The Wharton Administration: Presenting his new budget, Wharton talks about a “new business model”. You can read the budget yourself on the mayor’s blog. More on the budget from Fox13.

More on Desi Franklin, the new director of the Workforce Investment Network, from Jackson Baker.

Memphis City Schools: An audit of East High School, where the principal has been suspended, hasn’t been released and parents want to know what’s in the report. More on the massive, rolling fight with gunfire at and around Kirby High School.

Shelby County Government: Employee benefits payments will drive a large deficit in the 2011-2012 budget.

Charter Schools: University of Memphis and public charter schools will have a registration fair this Saturday.

Dearick Stokes: He was recaptured, at a Memphis motel. More on the capture from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG, the Commercial Appeal. A reward had been offered before his discovery. A cell mate talks about Stokes.

And now comes the assigning of blame.

Downtown: A 200 foot long pedestrian bridge, connecting the Humphreys School of Law and Confederate Park, will be installed today. More information from the Daily News.

DeSoto County: More on the bus-based rapid transit system proposed for I-69. And more on the MSU Action Team’s recommendations for Hernando. (stories via the DeSoto Times Tribune) Debate on a location for the new County jail heats up when the Star Landing Road site suddenly returns to consideration. Mostly negativity to a proposed rapid-transit bus line connecting the casinos to Memphis at a public meeting.

Air Travel: New travel regulations kick in today.

Heal the Hood: Some teens who have participated in the program have written up their experiences and it’s now a book — How the Hood was Healed.

City Tax Collections: Following her predecessors, County Trustee Regina Morrison Newman also wants her office to take over delinquent tax collections.

Metro Charter Commission: They are discussing eliminating the civil service for employees of the new government.

Business: Accredo Health Group saw revenue and profit rise in Q1/2010; more in the Daily News. Buckeye Technologies reports improved Q3 net income. Four straight quarters of loss for Valero.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (near Louisiana) will have a detrimental effect on seafood harvests and restaurants.

From the Commercial Appeal, What to Do.

FedEx: They have restored full European service. President Fred Smith is backing tax credits for electric vehicles. Teamsters have put out a video attacking FedEx’s opposition to their push for easier unionising in the air cargo industry.

Tennessee: The State will partner with Microsoft to provide technology training. The State Lottery now has a two million dollar prize.

Financial: Their lowest provision for loan losses in two years, says Cadence Financial.

Beale Street Music Festival: A major cancellation by The Flaming Lips and bad weather portents. More on the illness that forced the cancellation; also from the Flyer. Severe weather plans.

Memphis in May is a boost to the local economy. Construction around the Beale Street Landing will be an eyesore and an intrusion.

Arkansas: Incumbent Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln and primary challenger Lt Gov Bill Halter are trading campaign attacks.

Previously Posted: More on MLG&W’s new electronic bill payment system; also from La Prensa Latina.

VOTE! Main Street Journal Sample Ballot: The Main Street Journal offers its endorsements for the May 4 Primary in Shelby County. Whether you agree or disagree, be sure to vote May 4. Your vote counts! Download here. (PDF document)

SNEAK PEEK: May’s Main Street Journal: Editor and publisher Jonathan Lindberg reminds us of our civic duty, On Voting.

David Kernell Trial: Two days of deliberation and still no verdict. More from Fox13, Eyewitness News and the Commercial Appeal.

The Main Street Journal’s archive of early reporting in the case.

Updated! County Commission Candidate Joe Baier: Baier defends his comment in the Commercial Appeal, calling President Obama a “bumbling black guy”. The Shelby County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association has formally endorsed (PDF document) County Commission candidate Joe Baier over incumbent Mike Carpenter, citing actions and inactions by Carpenter and Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

Center City Commission: They have reduced to three the number of candidates for president. More from the Commercial Appeal.

Shelby County Elections: Today is the last day of early voting. The Commercial Appeal looks at the County Commission District 3, Position 1 race between James O. Catchings and James Harvey. The pace of early voting picks up and the “Republican surge” seems to be holding.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office: Political disagreement between deputies ends in a brawl. More reports from WMC, WREG.

City of Memphis: AFSCME Local 1733 voted on new officers yesterday.

Oakland: Former mayor Bill Mullins will serve a year’s probation and be barred from public office for 10 years. More from WMC, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Politics: Lt Gov Ron Ramsey says pre-K education is safe from budget cuts. Speculation on a Republican budget. Governor Phil Bredesen says the “survival of The MED” depends on passing the “hospital coverage fee”.

Tom Humphrey of the Knoxville News-Sentinel on the watered-down Senate version of the “English-only” drivers license bill.

The bill that would explicitly ban an income tax is now “behind the budget”. Placed in the same limbo is the bill to add more restrictions on the use of red light traffic cameras and the Health Freedom Act, though the sponsor says there’s no cost involved. The DUI interlock for drunk driving offenders bill moved out of subcommittee; background on the bill. A two-dollar-per-year increase for drivers licenses is moving in the House.

Anchor Trailways and Tours: More on the new, luxurious motorcoach service connecting Memphis and Nashville via rural north-central Tennessee. Company website here.

Governor’s Race: Republican Ron Ramsey promises to cut 7 State agencies if elected. More from the Kingsport Times News, the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Republican Zach Wamp has now unveiled his 20/20 Vision.

Memphis World Trade Club: New president Cannon Allen talks about his practice of law.

Mississippi: The second ban on public funding of abortions goes to Governor Haley Barbour. The state had the second highest rate of student loan delinquency. Barbour declared Wednesday a Day of Prayer.

Real Estate: The Willow Lake Apartments were sold back to the lender following foreclosure. The rate of foreclosures in Memphis fell nicely in the past quarter.

West Memphis Three: Governor Mike Beebe has assigned a special justice to their appeals case. More from the CA.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: The adventure of the helmet.

Doug Johnson at Work: Some thoughts on the race for governor.

Brain Release Valve: An American looks perceptively into the British phenomenon that is Doctor Who. Also, another gigantic dump of random images from his computer (Some images may not be work safe.)

The Chubby Vegetarian: Vegetarian pot stickers that look fairly easy to make!

La Vie Quotidienne: Toddler Sylvie is driving now. And happy about it!

I Love Memphis: She travels waaaay out east to Collierville to try out Jaja’s River Kwai.

Jen-sized: A defense of David Kernell.

Meredith Jubilee and Madeline Jane: Were you this excited to start school?

Notes from Memphis: Some useful links for the Beale Street Music Fest.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Potential and actual bad news on the Beale Street Music Festival. Photos from the Wine Race and other revelry.

The MakeShift Revolution: On mentors and making superhero capes for your kids.

The Ominous Comma: A short recommendation for Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt.

Pretty in Pink Megan: Green nails? And the deal of the week.

Urf! Getting past a fear of public speaking.

What’s going on back there: Teaching good citizenship with snack packs.

Will Hicks: How do you feel when you see a vacant building?

The Intersection of Madness and Reality: A discussion on “triflin’-ass men”. (Language alert) Henry Louis Gates Jr and blaming Africans for slavery.

Memphis Daily News Blog: Announcing a new publishing schedule.

Commercial Appeal: Editorialising against dog attacks like the one on their front page the other day. (Mediaverse criticism of that coverage here.) They also point out the regressive taxing nature of the mayor’s new budget but OK it anyway.

Wendi C. Thomas: Three reasons not to vote for Joe Ford as County mayor. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: There is no pause button when kids run amok. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: She’s set herself a Summer goal.

Speak to Power: Thoughts on their friend’s son, David Kernell.

Smart City Memphis: They study the special school district that Shelby County wants. More on “city branding”.

sharp stick in the eye: Big news, even if brief.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Why is .38 caliber actually .357?