That Fist Bump: The Memphis media latched onto the story hard enough it’s gone national. It was popular on CNN and picked up elsewhere. The Commercial Appeal reports.

Unemployment: The jobless rate for the county jumped to 10.6% in August. Labor Department unemployment data on TN cities and counties. (PDF document) More from the Daily News.

Bass Pro Deal: Top City officials travelled to Springfield to talk with BPS executives and feel pretty confident about some action soon.

Politics: Frank Cagle of Knoxville’s Metro Pulse thinks Republican Majority Leader Jason Mumpower’s best days have passed him in the House. The Flyer’s Jackson Baker looks at the Shelby County Watchdog (and regular Main Street Journal contributor) Joe Saino.

State Rep. Brian Kelsey resigned his House seat last night, to help assure the seat stays in Republican hands. Press release. More from WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

A look at the various gubernatorial candidates and their stances on gun carry in parks.

Bartlett: It’s going to be a busy, festive weekend.

Memphis Police Department: The Commercial Appeal looks at the city’s CSI units. Part one of a new series.

Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce: They are handing out“no handshaking” stickers to the business community to help slow the spread of the H1N1 flu. More in the Daily News.

Empowerment Experiment: John and Maggie Anderson tour the country speaking on the “buy black” effort, their reasons, successes and problems.

Downtown: WMC looks at the restaurant closings and condo foreclosures troubling the Downtown.

H1N1 Flu: There is a shortage of children’s Tamiflu in the Mid-South.

Industrial Development Board: They granted a seven year PILOT to Onyx Medical Corporation.

Mississippi: A documentary film made during and about the 2008 Presidential election debate held in Oxford will make its debut Friday. The US Department of Agriculture will fund Mississippi River conservation to the tune of $320 million. State colleges and universities have asked for a 2011 budget of almost $800 million.

Opportunity Expo: Held at the Pink Palace, this was a joint effort by several organisations to help out-of-work professionals get back on their feet.

FedEx: The US House is delaying action on a bill that would make it difficult for FedEx Express drivers to unionise.

University of Memphis: Two suspects have been arrested in connection with campus robberies; more from Eyewitness News. A fight at a campus Greek unity event leads to an arrest. The new residence halls are on schedule to open in the Spring. A former student, Yigit Kolat, has received statewide recognition as Composer of the Year. (via the Daily Helmsman) Students in the architecture department are teaming up with Highland Properties “to design an environmentally sustainable office for Triad Centre III, the LEED-certified office building that is nearing completion.”

Real Estate: Goodwyn Condominiums Downtown have fallen into foreclosure.

Collierville: The Kiwanis Club is coordinating the Angel Tree program just for that city this year. First uses of the new NIXLE police alert program are a pair of public service announcements.

Mid-South Fair: It cranks up today in DeSoto County, as does its “urban replacement” at the old Fairgrounds. Official website. More stories on the Fair from WMC, Eyewitness News. And the view from DeSoto County.

DeSoto County: Pitbull problem in Horn Lake is causing calls for ordinance. County schools have hired a language arts expert to help improve student English scores. Entergy customers can expect to see an 8% drop in utility rates later this year.

Cordova Festival: It begins this Saturday. Website.

MSARC Report: More on the post-problem report and its recommendations. You can read the release announcement (PDF document) here. Full study document is here. (PDF document)

Willie Herenton: The mother, Claudine Marsh, of his youngest child is suing to block disbursement of his pension on grounds of child support non-payment. More from WMC, Eyewitness News, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Memphis’ Next Mayor: The Tri-State Defender profiles Wanda Halbert. Is it strategy or disrespect for A C Wharton to skip mayoral forums? The Flyer’s Jackson Baker looks at the fallout of the WREG / Commercial Appeal poll.

Fox13 interviews candidates Carol Chumney and E. C. Jones.

WREG has the next televised mayoral forum this Saturday, at 7 PM.

Early voting begins today. A list of early voting locations and times. The Shelby County Election Commission website. Thoughts and reactions on early voting from Fox13, Eyewitness News, WREG, the Daily News.

Tennessee: More than one-third of the state’s counties don’t have a website to conduct business with. Families in the WIC program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) will find a new, more nutritious menu in their packages beginning next month. The Family Support Program is in danger of losing funding.

Memphis City Schools: A private security guard (not MCS security force) drew his weapon, fired on a charging dog, missed and hit the automobile of Mary Lowery, the mayor’s wife. More on that from WMC, Eyewitness News, WREG and the CA. The first in a series of public informational meetings about school policies and initiatives will be held Saturday. (Article has schedule of future meetings.) Superintendent Dr Kriner Cash spoke at the monthly Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, about the H1N1 virus, teacher challenges and schools; much more on the speech from WREG. And the Board of Education praised Cash on his first year in office.

COGIC: Pastor Linwood Dillard Jr has been honored and made president of the congregation’s International Youth Department.

Memphest: It’s the Midtown alternative to the Mid-South Fair! This is the replacement being put on by the MSF organisation.

Business: The Fed’s Burgundy Report shows weak or down news in nearly all sectors of the Mid-South economy.

Dollar General is building a new store in Raleigh. Encore Restaurant and Bar, in Peabody Place, has closed; more in the Commercial Appeal.

A business profile of Rochelle’s Health and Wellness Spa, from the Tri-State Defender.

People in business, from the CA.

Pinnacle Airlines: Pilots for the airline voted against amending their agreement with the airline, sending negotiations back to mediation. More from Fox13, WMC and the Commercial Appeal.

Germantown: A police SWAT team won recognition at a Sniper’s Conference. (via the Shelby Cun Times)

Canadian National: Their $100 million reconstruction project in Southwest Memphis has been opened and renamed the Harrison Yard. More, in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

Fayette County: Their County Commission unanimously passed a resolution calling for a halt to the megasite plan in neighboring Haywood County; more in the Commercial Appeal. (The following are via the Oakland News.) The Oakland Board of Mayor and Aldermen has raised trash collection fees. More on the still-ongoing lawsuit by former mayoral candidate Scott Ferguson. Six county bridges have been identified by TDOT for repair.

Millington: Comments by Mayor Richard Hodges about “stinkin’ thinkin’” offends some seniors and rates an apology. A Congressional re-authorisation will be needed to keep the Veterans Parkway project moving forward.

Memphis Zoo: Their Teton Trek exhibit, recreating a Yellowstone National Park experience, will open in early October. Website.

Survey Says: No presents for retailers this Christmas. Good news, though, as the backlog in construction projects is increasing.

Radio Sweethearts: Oh, that wacky Gadhafi!

sharp stick in the eye: No mushrooms, please.

Smart City Memphis: The Downtown view coming in from North Riverside Drive. Ick.

The Chockley Blogs: A short tour around the Botanic Gardens’ My Big Backyard.

Vegan Crunk: Her “meet the rock star” moment. (Scroll down.)

Wendi C. Thomas: On her personal blog, Facebook app claims another victim.

what would you ax it? Picture this.

The Tale of a Southern Belle: Rain, rain, go away!

Pretty in Pink Megan: Yesterday was Thankful Thursday.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: “This is a drunk post.”

From the Rainbows: Allen takes her out to the zoo.

Jerm’s Baby Blog: Piper is almost six months old.

Notes from Memphis: The Mud Island Land Use Studies will have their last public meetings next week.

Commercial Appeal: Finding new ways to fight blight. Shelby County Commissioners Mike Carpenter’s and Mike Ritz’ plans for single-source school funding deserve to be studied.

Stephen Carpenter: Help the Salvation Army reach their financial goal so they can help Memphis with their new Kroc Center. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Gwynn Bradley: Don’t move her campus bookstore off campus! (via the Daily Helmsman)

John Branston: Hard times for Jackie Welch and Harold Byrd. (via the Flyer)

joelarkins: After a short break, Joe checks in with random thoughts.

Joy’s Life and Times: Keeping up with training when you’re a triathlete.

Memphis Lagniappe: More suggestions on what to do this weekend.

Blue Collar Republican: Not really feelin’ the Brian Kelsey love here.

Lean Left: The stunt heard ’round the world. Thanks, Myron….