Haiti: The incredible flow of aid and money to Haiti has had a side-effect on local charities and agencies.

MLG&W: J.D. Power says the utility’s business customers ranked the utility second to last. More in the Commercial Appeal.

The Regional Medical Center: The County Commission passed a resolution demanding all candidates for governor pledge to get Federal money to The MED. They are “exploring all options”. Shelby County’s legislative delegation is also talking ways to get government money to them. More on the lobbying from Fox13, Eyewitness News.

A suggestion to hold a telethon, via WREG.

Willie Herenton: The Commercial Appeal goes through his campaign finance disclosures, working hard to create a story, and fails.

The Visible School: The Assisi Foundation is giving them a $250,000 grant to help the school with its renovations of its new Downtown building. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Tennessee: The State Department of Children’s Services is now one of only seven nationally accredited agencies. Seven more counties have been designated agricultural disaster areas from last Fall’s rain and flooding. Reforms made six years ago have significantly impacted our workers’ compensation system; and members of the National Federation of Independent Business are asking for tougher crackdowns on businesses that violate those laws.

LeMoyne-Owen College: The offices of the Community Development Corporation were burglarised.

MATA: The Flyer’s Mary Cashiola discovers the Board of MATA has been running at nearly half-strength for years.

Business: The Steel Workers union has accepted the contract offered by the Union City Goodyear Tire and Rubber plant. International Paper went from loss to profit in 2009; more in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. Aaron’s Office Furniture is closing its only Memphis store. Fred’s ended fiscal 2009 down only 1%! Cellular South has acquired Corr Wireless of Alabama. Coca-Cola bottling plant in Jonesboro to close, idling 40; more from WREG. And Wal-Mart is letting 300 go at its Arkansas HQ.

From the CA, People in Business and What to Do.

Comcast: The company is rebranding its TV, internet and telephone services as Xfinity. No word on service improvements, though.

Hickory Ridge Mall: New landlords, World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church, have announced April 2 - 4 as the grand re-opening celebration date!

DeSoto County: The DeSoto Times Tribune on Henry Ross’ announcement of his run for the Republican nomination for the 1st Congressional District. School administrators’ salaries have been cut by more than 4%; more in the Commercial Appeal. Hernando passed a new soil erosion and grading ordinance, to deal with drainage issues. Beginning March 1, Southaven is abandoning the four-day work week for City employees. Is the background check requirement for school field trip chaperones too onerous?

Ford and Harrison LLP: A Daily News interview with new attorney Jameson Dylan King on what brought him to Memphis and F & H.

Norfolk Southern: They are investing considerable effort and resources into making their Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility a success.

Real Estate: The Memphis Area Association of Realtors reports Memphis-area home sales were down slightly in December; more in the Commercial Appeal. The Chandler Reports is beginning a luncheon series next week, “Master Your Market”, focusing on local real estate trends.

Mississippi: The State House and Senate are now in conflict on how much control to hand over to the Govenor’s office in budget cutting. Budget cuts may force the layoff of prosecutors. Should they sell the State jet? County-level officials are asking for a law giving tax-breaks to low-income housing developers to be repealed.

NEW: Main Street Journal January 2010 Issue: Timely in light of Monday’s State budget presentation, senior writer Michael Roy Hollihan looks at the perfect storm of real crisis that could be forming in our State’s higher education funding.

Shelby County Commission: They gave a one-year contract extension to Correct Care Solutions for medical services at the Shelby County Jail.

Downtown: The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects is moving its office to the South Main Historic Arts District.

The New State Budget: Governor Phil Bredesen’s budget briefing is now available online. (PDF document) The U of M’s Daily Helmsman reports on the governor’s challenge to the school to improve its research; President Shirley Raines accepts the challenge. The governor says, “No money for The MED.”

Memphis City Schools: A substantial group of African-American ministers, via the SCLC, in the city have promised substantive support, including mentors and tutors, to prevent State school takeovers. More from Fox13, Eyewitness News.

Nearly half of City school busses are now equipped with a GPS and monitoring system.

Memphis Business Academy: WMC profiles the Frayser charter school, and its fundraising drive.

Red Light Traffic Cameras: There’s now a Facebook group where you can sign a petition if you opposed RLTCs.

Tax Season: Once again, beware of tax refund loan anticipation scams.

Politics: The spokeswoman for US Eighth Congressional District Democratic candidate Roy Herron claims he never supported a State income tax only to have the claim blow up in her face.

Legislators worried that Governor Bredesen’s plan to cut $200 million from TennCare to balance budget depends on a Federal OK first. They also are skeptical of raising some taxes to keep hundreds of State workers from being let go. A House subcommittee killed a bill requiring secret ballots on union representation votes. Legislators have now created a new class of milk: “Tennessee Prime”.

Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack has now endorsed Jim Kyle.

The Judicial Nominating Committee is looking for a leader.

Oakland: The City’s attorney, Richard Myers, argues to appeal the decision to void the last mayoral election.

Marijuana: The director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse marijuana project at Ole Miss, Mehmoud ElSohly, talked with Memphis Rotarians about the legendary legal “pot field” he oversees.

University of Memphis: Sushi in the Tiger Den? Hippie counterculture to enliven physics classes. The school is offering assistance for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms. The School of Business and Economics is hosting a special regional symposium tomorrow. Mynders Hall will close this Summer for renovations. (stories via the Daily Helmsman)

Harold Ford Jr: He now has a new spokeswoman, Tammy Sun, who once worked for Bill Clinton and the DLC. NARAL Pro-Choice New York agrees to stop calling Ford “anti-choice”, but won’t support him. Ford’s evolving stance on abortion continues to get negative press. Even as a not-yet-candidate, Ford continues to gain ground in polling. The New York Times reports on the upper-class fight over donor support. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand continues to lash out at him.

Arkansas: Senator Blanche Lincoln argues for President Obama to reject the extremes of both parties.

Tea Party Convention: Fox News will air Sarah Palin’s keynote speech live on Saturday night. NPR talks with Memphis’ own, Mark Skoda on the effects of the tea party movement.
 

Nashville: The Metro Council has banned roadside sales of animals.Nashville has a “Tent City”? A Nashville school will become the State’s first such public school to be converted into a charter school via State take-over.

the vault is unlocked: Your short and thought-provoking piece of poetry for the day. No, wait… one more. Well worth the minute they’ll take to read.

Sassy Molassy: Ladies, take your vitamins.

Running With Dice: Piper is happy. Also, the big queston: RAW or JPG?

polar donkey: Probably the most daring and politically explosive idea on the school funding issue you’ll hear any time soon.

The Gadfly: Marty discovers the tropes of parenting are eternal. (via the Flyer)

E. Winslow “Buddy” Chapman: Building a culture of fear, submission and surveillance will “solve” the Memphis schools’ gun problem. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: Run Women Run is a program to encourage more women into public office. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: Why can parenting be a seasonal activity. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: They seem to be implying that crime problem perceptions in the Hispanic community rests on Hispanics? Support for Mississippi’s new law requiring a prescription to buy cold medicines.

Memphis Cobblestones: Parsing the numbers for the Beale Street Landing. A vital point about The Promenade and the Overton heirs.

Me Too Iguana: Thoughts on “reality” dating TV and the women who infest it.

Kip Gordon (dot) com: He realises he’s been in a rut for a while now and has an existential crisis of sorts.

Just A Girl in the World: Mr Risky Business reads her blog and well… brace for impact.

Jen-sized: An open letter to a sweaty guy. By the way, if you haven’t heard of LUNCHBRAG yet, check it out.

I Love Memphis: First it was sushi at a gas station convenience store, now it’s bi bim bop at the Kwik Check. Gotta love this city…. And a few Memphis-themed Valentine’s Day ideas.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: She’s got a bike test coming up and needs some high energy road music to match.

16 Balls in the Air: This could have been that mother’s moment….

xspectre8: He’s done some serious thinking about disaster planning and rechargeable batteries.

Urf! Oh the unintended humor of sibling rivalry in young children.