Reed Files Loan For $800K Enclave Home

Bob Reed Builder LLC has bought a lot in the second phase of the Enclave Planned Development in Germantown and filed an $800,000 construction loan to build a home there.

The eponymous Germantown-based company bought Lot 88 of the Enclave, which sits along the north side of Wolf River Boulevard, for $186,500 from Duntreath Partners.

Duntreath, whose principals are G. Benjamin Clark and Nicholas G. Clark, developed the 100-acre Enclave. The planned development’s second phase is platted for 41 lots on 24.67 acres.

Reed filed the loan, dated March 30, through BankTennessee. He also filed a $650,000 building permit with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement.

The 0.51-acre lot sits on the north side of Enclave Green Cove. Its appraised value is $145,100, according to the latest Shelby County Assessor of Property data.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

CCDC to Consider Loan, Grant Applications

The board of directors for the Center City Development Corp. at its meeting Wednesday will discuss a development loan application for a corner location at 77 S. Main St. and 85 Union Ave. and a second one for the Memphis College Preparatory Elementary School at 278 Greenlaw Ave.

Union Main Holdings LLC plans to spend $1.66 million to renovate the building at the southwest corner of Union and Main. The plans call for restaurant/retail space in the ground floor and office space on the other levels.

Memphis College Preparatory Elementary plans to spend $607,500 to renovate space for a new charter school.

The board will also consider two office grant applications from Thompson & Co. at 85 Union and Powers Hill Design at 80 Monroe Ave.

Thompson & Co. plans to sign a 12-year lease to occupy approximately 10,406 square feet of office space at 85 Union.

Powers Hill Design LLC, a civil engineering firm, plans to sign a five-year lease for 1,800 square feet in Brinkley Plaza at 80 Monroe.

Sache Design at 525 S. Main St. has submitted a retail incentive application. The owner, Eric Evans, is asking for a retail forgivable loan for $40,000 and a $22,000 façade grant.

His plans for Sache Design are for a designer apparel store for men, women and children. Evans is a design apparel producer and a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design.

The meeting will be at 9 a.m. at 114 N. Main St.

– Tom Wilemon

Junior Achievement Needs Votes for Grant

Junior Achievement of Memphis, a member of the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people to succeed through entrepreneurship and financial literacy, has been selected to participate in the Sam’s Club Giving Made Simple campaign.

The selection means Junior Achievement has a chance to win a $1 million grant.

Giving Made Simple is an online voting campaign in which Sam’s Club members and associates will determine how the company will allocate $4 million in charitable contributions.

The grants will go to eight nonprofit organizations that support programs dedicated to small-business development.

The campaign runs through May 2. The winners will be announced May 4.

– Tom Wilemon

MED to Buy Skin Graft Equipment

The MED Foundation board of directors has approved the purchase of five new dermatomes for the Firefighters Regional Burn Center’s operating room.

Surgeons use the instruments to obtain skin from burn victims for skin grafts. The new instruments will replace old ones.

The cost of the five new dermatomes is $48,675.

The MED Foundation uses donations to purchase advanced medical equipment and train front-line staff. Gifts can be made online by visiting www.themedfoundation.org/donation.

– Tom Wilemon

Wi-Fi Now Available At All Libraries

The Memphis-Shelby County library system has completed a two-year project to make all its locations Wi-Fi hotspots.

The hotspots were part of the library’s $1.5 million network infrastructure upgrade.

Previously, Wi-Fi was available at only five libraries. With the new system, the speed is faster – 54 mbps (megabits per second) versus 11 mbps.

The service is free of charge. Laptops and other devices will require compliant wireless network cards to access the system.

– Tom Wilemon

Chamber Launches New Voting Website

The Greater Memphis Chamber has launched a new website, www.VoteForMemphis.com, to increase civic engagement and participation in politics and legislation.

The site will feature links to local, state and federal voting requirements, downloadable registration forms, information on standing officials and candidates running for office and current election issues.

The website also will feature spotlight issues as determined by the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Review Committee and legislative agenda with a call to action for citizens to voice their opinions by contacting officials directly.

The “Voter Resources” section of the site will include a listing of all elected officials specific to their district with links to official websites and contact information, as well as listings for current elections, facts about the candidates and voter registration information.

Visitors will be able to download educational resources, such as government organizational charts and qualification guides, for all Tennessee elected officials.

– Taylor Shoptaw

Bredesen Calls on Ramsey To Focus Less on Politics

Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen wants Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey to worry more about his legislative priorities than his political aspirations.

Bredesen told reporters after a prayer breakfast in Nashville on Tuesday that “while the Legislature’s here, I need a little more Ron Ramsey the speaker than Ron Ramsey the gubernatorial candidate.”

Ramsey, a Blountville auctioneer, is among three Republicans seeking to succeed the term-limited governor.

Ramsey has spoken out against Bredesen’s plan to lift the state’s sales tax cap on big-ticket items to bridge an $85 million budget gap.

Ramsey has said that Republicans are working to craft their alternative to Bredesen’s revenue measure by the end of this week.

A campaign spokeswoman didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

– The Associated Press

DUI Ignition Device Bill Passes State Senate

A proposal that would require people convicted of drunken driving to have ignition locks installed in their vehicles has passed the state Senate.

The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Mae Beavers of Mt. Juliet was approved 31-0 Monday evening.

The proposal would allow a person arrested with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 to get a so-called “interlock license.”

Under the legislation, a person who registers 0.08 would be able to apply for such a license, instead of being issued a restricted license, which would allow the individual to only go certain places.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Tennessee supports a stricter bill that would mandate that a person with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 get a device. That measure is alive in the House, but has stalled in the Senate.

– The Associated Press

State House OKs Naming I-40 Segement After Hayes

The state House has unanimously approved a measure to name a stretch of Interstate 40 in Shelby County after legendary soul singer Isaac Hayes.

The bill sponsored by Jimmy Nafeih, D-Covington, passed on a 94-0 vote Monday.

Hayes, whose “Theme From Shaft” won Academy and Grammy awards, died in 2008.

He was raised in Tipton County but also had a home in Memphis.

– The Associated Press