NEW YORK (AP) — More than 30 dresses and accessories worn on stage by Aretha Franklin are going up for auction.

The Queen of Soul, who was born in Memphis, died at age 76 in Detroit on Aug. 16.

2. Poll Gives Bredesen Edge Over Blackburn in Senate Race - Friday, September 7, 2018

An NBC/Marist poll is giving former Democratic governor Phil Bredesen a slight edge over Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn in a race that could change the makeup of the U.S. Senate.

3. Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh Stresses Independence, Won't Discuss WH subpoenas - Thursday, September 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh repeatedly stressed the importance of judicial independence on the second day of his confirmation hearing Wednesday as he faced questioning from senators, including Democrats who fear he would be President Donald Trump's man on the high court. But he declined to address whether Trump could be subpoenaed or could pardon himself.

4. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Won't Seek 3rd term - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

CHICAGO (AP) — In a surprise announcement, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that he would abandon his effort to seek a third term next year and gave no reason for his sudden change of heart.

5. Chaos Marks Start of Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearing - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Quarreling and confusion disrupted the start of the Senate's confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday, with Democrats trying to block the proceedings over documents withheld by the White House while protesters interrupted the session in a persistent display of opposition.

6. Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke Shakes Up Senate Race With Cruz - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

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.

7. White House Faces Brain Drain at Perilous Moment - Monday, September 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Increasingly convinced that the West Wing is wholly unprepared to handle the expected assault from Democrats if they win the House in November, President Donald Trump's aides and allies are privately raising alarm as his circle of legal and communications advisers continues to shrink.

8. Liberal Gillum, Trump-backed DeSantis Win Florida Primaries - Thursday, August 30, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — A liberal Florida Democrat pulled off an upset victory Tuesday in the state's primary for governor while President Donald Trump's favored candidate cruised to victory for the GOP, setting up a fierce fall showdown in the nation's largest political battleground. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who would be the state's first black governor, and Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, both defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties' establishment.

9. Biden, Jackson and Hyde Featured at NCRM Freedom Awards - Friday, August 24, 2018

The National Civil Rights Museum will honor former Vice President Joe Biden and Rainbow/PUSH founder Rev. Jesse Jackson along with Memphis philanthropist J.R. “Pitt” Hyde at the annual Freedom Awards Oct. 17.

10. Sen. Collins, Potential Swing Vote, Meets With Kavanaugh - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh met Tuesday with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a centrist who's seen as a potential swing vote on his confirmation, while Democrats push him to release more documents from his years in the George W. Bush White House.

11. Hearings for Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh to Start Sept. 4 - Monday, August 13, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will begin the day after Labor Day, Republicans announced Friday over Democratic objections that they are rushing the process without properly delving into his background.

12. Mississippi Governor: Hyde-Smith Was Right Choice for Senate - Monday, August 6, 2018

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's Republican governor said he's satisfied he chose the right person to temporarily fill a U.S. Senate seat, even while acknowledging that some of his own supporters passionately disagree with his decision.

13. Trump Denies Knowing About Trump Tower Meeting in Advance - Monday, July 30, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump denied Friday that he knew in advance about a Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 between a Russian lawyer, his eldest son and other campaign aides that had been convened to hear dirt on his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

14. Kavanaugh: Watergate tapes decision may have been wrong - Monday, July 23, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh suggested several years ago that the unanimous high court ruling in 1974 that forced President Richard Nixon to turn over the Watergate tapes, leading to the end of his presidency, may have been wrongly decided.

15. Trump Slams Rate Increases by Independent Federal Reserve - Friday, July 20, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday cast aside concerns about the Federal Reserve's independence, saying he was "not happy" with the Fed's recent interest rate increases.

16. Court Nominee Kavanaugh Begins Making His Case to Senators - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, mapped out strategy with Republican leaders Tuesday, launching a fierce confirmation battle that could remake the court for decades and roil the midterm elections in the meantime.

17. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush to Join 59 Scholars in Arkansas - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will join dozens of scholars who've been focusing on topics ranging from immigration to veterans issues.

18. Seivers in College Hall? Yeah, Sure, Why Not? - Friday, June 29, 2018

Don’t look for any campaign propaganda to be mailed out. There won’t be any personal stumping. Heck, Larry Seivers even refused to fluff up his own bio.

If the former University of Tennessee two-time All-America wide receiver finds his way into the College Football Hall of Fame, it will happen because of the numbers and the memories that made him one of the game’s best in the 1970s.

19. Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick - Thursday, June 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, giving President Donald Trump a golden chance to cement conservative control of the high court.

20. What Do Statewide Candidates Say About Health Care in Tennessee? - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

According to Think Tennessee’s State of Our State dashboard, the state ranks near the bottom in the number of adults with heart disease, obesity and diabetes. It also ranks near the bottom of all states for the health of senior citizens, infant mortality, number of adults who smoke, and at the absolute bottom in childhood obesity. Tennesseans are, on the whole, not healthy. What can and should our next political leaders do about it?

21. Last Word: Bird Is The Word, Governors Quartet and Charlie Morris's Secret - Friday, June 15, 2018

Former Vice President Joe Biden plays the Orpheum Friday evening. Maybe that isn't the right way to put it -- unless there's a drum solo no one is talking about. Free Bird?

I'll take it as further evidence of the new American politics that is evolving and is far from settled at this point. Politicians do paid speaking gigs all the time. And at times it is controversial. But the gigs are usually some kind of speaking fee to make remarks at a corporate function -- not selling individual tickets on line. This is ostensibly to promote Biden's new book and book deals and politicians go way back. But in a lot of cases, those are free events in a book store. When Biden was last here, it was as vice president at the Norfolk Southern intermodal rail yard in Rossville.

22. Mempho Festival Headliners Announced for October Event - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Beck, Phoenix, Post Malone and Nas are the headliners for the second annual Mempho Music Festival Oct. 6 and 7 in Shelby Farms Park.

23. The Week Ahead: June 11-17 - Monday, June 11, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! Father’s Day is this weekend – and no matter whether yours is a rocker, a runner or a reader, there’s something to do with dear ol’ dad. Plus, check out where to see Gov. Bill Haslam, former VP Joe Biden and the “winningest woman in racing” in The Week Ahead.

24. 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.

25. 'It's About Time': Trump Pardons Late Boxer Jack Johnson - Friday, May 25, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing's first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson's name more than 100 years after what many see as his racially-charged conviction.

26. Tupelo Mayor Leaves Special US Senate Race in Mississippi - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A Democratic mayor is dropping out of a special U.S. Senate race in Mississippi, leaving four candidates in the contest to serve the final two years of a term.

Tupelo's Jason Shelton said Tuesday that "this election, at this time, is not right for me."

27. WH Hires Lawyer Who Represented Clinton in Impeachment - Thursday, May 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Facing critical decisions in the Russia investigation, President Donald Trump has hired Emmet Flood, a veteran attorney who represented Bill Clinton during his impeachment process.

28. Last Word: TNReady Blinks Again, Gov. Debate Thoughts and Mud Island's Museum - Friday, April 20, 2018

There was a point Thursday morning during the troubled TNReady testing at some Tennessee school districts when there was a “brief” slow down in the online testing, according to the Tennessee Education commissioner’s office. By noon that had been resolved and more than 250,000 completed tests had been submitted since testing began Monday. One can only imagine what some of the thoughts were in the office during the slow down and the gap between how long the slow down seemed and how long it actually was.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. King's Children See New Movements, Same Challenges 50 Years After Mountaintop - Wednesday, April 4, 2018

The bright and multi colored lights at Mason Temple Church of God In Christ gave way for a few minutes Tuesday, April 3, to a single white spotlight on the empty pulpit of the South Memphis church and a recording of part of the speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered from the pulpit 50 years ago Tuesday.

32. Mississippi Agriculture Official Appointed to US Senate Seat - Thursday, March 22, 2018

BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) – The governor of Mississippi appointed state Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith on Wednesday to succeed fellow Republican Thad Cochran in the U.S. Senate.

33. Officials: Woman to Fill Senate Vacancy in Mississippi - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The state's governor will appoint Mississippi's first female member of Congress to fill the Senate vacancy that will soon be created when veteran Sen. Thad Cochran retires, three state Republicans told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

34. Tennessee Senate OKs Social Media Political Disclosure Bill - Wednesday, March 21, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Tennessee Senate has passed a bill that would spell out requirements to disclose who paid for sponsored political content on social media platforms.

The Republican-led Senate approved the legislation in a 17-8 vote Monday. It heads to the House.

35. Mississippi Governor: National GOP Won't Choose New Senator - Friday, March 16, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi's Republican governor said Thursday that his decision about appointing a new U.S. senator won't be influenced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or other GOP leaders in Washington, but he believes his appointee will receive campaign help from the president and vice president.

36. Mississippi GOP Governor Won't Appoint Himself to US Senate - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi's Republican governor took himself out of the mix Tuesday for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Thad Cochran, saying he'll find another strong contender to keep the seat firmly in GOP hands for decades, as Cochran did.

37. 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.

38. 3 Memphis Sites Included On US Civil Rights Trail - Saturday, February 24, 2018

Clayborn Temple, Mason Temple Church of God in Christ and the National Civil Rights Museum are among 10 Tennessee sites included on a new U.S. civil rights trail.

Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and Tennessee tourism commissioner Kevin Triplett announced the landmarks Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the National Civil Rights Museum.

39. Rev. Billy Graham, Known as 'America's Pastor,' Dies at 99 - Thursday, February 22, 2018

MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) – The Rev. Billy Graham, the magnetic, movie-star-handsome preacher who became a singular force in postwar American religious life, a confidant of presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday at 99.

40. 3 Memphis Sites Included On US Civil Rights Trail - Thursday, February 22, 2018

Clayborn Temple, Mason Temple Church of God in Christ and the National Civil Rights Museum are among 10 Tennessee sites included on a new U.S. civil rights trail.

Gov. Bill Haslam, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and Tennessee tourism commissioner Kevin Triplett announced the landmarks Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the National Civil Rights Museum.

41. Federal Judge Wants Opioid Lawsuits To End In Settlement - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The goal is impressive: Hammer out a legal deal that starts guiding the nation out of an epidemic of opioid addiction.

How and when that can happen, if at all, is the subject of talks scheduled to begin Wednesday in a federal courthouse in Cleveland.

42. Mississippi Lawmakers Could Debate Creation of a Lottery - Thursday, December 28, 2017

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi residents for years have been crossing into Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee to buy lottery tickets.

In 2018, lawmakers could debate whether Mississippi will join the large majority of states that offer games of chance.

43. Buoyed by Alabama Win, Democrats Eye Tennessee Senate Race - Wednesday, December 27, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Democrats eager to take control of the Senate next year are turning to the state of Tennessee, where a popular Democratic former governor is running for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Sen. Bob Corker.

44. Trump Signs Proclamation to Scale Back 2 National Monuments - Tuesday, December 5, 2017

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday to scale back two sprawling national monuments in Utah, pledging to "reverse federal overreach and restore the rights of this land to your citizens."

45. Last Word: Grizz Ownership Moves, Confederate Deadline and Medical Family Tree - Monday, December 4, 2017

As many of us were focused on Tigers football and the journey to Orlando last week, there was word that either both or one of the two minority owners of the Grizz had exercised a buy-sell provision in the NBA team’s unique ownership agreement. And what could be a fight for control of the team’s ownership is underway. The sports website The Athletic broke the story last Thursday. Here it is. It also talks about the timing of this coming with the controversial sacking of David Fizdale, an interim coach at the helm of a changing team and lead owner Robert Pera’s lack of visibility in all things Grizz around the city.

46. Poll: Many Want to Avoid Political Talk This Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 23, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Pass the turkey – but maybe hold the politics. The already-fraught topic now includes allegations of sexual misconduct against politicians of various political stripes.

47. Big Tobacco's Anti-Smoking Ads Begin After Decade of Delay - Wednesday, November 22, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Decades after they were banned from the airwaves, Big Tobacco companies return to prime-time television this weekend – but not by choice.

Under court order, the tobacco industry for the first time will be forced to advertise the deadly, addictive effects of smoking, more than 11 years after a judge ruled that the companies had misled the public about the dangers of cigarettes.

48. 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.

49. Political Opening - Friday, November 17, 2017

The Shelby County Election Commission is moving its Downtown office Friday, Nov. 17, the same day that candidates can begin pulling qualifying petitions there and at its Shelby Farms offices to run in the 2018 county primaries.

50. Despite Massive Turnover, GOP Owns Legislature - Thursday, November 16, 2017

2018 will be a year of change for the Tennessee General Assembly, and 2019 will bring even more, especially in leadership – much depending on the popularity of President Donald Trump.

Not only is the Legislature moving to the Cordell Hull Building, vacating the Legislative Plaza after 45 years or so, a number of legislative faces are changing, too, even before next year’s election.

51. Trump Choosing White Men as Judges, Highest Rate in Decades - Tuesday, November 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is nominating white men to America's federal courts at a rate not seen in nearly 30 years, threatening to reverse a slow transformation toward a judiciary that reflects the nation's diversity.

52. Trump Names Former Drug Exec as New Health Secretary - Tuesday, November 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Turning to an industry he's rebuked, President Donald Trump on Monday picked a former top pharmaceutical and government executive to be his health and human services secretary, overseeing a $1 trillion department responsible for major health insurance programs, medical research, food and drug safety, and public health.

53. 3 Things: Yellen's Impact on the Fed and the US Economy - Monday, November 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – After she steps down in February, Janet Yellen will go into history books at the first woman to have led the Federal Reserve in its 100-year history. But Yellen, who has earned widespread praise for her stewardship of the Fed, will be remembered for much more than breaking a glass ceiling at the world's leading central bank.

54. Under Pressure, Social Media Giants Acknowledge Meddling - Friday, November 3, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – In three exhaustive hearings this week, executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google acknowledged that their platforms were used by Russia to try and create division over such disparate issues as immigration, gun control and politics. House investigators released a trove of Facebook and Twitter ads that showed just how extraordinary the cyber intrusion was.

55. Harris Cites Effects of ‘Trump Approach’ on County Races - Friday, November 3, 2017

Three weeks into his run for Shelby County mayor on the 2018 ballot, state Sen. Lee Harris told a group of 30 supporters in Victorian Village Wednesday, Nov. 1, that he is running as a response to the “Trump approach.”

56. Trump Distances Himself From Indicted Former Aides - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump moved quickly Monday to distance himself and the White House from the indictment of his former campaign chairman and another aide, saying Paul Manafort's alleged misdeeds occurred "years ago" and insisting there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

57. Still No Charity Money From Leftover Trump Inaugural Funds - Monday, September 18, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's inaugural committee raised an unprecedented $107 million for a ceremony that officials promised would be "workmanlike," and the committee pledged to give leftover funds to charity. Nearly eight months later, the group has helped pay for redecorating at the White House and the vice president's residence in Washington.

58. Republicans Unveil Long-Shot Effort on Health Care - Thursday, September 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators on Wednesday rolled out competing plans for the nation's health care system, with a group of GOP senators making a last, long-shot effort to undo Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders proposing universal government-run coverage.

59. Trump Bashes NAFTA in Midst of Talks to Revamp Trade Deal - Thursday, August 24, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Just a week into talks to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement, President Donald Trump is already threatening to abandon the 23-year-old pact with Canada and Mexico.

60. Trump Ousts Bannon, His Influential, Divisive Strategist - Monday, August 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Steve Bannon, the blunt-spoken and divisive strategist who rose from Donald Trump's conservative campaign to a top White House post, was pushed out by the president Friday, capping a turbulent seven months marked by the departure of much of Trump's original senior staff.

61. Kelly Wins Praise Across The Aisle, But Bigger Task is Ahead - Wednesday, August 2, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Raised voices could be heard through the thick door to the Oval Office as John Kelly – then secretary of Homeland Security – offered some tough talk to President Donald Trump.

62. Remember Memphis? Titans Would Rather Not - Friday, July 28, 2017

Time flies, doesn’t it? A lot can happen in 20 years. Think about it: In 1997, Bill Clinton was sworn in for his second term as president. Princess Di was killed in a car crash. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 8,000 for the first time. And the Tennessee Oilers played their home games in Memphis.

63. Dean Touts ‘Middle Of the Road’ Focus For Democrats - Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean is making exactly the same observation in his bid for the Democratic nomination for Tennessee governor that Republicans are making on their side of the 2018 race.

64. July 14-20, 2017: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, July 15, 2017

2015: Former President Bill Clinton is in Memphis to speak at funeral services for Circuit Court Judge D’Army Bailey at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. The day before, Bailey lies in state at the National Civil Rights Museum, which he helped found.

65. Legislature Losing Some Powerful, Familiar Members - Thursday, July 13, 2017

A shakeup in leadership is looming for the state Legislature, though it may portend more of a change in personalities than party strength.

In the House, longtime Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, the affable Democrat from Ripley in West Tennessee, is preparing for a 2018 gubernatorial run, a move that would knock him out of his House seat, at least temporarily, and the position as Democratic Caucus leader.

66. Last Word: Vince Carter Leaves, Fairgrounds and Pulling the Plug on Green Tech - Friday, July 7, 2017

Vince Carter joins Zach Randolph with the Sacramento Kings next NBA season with an $8 million one-year pact for Carter. Still no word on Tony Allen’s free agency status as we put this up. The Grizz plan to retire Randolph’s jersey.

67. Burned Former Home of President Clinton a Total Loss - Tuesday, June 20, 2017

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A northwest Arkansas house once occupied by former President Bill Clinton that was damaged by fire has been deemed a total loss.

The home now owned by Stephanie and Robert Dzur and occupied by Stephanie Dzur's father burned June 8.

68. Poll: 2 in 3 Tennessee Voters Favor Immigrant Tuition Break - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – About two out of three registered voters in the state think Tennessee students whose parents brought or kept them in the country illegally should be eligible for in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities, according to a poll released by Vanderbilt University on Tuesday.

69. Progress Reducing US Uninsured Rate Comes to a Halt - Wednesday, May 17, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Five years of progress reducing the number of Americans without health insurance has come to a halt, according to a government report out Tuesday. More than a factoid, it shows the stakes in the Republican drive to roll back the Affordable Care Act.

70. Who are the Lawyers and Judges Debating Trump Travel Ban? - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

SEATTLE (AP) – Two lawyers with broad experience before the U.S. Supreme Court argued for and against President Donald Trump's travel ban Monday before a panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Three judges appointed by President Bill Clinton heard the case over the executive order that targets six predominantly Muslim countries.

71. Travel Ban Judges Scrutinize Trump's Muslim Statements - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

SEATTLE (AP) – Federal judges on Monday peppered a lawyer for President Donald Trump with questions about whether the administration's travel ban discriminates against Muslims and zeroed in on the president's campaign statements, the second time in a week the rhetoric has faced judicial scrutiny.

72. Kustoff Talks Comey Missteps, Health Care - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The FBI investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign will continue without fired FBI director James Comey, says U.S. Rep. David Kustoff.

73. Trump Launches Commission to Investigate Voter Fraud - Friday, May 12, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday launching a commission to review alleged voter fraud and voter suppression, building upon his unsubstantiated claims that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election.

74. Comey Sought More Russia Probe Resources Before Firing - Thursday, May 11, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – In the days before his firing by President Donald Trump, FBI Director James Comey told U.S. lawmakers he had asked the Justice Department for more resources to pursue the bureau's investigation into Russia's interference in last year's presidential election, three U.S. officials said Wednesday.

75. 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.

76. Memphis Democrats Prepare To Reorganize - Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Shelby County Democrats hope to have the local party up and running by the Fourth of July. The Shelby County Democratic Party was disbanded by the Tennessee Democratic Party in August after two disastrous county election cycles for the Democratic slate and increasing dysfunction by the local party’s executive committee.

77. Last Word: Two Science Marches, Bill Lee Kicks Off and Andrew Young on Ben Hooks - Monday, April 24, 2017

Rainy Sunday in the city with ponchoed partisans of the Porter-Leath Ragin' Cajun gathering and Africa in April overlapping from the riverfront to Danny Thomas Boulevard. In Germantown, it was a soggy but colorful 5k for the Germantown Municipal School District with shades of blue, orange and of course pink, or was it red?, at different parts of the run.

78. 3 Women to be Honored at Legends Luncheon - Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Three women who have made huge contributions to local women and families will be honored at the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM) 2017 Annual Tribute Luncheon on Thursday, April 27, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center.

79. Mississippi Ethics Law Will Restrict Use of Campaign Money - Thursday, April 13, 2017

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi politicians will face new limits next year on how they can use campaign cash, under an ethics law the Legislature passed after media investigations revealed spending on everything from mortgage payments to cowboy boots.

80. Civil Rights Activist Owens Calls Out Memphis Lawmaker - Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Memphis civil rights activist Bill Owens, who campaigned for Republican Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race, is criticizing a state legislator who refused to back his political efforts in a statement on the House floor.

81. View From the Hill: A Disjointed Stash of Marijuana Bills - Thursday, March 30, 2017

This year’s marijuana bills are a mixed bag.

Rep. Jeremy Faison is sending his medical marijuana legislation to a task force, as opposed to “summer study,” typically considered the trash heap for unwanted bills.

82. Trump: Next Old Hickory or Carnival Barker - Thursday, March 23, 2017

For those who ignore the news – fake or otherwise – Donald Trump won the presidency last November.

While he didn’t capture a majority of the vote, he did win the electoral vote, causing many detractors to call for the elimination of this outdated voting method.

83. 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.”

84. Last Word: Calipari Madness, Wolfchase 20 Years On and The Path Beyond Chemo - Monday, March 20, 2017

John Calipari returns to Memphis at week’s end after Kentucky advanced Sunday to the NCAA South semifinals at FedExForum Friday. But based on the way his team played Sunday after a close game with Northwestern Saturday he might not be here long.

85. 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.”

86. Trump's Budget: Build Up Military, Build the Wall - Friday, March 17, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump unveiled a $1.15 trillion budget Thursday, proposing a far-reaching overhaul of federal spending that would slash many domestic programs to finance a big increase for the military and make a down payment on a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

87. Fitzhugh Talks About Race for Governor Without Formally Committing - Thursday, March 2, 2017

NASHVILLE – House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh hasn’t officially entered the 2018 race for governor, but he has a “gut feeling” it’s a step he should take.

88. Tennessee GOP Leaders Expecting Crowded Field in 2018 Governor’s Race - Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Former Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd got two mentions last Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Greater Memphis Chamber’s breakfast forum – one from guest speaker U.S. Rep. David Kustoff and another from chamber president Phil Trenary.

89. Local Democratic and Republican Partisans Already Looking To 2018 - Tuesday, February 28, 2017

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff says former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey was right in describing his 8th Congressional District as the most Republican of the state’s nine congressional districts.

90. Last Word: State of the State React, Reverse Logistics and Speed Limiters - Tuesday, January 31, 2017

As the work week began, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis joining House Democrats in sponsoring a bill that would bar the use of any federal funds to carry out President Trump’s order barring refugees from seven majority Muslim countries.

91. Cohen Co-Sponsors Bill to Stop Trump Immigration Order - Tuesday, January 31, 2017

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen is among the House sponsors of a bill that would prohibit the use of federal funds to enforce President Donald Trump’s order barring refugees from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days.

92. AP-NORC Poll: Americans of All Stripes Say Fix Health Care - Thursday, January 19, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sylvia Douglas twice voted for President Barack Obama and last year cast a ballot for Democrat Hillary Clinton. But when it comes to "Obamacare," she now sounds like President-elect Donald Trump. This makes her chuckle amid the serious choices she faces every month between groceries, electricity and paying a health insurance bill that has jumped by nearly $400.

93. Tennessee Lawmakers Act on Balanced Budget Convention to Curb ‘Crippling’ National Debt - Friday, January 13, 2017

Saying they can avoid a “runaway” convention for “crazy or radical ideas,” Republican state legislators are filing legislation calling for a convention of states in Nashville to adopt a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

94. Tennessee Acts on Balanced Budget Convention to Curb ‘Crippling’ National Debt - Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Saying they can avoid a “runaway” convention for “crazy or radical ideas,” Republican state legislators are filing legislation calling for a convention of states in Nashville to adopt a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

95. Trump’s Turn - Saturday, January 7, 2017

If the election of Donald Trump was a mystery, there are even more questions about what will he do once he takes office Jan. 20. The clues may or may not be in the conduct of his campaign.

“Donald Trump campaigned without being tied to the traditional parameters of conservative-liberal dialogue that we’ve come to know over the past 20 or 30 years,” said Memphis attorney John Ryder, who is legal counsel to the Republican National Committee. “The hopeful part about that is that allows him to move past those divisions and enter new territory.”

96. Ford Cancels Plan to Build New Mexican Plant, Adds US Jobs - Wednesday, January 4, 2017

FLAT ROCK, Mich. (AP) – The auto industry's relationship with President-elect Donald Trump took a dramatic turn Tuesday as Ford Motor Co. decided to shift investment dollars targeted for Mexico to the U.S., while Trump threatened General Motors with a tax on some imported small cars.

97. 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.

98. Riding Momentum - Saturday, December 31, 2016

Around this time each year, everyone tends to start fetishizing the blank slate a bit, with its attendant allure of reinvention and that sweeping away of the old order to make way for what comes next.

99. Presidential Election Tops Busy Year for Memphis Voters - Friday, December 30, 2016

2016 was an eventful election year in Shelby County, ending with the most popular voting cycle in Shelby County politics: the U.S. presidential general election in November. Slightly more than 60 percent of the county’s voters cast a ballot either during early voting in October or on the Nov. 8 Election Day.

100. Big Business Warns Trump Against Mass Deportation - Monday, December 12, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — Still grappling with Donald Trump's surprise election, the nation's business community has begun to pressure the president-elect to abandon campaign-trail pledges of mass deportation and other hard-line immigration policies that some large employers fear would hurt the economy.