Month: January 2008

Categories
News

First Horizon Loses $248 Million, Cuts Dividend

First Horizon National, parent of First Tennessee Bank and once the pride of the Memphis financial industry, reported a $248 million quarterly loss Thursday and cut its quarterly dividend from 45 cents to 20 cents. The stock price dropped 15 percent to $16, which is near its 52-week low and down 64 percent from its 52-week high of $45.

The news is another sign of financial gloom in the Memphis economy, where thousands of First Horizon employees and local investors own stock in the company. A FHN portfolio worth $1 million a year ago is now worth $360,000.

We have acted in several key areas by increasing loan loss reserves, reducing our mortgage servicing assets and national lending businesses, implementing productivity enhancements, and selling or reducing low returning operations,” said CEO Jerry Baker.

— John Branston

Categories
News

PETA Alleges Animal Abuse at Tyson Plant

A PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) investigation of a Union City, Tennessee, Tyson plant revealed widespread abuse of chickens, spokesman said today.

At a press conference in Memphis, PETA vice-president of campaigns Bruce Friedrich showed footage from hidden cameras worn by a PETA member working undercover in both the Union City plant and another plant in Cumming, Georgia.

On the black-and-white video, workers are shown throwing chickens against slaughter equipment, urinating in the live-hang area, and stabbing chickens in the neck. In one scene, a supervisor tells the undercover employee that it’s okay to rip chickens heads off when they are stuck in shackles.

“We have found horrific abuse at every Tyson plant we have investigated,” says Friedrich. “We keep thinking that it can’t get any worse — and then it does. Its time for Tyson and its major customers, like KFC, to sit down and take serious measures to stop the sadistic abuse that is taking place in its slaughterhouses.”

PETA filed complaints with prosecutors in Obion and Weakley counties in Tennessee, and is asking Tyson to fire workers responsible for the abuse documented in the videos, implement new training for workers, and install cameras to monitor workers.

PETA is also asking Tyson to consider phasing in Controlled Atmosphere Killing, a slaughter method that replaces the chickens’ oxygen with gases that painlessly euthanize the birds. Many European slaughterhouses have already implemented this method.

– Bianca Phillips

Categories
News

Congressman Steve Cohen Appears on The Daily Show

CREDIT: jb/flyer

Congressman Steve Cohen was featured in a segment Thursday night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central. The program will be rerun Friday throughout the day.

Longtime Daily Show correspondent Samantha Bee interviewed Cohen on November 5th for a segment about the use of so-called “line-standers” — people who are paid hundreds of dollars by high-priced lobbyists to hold their place in line for Congressional hearings.

Cohen said, “I have been a vocal proponent of prohibiting line-standing, because I believe it robs the general public of its right to attend open, public Congressional hearings. Ethics reform has been one of my highest priorities since taking office, and this practice is a perfect example of the culture in Washington that I’m committed to changing.” Bee smirked — but Cohen held his own.

“We had a lot of fun with Samantha during the interview,” Cohen said.

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

Obama Supporters Open First Presidential-Campaign HQ in Memphis

CREDIT: jb

No, the star himself – Barack Obama – wasn’t in town, but
several of the Democratic candidate’s surrogates were on hand at Eastgate
Shopping Center Thursday night to inaugurate the Illinois senator’s local
headquarters – first such headquarters opening by a 2008 presidential candidate
in Memphis.

A hundred or so people filled up the room, ate some
barbecue, and schmoozed. A few perfunctory speeches were made – by such people
as local Democratic chairman Keith
Norman, who pointedly noted his neutrality and said he was there as an official
welcomer, and Nika Jackson, an engaging young activist who is decidedly not
neutral and will be in charge of the office.

Among the other attendees were such politically influential
types as state Senator Reginald Tate, former city council member (and current
mayoral aide) TaJuan Stout-Mitchell, and recent council candidate Desi Franklin.
A number of members of the Shelby County Democrats’ executive committee turned
out, too – some, like longtime activist Nancy Kuhn, eager to profess their
loyalty to the newest star in national politics.

“I like the others, too,” said Kuhn, referring to Obama
rivals Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, “but Obama is the one who’s got
something extra.”

The candidate’s HQ wasn’t exactly teeming with mainstream
politicians – most of whom will likely take a little time before choosing
between Obama, New York Senator Clinton, and former North Carolina senator
Edwards. The imminence of Tennessee’s presidential-primary vote – on “Super
Tuesday,” February 5th — may speed that process up a bit, however.

The crowd Thursday night ran more to African Americans than
was characteristic of the mainly white and mainly youthful throngs that recently
supported Obama in Iowa, the first caucus state, and New Hampshire, where the
first national primary was held last week. One obvious reason for that is the
proportionately larger number of blacks in Democratic ranks locally. But another
could be that, since New Hampshire, racial issues – whetted both by the media
and by the candidates themselves – have come more to the fore, and Obama’s
status as an African-American contender has received more emphasis.

There seemed also to be relatively high number of political
dissidents in the mix – blogger Thaddeus Matthews, radio talk-show host Jennings
Bernard, and activist Jerry Hall, among others — though many of these may
merely have attended out of curiosity.

There was no indication at the headquarters opening as to
whether any Memphians have been asked to serve formally in Obama’s statewide
organization, nor has any such information been released by state or national
headquarters as of yet. But it would be hard for the Obama campaign to do any
worse in that respect than the Clinton campaign, which numbers only three
Memphians on its state steering committee (as compared to 38
Nashvillians) and none on a newly released women’s council.

Granted, the three Clinton steering-committee members from
Memphis – state Senator Beverly Marrero, Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism,
and state party secretary Gale Jones Carson – all have political standing. But
the apparent inattention to Memphis politics evinced by the Clinton campaign,
coupled with the symbolism of Obama’s beating Clinton to the punch in
establishing a local headquarters could turn out to be factors on February 5th.

Categories
Politics Politics Feature

Hillary’s Campaign Lists Are Nashville-Heavy, Short on Memphians; Wassup?

Below are two official lists released by Hillary Clinton’s presidential
campaign committee in Tennessee. One, furnished to the press earlier, contains
names of members the candidate’s Tennessee steering committee; the other,
released on Tuesday, is of the members of the “Tennessee Women for Hillary
Council.” What is striking about both is the paucity of representation from
Memphis and Shelby County and the overwhelming preponderance of representatives
from Nashville and Davidson County.

Candidate Clinton’s steering committee bears the names of three (count ’em,
3) Shelby Countians — Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism; state party
secretary Gale Jones Carson; and state Senator Beverly Marrero. Period. There
are 38 members from Davidson County, however — meaning that Davidson
representatives outweigh those from Shelby — a county equivalent in both
population and historical/political importance — by a ratio of 38 to 3! And
these figures do not take into account membership from the adjoining areas of
both the state’s major centers. Adding those would make the ratio even further
out of scale.

The disproportion is even more striking on the new list of women’s council
members. There are 24 Nashvillians on the list and none from Memphis. That’s
Zero. To be sure, Paula Barnes from suburban Cordova is named, but she does not
begin to offset the staggering additional number of members from such Nashville
suburbs as Goodlettsville, Hermitage, and even heavily Republican Brentwood.

Whatever all of this means — flagging support for Clinton in Memphis, a lack
of interest in the Memphis area by members of her state organization, or party infighting in Memphis (or elsewhere) that might serve to exclude certain Democratic
factions in preference to others — is hard to say. But it’s passing strange.

Carson, a longtime party activist and a former chairman of the local Democratic party organization, expressed surprise at hearing that the Clinton state lists were so lopsided in favor of Nashville.

“Somebody called me from Nashville last year and asked me to serve, and I agreed. I haven’t heard anything else from them since. I really don’t know what they would expect me to do,” Carson, a former aide to Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton and now a ranking administrator for MLGW, said.

Carson confided that she had also been contacted in recent weeks by a representative from Barack Obama’s campaign, asking her to serve in some official capacity for the Illinois senator’s bid in Tennessee. “I told them I was already committed,” said Carson, who noted for the record that Obama had not declared his candidacy at the time last year when she agreed to lend her name to the Clinton committee.

HILLARY’S TENNESSEE STEERING COMMITTEE:

Co-Chair; Former Governor Ned McWherter, Weakley County
Co-Chair; Former Chair of the Public Service Commission Jane Eskind; Davidson
County
Co-Chair; Thelma Harper, State Senator, 19th District; Davidson County

– Kim Glassman Adkins, Attorney; Davidson County
– Jerry Anderton, Legislative Director; UTU, Davidson County
– Minnie Bommer, Rural West TN African-American Affairs Council; Tipton County
– Helen Boring, Democratic Activist, Washington County
– Vickye Boykin, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Jedidiah Brewer, Small Business Owner; Dyer County
– Winona Brewer, Dyer County Democratic Party Chair
– Mary Browning, Democratic Activist; Giles County
– Steve Bringle, Tipton County Commissioner
– James “Moe” Brotherton, Sullivan County Commissioner
– Matt Brotherton, Democratic Activist; Sullivan County
– Darrell Brown, Songwriter and Producer; Davidson County
– Tommy Burnett, former State Representative; Fentress County
– Randy Button, Former Chairman, Tennessee Democratic Party; Roane County
– Randy Camp, former Commissioner of Personnel; Crockett County
– Gail Jones Carson, Secretary, Tennessee Democratic Party; Shelby County
– Samanthia Cassidy, Gospel Singer and Missionary ; Sevier County
– Desmond Child, Songwriter; Davidson County
– Sidney Chism, Shelby County Commissioner; Shelby County
– Mary Clement, State Director of Consumer Affairs; Davidson County
– Amy Click, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Robert and Paula Collier, Small Business Owners; Warren County
– Linda Costello, Community Leader; Davidson County
– Gladys Crain, Lauderdale County Democratic Party Chair
– Hunter Davis, Songwriter; Davidson County
– Paul Davis, Former Chairman, Democratic Party County Chair Organization;
Warren County
– Terrie Dobbins, Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Richard Eskind, Community Leader; Davidson County
– Nancy Fischman, Community Leader; Washington County
– Sonja Fox, Democratic Activist; Washington County
– Judy Goldman, Democratic Activist; Washington County
– Jim Hall, Former Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, and
Annie Hall, Democratic Activist; Hamilton County
– Dalton Harrison, Montgomery County Commissioner
– Johnny Hayes, Former Director of the Tennessee Valley Authority; Sumner County
– Michelle Haynes, Chair, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Sumner County
– Niketa Hailey-Hill, Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Jessica Hooper, Assistant Public Defender; Davidson County
– Steve Hornsby, Former Hardeman County General Sessions Judge
– Bill Howerton, Grangier County Commissioner
– Stuart James, Former Chairman, Hamilton County Democratic Party
– Terry Jaremko, International Rep, RWDSU Union; Blount County
– Clark Jones, Former Tennessee Democratic Party Treasurer; Hardin County
– Robin Mitchell Joyce, Attorney; Davidson County
– Jeremy Kane, Founder and school Director of LEAD Academy; Davidson County
– Laraine King, Democratic Activist; Greene County
– Tommy Kilby, State Senator, 12th District; Morgan County
– Gary C. Ledbetter, Sr., Former Executive Director, Tennessee Democratic Party;
Maury County
– John Little, Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Dick Lodge, Former Chairman, Tennessee Democratic Party; Davidson County
– Carol Lee Logan, Democratic Activist; Unicoi County
– Rev. Harold M. Love, Jr., Pastor, Saint Paul AME Church; Davidson County
– J.W. Luna, Former Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation; Davidson County
– Beverly Marrero, State Senator, 30th District; Shelby County
– Harlan Mathews, Former U.S. Senator; Davidson County
– George Mays, Legislative Representative, International Association of
Machinists and – Aerospace Workers; Davidson County
– Hansel McCadams, District Attorney, 24th District and Teresa McCadams,
Community – Leader; Henry County
– Hallie McFadden, Attorney; Hamilton County
– Linda McFadyen Ketchum; Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Mike McWherter, Community Leader; Madison County
– Doris Medlin, State Executive Committee Member; Davidson County
– Debbie Miller, former First Lady of Metro Davidson County
– Wilma Morgan, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Lee Mouser, Small Business Owner; Davidson County
– Larry Mullins, Small Business Owner; Hamblen County
– Angela Fultz Nordstrom, Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Hazel O’Leary, former U.S. Secretary of Energy, President of Fisk University;
Davidson County
– Bill Owen, DNC Member; Knox County
– Mike Padgett, former Knox County Clerk
– Mark Padgett, Small Business Owner; Knox County
– Brenda Sims Palmer, Democratic Activist; Knox County
– Charles and Margaret Palmer, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Wanda Payne, Democratic Activist; Johnson County
– Dr. Nat Revis, Community Leader; Anderson County
– Annie Roboff, Songwriter; Davidson County
– Terry Quillen, veteran Nashville Journalist; Davidson County
– Alma Sanford, Democratic Activist; Davidson County
– Marvin Sandrell, Democratic Activist; Maury County
– Bruce Shine, Attorney; Kingsport
– Maria Silas, Attorney; Davidson County
– Tammy Simmons, Legislative Representative, National Association of Letter
Carriers; Davidson County
– Bill Smith, Former Chairman, Unicoi County Democratic Party
– Ann Strong, Former Register of Deeds, Crockett County
– Christopher Smith, Community Leader; Davidson County
– David Taylor, Small Business Owner; Davidson County
– Byron Trauger, Attorney; Davidson County
– Tracy Wandell, Anderson County Commissioner
– Albert Waterhouse, Community Leader; Hamilton County
– Leo Waters, Former Metro-Davidson Councilman
– Jacqueline Webber, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Teena Webster, Democratic Activist; Robertson County
– Mike Wellons, Bolivar City Councilman ; Hardeman County
– Johnnie Wells, Democratic Activist; Sullivan County
– Marilyn Williams, Democratic Activist; Cocke County
– Anna Windrow, Former Senior Advisor to the Governor; Davidson County
– Harold and Sylvia Woods, Labor and Community Activists; Knox County
– Ralph Yelton, Former State Representative; Sullivan County

Tennessee Women for Hillary Council:

Kathy Austin, Nashville
Paula Barnes, Cordova
Leann Barron, Nashville
Reba Baskett Nashville
Cynthia Bennett, Nashville
Sandra Bennett, Nashville
Rebecca Blackburn, Jackson
Lee Ann Brackett, Nashville
Brenda Bradford, Gordonsville
Theresa Burson, Goodlettsville
Helen Caddes Brentwood
Kim Cady, Nashville
Samanthia Cassidy, Kodak
Mary Clement, Nashville
Lynne Cushing, Nashville
Sandy Dickey, Nashville
Tasha Dunn, Knoxville
Jennifer Eberle, Nashville
Sarah Ellery, Nashville
Jane Eskind, Nashville
Veronica Frazier, Nashville
Margaret Goldman, Knoxville
Rupa Gootam, Nashville
Annie Hall, Signal Mountain
Wendy Hardaway, Nashville
Tammy Harris, Cleveland
Michelle Haynes, Gallatin
Sherry Jones, Nashville
Francine Kline-Clark, Springfield
Callahan Miller, Hermitage
Sheila Nicholson, Trenton
Angela Fultz Nordstrom, Brentwood
Doris Medlin, Nashville
Sarah Jo Moore, Cleveland
Brenda Sims Palmer, Knoxville
Yvonne Pate, Nashville
Rhonda Reece, Nashville
Donna Richardson, Antioch
Marisa Richmond, Nashville
Barbara Roberts, Crawford
Tracy Rode, Nashville
Maria Salas, Nashville
Alma Sanford, Antioch
Bette Shulman, Nashville
Pris Siskin, Chattanooga
Eleanor Stevenson, Hendersonville
Sherrie Vaughter, Burns
Teena Webster, Springfield
Lynn Williams, Nashville
Phyllis Williams, Old Hickory
Yvonne Wood, Lebanon

Categories
Sports Sports Feature

Kansas is Better Than Memphis, Says Jeff Capel

CREDIT: Nick Krug

Undefeated Memphis is ranked number two in the country, and undefeated Kansas is right behind at number three, but the coach of a team that’s played both squads says Kansas is better.

“I think Kansas is better,” Capel said. “They are the best team that we’ve played, and we have played some really good teams. They are so balanced. They shoot better than Memphis. They are bigger. They are probably equally as good in transition. They pass the ball better. I don’t think it is close that they are the best team in the country.”

Read more here.

Categories
News

Phil Trenary on Pinnacle and Airline Mergers

Phil Trenary, CEO of Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines, suggests we think of the airport as a manufacturing plant.

“We manufacture connections, and we can manufacture them at a lower cost than anyone else,” Trenary told the Flyer in an interview about the possibility of a merger of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Memphis is a hub for Northwest, and analysts have speculated that it could lose that status if the airlines merge and consolidate hub activity in Atlanta.

“One misconception about our hub is that it is a weak hub,” said Trenary. “It was weak at one time. It is a small hub, but by having a mix of regional carriers and Northwest it has really changed the complexion and made it more successful financially.”

Pinnacle, a regional passenger carrier, has ten-year contracts with both Northwest and Delta.

“Pinnacle is in pretty good shape,” said Trenary. “I think we would fare pretty well.”

Trenary said Pinnacle is a low-cost airline and Memphis is a low-cost airport, both of which could be advantages to Memphis even if a merger takes place.

In an environment of $100-a-barrel oil, the average taxi time here is six minutes,” he said. “It’s much higher than that at airports in Chicago and Atlanta. I don’t think Memphis going away is a slam dunk at all. Memphis stands a decent chance of being around long term.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. airlines as a group are expected to show a fourth-quarter loss for 2007 because of winter storms, fuel prices, and the early signs of a recession. Delta and Northwest were the last two major carriers to come out of bankruptcy protection. A merger would likely result in higher fares nationwide and fewer jobs in Memphis if it loses hub status.

Northwest and FedEx are the keys to the “aerotropolis” long-term plan for improving the area around the airport.

Trenary said a merger would have to happen “sooner rather than later” because of the change in the presidential administration this year and the difficulty of getting regulatory approvals once the current administration leaves.

“If they don’t get it done, then it will probably be late 2009 or 1010,” he said.

Categories
News

Mayors’ Meeting with Bredesen Postponed

The scheduled meeting Thursday between mayors Willie Herenton and A C Wharton and Gov. Phil Bredesen to discuss school consolidation has been postponed.

Mayor Herenton’s office sent out an announcement Wednesday. Wharton later confirmed that he concurred with the decision.

“The mayors feel that more research and consultation must take place prior to the meeting so that the governor may be presented with the best possible solutions to help our school systems. Due diligence and community support is important to this process,” stated the announcement, which was sent out under City of Memphis letterhead rather than as a joint announcement.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Wharton repeated his objections to school consolidation and his disagreement with Herenton.

“You don’t get to see the governor often to ask his help, and when you do you don’t want to squander it by not having the specificity that he needs,” Wharton said.

The proposed meeting was announced last weekend in the wake of Herenton restating his support for full consolidation of city and county government, including the school systems. Wharton subsequently said that he does not support school consolidation, but it appeared the meeting would go forward anyway until Wednesday’s surprise announcement.

“Let the community be assured that all stakeholders will be involved in this process to determine what is best for our school system,” the Herenton statement said. “These stakeholders will include the city, county and state government and education officials, as well as community leaders.

The goal of my proposal regarding the school systems is to empower government to take a more active role in charting the path of public education in Memphis and Shelby County.”

One of the many controversial aspects of consolidation is Herenton’s suggestion that state lawmakers make it possible for a city-only vote to be required to make it happen. County residents and elected officials have strongly objected to that.
Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker said the postponement was apparently Herenton’s idea, or at least it was not Bredesen’s idea.

“They called for the meeting and it was to be held tomorrow,” she said. “Then today we got word they decided not to hold the meeting. So it is coming from their end.”

Wharton said he and Herenton “have some more work to do” on specific plans.

“On my end, I am burdened with the cost on the three-for-one funding formula,” Wharton said. “I have made it clear throughout that I would not seek nor support any larger role by county government.”

The county has to spend roughly $3 on city schools for every $1 it spends on county schools construction under the present attendance-based funding formula.

–John Branston

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Hamburger Expert Names Dyer’s Patty to Top 100

Dyer’s Cafe is the only Memphis restaurant named in Hamburger America, a soon-to-be-released book on the country’s top 100 hamburger joints.

Filmmaker and hamburger expert George Motz based the book on his film of the same name, which chronicles his cross-country trip in search of the perfect patty. Of Dyer’s, Motz says: “This famous deep-fried hamburger is made by taking ground beef, smashing it paper thin, then submerging it in a skillet of ‘seasoned’ grease! Whoa!”

Other Tennessee burger joints profiled: Brown’s Diner and Rotier’s Restaurant in Nashville and Zarzour’s Café in Chattanooga.

There’s no mention of the locally-famous Huey Burger, which has earned the Flyer‘s Best of Memphis Burger award every year for like, oh, a gazillion years (really, we’ve lost count, but it’s a lot).

Motz’s book is due out in April. For more, go here.

Categories
News

Memphis Drug Kingpin Arrested

Thirty-one-year-old Craig Petties, who once headed a cocaine and marijuana distribution network, was arrested in Mexico on Friday, January 11th, according to U.S. Attorney David Kustoff.

Petties is charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana and possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute. He was added to the U.S. Marshals Top 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list in August 2004 and was featured on an episode of TV’s America’s Most Wanted.

The Mexican Government, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Marshals Service, apprehended Petties, a female companion, and three others. Several firearms were seized. Petties is being held in Mexico pending his return to the U.S. for prosecution.

The conspiracy count alleges that Petties and several accomplices organized delivery of cocaine from Texas into the Western District of Tennessee. It also alleges that Petties’ partners attempted to kill others to facilitate continued drug trafficking.

Petties was originally indicted by a federal grand jury in 2002. Last year, the case was expanded to include nine others for conspiring to distribute cocaine through the Petties drug organization. All of the defendants in the case have now been arrested.

–Bianca Phillips