A new study says the problems at the Shelby County Jail are less about the building and more about facility management.

Also in the Political Roundup: Jerri Green at Wiseacre and one less contender for Shelby County Mayor.

Former public official DeAndre Brown and his wife Vinessa Brown were charged with misusing $1.38 million in public money. The pair ran the Lifeline to Success non-profit, which is now also under scrutiny.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed two replacements for vacant Shelby County Circuit Court and Criminal Court seats.

DeAndre Brown and his wife Vinessa Brown allegedly misappropriated more than $600,000 in public funds, a comptroller’s investigation found. The office also identified more than $750,000 in “questionable charges.”

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Shelby County director indicted on a dozen felony charges

A former prisoner who was chosen to lead the Shelby County Office of Re-Entry is behind bars again, charged with 12 felony counts.

The Shelby County Commission has an amended plan to seek proposals on where and how to build a new jail. The detailed process was pushed Monday, Aug. 25, to a Sept. 3 committee meeting for more discussion.

Shelby County is considering a public-private partnership to build a new jail at North Memphis’ former Firestone site. Here’s why. 

Major moves by the county toward a new jail are on hold, but County Commission votes could push it closer to more specific plans.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner’s lawsuit seeks $67 million in proposed funding for his office that he says was not included in the county’s $1.7 billion consolidated budget. 

The maneuvering for a new jail plan at the site of the old Firestone plant in North Memphis has been pushed off until at least October.

Beeline and Mallory Alexander International Logistics requested a PILOT to add 35 new jobs and ship directly to customers. 

Also Republican contender for governor John Rose on Medicaid expansion and “Tennessee values,” and Democratic contender Jerri Green on debating Senator Marsha Blackburn.

A Memphis-based wing chain restaurant must pay Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, a judge ruled Friday.

It took one vote to elect the new County Commission chair and four to elect the chair pro tempore. In between was the usual commission intrigue and grievances.

The Shelby County Commission agreed to start term limits for Memphis-Shelby County Schools board elections with the 2026 election. But it delayed a decision on when to get all those races on the same ballot.

The move to put all nine MSCS board seats on the ballot in 2026 took a few turns last week in County Commission committee sessions. 

While most county commissioners support building a new jail, not all of them agree on where its built, who pays for it and who’s included. 

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New jail targets Firestone site, aims to move more than jail

Julian Bolton, an attorney who also mentored younger politicians in the community after leaving the County Commission in 2006, died Monday. He was 75.

Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. came to the Frayser Exchange Club on Thursday, July 31, to talk taxes. He also talked about broader issues touching on his bid to become the next county mayor.

A 33-year-old inmate died Monday at the Shelby County Jail, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports in its June 2025 Jail Report Card that booking and processing took an average of 72 hours last month, a 67% increase from the 43 hours it took in May.

While some commissioners said the resolution the could end terms early for some MSCS board members is “unfair” and that there were “pure hypocrites in this room,” unhappy community members said, “It’s time for change.”

The Mississippi River is a treacherous, deceptive body of water that will kill you if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why many experts caution people to be very wary around the river, wear protective gear if you must but stay out of it if at all possible.

Bill Morris, who died July 25 at 92, was the longest serving Shelby County mayor since the office was created. And Javier Bailey is set for next year’s Democratic primary for assessor.