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.

On the high end, applications at Rhodes College are up 25%, but down an equal percent at Southwest Tennessee Community College.

U.K. variant is now the most common in Shelby County. The question is, how sick will it make people in their 20s, 30s and 40s?

A bill regarding the three Germantown namesake schools that appeared dead when it failed in the state Senate education committee Wednesday, got new life after Sen. Brian Kelsey amended the measure.

It might be too late to stop the Byhalia Connection oil pipeline, but Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris is still proposing a setback requirement for any other oil pipelines that might be built in the future.

Shelby County is one of five counties in the eight-state FEMA Region 4 to have received the federal infusion.

With ample vaccine, the push is on to get people in line to stem the tide of the rapidly growing U.K. strain, which now accounts for 30%-50% of COVID cases in Shelby County.

Easter Sunday marked the first time many Memphians dusted off their Sunday best since the pandemic shut down churches last year. 

On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, state Rep. Mark White acknowledges the bill doesn’t address many of the complexities of the local schools merger and demerger that kept the three namesake Germantown schools in the Shelby County Schools system.

Tutor says the next local party chairman has a chance to win back countywide offices in 2022 that Republicans lost due to what Tutor says was the result of anti-Trump sentiment.

A February exchange of letters between County Mayor Lee Harris and County Commission Chairman Eddie Jones shows there are difficult questions about whether the legislative duties of Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. should be limited when he hasn’t been charged with a crime. 

Property appraisal expert discusses how the proposal to move to reappraisals every two years instead of every four years would set a precedent for other major cities.