In recent years, staff dealt with COVID-19. They aimed to teach students in a safe environment while also abiding by ever-changing guidelines.

State Sen. Jack Johnson said the current formula “is outdated, it’s antiquated, it’s difficult to understand. Quite frankly, it is broken. (This) rips that old formula out by the roots and starts with a clean state.”

The only two contested Republican primaries in August for seats in the Tennessee General Assembly representing parts of Shelby County could change dramatically with new challenges that could remove one of the contenders from each of the two-man races.

Those schools have remained under the operation of Memphis-Shelby County Schools since the municipal districts were formed in 2013.

“I just feel like a weight has been lifted up off of me.” 

All MATA services will be free to ride on Thursday, April 28.

“Regardless of where you live in Tennessee, you should have a say in who represents you,” writes Tequila Johnson and Charlane Oliver.

“What is troubling here ... is the narrative around crime is so strong, so in your face all the time.”

Grand jury alleges Miracle Renee Rutherford was driving recklessly and crashed into the home of Leslie Galen Young, former basketball standout at Hillcrest High School.

The Scorecard attempts the math on the new FedExForum deal keeping the Grizzlies at the Forum and on the renovated Shelby Training Center that is to become the new juvenile detention center with more funding from the county.

Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and its partner, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, showed its members that Easter egg hunting is possible, using beeping eggs.

Thursday marked the withdrawal deadline for contenders in the August election, with several developments in the nonpartisan judicial races that are a major part of that ballot.

Incumbent Mayor Lee Harris wants to continue a sea change in what issues the county mayor focuses on. His challenger in the May Democratic primary, Ken Moody, says that focus isn’t immediate or local enough.

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Early voting starts slow at Election Commission offices

There are plans by several organizations to boost the turnout Thursday. Meanwhile, there is free parking around the only early-voting site Downtown open Wednesday and Thursday.

Early voting for the Shelby County primaries is April 13-28. Here is everything to know the ballot, the basics of early voting and what turnout in this election cycle has looked like in the past.

The Democratic primary race for district attorney is about to turn from general calls for change to who can upset incumbent Republican Amy Weirich.

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Ballot basics: Early voting begins

The MATA funding has also become an issue in the May Republican primary for commission District 4. 

County Commission Chair Willie Brooks denied that the meeting was called to try to hide the 8-0 vote on emergency funding for the project. 

In addition to advancements on Northside and Soulsville TIFs, the commission approved on second reading an ordinance keeping in place a residency waiver for prison guards. But some commissioners may try to kill it on third reading next month.

The pairing is among the police reforms discussed nationally in the wake of the March 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody.

The County Commission Monday approved the agreement with Grizzlies to keep the team in Memphis through at least 2029.

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Calkins: Grizzlies aren’t leaving Memphis — now or in 2029

The commission agenda also includes a call on County Clerk Wanda Halbert for a corrective plan to clear up some problems in a recent audit of her office’s financial statements.