BancorpSouth Reclaims Three Vacant Properties

BancorpSouth Bank has bought back three parcels totaling 51.7 acres of land in a substitute trustee’s deed following a foreclosure. The Tupelo, Miss.-based bank paid $1.2 million for two pieces of farmland and one vacant residential lot – all in unincorporated Southeast Shelby County – on the courthouse steps Nov. 10 from substitute trustee David J. Harris of Burch, Porter & Johnson PLLC.

The properties previously were owned by Mike and Bonita Whittington, who defaulted on a $2.6 million loan through BancorpSouth dated April 30, 2002.

The first farm property contains 18.38 acres on the east side of Fleming Road, north of Holmes Road. The Shelby County Assessor of Property’s 2009 appraised value is $423,900.

The second farm property contains 28.5 acres on the north side of Holmes Road. Its formal address is 10792 Holmes Road, and its appraised value is $633,300.

Last is a 4.84-acre parcel zoned residential. The formal address is 5030 Fleming Road, and its appraised value is $124,100.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

— Eric Smith

Wright Medical Wins Patent Dispute Case

Arlington-based Wright Medical Group Inc. has received a favorable ruling in a patent dispute case in U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

The court issued a summary judgment in favor of Wright in a long-standing patent infringement suit brought against the company in 2000 by Howmedica Osteonics Corp., a subsidiary of Stryker Corp. Howmedica alleged that Wright’s Advance knee implants infringed on an existing Howmedica patent.

In November 2005, the federal court ruled in favor of Wright, but Howmedica appealed the ruling. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned that ruling in September 2008 and sent the case back to the lower court.

On Nov. 23, U.S. District Judge Garrett E. Brown Jr. ruled the claims in the Howmedica patent suit are invalid, because they were part of a previous patent issued to Dr. Anne Hollister. Stryker has the right to appeal this decision.

— Tom Wilemon

WUMR to Raise Funds With Radiothon

From now through Sunday, WUMR-FM is garnering support from listeners, friends and supporters through a radiothon to raise funds for the only jazz format radio station in the Mid-South.

In early 2010, the University of Memphis’ training ground for future broadcast engineers, announcers, on-air personalities, executives and support staff will move from the basement of the Theatre and Communication Building to the old WKNO facility on the South Campus at Getwell Road and Park Avenue.

“We hope to have the renovations complete and move to the new location in February, “ said General Manager Malvin Massey.

  Staffed primarily by students and volunteers, the 25,000-watt station has six paid employees, including Massey, who has worked in almost every capacity at the station since 1988.  He said most of the underwriting is from jazz concert promoters.

In other news from the station, Phillip Webster will be celebrating on Tuesday his 30th year as a volunteer there. He’s held the Sunday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. slot for 15 years. When Steve Stewart joined him on the air 10 years ago, they became known as “The More Brothers” – Phil and Steve.

  Webster said he will never forget his first broadcast. It was Dec. 8, 1980, the day after John Lennon was killed. Webster went on the air at 6 a.m. with a  reel-to-reel tape he had created as a tribute.

It was through volunteering at WUMR that Webster learned jazz.

“First I liked brass, then big band,” he said. “Then I heard Frank Sinatra, and everything changed.”

Webster said he keeps volunteering at the stations because of his love of the music.  

“I want to expose younger people to the many voices of jazz,” he said.

For Webster and many of the station’s supporters, “The Jazz Lover” is more than U92’s advertising slogan. It’s a core value.

— Linda Raiteri

Memphis Sleep Diagnostics Receives Accreditation

Memphis Sleep Diagnostics has received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Memphis Sleep Diagnostics received the five-year accreditation after an inspection of the center’s facility and staff, including evaluations of test procedures, patient contacts and physician training. Also, the facility’s goals must be clearly stated and include plans for improving the quality of medical care in the community it serves.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine currently accredits more than 1,800 sleep medicine center and laboratories throughout the country.

— Taylor Shoptaw

Holiday Artist Market Sets Up Shop on Union

The Memphis Arts Collective is setting up its fourth annual Holiday Artist Market at 1501 Union Ave. in Midtown.

Works from 25 vendors will be offered at the seasonal holiday shop. It opens Friday and will remain open through Dec. 24.

Jim Duckworth and Jim Spake will provide entertainment during opening night hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday.

Regular hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and on Saturdays. The store is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Friends for Life, a nonprofit organization that assists people living with HIV, is the beneficiary of a silent auction that will be held at the market.

— Tom Wilemon

Davis-Kidd Holds Drive To Benefit Mid-South Reads

Davis Kidd Booksellers will host its annual Reading Reindeer Book Drive to benefit Mid-South Reads, an organization dedicated to eradicating illiteracy.

Customers can purchase select titles and 20 percent of each purchase will be donated to Mid-South Reads, which will provide books for Camp Steady, a six-week summer camp for homeless children and at-risk youths. The camp will teach math, reading, language arts, social studies and writing skills.

Mid-South Reads is a partnership between the University of Memphis and a coalition of literacy advocates.

— Taylor Shoptaw