Regional Medical Center Funding: Federal matching funds, just announced, mean an additional $30 million in funds. It’s a 3-for-1 match for $10 million raised locally. Did Interim Mayor Joe Ford really save The MED? More reports from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal.

In somewhat related MED news, two inmates — Mario Thomas and Keshun Douglas — escaped separately from there on Wednesday. More from Eyewitness News, WMC, WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

Wells Fargo: Their parent company is closing Wells Fargo Financial, which orginated subprime loans, taking 3800 jobs nationwide.

The Wharton Administration: The Division of General Services has two Fire Department trailers filled with auto parts it’s not using, reports Eyewitness News.

MATA: Today is another Code Orange Ozone Alert day! Twenty-five cent fares all day. MATA website here.
 
 
 

Millington: A high-tech SUV with a camera and a computer is being used to nail speeders. Another story from WREG.

2010 Summer Health Fair: This collaboration between the Orange Mound Community Center and the Tri-State Defender is a “family fun day” of health screenings, talks on disease recovery and more.

Census Data: Using data four to six years old, Memphis had some grim statistics on population, crime, infant mortality and more.

Tennessee: Enforcing the “no texting while driving” law is proving difficult.

Governor’s Race: The first media poll in the gubernatorial race says Republican Bill Haslam has a double-digit lead; and an article saying those polls may not mean much this year. The Flyer’s Jackson Baker goes in-depth on the Zach Wamp and Bill Haslam visits to Memphis this week. Bill Haslam is now distancing himself from a former anti-Second Amendment stance. Someone calling themselves “ExecutiveLeaderTN” has uploaded a very professional anti-Zach Wamp/pro-Bill Haslam video to YouTube. The TN Republican Party claims a Mike McWherter flipflop on immigration. Republican Ron Ramsey says he’s against more regulation of the internet. Republican Zach Wamp got an endorsement from Ronnie Barrett, owner of TN gun-maker Barrett Firearms.

Germantown: The proposed amphitheater was the main topic at a Republican Women of Purpose luncheon featuring the two mayoral candidates.

Politics: Election officials say they’re not seeing a surge in voter registrations this cycle. Democrats continue to tweak the TN Republican Party for campaign finance violations. Former TN Republican Party chairman Bob Davis responds.

Real Estate: The New Horizon Apartments were bought for $2.7 million by North Star Apartment Communities. Shelby County home sales were up over last month and last year. Merck is closing a number of manufacturing sites, but not the one in Memphis; more in the CA. The foreclosed Memphis Biofuels property was auctioned back to its owners.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis: They have been selected for the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative which will pair them with local community organisations.

Earthquake: The Flyer reports on the Mid-America Earthquake Center study about the results of a 7.7 quake in the New Madrid Fault Zone.

West Tennessee: Signal Energy will build a thirty acre solar farm in Haywood County as part of the Volunteer State Solar Initiative; the State press release. More from the Daily News and the Commercial Appeal. Most counties in West Tennessee are now eligible for Federal farm assistance due to flooding; the Commercial Appeal has more. Jackson mayor Jerry Gist will seek re-election.

Mississippi: The new Federal health care risk pool, which will be a “2nd option” plan, is expected to start paying benefits in August. The USDA wants to work with farmers and landowners in the north part of the state to create new lands for migratory fowl that might be headed to the oil-damaged Gulf coast.

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.

Memphis City Council: Council critics of the Beale Street / Performa settlement say Memphis Mayor A C Wharton was far too generous.

Memphis Bar Association: Their poll of “most qualified judicial candidates” has been released.

Latino Memphis: The Flyer interviews Mauricio Calvo, director of the organisation.

Sales Tax Holiday: This year’s tax holiday, coming up in a month, will include iPads!

Shelby County Elections: WMC hosted a County mayoral debate last night. (Main Street Journal publisher Jonathan Lindberg was a panelist.) The Commercial Appeal tried live-blogging it, sort of: Ford’s “double cross”; party politics; consolidation, and again. Here is their consolidation-focused report.

The Commercial Appeal has produced a voter guide.

Metropolitan Charter Commission: At its first public presentation, commission members were unable to answer some key questions.

Walter Thomas Williams III: The accused serial embezzler who worked around the Mid-South is accused of stealing $11 million; he will be sentenced later this year.

Memphis City Schools: A Tri-State Defender report on Well Child, Inc., who are the Memphis firm taking over the in-school clinics this academic year. The system is providing lunches for school kids even during Summer break, thanks to City community centers.

Collierville: The Board of Mayor and Aldermen is considering a tax increment funding proposal for the Town Square.

City of Memphis: Fox13’s Les Smith looks at July’s high murder rate, especially for young black men. What not to do when you call 911.

Business: The Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis’ Burgundy Book shows a “somewhat positive economic picture” for the district. View the report here. Also, the TN Department of Transportation released its Unlocking Freight report on transportation in the tri-state area. (Link includes Fact Sheet and Key Findings.) Story in the Commerical Appeal.

InMotion Orthopedic Research Center is restructuring and cutting staff by half. June sales for Macy’s were up a strong 9%. Bangkok Alley is opening a new locatiom on Brookhaven Circle.

A business profile of Pride of the Pond catfish farm, from the Daily News.

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

Pinnacle Airline: They are going to phase out the Colgan name, re-organise, then fly jets as Pinnacle and turboprops as Mesaba.

Midtown: Are coyotes killing Central Gardens cats?

DeSoto County: The (political) speaker’s schedule for the Neshoba County Fair later this month. Opponents of the annexation of the new jail site are “gearing up”. The County School Board approved the new budget. (previous stories via the Desoto Times Tribune)

Airways Lamar Business Association: They are going to undertake a major cleanup of the city’s national and international doorstep, in August.

Financial: Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates fell again.

Survey Says: Memphis-area home price rebound was the highest in the nation for 2Q.

Eighth Congressional District Race: Blue Dog Democrats are endorsing sole Democrat Roy Herron. Republican campaign ads are now going negative.

South Memphis Farmers Market: A mural has been painted by area youth as a backdrop. More on the South Memphis Farmers Market.

I Love Memphis: Memphis is great because nothing comes easy to us.

MemphisConnect: A photo-visit to the Memphis Botanic Gardens farmers market! Letita is going to uncloister herself and she needs your assistance.

Speak To Power: Examining some of the language in the Bass Pro Lease agreement.

Bonsai Cafe: Zip-loc greenhouses.

Vegan Crunk: Cafe Eclectic also has vegan options.

the vault is unlocked: A moment of poetic Zen for your day.

The Suggs: The theme is Fourth of July, but it’s mostly baby pictures. Which is fine, when the kids are this cute.

Steve’s Nude Memphis Blog: A wild recounting of his Fourth of July. (NSFW and language alert)

Smart City Memphis: Trying to find the right size for a consolidated City Council / County Commission.

Dining With Monkeys: It’s off to Asiana Gardens for Korean.

55-40 Memphis: From the County mayoral debate, thoughts on Sheriff Mark Luttrell and Mayor Joe Ford.

Jim Kyle: The Democratic State Senator says the Legislature is doing too much work behind closed doors. (via the Commercial Appeal)

Commercial Appeal: The Cold War returns. The need for the new paid-leave proposal is the fault of County employees?

Jerry Winters: The TEA president says charter schools have a “mixed” record of success. (via the Tennessean)

Jackson Sun: The newly approved daytime youth curfew now has to justify itself.

Darrell Cobbins: Why you should care about your vote on consolidation. (via the Tri-State Defender)

Flyer: Mayor A C Wharton’s first virtual town hall meeting was a promising debut.

Dan Conaway: A fascinating tale of early Memphis business history. (via the Daily News)