Shelby County Commission: Friday’s special session produced a County budget for 2011. The property tax rate was not cut. Not all commissioners are happy with it. The Daily News talks with Mayor A C Wharton and City Councilman George Flinn (who did not attend the session). More on the new budget from Fox13. They also amended the new alarm ordinance.

Downtown: The Daily News’ Bill Dries with a massive update and future projection of the Big Three of local public projects. Ousted Beale Street developer John Elkington is still keeping business going. Shirley Franklin, former mayor of Atlanta, will be the keynote speaker at next month’s Center City Commission annual luncheon. Plans for a new I-55/Crump Boulevard interchange might include a roundabout.

Memphis v. Nashville: Metro Nashville police are handing out guitar picks with auto security reminders on them. Blue guitar picks. The metro school system will open its first virtual school this Fall.

Bartlett: The father accused of brandishing a gun at a Little League game, Nicholis Williams, surrendered to authorities and is out on bond.

Memphis City Government: The investigation continues into Around Town Tire & Trucking, in this case how they handled City checks.

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital: The Commercial Appeal writes up the new hospital building set to have its grand opening Tuesday. An official statement about Le Bonheur from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton. More from Fox13. Their doctors are studying a rare form of cancer in South America.

Arkansas: Flash flooding in the Little Missouri River and the Ouachita National Forest has killed at least 18. Total later raised to nineteen. None of the dead are from Tennessee. Funerals are already being set. Police as of Sunday night are still searching for one person.

Germantown: A look at the high citizen satisfaction with a stable tax rate and services.

Financial: Local bankers have varied views on financial reform.

Politics: From the Kingsport Times-News, a lengthy profile of former governor Ned McWherter, with some interesting comments on current and former State Senate leaders. Memphis Democrat and State Rep. Joe Towns has been fined $48,000 by the Registry of Election Finance, for failure to comply with an investigation. (free regiistration required) Rep. Susan Lynn explains and apologises for the failure of the TN Health Freedom Act. Retiring US Congressman John Tanner is still fundraising? The Chattanooga Times Free Press’ Andy Sher on the rightward tilt of the Legislature. The Commercial Appeal’s Richard Locker wraps up the previous Legislative session.

Madison County (ie Jackson) Democrats hope that this is the election year they finally break out.

In the Eighth US Congressional District primary, Dr Ron Kirkland is striking back at claims from fellow Republican Stephen Fincher; more from the Commercial Appeal. A new Fincher ad claims that Kirkland’s Jackson Clinic PAC gave $8000 to Democrat Roy Herron’s campaign; more from the Fincher campaign and an article in the Jackson Sun. State Senator Roy Herron opposes plans by American Ordnance to store depleted uranium in Milan over his “dead body”.

The Regional Medical Center: New CEO Dr Reginald Coopwood has nearly completed assembling his leadership team.

Mississippi: Constables from around the state have gathered for the annual MS Constables Association convention. Civil War re-enactors commemorated the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads over the weekend. Republican US First Congressional District candidate Alan Nunnelee has picked up the endorsement of former primary opponent Angela McGlowan.

Mississippi Outdoors — the hunting, fishing and wildlife news — from the Commercial Appeal.

Governor’s Race: Shelby County Commissioner Wyatt Bunker has endorsed Republican Bill Haslam. The State Republican Party says Democrat gubernatorial candidate Mike McWherter would be lax on immigration and the State Democratic Party responds by shifting the attack. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reviews the four major gubernatorial candidates for their stances on election financing and reporting, constitutional officers and more. And the Commercial Appeal looks at the polls.

Survey Says: Business travelers gave Delta Air Lines their highest marks.

Cohen v. Herenton: Former mayor Willie Herenton will take questions from the public tomorrow at a forum held by the Voice of Raleigh and Frayser Community Action Network.

Metropolitan Charter Commission: Consolidation will not change the annexation reserves.

Shelby County Mayoral Race: Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell and Interim County Mayor Joe Ford both claim wide community support. Chip Forrester, chairman of the TN Democratic Party accused Luttrell of trying to confuse voters among other things.

National PTA Convention: A speech by Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke of increasing parental involvement. The Associated Press report. Duncan wants $23 billion for teachers from Congress. Vicki Phillips, of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, called for a “passion about standards”.

Heat Wave: Today is the last day of a three day heat advisory for the Mid-South. More from the Commercial Appeal, Fox13, WREG. Keeping cool. AC repairmen are already swamped. Despite the heat, the fun goes on.

Commercial Appeal: Editorial page editor and the highest ranked African-American at the paper, Otis L. Sanford, is leaving to take a job at the Univeristy of Memphis.

Memphis City Schools: There are 24 elementary and middle schools offering various day camps this Summer.

Elder Crime: Not crimes against the elderly, but crimes by the elderly!

Tennessee: Thirty-two counties are now eligible for Federal farm assistance for rain/flood damage. Mixed but depressing news on State tax revenue collections for May; the State press release. More on revenues from the Tennessean.

Tony Awards: Memphis is well-represented on Broadway as two Memphis-themed shows are up for Best Musical awards. Between them, the shows collected five awards!

Shelby Farms Greenline: Hundreds of volunteers showed up in the humid heat to help clean it up, with the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. Greenline website here.

Business: If you want to promote your small Memphis business, check out “Memphian By Choice”. Nashville business is slowly returning to normal after the flood. More on the move by International Paper to Olive Branch. Lowe’s is finally coming to Collierville.

In the Daily News, Today’s Events. And in the Commercial Appeal, People in Business for Sunday and Monday; What to Do for Sunday and Monday.

A business profile in the Daily News of Lavoro’s Italian restaurant.

The Small Business Advocate recommends getting to know your banker again.

FedEx: The company is using an AIDS bicycling fundraiser in California to promote its new SenseAware technology.

Lifeblood: A report from Satuday’s first “Donor Fest” where hundreds came out.

DeSoto County: From the Commercial Appeal, a look at the candidates for the District 5 seat on the County school board. Hopes continue that a buyer will be found for the Hernando Hills Country Club. Something else is going on in the neighborhood around the Polk Lane auto shows and family park. A last-minute solution to County summer school seems to be working out. A report from the Horn Lake flag-burning ceremony by the American Legion. Moving to Horn Lake was a smart play says CEO Jay Baum of the American Contract Bridge League. All waste with a hard drive, flash drive or some kind of memory needs to go to the County’s Environmental Services division. Olive Branch aldermen are expected to take up “unkempt lots” tomorrow night.

BNSF Railway: A old-time treat for employees as the company’s unique train takes them across the Mississippi River and through Arkansas, to mark a special donation to the National Civil Right Museum.

Previously Posted: More on the TweetForHabitat project/fundraiser for Habitat For Humanity of Greater Memphis; and an Italian car show benefit this weekend.

The Memphis Zoo: They have a number of initiatives and efforts going to hopefully top one million visitors this year.

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: Real life encounters with ugly sexism and some advice.

River City Mud Company: If the Gulf oil spill were centered over Memphis, it would look like this.

Quite Swimmingly: A rant on Census workers. (Mild language alert)

Tom Humphrey: There was no good reason this session of the Legislature needed to run over so much. (via the Knoxville News-Sentinel)

Jan Knight:: Advice for harried parents of berzerker children . (via the DeSoto Times Tribune)

Memphis News: Is it the job of City government to provide comfortable employment to its citizens?

Tom Pease: Business failure may be unpleasant to talk about, but it’s a reality. (via the Daily News)

Otis L. Sanford: Reviewing Mayor Wharton’s opposition to City employee pay cuts. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Chris Peck: Cheerleading the new Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: Meet Devin Snipes, as you most assuredly will be hearing more about him in the future. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: Despite the studies, we should build the Bass Pro Shop anyway. Applauding Republicans who opposed the TN Health Freedom Act. They buy into “right-sizing” City government but with a huge out. America’s soldiers deserve respect from their government. A solitary incident at a Little League game that resulted in no injuries calls for sweeping controls.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Some random weekend pics and the winner of his “guess my caption” contest.

La Vie Quotidienne: A defense of teaching French in public schools.

Egotistical Whining: Thoughts on sexual addiction.

Brain Release Valve: Apprehension of the acceleration that technology brings. He’s working on a new graphic novella and YOU CAN HELP HIM!

Boys in the ‘Hood: There’s a sign for that when Walt’s on the job.

The Conservative Zone: Mark rants about Randy Haspel’s rant in the Flyer.

West Tennessee Conservative: Does Eighth District candidate Dr Ron Kirkland pass his own pledge?

theology & geometry: Instead of going to Bonnaroo, it’s family crisis time. An update on her sister’s condition.

The Soundcheck and the Fury: His plan for conquering the publishing world.

The MakeShift Revolution: What strange item does your child have to sleep with? That was then, this is now.

The Intersection of Madness and Reality: Racism shows up in the weirdest places!