A big weekend to avoid the interstate with a rare closing of I-240 between the 385 split and the I-40 split and Poplar over I-240 also closed in both directions. This kicks in Friday evening and runs up to Monday morning’s rush hour as TDOT crews work to replace four bridges in East Memphis using a relatively new process in which parts of the bridges are assembled in advance and then moved into place. The bridges are both Poplar bridges, the Park Avenue bridge and the Norfolk Southern rail bridge. And this will happen all over again in about a week’s time using the same schedule, weather permitting. Weekenders on the interstate already have some experience with a milder version of this with the interstate projects on the south leg

2. The Fuse - Saturday, July 21, 2018

Where and when to hold early voting has been such a low-grade political tug of war in the scheme of low-turnout Memphis elections that it hasn’t caused much of a ripple in the city’s deep political waters.

3. State Sen. Tate Censured by Local Democratic Party - Friday, July 20, 2018

Amid early voting, the Shelby County Democratic Party is censuring state Sen. Reginald Tate for comments he made about Democrats this summer and for calling himself a “black Republican.”

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. Tate Censured by Local Democratic Party - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Amid early voting, the Shelby County Democratic Party is censuring state Sen. Reginald Tate for derogatory comments he made about Democrats this summer and for calling himself a “black Republican.”

6. Last Word: Storm and Early Voting Numbers, Frayser Revival and FCC at Baptist - Monday, July 16, 2018

That was loud and wet. After the storms moved through the city Sunday evening, about 20,000 MLGW customers were without power. That was down to 5,000 by midnight. With that let’s begin with early voting turnout, shall we. Monday being the last day of early-early voting with five of the 27 sites across the county. The others open Tuesday with early voting running through July 28 and election day Aug. 2. Here is the list of early voting sites and their hours from the Shelby County Election Commission.

7. Early-Voting Plan Takes Final Turn In Court - Thursday, July 12, 2018

Plans changed once again Tuesday, July 11, leading up to the Friday opening of the early-voting period in advance of the Aug. 2 Election Day.

And even more changes proposed by elections administrators nearly derailed the legal process governed by Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins.

8. Early Voting Schedule Changes Again as Court Order Signed - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

UPDATE: The court order governing early voting in advance of the Aug. 2 election day changed again Tuesday, July 10, as Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins amended his Monday order to permit all 27 early voting sites to open Tuesday -- keeping the previous plan to open five of those sites Friday when the 14-day early voting period begins this Friday.

9. Jenkins Orders Changes to Early Voting Roll Out - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

The day after Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins ordered a rearrangement of early voting scheduled to begin Friday, the attorney for the Shelby County Election Commission was contemplating an appeal of the ruling.

10. Early-Voting Challenge Touches On Other Issues of Open Government - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

The local Democratic Party’s political and legal challenge of early-voting sites and hours is also part of a larger challenge of how decisions are made in city and county government.

In one of the two Chancery Court lawsuits over early voting filed Friday, July 6, former city council member Myron Lowery and Shelby County Democratic Party chairman Corey Strong claim the election commission violated the state’s open-meetings law by meeting in secret to plan the addition of more sites for the July early-voting period.

11. Democrats, NAACP Go To Court Over Early Voting Sites, Hours - Friday, July 6, 2018

The Shelby County Democratic Party and several other organizations including the Memphis Branch NAACP have filed two lawsuits against the Shelby County Election Commission in Shelby County Chancery Court over early voting locations and hours in advance of the Aug. 2 election day.

12. Editorial: Early Voting Review Should Be Bipartisan - Saturday, July 7, 2018

From the outset of early voting in Shelby County 24 years ago, there was never an expectation that going to the polls for two weeks before Election Day would increase the overall turnout.

If that happened it was considered to be an added benefit. But the goal of early voting was convenience and maybe a step or two down the road to a time when we would vote at fewer polling places once this became a habit.

13. Democrats Organize for Early Voter Turnout at Germantown Site - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Shelby County Democrats plan to bring out Democratic voters on the July 13 opening of the early-voting period at two polling sites – one each in Whitehaven and Germantown.

The Shelby County Election Commission picked those two locations – Abundant Grace Fellowship Church in Whitehaven and New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Germantown – last week as a compromise to complaints about making Agricenter International the only early-voting site open for the entire 14-day period in advance of the Aug. 2 Election Day.

14. Early Voting Becomes Issue, Cause in Run-Up To Aug. 2 Election Day - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Since early voting began in Tennessee in July 1994, it hasn’t increased voter turnout in Shelby County – at least not on its own in a sustained way. That still depends on what and who is on the ballot.

15. Election Commission Compromise on Early Voting Pleases Few Critics - Saturday, June 30, 2018

Shelby County election commissioners voted Friday, June 29, to rearrange the early voting schedule in advance of the Aug. 2 election day – keeping 25 of the 26 sites, substituting an East Memphis church for another church in the area that is having HVAC problems and adding a 27th early voting site at the election commission offices in Shelby Farms Park.

16. Election Commission Reviews Democrats’ Complaints About Early-Voting Sites - Friday, June 29, 2018

The Shelby County Election Commission meets Friday, June 29, to hear complaints from local Democrats about the locations and hours of early-voting sites in advance of the Aug. 2 Election Day.

Corey Strong, chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party, said Wednesday the election commission should apologize for having Agricenter International as the only site for early voting the first four days of the early-voting period.

17. Democrats Cry Foul on Early Voting Sites - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

The chairman of the Shelby County Democratic party says the Shelby County Election Commission should apologize for having Agricenter International as the only site for early voting the first four days of the early voting period in advance of the Aug. 2 election day.

18. Local Republicans and Democrats Regroup From May County Primaries for Unity - Thursday, May 10, 2018

Shelby County Republican Party chairman Lee Mills knows what it is like to lose an election. Four years ago he ran for alderman in Arlington and lost by 21 votes.

19. Once America's Best-Selling Car, The Ford Taurus Dies, Again - Monday, April 30, 2018

DETROIT (AP) – A car that once was America's top-seller is about to die – for a second time.

Ford Taurus, may you rest in peace at the salvage yard.

Blame the full-size sedan's slow demise on the national obsession with SUVs and Ford Motor Co.'s need to slash costs and remake itself for a new era of self-driving cars and shuttles.

20. 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.

21. Taking Stock: Titans’ Top Needs for 2018 - Friday, February 9, 2018

With the Super Bowl in the books and another NFL season come and gone, it will soon be time to prepare for the 2018 season.

For the Tennessee Titans, that means trying to fill in the remaining pieces of the puzzle to take another step toward reaching the big game.

22. Candidates in August State and Federal Primaries Start Pulling Petitions Friday - Thursday, January 4, 2018

Contenders for the May Shelby County primaries are still coming out of the political woodwork. And starting Friday, Jan. 5, candidates in the August state and federal primaries can begin pulling qualifying petitions for the second of three elections in 2018.

23. Last Word: Extradition Delay, Last Council Day of 2017 and The Skeleton Hotel - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When Sherra Wright made her first court appearance Monday in Riverside, California she was in a wheelchair. And her public defender there wants to delay an extradition hearing on the conspiracy, first degree murder and attempted first degree murder charges she faces in Memphis until a doctor can examine here. The hearing is reset for Wednesday.

24. Party Leaders: Voter Turnout Trumps Trump - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The chairmen of the local Democratic and Republican parties are leading very different game plans into the 2018 elections.

While the focus may be local politics and voter turnout, Shelby County Democratic Party chairman Corey Strong and Shelby County Republican Party chairman Lee Mills are not blind to what is happening nationally.

25. Last Word: California Extradition, Corker's Vote on Tax Reform and Post Kirk & Crum - Monday, December 18, 2017

The ex-wife of Tigers and Grizz basketball great Lorenzen Wright is due in a California courtroom Monday morning as extradition proceedings begin following Sherra Wright’s arrest there Friday evening on a Shelby County grand jury indictment here on charges of conspiracy, first degree murder and attempted murder.

26. Last Word: Early Statewide Poll, New Chandler Numbers and Lyfe in East Memphis - Friday, December 15, 2017

Vanderbilt has a new statewide fall poll out that shows a few things – most of them very preliminary other than this is still early for voters who don’t live and breathe politics. Diane Black and Randy Boyd are tops in terms of name recognition in the Republican six-pack running for Governor. And the Marsha Blackburn-Phil Bredesen November general election matchup for the U.S. Senate is rapidly becoming a lock before Christmas 2017.

27. 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.

28. Graham-Cassidy Bill Withdrawn Amidst Local Protest - Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Ahead of an increasingly tentative vote on the latest Republican health care proposal in the U.S. Senate, about 100 critics of the Graham-Cassidy bill rallied Downtown Monday, Sept. 25, to call for U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee to vote against the proposal.

29. Titans Begin Season With Questions At Wide Receiver - Friday, September 8, 2017

For most of their two decades in Tennessee, the wide receiver position has been a glaring hole for the Titans.

Other than the years when Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett were among Steve McNair’s primary targets, and an occasional quality free agent signing like Nate Washington, there have been many swings and misses when it comes to the Titans and the wide receiver position.

30. Kelly, Legacy Teammates Ready for Final Season With Vols - Friday, August 11, 2017

Todd Kelly Jr. can’t believe it’s his last hoorah. The senior safety from Webb School of Knoxville enters his final season at Tennessee with thoughts of how it all started in fall of 2014.

31. Last Word: The Orange Mound Way, Midtown Apartments and 'I Am A Man' Plaza - Tuesday, August 8, 2017

First day of school redux on Tuesday for students in Memphis Catholic Schools and it is a half-day. The first day of classes in most of the county’s other schools Monday went smoothly. Shelby County Schools reports more than 6,000 students registered on the first day of school despite another concerted effort at numerous events to register students in advance. That’s in a school system of approximately 96,000 students.

32. Strong: Democrats Must Reconnect With Voters - Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The new chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party says the local party has lost its voters and getting them back is the path to victory in the 2018 county elections and beyond.

Corey Strong, an attorney and special projects director for Shelby County Schools, was elected chairman of the reorganized local party Saturday, Aug. 5, following its dissolution by the Tennessee Democratic Party a year ago.

33. Last Word: School Days, MLGW Moves Off Beale and Room For Peter Pan To Fly - Monday, August 7, 2017

The K-12 school year begins Monday for most of Shelby County including the state’s largest public school system right here. Some schools have started earlier and some start later. So remember that in your daily travels going forward even if you don’t have school age children.

34. Strong is New Local Democratic Party Chairman - Saturday, August 5, 2017

The new chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party is Corey Strong, an attorney and special projects director for Shelby County Schools.

35. Last Word: Alexander and Corker Differ, Instant Runoff React and Kroger On Hold - Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators split their votes Tuesday in Washington on the vote that followed the vote to open debate on a repeal and replacement of Obamacare. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker both voted yes on the debate motion. But then Corker was one of the nine Republican Senate votes that killed the Obamacare replacement plan known as BCRA, while Alexander voted for it.

36. New Shelby County Democratic Party Still Faces Challenges - Tuesday, July 25, 2017

The Shelby County Democratic Party is almost back as a reconstituted organization and it has a lot of new blood as well as new rules.

But the final verdict on the party’s effectiveness in a county where Democrats are the majority is still out even after the Saturday, July 22, party convention.

37. New Local Democratic Party Council Features Lots of New Faces - Saturday, July 22, 2017

Shelby County Democrats selected 102 citizens Saturday, July 22, to the local party’s new Democratic Grass Roots Council and 26 of those 102 to the local party’s executive committee in a local party convention at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

38. White House Communications Director Resigns Amid Tensions - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – A top White House communications staffer has resigned as President Donald Trump considers a major staff overhaul amid intensifying inquiries into his campaign's dealings with Russia.

39. How Did Vols Not Win More With This Talent? - Friday, May 5, 2017

One check of the 2017 NFL Draft shows why Tennessee was the favorite to win the SEC East Division last fall.

UT had six players drafted in the first four rounds, the most for the program since 2002, breaking a two-year drought with no players. The six Vols drafted tied for the most since 2010 and 2007. Eight Vols were drafted in 2003 and 10 drafted in 2002.

40. 'Who is a Democrat?' - Friday, May 5, 2017

Through two meetings in less than a week, the leader of a reorganization of the Shelby County Democratic Party has heard one discussion more than any other issue raised in the gatherings.

“Who is a Democrat?” attorney and former local party chairman David Cocke said in defining the issue at the start of the second forum in Midtown Wednesday, May 3.

41. Spring Lessons: Here’s Who Vols Will Start - Friday, April 28, 2017

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones isn’t big on naming starters and divulging depth charts. Not until he has to. So it comes as no surprise the Vols enter summer workouts and fall camp with junior Quinten Dormady and redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano still competing for the starting quarterback’s job.

42. Who Will Grab the Spotlight in Vols' Spring Game? - Friday, April 21, 2017

Tennessee completes its fifth spring practice under head coach Butch Jones on Saturday, April 22, at 4 p.m. with the DISH Orange & White Game at Neyland Stadium.

It’s merely the beginning as the Vols prepare for the 2017 season.

43. Vols Need a Good Spring With So Many No. 1 Players Gone - Friday, March 17, 2017

Butch Jones is about to embark on his most crucial of five seasons as Tennessee’s football coach, and it begins with spring practices starting Tuesday, March 21.

Jones is coming off back-to-back 9-4 seasons capped by bowl wins, but has fallen short of the SEC East Division title both years. He was the preseason favorite to win the East in 2016, and the previous year had a team with potential to win the division.

44. Back-to-Back Dak? Dobbs Shines at Senior Bowl - Friday, February 3, 2017

To say Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs might be the next Dak Prescott is a stretch. Or is it? Prescott, the former Mississippi State quarterback, caught the eye of the Dallas Cowboys with his MVP performance in the 2016 Senior Bowl. The Cowboys chose Prescott in the fourth round (No. 135 overall pick) of the 2016 NFL Draft, and it proved a fruitful pick.

45. What Lies Ahead for UT Athletics in 2017 - Friday, December 30, 2016

Hey Vols fans, Happy New Year. May your 2017 year in Tennessee sports be better than your 2016 year in Tennessee sports. Perhaps, a fresh start is what we all need. Let’s face it. The Music City Bowl wasn’t where Tennessee wanted the 2016 football season to end. The Vols were picked to win the SEC East Division in preseason and floundered to an 8-4 record in the regular season, 4-4 in the SEC. Their football season was about the norm for most UT sports in 2016: average. Here are some dates to mark in hope of better things ahead in 2017...

46. Long Offseason Ahead for Jones - Friday, December 16, 2016

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones has plenty of winning to do next year. For starters, UT (8-4, 4-4 SEC) needs to win the Dec. 30 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville against Nebraska (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten).

47. Vols Get Midterm B Despite Back-to-Back Losses - Friday, October 21, 2016

Tennessee’s football team is spending this week’s open date trying to get healthy after a rugged four-game stretch of SEC football in which they defeated Florida and Georgia and lost to Texas A&M and Alabama.

48. Dobbs’ Health is Priority No. 1 on Road to Being No. 1 - Saturday, July 23, 2016

Tennessee’s football team had nine players earn All-SEC preseason honors and got the nod as favorite to win the East Division as SEC Media Days concluded last week in Hoover, Alabama.

All signs point to the Vols making a return to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta for the first time since 2007, with their two biggest games are at Neyland Stadium this year against Florida on Sept. 24 and Alabama on Oct. 15.

49. New Regime Begins Rebuild at NFL Combine - Saturday, February 27, 2016

The sports nation’s eyes are rarely fixed on the Tennessee Titans. The upcoming season will be the franchise’s 20th year in the state of Tennessee, and except for their Super Bowl run in 1999 and a couple of playoff years where they were the No. 1 seed, the Titans haven’t really commanded the full attention of the football world.

50. Callahan Breaks Down UT’s 'Pretty Impressive' Recruiting Class - Saturday, February 20, 2016

Tennessee football coach Butch Jones keeps his pulse on recruiting year-around, along with his SEC counterparts and other FBS coaches.

Chasing recruits is an endless cycle, the lifeblood of championship football teams.

51. Northwestern Defense Tough, But Give Edge to UT - Saturday, December 26, 2015

There’s nothing like spending the Christmas holidays in Florida, and Tennessee’s football team will savor every minute of it for the second consecutive year.

The Vols (8-4) board a flight Saturday morning to Tampa, Fla., where they will spend almost a week before the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl against Northwestern (10-2).

52. Success Looks Like Five-Game Win Streak For Vols - Saturday, October 31, 2015

Leaves are changing colors, a chill is in the fall air and Tennessee’s football schedule is getting softer.

Happens every year.

We’ve all heard by now how Tennessee is the best 3-4 team in college football. Now is the time to prove it.

53. Here’s How Vols Grade Going Into Second Half - Saturday, October 17, 2015

Order has been restored in Vol Nation, at least for now.

Tennessee’s football team restored it with a 38-31 victory over then-No. 19 Georgia last Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

UT’s rally from a 24-3 deficit has much of the fan base back on board with Vols coach Butch Jones and his staff after a precarious week leading up to the game.

54. Despite Personnel Losses, UT’s Defense Should Be Much-Improved - Saturday, August 29, 2015

John Jancek begins his third season as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator under head coach Butch Jones, and thanks to two solid recruiting classes should have his best defense with the Vols.

UT is bigger and faster on the defensive side than the previous two seasons, when the Vols showed improvement from the 2012 season by shaving more than 100 yards and 11 points per game allowed.

55. Kelly, Berry Battle for Safety Spot in Legacy Showdown - Saturday, April 25, 2015

Todd Kelly Jr. concludes his first spring practice with Tennessee’s football team this week in a heated competition for a safety job.

56. Injuries Slow Development of Vols Defensive Players - Saturday, April 11, 2015

Tennessee football fans might want to look past the defensive lineup for the Orange & White Spring Game. It will bear little resemblance to the unit that will start the 2015 season opener against Bowling Green on Sept. 5 at Nashville’s LP Field.

57. Consumers Fuel Steady US Economy as Rest of World Struggles - Monday, February 2, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – There's a good reason the U.S. economy is impressing the world right now despite a slowdown in the final three months of 2014: In a word, steadiness.

Companies have been hiring at healthy rates for the past year. Layoffs hover near historic lows. Auto sales are strong. Gas prices have sunk. Congressional budget fights have faded. Americans are increasingly confident.

58. Vol Players See TaxSlayer Win as a Big Step for Program - Saturday, December 27, 2014

KNOXVILLE – Christmas break has come and gone for the University of Tennessee’s football team. Now it’s back to business.

The Vols return to campus for practice Saturday and, after a Sunday practice, fly to Jacksonville for the Jan. 2 game against Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl, formerly the Gator Bowl.

59. Waddell’s Ideals Centered on Consistency, Honesty - Saturday, March 2, 2013

At a recent appearance in Nashville before an audience of 100 clients, friends and employees at the Country Music Hall of Fame, David Waddell of Waddell & Associates Inc. gave his company’s annual state of the union address.

60. Wyatt Tarrant Summer Associate Wins Honor - Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Corey Strong, a summer associate with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP, has been awarded the National Bar Association’s Ben F. Jones Chapter Scholarship for second-year law students.

61. New Law Scholarship Honors Dr. Hooks - Thursday, August 11, 2011

Corey Strong, a graduate of White Station High School and the U.S. Naval Academy who recently returned home to Memphis from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, is the first recipient of a new college scholarship in honor of the late civil rights pioneer Benjamin L. Hooks.

62. GOP Carries Countywide Offices - Friday, August 6, 2010

The only thing Republican candidates in Shelby County were denied in the Aug. 5 elections was a majority on the Shelby County Commission. The local GOP slate swept every countywide partisan race on the ballot with Thursday’s election results.

Voter turnout – early and Election Day – was almost 30 percent of Shelby County’s 600,000 voters. All election returns will be audited and must be certified by the Shelby County Election Commission.

Republican Bill Oldham, the former chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Department under outgoing Sheriff Mark Luttrell, beat Democrat Randy Wade in the race for sheriff.

The unofficial returns with all precincts reporting were:

Oldham: 89,613 (52%)

Wade: 82,981 (48%)

Wade, who was the Democratic nominee for sheriff in 2002, linked his 2010 campaign to the re-election bid of Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen. Wade, a former sheriff’s deputy, is Cohen’s district director.

Oldham campaigned on continuing the policies of Luttrell. But his campaign faltered when Oldham was forced to resign his job as chief deputy – the No. 2 position in the department – following a complaint to the U.S. Justice Department that his candidacy violated the Federal Hatch Act.

The civil complaint investigated by the Justice Department’s Office of Special Counsel left Oldham with the choice of either quitting the job or quitting the race. To keep both could have jeopardized federal funding the department receives.

The complaint was unique because deputies and high-ranking officers running for sheriff has been a regular feature of the sheriff’s race for decades. It wasn’t until 2002 that those in the department were required to take a leave of absence if they ran.

In other general election races, challenger Ken Hoover lost to Shelby County School Board Chairman David Pickler in the race for the District 5 seat on the seven-member board.

Pickler has been chairman for 11 of the 12 years the school board has been an elected body. Pickler ran on his record as chairman. Hoover also ran on Pickler’s record, saying his leadership style was too autocratic and not transparent enough.

The unofficial results were:

Pickler: 5,123 (51%)

Hoover: 4,956 (49%)

In the two other contested school board races, former Bolton High School principal Snowden “Butch” Carruthers beat Millington parent Charlene White in District 1. And political newcomer David Reaves beat fellow newcomer Lara A. McIntyre, both of Bartlett, for the District 3 seat.

White and McIntyre both called for change in school board methods during their campaigns.

District 7 school board member Ernest Chism ran unopposed.

The even-numbered district school board seats are on the 2012 county ballot.

After running for Probate Court clerk three other times, Democratic nominee Sondra Becton could not claim the office on her fourth try – even with the incumbent she campaigned against the three other times out of the race. Republican contender Paul Boyd easily beat Becton in the race for the office Chris Thomas gave up to run for and win a seat on the Shelby County Commission.

Becton lost to Thomas by 604 votes four years ago and was among the four Democratic challengers who unsuccessfully challenged the results in Chancery Court. This time she lost by more than 6,500 votes.

The vote totals were:

Boyd: 82,259 (52%)

Becton: 75,702 (48%)

Republican Tom Leatherwood easily defeated Democratic challenger Coleman Thompson to remain Shelby County register. The two faced each other in 2006, with Leatherwood winning.

The results Thursday were:

Leatherwood: 96,531 (58%)

Thompson: 68,784 (42%)

As early voting began, Thompson’s Pyramid Recovery Center was evicted from its longtime South Memphis space that was also an early voting site and an election day polling place. The landlord agreed to leave the voting sites up and running. But the possibility of a change in polling places served to highlight Thompson’s financial problems.

Late publicity about financial problems took a toll on another Democratic contender.

Newcomer Corey Maclin began campaigning early for Shelby County clerk, with incumbent Republican Debbie Stamson not seeking re-election. Maclin lost to Republican nominee Wayne Mashburn, the son of late county clerk Sonny Mashburn.

The unofficial returns were:

Mashburn: 88,619 (55%)

Maclin: 72,651 (45%)

Stamson’s husband, Steve Stamson, retired as Juvenile Court clerk, setting up the race that was won by Republican nominee Joy Touliatos, the chief administrative officer of the clerk’s office. She beat Democratic nominee Shep Wilbun, who won appointment to the clerk’s office in 2000 but lost to Stamson in the 2002 election and was beaten by Stamson again in 2006.

With all precincts reporting, the numbers were:

Touliatos: 85,849 (51%)

Wilbun: 73,345 (44%)

The remaining votes went to independent candidate Julia R. Wiseman.

Also seeking a return to countywide office was Minerva Johnican. Johnican, the Democratic nominee for Criminal Court clerk, lost to Republican nominee Kevin Key, the son of outgoing Criminal Court Clerk Bill Key and an administrator with the Circuit Court Clerk’s office.

The results were:

Key: 79,755 (49%)

Johnican: 74,831 (46%)

Independent candidate Jerry Stamson: 8,581 (5%)

Johnican, also a former Memphis City Council member and Shelby County Commissioner lost the clerk’s job in 1994 when she was upset by the elder Key.

Incumbent Republican Circuit Court Clerk Jimmy Moore easily defeated Democratic challenger Ricky Dixon. Although Dixon was part of the effort by Democratic party leaders to get voters to vote the entire party slate, Moore continued to show up at Democratic functions and make his case for crossover votes.

Regina Morrison Newman, the third Shelby County tustee in four years, lost her bid for a full term in the office to Republican challenger David Lenoir. It was an impressive political debut for Lenoir, who had heavy backing from the local GOP.

The results were:

Lenoir: 77,166 (49%)

Newman: 72,618 (46%)

Independent candidate Derrick Bennett: 6,353 (4%)

Newman was appointed to the office by the Shelby County Commission following the 2009 death of Trustee Paul Mattila. Mattila was appointed to the office and won a special election for the position following the 2008 death of Bob Patterson. Patterson was re-elected to a four-year term in 2006.

In the judicial races:

Attorney Bill Anderson Jr. emerged atop a field of 20 candidates for General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 7 with 15 percent of the vote. Assistant County Attorney Janet Lansky Shipman was second and the only other contender to go into double digit percentages. The 20 candidates were the largest field in any race – primary or general – on the Shelby County ballot.

Prosecutor Bobby Carter, who had the backing of District Attorney General Bill Gibbons and former District Attorney General John Pierotti, was elected judge of Criminal Court Div. 3 in a close race with attorneys Glenn Wright and Latonya Sue Burrow.

Carter got 26 percent of the vote to Wright’s 25 percent and Burrow’s 24.7 percent.

The results in the three other special judicial races saw the three appointed judges rejected by voters.

• Lee Wilson, the appointee to General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Div. 10, lost to former General Sessions Court Clerk Chris Turner by more than 64,000 votes. Turner’s victory was the strongest proof of the strong Republican turnout for races across the general election ballot. Turner had been the General Sessions Court clerk until 2006, when he was upset by Democratic challenger Otis Jackson. He is also a former Republican state legislator.
• Lorrie Ridder, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 4, lost to attorney Gina Higgins by about 5,000 votes.
• Rhynette Northcross Hurd, the appointee to Circuit Court Judge Div. 8, lost to attorney Bob Weiss by more than 12,000 votes.

Ridder and Hurd had been appointed to the Circuit Court vacancies by Gov. Phil Bredesen, who picked them each from a list of three finalists from the Judicial Nominating Commission. Bredesen even taped a robo-call on behalf of Hurd, his first robo-call for any candidate in the state.

Wilson was appointed to the General Sessions vacancy by the Shelby County Commission and adopted a domestic violence case docket for the court.

63. Vanguard Health Plans to Buy Mich. Hospital System - Monday, March 22, 2010

DETROIT (AP) - Detroit Medical Center officials said Friday that plans for the nonprofit hospital system to be purchased by the privately held Vanguard Health Systems Inc. will allow it to maintain its commitment to charitable care and boost investment in its future.

64. County Primary Fields Clear Up - Monday, February 22, 2010

The newest candidate for Shelby County mayor is scheduled to talk about his decision later today.

General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson was a last-minute filer in the Democratic primary for mayor at noon Thursday. Jackson’s decision was the biggest surprise at the deadline.

65. 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)

66. Levitt Shell Comes to Life With Spring Concert Season - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Levitt Shell in Overton Park will kick off the second leg of its opening concert season May 28 with free concerts for families seeking fresh air and fun. And those involved at the historic venue anticipate a strong finish to the season, just months after a massive renovation brought the Midtown landmark back to life.

67. Archived Article: Small Biz - Wednesday, April 7, 2004
Burkes

Burkes a Mainstay in Local Book Scene

LANCE ALLAN

The Daily News

Its a marriage built on books. Theres just no other way to describe the relationship of Cheryl and Corey Mesler, owners of Burkes Book Store.

I hired her to marry...

68. Archived Article: Law Focus - Thursday, March 25, 2004
Law marketing 2

Reaching Clients Requires Creative Thinking

LANCE ALLAN

The Daily News

The most vital component of any business including a law firm is the customer.

However, although consumers and businesses have always needed lawyer...

69. Archived Article: Trends Focus - Monday, October 27, 2003
From conferences to cafs, wireless Internet coming

Wireless Technology Offers World of Possibility

ANDREW BELL

The Daily News

Yum, its been light years since you programmed synthetic brownies, said George Jetson in his namesake cartoon. ...