Courtland, MS Municipal and More

Memphis transit advocates seek answers on MATA leadership

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Two transit advocacy groups are calling for answers about the future of the Memphis Area Transit Authority amid ongoing concerns about bus service. Citizens for Better Service and the Memphis Bus Riders Union are urging Mayor Paul Young to clarify when MATA operating trustee Rodrick Holmes will step down, when the new board will hold its first public meeting, and when it will hire a new MATA president with transit experience.

hoodline.com

Memphis Food Bank Scrambles as New SNAP Rules Squeeze Mid-South Families

At the Mid-South Food Bank warehouse on S. Perkins Road in Memphis, staff are watching federal SNAP changes ripple through the community in real time. New rules tightening eligibility and work requirements have already cut nearly 18,000 people from local food stamp rolls over the past year, and the region's main food bank is trying to absorb the fallout.

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WREG

‘We don’t have the luxury of not engaging’; Memphis church leaders weigh in on new political landscape

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — While Republican candidates walked away winners in the newly drawn 5th, 8th, and 9th Tennessee Congressional Districts on election night, their Democratic challengers won more votes in Shelby County. We met with prominent church leaders in Memphis to get their take on the new political landscape in Shelby County. “We don’t have […]

actionnews5.com

Bartlett pays tribute to those who served at Veterans Day ceremony

BARTLETT, Tenn. (WMC) - The City of Bartlett honored those who answered the call to serve this Veterans Day with a ceremony at WJ Freeman Park. American Legion Post 249 sponsored the event. “The veterans of those historic places, events and eras are the ones we owe our lives, our...

Bartlett, TN · 1d

actionnews5.com

Memphis Film Commissioner announces retirement after 40 years

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - After 40 years leading the Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission, the world’s longest-running film commissioner has announced her retirement. Linn Sitler has spent the last 40 years working alongside creatives, producers, and other professionals. She holds the title of the world’s longest-serving film commissioner and holds the record for the longest consecutively serving member of the Association of the Film Commissioners International (AFCI).

Memphis Flyer

Advocacy Groups Weigh in on MLGW Rate Hike Proposal

Memphis Light, Gas and Water’s (MLGW) price hike proposal will be voted on by city council this month, but advocates say it needs more work. In recent years, MLGW and local advocacy groups have clashed over multi-year rate hikes. “It’s painful any time we see increases, but we also...

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Tennessee Firefly

State Charter Commission Director Recommends Against Renewing Bluff City High School

If Commissioners agree in January, the Memphis public charter school would close after this school year, and its students would need new schools beginning in August 2027.

Memphis, TN · 20h

fox13memphis.com

Memphis council advances data center benefits plan after agenda mix-up

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A clerical error on Tuesday's Memphis City Council agenda briefly created confusion over the future of several major data center ordinances, making it appear the proposals were headed for a vote when they were not. The mistake caught even some council members off guard and raised questions...

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Chalkbeat

Memphis parents complained of a school laptop shortage. Now MSCS wants to buy 25,000 more.

Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders on Tuesday proposed a mid-year purchase of 25,000 laptops for high schoolers after parents complained that a sudden change in district technology policy this year left teachers and families scrambling. Before the first day of classes in August, MSCS quietly ended a COVID-era policy that assigned each student an individual laptop or tablet to use for online class work and testing. Amid nationwide efforts to dial back classroom technology and a new state law requiring clear technology policies for elementary school, district leaders said at the time that the decision was partially about being “more intentional” with digital resources. Chalkbeat Tennessee reported in early September that the last-minute laptop policy change hindered testing and lesson plans at White Station High School . The change took some teachers and parents by surprise and also raised concerns about students who could not bring their own devices from home. Many of the district’s laptops purchased during the pandemic are also aging out or

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HBCU Gameday

North Carolina A&T alumnus named CEO of Memphis Chamber

Gunn brings more than 15 years of executive leadership experience in business recruitment, workforce development and regional economic growth. The post North Carolina A&T alumnus named CEO of Memphis Chamber appeared first on HBCU Gameday .

Memphis, TN · 14h

hoodline.com

Memphis Schools Plan $22M Laptop Buy After Parents Slam Shortage

Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders are proposing a mid-year purchase of 25,000 laptops for high school students, a $22 million plan that comes after parents complained about a sudden technology policy change that left teachers and families scrambling this fall. The district says the new devices should reach high schools by February 2027, just ahead of standardized testing season.

ceoweekly.com

Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr.: A Giant of a Man Whose Leadership Opened Doors for Generations

From Breaking Barriers as Shelby County’s First Black Sheriff to Mentoring Aspiring Attorneys, Higgs Built a Legacy of Leadership, Opportunity, and Service. MEMPHIS, TN. Leadership is not always measured by the titles a person holds, the elections they win, or the recognition they receive. Sometimes, its greatest measure is found in the people they help, the opportunities they create, and the doors they open for those who follow. Judge W. Otis Higgs Jr. understood that responsibility. Throughout his life, he demonstrated that leadership was not simply about achieving personal success but about using his influence, knowledge, and position to help others advance.

hoodline.com

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Shelby County Probed After 25 Voters Cast Ballots Outside Posted Hours

Twenty-five voters in Shelby County cast ballots outside the publicly posted early-voting hours during the midterm elections, and the state says it wants to know why. The Tennessee Election Commission is now reviewing the matter and will decide what, if any, action is warranted against local election officials. The Tennessee...

Shelby County, TN · 2d

Biloxi Sun Herald

Elon Musk company started Mississippi data center without permits, state alleges

Mississippi’s environmental regulators released details this week on a set of penalties against SpaceXAI for violating state water pollution laws by starting construction on its Southaven data center facilities without needed permits. The company first announced the potential fines to investors two weeks ago, speculating the amount could reach as much as $6.1 million. To limit pollution from construction reaching public bodies of water, state law requires companies to first obtain a permit. Without proper protections, rain, for instance, can carry debris and chemicals off construction sites and pollute natural habitats, drinking water systems and recreational areas, federal regulators warn . Earlier this year, SpaceXAI – through its subsidiary, MZX Tech LLC – asked the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for permits allowing construction within its growing Southaven footprint , which includes a power plant as well as land to build a $20 billion data center facility called MACROHARDRR. But during a July meeting between MDEQ and MZX Tech, “it became apparent” the company had already begun construction on the land in question, impacting about 30 acres, MDEQ records show. On July 16, a day after the meeting, MDEQ staff visited Southaven and confirmed the infractions. The agency sent two

Southaven, MS · 3d

Breitbart

Tennessee: Democrat State Rep. Justin Pearson Concedes to Republican While Decrying ‘Attacks on Democracy’

Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D) lost his race for the 9th Congressional District and conceded to State Sen. Brent Taylor (R) on Wednesday after the midterm elections on Tuesday. Taylor received about 2,500 more votes than his Democrat opponent, the Tennessee Outlook reported. “Pearson will continue to serve...

Tennessee · 6d

actionnews5.com

Health department links foul odor in Memphis air to weather conditions

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Residents across the Memphis metro have been asking themselves the same question over the past several days: “What’s that stench outside?”. The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) has been working with the county and city mayoral offices to investigate the cause. Their preliminary findings...

mtsunews.com

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Two-time MTSU alum named state educator of the year, proceeds to national competition

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Two-time Middle Tennessee State University education alumna and STEM elementary teacher Jenna Burke was recently named Tennessee’s Teacher of the Year by the Tennessee Department of Education and will soon move on to the national stage of the competition. “Each time there has been an...

Murfreesboro, TN · 4d

WREG

East Memphis bank set to come down for new development

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An application for demolition was filed Monday for a four-story bank at Poplar and Mendenhall, as part of a major redevelopment plan at a major East Memphis corner. The demolition would take down the First Horizon Bank at 4990 Poplar. That site is next door to the old Houston’s restaurant, which has […]

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WREG

City continues to hear concerns about data centers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis City Council and some Memphis residents met Monday to discuss legislation over data centers. This comes just weeks after council members voted for a 135-day moratorium on new data centers, nearly two years after SpaceXAI’s arrival. City of Memphis’ Chief Operating Officer says he and his team spent weeks in […]

Memphis Flyer

Transit Advocates Call for Updates On MATA Leadership

The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is expected to remain under a city trusteeship until the Spring of 2027. During a media availability on Monday, November 9th, Memphis Mayor Paul Young said Rodrick Holmes would remain as the agency’s city trustee — despite earlier plans for Holmes to exit the role at the end of this year.