School Menus: Memphis City schools here and Shelby County schools here.

Shelby County Commission: Trying to estimate the tax rates for single-source funding of City and County schools.

In a somewhat related story, a look at how Shelby County Schools’ superintendent Bobby Webb’s last raise helped his retirement pension.

POLITICS: Governor Phil Bredesen makes it clear he will accept all Federal stimulus money; more from WMC. The Commercial Appeal’s Political Notebook. Memphis State Senator Reginald Tate introduces two bills to give governor powers to dissolve local school boards and block reappointment of superintendents. An early report on the Shelby County Democratic Party’s caucus, Saturday.

Shelby County Crime: The City of Memphis, Shelby County and many towns will all receive parts of $6 million from TARP for law enforcement and criminal control efforts. Is church violence becoming a national trend? An AP story on the fight between the City Council and the Police Division over residency requirements.

TENNESSEE: State’s unemployment rate rises by a full percentage point, to 8.6%; more from Fox13. Shelby County’s unemployment rate is also 8.6%. State’s revenue collections fall by nearly $70 million in February; more in the Business Journal. Legislature considering bill to grant tax breaks to casinos to build new resorts.

Memphis firm is studying growing new crops not usually grown here for biofuels and other uses in the Mid-South. More and more TN university agriculture programs are going organic. And the State will launch a program, SCORE, to improve high school education.

Previously Posted: Two more downtown developers get tax abatements from the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. This year’s flu season is expected to last at least into April; more from Eyewitness News.

City of Memphis: City’s street sign maintenance shop replaces 12,000 to 17,000 signs a year. Truancy is on the rise in City schools.

Reappraisals: Another reminder of how nervous everyone is about the upcoming residential notices.

Survey Says: US News and World Report ranks Memphis one of the top ten places to retire single. The state is ranked in the top ten nationally in five crop and two livestock categories by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Steve Cooper: His Gold Club on North White Station has been issued a stop work order until a nonconforming use question is resolved. More from the Commercial Appeal, Eyewitness News.

Germantown: The Germantown Athletic Club is getting $800,000 in renovations. Was Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy’s endorsement of losing candidates the source of current frictions on the Board of Aldermen?

Leadership Academy Fellows: Teaming up business people, students and mentors to help out in city schools.
 
 

Baptist Memorial Health Care: Employees have pledged more than a million dollars to build a hospice in Collierville. More from the Business Journal.

Overton Park: Plans for a minimally intrusive drainage basin, which the City claims would only be filled four or five times a year, draw outcry from Overton Park supporters. MOre from the Flyer.

Commercial Appeal: The state’s four largest dailies have made an agreement to share content with each other freely and to cooperate on some projects state-wide. More from Mediaverse, who notes the Associated Press connection.

Summer Jobs: From WREG, where teens can find summer employment.

Stanford Financial Group: St Jude Golf Championship managers are still waiting to hear if they’ll have a title sponsor. There were plenty of folks with questions, but money swayed them; ’strategic philanthropy’. Stanford has now laid off 1000 employees. About 12,000 investor accounts have been unfrozen.

The Jericho Initiative: Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton announces a new approach to fighting crime in the county — the Jericho Initiative. It aims to strengthen the mental health system’s intervention into the lives of those who often wind up in jail to prevent re-arrest and re-incarcerations.

Good Morning Memphis interviews one of the principals of the Jericho Initiative: Kathryn Power of the Center for Mental Health Services. More from Fox13.

Foreclosures: A recent foreclosure workshop attracts hundreds. And a reminder that foreclosures are expected to continue and maybe even increase this year.

FedEx: Company transfers 68 captains and first officers from its Anchorage, AK, hub to other parts of the world.

BUSINESS: Lifesigns, which promotes preventive care, is doing well. Condo owners are switching over to apartments. If you can find the money or credit, now is a good time to buy a car. Whole Foods will keep its Memphis store in a court settlement; more from Eyewitness News. A $2 million retail center is going up on Forest Hill - Irene in Southeast Memphis. The Consulting Services Group and the Trading Services Group have reached a settlement with the US Dept. of Labor. Many construction subcontractors are preparing for a long, dry spell. Dillard’s reports a $149 million 4Q loss.

Number and value of new home loans drops significantly in February. The Gastroenterology Center of the MidSouth has bought a new office in Germantown.

A CA business profile of engineering firm Allen & Hoshall. And a business profile of Moorman Upholstery, from the Daily News. Another business profile, from the CA, of A-One Staffing.

People in Business for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, from the CA. Also, the CA’s Done Deals for Sunday.

DeSoto County: The I-55 rest stop will get a facelift. The deadline for filing homestead exemptions with the Assessor’s Office is approaching. Horn Lake’s new fire station finally has a contractor. Southaven sign ordinance trips up small mission. Supporters of the Olive Branch Methodist Le Bonheur hospital are rethinking their plans. Volunteer group will undertake an inventory of trails, parks and greenspaces in the county. Southaven hopes to see $7.6 million from Federal stimulus funds. Olive Branch sewer system drawing bid estimates.

A list of municipal and other races in the county and the candidates who have filed.

Federal Spending: Here is a breakdown of all earmarks sponsored by Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker in the FY 2009 Omnibus Spending Bill. Of Memphis and Shelby County, earmarks go to the University of Memphis, Shelby County and the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, among others.

MISSISSIPPI: The Voter ID bill isn’t dead yet!

From the CA, Mississippi Outdoors.

University of Tennessee: Students may face a double digit tuition hike next year.

Angel Food Ministries: The charity’s Georgia office reached a settlement with the authorities, allowing a forensic audit and giving up credit cards and a airplane.

ARKANSAS: The House has passed a bill sealing concealed carry permit database; more from Eyewitness News. Also, the grocery sales tax cut and the State lottery bills aren’t dead yet.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: More Comcast and CSS suckage. He also has a new job!

Pretty in Pink Megan: A hnadbag obsession. And some incredible finds at a downtown “second time” store.

Tom Hrach: A member of the Commercial Appeal’s editorial board points out that Memphis needs more news about State government.

Radio Sweethearts: New ways to do painful things with technology.

Running With Dice: Both a review and a recommendation for Watchmen.

Rusty’s Alehouse: Other uses for coffee filters.

Commercial Appeal: Schools should encourage recess and other physical activities in kids. The right action taken with regards to the Hernando golfing cops. Opposing all the gun legislation in Nashville. City and County financial leaders are acting like children of late. The Obama administration’s efforts to root out Federal waste, mismanagement and corruption, while welcome, are likely fated to failure.

My Memphis Attorney’s Life and Work: A review of Napa Cafe.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: High praise for her girlfriends.

Life as I know it from Memphis: Want to buy a condo?

I’ll be the one in heels: Another tale of the East Shelby basketball league.

Jen-sized: On using laptops in college course.

artbutcher: Help ArtsMemphisTV choose their feature artists.

Crime in Memphis: When has a criminal had enough chances?

Cwabs! A FedEx poster from the future.

Fertile Ground: Ten things she loves about Memphis, with pictures!

Fore Left! Thoughts on our hard-working President. And questions on American shariah finance.

A View From the Middle: On the set of the movie he’s filming, he has an accident, which leads him to meet many comedians.

From the Rainbows: Space coffees and new floors, and then a birthday.

From the Southern Table: Going to Central Barbeque and then what to do about leftover nachos.

55-40 Memphis: An apology to the President, from a mattress-stuffer.

Otis L. Sanford: You want positive news? Memphis has two finalists on American Idol.

Chris Peck: Tying together the sanitation workers of the Civil Rights era and today’s hard times.

Jerome Wright: Arguing against taking child support payments private and away from Juvenile Court.