Memphis’ Next Mayor: Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr officially filed his mayoral petition today; more from the Commercial Appeal. A look at the lesser-known candidates in the race. Jerry Lawler wants folks to know he’s more than an entertainer.

Reginald French shares some insight into the legendary meeting at Le Chardonnay restaurant between Willie Herenton and A C Wharton.

WREG’s series of profiles of mayoral candidates continues with Dr Sharon Webb. Video here.

Expecting high turnout for the October 15 special election, the Election Commission is extending early voting hours.

Second Amendment: Metro Nashville votes to opt out of gun carry in public parks.

City of Memphis: A WMC investigation shows City agencies and departments are spending tens of thousands of dollars on catered meals. WREG uncovers more lavish spending. (PDF documents.) And they look at City spending on outside legal representation.

Tennessee Health Care Reform: State Rep. G. A. Hardaway is holding a town hall meeting about health care reform’s impact on the Mid-South this Saturday. Official website here. More in the Daily News.

Politics: US Rep. John Tanner spoke to the Dyersburg / Dyer County Chamber of Commerce, blaming fear of health care reform on free-floating post-9/11 and recession fears. (via the Dyersburg State Gazette) US Rep. Steve Cohen is on a Congressional fact-finding tour of Africa.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam spoken in Memphis recently on state-level health care issues.

UniverSoul: The only African-American owned circus is coming back to Memphis beginning today. Official website here. (Watch out for loud embedded audio.)

The Lowery Administration: Mayor Pro-tem Myron Lowery has appointed former City Councilman John Vergos to the board of MATA and Janet Hooks to replace Ken Moody at the division of Public Service & Neighborhoods.

Memphis Bar Association: The Leadership Forum has extended its deadline for applications for the networking group for third to eighth year attorneys.

Stella Marris: The Steve Cooper-owned restaurant, which many fear may be a strip club in hiding, may be opening soon.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital: They are only slowing, not stopping, their expansion with two recent property purchases. They are also about to embark on a genome mapping project focused on childhood cancers.

WILLIE HERENTON V. WMC’s JOE BIRCH! The one-on-one “explosive” interview that all Memphis is talking about. (Includes full 18 minute video.) Was Herenton’s entry into the special election part of enormous sub-rosa power struggles involving Mayor Pro-tem Myron Lowery and local attorney Richard Fields?

Is he mentally unstable? Fox13 Insiders, WMC, the Commercial Appeal wonder.

Herenton also did a radio interview with WDIA’s Bobby O’Jay. And, he spoke with Fox13’s Les Smith. News reports from WMC, CA’s Eye on City Hall, Eyewitness News, WREG.

More reports on Herenton’s decision to pull an election petition from WREG.

Reactions! From Mayor Pro-tem Myron Lowery. From various City Council members. From the other mayoral candidates. WREG’s Mike Matthews. From rival candidate and former confidant Charles Carpenter. From the Knoxville News-Sentinel’s Tom Humphries.

How does this affect the A C Wharton campaign? Not much, says Wharton.

Arkansas: The Lottery Commission has selected a bank to handle lottery receipts.

Jeff Sanford, Center City Commission: Sanford’s address to the Commission’s annual luncheon two weeks ago caused a buzz. But it’s been hard to find more than excerpts, until now. Thanks to the CCC, the Main Street Journal is proud to present the full text of his address!

Memphis City Schools: The system stands a very good chance of securing the Gates Foundation grant of $100 million; more in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. A study by two White Station High School students points up drastic disparities between two City public schools. ACT test scores for City schools continued with their third year of decline.

Memphis City Council: The $78 million the Council is giving to Memphis schools amounts to double taxation say some Council members. More on Eyewitness News; they also have a report on the renewed push for consolidation.

MPACT Memphis: They want Memphians to take this survey and help MPACT learn more about what people want for the city. MPACT website here.

DeSoto County: Southaven’s newest fire station will open on September 2. The Commercial Appeal looks at the ParentPortal notification and student information system for County schools. US Rep. Travis Childers (1st District) says he will not vote for any health care reform currently being proposed. The contract for water treatment in the western part of the county goes to Southwest Water.

Beale Street: It turns out, no one on Beale Street or the Mayor’s office has seen the fiscal audit report!

Collierville: In their recent meeting, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved new flashing school signals, closing a stretch of Mount Pleasant Road near Highway 72, and the widening of Houston Levee Road. (via the Collierville Independent)

Business: A business profile of Centrix Logistics, a subsidiary of Dunavant Enterprises, from the Daily News.

People in Business, from the CA.

“Cash for Clunkers”: President Obama will detail Friday how the program will be wound down soon. The Transportation Secretary is reassuring car dealers they’ll get their money; more on that promise from the CA.

MLG&W: Their board meeting is today and million dollar contracts are up for discussion. Watch out, TVA is expected to raise their rates to cover their own rising expenses, which will trickle down to MLG&W rates.

FedEx: The FedEx Express unit and the US Postal Service global package handling agreement has been renewed.

Tennessee: Supporters of the solar power initiative for West Tennessee talk up its benefits, if it comes to pass.

Industrial Development Board: They took action on a handful of PILOTs at their recent meeting. More in the CA.

Pidgeon Industrial Park: The Port Commission is hoping to generate interest and help in dredging the harbor.

Financial: The Mortgage Bankers Association says, with lower mortgage rates come higher application rates.

Survey Says: The Memphis Hotel and Lodging Association expects improved tourism numbers in 2010. Nearly all Americans say homes are a good investment. Merrill Lynch reports that investor confidence is at its highest level since 2003.

Mississippi: The MS Home Corporation is again issuingbond-backed mortgage loans. The State has changed procedures to make it harder to avoid paying traffic tickets. The number of college-bound students who took the ACT increased and average scores held steady.

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: Getting ready for the new college semester.

vibinc: A timeline for making consolidation happen.

Author of Y’all’s Destruction: Some people will believe anything it seems.

Commercial Appeal: Starting the aerotropolis isn’t as much a City priority as some other things. Can’t ride the new MCS bus routes? Take MATA, for just one dollar a trip!

Because I Said So: A parent’s-eye view as the kids start at new schools. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: There was an armed man at the Red Lobster the other day and nothing at all happened.

Fertile Ground: Another “first day back at school” post.

From the Rainbows: Joint compound teaches hard lessons.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: Old age happens to us all.

I’ll be the one in heels: “Work to live; don’t live to work.” And then she has a revelation.

Jen-sized: She comes down on the side of homeownership.

BEEB: “Proud and devastated” at the same time; mothers will understand.

autumne reflections: She’s considering adopting a cat, and she played her first D&D game! Still thinking about the cat….

a field guide to urban memphis: Fun with pet adoption applications.

55-40 Memphis: Threatening to “primary” Steven Cohen and then having to explain the threat.

Commontaries: Glad the consolidation issue is getting a push, and supporting Myron Lowery’s push as well.

Complacencies of the Peignoir: So much going on and then a wonderful opportunity falls into her lap.

(Lang Wiseman) You cannot ignore a high-profile attention seeker.

Confessions of a West Tennessee Liberal: Some concerns about the process and motives of a proposed consolidation committee. County Commissioner Mike Carpenter provides some needed background.

Dining With Monkeys: Guest poster Andria heads out to Lisa’s Lunchbox.

Divers and Sundry: Where are you on the political spectrum? Arguing against privatisation.

Doug Johnson at Work: Not sure how much weight he’s lost.