UPDATED! Main Street Journal: Two new articles from the February issue are now online! Read Rescued: The Fight to Save Our Historic Buildings by Lance Allen and The Battle: The Shelby County Schools System is Still in the Fight for Special School Districts by Michael Roy Hollihan.

You can peruse the Table of Contents here. Chuck Bates presents Part Two of Socialism Not Seen Since FDR.

Reginald French: The Daily News presents a deep, historical look at his business, Integrate Technologies, and the problems that led to its declaring bankruptcy.

BUSINESS: Another day of losses on Wall Street and many Memphis stocks also took a beating. American Express is encouraging some cardholders to close their accounts! Investor Nation is a new website, launched in Memphis, for residential real estate investment sales and advisory information. Harrah’s Entertainment confirms that their Memphis operations will see 250 layoffs.

GTx is beginning trials of a new prostate cancer treatment; more from the Daily News. Wright Medical Group is unveiling an array of new products this year. Medtronic is acquiring CoreValve Inc. and Ventor Technologies for a combined one billion dollars; more from the Daily News and the CA. Schering-Plough will work with the World Health Organisation on a pandemic influenza vaccine. Obsidian Public Relations is starting a music division to train local musicians and promoters.

Business profile, via the CA, of High Point Coffee.

People in Business, from the CA, for Tuesday.

Memphis Crime: More than 150 homes boarded up in the past three years by Memphis police are still empty, and posing new dangers. When dining out, watch out for credit card ‘cloning’.

Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett: The Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency voted unanimously to allow the hospital to build an expansion in Bartlett.

Stanford Group: Red flags abounded during SEC probe, and yet he kept on going. The scope of the scandal turns out to be ‘vast and deep‘.

University of Memphis: Campus police are searching for a middle-aged man exposing himself around the school, dubbed the ‘Patterson Pervert‘. An arrest has been made now. Crisis intervention classes teach students to deal with college stresses. Too many protests conflicting with each other. Historic 1916 anti-abortion / pro-contraception film being screened on campus. While retail sales are still sluggish, Tiger apparel is selling well.

DeSoto County: The Bank of DeSoto County received $1.17 million in Federal bailout funds; more from WMC. If you attend a DeSoto County public school, you’d better have County car tags, too. County officials worry that Gov. Barbour’s stance on Federal stimulus funds may cost them millions of anticipated dollars. A roundup of new candidates in various City and County elections. Olive Branch’s petition to annex about 15 square miles has had a court date set.

A handy directory of DeSoto County church websites, from the Commercial Appeal.

TENNESSEE: New agreement between state’s roadbuilders and coal miners will divide up new tax increases between roads and schools.

University of Memphis Law School: Dr Kevin Smith has been named as Dean.

Collierville: Consolidating auto dealerships leads to changes in city sign ordinance.

Survey Says: According to Symantec, slightly more than half of employees admit to stealing company data. According to Freddie Mac, almost all prime borrowers refinanced their ARMs into fixed rate mortgages. Financing firm Edward Jones lists the top economic concerns of male and female Americans and unemployment tops the list. Byways magazine rates TN the number one state for motorcoach travel!

Refinancing Seminar: The Law Office of Maiden & Bennett and other professionals will hold a seminar on March 3, on the process of refinancing and deciding if it’s right for you.

New Convention Center: Admitting the budget problems and down economy, supporters of a new convention center are still pushing for a feasability study and plans.

Mortgage Tips: From Eyewitness News, how to protect your mortgage.

Good Morning Memphis: MS State Senator Merle Flowers talks about activity in the Legislature. US Rep. Steve Cohen talks about his trip to Afghanistan. Before you go into the hospital, here’s a website that gives you important customer viewpoints. A report on last weekend’s Folk Alliance Conference.

MISSISSIPPI: Governor Haley Barbour may decline some Federal stimulus money. Claims against judges are on the rise. Municipal election application deadlines are March 6. Speaker of the House Billy McCoy blasts Governor Haley Barbour over his plan to refuse some Federal stimulus funds.

Homeless Aid: About $4.6 million in Federal stimulus money will reach Memphis and Shelby County to help fight homelessness.

POLITICS: The Tri-State Defender has a report of Rep. Steve Cohen’s trip to Aghanistan. Bill successfully passed in Senate, from Jim Kyle, would extend sale date of certain bonds into 2011. Senate legislator wants to toughen school bullying regulations; more from the Daily News and the CA.

AGRICULTURE: State’s 79,000 farms produced fruit, field and vegetable crops worth nearly $1.8 billion in 2008, nearly half-again the previous year’s production.

Memphis Heritage: They are launching a Preservation Series of lectures on local churches, religion, stained glass windows, organs, etc., beginning with Mondays next month.

Previously Posted: More on the recruiting by the Shelby County Sheriff for the Citizen’s Academy. More on the two laws proposed by County Mayor A C Wharton and the County Commission to help deal with crime. The MS Secretary of State is opening a regional office in Hernando. Reviving the old “Betty Busses,” Top Priority Transportation plans to restart bus service between Memphis International Airport and Little Rock National Airport.

St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital: Listeners of Univision Radio network (for Hispanic listeners) raised $6 million in radiothon for St Jude’s this month.

Volunteer Expo: More than 80 non-profit groups and agencies will come together at Oak Court Mall on Thursday, trying to drum up support and service. Event co-sponsored by Volunteer Mid-South and MPACT Memphis.

ARKANSAS: Bill defeated in House that would allow State employees and teachers to buy prisoner-made products. It was said to be unfair to other Arkansans who don’t have that opportunity; more from WREG. Mandatory helmet law dies in Senate.

Memphis Area Home Builders Association: Moving from their old offices on Germantown Parkway opens up the the largest commercial space on that road in years to redevelopment. In a semi-related story, recruiting people to move to Memphis is tougher now with the down housing market.

Kingian Nonviolence Program: Special Memphis City Schools two-week program has celebrated its first graduates, trained in avoiding violence as a solution by using Dr Martin Luther King’s teachings. More from WREG and the CA.

FedEx: CEO Fred Smith says foreign oil is the nation’s biggest threat, after terrorism. More from WREG, the Daily News.

Millington: The Board of Aldermen approved a 1.5% hotel tax on its second of third readings.

Memphis Roller Derby: Yes, it’s back and it’s a family affair these days, if your family likes to body slam other people. But it’s still all for fun.

Germantown: The Board of Aldermen vote to liberalise their public comment policy on pending agenda items and resolutions, and move back their meeting time.

55-40 Memphis: See how he did with his Oscar predictions and some disturbing news about Diebold (the voting machine company).

Commontaries: Thoughts on that New York Post cartoon from last week.

Commercial Appeal: Out of towners with lots of money, big plans and big promises should be familiar to Memphians by now. Support for the Army Corps of Engineers plan to require life vests at four North MS lakes.

Brain Release Valve: TN bans atheists from elected office? His newest comic book script. And a strange t-shirt.

Cwabs! Create your own fantasy band and album cover and then, an embarrassing college photo.

Fore Left! ‘Social justice’ and President Obama; more thoughts on that Post cartoon; Chris Matthews v. Rick Santelli;

Smart City Memphis: Lamenting the selection of Matt Kuhn by the Commission and the strife it will bring.

Thaddeus Mathews: Thad’s radio show is now also streaming live video on the internet! Go Thad!

Complacencies of the Peignoir: A report with photos from their trip to New Orleans. But before they left, Mexican dining and dancing queens.

Confessions of a West Tennessee Liberal: An open letter to all the candidates for chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party.

Mick Wright: And a sarcastic open letter to the Shelby County Commission on their selection of Matt Kuhn.

gwynn bradley: Why of University of Memphis students charged student fees for games and then charged again to watch them online?

My Memphis Lawyer’s Life and Work: A quick but deep thought on the crashing Dow, Memphis and the local news media.

Notes From Memphis: A little visit to Millionaire’s Row.

Love is a Movement: Thoughts on movements: “It is very easy to fall in love with the great things, whether we are revolutionaries or church strategists.”

Secret Agent Mom: Backsliding from food to milk for Mr. Baby; and a very impressive vocabulary list, too.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: A message to our military.

vicinc: Being sanguine but disappointed by the selection of Bill Freeman, who gave to Republicans for years, as treasurer of the TN Democratic Party.

A Right Perspective: The Great Depression already taught us what we need to know to face today’s recession.