The Early Word: Fast food slows down hotel plan; MATA job cuts may go deep
How about this weather, huh? False Fall is in full swing on this Wednesday, Aug. 21, with temps in the 60s this morning and a high that won’t hit 90. Enjoy it while you can.
The Shelby County Commission meets in a special session today for a final vote on a Nov. 5 ballot referendum. If approved, voters would get to decide if the commission should have independent legal counsel like the Memphis City Council has.
A proposed Midtown Whataburger is holding up the development of a new, five-story hotel and townhomes at the site of the old Memphis police station on Union Avenue. EP3 Developers LLC has a plan to build all three on the property, but a permit for the project was delayed by the Memphis City Council on Tuesday to allow more time for the developers and neighbors to compromise on the burger spot’s planned drive-thru lanes. During Tuesday’s meeting, one council member went so far as to suggest a moratorium on drive-thrus on that already very fast-food-heavy stretch of Union.
“MATA’s problems aren’t last year’s problems. MATA’s problems are historic problems,” said Hamish Davidson, the Memphis Area Transit Authority’s chief financial officer. A new MATA document reveals which positions the agency will cut, should it go through with a proposal to lay off about half of its staff. The job cuts, as well as proposed bus and trolley cuts, are MATA’s attempt to balance a massive budget deficit. But Memphis City Council members made their displeasure with the plan known as they grilled Interim CEO Bacarra Mauldin on Tuesday.
Plus, a stalled Whitehaven High project can move ahead, a Downtown hotel bar nods to the Press-Scimitar and we’ve got a look at what’s planned for Liza Wellford Fletcher Stadium.
Topics
The Early Word Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
Subscribers to The Daily Memphian help fund our not-for-profit newsroom of nearly 40 local journalists plus more than 20 freelancers, all of whom work around the clock to cover the issues impacting our community. Subscriptions - and donations - also help fund our community access programs which provide free access to K-12 schools, community organizations, and more. Thank you for making our work possible.
Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. She’s a diehard morning person who spends her free time running marathons and ultras. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South.”
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.