Arlington and Bartlett school districts have announced safety protocols for the coming year even as they watch changing federal recommendations. 

The change reflects research that shows the vaccinated can transmit the COVID-19 virus to others.

A developer says he needs exceptions to zoning rules so he can build a 92-unit apartment complex near the University of Memphis and meet demand for student housing. But the University District Neighborhoods Corp. and others oppose the plan.

The surprise announcement last week at City Hall of a plan to truck the waste to a landfill near Memphis International Airport drew immediate criticism from City Council members. TVA isn’t pulling the plan but says will seek more public input.

Beat writer Drew Hill and columnists Geoff Calkins and Chris Herrington will post blog posts, stories and columns as events develop for the Grizzlies.

Memphis will soon be home to the corporate headquarters of six of the nation’s biggest companies.

The third area Slim Chickens opens at Wolfchase, with big shoes to fill if it plans to keep up with the other two in international sales standings.

The commission also delayed the second of three votes on the Byhalia Connection Pipeline ordinance after it was amended.

Germantown aldermen approved more stringent guidelines in its solicitation ordinance, which requires a background check when obtaining a permit and other requirements.

A member of the Planning Commission is asking the Collierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen to support conversations about removing a Confederate marker from Town Square Park.

Shelby County commissioners Monday voted down a new touch-screen voting system that includes a paper trail and moved to cut the Election Commission out of the process by taking new bids on a system that primarily uses hand-marked paper ballots.

The VA is the first federal agency to mandate vaccines. It applies to employees at the VA Hospital in Memphis. The only other Memphis hospital that mandates vaccinations is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Tevin Carter has matured as his high school career took some twists and turns. And in case football doesn’t work out for him, he’s got a Plan B, but it has a few bugs in it.

Shelby County commissioners chose Dr. Michelle Taylor as the new head of the county’s Health Department Monday, and they picked Judicial Commissioner Danielle Mitchell-Sims to fill a General Sessions judge vacancy. 

State education commissioner Penny Schwinn visited an SCS Summer Learning Academy at Lowrance K-8 School.

Collierville Schools is also recommending students who are sick stay home.

The Memphis Grizzlies reportedly have made a major move with numerous picks and players involved.

Related story:

Grizzlies Draft Headquarters 4.0: Memphis likely not done yet

Juni Ganguli will represent Latoshia Daniels, a Little Rock woman charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Brodes Perry. Perry was a pastor at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

Poplar Healthcare supports physicians across the country witha variety of technologies to process lab specimens.

A Memphis police officer charged last month with vehicular homicide has resigned.

Bryant Bain starts a dinner series to raise money for a bigger smoker, and Peggy’s Healthy Home Cooking has moved about a mile west, from Cleveland to Crump.

‘The whole idea was to make it modern so when someone gets off the plane, they say Memphis is going places and Memphis is cool,’ said Scott Brockman, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.

The Grizzlies reportedly are interested in a trade that would move them into the top 10 of this week’s NBA draft. 

Walter Nolen III is departing St. Benedict and enrolling at a Knoxville-area high school.