Neighborhood Stabilization Program: A Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development grant of $11.5 million has been approved.

Girl Scouts: It’s time for Girl Scout cookies!

Memphis City Council: The employee buyout offer is to be discussed at today’s meeting. They will also have a third and final reading on the ordinance to require apartment owners to make energy efficiency modifications.

Dining: Returning from a 10-year hiatus, Midtown restuaranteur Angie Kirkpatrick is opening The Kitchen on Brookhaven Circle.

Shelby County Juvenile Court: Collections and payment by the State are scheduled to begin next week and the JC’s chief counsel is predicting problems.

Foreclosure: WREG offers help on avoiding it.

BUSINESS: A long list of utilities, charities and medical centers have received various government contracts. Macy’s department stores are cutting 7000 jobs, mostly in regional offices; more from Eyewitness News. International Paper’s shares fell sharply yesterday, after an analyst downgrade. Jack Shuler bought 8.3% of GTx shares — for various family members and others. Morgan Stanley is cutting its workforce by 4%. Alliant Techsystems will expand its Iuka, MS, operation by more than 600 jobs.

People In Business from the CA for Tuesday.

Valero Energy: In a good sign, contract negotiation between Valero and the United Steel Workers continued on Monday, past the January 31 deadline.

Shelby County Reappraisal: WMC offers advice and tips to help prevent appraisal mistakes.

Delta Air Lines: According to reports, they are extending their buyout deadline until the 14th.

Memphis Area Association of Realtors: After nearly two years, eight real estate agents have completed their ‘Welcome Home Memphis’ certification program.

Memphis Heritage: Preservationist group is hosting a walking tour of famous musicians’ homes to promote awareness of preservation and history.

DeSoto County: The Olive Branch PD is eager to move into their new facility. Also, that city’s YMCA has decided to disband their competitive swim team. The County’s Animal Shelter is celebrating its fifth anniversary later this month.

Better Business Bureau: They’ve launched a new and improved rating system for over 15,000 local businesses. Similar stories from WMC.

Memphis City Schools: Via Good Morning Memphis, a look at optional schools with the principal and a student from one of the schools.

Bust A Move Monday: Local initiative to promote black business is producing results. Website here.

POLITICS: Sheriff Mark Luttrell is reconsidering a run for County mayor.

TENNESSEE: Governor Phil Bredesen will speak to legislators next week, but he’ll be releasing details later in the month. Today is the deadline to submit applications for the Circuit Court judgeship opened by the death of Rita Stotts.

West Memphis: Their economic development director, Ward Wimbish, is touring China, trying to drum up business relations.

Millington: City approves a 1.5% hotel tax dedicated to funding operations of the USA Stadium on first of three readings.

MISSISSIPPI: Governor Haley Barbour stuns some lawmakers by questioning the strings attached to Federal stimulus monies.

Crime: The Commercial Appeal profiles the two stores where their Arabic employees were killed, as well as their neighborhoods.

Shelby County: They claim that Memphis / MLG&W owes them $125 million in fees.

Stella! The city’s version of Punxsutawny Phil at the Memphis Zoo, Stella, disagrees and says Spring in coming.

Memphis College of Art: Celebrating fifty years in their present, and distinctive, home.
 

Survey Says: US construction spending fell for a third straight month in December and was sharply down for 2008. Also, consumer spending and income fell, as savings rose. And, the manufacturing index rose slightly, but is well into down territory still.

The Chockley Blogs: Baby showers and Babys-R-Us and advice.

The English Major Bookstore: She needs a grant writer!

Thaddeus Matthews: A report on this weekend’s meeting to confront black men over their community.

Smart City Memphis: Some very astute and discomfiting observations on race, history and city politics.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Super Bowl thoughts and questions about Obama/FEMA and the Midwest ice storm.

Life as I know it from Memphis: Thoughts on the Michael Phelps bong photo.

LeftWing Cracker: Surprised but not unhappy with the Super Bowl’s final score.

The Gadfly: Spend enough millions and they turn into billions!

I Am Not My Hair: Some contrarian thoughts on lip-synching at the Super Bowl.

Commercial Appeal: Mississippi’s judges and presecutors deserve a pay raise, even in tough budget times. The SCHIP Act and President Obama equals a win for the Med.

Fore Left! Super Bowl lip-synching irony; no FEMA or Obama response to the 2009 Ice Storm is OK.

vibinc: Thoughts on the Republican opposition to the Democratic stimulus package.

Dining With Monkeys: Stacey and a special guest monkey head to Best Wings in Memphis on Summer.

Mediaverse: Memphis: Thoughts on the connecting of the Darramis Stevenson movement and the murders of two convenience store employees this weekend. And, a layoff at WREG.

Buck’s Blog: He reviews the Super Bowl ads for you. And a comparison of work spaces: father, mother and daughter.

E. Finch: JuicyCampus is what happens when college students, anonymity and gossip collide.

Bigger Than Your Head: Frederic reports from a charity wine event held in Memphis.

Author of Y’all’s Destruction: The coming alt-weekly editorial cartoonist apocalypse.