California Court Delays Extradition Hearing for Sherra Wright

A Riverside, California, judge delayed an extradition hearing Monday, Dec. 18, for Sherra Wright, indicted by a Shelby County grand jury in the 2010 murder of her husband, Lorenzen Wright.

Sherra Wright was arrested on the superseding indictment in Riverside Friday evening.

She and Billy Turner of Collierville, who was arrested at a Collierville convenience store earlier this month, are accused of first-degree murder, conspiracy and attempted first-degree murder in the July 2010 death of the University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies basketball star.

Sherra Wright made a brief appearance at the extradition hearing in a wheelchair before the judge delayed the matter so her medical condition could be reviewed by doctors.

– Bill Dries

Former Benchmark Hotel Set for Redevelopment

The owner of the former Benchmark Hotel at Union Avenue and South B.B. King Boulevard appears ready to move forward on the redevelopment of the partially gutted five-story hotel.

MNR Hospitality LLC, an affiliate of Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based Epiq Hotels Inc., has filed a $600,100 building permit application with construction code officials to renovate the 103,000-square-foot structure at 164 Union.

The application comes three months after signage went up along the hotel’s exterior stating the property would be redeveloped as a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott with a scheduled opening in 2019. The signage lists Cleveland Construction as the contractor and Pinnacle South as the project’s financier.

MNR bought the 124-room Benchmark in December 2012 for $3.2 million from RHG Memphis Hotel Inc. Last year, the company began demolishing the nearly 60-year-old building before running into financing issues that stalled the project.

The hotel, which closed in 2011, is situated on half an acre on the north side of Union west of South B.B. King. The Shelby County Assessor appraised it at $1.4 million this year.

– Daily News staff

Dave & Buster’s Opening Near Wolfchase in February

Dave & Buster’s is planning to open its 107th location in Memphis in February, in space that formerly housed a Sports Authority store in The Commons of Wolfcreek shopping center.

The Dallas-based restaurant, which is part adult-oriented arcade and part restaurant and had previously expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2017, is looking to make more than 230 hires for the location. Positions are available in both front- and back-of-house capacities, including servers, bartenders, hosts, line cooks and game techs, among others.

The new Dave & Buster’s will bring more than 43,000 square feet of entertainment and will offer chef-crafted food, innovative cocktails, hundreds of the latest arcade games and a state-of-the-art sports bar filled with dozens of high-definition TVs.

The Commons of Wolfcreek sits across Germantown Parkway from Wolfchase Galleria mall and houses tenants that include Target, Old Navy and Best Buy, among others.

– Andy Meek

Tigers WR Miller Adds Another All-America Award

University of Memphis senior wide receiver Anthony Miller added to his list of accolades with a first-team All-America nod from the American Football Coaches Association. Miller was also named the winner of the Paul Warfield Award, awarded by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to college football’s top receiver. The award, named for Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Warfield, is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. Previous winners of the award include Amari Cooper, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss.

A graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Miller will leave as the Tigers’ all-time leading receiver after walking on to the roster. He will leave with receiving records in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in all three categories: single game, single season and career. In 37 career games, Miller has 234 catches for 3,535 yards and 36 touchdowns.

In 2017, he has 92 catches, three off his own single season record from last season, for 1,407 yards and 17 touchdowns. His 1,407 receiving yards is second in the country, as are his 17 receiving touchdowns and his 117.3 yards per game receiving.

Miller’s list of All-America honors: AFCA, first team; Associated Press, first team; ESPN, first team; Football Writers Association, second team; Sports Illustrated, second team; and The All-American, first team.

– Don Wade

Remodeling Business Signs Lease Near Memphis Airport

King Chow, doing business as Stone Gallery Inc., has signed a three-year lease for 15,000 square feet 3345 One Place, near Memphis International Airport.

The lease became effective Dec. 1.

NAI Saig Co. executive vice president Brian Califf represented both the tenant and the landlord, Plaza Partners.

Stone Gallery Inc. specializes in the remodeling of kitchens, bathrooms, cabinets and granite appliances.

– Patrick Lantrip

BankTennessee Makes Promotion, New Hire

Corey Porta has been hired as assistant vice president and commercial loan officer at BankTennessee, working out of the Downtown Memphis office.

Porta has been in the financial services industry for several years and most recently served as business relationship manager at Iberiabank in Memphis and First Advantage Bank in Franklin, Tennessee.

The BankTennessee office in Downtown Memphis is located at 30 N. Second St. at Court Square.

Meanwhile, Mark Harris has been promoted to branch manager at the bank’s East Memphis office. He received a promotion to assistant vice president earlier this year.

Prior to joining BankTennessee, Harris was vice president and branch manager with First Alliance Bank. From February 2011 through April 2012, Mark served in Afghanistan as a mechanical tech for The Aim Group.

The East Memphis office is located at 5540 Poplar Ave. at Yates Road.

– Andy Meek

SPM Real Estate Joins Weichert Network

Arlington-based SPM Real Estate has joined Weichert Real Estate Affiliates Inc., becoming the 19th Weichert affiliate in Tennessee. The agency, owned by Harry and Missy Spore, is now named Weichert Realtors – SPM.

As part of the Weichert franchise network, the Spores’ team can take advantage of the company’s training programs, starting with a three-day in-office session next month to familiarize agents with the Weichert business approach. The Arlington affiliate also will be eligible to receive sales leads from the Weichert call center to help grow its local market share.

“Weichert just had the right management systems and back-end support needed to grow our company and help our agents achieve new levels of real estate success,” said Missy Spore. “Joining Weichert means we don’t have to reinvent the wheel to give our agents the necessary tools to thrive in this industry.”

Weichert Realtors – SPM, like all Weichert affiliates, is independently owned and operated. The office serves the Memphis metro area.

– Daily News staff

Songwriter Drops Bid for Blackburn’s US House Seat

Tennessee songwriter Lee Thomas Miller is dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination to succeed Rep. Marsha Blackburn in Congress.

Miller announced Monday he was ending his 7th District campaign about a month after launching it because running for office was causing him to “compromise” himself.

Miller is a three-time Grammy nominee who has written songs for Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Jamey Johnson and Chris Stapleton.

Blackburn is giving up her House seat representing suburban Nashville to run for the U.S. Senate.

State Sen. Mark Green of Ashland City is the only other Republican so far to file to run in the 7th District.

Green earlier this year withdrew as President Donald Trump’s nominee for Army secretary amid bipartisan opposition, and later ended his gubernatorial bid.

– The Associated Press