Holiday Season: From now through January 15, 2010, Google is offering free airport WiFi at 47 airports around the country. Memphis and Nashville are included! Wal-Mart announed that they will be open 24 hours on Black Friday (November 27). FedEx is delivering 16,000 Christmas trees to military facilities across the US and the world.

Memphis Police Department: Thanks to programmer extraordinaire John Harvey, you can now easily locate your ward!

Elections: They keep on coming! Early voting started today for State Senate District 31 (Republican Brian Kelsey and Democrat Adrienne Pakis-Gillon, and primaries for State House District 83 (Republicans Mark White, John Pellicciotti and Michael Porter are contesting; Democrat Guthrie Castle is unopposed). The election itself is December 1.

Bernie Madoff Scandal: The financial journalist who broke the story about his scheme, Erin Arvedlund, will speak tonight at the Memphis Jewish Community Center.

Methodist North Hospital: They are taking part in a national intiative to ensure minorities receive the same level of care as whites.

Land Use Control Board: They meet today and a cell phone tower is on the agenda.

Collierville: The Board of Mayor and Aldermen are recommending adding $100 to this year’s employee bonus. In other Board news, they accepted a donation of 100 acres of land near Almadale Farms. Mayor Stan Joyner explains how tough the City’s budget was this year. (via the Collierville Independent)

Business: Dollar General has an IPO coming soon; a look at their valuation.

From the Commercial Appeal, What To Do This Week and People in Business.

Red Light Traffic Cameras: The City Attorney of Rogersville (in East TN) is cautioning the Board of Mayor and Aldermen about installing them.

University of Memphis: Students working to revive the campus chapter of Amnesty International are hoping ot meet with US Rep. Steve Cohen in the next few weeks. Three new blue light stations will be added this Spring around the new University Center. Administrators and faculty are already preparing for the end of Federal stimulus monies later next year. (via the Daily Helmsman)

DeSoto County: The Mississippi Chapter of the American Planning Association will meet today and tomorrow in Hernando. The Dizzy Dean World Series will stay in Southaven a few more years.

Previously Posted: More on the Memphis Zoo’s rise in admission prices.
 
 

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.

West Tennessee: Christmas at Sorghum Valley begins on December 10. (via the Dyersburg State Gazette) Two Sustainable Tourism Workshops will be held next week, one in Jackson and the other in Memphis, sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Arkansas: Two hundred National Guard troops from Jonesboro are being deployed to Afghanistan. Soybean farmers may be looking at a modern-record harvest this year. The Board of Education has rejected three more applications for charter schools.

Downtown: Go M.A.D. Transit plans to bring a single shuttle bus loop connecting parts of Midtown and Downtown, and running Thursday through Saturday. More from the Commercial Appeal.

Shelby County Mayoral Selection: Was Harold Ford Sr’s call to Commissioner Deidre Malone a threat or just politics? Joe Ford “fires back” at the media kerfuffle. Some County Commissioners, like Mike Ritz, are now open to looking outside the Commission for possible interim mayoral candidates.

City Schools: The Metro Nashville school system rejected all six applicants for charter schools, even suggesting they try again next year.

Confederate Park: With little controversy reported, the six cannons, replacements for the originals which were melted down in a scrap metal drive during WWII, were carted off to permanent storage!

National Federation of Independent Business: They are very concerned about provisions in the health care reform bill just passed. Their national president, Dan Danner, will be speaking in Memphis next Wednesday about thatt and NFIB strategy.

Memphis Animal Shelter: Now that the facility has 24/7 web-streaming cameras, the public is micro-managing what’s going on there.

Orpheum: Wanna be a Munchkin next month?

Politics: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike McWherter has apparently adjusted his position on gay adoption. Lt Gov. Ron Ramsey and US Rep. Zach Wamp are dueling for the conservative lead in the Republican field. A look at Zach Wamp’s fundraising in his backyard — East Tennessee.

The TN Immigrants and Refuge Rights Coalition announced that US Rep. Steve Cohen is the first TN sponsor for the DREAM Act. The state’s liberal blogosphere is still hammering US Rep. Jim Cooper for his “no” vote on health care reform.

County Commissioner Steve Mulroy brings teh funney at a fundraiser.

Orthopedics: Two leading Memphis orthopedic companies are announcing new products this week. The Wright Medical Group announced FDA approval of a total hip resurfacing system and Medtronic announced the MASTERGRAFT Strip. More on Medtronic in the Commercial Appeal and Wright Medical Group.

Mississippi: Oxford reinstates its “tall weed” ordinance and some gardeners aren’t happy. The University of Mississippi is getting US Justice Department money for programs on sexual violence on campus.

Real Estate: Midtown Yoga opened an expansion on Cotton Row downtown with one very sweet lease. J. P. King Auction of Alabama will try to sell units at the River Tower and lots at The Enclave of Sparkle Creek. BenchMark Realtors has bought and absorbed Weichert Realtors-Chapman & Associates.

Tennessee: More on October’s tax revenue shortfall — $101 million so far this fiscal year; the Business Journal also reports. Governor Phil Bredesen is keeping his budget options open. TN’s budget crisis isn’t as bad as some other States’, says Pew Center for States. The State Supreme Court has implemented a number of new and revised rules, including for pro bono work.

Baptist Memorial Health Care: They have agreed to sell Baptist Lauderdale Hospital in Ripley. More in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis Area Legal Services: A short interview with Liz Conway, director of development.

Survey Says: The number of lawyers in the nation’s largest law firms has dropped. A survey of business management shows they expect the Federal stimulus to have positive effects by late 2010. The rate of turnover for CEOs slowed down in October. Five percent of Americans plan to buy a home next year.

ForkBombr: The transaction between writer and reader.

Fertile Ground: The annual making of the raviolis.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: The horrible, intimidating reality of a job search in the field of academics.

Bless the Printing Press: Some marketing advice for Verizon.

Bigger Than Your Head: His post about cheese toast and a $45 pinot noir elicits a explanation of methods.

AlphaPatriot: FedEx versus the Big Three.

Just A Girl in the World: Travel to London — past and future. Living alone is easy satisfaction.

Lean Left: Thoughts on Armistice Day.

Life as I know it from Memphis: Shoes!

Mediaverse: Thoughts on the new, open government at City Hall.

Thaddeus Matthews: Did Harold Ford Sr bury his brother Joe’s chance at the County Mayor’s job?

What is a Carbunkle Trumpet? He thinks folks need to lighten up, so he posts pictures of people in silly hats to help you do so!

MemphisConnect: Government is now more open, but the openness still isn’t cheap. Memphis Heritage meets tonight to discuss the latest on Overton Square.

moremittenz: A nice recipe for “beef” tacos.

Oval Soul Journey: Would you like to help with an art project? Almost uncontrollable urges and cats. Girly crushes.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: A recap of this month’s South Main Association meeting.

Steve’s Nude Memphis Blog: America has outlawed manhood, and other such thoughts. Thoughts on veterans and the Iraq War.

quite swimmingly: A somewhat cryptic check-in post.

Commercial Appeal: Kudos to Ole Miss for ditching their old fight song. Unsurprisingly, they support the “more transparency” executive order City Mayor Wharton just signed.

Wendi C. Thomas: She tells you about the Great Crib Roundup. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: Wrapped in family. (via the Commercial Appeal)

The Conservative Zone: Mark, who is a veteran himself, talks about … service in war.