Month: December 2012

Lists, Outdoors/Parks, Quality of Life, TourismLeave a comment

CA calls 2012 the Year of the Bicycle for Memphis

soulcityusa

Truly, Memphis has accomplished a lot in improving the quality of life for its residents the past three or four years.  There is no better example than the biking and running infrastructure. A couple of highlights from the Commercial Appeal article:  1) increase from 103 miles of lanes to 161 miles; 2) linking of the Memphis and Germantown Wolf River greenways; 3) two funding grants to extend biking infrastructure a) west to Arkansas across the Harahan Bridge, and b) east 4.3 miles to the old Cordova train station. This reflects a regional resolve to improve options for residents to become … Continue reading CA calls 2012 the Year of the Bicycle for Memphis

Quality of LifeLeave a comment

Nashville halts West Tennessee highway project

soulcityusa

The Tennessee capital quietly halted a highway project for the western section of the state, citing funding problems.  Apparently the state did not feel it deemed the funding that other projects closer to the capital received. “… the Tennessee segment of proposed Interstate 69 from Memphis north to South Fulton on the Kentucky border has been quietly put on hold by state officials. They say the project would divert too much of Tennessee’s annual highway budget into a single project and that it won’t proceed until the federal government dedicates more money to the project.” This is in contrast to … Continue reading Nashville halts West Tennessee highway project

Bio/Science, Companies/Startups, Funding, Startups, Uncategorized2 Comments

Agricenter International establishes a bio-science milestone with sorghum

soulcityusa

This is great news about a local research company in agri-science, Delta BioRenewables.  From the Daily News: “Earlier this month, workers at the Delta BioRenewables plant at Agricenter International loaded a commercial-sized batch of the processed sugar juice from crushed sweet sorghum stalks into a commercial tanker truck. … Agricenter is one end of a pipeline that includes research in sorghum hybrids. … “Corn was at about 30 or 40 bushels an acre in 1940 and because of all of the innovation with hybrids and breeding, we’re at about 250 to 300 bushels as the high now,” Nelson said. “We’re … Continue reading Agricenter International establishes a bio-science milestone with sorghum

Lists, Quality of Life, Restaurants, Tourism1 Comment

Memphis on restaurant “best of” lists

soulcityusa

Har-har.  Business Journal is so funny and clever with its title:  Memphis restaurants pepper ‘best of’ lists in 2012 “It’s beginning to look a lot like end-of-the-year rankings season, and three Memphis restaurants have been named on two separate ‘best of’ lists. First, Restaurant Iris was named on a list of the 100 best restaurants in the U.S. as one of OpenTable’s 2012 Diners’ Choice winners. … On another ranking, Aldo’s Pizza Pies and Double J Smokehouse both were named to Urbanspoon’s list of the 50 most popular new restaurants in America in 2012. ….” Continue reading Memphis on restaurant “best of” lists

By Memphis Companies, COMPANIES, Expansions, Headquarters, In MemphisLeave a comment

Belated IP post

soulcityusa

News in recent weeks about Internationl Paper:  First, they announced they will not just remain in the region, but remain in Memphis, at their current location at Park and Massey.  Second, they will build a fourth “tower” at their headquarters.  This was brought into play in the wake of IP’s purchase of an Austin, TX based company. From the Business Journal: International Paper to build $90 million office tower, bring 101 new jobs to Memphis “The details are finally clear: International Paper Co. is planning to build a $90.2 million, 235,000-square-foot tower at 6430 Poplar Ave. in East Memphis. … … Continue reading Belated IP post

-Eries (Brew/Wine/Distill), COMPANIES, Cultural Attractions, Quality of Life, Shelby County, TourismLeave a comment

New winery planned for area

soulcityusa

A second area winery may be on the way for Memphis, this time in Lakeland.  The region could definitely use more of these.  With the water quality and quaint, rural terrain, I’m surprised there aren’t more wineries and breweries around.  Seems like that is changing, with a second winery and word of a second microbrew. From the Daily News: “Delta Blues Winery LLC has paid $165,000 for 15 acres at 6495 Stewart Road in Lakeland to establish a winery at the location. … The group, which is involved with the Crown Winery in Humboldt, Tenn., said it will build a … Continue reading New winery planned for area

COMPANIES, Expansions, Lists, Quality of Life, TourismLeave a comment
soulcityusa

The Daily News has an article that highlights recent praise heaped upon Memphis — National Geographic Traveler, Trip Advisor, and a claim made to Memphis Chamber CEO John Moore that “no other communities that have attracted as many advanced manufacturing wins as Memphis has in recent years.” Memphis Daily News:  Positive national attention and local chamber efforts cap 2012 “There’s something newly electric in the air. That’s how the editors of National Geographic Traveler describe Memphis, putting the city in the category of 20 must-see places in 2013. … Recent weeks, though, have seen the opposite of all that. For … Continue reading

Broad Avenue, Cooper-Young, Crosstown, Cultural Attractions, Midtown, Overton Square, Quality of Life, TourismLeave a comment

Tour of Midtown Memphis, Pt 1

soulcityusa

Midtown Memphis This was going to be Pt 2 of a series of posts giving a virtual tour of Memphis.  But some peeps are headed down there, and I’m visiting my folks around the same time, and I thought I’d give them a tour.  But I wanted to give them a sort of insider’s tour, not as much the touristy stuff (although I’m sure there will be a day or two of that as well).  Thinking of downtown ideas overwhelmed me.  Thinking of midtown ideas got me excited because of progress in the past couple of years, and plans for … Continue reading Tour of Midtown Memphis, Pt 1