VOL. 132 | NO. 79 | Thursday, April 20, 2017
Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Mary Wagner has approved an agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit against First Tennessee Bank related to overdraft fees that calls for the bank to put $16.8 million into a settlement fund.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland lauded the Tennessee Legislature for passing the IMPROVE Act, including a combination of fuel tax and fee increases designed to improve transportation funding.
The House and Senate are nearly ready to send the IMPROVE Act to Gov. Bill Haslam, passing it with relatively wide voting margins after months of debate.
Plans for two 145-foot tall dry cement storage silos at the foot of the Mississippi River bluff where Chickasaw Heritage Park and the National Ornamental Metal Museum sit atop the bluff have been withdrawn by American Commercial Barge Line.
As expected, the NBA reacted to Memphis Grizzlies coach David Fizdale’s press conference critique of its officials by handing out a $30,000 fine. Fizdale spared no opinion after the Game 2 first-round playoff series loss in San Antonio, detailing a free-throw disparity that had Kawhi Leonard shooting 19 free throws to the 15 takes by all of the Grizzlies.
As he presented the Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Award Tuesday, April 18, to Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker recalled fondly his time as the mayor of Chattanooga.
Though small to mid-sized leases comprised the majority of leasing activity, the Memphis area office market got off to a healthy start in 2017, according to Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors’ first quarter Marketbeat report.
It’s a $30,000 fine, about $5k more than expected by most. And Grizz players say they will chip in to pay the fine the NBA levied on coach David Fizdale for his epic rant on the officiating in Game 2 of the playoff series between the Grizz and the Spurs.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says his budget proposal to the Memphis City Council is set and ready to deliver next week. But he added Tuesday, April 18, that he is willing to talk with the citizens who drafted a letter to him last week calling on the city to put up $10 million in funding for schools in his proposal.
The Memphis Business Academy is flexing its STEM muscles.
The Memphis in May International Festival has been a local fixture since the 1970s, and everyone knows about the music and barbecue festivals, but a significant and little known student exchange program that happens each year with the honored country might just be the iconic festival’s biggest long-term contribution.
REAL ESTATE RECAP
6055 Primacy Pkwy., Memphis, TN 38119 -
Primacy II, a 123,265-square-foot East Memphis office building, has a new owner thanks to a huge $17 million deal.
TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE
The state Senate approved legislation enabling the Memphis City Council to consider an ordinance to create a new hotel/motel tax of no more than an aggregate of 5 percent to go toward the city-owned Memphis Cook Convention Center.
State Rep. Raumesh Akbari grew so emotional she couldn’t speak. On the verge of tears, the Memphis Democrat started to talk about a high school from her Shelby County district with a large number of undocumented immigrant students.
LOCAL COLUMNISTS
Our goal was The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Universal Orlando Resort is home to adjoining amusement parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, and both have their own unique spin on Harry Potter.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Hundreds of Elvis Presley artifacts and memorabilia are still being held by a Las Vegas casino, a year after the King's estate filed a lawsuit to get those valuables back from a short-lived exhibit.
STATEWIDE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Bill Anderson, who played on two NFL championship teams with the Green Bay Packers as part of an eight-year NFL career, has died. He was 80.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – State Rep. Brenda Gilmore has announced she will run for the Nashville seat currently held by longtime Sen. Thelma Harper, a fellow Democrat.
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's pick for deputy commerce secretary has withdrawn from consideration.
MEDIA
NEW YORK (AP) – Earnings at The Associated Press shrank substantially last year compared with 2015, when the news organization enjoyed a large tax benefit that skewed its results. Reve-nue also edged downward, reflecting continued contraction in the newspaper industry and a stronger U.S. dollar that reduced the value of overseas sales.
NEW YORK (AP) – Fox News Channel's parent company fired Bill O'Reilly on Wednesday following an investigation into harassment allegations, bringing a stunning end to cable television news' most popular program and one that came to define the bravado of his network over 20 years.