Memphis Animal Shelter: The deaths of more than 200 animals coming to the shelter are still unexplained.

Hickory Ridge Mall: The World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church is finishing up with rehabilitation and repair and hopes for a grand opening early next year!

Black Friday: This story, in the Commercial Appeal, originally reported an ugly incident at a Shelby County Toys’R'Us. It was later edited and the part about Toys’R'Us moved (without notice or URL linkage) to this story, which played down the incident. More from Fox13, WMC.

Remember, shoppers, save those receipts! And please keep your shopping local, to help the Mid-South economy. And be carefull about increasing your debt.

This year’s Black Friday in-store sales appear to be barely above last year’s; online sales exploded. But average spending per person was down 8 percent over last year. BTW, today is CyberMonday, the Monday after Black Friday when online sales also peak.

COGIC: Their annual Convocation will stay in St Louis at least through 2012.

General Sessions Court: The “rocket docket” moves debt collection cases through with sometimes-problematic speed.

Downtown: A Center City Commission proposal to ban single-beer sales in parts of downtown, to curb “aggressive panhandling” is meeting controversy. More on the struggle via WMC.

Red Light Traffic Cameras: The city of Oak Ridge (outside Knoxville) is still fighting over RLTCs, months after installing them.

City of Memphis: A look at how the City’s residency requirements are financially ruining one (now former) MLG&W
employee’s life. City Councilman Harold Collins, reviving an idea first floated by former mayor Herenton, is calling for City-operated homeless rehab shelters. The momentum to merge the City and County Fire Departments is picking up steam.

City Councilwoman Janis Fullilove: She talks with Eyewitness News about the origins of her addiction problems.

Politics: An Associated Press story on the qualifications of the Republican and Democratic Party gubernatorial candidates.

Tired of Republicans and Democrats? The Libertarian Party is holding their National Committee meeting this weekend in Nashville.

Collierville: The Board of Mayor and Aldermen blinks over new utility guideliness after MLG&W objects.

Memphis International Airport: Information on the small plane crash Sunday afternoon. One fatality, Emmett O’Ryan. More from Fox13.

Memphis Black Arts Alliance: They are presenting their Arts-A-Fire Youth Theater Troupe’s production of The Me Nobody Knows this weekend. A-A-FYTT encourages youngsters to pursue the arts.

Harold Ford Jr: NEW! Strong rumor out of New York that Ford may run for the junior US Senate seat recently taken by fellow Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. Sorry, Ninth District Tennessee! His new book, More Davids Than Goliaths, is available for pre-order. It’s part auto-biography — including lessons learned from his family — and part exploration of his future.

Bartlett: Senior Judge Freeman Marr has a proposal to cover the vacant municap judge seat until next year’s regular election. St Francis Hospital is moving their sports rehab facility from the City’s rec center later next month.

Overton Park: Planning for the heavy rains of a hundred-year storm.

DeSoto County: The Olive Branch Humane Society is encouraging responsible pet adoption for the holidays to help relieve overcrowding. A schedule of the various holiday parades around the county. Parents of kids in Horn Lake Intermediate school are taking classes along with their kids.

Christmas & the Holiday Season: The Baddour Center’s A Christmas Spectacular is next week. Local holiday light shows, including Starry Nights. Salvation Army kettles will now take electronic forms of cash.

H1N1 Virus: The Health Department is now offering swine flu vaccine to everyone, regardless of age. More at WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Unemployment: Shelby County’s unemployment rate climbed very slightly to 10.2% for October. More in the Daily News.

Memphis City Schools: Thirty percent of City school kids live in poverty, versus 9 percent in the County. The City’s school district is the 17th poorest in the state.

Mud Island: The Daily News’ Bill Dries looks over the history and attempted name changes of this Downtown institution and plans for its future. Aaron Shafer, who is a tireless advocate for the Mud Island Skate Park, talks about its benefits.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital: They are teaming up with Malco Theatres for the annual “Wrapped with Love” fundraiser, which will continue through Christmas.

Arkansas: Jonesboro is considering cutting its public transportation budget by up to half. Home foreclosures were up slightly in October but still below previous highs.

Business: A look at how local restuarants are changing to deal with the recession. Instead of mass arrests on site of illegal immigrant workers, the Federal government turning to immigration audits of companies. What the changes in the Industrial Development Board’s PILOT program will mean.

A business profile of the Amy Howard Collection, custom furniture designers who are opening their first Memphis outlet store. And, also from the Commercial Appeal, a business profile of Joe’s Wine & Liquors.

The Small Business Advocate reminds us that change is inescapable, as is planning for it.

People in Business for Friday, Sunday and Monday, from the Commercial Appeal. What to Do for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Crittenden Regional Hospital: The CEO, Jamie Carter, is very cognizant of his ties with Memphis hospitals like The MED for trauma and emergency treatment.

Real Estate: Thirty-year mortgage rates are now tied for their lowest level since record-keeping began. Nationally, new home sales rose 6%; 23% in the South alone. Memphis-area commercial sales also rose.

WRVR Toy Truck: With BancorpSouth, they are teaming up to give presents to kids for Christmas and to benefit Porter-Leath. Donations site is listed in the story.

ArtsMemphis: They have announced eight new board members and a new board director.

Mississippi: Governor Haley Barbour’s proposed budget for next year continues to worry State workers. State employee’s union fears Governor Barbour’s job cuts will affect their jobs. The Mid Delta Empowerment Zone Alliance goes away with December and a new non-profit agency will replace it. The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is readying for acorn-producing oak tree sales. The question of taking away voting rights from some felons but not others is being debated. A look at the “greening” of jobs in the state.

Mississippi Outdoors, from the Commercial Appeal.

Millington: With City funding unable to support the Parks and Recreation Department, they are looking to State funding to help.

Financial: The third quarter picture for Memphis area banks is “not pretty”.

55-40 Memphis: A very positive review of the movie Precious.

Air Traffic Mike’s: Thanksgiving away from home.

Asley La Rouge: Thanksgiving apart.

Bigger Than Your Head: Thanksgiving wines, twenty-five years ago and today.

Born-Again Hippies: Full contact shopping and other miseries.

Blue Collar Republican: Would you endure bad service for great prices and selection?

Confessions of a West Tennessee Liberal: A two-part rant on the new, draconian ordinances proposed to stop unpleasantness downtown: Part one and part two.

Downtown Memphis Blog: A downtowner looks at two solutions to the problems of “panhandling”.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: Things to be thankful for.

I’ll be the one in heels: Her turkey record remains intact.

Jen-sized: She’s about to cut the cord to her non-digital past.

Tre Hargett: “Cause-related marketing” is a good idea, but let the buyer beware of the fine print. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Jane Roberts: A wide-ranging look at the plans and hopes for the effects of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant. (via the Commercial Appeal)

James Overstreet: Sings of serious problems yet to blossom in the housing and credit-card debt sectors. (via the Commercial Appeal)

George E. Hardin: The need for straight journalism in a world of advocacy journalism. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Rev Dr Wendell Anthony: What America’s urban centers need are jobs, jobs, jobs. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Brittany Jackson: Advice on choosing a college major. (via the Tri-State Defender)

John Branston: A wish-list of game-changers for Memphis. (via the Flyer)

Memphis News: Some suggestions to help improve Mud Island.

Commercial Appeal: They support civilian trials for the 9/11 suspects and hope for the best. Strong, onerous laws and a heavy police presence are good for social order in economically and politically important areas. Farewell, Tommy West. If the people of Collierville are willing to pay for it, what’s the problem? Placing tough burdens and heavy expectations on teachers. Noting the Federal deficit. Noting the correlation between Section 8 housing vouchers and increased crime in some apartment complexes and … that’s it.

Wendi C. Thomas: Meritan, formerly Senior Services, struggles to meet the growing needs of our growing elderly population. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Chris Peck: The man who reports all the bad news reminds you to look for the simple, good, gifts. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Steve Basar: Three suggested priorities and a plan for Mayor A C Wharton as he moves Memphis forward. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Peter Nelson: The Mid-South’s agricultural history can be harnessed to the new “bioeconomy” for our profit. (via the Commercial Appeal)