Fire Department: The City has pulled a permit to build a new fire station near the intersection of Shelby Drive and Lamar Avenue.

The Med: The Firefighters Regional Burn Unit is trying to find ways to cope with an estimated $17 million loss.

Crime: Utility theft costs MLG&W millions. Memphis Police are using a new license plate scanner to search out criminals; more from WMC, Eyewitness News. Winchester in Hickory Hill is becoming a long, open air illegal market. Also in Hickory Hills, an apartment complex’s cameras are directly linked to the police station. The police are trolling local newspapers, like the Commercial Appeal and the Flyer, to make prostitution busts. Crime in Binghamton has neighbors concerned.

FedEx Forum: Being transformed for the NCAA Tournament ‘Sweet 16 and Elite 8′ games Thursday. Local businesses are hoping for a windfall.

The Economy: Banks nationwide lost $32 billion in 4Q 2008. Local banks did well in Monday’s higher stock trading. Workers in MS and TN are being denied Federal extended unemployment benefits because of State laws; more from WMC, the Daily News. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Dyersburg State Community College is helping small businesses in the area deal with the struggling economy. Central Avenue Liquors has filed for bankruptcy but is still trying to hang on in a new location.

IRS: Nearly 22,000 people in the state have about $20 million in unclaimed refunds awaiting them!

FedEx: They are going to open a distribution center in South Carolina. The company has released the names of those killed in yesterday’s crash. Similar story from the Commercial Appeal.

BUSINESS: The Peabody Hotel (and two sister hotels) have joined a high-end sales service, Associated Luxury Hotels International. Verso’s recycling partnerships in New York City are paying off. Medtronic leads funding for Ardian, a catheter device maker. Walgreen’s 2Q profits drop 7%; more in the CA. Sportsman’s Warehouse files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Federal subsidy for COBRA payments helps take some of the sting out of unemployment.

A business profile of Universal Air Repair, in the CA.

People in Business, from the CA, for Tuesday.

St Francis Hospital: They have hired their first ‘hospitalists’ — physicians contracted by the hospital to monitor patients multiple times a day.

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency: They are now accepting online credit card donations.

Downtown: Mural going up near AutoZone Park is drawing more and more attention. More on the proposed rehabilitation of Mud Island River Park. And see the Friends for our Riverfront blog posting below for many more informational links.

Survey Says: More than half of Americans surveyed by Move Inc. worried they or someone they knew would face foreclosure this year. Congressional Quarterly Press ranks TN as the sixth worst crime rate state.

TN Budget: Governor Phil Bredesen belatedly presented his 2009/10 budget. Federal stimulus money will allow 12% cuts to be phased in over three years. More on that from the Daily News. Higher education will get $470 million over two years, from stimulus funds; more on that at WMC; Daily News. The budget could bring $81 million to the University of Tennessee Memphis.

Stanford Financial Group: A personal profile of Ralph Janvey, the court appointed receiver in the case.

Collierville: Via the Collierville Independent, the City lays off 12 workers. Student at Bailey Station Elementary raised over $6000 for diabetes research. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and other administrators, were in Nashville yesterday to ‘listen’ at the Tennessee Municipal League’s Annual Legislative Conference. A weekly career transition group meeting at St Andrew Episcopal Church has grown recently.

Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission: They will be honoring 11 women who contributed to Memphis music, today.

The Elite Literary Club: The book club is celebrating their 86th anniversary!

Millington: Fire Chief Charles Carter retires on June 30, capping a 35-year career!

POLITICS: The Shelby County Republican Party elected a new chairman: Lang Wiseman. Republican-sponsored education summit Monday draws a lot of local leaders and politicians to network on education and connect with parents. Chris Thomas announced his plans to run for the District 4 Position 1 County Commission seat currently held by term-limited Joyce Avery; more via the CA. Tom Ingram is leaving the staff of Senator Lamar Alexander to become a campaign consultant for gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam. A bi-partisan group of US Senators from the Mid-South states have lobbied the Obama administration to not cut agricultural programs and again, more in the CA.

MISSISSIPPI: State passes law banning the use of red-light cameras. Another new law penalises damagaing utility meters. The number of young and middle-aged mentally ill living in nursing homes with the aged mentally ill has been increasing; Tennessee, too. Legislative talks on raising cigarette taxes stall again. Charges levelled against MS State Democratic Party that controversial weekend meeting to install new executive committee member and remove the chairman was illegal.

Holy Rosary Church and School: They will begin construction this Spring on their new family life center. It’s the first phase in a much larger expansion plan.

Previously Posted: The city of Turrell, AR, remains closed. More on State Rep. Joe Towns‘ ’saggy pants’ bill. More on the purchase of railroad land from CSX to build the Memphis Greenline. More on the Nashville-area banks that are paying generous bonuses to their executives.

ARKANSAS: A study shows that taxpayers pay over $19,000 in cable television bills for elected and appointed State officials living in State-paid homes. State-run lottery and scholarship bills go to the Governor for a signature. Senate passes bill requiring retailers to sell ‘fire safe’ cigarettes.

Brain Release Valve: He officiated a wedding and here’s his opening remarks.

Bigger Than Your Head: Thoughts on the White House vegetable garden and a wine cellar.

From the Rainbows: Cleaning up turns up many memories.

Friends for our Riverfront: Public meetings to let your voice be heard on the Mud Island River Park plan. Some informational links.

Fore Left: Thoughts on President Obama on 60 Minutes; sign nazis? And manufactured protest.

Fertile Ground: Random conversations, recorded.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: A fondness for the foibles of local news.

Author of Y’all’s Destruction: He was a Netflix customer … for all of 10 minutes.

A Right Perspective: Concern over a judge’s intervention in a home schooling situation.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: She makes her NCAA Tournament picks.

memphis.cool.movies: The Memphis International Film Festival is also having a songwriting contest.

Notes From Memphis: A bit of a plug for Downtown — and another! — and some sports.

One Half Amazing! A video report from the Memphis Pillow Fight.

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: A rather strange hobby;

The Chockley Blogs: A visit to the City Museum of St Louis (with pictures) and wistful thoughts on walking your child to school.

Commercial Appeal: Support for the Memphis Greenline and the Memphis City Schools administration plays it a little too close to the vest.

Joy’s Life and Times: A birthday love letter to her Dad.