Six Permits Issued For Memphis Airport

Six building permits have been granted to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority to begin work on the airport’s $121 million ground transportation center. The city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement issued the permits earlier this week.

Memphis International Airport, whose formal address is 2491 Winchester Road, is building a seven-story facility that will house rental car services on the lower two levels and 4,500 parking spaces for passengers on the top five levels.

The center, to be built over the parking lot in front of the airport, will be connected to the main terminal with an 840-foot series of covered moving sidewalks.

Airport vice president of operations John Greaud said construction crews mobilized on the property Monday and were ready to begin. The project should be completed by spring 2012, if not sooner, Greaud said.

The Flintco Cos. Inc. is general contractor for the project. Flintco in December was awarded an $89.5 million contract to complete the bulk of the center’s construction.

The facility also will incur about $30 million in costs outside the construction contract, such as the completion of a temporary parking lot, roadway improvements and construction management.

The architectural designer of record for the ground transportation center is Walker Parking Consultants, while Looney Ricks Kiss Architects completed conceptual drawings and Self Tucker Architects Inc. is responsible for construction drawings.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

– Eric Smith

County Pension Fund Sees Slight Drop

The value of Shelby County’s pension fund slipped a little in January, with the month’s 1.8 percent decrease breaking a six-month streak of gains.

However, the value of the $831.5 million retirement system in January was still almost 30 percent higher than where it was in January 2009, which was the year the fund clawed its way back from steep losses in 2008.

David Pontius, manager of pension investments for Shelby County, said he couldn’t point to one dominant factor that contributed to January’s small drop, but said the fund is still well positioned for continued gains.

– Andy Meek

Southwest Receives $250K Construction Grant

Southwest Tennessee Community College has received a $250,000 donation from Follett Higher Education Group to go toward the construction of a new building.

The money will be spent on the first phase of the Nursing, Natural Sciences and Biotechnology facility to be built on the Union Avenue campus. The Southwest Foundation is engaged in a capital campaign to raise $16.75 million to build the new 74,000-square-foot building.

The Follett Higher Education Group is part of River Grove, Ill.-based Follett Corp., which was founded in 1873.

Follett is a $2.7 billion, privately held company that provides products, services and solutions to the educational marketplace.

– Tom Wilemon

Bill Clarifies Gun Rights Of Inmate Coordinators

Inmate relations coordinators in Tennessee would have the same gun-carrying privileges as correctional officers under a measure headed to the governor for his consideration.

The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Ken Yager of Harriman passed 28-1 Monday. The companion bill was approved by the House 94-0 last legislative session.

Current law allows correctional officers authorized to carry a firearm to do so anywhere in Tennessee whether they’re on duty or off duty, with certain exceptions. Yager’s proposal extends the same rights to inmate relations coordinators, who have the same duties as correctional officers, except they also do counseling.

Gov. Phil Bredesen is expected to review the legislation once it reaches his desk.

– The Associated Press

CASA Seeks Help With Grant For Kids

CASA of Memphis & Shelby County is asking people to visit www.refresheverything.com/memphiscasa to help the organization secure a $50,000 grant from Pepsi’s Refresh Everything competition.

Grants are awarded based on the number of votes an idea receives on the Refresh Everything Web site.

CASA provides trained volunteers to be advocates for abused and neglected children who go through the court system.

“The money will be used to ensure safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children in Memphis,” said Amber Norris, director of development for CASA.

The budget for the $50,000 grant is available for people to see when they access the Web site. People visiting the site can vote once daily until March 31, Norris said.

– Tom Wilemon