City of Memphis: Looking to outsource operations of four community centers, previously targetted for closure, to help with budget problems. The City Council will be working today, along with city business, on building teamwork. The Council will also consider a City hiring freeze.

Shelby County Commission: The Commission votes to restructure County debt, from adjustable-rate bond debts to fixed-rate.

POLITICS: The Senate hands a bill to Governor Bredesen to sign that Phil Bredesen that gives him some flexibility in avoiding layoffs of State employees by allowing re-assignments; more from WREG.

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey’s announcement Friday of his gubernatorial run was motivated by fund-raising concerns. From Middle TN blogger Nathan Moore, thoughts on how Shelby County DA Bill Gibbons might win the GOP primary race for governor.

More on the Shelby County Democratic Party’s caucuses this Saturday to elect delegates to their convention later this Spring. Small towns worry they’ll miss out on Federal stimulus monies.

Cordova: The new Vieux Carre retail center is nearing opening of Phase I.

DeSoto County: County is considering background checks for all employees who drive County vehicles. Board of Supervisors votes $4 million to help build two future I-269 bridges. The ‘greenway’ project is taking an inventory of all green spaces.

Charity: How Memphis non-profits and community help organisations are dealing with the demands of the recession.

Good Morning Memphis: Rigth now is a good time to refinance your home. Daylight savings time will recommence this Sunday morning; some advice on making the adjustment. The Ebony Fashion Fair is celebrating its 51st anniversary this year. The Digital Switch may have been pushed back to June, but you’ll still have to make it.

TENNESSEE: TN Court of Appeals rules in favor of incumbent Anderson County judge’s win in 2006. The president of the Tennessee State Employees Association was demoted state Corrections Department after billing allegations. (Note: see also story in ‘POLITICS’ about Governor Bredesen having flexibility in reassigning State employees.) The TN Correction Commissioner is working to reduce the total population involved in the State’s penal and correctional system. Federal stimulus money will be used to build 10 new bridges; more from WREG and Eyewitness News. Lottery receipts for February set a new record. Governor Bredesen is launching a drive to improve State’s workers’ fitness.

Autozone Park: This is the tenth season of Redbirds baseball at Autozone Park.

Foreclosure: How is the mortgage and foreclosure crisis affecting rural homeowners?

Survey Says: Air Cargo World magazine rates Memphis International Airport as the number one cargo airport in North America; more from the CA.

ARKANSAS: Lawmakers are ready this week to unveil the State’s lottery proposal. Another lawmaker proposes bill preventing wastewater and sewage from treatment plants from being dumped into 30 different watersheds in the state.

Commercial Appeal: More on the layoffs, which may be on hold for a few days, and some of those who have taken a volunteer layoff. The paper is fighting back against pressure to close their concealed carry permit database. The editor of their sister paper, Jack McElroy of the Knoxville Sun-Sentinel, also opposes bills to make the database confidential. Say Uncle, a prominent East TN gun-blogger responds to the Commercial Appeal’s arguments.

Tennessee Valley Authority: Employees charged $75 million to expense cards. More from Eyewitness News.

Collierville: Last week, the Chamber of Commerce honored Carl Rutledge as Person of the Year. (via the Collierville Independent)

Ronald McDonald House: They just raised $65,000 from their Oscar Night America parties. A radiothon auction will happen next week.

BUSINESS: Five Shelby County businesses are cutting almost 500 jobs; more from the Daily News. Common shares of 14 Memphis-based companies declined last week; 5 hit 52-week lows. About half will be from the Juvenile Court! Dunkin’ Donuts opens its first Memphis location next week. InMotion Musculoskeletal Institute has been busy at a Las Vegas conference. Medtronic will make an announcement in May regarding possible layoffs. Snowflake Technologies, a subsidiary of Luminetx, won an innovation award recently.

A profile of Looney Ricks Kiss architect, Carson Looney. A business profile of the J. T. Shannon Lumber Company, from the CA.

People in Business from the CA for Tuesday.

Tim McCarver: He won $100,000 from Morgan Keegan in mutual funds lawsuit.

Stanford Financial Group: Investor accounts have been frozen until March 12; more in the Daily News, WMC and Eyewitness News. And James M. Davis, their Memphis CFO, is pleading the Fifth.

International Paper: They cut their quarterly dividend by 90%. More from the Commercial Appeal, the Daily News. They are also selling off $275 million — or 143,000 acres — in Southeastern US timberlands; again, more from the Daily News.

Leadership Memphis: They are cosponsoring, along with the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, a talk by Obama’s chief Web2.0 strategist, Ben Self, about using networking tools to improve communities.

MISSISSIPPI: Personal income tax collections are up 14%, but corporate tax collections are below projections by $51 million. State ranks number two in per capita imprisoned. State’s Treasurer pleads that rainy day fund not be used to fix budget problems. Lawmakers are considering pulling the plug on red-light cameras.

Previously Posted: Felons are having a hard time finding work after release right now. Bartlett Planning Commission returned to work last night.

Fore Left!: Poking holes in the red state porn study.

Life as I know it from Memphis: The weight loss regimen is producing results; how she’s doing it.

Mediaverse: Memphis: The media coverage of the snowstorm;

16 Balls in the Air: Someone seems rather proud of her son.

My Memphis Attorney Life and Work: He writes up the Little Tea Shop. Also, exciting news and a report from the MPACT Media Forum.

artbutcher: He’s back from LA with a brief recap in blank prose.

One Half Amazing!: OK bloggers and website operators, some search engine optimisation advice.

poopiebitch: Economics means more cooking at home to save money and lovely homemade whole wheat bread.

Pretty in Pink Meagan: Bridesmaids dresses and working out for the wedding, then questions for her readers.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Thoughts on the media doing its job; the Titans buy a pair of talents, they hope;

Crime in Memphis: Well, the snowstorm was good for one thing: crime went down!

Commercial Appeal: Hopefully, new laws on roadside sale of dogs will stop impulse behaviors. Reforming State’s corrections system can both help with crime and budget reduction.

Confessions of a West TN Liberal: A parable from the Twilight Zone and some realistic thoughts on the District 4 County Commission kerfuffle.

Buck’s Blog: Why he has a second job or ‘bonfires in hell’ and area consignment sales.