Photo Credit: Alan Howell, Memphis Business Journal
Waiting & Watching, Tensely

 
Governor Bill Haslam has asked Federal government for $10 million in flood assistance for West Tennessee. More on that from WREG. The State’s press release. What flood aid may mean to homeowners. Shelby Counnty EMA says even interstates could be flooded! Germantown is monitoring the Wolf River. 5300 Shelby County homes at risk.

The US Army Corp of Engineers says levees around Memphis/West Memphis will hold. More from WREG. They will attempt a third blast on the Mississippi County, MO, levee this morning. Worries shift to Memphis. Governor Haslam toured the flooding in Dyer County; more from ABC24.

With a 48 foot crest expected now on May 11, Mud Island and Harbor Town may be evacuated. Hydrological chart showing progress of river waters. Will sandbags save the day? Fox13 looks at the history of Mississippi River flooding.

Flood Coverage: Update pages from the Daily News. Dyer County news and photos from the Dyersburg State Gazette; Lake County news and photos from the Lake County Banner. There’s a discussion forum now, MemphisFlood.com. Aerial view, via WREG, of the flooding. Flood pictures gallery, from Fox13.

Flood Closings, Evacuations & Emergency Info: WREG’s main web page is filled with emergency services links. Maps of the flooding for Shelby, Tipton and Tunica Counties. Numbers to call to report flooding. FEMA’s disaster resources webpage. Website for the Memphis/Shelby County Emergency Management Agency. The Shelby County Emergency Preparedness website is here. MLG&W website. Flood impact maps by ZIP codes, from Fox13 and ABC24. Road closure warnings from ABC24. You can donate these items to flood shelters. Also, a listing of Red Cross shelters.

Memphis in May: While the music and the BBQ are the marquee events, a lot of business gets conducted, profitably, as well. Planning is already underway to move the BBQ championship.

Second Amendment: The State House Judiciary Committee has sent the bill allowing permitted concealed carry on college campuses to “Summer study”, where it is believed dead for the session. More from the Chattanooga Times Free Press and the Commercial Appeal. Campus police chiefs remain opposed.

Tunica Shutdown: All casinos in Tunica are now closed, at a considerable hit to the local economy as well as big losses for the casinos, 9300 idled workers and lower State tax revenues. Three hundred homes in the Tunica cutoff are flooded, at least. More from WREG, ABC24, Fox13, the CA.

West Memphis, AR: Flood waters are receding, but residents blame their problem on a flood drainage plan! More on West Memphis from ABC24. More from ABC24.

Dyer County: Dyersburg is evacuating; more. A barge collision temporarily closed I-55 the town.

Mud Island: The eastern shore of Harbor Town may be flooded and evacuations are being planned. More from WMC and again, Fox13. Downtowners “optimistic” even as “flood concerns grow”.

City-County School Mediation: It appears that Judge Hardy Mays has taken to personally mediating the dispute, though details are not available from yesterday’s closed door court appearance.

Amazon.com State House Finance Committee chairman Charles Sargent and State Senate Finance Committee chairman Randy McNally are pushing legislation to force Amazon.com to collect sales taxes. A similar push in Texas cost them a distribution center, hundreds of jobs and millions in supplier contracts.

The Haslam Administration: Governor Bill Haslam is altering his budget–especially cuts and reductions–to take into account some revenue windfalls from a couple of sources. More from the Tennessean. The governor is hoping to convince the Legislature to find the funds necessary to fund a one-year takeover of Lambuth University’s campus by the University of Memphis.

Politics: Faculty at the University of Tennessee are asking the State to create a fund from which their raises could be drawn, and which would allow them to raise tuitions.

Survey Says: Memphis, the number 19 metro area in the nation, is rated the 44th for “gross metropolitan product” in a study by The Business Journals.

Osama Bin Laden: Elements from Fort Campbell’s 160th Special Ops regiment were part of the mission to take out Bin Laden. US Senator Bob Corker is asking the Obama administration to “explain Pakistan’s role” in the mission. Middle Tennessee Muslims separate themselves from “evil” Bin Laden. Commentators Ben Ferguson and Matt Kuhn discuss his death, on Fox13.

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: More on the late-Monday Senate passage of the legislation repealing collective bargaining for teachers unions (SB0113). For Republicans, this is an “historic opportunity”. Reports from the Tennessean, the Nashville City Paper, the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Tennessee Report, WPLN.

The House version of the legislation (HB0130) was sent back to the Education Committee to consider an amendment to align it with the Senate version. House Republican Leader Gerald McCormick says “the bill is in trouble”. More from Tom Humphrey in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, WPLN, the Commercial Appeal.

Shelby County Commission: The commission is delaying for two weeks a vote on a pension system overhaul. FEMA has approved disaster aid for eight counties.

Arkansas: Convicted bomber Dr Randeep Mann has been given a extension to file his appeal. The State government has a Federal OK to overhaul its Medicaid payment system.

Germantown: Aldermen appear to favor a City-owned and -run ambulance system.

Ulysses Jones Jr: Mystery, intrigue, money and a political revelation in a contest over his will.
 
 
 

Shelby County: The county’s pension fund has nearly returned to pre-recessions levels.

Memphis City Council: The council voted 6-5 to request Mayor A C Wharton not cut any jobs yet. They extended the moratorium on new Compensated Dance Permits, an effort to block Steve Cooper from turning his restaurant Stella Marris into a strip/dance club.

DeSoto County: Governor Haley Barbour declared the County a disaster area. Aldermen in Olive Branch passed a smoking ban in restaurants and public buildings, but only until 9PM. The County Board of Supervisors approved repairs to Holly Springs Road. Confusion and resistance serve to slow installing a new LED sign at the Civic Center.

Business: Cooper-Young’s Au Fond restaurant is closed after just 18 months. Facebook page announcement. More in the Commercial Appeal.

The Commercial Appeal suggests What to Do. Today’s Events and Memphis Newsmakers, from the Daily News.

Electrolux: The State Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved the financial incentive package; more from the Daily News. Site Selection magazine calls the decision to move to Memphis one of their top North American deals. The Industrial Development Board has selected Allen & Hoshall as the project managers for the contruction project.

City Brewing Company: Their puchase of local Hardy Bottling Company is now completed. Operations are scheduled to begin in July. More in the Daily News, the LaCrosse Tribune. A beer historian urges the company to bring back the Goldcrest 51 brand.

Mitsubishi Electric: They will hold their groundbreaking on their new Rivergate Industrial Park next week. More in the CA.

First Tennessee Bank: Their parent corporation, First Horizon National, has disclosed the compensation package of retiring president Charles Burkett.

FedEx: The company is going to settle with the Justice Department over allegations they abused “delivery exception codes” in some government deliveries.

Mississippi: Governor Haley Barbour is seeking Federal disaster declarations for 11 counties. Insurance protections are in place to protect those who can’t pay premiums, due to flooding.

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)

Commercial Appeal: Hopeful congratulations to Booker T. Washington High School. The school merger lawsuit mediation should stay focused on what’s best for the children.

Susan Lynn: The former State Representative argues that changing the foreclosure notice process only helps banks and hurts homeowners. (via the Tennessean)

Light Their Fire: Can your employees generate passion consistently about their work? (via the Daily News)

Guerrilla Sales & Marketing: Matching your business to a social cause that needs promotion can help everyone. (via the Daily News)