Shelby County Government: Thanks to the ‘anemic’ housing market, County property tax revenues are looking very down and will not recover soon. The County awarded grants to seven community groups in the neighborhoods surrounding the Premcor Refinery, part of a settlement and intended to combat leaks and emissions; more from the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis International Airport: Passenger and cargo traffic are down, as are daily flights.

UPDATE:Stanford Group: R. Allen Stanford has been arrested in Virginia; more from WMC. He also didn’t pay his taxes! The investigation continues; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. And Stanford’s problems now even extend to Venezuela!

A class action lawsuit has been filed. A breakdown of the charges, from the Daily News. Two Memphis officers of Stanford arrested. Stanford has many local charitable ties. Local financial leaders react to the investigation, via the Business Journal. Tips from professionals on what to do now. From the Flyer, the FBI was not involved in the operation yesterday. State Senator Paul Stanley, an employee of Stanford, had his offices searched yesterday but is not a subject of inquiry himself. Spring Creek Ranch golf course, co-owned by Stanford, says it hasn’t been affected.

Angel Food Ministries: The FBI executed warrants at the Georgia offices of the ministry. It’s believed related to people outside the ministry itself. Article notes that nearly two-thirds more people took advantage of their food packages this February than last.

MISSISSIPPI: Governor Haley Barbour plans to use Federal stimulus funds to restore some education cuts. For example, 21,000 college and university students had their financial aid cut.

POLITICS: Larry Kudlow interviews Senator Bob Corker on progress in the automobile industry bailout. Corker also says that the Federal stimulus should begin with housing. Jackson Baker offers a substantial write-up of the changes happening in Nashville this legislative season, with an end focus on banking and TARP. State Rep. Brian Kelsey says Governor Bredesen should reject all Federal stimulus money since most won’t arrive for 18 months or more; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. A reminder that Houe Speaker Kent Williams will be in town over the weekend. More on the various gun bills working their way through the State House.

Rep. Jimmy Naifeh says his ‘Speaker Emeritus’ title doesn’t entitle him to extra assisants. House panel recommends curfew for gun carry into restaurants that serve alcohol.

WREG’s Mike Matthews reports on City Councilwoman Janis Fullilove’s first day in court, on her driving without a valid license change.

Democrats on the Shelby County Commission are considering appointing a Democrat to David Lillard’s old seat, even though his district is overwhelmingly Republican. The Shelby County Republican Party is protesting.

University of Memphis: The infrastructure sustainability plan is introduced.

Democracy For America’s Training Academy The intensive trainining sessions for local and political activists is coming back to Memphis in April.

DeSoto County: The lates on the annexation fight between Walls and Horn Lake; incorrect financial information slows down the trial. Olive Branch is cutting developers slack in meeting certain infrastructure deadlines.

Good Morning Memphis: From Fox13’s morning show, Pastor Kenneth Whalum talks school funding. Sprucing up your home on a budget. Workplace injuries and the law. Martavius Jones on how the Federal stimulus package will affect the everyday person. Fruit smoothies!

Commercial Appeal: The parent company of the daily newspaper, E. W. Scripps, posted nearly one billion dollars in net loss for FY2008. Company-wide pay and benefit cuts have been instituted. Mediaverse: Memphis has a letter from Scripps CEO John Boehne to employees explaining the changes and also links to the last Memphis Newspaper Guild update on contract talks. The daily says layoffs are coming by March; and notes that corporate ad sales are plummeting. More on the story from WMC, the Daily News.

Diversity Developer Incubator: Innovative new program is teaching minority would-be developers the skills to succeed and transform blighted neighborhoods.

Shelby County Commission Vacancy: The list of candidates for David Lillard’s vacant Position 4 seat: John Bogan, Jim Bomprezzi, Rudolph Daniels, Tommy Hart, Linda Kerley, Matt Kuhn, Adrienne Pakis-Gillon, Chris Price, Terry Roland. James Bolden applied but was ruled ineligible due to residency issues. More on the candidates from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Community Congress on Crime: Schedule and contact information for the last forum.
 

Small Business Administration: A ‘phishing scam’ involving tax rebates, asking businesses for their bank information on fraudulent SBA letterhead, is going around.

ARKANSAS: Some legislators believe that the restrictions and standards being set for the future Arkansas Lottery Commission should apply to them as well.

BUSINESS: Many local stocks went along with the Dow drop. Wright Medical Group reported a 4Q revenue increase, but a net loss overall. The old Collier Lincoln Mercury site on Covington Pike is being foreclosed. Flowserve Corp. has received the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Workplace Safety by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. American Music & Sound is coming to area from New York and is expected to hire 40 locally. Wright Medical sees 4Q sales increase but still posts a loss.

What effect will the Federal stimulus have on the wrecked residential real estate market? No one really knows yet. DeSoto County Bank in Horn Lake is the latest area bank to receive Federal funds from the Capital Purchase Program.

People receiving unemployment rises again to another all time high: almost 5 million.

People in business from the CA.

Delta Air Lines: They are adding eight nonstop routes, originating in Salt Lake City, UT. Memphis is already nonstop, but will have more daily flights added. Also, 2100 employees accepted the buyout offer.

Germantown: City is seeking 10 officers for its reserve training program.

Memphis City Schools: The school system is pushing for the City Council to pay the money awarded by the chancellor’s ruling this week, even as the Council votes to appeal the decision. But the city will provide money to the County school system to pay for the operation of Chimneyrock Elementary.

The Big Switch: If you are confused about the changeover to digital broadcast television, the AARP has set up a hotline to help. Despite the constant advertising, when stations in Arkansas switched, many were still puzzled and angry.

Liberty Bowl: What are the real costs of Americans With Disabilities Act compliance. The Flyer’s John Branston finds out the numbers aren’t adding up.

Millington: New Sonic drive-in restuarant will have to do without its digital billboard sign.

Survey Says: Freddie Mac reports fixed-rate mortgages are at historic lows. The Center for American Porgress says 4 million Americans have lost health insurance during the recession, based on extrapolated data. The Memphis Area Association of Realtors says home sales slid by one-third over January last year, but foreclosures are also down; the CA offer a slightly different take. MLG&W residential customers pay the nation’s lowest water and wastewater rates.

TENNESSEE: State’s colleges and universities could see as much as $500 million from Federal stimulus monies.

Foreclosure: More on the details of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, via the Tri-State Defender.

Ridgeway Trace: With property this golden, not even a recession slows construction of this shopping center down.

Harrah’s Entertainment: They are partnering with Alzheimer’s Association for a charity fundraiser in March, ‘Stetsons and Stars’.

Downtown: The space that was formerly Stella will soon be Flight, a restaurant themed around air travel and fine drinking.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office: They are seeking applications for the Citizen’s Academy, offering demonstrations and presentations in dozens of areas of law enforcement.

vibinc: All US Congressional Republicans have left is obstructionism. Also, thoughts on potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kim McMillan.

The Souncheck & the Fury: Appreciating a particularly well-written sentence.

55-40 Memphis: Is the recession turning into class warfare?

A View From the Middle: Markus has his own show on WYPL, the Library Channel? It’s about local indie film. Check it out!

John Branston: Don’t worry too much, bad elected leaders aren’t just a Memphis thang.

The Horn of Plenty: A recipe for chicken empanadas with chorizzo and olives.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Downtown news and more, as you’d expect. And why Facebook is important if you’re a business.

One Half Amazing! Your business thought for the day.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: Tales from the classroom: Excitable Boy v. the Theater Majors.

Sassy Molassy: She posts about her emergecy room experience when her baby got diarrhea.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: On chimps, presidents and racism. A recommendation for the Crimson Trace DVD.

Radio Sweethearts: Someone else is now looking for work.

Commercial Appeal: Making it easier to bring firearms to places where families gather defies common sense. A plug for the Memphis Urban Debate League.

Ron Walters: African-Americans need to make sure their interests are reflected in the execution of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Smart City Memphis: Discussions of school funding are needed so that taxes can be made fairer.

Thaddeus Matthews: Was the son of Police Director Larry Godwin — Anthony, a police officer himself — arrested on a DUI charge?