The Wharton Administration: The Daily News talks with Kerry Hayes, the mayor’s research and innovation specialist. His what?

Metro Charter Commission: The commission’s first meeting is today and a electing a chairman the first order of business.

Shelby County District Attorney: The office is changing the way it handles family and spousal abuse cases so that one prosecutor moves from civil to criminal court with the victims.

Nursing Homes: More than half of Shelby County’s federally-funded nursing homes have received very bad inspection scores for a wide range of problems.

Memphis Zoo: Beginning January 1, they will raise their admission fees by $2.

Mississippi: The State’s Department of Health is offering free swine flu vaccines to the uninsured and under-insured.

Northeast Shelby Republican Club Dinner: The four leading Republican candidates for governor — Bill Gibbons, Bill Haslam, Ron Ramsay and Zach Wamp — will attend the 2009 Pasta and Politics fundraiser on November 13. (PDF document) Website here.

Rats! WMC looks at the city’s rodent control program and finds almost no financial accounting or budget! City Councilman Jim Strickland and Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter are forming a task force with the Health Department to study the problem.

Historic Broad Avenue Business Association: They are trying to build support for an interactive art museum they call The Junkyard Museum, to maintain the redevelopment momentum in that part of town.

University of Memphis: Tommy West is out as head coach of the Tigers. He’s very upset. More from the Flyer, Fox13, WMC, Eyewitness News, WREG, the Daily News, the CA. Reactions from Fox13, Eyewitness News. The sports facilities are part of the perceived problem.

The school has banned all parties by fraternities. More on the suspension from WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Wright Medical Group: The FDA has approved sale of their Conserve Plus Total Hip Resurfacing System.

Business: GTx’s 3Q revenues dropped slightly; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

What To Do and People in Business, from the Commercial Appeal.

FedEx: FedEx Express (FedExEx? FedEx2?) is boosting its hybrid fleet of vehicles by 51. The CA.

Airlines: Delta Air Line’s on-time percentage was up in September; Pinnacle’s was down. The Commercial Appeal also reports.

RedRover: The company has added Lynda Hobbs as a marketing specialist.

H1N1 Virus: The Health Department is expanding the groups who qualify for the swine flu vaccine. More in the Daily News.

Unemployment: Tennessee’s unemployment rate is now 10.5%.

Memphis Charter Schools: The school board received a record 18 applications for new charter schools… and rejected them all. Revised applications are due December 8. There is a proposal before the school board to withold welfare benefits from parents of very absentee school children.

Memphis Animal Shelter: Eyewitness News uncovers records showing that Memphis City officials were well aware of MAS problems for months.

Spc Frederick Greene: One of the thirteen fatalities in the Fort Hood rampage was a Tennessean, from Mountain City. More here and here. Fort Hood official website.
 

Walker + Assoicates: Longtime bookkeeper Brenda Slayton has been indicted for embezzling $60,000, but the actual amount suspected is much higher.

DeSoto County: The Hernando fire and police departments are being investigated for alleged steroid use by members; two are suspended. The City of Walls wants to raise sewer rates. On the day of the Great American Smokeout later this month, sandwiches will be traded for cigarette packs.

Politics: State Senator Jim Kyle has stepped down as the head of the Shelby County Legislative Delegation; more from Fox13. A look at Lt Gov. Ron Ramsey’s RAAMPAC, and how it builds friends and power. More on the brewing clash between the TN Republican Party and TN Right to Life; more from the AP, via the CA.

US Senator Bob Corker comments on the House health care reform bill and progress in the Senate.

The TN State Employees Association tells Governor Phil Bredesen to look elsewhere for more budget cuts. They offer some alternatives to the governor. An attorney is asking the Legislature to remove the ban on pardoned felons owning handguns.

Arkansas: Governor Mike Beebe is initiating a workforce education program involving career coaches in high schools. The town of Jericho, which has been destroyed by civic, police and governmental problems, may be losing its charter!

Tennessee: The Sundance Film Festival is expanding to eight more cities, one of which is Nashville. Sundance site here. Governor Phil Bredesen’s working group on education reform is focusing on boosting the role of community colleges and tying money to performance.

Survey Says: Holiday hiring is off to a slow start. Average gasoline prices dropped two cents last week.

Real Estate: Fox13’s Ernie Freeman reports on Darly Moore who is accused of long-running scams and selling real estate without a license. A mix of legislative good news and an uptick in home sales may signal good news in Shelby County.

Calvary & the Arts: The lunch-time series of diverse musical concerts continues through early December.
 
 

Opera Memphis: National Opera Week is coming up and they are presenting “Offering: An Evening of Song” as part of the celebration. Opera Memphis website.

Doug Johnson at Work: Lamenting the reporting in Memphis (sports) news. And some thoughts on the Tigers and Tommy West.

Fertile Ground: The Overton Park Hayride.

Commercial Appeal: Well, at least there’s the Memphis Lady Tigers. Plugging Democratic health care reform.

A C Wharton: The City mayor asks all Shelby Countians to support his Metro Charter Commission. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commontaries: Thoughts on separating the wheat from the tares.

Bring me penguin dust: Tara relates her relationship history and it’s pretty fascinating reading. Being like the cool kids.

Bless the Printing Press: Some thoughts after getting his Verizon Droid.

Bigger Than Your Head: Wine of the week. He recommendations 12 white wines for you, all under $20!

16 Balls in the Air: It worked before ….

ForkBombr: iPhone v. Droid and the staying power of iPhone apps.

Friends for Our Riverfront: A mysterious mass fish die-off in the Wolf River Harbor downtown.

Whitebread on Patrol: And then he was angry.

Smart City Memphis: An argument that the Downtown has become an unfunded mandate of the Center City Commission.

The Ominous Comma: A complete and utter loss of motivation.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Thoughts on parents who don’t want their kids wearing camoflauge patterns. A list of restaurants giving Veterans Day discounts.

Reginald Milton’s - A Fresh Look: Thoughts on “One Memphis” after a Steve Mulroy fundraiser.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Need something to do this Saturday? How about helping clean up the Pyramid parking lot?

MemphisConnect: An interview with the folks behind Memphis’ first gastropub — South of Beale. Confronting stereotypes and asking, “How are you helping to make Memphis safer?”

Just A Girl in the World: She continues to adjust to her new apartment.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: A report from the candlelight vigil for the Memphis Animal Shelter. When reading is a commitment. She analyses her stroke.

Jen-sized: Thoughts on the public library experience after some time away.

I Love Memphis: If you missed the last Rock’n'Romp too bad! It was the last for this year.