WASHINGTON (AP) — Pushing back against explosive reports his own administration is conspiring against him, President Donald Trump lashed out against the anonymous senior official who wrote a New York Times opinion piece claiming to be part of a "resistance" working "from within" to thwart his most dangerous impulses.

2. Democrats Pick 'firsts,' GOP Goes for Trump Fave in Primaries - Thursday, August 16, 2018

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — In a night of firsts, Democrats in Vermont's primary chose the nation's first transgender gubernatorial nominee. In Minnesota, they picked a woman who would be the first Somali-American member of Congress. Connecticut Democrats nominated a candidate who could become the first black woman from the state to serve in Congress.

3. Retiring Stephen Bush Supports DOJ Continuing to Monitor Juvenile Court - Monday, August 13, 2018

Stephen Bush, the chief public defender for Shelby County, said he supports the U.S. Department of Justice continued oversight over Juvenile Court, becoming the latest official to weigh in on the hotly debated issue.

4. Judge: Opioid Distribution Data Not For Public Consumption - Monday, July 30, 2018

A federal judge has ruled that state and local governments cannot publicize federal government data about where prescription opioids were distributed — a blow to news organizations seeking to report more deeply on the nation's overdose and addiction crisis.

5. League of Change - Saturday, July 28, 2018

The South has its advantages. First-year Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead, whose previous head coaching job was at Fordham University in the Bronx, knows this to be true. “Everything being wrapped in bacon, that’s pretty good,” said Moorhead, who had a successful two-year run as Penn State’s offensive coordinator before coming to the SEC, where it is not a stretch to say everything is wrapped in the legacy of Nick Saban.

6. Couldn’t Have Done It Without You - Friday, July 27, 2018

TURNS OUT, OLD COMES WITH SALARY AND BENEFITS. We all paid for last week.

The test is called EMG, short for Electromyography, also known as OMG, or the Spanish Inquisition. The definition includes the words “needles” and “inserted into the muscle” and “measures muscle response” and “nerve stimulation” and “electrical” and avoids words like “pain” and “multiple” and “cry like a baby” and several words I’ll leave to your imagination.

7. Old School, Brand New - Friday, July 20, 2018

NEWS IS DEAD, LONG LIVE LOCAL NEWS. My grandfather, J.P. Alley, was the editorial cartoonist for The Commercial Appeal, and he won a Pulitzer in the 1920s fighting the KKK as part of the paper’s editorial team.

8. After the Injury - Friday, July 20, 2018

ATLANTA – Early in last season’s Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving night, Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald made a short run to his left, got hit, and crumpled to the Scott Field turf. His right ankle had been dislocated and his foot had been spun around as though on a swivel.

9. Around Memphis: June 25, 2018 - Monday, June 25, 2018

The Daily News offers a weekly roundup of Memphis-related headlines from around the web, adding context and new perspectives to the original content we produce on a daily basis. Here are some recent stories worth checking out…

10. Last Word: County Budget Compromise, MEM After 5 Years and Elvis - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

There is nothing like the end of a term for those holding elected office. That’s what gets most of the credit for the Shelby County commission’s smooth ending to its budget season Monday. A final reading of the revised county property tax rate of $4.05 still awaits. But the commission went a long way toward locking that in with the approval of everything else at the Monday session.

11. Bittersweet Memories - Friday, June 15, 2018

DOWN HOME UP THERE. We drove to Syracuse recently to visit our daughter and son-in-law. She’s taken a marketing and communications job with the university and he’s moving his sales career up there as well.

12. Pete & Sam’s. Again. - Friday, June 8, 2018

SOMETIMES THE WAIT IS WORTH IT. I remember when you couldn’t get Coors beer here – ergo – Coors was wonderful, caught in frosted mugs held beneath Rocky Mountain snowmelt waterfalls, tapped by the chosen somewhere west of here, somewhere forbidden.

13. Crazy Good - Friday, May 25, 2018

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

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

14. It’s Hard, But You Can Do It - Friday, May 18, 2018

TO FLY, YOU’VE GOT TO TRY. This morning, I was feeling kind of sorry for myself. My leg hurt. Hell, both legs hurt. A couple of my deadlines hurt. I was out of coffee, and out of patience with a couple of projects. Just can’t get going. And suddenly somebody I haven’t thought about in a long time from a long time ago came to mind.

15. More Americans Expect to Work Until 70; There are Benefits - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

When it comes to retirement, later may be better.

Americans long viewed 65 as the age to stop working. It was considered full retirement age by Social Security for many, Medicare benefits kick in then and historical practice had established it as the goal.

16. For Real - Friday, March 23, 2018

REAL NEED. REAL EFFORT. “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.”

The late, great Illinois Sen. Everett Dirksen – father-in-law to the late, great Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker – purportedly said that regarding government spending in a “Tonight Show” appearance in the ’60s.

17. Gorillas in the Living Room - Friday, March 9, 2018

IMPROVING THE VIEW. There are very large gorillas in our living room.

It seems these things are never seen when such a sight would spoil the vision at hand – except, of course, by those who see the reality of unpleasant things. Never mentioned in polite conversation – except, of course, by those who discuss unpleasant things. Avoided at all costs by those charged with promoting civic accomplishment – except by those who measure the cost of unpleasant things.

18. Olympus Opens Expanded Bartlett Campus - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Medical device manufacturer Olympus celebrated the grand opening of its $12 million expanded Bartlett campus at 2937 Appling Road on Tuesday, March 6. The state-of-the-art facility expands Olympus’ existing R&D and surgical manufacturing building on Appling Road, which has operated in Bartlett since 1984.

19. RBG Promotes Callicutt To Audit Partner - Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Accounting firm Reynolds, Bone & Griesbeck PLC recently promoted Joseph D. Callicutt Jr. to audit partner from the position of senior audit manager. Callicutt, a certified public accountant and 10-year RBG employee, works exclusively in the financial institutions industry niche and oversees audit, tax and consulting services, including outsourced internal audit, interest rate risk management, bank profitability and efficiency, and strategic planning facilitation for RBG’s financial institution clients. 

20. This is Not a Squirrel - Friday, February 16, 2018

DISTRACTION. Spoon hated squirrels. Every so often, I would yell, “SQUIRREL!”, and Spoon would charge the window from wherever she was in full and frantic bark mode, whatever she was doing forgotten in the urgency of the moment. Sometimes there actually was a squirrel, but most of the time I did it for the reaction.

21. Uber to Pay $245 Million to Settle Waymo's Theft Allegations - Monday, February 12, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Uber is paying $245 million to Google's self-driving car spinoff to end a legal brawl that aired out allegations of a sinister scheme that tore apart the once-friendly companies.

22. US Flu Season Gets Worse, Has 'Lot More Steam' Than Expected - Monday, January 22, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse.

Health officials last week said flu was blanketing the country but they thought there was a good chance the season was already peaking. But the newest numbers out Friday show it grew even more intense.

23. Using Kids as Chips - Friday, January 19, 2018

THIS ISN’T A GAME, KIDS AREN’T CHIPS. As I write this, 9 million low-income kids in America are at risk of losing their insurance, primarily because they aren’t the kids of Congress.

24. Despite Need, Expanding Health Care Not in Cards - Thursday, January 18, 2018

Springfield resident Felicity Palma struggled mightily when she moved to Tennessee from Florida two years ago after suffering health problems and losing her job.

The 47-year-old former social worker became homeless for a period when she came here, and now she finds herself in a health insurance coverage gap as she tries to get treatment for ulcers, sciatica, fibroids and thyroid disease. Debt is piling up on her, too, for the care she does receive.

25. Memphis Experts See Economic Growth Building Off 2017 Into 2018 - Saturday, January 6, 2018

With resolutions made and the new year now, another annual exercise rises to the forefront – predictions on what Memphis and its economy can expect in 2018.

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that there’s so much we won’t be able to even remotely see coming, from Memphis bidding to become the potential home for Amazon’s second headquarters to action finally being taken on the Confederate monuments in city parks and so much more.

26. Memphis is Changing - Friday, January 5, 2018

SOMETHING’S GOING ON HERE. President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis was invited back to Memphis in 1964 when black folks were getting all uppity during the civil rights movement. He has finally left the podium.

27. 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.

28. Nashville, Sacramento Head MLS Expansion Finalists - Thursday, November 30, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Nashville, Tennessee, is among four finalists for a pair of Major League Soccer expansion teams after government financing for a new stadium was approved this month.

Sacramento, California, is considered a front-runner along with Nashville for the teams, which the league intends to award next month. Each winner will pay a $150 million expansion fee.

29. For Now, Memphis a College Football Oasis - Monday, November 27, 2017

Tony Pollard was taking another kick return from one end zone to another. Quarterback Riley Ferguson and wideout Anthony Miller were hooking up for an 89-yard touchdown on the Memphis Tigers’ first play from scrimmage. And safety Jonathan Cook was playing pick-six.

30. Bush Administration Alums Rising in Trump's Orbit - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – For all the lingering tensions between President Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush, Trump's White House shares one thing in common with his Republican predecessor's: People.

31. Ignite Memphis Coming to New Ballet Memphis Digs - Monday, November 13, 2017

If it was possible to create a mixtape of Memphis creativity, it might look like an event set to take place this week at Ballet Memphis.

The 11th edition of Ignite Memphis moves to Ballet Memphis’ new Overton Square space on Thursday, Nov. 16, bringing its signature slideshow-based presentation format to the ballet company’s Midtown digs. Organizers look for spaces like this – big enough to hold a crowd of around 300, and buzzy enough that people want to go there, be there and absorb what Ignite has to offer.

32. Josh Pastner Under NCAA Microscope - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Former University of Memphis basketball coach Josh Pastner has been accused of being complicit in extra benefits provided to at least two Georgia Tech players and to former Tiger player Markel Crawford.

33. AutoZone Closing Book on Unusual 2017 Performance - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

A new Raymond James analyst report covering the auto parts industry suggests a few slightly concerning trends for retailers like AutoZone Inc., including a decrease in the growth rate of vehicle miles driven and an uptick in gas prices.

34. Last Word: Beyond Amazon, Marking The RiverLine and Whimsy Grows - Monday, October 30, 2017

Grizz and Hornets Monday at the Forum. And Tigers football is on the road for a Friday game at Tulsa. On Tuesday, though there will be much attention to the first of six weekly rankings of college football teams by the new College Football Playoff committee. And the Tigers expect to make the rankings. The players are saying that. That will be followed closely, of course, by another series of interviews about how the team is focused only on the next game as they keep hitting refresh on the playoff committee rankings site. The rankings also promise to be interesting for the SEC teams that are part of the local and regional sports mix here.

35. US Agrees to Pay Tea Party Groups in Suits Over IRS Scrutiny - Friday, October 27, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has agreed to what a lawyer described as a "very substantial" payout to hundreds of tea party groups to settle a class-action lawsuit over the extra, often burdensome IRS scrutiny they received when applying for tax-exempt status during the 2012 election.

36. 12 Hours v. 20 minutes: Fox's Uneven Sex Harassment Coverage - Friday, October 27, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) — Bill O'Reilly and Harvey Weinstein are the celebrity faces of sexual harassment in 2017. But on Fox News Channel, O'Reilly's former home, the Hollywood mogul's fall has gotten far more coverage.

37. Fix This Ticket - Friday, October 20, 2017

HARD MADE HARDER, THAT’S THE TICKET. Growing up, I felt deprived because I occasionally had to ride the bus. In college, I felt deprived because I didn’t have a car. When I got married, I felt deprived because we had only one.

38. Trump's One-Two Punch Hits Birth Control, LGBT Rights - Monday, October 9, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – In a one-two punch elating religious conservatives, President Donald Trump's administration is allowing more employers to opt out of no-cost birth control for workers and issuing sweeping religious-freedom directions that could override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and others.

39. Hey, Hope, How Are You? - Friday, October 6, 2017

“HEY, DAN.” I was attempting to visit a friend in extended care at Regional One. That’s in the Turner Tower. “The what?” the parking lot attendant replied, and then added, “Got to be one of those.”

40. Last Word: Juvenile Court Return, Berlin Boyd's Week and Tony Allen Thoughts - Friday, September 15, 2017

Two weeks ago Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael was on Behind The Headlines in a half-hour conversation about the court and federal oversight that drew quite a bit of reaction to Michael’s strong opinions about the need to end that oversight. Even before that reaction we had planned to do a second part of the conversation with those who favor continued federal oversight of the court.

41. Juvenile Court Judge Calls Federal Oversight and Monitors a ‘Distraction’ - Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Five years ago when the U.S. Justice Department concluded years of review with a scathing report about due process and equal treatment issues in Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, then Judge Curtis Person Jr. and his staff had to make a decision.

42. Commission Votes Down Health Coverage Change - Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a switch Monday, Aug, 28, of the county’s health insurance administration contract from Cigna to an $11 million, two-year contract with two one-year renewal options with Aetna.

43. County Commission Votes Down Health Coverage Change - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners voted down a switch Monday, Aug, 28, of the county’s health insurance administration contract from Cigna to Aetna in an $11 million two-year contract with two renewals of one year each.

44. 2017, The Musical - Friday, August 18, 2017

“GRANT US WISDOM, GRANT US COURAGE.” Episcopalians sing every week, as I’m sure many of you do, but most of us aren’t listening to the words. Their familiarity has bred if not contempt at least complacence.

45. Watches Tell Time, And Stories - Friday, August 11, 2017

IT’S ABOUT TIME. It’s an old 700 series Rolex watch – stainless steel with a small military-style black face, hands and numbers that once glowed in the dark, a simple stainless steel band and a small brass rivet for a fastener – nothing special by Rolex standards.

46. Tennessee Experts Spar Over Prison Terms for Juveniles - Tuesday, August 1, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – There is wide disagreement in Tennessee on whether the state is violating recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions banning mandatory life-without-parole sentences for offenders under 18. That's because judges and juries have a choice in sentencing, but that choice is between life in prison or life with the possibility of parole after serving 51 years – which one leading advocate calls cruel.

47. Love in the Bones - Friday, July 28, 2017

DNA IN THE TIMBERS, SOUL IN THE PLACE. We drive by them at the edge of fields, just there in the woods, or just here abandoned at the edge of progress, beneath the tumble of vines and what remains of a roof or a wall, the dark eyes of broken windows and missing doors, the lost welcome of sagging porches, of warmth gone cold from crumbling chimneys, reminders of a life and lives, of another time – and every time I wonder who they were, what happened there.

48. Juvenile Court Oversight Issue Spills Into Larger Criminal Justice Reform Debate - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Talking Monday, July 24, about criminal justice reform, Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael mentioned the formal written request he, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell and Sheriff Bill Oldham made to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in June to end Justice Department oversight of the court.

49. AutoZone’s Engine Starting to Stall - Thursday, July 20, 2017

AutoZone’s stock price is pointed in the opposite direction it’s been accustomed to for years now. Shares of the Memphis-based auto parts retailer are down more than 30 percent since the end of January. Needless to say, that’s an unusual place for the company, which continues to open new stores at a steady clip.

50. Enough Expectations to Go Around as SEC Football Season Approaches - Thursday, July 13, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. – The countdown to the start of the next college football season is now measured in weeks, not months. But at an event such as SEC Media Days, the future is always framed by the past.

51. Last Word: Ransomware, Memphis Charitable Giving and The Race for Governor - Thursday, June 29, 2017

The ransomware problem got so serious Wednesday that trading in FedEx stock was stopped briefly during the afternoon. The virus was specifically aimed at TNT Express operations. Here’s a more detailed story via Bloomberg on what happened.

52. Sessions Gets More Opposition to Ending DOJ Memorandum - Thursday, June 29, 2017

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been getting a lot of mail from Memphis lately about Juvenile Court.

53. County Commission Reviews Juvenile Court Moves as Monitors Say Issues Remain - Saturday, June 24, 2017

The call to end a 5-year-old U.S. Justice Department memorandum of agreement governing conditions and due process at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court goes before a group Wednesday, June 2, that has consistently had a lot of questions about the court.

54. Editorial: Keep Juvenile Court Memorandum In Place - Saturday, June 24, 2017

The changes are coming quickly from the U.S. Justice Department and some local elected leaders when it comes to change at Juvenile Court.

Two of the expert monitors who are crunching numbers, examining court records and watching the juvenile justice process in action here had just turned in their latest reports when there was a request by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael and Sheriff Bill Oldham to drop what is left of the 2012 memorandum of agreement between county government and the Justice Department to remedy long-standing problems in Juvenile Court.

55. Shelby County Commission to Probe Juvenile Court Moves - Wednesday, June 21, 2017

The call to end a 5-year-old U.S. Justice Department memorandum of agreement governing conditions and due process at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court goes before a group Wednesday, June 2, that has consistently had a lot of questions about the court.

56. Prosecutors' Lawsuit Says Opioid Drug Makers Deceived Public - Wednesday, June 14, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A new lawsuit invokes the plight of a baby born dependent on opioid drugs, as three Tennessee prosecutors and the baby's guardian accuse several drug manufacturers of unleashing an epidemic through deceptive marketing that downplayed the risks of addiction to painkillers.

57. After More Than 70 Years, Colliers Continues to Pay it Forward - Saturday, May 6, 2017

In 1946, a small real estate company called Wilkinson & Snowden Inc. took root in Memphis as many of the city’s post-war expansion projects were just getting started. And though the names and faces have changed several times over the years, the culture of the company largely has remained intact for more than 70 years.

58. How Did Vols Not Win More With This Talent? - Friday, May 5, 2017

One check of the 2017 NFL Draft shows why Tennessee was the favorite to win the SEC East Division last fall.

UT had six players drafted in the first four rounds, the most for the program since 2002, breaking a two-year drought with no players. The six Vols drafted tied for the most since 2010 and 2007. Eight Vols were drafted in 2003 and 10 drafted in 2002.

59. Earnhardt Retiring; FESJC Lands Three Stars - Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Fourteen times NASCAR fans made Dale Earnhardt Jr. the sport’s most popular driver. Next season, they will have to find a new favorite. On Tuesday, April 25, Hendrick Motorsports issued a press release saying Earnhardt Jr. will retire as a driver at the end of the season. Junior, now 42, won 26 races since starting his career in 1999. Twice, he won the Daytona 500.

60. Izakaya Ceasing Operations In Nineteenth Century Club - Saturday, April 22, 2017

Izakaya, the once-promising Asian fusion restaurant located in the recently renovated Nineteenth Century Club building, announced it will be closing for good just four months after its grand opening.

61. Our Best Point of View - Friday, April 21, 2017

Editor’s note: At press time, The Daily News learned a proposal to construct two silos on the riverfront was withdrawn from the Board of Adjustment agenda.

WE DON’T JUST LOSE THE VIEW – WE LOSE THE VISION. My father had an interesting theory about Memphis expansion. Even though the most beautiful rolling land in Shelby County is north, Memphis expanded east. Dad said that was because industry was oriented to the river from the beginning, and a state line was just south, so, “they put all the crap along the river mostly north, and nobody wants to drive through all that to get to the office.”

62. Izakaya Ceasing Operations In Nineteenth Century Club - Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Izakaya, the once-promising Asian fusion restaurant located in the recently renovated Nineteenth Century Club building, announced it will be closing for good just four months after its grand opening.

63. Izakaya to Close Saturday - Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Izakaya, the once-promising Asian fusion restaurant located in the recently renovated Nineteenth Century Club building, announced it will be closing for good just four months after their grand opening.

64. Love Me Some Lent - Friday, March 17, 2017

LENTEN LESSON. The Episcopal Church, with ancient roots in early Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church, has many arcane names and traditions in its liturgy derived from the many languages and practices of its long history.

65. Fed Board Member Tarullo Announces Resignation - Monday, February 13, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal Reserve board member Daniel Tarullo, a key official guiding bank regulation efforts, will resign this spring, the Fed said Friday.

Tarullo's decision will clear the way for President Donald Trump to select a candidate for the bank supervision position. Trump is likely to choose someone more in line with his desires to roll back the regulations put in place by the Dodd-Frank Act, which overhauled bank supervision in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

66. Back-to-Back Dak? Dobbs Shines at Senior Bowl - Friday, February 3, 2017

To say Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs might be the next Dak Prescott is a stretch. Or is it? Prescott, the former Mississippi State quarterback, caught the eye of the Dallas Cowboys with his MVP performance in the 2016 Senior Bowl. The Cowboys chose Prescott in the fourth round (No. 135 overall pick) of the 2016 NFL Draft, and it proved a fruitful pick.

67. What are the Odds? Blackburn is Still the Favorite - Friday, January 27, 2017

Tennessee has its search firm and its search committee is in place to find the replacement for Dave Hart as the university’s athletic director.

Hart announced last August he would retire June 30, and with Tennessee undergoing a transition in its chancellor’s position, the search for Hart’s replacement was put on the back burner.

68. College Football Bowl Scene Changes, But AutoZone Liberty Bowl Endures - Saturday, January 21, 2017

Step inside the East Memphis offices of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and the 58-year history of the game is captured in long, mirrored display cases featuring the helmets of every team to play in the game – from the simple crimson-and-white helmet of Alabama to the golden dome of Notre Dame.

69. Saban Dominance Bad for SEC? Not Buying It - Friday, January 20, 2017

I keep reading that Nick Saban is ruining SEC football because his Alabama program is so dominant.

And I just don’t get it.

The misguided Saban-as-Satan logic goes this way:

70. Task Force Prepared for Juvenile Justice Legislation - Wednesday, January 11, 2017

A General Assembly-led panel is backing legislation to change juvenile sexting laws and adopt measures to stop teens from being held in detention for minor offenses as part of an effort to improve juvenile justice.

71. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some of Those Who Died in 2016 - Monday, January 2, 2017

Death claimed transcendent political figures in 2016, including Cuba's revolutionary leader and Thailand's longtime king, but also took away royals of a different sort: kings of pop music, from Prince and David Bowie to George Michael.

72. Growing Number of Americans are Retiring Outside the US - Thursday, December 29, 2016

Newly widowed, Kay McCowen quit her job, sold her house, applied for Social Security and retired to Mexico. It was a move she and her husband, Mel, had discussed before he passed away in 2012.

"I wanted to find a place where I could afford to live off my Social Security," she said. "The weather here is so perfect, and it's a beautiful place."

73. AP Investigation: Eric Trump Foundation Flouts Charity Standards - Tuesday, December 27, 2016

A charity operated by one of Donald Trump's sons flouts philanthropic standards by financially benefiting charities connected to the Trump family and members of the charity's board, an Associated Press investigation shows.

74. AutoZone Revs Up Net Income By 8 Percent - Wednesday, December 7, 2016

The first significant cold snap of the season is at hand, something that might leave most people resigned to the corresponding inconveniences but nonetheless excites AutoZone chairman, president and CEO Bill Rhodes.

75. Not Again. Or Not. - Friday, December 2, 2016

I WON’T DO THAT AGAIN. Words3 is a writers group that meets monthly at the Church of the Holy Communion to read and reflect. And eat doughnuts.

This week’s column is courtesy of one of them, Robert Propst, who writes songs –Dylanesque, except with a sense of humor – and shares them with folks who might be getting just a bit too reflective long about now – say, me.

76. Last Word: Mike Conley, Corker at Trump Tower and School Moves - Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Remember the Mike Conley face masks of 2015? I’m not sure back braces would have the same effect. The Grizz season took a big turn the day after Monday’s loss to the Hornets as the front office got a better look at Mike Conley’s injury from the game. Conley is out indefinitely for the Grizz with a fractured lower back in what is a turning point for the transformation of the team out of its Grit and Grind years.

77. 'We are Seeing a War for Talent’ - Saturday, November 19, 2016

Despite a daily influx of new Middle Tennessee residents, companies looking to hire workers for the upcoming holiday season may have a tougher time than usual filling those spots.

That’s because Davidson County’s unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in August, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development, the lowest urban figure in the state and well below the state’s 4.4 percent rate.

78. No Pain, No Gain - Friday, November 11, 2016

HMMM, WE GOT ISSUES. Javier repeated, “I said, bend over as far as you can.” I replied, “I already have – this is it.”

“Hmmm,” he murmured. He would do that a lot in our first session together. Javier is a physical therapist and his task is to give me my left hip back. And stop the pain in my left leg. And left foot. And right leg sometimes. Shoulder’s not great either. And something weird’s going on in one elbow.

79. College Football Programs are Trending Toward Younger Hires - Wednesday, November 9, 2016

When searching for a new head football coach, schools have been showing more willingness to hire an up-and-comer like Tom Herman or P.J. Fleck, rather than a veteran with a long track record of success such as Les Miles.

80. We Need Hits - Friday, November 4, 2016

GOT TO KEEP SWINGING. In the last week, somebody took my iPad and my sunglasses out of my car, the hot water heater crapped out and rained through the ceiling light fixtures, something crawled up inside our dryer vent and died, and somebody lifted my wife’s phone and wallet from her purse. Job called and offered his condolences.

81. Deep South Drought Kills Crops, Threatens Herds, Dries Lakes - Monday, October 31, 2016

ATLANTA (AP) – Six months into a deepening drought, the weather is killing crops, threatening cattle and sinking lakes to their lowest levels in years across much of the South.

The very worst conditions – what forecasters call "exceptional drought" – are in the mountains of northeast Alabama and northwest Georgia, a region known for its thick green forests, waterfalls and red clay soil.

82. Last Word: The Day After Big River, Freedom Awards Shift and Tubby & Fiz - Monday, October 24, 2016

Once the ribbons were cut, the speeches made and all of the players on both sides of the river were thanked, Sunday was the day those who put the Big River Crossing project in motion waited for to see what the public’s verdict would be on the boardwalk crossing the Mississippi River.

83. Trustees: Jackson State Must Act Now to Stanch Cash Drain - Friday, October 21, 2016

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — College Board officials are intervening in Jackson State University's finances, saying the 10,000-student university's cash reserves have been spent down to a dangerously low point.

84. Words From Church - Friday, October 14, 2016

FAITH IN THE FUNNY. As you could tell from last week’s column, this campaign is wearing on me and, I suspect, on you. Words don’t appear to matter. Truth is ignored and lies are embraced.

85. Senate Blocks Stopgap Bill to Prevent Shutdown This Weekend - Wednesday, September 28, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate on Tuesday stumbled over a must-do bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and to fund the fight against the Zika virus. Democrats, demanding money so Flint, Michigan, can address its lead-contaminated water crisis, overwhelmingly opposed the measure, as did a dozen of the Senate's most conservative members.

86. Bridging Imagination and Reality - Friday, September 23, 2016

GETTING A BIG IDEA ACROSS. A few years ago, I heard about a big idea and wrote about it. Next month, that idea becomes Big River Crossing, an inspirational bridge between imagination and reality.

87. Laws of Our Nature - Friday, September 9, 2016

IT’S NOT YOU. IT’S THE LAW. You know that feeling when you’re in line … any line, including any lane for anything … that the line was moving faster until you got in it, and you wonder if it’s just you, subject of a cosmic conspiracy, or a karmic joke, or, like Job, a bet between God and Satan.

88. Missed Opportunities Detailed Ahead of Personnel Agency Hack - Thursday, September 8, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. government's computers.

After secretly monitoring the hacker's online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information, so they devised a plan, called the "Big Bang," to expel him.

89. Surviving An IRS Audit - Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Summer is the time for baseball, barbecue and family vacations. But it’s also audit season. We are now between traditional tax day – April 15 – and the fall deadline for individuals who filed extensions – Oct. 15. While audits take place year-round, this time of year is when taxpayers often receive “official correspondence” notices from the Internal Revenue Service.

90. Cool Shades - Friday, August 19, 2016

SHADES OF THE FUTURE. We were talking about sunglasses and how you see things through them.

They were cool when you and I were young, no matter when that was, and they’re cool now. Still cool long past things and people once cool and now long gone, like eight-tracks and Fabio. Always cool instead of once cool, not cool, and then cool again, like argyle socks.

91. Safe to Scorching: SEC Coaches Feel the Burn - Friday, August 12, 2016

There are two kinds of football coaches in the Southeastern Conference: those that have gotten fired and those that haven’t gotten fired – yet.

This is a conference in a constant state of flux for football. The average tenure at their current schools of the 14 SEC coaches is 3.57 years. That’s right: Just making it through a full four-year recruiting cycle is tough.

92. The Privilege of Legacy - Friday, July 29, 2016

WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO BE HERE. As poor as we are, we are far richer than we may realize. As so many struggle to make ends meet, one may wonder why so many are drawn to us. As difficult as it is to breathe the air this time of year, there is music in that air, there is a world-famous beat to this city.

93. Verizon Buys Yahoo for $4.83B, Marking End of an Era - Tuesday, July 26, 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Verizon is buying Yahoo for $4.83 billion, marking the end of an era for a company that once defined the internet.

It is the second time in as many years that Verizon, extending its digital reach, has snapped up the remnants of a fallen internet star. The nation's largest wireless carrier paid $4.4 billion for AOL last year.

94. Business Formed to Finish Germantown’s Enclave - Saturday, July 23, 2016

Builder-developers John Duke, Mike Murphy, Chip Tayloe and Frank Uhlhorn, along with developer Dan Turley, formed a joint venture business to finish out The Enclave, a luxury estate home infill project they saved in Germantown after it had stalled during the Great Recession.

95. We Are They - Friday, July 22, 2016

THERE IS NO OTHER, OTHER THAN US. They came for them. They came for us.

You may not have heard of Martin Niemöller, a Protestant pastor in 1930s Germany, but you’ve probably heard him quoted, beginning, “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.” You may have heard or seen some variation of the original referencing Communists or Catholics or Mexicans or Muslims or African-Americans or whatever other, but you got the point because the original and every version concludes, “Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”

96. Too Big To Ignore: The SEC and Its Ever-Growing Football Media Days - Saturday, July 16, 2016

HOOVER, Ala. – The SEC football preseason always has been loud. More than 30 years ago, the noise came via the Skywriters Tour and the rattle and roar of a DC-3 propeller plane carrying rumpled, hardworking – and often hard-drinking – sports writers to the 10 Southeastern Conference campuses for essentially unfettered access to the league’s coaches and players.

97. Carrying Debt Into Retirement - Friday, July 8, 2016

Ray’s Take: In a perfect world, when we retire, our debt should already be “retired.” 

But when it comes to retirement these days, the picture is much different for the baby boomer generation than it was for their parents. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, older consumers are carrying more debt, including mortgages, credit cards and even student loans, into their retirement years. In 2013, the average household headed by someone age 55 or older had $73,211 in debt, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

98. Brush With Death Recalled, Part 4 - Thursday, June 30, 2016

In the past three columns, I’ve told how, in February 2002, I had a major reminiscence of my role in saving the life of a heart attack victim-in-denial 20 years earlier. In March I received annoying emails about how to survive a heart attack while alone. In early April I dreamed of my heartland being under attack.

99. Downtown Memphis Commission Creates Temporary Grant Program for Creatives - Wednesday, June 29, 2016

The Downtown Memphis Commission is accepting applications for grants that will activate the street with creative meet-ups and art installations.

Up to $5,000 is available per grant for projects that bring about creative place-making and social and professional engagement.

100. Undercurrent Hosts 29th Gathering at Loflin Yard - Monday, June 20, 2016

Loflin Yard will be packed Monday night with creatives and young professionals who for almost three years now have been gathering monthly for meetings at different hotspots around the city that follow the same format.