The city of Memphis is balking at a $30 million settlement demand by descendants of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Sons of Confederate Veterans in connection with the removal of the Confederate general’s statue from Health Sciences Park.

2. Last Word: Bob Smith Talks, Crosstown Anniversary and Grant's Parking Lot - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

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.

3. Building on Momentum - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Though I did not move to Memphis from New Orleans until 2005, I consider myself a proud Memphian.

The momentum that Memphis is feeling and fighting for cannot be matched. I witnessed its energy upon my arrival, and upon becoming engaged with New Memphis’ Fellows program. I realized my potential to harness and contribute my personal and professional experiences to my new hometown of Memphis. I am honored to continue adding to this energy through my role on Memphis Greenspace’s Board of Directors.

4. Bluff Park - Friday, August 3, 2018

Four replicas of Civil War-era cannons placed in then-Confederate Park six years ago were removed from the riverfront site this week, part of the revamping of the property by Memphis Greenspace.

The removal on Wednesday, Aug. 1, by private work crews for the nonprofit owners of the park, symbolizes the ongoing changes to the property, including renaming the parcel Memphis Park. Memphis Greenspace bought the park as well as Health Sciences Park last December – a major step in eliminating Confederate markers from the two parcels.

5. Civil War Replica Cannons Returned To Sons of Confederate Veterans - Thursday, August 2, 2018

Memphis Greenspace turned over four cannons from Memphis Park to Sons of Confederate Veterans Wednesday, Aug. 1, as the nonprofit continued the process of removing Confederate symbols and markers from the Downtown park.

6. Last Word: Early Voting's Strong Finish, School Moves and City Hall Crackdown - Monday, July 30, 2018

Most of the major contenders for Tennessee Governor – Democratic and Republican – were in Shelby County over the weekend in which early voting ended and the campaigns now adjust their last minute efforts to the gap between early voting and election day on Thursday.

7. Heat Wave - Saturday, July 14, 2018

After what was a banner year in many ways for Memphis commercial real estate in 2017, projections for this year were bullish. But at the halfway point of 2018, have expectations in the area risen with the temperatures or have they begun to dry out under the sweltering summer heat? 

8. Collecting Online Sales Taxes No Cure-All For State - Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Tennessee’s political officials are lauding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision enabling states to effectively collect sales taxes from out-of-state online retailers.

But don’t expect the result of South Dakota v. Wayfair to be a watershed moment for the state budget. If you’re looking for a windfall to bolster education or house the homeless, close your eyes and dream on, because this likely isn’t about mo’ money, mo’ money.

9. Mayoral Security Comes with Controversy and Price Tag - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Some mayors and other elected officials have referred to it as “fan mail.” It ranges from explicit threats of violence to vague statements that could be taken as threats of physical harm or a prediction of defeat in the next election.

10. Strickland Defends Police Overtime for Personal Security - Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says he was reluctant initially to increase his security when he took office in 2016. Now in his third year of a four-year term, that has changed to include 24-hour police security on his home.

11. SCV, Forrest Family Appeal Ruling on Moving Statues - Saturday, May 26, 2018

The Sons of Confederate Veterans and descendants of Confederate general, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest filed an appeal Thursday, May 24, of the Davidson County Chancery Court ruling backing the removal of Confederate monuments from two Memphis parks.

12. Draft Prohibits Removed Confederate Monuments to be Relocated in Shelby County - Monday, May 28, 2018

The private nonprofit corporation that had Confederate monuments removed from two city parks last December wants to transfer the statues to a nonprofit that will relocate them somewhere outside Shelby County.

13. Draft Calls for Confederate Monuments' Relocation Outside Shelby County - Friday, May 25, 2018

The private nonprofit corporation that had Confederate monuments removed from two city parks last December wants to transfer the statues to a nonprofit that will relocate them somewhere outside Shelby County.

14. SCV, Forrest Family Appeal Ruling on Moving Monuments - Friday, May 25, 2018

The Sons of Confederate Veterans and descendants of Confederate general, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest filed an appeal Thursday, May 24, of the Davidson County Chancery Court ruling backing the removal of Confederate monuments from two Memphis parks.

15. Chancery Court Rules Sale and Removal of Confederate Monuments Legal - Thursday, May 17, 2018

A Davidson County chancellor says a 2016 state law protecting Confederate monuments in public parks doesn’t apply to the Confederate monuments removed from two Memphis parks this past December.

16. Web Extra: Forrest Slave Market Site Emerges From Past As Part of Heritage Trail - Saturday, April 28, 2018

The same week as the formal re-opening of the Universal Life Insurance building, Tim Huebner, a Rhodes College history professor, and the students in his “historical methods” class went to Calvary Episcopal Church to unveil a new historical marker that marks the site of a very different business success story.

17. Memphis Lawmakers React to House Pulling $250,000 Bicentennial Funding - Friday, April 27, 2018

NASHVILLE – The state House of Representatives declined to reconsider its decision to pull $250,000 from Memphis to fund a bicentennial celebration as it stiffened penalties this week for potential violations of the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act.

18. GoFundMe Page Seeks to Reimburse Memphis for State Money Withdrawal - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

NASHVILLE – A GoFundMe page has been started on Facebook to raise funds to make up a $250,000 budget cut the Tennessee Legislature levied against the city of Memphis for removing Confederate monuments from two city parks late last year.

19. 20 Tennessee Parks to Hold Public Meetings - Monday, April 16, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Twenty of Tennessee's state parks are holding public meetings where community members can comment on current and future park improvement projects.

State officials say the parks plan a series of public meetings on April 19 and April 24.

20. Last Word: MLK50s Surprise Ending, Senate Race Shake Up and EDGE Insights - Monday, April 9, 2018

Does the NBA need a version of the mercy rule for this meaningless part of the season for teams that have already made the second season – I mean, the playoffs – and those who are looking to lose their way to the top draft pick? The Grizz played their last home game of the season Sunday at the Forum. Grizz over the Pistons 130 – 117.

21. Duran Arrest Highlights Uncertain Immigration Nexus - Monday, April 9, 2018

Nine people were arrested by Memphis Police last week during MLK50 protests. One of those arrests has focused new attention on the nexus between federal immigration policies and local law enforcement.

22. MLK50 Observances Come With Appeals, Memories - Friday, April 6, 2018

The way National Civil Rights Museum president Terri Lee Freeman described it as the MLK50 commemorations began this week, the church bells would cascade when they rang Wednesday, April 4, starting at 6:01 p.m. – the moment Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot 50 years ago.

23. Last Word: MLK50s Big Day, Hotel Changes and Murica on Capitol Hill - Thursday, April 5, 2018

The peak of the MLK50 events came Wednesday with a chill but some sunshine and lots to consider. Understand -- this isn’t over. There are still a few more events to go through the weekend and even into next week. If nothing else, a lot more Memphians and visitors got a good look at most of South Main in the best way possible – on foot. And if the Beale Street District ever expands east to Danny Thomas, the intersection there makes a really good place for a party.

24. Anniversary of King's Assassination Marked With Marches, Rallies - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Several thousand people marching under the banners of unions and civil rights organizations marched peacefully Wednesday, April 4, from the headquarters of the American Federal of State County and Municipal Employees at Beale Street and Danny Thomas Boulevard to Mason Temple Church of God in Christ.

25. Events - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

The Withers Collection Museum and Gallery will stage an “I Am A Man” Reenactment Photo Shoot Wednesday, April 4, with the lineup starting at 8 a.m. at Fourth and Beale streets. The picture will re-create photojournalist Ernest C. Withers’ iconic “I Am A Man” photo from the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike. Register in advance at the Withers Collection, 333 Beale St., or online at 2018mlk50.com.

26. MLK50 Events: A Roundup of Memphis Happenings - Saturday, March 31, 2018

Here's a selection of events in Memphis marking the 50th anniversary of the 1968 sanitation workers' strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. April 3 is the 50th anniversary of King’s last speech – the “Mountaintop” speech at Mason Temple, while April 4 is the 50th anniversary of his assassination on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

27. Last Word: Yoga's Return, Strickland on MLK50 and The Broad Water Tower Move - Thursday, March 29, 2018

The two parks where Confederate monuments were removed this past December will feature some new experiences now that spring is here both by the calendar and by all that flowers and clouds that are heavy with rain. Memphis Greenspace, the nonprofit that bought Health Sciences and Memphis Parks from the city at the end of 2017, will roll out its first programming for the two parks next week including a Truth Booth at Memphis Park along with the return of Downtown Yoga. It will be tai chi Tuesdays and yoga Thursdays at Health Sciences Park along with a lunchtime music series.

28. Davy Crockett’s Fine, But Let’s Not Get Carried Away - Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Tennessee General Assembly is making some monumental decisions these days – literally.

Not only is the Legislature prepared to put a statue of Tennessee folk hero Davy Crockett in front of the State Capitol, replacing obscure Nashville politician Edward Carmack, it’s also likely to erect a monument, or memorial, to unborn children in the ongoing battle against abortion.

29. The Whole Truth - Friday, March 16, 2018

TRUTH BE TOLD. Truth is the truth. It isn’t inconvenient, inconsistent or incomplete. It isn’t uncomfortable or unpleasant and certainly not untrue.

But what we’ve made of the truth is all of those things.

30. Bill Making It a Felony for Unauthorized Monument Action Dies for the Session - Thursday, March 15, 2018

NASHVILLE – One of several bills considered retribution against the city of Memphis for the removal of Confederate statues died in a House committee today amid questions about its constitutionality.

31. Dedication Of Plaza Among King Observances - Thursday, March 15, 2018

The city will formally dedicate a plaza in honor of the 1968 striking sanitation workers at an April 5 ceremony, one of numerous events surrounding the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.

32. Gorillas in the Living Room - Friday, March 9, 2018

IMPROVING THE VIEW. There are very large gorillas in our living room.

It seems these things are never seen when such a sight would spoil the vision at hand – except, of course, by those who see the reality of unpleasant things. Never mentioned in polite conversation – except, of course, by those who discuss unpleasant things. Avoided at all costs by those charged with promoting civic accomplishment – except by those who measure the cost of unpleasant things.

33. Civil War Re-Enactor Outflanked On Statues, Medicaid Expansion - Friday, March 9, 2018

When state Rep. Steve McDaniel was a youngster he often read the historical marker at the intersection of Highway 22 and Wildersville Road detailing Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s first West Tennessee raid in the Battle of Parker’s Crossroads.

34. Monuments Bill Would Establish Felony Charge for Some Votes - Thursday, March 8, 2018

NASHVILLE – A state legislator is set to seek the attorney general’s advice on legislation enabling the state to charge local elected officials with a felony for “knowingly” casting votes in conflict with state law.

35. Last Word: Penny Turns Up, Boots to Tickets and Ag Innovation - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

So it begins as it always does in the world of Tigers basketball. Gary Parrish of CBSSports reporting the University of Memphis is considering a change from Tubby Smith to Penny Hardaway. Hardaway’s name last surfaced during the exit of Josh Pastner. This time around, the report is that Hardaway has already started rounding up possible staff members. This will either vanish with a very quiet poof and University officials saying they always review their options at the end of the regular season or it will move swiftly to an announced deal.

36. Last Word: Forrest and Slavery, The Tariff Blitz and Angus McEachran - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

The report on poverty in Memphis over the last 50 years is on its way to a Greater Memphis Chamber breakfast meeting Thursday. And Terri Lee Freeman, the president of the National Civil Rights Museum and Elena Delavega, the University of Memphis lead researcher of the report, say their message is that as goes Memphis in this regard so goes the nation. And if employers start with lower pay at hiring with percentage raises across the board they feed the racial income gap and bonuses do as well.

37. Forrest Slave Market Site to Get New Marker In April - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

A new historical marker to be unveiled April 4 on the southwest corner of Adams Avenue and B.B. King Boulevard will note what the existing 63-year old marker doesn’t – that it was not only an early home of Confederate general, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest. It was also the site of the slave market that Forrest owned and operated for six years.

38. Panel Says MTSU Can't Strip Confederate Name From Hall - Wednesday, February 21, 2018

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee panel has voted against letting Middle Tennessee State University strip the name of a Confederate general from one of its buildings.

According to The Tennessean, the Tennessee Historical Commission on Friday denied the request to rename the ROTC building dedicated to Nathan Bedford Forrest.

39. Comptroller: City Obeyed Most Rules in Sale of Parks - Saturday, February 17, 2018

The state Comptroller’s Office has determined the city of Memphis’ Dec. 20, 2017, sale of Health Sciences Park and the easement to Memphis Park to Memphis Greenspace Inc. appropriately followed related laws with the exception of requiring Memphis Greenspace to submit an application so it could gauge the nonprofit’s financial stability.

40. Comptroller: City Obeyed Most Rules in Sale of Parks - Thursday, February 15, 2018

The state Comptroller’s Office has determined the city of Memphis’ Dec. 20, 2017, sale of Health Sciences Park and the easement to Memphis Park to Memphis Greenspace Inc. appropriately followed related laws with the exception of requiring Memphis Greenspace to submit an application so it could gauge the nonprofit’s financial stability.

41. Comptroller: City of Memphis Followed Most Rules in Sale of Parks - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

The state Comptroller’s Office has determined the city of Memphis’ Dec. 20, 2017, sale of Health Sciences Park and the easement to Memphis Park to Memphis Greenspace Inc. appropriately followed related laws with the exception of requiring Memphis Greenspace to submit an application so it could gauge the nonprofit’s financial stability.

42. The Metrics Mayor - Saturday, February 10, 2018

At times in the last two years, political supporters of Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland have been worried. They agree with what got him elected, his “brilliant at the basics” philosophy that makes basic services and fundamental play-it-safe financial strategies the priority at City Hall.

43. Monument Bills Create State Heritage Battlegrounds - Friday, February 9, 2018

Legislative battles are looming over a spate of bills designed to hammer Memphis and any other cities accused of violating the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act.

Lawmakers filed several pieces of legislation aimed at punishing local governments in the wake of the Memphis City Council move to topple the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue in Health Sciences Park and two other Confederate monuments in another park by selling the property to a newly created nonprofit organization.

44. McDaniel to Fashion Loophole Bill for State Monuments - Friday, February 2, 2018

NASHVILLE – The House sponsor of the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act is preparing legislation to close a “loophole” Memphis used to spur removal of Confederate monuments from parks property it sold to a nonprofit group.

45. Last Word: 50 Years Ago, Skeleton Hotel in Court and New Moves on Forrest - Thursday, February 1, 2018

It was 50 years ago Thursday that the event that sparked the 1968 sanitation workers strike happened near Colonial and Sea Isle in East Memphis. City sanitation workers Robert Walker and Echol Cole were killed when the trash compactor on back of their city truck malfunctioned and crushed them.

46. Rotating Forrest Bust Out of Capitol Gains Momentum - Thursday, February 1, 2018

Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s days in the State Capitol could be numbered. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican, says he could support a move to rotate Forrest’s bust out of the Capitol and make sure Capitol displays are “more reflective of the entire history of Tennessee.”

47. Nashville Court Orders Second Attempt at Mediation on Monuments - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Nashville chancellor who Monday ordered a hold on selling or transferring ownership of Confederate monuments removed from two Memphis parks followed up the next day with an order that all sides in the dispute enter mediation.

48. Court Holds Up Sale or Transfer Of Confederate Monuments - Tuesday, January 30, 2018

UPDATE: Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle issued a second court order Tuesday, Jan. 30, that orders all sides in the litigation to enter into mediation on possible new locations for the removed monuments.

49. Last Word: Eureka Education, Confederate Monuments in Court and Dillon Brooks - Friday, January 26, 2018

Supermarkets are hard. That is the tag line in every discussion about getting a supermarket or grocery store for a given part of town that doesn’t have one. And once a new supermarket goes up somewhere else, there is inevitably word that a competitor or two is going to build nearby. The discussion always includes the mandatory recitation of the 3 to 4 percent profit margin stores operate on, which even knowledgeable critics of the decisions about where to locate and not to locate stores acknowledge is accurate.

50. Some Express Interest in Monuments Removed From City Parks - Monday, January 22, 2018

The private nonprofit that had the city’s two most visible Confederate monuments removed from city parks in December says it has fielded numerous offers to take the statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest, Jefferson Davis and a bust of Confederate Capt. Harvey Mathes in Memphis Park where the Davis statue stood.

51. Last Word: The Snow Split, Amazon Post-Mortem and Intermodal Comeback - Friday, January 19, 2018

A split verdict on Snow Day 4. Some school systems and colleges and universities are out again Friday, others are not and still others are opening later in the day. Shelby County Schools, which is out, says it has 13 extra days built into its schedule for just such an event or events – that is 13 days extra beyond the 180 days the state requires as the bare minimum for a school year.

52. Greenspace Nonprofit Details Offers For Confederate Monuments - Friday, January 19, 2018

The private nonprofit group that had the city’s two most visible Confederate monuments removed from city parks in December says it has had numerous offers to take the statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis as well as a bust of Confederate Captain Harvey Mathes in the same park where the Davis statue stood.

53. Last Word: A New Majority, A Plan After Kroger and Cold Cases - Friday, January 12, 2018

Shelby County elections administrator Linda Phillips has been watching the ebb and flow of petitions for the 2018 elections and has found what she believes is a link to the weather. “Apparently when the dreaded ‘snow’ word is mentioned in the forecast, not only do people go out and clear the shelves of milk, bread and eggs. They also decide to pick up a petition,” she wrote in an email with the list of who has pulled and who has filed in the last two days.

54. Shot Fired From Memphis Ignites Civil War Rematch - Thursday, January 11, 2018

Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest died in 1877, but 140 years later some people just can’t let their hero or the Old South go away.

In fact, the state Legislature is set to reignite the Civil War – to some degree – in 2018. We hope no gunshots are fired.

55. McMullen: Legislative Session Influenced Timing in Monuments Removal - Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Several nonprofits approached the city administration about buying Health Sciences and Memphis parks before the Memphis City Council approved the sale of each to Memphis Greenspace last month for $1,000 each. And some of them said no.

56. Weekend Monuments Protests, Response Suggest Shift - Monday, January 8, 2018

Memphis Branch NAACP president Deidre Malone may have had the most concise description of what has changed since the city’s two most visible Confederate monuments came down Dec. 20.

“What we want happened. The monuments are down,” Malone said Friday, Jan. 5, as the NAACP and other groups called on Memphians to ignore plans for protests in the city the next day by groups opposed to the removal of the monuments.

57. White Nationalist Confederate Monuments Protest Draws Larger Police Presence - Saturday, January 6, 2018

A dozen white nationalists with Confederate flags were the only protest Saturday, Jan. 6, that got anywhere near Health Sciences Park and what’s left of the park’s monument to Nathan Bedford Forrest.

58. Parks Closed By Police On Eve of Saturday Protest Plans - Saturday, January 6, 2018

Memphis Police shut down two Memphis parks Friday, Jan. 5, in advance of planned protests Saturday by groups opposed to the Dec. 20 removal of Confederate monuments from both parks.

More than a dozen police cars were around Health Sciences Park and a single police car was in Memphis Park before 9 p.m. Friday evening. Signs were posted in each park at different entry points reading "Park Closed Today" and "No Trespassing" and warnng against loitering and carrying firearms.

59. Memphis Experts See Economic Growth Building Off 2017 Into 2018 - Saturday, January 6, 2018

With resolutions made and the new year now, another annual exercise rises to the forefront – predictions on what Memphis and its economy can expect in 2018.

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that there’s so much we won’t be able to even remotely see coming, from Memphis bidding to become the potential home for Amazon’s second headquarters to action finally being taken on the Confederate monuments in city parks and so much more.

60. Memphis is Changing - Friday, January 5, 2018

SOMETHING’S GOING ON HERE. President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis was invited back to Memphis in 1964 when black folks were getting all uppity during the civil rights movement. He has finally left the podium.

61. Memphis Leaders: Avoid Parks During Protests - Friday, January 5, 2018

City leaders are urging Memphians to avoid two city parks and a third area Saturday, Jan. 6, after several groups indicated they plan to protest last month’s removal of Confederate monuments. However, city chief legal officer Bruce McMullen said at a Thursday morning taping of the WKNO-TV program “Behind the Headlines” that no group had applied for a city permit to hold a march or demonstration.

62. Last Word: Liberty Bowl Post Mortem, Confederate Protest Plans and Absorption - Wednesday, January 3, 2018

As soon as it was confirmed the Tigers would play in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, there was some concern locally about the impact that would have on tourism at the holidays with only one of the bowl teams – Iowa State – being from out of town. The exact dollar figures aren’t in just yet. But the game was enough of a success out of the box that the executive director of the game is talking about a more constant presence in the bowl game for the Tigers now that they’ve made their first appearance in the 59-year history of the game which began in Philadelphia. And there is some precedent in college football for what Steve Ehrhart is talking about.

63. Last Word: Liberty Bowl Sell-Out Prep, Beale's Year and Tubby Talks - Friday, December 29, 2017

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl is a sell out as of Thursday. And while your thoughts may turn to the sight of a full stadium at the Fairgrounds, at least some of you who are going are thinking about what traffic will be like in the area. Here is the parking and shuttle game plan at the outset and a day in advance. The Liberty Bowl Parade on Beale is at 3 p.m. Friday followed by a pep rally in the entertainment district and all are welcome.

64. Editorial: Though Statues are Down, Work is Just Beginning - Saturday, December 30, 2017

They may be the most famous pedestals in Memphis – the ones where the horseback image of Nathan Bedford Forrest stood for 113 years and the relatively slender pinnacle where Jefferson Davis stood for a mere 53 years.

65. Last Word: Liberty Bowl Weather, Tn Juvenile Justice Report and Atomic Tiki - Thursday, December 28, 2017

Liberty Bowl field painted? Check. Crowds starting to check in – no pun intended? Check. Escorts on motorcycles with plenty of flashing lights to get from one “emergency” event to another? Check. And, of course, the formal reminder to eat no one’s dessert but your own during the Peabody luncheon? Check.

66. Monuments Moment Spans Generational Lines - Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Van Turner Sr. celebrated his 73rd birthday Wednesday, Dec. 20, as his son, county commissioner Van Turner Jr., was somewhere near the epicenter of the most significant chapter of the city’s long-running controversy over Confederate monuments.

67. Forrest Down - Saturday, December 23, 2017

It’s hard to know where the equestrian statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest is when there aren’t lights on it.

That was the case Wednesday, Dec. 20, as the spotlights normally illuminating the likeness of the Confederate general, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard were doused.

68. Nonprofit Leader: Removal of 2 Memphis Confederate Monuments 'Only the Beginning' - Thursday, December 21, 2017

The morning after the city’s two best-known Confederate memorials came down in a pair of city parks, the attorney and Shelby County commissioner who leads the private nonprofit to whom the city sold the parks said the organization has plans to “liberate” other parks.

69. Forrest and Davis Statues Removed As City Sells Parks - Thursday, December 21, 2017

With a quick vote without debate on a last-minute substitute ordinance, the Memphis City Council set in motion Wednesday, Dec. 20, the removal of Confederate monuments in two city parks.

And four hours later the equestrian statue of Confederate General, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard that has stood for more than 100 years was removed from its base by a crane and taken to an undisclosed location. An hour after that another crane moved into Memphis Park to remove the statue of Confederacy president Jefferson Davis.

70. City Council May Vote To Phase In MLGW Rate Hikes - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Memphis City Council members vote Tuesday, Dec. 19, on a set of water, gas and electric rate hikes recommended by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division to take effect next month.

A council committee is recommending the electric and gas-rate increases be phased in over several years.

71. Memphis Asks Judge to Rule On Forrest Statue Removal - Saturday, December 16, 2017

A Tennessee city is asking a court to overrule a commission’s decision that prevents the removal of a Confederate statue from a public park.

The city of Memphis filed a petition in Davidson County Chancery Court on Monday. Officials are asking for judicial review of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s Oct. 13 denial of a request to remove a statue of Confederate-era leader Nathan Bedford Forrest from Health Sciences Park.

72. Memphis Asks Judge to Rule On Forrest Statue Removal - Thursday, December 14, 2017

The city of Memphis is asking a court to overrule a commission’s decision that prevents the removal of a Confederate statue from a public park.

The city filed a petition in Davidson County Chancery Court on Monday. Officials are asking for judicial review of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s Oct. 13 denial of a request to remove a statue of Confederate-era leader Nathan Bedford Forrest from Health Sciences Park.

73. Elections, Term Limits, Assemblies Face Council - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Memphis City Council members vote Tuesday, Dec. 5, on a move to repeal ranked-choice voting before it ever gets used. The body also talks about a proposed charter change that would raise council term limits from two consecutive terms to three and takes the first of three readings on changes to the ordinance that sets ground rules for parades, marathons and protests on city streets.

74. City Administration Sets Dec. 19 Deadline For Mediation On Confederate Monuments - Saturday, December 2, 2017

The city of Memphis is setting a Dec. 19 deadline for mediation efforts on the removal of Confederate monuments from city parks.

Attorney Allan Wade, representing the city administration in the matter, sent a letter to attorneys for the state Friday, Dec. 1, saying city government has received no word when mediation sessions suggested by the state on the controversy are scheduled.

75. Council Moves Toward Alcohol on Main Street - Thursday, November 23, 2017

Memphis City Council members delayed a final vote Tuesday, Nov. 21, on an ordinance that sets out options for the removal of statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis in city parks, but moved forward on a proposal to allow open alcohol containers and consumption on Main Street.

76. Council to Take Final Vote on Confederate Monuments Alternatives - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Memphis City Council members are scheduled to take a final vote Tuesday, Nov. 21, on an ordinance that sets out options for the removal of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis statues in city parks, and will discuss amending a city ordinance to allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages on Main Street Downtown.

77. City Council Eyes Hotel-Motel Tax to Fund Pre-K - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Memphis City Council members will discuss a still-forming proposal Tuesday, Nov. 7, to fund universal prekindergarten in Memphis public schools by hiking the hotel-motel, or bed tax rate.

The 2:15 p.m. executive session discussion is around a proposal by council member Kemp Conrad that would increase the hotel-motel tax from 3.5 percent to 5 percent, which is the state’s cap on the tourism tax. The estimated $3.5 million that would generate would go toward a $7.9 million loss of funding for pre-K in 2019 when a federal pre-K grant runs out.

78. Last Word: Paying the Piper, Sewer Regrets and The New Incumbent's Strategy - Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Grizzlies over the Rockets 98-90 after being down 12 on the road in Houston. There is just something in the Memphis sports ethos that happens at halftime or between quarters. The Grizz are 3-0 in this young season. And for the second consecutive game some extracurricular action on the court. Mario Chalmers of the Grizz and James Harden of the Rockets scuffled after Chalmers got floored by Harden after Harden got swarmed by him and James Ennis. Harden got the foul and he and Chalmers each got a technical for what followed.

79. Mayor Stands By Decision On Sewer Connections - Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says if he had it to do over again, he would probably give more advance notice that the city was ending city sewer connections for developments outside the limits of Memphis.

80. How Should ‘Good People’ React to Racist Ideology? - Thursday, October 19, 2017

Southern nationalists planning to lead rallies in Murfreesboro and Shelbyville are banking on Republican ideas and protection to spread their views, a burr under the saddle for state lawmakers in the controlling party.

81. City Lays Out Numerous Paths to Statue Removal - Thursday, October 19, 2017

City officials laid out numerous paths forward in the Confederate monuments controversy Tuesday, Oct. 17, that include closing Health Sciences Park entirely or building a memorial to lynching victims in the park plaza where a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest is now the centerpiece.

82. City Lays Out Numerous Options in Confederate Monuments Controversy - Wednesday, October 18, 2017

The city administration and Memphis City Council laid out numerous paths forward in the Confederate monuments controversy Tuesday, Oct. 17, that include closing Health Sciences Park entirely or building a memorial to lynching victims in the park plaza where a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest is now the centerpiece.

83. Monuments, Elections, TDZ Expansion All Before Council - Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Memphis City Council members take a third and final vote Tuesday, Oct. 17, on an ordinance directing the administration to act on “immediate” removal of Confederate monuments from two city parks.

84. Historical Commission Grants City November Hearing on Forrest Statue - Friday, October 13, 2017

The Tennessee Historical Commission agreed Friday, Oct. 13, to send the city's request to remove a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest from Health Sciences Park to an administrative law judge for a hearing next month.

85. Process vs. Protest: Opinions Differ On How to Remove Monuments - Saturday, October 14, 2017

Protest and the legal process live in the same neighborhood. Sometimes they are next-door neighbors with borders that may be in dispute. At others times they are allies. But there is almost always a tension between the two.

86. Last Word: Athens Bound, The Amazon Campaign and All Things Grizz - Friday, October 13, 2017

This may be the most covered meeting of the Tennessee Historical Commission ever – the meeting Friday in Athens, Tennessee where Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland will attempt to make the case for the commission granting him permission to remove the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Health Sciences Park. The chairman of the commission has already told Strickland in writing that the commission will not take up the matter – not even discuss it. Strickland hopes he will at least be heard. And he says the city should have a decision by mid-November and is adamant that this cannot be put off into the new year.

87. Monumental Decision - Friday, October 13, 2017

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland may not even get a discussion with the Tennessee Historical Commission Friday, Oct. 13, about moving the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest out of a city park.

88. Week Ahead: Oct. 9-15 - Monday, October 9, 2017

Hey, Memphis! The real NBA and college basketball seasons creep closer with teasing events this week and the schedule of fun things to do is highlighted by the second annual Memphis Food & Wine Festival Saturday evening. Here’s toasting to a great week.

89. Chamber Mobilizes For Removal of Forrest Statue - Saturday, October 7, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber is mobilizing support for Mayor Jim Strickland’s request for a state waiver to allow the city to remove the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Health Sciences Park.

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

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

91. Chamber Mobilizes For Removal of Forrest Statue - Friday, October 6, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber is mobilizing support for Mayor Jim Strickland’s request for a state waiver to allow the city to remove the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Health Sciences Park.

92. Chamber Weighs In On Confederate Monuments Effort - Thursday, October 5, 2017

The Greater Memphis Chamber is mobilizing support for Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s request for a state waiver to allow the city to remove the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Health Sciences Park.

93. Harris Talks ‘Radical’ Action on Confederate Monuments to Build Pressure - Thursday, October 5, 2017

City Council attorney Allan Wade says Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s administration and the council are not “in different places” when it comes to removing Confederate monuments from city parks.

94. City Council Delays Final Vote on Confederate Monuments - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Memphis City Council members delayed a third and final vote on an ordinance that would direct the city administration to remove Confederate monuments in two city parks if the state historical commission doesn’t allow it later this month.

95. Paying Beale Street Security Costs Raises Lease Questions - Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Memphis City Council members vote Tuesday, Oct. 2, on whether the city should start using some of the $378,000 in Beale Street cover charge funds the Downtown Memphis Commission has been holding in two bank accounts since June.

96. Longtime Tennessee State Rep. Steve McDaniel to Retire - Monday, October 2, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – State Rep. Steve McDaniel, who is tied with Speaker Beth Harwell as the longest-serving members in the Tennessee House, plans to retire next year.

97. Last Word: Haslam Talks, Harding Consolidates and Lenoir Launches - Friday, September 29, 2017

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam had a bit more to say Thursday about a possible run for the U.S. Senate seat Bob Corker is leaving than the “I love my job” quote we chronicled earlier in the week that Corker quickened the pace of with his decision on re-election. Haslam says he is giving a run for the Senate serious consideration. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is not.

98. Historical Commission Leaders Say No October Hearing on Forrest Statue Removal - Friday, September 29, 2017

The chairman of and legal advisor to the Tennessee Historical Commission said Wednesday, Sept. 27, the commission will not consider the city of Memphis’ petition to remove a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest from a city park at the body’s Oct. 13 meeting.

99. For Fizdale, Conley, Speaking Out Is Part of The Job Now - Friday, September 29, 2017

This conversation? No, they didn’t imagine it. Grizzlies coach David Fizdale and point guard Mike Conley did not enter the NBA thinking they would someday be talking about national protests, a president that shoots from the lip, or Confederate statues in Memphis.

100. Last Word: Political Tide Comes In, First Tn and Pinnacle Settle and The No Compete - Thursday, September 28, 2017

In East Memphis Thursday afternoon, Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir will formally announce what has been evident for some time – he is running for Shelby County Mayor in 2018 starting with the May Republican primary. The primary field includes Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland and Juvenile Court Clerk Joy Touliatos. Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism is the only declared Democratic mayoral contender as we speak. Look for that to change.