Longtime “mayor of Downtown” has died, a DeSoto County “Jane Doe” is identified and the City Council wants more say over MLGW’s money.

Former County Commissioner Tami Sawyer meets Republican Lisa Arnold in August in the general election race for General Sessions Court Clerk. The presidential primary results mirrored the state.

Council chairman JB Smiley Jr. is proposing lower dollar figures for contracts and pay contracts that must be voted on by the council after they are approved by MLGW’s board.

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Ursula Madden’s MLGW salary vote punted to next meeting

The Memphis City Council has to approve any MLGW salary more than $180,000, but that number could soon change.

Ben Crump, Rev. Al Sharpton and families of inmates who died in Shelby County Jail attend the funeral of Ramon McGhee, who was at least the 48th inmate to die at the jail since Jan. 1, 2019.

The closure will begin Sunday, March 10. Motorists are asked to use Interstate 40 as a detour.

The closures are expected to begin at 8 a.m. and last the full day of their respective date.

In a rare action, the state Board of Education passed a resolution questioning whether the 2021 law targets the right age group.

On the evening of Jan. 24, 1985, an unidentified woman was found on the side of Highway 78 in Olive Branch, the apparent victim of a strangulation.

New Chamber Chairman’s Circle leader has ideas for curbing crime, Binghampton may get a city pool and Jenkins gets 200th win.

An indoor swimming facility could be coming to Binghampton as the city’s upcoming debt cliff could free up $50 million annually for new projects.

Isaiah 117 House, a nonprofit that provides a comfortable environment for youth waiting on a foster family placement, opens its first location in Shelby County, where more than 1,000 children are in state custody.

Commuters heading both south or northbound on Highland or Patterson streets will need to find an alternative route. 

The new dollar thresholds for council oversight of contracts and pay come as the council considers a $200,000 annual salary for the utility’s new vice president of corporate communications.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into what caused an officer to fire his weapon, killing 30-year-old Antwon Booker.

The haggling over Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act has begun, with three different — and expensive — versions of the bill.

“When I look at my success as chief, I’d like to push it off to what 360’s done, personally,” the police chief of Omaha said of Omaha 360, the model for Memphis’ new violence intervention and prevention framework.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young met with gang members last week and asked for a “truce.” But you know what’s better than a truce? Giving kids an alternative to joining gangs in the first place. That’s where Memphis Rox comes in. And it could use your support.

Also happening this week: MLGW wants your input on its 20-year plan, and 901 FC kicks off its season.

Leslie Taylor and Norman Blake lead Memphis Crime Beat, a nonprofit with the goal of gathering data about crime, increasing civic engagement and encouraging residents to help youths stay on the right path.

The city’s new director of Youth Services Brian Harris wants to see more after-school programs in communities as well as some different ways of handling the city’s annual summer jobs program.

Lizzette Reynolds, who discussed school vouchers, drew criticism. Other speakers included Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis and Mayor Paul Young.

Two state senators, both from the Memphis area and both members of Tennessee’s Senate Judiciary Committee, agree on many aspects of the city’s crime problem even though they see different paths for solving it.