Politics is nothing new when it comes to projects like “America’s River Crossing” in Downtown Memphis. The circa-1949 bridge it would replace saw plenty of it when it came time to consider its name.
Unopposed for his second term on the Germantown Board of Education, Curry reflected on the past four years and what he sees ahead.
The Young administration recently decided to pay $30 million to save the Downtown Memphis Sheraton from the auction block. The MATA overhaul could be just as expensive and resonate over just as long of a time period.
People with backgrounds in finance, urban planning and “route optimization” were among those recently appointed to the reconfigured MATA board.
Also happening this week: A street is renamed for for the first Black athlete to join the Tigers.
The 33rd annual Freedom Awards went to Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, Howard University professor and attorney Sherrilyn Ifill and civil rights activist Xernona Clayton.
The Memphis City Council is also taking a look at the new building code that requires some schools buildings to have storm shelters to see if there are less expensive ways to meet the standard.
Mayor Paul Young told council members in a Tuesday, Oct. 15, committee discussion that the immediate task is to find short-term funding for MATA to avoid a set of bus route cuts and employee layoffs the old MATA board approved that take effect Nov. 3.
“You cannot say that you are cleaning up the blight in your district if you are dumping it in mine,” said Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas.
Memphis Animal Services director Ty Coleman was first suspended in June.
Mayor Paul Young says the board will not replace MATA leadership at least for now. Council members also expect Tuesday to consider a Frayser landfill expansion that was rejected seven years ago.
Transpro’s draft report said ridership has declined 82% since 1991, the system needs 18 more buses to function properly and its current capital project plans are “financially unsustainable.”
A DMC board approved bonds to loan Memphis the millions needed to buy and maintain the Sheraton Memphis Downtown hotel, renovate AutoZone Park and update the 100 N. Main parking garage.
What people don’t see is the blood on the floor. Bag after bag that’s used to save lives. They don’t see the doctors and nurses with soaked scrubs. They don’t see the gore left for janitors to clean up.
Also happening this week: Riley Keough discusses her new book at Graceland, and the U of M breaks ground on new campus housing.
XAI is set to lease a site via CTC Property LLC, a California LLC affiliated with the Elon Musk company.
Congressman Steve Cohen of Memphis says he is “disheartened” by the bus system’s “operational and fiscal crisis” after he helped secure $140 million in federal transit funding for MATA in recent years.
“This flyway provides (an) opportunity to get closer to the river, to see a natural habitat and to enjoy the quietness of this area of the park,” Memphis River Parks Partnership COO Art Davis said.
A person familiar with the matter said the land would be used for future development for xAI and allow the company to build on its ongoing momentum in Memphis.Related content:
The Memphis City Council’s other-action items Tuesday, Oct. 1, included more money for affordable housing and more cameras.
The financing is a switch from another type of bond the city wanted to use but couldn’t to bridge a $10 million gap in the renovation and reuse of the city’s tallest building.
The City Council toured the aging hotel to see dilapidated rooms that the current owners wouldn’t pay to fix.
Council members discuss the Sheraton convention center hotel deal in committees Tuesday, Oct. 1. They will also vote on new city-backed funding for the 100 N. Main mixed reuse project.
Also happening this week: The City Council may take up the Sheraton deal, and Coach Silverfield talks at the Touchdown Club.
“This bold action will help save lives and protect our neighborhoods from the devastating effects of gun violence,” Mayor Paul Young wrote in a post on Instagram.