What 175 Years of Upstream Investment Looks Like in Memphis: The Porter‑Leath Story
Photo: Porter-Leath and University of Memphis Early Childhood Academy in Orange Mound By Rob...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 6, 2025 | Education, Memphis History, Poverty
Photo: Porter-Leath and University of Memphis Early Childhood Academy in Orange Mound By Rob...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 3, 2025 | Uncategorized
Cartoonist Bill Day never fails to prove the point that a picture – in his case, a cartoon – is...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Oct 2, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Livability
By Chelsea Smith The streets of Memphis hold endless stories. Some are easily walkable. Around...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 29, 2025 | Uncategorized
David Waters is one of Memphis’ best writers and for his entire career, he has reported on Memphis...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 24, 2025 | Uncategorized
A local politician said that Memphis has a history of taking lemons and making lemonade. And yet,...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 23, 2025 | Uncategorized
Cartoonist Bill Day never fails to prove the point that a picture – in his case, a cartoon – is...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 18, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Uncategorized
Editor’s Note: There are times when the term, arbitrary and capricious, applies aptly to the...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 15, 2025 | City of Memphis Government, Criminal Justice, Federal Government, Federal Policy
Is it possible that white right wing politicians will ever tire of telling Black Americans what to...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 12, 2025 | Uncategorized
Mid-South Pride in partnership with the Overton Park Shell, are proud to announce the rescheduled...
Read MorePosted by Smart City Memphis | Sep 9, 2025 | Federal Government, Federal Policy
In his frantic race to fuel a new Gilded Age, President Donald Trump operates on the cognitive...
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by Bill Day. Memphian Bill Day is two-time winner of the RFK Journalism Award in Cartooning. His cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons. Cartoons Archive →
Smart City Memphis has been called the oldest, continuously operating in its original form, independent blog in the U.S. Its aim since 2005 has been to connect the dots and provide perspective on issues and policies shaping Memphis. Primary author is Tom Jones, City Journal columnist at Memphis magazine, author of two books and a museum exhibition, and consultant on public policy and strategic planning. He has written articles for MLK50, The Commercial Appeal, and USA Today. The blog was called one of the most intriguing blogs in the U.S. by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change; The Commercial Appeal said it “provides some of the most well-thought-out thinking about Memphis’ past, present, and future you’ll find anywhere,” and the Memphis Flyer said: “This incredibly well-written blog sets out to solve the city’s ills – from the mayor to MATA – with out-of-the-box thinking, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ideas.” If you have questions, submissions, or ideas for posts, please email Tom Jones, at tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.