Photo Credit: FOX13
33 Feet and Rising

Despite early Spring rains and even snow, the river is expected to stay below flood level, which is 34 feet. More from WMC. Local storms are a bigger problem, with flash flooding.

West Memphis Three: The step-father of one of the victims, Terry Hobbs, denies he’s the killer in an interview with WREG.

Memphis in May: The Daily News has a long feature story about the impact on the local economy. This year, the Beale Street Music Fest was Memphis in Mud.

City/County School Merger: Sides are arranging themselves to fight over school buildings transfers. Five of six suburban municipalities started moving toward a second round of public referenda over schools districts. How school closings will affect the community.

State Politics: Workers comp reform has been signed into law. Other bills signed into law by Governor Bill Haslam. Haslam is urging our US Congressional legislators to approve collection of internet sales taxes; Lt Gov Ron Ramsey join him. Ethics questions about the newsly-passed distillery bill. The judge hearing the case involving the Department of Children’s Services says “crimes were committed against children but their abusers were never prosecuted”. More on DCS from the Associated Press. Davidson County’s Election Commissioner, Albert Tieche, has fired last week; more from the Nashville City-Paper. Speaker of the House Beth Harwell and Lt Gov Ron Ramsey are downplaying their late-session disagreements; more from Flyer’s Jackson Baker.

US Representative Marsha Blackburn is at odds with her political contributors over the issue of internet sales taxes. US Rep. Jim Cooper’s bill to deny congressmen their paychecks passed in the US House by a large vote, then Cooper voted against it on another, party-line vote.

Longtime State Senator Doug Henry (D-Nashville) announced last week he will not seek re-election. There is already a big Democratic primary shaping up to replace him. Heavyweight political consultant Tom Ingram has come under investigation for his lobbying business. Shelby County’s State Senator Thelma Harper will run for another term, though.

Revenue collections for the state were up in April. The number of PACs and their political contributions were up in the past year. What they spent on lobbying.

FAA: The 149 air traffic control towers slated for closure this Summer will now remain open, at least for a while.

Tea Party: Reportedly, the IRS took years to approve tax-exempt status for the Chattanooga Tea Party.

DeSoto County: Southaven mayor Greg Davis accepts no blame for the primary defeats of three incumbent town aldermen. Two Republicans will have a runoff over the mayoral election. Final results in that race. Davis’ civil trial over his handling of Southaven money will reconvene this week. Davis speaks with WMC about the trial. He says he spent $70,000 with city aldermen’s permission. Chip Johnson was re-elected mayor of Hernando. And Olive Branch will hold a run-off for their mayor. The County sheriff is switching calibers on service weapons to improve their aim.

MLG&W: Union employees are opposed to the expansion of the “smart meter” program.

Arkansas: The State is questioning $1.3 million in poorly documented Medicaid payments.

West Nile Virus: The mosquitos infected with the virus have made their earliest appearance in the County yet. More from Fox13. The State Department of Health has issued a warning.

The MED: An “innocent employee mistake” is blamed for the accidental release of patients’ private information via email. More from WREG.

City of Memphis: Newark, New Jersey, mayor Cory Booker, while visiting Memphis, gave an interview with the Tri-State Defender. Who will take over auto inspections beginning in July? The Memphis City Council hopes the County will. The Convention and Visitors Bureau plans to respond to a Summer Olympic bid for 2024.

Crime: The TBI announced that crime statewide has dropped between 2010 and 2012.

Shelby County Commission: As expected, the Commission voted down a resolution attempting to nullify Federal efforts at gun control. Commissioners Steve Mulroy and Terry Roland discuss the issue on Fox13. They also voted down a number of grants funded from the Federal government through the State. Commissioners still get their catered lunches.

MATA: MATA Plus riders are complaining about long wait times for pickup.

Memphis Police: A “major database glitch” is blamed for making data from police reports available through Google searches. Will the Memphis Police Department impose new costs on regular duties? Are other controversial cost-saving measures coming?

Downtown/Midtown: Will Cooper-Young get a parking garage? Does the future of Downtown office space rest on State government? The City will hold more open meetings about more bike lanes around Midtown. Don’t mind the crime reports, say Beale Street merchants.

Memphis City Council: Members are moving toward a discussion of the old school funding settlement. A 4.6% pay raise to police was approved. Will that mean an inevitable tax increase, too?

National Civil Rights Museum: The enormous “Movement to Overcome” sculpture, a staple of the entry to the museum, has been taken back out of storage and put back in its familiar place. It was moved while renovations were underway.

Cordova: Renewed energy for the de-annexation of that community from Memphis. More from ABC24, WMC and WREG.

Tennessee: Is Knoxville the typical American city? Who is the highest-paid State employee in Tennessee?

Local Media: Memphis Urban Television 1 is emphasising African-American culture both on its schedule and its website.

Beale Street Landing: The Riverfront Development Corporation is, once again, asking Memphis for more money to complete the project. More from Fox13. Mayor AC Wharton has questions.

Southwest Airlines: The airline made its arrival in Memphis official last week. Memphis/Shelby County Airport Authority chairman Jack Sammons talks with Fox13. Memphis isn’t the only mid-level city experiencing air traffic declines.

Pilot / Flying J: East TN company, The Massey Group, has taken out an ad in support of Haslam’s family & company.

Mississippi: The family of slain Clarksdale mayoral candidate Marco McMillian are still asking questioning the circumstances of this murder. More from WMC and WREG.

Survey Says: The National Association of Home Builders continued to rank Memphis as an “improving housing market”. We are the number one state for retirement, says Bankrate. According to Gallup, Memphians feel “the least safe” of any residents of any major American city.

Tom Humphrey: He analyses the dispute he claims to see between Lt Gov Ron Ramsey and Speaker of the House Beth Harwell. (Via the Knoxville News Sentinel)

Frank Cagle: Tennessee’s Republican supermajority in the Assembly needs some discipline, historically speaking. (Via the Knoxville Metro Pulse)

Knoxville News Sentinel: The Congress should approve the Marketplace Fairness Act because Tennesee’s government could use the money?

Smart Stuff 4 Work: Answering the questions you’ve heard one hundred times before. (Via the Daily News)

Daily News Memphis in May still delivers.

Carlee McCullough: When it come to prenuptual agreements, better safe than sorry. (Via the Tri-State Defender)

Charles Sims Jr: Signs you may not be ready to retire. (Via the Tri-State Defender)

Lucy Shaw: Have you been making regular deposits to your Spiritual Bank Account? (Via the Tri-State Defender)

Flyer: Thoughts on government and taxes.

John Branston: Why do hospital charges vary as much as they do? (Via the Flyer)