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Dads who DO pay child support

gma55 — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:44:54 GMT

All we hear about non custodial dads is they run out on their kids. How about the dads who DO pay their support, but are treated like red headed step children by the court system. They can't deduct the support payments on their taxes. Yet if there is a Step Dad in the picture he gets all the tax breaks. They can have a large income and the poor guy gets taken to the cleaners. They are driving around in cars that the child support pays for and the kids get neglected. All the kids are to Step Dad is a source of income. I know it is not supposed to come up in court as to the reason for the divorce. But you have cheating women who cry to the system about their husband's leaving them. Dad assuming that Mom is going to do right by the children, especially if they are girls and then DON"T. Mom's partying up a storm, maybe at the casinos, spending the child support money!!! Then there is no way to get the kids out of the house unless she can be proven unfit. But if you call DHS, they call first to make an appointment, tipping off the Mom!!!

Mom's are given the benefit of the doubt in the courts. Putting on the tears, the pitiful looks and wearing their everday clothes so they look abandonded. Oh, precious mom, can do no wrong. Hey just because they gave birth doesn't make them maternal.

I have been on both ends of this system. Being pitiful and leaving the dad out the childrens lives only comes back to bite mom in the butt as resentment when the children grow up.

Something needs to be done to review these cases on a regular basis at NOT at the financial and emotional expense of the Dad. Mom's who recieve child support should be held accountable for how the money is being spent.

Waterstone Landing Apartments

fkmjsr — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:48:21 GMT

I am a resident at Waterstone Landing apartments. Since living here it has been a total disaster. I do not want to move because I feel that I should not have to move because of the lack of work the apartment people do. There is a gate around the apartment complex that is not fully connected. We also have a pond that has to literally consist of garbage and whatever else it is that people throw in there. I understand it is up to the people to ensure that our apartment is kept up, but it would really be nice if there were some consequences for the people that destroy the property. I have lived in apartment where if the gate was broken or destroyed by a car then the apartments made sure that the matter was taken care of. I don't understand what is so hard about ensuring that the complex is neat and catered to. I also realize that some residents do not pay rent but I feel that the ones who do follow their contract should not be made to suffer. It literally looks like abandoned homes. I have experienced people just hanging around the complex that don't live there and it is really frightening, to come home from work and see a guy sitting on his bike in the middle of the road. I have also witnessed guys sneaking through bushes and being suspicious. Where as if there was a gate a lot of things could have been avoided. There are garbage bags full of garbage laying around the complex and it really disgusts me. I would really appreciate if the apartments were exposed because the filth that is around is unacceptable and unfair to the residents that actually care.

NMAPA Invitation: National Payroll Week

NMAPA — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:35:03 GMT

North MS Chapter of the American Payroll Associations Presents:

Creative Ideas To Help Your Company Celebrate NPW

Thursday, August 20 @ 6:30 PM CST

Southaven Library, 8554 Northwest Drive, Southaven, MS 38671

How does your company celebrate NPW? Running out of ideas for your company's NPW celebration? Never heard of NPW? Well, we have just the thing for you.....

NPW stands for National Payroll Week. Every year NPW is celebrated during the first week of September to honor the millions of working Americans and the payroll professionals who pay them. Together, through the payroll withholding system, they contribure, collect, report and deposit approximately $1.8 trillion, or 65.7%, of the annual revenue of the U.S. Treasury. For more information about NPW and to take a survey for a chance to win a paycheck, go to www.nationalpayrollweek.com.

The North Mississippi Chapter is a local chapter of the American Payroll Association. We will hold our August meeting on Thursday, August 20. This month's meeting is dedicated to helping you find creative and interesting wayst to celebrate NPW in your organization. We will have ideas for games and decorations, a pnael of volunteers for Payroll Q & A, a demostration of the "Money Matters" education tool, and representatives from area agencies, such as Memphis Redbirds, Malco Theatres, Incredible Pizza, to share ideas with you for corporate events. We will have door prize drawings for restaurant gift cards, movie theatre tickes, memorabilia and other great prizes.

The meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Everyone is invited to join in the fun and learn how your organization can honor its' workers and payroll professionals. Light refreshments will be available.

Kingsbury High School Stundents Do Not Have Schedules!

MrsSunkissed — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:24:12 GMT

My Step-daughter goes to school there and when she came home Monday she didn't have a schedule. I figured everything would be ok by today, Wednesday, at least. They are saying that they may have schedules for students on Friday until then the students sit in the same class all day doing nothing. I'm afraid something might go wrong with the students being so aggarvated, there is subject to be fights, arguements, etc... I want to let my step-daughter just stay home to avoid the worry of what could be going on at the school but, she has to go to school. I just hope that schedules are out by Friday. If they have nothing to do in school in all day there is no telling what they might do.

JOBS FOR OLDER WORKERS

Earl Adams — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:25:54 GMT

I THINK IT IS A SHAME THAT WHEN YOU GET A CRETAIN AGE OR WALK LIKE YOU ARE A LITTLE SLOW EMPLOYERS ARE READY TO LET YOU GO AND NOT HIRE YOU. MANY OF US HAVE A VAST KNOWLEDGE TO GIVE AND WANT TO AND HAVE TO IN MANY CASES WORK TO SURVIVE. SOCIAL SECURITY IS A JOKE AS WE ALL KNOW. I HAVE SENT THOUSANDS OF RESUME ON LINE TO ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WITH NO RESULTS, WHY CAN,T SOME ONE DO SOMETHING TO HELP THOSE OF US WHO ARE SINORS. SITTING AT HIOME IS NO FUN. EVEN CHURCHES DON,T WNAT A OLDER PASTOR OR CHURCH LEADER,PUT HIM OUT TO PASTOR WHAT A JOKE SOCIETY IS SICK. WNAT TO HELLP START A CLINIC TO HELP US GET WORK SO WE CAN LIVE TOO. BE A CHRISTAIN FOR GOD,S SAKE .

MURDER? HOMICIDE? HELP!

detroitnative — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 04:17:43 GMT

MAY 21, 2007 SHERREE DIONNE GOODING WAS SHOT AND LEFT TO BURN IN HER TOWNHOME. SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER TWIN DAUGHTERS...HER MURDER WAS SHOWN ON A&E'S THE FIRST 48...MY GIRLS ARE 3 YEARS OLD AND HAVE TO SPEND THIS XMAS AND THOSE TO FOLLOW WITHOUT MOMMY. WHY HASNT JUSTICE BEEN DONE. BEING A SINGLE FATHER, HOW DO I EXPLAIN AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR MOM. WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS UNSOLVED MURDER MYSTERY?

Memphis Photos/Videos wanted for Contest

ewhitney — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:06:00 GMT

For more information:

Amy Simpson, (901) 597-8309

amy.simpson@servicemaster.com

Heather Wilson, (901) 597-7710

heather.wilson@servicemaster.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MORE THAN $2,000 IN PRIZES AVAILABLE TO JUMP START YOUR SUMMER STAYCATION

New Web Site, Including Contests, Make the Case for Getting Back to Basics

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – If your budget is more “staycation” than vacation this summer, take heart: you can find a whole season of fun, right in your own backyard. The best part: you could even win a prize for it.

TruGreen, the nation’s largest lawn and landscaping company, today is launching a new Web site celebrating the great American backyard. The Web site, www.FunByTheYard.com, features everything you need to make your yard a relaxing, enjoyable place to spend your spring and summer. Along with recipes, games, and do-it-yourself lawn care tips, the Web site features contests where you can send videos and photos describing why you love your yard.

“Since many Americans will be staying home this spring and summer, we wanted to encourage homeowners to take full advantage of their outdoor living rooms,” said Steve Donly, president and chief operating officer, TruGreen. “For obvious reasons, we love our yards at TruGreen, and we want to pay tribute to the simple things, like spending time with friends and family at home. At this time of year, that all starts with a great yard.”

The contests on the Web site are designed to get entrants thinking about one simple idea: “Why I Love My Yard.” For the video contest, entrants simply create and submit a video, 90 seconds or less, and the top three entrants will be awarded prizes. For the photo contest, you can submit a photo and a short caption, and a winner will be chosen each week by a random drawing. The deadline for both contests is July 15, 2009, and winners will be announced in August. For complete contest rules, visit www.FunByTheYard.com.

“With the current economy, this is a great time to encourage Americans to take another look at the simple things in life,” said Donly. “Even setting aside the benefits to real estate value and the opportunities for neighborly one-upmanship, for millions of people a well-maintained lawn is integral to the concept of home. It’s part of backyard barbecues, wiffle ball games, digging to China, and just feeling the cool under your feet as you retrieve the newspaper. Your lawn is the highlight of your staycation, and it’s a great place to play, no matter what your age.”

About TruGreen

TruGreen is the nation’s largest lawn and landscape company, serving more than 2.5 million residential and commercial customers across the United States with lawn care, tree and shrub care, and landscaping services. As the current industry leader, TruGreen continues to pioneer the development of new technology for lawn care, and devotes substantial resources to evaluate new products and equipment continually. Today there are 268 TruGreen LawnCare branches in the United States and Canada, including 52 franchise locations. TruGreen is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world’s largest and most versatile service networks.

About ServiceMaster

ServiceMaster currently serves residential and commercial customers through a network of more than 5,500 company-owned locations and franchised licenses. The company’s brands include TruGreen, TruGreen LandCare, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic, and AmeriSpec. The core services of the company include lawn care and landscape maintenance, termite and pest control, home warranties, cleaning and disaster restoration, house cleaning, furniture repair and home inspection.

BLACK AND GAY: HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY (CONFERENCE)

outlookhost — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:34:17 GMT

I AM THE CREATOR AND HOST OF MEMPHIS' ONLY GAY,***,BISEXUAL,TRANGENDER (GLBT) WEB SHOW, "THE OUTLOOK." ON FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009, I WILL BE HOSTING THE BLACK AND GAY CONFERENCE TO KICK OFF MEMPHIS/BLACK PRIDE WEEKEND. THE CONFERENCE'S PURPOSE IS TO GAIN INSIGHT ON THE TABOO TOPIC OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY; WHY WE DON'T DON'T TALK ABOUT IT EXCEPT WHEN IT'S BEING CONDEMNED IN THE BLACK CHURCH, HIV/AIDS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, DOW LOW BROTHERS, ETC. THIS CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD AT THE MEMPHIS GAY AND *** COMMUNITY CENTER @ 892 S. COOPER AT 3PM ON THE ABOVE DATE. I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE THE MEDIA COVER THIS EVENT AS IS POSSIBLE IN AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE THIS EVENT TO MORE THAN JUST THE GLBT COMMUNITY. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. THANKS.
SINCERELY,
NATASHA BURNETT-HOLMES
CREATOR/HOST, "THE OUTLOOK"

West Memphis Arkansas

WestMemphis100 — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:23:20 GMT

Well, the city of West Memphis promotes Memphis too much and dosen't get anything in return. West Memphis has lots of websites trying to get people to live in our city and just to visit. Our motto, "The city across the river," is true enough. On our visitors website, West Memphis states that we are only ten minutes away from Downtown Memphis, which is just another way to get people in and out of Memphis. Why dosen't Memphis ever say any good things about West Memphis? It seems that Memphis is only interested in the bad things happening in our city. Like how DeAunte' Farrow got shot by that police, or how the painting of our overpass is peeling away. West Memphis on the other hand only states good things about Memphis. Like how we're "Memphis' little brother." Memphis should promote the city of West Memphis better than it does. Because West Memphis is growing everyday. Memphis just might need West memphis' help oneday. South Haven Mississippi was just like West Memphis but then land developers came and invested in South Haven, just like people are doing to West Memphis now. West memphis wouldn't mind helping Memphis, but we'll need another helping hand.

Call The Memphis Chat LINE at 901-347-1930. It is something you can do to make time go by. Live Chat... No voicemail.... Real people 100% FREE Listen how stupid these children and rapist adults sound on this chat line. We have to be aware to what our child

overcomer662 — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:08:55 GMT

Call The Memphis Chat LINE at 901-347-1930. It is something you can do to make time go by. Live Chat... No voicemail.... Real people 100% FREE Listen how stupid these children and rapist adults sound on this chat line. We have to be aware to what our children are doing. This will give you a sneak peak to the foolishness and stupidity of the young people in Memphis. Give it a call its free.

American Payroll Association - North Mississippi Chapter

NMAPA — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:59:12 GMT

*** Meeting Invitation ***

Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009

Time: 6:30 PM CST

Place: Southaven Library

M. R. Davis Public Library

8554 Northwest Drive

Southaven, MS 38671

Meal*: Pizza Hut Pasta and Breadsticks

APA RCH Credits: 1.0

Subject: Employment Tax Adjustment or

Claim For Refund (Form 94X)

Speaker: Mark Craven,

Internal Revenue Service

Mark Craven, Senior IRS Stakeholder Liaison for the state of Mississippi, will

present a one-hour presentation on “Employment Tax Adjustment or Claim For

Refund (Form 94X). This topic covers the new procedures for making corrections

to employment tax returns for 2009 and beyond. A handout packet with

Publication 4676 from the Office of Taxpayer Burden Reduction, amount other

pertinent IRS Publications and materials will be given to each in attendance.

Cost(s): $ 0 for 2009 N. MS chapter members

$15 for non-members

RSVP via email nmapaofficers@apanmiss.com

Subject Line as March Meeting

*Meals are subject to change at the discretion of attending officers.

Memphis City Council Education Committee Meeting Audio Link May20,2008

Cherise23 — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:54:48 GMT

Memphis City Council Education Meeting May 20,2008 Audio

Education Committee 1211266800May 20, 2008 00h 17m Agenda Minutes Audio Open Audio Only in Windows Media Player

Exit Strategies:Confronting Faulty Grad Tests

Cherise23 — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:51:18 GMT

Exit Strategies: Confronting Faulty Grad Tests

By Latricia Wilson, WireTap
Posted on July 3, 2008, Printed on March 10, 2009
http://www.wiretapmag.org/education/43620/

My name is Latricia Wilson. I was born in Gary, Indiana but currently reside in Memphis, Tennessee. I am 25 years old and a student at Tennessee Technology Center. Just a few years ago I wasn't sure if I would be able to achieve any higher education or vocational training because my high school denied me a standard diploma despite the fact that I had completed all of my courses.

I was denied a proper diploma because I had failed to pass the math section of a new end of year test by a few points.

The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Tests (TCAP), now called the Gateway Exam (PDF), are part of the state's assessment program. The high-stakes exit exam I took is part of a growing trend around the country leaving thousands of students without diplomas.

Prior to graduating high school, my career goals were to be a hairstylist and television makeup artist. After being denied a standard high school diploma in 2002 for failing to pass the TCAP math section, I was denied entry into all beauty schools even though I was on the technical/vocational path in high school and had taken cosmetology classes during my high school career. I was also denied entry into other Memphis technical and community colleges and universities.

I struggled as an adult to make a living wage to support myself. I worked as a waitress for years, took on double shifts and was just barely able to pay my rent. I was getting further away from my career goals and sinking deeper into poverty and debt. Eventually, I was evicted from my apartment. I've truly experienced how difficult it is to be an independent adult without a valid high school diploma. But I decided to do something about it, and started a quest to regain my rightful degree.

This is my own experience with Tennessee's public education system and how I was able to change it.

Diploma Drama

I was one of many students denied a high school diploma for failure to pass the TCAP tests in 2002. I had a mild learning disability in math, which made passing those TCAP sections difficult. I was enrolled in math resource classes from the ninth grade, and instructed at a slightly lower grade level than my classmates. Despite this, I was repeatedly administered the TCAP on a higher grade level than the one at which I was taught. As a result, I was unable to pass the math section by the end of senior year.

I was allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony, but instead of a regular diploma I received a "special education diploma," awarded to students with physical, emotional or severe learning disabilities not able to meet standard diploma requirements. But, having passed 20 credits in regular classes just like other students, I was qualified. I was mislabeled for no reason other than having failed the TCAP math section.

I was told by more than one high school guidance counselor that I could still further my education to some degree. I later learned that technical, vocational, community colleges and universities in Tennessee wouldn't accept my special diploma, because these institutions don't consider it a valid graduation certificate.

I was shamed and silenced, just like thousands of students that fail these state tests every year.

Gateway's Gaps

23 states, including Florida, Texas and California, have adopted exit exams as a requirement for receiving high school diplomas. The Gateway Exam is Tennessee's graduation requirement test and consists of English II, Algebra I and Biology I exams.

These assessments might seem like an important way to gauge a school or student's performance, but in the end they're linked to an inherently flawed public education system that fails to consider factors that hinder student performance such as lack of access to adequate classroom resources, quality instruction or tutoring services.

Students with learning disabilities are disproportionately affected because Tennessee public schools don't offer reasonable test accommodations such as portfolio assessments, alternative test formats, or the use of adaptive equipment. Failing to provide these accommodations violates federal and state provisions set forth in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (reauthorized in 2002 as No Child Left Behind), the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

School closures also impact student preparedness for exit exams. In Memphis, for every school that closes, another facility must be made available, otherwise students are assigned to the next closest school. This can lead to class sizes of up to 40 students. Overcrowding hinders a teacher's effectiveness in covering core subjects such as English, science and math. Some teachers aren't even properly prepared to teach the basics.

In 2005, the Memphis City School Report Card data revealed that over one third of instructors were not "highly qualified" to teach core courses, leaving Memphis students with some 6,653 under-qualified teachers.

The Tennessee Department of Education also refuses to release test information that identifies what answers students missed, or indicate sections on which they may have performed poorly. Releasing this information would help instructors provide assistance for the Gateway Exam and ensure that students could be more successful when retaking the exam. Despite the fact that failure to pass an exit exam may seriously impact a student's future, proper assistance is not provided.

Making The Grade

How high school exit exams negatively affect students nationally.

In 2004, 64 percent of Arizona's students failed the math exit exam and 41 percent failed the English exam.
In 2007, failure to pass all four sections of state tests left 40,200 Texas students without diplomas.
13,000 students did not pass Florida's FCAT exam in 2003 and were denied diplomas.
In 2006, a California appeals court refused diplomas for 20,000 students who failed the state's CAHSEE exam.
In 2003, Massachusetts' MCAS exam left over 5,000 students without diplomas
The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that in 2003 about 3,000 New York seniors failed the state's math Regents exam.

Denied Opportunities

According to the Tennessee Department of Education Annual Statistical Reports, between 1995 and 2007 a total of 32,233 students statewide were denied standard high school diplomas and given "special education diplomas." A further 8,654 students were only issued Certificates of Attendance (COA).

The Tennessee Department of Education failed to notify students of the COA's limitations including ineligibility for student loans, scholarships, entrance to the military or Federal Pell Grant funding for post-secondary education, as well as exclusion from technical, community colleges and universities.

The individual and societal costs of denying a diploma based on a state test score without providing students other alternatives are painfully high. Data from FairTest, the American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau and Education Research Center show that students without diplomas earn much less in the workforce. They are less likely to maintain stable families as a result of unemployment or under-employment, and may turn to criminal activities in order to earn an income. Young people face these challenges every day and the stigma of having failed to complete their education silences them. In my case, it took a lawsuit to regain my voice.

I Had to Do Something!

While contemplating my future and feeling frustrated with the system, I decided to appeal the deficiencies of special diplomas and high-stakes exit examination before the Memphis school board, the state legislature and make my case heard on all the Memphis news stations (video).

I first addressed the Memphis City School Board at several meetings. Then I began contacting several local and state representatives by e-mail and phone to tell them how graduation requirements had affected my life. I came in contact with Rep. Barbara Cooper (D-Tenn.) who at that time was pushing for legislation to change the state graduation policies. I explained my diploma's limitations and how it was barring me from even entering a beauty school and Rep. Cooper asked me to testify before the House and Higher Education Committee at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville.

I also explained the issue in a one-on-one meeting in Washington, D.C. with Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). A local D.C. blog called The Pesky Fly covered the meeting and wrote:

What impressed me about [her] current Congressman is that he didn't blow her off, and when she began to articulate her issue, he immediately offered to put her in touch with the Chairman of the Education sub-committee, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.). Rep. Cohen gave Ms. Wilson a two-hour meeting on a Friday morning (when many of his colleagues, including some members of the Congressional Black Caucus, were busy blowing town for parts unknown, if not back to their districts). Expect Latricia to become a "shining star" on the Hill when she gives that testimony before Rep. Miller's subcommittee.

Meanwhile, I approached news reporters while they were covering stories on the streets of Memphis and distributed brief summaries of my personal experience and copies of my diploma. Media outlets were instrumental in forcing the state to acknowledge the issue of how its exit exams affected students like myself.

As a result, a federal class action lawsuit was filed July 26, 2007 against the Tennessee Department of Education on behalf of all former students that were denied high school diplomas for failure to pass the Gateway Exam. I was one of the plaintiffs represented by a young man named Corey Robertson. Walter Bailey Law Firm Attorney Javier Bailey filed my case.

Better Days Ahead

Within the lawsuit, my attorney asked the judge to dismantle the Gateway Exam as a graduation requirement. We also asked that students denied diplomas be re-certified. Unfortunately, the lawsuit was dismissed due my case's expired statute of limitations. We lost the battle but in the end we won the war because we were successful in being the first to legally challenge the state on this issue. Tennessee's unfair testing policy had been exposed.

The Tennessee State Board of Education did not want to risk being challenged on graduation testing again and on January 25, 2008, just a few months after my suit was dismissed, the Board moved to eliminate the Gateway Exam as a diploma requirement. In the 2009-2010 school year no student in the state of Tennessee will be required to pass any test to qualify for a high school diploma.

While I failed the TCAP math section in 2002 because of systemic failures in the public school system here in Tennessee, I do not consider myself a failure. In fact, I took the Gateway Exam on May 1, 2007 in hopes of passing to obtain a standard diploma. I'm determined that I will not be deemed unemployable and incapable of pursuing my career goals merely because of a high school test score.

Latricia Wilson is a student at Tennessee Technology Center.

© 2009 Wiretap Magazine. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.wiretapmag.org/education/43620/

Memphian, Zaniesha D., is finalist for America's Next Top Model!!

zanieshad — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:21:05 GMT

Hello,

     My name is Zaniesha Davis. This past weekend I traveled with some friends to St. Louis to try out for America's Next Top Model! They only allowed about 170 applicants in the door. From that pool, they only chose 11 finalist from the St. Louis audition and I was one of them! The next step is to get people to vote all week long on cw11tv.com. People can vote all day, everyday up until noon on Friday, March 13th. When I have the most votes, I win a trip to go to the live auditions in front of Tyra and her crew.
      I really need all the publicity I can get because I know I can win and make Memphis proud. I am well-spoken and articulate, driven and motivated. I just need help spreading the word.
      This is something positive that I know Memphis is ready to hear. Please please, I am begging you all to help me.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Zaniesha Davis

Dreamers Talent Search @ Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero

MarieJz — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:35:34 GMT

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SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1For Immediate Release

01, February 2009

Contact: Anner J. Echols, 901-650-4955

Dreamers Talent Search

March 15, 2009, Mid South’s 2^nd Annual Dreamers Talent Search will be held in Memphis, Tennessee at Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club, 158 Lt. George W. Lee, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. AJE Productions is working hard to make Memphis, TN a star attraction for all talented singers, musicians and dancers of tomorrow a chance of a lifetime in displaying their great talent.

Chosen winners have potential to receive many great prizes including a cash prize as well as all the contestants who are chosen for the showcase will get an opportunity of a lifetime to perform in front of the industry's top professionals who will be attending. We will be casting for singers, instrumentalist, clean rappers and dancers. In order to get the opportunity to participate in our showcase you MUST be between the ages of 8 and 35 and audition live for our judges at one of our open auditions. The professionals from the entertainment industry will be attending, and will only have the need and time to see the best of the best.

We have been in the entertainment industry for over 20+ years, of experience. The Audition round (round 1) is set up similar to American Idol. Round 2 (the final showcase) will be held at an auditorium and professional judges will be there, only the best will be forwarded to round 2.

This event is sponsored by Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club and LC-Memphis Productions.

Thank you for your interest and please let me know if you have any questions.

For additional information about our Dreamers Talent Search, please visit us at www.ajedreamland.com or email us at ajedreamland@bellsouth.net.

Memphis Company Seeks Videos for Contest

ewhitney — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:13:03 GMT

PLEASE CONTACT:
Erin Whitney
770-485-7643
ewhitney@tagteamglobal.com

-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

Did you hear the one about the dirty air filter?

American Home Shield seeks clever videos on home maintenance

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Protecting your most valuable investment is no laughing matter, but home maintenance advice doesn't have to be boring, either.

American Home Shield, the nation's leading home warranty provider, wants to make sure homeowners take care of their most important investments, their homes. To help get the message out, the company is sponsoring a fun contest to encourage homeowners to share their amusing, clever home maintenance tips.

To participate, contestants can simply create a video, 90 seconds or less, that demonstrates entertaining ideas or tips related to changing furnace filters. Entries can include clever how-to videos or creative recycle/reuse options for our old, dirty filters. The funnier and more creative, the better, but the video must contain real and useful information, such as:

    * Changing air filters regularly helps prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system leading to expensive maintenance and perhaps early system failure.

    * A clean, quality air filter can help reduce the amount of pollen, bacteria, pet dander, mold spores and other airborne particles that often cause allergy attacks, eye irritation and discomfort.

    * Clean air filters will help remove dust and other particles from the air, resulting in less dust on furniture and indoor surfaces.

    * Changing air filters regularly helps reduce the burden on your HVAC system and saves energy.

"One of our most important goals is to help homeowners remember to do the routine maintenance steps that help prevent unexpected and expensive breakdowns in their homes," said Dave Quandt, senior vice president, American Home Shield. "Home maintenance tips can be a little dry, so we're trying to make the subject more fun and rewarding."

A home warranty is a service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances. More than 1.3 million American homeowners protect their homes with AHS warranties each year.

Deadline for submission is February 17. Winners can receive a year of home warranty coverage or a number of other prizes. For complete contest rules, home maintenance tips and some examples of clever maintenance videos, visit www.ahsvideocontest.com. On the site, you'll also find a 60-second video that AHS created to kick off the contest, featuring an animated, fictional scenario where the President-elect and his wife discuss the need to change the air filters in their new home, the White House.

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR CHANGING YOUR AIR FILTER

1.     Look for the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating the next time you buy an air filter. The MERV rating informs you of the efficiency you can expect from your filter. The scale ranges from a MERV 1 to MERV 16 (95%+ ASHRAE filter).

2.     The MERV rating tells you in microns what size particles each type of filter can trap. Particles less than 35 microns are not visible to the naked eye. Pollen particles range from 10 to 100 microns in size; dust from 0.5 to 5 microns. Most harmful particles are less than 5 microns in size.

3.     Electro-statically charged filters will trap smaller particles that many other types of filters because many of the smallest particles that would otherwise pass through are "magnetically" drawn to the filter.

4.     Pleated filters provide greater surface area and therefore can trap more particles than flat filters.

5.     Flat polyester or fiberglass filters should be changed every month. Pleated, electro-statically charged filters can be changed less often, perhaps every 2-3 months. As always, consult with your system's manufacturer for tips and recommendations specific to your model.

About American Home Shield

American Home Shield founded the home warranty industry in 1971 and remains the market-share leader in home warranties, servicing 1.3 million customers across 49 states. The Memphis-based company operates three customer service centers, employs over 1,800 employees and offers reliable service from over 11,000 prescreened, insured contractors nationwide. AHS customers have total accessibility to request service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. American Home Shield is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world's largest and most versatile service networks. The company's brands include TruGreen, TruGreen LandCare, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic, and AmeriSpec.

Temp Services taking advantage of poor and unemployed!

lashae — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:01:52 GMT

I would like to know if it's legal for the temp company to charge for background checks, drug screens, and the work badges. All of this is taken out the employees checks. ASAP Staffing is the company in question, something is going on wrong at this place.

Landlords

boutfairness — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:39:51 GMT

There should be some guidelines regarding the leasing and deposit of properties that are on the Section 8 housing program. These landlords should not be able to be paid prompty with tax payers money. Then steal from the tenants that rent their property. They first tell you by law they have thirty days to return the deposit, then lie about the property was damaged, or not clean, when in fact its in better condition than when they moved in. I am very concerned that this can happen and nothing can be done. These landlords place their property on the governement assistance program and then steal from the tenants. This is just greed and bad business. And finally you get the run around about the monies that's owed to you. Again you're told you will be forwarded the remainder of the deposit(God only knows what the amount is because you're not told) only it never shows up. Now does it take 2 weeks for money to be sent from one Memphis address to another? Please tell me if anyone has experienced this.

Shelby County Jail -- Secret Arrest and Death of Mentally Ill Man and The Cochran Firm Fraud

MaryNeal — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:58:13 GMT

SEE http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

What caused Shelby County, Tennessee Jail to ignore missing person reports for 18 days on inmate Larry Neal, while keeping this mentally ill heart patient incarcerated until his death on August 1, 2003?

Why did Shelby County Jail repeatedly and falsely report to Larry’s family and social worker during Larry’s period “missing” that neither Larry Neal nor any unidentified detainee meeting his description was incarcerated?

Immediately after Larry’s burial, why did The Cochran Firm contract with Larry’s mother, Hattie Neal, to sue Shelby County Jail for wrongful death, when the Memphis office of The Cochran Firm was in fact managed by Julian Bolton, a 20-year member of the Shelby County Commission, which is the entity that owns and operates the jail where Larry died?

Was it to protect Shelby County Government that The Cochran Firm merely held Larry’s wrongful death case on its shelves inactive for the next 10.5 months while the Tennessee statute of limitations on personal injury ran?

Why did The Cochran Firm write letters to Larry’s mother and sister, Mary Neal, after contracting with them and lie about a vigorous investigation and legal discovery that law firm was conducting regarding Larry’s wrongful death, when the law firm was actually doing nothing to represent them?

The law office located at 127 Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia is widely advertised as being the Atlanta office of The Cochran Firm. Why did this law office deny being The Cochran Firm's Atlanta office in Fulton County Superior Court when Larry's family brought suit against The Cochran Firm and served the suit to that office? If that law office is not a Cochran Firm law office, why is it allowed to be advertised as such?

The Cochran Firm’s undisclosed conflict of interest, deliberate malpractice, and fraud of its clients effectively shielded Shelby County Jail from answering any Larry’s family’s questions regarding his incarceration and death.

This website seeks to chronicle the journey of Larry Neal's family as they bring these injustices into the light of the public forum. Please read our full story, view our documentary evidence, and contact us. Larry's family counts on you to help bring justice and closure regarding his wrongful death and to help decriminalize mental illness in America. Larry's secret incarceration and death in jail demonstrate plainly that many of America's mentally ill citizens need hospitalization. Incarceration and homelessness must not continue to be our answer to mental illness. http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

Repeated Unlawfullness By Our Elected Officials

jlrogers — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:36:03 GMT

Why is it that when a member of the Memphis City Council breaks a law, there is virtually no consequence? Let us take into consideration Janice Fullilove. No one has stated that she has a drug or alcohol addiction, although she has reportedly checked herself into rehab, so I am wary to use the term “illness” when speaking of Ms. Fullilove’s condition. Be that as it may, this is not her first brush with the law. Why then, is she permitted to continue representing our city? If I had made one mistake with a DUI, my employer would expect me to clean up my act and likely give me a second chance. However, if I continued to break the law, by illegally trying to obtain a new driver’s license in another state after surrendering my original, my ethics would most certainly be questioned by my employer. Taking this one step further, imagine less than 6 months later, I receive yet another DUI. At that point, I most likely would be out of a job. But, we all know such is not the case with the Memphis City Council. Seriously, what regular citizen would not be behind bars at the very least?

I spoke briefly with Myron Lowery on October 23, 2008. I am still awaiting a promised return call from him when he intends to explain how the citizens of our city can take action. Unfortunately, during our initial conversation, Mr. Lowery stated that Ms. Fullilove’s trouble is considered a “personal matter” and that “it does not fall under the current proposition up for vote”. In regards to her DUI, he stated that she will be “dealt with” in court, but also mentioned that she will most likely keep her job. I strongly disagree with Mr. Lowery’s assessment of this as a “personal matter”. Ms. Fullilove has continually broken laws and should not be allowed to retain the privilege of representing our city, regardless of whether or not she has checked herself into rehab. I am tired of elected officials in Memphis breaking laws and facing little to no consequences. I am also fed up with Memphis making the national news as the butt of late night talk show jokes.

I encourage each citizen in the City of Memphis to stand up to corruption. Contact your representatives and demand a petition to recall elected officials who break the law. If we are expected to abide by the law, our elected officials should be held to the same standards. I am currently awaiting a return phone call from Mr. Lowery is regards to starting a petition to recall Ms. Fullilove. I hope each person reading this shares the same outrage, and will expect the same result. Take action and make some noise, it is the only way to be heard.

Thanks for reading.

Passing the Buck

ecrystal — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:18:35 GMT

On the Wabash Street side of the Magnolia Elementary School playground, there is some horribly bad erosion that has created sink holes. Holes as deep as 4 feet have developed where the land has dropped away. Community members have been calling the City of Memphis for at least 2 years regarding this problem, but to date, nothing has been done.

Recently, I started the ball rolling again. My first effort was to submit an online request at the City of Memphis website. My request was closed by Ms. Baker, a Mayor's office employee, within a few hours of my opening it, so I called the City of Memphis action hotline to see what happened to the request. Ms. Baker told me that she'd added notes to my request stating that I should contact the Board of Education regarding this issue. (I never saw any notes on the online case, other than the fact that Ms. Baker had closed it.)

Not to be put asunder, I called the Board of Education, and was promptly told that repairs to the playground were the responsibility of the school itself. They were nice enough to give me Magnolia Elementary School's phone number.

I called the school, and even spoke with the principal, Mr. Thomas Johnson. He told me that he wasn't aware of the problem (although it's been there for at least 2 YEARS), but that he'd contact the Board to see who was responsible for the repair and then get back to me. He called me back the same day, but hadn't found out who was responsible. I asked him who would be responsible if someone got hurt on the playground. I don't remember getting a direct answer to that one. Mr. Johnson said that he was waiting for someone from the Parks Commission to call him back, then he'd call me back again. Didn't happen. That was 2 weeks ago.

And here's the killer: The Parks Commission sends people out to mow the lawn on the playground. They mow the grass all around the holes, taking great care not to let the mower tires fall in, but they do nothing to fill the holes in. I asked one of the guys mowing the lawn one day if they would repair the holes. He said they didn't do that kind of work, that I'd have to talk to the folks at the school.

So, if repairing sink holes/erosion on the Magnolia Elementary School playground isn't the responsibility of the City of Memphis, nor the Board of Education, nor Magnolia Elementary School itself (whose kids play there, by the way), nor the Parks Commission, then who? This seems like an awful lot of buck passing to me.

The community needs some help. Imagine a kid running across the Magnolia Elementary School playground and falling into one of those holes. How long would it take a parent to find out who the responsible party is? Do we have to wait for a someone to get hurt before everybody stops passing the buck?

We'd appreciate any help you can offer. Hopefully, with your help, we can stop the buck somewhere.

Thank you!

Emma Crystal

ABUSE OF POLICE VEHICLE

DO RIGHT — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:12:08 GMT

I am sick and tired of seeing Police vehicles being used to transport family members. I have personally witness this abuse on several occasions by a Memphis Police Officer. It is extremely frustrating to see taxpayer’s money being abused by this Memphis Police Officer. The Officer in question transports his daughter to school in police vehicle #7304 each morning. The Officer parks the police vehicle, (consumes breakfast), and waits the ringing of the school bell. He has done this on several occasions and doesn't seem to fear being noticed. Apparently his travel excursions aren't being recorded into a daily log. This is clearly a case of Fraud Waste and Abuse. Something needs to be done to report/eliminate this criminal abuse. This Officer should be punished and made to reimburse the city. The higher gas cost affects us all, but this is not the way to combat it.

recycle it!

yar tenrag — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:32:21 GMT

I have a problem with the trash trucks taking what I have spent all week boxing and bagging up for recycling and throwing it on their trucks. I attended an event this past weekend "woof-stock" at Overtone park, as part of our booth we gave away samples of dog food and treats leaving us with a huge stack of cardboard boxes. I took the trouble breaking them down folding them into small squares, bringing them home and this morning placing the entire box full of boxes on top of my normal recycle box. I go out to add to boxes and lo and behold the trash men have "ran" and took the full box of broke down boxes and put them on the trash truck! This is not the first time this has happened. I just wonder if they are giving any instruction or training to the guys riding the trucks beside "hold on for your dear life".....I appreciate the job these guys are doing but at the same time I would appreciate if they would recognize the job and trouble that I am going to in order to try to be a responsible recycle person!!!!

Good News in North Memphis

NicolePBM — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:51:36 GMT

I’m writing this letter to show what a small community church can do when they have the spirit of love and Faith in God. My church is New Heights Third Day Church @ 2160 Chelsea Ave. Memphis TN, where the pastor is Dr. Gloria Anderson. I’ve personal seen my pastor work year after year to not only teach the word of God but, to also give and do all that she can to give back to the community of north Memphis. This past week the pastor along with members of New Heights Third Day Church have been trying their best to put together a goodwill package for the people of Liberia Africa. It is a joy to know that when so much madness and darkness is going on in the world. That Dr. Gloria Anderson and the member of New Heights Third Church not only give to their on community but, are working to send a gift of love from a small North Memphis community church, to Liberia Africa. I would love to see this kind of news, something that will show that there is hope, that there is Good News coming out of north Memphis and it’s spreading all the way to Africa.

Free Gas Weekly!

gaspumper32 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:54:32 GMT

Ballinger's BP located at Park/Mt Moriah is giving you some redemption at the gas pump. We are giving away $50/wk in a free gas drawing. Stop by the store and submit your information. Purchase gas to win gas is our motto. Inquire about $15.95 oil changes at our sister station(by appointment only), Ballinger's Oak Court Shell located at Poplar/Perkins 901-767-2630. Tell them Simon sent you!