Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court late Monday by a deeply divided Senate, with Republicans overpowering Democrats to install President Donald Trump’s nominee days before the election and secure a likely conservative court majority for years to come.

Data shows transmission happening in suburbs where athletic events are frequent and masks are fewer. 

Shelby County Criminal Court was set to begin holding some trials next month, but now restarting jury trials is on hold until the health department issues COVID-19 safety protocols. 

Joris Ray’s overall score was 4.13 out of 5, showing that he “completely met expectations” during the 2019-20 school year.

Budget committee chairman Edmund Ford Jr. amended his resolution to stick with the county’s policy of keeping its financial reserves at 20% of general fund revenues. He has suggested a 15% to 20% guideline.

Applications can be made online and are due by the end of the business day at the election commission. Completed absentee ballots are due at the election commission by the time the Election Day polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 and cannot be hand-delivered. 

Tri-Star Arts created the Current Art Fund as a partner in The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts’ Regional Re-granting Program.

Daja Henry, who is originally from New Orleans, will start working in Memphis Dec. 16.

District leaders speculate some students left in favor of in-person learning at charter or private schools because SCS started the year all online.

There were 256 COVID-positive patients in area hospital beds as of 5 p.m. Sunday.

Rides will be free all day on Nov. 3 for all MATA modes of transportation.

It’ll probably be a gray Monday. But we’re talking politics, a historic apartment project, and a parking structure to end all parking problems. 

Here are a few changes in how elections are conducted in Memphis, close elections and even a belated admission that a pivotal mayor’s race was rigged.

Related story: Presidential campaigns have distinctly Memphis flavor

Tennessee may not be a battleground state in the presidential general election, but the absence of the Trump or Biden national campaigns in Memphis leaves a race for president on uniquely local terms.

Related story: A local history of tumult and change at the polls

The commission will vote Oct. 26 on setting new parameters for the spring budget season. And the county’s CFO says it could be dangerous to lower the percentage of reserves on hand. 

Absentee voting provides an extra layer of challenge for young voters just trying to be a part of the electoral process.

Shelby County surpassed 36,000 cases of coronavirus Sunday. The Health Department reported 187 new cases from 3,023 tests.

Rosalyn Holmes, charged as an adult in 2018 on kidnapping and robbery charges, was kept in adult prison for 40 days without being convicted of a crime. Charges were dropped against her recently and she is moving forward with her life.

Traditional campaigns are no longer the norm in 2020 as each candidate tries to find creative ways to get their message out to voters.

From Oct. 10 to Saturday, Oct. 24, the Shelby County Health Department recorded a daily average of 213 new coronavirus cases and 3,326 tests results with a 6.4% positivity rate. The Health Department has reported at least 200 new cases seven days in a row, with the highpoint of 414 new cases on Saturday.

This is the highest single-day total since the 664 new cases reported Aug. 1. The Health Department has reported at least 200 new COVID-19 cases seven days in a row.

The mayor says taking bids from possible rivals to TVA should include transmission costs to get the cost estimates needed to make a decision about MLGW leaving the federal agency. 

The founder of one of the get out the vote groups working locally says on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast that higher turnout is part of a national trend. But detailed numbers also show ongoing problems in access to the vote.

The Shelby County unemployment rate is back in single digits for the first time since COVID-19 hit in March, according to the state’s September jobs report.