This week on “Behind the Headlines,” host Eric Barnes was joined by the Memphis Flyer’s Kailynn Johnson and Daily Memphian reporters Laura Testino and Samuel Hardiman for a discussion of some of the biggest stories of the week.
The discussion started with the potential deployment of Tennessee National Guard troops to Memphis. Hardiman noted that on Monday, September 15, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum establishing the Memphis Safe Task Force.
The memorandum also requested that Gov. Bill Lee activate the Tennessee National Guard. “The President himself has not exercised any authority to bring the National Guard here,” Hardiman said, emphasizing that many details remain uncertain. Gov. Lee has described the Guard as a “force multiplier” for the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and estimated about 150 Guard members could be deployed, alongside roughly 140 Tennessee Highway Patrol already working in Shelby County.
Johnson highlighted Mayor Paul Young’s response, pointing out that the mayor had not requested the Guard’s presence and called national reports of his support an overstatement. “He was very honest in saying that wasn’t his way to go,” Johnson said.
While some residents welcomed additional resources, others voiced concerns that the Guard’s presence could heighten tensions. Testino added that reactions in the community have been mixed. One resident recalled an armored car theft and the killing of a neighbor, questioning, “Well, what if the Guard is here? Would that have changed? I hope so.” But others, she noted, feared risks for young Black men interacting with Guard troops, “not quite understanding whatever the stakes are, tensions are high, and that that can go poorly.”
The panel then shifted its focus to Memphis-Shelby County Schools, where potential closures and consolidations are being considered. Testino reported that a preliminary list of schools may be released by the end of September, with a comprehensive multi-year facilities plan anticipated in December. Barnes mentioned that district leaders are evaluating various factors, including enrollment numbers, academic performance, building conditions, and repair costs.
Testino highlighted Humes Middle School in North Memphis, where New Ballet aims to transform it into a performing arts contract school. She also mentioned the former Bayer Building on Jackson Avenue, which has undergone millions of dollars in repairs and may be redeveloped to support youth aging out of foster care. “Most of [the schools] are not enrolled to capacity,” she noted, emphasizing the urgency of the decisions that need to be made.
Discussion then shifted to the county jail. Johnson described letters from faith leaders urging officials to take a slower, more deliberate approach. “They believe that we do need a new jail… but they want the community to be involved in these conversations, and they don’t want it to be a rushed process,” she said. Johnson also noted that the faith leaders called for addressing the current issues before moving forward with plans to build a new jail.
Barnes added that some criminal-justice advocates argue that the real problems lie in staffing and management, not just the physical structure. Hardiman emphasized how difficult the choices will be: “Two of the things we just talked about, both the maintenance of schools and a new jail, they kind of come out of the same pot of money.”
The program concluded with a tribute to Les Smith, a Memphis television journalist who passed away this week at the age of 75. Smith had a remarkable 40-year career, working at multiple stations, and he was an early contributor to “Behind the Headlines” when it launched in 2010. Barnes remembered Smith fondly, stating, “He was a great human being. He was a great guy. He was kind of an old school TV journalist in the sense that he told… really thoughtful stories in shorter and shorter periods of time.” Barnes credited Smith with shaping the program's early tone and described him as patient and supportive. Les Smith is survived by his sons, Jeff and Jason, as well as grandchildren and other family members.
