Author: Smart City Memphis

My daughter died Friday. Those are the hardest four words I have uttered in my whole life. Emily Jones Shrader was 32 years old and died at 7:40 Friday morning seven weeks after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor....

We’ve never been able to attract much interest to our suggestion that the parking lots around The Pyramid should be covered with sod and become our downtown festival site. But we’d sure like to take the vote in the...

This week on Smart City, you’ve heard of boycotts to convince people not to buy targeted products or at targeted places. But when is the last time you’ve heard of organizing purchasing to get companies to do the right thing?...

Just about the time that we begin to think that we’ve been too hard on Memphis City Schools, we get another inside glimpse that scares the hell out of us.At the end of January, there was the case of the serial child beater given...

For all of us who sit alone with only the glare from our computer screen keeping us company as we peck out a blog post with no idea whether any one will read it, here’s some good news. In Shelby County, more than 118,000 people...

Previously published as Memphis Magazine’s City Journal column:Few phrases are as overused today as “defining event,” but it’s never as accurate as when many in my Boomer generation look back at the life and death of Dr....

A decision by Memphis City Council to cut city schools funding will create chaos.A decision to cut school funding will throw city and county budget hearings into turmoil.A decision to cut school funding will create havoc in the...

When Washington ignored climate change, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels decided to ignore Washington. He convinced almost 800 mayors to sign on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and he is determined to make his own...

Before you think we’re losing our minds, hear us out.It’s a proposal we’re calling “poor man’s consolidation.”The only reason that we have this end-around opportunity at transforming city and county governments is because both...

The Memphis Charter Commission has the chance Thursday to do something progressive for our city – to create an election process that deserves to be called 21st century.At the meeting, Charter Commission members will vote on...