John Ryder's confirmation by the Senate came on a busy Thursday in D.C. that included U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander calling from the Senate floor for an alternative to President Donald Trump's national emergency.

As President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Memphis' congressional representatives were each doing other things in the course of their duties – and three of the four were saying nothing about Cohen’s testimony.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen sends Gov. Bill Lee a second letter urging him to call for removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the State Capitol in light of Lee's "stated regret" for glorifying the "Old South" while in a fraternity at Auburn.

Shelby County Republican Party chairman Chris Tutor says his conservative views expressed at a party convention Sunday are his own beliefs but don't reflect the platform of the local party as it rebuilds. 

An AmeriCorps team of eight is at Overton Park and Shelby Forest for a month to go after invasive plants just before spring arrives. Meanwhile, the Overton Park Conservancy has drawn some attention for some seasonal changes in the Old Forest after the recent rains.

State Rep. Tom Leatherwood of Arlington called his proposal to make local election nonpartisan in Shelby and Davidson counties a "good government" bill, but it died in a House subcommittee Wednesday.

Shelby County Republican Party chairman Chris Tutor talks about the call and debate by some Republicans to do away with partisan county primaries and his vision of a “big tent” for the local party.

• Methodist-Germantown to get MRI/RT Linear Accelerator for cancer treatment
• First Horizon achieves SBA's Preferred Lender Program status
• Agricenter is Germantown Chamber's 2018 Non-Profit of the Year

Logistics has been making a comeback recently after some have questioned whether the mainstay of the Memphis economy needs incentives or extra attention in the city’s ongoing bid to create good-paying jobs.

The board resolution made the case that free bus passes students would help reduce absences in a school district where most students live in poverty and are less likely to have access to a car or enough money for public transit. 

The university aims for a third of students to be children of University of Memphis full-time faculty and staff, a third to live within two miles of the school, and a third to be from elsewhere in the district. 

State testing is the linchpin of Tennessee’s system for evaluating student achievement. But as technical failures have marred the rollout in recent years, educators have clamored for limits on how the scores are used.

Legislation prohibiting abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected passed a key committee Tuesday, but Shelby County lawmakers on the panel are split on the bill.

Local groups are reacting to last week's draft release of rule revisions for the Title X family planning program, changes that some say is a step toward defunding Planned Parenthood.

An early look at Mayor Jim Strickland's still forming budget proposal to come in April shows in 2026 the city will be paying $40 million less in debt. Meanwhile, the budget plan will mark the city's final of five installments toward an annual pension liability payment estimated at around $78 million going forward.

About 80,000 students were supposed to participate in a statewide online testing simulation. A disappointing turnout Feb. 21 means a second simulation has to be scheduled.

Memphis in May staff, Memphis River Parks Partnership and architects emerge from a meeting Tuesday with confidence a solution to differences on a redesigned Tom Lee Park can be achieved.   

The city of Memphis and Memphis Greenspace Inc. locked horns with the Sons of Confederate Veterans again Tuesday , this time before the Tennessee Court of Appeals in their dispute over the removal of Confederate statues from former city parks.

• St.Jude to receive $6.5 million Cancer Support Center grant 
• Lee announces mental health, suicide prevention efforts
• Tech901 receives First Tennessee Foundation grant 

Memphis music producer, recording engineer and artist James Dukes has started a petition drive to change the name of Main Street to Mane Street. 

A month after a federal judge dismissed the City of Memphis from a civil lawsuit filed by the parents of Darrius Stewart, attorneys representing his parents have filed a notice of appeal in hopes of reversing the summary judgment. 

The Mississippi River at Memphis is expected to crest at 41 feet next week, the fourth-highest level ever recorded on the Memphis gauge. Flood control measures move to checking levees starting Tuesday, with the river level well below the record 1937 flood and the 2011 flood.

Rev. Althea Greene is the newest Shelby County Schools board member after the Shelby County Commission appointed her to fill the District 2 vacancy Monday night.

State Rep. London Lamar, a Memphis Democrat, argues abortion restriction is "unconstitutional and inhuman" and would cost state taxpayers in litigation fees.

• South Memphis honored for health initiatives
• Air Canada to add larger planes for Memphis-Toronto route
• Chris Jenkins named Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett COO