The Memphis City Council voted down plans Tuesday, Aug. 18, for a manufacturing facility and vocational school at the old Graves Elementary School site in Whitehaven. The project was the latest stage of an expansion of Graceland's presence in Whitehaven that includes a hotel-resort and an entertainment complex.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jim Strickland says public sentiment will probably have to resolve the differing views on what police reform in Memphis means two week after the council took a residency referendum off the November ballot. The proposed amendment was part of a push to increase the size of the police force.
Finances for The Walk, a vote on a controversial plan to convert a vacant Whitehaven school into a manufacturing plant and vocational school are candidates for Tuesday's council agenda.
The board heard Monday from a coalition of groups pushing for cutting ties to TVA and other electric power suppliers that could replace TVA.
The claim by a Missouri "photo historian" is being opposed by Elmwood Cemetery, which counters that the relative of J. Sam Morton included as a plaintiff is too distant to exhume the body to get a DNA sample. The case is built on alleged resemblances in old photos and the legend of Etta Place, the outlaw's companion.
On "Behind The Headlines," Dr. James Downing talked about the gap between public health and health care as well as the research hospital's $20 million effort to keep the virus off its campus through weekly testing. Data from the testing regimen is also part of a global research effort and St. Jude is participating in clinical trials for a vaccine.
A gym, aquatics center, tennis court, park and art space are some features of the new Ed Rice Community Center.
The city has also signed a letter of intent with Capstone Development for two hotels on the Central Avenue frontage. The founder of Capstone sees a different kind of recovery from the pandemic for the hospitality industry — one led by the families that travel regionally to the sports tournaments that are the financial engine for Liberty Park's public and private uses.
The Congressmen, in their respective districts during Congress’ recess, say they are prepared to return to Washington if Democrats and Republicans can reach an accord on pandemic relief and stimulus funding.
The scorecard highlights a pivotal vote in the police reform debate and why both sides in the discussion still have separate paths to pursue.
Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings says the City Council decision to take residency off the Nov. 3 ballot leaves voters out of a critical decision. The vote is a challenge to Mayor Jim Strickland’s core philosophy on fighting crime after he dramatically upped the number of new officers he believes is necessary.
Two proposals with common political ground were before the council Tuesday.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division is “too large” to depend exclusively on the most-often mentioned source of power should MLGW leave the Tennessee Valley Authority, but the city-owned utility still could save up to $122 million a year under certain options recommended in the final version of a consultant’s report.
President Trump's shake-up of the Tennessee Valley Authority board appears to have nothing to do with the coming decision by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division on whether to stay with or leave the federal agency.
Phyllis Betts and Richard Janikowski have set a new bar for growing the Memphis Police Department ranks to 2,800. They talked on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast about calls for more police amid calls locally for changing the fundamentals of policing and even the share of government funds devoted to policing.
If approved, it would call on Mayor Jim Strickland to submit a plan by Oct. 6 for getting to 2,800 police officers by the end of 2023.
The Memphis Congressman said calls at the Atlanta funeral to continue the struggle for voting rights are appropriate in the current political environment.
Instagrammable moments will mark Graceland's COVID-19 edition of Elvis Week.
The state appeals court late last year upheld the dismissal of one in a series of lawsuits by Graceland challenging the FedExForum contract. The lawsuits specifically challenged the clause that forbids public financing of arenas that would compete with the Forum. The appeal to the state Supreme Court could revive the lawsuit.
Since March, it has received 3,341 applications for emergency financial assistance with 80% of the requests citing COVID-19 as the reason for applying.
Two local leaders in the pandemic fight said on "Behind The Headlines" there would be a stronger-than-usual push for flu vaccinations. Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter also said the role of schools in the pandemic makes reopening them – virtually or in person – an important part of battling the virus.
The council's Glenview cell tower vote and a series of Black Lives Matter proposals setting the stage for some renamings of public places are the latest entries in our ongoing scorecard of council roll call votes.
MATA has had nine employees test positive from the coronavirus since April.
The Poplar Avenue name change to Black Lives Matter Avenue will be among the items the renaming commission considers. The trio of related measures met with mixed results at Tuesday's Memphis City Council session. An ordinance to give the council final approval of any names changes of streets, parks and public places may get some legal rewording before its first of three votes next months.
Two proposals on the city council agenda Tuesday would change the rules for naming and renaming streets, parks and other places. It's part of a slate of council proposals that has grown larger than police reform to include changing city government priorities. The effort is being led by a renaming of one of the most well-known addresses in the city.