Edmund Ford Jr. is pushing for a dedicated revenue stream for the Memphis Area Transit Authority and road projects while holding seats on the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission.

And it could take him through the 90 days he has before he must give up the council seat, Ford said this week.

2. Urban Land Institute Memphis Announces Fall UrbanPlan Workshop - Friday, September 14, 2018

Imagine hands-on planning simulations where attendees respond to a request for proposals (RFP) for a fictional city using Legos, a map and a spreadsheet.

The Urban Land Institute Memphis invites those interested in understanding the planning process and how to support development to its UrbanPlan workshops.

3. Council Approves Conditional Return of Beale Street Cover - Thursday, September 13, 2018

After much debate and consultation with attorneys, the Memphis City Council voted Tuesday, Sept. 11, to allow Memphis Police and the Downtown Memphis Commission to reinstate a cover charge for the Beale Street entertainment district.

4. 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.

5. Council Approves Conditional Return of Beale Cover - Wednesday, September 12, 2018

After much debate and consultation with attorneys, the Memphis City Council voted Tuesday, Sept. 11, to allow Memphis Police and the Downtown Memphis Commission to reinstate a cover charge for the Beale Street entertainment district.

6. Anniversary of Yellow Fever Epidemic Shows Ongoing Need in Community - Wednesday, September 12, 2018

St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral dean Andy Andrews joked with Margery Wolcott over the weekend that her Constance Abbey street ministry has lasted longer than lots of restaurants do at five years.

7. Last Word: Keeping Kirby Together, Out of State Tuition and Memphis at Navy - Friday, September 7, 2018

I’ve seen school officials have some pretty interesting conversations with parents and students over the last few decades – explaining the school merger comes to mind immediately, of course the demerger too, along with the always charged conversations surrounding busing and even the kidnapping of a child from a school building. But when SCS superintendent Dorsey Hopson met parents and students from Kirby High School Thursday evening in Hickory Hill, it was new ground. The subject was rats – lots of rats.

8. Board to Consider Requests for Madison Apartments, Graceland Master Plan - Friday, September 7, 2018

A new apartment building for Madison Avenue and a master plan for the Graceland campus are among the latest proposals submitted to the Land Use Control Board.

The planning board will consider the requests at 10 a.m. on Oct. 11 at City Hall.

9. Developers Seek PILOT for South Downtown Project - Thursday, September 6, 2018

As drivers come across the old bridge and pedestrians and cyclists come across Big River Crossing, they soon could see an adaptive reuse of an old warehouse.

Mike Kennedy of Parachute Investment Co. has teamed up with development consultant Amelia Carkuff and York Construction to flip a three-story warehouse into 24 apartment units and 1,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

10. Karl Dean Pledges Commitment to Completing Megasite - Thursday, September 6, 2018

Pointing at the need to bolster distressed West Tennessee counties, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean is pledging to complete the Memphis Regional Megasite and appoint an adviser to oversee the project.

11. Last Word: Southbrook Mall, Dean on Development and Cats & Thyroids - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Public money for a shopping mall with public uses is on the agenda for a special meeting this week of the EDGE board. And the Southbrook Mall saga is an extended story over several years with several different plans to get public money that at first blush was to fix the roof and perhaps HVAC and then let the private property owned by a nonprofit be on its way. It’s much more complex than that.

12. How Memphis Can Learn from Detroit: Creating an Inclusive Comeback Story - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The City of Detroit intends to create the most inclusive comeback story America has ever told.

Detroit is the largest African-American majority city in the country with a population over 400,000. Memphis is the second largest.

13. Memphis City Council Considers Surface Parking Lot at Main and Beale - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Memphis City Council members vote Tuesday, Aug. 28, on a special-use permit to turn the land on the northeast corner of South Main Street and Beale Street into a surface parking lot with landscaping.

14. 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.

15. Bredesen Seeks Rural Broadband Access Through TVA - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen is calling for congressional action enabling the Tennessee Valley Authority to deliver broadband internet access to rural parts of the state, a plan his opponent, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, says would be “anti-competitive.”

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

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

17. Last Word: Police Surveillance on Trial, Elvis Alternatives and Firestone's Dilemma - Monday, August 20, 2018

In Memphis Federal Court Monday morning, Memphis Police surveillance of protesters over the last two years is on the docket of U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla. McCalla ruled earlier this month in advance of the nonjury trial that police conducted “political surveillance” of protesters in violation of a 1978 federal court consent decree.

18. Firestone Fallout - Saturday, August 18, 2018

The red letters grow fainter as the years pass in North Memphis. The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. plant’s smokestack, once a symbol of the industrial base that defined North Memphis, has become a different kind of symbol in the 35 years since the tire plant closed.

19. Historic District Compromise Tabled Over State 'Threats' - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

After months of discussions, compromises and amendments, the city council member sponsoring an ordinance giving the council more oversight of the local Landmarks Commission tabled the measure on third and final reading.

20. Historic District Compromise Tabled Over State 'Threats' - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

After months of discussions, compromises and amendments, the city council member sponsoring an ordinance giving the council more oversight of the local Landmarks Commission tabled the measure on third and final reading.

21. Historic District Compromise Tabled Over State 'Threats' - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

After months of discussions, compromises and amendments, the city council member sponsoring an ordinance giving the council more oversight of the local Landmarks Commission tabled the measure on third and final reading.

22. Commission Delays Quinn Road Development After Collierville Opposition - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote on a proposed a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – during their meeting Monday, Aug. 13.  

23. Memphis City Council Could Take Final Vote On Historic Districts Oversight - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

After a two-and-a-half-month delay, Memphis City Council members may be ready Tuesday, Aug. 14, to take a final vote on new rules for historic districts including more oversight by the council.

A vote on third and final reading of the ordinance was delayed in June so the sponsor, council member Kemp Conrad, could meet with all sides of the issue to come up with a compromise. The ordinance follows council votes to grant historic district status, with guidelines enforced by the Landmarks Commission, for the Cooper-Young and Speedway Terrace neighborhoods.

24. ALSAC Buys Downtown Property from City for $5M - Monday, August 13, 2018

American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities Inc. (ALSAC) has purchased more than $5 million in property from the city of Memphis, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

25. Last Word: MIM Numbers, Feeding 700 Teenagers and Elvis Week Arrives - Friday, August 10, 2018

The honored country tradition of the Memphis In May International Festival is one of those things that gets called into question whenever there is some thought about changes to the city’s biggest party. And the keepers of the festival’s flame always defend the tradition against the notion that they should just go straight to the party and not worry about anything profound.

26. Mrs. Winner’s Could Return to Memphis - Saturday, August 11, 2018

Memphis could soon have a Mrs. Winner’s Chicken and Biscuits restaurant again.

The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development’s Land Use Control Board is scheduled to hear a site plan application for Mrs. Winner’s Holdings Inc. at 7060 Winchester Road, near Riverdale Road.

27. Large Subdivision Planned In De-annexed Area - Saturday, August 11, 2018

With plans submitted for a nearly 400-home subdivision, the city of Memphis could be missing out on more tax revenue than it originally anticipated when it recently de-annexed an area of Eads.

PFMT Holdings, a Tennessee limited liability company, is planning a 398-home subdivision on 130 acres at the southeast corner of Highway 64 and Cobb Road.

28. Garner Framed Magnolia Homes’ Success by Putting Buyers First - Saturday, August 11, 2018

For local homebuilder and developer Karen Garner, starting her own business 31 years ago as a single mother with two children was filled with challenges, but being a woman in a male-dominated industry did not turn out to be one of them.

29. 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.”

30. Last Word: Transition Time, Two Years of Heart and Eads De-Annexation Growth - Thursday, August 9, 2018

Here comes the transition in the county mayor’s office. Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris announced Wednesday that the transition team will be co-chaired by former Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Morris and former Grizz coach Lionel Hollins. Harris’s campaign manager Danielle Inez will be executive director of the transition team. They are soliciting applications to be on the transition team and the resumes have to be in soon. Harris takes office as outgoing mayor Mark Luttrell leaves at the end of this month.

31. Mrs. Winner’s Could Return to Memphis - Thursday, August 9, 2018

Memphis could soon have a Mrs. Winner’s Chicken and Biscuits restaurant again.

The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development’s Land Use Control Board is scheduled to hear a site plan application for Mrs. Winner’s Holdings Inc. at 7060 Winchester Road, near Riverdale Road.

32. Memphis-based TruGreen Lands National Culture Award - Thursday, August 9, 2018

The National Association of Landscape Professionals has awarded Memphis-based TruGreen a Community Partnership Award.

TruGreen received the “Community Partnership for Outstanding Company Culture Award” for its national TruNeighbor program, which grants communities up to $15,000 – in partnership with national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful – for projects that remedy blight and increase access to green space.

33. Large Subdivision Planned In De-annexed Area - Thursday, August 9, 2018

With plans submitted for a nearly 400-home subdivision, the city of Memphis could be missing out on more tax revenue than it originally anticipated when it recently de-annexed an area of Eads.

PFMT Holdings, a Tennessee limited liability company, is planning a 398-home subdivision on 130 acres at the southeast corner of Highway 64 and Cobb Road.

34. Making a Splash - Thursday, August 9, 2018

Jen Andrews’ office is in the northwest corner of the visitor center at Shelby Farms Park. The office’s huge windows give her an expansive view of the park. But it’s also two-way glass. On the outside of that glass, at a certain height, are smudges where children have pressed their foreheads and dogs have jumped up with their paws.

35. Infill Developments Seek Consideration in September Land Use Control Board Meeting - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Three proposed infill developments within the Interstate 240 loop would carve out lots for 35 houses, requiring the demolition of one church building, houses sharing ground with another church and the razing of an old commercial building.

36. Last Word: Colonial's New Plan, the Overton Square Hotel and American Way - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

And we are at that point of the post-county election period where those who leave office next month are announcing what’s next. This will soon start to blend with transition announcements for the incoming office holders. Shelby County commissioner Terry Roland is the new director of the Millington Chamber of Commerce. The announcement made at a luncheon in Millington Tuesday. Roland is among the eight Shelby County commissioners who leave office as of Sept. 1. Roland also vows he will be back in four years when the county elections just decided will be on the ballot once more. Roland ran in the May Republican primary for county mayor won by David Lenoir.

37. Mrs. Winner’s on Verge of Returning to Memphis - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Memphis could soon have a Mrs. Winner’s Chicken and Biscuits restaurant again.

The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development’s Land Use Control Board is scheduled to hear a site plan application for Mrs. Winner’s Holdings, Inc. at 7060 Winchester Road, near Riverdale Road.

38. Loeb Presents Renderings of New Hotel Proposed for Overton Square - Tuesday, August 7, 2018

New renderings were released Tuesday of an Overton Square hotel tall enough – at seven stories – for rooftop bar patrons to see much of Midtown, including Overton Park six blocks to the north.

39. Police HQ No Longer in Running for Second Convention Center Hotel - Tuesday, August 7, 2018

The Civic Center Plaza building that is currently Memphis Police Department headquarters is out of the running to be the site of a second convention center hotel.

“That site was contemplated in the beginning. It’s no longer in the running,” Downtown Memphis Commission president Jennifer Oswalt said of 170 N. Main St. on the WKNO/Channel 10 program “Behind The Headlines.”

40. East High Sportsplex Has Broader Goal - Monday, August 6, 2018

The first day of the school year usually finds those who run the seven public school districts within Shelby County thinking much further ahead. The start of the school year is something that may have consumed their thoughts about the time they were taking down the Christmas tree last December and preparing for the start of the calendar year.

41. U of M Has Shot at Jeffries After Recruit De-Commits - Saturday, August 4, 2018

The University of Memphis would appear to be in prime position to land Top-50 recruit D.J. Jeffries after he announced he is decommitting from Kentucky and reopening his recruitment.

An athletic, 6-foot-7 forward from Olive Branch High School, Jeffries said in a Twitter post that decommitting was a “hard choice” but the “right decision.” Jeffries played for Memphis coach Penny Hardaway’s AAU team in the summer of 2017.and played for the same program this year after Hardaway had left.

42. Long, Winding Road - Saturday, August 4, 2018

Considered by many to be the main artery of Memphis’ robust logistical and distribution network, the Lamar Avenue Corridor has long been clogged by its own narrow lanes and outdated capacity. 

43. Notice Served: Penny Taking Recruiting Fight Straight to Calipari - Friday, August 3, 2018

How’s this for a headline, not to mention rock-solid truth: “John Calipari vs. Penny Hardaway is college basketball’s best new recruiting rivalry.”

44. SCS Closes On Bayer Building To House New Central Office - Thursday, August 2, 2018

Shelby County Schools board members voted Tuesday, July 31, to buy the Bayer Building, 3030 Jackson Ave., as the new central office of the school system for $6.6 million.

45. Shelby County Schools Closes on Bayer Building As New Central Office - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Shelby County Schools board members voted Tuesday, July 31, to buy the Bayer Building, 3030 Jackson Ave., as the new central office of the school system for $6.6 million.

46. Jeffries De-commits from Kentucky Giving Memphis Shot at Top Recruit - Tuesday, July 31, 2018

The University of Memphis would appear to be in prime position to land Top-50 recruit D.J. Jeffries after he announced he is de-committing from Kentucky and reopening his recruitment.

A 6-foot-7 forward from Olive Branch High School, Jeffries said in a Twitter post that decommitting was a “hard choice” but the “right decision.” Jeffries played for Memphis coach Penny Hardaway’s AAU team in the summer of 2017 and played for the same program this year after Hardaway had left.

47. De-Annexation Plan Encounters Council Resistance - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Strickland administration’s proposal to de-annex two more parts of the city – Southwind-Windyke and Rocky Point – got bad reviews Tuesday, July 24, in city council committee sessions on their way to the first of three council votes in August.

48. Last Word: Polls & Precinct Splits, Behind The Roundhouse Revival and The Bubba - Tuesday, July 24, 2018

With a week left in early voting we have reached that part in the campaign where candidates and campaigns have one last chance to read the signs, interpret them on how this is going and act. They will still be doing the first two things up until the polls close on Aug. 2. But very shortly there won’t be time to do the third and have it make a difference in the outcome.

49. Council Gets First Look at Sanitation Overhaul - Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Memphis City Council members offer their first thoughts Tuesday, July 23, on the reconfiguration of city sanitation services outlined last week by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.

50. Restoration Ringleaders - Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Backers of a restored Mid-South Coliseum took stock Saturday, July 21, of a mothballed arena and a city Fairgrounds plan that leaves it inactive for now.

The third Roundhouse Revival over the weekend remained an outdoor event with the Coliseum as a backdrop.

51. Shortages of Serviced Lots, Skilled Labor Plague Builders and Developers - Saturday, July 21, 2018

Despite a booming housing market for the past few years, construction on new housing in Memphis still remains low and is considered by some to be the last missing piece of the puzzle.

Two main limiting factors to new home construction in West Tennessee right now, according to Donald Glays, executive director of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association, are a shortage of serviced lots and a shortage of skilled laborers, such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, framers, roofers and bricklayers – all trades that are seriously underserved.

52. Big Attraction Not Key to Remaking Mud Island River Park, N.Y. Expert Tells Memphis Group - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Mud Island River Park doesn’t need a master plan or a new big attraction, the former director of Governors Island in New York City told a Memphis group this week.

Leslie Koch said she had neither during her tenure as president and chief executive of the Trust for Governors Island, the organization created to manage the former military base that was turned over to the city of New York as park land.

53. Frayser Bauhaus Draws Preview Crowd of 300 - Monday, July 16, 2018

The investor developer of a Bauhaus-style home from the late 1940s in Frayser says the area is the “next frontier” in Memphis real estate.

“I’m super passionate about Frayser. When I came out here and saw the beautiful rolling hills, I’m like, ‘This is the next frontier,’” Dana Gabrion told a group of 300 people outside the house at 3590 Thomas St. at Floyd Avenue Thursday, July 12.

54. Amazon, Container Store Eye New Locations in Memphis - Monday, July 16, 2018

5155 Citation Dr.

Memphis, TN 38118

Permit Amount: $10 million

Application Date: July 10 

Owner: Exeter Property Group

Tenant: Amazon

55. Hardaway Vows To Pursue Five-Star Talent - Saturday, July 14, 2018

Before heading to the Peach Jam tournament run by Nike in North Augusta, S.C., University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway met with media at the Laurie-Walton practice facility Tuesday, July 10, and made clear his recruiting mission: compete with the big boys for five-star recruits.

56. Hardaway Vows To Pursue Five-Star Talent - Thursday, July 12, 2018

Before heading off to the Peach Jam tournament run by Nike in North Augusta, S.C., University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway met with media at the Laurie-Walton practice facility on Tuesday, July 10, and made clear his recruiting mission: compete with the big boys for five-star recruits.

57. Bank of Bartlett Eyes An Expanded Footprint to Meet Consumer Demand - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Bank of Bartlett will soon consolidate its two Germantown branches into one enhanced location at Poplar and Kirby, and is eyeing Midtown and Arlington as areas for additional brick-and-mortar branches.

58. Strickland Moves to De-Annex Southwind, Rocky Point - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says his administration is set to begin the process of de-annexing the Southwind/Windyke area and the Rocky Point area, both in eastern Memphis.

59. Council Discusses Doing Away With Elected City Court Clerk - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Memphis City Council members discuss a proposal Tuesday, July 10, that would abolish the office of City Court clerk and divert its functions to the city treasurer’s office.

The change would require approval by city voters in a referendum proposed for the Nov. 6 ballot. If the referendum ordinance is approved on three readings, it would be the fourth ballot question changing the city charter to go to city voters on the November ballot.

60. Strickland Moves to De-Annex Southwind/Windyke, Rocky Point - Monday, July 9, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says his administration is set to begin the process of de-annexing the Southwind/Windyke area and the Rocky Point area, both in eastern Memphis.

61. July 6-12, 2018: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, July 7, 2018

2008: WSG Memphis LLC takes a revised application for a mixed-use development to the Land Use Control Board for approval. The company has assembled more than 90 lots and parcels covering 26 acres on Poplar Avenue east of Cleveland where apartment buildings and some homes once stood. The plan is for a mix of retail shops, larger retail stores, medical offices and restaurants, along with apartments and condos.

62. New Beale Street Hotel, A Vehicle ‘Vending Machine,’ and New Life on Former Buccaneer Site - Monday, July 9, 2018

380 Beale St.
Memphis, TN 38103

Project Cost: $16 million

Application Date: July 10

Owner: Miller Memphis Inc.

Tenant: TCH Memphis LLC

63. Hospitality Rules in St. Maarten - Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Eighty percent of the island’s hotels still closed. That’s all I could think about as our cruise ship pulled away from Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

We spent a few hours lounging on the beautiful beach and decided to enjoy a lunch at the Lazy Lizard Beach Bar & Grill before we went back to the ship.

64. If They Can Make It There … - Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Riley Young and Amelia Beckham knew they were going to New York City and Broadway. After all, they were the lead actor and actress winners from the Orpheum High School Musical Theatre Awards.

65. Events - Thursday, June 21, 2018

The Shelby County Real Estate Road Show, co-sponsored by the Shelby County Trustee’s Office and Chandler Reports, is Thursday, June 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (registration 5 p.m.) at Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road. Learn about the county’s tax sale process and anti-blight initiative, plus how to buy properties through Shelby County Land Bank. Cost is free. Register at rersmemphis621.eventbrite.com.

66. Council Approves 13-Year Contract with MRPP - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

67. Council Approves 13-Year Contract with MRPP, Makes End of Fiscal Year Moves - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

68. Council Approves 13-Year Contract With MRPP, Makes End of Fiscal Year Moves - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

69. Events - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Creative Aging’s Senior Arts Series continues Wednesday, June 20, at 1:30 p.m. at Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Road Extended. The performance features Creative Aging jazz and blues artist Deborah Swiney and highlights from Theatre Memphis’ “42nd Street.” Tickets available online or at the door for a minimum donation of $5 (cash or check). Visit creativeagingmidsouth.org.

70. Parkside Proposal - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

The developers of the proposed Parkside at Shelby Farms project have applied for a tax-increment financing (TIF) designation to fund nearly $72 million in public infrastructure improvements to the area, including the construction of Shelby Farms Parkway.

71. Events - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Talk Shoppe will meet Wednesday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pinot’s Palette, 8225 Dexter Road, suite 103. A Dress for Success representative will present “Career 101: What Not to Wear.” Cost is free. Visit talkshoppe.com.

72. Dream Redux - Saturday, June 16, 2018

On a recent afternoon at AutoZone Park, manager Stubby Clapp’s team had a two-run lead going into the ninth inning. Assigned the task of getting the last three outs: veteran big league closer Greg Holland, he of 186 career saves and three All-Star appearances, and on this day pitching for the Memphis Redbirds on a rehab assignment.

73. Council Drops Referendum From November Ballot - Saturday, June 9, 2018

There will be no referendum question on the Nov. 6 election ballot that would change a basic structural feature of city government.

The Memphis City Council rejected on third and final reading Tuesday, June 5, a referendum question that, if approved by city voters, would have required council approval of city contracts.

74. Last Word: Firestone's Legacy, Malco In Lakeland and Alexander on Cell Phones - Friday, June 8, 2018

What about Firestone? That’s the quick way of getting into the latest turn in our ongoing civic discussion about whether there should be changes to how Memphis approaches economic development and the growth it brings. Eric Robertson, the president of Community LIFT, which works with community development corporations across the city, says the definition of economic development should be broader and the approach to it should go beyond answering the questions of site consultants to keep them from walking away to the next city on their list.

75. The Push for Place - Friday, June 8, 2018

By the end of July, the group that works to connect the dots among the city’s community development corporations plans to have a report that looks at how other cities are connecting the dots in a much broader way.

76. Council Drops Referendum From November Ballot - Thursday, June 7, 2018

There will be no referendum question on the Nov. 6 election ballot that would change a basic structural feature of city government.

The Memphis City Council rejected on third and final reading Tuesday, June 5, a referendum question that, if approved by city voters, would have required council approval of city contracts.

77. Blackburn’s Scattershot Hits Surprise Targets - Thursday, June 7, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is doubling down against Democratic opponent Phil Bredesen in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat, hammering him as a liberal in the vein of Obama, Clinton, Schumer and Pelosi.

78. Last Word: Our Un-Signature, City Hall Beat Down and Lamar Avenue - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

The first thing most people notice when they realize there is lots of development going on in Memphis but that its quite different than Nashville’s brand of development is that you don’t see nearly as many construction cranes here as you do there. It’s become an un-signature of sorts for what is an ongoing remake of Memphis. We adapt and use for new purposes. We also move institutions around, it turns out.

79. City Council Approves $685M City Budget, Takes City Tax Rate to $3.19 - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

The Memphis City Council gave final approval Tuesday, June 5, to a $685 million city operating budget, an $87 million capital budget and a $3.19 city property tax rate.

The votes ended City Hall’s budget season with few changes by the council to the budget proposed by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

80. Hollywood Feed Promotes Ross To Director of Marketing - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Anne Ross has been promoted to director of marketing at Hollywood Feed. Having been with the Memphis-based natural pet food chain for more than five years, she now oversees all of the company’s marketing and communication efforts throughout the region in its 70 stores.

81. City Council Faces Final Vote on Tax Rate - Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Memphis City Council members could start to wrap up the budget season Tuesday, June 5, with third and final-reading votes on the city property tax rate and a resolution approving the city’s capital budget.

82. Malco Sues Overton Square Landlord Over Lack of Parking - Saturday, June 2, 2018

Memphis-based Malco Theatres Inc. is suing Overton Square landlord Loeb Properties over the dwindling number of parking spaces surrounding Studio on the Square.

The movie theater chain alleges net profits from Studio on the Square have been reduced as a result of insufficient free parking, which Malco claims is in violation of a long-standing lease agreement, according to documents filed in Shelby County Chancery Court.

83. Last Word: Big River Summer, AuthenticAfrican Revealed and 100 North Main - Friday, June 1, 2018

It’s the month that doesn’t have a festival with its name in the title, the month after the month that does have a festival bearing its name. It’s the month of heat and sun and heat lightning, lightning bugs and tourists and no school. Baseball before the All-Star break, politics past one set of primaries but before the other midterm primaries, budget seasons and the difference between the unrestricted fund balance and the restricted fund balance and patio society underneath the ferns. Welcome to June.

84. 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.

85. EMS Ready To Double Footprint In Bartlett - Friday, June 1, 2018

After holding on to an adjacent parcel of land for more than a decade next to its facility in Bartlett, medical device manufacturer Engineered Medical Systems LLC is gearing up for a major expansion of its facility. The company is investing $10.5 million in a move that will create 40 new jobs.

86. Last Word: Kim Kardashian's Plea, The Duran Stay and Mid-Term Moves - Thursday, May 31, 2018

A drug case from Memphis federal court in the early 1990s was the reason Kim Kardashian West was at the White House Wednesday. Kardashian West is among those pushing for a presidential pardon for Alice Marie Johnson – serving a life sentence on a federal drug and money laundering conviction. Here is the Associated Press story.

87. Allegiant Offering Nonstop Service from Memphis to Oakland - Thursday, May 31, 2018

Allegiant Air is offering new nonstop service between Memphis International Airport (MEM) and Oakland International Airport (OAK), the company announced. The flight will run twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday.

88. Tackling Transit, Reappraisal at Once Not Smart - Thursday, May 31, 2018

Nashville’s Metro Council is taking the hit for falling asleep at the wheel in a period of unprecedented prosperity and waking up to a budget shortfall in mid-2018.

“We’ve been drunken by our growth and the label of the It City,” Councilwoman Tanaka Vercher admits. “But this is what happens in growth. It stabilizes.”

89. Minority Business Growth Aim of 'The 800 Initiative' - Thursday, May 31, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is proposing $500,000 in city funding each of the next three fiscal years to help fund a new initiative to bolster the city’s 800 minority-owned businesses that have paid employees.

90. Council Delays Ordinances To De-Annex 2 Areas - Saturday, May 26, 2018

The Memphis City Council on Tuesday, May 22, again delayed votes on third and final reading of two de-annexation ordinances. One would de-annex uninhabited flood plain land in southwest Memphis, while the other would de-annex the part of Eads within the Memphis city limits.

91. State Approves Expansion Of Downtown TDZ - Saturday, May 26, 2018

Plans for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s move Downtown and a new aquarium took a major step forward as the State Building Commission’s executive subcommittee approved the addition of Mud Island and the riverfront to the city’s Downtown Tourism Development Zone on Tuesday, May 22.

92. Chiozza, Players With Local Connection Workout for Grizzlies - Friday, May 25, 2018

There was a time four years ago when Chris Chiozza’s dream was to stay home and play his college ball at FedExForum.

93. Sleep Out Louie Returns, Tennessee Brewery Preps for Phase II - Monday, May 28, 2018

150 Peabody Place, Memphis, TN 38103: After more than a decade, Sleep Out Louie, Memphis’ favorite fictional vagabond, is returning to the Bluff City.

94. Council Delays Ordinances To De-Annex 2 Areas - Thursday, May 24, 2018

The Memphis City Council on Tuesday, May 22, again delayed votes on third and final reading of two de-annexation ordinances. One would de-annex uninhabited flood plain land in southwest Memphis, while the other would de-annex the part of Eads within the Memphis city limits.

95. State Approves Downtown TDZ Expansion - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Plans for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s move Downtown and a new aquarium took a major step forward as the State Building Commission’s executive subcommittee approved the addition of Mud Island and the riverfront to the city’s Downtown Tourism Development Zone (TDZ) on Tuesday, May 22.

96. City Council to Deal With Employee Contract Impasses - Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Memphis City Council members move closer to setting a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 with a set of impasse recommendations involving 13 groups of city employees.

The full council votes Tuesday, May 22, on recommendations from eight separate impasse committees – each has three council members appointed to resolve contract negotiation impasses between unions and the city administration.

97. Frontier Adds Nonstop Flights to San Antonio - Saturday, May 19, 2018

Frontier Airlines will be adding a new nonstop flight between Memphis International Airport and San Antonio International Airport effective Aug. 13.

This new route will join Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando and Philadelphia as the fifth nonstop destination Frontier offers from Memphis International, and the fourth added since August 2017.

98. Penny Mania - Saturday, May 19, 2018

Derek Jett was coming home from a business trip on the West Coast and making a connection at the airport in Dallas. It was football season, and because it was football season (and not basketball season), he was wearing his University of Memphis cap.

99. Frontier Adds Nonstop Flights to San Antonio - Friday, May 18, 2018

Frontier Airlines will be adding a new nonstop flight between Memphis International Airport and San Antonio International Airport effective Aug. 13.

This new route will join Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando and Philadelphia as the fifth nonstop destination Frontier offers from Memphis International, and the fourth added since August 2017.

100. Frontier Airlines Adds New Nonstop Flight Destination - Thursday, May 17, 2018

Frontier Airlines will be adding a new nonstop flight to between Memphis International Airport and San Antonio International Airport effective August 13.

This new route will join Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia as the fifth nonstop destination Frontier offers from the Memphis International Airport, and the fourth added since August 2017.