Photo Credit: CNN
Rally for Hate /
Rally for Hope

A firm and carefully deployed police presence during the Saturday rally held by the Ku Klux Klan disrupted their attempts at crowd and media appeal. Only sixty Klansmen, and assorted supporting groups, appeared. They arrived late and left early during a non-stop rainstorm. Only one arrest was made, of an anti-Klan protester. It was, in a word, anti-climactic. Police used a previous Klan rally from 1998 as a template for their plans. Some people brought their children in order to teach them history.

Before the rally, local groups sought to distance themselves from the KKK. Numerous groups held competing events around town meant to hold down attendance and to appeal to families, like the Heart of Memphis celebration; more on that event from ABC24 and Fox13. Some event attendees at the Cook Convention Center had their plans changed.

Shelby County Unified Schools: Interim superintendent Dorsey Hopkins introduced his “cabinet” last week.

Shelby County Sheriffs: Deputy James Govan has been relieved of duty over allegations of jury tampering. More from Fox13.

State Politics: Legislation would require schools to have EpiPens on hand for anaphylactic emergencies. Will an animal cruelty bill actually have the effect of protecting the food industry instead? A bill to limit public access to gun carry permits would exempt politicians and lobbying groups. Legislation is advancing in the Senate allowing cities to form their own municipal school systems. And already approved legislation preventing universities and colleges from implementing non-discrimination policies on student groups is headed for the governor’s signature.

The Daily News profiles Democratic State Representative Mike Turner. The FlyerA new law goes into effect today requiring doctors to check a patient’s prescription history before prescribing more painkillers.

Medicaid/TennCare: Governor Bill Haslam and TennCare Director Darin Gordon discuss TennCare and Medicaid issues. Business groups are optimistic about a TennCare deal. The text of Haslam’s statement, declining to expand Medicaid as part of Obamacare. More on Haslam’s announcement from ABC24 and the Flyer.

Mississippi: Legislators are expected to approve a bill to require doctors to personally oversee the administration of abortion-inducing drugs.

Department of Labor and Workforce: A State audit shows that $73 million has been lost over six years due to error and fraud.

Survey Says! We are ranked the number three state for overall freedoms. Forbes has listed Memphis as one of their fifteen “emerging” downtowns.

John Aitken: The former superintendent for the Shelby County school system may be the most heavily recruited educator in the County.

Local Education: Plans are underway for a “Student Responsibility March” later this month. There will also be all-day forums on the latest innovations in youth violence prevention this week.

Tennessee: Former Oakland mayor Scott Ferguson is days away from arrest on bigamy charges. Fayette County has overspent their schools budget by $1.2 million. A million dollar block grant has been approved for Dyersberg for infrastructure repairs related to 2010 floods. Lonny Bristow of Ohio has been arrested, charged with dozens of bomb threats in courthouses and public buildings across five states.

Humane Society: Their second annual Mega Adoptathon is this Friday. More information here.

Memphis/Shelby County Airport: The airport authority chairman, Jack Sammons, says the situation there will get worse before it gets better.

School Vouchers: State senators are questioning whether a voucher bill (SB 0196) moving through the Legislature would allow State funding of private Islamic schools.

Madison Avenue: The Madison Avenue Business Association is holding a membership mixer this Wednesday evening. The MABA website.

Arkansas: The State House has OK’d legislation that would prevent employers from demanding passwords from new hires to their social media sites. Efforts to nullify Federal gun laws failed in the House. But the House is also trying to override a veto by Governor Mike Beebe on voter ID legislation.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas: The Knoxville MSA is getting four counties larger and has 20% more population now.

Germantown: A redevelopment plan for the western edge of the community is making businesses fearful of short-term impacts.

Shelby County Commission: County Commissioner Steve Mulroy wants to discuss why only Memphis is getting auto inspections for the next two years. The Flyer looks at the current state of County Commissioner Mike Ritz. Commissioner Shea Flinn is offering a trade: the County takes over the animal shelter if the City will provide school security.

West Memphis Three: Bombshell allegations are part of an alternative scenario presented in court for the murders of three boys in 1993.

Planned Parenthood: A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest, resignation or conviction for felony offense of the CEO of the Memphis chapter.

Jerry “The King” Lawler: The famous wrester has opened a wrestling museum in Memphis. Admission is free. More from the Flyer.

Frank Cagle: An East Tennessee megasite is the right idea at the wrong location. (Via Knoxville Metro Pulse)

Lucy Shaw: Advice to someone whose neighbor listens to music a little too much. (Via Tri-State Defender)

Dr Timothy Moore: How to handle seasonal affective disorder (SAD). (Via Tri-State Defender)

Charles Sims Jr: Which form of property ownership is best for your finances? (Via Tri-State Defender)

Memphasis: This week he gets explicitly political and anti-Republican in his column. (Via Daily News)

Flyer: Commenting on the latest travails of the daily newspaper.

Commontaries: He has one word of advice for U of M basketball coach Josh Pastner.

Bigger Than Your Head: The wine of the week.

Benito’s Wine Reviews: A review of Into Wine by Olivier Magny, which he calls a “love letter to wine”.

Mr. Brame’s Blog: Go over and congratulate him on his first publication.

Notes From Memphis: The Memphistanista lives in Lyons, France, these days and gets to make day trips to such lovely cities as Grenoble!

MemphisShelbyInform: For the sake of the city’s fiscal health, pension reform must come soon. Is Common Core just Big Brother in the school systems?

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Adventures at the Orange Mound Popeyes.

Jensized: Her recommendations for renaming the three Memphis parks.

Downtown Memphis Blog: Keep an eye on this blog as he’s been accepted into Google Glass’ Explorer program!

Air Traffic Mike’s: A holiday repeat in his Easter 2012 post. It’s still funny.

Jason Miles Reports: At his own blog, a reporter from WMC in Memphis writes his own thoughts on the Klan rally.