The National Guard could remain deployed to Memphis well into the new year. A Davidson County Chancellor ruled last month that Gov. Bill Lee could have acted outside his authority when he deployed the guard to Memphis. The guard has remained in Memphis as the appeals process played out, with the Tennessee Court of Appeals agreeing last week to hear the case. The matter is set for oral arguments on March 5, 2026.

Envisioning a “stronger, more vibrant future for our students” means some 15 schools could close over the next three school years, according to a newly minted “facilities roadmap” obtained and reviewed by The Daily Memphian last week. That includes the five closures Interim MSCS Superintendent Roderick Richmond’s team has proposed for this school year, plus five more each for the next two years. Richmond’s administration produced the report in response to the school board’s request for a long-term plan. Efforts to better align enrollment to Memphis campuses have moved in fits and starts in recent years of leadership turmoil, as established and expanded school choice options have continued to complicate those enrollment trends.

In other education-related news, The University of Memphis has fired the head of its foundation, prompting the entire board to resign from the organization that oversees donations to the school. Holly Ford had been the CEO of the University of Memphis Foundation since 2021; it remains unclear what led to Ford’s firing and the mass resignations.

And the Memphis Theological Seminary in Midtown may be closing in 2026, its president announced last week. The seminary’s Board of Trustees has recommended that the facility cease operations by July 31, 2026, due to its financial situation and the inability to find a partner institution to ease that burden, MTS President Jody Hill said in a statement.

— Metro editor Jane Donahoe

We hope you enjoy reading the latest news stories from our community. If you’re a Daily Memphian subscriber, we appreciate your support. If not, please subscribe for unlimited access to quality, locally produced journalism.

The city needs sales-tax growth at Liberty Park to pay bonds at the Memphis Sports and Events Center. To generate that tax growth, it needs hotel and apartments to become something more than hypothetical. 

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