Foreclosure: Memphis will be featured on NOW on PBS tonight and Sunday morning; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. It looks at Frayser and the plan to file a lawsuit against subprime mortgage lenders. In a related story, mortgage rates rose very slightly recently. January real estate news is pretty bad, though. Also, the US Senate unanimously approved a plan to give new home purchasers in 2009 a $15,000 tax credit; more from WMC.

International Blues Challenge: Big doings on Beale Street this weekend for blues lovers.

POLITICS: Shelby County DA Bill Gibbons expressed sympathy with loosening residency requirements for police and stated he’d make it a state issue in his run for governor. Former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh and (now former wife) Betty Anderson, reputedly once the most powerful lobbyist in the state, have been divorced since last July; more from WMC. Former gubernatorial possible Bill Frist has shuttered his TN PAC; more from the Daily News. TN Governor Phil Bredesen continues to deny or downplay rumors of an Obama Cabinet post; more from the News. The governor also is hoping the State receives Federal stimulus money to bail out budget troubles; more from the News.

A reminder: The TN Republican Party will announce its decision on ousting House Speaker Kent Williams from the party today. State party website here.

Wake Up Youth Foundation: From drug dealer to youth saver, Terrell Johnson wants to teach youth to avoid his mistakes.

DeAuntae Farrow: Lawsuit brought by family was partially thrown out. City of West Memphis cannot be sued for negligent hiring, but the case against the two officers involved remains.

Local Media: The Memphis Business Journal is now available on Twitter. Both WREG and Fox13 have new web site redesigns.

When the digital switchover comes, the Memphis call center will be one of nine national clearinghouses, with 60 people to deal with the expected problems. And even if the delay in the switch sticks, many stations may make the change in February as planned anyway!

Lee’s Landing Garage: Literally by minutes, they avoid foreclosure by making payments to Sun Life Assurance.

University of Memphis: The new neighborhood friendly parking plan for the redesigned University Neighborhood zone will be presented to the Land Use Control Board next week. School makes the President’s Higher Ed Honor Roll as one of the leading metropolitan research universities. Students plan to travel to Nashville Monday to protest the plan to lift the tuition cap.

The Regional Medical Center: Planned State cuts in funding could spell disaster for the hospital. More from Fox13, WREG, Daily News and the CA.

In a related story, local hospitals are seeking cutbacks thanks to the recession. More from the Commercial Appeal.

MISSISSIPPI: State House and Senate seeking compromise on how much to raise cigarette taxes. Riverbend Crossing project is getting support from legislators that might keep it from death for another five years. The House Speaker, Billy McCoy, “slams” Governor Haley Barbour for remarks on not accepting Federal stimulus dollars.

Earned Income Tax Credit Alliance: Group is helping lower-income Memphians do their taxes for free.

Memphis Area Association of Realtors: They are accepting applications for their Pinnacle Award.

Collierville: Their budget document wins the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

Memphis Cares Mentoring Movement: A photo report via the Tri-State Defender of their First Anniversary Celebration.

February 2008 Tornadoes: Hickory Hill one year later; and the Mid-South and West TN, too. More from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG. The Commercial Appeal looks at Union University. Southaven’s industrial businesses are recovering too. Infant who survived is thriving today. Firefighters also remember.

Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital: They are moving pelvic rehabilitation services to the Jewish Community Center.

BUSINESS: Mueller Industries saw a one-third slide in net income in 2008; more from the Daily News. Mid-America Apartment Communities saw mixed numbers in 2008 and from year-ago numbers; more from the CA. Talbot’s, which has three stores in Memphis, will cut 270 jobs; more from Eyewitness News. Fred’s FY2008 sales were up very slightly, but January’s numbers were down; more from the Daily News. Target’s sales for January were down 3%. Penn National Gaming, parent company of Hollywood Casinos, reports they met earnings expectations.

Good news! A Forrest City, AR, grocery wholesaler (Forrest City Grocery Co.) is adding fifty jobs. More from WREG and the News.

United American Healthcare reports revenues were down very strongly in 2Q, due to TennCare changes.

A business profile of Carmen’s Home Care from the Tri-State Defender. And another profile of a Society of Entrepreneurs inductee: R. E. Linkous.

People in Business from the CA for Friday.

Delta Air Lines: Traffic in January was down.

DeSoto County: Southaven mayor Greg Davis has filed for a third term; and Ronnie Hale has filed for the Ward 2 Alderman’s seat.

Shelby County Clerk’s Office: Charles Nichols, who retired the same day he was suspended in an investigation of his office for illegally accepting gifts, was granted his full $3200 per month pension by the county retirement board.

UPDATED! East Memphis Robbery / Beating: Three people have now been arrested in the case. Ms Brown is recovering at home. More on the three people — two teens and an aunt! — arrested.

A particularly violent aggravated assault in East Memphis gets the head of Midsouthmoms to email Mayor Willie Herenton, expressing her outrage. The mayor responds, and tells her crime will only get worse in Memphis! More from WMC, WREG.

The victim, Marla Brown, is a Commercial Appeal employee. The CA reports the story here. Their story doesn’t report the involvement of Midsouthmoms or their conversation with Mayor Herenton. Midsouthmoms is owned by the CA’s parent company, Scripps.

Midsouthmoms broke the story here. And the comment thread is here. The head of Midsouthmoms, Ann Sharpsteen, posted a ‘video blog’ on the incident to YouTube here.

ARKANSAS: House committee approves bill removing statute of limitations on certain rape crimes. House also narrowly approves an increase in tobacco taxes; more from WREG. And a cut in grocery taxes passed the Senate. And, a new bill was filed to allow State board to strip contractors of business license for knowingly hiring illegal workers.

artbutcher: Musings on painting titles and wheat.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: What teachers are really thinking while you’re in class. And, a student has a strange reaction to the word ‘abortion’.

Crime in Memphis, TN: John tries out some new technology and catches a crook!

Fertile Ground: Ricky Ricotta and his Mighty Robot to the reading rescue!

Fore Left! Thoughts on Obama’s transparency with TARP, and is the Daschle screw-up the beginning of the meltdown?

Long Tall Animals: A long reminescence of a trip to Spain in the Spring of 2007.

Mediaverse: Memphis: An interesting review of WREG’s new web design; and thoughts on the Pierce carbombing.

Thaddeus Matthews: Some harsh opinions on City Councilman Harold Collins.

Commercial Appeal: The discussion on giving the schools their own taxing authority must continue. Briarcrest should reconsider allowing special guide guides..

Pretty in Pink Megan: A thank you, some ramblings, thoughts on the cold.

Author of Y’all’s Destruction: Why is a Nineties-era treaty getting some people into a lather?

Vegan Crunk: It’s the one year anniversary of her monthly raw-food day.

poopiebitch: A vegan foodie’s picture tour of New York City food!

theology & geometry: She’s on a road trip!

Bryce Ashby and Michael J. LaRosa: Our immigration policy is punitive when it should be friendly and welcoming.