Conservancy Puts Up $250K For Zoo Parking Redesign

The Overton Park Conservancy is turning over $250,000 to pay half of the cost for design and engineering work on the Memphis Zoo's reconfigured and expanded parking lot.

The conservancy board approved the release of the funding to the city this week and the funding goes to the Memphis City Council Tuesday, March 21, for approval.

A zoo parking committee that includes representatives of the conservancy and the zoo as well as other citizens selected Powers Hill Design for the job of coming up with a plan for the zoo parking that will create 415 new spaces. That is expected to include some parts on the western border and northern border of the Overton Park Greensward.

The cost of the parking solution is to be shared by the zoo and the conservancy.

The conservancy anticipates Powers Hill should have specific plans for the parking area as well as cost estimates by the fall.

Eric Barnes, publisher of The Daily News, is on the Overton Park Conservancy board. He did not participate in the reporting or editing of this story.

– Bill Dries

Special Election Set For May 25 in Lakeland

Voters in Lakeland go to the polls May 25 to fill a vacancy on the city’s board of commissioners.

The Shelby County Election Commission set the date for the election on Wednesday, March 15, with early voting running May 5-20.

Contenders for the commission seat vacated by Michele Dial earlier this month can begin picking up qualifying petitions, with a noon April 13 filing deadline.

The nonpartisan election is the third special election in 2017 – the special primary and general elections for state House District 95 are set for April 27 and June 15, respectively, following the February resignation of Republican state Rep. Mark Lovell.

The only regularly scheduled election in 2017 is a set of alderman races in Arlington.

– Bill Dries

Grizzlies Seek Assist With Hoops for St. Jude

The Memphis Grizzlies, led by St. Jude ambassadors Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, will campaign for Hoops for St. Jude throughout March in order to raise awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the Grizz Assists for St. Jude campaign.

The campaign runs from March 15-31 through the PLEDGE IT platform – supporters are asked to place a dollar amount on each recorded Grizzlies team assist during games through March 31, resulting in an overall performance-based donation.

Currently, the Grizzlies are averaging more than 20 assists per game. Conley and Gasol tipped off the campaign with some friendly competition, pledging to each donate $25 per team assist recorded. Campaign supporters are asked to pledge 10 cents, 50 cents, $1, $5 or another amount and can pledge under Team Mike or Team Marc.

The total of all pledges made per assist will then be applied directly to the total amount of team assists to create one donation to St. Jude.

Fans can register their pledges at https://pledgeit.org/grizzlies. Fans who wish to pledge under Team Mike may do so at https://pledgeit.org/grizzlies/@mike-conley while Team Marc fans can pledge at https://pledgeit.org/grizzlies/@marc-gasol.

After each game, supporters will receive an email updating them on their current amount owed, with the opportunity to edit or cancel the pledge.

For those fans attending a home game during the Grizzlies Hoops for St. Jude Challenge, they can test their shooting skills outside of Section 228 on the Terrace Level of FedExForum and pay $5 to participate in two rounds of shooting.

The nightly high scorer from the remaining home games in March will receive an autographed basketball from either Mike Conley or Marc Gasol.

Fans can also join the Grizzlies in supporting St. Jude by participating in auctions during all home games throughout the month, featuring items like a suite in FedExForum for the first home game in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs; two floor seats to the first two playoff home games; autographed jerseys and more.

Fans can participate in the Grizzlies’ online auctions by registering at https://e.gesture.com/events/59t/ or by texting “Grizz17” to 52182.

The online auctions will be held during three home games: March 18 (vs. San Antonio), March 29 (vs. Indiana) and March 31 (vs. Dallas).

– Don Wade

Beale Street Music Fest One of World’s Best

The Beale Street Music Festival has been named to the 2017 List of the World’s 300 Best Festivals by Everfest.

With only 105 North American festivals on the prestigious global list, the Beale Street Music Festival is joined by such major festivals as Burning Man, Coachella, Lollapalooza and SXSW among others.

The annual listing of the Best 300 Festivals in the World covers broadly diverse events such as Glastonbury (U.K.), Oktoberfest (Germany), Rosklide Festival (Denmark), Fuji Rock Festival (Japan), Rock in Rio (Brazil), and Running of the Bulls (Spain).

“It is an honor for our Beale Street Music Festival to be rated among the best festivals and events in the world, for the second year in a row,” said Memphis in May International Festival president and CEO James L. Holt in a statement. “Our dedicated staff and volunteers work hard producing a world-class event for Memphians and global visitors every year and this is a testament to their great work.”

Everfest is an online site that is all things festivals, bringing music lovers around the world together and offering discounts and other specials through a premium service offering.

– Daily News staff

Leave Your Car Home Event Slated March 22

A group of local leaders will host an event Wednesday, March 22, to explore how Memphis can secure dedicated funding that grows and improves the city’s transportation system.

The event, part of the “How To Leave Your Car at Home” series, will be facilitated by Suzanne Carlson of Innovate Memphis, Memphis Area Transit Authority commissioner Andre Gibson, Smart City Memphis’ Tom Jones and John Paul Shaffer of the Community Development Council of Greater Memphis. They will share their thoughts on moving Memphis transit forward.

The event will be held Downtown from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Loflin Yard, 7 W. Carolina Ave. Registration is free but required as space is limited.

Light refreshments will be provided.Those who arrive by transit, bike, or walking will receive a complimentary drink ticket.

– Daily News staff

Violent Crime Rate Falls, Property Crime Spikes

The violent crime rate in Memphis and across Shelby County continues to decrease, according to the latest year-to-date figures from the Memphis-Shelby Crime Commission. However, major property crimes, both in the city and countywide, increased by double digits over the same period.

The monthly report, which is based on preliminary data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Incident Based Reporting System, shows the major violent crime rate for January and February combined dipped 2.8 percent in Memphis compared to the first two months of 2016. Countywide, violent crime dropped 2.9 percent from a year ago.

Major violent crimes include murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, and the crime rate tracks the number of incidents per 100,000 residents.

Meanwhile, the crime commission’s year-to-date figures show major property crimes rose 14.6 percent in Memphis and 12.7 percent in all of Shelby County compared to a year ago.

The major property crimes category includes burglaries, vehicle thefts and other felony thefts.

The spike’s major feature was a year-over-year spike in auto thefts – up 59 percent in Shelby County and 56 percent in Memphis for the year-to-date period.

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said leaving vehicles running while unattended contributed to the spike.

“It is not only illegal by city ordinance, but also leaves you vulnerable to being a property crime vicitm,” Rallings said in a written statement.

The city’s murder rate dropped 33 percent from a year ago and the countywide murder rate dropped by the same percentage.

“The drop in major violent crime is encouraging,” said Bill Gibbons, president of the Memphis-Shelby Crime Commission and executive director of the Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis. “This is an area where we all agree steady progress is essential.”

– Bill Dries

Grizzlies’ Davis Headed Back to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned center Deyonta Davis to the Iowa Energy, the Grizzlies’ NBA Development League affiliate, on Wednesday, March 15.

Davis has appeared in six games (five starts) for the Energy this season and averaged 10 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.17 blocks in 23.7 minutes.

The 20-year-old has come off the bench in all 29 of his appearances for the Grizzlies during his rookie season and averaged 1.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6.6 minutes.

A native of Muskegon, Michigan, Davis was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the second round (31st overall) of the 2016 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Michigan State University.

His rights were then traded to the Grizzlies on draft night along with the rights to Rade Zagorac (35th) for a future first round draft pick.

– Don Wade

The Seam Expanding, Moving Headquarters

The Seam, a commodities trading and agribusiness software provider, is expanding its Memphis-area operations and moving to Southwind, the company announced Wednesday, March 15.

The company plans to open its new headquarters, located at 3400 Players Club Parkway in Southwind Office Plaza, with a ribbon cutting and open house on April 5.

The transition follows The Seam’s announcement in January that it is working with IBM and cotton industry leaders to create a blockchain-based ecosystem for global trading and field-to-fabric supply chain innovations.

“Our company continues to evolve, as technology increasingly becomes a vital part of our business strategy, and we’re excited to make this move to a modern campus,” said The Seam chairman and CEO Mark Pryor in a written statement. “To truly be successful in software, you have to understand the business problem through close collaboration. The new facility has breakout rooms and a training/classroom space that will allow us to host customers and industry partners here in Memphis on a regular basis.”

The Seam was founded by leading global agribusiness companies and specializes in commodity trading and management systems. In December 2000, it began operating the world’s first completely online, anonymous exchange for cotton trading.

Since then, The Seam has leveraged its software and application development expertise to expand into other commodity segments, including peanuts and grains, and has cleared or processed more than $8 billion through its platforms.

– Daily News staff

Tigers’ Alexander Makes AAC Weekly Honor Roll

University of Memphis pitcher Connor Alexander (Tipton-Rosemark Academy) has been named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the second time this season.

Alexander was dominant for 7 1/3 innings against Southern Illinois last weekend, allowing just one unearned run on four hits.

The junior right-hander had faced the minimum through six innings before getting into a little trouble in the seventh. Alexander would have been out of the jam if not for a two-out error that allowed a run to score.

Over his last three starts, Alexander has allowed just four earned runs in 19 2/3 innings pitched. He has struck out 18 and walked just three.

– Don Wade

Grizzlies Make Deal With Comcast Business

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed an agreement with Comcast Business that will bring a three-gigabit fiber connection to FedExForum.

Comcast Business will furnish the infrastructure to support “a host of emerging technology applications that add to the experience of attending games and events at the arena, including complimentary Wi-Fi access,” according to the cable provider.

Comcast also will supply internet and cloud-based communications services for the team’s front office.

John Walker, the Grizzlies’ executive vice president of business operations, said the agreement will allow fans to enjoy games in more innovative ways.

“This positions FedExForum as a technologically advanced arena and will dramatically improve the overall fan experience,” Walker said in a release.

In 2016, Comcast Business completed a multimillion-dollar network investment across greater Memphis, capable of delivering up to 10-gigabit speeds to local businesses.

In recent years, the company has signed deals to provide networking and communications services at several major sporting teams’ venues, including the Atlanta Braves, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers.

– Daily News staff

Portfolio Featuring Highland Row for Sale

A 13-property portfolio that includes the Highland Row mixed-use development near the University of Memphis has been put on the market for sale or recapitalization by CBRE Group Inc. on behalf of Indianapolis-based Milhaus.

The portfolio, which totals 2,345 multifamily units with 124,081 square feet of commercial space in six metro markets, is being marketed by CBRE Indianapolis senior vice president Steve LaMotte and first vice president Dane Wilson. All the properties are new or recent construction located within urban cores with high walkability scores.

Along with the 354-unit Highland Row, the portfolio includes a 291-unit property in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; a 131-unit property in Cincinnati, Ohio; a 329-unit property in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; a 93-unit property in Louisville, Kentucky; and eight properties totaling 1,147 units in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Milhaus reportedly invested $61 million in Highland Row, which is not yet fully completed.

“This portfolio spans a broad range of dynamic submarkets in metros that are still emerging,” LaMotte said. “The urban core portfolio is a rare opportunity to deploy a critical mass of capital in newly constructed, best-of-class assets.”

“We are excited for Milhaus and for investors as we bring this portfolio to market,” Milhaus CEO Tadd Miller said. “Our company has built some of the highest quality assets in the best locations in each of our cities, and we will use the proceeds from this transaction to further Milhaus’ growth and our ability to make positive change in the communities in which we live and work.”

In 2014, Milhaus acquired several vacant parcels along Highland Avenue for $4.3 million that it would eventually develop into Highland Row. The mixed-use development features several retail components, including the restaurant Char and craft brewery franchise Casual Pint.

Founded in 2010, Milhaus focuses on Class A urban, multifamily residential developments in key Tier II cities in the central U.S., Florida and the Carolinas.

– Patrick Lantrip

U of M Alumni Association To Present Awards April 1

The University of Memphis Alumni Association will present its 37th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards April 1 at the Shelby Farms FedEx Event Center.

The honorees include: Distinguished Alumnus – Jim Dean (BSET ’80), president of SeaWorld, Aquatica and Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida; Distinguished Alumni – Marvin Ellison (BBA ’89), chairman and CEO of JCPenney, and Sharyn Ellison (BBA ’89), president and founder of The Ellison Foundation; Outstanding Young Alumnus – Dr. Mario E. Brown (BS ’03, EdD ’12), manager of Leader Assessment and Development for First Horizon National Corp.; and Honorary Alumnus – Tom Shadyac, filmmaker-in-residence at the U of M.

Proceeds from the event benefit Alumni Association programming. RSVP at alumni.memphis.edu by March 27.

For more information, email alumniassociation@memphis.edu or call 901-678-2586.

– Don Wade

Dance Theatre of Harlem At Orpheum In April

Dance Theatre of Harlem is booked for a limited engagement at the Orpheum April 29 and 30, the theater announced Tuesday, March 14.

The performances will include four works: “Vessels,” “Chaconne,” “Change” and “Return.”

The Memphis dates follow a trip to the city last year by Virginia Johnson, artistic director of Dance Theatre of Harlem.

“I was struck by the vibrancy of the art scene there,” Johnson said of Memphis in a written statement. “Memphis is well-known for its music scene, but dance also has a strong presence with the dynamic Ballet Memphis and Collage Dance Collective as well as impressive dance programming in the public school system.”

– Bill Dries

Saint Francis Hits Milestone For Robotic Spine Surgery

Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis has hit a milestone in recent days with the completion of 300 minimally invasive spine surgeries using robotic technology via the Mazor Robotics Renaissance Guidance System.

That system has been used to perform thousands of procedures for a variety of spinal conditions, including scoliosis degenerative disc disease, herniated discs and other complex spinal deformity cases. Mazor is a technology that allows surgeons to perform highly accurate, state-of-the-art guided spinal surgery procedures that can improve patient outcomes and speed recovery.

Before entering the operating room, surgeons use the system to preplan the optimal surgery in a 3-D simulation of the patient’s spine. During surgery, Renaissance guides the surgeon’s hand and the tools to the precise preplanned location.

– Andy Meek

UTHSC Professor Wins Grant to Study Blood Flow

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Dr. Jonathan Jaggar a $1.5 million grant to study proteins that regulate blood pressure and flow in the body.

Jaggar is the Maury Bronstein Endowed Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. According to UTHSC, a better understanding of the ion channel functions regulating blood pressure and flow plays a fundamental role in the development of novel therapies.

Jaggar’s project is slated to be worked on through 2021.

– Andy Meek

Memphis Airport To Host Job Fair

A job fair featuring 15 different employers located within the Memphis International Airport will be held April 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the airport’s Project Center, 4225 Airways Blvd.

At the fair, job seekers will be able to learn more about the specific jobs offered and should be prepared for the possibility of an on-site interview.

Transportation Security Administration, United Ground Express, United Parcel Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air General, Delta Global Services, Lenny’s Subs, FedEx Express, HMS Host, Interstate BBQ, Paradies Lagardere, PrimeFlight Aviation Services, SP+, and Sam Adams Brewhouse will all be on hand to recruit potential employees.

– Patrick Lantrip

Agape Kids Classic May 5 at Windkye

This year’s Agape Kids Classic, sponsored by Dunbar Mechanical Contractors, will be held May 5 at noon at Windyke Country Club. The event offers a day of golf, fellowship and fun – all in support of the Agape mission to provide healthy homes for children and families in Memphis.

Register as a team of four, an individual player or event sponsor by contacting David Jordan at 901-323-3600 by April 30.

– Don Wade

Former Senses Nightclub To Be Sold in Foreclosure

The shuttered Senses nightclub on Poplar Avenue is facing foreclosure after its owners, who had planned to resurrect the once-popular nightclub, defaulted on a $1.1 million loan.

C&R Events Enterprise LLC bought the former Senses property at 2866 Poplar Ave. from Mascom Properties for $1.2 million in May 2015. The purchase included the 14,700-square-foot warehouse that housed the nightclub as well as the adjacent 134-space parking lot.

That October, C&R filed an application with the Office of Planning & Development to reopen the club, which has been vacant since the original Senses closed in April 2013 after a nine-year run.

The application to OPD stated the new owners planned to reopen the nightclub under the same name, adding that a special-use permit would be required because the original club had closed.

“There are no planned changes to the site except to restripe the parking lot,” it read.

The foreclosure is the result of C&R’s unpaid $1.1 million deed of trust with the former owners, Mascom Properties, according to a foreclosure notice that first ran in the Wednesday, March 8, edition of The Daily News. Francisco Dasilva and Rosalba Castillo signed on behalf of C&R

Trustee William P. Moss III is scheduled to auction the property March 30 at noon at the Shelby County Courthouse.

The club, which was built in 1962, was last appraised for $942,800 in 2016, according to the Shelby County Assessor.

– Patrick Lantrip

Vacation Express to Resume Nonstop Service to Cancun

Vacation Express will resume nonstop weekly service between Memphis International Airport (MEM) and Cancun International Airport (CUN) starting May 17.

The Memphis-Cancun service will be available between May 17-July 31, with most flights departing MEM on Monday and returning Sunday as part of six-night packages offered by Vacation Express. The only exception to this schedule is the inaugural 2017 flight, which will depart on a Wednesday as part of a four-day Vacation Express package.

The weekly flight to Cancun will be operated by Swift Air LLC and will feature 148-seat Boeing 737-300 planes.

“We are happy to welcome back Vacation Express and their nonstop flights to the popular vacation destination of Cancun,” said Pace Cooper, chairman of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority board. “The larger aircraft that was added last year illustrates this route’s popularity among leisure travelers.”

The inaugural flight will depart Memphis on May 17 at 11:10 a.m. and arrive in Cancun at 1:45 p.m., while the Monday flights that start May 22 will depart Memphis at 10:55 a.m. and arrive in Cancun at 1:45 p.m. All the Sunday return flights leave Cancun at 1 p.m. and arrive in Memphis at 3:45 p.m.

Flights and vacation packages are offered through vacationexpress.com or by calling 800-309-4717.

– Daily News staff

Liberty Bowl to Honor Baseball’s Tim McCarver

Former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Tim McCarver, who was the MVP of the 1964 World Series and is in the broadcast wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame, will receive the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s Distinguished Citizen Award on June 25.

McCarver was born in Memphis and was a star football and baseball player at Christian Brothers High School. He played 21 years in the majors, 12 of them with the Cardinals, and was a two-time All-Star.

As broadcaster, he has provided analysis for 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games.

McCarver was inducted into the Hall’s broadcast wing in 2012. He is entering his fourth season as an analyst on select St. Louis Cardinals telecasts on Fox Sports Midwest.

McCarver will receive his award June 25 at the Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. A cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. Live and silent auctions will be held, with 100 percent of proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Seats for the dinner are $75 each or $750 for a table of 10. To reserve one or more seats, call the AutoZone Liberty Bowl at 901-795-7700.

– Don Wade

Gaelic Football League Preparing for Kick-Off

The aptly named Gaelic Football Spring Pub League in Memphis kicks off a couple of weeks after St. Patrick’s Day on April 2 and it’s looking for new members.

Gaelic football contains elements of field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and basketball, and the spring club league is open to all, regardless of gender, fitness or skill level.

Memphis businesses that will no doubt be popular watering holes on Friday, March 17, are sponsoring league teams, including The Brass Door, Celtic Crossing, Majestic Grille and Murphy’s Public House.

Irish sports like Gaelic football and hurling have a history dating back more than 2,000 years.

Jesse Gammons, a graduate research assistant at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, was an active player in Nashville before he relocated to Memphis, where he founded the Memphis Gaelic Athletic Association club in 2015. Dermot Murray, a Memphian originally from Ireland, serves as club president; Liam Coyle, another Memphis GAA member, started a GAA society at Rhodes College, where he’s currently a student.

Gov. Bill Haslam has proclaimed March 25 Irish Sports Day in Tennessee.

Hurling teams from all over North America will travel to Nashville to compete in the Music City Invitational tournament that day.

Anyone who’s interested in giving the Memphis league a try can visit memphisgaa.com for more information and to sign up.

– Daily News staff

Workers’ Comp Bureau Gets New Memphis Judge

Jackson, Tennessee, attorney Deana Seymour is the new Memphis trial judge for the state Court of Workers' Compensation Claims.

Seymour will be sworn in April 5 as the other Memphis judge of the court, Jim Umsted, retires.

However, Seymour is filling a newly created position, meaning when Umsted’s successor is appointed, Memphis will have two workers' compensation judges.

She was appointed by Abbie Hudgens, the administrator of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation after an interview committee recommended her.

Seymour is a partner in the Jackson law firm Rainey, Kizer, Reviere and Bell PLC. She has been an attorney for 27 years, earning her law degree from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

– Bill Dries

Election Commission Offers Deputy Registrar Classes

The Shelby County Election Commission is holding deputy registrar classes this month for individuals who would like to register people to vote. The classes are free and open to the public, and people who complete the class are deputized for a one-year term as a registrar for the election commission.

Though anyone can hold a voter registration event, unless a person is a deputy registrar or a member of the election commission staff is present, the registration is not considered to be an “in-person” registration. Those who do not register in person must vote the first time in person, and are not eligible to receive an absentee ballot.

Each class will last about 90 minutes. The schedule for classes, which will be held at the SCEC Operations Center at 980 Nixon Drive, is:

• Saturday, March 18, at 10 a.m.

• Thursday, March 23, at 10 a.m.

• Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m.

There are strict guidelines for conducting voter registration. In addition to making sure people complete the voter registration applications properly, election officials are barred from partisan political activity while registering people to vote.

“A deputy registrar is charged with registering anyone who wishes to be registered; they cannot refuse to register someone from a specific political party,” Linda Phillips, administrator of elections for SCEC, said in a release.

In addition to agreeing to be party-neutral, people who want to become deputy registrars must be registered voters in Shelby County.

Those interested must register at least 24 hours in advance. For more information, email Sharon.logan@shelbycountytn.gov, or call the SCEC office at 901-222-1200.

– Daily News staff

The Bridge Newspaper Celebrates 4th Anniversary

This month marks the fourth anniversary of The Bridge, a newspaper that began in March 2013.

The Bridge vendors have collectively earned over $165,000 in paper sales, and the newspaper has scaled from a 200 monthly circulation to a 6,000-person readership in Memphis.

The Bridge is a 501c(3) student-led nonprofit operated by Rhodes students that offers job opportunities to people experiencing homelessness in Memphis. Bridge vendors buy each paper from The Bridge for $0.25 and sell it on the streets of Memphis for $1.00, keeping all of the profit. That $0.25 goes towards paper production, and the other $0.75 goes directly to the vendor.

Several vendors cite The Bridge as one of the ways that helps them afford food, utilities, transportation, schooling, and housing, according to Rhodes.

– Andy Meek

Hollywood Feed Opens 50th Location

Memphis-based Hollywood Feed recently opened its 50th location at 2220 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Duluth, Georgia. It is the second Georgia location for the holistic pet food and product retailer, which has stores across the Southeast in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas.

“Strategically expanding our reach both in number of stores and geographically has always been an integral part of our plan,” Shawn McGhee, president of Hollywood Feed, said in a release. “Carefully selecting the best markets, locations, team members and products are some of the key factors that helped us to reach this milestone in our growth. We’re honored by our success in these markets, as it is an indication of the dedication and support from customers who desire natural and holistic pet food and treat options for their pets.”

The company plans to open a handful of additional locations in the Atlanta area in the next few months, in addition to continuing to grow the brand throughout the Southeast.

The new Duluth location is approximately 2,395 square feet and offers natural and holistic pet food, treats and products – in addition to holding regular pet adoption events featuring local rescue groups. Hollywood Feed team member Suzy Ciccarello will serve as manager of the new store.

– Daily News staff

Unemployment Rises In Shelby County in January

Shelby County’s unemployment rate hit 6.3 percent in January, up a full percentage point from a year ago, according to the latest figures from the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. January’s preliminary rate also marked an increase from the December revised rate of 5.6 percent.

By comparison, Tennessee’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in January, up from 4.8 percent a year ago, while the U.S. rate was 5.1 percent, down from 5.3 percent in January 2016.

The city of Memphis’ unemployment rate reached 7 percent in January, up from 5.8 percent a year ago.

Among Tennessee’s 95 counties, Williamson County in Middle Tennessee experienced the lowest unemployment rate in January (3.9 percent), while Lake County in northwestern Tennessee had the highest (11.3 percent).

– Daily News staff