The Lowery - Wharton Transition: The Commercial Appeal continues to report every move of Mayor-elect A C Wharton, like reassuring the businessmen and women of the Rotary Club that the city will get moving again. Herman Morris was sworn in Wednesday as the new City Attorney; more from Eyewitness News.

The transition team is still searching for and vetting potential CAO and division director candidates. More on Wharton’s search for his CAO.

Memphis City Council: Nashville is Talking has picked up the story of Councilman Joe Brown’s pungent comments about one of Wharton’s nominees to the Metro Charter Commission. And the Knoxville News-Sentinel covers the story here and here. Once again, here’s the video of Councilmembers Shea Flinn and Joe Brown.

County Commissioner Joe Ford: As the Commission gears up to select an interim mayor, Commissioner Deidre Malone says Ford owes her $10,000.

Tennessee: State Attorney General Bob Cooper says people who have received pardons for felony drug convictions can own firearms, except handguns. The state is on a list of most-improved for energy efficiency. Speaking of which, energy conservation grants derived from Federal money are available to towns and cities around the state.

Center City Commission: The board of directors meeting is today.

Banking: An FDIC report on banks’ market share shows First Tennessee Bank has one-third of total area deposits. Regions Financial, after reporting large quarterly losses, is closing 5 branches in Memphis.

Cash for Clunkers: Local auto dealers are beginning to see a turnaround in car sales.

University of Tennessee Health Science Center: The Department of Pharmacology has received a $25 million grant to study nicotine addiction in young brains. The UT Research Foundation awarded professors at UTHSC during their “Innovation Award” luncheon for their patents, licenses, etc.

Business: The new Beige Book from the Federal Reserve shows continued, steady decline in the regional economy. The report online. CVS is about to open their first store in the area and already preparing their second.

Whole Foods Market has paired with Preserve Products to recycle a specific kind of plastic not recycled in Memphis.

People in business, from the CA.

Industrial Development Board: Praxair got approval for their PILOT for building a gas pipeline in Pidgeon Industrial Park. More on their tax incentives, from the Commercial Appeal.

RiverArtsFest: The massive arts and crafts festival is this Saturday and Sunday, and promises to be bigger than ever, weather permitting. Website here.

Arkansas: The state’s unemployment rate is unchanged at 7.1% for September.

Shelby County Commission: More on the Harold Buehler property case before the Commission. After an emotional Commissioner Henri Brooks “lashed out” at Buehler and his supporters, the Commission approved his request. More from WMC, WREG, Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Halloween: Looking for costumes?

Second Amendment: A gun stolen from a Memphis Police Department officer’s home back in July was recovered at the Top Brass Shooting Range by an observant employee! A WREG story with more details. Also, the Commercial Appeal.

Stella Marris: The VIP opening day has been pushed back a week for Steve Cooper’s controversial restaurant.

Politics: The plight of Eighth District US Congressman John Tanner, now facing a well-funded Republican challenger as well as a progressive Democratic primary challenger, continues to make national news. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam has started presenting his five point plan for Tennessee, should he be elected. State Senator Mark Norris warned local business people, with the National Federation of Independent Businesss, that more State budget cuts are coming.

DeSoto County: “The DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority gave approval Wednesday to add a mixing pit to its upgrades at the Ross Road wastewater treatment facility in Olive Branch.”

Memphis Fire Department: Action News 5 reports that a source inside the FD claims the evidence room is disarray and presents a report and photos to back that up. More on the fire station on Union Avenue waiting for the City Council to approve funds for a massive renovation.

MLG&W: A rash of attacks against workers out in the field.

Mississippi: The state’s unemployment rate fell a full percnetage point in September to 8.8%. Governor Haley Barbour says he’ll call a special session of the Legislature for a $300 million manufacturing facility proposed for the Delta. Rep. George Flaggs, a member of the State budget committee, says the State cannot afford so many school districts.

West Tennessee: A packed room pressured the Newbern Board of Mayor and Aldermen to turn down a rezoning request for apartments. The Dyer County Health Department will have limited amounts of the H1N1 vaccine available today and Saturday. (preceding stories via the Dyersburg State Gazette) The Obion County Health Department has similar restricted circumstances. How do you prepare Thanksgiving dinner for 5000 people? (via NWTN Today) The STEP program (Southwest Tennessee Educational Pathways) hopes to use scholarship money to get and keep kids in post-secondary education.

Collierville: The Beer Board has dealt two violations of city ordinances to Collierville Gas and Food Mart and revoked their permit.

Oakland: The use of Mayor Bill Mullins’ personal property next to Town Hall by the YMCA is coming under scrutiny. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Real Estate: Another sign of the economic recovery is the slight rise in the cost of construction materials. And the architectural billing index was up slightly, too. Revenues and quarterly losses for the Education Realty Trust were nearly flat in September. Other real estate news.

Survey Says: Personal incomes rose in 36 states in the second quarter of this year. Unemployment rose in 23 states in September.

The Conservative Zone: Thoughts on government and MLG&W’s smart grid.

I’ll be the one in heels: “Reality TV is destroying our society.”

(Lang Wiseman) Random Thoughts: A quick lesson in political math. And, a challenge to local Democrats.

Left Wing Cracker: “Joe Brown is a punk.” Memphis gets a statewide audience again for our silly stuff.

I Love Memphis: Elmwood Cemetery. 901 Tequila in New York.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: She lists 10 ways to be an even better friend.

Commercial Appeal: Afghani runoff election is important to American withdrawal. Ridicule for the “state sovereignty” movement.

Because I Said So: Boy-drama over a torn hoodie until someone with sewing skills arrives! (via the Commercial Appeal)

Pet Scoop: This Saturday in Horn Lake is National Pit Bull Awareness Day, to help dispel myths about the dogs. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: Playwright’s work is autobiographical. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Dr Rene Friemoth Lee: In the fight against dyslexia, early diagnosis and intervention is important. (via the Commercial Appeal)

MAKE IT HAPPEN: She loves her friend.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: When your friends discover your blog. And then real life dumps on her. And a pretty good motto for life. (Scroll down.)

Radio Sweethearts: Why they like public radio.

Commontaries: Thoughts on Minister Louis Farrakhan. What the appointment of Herman Morris is a sign of.

Divers and Sundry: The Bear Wit Project: the Muppets meet Blair Witch. The funniest four minutes you’ll have today.

Doug Johnson at Work: A Monty Python fan!

Egotistical Whining: Thoughts on babies as government funding, sterilisation and more.

MemphisConnect: The “Creative Conversations: Ideas that Work” brainstorming session is tonight.

Fertile Ground: Bean bag fun.

a field guide to urban memphis: Help her identify a snake she found in her yard.

THE INTERSECTION OF MADNESS AND REALITY: Like so many Memphians, he also has thoughts on the fire that a negligent mother let kill her child.

Urf! And so, the daughter becomes the father.

Bless The Printing Press: Thoughts on the physics of pitching.

cbduke: Welcome to … Cyclocrunk!

From the Rainbows: The “clean up the house for sale” uber-project rolls along.

Friend for Our Riverfront: The history and importance of the riverfront cobblestones. The 1996 Preservation plan. What the proposed plan for the cobblestones will do. What the FfOR proposes be done.

Geeks of Memphis: Can you identify these four locations?