There are 31 article(s) tagged Mayor Lee Harris:

• March 2024

  • Community leaders called to collaborate for economic development

    The Shelby County Joint Economic and Community Development Board met on Thursday to update and discuss ways to promote economic development around Memphis. 

    By Sophia Surrett March 22, 2024

• January 2024

  • Shelby County offers free classes at neighborhood gyms

    Participating gyms will provide free, 50-minute group fitness classes that are beginner-friendly and suitable for residents ages 16 and up. 

    By Aisling Mäki January 30, 2024

• June 2023

  • Regional One CEO presents vision to Shelby County leaders

    Dr. Reginald Coopwood said the hospital’s aging infrastructure does not match the quality of care it provides. 

    By Aisling Mäki June 02, 2023

• May 2023

  • Suburban superintendents hope for increased county funds

    Area school superintendents are closely watching Mayor Lee Harris’ wheel tax proposal, if approved the could see an increase in funding for capital needs.

    By Abigail Warren May 28, 2023

  • Shelby County lags in children’s well-being, data shows

    The report from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth found Shelby County ranked low in health, education and economics. 

    By Aisling Mäki May 26, 2023

• April 2023

  • Shelby County invests in transitional housing for Black transgender women

    My Sistah’s House provides housing, advocacy and resource assistance for the Memphis area’s LGBTQ community with an emphasis on Black transgender women, who are reported to experience homelessness at a rate of more than five times the national average.

    By Aisling Mäki April 14, 2023

• March 2023

  • Coalition formed to support local HIV efforts in wake of Lee’s rejection of federal funds

    In May, Tennessee will stop accepting HIV prevention funding from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, stripping local nonprofits of dollars they rely on to serve high-risk populations.

    By Aisling Mäki March 22, 2023

  • ‘It’s not going to go away unless we do something:’ Local leaders eye juvenile crime solutions

    In Memphis, leaders seem to agree that youth are able to get guns too easily and that they are seeing a trend of younger juvenile offenders and more violent offenses. But there are varying opinions on how to deal with those trends.

    By Julia Baker, Ian Round March 20, 2023

• February 2023

  • Lee Harris urges governor to reverse rejection of HIV prevention funds

    According to the Shelby County Health Department, nearly 7,000 residents were living with HIV as of 2021, and the county ranks third nationally in incidence rates of new HIV cases. 

    By Aisling Mäki February 15, 2023

• December 2022

  • Shelby County Health Department gets $14M, ‘game-changer’ grant from CDC

    The funding is part of the CDC’s $3.2 billion investment in local and state awards to strengthen public health infrastructure across the nation. 

    By Aisling Mäki December 01, 2022

• October 2022

  • Shelby County grant boosts Choices’ nurse midwife program

    Officials said the grant is intended to reduce maternal and infant mortality, particularly among the county’s Black population.

    By Aisling Mäki October 17, 2022

• August 2022

  • Shelby County offsets child care costs for some employees

    The six-month pilot program serves employees who have children too young for Pre-K and children with special needs. 

    By Aisling Mäki August 20, 2022

  • Fogelman Downtown YMCA cuts ribbon on $2M renovation

    Community leaders and patrons of the Fogelman Downtown YMCA praised updates to the facility Thursday, Aug. 18, as a recent $2 million renovation was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and luncheon. 

    By Alicia Davidson August 18, 2022

• July 2022

  • Lee Harris announces Council on Gun Safety members

    The conception of the council was inspired by an increase in gun-related crimes that is likely due to the relaxing of gun laws in Tennessee, such as 2014 legislation that allows people to keep guns in cars without permits. 

    By Julia Baker July 28, 2022

  • Letter to the Editor: We need local leaders who are tough on crime

    Missy Rainer says as Election Day approaches, there are “many thoughts swirling around in my head with regard to the candidates and their positions on crime in our community.”

    By Letters to the Editor July 13, 2022

• January 2022

  • Officials: COVID-positive hospitalizations have plateaued

    On Jan. 12, the Shelby County Health Department reported 770 hospitalizations: 134 in the ICU and 636 in acute care.

    By Jasmine McCraven January 20, 2022

• December 2021

  • Criminal justice groups demand bail reform, threaten lawsuit against county

    Just City and the ACLU gave county officials until the end of December to respond to their letter and until the end of January to hold a “mediated discussion.” 

    By Ian Round December 01, 2021

• July 2021

  • No local guidance on what CDC advice means for Shelby County

    Decision on masking mandate rests with the county mayor’s office. Aside from a tweet endorsing the CDC guidelines Wednesday, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris refused comment.

    By Jane Roberts July 28, 2021

• May 2021

  • County poised to remove mask mandate

    The mask mandate will be lifted in the new health directive, beginning Saturday, May 15.

    By Jane Roberts May 11, 2021

  • Masks, restrictions likely up to best judgment come May 15

    Mayor Harris is gathering more advice this week, including hearing from the municipal mayors. 

    By Jane Roberts May 05, 2021

• April 2021

  • Crime rate doesn’t necessarily deter businesses considering relocation

    Although Memphis has long battled perceptions (and reality) about its crime rate, community leaders say it’s not as much of a factor in economic recruitment efforts as one might expect.

    By Blake Fontenay April 19, 2021

  • Plains seeks delay on setback amendment LUCB slated to consider

    It might be too late to stop the Byhalia Connection oil pipeline, but Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is still proposing a setback requirement for any other oil pipelines that might be built in the future.

    By Blake Fontenay April 07, 2021

• March 2021

  • Opinion: Vaccine blunders make Harris vulnerable in 2022 reelection bid

    The vaccine distribution debacle on Mayor Lee Harris’ watch will figure prominently in the GOP campaign to retake his office, the party’s Shelby County executive director says. 

    By Otis Sanford March 04, 2021

  • Series of miscues led to Haushalter’s rapid fall from grace

    Going forward, vaccinating the citizens of Shelby County against COVID-19 is under the authority of the City of Memphis after the state transferred custody of the vaccine and administration of the process away from county leaders. It took a dizzying array of missteps for this to occur, and Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright says: “The public deserves to know what happened.”

    Related story:
    County vaccination timeline

    By Don Wade March 01, 2021

• February 2021

  • The ‘buck stops’ at Shelby Co. Health Department

    As the public continues to voice its frustration with the local COVID-19 vaccine process, Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter says she understands the frustration and that the ‘buck stops’ with the Health Department. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris declined to comment.

    By Don Wade February 09, 2021