A public hearing highlighted skepticism about past efforts to bring blighted areas back to life, and fears the North Memphis neighborhood’s current residents could be displaced.

Bailey is perhaps best known as a lawyer representing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the sanitation workers’ strike of 1968, and also took on several high-profile legal battles to desegregate Memphis schools.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy will recuse the office from the case and seek a pro tem appointment of an independent prosecutor.

The $1.3 million is one-time money for the city’s bus system. Meanwhile, commissioner Henri Brooks voted against three grants made by other commissioners.

Some Shelby County Commissioners didn’t care for how terms of the deal that would transfer two Germantown namesake schools to the City of Germantown were made public.

MSCS leaders say they may be going to court. Meanwhile, the commission has delayed what was to be a final vote on a TIF district for redevelopment of Klondike.

In 2022 so far, 274 people have fallen victim to homicide in Shelby County. Although that is a decrease from the 316 who were honored during last year’s event, the pain was still the same for members of the audience.

The 2023 election year will begin in Memphis with a set of January primaries for the late Barbara Cooper’s state House seat.

The Shelby County Commission have appointed five more judicial commissioners as the criminal court system gears up for a new round-the-clock bail court. 

The resolution approved Monday calls on the state to allow the city and county to tax single-family rental portfolios of 50 or more homes at a higher commercial property tax rate.

Related story:

Four new judicial commissioners appointed to new 24-hour bail court

The resolution, which would ask the Tennessee Legislature and Gov. Bill Lee to change state law, is an alternative to a registry of rental property owners.

The Commission Scorecard covers October votes on a change to county ethics rules, filling a vacancy on the MSCS board, Election Commission funding and the new commission’s relationship with County Clerk Wanda Halbert.

Former Shelby County Commissioner Reginald Milton has been appointed to lead the county’s new office of education and youth services.

Thursday is the last day to vote early ahead of next Tuesday’s election day, as congressmen David Kustoff and Steve Cohen predict who will control the House. Plus: Notes on school funding, MLGW and the first mayoral forum.

The trust fund for city and county property taxes earmarked for the redevelopment area cleared the first of three votes before the Shelby County Commission.

The funding is for a marketing firm to work with the Election Commission to not only explain the new voting system to voters, but also chart the areas of low voter turnout across the county.

A new ordinance gives the appointment of a chief ethics officer to the county mayor, to be voted on by the County Commission. The county attorney’s office will still have some input.

County chief administrative officer Harold Collins says the office is fully equipped, but Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert says the office won’t open until early December, missing a deadline set by Shelby County commissioners. 

The Monday, Oct. 31, commission meeting sees a final vote on a change to how a county ethics officers is chosen. So far, there has been little public discussion by the body of the measure.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said the grant from the county’s reserve fund is likely the first of several for a full restoration of the 137-year old church.

The county’s early voter total through the first four days of the period is tops in the state. 

The Shelby County Commission elected in August is taking its first swing at enduring problems in the Shelby County Clerk’s office. A discussion with three commissioners on “Behind The Headlines” shows a willingness to start anew on the controversy but some indications it might not last. 

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education debated a proposed policy for use of pepper spray by school security officers. Tuesday night’s meeting was the first for new board member Frank Johnson.

Lorna McClusky has nearly three decades of experience practicing criminal law, including extensive work on capital cases. 

With no discussion, the commission sent the ordinance back to committee for more discussion. Meanwhile, the commission set dates for appointing four more judicial commissioners.