Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris plans to present the first initial proposals of his administration to the County Commission during committee meetings Wednesday, Sept. 19.

One proposal is the appointment of an education liaison, to improve communication between county government and Shelby County Schools, an idea from his county mayoral opponent David Lenoir.

2. Last Word: Jagger, Jerry Lee, Whalum & More and Harris' Plans on BTH - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Sir Mick Jagger and Jerry Lee Lewis walk into Sun Studio Wednesday. That’s not the start of a joke. Variety has reported that Jagger’s film company has signed on to the Elvis biopic being made from Peter Guralnick’s definitive two volume biography of the king. You connect the dots or don’t – who knows if there is a connection? Yes, but they aren’t talking.

3. Harris to Make Proposals to New Commission Sept. 19 - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris plans to present the first initial proposals of his administration to the County Commission during committee meetings Wednesday, Sept. 19.

One proposal is the appointment of an education liaison, to improve communication between county government and Shelby County Schools, an idea from his county mayoral opponent David Lenoir.

4. Van Turner to Lead Shelby County Commission in First Year of New Term - Tuesday, September 11, 2018

The Shelby County Commission on Monday elected commissioner Van Turner as chairman and commissioner Mark Billingsley as vice-chairman for the 2018-19 year in its first meeting of their four-year terms in office.

5. Leadership Holes in State Legislature - Thursday, September 6, 2018

With apologies to Robert Zimmerman, “the times they are a-changing.”

Unlike Bob Dylan’s 1964 song of rebellion, Capitol Hill isn’t turning into a bed of liberals, although someday the first could be last. In fact, it could turn more conservative this fall before things take a different direction. But leadership down the line in both parties is due for a big turnover.

6. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, New County Commissioners Sworn In - Friday, August 31, 2018

New Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the 13 members of the Shelby County Commission were sworn in together – to show unity between the two bodies of government – Thursday afternoon at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

7. Last Word: Oath, Occupancy and Buses - Thursday, August 30, 2018

Shelby County Mayor elect Lee Harris and the 13-member Shelby County Commission with a majority of eight new members take the oath of office Thursday afternoon Downtown at the Cannon Center. And Harris turned in his resignation as a state Senator Wednesday, urging the county commission to leave the seat vacant for the remaining four months left in his four-year term of office in Nashville.

8. County Mayor-elect Harris Resigns State Senate Seat - Thursday, August 30, 2018

County Mayor-elect Lee Harris announced his resignation from the state Senate on Wednesday, a day before he is sworn-in for the county post he won earlier this month.

9. MATA’s Lack of Funding Could Result in Route Cuts - Thursday, August 30, 2018

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is proposing several adjustments to its bus network, including the elimination of seven routes. Tuesday night, MATA held a public hearing at the Benjamin Hooks Central Library for the proposed changes, which can be found here. 

10. County Commissioners Approve Quinn Road Development - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – with one key amendment change during their meeting Monday, Aug. 27.

11. Commission Delays Quinn Road Development After Collierville Opposition - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote on a proposed a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – during their meeting Monday, Aug. 13.  

12. County Commission Considers Changes To EDGE Near Term's End - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

With only one more regularly scheduled meeting left in their four-year term of office, Shelby County commissioners are considering some changes to the joint city-county Economic Development Growth Engine – or EDGE.

13. Day One - Monday, August 6, 2018

Five school years into the historic merger and demerger of public education in Shelby County, the start of the sixth school year classes this month shows the change is establishing very real roots.

14. Harris Claims County Mayor, Democrats Sweep Other Countywide Offices - Monday, August 6, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

15. Last Word: Lee's Win, Harris' Way and Turnout Questions - Friday, August 3, 2018

What to choose from now that the Aug. 2 election is tentatively in the books? First this is going to be an all-election Last Word because the sugar buzz from a bag that was full of jelly beans is starting to wane and I don’t want to be here when the sun rises in just a bit. Kind of a vampire thing, isn’t it?

16. Harris Elected County Mayor, Bonner as Sheriff - Friday, August 3, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

17. Election Verdict - Thursday, August 2, 2018

A week into the early voting period, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen was quizzing Democratic nominee for Shelby County mayor Lee Harris about the path of Harris’ campaign to election day. The race between Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir was already getting dicey, with Lenoir’s attacks on Harris continuing at their debates and moving into mailers, including a controversial mailer featuring a picture of Harris that was noticeably darker than Harris is in real life.

18. Primaries For Governor Move to Contentious End - Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Randy Boyd has heard the saying about a race for elected office being a marathon and not a sprint. And he agrees. The Republican contender for Tennessee governor is also a marathon runner who has run 36 of the races.

19. Turnout Growing With 2 Days to Vote Before Aug. 2 - Friday, July 27, 2018

With two days left in the early voting period, 63,244 citizens had cast ballots in Shelby County in advance of the Aug. 2 election day. The last day of the early voting period is Saturday, July 28.

20. Chamber PAC Backs Both County Mayor Candidates - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Jobs Political Action Committee of the Greater Memphis Chamber is backing both candidates in the race for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot and skipped the race for the District 7 seat on the Shelby County Commission – arguably the most competitive of the 13 commission races.

21. Chamber PAC Backs Both County Mayor Candidates - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Jobs Political Action Committee of the Greater Memphis Chamber is backing both candidates in the race for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot and skipped the race for the District 7 seat on the Shelby County Commission – arguably the most competitive of the 13 commission races.

22. Last Word: T.O. Jones, One Beale's Launch and De-Annexation in Trouble - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

You might call it the final act of the MLK 50 observances around our city this year. With very little fanfare at the start of Tuesday’s city council session, the council honored T.O. Jones, the leader of the union representing city sanitation workers and the leader of the 1968 strike by those workers. Jones was a pivotal figure in the strike who soon after lost his position with the local union in the internal politics of AFSCME as the local became a powerful political symbol.

23. Democrats, Republicans Release Endorsement Ballots - Friday, July 20, 2018

A group of Democrats including former U.S. representative Harold Ford Sr. is preparing to mail and distribute at the polls 60,000 endorsement ballots at no cost to the Democratic contenders on the ballot.

24. Last Word: Soccer Names, Early Voting and a Censure and Ole Miss's Bowl Ban - Thursday, July 19, 2018

We will know the name of the United Soccer League Memphis team Sept. 1 as well as get a look at its logo. Will we go with something like the Rogues or Americans or go for a World Cup-style name suitable for craft beer consumption? Along with the answer to that, we will get an exhibition at the ballpark on that Saturday before Labor Day between the Colorado Rapids of MLS and the Tulsa Roughnecks FC of the USL. So if this is any indication, World Cup and craft beer.

25. Lenoir, Harris Clash at Rotary Debate - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Republican contender for Shelby County mayor David Lenoir accused Democratic rival Lee Harris of being radical and for “wealth transfer.” Harris, a state senator, said Lenoir, as county trustee, has “almost no experience” with “tough issues” and accused Lenoir of resorting to name-calling.

26. The Week Ahead: July 16-22 - Monday, July 16, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! The popular Roundhouse Revival at the Mid-South Coliseum returns this weekend, along with a retro skate night against the scenic backdrop of the Mississippi River at sunset. Check out those events and more happenings you need to know about in The Week Ahead...

27. 'Game of Thrones' Slays With a Leading 22 Emmy Nominations - Friday, July 13, 2018

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Game of Thrones" roared back onto the Emmy battlefield, topping Thursday's nominations with 22 bids but with a formidable opponent in last year's winner "The Handmaid's Tale," while a streaming platform made history by earning the most bids for the first time.

28. Lenoir-Harris Debate At NAACP-Sponsored Forum Illustrates Political Divide - Thursday, July 12, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the Shelby County mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all. In his opening statement, Lenoir, the Republican nominee, talked about his request for a different moderator at the forum sponsored by the Memphis Branch NAACP.

29. Last Word: Another Twist in Court, Harris-Lenoir at NCRM and Fairgrounds Specifics - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

One more twist in the early voting schedule that kicks off Friday. It came in the second day of hearings Tuesday in Chancery Court as Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins was preparing to sign the court order from Monday night’s hearing. The election commission said it couldn’t meet the order’s deadline of opening all 27 sites on Monday. Jenkins made it a Tuesday opening but this nearly went off the rails.

30. Lenoir-Harris Debate at NCRM Shows Political Divide - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the county mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all.

31. Lenoir-Harris Debate at NCRM Shows Political Divide - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the county mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all.

32. Struggling Southern Literary Magazine Pays Off Debt - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — A nonprofit literary magazine has paid off $700,000 worth of debt it owed the University of Central Arkansas after more than a decade.

The Massey Family Charitable Foundation made the final payment of $286,000 for the Oxford American on Friday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported . Richard Massey serves on the magazine's board of directors and made the initial payment of $69,000 toward the university debt in 2012.

33. Last Word: The Jenkins Ruling, No More City Court Clerk and Harwell's Quest - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Making your early voting plan for Friday’s debut of the voting period in advance of the Aug. 2 election day? Well, you might want to hold off until after Tuesday morning. That’s when the latest changes could get set in stone … or not.

34. Bar Assn. Poll Recommends All Four Appointed Judges - Saturday, July 7, 2018

The Memphis Bar Association poll of the most qualified candidates in the special judicial races on the Aug. 2 ballot recommends all four of the judges appointed to those positions in the interim.

Just over 1,000 attorneys participated in the poll, which asked respondents to pick who is the most qualified among the contenders in those races as well as court clerks on the August ballot.

35. Bar Assn. Poll Recommends All Four Appointed Judges - Friday, July 6, 2018

The Memphis Bar Association poll of the most qualified candidates in the special judicial races on the Aug. 2 ballot recommends all four of the judges appointed to those positions in the interim.

Just over 1,000 attorneys participated in the poll, which asked respondents to pick who is the most qualified among the contenders in those races as well as court clerks on the August ballot.

36. Last Word: Storms and Birds, Sizing the MPD and Plans for Early Voting's Opening - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Very dark skies Monday afternoon over parts of the city. I could be off in this but I think there is a connection to these sudden summer rain showers that we need to consider. I think they line up very closely with areas where you cannot find a Bird scooter or at least not one that is fully charged. Then again it could just be me.

37. Last Word: Kiwanis Debate, Haslam on the Gov. Race and Street Work - Thursday, June 14, 2018

For the last couple of days there has been this brewing story that Kim Kardashian West was on her way to the city to meet with Alice Marie Johnson, the convicted drug dealer sentenced to life in prison who was pardoned by President Donald Trump last week after serving 21 years in federal prison. And that is just what happened Wednesday – almost. The meeting was in Southaven. And, according to People, it included lessons in how to use Snapchat. The meeting included an interview with the Today show that will air Thursday morning.

38. Harris and Lenoir Clash in First General Election Mayoral Debate - Thursday, June 14, 2018

The two contenders for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot differed Wednesday, June 13, on leadership experience and whether county government has been breaking ground on important issues or has taken too long to act on those issues.

39. Last Word: Riverfront Change, Skeleton to Canopy and Summer Camp - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

The two contenders for Shelby County Mayor in the Aug. 2 county general election – Democratic nominee Lee Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir – meet for the first time in the general election campaign Wednesday at the Memphis Kiwanis Club weekly luncheon. It is the first of several debates between the two. And judging from what Harris and Lenoir have said separately and what we’ve reported from those appearances, this is a highly anticipated debate/discussion about the future of Shelby County on several fronts.

40. Last Word: The Politics of Summer, Perpetual Motion and Nigerian Email Scams - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Just about the time it is summer by the calendar next week as well as by the ongoing weather, you will start to see a set of one-on-one debates between the Democratic and Republican contenders for Shelby County Mayor – Lee Harris and David Lenoir, respectively.

41. Line Between ‘Get Out the Vote,’ ‘Crossover’ Melts In Campaign Heat - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Get Out The Vote – the plan known among politicos by the shorthand GOTV – has slipped across the line that separates it from “crossover” – the sometimes-controversial act of pushing to get those on the other side of the partisan divide to cross political lines and vote for the other party’s nominee.

42. Penny Mania - Saturday, May 19, 2018

Derek Jett was coming home from a business trip on the West Coast and making a connection at the airport in Dallas. It was football season, and because it was football season (and not basketball season), he was wearing his University of Memphis cap.

43. Last Word: Monuments Ruling, The Open Council Seat and Not So Great Streets - Thursday, May 17, 2018

It is likely just the first round. But the city of Memphis prevailed on every major point in the Wednesday ruling out of Nashville by Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle upholding the removal of Confederate monuments this past December from two city parks.

44. Commission Reappoints Bolton As Adviser, Questions His Role - Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Shelby County commissioners reappointed former commissioner Julian Bolton as their legislative policy adviser Monday, May 14, sending his reappointment, effective to the end of September, to Mayor Mark Luttrell, who vetoed an earlier version of the appointment in April.

45. Commission Reappoints Bolton As Advisor Amid Questions About His Role - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Shelby County commissioners reappointed former commissioner Julian Bolton as their legislative policy advisor Monday, May 14, sending the reappointment to the end of September to county mayor Mark Luttrell who vetoed an earlier version in April.

46. New County Leaders Face Big Funding Decisions - Friday, May 11, 2018

The new Shelby County mayor and County Commission elected in August will have some major budget decisions to make once they take office Sept. 1, including a new Regional One Health Center building that could cost more to build than the $250 million FedExForum and a permanent source of county funding for the universal prekindergarten effort.

47. Memphis Adds Guard David Wingett to Its Recruiting Class - Thursday, May 10, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Memphis has added shooting guard David Wingett to new coach Penny Hardaway's first recruiting class.

48. Harris, Lenoir to Battle for County Mayor - Thursday, May 3, 2018

Republican David Lenoir and Democrat Lee Harris will meet in the Aug. 2 county general election to decide who will be the next Shelby County mayor. Lenoir and Harris won their respective primaries easily Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

49. Last Word: Primary Results and Analysis, Bike Launch, Gibson's Bankruptcy - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The immediate headline of Tuesday’s county primary elections is Lee Harris and David Lenoir battling in the August county general to see who becomes the next county mayor. But there were lots of other stories in the results. Here's the roundup of that and the other countywide primaries.

50. Lenoir and Harris Advance in County Mayor's Race - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Republican David Lenoir and Democrat Lee Harris will meet in the Aug. 2 county general election to decide who will be the next Shelby County Mayor. Lenoir and Harris won their respective primaries easily Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

51. First Primaries Kick Off Busy Election Year - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Shelby County voters go to the polls Tuesday, May 1, in the first of three elections this year that will take in county, state and federal offices by the time the last vote is counted in November.

The primary elections Tuesday for 23 Shelby County government offices are being watched closely by local Republican and Democratic leaders. They are watching the turnout and what the results say about the political temperament and activism of a county Hillary Clinton carried with 60 percent of the vote in the November 2016 presidential general election won by Republican Donald Trump.

52. Candidates Lined Up for Four Open Judicial Seats on the August Ballot - Saturday, April 21, 2018

The Shelby County primary elections are in the early voting period and nearing the May 1 election day, but candidates in the August state and federal primaries are also campaigning. The August ballot includes four special elections for nonpartisan judicial positions – two Circuit Court judges, a Criminal Court judge and a General Sessions Criminal Court judge will be elected on the August ballot to fill vacancies in each of the divisions.

53. Events - Friday, April 20, 2018

Circuit Playhouse will present the regional premiere of “Stupid F#!&ing Bird” Friday, April 20, through May 13 at 51 S. Cooper St. Visit playhouseonthesquare.org for times and tickets.

54. Last Word: 'Poking The Bear,' National Walk Out Day and McQueen on Capitol Hill - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The state House’s Tuesday action cutting $250k in funding for Memphis from Gov. Bill Haslam’s budget proposal is turning into a cause back here, starting with a GoFundMe page. Elsewhere on social media, you can see the unmistakable outline of a party or parties for the cause beginning to form. This is near the end of session for the Legislature when the budget is the last action before going back to the district to run for re-election. Different timing over here, with multiple crawfish outings leading into Memphis in May.

55. Republican Contenders for Mayor Say City Paying for Monuments Misstep - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The three Republican contenders for Shelby County Mayor believe the city of Memphis acted improperly in removing Confederate monuments from city parks last year and is, in effect, paying the piper for challenging the Tennessee Legislature.

56. Lots of Noise, But Few Results in Legislature - Thursday, April 12, 2018

Just when you think the Tennessee Legislature is going off the deep end, someone will throw them a bungee cord. Maybe a rope made out of hemp would work better because a bungee cord leaves people bouncing, never quite reeling them in.

57. Early Voting Opens for May County Primaries - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Early voting in the first of three 2018 elections in Shelby County opens Wednesday at 21 sites across the county and runs through April 26.

The primaries are led by contests for county mayor, all 13 seats on the county commission and most of the county’s elected offices. The remainder are in the other even-year election cycle or have an eight-year term of office that comes around next in 2022.

58. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Deadline - Monday, April 9, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

59. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, April 6, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

60. Harris, Chism Say PILOTs Not Effective Economic Development - Monday, March 26, 2018

The two Democratic contenders for Shelby County mayor say they don’t think tax abatement incentives, primarily payments in lieu of taxes – or PILOTs – are working as an economic development tool in Shelby County.

61. HBO Documentary Probes Real Life of Elvis Presley - Tuesday, March 20, 2018

A Memphis screening of the three-hour, two-part HBO documentary on Elvis Presley over the weekend elicited cheers and applause with some somber moments .

“Elvis Presley: The Searcher” was shown at South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference & Festivals in Austin, Texas, and Saturday, March 17, at Guest House at Graceland – both in advance of its debut April 14 on HBO.

62. Candidates’ Choices - Friday, March 16, 2018

Polls, phone banking, messaging, yard signs, who is paid and who is a volunteer – all are elements of a campaign. And each is part of an overall strategy.

But most campaigns struggle with a schedule of which events to attend and which to forgo. And in the 2018 campaign season, the number of events is only growing as the May 1 county primary elections near, followed by the county general election and state and federal primaries in August, then the state and federal general elections in November.

63. August State and Federal Primary Ballot Taking Shape - Thursday, March 15, 2018

With less than a month to file for the August state and federal primary elections, there are still a few decisions to be made by would-be candidates working in the shadows of those running in the May 1 county primary elections.

64. Republican Mayoral Candidates Find Ways to Differentiate - Friday, March 9, 2018

The three contenders in the May Republican primary for Shelby County mayor didn’t disagree on much when they met this week at the Southwind clubhouse. But David Lenoir, Joy Touliatos and Terry Roland did try to distinguish themselves from the other two in a relatively spark-free first encounter as a trio.

65. Tubby Time - Thursday, March 8, 2018

At various points in his life, Guffrie Smith was a soldier, a barber, a farmer, and a school bus driver. These are not jobs that reward impatience. If you’re inpatient in those occupations, you or someone else gets hurt.

66. One Last Play? - Thursday, March 8, 2018

American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco was talking about the league being on an upswing, having three certain NCAA Tournament teams in regular season champion Cincinnati, and Wichita State and Houston. With the conference tournament then just a few days away – it starts on Thursday, March 8, in Orlando, Florida, – Aresco noted that the league could be even better if traditionally strong programs such as Memphis, Connecticut and Temple also took steps forward.

67. Four County Commissioners Unopposed As May Ballot Filing Deadline Approaches - Thursday, February 15, 2018

With a noon deadline Thursday, Feb. 15, to make the May 1 Shelby County primary ballot, four incumbent county commissioners had no opposition filed in their re-election bids.

Five Republican primary races on the ballot for 23 county offices, including the 13 commission seats, were one-candidate affairs with two or more Democrats running in the competing primaries as of Tuesday. Two Democratic primary races were also one-candidate races against a field of multiple Republican contenders in the companion primary.

68. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir For Shelby County Mayor - Saturday, February 10, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for county mayor.

69. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir For Shelby County Mayor - Friday, February 9, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for county mayor.

70. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir for County Mayor - Thursday, February 8, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for mayor.

71. Filing, Fundraising Pace Quickens in County Elections - Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Two of the five major contenders for Shelby County mayor in the May 1 primaries have six-figure campaign war chests and a third is just a few thousand dollars away.

That’s according to campaign finance statements filed last week with the Shelby County Election Commission for the period July 1, 2017, to the end of 2017.

72. Roland Pulls Petition For Mayor, Running As ‘Uniter’ - Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Shelby County commissioner Terry Roland has been campaigning for Shelby County mayor since last year.

When he pulled his qualifying petition Thursday, Jan. 11, to formally enter the May Republican primary for mayor, Roland did so with a slogan of bringing “positive change to Shelby County.”

73. Akbari Pulls Petition To Run for State Senate - Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Democratic state Rep. Raumesh Akbari has decided to run for the District 29 state Senate seat being vacated by Lee Harris in the Shelby County legislative delegation.

74. Last Word: Tax Reform Pay Raises, Minority Business Kinks and Elvis at 83 - Monday, January 8, 2018

A busy but ultimately slow weekend on the Confederate monuments front as a total of fewer than 100 opponents of the removal of the city’s two most visible monuments actively protested Saturday either on the interstate loop or in the “protest area” by Health Sciences Park.

75. Chism Files to Run For County Mayor - Saturday, January 6, 2018

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism is the latest contender to file his qualifying petition for the May 1 county primaries.

76. Candidates in August State and Federal Primaries Start Pulling Petitions Friday - Thursday, January 4, 2018

Contenders for the May Shelby County primaries are still coming out of the political woodwork. And starting Friday, Jan. 5, candidates in the August state and federal primaries can begin pulling qualifying petitions for the second of three elections in 2018.

77. Chism Files to Run For County Mayor - Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism is the latest contender to file his qualifying petition for the May 1 county primaries.

78. The Next Four Years - Saturday, November 18, 2017

A week before candidates for the 2018 Shelby County elections could pull qualifying petitions to run, Shelby County Commissioner David Reaves was thinking out loud on Facebook.

“Next four years,” was how it began.

79. Political Opening - Friday, November 17, 2017

The Shelby County Election Commission is moving its Downtown office Friday, Nov. 17, the same day that candidates can begin pulling qualifying petitions there and at its Shelby Farms offices to run in the 2018 county primaries.

80. Despite Massive Turnover, GOP Owns Legislature - Thursday, November 16, 2017

2018 will be a year of change for the Tennessee General Assembly, and 2019 will bring even more, especially in leadership – much depending on the popularity of President Donald Trump.

Not only is the Legislature moving to the Cordell Hull Building, vacating the Legislative Plaza after 45 years or so, a number of legislative faces are changing, too, even before next year’s election.

81. Chism Vows Democratic Primary Battle with Harris for County Mayor - Monday, November 6, 2017

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism kicked off his bid for county mayor last week by vowing to “beat up on” rival Democrat and state Sen. Lee Harris in the May 2018 countywide primary.

82. Indie Memphis Film Fest Goes All Out For 20th Anniversary - Saturday, November 4, 2017

Indie Memphis Film Festival’s 20th run this week has seen a record number of guests and more than 100 filmmakers from around the world descending on the Bluff City.

The festival that seems to get more popular every year continues will a full day of screenings Saturday, Nov. 4, and continues through Monday night, Nov. 6, when a free reception will be held at the Halloran Centre Downtown.

83. Last Word: Changes Behind Highland Row, Lee Harris Opens and Ron Olson Moves - Friday, November 3, 2017

Shelby County Commission chairwoman Heidi Shafer says the commission, through its attorneys, is in ‘the final stages of launching litigation” against big pharma over the opioid problem locally. And in a written statement Thursday she said she believes the litigation “will result in significant recovery for hundreds of millions of dollars that Shelby County has spent trying to heal, save, nurse and otherwise deal with the opioid crisis.” Shafer specifically announced the hiring on a contingency basis of a national law firm.

84. Harris Cites Effects of ‘Trump Approach’ on County Races - Friday, November 3, 2017

Three weeks into his run for Shelby County mayor on the 2018 ballot, state Sen. Lee Harris told a group of 30 supporters in Victorian Village Wednesday, Nov. 1, that he is running as a response to the “Trump approach.”

85. Fats Domino Dies at 89; Gave Rock Music a New Orleans Flavor - Thursday, October 26, 2017

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Fats Domino, the amiable rock 'n' roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honoring the traditions of the Crescent City, has died. He was 89.

86. Mickell Lowery Uses Lessons From Council Race in Commission Bid - Thursday, October 26, 2017

Two years to the month after he conceded defeat in his first political outing, Mickell Lowery is returning to the local political arena – albeit a different part of the arena.

Lowery is running in the May Democratic primary for Shelby County Commission District 8, the seat held by Democrat Walter Bailey, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2018.

87. Fogelman Properties Adds Day As Senior VP of Investments - Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Matthew Day has joined Fogelman Properties as senior vice president of investments. Day comes to the Memphis-based multifamily real estate services company with 15 years of investment experience and will spearhead its investment platform across the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions.

88. Last Word: The Chamber on Forrest, Different Amazon News & More 2018 Dominoes - Friday, October 6, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber rolls out its part of the push by the city administration to get a state waiver for the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue. Next week is the meeting of the Tennessee Historical Commission with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland showing up to make his pitch. That is even though the chairman of the body has told him the commission will not take up a waiver at the meeting.

89. Harris To Run For County Mayor, Leave State Senate - Friday, October 6, 2017

State Sen. Lee Harris is running for Shelby County mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and will not seek re-election to the Senate.

90. Last Word: Bonus For the Head Tiger, Brooks Downtown? and Harris Runs - Thursday, October 5, 2017

A $100,000 bonus from the University of Memphis board of trustees for U of M president David Rudd at Wednesday’s trustees meeting. The bonus is from private funds raised by the university foundation. The board also approved a paid parental leave policy – specifically the funding for that policy. And it reviewed scaled-back plans for the $30 million new rec center for students that will incorporate some of the existing rec center.

91. Harris In Race For County Mayor, Exiting State Senate - Thursday, October 5, 2017

State Senator Lee Harris is running for Shelby County Mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and he will not seek re-election to the Senate.

92. Harris In Race For County Mayor, Exiting State Senate - Thursday, October 5, 2017

State Senator Lee Harris is running for Shelby County Mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and he will not seek re-election to the Senate.

93. Week Ahead: Oct. 2-9 - Monday, October 2, 2017

Hey, Memphis! Prepare to rock out this week as the Mempho Music Festival hits Shelby Farms Park and Wilco plays The Orpheum. Plus, Beale Street memorializes one of its own, Memphis legal pros discuss the Confederate monuments issue, and much more in The Week Ahead…

94. Lane Touts Luttrell Endorsement in Sheriff's Race - Friday, September 8, 2017

Republican contender for Shelby County Sheriff Dale Lane is touting the support of every suburban mayor in the county, current Shelby County Mayor and former sheriff Mark Luttrell, and former county mayor Jim Rout.

95. ‘Divisive Symbols’: Mississippi Case Offers Hope for Forrest Bust Removal - Thursday, September 7, 2017

State Sen. Lee Harris is encouraged by the U.S. Supreme Court’s request for the state of Mississippi to respond to a lawsuit seeking to remove the Confederate battle flag from its state flag.

96. Outsourcing by Any Other Name Still Not So Sweet - Thursday, August 31, 2017

Outsourcing is starting to become a four-letter word in state government.

Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration told lawmakers during a summer study session it’s giving up on privatization of state parks, including a plan to hire a company to raze the inn at Fall Creek Falls and build a new one, at a cost of more than $22 million, then take over the keys and the profits.

97. Looks Like Another 8-4 Season for Tennessee - Friday, August 25, 2017

Oops. I goofed last year. So did lots of other people who thought Tennessee’s football team would win the SEC East Division and go to the league championship game for the first time since 2007.

98. Last Word: Bar-Kays & ConFunkShun, Suburban Politics and Tom Bowen's 5 Years - Friday, June 16, 2017

The Bar-Kays and ConFunkShun -- there’s a double shot of the deepest funk from the 1970s and 1980s. And they are together again Friday at the Cannon Center for the Juneteenth Urban Music Festival. It is also Larry Dodson’s last hometown show fronting The Bar-Kays.

99. Century Mark - Saturday, June 17, 2017

During a visit to Memphis in April, Andrew Young was talking with reporters about his lengthy public history – being part of Dr. Martin Luther King’s inner circle, a congressman, mayor of Atlanta, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. It was as he talked about King’s death in Memphis that Young, without any prompting, talked about a trio of Memphis attorneys – Benjamin Hooks, Russell Sugarmon and A. W. Willis – that were the key to his and King’s efforts to get things done in Memphis and the surrounding region.

100. Wide Receiver U? That’s So 20 Years Ago - Friday, May 26, 2017

At the 2015 SEC Media Days, Tennessee coach Butch Jones referred to his school as “the original Wide Receiver U.”

The reference goes back to the days when the Vols were loaded with fast, talented pass receivers on the perimeter. In a heady stretch from 1982-91, UT had six wide receivers selected in the first round of the NFL draft – Anthony Hancock, Willie Gault, Clyde Duncan, Tim McGee, Anthony Miller and Alvin Harper.