Voting rights advocates have argued the elections office’s legal interpretations have been way off-base and a lawsuit over Tennessee’s restoration process has been ongoing for years.

Although a major win for the Memphis Grizzlies point guard, it is only temporary. The case will likely move on, either over self-defense or Tennessee’s “stand-your-ground” law.

Related story:

Ja Morant fairly raised issue of self defense, Shelby County judge rules

Cleotha Abston chose not to take the stand Wednesday, April 10, during the second day of trial for the alleged rape of Alicia Franklin.

Starting in August, the district will serve kindergarten through 11th grade, as Lakeland Preparatory School continues to add a grade to its high school classes each year.

The Memphis City Council will have more direct control over Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s spending for at least six months.

Both resolutions are not binding and have little effect, but they express the body’s political will at a time when many members feel Shelby County’s autonomy is under threat from the Tennessee General Assembly.

Beginning in the fall, the award will cover tuition and expenses for 26 students, including two medical students at UTHSC. Undergraduates qualify for up to $10,000 a year.

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee advanced a proposal Tuesday to allow some teachers to carry handguns on public school grounds.

Judge rules in Ja Morant’s favor, Abston’s rape trial begins and two Memphis plants will be affected by new EPA rules on cancer-causing chemicals.

County commissioners approved $18.6 million in funding to plan and build the diversion center. The jail study was an easier call at $250,000. The separate votes on the two projects came with very different timelines and expectations.

The developers “withdrew” their application but say they only meant to postpone the vote. Council member Easter-Thomas doesn’t buy it. 

The Memphis City Council approved $10 million from the city’s rainy day fund to fill the gap, most of which — about $9.7 million — is in the Memphis Fire Department’s budget. 

“It seemed like forever,” Alicia Franklin said of her alleged rape by Cleotha Abston during testimony she gave on the first day of trial in the case.

Superintendent Marie Feagins has been talking to senior leadership about the issue and a “few positions that have been posted” are to streamline operations, she said at a briefing that also covered safety, truancy and more.

Oral arguments were heard Tuesday, April 9, in an appeal of a class-action lawsuit against the City of Memphis about its alleged lack of testing more than 12,000 sexual assault evidence kits, some dating back decades.

Mayor Paul Young and Interim Chief C.J. Davis support a Memphis City Council ordinance to create a philanthropic and research foundation that would take private donations and put them toward the city’s public safety efforts.

The trial was paused in December to determine if Morant would be immune under the state’s self-defense immunity statute, also known as the “stand your ground” law.

A state board overseeing attorneys’ disciplinary proceedings has censured a Shelby County juvenile court magistrate judge for filing an ill-intentioned lawsuit. 

The Craigmont planetarium is a one-of-a-kind offering in Memphis’ public school system. And it’s an example of how school building improvements can enrich student learning.

Jury selection kicks off in Abston’s rape trial, Coach Cal could be our neighbor and we’ve got a look at the good (and the bad) from Cordova’s Eat N Vibe.

Throughout his first 100 days, Memphis Mayor Paul Young has sought ways to get to “yes” and make Memphians feel heard by their new mayor, wielding his newfound power and spotlight to recast the city’s narrative and try to paint hope on Memphis’ self-portrait. 

But yes is not easy to come by. Listening takes hours that turn into days. Narratives don’t change in 90 days. Or 100. Already, circumstance has intervened. 

The study would cost $250,000, and the new center $18.6 million. County Mayor Lee Harris meanwhile has said the diversion center is a more immediate priority that could help with conditions in the current jail.

There was an undeniable buzz inside the Memphis Zoo as attendees waited for the partial solar eclipse to hit its maximum percentage.

The Daily Memphian photographer Patrick Lantrip traveled to Sikeston, Missouri, to photograph the solar eclipse. From Missouri, the disk of the sun was covered 100% by the moon, as opposed to 97.7% in Memphis.

Related content: 

Gallery: A live look at the solar eclipse

Path to totality: Memphians head out of town to get 100%

Opportunities to explore the universe offered at U of M

A new deal has been struck to fund the FedExForum renovations, according to a draft agreement obtained The Daily Memphian.