NEW - 9/11: Memphis-based stories on 9/11 are few today. Commercial Appeal: 9/11 meant $37 million for Memphis security? AP report on national 9/11 memorials (via WMC) and a Commercial Appeal report. And an effort to explain the muted coverage politically.

UPDATED - Rep. Steve Cohen: “Barack Obama was a community organizer like Jesus … Pontius Pilate was a governor.” Watch the video here. TN GOP reaction. Commercial Appeal report.

White Station High School: From WREG, more on the National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

Mississippi: Secretary of State distributes disputed sample ballots ahead of deadline. More background here and here.

Memphis City Schools: WMC report on enrollment and money.

City Council and MCS work out arrangement on funding. Deputy Superintendent Irving Hamer makes surprise admission. CA: Parents criticise the teacher cuts.

New tutor proposal already being criticised for age discrimination.

Overton Park: More on the inventory of old-growth trees in Overton Park.
 

Papa Murphy’s: New pizza chain coming to Memphis in a big way.

Little Caesar’s: ‘Pizza guy’ draws attention. (CA story includes video report.)

American Murder Mystery: Months after the story “American Murder Mystery’ appeared in The Atlantic’s July/August issue — detailing a link between Section 8 vouchers, public housing and growing crime rates, using Memphis as the example — the Commercial Appeal interviews the University of Memphis researchers whose study underpinned the story. An August Memphis Flyer story is here.

A Public Radio International interview with Rosin is available here. And a debate between Rosin and a critic is here, at The Takeaway blog. A very long public discussion of the Atlantic story is at City-Data. And a related story is linked at Rooflines. Finally, a detailed criticism of the Atlantic story can be found here.

This appears to be the first time the Commercial Appeal has looked at the article or the Janikowski/Betts research that underlies it, except for an aside in an ‘Inside the Newsroom’ column by Editor in Chief Chris Peck from June 15th. The author of the current article, Frederic Koeppel, is the CA’s book reviewer.

DeSoto County: New Sheriff Bill Rasco holding his deputies to the same law as citizens. My Eyewitness News report; Commercial Appeal report. Star Landing Jail Coalition organises to oppose jail facility.

NEW - Beale Street: The Flyer’s John Branston reports on rumors and shadows and movement on the Downtown funzone.

NEW - Delta Fair: Does the increased success of this year’s Delta Fair bode poorly for the Big Goodbye of the Mid-South Fair?

Tennessee Air National Guard: The 164th Security Force comes home. (Via Bartlett Express)
 
 
 
 

Daily Helmsman: Dark times for indie films.

West Memphis Three: Judge denies new trial. WMC report; My Eyewitness News report.

Memphis Police Department: Director Godwin struggling to meet recruitment goals.

Memphis officer arrested for murder. Commercial Appeal story. Video reports from WREG, WMC, My Eyewitness News and Fox13.

Nashville: Governor Bredesen had hoped to entice 2300 into buyout plan, but only found 1500. That includes 14 who are in their eighties and still working! State tax collections fall $56 million below estimate. Tennessee selected in nationwide education effort.

UPDATED - Hurricane Ike: Thursday afternoon - Track is stabilising. Memphis will see heavy rains late this weekend and early next week. National Hurricane Center information. Texas evacuations begin.

Real Estate: Shelby County foreclosure rate making significant improvement. Daily News reports on the many abandoned, dangerous apartment complexes in city. Gregory Realty snaps up Parkway Village warehouse as “a really nice, cash-flow producing property.”

Farris Bobango Branan PLC: New name, new plan.

St. Francis Healthcare - Bartlett: Plans to double in size.

Cook Convention Center: The panel convened by Mayor Herenton earlier this year to study ways to improve Downtown — including the feasability of replacing the CCC — is hiring consultants to work up a study.

Chandler Erhlich: Emergency 911 campaign wins Mid-South PR honor.

The Med: An agreement with a ‘turnaround’ firm is near.

Willie Thomas Mitchell: Helping his neighborhood fight crime. (A WMC Taking Back Our Neighborhoods story.)

POLITICS: Memphis Business Journal poll respondents vote two-to-one for Palin over Biden in VP race. Watchdog group lists Rep. Marsha Blackburn among ‘most corrupt’.

Dining With Monkeys: Guest reviewer Steph goes to Nashville’s Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine.

Running With Dice: Two approaches to playing games.

Fearless VK: Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson to stay in Memphis.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: Learning to take and give a compliment.

Panacea: The post title means “The one who wants the whole thing loses it all.”

Gilmore Girl Goes Memphis: She’s back from California!

Radio Sweethearts: Fever dreams in fields of salmon.

Mediaverse: Memphis: Thoughts on the cash situation at Memphis City Schools.

Jen-sized: Russia doesn’t get the point of South Park.

A View From the Middle: Markus has another busy weekend!

Saturna: A wonderful Saturday, filled with music.

MAD AS HELL: Thoughts on McCain - Palin.

Commercial Appeal: Thank goodnes for the Salvation Army.

Wendi C. Thomas: Impressing on the young the importance of voting.