Photo Credit: San Jose State Athletics
A New Athletic Director
A New Program?

 
Word began leaking out over the weekend that San Jose State University athletic director Tom Bowen has been chosen as the University of Memphis’ athletic director. He will be introduced at a press conference today. Bowen will replace R. C. Johnson, who retired. The Commercial Appeal’s Geoff Calkins lists five things we already know about Bowen. More from WMC, CBSSports.

The Commercial Appeal backgrounds; a report from the San Jose Mercury News. Bowen talks about his job at SJSU.

Transition Planning Commission: The numbers are stark but not unexpected as teachers and administrators rate the leadership of the Memphis and Shelby County school systems. Read the survey here. It is not pretty. The day MCS Superintendent Dr Kriner Cash returned from a job interview in Charlotte, NC, he felt reform was “in limbo” now.

A final vote remains, but the commission appears to want students to stay in their pre-merger school districts for at least the first two years. Regardless of the outcome of Cash’s hiring option, the Gates Foundation, and their money and programs, are committed to Memphis; more from WMC.

Memphis City Schools: Students at Peabody Elementary School have a community garden, part of an effort to get all City schools to have them.

Tax Day: The State’s sales tax collections for March again came in higher than projections. The State House passed two bills that would cut taxes for Tennesseans: inheritance taxes and grocery taxes. Because of the weekend, Tax Day (Federal income taxes) is Tuesday, April 17.

Stella Marris: While the club recently passed a surprise inspection by County deputies, its provocative ad is concerning neighbors.

Politics: State Representative Curry Todd will run unopposed in both the GOP primary and general election. Activists are still fighting the “teaching controversies” law. Many teachers aren’t worried by the law, because they already have robust discussions in their classrooms.

State tax revenues are exceeding the budget and now the requests to spend them are coming in, to the tune of $500 million!

Mississippi: State House Speaker and Lt Gov Philip Gunn met with reporters to give an optimistic progress report. Few legislators are getting everything they want this session.

Obamacare: US Fifth District Representative Jim Cooper believes the healthcare mandate will be upheld by the Supreme Court.

TVA: The Port of Memphis has agreed to sell the TVA an option on a non-coal firing plant on 75 acres at Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park. They will still install scrubbers on the Allen Steam plant. Ahead of the Summer demand season, TVA has raised rates about 2%.

Hattiloo Theatre: They have announced their seventh season schedule of plays. More information here.
 
 
 
 

Nashville: Since being presented with a request for an increase in the Metro schools budget of $49 million (to $723 million), Mayor Karl Dean has remained “noncommital”.

Arkansas: Court collections of fines and fees have improved and are now “sufficient and much better than before”. White family goes to court today to fight law meant to stop segregation in schools.

Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change: On Wednesday, they will have a three day conference titled, Toward a More Perfect Union. More information here.

NEW! INTERNET EXCLUSIVE! Achievement School District Blog: The Communications Director of the ASD, Jeremy Jones, inaugurates an informational blog for us with updates on developments, plans and events for the six schools in Memphis they’ll direct. We’ll be updating the blog here as new entries (PDF document) get posted.

Internet Exclusive: What Is “Stand Your Ground”? Regular contributor Craig Harper looks at Tennessee’s “Stand Your Ground” law, telling you what it is and what it covers. Clear and factual information.

Louis Farrakhan: He was in town over the weekend to speak at a conference at LeMoyne-Owen College, mostly on religion and education.

Elections: The official candidate list of Shelby County offices, for the August 2 election, from the Shelby County Election Commission.

Downtown: Snakes in Martyrs Park?

Memphis Police Department: The Commercial Appeal has a profile of Director Toney Armstrong.

Redbirds: Last week’s opening game was enhanced by the new scoreboard debuting during the game. Redbirds website. Are the Redbirds up for sale, and a marketable commodity? The team’s business model has failed. Seeing Redbirds on the cheap.

Local Political Media: Online archives of the shows Informed Sources from WREG and Behind the Headlines from the Daily News and WKNO.

DeSoto County: The DeSoto Museum is gathering artifacts in advance of May’s commemoration of Vietnam veterans. The County’s biggest crawfish boils are coming up in the Mudbug Bashes this week. The State’s Adequate Education Program (K-12 grades) is underfunded by as much as $255 million, but that may change. Residents of the upscale St Claire Park subdivision are fighting a bank to maintain their character. The Board of Supervisors is considering asking the Landers Center (formerly the DeSoto County Civic Center) to repay the last of the $7.5 million loan that opened them. The Olive Branch “industrial corridor” is growing. Hernando has pickleball!

City of Memphis: Once again, the City will make small cuts rather than large structural changes to balance the budget.

American Queen: This Thursday will mark the relaunching of the riverboat.

Business: As they celebrate their 80th year in business, Easy Way Food Stores is also rebranding and redesigning itself. The consumer price index continued to rise. The Business Journal has a round-up of the city’s “most popular tourist attractions”. A quick look at the performance of several of Memphis’ publicly traded companies. Muddy’s Bake Shop is coming to Broad Avenue.

In the Commercial Appeal, What to Do for Sunday and Monday; and People in Business for Sunday and Monday; Property Transfers. The Daily News covers Today’s Events. People on the Move, in the Business Journal.

AutoZone: Are they “Memphis’ best-performing public company”?

Best Buy: The chain is closing fifty stores but none of their four in Memphis. More from WMC.

Valero: A wrongful death and injury lawsuit has been filed in Texas over the death of one subcontractor and his two brothers who were burned.

Transportation: Governor Bill Halsam and Transportation Commissioner John Schroer have unveiled the State’s three year, $1.5 billion transportation plan. Shelby County road projects include widening of Lamar Avenue to the MS state line, the I-40/Canada Road interchange and the I-55 interchange at Crump.

Germantown Performing Arts Centre: They have announced their 2012-13 season and it is an eclectic one. GPAC website.
 
 

Homebuilders: Shelby County’s five largest homebuilders, according to the Business Journal. The “behind the scenes” of that list. The first quarter of 2012 saw increases in several categories. March of this year was also good.

Smart Stuff 4 Work: World changing starts with changing yourself. (via the Daily News)

John Craig: Public pension plans are taking enormous risks with your futures. (via the Knoxville News-Sentinel)

Tom Humphrey: Governor Haslam, stuck between rabid derision on one side and genuine efforts at educational reform on the other, attacks the “crazy” obsession of the State’s media. (via the Knoxville News-Sentinel)

Snark Bites: “House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Mission Accomplished….” And that’s just one joke in an uproarious column about the “endangered” future of TN Democrats. (via the Knoxville News-Sentinel)

Margaret Nolan: If you need help with your taxes, VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) can help you, if you hurry. (via the Tennessean)

Tennessean: All the things that didn’t concern them when Democrats ran the Legislature suddenly concern them now!

Tom Bohs: He would be happy if Mitt Romney acted like he did when he was the “moderate” governor of liberal Massachusetts. (via the Jackson Sun)

Jackson Sun: They are optimistic about Tennessee’s “clean energy” future.

John Whitehead: Despite the fact that violent crime is decreasing, the rates of incarceration are increasing. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

David Hampton: He wishes the legislators in Jackson cared about the issues he cared about. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Chattanooga Free Press: Will women pick the next president?

Andre K. Fowlkes: He proposes letting communities serve as the risk insurers for community “venture fund”? (via the Commercial Appeal)

David Williams: The City of Memphis, and the Redbirds, should can and should take their time in a decision about the team. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: She disagrees with the State Legislature and so they are “ignoring reality”. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: “Protect what we have” is a defensive plan, not future-oriented. They confuse “statism” (which they approve of, generally) and conservatism (which they most definitely do not). Too poor to fix its own problems, Memphis depends on the money of others to fix them. They support legislation to force parents into self-paid counseling for their childrens’ school. Honoring the Eagle Scouts of the Chickasaw Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Gary Pruitt: He argues that red light traffic cameras save lives, but doesn’t mention the revenue aspect. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Chris Peck: He doesn’t disagree with government activism, just activism he disagrees with. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Otis L. Sanford: Thoughts as his last child graduates high school. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Joe Pepe: Noting the “remarkable career” of U of M Athletic Director R. C. Johnson. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Beryl Wight: She identifies and explains “toxic touch”. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Small Business Advocate: How far have you gotten in your business dream? (via the Commercial Appeal)