The Wharton Administration: Mayor A C Wharton is using the failure to get Federal funds for bike lanes by the City Engineer’s office as justification for a new “bicycle pedestrian coordinator” office. Wharton tells City employees to “get on board with his programs or get out”.

Memphis City Schools: The New Leaders for New Schools program aims to recruit the best principals to then staff their schools.

Metropolitan Charter Commission: The first of their public forums, explaining the proposed consolidated government, is tonight. Commission website here.

Shelby County Commission: They are backing away from Commissioner Mike Carpenter’s plan to cut back on paid time off for County employees. The Unified Development Code is due for its second reading at the next Commission meeting.

Memphis City Council: Chairman Harold Collins wants citizens to vote on funding City schools, in addition to County funding; more from WMC. More on the wrangling over the City’s employee tuition-reimbursement program. The Council is now asking for audited attendance figures from MCS, and they’re balking.

Girls Incorporated: They received seven new computers from Connected Tennessee and AT&T for a program, Computers 4 Kids, for disadvantaged kids. A bit more from Fox13.

Business: This is the worst summer job market for youth since 1948. Sales of scooters are down right now, but dealers are hopeful. The tourism industry in Memphis is feeling fallout from the Gulf oil spill.

June sales, both month-to-month and year-over-year, increased for Freds’. Bad news for both Family Dollar and Dollar General. Terminix has settled a discrimination lawsuit.

The Commercial Appeal’s People in Business and What to Do. From the Daily News, Today’s Events.

Project Green Fork: They certify local restaurants on recycling, using sustainable packaging, using non-toxic cleaners, etc.

DeSoto County: The County Board of Supervisors is moving to ban “fake pot”. Opposition to the new County jail site is holding firm. The County schools are drafting an “anti-bullying” policy. Another report on the new Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare hospital that might come to Olive Branch.

Jackson, TN: The City Council has approved a mandatory daytime curfew for kids; more from Fox13.

Real Estate: The city’s foreclosure rate was up in May.

Survey Says: While the number of jobs shrank, Shelby County’s average weekly wage grew.

Christ Community Health Services: Federal stimulus funds paid for two dental clinics, but the jobs created are more permanent.

Politics: The Federal Election Commission says the TN Republican Party made numerous reporting and other campaign finance violations several years ago. More from the Commercial Appeal. A press release from the TN Democratic Party dings some Republican State House members for collecting the per diem while playing golf.

Not reported in the media during session, the Legislature passed a law to protect home-owners from unscrupulous contractors. T. O. Fuller State Park golf course gets a one-year repreive.

Mississippi: US Rep. Travis Childers and Federal agriculture officials toured the northern part of the state to listen to farmers and ag-businessmen. A Federal appeals court has refused to stop corporal punishment in Tate County schools.

NEW! Main Street Journal July 2010 Preview: Financial writer and radio news host Chuck Bates profiles the three major Republican nominees for governor of Tennessee.

NEW! Main Street Journal Online Exclusive: Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell, and Republican candidate for Shelby County Mayor, explains what happened at the Latino Memphis forum and his stance on a County-issued ID card.

Preservation: The Land Use Control Board will take up the bid by CVS to buy and then raze the Union Avenue United Methodist Church. The Memphis Heritage folks are prepared. The Commercial Appeal sums up the situation. And, a bit more from Fox13.

Pyramid: Donors who gave to the program to place bricks with the statue of Ramses want to know what will become of their bricks?

Creative Life Bread Basket: This ministry is helping feed disadvantaged kids this Summer, who normally get free school meals.

MPACT: They are using July for a “feedback project” to encourage discussion of a number of issues.

Memphis International Airport: The Departments of Transportation from Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee will jointly release a report, Unlocking Freight, about the need for infrastructure improvements today at the MIA.

Arkansas: The State’s AG, Dustin McDaniel, will give up his State vehicle after news reports.

Shelby County Sheriff: They have released their report on the repeated escapes of Dearick Stokes. Outdated IT is blamed. The deputies’ union is about to file a lawsuit on promotions.

Eighth Congressional District Race: Republican Dr Ron Kirland’s latest campaign ad. There will be a Republican candidates’ forum this Friday that will include Stephen Fincher, Dr Kirkland, Dr George Flinn and Randy Smith. You can watch streaming video. A report on another forum from NWTN Today.com. A Fincher poll shows him with an eight-point lead. WREG reports on campaign finances.

Tennessee: FEMA has announced that National Flood Insurance Program insurance is available again. Restaurant inspection scores aren’t online any more, at least for now.

Governor’s Race: The Daily News’ Bill Dries reports on the weekend Memphis visits of Republican Bill Haslam and Democrat Mike McWherter. Video of McWherter’s appearance. And The Flyer’s Jackson Baker has a report as well. McWherter is in hot water with the state’s progressive Democrats for supporting the Arizona illegal immigrant law. Republican Zach Wamp says he’s raised $4 million for his campaign. He’s also criticising the Obama administration for suing AZ over its illegal immigrant law. And Republican Ron Ramsey has joined in supporting the AZ law. Ramsey is claiming support from 20 Tea Party groups. When are the attack ads coming? The Commercial Appeal profiles the current Zach Wamp campaign status.

Previously Posted: More on Sam’s Clubs offering small business loans to some customers. More on Horace Grant’s winning arbitration against Morgan Keegan over their mutual fund troubles. More on the Tunica Humane Society and the Pepsi challenge. And more on the new farmers market coming next week to South Memphis.

Them’s The Rules: The next dating milestone approaches: Meeting The Friends.

Paul Ryburn’s Journal: Some good advice on website design.

Ray and Dana Brandon: Joint bank accounts for elderly parents are a risk. (via the Daily News)

Sandra Brown Turner: A personal story of Dauphin Island. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Wendi C. Thomas: The path to good, healthful food lies through legislation and government spending? (via the Commercial Appeal)

Because I Said So: A parenting/sports analogy. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: Do ballots beat bullets in Mexico? Once again, they express their distrust of the masses.

Speak To Power: They agree with the Smart City Memphis post about MATA failing Memphis. It’s not the post I want to link, but the comment below it.

Born-Again Hippies: The “Super Bowl of gluttony”.

Boys in the ‘Hood: Your endearing video of the day as nine month old Patrick discovers the delight of Jerry’s Sno Cones.

Jesus Is Hot: She’s got a manifesto and she’ll get around to it in a bit….

Jen-sized: She’s been down to Destin and then over to NOLA.

Fertile Ground: They’re travelling through Texas and visit the Cadillac ranch.

Barefoot in Memphis: The Walgreen’s Phenomenon.

Bigger Than Your Head: The wine of the week.

Left Wing Cracker: A warning to the TN Democratic Party and Mike McWherter. He declares the party dead.

Just A Girl in the World: Musings on the reality of Mr Right.

Can’t Stop: Tips on surviving Summer running.

Loudersoft: Looking for a “low country vegetable sizzling rice dish with Thai flavors”? Here ya go! Your geek-joke photo of the day.

16 Balls in the Air: Counting down the days. Talking Junior League cookbooks.

Andrew Earles: Buy his records!

Ansley Fones: If you’ve ever waited on something in the mail, you’ll recognise this reaction.

at home she feels like a tourist: She writes of the “forgotten history” of conservative political thought. (And it’s good to see her posting deep thinking like this again!)

artbutcher: What he did in Vermont, rendered as art. Sort of.

Ramblings of the Mad Cow: Lessons she’s learned through living with kittens.

Unseen Things: Didja ever want to run over a clown? There’s an app for that!