Christopher Blank

The Delta variant has an easy time spreading through Shelby County's large number of unvaccinated citizens. 23 people have died from COVID in the past week, and hospitalizations are rising. Thanks to vaccine hesitancy, local health officials may now have to consider more restrictions.

As Republican state lawmakers clamp down on what health officials can say about COVID-19, Memphis lawmakers consider whether local voters should be aware of a candidate's party affiliation.

Patriotism and protest were in the news this week as Capitol Democrats assembled a committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. And in Tennessee, factions weigh in on what constitutes Critical Race Theory and whether transgender bathroom signage will catch on in liberal Memphis.

A panoply of new Tennessee state laws took effect on July 1. Political analyst Otis Sanford says that while some are meaningful and timely, others are merely political grandstanding.

Curtis C. Jackson spent his hermit year sewing masks for nursing homes. Now, the leftover fabric will keep him wrapped in comforting memories.

Political analyst Otis Sanford says federal funding for more police comes as Republican lawmakers add one more challenge for urban law enforcement during a massive wave of homicides: allowing citizens to carry firearms openly and without any permitting or training necessary.

On May 1, 1866, Memphis was home to a massacre that killed 46 African-Americans and injured many others. Now a historical marker shows an ongoing rift between white historians and black activists.

Freemasons are best known for their secrecy, but they are having a very public dispute — about a ban on gay members. Freemasons in Tennessee will decide this week whether to lift the ban.