Yolanda Martin, chief of human resources for Memphis-Shelby County Schools, has been placed on paid leaving pending investigation of a complaint lodged against her. 

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis announced the start of the Take-Home Vehicle Program for qualifying MPD officers.

If a soccer stadium is built where the Coliseum currently stands, it will be the last piece of the puzzle at Liberty Park, a $126 million mixed-use project on the old Fairgrounds site.

All three recipients of the National Civil Rights Museum’s annual Freedom Awards talked at the Thursday, Oct. 20, ceremony about the present divisions in America and the way forward.

The Hub is the Mid-South region’s first barrier-free emergency shelter designed for women to facilitate healing from trauma. Barrier-free shelters and homeless services operate on the premise that homelessness is not an individual choice or attributed to personal disposition. 

The exhibit, which opened Thursday, Oct. 20, depicts the civil rights movement in Fayette County through the photographs of freelance artist Art Shay.

Once complete, all I-55 north and southbound traffic will shift into the I-55 southbound lanes until fall 2023. There will be one lane in each direction. 

Memphis Parks director Nick Walker told a crowd at a public meeting Wednesday, “I don’t want to mislead you into thinking that it is our intention to do a wholesale change on this.”

The city changed the terms of the $10 million grant/loan after running into accounting rules that would have required the city to list the amount as a long-term liability on its financial statements.

The proposal for more police enforcement backed by centers for juveniles to wait out the night drew ran into a series of questions and concerns.

Council member JB Smiley Jr. proposed that Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland appoint his pick, Doug McGowen, as interim leader of MLGW while a national search is conducted.

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City Council sends curfew enforcement proposal goes back to committee

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education debated a proposed policy for use of pepper spray by school security officers. Tuesday night’s meeting was the first for new board member Frank Johnson.

Mayor Jim Strickland has nominated Doug McGowen to lead the city-owned utility. But council chair Martavius Jones wants the city to do a national search for the next president and CEO of MLGW.

The council approved the original deal of what amounted to a $10 million advance on the city’s lease of convention meeting space in the Grand Hyatt — the third of three hotels at One Beale — in September on a 10-0 vote.

Regional One responded to a resolution approved this week by the Memphis City Council that urges the Shelby County Commission to persuade the hospital to allow the intervention program’s counselors access to the hospital and victims of violent crime.

The change in agenda items for next week’s city council session reflects the ongoing tug-of-war over council chairman Martavius Jones’ demand for a national search to pick the new leader of the city-owned utility.

Price plans to run in Super District 8 after running four years ago in District 7. Meanwhile, other council races on the October 2023 ballot are also taking shape with a little less than a year to election day. 

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, who currently lives in Bartlett, says he will decide this month on a bid for Memphis Mayor on the October 2023 city ballot. 

An outline for the working group that could suggest deeper changes in the boundaries of council districts ahead of the 2023 elections started to form Tuesday, Oct. 11.

The council has unusual back-to-back meetings this week and next week, which might have been a factor in delaying what could be a standoff over the appointment for another week.

Jason Martin also said he supports legalizing and taxing marijuana.

A nonbinding resolution asks the Shelby County Commission, which funds the county-owned hospital, to pressure the hospital to allow counselors to approach crime victims.

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Group Violence Intervention Program updates City Council on progress

Of the 126 individuals identified as most at-risk for gun violence since July, the program has successfully referred 12 individuals for intervention services. 

The doctors say to expect a tough winter with more flu, and a COVID wave. They suggest being vaccinated against both and, yes, they still value in wearing a mask in some situations. 

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‘Pandemic’ or ‘Endemic,’ COVID-19 isn’t going away and might pack a winter punch