Mayor Lee Harris

It's your time, Mayor Lowery. Good luck to you as you embark on leading the largest, most diverse, and greatest county in Tennessee. We're all behind you.

Sounding like Trump, now @Hatley4Governor decides to stand up for Trump’s task force in Memphis. “As a conservative, I disagree with everything Ms. Green says. The President had to jump in and do something about Memphis. Memphis is always on the news for the wrong reasons.” Then he commends ICE for removing immigrants from the streets. Wrong move, Mr. Hatley. Not very independent-sounding.

The real conservative might be @Hatley4Governor, sounding farther to the right than any other of the candidates as he argues in favor of book bans. “There’s a lot of books we ought to ban. That’s our right [to ban books] as a conservative and a Christian.” Dead wrong, Mr. Hatley. TN voters are against government overreach.

She won’t stop. Now @Jerri_M_Green discussing her plan to help eliminate medical debt, expand Medicaid coverage, like other southern states, and, most importantly, ensuring our rural hospitals reopen. Meanwhile @VoteMarsha does not say where she stands on healthcare. Crickets.

Now @Jerri_M_Green is reminding TN voters that she wants to freeze the gas tax and eliminate grocery tax. And raise the minimum wage to honor those who work for a living. She also talked about her experience eliminating medical debt. The only candidate not to talk about ANY of those issues at tonight’s debate is @VoteMarsha

What a terrific opening from #GreenforGov

Hotty Toddy!

It has been the privilege of my lifetime to serve as Shelby County Mayor. The successes we’ve seen over the last 8 years would not have been possible without the leadership of the public servants across all our divisions. Every day, these leaders work to deliver essential services, solve complex problems, and improve the lives of those choosing to live, work, play, and retire in Shelby County. I am deeply grateful for their dedication and proud of everything we’ve accomplished together. Thank you, Shelby County, for growing stronger with us.

This fall, I will bring my passion for public service and leadership to the classroom as a Professor of Law at @OleMiss . As an educator, I plan to prepare the next generation of attorneys by sharing real-world insights from public service. Hotty Toddy all the way!

The Rising Stars Awards is one of many programs launched by this administration that has continued to gain momentum and inspire young people to make a meaningful impact across Shelby County. As students begin to settle into their classes and the new school year gets underway, my hope is that they continue to shine, lead, and make a difference in their schools and communities. I also hope the Rising Stars Awards will continue to grow and inspire young people for generations to come.

The reforms made since our administration and the Division of Corrections took over the Youth Justice and Education Center are now becoming law. Thank you to the Board of Commissioners for passing our ordinance to ban solitary confinement for youth in detention. This is another step toward a juvenile justice system focused on rehabilitation.

The ordinance to end solitary confinement for youth in detention has support from across the community. Thank you @ blackclergy901 Executive Director Shirley Bondon, the Shelby County Commissioners, and everyone who helped move this important initiative to its final reading on Monday. At its heart, this ordinance is about a simple principle, that children in our custody deserve to be treated with dignity, humanity, and have an opportunity for rehabilitation.

In the past, our community was just used to hearing about progress. Now, we're seeing it. We are in the middle of rebuilding our county's only public hospital, the only Level 1 trauma center in a five state radius, and the institution that has served Shelby County's families for more than 100 years. I was glad to join leaders on the grounds of the new Regional One Health, at the old Commercial Appeal building, to celebrate the new life coming to the Medical District and Downtown.

Trekeria Rainey, a student @UAPB, spoke at the Shelby County Commission meeting on Monday in support of our ordinance. This ordinance ends solitary confinement for detained youth in Shelby County. The third and final reading is August 24th. We continue to stand with young people who deserve meaningful support and the opportunity to thrive.

The momentum of ShelbyCares and its free preventative care and exercise classes has reached Raleigh. Together with our partners @uthsc we’re expanding access to health screenings and education.

Youth in Shelby County deserve opportunities for successful adulthood. We remain committed to ending the use of youth seclusion and advancing restorative practices for young people in detention. Thank you to the Shelby County Commissioners for unanimously voting to move this ordinance forward on its first reading. Together, we're making meaningful progress toward a more supportive and effective juvenile justice system.

One of the highlights of the summer was celebrating the Second Annual Rising Stars Awards. From more than 100 nominations, we honored 15 extraordinary young leaders making a difference across Shelby County. Congratulations to our Rising Stars, and thank you to the families, educators, mentors, and community members who support them. Wishing everyone a great school year.

Welcome back to Shelby County students, teachers, and staff. Let’s make this new school year one of achievement, service, and endless possibilities. Together we are strengthening our schools and building an even brighter future for our entire community.

The Youth and Family Resource Center in Raleigh transformed into a skate haven this past weekend as families gathered for the Youth on Deck skateboard giveaway. Young people enjoyed a day of fun, community, and outdoor recreation. The nearby skatepark in Commissioner Caswell's district is a great place to keep the fun rolling all summer long.