The Wharton Administration: Mayor A C Wharton has signed an executive order significantly opening up records and officials to public access. More from WMC and WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis City Schools: The Rev Kenneth Whalum, of the school board, is proposing parents of habitually absentee students have their welfare benefits cut as a motivator to monitoring and promoting student behavior.

Joseph Lee Suit: Shelby County Chancellor Arnold Goldin ruled yesterday that the City can “switch sides” in this suit, to undo a previous agreement.

Overton Square: Memphis Heritage is holding a public meeting Thursday about the new redesign of the proposed redevelopment.

Millington: A real power disaster that got City officials doing hands-on work last Saturday has prompted City officials to plan a disaster drill soon.

Towne Center at Soulsville: Slated to open early next year, the center is having a hard time filling up in the recession, but tenants are lining up.

Politics: Although he voted for the Democratic health care reform bill on Saturday which will grow the debt, US Rep. Jim Cooper (5th District) is now calling Federal debt a “metastasizing cancer”.

An incident at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville involving State Rep. Stacey Campfield becomes grist for the mill in the East TN papers. The police report is here. (PDF document) Campfield responds via Twitter.

The National Federation of Independent Business has endorsed Republican Mark White in the State House District 83 special election.

Governor Phil Bredesen is “very willing to look at” furloughs and hiring freezes for State employees. Also, political feathers have been unruffled and the biofuels initiative for East Tennessee is back on track.

LeBonheur Children’s Hospital: They hope their new hospital and FedEx Family House will become the first children’s hospital to be LEED certified.

Hope Christian Community Foundation: America’s largest Christian community foundation expects to beat last year’s record-making mark at a luncheion on November 18.

Intermodal and Freight Conference: Coming tomorrow, the University of Memphis’ Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute and the Greater Memphis Chamber’s Regional Logistics Council will discuss the “Public/Private Partnerships” that have historically made the transportation industry viable here.

Shelby County Schools: A survey of enrollment at the beginning of the school year uncovers an imbalance of students across County schools.

West Tennessee: Dyersburg’s Operation Christmas Child is accepting shoeboxes of donations for underprivileged kids. Also, the Toys for Tots drive is on, until December 10. The city is also holding its Veterans Day parade today. (via the Dyersburg State Gazette)

COGIC: Little indication of future plans as the 2009 convocation winds down.

Traffic Club of Memphis: This organisation of ransportation, logistics and distribution executives heard from Mason Wilson on reducing corporate exposure from traffic accidents.

DeSoto County: In Olive Branch, the controversy over bids to provide furnishings for the new Police Station and Courthouse seems to be resolving. The MS Bureau of Narcotics is investigating the Hernando police and fire departments over allegations of steroid abuse. County schools are getting doses of H1N1 vaccine. Fire Department calls were down in Walls for the 3Q.

Survey Says: Thanksgiving holiday air travel is expected to drop this year. A study says the impact of the Federal stimulus on business was negligible.

FedEx: They are predicting December 14 as their busiest day of the year, and it will be busier than ever; more in the Daily News. Rumors are circulating that FedEx CEO Fred Smith will dump large amounts of cash into the facilities for the U of M Tigers. The IRS ha said it will not impose penalties for the three-year period of their driver/contractor dispute; more in the CA.

Real Estate: Memphis home prices rose 2.2% in the 3Q.

Memphis Animal Shelter: Officials around the MAS are quick to reassure the new Advisory Board that they are committed to running a good shelter. Very similar story also from Eyewitness News. And a more conflict-focused story in the Commercial Appeal.

Second Amendment: A Nashville City Councilman wants to re-allow gun carry in rural parks for personal protection.

The Interim County Mayor’s Race: Former Memphian Harold Ford Sr is lobbying County Commissioners on his brother, Joe’s, behalf. The Flyer’s Jackson Baker reports on the protracted selection stalemate on Monday; the first two comments are pertinent. Looking ahead to next week’s continued voting, via the Daily News’ Bill Dries. Via the Bartlett Express, the view from the suburbs on Pro-tem Mayor Joyce Avery.

Collierville: Studies by engineering firms indentify a few dozen projects to tackle to prevent more flooding similar to last Summer’s problems. Assistant Police Chief David Hamric attended a special FBI seminar on leadership, management and executive development.

DeAunta Farrow: A Federal appeals court has refused to dismiss the civil case against the two police officers involved in the shooting of the West Memphis preteen. More from WMC, Eyewitness News.

Northeast Shelby Republican Club Dinner: The four leading Republican candidates for governor — Bill Gibbons, Bill Haslam, Ron Ramsay and Zach Wamp — will attend the 2009 Pasta and Politics fundraiser on November 13. (PDF document) Website here.

Arkansas: The city of Jonesboro is laying off 7 employees to balance their budget. A change in the guidelines for using tasers for West Memphis police has many officers concerned.

Memphis Police Department: Eyewitness News looks at who has an officer’s badge just for being in the “reserves” with the MPD. (Was her’s before or after Pat Kerr Tigrett, named in this story, was robbed of a large sum of cash outside an East Memphis restaurant?)

H1N1 Virus: Many fearful and unhealthy attitudes are keeping qualified at-risk Shelby Countians from taking the vaccine.

University of Tennessee: An unnamed Memphis student of medical technology says she was exposed to potentially tainted blood in class, but proper protocols weren’t followed and the risks were minimised.

Good Morning Memphis: Getting your financial house in order. Preparing your loved ones for hospice care. Get your home ready for cold weather!

Metro Charter Commission: The first meeting of the new commission was full of high-flown language and little action.

University of Memphis: Via the Daily Helmsman, more on the firing of Tigers coach Tommy West. Pending completion of certain requirements, some of the 10 suspended fraternities will be allowed to resume activities. Student Health Services may have some H1N1 vaccine available by the end of the week.

Tennessee: Depending on which government body you ask, tax revenues for the month of October were either above or below expectations. An $88 million shortfall is one of the answers. More on this from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. The TN Solar Symposium expects to see the state’s fledgling solar manufacturing industry “ramp up” inside of a year. Mass layoff events for the 3Q were down sharply.

Memphis Bioworks Foundation: They, along with the City of Memphis, received $30 million in tax credits for the 3Q, a record. The Daily News also reports, as does the Commercial Appeal.

Agriculture: Brazilian retaliation for various trade offenses may affect our cotton business.

Business: People in Business, from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. J. B. Hunt has signed a multi-year agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad.

Ed Vidulich: WMC talks with Courtney Vidulich about her feelings and speculations on the murder of her father, allegedly by Dexter Cox.

Germantown: A proposed new fee for storm water management has passed its first reading before the Board.

St Francis Hospital - Bartlett: More on the nine-year PILOT granted by the Bartlett Industrial Development Board to help fund their expansion.

artbutcher: A restored print of the Akira Kurosawa film Rashomon will be shown Thursday night at Studio on the Square!

Commontaries: Thoughts on local roots and whether COGIC will be back.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Another proud poppa moment.

sharp stick in the eye: Thoughts on the celebration of Thanksgiving.

The Suggs: Busy is an understatement.

Thoroughly Modern Medusa: Well, here’s a rather unusual reason to stay in Memphis.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: You interior decorators might like this discussion of sheen striping and wainscoting.

I Love Memphis: Food meets sports brackets in the Breakfast Bracket challenge.

From the Rainbows: The smell of a Fall afternoon and suddenly she’s taken back into memory.

Bring me penguin dust: “Oh, the joys of being a woman” and that monthly reminder. [Mild language alert.]

Loudersoft: Eric points to an essay on the plight of the casual music fan in the age of the hard-core Internet uber-fan. (BTW, welcome back to regular blogging.)

memphis.cool.movies: The Bartlett Theater Company is holding auditions this weekend for the play Dearly Beloved.

Memphis Rock-N-Romp: A recap of 2009’s last event. If you want somewhere to listen to great local rock at a setting and sound level friendly to kids, this is it.

Mediaverse: Richard is skeptical of the CA’s theory that former mayor Willie Herenton’s alleged financial shenanigans are to pay for child support.

Commercial Appeal: We shouldn’t “heap more worry and hardship” on parents of habitually absentee students. They don’t go so far as to endorse J. W. Gibson for interim mayor, but they shoot down Joe Ford.

Larry Scroggs: A Marine relates a tense story from his service in the Vietnam War. (via the Commercial Appeal)

16 Balls in the Air: Fun with anesthetics. And from her co-blogger, true love in action.

Persian Pit Bull: A petition to stop MPD from shooting pets. Her dogs, Lennox and Lane, blissfully unawares it’s their last day at the old house. Why she loves her Bed, Bath and Beyond. The family comes to visit and it’s time to play “airband”.

Pretty in Pink Megan: Let her enable your shopping addiction.

Jesus is Hot: Don’t ruin the secret lovely things by sharing them!

Me Too Iguana: A very personal, very open account of living with depression.