Activists responding to immigration police calls on behalf of those detained said on “Behind The Headlines” the lines look blurred at times as a police stop is followed by a federal presence.

A group of volunteers makes pillowcases for the incoming residents at Youth Villages, and maybe we all should take that as a reminder to help folks in need all year.

If lawmakers can agree this year, change could come quickly to Memphis-Shelby County schools, which is already primed for major upheaval in 2026.

Some Collierville and Germantown students will get Biblical education during school hours next year. It’s allowed by a 1952 ruling by the United States Supreme Court.

Overall, school officials have identified more than $400 million in deferred maintenance needed for the campus’ 133 buildings.

A local quilting group donates part of their talent to Youth Villages residents, creating pillowcases for the children living in the Bartlett facility.

She is the first woman to hold the position in the Marshals Service’s centuries-long history.

A new strategic plan should take Collierville into 2050, but what that will look like — and what it will mean for the town — is still up in the air. 

Westwood High may be saved from closure, Bartlett hires a new business booster and we look at what the Tigers are doing wrong. 

“At its best, the Clerk’s Office is where the government meets everyday life, where efficiency, fairness and accountability translate directly into better public service.”

Chickasaw Middle could close at the end of the school year, one of five closures MSCS officials have proposed. The students would move to the Westwood High campus, making it a school for sixth-12th graders. 

Most of those checking out qualifying petitions Monday, Dec. 22, are looking to run in the May 5 Shelby County Democratic primaries. There are already some interesting trends.

Candidates get in line for county ballot, another inmate died at 201 Poplar and the Tigers actually win a game.

The shift to gas-powered trucks means West Tennessee isn’t tied to the nation’s precarious EV market. 

Some say the National Guard “shouldn’t be here,” while others say Memphis “got the message.” The Daily Memphian captured a snapshot of where Memphians stand on the Memphis Safe Task Force and its impact.

Five incumbent Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members confirmed with Chalkbeat that they’re running for reelection.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office did not say what is believed to have caused the man’s death, which remains under investigation. 

The first day Monday, Dec. 22, of the period to get on the May 5 Shelby County primary ballot opened to a crowd of contenders Downtown and those who are already working on their campaigns.

Related content:

Who’s running in the 2026 Memphis school board election?

Because of term limits, Shelby County will see a new mayor, new sheriff and new county clerk — positions currently held by Lee Harris, Floyd Bonner Jr. and Wanda Halbert, respectively — elected in 2026. 

U of M fired its foundation CEO, the Tigers just keep losing and Cam Spencer is the Grizzly nobody wanted.

The state law banning religious charters has not yet been legally challenged, nor has any lawmaker proposed legislation to amend the current law.

Even though we haven’t quite reached 2026 yet, candidates for elections in the Northeast Shelby County suburbs already are making their intentions known with many of the incumbents running again.

In this week’s “Ask the Memphian,” we explain how that distance came to be and compare it to other populous cities across Tennessee.

Plus, all schools across Shelby County are out for winter break.

Memphis parent Chajuana Williams said she would miss the family history embedded at Georgian Hills Elementary if district leaders decide to close the school in June.