The Shelby County primaries are fast approaching. The official primary election day is Tuesday, May 5, but early voting starts Wednesday, April 15. Moreover, there are all kinds of seats up for grabs, including county mayor, 13 Shelby County Board of Commissioners districts, county sheriff, probate court clerk, county clerk and circuit court clerk.

Joining Mary Cashiola today is longtime political reporter Bill Dries to talk about how it's all shaking out so far.

Plus:

• Shelby County residents share thoughts on MSTF and immigration arrests
• A pro women's tennis tour brng the Memphis Classic to Leftwich
• An incident with a visitor leads to damage at the Memphis Zoo bonobo exhibit
• Memphis trucking leaders back Trump's crackdown on unqualified drivers
• The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis has submitted his resignation
• The cause of an inmate's death at 201 Poplar has been released

This is the week when the Banana Ball Championship League (finally) comes to Memphis. The Savannah Bananas are not coming to Memphis, but two other teams from the league — the Party Animals and the Indianapolis Clowns — will be at AutoZone Park with their signature take on baseball.

And this week marks the next step in who might replace Edmund Ford Jr. on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

Today, Bianca Phillips joins Mary Cashiola to talk about it all as we prepare for the week ahead.

Plus:

• A bipartisan effort to study DA pay disparities moves forward
• Tony Salvaggio will run for Germantown mayor
• The Univeristy of Memphis has publicly divulged revenue shared with their athletes
• The man accused of killing a Campbell Clinic doctor will face a hearing

Another week is in the books, and it's time for the weekend.

There's a "Heated Rivalry"-themed dance party at Minglewood Hall, the Memphis Coin Club Show at the Landers Center and more tulips blooming in East Memphis than you'll see anywhere else outside of the Netherlands. Well, actually, don't quote on us on that last bit. But a lot of tulips. Suffice it to say, this weekend isn't for wallflowers.

Newsletter editor Bianca Phillips is in the studio, so she and Mary Cashiola discuss all that and more.

Plus:

• Democrats boot five and Republicans strike three from the May primary ballot
• U of M marks the launch of $90M upgrade of business school
• Cohen reacts to Trump's speech
• FESJC head Joe Tomek steps down
• East Memphis momentum spawns a new mixed-use development along South White Station Road

One of the first classes medical students take is gross anatomy. They first learn about the human body during a lecture and then it's onto the lab, where their first patient — a donor body — awaits them.

Today, reporter John Klyce is here to talk to us about how UT Health Science Center's cadaver lab works, why it's important and even how they find their bodies.

Plus:

• FedEx sues the U.S. government
• A local nonprofit and the ACLU sue the city over MPD records
• MLGW says the price of gas and increased electricity use led to higher bills
• DA's office is to use Memphis-made AI for case management

After more than 40 years at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and over a decade as its president and CEO, Dr. James Downing announced last week he is stepping down. So what happens now?

Today, we'll introduce you to new business reporter Steve Bohnel and we'll chat about Downing's new role, his possible replacement and even about curing cancer.

Plus:

• Smart Mart will soon be replaced
• NBA hits Grizzlies guard Pippen with a $35K fine
• DeSoto's long-term traffic goals start with a 4-year road plan
• Comeback Coffee comes back for one day

After the Memphis Safe Task Force was deployed last fall, the Collierville Police Department did something unexpected. It increased the number of officers who were on patrol and paid them overtime to work the shifts. The idea was that the task force might push would-be Memphis criminals into Collierville and the other suburbs, where those individuals would be safe, so to speak, from the full 13-agency federal task force. But it hasn't worked out that way for many reasons.

Today, suburbs section editor Clay Bailey joins Mary Cashiola to talk the impact of the task force on places like Collierville, Germantown and Millington.

Plus:

• How a little girl from rural Louisiana became a research leader at UTHSC
• Clayborn Temple is set to be rebuilt
• One Memphis lawmaker wants to stop evictions from being livestreamed
• The convention center Sheraton could be redeveloped and rebranded by 2029
• A veteran Memphs judge is set to retire

This week brings us the NFL Combine and two Tigers tackles who get to attend, Memphis City Council and Shelby County Commission meetings, a deadline to not run for office and the annual Guns to Gardens drive, in which guns are donated and then melted down to be made into garden tools. Today, newsletter editor Bianca Phillips joins Mary Cashiola to talk about all of that to help prepare you for the week ahead.

Plus:

• Officials say the Task Force is driving down suburban crime
• St. Jude's CEO is stepping down
• The TN General Assembly votes to expand birth control access
• GXO Logistics will lay off 185 in Memphis

As the week winds to a close, newsletter editor Bianca Phillips joins Mary Cashiola to talk about the fun you can have over the next few days. There are plant sales, Bad Bunny-inspired events, Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy doing a monologue and a week's worth of Afro-Latino stories, music and dancing. They'll discuss all that and more.

Plus:

• A State House bill lets private businesses and citizens reject same-sex marriage
• Airport will double fees on taxis and rideshares for pickup
• Riverbeat Music Fest announces the 2026 lineup
• TN Governor wants a constitutional ban on state property tax
• A new cell tower will fix old Arlington's 'dead zone'
• Ja Morant is included in the latest NBA-licensed video game
• Collierville's Safe Haven baby box is Shelby County's first

As the Grizzlies head into the second half of the season, their focus seems to be locked onto next season — or beyond. In a bright spot for Memphis, NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently said team relocation is not on the table even as the league plans to expand. Today, reporter and columnist Drew Hill is here to walk us through all these developments.

Plus:

• Memphis' Hasan Abdul Hakim is dismissed from the program
• Officials want to hear from the public about Memphis 3.0
• Hundreds voice their opposition to a permit for xAI turbines in Southaven
• Memphis is in the middle of the AI boom

More than two years ago, Oak Court Partners bought 31 acres of prime East Memphis real estate for $18.3 million. That real estate, located at 4465 Poplar Avenue, was the site of Oak Court Mall, arguably, at one time, the city's toniest shopping venue. (Full disclosure, two of The Daily Memphian's board members are investors in Oak Court Partners.) These days, the site is home to wrecking balls and demolition equipment as the land is being prepared for its next life. Today, we're joined by The Daily Memphian's CRE reporter, Andy Ashby, to talk about what's happening and what's next for the property.