Photo Credit: Fox13
Trading Up

 
The University of Memphis announced yesterday the switch to the Big East conference. It officially happens on July 1, 2013. The move will initially cost $6 - 8 million, but bring in as much as $10 million annually. “Lots of money” involved. Negotiations were secret and code-named “Elvis”. FedEx had a major role in negotiations. Tiger basketball coaches see advantages in the move. R. C. Johnson and others intereviewed by Fox13. More in the Commercial Appeal.

The loss of the Conference USA tournament won’t be a large business loss. If you read only one story on the Big East move, read ABC24’s. Or watch Fox13’s. Questions and answers about the switchover.

Shelby County Commission: A special meeting has been called for Friday to vote a second time on the “fair market value” resolution regarding sale of County school buildings. Agenda here. (PDF document)

Southaven: A detailed account of Tuesday’s Board meeting, where Mayor Greg Davis again ducked out before he could be confronted, from the Desoto Times Tribune. Board of Aldermen members are finding it hard to talk with Davis. There are options to get Davis removed, says ABC24, but they either require too high a level or proof or too much money. Petition activists have learned it will take 51% of the voting population in order to oust Davis. In other business, the Board learned that many town parks are in bad repair.

Memphis City Council: The vote to annex Gray’s Creek/Fisherville was unanimous.

City of Memphis: Memphis Mayor A C Wharton introduced the Memphis Office of Resources and Enterprise (MORE) initiative to help small businesses bid on and win City contracts. The Wharton administration will review the City’s new social media policy, because of numerous complaints; more from WREG.

Crime and Punishment: ABC24 continues its series on the extravagant expenses–lobster!–that Shelby County is approving for sequestered juries. The defintion of “good behavior” only makes sense inside the criminal justice system.

Norman Benjamin: The former Memphis police sergeant was in court yesterday hoping for leniency from the judge over his five guilty pleas in his bizarre case. He was sentenced to eight years. More from WMC, ABC24, Fox13.

Tennessee: Federal funds came through for the 2012 Summer Food Service Program; sponsor organisations are being sought now. The State is participating in a program with five major mortgage lenders to split a settlement payment.

Business: A dispute between Walgreen and Express Scripts over their no longer filling Express prescriptions, is driving customers to CVS.

From the Daily News, Today’s Events. The Commercial Appeal reports What to Do and People in Business. The Business Journal lets you in on the People on the Move.

Pinnacle Airlines: They announced an agreement nvolving subsidiary Colgan, Continental Airlines and United Air Lines to change its capacity purchase agreement. They saw shares “surge” in stock prices even as one stock analyst issued a “sell” recommendation.

DeSoto County: More on citizen complaints about County ambulance service. Hernando has approved the repair of 12 streets.

West Memphis Bombing: The man convicted of the attempted bombing death of Dr Trent Pierce, Randeep Mann, is appealing his guilty verdict.

R. Allen Stanford: Defense attorneys continued their cross-examination of James Davis, the Stanford company’s former CFO.

Local Media: He was removed from the airwaves again but WPLX/1180AM radio talk show host Thaddeus Matthews was back on Wednesday after he posted a $5000 bond to renew the injunction preventing owner William Pollack from shutting off transmitter power. Previous coverage of his latest kerfuffle.

Online Exclusive: Vote Fraud in Tennessee’s Elections: The president of the Tennessee League of Women Vothers, Margie Parsley, argues that real vote fraud is being improperly addressed by the State of Tennesse. They’ll be watching this Spring.

Annexation Struggle: State Senator Mark Norris says he is still waiting for the State Attorney General to rule on the legality of the his legislation blocking Memphis efforts to annex Gray’s Creek/Fisherville, before deciding his next action.

Downtown: Aldo’s Pizza Pies is seeking a facade improvement grant at the next Center City Development Corporation meeting. More in the Daily News.

Fight Against Blight: Mayor A C Wharton, flanked by Shelby County DA Amy Weirich and City Attorney Herman Morris, announced they would bring 86 more lawsuits against owners of blighted properties in Environmental Court under the Neighborhood Preservation Act. More from WMC and Fox13.

Planned Parenthood: The Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center has suspended its free HIV testing program because Planned Parenthood’s access to funding (which it shares with the MGLCC) was cut off by the State.

Charter Schools: The Memphis City and Shelby County school systems finally responded to the State’s request for information on 17 charter school applications but the process of approval is still far from over.

Memphis Police Department: An unidentified Lieutenant at the Union Avenue station was transferred for allowing officers to leave early. The City Council is still asking questions about the 79,000 memos. Police Director Toney Armstrong is standing by standards for hiring police officers.

Mo’ Money Taxes: US Congressman Steve Cohen, with Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia, is calling for Federal investigators with the Justice Department to get involved in examining the company’s mishandling of customers’ refunds and checks. Co-owner Markey Grandberry responds. Search warrants were issued in Norfolk, Virginia; more from ABC24. More reports from WMC, ABC24 and Fox13.

Politics: State Representative G. A. Hardaway wants to drug test judges and elected officials. (Bills HB2432 and HB2433)

“Sovereign Citizens”: The FBI is devoting more resources to monitor the movement, claiming “a heightened potential for violence”.

Train Derailment: Clean-up will take weeks, affecting area businesses.

Mississippi: The State Supreme Court will hear arguments today, deciding whether or not to accept the Attorney General’s challenge to former governor Haley Barbour’s pardons. The Health Department is threatening to “close clinics and reduce AIDS drug purchases” if more money isn’t forthcoming.

Carriage Crossing: The $100 million Collierville “lifestyle center” is now for sale.

Crosstown Arts: They are bringing in architect Alan Boniface to talk about Urban Magnets: Lessons in Sustainable Place-Making.

Meritan: The Mid-South’s second largest private social service agency still suffers from an unclear public image.

Online Exclusive: R-E-W-T, Root For Newt! Our tea party contributor, Ed “Doc” Holliday was in Charleston, South Carolina, for the CNN Republican presidential debate and he thinks he’s found “the Tea Party’s new prize fighter”. Do you agree?

Online Exclusive: The Political Silly Season: Our political and financial contributor, Chuck Bates, is already growing tired of outrageous political ads and he’s still got to survive until November!

I Swear: Quirky is as quirky does. (via the Daily News)

Dale Lilly: How much sugar is too much? (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Bill Minor: Former governor Haley Barbour’s behavior during the whole pardons scandal has given Mississippi a black eye. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Geoff Calkins: Now that University of Memphis sports are in the big time, they’ll have to deliver. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Joe Spake’s Daily Buzz: The rest of the day’s news, from all sorts of eclectic places.