Memphis City Schools: Hitesh Haria has been hired as the district’s new deputy superintendent of business operations at the system’s third highest salary; more from WMC. In other school news, “no tolerance” for Irish pinching. Also, the victims and parents of an after-school beatdown at Wooddale High School says MCS didn’t do enough in warning parents and alerting police.

Memphis City Beautiful: They have a new Green City Fund which will help with planting trees around the city.

MLG&W: Questions of savings to the taxpayer versus protecting employee jobs and wages in a contract dispute involving the utility’s security company. A push from some employees to get the Shelby County Commission to adopt an “energy-efficient building code” for new residential buildings.

City of Memphis: The Contracts and Compliance Office has received a study on diversity in awarding contracts to minorities. Mayor A C Wharton has created another new office: director of the director of the “Office of Talent and Human Capital”. A City Council committee voted to spend the money to start design work on “Tiger Drive” at the Fairgrounds.

Westwood: Residents are asking the City to enforce the law and help them clean up their neighborhood.

Memphis Fire Department: Memphis firefighter Edward Naumann was arrested in Tipton County on DUI charges. More from Fox13.

Shelby County Commission: A look at appointed commissioner Edith Moore and her race to get elected to her seat.

Leadership Academy: The Daily News profiles their director of community engagement, Douglas Scarboro.

Financial: Memphis mayor Wharton is recruiting local banks to participate in a program to reach the “unbanked”.

Politics: TN Republican Party reaction to Congressman Bart Gordon’s announcement he’ll vote for health care reform. More on Gordon and his full statement. Rumor that TN’s two retiring Congressmen (John Tanner and Bart Gordon) had their votes for health care bought. (3rd item)

Two hundred business leaders have endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam. The Kingsport Times-News fact-checks Haslam’s claims of saving 11,000 jobs; a “fact check” from the Commercial Appeal. Why Republican Bill Gibbons thinks he can win.

TN Republican Party chairman Chris Devaney took the unprecedented step of warning the TN Demcratic Party about one of their candidates, Joe Shepard. He also sent a letter to the State Coordinator of Elections demonstrating why the parties should retain control of their primaries. Will a voter referendum on making hunting and fishing constitutional rights also serve to boost Republican voter turnout? More on that from the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

The bill to freeze legislators’ per diem pay passes out of committee. A State medical marijuana bill survives its first legislative hurdle. More on fish and birds in barbershops. Clarifying language added to the State income tax bill in the Senate means it’s been delayed for a vote. A House bill is criticised as a “road map” to remaking the County Election Administrators’ offices. The Senate passes a bill raising the debt exemptions people can claim.

Eighth Congressional District: Democrat Roy Herron says he’s for “common sense” health care reforms but not the bill currently in Congress. Republican Steve Fincher officially kicks off his campaign.

Google Fiber: More details on the proposal for a one gigabit speed network.

Tire Redemption Program: Why a $100,000 program that pays a $1/tire bounty could only collect 56,000 tires. The folks who showed up to claim their bounties left an enormous mess behind for the City to clean up!

Bartlett: Mayor Keith McDonald isn’t opposed to a skate park, but points out there’s no money in the budget.

Survey Says: The state has the 8th lowest percentage of millionaires. The recession is scaring workers into showing up on time. Gas prices are at their highest since 2008.

Oakland: The trial date for mayor Bill Mullins has been moved up to March 25. The town’s first condominium project will diversify with single family homes. (stories via the Oakland News) A report on the candidates and the progress of early voting; more from WREG.

Memphis International Airport: As renovation and new construction work begins, contracts are awarded. More in the Daily News.

NEW! Main Street Journal: Mick Wright looks at the two major factions of the tea party movement in Shelby County.

Dutch Treat Luncheon: The monthly meeting of Memphis oldest political forum is Saturday, the 20th, at Jason’s Deli. Featured speaker is City Councilman Kemp Conrad. More information at their website.

Shelby County Races: The Tri-State Defender reports on Monday’s mayoral forum. Part two of Jackson Baker’s report from the forum.

Coffee Party: It took a while but the Flyer now has a report from last weekend’s inaugural meeting. And a video.

UPDATED! Regional Medical Center Funding: County Commissioner Mike Ritz says the proposed “enhanced coverage fee” isn’t a cure-all for The MED’s financial problems. READ Commissioner Ritz’ letter to Congressman Steve Cohen, and other regional Federal legislators, about Medicaid funding. (PDF document) More on the issue from Nashville, via the Daily News.

Metro Charter Commission: The Flyer has a cover story on the commission’s aims and hopes, and folks like Save Shelby County, who oppose consolidation. Also, Marlin Mosby offers some numbers. The Flyer interviews Rebuild Government cofounder Darrell Cobbins. County attorney John Ryder presented the general form of the document of charter. And, they create the new entity’s first Divisions.

Graceland: Mayor A C Wharton reassured the neighborhood he’s still committed to seeing revitalisation of the area.

First Tennessee Foundation: They presented $100,000 in Innovation in the Arts Awards to eleven Memphis arts groups. They also gave another $100,000 to ArtsMemphis for them to disburse.

Memphis Police Department: Police Director Larry Godwin responds to questions about why detectives missed a body under a bed in the murder investigation of Sony Millbrook. More from WREG. After a decade of waiting, almost two dozen officers were promoted to lieutenant; more from Fox13.

Sovereignty: Michael Ray Cobbs is agreeing to buy properties, then filing quit claim deeds and taking ownership, without paying anything, all the while claiming he’s “sovereign”.

Methodist North Hospital: They have unveiled their new ER.

University of Memphis: Director Spike Lee spoke last night about filmmaking as a career and his own life and education; more in the Daily Helmsman. The Tiger Den is closing this Spring for renovations. Why lack of funding is hurting the McWherter Library. The school is accepting applications for the Noyce Teaching Fellowship.

TruGreen: They were fined $500,000 for “misapplication of pesticides and filing inaccurate records” by New York State authorities.

Tennessee: The state has been chosen by the National Governors Association to develop a model Corridor Management Agreement to help with land use and transportation planning. State unemployment remained at 10.7% for February; more in the Business Journal, the Commercial Appeal. More economic reports. Some planned cuts to Medicaid are being postponed thanks to a Federal tax refund; more in the Business Journal and the Daily News, WMC.

Zippin Pippin: The deal is finalised and County Commissioner Steve Mulroy will ride it next year in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More from WMC.

Business: The trucking industry appears to be in for a shakeout. More on Walgreen’s purchase of Memphis Ike’s and Super D stores, more from WMC; why the stores are closing. Shelton Clothiers has opened a women’s boutique downtown.

From the Commercial Appeal, People in Business.

FedEx: Their 3Q revenues rose a huge 146%! More in the Commercial Appeal and the Daily News. CEO Fred Smith is a fan of President Obama.

DeSoto County: Horn Lake’s Creole celebration Crawfest is this Saturday. Hernando adopts an ordinance limiting grass to a certain height. State senators from the County split their votes on education cuts in the State budget. More on the changed annexaton policy of Olive Branch. (stories via the DeSoto Times Tribune) Also, North Mississippi news, from the CA.

West Tennessee: A benefit concert has been scheduled to help rebuild the Covington community playground that burned down last month. One consequence of the recession: less waste in landfills. More volunteers are needed for this month’s Feed the Need in Dyer County. (stories via the Dyersburg State Gazette) The Ken-Tenn Humane Society is asking the Union City Council for another chance to run the City’ shelter. (via NWTN Today)

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Lots of doggy smiles for you.

Left Wing Cracker: Steve claims he’ll even vote for “Goopers” if the Democrats don’t get their act together.

Just A Girl in the World: Southern manners and being schooled by the waitress at the Pancake Shop.

Cwabs! The cat in the serving bowl.

Weeden Arts Watch: It’s very short, but it’s also very, very good news. And, after a winter hiatus, UrbanArt is back with an update. They’ve also won an award.

The Flying Bloghouse: Local man makes art that you might be able to buy soon!

The Chockley Blogs: Four years in five pictures. And a birthday breakfast.

sharp stick in the eye: Introducing Memphis artist David Lynch.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: What is a “tactical facepalm”? Glad you asked. Your silly for the day.

Boys In The ‘Hood: Patrick is six months old now, so lots of pictures of him and older brother Walt.

AlphaPatriot: Check out his spiffy new blog-digs!

polar donkey: Thoughts on Mayor A C Wharton and his ongoing governing-by-media.

Smart City Memphis: Things Memphis could do to improve our economic development.

Commercial Appeal: Farewell, Alex Chilton. Mayor Wharton needs to come clean on his recent appointees.

Naomi Van Tol: A call to support Overton Park’s Old Forest State Natural Area bill, especially from the co-terminous Memphis Zoo, in the Legislature. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Jaime Sarrio: What teachers want. (via the Tennessean)

Tomeka Hart: Prevention is cheaper and better than cleaning up afterwards. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Brittany Jackson: She is dealing with not getting her first choice of college. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Ask Myron: Disbelief that boxer Mike Tyson is getting his own TV show. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Amy Barnette: U of M President Shirley Raines’ promise of an internship for every student is proving difficult in many ways. (via the Daily Helmsman)

The Flyer: Even if a second judge won’t be coming to Juvenile Court, modernising change still needs to happen.

The Rant: Thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling that, for First Amendment purposes, a corporation is a person. (via the Flyer)