ATLANTA (AP) – Tyrone Brooks was 22 years old and 400 miles away, seeking clues to an unsolved lynching as old as he was, when he got the news that Martin Luther King Jr. was dead. Stunned, Brooks dropped everything and drove to Memphis, crying all the way.

2. 'This Was Like A War': Witnesses Remember Day MLK Was Shot - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Clara Ester's eyes were fixed on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as he stood on the concrete balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

3. Last Word: SCS Plans For $15, IRIS Matinees and The Hard Hit Fund - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

“From a financial standpoint, we need our fans back and we need them back now.” University of Memphis president David Rudd breaking the university’s silence on the basketball coaching change that was made formal Tuesday with the announcement that Penny Hardaway is indeed the new coach. And Hardaway had a lot to say that Tigers fans and Memphians wanted to hear.

4. Hillsboro’s Phillips Playing for Bragging Rights - Thursday, November 23, 2017

Tennessee’s football team and interim head coach Brady Hoke will try to avoid a historically bad season Saturday.

If the Vols (4-7, 0-7 SEC) lose to Vanderbilt (4-7, 0-7), it would be the first team in program history to lose eight games and go winless in the conference. Kickoff is 3 p.m. CST at Neyland Stadium (TV: SEC Network).

5. 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.

6. Enough Expectations to Go Around as SEC Football Season Approaches - Thursday, July 13, 2017

HOOVER, Ala. – The countdown to the start of the next college football season is now measured in weeks, not months. But at an event such as SEC Media Days, the future is always framed by the past.

7. 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.

8. CLERB Prepares Response to Rallings’ Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Monday, May 15, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’ dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. Even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

9. CLERB Prepares Response To Rallings Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Friday, May 12, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’s dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. That’s even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

10. CLERB Prepares Response To Rallings Rejection of Police Misconduct Claims - Friday, May 12, 2017

Members of the city Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board said Thursday, May 11, Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings’s dismissal of their three recommendations to reprimand or discipline police officers accused of misconduct will not be the last word on the cases. That’s even if Rallings’ decisions stand.

11. Trump Limits IRS Action Over Church Political Activity - Friday, May 5, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is seeking to further weaken enforcement of an IRS rule barring churches and tax-exempt groups from endorsing political candidates, though his executive order on religious freedom is disappointing some of his supporters.

12. Marker Commemorates King’s Final Flight to Memphis - Tuesday, April 4, 2017

John Hope Bryant has come through Memphis International Airport many times on business. The founder of the financial literacy nonprofit “Operation HOPE” was always aware the airport was Martin Luther King’s last arrival point on the way to his assassination in 1968.

13. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some of Those Who Died in 2016 - Monday, January 2, 2017

Death claimed transcendent political figures in 2016, including Cuba's revolutionary leader and Thailand's longtime king, but also took away royals of a different sort: kings of pop music, from Prince and David Bowie to George Michael.

14. Last Word: About Last Night, The Long Vote Count and New Homeowner Numbers - Wednesday, November 9, 2016

If you followed John Podesta’s lead and called it a day sometime around midnight expecting this whole Presidential thing would get wrapped up later in the day Wednesday, you have some catching up to do.

15. Last Word: Early Vote Numbers, Crime Q&A and School Suspensions in Memphis - Monday, October 31, 2016

The last weekend of early voting is done and now we get the early vote surge through Thursday, which is the last day for early voting at the 21 polling places across Shelby County.

Through this past Friday, 161,239 early votes had been cast in Shelby County. That compares to 156,645 to the same point in 2008 and 151,809 in 2012.

16. CLERB Subpoena Power Remains Issue After Council Vote - Monday, August 15, 2016

The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board voted Thursday, Aug. 11, to seek a legal opinion from the Tennessee Attorney General’s office on whether state law permits the board to have direct subpoena power.

17. CLERB Board Seeks State Legal Opinion On Subpoena Power - Friday, August 12, 2016

The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board voted Thursday, Aug. 11, to seek a legal opinion from the Tennessee Attorney General’s office on whether state law permits the board to have direct subpoena power.

18. Council Mends CLERB Rules, Questions Future Role - Thursday, August 11, 2016

One of the last major acts of the Memphis City Council that left office at the end of 2015 was passage of an ordinance that reconstituted the Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board.

The November 2015 passage was applauded by groups including the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center and Memphis United as giving the nearly 20-year-old board more teeth in investigating allegations of police conduct.

19. Jesse Jackson Calls for Passion to Continue Dr. King's Work - Wednesday, April 6, 2016

He was 26 years old in 1968 when he was a guest at the Lorraine Motel with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and one of the younger members of King’s inner circle.

20. Bertelkamp Made Right Call in Going with the Vols - Saturday, January 30, 2016

Bert Bertelkamp would be the first to tell you he’s pulling for Tennessee when calling basketball games as color commentator for the Vol Network.

And why wouldn’t he?

Bertelkamp is Big Orange to the bone. His father Hank played for the Vols (1951-53), was a team captain and remains a big supporter of UT.

21. Wharton Says No Major Changes To CLERB - Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The administration of Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. came out Monday, July 27, against any significant changes to the city’s Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board after a nearly six year effort to revive the long-dormant body.

22. Spring has Sprung Mixed Success for Vols - Saturday, April 18, 2015

Turn on local TV news in Knoxville, and University of Tennessee spring football is the usually the lead story.

Pick up the daily newspaper, and the Vols’ football team is all over the front page.

23. Station Inn: Music History Amid Gulch High-Rises - Saturday, November 8, 2014

J.T. Gray – who pioneered smokeless nightclubs before it became fashionable (and/or mandated) – is glad to see sparkling condo towers, office buildings, restaurants and the like sprouting around him. After all, these newcomers eventually might find themselves inside his time-out-of-mind blockhouse where Bill Monroe used to just drop by and pick.

24. Marek Pushes For Cameras on Memphis Cops - Saturday, August 16, 2014

The newly-elected chairman of a subcommittee of the recently reconstituted Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board plans to propose that the board recommend the city of Memphis outfit all on-duty Memphis police officers with cameras.

25. Malone to Challenge Luttrell In August Mayoral Showdown - Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Former Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone will challenge incumbent Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell in the August county general election after winning the Tuesday, May 6, Democratic mayoral primary.

26. Malone Takes Early Vote In Mayoral Primary - Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Former Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone took the early vote in the three-way Democratic primary for Shelby County Mayor.

The first results of the Tuesday, May 6, election night showed Malone leading rivals county commissioner Steve Mulroy and former Shelby County Schools board member Kenneth Whalum Jr.

27. McCusker Aims for Criminal Court Clerk - Friday, March 14, 2014

Michael McCusker is used to the assumptions when the assistant district attorney general tells voters he is running for office this year.

“A lot of people keep saying to me, ‘Wouldn’t judge be a natural progression for you?’ In some respects it would be,” admitted McCusker, who is instead running in the May Democratic primary for Criminal Court clerk.

28. Roland ReElected At Filing Deadline, Two Countywide Races Set For August - Friday, February 21, 2014

One of the six Shelby County Commission incumbents seeking re-election this year was effectively elected to a new four-year term in a new district with the noon Thursday, Feb. 20, filing deadline for candidates in the May county primaries.

29. Achievement School District Fields Questions at Carver - Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Achievement School District and the charter school operator that could run Carver or Fairley high schools for the state-run school district got lots of questions and some skepticism Monday, Sept. 16, at Carver.

30. ‘Different Avenue’ - Monday, May 7, 2012

Rudy Williams always knew she wanted to work in a hospital, but after a short stint in community college and a few years in the workforce, the path to her goal was looking like a long haul.

So a little more than a year ago, she gave it another try, enrolling in the 60-week medical assisting program at Vatterott Career College’s campus near her home in Bartlett. Now, she’s getting ready for an externship in a local clinic that could lead to a job in her field.

31. cs2 Finalizes Acquisition Of Thompson - Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Two Memphis advertising agencies are combining forces to become one of the largest full-service firms in the Mid-South.

Cs2 advertising has acquired Thompson & Co. and its subsidiaries – Thompson Advertising, Thompson | Berry Public Relations, BottleRocket | Sponsorship Consulting and Due North Group | Barter Marketing in Memphis, and White | Thompson in Nashville in partnership with Evette White.

32. Sanon Joins Agape As Director of Operations - Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Julie Sanon has joined Agape Child & Family Services as director of operations.

Hometown: Leesburg, Fla.

Education: Psychology major from Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts

33. Cracker Barrel Names Cochran as its New CEO - Tuesday, August 2, 2011

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) – Casual dining chain Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. said Monday that President and Chief Operating Officer Sandra B. Cochran will become its CEO next month as part of a succession plan that has been in the works for two years.

34. Election Time - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A quiet week in the schools consolidation issue is being matched by some modest numbers for early voting turnout.

Through Monday, early voting in advance of the March 8 referendum Election Day had topped 3,500. The early voting period runs through March 3.

35. Collierville Office Building Sells for $1.3M in Foreclosure - Tuesday, December 28, 2010

472 W. Poplar Ave.
Collierville, TN 38017
Sale Amount: $1.3 million

Sale Date: Dec. 14, 2010
Buyer: First Citizens National Bank
Seller: Ralph Henson, trustee
Orig. Borrower: Loyal Featherstone Realtors Inc.
Orig. Lender: First Citizens National Bank
Orig. Loan Amount: $1.6 million
Orig. Loan Date: March 7, 2007
Orig. Maturity: March 7, 2008

36. Charter Commission Votes on Draft Language - Monday, July 19, 2010

The Metro Charter Commission has given tentative approval to four sections of the proposed consolidation charter.

The voice votes at Thursday’s meeting at Southwind High School marked the first votes on the charter’s language.

37. Consolidation Charter's First Draft Starts To Take Shape - Friday, July 16, 2010

The Metro Charter Commission has given tentative approval to four sections of the proposed consolidation charter the group is drafting.

The voice votes at Thursday’s meeting at Southwind High School marked the first votes on the language of the charter.

38. Charter Commission Continues Work on Mayoral Limits - Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Metro charter commissioners wanted to do more than send a message last week as they set guidelines for the office of metro mayor in a consolidated local government.

Several commissioners felt they had to discourage voters from making choices based too much on simple name recognition.

A proposed limit of two consecutive four-year terms on the mayor’s office was the setting for the larger debate. The charter commission’s recommendation, which is preliminary, would allow someone to be elected and serve two terms, sit out four years and then run again.

Those are the term limits now in place for most county offices. The same limits take effect for Memphis mayor and the City Council in 2011.

Other charter commissioners cited the recent election of Walter Bailey to the Shelby County Commission this year. Bailey ran for re-election in 2006 despite term limits, but lost to J.W. Gibson. After sitting out four years, Bailey was elected to the County Commission again without opposition.

Gibson, who serves on the charter commission, is among those who say term limits should not bar someone from running again after sitting out a term.

But charter commissioner Rufus Washington said local voters are guided in too many cases solely by name recognition and endorsements made in ballots handed to them as they walk into polling places.

“They don’t know who they are voting for,” he said. “We don’t live in an ideal world. We live in a city and a community that has some of the most innovative businesses in the world. But I think our politics is about the 17th century. I said it and I’m glad I said it.”

“You have people that make statements, ‘Nobody can run this city but me’ (and) ‘God put me here.’ That’s offensive to me,” Washington said, referring to former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton. “Sometimes people don’t know what’s best for them.”

He also referred to Bailey’s re-election.

“You can’t tell me that these are the only people that have the ability to run this city. … I take issue with that. I take the same position at the national level. We need a house cleaning,” he said.

Former Collierville Mayor Linda Kerley said the problem isn’t limited to Memphis politics. She agreed the charter commission should try to interrupt the political pattern with the charter proposal.

“We need to somehow make a very strong statement,” she said. “We don’t need to put a person in a position where they can falter. … We are not looking at the integrity of the position.”

The Rev. Ralph White proposed a compromise of three consecutive terms with no option to then sit out a term and serve again if elected a fourth time.

But before any of the alternatives to two consecutive terms could be moved, the commission’s conversation veered into the requirement that candidates be 21 or older, and other qualifications.

White proposed raising the minimum age to run for mayor to 25 years old. That and another motion to leave the minimum age at 30 each failed to get enough votes, so the 21-year benchmark remained.

Commission vice chair Andre Fowlkes, who is 32, argued for a 25-year-old age minimum.

“That’s a pretty bright person. I mean, let’s really think about it. They are rallying an entire city to vote for them and give them the majority to win. … They must be doing something right,” he said.

Commissioner Chris Patterson saw problems in that argument.

“If the simple ability to get elected – to organize your friends – if that’s the test, then term limits is off the table and you can just drop to 18 (years old) by default. To me, that can’t be the reason that you do it,” he said.

Fowlkes argued a candidate younger than 30 years old for mayor would, as a matter of practical politics, have to convince older voters since voter participation is lower among younger voters.

Read more about the work of the Metro Charter Commission in the current edition of The Memphis News, which can be found at The Daily News Online, www.memphisdailynews.com.

39. Ford Name Plays Into Election Victory - Thursday, May 6, 2010

It didn’t work for Myron Lowery in last year’s special election for Memphis mayor.

But Joe Ford won the Democratic nomination for Shelby County mayor this week by running from the office.

40. Ford Wins Democratic Mayoral Primary - Wednesday, May 5, 2010
 

Interim County Mayor Joe Ford became the Democratic nominee for mayor in the August county general elections Tuesday night.

And the August sheriff’s race will be a contest between Democrat Randy Wade and Republican Randy Wade.

All three were among the winners in Tuesday’s low turnout county primaries.

Approximately ten percent of Shelby County’s nearly 600,000 voters cast ballots in early voting and election day polling.

Ford, who was appointed interim mayor in December, beat County Commissioner Deidre Malone and General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson in the Democratic primary. He will face Republican Mark Luttrell who had only token opposition in the Republican primary from perennial contender Ernie Lunati.

Luttrell has raised more money than all three of the Democratic primary contenders combined and began running television ads in the last week runup to election day.

The final unofficial totals in the Democratic mayoral primary are:

Ford 20,360 57%

Malone 12,916 37%

Jackson 2,168 6%

The pair of primaries for Sheriff featured eight candidates, seven of whom either currently work for the sheriff’s department or are past employees. Only Reginald French, in the Democratic primary was not a former or current department official.

Wade was the 2002 Democratic nominee, losing to Luttrell who is leaving as Sheriff after serving two terms. French was the Democratic nominee in the 2006 elections.

Oldham is Luttrell’s chief deputy, the number two position in the department. He is also a former director of the Memphis Police Department.

The final unofficials totals in the Republican primary are:

Bill Oldham 13,821 48%

Dale Lane 7,981 28%

Bobby Simmons 5,886 21%

James Coleman 943 3%

In the Democratic primary:

Randy Wade 22,643 67%

Reginald French 6,777 20%

Larry Hill 2,738 8%

Bennie Cobb 1,814 5%

Voters in the primary elections decided to return six Shelby County commissioners to new four year terms with Tuesday’s results. They also elected six new commissioners. The winner of the thirteenth commission seat will be decided on the August general election ballot in a contest between district 5 Democratic incumbent Steve Mulroy and Republican challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos. The winner of the match up will determine whether the commission remains majority Democrat or goes majority Republican.

Mulroy easily defeated Jennings Bernard in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Republican incumbent Mike Ritz ran unopposed as did new Democratic commissioner Walter Bailey.

In the remaining ten contests, the primaries decided who gets the seats since no one ran in the opposing party’s primary.

The most hotly contested contest among the commission races was for District 4 Position 1. Outgoing Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas beat John Pellicciotti, appointed to a commission seat last year but running for a different position in the same district. Jim Bomprezzi, the former mayor of Lakeland, was the third contender in the contest.

The final unofficial totals in the Republican primary:

Thomas 7,631 52%

Pellicciotti 4,871 33%

Bomprezzi 2,298 15%

In position 2 of the same district incumbent Republican Wyatt Bunker easily overcame two challengers with former Lakeland alderman John Wilkerson finishing second and Ron Fittes finishing third.

Millington businessman Terry Roland claimed the third position in the district that takes in all six of Shelby County’s suburban towns and cities.

Roland beat George Chism to take the seat Pellicciotti was appointed to but opted not to run for in deference to Roland.

Heidi Shafer, an aide to outgoing County Commissioner George Flinn, claimed Flinn’s District 1 Position 2 seat over Albert Maduska.in the GOP primary.

District 1 incumbent Republican Mike Carpenter easily beat businessman Joe Baier.

In the Democratic commission primaries, Melvin Burgess claimed Malone’s District 2 Position 3 seat in a field of six contenders. His closest contender was Reginald Milton. Burgess, a city school system audit manager, had run for the seat before. He brought in 54 percent of the vote.

The other hard fought Democratic commission primary saw Justin Ford, son of the interim mayor, claim his father’s District 3 Position 3 seat.

Ford beat Edith Moore, a retired IBM executive, whom the commission appointed to the seat after the elder Ford became mayor.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Ford 7,342 66%

Moore 3,822 34%

Democratic incumbent commissioners Henri Brooks, Sidney Chism and James Harvey were all re-elected over primary challengers.

The county-wide primaries for seven clerk’s positions saw the return of former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican 16 years after Republican challenger Bill Key took her job. Johnican decisively beat Ralph White and Vernon Johnson in her first bid for office since the 1994 defeat. She will face Republican Kevin Key, the son of Bill Key in the August general election.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Johnican 16,381 51%

White 10,170 31%

Johnson 5,954 18%

Former Juvenile Court Clerk Shep Wilbun easily won the Democratic primary with 76 percent of the vote to face Republican Joy Touliatos in August for the office being vacated by Republican Steve Stamson. Touliatos was unopposed in the primary.

Democrat Coleman Thompson is back for another go at incumbent Republican Register Tom Leatherwood.

Aside from Leatherwood, Jimmy Moore is the only other of the seven clerks seeking re-election. Moore ran unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Ricky Dixon in August.

Trustee Regina Newman was appointed to her office following the death last year of Paul Mattila. Newman easily overcame M LaTroy Williams in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. She will face David Lenoir, who beat former Shelby County Commissioner John Willingham in the Republican contest.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Lenoir 15,922 58%

Willingham 11,569 42%

The other six candidate field on the ballot was in the Democratic primary for Probate Court Clerk. Sondra Becton posted impressive vote totals over her rivals, bringing in 35 percent of the vote with Peggy Dobbins her closest rival. Becton, who is making her fourth bid for the office, will face Republican Paul Boyd, who ran unopposed in his primary.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Becton 10,929 36%

Dobbins 5,366 18%

Annita Hamilton 4,848 16%

Clay Perry 3,549 12%

Danny Kail 3,120 11%

Karen Tyler 2,782 9%

The closest contest of the evening was in the Democratic primary for County Clerk. Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin won his political debut by less than 1,400 votes over Charlotte Draper and LaKeith Miller. He will face Republican Wayne Mashburn who beat Steve Moore in the companion primary.

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 5 election day begins July 16. The August ballot will also feature state and federal primary elections including the statewide primaries for governor and the primaries for all nine of the state’s Congressional districts.

41. Son Tries to Succeed Father In Criminal Court Run - Monday, April 19, 2010

For 20 years, the elections for Criminal Court clerk have been among the hardest fought clerks' races in the county.

In 1990, Bill Key, a Juvenile Court administrator and former high school football coach, challenged incumbent Minerva Johnican in what was then a nonpartisan race.

42. Candidate Filing List -- The Final Version - Friday, February 19, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

43. UPDATE: Mayor's Race Grows At Filing Deadline - Thursday, February 18, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

Luttrell faces only token opposition from perennial candidate Ernie Lunati.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for mayor grew to three contenders as General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson filed his qualifying petition just before the deadline. He joins interim County Mayor Joe Ford and Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone.

Luttrell ruled out a bid for Shelby County mayor last year (2009). But when Harold Byrd decided not to run in the Democratic primary, some local GOP leaders asked Luttrell to reconsider.

The result touched off a scramble of candidates from both parties for the open sheriff’s office. But before the noon deadline, the initial field of over a dozen possible contenders was narrowed to ten – six Democrats and four Republicans.

The other surprise at the filing deadline was the return of attorney Walter Bailey to the District 2 Position 1 seat he gave up in the 2006 elections. Bailey sought re-election then to another term despite a two term limit on commissioners. Bailey lost to J.W. Gibson who decided not to seek re-election. He also lost a court fight to overturn the term limits.

Bailey was the only candidate who had filed for the seat at the Thursday deadline.

Only one incumbent county commissioner – Republican Mike Ritz -- was effectively re-elected at the deadline because he had no opposition.

All but one of the eleven contested County Commission races will be decided with the May 4 primaries. The only general election battle for the August ballot is the district 5 contest between GOP challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos and whoever wins the May Democratic primary between incumbent Steve Mulroy and Jennings Bernard.

Former County Commissioner John Willingham also returned to the ballot among a field of Republican contenders in the primary for Shelby County Trustee.

And former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican joined the Democratic primary field for her old job. Incumbent Republican Bill Key pulled petition to seek re-election but did not file at the deadline.

Here is the list of races and contenders from The Shelby County Election Commission. All candidate have until noon Feb. 25 to withdraw from the ballot if they wish.

D-Democrat

R- Republican

I- Independent

Shelby County Mayor:

Deidre Malone (D)

Joe Ford (D)

Otis Jackson (D)

Mark Luttrell (R)

Ernest Lunati (R)

Leo Awgowhat (I)

Shelby County Sheriff:

James Coleman (R)

Bobby Simmons (R)

Bill Oldham (R)

Dale Lane (R)

Larry Hill (D)

Bennie Cobb (D)

Randy Wade (D)

James Bolden (D)

Elton Hymon (D)

Reginald French (D)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 1

Mike Ritz (R) (incumbent)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 2

Albert Maduska (R)

Heidi Shafer (R)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 3

Mike Carpenter (R) (incumbent)

Joe Baire (R)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 1

Walter Bailey (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 2

Henri Brooks (D) (incumbent)

David Vinciarelli (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 3

Eric Dunn (D)

Norma Lester (D)

Tina Dickerson (D)

Melvin Burgess (D)

Reginald Milton (D)

Freddie Thomas (D)

County Commission Dist 3 Pos 1

James Harvey (D) (incumbent)

James Catchings (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 2

Sidney Chism (D) (incumbent)

Andrew "Rome" Withers (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 3

Edith Moore  (D) (incumbent)

Justin Ford (D)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 1

Chris Thomas (R)

John Pellicciotti (R)

Jim Bomprezzi (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 2

Wyatt Bunker (R) (incumbent)

John Wilkerson (R)

Ron Fittes (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 3

Terry Roland (R)

George Chism (R)

Edgar Babian (R)

County Commission Dist 5

Steve Mulroy (D) (incumbent)

Jennings Bernard (D)

Rolando Toyos (R)

Shelby County Clerk

Charlotte Draper (D)

Corey Maclin (D)

LaKeith Miller (D)

Wayne Mashburn (R)

Steve Moore (R)

Criminal Court Clerk

Vernon Johnson (D)

Minerva Johnican (D)

Ralph White (D)

Michael Porter (R)

Kevin Key (R)

Jerry Stamson (I)

Circuit Court Clerk

Jimmy Moore (R) (incumbent)

Steven Webster (D)

Carmichael Johnson (D)

Ricky W. Dixon (D)

Juvenile Court Clerk

Joy Touliatos (R)

Charles Marshall (D)

Sylvester Bradley (D)

Shep Wilbun (D)

Julia Roberson Wiseman (I)

Probate Court Clerk

Paul Boyd (R)

Sondra Becton (D)

Danny Kail (D)

Annita Sawyer Hamilton (D)

Peggy Dobbins (D)

Clay Perry (D)

Karen Tyler (D)

Shelby County Register

Tom Leatherwood (R) (incumbent)

Coleman Thompson (D)

Lady J. Swift (D)

Carlton Orange (D)

Shelby County Trustee

Regina Newman (D) (incumbent)

M. LaTroy Williams (D)

John Willingham (R)

Jeff Jacobs (R)

David Lenoir (R)

44. Consolidation Task Forces Begin Work - Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Metro Charter Commission will begin a series of task force meetings this week on the various issues a proposed consolidation charter should address.

The task forces, which are smaller groups of commissioners working with citizens not on the commission, will submit ideas to the full body for its consideration.

45. Metro Charter Commission to Choose Chair - Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The first order of business today will be selecting a leader. It’s become a familiar note in political daily planners these days.

The Metro Charter Commission holds its first meeting today on the third floor of the Shelby County Courthouse.

46. Chaotic Council Welcomes Wharton To ‘Land of Fire’ - Thursday, October 22, 2009

Memphis Mayor-elect A C Wharton Jr. got an early welcome to the ways of City Hall in the week before he took the oath of office.

It came from the City Council he will serve with for the next two years.

47. Morris Confirmed As City Atty. - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Memphis Mayor elect A C Wharton Jr. was put to the test by Memphis City Council members before he even takes office.

The council approved his indirect nomination of Herman Morris as the new city attorney.

And it approved his five indirect nominees to the Metro Charter Commission.

But there was a lot of discussion among council members this afternoon and evening about:

-Morris being paid $140,000 a year as city attorney, $15 thousand more than his predecessor, Elbert Jefferson.

-Whether Morris was the choice of outgoing Mayor Pro Tempore Myron Lowery or Wharton. The answer was Wharton with Lowery making the appointment since he is still mayor.

In another rapid move, Wharton and Lowery teamed up to appoint the five city of Memphis representatives to the Metro Charter Commission. All five nominees were recommended by members of the City Council. Normally, the council votes on such groups of nominees to one body with a single vote on the slate. The council voted separately on all five.

The original five nominees were:

-Damon Griffin, an assistant District Attorney General.

-Carmen Sandoval, an administrative director at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

-Steve Ross, a freelance video and technical director who also has a popular political blog.

-Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis city council member.

-Rev. Ralph White, pastor of Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist Church and candidate for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in past elections as well as in the 2010 elections.

Strickland was named just this week to Wharton’s transition team. But he is giving up the transition team spot to serve on the charter group. Council members Bill Boyd and Joe Brown voted against Strickland’s appointment saying they considered it to be a conflict of interest for an elected official to serve on the commission. Brown didn’t vote on the other nominations. Council member Wanda Halbert passed on Strickland.

Ross encountered vocal resistance during committee sessions from council members upset with critical comments he has made on his blog about council members. Council member Shea Flinn, who recommended Ross, came to his defense during an emotional committee discussion – clashing with Brown as Lowery and Wharton watched from the end of the council committee table.

“I’m a real man,” Brown told Flinn at the end of the exchange. “I’m a real black man. I hope you are a real white man.”

By the time the council voted, Wharton and Lowery decided to pull his nomination and instead nominated Richard Smith, a FedEx executive and son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. Council member Janis Fullilove was the only no vote. Halbert recused herself because she works at FedEx. Brown and Boyd did not vote.

48. 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.

49. Wharton Picks Morris for City Attorney Post - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
 

Memphis Mayor elect A C Wharton Jr. was put to the test by Memphis City Council members before he even takes office.

The council Tuesday approved his indirect nomination of Herman Morris as the new city attorney. And it approved his five indirect nominees to the Metro Charter Commission.

But there was a lot of discussion among council members this afternoon and evening about:

• Morris being paid $140,000 a year as city attorney, $15 thousand more than his predecessor, Elbert Jefferson.

• Whether Morris was the choice of outgoing Mayor Pro Tempore Myron Lowery or Wharton. The answer was Wharton with Lowery making the appointment since he is still mayor.

In another rapid move, Wharton and Lowery teamed up to appoint the five city of Memphis representatives to the Metro Charter Commission. All five nominees were recommended by members of the City Council. Normally, the council votes on such groups of nominees to one body with a single vote on the slate. The council voted separately on all five.

The original five nominees were:

• Damon Griffin, an assistant District Attorney General.
• Carmen Sandoval, an administrative director at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
• Steve Ross, a freelance video and technical director who also has a popular political blog.
• Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis city council member.
• Rev. Ralph White, pastor of Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist Church and candidate for Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk in past elections as well as in the 2010 elections.

Strickland was named just this week to Wharton’s transition team. But he is giving up the transition team spot to serve on the charter group. Council members Bill Boyd and Joe Brown voted against Strickland’s appointment saying they considered it to be a conflict of interest for an elected official to serve on the commission. Brown didn’t vote on the other nominations. Council member Wanda Halbert passed on Strickland.

Ross encountered vocal resistance during committee sessions from council members upset with critical comments he has made on his blog about council members. Council member Shea Flinn, who recommended Ross, came to his defense during an emotional committee discussion – clashing with Brown as Lowery and Wharton watched from the end of the council committee table.

“I’m a real man,” Brown told Flinn at the end of the exchange. “I’m a real black man. I hope you are a real white man.”

By the time the council voted, Wharton and Lowery decided to pull his nomination and instead nominated Richard Smith, a FedEx executive and son of FedEx founder Fred Smith. Council member Janis Fullilove was the only no vote. Halbert recused herself because she works at FedEx. Brown and Boyd did not vote.

50. After the Fall: The messy cleanup of Stanford Financial - Monday, September 28, 2009

R. Allen Stanford, the Texas billionaire now passing time in a Texas jail for his role in what U.S. regulators have called a “massive Ponzi scheme,” once told a roomful of his employees they ought to have three priorities in life.

51. Stanford, SEC Talk Down Receiver’s Fee Requests - Tuesday, June 9, 2009

It may be the only time Allen Stanford and the federal agency that helped dismantle his financial empire find something they can agree on.

52. Local Political Candidates Popping Up Like Daisies - Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Candidates for the 2010 Shelby County elections continue to bloom in the political springtime of an off election year.

This weekend, County Trustee Paul Mattila opened his re-election bid with a large gathering at his home in Millington that dodged rain clouds.

53. Community Groups Receive Grants From County - Friday, February 20, 2009

Seven community groups in the neighborhoods surrounding the Premcor Refinery in South Memphis received grants totaling $150,000 from Shelby County government this week.

The money is part of a global settlement in an enforcement action filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency against Valero Energy Corp., the company that owns Premcor.

54. Ohio Voters Finally Picking President, Lawmakers - Tuesday, November 4, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohioans lined up early Tuesday to cast ballots in a historic election that ended hard-fought campaigns set to change the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the Ohio Statehouse.

55. Racquet Club’s New Owners To Make Improvements - Tuesday, September 9, 2008

5111 Sanderlin Ave.
Memphis, TN 38117
Sale Amount: $4.4 Million

Sale Date: Aug. 29, 2008
Buyer: Tennis Club of Memphis LLC
Seller: Racquet Club Inc.
Loan Amount: $3 million
Loan Date: Aug. 29, 2008
Maturity Date: N/A
Lender: Regions Bank

56. Beware the Ides of Memphis - Tuesday, June 19, 2007

In the late 1960s, black leaders in Memphis sponsored a series of protests during which more than 60,000 students and teachers stayed home from school to build support for a desegregated school board and school system.

57. Store Owner Carves Niche With Flair for Fashion, Sales - Monday, December 11, 2006

James Davis III has been a salesman of sorts since he was 6 or 7 years old.

His father, James Davis Jr., who managed a Kroger Grocery store's bakery, used to bring pastries and cakes home, and it was Davis' "job" to stay home and sell the goodies to people from the neighborhood.

58. Archived Article: Standout - Friday, April 26, 2002
A full life A full life By MARY DANDO The Daily News As Law Week 2002 approaches, Memphis oldest practicing lawyer reflects on a life dedicated to community and church affairs. Charles Metcalf Crump was born Oct. 9, 1913. His father, a cotton broker...

59. Archived Article: Marketplace (outlet Mall) - Monday, April 10, 2000
Popularity of Tunica outlet mall prompts expansion Popularity of Tunica outlet mall prompts expansion By LAURIE JOHNSON The Daily News For the past six months, people have been heading to Tunica County to do more than just try their luck or see thei...

60. Archived Article: Calendar - Monday, March 22, 1999
March 22 March 22 The League of Women Voters will meet at 7 p.m. at the Poplar-White Station Library, 5094 Poplar Ave. The speaker will be Judge Earnestine Hunt Dorse, whose topic will be juvenile justice. For more information, call 327-6892. March ...

61. Archived Article: Airport (bott) - Tuesday, January 26, 1999
By SUZANNE THOMPSON Airport police department seeks professional accreditation By SUZANNE THOMPSON The Daily News The Memphis International Airport Police Department is near the end of a national accreditation process that has been in the works for ...

62. Archived Article: Gov't - Monday, October 19, 1998
Preliminary designs to restore the cobblestones and a resolution to lease part of a city park to an oil refinery top the agenda for the Memphis City Council meeting Tuesday Park, cobblestones plans top City Council agenda By KATHLEEN BURT The Daily ...

63. Archived Article: Gov't (lead) - Wednesday, October 7, 1998
Editor's note: This is the final part of a series of articles examining the Williams Mapco plan to lease seven acres of Martin Luther King Park Leaves vs. lease is Council dilemma By KATHLEEN BURT The Daily News Editors note: This is the final part ...

64. Archived Article: Mapco (lead) - Monday, October 5, 1998
Editor's note: This is the second in a multi-part series about Williams Mapco's proposal to lease part of Martin Luther King Park in South Memphis   By KATHLEEN BURT The Daily News Editors note: This is the second in a multi-part series about W...

65. Archived Article: Gov't (lead) - Friday, October 2, 1998
South Memphis residents will gather Saturday at a neighborhood church in what seems to be shaping up as a classic David and Goliath battle between industrial use and preservation of public lands Project opponents rally to oppose park project By KATH...

66. Archived Article: Benchmark - Thursday, August 20, 1998
By SUZANNE THOMPSON Criminal court clerk challenger files suit to void election By SUZANNE THOMPSON The Daily News The tension that filled the Shelby County Election Commission in the early hours of Aug. 7 spilled into the lobby and was an unmistaka...

67. Archived Article: Memos - Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Gary L Gary L. Osing has joined the Waring Cox law firm as chief operating officer. He formerly was director of administration for the law firm of Hand Arendall LLC in Mobile, Ala. He is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and Springfield ...

68. Archived Article: Calendar - Monday, May 13, 1996
05-13 calendar May 14 Memphis Heritage Inc. and the Memphis Landmarks Commission will hold their 20th annual historic preservation awards at Central Station, 545 S. Main St. A reception begins at 5 p.m., and the awards ceremony begins at 6 p.m. For ...