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. 

Germantown Municipal School District mulls tuition for Shelby County children who don’t live in the suburb. The district already charges Tennesseans who live outside Shelby County $4,736 per year, and those outside of Tennessee pay $9,733. 

The piece, entitled “Subterranean River,” stretches 161 feet and 80 feet on each side, featuring symbols that portray the Mississippi River as a passage for commerce. LED lights shine on the shimmering sequins to mimic the movement of water. 

Before lawmakers approved $138 million in October, costs had already risen from $60 million to $136 million. On Dec. 20, with no discussion, the State Building Commission approved a budget revision to $274 million.

Shelby County Schools library media specialist Alice Faye Duncan examines two critical points in both Tennessee and American history in her newest books “Evicted,” and “Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free.” 

Minda Cox was born in a village in India 33 years ago and adopted 22 months later by a nurse from America. She was born without legs and arms, an extremely rare birth defect known as congenital amputation.

We’re all about Christmas. But this is Memphis, so we’ve also got Griizzlies and barbecue. Vote for your favorite image.

It is hard not to think about loss this Christmas. Here’s to those who help us find joy in the midst of it all. 

Delta said it canceled flights Friday because of the impact of Omicron and possibility of bad weather after it had “exhausted all options and resources — including rerouting and substitutions of aircraft and crews to cover scheduled flying.”

The latest contenders in the May county primaries to pull qualifying petitions include a Democratic challenger to County Mayor Lee Harris.