NASHVILLE – State Sen. Brian Kelsey is touting passage of Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account initiative, pointing out it was a long time coming. 

School board members cited Ray’s firm hand while serving as interim — effectively a tryout — in their unanimous selection of the 22-year Memphis educator.

The president and CEO of MLGW outlines the Integrated Resources Plan that will play a large part in any recommendation from MLGW and what would happen if TVA tried to make a deal with the utility.

NASHVILLE – State Sen. Brian Kelsey’s push to pay college athletes for performance got a boost in the General Assembly this week.

• Union Row touches Beale St.
• Tesla service center opens in Memphis
• Beale Street Music Festival three-day passes sold out, single-day tickets still available 

Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright joined The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast to discuss Mayor Lee Harris' budget proposal and what lies ahead for the commission. 

Two contenders for Memphis mayor called for change in the city's leadership during a lunch hour rally outside City Hall that featured competition from a rain storm and an active shooter scare.

Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright talks about why Mayor Lee Harris’ county budget proposal may have a rocky road to the new fiscal year.

NASHVILLE – The Legislature adopted Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher legislation to use public dollars to send children to private schools in a hotly-contested compromise report despite doubts raised about its long-term financial implications.

The process for getting neighborhood speed humps and their distribution, and the cost of a modernized traffic intersection were among detailed line items City Council members reviewed on the first day of budget hearings Tuesday.

A resolution approved by the nine-member school board said a national search for a superintendent was unnecessary and would cost the district time and resources. Ray’s selection marks a reversal for board members, who signaled early on they planned to conduct a national search.

Joris Ray's public campaign to go from interim to permanent superintendent was different, but the push to keep the school system's leadership local and from within the system has been a constant feature of choosing a superintendent.

The state Senate approved a $38.6 billion budget for fiscal 2019-20 with a variety of tax cuts while adding $220 million to bolster the rainy day fund and give teachers pay increases totaling $71 million.

• ServiceMaster appoints new board chairman
• Breast Cancer Eradication Initiative to host 26th annual Pink Ribbon Open May 20
• Memphis in May Olympic Triathlon to unveil annual poster May 6

Legislation setting up an online gambling sports network in Tennessee passed the Senate on Tuesday, potentially bringing in $50 million in wagering revenue annually, a measure that will become law without the governor's signature.

Responding to an increase in distracted-driving crashes, the Legislature is outlawing the handling of cell phones by motorists.

Shelby County Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to “retain and protect” its authority to fill county office vacancies Monday.

A 20-member advisory group on the idea of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division changing its relationship with the Tennessee Valley Authority meets Tuesday for the first time.

Mayor Lee Harris' $1.3 billion budget proposal includes funding for a new tech startup fund, raises for county employees and one of the county's largest investments in prekindergarten. 

• Memphis in May Olympic Triathlon to unveil annual poster May 6
• Building permit filed for Cossitt Library renovation
• Lender drops one suit in Clark Tower case

NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill is headed for a conference committee where House and Senate members will try to hammer out differences, mainly over immigration verification and homeschooling.

NASHVILLE – The state Senate is restoring $2.5 million to a Tom Lee Park improvements project and earmarking $2.5 million from a different source for a Germantown Performing Arts Center amphitheater.

Known for its history as a haven for automotive businesses in Memphis, the Edge District hosted a block party to celebrate the opening of the Edge Motor Museum complete with classic rides, music and food.

A “People’s Convention," designed to develop a ticket of candidates in the 2019 Memphis elections around a particular agenda, is back on the calendar for June 8.

With major sticking points between the House and Senate on Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill, the legislation is likely headed for a conference committee, lawmakers say, where even a compromise plan’s result is unpredictable.