The AM/DM

On Tuesday, May 5, Shelby County went to the primary polls, winnowing down wide fields in races for county mayor, county clerk and sheriff. Now, Shelby County will return to the polls in August to decide between Mickell Lowery and former state Rep. John DeBerry for mayor and Anthony Buckner and Brad Less for sheriff. Veteran reporter Bill Dries joins us today to talk about the results and what comes next.

Plus:

• Tennessee has a newly proposed congressional map
• G.A. Hardaway's son is appointed to his state House seat
• Claude AI is to use xAI's Memphis data center
• St. Mary's names a new head of school
• The Greater Memphis Chamber plans to find a new leader
• MIM's beabrcue cooking contest just got more fiery

Historically, West Tennessee has been known for commodity crops such as soy, corn and especially cotton. But in recent years, an increasing number of farmers in the area have started growing specialty crops — fruits and vegetables — because they're generally way more profitable per acre. Think $6,000 per acre in revenue compared to $800 per acre.

But for some farmers, there's an issue. Peaches are a popular choice among specialty crops — but you have to protect them from diseases such as peach scab and brown rot. And that's where researchers from the University of Memphis come in.

Reporter John Klyce joins us today to talk about peaches and pathogens and how the U of M is trying to help local farmers.

Plus:

• Memphians in Nashville react to proposed redistricting
• The Band Camino will be the first concert at Satellite Music Hall
• Aqua Falls is coming to the former Carolina Watershed property
• Arlington school board candidates enjoy unopposed primaries
• FedEx stock is down nearly 10% after Amazon announced delivery expansion
• Ghost River Brewing on Beale is set to close

Today, May 5, is the Shelby County primary election, in which we'll be narrowing down candidates for mayor, sheriff and all host of other offices. In the past week, however, voting has become a very hot topic around the country — especially in Memphis.

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana, two Republican candidates for Tennessee governor suggested that Memphis' 9th district should be redrawn in an attempt to turn the state red. Pretty quickly, Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee called for a special session of the legislature, which also starts today, to vote on redrawing the lines. If approved, the new districts would apply to those running in this year's August state and federal primary elections.

This morning, political reporter Bill Dries joins us to walk us through the election, the special session and what might happen in the coming days.

Plus:

• A Memphs-based event agency has been acquired by a private equity firm
• Young Avenue Sound studio hits the market
• TBI can now bypass the Shelby County DA in some Memphis investigations
• A Downtown hotel-Airbnb hybrid won't be your average one-trick pony

The beginning of May brings us a whole week of Memphis art and fashion, plus an election day and the NBA draft lottery. Today, newsletter editor Bianca Phillips joins us to set up the week and tell us what we can expect.

Plus:

• Lee greenlights a special session for redistricting next week
• How Spirit Airlines shutting down will impact Memphis
• Ted Townsend is out as the Chamber president
• Baptist Memorial breaks ground on a $27M Fayette County hospital
• The Tennessee Legislature passes two bills aimed at DA Mulroy

This weekend is full of music and music-related events, with the largest being the Riverbeat Music Festival at Tom Lee Park. But there's also David Lee Roth at Graceland Soundstage, a bodego pop-up with Wu-Tang Clan, the Morning After Club's Beale Street Block Party and a Riverbeat after party at Wiseacre Brewing Co. Today, Bianca Phillips gives us the skinny on all of them.

Plus:

• Josh Holloway commits to Memphis
• Lakeland considers roundabouts for U.S. 70
• City Council hangs up over the length of leases for city-owned properties
• Collierville Schools approves a $142 million budget

The Shelby County primaries are here, with early voting already ongoing, and election day coming fast and furious on Tuesday, May 5. Afterward, we'll know who the Democratic and Republican candidates for Shelby County mayor will be but right now, the race is on.

The Daily Memphian's digital director Holly Whitfield joins us today to talk about how you, the electorate of Shelby County, can get all the information you need to know — for free — about the primary.

Plus:

• Google announces $25M in grants for West Memphis
• A disaster-assistance center for ice storm victims opens in Nesbit
• Quail Ridge's comeback is in full swing
• A new Uptown bar opens in an existing event space

Last week, the Tennessee General Assembly approved a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The law allows the state to install an appointed board of nine members who then have control over the school system's superintendent, its budget and even its elected board.

In part two of our podcast about the takeover, reporter Laura Testino returns to talk about how churn factors in, what we can take from the school system takeover in Houston and what role school closures and land sales might play.

Plus:

• No Kings questions appear and then disappear from the City Council agenda
• An appeals court deals a blow to the lawsuit challenging the National Guard
• The County Commission fails to fund a MSCS takeover lawsuit
• A $19M ruling goes against the former Raymond James building owner
• The legislature adds two more criminal courts to Shelby County
• A firm linked to the Millington racetrack owner buys a Memphis warehouse

Last week, the Tennessee General Assembly approved a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. The law allows the state to install an appointed board of nine members who then have control over the school system's superintendent, its budget and even its elected board.

Today, in part one of our discussion about the takeover, Laura Testino joins us to answer some of our burning questions, including whether former superintendent Marie Feagins is expected to get her job back.

Plus:

• A Big Ten transfer guard picks Memphis
• Belly Acres in Collierville is closing
• Experts say the Delta airline route pause to JFK is not a surprise
• The Works eyes a South Memphis site for affordable housing
• Collierville Schools wrestles with the budget, enrollment and bus-driver retention

Newsletter editor Bianca Phillips joins us today to set up the week. In addition to some of our normal governmental activities, early voting ends but Baron Von Opperbean's River of Time, the Riverbeat Music Festival and Memphis Water Gardens all begin.

Plus:

• Memphis' budget shows the rising cost of doing business
• Tennessee's cannabis industry is in the weeds
• State leaders give Memphis suburbs votes on the MLGW board
• FedEx lays off more than 100 in New York and Pennsylvania
• Mount Trashmore in Collierville was purchased in a tax sale
• The MSCS board approves teacher raises for the next school year
• A local investor buys a Midtown office tower for $5.5M

This weekend is, in a word, busy. It's got a rock opera, roller derby, Shelby Forest Spring Fest, a rescheduled vegan block party and a lego convention. Plus a Friends of the Library book sale and a yard sale.

Newsletter Bianca Phillips joins us today to talk about all these events and more.

Plus:

• Ja Morant accuser Josh Holloway is set to visit Memphis next week and make a commitment decision
• Schroomlicious meals has relaunched as Schroomlicious Baby
• Officials say misinformation about a Lakeland government change could jeopardize the city charter
• NBA commissioner says the Grizzlies owner has no interest in moving the team
• Tennessee lawmakers pass an MSCS takeover