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.

2. 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.

3. University of Memphis Commercial Aviation Degree Takes Flight This Fall - Monday, August 13, 2018

After a three-year process, the University of Memphis is partnering with a local flight school to offer a Bachelor of Science in Commercial Aviation this fall. When U of M Provost Karen Weddle West went before the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for approval in July, she highlighted a “strong letter of support” from Fred Smith.

4. Lack of Young Employees Hurting Construction - Thursday, August 9, 2018

The epidemic diminishing of the construction workforce in a post-recession world is primarily fueled by a sharp decline in the number of young construction workers, according to research conducted by BuildZoom’s chief economist Issi Romem.

5. Commercial Appeal Looking at New Spot Downtown - Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Commercial Appeal building was a nexus of local news coverage for Memphis and the Mid-South for nearly a half-century, but The CA won’t be operating out of its 495 Union Ave. location for the first time since the Ford Administration.

6. 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.

7. The CA Looking at New Spot Downtown - Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Commercial Appeal building was a nexus of local news coverage for Memphis and the Mid-South for nearly a half-century, but The CA won’t be operating out of its 495 Union Ave. location for the first time since the Ford Administration.

8. 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.

9. University of Memphis, Slider Inn Projects Move Forward - Monday, July 30, 2018

1115 E. Getwell Loop St., Memphis, TN 38152 - Turner Construction Co. is beginning the first phase of a $10.6 million expansion and renovation of the University of Memphis’ athletic training facility on its Park Avenue campus. 

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Tennessee stays ranked 35th in child well-being study while Mississippi improves rating - Thursday, June 28, 2018

(AP) - Tennessee remains ranked 35th in an annual child well-being study for a second-straight year, while the 2018 KIDS COUNT Data Book shows Mississippi improving its rating in child well-being to 48th, as more parents found jobs, housing costs fell, high school graduation rates improved, and students scored better on tests..

13. Going Global - Saturday, June 9, 2018

Over the past two years, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has extended its global reach in a variety of ways, forging new partnerships and alliances to further research efforts for pediatric cancer and blood disorders while investing more than $1 billion to substantially grow its Memphis headquarters.

14. Banks Team Up for Saturday Event to Help Memphians Improve Credit - Friday, June 8, 2018

In an effort to support credit and financial counseling of Memphis residents, more than a dozen local banks that banded together last year to form the Memphis Area Community Reinvestment Act Association are preparing to host their first collective event this weekend.

15. Are Nonprofits For ‘Them’ Or For Everyone? - Tuesday, May 29, 2018

The impact of the nonprofit sector can be felt in all aspects of our individual and collective lives. We may not always see that impact, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Direct services, advocacy, education, research and performing arts are but a few of the types of organizations with impact that rolls, ripples and roars across our country and beyond our borders.

16. 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.

17. Last Word: Trolleys Roll, Primary Election Day and The Rise of South City - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld likes to joke that the new trolleys are quieter since the transit authority decided to change from using square wheels. Transit humor. They really are quieter. And that may be because MATA wasn’t doing much of anything in the way of maintenance on them four years ago and even less in the way of record keeping when a second trolley car burst into flames causing MATA to shut down everything it ran on rails. So the trolley that rolled out of the MATA barn on North Main Street Monday morning and into service was symbolic of more than getting a trolley or three ready for service. It was about building a new system around the operation of the trolleys.

18. Memphis Army Depot, CA Building Get New Owners - Monday, April 30, 2018

2028 Memphis Depot Pkwy.
Memphis, TN 38114

Sale Amount: $50 million

19. Last Word: Graceland Offensive, Mural Lawsuit, and a TNReady Encore - Friday, April 27, 2018

It’s on in The Haven. Graceland’s managing partner, Joel Weinshanker, is looking to turn out Whitehaven residents in support of Graceland’s plans for a 5,000 to 6,000 seat arena and in the process a showdown over just what the city and county noncompete for FedExForum means. During a townhall meeting at Guest House Thursday evening, Weinshanker made his case to about 150 Whitehaven residents and around eight or nine candidates in this election year. And he said the chief problem is Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland won’t talk to him about projects he says will open up Whitehaven for future economic development and prosperity.

20. Downtown Designs - Friday, April 27, 2018

A pair of proposed developments could change the look of two well-known Downtown areas: Mississippi River Park on Riverside Drive and the neighborhood around the National Civil Rights Museum.

One of the first tangible efforts to reimagine the Fourth Bluff area of Downtown Memphis is taking a step forward as the city has submitted plans to use adapted shipping containers as open-air dining pavilions within Mississippi River Park, located on Riverside near the Tennessee Welcome Center.

21. Pinnacle Expands Team in Memphis - Monday, April 23, 2018

Pinnacle Financial Partners has recruited a senior credit officer, credit adviser and two other financial services professionals to work at its main Memphis office on Shady Grove Road.

Evelin Amido, with 38 years of experience, is a senior vice president and senior credit officer. She comes from Iberiabank, where she was an executive vice president and senior credit officer.

22. Regional Win - Saturday, April 21, 2018

In an increasingly interconnected world, having a cohesive economic regionalism strategy is becoming more of a must-have for successful metropolitan areas.

To facilitate this, the Urban Land Institute held Memphis’ first RegionSmart Summit in 2016 to gather all of the area’s government, economic development and community leaders in one place to collectively address some of the region’s most pressing planning and development issues.

23. Downtown Office Building Sells for $1.1 Million - Saturday, April 14, 2018

National Housing Corp. of Memphis has purchased a 226,848-square-foot office building in Downtown Memphis, according to a March 30 warranty deed filed with the Shelby County Register.

24. First Tennessee to Put $4B In Community Investment - Saturday, April 14, 2018

Memphis-based First Tennessee Bank, along with its newly acquired Capital Bank, are launching a five-year, nearly $4 billion effort to expand the availability of financial resources in low- to moderate-income communities across an eight-state footprint.

25. Overton Square Adds Two New Restaurants in One Week - Monday, April 16, 2018

2110 Madison Ave.

Memphis, TN 38104

Lease Amount: 3,790 square feet 

Tenant: Bogard

Tenant’s Agent: Barry Maynard, LRG

Landlord: Loeb Properties Inc.

26. Last Word: Play Ball, Porch & Parlor and A New Bus System - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

If you go to enough political gatherings you start to see parallels. Sometimes you see things that aren’t there but that’s another story. Many political gatherings begin with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer as well. Sometimes the pledge isn’t enough and there is someone there to sing the National Anthem.

27. Mortgage Market Up 2 Percent in March - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

When Financial Federal executive vice president John Loebel looks at the local mortgage market, he has a straightforward assessment: If you want to buy a home, buy it now.

“The mortgage rate trend is up, period,” he said. “With the Federal Reserve’s consistent raising of rates to control inflation, we foresee this will only continue. We wouldn’t be surprised if rates hit 5 percent next quarter. Due to these variables, we’re experiencing such a seller’s market. Countless buyers are bidding on every single home, decreasing the timeframe for negotiations and even appraisals.”

28. First Tennessee Bank Launching $4 Billion Community Investment Effort - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Memphis-based First Tennessee Bank, along with its newly acquired Capital Bank, are launching a five-year, nearly $4 billion effort to expand the availability of financial resources in low- to moderate-income communities across an 8-state footprint.

29. Downtown Office Building Sells for $1.1 Million - Monday, April 9, 2018

National Housing Corp. of Memphis has purchased a 226,848-square-foot office building in Downtown Memphis, according to a March 30 warranty deed filed with the Shelby County Register.

30. Last Word: Holder in Memphis for MLK 50, EDGE Sets a Date and South City Moves - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

The week of MLK50 commemorations began Monday with a speech by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the arrival Monday afternoon of Rev. Bernice King, the youngest child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Meanwhile, Monday's day of free admission to the museum, underwritten by FedEx drew a long line. It also drew some remote trepidation that tends to make the situation seem worse than it is once you actually go there for yourself.

31. Last Word: SCS Plans For $15, IRIS Matinees and The Hard Hit Fund - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

“From a financial standpoint, we need our fans back and we need them back now.” University of Memphis president David Rudd breaking the university’s silence on the basketball coaching change that was made formal Tuesday with the announcement that Penny Hardaway is indeed the new coach. And Hardaway had a lot to say that Tigers fans and Memphians wanted to hear.

32. THDA Down-Payment Assistance Fund Sees Plenty of Demand in Memphis - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

The $60 million in federal down-payment assistance funding for Tennessee meant to last through 2020 will probably only make it to Labor Day based on demand in Memphis and elsewhere.

“Here in Memphis, especially, we did twice the mortgage volume in 2017 that we did in 2016,” said Ralph Perrey, executive director of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. “That adds up to about $43 million in mortgage investment on our part in home ownership in Memphis and Shelby County.”

33. Salem Manor Apartments Facing Foreclosure - Tuesday, March 13, 2018

A fairgrounds-area housing complex affiliated with a Memphis megachurch could be sold at auction after falling into foreclosure.

Salem Manor, a 101-unit low-income apartment complex at 2270 South Parkway E. and 2216-2262 South Parkway E. across from New Salem Baptist Church of Memphis, fell into foreclosure when Salem Manor L.P. defaulted on a $2.4 million leasehold deed of trust, according to a first-run foreclosure notice in the Tuesday, March 13, edition of The Daily News. The loan, originally taken out through First Tennessee Bank in 1997, is currently held by Greystone Servicing Corp. Inc.

34. The Church Health Way - Saturday, February 24, 2018

One of the easiest ways to tell that Scott Morris is not your typical prescription-writing family doctor – and that the health care organization he founded, Church Health, is no ordinary medical practice – is when he starts talking about softer concepts like joy and happiness and spirituality.

35. State Democrats Targeting Domestic Abuse With Bills - Thursday, February 15, 2018

Tennessee House Democrats are sponsoring legislation designed to bolster support for domestic violence victims amid a dismissive attitude toward abuse by President Donald Trump.

“We’re all familiar with the situation with Rob Porter and his former spouses showing pictures and reports about domestic violence, and the White House response has not been one that condemns the abuser but instead says we have to be careful with how we ruin someone’s reputation,” said state Rep. Raumesh Akbari during a Tuesday, Feb. 13, press conference. “So I think that shows a complete disregard for taking the complaints and the legitimate concerns of these abused women seriously.”

36. Housing Prices Continue to Rise in 2018 - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

After a hot 2017, the Memphis area housing market looks to carry over its success into 2018.

The average home sales price in January came in at $163,024, a 14 percent increase from January a year ago, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, chandlerreports.com.

37. Last Word: Fred's Troubles, Indigo Comeback and Selling MCA - Tuesday, February 6, 2018

During Monday’s record Wall Street drop, Memphis-based Fred’s was among those taking it on the chin. But the retailer’s stock was already taking a beating from more turmoil since it got cut-out of a purchase of Rite Aid stores by Walgreens in 2017. Fred’s third chief financial officer in seven months is getting a $100,000 hiring bonus.

38. The Week Ahead: Jan. 29-Feb. 4 - Monday, January 29, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! Proceedings related to the city’s removal of Confederate statues from two parks get underway, just one of many events on a busy Monday. Check our rundown of all the happenings you need to know about in The Week Ahead…

39. Council Talks With Head of TVA, Votes on Two More Ballot Questions - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Memphis City Council members talk with Tennessee Valley Authority president Bill Johnson Tuesday, Jan. 23, meet Mayor Jim Strickland’s nominee to replace retiring Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division president Jerry Collins and may renew discussions of electric and gas rate hikes proposed by MLGW that it voted down two weeks ago.

40. Global Reach - Saturday, January 13, 2018

Jasbir Dhaliwal wears many titles – and carries many responsibilities – at the University of Memphis. He is vice provost of academic affairs and dean of the graduate school. He is chief innovation officer and the executive director of the FedEx Institute of Technology.

41. Last Word: Tax Reform Pay Raises, Minority Business Kinks and Elvis at 83 - Monday, January 8, 2018

A busy but ultimately slow weekend on the Confederate monuments front as a total of fewer than 100 opponents of the removal of the city’s two most visible monuments actively protested Saturday either on the interstate loop or in the “protest area” by Health Sciences Park.

42. Companies Boost Wages and More Post-Tax Reform - Monday, January 8, 2018

Dozens of companies, many with ties to Memphis, have pledged a series of actions that include one-time employee bonuses, charitable spending and 401(k) contribution increases, among other steps, in response to savings they expect to see from recently enacted Republican tax cuts.

43. Last Word: Extradition Delay, Last Council Day of 2017 and The Skeleton Hotel - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When Sherra Wright made her first court appearance Monday in Riverside, California she was in a wheelchair. And her public defender there wants to delay an extradition hearing on the conspiracy, first degree murder and attempted first degree murder charges she faces in Memphis until a doctor can examine here. The hearing is reset for Wednesday.

44. Last Word: Early Statewide Poll, New Chandler Numbers and Lyfe in East Memphis - Friday, December 15, 2017

Vanderbilt has a new statewide fall poll out that shows a few things – most of them very preliminary other than this is still early for voters who don’t live and breathe politics. Diane Black and Randy Boyd are tops in terms of name recognition in the Republican six-pack running for Governor. And the Marsha Blackburn-Phil Bredesen November general election matchup for the U.S. Senate is rapidly becoming a lock before Christmas 2017.

45. Last Word: Grizz Speculation, SCS Grade Floors and Cedar Heights - Thursday, December 14, 2017

Grizz lose to the Wizards 93-87 in Washington. And ESPN columnist Zach Lowe says the team has lost its identity as well as a lot of games. CBSSports reports Marc Gasol is open to a trade but will not request one. And if you are looking to go far afield with the theories, here’s one from a Dallas Mavericks fansight, mavsmoneyball, that includes a really good graphic on the salaries of Grizz players.

46. WA - Monday, December 11, 2017

Good morning, Memphis! Dust off your robes and lightsabers, because the latest “Star Wars” movie hits theaters this week. Of course, there’s plenty more to keep you busy in the coming days. Here’s what you need to know about in The Week Ahead – no Jedi powers required.

47. Week Ahead - Monday, December 11, 2017

Good morning, Memphis! Dust off your robes and lightsabers, because the latest “Star Wars” movie hits theaters this week. Of course, there’s plenty more to keep you busy in the coming days. Here’s what you need to know about in The Week Ahead – no Jedi powers required.

48. The Week Ahead: Dec. 11-17 - Monday, December 11, 2017

Good morning, Memphis! Dust off your robes and lightsabers, because the latest "Star Wars" movie hits theaters this week. Of course, there's plenty more to keep you busy in the coming days. Here's what you need to know about in The Week Ahead - no Jedi powers required.

49. THDA: Local Foreclosures Dropping But Still High - Saturday, December 9, 2017

Though the number of Shelby County homes in foreclosure has dropped by more than half since the end of 2014, the county still has Tennessee’s highest delinquency rate for home loan payments and is tied for the highest foreclosure rate, according to new research from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

50. THDA: Local Foreclosures Dropping But Still High - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Though the number of Shelby County homes in foreclosure has dropped by more than half since the end of 2014, the county still has Tennessee’s highest delinquency rate for home loan payments and is tied for the highest foreclosure rate, according to new research from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

51. Coalition Taps Green & Healthy Homes Initiative - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Leaders from Memphis and Shelby County and representatives from nearly 25 partner organizations signed an agreement Thursday morning, Nov. 30, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in East Memphis to work together on Tennessee’s first Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) led by the Baltimore-based organization.

52. ALCO to Renovate Two Affordable Housing Sites - Saturday, December 2, 2017

Memphis-based affordable housing management company ALCO Management Inc. has announced two of its properties, Eastern Heights and Creekwood Apartments, will undergo an $8 million upgrade using funding from financial and governmental partnerships, since both locations are considered affordable housing properties.

53. Last Word: Lake District Recycling, The New First and The AAC 'Glass Ceiling' - Friday, December 1, 2017

The U.S. Senate vote on a tax reform plan is now set for 10 a.m. our time Friday morning following more debate in D.C. that began Thursday as the trigger provision to raise tax rates if economic growth from the proposed tax cuts doesn't materialize was ruled out of order by the Senate parliamentarian. This was the provision on which the support of U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee hinged. And Corker is leading a group of deficit hawks whose block of votes is considered crucial in what happens to a proposal that was being reshaped as midnight approached. Here's Politico with comments from Corker as of late Thursday

54. Coalition Signs on With Green & Healthy Homes Initiative - Friday, December 1, 2017

Leaders from Memphis and Shelby County and representatives from nearly 25 partner organizations signed an agreement Thursday morning, Nov. 30, at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in East Memphis to work together on Tennessee’s first Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) led by the Baltimore-based organization.

55. Last Word: 'Coach Killer', Collierville's Industrial Growth and Ice Cream & Soup - Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Lots of discussion the day after his firing about David Fizdale’s value off the court for the city and just where that fits with whether the Grizz win or lose and who is held responsible when they lose too much. Losing too much is what the Grizz front office said caused the change and not Marc Gasol being a “coach-killer” to quote Grizz GM Chris Wallace. And this is not just a Memphis discussion. LeBron James on the Fizdale firing via CBSSports. This was before James got ejected from a game Tuesday evening for the first time in his career.

56. ALCO to Renovate Two Affordable Housing Sites - Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Memphis-based affordable housing management company ALCO Management Inc. has announced two of its properties, Eastern Heights and Creekwood Apartments, will undergo an $8 million upgrade using funding from financial and governmental partnerships, since both locations are considered affordable housing properties.

57. 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.

58. Trustee’s Office Promotes Financial Education and Counseling - Monday, November 20, 2017

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir will tell you that the myriad financial education programs and initiatives his office is involved with – covering everything from helping improve consumer credit to financial counseling – are what he sees as part of his job as the “banker for the county.”

59. Last Word: No County Pay Raises, Landers' Red Ink and Diversity at First Tn - Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Grizz lose to the Bucks in Milwaukee Monday 110-103. They return to Beale Street Wednesday to play the Pacers. Beyond that, the football Tigers are home Saturday for the next to last game of their regular season that could clinch their athletic conference.

60. Mortgage Market Up 10 Percent in October - Friday, November 10, 2017

With the first month of the final quarter of 2017 now in the books, this is supposed to be the period when business gets a little slower for mortgage lenders, with the colder weather setting in and consumer focus turning to the holidays.

61. Aquarium Proposal for Mud Island Resurfaces After Pyramid Pitch - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

The plan for an aquarium at Mud Island River Park is not the first time an aquarium has been proposed on the city’s riverfront.

“It was an interesting beginning. I was disappointed at the time,” said Peter Chermayeff of the original aquarium concept for the Pyramid, which never got as far as renderings or a concept plan.

62. Week Ahead: November 6-12 - Monday, November 6, 2017

Good morning, Memphis. The week starts off with the conclusion of the Indie Memphis Film Festival, followed by a plethora of cool things to do all week – including the Memphis in May barbecue cooking contest judging seminar. As usual, you rock, Memphis!

63. Goodin Joins Hagwood Adelman As Memphis Managing Attorney - Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Michael T. Goodin has joined Hagwood Adelman Tipton PC as managing attorney of the Memphis office. In that role, he provides legal services to HAT’s clients in matters such as medical malpractice and senior housing litigation for health care providers along the continuum of care, including skilled nursing, assisted living, behavioral health, home health and hospice litigation. In addition, he assists in supervising the attorney and paraprofessional teams.

64. Mickell Lowery Uses Lessons From Council Race in Commission Bid - Thursday, October 26, 2017

Two years to the month after he conceded defeat in his first political outing, Mickell Lowery is returning to the local political arena – albeit a different part of the arena.

Lowery is running in the May Democratic primary for Shelby County Commission District 8, the seat held by Democrat Walter Bailey, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2018.

65. Memphis Leaders Await Final Reports for Possible Coliseum Renovation - Thursday, October 19, 2017

As Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration considers final details for a Fairgrounds redevelopment plan, he and his staff are waiting on a complete analysis of the condition of the Mid-South Coliseum.

66. City Lays Out Numerous Options in Confederate Monuments Controversy - Wednesday, October 18, 2017

The city administration and Memphis City Council laid out numerous paths forward in the Confederate monuments controversy Tuesday, Oct. 17, that include closing Health Sciences Park entirely or building a memorial to lynching victims in the park plaza where a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest is now the centerpiece.

67. Monuments, Elections, TDZ Expansion All Before Council - Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Memphis City Council members take a third and final vote Tuesday, Oct. 17, on an ordinance directing the administration to act on “immediate” removal of Confederate monuments from two city parks.

68. Last Word: Tigers Make Top 25, Pfizer's Next Tax Break and Shepherds Creek - Monday, October 16, 2017

The Tigers make the top 25 ESPN Power Rankings for college football with the Liberty Bowl victory Saturday over Navy 30 – 27. And Tigers coach Mike Norvell responds to the pre-game arrest of a player on a rape charge.

69. Last Word: 'Seismic Shift,' Mason Village and Running A Store From A Cloud - Thursday, October 12, 2017

It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to drive through the old town part of Cordova near its one-time train station and see the potential. Now word of a new restaurant opening later this month in what is known as Farley House. The old town is an interesting mix of new development and old development including an iconic country Baptist church that not too long ago turned 100 years old. And then there is the trail head for the Shelby Farms Greenline that runs near the train station.

70. Last Word: The Monument Letter, Soulsville Gateway and Gas Tax Hike Regrets - Thursday, September 14, 2017

The Redbirds take Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League Championship series Wednesday evening with a 6-4 win over El Paso at AutoZone Park. Game 2 is noon Thursday at B.B. King and Union.

71. Fairgrounds Plan Will Consider Familiar Items - Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The Fairgrounds redevelopment plan forming on a fast track will probably look familiar as far as the elements proposed for it.

“We are starting with the premise that we are using the previous planning efforts as insight for how we move forward,” Paul Young, city of Memphis Housing and Community Development director said on the WKNO/Channel 10 program “Behind The Headlines.”

72. Last Word: Ouster History, Lake District in Foreclosure and Crosstown - Friday, August 18, 2017

Five of the seven flags that fly on the southern tip of Mud Island River Park are folded and stored as of Thursday. The Riverfront Development Corporation took down the five flags that have flown over the turf we now call Memphis – before and since it became a city – including a version of the Confederate flag – leaving only the U.S. flag and the Tennessee flag. This was a reaction to the week-long and counting aftermath from the violence in Charlottesville.

73. One Decade Later: Effects of Financial Crisis Still Linger - Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Ten years removed from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, the banking industry has transformed itself and wealth managers say investors remain leery.

Among other things, First Tennessee Bank jettisoned its national mortgage operation in the wake of the crisis. It refocused its attention and efforts around being a strong regional bank, as opposed to one with aggressive national ambitions. It trimmed headcount, boosted investment in technology and began to specialize, creating new industry-specific teams in verticals like health care and music-industry banking.

74. Interest High in Fairgrounds Fast Track - Wednesday, August 16, 2017

The shorter, more compressed drive to a Fairgrounds redevelopment plan feels, at the outset, more certain and much less tentative than versions that surfaced during the administrations of previous mayors Willie Herenton and A C Wharton.

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

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

76. Last Word: Megasite Prospect, Crosstown Opening Plans and New Chandler Numbers - Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Tennessee is pursuing the new $1.6 billion assembly plant Toyota and Mazda announced just last week to turn out 300,000 vehicles a year and there is that regional megasite in nearby Haywood County that isn’t being used. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says he wants to add the joint facility to the state’s auto industry.

77. Last Word: The Orange Mound Way, Midtown Apartments and 'I Am A Man' Plaza - Tuesday, August 8, 2017

First day of school redux on Tuesday for students in Memphis Catholic Schools and it is a half-day. The first day of classes in most of the county’s other schools Monday went smoothly. Shelby County Schools reports more than 6,000 students registered on the first day of school despite another concerted effort at numerous events to register students in advance. That’s in a school system of approximately 96,000 students.

78. Seeing the Light - Saturday, August 5, 2017

Four years ago, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell was in Knoxville for a college football game. But with several hours before kickoff, he took a side trip to view the green initiatives at the Knox County Jail.

79. City Reopens Fairgrounds Planning Process - Friday, August 4, 2017

About two weeks after unveiling a concept plan for Memphis riverfront development, Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration has reactivated a dormant city move to redevelop the Mid-South Fairgrounds.

80. Last Word: St. Jude School, More Gannett Moves and Maida Pearson Smith - Thursday, August 3, 2017

For most, the school year starts next week. But classes are already underway at St. Jude’s new Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, an idea 15 years in the making, according to the physician who had that idea. The school is a big step in higher education in Memphis and its road to research center status.

81. Strickland Reopens Fairgrounds Redevelopment Planning - Thursday, August 3, 2017

By the end of the year, the administration of Mayor Jim Strickland plans to have a specific enough plan for Fairgrounds redevelopment to take an application for a Tourism Development Zone to state officials for approval.

82. Last Word: Kustoff at Rotary, Royal's Vibe and The Terms of MEMPOWER - Wednesday, August 2, 2017

The investment group that renovated the Chisca resurfaced Tuesday evening with a plan for the Wonder Bread factory, vacant for the last four years. But don’t look for a return of the bread smell to the Edge area. And if you look at what has started to happen in that particular corridor since Wonder Bread shut down, the mixed-use plan has some precedent. Throw in the move to sell The Commercial Appeal property just a few blocks away and if the economy remains this good, the transformation in this area could be radical in another four years.

83. Last Word: Gentrification, ServiceMaster's New CEO Speaks and Gateway Resolution - Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Gentrification in Binghampton? The g-word is a term that can start a real debate in Memphis these days. But those leading the hard fought redevelopment in Binghampton say a tax increment financing district there would mean an immediate capital infusion of $332,000 that would help to ward off the possibility of gentrification.

84. Haslam Taps Memphian As THDA Board Chair - Saturday, July 29, 2017

Gov. Bill Haslam has named Memphis-area homebuilder Kim Grant Brown chair of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency board of directors.

85. Fully Loaded - Saturday, July 29, 2017

It’s almost like the first half of 2017 was a decade in the making, at least when it comes to commercial real estate. Throughout all four major sectors of the Memphis-area commercial real estate market – industrial, office, retail and multifamily – figures are consistently reaching or exceeding pre-recession marks.

86. Last Word: Repeal Votes, ServiceMaster Exit and Cooper-Young Apartments - Thursday, July 27, 2017

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee was among the seven Republican Senators who voted Wednesday against a bill that would have repealed the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act without an immediate replacement. U.S. Senator Bob Corker voted for the repeal. The bill failed.

87. Haslam Taps Memphian As THDA Board Chair - Thursday, July 27, 2017

Gov. Bill Haslam has named Memphis-area homebuilder Kim Grant Brown chair of the Tennessee Housing Development Agency board of directors.

88. Bruster’s Ice Cream To Open on Highland Strip - Saturday, July 8, 2017

The Highland Strip will soon be home to a tasty new tenant.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream plans to move into the 1,300-square-foot space at 571 Highland St., with construction set to begin soon and an expected opening date late this year, according to Loeb Properties Inc.

89. June 23-29, 2017: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, June 24, 2017

2014: Formal opening of the $301 million expansion of the Frayser Nike plant. As he tours the plant expansion, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam learns the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in an appeal of Tennessee’s constitutional amendment that specifically banned gay marriages.

90. Last Word: Easy Fishing on Big River, Competing City Priorities and Durham's Fine - Thursday, June 8, 2017

The Arkansas side of the Big River Crossing opened Wednesday for the first time since May 2 when a rising Mississippi River prompted its closing while the crossing proper on the north side of the Harahan Bridge remained open. There is still some of the muddy river left on the Arkansas flood plain and several dozen cranes stopping in Wednesday afternoon for some easy fishing in the shallow waters.

91. Last Word: Recovery Day 6, Trezevant Allegations Resurface and Memphis Is Hard - Friday, June 2, 2017

There is some debate about how the Memorial Day weekend storm compares to the Ice Storm of 1994 and Hurricane Elvis in 2003. A city public works supervisor who is a veteran of both earlier incidents weighed in this week as Mayor Jim Strickland stopped by Collins Yard to rally the city’s troops in the recovery effort. Rodney Wakefield also had a lot to say about what motivates city workers to tackle this hard work in a sweltering spring and do it as quickly and as safely as possible.

92. Amid Trump Orders, Nashville Mulls Sanctuary City-Like Rules - Friday, June 2, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville officials are pushing to adopt sanctuary city-like standards in response to President Donald Trump's policies on immigration.

Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge were surrounded by immigrants, some of whom are in the country illegally, as they made a case for their legislation Wednesday during a news conference in the liberal-leaning capital of Tennessee, a red Southern state.

93. View From the Hill: GOP Points True North on State’s Moral Compass - Thursday, June 1, 2017

It was billed as the start of the 2018 governor’s race, but the GOP’s Reagan Day Dinner in Murfreesboro last week often sounded more like a tent revival.

Vote for one of these candidates and you’re guaranteed a place in heaven, ran the subtext of the evening, because, after all, everyone knows only Republicans know the road to salvation.

94. Last Word: Halfway Point, The Cancer-Influenza Connection and Wade Baldwin's Way - Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Monday was the day that Memphis Light Gas and Water Division reached the halfway point in restoring power. There were 90,384 customers without power Monday evening, compared to 188,000 without power at the outset Saturday evening at 11 p.m. There were 126 utility crews working by Monday evening.

95. ServiceMaster Almost Ready for First Employees to Occupy Downtown HQ - Saturday, May 27, 2017

By mid-June the first wave of employees will move into the new ServiceMaster Global Headquarters at 150 Peabody Place, bringing to fruition what many city leaders believe is one of the biggest wins for Downtown Memphis in a decade. 

96. Last Word: Carousel Preview, New Crime Stats and EDGE Does Multi-Family - Friday, May 19, 2017

The group Friends of the Fairgrounds got together Thursday evening at the Children’s Museum of Memphis and got the first group tour of the Grand Carousel center under construction at CMOM. This is as the museum focuses more on fundraising for the $6 million project that has already raised the money for the restoration of the carousel itself and now sets about the task of paying for the building around it including a banquet hall. Here’s a look from our Facebook page with more to come on CMOM and the Fairgrounds for the Monday edition that will probably go up on line Friday.

97. Report: Tennessee Economy Growing - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Tennessee’s economy continues to grow with a robust start to 2017, according to a report released by Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office Monday, May 15.

There were 10,372 new business entity filings in the first quarter of 2017, an 8.7 percent increase over the same time last year.

98. Last Word: DNA Unit Trouble, 100 Years After Ell Persons and Gas Tax Hike Redux - Tuesday, May 2, 2017

The suspension of Ouita Knowlton, the Memphis Police detective overseeing the MPD's DNA Unit, appears to involve more than alleged violations of police policies. The unit oversees testing and processing of all current rape kits and those left unprocessed for decades that the city is currently working its way through five years after the admission. The District Attorney General’s office is part of the investigation of Knowlton, the office confirmed Monday. There are no specifics about what is involved here. But the police investigation will go to District Attorney General Amy Weirich who will then determine if criminal laws were violated and if there is a case to be made.

99. Editorial: Optimism and Uncertainty Amid a ‘WWTD’ Mindset - Saturday, April 29, 2017

Since the presidential election in November, economists and investors have been judging the future by a standard dubbed WWTD: What would Trump do?

Much of the early speculation was based specifically on what Donald Trump said as a candidate. In the last four months, however, that standard has come to be judged increasingly on what is possible with the art of compromise.

100. Economy In Flux - Saturday, April 29, 2017

With apologies to Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities,” for the professionals who follow economics for a living this is very much the best of times and the worst of times.

The moment is one of abundant optimism and rampant uncertainty. “Directionally,” they like to say, things look positive. And yet so much could still go very, very wrong.