Photo Credit: FrugalForLife.com
Wacky Winter Weather?

 
Will it be snow, sleet or rain today? Who can say? But local news was preparing everyone for the worst, as they often do…. The area was primed with a cold snap. A possible snowstorm or “Winter Storm Watch” in northwest Tennessee, northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel? More in the Commercial Appeal.

Shelby County Commission: They voted up a largely symbolic resolution, a “public relations expression”, according to commissioner Walter Bailey. It would ensure any transfer of property to municipal school districts won’t negatively affect the County’s bonds. County mayor Mark Luttrell will be the guarantor. More from WMC and WREG.

Municipal School Districts: County mayor Mark Luttrell is now saying the municipal schools may not have access to County funds from Average Daily Attendance State education grants. County residents in the unincorporated county and a possible municipal zone are left wondering what will happen to them?

Transition Planning Commission: A look inside operations and meetings for the TPC, from the Commecial Appeal.

Memphis City Council: The Daily News has a profile of District 9 Councilman Reid Hedgepeth.

Charter Schools: The Gates Foundation is mediating discussions between Memphis City Schools and various charter schools and their representatives.

University of Memphis: Now that the school is in the Big East conference, sure enough, the talk is turning to spending money on a Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium upgrade. Tigers coach Josh Pastner talks about the switch. How the deal happened and who did it. And FedEx agrees to “use best efforts” to provide “commitments”.

Chattanooga: A Hamilton County judge has reinstated the ruling that was previously overturned to again stop the recall election against Mayor Ron Littlefield. More on the restart from TheNooga.com. The Sequoyah Nuclear Plant had an “unusual event” in the non-nuclear part of the plant.

Republican Presidential Primary: Candidate Rick Santorum has the lead in polling in TN.

Politics: The vote to disband the Court of the Judiciary has been delayed; there is a lot of behind-the-scenes argument. Two State Representatives are in dispute over who was actually heroic. More on the court ruling that made it much easier for the Constitution and Green parties to get onto the Statewide ballot this year. A copy of that ruling. (PDF document) Top State officials are defending meeting in private. A bill filed by State Senator Bill Ketron would remove enforcement powers from the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. State officials pushing the governor’s public safety plan are also working to alleviate the potential crowding problem in jails. Memphis Representative Antonio Parkinson wants officials to report tattoos, the same as signs of child abuse; more from WPTY and a long article from the CA. Parkinson’s bill, HB2198.

Two statewide groups will have important functions later this year: the Tennessee Conservative Union and the Tea Parties from Freedom. The Washington County Election Commission has fired election administrator Connie Sinks apparently because she reported what appeared to be an illegal meeting by some commissioners.

US Senators: Roll Call has a profile of Senator Lamar Alexander since he resigned his leadership position. Senator Bob Corker has banked $7.4 million in campaign re-election funds; his main primary challenger, Zachary Scott Poskevich, has a paltry $9375.

Third Bridge: The Federal Highway Administration has approved the environmental impact statement that selects a location for a third Mississippi River bridge, at I-55, Riverside Drive and Crump Avenue, but missing the French Fort neighborhood.

DeSoto County: The national LawFit Challenge will be hosted in Olive Branch. A Desoto Times Tribune report on the Washington summit on air quality control and the County’s Non-Attainment Air Quality Designation. Southaven’s Board of Aldermen are now seeking an internal audit of town finances. Work on the County jail is continuing apace. Hernando mayor Chip Johnson isn’t afraid to be the tough guy when it comes to stopping smoking. The CA has the County Bulletin Board for Monday.

MIFA: The Chickasaw Council of the Boy Scouts went door to door collecting canned food to replenish supplies.

PACs: State lawmakers, of both parties, have received $2.9 million from State PACs this election. BlueCross BlueShield of TN has formed a PAC for Federal donations. The state’s Top Five donors and recipients.

Education Reform: Governor Bill Haslam talks about the NCLB waiver. He also says he still wants local authorities to control class size, but admits “key political constituencies” will fight that. More on the “pushback”. Memphis mayor A C Wharton and local parents react.

Online Exclusive: Opportunity Lost: It’s one of the most referenced books on local politics and author Dr Marcus Pohlmann, of Rhodes College, introduces it and explains a little about why you should read it, too. It’s a touchstone for understanding Memphis and Shelby County racial politics in education.

Second Amendment: The bill to allow gun storage in parked cars would applye to both public and private property. More from the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Black History Month: Twenty-five Desoto County women will be honored later this month at the County African American History Symposium.

Amelie Earhart: Jon Thompson, director of Wonders Series, is also an avid investigator into the disappearance of the famed pilot in 1937. The Cockrell School of Engineering’s website on the investigation.

HARP Program: If you’d like to refinance your home, and your house is “under water”, then this program might be able to help you.

March 6 Primaries: Primary candidates for Shelby County Commission, District 1, Position 3 are profiled by the CA. They also have profiles of Attorney General candidates Carol Chumney and Amy Weirich.

Marine Corporal Christian Brown: WPTY talks with the injured Marine about his recovery and the loss of both legs and serving in Afghanistan.
 
 

Bodine School: They will be offering a Mandarin Chinese course, again, for Memphis students as a pilot program.

Jackson, TN: The Madison County Jail has implemented new policies following a suicide. More from the Jackson Sun.

Pyramid: Construction and demolition there has been a boost to local industry. There may be enough local construction going so that heavy equipment may be hard to secure.

Arkansas: The Lottery Commission has named a new director, Bishop Woosley. The town of Pangburn is being “recruited” for members…for the Ku Klux Klan.

Business: The local motercycle/scooter industry is beginning to recover. The Daily News shines their Small Business Spotlight on Linkous Construction. The Commercial Appeal has a long article on payday lenders and never once calls them “predatory lenders”.

From the Daily News, Today’s Events. The Commerical Appeal reports What to Do for Sunday, People in Business for Sunday and Monday, and Property Transfers.

International Paper: The Justice Department has approved their purchase of Temple-Inland, which deal may close this week. IP is also selling three facilities, one in Memphis. A bit more from the Daily News and more from Fox13.

Nucor: A $113 million expansion will also bring 27 jobs, if they get a 15-year PILOT from EDGE.
 

Vision Airlines: Their Tunica to Destin seasonal flight may be coming to an end.

Seed Hatchery: This local collaboration, funded by TNInvestco, will help six entrepreneurial projects launch themselves in its second year.

Tennessee: January tax collections were $37 million above the forecasted budget. What’s going on in hunting, fishing and wildlife for the Mid-South. Under a State law taking effect on July 1, Tennesseans with unpaid court fines could lose their license.

Nashville: As a possible eviction from War Memorial Plaza looms, they are considering “withdrawing” temporarily; more in the Tennessean. The City’s first Latino Metro council member, Fabian Bedne, is profiled by the Tennessean. While in LA for the Grammys, Mayor Karl Dean may try to court them into taking a look at Nashville.

Germantown: The Clark-McLendon dispute, over home construction, was finally settled.

Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner: How could a lecherous, drug-addicted judge keep his secrets for so long unless he was aided by a “court of secrecy”?

Local Media: Sportscaster Chris Vernon will soon have two broadcasts on Sirius XM. The Commercial Appeal has cut back on and is redeploying coupons.

Real Estate: Sales of Memphis homes were down again in January–though up over 2011’s January–and average prices fell by a large amount.

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!

Memphis Daily News Blog: Looking back at City Hall, forty years ago.

Memphis Foodie: The giveaway contest is still going on! Nice prizes, too. (Explanation here.)

Memphis, Etc: Another blogger decides to retire and focus on other things.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Worried about today’s weather.

The Intersection of Madness and Reality: Roland Martin’s social media nightmore. The power of “they”.

The Soundcheck and the Fury: A list of songs about life, the blues and stuff you gotta watch. (The Friday-night playlist)

Barbara Harper: The Winter of life can be hard but it is followed by the eternal Spring. (via the KnoxvilleNew-Sentinel)

Tom Humphrey: Why some bills can achieve bi-partisan status and some just disappear. (via the KnoxvilleNew-Sentinel)

Tennessean: If passed, Governor Haslam’s Public Safety Action Plan is still a lot of “wishful thinking”.

Bert Matthews: There’s a reason why, at least in Middle Tennessee, “Business Is Good”. (via the Tennesean)

Gail Kerr: Governor Haslam’s education push will create larger classes, which will hurt education. (via the Tennesean)

Wendi C. Thomas: Michelle Obama is the avatar of the latest stereotype: the “angry black woman”. (via the Commercial Appeal)

David Williams: Forget the haters, the University of Memphis’ move to the Big East is a good thing. (via the Commercial Appeal)

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

David Hampton: He calls for State Republicans to honor the funding standards set by previous Democratic administrations. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Smart Stuff 4 Work: I’ve heard others say that traffic designers deliberately mistime traffic lights. (via the Daily News)

Memphis News: They support the Marketplace Fairness Act to let the States handle online sales taxes.

Jackson Sun: Governor Haslam’s public safety plan can help reduce crime.

Tom Bohs: Why do some public schools succeed while others fail? (via the Jackson Sun)

Commercial Appeal: Now that Tennessee is free from NCLB, the State, County and especially the City will assume all the expectations. It’s good that the Governor Haslam’s public safety plan mirrors local efforts. Another call for delay from the municipalities on seperate school systems.

Geoff Calkins: A lot of people are happy about the U of M’s move to the Big East. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Chris Peck: Teaching proper etiquette to those who’ve never been exposed to it. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Barbara Holden Nixon: “Toxic stress” in chilldren is unhealthy and must have local funding targeted to alleviating it. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Dr Manoj Jain: “Patient-centeredness” is the trend for hospitals and doctors will need to adapt. (via the Commercial Appeal)