Surge, wind, rain, floods: Hurricane Florence could hit hard

By JONATHAN DREW, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Florence churned Tuesday toward the Eastern Seaboard as a storm of "staggering" size, forcing a million people to evacuate the coast. Many more were left to wonder where they might be safe if days of torrential rains unleash floods from the mountains to the sea.

2. FHN Names Dawn Morris to Chief Digital Banking/Marketing Post - Tuesday, September 11, 2018

First Horizon National Corp. has named Dawn Morris executive vice president, chief digital banking and marketing officer.

3. For Memphis Defense, Navy is 'Always on Our Mind' - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

One day after losing 59-41 at Hawaii, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo conceded that his team’s vaunted triple-option offense could have played better.

But the coach told the Capital Gazette: “My focus is not the offense right now. That’s the least of my concerns. We need to get our defense right.”

4. Karl Dean Pledges Bigger State Role in Memphis Economic Development - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Karl Dean, the Democratic nominee for governor, says each of the 61 days he has campaigned in Memphis, someone has complained that the city has “been cut adrift by the state of Tennessee.”

5. Democratic Nominee for Governor Pledges Bigger State Role in Memphis Economic Development - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Karl Dean, the Democratic nominee for governor, says each of the 61 days he has campaigned in Memphis, someone has complained that the city has “been cut adrift by the state of Tennessee.”

6. Still Learning - Monday, September 3, 2018

An intensive, six-week teacher training program this summer deprived Tra Taylor of sleep and tested his resolve, but his passion to bring quality education to kids is now stronger than ever. “The ideals I had now have names and faces and stories,” said the 25-year-old Teach For America corps member who started his first permanent classroom assignment three weeks ago.

7. Passenger Facility Charge Begins Sept. 1 at Memphis Airport - Friday, August 31, 2018

Memphis International Airport will add $4.50 to the cost of each outbound flight starting Saturday (Sept. 1).

It’s a passenger facility charge, the airport’s first in more than 20 years.

8. Passenger Facility Charge Begins Sept. 1 at Memphis Airport - Friday, August 31, 2018

Memphis International Airport will add $4.50 to the cost of each outbound flight starting Saturday (Sept. 1).

It’s a passenger facility charge, the airport’s first in more than 20 years.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved it July 16 to help pay for modernization of Concourse B between now and 2021.

9. Outcry Over Retirement-Age Plan Brings Rare Putin Concession - Thursday, August 30, 2018

MOSCOW (AP) — Facing protests and a noticeable dip in his approval ratings, President Vladimir Putin made rare concessions Wednesday to an unpopular pension reform package that increased the retirement age for Russians.

10. Council Approves TDZ Financing for Second Convention Center Hotel - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved the use of Tourism Development Zone revenues Tuesday, Aug. 28, to finance the construction of a second convention center hotel as they delayed any decisions on long-term crowd control and safety measures in the Beale Street entertainment district.

11. 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.

12. Last Word: Rallings Talks Bridge, Bird at U of M and Spec Industrial - Thursday, August 23, 2018

Part of the unofficial job description of an activist can be to be as provocative as possible. And provocative is what the attorneys and the judge in the Memphis Police surveillance lawsuit trial in federal court got Wednesday from Keedran Franklin. Franklin is one of the activists/protesters in the recent wave of protests locally in the last two to three years who was being watched closely by Memphis Police.

13. 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.”

14. School Year to Begin at Texas School Where Gunman Killed 10 - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

SANTA FE, Texas (AP) — Students in Santa Fe, Texas, will begin a new school year Monday with additional security measures in place following a mass shooting in May that left 10 people dead.

15. Trump Nixes $92M Military Parade, Blames D.C. For High Cost - Monday, August 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday he had canceled plans for a Veterans Day military parade, citing the "ridiculously high" price tag — a day after U.S. officials said the November event could cost $92 million, more than three times the price first suggested by the White House.

16. When You Max Out Your 401(k) - Friday, August 17, 2018

Ray’s Take: According to Bloomberg, only 41 percent of workers are saving in a 401(k) at the 79 percent of American companies that offer a plan to their employees. So if you are one of the 41 percent of Americans contributing to a 401(k), good work. And if you are contributing the maximum amount, which was $18,500 for 2018, you’re even better off, and certainly making progress towards a better retirement.

17. Why Local One Commerce Square Owners Are Selling to Out-of-State Investors - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

After successfully renovating the 29-story iBank Tower in Downtown Memphis, the work is done for a group of prominent Memphis investors as they prepare to sell the office building to a new owner with deeper pockets.

18. 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.

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. Key Afghan City Turned into 'Ghost Town' by Deadly Battles - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Hundreds of people have fled four days of fierce fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban over the key provincial capital of Ghazni that has killed about 120 security forces and civilians, the defense minister and witnesses said Monday.

22. Cordova Hotel Sold for $3.5 Million - Saturday, August 11, 2018

The Baymont Inn and Suites, located at 2427 N. Germantown Road, sold for $3.5 million on Monday, Aug. 6, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

23. 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.”

24. Cordova Hotel Sold for $3.5 Million - Friday, August 10, 2018

The Baymont Inn and Suites, located at 2427 N. Germantown Road, sold for $3.5 million on Monday, Aug. 6, according to the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

25. Aitken: Look Beyond Price Of New Collierville High School - Friday, August 10, 2018

The day after the ribbon cutting, the toughest critics of the new Collierville High School got to look around – the high school’s seniors begin classes Monday, Aug. 13.

And the tour got rave reviews.

26. Melania Trump's Parents Sworn In As U.S. Citizens - Friday, August 10, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — First lady Melania Trump's parents were sworn in as U.S. citizens Thursday.

Viktor and Amalija Knavs, both in their 70s, took the citizenship oath at a special, private ceremony in New York City. The Slovenian immigrants, a former car dealer and textile factory worker, had been living in the U.S. as permanent residents.

27. Ebola Vaccinations Begin in Congo's Latest Deadly Outbreak - Thursday, August 9, 2018

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Ebola vaccinations began Wednesday in Congo's latest outbreak of the deadly virus that has already claimed at least nine lives.

Health officials have warned that containing the outbreak in North Kivu province is complicated by the presence of multiple armed groups vying for mineral-rich land in the northeastern region that borders Uganda and Rwanda. Ebola screening of travelers at the Congo-Rwanda border was "already in high gear," the World Health Organization said.

28. Tennessee Set to Kill 1st Inmate in Nearly a Decade - Thursday, August 9, 2018

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee is set to execute its first inmate since 2009 on Thursday evening, barring any last-minute intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court or some unexpected change.

29. 'Hazardous' Smoky Air Shuts Yosemite in Peak Tourist Season - Monday, August 6, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yosemite National Park's iconic cliffs are shrouded in so much smoke from nearby wildfires that the air quality is worse than anywhere in America and is rivaling Beijing.

30. Commercial Appeal, Amazon Eying New Locations - Monday, August 6, 2018

262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105

Permit Amount: $412 million

Project Cost: $330 million

31. Pope Seeks to Abolish Death Penalty, Changes Church Teaching - Friday, August 3, 2018

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has decreed that the death penalty is "inadmissible" under all circumstances and that the Catholic Church must work to abolish it, changing official church teaching to reflect his view that all life is sacred and there is no justification for state-sponsored executions.

32. 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.

33. Last Word: Early Voting's Strong Finish, School Moves and City Hall Crackdown - Monday, July 30, 2018

Most of the major contenders for Tennessee Governor – Democratic and Republican – were in Shelby County over the weekend in which early voting ended and the campaigns now adjust their last minute efforts to the gap between early voting and election day on Thursday.

34. Trump Thanks Kim for Fulfilling Promise on Korea War Remains - Monday, July 30, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday for "fulfilling a promise" to return the remains of missing U.S. soldiers from the Korean War, as a U.S. military plane made a rare trip into North Korea to retrieve 55 cases of remains.

35. Last Word: Sunflowers, Poplar-Ridgeway TIF and Meet The Developer of The Bucc - Thursday, July 26, 2018

You wait for it all year but it always comes as a surprise when you see them by the side of the road beckoning with their bright colors and their solid stance on the horizon as early voters head for Agricenter in search of a bit of scenery before making their choices. The sunflowers – What did you think I was talking about? -- began blooming on Walnut Grove Tuesday, the first of two phases from more than 78,000 sunflower seeds planted at Agricenter. They last a few weeks and with the staggered plantings, the new crop should be in its full glory about a month from now. Please don’t pick the sunflowers. Agricenter has designated parking areas after you enter on Timber Creek Drive. Just follow the signs.

36. 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.

37. Following Merger, First Tennessee Executive Encourages Memphians to Embrace Change - Friday, July 20, 2018

Sometimes, your career chooses you. For Darin Johnson, he always knew he wanted to combine his love of numbers and people. “Since I was a kid, I’ve loved numbers,” Johnson said. “In fact, we didn’t have voicemail when I was a kid, so I would memorize everyone who would call and all of their numbers."

38. Tesla Model 3 Buyers Lose Patience and Maybe Tax Credits - Thursday, July 19, 2018

DETROIT (AP) – In March of 2016, Keith Reynolds flew from California to Atlanta so he could claim his spot in line at 4 a.m., and get a three-hour head start on his West Coast competitors.

39. Last Word: Water Hoses and Campaigns, Taking Down Alabama and Bitcoin ATM - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

One of the candidates on the August ballot compares campaigning during the early voting period to drinking from a fire hose. That and other notes from the campaigns in a story that also includes some early voting numbers from the first three days before it went countywide Tuesday at 22 other sites. With that updated after press time, the new numbers show we are over 10,000 early voters so far.

40. First Horizon Reports Strong Q2 as Capital Bank Merger Wraps Up - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

With the Capital Bank merger and integration complete, Memphis-based First Horizon National Corp. is now the fourth-largest bank in the Southeast, boasting roughly 300 branches and $40 billion in assets.

41. Efforts To Grow Black Business Face Wealth Gap - Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The story of a business founded by maxing out personal credit cards or using home equity or both is usually told when that big financial risk works. You don’t hear a lot about when it doesn’t work.

42. The Daily Memphian to Launch in Fall as Memphis' Definitive News Source - Monday, July 16, 2018

A new seven-days-a-week news outlet called The Daily Memphian will make its debut this fall, with many of the biggest names in Memphis journalism and a unique not-for-profit funding model. The ambitious effort’s goal is to become the city’s definitive news source with reporting of, by and for Memphis.

43. Youth Villages' New Board Chair, Jimmy Lackie, Believes in the Process - Monday, July 16, 2018

A lot has changed since 1984 when James “Jimmy” D. Lackie first became involved with the forerunner to Youth Villages. Spence Wilson, CEO of Kemmons Wilson, Inc., had asked Lackie to assist on a capital campaign at Dogwood Villages. This was two years before Dogwood merged with Memphis Boys Town to create Youth Villages.

44. 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

45. Heat Wave - Saturday, July 14, 2018

After what was a banner year in many ways for Memphis commercial real estate in 2017, projections for this year were bullish. But at the halfway point of 2018, have expectations in the area risen with the temperatures or have they begun to dry out under the sweltering summer heat? 

46. What Do Statewide Candidates Say About Education in Tennessee? - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Gov. Bill Haslam and the General Assembly have invested in education during the last eight years. Has that been a good investment and should it continue? What do the candidates propose for the next four to eight years?

47. Beale Hotel, South Main Mixed-Use Top Busy Week In Development - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

It’s a busy week for the city of Memphis when it comes to economic development. The Downtown Memphis Commission has two of its affiliate boards, the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. and the Design Review Board, in action this week, while the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County is holding a meeting for its Economic Development Finance Committee.

48. Last Word: Kyle Anderson's Apartment Search, Tate vs. Robinson and Finding Capital - Monday, July 9, 2018

Keedran Franklin, an activist who has been a visible part of the rise in local protests and other actions over the last two years or so is free on bond pending a first court appearance Monday morning after being arrested by Memphis Police on a variety of misdemeanor and felony charges Friday night.

49. First Horizon Promotes Johnson to Senior VP - Saturday, July 7, 2018

First Horizon National Corp., First Tennessee Bank’s parent company, has promoted Darin Johnson to senior vice president and credit risk manager for government lending programs.

50. Pathways to Growth - Saturday, July 7, 2018

A group of nonprofits and banks have created a program to increase lending to Memphis-area minority- and women-owned businesses. Last month, entrepreneurial hub Epicenter and Pathway Lending launched the $15 million Memphis Small Business Opportunity Loan Fund, which is aimed at helping small businesses improve their access to capital.

51. Last Word: River Museum Review, Tigers' Blended Family and Oxford Crackdown - Friday, July 6, 2018

It’s not the Gulf. It’s Lake Pontchartrain that draws the crowds on Mud Island. The Riverwalk replica of the Gulf of Mexico’s neighbor that is. A few adjustments is all it took to return authorized wading to the area at the end of the scale model of the Mississippi River. The river park is changing as it continues to make its way through the annual season from the summer and into the fall.

52. Newsrooms Hold Moment of Silence for 5 Shooting Victims - Friday, July 6, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Newsrooms across the country paused Thursday to observe a moment of silence for the five employees of a Maryland newspaper who were killed a week ago in one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in U.S. history.

53. Suspect Wrote he Aimed to Kill Everyone at Maryland Newsroom - Wednesday, July 4, 2018

BALTIMORE (AP) — A man charged with slaying five people at a Maryland newspaper sent three letters on the day of the attack, police said, including one that said he was on his way to the Capital Gazette newsroom with the aim "of killing every person present."

54. Energy, Consumer Goods Companies Lead US Stocks Mostly Lower - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Major U.S. stock indexes recovered most of their early losses in late-afternoon trading Monday, as gains by technology stocks and banks offset losses by energy and consumer goods companies. Big department store chains also declined. Investors' jitters over escalating global trade tensions and weak economic data from Asia still weighed on the stock market, which has posted two weekly losses in a row.

55. First Horizon Promotes Johnson to Senior VP - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

First Horizon National Corp., First Tennessee Bank’s parent company, has promoted Darin Johnson to senior vice president and credit risk manager for government lending programs.

56. ‘Moved to Teach’ - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

They come from New York City and from places smaller than some high schools. They come from college, and from careers. Their stories diverge, but they all are devoted to one cause. Teach For America recruits more than 100 people to Memphis each year. For six intensive weeks, they learn the TFA way to teach and to change the educational system.

57. Wunderlich Becomes B. Riley Wealth Management - Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Almost a year after it acquired Memphis-based Wunderlich Securities as a wholly owned subsidiary, B. Riley Financial Inc. is changing the name of the Wunderlich operation to bring it under the B. Riley banner.

58. Triplett Returns to Ensafe as Director of Design Engineering - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

After beginning his career with EnSafe in 1990 and working his way up to project manager and lead engineer over the next 17-plus years, Chris Triplett has rejoined the company as its director of design engineering. He spent the past decade working with Barge Design Solutions, and in his new role Triplett will provide leadership to EnSafe’s corporate engineering design group for design execution and delivery. He will also work closely with clients across EnSafe’s landscape to understand their needs and to provide engineering solutions.

59. Bain Capital Buying Varsity Brands for $2.5B - Saturday, June 23, 2018

Memphis-based Varsity Brands Inc. is being purchased by Bain Capital Private Equity in a deal Varsity says will help it "accelerate our growth to the next level."

60. Verizon, AT&T to End Location Data Sales to Brokers - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Verizon and AT&T have pledged to stop providing information on phone owners' locations to data brokers, stepping back from a business practice that has drawn criticism for endangering privacy.

The data has apparently allowed outside companies to pinpoint the location of wireless devices without their owners' knowledge or consent. Verizon said that about 75 companies have been obtaining its customer data from two little-known California-based brokers that Verizon supplies directly – LocationSmart and Zumigo

61. County Commission Leaves Only Tax Rate Undone In Budget Season - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Shelby County commissioners took final action Monday, June 18, on every item in its budget season except a final approval of a $4.05 county property tax rate.

The approval of a $1.3 billion county consolidated operating budget and a $90.2 million capital budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 came with unanimous votes by the 13-member body.

62. Bain Capital Buying Varsity Brands for $2.5B - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Memphis-based Varsity Brands Inc. is being purchased by Bain Capital Private Equity in a deal Varsity says will help it "accelerate our growth to the next level."

63. County Commission Leaves Only Tax Rate Undone in Budget Season - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Shelby County commissioners took final action Monday, June 18, on every item in its budget season except a final approval of a $4.05 county property tax rate.

The approval of a $1.3 billion county consolidated operating budget and a $90.2 million capital

64. Bird Scooter Deal on Cutting Edge of Memphis’ ‘Demand Economy’ - Monday, June 18, 2018

Standing beside two electric scooters in Court Square last week, Memphis City Council member Kemp Conrad quoted Sun Tzu, author of the ancient Chinese military strategy tome “The Art of War.” “Opportunities are multiplied as they are seen,” he said in quoting the favorite military tactician of 21st-century American business leaders.

65. Women- & Minority-Owned Biz Loan Fund Launches - Saturday, June 16, 2018

A $15 million small-business loan fund announced Monday, June 11, is aimed at improving access to capital for minority- and women-owned businesses in the Memphis area.

The loan fund is a partnership between Pathway Lending, a nonprofit regional community development financial institution, and Epicenter, the nonprofit entrepreneurial hub organization. Pinnacle Financial Partners, First Tennessee and Regions Bank are providing the initial capitalization of the Memphis Small Business Opportunity Loan Fund.

66. New Loan Fund Launches For Women-, Minority-Owned Biz - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

A $15 million small-business loan fund announced Monday, June 11, is aimed at improving access to capital for minority- and women-owned businesses in the Memphis area.

The loan fund is a partnership between Pathway Lending, a nonprofit regional community development financial institution, and Epicenter, the nonprofit entrepreneurial hub organization. Pinnacle Financial Partners, First Tennessee and Regions Bank are providing the initial capitalization of the Memphis Small Business Opportunity Loan Fund.

67. New Loan Fund for Minority, Women-Owned Businesses Starts with $15M - Monday, June 11, 2018

A $15-million small business loan fund announced Monday, June 11, is aimed at improving access to capital for minority and women-owned businesses in the Memphis area.

The loan fund is a partnership among Pathway Lending, a nonprofit regional Community Development Financial Institution and Epicenter, the nonprofit entrepreneurial hub organization. Pinnacle Financial Partners, First Tennessee and Regions Bank are providing the initial capitalization of the Memphis Small Business Opportunity Loan Fund.

68. Int'l Paper Calls Off Bid for Smurfit Kappa - Saturday, June 9, 2018

Memphis-based International Paper Co. has called off its bid for now to acquire Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Europe’s largest maker of cardboard boxes, IP executives announced Tuesday, June 6.

69. International Paper Calls Off Bid for Smurfit Kappa - Friday, June 8, 2018

Memphis-based International Paper Co. has called off its bid for now to acquire Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Europe’s largest maker of cardboard boxes, IP executives announced Tuesday, June 6.

70. International Paper Passes on Final Bid for Smurfit Kappa Acquisition - Thursday, June 7, 2018

Memphis-based International Paper Co. has called off its bid for now to acquire Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Europe’s largest maker of cardboard boxes, IP executives announced Tuesday, June 6.

71. Few Ripples to End City Hall’s Budget Season - Thursday, June 7, 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 to the budget proposed by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

72. 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.

73. 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.

74. New Banking Law A Step Forward For Community Banks - Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Tennessee’s banks help our communities in the Volunteer State flourish. Small-business owners count on banks to provide the loans they need to succeed. Consumers depend on these financial institutions when they need a mortgage or car loan.

75. 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.

76. 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. 

77. One Beale, St. Jude, Sedgwick Projects Move Forward - Monday, June 4, 2018

263 Wagner Place, Memphis, TN 38103: Carlisle Corp.’s expanded plans for One Beale received unanimous approval from the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. on Tuesday, May 29.

78. First Horizon’s Flippin: $4B Initiative ‘Laser-Focused on Helping People’ - Saturday, June 2, 2018

Since joining First Horizon National Corp. as executive vice president and chief communications officer in January, Candace Steele Flippin has met with community leaders and organizations to identify areas that are prime candidates for the bank’s recently announced Community Benefit Plan. This $4 billion, five-year initiative earmarks funds for small-business loans, home loans, and community development in low- to moderate-income areas within the bank’s footprint.

79. Op-Ed: New Banking Law a Step Forward for Community Banks - Saturday, June 2, 2018

Tennessee’s banks help our communities in the Volunteer State flourish. Small-business owners count on banks to provide the loans they need to succeed. Consumers depend on these financial institutions when they need a mortgage or car loan.

80. 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.

81. US Economic Growth Revised Down to 2.2 Percent Rate in Q1 - Thursday, May 31, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy grew at a weaker 2.2 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, as consumers and businesses slowed their spending. But given the economy's recent performance, analysts are still looking for a solid rebound in the current quarter.

82. Week Ahead: May 28-June 3 - Monday, May 28, 2018

Happy Memorial Day, Memphis! Once a grand hotel and commercial skyscraper to be located at the base of Beale Street near Riverside Drive, a scaled-back version of the One Beale project is still alive and goes before a key city board for a closing extension this week.

83. Blockchain Tech ‘is the Shiny New Penny’ - Monday, May 28, 2018

During the General Assembly session that just ended legislators debated a number of hot-button issues: guns, abortion, Confederate statues and medical marijuana.

But tucked among the headline-grabbers was a brief bill, less than 300 words long, that attracted no controversy whatsoever.

84. International Paper Hopes for Talks In Deal to Acquire Smurfit Kappa - Saturday, May 26, 2018

After recently being given a June 6 deadline by the Irish Takeover Panel to make a final binding offer to acquire Europe’s largest cardboard box producer, Smurfit Kappa Group, Memphis-based International Paper Co. decided against a hostile takeover attempt and is instead hoping to open a dialogue with the company to determine a mutually beneficial path forward.

85. Crazy Good - Friday, May 25, 2018

STILL CRAZY. STILL RIGHT. Lauren Crews and I sipped coffee and talked about his crazy idea. Again. I’m writing about it. Again. Maybe we’re both crazy.

We first talked about it sipping whiskey years ago at sunset on the bluff behind the Metal Museum, gazing out on the river’s big, bold bend south of the Harahan, the most dramatic river view in Memphis, dramatic enough to accommodate big, bold vision.

86. Hopson’s Schools Budget Features $12.7M Gap for County to Consider - Thursday, May 24, 2018

The school year that ends Thursday, May 24, marks five years since the historic change in public education kicked off in August 2013.

First was the one-year merger of city and county schools, followed by the demerger into seven public school systems within Shelby County.

87. Last Word: Bike Second Line Protest, Loeb's Portrait and SCS Budget Notes - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

“Get on your bikes and ride.” The local bike share program begins Wednesday at 60 different Explore Bike Share stations at different points around town. The bike rental program is considered a milestone in the city’s bicycle culture. And like all milestones there has to be a ceremony. This effort to make it easier to mix bikes into your daily journeys will kick off Wednesday morning in Court Square at 9:30 a.m.

88. Hopson's Schools Budget Features $12.9 Million Gap For County To Consider - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

The school year that ends Thursday, May 24, marks five school years since the historic change in public education kicked off in August 2013 with the one-year merger of city and county schools followed by the demerger into seven public school systems within the county.

89. Copenhagen Provides Good Example Of Bike Safety - Tuesday, May 22, 2018

While there may be something rotten in Denmark, as Shakespeare wrote in “Hamlet,” it sure isn’t in the bicycling realm. And as Memphis embarks on its new Explore Bike Share initiative, a look at the Scandinavian country of 5.7 million people certainly offers a positive tale of cycling safety.

90. Last Word: The Bus to Shelby Farms, Sports Gaming In Tunica and Tom Lee's Story - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

It hasn’t been this hot in 30 years … to the day. The high Monday of 93 degrees eclipsed the old record for the day of 91 degree in 1988. I’m not much of a thermometer watcher. But this did get my attention because I was imagining all of the big hair emergencies 30 years ago. Guys going to their closets to break out the Miami Vice pastel t-shirts and linen blazers. And of course California Raisins hysteria. And I do find it not entirely coincidental that we break a record from 1988 as there is talk of a remake of the movie “Willow.” We could break another record for all of this Tuesday and we’ll see what my mind does with the year of the old record if that’s the case.

91. What Do Statewide Candidates Say About Rural Tennessee? - Saturday, May 12, 2018

Like most of America, Tennessee’s metropolitan areas have prospered during the last eight years, while the rural areas have lagged in almost every measure. The state has 19 of its 95 counties classified as “distressed.” What can and should we do to give every Tennessean a chance to succeed?

92. Last Word: New Football League, Drone Testing and New Chandler Numbers - Thursday, May 10, 2018

The Alliance of American Football announces its presence in Memphis Thursday afternoon at the Liberty Bowl. And so begins another chapter in the city’s colorful history of start-up leagues. It is a long history dominated by football with a good stretch of the timeline taking in the city’s pursuit of an NFL franchise. Sometimes the rules are a bit different and the leagues have a history of not lasting very long. But they are fondly remembered.

93. Fall Creek Falls Project Leaves Destructive Trail - Thursday, May 10, 2018

The Fall Creek Falls Inn and Conference Center will soon be in ruins like the livelihoods of the state employees who worked there.

Fewer than half the state employees who worked at the inn found new state jobs after it closed in early April. Some are working for nearly half the pay, and some had to move away from Van Buren County or drive long distances to keep a job with the state.

94. Last Word: Veto Override Drama, Iran Reaction & Rise of the Rest Meets Soundways - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Shelby County Commissioners have a busy committee day Wednesday with a budget presentation – county mayor Mark Luttrell’s final one as the county’s chief executive, more discussions about the Graceland plan and a veto override.

95. Stengel Elected President Of Construction Counsel Association - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Evans Petree PC shareholder Elizabeth B. Stengel has been elected the first female president of the Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel, a not-for-profit professional association of Tennessee attorneys with practices related to the construction industry.

96. Fred’s Reports Another Quarter’s Bleak Results - Monday, May 7, 2018

Joseph Anto’s first presentation of the quarterly numbers for discount retailer Fred’s Inc. lasted about 13 minutes from start to finish.

Anto, appointed last week as interim CEO of the troubled Memphis-based company, is personally approving every invoice over $5,000. The company, he said, is “maniacally” focused on cutting expenses and in the process of pursuing yet another strategy shift after a failed transition of the company’s emphasis to personal health care.

97. Why Wall Street's Worried About Tesla - Monday, May 7, 2018

Elon Musk's track record for technological feats as chief of SpaceX has turned skeptics into believers in everything from his quest to open space travel to Mars to his desire to build a tunnel for high-speed travel between New York and Washington. As Tesla's CEO, his ambitious vision for electric cars has also earned him a faithful following.

98. First Tennessee to Lay Off 58 in Greene County - Saturday, May 5, 2018

First Tennessee Bank is laying off a few dozen employees in Greene County, Tennessee, a move that’s related to the bank’s merger with Capital Bank Financial Corp.

99. South Korean Appliance Co. Opening Plant in West Tenn. - Saturday, May 5, 2018

Dong-A Hwa Sung Co, a South Korean maker of home appliance and automotive parts, is opening its first U.S. plant in Martin, Tennessee.

100. Fred’s Fiscal Year Loss Doubles From 2016 - Friday, May 4, 2018

Joseph Anto’s first presentation of the quarterly numbers for discount retailer Fred’s Inc. lasted about 13 minutes from start to finish.

Anto, appointed last week as interim CEO of the troubled Memphis-based company, is personally approving every invoice over $5,000. The company, he said, is “maniacally” focused on cutting expenses and in the process of pursuing yet another strategy shift after a failed transition of the company’s emphasis to personal health care.