New Program Aims to Help Homeless, Reduce Blight

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and the Hospitality HUB are partnering on a program that seeks to help homeless individuals by providing opportunities to clean up blight and litter in the city.

The program, which was announced Wednesday, Sept. 14, is modeled after a partnership in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It will be administered by the Hospitality HUB, a nonprofit hospitality, counseling and resource center for the homeless.

Under the partnership, the Hospitality HUB will transport job-seeking panhandlers to cleanup sites throughout the city twice a week, where they will work to reduce urban blight. Workers are provided with food, a day’s wages ($9 an hour), and additional services and counseling as needed.

The partnership will start as a pilot program this fall, with plans to make it permanent in the coming years. It is budgeted at $140,000 this year. Much of the funding will come from the city’s Division of Public Works. Donations from the Downtown Memphis Commission and the

Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau are helping fund the initiative, and the Hospitality HUB is also working with First Presbyterian Church and Calvary Episcopal Church.

The goal is to sustain the program in coming years using private support. Those wishing to support the initiative can visit ioby.org/project/work to make a donation.

– Daily News staff

Memphis Airport Receives $2.4M Emissions Grant

The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority has received a $2.4 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Voluntary Airport Low Emissions program to support initiatives to reduce airport emissions.

“As the FedEx ‘Super Hub,’ Memphis International Airport is the second-busiest cargo airport in the world,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in a statement. “This federal funding will help ensure that the airport can continue serving travelers comfortably and cargo efficiently while protecting our environment for Memphians who live nearby.”

– Madeline Faber

Ikea Finishes Installing Solar Panel Roof

Ikea has completed construction on the solar panel roof at its Memphis store. Once the store opens this fall, it will house the state’s largest rooftop array under commission.

The store’s 250,675-square-foot solar array consists of 4,424 panels that produce 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity, which is enough to provide electricity for 205 homes annually.

Ikea worked with Atlanta-based Hannah Solar in the solar array’s development, design and installation. Linkous Construction is handling the site work and construction of the 7900 Ikea Way location. The Ikea Memphis location marks Ikea’s 44th solar project in the U.S., contributing to a total generation goal of more than 40 megawatts.

– Madeline Faber

20 Tigers Basketball Games To Be Televised Nationally

The 2016-17 Memphis men’s basketball season, the first under new head coach Tubby Smith, will feature 20 games played on national television, including one on CBS, four on ESPN/ESPN2, four on ESPNU, four on ESPNews, and seven on CBS Sports Network.

The first nationally televised game of the season will be on Nov. 25 in Destin, Fla., when the Tigers take on Providence on CBS Sports Network in the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic.

The program’s game on CBS follows on Dec. 17 when Memphis travels to Oklahoma to play the Sooners. The Tigers have four ESPN/ESPN2 flex games, including Jan. 5 against UConn, Feb. 16 at UConn, Feb. 23 at Cincinnati and March 4 at SMU.

– Don Wade

COGIC, First Tennessee To Offer Financial Counseling

The Church of God in Christ’s world headquarters at Mason Temple in Memphis will soon be home to free financial literacy counseling for consumers, small business leaders and entrepreneurs, courtesy of First Tennessee Bank.

First Tennessee will provide a full-time, on-site Operation HOPE financial counselor who will offer seminars and one-on-one counseling on credit and money management for consumers and entrepreneurial training for startup small businesses. The counselor will be available to COGIC congregation members and the public at the Lelia Mason Museum on the grounds of the Mason Temple.

Hours will be established in partnership with the church, and the workshops and counseling sessions will begin in early 2017. First Tennessee has made a four-year commitment to provide the financial counseling.

– Andy Meek

Taylor to Head Beale Street Merchants Association

The new director of the Beale Street Merchants Association will also work for Caissa Public Strategy in a partnership between the marketing firm and the merchants in the entertainment district.

Ken Taylor was named the new director on Monday, Sept. 12, by the board of the organization that includes tenants and business owners on Beale.

Taylor has led political and advocacy campaigns locally and nationally. He’s served as director of operations at a local charter school and as a state training education manager.

“A strong Beale Street helps ensure a strong Memphis,” Taylor said in a statement. “More than 5 million people visit Beale each year, and I look forward to working with the merchants and all of their partners to ensure that everyone who comes to Beale has an exciting, enjoyable and safe experience.”

For Caissa, this position means continued growth of their leadership team and increased involvement in the community.

“We at Caissa are excited to grow our relationship with the Beale Street Merchants Association,” said Caissa Public Strategy CEO Brian J. Stephens. “With Ken’s leadership and stop-at-nothing drive, we look forward to seeing him do all that it takes to continue to see Beale Street prosper and thrive.”

– Bill Dries

Phillips Recording Service Recognized on Anniversary

Sam Phillips Recording Service is getting a statewide shout-out this weekend on the 56th anniversary of its opening.

Halley Phillips, granddaughter of the Sun Studio founder and current producer/partner of Sam Phillips Recording Service, was presented a proclamation issued by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam this week recognizing the business statewide on Saturday, Sept. 17

As owner and founder of Memphis Recording Service and Sun Studio, Phillips recorded, produced and helped launch the careers of artists Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, B.B. King and others. From Memphis Recording Service/Sun Studio, Phillips founded Sun Records and in 1960 opened his namesake recording studio on Madison Avenue.

In recent weeks it was announced the Phillips family will partner with Graceland to include a Sam Phillips exhibit in the $45 million “Elvis: Past, Present and Future” entertainment complex that’s replacing Graceland Plaza.

The Phillips family also announced a partnership between Sam Phillips Recording Service and FAME Studios for a Charlie Rich tribute album slated for release this fall.

– Daily News staff