Also in the political roundup, Tim Burchett at Lincoln Day, xAI surfaces at Democratic mayor’s forum, Henri Brooks on reasons to run and the shape of the new County Commission.

Another Republican claims another County Commission seat. And the busiest primary on the ballot remains the Democratic primary for County Clerk.

The former Democratic state representative is running in the May Republican primary for Shelby County mayor. “I intend to win this race,” he said.

The commission also approved a $250,000 contract for “trauma-informed, restorative group programming and staff training services” at Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has partnered with a local AI start-up to implement its evidence management tool.

Also in the political roundup, Rose says he has a plan for state control after the Task Force; Buckner says the Task Force has a secret; and Smiley says the county mayor has a role to play at the jail.

Commissioners are also voting on an effort to restructure its diversity efforts in keeping with the Trump administration’s ban on such programs.

State party leaders say there will be no hearing at a Saturday meeting on some concerns expressed by local Democrats about whether the former MSCS superintendent is a “bona-fide” Democrat.

May ballot races thick and thin develop ahead of Thursday’s noon deadline, with a warning a final list could take a while.

For the second time in four years, the state mandated an appeals allowance that was too high, according to the county assessor’s office. This means the property tax rate has to come down.

Halbert also checked out qualifying petitions for two other countywide positions on the 2026 ballot.

Newly filed campaign finance forms show two Shelby County Democratic mayoral candidates with far more financial resources than the rest of the crowded primary. 

Her lawsuit requests she be restored to the superintendent seat or paid severance as outlined in her contract.

County Mayor Lee Harris went public about a funding dispute between the county and the state over housing prisoners. Harris said the cost could lead him to propose a property tax hike this spring.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has released its 2025 annual report. Most cases prosecuted last year involved misdemeanor charges.

The criminal justice system dashboard will track cases from arrest to however the they end in the court system.

Also, Steve Cohen says next step in federal government funding centers on DHS and ICE; and Bill Lee talks about childhood visits to Memphis, as well as the tragedy that shaped his entry into politics; and a Shelby County mayoral contender opened his campaign headquarters.

The body will set the ground rules and timeline for filling the open seat. Meanwhile, the commission will deal with two grants Ford proposed just before his resignation and another effort to activate the County Ethics Commission.

The Shelby County Commission finished up a short (but delayed) slate of items in about an hour Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Ford filed a resignation letter to the Shelby County Commission, as required by his guilty plea to federal tax-evasion charges. Meanwhile, county commissioners have a timetable for filling the vacancy.

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County Commission plows through agenda from snowed-out meeting quickly

Ford will resign from his position on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners and will never again run for elected office.

Shelby County’s new interim chief public defender doesn’t plan on sweeping changes to the historic office. But she does have some ideas.

These items top the Shelby County Board of Commissoners’ Monday agenda.

The MSCS board’s new complaint makes a special case for board member Tamarques Porter of District 4 who “will suffer a unique harm.”

Rachel Wall the new chair of the Shelby County Republican Party, says the GOP should have a name contender for county mayor soon.