Memphis Police Department: The Memphis chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association are both coming out in opposition to the City appeal of the court ordered promotion of 28 police sergeants.

Vance Avenue: College students from around the nation are canvassing the neighborhood south of the FedEx Forum to determine wants and needs.

Shelby County Government: Interim mayor Joe Ford’s task force on pensions is considering restructuring the program or altering some economic assumptions.

Memphis Area Association of Realtors: Larry Mayall and two firms he’s associated with are involved in a dispute with MAAR over access to the Multiple Listing Service. Mayall has filed an injunction against MAAR. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Bartlett: The president and CEO of the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce, John Threadgill, is going on an economic development mission to China. The town’s finance director, Mark Brown, is leaving his position to take a new one in Collierville.

Arkansas: The State is focusing its anti-DUI efforts on teens. Willis Puckett has filed a Federal lawsuit, claiming he was beaten by West Memphis police. That city has been selected for a National Endowment for the Arts grant for a design workshop.

John Ford: The case in which Ford was allegedly going to testify, Dr Roger Morgan, is instead closed with a guilty plea.

Rhodes College: The Plough Foundation has awarded the school a $750,000 grant to help the school with neighborhood revitalisation and development.

DeSoto County: County Sheriff Bill Rasco says the Attorney General’s opinion shows that the Mid-South Fair owes him for the overtime paid to his deputies. County officials don’t feel the need to address strip-club regulations yet. The County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold its annual dinner tonight.

Regional Medical Center: The Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce supports a hospital tax to help fund The MED. New CEO Dr Reginald Coopwood says they might not spin off their clinics.

Save Chelby County: The group, opposed to consolidation in Shelby County, is calling for the resignation of Shelby County Election Commissioner Brian Stephens, who heads a pro-consolidation group.

Business: Dollar General is suing Fred’s over … trademarked colors; more from the Business Journal. Medtronic and Smith & Nephew have introduced new products; more from the Daily News. The Schulz GMBH company is bringing a $300 million pipe manufacturing facility and 500 jobs to North Mississippi; more from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

A business profile of local gourmet beef producer Neola Farms, from the Daily News.

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

Air Transport: Both FedEx and the Memphis and Shelby County International Airport have won Air Cargo Excellence awards. The Department of Transportation has ordered Mesaba Airlines to continue service to Tupelo until a replacement can be found.

Fayette County: A proposal to allow the children of school system employees to attend County schools free. More on Joshua Smith, the former Oakland police officer who claims his badge deflected a bullet.

Innova: The Memphis biotech investment company has chosen its first investment venture: TrakLok Corporation in Knoxville. MOre in the Commercial Appeal.

University of Memphis: The Cecil Humphreys School of Law is holding its annual Diversity Outreach Program tonight.

Tennessee: More on February’s drop in State tax revenues.

Fairgrounds: The Daily News with a status report on the work done and plans for the Summer.

Auto Inspection Stations: More on the discussion to make the stations “exhaust compliance” only.

Real Estate: The number of homeowners facing foreclosure in February rose 6%.

NEW! Main Street Journal: Senior writer Michael Roy Hollihan interviews County Commission candidate Chris Thomas in the first of an ongoing series on various County candidates.

State Rep. Mark White: He announces he’s running for re-election to the State House.
 

Memphis City Schools: The board of education is due to vote on the issue of a separate police force in the City schools. They also met for a second time to try to set the parameters by which Superintendent Kriner Cash will be evaluated on his performance review.

The Wharton Administration: More on Mayor A C Wharton’s push to be part of the proposed Google Fiber network; WREG reports. Wharton declines an appearance on KWAM radio to rebut the “miserable index” with Forbes managing editor Carl Levin. In echoes of complaints from the Herenton era, Wharton is being criticised for firing long-time library employees in favor of his own political choices. Douglas Scarboro has been hired as the City’s head of the Office of Talent and Human Capital.

Orpheum: They have announced their 2010 - 2011 season. Official website here.

Tax Season: Advice to first-time filers and college students from the IRS: use IRS Free File.

David Kernell: The lawyer for the son of State Rep. Mike Kernell, charged with illegally accessing the email account of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and identity theft, is challenging how some evidence was obtained. The trial will finally begin on April 20. Further reports from Eyewitness News.

Mississippi: The state’s jobless rate has hit 12%. An advocacy group is suing the State on behalf of mentaly ill children, claiming community-based programs are needed.

Survey Says: An NFIB index of small business optimism doesn’t have optimistic news. St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital is the most-trusted non-profit in the country. Twelve hundred new construction jobs were added in TN in January.

Poplar Avenue: Eyewitness News continues to report on the cramped and crowded conditions on Memphis’ central traffic artery.

Politics: Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam kicks off a three week jobs tour. Republican Ron Ramsey wants to expand CoverKids, the State insurance program. Democratic candidate Kim McMillan touts her previous executive and legislative experience. Republican Bill Gibbons is proposing a solution to pre-K funding that also takes a swipe at Haslam.

US Senator Bob Corker has released his hold on the bill that would also allow easier unionisation at FedEx. More reports from the Tennessean. Congressional Democrats agree to an earmark pledge that, in Tennessee’s case, is largely meaningless. US Reps. John Tanner and Bart Gordon, both retiring this year, may now be swing votes on health care reform.

A bill to clarify gun carry in bars and restaurants has passed out of subcommittee. More from the Nashville City Paper, WMC, Fox13 and the Commercial Appeal. Discussion of a bill to make legislative horse-trading illegal; more in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. A bill to require driver’s license testing in English only has also passed out of subcommittee. A bill to more than double minimum sentencing for armed robbery advances. a Green Jobs Act would “plan for and fund” green jobs, though cost may be prohibitive. A Senate bill would raise the fine for protection order violation by a factor of ten.

Eighth Congressional District: A fourth Republican candidate has joined the race, Randy Smith of Mercer, although he admits he’ll likely lose.
 

West Tennessee: The material used in the community playground in Covington that burned completely last month is flammable. (via the Covington Leader) Lambuth University president Bill Seymour says the school will announce its future plans in two weeks and that they want to maintain a physical campus. (via the Jackson Sun) The developer of Cates Landing is working with US Congressmen to find other sources of funding. (via NWTN Today)

The Intersection of Madness and Reality: The story of the Scott sisters and the effort to get their sentences reduced.

theology & geometry: The queen and caretaker of her new back yard. A reminder: cats are jealous masters.

Thoroughly Modern Medusa: Blue sky, check; family, check; bowl of fruit, check; kite, check. Yes, it’s a fun afternoon.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: A song ignites a flood of memories.

I’ll be the one in heels: Kalisa is still Oscar fashion blogging.

I Love Memphis: Memphis at SXSW. A short trip to A-1 Keys.

sharp stick in the eye: Several very random but entertaining photos.

Speak to Power: The “faux tea party” Coffee Party is coming to Memphis. Liquor store owner reaction to the “wine sales in grocery stores” bill.

Smart City Memphis: Rethinking Memphis’ economic strategies. Take a driving tour of the Parkway system, with lots of historic maps and photos.

The Chockley Blogs: When the weather turns nice, the kids start climbing.

Urf! An herb garden pictorial.

Pretty in Pink Megan: She spots a new fashion trend for 2010. Also, some summer dress ideas.

Air Traffic Mike’s: Grown men in bunny ears.

Not High Maintenance, Just High Mileage: Running shorts.

MemphisShelbyInform: Watching the sausages being made, City Council-wise.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Getting serious about training/warmups and when a team breaks up.

Commercial Appeal: They argue for local control of wine sales in grocery stores. Scrapping a law because it is unevenly applied to make voters redecide an already-decided question?

Nancy Averwater: Serious health care reform focused on cost savings must include hospice care. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: She calls both Willie Herenton and Rep. Steve Cohen panderers. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: Bonding with Nature, thanks to spiders. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Memphis Matters: From out of the blue, an opportunity to speak to thousands of philanthropists for Playback!

MemphisConnect: Excited by the new Whopper Bar.

Midtown Stomp: He’s not happy with Bear’s Lair.

North Mississippi Commenter: His blog’s one year anniversary, along with some other milestones.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: A recap of Tuesday’s South Main Association meeting. One way to use FourSquare to promote your business. More downtown news.

Persian Pit Bull: More Oscar gown blogging.