“... it’s all good for you to say we are the city and this is the city’s money, but how involved are you gonna be in the day-to-day operations of MATA without disturbing the power of the actual board?” asked bus rider Allison Donald.

‘I do not support the National Guard’ deployment, says Young, but mayor hopes to have say in how guardsmen operate in the city. mlk50.co/47GMyup

‘We are far down this road of losing our democracy,’ says Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris as President Trump and Gov. Bill Lee mull sending National Guard to Memphis. mlk50.co/4pelWHr

As of Sept. 4, 220 of the district’s new teacher hires are not fully licensed, instead holding conditional permits that expire in three years. But gaining licensure comes with high costs, including exams and additional schooling.

“Material Support” and an Ohio Chaplain: How 9/11-Era Terror Rules Could Empower Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

Rodrick Holmes, MATA’s current general counsel, and Walter Person, the city’s chief financial officer, will serve as co-trustees over MATA. mlk50.co/3I5N0YQ

The final ethics complaint lodged against Shelby County’s district attorney by a state senator has been tossed. From @tennesseelookout.com

Former MATA commissioners said their resignations came from feeling undermined and thinking they could no longer make an impact.

A pending federal court decision could make it easier for religious leaders to endorse political candidates right from the pulpit without losing their organization’s tax-exempt status. mlk50.co/3JNvnh1

Advocates for Immigrant Rights is in the early stages of building what the law firm hopes will become a robust immigration court watch program in Memphis run with clergy volunteers.

Memphis students with dyslexia will start receiving targeted reading support this school year through the district’s first universal intervention program in an effort to increase state test scores.

Wondering what's going on with MATA? We've got you covered. Read our ongoing series to find out how the transit authority finally got to the tipping point:

The Memphis City Council could appoint a trustee to oversee MATA as soon as Tuesday.

"Instead of investing in juvenile detention, invest in our community before we go to jail," writes Trekeria Rainey, a justice-impacted youth and sophomore at the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.

He made his name in Chicago investigating racial violence, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But America’s first Black private detective was hiding secrets of his own.

Last week, the CEO search was halted and five board members resigned at the Memphis Area Transit Authority. What’s next is likely to include the appointment of a trustee, but details are sparse. mlk50.co/3K9onuI

What One Man’s 45-Year-Old Case Tells Us About the “Jim Crow Juries” Haunting Louisiana

In the face of intense public opposition, Memphis’ Chamber of Commerce has gone to unusual lengths to promote Elon Musk’s xAI facility: sending out a mailer, for the first time in recent memory, that provides misleading facts. mlk50.co/4lC8oT1

Are you going to the Cooper-Young Festival? So are we! Come by and say hi, grab some resources, and maybe play a game or two with us. We'll be at our booth at Elzey and Cooper from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At 50, the Stone Soul Picnic is still a celebration of joy, community and cultural pride

The Memphis Chamber of Commerce’s misleading messaging about Elon Musk’s xAI facility is “propaganda ... at the behest of a multibillion-dollar corporation,” said State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, who represents a majority Black district.

"What could we build instead of prisons?"

MSCS students are outpacing statewide growth expectations, even as they struggle to earn widespread proficiency scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program

Majority of MATA board resigns after CEO search canceled

Alaska Vowed to Resolve Murders of Indigenous People. Now It Refuses to Provide Their Names.

At MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, we embrace the idea that to do our good work, we need to take care of ourselves. So, during the week of Aug. 25, we’ll be taking a publishing break. More here: mlk50.co/4oFKuc6

Commentary: Many poor Shelby County teens have to make their own money to survive, but legal avenues aren’t available to them. Why doesn’t the county invest in its children before they end up in a jail that costs taxpayers millions each year? mlk50.co/3JqhxRl

For Black Memphis residents already burdened by pollution, the gas turbines that powered Musk’s supercomputer raised concerns. The Chamber of Commerce downplayed fears by claiming 9 government agencies oversee the facility. That’s not exactly true.

Who are the finalists for MATA’s next CEO? The top two candidates to visit Memphis next week. Read more and find out how you can watch/attend the interviews.

In the face of intense public opposition, Memphis’ Chamber of Commerce has gone to unusual lengths to promote Elon Musk’s xAI facility: sending out a mailer, for the first time in recent memory, that provides misleading facts. mlk50.co/4lC8oT1

ICE Is Deporting Thousands With Minor Offenses — From Traffic Violations to Weed Possession

Tennessee to give more average per-pupil funding to voucher participants than public school students

Commentary: Mr. Mayor, why do we have to go to jail for you to invest in us? If Shelby County spent $11 million investing in youth instead of incarcerating them, maybe we wouldn’t need the detention center, a formerly-incarcerated youth writes. mlk50.co/3JqhxRl

Two longtime prosecutors with histories of being tough on crime. One vacant criminal court judge seat. Who will Gov. Bill Lee appoint to the position in Memphis?

Gentrification by policy: How infrastructure overreach Is displacing the spirit of Black Memphis tennesseelookout.com/2025/08/19/g...

Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon promised to prioritize reform. In reality, his court incarcerates more children than his predecessor’s. mlk50.co/4fEwg7b

The landlord for two troubled Memphis apartment communities loses their tax break: mlk50.co/4oBaGVm

🎉 Congratulations to Rebecca Cadenhead, Katti Gray and Zandria F. Robinson for their recent wins at the NABJ's 2025 Salute to Excellence Awards.

Why Trump's spending bill could close your grocery store

Health and Ed Board takes a rare step, revoking tax breaks for a troubled landlord. MLK50 previously reported on living conditions at two KeyCity Capital properties: Grahamwood Place and Pinebrook Pointe. mlk50.co/4oBaGVm

This Whitehaven mobile home park features dead trees, water leaks, and shuttered common spaces. Owner Roots Management insists that it’s working on improvements— but residents disagree. mlk50.co/3J41CrP

Over 10% of Memphis-Shelby County Schools have high levels of lead in at least one water source, according to the latest round of state-mandated testing.

Demand for free, in-home HIV tests, Shelby County health officials say, reflects a desire to lower risks and rates of infection. mlk50.co/45CgXrk

At MLK50, we want our work to make tangible changes in workers’ lives. We've created multiple resources to help, including guides on dealing with difficult landlords, evictions, and how to access assistance money for rent and utilities.

He built Michigan's Medicaid work requirement system. Now he's warning other states

Tennessee man noted intense pain during lethal injection without deactivating defibrillator

A Houston mother is one of many nationwide left with grief and unanswered questions when a loved one dies behind bars.

"Once the state deems an identity or behavior dangerous to children, it gains the moral license to surveil, coerce, and punish in the name of "child protection."

Memphis organization dedicates $50K for bail for nonviolent offenders after man dies in jail custody

Keep people hungry and they’ll demand bread, not freedom mlk50.co/47iOcCa