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03/17/2005: Memphis News - the Week in Review
(As usual, Commercial Appeal links require registration or BugMeNot, and FlashBlock will greatly improve the CA web experience.)
Friday, Mar. 11 - President Bush rolled into town, as part of the Baboozlepalooza tour. Local members of the Bush personality cult are excited just to be in the same city. (Okay, I admit, I looked out the windows of my office building to watch the Presidential motorcade pass by on Front St. on Friday. But to be honest, I'm more excited about the Unix timestamp reaching 1111111111 this evening.)
Mayor Herenton complained the he wasn't invited to the Presidential speech. The White House claims that he was. Whatever.
The Pesky Fly interviewed a downtown coffee shop owner who received a call from someone purporting to be federal agent, asking him not to post any anti-Bush signs while the President was in town. (Disclaimer: the coffee shop owner is an old friend of mine from my college days.)
Saturday, Mar. 12 - The US Air Force said that the Memphis Belle may stay in Memphis, provided it can draw 300,000 visitors per year. Not likely.
Monday, Mar. 14 - Steve Odland, CEO of AutoZone, leaves to head Office Depot; executive vice-president William Rhodes, a native Memphian, takes over as CEO.
Wednesday, Mar. 16 - Prison prison giant CCA has offered Shelby County $30 million in cash and a new 3600-bed jail as part of a deal to run Shelby County's jail and prison system. In exchange, CCA would get a per-inmate fee and a 50 year contract.
Brock on 03.17.05 @ 07:50 PM CST
