DeSoto County: The new Olive Branch courthouse and police station will open soon. The Commercial Appeal looks at the political campaign donations for various races in the Olive Branch elections.

Memphis Budget: A full schedule of budget hearings is available online.

Orpheum Summer Movie Series: The new 2009 series has been announced. (PDF document) “Chick Flicks” is this year’s theme. The Orpheum website.

Memphis Renaissance Business Center: They are hosting a workshop on developing a business plan this Saturday.

Mississippi: A $90 million gap in funding the State’s Medicaid program will be the subject of a House - Senate joint committee meeting.

Business: Buckeye Technologies saw both income and sales fall in the first quarter; more from the Daily News. Accredo Health Group’s revenues grew to a record $2.3 billion. More on Accredo’s first quarter income surge; and from the Commercial Appeal.

A professional profile of the law firm The Howard-Flynn Law Group, from the Daily News. A professional interview with Brian Faughnan, of Adams & Reese, on the occasion of his joining the invitational-only honorary society Litigation Counsel of America.

People in Business, from the CA.

Levitt Shell at Overton Park: The schedule of shows for the 2009 series has been finalised. Levitt Shell website.

Banking: Magna Bank is selling their lone out-of-town branch to focus their banking operations on the Memphis market.

Memphis Sexual Assault and Resource Center: More on the center’s staff shortage and the role it played in a teen’s failure to get a rape kit.

Real Estate: Highwoods Properties, an REIT, beat analyst expectations and grew FFO. Commercial real estate sales are increasing somewhat, but are still far below past numbers.

University of Memphis: The Bursar’s Office is making a pair of major changes to their refund policies for te 2009 - 2010 school year. Professor Chrysanthe Preza, of the electrical and computer engineering department, has won a National Science Foundation research award. The Tiger Initiative for Gardening in Urban Settings will begin planting eight edible gardens around campus today. Teaching art teachers to stretch their school budgets by going green.

Meetup.com: For busy people who are looking for other local people with similar interests, you can turn to this social connection website.

Oakland: Former mayoral candidate Scott Ferguson has indicated, based on an audit of County Election Commission records, he is going forward with his lawsuit, contesting the results of the last election. (via the Oakland News)

Worker Wanted Wednesdays: Eyewitness News has a list of companies hiring right now.

Stanford Financial Group: The movers have been at the Crescent Center, emptying out the offices of the now-closed investment firm.

Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence: They are hosting a conference for non-profit agencies on “Surviving the Perfect Storm: Reinventing the Nonprofit’s Future” this Friday.

Main Street Journal: One last article from the April issue: Chuck Bates writes about The Case for Non-Intervention in the American economy. The Table of Contents here, with links to all other online stories.

ONLINE ONLY! Main Street Journal publisher Jonathan Lindberg explains The Politics of Herenton.

Coming next month, our direct, no-apologies interview with Bartlett Mayor A. Keith McDonald.

Congressman Willie Herenton? People are reacting against the WMC / Yacoubian poll showing US Rep. Steve Cohen easily winning a matchup against Mayor Willie Herenton. WMC responds to the critics. The original story.

Swine Flu Fears: A suspected case has now been found in the state; more from WMC, WREG, Eyewitness News. The Better Business Bureau is warning people to beware of “swine flu scams.” The virus has not yet been found in either Arkansas or Mississippi. Researchers and doctors at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital are part of the effort to find a vaccine.

Politics: Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Gibbons held his largest fundraiser to date this week. House Republican Caucus leader Glen Casada has become involved in the campaign libel case involving East TN Rep. Stacey Campfield.

House committee has approved automatic hikes in the gas tax, tied to the Consumer Price Index; more from WMC. Senate committee passes bill allowing loaded rifles and shotguns in vehicles. Another Senate committee passes bill preventing law enforcement from seizing weapons from law-abiding citizens during martial rule. The proposed constitutional amendment limiting abortions is now headed to the full House for a vote. The governor signed a bill preventing the collection of gun information during training classes. Separate bills on parallel tracks in the House and Senate on whether to keep or drop the Tennessee Plan; more from the CA. And a House bill requiring DUI offenders to purchase a special license plate for their cars has been delayed; sponosr is Rep. Brian Kelsey.

Memphis in May: The festival is taking precautions to help prevent the spread of the swine flu.
 

County Commission: Both City and County schools presented their proposed budgets Wednesday; both systems had trimmed expenses. More from WMC and the Commercial Appeal. Commissioners had lots of questions, and wanted answers, about the appraisal process that resulted in so many property value increases this year.

The MED: There are hopeful signs on funding after talks with Mississippi and Arkansas on sharing the load financially.

Hunting Season: The TN Wildlife Resources Agency presented their proposals for the 2009 - 2010 season. There has been a substantial change to the white-tail deer season dates.

Leadership Memphis: They will be hosting their annual celebration next week! RSVP required.

Reappraisals: Over in Davidson County (i.e. Nashville) the new certified tax rates have been set and the mayor promises no raise in those rates. County Assessor Cheyenne Johnson explains. More from Eyewitness News. A related story on foreclosures and reappraisals from the Commercial Appeal.

Federal Stimulus Funds: The US Army Corps of Engineers received over $650,000 to dredge the Wolf River Harbor; more from the Daily News. Several Mid-South towns and utility districts are getting funds for various water projects.

Stanford Financial Group: WMC wonders what role religiousity played in their scheme.

Survey Says: IBISWorld predicts Mother’s Day spending will fall about 15%. Ninety percent of corporate finance executives say liquidity management is a top priority, says APQC. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports both applications and interest rates fell in the past week.

Tom Guleff : Joe Citizens: Head on over and join the Barbara Swearengen Ware photo caption contest!

Thaddeus Matthews: Pointing out the demographic flaws in the WMC poll on the Herenton / Cohen clash. And a reminder of who is the only political talk show host left standing. Go ahead … guess.

vibinc: Shelby County Democrats are still lagging. It’s a newsgasm! He’s willing to hope for the best in the news about the TN Democratic Party.

On the Beach: He, too, has thoughts on the Herenton - Cohen matchup.

(Lang Wiseman’s) Random Thoughts: A long and thoughtful and well-considered post about the Tennessee Plan for judicial selection.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: A very bad joke to brighten (or dim) your day.

Radio Sweethearts: The Obama administration’s airplane mishap over New York inspires a poem.

Notes from Memphis: Outdoors, Inc. is having the Canoe and Kayak Race this Saturday morning.

My Midtown Memphis: Central Gardens is now under video surveillance? The Mellow Mushroom pizza chain is coming to … Germantown?

Mediaverse: A great review and analysis of the Memphis News piece on the Commercial Appeal. (Richard is a former reporter for the daily.)

Left Wing Cracker: He thinks the WMC Herenton - Cohen poll is reflecting the reality.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: A convergence of dogs and movie. Bittersweet emotions as the semester winds down.

The Conservative Zone: Thoughts on the ignominious end of Mike Fleming.

The English Major Bookstore: There’s been a deluge of books! Really, stop by.

The Gates of Memphis: An urban renewal do-over.

Commercial Appeal: Passing an unnecessary law is good if it promotes awareness. Deploring what went wrong at the Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center.

Author of Y’all’s Destruction: Graphing his success as a writer.

55-40 Memphis: Thoughts and more thoughts on Barbara Swearengen-Ware’s upcoming troubles.

artbutcher: Dwayne has his own art show coming up next week.

Ashley la Rouge: Plugging Amanda’s zine.

BEEB: She was invited to photograph a friend’s party and you get to enjoy the results.

Buck’s Blog: Parenthood does strange things to your vocabulary. “Rejection hurts, but that is okay.”

Justin P. Wilson: The State Comptroller praises the State’s middle-route approach to financial market regulations for towns, cities and Counties, and lays out a plan for the future. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Pet Scoop: Advice on preventing heartworms and fleas, and adoption events around the area. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: Getting the kids to go outside. (via the Commercial Appeal)