Mayor-Elect A C Wharton Begins: He gears up to take over. The Tri-State Defender on his victory. Barring something unexpected, he’ll be sworn in around October 26.

The Tennessean had a long phone interview with him on Friday. City and County government are bracing for change. Wharton starts naming his transition team, but no “drastic” changes planned. Some of the legislative challenges he’ll face. “New priorities.” And “big changes”. The transition from County to City. Consolidation is still on the agenda.

After he’s elected, the Commercial Appeal reveals one-third of his massive “war chest” of campaign funds came from local attorneys. Is his election a “mandate”? For that matter, why wasn’t Wharton’s membership in this group ever an issue? Just how “low” was the turnout?

Myron Lowery will return to his chairmanship of the City Council after Wharton’s swearing in.

And Now … A County Mayor’s Race: County Mayor Pro-tem Joyce Avery will be the County’s first female mayor; more from WREG. The jockeying begins with several candidates already out there. More from Eyewitness News.

University of Memphis: The Memphis Police Department is now involved in the investigation of anti-Semitic graffiti and a robbery of frat members of Zeta Beta Tau.

Car Sales: Oee of the side effects of the recession is an upswing in the sales of used cars.

Commercial Appeal: They start Round Two of their monumental look at the real facts and actual situations, as they see it, of crime in Memphis.

Overton Park: Tom Hieneke was hired by the City to inventory all the fauna in the Park.

Politics: Shelby County CA Bill Gibbons opened his local campaign office and is gearing up his run for the governorship. House Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh talks about the gas tax. The Politico thinks Harold Ford Jr might be the next chairman and CEO for the Motion Picture Association of America. None of the candidates for governor, Republican or Democrat, favor cutting back on business incentives for recruitment.

Governor Phil Bredesen continues to speak critically of the proposed health care reform bills.

Fetal and Infant-Mortality Review: This County initiative, with State funding, hopes to pore over records of infant deaths to find out why so many County babies die and what are the points of attack for the problem of infant mortality.

Mississippi: Atmos Energy is expecting a ten percent or more reduction in natural gas costs. Steady, heavy rains have severely damaged what were once expected to be bumper crops. Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds warned the State’s publicly funded colleges and universities to expect yet more budget cuts this year.

Mississippi Outdoors, from the CA.

The MED: The number of liens filed by them during the third quarter has exploded, from none a year ago to nearly one-quarter of cases this quarter.

LeMoyne-Owen College: The college has been trying to get Federal funding for a new residence hall, but the government has been delaying for two years.

Financial: First Horizon National bank reports smaller than expected losses; more in the Business Journal. Regions Bank is number one on the FDIC’s “one day look”, which showed little change overall. First Tennessee is still the market leader in Memphis, though total deposits slipped.

St Agnes Academy - St Dominic School: The final phase of a $10 million redevelopment plan is set to get underway with the construction of a childhood center and renovations to St Dominic.

The Economic Club: Controversial remarks by Washington adviser Paula Stern at their monthly presentation caused “disagreement and skepticism”.

Playhouse on the Square: A progress report on the new Playhouse going up at McLean and Union and how its design philosophy is expected to promote sidewalks and walking.

H1N1 Virus: Now, health care workers are also expressing concerns about the vaccine. The Atlantic asks if the vaccine matters to those most at risk. The differences between the swine flu vaccine mist and shot.

Memphis City Schools: The school system kicked off a complete redesign and refocus of school curriculae, the High School Redesign Celebration and Symposium. MCS is expected to sign a contract with New Leaders for New Schools, to recruit and train new principals.

The Memphis News notes that 20% of MCS teachers quit after one year, and looks at how to improve the process of teacher selection. Superintendent Dr Kriner Cash explains his ideas on teacher hiring reform.

Bellevue Baptist Church: Damage from last July’s tornado and storms since goes unrepaired as heavy rains delay the start of work.

Tennessee: The birth rate in the state has fallen. We’re number one … in the state and local sales tax rates; more from the Tennessean, WMC. Governor Phil Bredesen is leading another trade mission to China this week.

Ronald McDonald House: An unusual depletion of small food and cleaning items has led to an unusual request for help.

Business: Cellular South is acquiring Corr Wireless of Alabama. With their new Bartlett location the New York Suit Exchange has doubled its employment rolls. Praxair is asking for a PILOT in exchange for the construction of a gas pipeline to the Pidgeon Industrial Park. Trition Systems is opening a new division in Bartlett.

A business profile of Combustion, an advertising firm, from the Commercial Appeal.
People in business, from the CA, for Sunday and Monday.

Done Deals, from the Sunday CA.

The Small Business Advocate busts four myths of owning a small business.

National Baptist Convention USA: After his lopsided loss recently here in Memphis, former president Rev Henry Lyons is now suing in court challenging the election’s integrity.

FedEx Express: They have completed construction on two international facilities — in France and Mexico.

Previously Posted: More on capping the enrollment of the CoverKids program.

R. Allen Stanford: His lawyers may need more time to read and examine the millions of pages of documents in the case.

Thom W. Williams: Already accused in two recent embellzlement cases — involving Verso Paper and Barlowworld Truck Center — he had pled guilty in a third case involving Pro Graphics and $200,000+.

Minister Louis Farrakhan: During the celebration of the 14th anniversary of the Million Man March, he called prostate cancer a “conspiracy” to kill black men through their eating habits. He also met with community and political leaders in a closed-door session. More from the AP, Fox13. Some of his comments from his keynote speech Sunday; more from Eyewitness News and the Commercial Appeal.

DeSoto County: Southaven’s population growth means time to redraw election precincts. A look at how Drug Court functions and affects people who come through it. The three firms hoping to design the new County Jail are making presentations this morning. Southaven’s Towne Center shopping center is showing signs of recovery. More on the County’s new emergency sirens.

Coalition for Livable Communities: They are working to create pedestrian-friendly and bikable neighborhoods around Memphis.

Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center: The Commercial Appeal profiles their new Fetal Center, for high-risk pregnancies.

Real Estate: International Cotton Depots is buying the old Reebok warehouse in Parkway Village. First Tennessee Bank bought the Goodwyn Condominiums downtown.

Brooks Museum of Art: A report on their largest exhibit ever, the Masterpieces of European Painting from Museo de Arte de Ponce.

Arkansas: The new College of Business is slated to open next month at Arkansas State University. The state’s housing market suffered a serious slump in August. Tourism actually rose for Hot Springs last year. Students at Harding Academy will not be able to play the State lottery after all.

The Memphis Blog: The Commercial Appeal’s blog on Memphis blogs has a pretty extensive collection of links to posts about A C Wharton’s election as Memphis mayor. (via the Commercial Appeal)

vibinc: His long blog-break over, he’s not sure he can keep up the pace he expects of himself.

Urf! Thoughts on choosing your battles with your kids.

The Chockley Blogs: Two different paths to the same children’s bedtime.

From the Rainbows: The work on the houee continues as they hear from their new Seattle home. And, a small Christmas prayer.

Doug Johnson at Work: Some suggestions for our new mayor.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: Slowly seeing the real man behind her suppositions of who he must be.

Commontaries: Myron Lowery and what might have been.

Born-Again Hippies: Thoughts on the enduring appeal of the Beatles.

Bigger Than Your Head: Why you should spend some time savoring your wines.

Student: Revisited: Bier blogging!

Reginald Milton: Post-election thoughts on some of the mayoral candidates.

at home she feels like a tourist: She reminds us of the other Nietzsche.

AlphaPatriot: Your nerd humor for the day!

16 Balls in the Air: A book recommendation for kids from a kid.

Commercial Appeal: No screaming, please. Mayor Wharton, healer. After twenty years, the daily begins to agree with some of its critics. The Memphis Police Foundation provides supplemental funds to the Memphis police beyond City-budgeted funding. The CA jumps on an MTSU poll showing little support for the recent round of State gun laws.

Chris Peck: Professionals need to be hired and sent into our troubled communities to show people how to live properly. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Otis L. Sanford: Overcoming your family’s terrible past. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: Some diseases have huge media campaigns and lots of dollars involved and some, equally fatal, don’t. (via the Commercial Appeal)

James Overstreet: Jumbo mortgages — for homes above $417,000 in Memphis — are suddenly becoming cheaper. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Memphis News: Teacher reform must purge the bad and reward the good.

Dr Mark E. Green: Thoughts and specific suggestions on how to reform health care. (via the Memphis News)