Early in his U.S. Senate campaign, former governor Phil Bredesen shied away from talking about his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, preferring to focus instead on ideas.

2. Last Word: End of Term, After The Testimony and John McCain - Monday, August 27, 2018

Shelby County commissioners meet Monday for what is the last regularly scheduled meeting of their four-year term of office. Eight of the 13 commissioners are leaving the body of 13 at the end of this month as is Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell.

3. Harris Claims County Mayor, Democrats Sweep Other Countywide Offices - Monday, August 6, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

4. Harris Elected County Mayor, Bonner as Sheriff - Friday, August 3, 2018

State Sen. Lee Harris easily beat County Trustee David Lenoir to become the next Shelby County mayor in the Thursday, Aug. 2, county general election, leading a Democratic resurgence in county politics.

5. Primaries For Governor Move to Contentious End - Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Randy Boyd has heard the saying about a race for elected office being a marathon and not a sprint. And he agrees. The Republican contender for Tennessee governor is also a marathon runner who has run 36 of the races.

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. Hill Bellan Rejoins Shea, Moskovitz & McGhee - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Attorney Hillary Hill Bellan, who originally joined Shea, Moskovitz & McGhee in 2012, says she always enjoyed working at the law firm and missed it when she moved to Florida in 2014. Now she is back in Memphis and has rejoined the firm, focusing her practice exclusively on family law matters, including divorce, custody disputes, child support modifications, parental relocation and termination of parental rights.

8. Last Word: The Jenkins Ruling, No More City Court Clerk and Harwell's Quest - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Making your early voting plan for Friday’s debut of the voting period in advance of the Aug. 2 election day? Well, you might want to hold off until after Tuesday morning. That’s when the latest changes could get set in stone … or not.

9. Last Word: Almost Fixed, Early Voting Flap and New Chandler Numbers - Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Less than 500 MLGW customers still without power Tuesday evening going into Wednesday when the utility’s goal is to have all power outages from the weekend storms fixed. Right after the storm and when this recovery effort began, 35,000 customers were without power.

10. Corker and Alexander Immigration Policy Reactions Differ As Trump Makes Changes - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

As President Donald Trump announced Wednesday, June 20, that he would reverse his administration's policy on separating children from parents who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally or seeking asylum, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee was among the Republican lawmakers sitting around the table with Trump.

11. $71.2M Federal Grant Awarded for Long-Sought Lamar Avenue Upgrade - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

A $71.2 million federal transportation grant announced Tuesday, June 5, in Washington, D.C., will fund long-planned and awaited infrastructure updates to the city’s major freight corridor.

Funding under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation goes for repairs and upgrades to Lamar Avenue from Getwell Avenue to the Mississippi state line.

12. New Banking Law A Step Forward For Community Banks - Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Tennessee’s banks help our communities in the Volunteer State flourish. Small-business owners count on banks to provide the loans they need to succeed. Consumers depend on these financial institutions when they need a mortgage or car loan.

13. Op-Ed: New Banking Law a Step Forward for Community Banks - Saturday, June 2, 2018

Tennessee’s banks help our communities in the Volunteer State flourish. Small-business owners count on banks to provide the loans they need to succeed. Consumers depend on these financial institutions when they need a mortgage or car loan.

14. Last Word: The Bus to Shelby Farms, Sports Gaming In Tunica and Tom Lee's Story - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

It hasn’t been this hot in 30 years … to the day. The high Monday of 93 degrees eclipsed the old record for the day of 91 degree in 1988. I’m not much of a thermometer watcher. But this did get my attention because I was imagining all of the big hair emergencies 30 years ago. Guys going to their closets to break out the Miami Vice pastel t-shirts and linen blazers. And of course California Raisins hysteria. And I do find it not entirely coincidental that we break a record from 1988 as there is talk of a remake of the movie “Willow.” We could break another record for all of this Tuesday and we’ll see what my mind does with the year of the old record if that’s the case.

15. Last Word: Veto Override Drama, Iran Reaction & Rise of the Rest Meets Soundways - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Shelby County Commissioners have a busy committee day Wednesday with a budget presentation – county mayor Mark Luttrell’s final one as the county’s chief executive, more discussions about the Graceland plan and a veto override.

16. Last Word: Parking Distrust, Early Voting Numbers and Missile Strike Reaction - Monday, April 16, 2018

There is probably no better symbol of the distrust that has been a factor in reaching a compromise in Overton Park to end greensward parking by the Memphis Zoo. It is what happened to the idea of a walkway from the zoo plaza to the greensward with the critical juncture being where the gravel driveway is now that is used by cars to park on the greensward. We examine that and other larger points from last week’s decision by City Hall to change the design and make the amended plan the final plan.

17. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Deadline - Monday, April 9, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

18. Three Incumbents Unopposed at August Primary Ballot Filing Deadline - Friday, April 6, 2018

Three incumbent Democratic state House members in the Shelby County delegation to the Tennessee Legislature were effectively re-elected Thursday, April 5, at the noon deadline for candidates in the Aug. 2 state and federal primaries to file their qualifying petitions.

19. Corker Mum On Possible Senate Return Run - Monday, February 26, 2018

When Shelby County Republican party leaders gathered Saturday, Feb. 26, for their annual Lincoln Day Gala, the local party’s largest fundraiser, much of the attention was on the elected official who delivered the shortest speech of the night.

20. Alexander, Corker Honor 1968 Sanitation Strikers - Saturday, February 17, 2018

U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee introduced a Senate resolution Tuesday, Feb. 13, honoring the 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers who went on strike in 1968.

The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Doug Jones of Alabama and Ben Cardin of Maryland.

21. Alexander, Corker Honor 1968 Strikers with Resolution - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee introduced a Senate resolution Tuesday, Feb. 13, honoring the 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers who went on strike in 1968.

The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Doug Jones of Alabama and Ben Cardin of Maryland.

22. Last Word: The Mural Takedown, Corker's Calculation and Beale Crowd Control - Monday, February 12, 2018

Cue the organ music from the old-fashioned television soap operas: As the weekend began, city public works crews had painted over – either completely or partially – a lot of the Paint Memphis program murals on the west side of Willett near Lamar. That would be the ones city council members complained about and others that no one complained about.

23. Cohen, Kustoff Vote for Budget Compromise - Monday, February 12, 2018

The two congressmen who represent Memphis voted for the federal budget compromise that reopened the government Friday, Feb. 9, following a five-hour shutdown after a continuing resolution of 17 days ran out.

24. Kustoff Among Lawmakers In Va. Train-Truck Collision - Saturday, February 3, 2018

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown was among the members of Congress on a train bound for a Republican conference in West Virginia Wednesday, Jan. 31, when the train collided with a truck in Crozet, Virginia.

25. Digest - Monday, January 29, 2018

Memphis Toys R Us

To Remain Open

A representative with Toys R Us has confirmed to The Daily News that the retailer’s Memphis location, at 7676 Polo Ground Blvd., won’t close after all.

26. Kustoff Among Congressmen in Virginia Train-Truck Collision - Thursday, February 1, 2018

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown was among the members of Congress on a train bound for a Republican conference in West Virginia Wednesday, Jan. 31, when the train collided with a truck in Crozet, Virginia.

27. Last Word: Wiretaps in the Wright Case, Target Layoffs and SCS Looks To Move - Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen of Memphis among those boycotting the State of the Union address Tuesday evening by President Donald Trump. “The president is unworthy of the podium, the position and the power.” Republican Congressman David Kustoff of Germantown among those not boycotting SOTU. “Just one year after president Trump took the oath of office, our economy is the strongest it has been in decades. … We passed historic tax reform and we bolstered our military and support our veterans. Last year, the president kept his promises and tonight, he told the American people that he is not done.”

28. Cohen Skeptical End of Shutdown Will Resolve DACA Standoff - Wednesday, January 24, 2018

A deal in Washington to end a federal government shutdown Monday, Jan. 22, after three days extends federal funding of government operations through Feb. 8.

The U.S. Senate and House votes approving the continuing resolution drew responses from state and local representatives in Congress that fell along partisan lines, but in some cases left out any reference to which party is to blame.

29. Local Reps. In D.C. Vote For 3-Week Measure Ending Government Shutdown - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

A deal in Washington to end a federal government shutdown Monday, Jan. 22, after three days extends federal funding of government operations through Feb. 8. The U.S. Senate and House vote approving the continuing resolution drew responses from state and local representatives in Congress that fell along partisan lines but in some cases left out any reference to which party is to blame.

30. Tennessee and Local Reps. In DC View Shutdown Across Partisan Divide - Monday, January 22, 2018

Among Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators and the two Congressmen who represent Shelby County in Washington, the partisan differences over the federal government shutdown that began Saturday are right at the top of their prepared statements on the shutdown released over the weekend.

31. Local Reps in D.C. React to Shutdown Along Party Lines - Saturday, January 20, 2018

Reaction among Tennessee’s two U.S. Senators and the two Congressmen whose districts cover Shelby County to the federal government shutdown that began at midnight Saturday, Jan. 20, Washington D.C. time was divided along party lines.

32. Last Word: Tax Reform Pay Raises, Minority Business Kinks and Elvis at 83 - Monday, January 8, 2018

A busy but ultimately slow weekend on the Confederate monuments front as a total of fewer than 100 opponents of the removal of the city’s two most visible monuments actively protested Saturday either on the interstate loop or in the “protest area” by Health Sciences Park.

33. 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.

34. Germantown Students Win Congressional App Challenge - Monday, December 25, 2017

Three Houston High School students have earned a congressional nod for their gaming app.

Jump, created by Henry Abrams, Mason Rocha, and Tyler Scarmastro, won the 2017 Congres-sional App Challenge for Tennessee’s 8th District, represented by U.S. Rep. David Kustoff. Jump uses randomly generated platforms that require quick thinking and problem-solving skills in order for the player to achieve the highest score and compete against themselves and other play-ers.

35. Last Word: Moving the Mountaintop, Brooks Idea and No Voucher Bill in 2018 - Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Mountaintop is moving – the circa 1977 sculpture that for many years was the only public memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- other than the pre-National Civil Rights Museum at what was then the Lorraine Motel. It’s had a few locations over the last 40 years and it's been in the Memphis elements constantly.

36. Corker, Alexander Split in Senate Tax Reform Vote - Saturday, December 2, 2017

Tennessee’s two Republican U.S. Senators split in the Friday, Dec. 1, 51-49 Senate vote approving tax reform legislation.

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker has been leading a group of self-described “deficit hawks” in the Senate who held out for triggers in the tax cuts included in the bill that would have raised tax rates in later years if the tax cuts weren’t living up to projections of economic growth.

37. Last Word: 2018 Head Start, Tax Reform Bill Votes and Tigers Basketball in Decline - Friday, November 17, 2017

Can you smell the paper? Friday is the first day that candidates in the 2018 elections can start picking up qualifying petitions for their place on the ballot – in this case the May county primary elections in Shelby County. Here is the scene setter.

38. 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.

39. 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.”

40. U.S. Rep. David Kustoff Votes for Federal Budget - Saturday, October 28, 2017

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown was among the House members voting Thursday, Oct. 26, for the passage of a $4 trillion federal budget. The budget plan passed on a 216-212 vote.

Kustoff has said in several speeches well in advance of the budget vote that he considers approval of the budget to be a necessary step toward passing tax reform legislation.

41. Last Word: Corker's Quest, Overton Park Transition and The Two Amazons - Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The basic political differences between President Donald Trump and U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee returned to the top of the news cycle Tuesday with an extraordinary airing by the two leaders that went beyond Twitter, at least for Corker. Here is the basic account from Associated Press of what was a story that unfolded over the course of a work day in the Beltway. It was a day that included Trump going to Capitol Hill for a meeting with Republican Senators, including Corker.

42. Kustoff and Blackburn Map Different Incumbent’s Strategy for Republicans - Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Tennessee Republicans are mapping a different incumbent’s strategy for 2018 midterm elections less than a year into Donald Trump’s presidency.

“This is our chance to get the Republican agenda done,” was how U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown put it, speaking to 200 delegates at the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women convention at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis this weekend.

43. Last Word: The Bucc Falls, Lakeland Demolition and Crossing The Year Mark - Monday, October 23, 2017

Late word Sunday that Bernal Smith II, the president and publisher of the New Tri-State Defender, died at his home Sunday. Smith was a part of the reporters roundtables we do from time to time on "Behind The Headlines." He brought back the city's legacy African-American-owned newspaper and in that role over the last seven years was a big voice in the reshaping of Memphis as a media market. He put reporters back on the streets of this city to cover Memphis and its issues in an independent way that make this a much richer and more competitive media market than it has been in quite some time. Editorially, he was a strong voice on numerous issues and he spoke from the experience of growing up in this city. He was 45 years old and here at The Daily News, those of us who came to know him and work with him on the show express our condolences to his family.

44. Fincher Launches Tennessee Listening Tour About Senate Bid - Tuesday, October 10, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Former Rep. Stephen Fincher, a gospel singing farmer from the rural western Tennessee community of Frog Jump, is launching a statewide tour to weigh whether to join the race to succeed Republican Bob Corker in the Senate.

45. Last Word: Las Vegas React, Moral Monday, Who Pays For Beale Security? - Tuesday, October 3, 2017

We open with reaction Monday to the mass shooting in Las Vegas:

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland:

46. Peyton Manning Rules Out Run for Corker's Senate Seat - Thursday, September 28, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Football star Peyton Manning ruled out a bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican Bob Corker, saying in a sports radio interview on Wednesday that he is giving "zero consideration" to running.

47. 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.

48. Senate Confirms Dunavant As U.S. Attorney - Monday, September 18, 2017

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Tipton County prosecutor Mike Dunavant as the new U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, based in Memphis with offices in Jackson, Tennessee.

49. Dunavant Confirmed As U.S. Attorney - Friday, September 15, 2017

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Tipton County prosecutor Mike Dunavant as the new U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, based in Memphis with offices in Jackson, Tennessee.

50. Cohen Criticizes, Kustoff Commends 6-Month DACA Wind-Down - Wednesday, September 6, 2017

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis termed President Donald Trump’s decision Tuesday, Sept. 5, to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program over the next six months “heartless, illogical and un-American.”

51. Corker Draws Distinction Between Tax Cuts, Reform - Friday, September 1, 2017

Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee says he wants to see tax reform that might mean a reduction in some taxes but very specific cuts aimed at a larger goal of promoting economic growth that makes up the revenue lost.

52. Corker Distinguishes Between Tax Reform and Tax Cut - Thursday, August 31, 2017

U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee says he wants to see tax reform that might mean a reduction in some taxes but very specific cuts aimed at a larger goal of promoting economic growth that makes up the revenue lost.

53. Local Leaders React To Charlottesville Violence - Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend drew more than 100 people to Health Sciences Park Saturday, where they gathered around the statue of Confederate general, slave trader and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest.

54. Cohen Defines Gap Between Trump and Republicans - Tuesday, August 15, 2017

There is a distinction to be made between the Republican majorities in the U.S. House and Senate and President Donald Trump, says U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, one of Trump’s most vocal and virulent critics.

55. Last Word: Charlottesville Reaction, Stax & Atlantic Together Again and MEMFix - Monday, August 14, 2017

The violence in Charlottesville, Virginia over the weekend will be on a lot of minds in a lot of other places including Memphis as this week begins. And the discussion here in Memphis is already underway. The gathering point Saturday just hours after a suspected white supremacist drove his car into a group of counter protesters in Charlottesville really didn’t even need a lot of billing or explanation.

56. Last Word: St. Jude School, More Gannett Moves and Maida Pearson Smith - Thursday, August 3, 2017

For most, the school year starts next week. But classes are already underway at St. Jude’s new Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, an idea 15 years in the making, according to the physician who had that idea. The school is a big step in higher education in Memphis and its road to research center status.

57. Kustoff: Window for Congressional Tax Reform Narrow - Thursday, August 3, 2017

When the House and Senate return to Washington from the August recess, the clock will be ticking on a tax-reform proposal that is a Republican priority.

And U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown says time is of the essence with 53 legislative days left in the year, as midterm election considerations in 2018 will make a tax-cut bill he and other Republicans favor more unlikely.

58. Last Word: Kustoff at Rotary, Royal's Vibe and The Terms of MEMPOWER - Wednesday, August 2, 2017

The investment group that renovated the Chisca resurfaced Tuesday evening with a plan for the Wonder Bread factory, vacant for the last four years. But don’t look for a return of the bread smell to the Edge area. And if you look at what has started to happen in that particular corridor since Wonder Bread shut down, the mixed-use plan has some precedent. Throw in the move to sell The Commercial Appeal property just a few blocks away and if the economy remains this good, the transformation in this area could be radical in another four years.

59. Kustoff Says Russian Influence Not An Issue With Constituents - Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Republican U.S. Rep. David Kustoff of Germantown says there is a “media bias” against President Donald Trump and that he doesn’t hear a lot from constituents about possible Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election or beyond the election.

60. Last Word: 'Secular Stagnationists', CRE's Big Year in Memphis and Lakeland Prep - Monday, July 31, 2017

Protests over the weekend in Martyr’s Park and at the federal prison facility in Mason, Tennessee for those rounded up in the ICE – Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- raids here in Memphis that began a week ago. Latino Memphis is also offering legal advice to those who believe they may be caught up in the new push. There are also several efforts to support families that find mothers and/or fathers in federal custody in the sweeps. And over the weekend, Memphis Police issued an arrest warrant for a bounty hunter who turned up on YouTube video in an apartment complex with a large Latino tenant base wearing some kind of badge and vest.

61. Boyd Says Luttrell Endorsement is ‘Partnership’ - Friday, July 28, 2017

Republican contender for Tennessee governor Randy Boyd says his endorsement this week by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell is more like a partnership.

62. Saturday Legal Aid Clinic To Celebrate 10 Years - Saturday, July 8, 2017

A ceremony and reception will be held Saturday, July 8, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2nd Saturday Legal Aid Clinic, or 2SLAC, serving the Memphis community.

The event will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave.

63. 2nd Saturday Legal Aid Clinic To Celebrate 10 Years - Friday, July 7, 2017

A ceremony and reception will be held Saturday, July 8, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 2nd Saturday Legal Aid Clinic, or 2SLAC, serving the Memphis community.

The event will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave.

64. Last Word: Recovery Day 6, Trezevant Allegations Resurface and Memphis Is Hard - Friday, June 2, 2017

There is some debate about how the Memorial Day weekend storm compares to the Ice Storm of 1994 and Hurricane Elvis in 2003. A city public works supervisor who is a veteran of both earlier incidents weighed in this week as Mayor Jim Strickland stopped by Collins Yard to rally the city’s troops in the recovery effort. Rodney Wakefield also had a lot to say about what motivates city workers to tackle this hard work in a sweltering spring and do it as quickly and as safely as possible.

65. National Foundation for Transplants Looks to Expand Beyond Memphis HQ - Saturday, May 20, 2017

The Memphis-based National Foundation for Transplants serves about 3,500 clients each year, and since its establishment in 1983 has distributed more than $80 million to pay for transplant-related expenses, in addition to promoting and advocating for organ and tissue donation.

66. Last Word: "A Downward Spiral", Outdoors Pop-Up and Haslam in Raleigh - Tuesday, May 16, 2017

At the end of another day of alarming news and denials from the White House, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee used a new phrase that has significance in a cycle of action and reaction and more action in which many of us gauge reaction by whether the person speaking has an R or a D after their name. The lines are that clearly drawn.

67. 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.

68. Last Word: Weekend Sonic Boom, CLERB's Response and Irvin Salky - Friday, May 12, 2017

Yes, those were the United States Navy Blue Angels buzzing Downtown Thursday afternoon in advance of their appearance at the Memphis Airshow Saturday and Sunday in Millington. That sound you heard after the flyover wasn’t a sonic boom. I don’t think they have those anymore. It was the sound of a really busy weekend following close behind.

69. Alexander: Senate Will Write Own Version of Health Care Act - Saturday, May 6, 2017

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee says the Senate will write its own version of the American Health Care Act that includes keeping coverage for pre-existing conditions.

“The Senate will write its own bill,” the Republican chairman of the Senate Health Committee said in Memphis Friday, May 5. “We’ve already started that. The House has passed its bill. If we find good ideas, we will borrow them and put them in our bill. But we’ll write our own bill. That’s why we have two houses of Congress.”

70. Boyd Officially in Race For Governor in 2018 - Saturday, March 11, 2017

Former Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Randy Boyd officially launched his candidacy for Tennessee Governor Monday, March 6, with an announcement of his campaign team.

71. Last Word: Who Needs To Be Watched, Hopdoddy and Fresh Fed Numbers - Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Three Memphis City Council members on Behind The Headlines had quite a bit to say about protesters and lists and police surveillance. Council chairman Berlin Boyd and council members Kemp Conrad and Worth Morgan all say the surveillance question, which is the central issue now that the City Hall list has been pared significantly, is complex because of public postings and protests in public places.

72. Boyd Officially in Race For Governor in 2018 - Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Former Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Randy Boyd officially launched his candidacy for Tennessee Governor Monday, March 6, with an announcement of his campaign team.

73. 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.

74. Last Word: Gas Tax Conflict, Redbirds Changes and Hidden Office Space - Tuesday, February 28, 2017

The CEO of Memphis-based AutoZone, Bill Rhodes, among the corporate leaders meeting with President Donald Trump recently to urge him to abandon plans for a border tax. This is the tax on goods imported to the U.S. from other countries that U.S. Rep. David Kustoff says also has some opposition among Republicans in D.C.

75. 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.

76. The Week Ahead: February 20-26 - Monday, February 20, 2017

Enjoying that spring-like weather, Memphis? It’s another week of politics and music in the Bluff City, highlighted by the anticipated announcement Wednesday of acts that will be playing the Beale Street Music Festival in May. Here are some other highlights:

77. Protests Define New Interest In Activism - Friday, February 3, 2017

Usually when the Shelby County Commission’s committee room is filled, it is with those from various county government divisions making presentations during budget season. Or it might be filled with representatives from several organizations seeking or getting county grants.

78. Trump Travel Ban March Draws 1,000 - Thursday, February 2, 2017

A group of approximately 1,000 people, including immigrants from the Middle East, Mexico and Latin America as well as across various religious faiths, marched Downtown Wednesday, Feb. 1, to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration travel ban order.

79. 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.

80. 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.

81. Local and State Reaction To Trump Immigration Executive Order - Monday, January 30, 2017

Here is reaction from state and local leaders to federal court orders in four states over the weekend blocking an executive order signed by President Donald Trump Friday, Jan. 27, that restricts immigration and travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The original order applied to those with green cards and has since been changed to allow those with green cards.

82. Last Word: Laurelwood Lament, Fairgrounds Redux and Deeper on Crime - Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Booksellers at Laurelwood made it through the Christmas shopping season but will close its doors in Laurelwood probably in February with the liquidation sale beginning Friday – as in this Friday.

83. 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.

84. Kustoff, Cohen Win Seats in Congress And the Rest of Shelby County's Ballot - Saturday, November 12, 2016

Shelby County voters re-elected all but six incumbents seeking re-election on the Nov. 8 election ballot.

And the biggest upset on the local ballot gave Democrats a gain of one seat in the state House delegation from Shelby County.

85. After The Vote - Saturday, November 12, 2016

If you stood in certain places during the last days of the 2016 campaign in Memphis you could see the 2018 elections even if you couldn’t see Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s national victory over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

86. Last Word: Underperforming At the Polls, Tenoke Plans and Poverty in Cordova - Thursday, November 10, 2016

Still parsing election numbers, although 24 hours after the polls closed in Shelby County, the Election Commission was still counting absentee ballots.

Here is a statewide perspective from Associated Press.

87. County Has Lowest Voter Turnout in 12 Years - Thursday, November 10, 2016

Voter turnout in Shelby County for the 2016 presidential general election was 59.7 percent, according to unofficial returns posted by the Shelby County Election Commission early Wednesday, Nov. 9. That marks the lowest showing since the 2004 presidential general election, when turnout was 57 percent.

88. Shelby County Vote Count Stalls For Third Presidential Contest - Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump won Tennessee’s 11 electoral votes Tuesday, Nov. 8, in unofficial statewide election returns while Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton carried Shelby County in the popular vote.

89. Election Day Ends Contentious Presidential Contest - Tuesday, November 8, 2016

In a contentious national campaign for president that has tested the boundaries of what is considered proper political discourse and what should be public, local Democratic and Republican partisans have mostly been spectators as the 2016 presidential campaign comes to an end Tuesday, Nov. 8.

90. Last Word: Pants Suits On the River, Early Vote Numbers & Chandler Parsons' Debut - Monday, November 7, 2016

A busy last weekend for the Presidential campaigns in Shelby County where we have seen neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump in the flesh since the primary campaign season and haven’t even seen their surrogates in the general election campaign.

91. Last Word: Election Impact, Fun with Election Cross Tabs and DeSoto vs. Marshall - Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Now, about the idea being discussed starting late last week that when the Feds are looking at someone running for office or holding office they have to take into consideration how close the next election is for that person.

92. Last Word: Hyde Lake, Global Ministries Exits and Another Big 12 Rumor - Friday, September 2, 2016

A big day at Shelby Farms Park Thursday as the Heart of the Park renovations were formally opened. And it was also a cause to look back on where the park has come from.

93. Local Republicans Open Campaign HQ With Emphasis on Trump, Kustoff - Friday, September 2, 2016

Republican Congressional contender David Kustoff couldn’t resist as several dozen people gathered for the opening of the local Republican Party’s campaign headquarters Wednesday, Aug. 31, in East Memphis.

94. Kustoff Victory Caps TV, Outsider Heavy Congressional Campaign - Monday, August 8, 2016

Former U.S. Attorney David Kustoff claimed the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional district Thursday, Aug. 4, in a 15-county contest in which the eastern parts of Shelby County played a decisive role.

95. Last Word: Election Wrap Up, Crosstown's Momentum and GMF's Court Report - Friday, August 5, 2016

For an election that only 14 percent of us turned out for, the Thursday elections in Shelby County delivered in terms of political drama.

David Kustoff, whose bid for Congress in the old 7th Congressional District 14 years ago ended in frustration amidst too many primary candidates from Shelby County, claimed the Republican primary in the 8th amidst an even larger field with even more Shelby County rivals.

96. Kustoff Claims 8th GOP Primary, Todd Upset by Lovell, Jenkins Over Newsom - Friday, August 5, 2016

Former U.S. Attorney David Kustoff claimed the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional district Thursday, Aug. 4, in a 15-county contest in which the eastern parts of Shelby County played a decisive role.

97. Huckabee, Santorum Offer Different Definitions of ‘Outsider’ - Thursday, August 4, 2016

The two Republican presidential contenders who carried Shelby County and took the state in the 2008 and 2012 Tennessee primaries came to Memphis this campaign season to talk about “the outsider.”

98. Santorum to Campaign With Kelsey in West Tenn. - Tuesday, August 2, 2016

One-time Republican presidential contender and Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is in West Tennessee Tuesday, Aug. 2, to campaign with Republican 8th Congressional District primary contender Brian Kelsey.

99. Huckabee Campaigns For Kustoff in Memphis - Saturday, July 30, 2016

Former Arkansas governor and one-time Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee campaigned with 8th Congressional District contender David Kustoff Wednesday, July 27, in Memphis, Dyersburg and Jackson in advance of the Aug. 4 GOP primary.

100. Huckabee Campaigns For Kustoff in Memphis - Friday, July 29, 2016

Former Arkansas governor and one-time Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee campaigned with 8th Congressional District contender David Kustoff Wednesday, July 27, in Memphis, Dyersburg and Jackson in advance of the Aug. 4 GOP primary.