Shelby County Commission: They voted to keep food service for the jail in-house. They also decided to go with Plan B for single-source public school funding in Shelby County. Other news from the Commission meeting.

MLG&W: The Memphis City Council is poised to pay over $400,000 in legal fees for former president, Joseph Lee.

HEAT: The official heat-related death toll is now at four for Shelby County. More from WMC, Eyewitness News, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Restaurant Skippers: Remember the couple that stiffed Owen Brennan’s restaurant last week? Then, when shamed on the Internet, returned to pay the tab? It wasn’t their only time doing it!

Politics: Fundraising appeals from Ron Ramsey and Roy Herron. Has Shelby County ever complied with the Help America Vote Act?

Memphis Police Department: A former employee took home arrest tickets and then tossed them into the trash, exposing those ticketed to identity theft.

Liberty Bowl: The City has taken out permits for more than $1 million in renovations.

TennCare: Well over 100,000 people are due to be cut from the patient rolls, thanks to the Daniels review, beginning soon.

Arkansas: The one penny reduction in the State’s sales tax on groceries isn’t expected to have much effect. More on various tax changes, from WREG. Economists are questioning the State’s official unemployment figure. The State’s Department of Transportation will close a lane of the I-55 Bridge today and tomorrow; similar story with link.

The Big Green Bus: Dartmouth College’s biofuel demonstrator and mobile “science fair” is in town this week.

Memphis City Schools: This year’s graduating class has earned a staggering $143 million in scholarship money! System will now have to spend an additional $12.1 million on science texts and materials to make up for not teaching it all along.

Stanford Financial Group: A judge will decide today whether or not to revoke R. Allen Stanford’s bail.

Mississippi: As State budget talks still drag, Medicaid recipients are growing nervous; more from Eyewitness News. The extra budget session is almost done, though. People who lost food due to the June windstorms are still waiting for their replacement food stamps. Federal funds aimed at law enforcement enhancement are beginning to show up in MS. The State’s Farm Bureau and USDA Rural Development offices will soon have new directors.

Crime: A Memphis man has been charged with counterfeiting thousands of dollars.

Books From Birth: This local program, encouraging very young kids to learn reading, got nearly $1 million in State grants, announced by Governor Phil Bredesen and Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton.

DeSoto County: Good news? The County is seeing a spike in building permits. The old Olive Branch Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets for the last time today. The County’s School Board recommended 14 assistant principals.

NEW! Main Street Journal : On the Block: Today –Which office holds more power, the 9th U.S. Congressional District or Memphis Mayor?. Mid-South leaders respond.

4th of July: A listing of events in the Mid-South celebrating Independence Day. Some Downtown events. And another list from WREG.

Second Amendment: More on the reaction by cities to gun carry by permit holders in restaurants and public parks.

Mayor Herenton Resigns: And now come the resignations and retirements of other members of the Herenton administration. More on this from WMC, Eyewitness News, WREG, the Daily News and the CA. One of them, Public Services Director Kenneth Moody, talks with Fox13. More reflections on Herenton’s legacy, from people in South Memphis.

The pool of candidates (and possible candidates) is still growing! The Rev. Kenneth Whalum is now in the race. Observers say a crowded field would hurt A C Wharton’s chances. The suburban mayors are already looking forward to the next mayor.

Last Friday’s coverage of the resignation of Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton can be found here. Monday’s continuation is here.

Trash: A reminder that City trash pickup schedules are changing drastically. (Story has link to schedule details.)

Business: OfficeMax is now going to use FedEx domestic shipping; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. Small business confidence in the economy is largely unchanged.

County Commissioner Steve Mulroy: He is in Washington today, addressing a conference on voting rights. It will be live-streamed over the web and broadcast on C-SPAN.

Tennessee: Governor Phil Bredesen will be taking another trade mission to China and Japan this Fall. Via the US Environmental Protection Agency, the State’s Department of Transportation is getting $2 million for truck stop electrification. The average price of gas in the state has fallen by 5 cents last week? Study says we’re not raising college teachers’ salaries as much as neighboring states. The governor has added $5 million to the State’s indigent defense fund.

Mid-South Chapter of the American Red Cross: After laying off one-third of staff, they are trying to regain their financial footing. They are also holding a racing-themed blood drive over the July Fourth holiday. Please give!

Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce: Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice will speak and take questions at the Global Leadership Series, coming in September. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Real Estate: Mid-America Apartment Communities has created a $250 million acquisition fund for future apartment complex purchases. Commercial real estate sales in Memphis took a very sharp decline in May. The developers of the Lamar Crossing Apartments is fighting foreclosure right up to the auction.

Vegan Crunk: A vegan bbq sammich?

Tom Guleff : Joe Citizens: The mayoral draft campaign for Jim Strickland continues.

The Flying Bloghouse: You, too, can have this awesome Independence Day themed newsbot.

The Chubby Vegetarian: And then there’s this: BBQ tofu. Porcini mushrooms are available, but act quickly.

The Chockley Blogs: Vacation photos, from Florida, and some cannonballs!

Thaddeus Matthews: He picks the white candidate for white voters.

Smart City Memphis: Mayor Herenton’s lost bully pulpit. Leadership as an opportunity. And some advice for the next mayor, from Denver.

(Lang Wiseman) Random Thoughts: Some thoughts on the mayoral race and some links.

Ramblings of a River City Resident: An update on her grandmother, Lolo. (Warning: Icky picture of facial damage.) A weird and boring weekend update.

Persian Pit Bull: It was a busy day last week: A Lauren Conrad book signing and Wicked with the girls.

Mick Wright: He’s moved to new digs!

55-40 Memphis: Local stories like this circulate around the city and media circles, but never get public somehow.

BEEB: They meet the surprising history of their home.

From the Southern Table: A spooky coincidence involving a buzzard and a hearse. Also, picky eating and a picky eater’s salad on a hot day.

Lean Left: Did Senator Corker cost the state some jobs?

Love is a Movement: A surprising reply to the question of poverty.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Can women even have these kinds of contests? Apparently so.

The Suggs: Baby’s first road trip!

Born Again Hippies: An update on the effort to rename Alabama as Alobama.

THE INTERSECTION OF MADNESS AND REALITY: Lamenting the sad decline of BET.

Commercial Appeal: The change to the City’s trash pickup schedule is more efficient and good for all. They criticise these lists of city rankings, and yet they always print them and moan about the results.

A Right Perspective: Paying tribute to three icons. (via the Commercial Appeal)