AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — If elections were decided by viral videos and fawning media profiles, Democrat Beto O'Rourke would win Texas' Senate race in a landslide.

Video of the candidate defending NFL players' right to protest during the national anthem had been viewed by millions even before NBA star LeBron James called it a "must-watch." Another of O'Rourke, a three-term congressman, cruising through a Whataburger parking lot on a skateboard is almost as popular, increasing the onetime punk rocker's already considerable street cred.

2. Blackburn’s Scattershot Hits Surprise Targets - Thursday, June 7, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is doubling down against Democratic opponent Phil Bredesen in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat, hammering him as a liberal in the vein of Obama, Clinton, Schumer and Pelosi.

3. Hardaway's First Memphis Recruiting Class a Winner - Monday, April 23, 2018

The latest recruiting rankings from 247sports.com for the college basketball Class of 2018 has the University of Memphis ranked No. 27 and first among American Athletic Conference teams, 23 spots ahead of No. 50 Wichita State.

4. Last Word: Corker at Lincoln Day, Pre K Trouble and Rye at the Orpheum - Monday, February 26, 2018

The National Weather Service was out Sunday surveying damage from storm damage Saturday evening in eight areas of northwest Tennessee and northeast Arkansas as those communities began recovering from the damage of what appears to be at least one tornado. The areas hit are: Trenton, Tennessee; Weakley County northeast of Martin; Madison County, 5 miles northeast of Jackson; Dresden to northeast of Paris; the Union City and South Fulton areas; and Clay County, Arkansas into the Missouri bootheel.

5. Last Word: Filing Deadline, Case & Vance In May and Paul Manafort at the Rivermont - Thursday, February 15, 2018

By our count, when the noon Thursday deadline for candidates in the May county primaries has come and gone, there could be -- could be -- four incumbent county commissioners who are effectively re-elected to their seats for another four-year term. And we already know the commission will have at least seven new faces in September. More interesting is that there are only four sets of primaries – all for countywide offices – that have multiple contenders in each primary. That’s out of 23 offices on the primary ballot.

6. Last Word: Shutdown Round Two, The Pastner Charges and 1968 Virtual Reality - Friday, February 9, 2018

The federal government technically shutdown at midnight in Washington, D.C., Friday for the second time in 17 days. But the House and Senate were still going for a vote on a two-year budget compromise before dawn Friday morning as this is posted.

7. Pruitt’s SEC-Heavy Staff a Recruiting Coup - Friday, January 19, 2018

It was early December, 2012, and Butch Jones stood in front of a podium after being named Tennessee’s 24th football coach.

“I can assure you,” Jones said at his introductory press conference. “We will put together the best football staff in the country. Not just in the Southeastern Conference, but the entire country.”

8. Last Word: The List Lawsuit, Charlie Morris on 1939 and New Rules for Democrats - Thursday, July 6, 2017

This looks like the end of Grit ‘n’ Grind as we wait for the other shoe to drop following Zach Randolph’s exit from the Grizzlies to Sacramento. There were a lot of rumors Wednesday, the day after Randolph’s $24 million free agency deal, including some about Marc Gasol and the Celtics. And then Tony Allen dropped a Grizz reference from his Twitter account causing even more speculation.

9. House Takes First Step on ‘Almighty God’ Amendment - Wednesday, May 10, 2017

The House of Representatives took the first legislative step Monday toward rewriting the state Constitution with a measure recognizing liberties come from Almighty God rather than governments.

In a 69-17 vote, the House passed the resolution by Rep. Micah Van Huss, an East Tennessee Republican, to amend the Constitution, a move requiring votes by consecutive General Assemblies and passage by the state’s voters.

10. 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.

11. Kennedy Named to State Open Government Hall of Fame - Monday, October 10, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sam Kennedy, a former Tennessee Press Association president who helped push for the state's sunshine law, was inducted to the State Open Government Hall of Fame in Washington this weekend.

12. Last Word: Graceland's Important Day, MAA's $4 Billion Buy and Hotel Napoleon - Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Before the rain did its thing Monday night at Graceland, the latest Black Lives Matter movement protest was a fact at Graceland’s annual candlelight vigil.

Some tension and lots of noise on the line at Elvis Presley and Craft where police stopped those whom they identified as protesters. And more than a few allegations of racial profiling by police.

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

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

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

14. Ramsey Clear in Push to Politicize Supreme Court - Thursday, August 6, 2015

Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey has a penchant for igniting flames of partisanship, and the retirement of Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade is no exception.

15. Supreme Court Extends Gay Marriage Nationwide - Friday, June 26, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court declared Friday that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the United States, a historic culmination of decades of litigation over gay marriage and gay rights generally.

16. Is ‘Getting Rid of Public Schools’ Legislature’s Goal? - Thursday, March 26, 2015

Are Tennessee’s public schools headed for extinction? Not if it’s up to Memphis teachers.

A group from Shelby County recently packed a House committee meeting room at the Legislative Plaza in an effort to turn back bills they consider damaging to their profession and the future of public education.

17. Spillyards Leads Community Advisors Launch - Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Greg Spillyards has joined the brokerage team at Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors to launch the firm’s Community Advisors service line.

Community Advisors is focused on the Memphis city core, with a goal to provide real estate advisory services to assist in the revitalization of the city’s underserved areas with passion, creativity and entrepreneurship, and with service to those already living and leading in their neighborhoods.

18. Supreme Court Revives 'Raging Bull' Lawsuit - Tuesday, May 20, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a copyright lawsuit over the 1980 Oscar-winning movie "Raging Bull" can go forward, a decision that could open Hollywood studios to more claims from people seeking a share of profits from classic films, TV shows and other creative works.

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

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

20. Court Weighs Securities Fraud Case Changes - Thursday, March 6, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed open to the possibility of making it harder for investors to join together to sue corporations for securities fraud – but maybe not as hard as companies that have to defend such lawsuits would like.

21. Obama Nominates Justice Official to Top Labor Slot - Tuesday, March 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Thomas Perez, President Barack Obama's choice for Labor secretary, has used his perch as the nation's chief civil rights enforcer to crack down on voter suppression, discrimination and police brutality.

22. APNewsBreak: Effort Building to Change US Pot Laws - Tuesday, February 5, 2013

SEATTLE (AP) – An effort is building in Congress to change U.S. marijuana laws, including moves to legalize the industrial production of hemp and establish a federal pot tax.

While passage this year could be a longshot, lawmakers from both parties have been quietly working on several bills, the first of which Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jared Polis of Colorado plan to introduce Tuesday, Blumenauer told The Associated Press.

23. Brown Taking Over Late Sen. Kennedy's Seat - Friday, February 5, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Scott Brown said fixing the nation's ailing economy would be his top priority as he prepared Thursday to take his Senate seat a week earlier than he had planned.

24. Reports: Tribune Co. Weighing Bankruptcy Filing - Tuesday, December 9, 2008

CHICAGO (AP) - Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, other newspapers and the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, has hired financial advisers ahead of a possible filing for bankruptcy-court protection, according to reports on Sunday.

25. Archived Article - Thursday, December 5, 1996
Banquet will honor Brown, Wellford; install Chambliss Banquet will honor Brown, Wellford; install Chambliss Judge Bailey Brown, senior judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, will receive the Lawyers Lawyer Award, the highest award given by the...