Memphis’ Next Mayor: And now, City Councilman Joe Brown has pulled a petition. Also, A C Wharton pulled his petition. A “People’s Convention” to narrow the field of candidates appears to be an idea of the past. Thaddeus Matthews has the blow-by-blow when candidates Charles Carpenter and Jerry Lawler come on his radio show.

The Tri-State Defender profiles mayoral candidate Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr. And WREG continues their series with a profile of Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr.

The Bartlett Express interviews Bartlett Mayor A. Keith McDonald on his own experiences as mayor, in light of the Memphis situation. The Flyer’s Jackson Baker has an expanded and updated version of his examination of the Richard Fields / Willie Herenton kerfuffle.

Memphis City Schools: Now elementary school teachers are angry, as they are being asked not to “retain” students as much as before. The new “security force” for city schools wear uniforms a little too much like the MPD’s, and that’s causing concern. There will be grand openings and tours of the three new in-school medical clinics this Tuesday. Memphis police are being called into extra duty as crosswalk guards in the wake of school bus route changes.

In a related story, Shelby County Schools students are now getting some class texts on CD.

Oakland: Residents of the Northwood Estates area are beseiging City Hall.

Crime: Seventy cops, Memphis police and County deputies, since 2003, have seriously broken the law themselves.

Stella Marris: WREG takes you inside Steve Cooper’s restaurant that many Cordovans fear will become a strip club. A look at another Cooper property, The Gold Club.

Architecture: A tough economy and tight money is making local architects more resourceful. Heather Baugus Koury , the executive director of the Memphis chapter of the American Institute of Architects says a turnaround will come. Award-winning local architect Marty Gorman is a champion of adaptive reuse of old buildings.

HopeWorks: A Christian ministry that works to give job and work skills to inmates, to help lower recidivism. Ron Wade is their new executive director.

Mississippi: Although casino revenues are down overall, they were up from June to July.

Millington: The city is in negotiations for an indoor BMX racing track.

Previously Posted: More on the Gates Foundation’s potential $100 million grant to the Memphis City Schools. More on dredging the harbor at Frank Pidgeon Industrial Park.

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.

Tennessee: Record numbers of students are taking the ACT. TennCare’s Office of Inspector General has only found 22 cases of fraud and abuse in Shelby County in four and a half years?

Business: President Ken Patton is retiring from Mercer Capital. Stringer’s will soon close their Midtown location.

A business profile of Catherine Hughes, owner and president of TV One, from the Tri-State Defender.

People in Business, from the CA.

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!

Bartlett: Standard & Poor’s has raised the city’s bond rating to AA+. The Countrywood Neighborhood Association is planning this year’s epic yard sale, with an eye on reining in some recent excesses.

Unemployment: The State’s unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a point in July, to 10.7%, but not for good reasons. More from the Commercial Appeal.

TVA: The board voted to raise basic rates by more than 8% but cut another fuel charge. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Politics: Josh Thomas, the campaign manager for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Gibbons predicts Gibbons will match Ron Ramsey and Zach Wamp in fundraising by the end of the year. Republican Bill Haslam stopped in Dyersburg to campaign (via the Dyersburg State Gazette) and also Union City. (via NWTNToday.com) A report on US Rep. Steve Cohen’s trip to Africa. US Rep. Marsha Blackburn held her 10th town hall meeting on Thursday.

The Republican Congressional Campaign Committee is seeking candidates to oppose Democratic US House incumbents Bart Gordon and Lincoln Davis next year.

The Southern Legislative Conference will be meeting in Memphis … in 2011.

Local Media: A new newspaper may seem counter-intuitive in the Internet age, but Just Busted shames criminals and is drawing attention.

Memphis International Airport: Cargo activity is up. In a related story, the airlines expect to deeply cut fares for this Fall.

Financial: Regions Financial Corporation has been downgraded by an analyst to “hold”. Mortgage delinquencies hit a record in 2Q/2009.

MATA: Thanks to a State-paid subsidy, state employees can ride the busses to and from work for free. Also, while the Memphis to West Memphis route is free to riders, the state of Arkansas is paying $600,000 in subsidies.

Riverfront Cobblestones: A report on the differing views of what should happen with the cobblestones. And a reminder there will be a followup meeting next Tuesday.

Shelby County PTA: They are holding a “Single Source Funding” town hall meeting on Monday.

University of Memphis: The College of Education has received two accreditations.

“Cash for Clunkers”: The Federal government announced the program will end on Monday, August 24. More from WMC, Eyewitness News the Commercial Appeal.

FedEx: The company is expanding its hub outside Atlanta.

DeSoto County: More on the County schools’ ParentPortal system to keep parents informed on kids at school. County schools’ ACT scores beat the state average! The State College Board is already seeking an additional $43 million in next year’s budget.

Survey Says: Chief financial officers are slightly more optimistic about the economic recovery.

Second Amendment: Troy, northeast of Dyersburg, is the latest town to consider “opting out” of gun carry in public parks. Bartlett residents appear to be leaning to allowing gun carry. A background report on Millington’s decision to not take up an “opt out” resolution.

Millington: The Turtle Island Native American Association will hold its fourth powwow at the USA Stadium this weekend. The Old Town steering committee is pushing to get revitalisation started.

Social Media: A very large number of business executives don’t want to be “friended” by employees or those they manage. (ie. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

artbutcher: An update, in prose poetry.

BEEB: Summer vacation in Colorado.

Doug Johnson at Work: Thoughts on Tigers basketball.

Commercial Appeal: A farewell to colleague David Vincent. Tigers basketball is an “enjoyable farce”.

George E. Hardin: Home health care workers are a collateral but crucial issue in the health care reform debate. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Dr Betty Price: Advice to ministers and their wives about the women who get between them. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Pamela Marshall: Condoleezza Rice’s story is her story, too. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Blue Collar Republican: The first vote on “opting out” of gun carry in City parks.

Commontaries: Interesting thoughts on mayoral candidates Charles Carpenter and Jerry Lawler.

Friends for Our Riverfront: Pictures and plans from the cobblestones meeting, and a link to audio of it. Some previous plans. There will be a followup meeting this Tuesday.

garage sale of ignorance: R.I.P.

Mick Wright: Chris Davis, Barney Frank and Nazis.

Notes from Memphis: Some cool facts you probably didn’t know about Memphis streets!

MemphisConnect: A reminder about the MPACT survey. And, the Memphis Heritage Adapt-A-Door fundraiser this Saturday.

(Lang Wiseman) Random Thoughts: Part 10 of his series on health care reform, about false choices.

Jen-sized: She’s a real fan of UM coach Josh Pastner.

I’ll be the one in heels: She now has her own Facebook group.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: An interesting reason to run.

Smart City Memphis: The history and importance of zoning codes, and what good ones promote.

Student: Revisited: It’s been one of those weeks….

I Think? He has a dream, that many men may share.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Some predictions about Memphis next, new mayor — Kim Jong-Wil. Visiting the real North Korea.