Page Confirmed As Tenn. Supreme Court Justice

The Tennessee General Assembly met in joint session Monday, Feb. 22, to approve Roger Page, of Medina, Tenn., as the newest justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Page’s confirmation was the Legislature’s first approval of a governor’s nominee for the state’s highest court under a newly enacted state law that gives the Legislature confirmation power over all appellate court appointees.

Tennessee voters approved an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution in 2014 establishing the confirmation power. But the Legislature just approved a specific process for confirmation in this year’s session of the General Assembly.

Page comes to the Tennessee Supreme Court from the state Court of Criminal Appeals.

– Bill Dries

Memphis Chamber to Host ‘State of Small Business’

The Greater Memphis Chamber and its Small Business Council are hosting a State of Small Business event next week at the Crescent Club.

The goal of the March 1 event, from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., will be to share expert advice on the resources small-business owners can access to succeed, and also to hear from seasoned small-business owners about their experiences.

The speaker lineup includes Greater Memphis Chamber president and CEO Phil Trenary; Duncan-Williams Inc. president Duncan Williams; Independent Bank co-chairman and president Susan Stephenson; Chism Hardy Investments LLC president and CEO Carolyn Hardy; EPIcenter president Leslie Smith; Clarion Security president Kim Heathcott; and Rory Thomas, executive director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center.

The event is $35 for members and $40 for prospective members. To register, contact Lauren Loeb at lloeb@memphischamber.com or visit memphischamber.com. 

– Andy Meek

ESPN Picks Up March 9 Grizz Game, Drops Another

The NBA has announced that the scheduled start time for the March 9 contest between the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston has been changed to 6 p.m. CST and that the game has been added to the ESPN broadcast schedule. 

The game will not be shown on Fox Sports Southeast.

Also, the March 14 matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets no longer will be televised by ESPN and instead will be broadcast on Fox Sports Southeast at the scheduled start time of 7 p.m. 

– Don Wade

FedEx St. Jude Classic Tickets Now on Sale

The annual PGA Tour stop, the FedEx St. Jude Classic, returns to Memphis on June 6-12 at TPC Southwind, and tickets are now on sale.

Defending champion Fabian Gomez is expected to return to Memphis. Last year he held off Phil Mickelson to win the title. Since then, Gomez has won the Sony Open and currently is in the Top 10 of the FedEx Cup standings.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 901-748-0534, or by going to stjudeclassic.com. 

– Don Wade

Centric Network to Sponsor 20th Sisterhood Showcase 

The Sisterhood Showcase has landed a national media sponsor in advance of the 20th annual event, scheduled for June 9-12 at Memphis Cook Convention Center.

Viacom-owned cable network Centric, the sister network to BET (Black Entertainment Television), will secure celebrities and entertainment for the showcase, and will capture key events for rebroadcast later.

This year’s event has expanded to four days and a variety of events. As in past years, the expo – scheduled for June 11-12 – will feature entertainment, celebrity appearances, workshops, health screenings and plenty of shopping.

Other highlighted events include the June 9 “Sip & Share” panel discussion, featuring local and national guests addressing controversial and contemporary issues; the June 10 Empowerment Awards Luncheon, saluting 20 women who have made a difference in the Memphis community over the past two decades; a 20th anniversary party on June 11; and a worship service on June 12.

Tickets go on sale March 1. Visit thesisterhoodshowcase.com.

– Kate Simone