Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson said a lack of federal regulations on the use of $113.6 million that came to Memphis is "crazy," but warrants careful use of the money. 

The council also takes a final vote on a mask ordinance and talks about rules to better regulate lobbyists at City Hall. 

The imposition of the late night curfew by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, announced Monday, also marks another chapter in the relationship between the city and activists who led the splinter group that tried to occupy the city's two interstate bridges Sunday night.

The number of those arrested this past week in a series of five demonstrations in the city is estimated at several dozen with an exact number from last night expected later today.

The Memphis City Council could vote this week to require citizens to wear face masks in public places. The facial coverings have touched a political nerve and divide, although proponents of the push for masks say it's not political.

People could expect to be tested several times a month at work if employers sign on.

Leaving the Tennessee Valley Authority could produce up to $150 million a year in savings for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division. But there are also costs to consider in the numbers-heavy first draft of a report released Friday on a possible move away from TVA.

The first draft report, which MLGW will release by Friday, likely won't outline a simple unplugging from TVA and plugging in somewhere else. MLGW's president and CEO said in a "Behind the Headlines" interview it's a risky move without the utility generating some of its own power. And two Entergy executives nearby back him on that assertion.

The city’s nearly century-old relationship between Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division and the Tennessee Valley Authority reaches a critical point with some options, thanks to hard past negotiations. 

The review by the council budget committee continued Wednesday with no major changes to the $708.8 million operating budget proposed by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. The full council is scheduled to take final votes on the budget and a stable city property tax rate next week.

The County Commission approved CARES Act spending, including a hazard pay stipend for some workers and money for the municipal cities.

Shelby County Schools' digital plan would provide every student and teacher with a laptop and training on how to use it. The more than 100,000 devices would cost roughly $53 million, half of which would come from federal coronavirus stimulus funds.

Memorial Day Weekend is normally one of the busiest times of the year at the 153-year-old Memphis National Cemetery off Jackson Avenue, and 28-year-old West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Forest Hill-Irene Road. But like most aspects of current American life, the COVID-19 pandemic made other plans. 

On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer also talked about the rift between the Democratic county mayor and the eight-vote Democratic majority on the commission.

The president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, during an appearance on "Behind The Headlines," also panned a set of four studies touting much broader savings if MLGW cuts ties to the federal agency. Lyash is pushing a 20-year renewal contract with a 3% signing bonus and TVA aid in helping MLGW generate its own solar power.

Memphis River Parks Partnership and its design team, led by Studio Gang and Scape, announced a new, improved concept for a $60 million overhaul of Tom Lee Park. 

The Calgary Zoo is having to return its two giant pandas to China because of pandemic-caused logistics problems in getting enough bamboo. But the Memphis Zoo has its own bamboo farm as well as bamboo donors. 

Cheryl Patterson says the utility board makes the first decision on whether MLGW stays or leaves TVA.

Wearing a mask or facial covering, and whether it should be mandated or suggested, is one of the ongoing debates as people emerge into the public arena as part of the COVID-19 recovery.

The call for an executive order by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is the latest, including three lawsuits pending in Nashville. Lee has said he will not issue an executive order dropping state law's present restrictions on the mail-in ballots.

The city council approved a resolution that asks the mayor to seek specific information on what it would take for MLGW to break ties with TVA and pursue another electric power supplier. But the effort will wait at least until a first draft of a comprehensive report commissioned by MLGW is released May 29.

The testing money would come from the city's $113.6 million allocation of federal CARES Act funding. Strickland's proposal, presented Tuesday to the Memphis City Council, also includes an immediate $2.7 million to beef up health department contact tracing and long-term city funding of the health department beyond that.

Up for discussion Tuesday is a move to get a proposal from a specific TVA competitor and a legal opinion that could put off an electric rate hike scheduled to take effect July 1.

The latest edition of our tracking of Memphis City Council votes includes May council moves on an ordinance that would require masks for face covering to be worn in public and some larger issues that showed up in votes on Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division bond issue votes.

The new concept for the park's $60 million transformation will be revealed live today at 3:30 p.m. on The Daily Memphian's site.