Elvis Week Begins
Editor’s Note: This year’s Elvis Week is being closely watched by tourism officials...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Aug 7, 2025 | John Branston, Memphis History, Tourism | 0
Editor’s Note: This year’s Elvis Week is being closely watched by tourism officials...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Jul 31, 2025 | Economic Development, FedEx, John Branston, Memphis Businesses, Memphis History | 0
By John Branston A memorial service for Fred Smith will be held August 11th (his birthday) at...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Jul 24, 2025 | Civil Rights, John Branston, Memphis History | 1
By John Branston Two big news stories with local angles: Trump’s libel suit against The...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Jul 3, 2025 | John Branston, Memphis History, Sports, Uncategorized | 0
By John Branston It is hard to drive more than 15 miles in Memphis and Shelby County without...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Jun 22, 2025 | FedEx, John Branston | 3
By John Branston Fred’s gone. The man we could least afford to lose died Saturday. Among...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | May 29, 2025 | John Branston, Leadership | 1
By John Branston GRIZZLIES COUNTRY, MT – Our 26th president had the cojones of Hemingway, the...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | May 15, 2025 | John Branston | 0
By John Branston A “team” of Memphis influencers calling he/she/we/themselves “The F-n Future”...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | May 5, 2025 | Arts and Culture, John Branston, Memphis History | 0
By John Branston It was...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Apr 17, 2025 | Data Points, John Branston | 2
By John Branston This post is intended to be a follow-up to a recent post, What Is Memphis’...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Apr 10, 2025 | Federal Government, FedEx, John Branston, Memphis Businesses | 0
By John Branston Imagine if there were a Trump tariff on goods that – although not made in Memphis...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Apr 1, 2025 | Civil War History, Federal Government, John Branston, Parks and Greening | 0
By John Branston You can’t go all noir when you drive to Shiloh in the...
Read Moreby Smart City Memphis | Mar 13, 2025 | Education, Federal Government, John Branston, Memphis City Schools, Shelby County government | 1
By John Branston “Education” is a vague platitude. And the federal Department of Education is...
Read Moreby 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 →
Since 2005, this has been Smart City Consulting’s blog with the aim of connecting the dots and providing perspective on issues and policies shaping Memphis. Editor and primary author is Tom Jones, columnist at Memphis magazine, author of two books and a museum exhibition, and consultant on public policy and strategic planning. Smart City Memphis was called one of the most intriguing blogs in the U.S. by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal wrote: “Smart City Memphis 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 solves 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.