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In Nashville, Democrat Hemmer takes redrawn House District 59
At Sal’s Family Pizza of Brentwood, Caleb Hemmer celebrated winning the race for State House District 59 with 52% of the vote and will now succeed outgoing state Rep. Jason Potts, a Nashville Democrat who opted not to run for a third term. “The voters chose me and I’m ready to head down to the […]
TIRCC Votes works to reach immigrants, voters of color in rural areas
Since 2018, TIRRC Votes, an affiliate of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, has built an infrastructure across the state to harness the power of growing communities of color to have their interests represented in politics. In August, TIRRC Votes celebrated the election of several pro-immigrant candidates across the state, including Shelby County District […]
My City Academy holds graduation for Nashville new Americans
Nashville Mayor John Cooper handed diplomas to graduates of the My City Academy on Thursday, saying the city needs more people that looked like them in government to reflect its diversity. “You’re graduating into a job, and the job is communicating what the city can do,” said Cooper. Since 2012, Nashville has sought to create […]
Environmental groups urge MGLW to vote down new TVA contract
Environmental groups and Memphis community activists continue to urge the city’s utility provider against signing a “never-ending contract” with the Tennessee Valley Authority, adding that TVA’s promise to provide better service stands in contrast with their past treatment of Memphis customers. In September, the utility provider Memphis Gas Light and Water announced that it will […]
Youth Villages offers in-home counseling to children and families with mental health issues
Nine-year-old Vega was nearing the end of her counseling sessions with Youth Villages, a non-profit organization helping families with troubled children. Vega and her younger sister had always had difficulty making friends and tended to stick with one another. When the pandemic began and schools shut down, families were forced behind closed doors. Daily patterns […]
Memphis Democratic officials slam “right to work” amendment
Memphis Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy held a press conference Tuesday addressing the proposed Constitutional Amendment 1, which seeks to strengthen the state’s current “right to work” laws. The amendment would allow voters to decide whether they support language stating it is illegal to […]
EPA tells South Memphis residents little recourse exists to deal with toxic emissions
At Monumental Baptist church in South Memphis, local residents lined up to tell federal officials how cancer possibly linked to their environment had taken their loved ones, friends and family. Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency flew into town to inform residents of the possible deadly consequences of living near Sterilization Services of Tennessee, […]
Shelby County Commission approves 5-year safety plan
The Shelby County Commission on Monday approved a five-year plan to increase public safety and tackle the surge of violent crime in Memphis this year. Memphis recently attracted nationwide attention after the murder of kindergarten teacher Eliza Fletcher by alleged killer Cleotha Henderson and the shooting spree of 19-year-old Ezekiel Kelly within a span of […]
Harassment in Venezuela, political targeting in the US: Migrants to Tennessee tell their stories
At 21 years old, Javir and her partner left Venezuela and traveled by foot through seven countries seeking a better life in the U.S. For months, she walked. She walked through Panama, Nicaragua, Columbia, Mexico. She passed cities and towns, risking assault, robbery and violence from those taking advantage of fleeing migrants. “You get to […]
Lots of hoops and checks: A Tennessee man speaks on the furor over transgender care
In 2015, Henry Seaton was 17 years old when he first inquired about gender-affirming surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center but was turned away due to his age. So when right-wing political commentator Matt Walsh posted videos on social media attacking Vanderbilt’s reputation as a leader in transgender healthcare and Republican lawmakers followed suit. Democratic […]
Memphis hospital declines participation in city’s violence intervention program
An intervention program aimed at curbing violence in Memphis by speaking to shooting victims and their families encountered resistance from one of Memphis’ largest hospitals, prompting city officials to intervene. On Tuesday, Memphis City Council members voted to pass a resolution requesting the Shelby County government help facilitate an agreement between Regional One Health Hospital […]
In South Memphis, residents cope with toxic chemical pollution as EPA investigates
Leona Golster loves her home in South Memphis, but sometimes it’s hard for the 78-year-old to breathe on her front porch. Every now and then, the wind blows the smell of chemicals from the Sterilization Services of Tennessee, a facility that uses ethylene oxide (EtO) to sterilize equipment for businesses throughout Tennessee. “Smells like they’re […]