City of Memphis Election Activity Picks Up

There could be a familiar name in the open race for Memphis City Court Clerk on the October ballot.

Just weeks after incumbent clerk Thomas Long announced he would not run for another term, his son, Thomas Long II, pulled a qualifying petition for the race.

The filing deadline for candidates in the races for Memphis mayor, City Council and City Court Clerk is July 16.

Going into the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, former Memphis City Schools board member Sharon Webb filed in the race for mayor. Webb ran for City Council in the 2011 Memphis elections and for Memphis mayor in the 2009 special election.

Meanwhile, community activist Mary Wilder became the first of the prospective contenders in Council District 5 to file her petition with the Shelby County Election Commission.

FedEx sales executive Philip Spinosa made it official and joined what is expected to be a growing field of formal contenders for council Super District 9 Position 2.

Jamita Swearengen, a behavioral science specialist with Shelby County Schools, has filed to run in Council District 4. And Thurston Smith and Michael Steven Moore have become the first two contenders in the race for Council District 7.

– Bill Dries

Le Bonheur Awarded $1.2 Million Federal Grant

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Le Bonheur Community Health and Well-Being in Memphis.

The grant will help fund Le Bonheur’s “Be Proud! Be Responsible! Memphis!” program, a collaboration between community centers, schools and churches working to reduce and prevent teen pregnancy.

Le Bonheur’s partnerships with organizations like the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have helped it build a reputation for teaching and discovery in Memphis and Shelby County.

– Andy Meek

Collierville Self-Storage Facility Sells for $3.7 Million

The Simply Self Storage located at 651 South Rowlett Street in Collierville has sold for $3.7 million.

SSSP South Rowlett Collierville LLC, a Delaware limited liability company based out of Los Angeles, purchased the property on June 29.

SSTN 651 South Rowlett Street was the prior owner of the property, which it bought in October 2014 for $3.9 million.

The 10-building facility sits on four acres at the southeast corner of South Rowlett Street and Cowan Road.

The 2015 tax appraisal value of the property is $2.2 million, according to the Shelby County Assessor of Property.

A $3.5 million loan was issued at the time of sale by Barclays Bank PLC, a public company registered in England and Wales. The five-year loan matures on July 6, 2020.

– Chandler Reports & Daily News Online

Varsity Spirit Honored With American Tradition Award

The National Federation of State High School Associations has selected Memphis-based Varsity Spirit as the 2015 recipient of the American Tradition Award.

The NFHS is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities, and presents the American Tradition Award to an individual, organization or company that has supported high school activities on a national level. Varsity Spirit executives accepted the award July 1 during the organization’s summer meeting in New Orleans.

The selective award isn’t given every year – Varsity Spirit is only the eighth recipient in 30 years, following companies such as T-Mobile, Kodak and the Walt Disney Co.

Varsity Spirit has been an NFHS partner since 2003, with both organizations collaborating closely on coaches’ education and writing safety rules and guidelines.

The partnership was founded on the common belief that cheerleading, dance team and other school spirit activities contribute in a significant way to the positive school climate in education-based sports. Varsity Spirit is dedicated to partnering with educators to promote school spirit and participation in cheerleading, dance and other activities.

Varsity Spirit and the NFHS also have been partners in efforts to minimize the risk of injury to all cheer and dance participants, and collaborate on the annual NFHS Spirit Rules Book.

– Don Wade

Belz Sells Building for $4 Million

Belz Enterprises and a partner have sold a Memphis office building to Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare for $4 million.

Belz Investco GP and Bico Associates GP were listed as the sellers in the transaction, which included two parcels.

The property’s address in a June 30 warranty deed is 5865 Shelby Oaks Circle. The Shelby County Assessor of Property lists an address of 5865 Summer Trees Circle that is owned by Bico Associates in care of Belz Enterprises.

The 64,294-square-foot, Class B office building was built in 1988. The assessor’s 2014 appraisal is $2 million. The building is located inside Belz’s Shelby Oaks corporate park near Interstate 40 and Sycamore View.

– Amos Maki