Most of the refugees arriving in Memphis are allowed to enter the country because they fear persecution under Taliban rule. Others aided the U.S. military in Afghanistan. 

The County Commission’s working group on the once-a-decade redrawing of district lines got down to business Wednesday, Sept. 8, to set not only commission district lines but those of the Shelby County Schools board.

The special assistant to Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland talked about his exploratory campaign for mayor Wednesday, Sept. 8, and sounded very much like he is in the race while taking a few jabs at incumbent Mayor Lee Harris.

The redistricting process formally began Wednesday, Sept. 8, with a bipartisan state House committee hearing public input and approving guidelines. Memphis is likely to lose seats in the General Assembly.

Memphis Councilman JB Smiley Jr. plans to run for governor of Tennessee. 

The council votes to appoint a study committee to weigh whether the city should pursue drafting a charter that would consolidate city and county governments if approved by voters. 

Anti-violence groups like Ride of Tears and Unity Walk Against Gun Violence continue to put in the work as a growing homicide rate plagues the city.

State Sen. Katrina Robinson was indicted last year and charged with theft and embezzlement involving government programs and wire fraud.

The figures mean there have been 1,650 cases among students since the start of the school year and 246 among staff.

As more than a third of new COVID cases are among children, Lee says, “We’re doing what we believe is the best way forward.”

There are 3,886 licensed armed security officers operating in Shelby County, meaning there are more armed guards than Memphis Police Department officers and Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies combined.

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City Attorney Will Patterson says an anchor store is interested in a parcel on the north side of U.S. 64 at Berryhill Road.

Shelby County commissioners have inaugural session of their ad hoc redistricting group.

Shelby County commissioners gave final approval Monday, Aug. 30, to $26 million worth of bonuses to full- and part-time county employees.

MLGW and Memphis Public Works crews are prepared to work overtime if the hurricane still has a lot of wind and rain left on its path north. 

SCS and Nashville schools were remote for longer than all other districts. State leaders withdrew the flexibility for districts to keep all students at home, stressing the impact of “learning loss.”

County Commissioners stalled on the tax rate for one-time bonuses at their last meeting and decided to give county employees pay raises.

Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana Sunday with approximately 150 mph winds, making it a Category 4. Category 5 hurricanes start at 156 mph. Only four Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S.

Gabby Salinas emerged as the new local party chair at an online party convention Saturday, Aug. 28, after former party chairman Corey Strong withdrew from the balloting.

Developer Franklin Haney’s plan to buy the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant and sell the electric power it generated to Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division started the ongoing exploration of MLGW possibly leaving the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Federal suit filed in Memphis late Thursday afternoon. 

“All our leaders around the state and region understand the connection between rising case counts and bans on masking,” mayor says.

Some say the attacks demonstrate the problems in the rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops and a lack of planning.

The two complaints were over a 2020 contract for a $1 million marketing campaign to urge Shelby Countians to wear masks.

Commissioners made changes Monday to the blue ribbon ethics panel it created despite a veto by county Mayor Lee Harris. The changes didn’t go down well with those who wanted the group to report directly to the commission and not the county Ethics Commission.