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.

2. Last Word: DEB Comes to Memphis, Collierville's New School and Lamar Avenue - Monday, August 6, 2018

At the end of an eventful week on several fronts, two of those fronts met Saturday evening in Memphis Park. The park, cleared of all remaining Confederate monuments and markers earlier in the week, was the site of the first Le Diner en Blanc in the city. This is an event that takes place in other cities with the Paris DEB 30 years old and still running.

3. August 3-9, 2018: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, August 4, 2018

1973: On the front page of The Daily News, State Representative Harold Ford touts a legal opinion from the Tennessee Attorney General’s office on the redrawing of U.S. House district lines by the legislature. Shelby County election commissioners contend they control the use of precinct boundaries in setting those lines not the legislature. The legal opinion says the legislature has the power to set the boundaries and a local body cannot overrule or change that. Ford would run in the 8th Congressional district election the next year, taking the Democratic primary and claiming the seat in the general election in an upset of Republican incumbent Dan Kuykendall.

4. Last Word: MemFix 4's Big Weekend, Early Voting Six Days In and Grizz Moves - Friday, July 20, 2018

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

5. 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.

6. Early Opening - Friday, July 13, 2018

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 2 Election Day opens Friday, July 13, at five locations across Shelby County. On Tuesday, 22 additional sites will be open through July 28. Between the Shelby County Election Commission and Chancery Court there were three other sets of early-voting locations and hours in a three-week period before Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins signed off Tuesday afternoon on a fourth set.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Corker Marks Time in Senate - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker is watching his time in the Senate closely as he wraps up the second of two terms there.

At the Memphis Rotary Club last week, Corker heard from at least one person who wished he wasn’t leaving the Senate and would run for re-election.

10. The Aftermath: Memphis' Political Journey Since 1968 - Saturday, March 31, 2018

For 50 years and counting, April 4 has been an important day in the life of Memphis.

To some Memphians, it is a holy day; to others, it’s a day of reflection, or perhaps one of action and service.

11. Bredesen: U.S. Senate Win Possible For Democrats - Tuesday, February 20, 2018

The last Democrat to win statewide elected office in Tennessee eight years ago acknowledges times have changed.

“The Democratic brand is damaged in Tennessee,” former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said last week in Memphis. “The Republican percentage has stayed the same over the last decade. What’s changed is people have abandoned the Democrats and started calling themselves independents.”

12. 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.

13. Morgan Stanley Denies Firing Ford for Misconduct - Saturday, January 27, 2018

Morgan Stanley executives denied Monday, Jan. 22, that the financial giant fired former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. for sexual misconduct.

The company also denied that it received any “internal allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct involving him either before or after his separation became public.”

14. Dunavant Awards Will Feature Hardy As Keynote - Friday, January 26, 2018

As a lifelong Memphian and successful entrepreneur, Carolyn Hardy is all about finding new ways to grow the city.

15. Morgan Stanley Statement May Settle Differences With Ford - Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley settled its differences with former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. Monday, Jan. 22, with a statement saying the financial services company did not fire Ford over an allegation of sexual misconduct, according to The New York Times.

16. Last Word: Shutdown Over?, Glen Farms Plans and Billy Richmond - Wing Guru - Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The federal government shutdown for many of us outside the Beltway amounted to a message on a website saying the agency we were looking up was closed Monday. And Monday was the third and final day of the most recent shutdown. But the immigration policy known as DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – is the issue to be explored by Congress in the three weeks that the continuing resolution covers. It’s an issue that there has been plenty of local discussion about

17. Morgan Stanley Denies Ford Fired for Sexual Misconduct - Monday, January 22, 2018

Morgan Stanley executives denied Monday, Jan. 22, that the financial giant fired former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. for sexual misconduct.

18. Nomination Deadline For Dunavant Awards Feb. 1 - Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Memphis is lucky to have an abundance of residents with a passion for public service and it is time once again to honor their commitment to improving this community.

Each year the Rotary Club of Memphis East recognizes the importance of public service by hosting the Dunavant Public Servant Awards.

19. Investigation Finds No Basis for Misconduct Allegation Against Ford - Monday, January 15, 2018

Former Memphis Congressman Harold Ford Jr. says Morgan Stanley has concluded its investigation of an allegation of sexual misconduct against him made last month and determined that it was not true.

20. Last Word: A New Majority, A Plan After Kroger and Cold Cases - Friday, January 12, 2018

Shelby County elections administrator Linda Phillips has been watching the ebb and flow of petitions for the 2018 elections and has found what she believes is a link to the weather. “Apparently when the dreaded ‘snow’ word is mentioned in the forecast, not only do people go out and clear the shelves of milk, bread and eggs. They also decide to pick up a petition,” she wrote in an email with the list of who has pulled and who has filed in the last two days.

21. Ford Claims Vindication on Sexual Misconduct Allegation - Friday, January 12, 2018

Former Memphis Congressman Harold Ford Jr. says Morgan Stanley has admitted that its investigation of an allegation of sexual misconduct against him made last month concluded it was not true.

22. Dunavant Awards Spotlight Public Servants - Friday, January 12, 2018

Being a public servant often is thankless job, but each year the Rotary Club of Memphis East recognizes the importance of public service to the community by hosting the Dunavant Public Servant Awards.

23. Last Word: Bredesen's Return, Ford's Exit and Otis Redding 50 Years On - Friday, December 8, 2017

Former Tennessee Gov. and Nashville mayor Phil Bredesen formally entered the 2018 race for the U.S. Senate Thursday via a YouTube video. AP on Bredesen’s entry and his background. Republican partisans are already assuming Bredesen is the Democratic nominee and Democratic partisans are already assuming U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is the Republican nominee. And the expectation of such a match up automatically went on the list of midterm races that those on both sides and pundits inbetween will be watching to get a read on national trends.

24. Morgan Stanley Fires Ford Amid Harassment Claim - Saturday, December 9, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. has been fired from Morgan Stanley following a company investigation into allegations he harassed, intimidated and forcibly grabbed a co-worker, according to Huffington Post.

25. Ford Fired By Morgan Stanley In Harassment Investigation - Thursday, December 7, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. has been fired from Morgan Stanley following a company investigation into allegations he harassed, intimidated and forcibly grabbed a woman he met with several years ago, according to Huffington Post.

26. Ford Fired By Morgan Stanley In Harassment Investigation - Thursday, December 7, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. has been fired from Morgan Stanley following a company investigation into allegations he harassed, intimidated and forcibly grabbed a co-worker, according to Huffington Post.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. Tennessee's Corker Doubles Down on His Criticism of Trump - Friday, October 27, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Taking on a crowd of jeering union workers, standing up to a charismatic Democratic opponent on the man's home turf or lecturing upper management of one of the world's largest corporations, Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker has rarely backed down from a fight.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. Sept 29-Oct 5, 2017: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, September 30, 2017

1991: Willie Herenton is elected mayor – the first African-American elected mayor in Memphis history. Herenton upsets incumbent Dick Hackett by 142 votes, the closest margin in a mayor’s race under the mayor-council form of government, but not the closest in the much-longer history of Memphis mayoral elections under various forms of municipal government.
The election also sees the election of an African-American majority to the 13-member Memphis City Council. It is a tumultuous election night in which the vote count goes past midnight. The Shelby County Election Commission before and after this election had always released absentee votes first. In this case, the absentee vote totals are not added until the election day totals had been tabulated. The delay prompts several hundred Herenton supporters gathered at The Peabody to come to the Downtown offices of the election commission. They follow U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr., with a Hackett team of advisers arriving as well to oversee the absentee vote count. Herenton went on to become the longest-serving Memphis mayor, resigning July 30, 2009.

34. Last Word: After The Eclipse, A Very Large Magnet and Cyber Insurance - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Back from the eclipse it would seem. Although I’m pretty sure some part of the moon is still obscuring me. Alas, I will just have to walk around with a crescent missing here or there. Just don’t look at me directly and we will both be okay. Although you might see me wearing the Seer Sucker this week seeing as how the same laws that govern looking at the sun during an eclipse apparently apply to wearing Seer Sucker after Labor Day. It's just not done. Famous last words.

35. A Different Body of Work Emerges For The Hereafter - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

With the cost of traditional casket funerals rising to an average of $9,000 or more, many people are choosing less expensive options like cremation and donating their bodies to science. Numerous “green” options for cremated remains such as biodegradable urns or even using ashes for tree planting, use in rebuilding coral reefs, for stones for jewelry or for tattoos and portraits are gaining popularity.

36. Corker's Careful Balancing Act on Trump Knocked Off Kilter - Friday, August 25, 2017

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sen. Bob Corker refuses to say whether he'll seek a third term, but he has carefully said and done all the right things to avoid provoking a spirited primary challenge next year.

37. A Million Reasons Not to Jump Into the Tennessee Governor’s Race - Thursday, August 10, 2017

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers is banking on the idea wealthy candidates won’t be able to buy voters in 2018.

38. With Less Than 1 Year Before Primary, Corker Mum on Future - Monday, August 7, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – With less than a year to go before Tennessee's Republican primary, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker still won't say whether he plans to seek a third term.

The former Chattanooga mayor deflected questions about his future before the state Republican Party's annual fundraiser on Thursday evening.

39. Last Word: Harold Ford Jr. on Change, Tourism Turns a Corner and Sim at UTHSC - Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Very different outlooks along party lines still in our delegation to Washington over the Senate’s version of Trumpcare.

On the day the Congressional Budget Office estimated the proposal would end health insurance coverage for 22 million Americans, Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s reaction:

40. Freedom Fund Luncheon Speakers: Democratic Party Must Change - Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. says if voters can make the big change they made last November in the White House they can do it again.

As one of two keynote speakers at the NAACP Freedom Fund luncheon Saturday, June 24, marking the centennial of the Memphis Branch NAACP, the former Memphis congressman said he is optimistic, even though he disagrees with much of what President Donald Trump has done since taking office six months ago.

41. Events - Saturday, June 24, 2017

Memphis Branch NAACP will host its Centennial Freedom Fund Luncheon on Saturday, June 24, at 11:30 a.m. at the Memphis Hilton, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. Wake Forest University professor Melissa Harris-Perry and former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. are the guest speakers at the luncheon, themed “Reflecting on the Past, Remaining Focused on the Future: 100 Years of Civil Rights and Human Rights Advocacy.” Tickets start at $100. Visit naacpmemphis.org for details.

42. Events - Friday, June 23, 2017

The Live at the Garden summer concert series kicks off with Little Big Town on Friday, June 23, at 8:30 p.m. (gates at 6:30 p.m.) at Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Road. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Visit liveatthegarden.com or call 901-636-4107 for details and a series schedule.

43. Memphis NAACP Marks Centennial With Challenge - Friday, June 23, 2017

When the Memphis Branch NAACP holds its annual Freedom Fund Luncheon Saturday, June 24, there will be a lot of memories and a lot of history.

The Memphis Branch’s largest annual event this year marks the centennial of an organization founded in the wake of the 1917 lynching of Ell Persons. James Weldon Johnson, the NAACP national office’s investigator who came to the city to gather facts on the incident, encouraged Robert Church Jr. to start a local chapter.

44. Events - Thursday, June 22, 2017

The Collierville Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Leadership Network will hold an after-hours event Friday, June 23. It starts with a 5:30 p.m. dinner at The Pasta Kitchen, 875 W. Poplar Ave., suite 31, followed by live music at 7:30 p.m. at Tony’s Trophy Room, 929 W. Poplar Ave. No registration required; pay your own way. Visit colliervillechamber.com/events for details.

45. The Week Ahead: June 19-25 - Monday, June 19, 2017

Hello, Memphis! Summer officially arrives in our Central time zone at 11:24 p.m. on Tuesday, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Well, we know what summer in Memphis means – a heapin’ helpin’ of humidity. Stay cool with all these hot happenings in The Week Ahead...

46. Freedom Fund Luncheon Features Critic of NAACP's Relevance - Saturday, June 10, 2017

Melissa Harris-Perry, the former MSNBC host who last month penned a New York Times op-ed challenging the relevance of the NAACP, will be one of the keynote speakers at the Memphis Branch NAACP’s June 24 Freedom Fund Luncheon.

47. May 12-18, 2017: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, May 13, 2017

2016: On the front page of The Daily News, a receiver is appointed by U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla for the Tulane and Warren apartments. The two apartment complexes owned by Global Ministries Foundation of Memphis are to be sold by the receiver, with proceeds going to bond holders represented by the Bank of New York, which has filed suit against GMF.
The bank’s lawsuit follows federal officials’ decision to cut off rent subsidies to the two complexes after they fail a second inspection of conditions ranging from bed bug infestations to broken plumbing

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

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

49. Memphis’ Political History Reflects Changes With New Entries - Friday, April 14, 2017

There was a moment during the March unveiling of former Mayor A C Wharton Jr.’s portrait in the Hall of Mayors when the task of framing history gave way to the present.

It came when attorney Ricky E. Wilkins talked about the importance of Wharton and his predecessor, Willie Herenton – the only two black mayors in Memphis history – to the city’s political present. Wharton attended the event; Herenton was noticeably absent.

50. April 7-13, 2017: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, April 8, 2017

1993: U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr. is acquitted of all charges in his second bank fraud trial in Memphis Federal Court. Ford’s trial by a jury of citizens from outside the Memphis area ends dramatically with the jury foreman reading the verdict on each of the 18 counts against Ford – any one of which, Ford later said, would have ended his political career had he been found guilty.

51. Corker To Keynote Dunavant Awards - Wednesday, March 22, 2017

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will be the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of Memphis East’s annual Dunavant Public Servant Awards.

Co-sponsored by The Daily News, the awards luncheon is 11:30 a.m., April 18, at the Memphis Hilton, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd.

52. Bibbs Empowers Teachers for Student Success - Friday, December 9, 2016

Miska Clay Bibbs never planned to pursue a career in education. But no matter where life takes her, she always ends up coming back to it.

53. Last Word: Mike Conley, Corker at Trump Tower and School Moves - Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Remember the Mike Conley face masks of 2015? I’m not sure back braces would have the same effect. The Grizz season took a big turn the day after Monday’s loss to the Hornets as the front office got a better look at Mike Conley’s injury from the game. Conley is out indefinitely for the Grizz with a fractured lower back in what is a turning point for the transformation of the team out of its Grit and Grind years.

54. Last Word: Ford Rumors, School Plans and Harwell Survives In State House - Wednesday, November 23, 2016

If the Friday after Thanksgiving is “Black Friday” what is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving? You know, the day many of us are scurrying about with our hair on fire to get everything done so we can legitimately claim that we will absolutely not be a part of the Black Friday mob whose hair is also alight.

55. Pursuing Corruption Cases Near Elections - Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Presidential elections aren’t the only political contests federal prosecutors weigh in making decisions about investigations and possible criminal charges against candidates or elected officials.

56. Clayborn Reborn Effort Charts Different Pre-vitalization Path - Monday, October 24, 2016

The hope has been that the redevelopment of Central Station in the South Main area would cause a ripple in development to the east and link up with the sprawling South City development that encompasses the Foote Homes public housing development, the area south of FedExForum, and go south of Crump Boulevard.

57. Study Leads to Broader Call for Business Ties - Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Rodney Strong, CEO of the Atlanta law and public policy firm Griffin and Strong that authored city government’s latest disparity study on minority contracting, didn’t come to talk about the study last week when he spoke to a room of 40 African-American civic and business leaders.

58. August 5-11, 2016: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, August 6, 2016

1986: Election day with nonpartisan Shelby County elections the main item of interest for voters. Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris easily wins a third term of office, defeating challengers Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges and North Memphis political activist Charlie Morris. Incumbent Sheriff Gene Barksdale loses his re-election bid in an upset by Jack Owens, who runs for sheriff from the chairmanship of the Memphis City Council. The election draws a countywide turnout of 34.6 percent.

59. Last Word: Substation 68, Akbari's Convention Slot and Heartbreak Hotel - Monday, July 25, 2016

Relief came on Sunday for Memphis Light Gas and Water customers in Arlington, Lakeland and a part of Bartlett who have been enduring the possibility of rolling blackouts and voluntary conservation measures in the worst heat of the summer for just shy of two weeks.

60. Last Word: Delayed Reaction, UTHSC Simulates and Ali Takes On The Fords - Monday, June 6, 2016

If you like to unplug on the weekends, you probably got plugged back in sooner than expected Sunday to the violent rampage Downtown Saturday evening. It ended with a Memphis Police officer dead – run over at Beale and B.B. King – allegedly by a suspect in the shootings of three people on Downtown’s northern end – two of them in critical condition – less than a half hour earlier.

61. Reaction to the Death of Civil Rights Leader Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles - Thursday, April 28, 2016

Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles died Tuesday in Memphis after a long illness. Here's a roundup of reaction from local leaders, Kyles' associates and the National Civil Rights Museum...

62. This Week in Memphis History: April 22-28 - Saturday, April 23, 2016

2011: The Mississippi River at Memphis hits 48 feet on the river gauge on its way to the second-highest level ever recorded.

1995: Cranberries at the Mud Island amphitheater.

1990: U.S. District Judge Odell Horton rejects word from the jury in the bank fraud trial of U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr. that it is hopelessly deadlocked and sends them back for more deliberations. Horton is upset that the jury foreman also blurted out the vote count on the panel before Horton stopped him. Horton soon would declare a mistrial, citing problems with the jury that included a juror who slept beneath a table in the jury room during deliberations. The FBI also investigates the jury’s conduct but no charges are ever filed in connection with it.
Ford and his co-defendants would be tried a second time and acquitted of all charges.

63. Spence Wilson To Keynote Dunavant Awards May 11 - Thursday, April 7, 2016

Spence Wilson, chairman of the board of Kemmons Wilson Companies, is the keynote speaker for the annual Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Awards to be held May 11 at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis.

64. Finances Will Be in Focus at City Council - Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The list of financial surprises that Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland presented to Memphis City Council members two weeks ago tops council discussions Tuesday, March 15.

65. Last Word: The Big Fizzle, John Jay Hooker's Exit And "A Great Sports Town" - Monday, January 25, 2016

Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it – isn’t that how the saying goes?
In our case, it might be better to say everybody talks about the television weather coverage but nobody does anything about it.
As we all know now, Memphis dodged the “blizzard” warning artfully and passive-aggressively teased by several television stations who shall go un-named here because they know who they are and you do too.
That’s because they spent much of the day of "the blizzard that wasn’t" whining about the reaction from viewers who complained about the hype and then the promos the stations ran the day of the big fizzle.
We didn’t get much in the way of snow in Memphis, but we got a couple of feet of hype.

66. Harris Weighs Cohen Challenge - Monday, January 4, 2016

Tennessee state Senate Democratic leader Lee Harris is considering a challenge of U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in the August Democratic Congressional primary.

67. Departing City Council Members Remembered at Last Session - Thursday, December 17, 2015

Before the Memphis City Council’s final session of 2015 on Tuesday, Dec. 15, the 13 council members got around to something they should have done four years ago: take a group picture in the Hall of Mayors at City Hall.

68. Memphis City Council Heads For Rocky End Of Term - Thursday, November 19, 2015

With only two meetings left, Memphis City Council members are on their way toward what looks to be a rocky end of their four-year term of office together.

And the council’s annual election of a new chairman Tuesday, Nov. 17, for the coming calendar year didn’t help matters.

69. Council Delays Central Station and Graceland West Votes - Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Memphis City Council members delayed approval Tuesday, Nov. 17, of the lease agreement and financing of the Central Station redevelopment project for two weeks. And it also delayed a vote on the Graceland West renovation and expansion.

70. New Mayor in Town - Saturday, October 17, 2015

Jim Strickland has some big decisions to make.

At the top of the list: make sure the toilets are flushing, the lights are coming on at night and the stoplights are flashing red, yellow and green.

71. Wharton Reintroduces Detroit Specter as Early Voting Begins - Tuesday, September 22, 2015

When the city of Memphis got an unmistakable warning in May 2013 from Tennessee comptroller Justin Wilson to get its financial house in order, Memphis mayor A C Wharton was among those quick to caution against likening the city’s problems to those of Detroit.

72. Memphis Chamber Backs Wharton in Mayor’s Race - Friday, August 21, 2015

The political action committee of the Greater Memphis Chamber is backing Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. for re-election.

Wharton faces a strong challenge in his re-election bid from Memphis City Council members Harold Collins and Jim Strickland. And a key issue in the hard-fought campaign is the city's pace of economic development during Wharton’s tenure.

73. Collins Knocks 'Puller, Pusher and Picker' Jobs In Whitehaven Opening - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Memphis Mayoral contender Harold Collins opened his Whitehaven campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 15, by saying incumbent mayor A C Wharton Jr. has “rendered us a puller, pusher and picker city.”

74. Collins Knocks 'Puller, Pusher and Picker' Jobs In Whitehaven Opening - Saturday, August 15, 2015

Memphis Mayoral contender Harold Collins opened his Whitehaven campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 15, by saying incumbent mayor A C Wharton Jr. has “rendered us a puller, pusher and picker city.”

75. Campaign Strategies Shift As Mayoral Debates Begin - Wednesday, August 12, 2015

It’s been a scrap from the start.

But with the first televised debate in the 2015 race for Memphis Mayor Monday, Aug. 10, more citizens got a first-hand look at what the top contenders have agreed is a milestone political race.

76. Wharton Opens Whitehaven Headquarters as Collins Intensifies Challenge - Tuesday, August 4, 2015

On the broiling parking lot of his Whitehaven campaign headquarters this weekend, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. talked about “still water” after firing up a crowd of 150 supporters in a tent next to Elvis Presley Boulevard.

77. Wharton Opens In Whitehaven - Saturday, August 1, 2015

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. opened his Whitehaven campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 1, saying his job as the city’s chief executive is “not yet finished.”

“Have you ever heard me speak a divisive word? Have you ever heard me pit one part of the city against another part of the city?” Wharton asked a group of 150 supporters under a tent outside his campaign headquarters at First Memphis Plaza on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Whitehaven. “No -- haven’t heard it and you won’t hear it.”

78. Wharton Opens In Whitehaven - Saturday, August 1, 2015

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. opened his Whitehaven campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 1, saying his job as the city’s chief executive is “not yet finished.”

“Have you ever heard me speak a divisive word? Have you ever heard me pit one part of the city against another part of the city?” Wharton asked a group of 150 supporters under a tent outside his campaign headquarters at First Memphis Plaza on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Whitehaven. “No -- haven’t heard it and you won’t hear it.”

79. Strickland's Memphis Mayoral Bid Heats Up - Friday, July 24, 2015

Just hours after he dropped out of the race for Memphis Mayor, James Harvey endorsed mayoral contender Jim Strickland at the opening of Strickland’s Poplar Plaza campaign headquarters.

80. Memphis Mayoral Field Set at 10 - Friday, July 24, 2015

Shelby County Election Commissioners have certified the Memphis election ballot for Oct. 8.

These are the names to appear on that ballot for the 15 elected offices.

The commission met hours after the noon Thursday, July 23, deadline for candidates to withdraw from the ballot if they wished.

81. Filing Deadline Shapes Field in Memphis Elections - Monday, July 20, 2015

Now that they’ve made the filing deadline for the Oct. 8 Memphis elections, candidates have until Thursday, July 23, to withdraw if they wish before the ballot is set later that day in the 15 city races.

82. Ford Switches Races at Election Filing Deadline - Thursday, July 16, 2015

Darrell Wright cut it about as close as was possible at the noon Thursday, July 16, filing deadline for candidates in the Oct. 8 Memphis elections.

83. City Court Clerk Thomas Long Won't Seek Re-Election - Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Thomas Long lost several times before he finally won elected office in 1995 as City Court Clerk.

He’s considered running for Memphis mayor and for U.S. Congress.

But Long says he is done with politics completely and will not seek re-election as city court clerk in the October Memphis elections.

84. Council Budget Committee Recommends $2.5 Million for Brewery Project - Wednesday, May 27, 2015

With a majority of the 13-member Memphis City Council present, the council’s budget committee voted Tuesday, May 26, to recommend $2.5 million in city capital funding for the remake of the Tennessee Brewery as a residential development.

85. Stanton Nominated to Memphis Federal Court - Monday, May 25, 2015

President Barack Obama has nominated U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton III to be a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

86. Harold Ford Sr. Returns to Memphis Funeral Business With New Concept - Wednesday, May 13, 2015

In his years as a political force in Memphis, Harold Ford Sr. was known for his attention to detail.

The former Congressman would brush past campaign workers and climb a ladder to level a campaign banner or change the layout of “the Ford ballot,” sought by everyone from presidential candidates to court clerks.

87. Mayoral Contenders Define Campaign Differences - Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The first campaign forum in the city election season for the still-forming field of mayoral contenders showed a theme that looks set in stone at this early stage: very different views of Memphis’ present and how that influences its future.

88. Five Mayoral Contenders Draw Contrasts in First Forum of Season - Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Five contenders in the mayor’s race offered contrasting views of the city’s direction Monday, April 27, in a forum at the Tennessee Brewery sponsored by The Commercial Appeal.

Incumbent Mayor A C Wharton Jr., city council members Harold Collins and Jim Strickland, Shelby County Commission chairman Justin Ford and Memphis Police Association president Mike Williams drew a crowd of about 150 with supporters of each candidate making up a good portion of the crowd.

89. Wanda Halbert to Run for City Court Clerk - Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Memphis City Council member Wanda Halbert will not seek re-election in this year’s city elections and will instead run for City Court Clerk.

Halbert planned to pull a petition Monday, April 20, for the challenge of incumbent clerk Thomas Long.

90. Halbert Passes on Council Re-election Bid To Go For City Court Clerk - Saturday, April 18, 2015

Memphis City Council member Wanda Halbert will not seek re-election in this year's city elections and will instead run for City Court Clerk.

Halbert plans to pull a petition Monday, April 20, for the challenge of incumbent clerk Thomas Long.

91. Wharton, Strickland Top $250,000 in Campaign Accounts - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

As they prepare to pull qualifying petitions for the October ballot, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and challenger Jim Strickland each have more than $250,000 in their campaign accounts.

92. Ford Talks Then And Now Of Politics - Friday, March 27, 2015

Former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. still talks about his early political schedule as a first-time candidate in 1996 speaking to Memphis kindergarten students.

Now he is 45 and has been out of elected office for nearly nine years. Ford is at a point where he can talk about “kids” in the public policy class he teaches at the University of Michigan.

93. Well-Known Names Host Strickland Fundraiser - Thursday, March 26, 2015

At $1,500 per person or couple, a fundraiser Tuesday, March 24, for the mayoral campaign of Memphis City Council member Jim Strickland is an indication the campaign to the October city ballot is picking up in intensity.

94. Orgel, Shular Honored With Dunavant Awards - Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Shelby County Schools board member Billy Orgel and Shelby County government public affairs officer Steve Shular receive the annual Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Awards Wednesday, March 25, from the Rotary Club of Memphis East.

95. Orgel Traces Path to School Board - Friday, March 20, 2015

The first chairman of the consolidated Shelby County Schools board judges how well the school board is performing its duties by how mundane its monthly voting meeting is.

“It’s almost boring to come to a school board meeting,” said Billy Orgel, who was appointed to the 23-member board in 2011 and has been re-elected twice. “There’s not theatrics by anybody and we genuinely all like each other. There’s not a backstory. And there are not factions. I think it’s a good model for other bodies.”

96. Shular, Orgel to Receive Dunavant Awards - Friday, March 13, 2015

The public affairs officer for Shelby County government with a reach beyond the media and a Shelby County Schools board member whose elected service began at a time of historic change in local public education are the recipients of the 2015 Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Awards.

97. Wharton Eyes City Hall Shake-Up - Monday, March 2, 2015

Facing specific criticism from political challengers that his administration is disorganized and hasn’t focused on priorities much past initial press conferences, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. acted this week to shake up his office starting at the top.

98. Deadline Nears for Dunavant Awards Nominations - Thursday, February 26, 2015

With less than a week for nominations, the Rotary Club of Memphis East is preparing to select the recipients of the annual Bobby Dunavant Public Servant Awards.

And the process is more than just recognizable names submitted to the committee of Rotarians and members of the family of the late Probate Court Clerk.

99. Justin Ford: ‘We’re On The Cusp Of Change’ - Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Shelby County commission chairman Justin Ford is running for Memphis Mayor in 2015.

Ford announced his intention to challenge Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. Monday, Feb. 9, joining former county commissioner James Harvey, city council member Jim Strickland, and former University of Memphis basketball player Detric Golden in the growing field.

100. Commission Delays Vote on Lakeland School Site Funding - Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote Monday, Feb. 9, on a shift of county capital funds for the Lakeland Schools System to allow the school system to use it to buy land for the new Lakeland Prep grades 6-12 school being planned.