Mike Conley grew up around cousins who had sickle cell disease. He didn’t understand much about it then, but he saw the impact. Years later, he continues to see it and continues to try and do his part to fight it.

2. Some Tennessee Lawmakers Living the Life - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Early in his U.S. Senate campaign, former governor Phil Bredesen shied away from talking about his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, preferring to focus instead on ideas.

3. Economic Development Experts Set Sights On Memphis - Thursday, August 23, 2018

Site selectors from across the country spent time in Memphis this week as local economic development teams touted the area’s available land, industrial and office space for potential companies.

4. EPA Moves to Dramatically Cut Regulation of Coal Power - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved to dismantle another major piece of President Barack Obama's environmental legacy on Tuesday, proposing to dramatically scale back restrictions on climate-changing emissions from coal-fired power plants even as it acknowledged that could lead to more premature deaths and serious illnesses.

5. Insurance Companies Approach Trump Health Plans Cautiously - Tuesday, August 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says insurers are "going wild" about his new health care options and "millions and millions" of people will be signing up.

But insurance companies say it will take time to design new plans and get approval from state regulators, and two major industry groups have actually expressed concern about potential downsides for consumers.

6. Insurance Companies Approach Trump Health Plans Cautiously - Tuesday, August 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says insurers are "going wild" about his new health care options and "millions and millions" of people will be signing up.

But insurance companies say it will take time to design new plans and get approval from state regulators, and two major industry groups have actually expressed concern about potential downsides for consumers.

7. Trump's Cheaper Short-term Health Plans have Coverage Gaps - Thursday, August 2, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Wednesday cleared the way for insurers to sell short-term health plans as a bargain alternative to pricey Obama-law policies for people struggling with high premiums.

8. Hale Named Principal Owner At Pickering Firm - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

After 17 years with Pickering Firm Inc., James Hale has been tapped as one of the architecture and engineering firm’s principal owners. As director of finance and administration, Hale is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the firm and the day-to-day fiscal management of the company. Hale, who is based in Pickering’s Memphis office, also oversees all accounting and administrative staff, including human resources and IT.

9. Vacancy at Okhissa Lake: Group Hopes to Buy Land From Feds - Monday, July 30, 2018

BUDE, Miss. (AP) — He put in around noon on a Friday.

Nearby, the women sprayed sunscreen and hung floaties on the children, and the boys threw rocks into the duckweed. Onboard, they had grocery bags, a propane grill and not one fishing pole.

10. Events - Saturday, July 21, 2018

FEMMEmphis Collective presents “Pretty” July 20 to July 29 at the University of Memphis Lab Theatre, 3745 Central Ave. Find out what happens when women of all shapes, sizes, ages and backgrounds come together to explore the concept of beauty through stories, laughs, epiphanies, dances and perhaps a sock puppet or two. Optional talk-backs after each performance allow audience members to share their own experiences. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10. Visit femmemphis.com.

11. Events - Friday, July 20, 2018

The Orpheum Summer Movie Series continues with “Selena” Friday, July 20, at 7 p.m. at The Orpheum, 203 S. Main St. Doors open at 6 p.m. for activities in the lobby, including a drink special and photo booth with movie-themed props and quotes. Costumes are encouraged but never required. Adult tickets are $8; children 12 and younger are $6. Visit orpheum-memphis.com.

12. Events - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Memphis Botanic Garden hosts 30 Thursdays: Walk After Work July 19 at 6 p.m. at 750 Cherry Road. The night is yours to explore MBG’s 96 acres as you wish. Free with garden admission. Visit memphisbotanicgarden.com/30thursdays for details.

13. JLL Circling Again Just When State Workers Felt Safe from Outsourcing - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Just when workers at the state’s college campuses thought it was safe to go back in the water, corporate sharks are once again circling.

Jones Lang LaSalle, the state’s contractor for facilities management and grounds, asked to make proposals at Tennessee’s 13 junior colleges to see if it can take over. Tennessee’s colleges of applied technology are believed to be in the mix, too.

14. New IRS Policy Allows Some Tax-Exempt Groups to Veil Donors - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is lifting requirements that some tax-exempt groups disclose the identities of their donors to federal tax authorities.

The change benefits groups that spend millions of dollars on political ads, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an organization tied to the billionaire Koch brothers.

15. Events - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Creative Aging’s Senior Arts Series continues Wednesday, July 18, at 1:30 p.m. at Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Road Extended. The performance features bass-baritone vocalist Laurence Albert and Creative Aging storyteller Elaine Blanchard. Tickets available online or at the door for a minimum donation of $5 (cash or check only). Visit creativeagingmidsouth.org.

16. Kennedy Takes Helm As TFTA Board President - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Germantown Performing Arts Center director of development Parke B. Kennedy has been named board president for Tennesseans for the Arts. In her new role, Kennedy hopes to further efforts to actively support local arts organizations and the work of the Tennessee Arts Commission by working with legislators to maintain funding for the arts in Tennessee, supporting and promoting the work of the Arts Caucus in the General Assembly, and organizing and producing advocacy events.  

17. Opioid Measures Among New Tennessee Laws Kicking In - Monday, July 2, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Requirements aimed at curbing Tennessee's opioid epidemic are among more than 150 new laws that kick in Sunday.

Many laws take effect on July 1 each year, when a new state budget year begins, and some of the highest profile ones this time around are part of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's "TN Together" opioid plan.

18. Medical milestone: US OKs marijuana-based drug for seizures - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators on Monday approved the first prescription drug made from marijuana, a milestone that could spur more research into a drug that remains illegal under federal law, despite growing legalization for recreational and medical use.

19. Lower Costs, Fewer Benefits in New Health Insurance Option - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration's new health insurance option offers lower premiums for small businesses and self-employed people, but the policies are likely to cover fewer benefits.

20. 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.

21. Vaping Essays: E-Cigarette Sellers Offering College Scholarships - Monday, June 11, 2018

A growing number of e-cigarette and vaporizer sellers have started offering college scholarships as a way to get their brands listed on university websites and to get students to write essays about the potential benefits of vaping.

22. To Get Around Pharmacy Gag Rules, Ask About Drug Costs - Thursday, June 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – "Do you have prescription insurance?" It's one of the first questions consumers hear at the pharmacy counter, and many hand over their insurance cards in the hopes of getting a good price. But sometimes using insurance can actually cost more – and even prevent the pharmacist from saying so.

23. Tennessee Finalizes Settlement With Ousted Chancellor - Thursday, June 7, 2018

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The University of Tennessee has finalized a $1.33 million settle-ment with ousted chancellor Beverly Davenport, formally ending her employment at the school after a tumultuous tenure that lasted less than 1 1/2 years.

24. The Week Ahead: June 4-10 - Monday, June 4, 2018

Good morning, Memphis. Or should we say, “Hush, y’all.” It’s time again for the annual FedEx St. Jude Classic golf tournament, a Memphis tradition that spans 60 years and has been funneling millions of dollars into the doors at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

25. 100 North Main - Saturday, June 2, 2018

The city’s tallest building, the 37-story 100 North Main Building – may or may not become the city’s second convention center hotel. But the skyscraper that has been vacant for four years and counting is the centerpiece of a 3-acre planned commercial complex anchored by a 600-room hotel, no matter where it winds up in the footprint. The complex, as much as the hotel, promises to change more than the city’s convention business.

26. Landing NFL Draft is Fine, But How About a Super Bowl? - Monday, May 28, 2018

One after another, many of the nation’s top sporting events are finding their way to Nashville. News that Music City is playing host to the 2019 NFL Draft really came as no surprise, considering the city’s other recent sports successes here.

27. Congress Nears Dismantling of Post-Crisis Bank Rules - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress was taking a final step Tuesday toward dismantling a chunk of the rules framework for banks installed to prevent a recurrence of the 2008 financial crisis that brought millions of lost jobs and foreclosed homes.

28. UTHSC, LeMoyne-Owen Partner To Help Students Earn Nursing Degrees - Saturday, May 19, 2018

With an expected nursing shortage of more than 1 million registered nurses by 2022, local colleges like the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and LeMoyne-Owen College are partnering to help students along the career pathway.

29. Three Projects Get Green Light from EDGE Board - Thursday, May 17, 2018

The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County approved a trio of projects that could create as many as 255 new jobs and retain nearly 300 more during a busy Wednesday, May 16, agenda. 

30. Hub International Acquires Barnett Group’s Assets - Saturday, May 12, 2018

Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Memphis-based employee benefits consulting firm Barnett Corporate Insurers LLC, also known as The Barnett Group.

31. FedEx Purchases $6B Group Annuity Contract - Saturday, May 12, 2018

FedEx Corp. will purchase a group annuity contract and transfer roughly $6 billion of the company’s U.S. pension plan obligations with Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., the Memphis-based company has announced.

32. FedEx Purchases $6B Group Annuity Contract - Thursday, May 10, 2018

FedEx Corp. will purchase a group annuity contract and transfer roughly $6 billion of the company’s U.S. pension plan obligations with Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., the Memphis-based company has announced.

33. Hub International Acquires Barnett Group’s Assets - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Hub International Limited has acquired the assets of Memphis-based employee benefits consulting firm Barnett Corporate Insurers LLC, also known as The Barnett Group.

34. More Americans Expect to Work Until 70; There are Benefits - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

When it comes to retirement, later may be better.

Americans long viewed 65 as the age to stop working. It was considered full retirement age by Social Security for many, Medicare benefits kick in then and historical practice had established it as the goal.

35. Drug Epidemic Ensnares 25-Year-Old Pill for Nerve Pain - Monday, May 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The story line sounds familiar: a popular pain drug becomes a new way to get high as prescribing by doctors soars.

But the latest drug raising red flags is not part of the opioid family at the center of the nation's drug epidemic. It's a 25-year-old generic pill long seen as a low risk way to treat seizures, nerve pain and other ailments.

36. Morris Marketing Group Wins Hermes Awards - Saturday, April 28, 2018

Memphis-based Morris Marketing Group earned two Platinum and one Gold award among early-entry winners of the 2018 Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media.

37. Morris Marketing Group Earns Hermes Creative Awards - Friday, April 27, 2018

Memphis-based Morris Marketing Group earned two Platinum and one Gold award among early-entry winners of the 2018 Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media.

38. US Brands Suffer Collateral Damage in Chinese Corporate War - Tuesday, April 24, 2018

SHANGHAI (AP) – The rivalry is so notorious it's been called the "great cat-and-dog war." On one side towers Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., China's e-commerce market leader, embodied by the black cat mascot of its Tmall platform. On the other is JD.com Inc., a fast-growing upstart represented by its white dog logo.

39. Local Experts: Health Care So Far Immune to Simplification and Lower Costs - Monday, April 16, 2018

That Walmart may be close to acquiring the health insurer Humana is one signal that we’re in not just a period of change for the health care industry, but a fundamental reshaping of the landscape and a shifting of the players involved.

40. Opioid Trials to Begin in 2019 as Settlement is Also Pushed - Friday, April 13, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A federal judge with an audacious plan to settle hundreds of lawsuits filed by local governments against the drug industry over the destruction wrought by prescription opioid painkillers has altered his course.

41. FDA Puts Restrictions on Birth Control Implant But No Recall - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. health officials on Monday placed new restrictions on a permanent contraceptive implant that has been subject to reports of painful complications from thousands of women. But the metal implant, called Essure, will remain on the market.

42. Last Word: MLK50s Surprise Ending, Senate Race Shake Up and EDGE Insights - Monday, April 9, 2018

Does the NBA need a version of the mercy rule for this meaningless part of the season for teams that have already made the second season – I mean, the playoffs – and those who are looking to lose their way to the top draft pick? The Grizz played their last home game of the season Sunday at the Forum. Grizz over the Pistons 130 – 117.

43. New Details on Downtown Hotel, Clark Tower Lands Another Tenant - Monday, April 9, 2018

477 S. Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103

Application Date: April 10

Owner: South Main Hotel LLC

44. State of Flux - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Anyone paying attention to recent news headlines alone should have a pretty good indication that health care in the U.S. – really anywhere you look, on local, state or national levels – remains a byzantine, expensive proposition. Health care keeps getting more expensive. It involves navigating a lot of paperwork with bureaucratic legalese that bears the fingerprints of a tangle of stakeholders, including insurers, doctors and lawmakers.

45. Local Experts To Tackle Health Care Changes - Thursday, April 5, 2018

Eight years after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, health care can still spark contentious debates around the country, though there are nevertheless a few things people can agree on.

Costs keep going up. Insurers have continued to pull out of the individual ACA marketplace, leaving that market segment volatile and uncertain. And there’s still no widespread consensus on how to plug the gaps that still exist in the country’s health care system.

46. Rebranded Shoemaker Insurance Expands - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Shoemaker Financial president and CEO Jim Shoemaker isn’t sure there is ever a perfect time for expansion and rebranding, but with the economy strong and his company well positioned for a transition of leadership, he could not hold off growing Shoemaker’s insurance line any longer.

47. Buzzkill? Coffee Cancer Warnings Could Go Beyond California - Monday, April 2, 2018

LOS ANGELES (AP) – It's fair to say that a lot of people awoke Friday to a headline that might have jolted them more awake than a morning cup of joe: A California judge had ruled that coffee sold in the state should carry a cancer warning.

48. Selfie Medicine: Phone Apps Push People to Take Their Pills - Monday, April 2, 2018

SEATTLE (AP) – Take two tablets and a selfie? Your doctor's orders may one day include a smartphone video to make sure you took your medicine.

Smartphone apps that monitor pill-taking are now available, and researchers are testing how well they work when medication matters. Experts praise the efficiency, but some say the technology raises privacy and data security concerns.

49. MLK 50 Years Later - Saturday, March 31, 2018

Bernard Lafayette remembers being in Memphis April 3, 1968, and a dejected Martin Luther King Jr. being roused from his room at the Lorraine Motel to speak at Mason Temple on a rainy night.

50. Experts To Weigh In On Health Care Landscape - Friday, March 30, 2018

Eight years after the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, the cost of health insurance premiums bought in marketplace exchanges locally has seen a big spike so far in 2018.

That’s according to a new report out from the Urban Institute, which notes among other things an average 32 percent jump nationwide between 2017 and 2018 for the exchanges’ lowest-priced “silver” plans.

51. Eyes on Retirement? Consider These Steps First - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

It’s the beginning of a new year and the thought of retirement is becoming more realistic to you. The idea of working a 9 to 5 may not give you the same thrill as when you were a spring chicken entering the workforce.

52. McCann Launches Nonprofit Eating Disorders Association - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Teri Hardister McCann, founder and executive director of Fairhaven Treatment Center for Eating Disorders, has launched the Mid-South Eating Disorders Association, a nonprofit organization for treatment providers seeking to build community, access educational opportunities, and build awareness of treatment options for eating disorders. McCann serves as the founding president of MSEDA.

53. Survey of Business Economists Finds Growing Optimism - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Business economists are expressing optimism that tax cuts and increased government spending will accelerate economic growth over the next two years.

The latest survey by the National Association for Business Economics projects that the economy will grow 2.9 percent this year. That would be the best performance in three years, up from the NABE's forecast of three months ago, which envisioned 2.5 percent growth this year.

54. Innovating Human Resources - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

If you boil down the function of human relations to logical extremes, you end up with polar opposites.

On one hand you have the traditional view of HR: a place to fill out all of your essential employee paperwork, ask questions about benefits, send out messages about birthdays, and a place to be heard if you have an issue with a manager or boss.

55. EPE Expansion in Limbo, Overton Square Restaurant Sets Opening Date - Monday, March 26, 2018

3734 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38116

Project Cost: $22 million

Owner: Elvis Presley Enterprises

Details: Elvis Presley Enterprises’ expansion plans have been put on hold for the second straight month as the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County board continues to sort out if any implications will stem from approving bond financing for the Whitehaven project.

56. Events - Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Overton Park Conservancy will host a Park Fun Day and Science Fair Sunday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Overton Park’s East Parkway Pavilion. Events include a science fair with research partners from the University of Memphis, Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University; an 11:30 a.m. mini-BioBlitz, a tour of the Old Forest with conservancy staff to record as many species as possible; the finals of the International Society of Arboriculture Southern Chapter's tree-climbing contest; and games and food trucks. Cost is free. Visit overtonpark.org.

57. EPE Expansion Plans Placed on Hold Again - Thursday, March 22, 2018

Elvis Presley Enterprises’ expansion plans have been put on hold for the second straight month as the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County board continues to sort out what, if any, implications will stem from approving bond financing for the Whitehaven project.

58. Last Word: Hardaway Day, 'Our Turn' and Elvis Documentary Takes on Col. Parker - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

By the time Penny Hardaway is formally announced as the new Tigers basketball coach Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. the reaction could make you wonder what is going to be left by the time the first Tigers team led by Hardaway takes the court next season. Among those reacting Monday to the word of a contract agreement between Hardaway and the University was none other than LeBron James tweeting about the Tigers possible choices of footwear.

59. Without Toys R Us, 30,000 Jobs, A Black Hole for Toy Makers - Friday, March 16, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The demise of Toys R Us will have a ripple effect on everything from toy makers to consumers to landlords.

The 70-year-old retailer is headed toward shuttering its U.S. operations, jeopardizing the jobs of some 30,000 employees while spelling the end for a chain known to generations of children and parents for its sprawling stores and Geoffrey the giraffe mascot.

60. Wiuff Looks to Boost Engagement As MAAR Board President - Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Lauren Harkins Wiuff, a broker at Marx-Bensdorf Realtors, has begun her tenure as the 2018 president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors board of directors. Wiuff, who will serve a one-year term as board president, is also a lifetime member of MAAR’s Multi Million Dollar Club. At Marx-Bensdorf, she leads a team that includes her sister, Stephanie Sheahan.

61. Insurers Get Into Care, But is it Good for Your Health? - Monday, March 12, 2018

In the not-too-distant future, your health insurance, your prescription drugs and some of your treatment may come from the same company.

Insurers are dropping billions of dollars on acquisitions and expansions in order to get more involved in customer health. They say this push can help cut costs and improve care, in part by keeping the sickest patients healthy and out of expensive hospitals.

62. What’s Best for State, Education or Punishment? - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Carlos Reyes, a graduate of Murfreesboro Oakland High School’s Class of 2017, would be in his second semester at MTSU majoring in business administration – if he could afford it.

63. Last Word: Forrest and Slavery, The Tariff Blitz and Angus McEachran - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The report on poverty in Memphis over the last 50 years is on its way to a Greater Memphis Chamber breakfast meeting Thursday. And Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the National Civil Rights Museum and Elena Delavega, the University of Memphis lead researcher of the report, say their message is that as goes Memphis in this regard so goes the nation. And if employers start with lower pay at hiring with percentage raises across the board they feed the racial income gap and bonuses do as well.

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

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

65. 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.

66. Events - Thursday, February 15, 2018

PizzaRev will hold a “Pizzas for a Purpose” fundraiser for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Thursday, Feb. 15, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at PizzaRev’s new Cordova location, 765 N. Germantown Parkway. Guests are invited to pay what they want for their first custom-built, personal-sized pizza, with all proceeds going to Le Bonheur. Visit pizzarev.com.

67. Group Wants Probe of TVA's Jets, Luxury Helicopter - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A clean-energy advocacy group called for an investigation Tuesday after finding that the Tennessee Valley Authority bought two corporate jets, a Mercedes-Benz luxury helicopter and another plane in recent years.

68. City Council Approves 2 Percent Gas and Electric Rate Hikes - Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved gas and electric rate hikes Tuesday, Feb. 6, for Memphis Light Gas and Water Division effective in July.

The two percent rate hikes for each of the sectors came after a prolonged council debate and a council vote that initially voted down the 2 percent rate hike for gas.

69. Business Titans Face Complex System in US Health Care Push - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The leaders of Amazon.com, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan announced the ambitious goal of improving health care coverage all of their employees. They say they are forming a new company that will be "free from profit-making incentives and constraints" and hint its results might be applied on a broader scale. But the campaign is in its early planning stages.

70. Amazon, Buffett And JPMorgan Join Forces on Health Care - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Three of corporate America's heaviest hitters – Amazon, Warren Buffett and JPMorgan Chase – sent a shudder through the health industry Tuesday when they announced plans to jointly create a company to provide their employees with high-quality, affordable care.

71. Power Five Conferences Approve Medical Benefits Extension - Monday, January 22, 2018

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The NCAA's five largest conferences approved sweeping changes in everything from medical care to basketball during the holidays on Friday, dashing through the agenda with little opposition and virtually no debate.

72. As Companies Give Bonuses, Prospect of Pay Gains Still Hazy - Tuesday, January 16, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – American Airlines is handing out $1,000 bonuses to its employees. So are AT&T, Bank of America and Nationwide Insurance. The same for Comcast, JetBlue Airways and US Bancorp.

73. Walmart Boosts Starting Pay, Closing Dozens of Sam's Clubs - Friday, January 12, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Walmart confirmed Thursday that it is closing dozens of Sam's Club warehouse stores across the country – a move that seems sure to cost jobs – on the same day it announced that it was boosting its starting salary for U.S. workers and handing out one-time bonuses to others.

74. Last Word: The Stay Away Plan, Kroger and the Lamar Gateway and Silo Square - Thursday, January 4, 2018

City Hall says ignore and avoid the two parks that used to have Confederate monuments and the Tennessee Welcome Center Saturday. All could be the scene of gatherings Saturday by groups opposed to the removal of the monuments including white nationalist groups. If this sounds familiar it’s because this was the city’s strategy in 1998 when a Klan group from Indiana rallied on the courthouse steps and there was a marked departure from that in 2013 when another Klan group – also from Indiana also rallied at the courthouse – different set of steps though. More on the history behind all of this when next we meet.

75. Startups and Artisans: EPIcenter caps a Busy 2017 Supporting Entrepreneurs - Monday, January 1, 2018

Memphis’ startup ecosystem and its small-scale makers and artisans community took another leap forward in 2017, with new programming, resources and support to help all of those entrepreneurs continue to thrive.

76. Risk for Middle Class: That GOP Tax Cuts Could Fade Away - Thursday, December 28, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – It's a Christmas gift the middle class might want to give back in a few years.

The Republican tax overhaul bestows an initial infusion of cash on nearly every taxpayer next year. That extra income is likely to please millions of households, support consumer spending and perhaps give the economy a short-term lift.

77. The Week Ahead: December 18-24 - Monday, December 18, 2017

Good morning, Memphis! Winter officially begins this week, and Santa’s making one last pass on his naughty-or-nice list (though we know you’ve all been good this year). Check out a couple of ways you can give back – plus more fun happenings you need to know about – in The Week Ahead...

78. Best Places To Work in 2018 - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

For the 10th year, Glassdoor.com has released its Employees’ Choice Awards. For 2018, they’ve expanded the list of best companies from 50 to 100.

79. Hospital Indemnity Coverage On the Rise - Friday, December 8, 2017

As a way of offsetting high out-of-pocket medical expenses following a hospital stay, including ambulance costs, more employees are adding supplemental hospital indemnity coverage to their plans through their employers. With the cost of the average hospital stay at nearly $20,000 in Tennessee and the average cost per night topping $4,800, “gap plans” are becoming more popular ways for people to bridge the gap on potential expenses.

80. Diaz Makes Second Bid for County Commission Seat - Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Geoff Diaz came to Memphis in 2010 with a lot of political experience and inside knowledge of how the legislative process works.

He moved to Memphis with his wife for her job at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and arrived just after the 2010 midterm congressional primaries. With Charlotte Bergmann as the Republican nominee for the 9th Congressional District seat held by Democratic incumbent Steve Cohen, he immediately signed on as her campaign manager.

81. Q&A: $69B Aetna Bid Pushes CVS Deeper Into Consumers' Lives - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

A drugstore chain that used to hawk cigarettes behind the front counter now wants to offer nutrition advice and work with your doctor to keep you healthy.

CVS Health says it wants to use its roughly $69 billion acquisition of the insurer Aetna to dive deeper into managing customer health, with its nearly 10,000 stores becoming "front doors" for care. The companies plan to expand the health services offered through CVS locations and get more involved in helping patients stay on their medicines or manage their chronic conditions.

82. Memphis Professionals React to CVS-Aetna Deal - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

News coverage in the immediate aftermath of the announcement that drugstore giant CVS Health plans to buy health insurer Aetna for $69 billion focused on how it will change the country’s health care industry in a significant way. But much is still unclear.

83. Postal Regulators Move to Let Stamp Prices Jump Higher - Monday, December 4, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Seeking to bolster the ailing U.S. Postal Service, federal regulators moved on Friday to allow bigger jumps to stamp prices beyond the rate of inflation, a move that could eventually add millions more dollars to companies' shipping rates from prescription drugs to magazine subscriptions.

84. Ex-Tennessee TV News Personalities File Ageism Lawsuit - Friday, December 1, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Three former Tennessee on-air news personalities have sued their old station, claiming station officials discriminated against them because of their ages.

Former WSMV-TV anchor Jennifer Johnson, ex-meteorologist Nancy Van Camp and ex-reporter Dennis Ferrier filed the lawsuit against parent company Meredith Corporation this week in U.S. District Court in Nashville.

85. Work Tax Credits Continue To Rise in Tennessee - Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development continues to issue a record number of Work Opportunity Tax Credits, federal tax credit incentives that benefit businesses that hire individuals who have a difficult time entering or re-entering the labor force.

86. Council Moves Toward Alcohol on Main Street - Thursday, November 23, 2017

Memphis City Council members delayed a final vote Tuesday, Nov. 21, on an ordinance that sets out options for the removal of statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis in city parks, but moved forward on a proposal to allow open alcohol containers and consumption on Main Street.

87. Startup Wants to Bring Back Vioxx for Hemophilia Joint Pain - Wednesday, November 22, 2017

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Could there be a second life for the once-popular arthritis pill Vioxx? A startup pharmaceutical company hopes so.

Merck & Co. voluntarily pulled the blockbuster drug in 2004 amid evidence that it doubled the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

88. Wiping Slate Clean: Now Less About Who Can Afford It - Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The scales of justice in Tennessee are slowly tipping back toward the poor – and not so poor – helping them regain traction lost to often-minor transgressions.

Change is taking place in court battles and in the Republican-controlled Legislature, believe it or not.

89. Hall Joins Arc Mid-South As a Case Manager - Wednesday, November 22, 2017

De’Borah Hall recently joined The Arc Mid-South as a case manager, bringing with her nearly 15 years of experience in human resources. In her new role, Hall visits The Arc’s clients, who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, in their homes to determine if the organization’s direct support professionals are providing appropriate services, such as bathing, feeding and light housekeeping. The visits also help her evaluate staff members and determine if additional training or disciplinary measures are needed.

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

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

91. Tigers Savor AAC West-Clinching Victory and Move Up in the Polls - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

The obvious benefit to the University of Memphis beating SMU 66-45 Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium was winning the American Athletic Conference West Division title. Getting to hold that trophy high in the air. Achieving something no one can ever take away.

92. Banks Behind Lakeland Residential Developments - Monday, November 20, 2017

4501 Chambers Chapel Road, 
Lakeland, TN 38002 (et. al)

Application Date: Nov. 16, 2017

93. Graceland vs. Errrybody - Friday, November 17, 2017

When Memphis City Council members were told in an Aug. 22 open committee session about Graceland’s plan to build a 5,000- to 6,000-seat concert venue, it wasn’t the first time local officials heard about the idea.

94. Postal Service: Red Ink for 11th Year in Row as Mail Slumps - Wednesday, November 15, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The beleaguered U.S. Postal Service reported a financial loss Tuesday for the 11th straight year, citing declining mail volume and costs of its pension and health care obligations even as it predicted another strong holiday season of package deliveries.

95. Texas Massacre is Seized on by Both Sides in Gun Debate - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Gun-rights supporters have seized on the Texas church massacre as proof of the well-worn saying that the best answer to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. Gun-control advocates, meanwhile, say the tragedy shows once more that it is too easy to get a weapon in the U.S.

96. City's Tentative Fairgrounds Plan Confirms Separating Coliseum from Youth Sports - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s tentative plan for the redevelopment of the Mid-South Fairgrounds, presented Monday, Nov. 6, included a renovation of old Melrose High School in neighboring Orange Mound and a confirmation that the city administration doesn’t think the Mid-South Coliseum should be part of a youth sports tournament complex.

97. Lawmakers Bicker Over Whether Tax Bill Helps Middle Class - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans and Democrats bickered heatedly Monday over whether the GOP tax bill truly helps the middle class, as the Ways and Means Committee kicked off a marathon session to amend and vote on the far-reaching legislation President Donald Trump hopes to sign into law by year's end.

98. Trustmark Centre Sells for Nearly $20M - Thursday, November 2, 2017

An iconic East Memphis office building has switched hands for $19.7 million.

Nashville-based Magnolia Capital Investments has purchased the Trustmark Centre located at 5350 Poplar Ave. from Israeli investment group Faropoint Investments.

99. AstraZeneca Wins US Approval for Lymphoma Drug - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

U.S. regulators have approved a new treatment for people with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday granted accelerated approval to AstraZeneca PLC's Calquence for people with mantle cell lymphoma after chemotherapy or other treatments fail. The British drugmaker is now conducting further testing required by the FDA to confirm the drug's benefits and risks.

100. Housing Group Opens New Crack in Support for GOP Tax Plan - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Another deep crack opened in the support for President Donald Trump and the Republicans' tax-cutting plan on Monday, as a powerful lobbying group in the housing industry withdrew its blessing for the GOP's top legislative priority just as its details are set to be revealed.