U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has called on the Senate to reject several of Trump’s appointees, including Robert Kennedy Jr

Shelby County Commissioners are being drawn into a political brush fire over the attempt by some MSCS board members to fire Superintendent Marie Feagins. The commission is moving from a “no-confidence” resolution to a governance plan designed to put out the fire.

State Sen. Brent Taylor lists allegations he says are grounds for the removal of Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy. “He does not follow the law,” Taylor said.

Lawyers for Ja Morant and Joshua Holloway gave closing arguments Wednesday, Dec. 8, in a yearlong civil immunity hearing that will determine whether the Memphis Grizzlies point guard is immune from suit.

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners is moving toward creating a “governance plan,” which would set goals for both the elected school board and Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins.

An independent arbitrator ruled the restaurant owes Ja Morant money for breaching a deal it had with the basketball star.

A connected resolution would also hold up funding for the new Frayser school project for three months and urges school leaders to work through a mediator. 

Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Bill Anderson retires from his seat, following local and state-level complaints about his controversial bail decisions.

The year in politics was topped by the presidential general election and several local election races that warmed political fires left untended by the distant campaign for president. The top political stories of 2024 also include the transition from elections to governing for other leaders.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young marked the first year of his four-year term as mayor at a New Year’s Day prayer breakfast where he talked about “turmoil” in schools and other “drama” locally.

Juvenile Court filed a lawsuit Tuesday requesting the Shelby County Chancery Court stop the Sheriff’s Office from terminating its oversight of Shelby County’s juvenile-detention center.

The top votes by the Shelby County Commission in 2024 revolved around the budget season and balancing funding for big projects.

He’s the second inmate to die at the jail in less than a month.

In addition to the More for Memphis debate, the Shelby County Commission voted down redistributing county pay raises, and dealt with other fiscal matters.

The last County Commission meeting of 2024 is likely to be a long one. The Monday, Nov. 16, agenda features 89 items including a set of 22 funding resolutions for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office totaling nearly $18 million — much of it for repairs to the county jail.

The rules discussed at a Saturday, Dec. 14, retreat at Shelby Farms Park include a budget subcommittee to hash out details of budget amendments.

Booking and processing at 201 Poplar is taking days, leaving inmates to live in overcrowded holding cells with little phone access.

The County Commission votes Monday on shifting the funding for the construction of a new Frayser high school. In committees, County Mayor Lee Harris and some Frayser students pushed to get construction started.

Shelby County commissioners discuss a $34 million shift in capital funding Wednesday, Dec. 11, from a new Cordova high school to the new Frayser high school.

At least one in 10 children in Tennessee will experience having their parents behind bars at some point in their lives. 

Related story:

The impact of having a parent in prison

Some residents have long battled annexation. De-annexation attempts continue today, citing slow police response times, litter, inconsistent trash services and rising crime.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has effectively dismissed the decade-long rape-kit backlog lawsuit against the City of Memphis.

The city and county are banding with Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church for its MemFeast event, where volunteers will deliver food boxes to 300 families across Memphis. 

This has been the second attempt to remove the Shelby County clerk. 

“We’ve got to face the reality,” Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said. “The (Cordova) project may not be dead permanently, but it’s suffered a pretty big death blow.”