Baptist-Tipton Buys 12.1 Acres in G'town

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton has bought three parcels of vacant land near Wolf River Boulevard in Germantown from three sellers for a total of nearly $8.3 million.

The sellers and sales prices are Westco Development #33 LLC, $4.9 million; WMT Germantown GP, $1.8 million; and Merchants and Farmers Bank, $1.6 million.

All the parcels are near the northeast intersection of South Germantown Road and Wolf River Boulevard. Baptist’s purchase from Westco is a 7.8-acre parcel on the east side of the dead end of Wolf Trail Cove, with a portion of the parcel fronting Wolf River Boulevard. The Shelby County Assessor of Property’s 2011 appraisal is $3.6 million. The purchase from WMT Germantown is 2.8 acres adjacent to the west of the 7.8-acre parcel, on the south side of the dead end of Wolf Trail Cove. The assessor’s 2011 appraisal is $1.6 million. The purchase from Merchants and Farmers Bank is a 1.5-acre parcel adjacent to the north of the 7.8-acre parcel, with the south side of the parcel fronting Wolf Trail Cove. The assessor’s 2011 appraisal is $1.1 million.

Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports

– Daily News staff

Former St. Jude CEO Simone to Lead Baptist Cancer Ctr.

Dr. Joseph V. Simone, former CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and former physician-in-chief at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York, will serve as medical director of Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp.’s new comprehensive cancer center, slated to open in 2013 in the Wolf River medical corridor in Germantown.

Simone spent 24 years at St. Jude, where he was part of the team that developed the first curative treatment for childhood leukemia.

The state of Tennessee in August approved a $65 million certificate of need for Baptist to build the center, which the health care system said will be the first of its kind in the area and will allow Baptist to consolidate many existing cancer services under one roof. The center will include physicians’ offices; a large diagnostic area and radiation oncology space; chemotherapy and infusion services; a stem cell transplant area; tumor registry; and an interdisciplinary clinic.

– Aisling Maki

Memphis Cos. Chosen for Investment Program

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Bank of America have selected five Memphis-based companies among the participants in their annual Inner City Capital Connections program: Amnesty Professional Services; AVPOL International LLC; CDA Inc.; Ewing Moving Service and Storage; and Y&W Technologies.

The program this year received a record-setting 3,200 company nominations from across the country and selected 125 for participation. Each company was selected for the program because of its strong growth potential and commitment to the inner city.

ICCC, co-founded with Bank of America, increases the financial sophistication of inner-city entrepreneurs and introduces them to capital providers. To do this, the program offers selected companies Web-based training workshops; a daylong information session on equity and other forms of growth financing; and an innovative one-day event that directly connects them with investors to make pitches and discuss opportunities.

The meetings with potential investors will be held Thursday, Nov. 10, at the headquarters of Fortune magazine.

– Sarah Baker

SRVS Nominees Receive Disability Awards

SRVS personnel received Community Recognition awards at the Arc Mid-South’s 16th Annual Arc Gala.

Beverly Shaw, SRVS’ community living director, received the Professional Achievement Award.

Tim Anderson, who currently works as an employee at Pizza Hut through SRVS’ Employment Concepts Program, received the Empowerment Award given to individuals with disabilities who have maintained a positive attitude in achieving their goals.

Robert Lipscomb, executive director of the Memphis Housing Authority and the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development, received the Humanitarian Award.

In addition, SRVS executive director Jeffrie Bruton was named Executive Director of the Year at the Tennessee Community Organizations Annual Awards of Excellence.

SRVS board member Laura Tumminello received the Volunteer of the Year Award.

SRVS direct support professional Mitchico Burkley won the Outstanding DSP Award.

Shaw won the Outstanding Manager Award, and Anderson won the Individual Achievement Award.

The SRVS Public Relations and Development Department was awarded the Community Outreach Award – Publications Category for its annual report designed and written by SRVS public relations manager Diana Fedinec.

– Taylor Shoptaw

Memphis Animal Shelter Begins Transition

The city of Memphis begins this week a transition from its old animal shelter to its new one.

The last day of operation at the current shelter on Tchulahoma Road is Thursday, Nov. 10, with the new shelter at 2350 Appling City Cove slated to open Nov. 15.

Until then, the old shelter will wind down operations with shorter business hours: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, and Saturday, Nov. 5, for owner reclamations and owner surrenders only.

The shelter will be closed Sunday and Monday in keeping with its normal hours.

When the shelter opens Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the week, shelter volunteers will handle owner reclamations only, open from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Field operations will be limited starting Monday, Nov. 7, when animal control officers will respond to Memphis Police Department calls only. The ACOs will resume responding to calls from the public about loose or stray animals Nov. 15.

Any animals impounded during the interim period to Nov. 15 will be held until the new shelter opens, and all fees or other costs for housing the animals during that time will be waived.

Animals from the old shelter will be transferred to the new shelter during the interim period unless they have a medical condition that prevents their transfer.

A grand opening ceremony is planned for Nov. 22.

– Bill Dries

33rd Orpheum Auction Scheduled for Nov. 12

The Orpheum Theatre will host its 33rd Annual Auction Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include cocktails, a buffet and live and silent auctions for more than $450,000 in merchandise.

Highlights of this year’s auction include a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, art, jewelry, antiques, certificates to Memphis restaurants and vacation packages.

The auction also will feature a “Raffle for Arts” drawing for which the grand prize is a professionally restored 1965 Mustang Coupe with an appraised value of $30,000. Guests can also enter for the chance to win a 3D TV package, Orpheum Broadway season tickets and more.

The event, sponsored in part by Sedgwick CMS, is the Orpheum’s largest fundraising effort. Proceeds will go toward the new Orpheum Performing Arts and Leadership Center.

Tickets are $100 per person and are available online and at The Orpheum Theatre box office, 525-3000. To RSVP or make donations, contact Holli Kenney at 529-4230.

– Andy Meek

MasterSingers, Symphony to Perform at Evergreen

MasterSingers Chorale and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra will perform Sunday, Nov. 6, at 3:30 p.m. at Evergreen Presbyterian Church, 613 University St.

Featuring violinist Susanna Perry Gilmore, bass-baritone Laurence Albert and conductor William Skoog, the orchestra and choir will perform “The Singing Rooms” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and Springfield Lecturer Jennifer Higdon, as well as “Memorial” by Rene Clausen, written in memory of the victims of 9/11. Higdon will be in attendance.

The concert is sponsored by the Mike Curb Institute of Music and the Springfield Lecture Series at Rhodes College.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University communities. Admission is free for students with ID.

– John Lintner