The Wharton Administration: The Mayor’s Office has opened a pothole hotline; related WREG story. If major cutbacks are needed, the City is preparing to cut 500 jobs, or 7% of the total number of employees. Wharton says the budget has “a long way to go”. He also wants $4 million from State tax revenues for work on and around the Pyramid. Long lines at auto inspection stations have drivers angry.

Memphis Animal Shelter: The shelter’s Advisory Board is looking forward to new shelter director Matthew Pepper.

Raleigh United Methodist Church: A job fair earlier this week drew hundreds looking for job leads.

Zippin Pippin: Selling the ride to Green Bay may prove difficult as three different groups are now claiming ownership.

BlueCross / BlueShield: The number of people who have been sent potential ID theft notices has more than doubled to 500,000.

Downtown: The Center City Development Corporation is expanding the parameters of its office incentive program.

WREG: If you can’t get their signal through your converter box, they are doing maintenance work and you may need to rescan.

Cohen v. Herenton Fox13 looks at the Ninth Congressional District race through the lens of their Memphis in Black & White series.

Tennessee: January tax revenues were down $16 million below lowered expectations; $152 million short of projections for the six months so far; more from the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Two new games have sent TN Lottery sales surging. Seventeen have applied for the vacancy in the Judicial Nominating Commission. TennCare and Medicaid patients are fighting back against cuts to those programs.

Business: The business climate in Cooper-Young is especially hard hit.

People in Business, from the CA.

Airlines: Pinnacle Airlines’ two subsidiaries are in different financial situations. AirTran Airways is starting new, non-stop service between Tunica and Atlanta; more from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG, the Commercial Appeal.

MLG&W: A $5 million Federal stimulus grant will help pay Memphians to learn to be more energy efficient.

Memphis Fire Department: Eyewitness News continues to investigate them and learns of problems in the evidence room.

Beale Street Landing: About $2 million dollars is needed from the City of Memphis just to keep construction going, says Benny Lendermon with Riverfront Development Corporation.

Commercial Appeal: Another co-op initiative between the state’s three major newspapers — Memphis Commercial Appeal, Nashville Tennessean and Knoxville’s News-Sentinel — as they will share a single Twitter account for disseminating news.

Mid-South Therapy Dogs: This volunteer organisation trains dogs and their owners to visit rehab wards and hospitals, to bring some companionship and fun to patients.

Mississippi: A proposed ban on toy lighters is moving in the State House. The State Senate has approved a one-year pay cut for legislators. Both houses killed a bill to shrink the size of the Legislature. A road maintenance advocacy group says the state could lose billions if Congress doesn’t provide funding. Mississippi’s versions of the “gun carry in parks” and “gun carry in restaurants” bills moves through the House. More on the (unnamed?) pipe plant set to open soon, and bring hundreds of jobs. A voter ID initiative has enough signatures to, if approved, get on the November ballot.

University of Memphis: The BRIDGES program matches student-mentors to school kids in three states for the PeaceJam conference.

Fayette County: The Board of Education is under time constraints in finding a new superintendent for schools. The City of Oakland is seeking to “intervene” as a defendant in its own lawsuit over the mayoral election. (via the Oakland News)

Anti-Islamic Incident: A mosque in Nashville was sprayed with anti-Muslim grafitti Wednesday.

Real Estate: The Federal Housing Administration saw a rise in the percentage of their insured loans that defaulted in December. The Commercial Appeal looks at the new Courtyard by Marriot downtown, the first new hotel there since 2007.

Arkansas: With the deep freeze over melted snow and ice, patchy ice on roads is the State’s biggest problem. A Joint Budget Committee is working to pass dozens of appropriation bills after the forced snow recess. Both parties in non-married couples adoption ban are asking the judge for summary judgment.

NEW: Main Street Journal January 2010 Issue: Editor and publisher Jonathan Lindberg looks at the game-changing nature of Sheriff Mark Luttrell’s mayoral run.

Timely in light of Monday’s State budget presentation, senior writer Michael Roy Hollihan looks at the perfect storm of real crisis that could be forming in our State’s higher education funding.

Shelby County Commission: A vote on a contract to provide jail medical services was delayed when a competitor said they would be cheaper. They vote unanimously to demand gubernatorial candidates sign a pledge to send money to The MED. They also decided to pay a settlement in a case of rape and assault in the County jail.

Collierville: The town celebrates its 140th anniversary next week! (via the Collierville Independent) Contracts were approved for two veterinarians at the Animal Shelter.

MCS & MED Funding Discussion: A carefully crafted meeting of City Councilman Shea Flinn and County Commisisoner Deidre Malone and other high level leaders was able to avoid violating Sunshine Laws and discuss funding behind closed doors. City Council learns The MED actually needs $59 million ASAP.

The Council is also considering giving $700,000 to the Urban Arts Commission, for public sculpture and murals.

Shelby County Races: Former Memphis Police Director James Bolden wants to enter the race, but he’s missed an important deadline in the sheriff’s race. The field of candidates in the various other primary races still haven’t formed up. Commission candidate Justin Ford gives away $3000 in free gas to drum up attention.

2-1-1 Community Resource Expo: Hundreds of exhibitors are expected today at the community service, information and referral expo.

Wolf River Greenway: WMC reports from the groundbreaking. More from the Commercial Appeal.

FedEx Forum: A delay in last night’s game when a car in the parking garage burst a water main and forced an evacuation. More from WMC, WREG, the CA.

Politics: More bills being introduced in the State Legislature: Allowing the names of adolescent sex offenders to be made public. Banning “Girls Gone Wild” ads. Requiring ignition interlocks for convicted drunk drivers. No alcohol sales from midnight to 8 AM; more on this bill in the Commercial Appeal.

The move to put some teeth in the Copeland Cap fails in a Senate committee.

TN Democratic Party chairman Chip Forrester predicts a bloody Republican primary fight in the Sixth Congressional District will benefit their Democratic candidate … except there isn’t one! Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Wamp continues to line up country musician support. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Kyle is stressing education.

The lonely, lonely fight of tax reform advocates in the current Legislature.

Rebuild Government: Tom Guleff, candidate for Shelby County mayor, is asking Rebuild Government executive director Brian Stephens to step down from his position on the Shelby County Election Commission while he’s involved with the “new government for Shelby County” group. Guleff also heads a “no consolidation” group (Facebook page) and website. Rebuild Government website here.

A related Commercial Appeal story.

Porter-Leath: They received a $5,000 donation from Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.

Industrial Development Board: They granted more time to two companies to pay their taxes: Knox St. Clair Millwork Distributors Incorporated and Memphis Biofuels.

West Tennessee: A State Gazette report on the second wave of snow this week in northwest TN. Via, NWTN Today, reports on Obion County’s snow storm.

Harold Ford Jr: Ford’s religion-heavy messages in the 2006 Senate race are now fodder for incredulity in New York. Has Ford ever filed a New York tax return?

Memphis Police Department: The City is exploring streamlining the department for potential budget savings.

DeSoto County: Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson made it to Washington DC despite the weather to speak on obesity at the White House. Schools in the County are promoting healthier food choices through their offerings. The Olive Branch Board of Mayor and Aldermen is still not eager to finish a two-year old annexation fight. Republican First Congressional District candidate Angela McGlowan will campaign in Hernando Friday. Memphis Mayor A C Wharton will give the keynote speech at the March Hernando Chamber of Commerce Luncheon.

Survey Says: According to public health groups, people prefer a new $1/pack cigarette tax over the alternatives.

Air Traffic Mike’s: He’s surrounded with snow, so naturally his thoughts turn to fishing.

La Vie Quotidienne: An update on Sylvie as she grows.

Listwork: Things she had that day.

Running With Dice: Some snow day and family pics.

sharp stick in the eye: Some thoughts on reading and a few books she’s read lately.

Shaun Fossett: He clues you in on some of the public databases available for you to use.

Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease: She gets walloped with flu and other maladies.

Bring me penguin dust: A bit of provocative poetry for your Thursday. Also, meet her blog’s biggest fan and learn what men talk about when UFC is on. (Mild language alert.)

Can’t Stop: How to handle running in cold weather.

Memphis Cobblestones: Let’s be strategic about the riverfront.

Left Wing Cracker: He lists all the endorsements Commissioner Steve Mulroy has picked up.

Fertile Ground: Free cookies at Schnucks.

artbutcher: He heads off to Chicago. (Mild language alert.)

Commercial Appeal: Suburban mayors should work with the people who want to displace them? The blending of funding solutions for The MED and the city schools could be a swamp of unintended consequences.

William W. Hatcher: Why participating in the Census is easy and important. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: She praises the work of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: Guys just like the woods. (via the Commercial Appeal)