Riverfront tree planting begins on Earth Day
The trees planted along the riverbluff are the first installment of 1,000 trees pledged by Valero refinery and planted by volunteers from Valero.
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Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
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The trees planted along the riverbluff are the first installment of 1,000 trees pledged by Valero refinery and planted by volunteers from Valero.
The former president tops a bill of conservative figures who plan to hold a day-long conference in the Memphis area.
All MATA services will be free to ride on Thursday, April 28.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland proposed a dedicated funding source for the Memphis Area Transit Authority as part of a $750 million operating budget proposal. The budget proposal also includes a team of 17 employees with heavy equipment to continually clear illegal dumping sites and raises the pay for city employees.
The two proposals were introduced during council committee sessions but appear to have been discussed among council members prior to that. City Council approves Southwind apartments, Liberty Park management contract, moreRelated story:
The apartment complex had persistent opposition from an area that asked for and received de-annexation from Memphis. One council member had harsh words for that idea.
With all 26 sites open Monday, April 18, for the first time in the two-week period, more than 2,800 of the 3,900 early voters in the first four days of the period cast their ballots in the Democratic county primaries.
Mayor Jim Strickland has been dropping hints about his budget proposal that include more of the unexpected adjustments the city budget has taken over the past two years because of the pandemic.
Turnout soared Saturday with six early voting locations open and Agricenter and Glenview Community Center as the top locations by turnout. All 26 sites, including the 20 sites that opened Monday are open through April 28. Election day is May 3.
The Scorecard attempts the math on the new FedExForum deal keeping the Grizzlies at the Forum and on the renovated Shelby Training Center that is to become the new juvenile detention center with more funding from the county.
The five sites that open Saturday are in addition to the one open since this past Wednesday at the Downtown Election Commission offices. Early voting in the county primaries expands Monday, April 18, to all 26 sites across the county and runs through April 28. Election day is May 3.
Thursday marked the withdrawal deadline for contenders in the August election, with several developments in the nonpartisan judicial races that are a major part of that ballot.
Incumbent Mayor Lee Harris wants to continue a sea change in what issues the county mayor focuses on. His challenger in the May Democratic primary, Ken Moody, says that focus isn’t immediate or local enough.Related story:
There are plans by several organizations to boost the turnout Thursday. Meanwhile, there is free parking around the only early-voting site Downtown open Wednesday and Thursday.
Early voting for the Shelby County primaries is April 13-28. Here is everything to know the ballot, the basics of early voting and what turnout in this election cycle has looked like in the past.
The Democratic primary race for district attorney is about to turn from general calls for change to who can upset incumbent Republican Amy Weirich.Related story:
Democratic county mayoral contender Ken Moody opened the first of what will be several headquarters opened by various campaigns in Whitehaven, underscoring the importance of the area’s Black middle class in the city’s political mix.Related story:
County Commission Chair Willie Brooks denied that the meeting was called to try to hide the 8-0 vote on emergency funding for the project.
The MATA funding has also become an issue in the May Republican primary for commission District 4.
The ruling on a motion Monday, April 11, means early voting in advance of the May 3 election day opens Wednesday at a single Downtown site. The other 25 early voting sites open the Monday after Easter Sunday.
In addition to advancements on Northside and Soulsville TIFs, the commission approved on second reading an ordinance keeping in place a residency waiver for prison guards. But some commissioners may try to kill it on third reading next month.
The County Commission Monday approved the agreement with Grizzlies to keep the team in Memphis through at least 2029.Related story:
The pairing is among the police reforms discussed nationally in the wake of the March 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody.
The commission agenda also includes a call on County Clerk Wanda Halbert for a corrective plan to clear up some problems in a recent audit of her office’s financial statements.
The $60 million Memphis Allies gun violence initiative is new turf for Youth Villages, which historically hasn’t worked with teens and young adults accused of violent crimes.