Photo Credit: Fox13
Solomon on the Mis’sippi

 
Today, all parties meet with Federal Judge Hardy Mays for his ruling on the Shelby County Commission’s lawsuit to stop the August 2 municipality elections on municipal school districts. At least two municipalities had hired attorneys to represent their interests in the lawsuit by Saturday, Germantown and Collierville. Bartlett joined up by Saturday night. Lakeland and Millington may add their voices by today. More from WMC, ABC24 and Fox13 and the Commercial Appeal.

The Commercial Appeal highlights a dispute involving a Collierville Alderman, Bobby Price, who supports municipal school districts and has privately made signs. School attendance zones have long ignored civic boundaries; that may be about to change. Citizens weigh in.

Transition Planning Commission: They will hold a series of town hall meetings throughout this week.

Bill Clinton at GreenTech: GreenTech Automotive rolled out their new MyCar all-electric automobile on Friday with former president Bill Clinton and former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour on hand. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Domino’s Pizza, to provide delivery vehicles. Clinton touted the North Mississippi business climate. More from the Business Journal and the Commercial Appeal. VIPs added sizzle to the event. More from WREG, ABC24.

Before his trip to Horn Lake, Bill Clinton visited patients and parents at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He praised their work on childhood cancers. More from Fox13.

Memphis: Mayor A C Wharton optimistically believes “everything is coming together” for Memphis. The Crisis Center faces its own crisis–a shortage of telephone volunteers.

Heat & Drought: Two deaths in Shelby County have been determined to be heat-related. A third death was confirmed on Sunday. Susan Eckersley died on Monday. The drought is taking its toll. 4800 10-pound bags of ice were distributed by the Memphis Fire Department on Saturday. Residents without power suffer through the heat, which can play havoc with your electronic gadgets. The US Drought Monitor website. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is urging conservation. Burn bans are still in effect this AM.

Shelby County Elections: In a reversal of Memphis City insistence that Public Library cards are valid voting ID, the Shelby County Election Commission says no. State Election Commissioner Mark Goins’ statement. Memphis City Attorney Herman Morris said it was his “interpretation” that the State would accept them. “The administration of the city of Memphis does not support the new state requirement,” Morris said. His full media statement, via Facebook (may require login).

In an interview with the Daily News, US Ninth District Representative Steve Cohen insists he has a “great relationship with House Republicans” and compares the emerging County/municipalities school situation to “Conference USA”.

Political Endorsement: The National Federation of Independent Business has published their list of State endorsements. And National Right to Life has endorsed 75 State candidates.

Politics The redistricting of the Second District means incumbent John Duncan Jr, has to introduce himself to 100,000 new voters. Fourth District Republican Scott DesJarlais is already looking past the primary toward the November election. Middle Tennessee Republican Sixth District Congresswoman Diane Black has a new TV ad that touts her conservative fiscal position. Republican Eighth District Congressman Stephen Fincher faces a comparatively easier race this time.

State House District 74 candidate Nick Steward claims harsh new ads against him are from Republican primary opponent Lauri Day. House District 33 candidate John Ragan has dropped his State House email and phone number from re-election website. The newly-redrawn 10th Senate District is expected to go Republican this year. Some incumbents are overspending the Legislative “postage and printing” accounts.

Expanding TennCare could cost the State $1.5 billion dollars over five years, if top State leaders decide to do so. Questions about the political mesage of the Sumner County International Baccalaureate program by a local tea party group. A list of the latest board and commission appointments by Governor Bill Haslam. The Department of Economic and Community Development is working on “clawback” provisions for future financial incentive agreements.

Nashville: The Great Hearts Academy, which wants to open 5 charter schools, will appeal their charter denial directly to the State; more from the Nashville City Paper. “Adjunct instructors” will fill in the gaps, instead of hiring new teachers, in Metro schools this Fall.

Internet Exclusive! Operation Broken Silence: This anti-human trafficking organisation has been working to raise their profile in Shelby County and helping to get Shelby County governments to be aware of the problems of human trafficking here at home.

Education Reform: The University of Memphis’ Herf College of Engineering wants to expand the number of students interested in engineering degrees.

Volunteerism: In the Commercial Appeal, they list some ways to get involved in helping, if you’re of a mind.

Bluff City Classic: Following a fatal shooting Thursday at LeMoyne-Owen College the rest of the series has been canceled. BCC website.

Employment: Construction employment has been stagnant for two years.

Overton Square: The Daily News updates the renovation and talks a little about the history of the Square.

DeSoto County: The Board of Supervisors’ meeting was concerned with bomb dogs and human insurance. They also have a lot of personnel changes to work through. Aggressive implementation of a new State statute on blight is now part of the County’s plan. Another County delegation is getting ready to travel to Washington, this time for road projects. Olive Branch community leaders are already lining up ahead of the October 1 new fiscal year. A GPS error is creating big headaches for one Olive Branch neighborhood. Conversion of Horn Lake’s old city hall into the Horn Lake Depot has city leaders excited.

Memphis City Schools: MCS is among the organisations that are scaling back energy usage during peak hours, to help conserve.

Juvenile Court: More on former mayor Willie Herenton’s effort to bring charter schools to students in the juvenile court system.

Knoxville: Knox County commissioners and County mayor Tim Burchett want to know whether taxpayer dollars were used to fund two “political” ads from the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce.

Internet Outage: If your friend cannot get on the Internet today, tell them about this problem they might not have heard about.

2011 Flooding: One year later, a small church in Millington is still struggling.

University of Memphis: The school raised $15 million for athletics, $7 million in donations to the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Arkansas: Professional poker player Nancy Todd has turned in tens of thousands of signatures in support of the casino legalisation effort. One of Jonesboro’s water pumping stations was shut down temporarily because of a power failure. A citizen’s group is confident they’ll get the medical marijuana issue on the ballot this year.

Ernest Withers: The Commercial Appeal secured more FBI documents in their suit to learn more about the “secret life” of the famed photographer.
 
 

Business: Before turning to bankruptcy, know your options. The Best Buy chain hopes that cutting 2400 jobs (sales and Geek Squad both) will improve their bottom line. Entrepreneurial news from the Commercial Appeal.

The Daily News details Today’s Events. People on the Move, from the Business Journal. And, via the Commercial Appeal, People on the Move; Property Transfers.

First Horizon National: The parent company of First Tennessee Bank may have its first bad quarterly report in a while.

Real Estate: Two deals have been worked out that will alter the business landscape on Poplar Avenue.

Mississippi: From the Commercial Appeal, the outdoors calendar. An Associated Press profile of the judge hearing the State’s abortion law challenge, Daniel P. Jordan III; that hearing is Wednesday. Many States, like MS, have voter ID laws which will not “disenfranchise” voters, they will still get to vote provisionally. This “Culture Club” seeks to preserve the State’s artistic and literary heritage.

Team Taboo: More details are being revealed about the almost-pornographic videos being produced by the group.

Chattanooga: Candidate Andy Berke, a Democrat who quit the State Senate this year to run for mayor next year, has raised an astounding $383,000.

Tennessee: Strong winds and pop-up showers struck Jackson late last week. Small town gang violence is on the rise across the State. The Bolivar County Board of Supervisors are pursuing a new center on the history of cotton. Celebrating Ripley tomatoes; more from Fox13.

Jen Andrews: Touting the Touch Talk Read Play message from The Urban Child Institute. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Small Business Advocate: Small business survival lessons from Jeff Foxworthy? (via the Commercial Appeal)

Michelle Hill: She has suggestions for improving health care that avoid the biggest problem–large, impersonal companies not connected to their patients. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: A side-wise call for government-funded, centrally organised arts funding. The Green House Project for elder care. They don’t seem to realise that a big activist government is the problem here. HopeWorks sends kids on a better life path. Unsurprisingly, they oppose cuts to government spending on food stamps.

Fox13 Insiders: Ben Ferguson and County Commissioner Walter Bailey discuss the issues of the day.

John Branston: Memphis’ problem is the heat and sunshine. (via the Flyer)

Smart Stuff 4 Work: Ruminations on learning to think like the Captain “Sully” Sullenberger. (via the Daily News)

Memphis News: Overton Square’s revival should be kept front and center.

Chattanooga Free Press: Is the blood of 900 children on the hands of one former Playboy Playmate?

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Rants about the political state of events.

Tennessean: They believe efforts to straighten out voting by Election Commissions and voter ID requirements are nothing more than attempts at disenfranchisement.

Greg Johnson: Would the expansion of Medicaid for Obamacare come at the budgetary expense of supporting higher education in Tennesee? (via the Tennessean)