The Main Street Journal Website

News - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Memphis City Council: A Council committee has blocked use of red light cameras and extra fees and fines for traffic or parking offenses. They are still struggling with cutting the budget. Maybe car perks will be cut for executives? The Council also, in other news, voted to “opt out” of the state’s new “gun carry in public parks” law; more from the Commercial Appeal.

It’s a budget! Sixteen million in cuts and sixteen million from reserves, after marathon meeting. City employee raises stay; property tax rate falls to $3.25, though that’s above the State-certified rate. Much more in the Commercial Appeal.

Councilman Shea Flinn talks iwth Fox13 about yesterday’s budget.

In other news, the Council voted to go ahead with the lawsuit against predatory mortgage lenders. (Second item)


MIFA Food Bank: After the weekend’s devastation, they are running low on stocks and could sure use your help in replenishing.


Cohen v. Herenton: Longtime Democratic activist and County Commissioner believes the Ninth Congressional District seat is “an African-American one.


Center for Southern Folklore: A look at their new online exhibit of the pictures of Reverend L.O. Taylor, who photographed this city from the Twenties until the Sixties! Website here.


Memphis City Council Budget Battle: You can download and read for yourself Councilman Jim Strickland’s proposed 2010 budget for the City of Memphis. (DOC format document) Or you can read it online here. Councilman Harold Collins has released his alternative budget now, too. (DOC format document) It, too, is online here. Councilman Bill Boyd has his alternative budget, keeping raises for City employees.


Father’s Day: The 2009 Exotic Italian Car Show is coming to the Germantown Municipal Park this Sunday.


Business: EM Printing is moving the headquarters to Bartlett. Cargill is suing Memphis Biofuels, alleging breach of contract. Nucor is reporting a small than expected loss in the second quarter.

Chris Brown, formerly of CB Richard Ellis Memphis, has joined Coleman-Etter, Fontaine Realtors.

People in business, from the Daily News. And more People in Business, from the CA.


Banking: Regions Financial is listed as among the top five small business lenders. More on the SunTrust Banks affinity check card affiliated with Delta Air Lines.


Skeeters! A look at the county’s mosquito problem and some of the ways the County is handling it.
 


Local Media: Both the Memphis News and the Daily News won regional journalism awards, the Green Eyeshade Awards.


DeSoto County: All power should be restored this morning in eastern parts of the county. The county’s schools took the worst of the storms’ brunt. Another story, with interview, on Olive Branch police chief Art Heun’s resignation. A report from the Commercial Appeal on the newly-opened Farmers Market in Southaven. In a rare use of eminent doman, the Southaven Board of Aldermen took six parcels along State Line and Star Landing Roads. Horn Lake is seeking a community development block grant to fund a new railroad spur line.


Mississippi: State budget talks continue to drag along with no real progress.


2009 Global Events Partners Executive Summit: This meeting of destination management companies and event planners is coming to Memphis later this month.


University of Memphis: They have won a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help train Memphis City Schools teachers.


Memphis International Airport: More on the St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital welcome display in the lobby.


Downtown: More on the foreclosure auction of The Horizon.


Millington: The city’s police cars will go from the ‘traditional’ flag-draped design to a new-old, stark, black-and-white look.


Arkansas: The White House has declared 37 counties disaster areas due to Spring flooding, storms, etc. The state’s new, stricter seat belt laws go into effect on June 31.


Real Estate: Study finds housing values are holding steady in the Memphis market.


Bartlett: For this community, storm cleanup may take up to six weeks!


UPDATED: Main Street Journal June Issue: Our June issue is hitting newstands now. Now online to read: County Commissioner George Flinn suggests How to Use the Pyramid.

You can peruse the Table of Contents and read Jonathan Devin feature, Breaking Ground: How building projects in Shelby County are progressing despite the economy.


County Commission: More on the unanimous vote to take over operation of the MSARC; similar story in the Daily News.


Dutch Treat Luncheon: This Saturday’s speaker will be Lang Wiseman, the chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party. Meeting will be at Jason’s Deli on Poplar, beginning at 11:30AM. Website here.


Weekend Storms: NOTE: You can find our previous days’ postings on storm coverage here: Monday and Tuesday. City Councilman Myron Lowery’s MLG&W updates are being hosted here.

Fox13 has the MLG&W power restoration update and some contact information. They also have a list of intersections without traffic lights. Outages remain.

Again, beware of cleanup scams! One side of the street has power, the other doesn’t. Dogs left free in a back yard drive power repair crews away. Some neighbors are blaming MLG&W, and not the storms, for their power outage! Similar story (or the same address?) from Eyewitness News. And, of course, people flock to local hotels when the power goes out. The city is urging seniors and those with fragile health to go to community and senior centers to beat the heat and humidity. The last victims? Good Samaratins are handing out food, water, supplies, even generators! Anti-MLG&W frustration continues. Adversity always tends to bring people together.

Fox13 viewers send in their photos. Here is the Eyewitness News storm photo gallery. And the same at WMC. Don’t forget the Commercial Appeal.


Memphis Board of Education: The CA talks with the new president of the board, Martavius Jones.


City Councilwoman Wanda Halbert: She is claiming a “favors list” has been around for twenty years but she wasn’t a beneficiary in her car registration exemption. Tensions between Halbert and Police Director Larry Godwin? More from Eyewitness News, WMC, the Commercial Appeal.


Cardinal Leasing: Questions about this company, from Louisville, Kentucky, and how it is able to win city automobile fleet contracts over locals. Story from WMC.


Politics: Is a key provision of Governor Phil Bredesen’s budget bill going to put the criminally insane back on the streets? A roundup of some of the other issues still facing the Legislature this session.

The State House sent a bill to the governor delaying for one year the provision to add a $50 surcharge to State employee’s insurance if they are smokers. They also passed the bill imposing a “privilege tax” on NBA and NHL players in state. The House will reconvene the Education Committee to reconsider the bill broadening eligibility for charters schools across the state.

The State Senate votes 2 to 1 to merge the TN Ethics Commission into the Registry of Election Finance. They are considering not completely closing handgun permit records; a vote is scheduled today; more in the CA. The Senate passed the bill to allow off-duty law enforcement officers to carry in establishments that serve alcohol; the companion House bill has already passed. The bill allowing fingerprinting for traffic stops is dead for the session.


Riverfront Walkway: The UrbanArt Commission is seeking lighting designs for a potential new pedestrian walkway downtown stretching from Confederate Park to the new Humphreys School of Law.


Tennessee: Leading Republican Senators crashed a news conference being held by Department of Education administrators on Pre-K funding; more in the CA. An attorney has been sued for working on a suspended license.


Germantown: They are about to demolish the old fire station on Forest Hill - Irene.


Center City Commission: The CDC meets today and the Daily News looks at some of the items on their agenda.


Industrial Development Board: Final decision on Blue Earth recycling facility bond issue is due today.


Survey Says: Forty-three percent of Internet users are also part of social networks. Housing starts in May rose more than expected. The National Retail Federation says company “losses” (theft, waste, etc.) were up nationwide last year. Nearly one-third of CFOs will put off or reduce vacations this year. Spending on travel and tourism fell nearly 6% in Q1/2009. Industrial activity dropped more than expected in May. However, wholesale inflation was less than expected! May new housing construction jumped over 17% in May.



Picture of the Day

The rainbow after the storm, from Mick Wright. © 2009, X.


Opinion and Blogs

Ramblings of a River City Resident: A weekend recap featuring food, friends and bloggers, and an opportunity.


Bigger Than Your Head: A cache of Alsace wines found and sampled. And the unending quest for the perfect cheese toast.


Xspectre8: Is the ammo shortage finally abating?


The Lynnster Zone: On Twitter, twisters, straight line wind storms and Tennessee.


Pretty in Pink Megan: No power equals massive productivity!


Cyril Chang: The chairman of the board of directors of the Urban Child Institute discusses their report findings on Memphis. (via the Commercial Appeal)


Midtown Security Community: Their meeting is tonight at Rhodes College. Also, more information on Project Jericho.


Midtown Stomp: A review of the Majestic Grill.


Brain Release Valve: It’s not jealousy, but something sweeter.


Mrs. Katherine: The magical power of the little cup.


Notes from Memphis: She’s being stalked … again.


Persian Pit Bull: A report on the Gibson 5K run and an Alexis Grace mini-concert downtown. Are Daisy Dukes coming back into style?
 


MemphisConnect: Ummm…. Polo? In Memphis? In the Summer?


Commercial Appeal: Chiding Sherri Goforth, the legislative aide who sent out a racist picture. And a welcome to Dr Dan Jones, the new chancellor of Ole Miss.


Life as I know it from Memphis: It was like “a free shopping spree.”


I’ll be the one in heels: The revenge of unused muscles.


Downtown Memphis Blog: Announcing a new Memphis discussion forum.


Cwabs! A CITI Mortgage horror show.


Commontaries: Is County Clerk Debbie Stamson poisoning the well? Thoughts on the Ninth Congressional District race. What if David Letterman’s joke had been about Obama’s daughters?


BEEB: Mercurial and storm laden kids.


John Branston: Speculation on future Mayor Herenton moves. (via the Flyer)


55-40 Memphis: Republicans lack an empathy organ.