“Not so long ago, it was commonplace for states to require juveniles convicted of homicide to serve sentences of over fifty years. Now, that practice has vanished. ... In the entirety of the nation, Tennessee stands alone.”

“It is no secret that DCS has failed to hire and retain staff and, as a result, has seen unusually high caseload averages throughout the state,” DCS Commissioner Margie Quin told Gov. Bill Lee and his budget advisers on Nov. 17.

One baby in Memphis was separated from her mother for much more time than necessary because of dysfunction at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. After quitting, a former DCS worker says her hair is growing back.

The seven charter schools have also all been deemed priority schools by the Tennessee Department of Education.

On Nov. 9, Tennessee State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) introduced a bill that would ban drag shows in public and another that bans certain medical procedures and other treatment for trans youth.

The resolution, which would ask the Tennessee Legislature and Gov. Bill Lee to change state law, is an alternative to a registry of rental property owners.

The TBI — and the political leaders who fund it — became the targets of scrutiny this summer after The Daily Memphian reported on a rape kit that connected Eliza Fletcher’s alleged killer to a 2021 rape.

In Shelby County returns, the closest contest among the four was Amendment 1, which made the state’s “right to work” law part of the Constitution.

Incumbent candidates for every state legislative seat in Shelby County won reelection, and no open seats flipped from one political party to the other. Former Rep. Barbara Cooper won despite her death last month.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee declared an early victory Tuesday, Nov. 8, long before most votes were counted.

Voters across the region showed off their “I Voted” stickers, criticized the election process, and weighed in on Gov. Bill Lee online.

Lee’s term in office has been defined by several economic development wins, the main one being Ford Motor Co.’s decision to build an electric SUV plant at the Megasite of West Tennessee. 

After the General Assembly gave the Tennessee Titans $500 million earlier this year to build a new stadium, local lawmakers are optimistic that the state will be as generous to Memphis in the interest of fairness.

After the Tennessee Legislature adjourned for the year, Brian Kelsey continued to tweet his views on national and state political issues with no reference to the criminal charges he faced. As of Thursday, it appears his Twitter account has been deleted.

State Rep. Barbara Cooper, a Memphis Democrat first elected to the General Assembly in 1996, died Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 93.

The county’s early voter total through the first four days of the period is tops in the state. 

Republican Brent Taylor says he wants to focus on crime and business, rather than culture wars. Ruby Powell-Dennis wants to flip the seat for the Democrats with a message of ending racial and economic injustice.

Once complete, all I-55 north and southbound traffic will shift into the I-55 southbound lanes until fall 2023. There will be one lane in each direction. 

The Shelby County Health Department is in danger of losing its authority to monitor local air pollution as the state pressures the program to address understaffing, numerous audit findings and a permit backlog. 

DeBerry, who represented Shelby County’s District 90, is now a senior adviser to Governor Bill Lee after voting with Republicans on issues such as education choice and life of the unborn.

Several churches rallied in support of a proposed amendment that would ban slavery in all forms in the state. A coalition of political groups is also urging voters to choose a hand-marked paper ballot.

Jason Martin also said he supports legalizing and taxing marijuana.

Tennessee passed a law similar to “truth in sentencing” in 1979. The law led to overcrowded prisons, rioting and millions in damage to state property. The National Guard was called in. The result was a federal consent decree and sentencing reform. Will history repeat itself?

Tennessee voters have the opportunity to pass a constitutional amendment that would ban all-union workplaces and require unions to provide services for which workers do not have to pay.