What were the news highlights of the year in Memphis? A look back at the metro team’s top stories. 

“At its best, the Clerk’s Office is where the government meets everyday life, where efficiency, fairness and accountability translate directly into better public service.”

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office did not say what is believed to have caused the man’s death, which remains under investigation. 

The first day Monday, Dec. 22, of the period to get on the May 5 Shelby County primary ballot opened to a crowd of contenders Downtown and those who are already working on their campaigns.

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The leader of Shelby County’s Community Services Division talks about the safety net of programs and the balancing act that comes with uncertain money.

Officials in Bartlett and Arlington are hoping to entice developers to breathe life into vacant land and fund critical infrastructure needs.

The move closes a six-year chapter that started with a state investigation into the school’s finances.

While Halbert is now cooperating, County Commission Chair Shante Avant said she may call a special meeting of the body if the cooperation stops. 

A replacement has not yet been named.

The commission votes on a resolution that asks County Clerk Wanda Halbert to cooperate with the regular audit of county finances. Auditors say Halbert isn’t cooperating as a Dec. 31 state law nears.

Local community organizers gathered Friday to discuss a conversation with Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner about participating in an ICE training program, and urged him to back out of the agreement.

An attorney representing former Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins in a lawsuit challenging her ouster from the district has withdrawn from the case, court documents show.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office responded to a recent Daily Memphian article detailing stories of recent inmates at local jails.

Also in this roundup, the first forum among contenders for Shelby County sheriff and the race to succeed Wanda Halbert is filling up.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner faults Mayor Lee Harris for problems at the County Corrections Center and not being responsive in assisting with problems at the jail.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris says the number of jail deaths calls for dramatic change that could include the county or the state taking over the county jail currently run by Sheriff Floyd Bonner.

There were some sparks and plenty of claims disputed Wednesday, Dec. 3, during the forum at LeMoyne-Owen College. The same five contenders who showed up last month for a Germantown forum took the stage in Soulsville.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office honored 178 victims of violence Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at the 15th annual “Season of Remembrance” event.

Sometimes a La Nina winter can produce a decent snow event, but Monday’s forecast calls for a mix of sleet and rain. 

The Sheriff’s and the General Sessions Court Clerk’s offices must fix issues causing case delays, according to a judges’ order obtained by The Daily Memphian.

Also in the roundup: Amber Huett-Garcia opens Commission campaign, Marie Feagins’ bid for county mayor and Steve Cohen on a successor.

While the Memphis Safe Task Force has had some impact on the county’s finances, the county is typically in this situation each year. 

A former employee of the Shelby County Division of Corrections pleaded guilty to taking a bribe in exchange for providing contraband to an inmate.

“I think the opportunity is for anyone to get in — anyone who has a vision for the county in any regard,” Feagins told The Daily Memphian. 

State and local leaders who sued the state over the guard deployment gathered to celebrate what they called a historic victory and discuss next steps.