City of Memphis: The City is dipping into reserves to buy more salt and sand for ice and snow storms yet to come this season. The City Council passed a stiffer “false alarm” law. In association with MLG&W, the City is awarding energy efficiency grants to homeowners.

Downtown: The owner of the City Market Groceries & Deli, Hamida Pirani Mandani, concept hopes to open a small market and deli with the help of a Center City Commission retail forgivable loan. More on the proposed alcohol sales and panhandling ordinance.

Family Dollar: The family of a man who died while being held by a store manager for accused shoplifting has filed suit for $100 million.

HopeWorks: At their breakfast fundraiser on February 20, the guest speaker will be Sean Tuohy, a subject of the movie The Blind Side.
 

Red Light Traffic Cameras: In the last six weeks of 2009, RLTCs in Farragut (west of Knoxville) generated $193,000 in citation revenue. Over 7000 incidents were recorded; 500 were dismissed for “technical issues”.

Juvenile Court: County budget cuts might mean only violent offenders will be held in the detention center.

Security: Ten ways to make Memphis and Shelby County safer. WREG has a report on the online sale of security force patches that anyone can buy. A public forum was held last night to encourage legislators to toughen gun crime laws. Maurise McCraw, the Jobs Lady, works the Criminal Justice Center, offering jobs to felons, to keep them off the streets.

County Sheriff’s Race: Four of the candidates running aren’t eligible for the job.

West Clinic: They have joined the Cancer Clinics of Excellence.

Zippin Pippin: A partial collapse on Thursday doesn’t appear to be stopping the sale to Green Bay.

Mississippi: A snowstorm is expected to hit Jackson Friday, so legislators are rushing to beat the deadline and get out of town. Mississippi’s new meth law means producers will just move to neighboring states, like TN. The “prescription for cold medicines” bill becomes law, from Eyewitness News, including Governor Barbour’s statement. A new law allowing gun carry in parks and restaurants has passed the Senate; more from Eyewitness News.

The Senate is considering in-state tuition for all students.

Politics: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kim McMillan campaigned at Lambuth University yesterday. Republican Bill Haslam airs the first television ad of the campaign; more from the News-Sentinel and the Commercial Appeal. At a Republican forum, everyone’s gunning for Bill Haslam; more from the CA. Tom Humphrey’s gubernatorial notebook. The number one concern of all the candidates is “jobs, jobs, jobs”, says the Business Journal.

Governor Phil Bredesen challenged legislators to find alternatives to removing the exemptions on cable bill taxes.

More new bills being filed: A new State song? Bottled soft drink tax renewal; more from WMC. DUI interlock devices. The State Senate declines to honor Michael Jackson.

The Flyer’s Jackson Baker with his patented roundup of the local political news. US Rep. Steve Cohen talks about funding The MED and Willie Herenton on WREG’s Live @ 9. County Commissioner Deidre Malone is opening her County mayoral campaign this Saturday.

Tax Season: Some tips to ease the pain of tax filing time, via WREG. Beware of tax preparer scams.

Banking: More and more banks are turning to the strategic non-foreclosure as a regular option. Morgan Keegan was named the nation’s eighth leading bond underwriter. Tennessee ranks only 26th in the nation for residential foreclosures. The Bank of Fayette is turning to shareholders to raise more capital.

Survey Says: A trucking survey, based on fuel purchases, shows the region is stalling. An MTSU survey of Middle Tennesseans shows deep pessimism on the economy. Homeowner bankruptcies are on the rise, though median home prices are beginning to stabilise.

DeSoto County: Holly Springs mayor Andre Deberry wants to work through the Corps of Engineers to build a new $12 lagoon for wastewater treatment. (via The South Reporter) County school superintendent Milton Kuykendall was selected one of CNN’s Intriguing People.

NEW: Main Street Journal January 2010 Issue: Senior writer Michael Roy Hollihan delves into his past to answer What is Harold Ford Jr Up To?

Shelby County Races: The Tri-State Defender looks at competing sheriff candidates Randy Wade and Reginald French.

MCS / MED Funding Swap: The idea is not completely dead yet.

Memphis City Schools: Noting an increase in enrollment in Advanced Placement courses.

Metro Charter Commission: More on the presentation by Jacksonville’s general counsel, Rick Mullaney.
 

Consolidation: The ability of the County Mayor to block any merger of City and County fire departments was upheld in court. Any new City-County charter would negate the carefully worked out annexation plans of the County municipalities!

University of Memphis: Some students, wanting out of classes, are turning to superstition to call in the snow. A philosophy reading group is pondering the philosophical implications of a zombie apocalypse! Eric Sundquist was scheduled to speak yesterday on the struggles of different races and religions during the Civil Rights era.

Streetdog Foundation: This self-funded rescue mission is now is having their first adoption event. Go and see if your new companion is waiting for you.

West Tennessee: The offices of the Dyersburg State Gazette will re-open on March 1. The Dyer County Commission’s Budget Committee will meet this Tuesday. (via the Dyersburg State Gazette)

Business: Smith & Nephew reports strong 4Q revenues; more from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

State and Federal officials are beginning to investigate potential “independent contractor” classification abuses.

What to Do, from the CA.

FedEx Trade Network: They are opening six new international freight forwarding offices. More in the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. In a not-really-related FedEx story, President Barack Obama named FedEx’s Fred Smith as a CEO he admired.

Grizzlies: A recent bump in merchandise sales is attributed to Zach “Z-Bo” Randolph.

Collierville: The City and police department are close to settling a disability discrimination lawsuit.

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.

Tennessee: A judge in Nashville, Gloria Dumas, is dealing with a judicial complaint by … just ignoring it? The Finance and Administration report on January tax revenues. Environmentalists v. shooters over the issue of lead. CoverKids. the State’s insurance program, will re-open enrollment on March 1.

Pyramid: There’s a movement to turn it into a Museum of Contemporary Art for Memphians.

South Memphis Revitalisation: The Land Use Control Board has given their OK to the changes to the Unified Development Code that make it possible.

Black Farmers: A report, from the Tri-State Defender, on the black farmers’ rally for payment of the one-billion dollar settlement for past discrimination.

Millington: The City will use two collection agencies to crack down on unpaid fees and fines.

Mid-South Spay & Neuter Services: This is “Spay and Neuter Month” and feral cats will be fixed for free! The City Council will vote on another spay and neuter ordinance late next month.

Judge D’Army Bailey: The Tri-State Defender interviews him and talks about his new book, The Education of a Black Radical: A Southern Civil Rights Activist’s Journey 1959-1964.

Arkansas: West Memphis police are going after people who illegally park in handicapped parking spaces. Legislators continue to work towards a spending plan.

Porter-Leath: A donation of $6000 from Wachovia Well Fargo Foundation to help fight infant mortality.

Harold Ford Jr: His wife, Emily Threlkeld Ford, wasn’t keen on a Senate run. There is now a “Draft Ford” petition website. And a reminder that Ford’s regular blog is here.

Memphis Matters: Playback was a huge success and they discuss some of the themes that arose.

North Mississippi Commenter: A detailed review of Herbsaint in New Orleans, if y’all get down there some day.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Sports-friends can be a great motivator.

Kip Gordon(dot)com: A progress report on the expansion of Joe’s Liquor on Poplar.

Air Traffic Mike’s: Someone has cabin fever.

Bigger Than Your Head: He reviews 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die only to learn he’s at a surprising 23%!

Boys in the ‘Hood: Back from the shadows and now with 100 percent more blog!

Downtown Memphis Dowload: A brief review of Jersey Boys.

Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: A morning revelation and some new determination lead to pleasing results.

Just A Girl in the World: Mr Risky Business surprises her and makes her go squeeeee!

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Some important information on the proposed alcohol-sales and panhandling restrictions for Downtown.

Steve’s Nude Memphis Blog: Ten things he hates. (Language alert.)

The Tale of a Southern Belle: She’s very excited about hitting her thirties.

Commercial Appeal: Wishing Michelle Obama good luck in her fight against obesity. Stay the course on the Pyramid.

The Flyer: The tea party movement is based on a lot of delusions. (via the Flyer)

John Branston: He offers a primer on handling City finances. (via the Flyer)

John Vergos: The former City Councilman wonders how the Metropolitan Planning Organisation can spend hundreds of millions with such little fuss and notice. (via the Flyer)

The Rant: A very slanted and dyspeptic view of the Tea Party convention. (via the Flyer)

George E. Hardin: Many of Haiti’s modern problems have their roots in outside intervention. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Dr Barbara Reynolds: Coretta Scott King deserves her own, special honor. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Brittany Jackson: You don’t need a valentine to know you are special! (via the Tri-State Defender)

Interim Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford: Our first question should be: “And how are the children?” (via the Tri-State Defender)

State Senator Reginald Tate: He addresses some of the questions on the recent education reforms. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Mabra Holeyfield: While government might govern, nothing gets done without the cooperation of business leaders. (via the Tri-State Defender)