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And So It Begins….

 
Governor Bill Haslam signed into law yesterday the bill allowing Shelby County’s suburban communities to raise funds for and hold a municipal referendum to create municipal school districts. August 2 is the likely date for the public referenda.

Memphis City Council: Councilman Shea Flinn is pushing a “blue light district” for the city’s strip clubs, even though they are facing extinction under Shelby County’s strict new SOB regulations. He proposes establishing an Adult Business Ad Hoc Committee to study the idea.

Transition Planning Commission: The Flyer’s Jackson Baker looks at how the Commission is handling the question of suburban separation. A power struggle is breaking out over to whom Unified School system security will report to. The early estimate for merging the two systems is $1.4 billion.

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis: And new there are questions about his new, County-purchased car, a 2011 Chrysler 300 C.

Juvenile Court: Changes are already happening, dating from before the release of the critical report, but even bigger changes are yet to come.

Weather: March set temperature records and now April was the second driest month on record.

Crime in Schools: The TBI released a study (2011 School Crimes Report)that shows crime in schools decreased by almost 7% between 2009-2011. More from the Commercial Appeal. You can download the full report. (PDF document)

DeSoto County: The Traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial will open tonight; more from WREG. School officials are working to get into compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Hernando planning director Bob Barber bid goodbye. Tourism has been a big industry in the county.

Second Amendment: Having killed the “guns in trunks” bill this year, Lt Gov Ron Ramsey is making compromise noises about the legislation’s chances next year.

Business: In the Daily News, Today’s Events. The Commercial Appeal talks about What to Do and People in Business. And the Business Journal covers People on the Move.

Bed Bath & Beyond: They will acquire Cost Plus World Market with an eye to incorporating them into BB&B stores.

Electrolux: Five officials have been named to the Memphis facility, including a plant manager, George Robbins. More from the Daily News and the CA. The company is focusing on growing sales, now that the recession is fading.

FedEx: Plans were filed to expand a sort facility near the Superhub.

Hostess Brands: They are laying off 18,500 workers, including 251 in Memphis, as part of bankruptcy restructuring.

Pinnacle Airlines: Their union, the United Steelworkers, is blamng Delta Air Lines for interference in bankrupty negotiations. WREG reports on the phasing out of PinnPro.

Bank of Bartlett: They reported a first quarter profit, their third in a row.

Tennessee: Changes to the funding formula means $2 million more to provide incentives to film projects. The TN film industry is happy. The State has taken in $190 million more than budgeted, so far this year. The quarter-penny reduction in the grocery tax goes into effect on July 1. Is a Tennessean story about the “obesity epidemic” just scaremongering? A group of supporters in Nashville are trying to raise money for the construction and maintenance of a statue of former president Andrew Jackson.

Operation Broken Silence: This local organisation is teaming up with the country’s mayors to fight sex trafficking being conducted through Village Voice Media’s Backpages.com.

Internet Exclusive: Southpaw: As she argues rather persuasively in this week’s column, our musical heritage in Memphis is both our blessing and our curse.

Gibson Guitar: Two US representatives (Jim Cooper and Marsha Blackburn) have introduced a bill to undo the 2008 regulatory amendment that Gibson is being investigated under.

City of Memphis: Union leaders say they have “given, and given and given” and won’t give up any more in Memphis budget balancing.

Downtown: Coming in June is the “Unveil Downtown Artwalk and Exhibition” highlighting the work of local artists. More on the new Memphis Food Truck Association and their move online.

Overton Square: Loeb Properties is touting the coming arts renaissance they’ll bring about.

Millington: Video from Monday night’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

The Governor’s Pen: Governor Bill Haslam signed off on unemployment reforms; more from the Tennesean. He expected to sign the bill requiring drug testing of some welfare recipients. The “cyberbullying” law awaits his OK. Haslam is defending his veto of the Vanderbilt “all comers” bill. Haslam says it’s “not my style to try to twist every arm” to advance his agenda in Nashville. Governing magazine has a report on his civil service reform package.

Arkansas: Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said, in court, that a State senator made political threats over redistricting lines.

Politics: Educators say the “gateway sexual activity” bill (awaiting the governor’s signature) won’t change much in the classroom. US Representative Diane Black got a bill amended to deny the “power of the purse” to the Justice Department when it goes after States’ illegal immigration efforts. Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 is still pursuing “ghost voting”.

Brad Thompson has announced for the State Senate District 24 seat in northwest TN. He was a long-time aide to Congressman John Tanner. Retiring State Senator Andy Berke also announced that he will run for the mayor’s office in Chattanooga.

Murfreesboro: Ground was broken on a new Nissan-Mercedes Benz powertrain plant that will employ about 400. MTSU finally started construction on their “dream” Science Building. City Manager Rob Lyons joins the Twitterverse.

Women’s Theater Festival of Memphis: This year’s schedule of performances has been announced. It includes several submissions from overseas. Website here.

Mississippi: The State hasn’t audited schools in a decade and that’s about to change. Federal authorities are being called in to investigate a shooting in the Attorney General’s office. Justice is not being served by the Public Defender’s office.

Southern Baptists: President Richard Land has issued a secod apology over his comments about the Trayvon Martin shooting.

Memphis Farmers Market For Mother’s Day, it’s a special day, with honey. And, in case you forgot, you can get fresh flowers. Activity for kids is all about making Mother’s Day cards.

Cooper-Young: This Saturday is the fourth annual community yard sale. They have a link to the yard sale postings, too.

Real Estate: April home sales in Shelby County were up 2%. The Memphis Area Association of Realtors reports Memphis-area home sales were up a dramatic 15%. In Nashville, home sales were up 25%.

Survey Says: One study calls Knoxville the “living-alonest” city in America; Memphis ranks near the bottom (which is good!). Men’s Health magazine rates Nashville a much smuttier place than Memphis.

Community Gardens: With money donated from Brister Street Productions, Grow Memphis is completely funding a community garden.

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

Rays of Wisdom: A discussion of giving your teen a credit card. (via the Daily News)

I Swear: Drawing contempt for in-court dress. (via the Daily News)

Albert Bender: He believes that oil company greed is at the heart of high gas prices and the media protects these companies. (via the Tennessean)

Tennessean: Under the new “gateway sexual activity” law, will schools have to ban books as well?

John Branston: No Memphis schools made the US News and World Report listing best high schools. Another comparison of Memphis and Detroit. (via the Flyer)

Commercial Appeal: They do not like that Tennessee is ending the inheritance tax. Now that DeSoto County’s pollution index his hitched to Memphis, the two should “work together” (i.e. follow Memphis’ lead?).

Wendi C. Thomas: Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks was right. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: When you are a work-at-home parent, you take your vacations where you can. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Sid Salter: The Legislature has reasserted itself during the Phil Bryant governorship. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Robert Lee Long: How the Vietnam War affected him. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

MemphisShelbyInform: If MLG&W is supposed to be a non-profit, they why is it giving Memphis and Shelby County $325 million? Did you know that many Memphis businesses got 35-40 year PILOTs?

MemphisConnect: Kerry Hayes guest-writes about our increasingly bikeable city. Have you taken one of Jimmy Ogle’s history walks Downtown? Why not?!

My Memphis Mommy: Another plug for the most amazing blog of coupons, deals, giveaways, offering, notices, recipes and so, so much more. Indescribable.

My Crazy Busy Life: Farewell and thank you, Maurice Sendak. Is it time for self-defense lessons for her daughter?

matter of merrymaking: Beckah has a birthday coming up…hint, hint, hint. Some Beale Street Music Festival pictures!

Listwork: Meet her eleven studio mascots.

Left Wing Cracker: He’s gonna be on an internet talk show this Saturday!

I Love Memphis: Some Memphis suggestions for Mother’s Day. Who lived in your house in 1940?

Evilblog: Most days he likes Geoff Calkins well enough, but today he’s a big Gay guy.

Fertile Ground: Spring Soccer season is over…let’s celebrate!