Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris plans to present the first initial proposals of his administration to the County Commission during committee meetings Wednesday, Sept. 19.

One proposal is the appointment of an education liaison, to improve communication between county government and Shelby County Schools, an idea from his county mayoral opponent David Lenoir.

2. Last Word: Jagger, Jerry Lee, Whalum & More and Harris' Plans on BTH - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Sir Mick Jagger and Jerry Lee Lewis walk into Sun Studio Wednesday. That’s not the start of a joke. Variety has reported that Jagger’s film company has signed on to the Elvis biopic being made from Peter Guralnick’s definitive two volume biography of the king. You connect the dots or don’t – who knows if there is a connection? Yes, but they aren’t talking.

3. Harris to Make Proposals to New Commission Sept. 19 - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris plans to present the first initial proposals of his administration to the County Commission during committee meetings Wednesday, Sept. 19.

One proposal is the appointment of an education liaison, to improve communication between county government and Shelby County Schools, an idea from his county mayoral opponent David Lenoir.

4. County Mayor-elect Harris Resigns State Senate Seat - Thursday, August 30, 2018

County Mayor-elect Lee Harris announced his resignation from the state Senate on Wednesday, a day before he is sworn-in for the county post he won earlier this month.

5. Last Word: Colonial's New Plan, the Overton Square Hotel and American Way - Wednesday, August 8, 2018

And we are at that point of the post-county election period where those who leave office next month are announcing what’s next. This will soon start to blend with transition announcements for the incoming office holders. Shelby County commissioner Terry Roland is the new director of the Millington Chamber of Commerce. The announcement made at a luncheon in Millington Tuesday. Roland is among the eight Shelby County commissioners who leave office as of Sept. 1. Roland also vows he will be back in four years when the county elections just decided will be on the ballot once more. Roland ran in the May Republican primary for county mayor won by David Lenoir.

6. 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.

7. Last Word: Lee's Win, Harris' Way and Turnout Questions - Friday, August 3, 2018

What to choose from now that the Aug. 2 election is tentatively in the books? First this is going to be an all-election Last Word because the sugar buzz from a bag that was full of jelly beans is starting to wane and I don’t want to be here when the sun rises in just a bit. Kind of a vampire thing, isn’t it?

8. 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.

9. Election Verdict - Thursday, August 2, 2018

A week into the early voting period, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen was quizzing Democratic nominee for Shelby County mayor Lee Harris about the path of Harris’ campaign to election day. The race between Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir was already getting dicey, with Lenoir’s attacks on Harris continuing at their debates and moving into mailers, including a controversial mailer featuring a picture of Harris that was noticeably darker than Harris is in real life.

10. 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.

11. Turnout Growing With 2 Days to Vote Before Aug. 2 - Friday, July 27, 2018

With two days left in the early voting period, 63,244 citizens had cast ballots in Shelby County in advance of the Aug. 2 election day. The last day of the early voting period is Saturday, July 28.

12. Chamber PAC Backs Both County Mayor Candidates - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Jobs Political Action Committee of the Greater Memphis Chamber is backing both candidates in the race for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot and skipped the race for the District 7 seat on the Shelby County Commission – arguably the most competitive of the 13 commission races.

13. Chamber PAC Backs Both County Mayor Candidates - Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Jobs Political Action Committee of the Greater Memphis Chamber is backing both candidates in the race for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot and skipped the race for the District 7 seat on the Shelby County Commission – arguably the most competitive of the 13 commission races.

14. Last Word: T.O. Jones, One Beale's Launch and De-Annexation in Trouble - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

You might call it the final act of the MLK 50 observances around our city this year. With very little fanfare at the start of Tuesday’s city council session, the council honored T.O. Jones, the leader of the union representing city sanitation workers and the leader of the 1968 strike by those workers. Jones was a pivotal figure in the strike who soon after lost his position with the local union in the internal politics of AFSCME as the local became a powerful political symbol.

15. 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.

16. Last Word: Soccer Names, Early Voting and a Censure and Ole Miss's Bowl Ban - Thursday, July 19, 2018

We will know the name of the United Soccer League Memphis team Sept. 1 as well as get a look at its logo. Will we go with something like the Rogues or Americans or go for a World Cup-style name suitable for craft beer consumption? Along with the answer to that, we will get an exhibition at the ballpark on that Saturday before Labor Day between the Colorado Rapids of MLS and the Tulsa Roughnecks FC of the USL. So if this is any indication, World Cup and craft beer.

17. Lenoir, Harris Clash at Rotary Debate - Thursday, July 19, 2018

Republican contender for Shelby County mayor David Lenoir accused Democratic rival Lee Harris of being radical and for “wealth transfer.” Harris, a state senator, said Lenoir, as county trustee, has “almost no experience” with “tough issues” and accused Lenoir of resorting to name-calling.

18. The Week Ahead: July 16-22 - Monday, July 16, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! The popular Roundhouse Revival at the Mid-South Coliseum returns this weekend, along with a retro skate night against the scenic backdrop of the Mississippi River at sunset. Check out those events and more happenings you need to know about in The Week Ahead...

19. Lenoir-Harris Debate At NAACP-Sponsored Forum Illustrates Political Divide - Thursday, July 12, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the Shelby County mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all. In his opening statement, Lenoir, the Republican nominee, talked about his request for a different moderator at the forum sponsored by the Memphis Branch NAACP.

20. Last Word: Another Twist in Court, Harris-Lenoir at NCRM and Fairgrounds Specifics - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

One more twist in the early voting schedule that kicks off Friday. It came in the second day of hearings Tuesday in Chancery Court as Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins was preparing to sign the court order from Monday night’s hearing. The election commission said it couldn’t meet the order’s deadline of opening all 27 sites on Monday. Jenkins made it a Tuesday opening but this nearly went off the rails.

21. Lenoir-Harris Debate at NCRM Shows Political Divide - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the county mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all.

22. Lenoir-Harris Debate at NCRM Shows Political Divide - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

David Lenoir and Lee Harris brought the county mayor’s race to the National Civil Rights Museum Tuesday, July 10, after all.

23. 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.

24. Lifeline for Debt - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Student loans are a big topic these days with an even bigger and growing price tag for most families in America. Thanks to a young engineer with a financial mind, there may be a place for students and their families to go before they find themselves drowning in debt.

25. Last Word: Kiwanis Debate, Haslam on the Gov. Race and Street Work - Thursday, June 14, 2018

For the last couple of days there has been this brewing story that Kim Kardashian West was on her way to the city to meet with Alice Marie Johnson, the convicted drug dealer sentenced to life in prison who was pardoned by President Donald Trump last week after serving 21 years in federal prison. And that is just what happened Wednesday – almost. The meeting was in Southaven. And, according to People, it included lessons in how to use Snapchat. The meeting included an interview with the Today show that will air Thursday morning.

26. Harris and Lenoir Clash in First General Election Mayoral Debate - Thursday, June 14, 2018

The two contenders for Shelby County mayor on the Aug. 2 ballot differed Wednesday, June 13, on leadership experience and whether county government has been breaking ground on important issues or has taken too long to act on those issues.

27. Last Word: Riverfront Change, Skeleton to Canopy and Summer Camp - Wednesday, June 13, 2018

The two contenders for Shelby County Mayor in the Aug. 2 county general election – Democratic nominee Lee Harris and Republican nominee David Lenoir – meet for the first time in the general election campaign Wednesday at the Memphis Kiwanis Club weekly luncheon. It is the first of several debates between the two. And judging from what Harris and Lenoir have said separately and what we’ve reported from those appearances, this is a highly anticipated debate/discussion about the future of Shelby County on several fronts.

28. Last Word: The Politics of Summer, Perpetual Motion and Nigerian Email Scams - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Just about the time it is summer by the calendar next week as well as by the ongoing weather, you will start to see a set of one-on-one debates between the Democratic and Republican contenders for Shelby County Mayor – Lee Harris and David Lenoir, respectively.

29. Line Between ‘Get Out the Vote,’ ‘Crossover’ Melts In Campaign Heat - Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Get Out The Vote – the plan known among politicos by the shorthand GOTV – has slipped across the line that separates it from “crossover” – the sometimes-controversial act of pushing to get those on the other side of the partisan divide to cross political lines and vote for the other party’s nominee.

30. Last Word: Monuments Ruling, The Open Council Seat and Not So Great Streets - Thursday, May 17, 2018

It is likely just the first round. But the city of Memphis prevailed on every major point in the Wednesday ruling out of Nashville by Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle upholding the removal of Confederate monuments this past December from two city parks.

31. Commission Reappoints Bolton As Adviser, Questions His Role - Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Shelby County commissioners reappointed former commissioner Julian Bolton as their legislative policy adviser Monday, May 14, sending his reappointment, effective to the end of September, to Mayor Mark Luttrell, who vetoed an earlier version of the appointment in April.

32. 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.

33. Commission Reappoints Bolton As Advisor Amid Questions About His Role - Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Shelby County commissioners reappointed former commissioner Julian Bolton as their legislative policy advisor Monday, May 14, sending the reappointment to the end of September to county mayor Mark Luttrell who vetoed an earlier version in April.

34. New County Leaders Face Big Funding Decisions - Friday, May 11, 2018

The new Shelby County mayor and County Commission elected in August will have some major budget decisions to make once they take office Sept. 1, including a new Regional One Health Center building that could cost more to build than the $250 million FedExForum and a permanent source of county funding for the universal prekindergarten effort.

35. 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.

36. Harris, Lenoir to Battle for County Mayor - Thursday, May 3, 2018

Republican David Lenoir and Democrat Lee Harris will meet in the Aug. 2 county general election to decide who will be the next Shelby County mayor. Lenoir and Harris won their respective primaries easily Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

37. Last Word: Primary Results and Analysis, Bike Launch, Gibson's Bankruptcy - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The immediate headline of Tuesday’s county primary elections is Lee Harris and David Lenoir battling in the August county general to see who becomes the next county mayor. But there were lots of other stories in the results. Here's the roundup of that and the other countywide primaries.

38. Lenoir and Harris Advance in County Mayor's Race - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Republican David Lenoir and Democrat Lee Harris will meet in the Aug. 2 county general election to decide who will be the next Shelby County Mayor. Lenoir and Harris won their respective primaries easily Tuesday, May 1, 2018.

39. First Primaries Kick Off Busy Election Year - Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Shelby County voters go to the polls Tuesday, May 1, in the first of three elections this year that will take in county, state and federal offices by the time the last vote is counted in November.

The primary elections Tuesday for 23 Shelby County government offices are being watched closely by local Republican and Democratic leaders. They are watching the turnout and what the results say about the political temperament and activism of a county Hillary Clinton carried with 60 percent of the vote in the November 2016 presidential general election won by Republican Donald Trump.

40. Last Word: The City's Windfall, Chandler Parsons' Knees and Keith Sykes on Flying - Wednesday, April 25, 2018

When you think of economic engines that drive the Memphis economy there are a lot of corporate names past and present that come to mind. One further down the list is the Memphis Defense Depot in southeast Memphis more than 20 years after the Army closed up shop. Along the stretch of Airways near Memphis International Airport are the blue collar neighborhoods built by the hub for Army supplies that located here in the early 1940s on 4.2 million square feet of land.

41. Republican Contenders for County Mayor Offer Different Views on Taxes - Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The three Republican primary contenders for Shelby County mayor have spent a lot of their time together talking about taxes this campaign season.

Shelby County commissioner Terry Roland has talked about the last budget season’s two-cent reduction in the county property tax rate after the tax rate was adjusted down to a new certified rate following the 2017 property reappraisal.

42. Last Word: 'Poking The Bear,' National Walk Out Day and McQueen on Capitol Hill - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The state House’s Tuesday action cutting $250k in funding for Memphis from Gov. Bill Haslam’s budget proposal is turning into a cause back here, starting with a GoFundMe page. Elsewhere on social media, you can see the unmistakable outline of a party or parties for the cause beginning to form. This is near the end of session for the Legislature when the budget is the last action before going back to the district to run for re-election. Different timing over here, with multiple crawfish outings leading into Memphis in May.

43. Republican Contenders for Mayor Say City Paying for Monuments Misstep - Thursday, April 19, 2018

The three Republican contenders for Shelby County Mayor believe the city of Memphis acted improperly in removing Confederate monuments from city parks last year and is, in effect, paying the piper for challenging the Tennessee Legislature.

44. Lots of Noise, But Few Results in Legislature - Thursday, April 12, 2018

Just when you think the Tennessee Legislature is going off the deep end, someone will throw them a bungee cord. Maybe a rope made out of hemp would work better because a bungee cord leaves people bouncing, never quite reeling them in.

45. 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.

46. Last Word: Holder in Memphis for MLK 50, EDGE Sets a Date and South City Moves - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

The week of MLK50 commemorations began Monday with a speech by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the arrival Monday afternoon of Rev. Bernice King, the youngest child of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Meanwhile, Monday's day of free admission to the museum, underwritten by FedEx drew a long line. It also drew some remote trepidation that tends to make the situation seem worse than it is once you actually go there for yourself.

47. Lenoir: County Tax Decrease Was ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ - Tuesday, April 3, 2018

With the estimate last month of an $18 million to $25 million county budget surplus for the fiscal year that ends June 30, taxes are about to become an even bigger issue in the Republican primary for Shelby County mayor.

48. Funding Plans - Friday, March 30, 2018

The subject of county government’s $18 million to $25 million projected revenue surplus didn’t surface once this week as the Shelby County Commission’s budget committee continues to prepare for budget season. The Wednesday, March 28, committee session was the first since County Mayor Mark Luttrell’s administration said it is estimating the surplus for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, because of better-than-expected county property tax collections and fewer appeals of property tax reappraisals.

49. Harris, Chism Say PILOTs Not Effective Economic Development - Monday, March 26, 2018

The two Democratic contenders for Shelby County mayor say they don’t think tax abatement incentives, primarily payments in lieu of taxes – or PILOTs – are working as an economic development tool in Shelby County.

50. Candidates’ Choices - Friday, March 16, 2018

Polls, phone banking, messaging, yard signs, who is paid and who is a volunteer – all are elements of a campaign. And each is part of an overall strategy.

But most campaigns struggle with a schedule of which events to attend and which to forgo. And in the 2018 campaign season, the number of events is only growing as the May 1 county primary elections near, followed by the county general election and state and federal primaries in August, then the state and federal general elections in November.

51. Last Word: Moot Points in Orlando, EDGE Responds and A Mayoral Forum - Friday, March 9, 2018

The Tigers basketball post season continues to a Friday game with Tulsa the day after the Tigers beat South Florida 79-77 in the AAC tournament in Orlando. But all of this seems to have been rendered a moot point by the all-but-official exit of coach Tubby Smith with Penny Hardaway, and probably much if not all of his staff, waiting in the wings.

52. Republican Mayoral Candidates Find Ways to Differentiate - Friday, March 9, 2018

The three contenders in the May Republican primary for Shelby County mayor didn’t disagree on much when they met this week at the Southwind clubhouse. But David Lenoir, Joy Touliatos and Terry Roland did try to distinguish themselves from the other two in a relatively spark-free first encounter as a trio.

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

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

54. Home Sweet Home - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Almost every facet of the Shelby County housing market showed improvement or promise in 2017, and the stellar year saw a new record high for average home sales price and a historic low number foreclosures.

55. 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.

56. Last Word: Corporate Moves, Hardaway on Strickland and Corker Is Out Again - Wednesday, February 28, 2018

It’s that time when corporate leaders go to their conference rooms – the ones with the Simon-looking conference call orb, with the colored lights taken out, in the center of the table. The attorneys sit next to the CEO to make sure he or she reads the prepared remarks carefully vetted by them and grow concerned as the time for questions nears. The figurative waters of the safe harbor are placid with all statements and forecasts of possible future action having their news hooks filed off by the legalese disclaimer.

57. Four County Commissioners Unopposed As May Ballot Filing Deadline Approaches - Thursday, February 15, 2018

With a noon deadline Thursday, Feb. 15, to make the May 1 Shelby County primary ballot, four incumbent county commissioners had no opposition filed in their re-election bids.

Five Republican primary races on the ballot for 23 county offices, including the 13 commission seats, were one-candidate affairs with two or more Democrats running in the competing primaries as of Tuesday. Two Democratic primary races were also one-candidate races against a field of multiple Republican contenders in the companion primary.

58. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir For Shelby County Mayor - Saturday, February 10, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for county mayor.

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

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

60. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir For Shelby County Mayor - Friday, February 9, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for county mayor.

61. Luttrell Endorses Lenoir for County Mayor - Thursday, February 8, 2018

Outgoing Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has endorsed David Lenoir for mayor.

62. Luttrell Calls For ‘High-Wage Job Growth’ in Final State of the County - Thursday, February 8, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said at his last State of the County address this week that what Shelby County struggles with is “economic diversification and high-wage job growth.”

63. Filing, Fundraising Pace Quickens in County Elections - Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Two of the five major contenders for Shelby County mayor in the May 1 primaries have six-figure campaign war chests and a third is just a few thousand dollars away.

That’s according to campaign finance statements filed last week with the Shelby County Election Commission for the period July 1, 2017, to the end of 2017.

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

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

65. County Commission Gets New Majority in September - Saturday, January 20, 2018

Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term on the commission in the 2018 county elections.

66. Shelby County Commission to Have New Majority in September - Monday, January 15, 2018

District 2 Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term in the 2018 county elections.

67. Roland Pulls Petition For Mayor, Running As ‘Uniter’ - Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Shelby County commissioner Terry Roland has been campaigning for Shelby County mayor since last year.

When he pulled his qualifying petition Thursday, Jan. 11, to formally enter the May Republican primary for mayor, Roland did so with a slogan of bringing “positive change to Shelby County.”

68. Shelby County Commission To Have New Majority in September - Friday, January 12, 2018

District 2 Shelby County commissioner George Chism will not be seeking a second term on the commission in the 2018 county elections.

69. Akbari Pulls Petition To Run for State Senate - Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Democratic state Rep. Raumesh Akbari has decided to run for the District 29 state Senate seat being vacated by Lee Harris in the Shelby County legislative delegation.

70. Chism Files to Run For County Mayor - Saturday, January 6, 2018

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism is the latest contender to file his qualifying petition for the May 1 county primaries.

71. Chism Files to Run For County Mayor - Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism is the latest contender to file his qualifying petition for the May 1 county primaries.

72. Election Update: Lane Files for Sheriff, Lenoir Pulls Petition for Mayor - Monday, December 18, 2017

Dale Lane has filed to run in the May 1 Republican primary for Shelby County sheriff and David Lenoir has pulled his qualifying petition to run in the Republican primary for Shelby County mayor.

Lane, the director of the county office of preparedness, ran for sheriff in the 2010 Republican primary when he was a supervisor in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

73. County Primary Filing Opens With Paperwork Flurry - Monday, November 20, 2017

A total of 37 prospective candidates in the May 2018 county primaries pulled qualifying petitions last week on the first day of the filing period Friday, Nov. 17.

And the first contenders through the doors at the Shelby County Election Commission in a period that extends to a February deadline confirms a few trends.

74. Trustee’s Office Promotes Financial Education and Counseling - Monday, November 20, 2017

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir will tell you that the myriad financial education programs and initiatives his office is involved with – covering everything from helping improve consumer credit to financial counseling – are what he sees as part of his job as the “banker for the county.”

75. 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.

76. 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.

77. County Legal Dispute Latest In A Series - Friday, November 10, 2017

As attorneys for Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell’s administration and the county commission were in Chancery Court Tuesday, Nov. 7, the Memphis City Council’s attorney, Allan Wade, was being honored for 25 years of service to the city.

78. Chism Vows Democratic Primary Battle with Harris for County Mayor - Monday, November 6, 2017

Former Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism kicked off his bid for county mayor last week by vowing to “beat up on” rival Democrat and state Sen. Lee Harris in the May 2018 countywide primary.

79. 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.”

80. Mickell Lowery Uses Lessons From Council Race in Commission Bid - Thursday, October 26, 2017

Two years to the month after he conceded defeat in his first political outing, Mickell Lowery is returning to the local political arena – albeit a different part of the arena.

Lowery is running in the May Democratic primary for Shelby County Commission District 8, the seat held by Democrat Walter Bailey, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election in 2018.

81. Harris To Run For County Mayor, Leave State Senate - Friday, October 6, 2017

State Sen. Lee Harris is running for Shelby County mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and will not seek re-election to the Senate.

82. Harris In Race For County Mayor, Exiting State Senate - Thursday, October 5, 2017

State Senator Lee Harris is running for Shelby County Mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and he will not seek re-election to the Senate.

83. Harris In Race For County Mayor, Exiting State Senate - Thursday, October 5, 2017

State Senator Lee Harris is running for Shelby County Mayor starting with the May Democratic primary and he will not seek re-election to the Senate.

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

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

85. Lenoir Starts Bid for County Mayor with Mix of Optimism and Challenge - Friday, September 29, 2017

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir’s campaign for Shelby County mayor will talk about the economic resurgence in Memphis and Shelby County as a challenge to address longstanding problems.

And as Lenoir formally launched the long-anticipated bid Thursday, Sept. 28, in East Memphis, he touted his business experience and background as well as his two terms as county trustee.

86. Ford Opens Commission Bid as Lenoir Prepares To Launch Mayoral Bid - Friday, September 29, 2017

Campaign season for local, state and federal offices on the 2018 ballot has started.

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, Memphis City Council member Edmund Ford Jr. kicked off his bid for the Shelby County Commission at the offices of an East Memphis law firm. Meanwhile, Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir rallied supporters in advance of formally kicking off his bid for Shelby County Mayor at a Thursday, Sept. 28, announcement.

87. 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.

88. Ford Opens Commission Bid as Lenoir Prepares Formal Start of Mayoral Bid - Thursday, September 28, 2017

Memphis City Council member Edmund Ford Jr. kicked off his bid Wednesday, Sept. 27, for the Shelby County Commission on the 2018 ballot at the offices of an East Memphis law firm as Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir rallied supporters in advance of formally kicking off his bid for Shelby County Mayor at a Thursday announcement.

89. Touliatos Set To Make Run For Shelby County Mayor - Thursday, September 14, 2017

Since her office is not term limited, Juvenile Court Clerk Joy Touliatos could stay for a while in the clerk’s position she has held for nearly two terms.

Instead, Touliatos is running as a Republican for Shelby County Mayor in 2018 on a platform calling for cooperation among elected officials, lower taxes and smaller government.

90. Lane Touts Luttrell Endorsement in Sheriff's Race - Friday, September 8, 2017

Republican contender for Shelby County Sheriff Dale Lane is touting the support of every suburban mayor in the county, current Shelby County Mayor and former sheriff Mark Luttrell, and former county mayor Jim Rout.

91. Joy Touliatos Will Run For Shelby County Mayor - Saturday, August 26, 2017

Juvenile Court Clerk Joy Touliatos formally announced Thursday, Aug. 24, she is running for Shelby County mayor in the May 2018 Republican primary.

Touliatos is serving her second term as clerk, elected in 2010 and 2014, and has been a county employee for 22 years.

92. Joy Touliatos to Run for Shelby County Mayor - Thursday, August 24, 2017

Juvenile Court Clerk Joy Touliatos formally announced Thursday, Aug. 24, she is running for Shelby County mayor in the May 2018 Republican primary.

Touliatos is serving her second term as clerk, elected in 2010 and 2014, and has been a county employee for 22 years.

93. Commission Locks In $4.11 Tax Rate With 10-0 Vote - Friday, July 21, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners closed the books Wednesday, July 19, on another budget season with approval on third and final reading of a county property tax rate of $4.11.

The fourth commission meeting in a week and a half ran about 20 minutes, ending with the 10-0 vote. Several commissioners were absent from the special meeting.

94. Workers Joining 8-Week County Summer Jobs Blight Effort Learn Rules of the Road - Wednesday, June 7, 2017

There was a point on Monday, June 5, when county public works officials trying to prepare a group of 100 young adults for an eight-week summer jobs program thought they might have done their job too well.

95. Last Word: Sessions Notes, Lakeland Elects and Golf Classic Turns 60 - Friday, May 26, 2017

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions doesn’t stick with the script he has when he makes a speech, like the one he gave Thursday at the federal building to a room full of federal prosecutors and local and state law enforcement. Some of that comes from his background as a former U.S. Attorney and Alabama’s Attorney General, not to mention his tenure as a U.S. senator.

96. Bank On Memphis Effort in National Spotlight - Friday, May 26, 2017

Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir was in the nation’s capital this week, speaking by invitation on a panel at the 2017 Bank On national conference in Washington, D.C.

97. Shelby County’s Certified Property Tax Rate Set at $4.13 - Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the certified county property tax rate at $4.13 Monday, May 22, a 24-cent drop from the current tax rate of $4.37.

The resolution approved reflects the state-approved estimate of a tax rate that will produce the same amount of revenue for county government as the current tax rate following the 2017 countywide property reappraisal.

98. County Certified Property Tax Rate Comes In At $4.13 - Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Shelby County Commissioners set the certified county property tax rate at $4.13 Monday, May 22, a 24-cent drop from the current tax rate of $4.37.

The resolution approved reflects the state-approved estimate of a tax rate that will produce the same amount of revenue for county government as the current tax rate once new property values from the 2017 countywide property reappraisal are factored in.

99. Luttrell: Mend Issues That Divide Region - Thursday, May 18, 2017

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell says his hope for a more civil national political discourse may be “a little Alice in Wonderland.” And there are times when he sees local discussions veering in the direction of “Nashville and Washington,” he told the Memphis Rotary Club Tuesday, May 16.

100. View From the Hill: Gas Tax Rancor Lingers as Session Coasts to Close - Thursday, May 11, 2017

Remnants of rancor over Republican leadership roiled the House, a reminder of outrage over roguish behavior as representatives reached the finish line.

Alliteration is probably better suited for poetry. But in a case of what could be considered poetic justice, at least for some, this literary device – goofiness maybe – is suitable for legislative action requiring a score card to keep up with the characters and a bit of history to put it all together.