Bob Smith’s testimony was a good part of the first day of the nonjury trial that began Monday before Memphis Federal Court Judge Jon McCalla on police surveillance of protesters. Smith was the alias used by Police Sgt. Tim Reynolds – Reynolds acknowledged during his testimony Monday Downtown. The identity was also used by several other officers.

2. 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.

3. Morris' Secret Helped Pass Civil Rights Cold Case Laws - Friday, June 15, 2018

Charlie Morris was known for decades as a political operative who defined a brand of grassroots-style campaigning and political involvement in North Memphis. He and his late wife, Alma, operating out of a barber shop in a Quonset hut off Chelsea Avenue, endorsed candidates and worked for them at the polls – going door-to-door in their neighborhood in what was the most basic kind of political organizing.

4. Legislature Moving on Civil Rights Cold Cases - Friday, January 12, 2018

Charlie Morris may be nearing 100 years of age, but he’s never given up on his quest for Tennessee to delve into decades-old civil rights crimes.

5. Electric Utilities Ask Higher Rates on Mississippi Customers - Friday, November 17, 2017

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi's two privately owned electric utilities are asking regulators to make customers pay more next year.

Entergy Mississippi's request would boost rates for a yardstick residential customer from $104 a month to $114 a month, beginning in February, to pay for fuel costs.

6. Retired FedEx Exec Rodriguez Becomes City of Memphis CIO - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Mike Rodriguez recently became the city of Memphis’ director of information services and chief information officer, a role he took on after retiring from a 27-year career at FedEx Corp. Rodriguez, who most recently served as FedEx’s director of information security, was nominated as city CIO by Mayor Jim Strickland and confirmed by the Memphis City Council Sept. 23.

7. ‘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.

8. Hospital in Mississippi Downsizing Amid Financial Issues - Monday, September 4, 2017

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) – A Mississippi hospital seeking to offset reduced revenues is closing its skilled nursing unit and community health department in addition to scaling back its inpatient mental health center.

9. State Panel Sheds New Light on Racial Atrocities - Thursday, August 24, 2017

State Rep. Johnnie Turner has seen what can happen when old wounds are never allowed to heal.

She’s seen it most recently in clashes between neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and white supremacists and those who resisted their hatred in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a counter-protester was killed and 19 were injured when a car was intentionally driven into a group of counter protesters. Two state troopers also died in a helicopter crash that weekend.

10. Remaking Crosstown - Saturday, August 19, 2017

As he was leading tours through Crosstown Concourse this month, Todd Richardson took a small group to a set of windows for a balcony view of an addition being constructed on the north side of the property.

11. The Week Ahead: Aug. 14-20 - Monday, August 14, 2017

Hello, Memphis! School was the big opening last week, but this week it’s the majestic Crosstown Concourse, the 1.5 million-square-foot tower on Cleveland Street at North Parkway. It is hosting a six-hour extravaganza of tours, music, food and the arts. Check out the details, plus more Elvis Week events and other need-to-know happenings in The Week Ahead...

12. Morris Recalls Brother’s Violent Death and Rage - Thursday, July 6, 2017

“Actually, the truth has never been told,” Charlie Morris said this week as he talked about the violent death of his brother 78 years ago in Arlington. Morris, now 96 years old, had family and friends gathered around him at the Memphis Branch NAACP headquarters Monday, July 3, as he marked the new state law that could reopen the investigation into the death of Jessie Lee Bond and other cold cases from the long arc of the civil rights movement.

13. After Warmbier's Death, US Weighs Travel Ban on North Korea - Wednesday, June 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is considering banning travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea, officials said Tuesday, as outrage grew over the death of American student Otto Warmbier and President Donald Trump declared it a "total disgrace."

14. Last Word: Food Changes, Tax Breaks and 'The Big Bang' - Thursday, May 18, 2017

Late hours in Washington for another night Wednesday with word of the appointment of former FBI director Robert Mueller as special prosecutor in the Trump-Russia investigation. Here is all of the reaction we had as of late Wednesday from our folks in D.C.

15. Last Word: Railgarten Redux, Raleigh Springs Mall and Forrest Author Speaks - Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Railgarten II, Son of Railgarten, Railgarten, Beyond the Board of Adjustment, Railgarten, Enter The City Council … Take your pick of sequel titles. Railgarten goes back to the City Council Tuesday for at least a committee discussion in which the council considers whether it should take back the special use permit it granted the bar-restaurant. This is a follow up to the Board of Adjustment decision last month to delay any action on approving the other annexes of the business for 30 days.

16. Lawmakers Blast Haslam Administration for Process Toward JLL Contract - Thursday, March 30, 2017

The Tennessee Department of General Services is set to award a statewide contract for facility management services to Jones Lang LaSalle, a company that already handles 10 percent of state office space and estimates a 15.9 percent savings if all higher education institutes participate.

17. Airports, Legal Volunteers Prepare for New Trump Travel Ban - Thursday, March 2, 2017

SEATTLE (AP) – Airport officials and civil rights lawyers around the country are getting ready for President Donald Trump's new travel ban – mindful of the chaos that accompanied his initial executive order but hopeful the forthcoming version will be rolled out in a more orderly way.

18. Outsourcing: Savings, But No Specifics - Thursday, December 8, 2016

The Haslam administration is forging ahead with plans to nab a statewide facilities services contractor after an outside analysis backed up a study showing estimated cost savings of more than $35 million a year at Tennessee universities.

19. Events - Monday, December 5, 2016

Memphis 3.0 kickoff rallies continue through Saturday, Dec. 10, at locations around Memphis. The rallies will include a short overview of the Memphis 3.0 planning process followed by an opportunity for citizens to provide input on the future of their neighborhoods. Upcoming rallies include (start time is 5:30 unless otherwise noted): Dec. 5 at Raleigh Community Center; Dec. 6 at East High School; Dec. 7 in the Pipkin Building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds; Dec. 8 at McFarland Community Center; Dec. 9 at Bert Ferguson Community Center; Dec. 10 (10 a.m.) at the Cossitt Library; and Dec. 10 (2 p.m.) at the McWherter Senior Center. Visit memphis3point0.com for details.

20. Former Public Works Director In Mason Indicted for Theft - Thursday, July 21, 2016

The town of Mason’s former public works superintendent, Christopher Lee Trimble, has been indicted by a Tipton County grand jury on charges of official misconduct and theft after an investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

21. UTHSC Names Storgion Chair Of Physician Assistant Studies - Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Dr. Stephanie Storgion has been named chair of the department of physician assistant studies at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Storgion’s appointment comes as the department moves to the College of Medicine from the College of Health Professions, where it started two years ago. 

22. The Week Ahead: May 23-29 - Monday, May 23, 2016

Alright, Memphis, it’s time to get this week started with our roundup of happenings you need to know about. 

The 2016 Memphis In May International Festival closes out Saturday with a pair of new additions to the monthlong lineup.
The Saturday by the river begins with the Great American River Run – a half-marathon and a 5K run with a riverside and Downtown route. There is, of course, a post-race party, which then segues into 901Fest – four stages in Tom Lee Park featuring local music and arts, from Al Kapone and Frayser Boy to the North Mississippi Allstars to Opera Memphis and the New Ballet Ensemble & School.
The idea here, and it may be an evolving concept, seems to be local and diverse and not as much of an emphasis on the stages and what happens there at the expense of those who stay after the run and those who come for the music and the arts.
To dot the I on that point, 901Fest also includes an air show.

23. Last Word: Mud Island Money, Elvis Mystery and Beyond Barbecue - Friday, May 13, 2016

It looks like the dry rub will be in order for Memphis in May's barbecue weekend with a shower or two keeping the dust down in Tom Lee Park Wednesday.

If you can see it through the smoke, Mud Island might strike a first-tme observer as a marked contrast to all of the activity in Tom Lee Park that goes right up to the bluff's edge.

24. Memphis Redbirds Set Roster for 2016 Season - Saturday, April 16, 2016

The Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, have announced their roster as of Thursday, April 7.

Fifteen players on the 25-man spent time in Memphis last season, including Dean Kiekhefer, Thomas Lee, Arturo Reyes, Ryan Sherriff, Miguel Socolovich, Sam Tuivailala, Justin Wright and Heath Wyatt on the pitching staff, catcher Alberto Rosario, infielders Dean Anna, Alex Mejia, Matt Williams and Jacob Wilson, and outfielders Anthony Garcia and Nick Martini.

25. Memphis Redbirds Set Roster for 2016 Season - Monday, April 11, 2016

The Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, have announced their roster as of Thursday, April 7.

Fifteen players on the 25-man spent time in Memphis last season, including Dean Kiekhefer, Thomas Lee, Arturo Reyes, Ryan Sherriff, Miguel Socolovich, Sam Tuivailala, Justin Wright and Heath Wyatt on the pitching staff, catcher Alberto Rosario, infielders Dean Anna, Alex Mejia, Matt Williams and Jacob Wilson, and outfielders Anthony Garcia and Nick Martini.

26. Last Word: Hedgepeth Speaks, Josh Pastner's Future and Big Box Liquor - Friday, March 4, 2016

Where else is there to begin but the Greensward controversy.
And we start with an email from Memphis City Council member Reid Hedgepeth in what is rapidly becoming a Last Word tradition and institution – the email in full.

27. Neil Young, Paul Simon, Modest Mouse Top Beale Street Music Fest Lineup - Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Neil Young, Beck, Paul Simon, Train and Modest Mouse are among the headliners for the 2016 Beale Street Music Festival, April 29-May 1, in Tom Lee Park.

28. Drones Pose New Contraband, Smuggling Challenge For Prisons - Tuesday, February 16, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Wily inmates and their associates on the outside are deploying drones to deliver drugs, cellphones, and other contraband to prison yards, leaving prison guards and correctional authorities trying to decide how to deal with the new technology.

29. Impatient Clemmons Anxious for Minority Voice to Be Heard - Saturday, January 23, 2016

Democratic state Rep. John Ray Clemmons is only halfway through his first two-year term representing District 55 in Nashville. But he’s not willing to wait years to speak out or push for change.

30. Events - Monday, November 16, 2015

Memphis Jewish Home & Rehab will present “Your Eyes After Age 60,” a free interactive info session, Monday, Nov. 16, at 1:30 p.m. at MHJR, 36 Bazeberry Road. The session will include demonstrations and resources for finding the right eye care. Call Christine Weinreich at 901-722-3311 for more information.

31. Simmons Joins Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors - Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Mary Leesa Simmons has joined Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors as vice president – senior asset manager. In her new role, Simmons provides all aspects of property management duties for the firm’s clients.
This includes financial administration, budgeting, reporting, lease administration, contract administration, tenant, client and vendor administration, capital improvements and property inspections.

32. Events - Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The Center City Revenue Finance Corp. will meet Tuesday, June 9, at 9 a.m. in the Downtown Memphis Commission conference room, 114 N. Main St. Visit downtownmemphiscommission.com.

33. Making the Connection - Saturday, June 6, 2015

Archie Willis III had just earned his master’s degree in business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when he returned to Memphis in 1981 to help his father, A.W. Willis Jr., redevelop the Adler Hotel Annex.

34. 1 Million New Residents: Where Will They Live? - Saturday, April 18, 2015

At least 1 million people are expected to move to the Nashville region over the next 20 years. Already, the early arrivals have begun to dramatically change the landscape of the suburban counties surrounding the city.

35. City Council to Get Update Halfway Into Fiscal Year - Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Memphis City Council members return to the matter of city finances Tuesday, March 3, with a financial review in a 9:30 a.m. committee session that marks the halfway point in the city’s fiscal year.

36. Oktoberfest in Arlington to Be Held Sept. 21 - Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Third Annual Oktoberfest in Arlington will be held Sept. 21 from noon to 6 p.m. at Living Word Lutheran Church, 11974 Walker St., next to the Sam Wilson Public Library by Depot Square.

37. Cushman & Wakefield Adds Yates to Capital Markets Team - Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Alex Yates has joined the Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors Capital Markets team as vice president, assisting and executing investment sales, debt/equity placement and development advisory projects. Yates’ efforts will be heavily concentrated in multifamily and retail, but he will focus on other product types as well.

38. Grizz Looking Forward to Next Season’s Grind - Friday, May 9, 2014

Tony Allen, still believing, had “packed for a three-day trip to L.A.” and another playoff confrontation with the Clippers.

39. Harris Files Ford Challenge at Deadline - Thursday, April 3, 2014

Memphis City Council member Lee Harris is challenging Democratic state Sen. Ophelia Ford in the August primary for District 29, the Senate seat held by a member of the Ford family since 1975.

40. City Council Continues Pension Talks - Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Memphis City Council members continue their discussions Tuesday, March 18, about the city’s unfunded pension liability as well as possible changes in city employee heath care benefits.

But there is still no action on any part of the issues on the council agenda for a vote.

41. Council Tours Pyramid, Weighs City Offices In Two Malls - Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Memphis City Council members heard Tuesday, Feb. 18, that the administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. wants to move some city government offices into the Soulsville Town Center in South Memphis and is weighing whether to renovate or tear down and build anew on the site of the Southbrook Mall in Whitehaven.

42. Social Media Fails of 2013 - Thursday, December 12, 2013

Social media is a terrific opportunity to engage with the marketplace and build brand loyalty. Unfortunately, along with the reward comes risk. When a social media campaign backfires, your failure can be quite public.

43. Crosstown Effort Shines as Development Example - Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Construction documents for the $180 million revitalization of the Crosstown building were scheduled to be finished Friday, Dec. 6, with the project moving toward closing and construction in the next months.

44. Moore Rejoins Girls Inc. as President/CEO - Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Lisa Moore recently joined Girls Inc. of Memphis as president/CEO, returning to the organization where she began her career in the late 1980s. In her new role, Moore said, she will provide leadership and support to equip Girls Inc. of Memphis to effectively and efficiently fulfill its mission of equipping all girls to live strong, smart and bold.

45. Funding for Untested Rape Kits Sparks Debate - Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Memphis City Council’s sharpest debate during a Tuesday, Aug. 20, council agenda with several major issues wasn’t about Smart Meters or changes in garbage pickup.

It was about “several thousand” rape kits Memphis Police have – some dating back to the 1980s – that investigators never processed.

46. August 9-15, 2013: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, August 10, 2013

2010: Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. announced Tobey Park would be the site for the city’s first neighborhood skatepark. The $440,000 project was completed and opened in November 2011.

2008: Grays Creek residents and others in Cordova began organizing opposition to plans for a new Walmart Supercenter on the northwest corner of Houston Levee and Macon Roads. The project would later be voted down by the Shelby County Commission.

47. Walgreen Co. Closes Ike’s Gas Station - Friday, August 2, 2013

Walgreen Co. has closed the gas station at its Ike’s store on Union Avenue, but the company isn’t saying anything else about the property’s future.

48. Council Grapples With Attrition Plan Reality - Thursday, July 18, 2013

Every version of a city budget the Memphis City Council and Mayor A C Wharton Jr. considered in June included a plan to lose 300 city employees through attrition for long-term savings toward meeting rising future debt obligations.

49. Council Approves Tax Hike in $3.40 Property Tax Rate - Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Memphis City Council members raised the city property tax rate Tuesday, June 26, by four cents above the recertified tax rate and put the rest of a turbulent budget season to rest.

The approval of the $3.40 property tax rate and city operating and capital budgets came in a council session that ended at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

50. Events - Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Talk Shoppe will meet Wednesday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at DeVry University, 6401 Poplar Ave., sixth floor. Cost is free. Visit talkshoppe.biz.

51. Events - Monday, June 17, 2013

The city of Germantown will host The Millionaires as part of its Groovin’ and Chillin’ Concert Series Tuesday, June 18, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Kiwanis pavilion at Municipal Park on Exeter Road. The free concert starts at 7 p.m.; hot dog and hamburger combos will be available for purchase beforehand. Visit germantown-tn.gov.

52. Events - Friday, June 14, 2013

The Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel, RedRover Sales & Marketing and Angela Copeland will hold Memphis to Moore, a fundraiser for rebuilding efforts in Moore, Okla., Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m. at Westin, 170 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. Funds will go to the Moore Public Schools Tornado Relief Fund. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. Visit memphistomoore.org.

53. Events - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

National Association of Women Business Owners Memphis chapter will meet Tuesday, May 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chickasaw Country Club, 3935 Galloway Ave. Lori Turner-Wilson, co-founder of RedRover Sales & Marketing, will speak. Cost is $25 for NAWBO members, $30 for nonmembers and $35 at the door. Visit nawbomemphis.org.

54. Events - Saturday, May 11, 2013

National Hispanic Professional Organization-Memphis will meet Thursday, May 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. Speakers include Larry Jensen, president and CEO of Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors LLC, and representatives from Washington think tank Excelencia in Education. Cost is free for members and $20 for nonmembers. R.S.V.P. to info@nhpomemphis.us or 466-6476.

55. A Higher Order of Sausage - Friday, March 1, 2013

GOD’S SAUSAGE. (When you see this column, it’s the 40 Days of Waffle Shop again, so strike while the iron is hot.)

“You might just be a copywriter,” Brick Muller said, staring down at the piece of paper I’d just handed him. On it was an ad idea I’d just pounded out on the 1948 Royal typewriter he was paying me to use as a copywriter. The fact that this was his first recognition that I might be one was gratifying since I’d already been there for nine months.

56. RedRover Names Thomson Account Manager - Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Melissa Thomson has been promoted to account manager from account executive at RedRover Sales & Marketing. In her expanded role, Thomson serves as a fractional chief marketing officer for growing Mid-South companies by conducting critical market research then creating and executing marketing strategies.

57. Events - Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Daily News will hold a sustainable energy seminar and panel discussion as part of its 2012 seminar series Thursday, Aug. 2, at 3:30 p.m. at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Ave. Cost is $25. Register at seminars.memphisdailynews.com.

58. Waffle Shop Again Answers Prayers - Friday, February 24, 2012

GOD’S SAUSAGE. “You might just be a copywriter,” Brick Muller said, staring down at the piece of paper I’d just handed him. On it was an ad idea I’d just pounded out on the 1948 Royal typewriter he was paying me to use as a copywriter. The fact that this was his first recognition that I might be one was gratifying since I’d already been there for nine months.

59. Events - Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Memphis Mid-South Chapter of the Federal Bar Association will present “Summer Seminar: Federal Discovery Practice” Thursday, July 28, at 1:15 p.m. at the Clifford David and Odell Horton Federal Building, 167 N. Main St., 11th floor, Jury Assembly Room. To register, visit www.fedbar.org/memphis and print out the registration form and mail it to the address provided.

60. Disaster Recovery on Minds of Some Businesses - Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Gayle Rose isn’t a storm-chaser nor does she work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but natural disasters are her territory.

61. Newcomers Highlight BSMF Lineup - Friday, April 22, 2011

Memphis in May’s salute to Belgium will once again kick off with headline musical acts from across the country, singing on the river, in the sometimes muddy Tom Lee Park.

62. Fred Sanders to Receive Beale Street Brass Note - Friday, March 18, 2011

Music legend Fred Sanders spent most of his days playing guitar in Memphis’ Handy Park.

As the house guitarist at the old Club Paradise, Sanders played alongside other Memphis music legends, including B.B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Albert King. Sanders also played his music at Blues Alley on Front Street, leaving tourists in awe and was a particular favorite of traveling blues aficionados.

63. Mellencamp Headlines Beale Street Music Festival - Friday, March 4, 2011

MEMPHIS (AP) – Memphis in May officials say John Mellencamp, Wilco, Cee Lo Green, Ke$ha, Stone Temple Pilots, B.o.B. and Godsmack are scheduled to perform at the three-day Beale Street Music Festival this spring.

64. Issues Dominate 2010 Political Headlines - Thursday, December 30, 2010

The top two vote getters in the 2010 election year weren’t candidates. They were causes.

Leading the way among all races within Shelby County was the 178,358 votes cast in November for an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that specifically stated hunting and fishing are “personal rights.”

65. Cheddar’s Casual Café Comes to Memphis - Friday, December 3, 2010

Cheddar’s Casual Café has recently filed for a $1.4 million building permit for about 8,600 square feet at 7684 Winchester Road in Michael Lightman Realty Co.’s Centennial Commons development.

66. County Commission Spars Over PILOT Rules For Suburbs - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners sparred over how much oversight is too much when it comes to awarding tax breaks for corporate and industrial moves to Shelby County and expansions of existing businesses.

67. Center Stage - Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Last week Kallen Esperian sent her world-renowned operatic soprano soaring through Calvary Episcopal Church.

The week before Ruby Wilson proved once again that she’s the Queen of Beale by beling out bluesy renditions at the historic church.

68. GOP Carries Countywide Offices - Friday, August 6, 2010

The only thing Republican candidates in Shelby County were denied in the Aug. 5 elections was a majority on the Shelby County Commission. The local GOP slate swept every countywide partisan race on the ballot with Thursday’s election results.

Voter turnout – early and Election Day – was almost 30 percent of Shelby County’s 600,000 voters. All election returns will be audited and must be certified by the Shelby County Election Commission.

Republican Bill Oldham, the former chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Department under outgoing Sheriff Mark Luttrell, beat Democrat Randy Wade in the race for sheriff.

The unofficial returns with all precincts reporting were:

Oldham: 89,613 (52%)

Wade: 82,981 (48%)

Wade, who was the Democratic nominee for sheriff in 2002, linked his 2010 campaign to the re-election bid of Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen. Wade, a former sheriff’s deputy, is Cohen’s district director.

Oldham campaigned on continuing the policies of Luttrell. But his campaign faltered when Oldham was forced to resign his job as chief deputy – the No. 2 position in the department – following a complaint to the U.S. Justice Department that his candidacy violated the Federal Hatch Act.

The civil complaint investigated by the Justice Department’s Office of Special Counsel left Oldham with the choice of either quitting the job or quitting the race. To keep both could have jeopardized federal funding the department receives.

The complaint was unique because deputies and high-ranking officers running for sheriff has been a regular feature of the sheriff’s race for decades. It wasn’t until 2002 that those in the department were required to take a leave of absence if they ran.

In other general election races, challenger Ken Hoover lost to Shelby County School Board Chairman David Pickler in the race for the District 5 seat on the seven-member board.

Pickler has been chairman for 11 of the 12 years the school board has been an elected body. Pickler ran on his record as chairman. Hoover also ran on Pickler’s record, saying his leadership style was too autocratic and not transparent enough.

The unofficial results were:

Pickler: 5,123 (51%)

Hoover: 4,956 (49%)

In the two other contested school board races, former Bolton High School principal Snowden “Butch” Carruthers beat Millington parent Charlene White in District 1. And political newcomer David Reaves beat fellow newcomer Lara A. McIntyre, both of Bartlett, for the District 3 seat.

White and McIntyre both called for change in school board methods during their campaigns.

District 7 school board member Ernest Chism ran unopposed.

The even-numbered district school board seats are on the 2012 county ballot.

After running for Probate Court clerk three other times, Democratic nominee Sondra Becton could not claim the office on her fourth try – even with the incumbent she campaigned against the three other times out of the race. Republican contender Paul Boyd easily beat Becton in the race for the office Chris Thomas gave up to run for and win a seat on the Shelby County Commission.

Becton lost to Thomas by 604 votes four years ago and was among the four Democratic challengers who unsuccessfully challenged the results in Chancery Court. This time she lost by more than 6,500 votes.

The vote totals were:

Boyd: 82,259 (52%)

Becton: 75,702 (48%)

Republican Tom Leatherwood easily defeated Democratic challenger Coleman Thompson to remain Shelby County register. The two faced each other in 2006, with Leatherwood winning.

The results Thursday were:

Leatherwood: 96,531 (58%)

Thompson: 68,784 (42%)

As early voting began, Thompson’s Pyramid Recovery Center was evicted from its longtime South Memphis space that was also an early voting site and an election day polling place. The landlord agreed to leave the voting sites up and running. But the possibility of a change in polling places served to highlight Thompson’s financial problems.

Late publicity about financial problems took a toll on another Democratic contender.

Newcomer Corey Maclin began campaigning early for Shelby County clerk, with incumbent Republican Debbie Stamson not seeking re-election. Maclin lost to Republican nominee Wayne Mashburn, the son of late county clerk Sonny Mashburn.

The unofficial returns were:

Mashburn: 88,619 (55%)

Maclin: 72,651 (45%)

Stamson’s husband, Steve Stamson, retired as Juvenile Court clerk, setting up the race that was won by Republican nominee Joy Touliatos, the chief administrative officer of the clerk’s office. She beat Democratic nominee Shep Wilbun, who won appointment to the clerk’s office in 2000 but lost to Stamson in the 2002 election and was beaten by Stamson again in 2006.

With all precincts reporting, the numbers were:

Touliatos: 85,849 (51%)

Wilbun: 73,345 (44%)

The remaining votes went to independent candidate Julia R. Wiseman.

Also seeking a return to countywide office was Minerva Johnican. Johnican, the Democratic nominee for Criminal Court clerk, lost to Republican nominee Kevin Key, the son of outgoing Criminal Court Clerk Bill Key and an administrator with the Circuit Court Clerk’s office.

The results were:

Key: 79,755 (49%)

Johnican: 74,831 (46%)

Independent candidate Jerry Stamson: 8,581 (5%)

Johnican, also a former Memphis City Council member and Shelby County Commissioner lost the clerk’s job in 1994 when she was upset by the elder Key.

Incumbent Republican Circuit Court Clerk Jimmy Moore easily defeated Democratic challenger Ricky Dixon. Although Dixon was part of the effort by Democratic party leaders to get voters to vote the entire party slate, Moore continued to show up at Democratic functions and make his case for crossover votes.

Regina Morrison Newman, the third Shelby County tustee in four years, lost her bid for a full term in the office to Republican challenger David Lenoir. It was an impressive political debut for Lenoir, who had heavy backing from the local GOP.

The results were:

Lenoir: 77,166 (49%)

Newman: 72,618 (46%)

Independent candidate Derrick Bennett: 6,353 (4%)

Newman was appointed to the office by the Shelby County Commission following the 2009 death of Trustee Paul Mattila. Mattila was appointed to the office and won a special election for the position following the 2008 death of Bob Patterson. Patterson was re-elected to a four-year term in 2006.

In the judicial races:

Attorney Bill Anderson Jr. emerged atop a field of 20 candidates for General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 7 with 15 percent of the vote. Assistant County Attorney Janet Lansky Shipman was second and the only other contender to go into double digit percentages. The 20 candidates were the largest field in any race – primary or general – on the Shelby County ballot.

Prosecutor Bobby Carter, who had the backing of District Attorney General Bill Gibbons and former District Attorney General John Pierotti, was elected judge of Criminal Court Div. 3 in a close race with attorneys Glenn Wright and Latonya Sue Burrow.

Carter got 26 percent of the vote to Wright’s 25 percent and Burrow’s 24.7 percent.

The results in the three other special judicial races saw the three appointed judges rejected by voters.

• Lee Wilson, the appointee to General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 10, lost to former General Sessions Court Clerk Chris Turner by more than 64,000 votes. Turner’s victory was the strongest proof of the strong Republican turnout for races across the general election ballot. Turner had been the General Sessions Court clerk until 2006, when he was upset by Democratic challenger Otis Jackson. He is also a former Republican state legislator.
• Lorrie Ridder, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 4, lost to attorney Gina Higgins by about 5,000 votes.
• Rhynette Northcross Hurd, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 8, lost to attorney Bob Weiss by more than 12,000 votes.

Ridder and Hurd had been appointed to the Circuit Court vacancies by Gov. Phil Bredesen, who picked them each from a list of three finalists from the Judicial Nominating Commission. Bredesen even taped a robo-call on behalf of Hurd, his first robo-call for any candidate in the state.

Wilson was appointed to the General Sessions vacancy by the Shelby County Commission and adopted a domestic violence case docket for the court.

69. Action! We Belong in the Movies - Friday, August 6, 2010

Gene Hackman has a big head.

I’m not talking ego, the man really does have a head the size of a medicine ball. I know because I stood next to him one morning in Court Square chatting about the Hebe Fountain. Okay, he wasn’t actually talking to me, he was talking to the little guy on the other side of him – Tom Cruise. Maybe 5-7, depending on his shoes. They were here shooting “The Firm.”

70. Attorneys Poll Picks Most Qualified Candidates - Friday, July 9, 2010

The Memphis Bar Association’s poll of most qualified judicial candidates on the Aug. 5 ballot is good news for the three appointed incumbents in the races.

There are five special elections for judge on the ballot. But the polls mirrored recent elections in its low turnout. And the category “no opinion” was the choice of at least 16 percent in each of the five races.

71. Memphis Bar Releases Judicial Candidates Poll Results - Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Memphis Bar Association’s poll of most qualified judicial candidates on the Aug. 5 ballot is good news for the three appointed incumbents in the races.

There are five special elections for judge on the ballot. But the polls mirrored recent elections in its low turnout. And the category “no opinion” was the choice of at least 16 percent in each of the five races.

The MBA asked 3,000 attorneys in Shelby County, members and nonmembers, to judge who was best qualified in each of the races. There were 795 attorneys who responded.

The results released Thursday morning show:

In the 20-candidate field for General Sessions Criminal Court Division 7, the largest field of candidates in any race – primary or general – on the Aug. 5 ballot, assistant county attorney Janet Lansky Shipman came out on top with 16 percent. Fifteen percent of the attorneys who responded ranked prosecutor Billy Bond as best qualified.

Attorney Bill Anderson Jr. followed with 10 percent. Everyone else was in single digits. But most of those responding, 22 percent, had no opinion.

Prosecutor Bobby Carter was top of the six-candidate field for Criminal Court Division 3 at 27 percent. Criminal defense attorney Gerald Skahan followed closely with 24 percent.

Division 4 Circuit Court Judge Lorrie K. Ridder was ranked as best qualified to keep her seat by 66 percent of those responding.

Division 8 Circuit Court Judge Rhynette Hurd was ranked most qualified in the Division 8 field by 37 percent of those responding. But 26 percent of the attorneys had no opinion.

Division 10 General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Lee Wilson was ranked most qualified in his race with former General Sessions Court Judge Chris Turner by 48 percent of the attorneys.

The MBA has conducted a poll of attorneys on contested judicial races for more than two decades.

72. Realizing Dreams - Tuesday, July 6, 2010

William Adair’s quad-cab, four-wheel-drive pickup truck is splattered with mud. The office where he parks it out back, a converted country home at the corner of Tenn. 196 and U.S. 72, is littered with maps.

73. Bar Association Announces Endorsements - Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The first bar endorsements in the August judicial elections are out. A committee of the Ben F. Jones chapter of the National Bar Association has endorsed candidates in all five of the special judicial elections on the Aug. 5 ballot. The committee also endorsed candidates in three of the court clerk races on the ballot.

74. Ben F. Jones Chapter Endorses In Judicial Races - Tuesday, June 29, 2010

A committee of the Ben F. Jones chapter of the National Bar Association has endorsed candidates in all five of the special judicial elections on the Aug. 5 ballot.

The committee also endorsed in three of the court clerk races on the ballot.

75. Court Cases Stay Steady in Q1 - Monday, April 19, 2010

The caseload for three of the four sets of civil courts in Shelby County remained about the same for the first three months of 2010.

Hospital liens remained a major category in Shelby County Circuit Court filings after emerging as a trend in 2009 caseload numbers, according to The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

76. Candidates Set For Local Judicial Elections - Monday, April 5, 2010

The three special judicial nonpartisan elections on the Aug. 5 ballot are topped by a race in General Sessions Criminal Court between incumbent Lee Wilson, appointed last year by the Shelby County Commission, and Chris Turner, an attorney and former state legislator as well as the former General Sessions Court clerk.

77. Races Open For Two County School Board Seats - Friday, April 2, 2010

The Aug. 5 elections will feature two races for open seats on the Shelby County school board.

At the noon Thursday filing deadline for the four odd-numbered district seats as well as the state and federal primaries, board member Anne Edmiston did not file for another four-year term. Board member Teresa Price had announced earlier that she would not be running either.

78. UPDATE: Two Open County School Board Seats At Filing Deadline - Thursday, April 1, 2010

The Aug. 5 elections will feature two races for open seats on the Shelby County school board.

At the noon Thursday filing deadline for the four odd-numbered district seats as well as the state and federal primaries, board member Anne Edmiston did not file for another four-year term. Board member Teresa Price had announced earlier that she would not be running either.

79. Filing Deadline Hits for August Primaries - Thursday, April 1, 2010

The stage is set for the county’s most anticipated political showdown in the Aug. 5 state and federal primary elections.

Noon today is the deadline for candidates in the primaries, as well as those vying for nonpartisan seats on the Shelby County school board and the three judicial positions, to file their qualifying petitions for the ballot.

80. Hurd To Circuit Court - Monday, March 8, 2010

Collierville attorney Rhynette Northcross Hurd is the new division eight Circuit Court judge.

Gov. Phil Bredesen announced her appointment Friday afternoon from Nashville.

Hurd was one of three finalists recommended by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the vacancy created by the September retirement of Judge D’Army Bailey.

81. UPDATE: Hurd Appointed To Circuit Court - Friday, March 5, 2010

Collierville attorney Rhynette Northcross Hurd is the new division eight Circuit Court judge.

Gov. Phil Bredesen announced her appointment Friday afternoon from Nashville.

Hurd was one of three finalists recommended by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the vacancy created by the September retirement of Judge D’Army Bailey.

82. Steady Clip for Court Cases in ’09 - Monday, January 18, 2010

Civil court filings for 2009 were higher than the previous two years, according to data from The Daily News Online.

The year-end data for Circuit, Chancery and Probate courts showed 10,794 cases were filed in 2009 compared to 9,766 in 2008 and 10,045 in 2007.

83. 2009 Year In Review - Monday, December 28, 2009

2009 was a year without a script – and plenty of improvising on the political stage.

It was supposed to be an off-election year except in Arlington and Lakeland.

2008 ended with voters in the city and county approving a series of changes to the charters of Memphis and Shelby County governments. Those changes were supposed to set a new direction for both entities, kicking into high gear in 2010 and ultimately culminating two years later.

84. YLD President Wiggins Joins Baker Donelson as Associate - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Kyle M. Wiggins has joined Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC as an associate in the Health Services & Products group. He will concentrate his practice on litigation surrounding medical malpractice defense, personal injury defense and general civil litigation.

85. UTHSC College of Medicine Names Smith Interim Dean - Wednesday, October 21, 2009

J. Lacey Smith has been named interim dean for the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Smith currently serves as the associate dean of clinical affairs for the College of Medicine and the chief medical officer and executive vice president for UT Medical Group Inc.

86. Judge Wilson Presides Over New Domestic Violence Court - Tuesday, September 1, 2009

When General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Lee Wilson puts on his robe this morning and walks onto the bench in the lower level of the Criminal Justice Center, he will be presiding over a courtroom devoted to hearing domestic violence cases.

87. Events - Friday, June 12, 2009

The University of Memphis will host the “We Are One!” library conference, expo and concert today. The circulation conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in McWherter Library. The expo will be held from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Rose Theatre lobby and the concert will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Rose Theatre. For more information, contact Sonji Wright at 678-2203 or slwright@memphis.edu.

88. Contenders Focus On Stotts Vacancy - Wednesday, January 28, 2009

It’s on to the Tennessee Judicial Commission for some of the contenders who failed to land this week’s appointment of a new judge for General Sessions Criminal Court.

Candidates for a vacant judgeship in Shelby County Circuit Court have until Tuesday to turn in their applications to the commission. The commission will send a list of three finalists to Gov. Phil Bredesen, who will fill the vacancy created by the death this month of Judge Rita Stotts. Stotts died Jan. 2 from complications of cancer.

89. Wilson Appointed General Sessions Criminal Court Judge - Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Attorney Lee Wilson is the new judge of Division 10 General Sessions Criminal Court.

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners Monday appointed Wilson to the vacancy created by the Jan. 2 death of Judge Anthony Johnson. He died of a heart attack.

90. Wilson Is New General Sessions Criminal Court Judge - Monday, January 26, 2009

Attorney Lee Wilson is the new judge of Division 10 General Sessions Criminal Court.

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners today appointed Wilson to the vacancy created by the Jan. 2 death of Judge Anthony Johnson. He died of a heart attack.

91. Commission to Vote On New Judge - Monday, January 26, 2009

The candidates will outnumber commissioners today when the Shelby County Board of Commissioners votes on a new General Sessions Criminal Court judge.

There are 15 candidates for the Division 10 judgeship that became vacant with the Jan. 2 death of veteran jurist Anthony Johnson. There are 13 county commissioners.

92. Q3 Bankruptcies Up 11 Percent - Friday, October 17, 2008

At first glance, it might seem like Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks’ Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing this month does not fall in line with the intent of a major revision to the country’s bankruptcy code in 2005.

93. Pogue to Lead Public Affairs For Local Corps of Engineers - Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Jim Pogue has been selected chief of the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District.

Pogue has worked for the Corps of Engineers for more than 19 years in public affairs positions. Pogue will be responsible for managing the Memphis District’s public information, internal communications and community relations programs.

94. Jones Ascends to High-Level Position At Army Corps of Engineers - Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Carol Winfield Jones has been selected as chief, project development branch and assistant to the deputy district engineer for project management for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District.

95. County's Judicial System Receives Grades - Wednesday, December 12, 2007

New evaluations of 84 local judges, referees and judicial commissioners by the attorneys who practice before them show more interest in ranking Circuit Court judges than in ranking divorce referees.

96. White Joins Junior Achievement As Exchange City Manager - Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Michael White has joined Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South as Exchange City manager.

Previously, White has served in various youth development positions in the community including as a YMCA youth counselor and director of the Stax Music Academy Summer Camp. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Memphis.

97. Events - Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence will hold a "Focus ... Organization ... Productivity" workshop today from 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, 1900 Union Ave. The event is $65 for Alliance members and $99 for nonmembers.
For additional information, contact April DeBerry at 684-6605 or adeberry@npexcellence.org.

98. Events - Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Memphis Regional Chamber will hold Chamber Member Orientation today from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the chamber, 22 N. Front St. The event is free and open to the public. R.S.V.P. to Tunga Lee at 543-3571 or tlee@memphischamber.com.

99. Events - Monday, October 22, 2007

The Engineers' Club of Memphis will hold its weekly lunch and meeting today at noon at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis, 3700 Central Ave. This week's speaker is Larry Watson with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Attendance is $12 and no reservations are required.

100. Marshall Changes Administrative Roles at Methodist University Hospital - Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Barry Marshall has been named administrator of clinical business development at Methodist University Hospital. Marshall has worked at Methodist since 2004 as administrator of the Transplant Institute. Prior to joining Methodist, he worked at the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati where he was the administrator of transplant services and later the director of transplant services and managed care. He received a bachelor's degree in health care administration in 1999 from Columbus, Ohio-based Franklin University and a master's degree in business administration in 2005 from Caldwell, Idaho-based Canyon College.