Elon Musk’s xAI continued to make news last week. First, the company raised $10 billion to fund its further expansion. After that, the Shelby County Health Department gave the company an air emissions permit for 15 natural gas turbines. The turbines will serve as backup power and can only be started 22 times a year. The emissions from those turbines will add to the existing heavy pollution in the 38109 ZIPcode, which is home to some of the county’s largest emitters of smog-causing nitrogen oxides. The Daily Memphian’s Samuel Hardiman explored that legacy pollution in this story.

Also last week:

• President Donald Trump made a few appointments with local significance, tapping four new Tennessee Valley Authority board members — including one Memphian — and reinstalling Michael Dunavant as the chief federal prosecutor for the Western District of Tennessee.
• A report on the Youth Villages’ SWITCH Youth program showed a significant reduction in delinquency/criminal charges for its program participants.
• And The Daily Memphian’s Aarron Fleming reported on more recusals by U.S. District Judge Mark Norris. The federal judge who formerly presided over the criminal case of five former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 death of Tyré Nichols has recused himself from more cases involving lawyers on the Nichols case.

Follow the links below for more recent coverage from The DM’s metro team.

— Metro editor Jane Donahoe

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The conversation about air pollution in the 38109 ZIP code has focused on xAI. Government data shows that there’s been a lot of pollution in that zip code before Elon Musk’s company took up residence in the former Electrolux plant. 

Federal judge recuses self from two more cases By Aarron Fleming

Data dive: Numbers behind the story of Memphis' crime decline By Jane Donahoe

Ask the Memphian: Are people really buried in Shelby Farms? By Jody Callahan

Trump taps familiar face for U.S. attorney of Western District By Bill Dries

Amid federal funding uncertainty, Memphis schools could lose $17M By Laura Testino

What Mitch Graves wants to bring to the TVA board By Samuel Hardiman

Central Gardens paradegoers celebrate holiday with mixed feelings By Jody Callahan

Redbirds stir up controversy with 'Big Beautiful Buffet' post By Jody Callahan

Despite community concern, xAI gets air-emissions permit By Samuel Hardiman

XAI raises $10 billion. What does it mean for Memphis? By Samuel Hardiman

MSCS lost money it needed for air-conditioning and roofs. Feds gave that $55M back. By Laura Testino

Nonprofit installing its own air-quality sensors near xAI By Joseph Mangin

Gov. Bill Lee downplays transparency concerns about Tennessee school voucher program By Melissa Brown

Youth program achieving results in effort to combat juvenile crime, study shows By Jody Callahan

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