Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. County General Election Campaigns Meet Summer Heat - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

With their minds still in the numbers from the May county primary election, candidates on the Aug. 2 Shelby County ballot are on the summer campaign trail with early voting about six weeks away.

“Those were just crazy results,” Republican nominee for Shelby County sheriff Dale Lane said of the turnout as he campaigned Saturday, June 2, at the Memphis Italian Festival.

6. Sheriff's Office Seeks Legal Review of New State Law on Immigration - Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham said Monday, May 21, he will rely on the county attorney’s office for any changes in how sheriff’s deputies and jailers deal with immigrants when a new state law takes effect in 2019.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. May Primaries Feature More Candidates, Women - Friday, March 2, 2018

The May 1 Shelby County primary ballot is set, with 33 Republicans and 50 Democrats seeking 23 county offices – specifically the right to advance as the nominees of their respective parties to the August county general election.

12. Last Word: Corker & Blackburn, More Frost and Dale Watson's Move to The Haven - Friday, February 23, 2018

It's possible around City Hall these days to get your RFQs mixed up with your RFPs. And there is a difference in requests for qualifications and requests for proposals. Usually RFQs come before RFPs – but there are exceptions – loopholes. The latest RFQ out of City Hall – album title or t-shirt slogan? – is for the adaptive reuse of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

13. County Primary Ballot Includes Partisan Match-Ups, Automatic Wins - Monday, February 19, 2018

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

14. Two County Commissioners Re-elected At May Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, February 16, 2018

Two Democratic county commissioners effectively won re-election to new terms of office at the Thursday, Feb. 15, filing deadline for candidates on the May 1 county primary ballot. And a third faces independent opposition in the August county general election.

15. Cobb Files in Democratic Primary for Sheriff - Saturday, December 30, 2017

The 2014 Democratic nominee for Shelby County sheriff, Bennie Cobb, has filed his qualifying petition to run for sheriff in the May county primaries.

16. Cobb Files in Democratic Primary for Sheriff - Wednesday, December 27, 2017

The 2014 Democratic nominee for Shelby County sheriff, Bennie Cobb, has filed his qualifying petition to run for sheriff in the May county primaries.

17. Election Update: Lane Files for Sheriff, Lenoir Pulls Petition for Mayor - Monday, December 18, 2017

Dale Lane has filed to run in the May 1 Republican primary for Shelby County sheriff and David Lenoir has pulled his qualifying petition to run in the Republican primary for Shelby County mayor.

Lane, the director of the county office of preparedness, ran for sheriff in the 2010 Republican primary when he was a supervisor in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

18. Former AD Dickey has Confidence in Fulmer, Pruitt - Friday, December 15, 2017

Doug Dickey lived and breathed some of Tennessee’s football glory days, and he would like nothing better than to see those days return.

Dickey, 85, retired and living in Jacksonville, Florida, still loves Tennessee football. He coached the Vols to the Litkenhous national championship in 1967 when the Vols finished 9-2. USC, 9-1, was declared the national champs in the AP, Coaches, FWAA and NFF polls.

19. May Primary Ballot Continues to Fill Up - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Floyd Bonner, chief sheriff’s deputy for Shelby County, is among the latest candidates to file for a place on the May 2018 primary elections ballot. Bonner filed Friday, Dec. 8, in the Democratic primary for sheriff. He is expected to run against sheriff’s office supervisor and 2014 Democratic nominee for sheriff Bennie Cobb in the primary.

20. Pay for No Play: Paying Millions to Former Coaches - Friday, December 8, 2017

Tennessee’s bungled search for a football coach will come at a cost for the university. A big cost.

There are buyouts everywhere. A potential lawsuit looms. And a rift between boosters caused by the botched search may be the costliest item of all for the university long term.

21. County Primary Filing Opens With Paperwork Flurry - Monday, November 20, 2017

A total of 37 prospective candidates in the May 2018 county primaries pulled qualifying petitions last week on the first day of the filing period Friday, Nov. 17.

And the first contenders through the doors at the Shelby County Election Commission in a period that extends to a February deadline confirms a few trends.

22. 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.

23. Ameripolitan Music Awards To be Held in Memphis - Saturday, October 21, 2017

Grammy-winning rockabilly bandleader Brian Setzer will receive the Ameripolitan Master Award at the 2018 Ameripolitan Music Awards, held for the first time in Memphis at The Guest House at Graceland on Feb. 13.

24. Ameripolitan Music Awards To be Held in Memphis - Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Grammy-winning rockabilly bandleader Brian Setzer will receive the Ameripolitan Master Award at the 2018 Ameripolitan Music Awards, held for the first time in Memphis at The Guest House at Graceland on Feb. 13.

25. Last Word: The Amazon Competition, Millington Shelters and Grizz Ownership Drama - Friday, September 8, 2017

With a social media post Thursday morning, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said the city is ready to compete in a very public competition for the $5-billion second North American headquarters Amazon.com announced earlier Thursday. Some context here. The $5 billion investment by Amazon in what it calls HQ2 compares to the $9 billion St. Jude is investing in its expansion including about $1 billion in capital costs and the rest research, technology and other development costs included in what is more than a physical expansion.

26. 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.

27. Floyd Bonner Opens Campaign for Sheriff - Thursday, August 31, 2017

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Floyd Bonner Jr. kicked off his campaign for sheriff Tuesday, Aug. 29, with a group of 150 supporters at The Racquet Club in East Memphis and the full endorsement of current Sheriff Bill Oldham.

28. Bonner Opens Campaign For Sheriff - Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Floyd Bonner Jr. kicked off his campaign for Sheriff Tuesday, Aug. 29, with a group of 150 supporters at the Racquet Club in East Memphis and the full endorsement of current Sheriff Bill Oldham.

29. 2,700 Vote Early, 3 Election Day Polls Move in House District 95 - Tuesday, June 13, 2017

A total of 2,700 citizens cast early votes ahead Thursday’s special state House District 95 election in eastern Shelby County. And on election day, three of the 14 polling places – two in Collierville and one in Germantown – will move from their regular locations.

30. After the ‘Tom Lee Storm’: A Look At Recovery Efforts, What's Next - Saturday, June 10, 2017

Eleven days after the May 27 storm that knocked out power to 188,000 homes and businesses, Memphis Light, Gas and Water officials declared victory in the recovery with a Wednesday, June 8, late afternoon Tweet: “Update: Restored.”

31. Full Restoration After Smaller 'Hurricane Elvis' To Take More Than a Week - Saturday, May 27, 2017

The storm that raked Memphis with 80 mile-an-hour winds Saturday evening was similar to the 2003 storm nicknamed “Hurricane Elvis” but not quite as widespread.

“It did have some similar characteristics to Hurricane Elvis,” said Gary Woodall, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service Memphis. “Fortunately, this go around it was not quite physically as large as it was.”

32. Full Restoration After Smaller 'Hurricane Elvis' To Take More Than a Week - Saturday, May 27, 2017

The storm that raked Memphis with 80 mile-an-hour winds Saturday evening was similar to the 2003 storm nicknamed “Hurricane Elvis” but not quite as widespread.

“It did have some similar characteristics to Hurricane Elvis,” said Gary Woodall, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service Memphis. “Fortunately, this go around it was not quite physically as large as it was.”

33. Full Restoration After Smaller 'Hurricane Elvis' To Take More Than a Week - Saturday, May 27, 2017

The storm that raked Memphis with 80 mile-an-hour winds Saturday evening was similar to the 2003 storm nicknamed “Hurricane Elvis” but not quite as widespread.

“It did have some similar characteristics to Hurricane Elvis,” said Gary Woodall, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service Memphis. “Fortunately, this go around it was not quite physically as large as it was.”

34. Full Restoration After Smaller 'Hurricane Elvis' To Take More Than a Week - Monday, May 29, 2017

UPDATE: As of 9 a.m. Monday, May 29, 125,000 Memphis Light Gas and Water Division customers were without power. And 32 people were staying at the Red Cross shelter at the Orange Mound Community Center. City Public Works has hired more contractors to help clear downed trees and other debris from roads.

35. Luttrell: Mend Issues That Divide Region - Thursday, May 18, 2017

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell says his hope for a more civil national political discourse may be “a little Alice in Wonderland.” And there are times when he sees local discussions veering in the direction of “Nashville and Washington,” he told the Memphis Rotary Club Tuesday, May 16.

36. Mississippi River at Memphis Nears Flood Stage - Tuesday, May 9, 2017

The Mississippi River at Memphis is expected to go above flood stage Tuesday, May 9, with a flood warning in effect until May 19.

The river stage at Memphis was 33.15 feet Monday. Flood stage is 34 feet.

37. Hits and Misses in UT’s Quest for JuCo Gold - Friday, April 28, 2017

Things were supposed to be so easy for Jonathan Kongbo. He arrived at the University of Tennessee last year as the No. 1-ranked junior college prospect in the nation. He had the combination of size and speed that everybody wants in a defensive lineman. The sky was the limit.

38. Early Voting in District 95 Primaries Begins Friday - Friday, April 7, 2017

Early voting opens Friday, April 7, in the special primary elections for state House District 95 as other elections – including some 2018 races – already show plenty of signs of political life.

39. Mills Looks To Spread Republican Reach in City - Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The Shelby County Republican Party is becoming more diverse and working to get back non-voting Republicans, its new permanent chairman says.

“For the longest time, we’ve talked about going into the African-American community, talked about going into the Hispanic community,” Lee Mills said. “But we haven’t actually done it and that’s our fault. We’ve got to reach out to them and we can’t reach out to them without going to them. So, we’re going to go to their communities and we’re going to find ways to do that.”

40. Mills Looks To Spread Republican Reach in 2018 County Elections - Monday, March 20, 2017

The chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party says the local party has to become more diverse and work to get back non-voting Republicans.

“For the longest time, we’ve talked about going into the African-American community, talked about going into the Hispanic community,” Lee Mills said. “But we haven’t actually done it and that’s our fault. We’ve got to reach out to them and we can’t reach out to them without going to them. So, we’re going to go to their communities and we’re going to find ways to do that.”

41. Last Word: Voucher Movement, The Battle of Pontotoc and Ch-Chandler Numbers - Friday, March 10, 2017

Republican state Senator Brian Kelsey of Germantown had a very good week in the state capitol this week. His school voucher bill got unanimous votes in House and Senate committee this week despite a tide of opposition from local elected officials and leaders including fellow legislators in the Shelby County delegation and all seven public school districts in Shelby County including the six suburban school systems.

42. Bonner, Lane Line Up Early for 2018 Sheriff’s Race - Friday, March 10, 2017

The Shelby County Democratic Party was disbanded last year, but there is already a Democratic contender for Shelby County sheriff in the 2018 elections.

Floyd Bonner Jr. is the chief deputy to Republican Sheriff Bill Oldham, running with Oldham’s backing.

43. 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.

44. Events - Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Memphis Botanic Garden will kick off the 2016 Vine to Wine tasting series with “World of Wines” on Tuesday, March 29, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at MBG, 750 Cherry Road. Each event features eight wines, beers or cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $30 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Visit memphisbotanicgarden.com..

45. Events - Monday, March 28, 2016

Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development’s mobile Career Coach will be in Memphis on Monday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cossitt Library, 33 S. Front St. Career Coach staff will help people create resumes and register with jobs4tn.gov, where more than 90,000 jobs are available.

46. Mississippi River at Memphis Approaches Flood Stage - Saturday, January 2, 2016

As the Mississippi River was nearing flood stage at Memphis Saturday, Jan. 2, Memphis firefighters were preparing to go door-to-door in Harbor Town on Mud Island.

The visits are not an evacuation. They are “to notify residents about the high water threat,” said Dale Lane, director of the Shelby County Office of Preparedness.

47. Nations Hired at Sheriff's Office - Saturday, December 13, 2014

Bob Nations, the former director of emergency preparedness for Shelby County, has been hired to work with the county's sheriff's department.

Chip Washington, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, says Nations is filling the role of chief inspector over schools and crime prevention.

48. Nations Hired at Shelby County Sheriff's Office - Monday, December 8, 2014

Bob Nations, the former director of emergency preparedness for Shelby County, has been hired to work with the county’s sheriff’s department.

Chip Washington, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, says Nations is filling the role of chief inspector over schools and crime prevention.

49. Luttrell Appoints Two Division Directors - Saturday, October 4, 2014

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has appointed Dale Lane as the county’s new director of the Office of Preparedness and Martha Lott as the county’s new director of Community Services.

50. Luttrell Appoints Two Division Directors - Friday, October 3, 2014

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has appointed Dale Lane as the county’s new director of the Office of Preparedness and Martha Lott as the county’s new director of Community Services.

51. Visible Music College Files $3.2 Million Loan - Tuesday, September 10, 2013

200 Madison Ave.
Memphis, TN 38103
Loan Amount: $3.2 million

Loan Date: Aug. 30, 2013
Maturity Date:
Borrower: Visible Music College
Lender: Renasant Bank
Details: Visible Music College has filed a $3.2 million loan on its Downtown campus at 200 Madison Ave.

52. 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.

53. 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.

54. Sheriff's Race Attracts Hard-Boiled Veterans - Monday, April 19, 2010

Most of the Democratic and Republican candidates for Shelby County sheriff gathered last month in the office of outgoing Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

55. 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.

56. 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)

57. A River Runs Through Us: Memphis’ once and future connection with the Wolf - Monday, September 7, 2009

A cottonmouth slithers through the marsh. A wolf spider clings to a cypress tree. A white heron soars above the bottomland forest.

Paddle a canoe down the Ghost River section of the Wolf River in Fayette County and you’ll travel through multiple, distinct ecosystems teeming with wildlife. But while animal sightings convey the true spirit of the Wolf, only one creature – the elusive “river rat” – can verbalize why this river and its wetland corridor are so important.

58. Production Shows Humorous Side of Theater - Friday, April 25, 2008

Stage actors, directors and producers probably know all too well the chaos that erupts backstage before a new play takes the limelight. Theatre Memphis will explore and celebrate the glorious, if somewhat disorganized, lives of theater people, with a quick-witted tale of pre-production disasters when "Room Service" debuts today.

59. Tuttle Elected to State Judicial Selection Commission - Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Dale H. Tuttle of Glassman, Edwards, Wade & Wyatt PC has been elected 2006 vice chairman of the Tennessee Judicial Selection Commission. The commission interviews and recommends applicants for all state courts.

60. Archived Article: Newsmakers - Wednesday, June 1, 2005
St

St. Jude Researcher Named to Royal Society

Dr. Tom Curran, chair of the department of Developmental Neurobiology and the co-leader of the Neurobiology and Brain Tumor program at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, was elected to the Fello...