The Germantown Municipal School District will require students to wear face coverings when they return to class Tuesday. 

At least a couple of venues are reacting to the COVID surge by canceling their New Year’s Eve events, but so far the Beale Street festivities are still on.

New COVID cases for Shelby County came in above 3,000. 

Daily Memphian staff photographers Patrick Lantrip and Mark Weber take a look back at their work from 2021, and picked these photos to show what the year looked like through their lenses.

The Daily Memphian highlights philanthropists, entrepreneurs, educators, artists and business owners who are no longer with us.

Butler Row would span more than 2 acres, including the intersection at East Butler Avenue and B.B. King Boulevard.

Shelby County Health Department director Michelle Taylor urges masks and self-isolation for anyone experiencing mild symptoms. Residents are asked to avoid emergency rooms unless it’s a true emergency. 

The Tennessee Department of Health is coordinating with Walmart pharmacies to distribute Paxlovid by Pfizer and molnupiravir by Merck. Both drugs will be available for free, but will require a prescription. 

Staffers at local testing sites have been impacted by COVID infections, much like other local workplaces, causing a strain to the system. 

The latest COVID-19 Task Force briefing begins at noon, Thursday, Dec. 30.

The new year comes with a new health directive to permit ‘increased social distancing and to facilitate appropriate quarantine and isolation measures.’

Today’s number of new COVID cases beats the area’s previous high, reported Dec. 27, by more than 700 cases. 

A new Memphis startup plans to double in size (and move into a Downtown building) and self care turns to community care in Whitehaven.

A new drive-thru COVID-19 testing site just opened near the Memphis airport.

The Shelby County Health Department reported 962 new cases as of Wednesday, Dec. 29

Another Grizzlies player is out under NBA health and safety protocols; it was a lopsided Liberty Bowl, and a new party and crafts store could be in the works.

The last council scorecard of 2021 looks at two decisions that will likely be on the first scorecard tracking critical city council votes in 2022.

Local hospitals and fire departments are met with challenges due to the recent spike in COVID cases. 

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris expects numbers at six public COVID-19 testing locations to remain high going into New Year’s. 

The Shelby County Health Department reported 1,540 new cases on Monday, Dec. 27.

The AAC is changing how it handles COVID among teams, Bartlett is ready for mechatronics students and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl is this evening. 

The new campus in Bartlett will open next month, providing a learning experience in an array of disciplines.

Last week, the agency loosened rules that previously called on health care workers to stay out of work for 10 days if they test positive.

CVS and Walgreens pharmacies are also sold out of rapid testing kits online. 

The area’s newest professional league kicks off, candidates for local political office are pulling petitions and there’s a new bright spot in Downtown.