Memphis Animal Shelter: WREG uncovers emails going back to 2008 showing shelter administrators were well aware of ongoing problems. And more on the botched adoption of Beale the dog.

Unemployment: The unemployment rate for African-American Tennessee men is 28%!

Mississippi: The Tunica Animal Shelter is seeking foster homes during the cold snap for some animals being kept outdoors. Icy conditions are expected Thursday morning. The State’s unemployment trust fund, which pays for 2-year college training, was adjusted to keep business taxes in line. The State Legislature approved $15 million in bonds to help the planned Wilhelm Schulz GMBH plant; more in the Daily News. State Senator Alan Nunnelee will run for the Congressional 1st District seat now held by Travis Childers.

Politics: Former Tennessean Harold Ford Jr is likely to run for the Senate again … this time in New York. More in the Commercial Appeal and the Flyer.

The Flyer’s Jackson Baker reports on the public forum between Mark White and John Andreuccetti, the Republican and independent candidates; Guthrie Castle, the Democrat, was a last-minute no-show; a report from the Commercial Appeal. US Rep. Steve Cohen is happy to insert politics and Congress into questions of science and public safety.

State House Majority Leader Jason Mumpower will run again for House Speaker next year.

Former state Rep. Phillip Pinion is likely to join the Democrats contending for the 8th Congressional District seat being left open by John Tanner.

MLG&W: Utilities theft was up $3 million in 2009, versus 2008.

West Tennessee: Under pressure form the ACLU, Wilson County schools will stop handing out Bibles.

The Traffic Club of Memphis: The trucking industry trade association will have Tommy Hodges of the American Trucking Association speak at its first monthly meeting next week.

Arkansas: The State now has a “universal application” for its colleges and universities. Republican Jim Holt, who ran for the Senate unsuccessfully in 2004 will run again.

Previously Posted: More on cheaper utlility bills for Entergy customers in North MS. More on the progress of the new construction planned for Overton Square.

2010 Census: Privacy and safety are the two primary concerns of the Census Bureau. Hundreds of census jobs in North MS are available.

Shelby County: The EPA has certified that Memphis air meets Federal clean-air standards. The County Commission will interview eleven candidates for the District 4 seat, and four others to fill Larry Turner’s State House District 85 seat today. The Daily News profiles the local attorneys, Webb Brewer and Steve Barlow, who will head up the suit against Wells Fargo on mortgage lending.

MATA: Bus breakdowns are stranding riders and making them late for work.

Mid-South Peace and Justice Center: They are holding their fundraiser banquet on January 15.

The Wharton Administration: More on Mayor A C Wharton’s financial plan for Memphis. (With link to PDF file) And the Commercial Appeal also files a report.

Nursing: A District judge has denied class-action status to two Memphis nurses in a suit against Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and Baptist Memorial Hospital and others in a wage-suppression case.

Bartlett: All seven candidates for the Division 2 municipal judgeship were interviewed Tuesday.

DeSoto County: Gary Boisseau was hired as Wall’s new Chief of Police. Southaven will begin levying a 1% tax on restaurant bills. Curbside recycling comes to Hernando beginning in March. The City of Horn Lake gave out awards to its Fire and EMS personnel.

Business: The Small Business Scorecard shows 2009 was, locally, mixed but hopeful.

What to Do and People in Business, from the Commercial Appeal. Also, People in Business from the Daily News.

Comcast: Expect your local bill to increase, less than 2%.

Memphis City Schools: Superintendent Dr Kriner Cash is still campaigning for a separate police force for the City schools.

Real Estate: While home sales were up, pending sales “plummeted”; more in the Daily News. Memphis-area home sales were up 8.1% in November. The local construction industry lost 1900 jobs in the past year. The former Crawford, Smith & Sharp are now under new ownership and are now Sharp & Robbins Construction LLC.

Church Health Center: They will rebrand their former Hope & Healing into the Church Health Center Wellness, with an open house later in the month.

Tennessee: A TennCare worker has been caught allegedly using her work computer to falsely influence a child custody case — her own! State Comptroller Justin Wilson is crafting new debt guideline policies for municipalities and Counties, regarding variable rate loans and interest-rate swap agreements. The State Attorney General is suing a Columbian cigarette manufacturer. Governor Phil Bredesen was in Memphis yesterday to stump for his education reform plan.

Survey Says: Factory orders rose 1.1% in November.

Cwabs! The hot water drain valve adventure.

Bigger Than Your Head: The wine of the week.

A View From the Middle: A helpful pointer to the latest, locally produced, episode of the entertainment podcast, “Entertainment Overload” from Markus.

AlphaPatriot: Someone tell Al Gore to duck! Bad news in the municipal bond market?

55-40 Memphis: Questions about Paul Ryburn’s blog.

Commercial Appeal: Willie Mitchell’s death leaves two voids. The FedEx expansion and the new German manufacturing plant are signs of economic optimism locally.

Geoff Calkins: Wouldn’t it be nice if certain public people said…. (via the Commercial Appeal)

MemphisConnect: An interview with Memphis artist Michelle Duckworth. LeBonheur launches two new blogs for parents. MPACT’s January events.

From the Rainbows: Where even the nice lady almost falls out of her chair during negotiations over the costs of MRIs and MRAs and then they shop around for a better medical price.

I Love Memphis: Lunch at Soul Fish Cafe. It’s this cold out there.

Jen-sized: Her first book post of 2010 is on the literary sexiness of current and previous generation male authors. (Their work, of course, not them!)

Left Wing Cracker: Steve has some terrible, tragic news about his partner, Lauren. Our condolences….

Mediaverse: Richard does some parsing of the Mayor’s financial proposal to the City Council.