Photo Credit: Main Street Journal
Serving More With Less

 
The Transition Planning Commission approved a “reluctant contingency plan” that involved being able to cut $54 million in the budget of the unified school district, when it debuts in August 2013. The idea has divided the commission. Hundreds of teachers, staff, assistant principals and librarians might lose their jobs. The controversy is growing over dueling meetings with the two school superintendents, Dr Kriner Cash and John Aitken. Parents sound off on the superintendents.

The City’s Budget: Councilman Shea Flinn, with the backing of Mayor A C Wharton, would like to raise the local option sales tax by one-half cent, to 2.75 percent; more from WMC.
 
 
 

Wells Fargo Settlement: Shelby County mayor Mark Luttrell calls the payment in the Wells Fargo’s settlement of Memphis and Shelby County’s discrimination lawsuit of $7.5 million, being given to the City and County, “a real sweetener”.

“Ghost Voting”: Nashville’s NewsChannel5 reports on the practice of legislators voting for others who aren’t present when the vote is called in the General Assembly. Reaction from House Speaker Beth Harwell.

Municipal School Districts: It’s full speed ahead for all six suburbs as they prepare to vote on forming their own school districts.

Memphis City Council: Councilwoman Janis Fullilove has filed for bankruptcy; more from WMC. She has a net liability of roughly $35,000. She is defending her ability to do her Council job.

Teen Unemployment: The local rate for kids looking for jobs is 25%.

City of Memphis: The Tri-State Defender interviews the new head of the Office of Contract Compliance, Mary L. Bright.

Shelby County Election Commission: Officials say their investigation shows that no records were deleted or erased. US Representative Steve Cohen says he’s been on top of the issue for more than a year.

Kennedy Day Dinner: This year’s Shelby County Democratic Party event, next weekend, will honor former State House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. The keynote speaker will be D’Army Bailey. In a related story, the Shelby County Democrats had a fundraiser centered on gay rights that drew 30 people.

US Senator Bob Corker: Speaking to business leaders in Nashville, he said deciding which tax loopholes to close will pit lobbyists against each other. He also warned about the social unrest that could follow austerity measures. But he sees a “growing concensus” to change the tax code.

Memphis Animal Shelter: Another family dog has vanished after being picked up by shelter employees.

Politics: The TN Conservatives Fund, a PAC representing tea party voters around the State, are endorsing their first candidate, Scott Hughes, running against incumbent Doug Overbey in the Republican primary for State Senate District 2. (PDF document) Governor Bill Haslam, is supporting Overbey. Haslam, noting the number of incumbents being confronted in primaries, expressed “surprise”. TN Democratic Party chairman Chip Forrester is coming under for fire for remarks on his party’s chances this Fall. Former Roane County judge James “Jay” Taylor was indicted on 41 charges of theft. Also in Roane County, County tax assessor candidate James T. Woods killed himself in the yard of his former employer and political opponent, Teresa Kirkham. The Associated Press reports on the active campaigning in the Third Congressional District. The State Supreme Court ruled that TennCare can seek reimburnsement for benefits paid to the deceased, from their estate or beneficiaries.

Downtown: The Flyer’s Louis Goggans takes the Soul Train Tour on an electric bike from Electric Bicycle Memphis.

Overton Park: The new dog park, Overton Bark, is set to open this Saturday. More from the Flyer, Fox13.

Memphis Zoo: The zoo has lost its coveted number one ranking from TripAdvisor.com.

Memphis Farmers Market: This weekend the Downtown Farmers Market will feature blackberries and blueberries! And a lot of other fun items and events.

Tennessee: About 1000 acres of land on Short Mountain, seized from marijuana dealers years ago, will be converted into State park land. “Healthy” snack food vending machines are spreading to Middle Tennessee, and the Mid-South. Health care reform won’t boost access to health care for minorities in Tennessee. Thousands of citizens will get health care rebates this year.

SunTrust: Their mortgage division settled their Federal discrimination complaint for $21 million.

NEW! INTERNET EXCLUSIVE! The Fight Against Synthetic Drugs: Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich writes how to recognise synthetic drugs, how they are sold, and what’s being done by County and State officials to fight the dangers.

NEW! INTERNET EXCLUSIVE: Achievement School District Blog 06: A big announcement is coming Monday about the Achievement School District. National charter school leaders are coming into Tennesee from across the nation.

Internet Exclusive: An Open Letter to The Voters of the Ninth District: Republican candidate Wilson Stooksberry offers a plea and a challenge to voters to consider his candidacy.
 

Education Reform: SCORE is expected to release their review of the State’s teacher evaluation changes on June 11. Governor Bill Haslam says he is “firmly committed to the evaluation process”.

Mississippi: The State Development Authority’s tourism division head, Mary Beth Wilkerson, has resigned. Governor Phil Bryant hopes to see a “non-denominational” prayer in schools every morning; more from ABC24, WMC. Local reaction to Bryant’s statement.

Shelby County Commission: Mayor Mark Luttrell, over his own concerns, signed the County budget for next year.

Holiday Fatalities: Tennessee saw only 13 traffic deaths on its roads over the long Memorial Day weekend.

Rain! We finally had a break from hot, dry weather yesterday. Photo galleries of the storm and its damage from WREG, the Commercial Appeal and WREG. The rain was a sudden deluge. At least one home was destroyed by lightning.

Memphis Police Department: The Retaliatory Violence Insight Project is part of Mayor A C Wharton’s Bloomberg-funded initiative to fight juvenile gun violence. A total of three initiatives will be launched today. The hope is to reduce juvenile gun violence by up to 20%. More reports from ABC24, WMC.

Arkansas: A woman in West Memphis has exposed people in four towns to measles.

DeSoto County: The chairman of the County Republican Party, Kevin Blackwell, announced he’s running for the District 19 State Senate seat held by retiring Merle Flowers. Hernando is seeking public input on their plans for the Town’s public parks. Southaven’s purchase of Fire Station #2 is still in limbo. The First Regional Library system will soon start its Summer library program.

Overton Square: They are throwing a block party on Friday, June 13, at the Square. Live music and it’s free to the public. You can see details of the coming changes and redevelopment.

Business: Memphis lost an average of three people a day to migration. Otherlands Coffee Bar was named the Project Green Fork restaurant of the month.

The Daily News details Today’s Events and Inked. The Commercial Appeal has your People in Business. And the Business Journal covers People on the Move.

Delta Air Lines: A healthy cross-pollination of interest groups is happening at the Delta Does Memphis Facebook protest page, with unsolicited contributions from MEMSWA and Chamber of Commerce. More at the Smart City Memphis website, and the Business Journal. Even Megabus is changing schedules in response to Delta; more from the Daily News, the CA, Fox13. Political reactions from the the Flyer’s Jackson Baker. The Flyer’s cover story this week is about Smart City’s Tom Jones. Alternative air travel.

FedEx: Analysts would not be surprised if the revamped their FedEx Express subsidiary.

Pinnacle Airlines: Their annual report details the changes and reasons for them that have been part of their bankruptcy restructuring. (Link in story to annual report.) They lost $32 million in 2011.

International Paper: Company CEO John Faraci is looking to a non-manufacturing subsidiary, Xpedx, to turn around their profit picture.

Pringles: The Proctor & Gamble Company is selling its Pringles division to Kellogg for $2.7 billion. They have a plant in Jackson, MS.

Pyramid Bricks: Anyone who wants to reclaim their donated bricks should bring a certificate or ID today and this Saturday. More from the CA, WREG.

Real Estate: State construction contracts were up slightly in April. Foreclosures edged up in Q1/2011, compared to last quarter, but are down from last year’s same quarter.

Nashville: Tea party protesters promise to show up at the Metro Council meeting to protest mayor Karl Dean’s tax increase.

Lucy Shaw: Learning to concentrate. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Tarrin McGhee: Summer ripe with possibilities for early childhood development. (via the Tri-State Defender)

John Branston: Fresh controversy at the Beale Street Landing. The Wells Fargo settlement lets the City move on, profitably. For the planners of the Unified Shelby County School District, there is no Summer break.(via the Flyer)

Flyer: Tracing the latest Shelby County voting controversy back to the “sabotaging” of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act in 2009…by Republicans, natch.

Commercial Appeal: They criticise Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney for criticising President Barack Obama on “leadership” in Syria. Don’t let the UN get their hands on the internet–free market control is working out!

The Insiders: Mark Skoda and Kevin Gallagher discuss the top issues of the day. (via Fox13)

Jack Neely: Taxes and life are inexpensive (via the Knoxville Metro Pulse)

Robert Lee Long: Hug your children and say a prayer. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Sid Salter: Dependence on government and Federal entitlement programs are the two central issues of this election cycle, he argues. (via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Bill Dries: When “excessive tributes” and speechifying destory the political atmosphere you’re trying to evoke. (via the Memphis Daily News blog)

Memphasis: Laughing as you accomplish the impossible. (via the Daily News)

Kim Wirth: Phenomenal teachers are the aspiration of the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative. (via the Daily News)

FUNdraising: Part two of their look at the “grassroots mindset” in fundraising. (via the Daily News)

Angela Haglund: Higher taxes for public schools are an “investment in our future”. (via the Tennessean)

Tennessean: Expanding charter schools , despite objections from the Metro Nashville Board of Education, would help Metro Nashville.

Gail Kerr: Her idea of “finding common ground” on abortion apparently means keeping it competely legal? (via the Tennessean)