A public policy group in Tennessee released a report this week showing a massive uptick in charter school growth in the Volunteer State.
According the report by The Beacon Center of Tennessee, charter schools in Tennessee have increased in number from fewer than 20 in 2010 to more than 110 in 2019. Such schools have only become more popular since 2019, and more than 44,000 students in the state are enrolled in a charter school.
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Average rent prices in Tennessee increased 12.1 percent year-over-year as of February, according to data compiled by apartment search engine Rent. Tennessee ranked ninth in the nation for experiencing the biggest increase in rent prices from February 2022 to February 2023.
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The Justice Department on Wednesday announced that it will review the Memphis Police Department’s procedures and produce a national guide for officials to use in assessing specialized policing units in the wake of Tyre Nichols’ death.
The review, which was requested by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, will be conducted through the agency’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). It will “cover policies, practices, training, data and processes” relating to the department’s “use of force, de-escalation and specialized units,” the Justice Department said.
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Chicago recorded 697 total homicides in 2022, far more than any other city in the United States, but New Orleans had the highest murder rate per capita, according to a new report from a nonprofit research group.
Chicago had more total homicides in 2022 than Philadelphia (516), New York City (438), Houston (435) and Los Angeles (382), which rounded out the top five, according to a report from Wirepoints, an Illinois-based research and news organization that surveyed 2022 crime data from 75 of the largest U.S. cities.
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Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy now says his office will review all criminal cases involving the former police officers accused in the brutal beating death of Tyre Nichols.
He may have no other choice.
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Memphis has fired a sixth police officer in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols.
The decision to terminate Preston Hemphill stemmed from an internal investigation that ultimately found he violated multiple department policies during Nichols’s arrest, the Associated Press reported.
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A long-time Memphis law enforcement source tells The Tennessee Star rumors about guards at the Shelby County Division of Corrections being involved in street gangs have been circulating for years, although he knows of no correction officer implicated such a crime.
“There have always been rumors about that, but they’ve never been substantiated that I know of,” the official with knowledge of the Shelby County criminal justice system told The Star. “The joke in Memphis criminal justice has long been the jailers are one step ahead of being in jail themselves.”
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Former President Donald Trump released a video statement Friday prompted by the riots in Atlanta, calling out the perpetrators and declaring what his actions would be as president under the same circumstances.
Protests against the construction of a new police training facility on Wednesday, January 18 turned violent days later when a man allegedly shot a state trooper during a law enforcement operation at the site. When police shot back, the man died, The Georgia Star News reported.
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The Memphis Police department announced Saturday that the controversial SCORPION unit has been permanently deactivated on the heels of overnight protests in the city and across the nation.
“It is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted,” the statement said.
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The five former Memphis police officers who were charged last week with second degree murder in the beating death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols were part of a special, 40-member SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods) unit established in October 2021 by Memphis Police Department Chief Cerelyn Davis and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, a Democrat.
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The City of Memphis on Friday released video footage on the police altercation with Tyre Nichols that resulted in his death.
The city aired the video in four parts on Vimeo.
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Four men have received federal prison sentences after being convicted of carjacking, assaulting a federal officer, and using a weapon during the crimes committed in Memphis nearly two years ago.
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Antwon Brown, a convicted felon and known Unknown Vice Lords street gang member, was recently sentenced to 138 months in federal prison for drug and firearm charges.
Members of the Vice Lords street gang distribute cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and some heroin in Illinois, Tennessee, and other states, according to the Department of Justice. Vice Lords gangs in the Volunteer State are located predominantly in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville.
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Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Monica Timmerman was recently arrested on DUI charges after crashing into a utility pole in Memphis.
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Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis is responding after the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) threatened legal action if the healthcare system does not reschedule the cancellation of surgeries for transgender and nonbinary patients.
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A Memphis news crew was robbed at gunpoint late last week, according to the reporter who was on the scene.
“HOW IN THE HOLY HELL YOU ROB THE NEWS CREW: Robbed at Poplar and Highland. You know I’ve had my fair share of stories but DAMN! Took the camera, tripod, and LIVEU,” said Fox13 reporter Jeremy Pierre. “One of the dudes even showed me the gun in his waist band.”
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In his weekly update, Memphis’ mayor lamented the city’s “revolving door” of crime, and said he supports new tough-on-crime legislature recently enacted by the Tennessee legislature.
“Last week, I told you about a man who, while driving a car, struck a Memphis police officer on foot, causing him to roll over the hood and be thrown to the ground. He led officers on a high-speed vehicle pursuit and crashed into a citizen’s car. He fled on foot. Officers apprehended him and found him in possession of a handgun. He was given a $15,000 bond,” said Mayor Jim Strickland. “Guess what has happened? He has posted his bond, was released, and is out and about in the Memphis community.”
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The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department continues to plead with the citizens of Nashville to lock their car doors and secure their guns as the number of firearms stolen from vehicles climbs to 1,163 this year.
“It’s become a disturbing trend, and it needs to stop; guns being stolen from vehicles. Criminals are continuously checking door handles, ready to steal, and it guns are left visible, they will do whatever it takes to break in. It takes just seconds for someone to grab your gun and go. Stats from this year shows a tremendous increase in guns being stolen from vehicles,” Chief of Police John Drake said in a video posted by MNPD in September.
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After the city of Memphis announced that part of its One Beale project in September – a plan that would have brought a Grand Hyatt Hotel to Memphis – it was announced this week that the plans for the hotel have fallen through.
Developer Chance Carlisle blamed the city, saying that it did not hold up its end of the bargain to provide $46 million in municipal bonds for the project. Instead, those bonds only amounted to $41 million.
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As Memphis crime skyrockets, the city’s mayor Friday took to his weekly email update to justify spending nearly $700 million to upgrade its sports stadiums and build a new professional soccer stadium.
“I would like to clarify a few things on that potential financial support,” said Mayor Jim Strickland (D), noting that residents of the city had asked about the planned spend.
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After a wave of violent crime in Memphis and questions about the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) turnaround time for rape kits, TBI in Jackson has officially opened the application period to hire forensic analysts.
“Combine your science smarts and passion to serve on our team in the Jackson Crime Laboratory! We’re looking for new forensic scientists to help us grow! The application window closes Wednesday!” TBI said on Twitter, attaching a link to the job application.
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Shelby County’s notoriously soft on crime District Attorney announced several new hires that he says will make his office more diverse.
I’m proud to announce that the [Shelby County District Attorney]’s office has added six new attorneys to the team: Ernest Brooks, II, Denania Galloway, Melanie Headely, Kindle Nance, and Krysa Scully will join the office as Assistant District Attorneys. Jessica Indingaro will serve as Special Assistant for Projects & Government Relations. All will start between now and mid-November,” said District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Twitter.
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Tennessee State Representative Ron Gant was airlifted to Regional One in Memphis, Tennessee, after being seriously injured in a car accident on Wednesday night in Hardeman County.
Since the initial reports broke, a spokesperson for State Rep. Gant detailed the extent of his injuries in a Facebook post Saturday evening
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Five current or former IRS employees in the Memphis area have been charged with defrauding federal Covid-19 relief programs after spending relief money on Mercedes, Gucci, and trips to Las Vegas.
U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz, for the Western District of Tennessee, said, “These individuals-acting out of pure greed- abused their positions by taking government funds meant for citizens and businesses who desperately needed it. I thank our law enforcement partners for rooting out this fraud. Our office will not hesitate to pursue and charge individuals who steal from our nation’s taxpayers.”
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The governor of Tennessee has announced that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TB) will hire 25 new forensic analysts in order to assist with processing Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs).
“Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton announced a decisive step to accelerate the hiring process for 25 additional forensic lab positions at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI),” said a press release from the governor’s office. “Taking this action ahead of the regular budget process will expedite the TBI’s efforts to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround time for sexual assault kits (SAKs).”
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An autopsy has revealed the cause of death of a Memphis woman, who was abducted in September while jogging.
“Eliza Fletcher, 34, had a gunshot wound to the back of her head, blunt-force injuries to a leg and jaw fractures, according to an autopsy completed by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center in Memphis,” according to Fox News.
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The City of Memphis announced Wednesday that roughly 1,000 first responders will qualify to take part in the city’s 1978 pension plan, pending the Memphis City Council’s approval.
“I am happy to say that we have agreed with the association to provide those firefighters and police officers who currently do not qualify for the 1978 pension plan – those hired since July 1, 2016, and all future hires – to have the option to choose the 1978 or the 2016 pension plan beginning July 1, 2023, subject to city council approval. Currently, there are about 1,000 firefighters, police officers, and dispatchers who would qualify,” Mayor Jim Strickland said.
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During a public safety committee, on Tuesday, The Memphis City Council discussed strictly enforcing the Memphis curfew for children 17 and under.
Vice Chairman Martavius Jones said, “Juvenile Crime has spiked over the years…I commend our men and women in blue for all that they are doing. However, the things that are on the books, we definitely want to make those things happen…One thing that we do know, if they are in the house, a lot of this wouldn’t be happening. If they [children] were at home, under parental supervision, some of these things wouldn’t be happening.”
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The Memphis Police Department (MPD) Monday confirmed that it did not shut down a drag show at the Memphis Museum of Science and History (MoSH), but that the museum canceled the event due to protests.
“Management of the Pink Palace chose to cancel all events [Friday], MPD Public Information Officer Theresa Carlson told The Tennessee Star. “MPD was asked to assist. No incidents occurred and no arrests were made.”
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Shaterra Reed Marion was appointed as a judge on the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims in Memphis, by new Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Administrator Troy Haley the state Department of Labor & Workforce (TDLW) announced Wednesday.
“Shaterra Reed Marion will be a welcome addition to the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims in Memphis. She has the heart of a public servant and, as a judge, I know she will be fair to all parties and reflect the values for which the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims is known,” Haley said.
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Memphis Record Pressing, located in Bartlett, Tennessee, is predicted to be North America’s largest producer of vinyl records by next year. Producing around 130,000 records a day, Memphis Record Pressing will produce over 10 million records this year.
Brandon Seavers, co-founder and CEO of Memphis Record Pressing, said, “It’s a humbling experience for me, and for Mark as well, to see where we are today. Literally every day when I drive up, I say, ‘This is not real. There is no way that we are manufacturing a legacy, analog format/medium in the 21st century, and we’re actually breaking ground and constructing a new facility to do this.”
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According to data provided to The Tennessee Star by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the average time it takes for the state law enforcement agency to conduct analysis on sexual assault kits (SAKs) submitted to it by local law enforcement is 45 weeks.
That figure accounts for SAKs that are reviewed by TBI’s Jackson crime lab. In its Nashville lab, TBI tests and analyzes SAKs in about 25 weeks. In its Knoxville lab, that figure is around 30 weeks.
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Despite reports that the suspect in the Eliza Fletcher’s kidnapping and murder has now been charged with a separate abduction and rape in 2021, Shelby County District Attorney, who ran his campaign on criminal justice reform, says the Fletcher incident was an “isolated attack.”
Cleotha Abston Thursday was charged separately with aggravated rape, especially aggravated kidnapping, and unlawful carrying of a weapon stemming from an event that allegedly occurred in 2021, though details were not immediately available.
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A 19-year-old who allegedly committed multiple Memphis, Tennessee, shootings Wednesday had been released from prison less than a year into a three-year sentence, according court filings obtained by Newsweek.
Ezekiel Kelly was arrested Wednesday night after allegedly killing four people and injuring three, while suspected to have live-streamed an attack at an AutoZone store, the outlet reported. Kelly was charged in 2020 with attempted first-degree murder and reckless endangerment and possession of a firearm with intent to commit a felony before pleading guilty to aggravated assault and receiving a three-year incarceration sentence beginning in June 2021.
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Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to comment upon the uptick in crime that is plaguing Democratic-run cities across the country and the role of District Attorneys.
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The defendant in the killing of Tennessee teacher Eliza Fletcher was on Wednesday ordered held without bond, after he was charged with first-degree murder.
“In light of the change of circumstance, I’m going to order that there be no bond,” said a Shelby County Circuit judge. “The $500,000 bond is revoked.”
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio for another edition of Crom’s Crommentary.
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Police in Tennessee confirmed Tuesday the body found over the weekend is that of teacher Eliza Fletcher, who went missing days earlier on a morning run.
The Memphis police department on Sunday said it had charged Cleotha Abston, 38, with evidence tampering and aggravated kidnapping in connection with Fletcher’s disappearance early Friday morning.
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Memphis, Tennessee police say they found a “deceased party” in the area where teacher Eliza Fletcher went missing on Friday during an early morning job, the New York Post reports. The body hasn’t been identified yet.
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U.S. Marshals arrested a man in connection to the allegedly “violent” disappearance of Tennessee elementary school teacher Eliza Fletcher, who went missing while jogging early Friday morning.
Cleotha Abston, 38, was charged Sunday with aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence, hours after law enforcement found him inside of an SUV they were searching for in connection to the disappearance. Fletcher, a 34-year-old mother of two young boys and granddaughter of a hardware company billionaire, has not been found.
Authorities arrested Abston after his DNA matched DNA that was found on shoes left near where Fletcher was kidnapped.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of Memphis, Tenn., seized an ancient Egyptian artifact that is at least 2,600 years old in a shipment from Europe meant for a private U.S. buyer.
The artifact was the stone lid of an Egyptian canopic jar, which was used to hold the internal organs of mummies. The jar featured the face of Imsety, a funeral deity that protected the deceased’s liver in the ancient Egyptian religion.
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Three cities in Tennessee are among the cheapest to live in the United States, according to a recently-published Kiplinger report.
To measure the cheapest cities in the United States, Kiplinger calculated the cost of living in 267 cities using a standard Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). It then narrowed its results to cities with populations of more than 50,000 people.
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According to the governor’s office and the cities of Memphis and Nashville, more than 40 independent have committed to allowing families to enroll in Education Savings Account (ESA) programs beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year.
“There was an urgent need for school choice in 2019, and finally, parents in Memphis and Nashville won’t have to wait another day to choose the best educational fit for their children,” said Gov. Bill Lee (R). “I thank each school that has partnered with us to swiftly implement a program that will change the lives of Tennessee students, and I invite interested families to begin the enrollment process today.”
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As Tennesseans prepare to head to the polls on August 4, where they will vote on whether to retain the state’s five Supreme Court justices, The Tennessee Star has completed a profile on each justice currently sitting on the bench.
Last week, The Star profiled Justice Holly Kirby.
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Officials in the city of Memphis are silent after the City Council pledged not to follow Tennessee’s law restricting abortions, which takes effect in August and would make performing an abortion a felony offense for doctors.
Tuesday, Councilman JB Smiley introduced a resolution Reproductive Autonomy Is Necessary (RAIN) Act, which was subsequently passed by a vote of 6-0, with two members of the City Council abstaining.
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Tennessee motorists have seen slight relief at the pump over the past week, matching national averages.
The average price of a gallon of gas in Tennessee was $4.39 Tuesday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
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AFSCME Local 1733 endorsed Democratic candidate JB Smiley, Jr. on Monday to be the next Tennessee governor.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the largest trade union of public employees in the United States. The group “believes that every person working to sustain their community deserves respect.”
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Former President Donald Trump Saturday took aim at his political rivals on the Select Committee on January 6, which for weeks has been holding televised hearings about the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“This horrible, stupid crazy committee, which is totally partisan – did you ever see… actually the worst person is – by the way, [Wyoming Rep.] Liz Cheney is down 35 points,” Trump said, referencing the congresswoman who is a ringleader of the committee. “She’s actually the worst one on the committee.”
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A Starbucks store in Memphis is the latest to unionize, joining more than 130 stores across the country.
Workers at the Poplar and Highland location voted 11-3 in favor of unionization after a high-profile battle wherein seven employees were fired during the attempt to unionize.
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An anti-gun group will host protests in five cities later this month, as part of a nationwide effort to push gun control in the wake of a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
“What we are demanding from our state’s legislators should not be controversial, and will help to prevent preventable deaths in our communities,” said Carson Ferrara, a rising senior at Vanderbilt University and representative of March For Our Lives. “Last year, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a law that allows anyone to carry a loaded gun in public without a permit. He signed it at a weapons manufacturing plant.”
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