NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Acclaimed singer-songwriters including Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Steve Earle will lead a five-city concert series to support families who have been separated at the border due to immigration policies put into place by the Trump administration.

2. Last Word: Bird Is The Word, Governors Quartet and Charlie Morris's Secret - Friday, June 15, 2018

Former Vice President Joe Biden plays the Orpheum Friday evening. Maybe that isn't the right way to put it -- unless there's a drum solo no one is talking about. Free Bird?

I'll take it as further evidence of the new American politics that is evolving and is far from settled at this point. Politicians do paid speaking gigs all the time. And at times it is controversial. But the gigs are usually some kind of speaking fee to make remarks at a corporate function -- not selling individual tickets on line. This is ostensibly to promote Biden's new book and book deals and politicians go way back. But in a lot of cases, those are free events in a book store. When Biden was last here, it was as vice president at the Norfolk Southern intermodal rail yard in Rossville.

3. Commission Races Feature Basar Upset, Lowery is Newest Commissioner - Thursday, May 3, 2018

The 13-member Shelby County Commission will have eight new faces when all of the votes are counted in the Aug. 2 county general election.

Five of the current incumbent commissioners are term-limited from seeking re-election this year and two other incumbents chose not to seek a second term.

4. Commission Races Feature Basar Upset - Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The Shelby County Commission will have eight new faces when all of the votes are counted in the Aug. 2 county general election.

Five of the current incumbent county commissioners are term-limited from seeking re-election this year and two other incumbents chose not to seek a second term on the 13-member body.

5. 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.

6. Tax Cut, Bonuses for Workers? Many Businesses Not Sure Yet - Thursday, February 8, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Small business owners may want to hand out bonuses and raises now that there's a new tax law, but many don't know if they'll have any wealth to share.

"We didn't base any raises or bonuses on the tax situation because, quite frankly, until it actually happens, no one's sure what's going to happen," says Rod Hughes, a vice president at Kimball Hughes Public Relations in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. The company gave its seven full-time employees year-end bonuses last month.

7. Third Memphis TEDx Event Set for Jan. 6 - Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When Hardy Farrow takes the stage in the Halloran Centre at The Orpheum Theatre in a few weeks, it will be to present his argument about poverty and what to do about it.

Farrow – who founded LITE Memphis, which stands for Let’s Innovate Through Education – is one of the speakers who’ll be presenting talks Jan. 6 at TEDxMemphis, which has as its theme this year “The Slant.” The conference will be a chance for speakers like Farrow to share their perspective – their slant, as it were – on the world around them.

8. Last Word: New Minority Business Numbers, The House Affair and The Heights - Friday, January 29, 2016

The recently revived discussion on minority business in Memphis is about to go back on the front burner again. Fueling the intensity are new U.S. Census numbers. They show the percentage of business receipts in Memphis produced by black-owned businesses has dropped since the 2007 census numbers showed a 1.08 percent share of those receipts by black-owned businesses. That in a city whose population is 63 percent African-American.
The drop to below one percent is even though the overall receipts in 2012 were higher than they were in 2007.
Madeline Faber is the first to report the new numbers as part of a cover story in our weekly, The Memphis News, that will be on the streets and in the racks Saturday, on-line Friday afternoon.
The numbers are such a telling story and such an important indicator that we broke it out as its own story in advance of the cover story.

9. New Daisy Owner Says Tax Dispute Unnecessary - Saturday, October 24, 2015

The co-owner of the New Daisy Theatre says the Tennessee Department of Revenue should have been able to find someone at the Beale Street nightclub to talk with before resorting to padlocking the business for a day.

10. Memphis Mayoral Contenders Tout Endorsements, Snipe at Rivals - Monday, September 7, 2015

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen endorsed Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s re-election bid last week on the doorstep of his Midtown home with the incumbent mayor by his side.

11. Reaction Grows to Stewart Shooting - Thursday, July 23, 2015

The NAACP’s Memphis branch called Wednesday, July 22, for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to go public with the results of its investigation into the shooting death of Darrius Stewart by Memphis Police office Connor Schilling.

12. Plough Grant Requires All Rape Kits Be Tested - Monday, June 2, 2014

Before they agreed to put up $750,000 toward funding the disposition of the city’s untested rape kit backlog, leaders of the Plough Foundation wanted assurances that the city would process every rape kit.

13. 15 Vie for County Commission Seat - Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Shelby County Commissioners will interview a group of 15 citizens Wednesday, Jan. 8, who want to become the newest member of the elected body.

The committee session interviews come before the full commission is to vote Monday, Jan. 13, on a replacement for Commissioner Wyatt Bunker.

14. Union Mission Heightens Outreach During Holidays - Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Memphis Union Mission is ramping up its efforts to help the homeless during the holiday season.

The nonprofit group just completed its annual Thanksgiving event late last month to feed the homeless, and preparations are underway for meals and services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

15. Basar Looks to 2014 County Commission Election - Tuesday, October 15, 2013

It may be the first time that a Shelby County Commissioner has given public notice of a barbecue.

Commissioner Steve Basar has held four at his house in the year that he’s been on the elected body. And he told political supporters at a fundraiser last week that he has “sunshined” all of them, a shorthand term to describe the public notice required by Tennessee’s open meetings law – or Sunshine Law – for any deliberative gathering of two or more commissioners.

16. Democrats ‘Roast’ Herenton, Look Ahead to 2014 - Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Divisions within the local Democratic party took a backseat over the weekend as the Shelby County Democratic Party held the first of two large fundraisers for the 2014 election year.

But the look back for the party came with some advice for the future.

17. Morris to Lead Main to Main Project - Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Downtown Memphis Commission President Paul Morris will become the new project director for the Main Street to Main Street revitalization project that includes a Harahan Bridge boardwalk.

18. ‘Judge-Sicle’ Murder Mystery Thrills to the End - Thursday, January 31, 2013

How could I not read the latest David Rosenfelt novel, “Airtight?” How could I not?! The author’s very publicist himself sent me an advance reading copy, asking that I do so. That, plus the book starts out with the murder of a judge, and I obviously want that case cracked, right?

19. Public Hearings Begin On Main to Main Connector - Friday, October 26, 2012

Downtown Memphis Commission president Paul Morris calls it “Main Street to Main Street Over The Harahan.”

The unofficial name for the $30 million project linking Main Street Memphis to Broadway Street in West Memphis via a bicycle and pedestrian boardwalk on the Harahan rail bridge across the Mississippi River draws fewer questions than the title that involves the term “intermodal connector.”

20. Commission to Appoint School Board Members - Monday, September 10, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners will appoint two new members to the countywide school board at their Monday, Sept. 10, meeting.

The commission meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at the Vasco Smith County Administration Building, 160 N. Main St.

21. Commission Opens Process of Board Appointments - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Shelby County Commissioners voted Monday, Aug. 27, to open the process of appointing two citizens to the countywide school board. Those two appointees would fill the vacancies created by the election in August of David Pickler and David Reaves to the countywide board from their seats on the old Shelby County Schools board.

22. Basar Prepares for Commission Service - Friday, August 17, 2012

The newest Shelby County Commissioner will take the oath of office Sept. 5 at the Vasco Smith County Administration Building.

Steve Basar was elected to the District 1 Position 3 seat in the August elections.

23. Watershed Day - Monday, August 6, 2012

The unofficial vote totals are in from Thursday’s county general and state and federal primary elections in Shelby County, but no one involved believed the last cartridge read at the Shelby County Election Commission would be the last word on the results.

24. Day of Answers - Thursday, August 2, 2012

Polls open across Shelby County at 7 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, in elections that already promise to be memorable for problems during the early voting period as well as the mixture of issues and one-of-a-kind contests on the ballot.

25. GOP Politics Resemble 2008 In Tennessee - Thursday, March 8, 2012

This time around, leaders of the Tennessee Republican Party were convinced their choice in the Republican presidential contest would be a match with voters in the state’s presidential primary.

Four years ago, when former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee carried Shelby County and took the state, the party argued convincingly that the state’s second choice for the nomination – former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney – was a victim of the move of the Super Tuesday primaries to February.

26. Santorum Carries Shelby and State, Jackson Out As Clerk - Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum carried Shelby County and the state of Tennessee in the Tuesday, March 6, Republican Presidential primary.

And incumbent but suspended General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson finished a poor third in a Democratic primary battle for the clerk’s office that was won by interim clerk Ed Stanton in the closest contest of the night over County Commission chairman Sidney Chism.

27. Crossing Boundaries - Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Philanthropy takes a lot of planning and a lot of caution – so much so that young adults might give it a wide berth when it comes to ongoing involvement in the fundraising that is a central function of philanthropy.

28. Memphis Union Mission Shelter Eyes Expansion - Friday, January 6, 2012

Memphis Union Mission is moving closer toward purchasing 3.1 acres of property behind its flagship men’s emergency shelter at 383 Poplar Ave. Downtown, which the organization has operated since 1963.

29. Weirich and Ross Unopposed At Filing Deadline - Friday, December 9, 2011

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich appeared to have no opposition in the March GOP primary for the job as the county’s top prosecutor.

30. Weirich and Ross Unopposed At Filing Deadline - Thursday, December 8, 2011

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich appeared to have no opposition in the March GOP primary for the job as the county’s top prosecutor.

31. Chism Vying With Jackson for Court Clerk - Thursday, December 1, 2011

With one week to the filing deadline, the race for General Sessions Court Clerk is the busiest of the four races to be decided next year in the March 6 county primaries and the Aug. 2 general elections.

32. Chism Vying With Jackson for GS Court Clerk - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

With one week to the filing deadline, the race for General Sessions Court Clerk is the busiest of the four races to be decided next year in the March 6 county primaries and the Aug. 2 general elections.

33. Occupy Billed $1,045 for Security Before Arrests - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – The state Department of General Services billed Occupy Nashville $1,045 to provide two troopers for security the night before they began arresting the protesters and clearing their encampment.

34. Commission to Fill Carpenter’s Seat - Monday, October 17, 2011

The Shelby County Commission should be back at full strength by the end of the Monday, Oct. 17, meeting of the body.

Monday’s agenda includes the appointment of a new District 1 commissioner to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mike Carpenter.

35. Commissioners Hear School Board Applicants - Friday, September 9, 2011

The Shelby County Commission’s 10-hour interview session this week with several dozen applicants for appointment to seven positions on the new countywide school board was, at times, more of an education for them than it was an introduction of them to the commission.

36. Interviews Next Step in Board Selection - Wednesday, August 31, 2011

In a week, Shelby County Commissioners expect a long day when they interview contenders for the seven appointments they are to make to the new countywide school board.

The commission’s general government committee will interview the applicants Sept. 7, the day after the deadline for citizens to fill out a questionnaire and agree to undergo a criminal background check.

37. Commissioners Plan for 2nd Yr. of Term - Monday, August 8, 2011

Shelby County Commissioners meet Monday, Aug. 8, to set the stage for the second year of their current four-year term of office.

The meeting at the Vasco Smith County Administration Building, 160 N. Main St., begins at 1:30 p.m.

38. Shelby Forest Residents Wait, Watch - Tuesday, May 10, 2011

As the region prepared for the Mississippi River to crest, it was pretty much business as usual Monday morning at Shelby Forest General Store, 7729 Benjestown Road, near Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, as regulars stopped in for breakfast and exchanged neighborhood news on the front porch.

39. Judge Mays Begins Schools Mediation - Wednesday, May 4, 2011

U.S. District Court Judge Hardy Mays began the third attempt to reach a settlement in the schools consolidation lawsuit Tuesday with more private talks among the different sides.

This time, Mays himself appeared to be mediating the attempt to find common ground in the complex and contentious political turned legal dispute.

40. County Commission Tightens Attorney-Client Rules - Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Shelby County Commission could keep legal documents out of the hands of some of its own members if they talk to the public about what happens in closed attorney-client meetings.

The commission passed the resolution Monday establishing that and other sanctions including censure that would have to be enacted with a majority vote.

41. County Commission Set to Weigh in on Schools Issue - Monday, February 14, 2011

Shelby County commissioners are certain to mirror some of last week’s debate in the Tennessee Legislature Monday when they take up an ordinance and a bundle of resolutions all dealing with the schools consolidation issue.

42. Luttrell: Amendment Rumors in Schools Standoff - Thursday, February 10, 2011

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell says there might be some attempt to amend the schools consolidation bill up for a vote Thursday in Nashville.

43. Projects Seeking IDB OK Need More Time - Monday, December 13, 2010

All of the items on the Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board’s special meeting Friday were lacking one major detail: time.

The board granted U.S. Foodservice Inc. more time for the presentation of its seven-year, $14.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes request for expanding a distribution warehouse it now leases a portion of at 5900 E. Holmes Road.

44. More Time Needed for Projects Seeking IDB Approval - Friday, December 10, 2010

All of the items on the Memphis-Shelby County Industrial Development Board’s special meeting Friday were lacking one major detail: time.

The board granted U.S. Foodservice Inc. more time for the presentation of its seven-year, $14.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) request for expanding a distribution warehouse it now leases a portion of at 5900 E. Holmes Road.

45. Commission Wades Deeper Into Consolidation Waters - Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Local government consolidation as a concept formally backed by the Shelby County Commission isn’t happening.

Commissioners Monday voted down the mostly symbolic resolution proposed by commissioner Steve Mulroy.

46. Commission Approves Optional IT Centralization - Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners approved the framework for a voluntary consolidated information technology (IT) system in county government. But the commission also voted down creating the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) to oversee the more coordinated system.

47. Election Commissioners’ Resignations on Hold - Thursday, November 18, 2010

The sudden resignations of two Shelby County Election Commissioners were on hold just a day after James Johnson and Steve Stamson offered them.

48. Stamson and Johnson Resign from Election Commission - Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Shelby County Election Commissioners Steve Stamson and James Johnson have resigned following a legal opinion from the Shelby County attorney saying because they are county government retirees they can’t collect their pensions while serving on the five-member body.

49. Stamson and Johnson Resign from Election Commission - Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Two Shelby County Election Commissioners – Steve Stamson and James Johnson – have resigned following a legal opinion from the Shelby County attorney, who said because they are county government retirees they can’t collect their pensions while serving on the five-member body.

50. County Commission Spars Over PILOT Rules For Suburbs - Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners sparred over how much oversight is too much when it comes to awarding tax breaks for corporate and industrial moves to Shelby County and expansions of existing businesses.

51. Carpenter Withdraws Resolution on School Budgets - Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter has withdrawn a resolution calling for a change in state law governing the role the commission plays in approving budgets for both public school systems here.

52. Commission Debates Charter Stand, Approves Terms For New Morgue - Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners talked Monday about consolidation, education funding and minority business contracts during a session that also included a debate about building a new morgue.

A resolution approving the agreements between Shelby County and the state for the construction of a new Regional Forensic Center passed on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Heidi Shafer abstained and Commissioner Justin Ford, who is a funeral director, recused himself from the vote.

53. Federal Lawsuit Seeks One Count Of Consolidation Votes - Friday, October 8, 2010

Eight Shelby County voters have filed suit in Memphis federal court against Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper, the Shelby County Election Commission and Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett to throw out the requirement that a consolidation charter must pass in two separate votes on the Nov. 2 ballot.

54. County Commission Settles in for Partisan Tenure - Wednesday, September 15, 2010

The new Shelby County Commission will settle down a bit as more time passes. But the 13-member body with six new members will probably remain more partisan than its predecessors of the last four years.

55. County Commission Off To Partisan, Lively Start - Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Shelby County Commissioners found plenty to debate during their first meeting as a body since six new commissioners took office Sept. 1.

Monday’s session saw the election of Democrat Sidney Chism as the chairman of the 13 member body for the next year.

56. Ford Veto of Leave Resolution Holds But Leaves Scars - Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Outgoing interim Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford got his way on his veto of a plan to change the rules for county employees who “bank” county leave with the intent of cashing some of it in near the end of their tenure. But Ford probably has a bone to pick with his human resources director in what amounts to the last week of his administration.

57. Commission Grants Deputies 1 Percent Pay Raise - Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Now that Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies have secured an extra 1 percent pay raise from the Shelby County Commission, other unions representing county employees are making noise about a similar pay hike.

58. Ford Wins Democratic Mayoral Primary - Wednesday, May 5, 2010
 

Interim County Mayor Joe Ford became the Democratic nominee for mayor in the August county general elections Tuesday night.

And the August sheriff’s race will be a contest between Democrat Randy Wade and Republican Randy Wade.

All three were among the winners in Tuesday’s low turnout county primaries.

Approximately ten percent of Shelby County’s nearly 600,000 voters cast ballots in early voting and election day polling.

Ford, who was appointed interim mayor in December, beat County Commissioner Deidre Malone and General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson in the Democratic primary. He will face Republican Mark Luttrell who had only token opposition in the Republican primary from perennial contender Ernie Lunati.

Luttrell has raised more money than all three of the Democratic primary contenders combined and began running television ads in the last week runup to election day.

The final unofficial totals in the Democratic mayoral primary are:

Ford 20,360 57%

Malone 12,916 37%

Jackson 2,168 6%

The pair of primaries for Sheriff featured eight candidates, seven of whom either currently work for the sheriff’s department or are past employees. Only Reginald French, in the Democratic primary was not a former or current department official.

Wade was the 2002 Democratic nominee, losing to Luttrell who is leaving as Sheriff after serving two terms. French was the Democratic nominee in the 2006 elections.

Oldham is Luttrell’s chief deputy, the number two position in the department. He is also a former director of the Memphis Police Department.

The final unofficials totals in the Republican primary are:

Bill Oldham 13,821 48%

Dale Lane 7,981 28%

Bobby Simmons 5,886 21%

James Coleman 943 3%

In the Democratic primary:

Randy Wade 22,643 67%

Reginald French 6,777 20%

Larry Hill 2,738 8%

Bennie Cobb 1,814 5%

Voters in the primary elections decided to return six Shelby County commissioners to new four year terms with Tuesday’s results. They also elected six new commissioners. The winner of the thirteenth commission seat will be decided on the August general election ballot in a contest between district 5 Democratic incumbent Steve Mulroy and Republican challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos. The winner of the match up will determine whether the commission remains majority Democrat or goes majority Republican.

Mulroy easily defeated Jennings Bernard in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Republican incumbent Mike Ritz ran unopposed as did new Democratic commissioner Walter Bailey.

In the remaining ten contests, the primaries decided who gets the seats since no one ran in the opposing party’s primary.

The most hotly contested contest among the commission races was for District 4 Position 1. Outgoing Probate Court Clerk Chris Thomas beat John Pellicciotti, appointed to a commission seat last year but running for a different position in the same district. Jim Bomprezzi, the former mayor of Lakeland, was the third contender in the contest.

The final unofficial totals in the Republican primary:

Thomas 7,631 52%

Pellicciotti 4,871 33%

Bomprezzi 2,298 15%

In position 2 of the same district incumbent Republican Wyatt Bunker easily overcame two challengers with former Lakeland alderman John Wilkerson finishing second and Ron Fittes finishing third.

Millington businessman Terry Roland claimed the third position in the district that takes in all six of Shelby County’s suburban towns and cities.

Roland beat George Chism to take the seat Pellicciotti was appointed to but opted not to run for in deference to Roland.

Heidi Shafer, an aide to outgoing County Commissioner George Flinn, claimed Flinn’s District 1 Position 2 seat over Albert Maduska.in the GOP primary.

District 1 incumbent Republican Mike Carpenter easily beat businessman Joe Baier.

In the Democratic commission primaries, Melvin Burgess claimed Malone’s District 2 Position 3 seat in a field of six contenders. His closest contender was Reginald Milton. Burgess, a city school system audit manager, had run for the seat before. He brought in 54 percent of the vote.

The other hard fought Democratic commission primary saw Justin Ford, son of the interim mayor, claim his father’s District 3 Position 3 seat.

Ford beat Edith Moore, a retired IBM executive, whom the commission appointed to the seat after the elder Ford became mayor.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Ford 7,342 66%

Moore 3,822 34%

Democratic incumbent commissioners Henri Brooks, Sidney Chism and James Harvey were all re-elected over primary challengers.

The county-wide primaries for seven clerk’s positions saw the return of former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican 16 years after Republican challenger Bill Key took her job. Johnican decisively beat Ralph White and Vernon Johnson in her first bid for office since the 1994 defeat. She will face Republican Kevin Key, the son of Bill Key in the August general election.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Johnican 16,381 51%

White 10,170 31%

Johnson 5,954 18%

Former Juvenile Court Clerk Shep Wilbun easily won the Democratic primary with 76 percent of the vote to face Republican Joy Touliatos in August for the office being vacated by Republican Steve Stamson. Touliatos was unopposed in the primary.

Democrat Coleman Thompson is back for another go at incumbent Republican Register Tom Leatherwood.

Aside from Leatherwood, Jimmy Moore is the only other of the seven clerks seeking re-election. Moore ran unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Ricky Dixon in August.

Trustee Regina Newman was appointed to her office following the death last year of Paul Mattila. Newman easily overcame M LaTroy Williams in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. She will face David Lenoir, who beat former Shelby County Commissioner John Willingham in the Republican contest.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Lenoir 15,922 58%

Willingham 11,569 42%

The other six candidate field on the ballot was in the Democratic primary for Probate Court Clerk. Sondra Becton posted impressive vote totals over her rivals, bringing in 35 percent of the vote with Peggy Dobbins her closest rival. Becton, who is making her fourth bid for the office, will face Republican Paul Boyd, who ran unopposed in his primary.

The final unofficial vote totals are:

Becton 10,929 36%

Dobbins 5,366 18%

Annita Hamilton 4,848 16%

Clay Perry 3,549 12%

Danny Kail 3,120 11%

Karen Tyler 2,782 9%

The closest contest of the evening was in the Democratic primary for County Clerk. Wrestling promoter and television personality Corey Maclin won his political debut by less than 1,400 votes over Charlotte Draper and LaKeith Miller. He will face Republican Wayne Mashburn who beat Steve Moore in the companion primary.

Early voting in advance of the Aug. 5 election day begins July 16. The August ballot will also feature state and federal primary elections including the statewide primaries for governor and the primaries for all nine of the state’s Congressional districts.

59. Kroc Center Officially Under Way - Monday, March 22, 2010

A five-year dream has become a reality for those who worked tirelessly to raise money and garner support for the multimillion-dollar Kroc Center of Memphis.

The local chapter of the Salvation Army on Monday morning held a formal groundbreaking ceremony for the 100,000-square-foot center that will anchor the northwest corner of the Mid-South Fairgrounds.

60. Kroc Center Officially Under Way - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

A five-year dream has become a reality for those who worked tirelessly to raise money and garner support for the multimillion-dollar Kroc Center of Memphis.

The local chapter of the Salvation Army on Monday morning held a formal groundbreaking ceremony for the 100,000-square-foot center that will anchor the northwest corner of the Mid-South Fairgrounds.

61. Candidate Filing List -- The Final Version - Friday, February 19, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

62. UPDATE: Mayor's Race Grows At Filing Deadline - Thursday, February 18, 2010

Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell appeared on his way to the Republican nomination for Shelby County mayor at Thursday’s noon filing deadline for candidates on the May 4 primary ballot.

Luttrell faces only token opposition from perennial candidate Ernie Lunati.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary for mayor grew to three contenders as General Sessions Court Clerk Otis Jackson filed his qualifying petition just before the deadline. He joins interim County Mayor Joe Ford and Shelby County Commissioner Deidre Malone.

Luttrell ruled out a bid for Shelby County mayor last year (2009). But when Harold Byrd decided not to run in the Democratic primary, some local GOP leaders asked Luttrell to reconsider.

The result touched off a scramble of candidates from both parties for the open sheriff’s office. But before the noon deadline, the initial field of over a dozen possible contenders was narrowed to ten – six Democrats and four Republicans.

The other surprise at the filing deadline was the return of attorney Walter Bailey to the District 2 Position 1 seat he gave up in the 2006 elections. Bailey sought re-election then to another term despite a two term limit on commissioners. Bailey lost to J.W. Gibson who decided not to seek re-election. He also lost a court fight to overturn the term limits.

Bailey was the only candidate who had filed for the seat at the Thursday deadline.

Only one incumbent county commissioner – Republican Mike Ritz -- was effectively re-elected at the deadline because he had no opposition.

All but one of the eleven contested County Commission races will be decided with the May 4 primaries. The only general election battle for the August ballot is the district 5 contest between GOP challenger Dr. Rolando Toyos and whoever wins the May Democratic primary between incumbent Steve Mulroy and Jennings Bernard.

Former County Commissioner John Willingham also returned to the ballot among a field of Republican contenders in the primary for Shelby County Trustee.

And former Criminal Court Clerk Minerva Johnican joined the Democratic primary field for her old job. Incumbent Republican Bill Key pulled petition to seek re-election but did not file at the deadline.

Here is the list of races and contenders from The Shelby County Election Commission. All candidate have until noon Feb. 25 to withdraw from the ballot if they wish.

D-Democrat

R- Republican

I- Independent

Shelby County Mayor:

Deidre Malone (D)

Joe Ford (D)

Otis Jackson (D)

Mark Luttrell (R)

Ernest Lunati (R)

Leo Awgowhat (I)

Shelby County Sheriff:

James Coleman (R)

Bobby Simmons (R)

Bill Oldham (R)

Dale Lane (R)

Larry Hill (D)

Bennie Cobb (D)

Randy Wade (D)

James Bolden (D)

Elton Hymon (D)

Reginald French (D)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 1

Mike Ritz (R) (incumbent)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 2

Albert Maduska (R)

Heidi Shafer (R)

County Commission Dist 1 Pos 3

Mike Carpenter (R) (incumbent)

Joe Baire (R)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 1

Walter Bailey (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 2

Henri Brooks (D) (incumbent)

David Vinciarelli (D)

County Commission Dist 2 Pos 3

Eric Dunn (D)

Norma Lester (D)

Tina Dickerson (D)

Melvin Burgess (D)

Reginald Milton (D)

Freddie Thomas (D)

County Commission Dist 3 Pos 1

James Harvey (D) (incumbent)

James Catchings (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 2

Sidney Chism (D) (incumbent)

Andrew "Rome" Withers (D)

County Commission Dist. 3 Pos 3

Edith Moore  (D) (incumbent)

Justin Ford (D)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 1

Chris Thomas (R)

John Pellicciotti (R)

Jim Bomprezzi (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 2

Wyatt Bunker (R) (incumbent)

John Wilkerson (R)

Ron Fittes (R)

County Commission Dist 4 Pos 3

Terry Roland (R)

George Chism (R)

Edgar Babian (R)

County Commission Dist 5

Steve Mulroy (D) (incumbent)

Jennings Bernard (D)

Rolando Toyos (R)

Shelby County Clerk

Charlotte Draper (D)

Corey Maclin (D)

LaKeith Miller (D)

Wayne Mashburn (R)

Steve Moore (R)

Criminal Court Clerk

Vernon Johnson (D)

Minerva Johnican (D)

Ralph White (D)

Michael Porter (R)

Kevin Key (R)

Jerry Stamson (I)

Circuit Court Clerk

Jimmy Moore (R) (incumbent)

Steven Webster (D)

Carmichael Johnson (D)

Ricky W. Dixon (D)

Juvenile Court Clerk

Joy Touliatos (R)

Charles Marshall (D)

Sylvester Bradley (D)

Shep Wilbun (D)

Julia Roberson Wiseman (I)

Probate Court Clerk

Paul Boyd (R)

Sondra Becton (D)

Danny Kail (D)

Annita Sawyer Hamilton (D)

Peggy Dobbins (D)

Clay Perry (D)

Karen Tyler (D)

Shelby County Register

Tom Leatherwood (R) (incumbent)

Coleman Thompson (D)

Lady J. Swift (D)

Carlton Orange (D)

Shelby County Trustee

Regina Newman (D) (incumbent)

M. LaTroy Williams (D)

John Willingham (R)

Jeff Jacobs (R)

David Lenoir (R)

63. Surprises Possible as Primary Filing Deadline Nears - Thursday, February 18, 2010

Although today marks the filing deadline for the May 4 Shelby County primaries and independent candidates on the Aug. 5 county general election ballot, plenty of political drama remains.

In fact, the filing deadline is often just as important – and surprising – as election day.

64. Glankler Brown’s Hancock Elected Bar Foundation Fellow - Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Jonathan C. Hancock of Glankler Brown PLLC has been elected a Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation, an association of 710 attorneys across the state.

65. Temporary MED Fix Just That: Temporary - Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The Regional Medical Center at Memphis will get $10 million from Shelby County government to keep its emergency room open through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

The Shelby County Commission’s 9-3 vote this week takes the money from the county’s $73 million reserve fund.

66. New York Investment Company Buys Shelby Grove Apartments - Tuesday, November 24, 2009

6320 Gillespie Road
Memphis, TN 38134
Sale Amount: $4.7 Million

Sale Date: Nov. 11, 2009
Buyer: Flynn Realty & Development Shelby Grove LLC
Seller: MAC LP
Details: The 98-unit Shelby Grove Apartments at 6320 Gillespie Road near Bartlett has sold for $4.7 million to Flynn Realty & Development Shelby Grove LLC of Syosset, N.Y.

67. Salvation Army Files Kroc Center Permit - Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The local chapter of the Salvation Army has filed a $24 million permit application with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to build the Kroc Center of Memphis at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. The formal address of the 100,000-square-foot facility is 800 East Parkway S., according to the permit.

68. Public-Private Partnerships at Center of Freight Conference - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Memphis’ intermodal and freight capabilities are legendary. The city has boasted the world’s busiest cargo airport for 17 straight years thanks to hometown shipping giant FedEx Corp.

69. Commission Deadlocked On Next County Mayor - Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Joyce Avery will serve as Shelby County Mayor until Dec. 10.

Shelby County Commissioners decided Monday that she will serve the full 45 day period in the county charter. But they weren’t able to decide who will be mayor after Dec. 10.

70. UPDATE: County Commission Deadlocks On Mayoral Choice - Monday, November 9, 2009

Joyce Avery will serve as Shelby County Mayor until Dec. 10.

Shelby County Commissioners decided Monday that she will serve the full 45 day period in the county charter. But they weren’t able to decide who will be mayor after Dec. 10.

71. A City in Transition - Monday, November 9, 2009

Just before sunrise on a rainy Tuesday morning, the armed officers raided the city office. They didn’t make any arrests, but they took files, interviewed employees and served search warrants. And they temporarily closed the Memphis Animal Shelter.

72. Greenville, S.C., Publisher Elected SNPA President - Tuesday, October 20, 2009

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Steve Brandt, president and publisher of The Greenville (S.C.) News, was elected president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association during the SNPA's annual convention Monday.

73. City Mayoral Transition Yields Crowded To-Do List - Tuesday, October 20, 2009
 

Memphis Mayor-elect A C Wharton Jr. will be appointing a new city attorney once he takes office next week.

Elbert Jefferson, the city attorney Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery tried to fire just minutes after taking the oath of office on July 31, Friday sent a second resignation letter to Lowery. The two met for an hour Sunday evening at City Hall and Lowery accepted Jefferson’s resignation.

Jefferson’s attorney, Ted Hansom, and city Chief Administrative Officer Jack Sammons were also present. Jefferson turned in his key card, the keys to his city car and his laptop.

“The drama is over,” Lowery said Monday. “For my part, I wish it had never happened.”

Dramatis personae

In a resignation letter last week to Wharton, Jefferson had expressed hope that he would be hired for some position in the new administration. Over the weekend, he used the same text in the new letter but addressed it to Lowery instead. He requested the city pay his legal fees as well.

The resignation letter to Lowery made moot an ouster suit filed by Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons. Criminal Court Judge James Lammey, who was to hear the case, reset a final report to Oct. 27, citing Jefferson’s departure.

“A hearing on the issue of suspension would be an inefficient use of judicial resources, of the state of Tennessee and of the resources of the city of Memphis, and considering (Jefferson’s) current health status, would be an unnecessary tax on (Jefferson’s) well-being and a possible threat to his health,” Lammey wrote in the court order.

Jefferson was scheduled to return to City Hall from sick leave Monday. He apparently believed the new mayor would be in office by the time he returned.

An audit of city financial affairs is standard procedure in a change of administrations. Wharton is naming team members to review the offices of the city attorney, human resources and finance and administration. He was also to name members of his transition team Monday.

Time-, battle-tested

Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter and Methodist Healthcare executive Cato Johnson will head the team.

The other members are:

- Herman Morris, attorney and 2007 candidate for Memphis Mayor.

- Tomeka Hart, Memphis Urban League CEO and Memphis school board member.

- Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis City Council member.

- Rev. Dwight Montgomery, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Memphis chapter President.

- Jose Velasquez, Latino Memphis former executive director.

- Nisha Powers, Powers Hill Design Inc. President.

- Paul Morris, attorney and former chairman Center City Commission.

- Douglas Scarboro, The Leadership Academy vice president.

- Steve Reynolds, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. CEO.

- Diane Rudner, Plough Foundation chairman.

- Darrell Cobbins, Universal Commercial CEO.

Johnson has more experience serving on such task forces and ad hoc committees than any other leader in the city’s corporate community. Most recently, Johnson was one of two business leaders on the ad hoc committee exploring single-source local funding for education. He also served as a leader of the Mid-South Fairgrounds renovation committee and has been involved in similar capacities with every major construction project for a civic use in the past 15 years.

Carpenter’s appointment is certain to fuel speculation that he might be tapped for some role in the new administration. However, Carpenter has already been holding fundraisers in anticipation of a bid for re-election to his commission seat in the 2010 county elections.

Wharton is tentatively scheduled to take the oath of office Oct. 26.

The Shelby County Commission also meets that same day and could receive Wharton’s resignation and declare a vacancy in the county mayor’s office with a vote to appoint Wharton’s successor-to-come in November. Until that vote, County Commission Chairwoman Joyce Avery will serve as interim mayor.

“It will be a day in which I come to work at one place and leave work from another place,” Wharton told The Daily News.

But the Shelby County Election Commission will meet earlier than expected -- Thursday afternoon -- to certify the Oct. 15 election results. Once the results are certified, Wharton is free to resign as Shelby County mayor and take the oath as Memphis mayor.

Cooperative efforts

Meanwhile, Wharton has asked City Council Chairman Harold Collins to consider delaying a council vote today on the five appointees the city mayor is to make to a metro charter commission. The council set today’s vote with the intention of having whomever won the Oct. 15 special election appoint members of the panel.

“I won’t be there on the 20th. … I’m seeing if they are in a position to put it off until I’m actually over there,” Wharton told The Daily News, as he has had attorneys researching if a council vote in November would meet timelines for such an effort set out in state law.

“I believe that they may be able to meet on Nov. 3,” Wharton said.

Wharton has already named the 10 appointees to be made by the Shelby County mayor to the panel. The County Commission approved all 10 earlier this month.

While it appears he will make the other five, Wharton said he will ask the council, through Collins, to effectively pick the five nominees, whom Wharton would then send to the council as his appointees.

“I chose all 10 over here, which I had to do by law. If I could find some way around it that passed legal muster, then I would do that,” he said. “But we’ve researched it and I know of no way in which the city mayor can say … ‘I’m not going to do that.’ You can’t transfer it.”

Wharton and Lowery were to discuss the matter at a meeting Monday afternoon. Lowery told The Daily News he had received no suggested appointees from council members, but would be willing to submit names the council wants on the charter commission.

74. Update: Wharton Names Transition Team - Monday, October 19, 2009
 

Memphis Mayor-elect A C Wharton Jr. has named eleven more people to his transition team.

Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter and Methodist Healthcare executive Cato Johnson will chair the group. The others include:

- Herman Morris, attorney, former president of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division and 2007 Memphis mayoral candidate;

- The Rev. Dwight Montgomery, president of the Memphis chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference;

- Nisha Powers, president of Powers Hill Design Inc.;

- Tomeka Hart, Memphis school board member and Memphis Urban League president and CEO;

- Darrell Cobbins, Universal Commercial President and CEO;

- Jim Strickland, attorney and Memphis City Councilmember;

- Jose Velasquez, Latino Memphis’ former executive director.

- Paul Morris, attorney and former chairman Center City Commission.

- Diane Rudner, Poplar Foundation chairman.

- Steve Reynolds, Baptist Memorial Health Care President & CEO.

- Douglas Scarboro, The Leadership Academy vice president.

In other transition developments, the Shelby County Election Commission will meet Thursday afternoon to certify the results of the Oct. 15 special mayoral election.

The meeting is earlier than Wharton had expected. Once the results are certified, Wharton can resign his post as Shelby County mayor at any point and take the oath of office at City Hall. The Shelby County Commission will then declare a vacancy in the county mayor’s office and commission chairwoman Joyce Avery will become acting mayor until the commission appoints someone to serve the year remaining in Wharton’s county term of office.

75. Carpenter Pledges MPD Changes; Wharton’s Support Grows - Friday, August 28, 2009

For the past two years there has been a steady political drumbeat to increase the number of officers on the Memphis police force. Few have ignored it.

It was something that most of the nine first-term Memphis City Council members followed into office in 2007. And the call for “more boots on the street” also prompted an intense council discussion of whether residency requirements for police should be eased to help reach a force of more than 2,500 officers.

76. Politicians Out in Full Force - Tuesday, August 11, 2009

With back-to-school supplies to hand out and a new crop of brightly colored campaign signs, the October special election race for Memphis mayor and several other races on the 2010 ballot came alive this past weekend.

77. Election Commission Sets Oct. 15 Date For Special Election - Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The race for the rest of Willie Herenton’s term of office as mayor was already going to be a sprint. The campaign got 12 days shorter.

The Shelby County Election Commission has set Oct. 15 as the special election date. The date was moved up from Oct. 27 to coincide with a special set of primary elections Gov. Phil Bredesen is expected to order to fill the District 31 State Senate seat.

78. UPDATE: Oct. 15 New Special Election Date - Tuesday, August 4, 2009

The race for the rest of Willie Herenton’s term of office as mayor was already going to be a sprint. Today the campaign got 12 days shorter.

The Shelby County Election Commission has set Oct. 15 as the special election date. The date was moved up from Oct. 27 to coincide with a special set of primary elections Gov. Phil Bredesen is expected to order to fill the District 31 State Senate seat.

79. Herenton Prepares For Next Political Chapter - Friday, July 31, 2009

Retirement may be upon him, but he won’t be spending hours at the golf course, adding Hawaiian shirts to his wardrobe or hitting the road for long delayed vacations.

Now that Willie Herenton has driven out of the City Hall garage for the last time, he’s preparing to channel all his stamina, his unique status as the city’s first black mayor and a deep competitive streak into a new brand of politics.

80. Halbert Mulls Run for City Mayor - Thursday, July 30, 2009

Another potential mayoral candidate is considering stepping into the fray.

With the release of a brief statement Wednesday afternoon, Wanda Halbert floated her interest in October’s special election to choose someone to fill the rest of Willie Herenton’s mayoral term, which ends in 2011.

81. Halbert Mulls Run for City Mayor - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Another potential mayoral candidate is considering stepping into the fray.

With the release of a brief statement Wednesday afternoon, Wanda Halbert floated her interest in October’s special election to choose someone to fill the rest of Willie Herenton’s mayoral term, which ends in 2011.

82. County Leaves Wiggle Room In Tax Rate - Friday, July 3, 2009

In setting the Shelby County property tax rate for the coming fiscal year, county officials have planned for the loss of as much as $1.06 billion in tax value from successful challenges to property value this year.

83. Commission Moves to Next Phase of Tax Vote - Monday, June 29, 2009

When the Shelby County Commission meets this afternoon, the body will take the second of three required votes on a new county tax rate for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The commission’s budget committee reaffirmed its support Wednesday of a new property tax rate of $4.02 per $100 of assessed value. The current county tax rate is $4.04.

84. Kroc Center’s Backers Want It to Be a Gathering Spot for Diverse Groups - Monday, June 22, 2009

From its days as a horseracing track in the latter half of the 19th century, the Mid-South Fairgrounds has a long and captivating history, including a fair share of disputes over the best uses for the sprawling property that sits in the middle of Memphis.

85. MSARC Now Firmly in County’s Palm - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Shelby County Commissioners talked over the finances of moving the Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center into county government this week. But the 13-member body was anxious to avoid discussions about anything else surrounding the politically volatile agency.

86. Commission to Resume Budget Talks Today - Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Shelby County Commissioners meet today to continue work on a county budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Among the items on the committee agendas today is an ordinance to set the county property tax rate. The ordinance is up for the first of three readings next week when the full commission meets.

87. County Layoff Total Set as Tax Rate Debated - Friday, May 29, 2009

Shelby County Commission members this week debated lowering the number of layoffs to come in county government in the next month.

They also debated whether keeping the county’s property tax rate at $4.04 is a tax hike – even though a stable tax rate would produce more revenue for the county in the new fiscal year than the current fiscal year.

88. Not So Fast - Thursday, May 28, 2009

A proposed ordinance to prohibit employment-related discrimination in Shelby County government based on sexual orientation failed in a County Commission committee Wednesday morning on a 5-5 vote.

The measure, sponsored by Commissioner Steve Mulroy, will head to the full commission Monday for a vote on first reading but without the support of committee approval behind it. If Monday’s vote results in another tie or clear defeat, the measure at that point will have died.

89. Funding Boost Moves Kroc Center Closer to Reality - Friday, April 24, 2009

No matter what happens with the overall redevelopment of the Mid-South Fairgrounds – a project that could be scaled back in light of the economy – the plan to build the Kroc Center of Memphis is gaining steam.

90. Democrats Pull Off Commission Trick - Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Before this week’s meeting of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, Commissioner Steve Mulroy was offering magic tricks. Moving a foam cup with static electricity was the trick of the day at that point.

91. Duncan Named Senior VP For Homewood Suites by Hilton - Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Bill Duncan has been appointed senior vice president of brand management for Homewood Suites by Hilton and the newly launched Home2 Suites by Hilton.

92. Payday Lenders Likely to Meet Fate in Jan. - Monday, December 29, 2008

The new year will bring with it new rules governing where certain kinds of short-term lending businesses are allowed to operate in Memphis and Shelby County.

New zoning regulations in the form of a joint city-county ordinance appear set to emerge from the Shelby County Board of Commissioners and the Memphis City Council in January that will put limits on where payday and title lending businesses may operate. The direction the new rules will take is partly the result of weeks of meetings between elected officials and lobbyists, with the lobbyists pushing for the least restrictive ordinance they could get.

93. Single Source School Funding Idea Moves Forward - Thursday, December 11, 2008

An ad hoc committee on local education funding is moving toward a vote on one of four plans for some measure of one-source funding for Memphis City and Shelby County public schools.

Eleven members of the panel reviewed three of the proposals Tuesday evening at a meeting that failed to draw a quorum representing the Memphis City Council, Shelby County Board of Commissioners, both school systems and the Tennessee Legislature. Any decision would be a recommendation only.

94. Bass Pro Deal Trundles On - Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The same team that negotiated the development agreement with Bass Pro Shops will do the talking for city and county governments on a lease of The Pyramid to the fishing and hunting retailer.

Earlier this week, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners approved the yearlong development agreement on a 9-3 vote. It’s the same agreement approved in October by the Memphis City Council.

95. Bass Pro Development Agreement Approved On 9-3 Vote - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

There is a development agreement between Bass Pro Shops and Memphis and Shelby County governments.

The Board of Shelby County Commissioners approved the development agreement Monday afternoon on a 9-3 vote. The Memphis City Council approved the same agreement earlier this month.

96. Bass Pro Development Agreement Clears Last Hurdle - Monday, November 17, 2008

There is a development agreement between Bass Pro Shops and Memphis and Shelby County governments.

The Board of Shelby County Commissioners approved the development agreement this afternoon on a 9-3 vote. The Memphis City Council approved the same agreement earlier this month.

97. Monday Vote Could Make — or Break — Bass Pro Agreement - Friday, November 14, 2008

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners’ vote on a development agreement for Bass Pro Shops at The Pyramid will probably be close Monday if this week’s vote by a committee is any indication.

Monday’s vote will make or break the plan to lease The Pyramid to the hunting and fishing retailer. The one-year development agreement to precede a lease goes to the 13-member body with a negative recommendation from the commission’s Economic Development & Tourism Committee.

98. Events - Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Talk Shoppe will present “The Greening of the Mid-South: How You Can Help While Saving on Your Utility Bill” with environmental conditioning specialist Mark Cardona today from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, 3693 Tyndale Drive. For more information, call Jo Garner at 759-7808.

99. Events - Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Center City Commission Diversity Outreach Committee will meet today at 5 p.m. at the CCC, 114 N. Main St. The committee will consider new proposals for an internship program and a mentorship program. For more information, call 575-0581.

100. Pyramid Decision Sets Stage For Further Debate - Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Shelby County government will stay in The Pyramid business for now.

A move to sell the county’s share of The Pyramid, The Mid-South Coliseum and Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium to the city of Memphis for $5 million failed this week on a 5-6 vote of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.