Photo Credit: Tom Powell, Plixi.com
God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise

 
The rising Mississippi River, powered by upstream rain and local storms feeding in area rivers and creeks, is becoming a concern all around the Mid-South and is rising faster than expected. County mayor Mark Luttrell has already prepared a disaster declaration; Fox13, ABC24 and again, WMC. “All eyes” on “epic flooding” potential. Shelby County’s Fire Department has a new tool to help in floods: the Hydratek. People in Mississippi are fearful that some levees have been breached.

Via WREG, an update on Shelby County road conditions. (XLS document)

In Tunica, State officials and business owners are beginining to close down casinos. Residents there expect a crest above 53 feet. Millington, mindful of last year’s catastrophic flooding, is concerned. A Collierville subdivision is threatened, more; and Germantown roads are being closed.

The Great ShakeOut: Students at the University of Memphis ran quake simulation drills for disaster preparedness.

Memphis in May: CEO Jim Holt notes that host country selection is always done with an eye to trade partners and usually results in benefits for both countries. Organisers of the Beale Street Music Festival says mud in Tom Lee Park won’t be an issue? “Huge crowds” expected on Friday, with multiple events occuring in beautiful weather.

Schedules for the bands, in the Flyer, for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Beale Street Music Festival website here; Memphis in May website here.

Mid-South Fair: A new executive director has been chosen–Milton Rodgers, formerly with the Bank of Bartlett.

Shelby County Commission: The Commercial Appeal reports on several bits of business conducted this week. The Shelby County Attorney’s office says commissioner Terry Roland cannot be denied any commission documents simply because other commissioners think he might share them. Commissioner Steve Mulroy’s dissenting view.

Mid-South Food Bank: They are asking for extra donations to get ready to handle the flood victims expected next month.

David-Kidd Booksellers: The founder of former owner Joseph-Beth, Neil Van Uum, has struck a deal with the owners of Laurelwood to keep the store open.

Tennessee: The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services, with the TN Bar Association, will open a website offering free legal help early, because of this week’s storms. The Steel Interstate initiative hopes to move a lot of road freight over to electrified high-speed rail, at a saving in carbon emissions; more. Steel Initiative website. The lieutenant governor’s office now has his own official State website, and the TN.GOV media website has been moved. Crime statewide is down for the third year in a row.

Politics: Last year’s “voluntary, one-time assessment” is about to become a “>permanent, ongoing tax on hospitals, “raised and extended”. That bill passed the House Thursday; more in the Nashville City Paper. The Flyer’s Jackson Baker asks if Tennessee’s Republicans are like Chinese “Communists”? Deuling amendments on the “gun carry in your car on the company parking lot” bill sends it back to committee for retooling. The legislation to allow direct corporate donations to political campaigns in proceeding through the Legislature.

Tennessee Republicans already have a new general campaign ad out, borrowing “losing” and Charlie Sheen.

Financial: Trustmark’s year-over-year Q1 net earnings were up slightly, according to their earnings report.

Morgan Keegan: “All parties involved” are said to have reached a settlement in the probe over lost funds.

Clark Tower: After early April storms knocked the iconic American flag from its perch atop Clark Tower, it has been restored.

Memphis Animal Shelter: Hyper-vigilant animal activists who oppose euthanisation are now circulating a petition encouraging people to stop donating to the shelter. The Bartlett Animal Shelter is searching for foster homes, in the event of severe flooding.

Vicki Yates: The attorney for Yates, wife of Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) chairman-appointee Mark Yates, is searching for eyewitnesses or video of her “controversial” arrest.

Catholic High School: Their Education That Works program teaches students to work in the real world even as it prepares them for college. It’s very successful.

NEW! Online Exclusive: Joe Saino, the Shelby Watchdog: Memphis Mayor A C Wharton asked the public to offer suggestions about cutting the Memphis City budget and Joe is only to happy to provide Some Suggestions that would reduce it substantially!

Internet Exclusive: Chuck Bates: Our financial correspondent calms down the clucking Chicken Littles who are saying, The Debt Ceiling is Falling, The Debt Ceiling is Falling!.

State Education Reform: The lobbyist for the Tennessee Education Association, the union which represents teachers, Jack Johnson, says that teacher morale is suffering as legislation to end collective bargaining nears passage. He was reacting to an amended Senate bill that has the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents create teacher manuals, and not the TEA. The House is now supporting the sterner Senate version and passage is imminent. More from the Commercial Appeal.

The House, meanwhile, has held a bill for summer study that would have four Counties (including Shelby) create transportable tuition vouchers for students. More reports from the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Nashville City Paper, the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Shelby County Schools: The school board approved the 2012 budget. Notable features: raises for employees and dipping into the rainy day fund.

Economic Development Growth Engine: Realtor Dick Leike turned down an invitation to serve on the board.

Memphis Police Department: The Flyer interviews new Police Director Toney Armstrong.

Riverfront: The Riverfront Development Corporation’s plans for repairing and restoring the Riverfront Cobblestones has now met with Federal and State approval.

Memphis Redbirds: The baseball team and the Memphis Animal Shelter are teaming up for a weekend of animal-friendly fun, Bark in the Ballpark, starting tonight. See their ad at the top right. More reports from Fox13.

Business: The Commercial Appeal offers What to Do and People in Business. Today’s Events and Inked, in the Daily News.

International Paper: They reversed last year’s 1Q loss with healthy growth, leading to optimism for the rest of the year.

Delta Air Lines: In a conference call with analysts, CEO Richard Anderson reiterated that they expect Memphis to become an “overflow” hub for Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.

Accredo Health Group: Their 1Q revenues grew at 15%, to a new record–$3.1 billion. They also announced a new president, Frank Sheehy.

Electrolux: A symposium for construction companies and contractors will be held this week, for potential companies wanting to work with Electrolux. In other news, the company reported a drop in sales and net profits for Q1.

Amazon.com: When the South Carolina House of Representatives voted to revoke a promised sales tax exemption for the company, they immediately began to close down operations at their distribution warehouse, threatening 1200 jobs and $52 million in supplier contracts.

DeSoto County: Governor Haley Barbour signed the Penny For Your Parks bill, letting Southaven voters decide on a penny restaurant tax; more. Methodist Healthcare continues to work toward a Fall opening of their Olive Branch hospital. Bloomberg Businessweek rated OB the nation’s fastest growing city!

Internet Exclusive: Memphis Film Commission’s Linn Sitler: Main Street Journal contributor Mick Wright talks with Sitler about Getting Memphis Before the Cameras again.

Internet Exclusive: Shelby County Commissioner Steve Mulroy: Commissioner Mulroy takes a few minutes to explain Why the Need for Public Secrecy? when it comes to County Commission business on public issues.

2011 Memphis Giving Guide: If you want to help but aren’t sure where to volunteer your time or donate your money, this free Memphis Giving Guide, from the Main Street Journal, can help you find the Christ-led ministries effecting social change in Memphis. (11 MB PDF document; right-click and save)

Mississippi: Last week’s suspect Public Policy Polling report that nearly half of the state’s Republicans think interracial marriage should be illegal also found (which was not reported at the time) that 1 in 5 Democrats think the same, and that the South should have won the Civil War!

FUNdraising: Engaging your leadership is key to business fundraising success. (via the Daily News)

Memphis News: Private and religious schools have programs with lessons to teach the public schools as well.

Jim Maynard: He conflates personal and corporate income taxes in his call to raise Federal taxes and does not address spending at all. (via the Flyer)

MAD AS HELL: Haley Barbour is the “Don Corleone of the Confederacy”. (via the Flyer)

John Branston: There are recreational Mississippi River paddlers and then there’s Joe Royer and Kevin Adams. (via the Flyer)

Flyer: Weather, climate change denial and creationism.

Lucy Shaw: Thoughts on re-inventing yourself. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Bernal E. Smith II: Why he, and the TSD, support the Women of Excellence awards. (via the Tri-State Defender)

John Shroer: With Federal funds so tightly parceled out, the State need to prioritise and authorise its transportation plan. (via the Tennessean)

Jackson Sun: Allowing corporations to donate donate even more money to TN political races isn’t a good idea.

Bill Minor: Another sighting of that suspect PPP poll on Mississippi Republicans. (via the Desoto Times-Tribune)

Commercial Appeal: The same editorial board who predicted a bloodbath if handgun carry was expanded (gun violence went down) are now predicting bloodbaths over handgun carry in employee parking lots, disguised as claiming to want to protect businesses’ property rights. Brainstorming to keep the Outdoors Inc. Canoe & Kayak Race.

Lesley Stevenson: Rebutting the stale, wrong, conventional wisdom about students at private and religious schools. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Dr Timothy Moore: In a manner of speaking, your every bite of food is a life-and-death decision. (via the Tri-State Defender)