What should be done about 201 Poplar? Democratic county mayor candidates share their ideas.
Clockwise from top left: Melvin Burgess, Harold Collins, Heidi Kuhn, JB Smiley Jr., Rusty Qualls and Mickell Lowery are all candidates for Shelby County mayor. (The Daily Memphian file)
For most of an hour at Springdale Baptist Church in North Memphis, six of the Democratic candidates for Shelby County mayor displayed few differences. Then, the prospect of a new jail to replace the dilapidated and struggling 201 Poplar brought them to life.
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Shelby County Mayor elections 2026 electionsSamuel Hardiman
Samuel Hardiman is an enterprise reporter who focuses on government and politics. He began his career at the Tulsa World where he covered business and K-12 education. Hardiman came to Memphis in 2018 to join the Memphis Business Journal, covering government and economic development. He then served as the Commercial Appeal’s city hall reporter and later joined The Daily Memphian in 2023. His current work focuses on the intersection of government, public policy, influence and how public dollars are spent.
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