Photo Credit: Living in Millington blog
BUSTED!

 
Elements of the TN Bureau of Investigation, the Shelby County Attorney General’s office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s office decended on Millington government offices early yesterday morning. It was a response to complaints of official misconduct last December. Hodges called the investigation “politically driven”. A transmission shop, Transmission Doctor, was also raided. That business loaned Hodges money. The roots of the investigation go back years. WREG reports arrests are expected. Did an email from a City worker to Mayor Hodges cost one employee her job? The Living In Millington blog has been covering the situation for many months; just start scrolling.

The home of Mayor Richard Hodges was also searched, the day after his wife, Rita, killed herself in a suicide. He says her suicide isn’t related to the investigation. Hodges also believes this is personal.

Millingtonians’ reactions; they are “in shock”. More reactions: ABC24. County Commissioner Terry Roland also reacts. Comments from several of the principals involved.

City Operations: More budget cutbacks, this time to the library system and 43 part-time workers as well as hours of operation. The company chosen by the City and MLG&W for insurance, Cigna, is facing challenges by three of the losing insurers.

Memphis City Employees: Fox13 interviews city employee union leader Michael Williams about the pay cuts going into effect and their lawsuit to rescind them. The pay cuts are scheduled to start on August 5; more from WREG and the Commercial Appeal. Association of City Retired Employees members have been receiving a scam email.

The City Elections: The deadline for candidates to withdraw from the October 6 is today.

City Council-City Schools Struggle: With yesterday’s vote by the school board, and a payment plan to be worked out, school is “back on track” to open week after next. The next step is up to the City Council at next week’s meeting. Mayor A C Wharton is “hopeful”. Has the City been overpaying on the “maintenance of effort” funding all along?

Flood Recovery: Tunica’s businesses are back but the customers aren’t yet.

Mississippi: While the jobs situation is still bad, it’s not as bleak as before.

Federal Reserve’s Beige Book: The just-released July book shows a true “mixed bag” of economic indicators. Read the summary here and the report itself here. (PDF document) More from the Commercial Appeal.

Business: There will be a public meeting with State officials and former Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant workers today.

The Commercial Appeal provides What to Do and People in Business. From the Daily News, Today’s Events. And, the Business Journal has People on the Move.

Delta Air Lines: Fuel costs were a huge drag on earnings this quarter, reducing it by 58%. Memphis International will be spared any further cuts.

Redbirds: At the August 1 home game the first pitches are to be thrown by University of Memphis Tigers Coach Josh Pastner and football coach Larry Porter.

Real Estate: The collapse of big-box book retailers has left some very large stores vacant and they’ll likely be snapped up quickly. Mayor A C Wharton spoke to the Memphis Area Association of Realtors’ and pronounced the City “open for business big time”. More on Southaven’s planned outlet mall near I-69; ABC24.

Internet Exclusive: Corporate Welfare and Government Waste: The Tennessee Center for Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization that has just released their 2011 Pork Report on State government waste, fraud and mis-spending. The report can be read here.

Shelby County Schools: They have rather reluctantly agreed to open the County’s first charter school from The New Consortium of Law and Business in Bartlett.

US Postal Service: Reaction from customers upset that six local post offices are closing.

Downtown: The Downtown Memphis Commission has a new website to match their new name. Two more tenants were announced for One Commerce Square, though no details yet.

Association of Fundraising Professionals: The Memphis chapter is hosting a conference called “Surfing the Next Wave of Philanthropy” which will allow networking of philanthropic and non-profit agencies.

Memphis Rotary Club: President John Coats talks with Fox13 about the study they volunteered to conduct of the Memphis Animal Shelter. He says they bring a “businessman’s advantage” to the study. The study will include everything–even the Second Chance Program. More in the Commercial Appeal. Rotary Club website here.

Malco Cinemas: The facelift of the Malco Ridgeway theater will transform it into a smaller, but more upscale, theater.

Memphis Zoo: A program by Fred’s Super Dollar Stores, “Panda Pals” has raised thousand of dollars for the Memphis zoo and its panda exhibit.
 

Politics: Representative Steve Cohen’s communications director, Michael Pagan, has been named to The Hill’s 50 Most Beautiful People list. Starting September 1, divorce will be easier for some couples.

The Daily News: The newspaper celecrates 125 years of continual publication as the city’s “original database”.

DeSoto County: Candidates for lieutenant governor went at it, at the Neshoba Couny Fair. The Horn Lake Chamber of Commerce awarded the town’s Harley-Davidson franchise. The Lake Cormorant post office is on the list slated for closure, except the town is growing. More on new teacher orientation in Southaven, from the Desoto Times Tribune.

Internet Exclusive: Herman Cain for President: Mississippi Tea Party activist Doctor Ed “Doc” Holliday says the only man who stands a chance of defeating President Barack Obama in 2012 is Republican candidate Herman Cain, and he lays out why.

Internet Exclusive: Is Downtown Up To Snuff? The Main Street Journal’s senior writer, Michael Roy Hollihan, has a little Q & A with the Center City Commission’s Paul Morris about the state of the Downtown, and a few other topics of interest.

Trustmark: Net income and earnings per share were up in the second quarter. More from the Commercial Appeal.

Arkansas: The State and Federal EMAs will give $35 million in disaster aid for the Spring storms that lashed the State. The Oil and Gas Commission voted to close a waste disposal well tied to “fracking” that may also end up closing natural gas wells.. Jennings Osbourne, of the holiday lights display, has died. Teen pregnancy rates in the state are holding.

Joe Spake’s Daily Buzz: The rest of the day’s news, from his usual, eclectic sources.

Rays of Wisdom: Let your kids budget and plan their own weddings. (via the Daily News)

I Swear: A fan of Friday Night Lights reveals himself. (via the Daily News)

Mark Vorder-Bruegge Jr: How to run a business when intellectual property is at stake. (via the Daily News)

Commercial Appeal: An outlet mall in Southaven will be good for Memphis even though it isn’t downtown and encourages sprawl. They seem to be missing the point about the Federal debt debate: the spending.

Representative Craig Fitzhugh: He explains the TN Democratic proposal, now that State tax revenues are rising, to spend the “extra” on a cut in taxes on groceries and more ideas. The bill he’s talking about is HB 2164. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: The Post Office hasn’t adapted to the changes in America. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: She drops an awful lot of names of local events and places in this Summer activity post. (via the Commercial Appeal)

The Memphis Blog: Remember JAM-JAM1? Did you know you can still call it?

Former Mean Girl Seeks Same: She hates her new neighbors. Also, slumber fail.

Floating, Floating, and Floating With Travilis: His friends don’t read his blog and want to be millionaire rappers. A post on the frivolous and the mundane, that’s still entertaining.

FIX MEMPHIS: Still documenting bike racks of note: the Medical Center and City Hall.

East Memphis Moms: Recommendations for high-risk OBs. Advice for her 17-year old niece.

Cliff Heegel PhD: What to expect with psychotherapy. Informative and reassuring if you’re new to this.

A Merry Wife: The upcoming weekend of awesome. Learning how to ask for help.

Pam Plants a Garden: Resurrecting a birdbath. (The birds thank you, too.)

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Whew! Lots going on Downtown. Planking.

readmorewritemorethinkmorebemore: It really is hard to write like Dr Suess.

Steve’s Nude Memphis Blog: His meh review of Captain America.