Superintendent Joris Ray said teacher burnout was considered in the plan, and teachers had direct input into the schedule.

City Council also endorsed a general plan for athletic fields by Christian Brothers University on 7 acres at the intersection of Avery Avenue and South Hollywood.

A timetable for the Fairgrounds conversion has the new youth sports complex opening in the fall of 2022.

The City Council voted Tuesday, April 6, to approve a consultant’s contract that is the next step leading to recommendations by the end of this year. But there was some dissent on the council before the vote.

Memphis Teacher Residency announced its new Memphis Literacy Institute, aimed at training teachers with a focus on literacy. 

On April 10, the city could terminate its contract with Waste Pro for poor service or determine that Waste Pro has made good on dealing with the backlog of trash. The council voted Tuesday calling on the administration to cancel the city’s contract.

With ample vaccine, the push is on to get people in line to stem the tide of the rapidly growing U.K. strain, which now accounts for 30%-50% of COVID cases in Shelby County.

There is a community vaccine site scheduled for nearly every day from now through May 7. View them here.

The Shelby County Health Department reported only 55 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, April 6.

The 55 new cases come from less than 900 tests; the day’s positivity rate is 6.4%.

Memphis’ search for a new police chief has taken a turn, two Lawsons are looking and we want to know about the box office. 

The April 6, council session includes a vote on $75 million in revenue bonds for the Fairgrounds renovation as well as a vote on the $520,000 contract to explore alternatives to TVA as MLGW’s electric power supplier. And council members review a month of vocal complaints about trash pickup.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland announced Monday, April 5, that he is appointing police Deputy Director Mike Ryall as interim director effective immediately.

Memphis River Parks Partnership has city administration approval for a plan to slow traffic on Riverside Drive while keeping it open to auto traffic.

The 76 new cases come from 1,180 tests, giving the day a positivity rate of 6.4%.

Collierville High will soon get to see students’ faces, researchers are planting California crops in Memphis and NCAA rules are causing roster changes. 

Easter Sunday marked the first time many Memphians dusted off their Sunday best since the pandemic shut down churches last year. 

Shelby County Health Department reported 103 new coronavirus cases and no additional virus-related deaths Sunday. 

The river park’s closing last year due to the pandemic allowed Memphis Parks Partnership to save some money that is going into improvements, such as repairing the Riverwalk and resodding the south lawn. 

Vaccinating 700,000 people — about 70% of the population —would be sufficient for the county to reach herd immunity, according to local public health experts.

The Shelby County Health Department reported 89 new coronavirus cases and four additional virus-related deaths Saturday, April 3.

On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, state Rep. Mark White acknowledges the bill doesn’t address many of the complexities of the local schools merger and demerger that kept the three namesake Germantown schools in the Shelby County Schools system.

Social justice group seeks to be part of the discussion and decisions about police reforms and the selection of the next Memphis Police director.

Authorities are concentrating their search in ZIP codes with high concentrations of warehousing and manufacturing.