Murfreesboro's MidSouth Bank has partnered with young payroll services company Inova Payroll to offer the latter's suite of HR services to its business customers through its five branches. Inova was launched last year by industry veteran Farsheed Ferdowsi and focuses on small to mid-sized companies.

“Staying true to our roots as a community bank, MidSouth Bank is committed to helping our business clients succeed by offering a full range of business banking services. Through our alliance with Inova Payroll, business owners can work with a local company and get the personalized service they have come to expect,” said Lee Moss, Chairman and CEO of MidSouth Bank.

Nashville State Community College and Middle Tennessee State University will announce Wednesday an aggreement to allow students to simultaneously enroll at both schools.

Also, a new “reverse transfer” program will let former NSCC students enrolled at MTSU retroactively apply credits toward an associate's degree from NSCC.

The City Paper has the story here.

Almost three years after moving into the Hendersonville market, the duo behind Sam's Sports Bar & Grill are taking the concept into Murfreesboro's Stones River Mall. Sam Sanchez and Al Thomas say the city is "a perfect town" for Sam's. At 6,100 square feet, the location will be their largest and will employ about 60.

Delhaize America will close 25 Food Lion stores in Tennessee, including the Nashville store at 4331 Old Hickory Blvd. In addition, Food Lion stores will close in Clarksville (one), Hendersonville (one), Murfreesboro (two) and Smyrna (one).

Food Lion also operates Davidson County stores on Bell Road in the Hickory Hollow area and Richards Road in Antioch.

The 23 are among 113 Food Lion grocery stores Delhaize is closing. The company is also shuttering seven Bloom and six Bottom Dollar Food stores. The hardest hit Tennessee market is Chattanooga, which will see six Food Lion groceries cease operations.

Relatedly, Delhaize America also will discontinue operations of its distribution center located in Clinton, Tenn., which is located near Knoxville. Delhaize America, the North American headquarters for which are in Salisbury, N.C., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Belgium-based Delhaize Group.

Fast-growing residential real estate agency Benchmark Realty has opened an office in Murfreesboro to go with its Brentwood home office. Principal Broker Mickie Howell (pictured here) is leading the location, which also is home to agents John Smith, Leslie Wright, Cindy and Matt Moore, Shauna Mason, Bobbie Jo Brewster, Tim Boyce, Brenda Walsh, Emily Flanders and Sherri Wellborn. CEO Phillip Cantrell, who launched Benchmark in the spring of 2006, says he's looking to open other offices in the Nashville area.

“We are blessed with absolutely amazing growth. Even in the down market we have continued to add nearly 15 agents each month, largely because we offer 100% commission for a fixed monthly fee. Our model allows agents to exert firm control over their expenses – something no other company offers to the extent we do. Agents tell me they come for the savings, but they stay because of the nurturing environment,” says Cantrell.

Community First Bank & Trust has struck a deal to sell its only Murfreesboro office to six-year-old Southern Community Bank for an undisclosed amount. The deal, which officials expect to close this quarter, will bring some much-needed cash into Community First. Regulators last fall told bank executives they needed to raise almost $18 million by year's end.

Melinda Hudgins reports that Murfreesboro officials have made recent progress in their talks with a big-box retailer about coming to the city. The spot in question is south of Interstate 24.