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

2. Last Word: 'Poking The Bear,' National Walk Out Day and McQueen on Capitol Hill - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The state House’s Tuesday action cutting $250k in funding for Memphis from Gov. Bill Haslam’s budget proposal is turning into a cause back here, starting with a GoFundMe page. Elsewhere on social media, you can see the unmistakable outline of a party or parties for the cause beginning to form. This is near the end of session for the Legislature when the budget is the last action before going back to the district to run for re-election. Different timing over here, with multiple crawfish outings leading into Memphis in May.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Local Political Partisans Begin Looking Beyond Trump - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

The founder of one of the city’s Trump “resistance” groups is among those looking for something beyond the resistance.

“We don’t want to resist Trump forever,” Emily Fulmer, the founder of Indivisible Memphis, told a gathering of 50 Friday, Feb. 23, at the National Civil Rights Museum under the “Take Back Tennessee” banner. “The goal is not to be in a state of resistance forever.”

7. Last Word: Corker & Blackburn, More Frost and Dale Watson's Move to The Haven - Friday, February 23, 2018

It's possible around City Hall these days to get your RFQs mixed up with your RFPs. And there is a difference in requests for qualifications and requests for proposals. Usually RFQs come before RFPs – but there are exceptions – loopholes. The latest RFQ out of City Hall – album title or t-shirt slogan? – is for the adaptive reuse of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

8. Last Word: Looking In The Lookout, Women in Business and The Race for Governor - Monday, February 19, 2018

What would bring a Memphian on his own to The Lookout – the restaurant and bar at the top of the Pyramid? The view, of course. So after the obligatory walk outside to the views south along the riverfront and west across the river, I settled in Sunday for the view from within. I lined up with both of the tree stumps in the round fish tank in the center of the Pyramid’s apex, a steampunk frog watching from above.

9. 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.

10. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some Who Died in 2017 - Monday, January 1, 2018

They made music that inspired legions of fans. Rock 'n' roll founding fathers Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, rockers Tom Petty and Gregg Allman, grunge icon Chris Cornell, country superstar Glen Campbell and jazz great Al Jarreau were among the notable figures who died in 2017, leaving a void in virtually every genre of music.

11. Last Word: The Day After, Frayser Bauhaus and Gasol & Fizdale - Friday, December 22, 2017

Less than 24 hours after the Forrest statue in Health Sciences Park was taken down and away, Memphians were taking selfies with what’s left of the very considerable base in the background. And this is only going to become more prevalent when the weather improves and you will probably see folks out there who have some very different views on the removal of the statues.

12. Last Word: California Extradition, Corker's Vote on Tax Reform and Post Kirk & Crum - Monday, December 18, 2017

The ex-wife of Tigers and Grizz basketball great Lorenzen Wright is due in a California courtroom Monday morning as extradition proceedings begin following Sherra Wright’s arrest there Friday evening on a Shelby County grand jury indictment here on charges of conspiracy, first degree murder and attempted murder.

13. Last Word: The Brooks Question, Boyd's Answer and Tigers In the Polls - Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Art as a real estate consideration. One of the more unusual of many considerations as the Brooks search for a new site – a possible new site, I should add, becomes the city’s favorite topic. So from the CRE vantage point – here are two more possible sites to think about if you haven’t already – Cossitt Library and the Fairgrounds, as well as right where it has been for the last century.

14. Breather for Vols Before Traveling to Florida - Friday, September 8, 2017

Get ready for another thrill ride, Tennessee fans. Your football team is at it again, just like last year.

Tennessee needed a comeback and overtime to beat Appalachian State in its 2016 season opener. The Vols needed comebacks to beat Virginia Tech and Florida and got a Hail Mary touchdown pass as time ran out to beat Georgia.

15. Artist Cat Peña Named Director Of CBU’s Ross Gallery - Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Cat Peña, a Memphis-based artist, arts administrator and independent public art consultant, has been named director of the Beverly & Sam Ross Gallery at Christian Brothers University. As an artist, Peña’s work in recent years has centered on public art installations, including “There’s More To Be Proud Of,” a canopy of metallic streamers on display in the Edge District through next February. In addition, she is the founder of Collabortory, a creative platform that expands public art practices through collaborative and social practices.

16. View From the Hill: Forrest Kerfuffle Might Be Sign of Bigger Problem - Thursday, May 4, 2017

Legislation that slipped through the House of Representatives honoring an unknown author who penned a Nathan Bedford Forrest apologist biography was enabled by the climate within the Republican-controlled body, a Memphis legislator says.

17. Racist Phone Tirade Prompts Reactions, Denials - Saturday, April 15, 2017

A recorded racist telephone tirade purportedly by a former membership programs and services director of the Greater Memphis Chamber and her husband directed at the staff of a restaurant in Turks & Caicos went viral Friday, April 14, a week ahead of the chamber’s announcement of a new minority business effort.

18. Racist Phone Tirade Prompts Reactions, Denials - Saturday, April 15, 2017

A recorded racist telephone tirade purportedly by a former membership programs and services director of the Greater Memphis Chamber and her husband directed at the staff of a restaurant in Turks & Caicos went viral Friday, April 14, a week ahead of the chamber’s announcement of a new minority business effort.

19. Racist Phone Tirade Prompts Reactions, Denials - Saturday, April 15, 2017

A recorded racist telephone tirade purportedly by a former membership programs and services director of the Greater Memphis Chamber and her husband directed at the staff of a restaurant in Turks & Caicos went viral Friday, April 14, a week ahead of the chamber’s announcement of a new minority business effort.

20. Racist Phone Tirade Prompts Reactions, Denials - Saturday, April 15, 2017

A recorded racist telephone tirade purportedly by a former membership programs and services director of the Greater Memphis Chamber and her husband directed at the staff of a restaurant in Turks & Caicos went viral Friday, April 14, a week ahead of the chamber’s announcement of a new minority business effort.

21. Last Word: Veep Visit, Women and Baseball and Civil Rights Cold Cases - Friday, March 24, 2017

Game time at FedExForum for the NCAA South semifinals and Vice President Mike Pence is expected to be here to cheer on the Butler Bulldogs. The Butler mascot – a live bulldog – was already in town Thursday making the rounds. I think March Madness requires that all involved up their mascot game if they get this far. So UCLA, we expect to see a live bear roaming Beale Street. You might be able to work a deal with the zoo on this. But if there’s a cost split make sure you nail down those percentages.

22. Cities, Developers Reaping Rewards of Mixed-Use Shift - Saturday, February 25, 2017

Commercial real estate is shifting to mixed-use developments designed to create a sense of place for homeowners longing for the community of days gone by, and the trend is profiting many parties as commercial developers see stronger returns and cities undergo revitalization in their core.

23. Turner’s Midtown Expansion Continues With $4.9M Permit - Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Turner Holdings LLC’s multimillion-dollar plans to upgrade its Midtown location took another step toward completion as the company filed for a $4.94 million building permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement.

24. Sector-by-Sector Highlights of the Commercial Property Forecast Summit - Monday, February 20, 2017

Many of the area’s best and brightest commercial real estate minds were on hand for the Memphis Area Association of Realtor’s Annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit at the Halloran Centre for Performance Thursday afternoon. 

25. Events - Saturday, February 18, 2017

Clayborn Temple and IRIS Orchestra will co-present a concert titled “Celebrating the Past: Creating a Future” in honor of Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. at Clayborn Temple, 294 Hernando St. The intergenerational, community-building concert celebrates the music and memories of the civil rights movement. Cost is free. Visit irisorchestra.org or claybornreborn.org.

26. Events - Friday, February 17, 2017

Ballet Memphis will present its winter mixed-repertory show, “Places Beyond,” Friday through Sunday, Feb. 17-19, at Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St. The show includes two new original works and a reprise of “Angels in the Architecture.” Visit balletmemphis.org for show times and tickets.

27. Events - Thursday, February 16, 2017

Opera Memphis will perform Gilbert & Sullivan’s family classic “The Pirates of Penzance” Friday through Sunday, Feb. 17-19, at Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter Road. In conjunction with the show, Opera Memphis and the Mid-South Buccaneers are hosting Pirate Fest – an afternoon of pirate games, art activities, stories and live music from the Bluff City Barnacles – Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at GPAC. Pirate Fest is free for everyone (no tickets needed); tickets to the performance can be purchased at operamemphis.org.

28. Events - Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Fisher Phillips Memphis attorney Rob Ratton will present a seminar titled “When Employees Walk Out With More Than Memories” Thursday, Feb. 16, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Greater Memphis Chamber, 22 N. Front St., suite 200. Ratton will present strategies and legal tools needed to protect your business when the star employee decides to play for the other team. Cost is $25. Email atasman@fisherphillips.com for details.

29. The Week Ahead: February 13-19 - Monday, February 13, 2017

Music is a common theme this week, which is nice to know, isn’t it, Memphis? And the sounds of other balls – not the dribbling kind – will take the stage again as the Memphis Open gets into swing and the University of Memphis throws its first real pitch of the 2017 season. Check out this week's list of need-to-know happenings...

30. MAAR Commercial Council Hosting Forecast Summit - Saturday, February 11, 2017

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ Commercial Council will host its 15th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts & Education, 225 S. Main St.

31. MAAR’s Commercial Council Hosts Property Forecast Summit - Friday, February 10, 2017

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ Commercial Council will host its 15th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts & Education, 225 S. Main St.

32. LA Fitness Eyes Collierville, Urban Village Moves Ahead - Thursday, January 12, 2017

1048 W. Poplar Ave.
Collierville, TN 38017

Sale Amount: $3.7 million

Sale Date: Jan. 5, 2017

Buyer: Fitness International LLC

33. Parkside Developers Finish Acquiring Land for Shelby Farms Urban Village - Monday, January 9, 2017

Developers of Parkside at Shelby Farms, a proposed mixed-use project, took another step forward with the purchase nearly 40 acres of vacant property adjacent to Shelby Farms.

34. What Lies Ahead for UT Athletics in 2017 - Friday, December 30, 2016

Hey Vols fans, Happy New Year. May your 2017 year in Tennessee sports be better than your 2016 year in Tennessee sports. Perhaps, a fresh start is what we all need. Let’s face it. The Music City Bowl wasn’t where Tennessee wanted the 2016 football season to end. The Vols were picked to win the SEC East Division in preseason and floundered to an 8-4 record in the regular season, 4-4 in the SEC. Their football season was about the norm for most UT sports in 2016: average. Here are some dates to mark in hope of better things ahead in 2017...

35. Last Word: New Rhodes President, Billy Hyman and the Fast Track - Tuesday, December 13, 2016

The biggest political betting pool of the post-election season ends Tuesday as President elect Donald Trump said Monday by Twitter that he would name his nominee for Secretary of State Tuesday morning.

36. Rocker Leon Russell Dies in Nashville - Tuesday, November 15, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Leon Russell, who performed, sang and produced some of rock 'n' roll's top records, has died. He was 74.

37. For the First Time This Season, Vols Set to Play as Underdog - Friday, October 7, 2016

You almost can feel Tennessee is a football team of destiny as the most difficult games of the schedule loom Saturday at Texas A&M and Oct. 15 against Alabama at Neyland Stadium.

There aren’t many successful Hail Mary passes, but the Vols got one last Saturday and beat Georgia 34-31 in Athens. Tennessee trailed Georgia 17-0 in the first half.

38. Last Word: Union Turns A Corner, Parkside's TIF and Bee Cause - Wednesday, July 27, 2016

There hasn’t been this much excitement since right turn on red came to town 40 years ago.

In less than a week you will be able to make a left turn onto McLean Boulevard from Union Avenue eastbound and westbound. And the traffic signal that lets you do that will flash a yellow arrow that indicates you can turn left if there are no pedestrians and no cars coming the other way.

39. Shelby County Seeing Low Early Voting Turnout - Wednesday, July 27, 2016

At the end of the first full week of early voting in advance of the Aug. 4 election day, Shelby County Election Commission data shows Democratic and Republican primary turnout closely matched.

And overall, early voting turnout is much lower than it was for the same election cycle four years ago, but ahead of where it was eight years ago.

40. Parkside Developer Seeks TIF Designation - Wednesday, July 27, 2016

The developer of the Parkside mixed-use project at Shelby Farms hopes to add a traffic light at Kirby-Whitten and Mullins Station roads and fund a portion of the Shelby Farms Parkway.

41. Robots Are Taking Tennessee’s Jobs - Saturday, April 23, 2016

MTSU student Nathan Simpkins found the perfect major when the university started its mechatronics engineering program in 2013, a pursuit practically guaranteeing him a high-paying job in an increasingly automated manufacturing industry.

42. Grammy Museum Opens in Mississippi Delta - Monday, March 7, 2016

CLEVELAND, Miss. (AP) – The second and only official Grammy Museum outside of Los Angeles opened Saturday in the Mississippi Delta, cradle of the blues.

Organizers chose Cleveland, Mississippi – two hours north of the state capital Jackson – for the nearly $20 million project and promise one of the most advanced museums in the country. It's a smaller but updated version of its sister museum in California and employs high-definition touchscreens and interactive technology to chronicle American music history from before the first Grammy Awards in 1959 to the present.

43. Bertelkamp Made Right Call in Going with the Vols - Saturday, January 30, 2016

Bert Bertelkamp would be the first to tell you he’s pulling for Tennessee when calling basketball games as color commentator for the Vol Network.

And why wouldn’t he?

Bertelkamp is Big Orange to the bone. His father Hank played for the Vols (1951-53), was a team captain and remains a big supporter of UT.

44. Preseason Analysis: Vols Will Defeat Oklahoma, Finish 8-4 - Saturday, August 8, 2015

Tennessee’s football team has something to prove as it concludes the first week of preseason practices and moves forward to the 2015 season.

The Vols must prove they belong in the national picture in Butch Jones’ third year as coach.

45. Pinnacle Awards Honor Commercial Real Estate Standouts - Monday, April 13, 2015

The local commercial real estate community gathered at the Memphis Botanic Garden Thursday, April 9, for the 14th annual Pinnacle Awards. Every year, the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council honors its members based on their transactional volume, merit and community activity.

46. This Week in Memphis History: March 27-April 2 - Saturday, March 28, 2015

1985: The NCAA Final Four basketball playoffs in Lexington, Ky., with the Memphis State University Tigers among the four top teams, along with St. John’s, Villanova and Georgetown.

The Tigers team of Keith Lee, Baskerville Holmes, Andre Turner, Vincent Askew, William Bedford, Aaron Price and John Wilfong – coached by Dana Kirk and recruited by assistant coach Larry Finch – lost to Villanova, which went on to beat Georgetown.

47. Real Estate Pros Upbeat - Saturday, February 28, 2015

After finally latching on to the broader national economic recovery in 2013, the Memphis-area commercial real estate market shook of the last vestiges of the Great Recession and roared back to life in 2014 with the office, retail, industrial and apartment sectors all producing solid gains.

48. Real Estate Community Readies for Pinnacle Awards - Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Planning is well underway for the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council’s 14th annual Pinnacle Awards ceremony, an evening dedicated to bringing commercial real estate industry professionals together and honoring them for their accomplishments in the previous year.

49. Turner Looks to Increase Professional Advancement in Commercial Real Estate - Saturday, November 1, 2014

Bob Turner has a diverse background in real estate, including long stints in both residential and commercial development.

50. Real Estate Rally - Saturday, November 1, 2014

Commercial real estate can offer insight into the strength of the local economy. Through the office, retail, industrial and apartment developments that mark the region the economy at work in the real world can be seen.

51. Memphis Bar Judicial Poll Released - Tuesday, July 1, 2014

The Memphis Bar Association poll of attorneys on the judicial races on the Aug. 7 ballot shows 16 percent to as high as 38 percent of the attorneys participating have no opinion in many of the judicial races.

52. Ugwueke Named Methodist Le Bonheur President - Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Michael O. Ugwueke has been named president and chief operating officer of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, as well as president and CEO of Methodist Healthcare Memphis Hospitals. In his new role, Ugwueke will be responsible for strategic management of the operations of six hospitals within the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system, as well as other key corporate functions.

53. Harris Files Ford Challenge at Deadline - Thursday, April 3, 2014

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris is challenging Democratic state Sen. Ophelia Ford in the August primary for District 29, the Senate seat held by a member of the Ford family since 1975.

54. Super Bowl ‘Ad-stravaganza’ Preview - Wednesday, January 29, 2014

With one of the most watched television broadcasts in history just days away, buzz is building to a frenzy over which big brands will take home Best in Show in this year’s Super Bowl advertising competition.

55. Mock Development Pitches Presented to Investors - Thursday, September 26, 2013

At first glance, the four sharks seemed pretty intimidating.

They sat in a row and watched the men in front of them with interest, weighing their options, considering their plans of action.

Then one of them cracked a joke and took a long pull out of a bottle of Bud Light and the mood lightened considerably.

56. Grizzlies Announce Hirings of Three Assistants - Tuesday, September 24, 2013

MEMPHIS (AP) – The Memphis Grizzlies have hired Elston Turner, Duane Ticknor and Shawn Respert to join the returning Bob Thornton as assistants on new head coach Dave Joerger's staff.

57. Turner Asks for Haslam Correspondence With Volkswagen - Friday, September 13, 2013

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – A Democratic leader in the House says he has asked for correspondence between Gov. Bill Haslam and Volkswagen.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that he's "concerned" about Haslam "possibly interfering with (Volkswagen's) internal decisions."

58. Car Company's Tunica Plans Haven't Come to Fruition - Tuesday, August 13, 2013

TUNICA, Miss. (AP) – It seemed like a win for everyone involved when a startup car company, backed by political heavyweights, wooed investors with plans to build a massive auto plant in the Mississippi Delta, hire thousands of people and pump out a brand new line of fuel-efficient vehicles.

59. Memphis Economic Indicator Surveys Landscape - Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The inaugural Memphis Economic Indicator, a new online survey launched by Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP and The Daily News to measure general business sentiment, shows little consensus about the local economy.

60. Events - Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Project Management Institute Memphis chapter will meet Wednesday, July 10, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at DoubleTree Hotel, 5069 Sanderlin Ave. Bob Mahler, consultant for the U.S. Deparment of Homeland Security, will present “Common Sense Risk Management.” Registration, which includes dinner, begins at 5:45 p.m. Cost is $20 at the door. Visit pmimemphis.org.

61. Commercial Practitioners Have Voice With Council - Tuesday, April 9, 2013

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council has grown and evolved over the past nine years since its inception, with membership increasing from 150 members in 2004 to more than 350 members this year.

62. Rail Yard Renews Higher Education Effort in Somerville - Monday, January 14, 2013

Plans for a higher education presence in Fayette County could take a substantial leap forward early in 2013 after years of general plans for such a presence.

Leaders in Somerville, the county seat, launched the drive for a 26,000-square-foot “Fayette County Higher Education Center” in September. There has been general discussion for such a center the last two years.

63. Midtown Dance Club Sells for $1.1 Million - Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The former Backstreet Night Club at 2018 Court Ave. in Midtown has sold for $1.1 million to an entity called Turner Holdings LLC.

64. Millington Acreage Facing Foreclosure - Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Close to 47 acres of land on Raleigh-Millington Road in Millington is facing foreclosure after its owner, Turner & Edwards LLC, defaulted on a $299,039 loan through InSouth Bank dated Jan. 16, 2009.

65. Commercial Council Elects deWitt, Reilly as Top Leaders - Monday, August 13, 2012

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council announced its 2013 officers and directors Thursday, Aug. 9, at its annual Member Appreciation and Election Party.

Greg deWitt of Grubb & Ellis Memphis will serve as 2013 president. Patrick Reilly of CB Richard Ellis Memphis will serve as vice president.

66. Home Browsers - Monday, June 4, 2012

Amid the fast-pace world of the real estate business, having technology on your side is not only beneficial, but often necessary.

Due to the rising popularity of smartphones, real estate apps and the Web, homebuyers are doing their homework on neighborhoods, schools, amenities and crime well before they pick up the phone and seek professional advice.

67. Honors Continue For Architect Of Memphis Sound - Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Memphis music icon Willie Mitchell was honored on what would have been his 84th birthday last week with a Tennessee state historical marker at his Royal Studios.

68. CRE Outlook Remains Mixed - Wednesday, February 8, 2012

A sophomore at the University of Memphis could open up an economics book and explain how the United States got to its current state through the laws of demand, diminishing returns and comparative advantage.

69. CRE Outlook Remains Mixed - Thursday, February 9, 2012

A sophomore at the University of Memphis could open up an economics book and explain how the United States got to its current state through the laws of demand, diminishing returns and comparative advantage.

70. Breaking Through The Voice Mail Barrier - Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thirty years ago, prior to caller ID and voice mail, we actually answered our phone to find out who was on the other end. Eek. Gasp. The horror.

While those days are long behind us, savvy sales reps view caller ID and voice mail as vital selling tools rather than agonizingly restrictive systems used to prevent sales people from ever reaching a live prospect.

71. Former MAAR President Receives National Award - Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Bob Turner, founder of Southern Properties LLC and 2004 president of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors, was honored at the recent National Association of Realtors Conference & Expo in Anaheim, Calif.

72. Pinnacle Awards Honor City’s Best Brokers - Monday, April 11, 2011

As emcee Dan Conaway noted in his opening address Thursday night at the 10th annual Pinnacle Awards, “OK is the new great.”

73. Pinnacle Awards Honor City's Best Brokers - Friday, April 8, 2011

As emcee Dan Conaway noted in his opening address Thursday night at the 10th annual Pinnacle Awards, “OK is the new great.”

74. November Auto Sales Show Industry in Recovery - Friday, December 3, 2010

DETROIT (AP) – After a year of watching auto sales slowly increase month by month, industry executives are finally willing to firmly declare that the U.S. market is in recovery.

People who had been too afraid to make a big car purchase are finally coming back to dealerships, a little more confident that they won't lose their jobs. And that's reflected in November's auto sales figures: Industry sales were up 16.9 percent for the month compared with a year ago. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai all posted double-digit gains.

75. Honoring Heritage - Friday, September 3, 2010

Judy Peiser has a good idea of how Memphians define Memphis, but the catch is that her definition lasts only one year at best.

This weekend, the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, hosted by the Center for Southern Folklore, gives Memphians a chance to live Memphis’ identity and cultural legacy on the streets of Downtown.

76. MAAR Commercial Council Welcomes New Board Members - Monday, August 16, 2010

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council held its annual board of directors meeting Thursday, approving three new members for its 2011 board.

Greg deWitt of Grubb & Ellis Co. will take over one of the council’s director seats next year before becoming the council’s vice president in 2012. He will inherit the seat occupied by John Mercer of Highwoods Properties in 2011.

77. GOP Carries Countywide Offices - Friday, August 6, 2010

The only thing Republican candidates in Shelby County were denied in the Aug. 5 elections was a majority on the Shelby County Commission. The local GOP slate swept every countywide partisan race on the ballot with Thursday’s election results.

Voter turnout – early and Election Day – was almost 30 percent of Shelby County’s 600,000 voters. All election returns will be audited and must be certified by the Shelby County Election Commission.

Republican Bill Oldham, the former chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Department under outgoing Sheriff Mark Luttrell, beat Democrat Randy Wade in the race for sheriff.

The unofficial returns with all precincts reporting were:

Oldham: 89,613 (52%)

Wade: 82,981 (48%)

Wade, who was the Democratic nominee for sheriff in 2002, linked his 2010 campaign to the re-election bid of Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen. Wade, a former sheriff’s deputy, is Cohen’s district director.

Oldham campaigned on continuing the policies of Luttrell. But his campaign faltered when Oldham was forced to resign his job as chief deputy – the No. 2 position in the department – following a complaint to the U.S. Justice Department that his candidacy violated the Federal Hatch Act.

The civil complaint investigated by the Justice Department’s Office of Special Counsel left Oldham with the choice of either quitting the job or quitting the race. To keep both could have jeopardized federal funding the department receives.

The complaint was unique because deputies and high-ranking officers running for sheriff has been a regular feature of the sheriff’s race for decades. It wasn’t until 2002 that those in the department were required to take a leave of absence if they ran.

In other general election races, challenger Ken Hoover lost to Shelby County School Board Chairman David Pickler in the race for the District 5 seat on the seven-member board.

Pickler has been chairman for 11 of the 12 years the school board has been an elected body. Pickler ran on his record as chairman. Hoover also ran on Pickler’s record, saying his leadership style was too autocratic and not transparent enough.

The unofficial results were:

Pickler: 5,123 (51%)

Hoover: 4,956 (49%)

In the two other contested school board races, former Bolton High School principal Snowden “Butch” Carruthers beat Millington parent Charlene White in District 1. And political newcomer David Reaves beat fellow newcomer Lara A. McIntyre, both of Bartlett, for the District 3 seat.

White and McIntyre both called for change in school board methods during their campaigns.

District 7 school board member Ernest Chism ran unopposed.

The even-numbered district school board seats are on the 2012 county ballot.

After running for Probate Court clerk three other times, Democratic nominee Sondra Becton could not claim the office on her fourth try – even with the incumbent she campaigned against the three other times out of the race. Republican contender Paul Boyd easily beat Becton in the race for the office Chris Thomas gave up to run for and win a seat on the Shelby County Commission.

Becton lost to Thomas by 604 votes four years ago and was among the four Democratic challengers who unsuccessfully challenged the results in Chancery Court. This time she lost by more than 6,500 votes.

The vote totals were:

Boyd: 82,259 (52%)

Becton: 75,702 (48%)

Republican Tom Leatherwood easily defeated Democratic challenger Coleman Thompson to remain Shelby County register. The two faced each other in 2006, with Leatherwood winning.

The results Thursday were:

Leatherwood: 96,531 (58%)

Thompson: 68,784 (42%)

As early voting began, Thompson’s Pyramid Recovery Center was evicted from its longtime South Memphis space that was also an early voting site and an election day polling place. The landlord agreed to leave the voting sites up and running. But the possibility of a change in polling places served to highlight Thompson’s financial problems.

Late publicity about financial problems took a toll on another Democratic contender.

Newcomer Corey Maclin began campaigning early for Shelby County clerk, with incumbent Republican Debbie Stamson not seeking re-election. Maclin lost to Republican nominee Wayne Mashburn, the son of late county clerk Sonny Mashburn.

The unofficial returns were:

Mashburn: 88,619 (55%)

Maclin: 72,651 (45%)

Stamson’s husband, Steve Stamson, retired as Juvenile Court clerk, setting up the race that was won by Republican nominee Joy Touliatos, the chief administrative officer of the clerk’s office. She beat Democratic nominee Shep Wilbun, who won appointment to the clerk’s office in 2000 but lost to Stamson in the 2002 election and was beaten by Stamson again in 2006.

With all precincts reporting, the numbers were:

Touliatos: 85,849 (51%)

Wilbun: 73,345 (44%)

The remaining votes went to independent candidate Julia R. Wiseman.

Also seeking a return to countywide office was Minerva Johnican. Johnican, the Democratic nominee for Criminal Court clerk, lost to Republican nominee Kevin Key, the son of outgoing Criminal Court Clerk Bill Key and an administrator with the Circuit Court Clerk’s office.

The results were:

Key: 79,755 (49%)

Johnican: 74,831 (46%)

Independent candidate Jerry Stamson: 8,581 (5%)

Johnican, also a former Memphis City Council member and Shelby County Commissioner lost the clerk’s job in 1994 when she was upset by the elder Key.

Incumbent Republican Circuit Court Clerk Jimmy Moore easily defeated Democratic challenger Ricky Dixon. Although Dixon was part of the effort by Democratic party leaders to get voters to vote the entire party slate, Moore continued to show up at Democratic functions and make his case for crossover votes.

Regina Morrison Newman, the third Shelby County tustee in four years, lost her bid for a full term in the office to Republican challenger David Lenoir. It was an impressive political debut for Lenoir, who had heavy backing from the local GOP.

The results were:

Lenoir: 77,166 (49%)

Newman: 72,618 (46%)

Independent candidate Derrick Bennett: 6,353 (4%)

Newman was appointed to the office by the Shelby County Commission following the 2009 death of Trustee Paul Mattila. Mattila was appointed to the office and won a special election for the position following the 2008 death of Bob Patterson. Patterson was re-elected to a four-year term in 2006.

In the judicial races:

Attorney Bill Anderson Jr. emerged atop a field of 20 candidates for General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 7 with 15 percent of the vote. Assistant County Attorney Janet Lansky Shipman was second and the only other contender to go into double digit percentages. The 20 candidates were the largest field in any race – primary or general – on the Shelby County ballot.

Prosecutor Bobby Carter, who had the backing of District Attorney General Bill Gibbons and former District Attorney General John Pierotti, was elected judge of Criminal Court Div. 3 in a close race with attorneys Glenn Wright and Latonya Sue Burrow.

Carter got 26 percent of the vote to Wright’s 25 percent and Burrow’s 24.7 percent.

The results in the three other special judicial races saw the three appointed judges rejected by voters.

• Lee Wilson, the appointee to General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 10, lost to former General Sessions Court Clerk Chris Turner by more than 64,000 votes. Turner’s victory was the strongest proof of the strong Republican turnout for races across the general election ballot. Turner had been the General Sessions Court clerk until 2006, when he was upset by Democratic challenger Otis Jackson. He is also a former Republican state legislator.
• Lorrie Ridder, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 4, lost to attorney Gina Higgins by about 5,000 votes.
• Rhynette Northcross Hurd, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 8, lost to attorney Bob Weiss by more than 12,000 votes.

Ridder and Hurd had been appointed to the Circuit Court vacancies by Gov. Phil Bredesen, who picked them each from a list of three finalists from the Judicial Nominating Commission. Bredesen even taped a robo-call on behalf of Hurd, his first robo-call for any candidate in the state.

Wilson was appointed to the General Sessions vacancy by the Shelby County Commission and adopted a domestic violence case docket for the court.

78. Candidates Set For Local Judicial Elections - Monday, April 5, 2010

The three special judicial nonpartisan elections on the Aug. 5 ballot are topped by a race in General Sessions Criminal Court between incumbent Lee Wilson, appointed last year by the Shelby County Commission, and Chris Turner, an attorney and former state legislator as well as the former General Sessions Court clerk.

79. Races Open For Two County School Board Seats - Friday, April 2, 2010

The Aug. 5 elections will feature two races for open seats on the Shelby County school board.

At the noon Thursday filing deadline for the four odd-numbered district seats as well as the state and federal primaries, board member Anne Edmiston did not file for another four-year term. Board member Teresa Price had announced earlier that she would not be running either.

80. UPDATE: Two Open County School Board Seats At Filing Deadline - Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Aug. 5 elections will feature two races for open seats on the Shelby County school board.

At the noon Thursday filing deadline for the four odd-numbered district seats as well as the state and federal primaries, board member Anne Edmiston did not file for another four-year term. Board member Teresa Price had announced earlier that she would not be running either.

81. Little Guys, Big Guys - Monday, February 22, 2010

No one would mistake a local institution like Tri-State Bank for one of Wall Street’s mighty titans of finance, whose recent woes brought the U.S. and world economies to their knees.

82. Rove Speculates About Ford Jr. at Stop in Memphis - Thursday, January 21, 2010

“I’m a fireplug in a world full of dogs. How are you?”

So came the greeting from Karl Rove, one of the most well-known and controversial national political operatives, a few hours before he was scheduled to speak Wednesday night to students in the McCallum Ballroom at Rhodes College.

83. Home Builders HQ Could Become Retail Outlet - Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Memphis Area Home Builders Association is in the market for a new home, and its soon-to-be former digs appear headed for redevelopment.

In a deal that closed Dec. 18, the longtime homebuilding trade association sold its headquarters at 776 Germantown Road for $2.7 million to Ray Gill of Gill Properties Inc. Gill was attracted to the property because of its large footprint – a 3.6-acre parcel on the east side of Germantown – and because of its placement near the Trinity Commons shopping center along a busy corridor with high traffic.

84. Mattila’s Visitation, Memorial Service Today - Wednesday, September 9, 2009

About five months ago, Shelby County Trustee Paul Mattila stood in his backyard in Millington and told several dozen people he would be running in the 2010 county elections.

In the barn just a few yards away were signs for the coming campaign and from past ones Mattila had worked over the years.

85. Events - Friday, July 17, 2009

MPACT Memphis will have a lunch with Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton Jr. today at noon at Pearl’s Oyster House, 299 S. Main St. The lunch is for members only. To R.S.V.P., contact Joy Turner at jturner@mpactmemphis.org or 528-8340.

86. Events - Thursday, July 16, 2009

Christian Brothers University will present the fourth session of its Family Business Enrichment Series today from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the Spain Auditorium in Buckman Hall. The topic of the lecture is “Integrating Closely Held Businesses Into Personal Financial and Investment Strategies.” For reservations, call 321-3999 or e-mail rsvp@cbu.edu.

87. Rival Bills Advancing on Tenn. Judicial Selection - Thursday, April 30, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Supreme Court justices could be challenged in re-election campaigns under a proposal advanced by a Senate panel on Wednesday. But House leaders are voicing support for a rival measure with a more limited scope.

88. Perry Enters Probate Clerk Race - Thursday, March 26, 2009

Add another candidate to the already forming 2010 Shelby County ballot.

Clay Perry, deputy administrator to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, is in the race for Shelby County Probate Court clerk.

89. Saint Francis Weight Loss Center Appoints Weaver Medical Director - Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Virginia Weaver has been appointed medical director of the Saint Francis Center for Surgical Weight Loss.

90. ‘Welcome Home’ Grads Win Added Cache - Tuesday, February 3, 2009

A little more than two years after the Memphis Area Association of Realtors launched its Welcome Home Memphis certification, eight real estate agents have completed all of its requirements, giving the program some momentum during a slumping market.

91. Senior-Living ‘Dream’ Moves Forward In Millington - Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Barret Oaks, an ambitious $40 million mixed-use senior living development, will soon be under way on a 47-acre cotton field in Millington more than a year after its creators envisioned the concept.

92. Partners Proceed With Millington Development - Tuesday, January 6, 2009

At a time when many real estate developers are putting the brakes on projects, the partners behind Thornhill Estates in Millington are keeping their feet on the proverbial gas pedal.

Martin Edwards and Bob Turner, the pair who comprise Thornhill Partners, bought the 95-acre development for $1.8 million from Jada Enterprises LLC in September 2007, just as the housing slump was hitting full stride.

93. Events - Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors will hold a forum discussing “Patterns and Trends in Land Development” today from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at its offices, 6393 Poplar Ave. Bob Dalhoff of Dalhoff Thomas Daws will present the forum. Cost is $15 for nonmembers and free for members. For more information, call 818-2428.

94. Events - Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Metro Business Council will host a live webcast of Tom Peter’s presentation “Achieving Excellence in a Disruptive Age” today from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Crescent Club, 6075 Poplar Ave. The presentation will come from the Gazelles Growth Conference in Atlanta and will focus on what entrepreneurs and business leaders need to thrive and survive in a rapidly changing business environment. Cost is $75 per attendee and seating is limited. For reservations, contact Michael Synk at msynk@in-synk.com or 276-0200.

95. Events - Monday, October 20, 2008

The Center City Commission and the Memphis Division of Public Works today will host a second public meeting to discuss the proposed trash collection pilot program that could replace dumpsters in Downtown. The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. in the Center City Commission office, 114 N. Main St. Dwan Gilliom will give a detailed presentation of the pilot program. For more information, call Eric Robertson at 575-0542.

96. Cohen, Blackburn Lead Local Election Winners - Monday, August 11, 2008

More than half and possibly as much as 75 percent of Shelby County’s nearly 626,000 voters are expected to turn out for the Nov. 4 election that will be highlighted by the John McCain-Barack Obama battle for the White House.

97. Cohen Crushes Tinker - Jackson Upsets Turner - Charter Changes Pass-Fail - Friday, August 8, 2008
Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen was the big winner in Thursday’s primary elections. Cohen, with 80 percent of the vote, crushed challenger Nikki Tinker in the hard fought 9th District Democratic primary.

The upset of the evening was the general election contest for General Sessions Court Clerk where Democratic challenger Otis Jackson beat Republican incumbent Chris Turner.

And only one of two sets of Shelby County charter amendments on the ballot were approved by voters.

Voter turnout was just under 16 percent in Shelby County. Voter turnout was clearly driven by the 9th District Democratic primary. More people voted in that primary which covers most but not all of Shelby County than voted countywide in the state Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. Turnout in the Democratic primaries was twice that of the Republican primaries in Shelby County.

All results are unofficial pending audit and certification by the Shelby County Election Commission and Tennessee election officials

9th Congressional District
Democratic Primary
Steve Cohen 50,284 79%
Nikki Tinker 11,814 19%
Joe Towns Jr. 914 1%

Not even close. Cohen won the primary for the open all Shelby County seat two years ago by 4,400 votes over Tinker and 13 other candidates. This time around he was the incumbent and Tinker’s challenge was more strident with a pair of controversial attack ads in the gap between the end of early voting and election day. Both were probably factors in the vote totals along with a smaller field of five candidates.

Cohen faces independent candidate Jake Ford in the Nov. 4 general election.

7th Congressional District
Republican Primary
248 of 265 precincts reporting
Marsha Blackburn 29,158 65%
Tom Leatherwood 15,636 35%

These are the results district wide which includes not only the eastern part of Shelby County but a strip of Middle Tennessee up to the Kentucky state line. In Shelby County’s part of the 7th district, Leatherwood beat Blackburn with 62 percent of the vote. But it was 62 percent of just over 19,000 votes. Outside Shelby County it was always going to be difficult for Leatherwood.. The low voter turnout in Collierville and other eastern parts of the county made Leatherwood’s task impossible.

Blackburn faces Democrat Randy G. Morris on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Shelby County Charter Amendment #360
Yes  49,506   49.73%

No   50,043   50,27%

Closest contest of the night in Shelby County with a 537 vote margin and the highest turnout with 99,549 votes total.

This set of charter changes was to fix a legal problem noted in a recent Tennessee Supreme Court ruling. Another part of the package deal was increasing term limits for the county mayor and the county commission from two consecutive four year terms approved by voters in 1994 to three consecutive four year terms. The County Commission meets Monday to ponder whether it should offer another charter amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot that would fix the legal problem.

Shelby County Charter Amendment #361
Yes 65,548 68%
No 30,188 32%

This set of charter amendment includes provisions for recalling elected officials. It also establishes a new method for filling a vacancy in the office of County Mayor.

General Sessions Court Clerk
Otis Jackson 51,438 52%
Chris Turner 43,971 45%

The upset of the evening. Turner, the Republican nominee and the incumbent was seeking a fourth term. Jackson, the Democratic nominee, was making his fourth bid for county-wide office after coming close in a 2006 bid for County Clerk.

Trustee
Paul Mattila 54,734 57%
Ray Butler 29,977 31%

Mattila beats Butler in a race featuring an energetic and misleading campaign by M. LaTroy Williams in which Williams billed himself as the “real Democrat.” He was, in fact, an independent candidate garnering 8 percent of the vote. Mattila fills the remaining two years left in the term of office of the late Bob Patterson, a Republican. Mattila, a Democrat, worked with Patterson. Butler, the Republican, was also a friend of Patterson’s and the race amounted to who would best continue to operate the office as Patterson did.

Criminal Court Judge Div. 6
John Fowlkes 44,581 52%
Latonya Burrow 21,874 26%
Michael G. Floyd 12,071 14%
Claiborne H. Ferguson 6,240 7%

Fowlkes serves out the remaining six years left of the eight year term of office of Fred Axley who resigned from the bench shortly after winning re-election in 2006. Burrow finished a close second to Axley two years ago and again ran an energetic campaign this time around. But Fowlkes status in the legal community and his appointment to the bench by Gov. Phil Bredesen proved to be the advantage.

Assessor of Property
Cheyenne Johnson 59,637 60%
Bill Giannini 39,057 40%

Johnson, the Democratic nominee, easily beat Giannini, who is also doubling as local GOP chairman. Local Democrats keep the county-wide position in their column as voters go for the candidate endorsed by outgoing Democratic incumbent Rita Clark.

U.S. Senate
Democratic Primary
2,192 of 2,290 precincts reporting
Bob Tuke 54,613 32%
Gary G. Davis 37,193 22%
Mike Padgett 32,190 19%
Mark Clayton 30,359 18%
Kenneth Eaton 13,718 8%
Leonard Ladner 4,431 3%

These are the statewide results. Tuke got 42 percent of the Shelby County vote with Clayton finishing second. Tuke, the former state Democratic Party chairman, faces Republican incumbent Lamar Alexander, one of the most successful politicians in the history of the state, in the Nov. 4 general election.

Judicial Retention Races

All seven state appellate court judges, including two Tennessee Supreme Court justices, won their yes/no contests on the ballot across the state. That includes Tennessee Criminal Appeals Court Judge Camille McMullen of Millington who was just appointed to the bench in June by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

98. Tenn. AG: Pay Ban for Illegal Immigrants Unconstitutional - Thursday, April 10, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - The state attorney general has issued a legal opinion that a legislative proposal to make it a crime for illegal immigrants to accept pay for work done in Tennessee is unconstitutional.

99. Filing Deadline For Elections Is Thursday - Tuesday, April 1, 2008

A healthy voter turnout doesn't necessarily mean every race on the ballot gets the benefit. Politicos call it "ballot falloff." It means races such as those for president or mayor get voters to the polls. But those same voters might decide not to vote in the other races.

100. UTHSC College of Allied Health Sciences Appoints Frey as Dean - Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Dr. William R. Frey has been appointed dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Frey has served as the interim dean of the college since May 2005. He has been an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education at the University of Memphis since January 2005.