the same thing.

84. Rogers Named Director Of Germantown Athletic Club - Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Phil Rogers has joined Germantown Athletic Club as director. Rogers will oversee all daily operations of the club.

Hometown: West Danville, Vt.

Education: B.S. in Exercise Science, University of Mississippi

85. Baltimore Wells Fargo Ruling Helps Local Cause - Wednesday, April 27, 2011

The city of Baltimore’s mortgage discrimination lawsuit it filed three years ago against San Francisco-based Wells Fargo can go forward now that it has survived Wells’ motion to dismiss the case.

The federal judge presiding over the case published an opinion Friday that gave the green light to Baltimore’s fourth iteration of its suit.

86. Data Facts VP to Discuss Social Networks, Screening - Thursday, April 14, 2011

Lisa May, vice president of Resource and Development at Memphis-based Data Facts, will discuss “Social Networks and Employment Screening – Treasure or Trouble,” at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Doubletree Hotel, 185 Union Ave.

87. Events - Thursday, April 14, 2011

The Downtown Parking Authority will meet Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Center City Commission conference room, 114 N. Main St.

88. Davison Joins Bailey & Greer Law Firm - Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Nicole Gibson Davison has joined the law firm Bailey & Greer PLLC, where she will provide expertise in personal injury, malpractice and liability cases.

89. Data Facts Honors Memphis Account Specialist - Monday, March 21, 2011

Cyndi Metcalf, an account specialist for Data Facts, has been awarded her company’s 2010 Lynne Lucy Legacy Award.

The “LLL” is awarded annually to the operations employee who delivers exceptional customer service throughout the year and who goes above and beyond for his clients.

90. The Rise And Fall of Bulls And Bears - Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Upside of Down

Investors must perform cost/benefit analysis every day.

Periodically, aggregate perceptions of benefit eclipse aggregate perceptions of cost and vice versa. When benefits headline, stock multiples rise, stock prices rise and volatility falls but the probability of disappointment, and therefore aggregate selling, rises as well. Battle worn investors develop contrarian sensibilities. High expectations engender fear, and low expectations engender greed. Frankly, living life against the grain creates some dissonance. For instance, while instructing our clients and friends to “Be Optimistic” about 2011, we have been “de-risking” the portfolio as well. I have not turned bearish, just less bullish after a 100 percent gain, the resumption of stock appetites among retail investors and historically high sentiment measures. Nonetheless, I find the reaction of the market this week to a terrible news cycle encouraging.

91. Why People Buy – The Psychology Behind ‘Yes’ - Tuesday, November 9, 2010

It takes more to get a “yes” from a prospect than a strong product with compelling benefits. The psychology behind buying is complex.

Most consumers make a purchase decision first with their emotions, later justifying that decision with logic.

92. Workplace Solutions Require Negotiation - Wednesday, October 20, 2010

When I went to college I pursued a liberal arts degree, a course of study that did little to prepare me for the business world. Yeah, I could critique a piece of art, talk about Lewis and Clark, and understand a little French, but no one ever broached the subject of how to negotiate a business deal or cooperate in the give and take of project management. And then I went to work in the real world.

93. Election Challenge Case Under Way - Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Attorneys for 10 losing candidates in the Aug. 5 election and the Shelby County Election Commission are now in court after two months of a very public dispute over the vote count.

Chancellor Arnold Goldin began with opening statements Wednesday in a trial that could run through Thursday and into Monday. Court will not be in session Friday.

94. Goldin Dismisses Aug. 5 Election Challenge - Thursday, October 7, 2010

Chancellor Arnold Goldin has dismissed the legal effort to throw out the results of the Aug. 5 Shelby County elections.

Goldin ruled Thursday at the start of what was to be the second day of testimony in the trial of the civil lawsuit.

95. Feds Defend Response to Tennessee Flooding - Friday, July 23, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Thursday defended their response to historic flooding in Tennessee that killed 22 people earlier this year, while acknowledging they could have done a better job of warning the public of the potential devastation.

96. Kit Helps Homeowners Lower Tax Bills - Thursday, May 27, 2010

Real estate information company Chandler Reports has introduced a 2010 Tax Kit homeowners can use to help lower their property taxes.

The MyChandlerReports.com Tax Kit, which can be downloaded online, includes all the reports needed to file an appeal of the Shelby County Assessor of Property’s appraisal to the Shelby County Board of Equalization (SCBoE).

97. House of Cards - Monday, February 1, 2010

It’s a little more than halfway through the first meeting of the state Senate’s Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee in 2009, in a nondescript hearing room in Nashville’s Legislative Plaza.

Four bank executives from around the state are seated at a table in front of a row of senators. A line of questioning is about to put the bankers on the hot seat.

98. Local Scientists Pay More Attention To Documenting Research Tactics - Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Almost as fast as word got out in November that climate scientists had been cherry picking data and massaging results to support the contention of global warming, online message boards lit up.

The issue quickly became known as Climategate, and while the details of it were debated worldwide, scientists had a different concern: What might this do to the reputations and funding of honest researchers?

99. Gun Laws are Getting Looser Across Much of US - Monday, December 14, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - It's been the year of the gun in Tennessee. In a flurry of legislative action, handgun owners won the right to take their weapons onto sports fields and playgrounds and, at least briefly, into bars.

100. High Court to Look at Life in Prison for Juveniles - Thursday, November 5, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Joe Sullivan was sent away for life for raping an elderly woman and judged incorrigible though he was only 13 at the time of the attack.