The May 4 county primaries have not yet come and gone -- it only feels that way with the unseasonably summertime weather hitting in mid-April (where did you go, 72-degree days?). We at Eye on Politics blame those who whined about "cold" March days for the sunny 85-degree-plus days that are already bringing us Code Orange alerts usually seen in the heart of summer.
For those in a big hurry, early voting starts tomorrow downtown, and satellite sites open up on Monday. Your link-o-rama below:
Gubernatorial candidates are coming on strong to Memphis, especially the Republicans and especially since the withdrawal of Bill Gibbons, Shelby County's district attorney, from the field. Chattanooga Congressman Zach Wamp was in town Monday and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam will be here Wednesday and Thursday.
Having covered a lot of college sports over the years, it's hard to believe rival football coaches won't make sure certain African-American recruits are apprised of the controversy starting to hit Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour for omitting mention of slavery in a proclamation marking April as "Confederate Heritage Month." Barbour also is drawing criticism for saying a similar controversy involving Virginia's governor "doesn't amount to diddly." This all comes after a football season in which Ole Miss's new chancellor, Dan Jones, asked the band to stop playing its mashup of Civl War-themed music ("From Dixie with Love") because students and others would chant afterward "The South will rise again!"
CA county government reporter Daniel Connolly reports from the County Commission, a chamber more marked by naked politics for the last 14 months than great policy success. Appointed interim commissioner John Pellicciotti's attempt to censure his political opponent for a county commission seat, Probate court clerk Chris Thomas, failed again on Monday. The Commission did pass new rules aimed at restricting sexually-oriented businesses.
In Nasvhille, Richard Locker provides the picture of a state legislature bickering and spending a lot of time and energy arguing about a non-binding resolution opposing the recently passed federal health insurance reform legislation. Even the Republicans expressed frustration with the show: "I've been up here 12 years, and this is one of the most ridiculous nights I've ever seen," said Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville. "This is totally asinine."
Today there's a City Council meeting and the folks at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center are rallying their supporters to show up for the vote on a new panhandling ordinance. Wonder if Downtown residents and workers will show up to provide their view on the matter?
OPINION
In the CA's Opinion section, editorial writers talk about Memphis Mayor A C Wharton's plan to apply "managed competition", a hybrid of privatization, to the sanitation services provided by the city. CA City Hall reporter Amos Maki first reported on this over the weekend.
There is also an editorial on Daniel Connolly's story pointing out that it's not only General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson who used taxpayer money to hold events for workers and volunteers.
For those in a big hurry, early voting starts tomorrow downtown, and satellite sites open up on Monday. Your link-o-rama below:
Gubernatorial candidates are coming on strong to Memphis, especially the Republicans and especially since the withdrawal of Bill Gibbons, Shelby County's district attorney, from the field. Chattanooga Congressman Zach Wamp was in town Monday and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam will be here Wednesday and Thursday.
Having covered a lot of college sports over the years, it's hard to believe rival football coaches won't make sure certain African-American recruits are apprised of the controversy starting to hit Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour for omitting mention of slavery in a proclamation marking April as "Confederate Heritage Month." Barbour also is drawing criticism for saying a similar controversy involving Virginia's governor "doesn't amount to diddly." This all comes after a football season in which Ole Miss's new chancellor, Dan Jones, asked the band to stop playing its mashup of Civl War-themed music ("From Dixie with Love") because students and others would chant afterward "The South will rise again!"
CA county government reporter Daniel Connolly reports from the County Commission, a chamber more marked by naked politics for the last 14 months than great policy success. Appointed interim commissioner John Pellicciotti's attempt to censure his political opponent for a county commission seat, Probate court clerk Chris Thomas, failed again on Monday. The Commission did pass new rules aimed at restricting sexually-oriented businesses.
In Nasvhille, Richard Locker provides the picture of a state legislature bickering and spending a lot of time and energy arguing about a non-binding resolution opposing the recently passed federal health insurance reform legislation. Even the Republicans expressed frustration with the show: "I've been up here 12 years, and this is one of the most ridiculous nights I've ever seen," said Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville. "This is totally asinine."
Today there's a City Council meeting and the folks at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center are rallying their supporters to show up for the vote on a new panhandling ordinance. Wonder if Downtown residents and workers will show up to provide their view on the matter?
OPINION
In the CA's Opinion section, editorial writers talk about Memphis Mayor A C Wharton's plan to apply "managed competition", a hybrid of privatization, to the sanitation services provided by the city. CA City Hall reporter Amos Maki first reported on this over the weekend.
There is also an editorial on Daniel Connolly's story pointing out that it's not only General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson who used taxpayer money to hold events for workers and volunteers.
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