The Main Street Journal Website

News - - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Memphis City Council: Council effort to bypass previous voter referenda on residency fails, 7-4. Downtown anti-panhandling and single-beer sales ordinances pass first reading; more from Eyewitness News, WMC. They also approved payroll deductions for donations to the Regional Medical Center.


Memphis Police Department: The City will appeal the judge’s ruling on the promotion of 28 sergeants to lieutenant.


The Gold Club: While their expansion may have been legal, it’s still deeply concerning to neighbors.


Fairgrounds: Demolition and removal of old buildings will ultimately allow 2200 additional parking spaces. More from the Daily News. Two stories on “Tiger Drive” from Fox13: one and two. More on “Tiger Drive”. Reprieve for the Arena Building.


Downtown: The Center City Revenue Finance Corporation approved a construction start extension for an apartment project on Monroe. More from the Daily News. The Center City Commission is seeking a management company for the Front Street Garage.


Bartlett: The 12th Annual Business Expo is this Thursday. Eighty businesses will be exhibiting.


Politics: State Rep. Joe Towns wants to regulate the sale of breast milk. A State senator claims it was sloppy cut’n'paste, but critics think Andy Berke was trying to pull a venture capital fast one. The House took up the “bottle bill” legislation to charge a deposit for soft-drink bottles. Germantown Senator Brian Kelsey has introduced legislation officially defining a State income tax unconstitutional; more in the Commercial Appeal. Democratic legislators want to extend unemployment benefits to military spouses who accompany soldiers to duty stations. Legislation to keep Federal gasoline taxes in the State. A bill to ban campaign donations from foreign corporations gets mired in definitions of “foreign”. Not just marijuana or cocaine would be illegal, but also drugs that mimic their effects?

Republican Eighth Congressional District candidate Stephen Fincher is profiled in Roll Call as an “outsider candidate”.

Former Democratic candidate for governor Ward Cammack is now endorsing Kim McMillan for the job; more here. Republican candidate Zach Wamp is touting military defense as a new jobs industry for the state. In a fundraiser coming up in Nashville, Republican candidate Bill Gibbons has some prominent local Democrats on the dais.

US Senator Bob Corker is catching heat for his blockage of the FAA authorisation bill, which would also serve to make unionising of FedEx easier. Sometimes it seems like any excuse to remind readers of Republican misdeeds.


Mississippi: The State House approved legislation to create 12 charter schools, if requested; more from WREG. A student is asking for a Federal injunction to stop paddling in the schools. A bill to allow early inmate release is dead. More on the Voter ID bill.


Germantown: March 27 is Pancake Day, hosted by the Germantown Kiwanis Club. A report from the recent forum of the Citizen Safety Coalition’s Forum on Crime. The Fire Department accepted a private grant of $11,500 for supplies and training. (stories via the Germantown News) Despite the housing market’s collapse, the 2010 Vesta Designer Home Showcase will go on.


Crime & Corrections: Inmates nearing their prison release will now be tested for job skills. Also, State executions will now happen at 10PM rather than 1AM. New, tighter, security measures for the visitation center at the Penal Farm; an example of why the change is needed. The “hot ZIP codes” for burglary in February.


Real Estate: Commercial real estate loans are looking to be the next banking industry meltdown. W. Reid Sanders is joining the board of directors of Mid-American Apartment Communities.


Shelby County Government: One-fifth of County employees become eligible for retirement on September 1 and many are expected to take the offer.


2010 Census: Memphis Latinos worry about deportation if they participate.


DeSoto County: The Health & Wellness Center, for the County’s uninsured, has re-opened. Former Republican Gail Giaramita has announced a run for the First Congressional District seat as the Constitution Party candidate. Olive Branch completes their three jewels of civic construction with the opening of their new Courthouse. Hernando prepares for the April 1 rollout of their new curbside recycling program.


Oakland: The officer who claimed a “miracle badge” stopped a deadly bullet, Joshua Smith, “left the department’s payroll” last month.


NEW! Main Street Journal March 2010 Issue: The new issue is out and the Table of Contents is here.
 
 
 


NEW! Main Street Journal: Senior writer Michael Roy Hollihan interviews County Commission candidate Chris Thomas in the first of an ongoing series on various County candidates.


State Rep. Mark White: He announces he’s running for re-election to the State House.
 


Tire Redemption Program: It was suspended Tuesday, due to rain. More from Eyewitness News. 14,000 tires were collected on Monday!


St Jude Children’s Research Hospital: A survey has ranked them the most trusted charity.


Memphis City Schools: After 1800 loaned computers disappeared, a school program intended to improve ACT scores is being phased out. A new bus contract is nearing completion and may go to a new company, Durham School Services. School officials are still hopeful they’ll receive money from the City by the next school year. Superintendent Kriner Cash warns of “major, major restructuring” and layoffs.

In Nashville, unions for custodians and bus drivers are furiously criticising cuts in the school budget.


The Wharton Administration: More positive reports of Mayor A C Wharton’s friendship visit to DeSoto County.
 


Memphis Auto Inspection Stations: The lines are shorter now, but the City Council now wants to limit inspections to auto-emissions only. More from Fox13, Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG.


Small Business Owners Summit: John Roebuck of Roebuck Auctions wants to band business owners together to get some attention from Washington.


University of Memphis: Beginning in the Fall semester, the school will nearly double its online offerings.


Business: The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is auditing hundreds of businesses over illegal workers, including many in TN.

Kroger posted strong Q4 numbers.

A business profile of St Blues Guitar Workshop, from the Commercial Appeal.

People in Business and What to Do, from the CA. And from the Daily News, People in Business.


Wright Medical Group: There will be no enforcement actions from the SEC, and they’ve dropped their investigation of the company’s overseas sales practices. Further reporting from the Daily News.


Mid-South Aviation School: This West Memphis school will create an aviation mechanics training program with assistance from FedEx Express.


BBQ Sandwich: The Bar-B-Cue Pit in Southaven is claiming the world’s largest BBQ sandwich and you’ll only need $24.95 to see it! Someone call Man Vs Food!


Tennessee: Once again, State revenues lagged projections, by $47 million in February. More reports from the Nashville City Paper, the Tennessean, the Knoxville News-Sentinel. This is the 21st consecutive month it’s happened. The Secretary of State’s office now has a newsletter. A study from the Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability suggest small, transient gains for pre-K and first grade students from early education intervention; positively reported version from the Commercial Appeal. The TN Emergency Management Agency will be conducting disaster drills this week. The number of DUI deaths in the state has gone down. State’s rural intercity bus program to get $3.1 million in Federal development funds.


Air Traffic: Delta Air Lines is regaining customer share from AirTran. Pinnacle Airline’s January on-time ranking dropped to the bottom of the barrel; related story here.


Financial: Two former investors have won in arbitration a total of $3.6 million. Mixed news on the accounting/financial hiring front for 2010.


High-Speed Internet: Mayor Wharton announces Memphis will compete for the Google Fiber project. Some of the experiences and problems of a Google-provided ultra-high speed fiber internet service. More from Fox13.


Visible School: The Daily News profiles the Christian music academy.
 



Picture of the Day

Another downtown view of the Mississippi on a bright, early Spring day, from The Adventures of Pete Big Bear by John Stephany. © 2010. Used with permission.


Opinion and Blogs

Bigger Than Your Head: The Asti, Italy, wine trip for the “Barbera Meeting 2010″ continues, with Day Two, wood and local notoriety, and Day Three.
 


Jerm’s Baby blog: An update on Piper’s growth and the trip to Hawai’i.


Gilmour Girl Goes Memphis: How do you replace training partners like these?


From the Rainbows: Birthday party!


Fertile Ground: Photos from the first Broad Avenue bike ride of the year. Legos and the internet, in the hands of a seven year old.


Bring me penguin dust: Conversations with little girls.


Backbeat Memphis: Memphis coupons.


AlphaPatriot: Shelby County “saved or created” 346 jobs with ARRA money, for an average $1.3 million each!


The Soundcheck and The Fury: On his writing habits and his office.


Mediaverse: Millington makes the pages of The Economist … and not in the good way.


Life is Awesome: A report from LaunchMemphis.


Left Wing Cracker: His Lab, Silky, has passed away.


Commercial Appeal: Mayor Wharton’s DeSoto trip will create new opportunities. No place for racist humor.


Steve Lockwood: Empty homes and buildings call for an aggressive, streamlined approach from the City in dealing with them. (via the Commercial Appeal)


Tennessean: The State’s laws on wine sales in grocery stores areanti-competitive and should be changed.


DeSoto Times Tribune: They’re glad to see Memphis Mayor A C Wharton extend his hand to DeSoto County.