Here comes Trader Joe’s with a Friday opening in Germantown after lots of mystery and delays and changes for what is a pretty simple concept. For so many of us, this has been a long-hoped for goal. It’s kind of up there with smuggling in Coors beer from the west in the 70s before it became available everywhere and Coors had a brewery here.

2. Harris to Make Proposals To New Commission Sept. 19 - Saturday, September 15, 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.

3. Veazey, Carr Promoted In City Hall Shuffle - Saturday, September 15, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland announced Wednesday, Sept. 12, he is appointing Chandell Carr and Kyle Veazey to each serve as deputy chief operating officers to COO Doug McGowen.

4. Haslam: Memphis Has Not Been Ignored During His Administration - Friday, September 14, 2018

On the heels of gubernatorial candidates courting Memphis and calling for increased state involvement, Gov. Bill Haslam is defending his record, saying the Bluff City hasn’t been overlooked on his watch.

5. Haslam: Memphis Has Not Been Ignored During His Administration - Friday, September 14, 2018

State

Haslam: Memphis Has Not Been Ignored During His Administration

Special to The Daily News

On the heels of gubernatorial candidates courting Memphis and calling for increased state involvement, Gov. Bill Haslam is defending his record, saying the Bluff City hasn’t been overlooked on his watch.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Veazey, Carr Promoted in City Hall Shuffle - Thursday, September 13, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland announced Wednesday, Sept. 12, he is appointing Chandell Carr and Kyle Veazey to each serve as deputy chief operating officers to COO Doug McGowen.

9. Last Word: Gun Group Endorsements, Kirby Complexities and Purple Haze Closes - Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Two races on the Nov. 6 ballot within the Shelby County legislative delegation to Nashville getting some attention as our Nashville correspondent Sam Stockard takes a look at “gun sense” ratings from the group Moms Demand Action, which has called for stricter gun laws.

10. Van Turner to Lead Shelby County Commission in First Year of New Term - Tuesday, September 11, 2018

The Shelby County Commission on Monday elected commissioner Van Turner as chairman and commissioner Mark Billingsley as vice-chairman for the 2018-19 year in its first meeting of their four-year terms in office.

11. Last Word: Graceland Opens Vigil, Hunt-Phelan For Sale and Southern Heritage - Thursday, September 6, 2018

After two years of making the Elvis candlelight vigil more about who paid and getting people in line, Graceland said Wednesday the vigil will return to being a free event next August – no admission, no buying packages that include the vigil. The timing on this is interesting coming about two weeks after the 2018 edition of the vigil.

12. Shelby County Mayor Harris Names Marlinee Iverson County Attorney, Nicole Lacey Interim PIO - Thursday, September 6, 2018

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris named Marlinee Iverson as the next Shelby County attorney Wednesday afternoon – his second major appointment since taking office Saturday.

13. Leadership Holes in State Legislature - Thursday, September 6, 2018

With apologies to Robert Zimmerman, “the times they are a-changing.”

Unlike Bob Dylan’s 1964 song of rebellion, Capitol Hill isn’t turning into a bed of liberals, although someday the first could be last. In fact, it could turn more conservative this fall before things take a different direction. But leadership down the line in both parties is due for a big turnover.

14. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, New County Commissioners Sworn In - Friday, August 31, 2018

New Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the 13 members of the Shelby County Commission were sworn in together – to show unity between the two bodies of government – Thursday afternoon at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

15. Last Word: Tiger Fortunes, Union Mission Expansion and Beale Cause and Effect - Friday, August 31, 2018

The Tigers open the football season Saturday at the Liberty Bowl against Mercer and many of you are ready for football season – college or NFL but rarely both – to begin. Never mind that the World Series still awaits in October or that every time I look up at an NFL pre season game someone is running a kickoff back from one end zone to another because no one wants anyone to hit too hard out there until it counts.

16. Last Word: Oath, Occupancy and Buses - Thursday, August 30, 2018

Shelby County Mayor elect Lee Harris and the 13-member Shelby County Commission with a majority of eight new members take the oath of office Thursday afternoon Downtown at the Cannon Center. And Harris turned in his resignation as a state Senator Wednesday, urging the county commission to leave the seat vacant for the remaining four months left in his four-year term of office in Nashville.

17. 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.

18. MATA’s Lack of Funding Could Result in Route Cuts - Thursday, August 30, 2018

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is proposing several adjustments to its bus network, including the elimination of seven routes. Tuesday night, MATA held a public hearing at the Benjamin Hooks Central Library for the proposed changes, which can be found here. 

19. Last Word: New Council Smell, Harris's First Pick and Detroit's Comeback - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

After months of renovation work, the new Memphis City Council committee room was ready for the council Tuesday on the fifth floor of City Hall. The council had been meeting in its chambers on the ground floor for the seven hours of committee meetings that precede the council’s main voting meeting at 3:30 p.m. two Tuesdays a month. The council room has that new council smell -- kind of ironic for a body that is about to get three new members by the end of the year.

20. Mayor-elect Harris Appoints Chief Administrative Officer - Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris announced Tuesday, Aug. 28, Patrice Williamson-Thomas will serve as chief administrative officer – Harris’ first major appointment in his administration.

21. Last Word: Firestone Developments, Commission's Busy Day and Main and Beale - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The Firestone plant site in North Memphis is one of nine across the city the Greater Memphis Chamber is seeking grant funding for as the chamber starts to role out an economic development policy shift on its part. Here is what it means on several levels as well as the eight other sites in the Memphis area that are on the grant applications.

22. County Commissioners Approve Quinn Road Development - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – with one key amendment change during their meeting Monday, Aug. 27.

23. Economic Development Experts Set Sights On Memphis - Thursday, August 23, 2018

Site selectors from across the country spent time in Memphis this week as local economic development teams touted the area’s available land, industrial and office space for potential companies.

24. BOGARD Restaurant Drops Plans for Overton Square Site - Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Plans to open an “upscale’’ but charitable restaurant called BOGARD in Overton Square have been suspended, with two of the partners citing their involvement with the transition team of incoming County Mayor Lee Harris as the reason.

25. Last Word: Bob Smith Talks, Crosstown Anniversary and Grant's Parking Lot - Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Bob Smith’s testimony was a good part of the first day of the nonjury trial that began Monday before Memphis Federal Court Judge Jon McCalla on police surveillance of protesters. Smith was the alias used by Police Sgt. Tim Reynolds – Reynolds acknowledged during his testimony Monday Downtown. The identity was also used by several other officers.

26. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition to Office - Saturday, August 18, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

27. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition to Office - Thursday, August 16, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

28. Last Word: Hotel on the Mall, The Twist in Council Day and Rallings on Surveillance - Wednesday, August 15, 2018

At this point, the second convention center hotel is a bit like the Pyramid was at one point. Before the first dirt was turned on the Pyramid in the late 1980s, there was the discussion about where it should go and there were a lot of ideas on that covering a lot of territory – so much so that then-Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris had a model of a pretty generic looking Pyramid on his desk that had some lego wheels attached to it.

29. County Mayor-Elect Harris Starts Transition with Long- and Short-Term Tasks, List of 142 Positions - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris told 35 members of his transition team that they will probably continue working through the end of October, two months after he takes office as mayor.

30. Last Word: Bigger Goodlett, Collierville's Dilemma and Ronnie Grisanti's at Regalia - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County Schools officials breaking ground Monday evening on the new Goodlett Elementary School to open a year from now on the grounds of the current Goodlett Elementary at 3001 S. Goodlett. The bigger Goodlett will allow for nearby Knight Road Elementary to close and its students to attend the new Goodlett. GOODLETT.

31. Commission Delays Quinn Road Development After Collierville Opposition - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote on a proposed a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – during their meeting Monday, Aug. 13.  

32. Commission Delays Quinn Road Development After Collierville Opposition - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Shelby County commissioners delayed a vote on approving a 500-plus home development on Quinn Road – in unincorporated Shelby County just south of Collierville – during its meeting Monday afternoon.

33. County Commission Considers Changes To EDGE Near Term's End - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

With only one more regularly scheduled meeting left in their four-year term of office, Shelby County commissioners are considering some changes to the joint city-county Economic Development Growth Engine – or EDGE.

34. Mayor Strickland Hopes County Supports MATA - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland meets with Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris this week as Harris’ transition team is assembled and begins working toward him taking office Sept. 1.

35. Last Word: Tunica Makes Book, The McCalla Ruling and Bush's Exit as Defender - Monday, August 13, 2018

Monday may be the biggest day in Tunica since the dawn of riverfront casinos in the early 1990s. Sports betting opens Monday morning in Tunica with Mississippi officialdom on hand at Horseshoe Tunica along with NFL and Tigers football star DeAngelo Williams who will be among those making the ceremonial first bets at The Book at Horseshoe Tunica.

36. Retiring Stephen Bush Supports DOJ Continuing to Monitor Juvenile Court - Monday, August 13, 2018

Stephen Bush, the chief public defender for Shelby County, said he supports the U.S. Department of Justice continued oversight over Juvenile Court, becoming the latest official to weigh in on the hotly debated issue.

37. Harris Expands Transition Team in Preparation for Taking Office - Friday, August 10, 2018

Shelby County Mayor-Elect Lee Harris announced more additions to his transition team Friday morning.

Harris named four additional honorary co-chairs including former county mayor A C Wharton Jr., county commissioner Walter Bailey, philanthropist Gayle Rose, and former city councilwoman Tajuan Stout Mitchell.

38. Last Word: MIM Numbers, Feeding 700 Teenagers and Elvis Week Arrives - Friday, August 10, 2018

The honored country tradition of the Memphis In May International Festival is one of those things that gets called into question whenever there is some thought about changes to the city’s biggest party. And the keepers of the festival’s flame always defend the tradition against the notion that they should just go straight to the party and not worry about anything profound.

39. Commission Votes 8-1 To Gain More Legal Control - Saturday, August 11, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved an ordinance Wednesday, Aug. 8, that would bar the county attorney from representing county government in civil litigation in which the county mayor or another county government entity is suing the commission.

40. Commission Passes Ordinance To Gain More Legal Control - Friday, August 10, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved an ordinance Wednesday, Aug. 8, that would bar the county attorney from representing county government in civil litigation in which the county mayor or another county government entity is suing the commission.

41. Shelby County Commission Passes Ordinance To Gain More Legal Control - Thursday, August 9, 2018

Shelby County commissioners approved an ordinance Wednesday, Aug. 8, that would bar the county attorney from representing county government in civil litigation in which the county mayor or another county government entity is suing the commission.

42. Last Word: Transition Time, Two Years of Heart and Eads De-Annexation Growth - Thursday, August 9, 2018

Here comes the transition in the county mayor’s office. Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris announced Wednesday that the transition team will be co-chaired by former Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Morris and former Grizz coach Lionel Hollins. Harris’s campaign manager Danielle Inez will be executive director of the transition team. They are soliciting applications to be on the transition team and the resumes have to be in soon. Harris takes office as outgoing mayor Mark Luttrell leaves at the end of this month.

43. Day One - Monday, August 6, 2018

Five school years into the historic merger and demerger of public education in Shelby County, the start of the sixth school year classes this month shows the change is establishing very real roots.

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. 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?

47. 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.

48. Bluff Park - Friday, August 3, 2018

Four replicas of Civil War-era cannons placed in then-Confederate Park six years ago were removed from the riverfront site this week, part of the revamping of the property by Memphis Greenspace.

The removal on Wednesday, Aug. 1, by private work crews for the nonprofit owners of the park, symbolizes the ongoing changes to the property, including renaming the parcel Memphis Park. Memphis Greenspace bought the park as well as Health Sciences Park last December – a major step in eliminating Confederate markers from the two parcels.

49. 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.

50. Hale Named Principal Owner At Pickering Firm - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

After 17 years with Pickering Firm Inc., James Hale has been tapped as one of the architecture and engineering firm’s principal owners. As director of finance and administration, Hale is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the firm and the day-to-day fiscal management of the company. Hale, who is based in Pickering’s Memphis office, also oversees all accounting and administrative staff, including human resources and IT.

51. 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.

52. 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.

53. 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.

54. 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.

55. 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.

56. 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.

57. 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.

58. 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.

59. Shelby County Early Voting Tops 4,300 - Wednesday, July 18, 2018

A total of 4,324 citizens had voted early through Monday, July 16, the last day of the 14-day voting period confined to five sites. Early voting expanded Tuesday to 22 additional sites across Shelby County.

60. 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...

61. 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.

62. 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.

63. 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.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. Last Word: Storms and Birds, Sizing the MPD and Plans for Early Voting's Opening - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Very dark skies Monday afternoon over parts of the city. I could be off in this but I think there is a connection to these sudden summer rain showers that we need to consider. I think they line up very closely with areas where you cannot find a Bird scooter or at least not one that is fully charged. Then again it could just be me.

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

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

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

69. 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.

70. 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.

71. 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.

72. 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.

73. 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.

74. County General Election Campaigns Meet Summer Heat - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

With their minds still in the numbers from the May county primary election, candidates on the Aug. 2 Shelby County ballot are on the summer campaign trail with early voting about six weeks away.

“Those were just crazy results,” Republican nominee for Shelby County sheriff Dale Lane said of the turnout as he campaigned Saturday, June 2, at the Memphis Italian Festival.

75. Last Word: After The Tom Lee Storm, Tiger Lane Changes and Crosstown Growth - Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A year ago many of you were without power in the wake of a sudden and violent storm that has come to be known as the Tom Lee Storm. It is the third most powerful storm, according to Memphis Light Gas and Water Division, in terms of those without power and the damage done. It’s called the Tom Lee storm because the 1950s-era Tom Lee memorial in Tom Lee Park – the obelisk – was toppled and shattered as the obelisk fell from the base. A year later, the base that proclaims Tom Lee “a worthy Negro” remains and the obelisk is in storage.

76. Events - Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest continues through Saturday, May 19, in Tom Lee Park Downtown. Among the highlights are the Kingsford Tour of Champions, which gives the public a chance to taste and judge barbecue from competing teams; the Cooker Caravan, a free guided tour of some of the best competition teams; live music; and more. Visit memphisinmay.org for tickets and a schedule.

77. Events - Friday, May 18, 2018

The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest continues through Saturday, May 19, in Tom Lee Park Downtown. Among the highlights are the Kingsford Tour of Champions, which gives the public a chance to taste and judge barbecue from competing teams; the Cooker Caravan, a free guided tour of some of the best competition teams; live music; and more. Visit memphisinmay.org for tickets and a daily schedule.

78. 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.

79. Events - Thursday, May 17, 2018

The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest continues through Saturday, May 19, in Tom Lee Park Downtown. Among the highlights are the annual Ms. Piggie Idol Contest; the Kingsford Tour of Champions, which gives the public a chance to taste and judge barbecue from competing teams; the Cooker Caravan, a free guided tour of some of the best competition teams; live music; and more. Visit memphisinmay.org for tickets and a daily schedule.

80. 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.

81. 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.

82. 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.

83. East Meets West as 2 Legislators Run Out of Time - Thursday, May 3, 2018

It wasn’t quite a constitutional crisis, but when Reps. Micah Van Huss and Joe Towns start teaming up, something is amiss.

84. 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.

85. 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.

86. 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.

87. 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.

88. 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.

89. 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.

90. GoFundMe Page Seeks to Reimburse Memphis for State Money Withdrawal - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

NASHVILLE – A GoFundMe page has been started on Facebook to raise funds to make up a $250,000 budget cut the Tennessee Legislature levied against the city of Memphis for removing Confederate monuments from two city parks late last year.

91. 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.

92. Sunday Wine, Liquor Sales Passes in Tenn. Senate - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NASHVILLE – Buoyed by Bible verses and compromise giving liquor stores a head start on Sunday sales, legislation allowing grocery stores to sell wine on Sundays passed the Senate Wednesday on a 17-11 vote.

93. 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.

94. 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.

95. Bump Stock Ban Proposal Fails in Tennessee - Saturday, April 7, 2018

An effort by Democratic lawmakers to ban bump stocks in Tennessee has failed.

Bump stocks are devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns.

Some Tennessee Senate leaders had come out in support of President Donald Trump’s push to ban bump stocks after a gunman used the devices to kill 58 people and injure more than 500 others in Las Vegas in October.

96. 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.

97. Bump Stock Ban Proposal Fails in Tennessee - Thursday, April 5, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – An effort by Democratic lawmakers to ban bump stocks in Tennessee has failed.

Bump stocks are devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to mimic the rapid fire of machine guns. Some Tennessee Senate leaders had come out in support of President Donald Trump's push to ban bump stocks after a gunman used the devices to kill 58 people and injure more than 500 others in Las Vegas in October.

98. Davy Crockett’s Fine, But Let’s Not Get Carried Away - Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Tennessee General Assembly is making some monumental decisions these days – literally.

Not only is the Legislature prepared to put a statue of Tennessee folk hero Davy Crockett in front of the State Capitol, replacing obscure Nashville politician Edward Carmack, it’s also likely to erect a monument, or memorial, to unborn children in the ongoing battle against abortion.

99. August Ballot Starts to Fill Out Ahead of April 5 Filing Deadline - Wednesday, March 28, 2018

With contenders in the May county primaries now appearing at various campaign forums, holding their own events and going door-to-door in search of votes, there are still a few gaps to be filled on the Aug. 2 state and federal primary ballot.

100. Last Word: Graceland's New Lawsuit, Memphis March For Our Lives and Trolley Test - Monday, March 26, 2018

Remember the comment from last week’s EDGE meeting by EDGE board member Tom Dyer who said the economic development body was likely to be sued no matter what it did on Graceland’s application for tax breaks on its “convention center” plan in Whitehaven? At week’s end, Graceland followed through with a lawsuit in Chancery Court against EDGE for delaying a decision on the matter. The lawsuit contends EDGE has no intention of making a decision on incentives and that Graceland is entitled to those incentives.