Memphis city councilman Brent Taylor has purchased the Munford Funeral Home (two locations) for an undisclosed sum, adding to his dead empire (he bought the Hernando Funeral Home in Hernando, Mississippi in 2004).
It always makes me nervous when politicians own funeral homes. How many dead people ended up voting for the Ford machine because they owned funeral homes? Several that we know of, especially in the special election of Ophelia Ford.
Then again, I've always like Brent. Usually a solid conservative and a friend to gun owners.
A local Memphis church came to the rescue of a family that lost everything to Katrina. After conducting interviews, the church members chose a most unfortunate family: the wife lost her job as a nurse, the husband lost his import-export business, the children's school was destroyed, the family's home was taken.
Sounds sad, yes?
The Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ gave the Thompson family a $75,000 house last February. In September, Delores Thompson sold the house for $88,000 and cleared out. After being contacted at a New Orleans phone number, Delores said:
I really don't like this area. I really didn't, and I didn't know anybody, so that's why I didn't move in and I sold it.
They never even moved in. They scammed the church and left town. According to the sales records, Delores wasn't even married.
The "husband's" reaction?
Take it up with God.
This is what happens when you give people things. They don't appreciate it like they do when they earn it. Which is the heart of compassionate conservatism: a hand up, not a hand out.
Of course, these people were con artists from the get-go. Which is another thing conservatives have learned: just because people are standing with their hand out, doesn't mean they are the ones who need help.
The Feds (in the form of the Department of Education) have put Memphis City Schools in the "good standing" category for the first time in 3 years.
But the state has given Memphis Schools all "D's" and "F's" for overall achievement — again.
The Tennessee Department of Education gave Memphis City Schools "D's" in math, reading and social studies and an "F" in science for overall achievement in kindergarten through 8th grades. ...
But students did better than they did the year before. The district got high marks for progress, with "B's" for Math and Reading and "A's" for Social Studies and Science.
So how well are Memphis schools doing to deserve that "B" and "A" for improvement?
Fayette County students aren't doing much better, earning the district a "D" in Math, Reading and Language and Social Studies and a big, fat "F" in Science.
Tipton County students fare much better with "B's" in Math, Reading and Language and "C's" in Social Studies and Science (about the same as the state average).
Shelby County schools, however, have reason to be proud: straight "A's" in achievement and for academic progress.
No wonder Memphis mayor "King Willie" Herrenton wants to consolidate the Memphis and county school systems; adding in the county schools would result in a nice "C" average for his "legacy".