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Brinksmanship

 
At Monday’s “all parties” conference, Federal Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays said he’d rule on the August 2nd municipal schools elections on Thursday, when early voting starts on Friday! Mays allowed four of the suburbs to join the lawsuit: Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown and Lakeland. He specifically set aside ruling on the re-segregation aspect for now. Mays declined a temporary restraining order and seemed to see stopping an imminent election as “draconian”. Bartlett mayor Keith McDonald was present in the meeting. Thursday’s hearing will focus solely on whether or not the municipal elections violate the State constitution, as they are “private acts”.

Information will be posted to the City of Bartlett website. Fox13 notes the lawyers will do well.

Library Cards as Voting ID: The war of words got stronger on Monday as Memphis Mayor A C Wharton insisted that library cards can serve as legal voting ID. State Elections Coordinator Mark Goins said the State was never consulted on the issue. The issue is whether City- or County-issued ID meets the requirements for “only state or federal photo IDs”. WREG explains what State law requires. Early voting begins on July 13. State Senator Jim Kyle’s statement in support of the City’s position.

Transition Planning Commission: TPC members Dr Barbara Prescott and Kendra Bradshaw tell you how you can give them your input. Meeting schedule from Fox13 and link to TPC website. The first public town hall meeting was held last night, answering public questions.

Shelby County Commission: The Commission will take over debating and approving dozens of changes to the Unified Development Code. And the Unified school system wants the Commission to rush approval of an outlay of $15 million for new computer systems.

Memphis Police Department: A training exercise at the police academy led all 66 recruits involved to file claims for on-the-job injuries.

Shelby County Child Support Services: A new initiative by the court wants to help people get back on track with child support.

Team Taboo Video: Local ministers, the Ecumenical Empowerment Organization, are decrying the lewd, almost pornographic video. The owners of the nightclub, Club Elements, where the video was shot, were in court on Monday and will go back to court on Thursday. More from Fox13.

Crime: Two cars were firebombed in the same neighborhood on the same night.

Business: The digital dos and don’ts of online business etiquette from Fox13.

The Business Journal details People on the Move and the Daily News surveys Today’s Events.

First Tennessee Bank: Their FTN Financial division is expanding their Municipal Bond Group with several critical hires.

Delta Air Lines: Their DAL Global Services unit will take over ground operations for regional SkyWest Airlines in Shelby County; more in the CA. Delta finalised the deal Monday to take possession of Boeing 717s from AirTran, potentially as many as 88 aircraft.

Dunkin’ Donuts: The local three-store franchise owned only a few years is already up for sale for $2.8 million.
 

Cracker Barrel: The company has opened an online digital download store focusing on county and bluegrass.

DeSoto County: The CA profiles new Hernando Farmers Market manager, Leigh Wills. The County Bulletin Board for today, from the CA.

Chattanooga: Five new businesses are coming to the downtown.

Agriculture: State officials say hay supplies are short and they are helping livestock producers locate supplies.

Tennessee: We are ranked only 42nd on student loan debt. This Fall, TN State University will offer half-off tuition for qualifying “high-performing, out-of-state students”. The Health Information Partnership for Tennessee, being superceded by three regional networks, is closing up shop. A major renovation of the State Capitol is yielding some fun surprises; the website for the designers, Centric Architecture.

Internet Exclusive! Supreme Court Secrets: Our columnist, Andria K. Brown, somehow managed to get a secret draft of Chief Justice John Roberts’ original combined opinion on immigration and the Affordable Care Act!

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.

City of Memphis: For those who have iPhones, the City has launched an app, SmartGov, so users can take pictures of potholes and, with a single click, report them to the Public Works Department. It will also give traffic conditions and “big announcements”.

Bluff City Classic: Reaction from the organiser, Stanley Blue, and players about the cancellation of the rest of the series. The future has now been clouded. BCC website.

Bartlett: The town’s Chamber of Commerce is getting a new director of economic development in Phil Johnson. Pinnacle Security, whose actions forced the town to abandon enforcing its door-to-door sales ordinance, has an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Collierville: At Monday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting there was disagreement over who will run the new dog park.

Heat & Drought: Last week’s triple-digit heat is taking its toll. Three deaths are confirmed in Shelby County. Air conditioning techs are in high demand right now.

Downtown: The boat dock at Beale Street Landing has been moved inside the harbor, due to low water.

Homeless Organising for Power and Equality: This initiative, sponsored by the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, recently was awarded $450,000 to start “providing permanent supportive housing for high-need, chronically homeless”.

Mississippi: The Northwest Mississippi Executive Director of the Chicasaw Council of the Boy Scouts, William Todd Brewer, has been charged with one count of child pornography and two counts of sexual battery.

Interstate 55: The cause of the buckling of the Interstate at the Third Street exit and I-240, Sunday, but heat is suspected. At least that’s what TDOT says. More from ABC24 and the Commercial Appeal.

Local Media: This weekend’s local political talk shows are archived online: Behind the Headlines at WKNO and Informed Sources at WREG. Radio Memphis, an internet-only radio station, celebrates its first anniversary. RM website.

Meat Glue: WREG with a special report on the meat binder that’s used more often than you might think.

Political Endorsements: Republican candidate for the Ninth District, Charlotte Bergmann, got the endorsement of The New Generation PAC, a national tea party group.

National Rifle Association: They have spent $75,000 in an effort to defeat in the primary House Republican Caucus Chairman Debra Maggart, in favor of challenger Courtney Rogers; more from the Nashville Scene and the In Session blog. They are also asking Legislative candidates to choose: the NRA or the TNGOP leadership.

Politics: Third District Congressional candidates met for a debate last night and all agreed with parts of Obamacare. Will the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act force a special session of the Legislature? The media has discovered a new label: Tea Party Evangelicals. And then the Nashville Scene immediately brands them slave-mongers and childkillers. Republican Sixth District candidate Lou Ann Zelenik has taken her online ad and moved it into her first TV ad buy. Technology is reducing the wait time for drivers licenses.

Nashville: The Nashville airport will soon have two daily, non-stop round trips to New York’s LaGuardia Airport, via Southwest Airlines. Residents weighed in on a proposed bus rapid transit system.

Urban Farms Market: This partnership of three local farms aims to offer seniors another area market to redeem vouchers from the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

Arkansas: Two casino initiatives will be on the ballot this November.

Gasoline: Prices are back on the rise. The Memphis average is $3.11/gallon. (via Memphis Gas Prices)
 

Real Estate: Two non-local firms have been snapping up distribution warehouses locally, Olymbec USA and LNR Partners. Memphis Area Association of Realtors says Memphis home sales were down 2.4% in June; more on that from the Memphis Business Quarterly. but, home prices are up. In the Daily News, the Real Estate Recap.

Joe Spake’s Daily Buzz: The rest of the day’s news, from all sorts of eclectic places. And, interesting social media and tech links for Monday.

Giving Back: This week, the spotlight shines on tnAchieves, a Statewide program of “last-dollar scholarship and mentoring”. (via the Daily News)

Commerical Appeal: Basically, they support weakening GOP-led efforts at voter ID reform. GreenTech is a sign of good things to come to North Mississippi.

C. Warren Neel: Questions that need answering in higher education reform. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Sixth District Congresswoman Diane Black: The congresswoman who supported Obamacare early on, now calls for “full repeal” the Affordable Care Act. (via the Tennessean)

Tennessean: They believe that Republicans are choosing who can vote now that they are in power.

16 Balls in the Air: Her last, and first, mohawk.

a belle, a bean, and a chicago dog: She #YOLOs and introduces you to the idea.

Air Traffic Mike’s: His return to Memphis has been delayed for a very good, though unfortunate, reason.

hootenany: Fourth of July fly fishing! An update on their home renovations.

Andrew Earles: This writer hits his garden.

arnnarn Learning to recognise that fourth note.

Benito’s Wine Reviews: A simple, and delicious, Saturday brunch.

eat local memphis: An evening with Felicia Suzanne’s and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.