Shelby County Commission: Commissioner James Harvey persevered in getting a college degree and is hopeful he can serve as a role model.

Mississippi: Health care providers will receive the first nasal spary doses of swine flu vaccine. An unknown startup manufacturer is opening an automobile plant in Tunica and announcing it today; more from WREG, the Commercial Appeal. The Public Service Commission is considering Mississippi Power’s request for a new lignite power plant for the east-central part of the state.

Memphis’ Next Mayor: Today there is a mayoral candidate debate at noon at Rhodes College, by the Rotary Club, and a Frayser Community Association forum at 6 PM. Then, there is another debate, hosted by the University of Memphis NAACP at 8 PM.

Eyewitness News begins asking the candidates a round of questions sent in by viewers. First up: Myron Lowery and John Willingham. The candidates respond to the possible payment of $35 million to the City school system later this year.

Early voting is still a hard read this election. Shelby County Election Commission website. You can vote early through Saturday. The Daily News‘ Bill Dries reports blacks and women make up the bulk of early voters so far.

Politics: State Rep. Mike Turner (D - Nashville), the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, sees no conflict if chosen to also serve as the president of the Tennessee State Employees Association, which will lobby the House. US Rep. Bart Gordon (6th District, D) now has a Republican challenger: Lou Ann Zelenick, the Rutherford County Republican Party Chairwoman; more from her local newspaper. Piling on to the progressive Democrats’ primary attack on US Rep. Jim Cooper (D - 5th District) is Britain’s The Guardian newspaper!

Governor Phil Bredesen calls now “the worst time for this bill”, talking about health care reform in Washington. (via the Washington Post)

Homestead Program: Shelby County will sell land and property to you dirt cheap if you commit to building a new home on it in about a year.

Pfc Brandon Owens: The Memphis soldier was killed in a firefight in Afghanistan on Friday. His body is being returned to Memphis; no arrangement have yet been made. More from WREG.

Metro Charter Commission: Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton has turned in his ten desired appointees to the new commission. More in the Commercial Appeal.

NEW & UPDATED! Single Source School Funding: County Commissioner Mike Ritz has released his single-source funding proposal, ahead of the October 7 vote on the subject. Here’s the proposal itself (DOC format) and a summary of funding levels and the property tax changes required (DOC format). The Daily News discusses his proposal.

Commissioner Mike Carpenter’s counter-proposal’s press release and the proposal itself. (DOC document)

National Civil Rights Museum: Plans for renovation of the historic site are expected to be announced today. More in the Daily News. The firm Howard + Revis Design Services was chosen to do the work.

H1N1 Virus: A third child has died of the swine flu locally, just a the first doses of the vaccine arrive. Workers at LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center began receiving the first local doses of swine flu vaccine. More from WREG, the Daily News, the Commercial Appeal.

Mid-South Fair: This year’s DeSoto version brought in less than half of last year’s attendance numbers. But midway spending was up, notes the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis City Schools: A group of very angry White Station High parents confront some MCS officials about all the changes to schools this year. Principal David Mansfield and Assistant Principal Eric Harris, both of White Station High, have had criminal charges filed against them for failure to report an assault on school grounds to the Memphis Police. More from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis City Council: On the agenda for today’s meeting is the Triangle Noir area.

Blogging: The Federal Trade Commission has set forth regulatory rules to govern blogging. More in the Business Journal, Eyewitness News, the Commercial Appeal.

Business: Good news, everyone! IPOs tripled in the third quarter of this year. And bad news, too, as internet advertising fell over 5%. More on Christopher McCrae’s hot dog stand at Union and Main, downtown.

Arkansas: Slated for school children, the first doses of swine flu vaccine are arriving in the state. A program that provides housing grants for teachers who stay in southeast AR and the Delta area is showing signs of helping. A study of a possible high-speed rail line from Little Rock to Memphis has identified two possible routes; more in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. In Jericho, the mayor has hired a new fire chief to replace the one he fired.

DeSoto County: Principals from the County’s high schools presented plans to raise 10th grade English scores.

Millington: The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the first reading of an ordinance to begin using red-light traffic cameras.

Medical Research: The Commercial Appeal looks at how Federal stimulus money is being used for research by institutions around the Mid-South.

WKNO: They are presenting a program about Shelby Farms tomorrow night, Shelby Farms: America’s Great 21st Century Park, their first hi-def production.

Tennessee: The US Department of Health and Human Services has recognised the State’s Department of Human Services for its Food Stamp program.

Mid-South Imaging & Therapeutics PA: They are suing insurance company AmeriChoice, alleging “unfair and deceptive trade practices”.

Real Estate: Midtown Yoga is opening a Downtown location. Crye-Leike Inc. is opening an Oklahoma office. The new owners of the Wyndridge Apartments complex hope to renovate it back to prosperity. The first group of “green realtors”, certified by the National Association of Realtors, is hitting Memphis.

Survey Says: Employee confidence in their work situation fell slightly, according to Spherion. Apple owners tend to be richers than most Americans and early tech adopters. Memphis is ranked near the very bottom of major American cities in terms of being smartest. For the first time in a year, the service sector of the economy grew.

Methodist Breast Center: They have been nationally recognised as a Center of Excellence.

Geeks of Memphis: A review of South Philly’s cheesesteak by someone who has had real Philly cheesesteaks and the nearly perfect geek lunch. Fun with the Flip.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: Help her choose which naughty costume to wear for Halloween.

Xspectre8: Back from break! A warning on Lyme disease. Your quote of the day, via Winston Churchill.

Wow. Really? Huh. A cruise to Cozumel, told via tweets! (Messages via Twitter, for the less technologically up-to-date.)

what would you ax it: When all you have left are the memories. Oh, you can feel the ache in this post….

Chick Chat: The threat of a high school reunion has her fearing her own aging. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: Let the courts decide for us. The Herenton years are “a lesson it took too long to learn”.

A Right Perspective: Marilyn has a list of qualities our next mayor ought to have. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Voice of Andromeda: Kudos to Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam.

theology & geometry: A little late, but a review of the Avett Brothers show from last month. We love her; we really love her! Self-portrait, with accessories.

The Suggs: The awful realisation about her baby girl finally comes.

The Conservative Zone: The social and personal costs of dropping out of school. Thoughts on the Laffer Curve.

The Chockley Blogs: Observations of a needy child and a bitey cat.

Thaddeus Matthews: Bobby Lanier, it seems, is ever with us; or at least A C Wharton. Dark machinations involving Bill Gibbons, Elbert Jefferson and Judge James Lammey?

LeftWing Cracker: Steve and the Daily Docket are running a mayoral poll. Go over and vote!

Mrs. Katherine: Pregnant and unemployed and fascinated by a different kind of life.

Notes from Memphis: Where to find some unique Halloween candy and some Halloween fun.

Persian Pit Bull: She’s got a house to close, a wedding to plan, and all sort of other commitments this week.

poopiebitch: She’s back to blogging with food porn! Lots of pictures from VeganMoFo III: One, two, three.

Pulled Before the Push: This is illuminating. From flash of inspiration, to scribbled idea, to sketch, to finished painting!

Ramblings of the Mad Cow: Photos from the Hernando Homecoming Parade.

sharp stick in the eye: A birthday weekend with sno-cones, farmers markets and puppies!