VOL. 124 | NO. 85 | Friday, May 1, 2009
The real estate crisis has struck a blow to the Memphis skyline, hitting one of Downtown’s tallest and most iconic towers.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has detected swine flu in Shelby County, giving local officials a head start toward fighting the spread of the virus, and has begun efforts to develop a vaccine for global use.
It hasn’t been a good week and a half for City Council member Barbara Swearengen Ware.
Around this time last year, Memphis City Council members axed $66 million from the city school system’s 2008-2009 budget request.
Tennessee attorney general Bob Cooper filed two lawsuits this week and entered into three settlements involving misleading business advertisements that promote notary public services in Spanish. Two of the businesses his office went after operate in Memphis.
As far as economic engines go, it’s long been known that Memphis International Airport has the power of a 747.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Chrysler LLC filed for bankruptcy protection Thursday and will form an alliance with the Italian carmaker Fiat Group SpA in an effort to revive the U.S.’ ailing third-largest automaker.
Implementing innovative health care practices doesn’t always require reinventing the wheel.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey said Thursday he wants to strike an agreement on changes to Tennessee's system of filling state Supreme Court vacancies within the next two weeks.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A proposal that would remove the state Department of Finance and Administration's authority to transfer certain funds is headed to the governor for his consideration.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says deeper spending cuts in Tennessee may need to come sooner than originally planned because of worsening economic conditions.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Senate Democrats have elected Sen. Lowe Finney of Jackson to be their next caucus chairman.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A person subject to an order of protection for domestic violence would have to relinquish his or her weapon under a proposal that the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A proposal that would ban reading or sending cellular phone text messages while driving is headed to the governor's desk after lawmakers agreed on minor differences in the proposal.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumer spending fell more than expected in March after two straight monthly gains, a stark reminder of a fragile economy that has pushed a record number of Americans to draw jobless benefits.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - A former executive of Connecticut-based General Re Corp. will serve a year and a day in prison for his role in an accounting scandal that authorities say cost shareholders of American International Group Inc. more than $500 million.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumer spending fell for the first time in three months while income growth slipped for a second straight month, indicating that the U.S. economy is still struggling to emerge from the recession.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is pursuing employers who knowingly hire and exploit illegal workers, a policy not significantly different from the Bush administration's, according to a copy of the guidelines obtained by The Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Responding to a wave of populist anger, the House moved toward passage of a consumer protection bill to rein in credit card practices and eliminate sudden interest rate increases and late fees that have entangled millions of consumers.
LONDON (AP) - The cost of three-month dollar loans between banks fell modestly to a six-year low Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said the recession had eased slightly since its last meeting in mid-March, though it stressed that economic activity would likely remain weak.