City of Memphis
How Memphis police salaries have increased since 2016
Memphis police officers are poised to secure a 5% pay raise.
Samuel Hardiman
Reporter
Samuel Hardiman is a 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 xAI, energy needs and how local governments spend money.
There are 506 articles by Samuel Hardiman :
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May 2025
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City of Memphis -
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City of MemphisMemphis mayor, council clash over ‘poor budgeting’
New budget proposal relies on rosy projections, cutting MATA funding in half and extending ongoing hiring freeze.
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Public Safety DOJ dropping MPD investigation ‘does not change anything,’ mayor says
The U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday, May 21, that it was dropping the civil rights investigation into the Memphis Police Department and retracting its previous findings into MPD.
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City of Memphis Most Memphis employees could see raises — but city needs to find $39M
In a surprise move, the Memphis City Council suspended its rules and voted on raises for solid waste employees, machinists and police officers. But the mayor has warned it could mean cutting 550 positions.
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City of Memphis City Council pushes to install public toilets Downtown
The Memphis City Council expressed frustration about the state of Downtown, also pushing to move 201 Poplar and change the state of Beale Street.
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City of Memphis What Elon Musk said about xAI’s second Memphis data center
Elon Musk confirmed in an X post how much electricity xAI’s second Memphis data center, Colossus 2, could use.
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City of MemphisHere’s how much water xAI is using to cool its supercomputer
Progress on xAI’s water-recycling facility has slowed to a bureaucratic trickle, but construction could come like a flood in a matter of weeks.
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South Memphis Decision on xAI’s air emissions permit will take time
Following a deluge of public comments, the Shelby County Health Department said a decision on xAI’s application for an air emissions permit will take approximately 60 days.
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Midtown Liberty Park hotel, apartments could break ground this fall, city says
Work on a hotel and apartments at the former Mid-South Fairgrounds property may begin in the fourth quarter of 2025. The projected opening date is in early 2027.
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City of Memphis Chamber: xAI does not plan to use turbines at Whitehaven site
Documents show artificial intelligence company xAI considered using dozens of natural-gas turbines to power the second data center. However, the Greater Memphis Chamber said the company is “is demobilizing turbines in Shelby County.”
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North MississippiElon Musk’s xAI could power Memphis data center from Mississippi
Earlier this month, MLGW said xAI could need more power than the Tennessee Valley Authority, the region’s energy provider, can supply.
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City of Memphis City wants court to sanction Tyre Nichols family’s attorneys
The City of Memphis moved for sanctions Tuesday, May 13, in response to a Monday statement from RowVaughn Wells’ legal team that said any discussion of the civil case bankrupting the city is fearmongering.
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State GovernmentMinority contracting programs banned statewide
Local minority contracting programs have been thrown into legal limbo after the Tennessee General Assembly effectively banned them statewide earlier this spring.
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City of MemphisArchitect tapped for $550 million FedExForum renovations
The firm has done work on stadium renovations around the country, including the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indianapolis Pacers.
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City of MemphisThis Memphis budget season is all about ‘sacred cows’
“Over the next 24 months, I don’t know if there will be a more critical time to set the city up for success or failure,” Memphis City Council Budget Chair Chase Carlisle said.
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Business XAI removing some turbines in next two months
XAI has operated the turbines currently running without an air-emissions permit — using a temporary-use exemption that allows the machines to run for the first 364 days without a permit.
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XAI’s second data center could use enough electricity to power 40% of Memphis
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South Memphis XAI’s second data center could use enough electricity to power 40% of Memphis
MLGW said that it has discussed xAI using up to 1.1 gigawatts of power at its Tulane Road data center. However, MLGW said that amount of power is not poised to be delivered soon and is not formally being studied.
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City of MemphisBudget takeaways: What Wanda Halbert’s mistake cost and more
Due to a delay in collecting the increased car-registration fee, a county clerk misstep cost the city more than expected. Plus, there’s no money for Mud Island amphitheater renovation this year.
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April 2025
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City of Memphis Community turns raucous against xAI at public hearing
Hundreds of people packed into Fairley High’s gymnasium in Whitehaven on Friday evening largely to vent their frustration about the artificial intelligence company’s use of natural gas turbines.
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Public Safety MPD chief: South Memphis shooting near high school was gang-related
Both Memphis Police Department Chief C.J. Davis and Mayor Paul Young became emotional speaking about the violence in the city.
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City of MemphisProfessor says xAI turbines don’t affect air quality if company’s claims are true
Chunrong Jia, a professor in the University of Memphis’ division of epidemiology, biostatistics and environmental health, modeled the impact of what xAI’s turbines would have on air quality in Southwest Memphis.
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South MemphisColossus: Can Memphis stop Elon Musk?
To many, xAI is just another chapter in what residents said they think is a legacy of industrial racism and pollution. The debate centers on one central question: Is Colossus worth the cost?
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City of MemphisCity looks for money for AutoZone Park renovations
With the Redbirds’ future at AutoZone Park potentially in question, the City of Memphis’ capital improvement budget contains at least one notable absence.
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City of MemphisColossus: The race to build the world’s most powerful machine in Memphis
XAI’s first Memphis data center Colossus dwells in a former Electrolux plant in Southwest Memphis. It is arguably one of the most valuable machines in the world controlled by someone with unrivaled wealth and galactic ambitions.
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City of MemphisColossus: How will TVA, MLGW keep up with xAI’s power needs?
The U.S. does not have enough electricity to continue powering the artificial intelligence boom, according to experts and studies, which raises questions on how Memphis can provide power to xAI’s supercomputers.
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