Chinese New Year: The Year of the Tiger was ushered in over the weekend.

Lent: For Catholics observing the holiday, and those who just love fish, Memphis blogger Jen-sized has a list of Lenten fish fries to help you out.

Memphis City Schools: They filed a second lawsuit against the City, demanding pay of $50 million. More from Fox13.

MCS administrators are already sending up warning signals about student test results later this year. Superintendent Kriner Cash held his annual Demand Parent Summit on Saturday.

Shelby County Commission: At today’s meeting, they take the first of three needed votes on the new, more restrictive adult business ordinance. Meeting agenda here. More in the Commercial Appeal.

Panhandling Downtown: More from Fox13.

Tennessee: An electronic error sent the Social Security numbers of 3900 TennCare reciptients to the wrong address; more in the Commercial Appeal. New Federal gun carry law in national parks goes into effect today. Today kicks off Severe Weather Awareness Week. Even if the economic recovery comes this Summer, Tennessee’s budgets will be depressed for several more years; most states will be in a similar position. Via the Knoxville News-Sentinel, some more statewide news. Even after education reforms, students are still having trouble transferring credits.

Politics: Former State Senator John Ford, serving twenty years in prison, is in Memphis now apparently to testify in a bribery trial. More from WMC, WREG.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Zach Wamp calls the primary a “two man race” and prayer an “equaliser”. An overview & biography of Wamp, also listing his positions on major issues, via Reformed Conservative. Speaker of the House Kent Williams hints he might support Wamp. Democratic candidate Kim McMillan did some lunch campaigning in Knoxville and stood for open records at Maryville College. Can gubernatorial who spend so much time on the road campaigning still do their elected jobs? Also, the advantages elected officials enjoy during session, while they cannot fundraise.

The TN Republican Party’s chief of staff, John Newman, is being criticised for also running for political office. The State House is having difficulty disbanding committees. The Legislature is considering moving official State notices to the internet, instead of newspapers. Also, requiring grocers and restaurants to label where the catfish they serve came from.

University of Memphis: A study at the university suggests that some dietary supplements may balance overeating. Facebook, Twitter and other social media are a big part of marketing the school these days. The Assisi Foundation is making a five year, $2.5 million grant to the university’s new School of Public Health.

Shelby County Trustee: As the property tax deadline nears, they are setting up satellite payment centers in libraries and community centers around the community.

Memphis Port Commission: After more than a quarter-century of service, executive director Don McCrory is retiring this Summer.

ArtsMemphis: Seven local arts organisations will share $250,000 in grants.

Arkansas: She’s 26 years old and black, and she wants to be be the First Congressional District Representative! The Legislature should decide this week on the award amounts for lottery scholarships.

Financial: According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 11.3% of TN residential mortgages are delinquent. The Daily News takes a look at Independent Bank. And, they have an in-depth, comprehensive overview of the community banking sector in Memphis.

St Agnes Academy-St Dominic School: They have filed a new building permit to continue the expansion and renovation of their campus.

Liberty Bowl: Disturbing news that more than 20% of parking spaces around the stadium have disappeared under various circumstances.

Mississippi: The State will stop reimbursing some three dozen counties to house State inmates. Governor Haley Barbour is now threatening to veto a budget bill undoing nearly $80 million in cuts. (via the DeSoto Times Tribune) The Legislature is considering a bill to add “abstinence-plus” sex education to schools. Governor Barbour hasn’t ruled out a presidential run in 2012.

Mississippi Outdoors — the hunting, fishing and wildlife news — from the Commercial Appeal.

NEW: Main Street Journal: Shelby County School Board President David Pickler warns of The Washington Agenda for Shelby County Schools.
 

School Menus: The school menus for Memphis City schools and Shelby County schools.

Funding The MED: State elected leaders come around to understanding that the hospital has serious needs. More on their visit last week. WMC’s Andy Wise found some money.

The Wharton Administration: The day after local press reports of citizen anger at auto inspection stations, Mayor A C Wharton reacts by opening more lanes and extending hours; more from Fox13, WMC. And the mayor says he’ll pay veterinarian bills for a dog shot by police, after the City Attorney declined; more from Eyewitness News, WMC. The Commercial Appeal reports on a City investigation into their flat-tire changing company.

Second Amendment: The Commercial Appeal prints an article on handgun carry permits that undercuts all their dire warnings of the past two years.

Memphis Animal Shelter: The incoming director will address the high rate of dog shootings by the Memphis Police.
 

Consolidation: In order to avoid another likely electoral defeat, proponents of the new Metro Charter Commission have announced that only one county-wide vote will be necessary, not two separate ones.

Germantown: The Great Hall Task Force has submitted their report.

LaunchMemphis: They showed their calendar for 2010 and promised a “breakout year”.

DeSoto County: The same study that found Shelby County the 57th healthiest in TN also found DeSoto County the healthiest in MS! Local community groups honored the Board of Supervisors for establishing the Greenways. (both via the DeSoto Times Tribune) The Olive Branch Police Department spend the weekend moving into new headquarters. A learning program developed in DeSoto, WatchKnow.org, is now being used around the world. When Olive Branch used some old church pews in their new municipal court building, they thought it would be a cost-saving measure.

In neighboring Marshall County (Holly Springs, Byhalia) a new flood plain map was debuted, which will determine zoning, construction and insurance in the area.

Memphis Police Department: The Daily News has some remarks he made at a Citizen Safety Coalition event.
 

West Tennessee: In Madison County (Jackson), the Jackson Sun’s Nicholas Beadle with primary race discussion here and here. The Dyer County Special Olympics are set for March 5 and the 2010 Great American Cleanup is May 1. (stories via the Dyersburg State Gazette) Covington is already coming together to replace the community park that burned down last week.

Tennessee State Fair: A Cordova-based company, Universal Fairs, has submitted a proposal to run the fair privately. Background here.

Business: James Bullard, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, says the economic recovery is on track for the Mid-South. Wright Medical reports a 4Q profit.

The Daily News has a business profile of Service Assurance, a computer consulting firm. A business profile of Memphis Plywood Corp., from the Commercial Appeal. And, another business profile of the Landmark Community Bank, also from the CA. And then another business profile of Esthetiques Skin Spa, also from the CA.

From the Commercial Appeal this weekend: Done Deals; What to Do for Saturday, Sunday and Monday; People in Business for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The Small Business Advocate reminds businesses that blogging is a great way to share company information with customers.

Delta Air Lines: They are adding service to two new cities, and resuming service in another. More in the Daily News.

Harold Ford Jr: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, once a Blue Dog Democrat, is now a “public option hero” of MoveOn.org. Ford also supports public option, but warns of the Senate reconciliation process.

Real Estate: January’s small good news might not hold up.

Millington: The City is considering a grease dumping ordinance.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Thoughts on the difference between lunch and brunch. The pro-ordinance side of the Downtown debate.

Rustmeister’s Alehouse: Rusty’s back and so is the cigar blogging!

Life is Awesome: Miserable is nothing more than a choice of outlook.

Running with Dice: Do you like photos of infants? Then go hog wild!

Ramblings of the Mad Cow: Your “Cajun in Hell” joke of the day, with bonus timeliness.

Smart City Memphis: Redefining the dysfunctional as normal so that good news becomes the unusual and gets reported? A plea for more happy, positive news stories.

Left Wing Cracker: Steve and his cohorts at the Speak To Power blog will be on the radio this Wednesday morning.

Bring me penguin dust: Things she’s learned on the Weight Watchers program.

Dining With Monkeys: Team Oster head out to Chang’s Bubble Tea for … bubble tea.

Divers and Sundry: In one simple chart, why people watch pirated movies. Criterion films are now on Hulu? Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, here I come!

Just A Girl in the World: She giving up complaining for Lent.

Lang Wiseman: Random Thoughts: Your Thomas Jefferson quote for the day.

Air Traffic Mike’s: Why did he Facebook friend him? (mild language alert)

Buck Daddy’s Blog: A silver lining in the cloud of a new job schedule.

Confessions of a West Tennessee Liberal: Brad calmly points out that panhandling is already illegal in Memphis.

Bigger Than Your Head: A well-intended auction mistake yields a happy surprise.

16 Balls in the Air: They still have mother-son cotillions?

Commercial Appeal: While they only focus on the Downtown, all sidewalks in the city could use some tending. Or there’s Plan C, where the City privatises auto inspections. The two proposed ordinances on “aggressive panhandling” and alcohol sales Downtown are “reasonable starts”. Praising MS for not cutting education assistance. Was the Federal stimulus spending a help or hindrance?

Jerome Wright: A look at the supporters and opponents of the proposed Downtown restrictions on panhandling and single-beer sales. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Otis L. Sanford: Anything but Colonel Reb for the Old Miss mascot. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Chris Peck: He offers advice to the new Memphis Symphony Orchestra director, Mei-Ann Chen. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: She talks about a writers group for the homeless. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Memphis News: The time for sustained financial reform is now.

at home she feels like a tourist: Thoughts on Willie Herenton and his website.