The decision comes eight days after the board did not vote to implement universal masking in schools despite Superintendent Gary Lilly’s concerns about staffing issues.

County commissioners will get their second briefing from the Health Department in a week about the effect the new Omicron variant is having on local hospital capacity.

 The top five include property taxes, redistricting, pay raises, a takeback on critical race theory and the strategic battle for a new commission chairman.

The area is under a winter weather advisory, from early Thursday until Thursday evening, with total snow and sleet accumulations of up to two inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Shelby County Health Dept. Director Dr. Michelle Taylor told Shelby County commissioners Wednesday, Jan. 5, that state health officials are also watching the strain on hospitals and public health institutions closely. 

The assistant to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is expected to formally get into the race starting with the May Democratic primary. 

Between the vocal debate on police residency at its last meeting in 2021 and the Tuesday, Jan. 4, session, Police Chief C.J. Davis has come out in a Daily Memphian op-ed in favor of a broader residency requirement for police. 

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Neighborhood leaders oppose proposed gas station in Binghampton

The Shelby County Health Department reported a new record of 3,394 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, Jan. 2. The health department reports there are a total of 18,970 active cases and 3,657 active pediatric cases.

The Shelby County Commission Scorecard tracks the votes at the final meeting of 2021 that approved pay raises for the commission, county mayor and sheriff. Also approved: Giving $6.7 million toward the redesign of Tom Lee Park.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris expects numbers at six public COVID-19 testing locations to remain high going into New Year’s. 

Some Memphis restaurants are temporarily shutting down because of staff members who’ve tested positive for coronavirus, and at least one is going to takeout only for now.

Shelby County Commissioners approved $6.7 million in capital funding Monday, Dec. 20, for the Tom Lee Park redesign.

The commission being elected in August with at least six new members will get a 19.9% pay raise. The mayor and sheriff elected on the same August ballot will get 21% raises.

Shelby County Health Department director Dr. Michelle Taylor told Shelby County Commissioners Monday, Dec. 20, that caution is recommended for holiday gatherings.

The votes at the last meeting of 2021 will determine if the commission itself should get a pay hike and whether the mayor and sheriff also get raises. If approved, the raises would take effect after next year’s county elections.

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County Commission approves Tom Lee Park redesign funding

Starting Monday, Dec 20, candidates in the May 3 Shelby County primaries can begin filing qualifying petitions to get on the ballot. And there are some changes in the partisan primaries this year.

Pianist who survived being shot five times holds recitals in hopes of inspiring people to see something positive beyond the violence in the city. 

Shelby County Health Department Director Michelle Taylor said the holidays could be to blame.

Althea Greene opened her bid for the District 7 commission seat by saying Tennessee’s new open carry gun law is meant to increase violence and killings. Candidates can begin pulling and filing qualifying petitions in the May primaries, including the commission races, starting Monday.

The County Commission Scorecard looks at the second- reading vote on pay raises for some of the county’s top elected officials and the political perils of raising your own pay while preparing to run for re-election.

A Thursday, Dec. 9, joint session of Memphis City Council members and Shelby County commissioners drew sparse attendance from the two bodies. 

The race for District Attorney General is taking shape as a key moment and a key office in the debate about criminal justice reform in a city where violent crime is rising.

The AgriSTEM program, part of the district’s college, career and technical education program, featured the school’s first Ag Day.

Mulroy, a two-term Shelby County commissioner and 2014 candidate for Shelby County mayor, has invited several county elected officials for the Thursday, Dec. 9, announcement in Midtown.

Harris has had a campaign treasurer for his second term effort since 2019. But the Wednesday, Dec. 8 release of the video is the first sign of life in that re-election effort, which will come with challengers.