VOL. 127 | NO. 30 | Tuesday, February 14, 2012
New home construction was up 28.9 percent last month, and local industry professionals hope the trend continues into spring.

Mathews takes reins at EmergeMemphis
Eric Mathews, long at the center of a variety of tech ventures and entrepreneurship projects in the city, is taking the reins at EmergeMemphis.
The violent multi-state drug organization headed by Craig Petties began with a group of eight and nine-year-old boys in the Riverside neighborhood of South Memphis selling rocks of crack cocaine to those in cars who would drive down their street, West Dison Avenue, in the neighborhood.
FedEx Express, the unit of the Memphis-based shipping giant that employs more than 144,000 people worldwide, is planning to invest $141.9 million to expand its business by consolidating its training facilities into a single location.
A group of Tennessee lawmakers are joining their counterparts from around the country in registering with the U.S. Supreme Court their opposition to President Barack Obama’s signature domestic legislation, the health care reform bill.
Muddy’s Bake Shop will soon bring some of its “lovin’ from the oven” to Binghampton.
Oxford Immunotec Inc., a medical diagnostics company founded in 2002, wants to put its first U.S. location outside of its Massachusetts headquarters in Memphis.
The idea of a consolidated Shelby County public school system as a platform of sorts for various school models is beginning to emerge in what may be the most contentious part of the yearlong schools reformation discussion.
Political gatherings are often places of unlikely coexistence.
Geralyn Lucas, author of “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy,” was at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis Friday, Feb. 10, to share her personal story and encourage Mid-South women to be more proactive when it comes to their health.
GOVERNMENT AGENDA
The Memphis City Council meets in special session Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 3:30 p.m. to consider two annexation ordinances. Up for first reading is the Bridgewater annexation. The council has also added second of three readings on the Grays Creek annexation.
REAL ESTATE RECAP
6605 Quail Hollow Road, Memphis, TN 38120 -
Belmont Village-Memphis, a senior living community at 6605 Quail Hollow Road, has sold for $16.9 million to an Ohio-based real estate investment trust.
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
Last week we reflected on a recent visit from LPBC guest speaker, Dr. Joseph Michelli, who shared the personal and community value of creating a legacy statement – one sentence that defines our impact on Earth and how others will remember us after we are gone. This week let us explore an organization with the mission of helping people affected by HIV/AIDS live well: Friends For Life Corp.
The January Effect As each year closes, tax-savvy money managers purge their investment losers to harvest tax losses and window-dress year-end statements. With the turn of the calendar year, unloved names get repurchased, making last year’s losers suddenly this year’s winners.
As 2012 gets into full swing, consumers may be thinking about undertaking a home improvement project, but not every renovation effort will pay off when the owner sells his home.
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama unveiled a $3.8 trillion spending plan on Monday that seeks to achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade but does little to restrain growth in the government's huge health benefit programs, a major cause of future deficits.
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama proposed tax increases on wealthy individuals and some corporations Monday, setting the stage for an ideological battle that won't be resolved until after the November election – if then.
ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) – President Barack Obama called on Congress Monday to create an $8 billion fund to train community college students for high-growth industries, giving a financial incentive to schools whose graduates are getting jobs.
SPORTS
WASHINGTON (AP) – Most people weighing in on a sports blackout rule are urging the Federal Communications Commission to scrap it.
TECHNOLOGY
NEW YORK (AP) – Mike Trang likes to use his iPhone 4 as a GPS device, helping him get around in his job. Now and then, his younger cousins get ahold of it, and play some YouTube videos and games.