The AM/DM podcast: What is going on with the county’s elected officials?
Shelby County Commissioner Will Richardson (middle) during a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
When new Shelby County clerk La Sonya Hall got to her office on Sept. 1, she was greeted with 34 crates of unprocessed car title and registration packets.
All told, the crates contain 260 packets, which each contain 10 renewals or certifications, putting the backlog left over from the former county clerk at 2,600 individual car titles and registrations.
Separately, days into the new Shelby County Commission’s four-year term, two commissioners have been formally charged with crimes.
A third is under review because of a 2025 Memphis City Council grant her nonprofit received.
Today we’re joined by longtime political reporter Bill Dries to talk about all of these strange cases and how they impact the elected officials, the bodies on which they serve and the electorate.
Join us for the conversation.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Topics
AM/DMMary Cashiola
Mary Cashiola has been a Memphis journalist for nearly two decades, beginning her career covering city government and local neighborhoods at the Memphis Flyer before being hired by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s administration.
Before joining The Daily Memphian, she was the managing editor of the Memphis Business Journal, which was named one of the top 10 Best Designed Newspapers in the world by the Society of News Design while she was there.
She also has a background in advertising, with a focus on higher education and the hospitality industry.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories? If you’re a subscriber, scroll down to the comments. If you’re not a subscriber, only paid subscribers can add their thoughts, so subscribe now. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.