Gov. Bill Lee calls for schools to shut down for remainder of academic year, plan for fall reopening with precautions.

Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings said Wednesday, April 15, that violent crime is up slightly in the city since the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the police department has launched a sting operation to combat the uptick.

The Memphis airport has gone from 6,000-plus passengers and 80-90 flights a day to 20 or fewer flights and a few hundred passengers as COVID-19 hammers air travel.

Gov. Bill Lee is admitting Tennessee runs the risk of a COVID-19 surge when the state starts to reopen the economy in May, but he argued an economic shutdown can’t continue for months, and he hopes to quell a surge with more testing and hospital capacity.

COVID-19 testing will ramp up Friday, April 17, as the city moves into more areas with mobile testing, Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday, April 15.

Shelby County is reporting 1,432 cases of coronavirus and 31 deaths as of Wednesday, April 15. 

For 62-year-old Hans Guenther of Germantown, the retired life was the good life — until the so-called invisible enemy paid a visit. 

Coronavirus has thrown off everything in sports, including the local WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Reports of a revamped schedule have the local PGA stop moving to the end of July.

Today is Wednesday, April 15, and there's County Commission committees, an EDGE meeting and a Downtown board. The governor is also expected to make an announcement about the current school year. 

Cherokee Health Systems is offering COVID-19 testing to new and current patients at its Frayser location, 2574 Frayser Boulevard. 

Shelby County Commission has approved spending $2.5 million for coronavirus testing and other expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some local chiropractors have stayed open, while others have closed due to coronavirus concerns. The balance of safety and pain relief make the decision extremely difficult. 

COVID-19 has changed the Shelby County's fiscal landscape, and responding to that is now the budget priority, county Mayor Lee Harris says.

This is usually a good time of year for Memphis Airbnb hosts to be booked for months, but they are losings thousands of dollars in income until travel resumes.

Rhodes College President Marjorie Hass sent a note to the senior class on Tuesday, telling them that their May 16 graduation had been postponed.

University of Memphis president David Rudd told The Daily Memphian that "current indicators would suggest" students will be back on campus in the fall. He's hopeful football will be back, too. 

The group BLDG Memphis is hosting a forum on Zoom Thursday, April 16, with “Beale Street Dynasty” author Preston Lauterbach.

House Education Committee Chairman Mark White is skeptical about the safety of reopening schools this year because of the need to maintain social distancing.

When researchers see a lull in new cases, they look to how well social distancing was going two weeks earlier.

The Fresh Market, following CDC recommendations to cover your face, is the first grocery in town asking that shoppers put on face masks before coming in the store.

Those who drive to Dell's Hollywood gas station at 2637 James Rd. Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. will get $10 of free gas. 

The early discussions locally suggest businesses will reopen in waves and possibly with some new restrictions. 

The state also says it has opened the unemployment claims process to self-employed, freelancers and gig economy workers who are newly qualified for benefits because of the CARES Act.

State Rep. John DeBerry is facing a tax bill of nearly $100,000 on his late father's church building, according to the Shelby County Trustee's Office, as he prepares to challenge removal from the Democratic ticket in the August election.

Germantown Municipal School District's Board of education approved a policy allowing most employees to work from home. However, some are performing duties outside of what is normally considered part of their job description.