Tennessee: The state’s unofficial unemployment rate has now risen to 10.8%. More from Fox13; more on Eyewitness News. The State is receiving an additional $142 million for unemployment benefits. The state was below national averages in 2Q/2009 foreclosure filings.

Shelby County Democrats: They expect to see quite a few wins over Republicans in next year’s elections locally.

Retail: Empty store fronts and falling rental rates.

Willie Herenton: A closer look at his Congressional election team member Bill Watkins.

David Kernell: The judge hearing the case says he must first decide if the Federal government’s search of Kernell’s computer was legal before he can decide a defense motion to throw out evidence obtained from it. Original Knoxville News-Sentinel story here and Commercial Appeal reprint here.

Macedonia United Methodist Church: A bizarre act of racial vandalism at an Arlington church truly baffles the all-white congregation.

Consulting Services Group: Shelby County government has now been advised of a potential lawsuit by the SEC against the firm, which oversees and advises on pension funds.

Forest Hill Funeral Home Lawsuit: Defense attorneys for Clayton Smart are trying to retrieve seized computer hard drives still held by Federal prosecutors.

Business: Buckman Laboratories is undergoing a rebranding; also in the CA. Landers Auto Group has acquired the Chrysler and Jeep franchises in north Mississippi and will combine them. Attorneys General around the country have reached a settlement with DISH Networks, over deceptive and unfair business practices. Catherine’s has sold its last Memphis store.

People in Business, from the CA.

Collierville: More on MATA’s proposed service cutbacks and the public meetings for rider input. Also, changes to the nonconforming use provisions in the Municipal Code. (both stories via the Collierville Independent) Fire Chief Jerry Crawford received the TN Fire Chief Association’s first Fire Chief of the Year award.

Banking: Banks are returning to fundamentals and tightening policies. Federal TARP money has reached many state banking and financial institutions. A short profile of Metropolitan Bank and CEO Curt Gabardi , from the Daily News.

Crime: Reported rapes in Memphis, for July, are on the rise. An organisation called Prison Fellowship is bringing two new programs to Shelby County in the hopes of breaking the cycle of repeat offenders.

University of Memphis: A short profile with the new director of advocacy at The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Barbara Krichevsky.

Sales Tax Holiday: A reminder that the state’s sales tax holiday is in three weeks! Clothing, computers and school supplies (with restrictions) are eligible.

Survey Says: Human resource professionals are less pessimistic about the recession. Premium business and first-class travel continues its slide.

DeSoto County: Yesterday’s storms did a lot of tree damages, some flooding and, of course, knocked out power for some. The superintendent of DeSoto County Schools, Milton Kuykendall, will be the new president of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents.

Previously Posted: The State will recieve $78 million for clean water infrastructure improvements and maintenance. The Rossville site will become the new Norfolk Southern intermodal railroad yard; more in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Main Street Journal : On the Block: Today –Outside the usual suspects of politicians, who would you like to see run for Memphis Mayor?. Mid-South leaders respond.

Shelby County Commission: The Flyer’s Jackson Baker looks into the machinations and fallout of Commissioner Deidre Malone’s loss to new Chairwoman Joyce Avery. Nine of fourteen middle schools in the county don’t have A/C in their gyms; officials blame County Commission budget cuts for the lack of funds.

Trash: Every other media outlet has been running stories about public anger over bungled trash collections, but the Commercial Appeal, as usual, finds the “upbeat” side of the story.

Memphis Greenline: While nearly everyone around the community is praising the project, nearby residents worry about privacy, crime and property values.

Minimum Wage: Starting next week, the minimum wage in TN, AR and MS goes up to $7.25/hour.

West Memphis: Even though police are equipped with dash cams and body mics, somehow they are being turned off at the wrong moments. The City Council is worried that the lessons learned with DeAunta Farrow are lost already.

Politics: US Rep. Steve Cohen has raised $750,000 in his re-election bid; more in the Commercial Appeal. Fox13’s Les Smith looks at the political / geographic shifts in the last General Assembly.

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Gibbons names his campaign leadership group, and it’s rich in Democrats! Candidate Ron Ramsey’s campaign is reporting almost $1.3 million cash on hand.

Memphis City Schools: Two sessions of InfoFest take place next week, giving parents information about foods served, nutrition, free and reduced price meals and much more.

Memphis Police Department: Believe it or not, but overall crime in the city is down by 14%.

Shelby County Clerk: Court Clerk Debbie Stamson says her office has taken some of the bogus “international drivers licenses” as valid identification!
 

Millington: For the past six months, Mayor Richard Hodges and Police Chief Ray Douglas have been in a weight loss challenge. And now a winner has been declared.

Emmett Till: The investigation of an Illinois cemetary, accused of re-using caskets and tossing bodies into mass graves, turns up the original burial casket of Civil Rights-era martyr, Emmett Till.

Redbirds: Is part of the new team management’s strategy to cut the Returning Baseball to the Inner City program to save money? More from Fox13.

Unity Christian Church: This Whitehaven congregation is fighting illiteracy with their “Yes We Can” program and Saturday morning prayer breakfasts.

Mississippi: The state’s foreclosure rate jumped sharply in the first half of 2009, over the same period last year. The State Attorney General says that Governor Haley Barbour’s veto of parts of the new budget bill was unconstitutional. The State Attorney General shot down the first nominee, so the new interim superintendent of schools is John Jordan.

Memphis International Airport: Cargo traffic in June was up; passenger traffic is still down. The Commercial Appeal also has the story.

Local Media: The Newspaper Guild is claiming that the Commercial Appeal is considering outsourcing its print operations to Tupelo, MS.

African-American Health: More than one-third of black Americans are obese, the most of any group of Americans.

Northwest Tennessee Horticulture and Garden Expo: This event will be held at Dyer County High School this Saturday, from 8AM until 2PM.

Foreclosure: Q2 bankruptcy filings rose 6%. And nationally, foreclosures for the first half of this year have risen 15%.

Reginald Milton’s A Fresh Look: Should the Shelby County Democratic Party call another People’s Convention?

Smart City Memphis: The Federal transportation dollars coming into Memphis now are being wasted by out-of-date and unfocused ideas. Memphis needs a mayor to embrace change, innovation and … narrative?

Ask Myron: Saturday’s Ultimate Family Reunion at the Levitt Shell brings up thoughts on family reunions. (via the Tri-State Defender)

memphis.cool.movies: The Disney Train Tour, which will have special trailers for new, unreleased films and some animated classics, is coming to Memphis on August 4.

Notes from Memphis: More on the Disney Train Tour and a reminder you can rewatch Samantha Brown’s (Travel Channel) visit to Memphis today.

Commercial Appeal: Charter school, for overage students, are a good ideas. The investigators shouldn’t play coy with the legislator’s name involved in the Court Clerk’s office scandal.

John Branston: The city of Memphis is changing and so, by gum, will John. (via the Memphis Flyer)

Joy’s Life and Times: She’s getting ready for first marathon in a long time, but the training is going well.

Jen-sized: She’s trying to break an aversion to reading whole books with Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace….

From the Southern Table: As she notes, she may be the only person who can trip on air.

Cwabs! A Facebook quiz with some use. Finally.

Confessions of a West Tennessee Liberal: Brad continues his efforts to make issues, rather than personalities, the subject of the mayoral race with posts on local roads and public health.

Bigger Than Your Head: The German wine education continues.

BEEB: A frightening case of hives and pictures of babies and puppies!

Glenda H. Caudle: The difficulties of meeting the Voter Confidence Act as mandated, for rural TN counties. (via the The Union City Messenger)

The Tale of a Southern Belle: Even if she does sometimes need her space, she loves her boyfriend!

16 Balls in the Air: Her boys are enjoying going native.

55-40 Memphis: A short tale of his political evolution.

Ashley la Rouge: An interesting rumination about life, from New York City.

autumne reflections: She’s back to blogging, doesn’t hate Memphis any more and has a new boyfriend!