Germantown’s Design Review Commission gave favorable reviews to Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken and the addition to Houston Middle School.

The council votes next week on the further use of a PILOT extension fund already being tapped for $62 million for four Downtown parking garages. Meanwhile, one of the banks involved in financing the garages wants some more loan guarantees, which includes a proposed TIF.

Marshall Steakhouse is adding to its popular Holly Springs location, opening a second restaurant at The Lake District in Lakeland.

Hutchison’s students and families wanted to be back in class despite the pandemic; the school had to ensure it was possible to do it safely. 

California entities that share the same mailing address just bought Blair Tower Apartments in the Medical District after already acquiring Highland Row in the University District, the Parkview in Midtown, and Mimosa Gardens and Williamsburg Manor in East Memphis.

The Vollintine-Evergreen Community Association is appealing a decision to allow what it calls a “smoke shop” to open next to Dino’s Grill and near Snowden School. While renovations have been made, the business has not yet opened.

The Tuesday, Feb. 23, council session also includes final votes on a set of ordinances cracking down on illegal street racing and possibly a continuation of council discussions with MLGW about the city’s water crisis.

While some states seek to cancel student testing this spring as the pandemic grinds on, Tennessee isn’t wavering in its plan to give tests in person to most of its nearly 1 million students.

South African strain has shown to be more resistant to vaccines than other known variants.

FedEx is working to deal with a backlog of packages as a result of last week’s winter weather.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is appealing directly to President Joe Biden to stop the controversial Byhalia Connection oil pipeline project.

Due to the water-boil advisory, reduced water pressure, heating issues and various burst pipes, the University of Tennessee Health Science campus closed on Monday, Feb. 22, but the COVID testing site is open.

Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old physician assistant at the hospital and former St. Jude patient, will be one of four crew members on the Inspiration4 mission later this year. 

Faced with the monumental challenge of trying to vaccinate hundreds of thousands of people against COVID-19, city and county officials haven’t been shy about consulting with business executives for tips on how to improve their operating efficiency.

The pandemic and dropping sales have challenged downtown’s Peanut Shoppe. But now the colorful shop that has operated in the same place for 72 years faces more adversity. It must move or close at the end of the year.

A new concept by a local partnership is helping restaurants take orders with employees who are not even at the business.

Memphis, Light, Gas and Water’s water pressure situation has improved since Friday, but the utility organization’s president J.T. Young said it’s still “a critical patient.” He may have a better timetable Sunday on lifting the boil water advisory. Meanwhile, City Council members look at the water crisis.

Temporary restroom facilities are available. Passengers are also advised that airline schedules will likely change throughout the day.

About 700 students are affected. Rhodes President Marjorie Hass says the campus was having water pressure problems and made the move to help students and also answer MLGW’s call to conserve water during the crisis.

Some using bottled water to wash fruit, vegetables in cafeterias and cutting back on surgeries. 

Weather-related disruptions have led FedEx, which is instrumental in the nationwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, to rely more heavily on its regional hubs as Memphis International Airport copes with a shutdown.

The Memphis International Airport CEO called the closure of the airport terminal a “last resort.”

Kroger spokesperson says the weather has prevented many vendors from providing certain products for its area stores, such as bread. 

The goal for the search committee is to identify by Feb. 25 a final candidate to become the next president/CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission.

The center will allow airplanes to de-ice in the same location, rather than at various places around the airport. That will make it easier for airport workers to collect and dispose of glycol, the chemical used to de-ice airplanes.