TruGreen, the Memphis-based lawn care company serving more than 2.3 million customers across the country, has a new driver behind the wheel.

On Tuesday, Aug. 14, the company announced the appointment of John Cowles as president and CEO, effective Sept. 17.

2. TruGreen Hires FXI Exec As Next President, CEO - Thursday, August 16, 2018

TruGreen, the Memphis-based lawn care company serving more than 2.3 million customers across the country, has a new driver behind the wheel.

On Tuesday, Aug. 14, the company announced the appointment of John Cowles as president and CEO, effective Sept. 17.

3. Online sellers consider how to comply with sales tax ruling - Monday, June 25, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — While a Supreme Court ruling on sales taxes will create more obligations and expenses for many small online retailers, owners are already thinking about how they'll comply.

4. Last Word: Bike Second Line Protest, Loeb's Portrait and SCS Budget Notes - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

“Get on your bikes and ride.” The local bike share program begins Wednesday at 60 different Explore Bike Share stations at different points around town. The bike rental program is considered a milestone in the city’s bicycle culture. And like all milestones there has to be a ceremony. This effort to make it easier to mix bikes into your daily journeys will kick off Wednesday morning in Court Square at 9:30 a.m.

5. State Weighted Caseload Study Shows Two More Judges Needed Locally - Saturday, April 21, 2018

Shelby County’s court system – civil and criminal – is down about two judges, according to the Tennessee Comptroller’s annual report on weighted caseloads.

The report, required by state law since 1997, calculates the number of judges needed to handle different kinds of cases.

6. Mississippi's New US Senator Sets Top Staff Jobs - Thursday, April 12, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi's new U.S. senator is keeping some top staff members who worked for her predecessor.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is also filling other top staff jobs with people who worked for her when she was Mississippi commissioner of agriculture.

7. AP-NORC Poll: Support Soars for Stricter Gun Control Laws - Monday, March 26, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Support for tougher gun control laws is soaring in the United States, according to a new poll that found a majority of gun owners and half of Republicans favor new laws to address gun violence in the weeks after a Florida school shooting left 17 dead and sparked nationwide protests.

8. 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.

9. Third Memphis TEDx Event Set for Jan. 6 - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When Hardy Farrow takes the stage in the Halloran Centre at The Orpheum Theatre in a few weeks, it will be to present his argument about poverty and what to do about it.

Farrow – who founded LITE Memphis, which stands for Let’s Innovate Through Education – is one of the speakers who’ll be presenting talks Jan. 6 at TEDxMemphis, which has as its theme this year “The Slant.” The conference will be a chance for speakers like Farrow to share their perspective – their slant, as it were – on the world around them.

10. Tennessee’s Hot Seat Finds a New Office - Friday, December 1, 2017

Tennessee football isn’t what it used to be. Nor is the attraction of being UT’s football coach.

It became more and more apparent this week as first-year UT athletics director John Currie tried to hire his first football coach as an AD.

11. Folk’s Folly’s Kauker Named Tenn. Restaurant Manager of Year - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House general manager Diane Kauker has won the Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association’s 2017 Restaurant Manager of the Year Award, which honors a manager who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service, and community and civic involvement. The judges noted Kauker’s outstanding performance beyond her normal job duties, including providing excellent service to Folk’s Folly guests and the greater community.

12. Events - Saturday, October 28, 2017

The 2018-Model Memphis International Auto Show takes place Friday through Sunday, Oct. 27-29, at Memphis Cook Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. Experience the latest in-car technology, research your next vehicle and test drive more than a dozen vehicles on site. Buy discount e-tickets at memphisautoshow.com.

13. Kele Inc. Buys Control Consultants Inc. - Saturday, October 14, 2017

Kele Inc., a Memphis-based distributor of building automation products and controls solutions, has acquired Boston-based Control Consultants Inc.

14. Kele Inc. Buys Control Consultants Inc. - Monday, October 9, 2017

Kele Inc., a Memphis-based distributor of building automation products and controls solutions, has acquired Boston-based Control Consultants Inc.

15. Children's Foundation Donates $2M to Memphis Medical Institutions - Saturday, September 23, 2017

The Children’s Foundation of Memphis is donating $2 million to endow a chair of excellence at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and establish the first cerebral palsy research center in the southeastern United States.

16. 'Easy Money' Made Selling Army Weapons Stolen by US Soldiers - Thursday, August 31, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – More than $1 million in weapons parts and sensitive military equipment was stolen out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and sold in a vast black market, some of it to foreign buyers through eBay, according to testimony at a federal trial this week.

17. Last Word: Minority Business Mic Drop, Truckers & Taxes and Confederate Statues - Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Quite the buzz around the minority business discussion on “Behind The Headlines” – notably the progress report from Greater Memphis Chamber board chair Carolyn Hardy about what’s working and, more to the point, what is not working. In Hardy’s view that would be general minority business goals that she said amount to black-owned businesses being left out some three years into the renewed push for minority business growth – in government contracts and private business-to-business contracts.

18. Q&A: Campbell Clinic’s Miller Talks Sports Medicine, Injury Prevention - Saturday, May 20, 2017

Dr. Robert Miller graduated Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1980 and completed a residency in 1985 in Memphis and a fellowship in sports medicine in Georgia in 1986. So, he was pretty much in on the ground floor of the sports medicine discipline.

19. View From the Hill: Outsourcing, Rates Worry Park Fans - Thursday, February 16, 2017

Dunlap resident Kathy Gilbert opposes privatization of Fall Creek Falls on a number of fronts.

If a vendor comes in to run the state park, as planned by Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration, she’s worried about the possible loss of jobs or pay and benefits by state employees, the funneling of revenue to private investors and the raising of rates at the state park’s lodge when it’s rebuilt, potentially making it less affordable for families to visit.

20. Last Word: The Borders of Violence, Guilty Verdict and Blue Suede Security - Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Whenever there is a shooting of or near school children, one of the first things that happens once the police have investigated is detailing exactly where the incident happened – specifically whether it was actually on school property or near school property.

21. Weirich Opens ‘Community Prosecution’ Unit in Frayser - Saturday, December 24, 2016

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich is preparing to open a satellite prosecutor’s office for the Frayser-Raleigh area.

22. Weirich Opens ‘Community Prosecution’ Unit in Frayser - Thursday, December 22, 2016

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich is preparing to open a satellite prosecutor’s office for the Frayser-Raleigh area.

23. Last Word: MAA and TraVure, JT Votes Early and Minority Biz Momentum - Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Big news overnight for one of several corporate headquarters moves we’ve been watching in the last year. Mid-America Apartments LP is poised to become the anchor of the TraVure mixed-use development on the western side of Germantown.

24. Bonding Companies Banned by Criminal Court Judges - Saturday, April 30, 2016

Seven of the 10 Shelby County Criminal Court judges have banned two Memphis bonding companies from writing bonds in their courts.

The action by the judges follows the April 15 indictments of executives with Memphis Bonding Co. and 24 Hour Bonding Company on theft and sales tax fraud charges.

25. Judges Ban Two Bonding Companies - Monday, April 25, 2016

Seven of the 10 Shelby County Criminal Court judges have banned two Memphis bonding companies from writing bonds in their courts.

The action by the judges follows the April 15 indictments of executives with Memphis Bonding Co. and 24 Hour Bonding Company on theft and sales tax fraud charges.

26. Country Icon Merle Haggard, Champion of the Underdog, Dies - Thursday, April 7, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Country giant Merle Haggard, who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died Wednesday at 79, on his birthday.

27. More Music Festivals on the Way in Memphis - Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Memphis continues to be filled with the sound of music – specifically, music festivals – with a handful on the docket in coming weeks that will fill stages Downtown as well as the Levitt Shell and elsewhere.

28. Hooker Fights for Right to Die on His Terms - Saturday, August 15, 2015

John Jay Hooker, a household name in Middle Tennessee if nowhere else, is suffering from stage 4 metastatic cancer with weeks, not months to live.

29. Senior Stature - Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Sprawling across 37 acres of Collierville land, posh retirement community The Farms at Bailey Station will serve more than 500 senior residents when the final phase of construction is completed in 2016.

30. Rodgers Takes Reins at Collierville Chamber - Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Kanette Keough-Rodgers recently took over as president/CEO of the Collierville Chamber of Commerce after the chamber’s transition team selected her from more than 170 candidates.

In her new role, Rodgers is responsible for retaining and expanding chamber membership by ensuring members receive relevant, responsive and timely services, initiatives, programs and events. She is also responsible for forging and sustaining relationships with community, government and educational institutions.

31. Sounds Like a Hit for Neighbors - Saturday, April 25, 2015

For months, sounds of construction surrounded the Nashville Sounds’ sparkling new First Tennessee Park in Germantown.

The constant thump-thump-thump of pounding jackhammers competed with the irritating, high-pitched beeps of vehicles backing up. Ka-ching! Cranes lifted steel beams into place, keeping time with a syncopated thrumming of never-ending drilling. Ka-ching!

32. Scarboro Takes Reins at Regional Fed - Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Douglas Scarboro has been named regional executive of the Memphis Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In that role, Scarboro is responsible for working with business leaders and local communities in western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas to inform the setting of monetary policies.

33. HJ Heinz Buys Kraft To Build $28 Billion Food Giant - Thursday, March 26, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) – Some of the most familiar names in ketchup, pickles, cheese and hot dogs are set to come under the same roof after H.J. Heinz Co. announced plans Wednesday to buy Kraft and create one of the world's largest food and beverage companies.

34. Campbell Foundation Expands Board of Directors - Friday, February 27, 2015

The Campbell Foundation, the charitable trust affiliated with Campbell Clinic, has added a new member to its board of trustees – Dr. John Weinlein.

He joined the Campbell Clinic staff as an orthopedic trauma surgeon in 2010. He also serves as a clinical instructor of orthopedic surgery in the University of Tennessee - Campbell Clinic Department of Orthopedic Surgery & Biomedical Engineering.

35. Active Community Keeps Sports Medicine Busy - Saturday, September 27, 2014

George Hernandez is not only the CEO of Campbell Clinic, he’s a client.

An avid runner, Hernandez was doing a trail marathon last winter. Conditions were rainy, cold and windy. Worst of all, there were wet leaves underfoot covering protruding tree roots.

36. A More Earth-Friendly Burial Option Now Available - Saturday, August 30, 2014

When Dara Ashworth’s father died this spring after battling metastatic melanoma, she and her two sisters struggled with the best way to honor his life, his memory and his body.

Their father, Leonard Daniel Hamby, 64, a lab technician with the Tennessee Department of Health, didn’t have a specific plan, but the family knew enough about his wishes and knew that he didn’t want a traditional burial.

37. Sherman Joins Campbell Clinic as Sports Medicine Physician - Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Dr. Henry “Hank” Sherman has joined Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics as a sports medicine family practice physician in its Southaven office. Sherman treats patients who suffer from a variety of orthopedic injuries – from competitive athletes looking to get back in the game to weekend warriors who want to stay active later in life.

38. 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.

39. 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.

40. Campbell, Weiss Open Judicial Campaigns - Monday, January 27, 2014

John Campbell and Robert Weiss are judges on different sides of the civil-criminal divide in Shelby County jurisprudence.

41. Van Vliet Takes on Roles at UT Medical, The MED - Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Dr. Michael M. Van Vliet has joined the department of plastic surgery at UT Medical Group, has been named assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and has been appointed director of burn critical care for the Firefighters Regional Burn Center at The Regional Medical Center at Memphis.

42. Events - Saturday, September 28, 2013

The fifth annual Mike Conley Bowl-n-Bash, benefiting the Methodist Healthcare Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, will be held Saturday, Sept. 28, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes, 1576 S. White Station Road. Individual tickets are $125; teams of four are $500. Visit methodisthealth.org/bowlnbash to register.

43. Henry Named Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of Collierville - Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Edgar L. Henry II has been named sales manager for Mercedes-Benz of Collierville, scheduled to open next spring. In his new role, Henry will manage the sales of all new and pre-owned cars sold at the dealership.

44. 'Obamacare' Contractors Project Confidence - Wednesday, September 11, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Major contractors hooking up the internal plumbing of President Barack Obama's health care law projected confidence Tuesday that they will be ready to go by an Oct. 1 deadline, even though the system is still being tested.

45. Civil Rights Leader Will Campbell Dead at Age 88 - Wednesday, June 5, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – The Rev. Will Campbell, a white minister who drew acclaim for his involvement in the civil rights movement, has died at the age of 88.

46. Notice of Appeal Filed in Campfield Libel Lawsuit - Thursday, May 23, 2013

LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. (AP) – A former Democratic candidate for the state House has filed notice that he will appeal the dismissal of his libel lawsuit against state Sen. Stacey Campfield.

Campfield, a Knoxville Republican, blogged before the 2008 election that he had heard candidate Roger Byrge had multiple drug arrests, and that the mug shots were "gold." It was later determined the arrest record belonged to Byrge's son.

47. Events - Saturday, March 30, 2013

Tennessee Shakespeare Co. will present “Hamlet” Wednesday, April 3, through Sunday, April 14, at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens Winegardner Auditorium, 4339 Park Ave. Visit tnshakespeare.org for times and tickets.

48. Events - Friday, March 29, 2013

Lipscomb Pitts Breakfast Club and the University of Memphis will host a Professional Connection Lunch Friday, March 29, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the University Center Shelby Room, 499 University St. The series connects students with business and community leaders for discussions and leadership exercises. Cost is free. R.S.V.P. to Jon Campbell at jcmpbll3@memphis.edu or 678-1781.

49. Events - Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sales and Marketing Society of the Mid-South will host a roundtable with Joel Henry, president of Intermodal Cartage, Thursday, March 28, at 7:30 a.m. at Cheffie’s Café, 483 High Point Terrace. Cost at the door is $20. Visit sms-midsouth.org.

50. Events - Saturday, February 23, 2013

Make-A-Wish Mid-South will host Wine for Wishes Thursday, Feb. 28, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Cadre, 149 Monroe Ave. The fundraiser will include food and wine pairings, a silent auction and live music by The Will Tucker Band. Visit midsouth.wish.org.

51. Scharff Elected to Legal Roles at Buckman, Bulab Holdings - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Jonathan Scharff has been elected vice president, legal and general counsel for Buckman and corporate secretary for Bulab Holdings Inc., Buckman’s parent company. Scharff has more than 22 years’ experience in the legal industry, including positions at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale PC in St. Louis and Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC in Memphis. In his new position, he will oversee legal needs in U.S. and global operating companies and work with associates in preventing and managing legal risks.

52. Weirich Taps Myers, McFarland for Top Posts - Friday, November 9, 2012

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich has appointed Carter Myers as Deputy District Attorney to fill the position recently held by John Campbell.

53. Weirich Taps Myers, McFarland for Top Posts - Monday, November 12, 2012

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich has appointed Carter Myers as Deputy District Attorney to fill the position recently held by John Campbell.

54. Obama Carries Shelby, Cohen Over Flinn and Two Tax Hikes Defeated - Wednesday, November 7, 2012

President Barack Obama carried Shelby County in unofficial Nov. 6 election returns as his Republican challenger Mitt Romney took the state’s 11 electoral votes.

Voter turnout in the most popular election cycle among Shelby County voters was 61.9 percent, about the same percentage as four years ago. But the 371,256 voters is fewer than 2008 when more than 400,000 Shelby County voters cast ballots. The percentage is about the same because there are fewer registered voters in Shelby County than there were four years ago after a purge by election officials.

55. Campbell Named Criminal Court Judge - Friday, November 2, 2012

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Deputy Shelby County District Attorney General John Campbell as Division 6 Shelby County Criminal Court judge.

56. Memphis Music Hall of Fame Names 25 Initial Inductees - Thursday, October 18, 2012

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. joined with representatives from the Smithsonian-developed Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum Tuesday, Oct. 16, in announcing the launch of a Memphis Music Hall of Fame tribute to the city’s musical legends.

57. Memphis Music Hall of Fame Names 25 Initial Inductees - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Memphis Mayor AC Wharton joined with representatives from the Smithsonian-developed Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum Tuesday, Oct. 16, in announcing the launch of a Memphis Music Hall of Fame tribute to the city’s musical legends.

58. Campbell, DeCandia and Laurenzi: Finalists For Criminal Court Judge - Monday, August 27, 2012

Three prosecutors are the finalists for the Criminal Court Judge vacancy.

The Judicial Nominating Commission selected Deputy District Attorney General John Campbell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean DeCandia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Laurenzi as the finalists for the vacancy created when John Fowlkes won U.S. Senate confirmation as a federal judge.

59. Gilbert Joins Campbell Clinic As Marketing Director - Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Chad Gilbert has joined Campbell Clinic as director of marketing. In his new role, Gilbert manages external marketing, advertising and public relations for Campbell’s four Mid-South offices and serves as liaison for the organization, managing several sports medicine partnerships.

60. Suburban School Board Races Almost Set - Friday, August 17, 2012

Races on the Nov. 6 ballot for six sets of suburban school boards took shape Thursday, Aug. 16, at the noon filing deadline for candidate qualifying petitions.

The candidates that made the deadline have another week to withdraw from the races if they wish.

61. Seven Apply to be Criminal Court Judge - Friday, August 3, 2012

Seven Memphis attorneys — four prosecutors from the Shelby County District Attorney General’s office, two federal prosecutors and a corporate general counsel – have applied to be the new judge of Shelby County Criminal Court Division 6.

62. Executive Coach Burtch Earns Int’l Designation - Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Bill Burtch, founder and president of full-service management consultancy firm Harmony Coaching & Consulting, has received the Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation, becoming the second PCC in Memphis. Burtch, who also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources designation, focuses his consulting work in executive/team coaching, professional development training and human resources consulting.

63. McFarland Named VP At Visible Music College - Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Christy McFarland has been named the vice president of business at Visible Music College. Previously the director of marketing, McFarland will now oversee VMC’s marketing/public relations, business and operational functions.

64. Redbirds Reconnection - Monday, April 16, 2012

One of baseball’s enduring maxims is that anytime you go to a game you’ve got a chance to see something you’ve never seen before.

Apparently, this now applies off the field too, because a few weeks ago a group that included Magic Johnson as the front man paid $2.15 billion to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from financially troubled owner Frank McCourt.

65. Pruitt Keeps Centre Group Running Smoothly - Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Holly Pruitt is office manager of The Centre Group, a human resources consulting firm. Pruitt handles accounting and administrative duties and works closely with the company’s marketing firm.

66. Chamberlain Joins MBI - Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Jessica Chamberlain has joined MBI as a workspace consultant.

Hometown: Arlington, Tenn.

67. Penny Takes Basketball Dream to Cordova - Thursday, November 10, 2011

The name is in place and so is the site, but the timetable and all the partners are not. Penny Hardaway’s FastBreak Courts, it was formally announced Tuesday, Nov. 8, at Gameday Sports Park in Cordova, will be built on Fischer Steel Road just across from the popular baseball complex.

68. John J. Campbell Roofing Adapts During Poor Economy - Monday, September 19, 2011

John J. Campbell Roofing, based in Memphis, is celebrating 40 years of growth and success through what’s proved to be trying times economically.

Campbell Roofing builds and services industrial roofs throughout the Mid-South.

69. Obama Challenges Congress: Do ‘Something Big’ - Monday, July 18, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama on Friday challenged Congress to compromise and "do something big" to reduce long-term deficits, insisting he was willing to make his own tough choices including trimming benefits for wealthy Medicare recipients. Facing a critical Aug. 2 deadline to raise the nation's debt limit, Obama said the public was on his side but "we're running out of time."

70. Ill Housing Markets Trump Ideology for Many in GOP - Tuesday, April 26, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Shutting down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should fit seamlessly into the Republican drive to shrink government. After all, keeping the ailing mortgage giants afloat has cost taxpayers $150 billion and many in both parties want private lenders to finance a bigger share of the nation's $11.3 trillion residential mortgage market.

71. Playmakers - Monday, April 25, 2011

During the day it houses some of the city’s best and brightest bankers and lawyers. But at night, its illumination continues, bearing the message “Go Grizz.” The First Tennessee Bank Building at 165 Madison Ave. is taking advantage of being the city’s sixth-tallest skyscraper to support the Memphis Grizzlies and their playoff run.

72. IBERIABANK Makes Several Local Hires - Tuesday, April 5, 2011

IBERIABANK has been on a hiring spree in Memphis.

The bank has made a handful of local hires within the past several months. They include Luke Yancy, formerly with SunTrust, who will be a relationship manager in IBERIABANK’s commercial group.

73. Campbell Brings Fairness, Toughness to Deputy DA Role - Thursday, March 24, 2011

When Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich appointed John Campbell as the county’s deputy district attorney on Jan. 18, she called him, “fair, dedicated and tough.”

74. Destination King’s Tagg Honored as ‘Rising Star’ - Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Mary Catherine Tagg, director of operations for Destination King, has received the “Rising Star” award at the fifth annual Association of Destination Management Executives Achievement Awards.

75. Yogurt Craze Continues with TCBY Store - Friday, January 21, 2011

A TCBY franchise has signed a 1,225-square-foot lease in University Center, 3445 Poplar Ave., at the southwest corner of Poplar and Highland Street.

76. New Deputy D.A. Chosen by Weirich - Monday, January 10, 2011

Amy Weirich, who will be sworn in as Shelby County district attorney general Jan. 18, has chosen a second-in-command who will start the job the same day she does.

77. Hernandez’s Journey Leads to Campbell Clinic - Monday, November 22, 2010

George Hernandez’s career in health care administration has taken him across the country and back.

Now the CEO of Campbell Clinic in Germantown says a national perspective on health care will determine the clinic’s strategies for the future.

78. A New Era - Monday, October 25, 2010

As the Grizzlies mark their 10th season in Memphis, whispers of “contender” and “dark horse” can be heard in the halls of FedExForum.

The positive outlook is an encouraging sign for a team that sat at the bottom of the league just two seasons ago and has endured a bumpy ride during its decade-long tenure in Memphis.

79. Lasting Legacies - Monday, September 27, 2010

Consider the continent as it was when Memphis was founded in 1819. No railroads crisscrossed the land and Tennessee roads would not be paved until after World War I.

For a city to thrive and prosper, transportation would be paramount. For Memphis, the Mississippi River, an integral artery of commerce and communication in America, would be its gateway to greatness.

80. Hardware Association Honors ‘Top Gun’ Cole - Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Charles Edward Cole, Jr., president of Cole’s Home Solutions, has been honored by the North American Retail Hardware Association with the organization’s Top Gun Award.

81. Morgan Keegan Employees Honored for ‘Company Spirit’ - Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. recently recognized four employees with awards for exemplifying the company’s spirit through their dedication to their jobs, co-workers and community.

82. Inside The Priest Files: Documents reveal 50 years of abuse, cover-ups in Memphis diocese - Monday, April 12, 2010

John Doe and his family watched 1999 change to the year 2000 in Memphis.

They were visitors to the city, here for a family medical emergency.

Looking back on it seven years later, Doe would remember “mentally trying to see if the world was going to end because everybody was scared something was going to happen.”

83. Tenn. Federal Judge Won't Dismiss Jaw Injury Cases - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn., (AP) - A federal judge refused to dismiss 40 lawsuits against a Swedish-based pharmaceutical company accused of failing to warn patients that two of its drugs can cause severe jaw deterioration.

84. Harris Shelton Attorneys Honored in SuperLawyers - Thursday, December 17, 2009

Five attorneys from Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh PLLC have been selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of Mid-South SuperLawyers, and four attorneys have been named Rising Stars.

85. Events - Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Memphis Lawyers’ Chapter and University of Memphis Law School Student Chapter of the Federalist Society will hold a seminar today from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 3715 Central Ave. Steven J. Mulroy and Christopher Green will present “A Constitution Day Debate: Living Constitution vs. Original Intent.” To register, call Greg Grisham at 527-0214.

86. Field of 28 For Mayor Meets Filing Deadline With Enough Signatures - Thursday, September 3, 2009
 

A field of 28 candidates had filed petitions with enough valid signatures to run in the Oct. 15 special election for Memphis mayor by today’s noon deadline.

Shelby County Election Commission administrator Richard Holden told The Daily News several contenders had their petitions rejected once election commission staff checked the signatures.

Each person signing must be a registered voter in the city of Memphis and list the address that is on their voter registration record.

A total of 33 petitions were filed by the noon deadline. But several candidates were disqualified for not having enough signatures. And then three were returned to the list of candidates after a second check of their petitions. Those who returned to candidate status included Memphis school board member Sharon Webb.

Those who made today's cut have until noon Sept. 10 to withdraw from the race. The field will then become final.

The candidates include: 

• Leo Awghowhat
• Kenneth Baroff
• Joe Brown, Memphis City Council member
• Randy L. Cagle
• Charles Carpenter, attorney
• Carol Chumney, former City Council member
• Dewey Clark, former aide to and witness against jailed Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell
• James M. Clingan
• Menelik Fombi, a candidate for Memphis City Schools Board in past elections
• Wanda Halbert, chairwoman, City Council budget committee
• Johnny Hatcher
• Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges  
• Constance Houston
• Dewayne Jones
• E.C. Jones, former City Council member
• Jerry Lawler, entertainer and former professional wrestler
• Myron Lowery, Memphis mayor pro tem
• Ernie Lunati
• Harrel C. Moore  
• Mary T. Shelby-Wright, perennial candidate for numerous offices
• Detric W. Stigall
• Silky Sullivan, restaurant owner and entrepreneur
• David Vinciarelli
• Vuong Vaughn Vo
• Sharon Webb, Memphis school board member
• Kenneth T. Whalum Jr., pastor of New Olivet Baptist Church and Memphis school board member
• A C Wharton Jr., Shelby County mayor
• John Willingham, former Shelby County commissioner

Sullivan showed up at the Election Commission in a white Rolls Royce wearing a white suit.

“When you see this white suit, you know I’m coming at you,” he told reporters as he outlined a plan to turn The Pyramid over to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital instead of the proposed lease to Bass Pro Shops.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” Sullivan said of the mayor’s race.

When someone asked if he would still be in the race after next week’s withdrawal deadline, Sullivan said he was in “to the violent end.”

“You know you can’t win,” political blogger and radio talk show host Thaddeus Matthews said to Sullivan.

“Why not?” Sullivan replied.

Anthony Willoughby, the last candidate to file before noon, told reporters he was a Realtor-broker who played a role in the development of Banneker Estates in southwest Memphis, the subdivision developed by former Mayor Willie Herenton.

“I’m not a politician,” Willoughby said. “I’m going to run on that statement.”

Willoughby didn't have enough qualified signatures, though. So he won't be running.

Daniko Flowers, a construction worker still wearing his safety vest, showed up at five minutes before noon and checked out a petition. He returned at three minutes past noon and was not allowed to file. Flowers only had 18 signatures on the petition anyway.

87. Priest Abuse Case Goes to Higher Court - Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Attorneys for a man who claims he was abused by a Catholic priest more than 30 years ago are expected to file their answer this week to an appeal by the local diocese to the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

88. Events - Friday, March 6, 2009

The University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law will host a diversity outreach program for high school and college undergraduate students today at 8 a.m. in Room 136 of the Fogelman Executive Center. The all-day event will include a question-and-answer session with current law students, a panel discussion and a luncheon. There is no admission fee but registration is required. To register, call 678-2528.

89. Group to Interview Priest in Sex Abuse Case - Friday, February 13, 2009

This morning, a group of attorneys and a court reporter are to meet at the Nashville home of a retired and suspended Catholic priest to talk about his time in Memphis.

The Rev. Paul St. Charles, who served in Memphis from the 1960s to the 1980s, is accused in six civil lawsuits of sexually abusing teenagers.

90. Influence 1 Foundation Names Hartsfield COO - Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Felicia Hartsfield has been named chief operating officer of Influence 1 Foundation.

Hartsfield will oversee the continued stability and growth of the foundation’s fiscal, strategic, organizational and operational functions. Her duties also will include building and maintaining relationships with community leaders, as well as creating collaborations, which will enhance the foundation’s strategic model.

91. New Info Surfaces in Priest Sex Cases - Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Fifteen priests in the Catholic Diocese of Memphis have been accused of sexually abusing children since the diocese was formed in 1971.

That was among the disclosures made in a Circuit Court hearing late last week to set the ground rules for the pending civil trial of a lawsuit against the diocese and the Dominican religious order. The hearing continues Thursday.

92. Broadband Funding in Stimulus Plan Sparks Debate - Monday, February 9, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Among the economic stimulus proposals moving through Congress is one that fulfills an old dream of broadband boosters. It would offer substantial funding for high-speed Internet networks in corners of the country that still rely on dial-up connections or have only one broadband option.

93. Thompson Case Points To Shady Culture - Friday, December 19, 2008

Former Shelby County Board of Commissioners member Bruce Thompson told a federal judge this week his behavior was “anomaly.”

94. Thompson Gets Six Month Jail Sentence - Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Former Shelby County Commissioner Bruce Thompson was sentenced this evening to six months in prison and fined $10,000 for telling executive of a Jackson, Tn. construction company that he could influence votes on the Memphis school board.

Thompson was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla on one count of mail fraud.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could have been sentenced to 21-27 months in prison.

But the plea deal from Thompson's February guilty plea would have allowed Thompson to withdraw his guilty plea if he was sentenced to more than a year and a day in jail. McCalla could have rejected it and the case would have moved toward trial. But McCalla accepted the recommendation of the prosecution and defense to depart from the guidelines.

"I'm here to accept responsibilities for my actions," Thompson told McCalla before the sentence was imposed. "I never expected to be here. ... My reputation has certainly taken a beating. I've spent 25 years building a reputation that's certainly been trashed."

Thompson termed his criminal behavior an "anomaly." His attorney, Leslie Ballin, argued for probation.

McCalla agreed Thompson's behavior in the case was "aberrant." But he also said a prison sentence was called for as a deterrent.

"This is a difficult concept. It only works if people know what happens," McCalla said, referring to the certainty of jail time.

Leaders of H&M Construction Company, who hired Thompson in 2004 to win a contract to build three Memphis city schools had some vocal misgivings about what Thompson was doing.

The reservations are detailed in an excerpt from an FBI report in what became a federal corruption case.

The FBI report excerpt, also known as a “302,” was filed as part of Ballin’s argument that Thompson should avoid prison time and instead be sentenced to probation.

Back and forth

Thompson admitted taking $7,000 in 2004 from two construction firms, H&M Construction and Salton-Fox Construction of Memphis. The payment was made to Thompson after he told the companies’ executives he could control votes on the Memphis City Schools board because of his position as a county commissioner. The companies, working in partnership, were seeking the construction contract.

Thompson quibbled about his precise role, according to the FBI report on its interview with James E. Campbell of H&M.

“I’m not lobbying, I’m consulting,” Campbell quoted Thompson as saying.

Campbell drew up a consulting contract, but Thompson never signed it.

Campbell had five meetings with Thompson when he spotted Thompson on H&M’s parking lot in Jackson talking with another company official, Dewitt Day. Thompson asked Campbell what he thought about making campaign contributions to four school board members.

“It looks like this for that,” Campbell remembered replying.

He said Thompson’s response was, “It’s legal to do.”

Campbell planned to write the campaign contribution checks and “it was agreed Thompson would deliver the checks to the recipients.”

“While writing the first check, Campbell decided it didn’t look good for H&M to give campaign contributions to these individuals,” the FBI report reads. “Campbell then thought about using H&M subcontractors to give the contributions but ultimately decided Day could give the $7,000 to his relatives in Memphis and have them deliver the contributions in their name.”

Day “grabbed” $7,000 and drove to Memphis, according to the FBI. His brother-in-law also didn’t like the looks of the money exchange and consulted attorney and former Memphis City Council member John Bobango.

“Bobango advised Day not to give these campaign contributions because H&M already had the (school board) votes to win approval,” the FBI 302 reads. Campbell told Thompson and others, including construction executive Kirby Salton, that the deal was off.

“Thompson and Salton went on to say that the four individuals would be disappointed and Campbell got the impression the ‘votes could go the other way,’” according to the report. It was Thompson’s conduct during the conference call that broke the law, Ballin conceded.

Campbell then wrote Salton a check for $7,000 and “never questioned Salton on whether he delivered the campaign contribution to the four individuals.”

Money differences

Ballin argued in his position paper that Thompson’s sentence should be determined based on the $7,000 instead of the more than $250,000 Thompson was paid by the two construction firms. He also contended Thompson wasn’t using his office as a county commissioner to influence the school board.

“H&M suffered no loss and Thompson only received the fair market value of services rendered by way of his arms-length consulting contract,” Ballin wrote.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim DiScenza disagreed on the harm done even if Thompson didn’t influence the outcome.

“Whether or not campaign contributions were required to be given in order for H&M Construction Company to win contract approval is irrelevant, as it is uncontested that the defendant conveyed to H&M .... managers that said contributions would in fact be needed to influence the awarding of the contract,” DiScenza wrote in the government’s position paper submitted last week.

McCalla sided with DiScenza in his ruling and the higher dollar amount was a factor in the prison sentence.

Salton and school board members Wanda Halbert, Sara Lewis, Willie Brooks and Hubon Sandridge all testified before the federal grand jury that indicted Thompson. Salton said publicly that he paid several thousand dollars to a campaign worker for Halbert, who has since been elected to the Memphis City Council. Halbert denied any knowledge of getting the cash but listed on an amended campaign finance report $2,000 that was lost.

DiScenza said in February that the four school board members mentioned by Thompson but never identified in court were not aware of the deal, and none has ever been charged with taking the money.

95. Election Totals: Better Late Than Never - Monday, November 10, 2008

Two days after the Nov. 4 elections, the final unofficial totals were finally posted by the Shelby County Election Commission. The long vote count involved absentee ballots whose count was delayed because of problems with an optical scanning machine.

96. Hottel Appointed Dean At UT College of Dentistry - Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Dr. Timothy L. Hottel has been appointed dean for the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry.

Hottel currently serves as executive associate dean and chief financial officer, associate dean for academic and financial affairs, division chief for primary care, professor in the Department of Prosthodontics, and interim chair of the Department of Cariology and Restorative Dentistry at Nova Southeastern University in Ford Lauderdale, Fla.

97. Lobbyists Regroup After Public Beats Bailout Bill - Wednesday, October 1, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lobbyists regrouped Tuesday after the House defeated the $700 billion bailout, a loss that had the business sector trying to recast the terms of the debate.

The message: What many call a "bailout" is actually a "rescue" that would also save people who live on Main Street, not just those who work on Wall Street.

98. Another Suit Filed Against Diocese - Friday, September 12, 2008

A Catholic priest who led youth groups in the 1970s has been accused in another civil lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

Father Paul W. St. Charles is accused in the latest John Doe lawsuit filed Tuesday against the Catholic Diocese of Memphis.

99. InMotion, U of M Win $400K Grant - Friday, September 5, 2008

The InMotion Musculoskeletal Institute and the University of Memphis have been awarded a $400,000 software grant from LifeModeler Inc. The grant will be used to create kinematic models that could be developed to aid orthopaedic surgeons during clinical operations by immediately testing the fit of implanted devices such as total hips and knees.

100. Ranta Elected Treasurer Of Southern Arts Federation - Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Frederick W. Smith, founder of FedEx, has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Memphis. Smith is chairman, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corp. He oversees the company’s branches, including FedEx Services, FedEx Express, FedEx Freight and FedEx Office. Smith has served on the boards of several companies, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Mayo Foundation. He is a member of the Business Roundtable and co-chairman of the Energy Security Leadership Council.