In early April, the City of Memphis was giving 60,000 shots a week. Monday, April 26, it gave a total of 1,100 shots across all of its public drive-thru venues.

Lifts restrictions on many outdoor activities and small-group gatherings, even some for those who are not vaccinated.

Most people currently hospitalized for coronavirus in Memphis are 30-55 years old and many have no underlying health conditions — a big shift from late March when the average patient’s age was mid-70s.

The proposal by Assessor Melvin Burgess would have moved the cycle of countywide property reappraisals for taxation purposes from once every four years to every other year.

The commission also approved a $161,250 contract renewal with Global Tel*Link Corp. for maintenance and licensing of the telephone and video communications system at the Shelby County Jail.

The federal class action lawsuit was filed in 2016, a month after a new computer system was installed by the county to track the movement of pre-trial detainees through the criminal justice system. 

The commission delayed two earlier votes on moving to an every-other-year cycle for property reappraisals from the current four-year cycle.

On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, Election Commission Chairman Brent Taylor talks about new discussions with county commissioners two months after the Election Commission voted to go to court in the simmering dispute.

FEMA is expected to pack up and leave May 17, taking 21,000 extra doses of the vaccine with it. 

The Daily Memphian Scorecard on important commission votes reveals the votes are close for now when it comes to the idea of a property reappraisal for taxation purposes every other year. And it shows commissioners willing to give one more chance to resolve a long-running contract controversy.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris cited the ongoing impact of the pandemic in saying there would be no attempt to raise the tax rate after recertification. Harris also outlined a six-year, $32 million plan to beef up the county fire department.

Demand, even with $20 gift cards, is at one-third of the capacity to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

A U of M researcher combing through hundreds of local samples has found almost double the coronavirus antibodies expected. 

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, withdrew an amendment regarding ownership and operations by Shelby County Schools of three schools bearing the Germantown name. He said negotiations seem to have begun.

Proposals by Memphis City Council members and Shelby County commissioners emerged during a second joint meeting Thursday of the two bodies. But other elected officials expressed concern that just talking about changes in economic development incentives could put the city and county at a disadvantage.

The Shelby County tax assessor said on “Behind The Headlines” that Germantown homes reflect an increase in values in this year’s reappraisal despite 2019 flooding in some parts of the city. He also discussed a change in the valuation of commercial property and his call for a reappraisal every other year.

If the numbers do not decline, another health directive could be out in two weeks instead of a month, and it likely will not include the ease in masking restrictions Dr. Bruce Randolph alluded to on Tuesday, April 13.

The second joint meeting of the County Commission and City Council includes several proposed changes to economic development incentives used locally to grow the Memphis economy.

Lawsuit alleged Shelby County failed to address the spread of the coronavirus, putting medically vulnerable and disabled detainees at risk of contracting COVID-19.

A $450,000 joint county-federal grant would study 10 areas of land in northern Shelby County for flood control projects that could double as public recreation areas when they are not underwater. One project is already underway near Big Creek in Millington.

Doug McGowen also says doses were wasted last weekend when the size of the line at the Pipkin Building site was overestimated. He says fewer than 100 doses have been lost since the city took over vaccine distribution in late February. 

No-appointment hours at the Pipkin site are from 2-7 p.m. today and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The funding is to maintain 171 Health Department positions specifically for the pandemic.

Short-term extensions to the Wellpath contract have been a constant for the current commission since the group began their current term in September of 2018.

Some commissioners have doubts about the move to every other year reappraisals. Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr. says the results will be less sticker shock from increases in values after four years.