There are 602 article(s) tagged Lee Harris:

• July 2020

  • 528 new COVID-19 cases over several days, health official says

    The case total reported Tuesday is the second highest daily increase in the pandemic. Another 3,391 test results were reported with a positivity rate of 15.6%.

    By Omer Yusuf July 28, 2020

  • COVID-19 cases, positivity rate rising while hospital capacity tightens locally

    Shelby County, from July 8-22, averaged 342 new cases a day, 2,350 test results and a 14.6% positivity rate, according to Shelby County Health Department data.

    By Omer Yusuf July 22, 2020

  • The local fight against COVID-19: ongoing, often coordinated, far from finished

    Memphis/Shelby County made progress in the struggle against COVID-19, coming out of a Safer at Home order and advancing into a Phase 2 reopening. But Phase 2 has been modified, cases have spiked again, and there remain major concerns going forward, including whether or not elementary and secondary schools can reopen in the fall. 

    By Don Wade July 20, 2020

  • County imposes hiring freeze and review to hold line on ‘tight’ budget

    The proposal comes as County Mayor Lee Harris has 46 requests from other countywide elected officials to add positions two weeks into the new fiscal year. Harris also served notice Monday that next budget season he will be back with some kind of proposal to raise revenues to avoid layoffs and cuts in services that are a real possibility this fiscal year.

    By Bill Dries July 13, 2020

  • Health Department closing bars, issuing restaurant closing time restraints

    Shelby County Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter said taking these steps to reduce transmission will help with the plan to reopen schools in the fall.

    By Omer Yusuf July 08, 2020

• June 2020

  • Harris issues virus measures in county prisons, detention centers

    The measures, effective immediately, include no out-of-county prisoners into the four facilities and more access to visitation and prison programs by video livestream. They follow a testing surge for prisoners and staff earlier in June.

    By Bill Dries June 30, 2020

  • Concern COVID-19 cases could increase after July 4th weekend

    After new COVID-19 cases rose following Mother’s Day and Memorial Day holidays, Shelby County Health Department’s health officer Dr. Bruce Randolph is concerned the same will occur after the Fourth of July weekend.

    By Omer Yusuf June 30, 2020

  • Official: About 13% of local population tested for coronavirus

    Shelby County has performed more coronavirus tests than any other county in the state, according to Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph.

    By Omer Yusuf June 30, 2020

  • Harris: New budget means layoffs, cuts in vital services likely

    The county mayor also said in a "Behind The Headlines" interview that he has no regrets about his budget proposal that the commission rejected, which included a wheel tax hike with some budget cuts and an ambitious five-year plan to fund new school construction.

    By Bill Dries June 26, 2020

  • Harris talks COVID-19, the budget and more

    This week on WKNO’s Behind the Headlines, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris joins host Eric Barnes and Bill Dries.   

    By Eric Barnes June 25, 2020

  • Orange Mound Gallery settles in to new home for the next half century

    The new gallery opens in a community rich with history and with plans for exhibits and programs.

    By Linda A. Moore June 24, 2020

  • County Commission cuts use of reserves in approving budget and stable tax rate

    What was already a challenging budget year was complicated in county government by the pandemic's economic damage and a decision by the County Commission to reject the budget proposal by County Mayor Lee Harris. The commission rejected a proposed 8-cent property tax rate hike.

    By Bill Dries June 23, 2020

  • Mayors: Return to Phase 1 of ‘Back to Business’ plan can be avoided

    In Whitehaven to launch a mask distribution effort and social media campaign, Mayors Harris and Strickland said the local effort has waned since Memorial Day. Harris says possibly going back to Phase 1 is about more than "raw numbers." Strickland says despite an increase in hospitalizations, a field hospital is a long way from being activated.

    By Bill Dries June 22, 2020

  • Shelby County Budget: The email trail

    Internal emails show disagreements between the county administration and some of the countywide elected officials outside the administration of Mayor Lee Harris about budget cuts and other changes to the consolidated county budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. 

    By Bill Dries June 22, 2020

  • County Commission appears to balance budget with $16.5 million use of reserves

    The six-hour special meeting Monday sets the stage for a final budget vote in a week. But there are questions about the dollar figures approved by the Commission and how much red ink there is to be dealt with after the moves. Two social media posts during the meeting by County Mayor Lee Harris also complained that there would be layoffs and cutbacks in critical county programs.

    By Bill Dries June 15, 2020

  • Six inmates, 13 employees are positive for COVID after surge testing

    Surge testing for the coronavirus among inmates and employees at Shelby County Correctional Center has been completed, and results show six inmates and 13 employees tested positive.

    By Yolanda Jones June 12, 2020

  • Civic memorial for George Floyd includes police and mothers

    The chief of staff to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris talks about her son's coming transition as a young black man and worries about what will happen when he encounters police. The city's police director says his officers are not the enemy.

    By Bill Dries June 08, 2020

  • ‘Crashing Down': Two states of emergency in one city

    The "last seven days" mark long-standing issues in Memphis and a renewed public interest in them as a global pandemic and nationwide protests intertwine. 

    By Bill Dries June 03, 2020

• May 2020

  • A summer like no other: coronavirus’ smackdown for Shelby County government’s summer jobs

    The fallout from COVID-19 means some young Shelby County residents will miss out on summer jobs programs.

    By Linda A. Moore May 31, 2020

  • County ordinance to ‘ban the box’ is a sound investment

    Giving a person who has a conviction a career is an investment, and that investment has a tremendous return. The dignity of work also serves as a deterrent to unacceptable behavior; it keeps a person on the right track.

    By DeAndre Brown May 30, 2020

  • Nursing homes face punishment for failing to test for COVID-19

    With nearly 40% of the state's COVID-19 deaths coming from nursing homes, Tennessee is ready to put sanctions on long-term care facilities if they fail to complete virus testing of staff and residents.

    By Sam Stockard May 29, 2020

  • Still no budget yet for Shelby County government

    The county's $1.4 billion budget is a work in progress, but officials say they're close.

    By Linda A. Moore May 27, 2020

  • County Commission tries once again to solidify the budget

    The County Commission has until June 30 to approve a balanced operating budget for the county.

    By Linda A. Moore May 27, 2020

  • Northaven’s trash service set to start July 1

    The Shelby County Commission approves the creation of a Northaven rubbish district and a contract with a trash hauler.

    By Linda A. Moore May 24, 2020

  • Sawyer says fractured county budget season could have been about tax hike

    On The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast, Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer also talked about the rift between the Democratic county mayor and the eight-vote Democratic majority on the commission.

    By Bill Dries May 24, 2020