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

2. Companies Weighing Options to Continue Recycling - Saturday, September 8, 2018

Recycling capabilities for many Memphis businesses and institutions were stopped or substantially reduced in recent weeks, even as global warming continues to escalate.

Republic Services confirmed that its Memphis recycling facility, ReCommunity, recently stopped accepting recycling items from commercial and institutional sources.

3. Data Show Big Let-Up in 'Obamacare' Premiums - Monday, September 10, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of people covered under the Affordable Care Act will see only modest premium increases next year, and some will get a price cut. That's the conclusion from an exclusive analysis of the besieged but resilient program, which still sparks deep divisions heading into this year's midterm elections.

4. Blackburn Names Campaign Finance Chairmen - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s Senate campaign received an injection of old-school political support Tuesday, Sept. 4, from Pilot Corp. founder Jim Haslam II and Middle Tennessee State University board of trustees chairman Stephen Smith.

5. Last Word: Selling Local Soccer, Football's Arrival and Luttrell's Vetoes - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

So the United Soccer League Memphis franchise is to be called Memphis FC 901. The branding was launched as the Labor Day weekend began with a video that is part Rogues nostalgia, soccer at school memories and a liberal dose of Grit ‘n’ Grind rhetoric from another sports franchise just down the street from AutoZone Park. The combination is another example of sports carrying the banner for the promotion of Memphis in general.

6. 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.

7. Last Word: End of Term, After The Testimony and John McCain - Monday, August 27, 2018

Shelby County commissioners meet Monday for what is the last regularly scheduled meeting of their four-year term of office. Eight of the 13 commissioners are leaving the body of 13 at the end of this month as is Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell.

8. Next Generation of Grisantis Opening New Location in Collierville - Friday, August 24, 2018

David Grisanti will soon open his first restaurant in the space Ronnie Grisanti’s previously occupied in Sheffield Antiques Mall in Collierville.

9. 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.

10. Memphis Speculative Industrial Building Will Be First in a Decade - Thursday, August 23, 2018

An Atlanta-based real estate development and acquisition company next month plans to start building Memphis’ first speculative industrial space in more than decade, the company announced Wednesday.

11. It’s Lee’s to Win Unless He Makes a Rookie Mistake - Thursday, August 23, 2018

When Bill Lee drove a tractor through tiny Eagleville last October, hardly anyone noticed. Only a handful of supporters milled around in the parking lot of the Farmers Co-op in southwest Rutherford County that morning where Lee spent a few minutes talking to people inside the store before emerging to ride to another town as part of a statewide tour, a precursor to an RV ride he would take later in the Republican primary race.

12. Sen. Collins, Potential Swing Vote, Meets With Kavanaugh - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh met Tuesday with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a centrist who's seen as a potential swing vote on his confirmation, while Democrats push him to release more documents from his years in the George W. Bush White House.

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

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

14. 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.”

15. Last Word: DEB Comes to Memphis, Collierville's New School and Lamar Avenue - Monday, August 6, 2018

At the end of an eventful week on several fronts, two of those fronts met Saturday evening in Memphis Park. The park, cleared of all remaining Confederate monuments and markers earlier in the week, was the site of the first Le Diner en Blanc in the city. This is an event that takes place in other cities with the Paris DEB 30 years old and still running.

16. Harris Claims County Mayor, Democrats Sweep Other Countywide Offices - Monday, August 6, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

17. Harris Elected County Mayor, Bonner as Sheriff - Friday, August 3, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

18. 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. 

19. 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. 

20. City Council Delays Sale Of Lamar Fire Station - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The Memphis City Council delayed a vote Tuesday, July 24, on the sale of a city fire station at the intersection of Lamar Avenue, Kimball and Pendleton for $307,000 to a developer who wants to build a convenience store-gas station at the site.

21. $3.5M Building Permit For Former Toof Building - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The Toof American Digital building on Cooper Street could be the latest vacant Midtown property to be revitalized.

Grinder Taber & Grinder Inc. has filed a $3.5 million permit to renovate the former Toof building at 670 S. Cooper St. for a new tenant.

22. City Council Holds Off on Sale of Lamar Fire Station - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Memphis City Council delayed a vote Tuesday, July 24, on the sale of a city fire station at the intersection of Lamar Avenue, Kimball and Pendleton for $307,000 to a developer who wants to build a convenience store-gas station at the site.

23. $3.5M Building Permit for Former Toof Building - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Toof American Digital building on Cooper Street could be the latest vacant Midtown property to be revitalized.

Grinder Taber & Grinder Inc. has filed a $3.5 million permit to renovate the former Toof building at 670 S. Cooper St. for a new tenant.

24. 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.

25. Tennessee Zipper Company in Crosshairs of Buy-American Laws - Thursday, July 19, 2018

DUNLAP, Tenn. (AP) — Robert Kwasnik has a zipper problem — and it has come to the attention of the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Kwasnik is president of Dunlap Industries, a small manufacturing company in Appalachia that for more than 15 years made zippers for U.S. military uniforms — until last year, when a competitor complained that not all of the parts the company was using were from the U.S.

26. Tennessee Senators, Hopefuls Oppose Trump Remarks on Russia - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee's Republican senators and two Senate candidates are speaking out against President Donald Trump's refusal to condemn Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

27. 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?

28. Blackburn Backs Supreme Court Pick; Bredesen Awaits Hearings - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In Tennessee's U.S. Senate race, Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn is backing President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee and Democratic ex-Gov. Phil Bredesen is holding judgment until after confirmation hearings.

29. Last Word: The Jenkins Ruling, No More City Court Clerk and Harwell's Quest - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Making your early voting plan for Friday’s debut of the voting period in advance of the Aug. 2 election day? Well, you might want to hold off until after Tuesday morning. That’s when the latest changes could get set in stone … or not.

30. Events - Friday, June 22, 2018

Luna Nova Music presents the 12th annual Belvedere Chamber Music Festival through Saturday, June 20-23, at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1720 Peabody Ave. Concerts start at 7:30 each night; Thursday and Friday also feature a 3:30 p.m. concert. Concerts are free and open to the public. Visit belvederefestival.org.

31. Events - Thursday, June 21, 2018

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

32. Last Word: 'Same Night Batteries,' Corker and Alexander React and ASD Results - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Things you notice in City Council chambers on a long council day: The clock on the wall in back of the chamber is placed over another clock – a clock built into the wall when City Hall opened in 1966 and since deprived of its hands. This came up because the clock in front stopped working Tuesday, the same day that the council got new microphones for a sound system that is consistently buggy.

33. Corker and Alexander Immigration Policy Reactions Differ As Trump Makes Changes - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

As President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, June 20, that he would reverse his administration's policy on separating children from parents who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally or seeking asylum, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee was among the Republican lawmakers sitting around the table with Trump.

34. Tennessee GOP Senate Hopeful Blames Liberals in Separations - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee's leading U.S. Senate candidates are decrying the separation of immigrant families at the border, with Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn blaming liberals.

35. City Turns 22 Major Streets Back Over to TDOT - Thursday, June 14, 2018

A decades-long contract under which the city of Memphis maintains 22 state routes or highways on behalf of the state of Tennessee is coming to an end.

City leaders announced Wednesday, June 13, they will not renew the agreement with the state when it runs out June 30. Under the terms of the contract, the city fills potholes, removes trash, performs drainage maintenance, cuts grass in medians and rights of way, and treat roads in snow and ice on nearly two dozen of the city’s major thoroughfares.

36. Last Word: Riverfront Change, Skeleton to Canopy and Summer Camp - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

The two contenders for Shelby County Mayor in the Aug. 2 county general election – Democratic nominee Lee Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir – meet for the first time in the general election campaign Wednesday at the Memphis Kiwanis Club weekly luncheon. It is the first of several debates between the two. And judging from what Harris and Lenoir have said separately and what we’ve reported from those appearances, this is a highly anticipated debate/discussion about the future of Shelby County on several fronts.

37. Integrated Model - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

With a newly designed call center inside its 570,000-square-foot South Memphis facility, iQor is planning to make 100 new hires by the end of the summer. The global managed services provider is looking to extend the scope of its aftermarket product services in Memphis.

38. Last Word: The Politics of Summer, Perpetual Motion and Nigerian Email Scams - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Just about the time it is summer by the calendar next week as well as by the ongoing weather, you will start to see a set of one-on-one debates between the Democratic and Republican contenders for Shelby County Mayor – Lee Harris and David Lenoir, respectively.

39. Poll: Americans Want More of What Journalists Want to Report - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – There's substantial agreement on what Americans want from the news media and what journalists want to report, according to a pair of studies that also reveal a troubling caveat: a nagging feeling among both the ideal isn't being met.

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

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

41. SE Memphis Industrial Property Sells for $7.6M - Friday, June 8, 2018

Huntington Industrial Partners, doing business as HIP 3527-3543 Lamar Avenue LLC, has acquired a roughly 18-acre industrial property in southeast Memphis for $7.6 million.

42. 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.

43. $71.2M Federal Grant Awarded for Long-Sought Lamar Avenue Upgrade - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

A $71.2 million federal transportation grant announced Tuesday, June 5, in Washington, D.C., will fund long-planned and awaited infrastructure updates to the city’s major freight corridor.

Funding under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation goes for repairs and upgrades to Lamar Avenue from Getwell Avenue to the Mississippi state line.

44. Last Word: Storm Damage, Overton Square Parking and Corker's Tariff Plan - Monday, June 4, 2018

The week begins with recovery across the river in Arkansas where high winds, possibly tornadoes, did quite a bit of damage Saturday evening – the Delta Regional Airport just outside Colt in St. Francis County destroyed, by the National Weather Service preliminary damage estimate Sunday.

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

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

46. Judge to Decide Who Will Seek Victim Repayment in Fraud - Monday, May 28, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A judge will decide who should collect assets and repay victims of a $100-million-plus fraud.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard arguments Friday from Mississippi's secretary of state and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on plans to hire a receiver. Records show Reeves plans to rule later.

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

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

48. 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.

49. Room to Grow - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Local Checkers franchisee group Tristate Restaurants LLC is preparing to open its newest location in Memphis at 3680 Lamar Ave. by early to mid-May, and plans for as many as five more locations over the next couple of years.

50. 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.

51. A Dozen Mural Artists Take City To Court Over 'Beige Patrol' Action - Friday, April 27, 2018

A group of a dozen artists whose murals were painted over in February or have been targeted for painting over by city public works crews are suing the city of Memphis in federal court.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, April 26, in Memphis federal court alleges the city of Memphis violated the federal Visual Artists Rights Act and seeks punitive and compensatory damages for the artists whose work was part of the Paint Memphis Inc. effort on South Willett Street near Lamar Avenue.

52. The Q Standard - Friday, April 27, 2018

SOMETHING MESSY, NOT TO BE MESSED WITH. In past columns I’ve chastised my fellow boomers who not only wish for times gone by; they live there. Gathered around lunch tables, they complain about things like technology – passing around pictures of their grandkids on smartphones and getting up and down from that table on knees and hips supplied by that technology.

53. 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.

54. Lee, Boyd, Black Talk Confederate Monuments, Oppose Pre-K Expansion - Thursday, April 19, 2018

Three of the four major contenders for governor in the Aug. 2 Republican primary disagree with the removal of Confederate monuments from city parks but also disagree with the state legislature’s decision to cut $250,000 of city funding in retaliation.

55. EDGE Approves Trio of Tax Abatements - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County approved a trio of tax abatement packages during its Wednesday April 18 meeting.

Massachusetts-based Franklin Sports Inc. was awarded a six-year Jobs PILOT to build a 250,000- to 300,000-square-foot warehouse adjacent to its Memphis distribution center at 5510 Getwell Road, adding 27 new jobs with an average salary of $39,722, excluding benefits.

56. Commercial and Critical Darling Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer - Tuesday, April 17, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Kendrick Lamar has won the Pulitzer Prize for music, making history as the first non-classical or jazz artist to win the prestigious prize.

57. Last Word: Parking Distrust, Early Voting Numbers and Missile Strike Reaction - Monday, April 16, 2018

There is probably no better symbol of the distrust that has been a factor in reaching a compromise in Overton Park to end greensward parking by the Memphis Zoo. It is what happened to the idea of a walkway from the zoo plaza to the greensward with the critical juncture being where the gravel driveway is now that is used by cars to park on the greensward. We examine that and other larger points from last week’s decision by City Hall to change the design and make the amended plan the final plan.

58. USL Memphis to Operate Memphis City FC in 2018 - Saturday, April 14, 2018

USL Memphis has acquired Memphis City FC and will operate it as a Premier Development League (PDL) franchise starting with the 2018 PDL season, with the first match set for Saturday, May 12.

Tryouts will be held on Saturday, April 21 at Memphis University School. The fee to register for tryouts is $35 and can be done at www.usl2memphis.com/pdl.

59. 3 Companies Seek Abatements for Memphis Projects - Saturday, April 14, 2018

Sports equipment manufacturer Franklin Sports Inc., pharmacy services provider Enclara Pharmacia Inc. and petroleum distributor OMO Energy & Technology Inc. will all make their cases for tax incentives when the Economic Development Growth Engine meets Wednesday, April 18.

60. Kroger Spends Millions to Permanently Cut Prices in Memphis and Beyond - Thursday, April 12, 2018

Kroger has made a “multimillion-dollar investment” to permanently cut prices on more than 3,000 products in its grocery stores across Memphis and its multistate Delta Division.

Shoppers will be met with oversized signage announcing the price cuts almost anywhere they turn inside Memphis-area Kroger stores. That includes messaging that completely covers the entrances that shoppers walk through at locations like the Kroger at 1675 N. Germantown Parkway, where a bright yellow image of a few grocery items and the announcement “Say Hello To Lower Prices” covers the doors.

61. Sen. Bob Corker Donates to Republican Running to Succeed Him - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Bob Corker says he is donating money to another Tennessee Republican's campaign to succeed him.

News outlets report Corker tweeted his support Monday for U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn after the Tennessee Republican Party ended the primary over the weekend. Seven Senate candidates and one gubernatorial candidate were removed from the August ballot for lacking voting credentials to justify running as Republicans.

62. Bus System Overhaul Would Shift Balance of Service to More Frequency - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Consultants mapping a reconstruction of the city’s bus system are suggesting $30 million more a year in annual city funding for the system and a shift of bus service so that 70 percent of the routes have a higher frequency, reducing wait times during peak hours on major north-south and east-west corridors.

63. Republicans Pare Tennessee Senate Primary As Bredesen-Blackburn Race Shapes Up - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The race for the U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee got much closer to becoming the two-candidate contest Democratic and Republican leaders have already decided it is.

The Tennessee Republican Party’s executive committee, meeting in Nashville Saturday, pared the field of 10 contenders who filed by the April 5 deadline for the August primary to three. Seven contenders were dropped from the primary ballot by the party’s leadership for not being “bona fide” Republicans based on their recent voting record.

64. Council Gets First Look At MATA Route Changes - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A task force looking to overhaul the city’s bus system presents a draft report Tuesday, April 10, to Memphis City Council members.

The Memphis 3.0 transit plan goes to the council at a 1 p.m. committee session for discussion.

65. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Deadline - Monday, April 9, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

66. Medical Device Makers Hoping For Permanent Repeal of Excise Tax - Saturday, April 7, 2018

Local medical device manufacturers are breathing a sigh of relief this year following the January delay of the 2.3 percent medical device excise tax, and most are hoping for a permanent repeal sometime in the next 21 months. The tax is now set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, saving device companies as much as $3.7 billion during the two-year suspension.

67. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, April 6, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

68. Last Word: Yoga's Return, Strickland on MLK50 and The Broad Water Tower Move - Thursday, March 29, 2018

The two parks where Confederate monuments were removed this past December will feature some new experiences now that spring is here both by the calendar and by all that flowers and clouds that are heavy with rain. Memphis Greenspace, the nonprofit that bought Health Sciences and Memphis Parks from the city at the end of 2017, will roll out its first programming for the two parks next week including a Truth Booth at Memphis Park along with the return of Downtown Yoga. It will be tai chi Tuesdays and yoga Thursdays at Health Sciences Park along with a lunchtime music series.

69. Sen. Alexander 'Not a Big Fan' of Arming Teachers at School - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander says he's "not a big fan" of arming teachers at school, saying they have their hands full without carrying guns.

Alexander told reporters Monday he thinks teachers ought to teach and let policemen, including school resource officers, have the guns. He noted that pilots aren't armed on airplanes, but trained marshals are.

70. USL Memphis Selects First Sporting Director - Saturday, March 24, 2018

USL Memphis has named Andrew Bell, formerly of the Charleston Battery, its inaugural sporting director, team president Craig Unger announced. Bell, who has spent nearly 20 years with the United Soccer League’s Battery, will be tasked with handling all player and technical staff-related decisions and building the USL Memphis front office ahead of the team’s 2019 debut.

71. Council Makes First Moves On Prekindergarten Funding - Thursday, March 22, 2018

Memphis City Council members took first votes Tuesday, March 20, approving the city’s move toward funding $6 million of a $16 million expansion of local prekindergarten programs.

Ordinances approved on the first of three readings establish a city account for prekindergarten with funding coming from one penny on the city property tax rate and incremental city property tax revenue that comes when tax abatements provided for economic development projects expire.

72. City Council Gives Preliminary Approval to Pre-K Funding - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Memphis City Council members took first votes Tuesday, March 20, approving the city’s move toward funding $6 million of a $16-million expansion of prekindergarten locally.

The ordinances approved on the first of three readings an establish the city fund for prekindergarten and the funding with the equivalent of a penny on the existing city property tax rate and incremental city property tax revenue as economic development projects begin paying a higher tax rate when their tax abatements expire.

73. USL Memphis Selects First Sporting Director - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

USL Memphis has named Andrew Bell, formerly of the Charleston Battery, its inaugural sporting director, team president Craig Unger announced. Bell, who has spent nearly 20 years with the United Soccer League’s Battery, will be tasked with handling all player and technical staff-related decisions and building the USL Memphis front office ahead of the team’s 2019 debut.

74. Haslam Joins Chorus Of Concerns Over Tariffs - Saturday, March 17, 2018

Gov. Bill Haslam is joining several other Tennessee officials voicing concerns over President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

The Republican governor told reporters Tuesday, March 13, he’s concerned about additional costs to manufacturers, particularly the state’s car industry. He said that a trade war wouldn’t be good for Tennessee, a manufacturing state.

75. Haslam Joins Chorus Of Concerns Over Trump Tariffs - Thursday, March 15, 2018

Gov. Bill Haslam is joining several other Tennessee officials voicing concerns over President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

The Republican governor told reporters Tuesday, March 13, he’s concerned about additional costs to manufacturers, particularly the state’s car industry. He said that a trade war wouldn’t be good for Tennessee, a manufacturing state.

76. Council OKs Financing For Convention Center Work - Saturday, March 10, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved $175 million in general obligation bond financing Tuesday, March 6, for the renovation of the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The dollar figure matches the total estimate of the renovation, which will include significant changes to the interior of the early 1970s facility and exterior changes that include a view of the Mississippi River.

77. Last Word: Moot Points in Orlando, EDGE Responds and A Mayoral Forum - Friday, March 9, 2018

The Tigers basketball post season continues to a Friday game with Tulsa the day after the Tigers beat South Florida 79-77 in the AAC tournament in Orlando. But all of this seems to have been rendered a moot point by the all-but-official exit of coach Tubby Smith with Penny Hardaway, and probably much if not all of his staff, waiting in the wings.

78. Digest - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis Grizzlies Suffer 15th Consecutive Loss

The Grizzlies lost their 15th straight game, 119-110 at Chicago, on Wednesday, March 7.

The team has not won since defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum on Jan. 29.

79. Novel Approach - Saturday, March 10, 2018

The smallest of the city’s 17 public libraries is also one of its most used. The Frayser Branch library is a brick-and-glass rectangle on a half-acre at 3712 Argonne St. With some modest columns and shrubs, a few planters and cinderblock lattice work, it is shoe-horned into the side of a hill in a residential neighborhood a block from the commercial corridor of North Watkins Road still dominated by churches.

80. Council OKs Financing For Convention Center Work - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved $175 million in general obligation bond financing Tuesday, March 6, for the renovation of the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The dollar figure matches the total estimate of the renovation, which will include significant changes to the interior of the early 1970s facility and exterior changes that include a view of the Mississippi River.

81. Council Still Battling With Public Art Issue - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Memphis City Council members were told Tuesday, March 6, that removing a mural from a private business front on Lamar Avenue will be difficult despite a council call to do so.

The zombie-like mural by the artist Dustin Spagnola has drawn most of the ire of council members for several months. Some have called it “satanic.” Others on the council argue the imagery isn’t respectful of the surrounding community.

82. City Council Continues to Dabble In Art Issues - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Memphis City Council members were told Tuesday, March 6, that removing a mural from a private business front on Lamar Avenue will be difficult despite a council call to do so.

The zombie-like mural by the artist Dustin Spagnola has drawn most of the ire of council members for several months. Some have called it “satanic.” Others on the council argue the imagery isn’t respectful of the surrounding community.

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

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

84. Council to Discuss Murals and Food Deserts, Vote on Convention Center Funding - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis City Council members talk about incentives to bring grocery stores to underserved areas of the city during Tuesday, March 6, committee sessions and review a resolution that would direct the city to again paint over “offensive and objectionable” murals.

85. Members of Congress Lay Wreath at Site of King Assassination - Monday, March 5, 2018

MEMPHIS – About a dozen Democrats and Republicans prayed and sang "Amazing Grace" during a solemn ceremony Friday at the site where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated nearly 50 years ago, marking the start of a three-day congressional "pilgrimage" to sites with ties to the civil rights era in the South.

86. Corker Stays Out of Senate Race - Thursday, March 1, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee will remain on the sidelines and not get into the 2018 race for the Senate seat.

Corker’s chief of staff, Todd Womack, broke the news Tuesday, Feb. 27, in an interview with Politico.

87. Corker Stays Out of Senate Race - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee will remain on the sidelines and not get into the 2018 race for the Senate seat.

Corker’s chief of staff, Todd Womack, broke the news Tuesday, Feb. 27, in an interview with Politico.

88. 3 Memphis Sites Included On US Civil Rights Trail - Saturday, February 24, 2018

Clayborn Temple, Mason Temple Church of God in Christ and the National Civil Rights Museum are among 10 Tennessee sites included on a new U.S. civil rights trail.

Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and Tennessee tourism commissioner Kevin Triplett announced the landmarks Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the National Civil Rights Museum.

89. 3 Memphis Sites Included On US Civil Rights Trail - Thursday, February 22, 2018

Clayborn Temple, Mason Temple Church of God in Christ and the National Civil Rights Museum are among 10 Tennessee sites included on a new U.S. civil rights trail.

Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and Tennessee tourism commissioner Kevin Triplett announced the landmarks Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the National Civil Rights Museum.

90. Election Methods, Murals Dominate City Council Session - Thursday, February 22, 2018

Memphis City Council members doubled down Tuesday, Feb. 20, on calling for a cover-up of six murals near Lamar Avenue. And the council’s attorney said ranked-choice, or instant-runoff voting, isn’t needed in Memphis.

91. Sen. Lamar Alexander Talks Tax Reform, Trump, Guns - Thursday, February 22, 2018

The day before the U.S. Senate voted in December to pass a massive federal tax overhaul, FedEx founder, chairman and CEO Fred Smith called up U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and urged him to “pass that bill.”

92. Last Word: Murals and IRV at City Hall, Alexander on Trump and Schools Standoff - Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Sometimes when you look at the Election Commission filings in an election season and no one has so much as pulled a petition let alone filed one, your thoughts tend to be along the lines of what is there to focus on beyond the day-to-day activity. And then you get a press release by email that really makes you remember the volatility of this whole business of running for elected office.

93. Sen. Alexander Talks Tax Reform, Trump, Gun Control in Memphis - Wednesday, February 21, 2018

The day before the U.S. Senate voted in December to pass a massive federal tax overhaul, FedEx founder, chairman and CEO Fred Smith called up U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and urged him to “pass that bill.”

94. Election Methods and Murals Dominate Light Council Day - Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Memphis City Council members doubled down Tuesday, Feb. 20, on calling for a cover-up of six murals near Lamar Avenue. And the council’s attorney said ranked-choice or instant-runoff voting isn’t needed in Memphis.

95. Council to Discuss Mural Mix-Up, Body in Van On Police Impound Lot - Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Memphis City Council members take up the Paint Memphis murals controversy in their Tuesday, Feb. 20, executive session and earlier will talk with police brass about security procedures at the police impound lot.

96. Bredesen: U.S. Senate Win Possible For Democrats - Tuesday, February 20, 2018

The last Democrat to win statewide elected office in Tennessee eight years ago acknowledges times have changed.

“The Democratic brand is damaged in Tennessee,” former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said last week in Memphis. “The Republican percentage has stayed the same over the last decade. What’s changed is people have abandoned the Democrats and started calling themselves independents.”

97. Analysis: Plan Tries to Slow Brain Drain From Mississippi - Monday, February 19, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi has a bright-lights-big-city problem, with a significant numbers of college graduates earning their degrees in this mostly rural state and then departing for bigger paychecks and expanded cultural opportunities in Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville and beyond.

98. Week Ahead: Feb.19-25 - Monday, February 19, 2018

It seems the only thing consistent about this hot again, cold again weather is the rain. As we enter another week of the waning winter, there are plenty of events to keep you entertained. But don’t forget the umbrellas, Memphis!

99. Alexander, Corker Honor 1968 Sanitation Strikers - Saturday, February 17, 2018

U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee introduced a Senate resolution Tuesday, Feb. 13, honoring the 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers who went on strike in 1968.

The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Doug Jones of Alabama and Ben Cardin of Maryland.

100. Last Word: Post Parkland, May County Primary Ballot and Friedman on the Mid East - Friday, February 16, 2018

In the wake of the Parkland, Florida school massacre, local school systems here are talking about their preparations for such instances. And for those who don’t have a child in schools currently, it is something of a commentary about the times many of our children live in. The Shelby County Schools statement Thursday includes the following safety measures already in place: