WASHINGTON (AP) — Control of Congress and the future of Donald Trump's presidency are on the line as the primary season closes this week, jump-starting a two-month sprint to Election Day that will test Democrats' ability to harness opposition to Trump and determine whether the Republican president can get his supporters to the polls.

2. Intent on Getting a Big Raise? You May Have to Quit Your Job - Monday, September 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite one of the best job markets in decades, workers across the U.S. economy are struggling with a common frustration: What does it take to finally get a decent raise?

3. Gov. Haslam Hears Concerns for TNReady Credibility at Collierville Forum - Monday, September 3, 2018

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam heard from a group of Memphis and Shelby County educators that the state’s TNReady test has credibility issues with parents and doesn’t provide reliable data quickly enough for teachers to make better use of it in improving student achievement.

4. Dean, Lee Differ on Many Tennessee Topics - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

On first blush, gubernatorial candidates Bill Lee and Karl Dean appear to be cast in a similar mold – business-friendly moderates.

5. S&P 500, Nasdaq and Russell 2000 Close at Record Highs - Monday, August 27, 2018

Wall Street ended a week of milestones with a few more Friday.

The benchmark S&P 500 index closed at an all-time high, just two days after the current bull market in U.S. stocks became the longest in history. The Nasdaq composite and the Russell 2000 indexes also ended the day at all-time highs.

6. Ernest Strickland Has Been on City’s Front Line - Friday, August 24, 2018

Some people grow up waiting for the chance to get out of their hometown. Others, like Ernest Strickland, senior vice president of workforce development for the Greater Memphis Chamber, view staying put as an opportunity to make a difference.

7. 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.

8. In a Comeback Season For Hollywood, a Summer Without Bombs - Monday, August 20, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Have you noticed something oddly tranquil about this summer movie season? For the first time in recent memory, there hasn't been one major bomb.

Usually by now, there would be blockbuster-sized craters left on the charred summer-movie battlefield, the inevitable toll of Hollywood's most high-stakes season. But this year, summer-movie bomb-watching, long one of the most dependable spectator sports of the season, has gone entirely without the sight of a "Lone Ranger"-sized mushroom cloud.

9. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition to Office - Saturday, August 18, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

10. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition to Office - Thursday, August 16, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

11. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition with Long- and Short-Term Tasks, List of 142 Positions - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

12. Cars Plunge as Highway Bridge Collapses in Italy; At Least 20 Killed - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

MILAN (AP) — A bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed Tuesday in the Italian port city of Genoa during a violent storm, sending vehicles plunging nearly 150 feet into a heap of rubble. Authorities said at least 20 people were killed, although the death toll fluctuated throughout the day and some people were found alive in the debris.

13. Frontier Airlines Launches Service from Memphis to San Antonio - Monday, August 13, 2018

Frontier Airlines’ new nonstop flight between Memphis and San Antonio launched Monday, filling another service gap left by the downsizing of Delta Air Line’s former Memphis hub.

Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority board chairman Pace Cooper hailed the twice-a-week San Antonio flight as another step toward rebuilding reduced service at Memphis International Airport.

14. VF Corp. will Shed its Denim Division - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — The company that makes Wrangler and Lee jeans is breaking off its denim division to focus on its fast-growing outdoor and activewear business as Americans swap out jeans for yoga pants.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. American Way Middle Makes Debut as an I-Zone School - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

It may have been inevitable that American Way Middle School would be on the schedule of Shelby County Schools superintendent Dorsey Hopson to visit on the first day of the school year.

Earlier this year, state education officials wanted the grade 6-8 Parkway Village school turned over to the state-run Achievement School District or SCS to approve a charter to turn around the low-performing school.

18. Bridging a Gap - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Speaking through a translator, Luan Bomfim said he misses his family and friends back home in Sao Paulo, Brazil. “A lot of times I think I’m going to go back to Brazil, because the people here are very different,” he told Connect Language Center operations manager Bailey Gilbert in his native Portuguese.

19. Will Economic Boom Complicate Curbing Immigration? - Monday, August 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of President Donald Trump's priorities, low unemployment, is complicating another: curbing immigration.

With the number of jobs available exceeding the number of Americans seeking jobs, employers are looking beyond the border to fill openings, and migrants are coming to the country in search of work.

20. 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. 

21. Watchdog Says Gaps in Syria's Chemical Weapons Declaration - Friday, August 3, 2018

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The international chemical weapons watchdog says there are still gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies in Syria's declaration of its chemical weapons, and the number of issues needing a response has increased.

22. 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.

23. Election Verdict - Thursday, August 2, 2018

A week into the early voting period, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen was quizzing Democratic nominee for Shelby County mayor Lee Harris about the path of Harris’ campaign to election day. The race between Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir was already getting dicey, with Lenoir’s attacks on Harris continuing at their debates and moving into mailers, including a controversial mailer featuring a picture of Harris that was noticeably darker than Harris is in real life.

24. 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.

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

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

26. Primaries For Governor Move to Contentious End - Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Randy Boyd has heard the saying about a race for elected office being a marathon and not a sprint. And he agrees. The Republican contender for Tennessee governor is also a marathon runner who has run 36 of the races.

27. 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.

28. Early Voter Turnout Tops 2014, Surges on Final Day - Monday, July 30, 2018

Early voter turnout in advance of the Thursday, Aug. 2, election day in Shelby County was higher than four years ago with a surge on Saturday’s final day that was almost as big as the Friday turnout – the largest of the 14-day period.

29. In His Final Months as Tennessee Governor, Haslam Reflects on His Education Legacy - Monday, July 30, 2018

While Gov. Bill Haslam entered office as an education-minded leader intent on reforms, much of his administration’s K–12 public school work has focused on holding the line on sweeping policies launched under his predecessor.

30. American Snuff Gives To Agape’s Homeless Ministry - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The Memphis-based maker of Grizzly dipping tobacco is supporting nonprofit efforts to help families fleeing domestic violence.

American Snuff Co., a Memphis-based manufacturer of smokeless tobacco products, recently donated $10,000 to local nonprofit Agape Child & Family Services’ Families in Transition (FIT) program, which serves homeless and imminently homeless families, particularly those fleeing domestic violence.

31. Gaming Convention Raises $2.8 Million for St. Jude - Saturday, July 28, 2018

A two-day gaming convention in Tampa, Florida, raised enough money to cover the daily operating cost at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Now in its third year, GuardianCon brings fans and gaming industry professionals together for two days where they can interact among educational panels, live-streamed gaming exhibitions and industry vendors.

32. Gaming Convention Raises $2.8 Million for St. Jude - Friday, July 27, 2018

A two-day gaming convention in Tampa, Florida, raised enough money to cover the daily operating cost at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Now in its third year, GuardianCon brings fans and gaming industry professionals together for two days where they can interact among educational panels, live-streamed gaming exhibitions and industry vendors.

33. American Snuff Gives to Agape’s Homeless Ministry - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Memphis-based maker of Grizzly dipping tobacco is supporting nonprofit efforts to help families fleeing domestic violence.

American Snuff Co., a Memphis-based manufacturer of smokeless tobacco products, recently donated $10,000 to local nonprofit Agape Child & Family Services’ Families in Transition (FIT) program, which serves homeless and imminently homeless families, particularly those fleeing domestic violence.

34. Early Voting Nears 23,000 Six Days In - Friday, July 20, 2018

Early voting turnout totals with all sites open across Shelby County jumped to around 6,000 a day on the first three days all 27 sites were open to citizens in advance of the Aug. 2 election day.

The Tuesday turnout was 6,464. Wednesday’s was 5,863 and Thursday's 6,348, according to figures from the Shelby County Election Commission.

35. Last Word: Early Voting Goes Bigger, Worst Kept Secret and Christmas on Carr - Tuesday, July 17, 2018

By 9:30 p.m. Monday, 599 people were still without power from weekend storms, according to MLGW with crews working into Tuesday. Meanwhile, 4,324 citizens had voted early through Monday at five sites with early voting expanded to all 27 sites Tuesday. There has to be some kind of connection there but at the moment it eludes me. Meanwhile, here is the grid of early voting sites and their hours from the Shelby County Election Commission… grid, get it?

36. Bank of America Q2 Profits Boosted by Tax Law, Higher Rates - Tuesday, July 17, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Bank of America's second-quarter profits jumped 33 percent from a year earlier, the company said Monday, as like nearly all other big banks, it benefited greatly from the new tax law. The bank also benefited from the recent rise in interest rates, allowing it to charge more for customers to borrow.

37. 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.

38. Last Word: Storm and Early Voting Numbers, Frayser Revival and FCC at Baptist - Monday, July 16, 2018

That was loud and wet. After the storms moved through the city Sunday evening, about 20,000 MLGW customers were without power. That was down to 5,000 by midnight. With that let’s begin with early voting turnout, shall we. Monday being the last day of early-early voting with five of the 27 sites across the county. The others open Tuesday with early voting running through July 28 and election day Aug. 2. Here is the list of early voting sites and their hours from the Shelby County Election Commission.

39. US Expected to Become World's Top Oil Producer Next Year - Monday, July 16, 2018

The U.S. has nosed ahead of Saudi Arabia and is on pace to surpass Russia to become the world's biggest oil producer for the first time in more than four decades.

The latest forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that U.S. output will grow next year to 11.8 million barrels a day.

40. 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? 

41. Serena Williams Nears 8th Wimbledon Title, 24th Slam Overall - Friday, July 13, 2018

LONDON (AP) — Yes, this will be Serena Williams' 10th Wimbledon final. Yes, it's her 30th title match at any major. And, well, sure, she's widely regarded as not just the best of her era, but any era.

42. US Soon to Leapfrog Saudis, Russia as Top Oil Producer - Thursday, July 12, 2018

The U.S. is on pace to leapfrog both Saudi Arabia and Russia and reclaim the title of the world's biggest oil producer for the first time since the 1970s.

The latest forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that U.S. output will grow next year to 11.8 million barrels a day.

43. Trump Claims Germany 'Controlled' by Russia, Merkel Differs - Thursday, July 12, 2018

BRUSSELS (AP) — President Donald Trump barreled into a NATO summit Wednesday with claims that a natural gas pipeline deal has left Germany "totally controlled" and "captive to Russia" as he lobbed fresh complaints about allies' "delinquent" defense spending during the opening of what was expected to be a fraught two-day meeting.

44. Youth Academy of Dreams Opening in Frayser - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

The Frayser community has a new innovative after-school program designed to help youth ages 5 to 18 reach their full potential through comprehensive programming that includes education, mentoring, discovery and sports.

45. Pitcher Earns All-Star Start With Great First Half - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

As a high school senior in Dunlap, Tennessee, Dakota Hudson showed enough promise as a pitcher for the Texas Rangers to select him in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. And although the Rangers didn’t take him until the 36th round, Hudson says he was tempted to go.

46. 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.

47. Fed Officials Discuss Rate Hikes That Could Slow Growth - Friday, July 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials last month said they expect to keep raising interest rates and suggested that by the next year, they could be high enough that they could start slowing growth, according to minutes of their discussion released Thursday.

48. Stocks emerge from wild, unpredictable first half with gains - Monday, July 2, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — The first half of the year was full of surprises on Wall Street.

Even experts and investors who expected more volatility after a historically calm 2017 were caught off guard by many of the developments inside and outside the markets this year, including the rapid gains stocks made in January, their abrupt descent into a "correction," and the ongoing trade tensions that threatened to undo the benefits of the GOP tax overhaul and strong corporate profits. Still, consumer-focused companies like retailers had a strong start to the year and technology companies continued to rally, while high-dividend stocks, especially phone companies and household goods makers, lagged behind.

49. Where the Jobs Are - Saturday, June 23, 2018

Out of more than 15,000 Shelby County Schools students who took some kind of career and technical education, or CTE, courses in the 2015-2016 academic year, only 1 percent – roughly 150 – completed those classes to get some kind of work certification.

50. Binghampton Apartments, Parkside TIF Get EDGE Greenlight - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Several hundred new apartments, a South Memphis grocery store and a new TIF district were all given the green light by the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County during a busy Wednesday, June 20, board meeting. 

51. In Tit-for-Tat, Trump Threatens More Tariffs Against China - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Trade Representative to prepare new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports as the two nations move closer to a trade war.

52. 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.

53. 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

54. Raised in the projects: San Fran elects black woman mayor - Friday, June 15, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco's incoming mayor knows the yawning gap between rich and poor firsthand, having been raised by her grandmother in the city's drug- and violence-riddled projects.

55. Last Word: Kiwanis Debate, Haslam on the Gov. Race and Street Work - Thursday, June 14, 2018

For the last couple of days there has been this brewing story that Kim Kardashian West was on her way to the city to meet with Alice Marie Johnson, the convicted drug dealer sentenced to life in prison who was pardoned by President Donald Trump last week after serving 21 years in federal prison. And that is just what happened Wednesday – almost. The meeting was in Southaven. And, according to People, it included lessons in how to use Snapchat. The meeting included an interview with the Today show that will air Thursday morning.

56. Standing in the Gap - Thursday, June 14, 2018

There are statistics that tell a story. Always, there are statistics that tell a story. The city of Memphis’ story cannot be told without mentioning a poverty rate of 26.9 percent (Tennessee’s is 15.8 percent). The child poverty rate in Memphis is even more staggering, at 44.7 percent.

57. Luttrell, Jones: County Budget Talks Center on Property Tax Allocation - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Shelby County government’s budget season turns on the county’s property tax rate. It’s not about decreasing the current $4.11 rate to $4.05, as proposed by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell. It’s about how the $4.05 rate would be allocated among various county uses.

58. 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.

59. Trump Orders 'Immediate Steps' to Boost Coal, Nuclear Plants - Monday, June 4, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Friday directed Energy Secretary Rick Perry to take "immediate steps" to bolster struggling coal-fired and nuclear power plants to keep them open, calling it a matter of national and economic security.

60. Fallen Soldiers’ Families To Get Free Tuition at U of M - Saturday, June 2, 2018

The University of Memphis won’t charge the families of fallen soldiers tuition starting this fall.

The U of M is becoming the first higher education institution nationwide to partner with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that provides scholarships for spouses and children of military members who are severely injured or killed while on active duty.

61. Editorial: 100 North Main’s Better Days Come With Lessons - Saturday, June 2, 2018

No matter what spot is chosen for Memphis’ second convention center hotel, what comes with it is certain to change the gap between Civic Center Plaza and a thriving residential and retail area on the Main Street Mall.

62. Need an Entry-Level Job at a Store? It Can Be Harder Now - Friday, June 1, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Asia Thomas knew she was at a disadvantage. It had been 16 years since she quit a job at McDonald's to raise her kids. When she left, restaurants didn't have kiosks to take orders, people didn't use smartphones to pay, and job seekers did applications on paper.

63. 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.

64. U of M Won’t Charge Tuition For Fallen Soldiers’ Families - Thursday, May 31, 2018

The University of Memphis won’t charge the families of fallen soldiers tuition starting this fall.

The U of M is becoming the first higher education institution nationwide to partner with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that provides scholarships for spouses and children of military members who are severely injured or killed while on active duty.

65. County Commission Asked to Fill SCS Budget Gap - Thursday, May 31, 2018

With the Shelby County Schools system’s $1 billion budget delivered to Shelby County commissioners Wednesday, May 30, county government’s consolidated budget started to come into focus.

66. Last Word: SCS Budget Travels, Carlisle on One Beale and Hickman's Comeback - Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Shelby County Schools officials are Downtown Wednesday to formally present the school system’s budget proposal to the Shelby County Commission. The budget committee hearing Wednesday morning won’t see any decision just yet. But the school system’s ask of county government is a big part of the commission getting to a more complete view of county government’s budget since north of $400 million of the county’s $1.3 billion consolidated budget is funding for public education across seven school districts in the county.

67. St. Jude Global to Extend Hospital’s Reach - Monday, May 28, 2018

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is hoping the announcement of its St. Jude Global initiative Thursday, May 24, is just the beginning of many new partnerships to come. The hospital is investing more than $100 million to expand its reach and advance the survival rate of children with pediatric cancer and blood disorders around the world.

68. Agape Receives $50K Grant From Walmart Foundation - Saturday, May 26, 2018

Agape Child & Family Services has received a $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

The funds will go to Agape’s Families in Transition program, which serves homeless and imminently homeless families, particularly those fleeing domestic violence. Specifically, the grant will support Agape in providing homeless families with transitional housing, counseling, life skills, parenting skills, job readiness training, education support and budgeting guidance.

69. Businesses Need Purpose - Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A talk from Haley Rushing, chief purposologist, The Purpose Institute, from the 2018 Conscious Capitalism Annual Conference.

Why purpose? Humans need purpose and meaning in life. For every venture there are both extrinsic and intrinsic aspirations. Purpose is an intrinsic aspiration. Years of research has shown that those who have only extrinsic goals suffer from anxiety and depression. Yet, those who have intrinsic goals have very low levels of depression and anxiety.

70. St. Jude: $100M for Children With Cancer Global Outreach - Friday, May 25, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has helped with the treatment of thousands of cancer-stricken children around the world. Striving to reach so many more, the Memphis, Tennessee-based hospital announced a $100 million plan Thursday to expand its global outreach.

71. 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.

72. 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.

73. 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.

74. Agape Receives $50K Grant From Walmart Foundation - Monday, May 21, 2018

Agape Child & Family Services has received a $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

The funds will go to Agape’s Families in Transition program, which serves homeless and imminently homeless families, particularly those fleeing domestic violence. Specifically, the grant will support Agape in providing homeless families with transitional housing, counseling, life skills, parenting skills, job readiness training, education support and budgeting guidance.

75. UT/West Institute’s Hayes Plays Critical Role in The Cancer Genome Atlas - Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Cancer Genome Atlas, a comprehensive map of the key genomic changes in 33 types of cancer, wrapped up a decade-long, $300 million national science project in April, with Dr. D. Neil Hayes, scientific director of the University of Tennessee/West Institute for Cancer Research, playing one of only a handful of leadership roles. 

76. A Better Ride - Friday, May 18, 2018

The final phase of construction on the innovative Hampline will begin this summer, with a goal of completion by the end of the year. The protected bike path completes the missing link in the Greenline between Overton Park and Tillman Street, and has been an ongoing project since 2010.

77. Corporate Leaders Are True Partners - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

“What can we do to help?” That was the question asked by a corporate representative at a conference we attended last week.

We were in Winston-Salem, participating in the State of Black North Carolina conference. We fell in love with the people, energy and positive, forward thinking. We were surrounded by people – including high school students and senior citizens – all of whom were asking questions, offering solutions, sharing history and strategizing.

78. Bill Gates Pumps $158 Million Into Push to Combat US Poverty - Friday, May 4, 2018

SEATTLE (AP) – Bill Gates launched a new fight against systemic poverty in the U.S., with his private foundation on Thursday announcing millions of dollars toward initiatives ranging from data projects to funding for community activists.

79. The Kickoff is a Must-Keep Play in College Football, NFL - Friday, May 4, 2018

October 6, 2016, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. From the sideline, then-University of Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson was watching as history disappeared under scorched earth. In other words, as Tony Pollard raced 95 yards and erased a 20-year gap between Memphis kick returns for touchdowns.

80. East Meets West as 2 Legislators Run Out of Time - Thursday, May 3, 2018

It wasn’t quite a constitutional crisis, but when Reps. Micah Van Huss and Joe Towns start teaming up, something is amiss.

81. Opioid Treatment Gap in Medicare: Methadone Clinics - Friday, April 27, 2018

One in three older Americans with Medicare drug coverage is prescribed opioid painkillers, but for those who develop a dangerous addiction there is one treatment Medicare won't cover: methadone.

Methadone is the oldest, and experts say, the most effective of the three approved medications used to treat opioid addiction. It eases cravings without an intense high, allowing patients to work with counselors to rebuild their lives.

82. Griffin Moves to Helm of Changing ASD - Thursday, April 26, 2018

Sharon Griffin wasn’t having any of the idea that she will be in competition with Shelby County Schools when she becomes the new leader of the state-run Achievement School District.

83. I-Zone Chief Griffin Named Head of State-Run School District - Tuesday, April 24, 2018

The chief of schools for Shelby County Schools who was the founding director of Innovation Zone Schools is the new leader of the state-run Achievement School District.

Sharon Griffin was named Tuesday, April 24, as head of the turnaround district for some of the state’s lowest performing schools academically by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Tennessee Education Commission Candice McQueen.

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

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

85. Last Word: TNReady Blinks Again, Gov. Debate Thoughts and Mud Island's Museum - Friday, April 20, 2018

There was a point Thursday morning during the troubled TNReady testing at some Tennessee school districts when there was a “brief” slow down in the online testing, according to the Tennessee Education commissioner’s office. By noon that had been resolved and more than 250,000 completed tests had been submitted since testing began Monday. One can only imagine what some of the thoughts were in the office during the slow down and the gap between how long the slow down seemed and how long it actually was.

86. Report: Many State Pension Systems Have Huge Funding Gaps - Friday, April 13, 2018

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) – A public employee pension crisis for state governments has deepened to a record level even after nearly nine years of economic recovery for the nation, according to a study released Thursday, leaving many states vulnerable if the economy hits a downturn.

87. SXSW 2018: My First-Year Experience - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I recently had the opportunity to attend South by Southwest (sxsw.com) in Austin, Texas, for the first time. If you’ve never been, SXSW is a giant festival in downtown Austin that draws in thousands of people. Founded in 1987, SXSW has boasted an economic impact to Austin of over $300 million in past years.

88. Last Word: Pera's Move, The Catechism of 1968 and Whitehaven's ER - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A day ahead of the last game of the season for the Grizz on the road, the team’s majority owner, Robert Pera, acted Monday to clear up questions about the ownership of the team going forward. Pera emailed season ticket holders Monday evening that he will not be exercising a buy-sell agreement with his partners who have minority shares of the franchise.

89. Court: Women Can't be Paid Less Than Men Based on Past Wages - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Employers cannot pay women less than men for the same work based on differences in their salaries at previous jobs, a federal appeals court said Monday.

Pay differences based on prior salaries are discriminatory under the federal Equal Pay Act, a unanimous 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.

90. Events - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The Orpheum Theatre presents “Something Rotten!” Tuesday through Sunday, April 10-15, at the theater, 203 S. Main St. This Broadway musical tells the story of two brothers who are desperate to write their own hit play while the “rock star” Shakespeare keeps getting all the hits. Buy tickets at orpheum-memphis.com.

91. Events - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Art by Design, a designer showcase benefiting ArtsMemphis, is underway through Sunday, April 8, in the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. More than a dozen interior design team have created custom “vignettes” within a chic gallery showroom, with special presentations each day. Single-day tickets are $20.  Visit artsmemphis.org for details and hours.

92. ER Visits Show Methodist South Filling Primary Care Gap in Whitehaven - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Methodist South Hospital in Whitehaven has for more than a year been the site of a flurry of construction projects, including an $8.7 million expansion of the emergency department that wrapped up last year, while an upgrade of the intensive care unit is underway now.

93. Data Back Up AP Poll: Little Progress on Civil Rights Issues - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Fifty years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., American perceptions of progress toward racial equality remain largely divided along racial lines, a recent AP-NORC poll shows.

The majority of African-Americans surveyed saw little to no progress toward equal treatment in key areas that the civil rights movement sought to address. White respondents frequently portrayed a rosier picture. A review by the Associated Press shows that the available data more often align with African-Americans' less optimistic reflection of their reality.

94. Editorial: 50 Years After King's Death, What Have We Learned? - Saturday, March 31, 2018

When sanitation workers Echol Cole and Robert Walker were crushed by a garbage truck compactor on Feb. 1, 1968, it sparked a 64-day strike that reverberated throughout Memphis and beyond.

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

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

96. LITE Wins $20,000 Renewal Award - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Memphis nonprofit Let’s Innovate through Education (LITE) has been awarded a $20,000 Renewal Award – part of a national program by Allstate and The Atlantic to honor innovative nonprofit organizations solving some of their communities’ most pressing social and economic issues.

97. China Targets $3 Billion of US Goods in Tariff Spat - Monday, March 26, 2018

BEIJING (AP) — China announced a $3 billion list of U.S. goods for possible retaliation in a tariff dispute with President Donald Trump and girded Friday for a bigger battle over technology policy as financial markets sank on fears of global disruption.

98. FedEx Rolls Out New Supply Chain Technology - Saturday, March 24, 2018

Memphis-based FedEx Corp. has launched a comprehensive solution for returns management known as FedEx Returns Technology, which gives high-volume merchants and “e-tailers” the ability to quickly and easily improve their customer experience

99. FedEx Rolls Out New Supply Chain Technology - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Memphis-based FedEx Corp. has launched a comprehensive solution for returns management known as FedEx Returns Technology, which gives high-volume merchants and “e-tailers” the ability to quickly and easily improve their customer experience

100. Why So Few Female Fund Managers? It's Not Their Performance - Monday, March 19, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Why is just one of every 10 managers at the helm of U.S. mutual funds a woman?

Many reasons may be behind the disparity, but researchers at Morningstar say they have disqualified one as a possibility: performance. After measuring how 11,272 funds have fared since 2003, the researchers found no big, statistically significant difference in performance between those led by men, women or teams of mixed genders.