TNInvestco: These six venture capital firms, chosen by the State and supported by it, will begin accepting applications on August 1 for “Tennessee small businesses and start-up companies with large growth potential”.

Exploding! State Senator Paul Stanley: Jackson Baker fills in a few blanks in events of the past days. Stanley is not to be found. The alleged extortionist, Joel Watts, claims Stanley owes the state the apology.

Joan Carr, the Director of Community Affairs, Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region calls Stanley a “hypocrite”. More in the Commercial Appeal. Fox13 also has the story, but with badly garbled use of “blog”.

WMC has found video from the Capitol of Stanley introducing Morrison at an event. Blogger and former State intern Terry Frank did some Internet research on McKensie Morrison’s background, as did WREG. And PostPolitics does something similar to Senator Stanley. Someone who claims to have been an intern with Morrison speaks up about the attitudes of senators and representatives. The Nashville Scene talks with NewsChannel5’s political reporter, Phil Williams, about the reporter alleged to have offered $7500 for the Morrison pictures. WREG has video of Morrison at work and Watts talking.

Public reactions here.

Shelby County: The two firms charged with watching over County pension funds — Morgan Asset Management and Consulting Services Group — are coming under investigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Memphis Police Department: A short look at the rescued canines who work with the Organised Crime Unit. Properties seized by police end up still vacant but not looked after and new havens for new crimes.

Memphis Area Legal Services: In a partnership with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, they will be educating property owners, landlords and renters about the foreclosure and eviction processes and their legal rights. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Community Colleges: A new program from Shelby County helps community and technical college students get matched with scholarships and mentors, to improve their chances of college success.

Politics: For the first time ever, local campaign finance disclosure forms are now available online through the Shelby County Election Commission. (Website here.) A judge has ruled that US Rep. Steve Cohen did not act improperly when he got involved in the Mickey Wright / Dale Mardis case.

I-269: The Memphis Flyer looks into the next ring highway and what it will mean for “sprawl” and the center city. In a related story, funds for the widening of US 72 in Collierville appear to have faded away.

BBQ: Playboy.com rates the Germantown Commissary as one of the top ten ‘cue joints in the country. (This article is work-safe, though clicking off it may not be.) Commercial Appeal followup story.

Bartlett: A look at the city’s “citizen watchdog”, Gene Carkeet.

Millington: Millington Central High School finally has its own ballfield.

MSARC: State auditors release their findings, and none of the money was misspent or misappropriated.

Real Estate: The nationwide drop in commercial real estate values continues and may be accelerating.

Memphis Youth Leadership Program: Teen students are learning valuable leadership and personal skiils in this eight-week summer program. Website here.

Previously Posted: More on the Federal money to be used to synchronise traffic signals in some major Memphis roads. More on UPS’ disappointing financials. Nucor posts bad Q2 losses. Eleven Memphis City Schools are removed from the high priority list.

Main Street Journal: On the Block: Today –Outside the usual suspects of politicians, who would you like to see run for Memphis Mayor?. Mid-South leaders respond.

Unemployment: Both city and county unemployment rates have now risen above ten percent. For Memphis: 10.3%; for Shelby County: 10.5%. Fayette and Tipton Counties are even worse. More in the Daily News. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of mass layoffs in the state was well down in June, over the previous two months.

The Federal minimum wage hike’s effect on umemployment is debated; more here.

Second Amendment: The New York Times’ The Lede blog has a fast and loose write-up on the “gun carry” law in Tennessee. Union City joins the list of municipalities banning guns in public parks.

Center City Commission: At their annual luncheon, CCC president Jeff Sanford gave a “rousing speech” on the positives and negatives of Memphis, touching on racial politics, too. More on Thursday’s speech by Sanford.

“Take Back Our Highways”: New program involves five southern states (including MS and TN) who will have a one week traffic crackdown on highways.

Business: UPS profits in Q2 fell by almost half. Nucor’s net sales dropped by half and they had a sharp Q2 loss.

A business profile of The Cowles Company, a “green” construction firm, in the Daily News. Another professional profile, of executive recruiters RSG Recruiting Service Group and Whitney Hodges, talking about the recession’s effects on recruiting, in the Daily News. And from the CA, a business profile of AmeriSpec, a home inspection company.

People in Business, from the CA.

Broad Avenue: The once-declining area is now showing signs of strong growth.

Crochet Guild of America: The state’s first-ever chapter will open in Dyersburg next month. (via the Dyersburg State Gazette)

Good Morning Memphis: The Shelby Forest General Store is offering $10,000 to the person who introduces them to their future buyer. Information from the City Schools on their lunch menus for the coming year. Boy and Girl Scouts will be able to earn badges at the Memphis Zoo. Also, Girls, Incorporated is offering after-school programs this Fall; register now.

Crime: Sheriff’s deputies and departments in Shelby County, TN, and Crittenden County, AR, are teaming up to fight cross-state/county line crimes.

Agriculture: Local farmers are worrying about the appearnce of the tomato blight fungus in the area.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital: The Church of the Living God made a $1000 contribution to their sickle-cell research program.

Paper Moon Films: More on the film project that is soliciting contributions — script, not money! — for the soon to be filmed Love Letter to Memphis. They could also use financial help, too, and so a fundraiser is set for July 30. (via the Daily Helmsman)

NAACP Convention: A report from the New York convention, where Memphis was prominent.

Shelby County Schools: Teaching special needs students is the challenge for two schools in the State’s No Child Left Behind scores.

DeSoto County: More on Olive Branch’s new assistant police chief, Mark Kimbell. Southaven is experiencing growing pains … from traffic.

“Cash for Clunkers”: Federal incentive program to stimulate auto sales is seeing many local dealers sweeten the pot even more.

Lambuth University: They will remain open and appear to have righted their fiscal ship.
 

The English Major Bookstore: Not only does she run a swell bookstore but she has other skills you can hire.

Student: Revisited: Some short story writing advice.

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: She knows what she wants for her birthday. Cats are evil, evil creatures. She had a lot to do yesterday.

Smart City Memphis: It’s not the affair Senator Paul Stanley was allegedly involved in but the “intern” aspect that is the problem.

Commercial Appeal: Keep up the improving work, MLG&W. A “rah-rah” speech for MCS and Superintendent Kriner Cash, even though the school news was pretty awful this year.

theology & geometry: Good co-worker news that means tons more work for her, for a while. Sushi.

Doug Johnson at Work: Our mayor, a man of letters, needs to stop with the letters!

AlphaPatriot: Thoughts on how long high unemployment will be with us, hidden unemployment and more really bad news.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: It’s looking pretty good on the house and she gets her monthly visitor.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: She’s gone back to doing yoga and she sees both the benefits and the pitfalls.

Todd M. Richardson: Change begins and thrives at the fringes, and Memphis has a lot of fringe. (via the Commercial Appeal)

I’ll be the one in heels: What God, time and false assumptions have undone, Facebook can resurrect!

joelarkins: Thoughts on the passing of a local news anchor, colliding local morning shows and Bill Dries on WKNO radio.

Tom Guleff: Joe Citizens: He turns up some very old Inside Report video of Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges. Priceless provocative weirdness.

Diary of a Southern Domestic Diva: Is the running skirt the apex of Western achievement?

Ashley la Rouge: Their big eastern seaboard road trip is suddenly cut short.

Notes from Memphis: Wow, Lee’s Gas Station at Poplar and Ridgeway made Gourmet magazine!

Meredith Jubilee and Madeline Jane: Even when they’re very young, you still have to learn to let go.

Ask Myron: From his own experience, he urges you to follow your dream. (via the Tri-State Defender)

George E. Hardin: It’s mission not yet complete, the NAACP is ready to move into another one hundred years. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Chandler, Daniel, & Leila Pritchett: The results of two months of Montessori.

Thaddeus Matthews: He argues that Council chairman Myron Lowery’s vote to accept the mayor’s resignation was a violation of the City Charter.

Radio Sweethearts: Inspired by NPR (who else?) they are edging closer to their own site redesign.

Pretty in Pink Megan: She’s just started her own online yardsale.