Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen talks about the city’s study of a long-range plan for Mud Island River Park 40 years after it opened.

The roundup includes the contenders for county mayor clashing over PILOTs and other economic development incentives, reaction to the Roe v. Wade repeal and early-vote strategies.

The City Council Scorecard follows the maneuvering as the council puts a ballot question on the August ballot that might look familiar to Memphis voters.

Worth Morgan, the Republican nominee for Shelby County Mayor talks about the terrain of the 2022 county general election and what the defeat of Ken Moody in the primaries means for the general election.

The Daily Memphian’s On The Record podcast reviews the results from Tuesday’s county primaries with a look ahead to the August county general election.

The only two contested Republican primaries in August for seats in the Tennessee General Assembly representing parts of Shelby County could change dramatically with new challenges that could remove one of the contenders from each of the two-man races.

“I just feel like a weight has been lifted up off of me.” 

All MATA services will be free to ride on Thursday, April 28.

“Regardless of where you live in Tennessee, you should have a say in who represents you,” writes Tequila Johnson and Charlane Oliver.

The two proposals were introduced during council committee sessions but appear to have been discussed among council members prior to that. 

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City Council approves Southwind apartments, Liberty Park management contract, more

Thursday marked the withdrawal deadline for contenders in the August election, with several developments in the nonpartisan judicial races that are a major part of that ballot.

There are plans by several organizations to boost the turnout Thursday. Meanwhile, there is free parking around the only early-voting site Downtown open Wednesday and Thursday.

The Democratic primary race for district attorney is about to turn from general calls for change to who can upset incumbent Republican Amy Weirich.

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Ballot basics: Early voting begins

Shelby County Commissioner Brandon Morrison defends her conservatism while opponent Jordan Carpenter targets what he calls “dangerous ideologies” and “perversion.”

On The Daily Memphian’s On The Record podcast, Rep. Steve Cohen talks about the proposed system, in which buses would have their own lanes and would be timed to hit green lights. 

Each of the three Democratic primary candidates for Shelby County District Attorney General pledge to make deep reforms in the prosecutor’s office.

Related story:

What change in the DA’s office could look like on first day

On this week’s On The Record podcast, Bill Dries is joined by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland. 

Ken Moody has got the one-on-one challenge of incumbent Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris he wanted in the May Democratic primary. 

“The river is a remarkable, remarkable sight right there at Tom Lee Park ... like the surface of a muscular dragon,” said David Alan Clark, who created the monument that was put in place 16 years ago.

On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, City Council member Martavius Jones says he intends to propose doing away with council super districts and also will call for partisan primaries in advance of city general elections. 

City Council member Chase Carlisle distinguishes between the case for consolidation and the case for drafting a consolidation charter. He also acknowledges getting the votes to form a charter commission will not be easy.

He also blasted the disqualification of U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson from the Olympics after she smoked marijuana. “It’s only performance-enhancing if you are in the Coney Island hot dog-eating contest.”

National Civil Rights Museum President Russell Wigginton said on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast that he hopes state education officials will consult with the museum as they set the guidelines for school systems to navigate the new state law banning teaching about systemic racism and how the history of race impacts the present.

The summit comes during an off-election year in Shelby County politics, which Rev. Earle Fisher said is useful to emphasize the coalition’s focus on issues and policy.